Winters are getting warmer, which makes it harder for the insect to survive.
An endemic insect of Antarctica may disappear due to climate change” />
For tens of millions of years, the wingless insect Belgica antarctica has perfected its adaptation to the cold in order to survive the darkest and coldest months of Antarctica, occupying an exclusive niche of the continent's only endemic insect.
But temperatures in the polar regions are rising rapidly. So, this acquired set of skills can, ironically, harm the very existence of the insect, putting it on the brink of extinction, reports Science Alert.
Read also: Antarctica is losing ice faster than ever in the last 5,500 years
Scientists from the USA, Great Britain and South Africa conducted laboratory experiments that showed that warmer winters affected the movement and energy reserves of insects. reduced the ego's chances of survival.
The size of the body of a tiny insect does not exceed a centimeter. It spends most of its life in one of the four larval stages among wet thickets of moss and algae, eating greens and rotting waste. But even his modest habitat freezes during harsh Antarctic winters. Therefore, the insect has developed a strategy that allows it not to die in such conditions.
As a protection against injuries caused by ice crystals penetrating its tissues, the midge dries slowly. Under the right conditions, individuals have a good chance of surviving the summer, even after losing up to three quarters of moisture.
But these chances largely depend on humidity and whether the creature receives moisture from water vapor or absorbs it directly from liquid water. Even small changes in environmental conditions can have serious consequences for its survival.
On the Antarctic Peninsula, the temperature of microclimates, similar to those where the midge lives, fluctuates between -5 and 0 degrees Celsius. They are protected by a layer of snow and ice, the temperature outside can drop sharply, but this will not affect the climate of the mosquito house.
As the temperature on the peninsula steadily rises by half a degree per decade, these relatively sheltered conditions may change. Higher temperatures can mean more precipitation, which means more snow, thicker insulation, and less chance of winter freezes.
During the research, the scientists collected insect larvae in the vicinity of the station on Anvers Island. Then they were sent to a laboratory in the USA, where they spent six months in conditions that are slightly different from the usual ones: from -5 to -1 degrees Celsius. In addition, they were placed in various types of environment, from algae to moss.
Individuals were thawed in melt water and checked for signs of movement, tissue damage, and energy reserves of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.
It turned out that a small difference in temperature strongly affects the recovery of insects. In typical conditions, about half of the insects survived. Having warmed up by only a few degrees, only a third survived. Energy reserves also differed significantly: in cold conditions, more fat and protein reserves were preserved than in warmer ones.
Scientists note that the least active were the larvae that lived in warmer winter conditions. This was probably due to the loss of energy.
“Due to the limited time until pupation after winter, as well as the fact that adults of B. antarctica lack a functional oral apparatus, the depletion of energy reserves in late larval stages will probably have irreversible consequences for the energy available for reproduction,” the scientists said.
At the moment it is difficult to say what will happen if the temperature continues to rise. This can be either a minor inconvenience or a blow that will lead the insects to extinction.
Previously scientists conducted a study that showed that soon rains will replace snowfalls as the most common types of precipitation in the Arctic >. This will happen due to climate changes and warming of the northern polar region of our planet.
See the special topic: A “sand battery” was created in Finland that will help fight climate change According to the developers, the battery should solve the main problem of green energy. Global warming can help open a sea route in the Arctic that is not controlled by Russia The Northern Sea Route is currently one of the few ways to sail across the Arctic. Warming in the Arctic: the temperature in the Barents Sea is “off the charts” Scientists believe that this can cause extreme weather events in the USA and Europe. Siberian tundra may disappear due to global warming As the temperature rises, forests will occupy northern territories. The snow-covered Alps are turning green, and the changes are already visible from space This is due to global warming.
