Energy status of chironomid larvae (Diptera: Chironomidae) from high alpine rivers (Tyrol, Austria)

Dvorak, Martin; Dittmann, Isabel L.; Pedrini-Martha, Veronika; Hamerlík, Ladislav; Bitušík, Peter; Stuchlik, Evzen; Vondrák, Daniel; Füreder, Leopold; Lackner, Reinhard

doi:10.1016/j.cbpa.2023.111477

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 33 publications

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“…The other alpine streams in the Ko ¨nigstal and Timmelstal valleys (Ko ¨nigsbach and Timmelsbach) are spring-fed streams with no glaciers in their catchments. The sampling sites (five in the Rotmoostal, two in the Ko ¨nigstal, and one in the Timmelstal) were selected to cover a gradient of harshness (see [40], Fig 1, Table 1 for details). All sampling sites are situated above the treeline.…”

Section: Samplingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular and morphological characterisation of larvae of the genus Diamesa Meigen, 1835 (Diptera: Chironomidae) in Alpine streams (Ötztal Alps, Austria)

Dvorak,

Dittmann,

Pedrini-Martha

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

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Diamesa species (Diptera, Chironomidae) are widely distributed in freshwater ecosystems, and their life cycles are closely linked to environmental variables such as temperature, water quality, and sediment composition. Their sensitivity to environmental changes, particularly in response to pollution and habitat alterations, makes them valuable indicators of ecosystem health. The challenges associated with the morphological identification of larvae invoke the use of DNA barcoding for species determination. The mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene is regularly used for species identification but faces limitations, such as similar sequences in closely related species. To overcome this, we explored the use of the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) region in addition to COI for Diamesa larvae identification. Therefore, this study employs a combination of molecular markers alongside traditional morphological identification to enhance species discrimination. In total, 129 specimens were analysed, of which 101 were sampled from a glacier-fed stream in Rotmoostal, and the remaining 28 from spring-fed streams in the neighbouring valleys of Königstal and Timmelstal. This study reveals the inadequacy of utilizing single COI or ITS genes for comprehensive species differentiation within the genus Diamesa. However, the combined application of COI and ITS markers significantly enhances species identification resolution, surpassing the limitations faced by traditional taxonomists. Notably, this is evident in cases involving morphologically indistinguishable species, such as Diamesa latitarsis and Diamesa modesta. It highlights the potential of employing a multi-marker approach for more accurate and reliable Diamesa species identification. This method can be a powerful tool for identifying Diamesa species, shedding light on their remarkable adaptations to extreme environments and the impacts of environmental changes on their populations.

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Section: Samplingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular and morphological characterisation of larvae of the genus Diamesa Meigen, 1835 (Diptera: Chironomidae) in Alpine streams (Ötztal Alps, Austria)

Dvorak,

Dittmann,

Pedrini-Martha

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

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Cold mountain stream chironomids (Diptera) of the genus Diamesa indicate both historical and recent climate change

Dočkalová,

Stuchlík,

Hamerlík

et al. 2024

Environmental Entomology

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Chironomids of the genus Diamesa (Meigen, 1835, Diptera: Chironomidae) inhabit cold, oxygen-rich running waters. We have investigated the presence of Diamesa and other freshwater macroinvertebrates at 22 stream sampling sites in 3 European high mountain regions (the Central Pyrenees, the Ötztal Alps, and the Tatra Mountains) to establish suitable temperature conditions for Diamesa dominance. It has been generally accepted that their high abundance was linked to the presence of glaciers; however, we have shown that in the Tatra Mountains, where there are no glaciers, the conditions for the dominance of Diamesa species are created due to permanent snowfields, the geographical orientation of the valley and shading by the surrounding high peaks. The historical connection of Diamesa to glaciers was investigated from the paleolimnological records of subfossil chironomid assemblages from the Bohemian Forest, where glaciers disappeared before or during the Late Glacial period. As expected, water temperature seems to be the main driver of Diamesa distribution, and we determined that the relative abundance of Diamesa species was significantly higher at the sites with a mean July water temperature below 6.5 °C. The Diamesa-dominated stream communities seems to be endangered due to ongoing climate warming and this assumption is supported by our paleolimnological results from the Bohemian Forest lakes, where Diamesa has disappeared due to warming of lake inflows at the beginning of the Holocene. These findings strengthen the former suggestions that some Diamesa species could be used as an indicator for tracking recent environmental changes in vulnerable ecosystems of cold mountain streams.

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Energy status of chironomid larvae (Diptera: Chironomidae) from high alpine rivers (Tyrol, Austria)

Cited by 2 publications

References 33 publications

Molecular and morphological characterisation of larvae of the genus Diamesa Meigen, 1835 (Diptera: Chironomidae) in Alpine streams (Ötztal Alps, Austria)

Molecular and morphological characterisation of larvae of the genus Diamesa Meigen, 1835 (Diptera: Chironomidae) in Alpine streams (Ötztal Alps, Austria)

Cold mountain stream chironomids (Diptera) of the genus Diamesa indicate both historical and recent climate change

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