Biodiversity and Ecology of Fauna in Percolating Water in Selected Slovenian and Romanian Caves

Authors

  • Oana T. Moldovan Romanian Academy, Institutul de Speologie “Emil Racovitza”, Department of Cluj, Clinicilor 5, 400006 Cluj-Napoca
  • Tanja Pipan Karst Research Institute, Scientific Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Titov trg 2, p.p. 59, SI-6230, Postojna
  • Sanda Iepure Romanian Academy, Institutul de Speologie “Emil Racovitza”, Department of Cluj, Clinicilor 5, 400006 Cluj-Napoca
  • Andrej Mihevc Karst Research Institute, Scientific Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Titov trg 2, p.p. 59, SI-6230, Postojna
  • Janez Mulec Karst Research Institute, Scientific Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Titov trg 2, p.p. 59, SI-6230, Postojna

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3986/ac.v36i3.183

Abstract

Biodiversity and ecology of fauna in percolating water from Slovenian and Romanian caves was studied. Research focused on unravelling the community structure of epikarst fauna, which is carried away by the trickles of percolating water from the epikarst and vadose zones. The major part of the fauna found in percolating water is represented by copepods. This fauna, originating in the epikarst, was analysed and by means of the systematic sampling and observation the same groups of animals were found in Slovenian and Romanian caves. Differences among caves and sampling points indicate that epikarst is a heterogenous habitat. Relationship between faunal richness and the physical characteristics of the water was found. Correlation between surface geomorphology and fauna in percolating water was statistically significant in the Postojna cave system.

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Published

2007-12-01

How to Cite

Moldovan, O. T., Pipan, T., Iepure, S., Mihevc, A., & Mulec, J. (2007). Biodiversity and Ecology of Fauna in Percolating Water in Selected Slovenian and Romanian Caves. Acta Carsologica, 36(3). https://doi.org/10.3986/ac.v36i3.183

Issue

Section

Original papers