Strategies of survival and resource exploitation in the Antarctic fellfield ecosystem
ABSTRACT Antarctic fellfields present organisms with a heterogeneous habitat characterised by a wide variety of environmental stresses. These include low temperatures, limited moisture availability, frequent and often rapid freeze‐thaw and hydration‐dehydration cycles, exposure to high photosyntheti...
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crwiley:10.1111/j.1469-185x.2009.00084.x 2024-09-15T17:48:45+00:00 Strategies of survival and resource exploitation in the Antarctic fellfield ecosystem Block, W. Lewis Smith, R. I. Kennedy, A. D. 2009 http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-185x.2009.00084.x https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1469-185X.2009.00084.x https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1469-185X.2009.00084.x en eng Wiley http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor Biological Reviews volume 84, issue 3, page 449-484 ISSN 1464-7931 1469-185X journal-article 2009 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-185x.2009.00084.x 2024-08-30T04:12:33Z ABSTRACT Antarctic fellfields present organisms with a heterogeneous habitat characterised by a wide variety of environmental stresses. These include low temperatures, limited moisture availability, frequent and often rapid freeze‐thaw and hydration‐dehydration cycles, exposure to high photosynthetic photon flux density and ultraviolet (uv) irradiance, seasonal snow cover, high winds, cryoturbation and, depending on location south of the Antarctic Circle, considerable daylight in summer. Most of these factors vary both predictably and unpredictably in spatial and temporal planes. In response to this adverse environment, fellfield organisms have developed a variety of strategies to overcome physiological stress and to exploit the limited resources available during the short austral growing season. A high degree of synchronisation exists, so that investment in non‐essential activity and adaptations is minimised. Here, we review the combined suites of co‐adapted traits used by different fellfield taxa to achieve energy acquisition, growth and reproduction under adverse levels of two principal limiting factors: low temperatures and the scarcity of water. To this end, a detailed characterisation of the Antarctic fellfield microenvironment is followed by a synthesis of available data on the morphology, physiology, life history and behaviour of successful Antarctic flora and fauna. Tolerance of low temperatures by fellfield organisms is achieved by elevation of standard metabolism, production and accumulation of cryoprotectants, supercooling, melanic pigmentation, behavioural avoidance, compact growth forms and synchronised reproduction and extended life cycles. Low moisture conditions are overcome by dehydration resistance, anhydrobiosis, development of resting stages and by behavioural avoidance of desiccating conditions. Occupancy of the Antarctic fellfield habitat is considered to require the ability to respond rapidly to ephemeral resources and to tolerate severe environmental stresses. During summer, organisms ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Wiley Online Library Biological Reviews 84 3 449 484 |
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Open Polar |
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Wiley Online Library |
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crwiley |
language |
English |
description |
ABSTRACT Antarctic fellfields present organisms with a heterogeneous habitat characterised by a wide variety of environmental stresses. These include low temperatures, limited moisture availability, frequent and often rapid freeze‐thaw and hydration‐dehydration cycles, exposure to high photosynthetic photon flux density and ultraviolet (uv) irradiance, seasonal snow cover, high winds, cryoturbation and, depending on location south of the Antarctic Circle, considerable daylight in summer. Most of these factors vary both predictably and unpredictably in spatial and temporal planes. In response to this adverse environment, fellfield organisms have developed a variety of strategies to overcome physiological stress and to exploit the limited resources available during the short austral growing season. A high degree of synchronisation exists, so that investment in non‐essential activity and adaptations is minimised. Here, we review the combined suites of co‐adapted traits used by different fellfield taxa to achieve energy acquisition, growth and reproduction under adverse levels of two principal limiting factors: low temperatures and the scarcity of water. To this end, a detailed characterisation of the Antarctic fellfield microenvironment is followed by a synthesis of available data on the morphology, physiology, life history and behaviour of successful Antarctic flora and fauna. Tolerance of low temperatures by fellfield organisms is achieved by elevation of standard metabolism, production and accumulation of cryoprotectants, supercooling, melanic pigmentation, behavioural avoidance, compact growth forms and synchronised reproduction and extended life cycles. Low moisture conditions are overcome by dehydration resistance, anhydrobiosis, development of resting stages and by behavioural avoidance of desiccating conditions. Occupancy of the Antarctic fellfield habitat is considered to require the ability to respond rapidly to ephemeral resources and to tolerate severe environmental stresses. During summer, organisms ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Block, W. Lewis Smith, R. I. Kennedy, A. D. |
spellingShingle |
Block, W. Lewis Smith, R. I. Kennedy, A. D. Strategies of survival and resource exploitation in the Antarctic fellfield ecosystem |
author_facet |
Block, W. Lewis Smith, R. I. Kennedy, A. D. |
author_sort |
Block, W. |
title |
Strategies of survival and resource exploitation in the Antarctic fellfield ecosystem |
title_short |
Strategies of survival and resource exploitation in the Antarctic fellfield ecosystem |
title_full |
Strategies of survival and resource exploitation in the Antarctic fellfield ecosystem |
title_fullStr |
Strategies of survival and resource exploitation in the Antarctic fellfield ecosystem |
title_full_unstemmed |
Strategies of survival and resource exploitation in the Antarctic fellfield ecosystem |
title_sort |
strategies of survival and resource exploitation in the antarctic fellfield ecosystem |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2009 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-185x.2009.00084.x https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1469-185X.2009.00084.x https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1469-185X.2009.00084.x |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic |
op_source |
Biological Reviews volume 84, issue 3, page 449-484 ISSN 1464-7931 1469-185X |
op_rights |
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-185x.2009.00084.x |
container_title |
Biological Reviews |
container_volume |
84 |
container_issue |
3 |
container_start_page |
449 |
op_container_end_page |
484 |
_version_ |
1810290271306383360 |