Taxonomy and Ecology of Zooplankton

Dear Colleagues,

Zooplankton represents one of the most essential and diverse communities in aquatic ecosystems, playing a pivotal role in global biogeochemical cycles, food web dynamics, and ecosystem functioning. These organisms are fundamental to the health of both marine and freshwater environments, serving as key intermediaries between primary producers and higher trophic levels. Moreover, the ecological well-being of terrestrial systems is also indirectly linked to the stability of aquatic zooplankton populations through climate regulation and nutrient transport.

This topic volume seeks to bring together contributions that explore the current state of knowledge on zooplankton biodiversity, ecology, and evolution. We welcome studies on any group of organisms classified as zooplankton, broadly defined to include a wide range of zoological taxa. In addition to classical groups such as copepods, cladocerans, and rotifers, we encourage submissions focusing on less traditional but still ecologically relevant taxa, including protists, water mites, ostracods, chaetognaths, and larval stages of invertebrates or vertebrates, including chironomids or any other dipteran. Contributions may address topics ranging from systematics and biogeography to functional roles in ecosystems, responses to environmental change, and methodological innovations for their study, including DNA analyses or new sampling methods.

Prof. Dr. Manuel Elias-Gutierrez
Prof. Dr. Alexey A. Kotov
Topic Editors