Impacts of thawing permafrost on nematode populations and soil habitat characteristics in an Antarctic polar desert ecosystem
2011 Summer. Includes bibliographical references. Global climatic changes are altering ecosystem dynamics at unprecedented rates and degrees. Given this, studying the controls on species distribution and functioning within ecosystems, as well as how they are impacted by such changes, is timely. Pola...
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ftcolostateunidc:oai:mountainscholar.org:10217/46913 2023-06-11T04:07:08+02:00 Impacts of thawing permafrost on nematode populations and soil habitat characteristics in an Antarctic polar desert ecosystem Smith, Tracy Elise Wall, Diana H. Hogg, Ian D. Knapp, Alan K., 1956- Conant, Richard T. McMurdo Dry Valleys (Antarctica) 2007-01-03T05:00:53Z born digital masters theses application/pdf http://hdl.handle.net/10217/46913 English eng eng Colorado State University. Libraries 2000-2019 - CSU Theses and Dissertations Smith_colostate_0053N_10690.pdf http://hdl.handle.net/10217/46913 Copyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright. cold desert soil fauna habitat suitability frozen soil Text 2007 ftcolostateunidc 2023-05-04T17:39:05Z 2011 Summer. Includes bibliographical references. Global climatic changes are altering ecosystem dynamics at unprecedented rates and degrees. Given this, studying the controls on species distribution and functioning within ecosystems, as well as how they are impacted by such changes, is timely. Polar deserts such as those in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica (MDV) have been exposed to long-term cooling over the last two decades as well as increased frequency of seasonal warming events, and may also be exposed to a warming trend within the next several decades. Each of these changes can lead to substantial shifts in ecosystem characteristics, affecting habitat conditions for biota. I examined these issues with a specific focus on how nematode communities, the dominant fauna in the extremely cold and arid environment of the MDV, responded to a warming event that led to inundation of moisture from thawing permafrost. I took samples to the depth of the ice-cemented soil layer in seeps of permafrost thaw and compared nematode community structure to dry soils not affected by thaw. I also assessed potential alterations to soil properties that determine suitability of nematode habitats, measuring soil pH, salinity, and texture. I observed a gradient in impacts on each of these soil properties, which were consistent with the pattern of the degree of moisture increase. I additionally observed a response by nematode populations that similarly followed these patterns. My results suggest that warming and the resulting moisture increases from thawing permafrost can have profound negative effects on nematode abundance and distribution. Text Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Ice McMurdo Dry Valleys permafrost polar desert Digital Collections of Colorado (Colorado State University) Antarctic McMurdo Dry Valleys |
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Digital Collections of Colorado (Colorado State University) |
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ftcolostateunidc |
language |
English |
topic |
cold desert soil fauna habitat suitability frozen soil |
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cold desert soil fauna habitat suitability frozen soil Smith, Tracy Elise Impacts of thawing permafrost on nematode populations and soil habitat characteristics in an Antarctic polar desert ecosystem |
topic_facet |
cold desert soil fauna habitat suitability frozen soil |
description |
2011 Summer. Includes bibliographical references. Global climatic changes are altering ecosystem dynamics at unprecedented rates and degrees. Given this, studying the controls on species distribution and functioning within ecosystems, as well as how they are impacted by such changes, is timely. Polar deserts such as those in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica (MDV) have been exposed to long-term cooling over the last two decades as well as increased frequency of seasonal warming events, and may also be exposed to a warming trend within the next several decades. Each of these changes can lead to substantial shifts in ecosystem characteristics, affecting habitat conditions for biota. I examined these issues with a specific focus on how nematode communities, the dominant fauna in the extremely cold and arid environment of the MDV, responded to a warming event that led to inundation of moisture from thawing permafrost. I took samples to the depth of the ice-cemented soil layer in seeps of permafrost thaw and compared nematode community structure to dry soils not affected by thaw. I also assessed potential alterations to soil properties that determine suitability of nematode habitats, measuring soil pH, salinity, and texture. I observed a gradient in impacts on each of these soil properties, which were consistent with the pattern of the degree of moisture increase. I additionally observed a response by nematode populations that similarly followed these patterns. My results suggest that warming and the resulting moisture increases from thawing permafrost can have profound negative effects on nematode abundance and distribution. |
author2 |
Wall, Diana H. Hogg, Ian D. Knapp, Alan K., 1956- Conant, Richard T. |
format |
Text |
author |
Smith, Tracy Elise |
author_facet |
Smith, Tracy Elise |
author_sort |
Smith, Tracy Elise |
title |
Impacts of thawing permafrost on nematode populations and soil habitat characteristics in an Antarctic polar desert ecosystem |
title_short |
Impacts of thawing permafrost on nematode populations and soil habitat characteristics in an Antarctic polar desert ecosystem |
title_full |
Impacts of thawing permafrost on nematode populations and soil habitat characteristics in an Antarctic polar desert ecosystem |
title_fullStr |
Impacts of thawing permafrost on nematode populations and soil habitat characteristics in an Antarctic polar desert ecosystem |
title_full_unstemmed |
Impacts of thawing permafrost on nematode populations and soil habitat characteristics in an Antarctic polar desert ecosystem |
title_sort |
impacts of thawing permafrost on nematode populations and soil habitat characteristics in an antarctic polar desert ecosystem |
publisher |
Colorado State University. Libraries |
publishDate |
2007 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/10217/46913 |
op_coverage |
McMurdo Dry Valleys (Antarctica) |
geographic |
Antarctic McMurdo Dry Valleys |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic McMurdo Dry Valleys |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Ice McMurdo Dry Valleys permafrost polar desert |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Ice McMurdo Dry Valleys permafrost polar desert |
op_relation |
2000-2019 - CSU Theses and Dissertations Smith_colostate_0053N_10690.pdf http://hdl.handle.net/10217/46913 |
op_rights |
Copyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright. |
_version_ |
1768379814996082688 |