Temporal and Spatial Dynamics of Rotifer Communities in the Pearl River Delta (china) with Emphasis on DNA Metabarcoding Versus Morphology to Assess Rotifer Diversity

Rotifers are essential invertebrates in freshwater ecosystems. Rotifer community structure reflects the environmental changes. To assess the diversity of rotifers in the Pearl River Delta, we investigated the rotifer community structure in different water bodies types using morphology and DNA metabarcoding. A total of 101 species in 30 genera were recorded. 82 rotifer species were identified by morphology and 31 by OTUs based on DNA metabarcoding. Only 40