Earthquake-Related Changes in Species Spatial Niche Overlaps in Spring Communities.

ABSTRACT: Species interactions between stygobites (obligate groundwater organisms) are poorly known, reflecting the difficulty in studying such organisms in their natural environments. Some insight can be gained from the study of the spatial variability in microcrustacean communities in groundwater-fed springs. Earthquakes can increase hydraulic conductivity in the recharge area of karstic aquifers and flow rates in discharge zones, thus dislodging stygobites from their original habitats to the spring outlets. Earthquakes are expected to alter species spatial niche overlap at the spring outlets, where stygobites coexist with non-stygobites living in benthic and subsurface habitats. We compared the abundance of stygobiotic and non-stygobiotic microcrustaceans in groundwater-fed springs before and aft

SUBMITTER: Fattorini S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5428671 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature