scholarly journals A review of scientific research trends within ASPA No. 126 Byers Peninsula, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica

2013 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 128-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Benayas ◽  
L. Pertierra ◽  
P. Tejedo ◽  
F. Lara ◽  
O. Bermudez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Conservation ◽  
South Shetland Islands ◽  
Shetland Islands ◽  
Impact Monitoring ◽  
Livingston Island ◽  
Freshwater Bodies ◽  
Antarctic Treaty ◽  
Terrestrial Biodiversity ◽  
The Antarctic ◽  
Management And Conservation

AbstractByers Peninsula, Livingston Island, was one of the first sites in Antarctica designated for environmental conservation and scientific protection. Research on Byers Peninsula has been predominantly international, with 88 indexed publications (93% of them published during last 20 years) from 209 authors affiliated to 110 institutions from 22 nations, all of which are signatories to the Antarctic Treaty. Palaeontological research represented 20% of the published articles. The variety of freshwater bodies within the area has made Byers Peninsula a reference site for limnological studies (24% of papers). The site also contains numerous outcrops and periglacial features relevant to geology, stratigraphy and geomorphology (29%). Terrestrial biodiversity is extraordinarily high for lichens, bryophytes and invertebrates (15% of articles). Only 5% of the publications concern research on human activities, including both archaeology and impact monitoring. Glaciology, meteorology and climatology studies represent only 7% of papers. This work highlights the international and multidisciplinary nature of science conducted on Byers Peninsula in order to promote international cooperation and to provide information relevant for environmental management and conservation.

New trigonioid bivalves from the Early Jurassic to earliest Cretaceous of the Antarctic Peninsula region: systematics and austral paleobiogeography

1995 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 66-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon R. A. Kelly
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Antarctic Peninsula ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Late Jurassic ◽  
Early Jurassic ◽  
South Shetland Islands ◽  
Shetland Islands ◽  
Livingston Island ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Antarctic

New discoveries of trigonioid bivalves are documented from three areas in the Antartic Peninsula: the Fossil Bluff Group of Alexander Island, the Latady Formation of the Orville Coast, and the Byers Group of Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands. Eleven taxa are described, representing six genera or subgenera. The faunas are characterized by genera including Vaugonia (Vaugonia), the first Early Jurassic trigonioid recognized on the continent; Vaugonia (V.) and V. (Orthotrigonia?) in the Late Jurassic; and Iotrigonia (Iotrigonia), Myophorella (Scaphogonia), and Pterotrigonia (Pterotrigonia), which span the Jurassic–Cretaceous boundary, reaching the Berriasian stage. The following species are new: Pterotrigonia (P.) cramei n. sp., Pterotrigonia (P.) thomsoni n. sp., Vaugonia (V.) orvillensis n. sp., and V. (Orthotrigonia?) quiltyi n. sp. The faunas show affinities with those of New Zealand and southern Africa. Trigonioids characterize the shallower marine biofacies in the Jurassic of the Antarctic and reflect the principal shallowing events in the history of the region.

scholarly journals Variations in ice rafted detritus on beaches in the South Shetland Islands: a possible climate proxy

2004 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 339-344 ◽  
Author(s):  
BRENDA L. HALL ◽  
ETHAN R. PERRY
Keyword(s):  
Antarctic Peninsula ◽  
Ocean Circulation ◽  
Late Holocene ◽  
Warming Trend ◽  
South Shetland Islands ◽  
The South ◽  
Shetland Islands ◽  
Livingston Island ◽  
The Antarctic ◽  
Glacial Advance

Raised beach ridges on Livingston Island of the South Shetland Islands display variations in both quantity and source of ice rafted detritus (IRD) received over time. Whereas the modern beach exhibits little IRD, all of which is of local origin, the next highest beach (∼250 14C yr BP) has large amounts, some of which comes from as far away as the Antarctic Peninsula. Significant quantities of IRD also were deposited ∼1750 14C yr BP. Both time periods coincide with generally cooler regional conditions and, at least in the case of the ∼250 yr old beach, local glacial advance. We suggest that the increases in ice rafting may reflect periods of greater glacial activity, altered ocean circulation, and/or greater iceberg preservation during the late Holocene. Limited IRD and lack of far-travelled erratics on the modern beach are both consistent with the ongoing warming trend in the Antarctic Peninsula region.

Cretaceous angiosperms from an allegedly Triassic flora at Williams Point, Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands

1989 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 239-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
P.M. Rees ◽  
J.L. Smellie
Keyword(s):  
Antarctic Peninsula ◽  
Direct Evidence ◽  
South Shetland Islands ◽  
Fossil Flora ◽  
Volcanic Arc ◽  
Shetland Islands ◽  
Active Volcanism ◽  
Livingston Island ◽  
Radiometric Ages ◽  
The Antarctic

A terrestrial sequence on Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands, known as the Williams Point Beds contains a well-preserved, diverse fossil flora previously assigned a Triassic age. Because of their supposed age, volcanic provenance and evidence for active volcanism, the Williams Point Beds have occupied a unique position in Gondwana (pre-Jurassic) stratigraphy in the Antarctic Peninsula region. However, a large new collection of plant specimens obtained at Williams Point has yielded several species of angiosperm leaves, which are abundant and occur at all levels within the Williams Point Beds sequence. Thus, a Triassic age is no longer tenable. On the basis of the plants present and published radiometric ages for associated strata, the Williams Point Beds fossil flora is reassigned to the Cretaceous, and there is some evidence for a more restricted Albian–Cenomanian age. This revision of the age of the Williams Point Beds removes all direct evidence for an active Triassic volcanic arc in the Antarctic Peninsula region.

AN UNUSUAL SPINE-BEARINGPINNULARIASPECIES FROM THE ANTARCTIC LIVINGSTON ISLAND (SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS)

2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 431-441 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bart Van de Vijver ◽  
Janelle T. Agius ◽  
John A.E. Gibson ◽  
Antonio Quesada
Keyword(s):  
South Shetland Islands ◽  
Shetland Islands ◽  
Livingston Island ◽  
The Antarctic

Environmental effects of human activities on King George Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica

Polar Record ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 27 (162) ◽  
pp. 193-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colin M. Harris
Keyword(s):  
Waste Disposal ◽  
Environmental Effects ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
South Shetland Islands ◽  
King George Island ◽  
Shetland Islands ◽  
The Status ◽  
Antarctic Treaty ◽  
The Antarctic ◽  
Management Issues

AbstractKing George Island, largest of the South Shetland Islands, is the site of nine scientific stations of different nationalities operating within the Antarctic Treaty System. Following a recent visit by the author to assess environmental and management issues, this article (the first of two) updates the status of developments on the island and outlines problems, real and potential.which have arisen from scientific activities, tourism, vehicles, use of fuels and waste disposal. It is concluded that existing management practices have not been adequate to deal with these problems and new approaches are required.

Monitoring shipborne visitors in Antarctica: a preliminary field study

Polar Record ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 28 (166) ◽  
pp. 213-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernard Stonehouse
Keyword(s):  
Austral Summer ◽  
South Shetland Islands ◽  
Ecological Communities ◽  
Joint Project ◽  
Shetland Islands ◽  
Survey Team ◽  
International Geophysical Year ◽  
Antarctic Treaty ◽  
The Antarctic ◽  
Antarctic Treaty System

ABSTRACTDuring every austral summer since the International Geophysical Year 1957–58 several thousand scientists and support staff have worked in Antarctica. A more recent development is the annual advent of 4000–5000 tourists, who now probably outnumber expedition members in the area covered by the Antarctic Treaty System. Most tourists come by ship, visiting coastal areas of the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Orkney and South Shetland islands that arc readily accessible beween November and March: smaller numbers visit the Ross Dependency and Adelie Land sectors. This article reviews Antarctic Treaty and International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) attitudes to tourism, and outlines a preliminary study of shipborne tourism between late December 1991 and March 1992 on Half Moon Island, South Shetland Islands. Within one month (January) a survey team from the Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge, recorded 14 visits by six tour ships, bringing more than 2000 tourists. In addition, attitudes and expectations of visitors were studied on five ships. Arising from this study, a programme of visitor monitoring is planned as a joint project between British, Chilean, and Argentine scientific institutions during the next five years. Objectives are to find ways of minimizing both short-term and long-term impacts of tourists and other visitors on breeding birds and other ecological communities, and to provide a factual basis for regulation under the Antarctic Treaty System.

Populations of breeding birds in Byers Peninsula, Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands

2013 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 303-306 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.A. Gil-Delgado ◽  
J. González-Solís ◽  
A. Barbosa
Keyword(s):  
Gentoo Penguin ◽  
Chinstrap Penguin ◽  
South Shetland Islands ◽  
Giant Petrel ◽  
Shetland Islands ◽  
Kelp Gull ◽  
Livingston Island ◽  
Breeding Populations ◽  
Southern Giant Petrel ◽  
The Antarctic

AbstractData about breeding populations of birds in the Antarctica are rare and fragmented. Thus, information about the status of the breeding populations of Antarctic birds is crucial given the current scenario of climate change, which is particularly acute in Antarctica. This paper presents new information about the populations of the Antarctic tern Sterna vittata, the kelp gull Larus dominicanus, the southern giant petrel Macronectes giganteus, the Antarctic skua Catharacta antarctica lonnbergi, the chinstrap penguin Pygoscelis antarctica and the gentoo penguin Pygoscelis papua on Byers Peninsula (Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands). We used line transects counts to estimate both densities and numbers of nests of the different species. We estimate that there are 398.96 birds km-2 of southern giant petrels (2793 individuals), 62.4 birds km-2 of Antarctic tern (3746 individuals) and 269.1 birds km-2 of kelp gull (1884 individuals). Furthermore, we found 15 nests of Antarctic skua in 25 km2, from which we can estimate that 60–91 birds must breed on Byers Peninsula. We also censused two colonies of gentoo penguins (3000 and 1200 pairs) and 50 pairs of chinstrap. Compared to previous estimates, gentoo penguins seem to have increased whereas chinstrap penguin have decreased. Finally, the populations of Antarctic tern, southern giant petrel and kelp gull have stabilized or slightly increased.

scholarly journals SYNTHESIS OF THE BULGARIAN PROTOZOOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS OF SOUTH  SHETLAND ISLANDS (THE  ANTARCTIC)

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 47-56
Author(s):  
Vassil Golemansky
Keyword(s):  
Testate Amoebae ◽  
The Other ◽  
South Shetland Islands ◽  
Shetland Islands ◽  
Livingston Island ◽  
Coccidian Parasites ◽  
Freshwater Habitats ◽  
Naked Amoebae ◽  
The Antarctic ◽  
Penguin Species

Within the range of the Bulgarian Antarctic Program (1987-2010) some parasitological investigations on the coccidian parasites of 3 penguin species from South Shetland Islands (Livingston and St George Islands) were conducted, namely: Pygoscelis antarctica, P. papua and P. adeliae. Three coccidian species were found, one of which was described as a new species: Eimeria pygosceli Golemansky, 2003. It was isolated from the fecal samples of all 3 penguin species, living at South Shetland Islands. The other not identified coccidian’s were of the genera Eimeria and Isopspora. (Table 1).  The great number of coccidian’s oocysts in some of the examined birds (from 80 – 220 oocysts in one microscopic field) suggest for their pathogenic role on the penguin’s population.As a result of our studies on some soil, moss and freshwater habitats from Livingston Island a total of 48 rhizopods were found. Three of them were naked amoebae of  the genera Hartmanella, Thecamoeba and Vannella and the other 45 species were testate amoebae of 17 genera. Data on their occurrence frequency (pF) and dominance frequency (DF) were given (Table 2). The  research on the marine interstitial testate amoebae from the supralittoral of the Antarctic region of Chile and Livingston Island shows the presence of 17 species of psammobiotic and psammophilous testate amoebae (Table 3).

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