Bird effects on organic processes in soils from five microhabitats on a nunatak with and without breeding snow petrels in Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica

Abstract

Five microhabitat types with varying degrees of bird influence were examined. Soils were collected from open polygons, under mosses and bird nests on a nunatak with breeding snow petrels (Pagodroma nivea) and from open polygons and under mosses on a non-bird nunatak. Nutrient levels (total N and P, nitrate, nitrite and ammonia), moisture levels and δ ¹⁵N values were determined and the organic processes of nitrogen fixation (acetylene reduction) and soil respiration (CO₂ flux) were examined. Nests represented the most favourable microhabitat type for soil respiration having the highest nutrient levels and most favourable temperature and moisture regimes. The soils under mosses were also favourable and appear to act as a nutrient sink for nutrients originating from the nests. The open polygons were the least favourable for biological activity. There was little nitrogen fixation in any of the soils except for the soils under mosses from the non-bird nunatak. Fixation is possibly limited in favourable microhabitat types on the bird nunatak by high nitrogen levels. These results were confirmed by the δ ¹⁵N results, which had high values typical of a seabird signal in the soils from the bird nunatak and values near zero, typical of soils containing fixed nitrogen, on the non-bird nunatak.