Role of limnetic sponges in ecological systems of small rivers flowing in desna river basin

The investigation is concerned with limnetic sponges, river ecological systems, filters, communities of overgrowers, consortia and water reservoir self-decontamination processes. The object of investigation is analysis of the ecological characteristics of limnetic sponges, assessment of their role in the self-decontamination processes and revelation of the significance of sponges as a structural and functional component of river ecological systems. The investigators have completed field and laboratory studies, microscopic analysis of test specimens, determination of the intensity of metabolism using the oxygen test method and investigation into histological preparations. The researchers have studied the habital and srecies makeup of sponges, determined their life cycles and seasonal dynamics, measures the intensity of metabolism, defined the role of sponges in decontamination of water reservoirs an in trophic chains, studied the composition and structure of sponge consortia, determined the quantitative and qualitative parameters of participation of sponges in the water reservoirs self-decontamination processe and disclosed the criteria for assessing the status of aqueous ecological systems from the standpoint of spongeofauna. The obtained investigation results may well be used in ecological monitoring and simulation of the processes occurring in the ecological systems and find application in fundamental ecology, hydrobiology, ecological simulation and decontamination of waterAvailable from VNTIC / VNTIC - Scientific & Technical Information Centre of RussiaSIGLERURussian Federatio