Investigating snow cover effect on distribution of lichen and moss in Barton Peninsula, King George Island, Antarctica

Abstract

Small vegetation such as lichen and moss is distributed in maritime Antarctic, and has undergone fluctuations in distribution patterns from environmental changes. Snow cover has been recognized as one of the factor affecting to the distribution patterns of lichen and moss, together with solar radiation and moisture. To investigate the effect of snow cover on distribution of lichen and moss around King Sejong Station in Barton Peninsula, King George Island, Antarctica, we acquired very-high-resolution digital images using RGB and near-infrared digital cameras attached on moving frame. Each image dataset was mosaicked using structure-from-motion (SfM) technique and spatially registered to produce an integrated multispectral imagery. The imagery was converted to a vegetation index map, which reflects vigor and biomass. The index values were divided into discrete zones along the distance from snow cover, and mean index value in each zone was calculated. From the results of the zonal analysis, decreasing vegetation index values were figured out according as the distance to snow increases, indicating a negative effect of snow cover on distribution of lichen and moss.