Abstract
Ameletus inopinatus Eaton, 1887 is the only arctic-alpine mayfly species found in the British Isles. Previous research in Europe using climate models has shown that the geographical range of this species is likely to contract as water temperatures increase. As such, A.inopinatus is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate warming. The impact of water temperature on the development of A.inopinatus larvae was investigated in the Cairngorms National Park in Scotland. We closely linked larval development to water temperature with snow cover playing an important role in ensuring emergence occurs before watercourses cease to flow in early summer. The results of this study confirm the vulnerability of A. inopinatus to rising water temperatures and provide new information to help target mitigation measures to prevent further losses of this species.
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