Author/Editor		Brancelj, Anton
Title		Microdistribution and high diversity of Copepoda (Crustacea) in a small cave in central Slovenia
Type		članek
Source		Hydrobiologia
Vol. and No.		Letnik 477
Publication year		2002
Volume		str. 59-72
Language		eng
Abstract		The microdistribution and diversity dynamics of Copepoda (Crustacea) were studied in a 75 m long horizontal karstic cave in the central part of Slovenia from February to December 2000. The only water sources in the cave are drips from percolating water. The cave has thin roof, varying from 2 to 10 m. The period studied was characterised by long dry periods, interspersed with several intensive rain-storms and periods of moderate rain. Water bodies were of three different types: small basins on the walls, basins on calcareous sinter on the floor and puddles in the clay. The volume of basins varied from about 0.1 1 to more then 50 1. In total, 1989 specimens of 12 taxa were collected from 19 puddles and basins on eight sampling dates. One cyclopoid and eleven harpacticoid taxa were collected, three of them being new to science. All taxa but one (PhylLognathopus vigueri) are stygobionts. The copepod community was dominated by Speocyclops infernus, representing about one half of all copepod specimens collected in the cave. Very few copulas or egg-carrying females were observed during sampling.
Descriptors		CRUSTACEA ECOSYSTEM POPULATION DYNAMICS SEASONS