Stable isotopes and Antarctic moss banks: plants and soil microbes respond to recent warming on the Antarctic Peninsula [abstract only]

摘要: The Antarctic Peninsula is one of the most rapidly warming regions on Earth, with air temperature increases as much 3°C recorded since 1950s. However, longer-term context this change limited and existing records, largely relying ice core data, are not suitably located to be able trace spatial signature over time. We working a project exploiting stable isotope records preserved in moss peat banks spanning 10 degrees latitude along an archive late Holocene climate variability. Here we present unique time series past growth soil microbial activity that has been produced from 150 year old bank at Lazarev Bay, Alexander Island (69°S), site southern limit significant plant region. These ideal archives for palaeoclimate research they well-preserved by freezing, generally monospecific, easily dated radiocarbon techniques, have sufficiently high accumulation rates permit decadal resolution. use rates, cellulose δ13C fossil testate amoebae show assimilation productivity rose 1960s, consistent change, although recently may stalled, concurrent other evidence. increase biological unprecedented last years. Along work completed Signy (60°S), South Orkney Islands, which used carbon evidence recent climate-related enhancement CO2 Antarctica, observed relationships between growth, suggests potential test regional expression variability shown instrumental data centennial millennial timescales, providing long-term summer conditions, complementing more distant widely dispersed records. will conclude placing into wider latest progress analysis cores obtained length Scotia arc. Royles, J., M. J. Amesbury, P. Convey, H. Griffiths, D. A. Hodgson, Leng Charman (2013). Plants microbes respond Peninsula. Current Biology 23(17): 1702-1706. Ogee, L. Wingate, Convey Griffiths (2012). Carbon Antarctica. Global Change 18(10): 3112-3124.