Ostroumov S.A. Biotic self-purification of aquatic ecosystems: From the theory to ecotechnologies. – Ecologica 2007, vol. 15, No. 50, p. 15-21. (Faculty of Biology, Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia) Basic elements of a new theory for the biological mechanism for water self-purification are presented. Hydrobionts (aquatic organisms) are actively involved in various processes leading to water purification. Not only microorganisms (bacteria, cyanobacteria and fungi), but also algae, plants, invertebrates, and many other groups of organisms are involved, which is discussed and analyzed in the paper. Results of the author's experiments that study the effects of various pollutants on aquatic organisms (freshwater and marine bivalves) are given. The theory is an innovative basis for developing ecological technologies to clean water and to upgrade its quality by using organisms and ecosystems. This paper generalizes and systematizes the basics of the author’s theory of the multifunctional role that the biota plays in the self-purification and ecological remediation of aquatic ecosystems using the results of previous analyses and the theory of the functioning of aquatic ecosystems. It is expected that on the basis of this theory some efficient ecotechnologies will emerge to remediate and restore polluted aquatic systems. The paper is based on the presentations that the author made at a scientific seminar in the V.I. Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry, at the conferences 'Aquatic Ecosystems and Organisms-6' (the 6th international conference that was run in Moscow in 2004) and 'Aquatic Ecosystems and Organisms-7' (the 7th international conference, Moscow, 2005), XXIX Congress of International Association of Theoretical and Applied Limnology, and other conferences. Key words: aquatic ecosystems; water bodies; water streams; aquatic pollution; bioremediation; phytoremediation; filter-feeders; bivalves; water self-purification, freshwater, marine, water quality, pollution, biota, ecotechnology References: Alimov, A.F. (1981) Functional ecology of freshwater bivalves. Leningrad: Nauka Press; Ostroumov, S.A. (2002) Dokl. Akad. Nauk, vol. 383, No. 5, 710-713; Ostroumov, S.A. (2002) Dokl. Akad. Nauk, vol. 385, No. 4, 571-573; Ostroumov, S.A. (1975) Vestnik Akademii Nauk, vol. 73, No. 3, 232-238; Ostroumov, S.A. (2002) Hydrobiologia, vol. 469, 117-129; Ostroumov, S.A. (2004) On the biotic self-purification of aquatic ecosystems. Dokl. Akad. Nauk, vol. 396, No. 1, 136-141; Ostroumov, S.A. (2006) Biomachinery for maintaining water quality and natural water self-purification in marine and estuarine systems: Elements of a qualitative theory. International Journal of Oceans and Oceanography, vol. 1, No. 1, 111-118; Ostroumov, S.A. (2005) Some aspects of water filtering activity of filter-feeders. Hydrobiologia, vol. 542, No. 1, 275-286; Ostroumov, S.A., Walz, N., Rusche, R. (2003) Effect of a cationic amphiphilic compound on rotifers. Dokl. Akad. Nauk, vol. 390, No. 3, 423-426; Alimov A.F. (2000) Elements of Aquatic Ecosystem Function Theory. St. Petersburg: Nauka. 148 p.; Ostroumov, S.A., Widdows, J. (2006) Inhibition of mussel suspension feeding by surfactants of three classes. Hydrobiologia, vol. 556, No. 1, 381-386; Ostroumov, S.A. (2006) Biological Effects of Surfactants. London-New York: CRC-Taylor & Francis; Ostroumov, S.A. (1986) Introduction to Biochemical Ecology. Moscow: Moscow State. Univ; Ostroumov, S.A. (2000) Dokl. Akad. Nauk, vol. 374, No. 3, 427-429; Ostroumov, S.A. (2000) Dokl. Akad. Nauk, vol. 375, No. 6, 847- 849; Ostroumov, S.A. (2000) Dokl. Akad. Nauk, vol. 372, No. 2, 279-282; Ostroumov, S.A. (2001) Biological effects of surfactants on organismy (Biologicheskie effekty pri vozdeistvii poverkhnostno-aktivnykh veshchestv na organizmy). Moscow: MAKS Press (in Russian); Ostroumov, S.A. (2001) Dokl. Akad. Nauk, vol. 381, No. 5, 709-712; Ostroumov, S.A. (2002) Dokl. Akad. Nauk, vol. 382, No. 1, 138-141; Sushchenya, L.M. (1975) Kolichestvennye zakonomernosti pitaniya rakoobraznykh. Minsk: Nauka i Tekhnika; Wetzel, R.G. (2001) Limnology: Lake and river ecosystems. San Diego: Academic Press.
Ecologica 2007, vol. 15, No. 50, p. 15-21. In English.