Glacier meltdown is a major environmental response to climate change in the West Antarctic Peninsula. Yet, the consequences of this process for local biodiversity are still not well understood. Here, we analyse the diversity and structure of a species-rich marine subtidal macrobenthic community (consumers and primary producers) across two abiotic environmental gradients defined by the distance from a glacier (several km) and depth (down to 20 m) in Fildes Bay, King George Island. The analysis of spatially extensive records of seawater turbidity, high-frequency temperature and salinity data, and suction dredge samples of macrobenthic organisms revealed non-linear and functional group-dependent associations between biodiversity, glacier influence, and depth. Turbidity peaked in shallow waters and in the nearby of the glacier. Temperature and salinity, on the other hand, were slightly decreased in the proximity of the glacier relative to reference sites. According to the spatial pattern in turbidity, species richness of consumers was lowest in shallow waters and near to the glacier. Also, Shannon's diversity of consumers significantly decreased in the nearby of glacier across depths. Moreover, the spatial variation in community structure of consumers and primary producers depended on both glacier distance and depth. These results suggest that glacier melting can have significant effects on diversity and community structure. Therefore, the accelerated glacier meltdown may have major consequences for the biodiversity in this ecosystem.

冰川融化是南极半岛对气候变化的主要环境响应。然而，这一过程对当地生物多样性的后果仍然知之甚少。在这里，我们分析了两个非生物环境梯度中物种丰富的海洋潮下大型底栖生物群落（消费者和主要生产者）的多样性和结构，这两个非生物环境梯度的定义是与菲尔德斯湾的冰川距离（几公里）和深度（低至20 m） ，乔治岛国王。对海水浊度，高频温度和盐度数据以及大型底栖生物的抽吸挖泥样品进行空间广泛记录的分析表明，生物多样性，冰川影响和深度之间存在非线性和功能相关的组关联。浊度在浅水和冰川附近达到峰值。另一方面，相对于参考点，冰川附近的温度和盐度略有下降。根据浊度的空间格局，消费者的物种丰富度在浅水区和冰川附近最低。同样，香农的消费者多样性在整个深度的冰川附近显着下降。此外，消费者和初级生产者社区结构的空间变化取决于冰川距离和深度。这些结果表明，冰川融化可以对多样性和群落结构产生重大影响。因此，加速的冰川融化可能对该生态系统的生物多样性产生重大影响。根据浊度的空间格局，消费者的物种丰富度在浅水区和冰川附近最低。同样，香农的消费者多样性在整个深度的冰川附近显着下降。此外，消费者和初级生产者社区结构的空间变化取决于冰川距离和深度。这些结果表明，冰川融化可以对多样性和群落结构产生重大影响。因此，加速的冰川融化可能对该生态系统的生物多样性产生重大影响。根据浊度的空间格局，消费者的物种丰富度在浅水区和冰川附近最低。同样，香农的消费者多样性在整个深度的冰川附近显着下降。此外，消费者和初级生产者社区结构的空间变化取决于冰川距离和深度。这些结果表明，冰川融化可以对多样性和群落结构产生重大影响。因此，加速的冰川融化可能对该生态系统的生物多样性产生重大影响。消费者和初级生产者社区结构的空间变化取决于冰川的距离和深度。这些结果表明，冰川融化可以对多样性和群落结构产生重大影响。因此，加速的冰川融化可能对该生态系统的生物多样性产生重大影响。消费者和初级生产者社区结构的空间变化取决于冰川的距离和深度。这些结果表明，冰川融化可以对多样性和群落结构产生重大影响。因此，加速的冰川融化可能对该生态系统的生物多样性产生重大影响。