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Midges (Chironomidae, Ceratopogonidae, Chaoboridae) as a temperature proxy: a training set from Tasmania, Australia

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Abstract

Chironomid and ceratopogonid head capsules, along with Chaoborus mandibles, were used to model mean temperature of the warmest quarter (TWARM) in Tasmania. Our transfer function is based on midge assemblages and 21 environmental variables sampled from 47 lakes. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) revealed seven variables that account for a significant (P ≤ 0.05) portion of the explainable variance. In order of explanatory power, these were pH, TWARM, annual radiation, magnesium, annual precipitation, SiO2, and depth. TWARM was modeled using weighted averaging partial least squares (WA-PLS) and generated a model with \( r_{{\text{jack}}}^2 = 0.72 \) and RMSEP = 0.94. Advances in chironomid paleoecology are progressing very quickly in the Southern Hemisphere. Chironomid identification guides and autecological data are available for many regions, highlighting the potential for developing midge-based quantitative models to address hemispheric and interhemispheric climate hypotheses.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Rob Wiltshire, Marian McGowen, and Nigella for their friendship, meals to die for, and logistical support; Greg Jordan and Peter Tyler for data contributions and site selection; the Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment (DPIWE) for letting us collect samples; Fonya Irvine and Joshua Kurek for field assistance; Ian Walker for statistical advice; John S. Little for funding of visits to the University of California—Davis and the 17th International Quaternary Association Congress; and two anonymous reviewers who provided helpful comments and insights. This project was funded by a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Discovery Grant to L. C. Cwynar. Map data were provided by TASMAP, © State of Tasmania.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, Canada, NB E3B 6E1

    Andrew B. H. Rees & Les C. Cwynar

  2. Department of Entomology, University of California – Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA

    Peter S. Cranston

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  1. Andrew B. H. Rees
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  2. Les C. Cwynar
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  3. Peter S. Cranston
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Correspondence to Andrew B. H. Rees.

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Rees, A.B.H., Cwynar, L.C. & Cranston, P.S. Midges (Chironomidae, Ceratopogonidae, Chaoboridae) as a temperature proxy: a training set from Tasmania, Australia. J Paleolimnol 40, 1159–1178 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10933-008-9222-6

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