THE DISTRIBUTION OF TRICHOPTERA ASSEMBLAGES IN RELATION TO ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABLES IN THE STREAMS OF TUNCELI (TURKEY)

Abstract

This study was carried out in Munzur Stream (Tunceli/ Turkey) and its tributaries (Kodi Creek and Aunca Creek), investigated the distribution of larval trichopteran assemblages in relation to environmental variables in these streams. Water samples and organisms were gathered from chosen sixteen stations. As a result of this study, 27 taxa belonging to 9 families were determined in the streams of Tunceli, nine taxa from Hydropsychidae, six taxa from Limnephilidae, three taxa from Glossosomatidae, two taxa from Lepidostomatidae, two taxa from Goeridae, two taxa from Sericostomatidae, and each one taxon from Hydroptilidae, Philopotamidae, Rhyacophilidae. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) was used to detect variance of species-environment relation. According to this analysis, 60.1% of the variance was described by the first four axes of the relations species-environmental variables (r=0.996) and pH, Ca, water temperature were the variables that best explained Trichoptera larvae distribution. UPGMA was applied to determine different stations among the all stations and they were clustered into main two groups. Also, biodiversity values of the stations were detected based on Shannon Wiener and Simpson indices. The highest diversity values were found at the stations on Munzur River. There has been no study about Trichoptera larvae fauna and their relationships to environmental variables in this study area. Therefore, identified all taxa were the first record for these streams.