Marine Algal Communities of the Northwestern Antarctic Peninsula: Comparative Physiological & Biogeochemical Studyof Effects of a Major Oil Spill

南极半岛孕育着这片大陆上最丰富多样的动植物种群。补给船巴伊亚帕拉索的搁浅和随后在美国帕尔默站附近的石油泄漏严重影响了该地区。初步观察显示，石油覆盖了大型藻类和无脊椎动物，它们生活在潮间带鹅卵石海滩和潮池的坚硬基质上。许多构成南极食物网基础的无脊椎动物都被杀死了。石油还影响了海豹和鸟类。一些被污染的鸟已经死亡，其他的则表现出饥饿、不良行为和失去绝缘的症状。这项研究项目是对石油泄漏附近的海洋环境进行综合时间序列调查的一部分。研究小组将审查石油污染的空间和时间范围以及对海洋动植物的相关影响。本项目将重点研究大型藻类生理学。此外，将收集植物和动物样本，分析稳定的碳和氮同位素，以确定控制和受影响地点的食物网结构。

The Antarctic Peninsula supports the most abundant and diverse populations of plants and animals on the continent. The grounding of the supply ship Bahia Paraiso and subsequent oil spill near the U.S. Palmer Station significantly impacted the area. Initial observations have revealed that the oil has coated macroalgae and invertebrates living on the hard substrata along intertidal cobble beaches and in tidal pools. Many of the invertebrates, which form the base of the Antarctic food web, have been killed. The oil has also affected seals and birds. Some of the oiled birds have died and others have shown symptoms of starvation, adverse behavior and loss of insulation. This research project is part of an integrated, time-series survey of the marine environment in the vicinity of the oil spill. The research groups will examine the spatial and temporal extent of the oil contamination and the associated effects on marine flora and fauna. This project will focus on macroalgae physiology. In addition, plant and animal samples will be collected for the analysis of stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes in order to determine food web structure in control and affected sites.