Long-term changes in contamination and macrobenthic communities adjacent to McMurdo Station, Antarctica

Palmer, Terence A.; Klein, Andrew G.; Sweet, Stephen T.; Montagna, Paul A.; Hyde, Larry J.; Sericano, José L.; Wade, Terry L.; Kennicutt, Mahlon C.; Pollack, Jennifer Beseres

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142798

Cited by 11 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 38 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…when annual sampling of multiple sites is impossible). Our investigation demonstrated shifts in both low food sites (NH) and high food sites (CE) in McMurdo Sound and supported the new paradigm of dynamism in these iconic communities on time scales of years rather than decades or centuries (Kim et al, 2019; Palmer et al, 2021).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 75%

“…As a general indication of how sea ice conditions varied during the available 16-year satellite data record, we divided the dataset into equal halves and compared the two periods (means ± 1 SE;2002- 2009 and 2010-2017; n = 8 years each). The data were split coincident with a reversal in IPO 11year index values (see Section 3; negative IPO values are associated with expansion of sea ice in the Ross Sea;Meehl et al, 2016;Palmer et al, 2021). Although peaks and troughs in other climate indices did not exactly coincide with the IPO 11year reversal, our analysis provided information on sea ice conditions leading up to the two sampling events at NH(2009, 2017) and illustrated differences in sea ice among sites and over time at all three McMurdo Sound study sites (Figures1 and 2).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Climate cascades affect coastal Antarctic seafloor ecosystem functioning

Lohrer

Norkko

Thrush

et al. 2021

Global Change Biology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Polar seafloor ecosystems are changing rapidly and dramatically, challenging previously held paradigms of extreme dynamical stability. Warming-related declines in polar sea ice are expected to alter fluxes of phytoplankton and under-ice algae to the seafloor. Yet, how changes in food flux cascade through to seafloor communities and functions remains unclear. We leveraged natural spatial and temporal gradients in summertime sea ice extent to better understand the trajectories and implications of climate-related change in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. McMurdo Sound was expected to be one of the last coastal marine environments on Earth to be affected by planetary warming, but the situation may be changing. Comparing satellite observations of selected coastal sites in McMurdo Sound between 2010-2017 and 2002-2009 revealed more ice-free days per year, and shorter distances to open water during the warmest months each year, in the more recent period. Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO), Oceanic Niño Index (ONI) and Antarctic Oscillation (AAO) climate indices peaked concurrently between 2014 and 2017 when sea ice breakouts in McMurdo Sound were most spatially and temporally extensive. Increases in sediment chlorophyll a and phaeophytin content (indicating increased deposition of detrital algal food material) were recorded during 2014-2017 at three coastal study sites in McMurdo Sound following the major sea ice breakouts. Soft-sediment seafloor ecosystem metabolism (measured in benthic incubation chambers as dissolved oxygen and inorganic nutrient fluxes) was correlated with sediment algal pigment concentration. Epifaunal invertebrate density, particularly opportunistic sessile suspension feeders, and infaunal community composition also shifted with increased food supply. The ecological characteristics and functions measured at the food-poor sites shifted towards those observed at richer sites at a surprisingly fast pace. These results indicate the sensitivity of the benthos and shed light on Antarctic marine trophic cascades and trajectories of response of iconic high-latitude seafloor habitats to a warming climate.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 75%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate cascades affect coastal Antarctic seafloor ecosystem functioning

Lohrer

Norkko

Thrush

et al. 2021

Global Change Biology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Sampling occurred at different depths along transects radiating from Palmer Station, following Kennicutt et al (1992aKennicutt et al ( , 1992b. Transects were sampled in probably contaminated and reference areas, as conducted at McMurdo Station (Kennicutt et al 2010, Palmer et al 2021. Documenting the potential effects of humans on the marine environment required depth-dependent methods to compensate for vertical zonation in bottom substrate that occurs adjacent to Palmer Station.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This research is part of a larger project that was designed to establish the framework for a long-term monitoring programme that could be used to partially fulfil the USA's obligations as a signatory to the Antarctic Treaty to monitor the local effects of humans on the environment (see ATPEP; www.ats.aq). Similar monitoring techniques that have successfully been used at USAP's McMurdo Station (see Kennicutt et al 2010, Klein et al 2012, Palmer et al 2021 were applied to the smaller and environmentally different Palmer Station to test the transferability of techniques, methodologies and designs to other areas of Antarctica with human occupation. This marine environmental study at Palmer Station builds on previous work that documented sediment and limpet tissue contamination in the vicinity from 1989 to 1992 (see Kennicutt et al 1992aKennicutt et al , 1992b.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Macrobenthic communities have been used to determine pollution effects adjacent to several Antarctic research stations including extensively at McMurdo Station (e.g. Dayton & Robilliard 1971, Conlan et al 2004, Palmer et al 2021), Casey Station (e.g. Thompson et al 2003, Stark et al 2014), Davis Station (Stark et al 2016) and Palmer Station (Hyland et al 1994).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Anthropogenic effects on the marine environment adjacent to Palmer Station, Antarctica

et al. 2021

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Localized contamination from research-related activities and its effects on macrofauna communities in the marine environment were investigated at Palmer Station, a medium-sized Antarctic research station. Relatively low concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs; 32–302 ng g-1) and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs; 0.9–8.9 μg g-1) were detected in sediments adjacent to the sewage outfall and pier, where most human activities were expected to have occurred, and at even lower concentrations at two seemingly reference areas (PAHs 6–30 ng g-1, TPHs 0.03–5.1 μg g-1). Elevated concentrations of PAHs in one sample taken in one reference area (816 ng g-1) and polychlorinated biphenyls (353 ng g-1) and dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (3.2 and 25.3 ng g-1) in two samples taken adjacent to the sewage outfall indicate spatial heterogeneity of localized sediment contamination. Limpet (Nacella concinna) tissues collected adjacent to Palmer Station had high concentrations of PAHs, copper, lead, zinc and several other metals relative to outlying islands. Sediment and limpet tissue contaminant concentrations have decreased since the early 1990s following the Bahía Paraíso spill. Natural sediment characteristics affected macrofaunal community composition more than contamination adjacent to Palmer Station, presumably because of the low overall contamination levels.

show abstract

Diverse marine benthic communities and reduced anthropogenic contaminants near Scott Base (Hut Point Peninsula, Ross Island, Antarctica)

et al. 2023

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Antarctic marine ecosystems are largely thought to be among the planet’s least impacted, yet habitats adjacent to research stations can be heavily polluted. Despite long-term monitoring and remediation being high priorities for international environmental protection, the ecological responses to contaminants and stressors remains poorly characterised, limiting our ability to manage and reduce human impacts. This study compares epifaunal community composition at two sites close to Scott Base with a reference site further away. We couple these data with environmental characteristics, including current data, sediment properties, and contaminant concentrations within the sediment and in the tissues of two epifaunal species, both from this survey and those previously reported. Previously high concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls and polyaromatic hydrocarbons are now undetectable and concentrations of heavy metals were mostly similar or reduced compared to previous data from 2002. High within-site variance suggests localised contamination footprints from being situated within a deposition zone and/or from the erosion of anthropogenic debris. Despite the persistence of some metals (arsenic, copper and lead) at one site, our study revealed high biodiversity at all three sites (22–28 taxa per 0.25 m2). Benthic community structure was influenced by a combination of factors, including sea ice characteristics, sediment type and habitat complexity. Overall, our study clearly highlights the influence of human activities on the benthos in adjacent marine habitats. The established monitoring protocols coupling diver and remote sampling will enable regular monitoring, filling a critical need for time-series data in order to detect long-term trends and interactions with climate drivers.

show abstract

Long-term changes in contamination and macrobenthic communities adjacent to McMurdo Station, Antarctica

Cited by 11 publications

References 38 publications

Climate cascades affect coastal Antarctic seafloor ecosystem functioning

Climate cascades affect coastal Antarctic seafloor ecosystem functioning

Anthropogenic effects on the marine environment adjacent to Palmer Station, Antarctica

Diverse marine benthic communities and reduced anthropogenic contaminants near Scott Base (Hut Point Peninsula, Ross Island, Antarctica)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About