The Irish Naturalists' Journal, Special Supplement, Postglacial Colonisation Conference: Mind the Gap (2008)
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9 pages
Over the last 25 years, since the 1983 conference, a range of new evidence has emerged on the changing nature of the post-glacial insect fauna of Ireland. Modern entomological research, especially new surveys and re-evaluation of existing collections, is continually improving our understanding of the Irish fauna (e.g. . However, findings from palaeoentomological analyses, particularly sub-fossil beetle remains, from various locations throughout Ireland have been particularly illuminating in filling gaps in our knowledge (e.g. . This paper will attempt to evaluate these findings in order to address the following questions:
Anderson, R. (2007a) Epuraea distincta (Grimmer) (Nitidulidae) new to Ireland. Coleopterist 16: 130. Anderson, R. (2007b) Mycetophagus multipunctatus Fabricius (Mycetophagidae) new to Ireland. Coleopterist 16: 100. Anderson R (2008a) Prionocyphon serricornis (Müller) (Scirtidae) in Northern Ireland. Coleopterist 17: 123-4. Anderson, R. (2008b) New records for Siagonium quadricorne Kirby and Atheta fungicola (Thomson) and Atheta crassicornis (Fab.
Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research, 2001
A series of sedimentary profiles derived from the Lac Long Inférieur peat-bog (2090 m altitude, southern Alps) enabled the tracing of the evolution of successive fossil insect assemblages (Coleoptera, Hymenoptera Formicidae, Diptera Bibionidae, Trichoptera, Megaloptera and Nevroptera) from the Würm deglaciation to the present in this part of Vallée des Merveilles. This evolution reflects the climatic changes and hence the vegetation changes, as well as the human impact on the environment since neolithic times. During deglaciation, an episode marked by very poor fossil insect assemblages was followed by one with abundant boreo-alpine Coleoptera dependent on melting snow and steppe Coleoptera. This episode corresponds to the Younger Dryas climatic deterioration (10 970 ± 210 yr BP; 10 430 ± 210 yr BP) during which a steppe vegetation prevailed. The sudden fall in the number of insects belonging to cold environments marks the beginning of the Holocene warming. During the Preboreal and the Boreal period (8801 ± 54 yr BP; 8692 ± 53 yr BP) these insects disappear almost totally. On the other hand, Coleoptera mostly living at the tree-line and at forest margins increase and reach a maximum at the end of the Boreal. Thereafter (Atlantic, 8087 ± 58 yr BP; 5678 ± 50 yr BP) they decrease to the benefit of forest insects. This development corresponds to an elevation of the tree-line during the Atlantic and the Sub-boreal (4770 ± 300 yr BP; 3740 ± 160 yr BP) and to a thicker forest cover. Coleoptera dependent on Abies and Larix appear at this time. The final entomological event occurs at the end of the Sub-boreal and in the Subatlantic (2660 ± 190 yr BP): it is characterised by a regular decrease of tree-dependent taxa. This development is attributed to human action.
Rapid communications in mass spectrometry : RCM, 2021
RATIONALE The study of insect migration is problematic due to the small size of insects. Stable isotope analysis can be used to elucidate movement, either by geographic assignment of location of a species, or by simply distinguishing migrant from resident populations. There are few isoscapes of any kind in the UK/Ireland available for interrogation. Thus, I have measured stable isotope ratios (of H, C, N and S) of 299 individuals of the non-migratory Brimstone moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) collected from 93 locations around the UK and Ireland by citizen scientists. METHODS After removing lipids, stable isotope ratios were measured by continuous flow isotope ratio mass spectrometry, using either a conventional elemental analyser (C, N and S) or a high temperature, thermal conversion elemental analyser in reductive mode. RESULTS Maps (isoscapes) were constructed that illustrate the stable isotope spatial distribution of this insect. These are the first isoscapes of H, C, N and S of ...
Irish Naturalists' Journal, 2019
Aquatic …, 1992
Two hundred and eighty nine modern lists of seven or more species of water beetle from sites in Ireland were subjected to multivariate analysis. 3. Ten assemblage types were identified using TWINSPAN. Habitats typical of these assemblages are: A. deep rivers; B. rivers with riffles; C. puddles; D. canals and lakes with rich vegetation; E. ponds and ditches; F. turloughs; G. natural, minerotrophic fens; H. base-flushed cutover bogs; I. peat bogs; J. montane flushes. The distribution of these types is discussed. 4. Ordination of site data by DECORANA indicated that the important environmental variables dictating water beetle assemblage type in Ireland were: flow; water permanence; exposure; type of substratum. Acidity could not be isolated as a determinant, except within the analysis of assemblage types conducted using TWINSPAN. DECORANA isolated one brackish site as an outlier but salinity was not otherwise a major factor, probably because few brackish sites were included in the analysis. 5. The number of modern records for each species was used to provide a provisional set of speciesquality scores. A simple rationale was devised to weight these scores in favour of relict species and against elusive species, species with short-lived adults and species primarily associated with manmade habitats. 6. The average species-quality score per site and the number of species recorded were used to rank sites within each TWINSPAN end-group. The most diverse sites with the highest quality were some turloughs, rich fens and base-flushed peat cutting complexes. Some montane lakes and flushes with relatively few species had high species-quality scores.
Insect Conservation and Diversity, 2015
We argue that the term 'glacial relict' is often misused in Central European biogeography and conservation ecology to refer to tyrphobiotic insect species which occur in peat bogs. There is no evidence to argue that these insect populations represent remnants dating back to the Pleistocene glacial stages. Instead, these insect species are mainly associated with colder local climate, special edaphic conditions, and the specific plant composition of the bogs. Therefore bogs are isolated habitats for cold-adapted, tyrphobiotic species, in which they have persisted since the early or middle Holocene, and the conservation of the bogs is critically important for the future survival of the boreo-alpine insect species in Central Europe.
THE ENTOMOLOGIST'S RECORD AND JOURNAL OF VARIATION, 2024
The year 2024 marks the 75th anniversary of the discovery of the Burren Green Calamia tridens in Ireland and we provide a complete checklist of the Lepidoptera of the Burren region of western Ireland, the first such list since 1967. The checklist is compiled from published sources and verified records. In total 1,002 species are listed as present in the region up to the end of 2023 which represents 65% of the Irish Lepidoptera fauna. 27 species are only present in the Burren region within Ireland and two of these are only found here within Britain and Ireland. The Burren region supports a significant proportion of the Irish Red-listed macromoths and butterflies. The history of recording in the Burren region is briefly described.
Journal of Quaternary Science, 2001
A series of sedimentary profiles derived from the Lac Long Inférieur peat-bog (2090 m altitude, southern Alps) enabled the tracing of the evolution of successive fossil insect assemblages (Coleoptera, Hymenoptera Formicidae, Diptera Bibionidae, Trichoptera, Megaloptera and Nevroptera) from the Würm deglaciation to the present in this part of Vallée des Merveilles. This evolution reflects the climatic changes and hence the vegetation changes, as well as the human impact on the environment since neolithic times. During deglaciation, an episode marked by very poor fossil insect assemblages was followed by one with abundant boreo-alpine Coleoptera dependent on melting snow and steppe Coleoptera. This episode corresponds to the Younger Dryas climatic deterioration (10 970 ± 210yr BP; 10 430 ± 210yr BP) during which a steppe vegetation prevailed. The sudden fall in the number of insects belonging to cold environments marks the beginning of the Holocene warming. During the Preboreal and the Boreal period (8801 ± 54 yr BP; 8692 ± 53 yr BP) these insects disappear almost totally. On the other hand, Coleoptera mostly living at the tree-line and at forest margins increase and reach a maximum at the end of the Boreal. Thereafter (Atlantic, 8087 ± 58yr BP; 5678 ± 50yr BP) they decrease to the benefit of forest insects. This development corresponds to an elevation of the tree-line during the Atlantic and the Sub-boreal (4770 ± 300yr BP; 3740 ± 160yr BP) and to a thicker forest cover. Coleoptera dependent on Abies and Larix appear at this time. The final entomological event occurs at the end of the Sub-boreal and in the Subatlantic (2660 ± 190yr BP): it is characterised by a regular decrease of tree-dependent taxa. This development is attributed to human action. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Quaternary Science Reviews, 2006
Biology & Environment: Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, 2011
The insects are the most diverse organisms on this planet and play an essential role in ecosystem functioning, yet we know very little about them. In light of the Convention on Biological Diversity, this paper summarises the known insect species numbers for Ireland and questions whether this is a true refl ection of our insect diversity. The total number of known species for Ireland is 11,422. Using species accumulation curves and a comparison with the British fauna, this study shows that the Irish list is incomplete and that the actual species number is much higher. However, even with a reasonable knowledge of the species in Ireland, insects are such speciose, small, and inconspicuous animals that it is diffi cult to assess species loss. It is impossible to know at one point in time the number of insect species in Ireland and, although it is useful to summarise the known number of species, it is essential that biodiversity indicators, such as the Red List Index, are developed.
Journal of Archaeological Science, 2020
The timing and mechanisms for the develpment of synanthropy for insects is under-explored worldwide; however , substantial archaeoentomological datasets are required to explore this issue in detail. In the British Isles, 50 years of research has generated such a dataset, which we have compiled for this paper. It consists of beetle (Coleoptera) faunas from 55 archaeological sites, comprising 85,829 individuals; out of which 22,670 individuals , representing 128 taxa, were classed as semi-or fully-synanthropic (human-dependent). The data were analysed in terms of presence/absence of different synanthropic taxa; as well as the relative proportions of a range of synanthropic 'groupings' for each archaeological period, type of deposit and type of archaeological site. We argue that there are distinct waves of the development or introduction of synanthropes in the British Isles. This initially consisted of a limited group of taxa, derived from the natural environment during the Mesolithic and Neolithic. A second wave of taxa associated with intensive stock raising, pasture and fodder production occurs in the Late Bronze Age/Iron Age. Finally, a range of strongly synanthropic species, including grain pests, were introduced into the British Isles by the Romans as a result of large-scale trade and the development of urban life. Further areas of research, particularly internationally, are outlined.
2009
We are particularly grateful to the following people who reviewed sections of this report, providing valuable comments and insights: Julio Arroyo (Acari); Dave Barnes (Bryozoa); Peter Chandler (flies); Tom Doyle (Scyphozoa, ctenophores, pelagic tunicates); Fran Igoe (freshwater fishes); Ferdia Marnell (mammals, reptiles and amphibians); Kieran McCarthy (non-marine leeches); Jim O'Connor (insects); Paulo Prodohl (Fish); Martin Sørensen (Kinorhyncha); Emilia Rota (oligochaetes); Jacob van der Land (Sipuncula); Roy Sawyer (marine leeches) and Rob van Soest (Porifera). Thanks to the National Museums Northern Ireland and Northern Ireland Environment Agency for their support in compiling the mollusc chapter. We are grateful to all those field biologists and taxonomists that have collected and published records for Irish fauna, which formed the basis of this report.
Scottish Journal of Geology, 2010
The known fossil insects of Carboniferous age from Scotland are reviewed. Of the seven recorded, one record is highly dubious and rejected, and another is herein identified as a crustacean. The remaining five insects belong to three orders: The extinct order Protodonata (giant dragonflies) is represented by the holotype of Truemania multiplicata (Bolton 1922). The extinct order Palaeodictyoptera is represented by the holotypes of Lithomantis carbonarius Woodward 1876 and the nymph Idoptilus peachii (Woodward 1887b) comb. nov. The order Blattodea (cockroaches) is represented by the lost holotype of 'Lithomylacris' kirkbyi Woodward 1887a and a nearly complete cockroach, herein identified as Archimylacris? sp. The localities and ages are reviewed and the five insect specimens came from the Coal Measures (Westphalian) of Ayrshire and Fife.
M. Doody (2008) The Ballyhoura Hills Project. Discovery Programme Monograph No. 7. Wordwell Books, Bray.
Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 1995
The Grande Pile peat-bog sequence is one of the few west European sites that cover the entire time span of the last major climatic cycle (140,000 years). A recent program of coring has provided material for insect analysis. The aim of this palaeoentomological study is to interpret the environmental and climatic evolution from the end of the Rissian glaciation to the Holocene using subfossil Coleoptera. The studied samples yielded 394 taxa of Coleoptera, half of them identified to species level; 19 of which do not belong to the present-day French fauna. The large number of taxa suggests a wide variety of habitats and provides much detailed palaeoecological evidence for the period studied.
2003
Deposits from prehistoric pits and Roman-British pits and ditches excavated at a site along the line of the Leven-Brandesburton by-pass, N. Humberside, were investigated for their content of plant and invertebrate remains. A small corpus of bone, largely hand-collected, was also examined.
Since the 1930s, several European zoologists have developed scenarios for glacial refuges and postglacial expansions, mainly based on studies of the morphological differentiation of populations and distribution patterns of species. For example, Holdhaus described the distribution of blind euedaphic and troglobitic beetles restricted to an area South of a well-defined line crossing the Southern Europe from West to East. In these areas, where many endemic animal and plant species occur, other species that are currently more widely distributed in Europe were probably able to survive the glacial period(s). Molecular analyses of 77 populations of the silvicolous ground beetle Carabus auronitens support the existence of these postulated refuge areas. Genetic differentiation of C. auronitens provides good evidence for multiple refuges, which are, however, situated further North than previously assumed. Furthermore, genetic differentiation is more pronounced in the areas South of the “Holdhaus line” than in the areas North of it.
Eileen Reilly