@article {3958, title = {Patterns of bacterial biodiversity in the glacial meltwater streams of the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica}, journal = {FEMS Microbiology Ecology}, volume = {92}, year = {2016}, month = {08/2016}, pages = {fiw148}, abstract = {

Microbial consortia dominate glacial meltwater streams from polar regions, including the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV), where they thrive under physiologically stressful conditions. In this study, we examined microbial mat types and sediments found in 12 hydrologically diverse streams to describe the community diversity and composition within and across sites. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene from 129 samples revealed \∼24 000 operational taxonomic units (\<97\% DNA similarity), making streams the most biodiverse habitat in the MDV. Principal coordinate analyses revealed significant but weak clustering by mat type across all streams (ANOSIM R-statistic = 0.28) but stronger clustering within streams (ANOSIM R-statistic from 0.28 to 0.94). Significant relationships (P \< 0.05) were found between bacterial diversity and mat ash-free dry mass, suggesting that diversity is related to the hydrologic regimes of the various streams, which are predictive of mat biomass. However, correlations between stream chemistry and community members were weak, possibly reflecting the importance of internal processes and hydrologic conditions. Collectively, these results suggest that localized conditions dictate bacterial community composition of the same mat types and sediments from different streams, and while MDV streams are hotspots of biodiversity in an otherwise depauperate landscape, controls on community structure are complex and site specific.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {10.1093/femsec/fiw148}, url = {http://femsec.oxfordjournals.org/lookup/doi/10.1093/femsec/fiw148}, author = {David J. Van Horn and Wolf, Caitlin R. and Colman, Daniel R. and Jiang, Xiaoben and Tyler J. Kohler and Diane M. McKnight and Lee F. Stanish and Yazzie, Terrill and Cristina D. Takacs-Vesbach} } @article {3718, title = {Patterns of hydrologic connectivity in the McMurdo dry valleys, Antarctica: a synthesis of 20 years of hydrologic data}, journal = {Hydrological Processes}, volume = {30}, year = {2016}, month = {04/2016}, pages = {2958-2975}, chapter = {2958}, abstract = {

Streams in the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDVs) of Antarctica moderate an important hydrologic and biogeochemical connection between upland alpine glaciers, valley-bottom soils, and lowland closed-basin lakes. Moreover, MDV streams are simple but dynamic systems ideal for studying interacting hydrologic and ecological dynamics. This work synthesizes 20\ years of hydrologic data, collected as part of the MDVs Long-Term Ecological Research project, to assess spatial and temporal dynamics of hydrologic connectivity between glaciers, streams, and lakes. Long-term records of stream discharge (Q), specific electrical conductance (EC), and water temperature (T) from 18 streams were analysed in order to quantify the magnitude, duration, and frequency of hydrologic connections over daily, annual, and inter-annual timescales. At a daily timescale, we observe predictable diurnal variations in Q, EC, and T. At an annual timescale, we observe longer streams to be more intermittent, warmer, and have higher median EC values, compared to shorter streams. Longer streams also behave chemostatically with respect to EC, whereas shorter streams are more strongly characterized by dilution. Inter-annually, we observe significant variability in annual runoff volumes, likely because of climatic variability over the 20 record years considered. Hydrologic connections at all timescales are vital to stream ecosystem structure and function. This synthesis of hydrologic connectivity in the MDVs provides a useful end-member template for assessing hydrologic connectivity in more structurally complex temperate watersheds.\ 

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {10.1002/hyp.10818}, url = {http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/hyp.10818}, author = {Wlostowski, Adam and Michael N. Gooseff and Diane M. McKnight and Chris Jaros and W. Berry Lyons} } @phdthesis {4087, title = {Physical and chemical controls on the abundance and composition of stream microbial mats from the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica}, volume = {Ph.D.}, year = {2015}, pages = {272}, school = {University of Colorado}, type = {doctoral}, address = {Boulder, CO}, abstract = {

The McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica are a cold, dry desert, yet perennial microbial mats are abundant in the ephemeral glacial meltwater streams that flow during austral summers. Three types of mats are present (orange, black, and green), and are primarily comprised of filamentous cyanobacteria,\ Nostoc, and chlorophytes, respectively. Mat types furthermore occupy distinct habitats within streams, utilizing the benthos, hyporheic zone, and water column, which expose them to different environmental conditions. Due to a lack of lateral inflows, allochthonous organic inputs, and negligible grazing activity, these streams are ideal for the controlled ecological study of microbial mats. Here, I investigated how mats will respond to physical disturbance, alterations in the hydrologic regime, and nutrient liberation from permafrost melt in the future. Specifically, I: 1) quantified and characterized the regrowth of mat biomass, community structure, and elemental stoichiometry after a scouring disturbance, 2) investigated how geomorphology and taxonomic identity influences the response of mat biomass to hydrologic regime in transects monitored over two decades, and 3) evaluated relationships between water chemistry and the elemental and isotopic composition of mat types over longitudinal and valley-wide gradients in Taylor Valley. I found that mats recovered ~20-50\% of their biomass over the course of an austral summer following scour. Algal communities were significantly different in composition between disturbed and control treatments, but all samples naturally varied in species and elemental stoichiometry over the study period. When the long- term record of mat biomass was compared with hydrologic variables, stream channel mats (orange and green) had the greatest correlations, while marginal mats (black) showed weaker relationships with flow regime. Relationships also differed as a function of stream geomorphology, indicating the importance of substrata and gradient in conjunction with discharge. Lastly, mats showed unique elemental and isotopic compositions. Green and orange mats within the stream channel most reflected water column nutrient concentrations, while black mats showed significant nitrogen fixation. These results highlight the importance of taxonomic identity and habitat to modeling primary production here and elsewhere, and provide insight to how stream microbial mat communities are formed, maintained, and ultimately persist in an isolated polar desert.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM, algae, Antarctica, biological sciences, climate change, Disturbance, earth sciences, McMurdo Dry Valleys, microbial mats}, url = {https://search.proquest.com/docview/1690497718?accountid=14503}, author = {Tyler J. Kohler}, editor = {Diane M. McKnight} } @article {3712, title = {Potential for real-time understanding of coupled hydrologic and biogeochemical processes in stream ecosystems: Future integration of telemetered data with process models for glacial meltwater streams}, journal = {Water Resources Research}, volume = {51}, year = {2015}, month = {08/2015}, pages = {6725 - 6738}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {10.1002/2015WR017618}, url = {http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/2015WR017618http://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002\%2F2015WR017618}, author = {Diane M. McKnight and Cozzetto, K and Cullis, James D.S. and Michael N. Gooseff and Chris Jaros and Koch, J. and W. Berry Lyons and Neupauer, R. M. and Wlostowski, Adam} } @article {3189, title = {Pressure-driven, shoreline currents in a perennially ice-covered, pro-glacial lake in Antarctica, identified from a LiCl tracer injected into a pro-glacial stream}, journal = {Hydrological Processes}, volume = {29}, year = {2015}, month = {05-2015}, pages = {2212 - 2231}, abstract = {

The distribution of streamwater within ice-covered lakes influences sub-ice currents, biological activity and shoreline morphology. Perennially ice-covered lakes in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, provide an excellent natural laboratory to study hydrologic\–limnologic interactions under ice cover. For a 2\ h period on 17 December 2012, we injected a lithium chloride tracer into Andersen Creek, a pro-glacial stream flowing into Lake Hoare. Over 4\ h, we collected 182 water samples from five stream sites and 15 ice boreholes. Geochemical data showed that interflow travelled West of the stream mouth along the shoreline and did not flow towards the lake interior. The chemistry of water from Andersen Creek was similar to the chemistry of water below shoreline ice. Additional evidence for Westward flow included the morphology of channels on the ice surface, the orientation of ripple marks in lake sediments at the stream mouth and equivalent temperatures between Andersen Creek and water below shoreline ice. Streamwater deflected to the right of the mouth of the stream, in the opposite direction predicted by the Coriolis force. Deflection of interflow was probably caused by the diurnal addition of glacial runoff and stream discharge to the Eastern edge of the lake, which created a strong pressure gradient sloping to the West. This flow directed stream momentum away from the lake interior, minimizing the impact of stream momentum on sub-ice currents. It also transported dissolved nutrients and suspended sediments to the shoreline region instead of the lake interior, potentially affecting biological productivity and bedform development.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {10.1002/hyp.v29.910.1002/hyp.10352}, url = {http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/hyp.v29.9http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/hyp.10352}, author = {Castendyk, Devin and Diane M. McKnight and Kathleen A. Welch and Niebuhr, Spencer and Chris Jaros} } @article {1081, title = {Physicochemical and biological dynamics in a coastal Antarctic lake as it transitions from frozen to open water}, journal = {Antarctic Science}, volume = {25}, year = {2013}, month = {12/2013}, pages = {663{\textendash}675}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, author = {Markus Dieser and Christine M. Foreman and Chris Jaros and John T. Lisle and Mark C. Greenwood and Johanna Laybourn-Parry and Penney L. Miller and Yu-Ping Chin and Diane M. McKnight} } @article {1174, title = {Physiochemical properties influencing biomass abundance and primary production in Lake Hoare, Antarctica}, journal = {Ecological Modelling}, year = {2010}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {LTER}, author = {Herbei, Radu and W. Berry Lyons and Johanna Laybourn-Parry and Christopher B. Gardner and John C. Priscu and Diane M. McKnight} } @article {1422, title = {Phytoplankton dynamics in a stably stratified Antarctic lake during winter darkness}, journal = {Journal of Phycology}, volume = {36}, year = {2000}, month = {10/2000}, pages = {852-861}, type = {Journal}, keywords = {LTER-MCM, Biggie, winter}, doi = {10.1046/j.1529-8817.2000.00031.x}, author = {Diane M. McKnight and B. L. Howes and C. D. Taylor and D. D. Goehringer} } @article {1447, title = {Physical controls on the Taylor Valley Ecosystem, Antarctica}, journal = {BioScience}, volume = {49}, year = {1999}, month = {12/1999}, pages = {961-972}, type = {Journal}, keywords = {LTER-MCM, Water availability}, author = {Andrew G Fountain and W. Berry Lyons and Melody B. Burkins and Gayle L. Dana and Peter T. Doran and Karen J. Lewis and Diane M. McKnight and Daryl L. Moorhead and Andrew N. Parsons and John C. Priscu and Diana H. Wall and Robert A. Wharton Jr. and Ross A. Virginia} } @article {1627, title = {Phytoplankton population dynamics in perennially ice-covered Lake Fryxell, Antarctica}, journal = {Journal of Plankton Research}, volume = {16}, year = {1994}, pages = {527-541}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, author = {Sarah A. Spaulding and Diane M. McKnight and Richard L. Smith and Richard Dufford} } @article {1644, title = {Potential hydrologic and geochemical consequences of the 1992 merging of Lake Chad with Lake Hoare in Taylor Valley}, journal = {Antarctic Journal of the U.S.}, volume = {28}, year = {1993}, pages = {249-251}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, author = {Diane M. McKnight and Edmund D. Andrews} }