02353nas a2200397 4500008004100000245012200041210006900163260001200232490000600244520115100250100002101401700002501422700002101447700002101468700001401489700002201503700001701525700002201542700001701564700002001581700002001601700002401621700002201645700001901667700002401686700002401710700001701734700002301751700002001774700001801794700002401812700002201836700002401858700001901882856005401901 2019 eng d00aBiotic interactions are an unexpected yet critical control on the complexity of an abiotically driven polar ecosystem0 aBiotic interactions are an unexpected yet critical control on th c02/20190 v23 a

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.

1 aLee, Charles, K.1 aLaughlin, Daniel, C.1 aBottos, Eric, M.1 aCaruso, Tancredi1 aJoy, Kurt1 aBarrett, John, E.1 aBrabyn, Lars1 aNielsen, Uffe, N.1 aAdams, Byron1 aWall, Diana, H.1 aHopkins, D., W.1 aPointing, Steve, B.1 aMcDonald, Ian, R.1 aCowan, Don, A.1 aBanks, Jonathan, C.1 aStichbury, Glen, A.1 aJones, Irfon1 aZawar-Reza, Peyman1 aKaturji, Marwan1 aHogg, Ian, D.1 aSparrow, Ashley, D.1 aStorey, Bryan, C.1 aGreen, T., G. Allan1 aCary, Craig, S uhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-018-0274-501860nas a2200253 4500008004100000245011500041210006900156260001200225490000600237520106300243100002101306700001801327700002201345700002101367700002101388700002001409700001901429700002201448700002401470700002201494700002001516700001701536856005301553 2019 eng d00aNematodes in a polar desert reveal the relative role of biotic interactions in the coexistence of soil animals0 aNematodes in a polar desert reveal the relative role of biotic i c02/20190 v23 a

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.

1 aCaruso, Tancredi1 aHogg, Ian, D.1 aNielsen, Uffe, N.1 aBottos, Eric, M.1 aLee, Charles, K.1 aHopkins, D., W.1 aCary, Craig, S1 aBarrett, John, E.1 aGreen, T., G. Allan1 aStorey, Bryan, C.1 aWall, Diana, H.1 aAdams, Byron uhttp://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-018-0260-y02734nas a2200229 4500008004100000245012900041210006900170260001600239300001100255490000600266520197000272100002402242700002202266700001902288700001602307700002202323700002002345700001702365700002102382700002402403856007702427 2012 eng d00aAt Limits of Life: Multidisciplinary Insights Reveal Environmental Constraints on Biotic Diversity in Continental Antarctica0 aAt Limits of Life Multidisciplinary Insights Reveal Environmenta cJul-09-2013 ae445780 v73 a

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.

 
1 aMagalhaes, Catarina1 aStevens, Mark, I.1 aCary, Craig, S1 aBall, Becky1 aStorey, Bryan, C.1 aWall, Diana, H.1 aTürk, Roman1 aRuprecht, Ulrike1 ade Bello, Francesco uhttp://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0044578