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

Abstract

The Putorana Plateau (Krasnoyarsk Territory, Russia) is one of the largest mountainous regions of subarctic Eurasia. Studies of aquatic ecosystems of this are far from complete. In particular, microcrustaceans (Cladocera и Copepoda) of the Putorana Plateau are poorly investigated, although they are one of the main components of meiobenthic and zooplanktonic communities and a target for monitoring of the anthropogenic influence and climate change. An open question is a biogeographical status of the crustacean fauna of the plateau. Additionally, it is unknown which environmental factors significantly affect benthic and planktonic crustacean assemblages? Based on the samples collected in tundra and forest tundra ponds in the western and central parts of the plateau, analysis of the composition of crustacean fauna and factors regulating the assemblage structure was performed. In total, 36 Cladocera and 24 Copepoda species were found. Of these, 23 taxa are new for the region, and four are new to science. Species richness of Copepoda is higher in the central part and on the western slopes of the plateau than in foothills, while number of the Cladocera species in contrast decreases in mountainous areas. Variations in meiobenthic assemblages are due to the research area, type of water supply and less affected by altitude above sea level. For planktonic assemblages the size of the water body and, to a lesser degree, by macrophytes species composition was significant. Almost 12.8% of microcrustacean species of the Putorana Plateau can be attributed to glacial relics. Crustacean fauna of the Putorana Plateau has a high species richness and distinguishes significantly from the fauna of both western and eastern regions of the Arctic. The specifics of faunal composition of the region are connected to the climatic features of Middle Siberia and the retaining of the Pleistocene fauna in some glacial refugia.

A New Species of Diacyclops (Copepoda, Cyclopoida) from the D. crassicaudis (Sars, 1863) Species Group with Critical Taxonomy Remarks

“…Cyclopoida are no less rich in the number of new species and obscure species than Harpacticoida. The richest genera can be considered Acanthocyclops Kiefer, 1927, Eucyclops Claus, 1893 and Diacyclops Kiefer, 1927 [2,4]. With this article, we begin the analysis of Cyclopoida diversity of northern Middle Siberia with the genus Diacyclops, which is one of the largest genera of the Cyclopidae, with approximately 150 species and subspecies [5].…”

Cladocera (Crustacea: Branchiopoda) in lowlands of the Ciscaucasian Region, European Russia

“…Paradoxically, attention of experts on cladoceran biogeography is concentrated in Russia on the Arctic zone [Novichkova, Chertoprud, 2015;Chertoprud, Novichkova, 2021], Siberia [Burmistrova, Ermolaeva, 2013;Afonina et al, 2019;Chertoprud et al, 2022] and Far East [Kotov et al, 2011a,b;Kotov, Sinev, 2011;Garibian et al, 2019;Kotov et al, 2021]. In contrast, the European part of Russia is not studying intensively, except for revealing non-indigenous cladocerans, which are tasks of many special publications (see review by ).…”

Meiofauna: Biodiversity, Ecology, and Role in Ecosystems

“…Significant differences in the taxonomic composition of harpacticoids in the deep and littoral zones of the lake were noted. A high diversity of meiofauna was found unexpectedly in the high latitude regions of Siberia [14]. The biota of polar regions is under the constant influence of extreme environmental factors, causing changes in community composition, a reduction in species richness, diversity, and abundance, and a simplification of structural relationships [15].…”

“…At first glance, it seems that all high-latitude ecosystems should be impoverished. However, studies of the aquatic fauna of the Arctic Putorana Plateau suggest the opposite [14]. The unusually high taxonomic diversity of the fauna and the high species richness are thought to be due to the fragmentary glaciation of these areas during the last ice age.…”