Biodiversidad asociada al acueducto romano de Huelva

Resumo

The subterranean Roman aqueduct in Huelva represents an unusual scenario to be studied from the point of view of biology, due to the fact that biodiversity living in man- made structures have been poorly studied until the moment. To understand which species could inhabit this type of ecosystem, I conducted a preliminary study inside and in the entrance of the aqueduct. The results confirmed a larger presence of mollusks and arthropods with native and exotic origins. In general, I found species both with true subterranean habits as well as others not specially adapted to these environments. In some cases these findings represent the first records of these species in the province of Huelva. In addition, a small population of the Iberian painted frog (Discoglossus galganoi) was discovered using the aqueduct as refuge, being one of the few cases reported in Spain of frogs living in subterranean environments. Further research will be needed to achieve a better knowledge of the biodiversity present in the aqueduct and also to understand the ecology of these unknown communities.