Communities of oligochaetes in mountain streams of Poland

This study compares the structure of oligochaete communities in mountain streams of Poland. These streams can be divided into three groups. First, those dominated by the Enchytraeidae (Mesenchytraeus armatus), second where the Naididae, Nais bretscheri, Nais alpina, Nais communis or Nais variabilis prevail and third, where the Lumbriculidae, represented by Stylodrilus heringianus, and in one case by Stylodrilus parvus, are dominant. The nature of the stream bottom is the main factor determining the structure of the community, but geographic location is also important.