Contents of POLISH POLAR RESEARCH VOL. 30 No. 3
Błażej BŁAŻEJOWSKI
Foraminifers from the Treskelodden Formation (Carboniferous–Permian) of south Spitsbergen 193
Krzysztof P. KRAJEWSKI and Ewa WOŹNY
Origin of dolomite-ankerite cement in the Bravaisberget Formation (Middle Triassic) in Spitsbergen, Svalbard
231
Katarzyna ZMUDCZYŃSKA, Adrian ZWOLICKI, Mateusz BARCIKOWSKI, Adam BARCIKOWSKI and
Lech STEMPNIEWICZ
Spectral characteristics of the Arctic ornithogenic tundra vegetation in Hornsund area, SW Spitsbergen 249
Katarzyna J. CHWEDORZEWSKA
Terrestrial Antarctic ecosystems in the changing world: An overview 263
Maria Aleksandra BITNER, Andrzej GAŹDZICKI and Błażej BŁAŻEJOWSKI
Brachiopods from the Chlamys Ledge Member (Polonez Cove Formation, Oligocene) of King George Island,
West Antarctica 277
Grzegorz RACKI
Impact factor 2008 of Polish Polar Research the highest ever 291
POLISH POLAR RESEARCH VOL. 30 No. 3, pp. 193–230
Foraminifers from the Treskelodden Formation (Carboniferous–Permian) of south Spitsbergen
Błażej BŁAŻEJOWSKI
Instytut Paleobiologii PAN, Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warszawa, Poland <bblazej@twarda.pan.pl >
Abstract: The organodetritic, sandy limestones of the Treskelodden Formation (Late Gzhelian to Early
Artinskian) investigated in outcrops at Treskelen Peninsula, Hyrnefjellet mount and Polakkfjellet mount of south
Spitsbergen, contain rich foraminiferal assemblages. Fifty eight foraminiferal species of twenty three genera,
including two new species (Hemigordius hyrnefjelleti sp. nov. and Midiella arctica sp. nov.) have been
identified. Three foraminiferal zones have been defined, with ages of Late Asselian (Pseudofusulinella
occidentalis), Sakmarian (Midiella ovata – Calcitornella heathi) and Early Artinskian (Hemigordius hyrnefjelleti
– Midiella arctica). Sedimentary features and the biotic history of the studied succession records a Late Paleozoic
cooling trend that stays in accordance with Pangaea’s shift to the north.
Key words: Arctic, Svalbard, paleontology (foraminifers), biostratigraphy, Late Paleozoic.
POLISH POLAR RESEARCH VOL. 30 No. 3, pp. 231–248
Origin of dolomite-ankerite cement in the Bravaisberget Formation (Middle Triassic) in Spitsbergen,
Svalbard
Krzysztof P. KRAJEWSKI and Ewa WOŹNY
Instytut Nauk Geologicznych PAN, Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warszawa, Poland <kpkraj@twarda.pan.pl>
<ew_ja@wp.pl>
Abstract: The organic carbon (OC)-rich, black shale succession of the Middle Triassic Bravaisberget Formation
in Spitsbergen contains scattered dolomite-ankerite cement in coarser-grained beds and intervals. This cement
shows growth-related compositional trend from non-ferroan dolomite (0–5 mol % FeCO3) through ferroan
dolomite (5–10 mol % FeCO3) to ankerite (10–20 mol % FeCO3, up to 1.7 mol % MnCO3) that is manifested
by zoned nature of composite carbonate crystals. The d13C (-7.3‰ to -1.8‰ VPDB) and d18O (-9.4‰ to -6.0‰
VPDB) values are typical for burial cements originated from mixed inorganic and organic carbonate sources.
The dolomite-ankerite cement formed over a range of diagenetic and burial environments, from early postsulphidic to early catagenic. It reflects evolution of intraformational, compaction-derived marine fluids that was
affected by dissolution of biogenic carbonate, clay mineral and iron oxide transformations, and thermal
decomposition of organic carbon (decarboxylation of organic acids, kerogen breakdown). These processes
operated during Late Triassic and post-Triassic burial history over a temperature range from approx. 40°C to
more than 100°C, and contributed to the final stage of cementation of the primary pore space of siltstone and
sandstone beds and intervals in the OC-rich succession.
Key words: Arctic, Svalbard, Middle Triassic, cementation, petrography, geochemistry, carbon and oxygen
isotopes.
POLISH POLAR RESEARCH VOL. 30 No. 3, pp. 249–262
Spectral characteristics of the Arctic ornithogenic tundra vegetation in Hornsund area, SW Spitsbergen
Katarzyna ZMUDCZYŃSKA1, Adrian ZWOLICKI1, Mateusz BARCIKOWSKI1, Adam BARCIKOWSKI2
and Lech STEMPNIEWICZ1
1 Katedra Ekologii i Zoologii Kręgowców, Uniwersytet Gdański, Legionów 9, 80-441 Gdańsk, Poland
<kzmud@op.pl>
2 Zakład Ekologii Roślin i Ochrony Przyrody, Uniwersytet Mikołaja Kopernika, Gagarina 9, 87-100 Toruń,
Poland
Abstract: Solar radiation reflectance was analysed to characterize Arctic ornithogenic tundra developing in the
vicinity of large breeding colony of Brunnich‘s guillemots Uria lomvia and kittiwakes Rissa tridactyla at the foot
of Gnĺlberget cliff (Hornsund, SW Spitsbergen). Radiometric method was found to be a useful tool for studying
structure and functioning of plant formations. We measured reflectance of four wavelengths: 554 nm (YG), 655
nm (RED), 870 nm (NIR) and 1650 nm (SWIR) at 10 plots situated along the transect running from the colony to
the sea. Moreover, data of plant community character, species quantitative composition as well as total biomass
were collected to relate these parameters with the spectral values. The results showed that radiometric data
characterized vegetation well enough to recognize the same plant communities on the basis of spectral
reflectance as distinguished with traditional phytosociological methods.
Key words: Arctic, Spitsbergen, ornithogenic tundra, radiometric characteristics, spectral reflectance.
POLISH POLAR RESEARCH VOL. 30 No. 3, pp. 263–276
Terrestrial Antarctic ecosystems in the changing world: An overview
Katarzyna J. CHWEDORZEWSKA
Zakład Biologii Antarktyki, Polska Akademia Nauk , Ustrzycka 10/12, 02-141 Warszawa, Poland
<kchwedorzewska@go2.pl>
Abstract: Although the Antarctic has avoided the worst effects of alien species, its future seems endangered due
to increasing natural and man-made pressures. Rapid changes in three major environmental variables have
occurred in the Antarctic region during the last decades. In the short term terrestrial biota are likely to benefit
from reduced environmental stresses, but in the long run the colonization of the region by lower latitude species
with greater competitive ability will become increasingly important and can lead to large-scale changes in
biological composition and trophic complexity in some existing Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems. Moreover, the
recent dynamic climate changes combined with human activities in the Antarctic region might modify the status
of several alien species which have hitherto been considered transient or persistent and could, therefore, become
naturalized and threaten the native communities on a larger scale than today, or influence the status of
naturalized species.
Key words: Antarctica, alien species, human impact.
POLISH POLAR RESEARCH VOL. 30 No. 3, pp. 277–290
Brachiopods from the Chlamys Ledge Member (Polonez Cove Formation, Oligocene) of King George
Island, West Antarctica
Maria Aleksandra BITNER, Andrzej GAŹDZICKI and Błażej BŁAŻEJOWSKI
Instytut Paleobiologii PAN, Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warszawa, Poland
<bitner@twarda.pan.pl> <gazdzick@twarda.pan.pl> <bblazej@twarda.pan.pl>
Abstract: Brachiopods from the Chlamys Ledge Member, uppermost part of the Polonez Cove Formation
(Oligocene), of King George Island, West Antarctica are represented by the undeterminable Rhynchonellida, one
short-looped terebratulide Liothyrella Thomson, and two long-looped terebratellidines: Rhizothyris Thomson
and Terebratelloidea gen. et sp. indet. Liothyrella is a well known genus in the Cenozoic strata and Recent
waters of the Southern Hemisphere, while Rhizothyris is noted for the second time in the Antarctic region. This
is the first record of brachiopods from the Chlamys Ledge Member.
Key words: Antarctica, Brachiopoda, Polonez Cove Formation (Chlamys Ledge Mb), Oligocene.