Fauna Living Under the Snow
The subnivean microhabitat is relatively warm, humid, thermally stable and protects organisms from wind and lethal temperatures in contrast to the snow surface, which is highly variable and completely dependent on atmospheric factors. Within the snow, the so-called intranivean habitat, temperatures are lower but organisms are still protected from the external environment. The group of insects we study consists of “true winter” organisms that are active during the winter months both under and on the snow cover. Among these, insects and spiders clearly predominate, being the major representatives of the snow active fauna.
To trap subnivean insects, ES students used two aluminium pie plates one inverted over the other. A trench the width of the pie plates is carefully cut within the snow cover in a setting among spruce trees. The site is prepared at the end of the trench. The bottom plate is placed level with the soil and filled with about 5 mm of glycol. The second tray is placed upside down over the first tray suspended by small sticks about 3 mm above the first. The two plates are then carefully covered with snow and marked with a wand. The plates are then uncovered a week later and animals that have entered the plate are removed from the glycol, identified and pinned. This method gives us insight into the fauna that lives under the snow during a Yukon winter.
The subnivean microhabitat is relatively warm, humid, thermally stable and protects organisms from wind and lethal temperatures in contrast to the snow surface, which is highly variable and completely dependent on atmospheric factors. Within the snow, the so-called intranivean habitat, temperatures are lower but organisms are still protected from the external environment. The group of insects we study consists of “true winter” organisms that are active during the winter months both under and on the snow cover. Among these, insects and spiders clearly predominate, being the major representatives of the snow active fauna.
To trap subnivean insects, ES students used two aluminium pie plates one inverted over the other. A trench the width of the pie plates is carefully cut within the snow cover in a setting among spruce trees. The site is prepared at the end of the trench. The bottom plate is placed level with the soil and filled with about 5 mm of glycol. The second tray is placed upside down over the first tray suspended by small sticks about 3 mm above the first. The two plates are then carefully covered with snow and marked with a wand. The plates are then uncovered a week later and animals that have entered the plate are removed from the glycol, identified and pinned. This method gives us insight into the fauna that lives under the snow during a Yukon winter.