Patterns in the distribution of Arctic freshwater zooplankton related to glaciation history.

• Published in: Polar Biology
• Main Authors: Samchyschyna, Larisa, Hansson, Lars-Anders, Christoffersen, Kirsten
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Springer 2008
• Subjects: Ecology; Crustacea - Distributional patterns - Glacial history - Circumpolar area; Arctic; Canada; Greenland; Nunavut; Svalbard; Barrow; Chukotski Peninsula; Point Barrow; Polar Biology; Zooplankton; Alaska; Beringia; Copepods; Siberia
• Online Access: https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/1241450; https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-008-0482-4

We analysed circumpolar samples from 68 lakes within the 10°C-July isotherm from Arctic Canada, Nunavut, Greenland, Svalbard, Eastern Siberia, the Beringia region, and Alaska. In total, we found 3 species of Anostraca, 17 of Diplostraca, 1 species of cyclopoid and 14 species of calanoid copepods. Our study identifies a wider distribution for some copepods—e.g. Eurytemora pacifica, Leptodiaptomus sicilis, Arctodiaptomus novosibiricus, Cyclops abyssorum—than previously known. Moreover, one anostracan species, Artemiopsis bungei, was recorded in North America for the first time; and one chydoriid, Chydorus gibbus, is a new species for Greenland. We observed that species richness of crustaceans is lower in lakes that were glaciated during the Quaternary period, compared to those not glaciated (e.g. Chukotski Peninsula, Siberia; Point Barrow, Alaska; and Disko Island, Greenland). This confirms the findings of classic studies: glaciation has strongly affected the biogeography of freshwater crustaceans in circumpolar areas.