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Maryia Tsiareshyna

  • Biodiversity Journal, 13 (1): 0107-0114

    Maryia Tsiareshyna, Đorđe Marković & Matija Petković
    Snapshot on Cave Microinvertebrates Assemblages along the Environmental Gradient of the Balkan Region
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2022.13.1.107.114

    ABSTRACT
    Caves are considered stable and unique environments, which are characterized by a permanent lack of light. The most characteristic feature of organisms inhabiting caves are adaptations to the subterranean environments, which are visible in an increasing morphological and physiological specialization. The distribution patterns of cave fauna are a consequence of repeated, independent invasions, isolation and adaptation to the cave environment. The main aim of our study was comparison of faunal assemblages along environmental gradient from forest, through entrance to the deep cave. Three caves in Serbia were selected for this study. The main factor influencing the extraordinary variety of the troglobiotic fauna of this region include continuity of continental phases in different areas of the Balkans and the lithology of karst. Each of the sampling sites was divided into three zones along environmental gradient: photic, disphotic and aphotic. Six freshwater (sediments) and 17 terrestrial (mosses, mixed soil/mosses) samples were collected. In the samples, we found representatives of Acari, Collembola, Copepoda, Insecta, Isopoda, Oligochaeta, Nematoda, Tardigrada and Rotifera. The highest number of taxa was in material collected from forest surrounding entrance to the cave. However, higher diversity index was found in the dark cave zone. Therefore, highest taxa richness of cave entrance suggest that the cave entrance corresponds to the ecotone. Microfauna assembladges differ between chosen caves and within designated zones. We provide the first study of changes in diversity trends along ecological gradient in subterranean ecosystems of Balkan Peninsula.