@article {4418, title = {GIS tool to predict photosynthetically active radiation in a Dry Valley}, journal = {Antarctic Science}, year = {2020}, month = {04/2020}, abstract = {

Understanding primary productivity is a core research area of the National Science Foundation\&$\#$39;s Long-Term Ecological Research Network. This study presents the development of the GIS-based Topographic Solar Photosynthetically Active Radiation (T-sPAR) toolbox for Taylor Valley. It maps surface photosynthetically active radiation using four meteorological stations with ~20 years of data. T-sPAR estimates were validated with ground-truth data collected at Taylor Valley\&$\#$39;s major lakes during the 2014\–15 and 2015\–16 field seasons. The average daily error ranges from 0.13 mol photons m-2 day-1 (0.6\%) at Lake Fryxell to 3.8 mol photons m-2 day-1 (5.8\%) at Lake Hoare. We attribute error to variability in terrain and sun position. Finally, a user interface was developed in order to estimate total daily surface photosynthetically active radiation for any location and date within the basin. T-sPAR improves upon existing toolboxes and models by allowing for the inclusion of a statistical treatment of light attenuation due to cloud cover. The T-sPAR toolbox could be used to inform biological sampling sites based on radiation distribution, which could collectively improve estimates of net primary productivity, in some cases by up to 25\%.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM, ArcMap, automated weather station, digital elevation model, ice-covered lakes, McMurdo Dry Valleys, R model, Taylor Valley}, doi = {10.1017/S0954102020000218}, url = {https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antarctic-science/article/gis-tool-to-predict-photosynthetically-active-radiation-in-a-dry-valley/BD0BE4FF6A8F3DAAF32D698797287078}, author = {Acosta, Dimitri R. and Peter T. Doran and Myers, Madeline} } @mastersthesis {4081, title = {Modeling Surface Photosynthetic Active Radiation in Taylor Valley, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica}, volume = {M.S.}, year = {2016}, school = {University of Illinois at Chicago}, type = {masters}, address = {Chicago, IL}, abstract = {

Understanding primary productivity is a core research area of the National Science Foundation\’s Long-Term Ecological Research Network. This study maps surface Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) using long term data collected by a meteorological network in the McMurdo Dry Valleys. Four stations with ~20 years of records were used to correct T-sPAR, a topographic surface PAR model. Maximum expected daily surface PAR at meteorological stations was calculated for Taylor Valley, through statistical analysis of location records using a local regression model that included 84\% of all observations. Expected values represent daily surface PAR under cloudless conditions. Daily measured and expected PAR was used to model cloud coverage at each location, corroborating that overcast conditions are positively correlated with proximity to the ocean. Ground-truth data collected for TaylorValley\’s major lakes\ during the 2015/2016 field season were used to validate T-sPAR estimates. The final model approximates total seasonal surface PAR for the Taylor Valley basin. Bi- monthly maps estimate total surface PAR by lake to assist in future sampling site selection. Finally, a user interface was developed to estimate total daily surface PAR by coordinate or surface based on a user input date.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM, digital elevation model (DEM), geographical information system (GIS), ice-covered lakes, meteorological data, R model}, url = {http://indigo.uic.edu/handle/10027/21180}, author = {Acosta, Dimitri R.}, editor = {Berkelhammer, Max} } @phdthesis {4170, title = {Environmental impacts on RubisCO from green algal laboratory isolates to Antarctic lake communities}, volume = {Ph.D.}, year = {2014}, month = {2014}, school = {Miami University}, type = {doctoral}, address = {Oxford, OH}, abstract = {

Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase (RubisCO) is found in a variety of autotrophic microorganisms ranging from green algae, cyanobacteria, and chemoautotrophic bacteria. As this enzyme has the potential to catalyze carboxylation (carbon fixation) or oxygenation (photorespiration) reactions, it is regulated in response to environmental variables at the levels of transcription, translation, and post-translation by the enzyme, RubisCO activase. A combination of laboratory experiments on green algal isolates and field experiments were utilized to gain insight on carbon fixation in permanently ice-covered Antarctic lakes. RubisCO was investigated as a potential target for cold adaptation of carbon fixation in the psychrophilic green alga, Chlamydomonas raudensis UWO241 (UWO241), isolated from Lake Bonney, Antarctica. RubisCO activity, stability, and whole cell carbon fixation were measured for the psychrophile and compared to a closely related mesophilic alga, C. raudensis SAG49.72 (SAG49.72). The effect of environmental factors including light and temperature on UWO241 and SAG49.72 RubisCO activation state, an indirect measurement of RubisCO activase activity, and abundance was investigated using a modified RubisCO carboxylase assay and immunoblotting, respectively. Lastly, maximum potential RubisCO carboxylase activity was determined using a modified activity assay in multiple ice covered Antarctic lakes including Lake Bonney. This data was complemented with lake depth profiles of enzyme abundance determined by quantitative real-time PCR and RubisCO-harboring organism diversity. While purified RubisCO of the psychrophilic green alga did not function optimally at low temperature, whole cell carbon fixation was greater under such conditions, suggesting that the overall process of carbon fixation is modified to function in UWO241. Increased RubisCO abundance at low temperature may contribute to this phenomenon. Low light levels may be important in regulation of RubisCO via RubisCO activase and should be further investigated. Based on community level RubsiCO activity and enzyme abundance, light and RubisCO harboring organisms including eukaryotic algae and cyanobacteria were positively correlated, but this was variable between lakes. Dark carbon fixation was potentially important in lakes west lobe Bonney and Fryxell and this community was negatively correlated with light. Results of targeted physiology and community level experiments led to development of a carbon fixation model for Lake Bonney.

}, keywords = {LTER-MCM, carbon fixation, green algae, ice-covered lakes, RubisCO}, url = {http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1407056783}, author = {Jenna M. Dolhi and Rachael M. Morgan-Kiss} }