Moss Bed Quadrat Locations in Antarctic Protected Areas

Diana King from the University of Wollongong recorded latitude and longitude coordinates for the centers of moss bed quadrats on October 29, 2014. The data covers quadrats at Antarctic Specially Protected Area 135 near Casey station and on Robinson Ridge. Quadrat labels classify the vegetation community type as Bryophyte, Transitional, or Lichen.

Use Cases

• Map the spatial distribution of Bryophyte, Transitional, and Lichen communities using the quadrat label and latitude/longitude columns.
• Analyze the proximity of different vegetation types within the Antarctic Specially Protected Area 135 using the coordinate data.
• Validate or update older vegetation maps by comparing these 2014 quadrat locations with prior records like the ASAC_1313_Casey_Moss_Map_2003 dataset.
• Conduct site fidelity studies for long-term ecological monitoring by using the precise geospatial coordinates as baseline reference points.

Strengths

• Coordinates were collected on a single, documented date (October 29, 2014) providing a temporal snapshot.
• Data is linked to specific, mapped locations in the SCAR Map Catalogue (maps 14450 and 14451).
• Includes a clear classification system for vegetation community types (B, T, L).

Limitations

• The dataset size (number of rows/quadrats) is unknown, limiting statistical assessment.
• Data is from a single point in time (2014), offering no time-series for change detection.
• Spatial coverage is limited to two specific sites near Casey station, not representative of broader Antarctica.

Provenance

Source

Diana King, PhD candidate, School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, via the Australian Antarctic Data Centre (AU_AADC).

Collection Method

Latitudes and longitudes were obtained in the field; the specific procedure is documented in the record's Quality section.

Time Range

2014-10-29

Freshness

null

Geography

Antarctic Specially Protected Area 135 and Robinson Ridge, Windmill Islands, Antarctica.