Research
Antarctica phase V (2000-2005)
BIANZO - Biodiversity of 3 representative groups of Antarctic Zoobenthos
Context
The Convention on Biological Diversity has critically increased
the awareness of the general lack of knowledge about the world
biodiversity, especially the marine biodiversity. On the other
hand, the implementation of the Madrid Protocol on Environmental
Protection of the Antarctic requires a more comprehensive knowledge
of Antarctic marine biodiversity and a better accessibility
to the widely scattered biodiversity information. Current research
programmes in Antarctic biology focussed in particular on the
structure and dynamics of coastal and shelf ecosystems in the
perspective of global changes (SCAR-EASIZ), and on the biodiversity
of the totally unknown deep-sea habitats (ANDEEP).
Finally, several worldwide initiatives (like GBIF) have stressed
the need for developing efficiently the biodiversity information
management and promoted the development of comprehensive biodiversity
databases.
Project description
Objectives
The main goal of this study is to investigate the biodiversity
of the Antarctic benthos through three representative faunal
groups of different size categories: the nematodes (meiobenthos),
the amphipod crustaceans (macrobenthos) and the echinids (megabenthos).
The meiofaunal Nematodes are in terms of abundance the most
important metazoan group in marine sediments. As their communities
contain a large number of species, usually an order of magnitude
greater than any other meiobenthic taxon, they are particularly
suitable for tackling biodiversity and biogeography issues.
Amphipods appear to be the most speciose animal group in Antarctic
seas, and one of the most diverse in terms of modes of life,
habitats, trophic types, and size spectra. Finally Echinoids
constitute an often abundant and widely distributed component
of the Antarctic communities, and offer important opportunities
for symbiotic diversity.
Relying on the exploration of new or poorly known Antarctic
regions, this study will first concentrate on the understanding
of the nature and distribution of biodiversity, i.e. to take
an inventory of the faunal components and to analyse their
distribution with
respect to several gradients (depth, latitude or differences
between basin).
The second objective aims at better understanding the ecofunctional
role of biodiversity by analysing different dynamic aspects
such as niche diversity, trophic types and role in food webs,
reproduction patterns or biomass turnover.
The third objective concerns the development of a Biodiversity
Information System for the Antarctic benthos, to make more
effectively available to the scientific community and other
users, the biodiversity knowledge acquired during previous
studies or newly gained from the proposed research. This information
system will include mapping applications and will rely on the
extant or development databases of the three benthic taxa.
Methodology
Field sampling of new material will benefit from different
international Antarctic campaigns onboard RV Polarstern such
as the ANDEEP or LAMPOS cruises in the Weddell Sea and along
the Scotia Arc. Sampled material will be preserved for morphological
and taxonomic purposes, for molecular approach, and for stable
isotope analyses by mass spectrometry. It will also be compared
to existing museum collections. Living material will also
be collected and kept in cold rooms, in order to analyse
different ecological
parameters such as food preferences, feeding or growth rates.
Interaction
between the different partners
IRSNB-RUG-ULB will collaborate in field sampling and in the
analysis and integration of data of common significance, each
partner focussing on a different group of zoobenthos representative
for a size class. ULg will work together with the other three
ones in analysing stable isotopes on collected material,
in order to delineate carbon and nitrogen fluxes within Antarctic
benthic ecosystems.
The four partners will collaborate in the creation of a web
portal which will connect the databases developed by each
partner, and eventually other existing databases about Antarctic
biodiversity.
Link with international programmes
- SCAR-EASIZ, Ecology of the Antarctic Sea-Ice Zone;
- ANDEEP, ANtarctic benthic DEEP-sea biodiversity;
- LAMPOS, Latin-AMerica POlarstern Study;
- SCAR-EVOLANTA, EVOLution in ANTArctica;
- DIVERSITAS;
- CoML-OBIS, Census of Marine Life - Ocean
- Biogeographic Information System;
- GBIF, Global Biodiversity Information Facility.
Expected results
- An improved knowledge of the composition and biogeography of the three target benthic groups in some poorly known parts of the Southern Ocean shelf.
- A detection of potential cryptic species (through molecular analyses) which could conduct to revise our current estimations of Antarctic species richness and our concept of generalised circumpolar distribution.
- A discovery of the totally unknown deep-sea fauna from the continental slope and abyssal basins of the Scotia and Weddell seas.
- An improved knowledge of some ecological aspects useful to understand the role of biodiversity in ecosystem functioning, such as niche diversity, trophic roles.
- An improved knowledge of some biological aspects significant for the understanding of Antarctic biodiversitypatterns: life styles such as symbiosis, size spectra in the deep sea, reproduction and development.
- New syntheses on taxonomy, faunistics, distribution and biogeography of selected groups of the Antarctic benthos through the development and concerted exploitation of comprehensive databases and mapping applications.
- An implementation of extant databases on the biodiversity of the 3 target groups.
Complementary resources about this scientific project
Partners
| IRSNB | Will focus on different aspects of the biodiversity of Antarctic amphipods (morphological and molecular taxonomy, biogeography, ecofunctional diversity), and will implement the ANT'PHIPODA database (Biodiversity Reference Centre for Antarctic Amphipoda). It will also co-ordinate the project. |
| RUG | Will concentrate on biodiversity features of Antarctic nematodes (diversity of communities, depth gradients, density and turnover). It will implement the NEMASLAN database (Biodiversity of Antarctic Nematodes). |
| ULB | Will focus on the biodiversity of Antarctic echinoids, with a special interest for symbioses as a source of niches. It will also update its ANTARCTIC ECHINOID database. |
| ULg | Will perform isotope ratio mass spectrometry analyses on field collected material to delineate the food webs wherein the 3 groups of target organisms are involved. |
Contact information
Coordinator: Claude De Broyer
Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique (IRSNB)
29, rue Vautier
B-1000 Brussels
Tel: +32 (0)2 627 41 27
Fax: +32 (0)2 627 42 77
claude.debroyer@naturalsciences.be
www.naturalsciences.be/amphi/
Partner 2: Ann Vanreusel
Universiteit Gent (RUG)
Vakgroep Biologie – Sectie Mariene Biologie
Krijgslaan 281- S 8
B-9000 Gent
Tel: +32 (0)9 264 52 15
Fax: +32 (0)9 264 53 44
ann.vanreusel@rug.ac.be
www.marinebiology.ugent.be
Partner 3: Chantal De Ridder
Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB)
Laboratoire Biologie Marine
CP 160/15
50, avenue F.D. Roosevelt
B-1050 Brussels
Tel: +32 (0)2 650 29 66
Fax: +32 (0)2 650 27 96
cridder@ulb.ac.be
www.ulb.ac.be/rech/inventaire/unites/ULB119.html
Partner 4: Jean-Marie Bouquegneau
University of Liège (ULg)
Laboratoire d’Océanologie
Sart Tilman B6
B-4000 Liège
Tel: +32 (0)4 366 33 21
Fax: +32 (0)4 366 33 25
jm.bouquegneau@ulg.ac.be
www.ulg.ac.be/oceanbio/