Ecology of the past: old-growth mosses as potential biological proxies for past Antarctic climate

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dc.contributor.authorWaterman, MJen_AU
dc.contributor.authorHua, Qen_AU
dc.contributor.authorCasanova-Katny, Aen_AU
dc.contributor.authorZúñiga, GEen_AU
dc.contributor.authorRobinson, SAen_AU
dc.date.accessioned2021-07-16T04:52:00Zen_AU
dc.date.available2021-07-16T04:52:00Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2017-07-10en_AU
dc.date.statistics2021-07-13en_AU
dc.description.abstractClimate changes in temperature, stratospheric ozone levels, wind speed and precipitation have strong implications on the bryophyte-dominated terrestrial vegetation of Antarctica. The reduction in stratospheric ozone substantially impacts wind, precipitation and radiation patterns over the southern continent potentially leading to dramatic shifts in species diversity, location and abundance. Thus, monitoring regional climates is becoming increasingly important. However, there is a substantial need for climate proxies, e.g. biomarkers, given the sparse distribution, limitations and short record of Antarctic meteorological stations. Bryophytes (mosses, liverworts), non-vascular plants that are crucial components to Antarctic terrestrial life, have unique abilities to show rapid and long-term changes in their biochemical signatures and ecophysiology in response to their surrounding environment. Therefore, we aim to develop and use Antarctic mosses as biological proxies for climate around the Antarctic coast. This included analysing pigments (photosynthetic and photoprotective), stable isotopes (δ13C), hormones and sugars of a range of Continental and Maritime mosses that have been dated using the radiocarbon bomb-pulse method. In some East Antarctic moss species, the δ13C signature in cellulose can be an accurate and preserved way to detect past water environments. Therefore, long-term regional climate records, such as moss water availability and ozone levels, could be locked away as chemical signatures within ancient moss shoots of up to 420 years old. We show, however, that this is likely to be species specific and so we discuss the potential of various moss species, including Ceratodon purpureus, Schistidium antarctici, Chorisodontium aciphyllym, Polytrichastrum alpinum and Bryum pseudotriquetrum, as biomarkers. In addition, we show how important it is to evaluate the abilities of specific species to record and preserve past local environments in order to determine the scale of which these miniature plants can provide regional climate records. We explain that there are complications and that various species as well as environmental factors need to be considered when using biomarkers in the Antarctic.en_AU
dc.identifier.booktitleBook of abstracts: XIIth SCAR Biology Symposiumen_AU
dc.identifier.citationWaterman, M., Hua, Q., Casanova-Katny, A., Zúñiga, G. E., & Robinson, S. (2017). Ecology of the past: old-growth mosses as potential biological proxies for past Antarctic climate. Paper presented at the XIIth SCAR Biology Symposium, Leuven, Belgium, 10 t0 14 July 2017. In Van de Putte, A. (ed.). 2017. Book of abstracts: XIIth SCAR Biology Symposium (p. 426). Retrieved from https://kuleuvencongres.be/scarbiology2017/files/bookofabstracts.pdf#en_AU
dc.identifier.conferenceenddate14 July 2017en_AU
dc.identifier.conferencenameXIIth SCAR Biology Symposiumen_AU
dc.identifier.conferenceplaceLeuven, Belgiumen_AU
dc.identifier.conferencestartdate10 July 2017en_AU
dc.identifier.editorsVan de Putte, A.en_AU
dc.identifier.pagination426en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://kuleuvencongres.be/scarbiology2017/files/bookofabstracts.pdf#en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://apo.ansto.gov.au/dspace/handle/10238/11085en_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherScientific Committee on Antarctic Researchen_AU
dc.subjectEcologyen_AU
dc.subjectPaleoclimatologyen_AU
dc.subjectMossesen_AU
dc.subjectAntarctic regionsen_AU
dc.subjectHistorical aspectsen_AU
dc.subjectHormonesen_AU
dc.subjectSaccharidesen_AU
dc.subjectStable isotopesen_AU
dc.subjectSpecies diversityen_AU
dc.titleEcology of the past: old-growth mosses as potential biological proxies for past Antarctic climateen_AU
dc.typeConference Abstracten_AU
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