Summary
Zooplankton species are an important component of the Antarctic coastal ecosystem. The strongly seasonal sea ice cover and phytoplankton availability has driven a modification in the life cycles of many Antarctic zooplankton species. In general only one cycle is completed each year. Spawning and development through the early life stages occurs during the short summer, with little further development until the following summer. The synchronized breeding efforts of many zooplankton species, along with the input of pelagic larval stages of benthic invertebrates, cause the abundance and biomass of the coastal zooplankton community to dramatically increase during summer. Summer is also a period of high human activity in Antarctica with resupply, fuel transfer and shipping operations all bringing the risk of a major fuel spill. The timing of a spill is an important factor determining the scale of detrimental effects on the coastal environment. During the austral summer 2011 I conducted laboratory experiments at Davis station to determine the effect of the diesel fuel, SAB (Special Antarctic Blend), on the coastal zooplankton community. Experiments were repeated between December and February to determine temporal response of the changing zooplankton community. The results that will be presented highlight the importance of determining critical hydrocarbon thresholds at both the species and community level. Results from this research will be used in remediation and pollution guidelines, and will potentially influence the timing of risky operations to minimize potential impacts to the Antarctic coastal marine environment.