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The influence of depth, site exposure and season on the intensity of iceberg scouring in nearshore Antarctic waters

The influence of depth, site exposure and season on the intensity of iceberg scouring in nearshore Antarctic waters
The influence of depth, site exposure and season on the intensity of iceberg scouring in nearshore Antarctic waters
Ice scour disturbance has a significant effect on the physical and biological characteristics of polar benthos. A series of grids, each consisting of 25 markers, were deployed along depth transects and replicated at two contrasting study sites at Adelaide Island, West Antarctic Peninsula. Markers were surveyed and replaced every 3 months for 2 years in order to assess the frequency and intensity of iceberg impacts. Depth, site, season and year were all highly significant factors influencing ice scouring frequency. We observed a high variation in the duration of winter fast ice between sites and years, which had a marked effect on ice scouring frequency. The ecological effects of the disturbance regime are likely to include depth zonation of benthic assemblages, patchiness of communities at varying stages of recovery and the near denudation of sessile fauna in the shallow subtidal.
ice, disturbance, benthos, mortality, scour
0722-4060
769-779
Smale, Dan A.
19528a3a-f66c-474d-ae13-c6405b8014ab
Barnes, David K.A.
f53924ec-169f-4620-9e9b-c51a405bf6ca
Fraser, Keiron P.P.
7f42cac7-8764-4f94-a80c-cd93ad2649fc
Smale, Dan A.
19528a3a-f66c-474d-ae13-c6405b8014ab
Barnes, David K.A.
f53924ec-169f-4620-9e9b-c51a405bf6ca
Fraser, Keiron P.P.
7f42cac7-8764-4f94-a80c-cd93ad2649fc

Smale, Dan A., Barnes, David K.A. and Fraser, Keiron P.P. (2007) The influence of depth, site exposure and season on the intensity of iceberg scouring in nearshore Antarctic waters. Polar Biology, 30 (6), 769-779. (doi:10.1007/s00300-006-0236-0).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Ice scour disturbance has a significant effect on the physical and biological characteristics of polar benthos. A series of grids, each consisting of 25 markers, were deployed along depth transects and replicated at two contrasting study sites at Adelaide Island, West Antarctic Peninsula. Markers were surveyed and replaced every 3 months for 2 years in order to assess the frequency and intensity of iceberg impacts. Depth, site, season and year were all highly significant factors influencing ice scouring frequency. We observed a high variation in the duration of winter fast ice between sites and years, which had a marked effect on ice scouring frequency. The ecological effects of the disturbance regime are likely to include depth zonation of benthic assemblages, patchiness of communities at varying stages of recovery and the near denudation of sessile fauna in the shallow subtidal.

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Published date: May 2007
Keywords: ice, disturbance, benthos, mortality, scour
Organisations: Ocean Biochemistry & Ecosystems

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Local EPrints ID: 348325
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/348325
ISSN: 0722-4060
PURE UUID: c092a4ab-eabb-4e9e-96fd-12821c20e001

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Date deposited: 12 Feb 2013 12:03
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 12:58

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Contributors

Author: Dan A. Smale
Author: David K.A. Barnes
Author: Keiron P.P. Fraser

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