Distribution of organic carbon and nitrogen in surface soils in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

Polar Biology ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 121-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian H. Fritsen ◽  
Amanda M. Grue ◽  
John C. Priscu
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Mcmurdo Dry Valleys ◽  
Dry Valleys ◽  
Surface Soils ◽  
Carbon And Nitrogen

Episodic basin-scale soil moisture anomalies associated with high relative humidity events in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Joseph Levy
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Relative Humidity ◽  
Mcmurdo Dry Valleys ◽  
Limiting Factor ◽  
High Humidity ◽  
Dry Valleys ◽  
Surface Soils ◽  
Basin Scale ◽  
Soil Reflectance

Abstract Outside of hydrologically wetted active layer soils and humidity-sensitive soil brines, low soil moisture is a limiting factor controlling biogeochemical processes in the McMurdo Dry Valleys. But anecdotal field observations suggest that episodic wetting and darkening of surface soils in the absence of snowmelt occurs during high humidity conditions. Here, I analyse long-term meteorological station data to determine whether soil-darkening episodes are present in the instrumental record and whether they are, in fact, correlated with relative humidity. A strong linear correlation is found between relative humidity and soil reflectance at the Lake Bonney long-term autonomous weather station. Soil reflectance is found to decrease annually by a median of 27.7% in response to high humidity conditions. This magnitude of darkening is consistent with soil moisture rising from typical background values of < 0.5 wt.% to 2–3 wt.%, suggesting that regional atmospheric processes may result in widespread soil moisture generation in otherwise dry surface soils. Temperature and relative humidity conditions under which darkening is observed occur for hundreds of hours per year, but are dominated by episodes occurring between midnight and 07h00 local time, suggesting that wetting events may be common, but are not widely observed during typical diel science operations.

Physicochemical and Biological Controls on Carbon and Nitrogen in Permafrost from an Ultraxerous Environment, McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica

2017 ◽  
Vol 122 (10) ◽  
pp. 2593-2604 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benoit Faucher ◽  
Denis Lacelle ◽  
Alfonso Davila ◽  
Wayne Pollard ◽  
David Fisher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mcmurdo Dry Valleys ◽  
Dry Valleys ◽  
Carbon And Nitrogen

Microbial responses to carbon and nitrogen supplementation in an Antarctic dry valley soil

2012 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
P.G. Dennis ◽  
A.D. Sparrow ◽  
E.G. Gregorich ◽  
P.M. Novis ◽  
B. Elberling ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Community ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Microbial Community ◽  
Control Treatment ◽  
Dry Valleys ◽  
Carbon Addition ◽  
Carbon And Nitrogen ◽  
Soil Microbial ◽  
Organic Carbon Concentration

AbstractThe soils of the McMurdo Dry Valleys are exposed to extremely dry and cold conditions. Nevertheless, they contain active biological communities that contribute to the biogeochemical processes. We have used ester-linked fatty acid (ELFA) analysis to investigate the effects of additions of carbon and nitrogen in glucose and ammonium chloride, respectively, on the soil microbial community in a field experiment lasting three years in the Garwood Valley. In the control treatment, the total ELFA concentration was small by comparison with temperate soils, but very large when expressed relative to the soil organic carbon concentration, indicating efficient conversion of soil organic carbon into microbial biomass and rapid turnover of soil organic carbon. The ELFA concentrations increased significantly in response to carbon additions, indicating that carbon supply was the main constraint to microbial activity. The large ELFA concentrations relative to soil organic carbon and the increases in ELFA response to organic carbon addition are both interpreted as evidence for the soil microbial community containing organisms with efficient scavenging mechanisms for carbon. The diversity of the ELFA profiles declined in response to organic carbon addition, suggesting the responses were driven by a portion of the community increasing in dominance whilst others declined.

Stabilization of Organic Carbon and Nitrogen in Consolidating Benthal Deposits

1985 ◽  
Vol 17 (6-7) ◽  
pp. 929-940 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. W. Bryant ◽  
L. G. Rich
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Model Verification ◽  
Volatile Acid ◽  
Free Energies ◽  
Organic Loading ◽  
Carbon And Nitrogen ◽  
Loading Rates ◽  
Degradation Reactions ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Organic Deposits

The objective of this research was to develop and validate a predictive model of the benthal stabilization of organic carbon and nitrogen in deposits of waste activated sludge solids formed at the bottom of an aerated water column, under conditions of continual deposition. A benthal model was developed from a one-dimensional, generalized transport equation and a set of first-order biological reactions. For model verification, depth profiles of the major interstitial carbon and nitrogen components were measured from a set of deposits formed in the laboratory at 20°C and a controlled loading rate. The observed sequence of volatile acid utilization in each benthal deposit was that which would be predicted by the Gibbs free energies of the individual degradation reactions and would be controlled by the reduction in interstitial hydrogen partial pressure with time. Biodegradable solids were solubilized rapidly during the first three weeks of benthal retention, but subsequent solubilization occurred much more slowly. The benthal simulation effectively predicted the dynamics of consolidating, organic deposits. Simulation of organic loading rates up to 250 g BVSS/(m2 day) indicated that the stabilization capacity of benthal deposits was far above the range of organic loading rates currently used in lagoon design.

THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON LAKE VANDA, MCMURDO DRY VALLEYS, ANTARCTICA

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Devin Castendyk ◽  
◽  
Maciej K. Obryk ◽  
Sasha Z. Leidman ◽  
Michael Gooseff ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Mcmurdo Dry Valleys ◽  
Dry Valleys ◽  
Impact Of Climate Change ◽  
The Impact

PRELIMINARY CHARACTERIZATION OF WIND-BLOWN DUST FROM THE MCMURDO DRY VALLEYS OF ANTARCTICA

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melisa A. Diaz ◽  
◽  
Susan A. Welch ◽  
Kathleen A. Welch ◽  
Alia L. Khan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mcmurdo Dry Valleys ◽  
Dry Valleys ◽  
Preliminary Characterization

ALPINE GLACIER ADVANCE DURING MIS 11 IN THE MCMURDO DRY VALLEYS, ANTARCTICA

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate M. Swanger ◽  
◽  
Joerg M. Schaefer ◽  
Gisela Winckler
Keyword(s):  
Mcmurdo Dry Valleys ◽  
Dry Valleys ◽  
Alpine Glacier ◽  
Glacier Advance

SOLUBLE AND BULK GEOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF AEOLIAN MATERIAL FROM THE MCMURDO DRY VALLEYS, ANTARCTICA

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melisa A. Diaz ◽  
◽  
Byron J. Adams ◽  
Alia L. Khan ◽  
Kathleen A. Welch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mcmurdo Dry Valleys ◽  
Geochemical Analysis ◽  
Dry Valleys
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