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| Titel |
Soil–landform–plant-community relationships of a periglacial landscape on Potter Peninsula, maritime Antarctica |
| VerfasserIn |
E. L. Poelking, C. E. R. Schaefer, E. I. Fernandes Filho, A. M. de Andrade, A. A. Spielmann |
| Medientyp |
Artikel
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| Sprache |
Englisch
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| ISSN |
1869-9510
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| Digitales Dokument |
URL |
| Erschienen |
In: Solid Earth ; 6, no. 2 ; Nr. 6, no. 2 (2015-05-27), S.583-594 |
| Datensatznummer |
250115452
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| Publikation (Nr.) |
 copernicus.org/se-6-583-2015.pdf |
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| Zusammenfassung |
| Integrated studies on the interplay between soils,
periglacial geomorphology and plant communities are crucial for the
understanding of climate change effects on terrestrial ecosystems of
maritime Antarctica, one of the most sensitive areas to global warming.
Knowledge on physical environmental factors that influence plant communities
can greatly benefit studies on the monitoring of climate change in maritime
Antarctica, where new ice-free areas are being constantly exposed, allowing
plant growth and organic carbon inputs. The relationship between topography,
plant communities and soils was investigated on Potter Peninsula, King
George Island, maritime Antarctica. We mapped the occurrence and
distribution of plant communities and identified soil–landform–vegetation
relationships. The vegetation map was obtained by classification of a
QuickBird image, coupled with detailed landform and characterization of 18
soil profiles. The sub-formations were identified and classified, and we
also determined the total elemental composition of lichens, mosses and
grasses. Plant communities on Potter Peninsula occupy 23% of the ice-free
area, at different landscape positions, showing decreasing diversity and
biomass from the coastal zone to inland areas where sub-desert conditions
prevail. There is a clear dependency between landform and vegetated soils.
Soils that have greater moisture or are poorly drained, and with acid to neutral pH, are
favourable for moss sub-formations. Saline, organic-matter-rich
ornithogenic soils of former penguin rookeries have greater biomass and
diversity, with mixed associations of mosses and grasses, while stable
felsenmeers and flat rocky cryoplanation surfaces are the preferred sites
for Usnea and Himantormia lugubris lichens at the highest surface. Lichens sub-formations cover the
largest vegetated area, showing varying associations with mosses. |
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