Biology of the Antarctic Seas V

235 Pages·1976·25.26 MB·English

Soft Bottom Macrobenthic Community
of Arthur Harbor, Antarctica
James K. Lowry
Paper 1 in
Biology of the Antarctic Seas V
David L. Pawson, Editor
A N T A R C T IC
Volume 23
R E S E A R CH
Number 1
S E R I ES
ANTAfCTIC
Volume 23
RESEARCH
Number 1
S ERIES
SOFT BOTTOM MACROBENTHIC COMMUNITY
OF ARTHUR HARBOR, ANTARCTICA
JAMES K. LOWRY, Author ?
BIOLOGY OF THE ANTARCTIC SEAS V
DAVID L. PAWSON, Editor
Copyright © 1975 by the American Geophysical Union
1909 K Street, N. W.
Washington, D. C. 20006
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Lowry, James K. 1942-
Soft bottom macrobenthic community of Arthur
Harbor, Antarctica.
(Biology of the Antarctic seas; 5) (Antarctic research
series; v. 23, no. 1) v <
1. Marine invertebrates—Antarctic regions^Anvers
Island. 2. Benthos^Antarctic regions—Anvers
Island. I. Title. II. Title: Arthur Harbor,
Antarctica. III. Series. IV: Series: American
Geophysical Union. Antarctic research series; v. 23, no. 1.
QH95.58.B56 vol. 5 [QL127] 574.92'4s [592'.09'24]
ISBN 0-87590-123-9 75-22056 \
Published by the
AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL- UNION
With the aid of a grant from the
National Science Foundation
August 12, 1975
Printed by
THE WILLIAM BYRD PRESS, INC.
Richmond, Virginia
The Aulacanthidae (Radiolaria: Phaeodaria)
of the Antarctic Seas
John Francisco Tibbs
Paper 2 in
Biology of the Antarctic Seas V
Antarctic Research Series Volume 23
David L. Pawson, Editor
American Geophysical Union
THE AULACANTHIDAE (RADIOLARIA: PHAEODARIA) OF THE ANTARCTIC SEAS
JOHN FRANCISCO TIBBS
BIOLOGY OF THE ANTARCTIC SEAS V
Antarctic Research Series Volume 23
Edited by DAVID L. PAWSON
Copyright © 1976 by the American Geophysical Union
1909 K Street, N. W.
Washington, D. C. 20006
ISBN 0-87590-126v3
Published by the
AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION^
With the aid of a grant from the
National Science Foundation
December 31, 1976
Printed by
THE WILLIAM BYRD PRESS, INC.
Richmond, Virginia
Bathypelagic Isopod Crustacea From the
Antarctic and Southern Seas
George A. Schultz
Paper 3 in
Biology of the Antarctic Seas V
Antarctic Research Series Volume 23
David L. Pawson, Editor
American Geophysical Union
BATHYPELAGIC ISOPOD CRUSTACEA FROM
THE ANTARCTIC AND SOUTHERN SEAS
GEORGE A. SCHULTZ
BIOLOGY OF THE ANTARCTIC SEAS V
Antarctic Research Series Volume 23
Edited by DAVID L. PAWSON
Copyright © 1977 by the American Geophysical Union
1909 K Street, N. W.
Washington, D. C. 20006 y ~V
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Schultz, George A. r
x
Bathypelagic isopod Crustacea from the Antarctic and
southern seas.
(Biology of the Antarctic seas; o, paper 3) (Ant­
arctic research series; v. 23, no. 3)
Bibliography: p.
1. Isopoda —South Atlantic Ocean. 2. Isdpoda —
South Pacific Ocean. 3. Isopoda —Antarctic Ocean.
4. Crustacea —South Atlantic Ocean. 5. Crustacea —
South Pacific Ocean, 6. Crustacea —Antarctic Ocean.
I. Title. II Series. III. Series: American Geo­
physical Union. Antarctic research series; v. 23, (
no. 3.
QH95.58.B56 vol. 5, paper 3 IQL444.M34] 77-1796
ISBN 0-87590-128-X 574.92'4s |595'.372'09167l
Published by the
AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION
With the aid of a grant from the
National Science Foundation
July 18, 1977
Printed by
THE WILLIAM BYKD PRESS, INC.
Richmond, Virginia
Benthic Marine Algae of the Antarctic Peninsula
I. Mackenzie Lamb and Martin H. Zimmerman
Kenny Smith-Brunet, Illustrator
Paper 4 in
Biology of the Antarctic Seas V
Antarctic Research Series Volume 23
David L. Pawson, Editor
American Geophysical Union
BENTHIC MARINE ALGAE OF THE
ANTARCTIC PENINSULA
I. MACKENZIE LAMB AND MARTIN H. ZIMMERMAN '
Illustrated by'KENNY SMITH-BRUNET
BIOLOGY OF THE ANTARCTIC SEAS V
Antarctic Research Series1 Volume 23
Edited by DAVID L. PAWSON
Copyright © 1977 by the American Geophysical Union
1909 K Street, N. W.
Washington, D. C. 20006
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Lamb, Ivan Mackenzie.
Benthic marine algae of the Antarctic Peninsula.
(Biology of the Antarctic seas; 5, paper 4) (Ant­
arctic research series; v. 23, no. 4)
Bibliography: p. ^.
Includes index.
1. Marine algae — Antarctic regions—Antarctic
Peninsula. 2. Benthos —Antarctic regions — Antarctic
Peninsula. 3. Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctic regions.
I. Zimmermann, Martin Huldrych, 1926- joint author.
II. Title. III. Series. IV. Series: American Geo­
physical Union. Antarctic research series; v. 23, no. 4.
QH95.58.B56 vol. 5, paper 4 IQK580.5] 574.92'4s
ISBN 0-87590-127-1 |589'.39'293l 77-1470
Published by the
AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION
With the aid of a grant from the
National Science Foundation
September 16, 1977
Printed by
THE WILLIAM BYRD PRESS, INC.
Richmond, Virginia
FRONTISPIECE
The marine vegetation on the rocky slope southeast of Melchior Station at a depth of 2 m,
February 11, 1965. The rock surface, continuously subjected to the abrasive action of floating
ice, is covered partly by an encrusting calcareous red alga of pale pink color (Lithophyllum or
Lithothamnium). The foliose Leptosomia simplex grows from cracks and crevices between the
rocks and forms long ribbons by the end of the summer. In the foreground is a limpet
(Nacella polaris).
Antarctic Research Series Biology of the Antarctic Seas V Vol. 23
SOFT B O T T O M MACROBENTHIC C O M M U N I T Y
OF ARTHUR H A R B O R , A N T A R C T I C A
JAMES K . LOWRY1
Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Gloucester Point, Virginia 23062
Monthly grab samples (February 1967 to January 1968) taken at two localities have been used to
describe the soft bottom macrobenthic community of Arthur Harbor, Anvers Island, Antarctica. The har­
bor bottom is composed of soft mud. Physical parameters such as bottom water temperatures (yearly
mean, — 1.0°C) and bottom salinity (yearly mean, 34.10°/o) show little annual variation. Major components
O
are annelids, arthropods, and mollusks. The macrofauna exhibit a mean density of 7629/m2 at station I
and 6285/m2 at station II. Bioindex values utilizing numbers and volumes show Ampelisca bouvien and Toldia
eightsi to be dominant and characteristic members of the soft mud bottom. Eighteen species occur in at least
75% of all samples.Mean diversity values are relatively high. Mean redundancy values show the community
to be near its theoretical maximum diversity. Arthur Harbor differs from previously described benthic com­
munities in the Antarctic, which are composed mainly of suspension feeding sponges, coelenterates, and ec-
toprocts.
INTRODUCTION Uschakov [Uschakov, 1963] and more recently by
Most of our early knowledge of invertebrates from Dearborn [1965, 1967] and Bullivant [1967].
the Antarctic Peninsula is based on scientific reports Uschakov summarized the Russian benthic studies
from the Belgian Antarctic Expedition 1897-1899, the done in the East Antarctic, whereas the work of Dear­
Swedish South Polar Expedition 1901-1904, the born and Bullivant was conducted in the Ross Sea.
French Antarctic Expeditions 1903-1905 and From these studies the marine benthos has been
1908-1910, the German South Polar Expedition characterized as highly diverse with many endemic
1910-1912, and the Discovery Investigations from species, many of which exhibit direct development.
1925 intermittently through 1950. Since 1957, tremen­ The communities are dominated by suspension
dous interest has been generated in antarctic biology. feeders such as sponges, bryozoans, and coelenterates,
With 13 countries actively conducting research in the forming thick mats over the bottom [Dearborn, 1968].
Antarctic, more animals have probably been collected The present study was carried out on the soft mud
since 1957 than in all previous years [Dearborn, bottom of Arthur Harbor, Anvers Island, Antarctica,
1968]. where because of the substrate, one would generally
Four hundred seventy-five nominate species of expect deposit feeders to replace suspension feeders.
polychaetes [Hartman, 1966], 309 mollusks [Dell, Polychaetes, mollusks, and infaunal crustaceans nor­
1964], 310 amphipods, 130 isopods, 100 pycnogonids mally dominate such sites.
[Ekman, 1953], 270 echinoderms [Dearborn, 1967], The objective has been a detailed study of the
and 126 tunicates [Kott, 1969] are known from the benthic community, emphasizing species composi­
antarctic-subantarctic fauna. Significant studies in tion, community structure, and species diversity.
benthic invertebrate ecology were not attempted until Petersen [1911, 1913, 1914], Mare [1942], and
the late 1950's, first by G. M. Beliaev and P. V. Thorson [1957] have provided the traditional basis for
this study, and the work of Sanders [1956, 1960,
1968], Patten [1962], Margalef [1968], and Dunbar
1 Now at Department of Zoology, University of Canterbury,
Christchurch, New Zealand. [1968] has provided more modern approaches.
Copyright American Geophysical Union