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4h ago

Penguins Move Metals and Pollutants From Sea to Antarctic Soils, Spanish Study Finds

Researchers warn runoff could reach coastal plankton.

Pingüinos Papua en la Isla Rey Jorge, la mayor de las Islas Shetland del Sur, y punto de entrada hacia la Antártida
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Overview

  • Soil analyses in penguin colonies on Livingston and Deception Islands found enrichment of copper, zinc and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
  • The contaminants are attributed mainly to penguin guano and Deception Island volcanism, with smaller contributions from scientific bases and tourism.
  • Measured concentrations are 50 to 1,000 times below thresholds associated with toxic effects in marine organisms.
  • The peer-reviewed study, led by IEO-CSIC with the universities of Santiago, Barcelona and Oviedo, is published in Geoderma after fieldwork conducted in 2018.
  • Scientists caution that thaw, increased rainfall and meltwater could mobilize residues into streams and coastal waters, posing risks to sensitive food webs.