Freshwater Oligochaeta in Mining Subsidence Ponds in the Upper Silesia Region of Southern Poland

Abstract

I surveyed the benthic oligochaetes in three coal mining subsidence ponds in a heavily industrialized region of Upper Silesia, southern Poland. The fauna present differed in many respects from that living in natural and unpolluted water bodies. Nineteen species (11 Naididae and eight Tubificidae) were found. The two most consistently abundant species in all three ponds were Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri and Tubifex tubifx, both of which are ubiquitous and common in Poland. Potamothrix bavaricus, which is considered a rare species in Poland, was found consistently in the ponds.