Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jkksz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T20:44:22.624Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Spatial distribution, habitat preference and colonization status of two alien terrestrial invertebrate species in Antarctica

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 January 2010

Kevin A. Hughes  and
M. Roger Worland
Kevin A. Hughes*
Affiliation:
British Antarctic Survey, NERC, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ET, UK
M. Roger Worland
Affiliation:
British Antarctic Survey, NERC, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ET, UK
*
*kehu@bas.ac.uk
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The introduction of invasive species is one of the greatest threats to Earth’s biodiversity, as they can reduce native biodiversity and alter ecosystem structure and function. Currently, the only two known non-native terrestrial invertebrates in Antarctica are the chironomid midge Eretmoptera murphyi and the enchytraeid worm Christensenidrilus blocki. These invertebrates were probably introduced to ground near Signy Research Station, South Orkney Islands, during transplantation experiments in the late 1960s. Between 2007 and 2009, this study surveyed the area around the introduction site for midge larvae and worms to assess any change over the last four decades in their spatial distribution, habitat preference and colonization status. Eretmoptera murphyi was found in concentrations up to 4.1 × 105 larvae m-2 (mean 2.1 × 104 larvae m-2) at distances of up to 220 m from the probable introduction site (c. 35 000 m2), while C. blocki was only found close to the introduction site in low numbers. Significantly more E. murphyi larvae were found in peat and dead organic material (3.34 × 104 m-2) than in stony soil and gravel (1.52 × 104 m-2) or living moss and other plant material (1.16 × 104 m-2). Eretmoptera murphyi can no longer be considered a persistent alien as it clearly expanding its distribution, while C. blocki remains a persistent alien species.

Keywords

chironomidenchytraeidestablishmentinvasivenon-indigenousSigny Island
Type
Biological Sciences
Information
Antarctic Science , Volume 22 , Issue 3 , June 2010 , pp. 221 - 231
Copyright
Copyright © Antarctic Science Ltd 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

*

Both authors contributed equally to this work.

References

Allegrucci, G., Carchini, G., Todisco, V., Convey, P.Sbordoni, V. 2006. A molecular phylogeny of Antarctic chironomidae and its implications for biogeorgraphical history. Polar Biology, 29, 320–326.Google Scholar
Barnes, D.K.A., Hodgson, D.A., Convey, P., Allen, C.Clarke, A. 2006. Incursion and excursion of Antarctic biota: past, present and future. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 15, 121–142.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bester, M.N., Bloomer, J.P., Van Aarde, R.J., Erasmus, B.H., van Rensburg, P.J.J., Skinner, J.D., Howell, P.G.Naude, T.W. 2002. A review of the successful eradication of feral cats from sub-Antarctic Marion Island, Southern Indian Ocean. South African Journal of Wildlife Research, 32, 65–73.Google Scholar
Block, W., Burn, A.J.Richard, K.J. 1984. An insect introduction to the maritime Antarctic. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 23, 33–39.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Block, W.Christensen, B. 1985. Terrestrial enchytraeidae from South Georgia and the maritime Antarctic. British Antarctic Survey Bulletin, No 69, 65–70.Google Scholar
Bokhorst, S., Huiskes, A., Convey, P., van Bodegom, P.M.Aerts, R. 2008. Climate change effects on soil arthropod communities from the Falkland Islands and the maritime Antarctic. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 40, 1547–1556.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brundin, L. 1970. Diptera: Chironomidae of South Georgia. Pacific Insects Monographs, 23, 276.Google Scholar
Burn, A.J. 1982. A cautionary tale - two recent introductions to the maritime Antarctic. Comité National Francais des Recherches Antarctiques, 51, 521.Google Scholar
Chapuis, J.-L., le Roux, V., Asseline, J., Lefevre, L.Kerleau, F. 2001. Eradication of the rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) by poisoning, on three islands of the subantarctic archipelago of Kerguelen. Wildlife Research, 28, 323–331.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chevrier, M., Vernon, P.Frenot, Y. 1997. Potential effects of two alien insects on a subantarctic wingless fly in the Kerguelen Islands. In Battaglia, B., Valencia, J. & Walton, D.W.H.,eds. Antarctic communities: species, structure and survival. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 424–431.Google Scholar
Chown, S.L., Lee, J.E.Shaw, J.D. 2008. Conservation of Southern Ocean Islands: invertebrates as exemplars. Journal of Insect Conservation, 12, 277–291.Google Scholar
Chwedorzewska, K.J. 2008. Poa annua L. in Antarctic: searching for the source of introduction. Polar Biology, 31, 263–268.Google Scholar
COMNAP (Council Of Managers Of National Antarctic Programs). 2009. Antarctic facilities. Access via www.comnap.aq/facilities. Accessed 10 Mar 2009.Google Scholar
Convey, P. 1992. Aspects of the biology of the midge, Eretmoptera murphyi Schaeffer (Diptera: Chironomidae), introduced to Signy Island, maritime Antarctica. Polar Biology, 12, 653–657.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Convey, P. 2005. Recent lepidopteran records from sub-Antarctic South Georgia. Polar Biology, 28, 108–110.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Convey, P. 2008. Non-native species in the Antarctic terrestrial environment. In Rogan-Finnemore, M.,ed. Non-native species in the Antarctic: proceedings. Christchurch: Gateway Antarctica Special Publication, 97–130.Google Scholar
Convey, P.Block, W. 1996. Antarctic Diptera: ecology, physiology and distribution. European Journal of Entomology, 93, 1–13.Google Scholar
Convey, P., Gibson, J.A.E., Hillenbrand, C.-D., Hodgson, D.A., Pugh, P.J.A., Smellie, J.L.Stevens, M.I. 2008. Antarctic terrestrial life - challenging the history of the frozen continent? Biological Reviews, 83, 103–117.Google Scholar
Corte, A. 1961. La primera fanerogama adventicia hallada en el continente Antartico. Contribucion del Instituto Antdrtico Argentino, 62, 1–14.Google Scholar
Cranston, P.S. 1985. Eretmoptera murphyi Schaeffer (Diptera: Chironomidae), an apparently parthogenetic Antarctic midge. British Antarctic Survey Bulletin, No 66, 35–45.Google Scholar
Davey, M.C., Pickup, J.Block, W. 1992. Temperature-variation and its biological significance in fellfield habitats on a maritime Antarctic island. Antarctic Science, 4, 383–388.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dózsa-Farkas, K.Convey, P. 1997. Christensenia, a new terrestrial enchytraeid genus from Antarctica. Polar Biology, 17, 482–486. (and correction Polar Biology, 20, 292.)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Edwards, J.A. 1968. Preliminary investigations into vascular plant growth at Signy and South Georgia in the austral summer of 1967–1968. British Antarctic Survey internal report. British Antarctic Survey Archives No. AD6/2H/1968/N1.Google Scholar
Edwards, J.A. 1980. An experimental introduction of vascular plants from South Georgia to the maritime Antarctic. British Antarctic Survey Bulletin, No 49, 7380.Google Scholar
Edwards, J.A.Greene, D.M. 1973. The survival of Falkland Island transplants at South Georgia and Signy Island, South Orkney Islands. British Antarctic Survey Bulletin, Nos. 33 & 34, 33–45.Google Scholar
Ernsting, G., Block, W., Macalister, H.Todd, C. 1995. The invasion of the carnivorous carabid beetle Trechisibus antarcticus on South Georgia (subantarctic) and its effect on the endemic herbivorous beetle Hydromedion spasutum. Oecologia, 103, 34–42.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ernsting, G., Brandjes, G.J., Block, W.Isaaks, J.A. 1999. Life-history consequences of predation for a subantarctic beetle: evaluating the contribution of direct and indirect effects. Journal of Animal Ecology, 68, 741–752.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Frenot, Y., Chown, S.L., Whinam, J., Selkirk, P.M., Convey, P., Skotnicki, M.Bergstrom, D.M. 2005. Biological invasions in the Antarctic: extent, impacts and implications. Biological Reviews, 80, 45–72.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Frenot, Y., Convey, P., Lebouvier, M., Chown, S.L., Whinam, J., Selkirk, P.M., Skotnicki, M.Bergstrom, D.M. 2008. Antarctic and Subantarctic biological invasions: sources, extents, impacts and implications. In Rogan-Finnemore, M., ed. Non-native species in the Antarctic: proceedings. Christchurch: Gateway Antarctica Special Publication, 53–96.Google Scholar
Greenslade, P., Farrow, R.A.Smith, J.M.B. 1999. Long distance migration of insects to a subantarctic island. Journal of Biogeography, 26, 1161–1167.Google Scholar
Hänel, C.Chown, S.L. 1998. The impact of a small, alien invertebrate on a sub-Antarctic terrestrial ecosystem: Limnophyes minimus (Diptera, Chironomidae) at Marion Island. Polar Biology, 20, 99–106.Google Scholar
Hänel, C., Chown, S.L.Davies, L. 1998. Records of alien insect species from sub-Antarctic Marion and South Georgia islands. African Entomology, 6, 366–369.Google Scholar
Harrisson, P.M.Block, W. 1988. Survival of freezing in a midge introduced to the Antarctic. Cryo-Letters, 9, 433.Google Scholar
Hughes, K.A., Convey, P., Maslen, N.R.Smith, R.I.L. 2009. Accidental transfer of non-native soil organisms into Antarctica on construction vehicles. Biological Invasions, 10.1007/s10530-009-9508-2.Google Scholar
Hullé, M., Pannetier, D., Simon, J.-C., Vernon, P.Frenot, Y. 2003. Aphids of sub-Antarctic Iles Crozet and Kerguelen: species diversity, host range and spatial distribution. Antarctic Science, 15, 203–209.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
IAATO (International Association Of Antarctica Tour Operators). 2009. Tourism statistics. Available at http://www.iaato.org/tourism_stats.html [Accessed 15 Jan 2009].Google Scholar
Japan. 1996. A grass (seed plant) found in Syowa Station area, East Antarctica. Information Paper 66 for XX Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting, Utrecht, Netherlands, 29 April–10 May 1996.Google Scholar
Lee, J.E.Chown, S.L. 2009. Breaching the dispersal barrier to invasion: quantification and management. Ecological Applications, 19, 1944–1959.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mack, R.N., Simberloff, D., Lonsdale, W.M., Evans, H., Clout, M.Bazzaz, F.A. 2000. Biotic invasions: causes, epidemiology, global consequences, and control. Ecological Applications, 10, 689–710.Google Scholar
Mckinney, M.L.Lockwood, J. 1999. Biotic homogenization: a few winners replacing many losers in the next mass extinction. Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 14, 450–453.Google Scholar
Olech, M. 1996. Human impact on terrestrial ecosystems in west Antarctica. Proceedings of the NIPR Symposium on Polar Biology, 9, 299–306.Google Scholar
Olech, M. 2003. Expansion of alien vascular plant Poa annua L. in the vicinity of the Henryk Arctowski Station - a consequence of climate change? In Olech, M., ed. The functioning of polar ecosystems as viewed against global environmental changes. XXIX International Polar Symposium. Krakow: Institute of Botany of the Jagiellonian University, 89–90.Google Scholar
Ring, R.A., Block, W., Sømmer, L.Worland, M.R. 1990. Body water content and desiccation resistance of some arthropods from subantarctic South Georgia. Polar Biology, 10, 581–588.Google Scholar
Scott, J.J.Kirkpatrick, J.B. 2008. Rabbits, landslips and vegetation change on the coastal slopes of subantarctic Macquarie Island, 1980-2007: implications for management. Polar Biology, 31, 409–419.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Smith, R.I.L. 1990. Signy Island as a paradigm of biological and environmental change in Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems. In Kerry, K. R. &Hempel, G., eds. Antarctic ecosystems. ecological change and conservation. Berlin: Springer, 32–50.Google Scholar
Smith, R.I.L. 1996. Introduced plants in Antarctica: potential impacts and conservations issues. Biological Conservation, 76, 135–146.Google Scholar
Stephenson, J. 1932. Oligochaeta. I. Microdrili. Discovery Report, 4, 233–264.Google Scholar
Whinam, J., Chilcott, N.Bergstrom, D.M. 2005. Subantarctic hitchhikers: expeditioners as vectors for the introduction of alien organisms. Biological Conservation, 121, 207–219.CrossRefGoogle Scholar