Overview The aim of this project was to investigate the genetic connectivity and diversity of Antarctic benthic amphipods over fine (100's of m's), intermediate (10's of km's) and large (1000's of km's) scales, using highly variable molecular markers. To achieve this, we developed seven microsatellite markers specific to the common Antarctic amphipod species Orchomenella franklini. A total of 718 specimens of O. franklini were collected from East Antarctica. Approximately 30 specimens were collected from each site, and sites were spatially hierarchically nested - i.e. sites (separated by 100m) were nested within locations (separated by 1-30km), which were nested within 2 broad regions (separated by approx. 1400km). Each amphipod sample was genotyped for all seven microsatellite loci (although occasionally a locus would not amplify in a given sample). This dataset provides all the resultant genetic data - that is, the size of the two alleles that were amplified for each microsatellite locus, in each of 718 amphipod specimens. Data collection and analysis Please refer to the associated publication (see below) for all relevant methodology. Explanation of worksheet Sample ID- a unique code given to identify each amphipod sample (the code itself has no actual meaning). Region- the broad region of the Antarctic coast from which each sample was collected. The two regions (Casey and Davis station) are separated by approx. 1400km. Location- the locations (within a region) from which each sample was collected. The names of each location reflect actual names registered by the Australian Antarctic Division and therefore their coordinates can be pinpointed on maps held by the Australian Antarctic Division Data Centre. Locations (and corresponding sites) written in italicised typeface are considered polluted (see publication for more information on this classification). Site- the sites sampled within each location. Sites are named simply by a two -letter abbreviation of the location they are from, followed by a lowercase 'a', 'b', 'c' or 'd' representing site 1, 2, 3 etc. Microsatellite data - this provides all the microsatellite genetic data generated for each amphipod specimen. Data are presented as the allele sizes (in number of base pairs) recorded for each of the seven microsatellite loci amplified. The seven microsatellite loci are called Orcfra3, Orcfra4, Orcfra5, Orcfra6, Orcfra12, Orcfra13, Orcfra26. As O. franklini is a diploid organism, each microsatellite locus has two allele sizes (hence why there are two columns underneath each locus). A '0' signifies that a particular locus did not amplify successfully in the corresponding organism (after at least two attempts). Samples were collected from Casey station between January 2009 and March 2009, and from Davis station between November 2009 and April 2010. Genetic data was generated and analysed between April 2009 and November 2009, and between May 2010 and April 2011. Genetic data obtained from the common Antarctic amphipod species Orchomenella franklini - Genetic data obtained from the common Antarctic amphipod species Orchomenella franklini. A total of 718 specimens were collected from sites within 20 km of Casey station or Davis station. Collection dates ranged from 2009 to 2010. Each amphipod sample was genotyped for seven microsatellite loci (although occasionally a locus would not amplify in a given sample).

Metadata record for data from ASAC Project 1005 Metal and organic contaminants in marine invertebrates from Antarctica, field study of their concentrations, laboratory study of their toxicities. See the link below for public details on this project. Data from this project are now unrecoverable. Several publications arising from the work are attached to this metadata record, and are available to AAD staff only. Taken from the referenced publications: Bioaccumulation of Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn in the Antarctic gammaridean amphipod Paramoera walkeri was investigated at Casey station. The main goals were to provide information on accumulation strategies of the organisms tested and to verify toxicokinetic models as a predictive tool. The organisms accumulated metals upon exposure and it was possible to estimate significant model parameters of two compartment and hyperbolic models. These models were successfully verified in a second toxicokinetic study. However, the application of hyperbolic models appears to be more promising as a predictive tool for metals in amphipods compared to compartment models, which have failed to adequately predict metal accumulation in experiments with increasing external exposures in previous studies. The following kinetic bioconcentration factors (BCFs) for the theoretical equilibrium were determined: 150-630 (Cd), 1600-7000 (Pb), 1700-3800 (Cu) and 670-2400 (Zn). We find decreasing BCFs with increasing external metal dosing but similar results for treatments with and without natural UV radiation and for the combined effect of different exposure regimes (single versus multiple metal exposure) and/or the amphipod collective involved (Beall versus Denison Island). A tentative estimation showed the following sequence if sensitivity of P. walkeri to an increase of soluble metal exposure: 0.2-3.0 micrograms Cd per litre, 0.12-0.25 micrograms Pb per litre, 0.9-3.0 micrograms Cu per litre and 9-26 micrograms Zn per litre. Thus, the amphipod investigated proved to be more sensitive as biomonitor compared to gammarids from German coastal waters (with the exception of Cd) and to copepods from the Weddell Sea inferred from literature data. ####### This study provides information on LC50 toxicity tests and bioaccumulation of heavy metals in the nearshore Antarctic gammarid, Paramoera walkeri. The 4 day LC50 values were 970 micrograms per litre for copper and 670 micrograms per litre for cadmium. Net uptake rates and bioconcentration factors of these elements were determined under laboratory conditions. After 12 days of exposure to 30 micrograms per litre, the net uptake rates were 5.2 and 0.78 micrograms per gram per day and the bioconcentration factors were 2080 and 311 for copper and cadmium respectively. The body concentrations of copper were significantly correlated with the concentrations of this element in the water. Accumulation of copper and cadmium continued for the entire exposure suggesting that heavy metals concentrations were not regulated to constant concentrations in the body. Using literature data about two compartments (water-animal) first-order kinetic models, a very good agreement was found between body concentrations observed after exposure and model predicted. Exposure of P. walkeri to mixtures of copper and cadmium showed that accumulation of these elements can be assessed by addition of results obtained from single exposure, with only a small degree of uncertainty. The study provides information on the sensitivity of one Antarctic species towards contaminants, and the results were compared with data of similar species from lower latitudes. An important finding is that sensitivity to toxic chemicals and toxicokinetic parameters in the species investigated are comparable with those of non-polar species. The characteristics of bioaccumulation demonstrate that P. walkeri is a circumpolar species with the potential to be a standard biological indicator for use in monitoring programmes of Antarctic nearshore ecosystems. the use of model prediction provide further support to utilise these organisms for biomonitoring. ####### Heavy-metal concentrations were determined in tissues of different species of benthic invertebrates collected in the Casey region where an old waste-disposal tip site is a source of contamination. the species studied included the bivalve Laternula elliptica, starfish Notasterias armata, heart urchins Abatus nimrodi and A. ingens and gammaridean amphipod Paramoera walkeri. The specimens were collected at both reference and contaminated locations where lead was the priority element and copper was the next most important in terms of increased concentrations. The strong association between a gradient of contamination and concentrations in all species tested indicated that they are reflecting well the environmental changes, and that they appear as appropriate biological indicators of heavy-metal contamination. Aspects of the biology of species with different functional roles in the marine ecosystem are discussed in relation to their suitability for wider use in Antarctic monitoring programmes. For example, in terms of heavy-metal bioaccumulation, the bivalve appears as the most sensitive species to detect contamination; the starfish provides information on the transfer of metals through the food web while the heart urchin and gammarid gave indications of the spatial and temporal patterns of the environmental contamination. The information gathered about processes of contaminant uptake and partitioning among different tissues and species could be used in later studies to investigate the behaviour and the source of contaminants.

Overview The aim of the project was to assess the genetic connectivity of benthic amphipods (crustaceans) on a circumantarctic scale. Two sibling amphipod species were chosen as the subjects for this study: Eusirus perdentatus and Eusirus giganteus. Samples of both species were collected (or donated by other institutions) from five broad regions of the Antarctic coast (see 'Sample location information' worksheet). The dataset we generated represents DNA sequences we obtained from these amphipods. Each amphipod was sequenced for three gene regions - these were cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI), internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) and cytochrome b (CytB). Each DNA sequence generated has been deposited on the publicly-accessible GenBank website (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genbank/) and therefore has its own accession number (which can be typed into the GenBank search bar to access the actual DNA sequence in .fasta format). The attached spreadsheet provides details on the location, depth and date of each amphipod sample collected, the preliminary species ID for each amphipod*, and the resultant DNA sequences corresponding to each of the three gene regions amplified (these are provided as Genbank accession numbers). *Results of this project have actually highlighted that Eusirus perdentatus and Eusirus giganteus almost certainly contain several extra cryptic species, therefore these ID's are likely to be revised in the future. Data collection and analysis The full methodology used to generate and analyse the DNA sequences prior to their deposition on Genbank can be found in the associated publication (see below). Most amphipod samples were collected between January 2007 and January 2010. However, a small proportion of the samples were collected on Polarstern voyages that took place in February 2002 and December 2003-January 2004. Genetic data was generated and analysed between June 2008 and May 2010. Circumantarctic DNA sequences obtained from two amphipod species, Eusirus perdentatus and Eusirus giganteus - DNA sequences obtained from two sibling amphipod species, Eusirus perdentatus and Eusirus giganteus. Samples of both species were collected (or donated by other institutions) from five broad regions of the Antarctic coast: Tressler Bank, East Coast, Ross Sea, Antarctic Peninsula and Weddell Sea. Collection dates ranged from 2002 to 2010. Sample location information is included. Explanation of spreadsheet Worksheet: 'Samples and genetic data' This worksheet contains all of the actual data generated, although rather than providing entire genetic sequences, we provide the Genbank accession number which can be used to access the sequence online (as explained above). The column headings are as follows: Sample ID- a unique code given to each amphipod sample as a form of identity. Morphological ID- the species identification for each amphipod, as determined morphologically (i.e. the genetic data has since illuminated that these IDs may need revision in the future). Sampling site- a code for the exact location from which each amphipod was sampled. For details on these locations, refer to 'Sample location information' worksheet, which uses the same codes. DNA sequence (Genbank accession number)- Genbank accession numbers for the DNA sequences obtained from each amphipod. The three columns within this represent the three gene regions we sequenced: COI (cytochrome oxidase subunit I), CytB (cytochrome b) and ITS2 (internal transcribed spacer 2). Occasionally one of these gene regions would fail to amplify in a particular sample, or the sequence was ambiguous, therefore not all amphipod samples have an accession number for all three gene regions. Worksheet: 'Sample location information' This worksheet provides the details on the actual collection of the amphipod specimens. Column headings are as follows: Sampling site- the code for each site from which amphipods were sampled, as used in the previous worksheet. Latitude- coordinates for each sampling site. Longitude- coordinates for each sampling site. Depth range of trawl (m)- As all amphipod samples were collected in benthic trawls deployed from research vessels, this column provides the depth range of the seabed over which each trawl was dragged. Collection date- the month and year in which each site was sampled. Region of Antarctic coast- the broad geographic region of the Antarctic coastline into which each set of sampling sites is grouped. Research vessel- the research vessel from which benthic trawls were deployed to collect the amphipods at each site. Note that for each broad geographic region, a single vessel was responsible for collecting all samples.