What are the next big questions for the collembolan species of Marion Island?
Madise N01, Rastorgueff PA1, Monsanto DM1, Jagatap H1 and Jansen van Vuuren B1
1Molecular Zoology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg,
South Africa modiseoageng@gmail.com
Marion Island has a high diversity of springtails which are used as models to understand community and genetic structure across this sub-Antarctic region. These organisms can be studied to understand the dynamics of their community structure. To identify these, questions were developed to assist with future studies regarding springtails. In considering the community ecology of springtails, questions to ask include: How do environmental changes influence species diversity on Marion Island? How does competition for resources and living space affect species abundance and diversity? The extent of movement of individuals between adjacent Azore/la cushion plants and the effect on the diversity and abundance thereof? In addition, introduced springtail species are found on Marion Island, which poses questions regarding introduced and native species. With regard to this, the questions to ask are: How do introduced species co-exist and interact with native species across the island and their effect on the abundance of native species? Along with this, several individuals of different species across the island have been sequenced and will be added to a barcoding library to aid future species identification.
