Description
Pony Lake on Ross Island is located on Cape Royds. It is a shallow pond ~120 m long, 70 m wide, and 1-2 m deep. Huts built by Shakleton's expedition of 1908 face the southern end of the pond. The eastern shore of Pony Lake is adjacent to a penguin rookery and the pond has high nutrient concentrations. High levels of Na, Cl, and SO4 are probably due to the marine influence. The water is well mixed by strong winds that prevail at the cape.
Environmental data
Hydrological, biological, chemical, and physical property measurements have been made for a number of McMurdo Dry Valley streams and lakes.
See: LTER Data
Diatom taxa found in
Pony Lake
- Achnanthes taylorensis
- Chamaepinnularia cymatopleura
- Craspedostauros laevissiumus
- Hantzschia amphioxys f. muelleri
- Hantzschia elongata
- Luticola murrayi
- Luticola muticopsis
- Marine diatom fragments
- Mayamaea atomus fo. permitis
- Muelleria peraustralis
- Navicula shackletoni
- Sabbea adminensis
Pony Lake, Ross Island. Map altered from the Antarctic (Amendment) Regulations 2003, Statutory Instrument 2003 No. 323. Crown Copyright 2003.
See: Overview maps
Area around Shackleton's Hut on Cape Royds. Includes Pony Lake? 2001. Photo: Pratigya J. Polissar.
Auger hole in Pony Lake with penguin colony and McMurdo Sound in background. 2001. Photo: Chris Jaros.
