CHIRONOMIDS (DIPTERA, CHIRONOMIDAE) OF HIGHLY MINERALIZED RIVERS OF THE ELTON LAKE REGION, RUSSIA: TAXONOMIC COMPOSITION, ECOLOGICAL FEATURES
Zinchenko T.D., Golovatyuk L.V., Morov V.P. Chironomids (Diptera, Chironomidae) of Highly Mineralized Rivers of the Elton Lake Region, Russia: Taxonomic Composition, Ecological Features // Ecosystems: ecology and dynamics. No 2. 2024. P. 57-107. | Abstract | PDF | Reference
- Marsh sandpiper (Tringa stagnatilis) – one of the main consumers of Chironomidae larvae in river estuaries. Estuary of the Khara River, August 2007 (photo by V.P.Churbanov)
- Estuary of the Chernavka River is a habitat of many Cricotopus salinophilus and Сhironomus salinarius larvae, August 2014 (photo by T.D.Zinchenko)
- Expedition to the Elton Region, “Holodny Klyuch” sanctuary, April 2008. Expedition members: graduate student V.P. Churbanov, ans researchers of the Institute of the Ecology of the Volga River Basin of the Russian Academy of Sciences L.V. Golovatyuk, L.M. Taranova, T.D. Zinchenko (photo by T.V.Popchenko)
- Hydrochemical and hydrobiological researches in the middle reaches of the Khara River, August 2013 (photo by T.D.Zinchenko)
- Graduate student Vladimir Churbanov during an expedition, sampling the Chironomidae larvae in a stream flowing into the Khara River, April 2008 (photo by T.D.Zinchenko)
- Lake Elton Region, estuary of the Khara River at sunrise, August 2006 (photo by T.D.Zinchenko)
- Members of the expedition after the storm, May 2011 (photo by E.V. Koltunov)
- Expedition members dining in an improvised tent after the storm and a successful acquisition of samples, May 2011 (photo by N.C. Pashinin)
In this article we discuss the analysis results of the data from our long-term studies (2006-2019) of chironomids (Diptera, Chironomidae) that were part of bottom communities of 7 small but highly mineralized rivers, the tributaries of hyperhaline Lake Elton in Volgograd Region (N49° 13′, E46° 40′).
We collected data on species composition and quantitative development of macrozoobenthos communities were and registered 25 species and larval forms of chironomids from 4 subfamilies: Chironominae – 14 species (10 from Chironomini, 4 from Tanytarsini), Orthocladiinae – 9 species, Tanypodinae – 2 species. The structure of chironomids’ communities depends on the physical and chemical characteristics of biotopes, as well as water salinity, and is determined by the trophic indicators of the rivers (Zinchenko, Shitikov et al., 2014). The quantitative development and biodiversity of chironomids’ larvae significantly correlate with environmental conditions and physicochemical characteristics of bottom substrates and water masses.
We determined certain environmental factors, such as total salinity, ionic composition, pH, oxygen concentration, temperature and biotope diversity, that can cause changes in chironomids’ cenosis. Additionally, we provide values of abundance and biomass, and frequencies of species occurrence in rivers of different salinity under the influence of abiotic factors. We also present ecological and faunistic characteristics of chironomids as part of bottom communities of highly mineralized rivers of the Lake Elton region.
Keywords: highly mineralized rivers, chironomids, taxonomic composition, ecological features, mineralization, abiotic factors, tributaries of the Lake Elton.
Acknowledgements. The authors would like to thank Dr. Makarchenko E.V., Dr. Zorina O.V. (Federal Scientific Center for Biodiversity of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok), Dr. Krasheninnikov A.B. (Perm State National Research University) for the identification of some chironomids, and the staff of the Eltonsky Nature Park for help in making it possible to collect the field material.
Funding. This work was carried out as part of the state task “Changes, Sustainability and Conservation of Biological Diversity under the Global Climate Change and Intensive Anthropogenic Load on the Ecosystems of the Volga River Basin”, registration No. 1021060107212-5-1.6.20; 1.6.19; and with financial support from the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (17-04-00135).
DOI: 10.24412/2542-2006-2024-2-57-107
EDN: WTCQJU