CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT ON THE WHITE CONTINENT, THE IDEAL CONTEXT FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

TORRE, LUCIANA

Córdoba

Simposio; XXI Jornada de la Sociedad de Biología de Córdoba; 2017

Sociedad de Biología de Córdoba

Approximately 20 years of studies in the marine ecosystem of Potter Cove (South Shetland Islands -Antarctica) showed hydrographic changes related to increasing atmospheric temperatures in theregion. As a major consequence of glacier retreat, there has been an increase in sediment dischargefrom melting streams during summer months. During the same period, there were importantchanges in the distribution pattern of benthic species. Major species of solitary ascidians thatdominated the bottom of the cove were the most affected. This group, which are generally filter-feeder organisms, can be affected by the increase of particulate suspended matter (PSM), either by adilution of food to be filtered or in extreme cases by the blocking of its filter-respiratory structures.In this context, our aim was to evaluate the possible response of a coastal polar ecosystem to theglobal temperature increase and its consequences.In the first place, the effect of increasing concentration of PSM on the different species studiedexperimentally in collaboration with researchers of the Alfred Wegener Intitiute (Germany). Theresults show that the degree of sensitivity of each species was coincident with the degree to whicheach population has declined in recent years. Subsequently, in collaboration with researchers fromthe Campina?s University (Brazil), a spatial simulation model was developed to study the impact ofsedimentation on Antarctic benthic systems at an interspecific level. The simulations first showedsedimentation as a possible structuring factor of Antarctic benthic communities and would alsoindicate that an increase in the sedimentation rate would produce changes in the distributionpatterns of each species, quite similar to those observed in recent years.