@article {4842, title = {Biogeography and genetic diversity of terrestrial mites in the Ross Sea region, Antarctica}, journal = {Genes}, volume = {14}, year = {2023}, month = {03/2023}, pages = {606}, abstract = {

Free-living terrestrial mites (Acari) have persisted through numerous glacial cycles in Antarctica. Very little is known, however, of their genetic diversity and distribution, particularly within the Ross Sea region. To redress this gap, we sampled mites throughout the Ross Sea region, East Antarctica, including Victoria Land and the Queen Maud Mountains (QMM), covering a latitudinal range of 72\–85 \°S, as well as Lauft Island near Mt. Siple (73 \°S) in West Antarctica and Macquarie Island (54 \°S) in the sub-Antarctic. We assessed genetic diversity using mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene sequences (COI-5P DNA barcode region), and also morphologically identified voucher specimens. We obtained 130 sequences representing four genera: Nanorchestes (n = 30 sequences), Stereotydeus (n = 46), Coccorhagidia (n = 18) and Eupodes (n = 36). Tree-based analyses (maximum likelihood) revealed 13 genetic clusters, representing as many as 23 putative species indicated by barcode index numbers (BINs) from the Barcode of Life Datasystems (BOLD) database. We found evidence for geographically-isolated cryptic species, e.g., within Stereotydeus belli and S. punctatus, as well as unique genetic groups occurring in sympatry (e.g., Nanorchestes spp. in QMM). Collectively, these data confirm high genetic divergence as a consequence of geographic isolation over evolutionary timescales. From a conservation perspective, additional targeted sampling of understudied areas in the Ross Sea region should be prioritised, as further diversity is likely to be found in these short-range endemic mites.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM, Acari, Antarctic conservation, DNA barcoding, geographic isolation, speciation}, doi = {10.3390/genes14030606}, url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/14/3/606}, author = {Gemma E. Collins and Young, Monica R. and Peter Convey and Steven L. Chown and Craig S Cary and Byron Adams and Diana H. Wall and Hogg, Ian D.} } @article {4471, title = {Geochemistry of aeolian material from the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica: Insights into Southern Hemisphere dust sources}, journal = {Earth and Planetary Science Letters}, volume = {547}, year = {2020}, month = {10/2020}, abstract = {

In the Southern Hemisphere, the major sources of dust and other aeolian materials are from Patagonia, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. Dust from Patagonia and New Zealand has been identified in ice cores throughout Antarctica, suggesting that during arid and windy periods, such as glacial periods, dust can be entrained and transported onto the continent. However, little information exists on modern Antarctic dust sources, transport, and its role in the Southern Hemisphere dust cycle. We present the first geochemical characterization of aeolian materials collected at five heights (between 5 cm and 100 cm) above the surface in four valleys within the McMurdo Dry Valleys, the largest ice-free area in Antarctica. Our mineralogy data indicate that these materials are primarily derived from local rocks of the McMurdo Volcanics, Ferrar Dolerite, Beacon Sandstone and Granite Harbor Intrusives, with varying contributions of each rock type dependent on the valley location. While major oxide, trace element and rare earth element data show that low elevation and coastal locations (with respect to the Ross Sea) are dominated by local sources, high elevation and inland locations have accumulated both local materials and dust from other distant Southern Hemisphere sources. This far-traveled material may not be accumulating today, but represents a paleo source that is resuspended from the soils. By geochemically \“fingerprinting\” aeolian materials from the MDV, we can better inform future studies on the transport of materials within Antarctica and between Southern Hemisphere land masses.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM, aeolian material, Antarctica, major oxides, mineralogy, rare earth elements, trace elements}, doi = {10.1016/j.epsl.2020.116460}, url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012821X20304040}, author = {Melisa A. Diaz and Welch, Susan A. and Sheets, J. M. and Kathleen A. Welch and Khan, Alia L. and Byron Adams and Diane M. McKnight and Craig S Cary and W. Berry Lyons} } @article {4153, title = {Biotic interactions are an unexpected yet critical control on the complexity of an abiotically driven polar ecosystem}, journal = {Communications Biology}, volume = {2}, year = {2019}, month = {02/2019}, abstract = {

Abiotic and biotic factors control ecosystem biodiversity, but their relative contributions remain unclear. The ultraoligotrophic ecosystem of the Antarctic Dry Valleys, a simple yet highly heterogeneous ecosystem, is a natural laboratory well-suited for resolving the abiotic and biotic controls of community structure. We undertook a multidisciplinary investigation to capture ecologically relevant biotic and abiotic attributes of more than 500 sites in the Dry Valleys, encompassing observed landscape heterogeneities across more than 200 km2. Using richness of autotrophic and heterotrophic taxa as a proxy for functional complexity, we linked measured variables in a parsimonious yet comprehensive structural equation model that explained significant variations in biological complexity and identified landscape-scale and fine-scale abiotic factors as the primary drivers of diversity. However, the inclusion of linkages among functional groups was essential for constructing the best-fitting model. Our findings support the notion that biotic interactions make crucial contributions even in an extremely simple ecosystem.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {10.1038/s42003-018-0274-5}, url = {https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-018-0274-5}, author = {Charles K. Lee and Laughlin, Daniel C. and Bottos, Eric M. and Caruso, Tancredi and Joy, Kurt and John E. Barrett and Brabyn, Lars and Uffe N. Nielsen and Byron Adams and Diana H. Wall and D. W. Hopkins and Pointing, Steve B. and McDonald, Ian R. and Cowan, Don A. and Banks, Jonathan C. and Stichbury, Glen A. and Jones, Irfon and Zawar-Reza, Peyman and Katurji, Marwan and Hogg, Ian D. and Sparrow, Ashley D. and Storey, Bryan C. and Allan Green, T. G. and Craig S Cary} } @article {4164, title = {Nematodes in a polar desert reveal the relative role of biotic interactions in the coexistence of soil animals}, journal = {Communications Biology}, volume = {2}, year = {2019}, month = {02/2019}, abstract = {

Abiotic factors are major determinants of soil animal distributions and their dominant role is pronounced in extreme ecosystems, with biotic interactions seemingly playing a minor role. We modelled co-occurrence and distribution of the three nematode species that dominate the soil food web of the McMurdo Dry Valleys (Antarctica). Abiotic factors, other biotic groups, and autocorrelation all contributed to structuring nematode species distributions. However, after removing their effects, we found that the presence of the most abundant nematode species greatly, and negatively, affected the probability of detecting one of the other two species. We observed similar patterns in relative abundances for two out of three pairs of species. Harsh abiotic conditions alone are insufficient to explain contemporary nematode distributions whereas the role of negative biotic interactions has been largely underestimated in soil. The future challenge is to understand how the effects of global change on biotic interactions will alter species coexistence.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {10.1038/s42003-018-0260-y}, url = {http://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-018-0260-y}, author = {Caruso, Tancredi and Hogg, Ian D. and Uffe N. Nielsen and Bottos, Eric M. and Charles K. Lee and D. W. Hopkins and Craig S Cary and John E. Barrett and Green, T. G. Allan and Storey, Bryan C. and Diana H. Wall and Byron Adams} } @article {4156, title = {Aeolian material transport and its role in landscape connectivity in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica}, journal = {Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface}, volume = {123}, year = {2018}, month = {12/2018}, pages = {3323 - 3337}, abstract = {

Arid regions, particularly polar and alpine desert environments, have diminished landscape connectivity compared to temperate regions due to limited and/or seasonal hydrological processes. For these environments, aeolian processes play a particularly important role in landscape evolution and biotic community vitality through nutrient and solute additions. The McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV) are the largest ice-free area in Antarctica and are potentially a major source of aeolian material for the continent. From this region, samples were collected at five heights (~5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 cm) above the surface seasonally for 2013 through 2015 from Alatna Valley, Victoria Valley, Miers Valley, and Taylor Valley (Taylor Glacier, East Lake Bonney, F6 (Lake Fryxell), and Explorer\’s Cove). Despite significant geological separation and varying glacial histories, low-elevation and coastal sites had similar major ion chemistries, as did high-elevation and inland locations. This locational clustering of compositions was also evident in scanning electron microscopy images and principal component analyses, particularly for samples collected at ~100 cm above the surface. Compared to published soil literature, aeolian material in Taylor Valley demonstrates a primarily down-valley transport of material toward the coast. Soluble N:P ratios in the aeolian material reflect relative nutrient enrichments seen in MDV soils and lakes, where younger, coastal soils are relatively N depleted, while older, up-valley soils are relatively P depleted. The aeolian transport of materials, including water-soluble nutrients, is an important vector of connectivity within the MDV and provides a mechanism to help \“homogenize\” the geochemistry of both soil and aquatic ecosystems.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {10.1029/2017JF004589}, url = {https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2017JF004589}, author = {Melisa A. Diaz and Byron Adams and Kathleen A. Welch and Sue Welch and Opiyo, Stephen O. and Khan, Alia L. and Diane M. McKnight and Craig S Cary and W. Berry Lyons} } @article {3713, title = {Aerobiology Over Antarctica {\textendash} A New Initiative for Atmospheric Ecology}, journal = {Frontiers in Microbiology}, volume = {776796194610314927235011365134445142846479110123936574}, year = {2016}, month = {02/2016}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {10.3389/fmicb.2016.00016}, url = {http://journal.frontiersin.org/Article/10.3389/fmicb.2016.00016/abstract}, author = {Pearce, David A. and Alekhina, Irina A. and Terauds, Aleks and Wilmotte, Annick and Quesada, Antonio and Edwards, Arwyn and Dommergue, Aurelien and Sattler, Birgit and Byron Adams and Magalhaes, Catarina and Chu, Wan-Loy and Lau, Maggie C. Y. and Craig S Cary and Smith, David J. and Diana H. Wall and Eguren, Gabriela and Matcher, Gwynneth and Bradley, James A. and de Vera, Jean-Pierre and Elster, Josef and Hughes, Kevin A. and Cuthbertson, Lewis and Benning, Liane G. and Gunde-Cimerman, Nina and Convey, Peter and Hong, Soon Gyu and Pointing, Steve B. and Pellizari, Vivian H. and Vincent, Warwick F.} } @article {3222, title = {A roadmap for Antarctic and Southern Ocean science for the next two decades and beyond}, journal = {Antarctic Science}, volume = {27}, year = {2015}, month = {Jan-02-2015}, pages = {3 - 18}, abstract = {

Antarctic and Southern Ocean science is vital to understanding natural variability, the processes that govern global change and the role of humans in the Earth and climate system. The potential for new knowledge to be gained from future Antarctic science is substantial. Therefore, the international Antarctic community came together to \‘scan the horizon\’ to identify the highest priority scientific questions that researchers should aspire to answer in the next two decades and beyond. Wide consultation was a fundamental principle for the development of a collective, international view of the most important future directions in Antarctic science. From the many possibilities, the horizon scan identified 80 key scientific questions through structured debate, discussion, revision and voting. Questions were clustered into seven topics: i) Antarctic atmosphere and global connections, ii) Southern Ocean and sea ice in a warming world, iii) ice sheet and sea level, iv) the dynamic Earth, v) life on the precipice, vi) near-Earth space and beyond, and vii) human presence in Antarctica. Answering the questions identified by the horizon scan will require innovative experimental designs, novel applications of technology, invention of next-generation field and laboratory approaches, and expanded observing systems and networks. Unbiased, non-contaminating procedures will be required to retrieve the requisite air, biota, sediment, rock, ice and water samples. Sustained year-round access to Antarctica and the Southern Ocean will be essential to increase winter-time measurements. Improved models are needed that represent Antarctica and the Southern Ocean in the Earth System, and provide predictions at spatial and temporal resolutions useful for decision making. A co-ordinated portfolio of cross-disciplinary science, based on new models of international collaboration, will be essential as no scientist, programme or nation can realize these aspirations alone

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, issn = {0954-1020}, doi = {10.1017/S0954102014000674}, url = {http://www.journals.cambridge.org/abstract_S0954102014000674}, author = {Kennicutt, M.C. and Steven L. Chown and Cassano, J.J. and Liggett, D. and Lloyd S. Peck and Massom, R. and Rintoul, S.R. and Storey, J. and Vaughan, D.G. and Wilson, T.J. and Allison, I. and Ayton, J. and Badhe, R. and Baeseman, J. and Barrett, P.J. and Elanor R. Bell and Bertler, N. and Bo, S. and Brandt, A. and David Bromwich and Craig S Cary and Clark, M.S. and Peter Convey and Costa, E.S. and Cowan, D. and Deconto, R. and Dunbar, R. and Elfring, C. and Escutia, C. and Francis, J. and Fricker, H.A. and Fukuchi, M. and Gilbert, N. and Gutt, J. and Havermans, C. and Hik, D. and Hosie, G. and Jones, C. and Kim, Y.D. and Le Maho, Y. and Lee, S.H. and Leppe, M. and Leitchenkov, G. and Li, X. and Lipenkov, V. and Lochte, K. and L{\'o}pez-Mart{\'\i}nez, J. and {\"u}decke, C. and W. Berry Lyons and Marenssi, S. and Miller, H. and Morozova, P. and Naish, T. and Nayak, S. and Ravindra, R. and Retamales, J. and Ricci, C.A. and Rogan-Finnemore, M. and Ropert-Coudert, Y. and Samah, A.A. and Sanson, L. and Scambos, T. and I.R. Schloss and Shiraishi, K. and Siegert, M.J. and Sim{\~o}es, J.C. and Storey, B. and Sparrow, M.D. and Diana H. Wall and Walsh, J.C. and Wilson, G. and Winther, J.G. and J.C. Xavier and Yang, H. and Sutherland, W.J.} } @article {1083, title = {Local and regional influences over soil microbial metacommunities in the Transantarctic Mountains}, journal = {Ecosphere}, volume = {4}, year = {2013}, month = {11/2013}, pages = {art136}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {10.1890/ES13-00136.1}, author = {Eric R. Sokol and Herbold, Craig W. and Charles K. Lee and Craig S Cary and John E. Barrett} } @article {3534, title = {At Limits of Life: Multidisciplinary Insights Reveal Environmental Constraints on Biotic Diversity in Continental Antarctica}, journal = {PLoS ONE}, volume = {7}, year = {2012}, month = {Jul-09-2013}, pages = {e44578}, abstract = {

Multitrophic communities that maintain the functionality of the extreme Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems, while the simplest of any natural community, are still challenging our knowledge about the limits to life on earth. In this study, we describe and interpret the linkage between the diversity of different trophic level communities to the geological morphology and soil geochemistry in the remote Transantarctic Mountains (Darwin Mountains, 80\°S). We examined the distribution and diversity of biota (bacteria, cyanobacteria, lichens, algae, invertebrates) with respect to elevation, age of glacial drift sheets, and soil physicochemistry. Results showed an abiotic spatial gradient with respect to the diversity of the organisms across different trophic levels. More complex communities, in terms of trophic level diversity, were related to the weakly developed younger drifts (Hatherton and Britannia) with higher soil C/N ratio and lower total soluble salts content (thus lower conductivity). Our results indicate that an increase of ion concentration from younger to older drift regions drives a succession of complex to more simple communities, in terms of number of trophic levels and diversity within each group of organisms analysed. This study revealed that integrating diversity across multi-trophic levels of biotic communities with abiotic spatial heterogeneity and geological history is fundamental to understand environmental constraints influencing biological distribution in Antarctic soil ecosystems.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0044578}, url = {http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0044578}, author = {Magalhaes, Catarina and Stevens, Mark I. and Craig S Cary and Ball, Becky and Storey, Bryan C. and Diana H. Wall and T{\"u}rk, Roman and Ruprecht, Ulrike}, editor = {de Bello, Francesco} } @article {1232, title = {Microbial community composition in soils of Northern Victoria Land, Antarctica}, journal = {Environmental Microbiology}, volume = {10}, year = {2008}, pages = {1713-1724}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {LTER}, author = {Niederberger, T and McDonald, i and Hacker, A and Soo, R and John E. Barrett and Diana H. Wall and Craig S Cary} } @article {1263, title = {Biotic interactions in Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems: Are they a factor?}, journal = {Soil Biology and Biochemistry}, volume = {38}, year = {2006}, pages = {3035-3040}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {10.1016/j.soilbio.2006.04.026}, url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0038071706002173}, author = {Hogg, I and Diana H. Wall and Craig S Cary and Convey, K and Newsham, K and ODonnell, G and Byron Adams and Aislabie, J and Francesco Frati and Stevens, M} } @article {1264, title = {Co-variation in soil biodiversity and biogeochemistry in Northern and Southern Victoria Land, Antarctica}, journal = {Antarctic Science}, volume = {18}, year = {2006}, pages = {535-548}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {10.1017/S0954102006000587}, url = {https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antarctic-science/article/covariation-in-soil-biodiversity-and-biogeochemistry-in-northern-and-southern-victoria-land-antarctica/C3514C28DB75F3A19DB5F266D4B1B56E}, author = {John E. Barrett and Ross A. Virginia and Diana H. Wall and Craig S Cary and Byron Adams and Hacker, A and Aislabie, J} } @article {1265, title = {Diversity and distribution of Victoria Land biota}, journal = {Soil Biology and Biochemistry}, volume = {38}, year = {2006}, pages = {3003-3018}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {10.1016/j.soilbio.2006.04.030}, url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0038071706002215}, author = {Byron Adams and Connell, L and Peter Convey and Fell, J and Francesco Frati and Hogg, I and Newsham, K and O{\textquoteright}Donnell, A and Russell, N and Seppelt, R and Stevens, M and Richard D. Bardgett and Edward Ayres and Diana H. Wall and Aislabie, J and Bamforth, S and Bargagli, R and Craig S Cary and Cavacini, P} }