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Spatio‐Temporal Distribution and Ecological Preferences of Coexisting Hydropsychid Species (Trichoptera) in Two Mediterranean River Basins (S Spain)
Author(s) -
GallardoMayenco Alfonso,
Prenda José,
Toja Julia
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
international review of hydrobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.524
H-Index - 52
eISSN - 1522-2632
pISSN - 1434-2944
DOI - 10.1002/iroh.19980830203
Subject(s) - hydropsychidae , ecology , habitat , mediterranean climate , altitude (triangle) , drainage basin , phenology , geography , environmental science , biology , geometry , mathematics , cartography , larva
The hydropsychids of two Mediterranean river basins in southern Spain (Guadaira and Guadalete) were investigated from January 1988 to January 1989. The distribution of hydropsychids along an environmental gradient related to altitude varied depending on species. Two distinct species assemblages were observed. one located in the lower altitude sites (the “downstream assemblage” comprising Hydropsyche pictetorum, Hydropsyche exocellata and Cheumatopsyche lepida ) and the other in the upper‐most areas (the “upstream assemblage” comprising Hydropsyche punica, Hydropsyche infernalis, Hydropsyche instabilis ), which displayed a statistically significant preference for this type of habitat. Finally, H. pictetorum , selected the lowest sites. From a temporal point of view most species displayed a high variability in density dynamics between sites, suggesting a strong plasticity in life‐cycle phenology.