Published on McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER (https://mcm.lternet.edu)

Summary

Abstract: 

As part of the Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) project in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica, a systematic sampling program has been undertaken to monitor the glacial meltwater streams in that region. This dataset contains microbial biomass concentrations found in algal mats located in streams throughout the McMurdo Dry Valleys as well as in ponds of the nearby Cape Royds. Microbial mat biomass has been collected as part of the McMurdo LTER since the 1993-1994 field season and measured as ash-free dry mass (AFDM) and chlorophyll-a (Chl-a).

Date Range: 

January 7, 1994 to January 17, 2019
Dataset(s)

Variables (click to expand): 

DATASET_CODE
  • Label: Dataset code
  • Definition: Code representing the data Object
  • Type: Nominal
  • Missing values: None specified
STRMTRNSID
  • Label: Stream Transect ID
  • Definition: Code representing stream transect identifier. Represents where sampling was conducted
  • Type: Nominal
  • Missing values: None specified
STREAM NAME
  • Label: Stream Name
  • Definition: The name of the stream where sampling occurred
  • Type: Nominal
  • Missing values: None specified
SAMPLE NAME
  • Label: Sample Name
  • Definition: A name that serves to identify the sample. This encodes the replicate number.
  • Type: Nominal
  • Missing values: None specified
DATE_TIME
  • Label: Date Time
  • Definition: Date/time of sample (McMurdo time)
  • Type: Date/time
  • Date format: MM/DD/YYYY hh24:mm
  • Missing values: None specified
AFDM (mg/cm2)
  • Label: Ash Free Dry Mass (milligrams per sq. centimeter)
  • Definition: Ash Free Dry Mass in milligrams per square cm
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: milligramsPerSquareCentimeter
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: Not specified
  • Precision: 0.01
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
Chl-A (ug/cm2)
  • Label: Chlorophyl-A (ug/cm2)
  • Definition: Chlorophyl-A density (concentration)
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: microgramsPerSquareCentimeter
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: Not specified
  • Precision: 0.01
  • Missing values:
    • Null = None given
MAT TYPE
  • Label: Mat Type
  • Definition: Type of mat, by pigmentation or substrate
  • Type: Nominal
  • Missing values: None specified
SEASON
  • Label: Season
  • Definition: the season the study was conducted, as a year
  • Type: Date/time
  • Date format: YYYY
  • Missing values: None specified
COMMENTS
  • Label: Comments
  • Definition: Remarkable comments
  • Type: Nominal
  • Missing values: None specified

File: 

STREAMS_MICROBIAL_BIOMASS.csv [1] (256.69 KB)

Short name: 

STRM_MICROBIAL_BIOMASS

Dataset ID: 

79
People

Principal Investigator(s): 

Diane M. McKnight [2]

Contact: 

McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER Information Manager [3]

Associated Personnel: 

Field Technician
Joshua Darling [4]
Field Technician
Nick Schulte [5]
Data Manager
Renée F. Brown [6]
Associated Researcher
Tyler J. Kohler [7]
Associated Researcher
Breana L. Simmons [8]
Related

Related publications: 

Ecological processes in a cold desert ecosystem: the abundance and species distribution of algal mats in glacial meltwater streams in Taylor Valley [9]

Related links: 

McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER Streams [10]
Methodology

Methods: 

Algal mats were sampled along transects established by the MCMLTER in early to mid-January as in Alger et al. (1997), and mats were identified as either orange, black, green or red in color. Mats were collected using a brass cork borer (1.7 cm diameter) and placed into Whirlpack® bags containing stream water. In the laboratory, samples were de-watered on pre-combusted Whatman GF/C filters, wrapped in foil, and stored at -20°C. Prior to the year 2000, Chl-a samples were extracted in buffered acetone and analyzed spectrophotometrically using the trichromatic method. After 2000, Chl-a was extracted in buffered acetone and analyzed using a Turner Designs 10-AU field fluorometer. Both methods have been shown to produce comparable Chl-a results (Lorenzen and Jeffrey 1980). For AFDM analysis, samples were dried at 100°C for 24 h, weighed, burned at 450°C for 4 h and re-weighed, and then re-wetted and dried to determine mass loss due to hydration of sediments. Both Chl-a and AFDM analyses were performed at Crary Laboratory in McMurdo Station.

Maintenance: 

The original iterations of the 'stream microbial biomass' data file were created by Tyler Kohler, Lee Stanish and Diane McKnight, and submitted to Inigo San Gil (the data manager) at the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR). For proper standardization in the database, the data was massaged into the fields strmgageid, collection date, etc. Entered in the database using Toad 4 Oracle from Dell inc (formerly own by Quest inc.)

Categories

Research Section: 

Core Areas: 

MCM Keywords: 

Keywords: 

Source URL: https://mcm.lternet.edu/content/algal-microbial-mat-biomass-measurements-mcmurdo-dry-valleys-and-cape-royds-antarctica-1994

Links
[1] https://mcm.lternet.edu/file/6077/download?token=mzsgt_5_vsUFdssGuO6yVH-89MnVN6P5hMzpJJ2O1Xs
[2] https://mcm.lternet.edu/people/diane-m-mcknight
[3] https://mcm.lternet.edu/people/mcmurdo-dry-valleys-lter-information-manager
[4] https://mcm.lternet.edu/people/joshua-darling
[5] https://mcm.lternet.edu/people/nick-schulte
[6] https://mcm.lternet.edu/people/ren%C3%A9e-f-brown
[7] https://mcm.lternet.edu/people/tyler-j-kohler
[8] https://mcm.lternet.edu/people/breana-l-simmons
[9] https://mcm.lternet.edu/content/ecological-processes-cold-desert-ecosystem-abundance-and-species-distribution-algal-mats
[10] http://mcm.lternet.edu/gage-location-map
[11] https://mcm.lternet.edu/section/streams
[12] https://mcm.lternet.edu/section/chemistry-and-biomass
[13] https://mcm.lternet.edu/core-areas/primary-production
[14] https://mcm.lternet.edu/station-keywords/algae
[15] https://mcm.lternet.edu/station-keywords/antarctic-desert-streams
[16] https://mcm.lternet.edu/station-keywords/antarctica
[17] https://mcm.lternet.edu/station-keywords/ash-free-dry-mass
[18] https://mcm.lternet.edu/station-keywords/biomass
[19] https://mcm.lternet.edu/station-keywords/chlorophyll
[20] https://mcm.lternet.edu/station-keywords/mass
[21] https://mcm.lternet.edu/station-keywords/mcmurdo-dry-valleys
[22] https://mcm.lternet.edu/station-keywords/microbial-biomass
[23] https://mcm.lternet.edu/station-keywords/microbial-mat
[24] https://mcm.lternet.edu/lter-controlled-vocabulary/algae
[25] https://mcm.lternet.edu/lter-controlled-vocabulary/biomass
[26] https://mcm.lternet.edu/lter-controlled-vocabulary/chlorophyll
[27] https://mcm.lternet.edu/lter-controlled-vocabulary/chlorophyll-0
[28] https://mcm.lternet.edu/lter-controlled-vocabulary/microbial-biomass
[29] https://mcm.lternet.edu/lter-controlled-vocabulary/ponds
[30] https://mcm.lternet.edu/lter-controlled-vocabulary/stream-ecology
[31] https://mcm.lternet.edu/lter-controlled-vocabulary/streams