Aquatic Macroinvertebrates of the Sava River

Abstract

The objective of this chapter is to present the data on aquatic macroinvertebrate communities along the Sava River, based on investigation performed during 2011 and 2012 at 12 sampling sites within the sector between Vrhovo (Slovenia) and Belgrade (confluence to the Danube). During our study 227 macroinvertebrate taxa were recorded in the Sava River. Having in mind that upper stretch of the Sava River was not covered by this work (alpine and subalpine stretch), as well as based on the review of previous works on the macroinvertebrate fauna of the Sava River, more than 300 species will be confirmed for the Sava River. The data on the distribution of aquatic macroinvertebrates revealed five different stretches—alpine, subalpine, Upper Sava plain, Middle Sava and Lower Sava. Physical habitat degradation, pollution and pressure caused by biological invasions were found to be the main factors of endangerment of aquatic macroinvertebrate fauna diversity. There is an obvious need for further investigation of the Sava River in order to complete the data on aquatic macroinvertebrates and to provide the basis for accurate assessment of environmental status of the river.