Global warning: challenges, threats and opportunities for ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in high altitude habitats

  • Mauro Gobbi Section of Invertebrate Zoology and Hydrobiology, MUSE-Science Museum, Corso del Lavoro e della Scienza 3, I-38122 Trento, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1704-4857
Keywords: global warning, Carabidae, climatic refugia, debris-covered glaciers, glacier forelands, rock glaciers

Abstract

Aim of this paper is to provide the first comprehensive synthesis about ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) distribution in high altitude habitats. Specifically, the attention is focused on the species assemblages living on the most common ice-related mountain landforms (glaciers, debris-covered glaciers, glacier forelands and rock glaciers) and the challenges, threats and opportunities carabids living in these habitats have to face concerning the ongoing climate warming. The suggested role of the ice-related alpine landforms, as present climatic refugia for cold-adapted ground beetles, is discussed. Finally, the needs to develop a large-scale High-alpine Biodiversity Monitoring Program to describe how the current climate change is shaping the distribution of high altitude specialists is highlighted. 

Published
2020-12-28
How to Cite
GobbiM. (2020). Global warning: challenges, threats and opportunities for ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in high altitude habitats. Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae, 66(Suppl.), 5-20. https://doi.org/10.17109/AZH.66.Suppl.5.2020