02348nas a2200217   4500008004100000245023200041210006900273260001200342300001200354490000700366520154300373653001501916653002001931653000801951653002001959653001401979653002101993100002102014700002402035856007102059       2025                        eng d00aChemical signatures of microbial life in an ecological end-member: Shifting hydroclimate and sediment fluxes influence DOM biogeochemistry in Lake Fryxell, a permanently ice-covered lake in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica0 aChemical signatures of microbial life in an ecological endmember  c04/2025  a24786780 v573 a<p>The ice-covered lakes in the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV) of Antarctica provide end-member ecosystems for understanding the production of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in aquatic ecosystems in the absence of vegetation on the landscape and under resource and nutrient constraints. Given these constraints, DOM in MDV lakes is derived solely from microbial phototrophs and heterotrophic bacteria, contrasting with the dominant terrestrial sources in temperate regions. Previous research developed fluorometric approaches for characterizing DOM, including in MDV lakes. In this study we leveraged these approaches along with contemporary molecular-based techniques to elucidate changes in DOM composition across the depth profile for Lake Fryxell in the MDV. The results showed that the presence of organic molecules containing sulfur increased at depth where anoxic conditions prevailed. To evaluate the influences of climate-induced rising lake levels and multiple flood events in the MDV, we compared recent and historical samples. The results indicated a remarkable consistency in source-related fluorescence metrics over time, whereas a twofold decrease in sulfur content of the fulvic acid fraction was observed in samples from above and below the oxycline. Biogeochemical processes associated with the influx of iron oxide&ndash;rich sediments during flood events may have contributed to this change, and similar processes may stimulate biogeochemical cycling and remineralization in temperate lakes during seasonal transitions.</p>10aAntarctica10abiogeochemistry10aDOM10alake metabolism10alimnology10anutrient cycling1 aRue, Garrett, P.1 aMcKnight, Diane, M.  uhttps://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15230430.2025.247867802735nas a2200325   4500008004100000022001400041245008600055210006900141260001200210490000700222520179000229653001502019653001302034653001002047653002202057653001002079100002602089700002402115700002502139700002102164700001802185700002502203700002102228700002202249700001902271700002402290700002102314700001702335856005702352       2025                        eng d  a0722-406000aA comprehensive survey of soil microbial diversity across the Antarctic continent0 acomprehensive survey of soil microbial diversity across the Anta  c02/20250 v483 a<p>Antarctic soils are unique from those found nearly anywhere else on Earth yet can still harbor a broad diversity of microorganisms able to tolerate the challenging conditions typical of the continent. For these reasons, microbiologists have been drawn to Antarctica for decades. However, our understanding of which microbes thrive in Antarctic soils and how they to do so remains limited. To help resolve these knowledge gaps, we analyzed a collection of 200 archived Antarctic soils&mdash;from Livingston Island on the Antarctic Peninsula to Cape Hallett in northern Victoria Land. We analyzed the prokaryotic and fungal communities in these soils using both cultivation-independent marker gene sequencing and cultivation-dependent approaches (microbial isolation), paired with extensive soil geochemical analyses. Our cultivation-independent analyses indicate that colder, saltier, and drier soils harbor less diverse communities of bacteria and fungi, distinct from those found in soils with less challenging conditions. We also built a culture collection from a subset of these soils that encompasses more than 50 bacterial and fungal genera, including cold-tolerant organisms, such as &lt;i&gt;Cryobacterium&lt;/i&gt; and &lt;i&gt;Cryomyces&lt;/i&gt;. By directly comparing the diversity of our cultured isolates against our cultivation-independent data, we show that many of the more abundant Antarctic taxa are not readily cultivated and highlight bacterial and fungal taxa that should be the focus of future cultivation efforts. Together, we hope that our collection of isolates, the comprehensive data compiled from the cultivation-independent analyses, and our geochemical analyses will serve as a community resource to accelerate the study of Antarctic soil microbes.</p>10aAntarctica10abacteria10afungi10amicrobial ecology10asoils1 aDragone, Nicholas, B.1 aChildress, Mary, K.1 aVanderburgh, Caihong1 aWillmore, Rachel1 aHogg, Ian, D.1 aSancho, Leopoldo, G.1 aLee, Charles, K.1 aBarrett, John, E.1 aQuandt, Alisha1 aLeMonte, Joshua, J.1 aAdams, Byron, J.1 aFierer, Noah  uhttps://link.springer.com/10.1007/s00300-025-03372-y02426nas a2200241   4500008004100000022001400041245010000055210006900155260001200224490000800236520166500244653001501909653001701924653002901941653002401970653002201994653001902016100002202035700002202057700001502079700002102094856006902115       2025                        eng d  a2169-895300aMorphology and distribution of bubble-supported microbial mats from ice-covered Antarctic lakes0 aMorphology and distribution of bubblesupported microbial mats fr  c03/20250 v1303 a<p>Gas bubbles directly influence the macromorphology of benthic microbial mats resulting in preservable biosedimentary structures. This study characterizes the morphology and distribution of microbial mats growing in gas-supersaturated, perennially ice-covered lakes Fryxell, Joyce, and Hoare of the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica. Photosynthetic benthic mats within the gas-supersaturated zone trap oxygen-rich bubbles and become buoyant, tearing off the bottom as &ldquo;liftoff mats.&rdquo; These liftoff mats form a succession of morphologies starting with bubble-induced deformation of flat mats into tent, ridge, and finger liftoff mat. With progressive deformation, mats tear, forming sheet liftoff, while multiple cycles of deformation and tearing transform sheet into strip liftoff. Some mats detach from the substrate and float to the underside of the ice. The depth range of the liftoff zone has varied over time at each lake. Downslope expansion of bubble formation brings previously bubble-free, deep-water pinnacle mats into the liftoff zone. When the liftoff zone shallows, liftoff mats at the deeper end deflate and can become scaffolding for additional mat growth. The superposition and relative orientation of liftoff and pinnacle mats can be used to track the maximum depth of the liftoff zone and changes in gas saturation state in these lakes through time. Our results demonstrate that gas bubbles, even when they are transitory, can exert a significant impact on the morphology of microbial mats at larger scales. This provides a way to identify similar structures and gas supersaturated environments in the biosedimentary record.</p>10aAntarctica10abiosediments10abubble-driven morphology10agas-supersaturation10aice-covered lakes10amicrobial mats1 aJuarez-Rivera, M.1 aMackey, Tyler, J.1 aHawes, Ian1 aSumner, Dawn, Y.  uhttps://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2024JG00851602394nas 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.7003502022nas a2200217   4500008004100000022001400041245004800055210004800103260001200151300000900163520139500172653001501567653001501582653001901597653002401616653001701640653001501657100001801672700002101690856009301711       2025                        eng d  a0954-102000aWinter warming of McMurdo Dry Valleys soils0 aWinter warming of McMurdo Dry Valleys soils  c01/2025  a1-183 a<p>Continuous permafrost is present across the McMurdo Dry Valleys of southern Victoria Land, Antarctica. While summer active-layer thaw is common in the low-elevation portions of the Dry Valleys, active layers have not significantly thickened over time. However, in some locations, coastal Antarctic permafrost has begun to warm. Here, based on soil and meteorological measurements from 1993 to 2023, we show that wintertime soil temperatures have increased across multiple sites in the Dry Valleys, at rates exceeding the pace of summer soil warming. Linear warming trends over time are significant (P &lt; 0.05) at six of seven soil monitoring sites. Winter warming is strongly correlated with increased numbers of down-valley wind events (Foehn/katabatics), but it may also be driven by increased incident longwave radiation at some stations (although winter longwave increase is not significant over time). While down-valley wind events increase winter warming, when down-valley wind events are excluded from the record, winter soil warming remains persistent and significant, suggesting that Antarctic soils are experiencing less cold winters over time in response to regional warming. Together, these observations suggest that some Antarctic permafrost may be approaching a transition to discontinuous permafrost in some regions as winter freezing intensity is reduced over time.</p>10aAntarctica10aFoehn wind10akatabatic wind10aMcMurdo Dry Valleys10amicroclimate10apermafrost1 aFowler, Gavin1 aLevy, Joseph, S.  uhttps://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0954102024000488/type/journal_article02343nas a2200217   4500008004100000245011300041210006900154260001200223490000700235520161700242653001501859653001301874653001401887653001701901653001001918100002401928700002901952700001601981700003301997856009502030       2024                        eng d00aAntarctic lake viromes reveal potential virus associated influences on nutrient cycling in ice-covered lakes0 aAntarctic lake viromes reveal potential virus associated influen  c09/20240 v153 a<p>The McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDVs) of Antarctica are a mosaic of extreme habitats which are dominated by microbial life. The MDVs include glacial melt holes, streams, lakes, and soils, which are interconnected through the transfer of energy and flux of inorganic and organic material via wind and hydrology. For the first time, we provide new data on the viral community structure and function in the MDVs through metagenomics of the planktonic and benthic mat communities of Lakes Bonney and Fryxell. Viral taxonomic diversity was compared across lakes and ecological function was investigated by characterizing auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs) and predicting viral hosts. Our data suggest that viral communities differed between the lakes and among sites: these differences were connected to microbial host communities. AMGs were associated with the potential augmentation of multiple biogeochemical processes in host, most notably with phosphorus acquisition, organic nitrogen acquisition, sulfur oxidation, and photosynthesis. Viral genome abundances containing AMGs differed between the lakes and microbial mats, indicating site specialization. Using procrustes analysis, we also identified significant coupling between viral and bacterial communities (<i>p</i> = 0.001). Finally, host predictions indicate viral host preference among the assembled viromes. Collectively, our data show that: (i) viruses are uniquely distributed through the McMurdo Dry Valley lakes, (ii) their AMGs can contribute to overcoming host nutrient limitation and, (iii) viral and bacterial MDV communities are tightly coupled.</p>10aAntarctica10abacteria10alimnology10ametagenomics10avirus1 aRobinson, David, M.1 aMorgan-Kiss, Rachael, M.1 aWang, Zhong1 aTakacs-Vesbach, Cristina, D.  uhttps://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2024.1422941/full02147nas a2200205   4500008004100000245009900041210006900140260005900209300000800268490000900276520148500285653001501770653001601785653001401801653001801815653001701833100002201850700002101872856004801893       2024                        eng d00aDevelopment of a laboratory simulation for freeze-thaw of aeolian sediments in glacial systems0 aDevelopment of a laboratory simulation for freezethaw of aeolian  aBoulder, CO, USAbUniversity of Colorado Boulderc2024  a2610 vM.A.3 a<p>Glacial systems are vital for supplying trace metals, nutrients, and weathering products to downstream ecosystems. While subglacial and proglacial weathering pathways are highly studied, supraglacial weathering processes receive less attention. Aeolian sediments on glaciers can lower albedo, generating meltwater; this water can refreeze around sediment grains during cloudy periods or when the sun is obstructed, resulting in a freeze-thaw process. For solute generation in the most upstream source in glacial-proglacial environments, it&#39;s unclear whether chemical or physical weathering dominates nutrient release. This study presents a methodology to simulate freeze-thaw processes in a controlled laboratory setting to understand the importance of freeze-thaw in nutrient mobilization. Analysis of sediments from Antarctica&#39;s McMurdo Dry Valleys showed significant differences in the concentrations of ion, nutrient, and trace metal between initial wetting and subsequent freeze-thaw cycles. For example, phosphorus concentrations consistently increased with each cycle, indicating that freeze-thaw is an important mobilization mechanism for this nutrient. Silicon increased from cycle 1-30 but decreased at cycle 60 and iron concentrations were initially higher but decreased during subsequent cycles. This research highlights the importance of freeze-thaw processes in understanding glacial weathering dynamics and nutrient release for downstream ecosystems.</p>10aAntarctica10afreeze-thaw10anutrients10aTaylor Valley10atrace metals1 aMondragon, Denise1 aDiaz, Melisa, A.  uhttps://www.proquest.com/docview/306679220202764nas a2200253   4500008004100000022001400041245011400055210006900169260001200238300001100250490000700261520197300268653001502241653002102256653002702277653002202304653001502326653001302341100002102354700002502375700002402400700002402424856006202448       2024                        eng d  a0885-608700aThe hydrologic and geochemical contributions from snow to streamflow in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica0 ahydrologic and geochemical contributions from snow to streamflow  c06/2024  ae151950 v383 a<p>The glacial meltwater streams in the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDVs), Antarctica only flow during the austral summer and contain abundant algal mats which grow at the onset of flow. Their relative abundance in stream channels of this polar desert make the streams biogeochemical hot spots. The MDVs receive minimal precipitation as snow, which is redistributed by wind and deposited in distinct locations, some of which become persistent snow patches each year. Previous studies identified that MDV streamflow comes from a combination of glacier ice and snow, although snow was assumed to contribute little to the overall water budget. This study uses a combination of satellite imagery, terrain analysis, and field measurements to determine where snow patches accumulate and persist across MDV watersheds, and to quantify the potential hydrologic and biogeochemical contributions of snow patches to streams. Watersheds near the coast have the highest snow-covered area and longest snow persistence. Many of these snow patches accumulate within the stream channels, which results in the potential to contribute to streamflow. During the summer of 2021&ndash;2022, stream channel snow patches had the potential to contribute anywhere between &lt;1% and 90% of the total annual discharge in Lake Fryxell Basin streams, and may increase with different hydrometeorological conditions. On average the potential inputs from snow patches to streamflow was between 12% and 25% of the annual discharge during the 2021&ndash;2022 season, as determined by snow area and SWE. Snow patches in the majority of the watersheds had higher nitrogen and phosphorous concentrations than stream water, and six streams contained snow with higher N:P ratios than the average N:P in the stream water. This suggests that if such patches melt early in the summer, these nutrient and water inputs could occur at the right time and stoichiometry to be crucial for early season algal mat growth.</p>10aAntarctica10aephemeral stream10apolar desert hydrology10arunoff generation10asnow patch10asnowmelt1 aWright, Anna, T.1 aGooseff, Michael, N.1 aBergstrom, Anna, J.1 aWelch, Kathleen, A.  uhttps://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/hyp.1519503243nas a2200193   4500008004100000245010700041210006900148260005600217300000800273490001000281520253500291653001502826653001702841653001302858653001702871653001802888100002502906856011802931       2024                        eng d00aIn situ and remote biosignatures from microbial mats in ephemeral streams of Fryxell Basin, Antarctica0 aIn situ and remote biosignatures from microbial mats in ephemera  aFlagstaff, AZbNorthern Arizona Universityc08/2024  a3400 vPh.D.3 a<p>Transient water-limited environments are understood to have hosted microbial communities early in Earth&rsquo;s history, and thus, may have been important ecosystems for life in ancient fluvial systems on Mars and water-limited environments on rocky Earth-like exoplanets. Similar environmental systems exist on Earth today, acting as meaningful analogs to study the preservation and detection of life in these environments. Particularly useful analogs are the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica, given their cold temperatures, aridity, elevated UV radiation exposure, and predominantly microbial ecosystem. Basins in these valleys contain ephemeral glacial meltwater streams, which contain a diversity of microbial communities that are only active when the streams are flowing ten weeks of the summer. These microbial communities were studied to examine how their in situ and remote biosignatures could inform the detection of similar life on Mars and rocky exoplanets. Specifically, these organisms were found in association with carbonate rock coatings, morphologically resembling modern and ancient stromatolites from rivers, ponds, lakes, and hot springs. Microorganisms from these communities were preserved within and influenced the formation of these coatings, becoming an additional Antarctic analog to ancient stromatolites. The presence of these carbonate coatings in an ephemeral stream suggests that processes in transient fluvial environments on Mars could have also generated coatings, which could have preserved biosignatures. We also identified pigments within these microbial communities and correlated the pigments to community composition. We determined how the reflectance spectra of these communities were influenced by their pigments, demonstrating the capability of distinguishing microbial mat community composition in visible and near-infrared spectroscopy. The results of our study indicate that pigment spectral absorptions can act as remote biosignatures which we then applied to modeling the detection of similar life on the surfaces of cold and rocky Earth-like exoplanets. The detection times of Antarctic microbial mat remote biosignatures were compared with those of anoxygenic photosynthetic and nonphotosynthetic microorganisms, accounting for false positives, to determine which biosignatures were most detectable. The results from this work demonstrate the ability of the future space-based telescope, Habitable Worlds Observatory, to detect surface life on rocky Earth-like exoplanets.</p>10aAntarctica10aastrobiology10apigments10aspectroscopy10astromatolites1 aBorges, Schuyler, R.  uhttps://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/em-situ-remote-biosignatures-microbial-mats/docview/3094642420/se-203255nas a2200277   4500008004100000022001300041245011100054210006900165260001200234300001100246520240400257653001502661653001302676653001102689653002902700653000902729653001702738100002102755700002402776700002002800700002102820700002502841700001702866700002202883856007202905       2024                        eng d  a2666017200aRemotely characterizing photosynthetic biocrust in snowpack-fed microhabitats of Taylor Valley, Antarctica0 aRemotely characterizing photosynthetic biocrust in snowpackfed m  c02/2024  a1001203 a<p>Microbial communities are the primary drivers of carbon cycling in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica. Dense microbial mats, consisting mainly of photosynthetic cyanobacteria, occupy aquatic areas associated with streams and lakes. Other microbial communities also occur at lower densities as patchy surface biological soil crusts (hereafter, biocrusts) across the terrestrial landscape. Multispectral satellite data have been used to model microbial mat abundance in high-density areas like stream and lake margins, but no previous studies have investigated the lower detection limits of biocrusts. Here, we describe remote sensing and field-based survey and sampling approaches to study the detectability and distribution of biocrusts in the McMurdo Dry Valleys. Using a combination of multi- and hyperspectral tools and spectral linear unmixing, we modeled the abundances of biocrust in eastern Taylor Valley. Our spectral approaches can detect low masses of biocrust material in laboratory microcosms down to biocrust concentrations of 1% by mass. These techniques also distinguish the spectra of biocrust from both surface rock and mineral signatures from orbit. We found that biocrusts are present throughout the soils of eastern Taylor Valley and are associated with diverse underlying soil communities. The densest biocrust communities identified in this study had total organic carbon 5x greater than the content of typical arid soils. The most productive biocrusts were located downslope of melting snowpacks in unique soil ecosystems that are distinct from the surrounding arid landscape. There are similarities between the snowpack and stream sediment communities (high diversity of soil invertebrates) as well as their ecosystem properties (e.g., persistence of liquid water, high transfer of available nutrients, lower salinity from flushing) compared to the typical arid terrestrial ecosystem of the dry valleys. Our approach extends the capability of orbital remote sensing of photosynthetic communities out of the aquatic margins and into the drier soils which comprise most of this landscape. This interdisciplinary work is critical for measuring and monitoring terrestrial carbon stocks and predicting future ecosystem dynamics in this currently water-limited but increasingly dynamic Antarctic landscape, which is particularly climate-sensitive and difficult to access.</p>10aAntarctica10abiocrust10acarbon10areflectance spectroscopy10asnow10asoil ecology1 aPower, Sarah, N.1 aSalvatore, Mark, R.1 aSokol, Eric, R.1 aStanish, Lee, F.1 aBorges, Schuyler, R.1 aAdams, Byron1 aBarrett, John, E.  uhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266601722400004X02559nas a2200301   4500008004100000245008000041210006900121260001200190300001200202490000700214520166000221653001501881653001601896653002901912653001801941653001201959100002901971700001802000700002202018700002002040700002202060700001202082700001602094700002602110700002102136700003302157856006702190       2024                        eng d00aSentinel protist taxa of the McMurdo Dry Valley lakes, Antarctica: A review0 aSentinel protist taxa of the McMurdo Dry Valley lakes Antarctica  c03/2024  a13234720 v123 a<p>High-latitude meromictic lakes such as those in the Antarctic McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV) harbor aquatic ecosystems dominated by the microbial loop. Within this habitat, which is limited year-round by light and nutrients, protists, or single celled eukaryotes, play outsized roles in the food web as the dominant primary producers and the apex predators. Thus, the MDV lake ecosystem represents an ideal system to study the role of sentinel protist taxa in carbon and nutrient cycling. The perennially ice-covered lakes are part of the McMurdo Long Term Ecological Research (McM LTER; mcmlter.org) established in 1993. In this review we will highlight the diversity and trophic roles of the MDV lake protist community and compare environmental factors driving spatiotemporal patterns in key protist taxa in two lakes within the McM LTER, Lakes Bonney and Fryxell. We will then discuss lessons learned from manipulated experiments on the impact of current and future climate-driven environmental change on sensitive protist taxa. Last, we will integrate knowledge gained from 25 years of lab-controlled experiments on key photosynthetic protists to extend our understanding of the function of these extremophiles within the MDV aquatic food webs. Our research group has studied the distribution and function of the MDV microbial community for nearly two decades, training the next generation of scientists to tackle future problems of these globally significant microbes. This review article will also highlight early career scientists who have contributed to this body of work and represent the future of scientific understanding in the Anthropocene.</p>10aAntarctica10aDisturbance10aMcMurdo Dry Valley lakes10aphytoplankton10aprotist1 aMorgan-Kiss, Rachael, M.1 aPopson, Devon1 aPereira, Rochelle1 aDolhi-Binder, J1 aTeufel, Amber, G.1 aLi, Wei1 aKalra, Isha1 aSherwell, Shasten, S.1 aReynebeau, Emily1 aTakacs-Vesbach, Cristina, D.  uhttps://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.132347202098nas a2200265   4500008004100000022001400041245010400055210006900159260001200228300001200240490000800252520131200260653001601572653001501588653001801603653002501621653002101646653001301667653002201680100001601702700001401718700001401732700002901746856005701775       2023                        eng d  a0166-859500aHigh salt-induced PSI-supercomplex is associated with high CEF and attenuation of state transitions0 aHigh saltinduced PSIsupercomplex is associated with high CEF and  c09/2023  a65 - 840 v1573 a<p>While PSI-driven cyclic electron flow (CEF) and assembly of thylakoid supercomplexes have been described in model organisms like <i>Chlamydomonas reinhardtii</i>, open questions remain regarding their contributions to survival under long-term stress. The Antarctic halophyte, <i>C. priscuii UWO241</i> (UWO241), possesses constitutive high CEF rates and a stable PSI-supercomplex as a consequence of adaptation to permanent low temperatures and high salinity. To understand whether CEF represents a broader acclimation strategy to short- and long-term stress, we compared high salt acclimation between the halotolerant UWO241, the salt-sensitive model, <i>C. reinhardtii</i>, and a moderately halotolerant Antarctic green alga, <i>C.</i> sp. ICE-MDV (ICE-MDV). CEF was activated under high salt and associated with increased non-photochemical quenching in all three <i>Chlamydomonas</i> species. Furthermore, high salt-acclimated cells of either strain formed a PSI-supercomplex, while state transition capacity was attenuated. How the CEF-associated PSI-supercomplex interferes with state transition response is not yet known. We present a model for interaction between PSI-supercomplex formation, state transitions, and the important role of CEF for survival during long-term exposure to high salt.</p>10aacclimation10aAntarctica10aChlamydomonas10aCyclic electron flow10aPSI-supercomplex10asalinity10astate transitions1 aKalra, Isha1 aWang, Xin1 aZhang, Ru1 aMorgan-Kiss, Rachael, M.  uhttps://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11120-023-01032-y02238nas a2200205   4500008004100000245004700041210004700088260004800135490001000183520164300193653001501836653002901851653002201880653001901902653001001921653001001931100002601941700001701967856004801984       2023                        eng d00aMicrobial life in challenging environments0 aMicrobial life in challenging environments  aBoulder, CObUniversity of Colorado Boulder0 vPh.D.3 a<p>Microorganisms are nearly ubiquitous on Earth, but the identity and function of microbial communities are inherently dependent on the properties of the specific environment in question. Here, I have studied soils around the world to answer questions about how the functional attributes of microorganisms allow them to respond to challenging environmental conditions. First, I explore how microbial communities in soils change across environmental gradients in Antarctica. I show that microbes in Antarctic surface soils are most restricted by low temperatures, low water availability, and high concentrations of salt. Microbial communities near the polar plateau, the most challenging environment, are dominated by Actinobacteria and Chloroflexi, and are enriched in genes associated with the oxidation of hydrogen gas as an energy source. Second, I show that the earliest microbial colonizers of a newly-formed volcanic island in the Kingdom of Tonga are chemolithotrophs that appear to have come from nearby geothermal systems. While many of these microbes utilize sulfur as an energy source, the most abundant organisms have genes that indicate they can oxidize trace gases including carbon monoxide and hydrogen. Finally, I show that organisms associated with carbon limited subsurface soils tend to have smaller genomes, grow more slowly, and have more gene pathways associated with metabolism and the storage of carbon. Taken together, these studies shed light on microbial survival in challenging soil environments and show the varied ways in which microbial communities interact with and are affected by their surroundings.</p>10aAntarctica10aenvironmental conditions10amicrobial ecology10amicroorganisms10asoils10atonga1 aDragone, Nicholas, B.1 aFierer, Noah  uhttps://www.proquest.com/docview/281473420902770nas a2200241   4500008004100000245007200041210006900113260001200182300000800194490000700202520208300209653001502292653001902307653001902326653001302345653002202358653002102380100002902401700002002430700001302450700002102463856004402484       2023                        eng d00aTemperature response of metabolic activity of an Antarctic nematode0 aTemperature response of metabolic activity of an Antarctic nemat  c01/2023  a1090 v123 a<p>Because of climate change, the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica (MCM) have experienced an increase in the frequency and magnitude of summer pulse warming and surface ice and snow melting events. In response to these environmental changes, some nematode species in the MCM have experienced steady population declines over the last three decades, but <i>Plectus murrayi</i>, a mesophilic nematode species, has responded with a steady increase in range and abundance. To determine how <i>P. murrayi</i> responds to increasing temperatures, we measured metabolic heat and CO<sub>2</sub> production rates and calculated O<sub>2</sub> consumption rates as a function of temperature at 5 &deg;C intervals from 5 to 50 &deg;C. Heat, CO<sub>2</sub> production, and O<sub>2</sub> consumption rates increase approximately exponentially up to 40 &deg;C, a temperature never experienced in their polar habitat. Metabolic rates decline rapidly above 40 &deg;C and are irreversibly lost at 50 &deg;C due to thermal stress and mortality. <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i>, a much more widespread nematode that is found in more temperate environments reaches peak metabolic heat rate at just 27 &deg;C, above which it experiences high mortality due to thermal stress. At temperatures from 10 to 40 &deg;C, <i>P. murrayi</i> produces about 6 times more CO<sub>2</sub> than the O<sub>2</sub> it consumes, a respiratory quotient indicative of either acetogenesis or de novo lipogenesis. No potential acetogenic microbes were identified in the <i>P. murrayi</i> microbiome, suggesting that <i>P. murrayi</i> is producing increased CO<sub>2</sub> as a byproduct of de novo lipogenesis. This phenomenon, in conjunction with increased summer temperatures in their polar habitat, will likely lead to increased demand for carbon and subsequent increases in CO<sub>2</sub> production, population abundance, and range expansion. If such changes are not concomitant with increased carbon inputs, we predict the MCM soil ecosystems will experience dramatic declines in functional and taxonomic diversity.</p>10aAntarctica10acarbon cycling10aclimate change10anematode10arespiration rates10asoil temperature1 aRobinson, Colin, Michael1 aHansen, Lee, D.1 aXue, Xia1 aAdams, Byron, J.  uhttps://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/12/1/10902454nas a2200277   4500008004100000245020000041210006900241260001200310300001400322490000800336520152000344653001501864653001401879653002501893653001801918653001701936653000801953100002401961700001601985700002102001700001902022700001802041700002302059700002902082856006502111       2022                        eng d00aCyclic electron flow (CEF) and ascorbate pathway activity provide constitutive photoprotection for the photopsychrophile, <i>Chlamydomonas</i> sp. UWO 241 (renamed <i>Chlamydomonas priscuii</i>)0 aCyclic electron flow CEF and ascorbate pathway activity provide   c03/2022  a235 - 2500 v1513 a<p>Under environmental stress, plants and algae employ a variety of strategies to protect the photosynthetic apparatus and maintain photostasis. To date, most studies on stress acclimation have focused on model organisms which possess limited to no tolerance to stressful extremes. We studied the ability of the Antarctic alga <i>Chlamydomonas</i> sp. UWO 241 (UWO 241) to acclimate to low temperature, high salinity or high light. UWO 241 maintained robust growth and photosynthetic activity at levels of temperature (2 &deg;C) and salinity (700 mM NaCl) which were nonpermissive for a mesophilic sister species, <i>Chlamydomonas raudensis</i> SAG 49.72 (SAG 49.72). Acclimation in the mesophile involved classic mechanisms, including downregulation of light harvesting and shifts in excitation energy between photosystem I and II. In contrast, UWO 241 exhibited high rates of PSI-driven cyclic electron flow (CEF) and a larger capacity for nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ). Furthermore, UWO 241 exhibited constitutively high activity of two key ascorbate cycle enzymes, ascorbate peroxidase and glutathione reductase and maintained a large ascorbate pool. These results matched the ability of the psychrophile to maintain low ROS under short-term photoinhibition conditions. We conclude that tight control over photostasis and ROS levels are essential for photosynthetic life to flourish in a native habitat of permanent photooxidative stress. We propose to rename this organism <i>Chlamydomonas priscuii</i>.</p>10aAntarctica10aascorbate10aCyclic electron flow10aPhotosystem I10aPsychrophile10aROS1 aStahl-Rommel, Sarah1 aKalra, Isha1 aD'Silva, Susanna1 aHahn, Mark, M.1 aPopson, Devon1 aCvetkovska, Marina1 aMorgan-Kiss, Rachael, M.  uhttps://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11120-021-00877-502474nas a2200229   4500008004100000245007500041210006900116260001200185300001800197490000800215520178800223653001502011653001602026653002802042653000802070653002202078653000902100100002502109700002502134700002402159856006102183       2022                        eng d00aDissolved organic carbon chemostasis in Antarctic polar desert streams0 aDissolved organic carbon chemostasis in Antarctic polar desert s  c07/2022  ae2021JG0066490 v1273 a<p>Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is a key variable impacting stream biogeochemical processes. The relationship between DOC concentration (C) and stream discharge (<i>q</i>) can elucidate spatial and temporal DOC source dynamics in watersheds. In the ephemeral glacial meltwater streams of the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV), Antarctica, the C-<i>q</i> relationship has been applied to dissolved inorganic nitrogen and weathering solutes including silica, which all exhibit chemostatic C-<i>q</i> behavior; but DOC-<i>q</i> dynamics have not been studied. DOC concentrations here are low compared to temperate streams, in the range of 0.1-2 mg C l<sup>-1</sup>, and their chemical signal clearly indicates derivation from microbial biomass (benthic mats and hyporheic biofilm). To investigate whether the DOC generation rate from these autochthonous organic matter pools was sufficient to maintain chemostasis for DOC, despite these streams&#39; large diel and interannual fluctuations in discharge, we fit the long-term DOC-<i>q</i> data to a power law and an advection-reaction model. Model outputs and coefficients of variation characterize the DOC-<i>q</i> relationship as chemostatic for several MDV streams. We propose a conceptual model in which hyporheic carbon storage, hyporheic exchange rates, and net DOC generation rates are key interacting components that enable chemostatic DOC-<i>q</i> behavior in MDV streams. This model clarifies the role of autochthonous carbon stores in maintaining DOC chemostasis and may be useful for examining these relationships in temperate systems, which typically have larger sources of bioavailable autochthonous organic carbon than MDV streams but where this autochthonous signal could be masked by a stronger allochthonous contribution.</p>10aAntarctica10achemostasis10aconcentration-discharge10aDOC10aephemeral streams10aLTER1 aTorrens, Christa, L.1 aGooseff, Michael, N.1 aMcKnight, Diane, M.  uhttps://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2021JG00664900974nas a2200217   4500008004100000245004900041210004200090260001200132490000700144520034200151653001500493653001700508653001300525653002500538653001000563653001400573100001300587700002100600700002200621856011300643       2022                        eng d00aA draft mitogenome of <i>Plectus murrayi</i>0 adraft mitogenome of iPlectus murrayii  c02/20220 v543 a<p><i>Plectus murrayi</i> is a free-living microbivorous nematode endemic to Antarctic soils. Our draft assembly of its mitogenome was 15,656 bp long, containing 12 protein-coding, eight transfer RNA (tRNA), and two ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes. Mitophylogenomic analyses extend our understanding of mitochondrial evolution in Nematoda</p>10aAntarctica10agenome decay10agenomics10amitochondrial genome10aMitoZ10aphylogeny1 aXue, Xia1 aAdams, Byron, J.1 aDilman, Adler, R.  uhttps://www.sciendo.com/article/10.2478/jofnem-2022-0035https://www.sciendo.com/pdf/10.2478/jofnem-2022-003502399nas a2200217   4500008004100000245008500041210006900126260005400195490000700249520171000256653001501966653001701981653002401998653001402022653002402036653001002060653002402070100002502094700002102119856004102140       2022                        eng d00aEffect of climate history on the genetic structure of an Antarctic soil nematode0 aEffect of climate history on the genetic structure of an Antarct  aProvo, UT, USAbBrigham Young Universityc12/20220 vMS3 a<p>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 <i>Scottnema lindsayae</i>, 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 <i>S. lindsayae</i> 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.</p>10aAntarctica10abiogeography10aclimate disturbance10aevolution10aMcMurdo Dry Valleys10apolar10apopulation genetics1 aJackson, Abigail, C.1 aAdams, Byron, J.  uhttp://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/etd1262202367nas a2200289   4500008004100000245011400041210006900155260001200224300001400236490000600250520147700256653001501733653002201748653002201770653001001792100002601802700002401828700002701852700002101879700001801900700001701918700002001935700001701955700001701972700002401989856006402013       2022                        eng d00aElevational constraints on the composition and genomic attributes of microbial communities in Antarctic soils0 aElevational constraints on the composition and genomic attribute  c01/2022  ae01330-210 v73 a<p>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.</p>10aAntarctica10amicrobial ecology10asoil microbiology10asoils1 aDragone, Nicholas, B.1 aHenley, Jessica, B.1 aHolland-Moritz, Hannah1 aDiaz, Melisa, A.1 aHogg, Ian, D.1 aLyons, Berry1 aWall, Diana, H.1 aAdams, Byron1 aFierer, Noah1 aMackelprang, Rachel  uhttps://journals.asm.org/doi/full/10.1128/msystems.01330-2102236nas a2200241   4500008004100000245006500041210006400106260001200170300000900182490000700191520155500198653001501753653002401768653001801792653002601810653001201836653002201848100002501870700001701895700001501912700002101927856004601948       2022                        eng d00aGlacial legacies: Microbial communities of Antarctic refugia0 aGlacial legacies Microbial communities of Antarctic refugia  c10/2022  a14400 v113 a<p>In the cold deserts of the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV) the suitability of soil for microbial life is determined by both contemporary processes and legacy effects. Climatic changes and accompanying glacial activity have caused local extinctions and lasting geochemical changes to parts of these soil ecosystems over several million years, while areas of refugia may have escaped these disturbances and existed under relatively stable conditions. This study describes the impact of historical glacial and lacustrine disturbance events on microbial communities across the MDV to investigate how this divergent disturbance history influenced the structuring of microbial communities across this otherwise very stable ecosystem. Soil bacterial communities from 17 sites representing either putative refugia or sites disturbed during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) (22&ndash;17 kya) were characterized using 16 S metabarcoding. Regardless of geographic distance, several putative refugia sites at elevations above 600 m displayed highly similar microbial communities. At a regional scale, community composition was found to be influenced by elevation and geographic proximity more so than soil geochemical properties. These results suggest that despite the extreme conditions, diverse microbial communities exist in these putative refugia that have presumably remained undisturbed at least through the LGM. We suggest that similarities in microbial communities can be interpreted as evidence for historical climate legacies on an ecosystem-wide scale.</p>10aAntarctica10aMcMurdo Dry Valleys10ametabarcoding10amicrobial communities10arefugia10asoil biodiversity1 aJackson, Abigail, C.1 aJorna, Jesse1 aChaston, J1 aAdams, Byron, J.  uhttps://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/11/10/144002315nas a2200265   4500008004100000245009400041210006900135260001200204520148400216653001501700653001701715653002601732653001901758653001701777653001301794653002301807100002101830700002601851700002201877700002401899700002301923700002001946700002501966856005801991       2022                        eng d00aIslands in the ice: Potential impacts of habitat transformation on Antarctic biodiversity0 aIslands in the ice Potential impacts of habitat transformation o  c07/20223 a<p>Antarctic biodiversity faces an unknown future with a changing climate. Most terrestrial biota is restricted to limited patches of ice-free land in a sea of ice, where they are adapted to the continent&#39;s extreme cold and wind and exploit microhabitats of suitable conditions. As temperatures rise, ice-free areas are predicted to expand, more rapidly in some areas than others. There is high uncertainty as to how species&#39; distributions, physiology, abundance, and survivorship will be affected as their habitats transform. Here we use current knowledge to propose hypotheses that ice-free area expansion (i) will increase habitat availability, though the quality of habitat will vary; (ii) will increase structural connectivity, although not necessarily increase opportunities for species establishment; (iii) combined with milder climates will increase likelihood of non-native species establishment, but may also lengthen activity windows for all species; and (iv) will benefit some species and not others, possibly resulting in increased homogeneity of biodiversity. We anticipate considerable spatial, temporal, and taxonomic variation in species responses, and a heightened need for interdisciplinary research to understand the factors associated with ecosystem resilience under future scenarios. Such research will help identify at-risk species or vulnerable localities and is crucial for informing environmental management and policymaking into the future.</p>10aAntarctica10abiodiversity10abiotic homogenization10aclimate change10aconnectivity10aice-free10anon-native species1 aLee, Jasmine, R.1 aWaterman, Melinda, J.1 aShaw, Justine, D.1 aBergstrom, Dana, M.1 aLynch, Heather, J.1 aWall, Diana, H.1 aRobinson, Sharon, A.  uhttps://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcb.1633102435nas a2200277   4500008004100000245011000041210006900151260001200220300000700232490000700239520155100246653001501797653002601812653002401838653001301862653003001875100001901905700002401924700002101948700002401969700002101993700002302014700002202037700003302059856006502092       2022                        eng d00aLimits to the three domains of life: Lessons from community assembly along an Antarctic salinity gradient0 aLimits to the three domains of life Lessons from community assem  c04/2022  a150 v263 a<p>Extremophiles exist among all three domains of life; however, physiological mechanisms for surviving harsh environmental conditions differ among Bacteria, Archaea and Eukarya. Consequently, we expect that domain-specific variation of diversity and community assembly patterns exist along environmental gradients in extreme environments. We investigated inter-domain community compositional differences along a high-elevation salinity gradient in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica. Conductivity for 24 soil samples collected along the gradient ranged widely from 50 to 8355 &micro;S cm<sup>-1</sup>. Taxonomic richness varied among domains, with a total of 359 bacterial, 2 archaeal, 56 fungal, and 69 non-fungal eukaryotic operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Richness for bacteria, archaea, fungi, and non-fungal eukaryotes declined with increasing conductivity (all <em>P</em>&thinsp;&lt;&thinsp;0.05). Principal coordinate ordination analysis (PCoA) revealed significant (ANOSIM <em>R</em>&thinsp;=&thinsp;0.97) groupings of low/high salinity bacterial OTUs, while OTUs from other domains were not significantly clustered. Bacterial beta diversity was unimodally distributed along the gradient and had a nested structure driven by species losses, whereas in fungi and non-fungal eukaryotes beta diversity declined monotonically without strong evidence of nestedness. Thus, while increased salinity acts as a stressor in all domains, the mechanisms driving community assembly along the gradient differ substantially between the domains.</p>10aAntarctica10ainter-domain response10aMcMurdo Dry Valleys10asalinity10aspecies richness patterns1 aJiang, Xiaoben1 aVan Horn, David, J.1 aOkie, Jordan, G.1 aBuelow, Heather, N.1 aSchwartz, Egbert1 aColman, Daniel, R.1 aFeeser, Kelli, L.1 aTakacs-Vesbach, Cristina, D.  uhttps://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00792-022-01262-303274nas a2200313   4500008004100000245011700041210006900158260001200227300001100239490000700250520227300257653001502530653002502545653001802570653002702588653002802615653002302643653001902666100002202685700002802707700002302735700002302758700002502781700002202806700002202828700001502850700002302865856007202888       2022                        eng d00aLipid biomarkers from microbial mats on the McMurdo Ice Shelf, Antarctica: Signatures for life in the cryosphere0 aLipid biomarkers from microbial mats on the McMurdo Ice Shelf An  c06/2022  a9036210 v133 a<p>Persistent cold temperatures, a paucity of nutrients, freeze-thaw cycles, and the strongly seasonal light regime make Antarctica one of Earth&rsquo;s least hospitable surface environments for complex life. Cyanobacteria, however, are well-adapted to such conditions and are often the dominant primary producers in Antarctic inland water environments. In particular, the network of meltwater ponds on the &lsquo;dirty ice&rsquo; of the McMurdo Ice Shelf is an ecosystem with extensive cyanobacteria-dominated microbial mat accumulations. This study investigated intact polar lipids (IPLs), heterocyte glycolipids (HGs), and bacteriohopanepolyols (BHPs) in combination with 16S and 18S rRNA gene diversity in microbial mats of twelve ponds in this unique polar ecosystem. To constrain the effects of nutrient availability, temperature and freeze-thaw cycles on the lipid membrane composition, lipids were compared to stromatolite-forming cyanobacterial mats from ice-covered lakes in the McMurdo Dry Valleys as well as from (sub)tropical regions and hot springs. The 16S rRNA gene compositions of the McMurdo Ice Shelf mats confirm the dominance of Cyanobacteria and Proteobacteria while the 18S rRNA gene composition indicates the presence of Ochrophyta, Chlorophyta, Ciliophora, and other microfauna. IPL analyses revealed a predominantly bacterial community in the meltwater ponds, with archaeal lipids being barely detectable. IPLs are dominated by glycolipids and phospholipids, followed by aminolipids. The high abundance of sugar-bound lipids accords with a predominance of cyanobacterial primary producers. The phosphate-limited samples from the (sub)tropical, hot spring, and Lake Vanda sites revealed a higher abundance of aminolipids compared to those of the nitrogen-limited meltwater ponds, affirming the direct affects that N and P availability have on IPL compositions. The high abundance of polyunsaturated IPLs in the Antarctic microbial mats suggests that these lipids provide an important mechanism to maintain membrane fluidity in cold environments. High abundances of HG keto-ols and HG keto-diols, produced by heterocytous cyanobacteria, further support these findings and reveal a unique distribution compared to those from warmer climates.</p>10aAntarctica10abacteriohopanepolyol10acyanobacteria10aheterocyte glycolipids10ahomeoviscous adaptation10aintact polar lipid10amicrobial mats1 aEvans, Thomas, W.1 aKalambokidis, Maria, J.1 aJungblut, Anne, D.1 aMillar, Jasmin, L.1 aBauersachs, Thorsten1 aGrotheer, Hendrik1 aMackey, Tyler, J.1 aHawes, Ian1 aSummons, Roger, E.  uhttps://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2022.903621/full01993nas a2200253   4500008004100000022001400041245010200055210006900157260001200226300001100238490000700249520122000256653001501476653000901491653002401500653002201524653001701546653002301563100002501586700002401611700002101635700002101656856006201677       2022                        eng d  a0885-608700aLong-term stream hydrology and meteorology of a polar desert, the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica0 aLongterm stream hydrology and meteorology of a polar desert the   c06/2022  ae146230 v363 a<p>The McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDVs; 77.50&deg;S, 162.25&deg;E) make up the largest ice-free region of Antarctica at 3500 km<sup>2</sup>. Their position near the coast of the Ross Sea provides for a milder climate than much of the rest of the continent. Alpine and piedmont glaciers in the MDVs melt during the austral summer providing water to down gradient streams and terminal lakes on valley floors. There are currently 14 meteorological stations and 17 stream gauges operating across the MDVs, some with continuous records that go back to 1969. This relatively high density of monitoring stations reflects the fact that glaciers of different sizes and elevation ranges are the main source of water to streams. Thus, each glacier represents a different watershed. The bulk of these records start in the late 1980s/early 1990s. These data collection activities directly support research endeavors of the McMurdo Dry Valleys Long Term Ecological Research project, as well as a host of other science groups working in the MDVs. As such, both real time data and archived data from these sites is available through the online database interface of the project (<a href="http://mcmlter.org">https://mcmlter.org</a>).</p>10aAntarctica10aLTER10aMcMurdo Dry Valleys10ameltwater streams10apolar desert10aresearch catchment1 aGooseff, Michael, N.1 aMcKnight, Diane, M.1 aDoran, Peter, T.1 aFountain, Andrew  uhttps://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/hyp.1462302431nas a2200277   4500008004100000022001300041245008500054210006900139260001200208300001100220490000800231520163400239653001501873653001301888653001401901653001901915653001901934653001901953100001401972700001201986700002501998700002102023700001702044700001602061856007602077       2022                        eng d  a0048969700aOrganic matter distribution in the icy environments of Taylor Valley, Antarctica0 aOrganic matter distribution in the icy environments of Taylor Va  c10/2022  a1566390 v8413 a<p>Glaciers can accumulate and release organic matter affecting the structure and function of associated terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. We analyzed 18 ice cores collected from six locations in Taylor Valley (McMurdo Dry Valleys), Antarctica to determine the spatial abundance and quality of organic matter, and the spatial distribution of bacterial density and community structure from the terminus of the Taylor Glacier to the coast (McMurdo Sound). Our results showed that dissolved and particulate organic carbon (DOC and POC) concentrations in the ice core samples increased from the Taylor Glacier to McMurdo Sound, a pattern also shown by bacterial cell density. Fluorescence Excitation Emission Matrices Spectroscopy (EEMs) and multivariate parallel factor (PARAFAC) modeling identified one humic-like (C1) and one protein-like (C2) component in ice cores whose fluorescent intensities all increased from the Polar Plateau to the coast. The fluorescence index showed that the bioavailability of dissolved organic matter (DOM) also decreased from the Polar Plateau to the coast. Partial least squares path modeling analysis revealed that bacterial abundance was the main positive biotic factor influencing both the quantity and quality of organic matter. Marine aerosol influenced the spatial distribution of DOC more than katabatic winds in the ice cores. Certain bacterial taxa showed significant correlations with DOC and POC concentrations. Collectively, our results show the tight connectivity among organic matter spatial distribution, bacterial abundance and meteorology in the McMurdo Dry Valley ecosystem.</p>10aAntarctica10abacteria10aice cores10akatabatic wind10amarine aerosol10aorganic matter1 aGuo, Bixi1 aLi, Wei1 aSantibáñez, Pamela1 aPriscu, John, C.1 aLiu, Yongqin1 aLiu, Keshao  uhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S004896972203736602175nas a2200229   4500008004100000022001400041245022200055210006900277260001200346300001400358490000700372520135100379653001501730653001601745653001901761653001601780653001201796100002101808700002101829700002401850856007101874       2022                        eng d  a1523-043000aTiming and duration of ephemeral Antarctic water tracks and wetlands using high temporal–resolution satellite imagery, high spatial–resolution satellite imagery, and ground-based sensors in the McMurdo Dry Valleys0 aTiming and duration of ephemeral Antarctic water tracks and wetl  c12/2022  a538 - 5610 v543 a<p>Antarctic water tracks and ephemeral wetlands are a primary location for biogeochemical soil processes driving cold desert soil formation. Though the spatial extent of water tracks and wetted soils has been mapped in the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV) on the basis of mapping darkened pixels in high-resolution commercial satellite imagery, the timescale over which water tracks and wetlands form and the duration of these biogeochemically active environments remain unknown. Here, we determine the start date and end dates and the duration of wetted soils at ten sites located across the MDV using a combination of in situ soil sensors and two complementary remote imaging platforms (Planet and WorldView) to understand the hydroclimatic processes that drive water track and wetland formation. Our remote sensing employs a terrain correction workflow that removes the contribution of differential direct illumination and small-scale shadowing on pixel brightness, reducing false positives (soils identified as wetted when in fact they are shadowed or darkened as a consequence of high phase angle). Our findings extend the water track and wetland hydroperiod by over a month, showing darkening occurring from November to March, suggesting hydrological contributions from ground ice thaw, snowmelt, and salt deliquescence and soil brine growth.</p>10aAntarctica10ahydroperiod10aremote sensing10awater track10awetland1 aKuentz, Lily, C.1 aLevy, Joseph, S.1 aSalvatore, Mark, R.  uhttps://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15230430.2022.212385802600nas a2200217   4500008004100000245010600041210006900147260001200216490000700228520191500235653001502150653001802165653001602183653002202199653001702221100002202238700001702260700002102277700001702298856006702315       2021                        eng d00aAntarctic water tracks: Microbial community responses to variation in soil moisture, pH, and salinity0 aAntarctic water tracks Microbial community responses to variatio  c01/20210 v123 a<p>Ice-free soils in the McMurdo Dry Valleys select for taxa able to cope with challenging environmental conditions, including extreme chemical water activity gradients, freeze-thaw cycling, desiccation, and solar radiation regimes. The low biotic complexity of Dry Valley soils makes them well suited to investigate environmental and spatial influences on bacterial community structure. Water tracks are annually wetted habitats in the cold-arid soils of Antarctica that form briefly each summer with moisture sourced from snow melt, ground ice thaw, and atmospheric deposition via deliquescence and vapor flow into brines. Compared to neighboring arid soils, water tracks are highly saline and relatively moist habitats. They represent a considerable area (&sim;5&ndash;10 km<sup>2</sup>) of the Dry Valley terrestrial ecosystem, an area that is expected to increase with ongoing climate change. The goal of this study was to determine how variation in the environmental conditions of water tracks influences the composition and diversity of microbial communities. We found significant differences in microbial community composition between on- and off-water track samples, and across two distinct locations. Of the tested environmental variables, soil salinity was the best predictor of community composition, with members of the <em>Bacteroidetes</em> phylum being relatively more abundant at higher salinities and the <em>Actinobacteria</em> phylum showing the opposite pattern. There was also a significant, inverse relationship between salinity and bacterial diversity. Our results suggest water track formation significantly alters dry soil microbial communities, likely influencing subsequent ecosystem functioning. We highlight how Dry Valley water tracks could be a useful model system for understanding the potential habitability of transiently wetted environments found on the surface of Mars.</p>10aAntarctica10aextremophiles10aMars analog10amicrobial ecology10awater tracks1 aGeorge, Scott, F.1 aFierer, Noah1 aLevy, Joseph, S.1 aAdams, Byron  uhttps://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2021.61673001995nas a2200205   4500008004100000245012000041210006900161260004800230490000900278520132200287653001501609653001101624653001801635653001201653653001501665653001301680100002401693700002401717856004801741       2021                        eng d00aControls on microbial mat coverage and diatom species turnover in Antarctic desert streams: A transplant experiment0 aControls on microbial mat coverage and diatom species turnover i  aBoulder, CObUniversity of Colorado Boulder0 vM.S.3 a<p>This thesis evaluates how polar desert streams regulate benthic microbial mat coverage, chlorophyll-a biomass, and diatom species composition. Microbial mats growing on rocks (eplithon) and on sandy substrate (epipelon) were reciprocally transplanted among four glaciers meltwater streams and monitored through time. The selected study streams were Green Creek, Bowles Creek, Delta Stream, Von Guerard Stream in the Lake Fryxell Basin in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica. These streams vary in length, streamflow intermittency, and diatom community composition of microbial mats. Results demonstrate that streams strongly control mat biomass (coverage and chlorophyll-a) differently for epilithon and epipelon. However, diatom species composition did not vary between these growth habitats but instead varied by stream, suggesting adaptive niche separation related to environmental conditions. Diatom species composition of transplants in Green Creek became dissimilar from their initial stream communities suggesting downstream dispersal and within stream connectivity regulates community assembly. This experiment confirms that environmental characteristics and intra-stream dispersal processes exert strong control over maintaining microbial mat coverage, biomass accrual, and diatom species composition.</p>10aAntarctica10adiatom10amicrobial mat10astreams10atransplant10aturnover1 aDarling, Joshua, P.1 aMcKnight, Diane, M.  uhttps://www.proquest.com/docview/263459098202080nas a2200361   4500008004100000245006800041210006800109260001200177300000900189490000700198520108000205653001501285653001701300653001201317653001301329653001501342653000901357100001901366700002401385700001801409700002101427700002501448700002501473700002201498700002001520700001901540700001701559700002601576700001601602700001801618710002301636856005901659       2021                        eng d00aDiatoms define a novel freshwater biogeography of the Antarctic0 aDiatoms define a novel freshwater biogeography of the Antarctic  c01/2021  a1-130 v443 a<p>Terrestrial biota in the Antarctic are more globally distinct and highly structured biogeographically than previously believed, but information on biogeographic patterns and endemism in freshwater communities is largely lacking. We studied biogeographic patterns of Antarctic freshwater diatoms based on the analysis of species occurrences in a dataset of 439 lakes spread across the Antarctic realm. Highly distinct diatom floras, both in terms of composition and richness, characterize Continental Antarctica, Maritime Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic islands, with marked biogeographic provincialism in each region. A total of 44% of all species is estimated to be endemic to the Antarctic, and most of them are confined to a single biogeographic region. The level of endemism significantly increases with increasing latitude and geographic isolation. Our results have implications for conservation planning, and suggest that successful dispersal of freshwater diatoms to and within the Antarctic is limited, fostering the evolution of highly endemic diatom floras.</p>10aAntarctica10abiogeography10adiatoms10aendemism10afreshwater10alake1 aVerleyen, Elie1 aVan de Vijver, Bart1 aTytgat, Bjorn1 aPinseel, Eveline1 aHodgson, Dominic, A.1 aKopalová, Kateřina1 aChown, Steven, L.1 aVan Ranst, Eric1 aImura, Satoshi1 aKudoh, Sakae1 aVan Nieuwenhuyze, Wim1 aSabbe, Koen1 aVyverman, Wim1 aANTDIAT consortium  uhttps://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ecog.0537402506nas a2200289   4500008004100000022001400041245006300055210006300118260001200181490000800193520169900201653001501900653001701915653001301932653001801945653001001963653001001973100002601983700002102009700001802030700001702048700002002065700002002085700002102105700001702126856007302143       2021                        eng d  a2169-895300aExploring the boundaries of microbial habitability in soil0 aExploring the boundaries of microbial habitability in soil  c06/20210 v1263 a<p>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&ndash;85&deg;S, 174&ndash;177&deg;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&mdash;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.</p>10aAntarctica10aastrobiology10abacteria10aextremophiles10afungi10asoils1 aDragone, Nicholas, B.1 aDiaz, Melisa, A.1 aHogg, Ian, D.1 aLyons, Berry1 aJackson, Andrew1 aWall, Diana, H.1 aAdams, Byron, J.1 aFierer, Noah  uhttps://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/2020JG00605202835nas a2200217   4500008004100000245010200041210006900143260005400212490000900266520215600275653001502431653001002446653001602456653001502472653001402487653001202501653000902513100002202522700002502544856004802569       2021                        eng d00aHydrologic response to foehn winds in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Southern Victoria Land, Antarctica0 aHydrologic response to foehn winds in the McMurdo Dry Valleys So  aBoulder, CObUniversity of Colorado Boulderc20200 vM.S.3 a<p>In the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDVs), foehn winds are a principal vector of landscape connectivity that facilitate movement of materials between glaciers, streams, soils, lakes and other parts of the ecosystem. While previous publications show that turbulent, warm and dry foehn winds indirectly relate to an increase in lake level rise via an increase in degree days above freezing (DDAF), the direct quantified impact of foehn winds to streamflow and lake level rise remains unclear. The MDVs are the largest ice-free region of Antarctica, which experience minimal precipitation. Valley bottoms contain permanently ice-covered closed basin lakes filled with meltwater from outlet glaciers via stream channels. In Taylor Valley, several meteorological stations and lake monitoring stations record average measurements of weather conditions and lake conditions on 15 to 20-minute intervals. In this thesis, the meteorological definition of foehn winds is refined and hydrologic response to foehn winds is evaluated. During the austral summer streamflow season (November - February), foehn winds are predicted to increase meltwater generation and closed-basin lake level rise. Past publications have shown that foehn wind events contribute to lake ice sublimation year-round, whereas melt does not typically occur in nonsummer months. Analysis of non-summer lake ice ablation utilizing recent lake stage and ablation data is also explored herein. Although a significant correlation was not found, summer foehn winds appear to promote above average daily lake level rise given sufficient air temperatures. Daily average lake level rise is greater for longer periods (i.e., 4-day average daily rise &gt; 3-day average daily rise, etc.) indicating that there is at least a 4-day post-foehn impact on lake level rise during the summer. Lake ice ablation in non-summer months is shown to have a significant relationship with increasing foehn wind occurrence and wind-run. Because foehn winds are expected to increase with global warming, these hydrologic relationships aid in predicting the future of the McMurdo Dry Valley ecosystem in a warming world.</p>10aAntarctica10afoehn10afoehn winds10ahydrologic10akatabatic10aMcMurdo10awind1 aBeane, Samuel, J.1 aGooseff, Michael, N.  uhttps://www.proquest.com/docview/248812693701707nam a2200205   4500008004100000020001800041245013400059210006900193260001300262520102300275653001501298653001701313653001201330653001201342653001801354653000901372100002401381700002101405856007501426       2021                        eng d  a978012820245600aThe McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica: A geological, environmental, and ecological analog to the Martian surface and near surface0 aMcMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica A geological environmental and  bElsevier3 a<p>The surface of Mars is universally thought to have experienced widespread cold and dry environmental conditions for at least the last half of its geologic history, with more modern studies suggesting relatively cold and dry conditions early in its geologic history as well. However, the paucity of liquid water and mean annual temperatures well below the freezing point of water do not necessarily mean a complete cessation of all water-related geologic activity at the Martian surface. Over the past several decades, investigations in the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV) of Antarctica have revealed a dynamic geological, environmental, and ecological system resulting from locally optimized conditions operating over repeated, albeit brief, intervals during summer months. In this chapter, we compare the hyper-arid and hypo-thermal environments of the MDV and the modern Martian surface and discuss three unique enigmas that demonstrate how the Antarctic is a valuable analog to better understand processes on Mars.</p>10aAntarctica10aastrobiology10aclimate10ageology10ageomorphology10aMars1 aSalvatore, Mark, R.1 aLevy, Joseph, S.  uhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B978012820245600011202380nas a2200253   4500008004100000245012200041210006900163260001200232300000900244490000600253520157500259653001501834653002701849653002401876653001901900653001601919653001901935653002701954100002501981700002902006700002602035700002102061856004402082       2021                        eng d00aPhagotrophic protists and their associates: Evidence for preferential grazing in an abiotically driven soil ecosystem0 aPhagotrophic protists and their associates Evidence for preferen  c08/2021  a15550 v93 a<p>The complex relationship between ecosystem function and soil food web structure is governed by species interactions, many of which remain unmapped. Phagotrophic protists structure soil food webs by grazing the microbiome, yet their involvement in intraguild competition, susceptibility to predator diversity, and grazing preferences are only vaguely known. These species-dependent interactions are contextualized by adjacent biotic and abiotic processes, and thus obfuscated by typically high soil biodiversity. Such questions may be investigated in the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV) of Antarctica because the physical environment strongly filters biodiversity and simplifies the influence of abiotic factors. To detect the potential interactions in the MDV, we analyzed the co-occurrence among shotgun metagenome sequences for associations suggestive of intraguild competition, predation, and preferential grazing. In order to control for confounding abiotic drivers, we tested co-occurrence patterns against various climatic and edaphic factors. Non-random co-occurrence between phagotrophic protists and other soil fauna was biotically driven, but we found no support for competition or predation. However, protists predominately associated with Proteobacteria and avoided Actinobacteria, suggesting grazing preferences were modulated by bacterial cell-wall structure and growth rate. Our study provides a critical starting-point for mapping protist interactions in native soils and highlights key trends for future targeted molecular and culture-based approaches.</p>10aAntarctica10aco-occurrence networks10aMcMurdo Dry Valleys10aRhogostoma sp.10aSandona sp.10asoil food webs10avariation partitioning1 aThompson, Andrew, R.1 aRoth-Monzón, Andrea, J.1 aAanderud, Zachary, T.1 aAdams, Byron, J.  uhttps://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/9/8/155502603nas a2200217   4500008004100000022001400041245012400055210006900179260001200248520186200260653001502122653002702137653001902164653002102183653001502204100002202219700002502241700002402266700002602290856006902316       2021                        eng d  a2169-895300aThe role of hyporheic connectivity in determining nitrogen availability: Insights from an intermittent Antarctic stream0 arole of hyporheic connectivity in determining nitrogen availabil  c04/20223 a<p>Due to widespread manipulation of nitrogen (N), much research has focused on processes controlling the fate of anthropogenic N in streams. Yet, in a variety of oligotrophic systems, N fixed by periphyton is a significant driver of ecosystem metabolism. Due to difficulties partitioning allochthonous and autochthonous sources, there is limited information regarding how the latter is processed. Autochthonous N may be particularly important in alpine, arid, or polar environments. We test the hypothesis that the availability of remineralized autochthonous N is controlled by connectivity between the hyporheic zone and main channel due to the contrasting biogeochemical functions of benthic autotrophs (including N‐fixing <em>Nostoc</em>) and hyporheic heterotrophs in an intermittent Antarctic stream. There, we collected surface water and hyporheic water concurrently at 4‐6 hour intervals over a 32.5‐hr period during one flow season and opportunistically throughout a second. Hyporheic water had 7 to 30 times greater nitrate‐N concentrations relative to surface water across all flow conditions. In contrast, ammonium concentrations were generally lower, although similar among locations. Additionally, nitrate in hyporheic water was positively correlated with silica, an indicator of hyporheic residence time. A laboratory assay confirmed prior inferences that hyporheic microbial communities possess the functional potential to perform nitrification. Together, these findings suggest that remineralized autochthonous N accumulates in the hyporheic zone even as streamflow varies and likely subsidizes stream N availability&mdash;which supports prior inferences from N stable isotope data at this site. These results highlight the importance of hyporheic connectivity in controlling autochthonous N cycling and availability in streams.</p>10aAntarctica10aautochthonous nitrogen10ahyporheic zone10anitrogen cycling10astreamflow1 aSingley, Joel, G.1 aGooseff, Michael, N.1 aMcKnight, Diane, M.1 aHinckley, Eve-Lyn, S.  uhttps://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2021JG00630903417nas a2200193   4500008004100000245006200041210006200103260006200165490000800227520280000235653001503035653001903050653002103069653001203090100002203102700002603124700002503150856004803175       2021                        eng d00aStream corridor connectivity controls on nitrogen cycling0 aStream corridor connectivity controls on nitrogen cycling  aBoulder, CO, USAbUniversity of Colorado Boulderc05/20210 vPhD3 a<p>As water flows downstream, it is transported to and from environments that surround the visible stream. Along with surface water, these laterally and vertically connected environments comprise the stream corridor. Stream corridor connectivity influences many ecosystem services, including retention of excess nutrients. The subsurface area where stream water and groundwater mixes&mdash;the hyporheic zone&mdash;represents one of the most biogeochemically active parts of stream corridors.</p><p>The goal of my research is to advance understanding of how connectivity between different parts of a stream corridor controls the availability and retention of nitrogen (N), a nutrient that can limit primary productivity (low-N) and negatively impact water quality (excess N). First, I developed and applied a new machine learning method to objectively characterize the extent and variability of hyporheic exchange in terms of statistically unique functional zones using geophysical data. In applying this method to a benchmark dataset, I found that hyporheic extent does not scale uniformly with streamflow and that changes in the heterogeneity of connectivity differ over small (&lt;10 m) distances. Next, I leveraged the relative simplicity of ephemeral streams of the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDVs), Antarctica, to isolate stream corridor processes that influence the fate of N. Through intensive field sampling campaigns, I found that the hyporheic zone can be a persistent source of N even in this low nutrient environment. Next, I combined historic sample data and remote sensing analysis to estimate how much N is stored in an MDV stream corridor. My results indicate that up to 103 times more N is stored in this system than is exported each year, with most of this storage in the shallow (&lt; 10 cm) hyporheic zone. Lastly, I examined 25 years of data for 10 streams to assess how stream corridor processes control concentration-discharge relationships. I found that in the absence of hillslope connectivity, stream corridor processes alone can maintain chemostasis &ndash; relatively small concentration changes with large fluctuations in streamflow &ndash; of both geogenic solutes and primary nutrients. My analysis also revealed that solutes subject to greater control by biological processes exhibit more variability within chemostatic relationships than weathering solutes that are only minimally influenced by biota.</p><p>Altogether, this research advances understanding of processes that are difficult to measure or are often overlooked in typical studies of temperate stream corridors. My findings provide insight into the surprising ways in which N is mobilized, transformed, and retained due to stream corridor connectivity in intermittent stream systems with few N inputs.</p>10aAntarctica10ahyporheic zone10anitrogen cycling10astreams1 aSingley, Joel, G.1 aHinckley, Eve-Lyn, S.1 aGooseff, Michael, N.  uhttps://www.proquest.com/docview/257259312703499nas a2200229   4500008004100000245016600041210006900207260001200276300001100288490000700299520269000306653002302996653001503019653004103034653001603075653002403091653002003115100002203135700002203157700002403179856006603203       2021                        eng d00aSupporting simultaneous air revitalization and thermal control in a crewed habitat with temperate <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> and eurythermic Antarctic Chlorophyta0 aSupporting simultaneous air revitalization and thermal control i  c08/2021  a7097460 v123 a<p>Including a multifunctional, bioregenerative algal photobioreactor for simultaneous air revitalization and thermal control may aid in carbon loop closure for long-duration surface habitats. However, using water-based algal media as a cabin heat sink may expose the contained culture to a dynamic, low temperature environment. Including psychrotolerant microalgae, native to these temperature regimes, in the photobioreactor may contribute to system stability. This paper assesses the impact of a cycled temperature environment, reflective of spacecraft thermal loops, to the oxygen provision capability of temperate <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> and eurythermic Antarctic Chlorophyta. The tested 28-min temperature cycles reflected the internal thermal control loops of the International Space Station (<i>C. vulgaris</i>, 9&ndash;27&deg;C; Chlorophyta-Ant, 4&ndash;14&deg;C) and included a constant temperature control (10&deg;C). Both sample types of the cycled temperature condition concluded with increased oxygen production rates (<i>C. vulgaris</i>; initial: 0.013 mgO<sub>2</sub> L<sup>-1</sup>, final: 3.15 mgO<sub>2</sub> L<sup>&ndash;1</sup> and Chlorophyta-Ant; initial: 0.653 mgO<sub>2</sub> L<sup>&ndash;1</sup>, final: 1.03 mgO<sub>2</sub> L<sup>&ndash;1</sup>) and culture growth, suggesting environmental acclimation. Antarctic sample conditions exhibited increases or sustainment of oxygen production rates normalized by biomass dry weight, while both <i>C. vulgaris</i> sample conditions decreased oxygen production per biomass. However, even with the temperature-induced reduction, cycled temperature <i>C. vulgaris</i> had a significantly higher normalized oxygen production rate than Antarctic Chlorophyta. Chlorophyll fluorometry measurements showed that the cycled temperature conditions did not overly stress both sample types (F<sub>V</sub>/F<sub>M</sub>: 0.6&ndash;0.75), but the Antarctic Chlorophyta sample had significantly higher fluorometry readings than its <i>C. vulgaris</i> counterpart (<i>F</i> = 6.26, <i>P</i> &lt; 0.05). The steady state <i>C. vulgaris</i> condition had significantly lower fluorometry readings than all other conditions (F<sub>V</sub>/F<sub>M</sub>: 0.34), suggesting a stressed culture. This study compares the results to similar experiments conducted in steady state or diurnally cycled temperature conditions. Recommendations for surface system implementation are based off the presented results. The preliminary findings imply that both <i>C. vulgaris</i> and Antarctic Chlorophyta can withstand the dynamic temperature environment reflective of a thermal control loop and these data can be used for future design models.</p>10aair revitalization10aAntarctica10abioregenerative life support systems10aChlorophyta10aMcMurdo Dry Valleys10athermal control1 aMatula, Emily, E.1 aNabity, James, A.1 aMcKnight, Diane, M.  uhttps://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2021.70974602509nas a2200205   4500008004100000245012600041210006900167260005300236490000900289520180200298653002502100653001502125653001702140653002402157653002002181653002302201100002502224700001702249856003702266       2020                        eng d00aAnalysis of acid-leachable barium, copper, iron, lead, & zinc concentrations in Taylor Valley, Antarctic stream sediments0 aAnalysis of acidleachable barium copper iron lead zinc concentra  aColumbus, OHbThe Ohio State Universityc05/20200 vB.S.3 a<p>The purpose of this study is to assess the concentrations of Barium (Ba), Copper (Cu), Iron (Fe), Lead (Pb), and Zinc (Zn) in sediment samples obtained from the Wales and Commonwealth streams located in Taylor Valley, Antarctica. These samples were collected at seven sample sites (three in Wales Glacier and four in Commonwealth Glacier) in 0 to 2 cm, 2 to 4 cm, 4 to 6 cm, and 6 to 8 cm depth increments which resulted in 28 total samples. After the collection process, these samples underwent a volumetric 1:5 sediment: 10% HCl leach for 48 hours, filtration through 4-&micro;m pore-size, cellulose acetate membrane filters, and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analyses in the Trace Element Research Laboratory at The Ohio State University. Upon completion of the analyses, results showed that the Wales samples had a higher average concentration of every metal element overall and at each depth increment when compared to the Commonwealth samples. In addition to the weak-acid leachate metal analyses, a second aliquot of one sediment profile from each stream was analyzed at Villanova University for the 210Pb activity via gamma spectroscopy. This was done to estimate the sedimentation rates at each of these sites. From the sedimentation rates, sedimentation fluxes were calculated for each element for each sediment profile at each of these sites. The data demonstrated that Fe is the most abundant element while Pb is the least abundant. Lastly, upon examination of results, it was found that the concentrations of these metals are often higher in samples collected closer to the surface. These findings suggest these streams, and their sources, have had little, if any, impact by anthropogenic input of metals, and that metal fluxes to the sediments are low.</p>10aacid-leachable metal10aAntarctica10ageochemistry10aMcMurdo Dry Valleys10apolar sediments10asedimentation rate1 aPiergallini, Brianna1 aLyons, Berry  uhttp://hdl.handle.net/1811/9177202314nas a2200265   4500008004100000245012500041210006900166260001200235490000700247520147000254653001501724653001101739653001701750653001801767653001101785653004001796100002201836700001501858700002301873700002201896700002401918700002101942700002101963856006401984       2020                        eng d00aEnergetic and environmental constraints on the community structure of benthic microbial mats in Lake Fryxell, Antarctica0 aEnergetic and environmental constraints on the community structu  c02/20200 v963 a<p>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 (O<sub>2</sub>). The microbial mats growing on the bottom of Lake Fryxell, Antarctica, have well-defined environmental gradients in PAR and (O<sub>2</sub>). 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 (O<sub>2</sub>) and PAR conditions: high (O<sub>2</sub>) and maximum PAR, variable (O<sub>2</sub>) with lower maximum PAR, and low (O<sub>2</sub>) 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 (O<sub>2</sub>) was saturated, PAR structured the community. In contrast, (O<sub>2</sub>) 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 (O<sub>2</sub>). The comprehensive metagenomic analysis suggests that the benthic microbial communities in Lake Fryxell are structured by energy flow across both meter- and millimeter-scales.</p>10aAntarctica10aenergy10aLake Fryxell10amicrobial mat10aOxygen10aPhotosynthetically Active Radiation1 aDillon, Megan, L.1 aHawes, Ian1 aJungblut, Anne, D.1 aMackey, Tyler, J.1 aEisen, Jonathan, A.1 aDoran, Peter, T.1 aSumner, Dawn, Y.  uhttps://academic.oup.com/femsec/article/96/2/fiz207/569719602597nas a2200229   4500008004100000245011900041210006900160260001200229520184900241653001502090653001802105653002602123653000902149653001502158653001902173100002102192700002402213700002002237700002102257700002202278856006702300       2020                        eng d00aEstimating microbial mat biomass in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica using satellite imagery and ground surveys0 aEstimating microbial mat biomass in the McMurdo Dry Valleys Anta  c09/20203 a<p>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 m<sup>2</sup> 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 (R<sup>2</sup>&thinsp;=&thinsp;0.84), biomass (R<sup>2</sup>&thinsp;=&thinsp;0.74), chlorophyll-a content (R<sup>2</sup>&thinsp;=&thinsp;0.65), and scytonemin content (R<sup>2</sup>&thinsp;=&thinsp;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&mdash;biomass correlation we developed, we estimate carbon (C) stocks of 21,715 kg (14.7 g C m<sup>&minus;2</sup>) in the Canada Glacier Antarctic Specially Protected Area, with an upper and lower limit of 74,871 and 6312 kg of C, respectively.</p>10aAntarctica10amicrobial mat10amultispectral imagery10aNDVI10aNostocales10aremote sensing1 aPower, Sarah, N.1 aSalvatore, Mark, R.1 aSokol, Eric, R.1 aStanish, Lee, F.1 aBarrett, John, E.  uhttps://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00300-020-02742-y03261nas a2200241   4500008004100000245013300041210006900174260001200243490000600255520247400261653001502735653002202750653001402772653001102786653001902797100002002816700002202836700002202858700002402880700002402904700002102928856007002949       2020                        eng d00aEvaluating alternative metacommunity hypotheses for diatoms in the McMurdo Dry Valleys using simulations and remote sensing data0 aEvaluating alternative metacommunity hypotheses for diatoms in t  c09/20200 v83 a<p>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 <em>Nostoc</em> spp. occur in marginal wetted habitats, and orange mats (<em>Oscillatoria</em> spp. and <em>Phormidium</em> 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&nbsp;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.</p>10aAntarctica10aBacillariophyceae10adispersal10aNostoc10astream ecology1 aSokol, Eric, R.1 aBarrett, John, E.1 aKohler, Tyler, J.1 aMcKnight, Diane, M.1 aSalvatore, Mark, R.1 aStanish, Lee, F.  uhttps://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fevo.2020.521668/full02540nas a2200289   4500008004100000245012600041210006900167260001200236490000800248520163000256653002101886653001501907653001701922653001501939653002401954653001901978100002101997700002102018700001902039700002402058700001902082700001702101700002402118700001902142700001702161856007202178       2020                        eng d00aGeochemistry of aeolian material from the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica: Insights into Southern Hemisphere dust sources0 aGeochemistry of aeolian material from the McMurdo Dry Valleys An  c10/20200 v5473 a<p>In the Southern Hemisphere, the major sources of dust and other aeolian materials are from Patagonia, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. Dust from Patagonia and New Zealand has been identified in ice cores throughout Antarctica, suggesting that during arid and windy periods, such as glacial periods, dust can be entrained and transported onto the continent. However, little information exists on modern Antarctic dust sources, transport, and its role in the Southern Hemisphere dust cycle. We present the first geochemical characterization of aeolian materials collected at five heights (between 5 cm and 100 cm) above the surface in four valleys within the McMurdo Dry Valleys, the largest ice-free area in Antarctica. Our mineralogy data indicate that these materials are primarily derived from local rocks of the McMurdo Volcanics, Ferrar Dolerite, Beacon Sandstone and Granite Harbor Intrusives, with varying contributions of each rock type dependent on the valley location. While major oxide, trace element and rare earth element data show that low elevation and coastal locations (with respect to the Ross Sea) are dominated by local sources, high elevation and inland locations have accumulated both local materials and dust from other distant Southern Hemisphere sources. This far-traveled material may not be accumulating today, but represents a paleo source that is resuspended from the soils. By geochemically &ldquo;fingerprinting&rdquo; aeolian materials from the MDV, we can better inform future studies on the transport of materials within Antarctica and between Southern Hemisphere land masses.</p>10aaeolian material10aAntarctica10amajor oxides10amineralogy10arare earth elements10atrace elements1 aDiaz, Melisa, A.1 aWelch, Susan, A.1 aSheets, J., M.1 aWelch, Kathleen, A.1 aKhan, Alia, L.1 aAdams, Byron1 aMcKnight, Diane, M.1 aCary, Craig, S1 aLyons, Berry  uhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012821X2030404002015nas a2200217   4500008004100000245016100041210006900202260001200271490000700283520122000290653001501510653001801525653002301543653003901566653001601605653003001621100002301651700002901674700002401703856007001727       2020                        eng d00aGlycerol is an osmoprotectant in two Antarctic <I>Chlamydomonas</I> species from an ice-covered saline lake and is synthesized by an unusual bidomain enzyme0 aGlycerol is an osmoprotectant in two Antarctic IChlamydomonasI s  c08/20200 v113 a<p>Glycerol, a compatible solute, has previously been found to act as an osmoprotectant in some marine <em>Chlamydomonas</em> species and several species of <em>Dunaliella</em> from hypersaline ponds. Recently, <em>Chlamydomonas reinhardtii</em> and <em>Dunaliella salina</em> were shown to make glycerol with an unusual bidomain enzyme, which appears to be unique to algae, that contains a phosphoserine phosphatase and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. Here we report that two psychrophilic species of <em>Chlamydomonas</em> (<em>C.</em> spp. UWO241 and ICE-MDV) from Lake Bonney, Antarctica also produce high levels of glycerol to survive in the lake&rsquo;s saline waters. Glycerol concentration increased linearly with salinity and at 1.3 M NaCl, exceeded 400 mM in <em>C.</em> sp. UWO241, the more salt-tolerant strain. We also show that both species expressed several isoforms of the bidomain enzyme. An analysis of one of the isoforms of <em>C.</em> sp. UWO241 showed that it was strongly upregulated by NaCl and is thus the likely source of glycerol. These results reveal another adaptation of the Lake Bonney <em>Chlamydomonas</em> species that allow them to survive in an extreme polar environment.</p>10aAntarctica10aChlamydomonas10aglycerol synthesis10aglycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase10aLake Bonney10aphosphoserine phosphatase1 aRaymond, James, A.1 aMorgan-Kiss, Rachael, M.1 aStahl-Rommel, Sarah  uhttps://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2020.01259/full02115nas a2200181   4500008004100000245013800041210006900179260001200248520140900260653001501669653001701684653003601701653002901737653004501766100002601811700002001837856007601857       2020                        eng d00aThe rise of technocratic environmentalism: the United States, Antarctica, and the globalisation of the environmental impact statement0 arise of technocratic environmentalism the United States Antarcti  c05/20203 a<p>Environmental impact statements (EISs), and the related environmental impact assessments (EIAs) which precede them, have become central elements of environmental management, governance, and policy worldwide since their introduction in the United States in 1970. Assessing environmental impact has a particular force and centrality within modern Antarctic environmental management and governance too. This article investigates the ways in which the United States used EISs and EIAs in Antarctica between 1970 and 1982 &ndash; during their first decade of existence in US law and during a geopolitically and scientifically vibrant decade in Antarctic affairs &ndash; as a way of illuminating the broader conceptual and historical aspects of this central, though understudied, environmental governance tool and framework. We historicise and draw attention to the EIS &ndash; individually, as a regulatory genre, and as a genre that articulates regional, global and planetary environments &ndash; as highly influential and powerful documents demanding attention from environmental historians and historical geographers. We argue that the prominence of EISs in Antarctica arose because they appealed to top-down, process-oriented approaches favoured in Antarctic governance &ndash; a technocratic environmentalism &ndash; and because of their spatial elements, particularly their tendency to upscaling.</p>10aAntarctica10aConservation10aEnvironmental impact statements10aEnvironmental protection10aNational Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)1 aAntonello, Alessandro1 aHowkins, Adrian  uhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S030574882030027X02038nas a2200205   4500008004100000245010100041210006900142260001200211520136000223653001501583653001801598653002201616653001701638653001301655653002201668100002501690700001901715700001701734856008101751       2020                        eng d00aShotgun metagenomics reveal a diverse assemblage of protists in a model Antarctic soil ecosystem0 aShotgun metagenomics reveal a diverse assemblage of protists in   c08/20203 a<p>The soils of the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV) of Antarctica are established models for understanding fundamental processes in soil ecosystem functioning (e.g. ecological tipping points, community structuring, and nutrient cycling) because the extreme physical environment drastically reduces biodiversity and ecological complexity. Understanding the functioning of MDV soils requires in‐depth knowledge of the diversity of MDV soil species. Protists, which contribute significantly to soil ecosystem functioning worldwide, remain poorly characterized in the MDV. To better assess the diversity of MDV protists, we performed shotgun metagenomics on 18 sites representing a variety of landscape features and edaphic variables. Our results show MDV soil protists are diverse at both the genus (155 of 281 eukaryote genera) and family (120) levels, but comprise only 6% of eukaryotic reads. Protists are structured by moisture, total N, and distance from the local coast, and possess limited richness in arid (&lt;5% moisture) and at high elevation sites, known drivers of communities in the MDV. High relative diversity and broad distribution of protists in our study promotes these organisms as key members of MDV soil microbiomes and the MDV as a useful system for understanding the contribution of soil protists to the structure of soil microbiomes.</p>10aAntarctica10aextremophiles10afunctional groups10ametagenomics10aprotozoa10asoil microbiology1 aThompson, Andrew, R.1 aGeisen, Stefan1 aAdams, Byron  uhttps://sfamjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1462-2920.1519802684nas a2200265   4500008004100000022001400041245014900055210006900204260001200273490000600285520185300291653001502144653002502159653000902184653001802193653001702211100001502228700001802243700001602261700001202277700001402289700002102303700002902324856006502353       2019                        eng d  a0166-859500aThe Antarctic psychrophiles <i>Chlamydomonas</i> spp. UWO241 and ICE-MDV exhibit differential restructuring of photosystem I in response to iron0 aAntarctic psychrophiles iChlamydomonasi spp UWO241 and ICEMDV ex  c02/20190 v93 a<p><em>Chlamydomonas </em>sp. UWO241 is a psychrophilic alga isolated from the deep photic zone of a perennially ice-covered Antarctic lake (east lobe Lake Bonney, ELB). Past studies have shown that <em>C</em>. sp. UWO241 exhibits constitutive downregulation of photosystem I (PSI) and high rates of PSI-associated cyclic electron flow (CEF). Iron levels in ELB are in the nanomolar range leading us to hypothesize that the unusual PSI phenotype of <em>C</em>. sp. UWO241 could be a response to chronic Fe-deficiency. We studied the impact of Fe availability in <em>C</em>. sp. UWO241, a mesophile, C. <em>reinhardtii</em> SAG11-32c, as well as a psychrophile isolated from the shallow photic zone of ELB, <em>Chlamydomonas</em> sp. ICE-MDV. Under Fe-deficiency, PsaA abundance and levels of photooxidizable P700 (ΔA<sub>820</sub>/A<sub>820</sub>) were reduced in both psychrophiles relative to the mesophile. Upon increasing Fe, <em>C</em>. sp. ICE-MDV and C. <em>reinhardtii</em> exhibited restoration of PSI function, while <em>C</em>. sp. UWO241 exhibited only moderate changes in PSI activity and lacked almost all LHCI proteins. Relative to Fe-excess conditions (200 μM Fe<sup>2+</sup>), <em>C</em>. sp. UWO241 grown in 18 μM Fe<sup>2+</sup> exhibited downregulation of light harvesting and photosystem core proteins, as well as upregulation of a bestrophin-like anion channel protein and two CEF-associated proteins (NdsS, PGL1). Key enzymes of starch synthesis and shikimate biosynthesis were also upregulated. We conclude that in response to variable Fe availability, the psychrophile <em>C</em>. sp. UWO241 exhibits physiological plasticity which includes restructuring of the photo-chemical apparatus, increased PSI-associated CEF, and shifts in downstream carbon metabolism toward storage carbon and secondary stress metabolites.</p>10aAntarctica10aCyclic electron flow10aIron10aPhotosystem I10aPsychrophile1 aCook, Greg1 aTeufel, Amber1 aKalra, Isha1 aLi, Wei1 aWang, Xin1 aPriscu, John, C.1 aMorgan-Kiss, Rachael, M.  uhttps://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11120-019-00621-002216nas a2200193   4500008004100000245012200041210006900163260001200232520155300244653001501797653001701812653002101829653002901850653001801879100002101897700001501918700001701933856007201950       2019                        eng d00aThe geochemistry of glacial deposits in Taylor Valley, Antarctica: Comparison to upper continental crustal abundances0 ageochemistry of glacial deposits in Taylor Valley Antarctica Com  c05/20193 a<p>Wet-based glacial deposits have been used traditionally as an analog for upper continental crust (UCC) abundances. To provide more information on the validity of using glacial deposits from wet-based glaciers, samples deposited by the dry-based polar glaciers located in Taylor Valley, Antarctica, were collected. Stream channel sediments, comprised of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks initially deposited as glacial tills by polar glaciers, were analyzed by XRF, ICP-MS, and SEM. Based on the Chemical Index of Alteration values and A&ndash;CN&ndash;K ternary diagram, there are low levels of chemical weathering in these tills. Additionally, major and trace element geochemical data are compared to the average UCC values. The observed discrepancies between the mean UCC and Antarctic samples develop from the existence of mafic components, most likely the McMurdo Volcanic Group and Ferrar Dolerite, being present in the Taylor Valley tills. Even though the mafic material typically comprises 3&ndash;7% of the till, the volcanic rocks have a significant influence on the tills&rsquo; bulk geochemistry. The existence of this mafic fraction in the dry-based glacial tills results from the reduced rate of weathering, as compared to wet-based glaciers. Geochemical analyses of the dry-based glacial tills in polar deserts, such as those found in Taylor Valley, may provide a better representative composition of the original material than wet-based glaciers and need to be incorporated into upper continental crust calculations.</p>10aAntarctica10ageochemistry10aglacial deposits10apolar dry-based glaciers10aTaylor Valley1 aDowling, Carolyn1 aWelch, Sue1 aLyons, Berry  uhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S088329271930124602639nas a2200301   4500008004100000245008400041210006900125260001200194520169800206653001501904653002101919653002401940653002701964653001301991100002102004700002602025700001702051700001602068700002502084700002502109700001702134700002202151700002302173700002002196700002402216700002402240856007302264       2019                        eng d00aThe hydroecology of an ephemeral wetland in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica0 ahydroecology of an ephemeral wetland in the McMurdo Dry Valleys   c11/20193 a<p>The McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV) is a polar desert on the coast of East Antarctica where ephemeral wetlands become hydrologically active during warm and sunny summers when sub‐surface flows are generated from melting snowfields. To understand the structure and function of polar wetland ecosystems, we investigated the hydroecology of one such wetland, the Wormherder Creek wetland, during the warm and sunny summer of 2008 &ndash; 2009, when the wetland was hydrologically reactivated. Conservative tracer (LiCl) was injected for a 2‐hour period into a stream above the wetland to determine flow path orientations and hydrologic residence times. Tracer results indicated that surface water is rapidly exchanged with wetland groundwater and wetland residence times may exceed two austral summers. Major ion concentrations were uniform in samples from surface water and shallow groundwater throughout the wetland. Microbial mats in the wetland had high autotrophic index values (the ratios of chlorophyll a [Chl‐a]/ash‐free dry mass [AFDM]), ranging from 9‐38 μg Chl‐a/mg AFDM, indicative of actively photosynthesizing mat communities. The diatom communities in the mats were relatively uniform compared to those in mats from regularly flowing MDV streams, with four endemic and one widespread diatom taxa of the genus <em>Luticola</em> accounting for an average of 86% of the community. These results indicate that the hydrologic characteristics of the wetland contribute to uniform geochemical conditions. In turn, uniform geochemical conditions may explain the high autotrophic index values of the microbial mats and relatively low spatial variation of the diatom community.</p>10aAntarctica10adesert hydrology10adiatom biodiversity10ahyporheic interactions10awetlands1 aWlostowski, Adam1 aSchulte, Nicholas, O.1 aAdams, Byron1 aBall, Becky1 aEsposito, Rhea, M.M.1 aGooseff, Michael, N.1 aLyons, Berry1 aNielsen, Uffe, N.1 aVirginia, Ross, A.1 aWall, Diana, H.1 aWelch, Kathleen, A.1 aMcKnight, Diane, M.  uhttps://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/2019JG00515302454nas a2200289   4500008004100000022001400041245011100055210006900166260001200235300001600247490000700263520153600270653001501806653001501821653003701836653002101873653002401894653003201918100002001950700001601970700002601986700002102012700001402033700002302047700001502070856007902085       2019                        eng d  a1558-842400aMeteorological connectivity from regions of high biodiversity within the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica0 aMeteorological connectivity from regions of high biodiversity wi  c11/2019  a2437 - 24520 v583 a<p>Meteorological connectivity between biological hot spots of the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDVs) of Antarctica is thought to play a role in species distribution and abundance through the aeolian transport of bioaerosols. Understanding the potential role of such meteorological connectivity requires an understanding of near-surface wind flow within and between valley airsheds. To address this, we applied Lagrangian wind trajectory modeling to mesoscale (spatial resolution of ~1 km) weather model output to predict connectivity pathways, focusing on regions of high biodiversity. Our models produce maps of a likelihood metric of wind connectivity that demonstrate the synoptic and mesoscale dependence of connections between local, near-local, and nonlocal areas on wind transport, modulated by synoptic weather and topographic forcing. These connectivity areas can have spatial trends modulated by the synoptic weather patterns and locally induced topographically forced winds. This method is transferrable to other regions of Antarctica for broader terrestrial, coastal, and offshore ecological connectivity research. Also, our analysis and methods can inform better placement of aeolian dust and bioaerosol samplers in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, provide preliminary guidelines behind the meteorological controls of sediment transport and smaller particle distribution, and present quantifiable knowledge informing new hypotheses around the potential of wind acting as a physical driver for biological connectivity in the MDVs.</p>10aAntarctica10aatmosphere10abiosphere-atmosphere interaction10amesoscale models10amesoscale processes10anumerical analysis/modeling1 aKaturji, Marwan1 aKhan, Basit1 aSprenger, Michael, A.1 aDatta, Rajasweta1 aJoy, Kurt1 aZawar-Reza, Peyman1 aHawes, Ian  uhttps://journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/apme/58/11/jamc-d-18-0336.1.xml02748nas a2200241   4500008004100000245014000041210006900181260004600250300000800296490001000304520196700314653001502281653002102296653002602317653001502343653001902358653001202377653001402389653000902403100001902412700002402431856005102455       2018                        eng d00aBiogeochemistry, contaminant transport, and atmospheric exchange in glacial cryoconite meltwater of the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica0 aBiogeochemistry contaminant transport and atmospheric exchange i  aBoulder, CObUniversity of Coloradoc2018  a2450 vPh.D.3 a<p>Polar regions serve as a global sink for many forms of semi-volatile pollution emitted from low- or midlatitudes of the populated world. This study examined the longrange atmospheric transport, fate, and phase partitioning of semi-volatile organic contaminants from air masses into meltwater and aeolian sediment on six glaciers in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica. A novel low-cost, field-portable instrument was developed for the in-situ solid-phase extraction of trace contaminants in extreme environmental conditions without access to electricity or traditional laboratory facilities. Beyond polar research, this equipment is applicable for rapid field extraction and stabilization of samples assessing air and water quality after natural disasters. This is the first published study to identify the presence of anthropogenic perfluorinated compounds in the Transantarctic Mountain region and indicates a longer range of poleward contaminant transport than prior estimates in the Southern Hemisphere. Additional research examined the biochemistry and climatic variability of open and sealed cryoconite holes on glacial surfaces throughout the initial melt, equilibrium, and refreezing periods in 2013&ndash;2015. High solute concentrations relative to glacial ice indicate that the pools can remain isolated from hydrologic connectivity for more than a decade. Microbial carbon cycling in pools enclosed by ice led to atmospheric disequilibrium and extreme pH. Analysis of unique air, liquid, and ice stratification in cryoconite holes revealed vertical patterns representing a highly accurate, multi-year record of past weather conditions sensitive enough to identify individual dates. This research identifies fluctuations in atmospheric contaminant transport, specific timeframes for deposition events, and may be used in back-trajectory models to help identify the source and variability of semi-volatile emissions in the Southern hemisphere.</p>10aAntarctica10aapplied sciences10acontaminant transport10acryoconite10aearth sciences10aglacier10ahydrology10amelt1 aMass, Alex, Q.1 aMcKnight, Diane, M.  uhttps://search.proquest.com/docview/204831467802146nas a2200193   4500008004100000245011200041210006900153260001200222490000600234520149600240653001501736653002101751653002701772653002501799653001901824100001901843700001701862856007301879       2018                        eng d00aDissolved Trace and Minor Elements in Cryoconite Holes and Supraglacial Streams, Canada Glacier, Antarctica0 aDissolved Trace and Minor Elements in Cryoconite Holes and Supra  c04/20180 v63 a<p>&nbsp;</p><div title="Page 1"><div><div><p>We present a synthesis of the trace element chemistry in melt on the surface Canada Glacier, Taylor Valley, McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV), Antarctica (&sim;78◦S). The MDV is largely ice-free. Low accumulation rates, strong winds, and proximity to the valley floor make these glaciers dusty in comparison to their inland counterparts. This study examines both supraglacial melt streams and cryoconite holes. Supraglacial streams on the lower Canada Glacier have median dissolved (&lt;0.4&nbsp;μm) concentrations of Fe, Mn, As, Cu, and V of 71.5, 75.5, 3.7, 4.6, and 4.3 nM. All dissolved Cd concentrations and the vast majority of Pb values are below our analytical detection (i.e., 0.4 and 0.06 nM). Chemical behavior did not follow similar trends for eastern and western draining waters. Heterogeneity likely reflects distinctions eolian deposition, rock:water ratios, and hydrologic connectivity. Future increases in wind-delivered sediment will likely drive dynamic responses in melt chemistry. For elements above detection limits, dissolved concentrations in glacier surface melt are within an order of magnitude of concentrations observed in proglacial streams (i.e., flowing on the valley floor). The Fe enrichment of cryoconite water relative to N, P, or Si exceeds enrichment observed in marine phytoplankton. This suggests that the glacier surface is an important source of Fe to downstream ecosystems.</p></div></div></div><p>&nbsp;</p>10aAntarctica10acryoconite holes10aglacier melt chemistry10asupraglacial streams10atrace elements1 aFortner, Sarah1 aLyons, Berry  uhttp://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/feart.2018.00031/full02241nas a2200241   4500008004100000245018900041210006900230260001200299300001600311490000700327520137700334653001501711653001801726653001301744653001701757653002001774100002801794700003201822700002301854700002601877700003301903856006301936       2018                        eng d00aPhotoecology of the Antarctic cyanobacterium <i>Leptolyngbya</i>               sp. BC1307 brought to light through community analysis, comparative genomics and in vitro photophysiology0 aPhotoecology of the Antarctic cyanobacterium iLeptolyngbyai sp B  c11/2018  a5279 - 52930 v273 a<p>Cyanobacteria are important photoautotrophs in extreme environments such as the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica. Terrestrial Antarctic cyanobacteria experience constant darkness during the winter and constant light during the summer which influences the ability of these organisms to fix carbon over the course of an annual cycle. Here, we present a unique approach combining community structure, genomic and photophysiological analyses to understand adaptation to Antarctic light regimes in the cyanobacterium <em>Leptolyngbya</em> sp. BC1307. We show that <em>Leptolyngbya</em> sp. BC1307 belongs to a clade of cyanobacteria that inhabits near‐surface environments in the McMurdo Dry Valleys. Genomic analyses reveal that, unlike close relatives, <em>Leptolyngbya</em> sp. BC1307 lacks the genes necessary for production of the pigment phycoerythrin and is incapable of complimentary chromatic acclimation, while containing several genes responsible for known photoprotective pigments. Photophysiology experiments confirmed <em>Leptolyngbya</em> sp. BC1307 to be tolerant of short‐term exposure to high levels of photosynthetically active radiation, while sustained exposure reduced its capacity for photoprotection. As such, <em>Leptolyngbya</em> sp. BC1307 likely exploits low‐light microenvironments within cyanobacterial mats in the McMurdo Dry Valleys.</p>10aAntarctica10acyanobacteria10agenomics10aphotoecology10aphotophysiology1 aChrismas, Nathan, A. M.1 aWilliamson, Christopher, J.1 aYallop, Marian, L.1 aAnesio, Alexandre, M.1 aSánchez-Baracaldo, Patricia  uhttps://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/mec.1495301744nas a2200205   4500008004100000022001400041245006100055210005900116260001200175300001400187490000700201520112200208653001501330653001301345653001701358100002401375700002401399700002101423856009401444       2016                        eng d  a0022-143000aGlaciers in equilibrium, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica0 aGlaciers in equilibrium McMurdo Dry Valleys Antarctica  c07/2016  a976 - 9890 v623 a<p>The McMurdo Dry Valleys are a cold, dry polar desert and the alpine glaciers therein exhibit small annual and seasonal mass balances, often &lt;&plusmn;0.06 m w.e. Typically, winter is the accumulation season, but significant snow storms can occur any time of year occasionally making summer the accumulation season. The yearly equilibrium line altitude is poorly correlated with mass balance because the elevation gradient of mass balance on each glacier can change dramatically from year to year. Most likely, winds redistribute the light snowfall disrupting the normal gradient of increasing mass balance with elevation. Reconstructed cumulative mass balance shows that the glaciers have lost &lt;2 m w.e. over the past half century and area changes show minimal retreat. In most cases these changes are less than the uncertainty and the glaciers are considered in equilibrium. Since 2000, however, the glaciers have lost mass despite relatively stable summer air temperatures suggesting a different mechanism in play. Whether this trend is a harbinger of future changes or a temporary excursion is unclear.</p>10aAntarctica10aglaciers10amass balance1 aFountain, Andrew, G1 aBasagic, Hassan, J.1 aNiebuhr, Spencer  uhttps://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S002214301600086104197nas a2200253   4500008004100000245012900041210006900170260003900239490001000278520331600288653001503604653002503619653002903644653002903673653002103702653001903723653002403742653002303766653001703789653002303806100002203829700002903851856006303880       2016                        eng d00aInfluence of abiotic drivers (light and nutrients) on photobiology and diversity of Antarctic lake phytoplankton communities0 aInfluence of abiotic drivers light and nutrients on photobiology  aOxford, OHbMiami Universityc20160 vPh.D.3 a<p>Arctic, Antarctic, and alpine ecosystems are recognized as sensors and sentinels of global climate change. As a consequence of their high sensitivity to minor climatic perturbations, permanently ice-covered lakes located in the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MCM), Antarctica, represent end members in the global network of inland bodies of water. Episodic climatic events in the form of increased summer glacial melt result in inputs of organic sediment and nutrients from glacial streams to these closed basins. By better understanding how Antarctic lake communities respond to mimicked climate change, we can more accurately predict how they will react to further temperature changes in the future. We began by investigating the influence of inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus availability on planktonic communities residing in the oligotrophic upper waters of two chemically distinct MCM lakes (Lakes Bonney and Fryxell) which differ in their external inputs as well as water column N:P stoichiometry. Although microbial community responses varied between the lakes and were nutrient-dependent, stimulation of phytoplankton biomass and productivity across all treatments was strongly linked with increased abundance of a single phytoplankton phylum (Chlorophyta). Despite stimulation of phytoplankton growth, primary and bacterial productivity were largely uncoupled across all enrichments. We suggest that climate-associated shifts in phytoplankton diversity influence the bacterial community structure by altering the availability and composition of autochthonous carbon for heterotrophic production. To monitor the physiological adaptations that occur over time and depth, we then transplanted two dominant phytoplankton, <em>Chlamydomonas</em> sp. ICE- MDV and <em>Isochrysis</em> sp. MDV back into the Lake Bonney water column. Our results demonstrated that both organisms are specialists for surviving specific depths of the water column and are capable of acclimating to their native environment within a short period of time, and that the chlorophyte <em>Chlamydomonas</em> sp. ICE-MDV most likely makes this adjustment via photoacclimation and accumulating chlorophyll-a per cell. The final study presented here investigated whether or not the dominant chlorophyte, <em>Chlamydomonas</em> sp. ICE-MDV has retained the ability to respond to a diel 12-hour day/night cycle. Although light levels in MCM lakes remain low during the austral summers, daily irradiation varies by as much as tenfold during the course of the day, resulting in a circadian-like light cycle for organisms residing there. With decreased ice coverage on the lakes due to climate change and increased melt, it is likely that these light variations will become amplified over time. This study tested for the presence of a circadian rhythm under various light quality, light quantity, and temperature conditions and demonstrated that although a diel rhythm was maintained in terms of growth and several photochemical parameters, a true circadian rhythm was not identified. Although it is predicted that photosynthetic communities in polar regions will be more responsive to climate warming and episodic events, the complexity of these systems provides numerous challenges to understanding how these organism will adapt in the future.</p>10aAntarctica10abacterial production10aChlamydomonas sp ICE MDV10aChlorophyll fluorescence10acircadian rhythm10aclimate change10aMcMurdo Dry Valleys10anutrient amendment10aphotobiology10aPrimary production1 aTeufel, Amber, G.1 aMorgan-Kiss, Rachael, M.  uhttp://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami146841156401330nas a2200193   4500008004100000245009800041210006900139260004000208490000900248520071900257653001500976653001400991653001501005653001701020653001901037100002101056700002101077856003801098       2016                        eng d00aNoble Gas Radioisotope Constraints on Water Residence Time and Solvent Sources in Lake Bonney0 aNoble Gas Radioisotope Constraints on Water Residence Time and S  aChicago, ILbUniversity of Illinois0 vM.S.3 a<p>A noble gas radionuclide analysis of perennially ice covered West Lake Bonney was performed in order to determine water residence time and ice cover timing. Bulk gas samples were collected at four depths in the lake. Krypton and argon gases were selectively isolated from the bulk gas and measurements of 81Kr, 85Kr and 39Ar were made. Radiokrypton and radioargon analyses yielded lower limit ages of 78 to 285 years, significantly younger than expected based on previous dating efforts. It was determined that these new data do not invalidate previous work, but instead offer new insight into the timing of the most recent episode of direct communication between the atmosphere and West Lake Bonney waters.</p>10aAntarctica10anoble gas10aradioargon10aradiokrypton10aresidence time1 aCronin, Kyle, D.1 aDoran, Peter, T.  uhttp://hdl.handle.net/10027/2157003050nas a2200205   4500008004100000245007900041210006900120260004600189300000700235490000900242520242000251653001502671653001602686653001902702653001102721653001602732100002002748700002502768856005102793       2015                        eng d00aThe impacts of thermokarst activity on a stream in the McMurdo Dry Valleys0 aimpacts of thermokarst activity on a stream in the McMurdo Dry V  aBoulder, CObUniversity of Coloradoc2015  a700 vM.S.3 a<p>The McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV) of Antarctica are a unique ice-free landscape that is host to vibrant ecosystems despite the harsh environment (&lt;10 cm water equivalent/yr, -20&deg;C mean air temperature). Aquatic ecosystems in the MDV are dependent on the ephemeral glacial runoff streams which feed the closed basin perennially ice covered lakes. The upland zones of the Dry Valleys have been shown to have some of the slowest ground surface change rates in the world. However, recent observations in the coastal valley transition zones suggest that this area may be nearing a threshold of rapid landscape change.</p><p>One of the recent observations that supports this idea is the discovery of extensive thermokarst degradation (permafrost thaw features) along the banks of Crescent Stream in Taylor Valley. In 2012, a large stretch of the West Branch of Crescent Stream was found to have significant thermokarst bank failures, while the adjacent East Branch was found to be unaffected. The thermokarst impacts within this setting are important to understand because of the disturbances that massive sediment loading can impose on downstream biological communities.</p><p>Annually repeated terrestrial LiDAR scans (3) were compared to determine the rates of ground surface change due to thermokarst degradation. It was found that the areal extent of the thermokarst was decreasing, however the average linear rates of retreat remained constant. Field measurements including, pebble counts, fine sediment counts, and sieve samples were analyzed to determine the effects of the thermokarst on the stream bed material. It was found that the West Branch and the reach downstream of the confluence were consistently finer than the unaffected East Branch. This suggests that the finer bed material is due to the thermokarst bank degradation. Stream power was calculated for multiple reaches to be used as a metric for the mobilization of the streambed material. It was found that both branches infrequently experience flows substantial enough to mobilize the bed material. Even the finer bed material of the impacted West Branch reach required flows that had a 5 % chance of exceedance for mobilization of the bed. These findings suggest the West Branch of Crescent Stream and the biota supported by this branch of the stream, continue to adjust to the sediment introduced from the thermokarst bank degradation.</p>10aAntarctica10aDry valleys10aearth sciences10astream10athermokarst1 aSudman, Zachary1 aGooseff, Michael, N.  uhttps://search.proquest.com/docview/171758257303401nas a2200241   4500008004100000245013400041210006900175260004000244300000800284490001000292520259800302653001002900653001502910653002402925653001902949653001602968653001902984653002403003653001903027100002203046700002403068856006703092       2015                        eng d00aPhysical and chemical controls on the abundance and composition of stream microbial mats from the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica0 aPhysical and chemical controls on the abundance and composition   aBoulder, CObUniversity of Colorado  a2720 vPh.D.3 a<p>&nbsp;</p><div title="Page 4"><div><div><p>The McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica are a cold, dry desert, yet perennial microbial mats are abundant in the ephemeral glacial meltwater streams that flow during austral summers. Three types of mats are present (orange, black, and green), and are primarily comprised of filamentous cyanobacteria,&nbsp;Nostoc, and chlorophytes, respectively. Mat types furthermore occupy distinct habitats within streams, utilizing the benthos, hyporheic zone, and water column, which expose them to different environmental conditions. Due to a lack of lateral inflows, allochthonous organic inputs, and negligible grazing activity, these streams are ideal for the controlled ecological study of microbial mats. Here, I investigated how mats will respond to physical disturbance, alterations in the hydrologic regime, and nutrient liberation from permafrost melt in the future. Specifically, I: 1) quantified and characterized the regrowth of mat biomass, community structure, and elemental stoichiometry after a scouring disturbance, 2) investigated how geomorphology and taxonomic identity influences the response of mat biomass to hydrologic regime in transects monitored over two decades, and 3) evaluated relationships between water chemistry and the elemental and isotopic composition of mat types over longitudinal and valley-wide gradients in Taylor Valley. I found that mats recovered ~20-50% of their biomass over the course of an austral summer following scour. Algal communities were significantly different in composition between disturbed and control treatments, but all samples naturally varied in species and elemental stoichiometry over the study period. When the long- term record of mat biomass was compared with hydrologic variables, stream channel mats (orange and green) had the greatest correlations, while marginal mats (black) showed weaker relationships with flow regime. Relationships also differed as a function of stream geomorphology, indicating the importance of substrata and gradient in conjunction with discharge. Lastly, mats showed unique elemental and isotopic compositions. Green and orange mats within the stream channel most reflected water column nutrient concentrations, while black mats showed significant nitrogen fixation. These results highlight the importance of taxonomic identity and habitat to modeling primary production here and elsewhere, and provide insight to how stream microbial mat communities are formed, maintained, and ultimately persist in an isolated polar desert.</p></div></div></div><p>&nbsp;</p>10aalgae10aAntarctica10abiological sciences10aclimate change10aDisturbance10aearth sciences10aMcMurdo Dry Valleys10amicrobial mats1 aKohler, Tyler, J.1 aMcKnight, Diane, M.  uhttps://search.proquest.com/docview/1690497718?accountid=1450302215nas a2200205   4500008004100000245009200041210006900133260004000202490001000242520158200252653001501834653001001849653001301859653002401872653001601896653001601912100002201928700002101950856003801971       2014                        eng d00aGeophysics, Water Balance, and History of Thick Perennial Ice Covers on Antarctic Lakes0 aGeophysics Water Balance and History of Thick Perennial Ice Cove  aChicago, ILbUniversity of Illinois0 vPh.D.3 a<p>Antarctic lakes are studied as sentinels of future change, for paleolimnological records contained in the sediments, and as habitats for the simple food webs that can exist in inhospitable environments. Understanding how lakes are formed and are sustained in response to landscape and climate conditions is critical in addressing the aforementioned research themes. This thesis is governed by the overarching hypothesis that an understanding of hydrologic and sediment transport processes associated with lake ice formation and preservation can be used to reveal past climatic changes, and further our awareness of current changes in climate and water balance in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica. The first chapter focuses on water loss from closed basin lakes in Taylor Valley, Antarctica, and presents updated estimates of sublimation and ablation rates from long-term empirical measurements. The second and third chapters address the formation of Lake Vida, Antarctica. The former investigates the accretion of a 27 m ice cover, and considers the origin of thick sediment layers in the ice cover, and the latter uses two geophysical methods to quantify the extent and volume of the brine network in the subsurface beneath the lake. The results presented herein advance the study of hydrogeology in continuous permafrost, provide additional evidence for fluctuating climate states in the McMurdo Dry Valleys throughout the mid to late Holocene, and provide a case study for the preservation of water in a cold, desert environment analogous to neighboring planets.</p>10aAntarctica10abrine10alake ice10aMcMurdo Dry Valleys10apolar lakes10asublimation1 aDugan, Hilary, A.1 aDoran, Peter, T.  uhttp://hdl.handle.net/10027/1940703970nas a2200217   4500008004100000245011000041210007200151260004000223490001000263520322300273653001503496653001903511653001903530653002403549653003003573653003703603653001603640100001703656700001703673856006203690       2013                        eng d00aThe application of stable isotopes, δ11B, δ18O, and δD, in geochemical and hydrological investigations0 aapplication of stable isotopes δ11B δ18O and δD in geochemical a  aColumbus, OHbOhio State University0 vPh.D.3 a<p>My dissertation research utilizes stable isotopes as tracers of water and solute sources to study specific geochemical (solute origin) and hydrological (glacier meltwater source across a season comparing water contributions from hyporheic zone and/or glacier melt and residence time of precipitation within a managed water supply) problems within McMurdo Dry Valleys (MCM), Antarctica, and Central Ohio, USA. In Chapter II, δ11B isotopic and dissolved B measurements are used to infer the origin of B within MCM aquatic system. Boron stable isotopic values span the range of +12.3&permil; to +51.4&permil;, varying from glacier meltwater streams to the hypolimnion of a highly evaporated hypersaline lake. These data demonstrate that the major sources of B are chemical weathering of alumniosilicates within the stream channels, and a marine source, either currently introduced by marine-derived aerosols or from ancient seawater. In-lake processes create a more positive δ11B through adsorption or mineral precipitation. The glacier meltwater streams, Lakes Fryxell, Hoare, and upper waters of Lake Joyce display a mixture of these two sources, with Lake Joyce bottom waters primarily of marine origin. Lakes Bonney and Vanda and Blood Falls brine are interpreted as having a marine-like source changed by in-lake processes to result in a more positive δ11B, while Don Juan Pond displays a more terrestrial influence. In Chapter III, δ18O and δD are used to trace water source variation via hyporheic zone or glacier melt within two MCM streams over an entire melt season. The isotopic variation of these streams was more negative at the beginning of the season and more positive later. D-excess measurements were used to infer mixing between hyporheic storage and glacier meltwater. It was supported that Von Guerard Stream has a large, widespread hyporheic zone that changes with time and discharge amounts. The chemistry of Andersen Creek also displayed hyporheic zone influence at certain times of the year. This work adds important new information on the role of hyperheic zone-stream interactions, and supports the short term, more physically based, descriptions of hyporheic dynamics explained in the past decade. Chapter IV describes water flow and travel time within a human managed watershed-reservoir system by measuring the δ18O and δD of the precipitation source to the reservoirs and finally to the distribution system, the tap. Generally, the tap waters experienced little lag time in the managed system, having a residence time of about two months. Tap and reservoir waters preserved the precipitation signal with the reservoir morphology acting as an important control. These water supply reservoirs functioned more like a river system with a faster throughput of water and larger variations in chemical parameters. Other water supply reservoirs have a greater capacity with a larger amount of water supply usage through a more lacustrine environment, which displays more constant solute concentrations and longer flow-through times. This work provides a basic understanding of a regional water supply system in central Ohio, reservoir isotopic dynamics, and Ohio precipitation sources.</p>10aAntarctica10aboron isotopes10ahyporheic zone10aMcMurdo Dry Valleys10aOhio precipitation source10aoxygen-18 and deuterium isotopes10asaline lake1 aLeslie, D.L.1 aLyons, Berry  u http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu138600003705193nas a2200229   4500008004100000245009300041210006900134260004000203490000900243520447100252653002304723653001504746653001304761653002204774653000904796653001704805653002704822653002404849100002404873700002604897856004004923       2013                        eng d00aResource Legacies and Priming Regulate Microbial Communities in Antarctica's Dry Valleys0 aResource Legacies and Priming Regulate Microbial Communities in   aProvo, UTbBrigham Young University0 vM.S.3 a<p>Multiple mechanisms control bacterial community structure but two in particular, the &quot;legacy&quot; of past environmental conditions, and the &quot;priming&quot; of bacteria to respond to seasonal or reoccurring fluctuations in resources, have the potential to determine both bacterial communities, as well as, temporal shifts in active bacterial taxa. To begin to evaluate the legacy effects of resources on microbial communities, we added four limiting resources annually (i.e., water only; C-mannitol + water; N-NH4NO3 + water; and C, N + water) and measured shifts in bacterial community composition after seven years in a cold desert ecosystem in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica. Further, to investigate the ecological significance of priming, we conducted a series of stable isotope probing experiments (i.e., 18O-DNA SIP with 18O-labeled water, 13C-DNA SIP with 13C-labeled mannitol, 15N-DNA with 15N- NH4NO3, and a combined C and N SIP) and characterized the responding (i.e., isotopically labeled) and seed bank (i.e., unlabeled) bacterial communities. We performed each of the SIPs in soil microcosms corresponding to a single resource manipulation (e.g., 13C-labeled mannitol in C addition soils). We hypothesized that all long-term additions of nutrients and water will lead to a distinct bacterial community&mdash;a legacy effect due to the nutrient and water impoverished state of Antarctica soils. We also hypothesized that the stronger the legacy effects demonstrated by a specific community the more adapted or primed bacterial species will be to take advantage of the resource and respond. As hypothesized, resource additions created distinct bacterial legacy but to different degrees among the treatments. The extent of the resource legacy effects was greatest in the CN, intermediate in water and N, and lowest in C communities relative to the control communities, suggesting that C induced changes in communities were intensified by tandem N additions and that water alone created a more distinct legacy than water and C additions combined. Contrary to our hypothesis, the stronger the legacy effects, the less adapted or primed the community was to take advantage of resource additions. For example, the CN treatment that induced the greatest effect on bacterial communities had the lowest number of species (20.9%) in common between the responding and seed bank communities. This inverse relationship may be due to only two species (i.e., Arthrobacter, Actinobacteria and Massilia, Betaproteobacteria) really being primed to take advantage of CN and these species constituting over 75% of the seed bank community. Water, N, and C additions had similar levels of priming with 38.4%, 41.4%, and 36.3% of the responding species being present in the seed bank community, respectively. But of these three treatments, only the priming with water resulted in a unique responding community, suggesting that water, a universal bacterial resource, was enough to prime bacteria. Furthermore, water generates the most diverse responding community of all the resources with stemming from all of the fourteen dominant phyla. We did find patterns of ecological coherence among the responders, especially in the major responders (i.e., responders that increased in relative recovery by at least ten-fold). These responders were predominantly found in only three phyla (i.e., Actinobacteria, Bacteriodetes, and Gammaproteobacteria) regardless of resource addition. Alternatively minor responders (i.e., responders that increased in relative recovery at least two-fold) were contained in fourteen different phyla with specific taxa stimulated by CN (i.e., Betaproteobacteria) and N and water (i.e., Deltaproteobacteria). Further, resource additions elicited responses from 37% of bacterial species with species specializing on a specific resource (e.g., Chloroflexi) or being a generalist (e.g., Planctomycetes and Gammaproteobacteria). Our results offer the first direct links between legacy and priming effects on bacterial community composition and demonstrate that these mechanisms are not always complimentary leading to the formation of similar communities but may both be essential to maintain the high levels of bacterial diversity. Further, all resources produced elicited responders that were either specialists of generalists demonstrating that even bacteria in the extreme environment of Antarctica respond to pulses of resources.</p>10a454 pyrosequencing10aAntarctica10abacteria10amicrobial ecology10asoil10asoil ecology10astable isotope probing10atarget metagenomics1 aSaurey, Sabrina, D.1 aAanderud, Zachary, T.  uhttp://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/etd622903418nas a2200217   4500008004100000245009200041210006900133260004000202490001000242520270900252653001502961653002402976653002203000653001203022653001903034653002403053653001203077100002103089700002403110856006603134       2011                        eng d00aEcological controls on stream diatom communities in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica0 aEcological controls on stream diatom communities in the McMurdo   aBoulder, CObUniversity of Colorado0 vPh.D.3 a<p>&nbsp;</p><div title="Page 4"><div><div><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>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&nbsp;<em>Fistulifera pelliculosa</em>, 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.</p><p>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.</p></div></div></div><p>&nbsp;</p>10aAntarctica10abiological sciences10acommunity ecology10adiatoms10aearth sciences10aMcMurdo Dry Valleys10astreams1 aStanish, Lee, F.1 aMcKnight, Diane, M.  uhttps://search.proquest.com/docview/915694114?accountid=1450303517nas a2200349   4500008004100000245015900041210006900200260003400269490000900303520243200312653001502744653002002759653002402779653001402803653002802817653001702845653001302862653001402875653001402889653001302903653002402916653002002940653001402960653001702974653002102991653002103012653001503033653002003048100002503068700002503093856004903118       2011                        eng d00aHydrologic controls of nutrient fluxes in glacial meltwater streams at inter-annual, seasonal, and daily timescales in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica0 aHydrologic controls of nutrient fluxes in glacial meltwater stre  bPennsylvania State University0 vM.S.3 a<p>In the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica, glaciers are hydrologically linked to closed-basin lakes at the valley floor by glacial meltwater streams. Streams flow through porous, well-defined channels with extensive chemically active hyporheic zones. Temporally varying dynamics of meltwater generation and sub-stream thaw depth are thought to control the potential for the hyporheic zone and benthic communities to influence transport of nutrients and dissolved ions downstream. Using the McMurdo LTER database, patterns in stream discharge, electrical conductivity (both with 15-minute sampling intervals), and solute chemistry (weekly sampling intervals) were examined on eight MDV streams from 1990-2008. Discharge and electrical conductivity values were highly variable among streams. Discharge values were highly dependent upon glacial source area, but meteorological and topographical complexities create large variability at all time scales. The longer streams were found to have much higher electrical conductivity values than the shorter streams, suggesting that there are more opportunities for hyporheic weathering reactions along longer stream reaches. Weekly sampled water solutes from each stream&#39;s entire record were plotted against the discharge recorded at the time when the sample was taken. Silicate concentrations displayed a decreasing logarithmic relationship, while nutrient concentrations had no apparent relationship. This suggests that with the exception to bioreactive solutes, the majority of hyporheic interactions could possibly be characterized by electrical conductivity and discharge. To attain information on in-stream nutrient dynamics and nutrient fluxes, glacial source water at the upper reach of Green Creek and stream outlet water at the lower reach of Green Creek were sampled hourly for two separate diel periods during the 2008-09 austral summer. Both dates were in late January under two distinct flow conditions (~0.5 L/s and ~10 L/s). Under low flow conditions, nutrient cycling was found to be uptake dominated. High flow conditions showed both uptake and regeneration with much higher nutrient loads, but as in the low flow conditions, no apparent temporal trends were found. Nutrient concentrations could not be predicted using the two parameters of discharge and electrical conductivity with in-stream nutrient dynamics likely too complicated at the sub-daily scale.</p>10aAntarctica10abiogeochemistry10achemical weathering10adischarge10aelectrical conductivity10aglacial melt10aglaciers10ahydrology10ahyporheic10aMCM LTER10aMcMurdo Dry Valleys10anutrient fluxes10anutrients10apolar desert10asolute chemistry10astream chemistry10astreamflow10awater chemistry1 aWeaver, Mitchell, R.1 aGooseff, Michael, N.  uhttps://etda.libraries.psu.edu/catalog/1156805611nas a2200229   4500008004100000245006100041210006000102260004000162490000900202520491500211653002205126653001505148653000905163653002605172653001705198653002405215653002405239653001505263100002505278700001705303856006105320       2010                        eng d00aAeolian sediments of the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica0 aAeolian sediments of the McMurdo Dry Valleys Antarctica  aColumbus, OHbOhio State University0 vM.S.3 a<p>The role of dust has become a topic of increasing interest in the interface between climate and geological/ecological sciences. Dust emitted from major sources, the majority of which are desert regions in the Northern Hemisphere, is transported via suspension in global wind systems and incorporated into the biogeochemical cycles of the ecosystems where it is ultimately deposited. While emissions within the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV) region of Antarctica are small compared to other source regions, the redistribution of new, reactive material by wind may be important to sustaining life in the ecosystem.</p><p><br />The interaction of the dry, warm foehn winds and the cool, moist coastal breezes &ldquo;recycles&rdquo; soil particles throughout the landscape. The bulk of sediment movement occurs during foehn events in the winter that redistribute material throughout the MDV. To understand the source and transfer of this material samples were collected early in the austral summer (November 2008) prior to the initiation of extensive ice melt from glacial and lake surfaces, aeolian landforms, and elevated sediment traps. These were preserved and processed for grain size distribution and major element composition at the sand and silt particle sizes. Major elemental oxide analysis indicated that the silt and sand size particles are of different composition: SiO2 values for silt range from 50 to 59% by weight and for sand range from 59 to 74%. When compared to the elemental oxide composition four rock types present in the MDV, the composition of the silt indicates a mixing influenced mostly by the igneous rock types (Ferrar Dolerite and McMurdo Volcanic basanite) and sand a mixing influenced largely by the sedimentary rocks (Beacon Sandstone and the metasedimentary Basement Complex). This could imply a local source of the aeolian material that is corroborated by low CIA values at both particle sizes (44-57%) indicating low degrees of chemical weathering. In addition, comparison of 87Sr/86Sr and 143Nd/144Nd to values published for the major MDV rock types and ice core dust to values analyzed in 3 silt size glacier sample and one bulk glacier sample also indicates a local source of sediments and that it is not likely to be transferred inland.</p><p><br />During the melt season, the aeolian material is actively solubilized where it interacts with water, releasing solutes and vital bioavailable nutrients throughout the aquatic system. Differences in the chemistry of supra- and proglacial streams as well as lake surface waters may be derived from the deposition and dissolution of these aeolian sediments. To simulate these conditions, a two-step leaching method using deionized water to represent glacial melt in field conditions was employed and leachates analyzed for major ion and nutrient constituents. Leachates represent a small degree (&lt;0.7%) of dissolution of major elements, and are solubilized to a greater extent from samples closer to the coast or with increased silt content. The composition of the leachates reflects the dissolution of the major salts found in the MDV. Leach 1 (cold water) indicates that Na- and Cl-bearing salt phases are dissolved to a greater extent than seen in Leach 2 (freeze-thaw). Conversely, Leach 2 compositions indicate that carbonate mineral dissolution and Mg-bearing silicate weathering are proceeding to a greater extent than in Leach 1.</p><p><br />Inorganic N:P ratios follow the same patterns of nutrient limitations based on the Redfield Ratio found by Priscu (1995) in the terminal lakes of the Taylor Valley: N-limited in the Fryxell and Hoare basins (east) and P-limited in the Bonney basin (west). This is also consistent with the age of the tills in the area, as found by Gudding (2003). The concentration of soluble Fe in the leachates is about the same as soluble inorganic P, and thus is not a limiting nutrient in the leachates. Comparison of total dissolved N and P to their inorganic counterparts reveals increased organic nutrients in the glacier and lake leachates that may indicate the influence of biota. Nutrient fluxes based on known sediment fluxes from elevated sediment traps deployed throughout the MDV and the composition of these leachates range from 0.34-330 g a-1 for N, 0.02-8.3 g a-1 for P, and 0.03-8.6 g a-1 for Fe. These are at least two orders of magnitude less than calculated loads from streams to the lakes in the Taylor Valley and, thus, should be considered underestimations or minima.</p><p><br />This work provides the first investigation into the composition and source of aeolian transported materials in the MDV, as well of what is potentially solubilized from it during the austral summer melt season. In addition, it will contribute to the understanding of the interplay between aeolian and aquatic processes in the MDV and further the understanding of this unique ecosystem.</p>10aaeolian transport10aAntarctica10adust10aexperimental leaching10ageochemistry10aMcMurdo Dry Valleys10asediment provenance10aweathering1 aDeuerling, Kelly, M.1 aLyons, Berry  uhttp://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu129052486202203nas a2200217   4500008004100000245008900041210006900130260001200199300001100211490000800222520155200230653001501782653002601797653002301823653002101846653001801867100001301885700002401898700001701922856004601939       2010                        eng d00aEffect of unsteady flow on nitrate loss in an oligotrophic, glacial meltwater stream0 aEffect of unsteady flow on nitrate loss in an oligotrophic glaci  c03/2010  aG010010 v1153 a<p>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 (NO<sub>3</sub><sup>-</sup>) enrichment tracer injection in Huey Creek to quantify NO<sub>3</sub><sup>-</sup> 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 NO<sub>3</sub><sup>-</sup>, nitrite (NO<sub>2</sub><sup>-</sup>), ammonium (NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup>), and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) varied significantly during the injection, with a net loss of NO<sub>3</sub><sup>-</sup>, NO<sub>2</sub><sup>-</sup>, 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 NO<sub>3</sub><sup>-</sup> 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.</p>10aAntarctica10ahot spots/hot moments10ahyporheic exchange10anitrogen cycling10aunsteady flow1 aKoch, J.1 aMcKnight, Diane, M.1 aBaeseman, J.  uhttp://doi.wiley.com/10.1029/2009JG00103003833nas a2200217   4500008004100000245017200041210006900213260004600282300000800328490001000336520305700346653001503403653001903418653002103437653002503458653001903483653002303502100001603525700002403541856005003565       2009                        eng d00aControls on stream and hyporheic temperatures, Taylor Valley, Antarctica and large-scale climate influences on interannual flow variation in the Onyx River, Antarctica0 aControls on stream and hyporheic temperatures Taylor Valley Anta  aBoulder, CObUniversity of Coloradoc2009  a3170 vPh.D.3 a<p>The McMurdo Dry Valleys comprise the largest ice-free polar desert on the continent of Antarctica. My Ph.D. research investigated summertime glacial meltwater streams flowing through this region. This work is presented in Chapters 2 through 6 of my thesis. Chapters 2-5 present the work I have done related to hyporheic processes while Chapter 6 focuses on the hydroclimatological investigations I have carried out.</p><p>More specifically, Chapter 2 addresses the question: what are the dominant processes controlling dry valley stream temperatures? In particular, this investigation quantified the role of hyporheic exchange. The study found that in the Dry Valleys, exchange acted to decrease stream temperatures, accounting for 6&ndash;21% of cooling.</p><p>Chapter 3 discusses a follow up tracer study to investigate whether the comparatively large daily changes in dry valley stream temperatures (6-9&deg;C) affect hyporheic processes, for instance through viscosity effects. Results showed that the hyporheic zone volume and exchange coefficient were lower during the warmer, afternoon stream/streambed temperature regime than during the cooler, morning one. A temperature-induced feedback mechanism that increases subsurface flow path preferentiality is proposed as a possible explanation for the reduction in hyporheic volume under warmer conditions. The tracer results also suggested a &ldquo;Swiss Cheese&rdquo; type conceptual model of the hyporheic zone in which flow takes place along paths weaving their way through isolated areas.</p><p>Chapter 4 presents work done to elucidate individual hyporheic flow path lengths and residence times. A streambed injection revealed some long (over 100 m) paths that were also fast, having subsurface travel times on par with the surface water. Hyporheic pipeflow is proposed as an explanation.</p><p>In Chapter 5 research is presented showing that nitrate and phosphate concentrations at specific locations in the hyporheic zone increase with the decreasing connectivity of that location to the stream.</p><p>Finally, Chapter 6 describes the large-scale climate conditions that prevailed during December and January during the highest and lowest flow summers of the Onyx River record, the longest flow record for Antarctica. Climate variables and regions in the Southern Hemisphere that had a statistically significant linear correlation to Onyx River flows were also identified. The highest flow summer on record, 2001-2, was found to have some unusual climate features when compared to the other high flow summers. It stands out as having an anomalous wind pattern that would have increased katabatic winds in the valleys, raising air temperatures and possibly depositing sediment on the glaciers, decreasing their albedo. It is also characterized by anomalously high incoming shortwave radiation. We postulate that those high levels may have been due in part to the unusually low concentrations of radiation absorbing stratospheric ozone prevalent over the valleys that particular summer.</p>10aAntarctica10aearth sciences10ahydroclimatology10ahyporheic flow paths10ahyporheic zone10astream temperature1 aCozzetto, K1 aMcKnight, Diane, M.  uhttps://search.proquest.com/docview/304866366