Faunistic assemblages of natural springs in different areas in the Swiss National Park – a small-scale comparison

Springs are spatially restricted and insular ecotones. In the Alps, topography enhances this isolation. Springs are to a certain extent inhabited by organisms which are adapted to the relatively constant environmental conditions in springs. We examined thirty-six springs in eight different areas in the Swiss National Park (SNP) to understand if the macroinvertebrate assemblages of high-elevation springs are isolated or interconnected communities. We quantitatively and qualitatively sampled the macroinvertebrate assemblages of the springs and monitored environmental parameters. The similarity of the macroinvertebrate assemblages of the springs within and the dissimilarities between the different areas were relatively high; a clear spatial isolation was not evident. The differences of macroinvertebrate assemblages in different areas were explained by substrate parameters: springs in areas at lower altitudes were characterized by organic substrates and many water mite species. High-elevation springs were characterized by coarse inorganic substrates and Trichoptera of the genus Drusus. For spring conservation, it is important to decide on an individual basis if the loss of a single spring will have severe consequences for spring biodiversity.