The effects of a colony of the Armenian gull (Larus armeniacus Buturlin) on zooplankton in the Lake Sevan littoral zone (Armenia)

The zooplankton of the open and semi-protected parts of Lake Sevan littoral zones that have been affected by the products of vital activity of the colony of the Armenian gull (Larus armeniacus Buturlin) were studied. It was shown that in the open coastal area the number of species is higher as compared to a similar reference site. However, the impact of wave-driven mixing of the water resulted in the lack of significant changes in the number and biomass of invertebrates at the compared observation sites. At the semi-protected part, the number of species, as well as the number and biomass of zooplankton, are significantly higher compared to the reference site. At the nesting area at both types of shoals copepods compose the basis of the zooplankton number and biomass, with Calanoida being part of the dominant complex. At the reference sites of the open shoal Copepoda also prevail; at the semi-protected sites, it is Cladocera that prevail. The basic differences between the effect of the products of the birds’ vital activities and anthropogenic eutrophication on zooplankton were revealed.