C. Moss Ecology

1. Areas where moss found:

   Areas around streams below the Rhone, Hughes and Calkin Glaciers in the Taylor Valley, the moraines below the Hobbs Glacier and in the Salmon, Garwood and Towle Valleys, and in the Scott Base, McMurdo Station area.

2. Areas searched, sometimes briefly, where moss was not found:

   Kennar and Beacon Valleys, area below La Croix Glacier and the side of the Taylor Valley around Lake Bonney not near melt streams below alpine glaciers. Although a week was spent searching in the Northwind Valley east of the Towle Valley, no moss was found.

3. Most patches of moss found below 330 m altitude were on sandy 'soil'. The few patches found in the Towle Valley above 1000 m were in cracks in dolerite blocks.
4. Algae and lichens were recorded from most of the areas visited. Most outcrops or rocks of Beacon sandstone had blue green algae growing just below the rock surface. Algae, such as Nestor sp. were frequently found in pools and other wet areas and lichens in rock cracks and on the surface of rocks.
5. Detailed quantitative surveys of moss were done below the Rhone, Calkin and Hughes Glaciers and on the delta below the snout of the Hobbs Glacier.
6. Sponophytes on Bryum antarcticum were collected from the Hobbs, Cape Chocolate area. Sponophytes (the sexual reproductive stage of a moss) have been recorded from Victoria Land only twice before.
7. Mosses were studied to 1300 m altitude in the Towle Valley, having previously only been recorded up to about 300 m altitude in Continental Antarctica.
8. The Garwood valley near the Garwood Glacier snout had the highest cover of moss of the areas studied.
9. Air spore samples were collected daily but these have not yet been studied.page 11
10. Fresh algae was collected from Lake Fryxell and Lake Vanda for C₁₄ dating standards for use by the Institute of Nuclear Sciences.
11. Soils were sampled for tests for microorganisms, pH, carbon and nitrogen content.
12. The ecological data recorded in the field will be analysed by computer for correlations between environmental factor and presence and absence, and cover of species.
13. Identification of specimens collected will be done by Botany Division, D.S.I.R., and Dr. S.W. Greene, Institute of Polar Studies, Great Britain.
14. A mummified seal was found beside the west side of the Northwind Glacier about 2 km from the snout. A mummified penguin was seen near the head of the Towle Valley.