Remote characterization of photosynthetic communities in the Fryxell basin of Taylor Valley, Antarctica
Abstract We investigate the spatial distribution, spectral properties and temporal variability of primary producers (e.g. communities of microbial mats and mosses) throughout the Fryxell basin of Taylor Valley, Antarctica, using high-resolution multispectral remote-sensing data. Our results suggest...
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Cambridge University Press (CUP)
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s0954102020000176 2024-09-15T17:44:01+00:00 Remote characterization of photosynthetic communities in the Fryxell basin of Taylor Valley, Antarctica Salvatore, Mark R. Borges, Schuyler R. Barrett, John E. Sokol, Eric R. Stanish, Lee F. Power, Sarah N. Morin, Paul 2020 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102020000176 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0954102020000176 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms Antarctic Science volume 32, issue 4, page 255-270 ISSN 0954-1020 1365-2079 journal-article 2020 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s0954102020000176 2024-08-21T04:04:03Z Abstract We investigate the spatial distribution, spectral properties and temporal variability of primary producers (e.g. communities of microbial mats and mosses) throughout the Fryxell basin of Taylor Valley, Antarctica, using high-resolution multispectral remote-sensing data. Our results suggest that photosynthetic communities can be readily detected throughout the Fryxell basin based on their unique near-infrared spectral signatures. Observed intra- and inter-annual variability in spectral signatures are consistent with short-term variations in mat distribution, hydration and photosynthetic activity. Spectral unmixing is also implemented in order to estimate mat abundance, with the most densely vegetated regions observed from orbit correlating spatially with some of the most productive regions of the Fryxell basin. Our work establishes remote sensing as a valuable tool in the study of these ecological communities in the McMurdo Dry Valleys and demonstrates how future scientific investigations and the management of specially protected areas could benefit from these tools and techniques. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Science Antarctica McMurdo Dry Valleys Cambridge University Press Antarctic Science 32 4 255 270 |
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Open Polar |
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Cambridge University Press |
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crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
description |
Abstract We investigate the spatial distribution, spectral properties and temporal variability of primary producers (e.g. communities of microbial mats and mosses) throughout the Fryxell basin of Taylor Valley, Antarctica, using high-resolution multispectral remote-sensing data. Our results suggest that photosynthetic communities can be readily detected throughout the Fryxell basin based on their unique near-infrared spectral signatures. Observed intra- and inter-annual variability in spectral signatures are consistent with short-term variations in mat distribution, hydration and photosynthetic activity. Spectral unmixing is also implemented in order to estimate mat abundance, with the most densely vegetated regions observed from orbit correlating spatially with some of the most productive regions of the Fryxell basin. Our work establishes remote sensing as a valuable tool in the study of these ecological communities in the McMurdo Dry Valleys and demonstrates how future scientific investigations and the management of specially protected areas could benefit from these tools and techniques. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Salvatore, Mark R. Borges, Schuyler R. Barrett, John E. Sokol, Eric R. Stanish, Lee F. Power, Sarah N. Morin, Paul |
spellingShingle |
Salvatore, Mark R. Borges, Schuyler R. Barrett, John E. Sokol, Eric R. Stanish, Lee F. Power, Sarah N. Morin, Paul Remote characterization of photosynthetic communities in the Fryxell basin of Taylor Valley, Antarctica |
author_facet |
Salvatore, Mark R. Borges, Schuyler R. Barrett, John E. Sokol, Eric R. Stanish, Lee F. Power, Sarah N. Morin, Paul |
author_sort |
Salvatore, Mark R. |
title |
Remote characterization of photosynthetic communities in the Fryxell basin of Taylor Valley, Antarctica |
title_short |
Remote characterization of photosynthetic communities in the Fryxell basin of Taylor Valley, Antarctica |
title_full |
Remote characterization of photosynthetic communities in the Fryxell basin of Taylor Valley, Antarctica |
title_fullStr |
Remote characterization of photosynthetic communities in the Fryxell basin of Taylor Valley, Antarctica |
title_full_unstemmed |
Remote characterization of photosynthetic communities in the Fryxell basin of Taylor Valley, Antarctica |
title_sort |
remote characterization of photosynthetic communities in the fryxell basin of taylor valley, antarctica |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102020000176 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0954102020000176 |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Science Antarctica McMurdo Dry Valleys |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Science Antarctica McMurdo Dry Valleys |
op_source |
Antarctic Science volume 32, issue 4, page 255-270 ISSN 0954-1020 1365-2079 |
op_rights |
https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0954102020000176 |
container_title |
Antarctic Science |
container_volume |
32 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
255 |
op_container_end_page |
270 |
_version_ |
1810491304393572352 |