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Biogeography of the freshwater zooplanktonic communities of Spain
Miracle, M.R. (1982). Biogeography of the freshwater zooplanktonic communities of Spain. J. Biogeogr. 9(6): 455-467
In: Journal of Biogeography. Wiley-Blackwell: Oxford. ISSN 0305-0270; e-ISSN 1365-2699, more
Peer reviewed article  

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Keywords
    Aquatic communities > Plankton > Zooplankton
    Freshwater environments
    Geography > Biogeography
    Habitat
    Spain [Marine Regions]
    Fresh water

Author  Top 
  • Miracle, M.R.

Abstract
    Recent surveys of Spanish freshwater zooplankton have shown that it has a clear Mediterranean character; furthermore the fauna of diaptomids (Crustacea: Copepoda) constitutes a differentiated Western Mediterranean region. The Iberian peninsula, lying outside the main area of glaciation and delimited by mountains and seas, accounts for a fragmentation and differentiation of populations, acting as a rather isolated dead end in the dispersion of the species to the South and West. A good example is the differentiation of species and subspecies of several genera of diaptomids, such as Hemidiaptomus, Diaptomus and Mixodiaptomus. A synthesis of 350 zooplanktonic communities is given, distinguishing three main types of freshwaters by their age and biota: (1) Steppic lagoons rich in ancient species, showing a West Europe-Asian distribution; (2) high mountain lakes with Western Mediterranean or Lusitanian species and typical boreo- Alpine species restricted to the Pyrenees; (3) reservoirs which have facilitated the expansion of species mainly from the South, but also from the North and have permitted the entrance of species not previously found in Spain.

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