Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera assemblages of karst springs in relationto some environmental factors: a case study in central Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

IntroductionSprings are characterized by emerging groundwater that creates aquatic-terrestrial and groundwater-surface water ecotones (Webb et al., 1998) and they thus make an important contribution to the regional biodiversity of freshwater ecosystems (Ward and Tockner, 2001;Boulton, 2005). Springs are a particularly interesting habitat for invertebrates as the lower and usually stable temperature creates optimal conditions for stenothermal cold-water organisms (Illies, 1952;Erman and Erman, 1995;Fischer et al., 1998;Buczyński et al., 2003). Persistence and stability of habitat conditions (van der Kamp, 1995) are considered to be the reason for variety and diversity of species in the springs (Erman and Erman, 1990). Due to this stability, the impact of disturbance caused by seasonal changes on the macroinvertebrate assemblage is lower, while types of disturbance caused by other factors, for example by anthropogenic activities (capturing), are more pronounced. Therefore, the studies on this topic become more important.The macroinvertebrate composition of springs can be influenced by various environmental factors: physicochemical factors (Orendt, 2000), hydrological factors (Ilmonen and Paasivirta, 2005), substratum composition (Hahn, 2000), or altitude (Barquín and Death, 2006). On the other hand, spring biocenosis is affected by fauna migrating from neighboring biotopes and by anthropopressure (Buczyński et al., 2003).This study is focused on Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) assemblages of springs along the Cvrcka River mainstream (NW Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina). The EPT groups considered in this study show a high degree of endemism and abundance in freshwater ecosystems in the region of the central Balkan Peninsula (Paunović et al., 2006;Savić et al., 2011Savić et al., , 2013Vitecek et al., 2015), but knowledge on their ecology in spring habitats is almost entirely lacking. Possibly, this is the first paper providing data on the ecology of the EPT insects inhabiting springs in the Balkans. In view of the high human pressure that threatens the ecological status of spring ecosystems, it is important to verify the EPT assemblage and environmental factors that influence the groups considered in this study. On other hand, it is worth mentioning that the study of springs lying along

Application of macroinvertebrate multimetrics as a measure of the impact of anthropogenic modification of spring habitats

“…This was demonstrated in this study by ANOSIM, which clearly separated modified and unmodified springs. The effect of spring modification on their macroinvertebrate assemblages has rarely been studied, and these studies have shown a negative impact on the species richness of some specific groups (Lencioni et al, ; Savić et al, ).…”

“…Several studies have stressed the relationship between the decline in the number and abundance of EPT taxa, especially ephemeropterans and plecopterans, and the impact of low‐head dams and habitat degradation (Álvarez‐Cabria, Barquín, & Juanes, ; Maloney, Dodd, Butler, & Wahl, ; Santucci, Gephard, & Pescitelli, ). Savić et al () found that the number of EPT species in springs of Cvrcka valley was positively correlated with the discharge, and that the lower number of EPT taxa or individuals in springs flowing out of a pipe could be a result of unfavourable habitat conditions caused by the larger areal coverage of algae and anoxic mud in their substrate composition. In this study EPT taxa were absent at many sites, indicating that the EPT fam metric was not suitable for testing the macroinvertebrate response to the hydromorphological degradation of the springs.…”

“…It is possible that these indices perform poorly in springs and therefore require adaptation. Spring‐dwelling inhabitants may exhibit taxon‐specific sensitivities to natural as well as to human‐induced environmental changes, influencing the suitability of applying these indices to springs (Savić, Dmitrović, & Pešić, ).…”

“…The effects of human‐induced environmental changes are evident for many springs in the Dinaric karst. Ecohydrological analyses of macroinvertebrate data have identified the modification of springs for drinking water supply or for aesthetic reasons as an important determinant of the composition of macroinvertebrate assemblages in springs (Lencioni, Marziali, & Rossaro, ; Pešić, Dmitrović, Savić, & von Fumetti, ; Pešić, Gligorović, Savić, & Buczyński, ; Płóciennik, Dmitrović, Pešić, & Gadawski, ; Savić et al, ). In general, the mode of modification when tapping a spring depends on the natural characteristics of a spring, especially its discharge (Stevanović, ).…”

“…In the case of a small spring, a simple structure such as a wooden box or a crib is sufficient, whereas for a larger spring with a higher discharge complex structures such as reinforced concrete basins or dams are often required (Stevanović, ). The definition of spring modification is difficult, however, and includes a number of transitional types ranging from ‘dammed’ (forming a stone‐ or a concrete‐dammed pool) to ‘piped’ springs, where water emerges from an artificial pipe (see also Savić et al, ).…”