Invertebrates of irish turloughs

Abstract

Turloughs (“dry lakes”) are groundwater-dependent terrestrial ecosystems occurring mostly in western Ireland overlying karstified limestone. In the temperate oceanic climate they may fill and empty at any time of year, but aquatic phases lasting several weeks to months occur chiefly in cool seasons. The short cool hydroperiod makes turlough fauna distinctive, short-lived or with resistant resting stages; predators are scarce, allowing survival of large cladocerans such as Eurycercus glacialis. The terrestrial phases may have residual pools or marsh, and gradually re-vegetate; some insect larvae survive submergence and carabids and other predators invade. Main threats to these unusual habitats are from drainage and most impacts are from summer grazing.