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SCAR BULLETIN, No. 151, October 2003

Antarctic Specially Protected Area No 143
Marine Plain, Mule Peninsula, Vestfold Hills, Princess Elizabeth Land

1. Description of Values to be Protected

Marine Plain is representative of a major Antarctic terrestrial ice-free ecosystem with outstanding fossil fauna and rare geological features. It is of exceptional ongoing scientific interest and has been subject to several detailed geological, palaeontological, geomorphological and glaciological studies.
The Area has yielded an outstanding vertebrate fossil fauna including Australodelphis mirus, the first higher vertebrate named from the Oligocene-Pleistocene interval on land in Antarctica, and the first cetacean fossil from the polar margin of circum-Antarctic Southern Ocean that postdates the break-up of Gondwana. Marine Plain has also revealed four other species of cetaceans; a species of fish; and a diverse invertebrate fauna comprising molluscs, gastropods, marine diatoms, and the first Pliocene decapod crustacean from Antarctica.
Marine Plain contains a roughly horizontal section of ca 8 m thick Pliocene marine sediments known as the Sørsdal Formation, which is exposed or underlies Holocene sediments, up to about 1 m thick. A diatom biostratigraphy placed the Sørsdal Formation in the Fragilariopsis barronii Zone, Early Pliocene (ca 4.5-4.1 Ma).
The Vestfold Hills have an ice-free area of approximately 413 km², and are characterised by their low altitude, typically less that 180 m. The hills have been subject to intermittent glaciation and glacial striae show the direction of past ice movements.
Marine Plain provides the largest periglacial thermokarst in East Antarctica
The meromictic and saline Burton Lake, together with several smaller lakes and ponds in the ASPA, provide important examples in the spectrum of hypersaline to fresh water lake types in the Vestfold Hills and present the opportunity for important research.

2. Aims and Objectives

avoid degradation of, or substantial risk to, the values of Marine Plain by preventing unnecessary human disturbance in the ASPA;
allow scientific research;
minimise damage to landforms, glacial and periglacial features; and potential fossil sites;
maintain the aesthetic and wilderness values; and
allow visits for management purposes.

3. Management Activities

a copy of this Management Plan shall be kept at the adjacent Davis station, Marine Plain Refuge and will be provided to ships visiting the vicinity;
install markers to identify boundary turning points;
signs shall be placed at appropriate locations to help avoid inadvertent entry;
require an environmental impact assessment of any activity within the ASPA;
structures shall be maintained in good condition and removed when no longer required;
abandoned equipment or materials shall be removed to the maximum extent possible ;
visit the Area to ensure that management activities are adequate: and
review the Management Plan at least every five years and update as required.

4. Period of Designation

Designated for an indefinite period.

5. Maps

Map A: Vestfold Hills, East Antarctica, showing the locations of Marine Plain ASPA;
Map B: The region immediately surrounding Marine Plain ASPA.
Map C: Geological map of Marine Plain ASPA.
Map D: Sørsdal Formation sketch map
Map E: Sketch of Surface Geology

6. Description of the Area

6(i). Geographical Co-Ordinates, Boundary Markers and Natural Features

Marine Plain ASPA (23.4 km², 68°37’50.2" S, 78°07’55.2" E) opens into an arm of Crooked Fjord on the southern side of Mule Peninsula. The Vestfold Hills are a largely ice-free oasis of approximately 512 km² of bedrock, glacial debris, lakes, and ponds, at the eastern side of Prydz Bay, Princess Elizabeth Land.
The three major lithologies forming the Vestfold Hills are (in order of age) Chelnock Paragneiss, Mossel Gneiss and Crooked Lake Gneiss. This is repeated in units from east-northeast to west-southwest. Intruded into these, are groups of mafic dykes in a rough north-south orientation (Map C). The dykes are a major feature of the Vestfold Hills.
The Precambrian rock is overlain in low-lying areas (approximately 10–17 m above sea level) by ca 8 m of early Pliocene (ca 4.5-3.5 Ma) diatomite with limestone lenses in the upper half. The limestone contains molluscs, especially bivalves including Chlamys tuftsensis Turner. Holocene (ca 6.49 ka) glacial debris disconformably covers the marine deposit (0.5-1 m), extending over an area of 8-10 km². A layer of lenticular sandstone separates the Pliocene and Holocene units.
Burton Lake is a major feature of the western side of the Area. There is a number of unnamed ponds and small lakes within the Area. Burton Lake has a maximum depth of 18 m. Burton Lake, is ice-covered for 10–11 months of the year and is seasonally connected to Crooked Fjord by a tidal channel approximately 20 m wide and up to 2 m deep. The lake is isolated from Crooked Fjord for about 6-7 months of the year by ice.
The lake contains a range of photosynthetic bacteria, psychrophilic bacteria, one novel species of bacterium is Psychroserpens burtonensis, which has not been cultured from or recorded in any other environment, 41 diatom species, four metazoan species, many holotrichia, at least two species of nematode, a large marine amphipod and tardigrades. One species of fish, Pagothenia borchgrevinki, has been observed in the lake on one occasion.
Mosses and lichens occur in the vicinity of small ephemeral watercourses. The northern end of Burton Lake provides a rich lichen site, while the northern end of Poseidon Lake is rich in mosses.
Several vertebrates occur sporadically during the summer months. Wilson’s storm petrels (Oceanites oceanicus), Snow petrels (Pagodroma nivea) and South polar skuas (Catharacta maccormicki) nest in the Area. Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) and Southern Elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) along with Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) and Emperor penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri) also occur in small groups.
The Vestfold Hills area has a polar maritime climate that is cold, dry and windy.

6(ii). Special Zones within the Area

None.

6(iii). Location of Structures Within and Adjacent to the Site

There are two refuges located nearby: Marine Plain Refuge with an adjacent helicopter landing site; and Watts Hut.
A variety of evidence of research activity remains at Marine Plain. Boundary markers are to be installed at boundary turning points.

6(iv). Location of Other Protected Areas in the Vicinity

Two Historic Sites and Monuments lay in the Vestfold Hills, at least 25 km north of Marine Plain: HSM No. 72 and HSM No. 6.

7. Permit Conditions

Entry into the Area is prohibited except in accordance with a Permit issued by an appropriate national authority.

7(i). Access to and Movement within or over the Area

Movement within the ASPA should be kept to a minimum with every reasonable effort made to minimise impact.
The helicopter landing site is immediately adjacent to the Marine Plain refuge should be used.
Motorised boats are not to be used on Burton Lake.
Over-flight of lakes should be kept to a minimum.
Movement within the ASPA by vehicle is prohibited.

7(ii). Activities which are, or may be conducted, within the Area, including restrictions on time and place

scientific research that cannot be undertaken elsewhere;
sampling for approved research programs;
sampling of lakes,; and
management activities, including monitoring.

7(iii). Installation, modification or removal of structures

Any structures erected or installed within the Area are to be specified in a Permit. Permanent structures or installations are prohibited.

7(iv). Location of field camps

Parties should not camp in the Area but use the Marine Plain Refuge (68°36’54”S, 78°6’30”E).

7(v). Restrictions on materials and organisms which may be brought into the Area

No living animals, plant material or microorganisms shall be deliberately introduced.
No herbicides or pesticides shall be brought into the ASPA. Any other chemicals must be removed at or before the conclusion of the activity.
Organic material is not to be used.
Fuel is not to be stored in the ASPA.
All materials introduced shall be removed at or before the conclusion of the stated period.

7(vi). Taking of or harmful interference with native flora and fauna

The taking of or harmful interference with native flora or fauna is prohibited, except by Permit.

7(vii). Collection and removal of anything not brought into the Area by the Permit Holder

Sample material may be collected or removed from the ASPA only in accordance with a Permit;
Permits shall not be granted if there is a reasonable concern that the sampling proposed would take, displace, remove or damage such quantities of rock, soil, water, or native flora or fauna that their distribution or abundance at Marine Plain would be significantly affected. Excavation of fossils is exempted from this requirement; and
Material of human origin likely to compromise the values of the Area, which was not brought into the Area by the Permit holder or otherwise authorised, may be removed unless the impact of the removal is likely to be greater than leaving the material in situ. In this event, the appropriate national authority should be notified.

7(viii). Disposal of waste

All wastes, including all human wastes, shall be removed from the ASPA.

7(ix). Measures that may be necessary to ensure that the aims and objectives of the Plan of Management can continue to be met

Permits may be granted to carry out monitoring and site inspections.
Any specific sites of long-term monitoring shall be appropriately marked.
Persons shall take special care walking or skiing over slopes, moraines, rock exposures and diatomite soil.
Special precautions shall be taken against introductions, particularly microbial or vegetation introductions sourced from soils at other Antarctic sites, including stations, or from regions outside Antarctica.
The closure and securing of excavation sites during and at the completion of an activity should ensure to the extent reasonably possible, stratigraphic integrity is preserved and endolithic communities are maintained.
Abandoned scientific equipment shall be removed, and excavations rehabilitated.

7(x). Requirements for reports

Parties should ensure that the principal Permit Holder for each Permit issued submits to the appropriate national authority a report on activities undertaken.

Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research

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