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AAS_5097_DAP_flora_surveys

Presence-absence survey of terrestrial flora taxa across the Vestfold Hills

The Davis Aerodrome Project (DAP) collected a range of environmental survey data over several field seasons to support a comprehensive environmental assessment of the proposed aerodrome. This data includes flora, fauna, soils, lake ecosystem, nearshore, marine, air quality and meteorological information which has been collected by a number of different methods, and extends across the current Davis Station, proposed aerodrome and supporting infrastructure footprint (Ridge Site), previous sites considered for the aerodrome (Heidemann Valley, Adams Flat), as well as locations across the Vestfold Hills away from any of the proposed developments. Processed presence-absence data based on field surveys and photos of terrestrial flora recorded at 1754 sites across the Vestfold Hills over four summer seasons (2012/13; 2017/18; 2018/19; 2019/20). Taxa were grouped into 8 classes: surface moss, surface lichen, and surface algae included species of each taxa growing on surfaces (sub-aerial); sublithic moss, sublithic lichen, and sublithic algae included species of each taxa growing beneath rocks (sublithic/hypolithic); endolithic algae included algae recorded growing within rocks; and Buellia frigida a species of lichen. Site selection and survey method varied from year to year with some sites being opportunistic sightings or presence only records, therefore not all taxa were observed at all sites. Site definition also varied slightly year to year however could be considered a ~5m radius from GPS coordinates. 2012/13: Over the summer season of 2012/13 only sublithic algae communities (presence only) were recorded in a targeted survey (n = 54), with location recorded using handheld GPS. 2017/18 and 2018/19: All floristic communities were opportunistically surveyed over both 2017/18 and 2018/19 summer field seasons. For these surveys the presence of at least one floristic community was recorded at each site and the presence/absence of other taxa then recorded at the same site (within ~5m of coordinates). Location of taxa was recorded using handheld GPS (2017/18: n = 183; 2018/19: n = 1127). 2019/20: Over the summer season of 2019/20 a comprehensive stratified random sampling survey of terrestrial floristic communities was undertaken across the Vestfold Hills. Prior to sampling, the Vestfold Hills ice-free region was classified into ten strata based on four physical attributes (elevation, solar radiation (as a proxy for aspect), terrain roughness (based on the relative elevation of an 8m resolution grid cell to its 8 neighbouring cells) and slope). Within each stratum 200 random locations were selected as potential site locations. These were then visited during the field season and presence/absence of floristic communities recorded, however not all sites were visited. If any randomly selected locations were inaccessible, alternative sites nearby were carefully chosen based on similar physical attributes within the same stratum. Additional sites were also surveyed at locations where a taxa was opportunistically encountered during fieldwork. In total 389 sites were surveyed, 277 out of a possible 2000 strata sites (inclusive of 34 alternative sites) and 112 additional locations.

AAS_926_Bunger_Hills_Biogeography

Biogeography of the Bunger Hills - plant and bird locations 1995-2000

Biogeography of Bunger Hills Locations of plants (moss, Lichens - Buellia frigida, Physcia caesia, Rhizocarpon flavum, Usnea antarctica, Umbilicaria decussata) Locations of birds (Wilsons Storm Petrels (Oceanites oceanicus), Snow Petrels (Pagodroma nivea), Skua (Catharacta mccormicki)) sightings and, more rarely, nests. Data consist of grid references. Snow petrel nests were digitised in November 2023 from fig.3 upper panel of the research paper: Leishman, M., Gibson, J., and Gore, D. (2020). Spatial distribution of birds and terrestrial plants in Bunger Hills. Antarctic Science, 32(2), 153-166. doi:10.1017/S0954102020000012. This data has been added to the metadata record as a point shapefile.

PSD1-Nottingham

Genetic variation in the lichens Buellia frigida and Xanthoria elegans from the Vestfold Hills, eastern Antarctica

Antarctica is a desert continent dominated by micro-organisms. The seals and penguins, which are conspicuous around its margins, depend upon the sea for their food resources and are effectively part of the marine food chain. Life depends upon the availability of free water. In Antarctica water is usually locked up in ice, only in summer is there free water in the terrestrial environment. Not only is water limited, but low temperatures and low levels of nutrients severely limit the scope for growth among the micro-organisms that have managed to colonise the continent. Propagules are brought to the continent in a number of ways. Some arrive in the air masses that flow around the Earth. Once deposited some simply cannot survive the extreme conditions, while others may become established. Other species of micro-organism may be introduced by Man around the scientific stations on the continent. During the ice-ages which have occurred repeatedly through geological history, micro-organisms may have survived in refugia offered by nunataks or in the ice, and have recolonised more widely following ice retreat. This project will concentrate on one group of micro-organisms, the fungi. We will use special air samplers to determine which species are brought to the continent in the winds and we will compare the propagules from these samplers with the species living in the 'soil' and samples grown up from ice samples, where the resting spores can remain dormant of hundreds of years. We will analyse the communities of fungi that are found in the proximity of scientific stations and compare them with 'natural' communities in Antarctica, to determine what impact Man has had on introducing fungal species. The data generated will provide us with an insight into the colonisation of Antarctica by fungi. As global warming continues, species hitherto unable to establish may be able to do so. It is important to have a baseline on what is currently living on the continent, so that we can monitor the establishment of new species in the future. Thalli of the lichens Buellia frigida and Xanthoria elegans were collected from five different locations each 5-15 km apart in the Vestfold Hills, Princess Elizabeth Land, eastern Antarctica. A further collection was made from Mawson Station, Mac Robertson Land, eastern Antarctica 660 km away. DNA was extracted from whole thalli and the ribosomal ITS region amplified by PCR using fungal specific primers. Resulting products were sequenced to gain an indication of whether or not variation was present within populations of lichen-forming fungi from continental Antarctica, and therefore of the availability of genetic resources to react to pressures such as climate change. Three genotypes of B. frigida and two of X. elegans were detected in the Vestfold Hill collections. However, these differed by only one nucleotide position suggesting the presence of relatively little genetic variation if the ITS region is indicative of the overall genome. B. frigida collected from Mawson Station had an identical ITS region sequence to the most common Vestfold Hills genotype, indicating that this species may have a low level of genetic variation across much of eastern Antarctica. In contrast, X. elegans collected from Mawson showed considerable genetic variation from the Vestfolds thalli, differing at 14.2 % of nucleotide positions and had an identical ITS region sequence to an isolate from maritime Antarctica 4960 km away. Samples from the Vestfold Hills formed a distinct cluster in a phylogenetic analysis of ITS sequences from a worldwide collection of X. elegans isolates. The collection sites used in this study were: Lichen Valley, Vestfold Hills Stalker Hill, Vestfold Hills Ellis Rapids, Vestfold Hills Trajer Ridge, Vestfold Hills Boulder Hill, Vestfold Hills Mawson Station. The DNA sequences arising from the lichens can be accessed from Genbanks Entrez Nucleotide Sequence Search, the accession numbers are: AF276066-AF276070 AF281306-AF281307 AF278753-AF278757 This work was carried out as part of ASAC project 1201 (ASAC_1201).

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Maps

North-east Bailey Peninsula, Antarctic Specially Protected Area No. 135 Vegetation (Map C)

Scale: 1:12000

Published: March 2008

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