Wednesday, June 6, 2007 - 9:30 AM
203

Climate change and life cycle bottle-necks in Tubificidae

Piet F. M. Verdonschot, Centre for Ecosystem Studies, Alterra, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, P.O box 47, 6700 AA, Wageningen, Netherlands

To understand the effects of climate change on the life cycle stages of tubificids over the year, a huge amount of literature data was studied. Furthermore, the shifts in biogeographic distribution patterns were analyzed. The hypothesis of oligochaetes showing different life cycle features going from western to eastern or from northern to southern Europe was tested. Only incidentally a slight support for this hypothesis was found. Partly, this was due to an unequal spread of, often scattered, data over Europe. Going from western to eastern Europe the mature period lasted somewhat longer and reproductive period somewhat shorter for tubificids. Experimental laboratory data showed that most life cycle stages will be accelerated by a slight increase in temperature. The only but maybe crucial bottle-neck seems the hatching of the cocoons. Furthermore, we took as hypothesis that, based on the climate change predicted for The Netherlands, the waters would potentially be colonized by species currently occurring in the middle of France. Species with their most southern distribution boundary in The Netherlands will possibly become extinct. Within tubificids an overall species shift between 10-15% could occur in about 50 years.

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