ЭКОЛОГИЧЕСКИЙ СЕМИНАР ИПЭЭ РАН

Sigmund Hågvar, Norwegian University of Life Sciences
Torstein Solhøy and Christian Mong, University of Bergen

Primary succession of microarthropods
near a receding glacier in Norway

Due to global warming, glaciers are melting, and an interesting primary succession occurs on virgin soil. The study was done in a glacier foreland of a receding glacier snout in central south Norway.

Microarthropods were sampled in the upper soil layer of Salix herbacea vegetation along a succession gradient spanning from 30 to 250 year old soil. Samples were also taken in 10 000 year old soil nearby. Both Collembola and Acari were among the early colonizers, and the species number increased with the age of the soil. The colonization by Collembola was rapid: after 40 years, 40 % of the species in the area were present, and after 70 years, 74 % of the species were present. The pioneers were mainly large, surface active species. In 50 year old soil, there was a “front” of Folsomia, and in 70 year old soil, a front of Tetracanthella. Nearly all species living in the 10 000 year old soil had colonized soil which was younger than 250 years.

The colonization of Oribatid mites was slower: Only 21 % of the species were present after 40 years, and 43 % after 70 years. Two small, parthenogenetic oribatids were pioneers, and in high densities: Tectocepheus velatus and Liochthonius sellnicki. Among 19 Oribatid species, six were only found in the oldest soil, but in low densities.

Clearly, microarthropods are among the earliest invertebrates to colonize virgin soil in the border of receding glaciers.

Вступительное слово – чл.-корр. РАН Б.Р. Стригановой.

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