How Important are Small Lotic Habitats of the Western Balkans for Local Mayflies?

Abstract

Mayflies are amphibious insects which represent an important link in food and energy transfer from aquatic to terrestrial habitats. They constitute a large proportion of the aquatic ecosystems’ biomass. Although our knowledge about mayfly (bio)diversity in the Balkan Peninsula is still far from complete, more extensive systematic studies have been conducted within the last decade. In this chapter we explore development of mayfly research in the area of the Western Balkans, mayfly species richness in various small lotic habitats, including springs, streams and rivers, and determine the importance of such habitats for conservation of local mayflies. We discuss the value of mayflies as bioindicators of freshwater ecosystems’ health, as well as the influences of various anthropogenic activities on mayfly assemblages in small lotic habitats of the Western Balkans. Moreover, we present current gaps in research and we give recommendations for future directions of mayfly research in the area of the Western Balkans.