TY - JOUR
T1 - Macroalgae metal-biomonitoring in Antarctica
T2 - Addressing the consequences of human presence in the white continent
AU - Lavergne, Céline
AU - Celis-Plá, Paula S.M.
AU - Chenu, Audran
AU - Rodríguez-Rojas, Fernanda
AU - Moenne, Fabiola
AU - Díaz, María José
AU - Abello-Flores, María Jesús
AU - Díaz, Patricia
AU - Garrido, Ignacio
AU - Bruning, Paulina
AU - Verdugo, Marcelo
AU - Lobos, M. Gabriela
AU - Sáez, Claudio A.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2022/1/1
Y1 - 2022/1/1
N2 - Marine ecosystems in the Arctic and Antarctica were once thought pristine and away from important human influence. Today, it is known that global processes as atmospheric transport, local activities related with scientific research bases, military and touristic maritime traffic, among others, are a potential source of pollutants. Macroalgae have been recognized as reliable metal-biomonitoring organisms due to their accumulation capacity and physiological responses. Metal accumulation (Al, Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb, Zn, Se, and Hg) and photosynthetic parameters (associated with in vivo chlorophyll a fluorescence) were assessed in 77 samples from 13 different macroalgal species (Phaeophyta; Chlorophyta; Rhodophyta) from areas with high human influence, nearby research and sometimes military bases and a control area, King George Island, Antarctic Peninsula. Most metals in macroalgae followed a pattern influenced by rather algal lineage than site, with green seaweeds displaying trends of higher levels of metals as Al, Cu, Cr and Fe. Photosynthesis was also not affected by site, showing healthy organisms, especially in brown macroalgae, likely due to their great dimensions and morphological complexity. Finally, data did not demonstrate a relationship between metal accumulation and photosynthetic performance, evidencing low anthropogenic-derived impacts associated with metal excess in the area. Green macroalgae, especially Monostroma hariotti, are highlighted as reliable for further metal biomonitoring assessments. In the most ambitious to date seaweed biomonitoring effort conducted towards the Austral pole, this study improved by 91% the overall knowledge on metal accumulation in macroalgae from Antarctica, being the first report in species as Sarcopeltis antarctica and Plocamium cartilagineum. These findings may suggest that human short- and long-range metal influence on Antarctic coastal ecosystems still remains under control.
AB - Marine ecosystems in the Arctic and Antarctica were once thought pristine and away from important human influence. Today, it is known that global processes as atmospheric transport, local activities related with scientific research bases, military and touristic maritime traffic, among others, are a potential source of pollutants. Macroalgae have been recognized as reliable metal-biomonitoring organisms due to their accumulation capacity and physiological responses. Metal accumulation (Al, Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb, Zn, Se, and Hg) and photosynthetic parameters (associated with in vivo chlorophyll a fluorescence) were assessed in 77 samples from 13 different macroalgal species (Phaeophyta; Chlorophyta; Rhodophyta) from areas with high human influence, nearby research and sometimes military bases and a control area, King George Island, Antarctic Peninsula. Most metals in macroalgae followed a pattern influenced by rather algal lineage than site, with green seaweeds displaying trends of higher levels of metals as Al, Cu, Cr and Fe. Photosynthesis was also not affected by site, showing healthy organisms, especially in brown macroalgae, likely due to their great dimensions and morphological complexity. Finally, data did not demonstrate a relationship between metal accumulation and photosynthetic performance, evidencing low anthropogenic-derived impacts associated with metal excess in the area. Green macroalgae, especially Monostroma hariotti, are highlighted as reliable for further metal biomonitoring assessments. In the most ambitious to date seaweed biomonitoring effort conducted towards the Austral pole, this study improved by 91% the overall knowledge on metal accumulation in macroalgae from Antarctica, being the first report in species as Sarcopeltis antarctica and Plocamium cartilagineum. These findings may suggest that human short- and long-range metal influence on Antarctic coastal ecosystems still remains under control.
KW - Anthropocene
KW - Contamination
KW - Ecophysiology
KW - Intertidal
KW - Subtidal
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85117237892&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118365
DO - 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118365
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85117237892
SN - 0269-7491
VL - 292
JO - Environmental Pollution
JF - Environmental Pollution
M1 - 118365
ER -
