Australia’s neglected freshwater microfauna

Murray-Darling Freshwater Research Centre

MDFRC item.

The composition, function and importance of zooplankton and littoral microfaunal communities in Australian freshwaters are discussed. Relative to global studies, these groups have been neglected. These is a diverse endemic microfauna in Australia, but much of it is undescribed or incorrectly identified because of over-reliance on northern hemisphere taxonomy. The importance of these animals in freshwater ecosystems, for example in regulating algal abundance and as fish food, has been under-estimated or ignored in Australia.