Environmental Drivers of Macroinvertebrate Assemblages within Peat Pool Habitat-Implication for Bioassessment

Abstract

Macroinvertebrates are a crucial component of wetland trophic webs. Many taxa are used as bioindicators of ecosystem change. However, relationships between macroinvertebrates and the environmental factors in peat pool habitats are still not well recognized. The present study shows the results of long-term studies during the years 2010–2020, on the responses of macroinvertebrates to the changes of environmental variables in a peat pool habitat formed as a result of peat exploitation on continental raised bog. The RDA analysis significantly explained 87.3% of the variance in macroinvertebrates abundances. Assemblages of most taxa (Anisoptera, Chironomidae, Ceratopogonidae, Coleoptera, Hydrachnidia and Tabanidae) showed a strong relationship with N-NO3 and pH. Moreover, densities of Chaoboridae larvae were explained by chlorophyll-a concentrations. Dominant taxon, Chironomidae, constituted from 48% to 87% of total faunal density. The highest proportions showed larvae of Psectrocladius sp. (gr. sordidellus) and Chironomus sp. Changes in the composition of macroinvertebrate fauna over a period of 10 years reflect the eutrophication process of the peat pool and deterioration of habitat conditions.