Phytoplankton structure and dynamics in a volcanic lake in Deception Island (South Shetland Islands,Antarctica)

This work constitutes the first floristic and ecological analysis of the phytoplankton community of a volcanic freshwater lake in Deception Island (62°57′S, 60°38′W, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica). The main limnological features and phytoplankton size fractions were analyzed. Samples were taken during the austral summer of 2002 at two opposite sites. According to ANOVA results performed with abiotic variables, no significant differences between sites were found. The phytoplankton community showed low algal species richness, with an important contribution of the tychoplanktonic taxa. In terms of species number, Bacillariophyceae was the dominant class. Autotrophic picoplankton registered the highest densities from the second sampling date onwards. Nanophytoplankton was represented by unidentified chrysophycean organisms, which showed different distribution patterns between sites. The net phytoplankton abundance remained low during the sampling period and was strongly correlated with chlorophyll a concentration. Both nutrient concentrations and chlorophyll a values indicated oligotrophic conditions.     

Soil microalgal communities on an antarctic active volcano (Deception Island,South Shetlands)

Contemporary eruptive episodes and present volcanic activity at Deception Island have created a mosaic of different environmental conditions. In this study, the microalgal communities inhabiting 18 sites differing in geology, degree of disturbance and physico-chemical features (texture, water, organic matter and nutrient contents) were characterized in terms of composition, species richness and biomass. One hundred and forty taxa were recorded, with richest communities associated with stable sites and some of the poorest ones in locations affected by recent eruptions. In accordance, a canonical correspondence analysis ordinated species and sites along the first axis according to the percentage of coarse particles, and degree of disturbance (eigenvalues 0.79 and 0.65, P = 0.04). Results of a cluster analysis grouped firstly those algal taxa with high fidelity to one set of environmental conditions, while “ubiquitous” ones had the lowest similarity values. These taxa, mainly filamentous Cyanobacteria and diatoms, are the only colonizers of harsher or recently formed environments.     

Thermal summer characteristics of lakes and ponds on Deception Island,Antarctica

During January and February 1981, water temperature measurements were made in lakes and ponds of Deception Island, Antarctica. The depth of these waterbodies varies between 0.88 m and 36 m, with maximum surface areas of over 290 000 m². Some ponds freeze completely during winter, and the lakes are covered by ice for 9–10 months of each year. The maximum ice thickness measured in early summer (December), dit not exceed 0.5 m. Solar radiation and geothermal heating largely determine the thermal structure of these aquatic environments. The water temperature of tributary meltwater streams did not exceed 3 °C, but the littoral waters reached 9 °C. The bottom water temperatures of meromictic lakes 5 (Irízar) and 9, are 12.3 °C and 19.9 °C respectively. These deep waters are heated from geothermal sources and it is possible that some ponds may be also influenced by their proximity to hot soils. With the exception of the meromictic lakes, the aquatic environments studied here did not show a vertical stratification of temperature. It is not possible to establish a general thermal classification for the waterbodies of Deception Island. The interaction of the lacustrine morphology, solar radiation and vulcanism produce contrasting thermal features. Taking into account only the upper layers of meromictic lakes (mixolimnion), and emphasizing the fact of that some ponds freeze completely during winter, the waterbodies of Deception Island would be classified as ‘pleomictics’ (Paschaslki, 1964). This work was supported by an agreement between the Instituto Antártico Argentino and the Instituto Nacional de Limnología (Programa Limnoantar). This work was supported by an agreement between the Instituto Antártico Argentino and the Instituto Nacional de Limnología (Programa Limnoantar).     

Algal communities at Gouqi Island in the Zhoushan archipelago, China

The kelp bed of Gouqi Island lies in the east of the East China Sea, in the Shengsi Archipelago. It is a key component of the island-reef ecosystem. This study evaluated kelp beds on intertidal and subtidal zones from 2004 to 2006. We evaluated seasonal variations in the community structure of macroalgae, and their relationship with water temperature, nitrogen and phytoplankton. The Gouqi Island kelp bed consists mainly of species of Sargassum. Sargassum horneri was the dominant species in subtidal zones, representing 90% of the total biomass. The dominant species in intertidal zones were S. fusiforme, S. horneri, S. thunbergii and Undaria pinnatifida. Fifty-four phytoplankton species were found in the Gouqi Island kelp bed, of which 51 species were found inside the kelp beds, 43 species outside the kelp beds, and 40 species were present both inside and outside the kelp beds. Diatoms were dominant both inside and outside the kelp beds. Except in winter, Skeletonema costatum was dominant, and its abundance in autumn was over 98% of the total abundance. Water temperature was found to be the primary factor influencing the growth of S. horneri in the Gouqi Island kelp bed. S. horneri grew slowly from November to March, and rapidly from March to June. The upper temperature limit for growth of S. horneri was about 18°C. Higher water temperatures can result in a decline in the kelp bed. Nitrogen seemed to be a limiting factor for macroalgal growth. This was particularly true for S. horneri and phytoplankton. Since nitrate is the primary nutrient for S. horneri, its absorption by S. horneri resulted in seasonal changes of nitrate in the ecosystem.     

Community structure and physiological characterization of microbial mats in Byers Peninsula, Livingston Island (South Shetland Islands, Antarctica)

The community structure and physiological characteristics of three microbial mat communities in Byers Peninsula (Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica) were compared. One of the mats was located at the edge of a stream and was dominated by diatoms (with a thin basal layer of oscillatorian cyanobacteria), whereas the other two mats, located over moist soil and the bottom of a pond, respectively, were dominated by cyanobacteria throughout their vertical profiles. The predominant xanthophyll was fucoxanthin in the stream mat and myxoxanthophyll in the cyanobacteria-dominated mats. The sheath pigment scytonemin was absent in the stream mat but present in the soil and pond mats. The stream mat showed significantly lower delta13C and higher delta15N values than the other two mats. Consistent with the delta15N values, N2 fixation was negligible in the stream mat. The soil mat was the physiologically most active community. It showed rates of photosynthesis three times higher than in the other mats, and had the highest rates of ammonium uptake, nitrate uptake and N2 fixation. These observations underscore the taxonomic and physiological diversity of microbial mat communities in the maritime Antarctic region.     

Impact of suspended mussels (Mytilus edulis L.) on plankton communities in a Magdalen Islands lagoon (Québec, Canada): A mesocosm approach

The Grande-Entrée Lagoon (Magdalen Islands, Canada) has supported mussel (Mytilus edulis) cultivation for the last 25 years. Algal biomass in this lagoon is relatively low while heterotrophic plankton biomass is high. Although often considered herbivorous, it is known that filter-feeding bivalves can consume various types of food, from bacteria to zooplankton. We hypothesize that along with phytoplankton, heterotrophs constitute an important food resource for the Grande-Entrée mussels. In situ mesocosm experiments were undertaken at different seasons using short socks filled with mussels from the same cohort taken from an aquaculture farm, in order to determine the impact of cultured mussels on local plankton communities and assess the role of heterotrophs. Filtration activity by the mussels and associated epibionts present in the socks was expressed as clearance rates (CR). The average CR over all taxa was lowest in June and highest in October. Diatoms, dinoflagellates and heterotrophic protists constituted the bulk of planktonic carbon removed by mussels. While smaller-sized taxa contributed little (< 5%) to mussel carbon intake, large-sized heterotrophs (namely ciliates) contributed 69 to 88%. Taxon-marker pigment analyses generally confirmed these observations for groups containing phototrophic pigments. The high heterotrophic biomass retained by mussels indicates they are a major food source for mussels in this environment and should be considered both in the evaluation of mussel feeding and in assessing the influence of cultured mussels on local plankton ecosystems.     

A Preliminary Study of Microalgae in the Intertidal Zones of the Deception Island,Antarctica

his paper first presents a report on the composition and distribution of microalgae in the intertidal zones of the Deception Island, Antarctica. These microalgae samples were collected from six mud-sand flats stations on 21 January 1987. 179 taxa of microalgae belonging to Bacillariophyta (125 species, 25 varieties and 2 forma, 34 genera), Cyanophyta (18 species and 2 varieties, 6 genera), Pyrrophyta (6 species, 4 genera) and Chrysophyta (1 species 1 genus) were observed. The six dominant microalgae in each habitat are Fragilaria bongrainii, F. oceanica, F. striatula, F. islandica, Navicula antarctica and Synedra kerguelensis var. antarctica. Rhabdonema arcuatum, Cocconeis antiqua and Licmophora gracilis are abundant in station 4, 5 and 6. Oscillatoria spp., Lyngbya antarctica, Phormidium antarcticum and Nodularia spp. are also abundant in station 1, 2 and 3. The values of diversity indice for microalgae varied from 2. 85 to 6.86. The values of similarity indice in microalgae composition between biotopes ranged from 32 to 79 for pairs of stations. Microalgal species composition and quantitative distribution are depended on per cent contents of mud-sand and claysilt at different stations.     

Fish of Admiralty Bay (King George Island,South Shetland Islands,Antarctica)

Summary The species composition of the ichthyofauna of Admiralty Bay, King George Island was determined from results of sampling using bottom trawls, gill-nets and long-lines. Thirty-five species from 24 genera and 10 families (Table 1) were found. The number of species increased with depth (e.g. 7 species at 100 m, 14 species at 255 m and 21 species at 540 m), a tendency characteristic of Antarctic waters. In the bay, the catch rate obtained with a bottom trawl (greater than 30 kg/h) was roughly ten times lower than the catch rate using the same gear on the shelf around the Island. Notothenia gibberifrons was the dominant species in all trawls. The majority of these fish (about 95%) were immature juveniles (Table 4). Younger fish were found to inhabit shallower waters (Fig. 1). The majority of the fish of species Notothenia coriiceps neglecta, Notothenia rossii marmorata, Notothenia nudifrons, Trematomus newnesi and Trematomus bernacchii preferred waters about 255 m deep. Fourteen specimens of a previously undescribed species of the genus Psilodraco (currently being described by H. DeWitt) were caught in the bay within the 146 to 540 m depth range. The rare zoarcid, Lycenchelys aratrirostris, was also caught in Admirality Bay; previously this species had only been reported from the Elephant Island region. In the case of Trematomus newnesi, the occurrence of scales in the interorbital space was noted (Fig. 2), an observation which verifies this feature as a distinct taxonomical criterion for this species.     

The composition of the coastal fish fauna around Elephant Island (South Shetland Islands, Antarctica)

The composition of the coastal fish fauna around Elephant Island (northern South Shetland Islands) was investigated during seven bottom trawl surveys of FRV “Walther Herwig”, FV “Polarstern” and FRV “Yuzhmorgeologiya” from 1981 to 1998. Low-Antarctic (or lesser or peri-Antarctic) fish species were the predominant element of the coastal fish fauna. Large-scale fishing from 1978 to 1981 reduced stock sizes of the most abundant species Champsocephalus gunnari and Notothenia rossii to the extent that only a small fraction of the initial stock remained. After the period of intensive fishing, Gobionotothen gibberifrons became the most abundant species around the island. The by-catch species, which had probably been less affected by harvesting, recovered by the end of the 1980s/beginning of the 1990s. Fish biomass was highest in the 100- to 400-m depth range. An MDS plot revealed the existence of five groups of species that overlapped in their distribution to some extent. One important factor that separated the five groups was depth. Other factors that might have been important in structuring the vertical distribution of the fish fauna, such as bottom topography and sediment type, could not be investigated. Species composition was dominated by a few abundant low-Antarctic species. In four of the five groups, G. gibberifrons was by far the most abundant species, after C. gunnari and N. rossii had been largely eliminated due to fishing. Only in the 100- to 200-m depth range was C. gunnari more abundant than G. gibberifrons. In the 400- to 500-m depth stratum, a high-Antarctic species, Chionodraco rastrospinosus, and Lepidonotothen squamifrons, a species of Patagonian origin which lacks antifreeze glycopeptides, gained some importance. Species richness showed a positive trend with increasing depth. Evenness and Hill's N1 index were highest in the shallowest and deepest depth strata. Hill's N2 index was lowest in depth strata 3 and 4, which had the most even distribution of the abundant fish species. Accepted: 21 May 2000     

Photosymbiotic ascidians from Pari Island (Thousand Islands,Indonesia)

Photosymbiotic ascidian fauna were surveyed in the subtidal zone off Pari Island in the Thousand Islands (Java Sea, Indonesia). Nine species were recorded: Didemnum molle, Trididemnum miniatum, Lissoclinum patella, L. punctatum, L. timorense, Diplosoma gumavirens, D. simile, D. simileguwa, and D. virens. All of these species have been previously recorded in the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan. Diplosoma gumavirens and D. simileguwa were originally described from the Ryukyu Archipelago in 2009 and 2005, respectively, and all of the observed species are potentially widely distributed in Indo–West Pacific coral reefs.     

Diatom communities in small water bodies at H. Arctowski Polish Antarctic Station (King George Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica)

An investigation of ponds, puddles and slow-flowing waters situated in the area of the Polish Antarctic Station distinguished two groups of diatom communities. The first group characterized waters poor in nutrients and brackish. The number of taxa, abundance of species and diatom biomass index were all low. Nitzschia homburgiensis, Achnanthes laevis var. quadratarea and A. delicatula prevailed. The second group characterized water richer in nutrients and brackish. The number of species was also low, but the diatom biomass index was higher. Nitzschia gracilis, Navicula gregaria and Navicula wiesneri formed large populations. Received: 17 May 1996 / Accepted: 20 September 1997     

Provisioning and growth in chicks of Wilson's storm-petrels (Oceanites oceanicus) on King George Island, South Shetland Islands

We present data on chick growth and chick feeding in Wilson's storm-petrel (Oceanites oceanicus) in a colony on King George Island, South Shetland Islands. Chicks were repeatedly weighed and the weight differences over 24 h were corrected for metabolic loss in order to obtain an estimation of meal sizes. Chicks were fed on 93% of the nights (n=688 nights). The average meal size for a single feeding was 8.5 g. Chicks received on average 1.2 feedings per night. These results are compared with data for this species from other locations. There was a trend for increased meal sizes from northern to southern populations, parallel to an increase in the adult mass, indicating that Wilson's storm-petrels carry optimal meal sizes according to their body size and may take advantage of increased food abundance by increasing feeding frequencies. We describe chick growth and discuss the influence of egg size, hatching date and feeding frequency on chick growth. The egg size had a positive influence on tarsus growth and body mass of chicks. Later-hatched chicks started wing growth and finished mass growth at a younger age and reached lower peak masses, indicating that late chicks may adapt to the restricted breeding season in their Antarctic breeding grounds by a more rapid development, but will fledge with a lower degree of development and less resources. Accepted: 22 May 2000     

Aspects of the foraging behaviour of the Antarctic Tern Sterna vittata gaini at Harmony Point, South Shetland Islands

During January and February of 2002 and 2003, we studied the diet of the Antarctic Tern Sterna vittata gaini at two colonies in Nelson Island, South Shetland Islands, by identifying the prey fed to chicks by breeders. The fish Notothenia coriiceps was the main prey in both seasons, followed by the myctophid Electrona antarctica, Antarctic krill Euphausia superba and gammarid amphipods. The contribution of fish to the diet increased as chicks grew older. Fish and amphipods were brought to chicks during the day, whereas adults brought Antarctic krill at sunrise and sunset. Both the duration of the feeding trips and the number of trips per foraging bout varied according to the type of prey caught. Preliminary information suggests that, among other causes, the foraging strategy is strongly influenced by the predation pressure of skuas on chicks. Results are compared with the only two previous study on the diet of the Antarctic Tern at the South Shetland Islands.     

Biodiversity and biogeographic affiliation of Bryozoa from King George Island (Antarctica)

King George Island (KGI), which is located between the Antarctic and South American continents, may play a crucial role in the exchange of Bryozoa amongst the various Antarctic sectors and across the Polar Front. Knowledge regarding the biological diversity of this area could help us understand the evolution of the Antarctic ecosystem and its connectivity to the South American continent as well as the colonization ability of particular species. Here, we investigate the patterns of diversity and biogeographic affiliation of the cheilostome Bryozoa from KGI and the surrounding areas. Of 114 identified taxa from a depth range of 6–492 m, 26 species were reported for the first time in KGI. The most speciose genera were Camptoplites, Osthimosia, Smittina, and Cellarinella. Species richness at KGI consisted of 70% of the total bryozoans at the South Shetland Islands (SSI). Fifty-nine per cent of the bryozoans from KGI are endemic to Antarctica, which closely reflects the previously estimated endemism rate for bryozoans and other Antarctic taxa. Cluster analysis indicated that the strongest faunal links of SSI bryozoans were with Antarctic Peninsula assemblages, corresponding to the physical distance between both locations. The biogeographic similarities between SSI and South America confirm the broad trend of existing Antarctic–South American faunal links previously observed in bryozoans and many other taxa and indicate that SSI might be an important transitional zone between Antarctica and South America.     

Isolation and Characterization of Thermophilic Bacillus spp. from Geothermal Environments on Deception Island,South Shetland Archipelago

Abstract Ten bacterial strains isolated from water and sediment samples taken from geothermal areas of Deception Island, in the South Shetland archipelago, were found to represent six distinct types of thermophilic, Gram-positive, aerobic, catalase positive, endospore-forming rods, identified as Bacillus sp. Six representative strains were subjected to routine phenotypic characterization, numerical taxonomic, and chemotaxonomic analyses. Two isolates were identified as thermophilic strains of B. licheniformis and B. megaterium, but the four other strains could not be identified as known species of Bacillus and, hence, may represent new ones. Received: 28 March 1996; Accepted: 29 August 1996     

The occurrence of potentially toxic dinoflagellates and diatoms in a subtropical lagoon, the Indian River Lagoon, Florida, USA

The occurrence of potentially toxic phytoplankton species was examined over a 5-year period in a region of the Indian River Lagoon in Florida that has recently been subject to ecologically significant events, putatively related to algal toxins. The results of the study reveal a significant presence of two species of phytoplankton that have been shown to be toxic in Florida or other regions of world, the dinoflagellate Pyrodinium bahamense var. bahamense and the diatom Pseudo-nitzschia pseudodelicatissima. Concentrations of the former species reached 638,000 cells l⁻¹ and concentrations of the latter reached 23.9 million cells l⁻¹. In addition, the abundance of one of these species, P. bahamense var. bahamense appears to have increased over the 5-year study period from 1997 to 2002. It may be hypothesized that rainfall events following a regional drought period resulted in a flushing of bioavailable phosphorus and nitrogen into the Indian River Lagoon that stimulated P. bahamense var. bahamense blooms. The significance of these results is discussed within the context of the ecology of this flow-restricted lagoon.     

A mesoscale study of phytoplankton assemblages around the South Shetland Islands (Antarctica)

Phytoplankton assemblages around the South Shetland Islands (SSI) were closely related to mesoscale physical features, based on high spatial resolution sampling performed during the summer of 2010. Sampling was done in 8 transects with stations 9 km apart. Phytoplankton groups were described using flow cytometry, FlowCAM and HPLC/CHEMTAX pigment analysis. Nanophytoplankton (2–20 μm) was predominant throughout the study area, which was dominated by small diatoms. They were distributed along the stratified waters of the SSI shelf and in the centre of the Bransfield Strait where an anticyclonic eddy was detected, established between two frontal structures [Bransfield Front and Peninsula Front (PF)]. The highest concentrations correlated with mid-to-high temperatures (1.07 °C) and mid-salinities (34.03) corresponding with Transitional Bellinghausen Water stations. Haptophytes distribution co-varied with small diatoms but also appeared in those vertical mixed stations with Transitional Zonal Water with Weddell Sea influence. A shift from smaller to larger diatoms was detected at the ice edge in the Antarctic Sound. Cryptophytes were restricted to stratified stations of the SSI shelf and those associated with the PF, while small prasinophytes were the only group occupying deeper and colder waters of the Drake Passage, beneath the Antarctic Surface Water, north of a narrow frontal region described here for the first time (Shetland Front). Phytoplankton assemblages around the SSI were strongly connected with the Bransfield Current System, supporting a clockwise circulation around the archipelago. The Bransfield Current System components are permanent structures during the austral summer suggesting that the distribution of phytoplankton, which responds to these structures, must also be a quasi-permanent feature.