Gammarus pecos
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gammarus_pecos
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Gammarus pecos faces severe threats from groundwater depletion and contamination in the Pecos River basin, where agricultural irrigation and urban development have dramatically altered water tables. The species' extremely limited range makes it particularly vulnerable to localized pollution events and habitat modification. Climate change-induced drought conditions in the southwestern United States further stress the already fragile spring and groundwater systems this amphipod depends upon.
Habitat
Gammarus pecos inhabits springs, seeps, and shallow groundwater systems in the Pecos River drainage of New Mexico and Texas. This endemic amphipod requires clean, cool, oxygen-rich water with stable temperatures and specific mineral compositions found in natural spring environments.
