Ecological interactions and the distribution, abundance, and diversity of ostracod species associated with some coastal brackish karstic springs in southwest Turkey

Abstract

Ostracod species obtained from five coastal karstic brackish water springs on the Aegean Sea coastline were evaluated using multivariate statistical methods. Information on the diversity and distribution of ostracod fauna associated with coastal brackish karstic springs and on the ecological factors affecting them was obtained. A total of eight ostracod species were identified in five karstic brackish springs (southwest Aegean region, Turkey) in May, July, October, and December 2016. Cyprideis torosa (Jones, 1850) and Loxoconcha elliptica (Brady, 1868) were the most abundant species. The three main clustering groups in an unweighted pair group mean averages (UPGMA) dendrogram created by Jaccard's coefficient test provided an understanding of the faunal similarity among the sampling stations. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) was used to explain the relationships between the species and environmental variables. Results revealed that salinity, water-flow velocity, and distance to the sea were the most significant factors in species diversity and composition in the five coastal karstic brackish springs. Results of the Spearman correlation analysis showed significant correlations between ostracod species and environmental variables. Protection should be put in place for the five karstic brackish springs for their long-term preservation. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.