Soil Biodiversity and Response to Climate Change: A Regional Comparison of Cape Hallett and Taylor Valley, Antarctica
This study, funded by the National Science Foundation's Office of Polar Programs (NSF-OPP), is a collaborative effort of five U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP) scientists* with Antarctica New Zealand's (ANZ) Latitude Gradient Project (LGP). The LGP is a multi-year study of the ecosystem and the effects of environmental change along the Victoria Land coast. The first area of the LGP study is Cape Hallett. Cape Hallett is located at 72°19'S 170°16'E of the northern Victorial Land coast on the western side of the Ross Sea. This study is primarily focused on and around Seabee Hook, a curving spit off the west side of the cape projecting into the Edisto Inlet (click for maps).
Seabee Hook is the site of the former Hallett Station. Established in December 1956 by the U.S. Navy in connection with the International Geophysical Year, the station was shared by New Zealand and United States research scientist. It was operated year-round until 1964 afterwhich it was occupied only during the austral summer until February 1973 when it was officially closed.
For a description of planned research please read the linked abstract from the project proposal. Additional information for each area of study in this project is provided within the individual pages linked above.
Follow the LGP link for a more complete and comprehensive description of Cape Hallett and the LGP.
*The principle investigators, PI, for this project are Dr. W. Berry Lyons, Dr. John E. Barrett, Dr. Ross Virginia and Dr. Diana Wall of the McMurdo Dry Valleys Long-Term Ecological Research program (MCM-LTER) and Dr. Craig Cary (University of Delaware). See indvidual pages (soils, AWS, snowpit) for PI contact information.