Biogeographic patterns of planktonic and meiobenthic fauna diversity in inland waters of the Russian Arctic

A comprehensive analysis of planktonic and meiobenthic fauna diversity in the Russian Arctic reveals distinct longitudinal trends, with species richness increasing from Europe to eastern Siberia. The study, spanning 1960–2017, identified 175 species across seven regions, highlighting 19 ubiquitous taxa and a higher prevalence of rare species in the Bolshezemelskaya tundra and Putorana Plateau. Copepods showed positive associations with waterbody area, elevation, and precipitation, while cladocerans were linked to temperature, reflecting their thermophilic traits. Rotifers exhibited negative associations with these factors. The research also found that lake zooplankton communities are more diverse than those in ponds or pools, with the highest β-diversity observed in regions like the Bolshezemelskaya tundra and Putorana Plateau, characterized by heterogeneous environmental conditions. Climate warming appears to have caused a northward range extension for some cladoceran species, though the overall fauna composition remains temporally conservative.

Fefilova, E., Dubovskaya, O., Frolova, L., Abramova, E., Kononova, O., Nigamatzyanova, G., Zuev, I., & Kochanova, E. (2020). Biogeographic patterns of planktonic and meiobenthic fauna diversity in inland waters of the Russian Arctic. Freshwater Biology, 67(1), 78–94. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/fwb.13624