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Nitrogen studies in sub-Antarctic terrestrial environments

Entry ID: ASAC_1022

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Summary

Abstract: Metadata record for data from ASAC Project 1022
See the link below for public details on this project.

---- Public Summary from Project ----
Nitrogen studies in subantarctic terrestrial environments Nitrogen is the most important nutrient that plants take up from the soil. Different forms of soil nitrogen exist and plants differ in their ability to ... access these forms. We are determining the nitrogen sources available to plants in the subantarctic environment including the role of penguin-derived nitrogen, soil micro-fauna and the effect of temperature. By studying the nitrogen sources that are used by subantarctic plants, we will be able to better understand the physiological background of species distributions in the subantarctic environment. This research will further our understanding of plant functioning under extreme environmental conditions and allow us to make predictions about the vulnerability of different species to changes in climatic conditions.

From the abstracts of the referenced papers:

In the beginning
Astronomers appear to have discovered that universes have an ecology and indeed a metabolism and no doubt our universe has a distinctive physiological ecology. The task here, however, is to address the physiological ecology of plants. Traditionally, this has deployed two approaches: the in vivo, in which physiological processes were studies at the whole plant or organ level, in field and laboratory, and the in vitro, in which cellular and subcellular processes were dissected in order to understand the mechanisms underlying physiological responses. Bringing us closer to the astronomy fraternity there is a third approach, the in silico, in which computer simulation and graphic modelling provide tools for the study of past and future plants and processes. This contribution attempts to look back to the past, to the origins of life, in order to understand the selectivity in the use of mineral elements and their roles in extant physiological ecology.
What do we know of the conditions present on early Earth that shaped the origin and evolution of life and determined the selection and roles of the mineral elements that are now essential for plant growth? The emergence of life may have occurred in a fairly short interval, microfossils are reported in 3.5-Gyr rock and there is evidence of biogenic carbon isotope fractionation in 3.8-Gyr rock. The early Earth on which life appeared was very different to the planet we inhabit today. Life originated not in a quiescent, favourable environment but rather a violent, impact-ridden one, characterised by enormous tides, intense volcanic activity and heavy meteoritic bombardment. Current thinking is that this early Earth had an atmosphere rich in carbon dioxide and nitrogen, rather than one of methane and ammonia - conditions rather unfavourable for cooking up prebiotic soups.

Related URL

Link: VIEW PROJECT HOME PAGE

Description: Public information for ASAC project 1022

Geographic Coverage

(Click for Interactive Map)

Spatial coordinates

N: -54.55

S: -54.75

E: 158.9

W: 158.8

Temporal Coverage

Start Date: 1996-09-30

Stop Date: 2001-03-31

Location Keywords

OCEAN > ARCTIC OCEAN

OCEAN > SOUTHERN OCEAN

OCEAN > SOUTHERN OCEAN > MACQUARIE ISLAND

GEOGRAPHIC REGION > POLAR

Science Keywords

BIOSPHERE > TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS > ISLANDS

BIOSPHERE > VEGETATION > NITROGEN

ISO Topic Category

BIOTA

Platform

FIELD SURVEYS

FIELD INVESTIGATION

Quality Values provided in temporal and spatial coverage are approximate only.

From the methods section of one of the referenced papers:

Macquarie Island
The mean annual temperature of the island at sea level is 5 degrees C and the daily fluctuation is small, on average 1-1.5 degrees C. Similarly, annual ...

Access Constraints PDF copies of two of the referenced publications are available for download from the provided URL.

Use Constraints This data set conforms to the PICCCBY Attribution License
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/).

Please follow instructions listed in the citation reference at the provided URL when using these data.

Ancillary Keywords

nitrogen

subantarctic

Data Set Progress

COMPLETE

Data Center

Australian Antarctic Data Centre, Australia

Data Center URL: http://data.aad.gov.au

Data Center Personnel
Name: DATA OFFICER AADC Phone: +61 3 6232 3244 Fax: +61 3 6232 3351 Email: metadata at aad.gov.au Contact Address: Australian Antarctic Division 203 Channel Highway City: Kingston Province or State: Tasmania Postal Code: 7050 Country: Australia

Distribution

Distribution Media: http

Distribution Size: 1247 kb

Distribution Format: pdf

Fees: free

Personnel

SUSANNE SCHMIDT

Role: INVESTIGATOR

Role: TECHNICAL CONTACT

Phone: +61 7 3365 2732

Fax: +61 7 3365 1699

Email: s.schmidt at botany.uq.edu.au

Contact Address:

The University of Queensland

DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY

City: ST LUCIA

Province or State: Queensland

Postal Code: 4072

Country: Australia

DAVE CONNELL

Role: DIF AUTHOR

Phone: +61 3 6232 3244

Fax: +61 3 6232 3351

Email: dave.connell at aad.gov.au

Contact Address:

Australian Antarctic Division

203 Channel Highway

City: Kingston

Province or State: Tasmania

Postal Code: 7050

Country: Australia

Publications/References

Erskine P.D., Bergstrom D.M., Schmidt S., Stewart G.R., Tweedie C.E., Shaw J.D. (1998) Subantarctic Macquarie Island - a model ecosystem for studying animal-derived nitrogen sources using 15 N natural abundance. Oecologia 117. 187-193

Stewart G.R., Schmidt S. (2000) Evolution and ecology of plant mineral nutrition In: Press M.C., Scholes J.D., Barker M.G. Physiological ...

Creation and Review Dates

DIF Creation Date: 2000-08-09

Last DIF Revision Date: 2010-07-26

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