The McMurdo Dry Valleys Long Term Research Program: New understanding of the biogeochemistry of the Dry Valley Lakes

The McMurdo Dry Valleys Long‐Term Ecological Research (MCM‐LTER) site represents the highest‐latitude location of the 24 LTER sites supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation. Although the perennial ice‐covered lakes in the dry valleys have been investigated since IGY, detailed, ecosystem‐based studies have been conducted on these lakes since 1993 by LTER investigators. A review of recent findings on the biogeochemistry and food‐ chain dynamics of these lakes is summarized within. The lakes are much more complicated and more dynamic than previously thought. The importance of collecting long‐term data is imperative if an understanding of how these sensitive systems respond to climate change is to be gained. © 2001 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.