The environmental basis of ecosystem variability in Antarctica: research in the Latitudinal Gradient Project
Abstract After a decade of research, New Zealand’s Latitudinal Gradient Project (LGP) now includes primary sites from Cape Hallett (72°S) to the Darwin Glacier (80°S), while additional observations extend the latitudinal transect from 84°S to sub-Antarctic regions. The LGP has been structured around...
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s0954102010000829 2024-03-03T08:38:21+00:00 The environmental basis of ecosystem variability in Antarctica: research in the Latitudinal Gradient Project Howard-Williams, Clive Hawes, Ian Gordon, Shulamit 2010 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102010000829 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0954102010000829 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms Antarctic Science volume 22, issue 6, page 591-602 ISSN 0954-1020 1365-2079 Geology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Oceanography journal-article 2010 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s0954102010000829 2024-02-08T08:35:42Z Abstract After a decade of research, New Zealand’s Latitudinal Gradient Project (LGP) now includes primary sites from Cape Hallett (72°S) to the Darwin Glacier (80°S), while additional observations extend the latitudinal transect from 84°S to sub-Antarctic regions. The LGP has been structured around a hypothesis that, in a frigid continent, ice dynamics is the key ecosystem variable. For terrestrial environments, two aspects of ice dynamics appear to underlie much of the observed variability. Firstly, the aridity of the region makes the transition from ice to water a key ecological factor, and secondly, the legacy of ice dynamics dating as far back as the Pliocene is imprinted on biogeography. These factors operate at difference temporal and spatial scales and neither is monotonically related to latitude. Both are also complicated by meso-scale cross gradients of altitude and distance from the sea and micro-scale local variability. Whilst climate does vary on a broad-scale, differences within the northern and central parts of Victoria Land that the LGP has so far examined are insufficient to impose any overarching effect that can overwhelm these more local effects. The result is a multiple-scale patchwork of habitats and communities, more or less replicated across the transect, in which variability at any given latitude generally exceeds variability between latitudes. A lesser quantum of research has been directed at marine ecosystems, but here there is a similar picture of local variability dominating within the Ross Sea, with significant latitude-scale effects only emerging when transects are extended into maritime- and sub-Antarctic regions. It is implicit, but not specifically recognized in the LGP context, that a further confounding effect on the interpretation of ‘transect’ information is the multiple stressor concept that requires a simultaneous analysis of interacting (synergistic or antagonistic) factors and environmental responses. As the LGP continues to extend further south, climate is expected to ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Science Antarctica Darwin Glacier Ross Sea Victoria Land Cambridge University Press Antarctic Ross Sea Victoria Land Hallett ENVELOPE(170.217,170.217,-72.317,-72.317) Cape Hallett ENVELOPE(170.217,170.217,-72.317,-72.317) Darwin Glacier ENVELOPE(159.000,159.000,-79.883,-79.883) Antarctic Science 22 6 591 602 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Cambridge University Press |
op_collection_id |
crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
topic |
Geology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Oceanography |
spellingShingle |
Geology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Oceanography Howard-Williams, Clive Hawes, Ian Gordon, Shulamit The environmental basis of ecosystem variability in Antarctica: research in the Latitudinal Gradient Project |
topic_facet |
Geology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Oceanography |
description |
Abstract After a decade of research, New Zealand’s Latitudinal Gradient Project (LGP) now includes primary sites from Cape Hallett (72°S) to the Darwin Glacier (80°S), while additional observations extend the latitudinal transect from 84°S to sub-Antarctic regions. The LGP has been structured around a hypothesis that, in a frigid continent, ice dynamics is the key ecosystem variable. For terrestrial environments, two aspects of ice dynamics appear to underlie much of the observed variability. Firstly, the aridity of the region makes the transition from ice to water a key ecological factor, and secondly, the legacy of ice dynamics dating as far back as the Pliocene is imprinted on biogeography. These factors operate at difference temporal and spatial scales and neither is monotonically related to latitude. Both are also complicated by meso-scale cross gradients of altitude and distance from the sea and micro-scale local variability. Whilst climate does vary on a broad-scale, differences within the northern and central parts of Victoria Land that the LGP has so far examined are insufficient to impose any overarching effect that can overwhelm these more local effects. The result is a multiple-scale patchwork of habitats and communities, more or less replicated across the transect, in which variability at any given latitude generally exceeds variability between latitudes. A lesser quantum of research has been directed at marine ecosystems, but here there is a similar picture of local variability dominating within the Ross Sea, with significant latitude-scale effects only emerging when transects are extended into maritime- and sub-Antarctic regions. It is implicit, but not specifically recognized in the LGP context, that a further confounding effect on the interpretation of ‘transect’ information is the multiple stressor concept that requires a simultaneous analysis of interacting (synergistic or antagonistic) factors and environmental responses. As the LGP continues to extend further south, climate is expected to ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Howard-Williams, Clive Hawes, Ian Gordon, Shulamit |
author_facet |
Howard-Williams, Clive Hawes, Ian Gordon, Shulamit |
author_sort |
Howard-Williams, Clive |
title |
The environmental basis of ecosystem variability in Antarctica: research in the Latitudinal Gradient Project |
title_short |
The environmental basis of ecosystem variability in Antarctica: research in the Latitudinal Gradient Project |
title_full |
The environmental basis of ecosystem variability in Antarctica: research in the Latitudinal Gradient Project |
title_fullStr |
The environmental basis of ecosystem variability in Antarctica: research in the Latitudinal Gradient Project |
title_full_unstemmed |
The environmental basis of ecosystem variability in Antarctica: research in the Latitudinal Gradient Project |
title_sort |
environmental basis of ecosystem variability in antarctica: research in the latitudinal gradient project |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2010 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102010000829 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0954102010000829 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(170.217,170.217,-72.317,-72.317) ENVELOPE(170.217,170.217,-72.317,-72.317) ENVELOPE(159.000,159.000,-79.883,-79.883) |
geographic |
Antarctic Ross Sea Victoria Land Hallett Cape Hallett Darwin Glacier |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Ross Sea Victoria Land Hallett Cape Hallett Darwin Glacier |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Science Antarctica Darwin Glacier Ross Sea Victoria Land |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Science Antarctica Darwin Glacier Ross Sea Victoria Land |
op_source |
Antarctic Science volume 22, issue 6, page 591-602 ISSN 0954-1020 1365-2079 |
op_rights |
https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0954102010000829 |
container_title |
Antarctic Science |
container_volume |
22 |
container_issue |
6 |
container_start_page |
591 |
op_container_end_page |
602 |
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1792506722692104192 |