International Polar Year Programme 2007-2008
Aliens in Antarctica
The study of non-indigenous organisms in the Antarctic and especially in the subAntarctic has focused mainly on the ecological effects of species which colonized these regions
successfully (animals such as cats, rabbits, reindeer, and rats; angiosperms such as Poa annua
(Annual Poa) and Agrostis stolonifera (Fiorin grass). Apart from a few pilot experiments, this
proposal will be the first study to obtain a comprehensive insight in the extent of propagules (e.g.
spores, seeds, eggs of invertebrates) which are unintentionally imported by persons entering the
region (for scientific reasons or as a tourist) by their clothes, shoes, or hand luggage.
This study is important because of climate changes in the region, which may facilitate
successful establishment of species hitherto unable to become established.
The aim of the proposal is to sample, by means of special vacuum cleaners, clothing,
shoes, and “carry-on” luggage of a randomly chosen set of passengers of ships and planes,
entering the region from outside the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic region. Each chosen passenger
will complete a questionnaire, revealing his itinerary prior to his journey to the Antarctic region.
This is the first time a comprehensive sampling of non-indigenous propagules imported
in the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic will take place.
An Alien on sub-Antarctic Heard Island
Annual Poa (Poa annua), is a grass, native to Europe. The
grass has been unintentionally distributed by man to many
other places on the globe and has now a cosmopolitan
distribution. It has been found on many sub-Antarctic islands.
On Marion Island the species is spreading vigorously and is
outcompeting the native vegetation. On Heard Island it was
initially recorded in 1987 in two recently deglaciated areas
not previously exposed to human visitation, while at the
same time being absent from known sites of past human
habitation. Consequently, it is thought to have been naturally
introduced, possibly from the Îles Kerguelen where it is
widespread.
(Photo by Kate Kiefer, Australian Antarctic Division)
Pilot experiment performed in the port of Hobart, Tasmania, prior to departure for Antarctica of
the Australian RV ‘Aurora Australis’. Of a number of crew and supernumeraries outer clothing and
carry-on luggage was vacuumed, using panty hoses in stead of dust bags for sample collection.
21 samples were collected.
Category
Grass seeds
Other seeds
Moss spores
Plant fragments
Soil particles
Invertebrate parts
Percentage of
21 samples
57
57
19
67
57
38
People whose clothing and luggage was vacuumed were asked to list there whereabouts in six
month prior to embarkation. Potential source localities of the material sampled are shown on the
world map below. Note that material may have come from Arctic areas. Potentially these
propagules may well get established in the Antarctic.
(Data from: Dr. D Bergstrom, Australian Antarctic Division, redrawn with permission)
This project will be sponsored by
the Netherlands
, Koninklijke Philips Electronics, Eindhoven,