ALBERT

Beschreibung: A two day workshop on Southern Ocean cephalopods was held in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia prior to the triennial 2006 Cephalopod International Advisory Council (CIAC) symposium. The workshop provided a second international forum to present the current state of research and new directions since the last Southern Ocean cephalopod meeting held in 1993. A major focus of the workshop was trophic ecology and the use of a variety of tools that can be applied in Southern Ocean trophic studies for both cephalopod and predator researchers. New tools that are being used as trophic indicators and tracers in food chain pathways include stable isotope, heavy metal and fatty acid signature analysis. Progress is also being made on understanding squid population dynamics in relation to other key components of the ecosystem by incorporating squid data in ecosystem models. Genetic barcoding is now of great value to fish taxonomy as well as other groups and it is expected that a cephalopod barcoding initiative will be an important tool for cephalopod taxonomy. There is a current initiative to produce a new cephalopod beak identification guide to assist predator biologists in identifying cephalopod prey items. There were also general discussions on specific taxonomic issues, Southern Ocean Cephalopod paralarvae and parasites, and suggestions for future CIAC workshop topics.

Beschreibung: A new field of study, "decadal prediction," is emerging in climate science. Decadal prediction lies between seasonal/interannual forecasting and longer-term climate change projections, and focuses on time-evolving regional climate conditions over the next 10-30 yr. Numerous assessments of climate information user needs have identified this time scale as being important to infrastructure planners, water resource managers, and many others. It is central to the information portfolio required to adapt effectively to and through climatic changes. At least three factors influence time-evolving regional climate at the decadal time scale: 1) climate change commitment (further warming as the coupled climate system comes into adjustment with increases of greenhouse gases that have already occurred), 2) external forcing, particularly from future increases of greenhouse gases and recovery of the ozone hole, and 3) internally generated variability. Some decadal prediction skill has been demonstrated to arise from the first two of these factors, and there is evidence that initialized coupled climate models can capture mechanisms of internally generated decadal climate variations, thus increasing predictive skill globally and particularly regionally. Several methods have been proposed for initializing global coupled climate models for decadal predictions, all of which involve global time-evolving threedimensional ocean data, including temperature and salinity. An experimental framework to address decadal predictability/prediction is described in this paper and has been incorporated into the coordinated Coupled Model Intercomparison Model, phase 5 (CMIP5) experiments, some of which will be assessed for the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (AR5). These experiments will likely guide work in this emerging field over the next 5 yr.

Beschreibung: Piceamycin, a new macrolactam polyketide antibiotic, was detected by HPLC-diode array screening in extracts of Streptomyces sp. GB 4-2, which was isolated from the mycorrhizosphere of Norway spruce. The structure of piceamycin was determined by mass spectrometry and NMR experiments. It showed inhibitory activity against Gram-positive bacteria, selected human tumor cell lines and protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B. The Journal of Antibiotics (2009) 62, 513-518; doi:10.1038/ja.2009.64; published online 17 July 2009

Beschreibung: The history of the Arctic Ocean during the Cenozoic era (0–65 million years ago) is largely unknown from direct evidence. Here we present a Cenozoic palaeoceanographic record constructed from 〉400 m of sediment core from a recent drilling expedition to the Lomonosov ridge in the Arctic Ocean. Our record shows a palaeoenvironmental transition from a warm 'greenhouse' world, during the late Palaeocene and early Eocene epochs, to a colder 'icehouse' world influenced by sea ice and icebergs from the middle Eocene epoch to the present. For the most recent approx14 Myr, we find sedimentation rates of 1–2 cm per thousand years, in stark contrast to the substantially lower rates proposed in earlier studies; this record of the Neogene reveals cooling of the Arctic that was synchronous with the expansion of Greenland ice (approx3.2 Myr ago) and East Antarctic ice (approx14 Myr ago). We find evidence for the first occurrence of ice-rafted debris in the middle Eocene epoch (approx45 Myr ago), some 35 Myr earlier than previously thought; fresh surface waters were present at approx49 Myr ago, before the onset of ice-rafted debris. Also, the temperatures of surface waters during the Palaeocene/Eocene thermal maximum (approx55 Myr ago) appear to have been substantially warmer than previously estimated. The revised timing of the earliest Arctic cooling events coincides with those from Antarctica, supporting arguments for bipolar symmetry in climate change.

Beschreibung: Cephalopods are highly sensitive to environmental conditions and changes at a range of spatial and temporal scales. Relationships documented between cephalopod stock dynamics and environmental conditions are of two main types: those concerning the geographic distribution of abundance, for which the mechanism is often unknown, and those relating to biological processes such as egg survival, growth, recruitment and migration, where mechanisms are sometimes known and in a very few cases demonstrated by experimental evidence. Cephalopods seem to respond to environmental variation both ‘actively’ (e.g. migrating to areas with more favoured environmental conditions for feeding or spawning) and ‘passively’ (growth and survival vary according to conditions experienced, passive migration with prevailing currents). Environmental effects on early life stages can affect life history characteristics (growth and maturation rates) as well as distribution and abundance. Both large-scale atmospheric and oceanic processes and local environmental variation appear to play important roles in species–environment interactions. While oceanographic conditions are of particular significance for mobile pelagic species such as the ommastrephid squids, the less widely ranging demersal and benthic species may be more dependent on other physical habitat characteristics (e.g. substrate and bathymetry). Coastal species may be impacted by variations in water quality and salinity (related to rainfall and river flow). Gaps in current knowledge and future research priorities are discussed. Key research goals include linking distribution and abundance to environmental effects on biological processes, and using such knowledge to provide environmental indicators and to underpin fishery management.

Beschreibung: Three interrelated climate phenomena are at the center of the Climate Variability and Predictability (CLIVAR) Atlantic research: tropical Atlantic variability (TAV), the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), and the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (MOC). These phenomena produce a myriad of impacts on society and the environment on seasonal, interannual, and longer time scales through variability manifest as coherent fluctuations in ocean and land temperature, rainfall, and extreme events. Improved understanding of this variability is essential for assessing the likely range of future climate fluctuations and the extent to which they may be predictable, as well as understanding the potential impact of human-induced climate change. CLIVAR is addressing these issues through prioritized and integrated plans for short-term and sustained observations, basin-scale reanalysis, and modeling and theoretical investigations of the coupled Atlantic climate system and its links to remote regions. In this paper, a brief review of the state of understanding of Atlantic climate variability and achievements to date is provided. Considerable discussion is given to future challenges related to building and sustaining observing systems, developing synthesis strategies to support understanding and attribution of observed change, understanding sources of predictability, and developing prediction systems in order to meet the scientific objectives of the CLIVAR Atlantic program.

Beschreibung: Live-collected samples of four common reefbuilding coral genera (Acropora, Pocillopora, Goniastrea, Porites) from subtidal and intertidal settings of Heron Reef, Great Barrier Reef, show extensive early marine diagenesis where parts of the coralla less than 3 years old contain abundant macro- and microborings and aragonite, high-Mg calcite, low-Mg calcite, and brucite cements. Many types of cement are associated directly with microendoliths and endobionts that inhabit parts of the corallum recently abandoned by coral polyps. The occurrence of cements that generally do not precipitate in normal shallow seawater (e.g., brucite, low-Mg calcite) highlights the importance of microenvironments in coral diagenesis. Cements precipitated in microenvironments may not reXect ambient seawater chemistry. Hence, geochemical sampling of these cements will contaminate trace-element and stable-isotope inventories used for palaeoclimate and dating analysis. Thus, great care must be taken in vetting samples for both bulk and microanalysis of geochemistry. Visual inspection using scanning electron microscopy may be required for vetting in many cases.

Beschreibung: Mombacho is a deeply dissected volcano belonging to the Quaternary volcanic chain of Nicaragua. The southern, historic collapse crater (El Crater) currently hosts a fumarolic field with a maximum temperature of 121°C. Chemical and isotopic data from five gas-sampling field campaigns carried out in 2002, 2003 and 2005 highlight the presence of high-temperature gas components (e.g. SO2, HCl and HF), which indicate a significant contribution of juvenile magmatic fluids to the hydrothermal system feeding the gas discharges. This is strongly supported by the mantle-derived helium and carbon isotopic signatures, although the latter is partly masked by either a sedimentary subduction-related or a shallow carbonate component. The observed chemical and isotopic composition of the Mombacho fluids seems to indicate that this volcanic system, although it has not experienced eruptive events during the last centuries, can be considered active and possibly dangerous, in agreement with the geophysical data recorded in the region. Systematic geochemical monitoring of the fumarolic gas discharges, coupled with a seismic and ground deformation network, is highly recommended in order to monitor a possible new eruptive phase.

Beschreibung: The Vasco—Cirene field experiment, in January—February 2007, targeted the Seychelles—Chagos thermocline ridge (SCTR) region, with the main purpose of investigating Madden—Julian Oscillation (MJO)-related SST events. The Validation of the Aeroclipper System under Convective Occurrences (Vasco) experiment (Duvel et al. 2009) and Cirene cruise were designed to provide complementary views of air—sea interaction in the SCTR region. While meteorological balloons were deployed from the Seychelles as a part of Vasco, the Research Vessel (R/V) Suroît was cruising the SCTR region as a part of Cirene. more: The Vasco—Cirene program explores how strong air—sea interactions promoted by the shallow thermocline and high sea surface temperature in the Seychelles—Chagos thermocline ridge results in marked variability at synoptic, intraseasonal, and interannual time scales. The Cirene oceanographic cruise collected oceanic, atmospheric, and air—sea flux observations in this region in January—February 2007. The contemporaneous Vasco field experiment complemented these measurements with balloon deployments from the Seychelles. Cirene also contributed to the development of the Indian Ocean observing system via deployment of a mooring and 12 Argo profilers. Unusual conditions prevailed in the Indian Ocean during January and February 2007, following the Indian Ocean dipole climate anomaly of late 2006. Cirene measurements show that the Seychelles—Chagos thermocline ridge had higher-than-usual heat content with subsurface anomalies up to 7°C. The ocean surface was warmer and fresher than average, and unusual eastward currents prevailed down to 800 m. These anomalous conditions had a major impact on tuna fishing in early 2007. Our dataset also sampled the genesis and maturation of Tropical Cyclone Dora, including high surface temperatures and a strong diurnal cycle before the cyclone, followed by a 1.5°C cooling over 10 days. Balloonborne instruments sampled the surface and boundary layer dynamics of Dora. We observed small-scale structures like dry-air layers in the atmosphere and diurnal warm layers in the near-surface ocean. The Cirene data will quantify the impact of these finescale features on the upper-ocean heat budget and atmospheric deep convection.