Polish Polar Research

Molluscan fossils accompanied by familiar SSF have been recovered from Early Cambrian limestone erratics in the Early Miocene glaciomarine Cape Melville Formation of King George Island, West Antarctica. The molluscan fauna comprises the hyoliths Conotheca, Microcornus, Parkula, Hyptiotheca, “Hyolithes”, the helcionelloids ?Pararacornus, Yochelcionella, Anabarella, the low dextrally coiled Pelagiella and the high helically coiled Beshtashella, as well as the problematic mollusc Cupitheca. Most of described species are recorded here for the first time from Antarctica. The lithological and fossil contents of the erratics are almost the same as from autochthonous successions the Shackleton Limestone in the Argentina Range and Transantarctic Mountains. Early Cambrian outcrops around the Weddell Sea are a probable source of the erratic boulders. The Antarctic fauna is very similar to that from uppermost Botomian and Toyonian carbonate deposits in the Cambrian Basins of South Australia. These faunal and facies similarities between Antarctica and Australia confirm their neighbouring position and common biotic and basin evolution on the Cambrian Gondwana margin.

Ball-shaped concretions ("cannon balls") commonly occur in a marine, organic carbon-rich sedimentary sequence (Innkjegla Member) of the Carolinefjellet Formation (AptianAlbian) in Spitsbergen. The sedimentologic, petrographic and geochemical investigation of these concretions in the Kapp Morton section at Van Mijenfjorden gives insight into their origin and diagenetic evolution. The concretion bodies commenced to form in subsurface environment in the upper part of the sulphate reduction (SR) diagenetic zone. They resulted from pervasive cementation of uncompacted sediment enriched in framboidal pyrite by non-ferroan (up to 2 mol% FeCO3) calcite microspar at local sites of enhanced decomposition of organic matter. Bacterial oxidation of organic matter provided most of carbon dioxide necessary for concretionary calcite precipitation (δ13CCaCO3 ≈ -21%VPDB). Perfect ball-like shapes of the concretions originated at this stage, reflecting isotropic permeability of uncompacted sediment. The concretion bodies cracked under continuous burial as a result of amplification of stress around concretions in a more plastic sediment. The crack systems were filled by non-ferroan (up to 5 mol% FeCO3) calcite spar and blocky pyrite in deeper parts of the SR-zone. This cementation was associated with impregnation of parts of the concretion bodies with microgranular pyrite. Bacterial oxidation of organic matter was still the major source of carbon dioxide for crack-filling calcite precipitation (δ13CCaCO3 ≈ -19% VPDB). At this stage, the cannon-ball concretions attained their final shape and texture. Subsequent stages of concretion evolution involved burial cementation of rudimentary pore space with carbonate minerals (dolomite/ankerite, siderite, calcite) under increased temperature (δ18OCa,Mg,FeCO3 ≈-14% VPDB). Carbon dioxide for mineral precipitation was derived from thermal degradation of organic matter and from dissolution of skeletal carbonates (δ13CCa,Mg,FeCO3≈ - 8‰ VPDB). Kaolinite cement precipitated as the last diagenetic mineral, most probably during post−Early Cretaceous uplift of the sequence.

Measurements of CO2 concentrations in soil air were taken in the summer seasons of 1998 and 2001 in SW Spitsbergen. The measurements were carried out in three small non-glaciated catchments in the Hornsund region close to the Polish Polar Station. The preliminary measurements were made using a Dräger's pump and ampules which contained an alkaline absorbent (1998). Later (2001), a new more accurate apparatus which uses a gravimetric method was tested. A variety of different geographical situations was chosen for the CO2 measurements. These included areas which differed in respect of the local hydrology, terrain relief, exposure to solar radiation, distance from the sea and quantity of seabird excrements in the soil. The measured concentrations of soil CO2 varied between 0.05 and 0.3% (with one exceptionally high value close to 0.5%). Owing to the local conditions, the differences between CO2 concentrations seem closely to relate to the specific properties of each catchment. Much of the biogenic CO2 present in water that circulates in tundra catchments which have a limestone foundation becomes involved in the dissolution of that limestone. In July 2001, about 40% of the CO2 was used in the dissolution of the carbonate rocks (30.3 kg/km2 month), the “free” CO2 being transported to the sea at Isbjřrnhamna Bay (40.4 kg/km2 month). In contrast, the water flowing through acidic rocks are rich in “free” CO2. The concentrations of dissolved and transported HCO3– ions from the polar catchments are closely correlated with variations in the daily production of biogenic CO2.

The paper comprises the review of all known species of cestodes parasitizing the Antarctic and Subantarctic fishes along with synonyms and keys based on morphological features. Also, the review of larval forms of cestodes occurring in bony fishes and provisional identification of them with adult forms is given. In total, 11 valid species (and 3 unnamed forms) of the order Tetraphyllidea and Diphyllidea occur in skates, whereas 3 species of the order Pseudophyllidea were reported from bony fishes. Six morphological forms of larvae, 5 belonging to the Tetraphyllidea and one to the family Tetrabothriidae as well as undetermined plerocercoids of Diphyllobothriidae were recognized.