Antarctic Ecosystems

Since its discovery Antarctica has held a deep fascination for biologists. Extreme environmental conditions, seasonality and isolation have lead to some of the most striking examples of natural selection and adaptation on Earth. Paradoxically, some of these adaptations may pose constraints on the ability of the Antarctic biota to respond to climate change. Parts of Antarctica are showing some of the largest changes in temperature and other environmental conditions in the world. In this volume, published in association with the Royal Society, leading polar scientists present a synthesis of the latest research on the biological systems in Antarctica, covering organisms from microbes to vertebrate higher predators. This book comes at a time when new technologies and approaches allow the implications of climate change and other direct human impacts on Antarctica to be viewed at a range of scales; across entire regions, whole ecosystems and down to the level of species and variation within their genomes. Chapters address both Antarctic terrestrial and marine ecosystems, and the scientific and management challenges of the future are explored.

Since its discovery Antarctica has held a deep fascination forbiologists. Extreme environmental conditions, seasonality andisolation have lead to some of the most striking examples ofnatural selection and adaptation on Earth. Paradoxically, some ofthese adaptations may pose constraints on the ability of theAntarctic biota to respond to climate change. Parts of Antarcticaare showing some of the largest changes in temperature and otherenvironmental conditions in the world. In this volume, published inassociation with the Royal Society, leading polar scientistspresent a synthesis of the latest research on the biologicalsystems in Antarctica, covering organisms from microbes tovertebrate higher predators. This book comes at a time when newtechnologies and approaches allow the implications of climatechange and other direct human impacts on Antarctica to be viewed ata range of scales; across entire regions, whole ecosystems and downto the level of species and variation within their genomes.Chapters address both Antarctic terrestrial and marine ecosystemsand the scientific and management challenges of the future areexplored.

ContributorsIntroduction: Antarctic ecology in a changing worldAndrew Clarke, Nadine M. Johnston, Eugene J. Murphy & Alex D. RogersPart I: Terrestrial and freshwater habitatsChapter 1. Spatial and temporal variability in terrestrial Antarctic biodiversity Steven L. Chown and Peter ConveyChapter 2. Global Change in a Low Diversity Terrestrial Ecosystem: The McMurdo Dry Valleys, Diana H. WallChapter 3. Antarctic lakes as models for the study of microbial biodiversity, biogeography and evolutionDavid A. Pearce and Johanna Laybourn-ParryPart II: Marine habitats and regionsChapter 4. The impact of regional climate change on the marine ecosystem of the western Antarctic PeninsulaAndrew Clarke, David K. A. Barnes, Thomas J. Bracegirdle, Hugh W. Ducklow, John C. King, Michael P. Meredith, Eugene J. Murphy and Lloyd S. PeckChapter 5. The Marine Ecosystem of the West Antarctic PeninsulaHugh W. Ducklow, Andrew Clarke, Rebecca Dickhut, Scott C. Doney, Heidi Geisz, Kuan Huang, Douglas G. Martinson, Michael P. Meredith, Holly V. Moeller, Martin Montes-Hugo, Oscar Shofield, Sharon E. Stammerjohn, Debbie Steinberg and William FraserChapter 6. Spatial and Temporal Operation of the Scotia Sea EcosystemEugene J. Murphy, Jonathan L. Watkins, Phil N. Trathan, Keith Reid, Michael P. Meredith, Simeon Hill, Sally E. Thorpe, Nadine M. Johnston, Aandrew Clarke, Geraint Tarling, Martin Collins, Jaume Forcada, Angus Atkinson, Peter Ward, Iain Staniland, David Pond, Rachel Cavanagh, Rachael Shreeve, Rebecca Korb, Michael J. Whitehouse, Paul G. Rodhouse, Peter Enderlein, Aandrew Hirst, Anthony R. Martin, I. D. Briggs, Nathan Cunningham and Andrew FlemingChapter 7. The Ross Sea Continental Shelf: Regional Biogeochemical Cycles, Trophic Interactions, and Potential Future ChangesWalker O. Smith, Jr., David G. Ainley, Riccardo Cattaneo-Vietti and Eileen E. HofmannChapter 8. Pelagic ecosystems in the waters off East Antarctica (30°E-150°E) Stephen Nicol and Ben RaymondChapter 9. The dynamic mosaic: Disturbance and development of Antarctic benthic communitiesDavid K.A. Barnes and Kathleen E. ConlanChapter 10. Southern Ocean deep benthic biodiversityAngelika Brandt, Claude De Broyer, B. Ebbe, Kari E. Ellingsen, Andrew J. Gooday, D. Janussen, Stephanie Kaiser, Katrin Linse, M. Schueller, Michael R. A. Thomson, Paul A. Tyler and A. VanreuselChapter 11. Environmental forcing and Southern Ocean marine predator populations: effects of climate change and variabilityPhil N. Trathan, Jaume Forcada and Eugene J. MurphyPart III: Molecular adaptations and evolutionChapter 12. Molecular ecophysiology of Antarctic notothenioid fishesC.-H. Christina Cheng and H. William Detrich IIIChapter 13. Mechanisms defining thermal limits and adaptation in marine ectotherms: an integrative viewHans O. Pörtner, Lloyd S. Peck and George N. SomeroChapter 14. Evolution and biodiversity of Antarctic organisms; a molecular perspectiveAlex D. RogersPart IV: Conservation and management aspectsChapter 15. Biogeography and regional classifications of AntarcticaPeter Convey, David K. A. Barnes, Huw J. Griffiths, Susie M. Grant, Katrin Linse and David N. ThomasChapter 16. Conservation and Management of Antarctic EcosystemsSusie M. Grant, Peter Convey, Kevin A. Hughes, Richard A. Phillips and Phil N. TrathanIndex