Poleward bound: biological impacts of Southern Hemisphere glaciation.
Postglacial recolonisation patterns are well documented for the Northern Hemisphere biota, but comparable processes in the Southern Hemisphere have only recently been examined. In the largely terrestrial Northern Hemisphere, recession of ice after the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) allowed various taxa, including slow-moving terrestrial species, to migrate poleward. By contrast, the Southern Hemisphere polar region is completely ringed by ocean, and recolonisation of Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic islands has thus presented considerable challenges. Although a few highly dispersive marine species have been able to recolonise postglacially, most surviving high-latitude taxa appear to have persisted throughout glacial maxima in local refugia. These contrasting patterns highlight the importance of habitat continuity in facilitating biological range shifts in response to climate change.
Lutte Biologique et Ecologie Spatiale, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 50 av FD Roosevelt - CP 160/12, 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium. ceridwen.fraser@gmail.com
Ceridwen I
CI
Fraser
Raisa
R
Nikula
Daniel E
DE
Ruzzante
Jonathan M
JM
Waters
D000818:Animals; D000864:Antarctic Regions; D005075:Biological Evolution; D057231:Climate Change; D017753:Ecosystem; D046448:Ice Cover; D010944:Plants; D011157:Population Dynamics; D013997:Time Factors