This time, the researchers decided to go beyond the usual framework — and for good reason. In May 2026, the monitoring geography expanded significantly. The salt lakes of the Kherson region have been added to the traditional observation points in the Republic of Crimea — the lakes of the Yevpatoria, Tarkhankut, Perekop and Kerch groups, as well as the Sivash Bay of the Sea of Azov. Scientists visited the Genichesky and Sokolovsky lakes, as well as the reservoir near the village of Novy Trud.
The researchers focused on commercial invertebrates — the real "invisible heroes" of aquatic ecosystems: the gill-legged crustacean artemisia and chironomids.
These tiny organisms play a huge role: they serve as a valuable food resource for fish and crustaceans in aquaculture, and also help to grow fry in aquariums.
Scientists have approached the issue comprehensively. They did not just calculate the stocks of artemisia and chironomids and tracked their life cycle — experts also analyzed key factors affecting population dynamics (hydrological regime, salinity level, water temperature, pH, oxygen content).
Following the results of the expedition, the scientific group collected a wealth of material: hydrobiological samples, as well as samples for hydrological and hydrochemical analysis. All samples have now been sent to the branch's specialized laboratories, where they will be thoroughly studied and processed.
The materials collected during the spring expedition are of great importance for fundamental and applied science. They will serve as the basis for calculating the recommended production volumes of commercial invertebrates in the Azov‑Black Sea basin, and will also significantly supplement existing knowledge about the population dynamics of artemisia and chironomids by clarifying their abundance, population structure, and specifics of adaptation to the conditions of hypergaline reservoirs in Crimea and the Kherson region.
VNIRO Press Service
