Assemblages of Meiobenthic and Planktonic Microcrustaceans (Cladocera and Copepoda) from Small Water Bodies of Mountain Subarctic (Putorana Plateau, Middle Siberia)

A comprehensive study of microcrustaceans (Cladocera and Copepoda) on the Putorana Plateau, a remote subarctic region, reveals a high species richness with significant biogeographical distinctions from other Arctic regions. The research identified 36 Cladocera and 24 Copepoda species, including four newly discovered taxa, highlighting the plateau's unique faunal composition influenced by Pleistocene glacial refugia and Middle Siberia's climatic features. Environmental factors such as water body size, type of water supply, and macrophyte composition were found to significantly regulate assemblage structures, with planktonic crustaceans more affected by these variables than meiobenthic ones. This study underscores the importance of the Putorana Plateau as a glacial relict hotspot and provides critical data for monitoring anthropogenic impacts and climate change in subarctic ecosystems.

Chertoprud, E. S., Novichkova, A. A., Novikov, A. A., Fefilova, E. B., Vorobjeva, L. V., Pechenkin, D. S., & Glubokov, A. I. (2022). Assemblages of Meiobenthic and Planktonic Microcrustaceans (Cladocera and Copepoda) from Small Water Bodies of Mountain Subarctic (Putorana Plateau, Middle Siberia). Diversity, 14(6), 492. https://doi.org/10.3390/d14060492