Interactions between environmental pollution and cold tolerance of soil invertebrates: A neglected field of research

The adaptations to climatic stress of invertebrates have been extensively s tudied and the underlying physiology is relatively well understood. It is t herefore possible to predict critical lower temperature and moisture limits at which a species will suffer increased mortality. Environmental pollutio n can reduce the tolerance to climatic stress considerably but it is not kn own how significant these synergistic effects are in polluted areas. Result s are presented showing examples of synergism between toxic and climatic st ress. The physiological mechanisms involved in the synergistic effects are discussed.