Environmental factors influencing fine-scale distribution of Antarctica’s only endemic insect

• DOI: 10.1007/s00442-020-04714-9
• Publication Date: 2020-07-29T02:04:00Z
• Authors: Leslie J. Potts; J. D. Gantz; Yuta Kawarasaki; Benjamin N. Philip; David J. Gonthier; Audrey D. Law; Luke Moe; Jason M. Unrine; Rebecca L. McCulley; Richard E. Lee; David L. Denlinger; Nicholas M. Teets
• Keywords: Biotic component; Terrestrial ecosystem

Abstract Species distributions are dependent on interactions with abiotic and biotic factors in the environment. Abiotic like temperature, moisture, soil nutrients, along within between species, can all have strong influences spatial of plants animals. Terrestrial Antarctic habitats relatively simple thus good systems to study ecological that drive species abundance. However, these environments also sensitive perturbation, understanding drivers distribution is critical for predicting responses environmental change. The midge, Belgica antarctica , only endemic insect continent has a patchy Peninsula. While its life history physiology well studied, underlie variation population density range unknown. Previous work microfauna indicates over broad scales primarily regulated by nitrogen content, presence suitable plant life, but whether patterns true smaller not been investigated. Here we sampled midges across five islands Peninsula tested series hypotheses determine relative midge historical literature suggests organisms limited environment, our best-supported hypothesis indicated abundance predicted combination conditions. Our results consistent growing body more important ecosystems than historically appreciated.