title: Genetic diversity among populations of Antarctic springtails (Collembola) within the Mackay Glacier ecotone.
abstract: Climate changes are likely to have major influences on the distribution and abundance of Antarctic terrestrial biota. To assess arthropod distribution and diversity within the Ross Sea region, we examined mitochondrial DNA (COI) sequences for three currently recognized species of springtail (Collembola) collected from sites in the vicinity, and to the north of, the Mackay Glacier (77°S). This area acts as a transition between two biogeographic regions (northern and southern Victoria Land). We found populations of highly divergent individuals (5%-11.3% intraspecific sequence divergence) for each of the three putative springtail species, suggesting the possibility of cryptic diversity. Based on molecular clock estimates, these divergent lineages are likely to have been isolated for 3-5 million years. It was during this time that the Western Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) was likely to have completely collapsed, potentially facilitating springtail dispersal via rafting on running waters and open seaways. The reformation of the WAIS would have isolated newly established populations, with subsequent dispersal restricted by glaciers and ice-covered areas. Given the currently limited distributions for these genetically divergent populations, any future changes in species' distributions can be easily tracked through the DNA barcoding of springtails from within the Mackay Glacier ecotone.
authors.affiliation: a School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Clare R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Beet
authors.affiliation: a School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Ian D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Hogg
authors.affiliation: a School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Gemma E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.affiliation: b Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics, and Genomics Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
authors.forename: Don A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Cowan
authors.affiliation: c Department of Biology, Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
authors.forename: Diana H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Wall
authors.affiliation: d Evolutionary Ecology Laboratories, Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA.|e Monte L. Bean Life Sciences Museum, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA.
authors.forename: Byron J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Adams
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000864:Antarctic Regions; D001181:Arthropods / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000235:genetics; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005828:Genetics, Population; D006239:Haplotypes; D010802:Phylogeny
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV
keywords: Antarcticinella monoculata; Cryptopygus nivicolus; Gomphiocephalus hodgsoni; biomonitoring; biosurveillance; changements climatiques; climate change