Monograph “Reservoirs of the semi-desert zone: Western Mongolia” has been published

Fig.1: Participants in field work on reservoirs in the semi-desert zone of Mongolia

A collective monograph has been published, the basis of which is information on the diversity and structure of hydrobiont communities in artificial reservoirs of the semi-desert zone using the example of the reservoirs of Western Mongolia - Taishir and Durgun - in the first decade of their existence.

Separate chapters present the results of studies of planktonic algae and cyanobacteria, heterotrophic bacteria and nanophlegellates, invertebrates, benthic macroinvertebrates, as well as fish populations and fish parasitic fauna. A review of data on the biological regime of reservoirs in semiarid and arid territories of the world is presented.

Fig.3: Morpho-ecological forms of the Altai Osman Potanin Oreoleuciscus potanini of the Durgun reservoir:
1 - sharp-snouted form
2 - herbivorous form
3 - piscivorous form

The chapters on the reservoirs of Western Mongolia were prepared on the basis of original materials obtained by the authors (including employees of the Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences) as part of the Joint Russian-Mongolian integrated biological expedition of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Academy of Sciences of Mongolia.

Fig.4: Morpho-ecological forms of the Altai Ottoman Potanin Oreoleuciscus potanini of the Taishir reservoir, demonstrating rapid diversification from the river form, exhibiting similarity with the previously established cyclic formation of the Altai Ottomans in the periodically drying reservoirs of the Valley of Lakes of Mongolia

The publication is the 8th monographic edition of the hydrobiological and ichthyological team of the expedition.

Fig.5: Dzabkhan River below the Taishir Hydroelectric Power Station dam

The book is intended for hydrobiologists, ichthyologists, parasitologists and ecologists, teachers and students of universities, as well as specialists involved in issues of rational environmental management and protection of aquatic ecosystems.

The publication is dedicated to the 300th anniversary of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the 55th anniversary of the Joint Russian-Mongolian Complex Biological Expedition of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Mongolian Academy of Sciences.

Fig.7: Participants in field work on reservoirs in the semi-desert zone of Mongolia

Reservoirs of the semi-desert zone: Western Mongolia / hole. ed. Krylov A.V. Moscow; Yaroslavl: Filigree, 2023. – 204 p.; ill. –‒ Biological resources and natural conditions of Mongolia: Proceedings of the Joint Russian-Mongolian complex biological expedition of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Academy of Sciences; v. 69). ISBN 978-5-6050859-8-0