Seasonality in an Arctic fjord ecosystem: Hornsund, Spitsbergen

Based on two complete years of marine ecological surveys (1981-82 and 1984-85) carried out in the Hornsund fjord on southern Spitsbergen (77N), the seasonal variation of physical and biological processes is presented. Physical parameters reflect the strong seasonality of sun radiation, while water salinity and temperature fluctuate within a narrow range. Concentrations of nutrients and suspended matter depend on meltwater discharge from glaciers and snow cover thickness. The breeding period of most marine invertebrate species is strongly related to the phytoplankton bloom which peaks in May. Ringed seal and polar bear occurrences are directly related to sea ice conditions. Both species are most numerous in Hornsund during March-April. Sea birds which nest in huge colonies along the Hornsund coasts arrive in April-May and leave by August-September except for Fulmars and Brünnich's Guillemots which were observed year-round.     

The phytobenthos of the Hornsund fiord, SW Spitsbergen

The species composition and biomass of material collected in the summers 1981 and 1983 from 69 stations in the Hornsund fiord were analysed. 48 macroalgal taxa were found: 13 green algae, 18 brown algae and 17 red algae. 19 of these taxa were not reported from the nearby Isfjorden.
The overall biomass for the littoral zone varied from 0 to 216gnT² formalin d.w., although in J of samples the biomass was between 20 and 80 gm^_z. The dominant species were Fucus distichus, Acrosiphonia duriusada and Pilayella littoralis.
Using cluster analysis, an attempt was made to delimit regions with a characteristic species composition. The results obtained, however, do not permit this in the littoral zone of the Hornsund fiord.     

Glaciomarine sedimentation in a modern fjord environment, Spitsbergen

By means of high resolution acoustic profiling and correlation of echo character and sediment lithology, fjords in western and northern Spitsbergen are shown to be blanketed by a 5-20 m layer of acoustically transparent sediments consisting mainly of soft homogeneous mud with ice rafted clasts. Acoustically semi-transparent material is found on slopes and sills reflecting their coarser composition. The areal average depositional rate in the outer fjord is in the range of from 0.1 to 1.0 mm/year, increasing towards the glaciers. In Kongsfjorden, 50-100 mm/year of muddy sediments is deposited at a distance of 10 km from the calving Kongsvegen glacier. Close to the ice front (<0.5 km) coarser grained, interbedded (sand/mud) sediments are deposited. The main sediment sources are from settlement out of the turbid surface sediment plume, combined with various types of gravity flow (sediment creep, minor slides, and slumping). Material deposited from turbidity current is probably of minor importance. On shallow sills the sediments are remobilized by icebergs. The sediment adjacent to the ice front is reworked and compacted during surges, a common form of glacial advance for Spitsbergen glaciers. During the surge considerable amounts of coarse-grained sediment are deposited by meltwater in front of the ice margin.     

Changes in the energy content of common species from Hornsund, Southwest Spitsbergen

During the period August 1981 to July 1982, samples of six species of Amphipoda common to Hornsund were collected, and a study of their energy value changes was carried out. Only slight fluctuations of energy values were observed throughout the year, and no distinct seasonal changes as in the case of boreal organisms. Individuals of greater body size exhibit higher energy values. The lowest energy values 10.93 kJ g⁻¹ d.w. (SD = 3.01) and highest ash contents 29.8% (SD = 7.6) were found in small Amphipoda (e.g. Ischyrocerus anguipes) , while species attaining greater body size were characterized by higher energy values and lower ash contents, for example Gammarellus homari 16.96 kJ g⁻¹d.w. (SD = 0.50), and 22.9% (SD = 3.3%) ash.     

Calorific value, lipid content and radioactivity of common species from Hornsund, Southwest Spitsbergen

In the summer of 1981 the common flora and fauna of 28 species from Hornsund were collected, and the energy value, lipid content and global activity determined. It was found that the plants had low energy values, varying from 12.26 ± 0.42 kJ g⁻¹ dry weight to 15.45 ±1.00kJ'dry weight. The highest values in animals were noted in Liparis liparis (Pisces) 22.15 ± 0.89 kJg⁻¹ dry weight, and Sagitta elegans (Chae-tognatha) 20.64 ± 0.49kJg⁻¹, the lowest being in Orchomene minuta (Amphipoda) 11.30 ± 0.74kJg⁻¹d.w. The lipid contents in the species studied were mostly low, the mean range from lowest to highest being 1.37-8.60% for plants and 7.14–31.93% for animals, and they were proportional to the energy value. Both the energy values and lipid contents were comparable to those in similar species from other waters. The global fi activity in the organisms analysed was not high; at the same time plants had a higher content of radioactive isotopes, 1.97-61.9pCi g⁻¹ d.w., than animals, 5.2-17.8pCi g⁻¹ d.w.     

Freshwater benthic diatoms from the south-western part of the Hornsund fiord area, SW Spitsbergen

The epipelic diatoms from various water bodies from the south-western part of the Hornsund fiord area are presented. Altogether, 157 taxa (127 species together with their variants and forms) have been identified. The flora consists almost entirely of diatoms from the order Pennales which is represented predominantly Biraphidineae, chiefly by the genera Navicula, Pinnularia and Cymbella. Also some information about the ecology and phytogeography of the diatom flora analysed is given. Most of the species are typical indifferent or alkaliphilous freshwater forms with low trophic requirements. Nearly 55% of the diatoms examined are arctic-alpine or nordic-alpine species.     

Snow accumulation distribution on Spitsbergen, Svalbard, in 1997

A survey of the regional snow accumulation variability on Spitsbergen, Svalbard, was carried out during three field campaigns in May 1997. The survey was carried out along three transects from west-to-east approcimately at the following latitudes: 77°30', 78° and 78°50'degrees north. The altitudes span from sea level to 1000 metres elevation. Snow depth was measured with two different ground-penetrating radar systems, PulsEKKO (450 MHz) and GSSI SIR System-2 (500 MHz), pulled behind snow machines. Snow characteristics such as snow temperature, snow density and stratigraphy were measured in snow pits in nine areas, three along each transect. Our data suggest the following: (1)the accumulation-elevation gradients vary from 3 mm/100 m in the northeast to 237 mm/100 min the central-south with an average value of 104 mm/100m for all measurements: (2)snow accumulation was 38 to 49% higher at the eastern coast than at the western coast; (3) a clear minimum in accumulation (or continental climate) is seen for the central (inland) locations in the middle and northern transects while no such minimum exists along the southern transect; (4) a south-to-north gradient produces 55% and 40% less snow accumulation at the northern locations compared to the southern locations at the western and eastern coasts, respectively. These drops in winter snow accumulation occur over a distance of less than 200 km.     

Polar bear predation on ringed seals in the fast-ice of Hornsund, Svalbard

Polar bear hunting success on ringed seals in subnivean lairs and basking on the fast ice, was studied in Hornsund, Svalbard. A few bears were observed while actually hunting, but in most cases bear tracks were followed by snowmobile to determine the outcome of hunts. Seal carcasses were classified from size and tooth annuli as pups, juveniles or adults. A total of 62 subnivean structures were entered by bears, with six seals killed. One of ten charges on basking seals resulted in a kill. Success rates of bears in Hornsund arc compared with results of studies in Canada and Svalbard. OHunting success, polar bear, predation, ringed seal     

Tundra degradation in the vicinity of the Polish Polar Station, Hornsund, Svalbard

Studies performed in the summers of 1979 and 1980 in the surroundings of the Polish Polar Station at Hornsund, Svalbard, aimed at determining the impact of the presence of a research station on its immediate tundra surroundings. The sources of environmental degradation were singled out; the ways of expansion of various contaminants and the degree of their harmfulness to the environment were evaluated. This gave insight into the extent of tundra degradation in the vicinity of a polar research station. It was found that the heaviest impacts were caused by changes in the chemical composition of the soil, resulting from spills of petroleum-derived fuels, and by transport which damaged the surface of the tundra.     

Physiological adaptations in Coleoptera on Spitsbergen

Metabolic rates and Q₁₀ values were determined for three species of Spitsbergen Coleoptera, Amara quenseli, Simplocaria metallica and Rhynchaenus flagellum . The beetles had metabolic rates which were elevated compared to values of Coleoptera from other regions. This is interpreted as an adaptation to the prevailing low temperatures and short activity period on Spitsbergen.
A. quenseli had rates of water loss comparable to values of beetles in temperate and tropical xeric habitats, indicating that the habitat of the beetles on Spitsbergen at least occasionally is xeric.
Determination of cold-hardiness parameters such as supercooling point and haemolymph melting point of A. quenseli beetles revealed that the beetles had values corresponding to those of active insects in the temperate and tropical region. They had no thermal hysteresis factors. Thus, during summer they show no physiological adaptations to cold.     

Notes concerning the vegetation on deflation surfaces, Kapp Linné, Spitsbergen

The distribution of vascular plants within four sample areas on a deflation surface on a set of raised beach ridges near Kapp Linné. Spitsbergen, is described. The vegetation cover and distribution of the different species are related to the wind pattern and microtopography. Details of the distribution and growth characteristics of Dryas octopetala, Saxifraga oppositifolia , and Silene acaulis in relation to each other, and to the wind and microtopography are discussed.     

Structural, tectonic and glaciological controls on the evolution of fjord landscapes

The fjord landscape of South America, stretching ~ 1500 km between Golfo Corcovado (~ 43°S) and Tierra del Fuego (~ 56°S), is the largest continuous fjord landscape on Earth. This paper presents the results of new structural geological and geomorphological mapping of this landscape using optical satellite images and digital elevation models. First-order geological structures are represented by strike-slip faults forming lineaments up to hundreds of kilometres long. The strike-slip faulting has been active since Late Cretaceous times and is responsible for the presence of a conspicuous structural cleavage visible as lineaments up to ~ 10 km long. A detailed analysis of these second-order lineaments from digital image data was carried out in three sectors. In Sector 1, located northwest of the North Patagonian Icefield, there are three distinct mean orientations, characterized by a main nearly orogen-parallel orientation (az. ~ 145°) and two orogen-oblique secondary orientations (az. ~ 20° and az. ~ 65°). In Sector 2, located west of the South Patagonian Icefield, there are also three separate mean orientations, with most of the lineaments concentrated between azimuths 0° and 80° (mean at ~ 36°); and two other orogen-oblique means at azimuth ~ 122° and ~ 163°. In Sector 3, around the Cordillera Darwin, there is a single main orogen-parallel mean at ~ 100–115°. In all three sectors, mapped fjord orientations bear a striking similarity to the structural data, with fjords orientated preferentially in the same direction as structural lineaments. We infer that successive glaciations followed the same ice-discharge routes, widening and deepening pre-existing geological structures at the expense of the surrounding terrain to create the fjord landscape. This study has broader implications for ice sheet reconstructions and landscape evolution beneath ice sheets because we demonstrate that the primary control on fjord development in glaciated areas is geological and not glaciological.     

Palynology of the Permian succession of Spitsbergen, Svalbard

Palynological investigations of 16 sections from Spitsbergen, Svalbard, covering the uppermost Carboniferous, Permian and lowermost Triassic succession have been carried out. Because of general poor preservation and barrenness of the majority of the samples, it was not possible to establish a formal zonation for the Permian succession. The study resulted, however, in the recognition of three Permian palynological assemblages, restricted downwards by a Carboniferous assemblage and upwards by an earliest Triassic (Griesbachian) assemblage. The dating of these assemblages is based on palynological correlation with similar palynofloras elsewhere in the present Arctic region as well as dating by marine faunas, which in general give better stratigraphic resolution. The Permian assemblages recognised include (1) the Vittatina assemblage of late Gzhelian to early Asselian age recorded in the lower parts of the Tyrrellfjellet Member (Nordenskioldbreen Formation), (2) the Hamiapollenites tractiferinus assemblage of late Asselian to Artinskian age recorded in the upper parts of the Tyrrellfjellet Member and in the Gipshuken Formation and (3) the youngest Permian Kraeuselisporiles assemblage of late Artinskian to earliest Tatarian age recorded in the Kapp Starostin Formation.     

Origin of the Myklegardfjellet Bed, a basal Cretaceous marker on Spitsbergen

The Ryazanian Myklegardfjellet Bed, composed of yellow to greenish plastic clays, is a regional marker horizon in central and eastern Spitsbergen, where it occurs just above the boundary between the Agardhfjellet and Rurikfjellet formations. Through a combined mineralogical, sedimentological and micropaleontological approach, it is demonstrated that the bed was deposited by marine shelf processes and subsequently altered by decomposition of the unstable glauconite bearing components. These sediments were deposited at the culmination of a shallowing episode in the depositional area. This event marks a shift in depositional mode, from predominantly shelf sedimentation controlled by global eustatic sea level changes (Late Bathonian-Ryazanian), to a locally regulated, deep sea to shallow shelf-prodeltaic to deltaic pattern of deposition (Ryazanian-Hauterivian).     

Holocene sedimentary rocks in Mathiesondalen, central Spitsbergen, Svalbard

Holocene lithified sediments of glacial and glaciofluvial origin have been found in environments where carbonate cementation is a present-day process. The rocks occur as well cemented tillites, conglomerates, coarse sandstones and breccias, indicating a complex depositional pattern within a limited area. Both clasts and carbonate cement are mainly derived from underlying Carboniferous and Permian sequences which form the bedrock of this area.