MAR93 Palmer SITREP - W.Fraser Posted: Wed, Mar 31, 1993 3:56 PM EST Msg: BGJD-5616-4848 From: PALMER.STA To: PALMER.SCIENCE Subj: PSDN-856 SCIENCE SITREP SEND PLM1401.MAR MSG%"PALMER_SCIENCE",ASAHQ PSDN-856 SCIENCE SITREP R 311755Z MAR 93 FROM: Dr. William R. Fraser, S-013, Science Leader P A L M E R S T A T I O N A N T A R C T I C A TELEMAIL::PALMER.STA PHONE/FAX: 011-874-150-3157 SPAN::PALMER@ATSVAX.SPAN TELEX: 5841503157 PNHG INTERNET::PALMER@ATSVAX.RSMAS.MIAMI.EDU !TO ASA SHEPHERD !TO SPOLE NSFREP !TO MCM ASASAT, ASALABM, ASASUP, NSFMGR CC E-MAIL::ANTARCTIC.OPS, NSF.DPP.OCEANOPS, P.PENHALE, T.DELACA, R.HANSON, E.HOFMANN, R.BOOTH, O.HOLM.HANSEN, G.MITCHELL, M.VERNET, M.HUNTLEY, R.WHRITNER, D.KARL, W.FRASER, B.SIDELL, W.DETRICH, M.KENNICUTT, K.DUNTON, W.STOCKTON, L.QUETIN, R.ROSS, Sea.Space, W.TRIVELPIECE, R.SMITH.UCSB, GMCC.BOULDER(pass to B.Mendonca), F.AZAM, R.RADTKE, S.WEILER, SPOLE, DUKE, NATPALMER, ASAHQ, VLF@STAR.STANFORD.EDU, NSFMCM (includes all McMurdo addresses) KARENTZD@ALM.ADMIN.USFCA.EDU, CHAPPELL@UCRACC.SPAN, J.PROSPERO, TFOSTER@UCSCC.UCSC.EDU, DALLUGE@ATMOS.OGI.EDU, N.SWANBERG, ENELSON%MINES.BITNET@SDS.SPAN, R.BIDIGARE, SRCFNSF@CMV.DSIR.GOVT.NZ (includes all CHCH addresses. Responding: Please insert in message, all CAPS, with the ! in column 1: !TO PAL SCIENCE, LABMANAGER, ADMIN,MANAGER S-013 LONG TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH ON THE ANTARCTIC MARINE ECOSYSTEM: AN ICE-DOMINATED ENVIRONMENT. William R. Fraser and Wayne Z. Trivelpiece, Seabird Component, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia. FIELD TEAM: Bill Fraser and Donna Patterson. Field and laboratory activities specifically related to research on South Polar Skuas and Adelie Penguins, the LTER species representing the upper trophic level components of the ecosystem, were concluded on 29 March. The reproductive success of Adelie Penguins was high this season (1.44 chicks fledged/pair), while that of South Polar Skuas was low (0.19 chicks fledged/pair). Based on evidence related to arrival dates, egg weights, chick growth and development, diets and foraging behavior, prey availability to skuas appeared to be limited this season. Although krill were very clearly abundant, fish, in particular the Antarctic Silverfish, were not. Without these prey, skua reproduction tends to fail, suggesting that krill alone is an insufficient prey source to maintain the species during the breeding season. In the case of Adelie Penguins, high reproductive success was correlated with favorable weather early in the season and a predominance of inshore foraging for krill, which were extremely abundant in the area. This season, virtually no egg mortality was observed due to flooding, and chick growth and development in 2-chick broods was comparable. Adults were also able to maintain high body weights during most of the reproductive season. Moreover, based on telemetry data, the length of foraging bouts were shorter than in past seasons (averaging 6.9 hours), with most of the foraging population being associated with the 200 m contour. This contour occurs within approximately 7 km of most of the larger rookeries in the Palmer area. This is the first season that such an association has been made. The data, based on seabird surveys and censuses, were obtained as part of the LTER January nearshore sampling program. Other work completed, which is incidental to the LTER, but which provides information on species that sample prey representing different components of the ecosystem, included nesting studies of Blue-eyed Shags and Brown Skuas. Both species also exhibited high reproductive success (2.1 and 1.6 chicks fledged/pair, respectively). A total of 357 Giant Petrel chicks were also banded in the Palmer area, a record number that suggests high reproductive success for this species as well. On 5 March a beach fur seal census for the entire area was also completed that indicated the presence of 2108 seals, 25% more animals than were present in the area the previous year. One of the seals was marked with a tag originating in the Seal Island/Elephant Island area, suggesting a southward migration into the Palmer area. Tags from Bird Island (South Georgia) have been seen at Palmer in previous years. S-036 ADAPTATIONS TO COUNTER DIFFUSIONAL CONSTRAINTS IN MUSCLES OF CHANNICHTHYID ICEFISHES. Bruce D. Sidell, University of Maine, Orono, Maine. FIELD TEAM: C. Chris Cheng-Devries, Stephen F. Norton, Bruce D. Sidell After a relatively easy crossing of the Drake Passage, R/V Polar Duke arrived off the south shore of Low Island in the late morning of 25 March. Trawling operations were commenced in cooperation with project S-037 for the collection of demersal fish species. Approximately 8 deployments of the 18 ft otter trawl gear were accomplished before a building gale from the west and deterior- ating sea conditions forced the discontinuance of fishing at approximately 1800 hr. During this period, catch was well below that typical of previous seasons - in aggregate approximately 10 specimens of Channichthyid icefishes (predominantly Chaenocephalus aceratus) and 40-50 specimens of other species (predominantly Gobionotothen gibberifrons but also containing Notothenia neglecta and Parachaenichthys charcoti) were captured. The ship then steamed to alternative fishing grounds via the more protected waters of the Gerlache Strait, arriving in Dallman Bay at approximately 0430 on 26 March. Trawling continued at the Dallman Bay location until approx- imately 0300 on 27 March. During this time, approximately 21 additional deployments of the fishing gear were completed with somewhat improved success. The aggregate catch of specimens at the time of transit from the fishing grounds to Palmer Station was approximately 25 Channichthyid icefishes and 300 additional nototheniod fish species (majority being Gobionotothen gibberifrons for use by project S-037). Polar Duke arrived at Palmer Station at 1300 on 27 March and transfer of fish specimens to the aquarium facility was accomplished smoothly within 3 hr of our arrival. Setup of laboratory facilties continued over the next 4 days, being slightly delayed because of a protracted period of staggered personnel transfers between the station and ship. Laboratory setup is nearing completion as of this date (30 March) and experiments should commence within the next day. Some tissues have already been harvested from icefish specimens and stored frozen in liquid nitrogen because of deteriorating health of some specimens due to a combination of post-capture stress and water temperatures in the aquarium facility that are approximately 0.5-1 degree C higher than optimal for holding the animals. Of note for our particular project, we have observed that one specimen of icefish, tentatively identified as Chionodraco rastrospinosus, shows expression of the respiratory pigment, myoglobin, in cardiac ventricle. This is the second icefish species (also Pseudochaenichthys georgianus) to show this characteristic. Data obtained from these species should contribute to progress toward one of our objectives, to elucidate mechanisms affecting myoglobin gene expression in this family of fishes. Crew of R/V Polar Duke and personnel at Palmer Station have been very helpful in facilitating our initial efforts and we look forward to a productive season. S-037 ASSEMBLY AND STABILITY OF MICROTUBULES FROM ANTARCTIC FISH AT LOW TEMPERATURES. H. William Detrich, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts. FIELD TEAM: William Detrich, Martin Billger, Laura Camardella, Anthony Frankfurter, Stephen King, and Sandra Parker. Project S-037's 1993 Antarctic field research season began with our departure from Punta Arenas, Chile, on board R/V Polar Duke (Cruise 93-3, 22 March 1993). Weather and sea conditions during transit across the Drake Passage were generally calm to moderate. In conjunction with Project S-036 (Sidell), we collected specimens of two Antarctic rockcods (Gobionotothen gibberifrons and Notothenia coriiceps) and an icefish (Chaenocephalus aceratus) by bottom trawling from the Polar Duke near Low and Brabant Islands (25-26 March, total trawl time of 32 hours). At Low Island (25 March, 1030 hours), 8 trawls were conducted, yielding approximately 40 nototheniids (rockcods) and 10 channichthyids (icefishes). Due to intensifying southwesterly gale conditions directed toward the exposed southern shore of Low Island, fishing was terminated at this site at 1800 hours, and R/V Polar Duke sailed for our second fishing grounds, East Dallmann Bay. At this more sheltered location we resumed fishing at 0600 hours on 26 March. During the next 21 hours, approximately 20 trawls were completed. The S- 036/S-037 joint catch at Dallmann Bay included approximately 300 rockcods (dominated by G. gibberifrons) and an additional 15 icefishes (dominated by C. aceratus). At 0400 on 27 March, R/V Polar Duke departed the fishing grounds bound for Palmer Station. Fishes were maintained in the shipboard aquaria for transport to Palmer Station. At 1300 on 27 March, R/V Polar Duke arrived at Palmer Station. Following our arrival, fish were moved to the Aquarium facility, where they are now maintained in seawater aquaria at 0 to +1 deg C. G. gibberifrons and N. coriiceps are holding well under these conditions, but mortality of the icefishes has been greater than anticipated, probably due to capture-related stress and to the relatively warm temperature of the aquarium seawater. The ramaining 4 days of the month were devoted to set-up of our laboratory, which is now nearing completion. Laboratory experimentation began on 30 March. The long-range goal of our studies is to determine the structural and functional adaptations that permit the microtubule proteins (i.e., tubulins and microtubule-associated proteins, or MAPs) of Antarctic fishes to assemble and to function efficiently at their low body temperatures (-2 to +2 deg C). Studies planned for this season include structural analysis of the acidic carboxy- terminal tails of fish egg and brain tubulins, evaluation of the polymerization properties of tubulins isolated from the marginal bands of fish erythrocytes, characterization of the cytoskeletal organization of fish neurons and other cell types, and functional analysis of an important mechanochemical MAP, dynein. The results of our work will contribute to an understanding of the biochemical mechanisms of cold adaptation in Antarctic marine poikilotherms. We thank the captain and crew R/V Polar Duke and the personnel of Antarctic Support Associates for the able and generous assistance that they have provided to us as we begin our work. We anticipate a productive research season. S-041 SOURCES, DISTRIBUTION AND FATE OF HYDROCARBONS IN THE VICINITY OF THE BAHIA PARAISO, ARTHUR HARBOR, ANTARCTICA. FIELD TEAM: Tamara Davis (Leader), Roy Davis and John Houseseal. Science group S-041 (Mahlon Kennicutt, P.I.) arrived at Palmer Station via the Polar Duke on March 2, 1993. During the transit from Punta Arenas to Palmer Station, fish tissue was collected in the Lowe Island area (tissue control site). Three trawls were taken, resulting in approximately 20 fish with enough biomass to sample stomachs, livers and bile. More trawls will be attempted on the return trip to increase the control site biomass. While the Duke was on station (March 5, 1993), 22 sediment samples were collected using the shipboard Smith/Mac sampling apparatus in the vicinity of Arthur Harbor and the outlying islands. Three sample sites were located under a large iceberg in the Harbor and sampling of these sites will be attempted when the Duke returns on March 27. Two control sites at Dream Island were not sampled due to the deterioration in the sea state in the late afternoon of the sampling day. These sites will also be sampled when the Duke returns. Limpet samples were collected at 19 sites located on the islands in the vicinity of Palmer Station. Hook and line fishing was employed at the saltwater intake to collect fish tissue in the area of Palmer Station. Ten fish were sampled for stomachs, livers and bile. Fish traps are being used to collect fish tissue from the vicinity of the Bahia Pariso wreck site. These fish will also be used to provide stomach and liver tissue and bile. S-091 Seismic Observatory. S-091 field engineers successfully installed comprehensive seismic instrumentation, completed March 7. Training of science technician Andy Archer by remaining S-091 field engineer complete. System operation is normal. Data tapes are being acquired on a biweekly basis. Documentation of standard operating procedures for calibration and system performance checks of Perkin-Elmer LS-4/6 spectrophotometer. Calibration and testing of Turner Designs Fluorometers complete. Completion of specified tasking for departing science tech Bill Hassel; completion of information/documentation transfer to science tech Andy Archer per meeting with ASA station manager. S-106 Stanford VLF. U. Inan, Stanford University. No personnel on station, system is operating normally. System is being operated by ASA science technicians Bill Hassel and Andy Archer. Daily data continues to be collected. Severe antenna listing necessitated reconstruction of the antenna's wood block base. Aging guy ropes were replaced. Alignment of the antenna loops was checked found to be satisfactory. S-275 UM/DOE Atmospheric Monitoring Program at Palmer Station. T. Snowdon, University of Miami; C. Sanderson/N. Chui, EML/DOE N.Y. No personnel on station. System being run by ASA science technicians Bill Hassel and Andy Archer. System continues to operate with normal weekly schedule of calibration, background, and sample counts, with one sample filter being exposed for the duration of the week. T-312 Terascan satellite imaging system. R. Whritner, Scripps Institute. No personnel on station. System being run by ASA science technicians Bill Hassel and Andy Archer. Satellite passes have been successfully and continuously archived since 16 FEB 93. System graphics suffered hardware failure on 27 FEB 93, which precludes image processing such as the generation of ice images for the R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer. The hard disk drive for the antenna tracking XT computer failed and was replaced; operation was restored with 16 hours. Programming was implemented to more efficiently update orbital elements. This and other enhancements to system efficiency were documented. Periodic loss of satellite pass data resulting from 'hang-up' of hp9000 has increased in frequency. Seaspace and ASA have been queried on the possibility of a software fix. T-313 UV Monitoring Experiment. C. Booth, Biospherical Instruments. No personnel on station. System is being operated by Bill Hassel and Andy Archer. Installation of instrumentation to new building has been completed. The system is experiencing data acquisition problems. Daily data packages are being sent to Biospherical Instruments for analysis and recommendations. A power outage occurred on 24 March 93 but the system displayed no sign of damage. Normal operation was restored within 3 hours and has stabilized. W.FRASER/NESS 31152448.512 PLM1401.MAR Action?