Geological and hydrochemical prerequisites of unexpectedly high biodiversity in spring ecosystems at the landscape level.

This study explores the factors affecting the biodiversity of diatoms, vegetation with focus on bryophytes, and invertebrates with focus on water mites, in a series of 16 spring-habitats. The springs are located primarily from the mountainous part of the Emilia-Romagna Region (Northern Apennines, Italy), and two pool-springs from agricultural and industrial lowland locations. Overall, data indicate that biological diversity (Shannon-Wiener, α-diversity) within individual springs was relatively low, e.