Glacial ecosystems are essential to understanding biodiversity responses to glacier retreat

Stibal, Marek; Bradley, James A.; Edwards, Arwyn; Hotaling, Scott; Zawierucha, Krzysztof; Rosvold, Jørgen; Lutz, Stefanie; Cameron, Karen A.; Mikucki, Jill A.; Kohler, Tyler J.; Šabacká, Marie; Anesio, Alexandre M.

doi:10.1038/s41559-020-1163-0

Cited by 76 publications

(61 citation statements)

References 15 publications

(14 reference statements)

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“…Even though cryoconite holes are harsh environments in many respects, they provide an adequate food resources for various invertebrates. Cryoconite holes are considered biodiversity hotspots for cryophilic species of algae, cyanobacteria, heterotrophic bacteria, amoebas, fungi and ciliates (Takeuchi, 2002; Hodson et al ., 2008; Cook et al ., 2016; Pittino et al ., 2018; Sommers et al ., 2018, 2019; Zawierucha et al ., 2018 a ; Buda et al ., 2020; Stibal et al ., 2020). The biodiversity of photoautotrophs includes many opportunistic and glacier specific taxa which may attain the biomass of 0.998 µg dm −3 and the photosynthetic rates from 0.63 C L −1 h −1 to 156.99 µg C L −1 h −1 (Säwström et al ., 2002; Buda et al ., 2020).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A hole in the nematosphere: tardigrades and rotifers dominate the cryoconite hole environment, whereas nematodes are missing

et al. 2020

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The worldwide distribution of microinvertebrates on glaciers, the coldest biome, is poorly known. Owing to their tolerance to hostile conditions, small size and dispersal abilities, nematodes, tardigrades and rotifers are considered cosmopolitan and together inhabit various ecosystems. In this study, we investigated their global distribution in cryoconite holes – a type of freshwater reservoir forming directly in the glacial ice that creates biodiversity hotspots on glaciers. We analysed cryoconite samples (using classical microscopic observations and environmental DNA metabarcoding) from 42 glaciers located around the world (the Arctic, Subarctic, Scandinavia, the Alps, the Caucasus, Siberia, Central Asia, Africa, South America and Antarctica), as well as using literature data. Samples from Antarctic, Karakoram and the Alps were analysed using next‐generation sequencing (NGS) and classical observations under microscopes, while all other samples were analysed by microscope alone. Three general outcomes were found: (1) tardigrades and rotifers represented the most common invertebrates in cryoconite holes; (2) tardigrades and rotifers often coexisted together, with one or the other dominating, but the dominant taxon varied by region or by glacier; (3) nematodes – the most abundant, hyperdiverse and widespread metazoans on Earth, including in environments surrounding and seeding glacial surfaces – were consistently absent from cryoconite holes. Despite the general similarity of environmental conditions in cryoconite holes, the distribution of tardigrades and rotifers differed among glaciers, but not in any predictable way, suggesting that their distribution mostly depended on the random dispersal, extreme changes of supraglacial zone or competition. Although nematodes have been found in supraglacial habitats, cryoconite hole environments seem not to provide the necessary conditions for their growth and reproduction. Lack of physiological adaptations to permanently low temperatures (~0°C) and competition for different food resources in the cryoconite hole environment may explain the absence of nematodes in cryoconite holes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A hole in the nematosphere: tardigrades and rotifers dominate the cryoconite hole environment, whereas nematodes are missing

et al. 2020

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“…Many microbes, plants, and animals in terrestrial and aquatic environments are associated with glaciers and other cold habitats (Gobbi & Lencioni, 2020; Hågvar et al, 2020; Hotaling, Foley, et al, 2019; Lencioni, 2018). Thus, the rapid contemporary warming of mountain ecosystems is projected to threaten cold‐adapted biodiversity worldwide (Brighenti, Tolotti, Bruno, Wharton, et al, 2019; Hågvar et al, 2020; Hotaling et al, 2017, 2020; Millar et al, 2018; Stibal et al, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rock glaciers and related cold rocky landforms: Overlooked climate refugia for mountain biodiversity

Brighenti

Hotaling

Finn

et al. 2021

Global Change Biology

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Mountains are global biodiversity hotspots where cold environments and their associated ecological communities are threatened by climate warming. Considerable research attention has been devoted to understanding the ecological effects of alpine glacier and snowfield recession. However, much less attention has been given to identifying climate refugia in mountain ecosystems where present‐day environmental conditions will be maintained, at least in the near‐term, as other habitats change. Around the world, montane communities of microbes, animals, and plants live on, adjacent to, and downstream of rock glaciers and related cold rocky landforms (CRL). These geomorphological features have been overlooked in the ecological literature despite being extremely common in mountain ranges worldwide with a propensity to support cold and stable habitats for aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity. CRLs are less responsive to atmospheric warming than alpine glaciers and snowfields due to the insulating nature and thermal inertia of their debris cover paired with their internal ventilation patterns. Thus, CRLs are likely to remain on the landscape after adjacent glaciers and snowfields have melted, thereby providing longer‐term cold habitat for biodiversity living on and downstream of them. Here, we show that CRLs will likely act as key climate refugia for terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity in mountain ecosystems, offer guidelines for incorporating CRLs into conservation practices, and identify areas for future research.

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“…Melting summer snowfields in polar regions are habitats for diverse microbial communities, including photoautotrophs causing snow discolorations (Hisakawa et al 2015;Davey et al 2019). Blooms of these microalgae significantly decrease snow and glacial surface albedo due to their pigmentation, thus, accelerating melting processes additionally to global warming (Lutz et al 2016;Stibal et al 2020). Red snow caused by spherical cysts, traditionally addressed as "Chlamydomonas nivalis" (regardless of their true taxonomic affiliation within the Chlorophyta), is probably the most common type of snow algal bloom in the Arctic and elsewhere.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecophysiological and ultrastructural characterisation of the circumpolar orange snow alga Sanguina aurantia compared to the cosmopolitan red snow alga Sanguina nivaloides (Chlorophyta)

et al. 2020

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Red snow caused by spherical cysts can be found worldwide, while an orange snow phenomenon caused by spherical cells is restricted to (Sub-)Arctic climates. Both bloom types, occurring in the same localities at Svalbard, were compared ecophysiologically. Using a combination of molecular markers and light- and transmission electron microscopy, cells were identified as Sanguina nivaloides and Sanguina aurantia (Chlorophyceae). In search for reasons for a cosmopolitan vs. a more restricted distribution of these microbes, significant differences in fatty acid and pigment profiles of field samples were found. S. aurantia accumulated much lower levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (21% vs. 48% of total fatty acids) and exhibited lower astaxanthin-to-chlorophyll-a ratio (2–8 vs. 12–18). These compounds play an important role in adaptation to extreme conditions at the snow surface and within snow drifts. Accordingly, the performance of photosystem II showed that one third to nearly half of the photosynthetic active irradiation was sufficient in S. aurantia, compared to S. nivaloides, to become light saturated. Furthermore, formation of plastoglobules observed in S. nivaloides but missing in S. aurantia may contribute to photoprotection. The rapid light curves of the two species show to a certain extent the shade-adapted photosynthesis under the light conditions at Svalbard (high α-value 0.16 vs. 0.11, low saturation point Ik 59 vs. 86). These results indicate significant physiological and ultrastructural differences of the two genetically closely related cryoflora species, but the reasons why S. aurantia has not been found at conditions outside (Sub-)Arctic climate types remain unknown.

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Glacial ecosystems are essential to understanding biodiversity responses to glacier retreat

Cited by 76 publications

References 15 publications

A hole in the nematosphere: tardigrades and rotifers dominate the cryoconite hole environment, whereas nematodes are missing

A hole in the nematosphere: tardigrades and rotifers dominate the cryoconite hole environment, whereas nematodes are missing

Rock glaciers and related cold rocky landforms: Overlooked climate refugia for mountain biodiversity

Ecophysiological and ultrastructural characterisation of the circumpolar orange snow alga Sanguina aurantia compared to the cosmopolitan red snow alga Sanguina nivaloides (Chlorophyta)

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