ASSESSMENT OF BENTHIC FAUNA IN PRESPA LAKE (OTESHEVO, STENJE AND EZERANI) DURING SPRING 2021

In the spring of 2021, a study in Prespa Lake (North Macedonia) recorded 13 invertebrate species across three localities: Stenje, Oteshevo, and Ezerani. Ezerani showed the highest biodiversity, with over half of the total species, while Stenje and Oteshevo had fewer species. This variation is linked to anthropogenic pressure and sediment quality. Ezerani also had the highest density (2975 ind/m²), with Dreissena carinata most abundant at 5 meters depth. The study concluded that biodiversity decreases with depth, likely due to more uniform sediments and stable environmental conditions, with no clear correlation between density and depth. It also highlighted the need for ongoing monitoring of anthropogenic impacts to better understand and protect the lake’s unique ecosystem.