Species richness and assemblage structure of Trichoptera in Danish streams

Abstract

SUMMARY 1. Species richness and assemblages of Trichoptera from 157 ‘pristine’ Danish lowland stream sites were analyzed, for dependence on geographical position of the sites and simple physical variables, using two way indicator species analysis and detrended correspondence analysis. 2. A total of 106 species were recorded, representing » 90% of the species pool known from Danish streams. Only seven species occurred at more than half the sites, whereas an additional 11 species were found at more than a quarter of the sites. 3. Although sites showed significant regional differences in environmental variables (stream order, width, slope and presence/absence of riparian forest), species richness and assemblages were primarily correlated with stream order, width and slope. Maximum richness was found at the largest (5th order) stream sites. 4. Regional differences in species assemblages were found, with several species being absent from the islands Funen and Bornholm. Species assemblages also differed between forested and non-forested stream sites. 5. We found evidence that stream temperature may be of only minor importance in determining Trichoptera species richness and assemblage composition in Danish streams compared to other size-related physical factors.