Abstract:
In Antarctica, moisture, temperature and other climatic regimes and the quality and stability of the prevailing mineral substrate act as extreme limiting factors for colonization by microbes, cryptograms and invertebrates. Ice free areas of coarse or fine mineral debris are known as fellfields. The microclimatic and edaphic features of fellfields and the processes governing their colonization ... community development, and the survival strategies of their biota was the aim of the British Antarctic Surveys program, Fellfield Ecology Research Program (FERP). FERP was focussed at Signy Island and South Orkney Island and studies in the Ross Sea, especially the Dry Valleys, will provide comparisons with the more maritime environment of Signy and South Orkney Islands. Fellfield sites in South Victoria Land, including the Blue Glacier regions, East and West Beacon, Lake Vanda, Shapeless Mountain and the Balham and Barwick Valley's and Ross Island (Cape Bird, Cape Royds and Cape Evans) were visited for examination and sampling at diverse fellfield sites. Concurrent aerial samples were also taken. Examples of soil crusts, epilithic, chasmolithic and endolithic microbial communities were collected to determine common factors between colonization processes. Isolates of bacteria , yeasts, fungi and algae were obtained from aerial and terrestrial samples. Physical perturbation and amendments of fine mineral debris and rock flakes was investigated at two sites at Keble Valley, Cape Bird (one dry and one wet). Soil crust formation and rock colonization was monitored by epifluorescence microscopy. The influence of temperature, moisture, nutrient availability and substrate structure was included. Extant soil crusts and epilithic communities were also examined. Aerial microbial and cryptogamic propagules were collected using Rotorod samplers and the resulting collector strips were examined.
Quality
All of the investigators personal data was stored with BAS Archives after his death. Some personal effects were returned to his next of kin. The available data includes:
TRANSPARENCIES AND ALBUMS 1.24. 'Antarctic slides. Ross Dependency'. 1982-99. (Most returned in album to Mrs Wynn-Williams May 2005. Selection of work images retained. Reference Number: ... LS/BL126 Slide Box 1 REPORTS 2. 'The moss Bryum Antarcticum growing in Keble Valley, Cape Bird', Ross Dependency Research Committee report, event K15, season 1982/83. T 1.2.8. preliminary report, by Wynn-Williams and L. Greenfield. (In buff folder.)(Box 19) Reference Number: 2002/95/6/2
DIARIES 3.2. 'Summer season with NZARP. November 1982 - January 1983', 3 Nov 1982 – 27 Jan 1983. Diary of the season spent in the New Zealand's Scott Base. (Orange notebook) (Box 20) Reference Number 2002/95/7/3.2
LABORATORY NOTEBOOKS 2. Project T 1.2.8, 11 Nov 1982 - 1 Feb 1990: 2.1. 'T 1.2.8/K 15. 1982/83', 11 Nov 1982 - 25 Jan 1983 and 10 Nov 1998. Cape Bird. (Green notebook.) (Box 11) Reference Number: 2002/95/9/2.1
PHOTO REGISTERS 5. 'Antarctic slides 1983: Ross Dependency'. Registry of pictures. (Red notebook) (Box 20)
NOTEBOOKS 1.18. '1982/83 NZARP. Ross I. S. Victoria Land', 1982/83. (Black notepad). 1.19. '1982/83 NZARP. Ross I. S. Victoria Land', 1982/83. (Black notepad). 1.20. '1982/83 NZARP. Ross I. S. Victoria Land', 1982/83. (Black notepad). 1.21. 'Accessory notebook and diary 2. Phase 3, from 5/1/83 back to Cape Bird', 1982/83. (Blue notebook). 7.4. 'Project T.1.2.8.: microbioal colonisation of extreme Antarctic fellfields. DD Wynn-Williams. 1984/85 season. Ross Dependency. Request for assistance from Dr W Block. Keble Valley Figs'. (envelope)
Access Constraints
Access to the data upon contact with BAS Archives and following their procedures.
Wynn-Williams, D.D. 1988. Microbial colonization of Antarctic fellfield soils. In: Megusar F (ed) Proc 4th Intern Symp Microbial Ecol, Ljubljana, Yugoslavia, pp 191–200
Wynn-Williams, D.D. 1990b. Microbial colonization processes in Antarctic fellfield soils—an experimental overview. Proc Natl Inst Polar Res 3: 164–178
Wynn-Williams, D.D. 1985. ... Photofading retardant for epifluorescence microscopy in soil microecological studies. Soil Biol. Biochem., 17, 739-746.
Wynn-Williams, D.D., Russell, N.C. And Edwards, J.G.M. 1997. Moisture and habitat structure as regulators for microalgal colonists in diverse Antarctic terrestrial habitats. In: Lyons, W., Howard-Williams, C., Hawes, U. (eds). Ecosystem processes in Antarctic ice free landscapes. Balkema, Rotterdam. ISBN 9054109254
Edwards, H.G.M. Russell, N.C. Wynn-Williams, D.D. Fourier transform Raman spectroscopic and scanning electron microscope study of cryptoendolithic lichens from Antarctica. Journal of Raman spectroscopy 28(9): 685-690, 1997.
Edwards, H.G.M. Holder, J.M. Russell, N.C. Wynn-Williams, D.D. Biodeterioration of rocks by lichens in hostile Antarctic environments studied by FT-Raman spectroscopy. in: Spectroscopy of biological molecules: modern trends.Carmona P. Navarro R. Hernandez A. (eds) Dordrecht, Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers. 1997. pp.509-510
Russell, N.C. Edwards, H.G.M. Wynn-Williams, D.D. FT-Raman spectroscopic analysis of endolithic microbial communities from Beacon sandstone in Victoria Land, Antarctica. Antarctic science 10(1): 63-74, 1998.
Wynn-Williams, D.D. The biota of a lateral moraine and the hinterland of the Blue Glacier, south Victoria Land, Antarctica. British Antarctic Survey bulletin 66: 1-5, 1985.
