engleski

Analysis of the re-established macroinvertebrate community in restored habitats

Krka National park is among the unique areas in the world valuable aesthetically, economically and biologically. Despite all the actions that a National Park level of protection ensures, uncontrollable spreading of an invasive plant species Ailanthus altissima damaged a number of habitats in Krka`s tufa barriers. Due to its overgrowth, several streams with their active tufa-depositing habitats were harmed and ultimately dried. Consequently, macroinvertebrate community disappeared causing changes in ecological features of the area and leaving a negative effect on species richness and food webs. Recovery of the area started with the removal of all the invasive trees. Once the trees were removed, regeneration of the 3 channels started. Slowly, the macroinvertebrates started recolonizing the habitats. Our goal was to determine the time required for the restored community to become comparable to the control one in the undamaged habitats with constant flow. Benthos samples were taken once a month at five locations using a core-sampler up to 3 cm depth. Simultaneously, physicochemical properties of water were measured. Altogether, 16 macroinvertebrate taxa were isolated, among which non-biting midges were the most abundant, followed by blackflies, outnumbering the mayflies and amphipods which appeared only in 2 out of 5 sites. Although originally abundantly present at the control site, beetles were very rarely found in the rewetted channels.

rewetting, colonization, Krka

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