Yavorskaya N.M. 2022. [Evaluation of the water quality of rivers and streams of the Khekhtsir Ridge (Khabarovsk Territory) according to the structure of zoobenthos] // Euroasian Entomological Journal. Vol.21. Suppl.1: 119–126 [in Russian, with English summary].
Institute of Water and Ecology Problems Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Dikopoltseva Str. 56, Khabarovsk 680000 Russia. E-mail: yavorskaya@ivep.as.khb.ru
doi 10.15298/euroasentj.21.Spl.1.14
ABSTRACT. The results of the assessment of the current ecological state of the rivers and streams of the Khekhtsir Ridge are presented, including the boundaries of two protected areas (South of the Russian Far East) in terms of the composition and structure of benthic invertebrates. We used water quality indices and metrics as widely used in world and Russian practice (TBI, GW, EPT, IB, D/Nex, Nch/Nex, NEPT/Nex, NEph/Nex, NS/Nex, NBl/Nex, NNim/Nex ), and in our modification (IP). It is shown that the streams flowing down from the Bolshoy Khekhtsir Ridge are less susceptible to anthropogenic impact compared to those flowing down from the Malyi Khekhtsir Ridge. It was revealed that in the mountain and foothill rivers and streams of the ridge, the most indicative were indices based on the taxonomic composition of zoobenthos communities, in lowland rivers — on the characteristics of oligochaetes and chironomids. It has been established that in general the watercourses of the Khekhtsir Ridge are in good condition (water is clean and moderately polluted).
KEY WORDS: zoobenthos, structure, water quality, bioindication, Khekhtsir Ridge, Khabarovsk Territory.