Piotr  Kuklinski 

Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences · Marine Ecology Department

Bryozoans are becoming an increasingly popular study system in macroevolutionary, ecological, and paleobiological research. Members of this colonial invertebrate phylum display an exceptional degree of division of labor in the form of specialized modules, which allows for the inference of individual allocation of resources to reproduction, defense,...

With climate warming, many tidewater glaciers are retreating. Fresh, sediment-rich sub-glacial meltwater is discharged at the glacier grounding line, where it mixes with deep marine water resulting in an upwelling of a plume visible in front of the glacial wall. Zooplankton may suffer increased mortality within the plume due to osmotic shock when b...

An endolithic lifestyle in mineralized substrates has evolved multiple times in various phyla including Bryozoa. The family Penetrantiidae includes one genus with ten extant and two fossil species. They predominantly colonize the shells of molluscs and establish colonies by chemical dissolution of calcium carbonate. Based on several morphological c...

This study provided new data on shell mineralogy in 23 Arctic bivalve species. The majority of examined species had purely aragonitic shells. Furthermore, we measured concentrations of Al, Ba, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, S, Sr and Zn in 542 shells representing 25 Arctic bivalve species. Species-related differences in concentrations of specific elemen...

Among Antarctic bryozoans, some species are able to develop calcitic bioconstructions promoting habitat complexity, but the processes leading to biomineral formation are mostly unknown. The present work investigated three Antarctic bryozoans, from morphological to skeletal features, including the organic matrix associated with the skeleton (SOM). C...

Crustose coralline algae (CCA) occur from the tropics to the poles in photic benthic environments. Here, we report on some of the world’s southernmost and coldest CCA sites in Terra Nova, Ross Sea, Antarctica at 74°41′ S. The recently described red alga Tethysphytum antarticum is investigated for its skeletal architecture, its mineralogical and geo...

Although studies of the Arctic region have a long history there are still many aspects that require research. Benthic species are important in the studies of environmental impact. However, there is currently very little understanding of what factors drive the process of benthic larval recruitment and assemblage development. This field study, conduc...

The Southern Ocean is showing one of the most rapid responses to human-induced global change, thus acting as a sentinel of the effects on marine species and ecosystems. Ocean warming and acidification are already impacting benthic species with carbonate skeletons, but the magnitude of these changes to species and ecosystems remains largely unknown....

Knowledge of environmental preferences of the key planktonic species, such as Calanus copepods in the Arctic, is crucial to understand ecosystem function and its future under climate change. Here, we assessed the environmental conditions influencing the development stages of Atlantic Calanus finmarchicus and Arctic Calanus glacialis, and we quantif...

Bryozoans are becoming an increasingly popular study system in macroevolutionary, ecological, and paleobiological research. Members of this colonial invertebrate phylum are notable for displaying an exceptional degree of division of labor in the form of specialized modules (polymorphs), which allow for the inference of individual allocation of reso...

The Southern Ocean is showing one of the most rapid responses to human-induced global change, thus acting as a sentinel of the effects on marine species and ecosystems. Ocean warming and acidification are already impacting benthic species with carbonate skeletons, but the magnitude of these changes to species and ecosystems remains largely unknown....

One of the earliest applications of underwater photography was specifically for scientific purposes. Long-term underwater experiments can gather and archive baseline data of considerable ecological value. However, these data require robust and repeatable processing protocols and well-designed downstream analyses. Technology for automating such prot...

To understand the impact of anthropogenically induced transformations of biological communities, their naturally occurring fluctuation must be recognized first. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the variability in Antarctic intertidal benthic assemblage faunal composition during an annual cycle (King George Island 62° S). Once a m...

There is still a general misconception towards the understanding of the polar night as a period of winter dormancy when the primary production stops, resources are limited and the biological processes slow down. Due to logistics constraints, studying benthic marine communities in harsh winter conditions is challenging and not an easy task, therefor...

Polar benthic communities in the shallow subtidal are sensitive indicators of environmental changes in the marine realm. Thus, long-term underwater monitoring of benthic organisms is important for assessing the impact of a changing climate on the state of aquatic ecosystems. We describe the design and protocol for monitoring installations at two de...

The establishment of baseline information on biodiversity is important as contemporary biodiversity might act as a bioindicator of environmental change. It is especially important at locations which are expected to be largely impacted by climate change, such as Icelandic waters. The present study focuses on the diversity of bryozoan species in Icel...

The Southern Ocean is showing one of the most rapid responses to human-induced global change, thus acting as a sentinel of the effects on marine species and ecosystems. Ocean warming and acidification are already impacting benthic species with carbonate skeletons, but the magnitude of these changes to species and ecosystems remains largely unknown....

Predicting changes that the environment will undergo due to influence of climate change requires possession of in-depth knowledge of past and current state of ecosystem. The goal of presented study was to understand critic benthic communities variability over 10 years’ time and monitor potential colonization by lower latitude inhabitants in order t...

Biomineralization is of great importance in ecosystem functioning and for the use of carbonate skeleton as environmental proxies. Skeletal formation is controlled to different degrees by environmental parameters and biological mechanisms. While sa- linity is one of the most important factors affecting ecological processes and ocean physiochemistry,...

Twenty-four Recent species of the boreal-Arctic and Pacific cheilostome bryozoan genus Rhamphostomella are described. The species R. tatarica and R. pacifica are transferred to Rhamphostomella from Posterula and Porella, respectively. Eight species are new: R. aleutica n. sp., R. aspera n. sp., R. commandorica n. sp., R. echinata n. sp., R. microav...

Phylogenetic relationships and the timing of evolutionary events are essential for understanding evolution on longer time scales. Cheilostome bryozoans are a group of ubiquitous, species-rich, marine colonial organisms with an excellent fossil record but lack phylogenetic relationships inferred from molecular data. We present genome-skimmed data fo...

This study presents mineralogical and geochemical data on the skeletal composition of organisms inhabiting the unique, brackish Baltic Sea. Calcifying invertebrates in this region can build skeletons made of calcite, aragonite or a mixture of both. Their polymorphic skeleton formation is species-specific. However, variations in the calcite: aragoni...

Kelp forests supply many important ecosystem services that often are dependent on kelp morphological characteristics. Understanding the relationship between environmental factors and the morphological response of macroalgae is essential. The main aim of this study was to investigate the impact of factors associated with glacial activity and depth o...

This study presents the results of dosimetry radiation measurement performed in the Antarctic region at the surface of the sea which was conducted between January and March 2018. Over 2 200 records were collected using a portable Gamma Scout Online radiometer during a 72-day voyage circumnavigating the continent of Antarctica. The mean average of t...

A fundamental question underlying skeletal mineral secretion in marine invertebrates is the extent to which the physico-chemical parameters of seawater (e.g., salinity, temperature) and animal physiology influence their skeletal mineralogy and chemistry. Groups with more complex mineralogies, such as bryozoans, have the ability to actively control...

To fully understand what controls the structure of benthic assemblages, recognition of the factors that influence each step of their development is needed. This includes knowledge about crucial processes such as biota recruitment and succession. Complex, heterogeneous natural substrates occurring on the sea floor, such as rocks, boulders and biogen...

The Antarctic Peninsula is undergoing rapid change due to global warming, including air and water temperature increases. Fauna inhabiting the intertidal zone are particularly exposed to warming impacts, as they are subjected to high variations in both terrestrial and marine environmental settings. This study aimed to assess intertidal macrofaunal a...

Instytut Oceanologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk przechowuje 77500 okazów przyrodniczych z obszarów morskich, gromadzonych od 1985 r., czyli od początku istnienia Pracowni Ekosystemów Arktyki, przekształconej później w Zakład Ekologii Morza. Większość zbiorów stanowi zooplankton (około 36000 okazów) zebrany podczas corocznych rejsów badawczych statku s/...

Rhodolith beds and bioherms formed by ecosystem engineering crustose coralline algae support the northernmost centres of carbonate production, referred to as polar cold-water carbonate factories. Yet, little is known about biodiversity and recruitment of these hard-bottom communities or the bioeroders degrading them, and there is a demand for carbo...

The impact of the rapidly changing Arctic on zooplankton community structure and seasonal behaviour is not yet understood. Here we examine 6 months of under-ice zooplankton observations from the N-ICE2015 expedition (January to June 2015) in the Nansen Basin and on the Yermak Plateau north of Svalbard. Stratified sampling in the water column was do...

The greater human presence in the archipelago of Svalbard through ecotourism, scientific expeditions and shipping increase the potential for the introduction of alien or non-indigenous (non-native) species (NIS). Beaches provide easy access to land-based activities for tourists and scientists, and may therefore become a port of entry for alien spec...

Until recently, polar night constituted truly a “mare incognitum” of our times. Yet, the first records from this very little-explored period showcased a surprisingly rich and active ecosystem. This investigation aims to reveal the level of scavenger activity during both Arctic polar night and day. It compares the shallow-water scavenging fauna obse...

Non-indigenous species (NIS) in the Arctic have an increased likelihood of arrival from ship traffic in the region, while the survival potential of the species becomes more likely in a warming environment. Monitoring is essential to detect the rate and magnitude of the establishment of NIS. In this study, a list of 123 potential marine NIS for Sval...

The shells of calcitic arthropod Amphibalanus improvisus; aragonitic bivalves Cerastoderma glaucum, Limecola balthica, and Mya arenaria; and bimineralic bivalve Mytilus trossulus were collected in the brackish waters of the southern Baltic Sea in order to study patterns of bulk elemental concentration (Ca, Na, Sr, Mg, Ba, Mn, Cu, Pb, V, Y, U and Cd...

Meroplankton comprise mainly of pelagic larvae of benthic invertebrates and play an important role as consumers and prey in coastal ecosystems. During a year-round study in Isfjorden (Svalbard Archipelago; >78°N), two locations (stations North and South) were sampled every third month to capture seasonal dynamics of meroplankton at high-latitudes,...

In the Arctic, seasonal patterns in seawater biochemical conditions are shaped by physical, chemical, and biological processes related to the alternation of seasons, i.e. winter polar night and summer midnight sun. In summertime, CO2 concentration is driven by photosynthetic activity of autotrophs which raises seawater pH and carbonate saturation s...

Ports are highly dynamic environments that are under substantial anthropogenic pressure generated by activities related to the fishery, transhipment of cargo and passenger traffic. Thus, seaports are exposed to physical disturbances, chemical pollution and biological invasions. Yet knowledge about biotic part and the influence of anthropogenic pres...

We report the ratios of minor (K/Ca, Na/Ca, P/Ca, S/Ca) and trace elements (Al/Ca, Ba/Ca, Fe/Ca, Mn/Ca and Zn/Ca) in skeletons of five Arctic echinoderm species representing three classes: Asteroidea, Ophiuroidea, Crinoidea. We found that skeletons of Arctic echinoderms show a unique, species-specific trace element composition that may suggest that...

Large-scale climate changes influence the geographic distribution of biodiversity. Many taxa have been reported to extend or reduce their geographic range, move poleward or displace other species. However, for closely related species that can hybridize in the natural environment, displacement is not the only effect of changes of environmental varia...

In many areas of the world ocean bryozoans are important carbonate producers. Evidence suggests that in colder high-latitude marine environments most bryozoan species precipitate in most cases low-magnesium calcite (≤4 mol% MgCO3) carbonate skeletons, while secretion of aragonite and high-magnesium calcite (≥12 mol% MgCO3) is largely restricted to...

The motivation behind this study is the progression of global warming, which severely affects the entire Arctic and could have effects on macroalgal assemblages. Three sampling sites were located at different distances to glacier fronts to study the effect of glacial exposure on macroalgal community composition and standing stock. In addition, the...

In this study, the concentrations of 12 metals: Ca, Na, Sr, Mg, Ba, Mn, Cu, Pb, V, Y, U and Cd in shells of bivalve molluscs (aragonitic: Cerastoderma glaucum, Mya arenaria and Limecola balthica and bimineralic: Mytilus trossulus) and arthropods (calcitic: Amphibalanus improvisus) were obtained. The main goal was to determine the incorporation patt...

Arctic marine ecosystems are often assumed to be highly vulnerable to ongoing climate change, and are expected to undergo significant shifts in structure and function. Community shifts in benthic fauna are likely to result from changes in key physico-chemical drivers, such as ocean warming, but there is little ecological data on most Arctic species...

The Arctic and Antarctic, located at the opposite poles are the two coldest regions on Earth, sharing similarly extreme environment but differing in their geological histories, geomorphology and connectivity. The main aim of the present study is to examine whether and how the divergent features of both polar regions influence Hydrozoa (here Leptoth...

The structure of benthic population depends highly on the process of recruitment which occurs after successful settlement of larva on suitable substrata. In the Arctic, there are still gaps in knowledge regarding functioning of shallow water biota especially during polar night. The main aim of the study was to investigate seasonal variability of re...

The structure of benthic population depends highly on the process of recruitment which occurs after successful settlement of larva on suitable substrata. In the Arctic, there are still gaps in knowledge regarding functioning of shallow water biota especially during polar night. The main aim of the study was to investigate seasonal variability of re...

The Arctic and Antarctic share many oceanographical features but differ greatly in their geological histories. These divergent aspects lead to similarities and differences between the sets of species inhabiting the poles. However, the patterns are not unambiguously homogenous throughout the tree of life. For the first time, Hydrozoa (Leptothecata a...

Past polar regional studies on temporal trends of benthic systems have mostly been performed on soft bottom communities. Fewer studies have dealt with hard bottom, and none have been performed with mobile hard substrates, yet these are common, abundant and host high biodiversity—usually higher than similar substrates even if the latter were larger...

This study provides taxonomic and distributional data of bryozoan species from the Ross Sea area, mainly around Terra Nova Bay, based on specimens curated at the Italian National Antarctic Museum (MNA, Section of Genoa). Bryozoan specimens were collected at 75 different sampling stations in the Ross Sea and in the Magellan Strait, in a bathymetric...

This study provides taxonomic and distributional data of bryozoan species from the Ross Sea area, mainly around Terra Nova Bay, based on specimens curated at the Italian National Antarctic Museum (MNA, Section of Genoa). Bryozoan specimens were collected at 75 different sampling stations in the Ross Sea and in the Magellan Strait, in a bathymetric...

Barnacles are widespread and abundant inhabitants of rock surfaces in the intertidal zone, providing considerable contributions to the formation of carbonate sediments. The main goal of this study was to test two hypotheses: (1) the chemical composition of the Balanus balanus shell is mostly controlled biologically, and environmental factors have o...

Photographic time-lapse techniques are especially useful in the marine realm for visualising long-term processes and remote monitoring of sites/objects/organisms where the presence of researchers might cause some study bias, or access is limited or impossible. With rapid advances in technology development there is easy access to new tools for time-...

Recruitment process is one of the first steps of community development and has a substantial consequence for population dynamics and structure. The main aim of the project was to investigate seasonal variability of larvae recruitment in the Arctic fjord-Isfjorden (West Spitsbergen) in relation to location (two sites under the influence of Atlantic...