New data on zooplankton communities of two Bulgarian reservoirs: Konush and Sinyata Reka, Plovdiv Region

Abstract

Zooplankton communities have several vital functions within lake ecosystems including the transfer of energy and material from producers to secondary consumers. Its structure is potentially affected by both lake morphology and typology, as well as anthropogenic changes in lakes. These communities are also sensitive to various substances in the water column, including nutrient enrichment and pollutants. Thus, they have often been used as indicators to assess the condition and change of the freshwater environment. Our aim was to present first detailed data about the species composition of zooplankton communities in two understudied Bulgarian reservoirs, the Konush and Sinyata Reka. Samples were collected from several stations in spring and summer 2016. The qualitative analysis of the zooplankton revealed the presence of three main taxonomic groups: Rotifera, Cladocera and Copepoda. From these, rotifers were best represented as number of species and abundance, followed by cladocerans and copepods.