| Summary: | Growing interest in the development of mineral and recreational resources, along with the recognition that arctic ecosystems may be among those most affected by global change, has stimulated the study of arctic systems in recent decades. These have included studies of rotifers. Two approaches have generally been pursued: taxonomic studies to determine the number and species of individuals, and ecological studies that have attempted to determine the trophic relationships between rotifers and other microorganisms in aquatic ecosystems. Results from studies at the Arctic Long Term Ecological Research Site in Alaska, USA are reviewed and the microbial food web is described based on empirical and literature data. Arctic systems are sites of rich opportunity for further studies, especially those which can integrate taxonomic and ecological aspects.
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