• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.36 no.2 s.103
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• pp.117-123
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• 2003

The results of field experiments with mesocosms on Lake Baikal, containing natural plankton assemblage, and laboratory experiments with microcosms containing Daphnia magna and Chlorella vulgaris demonstrated decrease of the structural exergy of the communities after the addition of allochtonous compounds peptone, diesel oil, o-diphenol, $CdCl_2$ to mesocosmsassemblage, phenol, $CoCl_2$ and $CuSO_4$ to micro-cosms. Structural exergy changes were more expressed than changes of components biomasses and total biomass of the community. Comparison of exergy content for benthos in cleanand affected by the discharges of Baikalsk Pulp and Paper Combine also showed sufficient docrease of structural exergy in polluted area. It points to the possibility of the use of structural exergy as ecosystem health reflecting parameter.