Our publications

Filtered view: Research papers

Showing 11332 items

A man riding a wave in the ocean.

Respiration of mesopelagic fish: a comparison of respiratory electron transport system (ETS) measurements and allometrically calculated rates in the Southern Ocean and Benguela Current

14 September, 2020 by Anna Belcher, Geraint Tarling, Gabriele Stowasser, Ryan Saunders, Sophie Fielding

Mesopelagic fish are an important component of marine ecosystems, and their contribution to marine biogeochemical cycles is becoming increasingly recognized. However, major uncertainties remain in the rates at which they…

Read more on Respiration of mesopelagic fish: a comparison of respiratory electron transport system (ETS) measurements and allometrically calculated rates in the Southern Ocean and Benguela Current

New gravity-derived bathymetry for the Thwaites, Crosson and Dotson ice shelves revealing two ice shelf populations

9 September, 2020 by Kelly Hogan, Robert Larter, Tom Jordan

Ice shelves play a critical role in the long-term stability of ice sheets through their buttressing effect. The underlying bathymetry and cavity thickness are key inputs for modelling future ice…

Read more on New gravity-derived bathymetry for the Thwaites, Crosson and Dotson ice shelves revealing two ice shelf populations

Revealing the former bed of Thwaites Glacier using sea-floor bathymetry: implications for warm-water routing and bed controls on ice flow and buttressing

9 September, 2020 by Claus-Dieter Hillenbrand, James Smith, James Kirkham, Kelly Hogan, Robert Arthern, Robert Larter, Tom Jordan

The geometry of the sea floor immediately beyond Antarctica's marine-terminating glaciers is a fundamental control on warm-water routing, but it also describes former topographic pinning points that have been important…

Read more on Revealing the former bed of Thwaites Glacier using sea-floor bathymetry: implications for warm-water routing and bed controls on ice flow and buttressing

A bunch of different kinds of shells

Genome-wide insights into introgression and its consequences for genome-wide heterozygosity in the Mytilus species complex across Europe

2 September, 2020 by Luca Telesca

The three mussel species comprising the Mytilus complex are widespread across Europe and readily hybridize when they occur in sympatry, resulting in a mosaic of populations with varying genomic backgrounds.…

Read more on Genome-wide insights into introgression and its consequences for genome-wide heterozygosity in the Mytilus species complex across Europe

A body of water with a mountain in the background.

Evidence of strong small-scale population structure in the Antarctic freshwater copepod Boeckella poppei in lakes on Signy Island, South Orkney Islands

1 September, 2020 by Jennifer Jackson, Peter Convey

Environmental conditions were particularly severe during the Last Glacial Maximum, altering the distribution of the Southern Hemisphere biota, particularly at higher latitudes. The copepod Boeckella poppei is the only macroscopic…

Read more on Evidence of strong small-scale population structure in the Antarctic freshwater copepod Boeckella poppei in lakes on Signy Island, South Orkney Islands

The role of atmospheric circulation patterns in driving recent changes in indices of extreme seasonal precipitation across Arctic Fennoscandia

1 September, 2020 by Gareth Marshall

Extreme precipitation events (EPEs) have a major impact across Arctic Fennoscandia (AF). Here we examine the spatial variability of seasonal 50-year trends in three EPEs across AF for 1968–2017, using…

Read more on The role of atmospheric circulation patterns in driving recent changes in indices of extreme seasonal precipitation across Arctic Fennoscandia

A flock of seagulls flying over a body of water.

Cretaceous arc volcanism of Palmer Land, Antarctic Peninsula: Zircon U-Pb geochronology. geochemistry, distribution and field relationships

1 September, 2020 by Alex Burton-Johnson, Philip Leat, Teal Riley

The Cretaceous marks an episode of enhanced magmatism, sedimentation and tectonic processes along the entire proto-Pacific convergent margin of West Gondwana. Cretaceous magmatism across the Antarctic Peninsula is dominated by…

Read more on Cretaceous arc volcanism of Palmer Land, Antarctic Peninsula: Zircon U-Pb geochronology. geochemistry, distribution and field relationships

A close up of a garden.

Latitudinal biogeographic structuring in the globally distributed moss Ceratodon purpureus

28 August, 2020 by Elisabeth Biersma, Jennifer Jackson, Katrin Linse, Peter Convey

Biogeographic patterns of globally widespread species are expected to reflect regional structure, as well as connectivity caused by occasional long-distance dispersal. We assessed the level and drivers of population structure,…

Read more on Latitudinal biogeographic structuring in the globally distributed moss Ceratodon purpureus

A close up of a tree.

Multiple colonization and dispersal events hide the early origin and induce a lack of genetic structure of the moss Bryum argenteum in Antarctica.

27 August, 2020 by Peter Convey

The dispersal routes of taxa with transoceanic disjunctions remain poorly understood, with the potential roles of Antarctica not yet demonstrated. Mosses are suitable organisms to test direct intra‐Antarctic dispersal, as…

Read more on Multiple colonization and dispersal events hide the early origin and induce a lack of genetic structure of the moss Bryum argenteum in Antarctica.

A close up of a snow covered mountain.

Response surface methodology optimisation and kinetics of diesel degradation by a cold-adapted Antarctic bacterium, Arthrobacter sp. strain AQ5-05

27 August, 2020 by Peter Convey

Petroleum hydrocarbons, notably diesel oil, are the main energy source for running amenities in the Antarctic region and are the major cause of pollution in this area. Diesel oil spills…

Read more on Response surface methodology optimisation and kinetics of diesel degradation by a cold-adapted Antarctic bacterium, Arthrobacter sp. strain AQ5-05

A large snowfield

Biosurfactant production and growth kinetics studies of the waste canola oil-degrading bacterium Rhodococcus erythropolis AQ5-07 from Antarctica

26 August, 2020 by Peter Convey

With the progressive increase in human activities in the Antarctic region, the possibility of domestic oil spillage also increases. Developing means for the removal of oils, such as canola oil,…

Read more on Biosurfactant production and growth kinetics studies of the waste canola oil-degrading bacterium Rhodococcus erythropolis AQ5-07 from Antarctica

A close up of an animal.

Genetic diversity of soil invertebrates corroborates timing estimates for past collapses of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet

24 August, 2020 by Peter Convey

During austral summer field seasons between 1999 and 2018, we sampled at 91 locations throughout southern Victoria Land and along the Transantarctic Mountains for six species of endemic microarthropods (Collembola),…

Read more on Genetic diversity of soil invertebrates corroborates timing estimates for past collapses of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet

A pile of green grass.

Multiple late-Pleistocene colonisation events of the Antarctic pearlwort Colobanthus quitensis (Caryophyllaceae) reveal the recent arrival of native Antarctic vascular flora

20 August, 2020 by Elisabeth Biersma, Kevin Newsham, Peter Convey, Will Goodall-Copestake

Aim: Antarctica's remote and extreme terrestrial environments are inhabited by only two species of native vascular plants. We assessed genetic connectivity amongst Antarctic and South American populations of one of…

Read more on Multiple late-Pleistocene colonisation events of the Antarctic pearlwort Colobanthus quitensis (Caryophyllaceae) reveal the recent arrival of native Antarctic vascular flora

Modeling of the Influence of Sea Ice Cycle and Langmuir Circulation on the Upper Ocean Mixed Layer Depth and Freshwater Distribution at the West Antarctic Peninsula

18 August, 2020 by Heather Regan, Michael Meredith, Paul Holland

The Southern Ocean is chronically undersampled due to its remoteness, harsh environment, and sea ice cover. Ocean circulation models yield significant insight into key processes and to some extent obviate…

Read more on Modeling of the Influence of Sea Ice Cycle and Langmuir Circulation on the Upper Ocean Mixed Layer Depth and Freshwater Distribution at the West Antarctic Peninsula

Can DEB models infer metabolic differences between intertidal and subtidal morphotypes of the Antarctic limpet Nacella concinna (Strebel, 1908)?

15 August, 2020 by Simon Morley

Studying the influence of changing environmental conditions on Antarctic marine benthic invertebrates is strongly constrained by limited access to the region, which poses difficulties to performing long-term experimental studies. Ecological…

Read more on Can DEB models infer metabolic differences between intertidal and subtidal morphotypes of the Antarctic limpet Nacella concinna (Strebel, 1908)?

Rough seas of the Southern ocean

Mg/Ca-temperature calibration of polar benthic foraminifera species for reconstruction of bottom water temperatures on the Antarctic shelf

15 August, 2020 by Elaine Mawbey, Claus-Dieter Hillenbrand, James Smith

Benthic foraminifera Mg/Ca is a well-established bottom water temperature (BWT) proxy used in paleoclimate studies. The relationship between Mg/Ca and BWT for numerous species has been determined using core-top and…

Read more on Mg/Ca-temperature calibration of polar benthic foraminifera species for reconstruction of bottom water temperatures on the Antarctic shelf

Scientific challenges and present capabilities in underwater robotic vehicle design and navigation for oceanographic exploration under-ice.

11 August, 2020 by Pierre Dutrieux

This paper reviews the scientific motivation and challenges, development, and use of underwater robotic vehicles designed for use in ice-covered waters, with special attention paid to the navigation systems employed…

Read more on Scientific challenges and present capabilities in underwater robotic vehicle design and navigation for oceanographic exploration under-ice.

Diagram.

CMIP6/PMIP4 simulations of the mid-Holocene and Last Interglacial using HadGEM3: comparison to the pre-industrial era, previous model versions and proxy data

6 August, 2020 by Irene Malmierca Vallet, Louise Sime, Maria Vittoria Guarino

Palaeoclimate model simulations are an important tool to improve our understanding of the mechanisms of climate change. These simulations also provide tests of the ability of models to simulate climates…

Read more on CMIP6/PMIP4 simulations of the mid-Holocene and Last Interglacial using HadGEM3: comparison to the pre-industrial era, previous model versions and proxy data

A penguin standing on the edge of a body of water.

Cryptic speciation in gentoo penguins is driven by geographic isolation and regional marine conditions: Unforeseen vulnerabilities to global change

1 August, 2020 by Philip Trathan

The conservation of biodiversity is hampered by data deficiencies, with many new species and subspecies awaiting description or reclassification. Population genomics and ecological niche modelling offer complementary new tools for…

Read more on Cryptic speciation in gentoo penguins is driven by geographic isolation and regional marine conditions: Unforeseen vulnerabilities to global change

A close up of a rock.

A Triassic to Jurassic arc in north Borneo: Geochronology, geochemistry, and genesis of the Segama Valley Felsic Intrusions and the Sabah ophiolite

1 August, 2020 by Alex Burton-Johnson

New field, geochemical, and geochronological data from the Segama Valley Felsic Intrusions (SVFI) of Sabah, north Borneo, shows them to be arc-derived tonalites; not windows or partial melts of a…

Read more on A Triassic to Jurassic arc in north Borneo: Geochronology, geochemistry, and genesis of the Segama Valley Felsic Intrusions and the Sabah ophiolite

A research ship on the sea with a whale in the foreground

A comparison of baleen whale density estimates derived from overlapping satellite imagery and a shipborne survey

31 July, 2020 by Connor Bamford, Hannah Cubaynes, Jennifer Jackson, Laura Gerrish, Philip Trathan, Peter Fretwell

As whales recover from commercial exploitation, they are increasing in abundance in habitats that they have been absent from for decades. However, studying the recovery and habitat use patterns of…

Read more on A comparison of baleen whale density estimates derived from overlapping satellite imagery and a shipborne survey

Note: Presenting vertebral deformities in bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus calves from a protected population in northeast Scotland

23 July, 2020 by Connor Bamford

Photographs collected during a 23 yr photo-identification study in the Moray Firth were examined to assess the prevalence, type and severity of vertebral deformations present in bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus…

Read more on Note: Presenting vertebral deformities in bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus calves from a protected population in northeast Scotland

A insect on the ground.

Distribution and Habitat Preferences of the Newly Rediscovered Telmatogeton magellanicus (Jacobs, 1900) (Diptera: Chironomidae) on Navarino Island, Chile

14 July, 2020 by Felipe Simoes, Peter Convey

The habitat of the intertidal flightless midge Telmatogeton magellanicus (Jacobs, 1900) is described for the first time from the northern coast of Navarino Island, Tierra del Fuego, Chile. Additionally, we…

Read more on Distribution and Habitat Preferences of the Newly Rediscovered Telmatogeton magellanicus (Jacobs, 1900) (Diptera: Chironomidae) on Navarino Island, Chile

Chart, histogram.

Particle‐in‐cell experiments examine electron diffusion by whistler‐mode waves: 2. Quasi‐linear and nonlinear dynamics

7 July, 2020 by Johnathan Ross, Nigel Meredith, Sarah Glauert

Test particle codes indicate that electron dynamics due to interactions with low amplitude incoherent whistler mode‐waves can be adequately described by quasi‐linear theory. However there is significant evidence indicating that…

Read more on Particle‐in‐cell experiments examine electron diffusion by whistler‐mode waves: 2. Quasi‐linear and nonlinear dynamics

Spatial distributions of nitric oxide in the Antarctic winter‐time middle atmosphere during geomagnetic storms

6 July, 2020 by David Newnham, Mark Clilverd

Energetic electron precipitation leads to increased nitric oxide (NO) production in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere. NO distributions in the winter time, high‐latitude Southern hemisphere atmosphere during geomagnetic storms are…

Read more on Spatial distributions of nitric oxide in the Antarctic winter‐time middle atmosphere during geomagnetic storms

A close up of an animal.

Routine metabolism of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) in South Georgia waters: Absence of metabolic compensation at its range edge

4 July, 2020 by Geraint Tarling

Routine respiration rates in the South Georgia stock of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) were measured to compare with previously published measurements on stocks from colder locations further south. Within the…

Read more on Routine metabolism of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) in South Georgia waters: Absence of metabolic compensation at its range edge

A close up of a tree.

Effect of climate and moss vegetation on ground surface temperature and the active layer among different biogeographical regions in Antarctica

1 July, 2020 by Peter Convey

Ground surface temperature (GST) and active layer thickness (ALT) are key indicators of climate change (CC) in permafrost regions, with their relationships with climate and vegetation being crucial for the…

Read more on Effect of climate and moss vegetation on ground surface temperature and the active layer among different biogeographical regions in Antarctica

A close up of a bird.

National Plans of Action (NPOAs) for reducing seabird bycatch: Developing best practice for assessing and managing fisheries impacts

1 July, 2020 by Richard Phillips

Fisheries bycatch is one of the biggest threats to seabird populations. Managers need to identify where and when bycatch occurs and ensure effective action. In 1999, the Food and Agriculture…

Read more on National Plans of Action (NPOAs) for reducing seabird bycatch: Developing best practice for assessing and managing fisheries impacts

Table.

Potential dispersal of tardigrades by birds through endozoochory: evidence from Sub-Antarctic White-bellied Seedsnipe (Attagis malouinus)

1 July, 2020 by Sandra McInnes, Sandra McInnes

Tardigrades are potentially dispersed by birds, but the extent of the interactions between birds and tardigrades is virtually unknown. We discovered nine tardigrades within feces of White-bellied Seedsnipe (Attagis malouinus)…

Read more on Potential dispersal of tardigrades by birds through endozoochory: evidence from Sub-Antarctic White-bellied Seedsnipe (Attagis malouinus)

A close up of a bowl.

Close encounters – microplastic availability to pelagic amphipods in sub-Antarctic and Antarctic surface waters

1 July, 2020 by Clara Manno, Claire Waluda, Gabriele Stowasser, Kirstie Jones-Williams

This study investigated the distribution of plastic debris from the Atlantic portion of the Sub-Antarctic to the Antarctic Peninsula. This region is home to some of the highest concentrations of…

Read more on Close encounters – microplastic availability to pelagic amphipods in sub-Antarctic and Antarctic surface waters

A bird sitting on top of a grass covered field.

Variation in live-capture rates of albatrosses and petrels in fisheries, post-release survival and implications for management

1 July, 2020 by Andrew Wood, Richard Phillips

Bycatch of seabirds in longline fisheries includes mortalities and live captures (mainly during hauling). Excluding outliers, the latter accounts for 5–70% (mean 40.4%) of all bycaught birds in demersal, and…

Read more on Variation in live-capture rates of albatrosses and petrels in fisheries, post-release survival and implications for management

Genetic analysis of Boletus edulis suggests that intra-specific competition may reduce local genetic diversity as a woodland ages

30 June, 2020

Ectomycorrhizal fungi are key players in terrestrial ecosystems yet their mating systems and population dynamics remain poorly understood. We investigated the fine-scale relatedness structure and genetic diversity of Boletus edulis,…

Read more on Genetic analysis of Boletus edulis suggests that intra-specific competition may reduce local genetic diversity as a woodland ages

A bird standing in front of a body of water.

Using deep learning to count albatrosses from space: Assessing results in light of ground truth uncertainty

24 June, 2020 by Peter Fretwell

Many wildlife species inhabit inaccessible environments, limiting researchers ability to conduct essential population surveys. Recently, very high resolution (sub-metre) satellite imagery has enabled remote monitoring of certain species directly from…

Read more on Using deep learning to count albatrosses from space: Assessing results in light of ground truth uncertainty

A close up of a flower.

Stratospheric ozone changes from explosive tropical volcanoes: Modeling and ice core constraints

16 June, 2020 by Anna Jones, Alison Ming, Markus Frey, Robert Mulvaney, Holly Winton, Xin Yang

Major tropical volcanic eruptions have emitted large quantities of stratospheric sulphate and are potential sources of stratospheric chlorine although this is less well constrained by observations. This study combines model…

Read more on Stratospheric ozone changes from explosive tropical volcanoes: Modeling and ice core constraints

The impact of changes in tropical sea surface temperatures over 1979–2012 on northern hemisphere high-latitude climate

15 June, 2020 by Scott Hosking, Michelle McCrystall

While rapid changes in Arctic climate over recent decades are widely documented, the importance of different driving mechanisms is still debated. A previous study proposed a causal connection between recent…

Read more on The impact of changes in tropical sea surface temperatures over 1979–2012 on northern hemisphere high-latitude climate

A close up of a snow covered mountain.

Integrative description of a new Dactylobiotus (Eutardigrada: Parachela) from Antarctica that reveals an intraspecific variation in tardigrade egg morphology

4 June, 2020 by Sandra McInnes, Sandra McInnes

Tardigrades constitute one of the most important group in the challenging Antarctic terrestrial ecosystem. Living in various habitats, tardigrades play major roles as consumers and decomposers in the trophic networks…

Read more on Integrative description of a new Dactylobiotus (Eutardigrada: Parachela) from Antarctica that reveals an intraspecific variation in tardigrade egg morphology

Assessing distribution shifts and ecophysiological characteristics of the only Antarctic winged midge under climate change scenarios

3 June, 2020 by Felipe Simoes, Peter Convey

Parts of Antarctica were amongst the most rapidly changing regions of the planet during the second half of the Twentieth Century. Even so, today, most of Antarctica remains in the…

Read more on Assessing distribution shifts and ecophysiological characteristics of the only Antarctic winged midge under climate change scenarios

A close up of a snow covered mountain.

Improving dialogue among researchers, local and indigenous peoples and decision-makers to address issues of climate change in the North

1 June, 2020 by Gareth Marshall, Henry Burgess

The Circumpolar North has been changing rapidly within the last decades, and the socioeconomic systems of the Eurasian Arctic and Siberia in particular have displayed the most dramatic changes. Here,…

Read more on Improving dialogue among researchers, local and indigenous peoples and decision-makers to address issues of climate change in the North