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Comparisons are made of the adaptations of invertebrates from polar deserts with those of temperate and subtropical deserts. These regions represent some of the most hostile environments on earth and an array of strategies for survival has been developed. Polar species are well adapted to cold and experience arid conditions due to low precipitation and lack of liquid water during the winter. Similarly, temperate desert invertebrates are adapted to dry conditions and are also exposed to low winter temperatures.
Terrestrial arthropods maintain their water balance through behavioural and physiological adaptations. Tardigrades and nematodes are remarkable in their ability to lose all their water, enter a state of anhydrobiosis and be revived when moisture becomes available again.
List of contents
1 The Climate of Arid Environments.- 1.1 Subtropical and Temperate Deserts.- 1.2 Polar Deserts.- 1.3 The Limitation of Water in Antarctic Terrestrial Ecosystems.- 1.4 Conclusions.- 2 The Fauna of Hot and Cold Arid Deserts.- 2.1 The Diversity of Hot Desert Invertebrates.- 2.2 The Fauna of Polar Regions.- 2.3 Comparison of Hot and Cold Arid Environments.- 3 Tolerance to Arid Conditions in Terrestrial Arthropods.- 3.1 Microarthropods.- 3.2 Coleoptera.- 3.3 Other Terrestrial Arthropods.- 3.4 Conclusions.- 4 The Physiology of Tolerance to Desiccation.- 4.1 Introduction.- 4.2 Evaporative Water Losses.- 4.3 The Cuticula of Terrestrial Arthropods.- 4.4 Water Absorption.- 4.5 Osmoregulation.- 4.6 Conclusions.- 5 Anhydrobiosis in Terrestrial Invertebrates.- 5.1 Introduction.- 5.2 Nematodes.- 5.3 Tardigrades.- 5.4 Rotifers.- 5.5 Terrestrial Arthropods.- 5.6 Biochemical Aspects of Anhydrobiosis.- 5.7 Conclusions.- 6 Behavioural Adaptations.- 6.1 Arthropods from Hot Deserts.- 6.2 Polar and Alpine Terrestrial Arthropods.- 7 Phenological Adaptations.- 7.1 Life Cycles.- 7.2 Diapause and Quiescence.- 8 Water Balance During Overwintering.- 8.1 Introduction.- 8.2 Choice of Overwintering Sites.- 8.3 Moisture Content of Overwintering Sites.- 8.4 Inoculative Freezing.- 8.5 The Effect of Dehydration on Cold Hardiness.- 8.6 Conclusions.- 9 Cold Hardiness in Terrestrial Arthropods.- 9.1 Introduction.- 9.2 Concepts of Cold Hardiness.- 9.3 Freeze Susceptible Species.- 9.4 Freeze Tolerant Species.- 9.5 Freeze Tolerance Versus Freeze Avoidance.- 10 Hot Desert Arthropods at Low Temperatures.- 10.1 Preadaptation to Cold.- 10.2 Cold Hardiness of Different Taxa.- 10.3 Conclusions.- 11 Cold Tolerance in "Lower" Invertebrates.- 11.1 Nematodes.- 11.2 Tardigrades.- 11.3 Rotifers.- 11.4 LumbricidEarthworms.- 11.5 Conclusions.- 12 Summary and Concluding Remarks.- 12.1 Deserts.- 12.2 The Fauna.- 12.3 Behaviour.- 12.4 Life Cycles.- 12.5 Terrestrial Arthropods and Aridity.- 12.6 Cold Hardiness.- 12.7 Combined Tolerance of Cold and Drought.- 12.8 Anhydrobiosis.- References.
