Global southern limit of flowering plants and moss peat accumulation

Polar research

Stephen J. Roberts¹  Andrew N. Tyler²  Peter Convey⁴  David W. Hopkins⁶ 

[1] Environmental Radioactivity Laboratory, School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling , StirlingFK9 4LAUK;School of Life Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Riccarton , EdinburghEH14 4ASUK;British Antarctic Survey, National Environment Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road , CambridgeCB3 0ETUK;British Antarctic Survey, National Environment Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road , CambridgeCB3 0ETUK Correspondence;Environmental Radioactivity Laboratory, School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling , StirlingFK9 4LAUK;Scottish Crop Research Institute, Invergowrie , DundeeDD2 5DAUK

关键词: Antarctic plants;    distribution limits;    peat accumulation;    dating.;   

DOI  :  10.3402/polar.v30i0.8929

学科分类：自然科学（综合）

来源: Co-Action Publishing

【 摘 要 】

The ecosystems of the western Antarctic Peninsula, experiencing amongst the most rapid trends of regional climate warming worldwide, are important “early warning” indicators for responses expected in more complex systems elsewhere. Central among responses attributed to this regional warming are widely reported population and range expansions of the two native Antarctic flowering plants, Deschampsia antarctica and Colobanthus quitensis. However, confirmation of the predictions of range expansion requires baseline knowledge of species distributions. We report a significant southwards and westwards extension of the known natural distributions of both plant species in this region, along with several range extensions in an unusual moss community, based on a new survey work in a previously unexamined and un-named low altitude peninsula at 69°22.0′S 71°50.7′W in Lazarev Bay, north-west Alexander Island, southern Antarctic Peninsula. These plant species therefore have a significantly larger natural range in the A...

【 授权许可】

CC BY-NC