Abstract:
Springtails are important soil dwelling microarthropods with a global distribution. They
play a role in nutrient cycling and are commonly used as bioindicators of ecosystem
health. On sub-Antarctic Marion Island, there are no vertebrate herbivores, but
springtails, invertebrate herbivores, are abundant and therefore fulfil the role of
herbivory, which makes them an ecologically important group on the island. Our study
organism is the collembolan, Isotomurus maculatus, which has a natural distribution
that includes Europe and North America, with some individuals present in the Western
Cape, South Africa. It was introduced to Marion Island in the late 1970s and is now
considered to be an invasive species on the island. Since I. maculatus is native to
regions that are hot and dry, how did this springtail adapt to a cold and harsh
environment such as that on Marion Island? In this study, we aim to answer this by
identifying possible genes involved in adaptive selection, by sequencing the
transcriptome of I. maculatus individuals from Marion Island. RNA sequencing
technology is used to study the functional content of an organism’s genome. We will
apply a comparative genomic approach to investigate the genes and metabolic
pathways involved in local adaptation and pinpoint the biochemical mechanisms that
facilitate adaptation to a cold environment such as that experienced on Marion Island.
The genomic basis of adaptation in invasive species is not well understood, therefore,
the implication of this study is far-reaching as it will help to inform the management of
invasive species.
