Estimating distributional patterns of non-marine Ostracoda (Crustacea) and habitat suitability in the Burdur province (Turkey)

We explored distributional patterns and habitat preferences of ostracods in the Burdur province (Turkey). At 121 sites we recorded 35 taxa (22 recent, 13 sub-recent), of which 23 represent new records for the province. According to the Index of Dispersion and d-statistics, the individual species exhibited clumped distributions. Cosmopolitan species dominated (63.64%). A direct effect of regional factors (e.g., elevation) was not observed, while local factors (e.g., water temperature) best explained species distribution among habitats. Based on alpha diversity values, natural habitats (springs, ponds, creeks) were more suitable than artificial habitats (e.g., troughs, dams), suggesting that natural habitats define regional species diversity. Twenty-two of the recorded species had wider ecological ranges than previously reported. Cosmopolitan species appeared to suppress non-cosmopolitan species due to their wider ecological range.