The Influence of Soil Geochemistry on Nematode Distribution, Mcmurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

Poage, Michael A.; Barrett, John E.; Virginia, Ross A.; Wall, Diana H.

doi:10.1657/1523-0430(06-051)[poage]2.0.co;2

Cited by 70 publications

(97 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…Thus these hydrological margins may delineate zones of potential biological activity by multicellular organisms and trophic interactions in the McMurdo Dry Valleys. Together with organic matter and salinity, liquid water strongly limits the spatial distribution and activity of soil organisms (Treonis et al, 1999(Treonis et al, , 2000Barrett et al, 2008;Poage et al, 2008;Zeglin et al, 2009). …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial variation in soil active-layer geochemistry across hydrologic margins in polar desert ecosystems

Barrett

Gooseff

Takacs-Vesbach

2009

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

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Abstract. Polar deserts are characterized by severe spatialtemporal limitations of liquid water. In soil active layers of the Antarctic Dry Valleys, liquid water is infrequently available over most of the arid terrestrial landscape. However, soils on the margins of glacial melt-water streams and lakes are visibly wet during the brief Austral summer when temperatures permit the existence of liquid water. We examined the role of these hydrologic margins as preferential zones for the transformation and transport of nutrient elements and solutes in an environment where geochemical weathering and biological activity is strictly limited by the dearth of liquid water. We report on hydropedological investigations of aquatic-terrestrial transition zones adjacent to 11 stream and lake systems in the Antarctic Dry Valleys. Our results show that wetted zones extended 1-11 m from the edges of lotic and lentic systems. While capillary demand and surface evaporation drive a one-way flux of water through these zones, the scale of these transition zones is determined by the topography and physical characteristics of the surrounding soils. Nutrient concentrations and fluxes appear to be influenced by both the hydrology and microbialmediated biogeochemical processes. Salt concentrations are enriched near the distal boundary of the wetted fronts due to evapo-concentration of pore water in lake margin soils, while organic matter, ammonium and phosphate concentrations are highest in stream channel sediments where potential for biological activity is greatest. Thus, in the Antarctic Dry Valleys, intermittently wet soils on the margins of streams and lakes are important zones of both geochemical cycling and biological activity.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial variation in soil active-layer geochemistry across hydrologic margins in polar desert ecosystems

Barrett

Gooseff

Takacs-Vesbach

2009

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

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“…These pulses alter soil geochemistry by redistributing major ions (Lyons et al 2005;Harris et al 2007) and transport soil sediments to streams and lakes (Foreman et al 2004). Alterations to soil moisture and geochemistry constitute a change in habitat suitability that can alter soil invertebrate and microbial community abundance, composition and distribution (Powers et al 1998;Barrett, Virginia, Wall & Adams 2008;Poage et al 2008;Simmons et al 2009;Ayres et al 2010;Takacs-Vesbach et al 2010). Given that soil invertebrate communities exhibit similar patterns to soil biogeochemical properties across the MDV , the alterations to biological communities as a response to water pulses may have repercussions for the biogeochemical processes for which they are responsible (e.g., production, respiration and mineralization of nutrients).…”

Section: The Mcmurdo Dry Valleys: a Polar Desert At A Tipping Pointmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In fact, ion content tends to be low at all depths outside the seep patches, suggesting that an increase in seep patch formation will lead to an increase in soil landscape heterogeneity in terms of both moisture and geochemistry. Though increased occurrence of seep patches will provide higher soil moisture that could potentially increase biotic activity across the MDV landscape, the increase in soil salt content will likely have an adverse affect on biotic activity in the upper layers of the soil Poage et al 2008). Depths 1 and 2 (Fig.…”

Section: Responses To Seepsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…4) represent the upper 5 cm of the soil, where the majority of invertebrate activity occurs (Powers et al 1995). The osmotic stress imposed by the very high salt content means high-salinity soils exhibit very low or non-existent invertebrate abundances, despite the fact that many of these ions are mineral nutrients necessary for life Poage et al 2008). However, preliminary respiration measurements within and outside of seep patches reveals that seep patches are not always associated with a decrease in soil respiration (Ball & Virginia unpubl.…”

Section: Responses To Seepsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Implications of meltwater pulse events for soil biology and biogeochemical cycling in a polar desert

et al. 2011

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The McMurdo Dry Valleys are one of the most arid environments on Earth. Over the soil landscape for the majority of the year, biological and ecosystem processes in the dry valleys are constrained by the low temperatures and limited availability of water. The prevalence of these physical limitations in controlling biological and ecosystem processes makes the dry valleys a climate-sensitive system, poised to experience substantial changes following projected future warming. Short-duration increases in summer temperatures are associated with pulses of water from melting ice reserves, including glaciers, snow and permafrost. Such pulses alter soil geochemistry by mobilizing and redistributing soil salts (via enhanced weathering, solubility and mobility), which can alter habitat suitability for soil organisms. Resulting changes in soil community composition or distribution may alter the biogeochemical processes in which they take part. Here, we review the potential impacts of meltwater pulses and present new field data documenting instances of meltwater pulse events that result from different water sources and hydrological patterns, and discuss their potential influence on soil biology and biogeochemistry. We use these examples to discuss the potential impacts of future climate change on the McMurdo Dry Valley soil ecosystem

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“…Soil biota regulate the decay process or decomposition, which directly affects carbon level in soils. Climate-induced loss of key invertebrates in a variety of low-diversity Box 5.10 The impacts of climate change on soil biodiversity ecosystems that are widespread throughout the world can contribute to significant changes in carbon cycle and hence carbon pools and fluxes through the modification of ecosystem functioning (Ayres et al, 2008;Barrett et al, 2008;Poage et al, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impacts of Europe's changing climate – 2008 indicator based assessment

Jol¹,

Raes²,

Menne³

2009

IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth Environ. Sci.

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The Influence of Soil Geochemistry on Nematode Distribution, Mcmurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

Abstract: BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access titles in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses.

Cited by 70 publications

References 57 publications

Spatial variation in soil active-layer geochemistry across hydrologic margins in polar desert ecosystems

Spatial variation in soil active-layer geochemistry across hydrologic margins in polar desert ecosystems

Implications of meltwater pulse events for soil biology and biogeochemical cycling in a polar desert

Impacts of Europe's changing climate – 2008 indicator based assessment

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