02567nas a2200337 4500008004100000245010300041210006900144260001200213300000900225490000700234520158600241653001601827653001201843653001401855653001901869653001801888100002401906700002201930700002401952700002001976700002101996700002102017700002502038700002102063700002102084700001902105700002102124700001702145700002102162856004602183 2023 eng d00aThe distribution of surface soil moisture over space and time in eastern Taylor Valley, Antarctica0 adistribution of surface soil moisture over space and time in eas c06/2023 a31700 v153 a

Available soil moisture is thought to be the limiting factor for most ecosystem processes in the cold polar desert of the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDVs) of Antarctica. Previous studies have shown that microfauna throughout the MDVs are capable of biological activity when sufficient soil moisture is available (~2–10% gravimetric water content), but few studies have attempted to quantify the distribution, abundance, and frequency of soil moisture on scales beyond that of traditional field work or local field investigations. In this study, we present our work to quantify the soil moisture content of soils throughout the Fryxell basin using multispectral satellite remote sensing techniques. Our efforts demonstrate that ecologically relevant abundances of liquid water are common across the landscape throughout the austral summer. On average, the Fryxell basin of Taylor Valley is modeled as containing 1.5 ± 0.5% gravimetric water content (GWC) across its non-fluvial landscape with ~23% of the landscape experiencing an average GWC > 2% throughout the study period, which is the observed limit of soil nematode activity. These results indicate that liquid water in the soils of the MDVs may be more abundant than previously thought, and that the distribution and availability of liquid water is dependent on both soil properties and the distribution of water sources. These results can also help to identify ecological hotspots in the harsh polar Antarctic environment and serve as a baseline for detecting future changes in the soil hydrological regime.

10aDry valleys10aecology10ahydrology10aremote sensing10asoil moisture1 aSalvatore, Mark, R.1 aBarrett, John, E.1 aFackrell, Laura, E.1 aSokol, Eric, R.1 aLevy, Joseph, S.1 aKuentz, Lily, C.1 aGooseff, Michael, N.1 aAdams, Byron, J.1 aPower, Sarah, N.1 aKnightly, Paul1 aMatul, Haley, M.1 aSzutu, Brian1 aDoran, Peter, T. uhttps://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/15/12/317001789nas a2200205 4500008004100000245008500041210006900126260001200195520112400207653001601331653001801347653001001365653001501375653001601390100001901406700002101425700002201446700002101468856009401489 2020 eng d00aSubglacial brine flow and wind-induced internal waves in Lake Bonney, Antarctica0 aSubglacial brine flow and windinduced internal waves in Lake Bon c02/20203 a

Brine beneath Taylor Glacier has been proposed to enter the proglacial west lobe of Lake Bonney (WLB) as well as from Blood Falls, a surface discharge point at the Taylor Glacier terminus. The brine strongly influences the geochemistry of the water column of WLB. Year-round measurements from this study are the first to definitively identify brine intrusions from a subglacial entry point into WLB. Furthermore, we excluded input from Blood Falls by focusing on winter dynamics when the absence of an open water moat prevents surface brine entry. Due to the extremely high salinities below the chemocline in WLB, density stratification is dominated by salinity, and temperature can be used as a passive tracer. Cold brine intrusions enter WLB at the glacier face and intrude into the water column at the depth of neutral buoyancy, where they can be identified by anomalously cold temperatures at that depth. High-resolution measurements also reveal under-ice internal waves associated with katabatic wind events, a novel finding that challenges long-held assumptions about the stability of the WLB water column.

10aDry valleys10ahypersalinity10alakes10aproglacial10atemperature1 aLawrence, Jade1 aDoran, Peter, T.1 aWinslow, Luke, A.1 aPriscu, John, C. uhttps://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S095410202000003602513nas a2200277 4500008004100000245010700041210006900148260001200217300001600229490000700245520169000252653001201942653001601954653001601970653001401986653001502000653001602015100002602031700002102057700002402078700001702102700001702119700002002136700002402156856005502180 2018 eng d00aSpatial and temporal patterns of microbial mats and associated invertebrates along an Antarctic stream0 aSpatial and temporal patterns of microbial mats and associated i c10/2018 a1911–19210 v413 a

 

Microbial biofilms are biological hotspots in many alpine and polar ecosystems, but the controls on and functional significance of their fauna are little known. We studied cyanobacterial mats and the underlying sediment in a glacial meltwater stream in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica. We investigated mat biomass (total and phototrophic), diatoms, and micro-meiofauna (nematodes, rotifers, and tardigrades) at nine sites along a 1670 m stream reach in a cold, low-flow growing season, and in a warmer growing season in which peak flows (above 100 L s−1) scoured the mats. Diatom and invertebrate communities were not related, but mat biomass in the low-flow year was negatively related to nematode abundance, including that of the omnivore Eudorylaimus. In the high-flow year that followed, invertebrate abundance was reduced in the mats, diatom community structure was altered, and mat biomass was higher. The difference in invertebrate abundance between years was greater in mats in upstream reaches, where the greatest increases in flow velocity may have occurred, and was negligible in mats in downstream reaches as well as in the sediment beneath the mats. Integrating our results with previous findings, we generate two predictive hypotheses to be tested in glacial meltwater streams: (1) under peak flows invertebrates decline in the microbial mats, while (2) the sediment beneath the mats is a refuge from the flow disturbance. Our results also suggest that, under stable flow conditions, microinvertebrate grazers could exert top-down control on microbial mat biomass.

 

10adiatoms10aDisturbance10aDry valleys10aEpilithon10aMicrofauna10aStream flow1 aAndriuzzi, Walter, S.1 aStanish, Lee, F.1 aSimmons, Breana, L.1 aJaros, Chris1 aAdams, Byron1 aWall, Diana, H.1 aMcKnight, Diane, M. uhttp://link.springer.com/10.1007/s00300-018-2331-403050nas 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

The McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV) of Antarctica are a unique ice-free landscape that is host to vibrant ecosystems despite the harsh environment (<10 cm water equivalent/yr, -20°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.

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.

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.

10aAntarctica10aDry valleys10aearth sciences10astream10athermokarst1 aSudman, Zachary1 aGooseff, Michael, N. uhttps://search.proquest.com/docview/1717582573