Climatic severity and the response to temperature elevation of Arctic aphids |
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| Authors: | AT STRATHDEE JS BALE FC STRATHDEE WC BLOCK † SJ COULSON ‡ NR WEBB§ I D HODKINSON‡ |
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| Institution: | School of Biological Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK;British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 OET, UK;School of Biological and Earth Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool L3 3AF, UK;Furzebrook Research Station, NERC Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, Wareham, Dorset BH20 5AS, UK |
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| Abstract: | - 1 Theory suggests that any given rise in temperature resulting from climate change will have its greatest effect on high Arctic ecosystems where growing seasons are short and temperatures low.
- 2 A small temperature rise, similar to that predicted for the middle of the next century, has profound effects on a population of the high Arctic, Dryas-feeding aphid Acyrthosiphon svalbardicum on Spitsbergen (Strathdee et al. 1993a).
- 3 Here comparative experiments on a closely related Dryas-feeding species, A. brevicorne, at two contrasting sub-Arctic sites are described. Together with the results from Spitsbergen these sites represent two colder sites (high Arctic and upland sub-Arctic) and one warmer site (lowland sub-Arctic).
- 4 Differential responses in aphid population density and overwintering egg production to temperature elevation support the hypothesis that the ecological effects are greatest at sites with the most severe climates; however, there is no similar gradient in advancement of host plant phenology with warming.
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| Keywords: | altitude aphid Arctic climate change latitude temperature |
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