Inter-population genetic variation in the freshwater leech Nephelopsis obscura in relation to environmental heterogeneity

The temporal distribution of populations of aquatic macroinvertebrates have been extensively investigated in temperate arctic regions, but little information is available for alpine regions in North America. This paper describes phenology patterns of the aquatic macroinvertebrates of a high elevation wetland (3593 m) in the Green Lakes Valley, Colorado Front Range.Abundant taxa were Chironomidae (primarily Orthocladius and the limnephilid trichopteran Asynarchus curtus (Banks). Temperature patterns were related to the seasonal timing of life stages of most species. Phenology of most alpine aquatic macroinvertebrates appears to be controlled by seasonal climatic patterns, particularly temperature patterns. All chironomid species and Asynarchus curtus (Banks) had univoltine life cycles. Multi-year life cycles were not observed at this alpine site, although they have been observed at some arctic sites with colder temperature regimes than observed in this study.