Limnological Characteristics and Rotifer Community Composition of Northern Mexico Chihuahuan Desert Springs.

Desert springs are critical for wildlife and human subsistence, but poorly studied. The springs in the northern Chihuahuan Desert region of Mexico are no exception. While groundwater overexploitation and other anthropogenic activities have endangered these waters, little is known about their water quality or biodiversity. We monitored five springs on a monthly basis for one year, and two others sporadically, to determine their physicochemical characteristics and to study rotifer community composition as an assessment of biodiversity. Seasonal variation in temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), and conductivity was observed in the five springs. DO was occasionally below the criterion for aquatic life (<4mg/L) in some springs. Ca