@article {4578, title = {Antarctic ecosystems in transition {\textendash} life between stresses and opportunities}, journal = {Biological Reviews}, year = {2021}, month = {06/2021}, abstract = {

Important findings from the second decade of the 21st century on the impact of environmental change on biological processes in the Antarctic were synthesised by 26 international experts. Ten key messages emerged that have stakeholder-relevance and/or a high impact for the scientific community. They address (i) altered biogeochemical cycles, (ii) ocean acidification, (iii) climate change hotspots, (iv) unexpected dynamism in seabed-dwelling populations, (v) spatial range shifts, (vi) adaptation and thermal resilience, (vii) sea ice related biological fluctuations, (viii) pollution, (ix) endangered terrestrial endemism and (x) the discovery of unknown habitats. Most Antarctic biotas are exposed to multiple stresses and considered vulnerable to environmental change due to narrow tolerance ranges, rapid change, projected circumpolar impacts, low potential for timely genetic adaptation, and migration barriers. Important ecosystem functions, such as primary production and energy transfer between trophic levels, have already changed, and biodiversity patterns have shifted. A confidence assessment of the degree of \‘scientific understanding\’ revealed an intermediate level for most of the more detailed sub-messages, indicating that process-oriented research has been successful in the past decade. Additional efforts are necessary, however, to achieve the level of robustness in scientific knowledge that is required to inform protection measures of the unique Antarctic terrestrial and marine ecosystems, and their contributions to global biodiversity and ecosystem services.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM, adaptation, benthic dynamism, biogeochemical cycles, climate change, invasion, new habitats, ocean acidification, Primary production, range shifts, sea ice}, doi = {10.1111/brv.12679}, url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/brv.12679}, author = {Gutt, Julian and Isla, Enrique and Xavier, Jos{\'e} C. and Adams, Byron J. and Ahn, In-Young and Cheng, C.-H. Christina and Colesie, Claudia and Cummings, Vonda J. and di Prisco, Guido and Griffiths, Huw J. and Ian Hawes and Hogg, Ian D. and McIntyre, Trevor and Meiners, Klaus M. and Pearce, David A. and Lloyd S. Peck and Piepenburg, Dieter and Reisinger, Ryan R. and Saba, Grace and Schloss, Irene R. and Signori, Camila N. and Smith, Craig R. and Vacchi, Marino and Verde, Cinzia and Diana H. Wall} } @inbook {3221, title = {Antarctic Terrestrial Microbiology : Invertebrates}, year = {2014}, pages = {55 - 78}, publisher = {Springer Berlin Heidelberg}, organization = {Springer Berlin Heidelberg}, address = {Berlin, Heidelberg}, abstract = {

Terrestrial invertebrates are the largest permanent residents for much of the Antarctic continent with body lengths \< 2 mm for most. The fauna consists of the arthropod taxa Collembola (springtails) and Acari (mites) as well as the microinvertebrates Nematoda, Tardigrada and Rotifera. Diversity in continental Antarctica is lower compared with warmer regions such as the Antarctic Peninsula and the subantarctic islands and several taxa such as the arthropods have considerably restricted distributions. The highest diversity of invertebrates is found along the Transantarctic Mountains of the Ross Sea Region and taxa are likely to be relicts from a warmer past that have survived in glacial refugia. Dispersal among the extremely fragmented Antarctic landscape is likely to be limited to transport via fresh- or salt-waters, particularly for the arthropod taxa, although long-distance wind dispersal is also possible for the microinvertebrates. Invertebrates possess several adaptations to low moisture levels and extreme cold temperatures in Antarctica. For example, nematodes and tardigrades avoid extreme dry and cold temperatures by entering a desiccation-resistant anhydrobiotic state. In contrast, arthropods do not have such a resistant state and freezing is lethal. Adaptations for the arthropod taxa include freeze avoidance and the production of intracellular, antifreeze proteins. Climate changes in Antarctica are likely to pose significant challenges for the invertebrate fauna. Changes in temperature, soil moisture and associated shifts in taxon distributions as well as the potential for non-indigenous species introductions are all likely to have considerable impacts on the Antarctic fauna. From a conservation perspective, there is a pressing need for terrestrial observation networks to record the present state of Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems as well as to monitor impending changes. Biosecurity measures which minimize species introductions or transfers of organisms within Antarctica will be essential.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, isbn = {978-3-642-45212-3}, doi = {10.1007/978-3-642-45213-0_4}, url = {http://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/978-3-642-45213-0_4}, author = {Hogg, Ian D. and Stevens, Mark I. and Diana H. Wall}, editor = {Cowan, Don A.} }