Multidisciplinary ecological research of Antarctic terrestrial vegetation within the IPY

(2007 – 2009)

At the James Ross Island, in cooperation with Masaryk University in Brno there is performed a long term research of diversity and ecology of cyanobacteria and algae. For last two seasons main attention has been given in studying the lake ecosystem. A total of 36 lakes in the northern deglaciated part of the island were sampled, and their origin, geomorphological, hydrological, physical, chemical and biological characteristics, including diversity and ecology of cyanobacteria and algae were examinated. The lake ecosystem has been divided to the following types: A) stable shallow lakes of higher-lying levelled surface, B) shallow coastal lakes, C) stable lakes in old moraines, D) small unstable lakes in young moraines, E) stable deep cirque lakes, and F) thermokarst lakes Nedbalová et al. 2009). The set of lakes on James Ross Island represent a unique collection of diverse ecosystem in the transitional zone between maritime and continental Antarctic, thus playing an important role as a marker of climate warming of this part of the Antarctic.

Contact:
doc. Ing. Josef Elster, CSc.
tel. +420-384 721 156
e-mail: jelster@butbn.cas.cz

Mgr. Linda Nedbalová, PhD.
tel. +420-384 721 156
e-mail: nedbalova@butbn.cas.cz