Líffræðifélag Íslands - biologia.is
Líffræðiráðstefnan 2017
Erindi/veggspjald / Talk/poster V49
Höfundar / Authors: Doriane COMBOT (1), Daniel GOVONI (1), Camille LEBLANC (1) and Bjarni Kristofer KRISTJANSSON (1)
Starfsvettvangur / Affiliations: Háskólinn á Hólum
Kynnir / Presenter: Bjarni K. Kristjánsson
Macroinvertebrates are important for their environment as consumers at intermediate trophic level and as food resources for other organisms. They are often sensitive to local environmental condition, where various factors in their habitat influence their biotic diversity and abundance. However, factors governing the shaping the biodiversity of invertebrates in freshwater ecosystems are often poorly known.
Near Lake Mývatn, numerous lava caves are found, resulting of collapses of tunnels that were created during a volcanic eruption (2300 years ago). Within each cave there is a small groundwater fed pond more or less opened to the air. These ponds are inhabited by small Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) and various invertebrates. Despite a small geographical distance, ecological factors and physical characteristics show considerable variations between caves.
The aim of the study was to assess the diversity of macroinvertebrates and the potential influence of ecological factors for the assemblages of these taxa. In the summer of 2014 the epibenthic invertebrate fauna was sampled in 18 caves, using epibenthic crustacean-traps, and ecological parameters measured.
There is a considerable differences in invertebrate taxa composition and densities across the caves. Our results suggest that subtle differences in ecological factors shape biological diversity of groundwater fed ponds, and this study created a baseline for detecting environmental alteration in these unique systems.