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Varying population size of the Cape Royds Adélie penguin colony, 1955–2020: a synthesis Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-03-18 David G. Ainley, Virginia Morandini, Kerry Barton, Phil O'B. Lyver, Megan Elrod, Michelle A. Larue, Jean Pennycook
Among the longest Antarctic biological time series is that of Adélie penguin Pygoscelis adeliae population size at Cape Royds, 1955 to the present. Demographic trends over the 66 years fall into five periods: 1) decrease then recovery due to control of tourism from McMurdo Station/Scott Base; 2) further increase responding to the removal of > 20 000 trophically competing Antarctic minke whales Balaenoptera
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Assessing aerial biodiversity over Keller Peninsula, King George Island, Maritime Antarctica, using DNA metabarcoding Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-03-18 Paulo E.A.S. Câmara, Michael Stech, Peter Convey, Tina Šantl-Temkiv, Otavio Henrique Bezerra Pinto, Fábio Leal Viana Bones, Fabyano Alvares Cardoso Lopes, Luiz Antônio Da Costa Rodrigues, Micheline Carvalho-Silva, Luiz Henrique Rosa
Antarctic ice-free areas are dominated by wind-dispersed organisms. However, which organisms arrive and circulate in Antarctica and how remain poorly understood. Due to their proximity to South America and less extreme conditions, the South Shetland Islands are likely to receive higher diaspore numbers. One possible consequence of climate change is that newcomers will be able to colonize ice-free areas
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Assessment of trophic segregation amongst gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) individuals in Antarctica using a non-invasive methodology Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-03-15 Lucía Rabinovich-Larrechea, Daniel E. Naya, Mariana Cosse, Nadia Bou, Valentina Franco-Trecu
Individual trophic specialization (ITS) refers to the trophic diversification amongst individuals within a population. The gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) is considered a trophic generalist at the population level, but little is known about its individual trophic differentiation. We assessed the degree of ITS at one of its main breeding colonies: Ardley Island, South Shetland Islands. We used skin
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Extreme precipitation event at the Ross Ice Shelf during the 1911–1912 South Pole run Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-03-01 Mila Zinkova
In March 1912, Captain Robert Falcon Scott and his companions perished on their return journey from the South Pole. The Final Blizzard delivered a terminal blow. However, it was only a part of this story of endurance and tragedy. In December 1911, en route to the South Pole, the men had been tent-bound for 4 days due to an exceptionally warm, wet blizzard. This article compares the meteorological situation
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Evolution of ice rises in the Fimbul Ice Shelf, Dronning Maud Land, over the last millennium Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-02-26 Vikram Goel, Carlos Martín, Kenichi Matsuoka
We investigate two ice rises, Kupol Moskovskij and Kupol Ciolkovskogo, in the Fimbul Ice Shelf, East Antarctica, situated ~60 km from each other but differing in their glaciological settings. We apply a thermo-mechanically coupled Elmer/Ice model to profiles going across these ice rises and use it to investigate their past evolution covering present to several millennia ago. We constrain the model
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Mapping of morainic complexes and reconstruction of glacier dynamics north-east of Cook Ice Cap, Kerguelen Archipelago (49°S) Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-02-26 Philip Deline, Henriette Linge, Ludovic Ravanel, Talin Tuestad, Romain Lafite, Fabien Arnaud, Jostein Bakke
Due to the limited landmasses in the Southern Hemisphere, we must rely on data from sub-Antarctic islands within the Southern Ocean to record historical climate patterns. Over the past few decades, glaciers throughout the Southern Ocean region have experienced a noticeable retreat, especially in the Kerguelen Archipelago, whose glacial landforms offer valuable insights into long-term climate fluctuations
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Geological insights from the newly discovered granite of Sif Island between Thwaites and Pine Island glaciers Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-02-20 James W. Marschalek, Stuart N. Thomson, Claus-Dieter Hillenbrand, Pieter Vermeesch, Christine Siddoway, Andrew Carter, Keir Nichols, Dylan H. Rood, Ryan A. Venturelli, Samantha J. Hammond, Julia Wellner, Tina van de Flierdt
Large-scale geological structures have controlled the long-term development of the bed and thus the flow of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS). However, complete ice cover has obscured the age and exact positions of faults and geological boundaries beneath Thwaites Glacier and Pine Island Glacier, two major WAIS outlets in the Amundsen Sea sector. Here, we characterize the only rock outcrop between
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Diminishing numbers of male southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina Pinnipedia: Phocidae, Linnaeus, 1758) at the Vestfold Hills, East Antarctica (1957–2022) Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-02-01 John van den Hoff
A proportion of the southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) population that breeds in the Kerguelen Plateau region seasonally migrates between their natal sub-Antarctic islands and moult haul-out locations on the Antarctic coastline. Analyses of survey data collated for one moult location at the Vestfold Hills, East Antarctica, showed that there had been no appreciable change in the timing (phenology)
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Incidental pinnipeds at high latitudes of the Vestfold Hills, Prydz Bay, East Antarctica Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-30 John van den Hoff
Species distributions are predicted to change with future climate-associated ecosystem changes such that so-called ‘vagrant’ individuals may become established or re-establish in areas currently thought to be beyond their principle ranges. Survey data were collated for occurrences of pinniped (seal) species at very high latitudes of the Vestfold Hills, East Antarctica. Aside from Weddell seals (Leptonychotes
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Four unreported emperor penguin colonies discovered by satellite Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-20 Peter Fretwell
Predictions of the future emperor penguins population, linked to anthropogenic climate change, are stark. Current models suggest that if CO2 emissions continue to rise at present rates, almost all colonies will be quasi-extinct by the end of the century (Jenouvrier et al.2021). The monitoring of populations is crucial to tracking these changes and, if possible, implementing conservation measures. Recent
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The explorer king: southern report of the king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) in the Antarctic Peninsula Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-16 Marcela M. Libertelli, Jose L. Orgeira, Facundo Alvarez
A juvenile king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) was sighted at San Martín Station, Marguerite Bay, west of the Antarctic Peninsula (68°07'S, 67°08'W) on 3 February 2020. The animal was apparently healthy. It was uninjured, moving freely between the station buildings. It remained in the area until 27 March, when it was last seen. Numerous king penguin records have been reported in recent years, mostly
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Repeated freezing impacts buoyancy and photosynthesis of a rafting kelp species Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-12-21 Sophie M. Sinclair, Grant A. Duffy, Ceridwen I. Fraser
Antarctica was once considered biologically isolated, surrounded by oceanic barriers (Fraser et al. 2018). However, floating materials such as kelp rafts (Fraser et al. 2018, Avila et al. 2020), wood (Lewis et al. 2005) and plastics (Avila et al. 2020) are now known to cross these barriers and reach Antarctic shores. Such incursions might enable non-native species (either rafting species themselves
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The risk of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the Southern Ocean: a practical guide for operators and scientists interacting with wildlife Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-12-21 Meagan Dewar, Michelle Wille, Amandine Gamble, Ralph E.T. Vanstreels, Thierry Bouliner, Adrian Smith, Arvind Varsani, Norman Ratcliffe, Jennifer Black, Amanda Lynnes, Andrés Barbosa, Tom Hart
Advice from avian influenza experts suggests that there is a high risk that highly pathogenic avian influenza will arrive in the Southern Ocean during the austral summers.
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Short Note: 2022 Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai tsunami measured beneath the Ross Ice Shelf Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-12-14 Craig Stewart, Huw Horgan, Craig Stevens
On 15 January 2022, 04h:15 UTC, the volcano Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai in the south-west Pacific Ocean (20°32'32.37''S, 175°23'38.67''W) erupted in what proved to be the most powerful such event since Krakatau in 1883. Among the many impacts of the eruption, a substantial tsunami propagated throughout the south-west Pacific Ocean. The signatures of the eruption were recorded at a wide range of recording
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The June 2022 extreme warm event in central West Antarctica Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-10-30 Heitor Evangelista, Luciana F. Prado, Irina V. Gorodetskaya, Heber Reis Passos, Franco Nadal Villela, Marcelo Sampaio, Elaine Alves dos Santos, Carla M.C. de Brito
The Antarctic surface mass balance has been shown to be sensitive to the impacts of atmospheric rivers (ARs), which bring anomalous amounts of both moisture and heat from lower latitudes poleward. Therefore, describing the characteristics of ARs and their intensity and frequency in the Antarctic regions by applying detection algorithms became a key method to evaluating their impacts on the surface
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Public support for Antarctic science: lessons from a national survey of Australians Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-10-26 Bruce Tranter, Elizabeth Leane
With the Antarctic region featuring more and more in discourse around anthropogenic climate change, understanding public support for research in the region is increasingly important. We examine public support for Antarctic science in Australia, drawing on findings from a nationally representative survey of just over 1000 adults conducted in 2021–2022. Key results reinforce earlier findings in other
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The impact of the Neoglacial and other environmental changes on the raised beaches of Joinville Island, Antarctica Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-10-19 Brittany M. Theilen, Alexander R. Simms, Regina DeWitt, Julie Zurbuchen, Christopher Garcia, Cameron Gernant
In order to reconstruct past environmental conditions along the north-eastern Antarctic Peninsula, we documented changes in grain size, grain roundness, onlap as seen in ground-penetrating radar reflection profiles and ice-rafted debris on a set of 36 raised beaches developed over the last ~7.7 ± 0.9 ka on Joinville Island. The most pronounced changes in beach character occur at ~2.7–3.0 ka. At this
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Communicating the best available science to inform Antarctic policy and management: a practical introduction for researchers Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-10-18 Kevin A. Hughes, Andrew Lowther, Neil Gilbert, Claire M. Waluda, Jasmine R. Lee
Communication at the science-policy interface can be bewildering not only for early-career researchers, but also for many within the research community. In the context of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean, decision-makers operating within the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS) aspire to use the best available science as a basis for their decision-making. Therefore, to maximize the impact of Antarctic Treaty
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Towards intersectional approaches to gendered change in Antarctic research Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-10-09 Morgan C. Seag, Hanne E.F. Nielsen, Meredith Nash, Renuka Badhe
Antarctic research remains an enterprise in which people with certain backgrounds and identities have distinct career advantages over others. In this paper, we focus on barriers to women's participation and success in Antarctic research. Drawing on feminist social science literature on gender inequality in science, we identify two foundational, interrelated factors that have hampered progress across
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International law, climate change and the Antarctic Treaty System: re-contemplating governance questions apropos of the mounting challenges Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-10-03 Zia Madani, Akiho Shibata
More than 60 years since it entered into force in 1961, the Antarctic Treaty is experiencing significant challenges. These challenges also affect its associated instruments known as the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS). These are mostly external dynamics that are increasingly challenging the ATS from outside of the Antarctic region. They encompass a spectrum of issues relating to global legal regimes
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A chromosome map of Belgica antarctica Jacobs (Diptera: Chironomidae) from Antarctica, including chromosome variability Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-10-02 Paraskeva Michailova, Pavlo A. Kovalenko, Svitlana Serga, Ivan Parnikoza, Iryna Kozeretska, Peter Convey
Belgica antarctica Jacobs (Diptera: Chironomidae) is the only endemic insect found in the Antarctic Peninsula region and has stimulated considerable research interest. Due to recent rapid changes in regional climate in Antarctica, there is growing interest in studying the responses of this species to environmental changes, in particular at the chromosomal level. Chromosomal inversions are known to
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What factors affect the alpha diversity of microarthropods (Acari, Collembola) on King George Island (Antarctica)? Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-09-18 Dariusz J. Gwiazdowicz, Wojciech Niedbała, Dariusz Skarżyński, Bogna Zawieja
The natural environment in polar regions is being transformed, glaciers are melting and succession of microarthropods is being observed. We tested the hypothesis that habitat conditions, determined by the locality and character of the vegetation cover, play a significant role in such succession. The material for analysis was collected from four localities on King George Island in Antarctica: Arctowski
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Deadly mushrooms of the genus Galerina found in Antarctica colonized the continent as early as the Pleistocene Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-08-31 Isaac Garrido-Benavent, Robert A. Blanchette, Asunción De Los Ríos
Fungi are probably the most diverse group of eukaryotic organisms in the Antarctic continent and nearby archipelagos, and they dominate communities in either mild or harsh habitats. However, our knowledge of their global distribution ranges and the temporal origins of their Antarctic populations is rather limited or almost absent, especially for species that do not lichenize. We focused for the first
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Eocene to Oligocene cooling and ice growth based on the geochemistry of interglacial mudstones from the East Antarctic continental shelf Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-08-31 Jennifer J. Light, Sandra Passchier
The Eocene-Oligocene Transition at c. 34 million years ago (Ma) marked the global change from greenhouse to icehouse and the establishment of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS). How the ice-sheet behaviour changed during interglacials across this climate transition is poorly understood. We analysed major, trace and rare earth elemental data of late Eocene interglacial mudstone from Prydz Bay at Ocean
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Habitat selection of southern giant petrels: potential environmental monitors of the Antarctic Peninsula Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-08-31 Júlia Victória Grohmann Finger, Lucas Krüger, Denyelle Hennayra Corá, Maria Virginia Petry
The southern giant petrel (Macronectes giganteus) is a widely distributed top predator of the Southern Ocean. To define the fine-scale foraging areas and habitat use of Antarctic breeding populations, 47 southern giant petrels from Nelson Island were GPS-tracked during the summers of 2019–2020 and 2021–2022. Step-selection analysis was applied to test the effects of environmental variables on habitat
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New records and updated distributional patterns of macroalgae from the South Shetland Islands and northern Weddell Sea, Antarctica Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-08-04 Franciane Pellizzari, João Pedro Dos Santos De Mello, Michelle C. Santos-Silva, Vanessa Sayuri Osaki, Frederico Pereira Brandini, Peter Convey, Luiz Henrique Rosa
This study provides new species records (NRs) of macroalgal assemblages present in rocky habitats from the South Shetland Islands (SSI) and north-eastern Antarctic Peninsula (EAP), Weddell Sea. Surveys were conducted during the summers of 2013/2014 to 2017/2018 at Elephant, Deception, Half Moon and Vega islands. Data from the present study and those available in the literature from the western Antarctic
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The emerging contribution of Türkiye to Antarctic science and policy Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-08-03 Feride Karatekin, F. Rumeysa Uzun, Beverley J. Ager, Peter Convey, Kevin A. Hughes
Antarctica is a continent dedicated to ‘peace and science’ and subject to international consensus-based governance through the Antarctic Treaty System. Through the Treaty, decision-making powers are reserved to Consultative Parties, which are those countries recognized as demonstrating ‘substantial scientific research activity’ in Antarctica. Türkiye acceded to the Antarctic Treaty in 1996. In its
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The 1821 eruption of Bridgeman Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica: an observed Capelinhos-style hydrovolcanic event Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-07-12 John L. Smellie, Stefan Kraus, Karen Williams
The first recorded volcanic eruption in Antarctica occurred on Bridgeman Island (South Shetland Islands) in early 1821, < 2 years after Antarctica was discovered. However, the observations were disputed owing to a lack of physical evidence. A consensus arose that they probably referred to Penguin Island, a young volcano with a well-formed volcanic cone situated just 60 km to the west. However, a recent
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Prioritization of alien plant targets for biological control in South Africa's offshore sub-Antarctic islands Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-07-12 Kim Canavan, Iain Douglas Paterson
Invasive alien plants (IAPs) are a significant threat to the biodiversity and ecological functioning of the sub-Antarctic Prince Edward Islands (PEIs); however, weed biological control has not yet been implemented as a management tool. The PEIs have had 23 alien plants recorded, of which several are considered beyond eradication and therefore could benefit from the release of safe and effective biocontrol
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Unravelling the complex sub-ice geology of the Wilkes Subglacial Basin region of East Antarctica from marine sediment provenance analyses Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-07-03 Mayuri Pandey, Naresh Chandra Pant, Devsamridhi Arora, Fausto Ferraccioli, Rashmi Gupta, Sonalika Joshi
Deciphering the sub-ice geology in the Wilkes Subglacial Basin region is important for understanding solid earth-ice sheet evolution and for assessing geological ties between East Antarctica and formerly contiguous Australia. We analyse marine sediment samples derived from drill site U1359 of Integrated Oceanic Drilling Program Expedition 318. Our study reports for the first time that the inland sediment
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Suspended particulate organic carbon and its carbon isotopic composition in the surface water around the Antarctic Peninsula during summer 2017–2018 Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-05-12 Yunpeng Lin, Yunhai Li, Yuanhui Huang, Zhihua Chen, Liang Wang, Dongyi Li, Shuqin Tao
The concentration of suspended particulate organic carbon (POC) and its carbon isotopic composition (δ13CPOC) were analysed in this study with the aim of exploring the sources and factors influencing levels of POC in the surface water around the Antarctic Peninsula. The scanning electron microscopy results suggest that diatom particles formed the main component of suspended particulate matter, indicating
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The history of a cluster of large icebergs on leaving the Weddell Sea pack ice and their impact on the ocean Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-04-24 Grant R. Bigg, Robert Marsh
The life history and oceanic impact of three very large icebergs that escaped together from the Weddell Sea sea ice, near the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, are traced from March 2014. Despite the initial proximity of these three icebergs, they followed very different trajectories across the South Atlantic until their eventual break-up and melting 1 year later. The largest, giant iceberg, B17a, spent
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Seasonal shifts in microbial diversity in the lakes of Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, Maritime Antarctica Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-04-24 Florencia Bertoglio, Claudia Piccini, Roberto Urrutia, Dermot Antoniades
Fildes Peninsula, on King George Island, has been greatly influenced by recent rapid climate warming. Lakes are pervasive features of Fildes Peninsula landscapes, some of which are used as water sources for Antarctic stations. We studied seven Fildes Peninsula lakes to explore differences among lakes and between seasons in phytoplankton and bacterioplankton communities. We measured environmental variables
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Soil environmental DNA metabarcoding in low-biomass regions requires protocol optimization: a case study in Antarctica Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-04-19 Pamela Olmedo-Rojas, Gert-Jan Jeunen, Miles Lamare, Johanna Turnbull, Aleks Terauds, Neil Gemmell, Ceridwen I. Fraser
Environmental DNA is a powerful tool for monitoring biodiversity. Although environmental DNA surveys have successfully been implemented in various environments, protocol choice has been shown to affect results and inferences. Thus far, few method comparison studies for soil have been undertaken. Here, we optimized the workflow for soil metabarcoding through a comparative study encompassing variation
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Antarctic science in Chile: a bibliometric analysis of scientific productivity during the 2009–2019 period Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-04-19 Marcelo González-Aravena, Lucas Krüger, Lorena Rebolledo, Ricardo Jaña, Anelio Aguayo-Lobo, Marcelo Leppe, Rodolfo Rondon, Francisco Santa-Cruz, Carla Salinas, Cristine Trevisan, César A. Cárdenas
The changes implemented in 2005 in the development strategies of Antarctic science carried out by Chile have had a positive impact on the scientific productivity of the Chilean Antarctic Science Program (PROCIEN). We analysed scientometric indicators from between 2009 and 2019. The bibliographic data were extracted from the Web of Science database using search query keywords. We used multiple correspondence
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The need for increased protection of Antarctica's inland waters Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-04-18 Ian Hawes, Clive Howard-Williams, Neil Gilbert, Kevin A. Hughes, Peter Convey, Antonio Quesada
Protection of Antarctica's biodiversity and ecosystem values is enshrined in the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty, which provides for the designation of Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPAs) to areas with outstanding values. Concern has been raised that existing ASPAs fail to prioritize areas to maximize the likelihood of ensuring the long-term conservation of Antarctic
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Prediction of subglacial lake melt source regions from site characteristics Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-04-18 Simon Willcocks, Derrick Hasterok
Subglacial melt has important implications for ice-sheet dynamics. Locating and identifying subglacial lakes are expensive and time-consuming, requiring radar surveys or satellite methods. We explore three methods to identify source regions for lakes using seven continent-wide environmental characteristics that are sensitive to or influenced by ice-sheet temperature. A simple comparison of environmental
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Researchers on ice? How the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted Antarctic researchers Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-04-12 Daniela Liggett, Andrea Herbert, Renuka Badhe, Gina E.C. Charnley, K.P.C. Hudson, Ilan Kelman, Won Sang Lee, Cristian Lorenzo, Pedro Marques-Quinteiro, Meredith Nash, Jennifer Pickett, Yelena Yermakova
The COVID-19 pandemic and pandemic-related measures have impacted the lives and work-related activities of Antarctic researchers. To explore these impacts, we designed, piloted and disseminated an online survey in English, Russian, Spanish and Chinese in late 2020 and early 2021. The survey explored how the pandemic affected the productivity of Antarctic researchers, their career prospects and their
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Revisiting the bipolarity of Roaldia revoluta (Mitt.) P.E.A.S. Câmara & Carv.-Silva (Bryophyta, Pylaisiaceae) Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-04-04 Paulo E.A.S. Câmara, Micheline Carvalho-Silva, Daiane Valente Valente, Diego Knop Henriques, Eduardo Toledo De Amorim, Wellington Santos Fava, Hans (J.D.) Kruijer, Michael Stech
The occurrence of species in both polar regions (bipolarity) is a common phenomenon in the Antarctic flora. Considering the high morphological variation in polar regions due to extreme conditions, the use of molecular tools is indispensable for testing whether Arctic and Antarctic populations indeed belong to the same species. However, few phylogeographic studies of bipolar bryophytes have been conducted
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Time-lapse recording of yearly activity of the sea star Odontaster validus and the sea urchin Sterechinus neumayeri in Tethys Bay (Ross Sea, Antarctica) Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-03-15 Andrea Peirano, Andrea Bordone, Lorenzo P. Corgnati, Simone Marini
One-year time-lapse images acquired via an autonomous photo imaging device positioned at a depth of 20 m in Tethys Bay (Ross Sea, Antarctica) on a rocky bottom colonized by the sponge Mycale (Oxymycale) acerata were analysed. Monthly changes in the abundance and activity of the sea star Odontaster validus and sea urchin Sterechinus neumayeri on the sponge and nearby rocky bottom were compared with
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Habitat severity characteristics structure soil communities at regional and local spatial scales along the Antarctica Peninsula Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-03-01 Becky A. Ball, Peter Convey, Kelli L. Feeser, Uffe N. Nielsen, David Van Horn
Antarctic soils provide an excellent setting to test biogeographical patterns across spatial and environmental scales given their relatively simple communities and the dominance of physical factors that create strong environmental gradients. Additional urgency is given by the fact that their unique terrestrial communities are the subject of conservation efforts in a rapidly changing environment. We
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Advancing Antarctic climate change policy: upcoming opportunities for scientists and policymakers to work together Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-01-16 Kevin A. Hughes, Rachel D. Cavanagh, Peter Convey
Climate change is increasingly affecting Antarctica and the rest of the world. Urgent policy responses are needed to mitigate its associated impacts. Engagement of the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM), Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) and Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP) with the issue of climate change has culminated in several important
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Antibiotic resistance genes and taxa analysis from mat and planktonic microbiomes of Antarctic perennial ice-covered Lake Fryxell and Lake Bonney Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-01-16 Sheetal Tallada, Grant Hall, Daniel Barich, Rachael M. Morgan-Kiss, Joan L. Slonczewski
The perennial ice-covered lakes of the Antarctic McMurdo Dry Valleys harbour oligotrophic microbial communities that are separated geographically from other aquatic systems. Their microbiomes include planktonic microbes as well as lift-off mat communities that emerge from the ice. We used the ShortBRED protein family profiler to quantify the antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) from metagenomes of lift-off
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Who should work in Antarctica? An exploration of the individual, social and cultural aspects of expeditioner recruitment Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-01-10 Meredith Nash
Drawing on qualitative interview data, this article explores past and current Australian Antarctic Program expeditioners' perceptions of the personal qualities of expeditioners alongside their views of Antarctic station culture and expeditioner recruitment procedures. The findings reveal study participants shared similar views about expeditioner personal qualities. However, the findings also suggest
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The nightlife of a Ross seal: diving and haul-out behaviour from the eastern Weddell Sea Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-01-06 Mia Wege, Horst Bornemann, Marthán Nieuwoudt Bester
Ross seals (Ommatophoca rossii) travel away from the pack ice and spend most of their year foraging pelagically. Here, we augment the few existing records of Ross seal diving and haul-out behaviour, providing novel insights into how these are influenced diurnally and seasonally. We used biologging devices that recorded the dive behaviour (n = 5) and/or haul-out behaviour (n = 9) of Ross seals in the
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The distribution of lichens and mosses at Edward VII Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2022-12-07 Ryszard Ochyra, Dag O. Øvstedal, Paul A. Broady
This is the first detailed study of the distribution of mosses and lichens at Alexandra Mountains and Rockefeller Mountains, Edward VII Peninsula, Antarctica. A total of 418 samples was collected on 21 nunataks in the summer of 1987–1988. Lichens included 44 taxa, bringing the total known from Edward VII Peninsula to 50. Ten lichen species were new records for the Continental Antarctic zone, whilst
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Ant-ICON - ‘Integrated Science to Inform Antarctic and Southern Ocean Conservation’: a new SCAR Scientific Research Programme Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2022-12-02 Kevin A. Hughes, Mercedes Santos, Jilda A. Caccavo, Stephen M. Chignell, Natasha B. Gardiner, Neil Gilbert, Adrian Howkins, Bettine Jansen Van Vuuren, Jasmine R. Lee, Daniela Liggett, Andrew Lowther, Heather Lynch, Antonio Quesada, Hyoung Chul Shin, Alvaro Soutullo, Aleks Terauds
Antarctic and Southern Ocean environments are facing increasing pressure from multiple threats. The Antarctic Treaty System regularly looks to the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) for the provision of independent and objective advice based on the best available science to support decision-making, policy development and effective environmental management. The recently approved SCAR
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Low-temperature investigation of residual water bound in free-living Antarctic Prasiola crispa Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2022-11-01 Magdalena Bacior, Hubert Harańczyk, Piotr Nowak, Paulina Kijak, Monika Marzec, Jakub Fitas, Maria Olech
Antarctic algae are extremophilic organisms capable of surviving harsh environmental conditions such as low temperatures and deep dehydration. Although these algae have various adaptations for life in extreme environments, the majority of the molecular mechanisms behind their resistance to dehydration and freezing are not yet fully understood. The aim of our research was to observe the behaviour of
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Renewables in Antarctica: an assessment of progress to decarbonize the energy matrix of research facilities Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2022-09-28 Juan José Lucci, María Alegre, Leandro Vigna
This paper tracks the progress of renewable energy deployment at Antarctic facilities, introducing an interactive database and map specifically created for this purpose. Goals, challenges and lessons learnt from these operations are also reported. The data and assessments presented are based on a literature review of government reports, academic articles, online resources, news outlets and interviews
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Amphipod diversity and metabolomics of the Antarctic sponge Dendrilla antarctica Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2022-09-07 Jacqueline L. von Salm, Christopher G. Witowski, Margaret O. Amsler, Charles D. Amsler, James B. McClintock, Bill J. Baker
The western Antarctic Peninsula harbours a diverse benthic marine community where dense canopies of macroalgae can dominate the shallow subtidal zone (0–40 m or greater). In the lower portion of this range (below 25–35 m depending on topography), invertebrates such as sponges and echinoderms can be found in greater abundance due to reduced competition for space from the algal species. Dendrilla antarctica
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Valley-floor snowfall in Taylor Valley, Antarctica, from 1995 to 2017: spring, summer and autumn Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2022-09-07 Madeline E. Myers, Peter T. Doran, Krista F. Myers
We present an analysis of the 20 year snowfall dataset in Taylor Valley and the results of a new snow cover monitoring study. Snowfall has been measured at four sites in Taylor Valley from 1995 to 2017. We focus on valley-floor snowfall when wind does not exceed 5 m s-1, and we exclude winter from our analysis due to poor data quality. Snowfall averaged 11 mm water equivalent (w.e.) from 1995 to 2017
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First record of the Indian meal moth Plodia interpunctella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) at a research station in Antarctica Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2022-08-03 Paulo E.A.S. Câmara, Peter Convey, Vinícius Alves Ferreira, Pedro Henrique Brum Togni, José Roberto Pujol-Luz
We report the first formal record of the Indian meal moth Plodia interpunctella from a location within the Antarctic Treaty area, with the capture of a live adult male within the Brazilian Comandante Ferraz research station on King George Island, South Shetland Islands. This species is a well-known pest of stored products and is widely recorded in synanthropic situations such as food stores globally
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A spatial model of Marion Island's palaeo-ice extent Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2022-08-03 Elizabeth M. Rudolph, David W. Hedding, Werner Nel
Sub-Antarctic Marion Island's glacial history has acted as a control on abiotic terrestrial processes and the colonization and distribution of biotic species found on the island today. Recent chronological studies have shown an early deglaciation of the island and identified new geomorphological features associated with past ice dynamics. These permit a reassessment of ice extent during and after the
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Formal recognition of extinct Antarctic polar forests as a distinct biome Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2022-06-21 Michael Macphail, Raymond Carpenter, Robert Hill
We conclude that the extinct polar forests of Antarctica deserve recognition as a distinct biome - the ‘Austral Polar Forest Biome’ - rather than being regarded as analogous to modern rainforest.
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Nimble vessel cruises as a complementary platform for Southern Ocean biodiversity research: concept and preliminary results from the Belgica 121 expedition Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2022-06-14 Bruno Danis, Ben Wallis, Charlène Guillaumot, Camille Moreau, Francesca Pasotti, Franz M. Heindler, Henri Robert, Henrik Christiansen, Quentin Jossart, Thomas Saucède
The western Antarctic Peninsula is facing rapid environmental changes and many recent publications stress the need to gain new knowledge regarding ecosystems responses to these changes. In the framework of the Belgica 121 expedition, we tested the use of a nimble vessel with a moderate environmental footprint as an approach to tackle the urgent needs of the Southern Ocean research community in terms
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Marine macroalgae of the Balleny Islands and Ross Sea Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2022-06-07 Wendy A. Nelson, Kate F. Neill, Roberta D'Archino, Judy E. Sutherland
The macroalgae of the Balleny Islands (66°15′S–67°35′S and 162°30′E–165°00′E) have been infrequently collected and the flora remains poorly known. This chain of islands is located on the edge of the Antarctic Circle in the northern Ross Sea, ~250 km north of the coast of northern Victoria Land, and it represents the most northerly land in the Ross Sea region. As well as being very remote, access to
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Unravelling the suitability of Branchinecta gaini as a potential biomonitor of contaminants of emerging concern in the Antarctic Peninsula region Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2022-06-07 Marcelo González-Aravena, Graciela Iturra, Alejandro Font, César A. Cárdenas, Rodolfo Rondon, Elisa Bergami, Ilaria Corsi
The occurrence and impact of contaminants of emerging concerns (CECs) have been investigated in Antarctica much less than in other parts of the world. Although legacy anthropogenic pollutants can reach Antarctica via long-range transport, CECs mainly originate from local sources. Here, we investigated the ability of a freshwater crustacean, the Antarctic fairy shrimp Branchinecta gaini, to cope with
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Isolation and characterization of a novel laccase from an Antarctic thermophilic Geobacillus Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2022-05-30 Joaquín Atalah, Jenny M. Blamey
Laccases are enzymes from the multi-copper oxidase family that have gathered a lot of attention due to their wide range of substrates, their interspecies variability and their still elusive mechanism of action. The presence of four copper atoms in their active site makes them an interesting model for the study of the relationship between the structure and function of proteins. It is possible to find
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The morphology of pockmarks on the north-east Antarctic Peninsula continental shelf Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2022-05-24 Christine L. Batchelor, Bétina A.V. Frinault, Frazer D.W. Christie, Aleksandr Montelli, Julian A. Dowdeswell
Pockmarks are sea-floor depressions that form when gas or liquid escapes from underlying sediments. Although they are a common feature of both glaciated and lower-latitude continental shelves, pockmarks have not been reported previously from the north-east Antarctic Peninsula margin. Here we use high-resolution geophysical data acquired using autonomous underwater vehicles to map > 240 pockmarks in
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Resolving uncertainty in historical observations of the Adélie penguin breeding distribution in southern Prydz Bay, East Antarctica Antarct. Sci. (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2022-05-12 Colin Southwell, Louise Emmerson
The sophisticated spatial reference tools that exist today greatly facilitate studies of spatial ecology. Historically, however, the lack of such tools meant that spatial data were often imprecise, ambiguous or sometimes inaccurate. This can hinder or confound assessments of whether species distributions have changed in the past over decadal timescales. This is the case for Adélie penguins breeding