We assessed the content of some major and trace elements and lichen compounds as well as antioxidant activity in eight lichen species representing four families collected in areas > 1 km distant from Bellingshausen (King George Island) and > 1 km distant from Molodezhnaya (Thala Hills, Enderby Land) research stations. Content levels of Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn and As in Physcia caesia, Physconia muscigena, Umbilicaria aprina, Umbilicaria decussata and Usnea aurantiaco-atra thalli were similar to or lower than previously reported for these species in the Maritime and Continental Antarctic, as well as from reference sites. The first data on the contents of 15 elements in Ramalina terebrata and Thamnolecania brialmontii thalli from the Maritime Antarctic are reported. Our analyses confirmed the presence of the main photosynthetic pigments in the species examined (chlorophyll a and b, phaeophytin a and b, neoxanthin, violaxanthin, lutein and β-carotene). We identified protolichesterinic acid in T. brialmontii thalli for the first time. Antioxidant activity varied from 190 μg/g dry weight (U. decussata) to 14,740 μg/g dry weight (T. brialmontii). The data obtained complement previous research while also providing new baseline data that will have utility in monitoring and identifying future change.

We isolated 32 yeasts from King George Island, which we then identified and characterized. Twenty-six belonged to Basidiomycota among the genera Naganishia, Holtermaniella, Vishniacozyma, Phenoliferia, Mrakia and Cystobasidium, and only six were Ascomycota of the genera Metschnikowia and Debaryomyces. Thirteen were psychrophiles, while 19 were psychrotolerant. Certain isolates exhibited a high tolerance to NaCl (3.5 M), while most tolerated Ni2+, Zn2+ and Li+. Cu2+ and Cd2+, however, inhibited the growth of most of the isolates. We assessed a bioprospecting of extracellular enzymes and their ability to biodegrade or bioaccumulate textile dyes. β-Glucosidases (59%) and esterases (53%) were the main extracellular enzymes detected. A minor proportion of the yeasts produced pectinases and xylanases; only psychrophiles produced proteases. Vishniacozyma, Naganishia, Phenoliferia and Mrakia were the richest genera in terms of enzyme production. Greater than 70% of the isolates decolourized solid medium supplemented with various dyes at 4°C and 20°C. Isolates belonging to the genera Vishniacozyma, Cystobasidium, Mrakia and Phenoliferia seem to have potential for textile dye bio-decolourization. The results demonstrated that yeasts collected from the Maritime Antarctic are a potential source of new enzymes of biotechnological interest, and that certain isolates could potentially be considered in the design of textile wastewater decolourizations.

The Antarctic Peninsula is undergoing rapid change due to global warming, including air and water temperature increases. Fauna inhabiting the intertidal zone are particularly exposed to warming impacts, as they are subjected to high variations in both terrestrial and marine environmental settings. This study aimed to assess intertidal macrofaunal and meiofaunal biodiversity, tidal height-related assemblage structural patterns and their responses to variability in environmental parameters on King George Island. A total of 39 macrofaunal taxa were identified, with polychaetes and amphipods being the most diverse groups and gastropods, amphipods and bivalves being the most abundant. In the case of meiofauna, 16 taxa were found, mainly nematodes, copepod nauplii and harpacticoids. There was a significant decrease in the number of species, abundance and biomass for both macrofauna and meiofauna with increasing tidal height. Our investigation documented highly diverse and abundant fauna in the Antarctic intertidal zone. With its thriving life, it could serve as a perfect model system for detecting climate change impacts on local biodiversity. Therefore, we propose the Antarctic intertidal zone as a suitable habitat for monitoring these changes.

This article is devoted to the assessment of trends of atmospheric air pollution and atmospheric impacts on the environment in the oases of the Thala Hills, Enderby Land, East Antarctica. Estimates of annual emissions of SO2, nitrogen oxides (NOx), inhalable particulate matter with a diameter of ≤ 10 μm (PM10) and CO and their dynamics over 56 years of Thala Hills exploration are given, as well as levels of surface air concentrations of SO2, NOx, PM10 and PM10 atmospheric depositions using air dispersion modelling. It is shown, in particular, that average annual emissions of NOx, PM10 and CO peaked in the early 1990s and have decreased 30.9 times by now. Sulphur dioxide emissions were highest in the late 1960s–late 1970s and decreased 270 times since then. Results of comparisons of modelled air concentrations and depositions with the available data on the measurement of surface air pollutant concentrations and atmospheric depositions are presented. Sources of uncertainties in the estimates of emissions, ground-level concentrations and depositions are described. Proposed approaches can be used to assess the cumulative impacts of ongoing and planned activities on atmospheric air and on other components of the environment through assessing the atmospheric air in the Antarctic Treaty area.

We used a multidisciplinary approach integrating major, trace and rare earth element geochemistry, mineralogy of rocks and sediments along with the ionic composition of water reservoirs of Admiralty Bay, King George Island, to evaluate the record of water-rock interactions under Maritime Antarctic conditions. Our results showed that the ionic compositions of the streams and meltwaters predominantly reflect the atmospheric inputs, while lake waters have higher Na/Cl, Ca/Mg and HCO3/Cl ratios related to chemical weathering in lake sediments, but this did not allow for distinguishing purely silicate sources. Consistent with the trace and rare earth element data, various alteration indices and Index of Compositional Variability values denote the low degree of chemical weathering in the lake sediments. The records from the previously unexplored Mud Lake and Upper Lake suggest that the lakes of Admiralty Bay are better places to trace the impacts of a succession of environmental changes that have occurred in the watershed, while the stream channel sediments, when accompanied by water chemistry data, may provide a more representative composition of the source rocks than the lake sediments. These findings may help revealing the intensity of contemporary weathering in a colder climate with relatively few mineralogical changes accompanied by a lesser degree of elemental loss.

Localized contamination from research-related activities and its effects on macrofauna communities in the marine environment were investigated at Palmer Station, a medium-sized Antarctic research station. Relatively low concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs; 32–302 ng g-1) and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs; 0.9–8.9 μg g-1) were detected in sediments adjacent to the sewage outfall and pier, where most human activities were expected to have occurred, and at even lower concentrations at two seemingly reference areas (PAHs 6–30 ng g-1, TPHs 0.03–5.1 μg g-1). Elevated concentrations of PAHs in one sample taken in one reference area (816 ng g-1) and polychlorinated biphenyls (353 ng g-1) and dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (3.2 and 25.3 ng g-1) in two samples taken adjacent to the sewage outfall indicate spatial heterogeneity of localized sediment contamination. Limpet (Nacella concinna) tissues collected adjacent to Palmer Station had high concentrations of PAHs, copper, lead, zinc and several other metals relative to outlying islands. Sediment and limpet tissue contaminant concentrations have decreased since the early 1990s following the Bahía Paraíso spill. Natural sediment characteristics affected macrofaunal community composition more than contamination adjacent to Palmer Station, presumably because of the low overall contamination levels.

Sea ice is the major constraint on human activities in the Southern Ocean. Depending on a vessel's ice class, human mobility may be restricted or even prevented altogether by sea-ice conditions. This may imply limited access to research or monitoring stations, preferred fishing grounds or attractive tourist sites. Here, we introduce a statistical model that evaluates the sea-ice cover with two measures: 1) accessibility (i.e. the probability that a given area is navigable by vessels at a given time) and 2) repeated accessibility (i.e. the probability that a given area is navigable by vessels at a given time and again at least once within a defined timespan). We use daily sea-ice concentration data from 2002 to 2020 to demonstrate this tool and its functioning regarding the spatiotemporal variability of sea-ice cover in the wider Weddell Sea region. These findings reflect known characteristics of sea-ice distribution and dynamics in the Weddell Sea, confirming the functionality of our simple tool for determining repeated accessibility of certain areas. Such a tool may facilitate the planning of research and monitoring activities in the Southern Ocean, as well as in Arctic seas.