The role of Laternula elliptica in the energy budget of Potter Cove (King George Island, Antarctica)

Body size, geographical distribution and biomass make Laternula elliptica one of the most important bivalve species of the Antarctic. A complete study on the population dynamics (reproduction cycle, growth, mortality and productivity) of this species from King George Island gave growth parameters for the von-Bertalanffy-growth-function of: L∞ = 112.2 mm, K = 0.160 yr 1, t0 = 0.000 yr. Total mortality was estimated as Z = 0.392 yr−1. Somatic production and mean biomass of two distinct sub-populations were 8.7 and 67.3 g AFDW m−2 yr−1 at Beach & Glacier and 20.0 and 88.6 g AFDW m−2 yr−1 at Punta Elefante. The following P / B values were calculated; Beach & Glacier = 0.129, Punta Elefante = 0.226. It is suggested that these differences are linked to mortality caused by icebergs which is expected to be higher at the shallower Punta Elefante site.

Download Full-text

Antarctic harpacticoids exploit different trophic niches: a summer snapshot using fatty acid trophic markers (Potter Cove, King George Island)

Marine Ecology Progress Series ◽

10.3354/meps12047 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 568 ◽

pp. 59-71

Author(s):

E Werbrouck ◽

A Vanreusel ◽

D Deregibus ◽

D Van Gansbeke ◽

M De Troch

Keyword(s):

Fatty Acid ◽

King George Island ◽

Potter Cove ◽

Trophic Markers ◽

Trophic Niches

Download Full-text

Glacier Geometry Changes in the Western Shore of Admiralty Bay, King George Island over the Last Decades

Sensors ◽

10.3390/s21041532 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (4) ◽

pp. 1532

Author(s):

Mariusz Pasik ◽

Krzysztof Bakuła ◽

Sebastian Różycki ◽

Wojciech Ostrowski ◽

Maria Elżbieta Kowalska ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Protected Area ◽

Average Rate ◽

King George Island ◽

Glacier Surface ◽

Glacial Retreat ◽

Glacier Front ◽

Longitudinal Slope ◽

Western Shore ◽

Rapid Temperature

This paper presents changes in the range and thickness of glaciers in Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA) No. 128 on King George Island in the period 1956–2015. The research indicates an intensification of the glacial retreat process over the last two decades, with the rate depending on the type of glacier front. In the period 2001–2015, the average recession rate of the ice cliffs of the Ecology Glacier and the northern part of the Baranowski Glacier was estimated to be approximately 15–25 m a−1 and 10–20 m a−1, respectively. Fronts of Sphinx Glacier and the southern part of the Baranowski Glacier, characterized by a gentle descent onto land, show a significantly lower rate of retreat (up to 5–10 m a−1 1). From 2001 to 2013, the glacier thickness in these areas decreased at an average rate of 1.7–2.5 m a−1 for the Ecology Glacier and the northern part of the Baranowski Glacier and 0.8–2.5 m a−1 for the southern part of the Baranowski Glacier and Sphinx Glacier. The presented deglaciation processes are related to changes of mass balance caused by the rapid temperature increase (1.0 °C since 1948). The work also contains considerations related to the important role of the longitudinal slope of the glacier surface in the connection of the glacier thickness changes and the front recession.

Download Full-text