SECTION 3 



CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MOSCOW RIVER WATER QUALITY 

 ACCORDING TO HYDROBIOLOGICAL INDICES 



V.A. Abakumov and G.L. Margolina 



The Moscow River water quality is characterized by a combination of hy- 

 drobiological indices including indices of microbiological activity"!, pri- 

 mary production, saprobility, biotic potential, species diversity, and toxi- 

 cological indices. 



In order to obtain hydrobiological indices characterizing the water 

 quality of the Moscow River, the qualitative and quantitative composition 

 of bacterioplankton, phytoplankton, zooplankton, zoobenthos, and higher 

 water plants were studied in a region of the Moscow River extending from 

 Zvenigorod to Kolomna at the following five locations: 



1 . above Zvenigorod; 



2. below Moscow; 



3. at 107 km from the Moscow River mouth; 



4. at 85 km from the Moscow River mouth; 



5. in the Kolomna region (at 7 km from the mouth). 



On the basis of the investigations carried out, the Moscow River water 

 above Zvenigorod is estimated as pure with some indications of a slight pol- 

 lution according to microbiological indices. The highest indices of group 

 and species variety of plankton and benthos organisms with rapid develop- 

 ment of oligosaprobic organisms and high biotic potential were noted here. 

 In this region, such oligosaprobic species of phytoplankton as Fragillaria 

 virescens , F. capucina , Coelastrum microporum , and Gomphosphaeria lacustris 

 are abundant. Along with them, one should distinguish Melosira granulata , 

 Scenedesmus and Chlorel la . This region is characterized by the richness of 

 the species composition of high water plants, number of individuals, and 

 high protective covering. This region near the bank is characterized by an 

 emergent plant community and a community of plants with floating leaves. 

 Here there is an abundance of Scirpus lacustris, Glyceria maxkma , Nuphar 



Pathogenic microorganisms are not considered here. 



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