Ultraviolet radiation tolerance of the Antarctic springtail, Gomphiocephalus hodgsoni

• Published in: Antarctic Science
• Main Authors: Hawes, T.C., Marshall, C.J., Wharton, D.A.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2011
• Subjects: Geology; Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; Oceanography; Antarctic; The Antarctic; Antarc*; Antarctic Science; Antarctic Springtail; Gomphiocephalus hodgsoni; Springtail
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102011000812; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0954102011000812

Abstract This is the first study to examine the tolerance of Antarctic springtails (Collembola) to ultraviolet radiation (UV). Survival of extended attenuated exposure to sunlight was examined for both individuals and aggregations of the species Gomphiocephalus hodgsoni Carpenter over a 10 day period. Both individuals and aggregations demonstrated significantly higher survival and moult rates from control treatments kept in the dark to those exposed to UV. A photo-inhibitive element to moulting is indicated that may function to protect post-ecdysial springtails when their emergent cuticles are more sensitive to the external environment. DNA damage was measured in springtails directly exposed to sunlight for 5 h on a clear sunny day. Significant differences were found between treated animals and controls kept in the dark. There was some reduction of damage 12 and 24 h after exposure, when springtails had been placed in the dark to recover. This indicates the up-regulation of DNA repair mechanisms, with the 12 h treatment in particular showing no significant difference with controls. In addition to providing a first look at UV tolerance in these soil arthropods, these findings recommend employing strict protocols for collections of sample material for subsequent biological analysis in order to minimize the interactive effects of photo-damage.