Summary
At Birthday Ridge, a small ice free area in northern Victoria Land (70°48′S, 167°00′E), cryptogamic vegetation is mostly confined to gaps between granitc rocks. The sheltering effect on lichens and mosses was analyzed by continuous measurements of the microclimate at various levels between the rocks. Although warming by solar radiation was favourable for the existence of cryptogams, rocks strongly insolated were mostly devoid of lichens and mosses. Lichens in the soaked active state were heated to above air temperature but did not reach more than 10°C. The presence of lichens was dependent on the moisture conditions of the habitat. It was observed that snow, the only source of moisture, accumulated in summer only in deeper levels between rocks, and that the snow rapidly melted on contact with the lichens. After a snow shower,Usnea sulphurea gained 67% andUmbilicaria decussata 94% of their maximum water capacity. During one quarter of the time period of 7 days the lichens were soaked and therefore capable of carrying out photosynthesis. The lichens in soaked state had always less than optimum temperatures for net photosynthesis. The rock gaps at Birthday Ridge form oases, the only localities where moisture is provided, and temperature is high enough to enable growth of lichens and mosses.Bryum is also able to exist in the upper 3 cm of soil.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ahmadjian V (1970) Adaptations of antarctic terrestrial plants. In: Holdgate MW (ed) Antarctic ecology, vol II. Academic Press, London New York, pp 801–811
Antarctica (1972) Reconnaissance Series 1:250000 SR 57-58/12
Cameron RE (1972) Microbial and ecologic investigations in Victoria Valley, southern Victoria Land, Antarctica. Antarct Res Ser 20:195–260
Filson RB (1966) The lichens and mosses of MacRobertson Land. Antarctic Div, Dept of External Affairs Australia, No 82. ANARE Sci Reps, Ser B (II) Botany, 169 pp
Friedmann EI (1977) Microorganisms in antarctic desert rocks from dry valleys and Dufek Massif. Antarct J US 12:26–30
Gannutz TP (1969) Effects of environmental extremes of lichens. Bull Soc Bot France, Paris, Memoirs 1968. Colloque sur les lichens, pp 169–179
Gannutz TP (1970) Photosynthesis and respiration of plants in the Antarctic Peninsula area. Antarctic J US 5:49–51
Gannutz TP (1971) Ecodynamics of lichen communities in Antarctica. In: Quam L (ed) Research in the Antarctic. Am Assoc Adv Sci, pp 213–226
Jahns HM, Fritzler E (1982) Flechtenstandorte auf einer Blockhalde. Herzogia 6:243–270
Jahns HM, Ott S (1983) Das Mikroklima dicht benachbarter Flechtenstandorte. Flora 173:183–222
Kappen L (1983) Ecology and physiology of the antarctic fructicose lichenUsnea sulphurea (Koenig) Th. Fries. Polar Biol 1:249–255
Kappen L (1985a) Vegetation and ecology of ice-free areas of northern Victoria Land, Antarctica. 1. The lichen vegetation of Birthday Ridge and an inland mountain. Polar Biol 4:213–225
Kappen L (1985b) Lichen-habitats of micro-oases in mountainous and coastal regions of the Antarctic — the role of temperature. Presented at high mountain ecology symposium at Tiflis, July 21st, 1984 (Submitted to proceedings)
Kappen L, Friedmann EI (1983) Kryptoendolithische Flechten als Beispiel einer Anpassung an extrem trocken-kalte Klimabedingungen. Verh Ges Ökologie (Mainz 1981) 10:517–519
Kappen L, Friedmann EI, Garty J (1981) Ecophysiology of lichens in the dry valleys of southern Victoria Land, Antarctica. 1. Microclimate of the cryptoendolithic lichen habitat. Flora 171:216–235
Kappen L, Lange OL, Schulz E-D, Evenari M, Buschbom U (1979) Ecophysiological investigations on lichens of the Negev desert. 6. Annual course of the photosynthetic production ofRamalina maciformis (DEL.) BORY. Flora 168:85–108
Kobayashi K (1974) A preliminary report on the vegetation of the Prince Olav Coast, Antarctica. Antarct Rec 51:18–28
Korotkevich ES (1972) Polyarnye pustyni. Leningrad, 420 pp
Lange OL (1969) Experimentell-ökologische Untersuchungen an Flechten der Negev-Wüste. 1. CO2-Gaswechsel vonRamalina maciformis (DEL.) BORY unter kontrollierten Bedingungen im Laboratorium. Flora 158:324–359
Lange OL, Kilian E, Meyer A, Tenhunen JD (1984) Measurement of lichen photosynthesis in the field with a portable steady-state CO2-porometer. Lichenologist 16:1–9
Lange OL, Schulze ED, Koch W (1970) Experimentell-ökologische Untersuchungen an Flechten der Negev-Wüste. 2. CO2-Gaswechsel und Wasserhaushalt vonRamalina maciformis (DEL.) BORY am natürlichen Standort während der sommerlichen Trockenperiode. Flora 159:38–62
Lechowicz MJ, Adams MS (1974) Ecology of Cladonia lichens. 1. Preliminary assessment of the ecology of terricolous lichen-moss communities in Ontario and Wisconsin. Can J Bot 52:55–64
Lindsay D (1977) Lichens of cold deserts. In: Seaward MRD (ed) Lichen ecology. Academic Press, London New York, pp 183–209
Llano GA (1959) Antarctic plant life. IGY Bull (Nat Acad Sci) 24:10
McKay CP, Friedmann EI (1985) The cryptoendolithic microbial environment in the Antarctic cold desert: temperature variations. Polar Biol 4:19–25
Moser TJ, Nash III TH (1978) Photosynthetic patterns ofCetraria cucullata (Bell.) Ach at Anaktuvuk Pass, Alaska. Oecologia (Berlin) 34:37–43
Nakanishi S (1977) Ecological studies of the moss and lichen communities in the ice-free areas near Syowa Station, Antarctica. Antarct Rec 59:68–96
Rudolph ED (1966) Lichen ecology and microclimate studies at Cape Hallett, Antarctica. In: Biometeorology, vol II. Proc 3rd Int Biometeor Congr. Pergamon Press, Oxford, pp 900–910
Seppelt RD, Ashton DH (1978) Studies on the ecology of the vegetation at Mawson Station, Antarctica. Austral J Ecol 3:373–388
Yamanaka M, Sato K (1977) Distribution of terrestrial plant communities near Syowa Station in Antarctica, with special reference to water supply and soil property. Antarct Rec 59:54–67
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kappen, L. Vegetation and ecology of ice-free areas of Northern Victoria Land, Antarctica. Polar Biol 4, 227–236 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00999767
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00999767