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Science at Museo delle Scienze: Research Report 2010-2011
black glaciers provide a suitable habitat for arthropod communities
Section of Invertebrate Zoology and Hydrobiology
Glaciers are progressively suffering
from an increase in supraglacial debris,
transforming them into debris-covered
glaciers, also referred to as ‘black glaciers’.
it is known that the mantle of supraglacial
rock debris is probably caused by rare,
but important cryoclastics and landslide
events triggered by climate change.
in the Alps their distribution is less
significant yet, on the other hand recent
studies demonstrated a progressive colonization
of their surface by herbaceous
vegetation.
The invertebrate and hydrobiology
section of the Mds coordinates, in cooperation
with several research groups,
a pluriennal research project on the biocoenoses
(arthropods and plants) living
on the debris covered glaciers, specifically
on the Miage Glacier (Ao, Val d’Aosta)
and on the Amola Glacier (Tn, Trentino
Alto-Adige).
The only epigaeic arthropods taxa
associated permanently with the debris
covering the glacier surface, are carabid
beetles and spiders. specifically,
the carabids belonging to the genera
Nebria and Oreonebria, and the spider
Drassodex heeri which are arthropods
typical of stony high-altitude habitats
are able to extend their habitats to the
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debris covered glacier where they can
find wet and cold microclimate which
provides a suitable habitat. carabids
and spiders are predators of several
dipteran and homopteran coming on
the glacier as aeroplancton.
considering the ongoing alpine climate
warming, and the consequent risk
of summit traps triggered by the arthropods
uphill shift, the debris-covered glacier
could be considered a refuge area
for climate sensitive species, as coolliving
stenotherm species.
Gobbi M., isaia M. & de Bernardi F., 2011
- Arthropod colonisation of a debris-covered
glacier. The Holocene, 21: 343-349.