Macro-benthic population structure in Neor Lake, Ardebil province

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Abstract

Macro-invertebrates play a key role in freshwater lentic and lotic ecosystems. Lake Neor is
located in northwest of Iran, southeast of Ardebil city, 2480m above the sea level.
Limnological data about lake is incomplete. This tectonic lake is known to have a unique
macro-invertebrate fauna. In order to describe the zoo-benthic community of the lake more
completely, the present study was conducted during a period of one year from August 2008 to
July 2009 with the exception of 3 months during the 5 months the lake is covered by ice. The
benthic assemblage was sampled monthly from four sites and these fauna were found to be
very limited with a total of 11 species belonging to 10 families, 10 orders, 7 classes and 3
phyla. Eight species were identified and recorded for the first time in the lake and in Iran.
Gammarus fasciatus, Pisidium supinum and Quistadrilus multisetosus were the dominant
benthic species representing more than 49, 43 and 5 percent of the total benthic fauna. Almost
all benthic species showed the same intra-annual, seasonal and spatial pattern. The highest
density was found in station 4, near the outlet, in July. The maximum abundance of total
population of macro-benthoses in Neor lake was composed of 41872.75 pieces in a sample
per square meter in September and the minimum with 28177.08 pieces in March. Dissolved
oxygen, temperature and habitat homogeneity seemed to be the main environmental factors
affecting community indices in Lake Neor.
*Corresponding author

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Iranian Scientific Fisheries Journal
Volume 20, Issue 3
May and June 2011
Pages 129-142

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