Assessing copepod (Crustacea: Copepoda) species richness at different spatial scales in northwestern Romanian caves

By

Meleg, Ioana N.
Fiers, Frank
Moldovan, Oana

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2011

Original Publication

Subterranean Biology

Volume

9

Pages

103-112

Subjects

copepods , groundwater habitats , Romania , species richness

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.9.2513

 

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to assess copepod species richness in groundwater habitats from the Pădurea Craiului Mountains, Transylvania (northwestern Romania). Five species richness estimators (one asymptotic, based on species accumulation curves, and four non-parametric) were compared by testing their performances in estimating copepod species richness at three hierarchical spatial scales: cave, hydrographic basin, and karstic massif. Both epigean and hypogean species were taken in account. Two data sets were used in computing copepod species richness: 1. samples collected continuously during one year (dripping water) and seven months (pools) from five caves, and 2. samples collected from pools in twelve additional caves (data gathered from literature). Differences in copepod species richness among caves and hydrographic basins suggest that local environmental features are important in determining local species richness trends.