Change in N and P Concentrations in Antarctic Streams as a Response to Change in Penguin Populations

• Published in: Papers on Global Change IGBP
• Main Author: Nędzarek, Arkadiusz
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: Walter de Gruyter GmbH 2010
• Subjects: Geology; Geophysics; Ecology; Global and Planetary Change; Antarctic; King George Island; Admiralty Bay; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/v10190-010-0006-2; http://content.sciendo.com/view/journals/igbp/17/1/article-p67.xml; https://www.degruyter.com/view/j/igbp.2010.17.issue-1/v10190-010-0006-2/v10190-010-0006-2.pdf

ABSTRACT This study presents changes in the concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus in two streams in Western Antarctica (Admiralty Bay, King George Island, South Shetlands) that differ in trophic status. The results suggest a decline in concentrations of the determined forms of N and P between 2001 and 2005. The decrease ranged from 9.3% for reactive phosphorus to 73.2% for ammonium-nitrogen. Such inferred declines in N and P concentrations are considered to reflect reduced deposition on land of organic matter brought in from the seas by the penguins nesting in the area. The ultimate cause of this is in turn the steady decline in abundance that is being noted for these penguins.