A5050437240- Polar Research and Ecology
- Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Diatoms and Algae Research
- Cryospheric studies and observations
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Marine and coastal ecosystems
- Protist diversity and phylogeny
- Aquatic Ecosystems and Phytoplankton Dynamics
- Aquatic Ecosystems and Biodiversity
- Marine Biology and Ecology Research
- Biocrusts and Microbial Ecology
- Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
- Climate change and permafrost
- Isotope Analysis in Ecology
- Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils
- Methane Hydrates and Related Phenomena
- Aquatic Invertebrate Ecology and Behavior
- Winter Sports Injuries and Performance
- Lichen and fungal ecology
- Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology
- Indigenous Studies and Ecology
- Marine and coastal plant biology
- Geological formations and processes
- Soil erosion and sediment transport
Ghent University
2015-2024
Bahir Dar University
2022
Ghent University Hospital
2006-2021
Western Sydney University
2017
A robust understanding of Antarctic Ice Sheet deglacial history since the Last Glacial Maximum is important in order to constrain ice sheet and glacial-isostatic adjustment models, explore forcing mechanisms responsible for retreat. Such can be derived from a broad range geological glaciological datasets recent decades have seen an upsurge such data gathering around continent Sub-Antarctic islands. Here, we report new synthesis those datasets, based on accompanying series reviews data,...
There is a long-standing belief that microbial organisms have unlimited dispersal capabilities, are therefore ubiquitous, and show weak or absent latitudinal diversity gradients. In contrast, using global freshwater diatom data set, we gradients in local regional genus richness present highly asymmetric between both hemispheres. Patterns explained by the degree of isolation lake districts, while number locally coexisting genera constrained size pool, habitat availability, connectivity...
The East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS) is the largest continental ice mass on Earth, and documenting its evolution since Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) important for understanding present-day future behaviour. As part of a community effort, we review geological evidence from Antarctica that constrains sheet history throughout this period (∼30,000 years ago to present). This includes terrestrial cosmogenic nuclide dates previously glaciated regions, 14C chronologies glacial post-glacial deposits...
To date, little is known about the relative importance of dispersal related versus local factors in shaping microbial metacommunities. A common criticism regarding existing datasets that level taxonomic resolution might be too coarse to reliably assess community structure and study biogeographical patterns. Moreover, few studies have assessed geographic distance between habitats, which may influence metacommunity dynamics through its effect on rates. We applied variation partitioning...
Recent data revealed that metazoans such as mites and springtails have persisted in Antarctica throughout several glacial–interglacial cycles, which contradicts the existing paradigm terrestrial life was wiped out by successive glacial events current inhabitants are recent colonizers. We used molecular phylogenetic techniques to study Antarctic microchlorophyte strains isolated from lacustrine habitats maritime continental Antarctica. The 14 distinct chlorophycean trebouxiophycean lineages...
This paper is the maritime and sub–Antarctic contribution to Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research (SCAR) Past Ice Sheet Dynamics (PAIS) community reconstruction. The overarching aim all sectors of Antarctica was reconstruct Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) ice sheet extent thickness, map subsequent deglaciation in a series 5000 year time slices. However, our review literature found surprisingly few high quality chronological constraints on changing glacier extents these timescales sector....
Abstract The West Antarctic Peninsula is one of the fastest warming regions on Earth. Faster glacier retreat and related calving events lead to more frequent iceberg scouring, fresh water input higher sediment loads, which in turn affect shallow benthic marine assemblages coastal regions. In addition, ice creates new substrates for colonization. We investigated three size classes biota (microbenthos, meiofauna macrofauna) at sites Potter Cove (King George Island, Peninsula) situated similar...
Abstract Recent changes in the strength and location of Southern Hemisphere westerly winds (SHW) have been linked to continental droughts wildfires, Ocean carbon sink, sea ice extent, ocean circulation, shelf stability. Despite their critical role, our ability predict impacts under future climates is limited by a lack data on SHW behaviour over centennial timescales. Here, we present 700-year record intensity from sub-Antarctic Marion Island using diatom geochemical proxies compare it with...
Terrestrial biota in the Antarctic are more globally distinct and highly structured biogeographically than previously believed, but information on biogeographic patterns endemism freshwater communities is largely lacking. We studied of diatoms based analysis species occurrences a dataset 439 lakes spread across realm. Highly diatom floras, both terms composition richness, characterize Continental Antarctica, Maritime Antarctica sub‐Antarctic islands, with marked provincialism each region. A...
A floristic and taxonomic survey was made of the diatom communities sediments microbial mats in 66 freshwater saline lakes pools Larsemann Hills, Rauer Islands Bølingen (continental eastern Antarctica). total 31 taxa were distinguished, 10 which could not be identified to species (nine) or even generic (one) level, either because they have most probably yet been described belong complexes that are need revision. Four new combinations proposed; three reported for first time from continental...
Lake sediments in the Larsemann Hills contain a great diversity of biological and physical markers from which past environments can be inferred. In order to determine timing environmental changes it is essential have accurate dating sediments. We used radiometric ( 210 Pb 137 Cs), radiocarbon (AMS 14 C) uranium series 238 U) methods date cores eleven lakes. These were sampled on coastal inland transects across two main peninsulas, Broknes Stornes, together with single sample Bolingen...
Souffreau C., Vanormelingen P., Verleyen E., Sabbe K. and Vyverman W. 2010. Tolerance of benthic diatoms from temperate aquatic terrestrial habitats to experimental desiccation temperature stress. Phycologia 49: 309–324. DOI: 10.2216/09-30.1Soils differ sediments in environmental characteristics such as moisture availability fluctuations, it is therefore believed that soil-inhabiting have a broader tolerance range these stresses than diatoms. To test this hypothesis, we assessed the survival...
A regional network of quantitative reconstructions past climate variability is required to test models. In recent studies, temperature calibration models based on the relative abundances sedimentary glycerol dialkyl tetraethers (GDGTs) have enabled in both marine and terrestrial environments. Nevertheless, date these methods not been widely applied high latitude environments due poor performance GDGT–temperature calibrations at lower temperatures. To address this we studied 32 lakes from...
Antarctic soils are known to be oligotrophic and of having low buffering capacities. It is expected that this particularly the case for inland high-altitude regions. We hypothesized bedrock type presence macrobiota in these enforce a high selective pressure on their bacterial communities. To test this, we analyzed community structure 52 soil samples from western Sør Rondane Mountains (Dronning Maud Land, East Antarctica), using Illumina MiSeq platform combination with ARISA fingerprinting....
Abstract Soil micro-organisms drive the global carbon and nutrient cycles that underlie essential ecosystem functions. Yet, we are only beginning to grasp drivers of terrestrial microbial diversity biogeography, which presents a substantial barrier understanding community dynamics functioning. This is especially true for soil protists, despite their functional significance have received comparatively less interest than bacterial counterparts. Here, investigate diversification Pinnularia...
For more than five decades, research has been conducted at Ny-Ålesund, in Svalbard, Norway, to understand the structure and functioning of High-Arctic ecosystems profound impacts on them environmental change. Terrestrial, freshwater, glacial marine are accessible year-round from providing unique opportunities for interdisciplinary observational experimental studies along physical, chemical, hydrological climatic gradients. Here, we synthesize terrestrial freshwater Ny-Ålesund review current...
Summary 1. Lakes and ponds in the Larsemann Hills Bølingen Islands (East‐Antarctica) were characterised by cyanobacteria‐dominated, benthic microbial mats. A 56‐lake dataset representing limnological diversity among more than 150 lakes region was developed to identify quantify abiotic conditions associated with cyanobacterial diatom communities. 2. Limnological of primarily conductivity conductivity‐related variables (concentrations major ions alkalinity), variation lake morphometry (depth,...
Abstract Little is known about the response of terrestrial East Antarctica to climate changes during last glacial–interglacial cycle. Here we present a continuous sediment record from lake in Larsemann Hills, situated on peninsula believed have been ice-free for at least 40,000 yr. A mutli-proxy data set including geochronology, diatoms, pigments and carbonate stable isotopes indicates warmer wetter conditions than early part record. We interpret this as Marine Isotope Stage 5e after...
Abstract Aim The aim here was to assess whether the present‐day assemblage of subantarctic flowering plants is result a rapid post‐Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) colonization or survived on islands in glacial refugia throughout LGM. Location circumpolar region, comprising six remote and island groups between latitudes 46° 55° S, including South Georgia Atlantic Ocean, Prince Edward Islands, Îles Crozet, Kerguelen, Heard Island group Indian Ocean Macquarie Pacific Ocean. Methods Floristic...