@article {4833, title = {Ecological stoichiometry drives the evolution of soil nematode life history traits}, journal = {Soil Biology and Biochemistry}, volume = {177}, year = {2023}, month = {02/2023}, pages = {108891}, abstract = {

Ecological stoichiometry is a useful theoretical framework for understanding the sources and controls on nutrient availability that structure the composition and diversity of biotic communities. One such relationship is that organismal development rate is positively linked to cellular Phosphorus (P). We hypothesized that P availability, relative to other nutrients, e.g., nitrogen and carbon, would drive the evolution of traits associated with organismal growth and development. We examined the effects of P availability both in situ and in vitro, on free-living soil nematodes. We found that P-deficient environments produce predictable changes in the ecology and evolution of important life history traits. Our results identify altered rRNA gene copy number and subsequent changes in gene expression and protein synthesis as mechanisms by which P-deficiency influences these traits. These findings have important implications for explaining soil ecological and evolutionary patterns across multiple levels of organization, including the structure and functioning of organisms, populations, communities, and ecosystems.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM, elemental stoichiometry, growth rate hypothesis, life history theory, molecular evolution, nematoda, rRNA}, doi = {10.1016/j.soilbio.2022.108891}, url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0038071722003480}, author = {Xue, Xia and Bishwo N. Adhikari and Ball, Becky and John E. Barrett and Miao, Jinxin and Perkes, Ammon and Martin, Mac and Breana L. Simmons and Diana H. Wall and Byron Adams} } @article {4843, title = {Extreme cold (-69.1{\textdegree}C) in the McMurdo Dry Valleys}, journal = {Antarctic Science}, volume = {30}, year = {2023}, month = {03/2023}, pages = {1-4}, keywords = {LTER-MCM, climate, extreme, meteorology, temperature, weather}, issn = {0954-1020}, doi = {10.1017/S0954102022000451}, url = {https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antarctic-science/article/extreme-cold-691c-in-the-mcmurdo-dry-valleys/3516874750E5EF96365A26E8D49CA4EC}, author = {Peter T. Doran and Myers, Krista F. and Christopher P. McKay and David Bromwich} } @thesis {4835, title = {Effect of climate history on the genetic structure of an Antarctic soil nematode}, volume = {MS}, year = {2022}, month = {12/2022}, school = {Brigham Young University}, type = {Master{\textquoteright}s thesis}, address = {Provo, UT, USA}, abstract = {

Historical climate disturbances such as glacial cycling and fluctuating stream, lake, and sea levels strongly influence the distribution and evolutionary trajectories of Antarctic terrestrial species. Antarctic invertebrates, with limited long-range mobility, including the ubiquitous sentinel nematode species Scottnema lindsayae, are especially sensitive to climate disturbances. We tested hypotheses associated with the historical geographic and population genetic structure of this species as it occurs across the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDVs) of Antarctica. In order to reconstruct the influence of climate disturbance and ecological conditions on this species, partial mitochondrial COI gene sequences were sequenced and analyzed from individual S. lindsayae collected from sites across the MDVs reflecting a opposing gradients of climate disturbance during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). We found that populations were strongly geomorphic barriers with distinct haplotypes associated with valleys except among valleys that experienced glacial advance and retreat during the LGM. One monophyletic clade corresponds with valley systems that were undisturbed during the LGM indicating putative refugia areas. A second monophyletic clade corresponds to recent dispersal and expansion of evolutionarily younger populations into valleys that were strongly reworked by glacial activity during the LGM. Our work shows that contemporary populations of these animals are strongly structured by prior climate history. Such findings can be useful for interpreting long-term monitoring of demographic shifts of soil organisms in response to changing climate trends in the McMurdo Dry Valleys.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM, Antarctica, biogeography, climate disturbance, evolution, McMurdo Dry Valleys, polar, population genetics}, url = {http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/etd12622}, author = {Jackson, Abigail C.}, editor = {Adams, Byron J.} } @article {4718, title = {Elevational constraints on the composition and genomic attributes of microbial communities in Antarctic soils}, journal = {mSystems}, volume = {7}, year = {2022}, month = {01/2022}, pages = {e01330-21}, abstract = {

The inland soils found on the Antarctic continent represent one of the more challenging environments for microbial life on Earth. Nevertheless, Antarctic soils harbor unique bacterial and archaeal (prokaryotic) communities able to cope with extremely cold and dry conditions. These communities are not homogeneous, and the taxonomic composition and functional capabilities (genomic attributes) of these communities across environmental gradients remain largely undetermined. We analyzed the prokaryotic communities in soil samples collected from across the Shackleton Glacier region of Antarctica by coupling quantitative PCR, marker gene amplicon sequencing, and shotgun metagenomic sequencing. We found that elevation was the dominant factor explaining differences in the structures of the soil prokaryotic communities, with the drier and saltier soils found at higher elevations harboring less diverse communities and unique assemblages of cooccurring taxa. The higher-elevation soil communities also had lower maximum potential growth rates (as inferred from metagenome-based estimates of codon usage bias) and an overrepresentation of genes associated with trace gas metabolism. Together, these results highlight the utility of assessing community shifts across pronounced environmental gradients to improve our understanding of the microbial diversity found in Antarctic soils and the strategies used by soil microbes to persist at the limits of habitability.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM, Antarctica, microbial ecology, soil microbiology, soils}, doi = {10.1128/msystems.01330-21}, url = {https://journals.asm.org/doi/full/10.1128/msystems.01330-21}, author = {Dragone, Nicholas B. and Henley, Jessica B. and Holland-Moritz, Hannah and Melisa A. Diaz and Hogg, Ian D. and W. Berry Lyons and Diana H. Wall and Byron Adams and Noah Fierer}, editor = {Mackelprang, Rachel} } @article {4691, title = {Episodic basin-scale soil moisture anomalies associated with high relative humidity events in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica}, journal = {Antarctic Science}, year = {2021}, month = {08/2021}, pages = {1-15}, abstract = {

Outside of hydrologically wetted active layer soils and humidity-sensitive soil brines, low soil moisture is a limiting factor controlling biogeochemical processes in the McMurdo Dry Valleys. But anecdotal field observations suggest that episodic wetting and darkening of surface soils in the absence of snowmelt occurs during high humidity conditions. Here, I analyse long-term meteorological station data to determine whether soil-darkening episodes are present in the instrumental record and whether they are, in fact, correlated with relative humidity. A strong linear correlation is found between relative humidity and soil reflectance at the Lake Bonney long-term autonomous weather station. Soil reflectance is found to decrease annually by a median of 27.7\% in response to high humidity conditions. This magnitude of darkening is consistent with soil moisture rising from typical background values of \< 0.5 wt.\% to 2\–3 wt.\%, suggesting that regional atmospheric processes may result in widespread soil moisture generation in otherwise dry surface soils. Temperature and relative humidity conditions under which darkening is observed occur for hundreds of hours per year, but are dominated by episodes occurring between midnight and 07h00 local time, suggesting that wetting events may be common, but are not widely observed during typical diel science operations.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM, deliquescence, hydrology, microclimate, micrometeorology, pedology, remote sensing}, issn = {0954-1020}, doi = {10.1017/S0954102021000341}, url = {https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0954102021000341/type/journal_article}, author = {Joseph S. Levy} } @article {4636, title = {Exploring the boundaries of microbial habitability in soil}, journal = {Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences}, volume = {126}, year = {2021}, month = {06/2021}, abstract = {

Microbes are widely assumed to be capable of colonizing even the most challenging terrestrial surface environments on Earth given enough time. We would not expect to find surface soils uninhabited by microbes as soils typically harbor diverse microbial communities and viable microbes have been detected in soils exposed to even the most inhospitable conditions. However, if uninhabited soils do exist, we might expect to find them in Antarctica. We analyzed 204 ice-free soils collected from across a remote valley in the Transantarctic Mountains (84\–85\°S, 174\–177\°W) and were able to identify a potential limit of microbial habitability. While most of the soils we tested contained diverse microbial communities, with fungi being particularly ubiquitous, microbes could not be detected in many of the driest, higher elevation soils\—results that were confirmed using cultivation-dependent, cultivation-independent, and metabolic assays. While we cannot confirm that this subset of soils is completely sterile and devoid of microbial life, our results suggest that microbial life is severely restricted in the coldest, driest, and saltiest Antarctic soils. Constant exposure to these conditions for thousands of years has limited microbial communities so that their presence and activity is below detectable limits using a variety of standard methods. Such soils are unlikely to be unique to the studied region with this work supporting previous hypotheses that microbial habitability is constrained by near-continuous exposure to cold, dry, and salty conditions, establishing the environmental conditions that limit microbial life in terrestrial surface soils.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM, Antarctica, astrobiology, bacteria, extremophiles, fungi, soils}, issn = {2169-8953}, doi = {10.1029/2020JG006052}, url = {https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/2020JG006052}, author = {Dragone, Nicholas B. and Melisa A. Diaz and Hogg, Ian D. and W. Berry Lyons and W. Andrew Jackson and Diana H. Wall and Adams, Byron J. and Noah Fierer} } @phdthesis {4629, title = {The effect of sediment on hydrological and biogeochemical connectivity of glaciers within the McMurdo Dry Valley ecosystem, Antarctica}, volume = {Ph.D.}, year = {2020}, month = {2020}, school = {University of Colorado Boulder}, type = {doctoral}, address = {Boulder, CO}, abstract = {

Glaciers are an integral part of polar and alpine landscapes, providing water, inorganic, and organic material subsidies to downstream ecosystems. These subsides regulate downstream temperature, streamflow, and sediment supplies. Warming in high altitude and high latitude environments due to climate change is resulting in rapid and substantial mass loss of glaciers. In order to better predict impacts and future change to glaciers and downstream environments, we endeavor to better understand glacier physical and biogeochemical processes. Glaciers in the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDVs) of Antarctica are very sensitive to slight changes in the energy balance. Small temperature or solar radiation increases can result in outsize increases in glacier melt, which is the main source of water for the MDV ecosystem. Sediment on the glacier surface is thought to be a key factor driving both melt and biogeochemical cycling on glaciers. This dissertation examines the distribution of sediment on the MDVs glacier surfaces, how it may have driven recent glacier morphological change, and identifies sediment-driven biogeochemical processes on the MDV glaciers. To do so, we carried out field data collection, field- and lab-based nutrient uptake experiments, geospatial analysis, and coupled sediment and energy balance modeling. We find that the glacier surfaces have changed in response to recent warm events by increasing roughness and the density of meltwater channels on the glacier surface. The increase in roughness occurred in already rough areas that serve as collection points for wind- and water-transported sediment. The rough surfaces and sediment have low albedo and can absorb a higher amount of energy, spurring additional melt. The distribution of sediment on the surface and in the top meter of ice is a reflection of patterns of wind deposition and seasonal melt on the glacier. The total amount of sediment in the top meter of ice agrees with previously measured rates of sediment deposition and follows a valley-wide pattern. The depth of the peak sediment concentration in the top meter of ice is a function of the thermal history of the glacier\– both summer energy balance and winter sublimation rates. We also find that the biota living in the sediment is capable of removing nutrients from glacier melt water, modulating the amount and form of nutrients delivered to downstream ecosystems. This research clarifies the role of glaciers within the larger MDV ecosystem. It also advances our understanding of surficial glacier melt and biogeochemistry, which can improve predictions of how the functional role of glaciers within their larger ecosystems will evolve due to climate change.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM, glaciers, LTER, McMurdo Dry Valleys, meltwater, sediment}, url = {https://www.proquest.com/docview/2408273839}, author = {Bergstrom, Anna J. and Michael N. Gooseff} } @article {4395, title = {Energetic and environmental constraints on the community structure of benthic microbial mats in Lake Fryxell, Antarctica}, journal = {FEMS Microbiology Ecology}, volume = {96}, year = {2020}, month = {02/2020}, abstract = {

Ecological communities are regulated by the flow of energy through environments. Energy flow is typically limited by access to photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and oxygen concentration (O2). The microbial mats growing on the bottom of Lake Fryxell, Antarctica, have well-defined environmental gradients in PAR and (O2). We analyzed the metagenomes of layers from these microbial mats to test the extent to which access to oxygen and light controls community structure. We found variation in the diversity and relative abundances of Archaea, Bacteria and Eukaryotes across three (O2) and PAR conditions: high (O2) and maximum PAR, variable (O2) with lower maximum PAR, and low (O2) and maximum PAR. We found distinct communities structured by the optimization of energy use on a millimeter-scale across these conditions. In mat layers where (O2) was saturated, PAR structured the community. In contrast, (O2) positively correlated with diversity and affected the distribution of dominant populations across the three habitats, suggesting that meter-scale diversity is structured by energy availability. Microbial communities changed across covarying gradients of PAR and (O2). The comprehensive metagenomic analysis suggests that the benthic microbial communities in Lake Fryxell are structured by energy flow across both meter- and millimeter-scales.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM, Antarctica, energy, Lake Fryxell, microbial mat, Oxygen, Photosynthetically Active Radiation}, doi = {10.1093/femsec/fiz207}, url = {https://academic.oup.com/femsec/article/96/2/fiz207/5697196}, author = {Dillon, Megan L. and Ian Hawes and Jungblut, Anne D. and Mackey, Tyler J. and Eisen, Jonathan A. and Peter T. Doran and Sumner, Dawn Y.} } @article {4582, title = {Environmental control on the distribution of metabolic strategies of benthic microbial mats in Lake Fryxell, Antarctica}, journal = {PLoS ONE}, volume = {15}, year = {2020}, month = {04/2020}, pages = {e0231053}, abstract = {

Ecological theories posit that heterogeneity in environmental conditions greatly affects community structure and function. However, the degree to which ecological theory developed using plant- and animal-dominated systems applies to microbiomes is unclear. Investigating the metabolic strategies found in microbiomes are particularly informative for testing the universality of ecological theories because microorganisms have far wider metabolic capacity than plants and animals. We used metagenomic analyses to explore the relationships between the energy and physicochemical gradients in Lake Fryxell and the metabolic capacity of its benthic microbiome. Statistical analysis of the relative abundance of metabolic marker genes and gene family diversity shows that oxygenic photosynthesis, carbon fixation, and flavin-based electron bifurcation differentiate mats growing in different environmental conditions. The pattern of gene family diversity points to the likely importance of temporal environmental heterogeneity in addition to resource gradients. Overall, we found that the environmental heterogeneity of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and oxygen concentration ([O2]) in Lake Fryxell provide the framework by which metabolic diversity and composition of the community is structured, in accordance with its phylogenetic structure. The organization of the resulting microbial ecosystems are consistent with the maximum power principle and the species sorting model.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0231053}, url = {https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0231053}, author = {Dillon, Megan L. and Hawes, Ian and Jungblut, Anne D. and Mackey, Tyler J. and Eisen, Jonathan A. and Peter T. Doran and Sumner, Dawn Y.} } @article {4516, title = {Estimating microbial mat biomass in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica using satellite imagery and ground surveys}, journal = {Polar Biology}, year = {2020}, month = {09/2020}, abstract = {

Cyanobacterial mat communities are the main drivers of primary productivity in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica. These microbial communities form laminar mats on desert pavement surfaces adjacent to glacial meltwater streams, ponds, and lakes. The low-density nature of these communities and their patchy distribution make assessments of distribution, biomass, and productivity challenging. We used satellite imagery coupled with in situ surveying, imaging, and sampling to systematically estimate microbial mat biomass in selected wetland regions in Taylor Valley, Antarctica. On January 19th, 2018, the WorldView-2 multispectral satellite acquired an image of our study areas, where we surveyed and sampled seven 100 m2 plots of microbial mats for percent ground cover, ash-free dry mass (AFDM), and pigment content (chlorophyll-a, carotenoids, and scytonemin). Multispectral analyses revealed spectral signatures consistent with photosynthetic activity (relatively strong reflection at near-infrared wavelengths and relatively strong absorption at visible wavelengths), with average normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) values of 0.09 to 0.28. Strong correlations of microbial mat ground cover (R2\ =\ 0.84), biomass (R2\ =\ 0.74), chlorophyll-a content (R2\ =\ 0.65), and scytonemin content (R2\ =\ 0.98) with logit transformed NDVI values demonstrate that satellite imagery can detect both the presence of microbial mats and their key biological properties. Using the NDVI\—biomass correlation we developed, we estimate carbon (C) stocks of 21,715 kg (14.7 g C m\−2) in the Canada Glacier Antarctic Specially Protected Area, with an upper and lower limit of 74,871 and 6312 kg of C, respectively.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM, Antarctica, microbial mat, multispectral imagery, NDVI, Nostocales, remote sensing}, doi = {10.1007/s00300-020-02742-y}, url = {https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007\%2Fs00300-020-02742-y}, author = {Power, Sarah N. and Salvatore, Mark R. and Eric R. Sokol and Lee F. Stanish and John E. Barrett} } @article {4515, title = {Evaluating alternative metacommunity hypotheses for diatoms in the McMurdo Dry Valleys using simulations and remote sensing data}, journal = {Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution}, volume = {8}, year = {2020}, month = {09/2020}, abstract = {

Diatoms are diverse and widespread freshwater Eukaryotes that make excellent microbial subjects for addressing questions in metacommunity ecology. In the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica, the simple trophic structure of glacier-fed streams provides an ideal outdoor laboratory where well-described diatom assemblages are found within two cyanobacterial mat types, which occupy different habitats and vary in coverage within and among streams. Specifically, black mats of Nostoc spp. occur in marginal wetted habitats, and orange mats (Oscillatoria spp. and Phormidium spp.) occur in areas of consistent stream flow. Despite their importance as bioindicators for changing environmental conditions, the role of dispersal in structuring dry valley diatom metacommunities remains unclear. Here, we use MCSim, a spatially explicit metacommunity simulation package for R, to test alternative hypotheses about the roles of dispersal and species sorting in maintaining the biodiversity of diatom assemblages residing in black and orange mats. The spatial distribution and patchiness of cyanobacterial mat habitats was characterized by remote imagery of the Lake Fryxell sub-catchment in Taylor Valley. The available species pool for diatom metacommunity simulation scenarios was informed by the Antarctic Freshwater Diatoms Database, maintained by the McMurdo Dry Valleys Long Term Ecological Research program. We used simulation outcomes to test the plausibility of alternative community assembly hypotheses to explain empirically observed patterns of freshwater diatom biodiversity in the long-term record. The most plausible simulation scenarios suggest species sorting by environmental filters, alone, was not sufficient to maintain biodiversity in the Fryxell Basin diatom metacommunity. The most plausible scenarios included either (1) neutral models with different immigration rates for diatoms in orange and black mats or (2) species sorting by a relatively weak environmental filter, such that dispersal dynamics also influenced diatom community assembly, but there was not such a strong disparity\ in immigration rates between mat types. The results point to the importance of dispersal for understanding current and future biodiversity patterns for diatoms in this ecosystem, and more generally, provide further evidence that metacommunity theory is a useful framework for testing hypotheses about microbial community assembly.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM, Antarctica, Bacillariophyceae, dispersal, Nostoc, stream ecology}, doi = {10.3389/fevo.2020.521668}, url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fevo.2020.521668/full}, author = {Eric R. Sokol and John E. Barrett and Tyler J. Kohler and Diane M. McKnight and Salvatore, Mark R. and Lee F. Stanish} } @article {4294, title = {Environmental controls on bacteriohopanepolyol profiles of benthic microbial mats from Lake Fryxell, Antarctica}, journal = {Geobiology}, year = {2019}, month = {07/2019}, abstract = {

Bacteriohopanepolyols (BHPs) are pentacyclic triterpenoid lipids that contribute to the structural integrity and physiology of some bacteria. Because some BHPs originate from specific classes of bacteria, BHPs have potential as taxonomically and environmentally diagnostic biomarkers. For example, a stereoisomer of bacteriohopanetetrol (informally BHT II) has been associated with anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) bacteria and suboxic to anoxic marine environments where anammox is active. As a result, the detection of BHT II in the sedimentary record and fluctuations in the relative abundance of BHT II may inform reconstructions of nitrogen cycling and ocean redox changes through the geological record. However, there are uncertainties concerning the sources of BHT II and whether or not BHT II is produced in abundance in non-marine environments, both of which are pertinent to interpretations of BHT II signatures in sediments. To address these questions, we investigate the BHP composition of benthic microbial mats from Lake Fryxell, Antarctica. Lake Fryxell is a perennially ice-covered lake with a sharp oxycline in a density-stabilized water column. We describe the diversity and abundance of BHPs in benthic microbial mats across a transect from oxic to anoxic conditions. Generally, BHP abundances and diversity vary with the morphologies of microbial mats, which were previously shown to reflect local environmental conditions, such as irradiance and oxygen and sulfide concentrations. BHT II was identified in mats that exist within oxic to anoxic portions of the lake. However, anammox bacteria have yet to be identified in Lake Fryxell. We examine our results in the context of BHPs as biomarkers in modern and ancient environments.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM, anammox, bacteriohopanepolyol, bacteriohopanetetrol isomer, biomarker, McMurdo Dry Valleys}, doi = {10.1111/gbi.12353}, url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/gbi.12353}, author = {Matys, Emily D. and Mackey, Tyler J. and Grettenberger, Christen and Mueller, Elliott and Jungblut, Anne D. and Sumner, Dawn Y. and Ian Hawes and Summons, Roger E.} } @article {4111, title = {Early diverging lineages within Cryptomycota and Chytridiomycota dominate the fungal communities in ice-covered lakes of the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica}, journal = {Scientific Reports}, volume = {7}, year = {2017}, month = {11/2017}, chapter = {15348}, abstract = {

Antarctic ice-covered lakes are exceptional sites for studying the ecology of aquatic fungi under conditions of minimal human disturbance. In this study, we explored the diversity and community composition of fungi in five permanently covered lake basins located in the Taylor and Miers Valleys of Antarctica. Based on analysis of the 18S rRNA sequences, we showed that fungal taxa represented between 0.93\% and 60.32\% of the eukaryotic sequences. Cryptomycota and Chytridiomycota dominated the fungal communities in all lakes; however, members of Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Zygomycota, and Blastocladiomycota were also present. Of the 1313 fungal OTUs identified, the two most abundant, belonging to LKM11 and Chytridiaceae, comprised 74\% of the sequences. Significant differences in the community structure were determined among lakes, water depths, habitat features (i.e., brackish vs. freshwaters), and nucleic acids (DNA vs. RNA), suggesting niche differentiation. Network analysis suggested the existence of strong relationships among specific fungal phylotypes as well as between fungi and other eukaryotes. This study sheds light on the biology and ecology of basal fungi in aquatic systems. To our knowledge, this is the first report showing the predominance of early diverging lineages of fungi in pristine limnetic ecosystems, particularly of the enigmatic phylum Cryptomycota.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {10.1038/s41598-017-15598-w}, url = {https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-15598-w}, author = {Rojas-Jimenez, Keilor and Wurzbacher, Christian and Bourne, Elizabeth Charlotte and Amy Chiuchiolo and John C. Priscu and Grossart, Hans-Peter} } @mastersthesis {4089, title = {Evidence of subglacial brine inflow and wind-induced mixing from high resolution temperature measurements in Lake Bonney, Antarctica}, volume = {M.S.}, year = {2017}, school = {Louisiana State University}, type = {masters}, address = {Baton Rouge, LA}, abstract = {

Hypersaline brine beneath Taylor Glacier enters proglacial West Lobe Lake Bonney (WLB) subglacially as well as from Blood Falls, a surface discharge point at the Taylor Glacier terminus. The brine strongly influences the water column of WLB. Because of the extremely high salinities below the chemocline in WLB, density is determined almost entirely by salinity and temperature can be used as a passive tracer. Cold brine intrusions enter WLB at the glacier face and intrude in to the water column at the depth of neutral buoyancy, where they can be identified by anomalously cold temperatures at that depth. This study is the first to definitively identify subglacial brine intrusions in WLB, since the absence of an open water moat in the winter prevents brine entry from the surface at Blood Falls. High resolution thermistors and CTDs deployed year-round beneath the perennial ice cover demonstrate that brine intrusions can influence the thermal stratification of the water column near the glacier terminus for the majority of the year, and that the effects diminish with distance from the glacier terminus. High volumes of brine inflow alter the density stratification of the water column at the depth of the intrusion and cause turbulent mixing near the glacier terminus. High resolution measurements also reveal internal water movements associated with katabatic wind events, a novel finding that challenges long held assumptions about the stability of the WLB water column. The long term records of Blood Falls flow and of temperature anomalies in WLB indicate that brine release from the subglacial system has been a persistent feature in the region for decades, with implications for the geochemistry and biology of WLB.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, url = {https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_theses/4343}, author = {Lawrence, Jade and Peter T. Doran} } @article {3714, title = {Evidence for dispersal and habitat controls on pond diatom communities from the McMurdo Sound Region of Antarctica}, journal = {Polar Biology}, year = {2016}, month = {02/2016}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, issn = {0722-4060}, doi = {10.1007/s00300-016-1901-6}, url = {http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s00300-016-1901-6http://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00300-016-1901-6http://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00300-016-1901-6.pdfhttp://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00300-016-1901-6/fulltext.html}, author = {Sakaeva, A. and Eric R. Sokol and Tyler J. Kohler and Lee F. Stanish and Sarah A. Spaulding and Howkins, Adrian and Kathleen A. Welch and W. Berry Lyons and John E. Barrett and Diane M. McKnight} } @article {3210, title = {Experimental formation of pore fluids in McMurdo Dry Valleys soils}, journal = {Antarctic Science}, volume = {27}, year = {2015}, month = {04/2015}, pages = {163 - 171}, abstract = {

The aim of the study was to determine if soil salt deliquescence and brine hydration can occur under laboratory conditions using natural McMurdo Dry Valleys soils. The experiment was a laboratory analogue for the formation of isolated patches of hypersaline, damp soil, referred to as \‘wet patches\’. Soils were oven dried and then hydrated in one of two humidity chambers: one at 100\% relative humidity and the second at 75\% relative humidity. Soil hydration is highly variable, and over the course of 20 days of hydration, ranged from increases in water content by mass from 0\–16\% for 122 soil samples from Taylor Valley. The rate and absolute amount of soil hydration correlates well with the soluble salt content of the soils but not with grain size distribution. This suggests that the formation of bulk pore waters in these soils is a consequence of salt deliquescence and hydration of the brine from atmospheric water vapour.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, issn = {0954-1020}, doi = {10.1017/S0954102014000479}, url = {http://www.journals.cambridge.org/abstract_S0954102014000479}, author = {Joseph S. Levy and Andrew G Fountain and W. Berry Lyons and Kathleen A. Welch} } @article {3218, title = {Ecological Biogeography of the Terrestrial Nematodes~of Victoria Land, Antarctica}, journal = {ZooKeys}, volume = {419}, year = {2014}, month = {06/2015}, pages = {29 - 71}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, issn = {1313-2989}, doi = {10.3897/zookeys.419.7180}, url = {http://zookeys.pensoft.net/articles.php?id=3899}, author = {Byron Adams and Diana H. Wall and Ross A. Virginia and Broos, Emma and Matthew Knox} } @article {1071, title = {The ecological role of moss in a polar desert: implications for aboveground- belowground and terrestrial -aquatic linkages.}, journal = {Polar Biology}, volume = {37}, year = {2014}, month = {04/2014}, pages = {651-664}, type = {Journal}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {10.1007/s00300-014-1465-2}, url = {http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00300-014-1465-2}, author = {Ball, Becky and Ross A. Virginia} } @mastersthesis {4094, title = {Ecology and biogeography of freshwater diatoms in ponds of McMurdo Dry Valleys and parts of the Ross Island}, volume = {M.S.}, year = {2014}, school = {University of Colorado}, type = {masters}, address = {Boulder, CO}, abstract = {

The McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDVs) and the exposed coastal areas of the nearby Ross Island in Antarctica represent some of the coldest, driest places in the world. However, during the austral summer warmer temperatures and constant sunlight allow microbial life to flourish nearly anywhere there is water. Diatoms are single-celled algae encapsulated in a silica shell and diatom communities constitute an important component of the microbial mats that grow in the streams, lakes and ponds in these regions. As part of the Long Term Ecological Research station in the McMurdo Dry Valleys diatom communities have been studied extensively in the streams over the last 20 years. Although the diatoms present in pond microbial mats at Cape Royds have been previously studied, modern-day knowledge of the characteristics of diatom communities in ponds and small lakes throughout the region is limited. This work sought to find the relationships between water chemistry and diatom community structure in ponds. Because water flow is not a factor in ponds and small lakes, influences of salinity, nutrients, pH and other factors can be more easily distinguished. This study looked at 24 separate bodies of water in the Taylor Valley, Labyrinth region in Wright Valley, Cape Royds and McMurdo Station area on Ross Island. The results suggest that geography, dispersal and historical environmental conditions play a significant role in structuring diatom communities, in addition to water chemistry. The results also expand the knowledge of habitat preferences for some of the species present in this region.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM, biological sciences, freshwater diatoms, health and environmental sciences, McMurdo Dry Valleys, ponds}, url = {https://search.proquest.com/docview/1655818365?accountid=14503}, author = {Sakaeva, A.}, editor = {Diane M. McKnight} } @article {3216, title = {The effects of high meltwater on the limnology of Lake Fryxell and Lake Hoare, Taylor Valley, Antarctica, as shown by dissolved gas, tritium and chlorofluorocarbons}, journal = {Antarctic Science}, volume = {26}, year = {2014}, month = {Jan-08-2014}, pages = {331 - 340}, abstract = {

Small changes in the availability of liquid water can have profound effects on the water levels, aqueous chemistry and biogeochemical dynamics of the closed-basin, perennially ice-covered lakes of the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica. We have compiled the published and unpublished data on dissolved gas, tritium and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) for Lake Fryxell and Lake Hoare to determine the effects of a high meltwater year (2001\–02 summer) on the lakes. The dissolved gas, tritium and CFC data indicate that the pulse of freshwater that flowed onto the surfaces of the lakes did not mix extensively with the upper water column. At the bottom of Lake Hoare, the measurable CFC and lower dissolved gas values suggest that the recent meltwater may have mixed with bottom waters. The probable mechanism for this transportation is weak density currents with\ c. 0.1\–1.5\% surface water being transported downwards in Lake Hoare. This deep water input, while not constant, may have a significant effect on the chemistry of the bottom waters in Lake Hoare over time. In Lake Fryxell, the tritium and CFC data indicate that the recent meltwater did not significantly affect the bottom water chemistry; therefore, weak density currents may not be present in Lake Fryxell.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, issn = {0954-1020}, doi = {10.1017/S095410201300062X}, url = {http://www.journals.cambridge.org/abstract_S095410201300062X}, author = {Carolyn Dowling and Robert J. Poreda and W. Berry Lyons} } @mastersthesis {3201, title = {Elemental Cycling in a Flow-Through Lake in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica: Lake Miers}, volume = {Master Thesis}, year = {2014}, month = {06/2014}, pages = {122}, school = {Ohio State University}, type = {masters}, address = {Columbus}, abstract = {

The ice-free area in Antarctica known as the McMurdo Dry Valleys has been monitored biologically, meteorologically, hydrologically, and geochemically continuously since the onset of the MCM-LTER in 1993. This area contains a functioning ecosystem living in an extremely delicate environment. Only a few degrees of difference in air temperature can effect on the hydrologic system, making it a prime area to study ongoing climate change. The unique hydrology of Lake Miers, i.e. its flowthrough nature, makes it an ideal candidate to study the mass balance of a McMurdo Dry Valley lake because both input and output concentrations can be analyzed. This study seeks to understand the physical and geochemical hydrology of Lake Miers relative to other MCMDV lakes. Samples were collected from the two inflowing streams, the outflowing stream, and the lake itself at 11 depths to analyze a suite of major cations (Li+ , Na+ , K+ , Mg+ , Ca2+), major anions (Cl- , Br- , F- , SO4 2- , ΣCO2), nutrients (NO2 - , NO3 - , NH4 + , PO4 3- , Si), trace elements (Mo, Rb, Sr, Ba, U, V, Cu, As), water isotopes (δD, δ 18O), and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). The lake acts as a sink for all constituents analyzed, but by amounts varying from ~10\% (DOC, NH4 + , and NO2 - ) to PO4 3- at nearly 100\%, indicating this lake may be P-limited. Cl- , a typically conservative element, was only 79\% retained, which could be due to the late season sample collection, hyperheic zone influences, or other factors. The hyperheic zone\’s role in lake and stream iii geochemistry was analyzed with a 24-hour sampling event. The positive relationships between stream flow and solute concentrations indicate that the delta in Miers Valley plays a role in controlling stream geochemistry and future work could help to explain this relationship. Lake depth profiles of trace elements U, V, Cu, and As decrease relative to Cl in the deepest part of the lake, while non-reducing trace elements show increases with depth. SO4 2- and dissolved O2 lake depth profiles decrease from 53 μM and 22.3 mg/L to 18 μM and 1.8 mg/L, respectively, at depth, indicating that the lake bottom is under reducing and near anoxic conditions. Lake depth profiles show that, while the \“biological pump\” may be a factor controlling lake chemistry, it is masked by the stronger signal of diffusion from the lake bottom sediments and requires future work to understand fully. The \“age\” of Lake Miers was calculated with a diffusion model to be 84 years, which agrees with other estimates of 100-300 years. The diffusion of solutes from the lake bottom and the redox conditions at depth are two major processes controlling the geochemistry of Lake Miers, and future work can help determine their extent and relationship with other processes.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, url = {https://etd.ohiolink.edu/!etd.send_file?accession=osu1413291502\&disposition=inline}, author = {Alexandria Corinne Fair and W. Berry Lyons}, editor = {Anne E. Carey and Yu-Ping Chin} } @phdthesis {4086, title = {Environmental Controls Over the Distribution and Function of Antarctic Soil Bacterial Communities}, volume = {Ph.D.}, year = {2014}, school = {Virginia Tech}, type = {doctoral}, address = {Blacksburg, VA}, abstract = {

Microbial community composition plays a vital role in soil biogeochemical cycling. Information that explains the biogeography of microorganisms is consequently necessary for predicting the timing and magnitude of important ecosystem services mediated by soil biota, such as decomposition and nutrient cycling. Theory developed to explain patterns in plant and animal distributions such as the prevalent relationship between ecosystem productivity and diversity may be successfully extended to microbial systems and accelerate an emerging ecological understanding of the \"unseen majority.\" These considerations suggest a need to define the important mechanisms which affect microbial biogeography as well as the sensitivity of community structure/function to changing climatic or environmental conditions. To this end, my dissertation covers three data chapters in which I have 1) examined patterns in bacterial biogeography using gradients of environmental severity and productivity to identify changes in community diversity (e.g. taxonomic richness) and structure (e.g. similarity); 2) detected potential bacterial ecotypes associated with distinct soil habitats such as those of high alkalinity or electrical conductivity and; 3) measured environmental controls over the function (e.g. primary production, exoenzyme activity) of soil organisms in an environment of severe environmental limitations. Sampling was performed in the polar desert of Antarctica\&$\#$39;s McMurdo Dry Valleys, a model ecosystem which hosts microbially-dominated soil foodwebs and displays heterogeneously distributed soil properties across the landscape. Results for Chapter 2 indicate differential effects of resource availability and geochemical severity on bacterial communities,\ with a significant productivity-diversity relationship that plateaus near the highest observed concentrations of the limiting resource organic carbon (0.30mg C/g soil). Geochemical severity (e.g. pH, electrical conductivity) primarily affected bacterial community similarity and successfully explained the divergent structure of a subset of samples. 16S rRNA amplicon pyrosequencing further revealed in Chapter 3 the identity of specific phyla that preferentially exist within certain habitats (i.e.\ Acidobacteria\ in alkaline soils,\ Nitrospira\ in mesic soils) suggesting the presence of niche specialists and spatial heterogeneity of taxa-specific functions (i.e. nitrite oxidation). Additionally, environmental parameters had different explanatory power towards predicting bacterial richness at varying taxonomic scales, from 57\% of phylum-level richness with pH to 91\% of order- and genus-level richness with moisture. Finally, Chapter 4 details a simultaneous sampling of soil communities and their associated ecosystem functions (primary productivity, enzymatic decomposition) and indicates that the overall organic substrate diversity may be greater in mesic soils where bacterial diversity is also highest, thus a potentially unforeseen driver of community dynamics. I also quantified annual rates of soil production which range between 0.7 - 18.1g C/m2/yr from the more arid to productive soils, respectively. In conclusion, the extension of biogeographical theory for macroorganisms has proven successful and both environmental severity and resource availability have obvious (although different) effects on the diversity and composition of soil microbial communities.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM, biogeochemistry, biogeography, McMurdo Dry Valleys, microbial ecology, productivity/diversity theory}, url = {http://hdl.handle.net/10919/64417}, author = {Kevin M. Geyer}, editor = {John E. Barrett} } @phdthesis {4170, title = {Environmental impacts on RubisCO from green algal laboratory isolates to Antarctic lake communities}, volume = {Ph.D.}, year = {2014}, month = {2014}, school = {Miami University}, type = {doctoral}, address = {Oxford, OH}, abstract = {

Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase (RubisCO) is found in a variety of autotrophic microorganisms ranging from green algae, cyanobacteria, and chemoautotrophic bacteria. As this enzyme has the potential to catalyze carboxylation (carbon fixation) or oxygenation (photorespiration) reactions, it is regulated in response to environmental variables at the levels of transcription, translation, and post-translation by the enzyme, RubisCO activase. A combination of laboratory experiments on green algal isolates and field experiments were utilized to gain insight on carbon fixation in permanently ice-covered Antarctic lakes. RubisCO was investigated as a potential target for cold adaptation of carbon fixation in the psychrophilic green alga, Chlamydomonas raudensis UWO241 (UWO241), isolated from Lake Bonney, Antarctica. RubisCO activity, stability, and whole cell carbon fixation were measured for the psychrophile and compared to a closely related mesophilic alga, C. raudensis SAG49.72 (SAG49.72). The effect of environmental factors including light and temperature on UWO241 and SAG49.72 RubisCO activation state, an indirect measurement of RubisCO activase activity, and abundance was investigated using a modified RubisCO carboxylase assay and immunoblotting, respectively. Lastly, maximum potential RubisCO carboxylase activity was determined using a modified activity assay in multiple ice covered Antarctic lakes including Lake Bonney. This data was complemented with lake depth profiles of enzyme abundance determined by quantitative real-time PCR and RubisCO-harboring organism diversity. While purified RubisCO of the psychrophilic green alga did not function optimally at low temperature, whole cell carbon fixation was greater under such conditions, suggesting that the overall process of carbon fixation is modified to function in UWO241. Increased RubisCO abundance at low temperature may contribute to this phenomenon. Low light levels may be important in regulation of RubisCO via RubisCO activase and should be further investigated. Based on community level RubsiCO activity and enzyme abundance, light and RubisCO harboring organisms including eukaryotic algae and cyanobacteria were positively correlated, but this was variable between lakes. Dark carbon fixation was potentially important in lakes west lobe Bonney and Fryxell and this community was negatively correlated with light. Results of targeted physiology and community level experiments led to development of a carbon fixation model for Lake Bonney.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM, carbon fixation, green algae, ice-covered lakes, RubisCO}, url = {http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1407056783}, author = {Jenna M. Dolhi and Rachael M. Morgan-Kiss} } @article {1059, title = {Estimating photosynthetic activity in microbial mats in an ice-covered Antarctic lake using automated oxygen microelectode profiling and variable chlorophyll fluorescence}, journal = {Limnology and Oceanography}, volume = {59}, year = {2014}, month = {08/2014}, pages = {674-688}, chapter = {674}, abstract = { An automated oxygen microprofiler measured a positive flux of oxygen from microbial mats in ice-covered Lake Hoare, Antarctica, from noon, at a photon flux of 20 {\textmu}mol m-2 s-1, through to midnight (< 2 {\textmu}mol photons m-2 s-1). Daily average oxygen flux was 200 {\textmu}mol m-2 h-1; and, whereas it was maximal at noon, when a 10 mm broad concentration peak was observed 5 mm below the mat surface, flux correlated only weakly with irradiance. In contrast, relative electron transfer rate, estimated from variable chlorophyll fluorescence, suggested a linear relationship between photosystem activity and irradiance. This contradiction arose because of the conjunction of photosynthetic production of oxygen deep into these transparent, gelatinous mats (diel oxygen change was observed to 17 mm depth) and oxygen diffusion rates too slow to allow equilibration of oxygen concentration profiles with instantaneous production and consumption of oxygen. To confirm this, we developed a mathematical simulation of oxygen dynamics that included diffusion, photosynthesis, and respiration. The simulation further indicated that (1) net oxygen evolution is light limited is and confined to the upper few millimeters of the mat, (2) below 5{\textendash}7 mm, respiration balanced photosynthesis, (3) below 17 mm, respiration and photosynthesis approached zero, even though organic carbon and dissolved oxygen were present, and (4) photosynthesis deep into the mat was dependent on high light transmission through the gelatinous matrix. These conclusions are consistent with current understanding of mat growth dynamics and point to approaches for long-term analysis of microbial mat productivity.}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {10.4319/lo.2014.59.3.0674}, author = {Ian Hawes and H. Giles and Peter T. Doran} } @article {1084, title = {Environmental controls over bacterial communities in polar desert soils}, journal = {Ecosphere}, volume = {4}, year = {2013}, month = {10/2013}, pages = {art127}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {10.1890/ES13-00048.1}, author = {Kevin M. Geyer and Adam E. Altrichter and David J. Van Horn and Cristina D. Takacs-Vesbach and Michael N. Gooseff and John E. Barrett} } @article {1079, title = {Environmental factors influencing diatom communities in Antarctic cryoconite holes}, journal = {Environmental Research Letters}, volume = {8}, year = {2013}, month = {12/2013}, pages = {045006}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {10.1088/1748-9326/8/4/045006}, url = {http://iopscience.iop.org/1748-9326/8/4/045006/pdf/1748-9326_8_4_045006.pdf}, author = {Lee F. Stanish and Bagshaw, Elizabeth and Diane M. McKnight and Andrew G Fountain and Martyn Tranter} } @article {1122, title = {The ecology of pulse events: insights from an extreme climatic event in a polar desert ecosystem}, journal = {Ecosphere}, volume = {3}, year = {2012}, month = {02/2012}, pages = {art17}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {10.1890/ES11-00325.1}, url = {http://www.esajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1890/ES11-00325.1}, author = {Uffe N. Nielsen and Diana H. Wall and Byron Adams and Ross A. Virginia and Ball, Becky and Michael N. Gooseff and Diane M. McKnight} } @article {1110, title = {Evidence of form II RubisCO ( cbbM) in a perennially ice-covered Antarctic lake}, journal = {FEMS Microbiology Ecology}, volume = {82}, year = {2012}, month = {11/2012}, pages = {491 - 500}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {10.1111/j.1574-6941.2012.01431.x}, url = {http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1574-6941.2012.01431.x/full}, author = {Weidong Kong and Jenna M. Dolhi and Amy Chiuchiolo and John C. Priscu and Rachael M. Morgan-Kiss} } @article {1116, title = {Extreme streams: flow intermittency as a control on diatom communities in meltwater streams in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica}, journal = {Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences}, volume = {69}, year = {2012}, month = {08/2012}, pages = {1405 - 1419}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {10.1139/f2012-022}, url = {http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/abs/10.1139/f2012-022$\#$.UH2NlWcnq9g}, author = {Lee F. Stanish and Tyler J. Kohler and Rhea M.M. Esposito and Breana L. Simmons and Uffe N. Nielsen and Diana H. Wall and Diana R. Nemergut and Diane M. McKnight} } @phdthesis {4095, title = {Ecological controls on stream diatom communities in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica}, volume = {Ph.D.}, year = {2011}, school = {University of Colorado}, type = {doctoral}, address = {Boulder, CO}, abstract = {

Diatoms are vital primary producers in aquatic ecosystems and useful indicators of environmental change. In climatically sensitive polar areas, diatoms have been used as beacons of climate change, allowing us to monitor physical, chemical, and biological changes. This research aims to improve our understanding of diatom ecology in the pristine and dynamic McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica, where diatoms reside in stream microbial mats. These results aid in understanding how changes in hydrologic regime will affect stream microbial communities, biodiversity, and ecosystem function in a changing environment.

Relationships between hydrologic regime and diatom community composition were investigated using long-term data. Diatom communities were structured by stream physical features, and streams with more similar hydrologic characteristics had more similar communities. Variation in diatom community composition was best explained by hydrologic regime. Small diatoms increased in relative abundances with increasing streamflow, suggesting a role of diatom size in structuring communities. Overall, diatom communities were resistant to flood and drought-like conditions, suggesting an adaptation to frequent disturbances.

The importance of hydrologic regime on drift activity was investigated during three 24- hour experiments. Diel variations in drift could be attributed to diurnal flow peaks. Biomass and diatom cell densities followed a clockwise pattern with stream discharge and support the dominant role of hydraulic processes. The quality of source material differed between seasons and throughout the day. Drifting diatom communities were dominated by\ Fistulifera pelliculosa, which is rarely found in stream mats and suggests a different source. Modeling results suggest that the less firmly anchored marginal mats contribute more to the drift than channel mats in low- flow seasons, while the channel mats become more important during high-flow seasons.

The relationships between diatom and bacterial assemblages in microbial mats were assessed based on phylogenetic and functional relatedness in five Dry Valley streams. Significant relationships between diatom and bacterial communities were found, and co-occurrence analysis identified numerous correlations between individual diatom and bacterial taxa. A consistency in metabolic lifestyles of correlated taxa suggests that the relationships are ecologically relevant. Diatom and bacterial diversity showed opposite patterns, which indicate differences in environmental drivers of diversity for bacteria and eukaryotes.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM, Antarctica, biological sciences, community ecology, diatoms, earth sciences, McMurdo Dry Valleys, streams}, url = {https://search.proquest.com/docview/915694114?accountid=14503}, author = {Lee F. Stanish}, editor = {Diane M. McKnight} } @proceedings {1139, title = {Environmental Protection and Stewardship of Subglacial Aquatic Environments}, journal = {AGU Chapman Conference}, volume = {192}, year = {2011}, month = {03/2011}, pages = {149-157}, publisher = {American Geophysical Union, Washington, DC}, address = {Baltimore}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, author = {Peter T. Doran and Warwick F. Vincent} } @article {1161, title = {Effect of instrument-specific response on the analysis of fulvic acid fluorescence spectra}, journal = {Limnology and Oceanography: Methods}, volume = {8}, year = {2010}, month = {07/2010}, pages = {67-78}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, url = {http://www.aslo.org/lomethods/free/2010/0067.html}, author = {Rose M. Cory and Mathew P. Miller and Diane M. McKnight and Guerard, Jennifer and Penney L. Miller} } @article {1163, title = {Effect of slow desiccation and freezing on gene transcription and stress survival of an Antarctic nematode}, journal = {Journal of Experimental Biology}, volume = {213}, year = {2010}, month = {06/2010}, pages = {1803 - 1812}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {10.1242/jeb.032268}, author = {Bishwo N. Adhikari and Diana H. Wall and Byron Adams} } @article {4816, title = {Effect of unsteady flow on nitrate loss in an oligotrophic, glacial meltwater stream}, journal = {Journal of Geophysical Research}, volume = {115}, year = {2010}, month = {03/2010}, pages = {G01001}, abstract = {

The McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica are among the coldest, driest ecosystems on Earth. During the austral summer, glacial meltwater supports cyanobacterial mat communities in some streams, but they are not ubiquitous. We conducted a nitrate (NO3-) enrichment tracer injection in Huey Creek to quantify NO3- loss in a Dry Valley stream where algal mats would not obscure hyporheic microbial processes. Unsteady streamflow led to diel variability in the tracer concentration and in surface/subsurface water and solute exchange. Subsequently, concentrations of NO3-, nitrite (NO2-), ammonium (NH4+), and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) varied significantly during the injection, with a net loss of NO3-, NO2-, and DOC, and production of nitrous oxide. These mass changes within a reach were often coincident with high streamflows. Reactivity also coincided with the highest DOC concentrations, suggesting that DOC is the primary limitation to heterotrophic microbial activity in the stream. Together, streamflow and DOC availability create the hot spots and hot moments that dominate NO3- reactivity and removal in this polar desert ecosystem. The combination of spatially and temporally variable hyporheic dynamics and solute availability underscore the limitations of common nutrient uptake metrics and transient storage models when unsteady flow conditions exist.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM, Antarctica, hot spots/hot moments, hyporheic exchange, nitrogen cycling, unsteady flow}, doi = {10.1029/2009JG001030}, url = {http://doi.wiley.com/10.1029/2009JG001030}, author = {Koch, J. and Diane M. McKnight and Baeseman, J.} } @mastersthesis {1230, title = {An Energy Balance Model of Melt-water Production for Polar Glaciers in Taylor Valley, Antarctica}, volume = {M.S.}, year = {2010}, school = {Portland State University}, type = {masters}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {LTER}, author = {Ebnet, J and Andrew G Fountain} } @article {1147, title = {Experimentally increased snow accumulation alters soil moisture and animal community structure in a polar desert}, journal = {Polar Biology}, volume = {33}, year = {2010}, month = {7/2010}, pages = {897 - 907}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {10.1007/s00300-010-0766-3}, author = {Edward Ayres and Johnson N. Nkem and Diana H. Wall and Byron Adams and John E. Barrett and Breana L. Simmons and Ross A. Virginia and Andrew G Fountain} } @article {1180, title = {Environmental DNA sequencing primers for eutardigrades and bdelloid rotifers}, journal = {BMC Ecology}, volume = {9}, year = {2009}, month = {11/2009}, pages = {25}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {10.1186/1472-6785-9-25}, author = {Robeson, Michael S and Costello, Elizabeth K and Freeman, Kristen R and Whiting, Jeremy and Byron Adams and Martin, Andrew P and Schmidt, Steve K} } @article {1178, title = {Examining the Scientific Consensus on Climate Change}, journal = {Eos, Transactions American Geophysical Union}, volume = {90}, year = {2009}, month = {2009}, pages = {22}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {10.1029/2009EO030002}, url = {http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/2009/2009EO030002.shtm}, author = {Peter T. Doran and Maggie K. Zimmerman} } @article {1211, title = {Effects of Human Trampling on Populations of Soil Fauna in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica.}, journal = {Conservation Biology}, volume = {22}, year = {2008}, month = {12/2008}, pages = {1544-1551}, abstract = {

Antarctic ecosystems are often considered nearly pristine because levels of anthropogenic disturbance are extremely low there. Nevertheless, over recent decades there has been a rapid increase in the number of people, researchers and tourists, visiting Antarctica. We evaluated, over 10 years, the direct impact of foot traffic on the abundance of soil animals and soil properties in Taylor Valley within the McMurdo Dry Valleys region of Antarctica. We compared soils from minimally disturbed areas with soils from nearby paths that received intermediate and high levels of human foot traffic (i.e., up to approximately 80 passes per year). The nematodes Scottnema lindsayae and Eudorylaimus sp. were the most commonly found animal species, whereas rotifers and tardigrades were found only occasionally. On the highly trampled footpaths, abundance of S. lindsayae and Eudorylaimus sp. was up to 52 and 76\% lower, respectively, than in untrampled areas. Moreover, reduction in S. lindsayae abundance was more pronounced after 10 years than 2 years and in the surface soil than in the deeper soil, presumably because of the longer period of disturbance and the greater level of physical disturbance experienced by the surface soil. The ratio of living to dead Eudorylaimus sp. also declined with increased trampling intensity, which is indicative of increased mortality or reduced fecundity. At one site there was evidence that high levels of trampling reduced soil CO2 fluxes, which is related to total biological activity in the soil. Our results show that even low levels of human traffic can significantly affect soil biota in this ecosystem and may alter ecosystem processes, such as carbon cycling. Consequently, management and conservation plans for Antarctic soils should consider the high sensitivity of soil fauna to physical disturbance as human presence in this ecosystem increases.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {10.1111/j.1523-1739.2008.01034.x}, author = {Edward Ayres and Johnson N. Nkem and Diana H. Wall and Byron Adams and John E. Barrett and Broos, E and Andrew N. Parsons and Powers, Laura E. and Breana L. Simmons and Ross A. Virginia} } @article {1212, title = {Entry approach into pristine ice-sealed lakes - Lake Vida, East Antarctica, a model ecosystem}, journal = {Limnology and Oceanography-Methods}, volume = {6}, year = {2008}, pages = {542-547}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {LTER}, author = {Peter T. Doran and Christian H. Fritsen and A. E. Murray and Kenig, Fabien and Christopher P. McKay and Kyne, J} } @thesis {1241, title = {Ecotoxicity and microbial biogeochemistry of Fluoride in Antarctic soils}, volume = {B.S.}, year = {2007}, month = {07/2007}, school = {Dartmouth College}, type = {bachelors}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, author = {Collins, Pamela M.} } @article {1266, title = {Environmental factors associated with deep chlorophyll maxima in dry valley lakes, South Victoria Land, Antarctica}, journal = {Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research}, volume = {38}, year = {2006}, pages = {179-189}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {LTER}, author = {Burnett, L and Daryl L. Moorhead and Ian Hawes and Clive Howard-Williams} } @article {1267, title = {Experimental investigations into processes controlling stream and hyporheic temperatures, Fryxell Basin, Antarctica}, journal = {Advances in Water Resources}, volume = {29}, year = {2006}, pages = {130-153}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {LTER}, author = {Cozzetto, K and Diane M. McKnight and Thomas H. Nylen and Andrew G Fountain} } @article {1296, title = {An Ecosystem of Superlatives}, journal = {Bioscience}, volume = {55}, year = {2005}, pages = {804-806}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {10.1641/0006-3568(2005)055[0804:AEOS]2.0.CO;2}, url = {http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1641/0006-3568\%282005\%29055\%5B0804:AEOS\%5D2.0.CO;2}, author = {John C. Priscu} } @inbook {1329, title = {Earth{\textquoteright}s Icy Biosphere}, booktitle = {Microbial Diversity and Bioprospecting}, year = {2004}, publisher = {American Society for Microbiology}, organization = {American Society for Microbiology}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {LTER}, url = {http://mcm.lternet.edu/reports/lakes/PriscuChristner2004IcyBiosphere.pdf}, author = {John C. Priscu and Brent C. Christner}, editor = {Bull, Alan T.} } @article {1351, title = {Ecological linkages between aboveground and belowground biota.}, journal = {Science}, volume = {304}, year = {2004}, pages = {1629-1633}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {LTER}, author = {Wardle, D and Richard D. Bardgett and Klironomos, J and Setala, H and van der Putten, W and Diana H. Wall} } @article {1330, title = {Elevated levels of dimethylated-sulfur compounds in Lake Bonney, a poorly ventilated Antarctic lake}, journal = {Limnology and Oceanography}, volume = {49}, year = {2004}, pages = {1044-1055}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, author = {Lee, P and John C. Priscu and G R DiTullio and Riseman, S and Tursich, N and DeMora, S} } @article {1321, title = {Evolution of cryoconite holes and their contribution to meltwater runoff from glaciers in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica}, journal = {Journal of Glaciology}, volume = {50}, year = {2004}, month = {01/2004}, pages = {35-45}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {10.3189/172756504781830312}, author = {Andrew G Fountain and Martyn Tranter and Thomas H. Nylen and Karen J. Lewis and Derek R. Mueller} } @article {1331, title = {Extreme hydrochemical conditions in natural microcosms entombed within Antarctic ice.}, journal = {Hydrological Processes}, volume = {18}, year = {2004}, pages = {379-387}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, author = {Martyn Tranter and Andrew G Fountain and Christian H. Fritsen and W. Berry Lyons and John C. Priscu and Stathan, P and Kathleen A. Welch} } @inbook {1380, title = {Extremophiles: ice ecosystems and biodiversity}, booktitle = {Knowledge for Sustainable Development: an Insight into the Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems.}, year = {2002}, pages = {573-598}, publisher = {UNESCO Publishing-Eolss Publishers}, organization = {UNESCO Publishing-Eolss Publishers}, address = {Oxford}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, author = {Psenner, R and Felip, M and John C. Priscu and Wagenbach, D and Willie, A and Sattler, B} } @phdthesis {1415, title = {Energy balance of a rough glacier surface, Canada Glacier, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica}, volume = {Ph.D.}, year = {2001}, school = {Portland State University}, type = {doctoral}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {LTER}, author = {Karen J. Lewis} } @inbook {1429, title = {Experimental Approaches to Investigate Belowground Animal Diversity}, booktitle = {Methods in Ecosystem Science}, year = {2000}, pages = {318-329}, publisher = {Springer Verlag}, organization = {Springer Verlag}, address = {New York}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, author = {Diana W. Freckman and Reichman, O}, editor = {Osvaldo E. Sala and Jackson, R and Mooney, H and R. Howarth} } @article {1477, title = {Ecological legacies: production, persistence and influence on soil and lake ecosystems of the Antarctic dry valleys}, journal = {Bioscience}, volume = {49}, year = {1999}, pages = {1009-1019}, keywords = {LTER-MCM} } @article {1457, title = {Effects of research diving on a stratified antarctic lake}, journal = {Water Research}, year = {1999}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, author = {Kepner, R.L. and A. Kortyna and Robert A. Wharton Jr. and Peter T. Doran and Dale T. Andersen and Emily C. Roberts} } @phdthesis {1478, title = {Environmental controls of the diversity, activity, and function of soil nematodes in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctic}, volume = {Ph.D.}, year = {1999}, school = {Colorado State University}, type = {doctoral}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, author = {Amy M Treonis} } @inbook {1538, title = {Ecosystem dynamics in a polar desert: the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica (American Geophysical Union Antarctic Research Series. Volume 72)}, booktitle = {Ecosystem dynamics in a polar desert: the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica (American Geophysical Union Antarctic Research Series. Volume 72)}, year = {1998}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, author = {John C. Priscu} } @article {1495, title = {Energy balance studies of Canada Glacier, Taylor Valley, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica}, journal = {Annals of Glaciology}, volume = {27}, year = {1998}, pages = {603-609}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, doi = {LTER}, author = {Karen J. Lewis and Andrew G Fountain and Gayle L. Dana} } @article {1496, title = {Evidence of deep circulation in two perennially ice-covered Antarctic lakes}, journal = {Limnol. Oceanogr.}, volume = {43}, year = {1998}, pages = {625-635}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, author = {Scott W. Tyler and Peter G. Cook and Anya Z. Butt and James M. Thomas and Peter T. Doran and W. Berry Lyons} } @inbook {1554, title = {Ecological processes in a cold desert ecosystem: the abundance and species distribution of algal mats in glacial meltwater streams in Taylor Valley}, booktitle = {Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research}, series = {Occasional Paper}, volume = {51}, year = {1997}, pages = {108 pp}, publisher = {University of Colorado}, organization = {University of Colorado}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, url = {http://instaar.colorado.edu/other/download/OP51-ECOLOGICAL-PROCESSES.pdf}, author = {Alexander S. Alger and Diane M. McKnight and Sarah A. Spaulding and Cathy M. Tate}, editor = {Gordon H Shupe and Kathleen A. Welch and R. L. Edwards and Edmund D. Andrews} } @article {1570, title = {Effects of human disturbance on soil nematode populations in Taylor Valley, Antarctica}, journal = {Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America Supplement}, volume = {77}, year = {1996}, pages = {360}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, author = {Powers, Laura E. and Diana W. Freckman and Ross A. Virginia} } @booklet {3240, title = {Environmental Management of a Cold Desert Ecosystem}, year = {1996}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, author = {Warwick F. Vincent} } @article {1571, title = {Evolution of Temperature and Salt Structure of Lake Bonney, a Chemically Stratified Antarctic Lake}, journal = {Hydrobiologia}, volume = {321}, year = {1996}, pages = {177-190}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, author = {Spigel, Robert H. and John C. Priscu} } @article {1572, title = {Extreme Supersaturation of Nitrous Oxide in a Poorly Ventilated Antarctic Lake}, journal = {Limnol. Oceanogr}, volume = {41}, year = {1996}, pages = {1544-1551}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, author = {John C. Priscu and Malcolm T. Downes and Christopher P. McKay} } @article {1633, title = {The ecology of nematodes in Antarctic Dry Valley soils}, journal = {Antarctic Journal of the U.S.}, volume = {28}, year = {1993}, pages = {10-11}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, author = {Diana W. Freckman and Ross A. Virginia} } @article {1634, title = {Environmental regulators of microbial activity in continental antarctic lakes, in Physical and Biogeochemical Processes in Antarctic Lakes}, journal = {Antarctic Research Series}, volume = {59}, year = {1993}, pages = {165-195}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, author = {Simmons, George M. and J. Robie Vestal and Robert A. Wharton Jr.} } @article {1635, title = {Extraction of nematodes from Dry Valley Antarctic soils}, journal = {Polar Biology}, volume = {13}, year = {1993}, pages = {483-487}, keywords = {LTER-MCM}, author = {Diana W. Freckman and Ross A. Virginia} }