Taxonomic structure of the zoobenthos of the Lukoml GRES cooling reservoir
The species composition of zoobenthos in the heated and non-heated zones of the cooling lake Lukoml State District Power Station was studied. 80 taxa of bottom animals have been registered, and two new species of chironomid larvae have been identified. The bottom fauna includes a protected relict species of Pallaseopsis qudrispinosa, which is preserved in the conditions of warming.it is listed in the Red book of Belarus and the alien species – freshwater shrimp Macrobrachium nipponense. The high taxonomic diversity indicates that the Lukoml State District Power Station operation has little impact on the bottom community throughout the lake’s water area. However, species richness is reduced locally by half in the zone of influence of heated water discharge, especially in summer. Under the influence of heating, the taxonomic structure and spatial distribution at different depths change.