MICROBIAL RESPONSE TO ANTHROPIC AND NATURAL FORCINGS IN TWO COASTAL ANTARCTIC SITES (ROSS SEA)

Microbial enzyme activities on organic polymers were tested as possible sentinels of anthropic and natural forcings during a two-year study in two coastal Antarctic areas (Road Bay and Tethys Bay respectively). In Road Bay high proteolytic activity rates were measured at a site impacted by the Italian research station sewage, due to faecal wastes; in Tethys Bay low salinity waters related to glacier presence were characterized by high enzyme activities probably associated to detritus from ice melting.