Papers by Catherine K King
Environmental science and pollution research international, Apr 27, 2024
Terrestrial microinvertebrates provide important carbon and nutrient cycling roles in soil enviro... more Terrestrial microinvertebrates provide important carbon and nutrient cycling roles in soil environments, particularly in Antarctica where larger macroinvertebrates are absent. The environmental preferences and ecology of rotifers and tardigrades in terrestrial environments, including in Antarctica, are not as well understood as their temperate aquatic counterparts. Developing laboratory cultures is critical to provide adequate numbers of individuals for controlled laboratory experimentation. In this study, we explore aspects of optimising laboratory culturing for two terrestrially sourced Antarctic microinvertebrates, a rotifer (Habrotrocha sp.) and a tardigrade (Acutuncus antarcticus). We tested a soil elutriate and a balanced salt solution (BSS) to determine their suitability as culturing media. Substantial population growth of rotifers and tardigrades was observed in both media, with mean rotifer population size increasing from 5 to 448 ± 95 (soil elutriate) and 274 ± 78 (BSS) individuals over 60 days and mean tardigrade population size increasing from 5 to 187 ± 65 (soil elutriate) and 138 ± 37 (BSS) over 160 days. We also tested for optimal dilution of soil elutriate in rotifer cultures, with 20-80% dilutions producing the largest population growth with the least variation in the 40% dilution after 36 days. Culturing methods developed in this study are recommended for use with Antarctica microinvertebrates and may be suitable for similar limno-terrestrial microinvertebrates from other regions.
Slow recovery of stream invertebrates on subantarctic Macquarie Island after eradication of introduced rabbits and regrowth of vegetation
Marine and Freshwater Research, Aug 21, 2023
The environmental impact of sewage and wastewater outfalls in Antarctica: An example from Davis station, East Antarctica
Water Research, Nov 1, 2016
We present a comprehensive scientific assessment of the environmental impacts of an Antarctic was... more We present a comprehensive scientific assessment of the environmental impacts of an Antarctic wastewater ocean outfall, at Davis station in East Antarctica. We assessed the effectiveness of current wastewater treatment and disposal requirements under the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty. Macerated wastewater has been discharged from an outfall at Davis since the failure of the secondary treatment plant in 2005. Water, sediment and wildlife were tested for presence of human enteric bacteria and antibiotic resistance mechanisms. Epibiotic and sediment macrofaunal communities were tested for differences between sites near the outfall and controls. Local fish were examined for evidence of histopathological abnormalities. Sediments, fish and gastropods were tested for uptake of sewage as measured by stable isotopes of N and C. Escherichia coli carrying antibiotic resistance determinants were found in water, sediments and wildlife (the filter feeding bivalve Laternula eliptica). Fish (Trematomus bernacchii) within close proximity to the outfall had significantly more severe and greater occurrences of histopathological abnormalities than at controls, consistent with exposure to sewage. There was significant enrichment of (15)N in T. bernacchii and the predatory gastropod Neobuccinum eatoni around the outfall, providing evidence of uptake of sewage. There were significant differences between epibiotic and sediment macrofaunal communities at control and outfall sites (<1.5 km), when sites were separated into groups of similar habitat types. Benthic community composition was also strongly related to habitat and environmental drivers such as sea ice. The combined evidence indicated that the discharge of wastewater from the Davis outfall is causing environmental impacts. These findings suggest that conditions in Antarctic coastal locations, such as Davis, are unlikely to be conducive to initial dilution and rapid dispersal of wastewater as required under the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty. Current minimum requirements for wastewater treatment and disposal in Antarctica are insufficient to ameliorate these risks and are likely to lead to accumulation of contaminants and introduction of non-native microbes and associated genetic elements. This new understanding suggests that modernised approaches to the treatment and disposal of wastewater are required in Antarctica. The most effective solution is advanced levels of wastewater treatment, which are now possible, feasible and a high priority for installation. As a direct outcome of the study, a new advanced treatment system is being installed at Davis, effectively avoiding environmental risks.
Microfluidic quantitative PCR data for in-situ Macquarie Island Mesocosm assessing the toxicity of residual hydrocarbons
Environmental risk assessment of groundwater from remediated fuel spill sites on land into the marine environment at subantarctic Macquarie Island
Single metal toxicity to the Antarctic marine microalga Cryothecomonas armigera
Rates of depletion of lubricant and fuel contaminants from Antarctic regions during natural attenuation and remediation procedures - hydrocarbon degradation data
Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation; Science & Engineering Faculty, 2015
Ecotoxicology is primarily concerned with predicting the effects of toxic substances on the biolo... more Ecotoxicology is primarily concerned with predicting the effects of toxic substances on the biological components of the ecosystem. In remote, high latitude environments such as Antarctica, where field work is logistically difficult and expensive, and where access to adequate numbers of soil invertebrates is limited and response times of biota are slow, appropriate modelling tools using microbial community responses can be valuable as an alternative to traditional single-species toxicity tests. In this study, we apply a Bayesian nonparametric model to a soil microbial dataset acquired across a hydrocarbon contamination gradient at the site of a fuel spill in Antarctica. We model community change in terms of OTUs (operational taxonomic units) in response to a range of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) concentrations. The Shannon diversity of the microbial community, clustering of OTUs into groups with similar behaviour with respect to TPH, and effective concentration values at level x, which represent the TPH concentration that causes x% change in the community, are presented. This model is broadly applicable to other complex datasets with similar data structure and inferential requirements on the response of communities to environmental parameters and stressors.
Sensitivity and response of Antarctic moss and terrestrial algae to fuel contaminants
This metadata record contains the results of four experiments that were conducted to determine th... more This metadata record contains the results of four experiments that were conducted to determine the sensitivity and response of Antarctic moss and terrestrial algae to Special Antarctic Blend (SAB) fuel contamination. The work was conducted under AAS Project 4100, with plant material collected from the Casey region during the 2012/2013 field season and subsequent laboratory tests and analyses conducted at Casey station, University of Wollongong and AAD Kingston laboratories, with laboratory work completed in 2013. Four test species were selected for this study, they are all known moss species for the Windmill Islands region and a terrestrial algae, they are all commonly found in ice-free refuges in the vicinity of Casey station. The species were the three mosses: Schistidium antarctici, Ceratodon purpureus, and Bryum pseudotriquetrum, and one terrestrial green alga, Prasiola crispa. Samples of Australian C. purpureus (collected from Wollongong at 34 degrees 24\u2714 S, 150 degrees 52\u2730 E) and referred to as \u27local C. purpureus\u27) were also used in toxicity tests since this cosmopolitan species may provide valuable insights into potential differences in response to fuel contamination for the same moss species growing in temperate versus polar regions
Combined effects of two ocean change stressors, warming and acidification, on fertilization and early development of the Antarctic echinoid Sterechinus neumayeri
Polar Biology, Dec 31, 2011
... We observed deleterious interactive effects of warming and acidification on S.neu-mayeri, and... more ... We observed deleterious interactive effects of warming and acidification on S.neu-mayeri, and it is clear that more comparative ... and logistical support including Rob King, Steve Whiteside, John van den Hoff, Andrew Bryant, Clive Strauss, Charmaine Alford, Kathryn Brown, Lara ...
Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, Feb 10, 2021
This study assesses toxicity of groundwater from remediated fuel spill sites, as the final phase ... more This study assesses toxicity of groundwater from remediated fuel spill sites, as the final phase of an environmental risk assessment of contaminated sites at sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island, Tasmania, Australia. To complement previous terrestrial ecotoxicological research, we determine risk to marine environments from residual biodegraded hydrocarbon contaminants in groundwater discharges. Direct toxicity assessments were conducted on 7 composite groundwater test solutions, adjusted to ambient seawater salinity. Eleven native marine invertebrates (from varied taxa: gastropods, bivalves, flatworms, amphipods, copepods, isopods) were exposed and observed for up to 21 d. Lethal time estimates (LT10, LT50) showed sensitivity was time dependent (LT10s = 4-15 d) and variable between species. Three species showed no response to any test solution, and most species did not respond for up to 5 d. Data were interpreted using an expert judgment response matrix with multiple lines of evidence to predict risk. No consistent patterns in the relative toxicity of test solutions, based on polar or nonpolar hydrocarbon concentrations, were identified. Although toxicity was observed in some species, this was only under worst-case conditions of undiluted, continuous, extended exposure. Natural dynamics of the site, including low groundwater discharge rates, high rainfall, and a highly energetic receiving environment, ensure groundwater is rapidly diluted and dispersed. In this context, and based on site conditions at the time of testing, these toxicity assessments provide robust evidence that residual contamination in groundwater at remediated sites at Macquarie Island is unlikely to represent a risk to the adjacent marine communities tested. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2021;17:785-801.
Impacts of Petroleum Fuels on Fertilization and Development of the Antarctic Sea Urchin<i>Sterechinus neumayeri</i>
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Nov 5, 2020
Antarctic marine environments are at risk from petroleum fuel spills as shipping activities in th... more Antarctic marine environments are at risk from petroleum fuel spills as shipping activities in the Southern Ocean increase. Knowledge of the sensitivity of Antarctic species to fuels under environmentally realistic exposure conditions is lacking. We determined the toxicity of 3 fuels, Special Antarctic Blend diesel (SAB), marine gas oil (MGO), and intermediate fuel oil (IFO 180) to a common Antarctic sea urchin, Sterechinus neumayeri. Sensitivity was estimated for early developmental stages from fertilization to the early 4‐arm pluteus in toxicity tests of up to 24 d duration. The effects of the water accommodated fractions (WAFs) of fuels were investigated under different exposure scenarios to determine the relative sensitivity of stages and of different exposure regimes. Sensitivity to fuel WAFs increased through development. Both MGO and IFO 180 were more toxic than SAB, with median effect concentration values for the most sensitive pluteus stage of 3.5, 6.5, and 252 µg/L total hydrocarbon content, respectively. Exposure to a single pulse during fertilization and early embryonic development showed toxicity patterns similar to those observed from continuous exposure. The results show that exposure to fuel WAFs during critical early life stages affects the subsequent viability of larvae, with consequent implications for reproductive success. The sensitivity estimates for S. neumayeri that we generated can be utilized in risk assessments for the management of Antarctic marine ecosystems. Environ Toxicol Chem 2020;39:2527–2539. © 2020 SETAC
Integrated Modeling of Survival Data from Multiple Stressor Ecotoxicology Experiments
Environmental Science & Technology, Jun 7, 2017
Ecotoxicological assessments often focus on the response of an organism to an individual contamin... more Ecotoxicological assessments often focus on the response of an organism to an individual contaminant under standardized laboratory conditions. Under more ecologically realistic conditions, however, individuals are likely to be exposed to a range of environmental conditions that have the potential to act as additional stressors. Multiple-stressor experiments improve our understanding of an organism&amp;amp;#39;s response to a toxicant under ecologically relevant conditions and provide realistic risk assessment data. To date, there is no standardized method for analyzing multiple-stressor data using dose-response regression. We present a reliable technique to assess for the effects of additional stressors on an LCx estimate in a consistent framework, providing interpretable results that meaningfully deal with environmental changes and their possible impacts on sensitivity estimates to a toxicant. The method is applicable to any data set where toxicity tests are conducted at varying levels of one or more additional stressors. We illustrate the method with data from an experiment that investigates the effects of salinity and temperature on the sensitivity of the subantarctic isopod Limnoria stephenseni to copper, where it is shown that the major change in the LC50 can be primarily attributed to a specific temperature increase. This method has been incorporated into an R package available at github.com/ahproctor/LC50.
Reproduction, growth and early life history of the Antarctic gammarid amphipod Paramoera walkeri
Polar Biology, Jun 11, 2015
The gammarid Paramoera walkeri is one of the most abundant amphipods in near-shore Antarctic wate... more The gammarid Paramoera walkeri is one of the most abundant amphipods in near-shore Antarctic waters. There has been increasing interest in P. walkeri as a test species for ecotoxicology studies and bio-monitoring for contaminants in Antarctica, but further information is needed to improve understanding of its biology including reproduction, growth and early life history. Female P. walkeri brooding late-stage embryos were collected in summer from coastal waters in the Vestfold Hills region, East Antarctica, and were maintained in the laboratory. Timing of neonate release, brood size and early post-marsupial survival and growth (total length) of juveniles were recorded. Brood size ranged from 26 to 86 neonates per female, and juvenile survival rates were high (96 %). The increase in body length of juveniles ranged from 0.017 to 0.043 mm/day with a mean growth rate of 0.028 mm/day (0.94 % per day) over 11 weeks with strong evidence for exponential growth over time. The body lengths of laboratory-raised juveniles were not significantly different to those of wild-caught juveniles with the same number of segments (15) in the first antennae, indicating that growth may have progressed at a similar rate in vivo and in situ. Juvenile growth was similar when modelled over time or by addition of first antennal segments. This study provides new information on the reproductive biology and early life history of P. walkeri, with further evidence that Antarctic amphipods exhibit slow growth, even when food is not a limiting factor, compared with species from lower latitudes.
Lethal and behavioral impacts of diesel and fuel oil on the Antarctic amphipod<i>Paramoera walkeri</i>
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Apr 6, 2017
Toxicity testing with Antarctic species is required for risk assessment of fuel spills in Antarct... more Toxicity testing with Antarctic species is required for risk assessment of fuel spills in Antarctic coastal waters. The lethal and sublethal (movement behavior) sensitivities of adults and juveniles of the Antarctic amphipod Paramoera walkeri to the water accommodated fractions (WAFs) of 3 fuels were estimated in extended-duration tests at -1 °C to 21 d. Response of P. walkeri for lethal hydrocarbon concentrations was slow, with 50% lethal concentrations (LC50s) first able to be estimated at 7 d for adults exposed to Special Antarctic Blend diesel (SAB), which had the highest hydrocarbon concentrations of the 3 fuel WAFs. Juveniles showed greater response to marine gas oil (MGO) and intermediate residual fuel oil (IFO 180) at longer exposure durations and were most sensitive at 21 d to IFO 180 (LC50 = 12 μg/L). Adults were initially more sensitive than juveniles; at 21 d, however, juveniles were more than twice as sensitive as adults to SAB (LC50 = 153 μg/L and 377 μg/L, respectively). Significant effects on movement behavior were evident at earlier time points and lower concentrations than was mortality in all 3 fuel WAFs, and juveniles were highly sensitive to sublethal effects of MGO. These first estimates of Antarctic amphipod sensitivity to diesel and fuel oils in seawater contribute to the development of ecologically relevant risk assessments for management of hydrocarbon contamination in the region. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;9999:1-12. © 2017 SETAC.
Environmental Science & Technology, Oct 28, 2019
Robust environmental assessments and contaminant monitoring in Antarctic near-shore marine enviro... more Robust environmental assessments and contaminant monitoring in Antarctic near-shore marine environments need new techniques to overcome challenges presented by a highly dynamic environment. This study outlines an approach for contaminant monitoring and risk assessment in Antarctic marine conditions using diffusive gradients in thin-films (DGT) coupled to regionally-specific ecotoxicology data and environmental quality standards. This is demonstrated in a field study where DGT samplers were deployed in the near-shore marine environment of East Antarctica around the operational Casey station and the abandoned Wilkes station to measure the time-averaged biologically available fraction of metal contaminants. The incorporation of DGT-labile concentrations to reference toxicity mixture models for three Antarctic organisms predicted low toxic effects (<5% effect to the growth or development of each organism). The comparison of metal concentrations to the Australian and New Zealand default water quality guideline values (WQGVs) showed no marine site exceeding the WQGVs for 95% species protection. However, all sites exceeded the 99% WQGVs due to copper concentrations that are likely of geogenic origin (i.e. not from anthropogenic sources). This study provides evidence supporting the use of the DGT technique to monitor contaminants and assessing their environmental risk in the near-shore marine environment of Antarctica.
Increased sensitivity of subantarctic marine invertebrates to copper under a changing climate - Effects of salinity and temperature
Environmental Pollution, Jun 1, 2019
Stressors associated with climate change and contaminants, resulting from the activities of human... more Stressors associated with climate change and contaminants, resulting from the activities of humans, are affecting organisms and ecosystems globally. Previous studies suggest that the unique characteristics of polar biota, such as slower metabolisms and growth, and the generally stable conditions in their natural environment, cause higher susceptibility to contamination and climate change than those in temperate and tropical areas. We investigated the effects of increased temperature and decreased salinity on copper toxicity in four subantarctic marine invertebrates using realistic projected conditions under a future climatic change scenario for this region. We hypothesised that these relatively subtle shifts in environmental stressors would impact the sensitivity of cold-adapted species to copper. The four test species were: a copepod Harpacticus sp.; isopod Limnoria stephenseni; flatworm Obrimoposthia ohlini; and bivalve Gaimardia trapesina. These species occupy a range of ecological niches, spanning intertidal and subtidal nearshore zones. We predicted that species would differ in their tolerance to stressors, depending on where they occurred within this ecological gradient. Organisms were exposed to the multiple stressors in a factorial design in laboratory based toxicity tests. Sensitivity estimates for copper (LC50) were calculated using a novel statistical approach which directly assessed the impacts of the multiple stressors. In three of the four species tested, sensitivity to copper was amplified by small increases in temperature (2-4 °C). The effects of salinity were more variable but a decrease of as little as 2 ppt caused a significant effect in one species. This study provides some of the first evidence that high latitude species may be at increased risk from contaminants under projected future climate conditions. This interaction, between contaminants and the abiotic environment, highlights a potential pathway to biodiversity loss under a changing climate.
Assessment of the Comparative Toxicity of Sewage Effluent from 10 Sewage Treatment Plants in the Area of Sydney, Australia using an Amphipod and Two Sea Urchin Bioassays
Marine Pollution Bulletin, 1999
In 1995, Sydney Water Corporation undertook an ecological and human health risk assessment for 10... more In 1995, Sydney Water Corporation undertook an ecological and human health risk assessment for 10 sewage treatment plants (STPs) that discharge primary (6 STPs) and secondary (4 STPs) treated effluents into coastal waters in the Sydney and Illawarra regions, NSW, Australia. A program of toxicity testing of effluent from the 10 STPs was undertaken to determine the toxic effects of the effluents and as a weight-of-evidence study for the risk assessment.Three types of bioassays were used to test multiple samples of effluent from each STP. Tests used were the sea urchin (Heliocidaris tuberculata) fertilization and larval development bioassays and the amphipod (Allorchestes compressa) survival bioassay.Comparing between STPs, primary treated effluent was slightly more toxic than secondary treated effluent for all three tests. The highest toxicity was recorded for those STPs that use primary treatment and discharge to the shoreline. Comparing between tests, the sea urchin fertilization bioassay was slightly more sensitive than the sea urchin larval development bioassay, with the amphipod survival bioassay being the least sensitive.This paper will describe the results of this toxicity testing program and discuss the application of the study results as weight-of-evidence for the risk assessment study.
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Jul 2, 2015
Fuel pollution is a significant problem in Antarctica, especially in areas where human activities... more Fuel pollution is a significant problem in Antarctica, especially in areas where human activities occur, such as at scientific research stations. Despite this, there is little information on the effects of petroleum hydrocarbons on Antarctic terrestrial biota. The authors demonstrate that the Antarctic mosses Bryum pseudotriquetrum, Schistidium antarctici, and Ceratodon purpureus, and the Antarctic terrestrial alga Prasiola crispa are relatively tolerant to Special Antarctic Blend (SAB) fuel-contaminated soil (measured as total petroleum hydrocarbons). Freshly spiked soils were more toxic to all species than were aged soils containing degraded fuel, as measured by photosynthetic efficiency (variable fluorescence/maximum fluorescence [Fv/Fm]), pigment content, and visual observations. Concentrations that caused 20% inhibition ranged from 16 600 mg/kg to 53 200 mg/kg for freshly spiked soils and from 30 100 mg/kg to 56 200 mg/kg for aged soils. The photosynthetic efficiency of C. purpureus and S. antarctici was significantly inhibited by exposure to freshly spiked soils with lowest-observed-effect concentrations of 27 900 mg/kg and 40 400 mg/kg, respectively. Prasiola crispa was the most sensitive species to freshly spiked soils (Fv/Fm lowest-observed-effect concentration 6700 mg/kg), whereas the Fv/Fm of B. pseudotriquetrum was unaffected by exposure to SAB fuel even at the highest concentration tested (62 900 mg/kg). Standard toxicity test methods developed for nonvascular plants can be used in future risk assessments, and sensitivity data will contribute to the development of remediation targets for petroleum hydrocarbons to guide remediation activities in Antarctica Disciplines
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Dec 11, 2017
The development of environmental guidelines in the Antarctic and subantarctic is essential, becau... more The development of environmental guidelines in the Antarctic and subantarctic is essential, because expansion of research, tourism, and fishing is placing these regions at increasing risk of contamination. Data are currently insufficient to create the region-specific guidelines needed for the unique conditions in these areas. To develop the most appropriate environmental guidelines, data from the most sensitive life stages of a species should be included to ensure effective protection throughout its life cycle. It is generally accepted that early life stages are more sensitive to contaminants. We compared the toxicity of copper between juvenile and adult life stages of 4 subantarctic marine invertebrates using sublethal and lethal endpoints. For 2 of the species tested, juveniles were more sensitive than adults. (The 7-d median effect concentration [EC50] values for the gastropod Laevilittorina caliginosa were 79 μg/L at the juvenile stage and 125 μg/L at the adult; for the flatworm Obrimoposthia ohlini, values were 190 μg/L at the juvenile stage and 300 μg/L at the adult.) For the isopod Limnoria stephenseni, juveniles were either more sensitive or of equal sensitivity to adults (7-d EC50 values: juvenile 278 μg/L and adult 320 μg/L). In contrast, for the bivalve Gaimardia trapesina, adults appeared to be more sensitive than young adults (7-d EC50 values: juvenile 23 μg/L and adult < 10-20 μg/L). Although no consistent trend in the sensitivity of life history stages was observed, the present study contributes important information for the development of water quality guidelines in polar regions.
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Papers by Catherine K King