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Quantification Of Soil Microbial Biomass In The Mcmurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, Emily Ruth Reynebeau
Quantification Of Soil Microbial Biomass In The Mcmurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, Emily Ruth Reynebeau
Biology ETDs
Quantifying microbial biomass is important for understanding microbial contribution to
nutrient cycling and population flux. Widely accepted biomass estimation methods are
sufficient for well-studied and high biomass systems, though are often not sensitive enough
for systems with extremely low biomass. The McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica are
characterized as an extremely harsh environment with severe restrictions on life, with
perhaps some of the lowest biomass in the world. We measured prokaryote biomass across
Taylor and Wright Valleys using four estimation metrics to determine the most appropriate
method for this ecosystem. The chloroform fumigation method was not sensitive enough
for the …