Poleward bound: biological impacts of Southern Hemisphere glaciation

• Published in: Trends in ecology & evolution (Amsterdam) Vol. 27; no. 8; pp. 462 - 471
• Main Authors: Fraser, Ceridwen I., Nikula, Raisa, Ruzzante, Daniel E., Waters, Jonathan M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-08-2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Antarctic Regions; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Evolution; Climate Change; Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife; Ecosystem; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; glaciation; ice; Ice Cover; islands; Marine; Plants; Population Dynamics; refuge habitats; Time Factors; Southern Hemisphere; Antarctic Regions; PS, Antarctica; Glaciation
• ISSN: 0169-5347; 1872-8383
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2012.04.011

Postglacial recolonisation patterns are well documented for the Northern Hemisphere biota, but comparable processes in the Southern Hemisphere have only recently been examined. In the largely terrestrial Northern Hemisphere, recession of ice after the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) allowed various taxa, including slow-moving terrestrial species, to migrate poleward. By contrast, the Southern Hemisphere polar region is completely ringed by ocean, and recolonisation of Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic islands has thus presented considerable challenges. Although a few highly dispersive marine species have been able to recolonise postglacially, most surviving high-latitude taxa appear to have persisted throughout glacial maxima in local refugia. These contrasting patterns highlight the importance of habitat continuity in facilitating biological range shifts in response to climate change.