Publication Date:
2017-02-02
Description:
Strandings of marine animals are relatively common in marine systems. However, the underlying
mechanisms are poorly understood. We observed mass strandings of krill in Antarctica that appeared
to be linked to the presence of glacial meltwater. Climate-induced glacial meltwater leads to an
increased occurrence of suspended particles in the sea, which is known to affect the physiology of
aquatic organisms. Here, we study the effect of suspended inorganic particles on krill in relation to
krill mortality events observed in Potter Cove, Antarctica, between 2003 and 2012. The experimental
results showed that large quantities of lithogenic particles affected krill feeding, absorption capacity
and performance after only 24 h of exposure. Negative effects were related to both the threshold
concentrations and the size of the suspended particles. Analysis of the stomach contents of stranded
krill showed large quantities of large particles ( 〉 106 μm3), which were most likely mobilized by glacial
meltwater. Ongoing climate-induced glacial melting may impact the coastal ecosystems of Antarctica
that rely on krill.
Repository Name:
EPIC Alfred Wegener Institut
Type:
Article
,
isiRev
Format:
application/pdf
Permalink