Bentiska evertebraters förekomst i källor på Öland
Abstract The benthic macroinvertebrate fauna of 22 natural springs on Öland was sampled, by using a time-standarized kick/sweep sampling technique, in the end of September and early October. The aim was to determine the number of species and their abundances in the macroinvertebrate communities in springs and how/why these may change between different springs. Likewise there was a purpose to investigate possible differences between springs considering the proportions of the number of species and the abundances of the five functional feeding groups; shredders, collectors, filter-feeders, scrapers and predators. There was also an aim to investigate if the distances betweeen springs had any influence on similarity between the communities of benthic macroinvertebrates of the springs. Analysis from the springs collected material showed several interesting patterns in the number of species and their abundances when compared between springs devided into groups depending on their environmental factors such as depth and pH. Equally interesting patterns where found in the proportions of the number of species and their abundances of the functional feeding groups between different groups of springs with different environmental features such as size, depth and type of surrounding area. Results also showed that springs separated by shorter distances had a higher likeness between their communities of benthic macroinvertebrates then springs separated by greater distances.