Оценка состояния водоохранных зон р. Волги в районе п. Ильинка (Астраханская область)

Abstract

Anthropogenic pollution of water basins may become a serious threat for ecosystems and human health. Pollutants are transferred through food chains or directly when untreated water is used, released to soil through subsoil waters or during floods. The increased anthropogenic load on rivers’ hydrosystems, especially in their del-tas, is becoming rampant these days. The goal of the research is to study the coastal areas and to assess the state of vegetation. To achieve this goal, standard methods of biotesting and bioindication were applied in the territories of two water-protection zones – those of the Volga River and the Nozhovskiy erik (shallow channel in the Volga delta – translator’s note) near the Ilyinka village. The water quality in the Volga River, within the examined range, is stably characterized as “dirty” (4th class). The exceeded level of maximum permissible concentrations for petroleum products, heavy metals (mercury, zinc, molybdenum), sulfides and phenols is observed. The research has not revealed the impact of the quality of water on phytotoxicity of the soil and indices of abundance of the vegetation that grows in this territory. Toxicity of soils is weak in the area of the Nozhovskiy erik, it is very weak in the area of the Volga River: the germination capacity of the test object (watercress) ranges between 67 and 88%, morpho-metric indices of plants do not differ much from those in control groups. Within the summer period the monitoring sites were characterized by the maximum frequency-abundance indices of typical representatives of the local flora, which are camel thorn (Alhagi pseudalhagi) and greater burdock (Arctium lappa). Vegetation in these areas is abundant, its state is assessed as satisfactory.