Most of our understanding of current and future climate change comes from measurements and modeling projections across large temporal (e.g. annually) and spatial (e.g. regional) scales. Much less is known about changes over small temporal (e.g. daily) and spatial (e.g. beneath a plant) scales. Daily changes in fluctuating temperature at a small scale, however, are likely to be extremely important for small ectotherms, which comprise the vast majority of Earth’s biodiversity. Additionally, taxon-specific studies of the impacts of climate change on animals predominantly focus on a single life stage, overlooking the possibility that temperature-related survival changes throughout development. Many small ectotherms live in secluded spaces (e.g. in soil, under vegetation), and it is poorly understood how (i) climate change may alter the abiotic microhabitat conditions, and (ii) future microhabitat conditions can influence both survival and dispersal behavior across life stages. Here, we evaluated the effects of microclimate changes on the survival and phoretic behavior of Dactylochelifer silvestris (Pseudoscorpiones: Cheliferidae). We first recorded daily summer microhabitat temperatures and used them to calculate future temperature predictions. In the laboratory, we assessed the life-stage specific survival of pseudoscorpions under (a) current and (b) future temperature conditions. We finally assessed the effect of temperature on phoresy. We found that future microclimate influences survival on all life stages of D. silvestris, with younger nymphs having enhanced risk of dying, and females being most resilient. We also found that increased temperatures hinder phoresy, and that the probability to engage in phoresy varies by stage.
.jpg "Laura Segura Hernández photo")