A spatial model of Marion Island's palaeo-ice extent

Autor: Elizabeth M. Rudolph, David W. Hedding, Werner Nel
Rok vydání: 2022
Předmět:
Zdroj: Antarctic Science. 34:365-373
ISSN: 1365-2079
0954-1020
Popis: Sub-Antarctic Marion Island's glacial history has acted as a control on abiotic terrestrial processes and the colonization and distribution of biotic species found on the island today. Recent chronological studies have shown an early deglaciation of the island and identified new geomorphological features associated with past ice dynamics. These permit a reassessment of ice extent during and after the island's last local glacial maximum. In this paper, we provide a revised reconstruction of the island's palaeo-ice extent by using a geomorphology-based approach to delineate palaeo-ice margins and demarcate possible glacial basins. The model presented here provides the needed spatial context for future studies on the variations in the distribution of species (e.g. microorganisms and plant species) and abiotic processes and forms (e.g. soil development and periglacial landforms). In addition, it highlights areas that require improved geophysical assessment in order to produce a more complete island-scale reconstruction of former ice extents (e.g. the west coast).
Databáze: OpenAIRE