Eco-environmental implications of elemental and carbon isotope distributions in ornithogenic sediments from the Ross Sea region, Antarctica

Seabirds have substantial influence on geochemical circulation of elements, serving as a link for substance exchange between their foraging area and colonies. In this study, we investigated the elemental and carbon isotopic composition of five penguin-affected sediment profiles excavated from Ross Island and Beaufort Island in the Ross Sea region, Antarctica. Among the three main constituents of the sediments (including weathered bedrock, guano and algae), guano was the main source of organic matter and nutrients, causing selective enrichment of several elements in each of the sediment profiles. In the 22 measured elements, As, Cd, Cu, P, S, Se and Zn were identified as penguin bio-elements in the Ross Sea region through statistical analysis and comparison with local end-member environmental media such as weathered bedrock, fresh guano and fresh algae. Carbon isotopic composition in the ornithogenic sediments showed a mixing feature of guano and algae. Using a two-member isotope mixing equation, we were able to reconstruct the historical change of guano input and algal bio-mass. Compared with research in other parts of Antarctic, Arctic, and South China Sea, we found apparent overlap of avian bio-elements including As, Cd, Cu, P, Se, and Zn. Information on the composition and behavior of bio-elements in seabird guano on a global scale, and the role that bio-vectors play in the geochemical circulation between land and sea, will facilitate future research on avian ecology and paleoclimatic reconstruction.