Fauna of microcrustaceans (Cladocera: Copepoda) of shallow freshwater ecosystems of Wrangel Island (Russian Far East)

A new baseline for the diversity of freshwater microcrustaceans (Cladocera and Copepoda) on Wrangel Island, a UNESCO-listed Arctic site, reveals 25 taxa, including 23 species never before recorded there. This study highlights that the island's fauna is shaped by its unique environmental history—low temperatures, isolation from mainland populations, and its role in ancient Beringia without Pleistocene glaciation—as key factors controlling species richness and distribution. By comparing data with other Arctic and subarctic regions, researchers identified latitudinal trends and statistically validated how these environmental drivers influence microcrustacean diversity.

Novichkova, A. A., & Chertoprud, E. S. (2015). Fauna of microcrustaceans (Cladocera: Copepoda) of shallow freshwater ecosystems of Wrangel Island (Russian Far East). Journal of Natural History, 49(45-48), 2955–2968. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2015.1056269