The Brazilian research contribution to knowledge of the plant communities from Antarctic ice free areas

Abstract

This work aims to summarize the results of research carried out by Brazilian researchers on the plant communities of Antarctic ice free areas during the last twenty five years. Since 1988 field work has been carried out in Elephant Island, King George Island, Nelson Island and Deception Island. During this period six papers were published on the chemistry of lichens, seven papers on plant taxonomy, five papers on plant biology, two studies on UVB photoprotection, three studies about the relationships between plant communities and bird colonies and eleven papers on plant communities from ice free areas. At the present, Brazilian botanists are researching the plant communities of Antarctic ice free areas in order to understand their relationships to soil microbial communities, the biodiversity, the distribution of the plants populations and their relationship with birds colonies. In addition to these activities, a group of Brazilian researchers are undertaking studies related to Antarctic plant genetic diversity, plant chemistry and their biotechnological applications.

Geomorphology and landforms distribution in selected ice-free areas in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctic Northern Peninsula region

“…The relationship between landforms and soil distribution (Balks et al, 2013;Michel et al, 2014) and the distribution and changes of vegetation related to ice-free areas Pereira and Putzke, 2013;Guglielmin et al, 2014;Vieira et al, 2014) have been studied in detail in some areas.…”

The current response of soil thermal regime and carbon exchange of a paraglacial coastal land system in maritime Antarctica

“…In terrestrial areas of MA, several species of lichens, mosses, and liverworts are found, and only two native vascular plants occur ( Deschampsia antarctica Desv. and Colobanthus quitensis Kunth, Bartl; Pereira & Putzke, ). Plant colonization and distribution are extremely related to soil fertility, soil moisture (SM) and soil temperature (ST; Simas et al, ; Francelino et al, ; Cannone, Binelli, Worland, Convey, & Guglielmin, ).…”

Environmental Correlation and Spatial Autocorrelation of Soil Properties in Keller Peninsula, Maritime Antarctica

“…Pedogenesis in Antarctica is generally less advanced, due to the combination of freezing conditions, low liquid water availability, weak biological activity, and chemical and physical processes occurring only during the summer. In comparison with continental Antarctica, the Maritime region has higher temperature and precipitation rates, contributing to greater colonization of plant species and soil microorganisms, which favors a higher degree of weathering (Pereira and Putzke, 2013). In addition, these factors are frequently associated with terrestrial input of nutrients by marine birds (guano), which are highly important for soil-forming processes in Antarctica, enhancing pedogenesis through the phosphatization process and forming widespread ornithogenic soils (Simas et al, 2008).…”

“…In addition, soil types and properties vary significantly across the landscape, mainly related to landscape characteristics, especially drainage (Pereira and Putzke, 2013). Antarctic soils have been the subject of several studies (Beyer et al, 2000;Simas et al, 2008;Francelino et al, 2011;Moura et al, 2012) that have promoted an increasing understanding of soil-forming processes and soil distribution and classification.…”