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Understanding the connections between sea turtle populations is fundamental for their effective conservation. Brazil hosts important hawksbill feeding areas, but few studies have focused on how they connect with nesting populations in the Atlantic. Here, we (1) characterized mitochondrial DNA control region haplotypes of immature hawksbills feeding along the coast of Brazil (five areas ranging from equatorial to temperate latitudes, 157 skin samples), (2) analyzed genetic structure among Atlantic hawksbill feeding populations, and (3) inferred natal origins of hawksbills in Brazilian waters using genetic, oceanographic, and population size information. We report ten haplotypes for the sampled Brazilian sites, most of which were previously observed at other Atlantic feeding grounds and rookeries. Genetic profiles of Brazilian feeding areas were significantly different from those in other regions (Caribbean and Africa), and a significant structure was observed between Brazilian feeding grounds grouped into areas influenced by the South Equatorial/North Brazil Current and those influenced by the Brazil Current. Our genetic analysis estimates that the studied Brazilian feeding aggregations are mostly composed of animals originating from the domestic rookeries Bahia and Pipa, but some contributions from African and Caribbean rookeries were also observed. Oceanographic data corroborated the local origins, but showed higher connection with West Africa and none with the Caribbean. High correlation was observed between origins estimated through genetics/rookery size and oceanographic/rookery size data, demonstrating that ocean currents and population sizes influence haplotype distribution of Brazil's hawksbill populations. The information presented here highlights the importance of national conservation strategies and international cooperation for the recovery of endangered hawksbill turtle populations.

Background: Measuring coastal-pelagic prey fields at scales relevant to the movements of marine predators is challenging due to the dynamic and ephemeral nature of these environments. Whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) are thought to aggregate in nearshore tropical waters due to seasonally enhanced foraging opportunities. This implies that the three-dimensional movements of these animals may be associated with bio-physical properties that enhance prey availability. To date, few studies have tested this hypothesis. Methods: Here, we conducted ship-based acoustic surveys, net tows and water column profiling (salinity, temperature, chlorophyll fluorescence) to determine the volumetric density, distribution and community composition of mesozooplankton (predominantly euphausiids and copepods) and oceanographic properties of the water column in the vicinity of whale sharks that were tracked simultaneously using satellite-linked tags at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia. Generalised linear mixed effect models were used to explore relationships between the 3-dimensional movement behaviours of tracked sharks and surrounding prey fields at a spatial scale of ~ 1 km. Results: We identified prey density as a significant driver of horizontal space use, with sharks occupying areas along the reef edge where densities were highest. These areas were characterised by complex bathymetry such as reef gutters and pinnacles. Temperature and salinity profiles revealed a well-mixed water column above the height of the bathymetry (top 40 m of the water column). Regions of stronger stratification were associated with reef gutters and pinnacles that concentrated prey near the seabed, and entrained productivity at local scales (~ 1 km). We found no quantitative relationship between the depth use of sharks and vertical distributions of horizontally averaged prey density. Whale sharks repeatedly dove to depths where spatially averaged prey concentration was highest but did not extend the time spent at these depth layers. Conclusions: Our work reveals previously unrecognized complexity in interactions between whale sharks and their zooplankton prey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Buoyant marine plastic debris has become a serious problem affecting the marine environment. To fully understand the impact of this problem, it is important to understand the dynamics of buoyant debris in the ocean. Buoyant debris accumulates in "garbage patches" in each of the subtropical ocean basins because of Ekman convergence and associated downwelling at subtropical latitudes. However, the precise dynamics of the garbage patches are not well understood. This is especially true in the southern Indian Ocean (SIO), where observations are inconclusive about the existence and numerical models predict inconsistent locations of the SIO garbage patch. In addition, the oceanic and atmospheric dynamics in the SIO are very different from those in the other oceans. The aim of this paper is to determine the dynamics of the SIO garbage patch at different depths and under different transport mechanisms such as ocean surface currents, Stokes drift, and direct wind forcing. To achieve this, we use two types of ocean surface drifters as a proxy for buoyant debris. We derive transport matrices from observed drifter locations and simulate the global accumulation of buoyant debris. Our results indicate that the accumulation of buoyant debris in the SIO is much more sensitive to different transport mechanisms than in the other ocean basins. We relate this sensitivity to the unique oceanic and atmospheric dynamics of the SIO. Plain Language Summary: Plastic pollution of the oceans is a serious problem. To better understand how big the problem is, it is important to know how plastics move in the oceans and where they end up. Floating plastics move with ocean currents, waves, and wind. Because these interact with each other in complex ways, the exact movement of plastic in the ocean is hard to predict. From observations and computer simulations, it is known that plastic collects in subtropical "garbage patches" in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, but it is not clear if this also happens in the Indian Ocean. The aim of this paper is to determine the different influences of ocean currents, waves, and wind on the development of a garbage patch in the Indian Ocean. Because we cannot track plastics, we use data from over 22,000 GPS‐tracked drifting buoys that have been released worldwide in the oceans since 1979 to simulate the movement of plastic. Our results show that waves and wind prevent a garbage patch forming in the Indian Ocean. Because large amounts of plastic waste probably enter the Indian Ocean, an important question for follow‐up research is what happens to these plastics if they do not collect in a garbage patch. Key Points: The subtropical Indian Ocean garbage patch is very sensitive to different transport mechanismsSensitivity to different transport mechanisms is likely a result of the unique Indian Ocean dynamicsThe surface Indian Ocean garbage patch is located to the west of the basin and is highly dispersive [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the connections between sea turtle populations is fundamental for their effective conservation. Brazil hosts important hawksbill feeding areas, but few studies have focused on how they connect with nesting populations in the Atlantic. Here, we (1) characterized mitochondrial DNA control region haplotypes of immature hawksbills feeding along the coast of Brazil (five areas ranging from equatorial to temperate latitudes, 157 skin samples), (2) analyzed genetic structure among Atlantic hawksbill feeding populations, and (3) inferred natal origins of hawksbills in Brazilian waters using genetic, oceanographic, and population size information. We report ten haplotypes for the sampled Brazilian sites, most of which were previously observed at other Atlantic feeding grounds and rookeries. Genetic profiles of Brazilian feeding areas were significantly different from those in other regions (Caribbean and Africa), and a significant structure was observed between Brazilian feeding grounds grouped into areas influenced by the South Equatorial/North Brazil Current and those influenced by the Brazil Current. Our genetic analysis estimates that the studied Brazilian feeding aggregations are mostly composed of animals originating from the domestic rookeries Bahia and Pipa, but some contributions from African and Caribbean rookeries were also observed. Oceanographic data corroborated the local origins, but showed higher connection with West Africa and none with the Caribbean. High correlation was observed between origins estimated through genetics/rookery size and oceanographic/rookery size data, demonstrating that ocean currents and population sizes influence haplotype distribution of Brazil's hawksbill populations. The information presented here highlights the importance of national conservation strategies and international cooperation for the recovery of endangered hawksbill turtle populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In southwest Western Australia, strong and persistent sea breezes are common between September and February. We hypothesized that on the inner continental shelf, in the absence of tidal forcing, the depth, magnitude, and lag times of the current speed and direction responses to sea breezes would vary though the water column as a function of the sea breeze intensity. To test this hypothesis, field data were used from four sites were that were in water depths of up to 13 m. Sites were located on the inner continental shelf and were on the open coast and in a semi-enclosed coastal embayment. The dominant spectral peak in currents at all sites indicated that the majority of the spectral energy contained in the currents was due to forcing by sea breezes. Currents were aligned with the local orientation of the shoreline. On a daily basis, the sea breezes resulted in increased current speeds and also changed the current directions through the water column. The correlation between wind-current speeds and directions with depth, and the lag time between the onset of the sea breeze and the response of currents, were dependent on the intensity of the sea breezes. A higher correlation between wind and current speeds occurred during strong sea breezes and was associated with shorter lag times for the response of the bottom currents. The lag times were validated with estimates of the vertical eddy viscosity. Solar heating caused the water column to stratify in summer and the sea breezes overcame this stratification. Sea breezes caused the mixed layer to deepen and the intensity of the stratification was correlated to the strength of the sea breezes. Weak sea breezes of <5 m s were associated with the strongest thermal stratification of the water column, up to 1°C between the surface and bottom layers (6 and 10 m below the surface). In comparison, strong sea breezes of >14 m s caused only slight thermal stratification up to 0.5°C. Apart from these effects on the vertical structure of water column, the sea breezes also influenced transport and mixing in the horizontal dimension. The sea breezes in southwest Western Australia rotated in an anticlockwise direction each day and this rotation was translated into the currents. This current rotation was more prominent in surface currents and in the coastal embayment compared to the open coast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have shown that flow curvature in river bends generates a secondary circulation in the plane normal to the mean flow direction. A similar circulation pattern is shown to exist in oceanic situations when flows are subject to curvature, mainly due to interaction with topographic features. However, it is shown that, due to differences between oceanic conditions and river bends, theory and prediction methods based on the assumptions for river bends are invalid for oceanic flows. Via scaling arguments based on the equations of motion, that include both the effects of flow curvature and the Coriolis force, parameters that govern the different flow regimes are identified. The maximum strength of the secondary flow is derived for each flow regime and is verified using a three-dimensional (3-D) numerical model applied to an idealized island. It is also shown that upwelling, due to the generation of secondary flow, occurs off the tips of the headland or island, and its influence can extend far downstream. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Shark Bay, a large hypersaline bay in Western Australia, longitudinal density gradients force gravitational circulation that is important for Bay-ocean exchange. First-time observations of vertical stratification and velocity are presented, confirming the presence of a steady, near-bed dense water outflow from Shark Bay’s northern Geographe Channel that persisted through all stages of the tide. Outflow velocities were 2–3 times stronger than the outflows recorded previously in Naturaliste Channel (in the west), and were more resistant to breakdown by tidal mixing. Estimates of turbulent kinetic energy production derived from the variance method showed a more complex structure in the Geographe Channel, due to shear between surface and bottom layers. Turbulence varied between flood and ebb tide, with peak levels of turbulence occurring during reversal of tidal flows. For both channels, the main source of turbulence was tidal flow along the seabed, with the bottom current speed cubed, |Ub3|, providing a reasonable proxy for tidal mixing and prediction of dense water outflows from Shark Bay majority of the time. Orientation and deeper water of the Geographe Channel along the main axis of the longitudinal density gradient provided an explanation for the predominant outflow from the Bay’s northern entrance. These density-driven currents could potentially influence recruitment of commercially fished scallops and prawns through the dispersal and flushing of larvae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detailed measurements of three-dimensional beach cusp morphology were made on a steep gradient, low energy, microtidal beach in Perth, Western Australia. During the field campaign a variety of wave conditions and tidal ranges were experienced, and these differing hydrodynamic conditions were reflected in a consistent pattern of morphological changes to the beach cusp system. A useful parameter to delineate between trends of cusp destruction and re-formation appeared to be the surf similarity parameter Delta= tan Beta/GammaI0/L0, where H0 is offshore wave height, L0 is deep water wave length and tan Beta is beach gradient. For Delta< 172 the beach cusps were planed off, whereas cusp morphology was enhancedwhen Delta> 172. A small storm was experienced at the start of the field campaign period and resulted in considerable erosion of the beach face. The cusp morphology across the lower beach face was destroyed, but a subtle remnant of the pre-storm cusp morphology was preservedon the upper beach face. When cusps reformed after the storm, under the influence of declining wave conditions, they appeared at the samelocation and with the same dimensions as the pre-storm cusp morphology. Hence, it is considered that the cusp re-formation was controlledmore by the antecedent morphology than the hydrodynamic conditions. This indicates that positive feedback between swash hydrodynamics andbeach face morphology, necessary to form beach cusps, does not require a large variation in relief. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The Regional Ocean Modelling System (ROMS v2.1) was used to investigate the physical processes that sustained the mesoscale eddy fields. The model was able to mimic the spatial, temporal, and migratory scales of the Leeuwin Current (LC) System''s mean flow and eddying characteristics. Importantly, eddy generation sites were consistent with those reported previously observed from satellite imagery, and two main regions were identified: site 1, adjacent to the Abrolhos Islands’ western edge (latitude 29°S); and site 2, adjacent to the shelf break (latitude 27.8°S). The description of the eddying dynamics suggested the eddy field evolution followed a similar pathway at both sites. An offshore flow impinged on the continental shelf and was redirected southward, intensifying the LC''s southward alongshore flow on the shelf. This southward redirection formed a current loop, which closed and formed a distinct clockwise eddy. The eddy remained near stationary and attached to the bottom topography, but it redirected LC and continental shelf waters offshore to dominate the local dynamics. The resulting offshore meander grew laterally, shallowed, and closed to form an anticlockwise eddy to the original clockwise eddy''s south, forming a characteristic LC eddy pair (dipole). The model demonstrated that the LC and Leeuwin Undercurrent coupling played an important role in the onset of eddies at both sites. An energy diagnostic scheme was used, and the dominant instability process linked to the developing anticlockwise eddy at site 1 was mixed mode barotropic and baroclinic instability. The baroclinic instability source was the available potential energy stored within the mean lateral density gradient between the eddy dipole. The LC''s meandering southward flow interacting with the undercurrent''s northward subsurface flow generated horizontal shear, which was the source of barotropic instability. The dominant instability process at site 2 was baroclinic in origin. At both sites, the baroclinic mechanism followed a series of phases coinciding with the physical description of the evolving eddies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• The first expedition to the depths of the Southern Ocean facing Bremer canyon systems. • First ROV images of these unique deep-sea environments and inhabitants (180 to 3300 m) • Discovery of spectacular 'animal forests' in the Bremer and Hood canyons. • Scleractinian corals found well below the aragonite saturation horizon (>1000 m) • Major fossil coral deposits occur at all three study areas, especially Mount Gabi. Here we present the outcomes of the first deep-sea remotely operated vehicle study of previously unexplored submarine canyon systems along the southwest Australian continental margin. This was conducted around: (1) the Bremer Marine Park; (2) the Mount Gabi seamount and nearby slope-shelf margin at the interface of the Southern and Indian oceans; with new information from (3) the Perth Canyon Marine Park located in the SE Indian Ocean. These canyons differ from many explored around the world in having no connectivity to continental river systems, thus little detrital input, with the Bremer systems and Mount Gabi facing the Southern Ocean which plays a key role in the global ocean circulation and climate systems. Such studies in the vast deep waters around the Australian continent are rare given the lack of local ROV capability available for research, thus little is known about these environments. Using the resources of the Schmidt Ocean Institute, we characterised the submarine topography from high-resolution bathymetric mapping, geology, physical and chemical oceanography, and provide an overview of these environments including the fauna observed and collected. We show that these Southern Ocean-influenced environments incorporate South Indian Central Water, Subantarctic Mode Water, Antarctic Intermediate Water, and Upper and Lower Circumpolar Deep Water, with Antarctic Bottom Water present in deep water just south of the Bremer canyon systems. The richness in megabenthos, especially along the steep, rocky substrates of the canyon heads and walls around the Bremer canyon systems, contrasts to the comparatively depauperate fauna of the more northerly Perth Canyon. Various corals serve as important substrates for a range of other species and often exhibit particular faunal associations. Especially notable are distinct ecological zones including a bryozoan and sponge-dominated (animal) forest on the shelf edge, spectacular coral gardens along canyon margins, and the occurrence of solitary scleractinians well below the aragonite saturation horizon. Subfossil coral deposits were discovered across all three study areas, reflecting periodic waxing and waning of deep-water Scleractinia throughout this southwest region. Extensive pre-modern assemblages at Mount Gabi contrast markedly with the sparse populations of living species and suggest that it might have once been a major coral hotspot, or whether they reflect long-term coral aggregations is yet to be determined. Nevertheless, stark differences in both living and past coral distribution patterns across our study sites point to at least localised fluctuations in Southern Ocean-derived nutrient and/or oxygen supplies to these deep-sea communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]