Nities at the Soviet Antarctic Station Molodezhnaya

Home , Plateau Station

Treaty, and with financial support of an NSF grant Biological Research Opportu- (GA-739) to the Arctic Institute of North Amer- ica, I was afforded the opportunity to winter at nities at the Soviet Antarctic Molodezhnaya in 1967 as a member of the XII So- viet Antarctic Expedition. My major efforts were Station Molodezhnaya dedicated to the recognition and delimitation of the intense physical and chemical weathering processes in the coastal region of western Enderby Land. E. E. MAcNAMARA Limited collections of algae, mosses, and lichens Center for Marine and Environmental Studies were made, incidental to other studies. Some meas- Lehigh University urements of primary productivity of the freshwater lakes were obtained and dynamics of water The April 1965 issue (vol. 15, no. 4) of BioSci- chemistry evaluated. Extensive investigations of the ence featured the biological aspects of the U.S. microclimate of the upper section of the soil pro- Antarctic Research Program. A wide range of re- file were conducted, with special attention directed search possibilities in biological sciences was de- to moisture movements, temperature wave ampli- scribed or suggested by specialists in various fields. tudes, ionic composition of the soil solutions, and Included among those reports was a brief article by the rate processes of translocation. Other micro- M. E. Pryor, U.S. exchange scientist with the VII climatic observations were concerned with the num- Soviet Antarctic Expedition (1961-1963), describ- ber and distribution of freeze-thaw cycles on differ- ing the opportunities for biological research at the ent surfaces and various exposures. These data are Soviet coastal research facility Mirnyy (66°33S. presently being refined and will be reported later. 93°01E.). The purpose of this report is to describe Molodezhnaya was initially occupied in 1962- in a similar manner the general environment, avail- 1963. Construction activities are still a major part able facilities, and most obvious research potentials of the Soviet program there. The physical plant (Fig. that exist at the newest Soviet station in East Ant- 1) at present consists of some 18 to 20 permanent arctica, Molodezhnaya (67°40S. 45°51E.). This buildings of various sizes, from single rooms to a information is offered to stimulate interest in the 320 m2 diesel-electric generation plant (under con- antarctic environment and to indicate some of th struction in 1967-1968), and assorted materials, in- problems that must be considered in international cluding wood, prefabricated concrete, and aluminum exchange programs. panels over iron frames. There also are eight petrole- During the International Geophysical Year of um and gasoline storage tanks with a total capacity of 1957-1958, an annual exchange of scientific per- 65600 m3 within the station complex. It has been sonnel between the U.S.S.R. and the U.S. expe- indicated that Molodezhnaya is to become the con- ditions was initiated. The principle of scientific ex- tinental headquarters for the Soviet Antarctic Ex- change was formally recognized within the Antarc- peditions (Maltsev and Konovalov, 1965; Somov, tic Treaty, signed in 1959 and ratified in 1961. 1964). Nearly 60 U.S. scientists have taken advantage of The main station is located on the crests of a the opportunity to work with foreign expeditions series of east-west trending ridges of exposed bed- since 1961, in most cases in areas of the vast Antarc- rocks which are separated by ice-filled valleys. tic Continent that are logistically and economi- Ridge crest elevations vary from 30 to 80 in cally beyond the scope of U.S. support operations. sea level in the station area and rise to more than Since the ratification of the Treaty, seven exchanges 200 m along the coast. Some of the ridges termi- of wintering scientists have been arranged with the nate in cliffs at the adjacent bay, Alasheyev Bight. Soviet Arctic and Antarctic Scientific-Research In- The major bedrocks are migrnatized, granitized, and stitute, involving from the United States, a geolo- pegmatized Precambrian gneisses of the crystalline gist, three atmospheric physicists, two biologists, and basement of the antarctic platform. Exposed rock the author, a pedologist. A U.S. oceanographer has and soil areas are abundant in a narrow (1-8 km) also spent the 1962-1963 summer aboard Soviet zone parallel to the coast, but are rare inland. Mo- expeditionary vessels. rainic materials in the station area are restricted The Office of Antarctic Programs of the National to erratics and frost-churned mixed materials, but Science Foundation coordinates the United States active moraines are present in association with the Antarctic Research Program and, by executive or- two nearby outlet glaciers. Vehicular access to the der, funds all efforts by U.S. scientists in Antarc- more elevated coastal zones and the interior, a very tica. Under the auspices of USARP, operating important consideration for extended field opera- through the exchange channel provided by the tions, is readily practicable. The scattered offshore

8 ANTARCTIC JOURNAL islands are accessible by foot and vehicle from May Figure 1 (above). View of Molodezhnaya. to late December or January and at other times by small boat, when one is available. U.S. exchange scientists have been provided with a combination living-working building 5 m long Figure 2 (below). Exchange scientists residence. by 3 m wide by 2.3 m high (Fig. 2), which is located at the extreme inland portion of the station, where the ground-level elevation is about 40 m. This building is partitioned into two rooms and is equipped with sink, drain, laboratory benches, desk and chairs, bed, and storage closets. There are numerous electric outlets for both 220 V and 318 V, 50-cycle current. Additional storage space and cold storage are provided by a subterranean chamber 2 m by 2 m by 3 m high. Water is obtainable from a nearby freshwater lake in the summer and fall, and from snowdrifts in winter and spring. Sanitary facilities are about 200 m away in the nearest large dor- mitory. The location of the exchange scientists hut is able if desired and suitable to the investigators pro- extremely advantageous for biological research. gram. The nearby areas exhibit abundant cover of mosses, Macrofauna is relatively scarce within the imme- lichens, and algae. Temperature and humidity data diate station area. There are infrequent visits by for the dominant communities can be monitored scavenging south polar skuas, visits by smaller birds with minimal exposure in inclement weather. There (petrels), a summer population of Adélie penguins— are numerous small freshwater and meltwater bas- mainly immature and breeding birds—and a highly ins as well as two sizable lakes within a very short variable and transient population of Weddell seals distance of the hut. Some of the freshwater lakes (Leptonychotes weddelli Lesson) and emperor pen- adjacent to the camp and near the sea receive minor guins (Aptenodytes forsteri). The terrestrial micro- seasonal pollution by man, the south polar skua flora and microfauna have not been evaluated. It is (Catharacta skua maccormicki [Saunders]), and the the authors opinion that the populations of proto- Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae [Hombron et zoans, rotifers, nematodes, tardigrades, and mites Jacquinot]); but the lakes and basins inland from will be significantly denser and more diversified on the hut and at higher elevations remain relatively the Enderby Land coast than in the other conti- uncontaminated. nental regions that have been investigated by U.S. Of course, there are disadvantages to the some- biologists. The soil bacteria, algae, and fungi will what isolated location of the exchange scientists also prove to be at significantly denser population residence, and quarters in the main station are avail- levels and to occupy a greater percentage of the

January-February 1969 9

land area than has been previously recorded. These B,,1 30 to 36 Red (10YR 4/8-4/10M) loam; porphyroskelic-i n t e r text i c fabric; fine postulations are deduced from the repeated dec- gravel of partially disaggregated, but larations of ecologists and microbiologists (Boyd and hard, gneiss, 5-15 percent by weight; Boyd, 1963; Boyd, Staley, and Boyd, 1966; Cameron, sesquans and ferri-argillans as free- King, and David, 1968; Gressitt, 1965; Janetschek, grain cutans, embedded-grain cutans, Rudolph, 1968) that moisture and vesicle cutans; strongly adhesive 1963; Schofield and and strongly separated; firm; large, availability is a limiting factor in the determination clustered, sub cut an i c, intrapedal of the components and populations of antarctic eco- smoothed metavoids (vesicles); lower boundary gradual and wavy. systems. The authors investigations of soil moisture contents and the dynamics of the soil moisture B,,, 36 to 57 Brown (10YR 5/3M) to light yellow- ish-brown (10YR 6/4M) sandy loam; regime, based on incomplete data reduction, indi- porphyroskelic-intertextic fabric; grav- cate a threefold to fourfold increase in average soil els and cobbles of partially disaggre- moisture contents and a longer seasonal availability gated, soft, uncemented gneiss up to of this moisture relative to other areas that have been 30 percent by weight; sesquans and ferri-argillans as free-grain cutans, evaluated as terrestrial ecosystems. The soil mois- embedded-grain cutans, and vesicle ture dynamics of a representative soil site are shown cutans; strongly adhesive and strongly in Fig. 3. Soil profile morphology is described in separated; firm; large, clustered, sub- Table 1. cutanic, intrapedal smoothed metavoids (vesicles) with orientation to surfaces of skeletal cobbles and grav- Table 1. Morphology of a Red Ahumisol els; few arcuate voids of transient na- from Enderby Land, Antarctica ture filled by small ice lenses observed in winter; lower boundary diffuse and Site: Flat-topped, windswept ridge-bench, 40 m above sea wavy. level. C 57 to 75 + Yellow (2.5Y 7/8M) and reddish- yellow (7.5YR 6/6M) disaggregated Parent rock: Frost-shattered, migmatized, fine granular gneiss; thin sesquans continuous in Precambrian gneiss. fractures; frozen; hard. Dates: March 15, 1967; September 29, 1967; February 1, 1968. Horizon Depth (cm) Description Table 2. Mean monthly climatic parameters at Lag gravel 0 to 9 Lag gravel of 75-85 percent (by vol- Molodezhnaya, Antarctica (Station records 1963-1967) ume) angular fine gravels of parent Rel. Air Temp. rock; few erratic cobbles and boul- Wind Precip. Humidity ders; poorly developed moss/lichen (m/sec) (mm) (%) (C.) 65 -0.6 community coverage of 1-2 percent of Jan. 5.5 13.0 the surface; granular fabric of angu- Feb. 7.3 12.3 60 -4.5 66 -8.5 lar, coarse and very coarse, yellow Mar. 12.0 40.1 sand (10YR 7/8D) 75-85 percent Apr. 14.6 88.8 73 -11.4 70 -13.4 by weight; apedal; random, large, ir- May 13.7 60.8 June 13.5 66.4 68 -16.2 regular, intrapedal, simple packing 66 -18.6 July 11.0 57.1 voids; lower boundary gradual and Aug. 11.2 104.9 68 -17.9 smooth. 67 -17.4 Sept. 9.9 64.7 A 9 to 18 Light brown (7.5YR 6/6M) sandy Oct. 8.2 46.5 64 -14.5 -6.9 loam; agglomeroplasmic fabric; fine Nov. 8.0 40.3 64 gravel, 35-50 percent by weight; Dec. 6.5 3.7 64 -1.1 apedal; single-grained; loose; random, large, irregular, intrapedal simple packing orthovoids; lower boundary Table 3. Approximate mean monthly temperatures (°C.) abrupt and irregular. at three antarctic stations B,, 12 to 30 Reddish-yellow (5YR 6/6M) sandy McMurdo Station Hallett Station Molodezhnaya loam; porphyroskelic fabric; fine grav- (77 0 51S. 166 0 371E.) (72 0 18S. 170°18E.) (67°40S. 45°51E.) el, 10-15 percent by weight, of com- Jan. -4 -2 -1 pound gneiss grains and pegmatite; Feb. -9 -3 -4 parts of overall fabric intertextic; ses- Mar. -19 -11 -9 Apr. -21 -17 -11 quans and ferri-argillans(?) as free- -14 grain cutans; much firmer than over- May -23 -23 June -24 -23 -17 lying horizons; random and clustered -27 -19 yes- July -27 intrapedal smoothed metavoids ( Aug. -29 -28 -18 ides); lower boundary abrupt and Sept. --24 -24 -17 wavy. Oct. --20 -20 -15 Nov. -9 -9 -7 Color notations are in reference to Munsell System (Munsell Dec. -4 -3 -1 Color Company, Baltimore, Md.) -11.5 D Indicates dry; M indicates moist. Avg. -48 -15.5 ANTARCTIC JOURNAL 10 Horizon dergo annual temperature variations from _400 to + 40C. and daily variations from - 15° to + 35°C. The attendant humidity shifts are from saturation to near dryness. Other specific microclimatic niches have not been investigated. Enumeration of the soil 2C flora and fauna must be accomplished. 2! Opportunities for studies of primary production 3c and enumeration of the components of the aquatic

DEPTH ecosystems should be highly tempting to limnolo- CM. gists. The author recorded water temperatures of

4! greater than 14°C. in some shallow ephemeral ponds.

5( Winter temperatures in permanent lakes ranged

5! from near 0°C. to greater than 4°C. The ready ac-

6( cess to the shallow water of Alasheyev Bight and the availability of small portable huts with heat and light suggest that marine interests could be fully 7! occupied.

o n iv I 0 in The author observed active breeding of Adélie penguins and south polar skuas and the birth of seals, Figure 3. Soil-moisture dynamics. suggesting limited possibilities for short-term studies. Two small Adélie rookeries are readily accessible Table 2 presents selected climatic data assembled from the station area. Concentrations of whelping from the authors work and unpublished records of seals are present at the calving front of the Hays the Soviet Antarctic Expedition. Table 3 compares Glacier. These are the more obvious opportunities for the temperature parameters of the microclimate of the biologist; creative thinking would certainly expand well-known stations. Station records of Molodezh- the list. naya (1963-1967) indicate the average annual pre- Now to the problems attendant to the planning cipitation to be 653 mm water equivalent with a and execution of an international exchange research range over the years of record from 358 to 839 mm. project. It is advisable to discuss the contemplated Monthly distribution is erratic, but the summer pe- research project with the Foundations Office of riod tends to be dry. Sleet and rain occur infre- Antarctic Programs prior to submission of a proposal. quently. It is evident that Molodezhnaya possesses In this manner the possibilities of completing the a very moderate climate relative to many other sec- international arrangements can be assessed. This dis- tions of Antarctica. As a result of its lower latitude cussion may necessitate a visit to NSF and an inter- (67°40S.), about twice as much radiant energy is ruption of the investigators schedule. received at the soil surface at Molodezhnaya as at Because of the logistics involved, plans must be the main U.S. station, McMurdo. Field activities developed far in advance of the date of initiation. can be effectively pursued throughout the year, al- Research should be designed either for the 4- to though the midwinter days are very short. Because 6-month summer season or for the wintering period the sun drops only 0.6° below the horizon during that may encompass up to 16 months (cf. Sandved, Midwinter Day (June solstice), the true polar night 1965). In the latter case it is best to allow generously is barely experienced. in the proposed program for implementation of aux- The presence of both north- and south-facing iliary studies as opportunities arise. slopes of similar angles and geologic-pedologic ma- Specific considerations for a proposal to accom- terials suggests that ecological parameters and pany the Soviet Expedition must include the solution quantitative differences in communities may be eval- to the language problem. At least a rudimentary uated in their relation to photoperiod, wind expo- knowledge of Russian language and grammar is es- sure, soil temperature, and interactions. The overall sential. Vocabulary expansion occurs rapidly through community components—mosses, lichens, and algae daily practice. The investigator must also be reason- —have not been described for the Enderby Land re- ably adaptable in his sociological habits. Should a gion; it is probable that differences from those of stress situation arise occasionally as a result of inter- Victoria Land will be revealed. national politics, the position of a minority member Other interesting problems that are biologically in a foreign expedition could become less comforta- oriented include the physiology of the algae. The au- ble. It is axiomatic, however, that the warmest inter- thors data indicate that certain, at present uniden- national relations do exist in the regions of the most tified, unicellular algae exist in habitats that un- inhospitable climates.

January-February 1969 11 In his planning, an investigator can depend on the Soviet Expedition to provide adequate living and Logistic Support Activities research facilities; but specialized equipment for en- October 15—November 30, 1968 vironmental or anatomical work, collecting gear and preserving media, repair parts, and other supplies must be brought from the United States. Photo labs By the middle of October, the air route from and darkrooms are available, but chemicals and paper Christchurch to McMurdo Station had been re- are in short supply. All stationery and office supplies opened and the summer weather stations at Cape should be brought in, as station stocks are limited. Hallett and on the Ross Ice Shelf reestablished. Pas- sengers and cargo were moving into the Antarctic, Any electrical equipment must be adaptable to the and scientific projects in the McMurdo Sound area station power supply. If battery-powered apparatus were progressing normally. is to be employed, adequate power sources should be provided. Stations Packing and crating of equipment for shipment to Originally scheduled for October 15 but delayed Antarctica should take into consideration freezing by bad weather, the first flight arrived at Byrd temperatures and rough handling. Photographic Station three days late. Aboard the aircraft were equipment should be conditioned for low-temperature operation. Captain A. F. Farwell, USN, Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff, U.S. Naval Support Force, Vehicular transport is at a premium at Mob- Antarctica, and Mr. Jerry W. Huffman, U.S. dezhnaya. Any program necessitating substantial Antarctic Research Program Representative, Ant- travel may suffer temporarily; supplementary activi- arctica. On November 1, an LC-130F of Air De- ties should be planned to cover such periods. velopment Squadron Six (VX-6) 1 flew into Amund- In summary, there are biological research possibil- sen-Scott South Pole Station for the first time this ities awaiting exploitation in the coastal region of season. At the controls was Commander E. W. Van Enderby Land. Microbiology and entomology may Reeth, the squadrons commanding officer. It was be the most interesting and productive. The chal- the third successive year that Commander Van lenge of working in reasonable comfort in the most Reeth piloted the seasons first aircraft to the South isolated regions of the Earth is combined with the Pole. Rear Admiral J . L. Abbot, Jr., USN, Com- opportunity to take part in a functioning experiment mander, U.S. Naval Support Force, Antarctica, ac- in international cooperation; the results should be companied the flight and greeted the 21 Navy men professionally and personally gratifying. and USARP scientists after their long winter isola- tion. Himself an experienced aviator, Admiral Abbot References landed the aircraft at Williams Field on the return trip. Boyd, W. L. and J. W. Boyd. 1963. Soil microorganisms of the McMurdo Sound area, Antarctica. Applied Micro- When the first LC-130F landed at Plateau Station biology, 11: 116-121. on November 15, the temperature was, for that loca- Boyd, W. L., J. T. Staley, and J. W. Boyd. 1966. Ecology of tion, a comparatively warm —45°F. Mr. Kendall soil microorganisms of Antarctica. Antarctic Research N. Moulton, who had relieved Mr. Huffman as Ant- Series, 8: 125-160. arctic USARP Representative on November 13, was Cameron, R., J. King, and C. David. 1968. Soil microbial and ecological studies in southern Victoria Land. Antarc- met by not only the 8 U.S. wintering personnel, but tic Journal of the U.S., 111(4): 121-123. also the 11 members of a Japanese traverse party who Gressitt, J. L. 1965. Entomological field research in Antarc- had arrived three days before. The Japanese had tica. BioScience, 15(4) : 271-274. come overland on their way to the South Pole from Janetschek, H. 1963. On the terrestrial fauna of the Ross their Showa Station at Lützow-Holm Bay and had Sea area. Pacific Insects, 5: 305-311. Maltsev, V. N. and G. V. Konovalov. 1965. Traverse from stopped at Plateau for four days to pick up fuel and Molodezhnaya Station to the antarctic ice plateau. Soviet repair vehicles. They pitched in with the aircrafts Antarctic Expedition. Information Bulletin (English trans- crew and station complement to unload the 8,700 lation), 5(5): 318-319. pounds of cargo. Pryor, M. E. 1965. Biological research at Mirnyy Observa- tory, Antarctica. BioScience, 15(4): 280-282. Sandved, K. G. 1965. Stateside services for USARP scien- Air Operations tists. BioScience, 15(4) : 258-261. With the reopening of the stations to air traffic, Schofield, E. and E. D. Rudolph. 1968. Distribution of terrestrial plants. Antarctic Journal of the U.S., 111(4) VX-6 could commence its annual relief and resupply 126-127. Somov, M. M. 1964. The eighth summer antarctic expedi- Air Development Squadron Six (VX_6) was redesig- tion. Soviet Antarctic Expedition. Information Bulletin nated Antarctic Development Squadron Six (VXE_6) on (English translation), 5(2): 119-120. January 1, 1969.

12 ANTARCTIC JOURNAL