Composition and structure of macrozoobenthos of lakes in different natural zones and subzones of Western Siberia

In 2003–2016, the composition and structure of macrozoobenthic communities of 49 lakes in three natural zones (taiga, forest-steppe, and steppe) of Western Siberia were investigated. The benthic fauna of the research lakes includes 160 species of nine classes of invertebrates. The trophic structure was characterized, and six major trophic groups were identified. A spatial analysis of the macrozoobenthos of the research lakes showed that from the forest-steppe to the dry steppe subzone, the species diversity decreases on a considerable scale and also dominant taxa of macrozoobenthos change with increasing water salinity. Especially in the forest-steppe and steppe zones, high water salinity is probably a limiting factor in the development of macrozoobenthic communities. In the taiga zone, however, water salinity seems not to have such significance; rather the degree of humification (shown as dark-colored water due to waterlogging) should be taken into account.