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STARRI
NG
JESAMINE BARTLETT & ERETMOPTERA MURPHYI
CO-
STARRIN
G
Professor Pete Convey & Dr Scott Hayward
In
association
with
University of Birmingham & British Antarctic
Survey
The ‘aliens’ are a midge species, Eretmoptera murphyi
oThey are in the family Chironomidae
oDetritovores living in moss & peat banks
oParthenogenic - all asexual females.
oThey have a life cycle of two years
oFlightless species, adults survive 7-10
days
oThey can respire underwater
oSurvive short periods of ice entrapment
oDo not freeze (SCP) until -19°C
oBoth eggs and larvae desiccation tolerant
oSurvive short periods up to 39°C
W H O A R E T H E S E A L I E N S ? !
B U T, W H E R E D I D T H EY COME FROM?
LOCAL TRANSECTS
THE SPREAD THROUGH
TIME
SIGNY
ISLAN D
TER RESTR I
AL
ECOS Y S T E M
oE. murphyi =
ONLY macro
invertebrate
oAcari and Collembola
oTardigrades, rotifers &
nematodes
oFungi
oBacteria
oMoss and alga
oRare vascular plants
oLow soil nutrients
oIn time, probably
yes!
oCurrently assessing
the impact of the
invasion on the
terrestrial
ecosystem of Signy
Island
M Y G O D ! T HE Y M A Y TA K E O V E R
T H E I S L A N D !
BUT , HOW DID YOU
DO THIS?!
‘THE T R O P H I C G R I D’
•E. Murphyi
•Other
inverts
•Microbiolo
gy
•SOC
•Veg %
cover
•Soil
nutrients
1m2
A N D W HAT
D O W E F IND?
Positive relationship 39%
TBC….still brewing!
Strong +ve relationship with
Total N 57% = nitrate/nitrite
relationships (92%)
Strong +ve relationship 67%
Strong –ve relationship 68%
Slight –ve relationship 8%
LOCAL A REA RESULTS
ISLAND LEVEL
RELEVANCE
CONCLUSIONS & FOLLOW U P
RESEARCH
A SINGLE MIDGE SPECIES IS IMPACTING SIMPLE ANTARCTIC ECOSYSTEMS
IT IS SPREADING RAPIDLY FROM THE INTRODUCTION SITE
HUMANS ARE THE MAIN VECTORS
IT IS TOLERANT OF CURRENT BIOSECURITY MEASURES
IT IS AN ALL OUT ALIEN INVADER!!!
With
thanks to
NERC
CENTA DTP
SIGNY
RESEARCH STATION
&