ASPECTS OF THE STRUCTURE AND BIODIVERSITY OF THE MACRONEVERTEBRATES IN THE ROMANIAN SECTOR OF THE DANUBE RIVER

Adina Popescu, Daniela Cristina Ibănescu, Aurelia Nica

Abstract
    Benthic macroinvertebrates play an important role in maintaining the functionality and integrity of aquatic ecosystems. The role in assessing the quality of water bodies, their integrity and biodiversity has grown in the last decade.
    The aim of the present paper is to establish the qualitative and quantitative structure of macro-invertebrates in the Romanian Danube river sector (2 sampling points: Bala branch and Epuraşu island). At the same time, it was made an analysis of the diversity of the benthic community through various biodiversity indices.
    The taxonomic structure is characterized by the presence of 7 taxonomic groups represented by 11 species. From the qualitative point of view, the group of gastropods (4 species) with the dominant species Lithoglyphus naticoides is the best represented. The biodiversity at the two sampling points is good and there are no significant differences between the two sampling points.

Key words: macroinvertebrates, aquatic ecosystem, Shannon - Weiner index