A recent study coordinated and conducted by researchers from CollembolICE provides the first comprehensive overview of the biodiversity of “glacier fleas” in the Alps and Apennines.

The study, titled “The Unexplored Biodiversity of Glacier Fleas” and published in the international journal Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research, offers new insights into the fragility and richness of glacial environments—seemingly inhospitable habitats—and highlights the need for further research into the biodiversity of our territories.

Of the eleven species found in the Alps and Apennines, eight are new to science and were discovered by the research group; five of these species are formally described in this publication.
The paper is the result of a strong interdisciplinary collaboration involving researchers from various research institutions and universities across Italy and Europe.

The study was published in open-access format, allowing scholars in academia and museums, conservation professionals, and the general public to freely access the research findings—embracing an open science approach and the sharing of knowledge.

This work forms the scientific foundation of CollembolICE, which aims to expand this knowledge and establish long-term monitoring of these organisms—and, through them, of glaciers themselves.