TEXTE 03/2013 The current environmental situation and proposals for the management of the Fildes Peninsula Region | TEXTE | 03/2013 ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH OF THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT, NATURE CONSERVATION AND NUCLEAR SAFETY Project No. (FKZ) 3708 91 102 Report No. (UBA-FB) 001662/E The current environmental situation and proposals for the management of the Fildes Peninsula Region by Dr. Hans-Ulrich Peter Christina Braun Susann Janowski Anja Nordt Anke Nordt Michel Stelter AG Polar- & Ornitho-Ökologie Institut für Ökologie, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena Head of Institute Prof. Dr. Stefan Halle On behalf of the Federal Environment Agency (Germany) UMWELTBUNDESAMT This publication is only available online. It can be downloaded from http://www.uba.de/uba-info-medien-e/4424.html along with a German version. The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the official opinions. ISSN 1862-4804 Study performed by: Institut für Ökologie, AG Polar- & Ornitho-Ökologie Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena Dornburger Str. 159 D-07743 Jena Study completed in: August 2012 Publisher: Federal Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt) Wörlitzer Platz 1 06844 Dessau-Roßlau Germany Phone: +49-340-2103-0 Fax: +49-340-2103 2285 Email: [email protected] Internet: http://www.umweltbundesamt.de http://fuer-mensch-und-umwelt.de/ Edited by: Section I 3.5 Protection of the Antarctic Fritz Hertel Dessau-Roßlau, February 2013 Report Cover Sheet 1. Report No. UBAFB 001662/E 2. 3. 4. Report Title The current environmental situation and proposals for the management of the Fildes Peninsula Region 5. Author(s), Family Name(s), First Name(s) 8. Report Date Dr. Peter, Hans-Ulrich, August 2012 Dipl.-Biol. Braun, Christina, Dipl.-Biol. Janowski, Susann, Dipl.-Biol. Nordt, Anja, Dipl.-Landscape-Ecologist Nordt, Anke, 9. Publication Date B.Sc. Stelter, Michel 6. Performing Organisation (Name, Address) Institute of Ecology, Polar and Bird Ecology Group 10. UFOPLAN - No. Friedrich Schiller University Jena 3708 91 102 Dornburger Strasse 159 11. No. of Pages D-07743 Jena 127 pp. + 46 pp. in 5 appendices 12. No. of References 226 13. No. of Tables, Diagrams 7. Sponsoring Agency (Name, Address) 6 + 1 in appendices Umweltbundesamt 14. No. of Figures FG I 3.5 Schutz der Antarktis 89 + 6 in appendices Wörlitzer Platz 1, 06844 Dessau-Roßlau 15. Supplementary Notes 16. Abstract With its airport and a high density of stations and field huts, the Fildes Peninsula forms the logistical centre of King George Island (South Shetland Islands) and the logistical hub for the northern Antarctic Peninsula area as a whole. Due to the severe overlapping of various interests, such as research, the conservation of flora and f auna, the protection of places of geological and historical value, station operations, transport logistics and tourism, there was an urgent need for research. An assessment of the risk for the area was carried out between 2003 and 2006, along with the development of management plans for its designation as a S pecially Managed Area. In support of the political discussions initiated, data relating to the current environmental situation was once again collected between 2008 and 201 2. An analysis was made of the current state of the protected areas and the values to be protected, the numbers of breeding birds and seals, the changes to the stations (particularly building activities), the use of field huts, the mapping of the waste situation and current waste management, sources of drinking water and risks associated with it, wastewater treatment and occurrences of oil contamination. In addition, changes to air traffic, shipping traffic and surface transport, along with the effects of scientific and tourist activities, were outlined in order to serve as a basis for an updated risk analysis. The required action with respect to management and prognoses for the future was extrapolated from the conclusions of this risk assessment. Due to the increased threat posed to the area, the preference is still for it to be designated a Fildes Peninsula Region ASMA. 17. Keywords Antarctica, Ardley Island, ASMA, AUG, behaviour, disturbance, Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty, Fildes Peninsula, human activities, King George Island, logistics, management, monitoring, penguins, science, seabirds, seals, tourism, traffic, waste 18. 19. 20. i The current environmental situation and proposals for the management of the Fildes Peninsula Region Table of contents Report Cover Sheet .......................................................................................................... i Table of contents .................................................................................................................... ii List of figures ......................................................................................................................... vi List of tables .......................................................................................................................... xi List of abbreviations ............................................................................................................. xii Place names used ............................................................................................................... xiv 1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1 2 Current state of the protected areas and of the values to be protected ........................... 4 2.1 General ................................................................................................................... 4 2.2 Historic sites and monuments ................................................................................. 4 2.3 ASPA No. 125 Fildes Peninsula .............................................................................. 5 2.4 ASPA No. 150 Ardley Island .................................................................................... 6 3 Current Environmental Situation (Results and Discussion) ............................................. 8 3.1 Fauna and Flora ...................................................................................................... 8 3.1.1 Birds ...................................................................................................................... 8 3.1.1.1 Penguins (Pygoscelis spp.) ....................................................................... 9 3.1.1.2 Southern giant petrel (Macronectes giganteus) ........................................10 3.1.1.3 Cape petrel (Daption capense) .................................................................13 3.1.1.4 Storm petrels (Oceanites oceanicus and Fregetta tropica) .......................14 3.1.1.5 Light-mantled sooty albatross (Phoebetria palpebrata) .............................15 3.1.1.6 Snowy sheathbill (Chionis alba) ...............................................................15 3.1.1.7 Skuas (Catharacta spp.) ...........................................................................16 3.1.1.8 Kelp gull (Larus dominicanus) ..................................................................23 3.1.1.9 Antarctic tern (Sterna vittata) ....................................................................24 3.1.1.10 Potential breeding birds, migrants and accidental visitors ........................25 3.1.2 Seals .....................................................................................................................27 3.1.3 Vegetation and damage to vegetation ...................................................................31 3.1.4 Introduced, non-native species .............................................................................33 3.2 Changes at Fildes Peninsula research stations ......................................................35 3.2.1 Station use and development of station populations .............................................35 3.2.1.1 Stations and development of station populations ......................................35 3.2.1.2 Construction activities in the study period and future plans ......................36 3.2.1.3 Field huts and their use ............................................................................47 3.2.1.4 Surface area used by station buildings .....................................................52 3.2.1.5 Other installations ....................................................................................53 ii The current environmental situation and proposals for the management of the Fildes Peninsula Region 3.2.2 Documenting the waste situation in the Fildes Region ..........................................54 3.2.2.1 General ....................................................................................................54 3.2.2.2 Old waste dumps .....................................................................................54 3.2.2.3 Waste distribution .....................................................................................56 3.2.2.4 Discharge of organic material ...................................................................57 3.2.2.5 Current deficiencies in waste management ..............................................59 3.2.3 Sources of drinking water and threats to those sources ........................................65 3.2.4 Wastewater treatment ...........................................................................................66 3.2.5 Oil contamination ..................................................................................................71