Publication details
Fenomén Velká kotlina 6. Členovci
| Title in English | Velká kotlina Phenomenon 6. Arthropods |
|---|---|
| Authors | |
| Year of publication | 2018 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Živa |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Web | http://ziva.avcr.cz/2018-6/fenomen-velka-kotlina-6-clenovci.html |
| Keywords | insects; arachnids and other invertebrates; Jeseníky Mts; fauna of the Czech Republic |
| Attached files | |
| Description | Arthropods are the most diverse taxon on a global scale. On a regional scale, the Velká kotlina cirque (Hrubý Jeseník Mts.) is one of the most species-rich localities, with a mixture of boreal species and taxa from the Carpathians and the Alps, inhabitants of warm lowlands mixed with representatives of cold mountains. The surprising species richness of arthropods is a consequence of habitat heterogeneity, maintained by the irregular dynamics of avalanches, as well as the postglacial isolation of the mountain range. Isolation facilitated a rise of endemic populations which further increased the awesome diversity of taxa bound to the Velká kotlina cirque. Unfortunately, long-term changes have not missed the invertebrate communities of such an exceptional locality either. Above all, populations of montane relics decrease, whereas the cirque is colonized by thermophilous species from the lowlands. These changes of arthropod fauna are a consequence of the vegetation shifts, reflecting the changing environmental conditions. These are strongly affected by humans, both directly and indirectly – e. g. by the role human population plays in global climate change. |