1.The lakes and ponds in the Larsemann Hills and Bolingen Islands (East-Antarctica) are characterised by cyanobacteria-dominated, benthic microbial mat communities. A 56-lake dataset representing the limnological diversity among the more than 150 lakes and ponds in the region was developed to identify the nature and quantify the effects of the abiotic conditions structuring the cyanobacterial and diatom communities. 2.Limnological diversity in the lakes of the Larsemann Hills and Bolingen Islands is primarily determined by salinity and salinity related variables (concentrations of major ions, conductivity and alkalinity), and variation in lake morphometry (depth, catchment and lake area). Low pigment, phosphate and nitrogen concentrations, and DOC and TOC levels in the water column of most lakes underscore the ecological success of benthic microbial mats in this region. 3.Benthic communities consisted of prostrate, sometimes finely laminated mats, flake mats, epilithic and interstitial microbial mats. Mat physiognomy and chlorophyll/carotenoid ratios were strongly related to lake depth, but not to salinity. 4.Morphological-taxonomic analyses revealed the presence of 27 diatom morphospecies and 34 cyanobacterial morphotypes. Mats of shallow lakes (interstitial and flake mats) and those of deeper lakes (prostrate mats) were characterized by different dominant cyanobacterial morphotypes. No relationship was found between the distribution of these morphotypes and salinity. In contrast, variation in diatom species composition was strongly related to both lake depth and salinity. Shallow ponds are mainly characterised by aerial diatoms (e.g. Diadesmis cf. perpusilla and Hantzschia spp.). In deep lakes, communities are dominated by Psammothidium abundans and Stauroforma inermis. Lakes with conductivities higher than 1.5 mS/cm become susceptible to freezing out of salts and hence pronounced salinity fluctuations. In these lakes Psammothidium abundans and Stauroforma inermis are replaced by Amphora veneta. Stomatocysts were only important in shallow freshwater lakes. 5.Ice cover influences microbial mat structure and composition both directly by physical disturbance in shallow lakes and by influencing light availability in deeper lakes, as well as indirectly by generating salinity increases and promoting the development of seasonal anoxia. 6.The relationship between diatom species composition and salinity and depth is statistically significant. Transfer functions based on these data can therefore be used in paleolimnological reconstruction to infer changes in the precipitation-evaporation balance in continental Antarctic lakes. These data were also collected under the auspices of the Micromat Project, Biodiversity of Microbial mats in Antarctica (see the URL below). The fields in this dataset are: Lake Lake number Location Latitude Longitude Altitude (m) Area (ha) Catchment (ha) Depth (m) Distance from Plateau Distance from Sea Geology Substrate Presence Absence pH Alkalinity Nitrate Nitrite Ammonium Silicate Phosphate Oxygen Salinity Turbidity Conductivity Sodium Potassium Calcium Magnesium Chlorine Sulphur Bicarbonate Hydrocarbonate Total Organic Carbon Dissolved Organic Carbon

Blood samples from 35 seals have been collected for serum biochemistry analysis. Scats from 20 animals have been collected for parasitology. Estimated weights and morphometric measurements from 35 animals have been collected. The data for this project are presented in a number of excel worksheets. In addition, a word document is also included in the download file which fully explains each spreadsheet. A precis of that word document is copied below. Haematology Data from haematological analysis performed on fresh whole blood collected from leopard seals between 27.12.1999-22.01.2002 and Weddell seals between 02.01.2001-21.01.2002 off Davis Station in the Austral summer seasons of 1999/2000, 2000/2001 and 2001/2002. Serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) Data from SPE analysis performed on serum (stored at -80 degrees C) collected from leopard seals between 27.12.1999-22.01.2002 and Weddell seals between 02.01.2001-21.01.2002 off Davis Station in the Austral summer seasons of 1999/2000, 2000/2001 and 2001/2002. Serum Biochemistry Data from biochemistry analysis performed on serum (stored at -80 degrees C) collected from leopard seals between 27.12.1999-22.01.2002 and Weddell seals between 02.01.2001-21.01.2002 off Davis Station in the Austral summer seasons of 1999/2000, 2000/2001 and 2001/2002. Trace element and heavy metal analysis Data from trace element and heavy metal analysis performed on serum (-80 degrees C), fur, frozen (-20 degrees C) and formalin (10%) fixed tissues, plasma (-80 degrees C), EDTA plasma (-80 degrees C), washed red blood cells (-80 degrees C) and urine (-20 degrees C) collected from leopard seals between 27.12.1999-17.02.2002 and Weddell seals between 02.01.2001-21.01.2002 off Davis Station in the Austral summer seasons of 1999/2000, 2000/2001 and 2001/2002 using inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy. The spreadsheet is organised into six worksheets: 1.Serum (micro g/L) 2.Fur (micro g/g dry weight) 3.Frozen tissues (micro g/g dry weight) 4.Plasma and RBC (red blood cells) (micro g/L) 5.Urine (micro g/L) 6.Formalin tissues (micro g/g dry weight) Faecal Parasites Data from faecal flotation in saturated salt solution performed on fresh and frozen (- 20 degrees C) scats collected from leopard seals between 23.11.1999-17.02.2002 and Weddell seals between 06.12.2000-16.01.2002 off Davis Station in the Austral summer seasons of 1999/2000, 2000/2001 and 2001/2002. The fields in this dataset are: Glucose Urea Creatinine Fibrinogen Protein Albumin Globulin Bilirubin ALP AST ALT Creatinine Kinase Cholesterol Calcium Phosphate Sodium Potassium Chloride Bicarbonate Anion Gap Amylase Lipase Date Faeces Cestode eggs Ascarid Eggs PCV WCC Neutrophil Eosinophil Basophil Lymphocyte Monocyte Band Neutrophil Serum Magnesium Aluminium Vandium Chromium Manganese Iron Cobalt Nickel Copper Zinc Arsenic Selenium Cadmium Mercury Lead Bismuth Date