Influence of environmental factors on the formation of zooplankton communities in a large lake system in Uzbekistan

Abstract

Currently, the Aidar-Arnasai Lake System (AALS) is of great environmental and commercial importance for Uzbekistan. The article discusses the influence of mineralisation, temperature and diversity of biotopes on the change in the species composition in the lakes. The largest number of species is recorded in oligohaline water in the lakes’ littoral zones. They are dominated by the Rotifera and Cladocera and show a greater number of species in the spring. Areas with mesohaline water are dominated by Copepoda, showing the largest number of species in the winter in both littoral and pelagic zones. Biomass of zooplankton poorly correlates with salinity. Depth impacts reliably the distribution of zooplankton biomass, while the spatial accumulation of zooplankton biomass depends on temperature.