High resolution health assessment of Antarctic plants as climate changes

在东南极洲的一些地区已观察到气候干燥导致陆地生态系统健康下降。该项目旨在确定这种变化是否普遍存在。由于苔藓，南极洲的主要植物，在它们的芽上保存了过去气候的记录，它们可以被用作研究生态系统和气候如何在遥远的极地地区变化的替代品。成果将包括改进南极洲的气候数据，从而能够对区域气候变化进行更可靠的分析，以及开发能够对南极生态系统健康进行非破坏性监测的超高分辨率技术。这项研究将促进生态系统科学，并为南极生物多样性管理提供最佳实践。

Declines in terrestrial ecosystem health as a result of a drying climate have been observed in some areas of East Antarctica. This project aims to determine if such changes are widespread. Since mosses, the dominant plants of Antarctica, preserve a record of past climate down their shoots they can be used as surrogates to study how both ecosystems and climate are changing at remote polar sites. Outcomes will include improved climate data for Antarctica, enabling more robust analysis of regional climate change, and development of ultrahigh-resolution techniques capable of non-destructively monitoring Antarctic ecosystem health. This research will advance ecosystem science and inform best practice in management of Antarctic biodiversity.