Why are ctenopods and anomopods important in freshwater food webs?

Ctenopods and anomopods are vital components of freshwater ecosystems worldwide, inhabiting both the open waters of large lakes and the vegetation-rich margins of ponds.1

Their importance in food webs stems from their role as primary consumers and a critical food source:

• Dietary Role: They primarily consume algae and bacteria, effectively transferring energy from these microscopic organisms to higher trophic levels. By utilizing bacteria as a food source, they also contribute to the natural cleansing of water in environments such as reservoirs.12
• Prey Source: They serve as an essential food supply for fish, linking primary production to larger aquatic predators.1

Because they are a major food source, these crustaceans have evolved various survival strategies, such as the seasonal morphological changes seen in some species of Daphnia, which help them reduce their conspicuousness to plankton-eating fish during periods of high predation.2