Zooplankton Study of Lake Sevan as an Indicator of Ecosystem Stability in the Context of Global Climate Change

We have studied the state of the zooplankton community of Lake Sevan in present-day climatic conditions at a relatively stable water level. The taxonomic composition is poor but retains features that were characteristic of this lake even before the beginning of the artificial lowering of the water level (1938) for energy and irrigation purposes. The lake is mesotrophic in zooplankton development indicators, but in some years a low transparency and high values of zooplankton biomass are observed, which is characteristic of eutrophic reservoirs. This is a consequence of an increase in water level and aY possible increase in water temperature under climate change.