Author/Editor     Mori, Nataša; Brancelj, Anton
Title     Distribution and habitat preferences of species within the genus Elaphoidella Chappuis, 1929 (Crustacea: Copopeda: Harpacticoia) in Slovenia
Type     članek
Source     Zool Anz
Vol. and No.     Letnik 247, št. 2
Publication year     2008
Volume     str. 85-94
Language     eng
Abstract     Twelve species of the harpacticoid genus Elophoidella, most of them exclusively groundwater species, have been recorded in Slovenia (SE Europe). Their distribution and ecology are reviewed with the aim of evaluating distribution patterns, species preferences for groundwater habitats, ecological preferences and interactions with other copepod species at regional scale. Data on Eluphoidellcr species were obtained partly from the existing literature and partly from the author's (AB) own sampling campaigns carried out together with his co-workers. During the rich history of collecting copepods in Slovenia (from the 1920s to present), Elaphoidella species were recorded at 78 sampling sites altogether. The majority of collecting was conducted in the southern (Dinaric region) and north-western (Alpine region) Slovenia. The most intensively sampled habitats were porous aquifers of alluvial plains, springs in the karstic unsaturated zone and percolation water in caves. The highest species richness of Elaphoidella was recorded in the southern Slovenia, where 10 species were found. The strictly "Dinaric" species are E. clzaron, E. franci, E. karsticu, E. stammeri, E. sp. 1 and E. sp. 2, while E. phreatica and E. bidens were found exclusively in the north-western Slovenia. From the latest data on the copepod distributions (2002-2004), where the environmental characteristics of sampling sites were also measured, the relationship between selected environmental characteristics of the habitats and the presence of Elaphoidella species was analysed. The distribution of Elaphoidella species in Slovenia was found to be related with the region, habitat type, altitude, conductivity and pH of the water.
Descriptors     CRUSTACEA
ECOSYSTEM
DATA COLLECTION
POPULATION DENSITY
MONTE CARLO METHOD
SLOVENIA