@article {4586, title = {Diatoms in hyporheic sediments trace organic matter retention and processing in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica}, journal = {Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences}, volume = {126}, year = {2021}, month = {02/2021}, pages = {e2020JG006097}, abstract = {

In low-nutrient streams in cold and arid ecosystems, the spiraling of autochthonous particulate organic matter (POM) may provide important nutrient subsidies downstream. Because of its lability and the spatial heterogeneity of processing in hyporheic sediments, the downstream transport and fate of autochthonous POM can be difficult to trace. In Antarctic McMurdo Dry Valley (MDV) streams, any POM retained in the hyporheic zone is expected to be derived from surface microbial mats that contain diatoms with long-lasting silica frustules. We tested whether diatom frustules can be used to trace the retention of autochthonous POM in the hyporheic zone and whether certain geomorphic locations promote this process. The accumulation of diatom frustules in hyporheic sediments, measured as biogenic silica, was correlated with loss-on-ignition organic matter and sorbed ammonium, suggesting that diatoms can be used to identify locations where POM has been retained and processed over long timescales, regardless of whether the POM remains intact. In addition, by modeling the upstream sources of hyporheic diatom assemblages, we found that POM was predominantly derived from N-fixing microbial mats of the genus Nostoc. In terms of spatial variability, we conclude that the hyporheic sediments adjacent to the stream channel that are regularly inundated by daily flood pulses are where the most POM has been retained over long timescales. Autochthonous POM is retained in hyporheic zones of low-nutrient streams beyond the MDVs, and we suggest that biogenic silica and diatom composition can be used to identify locations where this transfer is most prevalent.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM, benthic processes, biogenic silica, biogeochemical cycles processes and modeling, carbon cycling, diatoms, groundwater/surface water interactions, hyporheic zone, McMurdo Dry Valleys, nitrogen cycling, particulate organic matter}, doi = {10.1029/2020JG006097}, url = {https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2020JG006097}, author = {Heindel, Ruth C and Darling, Joshua P. and Singley, Joel G. and Bergstrom, Anna J. and Diane M. McKnight and Lukkari, Braeden M. and Kathleen A. Welch and Michael N. Gooseff} } @article {4335, title = {Sabbea gen. nov., a new diatom genus (Bacillariophyta) from continental Antarctica}, journal = {Phytotaxa}, volume = {418}, year = {2019}, month = {09/2019}, abstract = {

The non-marine diatom flora of the Antarctic Continent includes several endemic taxa recorded over the past 100 years. One of these taxa, Navicula adminensis D.Roberts \& McMinn, was described from the Vestfold Hills, East Antarctica. Detailed light and scanning electron microscopy observations have shown that based on its morphological features, the species does not belong to the genus Navicula sensu stricto. To determine the most closely related genera to N. adminensis, the morpho- logical features of Adlafia, Kobayasiella, Envekadea, Stenoneis, Berkeleya, Climaconeis, and Parlibellus were compared with those of N. adminensis. Although each of these genera shows one or more similar features, none of them accommodates the salient morphological characteristics of N. adminensis. Therefore, a new genus, Sabbea gen. nov., is herein described, and Navicula adminensis is formally transferred to the new genus as Sabbea adminensis comb. nov. The genus Sabbea is characterized by uniseriate striae composed of small, rounded areolae occluded externally by individual hymenes, a rather simple raphe structure with straight, short proximal ends and short terminal raphe fissures, open girdle bands with double perforation and a very shallow mantle.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM, Bacillariophyta, Cape Royds, East Antarctica, McMurdo Dry Valleys, new genus, Vestfold Hills}, doi = {10.11646/phytotaxa.418.1.2}, url = {https://www.mapress.com/j/pt/article/view/phytotaxa.418.1.2}, author = {Bishop, Jordan and Kopalov{\'a}, Kate{\v r}ina and Darling, Joshua P. and Schulte, Nicholas O. and Tyler J. Kohler and McMinn, Andrew and Sarah A. Spaulding and Diane M. McKnight and Bart Van de Vijver} }