New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts

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Short communication 

Preliminary assessment of crustacean distribution patterns in New Zealand groundwater aquifers

M. R. Scarsbrook

National Institute of Water and Atmospheric
Research Limited
P.O. Box 11 115
Hamilton, New Zealand
email: m.scarsbrook@niwa.cri.nz

G. D. Fenwick

National Institute of Water and Atmospheric
Research Limited
P.O. Box 8602
Christchurch, New Zealand

Abstract   Crustaceans were sampled in 17 groundwater wells at five locations in North and South Islands of New Zealand. Three sampling locations were associated with unconfined aquifers adjacent to gravel-bed rivers, whereas the other two locations were distant from rivers, but associated with land-based sewage effluent disposal sites. Crustaceans and basic physico-chemical parameters were sampled in summer and winter. Total abundance varied from 1 to 1064 individuals/250 litre sample. Copepods dominated the fauna at four of the five locations, and were most abundant immediately downstream of a sewage effluent disposal area. Paraleptamphopus spp. (Amphipoda) was found at all five locations, and abundance was also greatest downstream of sewage effluent disposal areas. Several crustacean taxa were rare or limited in distribution, including the gammarid Paracrangonyx sp. and the anthurid isopod Cruregens sp. Syncarids were widely distributed, but found in low numbers, and no specimens were found immediately below sewage effluent disposal areas. We suggest that groundwater ecology in New Zealand is restricted by lack of knowledge of taxonomy and ecology of key groups, particularly the Copepoda.

Keywords   alluvial aquifer; groundwater; Crustacea; organic enrichment; environmental gradients

M02110 Received 23 December 2002; accepted 28 March 2003; Published 20 June 2003
New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 2003, Vol. 37: 405-413
0028-8330/03/3702-0405 $7.00 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2003

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