Dipteran assemblages of spring fens closely follow the gradient of groundwater mineral richness

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Authors

OMELKOVÁ Markéta SYROVÁTKA Vít KŘOUPALOVÁ Vendula RÁDKOVÁ Vanda BOJKOVÁ Jindřiška HORSÁK Michal ZHAI Marie HELEŠIC Jan

Year of publication 2013
Type Article in Periodical
Magazine / Source Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
MU Faculty or unit

Faculty of Science

Citation
Doi http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjfas-2013-0026
Field Ecology
Keywords Spring fens; Diptera; poor-rich gradient; species richness; NMDS
Description Groundwater chemistry is a major determinant of assemblages of various taxonomic groups in spring fens, but its effect on insect assemblages has not been proved yet. We investigated dipteran assemblages at 17 isolated spring fens, which encompass the whole mineral richness gradient from rich (calcareous) to poor (highly acidic) sites, and analyzed faunal patterns at two contrasting mesohabitats: flowing water and standing water. The effect of water chemistry, substratum features, discharge, and temperature on the dipteran assemblages were assessed using PERMANOVA and GAM. Highly diverse dipteran assemblages (156 taxa) were closely related to the mineral richness gradient at both mesohabitats, showing a continual and nearly complete species exchange along the gradient, while their total abundance and taxa density did not change significantly. The assemblages included both habitat generalists and taxa specifically associated with acidic, moderate, or calcareous conditions. The mineral richness gradient was also reflected by changes in substratum properties, thus creating a complex environmental gradient that we suggest is the main environmental gradient structuring aquatic assemblages in spring fens.
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