Oligochaete assemblages in the hyporheic zone and coarse surface sediments: their importance for understanding of ecological functioning of watercourses

Abstract

Lafont, M. and Vivier, A. (2006). Oligochaete assemblages in the hyporheic zone and coarse surface sediments: their importance for understanding of ecological functioning of watercourses. Hydrobiologia. 564: 171-181.Published version available online at http://www.springerlink.com/ DOI: 10.1007DOI: 10. /s10750-005-1717 This material is presented to ensure timely dissemination of scholarly and technical work. Copyright and all rights therein are retained by authors or by other copyright holders. All persons copying this information are expected to adhere to the terms and constraints invoked by each author's copyright. In most cases, these works may not be reposted without the explicit permission of the copyright holder.Nous mettons ce document à disposition sous cette forme dans le but d'assurer la plus grande diffusion de nos travaux scientifiques et techniques, en particulier auprès des étudiants. Le copyright et tous les droits restent la propriété des auteurs et des éditeurs. Nous prions chaque personne utilisant ces informations de respecter les droits et copyright des auteurs et éditeurs. Dans la plupart des cas, ces travaux ne peuvent être réexpédiés sans la permission explicite du détenteur des droits. This paper has not been submitted elsewhere in identical or similar form, nor will it be during the first three months after its submission to Hydrobiologia. 2 Abstract.The hyporheic zone and its interactions with coarse surface sediments is increasingly reported by aquatic ecologists because the water exchanges between surface and subsurface are important factors for the understanding of the ecosystem functioning. However, the hyproheic oligochaete assemblages have received less attention than other assemblages such as crustaceans. In addition, studies investigating the incidence of pollution in watercourses have mostly focused on the benthic zone and have neglected the hyporheic zone. Some examples are given from an unpolluted glacial river (Roseg), polluted plains rivers (Moselle, Rhône) and a protected wetland in an urbanized environment. The hyporheic zone kept the memory of past and present incidences of pollution, in particular when downwellings of polluted surface waters to the hyporheic zone predominated. The Active hydrologicExchange Describers between surface and subsurface (AED oligochaete species) were the same in the glacial river Roseg, the rivers Rhône and Moselle and the urbanized wetland. The predominance of pollution-tolerant species like Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri was observed in polluted groundwater as well as in polluted surface coarse sediments. Moreover, the urbanized wetland exhibited a high species richness, suggesting that the hyporheic zone is a reservoir of species. The oligochaete communities enable biologists to simultaneously assess the pollution incidence, the permeability of coarse habitats, the water exchanges between surface and subsurface, and give an approximate measure of the metabolic activities in the sediments. Consequently, the simultaneous study of surface and hypo...

Response of benthic cave invertebrates to organic pollution events

“…During the first pollution event densities were lower than baseline conditions (550 m À2 ) and during the second event they were significantly higher (4200 m 2 ) at degraded sites (Figure 3). Their dominance of the invertebrate community within Peak Cavern during these events suggests they are relatively resilient and good indicators of organic pollution within caves and other groundwater-dominated ecosystems (Lafont et al, 1996;Lafont and Vivier, 2006).…”

The groundwater oligochaetes (Annelida, Clitellata) of Slovenia

“…Of the 9 species belonging to Rhyacodrilus found in Slovenia, 5 are stygobiotic (4 of them strictly endemic) and 2 stygophilic. The genus Pristina, with many stygophilic species, is also well represented, and, to some extent, illustrates the connections between subterranean and surface environments (Lafont and Vivier 2006). Tubifex pescei is the only stygobiotic species of the cosmopolitan genus Tubifex; the expansion of its biogeographic range to Slovenia suggests a wide distribution of this species in South European ground waters.…”

Taxonomy of North European Lumbricillus (Clitellata, Enchytraeidae)

“…Originally described from Finland, but also reported from Denmark, France (Lafont and Vivier 2006), Germany (Giere 1976), Ireland (Healy 2007), Norway and Sweden, now genetically identified from Sweden.…”