Hydrochemical gradients, aquatic biodiversity, and commercial fish dynamics in seven lakes of Burabay National Park, Kazakhstan

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 S.Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical Research University, Astana, Kazakhstan

2 Fisheries Research and Production Center Northern branch, Astana, Kazakhstan

10.22124/cjes.2026.10070

Abstract

Understanding how hydrochemical heterogeneity structures aquatic communities is essential for the ecological assessment and management of lake systems. This study evaluated hydrochemical differentiation and associated variation in zooplankton, macrozoobenthos, and fish assemblages across seven lakes of Burabay State National Natural Park, Northern Kazakhstan, using monitoring data collected during the open-water seasons of 2021–2025. The dataset comprised 214 hydrochemical samples, 215 zooplankton samples, 215 macrozoobenthos samples, 12,060 examined fish, and 126 gillnet deployments. Five-year mean lake-level pH ranged from 7.57 to 8.87, dissolved oxygen from 9.34 to 10.06 mg L⁻¹, and total dissolved solids (TDS) from 254 to 6,584 mg L⁻¹. TDS differed significantly among lakes (p < 0.001), forming a pronounced gradient from the lower-mineralization Borovoye and Shchuchye lakes through the intermediate Tekekol, Katarkol, and Bolshoe Chebachye lakes to the highly mineralized Maloe Chebachye and Zhukey lakes. The first two principal components explained 80.5% of the hydrochemical and biological variation and identified TDS, hardness, pH, and major-ion composition as the principal environmental gradient. Zooplankton richness ranged from 7 to 22 taxa and showed no significant interannual differences but was significantly lower in the higher-mineralization group than in the lower- and intermediate-mineralization groups. Macrozoobenthos richness ranged from 13 to 36 taxa and declined significantly in 2024–2025, although it did not differ significantly among mineralization groups. Fish richness remained comparatively stable among years and mineralization groups, whereas model-derived abundance and species dominance varied markedly among lakes and years. Exploratory Spearman analyses showed negative associations of zooplankton richness with pH, Na⁺ + K⁺, hardness, and Mg²⁺ and a positive association of macrozoobenthos richness with Ca²⁺. Species-specific fish responses also differed along the hydrochemical gradient. Overall, the results revealed pronounced ecological differentiation among geographically proximate lakes and demonstrated that mineralization formed the principal environmental framework, while biological responses were modified by habitat characteristics, trophic interactions, lake morphometry, and fisheries-management history. These findings provide a regional baseline for integrated long-term monitoring, although temporal trends and environment–biota relationships require confirmation using balanced seasonal sampling and larger station-level and lake-year datasets.

Keywords

References

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Caspian Journal of Environmental Sciences
Volume 24, Issue 4
October 2026
Pages 1219-1235

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