Features of the structure and spatial distribution of plankton in the Sheksna Reservoir

Based on the field studies conducted in August 2005 and 2007, the distributions of zooplankton structure and abundance, as well as chlorophyll content, in the Sheksna Reservoir are analyzed. A total of 107 zooplankton species have been found (46 Cladocera, 18 Copepoda, and 43 Rotifera), including 24 species (10 Cladocera, 2 Copepoda, and 12 Rotifera) new for the reservoir. In the surface layer of water, where blue-green algae concentrate, zooplankton abundance and biomass are 1.5–5 times lower and the zooplankton structure is simpler than in deeper layers. The highest zooplankton biomass (>3 g/m³) are observed in Lake Beloe and the upper area of the Sheksna section, while in the near-shore sites it did not exceed 1 g/m³. There are no significant changes in zooplankton abundance when compared to the abundance recorded at the end of the past century.