Polygon Study: Anhydrobiosis

Summary

Abstract: 

In the Antarctic Dry Valleys, soil polygons are prominent features of the landscape and may be key units for scaling local ecological information to the greater region. We examined polygon soils in each of the 3 basins of Taylor Valley, Antarctica. Our objectives were to characterize variability in soil biogeochemistry and biodiversity at local to regional scales, and to test the influence of soil properties upon invertebrate communities. We found that soil biogeochemical properties and biodiversity vary over multiple spatial scales from fine (greater than 10 m) to broad (less than 10 km) scales. Differences in biogeochemistry were most pronounced at broad scales among the major lake basins of Taylor Valley corresponding to differences in geology and microclimate, while variation in invertebrate biodiversity and abundance occurred at landscape scales of 10-500 m, and within individual soil polygons. Variation in biogeochemistry and invertebrate communities across these scales reflects the influence of physical processes and landscape development over ecosystem structure in the dry valleys. The development of soil polygons influences the spatial patterning of soil properties such as soil organic matter, salinity, moisture, and invertebrate habitat suitability. Nematode abundance and life history data indicate that polygon interiors are more suitable habitats than soils in the troughs at the edges of polygons. These data suggest that physical processes (i.e. polygon development) and biogeochemistry are an important influence on the spatial variability of biotic communities in dry valley soil ecosystems.

Date Range: 

December 13, 1995
Data Citation
Wall, D.H., Virginia, R.A. 2014. Polygon Study: Anhydrobiosis. Environmental Data Initiative. DOI: 10.6073/pasta/264b3161fb4af164eb63b06f02e3de8a. Dataset accessed 6 December 2024.
Dataset(s)

Description: 

Details of the spreadsheet containing the poly-anhydro data.

Variables (click to expand): 

DATASET_CODE
  • Label:
  • Definition: Unique identifier for the table in the MCM LTER database
  • Type: Nominal
  • Missing values: None specified
ID
  • Label:
  • Definition: The label assigned to each sample based upon the polygon number and distance from the crack where the sample was collected.
  • Type: Nominal
  • Missing values: None specified
Polygon
  • Label:
  • Definition: The number assigned to the polygon from where the sample was collected.
  • Type: Nominal
  • Missing values: None specified
Distance
  • Label:
  • Definition: The distance from the crack, or edge of the polygon, where the sample was taken.
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: meter
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: Not specified
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values: None specified
FRESH_WEIGHT
  • Label: Fresh weight
  • Definition: The fresh weight (uncorrected for water content) of the soil used for invertebrate enumeration.
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: gram
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: Not specified
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Required entry = None given
SOIL_WATER_CONTENT
  • Label: Soil water content
  • Definition: The gravimetric soil water content
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: percent g/g
  • Maximum: 100
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
Coiled
  • Label:
  • Definition: The number of nematodes extracted from the soil that were anhydrobiotic at the time of sampling.
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
Uncoiled
  • Label:
  • Definition: The number of nematodes extracted from the soil that were anhydrobiotic at the time of sampling.
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
Percent_coiled
  • Label:
  • Definition: The percent of nematodes extracted from the soil that were anhydrobiotic at the time of sampling.
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: dimensionless
  • Maximum: 100
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
Chlorophyll a
  • Label:
  • Definition: The chlorophyll a content of the sample expressed per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: ug chl-a/kg soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: Not specified
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
SML
  • Label:
  • Definition: The total number of living male Scottnema lindsayae adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
SMD
  • Label:
  • Definition: The total number of dead male Scottnema lindsayae adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
SFL
  • Label:
  • Definition: The total number of living female Scottnema lindsayae adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
SFD
  • Label:
  • Definition: The total number of dead female Scottnema lindsayae adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
SJL
  • Label:
  • Definition: The total number of living juvenile Scottnema lindsayae adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
SJD
  • Label:
  • Definition: The total number of dead juvenile Scottnema lindsayae adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
SA
  • Label:
  • Definition: The total number of living and dead Scottnema lindsayae adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
SJ
  • Label:
  • Definition: The total number of living and dead Scottnema lindsayae juvenile nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
STL
  • Label:
  • Definition: total number of living Scottnema lindsayae (juvenile and adults) nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
STD
  • Label:
  • Definition: The total number of dead Scottnema lindsayae (juvenile and adults) nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
ST
  • Label:
  • Definition: The total number of live + dead Scottnema lindsayae (juvenile and adults) nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
EML
  • Label:
  • Definition: The total number of living male Eudorylaimus spp. adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
EMD
  • Label:
  • Definition: The total number of dead male Eudorylaimus spp. adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
EFL
  • Label:
  • Definition: The total number of living female Eudorylaimus spp. adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
EFD
  • Label:
  • Definition: The total number of dead female Eudorylaimus spp. adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
EJL
  • Label:
  • Definition: The total number of living juvenile Eudorylaimus spp. adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
EJD
  • Label:
  • Definition: The total number of dead juvenile Eudorylaimus spp. adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
EA
  • Label:
  • Definition: The total number of living and dead Eudorylaimus spp. adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
EJ
  • Label:
  • Definition: The total number of living and dead Eudorylaimus spp. juvenile nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
ETL
  • Label:
  • Definition: total number of living Eudorylaimus spp. (juvenile and adults) nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
ETD
  • Label:
  • Definition: The total number of dead Eudorylaimus spp. (juvenile and adults) nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
ET
  • Label:
  • Definition: The total number of live + dead Eudorylaimus spp. (juvenile and adults) nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
PFL
  • Label:
  • Definition: The total number of living female Plectus spp. adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
PFD
  • Label:
  • Definition: The total number of dead female Plectus spp. adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
PJL
  • Label:
  • Definition: The total number of living juvenile Plectus spp. adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
PJD
  • Label:
  • Definition: The total number of dead juvenile Plectus spp. adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
PA
  • Label:
  • Definition: The total number of living and dead Plectus spp. adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
PJ
  • Label:
  • Definition: The total number of living and dead Plectus spp. juvenile nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
PTL
  • Label:
  • Definition: total number of living Plectus spp. (juvenile and adults) nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
PTD
  • Label:
  • Definition: The total number of dead Plectus spp. (juvenile and adults) nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
PT
  • Label:
  • Definition: The total number of live + dead Plectus spp. (juvenile and adults) nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
TOTAL_ROTIFERS
  • Label: total rotifers
  • Definition: total number of rotifers per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent present in a sample
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
TOTAL_TARDIGRADES
  • Label: total tardigrades
  • Definition: total number of tardigrades per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent present in a sample
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
unclassified_Scottnema
  • Label: unclassified Scottnema
  • Definition: The total number of nematodes from the respective genera Scottnema for which sex and life stage was not determined.
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
unclassified_Eudoralaimus
  • Label: unclassified Eudorylaimus
  • Definition: The total number of nematodes from the respective genera Eudorylaimus for which sex and life stage was not determined.
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
unclassified_Plectus
  • Label: unclassified Plectus
  • Definition: The total number of nematodes from the respective genera (Scottnema, Eudorylaimus, Plectus and unknown) for which sex and life stage was not determined.
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
UNKOWN_NEMATODES
  • Label:
  • Definition: Unkown nematode species
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
TOTAL_LIVE_NEMA
  • Label:
  • Definition: The total number of living nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
TOTAL_DEAD_NEMA
  • Label:
  • Definition: The total number of dead nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
TOTAL_UNCLASS_NEMA
  • Label: total unclassified nematodes
  • Definition: The total number of nematodes extracted from the soil sample for which sex and life stage and/or species was not determined in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
TOTAL_NEMA
  • Label: total nematodes
  • Definition: The total number of living and dead nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: # kg/soil
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
PERCENT_LIVE
  • Label: Percent live
  • Definition: The ratio of live to dead nematodes
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: dimensionless
  • Maximum: 100
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
COMMENTS
  • Label:
  • Definition: Generic comments about the sample
  • Type: Nominal
  • Missing values: None specified
DATE_TIME
  • Label:
  • Definition: The date the soil sample was collected from the field
  • Type: Date/time
  • Date format: mm/dd/yyyy
  • Missing values: None specified

File: 

Short name: 

Poly_anhydro

Dataset ID: 

4005
People

Principal Investigator(s): 

Contact: 

Associated Personnel: 

Associated Researcher
Field Crew
Data Manager