Influence of Thermal Pollution from Beloyarka Nuclear Power Plant on Zooplankton and Zoobentos Community of the Beloyarka Reservoir
Results of hydro/biological research in the Beloyarka nuclear power plant cooling reservoir conducted to determine peculiar features of the water body zooplankton and zoobenthos development under the nuclear power plant impact are presented. On the basis of the researches conducted some general trends of the Beloyarka Reservoir zoobenthos communities structure changes in the Beloyarka NPP impact zone were disclosed. The most significant changes in the bottom-located communities were detected in the zone directly adjacent to the BN-600 outlet where the worst water quality was detected, reduction of the zoobenthos and periphyton total abundance, biomass and species number, as well as the least species diversity indices. Saprobity indices corresponded to polluted water. Water quality indicators' array calculated by the hydrocoles indicators characterized the Beloyarka Reservoir as a water body of the euthrophic type, as for the saprobity degree, it was characterized as a ß-mezosaprobic water body being transferred into the a-mezasaprobic zone. The worst water quality and low species diversity indices were registered in the area close to the heated waters discharge point.