Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 July 2017
Climatic effects on aquatic environments are an important factor in the ecology of ostracodes judging from their biogeography especially with respect to moisture balance and ecoregions (vegetation zones). The importance of climate in controlling ostracode distribution is underscored by major ecological changes indicated by co-stratigraphic changes in ostracode and pollen biozones throughout the Quaternary. Climatic interpretation of ostracode records are complicated, however, by several non-climatic factors, including basin shoaling, changes in water chemistry due to abrupt changes in the flux of groundwater, rivers, and streams to lakes and wetlands, and increasingly shortened water residence time in areas where precipitation exceeds evaporation due to erosion by basin overflow.