Reinhard Gerecke

TL;DR: The main aim of the present review is to synthesise the present level of knowledge on the hydrobiology of springs in the Alps and propose to use the zoobenthos, especially water mites, for an evaluation of the biological integrity of springs, whilst autotrophs, and in particular diatoms, can provide excellent indicators of eutrophication, acidification and ionic strength.

TL;DR: The authors of papers in this special issue describe specific spring biota, including multitaxon studies, and discuss the role of environmental factors, habitat variability at different spatial and temporal scales, and the importance of natural and anthropogenic disturbance in spring habitats.

TL;DR: The presence of endemic crenobionts and rare taxa highlights the importance of these habitats in maintaining high levels of biodiversity as well as their contribution to a better understanding of biodiversity patterns in freshwaters.

TL;DR: The present taxonomic knowledge about these different groups of invertebrates is brought together in an overview for the Central-European fauna for the first time in limnofaunistic bibliography.

TL;DR: The article analyzes extant water mite diversity and biogeography to reflect the basic vicariance pattern, isolation, phylogenetic diversification, recent climatic vicissitudes and episodes of dispersal between adjacent land masses together with extant ecological factors can be evoked to explain distribution patterns at a global scale.