Abstract
Abstract Few reports exist that describe marine non‐native species in the Southern Ocean and near‐shore waters around the Antarctic continent. Nevertheless, Antarctica's isolated marine communities, which show high levels of endemism, may be vulnerable to invasion by anthropogenically introduced species from outside Antarctica via vessel hull biofouling. Hull surveys of the British Antarctic Survey's RRS James Clark Ross were undertaken between 2007 and 2014 at Rothera Research Station on the Antarctic Peninsula (Lat. 67°34'S; Long. 68°07'W) to investigate levels of biofouling. In each case, following transit through scouring sea‐ice, over 99% of the vessel hull was free of macroscopic fouling communities. However, in some surveys microbial/algal biofilms, balanomorph barnacles and live individuals of the cosmopolitan pelagic barnacle, Conchoderma auritum were found in the vicinity of intake ports, demonstrating the potential for non‐native species to be transported to Antarctica on vessel hulls. Increasing ship traffic volumes and declining duration of sea ice in waters to the north and west of the Antarctic Peninsula mean the region may be at increased risk of non‐native species introductions. Locations at particular risk may include the waters around popular visitor sites, such as Goudier Island, Neko Harbour, Whalers Bay, Cuverville Island and Half Moon Island, and around northern peninsula research stations. Simple and cost‐effective mitigation measures, such as intentionally moving transiting ships briefly through available offshore sea ice to scour off accessible biofouling communities, may substantially reduce hull‐borne propagule pressure to the region. Better quantification of the risk of marine non‐native species introductions posed by vessel hulls to both Arctic and Antarctic environments, as sea ice patterns and shipping traffic volumes change, will inform the development of appropriate regional and international management responses. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Highlights
Antarctic marine benthic environments contain the majority of the region’s life and some of the most biodiverse habitats on Earth (De Broyer et al, 2014)
Survey, microbial/algal biofilms were observed on intakes grates; acorn barnacles were found in two locations; and goose-neck barnacles (probably Conchoderma auritum (L.)) were identified attached to one intake
The complete lack of biofouling on the exposed hull surface during any of the surveys, coupled with direct observational evidence of sea ice impacts on the vessel hull, suggests sea ice scour is effective at removing microbial/algal and macroscopic organisms from the outer hull and has the potential to reduce marine non-native species propagule pressure (Lewis et al, 2004)
Summary
Antarctic marine benthic environments contain the majority of the region’s life and some of the most biodiverse habitats on Earth (De Broyer et al, 2014). Antarctic marine environment had little direct exposure to anthropogenically introduced non-native species. These isolated marine ecosystems, with high levels of endemism, may be susceptible to the impacts of invasive species (Lodge, 1993). The geographical isolation of Antarctica and the existence of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current present considerable barriers to species movement to the region, but physiological constraints may reduce species survivorship and subsequent establishment and invasion of the polar marine environment (Barnes et al, 2006). Recent reports have highlighted the ongoing colonization and invasion of terrestrial communities in the sub-Antarctic, and increasingly the Antarctic continent (Frenot et al, 2005; Hughes et al, 2015), but, as yet, only a single non-native species has been recorded from within the Antarctic marine environment (Clayton et al, 1997). Increasing marine traffic, including private yachts and military, national operator, fishing and tourist vessels, in the waters around Antarctica may increase the risk of non-native species introductions (Lynch et al, 2010; COMNAP, 2015; IAATO, 2015a)
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