Written by Tringi Studies
Freshwater ecosystems are recognized as habitats that support a remarkable diversity of insect species, although much remains unknown about many of them.
In this study, we investigated the faunistic composition of Trichoptera (caddisflies) in several streams located in the central part of Kosovo. Specimens from the order Trichoptera were collected using ultraviolet light traps at six different locations within the study area during the period from May to September.
A total of 48 Trichoptera species were identified throughout the research, with the family Limnephilidae being the most represented. Notably, several rare species were recorded, and for the first time in Kosovo, the species Hydroptila vectis was encountered. Hydroptila vectis was recorded at only one locality (L6) during the month of May , with a single individual observed.
This first record of Hydroptila vectis in Kosovo contributes valuable information to the understanding of its distribution both locally and more broadly across its range.
Keywords: Aquatic ecosystems , Insects , Trichoptera Aquatic ecosystems, insects, Trichoptera, rare species, first records
Aquatic insects are abundant in most freshwater habitats and frequently exhibit high levels of diversity. Within aquatic food webs, they serve as essential prey items for nearly all vertebrate and invertebrate predators, while many aquatic insects themselves function as predators (Thorp & Covich, 2010).
Although there are many highly specialized habitats, insects represent the most species-rich group of aquatic macroinvertebrates, and often the most numerous as well. They have successfully colonized nearly all types of freshwater habitats.
Although there are many highly specialized habitats, most aquatic insects are found either in lotic (flowing water) or lentic (still water) environments, and are typically restricted to one or the other depending on their physiological adaptations (Hershey, Lamberti, Chaloner, & Northington, 2010).
Trichoptera, commonly known as caddisflies, are an order of aquatic insects found worldwide in rivers, streams, and lakes. Approximately 15,000 species are currently known.
This order is among the most important and diverse of all aquatic taxa. The larvae play a vital role in aquatic food webs, and their presence or absence is often used in biological assessments and monitoring of water quality (Holzenthal, 2007).
The order Trichoptera , as an order rich in insect species and also ecologically diverse, is a suitable order for reflecting the intensity of various stress factors in aquatic ecosystems.
Studies have been conducted that address the impact of organic pollution, hydromorphological degradation, acidification, and pesticides on Trichoptera and other aquatic invertebrates. Additionally, studies have also been conducted that aim to assess the possible impact of climate change on the distribution and abundance of Trichoptera (Hering et al., 2009).
Europe, in a zoogeographical sense, currently holds more than 1100 species of Trichoptera.
Within Europe, the Balkan Peninsula is a unique region, recognized for its richness of plant and animal species, partly due to its biogeographical and ecological features, such as the presence of different regions with a variety of conditions, the complex geological history, and the interactions between populations, species, and ecosystems.
Historical faunistic data for some groups of aquatic insects, including Trichoptera, in the Balkan Peninsula date back more than a century.
However, only recently, taking into account the distributions and zoogeographical characteristics, have new taxa been described and more detailed examinations of larvae been conducted (Ibrahimi, Kučinić, Gashi, & Kotori, 2012).
Only in recent years have particular areas in the Republic of Kosovo begun to be studied in detail regarding the Trichoptera fauna. Sixty-five new records for the Trichoptera fauna of Kosovo have been observed in recent years from the rivers and streams of the Black Sea basin. In addition , two new species have recently been described from Kosovo: Potamophyl In the Republic of Kosovo, investigations of the Trichoptera fauna based on reliable adult specimens until recently have been fragmentary and unsystematic, with only a few species recorded.
Only in recent years have particular areas in the Republic of Kosovo begun to be studied in detail regarding the Trichoptera fauna.
Sixty-five new records for the Trichoptera fauna of Kosovo have been observed in recent years from the rivers and streams of the Black Sea basin.
In addition, two new species have recently been described from Kosovo: Potamophylax fules and Chaetopteroides kosovarorum (Ibrahimi, Kučinić, Gashi, & Kotori, 2014).
Rivers have absolutely vital importance for fresh drinking water, for human livelihood, and for nature.
Unfortunately, rivers are threatened by various negative factors worldwide.
Being aware of their very great importance, we must keep in mind that when rivers are so polluted by industry or are distributed unevenly due to poor water management practices, it can be a matter of life or death.
Rivers are home to many of the most diverse and endangered animals on Earth.
Freshwater habitats constitute some of the richest biodiversity in the world; therefore, rivers are a vital ecosystem for many species.
Rivers as ecosystems have special importance for humans (vital, economic, political, industrial, tourism, transport-related, etc.).
Nowadays, the greatest threats to living beings in freshwater ecosystems come from many sources, such as habitat degradation and physical and chemical changes in the water from various discharges into the water, such as sewage and industrial and agricultural waste.
The research of aquatic insects of the order Trichoptera in Kosovo has significantly increased during recent years, focusing on biogeographical, taxonomic, and ecological characteristics.
Nevertheless, there are still regions that are not entirely researched or species and families with scarce data.
The order Trichoptera, besides being used in bioindication, is also used to assess the ecological characteristics of freshwater ecosystems.
The aim of this research is to provide an overview of the faunistic characteristics of the Trichoptera fauna of several streams in the central part of Kosovo.
Purpose of the Research
- To conduct a detailed study of the fauna of Trichoptera species in the selected region.
- To determine the faunistic characteristics of the Trichoptera fauna.
- To determine the species diversity index and species similarity.
- To assess the ecological status of the order Trichoptera.
- To summarize the knowledge of the order Trichoptera in Kosovo from a biogeographical and ecological perspective.
Another objective is that, based on the identification of the collected organisms, a faunistic inventory list of the Trichoptera of the research region will be compiled, which will contribute to a better understanding of the fauna of Kosovo and will at the same time serve as a basis for further research in the future.
The Order Trychoptera
Trichoptera are an order of aquatic insects found worldwide in rivers, streams, and lakes. Around 15,000 species are known. Their aquatic larvae use silk to build protective cases in which they live or to create silk nets for capturing suspended food particles in the water column. Adults, with bodies and wings covered in fine hairs, are crepuscular. Larvae are important components of aquatic food webs. Most species are intolerant of pollution and serve as biological indicators of water quality (Ralph W. Holzenthal, 2015).
The ecosystem services provided by Trichoptera are diverse and include their critical roles in food webs, biological monitoring of water quality, serving as food for fish and other predators (many of which are of human interest), and acting as engineers stabilizing streambed sediments. They are especially important in capturing and utilizing a wide variety of nutrients in many forms, transforming them for use by other organisms in freshwater environments and adjacent coastal zones.
The increasingly robust phylogeny of Trichoptera offers a foundation for interpreting and hypothesizing about the functional traits of this diverse order of freshwater organisms, helping us understand the wealth of ecological services associated with these traits (Morse, 2019).
The larvae of Trichoptera are key and valuable components of trophic dynamics and energy flow in lakes, rivers, and streams where they live.
These freshwater habitats and their inhabitants are among the most affected and threatened by environmental pollution worldwide, as surface waters receive and amplify landscape abuses, including impacts such as sedimentation, industrial, mining, and agricultural pollution, sewage contamination, acid rain, and the exploitation of water for agricultural and urban uses.
The impact of climate change on Trichoptera communities is now under investigation, with studies indicating that local extinctions of species are possible, particularly in alpine areas.
Trichoptera are considered among the most useful and important aquatic organisms for monitoring these impacts and are widely employed in biomonitoring programs, many of which are now mandated by federal and municipal regulations in developed countries (Holzenthal, Prather, & Kjer, 2007).
Systematics and Phylogeny of Trichoptera
There has been considerable disagreement regarding the relationships among the suborders of Trichoptera and their associated families. This has resulted not only in different hypotheses about the evolutionary history of the group but also in confusion over the use of taxonomic categories, as different authors have used varying terminology or have been inconsistent in how certain taxonomic ranks are applied.
In general, three major groups have been recognized, more or less corresponding to the different ecological adaptations of the larvae. We refer to these groups by their currently accepted subordinate names: Annulipalpia, “Spicipalpia,“ and Integripalpia, each in its more restricted sense. However, the corresponding superordinal names Hydropsychoidea, Rhyacophiloidea, and Limnephiloidea have sometimes been used to refer to groups of equivalent taxonomic coverage (Holzenthal, Prather, & Kjer, 2007).
Trichopterave Distribution
Both ecological and systematic traits are fundamental to the high biogeographic information content found in the phylogeny and distribution of Trichoptera. Ecologically, a surprising number of Trichoptera species are restricted to small streams that reflect the ecological characteristics of the surrounding terrestrial communities.
The conditions governing the distribution of Trichoptera in such small streams depend particularly on summer or winter shading, the amount and timing of leaf fall, and the distribution of local precipitation — all three integrated with the type of climax community occupying the broader area. As a result, there is generally a strong correlation between terrestrial ecological biomes and the ecological affinities of the Trichoptera faunas inhabiting nearby streams.
In mountainous or hilly regions, groundwater sources or fast-descending streams from higher elevations can create summer conditions, or tropical streams, that are much cooler than streams originating from typical surface runoff in the area. Likewise, springs in colder climates can produce streams with winter temperatures significantly higher than those of streams fed by surface flow.
Due to these ameliorating effects, combined with the periodic relaxation of geographic barriers, Trichoptera (along with other freshwater aquatic organisms) have, at certain times and in specific areas, greater opportunities than usual to disperse from one region to another (Ross, 1967). Hering, D., Kloiber, A. S., Murphy, J., Lcke, S., MuÇoz, C. Z., Manuel , . . . Graf, W. (2009). Potential impact of climate change on aquatic insects: A sensitivity analysis for European caddisflies (Trichoptera) based on distribution patterns and ecological preferences. Aquatic Sciences, 3-14.
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