Hydrocarbon Spills on Antarctic Soil

Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) Metadata:

• Identification_Information
• Data_Quality_Information
• Spatial_Reference_Information
• Distribution_Information
• Metadata_Reference_Information

Identification_Information:

Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: Unknown

Publication_Date: Unknown

Title: Hydrocarbon Spills on Antarctic Soil

Description:

Abstract:

Antarctic exploration and research have led to some significant although localized impacts on the environment. Human impacts Occur around current or past scientific research stations, typically located on ice-free areas that are predominantly soils. Fuel spills, the most common occurrence, have the potential to cause the greatest environmental impact in the Antarctic through accumulation of aliphatic and aromatic compounds. Effective management of hydrocarbon spills is dependent on understanding how they impact soil properties such as moisture, hydrophobicity, soil temperature, and microbial activity. Numbers of hydrocarbon degrading bacteria, typically Rhodococcus, Sphingomonas, and Pseudomonas species for example, may become elevated in contaminated soils, but overall microbial diversity declines. Alternative management practices to the current approach of "dig it up and ship it out" are required but must be based on sound information. This data set summarizes current understanding of the extent and effects of hydrocarbon spillage on Antarctic soils; the observed physical, chemical, and biological responses of such soils; and current gaps in knowledge. Comparisons between temperature profiles of hydrocarbon contaminated and pristine sites at Scott Base and Marble Point indicate that during sunny weather, when soils are snow-free, the daily maximum surface temperature of hydrocarbon-contaminated soils is often warmer (by up to ca. 10 °C) than adjacent pristine sites The higher temperatures at the hydrocarbon contaminated sites are attributed to decreased soil surface albedo due to surface darkening by hydrocarbons. In contrast, at a Bull Pass site where hydrocarbons 39 contaminated the subsurface, no difference in soil temperature was detected between a pristine and hydrocarbon-contaminated soil. There is potential for hydrocarbons to affect soil moisture regimes. Hydrocarbon-contaminated soils were weakly hydrophobic, whereas no evidence of hydrophobicity was detected at pristine sites. The area affected by hydrocarbons in Antarctica is not large, yet significant hydrocarbon contamination can be detected in soil around current and former scientific research stations more than 30 yr post-spill.

Purpose:

Not Available

Supplemental_Information:

REFERENCE: Aislabie, J. M., Balks, M. R., Foght, J. M., and Waterhouse, E. J., 2004: Hydrocarbon spills on Antarctic soils: Effects and management. Environmental Science & Technology, 38, 1265-1274.

Supplemental_Information:

REFERENCE: Balks, M.R., Paetzold, R.F., Kimble J.M., Aislabie J., Campbell I.B., 2002. The diversity of microflora and microfauna and the thermal and moisture regimes of soils from contaminated and pristine soils from Scott Base, Marble Point and Bull Pass, Wright Valley. Antarct. Sci., 14, 319-326

Status:

Progress: Complete

Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: As needed

Spatial_Domain:

Description_of_Geographic_Extent:

Bounding_Coordinates:

West_Bounding_Coordinate: Not Available

East_Bounding_Coordinate: Not Available

North_Bounding_Coordinate: Not Available

South_Bounding_Coordinate: Not Available

Keywords:

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: GCMD SCIENCE PARAMETERS

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: ANCILLARY KEYWORDS

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: ISO TOPIC CATEGORY

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: DATA SET LANGUAGE

Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > LAND SURFACE > SOILS > SOIL CHEMISTRY

Theme_Keyword: Fuel Spill

Theme_Keyword: Hydrocarbon

Theme_Keyword: Ross Sea Region

Theme_Keyword: ENVIRONMENT

Theme_Keyword: ENGLISH

Place:

Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: GCMD

Place_Keyword: CONTINENT > ANTARCTICA

Place_Keyword: GEOGRAPHIC REGION > POLAR

Access_Constraints: Not Available

Use_Constraints:

Not Available

Data_Quality_Information:

Attribute_Accuracy:

Attribute_Accuracy_Report:

Not Available

Logical_Consistency_Report:

Not Available

Completeness_Report:

Not Available

Lineage:

Process_Step:

Process_Description:

Not Available

Process_Date: Unknown

Spatial_Reference_Information:

Distribution_Information:

Distributor:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization: LCR > Landcare Research, New Zealand

Contact_Person: JACKIE AISLABIE

Contact_Position: DATA CENTER CONTACT

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: Mailing and Physical Address

Address: Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd

Address: Private Bag 3127

City: Hamilton

Country: New Zealand

Contact_Voice_Telephone: +64 7 858 3713

Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: +64 7 858 4964

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: aislabiej@landcareresearch.co.nz

Resource_Description: ECA020

Distribution_Liability:

Not Available

Standard_Order_Process:

Digital_Form:

Digital_Transfer_Information:

Format_Name: Not Available

Digital_Transfer_Option:

Online_Option:

Computer_Contact_Information:

Network_Address:

Network_Resource_Name:

http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/

Access_Instructions:

DATA CENTER URL

Digital_Transfer_Option:

Fees: Not Available

Metadata_Reference_Information:

Metadata_Date: 20100625

Metadata_Review_Date: 20100630

Metadata_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Person_Primary:

Contact_Person: GCMD User Support Office

Contact_Organization: NASA Global Change Master Directory

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: Mailing and Physical Address

Address: Not Available

City: Lanham

State_or_Province: MD

Postal_Code: 20706

Country: USA

Contact_Voice_Telephone: Not Available

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: gcmduso@gcmd.gsfc.nasa.gov

Metadata_Standard_Name: FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata

Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998

Metadata_Time_Convention: local time