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The metacommunity theory aims to understand the species dynamics at different scales by considering the influence of local and regional processes. We conducted a systematic review of zooplankton metacommunity studies in global aquatic ecosystems (freshwater, marine and estuarine) looking for the distribution, time scale, type of system, type of environment, zooplankton group tested, ecological approach and metacommunity approach analyzed in the studies. We also present an overview of the observed patterns of the zooplankton metacommunity in different environmental conditions. We searched for scientific studies published until December 2022 on Scopus and Web of Science using the words: "zooplankton" and "metacomunnit*." Our results show that studies on the zooplankton metacommunity have become recurrent over time (167 studies), especially for pond systems and for the groups of rotifers, cladocerans and copepods; however, several gaps remain related to studies distribution and the low number of studies in streams, reservoirs, with functional and phylogenetic diversity, and the elements of metacommunity structure. Our data improve the knowledge of the zooplankton metacommunity over time, help to identify the gaps that need to be explored in future studies and bring a general overview of the observed patterns for the zooplankton metacommunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amazon streams present great biodiversity and offer several ecosystem services, but these systems are threatened by multiple land uses. The changes created by land use are expected to drive the composition of species, ultimately changing the trophic relationships of several biological groups, including zooplankton. We investigated if land use changes the composition of zooplankton functional guilds in Amazon streams and which are the local (physical-chemical) variables driving the zooplankton functional guilds in the land-use gradient. Zooplankton and physical-chemical variables were sampled in 17 water bodies in the municipality of Barcarena, Pará, Brazil in 2018 and 2019, five sampling sites were in the Pará River and 12 in streams. Forest cover (a proxy for land use) was determined through digital image processing and converted in percentage. Zooplankton species were classified into five functional guilds (filter, raptorial, scraper, suctor, and predator feeders). We recorded 98 zooplankton taxa and filters were the most abundant functional guild. The composition of zooplankton functional guilds did not change in the land use gradient. However, the distribution of zooplankton functional guilds in Amazon streams was determined by local environmental variables related to the feeding strategies. Scraper-feeders (cladocerans) were positively related to greater canopy cover, suctor-feeders and predator-feeders (both rotifers) were related to greater total phosphorus, whereas filter-feeders (rotifers, cladocerans, and copepods) and raptorial (copepods) were related to total suspended solids. This study brings new information about zooplankton in Amazon streams that are under-studied. The functional approach clarifies the patterns observed and reflects the trophic relationships in which the zooplankton community is involved in streams under a degree of land use, i.e., scraper-cladocerans can represent more preserved streams under greater canopy cover, whereas the other functional guilds were related to variables that can represent more altered streams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habitat structure and predation are major factors that influence the distribution of zooplankton species and functional traits. Here, we analyzed how the structure provided by macrophytes (richness, Shannon's diversity, and biomass) and potential predation by small-bodied fishes (richness and abundance) determine the richness of species and functional traits of zooplankton, as well as the spatial dissimilarity (beta-diversity) of species and traits. Zooplankton, fish, and macrophytes were simultaneously sampled across a gradient of 30 multi-species macrophyte beds. We assessed spatial patterns of zooplankton under taxonomic and functional approaches, using linear regression models, Generalized Dissimilarity Models, a Structural Equation Model, and a Fourth-Corner Analysis. Zooplankton taxonomic beta-diversity was most represented by the turnover component and zooplankton functional beta-diversity by nestedness. Zooplankton taxonomic richness and taxonomic beta-diversity were positively related to macrophyte biomass, richness, and Shannon's diversity, whereas zooplankton functional richness and functional beta-diversity were positively related to fish richness and abundance. Macrophyte biomass and diversity oppositely influenced fish structure, which had influence on zooplankton structure. Macrophytes also negatively influenced the zooplankton traits such as body size, reproduction type, habitat, lifespan, and predatory escape response and positively influenced the trait feeding type. Fish were negatively related to the trait body size. The spatial structure generated by macrophyte beds and fish community determined the distribution of zooplankton species and functional traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]