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ABSTRACT
Uranium containing wastes accumulated during mine activities have resulted in a multitude of contaminated sites in Bulgaria. The lack of biomonitoring programs limits the environmental impact assessment of uranium impacted areas. The aim of the study was to investigate the health of natural terrestrial (vegetation, soil bacteria and millipedes) and freshwater (macrozoobenthos) communities in the impacted area of former uranium mine Senokos. The mine is one of the forty-nine former uranium mines in Bulgaria, reclaimed in the beginning of the 90's, but the reclamation was compromised due to surface erosion of the protective layers. The vegetation is typical for the region and uranium pollution has not caused any significant adverse affects on it. Adverse affects on soil bacterial communities are recorded only to their activity, but not to the abundance. Soil millipedes are in low density dominated by Pachyiulus cattarensis (Latzel 1884). The benthic community of Luda River is influenced by both uranium loaded sediments and infiltrate water from the mine.