Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Soil Organisms in Undescribed Terrestrial Habitats  (SOUTH)

Outline
Antarctica is considered the least biologically diverse continent, but our knowledge of terrestrial biodiversity may be underestimated across the many interior regions of the Transantarctic Mountains towards the South Pole. Terrestrial biodiversity is better known for coastal and peninsular areas and islands of Antarctica compared to rocky moraines and soil. In fact, the southernmost exposed soils on earth are still terra incognita. Studies of ice -free areas on the continent and more extreme environments such as the Dry Valleys indicate invertebrates, protozoa and microbes occur in dry, polar soil habitats once thought to be incapable of sustaining ecological communities. Recent evidence strongly suggests that although temperature, moisture, elemental nutrients, and geophysical properties increase in severity along gradients extending to the South Pole, simple, yet functional, sustainable soil ecosystems are established in some habitats. Identifying the variability of how physical and chemical factors structure favorable habitats for organisms, and how organisms participate in food webs to affect ecosystem processes, helps explain the heterogeneity of Antarctic biotic distributions regionally and provides comparisons for global analyses. The proposed research would provide information on endemic species, dispersal mechanisms, similarities of taxa and food webs across heterogeneous habitats of Antarctica and would be a basis for understanding how global change impacts Antarctica on local, regional and continental scales.Our approach consists of a broad sampling of the southernmost accessible soils and characterizing their biological diversity and biogeochemical properties. Taxonomic identifications of soil invertebrates and microbes will be made based on morphological observations as well as molecular systematic approaches. Genetic diversity and population structure will be Phylogeographic inference tools will be used to reconstruct the evolutionary histories of species and populations, and infer their historical responses to ecological change. Food web relationships will be inferred based on observation and taxonomic affinity. Soil chemistry analyses (gravimetric soil moisture, pH, C, N, EC) will be used to define the soil characteristics of the species occurring in each habitat. Observed patterns of soil geochemistry, biodiversity and ecosystem function will then enable comparative analyses with previously characterized Antarctic soils distributed across a latitudinal gradient from several locations from Cape Hallet to the Darwin Glacier in Victoria Land.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
The following will be achieved for Extreme Southern Soil Ecosystems:1. Establishment of baseline biodiversity and biogeochemistry (Theme 1).2. Investigation of trophic relationships and habitats (Theme 1).2. Estimation for baseline estimates of genetic diversity and structure within and among populations (Theme 4).3. The molecular evolutionary response of soil organisms concomitant with environmental change (Theme 2).4. Establishment and evaluation of patterns of soil geochemistry and biodiversity in a comparative, functional framework with other cross-latitude Antarctic soil ecosystems (Themes 1, 4).

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
Active participants in the proposed research represent and are supported by new Zealand (ANZ), United Kingdom and United States (NSF OPP).

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Soil samples will be collected from the southernmost exposed soils of the Transantarctic mountains (84-87 degrees south), beginning near the Beardmore Glacier.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 11/06 – 01/07            
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
Helicopters, fixed wing transport aircraft. These may be shared or used in conjunction with other IPY activities taking place near the Beardmore glacier.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
There will be no permanent physical infrastructure left in place at the conclusion of the project.

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
Yes, the project is in the process of being endorsed by the Polar Research Board of the US National Academies.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?

How will the project be organised and managed?
Diana Wall will be responsible for overall coordination of the project and will seek advice on the composition and any changes to the project through email via a scientific advisory committee, composed of international Antarctic scientists, NSF OPP, biogeochemists, soil ecologists and Arctic soil ecologists. She will also direct the ecological aspects of the project and working together the other investigators, will assure integration of the ecological, evolutionary, biogeochemical and geophysical aspects of the project. Byron Adams will oversee the molecular evolution and phylogeography portions of the project, as well as soil microbial and non-arthropod invertebrates. Ian Hogg will oversee the arthropod-related aspects of the project. Jeb Barrett, Ross Virginia and David Hopkins will lead the soil biogeochemical aspects of the proposal. We will also solicit a geologist to help support the geomorphological components of the project.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
Through their involvement in this project alone, we envision involving from planning stages to completion, the advanced training of 4 undergraduate students, 3 graduate students, and three post-doctoral fellows. Because of the multidisciplinary and integrated focus of this proposal, from molecular evolution, taxonomy, biogeochemistry and geology, young scientists will gain experience in an ecosystem approach to biodiversity. We will also establish formal outreach activities such as Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) and Teachers Experiencing Antarctica, with specific attention to underrepresented groups. We will pursue informal activities that include presenting aspects of the project to a broad audience through the scientific literature and popular media.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
A data management infrastructure already established for the McMurdo Dry Valley Long Term Ecological Research program will be used to support and disseminate the data generated by the proposed project. (http://huey.colorado.edu/LTER/). All data is publicly accessible within 24 months of collection.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
A proposal will be submitted to the National Science Foundation and, subject to funding, two types of international polar collaborators will be sought; a) those who will contribute their own funding and participate in the field investigation; b) those requiring no field support, and who will receive samples to analyze at their home institution.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
None

PROPOSER DETAILS

Professor and Director Diana Wall
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, Colorado
80523
USA

Tel:
Mobile: no
Fax: no
Email: no

Other project members and their affiliation