Ecosystem Dynamics in a Polar Desert: The McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

John C. Priscu, Editor

Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, 59717, USA

The coldest and driest desert on this planet is the setting for Ecosystem Dynamics in a Polar Desert. The volume presents an overview and synthesis within this extreme environment, including interactions between physical, chemical, and biological components. These processes are driven by the presence of liquid water, which produces a cascade of tightly coupled events that ultimately leads to the biological production and cycling of organic carbon and related elements. The papers on geomorphology, meteorology, geochemistry, stream ecology, limnology and soils in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica will be of interest to a broad range of scientists. The accompanying CDROM supplies color graphics, detailed geospatial data to support the text, and maps to help the reader visualize the region from an ecosystem perspective.

Contents

Preface
Section 1: Physical and Hydrological Environment;
- The Composite Glacial Erosional Landscape of the Northern McMurdo Dry Valleys: Implications for Antarctic Tertiary Glacial History;
- Solar Radiation in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica;
- Glaciers of the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Southern Victoria Land, Antarctica;
- Geochemical Linkages Among Glaciers, Stream, and Lakes Within the Taylor Valley, Antarctica;
Section 2: Stream Environment;
- Hydrological Processes Influencing Streamflow Variation in Fryxell Basin, Antarctica;
- Longitudinal Patterns in Algal Abundance and Species Distribution in Meltwater Streams in Taylor Valley, Southern Victoria Land, Antarctica;
- Primary Porduction Processes in Streams of the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica;
- Modeling Nitrogen Transformations in Dry Valley Streams, Antarctica;
Section 3: Lake Environment;
- Physical Limnology of the McMurdo Dry Valley Lakes;
- Optical Properties of the McMurdo Dry Valley Lakes, Antarctica;
- Cobalt Cycling and Fate in Lake Vanda;
- The Abundance of Ammonium-Oxidizing Bacteria in Lake Bonney, Antarctica, Determined by Immunofluorescence, PCR, and in Situ Hybridization;
- Pigment Analysis of the Distribution, Succession, and Fate of Phytoplankton in the McMurdo Dry Valley Lakes of Antarctica;
- Fluorescence Quenching in Phytoplankton of the McMurdo Dry Valley Lakes (Antarctica): Implications for the Structure and Function of the Photosynthetic Apparatus;
- Protozooplankton and Microzooplankton Ecology in Lakes of the Dry Valleys, Southern Victoria Land;
- Permanent Ice Covers of the McMurdo Dry Valleys Lakes, Antarctica: Liquid Water Contents;
- Permanent Ice Covers of the McMurdo Dry Valley Lakes, Antarctica: Bubble Formation and Metamorphism;
Section 4: Soil Environment;
- The Soil Environment of the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica;
- Soil Biodiversity and COmmunity Structure in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica;
Section 5: Summary;
- Science and Environmental Management in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Southern Victoria Land, Antarctica;
- The McMurdo Dry Valley Ecosystem: Organization, Controls, and Linkages;
Section 6: CDROM (Digital Geospatial Datasets Pertaining to the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica.

Published by:
American Geophysical Union
2000 Florida Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20009
With the aid of grant OPP-9414962
from the National Science Foundation

ISBN 0-87590-884-5
ISSN 0066-4634