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GIS analysis, biological samples (soil microorganism, invertebrate and plant), automatic weather station data and vegetation and invertebrate surveys to determine the terrestrial biocomplexity of the McMurdo Dry Valleys

Entry ID: K020_2008_2009_NZ_1

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Summary

Abstract: The McMurdo Dry Valleys are the largest area of snow-free land in Antarctica. Managers ability to promote and protect these areas would benefit if we knew the biodiversity present and what controls it distribution. The research therefore focused on describing and predicting biodiversity of terrestrial habitats in the Ross Dependency, Antarctica. The aim is to produce a GIS/biodiversity database ... that links biodiversity with environmental factors such as geology, and soil moisture content, to produce a model that is easily understood and useable by non-specialists and endusers. Samples of soil, invertebrates and mosses were collected from the Miers, Marshall, and Garwood Valleys for geochemistry and biological analysis. Over 450 sampling sites were visited although roughly 15 were inaccessible due to terrain or snow cover. A total 435 vegetation and invertebrate surveys were made and over 450 soil samples collected. At each location up-to-date molecular techniques were used to describe the biota from visible lichens, mosses and invertebrates to the hidden microbes. The soil samples were subsampled and analyses of soil geochemistry, soil respiration, microinvertebrate content (e.g. nematodes, rotifers, tardigrades), and microbiological assays. Samples were collected and split in the field using aseptic techniques for DNA analysis. New genomic approaches that examine microbial communities as a whole (i.e., metagenomics) or even their entire functional aspects (i.e., metatranscriptomics) were used to provide a comprehensive picture of systematic and functional biodiversity, which will help resolve the drivers of biodiversity in the environment. The samples are part of a major landscape scale study to determine the primary drivers of biodiversity and distribution of flora and fauna in the Dry Valleys. In addition, the SOM and other nutrient status including the form of subsidy was determined, and this information will be placed, together with site-specific variables such as aspect, slope, water, snow, stability. The use of GIS is central to the success of this project and considerable success in collating, analysing and preparing information for the GIS analysis. Two automatic weather stations were installed together with various trap systems to measure transfer of material within the Miers and Garwood Valleys in the 2007-2008 field season and in the 2008-2009 field season another was installed in the Marshall Valley.

Related URL

Link: VIEW RELATED INFORMATION

Description: The investigators homepage

Geographic Coverage

(Click for Interactive Map)

Spatial coordinates

N: -78.0

S: -78.16

E: 164.47

W: 163.61

Temporal Coverage

Start Date: 2008-11-07

Stop Date: 2009-01-28

Location Keywords

CONTINENT > ANTARCTICA

CONTINENT > ANTARCTICA > MIERS VALLEY

Science Keywords

BIOSPHERE > TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS > DESERTS

LAND SURFACE > LANDSCAPE > LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY

ISO Topic Category

BIOTA

ENVIRONMENT

GEOSCIENTIFIC INFORMATION

Platform

FIELD SURVEYS

GROUND-BASED OBSERVATIONS

LABORATORY

Instrument

AWS > Automated Weather System

SOIL SAMPLER

VISUAL OBSERVATIONS

Project

IPY > INTERNATIONAL POLAR YEAR

Quality All of the collected soil samples are stored at the University of Waikato, Hamilton New Zealand in a -80C PC2 containment facility with small splits in the UK with David Hopkins and US with Jeb Barrett. A small subset of samples are at the University of West Cape, Cape Town, South Africa with Don Cowan. Samples of mites and springtails and mosses were are also collected and mainly held at the University of Waikato. Full metadata is available for each valley. Temperature and relative humidity data was collected on the valley sides along transects at 200m elevation increments.

Ancillary Keywords

spatial subsidies

GIS

metagenomics

biodiversity

Data Set Progress

IN WORK

Data Center

Antarctica New Zealand, New Zealand Antarctic Institute, New Zealand

Data Center URL: http://www.antarcticanz.govt.nz/

Data Center Personnel
Name: SHULAMIT GORDON Phone: +64 3 358 0200 Fax: +64 3 358 0211 Email: s.gordon at antarcticanz.govt.nz Contact Address: Antarctica New Zealand Private Bag 4745 City: Christchurch Country: New Zealand

Personnel

CRAIG CARY

Role: INVESTIGATOR

Phone: +64 7 838 4593

Fax: +64 7 838 4218

Email: caryc at UDel.Edu

Email: c.cary at waikato.ac.nz

Contact Address:

Department of Biological Sciences

University of Waikato

PO BOX 3105

City: Hamilton

Postal Code: 3105

Country: New Zealand

Publications/References

Cary, S.C., McDonald, I.R., Barrett, J.E., Cowan, D.A. 2010. On the rocks: the microbiology of Antarctic Dry Valley soils. Nature reviews 8:129-138. doi:10.1038/nrmicro2281

Banks, J.C., Ross, P.M., Smith, T.E. 2010. Report of a mummified leopard seal carcass in the southern Dry Valleys, McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. Antarctic science 22(1): 43-44. doi:10.1017/S0954102009990368

Creation and Review Dates

DIF Creation Date: 2009-04-30

Last DIF Revision Date: 2010-02-23

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