| Summary: | The Ross Sea region has a very unique assemblage of wildlife colonies, distributed throughout the region. They range from tiny algae and cyanobacteria in meltwater ponds in the McMurdo Dry Valleys to thousands of penguins at Cape Adare. This is a comprehensive report and map of the present wildlife colonies in the Ross Sea region. An extensive literature review was undertaken and the locations of research conducted on algae, cyanobacteria, fungi, lichen, bryophyte (mosses/liverworts), bacteria, protozoa, rotifer, tardigrade, nematode, mites, springtails, sea bird (including penguins), and seal colonies were collated and plotted on a GIS map. The Ross Sea region was defined as the area between 60-90oS and 150-180oE (Waterhouse, 2001). A wildlife colony was defined as a group of organisms of the same species that live and interact with each other in a certain place. This report, together with the GIS map will provide a valuable resource for environmental impact assessment reports, informing field teams and tourism companies and raising awareness about enviromental issues; which can be continually updated.
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