Snow microinvertebrates from lowlands, high mountains and the Arctic—implications for conservation efforts
Abstract
The protection of cryospheric ecosystems and their biota cannot be properly defined without a detailed species inventory. Snow microinvertebrates are crucial for estimating cryophilic biodiversity, yet they are poorly described at broader spatial scales. To fill this knowledge gap, we collected samples from different snow surfaces in the Pyrenees, European Alps, Tatra Mts. (Poland), Baltic states (Latvia and Estonia), central Norway, Svalbard, and Alaska between 2021–2025. Snow was collected from glacier and glacieret surfaces and forefields, mountain valleys and slopes, and forest floors. Invertebrates were identified by morphological and DNA-based approaches. Collectively, we found representatives of Tardigrada, Rotifera, Nematoda, Acari and Collembola. Tardigrades were found in all sampling localities, and along with rotifers were the most abundant invertebrate groups. Tardigrades and rotifers reached the highest population densities with ~ 7,600 individuals per liter of melted snow in the Tatra Mts., Poland. In general, we found invertebrates typical for glacial ecosystems (e.g., certain species of Tardigrada) and those likely transported by wind to snow surfaces (e.g., Acari). Rotifers on non-glacial snow were different species from those in the snow on glaciers. The glacier tardigrade Fontourion glaciale was found on snow in Svalbard and the Tatra Mts., while dark-pigmented tardigrades represent the same species on snow in the Pyrenees and in the Tatra Mts. Some invertebrates found on snow represent new or putatively new species. We present here a first assessment of snow microfauna across latitudes, which identifies similarities and differences in faunal composition between glacial- and non-glacial snow, and consider the role of snow algae in sustaining invertebrates. Our data suggests that snowfields and glacierets may function as refugia during warm climatic periods for certain cryophiles (e.g., during summer in polar and high mountain regions, through interglacials) and therefore require conservation efforts.
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BibTeX
@article{zawierucha2026snow,
title = {{Snow microinvertebrates from lowlands, high mountains and the Arctic—implications for conservation efforts}},
author = {Krzysztof Zawierucha and Artur Trzebny and Dzmitry Lukashanets and Ronald Laniecki and Marija Kataržytė and Greta Kalvaitienė and Barbara Valle and Jakub Kowalik and Maria Stachowiak and Daniel Shain and Roberto Ambrosini and Gentile Francesco Ficetola and Masato Ono and Zofia Kujawa and Filip Marcinkowski and Róża Ulikowska and Kinga Skoczeń and Szymon Strapagiel and Paulina Orska and Klaudia Świtała and Mikołaj Jastrzębski and Lenka Procházková and Daniel Remias and Franciszek Kornobis and Bogdan Gądek and Jakub Buda},
journal = {Biodiversity and Conservation},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1007/s10531-026-03415-8},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05786485v1},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Snow microinvertebrates from lowlands, high mountains and the Arctic—implications for conservation efforts
AU - Krzysztof Zawierucha
AU - Artur Trzebny
AU - Dzmitry Lukashanets
AU - Ronald Laniecki
AU - Marija Kataržytė
AU - Greta Kalvaitienė
AU - Barbara Valle
AU - Jakub Kowalik
AU - Maria Stachowiak
AU - Daniel Shain
AU - Roberto Ambrosini
AU - Gentile Francesco Ficetola
AU - Masato Ono
AU - Zofia Kujawa
AU - Filip Marcinkowski
AU - Róża Ulikowska
AU - Kinga Skoczeń
AU - Szymon Strapagiel
AU - Paulina Orska
AU - Klaudia Świtała
AU - Mikołaj Jastrzębski
AU - Lenka Procházková
AU - Daniel Remias
AU - Franciszek Kornobis
AU - Bogdan Gądek
AU - Jakub Buda
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/22
JO - Biodiversity and Conservation
DO - 10.1007/s10531-026-03415-8
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05786485v1
AB - The protection of cryospheric ecosystems and their biota cannot be properly defined without a detailed species inventory. Snow microinvertebrates are crucial for estimating cryophilic biodiversity, yet they are poorly described at broader spatial scales. To fill this knowledge gap, we collected samples from different snow surfaces in the Pyrenees, European Alps, Tatra Mts. (Poland), Baltic states (Latvia and Estonia), central Norway, Svalbard, and Alaska between 2021–2025. Snow was collected from glacier and glacieret surfaces and forefields, mountain valleys and slopes, and forest floors. Invertebrates were identified by morphological and DNA-based approaches. Collectively, we found representatives of Tardigrada, Rotifera, Nematoda, Acari and Collembola. Tardigrades were found in all sampling localities, and along with rotifers were the most abundant invertebrate groups. Tardigrades and rotifers reached the highest population densities with ~ 7,600 individuals per liter of melted snow in the Tatra Mts., Poland. In general, we found invertebrates typical for glacial ecosystems (e.g., certain species of Tardigrada) and those likely transported by wind to snow surfaces (e.g., Acari). Rotifers on non-glacial snow were different species from those in the snow on glaciers. The glacier tardigrade Fontourion glaciale was found on snow in Svalbard and the Tatra Mts., while dark-pigmented tardigrades represent the same species on snow in the Pyrenees and in the Tatra Mts. Some invertebrates found on snow represent new or putatively new species. We present here a first assessment of snow microfauna across latitudes, which identifies similarities and differences in faunal composition between glacial- and non-glacial snow, and consider the role of snow algae in sustaining invertebrates. Our data suggests that snowfields and glacierets may function as refugia during warm climatic periods for certain cryophiles (e.g., during summer in polar and high mountain regions, through interglacials) and therefore require conservation efforts.
SN - 0960-3115
SN - 1572-9710
ER -