Sources, Pathways and Sinks of Organic Matter in Antarctic Terrestrial Ecosystems (MATE)

Terrestrial, limnetic and coastal ecosystems in Antarctica are connected by transport (predominantly by melt water) of organic matter and minerals. Temperature increase (either directly or indirectly via changes in melt water fluxes and precipitation patterns) influences the fluxes of organic matter and minerals within and between these ecosystems.

In order to study the fluxes of organic matter and minerals in the system, it is necessary to know the source, the pathways and the sink of it. In this
proposal a pilot experiment is described to identify sources of organic matter and minerals.

Stable isotope ratios of C, N, S, and O in organic compounds and the chemical structure of organic molecules in organic matter of known origin, will be
identified for future reference in flux studies on the ecosystem level. As the input of minerals from marine origin is regarded to be an important mineral source for the terrestrial ecosystem, a second pilot experiment on the composition of sea spray, blown inland by wind will be performed.

南极洲的陆地、湖泊和沿海生态系统通过有机物质和矿物质的运输（主要为融水）相互连接。温度升高（无论是直接还是通过改变融水流量和降水模式间接影响）影响了这些生态系统内部以及相互之间的有机物质和矿物质流量。为了研究该系统中的有机物质和矿物质流量，有必要了解其来源、路径和汇。在本提案中，描述了一项试点实验，旨在确定有机物质和矿物质的原生来源。将识别已知来源的有机物质中的有机化合物中碳（C）、氮（N）、硫（S）和氧（O）的稳定同位素比值，以及有机分子在已知来源的有机物质中的化学结构，以供未来在生态系统层面的流量研究参考。鉴于海洋来源的矿物质被视为陆地生态系统的重要矿物质来源，将进行第二项试点实验，以研究由风携带的内陆海雾的组成。