Adelie and Chinstrap penguins were fitted with both GPS loggers and time-depth recorder (TDR) tags for between two and fourteen days in order to log their three-dimensional foraging trips. Tags were deployed between December and February of 2011/12, 2013/14 and 2015/16 with a total of 36 Adelie penguin GPS tracks, 37 Adelie penguinTDR tracks, 52 Chinstrap penguin GPS tracks and 48 Chinstrap penguin TDR tracks.

Adelie and Chinstrap penguins were fitted with a combined GPS and time-depth recorder (TDR) tags for between two and fourteen days in order to log their three-dimensional foraging trips. Tags were deployed between December and February of 2008 with a total of 19 Adelie penguin tracks and 35 Chinstrap penguin tracks.

Soil temperature was monitored at 5 soil sampling times and ambient air temperature was monitored at each site throughout the field season. The sampling sites were: Bare soil at higher elevations, namely Observation Bluff, Factory Bluffs, Jane Col and lower parts of Spindrift Col; Soils from below mosses on the Backslope and on Moss Braes. Soils from below higher plant species at Bernsten Point, Factory Bluffs, Moss Braes and North Point. Orthinogenic soils from around penguin colonies at Gourlay Peninsula, Spindrift Rocks and North Point and disturbed soil from around Signy Base.

Topographic contours of Signy Island with 10 m intervals, derived from a digital elevation model originally created using stereoscopic photogrammetry from VHR (very high resolution) In-Track stereo satellite imagery collected during March 2015. The topographic contours were created to support the updated release of the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) Signy Island map (BAS, 2024). The dataset is available as a polyline shapefile and a GeoPackage. WorldView-3 satellite images (c) 2015 Maxar Technologies.

Spot heights of Signy Island, derived using stereoscopic photogrammetry from VHR (very high resolution) In-Track stereo satellite imagery collected during March 2015. The spot heights were created to support the updated release of the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) Signy Island map (BAS, 2024) and represent a series of points containing x, y and z values of high points and peaks. The dataset is available as a 3D point shapefile and a GeoPackage. WorldView-3 satellite images (c) 2015 Maxar Technologies.

Soil temperature measurements taken at various sites on Signy Island during the 2008-2009 field season. These measurements were used as part of an investigation to understand the effect of temperature and moisture on the availability of different nitrogen forms.

Soil moisture measurements taken at various sites on Signy Island during the 2008-2009 field season. These measurements were used as part of an investigation to understand the effect of temperature and moisture on the availability of different nitrogen forms.

Land cover of Signy Island, consisting of rock outcrop, moraine, lakes, permanent ice and streams. All data were manually digitised from a VHR (very high resolution) satellite image acquired on the 10th February 2020. WorldView-2 satellite image (c) 2020 Maxar Technologies. The datasets are available as polygon and point shapefiles and GeoPackages. The data were created to support the updated release of the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) Signy Island map (BAS, 2024)

To identify and quantify soil N species over a full growth season, small volumes of soil were removed from each sampling site 5 times during the field season and extracted in the laboratory. Bare soil at higher elevations, namely Observation Bluff, Factory Bluffs, Jane Col and lower parts of Spindrift Col; Soils from below mosses on the Backslope and on Moss Braes. Soils from below higher plant species at Bernsten Point, Factory Bluffs, Moss Braes and North Point. Orthinogenic soils from around penguin colonies at Gourlay peninsula, Spindrift rocks and North Point and disturbed soil from around Signy Base were collected.

To identify and quantify soil N species over a full growth season, small volumes of soil were removed from each sampling site 5 times during the field season and extracted in the laboratory. Bare soil at higher elevations, namely Observation Bluff, Factory Bluffs, Jane Col and lower parts of Spindrift Col; Soils from below mosses on the Backslope and on Moss Braes. Soils from below higher plant species at Bernsten Point, Factory Bluffs, Moss Braes and North Point. Orthinogenic soils from around penguin colonies at Gourlay Peninsula, Spindrift Rocks and North Point and disturbed soil from around Signy Base were collected. At the same time, soil pore water was extracted using Rhizon soil water samplers. DON (Dissolved organic Nitrogen) and Microbial biomass measurements were made by standard CHCl3 fumigation-extraction techniques. Turnover of DON in the soil was determined by the addition of 14C-labelled plant protein (purified from 14C-labelled algal cells) or 14C-labelled glucose to the soil at a range of concentrations, and their turnover (soil label depletion in combination with NH4 +, NO3-and 14CO2 production) was determined. Gross rates of N mineralization and nitrification were determined using 15N isotope dilution methodology. Laboratory analysis of N speciation and quantification, 14C uptake and respiration, 13C PLFA signatures and 15N analysis was done. Amino acid turnover times have been determined using 14C labelled amino acids. For the final stage of the project a mathematical model to describe plant-soil-microbial N fluxes in Antarctic soils was constructed.