Environmental tolerances of an invasive terrestrial amphipod, Arcitalitrus dorrieni (Hunt) in Britain.
We investigated key physiological tolerances of the invasive euterrestrial talitrid amphipod (or landhopper) Arcitalitrus dorrieni; desiccation, salt, high and low temperatures. The critical relative humidity below which, A. dorrieni experiences desiccation stress is very high (95-100%), making it completely reliant on the leaflitter/soil microhabitat. It is tolerant of a wide range of (sea) salt concentrations (5-750 mOsmol l(-1)) but is extremely vulnerable below 5 mOsmol l(-1). A. dorrieni does not tolerate low temperatures with a mean lower limit of 1.4 degrees C, but with no individual surviving <0 degrees C. The range of upper thermal tolerance (30-37.3 degrees C) was similar to that found for other landhopper and beachflea species. Based on its tolerance to these environmental factors it is suggested that A. dorrieni has a limited potential to invade further into Britain, being restricted to areas with sufficiently high ion concentrations and mild winters.
Cowling
Jenny E
JE
Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK.
Spicer
John I
JI
Weeks
Jason M
JM
Gaston
Kevin J
KJ
D000064:Acclimatization / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D003080:Cold Temperature; D004777:Environment; D006110:Grasshoppers / Q000502:physiology*; D006813:Humidity; D012492:Salts / Q000494:pharmacology; D015996:Survival Rate; D006113:United Kingdom
D012492:Salts