Ecosystem Development within Circumpolar Polar Deserts

北极高原极地荒漠生态系统的发展和功能尚未得到研究。为了了解控制极地沙漠生态系统发展的关键因素，布利斯博士建议研究这些系统内土壤、藻类结壳、土壤无脊椎动物和维管植物的小气候。据推测，藻类结皮，特别是蓝藻，在土壤发育中发挥着核心作用，在更大程度上也是维管植物的物种多样性和生物量的核心。生物群对土壤发育的总体影响将通过土壤大气和溶液中的二氧化碳和碳酸盐分析来估计。为了评估维管植物的分布主要与整个夏季的水分供应有关的假设，将沿着湿度梯度确定冬季降雪和夏季积雪融化。人们还认为，藻类结皮在维持较高水平的土壤水分方面发挥着核心作用。由于极地沙漠是北极最不为人所知的生态系统之一，就预测的全球变暖而言，了解控制极地沙漠发展的重要组成部分至关重要。此外，了解现代系统是如何发展的，可能会为大陆冰川消退后系统的发展提供一个类比。

Polar desert ecosystems in the high arctic have not been studied in terms of their development and function. To provide an understanding of the critical components controlling development of polar desert ecosystems, Dr. Bliss proposes to study the microclimate of soils, algal crusts, soil invertebrates and vascular plants within these systems. It is hypothesized that algal crusts, especially cyanobacteria, play a central role in soil development and to a greater extent species diversity and biomass of vascular plants. The overall influence of biota on soil development will be estimated from carbon dioxide and carbonate analysis in the soil atmosphere and in solution. To evaluate the hypothesis that the distribution of vascular plants relates primarily to water availability throughout the summer, winter snow fall and summer snow melt will be determined along moisture gradients. It is further believed that the algal crusts play a central role in maintenance of higher levels of soil moisture. Because polar deserts are one of the least understood ecosystems in the arctic, it is critical, in terms of predicted global warming to understand important components controlling development of polar deserts. Additionally, knowing how modern systems develop may provide an analog to development of systems following continental ice retreat.