The Plecoptera and Trichoptera of the Arctic North Slope of Alaska
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Western North American Naturalist Volume 74 Number 3 Article 2 11-4-2014 The Plecoptera and Trichoptera of the Arctic North Slope of Alaska Michael R. Kendrick University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, [email protected] Alexander D. Huryn University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/wnan Part of the Anatomy Commons, Botany Commons, Physiology Commons, and the Zoology Commons Recommended Citation Kendrick, Michael R. and Huryn, Alexander D. (2014) "The Plecoptera and Trichoptera of the Arctic North Slope of Alaska," Western North American Naturalist: Vol. 74 : No. 3 , Article 2. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/wnan/vol74/iss3/2 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Western North American Naturalist Publications at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Western North American Naturalist by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. Western North American Naturalist 74(3), © 2014, pp. 275–285 THE PLECOPTERA AND TRICHOPTERA OF THE ARCTIC NORTH SLOPE OF ALASKA Michael R. Kendrick1,2 and Alexander D. Huryn1 ABSTRACT.—The Arctic is currently experiencing changes in climate more rapid than in any other biome. This warm- ing trend has resulted in significant abiotic changes to the seasonal patterns of freshwater ecosystems. Thorough inven- tories of freshwater insect communities are required to provide benchmarks for the detection of range shifts in response to a warming climate. Though statewide studies have been conducted for Trichoptera and Plecoptera, species accounts for these orders in Arctic Alaska have received relatively little attention. We surveyed Plecoptera and Trichoptera of Alaska’s Arctic North Slope at a variety of habitat types over an 11-year period. We document new and historical collec- tion records for 24 species of Plecoptera and 33 species of Trichoptera on Alaska’s North Slope. Among these are 19 new North Slope records for Trichoptera (4 new state records) and 2 new North Slope records for Plecoptera. Our assess- ment of these taxa reveals communities of stoneflies and caddisflies that are distinct to Alaska’s North Slope and should be of clear conservation concern. Two major factors contributing to these unique communities include the function of the North Slope as a Beringian refuge from continental ice sheets and the occurrence of spring streams as refuge from seasonal winter ice. The North Slope of Alaska is predicted to undergo changes in climate and industrialization in com- ing years, and this species list will aid our understanding of how aquatic insect communities may respond to future changes in Arctic Alaska. RESUMEN.—El Ártico atraviesa actualmente cambios climáticos más rápidos que cualquier otro bioma. Esta tenden- cia al calentamiento ha resultado en cambios estacionales abióticos significativos en los patrones de los ecosistemas de agua dulce. Se requieren minuciosos inventarios de comunidades de insectos de agua dulce para proporcionar puntos de referencia que permitan la detección de cambios en el nivel de respuesta a un calentamiento climático. Si bien se han conducido estudios de Trichoptera y Plecoptera en todo el estado, recuentos de las especies de estos órdenes en el Ártico en Alaska han recibido relativamente poca atención. Examinamos la plecópteros y tricópteros de la ladera norte del Ártico en Alaska en una variedad de hábitats durante un período de 11 años. Documentamos nuevos e históricos registros de colecciones de 24 especies de Plecoptera y 33 especies de Trichoptera en la ladera norte de Alaska. Entre ellos se encuentran 19 nuevos registros de Trichoptera de la ladera norte (4 nuevos registros de estado) y 2 nuevos reg- istros de Plecoptera en la ladera norte. Nuestra evaluación de estos taxa revela comunidades de insectos del orden Ple- coptera distintos de los de la ladera norte de Alaska y deberían evidentemente ser de preocupación de conservación. Dos factores principales que contribuyen a estas comunidades únicas incluyen la ladera norte como un refugio Beringiano de las placas de hielo continental y la existencia de corrientes primaverales como refugio de la estación de hielo invernal. Se prevé que la ladera norte de Alaska sufrirá cambios en el clima e industrialización en años venideros y esta lista de especies ayudará a nuestro entendimiento de cómo las comunidades de insectos acuáticos pueden respon- der a futuros cambios en el Ártico de Alaska. Climate change is currently altering ecosys- highly correlated with the range extensions tem structure and function in Arctic eco - of many insect species (Chen et al. 2011), and systems, where temperatures are rising due it is thus likely that populations of freshwater to the polar amplification of greenhouse warm - insects in the Arctic are undergoing range ing (Hinzman et al. 2005, Chapin et al. 2006, adjustments in response to climate warming Martin et al. 2009). This warming trend has (ACIA 2005). Similarly, it is anticipated that already resulted in significant changes in the lower-latitude species will eventually expand seasonality of freshwater habitats in Arctic their ranges into the Arctic (ACIA 2005). and Boreal North America, where the spring Thorough inventories of freshwater insect breakup of winter river ice has showed suc- com munities are thus required to provide cessively earlier dates over the past 6 decades benchmarks for the detection of range shifts (White et al. 2007, de Rham et al. 2008, Tape of species in response to a warming climate. et al. 2011). Increasing temperatures are Unfortunately, records documenting the 1Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0206. 2E-mail: [email protected] 275 276 WESTERN NORTH AMERICAN NATURALIST [Volume 74 distributions of freshwater insect species of from alpine to coastal plain from locations pri- the Arctic regions of Alaska are limited. The marily in the Kuparuk, Sagavanirktok, Ivishak distribution of the Ephemeroptera (McCaf- and Noatak River drainages of the central and ferty 1985, Randolph and McCafferty 2005), eastern North Slope (Table 1). Larvae were Plecoptera (Stewart and Oswood 2006), and collected in the same habitats and locations Trichoptera (Nimmo 1986) in Alaska have by use of kicknets and other sampling devices. been documented at the statewide level. Few Light traps, which are extremely effective for studies, however, have focused exclusively on collecting adult caddisflies, could not be used the Arctic. Weber (1950), for example, is the due to continuous daylight during summer. only relatively comprehensive source that in - As a consequence, sticky traps (n = 12) were cludes records for the occurrence of freshwa- deployed in the riparian zones of 8 streams ter insect taxa while specifically treating the along the North Slope section of the Dalton North Slope, where changes in the ranges of Highway (30 June–9 August 2011) and re - Alaskan insects as a result of climate warming covered at ~1-week intervals. These traps are anticipated to be most significant. consisted of standard overhead projector trans- Herein we provide an updated synopsis of parencies that were coated with Tanglefoot® new and historical distribution records of the (The Tanglefoot Company, Grand Rapids, MI). Plecoptera and Trichoptera of the Arctic North Voucher specimens from this collection will Slope (including the Noatak River basin) of be available through Brigham Young Univer- Alaska. It is our intent that this synopsis will sity’s insect collection (R. Baumann personal provide a readily available benchmark for the communication). detection of future changes in the ranges of freshwater invertebrates in this region. SPECIES LIST New and historical records documenting METHODS the occurrence of Plecoptera and Trichoptera We conducted this study on the central and are provided in the following list. The family- eastern North Slope of Arctic Alaska. The level structure of the list follows Stewart and North Slope is a relatively large region with Oswood (2006) for the Plecoptera and Wiggins an area roughly equal to that of Nebraska (1996) for the Trichoptera. Records taken from (~200,000 km2) and is bounded on the north the literature, and not from our 2001–2012 by the Arctic Ocean and on the south by the collections, are indicated by the following Brooks Range. It is subject to average monthly superscripts: air temperatures of –30 to –27 °C in January aStewart and Oswood 2006 (warmer temperatures near the coast of the bNimmo 1986 Arctic Ocean; colder temperatures inland) and cWeber 1950 5 to 13 °C in July (colder temperatures near dWiggins and Richardson 1986 eSchmid 1964 the coast; warmer temperatures inland). The fWiggins 1998 North Slope typically receives a minimum of gGlesne and Deschermeier 1984 150 mm of annual precipitation near the coast hHershey et al. 1997 and 550 mm of precipitation in some areas of iZenger and Baumann 2004 jStewart and Ricker 1997 the Brooks Range; snowfall is possible on any kWiggins and Parker 1997 day of the year (Huryn and Hobbie 2012). This treeless tundra region is underlain by a Previously undocumented Alaskan North Slope continuous layer of permafrost and is covered records are preceded by an asterisk (*), while by vegetation dominated by cottongrass (Erio- new Alaska state records are preceded by 2 phorum), dwarf birches (Betula), willows (Salix), asterisks (**). Date format is dd/mm/yyyy, and mosses (primarily Sphagnum), sedges (Carex), specimens are characterized as “m” for males and lichens (Huryn and Hobbie 2012). Stone- and “f” for females. Names of species docu- flies (Plecoptera) and caddisflies (Trichoptera) mented from the Arctic north slope drainages were collected during the summer periods of of the Yukon Territory, Canada are preceded 2001–2012. Adults were collected by hand and by a double dagger (‡) and are included for aerial net along rivers, streams, springs, wet- reference, but only Alaska specimens are lands, ponds, and lakes in habitats ranging included in further analyses.