The terrestrial invertebrate fauna of the Svalbard archipelago in a changing world: history of research and challenges
Abstract The High Arctic represents a unique environment, an environment from where knowledge is limited and which is currently experiencing rapid change. The archipelago of Svalbard in the European High Arctic possesses a terrestrial and freshwater invertebrate fauna that is distinctive and diverse...
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Cambridge University Press (CUP)
2013
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.4039/tce.2012.110 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0008347X12001101 |
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crcambridgeupr:10.4039/tce.2012.110 2024-09-15T18:38:15+00:00 The terrestrial invertebrate fauna of the Svalbard archipelago in a changing world: history of research and challenges Coulson, Stephen James 2013 http://dx.doi.org/10.4039/tce.2012.110 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0008347X12001101 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms The Canadian Entomologist volume 145, issue 2, page 131-146 ISSN 0008-347X 1918-3240 journal-article 2013 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.4039/tce.2012.110 2024-07-03T04:04:00Z Abstract The High Arctic represents a unique environment, an environment from where knowledge is limited and which is currently experiencing rapid change. The archipelago of Svalbard in the European High Arctic possesses a terrestrial and freshwater invertebrate fauna that is distinctive and diverse. However, the majority of studies concentrate on the fauna of the comparatively mild west coast. Very few investigations of the colder east coast exist. Furthermore, scientific investigations are relatively recent. Scientific records of the terrestrial invertebrate fauna begin in the mid-19th century with species inventories and community descriptions but experimental field-based studies and physiological investigations did not commence until the 1980s. Some 570 articles consider this fauna, 54% of which have appeared since 1990. There is hence a dramatic and rapid increase in our understanding, which is not only improving our comprehension of Arctic ecosystem functioning but also providing a baseline for environmental change studies. Due to a largely pristine environment, a political focus and relative ease of logistics, Svalbard is set to become a focus of such studies. This article considers the state of knowledge of the terrestrial and freshwater invertebrate fauna of Svalbard, current research, and discusses the threats to the distinctive communities. Article in Journal/Newspaper Svalbard Cambridge University Press The Canadian Entomologist 145 2 131 146 |
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Cambridge University Press |
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crcambridgeupr |
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English |
description |
Abstract The High Arctic represents a unique environment, an environment from where knowledge is limited and which is currently experiencing rapid change. The archipelago of Svalbard in the European High Arctic possesses a terrestrial and freshwater invertebrate fauna that is distinctive and diverse. However, the majority of studies concentrate on the fauna of the comparatively mild west coast. Very few investigations of the colder east coast exist. Furthermore, scientific investigations are relatively recent. Scientific records of the terrestrial invertebrate fauna begin in the mid-19th century with species inventories and community descriptions but experimental field-based studies and physiological investigations did not commence until the 1980s. Some 570 articles consider this fauna, 54% of which have appeared since 1990. There is hence a dramatic and rapid increase in our understanding, which is not only improving our comprehension of Arctic ecosystem functioning but also providing a baseline for environmental change studies. Due to a largely pristine environment, a political focus and relative ease of logistics, Svalbard is set to become a focus of such studies. This article considers the state of knowledge of the terrestrial and freshwater invertebrate fauna of Svalbard, current research, and discusses the threats to the distinctive communities. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Coulson, Stephen James |
spellingShingle |
Coulson, Stephen James The terrestrial invertebrate fauna of the Svalbard archipelago in a changing world: history of research and challenges |
author_facet |
Coulson, Stephen James |
author_sort |
Coulson, Stephen James |
title |
The terrestrial invertebrate fauna of the Svalbard archipelago in a changing world: history of research and challenges |
title_short |
The terrestrial invertebrate fauna of the Svalbard archipelago in a changing world: history of research and challenges |
title_full |
The terrestrial invertebrate fauna of the Svalbard archipelago in a changing world: history of research and challenges |
title_fullStr |
The terrestrial invertebrate fauna of the Svalbard archipelago in a changing world: history of research and challenges |
title_full_unstemmed |
The terrestrial invertebrate fauna of the Svalbard archipelago in a changing world: history of research and challenges |
title_sort |
terrestrial invertebrate fauna of the svalbard archipelago in a changing world: history of research and challenges |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2013 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.4039/tce.2012.110 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0008347X12001101 |
genre |
Svalbard |
genre_facet |
Svalbard |
op_source |
The Canadian Entomologist volume 145, issue 2, page 131-146 ISSN 0008-347X 1918-3240 |
op_rights |
https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.4039/tce.2012.110 |
container_title |
The Canadian Entomologist |
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145 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
131 |
op_container_end_page |
146 |
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1810482572209160192 |