Phytoplankton communities of Volga Reach open shallows of Rybinsk Reservoir at the area affected by the vital activity products of grey heron (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ardea cinerea</Emphasis> L.)

Changes in phytoplankton community composition typical for the increase in water trophic level had been noticed in 2009–2011 at the site of the open shallow of the Volga Reach in Rybinsk Reservoir (Volga), which is under the impact of grey heron colonies. The reduction in floristic abundance, the increase in the phytoplankton total biomass, and the increase in the proportion of phytophlagellates (cryptophytes, euglenales, dinophytes, and chrysophytes, as well as flagellar forms of green algae) were registered at the heronries. Changes in phytoplankton communities were temporary and were related to the heron nesting period; these allow us to consider the studied site a “traumatic” ecotone.     

Application of the phase portrait method for analysis of seasonal dynamics in phytoplankton productivity in a large plain reservoir

Variations in the phytoplankton productivity over the seasonal succession in the Rybinsk Reservoir have been analyzed using the dynamic phase portrait method for years with different hydroclimatic conditions. Stable steady states and critical points in the functioning of phytoplankton, as well as its dynamics as being aberrated from these states, have been revealed and analyzed. It is demonstrated that the seasonal dynamics of the autotrophic community and the rate of its reconstruction depend on hydroclimatic conditions and vary in different parts of the reservoir (reaches). The dynamics of phytoplankton described in terms of the phase portrait method is consistent with the known behavioral patterns of biological systems.     

Phytoplankton in the Littoral and Pelagial Zones of the Rybinsk Reservoir in Years with Different Temperature and Water-Level Regimes

The features of the floristic composition and dynamics of the biomass of phytoplankton in shallow and deep areas of the Volga reach in the Rybinsk Reservoir have been studied during years with different thermal and water-level regimes (2009–2011). The floristic diversity and biomass of phytoplankton increase with a decrease in depth. The increase in water temperature at low water level stimulates phytoplankton vegetation in the pelagial zone and a decrease in biomass in the littoral zone, while a high diversity of algocenoses is recorded irrespective of habitat. The contribution of filamentous algae and cyanoprokaryotes to the biomass increases in the shallow littoral part; in the open part of the reservoir, the biomass of mixotrophic flagellates decreases. Their abundance, as well as the abundance of zignematales, increases with decreasing depth.     

Production of Heterotrophic Bacterioplankton in a Large Meso-Eutrophic Reservoir: The Importance of Extracellular Organic Carbon Released by Phytoplankton

The spatial distribution and seasonal dynamics of heterotrophic bacterioplankton production have been studied and the value of autochthonous sources of substrates for bacteria has been evaluated in the pelagic zone of the meso-eutrophic Rybinsk Reservoir (the Upper Volga). During the vegetation period, the bacterial production ranges from 32 to 1352 (on average 444 ± 44) mg C/(m² × day). The total input of organic carbon from the processes of extracellular production of phytoplankton, viral lysis of prokaryotic cells, and feeding of protists provides 9–64% (32 ± 3% on average) of the daily carbon demand for heterotrophic bacterioplankton.     

Dynamics of planktic microorganisms and viruses in the littoral zone of the Rybinsk Reservoir: Influence of water-bird colonies

The influence of gull and heron colonies on the dynamics of heterotrophic bacteria, flagellates, and viruses in the coastal waters of the Rybinsk Reservoir is studied. The littoral zone of the reservoir is found to contain abundant microorganisms and virioplankton. The specifics of the seasonal dynamics of these components of the microbial community in the areas colonized by water birds are revealed. An increase in the abundance and biomass of bacteria has been found in open coastal waters near a heron colony, but not in the background biotope. Maximum values of these parameters are recorded in the protected part of the littoral near the nesting area of gulls. During the period of strong ornithogenic pressure, the abundance of microorganisms and viruses is higher in areas located near water-bird colonies. It is shown that gulls have the greatest influence on the microbial planktic community in the protected littoral zone separated from the open part of the reservoir and characterized by high concentrations of soluble organic compounds and nitrogen.     

On the physiological-biochemical state of kilka Clupeonella cultriventris (Clupeidae, Clupeiformes) in Rybinsk Reservoir (Russia)

The results of studies into lipid total content and fractional composition in the tissue and wholebody levels in kilka (Clupeonella cultriventris) are given. The fish studied belonged to various size-age groups and were sampled in Rybinsk Reservoir during active feeding periods in 2002 and 2005. A trend was revealed of deterioration of the physiological-biochemical state in adult specimens of this invasive species. This was especially true of the modal (in terms of their proportion in population) two-year-old fish. This was evidenced by a decrease in contents of total and reserve (triacylglycerol) lipids in fish muscles during the whole study period. It is shown that, in young kilka caught in all reservoir stretches in autumn, the values of these parameters depend on the time and rate of the reservoir water level decrease during the active feeding period. Probable reasons for changes in the physiological-biochemical state in adult and young specimens in the kilka population are discussed. The discussion is in view of the recent state of the Rybinsk Reservoir ecosystem which undergoes successional modification of the pelagic zooplankton community both at the level of large taxa and of some dominant species.     

The chlorophyll content in water and bottom sediments of the Rybinsk Reservoir

The seasonal dynamics of chlorophyll content in the plankton and bottom sediments in the Rybinsk Reservoir were studied. The highest temporal (seasonal) variability of the chlorophyll concentration is characteristic of water, and the highest spatial variability is characteristic of bottom sediments (BSs). The positive dependence between the chlorophyll content in water and bottom sediments in the reservoir was revealed, which reflects the role of phytoplankton in the formation of bottom biotopes productivities. Average values of the ratio of water and BS chlorophyll contents were comparable to the rates of sedimentation as calculated by the data on BS probing.     

Circadian-rhythmic variations of biochemical parameters in the yearlings of indigenous perch (Perca fluviatilis L.) and nonindigenous tyulka (Clupeonella cultriventris Nordmann) from the Rybinsk Reservoir (Russia)

Diurnal variations of some parameters of protein, lipid, and water metabolisms in the underyearlings of indigenous (perch, Perca fluviatilis L.) and nonindigenous (tyulka, Clupeonella cultriventris Nordmann) fish species have been analyzed. These species form the basis of feeding aggregations of young fish in the Rybinsk Reservoir pelagial. No significant daily fluctuations in the values of protein content, water, and lipids in the studied fish species were revealed. Stable interspecific differences in mean daily and hourly values of the above-mentioned components, as well as in the contents of three lipid fractions—phospholipids (PLs), free cholesterol (FC), and triacylglycerols (TAGs)—have been determined at the level of whole organism. It is shown that the level of adipose reserves and the content of TAG in the tyulka are higher than in perch, while the contents of proteins, PL, and FC are lower. Diurnal variations of the level of each of the three fractions in both fish species are similar, but the ranges of variations are wider in tyulka than in perch. Possible mechanisms for the regulation of lipid metabolism and their similarity in young fish of different species upon adaptation to short-term changes in the environment are discussed. It is suggested that the modern state of the zooplankton community in the Rybinsk Reservoir pelagial negatively affects the feeding of perch underyearlings and parameters of lipid metabolism in their organisms.     

Structural and functional characteristics of planktonic microbial communities of the Rybinsk Reservoir in the impact area of a large industrial center

In sites of the Rybinsk Reservoir with different levels of contamination by the municipal and industrial wastewater from the city of Cherepovets, the primary production of phytoplankton and the quantitative distribution of bacterioplankton, heterotrophic nanoflagellates, and viruses, as well as the content of finely disperse detritus, were investigated. The structural and functional characteristics of microbial communities form the contaminated sites were determined. Heterotrophic nanoflagellates were shown to play a major role in the consumption of bacterioplankton production.     

Activity and growth efficiency of heterotrophic bacteria in Rybinsk Reservoir

The active fraction, production, and respiration of heterotrophic bacteria are determined to assess their growth efficiency and their role in the carbon cycle in the pelagic zone of Rybinsk Reservoir in summer. The greater part of organic substances assimilated by bacteria is mineralized to CO₂. It has been established that the essential part of the constructive and energy metabolism of bacteria is supported by the input of allochthonous substances. Bacterioplankton, producing the biomass at their expense, performs functions similar to the functions of phytoplankton, and substantially supports the structural and functional organization of the planktonic food web in the reservoir.     

Behavior of juveniles of roach <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rutilus rutilus</Emphasis> (cyprinidae), produced by breeders from a tributary of the Rybinsk Reservoir and from a nonfreezing area of the Moskva River at variable temperatures

The study has revealed differences in search behavior among juvenile individuals of the roach Rutilus rutilus produced by breeders from a tributary of the Rybinsk Reservoir and from nonfreezing areas of the Moskva River. It has been shown that differences in behavioral responses of juveniles are minimal at a stable temperature (approximately 20°C). Gradually rising or falling temperatures lead to an increase in the variation of behavioral parameters. Response to rising temperature is more pronounced in juvenile roach individuals produced by breeders from the Rybinsk Reservoir tributary, while response to decreasing temperature is, on the contrary, more pronounced in individuals produced by breeders from the nonfreezing Moskva River area. Year-round occurrence in zones with heated water in the nonfreezing Moskva River area has probably contributed to a change in the roach population’s adaptation to cold, consolidated by selection at the genetic level over several generations.     

Comparative analysis of diurnal variations of the lipid composition in perch (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Perca fluviatilis</Emphasis> L.) and tyulka (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Clupeonella cultriventris</Emphasis> Nordmann) from the Rybinsk Reservoir pelagial

Diurnal variations of the total content and fractional composition of lipids in the organisms of underyearlings of indigenous (perch) and nonindigenous (tyulka) species have been analyzed. These fish species form the basis of feeding aggregations of young fish in the Rybinsk Reservoir pelagial. Stable interspecific differences in mean daily and hourly values of the content of total lipids and in the level of three fractions-phospholipids (PLs), cholesterol (CS), and triacylglycerols (TAGs)—have been determined. It is shown that the level of adipose reserves and the content of TAG in the tyulka are higher than in perch, while the contents of PL and CS are lower. Diurnal variations of the level of each of the three fractions in both fish species are similar, but the ranges of variations are wider in tyulka than in perch. Possible mechanisms for the regulation of lipid metabolism (including the participation of neuroendocrinal centers) and their similarity in young fish of different species upon adaptation to short-term changes in the environment have been discussed. It is suggested that the modern state of the zooplankton community in the Rybinsk Reservoir pelagial negatively affects the feeding of perch underyearlings and parameters of lipid metabolism in their organisms.     

Vertical Distribution of Chlorophyll in the Upper Volga Reservoirs

The vertical distribution of phytoplankton (chlorophyll a, CHL) was investigated in August 2015 at 25 sampling stations in the Ivankovo, Uglich, and Rybinsk reservoirs (Upper Volga, Russia) using a bbe Moldaenke Fluoroprob submersible fluorimeter. Three types of CHL vertical distribution were identified under homothermy. There was a gradual CHL decline in the water column at the upper part of reservoirs; a sharp decline at a certain depth in most riverine sections; and uniform distribution opposite the mouth of a small river (the Kashinka River, Uglich Reservoir), as well as at the open lacustrine sites of the Rybinsk Reservoir under wind-driven mixing. The average CHL content in the euphotic layer at the stations of three groups were 25.0 ± 6.3, 44.1 ± 4.0, and 20.8 ± 2.9 μg/L, respectively; the CHL contributions to the PAR absorption were 47 ± 9%, 66 ± 4%, and 38 ± 6%. Under thermal stratification the vertical distribution of CHL corresponds to the course of the temperature dynamics (r = 0.85).     

Veliger larvae of dreissenids (Bivalvia,Dreissenidae) in the plankton foodweb of Rybinsk Reservoir

The abundance dynamics of adult dreissenids (Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas) and D. bugensis Andrusov) and of their larvae and the spatial distribution of the abundance of veligers and their role in the functioning of the plankton community have been analyzed on the basis of the data of original long-term monitoring (2004–2013) in Rybinsk Reservoir. The dreissenid veligers are most abundant in the summer time (July to August) when their number is comparable to that of the filter-feeding crustaceans and their biomass is close to that of rotifers. Before 2010 the production of veligers during the vegetation season comprised about 5% of the production of metazooplankton and the food consumption was about 1% of the primary production of phytoplankton. Pelagic invertebrate predators consumed about 90% of the production of veligers for the vegetation period. After 2010, the abundance of dreissenid larvae and their functional characteristics decreased by a factor of 5–6. Trophic relationships between zooplankton and veligers are discussed.     

Finding round goby Neogobius melanostomus (Pallas, 1814) in the Rybinsk Reservoir

The data from finding a female round goby in June 2010 near the dam in the Central Reach of the Rybinsk Reservoir are presented. The presence of mature reproductive products may indicate the possibility of the successful acclimatization of this species in the Rybinsk Reservoir.     

Abundance,biomass, and production of heterotrophic bacteria in a large plain reservoir during the ice-covered period

The abundance, biomass, production, and size and morphological structure of heterotrophic bacteria have been determined and their contribution to the total plankton biomass has been assessed in the Rybinsk Reservoir (the Upper Volga) during the ice-covered period. Structural and functional characteristics of bacteria, except for their cell sizes in winter, are lower than those in the growing season. However, heterotrophic bacteria have made the main contribution (89.3%) to the total biomass of plankton community in winter. During the growing season, phytoplankton is a major component of plankton (48.8%), while the bacteria average 36.5%. The total plankton biomass under the ice averages 148 mg C/m³, which is 2.6 times lower than in the period of open water. During the ice-covered period, the number of protists is small and they consume an insignificant part of the bacterial production; viral lysis is the main reason for bacterial mortality.     

Sexual Dimorphism of Physiological and Biochemical State of Trunk Muscle in Bleak (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Alburnus alburnus</Emphasis> L.) (Cypriniformes,Cyprinidae) Spawners of the Rybinsk Reservoir in the Prespawning Period

The sexual dimorphism of physiological and biochemical parameters of trunk muscle in bleak spawners, representatives of an abundant nonexploited fish species of the Rybinsk Reservoir, has been analyzed in the prespawning period. Sex-related differences in the overall biochemical and lipid composition of trunk muscle and in muscle composition variability in age- and size-matched individuals have been assessed. The distribution of trunk-muscle lipid content is bimodal in females and unimodal in males. The variability of muscle lipid parameters in the aggregated samples is higher in females than in males. The putative reasons for the distinctive features of physiological and biochemical parameters of muscle tissue detected in bleak of different sexes in the prespawning period are discussed.     

Importance of the ratios of the forms of nutrients for assessment of the modern state of Rybinsk Reservoir

Various ratios of nutrient forms have been analyzed on the basis of the materials collected in Rybinsk Reservoir in the years 2001 to 2011. The analysis was used for assessment of the modern state of the reservoir. The total nitrogen (TN) to total phosphorus (TP) ratio is the most informative parameter. During the study period at all sampling stations, the average value of this ratio was 17.0. This value indicates the lack of limitation of development of phytoplankton by these nutrients. High values of the absolute concentration of nitrate nitrogen and its proportion in the total mineral nitrogen (which are important indicators of increasing eutrophication), as well as the percentage of inorganic phosphorus, were revealed in Volzhskii reach and the upper part of Sheksninskii reach of the reservoir. These values indicate the eutrophic state of the above areas of the reservoir.     

安康水库表层浮游藻类群落结构及其与环境因子的关系

为了解安康水库表层水质与浮游藻类群落现状以及浮游藻类群落结构与环境因子之间的关系,于2012年1—12月对水库表层水进行每月一次的采样,分别对浮游藻类分布状况和理化因子进行分析.利用Shannon指数(H)和Pielou均匀度指数(J)分析浮游藻类群落特征,根据理化指标和综合营养状态指数(TSI)评价水体营养状态.共检测到浮游藻类7门110属,丰度为0.11×10⁴～2.08×10⁴ cells·L^-1.藻类组成、污染指示种分布情况、多样性分析和TSI显示安康水库表层属于中污染水质,处于中营养状态.此外,高密度投饵水产养殖及生活污水直接排放入库对水质产生负面影响,支流岚河的水质状况也较差.典范对应分析(CCA)结果显示,测定的8个环境因子中,不同季节影响浮游藻类群落组成及分布的环境因子不同,且氮是影响浮游藻类组成的主要营养盐因子.理化指标分析显示,安康水库表层水大体满足Ⅱ类水标准,水质良好.但部分采样点的总氮出现差于Ⅱ类水标准的现象,表明安康水库水质有变差的趋势.     

Molecular genetic identification and seasonal succession of toxigenic cyanobacteria in phytoplankton of the Rybinsk Reservoir (Russia)

Data on the hepato- and neurotoxigenic cyanobacteria in phytoplankton of the Rybinsk Reservoir have been obtained for the first time. Different methods for revealing toxigenic cyanobacteria (light microscopy, PCR analysis, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) demonstrate the same results. Hepatotoxins microcystins and for the first time neurotoxins saxitoxins were detected in the reservoir, whereas cylindrospermopsin and anatoxin-a were not revealed. The presence of mcyE and stxA genes responsible for microcystin and saxitoxin biosynthesis in total phytoplanktonic DNA is demonstrated. The following three genera of cyanobacteria containing mcyE gene are identified: Microcystis (M. aeruginosa, M. viridis), Planktothrix (P. agardhii), and Dolichospermum (Anabaena). It is hypothesized that saxitoxin-producing cyanobacteria Dolichospermum (Anabaena) inhabit the Rybinsk Reservoir.