INTEGRATED BIOINDICATION-BASED ASSESSMENT OF NATURAL AND TECHNOGENIC SAFETY OF AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS (CASE STUDY OF THE UPPER KANIV RESERVOIR)

Abstract

The intensification of anthropogenic and technogenic pressure on aquatic ecosystems necessitates the improvement of methodological approaches to assessing their environmental safety, stability, and self-recovery capacity. This issue is particularly relevant for reservoirs operating under conditions of regulated flow, intensive water use, nutrient input, organic pollution, and the influence of urbanized areas. The article presents a comprehensive bioindication-based assessment of the qualitative and quantitative components of natural and technogenic safety of aquatic ecosystems, using the upper section of the Kaniv Reservoir as a case study. The methodological framework of the study is based on the integration of hydroecological potential assessment, phytoplankton-based bioindication, and elements of statistical modeling. The study considers species composition, diversity level, dominance of individual taxa, species richness, and the response of phytoplankton communities to changes in environmental conditions. The obtained results indicate that phytoplankton communities are sensitive indicators of anthropogenic transformation of aquatic ecosystems and are capable of reflecting changes in trophic status, organic pollution levels, ecological stability, and resilience of water bodies. Establishing the relationship between hydroecological potential and bioindication parameters enhances the objectivity of environmental monitoring and enables the early detection of ecosystem degradation processes. The proposed approach contributes to the development of an integrated system for assessing the natural and technogenic safety of aquatic ecosystems by combining biological, hydroecological, and analytical criteria. Its application can be useful for improving surface water monitoring, substantiating environmental protection measures, and forming a scientific basis for sustainable water resource management under increasing technogenic pressure.