Summary EM Activities 98

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Summary of Environmental Monitoring Activities in Antarctica



May 1998



















Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs











Summary of Environmental Monitoring Activities in Antarctica



May 1998






























Compiled by the Antarctic Environmental Officers Network (AEON) on behalf of the Council of Mangers of National Antarctic Programs (COMNAP).


















































ISBN: 0-478-10952-0
Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page Introduction 1
Antarctic Environmental Monitoring Activities
Argentina 2 Australia 4 Chile 9 China 10 France 10 Germany 11 Italy 13 Japan 15 Korea 17 New Zealand 18 Russia 21 Spain 25 South Africa 25 Sweden 26 United Kingdom 27 United States 31


Appendices

Appendix I: Process for Development of the Summary
Appendix II: Antarctic Environmental Officers Network
COMNAP, May 1998 1 Monitoring Summary Introduction
Environmental monitoring is a fundamental element of basic research, environmental management and conservation ... monitoring data are important in the development of models of environmental processes, which in turn facilitate progress towards a predictive
capability to detect environmental impact or change 1 . ( SCAR/COMNAP, Discussion Document, 1992) This document summarises environmental monitoring activity recently carried out in Antarctica. It aims to demonstrate the existing level of Antarctic monitoring, to increase awareness of monitoring activities and to avoid duplication of information particularly at multiple operator sites. The document should provide an accessible reference, including contacts, for those planning monitoring programmes in Antarctica. The information could also be used to identify gaps in current Antarctic environmental monitoring studies.
Improved accessibility to existing data sets will be essential to the success of new environmental monitoring regimes developed to fulfil the requirements of the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty. It is hoped that this document will be updated through electronic means to ensure its value as a resource to all Antarctic operators.
The summary highlights the diverse and variable range of monitoring studies that have been carried out. While this document is most likely incomplete in its coverage of all environmental monitoring activity currently being carried out in Antarctica, it does provide an indication of the types of studies undertaken and the range of impacts and parameters being monitored.
The most common types of monitoring studies being undertaken are detailed below:

Type of Monitoring Study Number Contamination in near shore coastal ecosystems 10 Atmospheric pollutants associated with station activities 10 Quantity and quality of sewage and waste water discharges 8 Levels and fate of hydrocarbons in soil and/or water 7 Population counts and/or breeding success of Antarctic birds 7 Heavy metals in plants, soil and sediment 5 Contamination and pollutants in freshwater lakes 5 Photography at fixed sites/intervals at stations/field sites 5
Monitoring information is presented by country under the following categories:
Existing human impacts monitoring activities; Publications on environmental monitoring; Research on baseline levels of pollutants in the Antarctic environment.
The process followed to compile this summary is outlined in Appendix I. Appendix II provides contact details for members of the Antarctic Environmental Officers Network (AEON) who provided much of the information for this document. COMNAP, May 1998 2 Monitoring Summary ARGENTINA
Existing Human Impacts Monitoring Analysis of the impact of Esperanza Station on its nearby Adelie penguin rookery From the beginning of the fifties, Esperanza Station started to run virtually on a territory formerly occupied by one of the most important Adelie rookeries of the Antarctic peninsula. Based on air photos, population estimates and historical maps, rookery behaviour (connected to the Station) was analysed. A monitoring program for the future was set out in order to produce an environmental management plan which might reduce Station impacts on the rookery. Environmental monitoring at Marambio Station The aims of the environmental monitoring program at Marambio Station are: to assess operational impacts derived from main current activities and to provide information about mid-term and long-term evolution of corrective and/or mitigation measures put in practice as a result of management recommendations. The variables considered are: hydrocarbon and heavy metal presence in plant samples, total hydrocarbon and trace elements in water and sediment samples, total hydrocarbon samples in areas with spillage risk and systematic effluent monitoring. Monitoring of atmospheric constituents with climatic impact at the Antarctic stations Belgrano Station
The total ozone measures are made to reveal the annual course of the ozone at the Belgrano Station. The spring time depletion is at the focus of our task. Measurements are made virtually year-round, in a continuing program to document changes in Antarctic ozone. For the twilight month total ozone amounts are deduced from moonlight observations, because of the low sun elevation.
Jubany Station
Monitoring of atmospheric trace gases increase. Measurements of relative abundance of carbon dioxide, in order to obtain background conditions of this greenhouse gas. Sampling method - non-dispersive infrared analyser (NDIR), continuous.
Marambio Station
Similar to work at Belgrano Station. During twilight conditions total stratospheric ozone amounts have been deduced from electrochemical concentration cell ozonesonde soundings. Research on contaminant pathways in coastal shallow food webs This line of research is oriented towards the knowledge of the transfer of pollutants of anthropic origin through the food web in a shallow coastal environment of Antarctica (Potter Cove, King George Island). Special attention is paid to the dynamics of these substances and their relationships with energy transfer, more than on their presence in different compartments of the ecosystem. A conceptual model of possible pathways was developed.
List of Publications on Environmental Monitoring COMNAP, May 1998 3 Monitoring Summary Acero J.M. and Aguirre C.A. (1993) Adelie Penguin Breeding Site Selection and its Relation to Human Presence . Report Workshop on Research - Sea Birds Interactions. Monticello, Minnesota, USA.
Aguirre C.A. and Acero J.M. (1993) Penguin Rookeries and Antarctic Stations: Do Adelie Penguins Habituate to People?. Report Workshop on Research - Sea Birds Interactions. Monticello, Minnesota, USA. July 1993.
Acero J.M. and Aguirre C.A. Human Activities and Adelie Penguin at Hope Bay (Antarctic Peninsula). I. Habitat selection and evolution of the colony area. (Under referees review in Marine Ornithology).
Acero J.M., Agraz J.L. and Aguirre C.A.: (1996) Environmental Review of Argentine Activities at Esperanza (Hope) Bay. Antarctic Peninsula. Instituto Antartico Argentino. Publicacion Especial No.26. 1996.
Gil M. and Cacho J. (1993) NO 2 Total Column Evolution during the Spring at the Antarctic Peninsula. J. Atmos.Chem. 1993.
Sciattaglia L. (1994) Monitoring of Atmospheric Constituents with Climatic Impact in Antarctica. XXIII SCAR, Roma, 1994.
Cazeneuve H., Rodriguez S., Yela M and Cacho J. (1995) NO 2 and O 3 Evolution in the Antarctic Polar Circle: One Year of Measurement at Marambio Station. Symposium on Process with Climatic Impacts. Haikidiki.
Greece.
Yela M. and Rodriguez S. (1996) NO 2 and O 3 Total Column at different latitudes in the Antarctic Continent, by Differential Spectroscopy. Quadriennial Symposium on the Ozone Layer, L

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