RESUMO

Data on the species composition, taxonomic structure, and quantitative indices of epiphytic algae development, and also on the peculiarities of their distribution on higher aquatic plants of various ecological groups occurring in the main riverbed of the river section of the Kanev Reservoir, have been generalized for the first time. A total of 179 algal species represented by 190 infraspecific taxa, including those containing nomenclatural types of species, was found in the studied section of the reservoir. Bacillariophyta and Chlorophyta were represented by the largest number of species. It has been found that the distribution of epiphytic algae species over the plants belonging to various ecological groups was irregular. On submerged plants, the number of algal species was 1.3 times higher than that on half-submerged plants and 1.7 times higher than that on plants with floating leaves. The quantitative indices of epiphyton development on higher aquatic plants of various ecological groups also significantly varied. The average numbers and biomass of epiphyton on submerged plants were one order of magnitude higher than those on half-submerged and two orders of magnitude higher than those on plants with floating leaves.