of the Cursed Mountains (Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park)

Violeta Berlajolli1, Mateusz Płóciennik2, Vladimir Pesić3 , Xhemajl Berlajolli4

1 – Department of Agribusiness, University of Haxhi Zeka, 30000 Peje, Republic of Kosovo,[email protected] 2 – Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Hydrobiology, University of Lodz, 12/16 Banacha, 90-237, Lodz, Poland, [email protected] 3 – Department of Biology, University of Montenegro, Cetinjski put b.b.81000 Podgorica, Montenegro, [email protected] 4 –Youth Centre Dardania, 30000 Peje, Republic of Kosovo, [email protected] The Cursed Mountains are one of the last primeval mountain chains in Europe with pristine freshwaters including many springs and brooks. Their List of collected taxa aquatic invertebrate communities are nearly unrecognised and still need extensive investigation. Non-biting (Diptera, Chironomidae) are species-rich components of the spring benthos. That is why we conduced broad faunistic studies on 37 springs distributed exclusively in the Tanypodinae Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park. The studied springs reveal mostly neutral or slightly alkaline pH (6.18-9.45), low to moderate conductivity (80- Apsectrotanypus trifascipennis 636mS/cm-1), dissolved oxygen at a level of 3.2-9mg/l, and water temperature ranging from 9˚C to 16˚C. As many as 43 taxa of Chironomidae and Macropelopia at least three species of Dixidae, as well as two species of Thaumaleidae and were recorded (List of collected taxa). Investigated Zavrelimyia sites were distributed from upland to alpine altitudes. The species composition depends primarily on physico-chemical conditions (conductivity, water temperature) and secondly on the hydrological habitat character (a perennial type of spring) (Fig. 1). Four altitudinal zones were identified Diamesinae (Fig. 2). The upland zone (470-700 m asl) reveals high dominance of Rheocricotopus effusus, Chaetocladius dentiforceps agg., Diamesa, and Diamesa Micropsectra type A (Table 1). The lower mountain zone (700-1400 m asl) is dominated by Diamesa, Micropsectra type A and Euorthocladius. The Pseudodiamesa branickii higher mountain zone (1400-1500 m asl) reveals the greatest assemblages diversity and is characterised by Rheocricotopus effusus, Euorthocladius, Tvetenia bavarica, and Micropsectra contracta-type dominance. The topmost alpine zone (1500-1700 m asl) is settled mainly by Eudactylocladius, Prodiamesinae Paraphaenocladius penerasus, and Dixidae. Thaumaleidae are spread throughout all altitudinal zones. The environmental factors that separate Prodiamesa olivacea significantly (p=0.002-0.076) the altitudinal zones are: conductivity, a flowing type of outflow, and independently from altitude – a perennial type of Orthocladiinae spring, seepage outflow, and a dead branches habitat (Fig. 3). Brillia bifida Chaetocladius dentiforceps agg. Chaetocladius melaleucus Chaetocladius piger agg. Eukieffereilla gr. fittkaui Eukiefferiella brevicalcar Eukiefferiella claripennis Heleniella ornaticollis-type Limnophyes Metriocnemus hygropetricus agg. Metriocnemus terrester-type Orthocladius (Euorthocladius) Orthocladius (Eudactylocladius) Parametriocnemus stylatus-type Paraphaenocladius penerasus Paraphaenocladius pseudirritus Paratrichocladius Rheocricotopus effusus Rheocricotopus fuscipes Rheocricotopus 3 midmental teeth Synorthocladius semivirens Figure 1. Results of CCA. Site ST1 and Figure 2. Altitudinal zonation of assemblages, Thienemanniella clavicornis taxa Chironomus plumosus-type and average no. of taxa per zone and average Thienemanniella sp. 1 Zavrelimyia were excluded. Shannon’s Index per zone. Tvetenia bavarica Tvetenia cf. clavescens Tvetenia discoloripes Tvetenia sp. A Table 1. Results of SIMPER analysis for altitudinal Fig. 3. Results of CVA calculated for altitudinal zones. zones. Chironomini Chironomus plumosus-type Polypedilum scalaenum

Tanytarsini Micropsectra pallidula-type Micropsectra contracta-type Micropsectra insignilobus-type Micropsectra radialis-type Micropsectra type A Tanytarsini indet Tanytarsus mendax-type Tanytarsus pallidicornis type 2

Ceratopogonidae

Dixidae Dixa spp. Dixa maculata/nubilipennis Dixa puberula Dixa submaculata

Thaumaleidae Thaumalea spp. Thaumalea verralli

Conclusions: Orthocladiinae are the most species-rich subfamily among Chironomidae. Conductivity is the primary factor influencing the composition of communities, revealing higher values at lower elevations. The higher mountain zone (1400-1500 m asl) has the most diverse midge assemblages due to favourable (perennial) hydrological conditions.