M B Binish, Tiwari A K, N S Magesh, Mohan Mahesh, C M Laluraj
National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Headland Sada, Vasco da Gama, Goa 403804, India.
National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Headland Sada, Vasco da Gama, Goa 403804, India.
Sci Total Environ. 2024 Oct 10;946:174189. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174189. Epub 2024 Jun 25.
The fabric of the Antarctic lacustrine system has a crucial role in assimilating the anthropogenic inputs and mitigating their long time impacts on climate change. Here, we present the changes in the concentrations of major ions and trace metals in the surface water of the lacustrine system to understand the extent of anthropogenic impacts from the adjacent Schirmacher Hills, East Antarctica. The results show that the land-locked lakes (closed-basin lakes surrounded by topographical barriers such as mountains or bedrock formations) in the region have a moderate enrichment in elemental concentrations compared to the pro-glacial lakes (marginal freshwater bodies that form at the terminus of a glacier or ice sheet). The water quality index (WQI: 7.58-12.63) and pollution evaluation index (PEI: 1.36-2.35) remained normal, indicating that the water in these lake are of good quality. However, a significant correlation between lithogenic elements (Al, Fe) and potentially toxic elements (Cd, Cr, and Ba), suggests an increase in the anthropogenic impacts. Based on the principal component analysis (PCA), the source of trace metals to the lacustrine systems appears to be the surrounding environment, followed by aerosol dust particles. Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) revealed that regional topography significantly impacts the supply of major ions/trace metals to these lakes. The present study provides baseline data and can be used to estimate and forecast future local and/or global anthropogenic contaminations in the lacustrine system of Schirmacher Hills, East Antarctica. Moreover, the presence of research stations (Maitri and Novolazarevskaya), tourist activities, and the potential for anthropogenic stressors necessitate continued monitoring and impact assessment programs within the Schirmacher Hills lacustrine systems. These programs are crucial for safeguarding this pristine ecosystem from future environmental disturbances under a changing Antarctic climate, as mandated by the Antarctic Treaty System and the Indian Antarctic Act.
南极湖泊系统的结构在吸收人为输入并减轻其对气候变化的长期影响方面起着关键作用。在此，我们展示了湖泊系统表层水中主要离子和痕量金属浓度的变化，以了解来自南极东部舍尔马赫山附近的人为影响程度。结果表明，与冰前湖（在冰川或冰盖末端形成的边缘淡水水体）相比，该地区的内陆湖（被山脉或基岩地层等地形屏障包围的封闭盆地湖泊）元素浓度有适度富集。水质指数（WQI：7.58 - 12.63）和污染评价指数（PEI：1.36 - 2.35）保持正常，表明这些湖泊的水质良好。然而，成岩元素（Al、Fe）与潜在有毒元素（Cd、Cr和Ba）之间存在显著相关性，表明人为影响有所增加。基于主成分分析（PCA），湖泊系统中痕量金属的来源似乎是周围环境，其次是气溶胶尘埃颗粒。层次聚类分析（HCA）表明，区域地形对这些湖泊中主要离子/痕量金属的供应有显著影响。本研究提供了基线数据，可用于估计和预测南极东部舍尔马赫山湖泊系统未来的局部和/或全球人为污染。此外，研究站（麦特里和新拉扎列夫斯卡亚）的存在、旅游活动以及人为压力源的可能性，使得舍尔马赫山湖泊系统内需要持续开展监测和影响评估项目。根据《南极条约体系》和《印度南极法案》的规定，这些项目对于在不断变化的南极气候下保护这片原始生态系统免受未来环境干扰至关重要。
