Influence of climate changes on animal communities in space and time : the case of spider assemblages along an alpine glacier foreland
Articolo
Data di Pubblicazione:
2006
Citazione:
Influence of climate changes on animal communities in space and time : the case of spider assemblages along an alpine glacier foreland / M. Gobbi , D. Fontaneto, F. De Bernardi. - In: GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY. - ISSN 1354-1013. - 12:10(2006), pp. 1985-1992.
Abstract:
The impact of global warming in space and time is described for species assemblages of
wandering spiders along the alpine glacier foreland of the Forni Valley (Northern Italy).
We tested the effect of environmental variables (e.g. elevation, age of glacier retreat,
vegetation cover, debris cover) on species richness and on species composition of spiders.
Age of glacier retreat was the only significant variable influencing spider species
assemblages in the valley. A spatially structured distribution of species and species
assemblages along the chronosequence of glacier retreat was evidenced. The threshold
abruptly differentiating two groups of species richness and species composition fell
between sites deglaciated 100 and 155 years before the analysis. Latitudinal shifts
towards the poles in species ranges at the global scale in response to climatic changes
are known, and an altitudinal shift in species range should be expected for spiders at the
local scale of the Forni Valley. Such a shift is present in spider species assemblages,
although not as an expected gradual change in species richness and composition, but
with a threshold effect after one century of glacier retreat. We discuss our results in the
light of plausible future scenarios due to global warming, the consequence of further
glacier retreats onto spiders, and caveats for monitoring studies.
Tipologia IRIS:
01 - Articolo su periodico
Keywords:
Altitudinal shift; Araneae; Forni Glacier; Glacier retreats; Global change; Species richness; Threshold effect
Elenco autori:
M. Gobbi , D. Fontaneto, F. De Bernardi
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