Original Articles
1 September 2011
Vol. 70 No. s1 (2011): Springs: neglected key habitats for biodiversity conservation

Exploring species distribution of spring meiofauna (Annelida, Acari, Crustacea) in the south-eastern Alps

Publisher's note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
2321
Views
688
Downloads

Authors

The distribution patterns of Alpine crenic meiofauna were studied using a standardised sampling procedure at 110 springs, evenly distributed across both carbonate and siliceous rocks in Trentino (northern Italy). Spring altitude ranges between 170 and 2800 m a.s.l. One hundred and thirty-eight taxa (mainly identified at species level), belonging to the Annelida (39), freshwater Acari (57), Copepoda (24), and Ostracoda (18) were found in springs of the investigated area. Using Canonical Correspondence Analysis, spatial patterns of meiofaunal assemblages at the regional scale were best explained by altitude, water chemistry (mainly related to geology) and water-flow regime; the role of microhabitat structure and anthropogenic disturbance as environmental descriptors was of minor importance.

Altmetrics

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Citations

How to Cite



“Exploring Species Distribution of Spring Meiofauna (Annelida, Acari, Crustacea) in the South-Eastern Alps”. 2011. Journal of Limnology 70 (s1): 65-76. https://doi.org/10.4081/jlimnol.2011.s1.65.