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

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Created 20/01/2025

Updated 20/01/2025

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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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Title History of benthic colonisation beneath the Amery Ice Shelf, East Antarctica
Language eng
Licence notspecified
Landing Page https://devweb.dga.links.com.au/data/dataset/e64f262f-2ae0-4bcd-8a10-8f42ae21b5fc
Contact Point
Geoscience Australia
clientservices@ga.gov.au
Reference Period 22/04/2018
Geospatial Coverage {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": [[[68.0, -72.0], [76.0, -72.0], [76.0, -66.0], [68.0, -66.0], [68.0, -72.0]]]}
Data Portal data.gov.au

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This dataset was originally found on data.gov.au "History of benthic colonisation beneath the Amery Ice Shelf, East Antarctica". Please visit the source to access the original metadata of the dataset:
https://devweb.dga.links.com.au/data/dataset/history-of-benthic-colonisation-beneath-the-amery-ice-shelf-east-antarctica

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