Biodiversity and Ecology of Fauna in Percolating Water in Selected Slovenian and Romanian Caves

Abstract

Oana T. Moldovan, Tanja Pipan, Sanda Iepure, Andrej Mi hevc & Janez Mulec: Biodiversity and ecology of fauna in per colating water in selected Slovenian and Romanian cavesBiodiversity and ecology of fauna in percolating water from Slovenian and Romanian caves was studied. Researc� focused on unravelling t�e community structure of epikarst fauna, w�ic� is carried away by t�e trickles of percolating water from t�e epikarst and vadose zones. The major part of t�e fauna found in percolating water is represented by copepods. This fauna, originating in t�e epikarst, was analysed and by means of t�e systematic sampling and observation t�e same groups of animals were found in Slovenian and Romanian caves. Differences among caves and sampling points indicate t�at epikarst is a �eterogenous �abitat. Relations�ip between faunal ric�ness and t�e p�ysical c�aracteristics of t�e water was found. Correlation between surface geomorp�ology and fauna in percolating water was statistically significant in t�e Postojna cave system. IzvlečekUDK 574.5:551.44(497.4+498) Oana T. Moldovan, Tanja Pipan, Sanda Iepure, Andrej Mi hevc & Janez Mulec: Biodiverziteta in ekologija favne v pre nikli vodi izbranih slovenskih in romunskih jamV prenikli vodi iz slovenski� in romunski� jam smo proučevali biodiverziteto in ekologijo favne. V raziskavi smo se osredotočili na proučevanje združbe epikraške favne, ki jo odnašajo curki prenikle vode iz epikraške in nezasičene cone. Največji delež organizmov v prenikli vodi zavzemajo ceponožni raki. Na podlagi sistematičnega vzorčenja in opravljeni� analiz smo v jama� slovenskega in romunskega krasa ugotovili prisotnost enaki� skupin organizmov. Razlike med jamami in posameznimi vzorčnimi mesti nakazujejo, da je epikras �eterogeni �abitat. Ugotovili smo statistično značilno povezavo med prisotnostjo določeni� skupin organizmov in fizikalnimi parametri vode. Korelacija med površinsko geomorfologijo Postojnskega jamskega sistema in številom ceponožni� rakov v prenikli vodi je bila statistično značilna.

How to protect a diverse, poorly known, inaccessible fauna: identification and protection of source and sink habitats in the epikarst

“…The closest approach to direct sampling is that of Pipan (2005) who devised a special sampling net and container that allowed for continuous filtering of dripping water. Aside from the work of Pipan and her colleagues (Pipan, 2005;Pipan and Culver, 2005;Moldovan et al, 2007;Pipan et al, 2008), all collections of the epikarst fauna are indirect -from drip pools, usually as part of general fauna inventories.…”

Assessing copepod (Crustacea: Copepoda) species richness at different spatial scales in northwestern Romanian caves

“…In the vadose zone of the caves from the Pădurea Craiului Mountains (western Romanian Carpathians) the most often encountered taxa in decreasing number are: harpacticoid and cyclopoid copepods, insect larvae (mainly Diptera Chironomidae), Collembola, Ostracoda, Oligochaeta, Nematoda, Amphipoda, Acari, Gastropoda and Isopoda (Moldovan et al 2007;Meleg et al 2011). Among these taxa, copepods are the most diversified and abundant, probably the most characteristic taxon dwelling the voids of the vadose zone, as was also mentioned in other karst systems of Southern Europe (Stoch 1997(Stoch , 2000Brancelj 2002;Pipan andBrancelj 2001, 2004a, b;Pipan 2005;Sket et al 2004;Camacho et al 2006).…”

Epikarstic crustaceans from some Italian caves: endemisms and spatial scales.

“…Water is transmitted mainly vertically as percolating water, which can passively or actively transport stygobiotic organisms, thus determining the alpha-diversity (within caves). However, sometimes water percolating through the epikarst moves laterally before finding a pathway deeper into the vadose zone (Pipan and Culver 2007b, and references therein), thus contributing to betadiversity (between caves), although with increasing distance differences in epikarst diversity can be due to morphological and ecological characteristics of the entire watershed, such as size, connectivity and extension of fractures and solution pockets, epikarst development, land use, surface and subsurface capacity for water storage, degree of pollution (Moldovan et al 2007). On a larger scale (different watersheds) historical events (colonization of epikarst habitats by surface-dwelling ancestors) and the hydrological and geological setting (isolation of aquifers) probably interact to determine gamma diversity.…”