Lithological controls on lake water biogeochemistry in Maritime Antarctica.

Although the Antarctic lakes are of great importance for the climate and the carbon cycle, the lithological influences on the input of elements that are necessary for phytoplankton in lakes have so far been insufficiently investigated. To address this issue, we analyzed phytoplankton cell concentrations and chemical compositions of water samples from lakes, ponds and a stream on Fildes and Ardley Islands of King George Island in the South Shetland Archipelago. Furthermore, lake sediments, as well as soil and rock samples collected from the littoral zone were analyzed for their mineralogical/petrographic composition and pollutant contents of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). In addition, leaching experiments were carried out to with the lithologic samples to investigate the possible changes in pH, alkalinity, macronutrients (N, P, Si), micronutrients (e.g. Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn), anions (S, F, Br), and other cations (e.g. Na, K, Mg, Ca, Al, Ti, V, Cr, Co, Ni, As, Se, Pb, Sb, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sn, Ba, Tl, B). Our results showed that phytoplankton levels varied between 15 and 206 cells/mL. Chlorophyll-a concentrations showed high correlations with NH4, NO3. The low levels of PO4 (<0.001 mg/L) indicated a possible P-limitation in the studied lakes. The composition of rock samples ranged from basalt to trachybasalt with variable major oxide (e.g. SiO2, Na2O and K2O) contents and consist mainly quartz, albite, calcite, dolomite and zeolite minerals. The concentrations of total PAHs were below the toxic threshold levels (9.55-131.25 ng g-1 dw). Leaching experiments with lithologic samples indicated major increase in pH (up to 9.77 ± 0.02) and nutrients, especially PO4 (1.03 ± 0.04 mg/L), indicating a strong P-fertilization impact in increased melting scenarios. Whereas, toxic elements such as Pb, Cu, Cd, Al and As were also released from the lithology, which may reduce the phytoplankton growth.

Methane and carbon dioxide cycles in lakes of the King George Island, maritime Antarctica.

Freshwater ecosystems are important contributors to the global greenhouse gas budget and a comprehensive assessment of their role in the context of global warming is essential. Despite many reports on freshwater ecosystems, relatively little attention has been given so far to those located in the southern hemisphere and our current knowledge is particularly poor regarding the methane cycle in non-perennially glaciated lakes of the maritime Antarctica. We conducted a high-resolution study of the methane and carbon dioxide cycle in a lake of the Fildes Peninsula, King George Island (Lat. 62°S), and a succinct characterization of 10 additional lakes and ponds of the region. The study, done during the ice-free and the ice-seasons, included methane and carbon dioxide exchanges with the atmosphere (both from water and surrounding soils) and the dissolved concentration of these two gases throughout the water column. This characterization was complemented with an ex-situ analysis of the microbial activities involved in the methane cycle, including methanotrophic and methanogenic activities as well as the methane-related marker gene abundance, in water, sediments and surrounding soils. The results showed that, over an annual cycle, the freshwater ecosystems of the region are dominantly autotrophic and that, despite low but omnipresent atmospheric methane emissions, they act as greenhouse gas sinks.

Detection of mucilage phenomenon in the Sea of Marmara by using multi-scale satellite data.

Marine mucilage outbreaks occurred in the Sea of Marmara in 2021 which severely affected the marine ecosystem. The thick mucilage blankets with different colors became a public concern due to the toxicity potential related to pathogens that accumulate in prolonged presence of mucilage. The mucilage-covered areas in the Sea of Marmara detected by remote sensing data acquired in 2021 were previously reported. However, the areal extents and spectral characteristics of the different colored mucilage types remain unknown. This study presents the spectral characteristics of different types of mucilage in the Izmit Bay in the Sea of Marmara by using medium- (Sentinel-2) and high-spatial resolution (Worldview-3) satellite images. Also, the sea surface temperatures (SST) were studied in relation with the mucilage formation from January 2015 to August 2021 by using NOAA data. Two multispectral satellite sensors Sentinel-2 and Worldview-3 were studied for their potential for mucilage mapping and characterization in the sub-region Izmit Bay. Support vector machine (SVM) classifier was used to detect three different types of mucilage with distinguishable spectral differences in infrared region ranging from 725 to 950 nm. Three different types of mucilage were characterized based on color and texture including (a) the white mucilage aggregates with dispersed patterns which are likely freshly formed, (b) the yellow mucilage accumulations in the coasts that are wind/current transported, and (c) the brown mucilage accumulations that are probably the most-aged. Our results showed that brown mucilage and white mucilage showed similar reflectance values between 425 and 545 nm region, while yellow mucilage showed higher and more distinctive spectral reflectance than white and brown mucilages. The NOAA data showed that average surface water temperature has been increased over the years from 2015 (16.1 °C) to 2021 (17.6 °C). This increase trend in SSTs points out a likely relation with the mucilage formation and hence may suggest a potential of repeating mucilage events in the near future. This study provides a practical methodology for monitoring, classification, and efficient site selection for mucilage cleaning areas in the Sea of Marmara.

Earth, Wind, Fire, and Pollution: Aerosol Nutrient Sources and Impacts on Ocean Biogeochemistry.

A key Earth system science question is the role of atmospheric deposition in supplying vital nutrients to the phytoplankton that form the base of marine food webs. Industrial and vehicular pollution, wildfires, volcanoes, biogenic debris, and desert dust all carry nutrients within their plumes throughout the globe. In remote ocean ecosystems, aerosol deposition represents an essential new source of nutrients for primary production. The large spatiotemporal variability in aerosols from myriad sources combined with the differential responses of marine biota to changing fluxes makes it crucially important to understand where, when, and how much nutrients from the atmosphere enter marine ecosystems. This review brings together existing literature, experimental evidence of impacts, and new atmospheric nutrient observations that can be compared with atmospheric and ocean biogeochemistry modeling. We evaluate the contribution and spatiotemporal variability of nutrient-bearing aerosols from desert dust, wildfire, volcanic, and anthropogenic sources, including the organic component, deposition fluxes, and oceanic impacts.