The McMurdo Dry Valleys Long-Term Ecological Research(LTER) project is an interdisciplinary study of the aquatic

• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antarctic; The Antarctic; Ross Sea; McMurdo Dry Valleys; Taylor Valley; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.693.6894; http://www.nsf.gov/geo/plr/antarct/ajus/nsf9828/9828pdf/nsf9828h.pdf

and terrestrial ecosystems in a cold desert region of Antarctica. The McMurdo Dry Valleys, the largest ice-free area (approximately 4,800 square kilometers) on the antarctic con-tinent, are located on the western coast of the Ross Sea (77 ° 00'S 162 ° 52'E). The McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER site (cur-rently research is focused in Taylor Valley) is far colder and drier than any of the other 17 established LTER sites. The perennially ice-covered lakes, ephemeral streams, and exten-sive areas of soil within the valleys are subject to low tempera-tures, limited precipitation, and salt accumulation. The dry valleys represent “end-member ” environments that contain microbial-dominated ecosystems. An important aspect of the McMurdo LTER research is its potential contribution to gen-eral ecological understanding through studies of processes that may be better resolved in these relatively simplified