Data show results of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes in muscle tissue of Trematomus bernacchii collected at 5 sites adjacent to Casey Station. Sites are contaminated Brown Bay, near Wilkes Station, Shannon Bay and reference O'Brien Bay and Sparkes Bay. Approximately 1cm3 of muscle tissue from the left side of each fish was taken for stable isotopes analysis.

Gross body measurements of fish length (cm), weight (g), and sex (M/F). Fish were collected on line and in box traps at Brown Bay, Shannon Bay, near Wilkes Station, O'Brien Bay and Sparkes Bay. Sex was determined after dissection for other analyses.

1. In situ chlorophyll fluorescence measurements using pulse amplitude technique (PAM) of macroalga Desmarestia menziesii, assessing adaptation to high light exposure after sea ice breakout, and impact of Thala Valley tip wastes. 2. In situ chlorophyll fluorescence measurements using pulse amplitude technique (PAM) of sediment diatom material assessing adaptation to high light exposure after sea ice breakout, and impact of Thala Valley tip wastes. 3. In situ chlorophyll fluorescence measurements using pulse amplitude technique (PAM) of sponge Latrunculia decipiens assessing adaptation to high light exposure after sea ice breakout. 4. Ecotoxicological experiments where Desmarestia menziesii was exposed to copper in indoor aquaria, aim to determine EC50, NOEC, LOEC for copper. 5. Field collections of various macroalgae for stable isotope analysis: for determination of physiological mechanisms. 6. Field collections of sponge and diatom material for pigment analysis.

Sediment samples which were originally collected as part of ASAC 868 (ASAC_868) are now being investigated using molecular microbial techniques as part of ASAC 1228 (ASAC_1228). Samples were collected in a nested survey design in two hydrocarbon impacted areas and two unimpacted areas. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of a region of the 16S RNA gene was used to investigate the microbial community structure. Banding patterns obtained from the DGGE were transformed into a presence / absence matrix and analysed with a multivariate statistical approach. The download file contains an excel spreadsheet, a csv version of the data, plus a readme file.

A survey of macrobenthic assemblages in soft-sediments was done at Casey Station, East Antarctica. Samples were taken by divers using hand-held corers (core size - 10 cm diameter by 10 cm deep). This was the final component of a large nested sampling survey extending over a three year periods with samples taken in three summers and one winter period. The aims were: 1) To examine spatial variation at several scales in these assemblages; 2) To determine if there were differences between potentially impacted areas and control areas; 3) To determine the level of replication, taxonomic resolution and data transformation that are appropriate to studies of human impacts in Antarctic soft-sediment assemblages. Cores were collected by divers in a hierarchical, spatially nested design incorporating 4 scales: Locations (1000s of metres apart), Sites (100s of metres), Plots (10s of metres) and among replicates within plots (~1 metre). This data set consists of 48 core samples from three locations, O'Brien Bay, Sparkes Bay and Wilkes. Samples are sorted mainly to species. Links to ASAC 1100. The fields in this dataset are: Location Site/Rep Species

The effects of hyrdocarbon and heavy metal contamination of marine sediments on recruitment of soft-sediment assemblages were examined in a field experiment at Casey Station, East Antarctica. Three locations were used, a polluted bay adjacent to an old disused tip site (Brown Bay) and two control locations (O'Brien Bay and Sparkes Bay). At each location three types of defaunated sediment (hydrocarbon treated, heavy metal treated and control) were placed at approximately 15 m depth and left in place for 3 months, from December to February. Sediments were artificially contaminated with hydrocarbons and metals at concentrations which were representative of levels found in sediments at contaminated sites around Casey Station. There were large differences in recruitment between the three locations and significant differences between the control and contaminated sediment. Sediments in the experiment were also examined for evidence of degradation and attenuation of hydrocarbons and heavy metals. A total of 104 recruitment samples were collected. Samples were sieved at 500 micro m and sorted mainly to species. Other work to arise from this experiment includes examination of the effects on diatom communities and microbial communities. Data includes fauna, metals and hydrocarbon concentrations in experiment. Pre-deployment concentrations (before experiment was deployed in water) are indicated as 'pre-deployment'. Concentrations of contaminants in sediments surrounding the experiment (within several metres) are indicated as 'surrounding'. This project also links to ASAC 1100. The fields in this dataset are: Location Site Treatment (tmt) Site and replicate Species Toxicity Arsenic Cadmium Copper Lead Silver Zinc Special Antarctic Blend Fuel (SAB) Lube TPH