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Glacial geologic studies in the Southern Hemisphere (SH) mid-latitudes (40-54°S) indicate renewed glacial activity in southern South America (Patagonia) and New Zealand's (NZ) South Island starting at ∼7 kyr, the so-called neoglaciation. Available data indicate that neoglacial advances in these regions occurred during a rising trend in atmospheric CO and CH concentrations, lower-than-present but increasing summer insolation and seasonality contrasts. In this paper we examine the climatological context in which neoglaciations occurred through analysis of the complete Paleoclimate Modelling Inter-comparison Project (PMIP2) database of simulations at 6 kyr for the SH. We observe that the amplitude of the annual insolation cycle in the SH did not change significantly at 6 kyr compared to the pre-industrial values, the largest difference occurring in autumn (MAM, negative anomalies) and spring (SON, positive anomalies). The simulated changes in temperatures over the SH respond to the insolation changes, with a 1-2 month delay over the oceans. This results in a reduced amplitude of the annual cycle of temperature and precipitation over most continental regions, except over Patagonia and NZ, that show a slight increase. In contrast, large-scale circulation features, such as the low and upper level winds and the subtropical anticyclones show an amplified annual cycle, as a direct response to the increased/decreased insolation during the transitional seasons SON/MAM. In the annual mean, there is a small but consistent equatorward shift of the latitude of maximum wind speed of 1-3° over the entire SH, which results in a small increase of wind speed over the South Pacific and Atlantic Oceans north of ∼50°S and a widespread decline south of 50°S. PMIP2 simulations for 6 kyr, indicate that in the annual mean, the SH mid-latitudes were colder, wetter and with stronger winds north of about 50°S. These conditions are consistent with the observed neoglacial advances in the region, as well as with terrestrial paleoclimate records from Patagonia that indicate cooling and a multi-millennial rising trend in Southern Westerly Wind intensity starting at ∼7.8 kyr. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The average age at sexual maturity (ASM) is an important parameter for evaluating the reproductive potential or status of a population. South American sea lions, Otaria flavescens in Patagonia (Argentina) were exploited and reduced to less than 10% of pre-exploitation numbers. At present, the population is recovering at a rate of 6%. In this paper, we studied growth and age at sexual maturity of South American sea lions in the south-western south Atlantic by examining 219 individuals (females and males) collected between 1989-2008. Individuals were aged by counting growth layer groups in tooth sections, standard body length was measured and male and female reproductive organs were examined macroscopically and histologically to establish individual sexual maturity. Maximum recorded length for males and females was 264cm and 200cm, respectively, and maximum ages 19 and 21 yrs. ASM defined as the age where 50% of females are mature, was estimated at 4.8±0.5 years old, corresponding to a mean SL of 147cm, about 81% of their asymptotic length. First observed ovulation occurred during the 4th year, first birth may occur between 4 and 5 years old. Males physiologically mature between 4-6 years, but the size of the testes shows that all males became sexually mature by the age of 9 years when they reach a mean SL of 212cm, about 86% of their asymptotic body length. The present information on ASM and growth of O. flavescens will improve the development of population dynamics models, to investigate the impact of recovering sea lions populations on its marine environment, as well as its trophic interactions with commercial fisheries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]