Habitat selection, diversity and estimating the species richness of rotifers in two ponds located in Central Anatolia

Sample collections from aquatic ecosystems in many studies are limited to few habitats. This study is carried out to determine habitat selection, diversity and estimating the species richness of rotifers in samples collected from diverse habitats such as benthic, phytoplanktons, macrophytes, plankton, submerged moss and Gammarus sp. in two ponds located in Central Anatolia. A total of 68 species were recorded from 32 samples (20 from Soysalli pond and 12 from Ovaciftlik pond). Overall species richness (gamma diversity) was observed as 52 and estimated species richness was 64 for Soysalli pond. Overall species richness was observed as 42 and estimated species richness is 51 for Ovaciftlik pond. Richness for each sample (alpha diversity) was 3.9 for Soysalli pond while an alpha diversity of 5.5 was recorded for Ovaciftlik pond. All recorded species in this study are widely distributed worldwide however 3 of them: Dissotrocha hertzogi, Macrotrochela concinca and Ptygurafurcillata are new records for Turkey.