Full title: Diatom and associated data for a manipulative field experiment which translocated control and contaminated sediments between locations within the Windmill Islands, Antarctica. A manipulative field experiment was performed to assess the effects of heavy metals and petroleum hydrocarbons on benthic diatom communities in the Windmill Islands. Three treatments were used (control, metal contaminated, and petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated), with replicates of each treatment deployed at three locations (Sparkes Bay, Brown Bay and O'Brien Bay). The datasets associated with this experiment include the concentrations of metals within the sediments as well as diatom data (raw counts, and the relative abundance of benthic species). This work was completed as part of ASAC project 1130 (ASAC_1130) and project 2201 (ASAC_2201). Public summary from project 1130: Algal mats grow on sea floor in most shallow marine environments. They are thought to contribute more than half of the total primary production in many of these areas, making them a critical food source for invertebrates and some fish. We will establish how important they are in Antarctic marine environments and determine the effects of local sewerage and tip-site pollution. We will also investigate the impact on the algal mats of the additional UV radiation which results from the ozone hole. Public summary from project 2201: As a signatory to the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty Australia is committed to comprehensive protection of the Antarctic environment. This protocol requires that activities in the Antarctic shall be planned and conducted on the basis of information sufficient to make prior assessments of, and informed judgements about, their possible impacts on the Antarctic environment. Most of our activities in the Antarctic occur along the narrow fringe of ice-free rock adjacent to the sea and many of our activities have the potential to cause environmental harm to marine life. The Antarctic seas support the most complex and biologically diverse plant and animal communities of the region. However, very little is known about them and there is certainly not sufficient known to make informed judgements about possible environmental impacts. The animals and plants of the sea-bed are widely accepted as being the most appropriate part of the marine ecosystem for indicating disturbance caused by local sources. Attached sea-bed organisms have a fixed spatial relationship with a given place so they must either endure conditions or die. Once lost from a site recolonisation takes some time, as a consequence the structure of sea-bed communities reflect not only present conditions but they can also integrate conditions in the past. In contrast, fish and planktonic organisms can move freely so their site of capture does not indicate a long residence time at that location. Because sea-bed communities are particularly diverse they contain species with widely differing life strategies, as a result different species can have very different levels of tolerance to stress; this leads to a range of subtle changes in community structure as a response to gradually increasing disturbance, rather than an all or nothing response. This project will examine sea-bed communities near our stations to determine how seriously they are affected by human activities. This information will be used to set priorities for improving operational procedures to reduce the risk of further environmental damage. The fields in this dataset are: Species Arsenic Cadmium Copper Lead Silver Zinc Concentration Location Treatment Abundance Benthic Site

Full title: Diatom and associated data for a manipulative field experiment examining the effects of heavy metal and petroleum hydrocarbon contamination on benthic diatom communities in the Windmill Islands, Antarctica. A manipulative field experiment was performed to assess the effects of heavy metals and petroleum hydrocarbons on benthic diatom communities in the Windmill Islands. Three treatments were used (control, metal contaminated, and petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated), with replicates of each treatment deployed at three locations (Sparkes Bay, Brown Bay and O'Brien Bay). The datasets associated with this experiment include the concentrations of metals and hydrocarbons within samples, as well as diatom data (raw counts, and the relative abundance of benthic species). This work was completed as part of ASAC project 1130 (ASAC_1130) and project 2201 (ASAC_2201). Public summary from project 1130: Algal mats grow on sea floor in most shallow marine environments. They are thought to contribute more than half of the total primary production in many of these areas, making them a critical food source for invertebrates and some fish. We will establish how important they are in Antarctic marine environments and determine the effects of local sewerage and tip site pollution. We will also investigate the impact on the algal mats of the additional UV radiation which results from the ozone hole. Public summary from project 2201: As a signatory to the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty Australia is committed to comprehensive protection of the Antarctic environment. This protocol requires that activities in the Antarctic shall be planned and conducted on the basis of information sufficient to make prior assessments of, and informed judgements about, their possible impacts on the Antarctic environment. Most of our activities in the Antarctic occur along the narrow fringe of ice-free rock adjacent to the sea and many of our activities have the potential to cause environmental harm to marine life. The Antarctic seas support the most complex and biologically diverse plant and animal communities of the region. However, very little is known about them and there is certainly not sufficient known to make informed judgements about possible environmental impacts. The animals and plants of the sea-bed are widely accepted as being the most appropriate part of the marine ecosystem for indicating disturbance caused by local sources. Attached sea-bed organisms have a fixed spatial relationship with a given place so they must either endure conditions or die. Once lost from a site recolonisation takes some time, as a consequence the structure of sea-bed communities reflect not only present conditions but they can also integrate conditions in the past. In contrast, fish and planktonic organisms can move freely so their site of capture does not indicate a long residence time at that location. Because sea-bed communities are particularly diverse they contain species with widely differing life strategies, as a result different species can have very different levels of tolerance to stress; this leads to a range of subtle changes in community structure as a response to gradually increasing disturbance, rather than an all or nothing response. This project will examine sea-bed communities near our stations to determine how seriously they are affected by human activities. This information will be used to set priorities for improving operational procedures to reduce the risk of further environmental damage. The fields in this dataset are: Species Site Abundance Treatment Type Antimony Arsenic Cadmium Chromium Copper Iron Lead Manganese Mercury Nickel Silver Tin Zinc Special Antarctic Blend Lube

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

The recruitment of mobile epifauna on hard-substratum was examined in a field experiment using tiles. A total of 160 tiles were deployed at five locations, with 32 tiles at each location, arranged in a spatially nested design. There were three potentially impacted locations locations (two in Brown Bay and one in Shannon Bay) and two control locations (in O'Brien Bay). This metadata record describes data from the first sampling time only. Eight tiles were collected from each location 15 months after the initial deployment. The experiment was setup so that the combined recruitment of mobile epifauna to the upper and lower sides of the tiles could be examined. The sessile epifauna on the tiles were also collected and are described in a separate metadata record. A total of 40 samples are included in this data. Also links to ASAC 1100.

A survey of the epibenthic fauna of hard-substrata was made around Casey Station, using a camera mounted on a frame to take photoquadrats. A nested sampling design was used with several spatial scales. At each location there were two sites, approximately 50-100 m apart. At each site there were three by 15 m long transects, approximately 5 m apart. On each transect there were 2 plots, 5 m long by 2 m wide. Six photoquadrats were taken in each plot. This metadata record describes one component of this survey, photoquadrats taken in and around boulders and boulder fields. One of the aims of this survey was to determine if there is any evidence of human impacts in these assemblages. There were several control and several potentially impacted locations. The data have yet to be analysed. Also links to ASAC 1100.

A survey of the epibenthic fauna of hard-substrata was made around Casey Station, using a camera mounted on a frame to take photoquadrats. A nested sampling design was used with several spatial scales. At each location there were two sites, approximately 50-100 m apart. At each site there were three by 15 m long transects, approximately 5 m apart. On each transect there were 2 plots, 5 m long by 2 m wide. Six photoquadrats were taken in each plot. This metadata record describes one component of this survey, photoquadrats taken in flat or gently sloping rocky areas, where the bottom consisted of flat bedrock, gravel or cobbles. A separate survey was done in and around boulders and boulder fields. One of the aims of this survey was to determine if there is any evidence of human impacts in these assemblages. There were several control and several potentially impacted locations. The data have yet to be analysed. Also links to ASAC 1100.

The effect of location and sediment contamination on recruitment of soft-sediment assemblages were examined in field experiment at Casey Station, East Antarctica. Four locations were used, a polluted bay adjacent to an old disused tip site (Brown Bay), a bay adjacent to the Casey Station sewage outfall, and two undisturbed control locations in O'Brien Bay. At each location two types of defaunated sediment (polluted and control) were placed 12 - 18 m, in experimental trays. Half of the experimental sediments were left in place over the Austral winter, from March - November, and the remaining sediments were collected after a total of one year, in February 1999. There were large differences in recruitment between the two locations and significant differences between the polluted and control sediment. There were not only differences in abundance of taxa and assemblage structure but also in spatial variability and variability of populations of certain taxa, with recruitment to the control locations more variable than polluted locations, and recruitment in the control sediment more variable than the polluted sediment. The majority of fauna recruiting to the experiment were highly motile colonizing species with non-pelagic lecithotrophic larvae, usually brooded and released as dispersing juveniles, such as gammarids, tanaids, isopods and gastropods. A total of 64 recruitment samples were collected after 9 months and 52 samples after one year. Samples were sieved at 500 micro m and sorted mainly to species. Samples are rows in data sheet. Site codes include place name (e.g. BB2) and experimental treatment (e.g. C1 - control 1). See accompanying sheet for full details of codes, including species names. Sediment chemistry data are means (and standard errors) for each treatment (averaged over 2 trays). Also links to ASAC 1100. The fields in this dataset are: Species Site Sample Abundance Toxicity Arsenic Cadmium Copper Lead Silver Zinc

The recruitment of epifauna (sessile and mobile) on hard-substratum was examined in a field experiment using tiles. A total of 160 tiles were deployed at five locations, with 32 tiles at each location, arranged in a spatially nested design. There were three potentially impacted locations locations (two in Brown Bay and one in Shannon Bay) and two control locations (in O'Brien Bay). This metadata record describes data from the first sampling time only. Eight tiles were collected from each location 15 months after the initial deployment. The experiment was setup so that recruitment of sessile epifauna to both the upper and lower sides of the tiles could be examined. The mobile epifauna on the tiles were also collected and are described in a separate metadata record. Heavy recruitment was observed on the underside of the tile and only light recruitment was observed on the upper surface. Also links to ASAC 1100.

The effect of location, depth and sediment contamination on recruitment of soft-sediment assemblages were examined in a pilot experiment at Casey Station, East Antarctica. Two locations were used, a polluted bay adjacent to an old disused tip site (Brown Bay) and an undisturbed control (O'Brien Bay). At each location two types of defaunated sediment (polluted and control) were placed at 2 depths, 15 m and 25 m. Sediments were left in place over the Austral winter, from March - November. There were large differences in recruitment between the two locations and depths and some differences between the two sediment types. Brown Bay had greater recruitment than O'Brien Bay. Shallow sites had generally greater recruitment than deep, but deep sites had greater diversity (H'), richness (d) and evenness (J'). Control sediment recruited greater numbers of arthropod, gammarid and isopod taxa. There were not only differences in abundance of taxa and assemblage structure but also in spatial variability and variability of populations of certain taxa, with recruitment to the control and deep locations more variable, and recruitment in the control sediment more variable than the polluted sediment. Recruitment was influenced by a combination of location, depth and sediment type. There is some evidence of an environmental impact at the polluted site. The majority of fauna recruiting to the experiment were highly motile colonizing species with non-pelagic lecithotrophic larvae, usually brooded and released as dispersing juveniles, such as gammarids, tanaids, isopods and gastropods. A total of 56 recruitment samples were collected. Samples were sieved at 500 micro metres and sorted mainly to species. Metal concentrations and total organic carbon concentrations are also included. Also links to ASAC 1100. The fields in this dataset are: Species Location Site Treatment (tmt) Site and replicate Toxicity Arsenic Cadmium Copper Lead Silver Zinc