Antarctic Science 1 (3):2 15-224 (1989) Survey of algae and other terrestrial biota at Edward VII Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land PAUL A. BROADY Department of Plant and Microbial Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag. Christchurch I,New Zealand Abstract: The survey concentrated on algal communities but also gathered information on mosses, lichens andmicrofauna. All 23 nunataks in theRockefellerandAlex~dramountains(77000'-78030'S,152"-154OW) were visited, including ones both with and without nutrient enrichment from bird colonies. Over 30 species of algae were recorded with Cyanobactena and Chlorophyta dominant as in other regions of continental Antarctica. Diatoms were not found. The most frequent algae were Cyanothece aeruginosa, Gloeocapsa spp., Oscillatoriaceae, Nostoc sp., Pseudococcomyxa simplex, Stichococcus bacillaris, cf. Desmococcus vulgaris, Prasiola crispa and Prasiococcus caicarius. Although lichens were the most visually prominent vegetation, free-living algae occurred in the widespread 'non-aquatic' habitats as epilithic,chasmoendoli thic andedaphic communities as well as being epiphytic on the sparse moss cushions. Aquatic habitats were few and there were only three small pondson or adjacent tonunataks. On ablating ice, cryoconitepondscontained Homoeothrix cf. rivularis, recorded for the first time in Antarctica. Preliminary identifications show 23 species of lichens and six species of mosses. No mites and collembola were seen. Samples contained testate amoebae, ciliate protozoa, rotifers and tardigrades but no nematodes. Received 30 December 1988, accepted 10 March 1989 Key words: Antarctica, ecology, microfauna, nunataks, vegetation. Introduction The majority of terrestrial biological research in continental Antarctica has been performed at coastal ice-free regions with good access from research stations, for instance in the dry valleys of southern Victoria Land and on Ross Island (e.g. Friedmann 1982, Broady 1989), at the Vestfold Hills (Pickard 1986) andin thevicinity of Syowa station, Liitzow- Holm Bay (e.g. Oguni et al. 1987). However, there is increasing interest in the more remote nunataks, e.g. Mount Kobourg, northern Victoria Land (Kappen 1985) and in Dronning Maud Land (Engelskjon 1986, Pankow et al. 1987, Ryan & Watkins, in press). Wide-ranging observations and collections were made during a combined geological and biological expedition to nunataks on Edward VII Peninsula (77°00-78"30S, 152"- 154"W), Marie ByrdLand (Fig. 1) during summer 1987-88. 1 Reported here are observationson the algae, mosses, lichens Fig. 1. Location of Edward VII Peninsula and other regions and microfauna. A description of the ornithology has been mentioned in the text. 1-3 = Marie Byrd Land, 1 = Edward published elsewhere (Broady et a/. 1989). VII Peninsula, 2 = Edsel Ford Ranges, 3 = Ames and Flood Reports on the terrestrial biology of Edward VII Peninsula ranges, 4 = Horlick Mountains, 5 = Ellsworth Mountains, are few and lack detail. Early reports of mosses and lichens 6-8 = Dronning Maud Land, 6 = Robertskollen, were made by Presuud (in Amundsen 1912, p. 249), Gould 7 = Gjelsvikfjella and Miihlig-Hofmannfjella, (1931, p. 20) and Siple (1938, p. 490). The last author 8 = Unterseeoase, 9 =Liitzow-Holm Bay, 10 = Mawson Rock, 11 = Framnes Mountains, 12 = Vestfold Hills, reported mainly on more detailed studies made in Edsel Ford 13-14 = northern Victoria Land, 13 = Mount Kobourg, Ranges, 130 km further east (77"S, 145"W). Lichens were Birthday Ridge, 14 = Edmondson Point, Cape Washington, described by Dodge & Baker (1938) and mosses by Baruam Campbell Glacier, Inexpressible Island, 15 = southern (1938). Perkins(1945,p. 282) sampledplantsfrom 11 peaks Victoria Land dry valleys, 16 = McMurdo Ice Shelf, in Rockefeller Mountains. Lichens in these collections were 17 = Ross Island, 18 = Shackleton Glacier. 21 5 http://journals.cambridge.org Downloaded: 03 Mar 2015 IP address: 169.229.32.36 21 6 P.A. BROADY identified by Dodge (1973). Rudolph (1967) collected granites and metasediments. A general description of the lichens and noted an absence of microarthropods on region has been provided by Wade (1945) and a 1:250 000 Washington Ridge. Thisis theonly commenton microfauna map is available (United States Geological Survey 1972). although in eastern Marie Byrd Land, Siple (1938, p. 495) On 47 days in the field, during early to mid-summer, found protozoa, rotifers and tardigrades in pond water, and meteorological observations were taken twice a day at Strandtmann (1978,1981) described a new species of mite. approximately 1000and 2230 h solar time. The air tempera- ture ranged from -1 7" to -2°C but on 82% of occasions was between -10" to -3°C. There were 6-8 oktas of cloud on Description of the region 76% of observations. Wind was frequent but did not exceed 20 kn. Conditions were calm for 13% of observations, The seven nunataks of the Alexandra Mountains and the 16 winds were <10 kn for 68% and >10 kn for 19%. The of theRockefeller Mountains are the only ice-free land in the prevailing wind was from east to north-east. Snowfall or Edward VII Peninsula, and comprise less than 0.5% of the snowdrift occurred on 25 days. total area (Fig. 2). They are typical nunataks of the 'Conti- nental Ice Slope' region as defined by Pickard & Seppelt (1984, p. 88, fig. 10). There are no coastal outcrops. Scott Methods and materials Nunataks are closest to the coast and are 11 km inland. Mount Paterson is furthest inland, 86 km from the coast. Exposed rock was reached at all nunataks except Mount Summits range from about 419 m to 1174 m altitude and, Manger where it was inaccessible. Efforts were made to except close to the coast, the surrounding ice-surfaces have collect the full diversity of vegetation at each nunatak. an elevation of 400 m to over 1000 m. The most extensive Samples of algae and substratum were collected into sterile nunataks, Mount Paterson and Washington Ridge in polythene bags using clean instruments. In the field, speci- Rockefeller Mountains (Figs 3-5), are low ridges up to 3 km mens were kept at ambient temperatures and were buried in long. Ice-free rock in Alexandra Mountains is much less snow at campsites. Field searches were made for mites and extensive and is mostly steep slopes and cliffs of two N-NE collembola using a lox hand-lens in likely habitats but no facing escarpments. The rocks of both ranges comprise extraction procedures were used. Transport to New Zealand and subsequent storage was at -20°C. Taxonomy of cyanobacteria follows the system of Geitier (1932). Identifications of ciliate protozoa have been made ROSS by Dr W. Foissner (Universiat Salzburg). Rotifers and SEA t11.45 MtLBlRT ROCKS SlRIOtR ROCKS MT PATERSON 77'30' EOWARO VII 0 +q-& .\MA 4.5.6.19.20.37 C'L 3 i PENINSULA \ Ill SCHLOSSBhCH i 22 50 PETREL 2.39 k23,38 4 46, FOKKLR ROCKS AE[KINRIDGt PK b ROCKEFELLER Ills \ Wr FRANKLIN' q5' km 906. WASHINGTON RIDGE Fig. 2. Geographical features of Edward VII Peninsula, Mane Byrd Land. Inset shows the location of Edward VII Peninsula 48,L9,4 in the south-east comer of Ross Sea. Nunataks of the MELT /d*30 Alexandra and Rockefeller mountains are shown as follows: N FLOW I 0 km 2 h SN = Scott Nunataks, SW = Mount Swadener, BO = Bowman L__ Peak, MA = Mount Manger, JO = Mount Josephine, CL = LAKE Clarke Peak, LG = La Gorce Peak, DR = Drummond Peak, FR = Mount Frazier, JA = Mount Jackling, FZ = Mount Fig. 3. Nunataks in the central Rockefeller Mountains, Mount Fitzsimmons, SH = Mount Shideler, PA = Mount Paterson Paterson and Washington Ridge are shown in Figs 4 and 5 (see Fig. 4), GO = Gould Peak, BU = Mount Butler, TE = respectively. Proglacial lakes and position of the Antarctic Tennant Peak. Nunataks to the east of Mount Paterson are petrel colony are indicated. Inset gives location (also see Fig. shown in more detail in Fig. 3. 2). Numbers refer to samples (see Tables i1-IV). http://journals.cambridge.org Downloaded: 03 Mar 2015 IP address: 169.229.32.36 MARIE BYRD LAND ALGAE AND OTHER TERRESTRIAL BIOTA 21 7 Table I. Algae obselved in microscopic examination of 53 samples and subjective estimates of their abundance. 9% of occurrence and Algae abundance in all samples rare occ. freq. abund. TG - Cyanobacteria Aphanocapsa eiachista West & West 1 2 Chroococcus minor (Kuetz.) Naeg. 1 2 Chroococcus turgidus (Kuetz.) Naeg. 1 2 Cyanothece aeruginosa (Naeg.) Komarek 3 1 4 2 19 Gloeocapsa aipina Naeg. 2 1 18 Gioeocapsa kuetzingiana Naeg. 2 3 1 11 Gioeocapsa cf. punctata Naeg. 1 1 28 Gloeocapsa ralfsiana Kuetz. 2 1 2 1 11 Fig. 4. An aerial view of Mount Paterson taken from the north- cf. Chroococcidiopsis sp. 1 14 west at an altitude of about 1000 m. The nunatak is about Crinalium cf. magnum Fritsch & John 1 2 2.8 km lone. Oscillatoriaceae, trichomes 1-2 pm wide 2 16 Phormidium autumnale (Ag.) Gom. 2 2 1 9 Phormldium cf.fragiie (Menegh.) Gom. 1 2 Phormidium cf. laminosum Gom. 1 4 3 15 Schizothrir cf. antarctica Fritsch 12 Calothrir cf. parietina (Naeg.) Thuret 1 3 8 Homoeothrix cf. rivularis (Hansg.) Komarek & Kann 36 Nostoc sp. 1 1 3 5 19 Toiypothrix cf. bouteiilei (Breb. & Desm.) Forti 1 1 4 Stigonema minutum (Ag.) Hassall 1 26 Chlorophyta cf. Chioreiia SQ. 2 4 cf. Chlorococcum sp. 1 2 cf. Coenocystis sp. 1 2 1 3 13 cf. Dicfyochloropsis sp. 1 26 Pseudococcomyxa simplex (Mainx) Fott 4 5 17 view looking north along Washington Ridge from the Fig. 5. A Unidentified unicells 2 3 3 1 17 southernmost rock exposure. A frozen pond, which is Lichen gonidia with unicells 1 5 4 19 approximately 10 m long, can be seen in a windscoop in the Stichococcus baciilaris Naeg. 5 3 11 3 42 middle distance. cf. Desmococcus vulgaris Brand 2 3 5 14 45 Prasioia caiophyila (Carmich.) Menegh.