The invertebrate fauna of anthropogenic soils in the High-Arctic settlement of Barentsburg, Svalbard

The terrestrial environment of the High Arctic consists of a mosaic of habitat types. In addition to the natural habitat diversity, various human-influenced types may occur. For the resident invertebrate fauna, these anthropogenic habitats may be either unusually favourable or detrimental. In the to...

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Main Authors: Torstein Solhøy, Stephen J. Coulson, Dariusz J. Gwiazdowicz, Elena N. Melekhina, Natalia V. Lebedeva, Arne Fjellberg, Christer Erséus, Kristine Maraldo, Ladislav Miko, Heinrich Schatz, Rüdiger M. Schmelz, Geir Søli, Elisabeth Stur
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Norwegian Polar Institute 2013-05-01
Series:Polar Research
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.polarresearch.net/index.php/polar/article/download/19273/pdf_1
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spelling doaj-56d4a3b04a6342fd8928b7d804c99cf02020-11-25T02:13:57Zeng Norwegian Polar InstitutePolar Research0800-03951751-83692013-05-0132011210.3402/polar.v32i0.19273The invertebrate fauna of anthropogenic soils in the High-Arctic settlement of Barentsburg, SvalbardTorstein SolhøyStephen J. CoulsonDariusz J. GwiazdowiczElena N. MelekhinaNatalia V. LebedevaArne FjellbergChrister ErséusKristine MaraldoLadislav MikoHeinrich SchatzRüdiger M. SchmelzGeir SøliElisabeth SturThe terrestrial environment of the High Arctic consists of a mosaic of habitat types. In addition to the natural habitat diversity, various human-influenced types may occur. For the resident invertebrate fauna, these anthropogenic habitats may be either unusually favourable or detrimental. In the town of Barentsburg, Svalbard, soils were imported for the greenhouses from southern Russia. These soils were subsequently discarded outside the greenhouses and have become augmented with manure from the cowsheds. Both the greenhouse and the cowsheds are now derelict. This site represents an unusually nutrient-rich location with considerable development of organic soils, in stark contrast to the naturally forming organic soils in Svalbard, which are typically thin and nutrient poor. Few previous studies have examined the soil invertebrate communities of human-disturbed or -created habitats in the Arctic. In an often nutrient-poor terrestrial environment, it is unclear how the invertebrate fauna will react to such nutrient enhancement. In these soils, 46 species of invertebrates were determined. Eleven species have not been recorded from other habitats in Svalbard and are hence likely to have been introduced. The native species assemblage in the anthropogenic soils was not atypical for many natural sites in Svalbard. Despite the enriched organic soils and highly ameliorated winter temperature conditions, the soil invertebrate fauna biodiversity does not appear to be enhanced beyond the presence of certain probably introduced species.http://www.polarresearch.net/index.php/polar/article/download/19273/pdf_1CollembolaEnchytraeidaeLumbricidaeChironomidaeOribatidaGamasida
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Torstein Solhøy
Stephen J. Coulson
Dariusz J. Gwiazdowicz
Elena N. Melekhina
Natalia V. Lebedeva
Arne Fjellberg
Christer Erséus
Kristine Maraldo
Ladislav Miko
Heinrich Schatz
Rüdiger M. Schmelz
Geir Søli
Elisabeth Stur
spellingShingle Torstein Solhøy
Stephen J. Coulson
Dariusz J. Gwiazdowicz
Elena N. Melekhina
Natalia V. Lebedeva
Arne Fjellberg
Christer Erséus
Kristine Maraldo
Ladislav Miko
Heinrich Schatz
Rüdiger M. Schmelz
Geir Søli
Elisabeth Stur
The invertebrate fauna of anthropogenic soils in the High-Arctic settlement of Barentsburg, Svalbard
Polar Research
Collembola
Enchytraeidae
Lumbricidae
Chironomidae
Oribatida
Gamasida
author_facet Torstein Solhøy
Stephen J. Coulson
Dariusz J. Gwiazdowicz
Elena N. Melekhina
Natalia V. Lebedeva
Arne Fjellberg
Christer Erséus
Kristine Maraldo
Ladislav Miko
Heinrich Schatz
Rüdiger M. Schmelz
Geir Søli
Elisabeth Stur
author_sort Torstein Solhøy
title The invertebrate fauna of anthropogenic soils in the High-Arctic settlement of Barentsburg, Svalbard
title_short The invertebrate fauna of anthropogenic soils in the High-Arctic settlement of Barentsburg, Svalbard
title_full The invertebrate fauna of anthropogenic soils in the High-Arctic settlement of Barentsburg, Svalbard
title_fullStr The invertebrate fauna of anthropogenic soils in the High-Arctic settlement of Barentsburg, Svalbard
title_full_unstemmed The invertebrate fauna of anthropogenic soils in the High-Arctic settlement of Barentsburg, Svalbard
title_sort invertebrate fauna of anthropogenic soils in the high-arctic settlement of barentsburg, svalbard
publisher Norwegian Polar Institute
series Polar Research
issn 0800-0395
1751-8369
publishDate 2013-05-01
description The terrestrial environment of the High Arctic consists of a mosaic of habitat types. In addition to the natural habitat diversity, various human-influenced types may occur. For the resident invertebrate fauna, these anthropogenic habitats may be either unusually favourable or detrimental. In the town of Barentsburg, Svalbard, soils were imported for the greenhouses from southern Russia. These soils were subsequently discarded outside the greenhouses and have become augmented with manure from the cowsheds. Both the greenhouse and the cowsheds are now derelict. This site represents an unusually nutrient-rich location with considerable development of organic soils, in stark contrast to the naturally forming organic soils in Svalbard, which are typically thin and nutrient poor. Few previous studies have examined the soil invertebrate communities of human-disturbed or -created habitats in the Arctic. In an often nutrient-poor terrestrial environment, it is unclear how the invertebrate fauna will react to such nutrient enhancement. In these soils, 46 species of invertebrates were determined. Eleven species have not been recorded from other habitats in Svalbard and are hence likely to have been introduced. The native species assemblage in the anthropogenic soils was not atypical for many natural sites in Svalbard. Despite the enriched organic soils and highly ameliorated winter temperature conditions, the soil invertebrate fauna biodiversity does not appear to be enhanced beyond the presence of certain probably introduced species.
topic Collembola
Enchytraeidae
Lumbricidae
Chironomidae
Oribatida
Gamasida
url http://www.polarresearch.net/index.php/polar/article/download/19273/pdf_1
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