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Ecological relationships and stoichiometry within a Maritime Antarctic watershed

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 March 2013

David Velázquez ,
Maria Ángeles Lezcano ,
Ana Frias  and
Antonio Quesada
David Velázquez
Affiliation:
Departamento de Biología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid 28049, Spain
Maria Ángeles Lezcano
Affiliation:
IMDEA Agua, Alcalá de Henares 28805, Spain
Ana Frias
Affiliation:
Departamento de Biología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid 28049, Spain
Antonio Quesada*
Affiliation:
Departamento de Biología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid 28049, Spain
*
*corresponding author: antonio.quesada@uam.es
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Abstract

During summer, ice-free areas are common in Maritime Antarctica, and vegetation and microbial communities frequently occur in the moist parts of catchments. In this paper, we present new data and evaluate the biomass, C, N, and P content of various types of vegetation, and the water catchment of an oligotrophic lake sited at Byers Peninsula, Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands. As the main results show, the total amount of C, N, and P contained in the organisms of the watershed is 144, 0.71 and 0.018 g m-2, respectively. According to element contents, 98% of the biological C from the watershed is within mosses and microbial mats structures (79.1 and 19.0% respectively). Also, 98.7% of the N is partially distributed between moss carpets, microbial mats and lichens, 55.2, 43.5, and 3.37 x 10-7% respectively. On the other hand, 90.2% of P is within moss carpets structures. Nutrient pools in the communities of Limnopolar Lake itself are a minor component of the whole catchment.

Keywords

ecological stoichiometrylichensmicrobial matsmoss carpetswater catchment
Type
Research Articles
Information
Antarctic Science , Volume 25 , Issue 2: Byers Peninsula – A New Reference Site For The Maritime Antarctic , April 2013 , pp. 191 - 197
Copyright
Copyright © Antarctic Science Ltd 2013

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