Diversity and Structure of Chironomidae (Diptera) Limnofauna of Lake Uluabat, a Ramsar Site of Turkey, and their Relation to Environmental Variables

Abstract

Density and species composition of chironomidae larvae fauna from twelve sampling sites of Lake Uluabat (a protected wetland area) were investigated. Monthly sampling was done from August 2004 to July 2005. In addition, simultaneously, physical and chemical parameters of water were measured. 1,812 chironomid larvae were examined and a total of twelve taxa were identified. Chironomid larvae were the third dominant group consisting on average 12.3% of the total zoobenthos density. Chironomus (Camptochironomus) tentans Fabricius 1805 was the most abundant chironomid species contributing with about 66.2% of the total chironomid limnofauna. Dominant species from the lake Uluabat were the following: Tanypus punctipennis Meigen, 1818 (12 sites, 12%), Procladius choreus (Meigen, 1804) (11 sites, 10.2%), Cryptochironomus defectus (Kieffer, 1913) (10 sites, 4%), Dicrotendipes tritomus (Kieffer, 1916) (8 sites, 1.6%) and Microchironomus sp. (7 sites, 1.8%). Except Dicrotendipes nervosus (Staeger 1839) all other species occurred at <4 sites (between 0.04-0.6%). The relationships between the dynamics of the Chironomidae larvae and the limnological variables were supported by the Pearson correlation index According to Pearson correlation between the average number of Ch. (Campt.) tentans, Cryptochironomus defectus and temperature, BOD was directly proportional (P<0.05) while Paratanytarsus lauterborni, Cricotopus (Cricotopus) flavocinctus, Cricotopus (Cricotopus) tremulus was inversely proportional (P<0.05).