Project Title

McMurdo LTER – Integrative Science: Ecosystem response to amplified landscape connectivity in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

Summary

Event Number:
C-508-M

Program Manager:
Dr. Maria Vernet

ASC POC/Implementer:
Ryan Steiner / Jenny Cunningham

Principal Investigator(s)

Dr. Cristina Takacs-Vesbach
cvesbach@gmail.com
University of New Mexico
Department of Biology

Project Web Site:
https://mcm.lternet.edu/

Location

Supporting Stations: McMurdo Station
Research Locations: Dry Valleys

Description

Initially funded in 1980, the U.S. Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) network is a collaborative effort of more than 1,800 scientists and students. The McMurdo LTER (MCM-LTER) program is a multi-disciplinary aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems study in the McMurdo Dry Valleys. It is one of 26 LTER sites where researchers are studying ecological processes over long temporal and broad spatial scales. This project will focus on microbial ecology, activity, and biodiversity across a variety of Dry Valleys habitats, including soils, streams, and lakes. This six-year award cycle is comprised of seven collaborative projects: C-504-M (Gooseff), C-505-M (Priscu), C-506-M (Gooseff), C-507-M (Adams), C-508-M (Takacs-Vesbach), C-509-M (Gooseff), and C-511-M (Doran).

Field Season Overview

One participant will arrive in early November to work on the Autonomous Lake Profiling System (ALPS) at Lake Hoare and Lake Fryxell, then will conduct limnological sampling and collaborate on a temperature response experiment with the Priscu (C-505-M) team. They will return to Crary Lab to analyze samples, and will redeploy in mid-December. The second participant will arrive at this time and will participate in dive operations on the north and south sides of Lake Fryxell. They will coordinate and collaborate with other science events including Briggs (B-011-M) and Sumner (B-047-M), as well as some Antarctica New Zealand scientists.

Deploying Team Members