Naslov
Small scale patterns of meiofauna in bryophytes

Autori
Dražina, Tvrtko ; Špoljar, Maria ; Primc-Habdija, Biserka ; Habdija, Ivan

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, sažetak, znanstveni

Skup
7th Symposium for European Freswater Sciences

Mjesto i datum
Girona, Španjolska, 27.06.2011. - 01.07.2011

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Poster

Vrsta recenzije
Međunarodna recenzija

Ključne riječi
Aquatic bryophytes; microhabitats; Rotifera; Nematoda; meiofauna

Sažetak
Aquatic bryophytes provide suitable habitat for diverse invertebrate fauna by increasing stream heterogeneity and reducing flow velocity. Meiofaunal composition in these microhabitats is mainly neglected. Meiofauna as a term cover small metazoans that pass through 1000 or 500 μm sieves, but retained on 62 or 40 μm sieves. These organisms play important role in the diversity, abundance and functioning of food web dynamics of the whole benthic community. In freshwater ecosystems this group includes diverse fauna such as Turbellaria, Rotifera, Nematoda, Gastrotricha, Oligochaeta, Tardigrada, Crustacea and small insects larvae. This study was conducted in National Park Plitvice Lakes, where 16 oligotrophic lakes form a cascading barrage hydrosystem mutually joined by numerous moss covered travertine barriers and waterfalls. Bryophytes and associated fauna were sampled monthly, from February 2009 to January 2010, in three microhabitats differing in flow velocity (slow, medium, fast). Main goal of our study was to establish the role of flow velocity to small-scale variability of meiofauna in bryophytes. A total of more than 100 taxa of meiofauna were indentified during investigation. Rotifers dominated (52 taxa), followed by nematodes (27 taxa) while other groups of organisms were found in small number. In fast water current rotifers achieved significant highest abundance, averaged 219 ind cm–3. They show statistically significant positive relation to flow velocity, while gastrotrichs, tardigrads and microturbelarians show negative relation to flow velocity. Positive relationships were established between meiofauna and food resources, i.e. different fraction of organic matter.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Biologija

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