Effects of Elevated UV Irradiation and CO2 Levels on Antarctic and Subantarctic Plants, Including Implications for Ecosystem Management

• Other Authors: ADAMSON (DECEASED), HEATHER (hasPrincipalInvestigator), ADAMSON (DECEASED), HEATHER (processor), SEPPELT, RODNEY (hasPrincipalInvestigator), SEPPELT, RODNEY (processor), Australian Antarctic Data Centre (publisher)
• Format: Dataset
• Language: unknown
• Published: Australian Antarctic Data Centre
• Subjects: biota; environment; CHLOROPHYLL; EARTH SCIENCE; BIOSPHERE; VEGETATION; INDIGENOUS VEGETATION; PLANT CHARACTERISTICS; VEGETATION SPECIES; CONTAMINANT LEVELS/SPILLS; HUMAN DIMENSIONS; ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS; SOIL PH; LAND SURFACE; SOILS; POPULATION DYNAMICS; ECOLOGICAL DYNAMICS; SPECIES/POPULATION INTERACTIONS; PHOTOSYNTHESIS; ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONS; mosses; liverworts; alkaline; pH; PH METERS; SPECTROPHOTOMETERS; FIELD SURVEYS; LABORATORY; FIELD INVESTIGATION; CONTINENT > ANTARCTICA > Casey; GEOGRAPHIC REGION > POLAR; Antarctic; Casey Station; East Antarctica; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: https://researchdata.ands.org.au/effects-elevated-uv-ecosystem-management/699470; https://data.aad.gov.au/metadata/records/ASAC_115; http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-617536

Metadata record for data from ASAC Project 115 See the link below for public details on this project. From the abstract of the referenced paper: Umbilicaria decussata, Usnea sphacelata, Ceratodon purpureus and surface soil samples were collected at 10 m intervals for 90 m downwind of a concrete batching site at Casey Station, East Antarctica. Comparable samples were collected from a similar uncontaminated remote site (SSSI 16 - now known as ASPA 135). Surface soil was alkaline in the immediate vicinity of the batching site (max pH 8.8) and tended to decrease with distance. In the SSSI control site, surface soil was acidic (pH 4.7). Lichens growing downwind of the batching site were more susceptible to damage from airborne alkaline pollution than the mosses and were moderately to severely bleached. This chapter describes the relation between mean total chlorophyll concentration, chlorophyll a/b ratio, distance from the batching site and soil pH. Low temperature (77 K) fluorescence of healthy plants from the SSSI and polluted plants 40 m downwind of the batching plant were compared. Variable fluorescence, indicative of photosynthetic electron transport was observed in all cases, from which we deduce that even severely bleached lichens contain live algal cells. The results presented provide quantitative baseline data against which further change (recovery or further deterioration) can be measured.