Zoobenthos of salmon rivers in the Kola Peninsula and Karelia (north east Fennoscandia)

Based on the study of zoobenthos in the salmon rivers of the Kola Peninsula and Karelia for 1978–2001, the abundance of food for young Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L. is assessed. Aprevailing group in density (73%) and biomass (66%) of zoobenthos are larvae of amphibian insects such as chironomids and black flies, mayflies, stoneflies and caddis flies regarded as food objects for juvenile salmonid fishes. On average, quantitative characteristics of bottom communities of the rivers of the Kola Peninsula and Karelia vary from 4 up to 16 thousand ind m−2 and from 5.5 up to 15.5 g m−2. The food conditions for juvenile salmon in the rivers of the Kola Peninsula and Karelia can be estimated as averag