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Glacial Biodiversity: Lessons from Ground-dwelling and Aquatic Insects

In: Glaciers and the Polar Environment

Author

Listed:
  • Mauro Gobbi
  • Valeria Lencioni

Abstract

At first glance, the ground surrounding the glacier front and the streams originated by melting glaciers seem to be too extreme to host life forms. They are instead ecosystems, colonized by bacteria, fungi, algae, mosses, plants and animals (called the "glacial biodiversity"). The best adapted animals to colonize glacier surface, the recently deglaciated terrains and glacial streams are insects, specifically the ground beetles (carabids) and the non-biting midges (chironomids). This chapter aims to overview the species colonizing these habitats, their adaptation strategies to face natural cold and anthropogenic heat and the extinction threats of glacial retreat and pollution by emerging contaminants. Notes on their role in the glacial-ecosystem functioning and related ecosystem services are also given.

Suggested Citation

  • Mauro Gobbi & Valeria Lencioni, 2021. "Glacial Biodiversity: Lessons from Ground-dwelling and Aquatic Insects," Chapters, in: Masaki Kanao & Danilo Godone & Niccolo Dematteis (ed.), Glaciers and the Polar Environment, IntechOpen.
    • Handle: RePEc:ito:pchaps:211842
    DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.92826
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    carabid beetles; chironomids; cold-adapted species; debris-covered glaciers; extinction risk; glacier forelands; rock glaciers;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming

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