Algae Primary Productivity in Reactivated Channel

Summary

Abstract: 

As part of the Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) project in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica, water was diverted to a relict stream channel in order to reactivate the streamflow. The purpose of this experiment was to quantify the time scales of response to the arrival of water after many years of dessication. This data set includes results from light and dark incubations of algae to calculate net and gross primary productivity of algal communities from the Relict Channel in the Fryxell basin.

Date Range: 

January 11, 1996 to January 15, 1997
Data Citation
Mcknight, D.M. 2015. Algae Primary Productivity in Reactivated Channel. Environmental Data Initiative. DOI: 10.6073/pasta/1b4935e0ddca8f5ecbb5074e76bec768. Dataset accessed 30 September 2023.
Dataset(s)

Variables (click to expand): 

Dataset code
  • Label:
  • Definition: Code representing Relict Channel experiment locations dataset
  • Type: Nominal
  • Missing values: None specified
Location Code
  • Label:
  • Definition: Abbreviated Location
  • Type: Nominal
  • Missing values: None specified
DATE_TIME
  • Label:
  • Definition: Date of sample
  • Type: Date/time
  • Date format: mm/dd/YYYY
  • Missing values:
    • Required entry = None given
Algae Type
  • Label: Algae Type
  • Definition: The type of algae species that is associated with the sample (red, black, green or orange)
  • Type: Nominal
  • Missing values: None specified
Incubation Type
  • Label: Incubation Type
  • Definition: Light vs. dark incubation
  • Type: Nominal
  • Missing values: None specified
REPLICATE #
  • Label: Replicate Number
  • Definition: Replication number of sample
  • Type: Nominal
  • Missing values: None specified
Change CO2 Over Time
  • Label: Change in CO2 over time
  • Definition: CO2 change (mg/cm2/hrCO2) in a given hour
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: mg/cm2/hr
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: Not specified
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values: None specified
Change CO2 Per AFDM
  • Label: Change in CO2 per AFDM
  • Definition: Change in level of CO2 per gram of ash free dry mass in a given hour
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: mgC/gAFDM/hr
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: Not specified
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values: None specified
Change CO2 Per CHL-A
  • Label: Change in CO2 per Chl a
  • Definition: Change in level of CO2 per mg of chlorophyll a in a given hour
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: mgC/mgchla/hr
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: Not specified
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • n/a = None given
File Name
  • Label:
  • Definition: Raw data file containing information
  • Type: Nominal
  • Missing values: None specified

File: 

relcprpr.csv (17.69 KB)

Short name: 

relcprpr.dat

Dataset ID: 

30
People

Principal Investigator(s): 

Diane M. McKnight

Contact: 

McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER
Related
Methodology

Methods: 

Within each transect, algal mats were visually identified as either orange, red, black, or green. Not all types of algal mats were found within every transect. Algal samples were collected using a cork borer, placed in either light or dark vials, and incubated in the stream for 3 to 8 hours during sunny conditions. Primary productivity was measured as the change in oxygen concentration in the vial using an oxygen electrode. Net primary productivity (NPP, light bottles) and community respiration (CR, dark bottles) were calculated as follows: NPP or CR (ug C/cm2/hr)=((change in mg O2/L x v) x 0.375 C/O2 x 1000 ug/mg)/area/hours incubated, where O2/L = change in oxygen concentration, v = volume of vial (liters), C/O2 = atom/atom conversion of oxygen to carbon, area = area of cork borer (cm2).

Maintenance: 

Data and metadata moved to DEIMS in 2015, to enhance LTER services Data from this table was initially included in the raw data files specified under the variable for 'file name'. These are Microsoft Excel version 6.0 files and can be found in the McMurdo LTER data manager's home directory on INSTAAR's Unix system. Once submitted to INSTAAR, the data manager combined all of the Relict Channel files that included information on primary production, and removed any variables that had no direct influence on the primary productivity of a given algal / incubation type. The resulting file is represented in the "relcprpr.dat" file used on the web page.

Categories

Research Section: 

LTER Core Areas: 

MCM Keywords: 

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