Benthic macroinvertebrates of the Botna River and their influence on the Dniester River

Abstract

From spring 2024 to winter 2025, 30 zoobenthos samples were collected in the rivers Botna and Dniester. A total of 85 taxa were identified, including 48 benthic invertebrate taxa in the Dniester upstream the mouth of the Botna River, 19 taxa at the mouth of the Botna River, and 46 taxa in the Dniester River downstream of the mouth of the Botna River. The saprobic index ranged from 1.87 in the Dniester River upstream of the mouth of the Botna River, which is class II and corresponds to “Good” water quality, to 3.23 in the mouth of the Botna River, which corresponds to class V (“Very polluted”).