abstract
Temperature data from three important invertebrate microhabitats at Marion Island, viz the base of a Poa cookii (Poaceae) tiller, 0.5 cm below the surface of an Azorella selago (Apiaceae) cushion, and 2 cm below the soil surface, are provided for the 1987/88 austral summer. The mean daily temperature varied between 10.6癈 in November in the Poa cookii tiller and 7.4癈 in December 2 cm below the soil surface. The mean daily temperature range varied between 12.2 癈 in the Poa cookii tiller and 4.4 癈 below the soil surface. The absolute maximum (33.8 癈) and absolute minimum (- 3.7 癈) temperatures for the study period were recorded in November in the Poa cookii and soil microhabitats, respectively. Microhabitat temperatures were different to and often 1-4癈 higher than Stevenson screen measurements. The relevance of these findings to insect consumer ecology in the terrestrial system is briefly discussed.
