Our publications
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The precision of radar-derived subglacial bed topography: a case study from Pine Island Glacier, Antarctica
1 April, 2020 by Ed King
Recent advances in the measurement of bedforms beneath active ice streams have been made using ground-based grid profiling using impulse radar systems operating with centre frequencies in the 3–5 MHz…Effects of zinc (Zn) and chromium (Cr) on the phenol-degrading bacteria growth kinetics
1 April, 2020 by Peter Convey
Heavy metals occur naturally within the earth crust; however, anthropogenic activities can artificially introduce these elements into the environment. Despite being the foremost isolated continent, Antarctica is not free from…Read more on Effects of zinc (Zn) and chromium (Cr) on the phenol-degrading bacteria growth kinetics
Towards Bedmap Himalayas: development of an airborne ice-sounding radar for glacier thickness surveys in High-Mountain Asia
1 April, 2020 by David Goodger, Ed King, Michael McCarthy, Hamish Pritchard, Michael McCarthy
The thickness of glaciers in High-Mountain Asia (HMA) is critical in determining when the ice reserve will be lost as these glaciers thin but is remarkably poorly known because very…Interpreting empirical estimates of experimentally derived physiological and biological thermal limits in ectotherms
1 April, 2020 by Simon Morley
Whole-organism function is underpinned by physiological and biological processes, which respond to temperature over a range of time scales. Given that environmental temperature controls biological rates within ectotherms, different experimental…
Englacial architecture and age‐depth constraints across the West Antarctic Ice Sheet
28 March, 2020 by Tom Jordan
he englacial stratigraphic architecture of internal reflection horizons (IRHs) as imaged by ice‐penetrating radar (IPR) across ice sheets reflects the cumulative effects of surface mass balance, basal melt, and ice…Read more on Englacial architecture and age‐depth constraints across the West Antarctic Ice Sheet
Successful practice in early career networks: insights from the polar sciences
27 March, 2020 by Anna Belcher, Holly Winton
Acquiring not only field-specific knowledge but also a set of transferable professional skills becomes increasingly important for Early Career Scientists (ECS) in Geosciences and other academic disciplines. Although the need…Read more on Successful practice in early career networks: insights from the polar sciences
Blue carbon gains from glacial retreat along Antarctic fjords: what should we expect?
23 March, 2020 by Chester Sands, David Barnes, Floyd Howard, Nadescha Zwerschke
Rising atmospheric CO2 is intensifying climate change but it is also driving global and particularly polar greening. However, most blue carbon sinks (that held by marine organisms) are shrinking, which…Read more on Blue carbon gains from glacial retreat along Antarctic fjords: what should we expect?
Confronting Arctic Troposphere, Clouds, and Surface Energy Budget Representations in Regional Climate Models With Observations
23 March, 2020 by Tony Phillips
A coordinated regional climate model (RCM) evaluation and intercomparison project based on observations from a July–October 2014 trans‐Arctic Ocean field experiment (ACSE‐Arctic Clouds during Summer Experiment) is presented. Six state‐of‐the‐art…
The Southern Ocean and its interaction with the Antarctic Ice Sheet
20 March, 2020 by Keith Nicholls
The Southern Ocean exerts a major influence on the mass balance of the Antarctic Ice Sheet, either indirectly, by its influence on air temperatures and winds, or directly, mostly through…Read more on The Southern Ocean and its interaction with the Antarctic Ice Sheet
The genetic legacy of extreme exploitation in a polar vertebrate
20 March, 2020 by Jaume Forcada
Understanding the effects of human exploitation on the genetic composition of wild populations is important for predicting species persistence and adaptive potential. We therefore investigated the genetic legacy of large-scale…Read more on The genetic legacy of extreme exploitation in a polar vertebrate
Tracking of marine predators to protect Southern Ocean ecosystems
18 March, 2020 by Iain Staniland, Keith Nicholls, Norman Ratcliffe, Philip Trathan, Richard Phillips
Southern Ocean ecosystems are under pressure from resource exploitation and climate change. Mitigation requires the identification and protection of Areas of Ecological Significance (AESs), which have so far not been…Read more on Tracking of marine predators to protect Southern Ocean ecosystems
The retrospective analysis of Antarctic tracking data project
18 March, 2020 by Iain Staniland, Keith Nicholls, Norman Ratcliffe, Philip Trathan, Richard Phillips
The Retrospective Analysis of Antarctic Tracking Data (RAATD) is a Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research project led jointly by the Expert Groups on Birds and Marine Mammals and Antarctic Biodiversity…Read more on The retrospective analysis of Antarctic tracking data project
So far, so good… Similar fitness consequences and overall energetic costs for short and long-distance migrants in a seabird
16 March, 2020 by Richard Phillips
Although there is a consensus about the evolutionary drivers of animal migration, considerable work is necessary to identify the mechanisms that underlie the great variety of strategies observed in nature.…
Research presented at the 14th International Symposium on Tardigrada: progress in studies on water bears
16 March, 2020 by Sandra McInnes, Sandra McInnes
The 14th International Symposium on Tardigrada took place in Copenhagen, Denmark from 30 July to 3 August 2018. Approximately 140 participants, representing 28 countries from five continents attended the meeting,…Environmental baseline monitoring for shale gas development in the UK: identification and geochemical characterisation of local source emissions of methane to atmosphere
15 March, 2020 by James France
Baseline mobile surveys of methane sources using vehicle-mounted instruments have been performed in the Fylde and Ryedale regions of Northern England over the 2016–19 period around proposed unconventional (shale) gas…Tracking the spread of a passive tracer through Southern Ocean water masses
12 March, 2020 by Andrew Meijers
A dynamically passive inert tracer was released in the interior South Pacific Ocean at latitudes of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. Observational cross sections of the tracer were taken over 4…Read more on Tracking the spread of a passive tracer through Southern Ocean water masses
Population Genetic Structure is Unrelated to Shell Shape, Thickness and Organic Content in European Populations of the Soft‐Shell Clam Mya Arenaria
11 March, 2020 by Luca Telesca
The soft-shell clam Mya arenaria is one of the most ancient invaders of European coasts and is present in many coastal ecosystems, yet little is known about its genetic structure…
Spectral reflectance of whale skin above the sea surface: a proposed measurement protocol
10 March, 2020 by Hannah Cubaynes, Jennifer Jackson, Jaume Forcada, Philip Trathan, Peter Fretwell
Great whales have been detected using very‐high‐resolution satellite imagery, suggesting this technology could be used to monitor whales in remote areas. However, the application of this method to whale studies…Simulated trends in ionosphere-thermosphere climate due to predicted main magnetic field changes from 2015 to 2065
10 March, 2020 by Ingrid Cnossen
The strength and structure of the Earth's magnetic field is gradually changing. During the next 50 years the dipole moment is predicted to decrease by ∼3.5%, with the South Atlantic…The sensitivity of Southeast Pacific heat distribution to local and remote changes in ocean properties
9 March, 2020 by Andrew Meijers, Dani Jones, Emma Boland
The Southern Ocean features regionally varying ventilation pathways that transport heat and carbon from the surface ocean to the interior thermocline on timescales of decades to centuries, but the factors…Stable water isotopes and accumulation rates in the Union Glacier region, Ellsworth Mountains, West Antarctica, over the last 35 years
9 March, 2020 by Dieter Tetzner, Emily Ludlow, Liz Thomas, Rebecca Tuckwell
ntarctica is well known to be highly susceptible to atmospheric and oceanic warming. However, due to the lack of long-term and in situ meteorological observations, little is known about the…CMIP5 model selection for ISMIP6 ice sheet model forcing: Greenland and Antarctica
6 March, 2020 by Thomas Bracegirdle
The ice sheet model intercomparison project for CMIP6 (ISMIP6) effort brings together the ice sheet and climate modeling communities to gain understanding of the ice sheet contribution to sea level…Read more on CMIP5 model selection for ISMIP6 ice sheet model forcing: Greenland and Antarctica
Ecological segregation of two superabundant, morphologically similar, sister seabird taxa breeding in sympatry
3 March, 2020 by Richard Phillips
Prions Pachyptila are the most abundant seabirds in the Southern Ocean and comprise two main groups: those with and without bill lamellae to filter zooplankton. With few exceptions, each breeding…
Ecological segregation of two superabundant, morphologically similar, sister seabird taxa breeding in sympatry
3 March, 2020 by Richard Phillips
Prions Pachyptila are the most abundant seabirds in the Southern Ocean and comprise two main groups: those with and without bill lamellae to filter zooplankton. With few exceptions, each breeding…
First direct observation of sea salt aerosol production from blowing snow above sea ice
2 March, 2020 by Anna Jones, David Jones, Markus Frey, Xin Yang
Two consecutive cruises in the Weddell Sea, Antarctica, in winter 2013 provided the first direct observations of sea salt aerosol (SSA) production from blowing snow above sea ice, thereby validating…Read more on First direct observation of sea salt aerosol production from blowing snow above sea ice
Status and trends of terrestrial arthropod abundance and diversity in the North Atlantic region of the Arctic
1 March, 2020 by Peter Convey
The Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Programme (CBMP) provides an opportunity to improve our knowledge of Arctic arthropod diversity, but initial baseline studies are required to summarise the status and trends of…Circumpolar terrestrial arthropod monitoring: a review of ongoing activities, opportunities and challenges with a focus on spiders
1 March, 2020 by Peter Convey
The terrestrial chapter of the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Programme (CBMP) has the potential to bring international multi-taxon, long-term monitoring together, but detailed fundamental species information for Arctic arthropods lags far…Computationally Predicted Gene Regulatory Networks in Molluscan Biomineralisation Identify Extracellular Matrix Production and Ion Transportation Pathways
1 March, 2020 by Melody Clark, Victoria Sleight
Motivation The molecular processes regulating molluscan shell production remain relatively uncharacterised, despite the clear evolutionary and societal importance of biomineralisation. Results Here we built the first computationally predicted gene regulatory…
Magmatism of the Weddell Sea rift system in Antarctica: Implications for the age and mechanism of rifting and early stage Gondwana breakup
1 March, 2020 by Philip Leat, Tom Jordan, Teal Riley
Thick (∼800 m) basaltic successions from the eastern Antarctic Peninsula have been dated in the interval 180 – 177 Ma and preserve a transition from a continental margin arc to…
The distribution, abundance, status and global importance of giant petrels (Macronectes giganteus and M. halli) breeding at South Georgia
1 March, 2020 by Richard Phillips
Information on the status of giant petrels breeding at South Georgia was previously based on studies at a small number of the archipelago's breeding sites. Here, we report the results…Effects of freeze-thaw cycles on High Arctic soil bacterial communities
1 March, 2020 by Peter Convey
The projected increase in freeze-thaw frequency associated with warmer temperatures in the High Arctic could affect the dynamics of soil bacterial communities. We report here the effects of freeze-thaw (FT)…Read more on Effects of freeze-thaw cycles on High Arctic soil bacterial communities
Colour maps for fisheries acoustic echograms
1 March, 2020 by Robert Blackwell, Sophie Fielding
Echograms are used to visualize fisheries acoustic data, but choice of colour map has a significant effect on appearance. Quantitative echograms should use colour maps, which are colourful (have a…Statistical optimisation of growth conditions and diesel degradation by the Antarctic bacterium, Rhodococcus sp. strain AQ5‒07.
1 March, 2020 by Peter Convey
Petroleum pollution is a major concern in Antarctica due to the persistent nature of its hydrocarbon components coupled with the region’s extreme environmental conditions, which means that bioremediation approaches are…
Combining correlative and mechanistic niche models with human activity data to elucidate the invasive potential of a sub‐Antarctic insect.
1 March, 2020 by Kevin Hughes, Peter Convey
Aim Correlative species distribution models (SDMs) are subject to substantial spatio‐temporal limitations when historical occurrence records of data‐poor species provide incomplete and outdated information for niche modelling. Complementary mechanistic modelling…
Albatrosses and petrels at South Georgia as sentinels of marine debris input from vessels in the southwest Atlantic Ocean
1 March, 2020 by Claire Waluda, Richard Phillips
Increasing amounts of anthropogenic debris enter the ocean because of mismanagement in coastal communities and, despite a global ban on deliberate dumping, also from vessels, endangering wildlife. Assessing marine plastic…
Reference points for predators will progress ecosystem-based management of fisheries
1 March, 2020 by Norman Ratcliffe, Simeon Hill
Ecosystem‐based management of fisheries aims to allow sustainable use of fished stocks while keeping impacts upon ecosystems within safe ecological limits. Both the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries…Read more on Reference points for predators will progress ecosystem-based management of fisheries
I/Ca in epifaunal benthic foraminifera: A semi-quantitative proxy for bottom water oxygen in a multi-proxy compilation for glacial ocean deoxygenation
1 March, 2020 by Claus-Dieter Hillenbrand
The decline in dissolved oxygen in global oceans (ocean deoxygenation) is a potential consequence of global warming which may have important impacts on ocean biogeochemistry and marine ecosystems. Current climate…
Thirty years of marine debris in the Southern Ocean: annual surveys of two island shores in the Scotia Sea
1 March, 2020 by Claire Waluda, Iain Staniland, Kevin Hughes, Mari Whitelaw, Michael Dunn, Sally Thorpe
We report on three decades of repeat surveys of beached marine debris at two locations in the Scotia Sea, in the Southwest Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean. Between October…
Early Cenozoic evolution of the latitudinal diversity gradient
1 March, 2020 by Alistair Crame
We are beginning to appreciate that the huge radiations of both marine and terrestrial taxa in the aftermath of the K/Pg mass extinction event were concentrated largely, but not exclusively,…Read more on Early Cenozoic evolution of the latitudinal diversity gradient
Detailed quantification of glacier elevation and mass changes in South Georgia
1 March, 2020
Most glaciers in South America and on the Antarctic Peninsula are retreating and thinning. They are considered strong contributors to global sea level rise. However, there is a lack of…Read more on Detailed quantification of glacier elevation and mass changes in South Georgia
Early glacial maximum and deglaciation at sub-Antarctic Marion Island from cosmogenic 36Cl exposure dating
1 March, 2020 by Dominic Hodgson
Southern Hemisphere glacial chronologies can provide valuable insights into interactions between glaciation and past climate changes, but are not well constrained on most sub-Antarctic islands. We present the first cosmogenic…Effect of temperature on the growth of the commercially fished common whelk (Buccinum undatum, L.): A regional analysis within the Irish Sea
1 March, 2020 by Philip Hollyman
In response to increased demand in Asian markets, the commercial fishery for the common whelk (Buccinum undatum, L) has expanded in north-eastern Europe. In the Irish Sea region (ICES Area…
Geomagnetically Induced Currents and Harmonic Distortion: Storm‐time Observations from New Zealand
1 March, 2020 by Mark Clilverd
Large geomagnetic storms are a known space weather hazard to power transmission networks due to the effects of Geomagnetically Induced Currents (GICs). However, research in this area has been hampered…Discovery of microcystin-producing Anagnostidinema pseudacutissimum from cryopreserved Antarctic cyanobacterial mats
1 March, 2020 by Peter Convey
Microcystins (MCs) are secondary metabolites produced by cyanobacteria and have been well-documented in temperate and tropical regions. However, knowledge of the production of MCs in extremely cold environments is still…
Marine Copepods, The Wildebeest of the Ocean
26 February, 2020 by Anna Belcher, Geraint Tarling
Copepods are amongst the most abundant animals on our planet. Who knew?! These small (typically 1–10 mm) crustaceans are found in all of the world’s oceans and play an important…
Ice front blocking of ocean heat transport to an Antarctic ice shelf
26 February, 2020 by Adrian Jenkins
Mass loss from the Antarctic Ice Sheet to the ocean has increased in recent decades, largely because the thinning of its floating ice shelves has allowed the outflow of grounded…Read more on Ice front blocking of ocean heat transport to an Antarctic ice shelf
Preliminary evidence for the role played by south westerly wind strength on the marine diatom content of an Antarctic Peninsula ice core (1980–2010)
26 February, 2020 by Claire Allen, Dieter Tetzner, Emily Ludlow, Hilary Blagbrough, Liz Thomas, Richard Warren, Thomas Bracegirdle
Winds in the Southern Ocean drive exchanges of heat and carbon dioxide between the ocean and atmosphere. Wind dynamics also explain the dominant patterns of both basal and surface melting…Surviving the Antarctic winter – Life stage cold tolerance and ice entrapment survival in the invasive chironomid midge Eretmoptera murphyi.
26 February, 2020 by Peter Convey
An insect’s ability to tolerate winter conditions is a critical determinant of its success. This is true for both native and invasive species, and especially so in harsh polar environments.…
Early Last Interglacial ocean warming drove substantial ice mass loss from Antarctica
25 February, 2020 by Claus-Dieter Hillenbrand
The future response of the Antarctic ice sheet to rising temperatures remains highly uncertain. A useful period for assessing the sensitivity of Antarctica to warming is the Last Interglacial (LIG)…Read more on Early Last Interglacial ocean warming drove substantial ice mass loss from Antarctica
Evidence for cryptic diversity in the “pan-Antarctic” springtail Friesea antarctica and the description of two new species.
25 February, 2020 by Peter Convey
The invertebrate terrestrial fauna of Antarctica is being investigated with increasing interest to discover how life interacts with the extreme polar environment and how millions of years of evolution have…
Interannual variability of the outflow of Weddell Sea bottom water
24 February, 2020 by Povl Abrahamsen
The Weddell Sea Bottom Water (WSBW) export from 1999 to 2019 displays distinct seasonal and interannual variability. From 2014 into 2017 a marked salinity decrease was recorded, with the lowest…Read more on Interannual variability of the outflow of Weddell Sea bottom water
Intra-specific niche partitioning in Antarctic fur seals, Arctocephalus gazella
24 February, 2020 by Gabriele Stowasser, Iain Staniland, Jaume Forcada, John Dickens, Kayleigh Jones, Norman Ratcliffe, John Dickens
Competition for resources within a population can lead to niche partitioning between sexes, throughout ontogeny and among individuals, allowing con-specifics to co-exist. We aimed to quantify such partitioning in Antarctic…Read more on Intra-specific niche partitioning in Antarctic fur seals, Arctocephalus gazella
Permeability measurements using oscillatory flows
21 February, 2020 by Paul Holland
We describe a versatile apparatus for measuring the permeability of porous materials using oscillatory flows. The permeabilities are measured by an original spectral analysis of the pressure and fluid-displacement signals.…Read more on Permeability measurements using oscillatory flows
Old carbon reservoirs were not important in the deglacial methane budget
21 February, 2020 by Thomas Bauska
Permafrost and methane hydrates are large, climate-sensitive old carbon reservoirs that have the potential to emit large quantities of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, as the Earth continues to warm.…Read more on Old carbon reservoirs were not important in the deglacial methane budget
Electron precipitation from the outer radiation belt during the St Patrick’s Day storm 2015: observations, modelling, and validation
20 February, 2020 by Mark Clilverd
Recently, a model for medium energy (30–1000 keV) radiation belt‐driven electron precipitation (ApEEP) has been put forward for use in decadal to century‐long climate model runs as part of the…Snow Property Controls on Modeled Ku-Band Altimeter Estimates of First-Year Sea Ice Thickness: Case Studies From the Canadian and Norwegian Arctic
17 February, 2020 by Markus Frey
Uncertainty in snow properties impacts the accuracy of Arctic sea ice thickness estimates from radar altimetry. On first-year sea ice (FYI), spatiotemporal variations in snow properties can cause the Ku-band…
Using the aa index over the last 14 solar cycles to characterize extreme geomagnetic activity
16 February, 2020 by Richard Horne
Geomagnetic indices are routinely used to characterize space weather event intensity. The DST index is well resolved, but is only available over 5 solar cycles. The aa index extends over…
Effects of age on foraging behavior in two closely related albatross species
7 February, 2020 by Caitlin Frankish, Richard Phillips
Foraging performance is widely hypothesized to play a key role in shaping age-specific demographic rates in wild populations, yet the underlying behavioral changes are poorly understood. Seabirds are among the…Read more on Effects of age on foraging behavior in two closely related albatross species
Direct inference of first-year sea ice thickness using broadband acoustic backscattering
6 February, 2020 by Jeremy Wilkinson
Accurate measurements of sea ice thickness are critical to better understand climate change, to provide situational awareness in ice-covered waters, and to reduce risks for communities that rely on sea…
Long-term trends in albatross diets in relation to prey availability and breeding success
6 February, 2020 by Claire Waluda, Richard Phillips, William Mills
Diet analyses can reveal important changes in seabird foraging ecology and, by inference, resource availability and predator–prey dynamics within the wider marine ecosystem. Here, we analysed stomach contents of 1544…
Aurora in the Polar Cap: A Review
5 February, 2020 by Jade Reidy, Jade Reidy
This paper reviews our current understanding of auroral features that appear poleward of the main auroral oval within the polar cap, especially those that are known as Sun-aligned arcs, transpolar…
What is blue carbon and why is it important?
4 February, 2020 by David Barnes
The Earth’s warming climate is reducing snow and ice. The warming of the polar seas causes the sea surface to freeze less in winter and glaciers to retreat, generating more…
A framework for mapping the distribution of Southern Ocean seabirds across life-history stages, by integrating tracking, demography and phenology
4 February, 2020 by Philip Trathan, Richard Phillips
1. The identification of geographic areas where the densities of animals are highest across their annual cycles is a crucial step in conservation planning. In marine environments, however, it can…
Sub-Antarctic freshwater invertebrate thermal tolerances: an assessment of critical thermal limits and behavioral responses
4 February, 2020 by Peter Convey
Physiological thermal limits of organisms are linked to their geographic distribution. The assessment of such limits can provide valuable insights when monitoring for environmental thermal alterations. Using the dynamic critical…The impact of secondary ice production on Arctic stratocumulus
4 February, 2020 by Thomas Lachlan-Cope
In situ measurements of Arctic clouds frequently show that ice crystal number concentrations (ICNCs) are much higher than the number of available ice-nucleating particles (INPs), suggesting that secondary ice production…Read more on The impact of secondary ice production on Arctic stratocumulus
Tracer measurements in growing sea ice support convective gravity drainage parameterisations
3 February, 2020 by James France
Gravity drainage is the dominant process redistributing solutes in growing sea ice. Modelling gravity drainage is therefore necessary to predict physical and biogeochemical variables in sea ice. We evaluate seven…Applying science to pressing conservation needs for penguins
1 February, 2020 by Philip Trathan
More than half of the world's 18 penguin species are declining. We, the Steering Committee of the International Union for Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission Penguin Specialist Group, determined…Read more on Applying science to pressing conservation needs for penguins
Southern Ocean wind stress in CMIP5 models: Role of wind fluctuations
1 February, 2020 by Dave Munday
The Southern Ocean (SO) surface wind stress is a major atmospheric forcing for driving the Antarctic Circumpolar Current and the global overturning circulation. Here the effects of wind fluctuations at…Read more on Southern Ocean wind stress in CMIP5 models: Role of wind fluctuations
Age and growth of Brauer’s lanternfish Gymnoscopelus braueri and rhombic lanternfish Krefftichthys anderssoni (Family Myctophidae) in the Scotia Sea, Southern Ocean
1 February, 2020 by Martin Collins, Ryan Saunders
This study examines age and growth of Brauer's lanternfish Gymnoscopelus braueri and rhombic lanternfish Krefftichthys anderssoni from the Scotia Sea in the Southern Ocean, through the analysis of annual growth…Predicting climate change impacts on maritime Antarctic soils: A space-for-time substitution study
1 February, 2020 by Kevin Newsham
We report a space-for-time substitution study predicting the impacts of climate change on vegetated maritime Antarctic soils. Analyses of soils from under Deschampsia antarctica sampled from three islands along a…Protecting Antarctic blue carbon: As marine ice retreats can the law fill the gap?
1 February, 2020 by Chester Sands, David Barnes
As marine-ice around Antarctica retracts, a vast 'blue carbon' sink, in the form of living biomass, is emerging. Properly protected and promoted Antarctic blue carbon will form the world's largest…Read more on Protecting Antarctic blue carbon: As marine ice retreats can the law fill the gap?
On the microphysical processing of aged combustion aerosols impacting warm rain microphysics over Asian megacities
1 February, 2020 by Andrew Orr, James Pope
This paper delineates the process of activation of soot or black carbon particles into cloud droplets over Chennai, India (an Asian megacity). Archaic wood-fired cooking stove emissions from crowded shantytown…Feeding habits of bluenose warehou, Hyperoglyphe antarctica (Carmichael, 1819) (Centrolophidae) at seamounts of the Southern Atlantic
1 February, 2020 by Martin Collins
Diet of bluenose warehou, Hyperoglyphe antarctica, was investigated from samples collected during commercial fishing (trawling and longlining) on seamounts in the Tristan da Cunha EEZ in the South Atlantic Ocean.…Design and construction of a bespoke system for the detection of buried, iron-rich meteorites in Antarctica.
1 February, 2020 by Michael Rose
Iron-rich meteorites are significantly underrepresented in collection statistics from Antarctica. This has led to a hypothesis that there is a sparse layer of iron-rich meteorites hidden below the surface of…Equity at sea: Gender and inclusivity in UK sea-going science
1 February, 2020 by Sophie Fielding
Today, we can celebrate a strong representation of women in sea-going science in the United Kingdom, providing positive role models for early-career female marine scientists. However, women continue to face…Read more on Equity at sea: Gender and inclusivity in UK sea-going science
Invasive marine species discovered on non–native kelp rafts in the warmest Antarctic island.
31 January, 2020 by Huw Griffiths
Antarctic shallow coastal marine communities were long thought to be isolated from their nearest neighbours by hundreds of kilometres of deep ocean and the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. The discovery of…
Glacial sedimentation, fluxes and erosion rates associated with ice retreat in Petermann Fjord and Nares Strait, north-west Greenland
28 January, 2020 by Kelly Hogan
Petermann Fjord is a deep (>1000 m) fjord that incises the coastline of north-west Greenland and was carved by an expanded Petermann Glacier, one of the six largest outlet glaciers draining…
Effects of elevational range shift on the morphology and physiology of a carabid beetle invading the sub-Antarctic Kerguelen Islands.
27 January, 2020 by Peter Convey
Climatic changes can induce geographic expansion and altitudinal shifts in the distribution of invasive species by offering more thermally suitable habitats. At the remote sub-Antarctic Kerguelen Islands, the predatory insect…The geological history and evolution of West Antarctica
27 January, 2020 by Tom Jordan, Teal Riley
West Antarctica has formed the tectonically active margin between East Antarctica and the Pacific Ocean for almost half a billion years, where it has recorded a dynamic history of magmatism,…Read more on The geological history and evolution of West Antarctica
Observations of tidal melt and vertical strain at the Filchner‐Ronne Ice Shelf, Antarctica
24 January, 2020 by Hugh Corr, Irena Vankova, Keith Makinson, Keith Nicholls
The Filchner‐Ronne Ice Shelf experiences strong tidal forcing known to displace portions of the ice shelf by several meters over a tidal cycle. These large periodic displacements may cause significant…
The representation of Föhn events to the east of the Antarctic Peninsula in simulations by the Antarctic Mesoscale Prediction System (AMPS)
23 January, 2020 by Amelie Kirchgaessner, John King
Föhn winds are warm, strong, downslope winds on the lee side of mountains, which can last from several hours to a few days. 1995 and 2002 saw the dramatic break‐up…
Legacy and Emerging Persistent Organic Pollutants in Antarctic Benthic Invertebrates near Rothera Point, Western Antarctic Peninsula
17 January, 2020 by Lloyd Peck, Simon Morley
The levels of pollutants in polar regions is gaining progressively more attention from the science community. This is especially so for pollutants that persist in the environment and can reach…Coordinated Observations of 8‐ and 6‐hr Tides in the Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere by Three Meteor Radars Near 60°S Latitude
17 January, 2020 by Tracy Moffat-Griffin
Atmospheric 8‐ and 6‐hr tides are observed for the first time in the zonal and meridional winds at ~82–97 km altitudes simultaneously at Tierra del Fuego (TDF; 53.7°S, 67.7°W), King…
Machine dependence and reproducibility for coupled climate simulations: the HadGEM3-GC3.1 CMIP Preindustrial simulation
16 January, 2020 by Louise Sime, Maria Vittoria Guarino
When the same weather or climate simulation is run on different high-performance computing (HPC) platforms, model outputs may not be identical for a given initial condition. While the role of…
Highly branched isoprenoids reveal onset of deglaciation followed by dynamic sea-ice conditions in the western Amundsen Sea, Antarctica
15 January, 2020 by Claus-Dieter Hillenbrand, James Smith
The Amundsen Sea drainage sector of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) is widely regarded as a candidate for triggering potential WAIS collapse. The grounded ice sheet drains into the…
Protein deimination and extracellular vesicle profiles in Antarctic seabirds
8 January, 2020 by Richard Phillips
Pelagic seabirds are amongst the most threatened of all avian groups. They face a range of immunological challenges which seem destined to increase due to environmental changes in their breeding…Read more on Protein deimination and extracellular vesicle profiles in Antarctic seabirds
Global ocean heat content in the Last Interglacial
6 January, 2020 by Thomas Bauska
The Last Interglacial (129–116 thousand years ago (ka)) represents one of the warmest climate intervals of the past 800,000 years and the most recent time when sea level was metres higher…Read more on Global ocean heat content in the Last Interglacial
LA-MC-ICP-MS study of boron isotopes in individual planktonic foraminifera: A novel approach to obtain seasonal variability patterns
5 January, 2020 by Dennis Mayk
Boron isotope (δ11B) analysis using bulk foraminifera samples is a widely used method to reconstruct paleo sea water pH conditions. Although, these analyses exhibit high analytical precision, short term information…
The impact of wintertime sea ice anomalies on high surface heat flux events in the Iceland and Greenland Seas
3 January, 2020 by James Pope, Thomas Bracegirdle
The gyres of the Iceland and Greenland Seas are regions of deep-water formation, driven by large ocean-to-atmosphere heat fluxes that have local maxima adjacent to the sea-ice edge. Recently these…
Antarctic Futures: An Assessment of Climate-Driven Changes in Ecosystem Structure, Function, and Service Provisioning in the Southern Ocean
1 January, 2020 by David Barnes, Eugene Murphy, Iain Staniland, Katrin Linse, Simeon Hill
In this article, we analyze the impacts of climate change on Antarctic marine ecosystems. Observations demonstrate large-scale changes in the physical variables and circulation of the Southern Ocean driven by…
Humans and wind, shaping Antarctic soil arthropod biodiversity
1 January, 2020 by Kevin Hughes, Peter Convey
1. Biodiversity loss has increased globally in recent years. The major threat to Antarctica’s unique terrestrial biodiversity is the establishment of non-native species. Nonetheless, while preventing the introduction of non-native…Read more on Humans and wind, shaping Antarctic soil arthropod biodiversity
Sources of elevated heavy metal concentrations in sediments and benthic marine invertebrates of the western Antarctic Peninsula
1 January, 2020 by Kevin Hughes, Lloyd Peck
Antarctica is one of the least anthropogenically-impacted areas of the world. Metal sources to the marine environment include localised activities of research stations and glacial meltwater containing metals of lithogenic…
Mercury levels in Southern Ocean squid: Variability over the last decade
1 January, 2020 by Geraint Tarling, Gabriele Stowasser, Sophie Fielding
The concentrations of total and proportions of organic mercury were measured in tissues of 355 individuals of 8 species of Southern Ocean squid (Alluroteuthis antarcticus, Bathyteuthis abyssicola, Filippovia knipovitchi, Galiteuthis…Read more on Mercury levels in Southern Ocean squid: Variability over the last decade
An insect invasion of Antarctica: the past, present and future distribution of Eretmoptera murphyi (Diptera, Chironomidae) on Signy Island
1 January, 2020 by Peter Convey
1. Rising human activity in Antarctica, combined with continued warming of the polar climate, means the risk of non‐native terrestrial species colonising and establishing in its biodiversity‐ and nutrient‐poor ecosystems…The emperor penguin – vulnerable to projected rates of warming and sea ice loss
1 January, 2020 by Philip Trathan, Peter Fretwell
We argue the need to improve climate change forecasting for ecology, and importantly, how to relate long-term projections to conservation. As an example, we discuss the need for effective management…Read more on The emperor penguin – vulnerable to projected rates of warming and sea ice loss
Establishment and eradication of an alien plant species in Antarctica: Poa annua at Signy Island
1 January, 2020 by Peter Convey
Invasive alien species are among the most significant conservation threats for Antarctica, and the South Orkney Islands are highly exposed to this threat because of their location and intensity of…
Analysing the timing of peak warming and minimum winter sea-ice extent in the Southern Ocean during MIS 5e
1 January, 2020 by Claire Allen, Claus-Dieter Hillenbrand, Louise Sime, Matthew Chadwick
The peak of the Last Interglacial, Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5e (130–116 ka), provides a valuable ‘process analogue’ for validating the climatic feedbacks and forcings likely active under future anthropogenic…Spatial variation in the benthic community composition of coral reefs in the Wakatobi Marine National Park, Indonesia: updated baselines and limited benthic community shifts.
1 January, 2020 by Joseph Marlow
Coral reefs have experienced extensive degradation across the world over the last 50 years as a result of a variety of stressors operating at a range of spatial and temporal…