Glacier mice

Glacier mice are colonies of mosses found on some glaciers. They are composed of multiple species of moss[1] and can also host other species, such as nematode worms, springtails, and water bears.[2] Although what preconditions are necessary for glacier mice to form has yet to be determined, they have been observed in Alaska, Chile, Iceland, Svalbard, and Venezuela.[3] In at least some cases, glacier mice apparently reproduce asexually due to the effect of the harsh glacier environment on traditional moss reproduction strategies.[4]

Glacier mice are notable for their movement across the ice, which appears to be non-random, taking the form of herd-like behavior. This movement is as yet unexplained,[1] and does not appear to be solely the product of wind, or the direction of a slope. The use of accelerometers has demonstrated that glacier mice do in fact rotate and roll, rather than simply sliding across the ice, over time exposing all of their surfaces.[5] Measurements of glacier mice show that they retain heat and moisture, creating a suitable ecosystem for microorganisms that otherwise could not live on a glacier.[6][7]

Glacier mice were first described in 1950 by Icelandic meteorologist Jón Eyþórsson, who referred to them as jökla-mýs, which is Icelandic for "glacier mice."[8]

References
  1. Greenfieldboyce, Nell (2020-05-09). "Herd Of Fuzzy Green 'Glacier Mice' Baffles Scientists". NPR. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
  2. Hausheer, Justine E. (January–February 2013). "Curious 'Mice' Thrive on Glaciers". Audubon. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
  3. Dickson, James H.; Johnson, Robert E (2014). "Mosses and the beginning of plant succession on the Walker Glacier, southeastern Alaska". Lindbergia. 37 (2): 60–65. doi:10.25227/linbg.01052.
  4. Gao, Fei (2016-04-21). "On Glaciers, Moss Become Asexual". GlacierHub. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
  5. Hotaling, Scott; Bartholomaus, Timothy C.; Gilbert, Sophie L. (2020). "Rolling stones gather moss: movement and longevity of moss balls on an Alaskan glacier". Polar Biology. doi:10.1007/s00300-020-02675-6.
  6. Kaplan, Matt (2012-08-27). "On Glaciers, Balls of Dust and Moss Make a Cozy Home". The New York Times. New York City, New York. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  7. Coulson, S.J.; Midgley, N.G. (2012). "The role of glacier mice in the invertebrate colonization of glacial surfaces; the moss balls of the Falljökull, Iceland". Polar Biology. 35 (11): 1651–1658. doi:10.1007/s00300-012-1205-4.
  8. Eythórsson, Jón (1951). "Jökla-mýs". Journal of Glaciology. 1 (9): 503. doi:10.3189/S0022143000026538.
  • Coulson, S.J.; Midgley, N.G. (2012). "The role of glacier mice in the invertebrate colonization of glacial surfaces; the moss balls of the Falljökull, Iceland". Polar Biology. 35 (11): 1651–1658. doi:10.1007/s00300-012-1205-4.
  • Belkina, Olga A.; Vilnet, Anna A. (2015). "Some aspects of the moss population development on the Svalbard glaciers". Czech Polar Reports. 5 (2): 160–175. doi:10.5817/CPR2015-2-14.
  • Hotaling, Scott; Bartholomaus, Timothy C.; Gilbert, Sophie L. (2020). "Rolling stones gather moss: movement and longevity of moss balls on an Alaskan glacier". Polar Biology. doi:10.1007/s00300-020-02675-6.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.