Studies on Biodiversity in the Plankton, Benthos, and Fish Communities, and the Ecosystems of Fresh Water Bodies Differing in Productivity

Abstract

The species diversity of phyto- and zooplankton, benthic animals, and ichthyofauna was studied in continental water bodies that differ in type, geographic location, size, and productivity. The results showed that the number of species in the communities of aquatic organisms and in ecosystems depends on the area and volume of the water body and the level of plankton primary production. Corresponding relationships can be approximated by the equations of exponential and polymodal functions. The species number and biomass per unit area or volume proved to decrease as the area or volume of the water body increased. The greatest number of heterotrophic species was observed in water bodies whose primary production approached 1400 kcal/m2 per year. It is proposed that the number of aquatic species in a body of water depends on the total area of the latter and the area of individual territories occupied by the representatives of certain species.