Role of the invasive amphipod Gmelinoides fasciatus (Crustacea: Amphipoda) of littoral macrozoobenthos of the Zaonezhye area of Lake Onego

Abstract

The results of research of bottom biocenoses of the Zaonezhye area (Zaonezhsky Peninsula in the northeastern part) of Lake Onego in 2023 are presented. Insignificant differences in the spatial distribution of quantitative characteristics of macrozoobenthos were revealed. Quantitative indicators such as abundance and biomass of macrozoobenthos ranged from 1.56-4,01 thousand ind/m² and 0.35-3.19 g/m², respectively. It is shown that the invasive species Gmelinoides fasciatus (Stebbing 1899) (Crustacea: Amphipoda) has naturalized in the littoral. Amphipoda <i>G. fasciatus</i> plays a dominant role in the abundance of the bottom community in Keften-Guba and in the vicinity of Padmozero village. It was noted that the native species Gammarus lacustris Sars 1863 was not recorded anywhere. Quite rapid dispersal of the Baikal species G. fasciatus on the littoral of the reservoir suggests that in the coming years these amphipods may colonize the Lizhemskaya Guba (Bay) of the lake, where there are habitats not subject to its invasion, according to the literature.