Groundwater quality and aquatic fauna of some wells and springs from Meknes area (Morocco)

Abstract

This work focuses on the Meknes aquifer, which constitutes the main water resource in the northern central region of Morocco. The groundwater fauna is to date largely unknown in the Meknes region. However, it contains many animal species, especially small crustaceans. The study aimed to correlate the physico-chemical characteristics of wells and springs with the aquatic fauna in these habitats. Two kinds of descriptors were used such as the physico-chemical analyses of water and faunistic sampling was consequently performed for one year at 10 stations. Multivariate analyses showed a significant difference between stations. The water quality, variable from one station to another, is undoubtedly not the fundamental determinant influencing the distribution of fauna. These results represent an important contribution to regional biodiversity and may influence mainly by local factors, especially the protection levels of the wells and springs. Among the subterranean crustaceans, species belonging to the genera Typhlocirolana, Maroccolana and Pseudoniphargus have never been described before. These results are a contribution to the knowledge of the regional biodiversity and suggest that biodiversity as well as the physico-chemical characteristics of the water could provide valuable ecological information on the groundwater ecosystems status.

Keywords

• Stygofauna
• water quality
• multivariate analysis
• wells and springs
• Meknes