Locality of Forming Wintering Riverbed Depression in Irtysh River

Abstract

The article describes a new locality of the formed wintering riverbed depression discovered in the erosion zone of the isthmus of conjugate meanders of the Irtysh river for the rational use and effective protection of aquatic biological resources in places of their concentration in the Irtysh river basin (Western Siberia, the Russian Federation. The morphology of the riverbed depression was mapped (relief and bathymetric maps). The maximum depths in the channel depression exceeded 27 m. The channel depression and 4 control river sections were studied. The analysis 
 of hydroacoustic surveys showed that in the wintering riverbed depression there is, according to the statistical data, higher fish density compared to the control areas: in the water area of the riverbed depression the average fish density made 4 524 species/ha, in the control sections 245-2091 sp./ha. The cluster analysis based on the fish density and the size-taxonomic composition of the ichthyofauna has revealed that the riverbed depression is being separated into a cluster, but at the same time goes to the control section No. 4, which is located downstream, where further erosion of the river channel is registered. In this regard, the minimum protection zone of the wintering channel depression should include the water area of the channel depression and the water area of control section No. 4. In the water areas of the riverbed depression and control sections in the spring period, cyprinids dominate - up to 65% of the total number of fish, percids are represented to a lesser extent - 36.76%, coregonids and pikes - up to 18.18, sturgeons - up to 9.31%. The given locality of the wintering riverbed depression must be included in the list of protected river sections of the Fishing Rules for the West Siberian fishery basin for developing the effective strategy for the protection, restoration and rational use of aquatic biological resources, including rare and endangered fish species of the Irtysh River and the whole Ob-Irtysh basin

Winter refuge for freshwater fish

“…The study of the characteristics of winter habitats of animals, especially for species that form aggregations, while as a result of physiological adaptations have a slow metabolism, is important -since the search and discovery of such habitats allows, on the one hand, to ensure their protection at critical stages of the life cycle, on the other -to count their number [5,10,16,17,18,19]. The winter period is a significant driving force of ecological processes with an impact on all levels of ecosystems, while it is noted [3,4] a small number of scientific studies of trophic interactions of aquatic organisms in river ecosystems at this period of the year.…”