ИСТИНА

The problem of bioindication of terrestrial water ecosystems with high anthropogenous impact is actual in our days. Amphibians belong to those few groups of animals (especially among the vertebrates) which remain in industrially transformed waters. Many peculiarities of amphibian biology make them useful as bioindicators. They are characterized by long term of individual life, high life tolerance, fertility and morph-structural lability, regeneration possibility, high trophic level. Amphibians are very nonmigratory. They are rather numerous while their individual size is comparatively big. There is a high dependence of amount population characteristics with the habitat parameters, usage of wide ecological possibilities and relatively high ecological plasticity. Amphibians are also important as bioindicators because it is rather easy to collect, keep and investigate. There are several stages in the amphibians’ life when they are very vulnerable to the surrounding influence. Character of amphibian larvae distribution and abundance can be the indicator of physic- chemical factors’ conditions of the pond and their change as a result of anthropogenous influence. Analysis of mortality characteristics during different stages of life cycle is the most direct method of technical pollution indication. Disappearance of some species from the relatively tolerant amphibian community indicates the exceeding of the critical pollution level. Such criteria as physiological, cytological, histological and genetic changes in amphibians are also used in bioindication purposes. Registration of chromosomal aberrations and DNA rearrangement are used for registration of gene-toxic polluters. Amphibian biological characteristics are favorable for their usage as bioindicators in biotests. Conducted experiments showed high affectivity of amphibian larvae as test organisms. Amphibians, especially their larvae are used in biomonitoring of all main pollutants.