History of benthic colonisation beneath the Amery Ice Shelf, East Antarctica

Maintenance and Update Frequency: unknown Statement: Unknown This study presents compelling evidence for a diverse and abundant seabed community which has developed over the course of the Holocene beneath the Amery Ice Shelf in East Antarctica. Fossil analysis of a 47 cm long sediment core reveals a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Marine Ecology Progress Series
Other Authors: APOST (custodian), Commonwealth of Australia (Geoscience Australia) (owner), Commonwealth of Australia (Geoscience Australia) (pointOfContact), Craven, M. (author), EGD (hasAssociationWith), Hemer, M.A. (author), Manager Client Services (distributor), Manager Client Services (custodian), O'Brien, P.E. (author), Post, A.L. (author), Roberts, D. (author)
Format: Text
Language:unknown
Published: Australian Ocean Data Network
Subjects:
geoscientificInformation
External Publication
Article
Antarctic data
palaeoclimatology
habitat
marine
AQ
EARTH SCIENCES
Published_External
Antarctic
East Antarctica
Prydz Bay
Amery
Amery Ice Shelf
Antarc*
Antarctica
Ice Shelf
Ice Shelves
Online Access:https://researchdata.edu.au/history-benthic-colonisation-east-antarctica/683890
http://pid.geoscience.gov.au/dataset/ga/64953
https://doi.org/10.3354/meps06966
Description
Summary:Maintenance and Update Frequency: unknown Statement: Unknown This study presents compelling evidence for a diverse and abundant seabed community which has developed over the course of the Holocene beneath the Amery Ice Shelf in East Antarctica. Fossil analysis of a 47 cm long sediment core reveals a rich modern fauna, dominated by filter feeders (sponges and bryozoans), with an abundant infauna predominantly of polychaetes. The down-core assemblage reveals a succession in the colonisation of this site. The lower portion of the core (prior to ~9600 yr BP) is completely devoid of preserved fauna. The first colonisers of the site after this time were the mobile benthic organisms. Their occurrence in the core is matched by the first appearance of planktonic taxa, indicating a retreat of the ice shelf following the last glaciation to within sufficient distance to advect planktonic particles via bottom currents. The benthic infauna and filter feeders emerged during the peak abundance of the planktonic organisms, indicating their dependence on this advected food supply which is brought via bottom currents flowing from the open shelf waters of Prydz Bay. Understanding patterns of species succession in this environment has important implications for determining the potential significance of future global change. The collapse of Antarctic ice shelves, as has happened in recent times, would significantly change the organic supply regime, and therefore the nature of these sub-ice shelf benthic communities.

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