The spatial structure of Antarctic biodiversity

• Published in: Ecological Monographs
• Main Authors: Convey, P, Chown, SL, Clarke, A, Barnes, DKA, Bokhorst, S, Cummings, V, Ducklow, HW, Frati, F, Green, TGA, Gordon, S, Griffiths, HJ, Howard-Williams, C, Huiskes, HL, Laybourn-Parry, J, Lyons, WB, McMinn, A, Morley, SA, Peck, LS, Quesada, A, Robinson, SA, Schiaparelli, S, Wall, DH
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Ecological Soc Amer 2014
• Subjects: Biological Sciences; Ecology; Marine and Estuarine Ecology (incl. Marine Ichthyology); Antarctic; The Antarctic; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1890/12-2216.1; http://ecite.utas.edu.au/91208

Patterns of environmental spatial structure lie at the heart of the mostfundamental and familiar patterns of diversity on Earth. Antarctica contains some of thestrongest environmental gradients on the planet and therefore provides an ideal study groundto test hypotheses on the relevance of environmental variability for biodiversity. To answer thepivotal question, How does spatial variation in physical and biological environmentalproperties across the Antarctic drive biodiversity? we have synthesized current knowledge onenvironmental variability across terrestrial, freshwater, and marine Antarctic biomes andrelated this to the observed biotic patterns. The most important physical driver of Antarcticterrestrial communities is the availability of liquid water, itself driven by solar irradianceintensity. Patterns of biota distribution are further strongly influenced by the historicaldevelopment of any given location or region, and by geographical barriers. In freshwaterecosystems, free water is also crucial, with further important influences from salinity, nutrientavailability, oxygenation, and characteristics of ice cover and extent. In the marine biomethere does not appear to be one major driving force, with the exception of the oceanographicboundary of the Polar Front. At smaller spatial scales, ice cover, ice scour, and salinitygradients are clearly important determinants of diversity at habitat and community level.Stochastic and extreme events remain an important driving force in all environments,particularly in the context of local extinction and colonization or recolonization, as well asthat of temporal environmental variability. Our synthesis demonstrates that the Antarcticcontinent and surrounding oceans provide an ideal study ground to develop newbiogeographical models, including life history and physiological traits, and to addressquestions regarding biological responses to environmental variability and change.