Entomology of Antarctica

Download or read book Entomology of Antarctica written by J. Linsley Gressitt and published by American Geophysical Union. This book was released on 1967 with total page 394 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Antarctic Research Series, Volume 10. The existence of insects, mites, and their relatives on the antarctic continent is of great interest to many. These terrestrial arthropods may be said to be the dominant land animals in the absence of land vertebrates and many major groups of invertebrates. They are important in the simple food cycles which involve most segments of the land flora and microorganisms, and they play a part in soil formation. Thus a knowledge of their ecology is essential to the understanding of various biotic balances and processes. That several species live in the area of 85°S latitude in the face of harsh climatic factors is of great concern to the ecologist and the physiologist—therin lie many unanswered questions for future research.