Carbon isotope (delta 13C) measurements from Antarctic moss tissues serve as a proxy for bioavailable water. Data includes field measurements from three moss species across three peninsulas in the Windmill Islands, East Antarctica, and results from a controlled five-week chamber experiment. The dataset was collected by the Australian Antarctic Data Centre and published in 2013.
Use Cases
- Calibrate delta 13C values from moss cellulose as a direct proxy for past bioavailable water in coastal Antarctica.
- Compare delta 13C signatures between wet, intermediate, and dry field sites to validate environmental classifications.
- Analyze species-specific disparities in delta 13C to identify the most sensitive moss proxies for water availability.
- Investigate short-term variation in delta 13CSUGAR from chamber experiments against long-term field delta 13CCELLULOSE records.
Strengths
- Measurements span three distinct Antarctic peninsulas (Robinsons Ridge, Baily, Clark) providing spatial coverage.
- Includes controlled chamber experiment data from a five-week pilot study (January-February 2012).
- Data supports a verified method for century-scale water availability reconstructions.
Limitations
- Sample size and row count are unknown from the description.
- Temporal coverage for field samples is not explicitly defined, limiting trend analysis.
- Significant disparities in delta 13C between species may complicate proxy application.
Provenance
- Source
- Australian Antarctic Data Centre (AU_AADC) via NASA EarthData.
- Collection Method
- Field collection of moss plugs from hydric, xeric, and mesic sites, with species identification via microscopy, complemented by controlled chamber experiments.
- Time Range
- Field collection date unspecified; chamber experiment conducted January-February 2012.
- Freshness
- Data last updated in 2013; represents a static research snapshot.
- Geography
- Windmill Islands, East Antarctica, specifically Robinsons Ridge, Baily Peninsula, and Clark Peninsula.