Long-term cold tolerance in Arctic invertebrates: recovery after 4 years at below -20°C

Soil samples were collected from a High Arctic Cassiope heath site on Svalbard (West Spitsbergen) in midwinter 1995 and transferred directly to -22°C. Survival was unexpectedly high in Collembola (Hypogastrura tullbergi and Folsomia quadrioculata) and Nematoda, but there was also isolated survival i...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Canadian Journal of Zoology
Main Authors: Coulson, S J, Birkemoe, T
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Canadian Science Publishing 2000
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z00-134
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z00-134
Description
Summary:Soil samples were collected from a High Arctic Cassiope heath site on Svalbard (West Spitsbergen) in midwinter 1995 and transferred directly to -22°C. Survival was unexpectedly high in Collembola (Hypogastrura tullbergi and Folsomia quadrioculata) and Nematoda, but there was also isolated survival in two species of mites (Diapterobates notatus and Ameronothrus lineatus) and one enchytraeid (Henlea perpusilla). The unexpectedly extreme cold tolerance has implications for the range of polar habitats available for soil fauna to colonise and for migration between isolated regions.