New data on rotifers (Rotifera) from European waterbodies

Area of Science:

• Zoology
• Ecology
• Biodiversity Studies

Background:

• Rotifers (Rotifera) are vital microscopic aquatic animals, integral to plankton, periphyton, and benthos communities.
• They function as primary consumers, a food source for fish larvae, and indicators of water quality.
• Despite extensive study, European rotifer biodiversity and ecological characteristics, especially for bdelloid rotifers, remain incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present new georeferenced data on rotifer occurrences across various European aquatic environments.
• To enhance the understanding of rotifer distribution, with a specific focus on understudied bdelloid rotifers.
• To contribute georeferenced data to platforms like GBIF for broader scientific accessibility.

Main Methods:

• Surveying freshwater and brackish inland waterbodies, including lotic, lentic, and transitional habitats, from 1976 to 2021.
• Collecting data from twenty-five protected areas across Europe.
• Focusing on less-studied rotifer communities such as periphytic, benthic, psammic, and commensal species.

Main Results:

• Added 4,862 new georeferenced occurrences for Phylum Rotifera to the GBIF platform.
• Significantly increased data on bdelloid rotifers (Bdelloidea) with 1,514 new occurrences.
• Recorded new data for rotifers in waterfalls, temporary waterbodies, and tree hollows, including three species new to Ukraine.

Conclusions:

• The new dataset substantially improves the available georeferenced information on European rotifer distribution.
• This research highlights the importance of continued exploration of understudied habitats and taxa for comprehensive biodiversity assessment.
• The findings support the use of rotifers as key indicators in aquatic ecosystem monitoring and conservation efforts.