Contamination and invertebrate presence on food transported to Antarctica ...

• Main Authors: Hughes, Kevin A, Lee, Jennifer E, Tsujimoto, Megumu, Imura, Satoshi, Bergstrom, Dana Michelle, Ware, Chris, Lebouvier, Marc, Huiskes, Ad H L, Gremmen, Niek J M, Frenot, Yves, Bridge, Paul D, Chown, Steven L
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: PANGAEA 2011
• Subjects: International Polar Year 2007-2008 IPY; Antarc*; Antarctic; Antarctica; International Polar Year; IPY
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.1594/pangaea.811496; https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.811496

To understand fully the risk of biological invasions, it is necessary to quantify propagule pressure along all introduction pathways. In the Antarctic region, importation of fresh produce is a potentially high risk, but as yet unquantified pathway. To address this knowledge gap, >11,250 fruit and vegetables sent to nine research stations in Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic islands, were examined for associated soil, invertebrates and microbial decomposition. Fifty-one food types were sourced from c. 130 locations dispersed across all six of the Earth's inhabited continents. On average, 12% of food items had soil on their surface, 28% showed microbial infection resulting in rot and more than 56 invertebrates were recorded, mainly from leafy produce. Approximately 30% of identified fungi sampled from infected foods were not recorded previously from within the Antarctic region, although this may reflect limited knowledge of Antarctic fungal diversity. The number of non-native flying invertebrates caught ... : Data extracted in the frame of a joint ICSTI/PANGAEA IPY effort, see http://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.150150 ...