Abstract
Aquatic macroinvertebrate communities of the Sonoran Desert are poorly known. Three springbrooks in south-east Arizona were studied with respect to occurrence and distribution of macroinvertebrates along several abiotic gradients. Taxonomic richness was low in springheads and increased in middle and lower reaches, presumably a result of unfavorable physico-chemical conditions in spring sources, and amelioration of these factors downstream. A comparison between Sonoran Desert springs and streams shows that the latter support far richer invertebrate communities. Springs in other desert and temperate regions also frequently have depauperate faunas, a pattern possibly due to constant and/or harsh physico-chemical environments.
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