Environmental drivers of biotic traits and phenology patterns of Diptera assemblages in karst springs: The role of canopy uncovered

Springs are stable environments with constant abiotic factors and therefore of use in variety of ecological experiments. We investigated the influence of canopy coverage on abundance, diversity, phenology and feeding guilds among Diptera assemblages at two rheocrene karst springs located near each other. The springs differed by canopy coverage while physicochemical characteristics of the water were similar. We set six emergence traps for one year at each spring covering all available microhabitats proportionally. We hypothesized that canopy coverage will have a strong effect on assemblage composition of Diptera as well as on diversity, abundance, phenology and feeding guilds composition between sites and that it will have a stronger effect than microhabitat characteristics. Similarity of species composition among springs was only 37.5%, with 23 common species/taxa out of 74 species/taxa. Abundance of Diptera was 8.5× higher at the open canopy spring, while diversity and number of species/taxa was higher at closed canopy spring. Emergence started earlier at open canopy site and was prolonged even in winter months. The majority of species were detritus feeders followed by collectors and there was no substantial difference among sites. We conclude that at springs with similar water characteristics, canopy coverage is the main driver of Diptera assemblage structure, with water velocity as a complementary factor. Substrate and other physicochemical factors seem less important.