Líffræðifélag Íslands
Líffræðiráðstefnan 2015
Erindi/veggspjald / Talk/poster E12
Agnes-Katharina Kreiling (1,2), Bjarni K. Kristjánsson (1), Árni Einarsson (2,3), Jón S. Ólafsson (4)
1. Háskólinn á Hólum 2. Háskóli Íslands 3. Náttúrurannsóknastöðin við Mývatn 4.Veiðimálastofnun
Kynnir / Presenter: Agnes-Katharina Kreiling
Tengiliður / Corresponding author: Agnes-Katharina Kreiling (kreiling@holar.is)
Freshwater springs are ecotones between surface and subsurface water habitats and have the potential to house a diverse and highly-specialized invertebrate fauna. In Iceland, an abundance of cold and thermal springs can be found, which makes the country a perfect place to study temperature influences on stygobiont and crenobiont macroinvertebrates. The aim of this study is to analyze community composition in Icelandic freshwater springs at the surface-subsurface water interface and assess how temporal, environmental, and spatial factors shape biodiversity. We have sampled 35 warm and cold freshwater springs all over Iceland using a modified electric fishing gear. Macroinvertebrates clinging to the source duct are detached by the electric shock and washed into a driftnet fixed in front of the source. Additionally, water samples for eDNA analysis have been taken. Since the water temperature for each spring is seasonally and annually stable, community composition is expected to be similar all year round. For a biogeographical approach, springs both within and outside the volcanic active zone in Iceland will be compared in order to assess whether spring type (limnocrene or rheocrene), water temperature, or geographical distribution have greater influence on macroinvertebrate composition. Warm springs could act as habitat islands across the Icelandic freshwater landscape and thus may represent a unique ecosystem which requires special protection. So far, Chironomidae, Copepoda, Cladocera, and Hydracarina (Acari) seem to be the most abundant invertebrate taxa in Icelandic freshwater springs.