ИСТИНА

Most of the Arctic freshwater habitats are small and shallow, often drying out in the summer or freezing solid during winter. However, during summer, there is an extensive development of micro-invertebrates, including microcrustaceans, known to respond to environmental parameters aected by the climate. Svalbard Archipelago is an internationally valuable and environmentally sensitive High Arctic area with considerable amount of small, shallow freshwater habitats. Here we present results from a study run in August 2014 and 2015 with the aim to increase the knowledge on species diversity and distribution in both freshwater and brackish water habitats (meiobenthos, littoral and pelagial). Altogether 20 microcrustacean species were found. Seven species (Alona werestschagini Sinev, 1999; Polyphemus pediculus Linnaeus, 1761; Diacyclops abyssicola Lilljeborg, 1901; Ameira minuta Boeck, 1865; Epactophanes richardi Mrazek, 1893; Geeopsis incisipes Klie, 1913; and Nitokra spinipes Boeck, 1865 were new to Svalbard. Bosmina longispina Leydig, 1860 { an already known species { was found in 8.7% of the localities and is an example of species which seems to respond positively to a warmer climate by becoming more common. The number of species increased with distance (age) to the glacier. Habitats close to the glacier had no cladocerans and only one or a few copepods were present. Cladoceran species (i.e. daphnids) occurred both in lakes and ponds with increasing distance to the glacier. This study has broadened existing knowledge on Svalbard's biodiversity, and might provide useful information for future Arctic Freshwater Biodiversity Monitoring activities.