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

Abstract

Information on the freshwater microcrustaceans of the remote arctic islands is very limited. The species composition of freshwater zooplankton and meiobenthos of Wrangel Island (Russia) is reported here for the first time. We identified five species of Cladocera, and 20 species of Copepoda. Twenty-three taxa are new records for the island. Additionally, we discuss the taxonomy of some species with doubtful taxonomical status. We also analysed data from other arctic and subarctic territories to compare with that of Wrangel Island and evaluate the latitudinal trends of species richness and distribution of Cladocera and Copepoda and their relation to environmental factors. The effects of different environmental factors were statistically examined to establish which are important in controlling distributional patterns and diversity of species. On Wrangel Island the fauna of microcrustaceans is primary controlled by three factors: low temperatures, the remoteness from the nearest mainland and geological history of the island – its relation to ancient Beringia and lack of Pleistocene glaciation.

Keywords:

• Cladocera
• Copepoda
• freshwater
• Wrangel Island
• Arctic

Supplemental material

Supplemental material for this article can be accessed here: [http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2015.1056269]

Additional information

Funding

The studies of Cladocera were conducted by AA Novichkova and supported by the Russian Science Foundation [Grant 14-14-00778]. The studies of Copepoda were supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research [Projects № 13-04-00148 and 12-04-00284]. The fieldwork was enabled by the Federal State Budget Institution ‘State Nature Reserve “Wrangel Island”’.