The composition and distribution of the particulate matter in the Strait of Magellan (Chile) during the 1991 and 1995 Italian campaigns

• Published in: Polar biology Vol. 34; no. 9; pp. 1335 - 1347
• Main Authors: Capello, Marco, Castellano, Michela, Cutroneo, Laura, Budillon, Giorgio, Orsi, Marco, Muzzi, Michela, Ruggieri, Nicoletta, Tucci, Sergio, Povero, Paolo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.09.2011; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Air pollution; Analysis; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Basins; Biochemical composition; Biodiversity; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Ecology; Factor analysis; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Geomorphology; Life Sciences; Marine biology; Microbiology; Oceanography; Organic contaminants; Organic matter; Original Paper; Particulate matter; Particulate organic carbon; Plant Sciences; Runoff; Sea water ecosystems; Straits; Synecology; Water column; Zoology; South America; Chile; America; Strait of Magellan; ISE, Chile; Total particulate matter; Water mass characteristics; Particulate organic carbon; Particulate organic nitrogen; Strait of Magellan; Organic carbon; Strait; Organic nitrogen; Composition; Water mass; Solid particle; Particulate carbon; Subpolar zone; Marine environment; Suspended particle
• DOI: 10.1007/s00300-011-0983-4
• ISSN: 0722-4060

During 1991 and 1995, the Italian National Program for Antarctic Research carried out two oceanographic campaigns in the framework of the International (Strait of) Magellan Project. In this paper, we describe the distribution, biochemical composition, and mineralogical characteristics of particulate matter and the characteristics of the water masses defining microbasins in the Strait of Magellan. The data analyses highlighted differences in quality and quantity of the suspended matter and its organic component in the basins that make up the Strait and the Pacific Ocean. The westernmost basin is subject to an eastward flow from the Pacific Ocean, and continental runoff in the surface layers, which are consequently rich in organic matter with a high C:N ratio. The central basin, Isla Carlos III–Segunda Angostura, is characterized by the mixing of Sub-Antarctic Pacific waters, continental runoff, and glacio-fluvial waters: The basin has the lowest particulate matter concentration, but at Paso Ancho showed high concentrations of organic matter with a lower C:N ratio. The easternmost basin, Segunda Angostura-Atlantic entrance, is characterized by the mixing of the water column due to strong Atlantic tides and showed high concentration of particulate matter with a high detritic component. Generally, the organic matter concentrations showed significant differences during the cruises, being higher in 1991. Using the multivariate discriminant factor analysis to determine whether statistically significant differences existed between defined sampling areas, we determined that temperature, particulate organic carbon, and total particulate matter were the variables most important for the difference between areas.