ON THE UPTAKE OF ORNITHOGENIC PRODUCTS BY PLANTS ON THE INLAND MOUNTAINS OF DRONNING-MAUD-LAND, ANTARCTICA, USING STABLE ISOTOPES

Breeding snow petrels (Pagodroma nivea) may be a major source of nutri ents for the ecosystems on the inland nunataks (mountain outcrops) of continental Antarctica. To test this theory, the delta(15)N and delta( 13)C values of soil and plants (moss, lichen and algae) from 11 nunata ks with and without breeding snow petrels in northwestern Dronning Mau d Land were compared. High delta(15)N values in all samples from nunat aks with breeding birds provide a strong indication of the presence of breeding birds, as well as the use of bird-derived nitrogen by the pl ants of these ecosystems. The delta(13)C values showed little differen ce between the nunataks and are not a useful indicator of bird effects on ecosystem development.