The Volga River

This chapter contains a comprehensive description of the Volga River, the largest river in Europe, and its main tributaries, the Kama, Oka, Sheksna. It starts with a review of human history and biogeographical setting including paleogeography of the basin, as well as description of physiography and climate, and features of hydrological and biogeochemical regime in the past and present. Problems of the management, conservation, and economic importance of the basin are also under consideration. Much attention is paid to aquatic and riparian biodiversity. These sections include description of the species composition of macrophytes, algae, aquatic invertebrates, and fish with an assessment of the abundance, seasonal, and long-term dynamics of biological communities. Data on invasive species from Ponto-Caspian and Boreal-Arctic complex are given. Molecular studies performed during the last 10 years significantly clarified fauna composition as well as phylogeographic patterns.