02569nas a2200373 4500008004100000245008100041210006900122260004300191520135400234100001701588700001801605700002201623700002101645700002001666700003001686700002101716700002401737700002301761700001801784700002101802700002301823700002201846700002001868700002301888700002401911700001601935700002301951700002401974700002101998700001902019700001802038700002002056856011902076 2022 eng d00aTen scientific messages on risks and opportunities for life in the Antarctic0 aTen scientific messages on risks and opportunities for life in t bAntarctic Environments Portalc02/20223 a

Initiated by the SCAR scientific research programme “Antarctic Thresholds – Ecosystem Resilience and Adaptation” (AnT-ERA, 2013-2021), 26 experts synthesized knowledge on impacts and risks of climate-change on biological processes and ecosystem functions in the Antarctic. The ten main scientific messages that emerged addressed (1) accelerating marine and terrestrial biogeochemical cycles, (2) response to ocean acidification, (3) ecological changes in climate change hot spots, (4) unexpected dynamism of marine seafloor communities, (5) biodiversity shifts, (6) low temperature limitation of protein synthesis, (7) life intrinsically linked to changing sea ice conditions, (8) pollution, (9) genetically distinct terrestrial populations under threat, and (10) newly discovered habitats. Two-thirds of the literature included in this synthesis was published between 2010 and 2020 and only one-third was published earlier. The fast mounting, recent decadal evidence indicates various Antarctic biological communities now experience climate stress, or will experience such stress in the coming decades. The responses of organisms, ecosystem functions and services to environmental changes are complex and varied. Key knowledge gaps remain and need addressing to adequately assess future prospects for life in the Antarctic.

1 aGutt, Julian1 aIsla, Enrique1 aXavier, José, C.1 aAdams, Byron, J.1 aAhn, In‐Young1 aCheng, C.‐H., Christina1 aColesie, Claudia1 aCummings, Vonda, J.1 aGriffiths, Huw, J.1 aHogg, Ian, D.1 aMcIntyre, Trevor1 aMeiners, Klaus, M.1 aPearce, David, A.1 aPeck, Lloyd, S.1 aPiepenburg, Dieter1 aReisinger, Ryan, R.1 aSaba, Grace1 aSchloss, Irene, R.1 aSignori, Camila, N.1 aSmith, Craig, R.1 aVacchi, Marino1 aVerde, Cinzia1 aWall, Diana, H. uhttps://environments.aq/publications/ten-scientific-messages-on-risks-and-opportunities-for-life-in-the-antarctic/03115nas a2200517 4500008004100000245008300041210006900124260001200193520161800205653001501823653002101838653002601859653001901885653001301904653001701917653002401934653002301958653001701981653001201998100001702010700001802027700002202045700002102067700002002088700003002108700002102138700002402159700002102183700002302204700001502227700001802242700002102260700002302281700002202304700002002326700002302346700002402369700001602393700002302409700002402432700002102456700001902477700001802496700002002514856006302534 2021 eng d00aAntarctic ecosystems in transition – life between stresses and opportunities0 aAntarctic ecosystems in transition life between stresses and opp c06/20213 a

Important findings from the second decade of the 21st century on the impact of environmental change on biological processes in the Antarctic were synthesised by 26 international experts. Ten key messages emerged that have stakeholder‐relevance and/or a high impact for the scientific community. They address (i) altered biogeochemical cycles, (ii) ocean acidification, (iii) climate change hotspots, (iv) unexpected dynamism in seabed‐dwelling populations, (v) spatial range shifts, (vi) adaptation and thermal resilience, (vii) sea ice related biological fluctuations, (viii) pollution, (ix) endangered terrestrial endemism and (x) the discovery of unknown habitats. Most Antarctic biotas are exposed to multiple stresses and considered vulnerable to environmental change due to narrow tolerance ranges, rapid change, projected circumpolar impacts, low potential for timely genetic adaptation, and migration barriers. Important ecosystem functions, such as primary production and energy transfer between trophic levels, have already changed, and biodiversity patterns have shifted. A confidence assessment of the degree of ‘scientific understanding’ revealed an intermediate level for most of the more detailed sub‐messages, indicating that process‐oriented research has been successful in the past decade. Additional efforts are necessary, however, to achieve the level of robustness in scientific knowledge that is required to inform protection measures of the unique Antarctic terrestrial and marine ecosystems, and their contributions to global biodiversity and ecosystem services.

10aadaptation10abenthic dynamism10abiogeochemical cycles10aclimate change10ainvasion10anew habitats10aocean acidification10aPrimary production10arange shifts10asea ice1 aGutt, Julian1 aIsla, Enrique1 aXavier, José, C.1 aAdams, Byron, J.1 aAhn, In‐Young1 aCheng, C.‐H., Christina1 aColesie, Claudia1 aCummings, Vonda, J.1 adi Prisco, Guido1 aGriffiths, Huw, J.1 aHawes, Ian1 aHogg, Ian, D.1 aMcIntyre, Trevor1 aMeiners, Klaus, M.1 aPearce, David, A.1 aPeck, Lloyd, S.1 aPiepenburg, Dieter1 aReisinger, Ryan, R.1 aSaba, Grace1 aSchloss, Irene, R.1 aSignori, Camila, N.1 aSmith, Craig, R.1 aVacchi, Marino1 aVerde, Cinzia1 aWall, Diana, H. uhttps://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/brv.1267903560nas a2200397 4500008004100000022001400041245005200055210004800107260001200155300001400167490000700181520243500188100001802623700002202641700001902663700002502682700001902707700002002726700002202746700002102768700002402789700002102813700002302834700002702857700002302884700002802907700001702935700001902952700002202971700002002993700002103013700002503034700002603059700002003085856005703105 2014 eng d a0012-961500aThe spatial structure of Antarctic biodiversity0 aspatial structure of Antarctic biodiversity c05/2014 a203 - 2440 v843 a

Patterns of environmental spatial structure lie at the heart of the most fundamental and familiar patterns of diversity on Earth. Antarctica contains some of the strongest environmental gradients on the planet and therefore provides an ideal study ground to test hypotheses on the relevance of environmental variability for biodiversity. To answer the pivotal question, “How does spatial variation in physical and biological environmental properties across the Antarctic drive biodiversity?” we have synthesized current knowledge on environmental variability across terrestrial, freshwater, and marine Antarctic biomes and related this to the observed biotic patterns. The most important physical driver of Antarctic terrestrial communities is the availability of liquid water, itself driven by solar irradiance intensity. Patterns of biota distribution are further strongly influenced by the historical development of any given location or region, and by geographical barriers. In freshwater ecosystems, free water is also crucial, with further important influences from salinity, nutrient availability, oxygenation, and characteristics of ice cover and extent. In the marine biome there does not appear to be one major driving force, with the exception of the oceanographic boundary of the Polar Front. At smaller spatial scales, ice cover, ice scour, and salinity gradients are clearly important determinants of diversity at habitat and community level. Stochastic and extreme events remain an important driving force in all environments, particularly in the context of local extinction and colonization or recolonization, as well as that of temporal environmental variability. Our synthesis demonstrates that the Antarctic continent and surrounding oceans provide an ideal study ground to develop new biogeographical models, including life history and physiological traits, and to address questions regarding biological responses to environmental variability and change.

 

1 aConvey, Peter1 aChown, Steven, L.1 aClarke, Andrew1 aBarnes, David, K. A.1 aBokhorst, Stef1 aCummings, Vonda1 aDucklow, Hugh, W.1 aFrati, Francesco1 aGreen, T., G. Allan1 aGordon, Shulamit1 aGriffiths, Huw, J.1 aHoward-Williams, Clive1 aHuiskes, Ad, H. L.1 aLaybourn-Parry, Johanna1 aLyons, Berry1 aMcMinn, Andrew1 aMorley, Simon, A.1 aPeck, Lloyd, S.1 aQuesada, Antonio1 aRobinson, Sharon, A.1 aSchiaparelli, Stefano1 aWall, Diana, H. uhttp://www.esajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1890/12-2216.1