1
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Frinault BAV, Barnes DKA. Variability in zoobenthic blue carbon storage across a southern polar gradient. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 199:106621. [PMID: 38909538 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2024] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024]
Abstract
The seabed of the Antarctic continental shelf hosts most of Antarctica's known species, including taxa considered indicative of vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs). Nonetheless, the potential impact of climatic and environmental change, including marine icescape transition, on Antarctic shelf zoobenthos, and their blue carbon-associated function, is still poorly characterised. To help narrow knowledge gaps, four continental shelf study areas, spanning a southern polar gradient, were investigated for zoobenthic (principally epi-faunal) carbon storage (a component of blue carbon), and potential environmental influences, employing a functional group approach. Zoobenthic carbon storage was highest at the two southernmost study areas (with a mean estimate of 41.6 versus 7.2 g C m-2) and, at each study area, increased with morphotaxa richness, overall faunal density, and VME indicator density. Functional group mean carbon content varied with study area, as did each group's percentage contribution to carbon storage and faunal density. Of the environmental variables explored, sea-ice cover and primary production, both likely to be strongly impacted by climate change, featured in variable subsets most highly correlating with assemblage and carbon storage (by functional groups) structures. The study findings can underpin biodiversity- and climate-considerate marine spatial planning and conservation measures in the Southern Ocean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bétina A V Frinault
- School of Geography and the Environment, Oxford University Centre for the Environment, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY, UK.
| | - David K A Barnes
- British Antarctic Survey, UK Research and Innovation, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK
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2
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Moreno-Pino M, Manrique-de-la-Cuba MF, López-Rodríguez M, Parada-Pozo G, Rodríguez-Marconi S, Ribeiro CG, Flores-Herrera P, Guajardo M, Trefault N. Unveiling microbial guilds and symbiotic relationships in Antarctic sponge microbiomes. Sci Rep 2024; 14:6371. [PMID: 38493232 PMCID: PMC10944490 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-56480-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Marine sponges host diverse microbial communities. Although we know many of its ecological patterns, a deeper understanding of the polar sponge holobiont is still needed. We combine high-throughput sequencing of ribosomal genes, including the largest taxonomic repertoire of Antarctic sponge species analyzed to date, functional metagenomics, and metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs). Our findings show that sponges harbor more exclusive bacterial and archaeal communities than seawater, while microbial eukaryotes are mostly shared. Furthermore, bacteria in Antarctic sponge holobionts establish more cooperative interactions than in sponge holobionts from other environments. The bacterial classes that established more positive relations were Bacteroidia, Gamma- and Alphaproteobacteria. Antarctic sponge microbiomes contain microbial guilds that encompass ammonia-oxidizing archaea, ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, nitrite-oxidizing bacteria, and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria. The retrieved MAGs showed a high level of novelty and streamlining signals and belong to the most abundant members of the main microbial guilds in the Antarctic sponge holobiont. Moreover, the genomes of these symbiotic bacteria contain highly abundant functions related to their adaptation to the cold environment, vitamin production, and symbiotic lifestyle, helping the holobiont survive in this extreme environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Moreno-Pino
- GEMA Center for Genomics, Ecology & Environment, Universidad Mayor, 8580745, Santiago, Chile
- Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | | | | | - Génesis Parada-Pozo
- GEMA Center for Genomics, Ecology & Environment, Universidad Mayor, 8580745, Santiago, Chile
- Millenium Nucleus in Marine Agronomy of Seaweed Holobionts (MASH), Puerto Montt, Chile
| | | | | | - Patricio Flores-Herrera
- GEMA Center for Genomics, Ecology & Environment, Universidad Mayor, 8580745, Santiago, Chile
| | - Mariela Guajardo
- GEMA Center for Genomics, Ecology & Environment, Universidad Mayor, 8580745, Santiago, Chile
| | - Nicole Trefault
- GEMA Center for Genomics, Ecology & Environment, Universidad Mayor, 8580745, Santiago, Chile.
- Millenium Nucleus in Marine Agronomy of Seaweed Holobionts (MASH), Puerto Montt, Chile.
- FONDAP Center IDEAL- Dynamics of High Latitude Marine Ecosystem, Valdivia, Chile.
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3
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Broad A, Rees M, Knott N, Swadling D, Hammond M, Ingleton T, Morris B, Davis AR. Anchor scour from shipping and the defaunation of rocky reefs: A quantitative assessment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 863:160717. [PMID: 36528099 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Anchor scour from shipping is increasingly recognised as a global threat to benthic marine biodiversity, yet no replicated ecological assessment exists for any seabed community. Without quantification of impacts to biota, there is substantial uncertainty for maritime stakeholders and managers of the marine estate on how these impacts can be managed or minimised. Our study focuses on a region in SE Australia with a high proportion of mesophotic reef (>30 m), where ships anchor while waiting to enter nearby ports. Temperate mesophotic rocky reefs are unique, providing a platform for a diversity of biota, including sponges, ahermatypic corals and other sessile invertebrates. They are rich in biodiversity, provide essential food resources, habitat refugia and ecosystem services for a range of economically, as well as ecologically important taxa. We examined seven representative taxa from four phyla (porifera, cnidaria, bryozoan, hydrozoa) across anchored and 'anchor-free' sites to determine which biota and which of their morphologies were most at risk. Using stereo-imagery, we assessed the richness of animal forest biota, morphology, size, and relative abundance. Our analysis revealed striking impacts to animal forests exposed to anchoring with between three and four-fold declines in morphotype richness and relative abundance. Marked compositional shifts, relative to those reefs that were anchor-free, were also apparent. Six of the seven taxonomic groups, most notably sponge morphotypes, exhibited strong negative responses to anchoring, while one morphotype, soft bryozoans, showed no difference between treatments. Our findings confirm that anchoring on reefs leads to the substantial removal of biota, with marked reductions of biodiversity and requires urgent management. The exclusion of areas of high biological value from anchorages is an important first step towards ameliorating impacts and promoting the recovery of biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Broad
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Matthew Rees
- NSW Department of Primary Industries, Marine Ecosystem Unit, Fisheries Research, 89, Huskisson, NSW 2540, Australia
| | - Nathan Knott
- NSW Department of Primary Industries, Marine Ecosystem Unit, Fisheries Research, 89, Huskisson, NSW 2540, Australia
| | - Daniel Swadling
- NSW Department of Primary Industries, Marine Ecosystem Unit, Fisheries Research, 89, Huskisson, NSW 2540, Australia
| | - Matthew Hammond
- NSW Department of Primary Industries, Marine Ecosystem Unit, Fisheries Research, 89, Huskisson, NSW 2540, Australia
| | - Tim Ingleton
- Waters, Wetlands and Coasts, New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment (DPE), Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
| | - Bradley Morris
- Waters, Wetlands and Coasts, New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment (DPE), Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
| | - Andrew R Davis
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
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4
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Antarctic Seabed Assemblages in an Ice-Shelf-Adjacent Polynya, Western Weddell Sea. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11121705. [PMID: 36552215 PMCID: PMC9774262 DOI: 10.3390/biology11121705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Ice shelves cover ~1.6 million km2 of the Antarctic continental shelf and are sensitive indicators of climate change. With ice-shelf retreat, aphotic marine environments transform into new open-water spaces of photo-induced primary production and associated organic matter export to the benthos. Predicting how Antarctic seafloor assemblages may develop following ice-shelf loss requires knowledge of assemblages bordering the ice-shelf margins, which are relatively undocumented. This study investigated seafloor assemblages, by taxa and functional groups, in a coastal polynya adjacent to the Larsen C Ice Shelf front, western Weddell Sea. The study area is rarely accessed, at the frontline of climate change, and located within a CCAMLR-proposed international marine protected area. Four sites, ~1 to 16 km from the ice-shelf front, were explored for megabenthic assemblages, and potential environmental drivers of assemblage structures were assessed. Faunal density increased with distance from the ice shelf, with epifaunal deposit-feeders a surrogate for overall density trends. Faunal richness did not exhibit a significant pattern with distance from the ice shelf and was most variable at sites closest to the ice-shelf front. Faunal assemblages significantly differed in composition among sites, and those nearest to the ice shelf were the most dissimilar; however, ice-shelf proximity did not emerge as a significant driver of assemblage structure. Overall, the study found a biologically-diverse and complex seafloor environment close to an ice-shelf front and provides ecological baselines for monitoring benthic ecosystem responses to environmental change, supporting marine management.
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5
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Lohrer AM, Norkko AM, Thrush SF, Cummings VJ. Climate cascades affect coastal Antarctic seafloor ecosystem functioning. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:6181-6191. [PMID: 34582605 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 08/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew M Lohrer
- National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Alf M Norkko
- Tvärminne Zoological Station, University of Helsinki, Hanko, Finland
- Baltic Sea Centre, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Simon F Thrush
- Marine Sciences Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Vonda J Cummings
- National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research, Wellington, New Zealand
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6
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Currie AA, Marshall AJ, Lohrer AM, Cummings VJ, Seabrook S, Cary SC. Sea Ice Dynamics Drive Benthic Microbial Communities in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:745915. [PMID: 34777294 PMCID: PMC8581541 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.745915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Climate change is driving dramatic variability in sea ice dynamics, a key driver in polar marine ecosystems. Projected changes in Antarctica suggest that regional warming will force dramatic shifts in sea ice thickness and persistence, altering sea ice-associated primary production and deposition to the seafloor. To improve our understanding of the impacts of sea ice change on benthic ecosystems, we directly compared the benthic microbial communities underlying first-year sea ice (FYI) and multi-year sea ice (MYI). Using two tractable coastal habitats in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica, where FYI (Cape Evans) and MYI (New Harbour) prevail, we show that the structure and composition of the benthic microbial communities reflect the legacy of sea ice dynamics. At Cape Evans, an enrichment of known heterotrophic algal polysaccharide degrading taxa (e.g., Flavobacteriaceae, unclassified Gammaproteobacteria, and Rubritaleaceae) and sulfate-reducing bacteria (e.g., Desulfocapsaceae) correlated with comparatively higher chlorophyll a (14.2±0.8μgg-1) and total organic carbon content (0.33%±0.04), reflecting increased productivity and seafloor deposition beneath FYI. Conversely, at New Harbour, an enrichment of known archaeal (e.g., Nitrosopumilaceae) and bacterial (e.g., Woeseiaceae and Nitrospiraceae) chemoautotrophs was common in sediments with considerably lower chlorophyll a (1.0±0.24μgg-1) and total organic carbon content (0.17%±0.01), reflecting restricted productivity beneath MYI. We also report evidence of a submarine discharge of sub-permafrost brine from Taylor Valley into New Harbour. By comparing our two study sites, we show that under current climate-warming scenarios, changes to sea ice productivity and seafloor deposition are likely to initiate major shifts in benthic microbial communities, with heterotrophic organic matter degradation processes becoming increasingly important. This study provides the first assessment of how legacy sea ice conditions influence benthic microbial communities in Antarctica, contributing insight into sea ice-benthic coupling and ecosystem functioning in a polar environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashleigh A Currie
- School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand.,Environmental Research Institute, International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Alexis J Marshall
- School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand.,Environmental Research Institute, International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Andrew M Lohrer
- National Institute of Water and Atmosphere, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Vonda J Cummings
- National Institute of Water and Atmosphere, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Sarah Seabrook
- National Institute of Water and Atmosphere, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - S Craig Cary
- School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand.,Environmental Research Institute, International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, Hamilton, New Zealand
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7
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Intermediate ice scour disturbance is key to maintaining a peak in biodiversity within the shallows of the Western Antarctic Peninsula. Sci Rep 2021; 11:16712. [PMID: 34408210 PMCID: PMC8373922 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-96269-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate-related disturbance regimes are changing rapidly with profound consequences for ecosystems. Disturbance is often perceived as detrimental to biodiversity; however, the literature is divided on how they influence each other. Disturbance events in nature are diverse, occurring across numerous interacting trophic levels and multiple spatial and temporal scales, leading to divergence between empirical and theoretical studies. The shallow Antarctic seafloor has one of the largest disturbance gradients on earth, due to iceberg scouring. Scour rates are changing rapidly along the Western Antarctic Peninsula because of climate change and with further changes predicted, the Antarctic benthos will likely undergo dramatic shifts in diversity. We investigated benthic macro and megafaunal richness across 10–100 m depth range, much of which, 40–100 m, has rarely been sampled. Macro and megafauna species richness peaked at 50–60 m depth, a depth dominated by a diverse range of sessile suspension feeders, with an intermediate level of iceberg disturbance. Our results show that a broad range of disturbance values are required to detect the predicted peak in biodiversity that is consistent with the Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis, suggesting ice scour is key to maintaining high biodiversity in Antarctica’s shallows.
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8
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Cecchetto M, Di Cesare A, Eckert E, Fassio G, Fontaneto D, Moro I, Oliverio M, Sciuto K, Tassistro G, Vezzulli L, Schiaparelli S. Antarctic coastal nanoplankton dynamics revealed by metabarcoding of desalination plant filters: Detection of short-term events and implications for routine monitoring. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 757:143809. [PMID: 33257075 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
One of the main requirements of any sound biological monitoring is the availability of long term and, possibly, temporal data with a high resolution. This is often difficult to be achieved, especially in Antarctica, due to a variety of logistic constraints, which make continuous sampling and monitoring activities generally unfeasible. Here we focus on the 5 μm filters used in the desalination plant of the Italian research base "Mario Zucchelli" in the Terra Nova Bay area (Ross Sea, Antarctica) to evaluate intra-annual coastal nanoplankton dynamics. These filters, together with others of larger mesh sizes, are used to decrease the amount of organisms and debris in the input seawater before the desalination processes take place, hence automatically collect the plankton present in the water column around the desalination system intake. We have used a DNA metabarcoding approach to characterize the communities retained by filters' sets collected in January 2012 and 2013. Intra-annual dynamics were disclosed with an unprecedented detail, that would not have been possible by using standard sampling approaches, and highlighted the importance of extreme, stochastic events such as katabatic wind pulses, which triggered dramatic, short-term shifts in coastal nanoplankton composition. This method, by combining a cost-effective sampling and molecular techniques, may represent a viable solution for long-term monitoring programs focusing on Antarctic coastal communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Cecchetto
- Italian National Antarctic Museum (MNA, Section of Genoa), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy; Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Science (DISTAV), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
| | - Andrea Di Cesare
- National Research Council of Italy, Water Research Institute (CNR-IRSA), Verbania Pallanza, Italy
| | - Ester Eckert
- National Research Council of Italy, Water Research Institute (CNR-IRSA), Verbania Pallanza, Italy
| | - Giulia Fassio
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Diego Fontaneto
- National Research Council of Italy, Water Research Institute (CNR-IRSA), Verbania Pallanza, Italy
| | - Isabella Moro
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - Marco Oliverio
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Katia Sciuto
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - Giovanni Tassistro
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Science (DISTAV), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Luigi Vezzulli
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Science (DISTAV), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Stefano Schiaparelli
- Italian National Antarctic Museum (MNA, Section of Genoa), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy; Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Science (DISTAV), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
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9
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Gutt J, Isla E, Xavier JC, Adams BJ, Ahn IY, Cheng CHC, Colesie C, Cummings VJ, di Prisco G, Griffiths H, Hawes I, Hogg I, McIntyre T, Meiners KM, Pearce DA, Peck L, Piepenburg D, Reisinger RR, Saba GK, Schloss IR, Signori CN, Smith CR, Vacchi M, Verde C, Wall DH. Antarctic ecosystems in transition - life between stresses and opportunities. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2020; 96:798-821. [PMID: 33354897 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Important findings from the second decade of the 21st century on the impact of environmental change on biological processes in the Antarctic were synthesised by 26 international experts. Ten key messages emerged that have stakeholder-relevance and/or a high impact for the scientific community. They address (i) altered biogeochemical cycles, (ii) ocean acidification, (iii) climate change hotspots, (iv) unexpected dynamism in seabed-dwelling populations, (v) spatial range shifts, (vi) adaptation and thermal resilience, (vii) sea ice related biological fluctuations, (viii) pollution, (ix) endangered terrestrial endemism and (x) the discovery of unknown habitats. Most Antarctic biotas are exposed to multiple stresses and considered vulnerable to environmental change due to narrow tolerance ranges, rapid change, projected circumpolar impacts, low potential for timely genetic adaptation, and migration barriers. Important ecosystem functions, such as primary production and energy transfer between trophic levels, have already changed, and biodiversity patterns have shifted. A confidence assessment of the degree of 'scientific understanding' revealed an intermediate level for most of the more detailed sub-messages, indicating that process-oriented research has been successful in the past decade. Additional efforts are necessary, however, to achieve the level of robustness in scientific knowledge that is required to inform protection measures of the unique Antarctic terrestrial and marine ecosystems, and their contributions to global biodiversity and ecosystem services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Gutt
- Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Columbusstr., Bremerhaven, 27568, Germany
| | - Enrique Isla
- Institute of Marine Sciences-CSIC, Passeig Maritim de la Barceloneta 37-49, Barcelona, 08003, Spain
| | - José C Xavier
- University of Coimbra, MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Coimbra, Portugal.,British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environmental Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 OET, U.K
| | - Byron J Adams
- Department of Biology and Monte L. Bean Museum, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, U.S.A
| | - In-Young Ahn
- Korea Polar Research Institute, 26 Songdomirae-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, 21990, South Korea
| | - C-H Christina Cheng
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, U.S.A
| | - Claudia Colesie
- School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Alexander Crum Brown Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FF, U.K
| | - Vonda J Cummings
- National Institute of Water and Atmosphere Research Ltd (NIWA), 301 Evans Bay Parade, Greta Point, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Guido di Prisco
- Institute of Biosciences and BioResources (IBBR), National Research Council (CNR), Via Pietro Castellino 111, Naples, I-80131, Italy
| | - Huw Griffiths
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environmental Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 OET, U.K
| | - Ian Hawes
- Coastal Marine Field Station, University of Waikato, 58 Cross Road, Tauranga, 3100, New Zealand
| | - Ian Hogg
- School of Science, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand.,Canadian High Antarctic Research Station, Polar Knowledge Canada, PO Box 2150, Cambridge Bay, NU, X0B 0C0, Canada
| | - Trevor McIntyre
- Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa, Private Bag X6, Florida, 1710, South Africa
| | - Klaus M Meiners
- Australian Antarctic Division, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, and Australian Antarctic Program Partnership, University of Tasmania, 20 Castray Esplanade, Battery Point, TAS, 7004, Australia
| | - David A Pearce
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environmental Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 OET, U.K.,Department of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University at Newcastle, Northumberland Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8ST, U.K
| | - Lloyd Peck
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environmental Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 OET, U.K
| | - Dieter Piepenburg
- Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Columbusstr., Bremerhaven, 27568, Germany
| | - Ryan R Reisinger
- Centre d'Etudes Biologique de Chizé, UMR 7372 du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - La Rochelle Université, Villiers-en-Bois, 79360, France
| | - Grace K Saba
- Center for Ocean Observing Leadership, Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, 71 Dudley Rd., New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, U.S.A
| | - Irene R Schloss
- Instituto Antártico Argentino, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas, Bernardo Houssay 200, Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, CP V9410CAB, Argentina.,Universidad Nacional de Tierra del Fuego, Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, CP V9410CAB, Argentina
| | - Camila N Signori
- Oceanographic Institute, University of São Paulo, Praça do Oceanográfico, 191, São Paulo, CEP: 05508-900, Brazil
| | - Craig R Smith
- Department of Oceanography, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1000 Pope Road, Honolulu, HI, 96822, U.S.A
| | - Marino Vacchi
- Institute for the Study of the Anthropic Impacts and the Sustainability of the Marine Environment (IAS), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Via de Marini 6, Genoa, 16149, Italy
| | - Cinzia Verde
- Institute of Biosciences and BioResources (IBBR), National Research Council (CNR), Via Pietro Castellino 111, Naples, I-80131, Italy
| | - Diana H Wall
- Department of Biology and School of Global Environmental Sustainability, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, U.S.A
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10
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Bell JJ, McGrath E, Kandler NM, Marlow J, Beepat SS, Bachtiar R, Shaffer MR, Mortimer C, Micaroni V, Mobilia V, Rovellini A, Harris B, Farnham E, Strano F, Carballo JL. Interocean patterns in shallow water sponge assemblage structure and function. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2020; 95:1720-1758. [PMID: 32812691 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2019] [Revised: 06/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Sponges are a major component of benthic ecosystems across the world and fulfil a number of important functional roles. However, despite their importance, there have been few attempts to compare sponge assemblage structure and ecological functions across large spatial scales. In this review, we examine commonalities and differences between shallow water (<100 m) sponges at bioregional (15 bioregions) and macroregional (tropical, Mediterranean, temperate, and polar) scales, to provide a more comprehensive understanding of sponge ecology. Patterns of sponge abundance (based on density and area occupied) were highly variable, with an average benthic cover between ~1 and 30%. Sponges were generally found to occupy more space (percentage cover) in the Mediterranean and polar macroregions, compared to temperate and tropical macroregions, although sponge densities (sponges m-2 ) were highest in temperate bioregions. Mean species richness standardised by sampling area was similar across all bioregions, except for a few locations that supported very high small-scale biodiversity concentrations. Encrusting growth forms were generally the dominant sponge morphology, with the exception of the Tropical West Atlantic, where upright forms dominated. Annelids and Arthropods were the most commonly reported macrofauna associated with sponges across bioregions. With respect to reproduction, there were no patterns in gametic development (hermaphroditism versus gonochorism), although temperate, tropical, and polar macroregions had an increasingly higher percentage of viviparous species, respectively, with viviparity being the sole gamete development mechanism reported for polar sponges to date. Seasonal reproductive timing was the most common in all bioregions, but continuous timing was more common in the Mediterranean and tropical bioregions compared to polar and temperate bioregions. We found little variation across bioregions in larval size, and the dominant larval type across the globe was parenchymella. No pattens among bioregions were found in the limited information available for standardised respiration and pumping rates. Many organisms were found to predate sponges, with the abundance of sponge predators being higher in tropical systems. While there is some evidence to support a higher overall proportion of phototrophic species in the Tropical Austalian bioregion compared to the Western Atlantic, both also have large numbers of heterotrophic species. Sponges are important spatial competitors across all bioregions, most commonly being reported to interact with anthozoans and algae. Even though the available information was limited for many bioregions, our analyses demonstrate some differences in sponge traits and functions among bioregions, and among macroregions. However, we also identified similarities in sponge assemblage structure and function at global scales, likely reflecting a combination of regional- and local-scale biological and physical processes affecting sponge assemblages, along with common ancestry. Finally, we used our analyses to highlight geographic bias in past sponge research, and identify gaps in our understanding of sponge ecology globally. By so doing, we identified key areas for future research on sponge ecology. We hope that our study will help sponge researchers to consider bioregion-specific features of sponge assemblages and key sponge-mediated ecological processes from a global perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- James J Bell
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Emily McGrath
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand.,Cawthron Institute, 98 Halifax St E, The Wood, Nelson, 7010, New Zealand
| | - Nora M Kandler
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Joseph Marlow
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand.,British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, U.K
| | - Sandeep S Beepat
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Ramadian Bachtiar
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Megan R Shaffer
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Charlotte Mortimer
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Valerio Micaroni
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Valeria Mobilia
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Alberto Rovellini
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Benjamin Harris
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Elizabeth Farnham
- Ministry of Primary Industries, PO Box 2526, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Francesca Strano
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - José Luis Carballo
- Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Avenida Joel Montes Camarena, s/n. apartado postal 811, Mazatlán, 82000, Mexico
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11
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Pineda-Metz SEA, Gerdes D, Richter C. Benthic fauna declined on a whitening Antarctic continental shelf. Nat Commun 2020; 11:2226. [PMID: 32376915 PMCID: PMC7203119 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16093-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Ice retreat in West Antarctica and Antarctic Peninsula has led to important changes in seafloor communities and gains in benthic blue carbon. In most of the Antarctic, however, sea ice increased between the 1970s and 2014, but its effects on the benthos remain largely unexplored. Here, we provide a 1988-2014 record of macro- and megafauna from the north-eastern Weddell Sea shelf, where benthic biomass decreased by two thirds and composition shifted from suspension feeders to deposit feeders. Concomitant increases in sea-ice cover suggest a reduced flux of primary production to the benthos. As benthic communities are major repositories for Antarctic biodiversity and play an important role in biogeochemical cycling, the observed changes have far-reaching consequences for the Antarctic ecosystem and its feedback to the climate system. The findings underscore the importance of long-term ecological monitoring in a region vulnerable to warming and ice-shelf collapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago E A Pineda-Metz
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, 27568, Bremerhaven, Germany.
- Universität Bremen (Fachbereich 2, Biologie/Chemie), 28334, Bremen, Germany.
| | - Dieter Gerdes
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, 27568, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Claudio Richter
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, 27568, Bremerhaven, Germany.
- Universität Bremen (Fachbereich 2, Biologie/Chemie), 28334, Bremen, Germany.
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12
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Macroscopic characteristics facilitate identification of common Antarctic glass sponges (Porifera, Hexactinellida, Rossellidae). Polar Biol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-019-02612-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
AbstractGlass sponges (Porifera, Hexactinellida) are conspicuous habitat-forming members of many Antarctic shelf communities. Despite their ecological importance, in-situ species identification remains problematic as it is traditionally based on microscopic analysis of spicules. External morphological features, in contrast, have largely been disregarded, so that different species have been mislabeled or lumped together when their identification was based on image material. In this paper, we provide a straight-forward guideline for in-situ identification of the most common rossellid sponges of the Antarctic shelf based on macroscopic characteristics. To determine diagnostic macroscopic characteristics of Anoxycalyx (Scolymastra) joubini and eight Rossella species, we combined examination of trawl-collected specimens, previous species descriptions and in-situ image material from the eastern Weddell Sea. Our study revealed that the smooth-walled species A. joubini, R. nuda and R. vanhoeffeni, previously often mixed up, can be distinguished by the form of their basal spicule tuft, their surface structure and their overall body form. The previously synonymized species R. racovitzae and R. podagrosa can be distinguished by their markedly different habitus. Based on our results, the so-called ‘R. racovitzae budding type’ in fact refers to R. podagrosa which occurs regularly in the eastern Weddell Sea. The species R. villosa, R. levis, R. fibulata and R. antarctica can be distinguished by the appearance of their conules, protruding spicules and overall body form. We conclude that macroscopic characteristics are helpful means for identification of Antarctic rossellid sponge species. This approach enables species-specific quantitative studies of Antarctic glass sponge grounds based on increasingly used non-invasive imaging technology.
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13
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Convey P, Peck LS. Antarctic environmental change and biological responses. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2019; 5:eaaz0888. [PMID: 31807713 PMCID: PMC6881164 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aaz0888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Antarctica and the surrounding Southern Ocean are facing complex environmental change. Their native biota has adapted to the region's extreme conditions over many millions of years. This unique biota is now challenged by environmental change and the direct impacts of human activity. The terrestrial biota is characterized by considerable physiological and ecological flexibility and is expected to show increases in productivity, population sizes and ranges of individual species, and community complexity. However, the establishment of non-native organisms in both terrestrial and marine ecosystems may present an even greater threat than climate change itself. In the marine environment, much more limited response flexibility means that even small levels of warming are threatening. Changing sea ice has large impacts on ecosystem processes, while ocean acidification and coastal freshening are expected to have major impacts.
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14
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Mazzuco ACA, Stelzer PS, Donadia G, Bernardino JV, Joyeux JC, Bernardino AF. Lower diversity of recruits in coastal reef assemblages are associated with higher sea temperatures in the tropical South Atlantic. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2019; 148:87-98. [PMID: 31121526 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2019.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Revised: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Climate change will lead to community shifts and increase the vulnerability of coastal marine ecosystems, but there is yet insufficient detail of how early life stages of marine populations are linked to oceanic-climate dynamics. This study aimed to investigate how ocean-climate variability is associated with spatial and temporal changes in benthic larval recruitment of tropical reef assemblages. Recruitment (abundance, richness, and diversity) of benthic invertebrates was monitored for one year on macroalgal beds in four rocky reefs in a marine protected region in the Eastern coast of Brazil, and compared to fluctuations in meteo-oceanographic conditions at multiple temporal scales (days, weeks, and months). Our results revealed that recruitment of benthic invertebrates varies widely (up to 15 orders of magnitude) among sampled reefs and in time, with wave height, wind speed, and sea temperature being significantly related to recruitment variability. We detected strong taxonomic variability in recruitment success and ocean-climate variables, which highlights the complexity of estimating community vulnerability to climate change in benthic communities. Given that macroalgal beds are key to recruitment of some species regionally (4-30 km), the protection of coastal nursery habitats may be critical for marine conservation and species adaptation in a climate change scenario. Considering the projected ocean-climate change in IPCC scenarios, our study suggests that recruitment of marine populations in coastal reefs could be highly sensitive to climate change in the tropical South Atlantic Ocean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Carolina A Mazzuco
- Benthic Ecology Group, Department of Oceanography, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Av. Fernando Ferrari 514 Goiabeiras, Vitória, 29075-910, Brazil.
| | - Patrícia S Stelzer
- Benthic Ecology Group, Department of Oceanography, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Av. Fernando Ferrari 514 Goiabeiras, Vitória, 29075-910, Brazil
| | - Geovannia Donadia
- Benthic Ecology Group, Department of Oceanography, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Av. Fernando Ferrari 514 Goiabeiras, Vitória, 29075-910, Brazil
| | - Jennifer V Bernardino
- Benthic Ecology Group, Department of Oceanography, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Av. Fernando Ferrari 514 Goiabeiras, Vitória, 29075-910, Brazil
| | - Jean-Christophe Joyeux
- Benthic Ecology Group, Department of Oceanography, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Av. Fernando Ferrari 514 Goiabeiras, Vitória, 29075-910, Brazil
| | - Angelo F Bernardino
- Benthic Ecology Group, Department of Oceanography, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Av. Fernando Ferrari 514 Goiabeiras, Vitória, 29075-910, Brazil.
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15
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Underwater photogrammetry in Antarctica: long-term observations in benthic ecosystems and legacy data rescue. Polar Biol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-019-02480-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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16
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Dayton PK, Jarrell SC, Kim S, Ed Parnell P, Thrush SF, Hammerstrom K, Leichter JJ. Benthic responses to an Antarctic regime shift: food particle size and recruitment biology. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2019; 29:e01823. [PMID: 30601593 PMCID: PMC6850755 DOI: 10.1002/eap.1823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2018] [Revised: 08/06/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Polar ecosystems are bellwether indicators of climate change and offer insights into ecological resilience. In this study, we describe contrasting responses to an apparent regime shift of two very different benthic communities in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. We compared species-specific patterns of benthic invertebrate abundance and size between the west (low productivity) and east (higher productivity) sides of McMurdo Sound across multiple decades (1960s-2010) to depths of 60 m. We present possible factors associated with the observed changes. A massive and unprecedented shift in sponge recruitment and growth on artificial substrata observed between the 1980s and 2010 contrasts with lack of dramatic sponge settlement and growth on natural substrata, emphasizing poorly understood sponge recruitment biology. We present observations of changes in populations of sponges, bryozoans, bivalves, and deposit-feeding invertebrates in the natural communities on both sides of the sound. Scientific data for Antarctic benthic ecosystems are scant, but we gather multiple lines of evidence to examine possible processes in regional-scale oceanography during the eight years in which the sea ice did not clear out of the southern portion of McMurdo Sound. We suggest that large icebergs blocked currents and advected plankton, allowed thicker multi-year ice, and reduced light to the benthos. This, in addition to a possible increase in iron released from rapidly melting glaciers, fundamentally shifted the quantity and quality of primary production in McMurdo Sound. A hypothesized shift from large to small food particles is consistent with increased recruitment and growth of sponges on artificial substrata, filter-feeding polychaetes, and some bryozoans, as well as reduced populations of bivalves and crinoids that favor large particles, and echinoderms Sterechinus neumayeri and Odontaster validus that predominantly feed on benthic diatoms and large phytoplankton mats that drape the seafloor after spring blooms. This response of different guilds of filter feeders to a hypothesized shift from large to small phytoplankton points to the enormous need for and potential value of holistic monitoring programs, particularly in pristine ecosystems, that could yield both fundamental ecological insights and knowledge that can be applied to critical conservation concerns as climate change continues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul K. Dayton
- Scripps Institution of OceanographyLa JollaCalifornia92093USA
| | | | - Stacy Kim
- Moss Landing Marine LaboratoriesMoss LandingCalifornia95039 USA
| | - P. Ed Parnell
- Scripps Institution of OceanographyLa JollaCalifornia92093USA
| | - Simon F. Thrush
- Institute of Marine ScienceUniversity of AucklandAuckland1142New Zealand
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17
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Wooster MK, Voigt O, Erpenbeck D, Wörheide G, Berumen ML. Sponges of the Red Sea. CORAL REEFS OF THE RED SEA 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-05802-9_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
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18
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Vad J, Kazanidis G, Henry LA, Jones DOB, Tendal OS, Christiansen S, Henry TB, Roberts JM. Potential Impacts of Offshore Oil and Gas Activities on Deep-Sea Sponges and the Habitats They Form. ADVANCES IN MARINE BIOLOGY 2018; 79:33-60. [PMID: 30012276 DOI: 10.1016/bs.amb.2018.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Sponges form an important component of benthic ecosystems from shallow littoral to hadal depths. In the deep ocean, beyond the continental shelf, sponges can form high-density fields, constituting important habitats supporting rich benthic communities. Yet these habitats remain relatively unexplored. The oil and gas industry has played an important role in advancing our knowledge of deep-sea environments. Since its inception in the 1960s, offshore oil and gas industry has moved into deeper waters. However, the impacts of these activities on deep-sea sponges and other ecosystems are only starting to become the subject of active research. Throughout the development, operation and closure of an oil or gas field many activities take place, ranging from the seismic exploration of subseafloor geological features to the installation of infrastructure at the seabed to the drilling process itself. These routine activities and accidental releases of hydrocarbons during spills can significantly impact the local marine environment. Each phase of a field development or an accidental oil spill will therefore have different impacts on sponges at community, individual and cellular levels. Legacy issues regarding the future decommissioning of infrastructure and the abandonment of wells are also important environmental management considerations. This chapter reviews our understanding of impacts from hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation activities on deep-sea sponges and the habitats they form. These impacts include those (1) at community level, decreasing the diversity and density of benthic communities associated with deep-sea sponges owing to physical disturbance of the seabed; (2) at individual level, interrupting filtration owing to exposure to increased sedimentation; and (3) at cellular level, decreasing cellular membrane stability owing to exposure to drill muds. However, many potential effects not yet tested in deep-sea sponges but observed in shallow-water sponges or other model organisms should also be taken into account. Furthermore, to the best of our knowledge, no studies have shown impact of oil or dispersed oil on deep-sea sponges. To highlight these significant knowledge gaps, a summary table of potential and known impacts of hydrocarbon extraction and production activities combined with a simple "traffic light" scheme is also provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanne Vad
- School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom; School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
| | - Georgios Kazanidis
- School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Lea-Anne Henry
- School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | | | - Ole S Tendal
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Theodore B Henry
- School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom; School of Biological and Marine Sciences, Plymouth University, Plymouth, United Kingdom; Center for Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - J Murray Roberts
- School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom; Center for Marine Science, University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, United States.
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19
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Lagger C, Servetto N, Torre L, Sahade R. Benthic colonization in newly ice-free soft-bottom areas in an Antarctic fjord. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0186756. [PMID: 29117262 PMCID: PMC5695587 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0186756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2017] [Accepted: 10/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Extended glacier retreat is among the main consequences of the rapid warming of the West Antarctic Peninsula. Particularly, in the inner part of Potter Cove (South Shetland Islands, Antarctica) large areas are now exposed to open sea conditions owing to the retreat of Fourcade glacier. During the 2010 austral summer, underwater photographic surveys were undertaken by SCUBA diving up to 30 m in these new ice-free areas 80 m from the glacier front. Our main aim was to investigate colonization and early succession of the benthic assemblages on soft-bottom areas. Here, we reported a total of 1,146 animals belonging to 13 taxa. Filter-feeders comprised the largest trophic group and sessile fauna showed much higher coverages and densities than mobile fauna at all depths. The most abundant groups were ascidians and bryozoans, which together comprised ~90% of all taxa documented. In a region where most of marine-terminating glaciers are in retreat, these results are an important contribution to improve our knowledge on colonization in the newly ice-free areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristian Lagger
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Laboratorio de Ecología Marina, Córdoba, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Córdoba, Argentina
- * E-mail:
| | - Natalia Servetto
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Laboratorio de Ecología Marina, Córdoba, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Luciana Torre
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Laboratorio de Ecología Marina, Córdoba, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Ricardo Sahade
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Laboratorio de Ecología Marina, Córdoba, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Córdoba, Argentina
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20
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Nuclear and mitochondrial phylogeny of Rossella (Hexactinellida: Lyssacinosida, Rossellidae): a species and a species flock in the Southern Ocean. Polar Biol 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-017-2155-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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21
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Long-term change in epibenthic assemblages at the Prince Edward Islands: a comparison between 1988 and 2013. Polar Biol 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-017-2132-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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22
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Morley SA, Berman J, Barnes DKA, de Juan Carbonell C, Downey RV, Peck LS. Extreme Phenotypic Plasticity in Metabolic Physiology of Antarctic Demosponges. Front Ecol Evol 2016. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2015.00157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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23
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Sahade R, Lagger C, Torre L, Momo F, Monien P, Schloss I, Barnes DKA, Servetto N, Tarantelli S, Tatián M, Zamboni N, Abele D. Climate change and glacier retreat drive shifts in an Antarctic benthic ecosystem. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2015; 1:e1500050. [PMID: 26702429 PMCID: PMC4681327 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1500050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2015] [Accepted: 10/09/2015] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The Antarctic Peninsula (AP) is one of the three places on Earth that registered the most intense warming in the last 50 years, almost five times the global mean. This warming has strongly affected the cryosphere, causing the largest ice-shelf collapses ever observed and the retreat of 87% of glaciers. Ecosystem responses, although increasingly predicted, have been mainly reported for pelagic systems. However, and despite most Antarctic species being benthic, responses in the Antarctic benthos have been detected in only a few species, and major effects at assemblage level are unknown. This is probably due to the scarcity of baselines against which to assess change. We performed repeat surveys of coastal benthos in 1994, 1998, and 2010, analyzing community structure and environmental variables at King George Island, Antarctica. We report a marked shift in an Antarctic benthic community that can be linked to ongoing climate change. However, rather than temperature as the primary factor, we highlight the resulting increased sediment runoff, triggered by glacier retreat, as the potential causal factor. The sudden shift from a "filter feeders-ascidian domination" to a "mixed assemblage" suggests that thresholds (for example, of tolerable sedimentation) and alternative equilibrium states, depending on the reversibility of the changes, could be possible traits of this ecosystem. Sedimentation processes will be increasing under the current scenario of glacier retreat, and attention needs to be paid to its effects along the AP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Sahade
- Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal [Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas–Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (CONICET-UNC)], Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, UNC, Avenida Vélez Sarsfield 299, 5000 Córdoba, Argentina
- Corresponding author. E-mail:
| | - Cristian Lagger
- Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal [Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas–Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (CONICET-UNC)], Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, UNC, Avenida Vélez Sarsfield 299, 5000 Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Luciana Torre
- Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal [Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas–Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (CONICET-UNC)], Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, UNC, Avenida Vélez Sarsfield 299, 5000 Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Fernando Momo
- Instituto de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de General Sarmiento, Juan M. Gutiérrez 1150, B1613GSX Los Polvorines, Argentina
- Instituto de Ecología y Desarrollo Sustentable, Universidad Nacional de Luján, Luján 6700, Argentina
| | - Patrick Monien
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment, Carl-von-Ossietzky Straße 9-11, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
- Department of Geosciences, University of Bremen, Klagenfurter Straße (GEO), 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - Irene Schloss
- Instituto Antártico Argentino, Balcarce 290, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1064AAF, Argentina
| | - David K. A. Barnes
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, Madingley, Road, Cambridge CB3 0ET, UK
| | - Natalia Servetto
- Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal [Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas–Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (CONICET-UNC)], Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, UNC, Avenida Vélez Sarsfield 299, 5000 Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Soledad Tarantelli
- Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal [Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas–Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (CONICET-UNC)], Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, UNC, Avenida Vélez Sarsfield 299, 5000 Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Marcos Tatián
- Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal [Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas–Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (CONICET-UNC)], Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, UNC, Avenida Vélez Sarsfield 299, 5000 Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Nadia Zamboni
- Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal [Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas–Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (CONICET-UNC)], Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, UNC, Avenida Vélez Sarsfield 299, 5000 Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Doris Abele
- Alfred Wegener Institut for Polar and Marine Research, Columbusstraße, 27568 Bremerhaven, Germany
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Hancock LG, Walker SE, Pérez-Huerta A, Bowser SS. Population Dynamics and Parasite Load of a Foraminifer on Its Antarctic Scallop Host with Their Carbonate Biomass Contributions. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0132534. [PMID: 26186724 PMCID: PMC4505869 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0132534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2015] [Accepted: 06/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
We studied the population dynamics and parasite load of the foraminifer Cibicides antarcticus on its host the Antarctic scallop Adamussium colbecki from three localities differing by sea ice cover within western McMurdo Sound, Ross Sea, Antarctica: Explorers Cove, Bay of Sails and Herbertson Glacier. We also estimated CaCO3 biomass and annual production for both species. Cibicides populations varied by locality, valve type, and depth. Explorers Cove with multiannual sea ice had larger populations than the two annual sea ice localities, likely related to differences in nutrients. Populations were higher on Adamussium top valves, a surface that is elevated above the sediment. Depth did not affect Cibicides distributions except at Bay of Sails. Cibicides parasite load (the number of complete boreholes in Adamussium valves) varied by locality between 2% and 50%. For most localities the parasite load was < 20%, contrary to a previous report that ~50% of Cibicides were parasitic. The highest and lowest parasite load occurred at annual sea ice localities, suggesting that sea ice condition is not important. Rather, the number of adults that are parasitic could account for these differences. Cibicides bioerosion traces were categorized into four ontogenetic stages, ranging from newly attached recruits to parasitic adults. These traces provide an excellent proxy for population structure, revealing that Explorers Cove had a younger population than Bay of Sails. Both species are important producers of CaCO3. Cibicides CaCO3 biomass averaged 47-73 kg ha(-1) and Adamussium averaged 4987-6806 kg ha(-1) by locality. Annual production rates were much higher. Moreover, Cibicides represents 1.0-2.3% of the total host-parasite CaCO3 biomass. Despite living in the coldest waters on Earth, these species can contribute a substantial amount of CaCO3 to the Ross Sea and need to be incorporated into food webs, ecosystem models, and carbonate budgets for Antarctica.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leanne G. Hancock
- Department of Geology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Sally E. Walker
- Department of Geology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Alberto Pérez-Huerta
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Samuel S. Bowser
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York, United States of America
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Gutt J, Bertler N, Bracegirdle TJ, Buschmann A, Comiso J, Hosie G, Isla E, Schloss IR, Smith CR, Tournadre J, Xavier JC. The Southern Ocean ecosystem under multiple climate change stresses--an integrated circumpolar assessment. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2015; 21:1434-53. [PMID: 25369312 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.12794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2014] [Accepted: 10/13/2014] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
A quantitative assessment of observed and projected environmental changes in the Southern Ocean (SO) with a potential impact on the marine ecosystem shows: (i) large proportions of the SO are and will be affected by one or more climate change processes; areas projected to be affected in the future are larger than areas that are already under environmental stress, (ii) areas affected by changes in sea-ice in the past and likely in the future are much larger than areas affected by ocean warming. The smallest areas (<1% area of the SO) are affected by glacier retreat and warming in the deeper euphotic layer. In the future, decrease in the sea-ice is expected to be widespread. Changes in iceberg impact resulting from further collapse of ice-shelves can potentially affect large parts of shelf and ephemerally in the off-shore regions. However, aragonite undersaturation (acidification) might become one of the biggest problems for the Antarctic marine ecosystem by affecting almost the entire SO. Direct and indirect impacts of various environmental changes to the three major habitats, sea-ice, pelagic and benthos and their biota are complex. The areas affected by environmental stressors range from 33% of the SO for a single stressor, 11% for two and 2% for three, to <1% for four and five overlapping factors. In the future, areas expected to be affected by 2 and 3 overlapping factors are equally large, including potential iceberg changes, and together cover almost 86% of the SO ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Gutt
- Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Am Alten Hafen 26, Bremerhaven, D - 27568, Germany
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Fillinger L, Janussen D, Lundälv T, Richter C. Rapid Glass Sponge Expansion after Climate-Induced Antarctic Ice Shelf Collapse. Curr Biol 2013; 23:1330-4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2013.05.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2013] [Revised: 05/24/2013] [Accepted: 05/28/2013] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Shifts in Antarctic megabenthic structure after ice-shelf disintegration in the Larsen area east of the Antarctic Peninsula. Polar Biol 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-013-1315-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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