Communities of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates from Konjuh Mountain Headwater Streams

Abstract

Hydrobiological studies of macrozoobenthosin the headwater streams of the protected landscape of Konjuh were carried out at five sites during the spring, summer and autumn of 2017. The invertebrate biodiversity was consisted of nine groups and 46 taxa. By analyzing the composition of macrofauna, the greatest diversity of taxa was found in the Trichoptera and Ephemeroptera group which were represented by 13 taxa each. Following them are groups with a smaller number of taxa, Plecoptera (8), Diptera (5), Coleoptera and Oligochaeta with two taxa. Other groups found in the headwater streams of Konjuh Mountain are represented by one taxon. The presence of a different number of taxa was found at the investigated sites: at the site Krabašnjica - 25, Studešnica - 15, at the Djevojačka cave and GluhaBukovica 21 taxa and at the site Tuholj - 16. Based on the analysis of the physical and chemical parameters of the water and the index of saprobity, it has been determined that the water of Konjuh Mountain headwater streams has an oligosaprobic character and is considered to be the first class of water quality.