@article {4942,
	title = {The distribution of surface soil moisture over space and time in eastern Taylor Valley, Antarctica},
	journal = {Remote Sensing},
	volume = {15},
	year = {2023},
	month = {06/2023},
	pages = {3170},
	abstract = {<p>Available soil moisture is thought to be the limiting factor for most ecosystem processes in the cold polar desert of the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDVs) of Antarctica. Previous studies have shown that microfauna throughout the MDVs are capable of biological activity when sufficient soil moisture is available (~2\&ndash;10\% gravimetric water content), but few studies have attempted to quantify the distribution, abundance, and frequency of soil moisture on scales beyond that of traditional field work or local field investigations. In this study, we present our work to quantify the soil moisture content of soils throughout the Fryxell basin using multispectral satellite remote sensing techniques. Our efforts demonstrate that ecologically relevant abundances of liquid water are common across the landscape throughout the austral summer. On average, the Fryxell basin of Taylor Valley is modeled as containing 1.5 \&plusmn; 0.5\% gravimetric water content (GWC) across its non-fluvial landscape with ~23\% of the landscape experiencing an average GWC \&gt; 2\% throughout the study period, which is the observed limit of soil nematode activity. These results indicate that liquid water in the soils of the MDVs may be more abundant than previously thought, and that the distribution and availability of liquid water is dependent on both soil properties and the distribution of water sources. These results can also help to identify ecological hotspots in the harsh polar Antarctic environment and serve as a baseline for detecting future changes in the soil hydrological regime.</p>},
	keywords = {LTER-MCM, Dry valleys, ecology, hydrology, remote sensing, soil moisture},
	doi = {10.3390/rs15123170},
	url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/15/12/3170},
	author = {Salvatore, Mark R. and Barrett, John E. and Fackrell, Laura E. and Sokol, Eric R. and Levy, Joseph S. and Kuentz, Lily C. and Gooseff, Michael N. and Adams, Byron J. and Power, Sarah N. and Knightly, J. Paul and Matul, Haley M. and Szutu, Brian and Doran, Peter T.}
}
@article {4945,
	title = {Timing and duration of ephemeral Antarctic water tracks and wetlands using high temporal{\textendash}resolution satellite imagery, high spatial{\textendash}resolution satellite imagery, and ground-based sensors in the McMurdo Dry Valleys},
	journal = {Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research},
	volume = {54},
	year = {2022},
	month = {12/2022},
	pages = {538 - 561},
	abstract = {<p>Antarctic water tracks and ephemeral wetlands are a primary location for biogeochemical soil processes driving cold desert soil formation. Though the spatial extent of water tracks and wetted soils has been mapped in the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV) on the basis of mapping darkened pixels in high-resolution commercial satellite imagery, the timescale over which water tracks and wetlands form and the duration of these biogeochemically active environments remain unknown. Here, we determine the start date and end dates and the duration of wetted soils at ten sites located across the MDV using a combination of in situ soil sensors and two complementary remote imaging platforms (Planet and WorldView) to understand the hydroclimatic processes that drive water track and wetland formation. Our remote sensing employs a terrain correction workflow that removes the contribution of differential direct illumination and small-scale shadowing on pixel brightness, reducing false positives (soils identified as wetted when in fact they are shadowed or darkened as a consequence of high phase angle). Our findings extend the water track and wetland hydroperiod by over a month, showing darkening occurring from November to March, suggesting hydrological contributions from ground ice thaw, snowmelt, and salt deliquescence and soil brine growth.</p>},
	keywords = {LTER-MCM, Antarctica, hydroperiod, remote sensing, water track, wetland},
	issn = {1523-0430},
	doi = {10.1080/15230430.2022.2123858},
	url = {https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15230430.2022.2123858},
	author = {Kuentz, Lily C. and Joseph S. Levy and Salvatore, Mark R.}
}
