A review of current Antarctic limno-terrestrial microfauna

Velasco-Castrillón, Alejandro; Gibson, John A.E.; Stevens, Mark I.

doi:10.1007/s00300-014-1544-4

Cited by 55 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 99 publications

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“…), are comparatively species-rich 39 . Some terrestrial invertebrate groups are also well represented, including the tardigrades, nematodes, springtails and mites 40,41 . The distribution patterns of these organisms are highly variable.…”

Section: Diversity In the Terrestrial Biotamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…rotifers and nematodes 41,42 ), others, such as springtails, are much more differentiated 43 . By coupling the growing availability of continent-wide biodiversity databases with ecoinformatic approaches, recent analyses have shown substantial spatial patterning in diversity across the continent, with fifteen distinct ecoregions now recognized on the continent itself, and another eight across the Southern Ocean islands 44 .…”

Section: Diversity In the Terrestrial Biotamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For important elements of the terrestrial microfauna, such as the tardigrades, rotifers and nematodes, information remains too sparse to reach general conclusions 41 , though long-term isolation in the continental Antarctic seems to be the case for some groups such as the mites and springtails 62 .…”

Section: Diminishing Isolation 12mentioning

confidence: 99%

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The changing form of Antarctic biodiversity

Chown

Clarke

Fraser

et al. 2015

Nature

283

219

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Antarctic biodiversity is much more extensive, ecologically diverse and biogeographically structured than previously thought. Understanding of how this diversity is distributed in marine and terrestrial systems, the mechanisms underlying its spatial variation, and the significance of the microbiota is growing rapidly. Broadly recognizable drivers of diversity variation include energy availability and historical refugia. The impacts of local human activities and global environmental change nonetheless pose challenges to current and future understanding of Antarctic biodiversity. Life in the Antarctic and the Southern Ocean is surprisingly rich, and as much at risk from environmental change as it is elsewhere.The past two decades have witnessed a revolution in the approaches used to document patterns in and the functional significance of the diversity of life. Knowledge of the global distributions of organisms now extends to many groups. These include terrestrial plants and animals 1 , marine taxa 2 , components of the soil biota 3 , and, increasingly, microorganisms 4 .2 Empirical and theoretical research is verifying the range of mechanisms, including energy and nutrient availability, and historical contingency, that are responsible for these patterns 1,2 , and the role of diversity in maintaining ecosystem services. New approaches are also revealing rapid changes in diversity across most ecosystems, their often negative implications for the future of the planet, and our struggle to address the problem 5 .In tandem, biodiversity research has surged across the Antarctic and Southern Ocean.In part the increasing interest has been driven by the realization that any fundamental quest to understand life's diversity requires exploration of the polar regions 6,7 . But it has also been underpinned by a growing appreciation of the particular challenges faced by Antarctic species and ecosystems. Climate change 8 , and economic activity in the form of fishing, tourism, and scientific research itself 9,10 are all having impacts on Antarctic diversity. The intricacy of Southern Ocean food webs, best known for the region's iconic seals, penguins, whales and albatrosses, has been further unveiled, so highlighting the complexity of the simultaneous impacts of changing climates, sea ice distribution and fisheries on this system 11,12 . New marine research has also exposed unexpectedly high benthic diversity, including in the deep sea 13,14 . In terrestrial areas, the diversity of higher plants and animals is relatively low (e.g., just two flowering plant species), but the diversity of lichens, bryophytes, invertebrates, and the microbiota is substantial 15 . Local and regional spatial patterning in these groups is extensive 16 , with the mechanisms underlying these patterns both recognizable from broader ecological theory and unusual in several respects.Here we explore recent advances in our understanding of the biodiversity of the Antarctic. Given the many conservation challenges it faces, we also consider how well the region i...

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Section: Diversity In the Terrestrial Biotamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Diversity In the Terrestrial Biotamentioning

confidence: 99%

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The changing form of Antarctic biodiversity

Chown

Clarke

Fraser

et al. 2015

Nature

283

219

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“…Antarctica's terrestrial biota is exposed to cold temperatures, low moisture levels, and steep chemical gradients (Convey et al 2014;Hogg et al 2014;Velasco-Castrillón et al 2014a). These conditions, coupled with repeated glacial cycles over the past 80 million years, have shaped a terrestrial landscape characterised by low biodiversity Convey 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic diversity among populations of Antarctic springtails (Collembola) within the Mackay Glacier ecotone

Beet

Hogg

Collins

et al. 2016

Genome

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Climate changes are likely to have major influences on the distribution and abundance of Antarctic terrestrial biota. To assess arthropod distribution and diversity within the Ross Sea region, we examined mitochondrial DNA (COI) sequences for three currently recognized species of springtail (Collembola) collected from sites in the vicinity, and to the north of, the Mackay Glacier (77°S). This area acts as a transition between two biogeographic regions (northern and southern Victoria Land). We found populations of highly divergent individuals (5%-11.3% intraspecific sequence divergence) for each of the three putative springtail species, suggesting the possibility of cryptic diversity. Based on molecular clock estimates, these divergent lineages are likely to have been isolated for 3-5 million years. It was during this time that the Western Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) was likely to have completely collapsed, potentially facilitating springtail dispersal via rafting on running waters and open seaways. The reformation of the WAIS would have isolated newly established populations, with subsequent dispersal restricted by glaciers and ice-covered areas. Given the currently limited distributions for these genetically divergent populations, any future changes in species' distributions can be easily tracked through the DNA barcoding of springtails from within the Mackay Glacier ecotone. Key words: Antarcticinella monoculata, biomonitoring, climate change, Cryptopygus nivicolus, Gomphiocephalus hodgsoni.Résumé : Les changements climatiques antérieurs ont vraisemblablement eu des impacts importants sur la distribution et l'abondance du biota terrestre antarctique. Afin de mesurer la distribution et la diversité des arthropodes dans la région de la Mer de Ross, nous avons examiné les séquences mitochondriales (COI) chez trois espèces connues de collemboles récoltés à proximité ou encore au nord du glacier Mackay (77°S). Cette région marque aussi la transition entre deux régions biogéographiques (régions septentrionale et méridionale de la terre de Victoria). Nous avons trouvé des populations constituées d'individus fortement divergents (5 % -11,3 % de divergence nucléotidique intraspécifique) au sein des trois espèces de collemboles, ce qui suggère la possibilité d'une diversité cryptique. Sur la base d'horloges moléculaires, ces groupes divergents seraient isolés depuis 3 à 5 millions d'années. C'est durant cette période que l'inlandis ouest-antarctique (WAIS, « Western Antarctic Ice Sheet ») se serait complètement effondré, ce qui aurait pu faciliter la dispersion des collemboles sur des radeaux de glace flottant sur des cours d'eau ou la mer. La reconstitution de la WAIS pourrait avoir ensuite isolé des populations nouvellement établies, la dispersion subséquente ayant été limitée par les glaciers et les zones couvertes de glace. Étant données les distributions présentement limitées des distributions de ces populations divergentes sur le plan génétique, tout futur changement dans la distribution de ces espèces de...

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“…The pattern of reproductive performance as a function of age in A. antarcticus is similar to those of the parthenogenetic water flea Daphnia longispina and the sexually reproducing human louse Pediculus humanus (see Jones et al, 2014). Acutuncus antarcticus is known to be widespread in both terrestrial and freshwater habitats in Antarctica (McInnes, 1995;Gibson et al, 2007;Tsujimoto et al, 2014;Velasco-Castrillón et al, 2014). The natural environment in Antarctica is considered the most extreme and variable on Earth in terms of low temperature, limited water availability and short growing season (Smith, 1988;Peck et al, 2006).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Effect of lifespan and age on reproductive performance of the tardigrade Acutuncus antarcticus: minimal reproductive senescence

2016

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Reproductive output is one of the central attributes of life history, and knowledge of agespecific reproduction can enhance the understanding of population performance and dynamics. Tardigrades are microscopic invertebrates that live in marine, freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems. While changes in fertility in relation to age are known to occur in other invertebrate groups, the subject has not been specifically addressed in tardigrades. The current study demonstrates for the first time the effect of lifespan and age on reproductive characteristics of the tardigrade species, Acutuncus antarcticus (Richters 1904), based on the observation of individuals over their entire lifespan under constant environment conditions in the laboratory. Clutch size of A. antarcticus fluctuated conspicuously throughout individual lifespans. Weak effects of age were observed on oviposition interval and hatching success, with the former increasing slightly and the latter decreasing slightly with age. Numbers of oviposition events and eggs produced per individual varied greatly and were correlated with lifespan. No significant relationships between clutch size, hatching time or hatching success with lifespan were detected. The majority of the individuals continued oviposition until shortly before death, with no suggestion of a post-reproductive lifespan. Our observations suggest that any decline in fertility with age in this species of tardigrade is minimal. The study provides new insight into the reproductive biology and ageing of invertebrate species.

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A review of current Antarctic limno-terrestrial microfauna

Cited by 55 publications

References 99 publications

The changing form of Antarctic biodiversity

The changing form of Antarctic biodiversity

Genetic diversity among populations of Antarctic springtails (Collembola) within the Mackay Glacier ecotone

Effect of lifespan and age on reproductive performance of the tardigrade Acutuncus antarcticus: minimal reproductive senescence

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