Freeze tolerance in an arctic Alaska stonefly.
Most aquatic insects do not survive subzero temperatures and, for those that do, the physiology has not been well characterized. Nemoura arctica is a species of stonefly widely distributed throughout arctic and subarctic Alaska. We collected nymphs from the headwaters of the Chandalar River, where we recorded streambed temperatures as low as -12.7 degrees C in midwinter. When in contact with ice, autumn-collected N. arctica cool to -1.5+/-0.4 degrees C before freezing, but individuals survived temperatures as low as -15 degrees C, making this the first described species of freeze-tolerant stonefly. N. arctica clearly survive freezing in nature, as winter-collected nymphs encased in ice demonstrated high survivorship when thawed. In the laboratory, 87% of N. arctica nymphs frozen to -15 degrees C for 2.5 weeks survived and, within one month of thawing, 95% of the last-instar nymphs emerged. N. arctica produce both glycerol and ice-binding factors (e.g. antifreeze protein) in response to low temperature. Hemolymph glycerol concentrations increased from 3 mmol l(-1) to 930+/-114 mmol l(-1) when temperatures were decreased from 4 degrees C to -8 degrees C, and N. arctica continued to produce glycerol even while frozen. Although the hemolymph of individual cold-acclimated nymphs occasionally exhibited more than a degree of thermal hysteresis, typically the hemolymph exhibited only hexagonal crystal growth, indicating a low concentration of ice-binding factor. Hemolymph of nymphs acclimated to subzero temperatures had recrystallization inhibition. These results demonstrate that, in the face of freezing conditions, N. arctica exhibit overwintering adaptations similar to those of terrestrial insects.
Walters
Kent R
KR
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA. kwalter2@nd.edu
Sformo
Todd
T
Barnes
Brian M
BM
Duman
John G
JG
D000064:Acclimatization; D000413:Alaska; D000818:Animals; D021301:Antifreeze Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D001834:Body Water; D001835:Body Weight; D003080:Cold Temperature; D003451:Cryoprotective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D003460:Crystallization; D005615:Freezing; D007313:Insecta / Q000502:physiology*; D009758:Nymph / Q000378:metabolism; D012621:Seasons
D021301:Antifreeze Proteins; D003451:Cryoprotective Agents