• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antarctic; Wharton; Antarc*
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.624.1651; http://eeb19.biosci.arizona.edu/faculty/birky/freezingdocs/wharton03nematodefreezedry.pdf

Panagrolaimus davidi is a free-living Antarctic nematode associated with ice-free terrestrial sites that receive sufficient meltwater during spring and summer to support the growth of algae, moss and cyanobacteria. It has been isolated and grown in culture (Wharton and Brown, 1989). This nematode is freezing-tolerant and can survive extensive intracellular freezing (Wharton and Ferns, 1995). During spring its habitat is often saturated with water and the nematode experiences regular cycles of freezing and thawing (Wharton, 1998). The nematode is thus at risk of inoculative freezing by ice seeding through body openings such as the excretory pore (Wharton and Ferns, 1995). Similar hazards are faced by earthworms in cold terrestrial environments. Earthworm eggs are enclosed within a fibrous cocoon, which provides protection against inoculative