Conference: Scientific Assessment of the McMurdo Dry Valleys Ecosystem: Environmental Stewardship in a Time of Dynamic Change

非技术摘要麦克默多干燥山谷是南极大陆上最大的无冰区，是一个生命存在于极端环境和生理极限的地方。因此，该区域不仅容易受到人为气候变化的影响，而且容易受到人类直接影响。该区域毗邻南极条约成员国运营的多个国际考察站，因此每年有相当数量的科学访问者可以进入该区域。此外，预计在罗斯海作业的商船数量将增加，这可能会使该地区对更多的游客开放。因此，在该地区开展工作的科学家、后勤承包商和管理人员有必要定期召开会议，评估环境状况，并确定维持该地区性质的最佳做法。1991年、1995年、1998年和2016年举办了关于麦克默多干谷地区环境管理的国际研讨会。这些研讨会的参与者来自多个国家科学项目、旅游团、物流协调员和环境顾问。这次研讨会将是该系列的第五次，旨在评估正在进行的环境实践的有效性及其对该地区环境完整性的影响，并加强国际南极科学家和后勤人员之间的协调，努力更新最佳做法，将麦克默多干山谷人类活动对独特的生物群落、地质构造和历史结构的影响降至最低。技术摘要这次关于麦克默多干山谷管理的国际研讨会将讨论前几次研讨会提出的行动事项，并为该地区未来的科学、管理和后勤活动提出建议。自最近的研讨会以来的八年里，该地区一直受到以下几个问题的挑战：麦克默多车站和该地区野战营地的基础设施老化，新冠肺炎疫情，科学家评估自己的环境影响的迫切性越来越高，旅游业增长的潜力，以及气候的动态变化。因此，现在必须召开第五次讲习班，以评估现行环境做法的效力及其对该区域环境完整性的影响，并更新一项记录和尽量减少更广泛环境影响的国际计划。本次研讨会还将调查燃料使用、基础设施能效、废物产生和其他对碳排放的贡献等影响，这些都没有包括在以前的研讨会中。该研讨会旨在加强国家南极研究计划之间的协调，不断努力更新最佳实践，以最大限度地减少对麦克默多干旱山谷和那里独特的生物群落、地质构造和历史结构的科学和旅游影响。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Non-technical abstractThe McMurdo Dry Valleys are the largest ice-free area on the Antarctic continent and are a place where life exists at the very extremes of environmental and physiological limits for life. Thus, it is a region that is vulnerable not only to anthropogenic climate change but also to direct human impacts. The proximity of the region to multiple international research stations operated by Antarctic Treaty member states makes it accessible to a significant number of scientific visitors each year. Moreover, anticipated increases in the number of commercial vessels operating in the Ross Sea may open the region to a greater number of tourist visits. Thus, it is necessary that scientists, logistic contractors, and managers operating in the region convene regularly to assess the state of the environment and define best practices that will maintain the nature of the area. International workshops addressing environmental management of McMurdo Dry Valleys region have been held in 1991, 1995, 1998, and 2016. The participants of these workshops were drawn from multiple national science programs, tour groups, logistics coordinators, and environmental consultants. This workshop will be the fifth in the series and aims to assess the efficacy of ongoing environmental practices, their influence on the environmental integrity of the region, and develop greater coordination among international Antarctic scientists and logisticians in efforts to update best practices for minimizing the impacts of human activity in the McMurdo Dry Valleys on the unique biological communities, geologic formations, and historical structures.Technical abstractThis international workshop on McMurdo Dry Valleys stewardship will address action items raised by previous workshops and make recommendations for future scientific, management, and logistical activities in the region. In the eight years since the most recent workshop the area has been challenged by aging infrastructure at McMurdo Station and field camps in the region, the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing urgency for scientists to assess their own environmental impacts, the potential for increased tourism, and dynamic changes in climate. Thus, it is important now that a fifth workshop be convened to assess the efficacy of ongoing environmental practices, their influence on the environmental integrity of the region, and update an international plan for documenting and minimizing broader environmental impacts. This workshop will also investigate impacts such as fuel use, energy efficiency of infrastructure, waste generation, and other contributions to carbon emissions, which were not included in prior workshops. This workshop aims to increase coordination among National Antarctic Research Programs in ongoing efforts to update best practices for minimizing scientific and tourism impacts on the McMurdo Dry Valleys and the unique biological communities, geologic formations, and historical structures located there.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.