Polish Polar Research

The comparison of the years 1981/82 and 1984/85 on the background of long term climatic observations on Svalbard suggest that two seasons compared belong to extremely different ones with regard to the sea ice, air temperature and biological phenomena. Despite meteorological and hydrological differences, the phytoplankton bloom and breeding period of major crustaceans were placed in the same time of the year. Differences were noted in the structure of zooplankton community, abundance of sea birds and mammals.

In the bottom fauna of the Van Keulen fiord 53 taxa of invertebrates (51 species) were recorded. Four different bottom types were sampled and the distribution of invertebrates in these bottom types is discussed. The most important components in the benthos of the fiord were Polvchaeta. Crustacea. Bivalvia and Gastropoda (79.2%). From the zoogeographical point of view the Van Keulen fiord should be included into the transient zone, situated at the border of the boreal and arctic zones.

10 species of decapod crustaceans were found in Hornsund fiord and adjacent waters of South Spitsbergen. Habitat preferences are given for the species observed as well as distribution maps. Length — weight relationship, length frequency distribution and estimation of life cycles is given for most common species.

Archaeological investigations were carried out on Sörkappland, the results together with literature data permitted to draw the past distribution of walruses at South Spitsbergen. Recent observations of walruses and marine biological survey indicate good perspectives for the recolonisation of investigated area by walrus population from East Svalbard region.

The results of studies on the air pollution and on the natural sedimentation from the atmosphere in the South Shetlands are (Admiralty Bay) are presented. The amount of dust in the air varied from 0.11 to 10.90 μg x m-3 (the mean being 3.70 μg x m-3). The total amount of substances transported from the atmosphere in the Admiralty Bay region was estimated at 12.7t x km-2 per year, whereas the precipitation transports some 2.5 t x km-2 per year in this region. Preliminary data on the contents of Cu. Cd. Co. Ni. Pb and Zn in the samples of surface waters, snow and rain in the region of the Admiralty Bay are presented and compared with the results of the authors.

Mycological analyses of the air and food remnants in heated and non-heated rooms of the H. Arctowski Polar Station were carried out. In the material 23 fungi strains were found representing 10 species of the classes Ascomycetes, Zygomycetes and Deuteromycetes.

Changes in the amount of basic nitrogen fractions (total, protein and non-protein nitrogen) were studied in an annual cycle. Significant seasonal changes were noted, minima occurring in Antarctic winter and maxima during spring-summer season. These changes are due mainly to high fluctuations of water content in krill in the annual cycle.

In Antarctic summer 1983/1984 samples of planktonie and attached diatoms were collected in the Admiralty Bay (King George Island, South Shetland Islands) as well as samples of planktonie diatoms in the region of South Orkneys, Drake Passage and Bransfield Strait (BIOMASS-SIBEX Project). Using gas chromatography residues of chloroorganic pesticides, namely the compounds of the DDT group and HCH isomers were determined. It was found that the highest values of the content of these compounds occurred in attached diatoms coming from areas continuously washed with water from the melting glacier, in planktonie diatoms from the samples of the Admiralty Bay and from strongly glaciated regions. A hypothesis was put forward that along with the direct atmospheric transport the release of the deposits of these compounds from ice and glaciers during their melting is an additional source of input of chloroorganic biocides into Antarctic waters. Diatoms are good indicators of this process.

Contents of PCBs was investigated using the gas chromatography method in the tissue of four Antarctic migratory birds: Oceanites oceanicus, Larus dominicanus, Catharacta skua and Sterna vittata, and the three penguin species: Pvgoscelis adeliae, P. papua and P. antarctica. Samples were collected at King George Island in February 1978 and, for comparison, in March 1983. The highest PCBs content was recorded in the adipose tissue of O. oceanicus and C. skua (15.7 and 1.2 ppm). Differences in the content of these compounds in the tissue of various penguin species in 1978 was observed. The mean cumulation level of PCBs in the adipose tissue of penguins was higher in 1983 than in 1978. Differences in the level of PCBs contents in the tissue of migratory birds were related to their winter migrations to areas polluted to various degress with PCBs remains. A tendency to the increase of the contamination of penguin tissues with PCBs was observed. This tendency was related to the increase of vhe pollution of the Antarctic environment with these compounds.

In 1979- 1981 at the King George Island samples of adipose tissue of 5 pinniped species (L. carcinophagus, L. weddelli, H. leptonyx, M. leonina and A. gazella) were collected and the contents of chlorinated hydrocarbons (CHs) were determined with the gas chromatography method. The highest values were recorded in the leopard seal (432.3 -614.7 ppb DDT), the second highest values in the mature elephant seal (73.4 ppb DDT) and the third in the Weddell seal (54.4 — 69.1 ppb DDT). In the Weddell seal the highest level of HCH content (23.3 — 32.1 ppb) was recorded. A decrease in the content of pp'DDE in the adipose tissue of crabeater seal in successive years was recorded, the values being 36.8 ppb in 1979, 24.4 ppb in 1980 and 15.3 ppb in 1981, as well as an increase in the concentration of HCH (15.3 ppb in 1980 and 27.4 ppb in 1981). The contents of CHs in the adipose tissue of Antarctic pinnipeds are 100—1000 times lower than those in the Arctic seals.