Part 33Antarctic specially protected area No. 133

Part 33 Antarctic specially protected area No. 133

  Harmony Point, Nelson Island, South Shetland Islands.

  Latitude 6218 S, longitude 5911 W.

  Geomorphologically, Harmony Point presents three well defined units: an andesitic plateau, coastal and shelf outcrops and ancient sea levels. The plateau reaches 40 metres above sea level and its area is covered by detritus resulting from the action of erosion agents on andesitic rocks, with a well‑developed vegetation of mosses and lichens.

  There are three successive raised paleobeaches, between the coast and the glacier. The paleobeaches are defined by pebble accumulations of variable height in some instances and the development of soil in others.

  Lakes and streams with a limited flow appear on the undulations. Some isolated andesitic rocks and ancient nunataks can be seen outside the limits of the glacier, evidencing that the past extension of the glacier covered Harmony Point.

  The Area holds breeding colonies of 12 species: 3347 pairs of gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua), 89 685 pairs of chinstrap penguins (Pygoscelis antarctica), 746 pairs of southern giant petrels (Macronectes giganteus), 479 pairs of cape petrel (Daption capense), 45 pairs of blue eyed shag (Phalacrocorax atriceps), 144 pairs of snowy sheathbill (Chionis alba), 71 pairs of skuas (61 pairs of Antarctic skuas (Catharacta antarctica) and 11 of Polar skuas), 128 pairs of Dominican gull (Larus dominicanus) and between 100 and 150 individuals of Antarctic terns (Sterna vittata).

  Other seabirds nesting in the Area are the Wilson’s storm petrel (Oceanites oceanicus) and the black-bellied storm petrel (Fregetta tropica). Together they represent around 1 000 pairs. Map 4 shows the distribution of bird concentrations at Harmony Point.

  There are usually 3 species of mammals in the Area: the Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddelli), the elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) and the Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella). Occasionally some individual crabeater seals (Lobodon carcinophagus) have also been seen. The number of mammals in the area varies. The maximum numbers of Antarctic fur seals, Weddell seals and elephant seals are 320, 550 and 100 respectively. The Weddell seals usually breed in the Area in high figures, reaching up to 60 females with their pups in a single season. Births of fur and elephant seals have also been recorded, although the numbers there are much lower.

  There are some extensive areas covered by a very rich and diverse development of bryophytes and lichen-dominated plant communities (presently being classified), including, although to a lesser degree, two vascular plant species (Deschampsia antarctica and Colobanthus quitensis), especially in the areas less affected by recent anthropic perturbation or breeding activities. Moss turf subformations are located in wind protected and moist places, whilst lichen-dominated subformations occur in places with a high wind exposure. Five soil orders have been identified so far in the Area, according to the taxonomic system: Soil Taxonomy (1999): histosols (hydric cryfibrists), entisols (lithic criorthents), spodosols (oxiaquic humicryods), mollisols (lithic haplocryolls) and inceptisols (lithic eutrocryepts e histic cryaquepts).