Ecological characterization and cladocerans, calanoid copepods and large branchiopods of temporary ponds in a Mediterranean island (Sicily, Southern Italy)

Temporary waters have been sporadically investigated in Sicily. These environments reflect the climatic features of the Mediterranean area with a winter ponding phase and a more or less prolonged dry period in summer. Their biota, especially those organisms strictly linked to aquatic environments and without any terrestrial life stage, have to exhibit special adaptations to survive the dry phases that are recurrent in such ecosystems. This study included more than 250 water bodies distributed on the whole Sicilian territory and on the small circum-Sicilian islands. This paper represents a first attempt to characterize Sicilian temporary waters from an ecological point of view and is mainly based on some of their limnological features and on the crustacean components of their communities. In particular, the groups which have been taken into consideration are those of cladocerans, calanoid copepods, and large branchiopods (notostracans, anostracans, and spinicaudatans).