@article {4373, title = {The hydroecology of an ephemeral wetland in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica}, journal = {Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences}, year = {2019}, month = {11/2019}, abstract = {

The McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV) is a polar desert on the coast of East Antarctica where ephemeral wetlands become hydrologically active during warm and sunny summers when sub-surface flows are generated from melting snowfields. To understand the structure and function of polar wetland ecosystems, we investigated the hydroecology of one such wetland, the Wormherder Creek wetland, during the warm and sunny summer of 2008 \– 2009, when the wetland was hydrologically reactivated. Conservative tracer (LiCl) was injected for a 2-hour period into a stream above the wetland to determine flow path orientations and hydrologic residence times. Tracer results indicated that surface water is rapidly exchanged with wetland groundwater and wetland residence times may exceed two austral summers. Major ion concentrations were uniform in samples from surface water and shallow groundwater throughout the wetland. Microbial mats in the wetland had high autotrophic index values (the ratios of chlorophyll a [Chl-a]/ash-free dry mass [AFDM]), ranging from 9-38 μg Chl-a/mg AFDM, indicative of actively photosynthesizing mat communities. The diatom communities in the mats were relatively uniform compared to those in mats from regularly flowing MDV streams, with four endemic and one widespread diatom taxa of the genus Luticola accounting for an average of 86\% of the community. These results indicate that the hydrologic characteristics of the wetland contribute to uniform geochemical conditions. In turn, uniform geochemical conditions may explain the high autotrophic index values of the microbial mats and relatively low spatial variation of the diatom community.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM, Antarctica, desert hydrology, diatom biodiversity, hyporheic interactions, wetlands}, doi = {10.1029/2019JG005153}, url = {https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/2019JG005153}, author = {Wlostowski, Adam and Schulte, Nicholas O. and Byron Adams and Ball, Becky and Rhea M.M. Esposito and Michael N. Gooseff and W. Berry Lyons and Uffe N. Nielsen and Ross A. Virginia and Diana H. Wall and Kathleen A. Welch and Diane M. McKnight} } @article {4023, title = {Hydrologic connectivity and implications for ecosystem processes - Lessons from naked watersheds}, journal = {Geomorphology}, volume = {277}, year = {2017}, month = {01/2017}, pages = {63 - 71}, abstract = {

Hydrologic connectivity has received great attention recently as our conceptual models of watersheds and water quality have evolved in the past several decades. However, the structural complexity of most temperate watersheds (i.e. connections among shallow soils, deep aquifers, the atmosphere and streams) and the dynamic seasonal changes that occur within them (i.e., plant senescence which impacts evapotranspiration) create significant challenges to characterizing or quantifying hydrologic connectivity. The McMurdo Dry Valleys, a polar desert in Antarctica, provide a unique opportunity to study hydrologic connectivity because there is no vegetative cover (and therefore no transpiration), and no deep aquifers connected to surface soils or streams. Glacier melt provides stream flow to well-established channels and closed-basin, ice-covered lakes on the valley floor. Streams are also connected to shallow hyporheic zones along their lengths, which are bounded at ~75 cm depth by ice-cemented permafrost. These hydrologic features and connections provide water for and underpin biological communities. Hence, exchange of water among them provides a vector for exchange of energy and dissolved solutes. Connectivity is dynamic on timescales of a day to a flow season (6\–12 weeks), as streamflow varies over these timescales. The timescales over which these connections occur is also dynamic. Exchanges between streams and hyporheic zones, for example, have been estimated to be as short as hours to as long as several weeks. These exchanges have significant implications for the biogeochemistry of these systems and the biotic communities in each feature. Here we evaluate the lessons we can learn about hydrologic connectivity in the MDV watersheds that are simplified in the context of processes occurring and water reservoirs included in the landscape, yet are sensitive to climate controls and contain substantial physical heterogeneity. We specifically explore several metrics that are simple and/or commonly employed in hydrologic analyses and interpret them in the context of connectivity between and among hydrologic features.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, issn = {0169555X}, doi = {10.1016/j.geomorph.2016.04.024}, url = {http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0169555X16302483}, author = {Michael N. Gooseff and Wlostowski, Adam and Diane M. McKnight and Chris Jaros} } @article {3951, title = {Hydrological Controls on Ecosystem Dynamics in Lake Fryxell, Antarctica}, journal = {PLOS ONE}, volume = {11}, year = {2016}, month = {07/2016}, pages = {e0159038}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.015903810.1371}, url = {http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0159038}, author = {Herbei, Radu and Rytel, Alexander L. and W. Berry Lyons and Diane M. McKnight and Chris Jaros and Michael N. Gooseff and John C. Priscu}, editor = {Hewitt, Judi} } @article {1131, title = {Hydrologic processes influence diatom community composition in Dry Valley streams}, journal = {Journal of the North American Benthological Society}, volume = {30}, year = {2011}, month = {12/2011}, pages = {1057-1073}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {10.1899/11-008.1}, url = {http://www.jnabs.org/doi/abs/10.1899/11-008.1}, author = {Lee F. Stanish and Diana R. Nemergut and Diane M. McKnight} } @article {1135, title = {Hydrological Connectivity of the Landscape of the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica}, journal = {Geography Compass}, volume = {5}, year = {2011}, month = {09/2011}, pages = {666 - 681}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {10.1111/j.1749-8198.2011.00445.x}, url = {http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-8198.2011.00445.x}, author = {Michael N. Gooseff and Diane M. McKnight and Peter T. Doran and Andrew G Fountain and W. Berry Lyons} } @phdthesis {4190, title = {Hydrologic and biogeochemical implications of flooding in two catchments underlain by continuous permafrost}, volume = {Ph.D.}, year = {2010}, month = {2010}, pages = {206}, school = {University of Colorado}, type = {doctoral}, address = {Boulder, CO}, abstract = {

Flooding is a critical driver of ecosystem productivity. By rapidly increasing stream stage and velocity, floods mix water and solutes from the stream, hyporheic zone, and floodplains/riparian areas. Such mixing may spur biogeochemical activity. In catchments underlain by permafrost, flooding is more common due to both the potential for rapid ice melting and minimal storage potential in frozen soils. High latitude environments are often underlain by permafrost and are also areas of biogeochemical interest, due to large stores of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N), and the potential for rapid cycling. The increased complexity in groundwater/surface water hydrology during floods requires rigorous hydrologic analysis before biogeochemical trends can be correctly interpreted. This research aims to accurately quantify the hydrology and biogeochemical cycling of C and N in two high-latitude catchments utilizing stream tracer additions, synoptic sampling, and surface water (sw), groundwater (gw), and coupled sw/gw flow models.

Two catchments, in Alaska and Antarctica represent very different ecosystems, both characterized by continuous permafrost and shallow aquifers. In Antarctica, coupled surface water/groundwater flow modeling and tracer additions identify sources of DOC (dissolved organic carbon) and locations of denitrification. Mass balance calculations identify heightened water/sediment interactions at high flows, and increased C and N uptake when solutes return to the stream during low flows. In Alaska, discharge correlates to DOC and nitrate concentrations, indicating leaching and flushing of organic material from the hillslope during high discharge, with a greater potential for microbial processing of this organic material during low flows. Multiple tracer additions demonstrate a seasonal trend, with the greatest C and N uptake early in the summer, potentially related to shallower flowpaths.

Differences between discharge, flooding, and C and N cycling in these two catchments indicate the importance of stream size and morphology. Using tracer dilution and major ion and uranium isotope chemistry, we identify preferential flow near and beneath the stream, indicating erosion of the stream bed via soil piping and thermokarsting. We propose that channel evolution will lead to decreased stream/catchment interactions and subsequently decreased C and N uptake potential in these high-latitude catchments.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM, carbon, catchments, earth sciences, flooding, nitrogen, permafrost, surface-groundwater interactions}, url = {https://search.proquest.com/docview/839008865}, author = {Koch, J. and Diane M. McKnight} } @inbook {1214, title = {High-latitude rivers and streams.}, booktitle = {Polar Lakes and Rivers: Limnology of Arctic and Antarctic Aquatic Ecosystems}, year = {2008}, publisher = {Oxford University Press}, organization = {Oxford University Press}, address = {Oxford}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {LTER}, author = {Diane M. McKnight and Michael N. Gooseff and Warwick F. Vincent and Peterson, B}, editor = {Warwick F. Vincent and Johanna Laybourn-Parry} } @article {1204, title = {Hydrologic response to extreme warm and cold summers in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, East Antarctica}, journal = {Antarctic Science}, volume = {20}, year = {2008}, month = {05/16/2008}, pages = {499-509}, type = {Journal}, keywords = {LTER-MCM, Climate Response, streams}, doi = {10.1017/S0954102008001272}, author = {Peter T. Doran and Christopher P. McKay and Andrew G Fountain and Thomas H. Nylen and Diane M. McKnight and Chris Jaros and John E. Barrett} } @inbook {1501, title = {Hydrologic Processes Influencing Streamflow Variation in Fryxell Basin, Antarctica}, booktitle = {Ecosystem Processes in a Polar Desert: The McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica}, series = {Antarctic Research Series}, volume = {72}, year = {1998}, pages = {93-108}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, author = {Peter A. Conovitz and Diane M. McKnight and Lee H. MacDonald and Andrew G Fountain}, editor = {Harold R. House} }