of the presentation at the

Abstract:In recent times, the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) as tools for environmental remote sensing has become more commonplace. Compared to traditional airborne remote sensing, UAVs can provide finer spatial resolution data (up to 1 cm/pixel) and higher temporal resolution data. For the purposes of vegetation monitoring, the use of multiple sensors such as near infrared and thermal infrared cameras are of benefit. Collecting data with multiple sensors, however, requires an accurate spatial co-registration of the various UAV image datasets. In this study, we used an Oktokopter UAV to investigate the physiological state of Antarctic moss ecosystems using three sensors: (i) a visible camera (1 cm/pixel), (ii) a 6 band multispectral camera (3 cm/pixel), and (iii) a thermal infrared camera (10 cm/pixel). Imagery from each sensor was geo-referenced and mosaicked with a combination of commercially available software and our own algorithms based on the Scale Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT). The validation of the mosaic's spatial co-registration revealed a mean root mean squared error (RMSE) of 1.78 pixels. A thematic map of moss health, derived from the multispectral mosaic using a Modified Triangular Vegetation Index (MTVI2), and an indicative map of moss surface temperature were then combined to demonstrate sufficient accuracy of our co-registration methodology for UAV-based monitoring of Antarctic moss beds.

East Antarctica has shown little evidence of warming to date 1-3 with no coherent picture of how climate change is affecting vegetation 4-6 . In stark contrast, the Antarctic Peninsula experienced some of the most rapid warming on the planet at the end of the last century 2,3,7,8 causing changes to growth and distribution of plants 9-11 . Here we show that vegetation in the Windmill Islands, East Antarctica is changing rapidly in response to a drying climate. This drying trend is evident across the region, demonstrated by changes in isotopic signatures measured along moss shoots 12,13 , moss community composition and declining health, as well as long-term observations of lake salinity 14 and weather. The regional drying is possibly due to the more positive Southern Annular Mode (SAM) in recent decades. The more positive SAM is a consequence of Antarctic ozone depletion and increased greenhouse gases, and causes strong westerly winds to circulate closer to the continent, maintaining colder temperatures in East Antarctica despite the increasing global average 15-18 . Colder summers in this region likely result in reduced snow melt and increased aridity. We demonstrate that rapid vegetation change is occurring in East Antarctica and that its mosses provide potentially important proxies for monitoring coastal climate change.Climate change is causing many species to shift poleward in response to increasing global temperatures 19 . Antarctic continental vegetation, however, is unlikely to exhibit such simple and predictable responses, as warming is inconsistent over the continent 1,3 , and species distributions are largely determined by local availability of ice-free habitats and water, rather than temperature per se 6,[20][21][22] . Small changes in microclimate (temperature, precipitation, wind or humidity) can impact the water balance or freeze-thaw cycles 23 and thus impact vegetation, even in the absence of regional warming.

This summer, a heatwave across Antarctica saw temperatures soar above average. Temperatures above zero are especially significant because they accelerate ice melt. Casey Station had its highest temperature ever, reaching a maximum of 9.2°C and minimum of 2.5°C. The highest temperature in Antarctica was 20.75°C on 9 February. Here we discuss the biological implications of such extreme events.

M. (2012). Bryophyte species composition over moisture gradients in the Windmill Islands, East Antarctica: development of a baseline for monitoring climate change impacts. Biodiversity,, 257-264. Bryophyte species composition over moisture gradients in the Windmill Islands, East Antarctica: development of a baseline for monitoring climate change impacts AbstractExtreme environmental conditions prevail on the Antarctic continent and limit plant diversity to cryptogamic communities, dominated by bryophytes and lichens. Even small abiotic shifts, associated with climate change, are likely to have pronounced impacts on these communities that currently exist at their physiological limit of survival. Changes to moisture availability, due to precipitation shifts or alterations to permanent snow reserves, will most likely cause greatest impact. In order to establish a baseline for determining the effect of climate change on continental Antarctic terrestrial communities and to better understand bryophyte species distributions in relation to moisture in a floristically important Antarctic region, this study surveyed finescale bryophyte patterns and turf water and nutrient contents along community gradients in the Windmill Islands, East Antarctica. The survey found that the Antarctic endemic, Schistidium antarctici, dominated the wettest habitats, Bryum pseudotriquetrum distribution spanned the gradient, whilst Ceratodon purpureus and Cephaloziella varians were restricted to the driest habitats. These patterns, along with knowledge of these species relative physiology, suggest the endemic Schistidium antarctici will be negatively impacted under a drying trend. This study provides a model for quantitative finescale analysis of bryophyte distributions in cryptogamic communities and forms an important reference site for monitoring impacts of climate change in Antarctica. AbstractExtreme environmental conditions prevail on the Antarctic continent and limit plant diversity to cryptogamic communities, dominated by bryophytes and lichens. Even small abiotic shifts, associated with climate change, are likely to have pronounced impacts on these communities that currently exist at their physiological limit of survival. Changes to moisture availability, due to precipitation shifts or alterations to permanent snow reserves will most likely cause greatest impact. In order to establish a baseline for determining the effect of climate change on continental Antarctic terrestrial communities and to better understand bryophyte species distributions in relation to moisture in a floristically important Antarctic region, this study surveyed finescale bryophyte patterns and turf water and nutrient contents along community gradients in the Windmill Islands, East Antarctica. The survey found that the Antarctic endemic, Schistidium antarctici, dominated the wettest habitats, Bryum pseudotriquetrum distribution spanned the gradient, whilst Ceratodon purpureus and Cephaloziella varians were restricted to driest habitats. These patterns, along ...