Found 14112 items
1 April, 2016 by David Pearce
In this study, which was carried out within the ChEsSO consortium project (Chemosynthetically driven ecosystems south of the Polar Front), we sampled two hydrothermal vent sites on the East Scotia…1 April, 2016
In migratory animals, protandry (earlier arrival of males on the breeding grounds) prevails over protogyny (females preceding males). In theory, sex differences in timing of arrival should be driven by…1 April, 2016 by Geraint Tarling, Helen Peat, Simeon Hill, Sophie Fielding
The ability of Antarctic krill Euphausia superba Dana to withstand the overwintering period is critical to their success. Laboratory evidence suggests that krill may shrink in body length during this…Read more on Growth and shrinkage in Antarctic krill Euphausia superba is sex-dependent
1 April, 2016 by Claus-Dieter Hillenbrand
The spatial pattern and morphometry of bedforms and their relationship to sediment thickness have been analysed in the Marguerite Bay Palaeo-ice stream Trough, western Antarctic Peninsula. Over 17 000 glacial…1 April, 2016 by Claus-Dieter Hillenbrand
Mega-scale glacial lineations (MSGLs) are highly elongate subglacial bedforms associated with ice streaming. However, the link between MSGLs and rapid ice flow is largely qualitative, and there have been few…1 April, 2016 by Emily Shuckburgh
The effective diffusivity based on passive tracer advection is used to evaluate the long-term mixing properties for the period 1980–2012 in the lower stratosphere and upper troposphere (UTLS) using data…1 April, 2016 by Teresa Kyrke-Smith
We extend the one-dimensional polymer solution theory of bacterial biofilm growth described by Winstanley et al. (2011 Proc. R. Soc. A 467, 1449–1467 (doi:10.1098/rspa.2010.0327)) to deal with the problem of…1 April, 2016 by Fausto Ferraccioli
Topography, sediment distribution, and heat flux are all key boundary conditions governing the dynamics of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS). EAIS stability is most at risk in Wilkes Land…1 April, 2016 by Catharine Horswill, Norman Ratcliffe, Philip Trathan, Richard Phillips
Intrapopulation variation in resource use occurs in many populations of generalist predators with important community and evolutionary implications. One of the hypothesised mechanisms for such widespread variation is ecological opportunity,…1 April, 2016 by Emma Cross, Lloyd Peck, Melody Clark, Simon Morley
This study investigated the effects of long-term incubation to near-future combined warming (+2 °C) and ocean acidification (−0.3 and −0.5 pH units) stressors, relative to current conditions (−0.3 °C and…1 April, 2016 by Mark Clilverd
The daily maximum relativistic electron flux at geostationary orbit can be predicted well with a set of daily averaged predictor variables including previous day's flux, seed electron flux, solar wind…28 March, 2016 by Nigel Meredith, Richard Horne, Sarah Glauert
“Peculiar” or “butterfly” electron pitch angle distributions (PADs), with minima near 90°, have recently been observed in the inner radiation belt. These electrons are traditionally treated by pure pitch angle…26 March, 2016 by Emilie Capron
Orbital tuning is central for ice core chronologies beyond annual layer counting, available back to 60 ka (i.e. thousand of years before 1950) for Greenland ice cores. While several complementary…24 March, 2016 by Carl Robinson, David Jones, Hilmar Gudmundsson
We have developed a new high-precision GNSS receiver specifically designed for long-term unattended deployments in remote areas. The receiver reports its status, and can be reprogrammed remotely, through an integrated…21 March, 2016 by Philip Trathan
We measured mercury concentration ([Hg]) and nitrogen stable isotope values (δ15N) in tail feathers that were replaced during the non-breeding period of streaked shearwaters Calonectris leucomelas that bred on 3…18 March, 2016 by David Pearce
In this study we assess global biogeography and correlation patterns among three components of microbial life: bacteria, microeukaryotes, and T4-like myoviruses. In addition to environmental and biogeographical considerations, we have…11 March, 2016 by Lloyd Peck, Simon Morley
Assessing the sensitivity of ectotherms to variability in their environment is a key challenge, especially in the face of rapid warming of the Earth's surface. Comparing the upper temperature limits…10 March, 2016 by David Pearce, Peter Convey
Planococcus rifietoensis M8T (=DSM 15069T = ATCC BAA-790T) is a halotolerant bacterium with potential plant growth promoting properties isolated from an algal mat collected from a sulfurous spring in Campania…8 March, 2016 by Mark Clilverd
The influence of solar variability on the polar atmosphere and climate due to energetic electron precipitation (EEP) has remained an open question largely due to lack of a long-term EEP…1 March, 2016 by Anje-Margriet Neutel, Michael Thorne
Stability of a dynamic equilibrium in a predator-prey system depends both on the type of functional response and on the point of equilibrium on the response curve. Saturation effects from…1 March, 2016 by Markus Frey
Variations in the stable oxygen isotope composition of atmospheric nitrate act as novel tools for studying oxidative processes taking place in the troposphere. They provide both qualitative and quantitative constraints…1 March, 2016 by Peter Convey
Studies of cryptogam responses to climate change in the polar regions are scarce because these slow-growing organisms require long-term monitoring studies. Here, we analyse the response of a lichen and…1 March, 2016
Weddell seals, Leptonychotes weddellii, are important apex predators in the food web of the Antarctic marine ecosystem. However, detailed information on their trophic relationships with cephalopods is scarce. Moreover, cephalopods…1 March, 2016 by Dani Jones, Huw Griffiths
Our understanding of how environmental change in the Southern Ocean will affect marine diversity, habitats and distribution remain limited. The habitats and distributions of Southern Ocean cephalopods are generally poorly…1 March, 2016 by Chester Sands, David Barnes, Louise Ireland, Oliver Hogg, Peter Enderlein, Simon Morley
The Southern Ocean archipelago, the South Orkney Islands (SOI), became the world's first entirely high seas marine protected area (MPA) in 2010. The SOI continental shelf (~44 000 km2), was…1 March, 2016 by Philip Trathan
Cephalopod beaks found in the diet of predators have been a major source of scientific information. In this study, we evaluated the usefulness of DNA and contaminants analysis (total mercury…1 March, 2016 by David Pearce, Peter Convey
Pseudomonas sp. strain L10.10 (=DSM 101070) is a psychrotolerant bacterium which was isolated from Lagoon Island, Antarctica. Analysis of its complete genome sequence indicates its possible role as a plant-growth…1 March, 2016
Determining patterns in annual movements of animals is an important component of population ecology, particularly for migratory birds where migration timing and routes, and wintering habitats have key bearing on…Read more on Migration timing and routes, and wintering areas of Flammulated Owls
1 March, 2016 by Katrin Linse
We report the first comparative population genetics study for vent fauna in the Southern Ocean using cytochrome C oxidase I and microsatellite markers. Three species are examined: the kiwaid squat…1 March, 2016 by Michael Dunn
Climate change, fisheries' pressure on penguin prey, and direct human disturbance of wildlife have all been implicated in causing large shifts in the abundance and distribution of penguins in the…1 March, 2016 by Peter Convey
The Antarctic region comprises the continent, the Maritime Antarctic, the sub-Antarctic islands, and the southern cold temperate islands. Continental Antarctica is devoid of insects, but elsewhere diversity varies from 2…1 March, 2016 by Jennifer Jackson
Accurate estimation of historical abundance provides an essential baseline for judging the recovery of the great whales. This is particularly challenging for whales hunted prior to twentieth century modern whaling,…1 March, 2016 by Claus-Dieter Hillenbrand
Oxygen depletion in the upper ocean is commonly associated with poor ventilation and storage of respired carbon, potentially linked to atmospheric CO2 levels. Iodine to calcium ratios (I/Ca) in recent…Read more on Oxygen depletion recorded in upper waters of the glacial Southern Ocean
1 March, 2016 by Lucy Quinn
Many wildlife studies use chemical analyses to explore spatio-temporal variation in diet, migratory patterns and contaminant exposure. Intrinsic markers are particularly valuable for studying non-breeding marine predators, when direct methods…1 March, 2016 by Richard Phillips
The conservation status and taxonomy of the three gadfly petrels that breed in Macaronesia is still discussed partly due to the scarce information on their spatial ecology. Using geolocator and…Read more on Global spatial ecology of three closely-related gadfly petrels
1 March, 2016 by John Turner, Lloyd Peck, Peter Fretwell
Climate change can have major effects on the distribution of species. In marine ecosystems, the cold waters of the Arctic have restricted warmer water species from crossing between Eurasia and…Read more on Climate change and polar range expansions: Could cuttlefish cross the Arctic?
1 March, 2016 by Emilie Capron
Interglacials, including the present (Holocene) period, are warm, low land ice extent (high sea level), end-members of glacial cycles. Based on a sea level definition, we identify eleven interglacials in…1 March, 2016 by Markus Frey
Smart et al. (2014) suggested that the detection of nitrate spikes in polar ice cores from solar energetic particle (SEP) events could be achieved if an analytical system with sufficiently…18 February, 2016 by Max Holloway
Large freshwater lakes formed in North America and Europe during deglaciation following the Last Glacial Maximum. Rapid drainage of these lakes into the Oceans resulted in abrupt perturbations in climate,…10 February, 2016 by Alexandra Weiss, John King, Thomas Lachlan-Cope
Comprehensive aircraft observations are used to characterise surface roughness over the Arctic marginal ice zone (MIZ) and consequently make recommendations for the parameterization of surface momentum exchange in the MIZ.…3 February, 2016
Glaciers are known to harbor surprisingly complex ecosystems. On their surface, distinct cylindrical holes filled with meltwater and sediments are considered as hot spots for microbial life. The present paper…3 February, 2016
Aggregations of young animals are common in a range of endothermic and ectothermic species, yet the adaptive behavior may depend on social circumstance and local conditions. In penguins, many species…1 February, 2016 by Zhaomin Wang
Desertification is an international environmental challenge which poses a risk to portions of over 100 countries. Research into desertification and climate change has the potential to contribute to natural resources…1 February, 2016 by Emma Cross, Lloyd Peck
Surface seawaters are becoming more acidic due to the absorption of rising anthropogenic CO2. Marine calcifiers are considered to be the most vulnerable organisms to ocean acidification due to the…1 February, 2016
Edward Leicester Atkinson qualified at St Thomas's Hospital in 1906 and joined the Navy in 1908. He was a doctor and parasitologist on Captain Scott's Terra Nova expedition to the…Read more on Edward Leicester Atkinson (1881-1929): Antarctic explorer, scientist and naval surgeon
1 February, 2016
Murray Levick is best known for being one of the surgeons on Scott’s Terra Nova Antarctic expedition (1910–1913) and, as a member of the Northern Party of that expedition, spending…Read more on George Murray Levick (1876-1956), Antarctic explorer
1 February, 2016 by Andrew Fleming, Kevin Hughes, Louise Ireland, Peter Convey
Vegetation is sparsely distributed over Antarctica's ice-free ground, and distinct plant communities are present in each of the continent's 15 recently identified Antarctic Conservation Biogeographic Regions (ACBRs). With rapidly increasing…1 February, 2016 by Kevin Newsham, Peter Fretwell
Soil fungi have pivotal ecological roles as decomposers, pathogens and symbionts1, 2. Alterations to their diversity arising from climate change could have substantial effects on ecosystems, particularly those undergoing rapid…Read more on Relationship between soil fungal diversity and temperature in the maritime Antarctic
1 February, 2016 by Richard Phillips
Aim Ecological niche modelling can provide valuable insight into species' environmental preferences and aid the identification of key habitats for populations of conservation concern. Here, we integrate biologging, satellite remote-sensing…1 February, 2016 by Roger Worland, Peter Convey
The Antarctic Peninsula is one of three regions of the planet that have experienced the highest rates of climate warming over recent decades. Based on a comprehensive large-scale resurvey, allowing…Read more on Vascular plant changes in extreme environments: effects of multiple drivers
1 February, 2016 by Johnnie Edmonston, Philip Trathan
Investigating the responses of marine predators to environmental features is of key importance for understanding their foraging behaviour and reproductive success. In this study we examined the foraging behaviour of…1 February, 2016 by Teal Riley
New geochronology from a thick (> 800m) basaltic succession along the eastern margin of the Antarctic Peninsula confirm a Middle Jurassic age (178 ± 1 Ma). This marginally postdates the…Read more on Evolution of the Antarctic Peninsula lithosphere: evidence from Mesozoic mafic rocks
1 February, 2016 by Andrew Orr, Daniel Bannister, James Pope, Scott Hosking, John Turner, Pranab Deb, Steve Colwell, Tony Phillips
Despite the recent significant climatic changes observed over West Antarctica, which include large warming in central West Antarctica and accelerated ice loss, adequate validation of regional simulations of meteorological variables…1 February, 2016 by Kevin Hughes, Peter Convey
The role of aerial dispersal in shaping patterns of biodiversity remains poorly understood, mainly due to a lack of coordinated efforts in gathering data at appropriate temporal and spatial scales.…Read more on Aerobiology over Antarctica – a new initiative for atmospheric ecology
1 February, 2016 by John Isles, Nigel Meredith, Richard Horne
Energetic electrons are an important space weather hazard. Electrons with energies less than about 100 keV cause surface charging while higher energy electrons can penetrate materials and cause internal charging.…1 February, 2016 by Mervyn Freeman
We describe a novel method for identifying times when a spacecraft is in Earth's magnetotail lobes solely using magnetometer data. We propose that lobe intervals can be well identified as…Read more on Identifying the magnetotail lobes with Cluster magnetometer data
1 February, 2016 by Andrew Wood, Richard Phillips
Fitness can be profoundly influenced by the age at first reproduction (AFR), but to date the AFR–fitness relationship only has been investigated intraspecifically. Here, we investigated the relationship between AFR…28 January, 2016 by Andy Smith, Dominic Hodgson, James Smith, Keith Makinson, Michael Rose
Accumulations of sediment beneath the Antarctic Ice Sheet contain a range of physical and chemical proxies with the potential to document changes in ice sheet history and to identify and…Read more on Technologies for retrieving sediment cores in Antarctic subglacial settings
28 January, 2016 by Andy Smith, Dominic Hodgson, Keith Makinson, Michael Rose
Accessing and sampling subglacial environments deep beneath the Antarctic Ice Sheet presents several challenges to existing drilling technologies. With over half of the ice sheet believed to be resting on…Read more on Clean subglacial access: prospects for future deep hot-water drilling
28 January, 2016 by David Pearce
During the attempt to directly access, measure and sample Subglacial Lake Ellsworth in 2012–2013, we conducted microbiological analyses of the drilling equipment, scientific instrumentation, field camp and natural surroundings. From…Read more on Microbiology: lessons from a first attempt at Lake Ellsworth
27 January, 2016 by Xin Yang
Multiple year-round records of bulk and size-segregated compositions of aerosol were obtained at the coastal Dumont d'Urville (DDU) and inland Concordia sites located in East Antarctica. They document the sea-salt…19 January, 2016 by Jenny Roberts, Victoria Peck
Explanations of the glacial–interglacial variations in atmospheric pCO2 invoke a significant role for the deep ocean in the storage of CO2. Deep-ocean density stratification has been proposed as a mechanism…16 January, 2016 by Andrew Orr, Scott Hosking, John Turner, Thomas Bracegirdle
The Amundsen Sea Low (ASL) is a major driver of West Antarctic climate variability, with the potential to accelerate the loss of glacial ice. Using the 11 global climate models…16 January, 2016 by Xin Yang
Ozone depletion events in the polar troposphere have been linked to extremely high concentrations of bromine, known as bromine explosion events (BEE). However, the optimum meteorological conditions for the occurrence…Read more on A case study of a transported bromine explosion event in the Canadian high arctic
14 January, 2016 by Lloyd Peck, Michael Thorne, Melody Clark, Victoria Sleight
Members of the Myidae family are ecologically and economically important, but there is currently very little molecular data on these species. The present study sequenced and assembled the mantle transcriptome…1 January, 2016 by Jane Francis
Two stratigraphically closely spaced bedding planes exposed at Lamping Peak in the Upper Buckley Formation, Beardmore Glacier area, Antarctica contain abundant in situ stumps (n=53, n=21) and other plant fossils…Read more on Highly productive polar forests from the Permian of Antarctica
1 January, 2016 by John King
Before Shackleton arrived at South Georgia aboard Endurance on 5 November 1914 he was aware that the vessel might meet bad pack-ice in the Weddell Sea. This had been forecast…Read more on Robert Mossman, Endurance and the Weddell Sea ice
1 January, 2016 by Gareth Marshall, Scott Hosking, John Turner
The Amundsen Sea Low (ASL) is a climatological low pressure center that exerts considerable influence on the climate of West Antarctica. Its potential to explain important recent changes in Antarctic…Read more on The Amundsen Sea Low: Variability, change and impact on Antarctic climate
1 January, 2016
Cephalopods have a key role in the marine environment though knowledge of their distribution and trophic ecology is limited by a lack of observations. This is particularly true for Antarctic…1 January, 2016 by Andrew Orr, John King, Thomas Lachlan-Cope
The structure of leeside warming during foehn events is investigated as a function of cross-barrier flow regime linearity. Two contrasting cases of westerly flow over the Antarctic Peninsula (AP) are…1 January, 2016 by Simon Morley
The distribution of the Southern Ocean nearshore marine benthic fauna is the consequence of major geologic, oceanographic, and climatic changes during the last 50 Ma. As a result, a main…1 January, 2016 by Peter Convey
Fungi are known to produce a range of extracellular enzymes and other secondary metabolites. Investment in extracellular enzyme production may be an important element of the survival strategy of these…Read more on Production of extracellular hydrolase enzymes by fungi from King George Island
1 January, 2016 by Louise Sime, Max Holloway
Reconstructions of salinity are used to diagnose changes in the hydrological cycle and ocean circulation. A widely used method of determining past salinity uses oxygen isotope (δOw) residuals after the…1 January, 2016 by Peter Convey
At a global scale, there is no evidence for synchronous multi-decadal warm (‘Medieval Warm Period’, MWP) or cold (‘Little Ice Age’, LIA) periods in the late Holocene. On the other…1 January, 2016 by Lloyd Peck, Michael Thorne, Melody Clark
Understanding species’ responses to environmental challenges is key to predicting future biodiversity. However, there is currently little data on how developmental stages affect responses and also whether universal gene biomarkers…Read more on Age-related thermal response: the cellular resilience of juveniles
1 January, 2016 by John Turner, Liz Thomas
This study presents a high-resolution (~ 5.5 km) estimate of Surface Mass Balance (SMB) over the period 1979–2014 for the Antarctic Peninsula (AP), generated by the regional atmospheric climate model…1 January, 2016 by Alexandra Weiss, John King, Thomas Lachlan-Cope
Eight atmospheric reanalyses were compared against observed vertical profiles of temperature, specific humidity and wind speed collected by two research aircraft in February–March 2010 in the Antarctic Peninsula region. These…Read more on Validation of eight atmospheric reanalyses in the Antarctic Peninsula region
1 January, 2016 by Gabriele Stowasser, Richard Phillips, Rocio Moreno
Summary 1.Understanding interspecific interactions, and the influences of anthropogenic disturbance and environmental change on communities, are key challenges in ecology. Despite the pressing need to understand these fundamental drivers of…1 January, 2016 by Lloyd Peck
Temperature affects biological functions by altering reaction rates. Physiological rates usually double to treble for every 10°C rise, and 1–4 fold encompasses normal biological functions. However, in polar marine species…1 January, 2016 by Dominic Hodgson, Stephen Roberts
A regional network of quantitative reconstructions of past climate variability is required to test climate models. In recent studies, temperature calibration models based on the relative abundances of sedimentary glycerol…1 January, 2016 by Dave Munday
Adrian Gill’s (1968) model of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) is reinterpreted for a stratified, reduced-gravity ocean, where the barotropic streamfunction is replaced by the pycnocline depth, and the bottom…1 January, 2016 by Lloyd Peck
This paper presents the results of our seventh annual horizon scan, in which we aimed to identify issues that could have substantial effects on global biological diversity in the future,…Read more on A horizon scan of global conservation issues for 2016
1 January, 2016 by Michael Meredith
The Southern Ocean exerts a profound influence on the functioning of the Earth System, in part because its location and unique bathymetric configuration enable direct linkages to the other major…1 January, 2016 by Paul Rodhouse
The jumbo, or Humboldt, squid Dosidicus gigas currently accounts for about one third of total world squid landings ( Arkhipkin et al., 2015). It is the largest and most abundant…Read more on Jumbo squid in the eastern Pacific Ocean: A quarter century of challenges and change
1 January, 2016 by Michael Meredith, Paul Holland
The thermodynamic balance of the Weddell Gyre is assessed from an inverse estimate of the circulation across the gyre's rim. The gyre experiences a weak net buoyancy gain that arises…1 January, 2016 by David Pearce, Michael Thorne, Will Goodall-Copestake
Recent attempts to explore marine microbial diversity and the global marine microbiome have indicated a large proportion of previously unknown diversity. However, sequencing alone does not tell the whole story,…1 January, 2016 by David Barnes, Lloyd Peck, Simon Morley
Seasonal measurements of the metabolic physiology of four Antarctic demosponges and their associated assemblages, maintained in a flow through aquarium facility, demonstrated one of the largest differences in seasonal strategies…Read more on Extreme phenotypic plasticity in metabolic physiology of Antarctic demosponges
1 January, 2016 by Jaume Forcada
Females of many species adaptively program their offspring to predictable environmental conditions, a process that is often mediated by hormones. Laboratory studies have shown, for instance, that social density affects…1 January, 2016 by Lloyd Peck, Melody Clark, Sabrina Heiser
Cold polar marine species have very slow embryonic and larval development rates. Antarctic echinoids, bivalve molluscs and brooding gastropods develop up to 12 times slower than temperate and tropical species,…Read more on Very slow embryonic and larval development in the Antarctic limpet Nacella polaris
1 January, 2016 by Hugh Corr, Keith Nicholls
Antarctica's ice shelves are thinning at an increasing rate, affecting their buttressing ability. Channels in the ice shelf base unevenly distribute melting, and their evolution provides insight into changing subglacial…1 January, 2016 by Mark Clilverd
The solar minimum of 2007–2010 was unusually deep and long lived. In the later stages of this period the electron fluxes in the radiation belts dropped to extremely low levels.…1 January, 2016 by Ingrid Cnossen
Previous studies have revealed that ion drift and neutral wind speeds at ~400 km in the polar cap (>80° magnetic latitude) are on average larger in the Northern Hemisphere (NH) than…1 January, 2016 by Kelly Hogan
The provenance of sand-sized ice-rafted debris (IRD) sourced from Greenland is currently difficult to determine. Such knowledge, if it could be ascertained with a high degree of certainty, could be…1 January, 2016 by Kelly Hogan
New geophysical techniques (multibeam echo sounding and 3D seismics) have revolutionized high-resolution imaging of the modern seafloor and palaeo-shelf surfaces in Arctic and Antarctic waters, generating vast quantities of data…Read more on Atlas of submarine glacial landforms: Modern, Quaternary and Ancient