Biodiversity of macrophyte communities and associated aquatic organisms in lakes of the Vologda Region (north-western Russia)

BACKGROUND: This paper provides current data on the biodiversity of boreal lakes of the Vologda Region (north-western Russia), including macrophytes (vascular plants and macroscopic algae) and macrophyte inhabitants (invertebrates and microalgae). The raw data, given in two datasets (Sampling event dataset and an Occurrence dataset) and presented in the form of GBIF-mediated data, were collected from 139 lakes (macrophytes between 2005 and 2021, macrophyte inhabitants between 2014 and 2020). The dataset contains materials on the diversity of vascular plants (Tracheophyta, 3225 occurrences; Bryophyta, 155; Marchantiophyta, 16), macro- and microalgae (Ochrophyta, 546 occurrences; Chlorophyta, 193; Charophyta, 153; Cyanobacteria, 139; Cryptophyta, 86; Myzozoa, 33; Euglenozoa, 27; Rhodophyta, 8; Bigyra, 1) and aquatic invertebrates (Arthropoda, 1408 occurrences; Annelida, 487; Mollusca, 263; Platyhelminthes, 36; Cnidaria, 11). This paper summarises previously unpublished materials in a standardised form. NEW INFORMATION: The paper summarises the data collected during the long-term phytodiversity studies in a series of lakes of different types (Vologda Region, north-western Russia). Data on algae and invertebrates diversity were obtained in 60 different plant communities of aquatic, semi-aquatic and coastal plants or their combinations. A total of 6787 occurrences were included in the dataset, published in the global biodiversity database (GBIF) for the first time. According to the GBIF taxonomic backbone, the dataset comprised 837 taxa, including 711 lower-rank taxa (species, subspecies, varieties, forms). New records of 47 species rare and protected in the Vologda Region are given: 43 species of plants, three species of animals and one species of Cyanobacteria.