Thermal tolerance patterns of a carabid beetle sampled along invasion and altitudinal gradients at a sub-Antarctic island

Highlights
•
Insects sampled along the invasion gradient were not characterized by an increased thermal tolerance.
•
Significant differences in the ability to recover from thermal stress were found among populations.
•
Cold tolerance was not always the highest in organisms sampled at higher altitude.
•
Insects with relatively high cold tolerance were often relatively sensitive to heat exposure and vice versa.
•
Insects could recover from short exposure to −5 °C and 35 °C, but few could recover from short exposure to −8 °C or 38 °C.