Author/Editor		Pipan, Tanja; Brancelj, Anton
Title		Diversity and peculiarity of epikarst fauna: case study from six caves in Slovenia (Europe)
Type		članek
Source		In: Jones WK, Culver DC, Herman JS, editors. Proceedings of the symposium held of the Epikarst: Karst waters institute special publication 9; 2003 Oct 1-4; Shepherdstown. Charles Town: Karst waters institute,
Publication year		2004
Volume		str. 119-26
Language		eng
Abstract		The karst subterranean environment has a distinctive fauna which occurs in many kinds of habitats. Stygobionts, i.e., obfigate subterranean aquatic animals, inhabit the saturated and unsaturated zones of the karst underground. They are also found in seeps and drip pools filled by water from the epikarst, although their existence there is often quite ephemeral. Epikarst represents, in the hydrogeological division of the karst underground, the stratum that is closest to the surface. It is inaccessible for direct scientific research when using standard sampling procedure. The epikarst fauna has thus to be explored indirectly, by taking samples of the percolated water and pools in the caves filled with such water. Biodiversity, ecology and fauna of epikarst have only rarely been studied systematically. Copepoda (Cyclopoida and Harpacticoida; Crustacea) are the most numerous animal group in the epikarst. Recent systematic reaserch of copepod community within the epikarst was performed in six caves in central Slovenia (Europe). Changes of faunal composition, its dynamic and distribution patterns were studied over one year sampling period. In percolation water and adjacent pools 37 species of copepods were collected. Ten species were ubiquitous and they are frequently found in subterranean environment presumably due to transportation from epigean habitats. The rest of the species were stygobiotic (27 species). At least ll species new to science were recognized. Most species in trickles or pools were represented by few or even one single specimen. Due to the fact that the correlation between particular species and ecological parameters, especially ions, was statistical significant, copepods from epikarst zone show high level of ecological specialization. Finally, results of the faunistic research shown that biodiversity of Copepoda within the epikarst is high on a local scale as well as over a wider area.
Descriptors		FRESH WATER ECOSYSTEM INVERTEBRATES CRUSTACEA SLOVENIA