Growth rate and biomass production of Deschampsia antarctica Desv. in the Admiralty Bay Region, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica

Our studies covered three subpopulations of Deschampsia antarctica Desv. in the Admiralty Bay region (

standing crop, growth rate, and produc­ tion was carried out in plant patches and clusters with 100% cover. The maximum standing crop values for the three subpopulations of D. antarctica ranged from 498.80 to 2232.13 (g dry weight DW m). The green biomass values ranged from 294.41 to 1256.62 (g DW m~). The. The net an­ nual production of the above-ground parts estimated on the basis of maximum standing crop val­ ues ranged from 294.41 to 1256.62 (g DW m), while estimated based on the difference between the maximum and the minimum standing crop value ranged from 212.03 to 885.21 (g DW m"). The highest biomass and production were found in a population growing in the vicinity of a pen­ guin rookery, under the most favourable trophic conditions. For all the populations the relative growth rate (RGR) and the unit leaf rate (ULR) showed declining tendencies in ontogenesis.