Ecology of rotifers and their unappreciated source of nitrogen and phosphorus in temperate northeastern American bogs

Peatlands are one of the world's most important (xosystems, storing approximately 30 % of all terrestrial soil carbon as peat. Rotifers living in interstitial water within Sphagnum mats and in pitchers of Sanrwenia purpurea are capable of regenerating large amounts of nitrogen (NO3, NH4) and phosphorus (PO4). However, ecological research on rotifers living in bog interstitial waters has been neglected to date. We hypothesized that spatial variability of rotifer abundance and their nutrient contribution is uniform within bogs (i.e., at a local scale), and shows seasonal and geographic variability (i.e., at regional scales), and that rotifers contribute significantly to the nutrient budget of peatlands. To test these hypotheses, we assessed and quantified the role of rotifers in nutrient cycling (as nitrogen and phosphorus regeneration) in bog ecosystems at local, regional, and global scales. We present data on the spatial distribution and abundance of rotifers in bogs, and their effect on nutrient regeneration patterns during the growing season. We estimate that nutrient regeneration by rotifers may account for the regeneration of approximately 3.2-9.7% in Europe and 4.6-6.7% in North America, and be a major source of inorganic phosphorus. We estimate that, through nutrient regeneration, rotifers worldwide may provide 0.12 million tons of N and 0.17 million tons of P to bogs every year.