Vegetation mapping of moss-dominated areas of northern part of James Ross Island (Antarctica) and a suggestion of protective measures

• Main Authors: Barták, Miloš, Váczi, Peter, Stachoň, Zdeněk, Kubešová, Svatava
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Masaryk Univerzity 2015
• Subjects: Antarctics; mosses; seepages; biodiversity; Bryum pseudotriquetrum; Hypnum revolutum; Sanionia uncinata; Antarctic; The Antarctic; Antarctic Peninsula; Weddell Sea; Austral; Ross Island; Weddell; Lachman; Berry Hill; Lachman Lakes; Antarc*; Antarctica; James Ross Island
• Online Access: http://journals.muni.cz/CPR/article/view/12868

James Ross Island is a large (2500 km) island situated in the north-western part of the Weddell Sea, close to the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. The island is rich in vegetation oases, i.e. areas covered by autotrophic organisms comprising a great variety of terrestrial algae, cyanobacteria, lichens and mosses. In this study, a GPS method was used to measure moss-dominated vegetation areas located at northern part of James Ross Island. Several small-scale (above 400 m2) areas were selected for the measurements of their shape, total area, boarder line, mean slope, and exposition as well as biodiversity of mosses. The areas of interest were located particularly in neighbourhood of the Big and Small Lachman lakes and northern slopes of Berry Hill mesa. Typically, the moss-dominated areas were supplied with melt water from neighbouring snow fields formed in previous austral winter season. Specimens of mosses were collected from each site so that dominating species forming community structure could be evaluated. Individual areas differed in species richness, however, Bryum pseudotriquetrum and Hypnum revolutum dominated most of them. Sanionia uncinata was found at the only one of the investigated areas and might be considered as rare species for James Ross Island. In the paper, shape location and area of moss-dominated spots at James Ross Island is reported and discussed in relation to morphological characteristics of particular sites as well as water availability during austral summer season. Potential of the data for geographical information systems (GIS), further application of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in vegetation mapping, and spectral reflectance parameters measurements of Antarctic moss-dominated areas are discussed. For particular areas, protective measures are suggested to minimize human disturbance of the sites and provide a platform for a long-term study of biodiversity.