McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER (MCM) is a member of the U.S. Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) Network, an integrated network of over 2000 researchers distributed across 28 sites using observational, experimental, and modeling approaches to improve understanding of ecological structure, process, and function over multidecadal scales. Research performed by MCM occurs in the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems of the McMurdo Dry Valleys, which encompass the largest ice-free region in Antarctica. MCM operates within guidelines set by the Antarctic Treaty System, which designates Antarctica as a continent devoted to peace and science (also, see the MCM Code of Conduct). Funding and logistical support for MCM is provided by the National Science Foundation (NSF) via the Office of Polar Programs (OPP) and the U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP) in the Geosciences Directorate (GEO). Support for high quality MCM dataset curation and archival is provided by the Environmental Data Initiative.
MCM LTER Principal Investigator Websites
- Dr. Mike Gooseff, Lead PI (University of Colorado Boulder; INSTAAR)
- Dr. Byron Adams (Brigham Young University)
- Dr. Jeb Barrett (Virginia Tech)
- Dr. Melisa Diaz (University of Colorado Boulder; INSTAAR)
- Dr. Peter Doran (Louisiana State University)
- Dr. Hilary Dugan (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
- Dr. Tyler Mackey (University of New Mexico)
- Dr. Rachael Morgan-Kiss (Miami University)
- Dr. Mark Salvatore (Northern Arizona University)
- Dr. Cristina Takacs-Vesbach (University of New Mexico)
- Dr. Lydia Zeglin (Kansas State University)
MCM Related Projects
- The Lost Seal - Learn the story and view childrens original artwork based on the book written by MCM LTER PI Diane McKnight.
- Antarctic Freshwater Diatoms Database - Browse more than 500 pages of images and information about inland diatoms (mainly freshwater) from the McMurdo Dry Valleys.
- McMurdo Dry Valleys Historical Archive - Environmental historical archive of the McMurdo Dry Valleys, complete with maps, photos, interviews, publications, sketches, and more. PI Adrian Howkins.
U.S. Antarctic Programs
- Raytheon Polar Services Company Current support contractor for U.S. Antarctic Program
- Arctic System Science (ARCSS) Data Coordination Center
- Polar Science Center Applied Physics Laboratory at the University of Washington
- Palmer Long Term Ecological Research
- Malin Space Science Systems
- NOAA South Pole Observatory
- Byrd Polar Research Center at The Ohio State University
- Antarctic Journal of the United States
- National Snow and Ice Data Center
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research at the University of Colorado at Boulder
- Portland State University Glacier Research
- US Global Change Data and Information Systems (GCDIS)
Other Antarctic Science
- Evolution and Biodiversity in Antarctica (EBA)
- Antarctica Meteorology Research Center
- Climate Monitoring and Diagnostic Laboratory, South Pole Observatory
- Cawthron Institute: Antarctic Anaerobes
Foreign Programs
- Australian Antarctic Division
- Antarctica New Zealand
- Australian National University
- Norsk Polarinstitutt
- British Antarctic Survey
- Scott Polar Research Institute, Cambridge University
- Belgium Antarctic Research Programme
- Alfred Wegener Institute - German Antarctic Station
- Potchefstroom University Physics Department, South Africa
Maps and Images
- USGS Atlas of Antarctic Research
- Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Data Archive at NGDC