Reproductive Features of Roach, Bream and Common Carp of Zaporozhian (Dnipro) Reservoir in Contemporary Environmental Conditions

Abstract

Over the past 50 years, the complete histological study of carp fish gonads was first carried out at Zaporozhian Reservoir. In conditions of environmental transformation of the reservoir the regularities of oogenesis and gonadogenesis, passing sexual cycles were found and the ecology of spawning carp fish was investigated. The adaptive potential of the carp fish reproductive systems, which is expressed through the asynchrony of reproductive products development as well as the functional peculiarities of the fish spawning process, was brought to light. Both environmental assessment and faunal analysis of biodiversity and distribution of young fish of Zaporozhian Reservoir were carried out. The growth and development of the fish larvae dwelling within the industrial agglomerations of Dnipropetrovsk city are found to be under anthropogenic influence. The efficiency of the use of artificial spawning nests for the carp fish spawning was studied, and practical recommendations for their installation and operation in the waters of the reservoir were elaborated.