Open AccessModelling the distribution of stygobionts in the Jura Mountains (eastern France). Implications for the protection of ground waters
Author(s) -
Castellarini Fabiana,
Malard Florian,
DoleOlivier MarieJosé,
Gibert Janine
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
diversity and distributions
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.918
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1472-4642
pISSN - 1366-9516
DOI - 10.1111/j.1472-4642.2006.00317.x
Subject(s) - habitat , biological dispersal , glacial period , ecology , biota , species distribution , glacier , endemism , environmental science , geography , physical geography , geology , biology , geomorphology , population , demography , sociology
Ground waters have exceptional conservation value due to the high endemism of their biota, the high occurrence of species relicts and because they are the second most important reservoir of freshwater after the glaciers. We used habitat‐based models to predict the distribution of obligate groundwater species (stygobionts) in the Jura Mountains, eastern France. Current and historical environmental variables were selected to predict the occurrence of 19 stygobionts collected in different groundwater habitats. Species occurrence was weakly correlated with most of the physico‐chemical variables and better correlated to habitat type, elevation gradient, hydraulic conductivity and the distance of the last glacial event. We identified two main groups of species, those whose distributions correlated with the last glacial event and those that did not. Our findings suggested that abilities for migrate and opportunities for dispersal using connections among habitats may explain part of these distributions and that specific spatial components should be incorporated in future modelling. We propose the identification of rich‐species areas and protection of the complete spectrum of GW habitats as pertinent measures to achieve the stygobitoic persistence.