Arthropod diversity in the alpine tundra using metabarcoding: Spatial and temporal differences in alpha- and...

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Environmental Science
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Arctic-alpine biomes face ecological challenges, necessitating understanding of local adaptation.
• Arthropods, the most diverse metazoan taxon, are key indicators of ecosystem health.
• Previous studies have not utilized metabarcoding in Alpine tundra to assess arthropod diversity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of micro-environmental parameters on arthropod alpha- and beta-diversity in Alpine tundra.
• To characterize small-scale biodiversity patterns of arthropods using metabarcoding.
• To assess the impact of niche features on arthropod community structure.

Main Methods:

• Pitfall traps were deployed at three middle-alpine sites in Norway.
• DNA metabarcoding was used to identify arthropod Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs).
• Micro-environmental data (air/soil temperature, soil moisture) were continuously recorded.

Main Results:

• A total of 233 Arthropoda OTUs were identified.
• Unique OTUs per location exceeded shared OTUs, indicating niche-driven community structure.
• Soil moisture and soil temperature were the primary drivers of spatial and temporal arthropod diversity differences.

Conclusions:

• Arctic-alpine ecosystems exhibit fine-scale heterogeneity impacting arthropod communities.
• Metabarcoding reveals that traditional methods underestimate arthropod diversity in alpine tundra.
• Integrating environmental data and modern taxonomic techniques is crucial for understanding biogeographical patterns.