Terrestrial microarthropod biodiversity analysis of the northern Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands: With notes on mircoarthropod biotic and abiotic interactions

Background/Question/Methods The study of Antarctic and Subantarctic terrestrial microarthropod communities is a developing field. Most of the research done over the past two decades has focused on species distributions patterns, regional species accounts, physiological adaptations and stress tolerances. We present a biodiversity analysis of the springtail (Collembola) and mite (Acarai) communities of the Northern Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands.  Sampling was completed over a ten day period in December 2007 at seven sites as part of the NSF-funded International Polar Year- Research and Education Opportunities for Minorities in Antarctica (IPY-ROAM) program. Samples were collected along 10-30 m transects and extracted from soils, mosses and lichens using a standardized 125 cm³ Berlese Funnel. The material was identified to species and diversity indices and species accumulation curves are presented.  

Results/Conclusions A total of 1261 springtails and mites were collected. Six of the seven sites were dominated by collembola species (most commonly Cryptopygus antarcticus) and one site was dominated by a mite community composed primarily of Alaskozetes antarcticus. Additionally, multiple biotic and abiotic factors (relative humidity percentage, soil temperature, vegetation cover, moss diversity, lichen diversity, CO₂ flux, reflectance, and microclimate data) were monitored and correlations between species diversity/abundance and such factors are presented. Preliminary results indicate a strong negative correlation between Collembola abundance and Relative Humidity Percentage and a moderate correlation between Collembola abundance and soil and surface temperature. The correlations between species diversity/abundance and the multiple abiotic factors may be used in the future to estimate microarthropod community structures in subantarctic regions and the Antarctic Peninsula.