Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-dfsvx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-25T11:21:51.293Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Ionic composition of terrestrial surface waters in Maritime Antarctic and the processes involved in formation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 September 2014

Arkadiusz Nędzarek ,
Agnieszka Tórz  and
Joanna Podlasińska
Arkadiusz Nędzarek*
Affiliation:
Department of Aquatic Sozology, West Pomeranian University of Technology, K. Królewicza 4, 71-550, Szczecin, Poland Department of Antarctic Biology, Polish Academy of Science, Ustrzycka 10-12, 02-141 Warsaw, Poland
Agnieszka Tórz
Affiliation:
Department of Antarctic Biology, Polish Academy of Science, Ustrzycka 10-12, 02-141 Warsaw, Poland
Joanna Podlasińska
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental Protection and Management, West Pomeranian University of Technology, Słowackiego 17, 71-434 Szczecin, Poland
*
arkadiusz.nedzarek@zut.edu.pl
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The qualitative and quantitative composition of major ions and nutrient compounds in surface waters and soils of the west coast of Admiralty Bay (King George Island, West Antarctica) was investigated together with the effect of soil-forming processes and atmospheric precipitation on the ionic composition of surface waters. In the water bodies studied, Cl- and Na+ were dominant major ions (average concentrations: 1102.2 and 930.9 μM, respectively). Average concentrations of the other major anions ranged from 2.80 μM (F-) to 81.64 μM (SO42-) and major cations ranged from 12.46 μM (K+) to 130.76 μM (Mg2+). Average concentrations of total reactive phosphorus, N-NO2-, N-NO3- and N-NH4+ amounted to 1.374, 0.410, 6.299 and 1.490 μM, respectively. Average concentrations of Ca, Mg, Na, K, N and P in the surface layer of the soil equalled 16.8, 15.9, 6.4, 3.6, 0.646 and 0.744 g kg-1, respectively. The calculated Na+/Cl-, Ca2+/Mg2+, Ca2+/Na+ and HCO3-/Cl- ratios revealed that atmospheric precipitation was the main source of major ions. We conclude that the ionic composition of the waters of the western coast of Admiralty Bay differ from surface waters of Continental Antarctica.

Keywords

major ionsmeltwater streamnutrientssoilsSouth Shetland Islands
Type
Biological Sciences
Information
Antarctic Science , Volume 27 , Issue 2 , April 2015 , pp. 150 - 161
Copyright
© Antarctic Science Ltd 2014 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

APHA. 1995. Standard methods for examination of water and wastewater. 19th edition. Washington, DC: American Public Health Association, 1200 pp.Google Scholar
Bertler, N., Mayewski, P.A., Aristarain, A. & 47 others . 2005. Snow chemistry across Antarctica. Annals of Glaciology, 41, 167–179.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bolter, M. 2011. Soil development and soil biology on King George Island, Maritime Antarctic. Polish Polar Research, 32, 105–116.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Caulkett, A.P. & Ellis-Evans, J.C. 1997. Chemistry of streams of Signy Island, Maritime Antarctic: sources of major ions. Antarctic Science, 9, 3–11.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chacon, N., Ascanio, M., Herrera, R., Benzo, D., Flores, S., Silva, S.J. & Garcia, B. 2013. Do P cycling patterns differ between ice-free areas and glacial boundaries in the Maritime Antarctic region? Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research, 45, 190–200.Google Scholar
Elster, J. & Komarek, O. 2003. Ecology of periphyton in a meltwater stream ecosystem in the Maritime Antarctic. Antarctic Science, 15, 189–201.Google Scholar
Green, W.J., Angle, M.P. & Chave, K.E. 1988. The geochemistry of Antarctic streams and their role in the evolution on four lakes of the McMurdo Dry Valleys. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 52, 1265–1274.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Green, W.J., Stage, B.R., Preston, A., Wagers, S., Shacat, J. & Newell, S. 2005. Geochemical processes in the Onyx River, Wright Valley, Antarctica: major ions, nutrients, trace metals. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 69, 839–850.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hawes, I. & Brazier, P. 1991. Freshwater stream ecosystems of James Ross Island, Antarctica. Antarctic Science, 3, 265–271.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jones, J.B. 1999. Soil analysis: handbook of reference methods. London: CRC Press, 264 pp.Google Scholar
Juchnowicz-Bierbasz, M. & Rakusa-Suszczewski, S. 2002. Nutrients and cations content in soil solutions from the present and abandoned penguin rookeries (Antarctica, King George Island). Polish Journal of Ecology, 50, 79–91.Google Scholar
Juchnowicz-Bierbasz, M. 1999. Year-round changes of nutrients in fresh water bodies near Arctowski Station, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. Polish Polar Research, 20, 243–258.Google Scholar
Kawecka, B. & Olech, M. 1993. Diatom communities in the Vanishing and Ornithology Creek, King George Island, South Shetland, Antarctica. Hydrobiologia, 269, 327–333.Google Scholar
Kozik, A. 1982. Wstępna charakterystyka zlewni w sąsiedztwie Stacji im. Henryka Arctowskiego na wyspie Króla Jerzego (Szetlandy Południowe). Wyprawy Polarne Uniwersytetu Śląskiego 1977–1980, 1, 118–134. [Preliminary characteristics of the catchment area near Henryk Arctowski Polish Antarctic Station on King George Island (South Shetland Islands). Polar expeditions of the University of Silesia.]Google Scholar
Livingstone, D.H. 1963. Chemical composition of rivers and lakes. USGS Professional Paper, 440-G, 64 pp.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Luścińska, M. & Kyc, A. 1993. Algae inhabiting creeks in the region of ‘H. Arctowski’ Polish Antarctic Station, King George Is., South Shetlands. Polish Polar Research, 14, 393–405.Google Scholar
Marsz, A. & Rakusa-Suszczewski, S. 1987. Charakterystyka ekologiczna rejonu Zatoki Admiralicji. [Ecological Characteristics of the Admiralty Bay Region]. Kosmos, 36, 103–127.Google Scholar
Marsz, A.A. & Styszyńska, A. 2000. Główne cechy klimatu rejonu polskiej stacji antarktycznej im. H. Arctowskiego (Antarktyka Zachodnia, Szetlandy Południowe, Wyspa Króla Jerzego). [Main climate features of the area of H. Arctowski Antarctic Station (West Antarctic, South Shetland Islands, King George Island)]. WSM Gdynia, 264 pp.Google Scholar
Mishra, V.K., Kim, K.H., Hong, S. & Lee, K. 2004. Aerosol composition and its sources at the King Sejong Station, Antarctic Peninsula. Atmospheric Environment, 38, 4069–4084.Google Scholar
Pensu, M. & Gautheyrou, J. 2007. Handbook of soil analysis: mineralogical, organic and inorganic methods. Berlin: Springer, 1012 pp.Google Scholar
Pociecha, A. 2008. Density dynamics of Natholca squamula salina Focke (Rotifera) in Lake Wujka, a freshwater Antarctic lake. Polar Biology, 31, 275–279.Google Scholar
Pociecha, A. & Dumont, H.J. 2008. Life cycle of Boeckella poppei Mrazek and Branchinecta gaini Daday (King George Island, South Shetland). Polar Biology, 31, 245–248.Google Scholar
Rakusa-Suszczewski, S. 1992. Zatoka Admiralicji, Antarktyka. [Admiralty Bay, Antarctica]. Dziekanów Leśny: Instytut Ekologii PAN, 287 pp.Google Scholar
Santos, I.R., Silva-Filho, E.V., Schaefer, C.E.G.R., Albuquerque-Filho, M.R. & Campos, L.S. 2005. Heavy metal contamination in coastal sediments and soils near the Brazilian Antarctic Station, King George Island. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 50, 185–194.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Simas, F.N.B., Schaefer, C.E.G.R., Melo, V.F., Guerra, M.B.B., Saunders, M. & Gilkes, R.J. 2006. Clay-sized minerals in permafrost-affected soils (Cryosols) from King George Island, Antarctica. Clay and Clay Minerals, 54, 721–736.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stumpf, A.R., Madden, M.E.E., Soreghan, G.S., Hall, B.L., Keiser, L.J. & Marra, K.R. 2012. Glacier meltwater stream chemistry in Wright and Taylor valleys, Antarctica: significant roles of drift, dust and biological processes in chemical weathering in a polar climate. Chemical Geology, 322, 79–90.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tatur, A. 1989. Ornithogenic soils of the Maritime Antarctic. Polish Polar Research, 10, 481–532.Google Scholar
Tatur, A. & Myrcha, A. 1984. Ornithogenic soils on King George Island, South Shetlands, Maritime Antarctic Zone. Polish Polar Research, 5, 31–60.Google Scholar
Tatur, A. & Myrcha, A. 1988. Soils and vegetation in abandoned penguin rookeries (Maritime Antarctic Zone). Proceedings NIPR Symposium on Polar Biology, 2, 181–189.Google Scholar
Toro, M., Camacho, A., Rochera, C., Rico, E., Bañon, M., Fernandez-Valiente, E., Marco, E., Justel, A., Avendano, M.C., Ariosa, Y., Vincent, W.F. & Quesada, A. 2007. Limnological characteristics of the freshwater ecosystems of Byers Peninsula, Livingston Island, in Maritime Antarctic. Polar Biology, 30, 635–649.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vinocur, A. & Unrein, F. 2000. Typology of lentic water bodies at Potter Peninsula (King George Island, Antarctica) based on physical-chemical characteristics and phytoplankton communities. Polar Biology, 23, 858–870.CrossRefGoogle Scholar