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• 1. [Article] A Dynamic Physical Model for Soil Temperature and Water in Taylor Valley, Antarctica

  We developed a simulation model for terrestrial sites including sensible heat exchange between the atmosphere and ground surface, inter- and intra-layer heat conduction by rock and soil, and shortwave ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: A Dynamic Physical Model for Soil Temperature and Water in Taylor Valley, Antarctica Author: Hunt, H. W., Fountain, Andrew G., Doran, Peter T., Basagic, Hassan J. Year: 2010 We developed a simulation model for terrestrial sites including sensible heat exchange between the atmosphere and ground surface, inter- and intra-layer heat conduction by rock and soil, and shortwave and longwave radiation. Water fluxes included snowmelt, freezing/thawing of soil water, soil capillary flow, and vapour flows among atmosphere, soil, and snow. The model accounted for 96-99% of variation in soil temperature data. No long-term temporal trends in soil temperature were apparent. Soil water vapour concentration in thawed surface soil in summer often was higher than in frozen deeper soils, leading to downward vapour fluxes. Katabatic winds caused a reversal of the usual winter pattern of upward vapour fluxes. The model exhibited a steady state depth distribution of soil water due to vapour flows and in the absence of capillary flows below the top 0.5 cm soil layer. Beginning with a completely saturated soil profile, soil water was lost rapidly, and within a few hundred years approached a steady state characterized by dry soil (,0.5% gravimetric) down to one metre depth and saturated soil below that. In contrast, it took 42,000 years to approach steady state beginning from a completely dry initial condition. Title: A Dynamic Physical Model for Soil Temperature and Water in Taylor Valley, Antarctica Author: Hunt, H. W., Fountain, Andrew G., Doran, Peter T., Basagic, Hassan J. Year: 2010 We developed a simulation model for terrestrial sites including sensible heat exchange between the atmosphere and ground surface, inter- and intra-layer heat conduction by rock and soil, and shortwave and longwave radiation. Water fluxes included snowmelt, freezing/thawing of soil water, soil capillary flow, and vapour flows among atmosphere, soil, and snow. The model accounted for 96-99% of variation in soil temperature data. No long-term temporal trends in soil temperature were apparent. Soil water vapour concentration in thawed surface soil in summer often was higher than in frozen deeper soils, leading to downward vapour fluxes. Katabatic winds caused a reversal of the usual winter pattern of upward vapour fluxes. The model exhibited a steady state depth distribution of soil water due to vapour flows and in the absence of capillary flows below the top 0.5 cm soil layer. Beginning with a completely saturated soil profile, soil water was lost rapidly, and within a few hundred years approached a steady state characterized by dry soil (,0.5% gravimetric) down to one metre depth and saturated soil below that. In contrast, it took 42,000 years to approach steady state beginning from a completely dry initial condition. Close

• 2. [Article] Modeling the Thickness of Perennial Ice Covers on Stratified Lakes of the Taylor Valley, Antarctica

  A 1-D ice cover model was developed to predict and constrain drivers of long-term ice thick-ness trends in chemically stratified lakes of Taylor Valley, Antarctica. The model is driven by surface ra-diative ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Modeling the Thickness of Perennial Ice Covers on Stratified Lakes of the Taylor Valley, Antarctica Author: Obryk, Maciej K., Doran, Peter T., Hicks, Jared A., McKay, Christopher P., Priscu, John Charles Year: 2016 A 1-D ice cover model was developed to predict and constrain drivers of long-term ice thick-ness trends in chemically stratified lakes of Taylor Valley, Antarctica. The model is driven by surface ra-diative heat fluxes and heat fluxes from the underlying water column. The model successfully reproduced 16 a (between 1996 and 2012) of ice thickness changes for the west lobe of Lake Bonney (average ice thickness = 3.53 m) and Lake Fryxell (average ice thickness = 4.22 m). Long-term ice thick-ness trends require coupling with the thermal structure of the water column. The heat stored within the temperature maximum of lakes exceeding a liquid water column depth of 20 m can either impede or fa-cilitate ice thickness change depending on the predominant climatic trend (cooling or warming). As such, shallow (columns) perennially ice-covered lakes without deep temperature maxima are more sensitive indicators of climate change. The long-term ice thickness trends are a result of surface energy flux and heat flux from the deep temperature maximum in the water column, the latter of which results from absorbed solar radiation. Title: Modeling the Thickness of Perennial Ice Covers on Stratified Lakes of the Taylor Valley, Antarctica Author: Obryk, Maciej K., Doran, Peter T., Hicks, Jared A., McKay, Christopher P., Priscu, John Charles Year: 2016 A 1-D ice cover model was developed to predict and constrain drivers of long-term ice thick-ness trends in chemically stratified lakes of Taylor Valley, Antarctica. The model is driven by surface ra-diative heat fluxes and heat fluxes from the underlying water column. The model successfully reproduced 16 a (between 1996 and 2012) of ice thickness changes for the west lobe of Lake Bonney (average ice thickness = 3.53 m) and Lake Fryxell (average ice thickness = 4.22 m). Long-term ice thick-ness trends require coupling with the thermal structure of the water column. The heat stored within the temperature maximum of lakes exceeding a liquid water column depth of 20 m can either impede or fa-cilitate ice thickness change depending on the predominant climatic trend (cooling or warming). As such, shallow (columns) perennially ice-covered lakes without deep temperature maxima are more sensitive indicators of climate change. The long-term ice thickness trends are a result of surface energy flux and heat flux from the deep temperature maximum in the water column, the latter of which results from absorbed solar radiation. Close

• 3. [Article] Decadal Ecosystem Response to an Anomalous Melt Season in a Polar Desert in Antarctica

  Amplified climate change in polar regions is significantly altering regional ecosystems, yet there are few long-term records documenting these responses. The McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV) cold desert ecosystem ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Decadal Ecosystem Response to an Anomalous Melt Season in a Polar Desert in Antarctica Author: Gooseff, Michael N., Barrett, John E., Adams, Byron J., Doran, Peter T., Fountain, Andrew J., Lyons, W. Berry, McKnight, Diana M., Priscu, John C., Sokol, Eric R., Takacs-Vesbach, Cristina, Vandegehuchte, Martijn L., Virginia, Ross A., Wall, Diana H. Year: 2017 Amplified climate change in polar regions is significantly altering regional ecosystems, yet there are few long-term records documenting these responses. The McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV) cold desert ecosystem is the largest ice-free area of Antarctica, comprising soils, glaciers, meltwater streams and permanently ice-covered lakes. Multi-decadal records indicate that the MDV exhibited a distinct ecosystem response to an uncharacteristic austral summer and ensuing climatic shift. A decadal summer cooling phase ended in 2002 with intense glacial melt (‘flood year’)—a step-change in water availability triggering distinct changes in the ecosystem. Before 2002, the ecosystem exhibited synchronous behaviour: declining stream flow, decreasing lake levels, thickening lake ice cover, decreasing primary production in lakes and streams, and diminishing soil secondary production. Since 2002, summer air temperatures and solar flux have been relatively consistent, leading to lake level rise, lake ice thinning and elevated stream flow. Biological responses varied; one stream cyanobacterial mat type immediately increased production, but another stream mat type, soil invertebrates and lake primary productivity responded asynchronously a few years after 2002. This ecosystem response to a climatic anomaly demonstrates differential biological community responses to substantial perturbations, and the mediation of biological responses to climate change by changes in physical ecosystem properties. Title: Decadal Ecosystem Response to an Anomalous Melt Season in a Polar Desert in Antarctica Author: Gooseff, Michael N., Barrett, John E., Adams, Byron J., Doran, Peter T., Fountain, Andrew J., Lyons, W. Berry, McKnight, Diana M., Priscu, John C., Sokol, Eric R., Takacs-Vesbach, Cristina, Vandegehuchte, Martijn L., Virginia, Ross A., Wall, Diana H. Year: 2017 Amplified climate change in polar regions is significantly altering regional ecosystems, yet there are few long-term records documenting these responses. The McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV) cold desert ecosystem is the largest ice-free area of Antarctica, comprising soils, glaciers, meltwater streams and permanently ice-covered lakes. Multi-decadal records indicate that the MDV exhibited a distinct ecosystem response to an uncharacteristic austral summer and ensuing climatic shift. A decadal summer cooling phase ended in 2002 with intense glacial melt (‘flood year’)—a step-change in water availability triggering distinct changes in the ecosystem. Before 2002, the ecosystem exhibited synchronous behaviour: declining stream flow, decreasing lake levels, thickening lake ice cover, decreasing primary production in lakes and streams, and diminishing soil secondary production. Since 2002, summer air temperatures and solar flux have been relatively consistent, leading to lake level rise, lake ice thinning and elevated stream flow. Biological responses varied; one stream cyanobacterial mat type immediately increased production, but another stream mat type, soil invertebrates and lake primary productivity responded asynchronously a few years after 2002. This ecosystem response to a climatic anomaly demonstrates differential biological community responses to substantial perturbations, and the mediation of biological responses to climate change by changes in physical ecosystem properties. Close