Jump to results: data
Metadata notes for RiSCC Heard Island 2003_04 season (ASAC 1015) - DGPS data and Base Station data DGPS data are described below, and associated data files listed. 1. Three Island study - Phenology and Morphology of Heard Island vascular plants. This study uses a combination of latitudinal and altitudinal investigations to separate the effects of temperature per se and seasonality on the phenology and morphology of plants. Most latitudinal studies are confounded by covariation of seasonality and temperature, whereas with altitudinal variation at different latitudes one can disentangle these effects. The presence of the Polar Frontal Zone (APFZ), which has a major effect on seasonality, would be a key feature that would enable us to investigate this. Three islands (Marion, Kerguelen, Heard) were used in the study, each of which lies in a different place relative to the APFZ and each of which is inhabited by a similar suite of species, thus removing confounding effects of species identity in understanding responses. 1a Phenology data The collection of positional data for Heard Island Scarlet Hill Phenology was collected at each site; 4 m, 50 m, 100 m, 200 m and 250 m (ASAC 1015). At each site plants of Pringlea antiscorbutica, Acaena magellanica, Poa cookii and Azorella selago were chosen (NB at 100m and 200 m no Acaena magellanica was present, and at 250 m only Pringlea antiscorbutica was sampled) within a 50 x 50 m area, where possible, and were deemed typical of the site. Only healthy mature plants at each site were chosen. At the 4 m, 100 m and 200 m altitude levels, sites were established around AWSs (Automatic Weather Stations). Each plant was flagged and numbered. Numbered flags were removed from around/beside plants at the end of the study. The numbers of plants are represented in the GPS data. Positional data are in the form of points, lines and areas. The positional data are found in the following files. 4 m phenology PT021412A.SSF4 m phenology data, N15 Poa cookii data, Poa annua record, 50 m phenology data JDS011811A.SSFcoastal study area, AWS site and phenology site 50 m phenology JDS012314A.SSF50 m phenology (Scarlet Hill) and Stephenson camp location PT020910A.SSF50 m Azorella phenology, water meadow and Poa cookii N15 sites 100 m phenology JDS020714A.SSF200 m Phenology and 100 m AWS and phenology data JDS021313A.SSF100 m Phenology (Pringlea) PT021614A.SSF250 m and 200 m phenology data, 100m phenology 200 m phenology JDS020712A.SSF200 m Phenology site and AWS JDS020714A.SSF200 m Phenology and 100 m AWS and phenology data PT021614A.SSF250 m and 200 m phenology data, 100m phenology 250 m phenology PT021614A.SSF250 m and 200 m phenology data, 100m phenology 1b Morphology data DGPS points were only taken by JDS from Fairchild Beach morphology collection sites. JDS0104.SSFAcaena magellanica, Fairchild Beach morphology JDS010511ATR3.SSFFairchild Beach morphology 2. Positional data for the mapping of the distribution of Ranunculus crassipes The distribution of Ranunculus crassipes at Heard Island was mapped between the 14-1-2004 and 15-2-2004. This mapping was undertaken by JDS, PT and JJS. Data were collected from the Skua Beach bluffs to Sooty Valley. Positional data are in the form of points, lines and areas. Data include areas of rock water meadow. The positional data are found in the following files. PTRAN021513A.SSFRanunculus crassipes transect, points and rock water meadow JDS020816A.SSFRanunculus crassipes mapping on Skua bluffs JJS011417B.SSFRanunculus crassipes mapping on Skua bluffs PT020910A.SSF50 m Azorella phenology, water meadow and Poa cookii N15 sites This mapping of the distribution of Ranunculus crassipes together with mapping of Carex trifida and Poa litorosa on Macquarie Island described by the metadata record with ID ASAC_1015_MIGPS03 contributed to the paper: Bergstrom, D.M., Turner, P.A.M., Scott, J., Copson, G. and Shaw, J. (2006) Restricted plant species on sub-Antarctic Macquarie and Heard Islands. Polar Biology 29 532-539. 3. High altitude vascular plant points and transect data Records of high altitude plants were taken by JDS and RC. Some data from the files JDS012510A.SSF and JDS012510A_CPscarlet.ssf have not been corrected, as stated above. JDS012510A.SSFScarlet Hill high altitude transect JDS012510A_CPscarlet.ssfScarlet Hill high altitude transect - control points only for JJS JDS013111A.SSFLong Beach high altitude data and Apple location JDS020112A.SSFLong Beach high altitude data RC0302.SSFRobb Clifton control points for JJS 'and high altitude' RC0402.SSFRobb Clifton control points for JJS 'and high altitude' RC0502.SSFRobb Clifton control points for JJS 'and high altitude' Other datafiles recorded by PT, JDS and RC under ASAC 1015 include PT022012A.SSFFuel drum retaining wall, Spit Camp JDS012113A.SSFWinston Lagoon JDS012415A.SSFAcaena - 100 m south edge of Scarlet Hill JDS012914A.SSFLambeth 1 JJS Control point JDS123112A.SSFPoa annua - Dovers moraine JDSPHOTO020118A.SSFPhoto points - Dana Bergstrom data PT010621A.SSFSK25 - not sure what this data are RC0202.SSFRobb Clifton control points for JJS
From the abstract of the referenced paper: Buildings were constructed and artefacts left behind on sub-Antarctic Heard Island, associated with Antarctic research expeditions since 1926. Both bryophytes and vascular plants are colonising many parts of the now derelict buildings. On these structures and artefacts, the authors recorded four species of vascular plants out of the 11 that occur on Heard Island and nine species of mosses out of the 37 recorded from Heard Island. The vascular plants species most frequently recorded colonising structures and artefacts was Pringlea antiscorbutica (288 occurrences), with the area colonised varying from 0.3 cm squared to 430.0 cm squared. Mueleriella crassifolia was the moss species that was most frequently recorded (14 occurrences), colonising areas from 2.1 cm squared to 12.9 cm squared. The highest number of bryophyte species (seven) was recorded on the stone and cement of the 'water tank'. Pringlea antiscorbutica, Poa cookii, Azorella selago, Muelleriella crassifolia, Bryum dichotomum, Dicranoweisia brevipes and Schistidium apocarpum are all expected to continue to colonise the ANARE ruins, as well as areas that have become available since building removal and also possible areas bared by further degradation. This work was completed as part of ASAC project 1187 (ASAC_1187). Data from this experiment are stored in an excel spreadsheet in csv format. The fields in this dataset are: Species Stem length (mm) Building Date built (year) Growth rate (mm per year)
Metadata record for data from ASAC Project 1310 See the link below for public details on this project. ---- Public Summary from Project ---- Increasing UV-radiation over Antarctica each spring may damage DNA in plants. This research determined the susceptibility of Antarctic plants to such damage and investigated the effectiveness of protective and repair mechanisms. This helps predict how plants globally will cope with future climate change. Samples have been collected from Heard Island, and near Casey Station, Antarctica. Three excel files constitute this dataset. Heard Island 2003/4 Samples collected for project 1310 Vascular plant UVB site GPS coordinates of vascular plant UV site 53 06 57 S, 73 43 30E A total of 4 g of each of 5 species (Pringlea antiscorbutica, Poa cookii. Deschampsia antarctica. Azorella selago, Acaena magellanica) were collected on 5 days over the season. These were analysed for DNA damage, UVB absorbing pigments, and photosynthetic and photoprotective pigments. Chlorophyll fluorescence and leaf temperature were measured on the sampled plants. Nutrient gradient GPS co-ordinates: high nutrient site: 53 06 0.419S, 73 43 0.105E 4g of P. antiscorbutica and 0.8g of P. cookii were taken at the high nutrient site, along with chlorophyll fluorescence measurements. GPS co-ordinates: low nutrient site: 53 06 29.09S, 73 43 00.36E 7.2g of P. antiscorbutica and 3.2g of P. cookii were taken at the low nutrient site, along with chlorophyll fluorescence measurements. Scarlett Hill GPS co-ordinates: 53 05 0.645S, 073 40 0.339E 3.2 g of P. antiscorbutica plants was sampled and chlorophyll fluorescence measurements taken. Spit Camp GPS co-ordinates: 3.2g of P. antiscorbutica plants was sampled and chlorophyll fluorescence measurements taken. Ceratodon Paddick Valley GPS co-ordinates: 53 08 43.44S, 73 40 35.42E 3 g of Ceratodon purpureus was collected. The fields in this dataset are: Species Date Weight grams dry weight (gdw) Water Content Aspect Community type Time (Local Time) Fluorescence Leaf temperature (1, 2, etc) F - Chlorophyll Fluorescence Fm' - Fluorescence maximum measured in the light Yield - Yield of fluorescence No. and Mark are stamps put on the data during download
This dataset consists of Hyperion satellite imagery, as well as GPS ground truthing of vegetation quadrats. The aims of this project were: 1. to produce a spectral library of the major subantarctic terrestrial plant species and community types from ground spectroradiometery measurements . 2. to use the spectral library to assist in classification of vegetation communities. File: 2392HI2003_04 Vegetation Survey Data.xls Table of vegetation data collected from Heard Island in the summer of 2003-2004 by Johanna Turnbull. Areas surveyed were Paddick Valley, Fairchild Beach, Dovers Moraine and Skua Beach. Ten 1x1 m quadrats were sampled with each 30x30 m site surveyed. Quadrats were selected haphazardly. Numbers are given as percentage cover of each species, averaged out over the ten sampled quadrats, unless otherwise stated. The Codes used for species/ground cover types and vegetation communities/associations can be found in sheet 2 of the excel file, called 'vegetation codes'. They are also listed below: Vegetation - Species/Ground Cover Types Code - Species/ground cover types AM - Acaena magellanica AS - Azorella selago CA - Callitriche CA w/ H2O - Callitriche in water CO - Colobanthus sp. DE - Deschampsia G - Gravel L - Lichen LI - Liverwort M - Moss/Bryophytes MO - Montia fontana PA - Pringlea antiscorbutica PAN - Poa annua PC - Poa cookii PK - Poa kuerguelensis PK/PC - P. kerguelensis / P. cookii Hybrid R - rock S - sand / soil W - Water Vegetation - Communities / Associations Code - Community DCC - Closed Cushionfield DCC w/ Aceana - Closed Cushionfield with Aceana DCC/H - Closed Cushionfield/Herbfield DCC/H/T - Cushionfield/Herbfield/Tussock FF - Fellfield H - Herbfield MF - Mossfield PC/M - Pool Complex/Meadow PCC - Open Cushionfield PCC/MF - Open Cushionfield/Mossfield SM - Mire/Flush/Meadow SM/PCC - Mire/Flush/Open Cushionfield THD - Tussock with Cushionfield/Herbfield
Metadata record for data from AAS (ASAC) Project 3095. Public Global warming and the impact of feral animals or weedy plant species are causing changes in terrestrial sub-Antarctic ecosystems. We are examining how sub-Antarctic organisms and ecosystems will respond to this change. In doing so we will contribute to the conservation of these remarkable ecosystems for which Australia has a large responsibility. Project objectives: Australia's unique sub-Antarctic World Heritage Areas are experiencing rapid climate change and their biodiversity is under threat from alien species invasion. Heard Island is experiencing some of the fastest climate change in our region, which is evidenced by extensive changes in vegetation communities. This change appears to be exacerbating the expansion of the alien grass species Poa annua. MacDonald Island has recently expanded in surface area due to volcanic activity. On Macquarie Island, as well as undergoing climate change, rabbit numbers have recently increased causing major ecosystem devastation. Furthermore, the AAD has begun remediation of some contaminated sites in the station vicinity. This project is designed to understand the impact of these changes to these rare island ecosystems. Objective 1 Quantify change in terrestrial ecosystems at a range of spatial and temporal scales on Heard and McDonald Islands and Macquarie Island. Objective 2 Examine the biology, life history strategy and distribution of the indigenous Azorella selago and Acaena magellanica, Rannunculus crassipes and the alien grass species Poa annua on Heard Island and indigenous Poa littorsa and Carex trifida on Macquarie Island. Objective 3 Examine the impact of human induced perturbations (rabbit and rodents, petrochemical contamination and the rubbish tip) at varying spatial levels on Macquarie Island before and after management actions. Objective 4 To contribute to furthering our understanding of subantarctic microbial diversity. Taken from the 2008-2009 Progress Report: Progress against objectives: Objective 1: We have focussed on Macquarie Island this year. We have delivered a globally significant paper quantifying change in plant communities on the island since 2001. We also completed a major field season in which we revisited and examined sites established in 2001 with regard to change in plant and invertebrate communities and developed a new sampling method for the rapid collection of field data to train satellite image interpretation and terrain analysis of the distribution of plant communities. This included the design and construction of close-range aerial photography equipment, the classification of landforms on Macquarie Island, based on terrain characteristics and the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and design of a stratified random sampling regime. Objective 2: We focused on examining the extent of northern populations of Poa littorosa and Carex trifida and added an additional component of examining the health of Azorella maquariensis and genetci variation in Azorella spp, Acaena magellanica and Poa annua across the subantarctic region. Objective 3: We focussed on the examination of the impact of rabbits, at a variety of scales across the island. We provided assistance to a sister project with regards to the impact of petrochemical contamination on invertebrate communities. Objective 4: We collected microbial mat samples from selected sites in collaboration with the Belgium AMBIO project. Taken from the 2009-2010 Progress Report: Progress against objectives: Objective 1: We have focussed on Macquarie Island this year. We have delivered a second globally significant paper concerning change in plant communities on the island since 2001. We also completed a major field season in which we revisited and examined sites established in 2001 and 2008/09 with regard to change in plant communities using the sampling method developed in 2008/09 for the rapid collection of field data to train satellite image interpretation and terrain analysis of the distribution of plant communities. This included assessing the results of the first field sampling season and the design of a follow-up stratified random sampling regime. We have completed sample analysis of invertebrates collected last season and data analysis and ms preparation is underway. Objective 2: We focused on the health of the endemic cushion, Azorella maquariensis. Last summer the CI of the project, Dr Bergstrom identified that A. macquariensis was undergoing rapid dieback. Substantial efforts during the year, both in the field and in the laboratory have been focused on this rapidly emerging issue. Objective 3: We focussed on the examination of the impact of rabbits, at a variety of scales across the island. We provided assistance to a sister project with regards to the impact of petrochemical contamination on invertebrate communities. Objective 4: Microbial mat analysis is under way with colleagues in Belgium.
Personnel YVES FRENOT 1, DANA M. BERGSTROM 2, J.C. GLOAGUEN 3, R. TAVENARD 4 and D.G. STRULLU 4 1 UMR CNRS 6553 Ecobio, Universit de Rennes 1, Station Biologique, 35380 Paimpont, France, 2 Australian Antarctic Division, Channel Highway, Kingston, Tasmania 7050, Australia, 3 UMR CNRS 6553 Ecobbio, Universit de Rennes 1, campus de Beaulieu, 35042 Rennes cedex, France, 4 Lab. de Biologie et Physiologie V gtales, Universit d'Angers, 2 Bd Lavoisier, 49045 Angers cedex, France. Summary Roots of nine vascular plant species collected from subantarctic Heard Island were examined for mycorrhizae. Most of these species showed associations with vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae or dark septate mycorrhizae. The degree of root infection varied considerably within the sites, appearing to have an inverse relationship with the availability of nutrients in soil. As mycorrhizae are known to play an important role in the nutrient uptake by host-plants, the results suggest that mycorrhizae influence the capacities of plants to colonise in cold and low-nutrient environments such as subantarctic glacier forelands. Details of Sampling sites Plant samples were collected in the nine following sites from the eastern side of the island : 1 Unstable Feldmark (Site 1) - 53 6'47.5S-73 42'55.5E, 100m a.s.l.: sheltered east side of a moraine, just under a crest. Vegetation dominated by Pringlea antiscorbutica with low cover (less than 20%) and sparse individuals of Poa kerguelensis, Colobanthus kerguelensis and small cushions of Azorella selago. The total vegetation cover did not exceeded 40%. The mineral soil was coarse. 2 Open cushion carpet (Site 2) - 53 6'45.6S-73 43'07.6E, 43 m a.s.l.: gentle slope (3) at the bottom of a morainic slope, oriented east, with low vegetation cover (less than 40%) dominated by Azorella selago cushions. Poa kerguelensis, Colobanthus kerguelensis and bryophytes were also present. Soil was mineral. Presence of some burrows of petrels. 3 Closed cushion carpet (Site 3) - 53 6'43.6S-73 43'13.1E, 29 m a.s.l.: flat area covered with large cushions of Azorella selago which were coalesced into extensive carpets. Bryophytes were locally developed at the bottom of cushions. Soil was mineral between the cushion but peat accumulated under the vegetation. Few burrows of petrels were prs were present. 4 Pringlea hebfield slope (Site 4) - 53 6'32.3S-73 43'13.4E, 23 m a.s.l.: Morainic slope (20) oriented east, with a pure stand of Kerguelen cabbage, Pringlea antiscorbutica (greater than 80 % cover). Soil was organic and deep (greater than 50 cm). 5 Wet biotic vegetation (Site 5) - 53 6'39.3S-73 43'22.8E, 19 m a.s.l.: flat area occupied by several ponds (1-5 m in area). The plant community showed the highest species richness, including Acaena magellanica, Poa cookii, Deschampsia antarctica, Callitriche antarctica, Azorella selago, Colobanthus kerguelensis and numerous bryophytes. Soil was peaty in concave areas and more mineral elsewhere. This site was occasionally visited by fur seals or King Penguins during the moult. 6 Maritime biotic vegetation (Site 6) - 53 6'34.2S-73 43'25.7E, 15 m a.s.l.: coastal area characterised by tussocks of Poa cookii and Azorella selago cushions forming a chaotic microrelief. Callitriche antarctica grew at the bottom of tussocks. Soil was mainly sandy. 7 Stephenson glacier forelands (Site 7) - 53 5'54.8S-73 41'40.2E, 4 m a.s;l.: flat area near the proglacial lake. Poa annua grew either in close communities where it was dominant (other species being Poa kerguelensis, Deschampsia antarctica, Azorella selago, Callitriche antarctica and Pringlea antiscorbutica), or in open communities where it grew as sparse individuals. Soil was mineral and, in some places, very rich in fine particles (thixotropy). 8 Winston glacier forelands (Site 8) - 53 9'20.6S-73 38'30.8E, 8 m a.s.l.: Mossy seepage areas near snout of the Winston Glacier. P. annua grew in a stream-line on a very young morainic deposit, with Acaena magellanica, Montia fontana and liverworts. 9 Skua Beach (Site 9) - 53 5'18.8S-73 40'38.9E, 5 m a.s.l.: On moraine outwash plain approximately 200m inland, at seaward edge of extensive area of moss flushes (with Poa annua, Pringlea antiscorbutica, Deschampsia antarctica, Montia fontana, Acaena magellanica) growing along braided streams aided streams and coalescing to form large expanses of wet vegetation. This area was under ice in 1947. This metadata record is part of ASAC project 1015 (ASAC_1015). ASAC project 1015 forms part of the Regional Sensitivity to Climate Change (RiSCC) program. See Publication/Reference for citation of a paper which includes the data described by this metadata record. The paper is available for download from the provided URL. See also Access Constraints.
Analysis of Invertebrate abundance from soil cores on Macquarie Island. In the summer of 1986-87, total invertebrate abundances were measured quantitatively at eight sites, representing four vegetation types: feldmark, Stilbocarpa herbfield, Pleurophyllum meadow and Poa foliosa tall tussock grassland (P. Greenslade, unpubl. data). Between 11 and 16 soil cores were sampled at each site. Each core was 5 cm wide by 5 cm deep and invertebrates were extracted using Tulgren funnels. Numbers of invertebrates from each core are expressed as animals per square metre (.m-2). The mean density for the total of 120 cores was 29702.m-2 plus or minus 3564 SE and ranged from a low site mean of 2646.m-2 plus or minus 513 SE at a feldmark site on the plateau at 250m, to high site means of 97740.m-2 plus or minus 15898 SE and 62894.m-2 plus or minus 20804 SE at two Stilbocarpa dominated, coastal eastern slopes, both at 20 m a.s.l. Poa foliosa dominated sites at 40 m and 100m a.s.l. displayed intermediate mean densities of 20599.m-2 plus or minus 4241 SE and 20567.m-2 plus or minus 2670 SE, respectively. A Pleurophyllum dominated site on the plateau at 250m a.s.l. also exhibited a low mean site density of 6,664.m-2 plus or minus 1224 m-2 SE, while one on North Head at a lower elevation of 100m a.s.l., was higher at 24107.m-2 plus or minus 4155. A higher mean density of 19417.m-2 plus or minus 3674 was also found at feldmark site on North Head at only 100 m a.s.l. These figures show that altitude appeared to have a stronger influence on invertebrate abundance than vegetation type. The total mean density is similar to those found in temperate grassland and herbfields in other parts of Australia where a mean of about 25000 invertebrates.m-2 might be expected (King and Hutchinson, 1992). Barendse and Chown (2001) found a similar mean density for feldmark of 1800.m-2 on Marion Island but rather higher mean density of 50 000.m-2 in Azorella selago cushions, a vegetation type not sampled on Macquarie Island. Collembola dominated the Macquarie Island fauna numerically, followed by Acarina. Barendse and Chown (2001) found the same groups dominated in Azorella selago cushions and bare ground on Marion. Of interest was the high density of the introduced Hypogastrura purpurescens under Stilbocarpa polaris on Macquarie Island. See also the metadata record &Report on invertebrate field work, Macquarie Island, December 1986-January 1987& for further information. The fields in these datasets are: Easting Northing Description Species KA/EW, Kontia andersoni and earthworms AV, Arthurdendyus vegrandis SEW, small earthworms Density per square metre Soil Core