02394nas a2200301   4500008004100000022001400041245012200055210006900177260001200246300001100258490000800269520142600277653001501703653002401718653001901742653001901761653003401780653002301814100002801837700002001865700002501885700002401910700002201934700002101956700001901977700002101996856007502017       2025                        eng d  a0012-965800aRemote sensing for species distribution models: An illustration from a sentinel taxon of the world's driest ecosystem0 aRemote sensing for species distribution models An illustration f  c02/2025  ae700350 v1063 a<p>In situ observed data are commonly used as species occurrence response variables in species distribution models. However, the use of remotely observed data from high-resolution multispectral remote-sensing images as a source of presence/absence data for species distribution models remains under-developed. Here, we describe an ensemble species distribution model of black microbial mats (Nostoc spp.) using presence/absence points derived from the unmixing of 4-m resolution WorldView-2 and WorldView-3 images in the Lake Fryxell basin region of Taylor Valley, Antarctica. Environmental and topographical characteristics such as soil moisture, snow, elevation, slope, and aspect were used as predictor variables in our models. We demonstrate that we can build and run ensemble species distribution models using both dependent and independent variables derived from remote-sensing data to generate spatially explicit habitat suitability maps. Snow and soil moisture were found to be the most important variables accounting for about 80% of the variation in the distribution of black mats throughout the Fryxell basin. This study highlights the potential contribution of high-resolution remote-sensing to species distribution modeling and informs new studies incorporating remotely derived species occurrences in species distribution models, especially in remote areas where access to in situ data is often limited.</p>10aAntarctica10aMcMurdo Dry Valleys10amicrobial mats10aremote sensing10aspecies distribution modeling10aspecies occurrence1 aThapa‐Magar, Khum, B.1 aSokol, Eric, R.1 aGooseff, Michael, N.1 aSalvatore, Mark, R.1 aBarrett, John, E.1 aLevy, Joseph, S.1 aKnightly, Paul1 aPower, Sarah, N.  uhttps://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ecy.7003502267nas a2200265   4500008004100000022001400041245008300055210006900138260001200207490000700219520143800226653002201664653002001686653002401706653002401730653002301754100002501777700002101802700002301823700001701846700002101863700002401884700002201908856007101930       2025                        eng d  a1523-043000aSoil biota sensitivity to hydroclimate variability in a polar desert ecosystem0 aSoil biota sensitivity to hydroclimate variability in a polar de  c05/20250 v573 a<p>An anomalous warm weather event in the Antarctic McMurdo Dry Valleys on 18 March 2022 created an opportunity to characterize soil biota communities most sensitive to freeze&ndash;thaw stress. This event caused unseasonal melt within Taylor Valley, activating stream water and microbial mats around Canada Stream. Liquid water availability in this polar desert is a driver of soil biota distribution and activity. Because climate change impacts hydrological regimes, we aimed to determine the effect on soil communities. We sampled soils identified from this event that experienced thaw, nearby hyper-arid areas, and wetted areas that did not experience thaw to compare soil bacterial and invertebrate communities. Areas that exhibited evidence of freeze&ndash;thaw supported the highest live and dead nematode counts and were composed of soil taxa from hyper-arid landscapes and wetted areas. They received water inputs from snowpacks, hyporheic water, or glacial melt, contributing to community differences associated with organic matter and salinity gradients. Inundated soils had higher organic matter and lower conductivity (p &lt;&nbsp;.02) and hosted the most diverse microbial and invertebrate communities on average. Our findings suggest that as liquid water becomes more available under predicted climate change, soil communities adapted to the hyper-arid landscape will shift toward diverse, wetted soil communities.</p>10aclimate variation10aextreme weather10aMcMurdo Dry Valleys10amicrobial community10asoil invertebrates1 aSnyder, Meredith, D.1 aAdams, Byron, J.1 aBorgmeier, Abigail1 aJorna, Jesse1 aPower, Sarah, N.1 aSalvatore, Mark, R.1 aBarrett, John, E.  uhttps://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15230430.2025.248528302505nas a2200325   4500008004100000022001400041245012700055210006900182260001200251300001800263490000800281520146500289653001701754653003701771653002401808653002401832100002701856700002101883700002301904700002201927700002201949700002501971700002001996700002202016700002202038700002202060700002202082700001402104856006102118       2023                        eng d  a2169-900300aCauses and characteristics of electrical resistivity variability in shallow (<4 m) soils in Taylor Valley, East Antarctica0 aCauses and characteristics of electrical resistivity variability  c02/2023  ae2022JF0066960 v1283 a<p>Airborne electromagnetic surveys collected in December 2011 and November 2018 and three soil sampling transects were used to analyze the spatial heterogeneity of shallow (&lt;4 m) soil properties in lower Taylor Valley (TV), East Antarctica. Soil resistivities from 2011 to 2018 ranged from &sim;33 Ωm to &sim;3,500 Ωm with 200 Ωm assigned as an upper boundary for brine-saturated sediments. Elevations below &sim;50 m above sea level (masl) typically exhibit the lowest resistivities with resistivity increasing at high elevations on steeper slopes. Soil water content was empirically estimated from electrical resistivities using Archie&#39;s Law and range from &sim;&lt;1% to &sim;68% by volume. An increase in silt- and clay-sized particles at low elevations increases soil porosity but decreases hydraulic conductivity, promoting greater residence times of soil water at low elevations near Lake Fryxell. Soil resistivity variability between 2011 and 2018 shows soils at different stages of soil freeze-thaw cycles, which are caused predominantly by solar warming of soils as opposed to air temperature. This study furthers the understanding of the hydrogeologic structure of the shallow subsurface in TV and identifies locations of soils that are potentially prone to greater rates of thaw and resulting ecosystem homogenization of soil properties from projected increases in hydrological connectivity across the region over the coming decades.</p>10aactive layer10aairborne electromagnetic surveys10aMcMurdo Dry Valleys10apermafrost dynamics1 aGutterman, William, S.1 aDoran, Peter, T.1 aVirginia, Ross, A.1 aBarrett, John, E.1 aMyers, Krista, F.1 aTulaczyk, Slawek, M.1 aFoley, Neil, T.1 aMikucki, Jill, A.1 aDugan, Hilary, A.1 aGrombacher, Denys1 aBording, Thue, S.1 aAuken, E.  uhttps://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2022JF00669602051nas a2200253   4500008004100000245010800041210006900149260001200218520110900230653001201339653001401351653002401365653001701389653001901406653001701425100002401442700002501466700002201491700002001513700002101533700002101554700001601575856020601591       2020                        eng d00aRemote characterization of photosynthetic communities in the Fryxell basin of Taylor Valley, Antarctica0 aRemote characterization of photosynthetic communities in the Fry  c03/20203 a<p>We investigate the spatial distribution, spectral properties and temporal variability of primary producers (e.g. communities of microbial mats and mosses) throughout the Fryxell basin of Taylor Valley, Antarctica, using high-resolution multispectral remote-sensing data. Our results suggest that photosynthetic communities can be readily detected throughout the Fryxell basin based on their unique near-infrared spectral signatures. Observed intra- and inter-annual variability in spectral signatures are consistent with short-term variations in mat distribution, hydration and photosynthetic activity. Spectral unmixing is also implemented in order to estimate mat abundance, with the most densely vegetated regions observed from orbit correlating spatially with some of the most productive regions of the Fryxell basin. Our work establishes remote sensing as a valuable tool in the study of these ecological communities in the McMurdo Dry Valleys and demonstrates how future scientific investigations and the management of specially protected areas could benefit from these tools and techniques.</p>10aecology10ahydrology10aMcMurdo Dry Valleys10amicrobiology10aremote sensing10aspectroscopy1 aSalvatore, Mark, R.1 aBorges, Schuyler, R.1 aBarrett, John, E.1 aSokol, Eric, R.1 aStanish, Lee, F.1 aPower, Sarah, N.1 aMorin, Paul  uhttps://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antarctic-science/article/remote-characterization-of-photosynthetic-communities-in-the-fryxell-basin-of-taylor-valley-antarctica/8576F6BB1BCFDCA8409F5EA96CA00C6F02975nas a2200289   4500008004100000245013500041210006900176260001200245490000600257520199400263653002902257653002302286653002402309653003102333653002602364653002602390100002602416700002402442700001602466700002002482700002202502700002602524700002502550700002302575700001702598856007002615       2018                        eng d00aStoichiometric Shifts in Soil C:N:P Promote Bacterial Taxa Dominance, Maintain Biodiversity, and Deconstruct Community Assemblages0 aStoichiometric Shifts in Soil CNP Promote Bacterial Taxa Dominan  c07/20180 v93 a<p>Imbalances in C:N:P supply ratios may cause bacterial resource limitations and constrain biogeochemical processes, but the importance of shifts in soil stoichiometry are complicated by the nearly limitless interactions between an immensely rich species pool and a multiple chemical resource forms. To more clearly identify the impact of soil C:N:P on bacteria, we evaluated the cumulative effects of single and coupled long-term nutrient additions (i.e., C as mannitol, N as equal concentrations NH4 + and NO3 &minus; , and P as Na3PO4) and water on communities in an Antarctic polar desert, Taylor Valley. Untreated soils possessed relatively low bacterial diversity, simplified organic C sources due to the absence of plants, limited inorganic N, and excess soil P potentially attenuating links between C:N:P. After 6 years of adding resources, an alleviation of C and N colimitation allowed one rare Micrococcaceae, an Arthrobacter species, to dominate, comprising 47% of the total community abundance and elevating soil respiration by 136% relative to untreated soils. The addition of N alone reduced C:N ratios, elevated bacterial richness and diversity, and allowed rare taxa relying on ammonium and nitrite for metabolism to become more abundant [e.g., nitrite oxidizing Nitrospira species (Nitrosomonadaceae), denitrifiers utilizing nitrite (Gemmatimonadaceae) and members of Rhodobacteraceae with a high affinity for ammonium]. Based on community co-occurrence networks, lower C:P ratios in soils following P and CP additions created more diffuse and less connected communities by disrupting 73% of species interactions and selecting for taxa potentially exploiting abundant P. Unlike amended nutrients, water additions alone elicited no lasting impact on communities. Our results suggest that as soils become nutrient rich a wide array of outcomes are possible from species dominance and the deconstruction of species interconnectedness to the maintenance of biodiversity.</p>10aecological stoichiometry10aLake Fryxell Basin10aMcMurdo Dry Valleys10anetwork community modeling10anutrient colimitation10aSolirubrobacteriaceae1 aAanderud, Zachary, T.1 aSaurey, Sabrina, D.1 aBall, Becky1 aWall, Diana, H.1 aBarrett, John, E.1 aMuscarella, Mario, E.1 aGriffin, Natasha, A.1 aVirginia, Ross, A.1 aAdams, Byron  uhttps://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2018.01401/full04232nas a2200193   4500008004100000245010200041210006900143260003400212490001000246520358400256653002003840653001703860653002403877653002203901653003403923100002103957700002203978856003804000       2014                        eng d00aEnvironmental Controls Over the Distribution and Function of Antarctic Soil Bacterial Communities0 aEnvironmental Controls Over the Distribution and Function of Ant  aBlacksburg, VAbVirginia Tech0 vPh.D.3 a<div title="Page 2"><div><div><p>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 &quot;unseen majority.&quot; 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,&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 0.923em;">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.&nbsp;Acidobacteria&nbsp;in alkaline soils,&nbsp;Nitrospira&nbsp;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.</span></p></div></div></div><p>&nbsp;</p>10abiogeochemistry10abiogeography10aMcMurdo Dry Valleys10amicrobial ecology10aproductivity/diversity theory1 aGeyer, Kevin, M.1 aBarrett, John, E.  uhttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/6441702518nas a2200205   4500008004100000245010700041210006900148260003400217490000700251520182600258653002502084653003402109653002402143653002702167653002202194653001102216100002502227700002202252856003802274       2010                        eng d00aLandscape history and contemporary environmental drivers of microbial community structure and function0 aLandscape history and contemporary environmental drivers of micr  aBlacksburg, VAbVirginia Tech0 vMS3 a<p>Recent work in microbial ecology has focused on elucidating controls over biogeographic patterns and connecting microbial community composition to ecosystem function. My objective was to investigate the relative influences of landscape legacies and contemporary environmental factors on the distribution of soil microbial communities and their contribution to ecosystem processes across a glacial till sequence in Taylor Valley, Antarctica. Within each till unit, I sampled from dry areas and areas with visible evidence of recent surface water movement generated by seasonal melting of ephemeral snow packs and hillslope ground ice. Using T-RFLP 16S rRNA gene profiles of microbial communities, I analyzed the contribution of till and environmental factors to community similarity, and assessed the functional potential of the microbial community using extracellular enzyme activity assays. Microbial communities were influenced by geochemical differences among both tills and local environments, but especially organized by variables associated with water availability as the first axis of an NMDS ordination was strongly related to shifts in soil moisture content. CCA revealed that tills explained only 3.4% of the variability in community similarity among sites, while geochemical variables explained 18.5%. Extracellular enzyme activity was correlated with relevant geochemical variables reflecting the influence of nutrient limitation on microbial activity. In addition, enzyme activity was related to changes in community similarity, particularly in wet environments with a partial Mantel correlation of 0.32. These results demonstrate how landscape history and environmental conditions can shape the functional potential of a microbial community mediated through shifts in microbial community composition.</p>10acommunity similarity10aextracellular enzyme activity10aMcMurdo Dry Valleys10amicrobial biogeography10asoil geochemistry10aT-RFLP1 aAltrichter, Adam, E.1 aBarrett, John, E.  uhttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/31883