Glacier forelands are excellent study sites for investigating primary succession. The end of the little Ice Age has been followed by a continuous glacial retreat, leaving spatially ordered moraine sequences of different ages. The rate and success of faunal succession on these moraines are influenced by a set of complex processes. The aim of my thesis is to characterize succession patterns of alpine carabid beetles in glacier forelands, and their possible responses to selected biotic and abiotic factors. This will be done by identifying carabid beetles retrieved from pitfall traps, and analyzing the species richness and composition of the different habitats according to the age of the moraines, topography and snow cover.
Project start: 2009
Duration: Two year Master's project
Researchers:
Astrid N. Alfredsen, University of Bergen
Supervisor:
Torstein Solhøy, University of Bergen
External supervisor:
Torbjørn Ergon, University of Oslo
Resource person:
Bjørn Arild Hatteland, University of Bergen