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The Amundsen Sea and the Antarctic Ice Sheet
1 January, 2012 by Adrian Jenkins
A few decades ago, Antarctic ice sheets were expected to grow as the atmosphere warmed and increasing poleward moisture transport added snowfall to regions that would remain below freezing year-round.…Observations of enhanced thinning in the upper reaches of Svalbard glaciers
1 January, 2012 by Adrian Fox
Changes in the volume and extent of land ice of the Svalbard archipelago have been the subject of considerable research since their sensitivity to changes in climate was first noted.…Read more on Observations of enhanced thinning in the upper reaches of Svalbard glaciers
Patterns of marine bacterioplankton biodiversity in the surface waters of the Scotia Arc, Southern Ocean
1 January, 2012 by David Pearce
Spatial patchiness in marine surface bacterioplankton populations was investigated in the Southern Ocean, where the Antarctic Circumpolar Current meets the islands of the Scotia Arc and is subjected to terrestrial…Autonomous underwater vehicle exploration of the ocean cavity beneath an Antarctic ice shelf
1 January, 2012 by Adrian Jenkins, Pierre Dutrieux
In recent years, mass loss from the Antarctic Ice Sheet has contributed nearly 0.5 mm yr–1 to global mean sea level rise, about one-sixth of the current rate (Church et…Identifying migratory pathways used by Rusty Blackbirds breeding in Southcentral Alaska
1 January, 2012
We placed light-level geolocators on 17 Rusty Blackbirds (Euphagus carolinus) in 2009 to track their migrations from nest sites near Anchorage, Alaska to wintering areas and back. We recaptured three…Read more on Identifying migratory pathways used by Rusty Blackbirds breeding in Southcentral Alaska
The deglacial history of NW Alexander Island, Antarctica, from surface exposure dating
1 January, 2012 by Joanne Johnson, Philip Leat
Recent changes along the margins of the Antarctic Peninsula, such as the collapse of the Wilkins Ice Shelf, have highlighted the effects of climatic warming on the Antarctic Peninsula Ice…Read more on The deglacial history of NW Alexander Island, Antarctica, from surface exposure dating
Dynamic seasonal cycling of inorganic carbon downstream of South Georgia, Southern Ocean
1 January, 2012 by Hugh Venables
The influence of the island mass effect of South Georgia on the seasonal marine carbon cycle was investigated during austral summer (January–February) 2008. South Georgia (54–55°S 36–38°W) lies on the…Autocorrelation characteristics of the surface ocean pCO2 and air-sea CO2 fluxes
1 January, 2012
Understanding the variability and coherence of surface ocean pCO2 on a global scale can provide insights into its physical and biogeochemical drivers and inform future samplings strategies and data assimilation…Read more on Autocorrelation characteristics of the surface ocean pCO2 and air-sea CO2 fluxes
Multi-decadal survival of an Antarctic nematode, Plectus murrayi, in a -20C degree stored moss sample
1 January, 2012 by Peter Convey
It is not clear for how long Antarctic soil nematodes might tolerate freezing. Samples of the Antarctic moss, Bryum argenteum, were collected on 1 October 1983 at Langhovde, Soya coast,…A ‘continuity-index’ for assessing ice-sheet dynamics from radar-sounded internal layers
1 January, 2012 by David Vaughan
Radio-echo sounding (RES) of polar ice sheets reveals extensive internal layering. The degree of continuity of internal layering holds critical information about the ice-flow field, but previous analyses of this…Marine and terrestrial environmental changes in NW Europe preceding carbon release at the Paleocene-Eocene transition
1 January, 2012 by Victoria Peck
Environmental changes associated with the Paleocene–Eocene thermal maximum (PETM, ∼56 Ma) have not yet been documented in detail from the North Sea Basin. Located within proximity to the North Atlantic…The role of fish as predators of krill (Euphausia superba) and other pelagic resources in the Southern Ocean
1 January, 2012 by Mark Belchier
Krill forms an important part of the diet of many Antarctic fish species. An understanding of the role of fish as krill predators in the Southern Ocean is critical to…A marine diatom record from the Amundsen Sea — Insights into oceanographic and climatic response to the Mid-Pleistocene Transition in the West Antarctic sector of the Southern Ocean
1 January, 2012 by Claus-Dieter Hillenbrand
The goal of this study is to assess the changes that have occurred during the Mid-Pleistocene Transition, an important transitional period in cryosphere evolution, by examining the siliceous microfossil record…Regional and seasonal differences in microplankton biomass, productivity, and structure across the Scotia Sea: Implications for the export of biogenic carbon
1 January, 2012 by Hugh Venables, Peter Ward
Surveys of the microplankton communities of the Scotia Sea, Southern Ocean, were carried out during three separate seasons of interest, spring, summer, and autumn of consecutive years. The surveys were…The influence of eddy parameterizations on the transport of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current in coupled climate models
1 January, 2012 by Zhaomin Wang
The transport of the AntarcticCircumpolarCurrent (ACC) varies strongly across the coupled GCMs (general circulation models) used for the IPCC AR4. This note shows that a large fraction of this across-model…Multi-decadal glacier surface lowering in the Antarctic Peninsula
1 January, 2012 by Adrian Fox, David Vaughan
From approximately 400 glaciers of the western Antarctic Peninsula, no in situ records of mass balance exist and their recent contribution to sea level is consequently poorly constrained. We seek…Read more on Multi-decadal glacier surface lowering in the Antarctic Peninsula
Centennial mineral dust variability in high-resolution ice core data from Dome C, Antarctica
1 January, 2012
Ice core data from Antarctica provide detailed insights into the characteristics of past climate, atmospheric circulation, as well as changes in the aerosol load of the atmosphere. We present high-resolution…Late Quaternary grounded ice extent in the Filchner Trough, Weddell Sea, Antarctica: new marine geophysical evidence
1 January, 2012 by Claus-Dieter Hillenbrand, James Smith, Robert Larter
The Last Glacial Maximum (LGM; ca 23–19 ka BP) extent of grounded ice in the Filchner Trough, a major cross shelf trough extending seaward from the Filchner Ice Shelf in…Geology of Graham Land
1 January, 2012 by Adrian Fox, Philip Leat
Exploring Pandora’s Box: potential and pitfalls of low coverage genome surveys for evolutionary biology
1 January, 2012 by Chester Sands, Jennifer Jackson, Katrin Linse, Will Goodall-Copestake
High throughput sequencing technologies are revolutionizing genetic research. With this ‘‘rise of the machines’’, genomic sequences can be obtained even for unknown genomes within a short time and for reasonable…Trophic interaction of invertebrate zooplankton on either side of the Charlie Gibbs Fracture Zone/Subpolar Front of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge
1 January, 2012
Trophic relationships and vertical distribution patterns of dominant mesozooplankton (2–20 mm) and macrozooplankton (>20 mm) invertebrates (Euphausiacea, Copepoda, Decapoda, Amphipoda, Thecosomata and Lophogastrida) were investigated within the epi- and meso-pelagic…Intrinsic determinants of a population trend in timing of breeding in the wandering albatross
1 January, 2012 by Andrew Wood, Richard Phillips
Numerous studies of wild animal species have documented that population level responses to environmental change are underpinned by individual level phenotypic plasticity. However, where the relationship between an individual trait…Antarctic palaeo-ice streams
1 January, 2012 by Claus-Dieter Hillenbrand
We review the geomorphological, sedimentological and chronological evidence for palaeo-icestreams on the continental shelf of Antarctica and use this information to investigate basal conditions and processes, and to identify factors…Spatially integrated assessment reveals widespread changes in penguin populations on the Antarctic Peninsula
1 January, 2012 by Philip Trathan
As important marine mesopredators and sensitive indicators of Antarctic ecosystem change, penguins have been a major focus of long-term biological research in the Antarctic. However, the vast majority of such…First Molecular Evidence for Underestimated Biodiversity of Rhachotropis (Crustacea, Amphipoda), with Description of a New Species
1 January, 2012 by Katrin Linse
The crustacean genus Rhachotropis has a worldwide distribution and amongst the largest bathymetric range known from any amphipod genus. DNA barcoding of new material from around New Zealand and the…High genetic diversity within Epimeria georgiana (Amphipoda) from the southern Scotia Arc
1 January, 2012 by Katrin Linse
DNA barcoding revealed four well-supported clades among amphipod specimens that keyed out to Epimeria georgiana Schellenberg, 1931, three clades with specimens from the southern Scotia Arc and one clade with…Antarctic macrozooplankton of the southwest Atlantic sector and Bellingshausen Sea: Baseline historical distributions (Discovery Investigations, 1928–1935) related to temperature and food, with projections for subsequent ocean warming
1 January, 2012 by Eugene Murphy, Nadine Johnston, Peter Ward, Simeon Hill
Since the Discovery Investigations of the 1920s and 1930s, seawater temperatures have increased in the Atlantic sector by ∼1 °C; greater than the global mean rise. The aims of this…Wintering areas of Great Skuas Stercorarius skua breeding in Scotland, Iceland and Norway
1 January, 2012 by Richard Phillips
Capsule Great Skuas Stercorarius skua breeding in Scotland, Iceland, and Norway, winter in different areas. Aims To assess the winter distribution of adult Great Skuas breeding in different countries. Methods…Diurnal and semidiurnal tide-induced lateral movement of Ronne Ice Shelf, Antarctica
1 January, 2012 by Hilmar Gudmundsson, Keith Makinson, Keith Nicholls
Recent GPS observations from a spatially extensive network across Ronne Ice Shelf show significant daily ice flow variations. At all sites, the almost-synchronous horizontal displacements occur at diurnal and semidiurnal…Read more on Diurnal and semidiurnal tide-induced lateral movement of Ronne Ice Shelf, Antarctica
Microdistribution of faunal assemblages at deep-sea hydrothermal vents in the Southern Ocean
1 January, 2012 by Katrin Linse
Chemosynthetic primary production by microbes supports abundant faunal assemblages at deep-sea hydrothermal vents, with zonation of invertebrate species typically occurring along physico-chemical gradients. Recently discovered vent fields on the East…Effects of nonlinear rheology, temperature and anisotropy on the relationship between age and depth at ice divides
1 January, 2012 by Carlos Martin Garcia, Hilmar Gudmundsson
Ice flow in divide areas is strongly anisotropic. The evolution of ice fabric, from the onset of divide flow towards steady state with a fully developed fabric, has been shown…Better constraints on the sea-ice state using global sea-ice data assimilation
1 January, 2012 by Pierre Mathiot
Short-term and decadal sea-ice prediction systems need a realistic initial state, generally obtained using ice–ocean model simulations with data assimilation. However, only sea-ice concentration and velocity data are currently assimilated.…Read more on Better constraints on the sea-ice state using global sea-ice data assimilation
Small-scale estimation of relative abundance for the coastal spotted dolphins (Stenella attenuata) in Costa Rica: the effect of habitat and seasonality
1 January, 2012 by Jaume Forcada
The coastal spotted dolphin (Stenella attenuata graffmani) is one of the most common species of dolphin in inshore Pacific waters of Costa Rica. We conducted surveys in protected waters of…Sensitivity of the overturning circulation in the Southern Ocean to decadal changes in wind forcing
1 January, 2012 by Michael Meredith
The sensitivity of the overturning circulation in the Southern Ocean to the recent decadal strengthening of the overlying winds is being discussed intensely, with some works attributing an inferred saturation…Feedback spectra of soil food webs across a complexity gradient, and the importance of three-species loops to stability
1 January, 2012 by Anje-Margriet Neutel
It has been shown that in real food webs, the strongest omnivorous feedback, a three-link positive feedback, is a good indicator of system stability, suggesting that the strongest positive feedback…Occurrence of the on-native annual Bluegrass on the Antarctic mainland and its negative effects on native plants
1 January, 2012 by Peter Convey
Few non-native species have colonized Antarctica, although increased human activity and accelerated climate change may increase their number, distributional range, and effects on native species on the continent. We searched…Tracking seabirds to identify ecologically important and high risk marine areas in the western North Atlantic
1 January, 2012 by Richard Phillips
Protection of the marine environment lags far behind that of terrestrial domains. To help ameliorate this circumstance, top predators are being tracked to identify important ocean habitats, biodiversity hotspots and…Physiological plasticity, long term resistance or acclimation to temperature, in the Antarctic bivalve, Laternula elliptica
1 January, 2012 by Lloyd Peck, Michael Thorne, Simon Morley
To further investigate the previously reported limited acclimation capacities of Antarctic marine stenotherms, the Antarctic mud clam, Laternula elliptica (King and Broderip, 1830–1831), was incubated at 3.0 °C for 89…Spatial and temporal variation in the heat tolerance limits of two abundant Southern Ocean invertebrates
1 January, 2012 by Lloyd Peck, Melody Clark, Simon Morley
While, in lower latitudes, population-level differences in heat tolerance are linked to temperature variability, in the Southern Ocean remarkably stable year-round temperatures prevail. Temporal variation in the physiology of Antarctic…Thermal reaction norms and the scale of temperature variation: latitudinal vulnerability of intertidal Nacellid limpets to climate change
1 January, 2012 by Michael Thorne, Simon Morley
The thermal reaction norms of 4 closely related intertidal Nacellid limpets, Antarctic (Nacella concinna), New Zealand (Cellana ornata), Australia (C. tramoserica) and Singapore (C. radiata), were compared across environments with…Inter-breeding movements of little auks Alle alle reveal a key post-breeding staging area in the Greenland Sea
1 January, 2012 by Richard Phillips
Seabirds are important components in marine ecosystems. However, knowledge of their ecology and spatial distribution during the non-breeding season is poor. More investigations during this critical period are required urgently,…Energy and ozone fluxes over sea ice
1 January, 2012 by Howard Roscoe
We present surface layer measurements made over Hudson Bay seaice during February/March 2008 from the COBRA (Impact of combined iodine and bromine release on the Arctic atmosphere) experiment which formed…Recent Antarctic Peninsula warming relative to Holocene climate and ice shelf history
1 January, 2012 by Louise Sime, Richard Hindmarsh, Robert Mulvaney, Richard Hindmarsh
Rapid warming over the past 50 years on the Antarctic Peninsula is associated with the collapse of a number of ice shelves and accelerating glacier mass loss1, 2, 3, 4, 5,…Read more on Recent Antarctic Peninsula warming relative to Holocene climate and ice shelf history
Spatial and Temporal Operation of the Scotia Sea Ecosystem
1 January, 2012 by Andrew Clarke, Andrew Fleming, Eugene Murphy, Geraint Tarling, Iain Staniland, Jaume Forcada, Jonathan Watkins, Martin Collins, Michael Meredith, Nadine Johnston, Peter Enderlein, Paul Rodhouse, Philip Trathan, Peter Ward, Rachel Cavanagh, Sally Thorpe, Simeon Hill
Analysis of the operation of ocean ecosystems requires an understanding of how the structure of the ecosystem is determined by interactions between physical, chemical and biological processes. Such analysis needs…Read more on Spatial and Temporal Operation of the Scotia Sea Ecosystem
Developing integrated models of Southern Ocean food webs: including ecological complexity, accounting for uncertainty and the importance of scale
1 January, 2012 by Eugene Murphy, Nadine Johnston, Philip Trathan, Rachel Cavanagh, Simeon Hill
The Southern Ocean supports diverse and unique ecosystems that have been impacted by more than two centuries of exploitation and are now experiencing rapid changes in ocean temperature and seasonal…End-to-end in Southern Ocean ecosystems
1 January, 2012 by Eugene Murphy
Southern Ocean ecosystems matter for us all because they are important in Earth System processes and contribute to food security; they are also undergoing some of the most rapid changes…The Southern Ocean Observing System
1 January, 2012 by Michael Meredith
Due to its position as the principal connector of the major ocean basins, the Southern Ocean strongly impacts climate, sea level, biogeochemical cycles and biological productivity on a global scale.…Efficient diffuse auroral electron scattering by electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic waves in the outer magnetosphere: A detailed case study
1 January, 2012 by Richard Horne
This paper is a companion to a paper by Liang et al. (2011) which reports a causal connection between the intensification of electrostatic ECH waves and the postmidnight diffuse auroral…Rock debris in an Antarctic ice shelf
1 January, 2012 by Hugh Corr, Keith Makinson, Keith Nicholls
We have discovered a band of stones and coarse sand in the Ronne Ice Shelf, Antarctica, some 60m above the ice shelf’s base, 40km from its seaward edge and 420km…Inbreeding and inbreeding depression of early life traits in a cooperative mammal
1 January, 2012 by Will Goodall-Copestake
Mating between relatives often results in negative fitness consequences or inbreeding depression. However, the expression of inbreeding in populations of wild cooperative mammals and the effects of environmental, maternal and…Read more on Inbreeding and inbreeding depression of early life traits in a cooperative mammal
Greater supply of Patagonian-sourced detritus and transport by the ACC to the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean during the last glacial period
1 January, 2012 by Claus-Dieter Hillenbrand
Reconstructing past detrital flux and provenance in the SouthernOcean provides information about changes in source regions associated with climate variations and transport pathways. We present a LastGlacial Maximum (LGM) to…Use of Deschampsia antarctica for nest building by the kelp gull in the Argentine Islands area (maritime Antarctica) and its possible role in plant dispersal
1 January, 2012 by Peter Convey
During the last 50 years, the western coast of the Antarctic Peninsula and adjacent archipelagos, also known as the maritime Antarctic, has experienced notable climate warming. As a result, expansion…Antarctic Lakes as Models for the Study of Microbial Biodiversity, Biogeography and Evolution
1 January, 2012 by Andrew Clarke, David Pearce, Eugene Murphy, Nadine Johnston
The Antarctic continent is almost entirely covered by a vast icecap that reaches 4 km in thickness. Despite this, the continent possesses a remarkable array of lake ecosystems, many of…Metagenomic analysis of a a southern maritime Antarctic soil
1 January, 2012 by David Pearce, Kevin Newsham, Michael Thorne
Our current understanding of Antarctic soils is derived from direct culture on selective media, biodiversity studies based on clone library construction and analysis, quantitative PCR amplification of specific gene sequences…Read more on Metagenomic analysis of a a southern maritime Antarctic soil
Heterotrophic bacterial diversity in aquatic microbial mat communities from Antarctica
1 January, 2012 by Dominic Hodgson, Peter Convey
Heterotrophic bacteria isolated from five aquatic microbial mat samples from different locations in continental Antarctica and the Antarctic Peninsula were compared to assess their biodiversity. A total of 2,225 isolates…Read more on Heterotrophic bacterial diversity in aquatic microbial mat communities from Antarctica
Hebesuncus mollispinus (Eutardigrada, Hypsibiidae), a new species from maritime Antarctica
1 January, 2012 by Sandra McInnes, Sandra McInnes
A new species of eutardigrade, Hebesuncus mollispinus, sp.nov. is described from Charcot Island, maritime Antarctica. The three knowm species of Hebesuncus are either widespread with questionable reports from the Antarctic…Sex-specific foraging strategies throughout the breeding season in a tropical, sexually monomorphic small petrel
1 January, 2012 by Richard Phillips
Two hypotheses have been proposed to explain sex-related differences in foraging in sexually monomorphic seabirds. The ‘intersexual competition’ hypothesis suggests that parents are in competition and that the dominated sex…Wax ester composition influences the diapause patterns in the copepod Calanoides acutus
1 January, 2012 by Geraint Tarling, Peter Ward
Many calanoid copepods inhabiting high latitude environments overwinter at depth in the water column in a state of diapause and the large wax ester reserves that they contain are central…Read more on Wax ester composition influences the diapause patterns in the copepod Calanoides acutus
The physical properties of lipids and their role in controlling the distribution of zooplankton in the oceans
1 January, 2012
A new perspective on the role of lipids in zooplankton is proposed, with solid–liquid phase transitions of lipids being a factor regulating their buoyancy. These phase transitions are controlled by…Diet and growth rates of Meganyctiphanes norvegica in autumn
1 January, 2012 by Geraint Tarling
Fatty acid biomarkers analysis was performed on juvenile and adult northern krill (Meganyctiphanes norvegica) to determine variability in diet between individuals and the consequences for their growth rates. Animals were…Read more on Diet and growth rates of Meganyctiphanes norvegica in autumn
Antarctic ice-sheet loss driven by basal melting of ice shelves
1 January, 2012 by David Vaughan, Hamish Pritchard
Accurate prediction of global sea-level rise requires that we understand the cause of recent, widespread and intensifying1, 2 glacier acceleration along Antarctic ice-sheet coastal margins3. Atmospheric and oceanic forcing have…Read more on Antarctic ice-sheet loss driven by basal melting of ice shelves
Future Flows Climate: an ensemble of 1-km climate change projections for hydrological application in Great Britain
1 January, 2012
The dataset Future Flows Climate was developed as part of the project ''Future Flows and Groundwater Levels'' to provide a consistent set of climate change projections for the whole of…Mechanisms Defining Thermal Limits and Adaptation in Marine Ectotherms: An Integrative View
1 January, 2012 by Andrew Clarke, Eugene Murphy, Lloyd Peck, Nadine Johnston
It is widely accepted that marine biogeography is largely shaped by direct effects of temperature (Angel, 1991; Murawski, 1993). Temperature also influences biodiversity patterns at various latitudes (e.g.,Royet al.,1998; Astorga…Phytoplankton phenology in the global ocean
1 January, 2012
In recent years, phytoplankton phenology has been proposed as an indicator to monitor systematically the state of the pelagic ecosystem and to detect changes triggered by perturbation of the environmental…A review of the diet and at-sea distribution of penguins breeding within the CAMLR Convention Area
1 January, 2012 by Norman Ratcliffe, Philip Trathan
Managing fisheries in an ecologically sensitive manner demands that catches do not depress stocks within the foraging areas used by predators to levels that reduce their reproductive success or survival.…The breeding cycle, year-round distribution and activity patterns of the endangered Chatham Petrel (Pterodroma axillaris)
1 January, 2012 by Richard Phillips
Petrels are highly mobile seabirds that face many threats and whose conservation is frequently hampered by a lack of understanding of their biology at sea. We used a combination of…Shifting baselines in Antarctic ecosystems; ecophysiological response to warming in Lissarca miliaris at Signy Island, Antarctica
1 January, 2012 by Katrin Linse
The Antarctic Peninsula has experienced a rapid increase in atmospheric temperature over the last 50 years. Whether or not marine organisms thriving in this cold stenothermal environment are able to…Advective pathways near the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula: Trends, variability and ecosystem implications
1 January, 2012 by Angelika Renner, Eugene Murphy, Jonathan Watkins, Michael Meredith, Sally Thorpe
Pathways and rates of ocean flow near the Antarctic Peninsula are strongly affected by frontal features, forcings from the atmosphere and the cryosphere. In the surface mixed layer, the currents…Thermal acclimation capacity for four Arctic marine benthic species
1 January, 2012 by Lloyd Peck, Simon Morley
There are areas on Earth where it is pressing that we obtain an understanding of the thermal limits and acclimationcapacities of the species living there. These are the zones where…Read more on Thermal acclimation capacity for four Arctic marine benthic species
U–Pb ion-microprobe zircon geochronology from the basement inliers of eastern Graham Land, Antarctic Peninsula
1 January, 2012 by Teal Riley
New geological mapping combined with U–Pb ion microprobe zircon geochronology on the isolated but locally extensive exposures of crystalline basement inliers of eastern Graham Land has greatly improved our understanding…Chrono- and lithostratigraphy of a Mesozoic–Tertiary fore- to intra-arc basin: Adelaide Island, Antarctic Peninsula
1 January, 2012 by Teal Riley
The Mesozoic fore-arc of the Antarctic Peninsula is exposed along its west coast. On Adelaide Island, a 2–3 km succession of turbiditic coarse sandstones and volcanic rocks is exposed. Four…The Southern Ocean Observing System
1 January, 2012 by Michael Meredith
The Southern Ocean includes the only latitude band where the ocean circles the earth unobstructed by continental boundaries. This accident of geography has profound consequences for global ocean circulation, biogeochemical…Contrasting the responses of three different ground-based instruments to energetic electron precipitation
1 January, 2012 by Mark Clilverd
In order to make best use of the opportunities provided by space missions such as the Radiation Belt Storm Probes, we determine the response of complementary subionospheric radiowave propagation measurements…Antarctic Ecosystems: An Extreme Environment in a Changing World
1 January, 2012 by Andrew Clarke, Eugene Murphy, Nadine Johnston
Since its discovery Antarctica has held a deep fascination for biologists. Extreme environmental conditions, seasonality and isolation have lead to some of the most striking examples of natural selection and…Read more on Antarctic Ecosystems: An Extreme Environment in a Changing World
The discovery of new deep-sea hydrothermal vent communities in the Southern Ocean and implications for biogeography
1 January, 2012 by Andrew Clarke, David Pearce, Katrin Linse, Robert Larter
Since the first discovery of deep-sea hydrothermal vents along the Galápagos Rift in 1977, numerous vent sites and endemic faunal assemblages have been found along mid-ocean ridges and back-arc basins…Long-range transport of pollutants to the Falkland Islands and Antarctica: evidence from lake sediment fly ash particle records
1 January, 2012 by Dominic Hodgson
210Pb-dated sediment cores taken from lakes on the Falkland Islands, the South Orkney Islands, and the Larsemann Hills in Antarctica were analyzed for fly ash particles to assess the temporal…Steep reverse bed slope at the grounding line of the Weddell Sea sector in West Antarctica
1 January, 2012 by Fausto Ferraccioli, Hugh Corr, Tom Jordan
The bed of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is, in places, more than 1.5 km below sea level1, 2. It has been suggested that a positive ice-loss feedback may occur when…Localized subduction of anthropogenic carbon dioxide in the Southern Hemisphere oceans
1 January, 2012 by Jean-Baptiste Sallee
The oceans slow the rate of climate change by absorbing about 25% of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions annually. The Southern Ocean makes a substantial contribution to this oceanic carbon sink:…Read more on Localized subduction of anthropogenic carbon dioxide in the Southern Hemisphere oceans
Late Holocene changes in precipitation in northwest Tasmania and their potential links to shifts in the Southern Hemisphere westerly winds
1 January, 2012 by Dominic Hodgson
Accurate projections of future climate changes in regions susceptible to drought depend on a good understanding of past climate changes and the processes driving them. In the absence of longer…Utility of 18-kHz acoustic data for abundance estimation of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus)
1 January, 2012 by Ryan Saunders
Current acoustic survey protocols for Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) abundance estimation are principally dependent upon 38-kHz backscatter data. This can constitute a substantial problem for robust stock assessment when 38-kHz…Frontal zones, temperature gradient and depth characterize the foraging habitat of king penguins at South Georgia
1 January, 2012 by Annette Scheffer, Philip Trathan
Investigating the responses of marine predators to oceanographic structures is of key importance for understanding their foraging behaviour and reproductive success. Using Global Positioning System (GPS) and Time-Depth-Temperature-Recorder (TDR) tags,…Early spawning of Antarctic krill in the Scotia Sea is fuelled by “superfluous” feeding on non-ice associated phytoplankton blooms
1 January, 2012 by Hugh Venables
The spawning success of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) is generally assumed to depend on substantial winter sea ice extent, as ice biota can serve as a food source during winter/spring…Implementing a Southern Ocean Observing System
1 January, 2012 by Michael Meredith
The Southern Ocean is fundamental to the operation of the Earth system. It is the central connection among the major ocean basins and between the upper and lower layers of…Seasonal and spatial influences on gene expression in Antarctic krill Euphausia superba
1 January, 2012 by Andrew Fleming, Geraint Tarling, Will Goodall-Copestake
The high latitudes inhabited by Antarctic krill Euphausia superba Dana are characterised by extreme changes in seasonal conditions, with very low food availability, long periods of darkness and a massive…Read more on Seasonal and spatial influences on gene expression in Antarctic krill Euphausia superba
Production of Lovastatin by Penicillium spp. Soil microfungi
1 January, 2012 by Peter Convey
Lovastatin is an important fungal secondary metabolite inhibiting the enzyme which catalyzes a rate-limiting step in the biosynthesis of cholesterol. As microfungi of the genus Penicillium are active producers of…Read more on Production of Lovastatin by Penicillium spp. Soil microfungi
Icebergs and sea ice
1 January, 2012 by Adrian Fox, Jonathan Shanklin
Weather and climate
1 January, 2012 by Adrian Fox, Jonathan Shanklin
Basal and field metabolic rates of Streaked Shearwater during the chick-rearing period
1 January, 2012 by Philip Trathan
The energetics of adult Streaked Shearwaters Calonectris leucomelas during the chick-rearing period were examined on Awa Island, Japan, in 2008 and 2009. Basal metabolic rates (BMR) were quantified using an…Read more on Basal and field metabolic rates of Streaked Shearwater during the chick-rearing period
Climate science, the public and the news media. Summary findings of a survey and focus groups conducted in the UK in March 2011
1 January, 2012 by Emily Shuckburgh
This report examines public attitudes to climate science and its representation in the news media. It details the results of a survey of the UK population conducted in March 2011,…Clean access, measurement, and sampling of Ellsworth Subglacial Lake: a method for exploring deep Antarctic subglacial lake environments
1 January, 2012 by Andy Smith, Andrew Tait, Dominic Hodgson, David Pearce, Rachel Clarke
Antarctic subglacial lakes are thought to be extreme habitats for microbial life and may contain important records of ice sheet history and climate change within their lake floor sediments. To…