  Aim of this paper is to provide the first comprehensive synthesis about
ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) distribution in high altitude habitats.
Specifically, the attention is focused on the species assemblages living on the
most common ice-related mountain landforms (glaciers, debris-covered glaciers,
glacier forelands and rock glaciers) and on the challenges, threats and
opportunities carabids living in these habitats have to face in relation to the
ongoing climate warming. The suggested role of the ice-related alpine
landforms, as present climatic refugia for cold-adapted ground beetles, is
discussed. Finally, the needs to develop a large-scale High-alpine Biodiversity
Monitoring Program to describe how the current climate change is shaping the
distribution of high altitude specialists, is highlighted.
