Diversity of marine benthic communities at Granite Harbour, the effect of ocean acidification on the Antarctic gooeyduc Laternula elliptica and the effect of pulsed primary food source on the benthic community

To continue to improve our understanding of Ross Sea marine benthic ecosystem structure and function, investigations were conducted to determine how key benthic organisms (i) respond to ocean acidification, (ii) utilise pulsed addition of primary food sources, and (iii) how the diversity and abundance of benthic communities varies over time. (i) Specimens of the Antarctic gooeyduc Laternula elliptica were collected and used for laboratory experiments to investigate the impacts of ocean acidification on key Antarctic benthic species.

(ii) The uptake and incorporation of a pulsed input of an important primary food source (ice algae) by benthic invertebrates was investigated via a field experiment in Granite Harbour. Concentrated ice algae was added to seafloor chambers containing known densities of ophiuroids and molluscs. The uptake and incorporation of this food by was measured by sampling these key species and associated sediments, including fluxes of oxygen and nutrients.