The endemic aphid Acyrthosiphon svalbardicum on Dryas octopetala. Image from Blomstrandhalvøya, Kongsfjord, towards Stuphallet. Photo Steve Coulson A provisional inventory of the terrestrial and freshwater invertebrate fauna is available here: Invert database-inventory. Note that this inventory is work in progress and that taxonomies have not been quality assured by group experts. The list is based […]
Inventory of Svalbard species Read More »
Identifying invertebrates is challenging. For many taxa you require specialised knowledge and for this reason many taxonomists focus on only a few groups. Moreover, speciment preparation may be required, for example clearing the body so that transmission microscopes can reveal structures in or on the body cuticle, for example the presence of pores, setae, or
The tricky business of identifying invertebrates Read More »
The invertebrate fauna of Svalbard is relatively young. There is no evidence that invertebrates survived the last glacial maximum in situ. The islands were covered by ice and where there was exposed rock the conditions were too extreme for invertebrates such as insects and mites to survive. Even amongst animals with such as amazingly tolerance
Colonisation of Svalbard by the invertebrate fauna Read More »
There are many ways to catch invertebrates. Given the wide range of invertebrate types no one method is perfect and different techniques must be used in order to obtain the best picture of the invertebrate fauna as possible. For example, pitfall traps are an efficient method to capture surface moving invertebrates such as spiders. However,
Collecting and observing invertebrates Read More »
Arctic regions are characterized by long cold winters and short cool summers. In order to establish invertebrates require more than to be able to tolerate the cold winter, they must also be able to grow and reproduce during the cool summer. Many species have extended life histories where they grow a little during each summer
Invertebrate lifecycles in the Arctic Read More »
Habitats develop in relation to regional climate, snow-distribution, hydrology, soil chemistry, disturbance and nutrient input. These factors vary across the landscape, creating different habitats. At a circumpolar scale, the arctic vegetation has been mapped based on 16 units (Raynolds et al., 2019; Walker et al., 2005), reflecting large-scale variation in temperature (e.g. among bioclimatic subzones),
Arctic plant habitats Read More »
Even if an arctic plant manage to produce seeds, or reproduce by other means, very few of the initially produced propagules survive in the end. Dispersal is the first obstacle. Several dispersal vectors aid seed dispersal, and plants can be adapted towards certain vectors. In the Arctic, we find similar dispersal vectors as further south,
Dispersal and establishment Read More »
The arctic growing season is very short. To cope with the time squeeze, most arctic plants have evolved flexible life histories. Mixed mating systems are common; having the possibility to both sexual and asexual reproduction. As most arctic plants are long-lived perennials, they may allocate resources over several years. Pre-formation of flower buds several years
Reproductive adaptations to seasonality Read More »
Arctic plants must deal with a range of different challenges. Low temperatures year around slows down metabolic processes and increase the risk of frost damage. Low temperatures will also affect decomposition rates, resulting in low nutrient availability in the soil. The low sun angle results in low light intensity that affects photosynthesis. Low levels of
Adaptations for Arctic conditions Read More »
Environmental conditions in the Arctic are highly variable in space and they can fluctuate seasonally. As for all living organisms, Arctic microbes are affected by low temperatures. Consequently, Arctic microbes might experience low rates of biochemical reactions that can further result in lower metabolism. Long periods of freezing temperatures may slow or prevent microbial growth,
What enviroment do microbes encounter in the Arctic? Read More »
