Climate and soil characteristics and soil arthropod abundance on Anchorage, Signy and Falkland Islands ...

• Main Authors: Bokhorst, Stef, Huiskes, Ad H L, Convey, Peter, van Bodegom, PM, Aerts, Raf
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: PANGAEA 2008
• Subjects: International Polar Year 2007-2008 IPY; Anchorage Island; Antarc*; Antarctic; International Polar Year; IPY; Signy Island; Tundra
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.1594/pangaea.807698; https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.807698

Over a 2-year study, we investigated the effect of environmental change on the diversity and abundance of soil arthropod communities (Acari and Collembola) in the Maritime Antarctic and the Falkland Islands. Open Top Chambers (OTCs), as used extensively in the framework of the northern boreal International Tundra Experiment (ITEX), were used to increase the temperature in contrasting communities on three islands along a latitudinal temperature gradient, ranging from the Falkland Islands (51°S, mean annual temperature 7.5 °C) to Signy Island (60°S, -2.3°C) and Anchorage Island (67°S, -3.8°C). At each island an open and a closed plant community were studied: lichen vs. moss at the Antarctic sites, and grass vs. dwarf shrub at the Falkland Islands. The OTCs raised the soil surface temperature during most months of the year. During the summer the level of warming achieved was 1.7 °C at the Falkland Islands, 0.7 °C at Signy Island, and 1.1 °C at Anchorage Island.The native arthropod community diversity decreased ... : Data extracted in the frame of a joint ICSTI/PANGAEA IPY effort, see http://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.150150 ...