01745nas a2200193 4500008004100000245004900041210004700090260001200137300001200149490000700161520118900168653001101357100002401368700002201392700002101414700002401435700002001459856007201479 2010 eng d00aSnow in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica.0 aSnow in the McMurdo Dry Valleys Antarctica c04/2010 a633-6420 v303 a

Snowfall was measured at 11 sites in the McMurdo Dry Valleys to determine its magnitude, its temporal changes, and spatial patterns. Annual values ranged from 3 to 50 mm water equivalent with the highest values nearest the coast and decreasing inland. A particularly strong spatial gradient exists in Taylor Valley, probably resulting from local uplift conditions at the coastal margin and valley topography that limits migration inland. More snow occurs in winter near the coast, whereas inland no seasonal pattern is discernable. This may be due, again, to local uplift conditions, which are common in winter. We find no influence of the distance to the sea ice edge. Katabatic winds play an important role in transporting snow to the valley bottoms and essentially double the precipitation. That much of the snow accumulation sublimates prior to making a hydrologic contribution underscores the notion that the McMurdo Dry Valleys are indeed an extreme polar desert. Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society

10aBiggie1 aFountain, Andrew, G1 aNylen, Thomas, H.1 aMonaghan, Andrew1 aBasagic, Hassan, J.1 aBromwich, David uhttps://mcm.lternet.edu/content/snow-mcmurdo-dry-valleys-antarctica02787nas a2200241 4500008004100000245002300041210002300064250000600087300001000093490000700103520220500110653001102315653001702326100001402343700002602357700002002383700002402403700001402427700002102441700002802462700001502490856004002505 2008 eng d00aGlacial ecosystems0 aGlacial ecosystems a1 a41-670 v783 a
There is now compelling evidence that microbially mediated reactions impart a significant effect upon the dynamics, composition, and abundance of nutrients in glacial melt water. Consequently, we must now consider ice masses as ecosystem habitats in their own right and address their diversity, functional potential, and activity as part of alpine and polar environments. Although such research is already underway, its fragmentary nature provides little basis for developing modern concepts of glacier ecology. This paper therefore provides a much-needed framework for development by reviewing the physical, biogeochemical, and microbiological characteristics of microbial habitats that have been identified within glaciers and ice sheets. Two key glacial ecosystems emerge, one inhabiting the glacier surface (the supraglacial ecosystem) and one at the ice-bed interface (the subglacial ecosystem). The supraglacial ecosystem is characterized by a diverse consortium of microbes (usually bacteria, algae, phytoflagellates, fungi, viruses and occasional rotifers, tardigrades, and diatoms) within the snowpack, supraglacial streams, and melt pools (cryoconite holes). The subglacial system is dominated by aerobic/anaerobic bacteria and most probably viruses in basal ice/till mixtures and subglacial lakes. A third, so-called englacial ecosystem is also described, but it is demonstrated that conditions within glacier ice are sufficient to make metabolic activity and its impact upon nutrient dynamics negligible at the glacier scale.
 
Consideration of the surface and internal heat balances of the glacier show that all glacial ecosystems are sensitive to climate change, although at different timescales. Thus, while rapid, melt-driven habitat changes lead to melt-out, resuscitation, and redistribution of microorganisms in many supraglacial ecosystems, much slower climatic and glacial mass-balance processes effect such changes in the subglacial ecosystem. Paradoxically, it is shown that these forces have brought about net refreezing and the onset of cryostasis in the subglacial ecosystems of many Arctic glaciers subject to thinning in recent decades.
10aBiggie10asnow ecology1 aHodson, A1 aAnesio, Alexandre, M.1 aTranter, Martyn1 aFountain, Andrew, G1 aOsborn, M1 aPriscu, John, C.1 aLaybourn-Parry, Johanna1 aSattler, B uhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1890/07-0187.103147nas a2200241 4500008004100000245006800041210006800109260001200177300001400189490000800203520239000211653001102601100002202612700002302634700001702657700002402674700002102698700002402719700002002743700002402763700002102787856009702808 2007 eng d00aBiogeochemical stoichiometry of Antarctic Dry Valley ecosystems0 aBiogeochemical stoichiometry of Antarctic Dry Valley ecosystems c02/2007 aG01010+120 v1123 a

Among aquatic and terrestrial landscapes of the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, ecosystem stoichiometry ranges from values near the Redfield ratios for C:N:P to nutrient concentrations in proportions far above or below ratios necessary to support balanced microbial growth. This polar desert provides an opportunity to evaluate stoichiometric approaches to understand nutrient cycling in an ecosystem where biological diversity and activity are low, and controls over the movement and mass balances of nutrients operate over 10–106 years. The simple organisms (microbial and metazoan) comprising dry valley foodwebs adhere to strict biochemical requirements in the composition of their biomass, and when activated by availability of liquid water, they influence the chemical composition of their environment according to these ratios. Nitrogen and phosphorus varied significantly in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems occurring on landscape surfaces across a wide range of exposure ages, indicating strong influences of landscape development and geochemistry on nutrient availability. Biota control the elemental ratio of stream waters, while geochemical stoichiometry (e.g., weathering, atmospheric deposition) evidently limits the distribution of soil invertebrates. We present a conceptual model describing transformations across dry valley landscapes facilitated by exchanges of liquid water and biotic processing of dissolved nutrients. We conclude that contemporary ecosystem stoichiometry of Antarctic Dry Valley soils, glaciers, streams, and lakes results from a combination of extant biological processes superimposed on a legacy of landscape processes and previous climates.

10aBiggie1 aBarrett, John, E.1 aVirginia, Ross, A.1 aLyons, Berry1 aMcKnight, Diane, M.1 aPriscu, John, C.1 aFountain, Andrew, G1 aWall, Diana, H.1 aMoorhead, Daryl, L.1 aDoran, Peter, T. uhttps://mcm.lternet.edu/content/biogeochemical-stoichiometry-antarctic-dry-valley-ecosystems00760nas a2200229 4500008004100000245012700041210006900168260001200237300001000249490000700259653001100266100002500277700002200302700002100324700002400345700001700369700002400386700001800410700002300428700002000451856005900471 2002 eng d00aSnow patch influence on soil biogeochemical processes and invertebrate distribution in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica0 aSnow patch influence on soil biogeochemical processes and invert c02/2003 a91-990 v3510aBiggie1 aGooseff, Michael, N.1 aBarrett, John, E.1 aDoran, Peter, T.1 aFountain, Andrew, G1 aLyons, Berry1 aParsons, Andrew, N.1 aPorazinska, D1 aVirginia, Ross, A.1 aWall, Diana, H. uhttp://instaar.metapress.com/content/r086455ju7213711/03551nas a2200217 4500008004100000245009000041210006900131260001200200300001400212490000800226520282700234653001103061100002103072700002703093700001903120700002003139700002403159700002203183700001703205856011103222 2002 eng d00aValley floor climate observations from the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, 1986-20000 aValley floor climate observations from the McMurdo Dry Valleys A c12/2002 a4772-47840 v1073 a

Climate observations from the McMurdo dry valleys, East Antarctica are presented from a network of seven valley floor automatic meteorological stations during the period 1986 to 2000. Mean annual temperatures ranged from −14.8°C to −30.0°C, depending on the site and period of measurement. Mean annual relative humidity is generally highest near the coast. Mean annual wind speed increases with proximity to the polar plateau. Site-to-site variation in mean annual solar flux and PAR is due to exposure of each station and changes over time are likely related to changes in cloudiness. During the nonsummer months, strong katabatic winds are frequent at some sites and infrequent at others, creating large variation in mean annual temperature owing to the warming effect of the winds. Katabatic wind exposure appears to be controlled to a large degree by the presence of colder air in the region that collects at low points and keeps the warm less dense katabatic flow from the ground. The strong influence of katabatic winds makes prediction of relative mean annual temperature based on geographical position (elevation and distance from the coast) alone, not possible. During the summer months, onshore winds dominate and warm as they progress through the valleys creating a strong linear relationship (r2 = 0.992) of increasing potential temperature with distance from the coast (0.09°C km−1). In contrast to mean annual temperature, summer temperature lends itself quite well to model predictions, and is used to construct a statistical model for predicting summer dry valley temperatures at unmonitored sites.

10aBiggie1 aDoran, Peter, T.1 aMcKay, Christopher, P.1 aClow, Gary, D.1 aDana, Gayle, L.1 aFountain, Andrew, G1 aNylen, Thomas, H.1 aLyons, Berry uhttps://mcm.lternet.edu/content/valley-floor-climate-observations-mcmurdo-dry-valleys-antarctica-1986-2000