Spatial variations in the geochemistry of glacial meltwater streams in the Taylor Valley, Antarctica
Abstract Streams in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, flow during the summer melt season (4–12 weeks) when air temperatures are close to the freezing point of water. Because of the low precipitation rates, streams originate from glacial meltwater and flow to closed-basin lakes on the valley floor...
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s0954102010000702 2024-09-15T17:48:40+00:00 Spatial variations in the geochemistry of glacial meltwater streams in the Taylor Valley, Antarctica Welch, Kathleen A. Lyons, W. Berry Whisner, Carla Gardner, Christopher B. Gooseff, Michael N. McKnight, Diane M. Priscu, John C. 2010 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102010000702 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0954102010000702 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms Antarctic Science volume 22, issue 6, page 662-672 ISSN 0954-1020 1365-2079 journal-article 2010 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s0954102010000702 2024-07-31T04:03:31Z Abstract Streams in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, flow during the summer melt season (4–12 weeks) when air temperatures are close to the freezing point of water. Because of the low precipitation rates, streams originate from glacial meltwater and flow to closed-basin lakes on the valley floor. Water samples have been collected from the streams in the Dry Valleys since the start of the McMurdo Dry Valleys Long-Term Ecological Research project in 1993 and these have been analysed for ions and nutrient chemistry. Controls such as landscape position, morphology of the channels, and biotic and abiotic processes are thought to influence the stream chemistry. Sea-salt derived ions tend to be higher in streams that are closer to the ocean and those streams that drain the Taylor Glacier in western Taylor Valley. Chemical weathering is an important process influencing stream chemistry throughout the Dry Valleys. Nutrient availability is dependent on landscape age and varies with distance from the coast. The streams in Taylor Valley span a wide range in composition and total dissolved solids and are surprisingly similar to a wide range of much larger temperate and tropical river systems. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Science Antarctica McMurdo Dry Valleys Taylor Glacier Cambridge University Press Antarctic Science 22 6 662 672 |
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Open Polar |
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Cambridge University Press |
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crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
description |
Abstract Streams in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, flow during the summer melt season (4–12 weeks) when air temperatures are close to the freezing point of water. Because of the low precipitation rates, streams originate from glacial meltwater and flow to closed-basin lakes on the valley floor. Water samples have been collected from the streams in the Dry Valleys since the start of the McMurdo Dry Valleys Long-Term Ecological Research project in 1993 and these have been analysed for ions and nutrient chemistry. Controls such as landscape position, morphology of the channels, and biotic and abiotic processes are thought to influence the stream chemistry. Sea-salt derived ions tend to be higher in streams that are closer to the ocean and those streams that drain the Taylor Glacier in western Taylor Valley. Chemical weathering is an important process influencing stream chemistry throughout the Dry Valleys. Nutrient availability is dependent on landscape age and varies with distance from the coast. The streams in Taylor Valley span a wide range in composition and total dissolved solids and are surprisingly similar to a wide range of much larger temperate and tropical river systems. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Welch, Kathleen A. Lyons, W. Berry Whisner, Carla Gardner, Christopher B. Gooseff, Michael N. McKnight, Diane M. Priscu, John C. |
spellingShingle |
Welch, Kathleen A. Lyons, W. Berry Whisner, Carla Gardner, Christopher B. Gooseff, Michael N. McKnight, Diane M. Priscu, John C. Spatial variations in the geochemistry of glacial meltwater streams in the Taylor Valley, Antarctica |
author_facet |
Welch, Kathleen A. Lyons, W. Berry Whisner, Carla Gardner, Christopher B. Gooseff, Michael N. McKnight, Diane M. Priscu, John C. |
author_sort |
Welch, Kathleen A. |
title |
Spatial variations in the geochemistry of glacial meltwater streams in the Taylor Valley, Antarctica |
title_short |
Spatial variations in the geochemistry of glacial meltwater streams in the Taylor Valley, Antarctica |
title_full |
Spatial variations in the geochemistry of glacial meltwater streams in the Taylor Valley, Antarctica |
title_fullStr |
Spatial variations in the geochemistry of glacial meltwater streams in the Taylor Valley, Antarctica |
title_full_unstemmed |
Spatial variations in the geochemistry of glacial meltwater streams in the Taylor Valley, Antarctica |
title_sort |
spatial variations in the geochemistry of glacial meltwater streams in the taylor valley, antarctica |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2010 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102010000702 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0954102010000702 |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Science Antarctica McMurdo Dry Valleys Taylor Glacier |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Science Antarctica McMurdo Dry Valleys Taylor Glacier |
op_source |
Antarctic Science volume 22, issue 6, page 662-672 ISSN 0954-1020 1365-2079 |
op_rights |
https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0954102010000702 |
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Antarctic Science |
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22 |
container_issue |
6 |
container_start_page |
662 |
op_container_end_page |
672 |
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1810290152686223360 |