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As in many parts of the world, the management of environmental science research in Antarctica relies on cost-benefit analysis of negative environmental impact versus positive scientific gain. Several studies have examined the environmental impact of Antarctic field camps, but very little work looks at how the placement of these camps influences scientific research. In this study, we integrate bibliometrics, geospatial analysis, and historical research to understand the relationship between field camp placement and scientific production in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of East Antarctica. Our analysis of the scientific corpus from 1907–2016 shows that, on average, research sites have become less dispersed and closer to field camps over time. Scientific output does not necessarily correspond to the number of field camps, and constructing a field camp does not always lead to a subsequent increase in research in the local area. Our results underscore the need to consider the complex historical and spatial relationships between field camps and research sites in environmental management decision-making in Antarctica and other protected areas. 

Abstract. Over the last half century, the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV)of East Antarctica have become a globally important site for scientificresearch and environmental monitoring. Historical data can make importantcontributions to current research activities and environmental management inAntarctica but tend to be widely scattered and difficult to access. Weaddress this need in the MDV by compiling over 5000 historical photographs,sketches, maps, oral interviews, publications, and other archival resourcesinto an online digital archive. The data have been digitized andgeoreferenced using a standardized metadata structure, which enablesintuitive searches and data discovery via an online interface. The ultimateaim of the archive is to create as comprehensive as possible a record ofhuman activity in the MDV to support ongoing research, management, andconservation efforts. This is a valuable tool for scientists seeking tounderstand the dynamics of change in lakes, glaciers, and other physicalsystems, as well as humanistic inquiry into the history of the SouthernContinent. In addition to providing benchmarks for understanding change overtime, the data can help target field sampling for studies working under theassumption of a pristine landscape by enabling researchers to identify thedate and extent of past human activities. The full database is accessiblevia a web browser-based interface hosted by the McMurdo Long Term EcologicalResearch site: http://mcmurdohistory.lternet.edu/ (last access: 5 May 2020). The completemetadata data for all resources in the database are also available at theEnvironmental Data Initiative: https://doi.org/10.6073/pasta/6744cb28a544fda827805db123d36557(Howkins et al., 2019). 

Abstract Mountains are global biodiversity hotspots where cold environments and their associated ecological communities are threatened by climate warming. Considerable research attention has been devoted to understanding the ecological effects of alpine glacier and snowfield recession. However, much less attention has been given to identifying climate refugia in mountain ecosystems where present‐day environmental conditions will be maintained, at least in the near‐term, as other habitats change. Around the world, montane communities of microbes, animals, and plants live on, adjacent to, and downstream of rock glaciers and related cold rocky landforms (CRL). These geomorphological features have been overlooked in the ecological literature despite being extremely common in mountain ranges worldwide with a propensity to support cold and stable habitats for aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity. CRLs are less responsive to atmospheric warming than alpine glaciers and snowfields due to the insulating nature and thermal inertia of their debris cover paired with their internal ventilation patterns. Thus, CRLs are likely to remain on the landscape after adjacent glaciers and snowfields have melted, thereby providing longer‐term cold habitat for biodiversity living on and downstream of them. Here, we show that CRLs will likely act as key climate refugia for terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity in mountain ecosystems, offer guidelines for incorporating CRLs into conservation practices, and identify areas for future research.