Antarctic Seabed Assemblages in an Ice-Shelf-Adjacent Polynya, Western Weddell Sea
Ice shelves cover ~1.6 million km<sup>2</sup> 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 expo...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Biology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/11/12/1705 |
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| author | Bétina A. V. Frinault Frazer D. W. Christie Sarah E. Fawcett Raquel F. Flynn Katherine A. Hutchinson Chloë M. J. Montes Strevens Michelle L. Taylor Lucy C. Woodall David K. A. Barnes |
| author_facet | Bétina A. V. Frinault Frazer D. W. Christie Sarah E. Fawcett Raquel F. Flynn Katherine A. Hutchinson Chloë M. J. Montes Strevens Michelle L. Taylor Lucy C. Woodall David K. A. Barnes |
| author_sort | Bétina A. V. Frinault |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ice shelves cover ~1.6 million km<sup>2</sup> 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. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T17:19:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-384533f5121b4d65aff82ee40ad5109a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-7737 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T17:19:01Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-384533f5121b4d65aff82ee40ad5109a2023-11-24T13:21:57ZengMDPI AGBiology2079-77372022-11-011112170510.3390/biology11121705Antarctic Seabed Assemblages in an Ice-Shelf-Adjacent Polynya, Western Weddell SeaBétina A. V. Frinault0Frazer D. W. Christie1Sarah E. Fawcett2Raquel F. Flynn3Katherine A. Hutchinson4Chloë M. J. Montes Strevens5Michelle L. Taylor6Lucy C. Woodall7David K. A. Barnes8School of Geography and the Environment, Oxford University Centre for the Environment, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QY, UKScott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1ER, UKDepartment of Oceanography, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town 7700, South AfricaDepartment of Oceanography, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town 7700, South AfricaLOCEAN Laboratory, Sorbonne Université CNRS-IRD-MNHN, Jussieu, 75005 Paris, FranceSchool of Geography and the Environment, Oxford University Centre for the Environment, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QY, UKSchool of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UKDepartment of Biology, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UKBritish Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ET, UKIce shelves cover ~1.6 million km<sup>2</sup> 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.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/11/12/1705climate changeice shelfcontinental shelfcoastal polynyabenthic assemblagesbenthic biodiversity |
| spellingShingle | Bétina A. V. Frinault Frazer D. W. Christie Sarah E. Fawcett Raquel F. Flynn Katherine A. Hutchinson Chloë M. J. Montes Strevens Michelle L. Taylor Lucy C. Woodall David K. A. Barnes Antarctic Seabed Assemblages in an Ice-Shelf-Adjacent Polynya, Western Weddell Sea Biology climate change ice shelf continental shelf coastal polynya benthic assemblages benthic biodiversity |
| title | Antarctic Seabed Assemblages in an Ice-Shelf-Adjacent Polynya, Western Weddell Sea |
| title_full | Antarctic Seabed Assemblages in an Ice-Shelf-Adjacent Polynya, Western Weddell Sea |
| title_fullStr | Antarctic Seabed Assemblages in an Ice-Shelf-Adjacent Polynya, Western Weddell Sea |
| title_full_unstemmed | Antarctic Seabed Assemblages in an Ice-Shelf-Adjacent Polynya, Western Weddell Sea |
| title_short | Antarctic Seabed Assemblages in an Ice-Shelf-Adjacent Polynya, Western Weddell Sea |
| title_sort | antarctic seabed assemblages in an ice shelf adjacent polynya western weddell sea |
| topic | climate change ice shelf continental shelf coastal polynya benthic assemblages benthic biodiversity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/11/12/1705 |
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