Hydrobiological Laboratory

The KAPE hydrobiological laboratory working with biota of water reservoirs was organized in 2006 in order to provide support to the projects implemented by KAPE.
 
The laboratory performs the following:

• Direct participation in the field work;
• Environmental surveys of inland water reservoirs including those in the transit zone;
• Processing of hydrobiological samples and materials to analyze parasitofauna and fish histology;
• Statistical processing and preparation of analytical survey reports;
• Preparation of sections Phytoplankton, Zooplankton, Benthos, Fish Histopathology and Fish Parasitofauna in project documentation;
• Preparation of sections Assessment of Impact on Phytoplankton, Assessment of Impact on Zooplankton, Assessment of Impact on Benthos; preparation of subsections Fish Histopathology, Fish Parasitofauna, Assessment of Impact on Fishes in project documentation;
• Description of feeding base of water reservoirs in order to provide parameters for calculation of damage to fish resources from scheduled operations;
• Participation in development of programs of water invertebrates monitoring.

There are 5 experts working at the laboratory. All of them have graduated from the biological faculty of the Kazakhstan National University, the largest educational and scientific centre of Kazakhstan. The experts average work record is more than 18 years in their specialty. The head of the laboratory is Mrs. Dina A. Smirnova.
 
The laboratory experts are involved in implementation of orders placed by state bodies of Kazakhstan. The orders include the State Ecological Monitoring of the Offshore and Littoral Zones of the Caspian Sea, Comprehensive Offshore Survey of Biological Resources of the Kazakhstani Sector of the Caspian Sea. They also work for contracts with large oil companies, such as Agip KCO, Caspian Meruerty Operating Company B.V., Kurmangazy Petroleum and others.
 
In 2008, 22 hydrobiologists were attracted from other institutions to process hydrobiological samples.
 
The laboratory is equipped with all necessary equipment and methodology materials.
 
The laboratory is certified by the National Center of Expert Review and Certification (Almaty branch) - Certificate No. 47/07 of 30.07.2007 in respect of quality of measurements in the laboratory performing analyses of hydrobiological samples for analysis of hydrobionts communities and assessment of ecological condition of water environment.
 
The hydrobiological laboratory operates in conformity with the requirements of standard ISO 9001, 17025. In order to improve the work quality and professional skills of the regular and attracted staff, seminars on standardization of methodologies of hydrobiological samples processing are held every year. For the first time in Kazakhstan, a reference collection of invertebrates inhabiting sea bed of the Caspian sea has been created.