Genetic diversity among populations of Antarctic springtails (Collembola) within the Mackay Glacier ecotone

• Main Authors: Beet, Clare Rose, Hogg, Ian D., Collins, Gemma E, Cowan, Don A, Wall, Diana H, Adams, Byron J
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: NRC Research Press (a division of Canadian Science Publishing) 2016
• Subjects: Antarctic; Mackay; Mackay Glacier; Ross Sea; Victoria Land; Antarc*; Ice Sheet; ice covered areas; Springtail
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1807/73318; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/abs/10.1139/gen-2015-0194

Past climate changes are likely to have had major influences on the distribution and abundance of Antarctic terrestrial biota. To assess arthropod distribution and diversity within the Ross Sea region, we examined mitochondrial DNA (COI) sequences for three currently recognised species of springtail (Collembola) collected from sites in the vicinity, and to the north of, the Mackay Glacier (77oS). This area is also a transition between two biogeographic regions (northern and southern Victoria Land). We found populations of highly divergent individuals (5-11.3% intraspecific sequence divergence) for each of the three putative springtail species, suggesting the possibility of cryptic diversity. Based on molecular clock estimates, these divergent lineages are likely to have been isolated for 3-5 million years. It was during this time that the Western Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) was likely to have completely collapsed potentially facilitating springtail dispersal via rafting on running waters and open seaways. The reformation of the WAIS would have isolated newly established populations with subsequent dispersal restricted by glaciers and ice-covered areas. Given the currently limited distributions for these genetically divergent populations, any future changes in speciesâ distributions can be easily tracked through the DNA barcoding of springtails from within the Mackay Glacier ecotone. The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author.