Microbial mat development and production variation in relation to physio-chemical variation in 13 ponds that all originated from one greater pond near Bratina Island on the McMurdo Ice Shelf

To study this variation a series of 13 ponds were selected that had originated from one greater pond which had drained due to a tide crack opening up. Cores of microbial mats were collected from all 13 ponds for particulate nutrient and pigment analyses, biomass determination and species composition.

Surface water samples from 13 ponds were also collected for phytoplankton, chlorophyll a, particulate nutrients and dissolved nutrient analysis. Photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation experiments were conducted on microbial mats collected from 7 ponds. Conductivity and pH measurements, coupled with gross mat morphology were used to select the most contrasting ponds.