Title: Stoneflies (Plecoptera) of the western carpathians: Does the geological bedrock influence their biodiversity?

Abstract

Throughout the ages, geological bedrock has significantly determined the structure of the Tatra stonefly taxocoenoses. Because of the high altitude and discharge of the streams, stoneflies are mainly affected by alkalinity, Ca, and Si. Statistical analysis has previously shown that alkalinity, Ca and Si content, catchment area, and altitude are correlated with the stonefly Tatrataxocenoses. In the present study, we recorded two different stonefly taxocenoses attached to different types of bedrock. For example, the stonefly species Amphinemura sulcicollis (Stephens, 1835), Protonemura auberti Illies, 1954, Protonemura nitida (Pictet, 1835), Leuctra braueri Kempny, 1898, and Dinocras cephalotes (Curtis, 1827) are characteristic for limestone brooks, while the genera Brachyptera Newport, 1848, Rhabdiopteryx Klapálek, 1902, Capnia Pictet, 1841, Perlodes Banks, 1903, Leuctra nigra (Olivier, 1811), and Perla grandis Rambur, 1842 are characteristic for crystalline streams. Furthermore, the Amphinemura sulcicollis species is characteristic of carbonate streams of the Carpathian Mts., while Brachyptera seticornis (Klapálek, 1902) is typical of crystalline streams. In crystalline streams, Perloidae represent 24-25%, however, just 13- 15% in carbonate streams. Taeniopterygidae represent 11-14% in crystalline streams, while only 1-4% in carbonate streams. Finally, we recorded Nemouridae and Leuctridae as the dominate species in carbonate streams.

Biography

Dr. Matej Žiak (39) is long-term employee of the Slovak National Museum in Martin (Slovakia). He work there as entomologist and focuses on ecology of aquatic insect. He received a master's degree in ecology in 2007 and completed his PhD studies at the Faculty of Natural Science of Comenius University in Bratislava with dissertation work: “Autecology and distribution of Slovak stoneflies (Plecoptera)” in 2013. His domain is primarily research of stoneflies (Plecoptera) autecology and distribution in Slovakia, Ukraine and Caucasus. He created and operates online atlas of stoneflies – www-plecopteraslovaca.eu. He is member of The International Society of Plecopterologists. Since 2022 he is head of Slovak Limnology Society. He has participated in many foreign as well as domestic conferences and has written dozens of scientific as well as popular science publications on the above-mentioned topics.