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This study investigates the postglacial sea-level history of eastern Cumberland Peninsula, a region of Baffin Island, Nunavut, where submerged terraces were documented in the 1970s. The elevation gradient of emerged postglacial marine-limit deltas and fiord-head moraines led Arthur Dyke to propose a conceptual model for continuous postglacial submergence of the eastern peninsula. Multibeam mapping over the past decade has revealed eight unequivocal submerged deltas at 19–45 m below present sea level (b.s.l.) and other relict shore-zone landforms (boulder barricade, spits, and sill platform) at 16–51 m b.s.l. Over a distance of 115 km from Qikiqtarjuaq to Cape Dyer, the submerged coastal features increase in depth toward the east, with a slope (0.36 m/km) less than that of the marine-limit shoreline previously documented (0.58–0.62 m/km). The submerged ice-proximal deltas, deglacial ice limits, and radiocarbon ages constrain the postglacial lowstand between 9.9 and 1.4 ka cal BP. The glacial-isostatic model ICE-7G_NA (VM7) computes a lowstand relative sea level at 8.0 ka, the depth of which increases eastward at 0.28 m/km. The difference between observed and model-derived lowstand depths ranges from 1 m in the west to 10 m in the east and the predicted tilt is significantly less than observed (p = 0.0008). The model results, emerging data on Holocene glacial readvances on eastern Baffin Island, and evidence for proglacial delta formation point to a Cockburn (9.5–8.2 ka) age for the lowstand, most likely later in this range. This study confirms the 1970s conceptual model of postglacial submergence in outer Cumberland Peninsula and provides field evidence for further refinement of glacial-isostatic adjustment models.

On the basis of surface air temperature (SAT) observations from the Great Wall Station located on the Antarctic Peninsula (AP) and ERA-Interim reanalysis data, the present manuscript investigates the role of atmospheric flow at intraseasonal and synoptic time scales in driving the temperature extremes over the AP during austral summer. Both warm and cold events can persist for multiple days and were maintained mainly by the advection of seasonal air temperature by intraseasonal winds. Synoptic winds can influence the temperature change around the peak time through their advection of seasonal temperature, thus determining the time of peak temperature anomalies. The generation of intraseasonal winds was closely associated with Rossby wave trains propagating along the polar front jet over the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean before the warm and cold events. The synoptic height anomalies before the warm events were also manifested as Rossby wave trains propagating along the polar front jet. However, synoptic Rossby wave trains were almost absent when the cold events occurred. Further analysis indicates that the weakened background flow during the cold events may have hindered the eastward travel of synoptic eddies. This study provides an important guidance for subseasonal to seasonal prediction on the AP.

The topographical effect on a strong wind event that occurred on 7 January 2013 at King Sejong Station (KSJ), Antarctica, was investigated using the Polar Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. Numerical experiments applying three different terrain heights of the Antarctic Peninsula (AP) were performed to quantitatively estimate the topographical effect on the selected strong wind event. The experiment employing original AP topography successfully represented the observed features in the strong wind event, both in terms of peak wind speed (by ~94%; ~19.7 m/s) and abrupt transitions of wind speed. In contrast, the experiment with a flattened terrain height significantly underestimated the peak wind speeds (by ~51%; ~10.4 m/s) of the observations. An absence of AP topography failed to simulate both a strong discontinuity of sea-level pressure fields around the east coast of the AP and a strong south-easterly wind over the AP. As a result, the observed downslope windstorm, driven by a flow overriding a barrier, was not formed at the western side of the AP, resulting in no further enhancement of the wind at KSJ. This result demonstrates that the topography of the AP played a critical role in driving the strong wind event at KSJ on 7 January 2013, accounting for ~50% of the total wind speed.

23 pages, 9 figures, 7 tables.-- This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, The Galician shelf (northwestern Iberian Peninsula) is a highly dynamic area with an important multi-species fisheries industry that exploits resources from several habitats, characterized by being not only highly diverse, rich, and productive but also seasonally and interannually variable. Early life stages of different species are distributed throughout the year, with fluctuating abundances and community composition. Likewise, the influence of environmental factors and processes on larval production and survival remains unknown. Sampling was carried out in July 2012, and all the larvae obtained were identified to establish the specific composition of the community in a summer upwelling scenario. The results show no zonation in the species distribution, a consequence of the mixing effects of the upwelling and eddies, with high diversity but low abundance, which render in a slight predominance of a few species. Due to the dependence of planktonic populations on upwelling events, which was not highly pronounced in 2012, we cannot conclude that this was a typical conformation of the Galician summer larval fish community, but it is a first approach to comprehend the community composition, This work was funded by the Spanish research project CRAMER (CTM2010-21856-CO3-02), the Galician research project ECOPREGA (10MMA602021PR), and the “Mobility grant (Research, innovation and growth plan 2011-2015, I2C) from the Innovation agency of the Xunta de Galicia. File 20/2014”

The Cretaceous “high-fire” period was a global event that reached almost all continental masses during that period in Earth’s history. The extensive wildfires directly affected plant communities. Significant palaeobotanical records in the Antarctic Peninsula have been studied from the James Ross Sub-Basin, especially from the Santa Marta Formation. However, there is no described evidence for palaeo-wildfires in the area so far. Here, we present the first occurrence of fossilized macro-charcoal coming from James Ross Island, confirming that palaeo-wildfires occurred in the Campanian vegetation preserved in the Santa Marta Formation. The new charcoal material has a gymnospermous taxonomic affinity, more specifically with the Araucariaceae, which is in accordance with previous palaeobotanical records from James Ross Island. This occurrence adds new information to the construction of the palaeo-wildfire scenario for Gondwana.

Research into what is known as the Atlantic Europe of Southwest Spain has highlighted an important network of fluvial coastal anchorages that, in a diachronic way, mark the coastline from the mouth...

The population structure of Japanese sardinella Sardinella zunasi around Japan was examined based on complete nucleotide sequences of the mitochondrial control region. Phylogenetic analyses revealed four major lineages (A–D). The frequency of lineage A was higher on the Pacific coast, in the Seto Inland Sea, and on the Sea of Japan coast of Kyushu, while the frequency of lineage B was higher on the Sea of Japan coast of Honshu and in Ariake Sound. The frequency of lineage C was much lower than that of lineages A and B at all nine localities in Japan. Lineage D was detected only in Ariake Sound and the Seto Inland Sea, being considered to be a continental relict. The current distribution pattern of S. zunasi was indicated to be constructed by secondary contact among those four lineages, each having different evolutionary history. Hierarchical analyses of molecular variance indicated S. zunasi around Japan to be structured into three units: (1) the group of the coast of Kyushu, including Ariake Sound, and the Pacific coast south of the Izu Peninsula, including the Seto Inland Sea, (2) the Pacific coast north of the Izu Peninsula, and (3) the Sea of Japan coast of Honshu.

Peninsula Lake, Ontario, Canada, is a Precambrian Shield lake that has experienced many environmental stressors since European settlement of the watershed in the mid-1800s, including forest clearance, water-level management, sewage inputs, and land-use changes. The deterioration of water quality by the 1970s prompted mitigation efforts intended to reduce inputs of nutrients and untreated sewage to the lake. Paleolimnological analysis of a sediment core from Peninsula Lake, collected in 1995, revealed that efforts to address eutrophication had been somewhat successful, in that the lake had returned to oligotrophic status by the early 1990s. Nevertheless, there had been little to no improvement in inferred deepwater oxygen conditions. We used similar paleolimnological techniques on a core collected in 2014 to examine ecological responses to environmental stressors and remediation efforts in the intervening years, with a particular focus on changes in the amount of oxygenated habitat available to lake trout. Specifically, we inferred trends in volume-weighted hypolimnetic oxygen (VWHO), through analysis of sedimentary chironomid assemblages, to assess long-term changes in coldwater fisheries habitat. Potential drivers of VWHO were also investigated, and included diatom-inferred total phosphorus, spectrally derived trends in sedimentary chlorophyll a and its main diagenetic products, and lake-water dissolved organic carbon. The sedimentary chironomid assemblages indicate a long period of VWHO depletion, concurrent with known anthropogenic activities from the early twentieth century to the 1990s, followed by recent recovery to near pre-impact levels. The sedimentary diatom assemblages indicate nutrient enrichment throughout most of the twentieth century, which was also followed by a return to pre-impact conditions, albeit with recent indications of renewed nutrient enrichment. In contrast, strikingly different trajectories were observed in two other regional waterbodies that support lake trout, but experienced relatively little nutrient enrichment over the past ~ 150 years. Peninsula Lake appears to be recovering from nutrient enrichment and hypolimnetic oxygen depletion, but water quality improvements have nevertheless been accompanied by increased primary production, perhaps because climate warming has extended the ice-free season and stratification period. Therefore, instead of returning to pre-impact conditions, Peninsula Lake appears to be developing a novel ecological state. Any future improvements in lake trout habitat that result from nutrient abatement may be offset by rising temperatures.

The data on the composition and distribution of macrophytobenthos of marine and lagoon water areas of the Black Sea coastal zone in the west of the Tarkhankut Peninsula in the summer season are presented. It is shown that the occurrence and general characteristics of the vegetation cover are determined by the type of substrate. In the sea (where hydrological conditions are relatively homogeneous), the ratio of ecological-floristic groups and the species composition change with distance from the coast and along with it, depending on the depth and geomorphological features of coastal zone fragments. In the lagoon, the ratio of such groups changes along the complex gradient of environmental factors, formed by the groundwater runoff of fresh and marine waters. Within the surveyed area, 91 species of macrophytes were registered: Tracheophyta – 1 species (1.1%), Chlorophyta – 23 (25.3%), Ochrophyta (Phaeophyceae) – 21 (23.1%), and Rhodophyta – 46 (50.5%). Of these, 87 species were recorded in the sea (including 44 in the pseudolittoral zone and 81 – in the sublittoral zone). The macrophytobenthos has a pronounced marine oligosaprobic character. Short-vegetation Rhodophyta dominate by the number of species, and perennial Phaeophyceae dominate by biomass, reaching 1 kg∙m-2 in the pseudolittoral and almost 7 kg∙m-2 in the sublittoral. In the lagoon, 18 species of macrophytes were registered (4 exclusively in the lagoon). Mesosaprobic short-vegetation Rhodophyta dominate by the number of species; marine and brackish-water macrophytes are equally represented. Polysaprobic perennial Tracheophyta, which belong to the marine group, dominate by biomass, which is ranging from 0.04 to 1.2 kg∙m-2. It was found that at the time of the research, the macrophytobenthos of the surveyed area was characterized by high productivity, high species, and coenotic diversity. There were taxa and biotopes, which are subject to special protection under regional and international programs. In general, the nature of the vegetation, the composition of the flora and the ratio of the main ecological-floristic indicators corresponded to those indicated for the Tarkhankut-Sevastopol hydrobotanical region of the Black Sea. Considering the sozological value, the aquatic component of the territorial-aquatic complex was recommended for conservation and inclusion in the ecological networks (incl. the Emerald Network). The increased anthropogenic pressure and the threat of the coastal zone transformation actualize the problem of its conservation as one of the key reserves of the floristic and biotopic diversity of coastal-marine areas in the Northern Black Sea region.

In the coastal zone of the oceans, there are various coastal systems, among which the most specific are “winged forelands”. Within the Black Sea coast there are four “winged forelands”: Tendra–Dzharylgach, Kinburnska–Pokrovska–Dovgiy, Burnaska–Budatska and Lebedyna–Ustrychna, which named by same structural ones. The purpose of the publication is to systematize the primary information about the morphological features of the coastal zone of the barrier system type ‘winged foreland” Kinburnska–Pokrovska–Dovgy which was obtained during field research.During the natural research in 2019, within the most typical areas of the coastal zone, reference benchmarks and morphological profiles were laid and recorded by a GPS. The total length of the coastal system is about 35 km, within its boundaries there are 7 benchmarks, which contains for 1 benchmark per 5 km, and a systematic geomorphological survey of 20 profiles (1 profile per 1.75 km) is carried out. Relevant indicators suggest that the results of the research are reliable.Morphologically, the studied system is a “winged foreland”, within which there are four structural and morphological elements: Kinburnska Spit, Frontal Coast or “headland”, Pokrovska Spit with the islands of Kruglyi and Dovhyi. Kinburnska Spit is a free accumulative coastal form located in the northwestern part of the Kinburn Peninsula. Morphogenetically, it is an arrow that develops in the conditions of bilateral feeding by beach sediments. The Frontal Coast or “headland” is the central component, within which the sand massifs of the Kinburn Peninsula go directly to the coastal zone. Pokrovska spit with the islands of Krugliy and Dovhiy is a relict generation, which is genetically an ancient accumulative form divided into three components. All these components are located on the surface of the base of the ancient coastal form, and their development occurs in conditions of limited supply of beach sediments. The front of the Pokrovsky Peninsula with the Sukha Spit and the Island Bar “Zagreba” is a modern accumulative generation that is actively increasing in size and advancing towards the waters of Tendra Bay.Key words: coastal systems, “winged foreland”, coastal zone, underwater slope, shore, coastal systems, foredunes У береговій зоні Світового океану існують різноманітні берегові системи, серед яких найбільш специфічні «крилаті миси». У межах узбережжя Чорного моря виділяються чотири «крилаті миси»: Тендра–Джарилгач, Кінбурнська–Покровська–Довгий, Бурнаська–Будацька та Лебедина–Устрична. Мета публікації полягає у систематизації та оприлюдненні первинної інформації про морфологічні особливості берегової зони бар’єрної системи типу «крилатий мис» Кінбурнська–Покровська–Довгий, отриманої під час польових досліджень 2018–2021 рр. Загальна довжина дослідженої берегової системи близько 35 км, в її межах закладено 7 репер-них стаціонарних ділянок та проводиться систематична геоморфологічна зйомка на 20 профілях, положення яких зафіксовано за допомогою GPS-приймача. Розроблена система стаціонарних ділянок і геоморфологічних профілів дозволяє надійно проводити довготермінові спостереження в масштабі 1:10000. Відповідні показники дозволяють вважати, що результати проведених досліджень є достовірними.У морфологічному відношенні досліджувана система є «крилатим мисом», в її межах виділяються чотири структурно-морфологічні елементи: Кінбурнська коса, Фронтальний берег, Покровська коса з островами Круглий та Довгий, Фронт Покровського півострова із Сухою косою та острівним баром «Загреба».Кінбурнська коса – це вільна акумулятивна берегова форма, розташована у північно-західній частині Кінбурнського півострова. В морфогенетичному відношенні це стрілка, яка розвивається в умовах двостороннього живлення прибережно-морськими наносами. Фронтальний берег, або «лобище», є центральним складовим елементом, у межах якого безпосередньо до берегової зони виходять піщані масиви Кінбурнського півострова. Покровська коса з островами Круглий та Довгий є реліктовою генерацією, яка в генетичному відношенні є давньою акумулятивною формою, поділеною на три складники. Всі перелічені складники розташовані на поверхні цоколю давньої берегової форми, а їх розвиток відбувається в умовах обмеженого живлення прибережно-морськими наносами. Фронт Покровського півострова із Сухою косою та острівним баром «Загреба» являє собою нову акумулятивну генерацію, яка активно збільшується у розмірах та висувається в бік акваторії заток.Ключові слова: берегові системи, «крилатий мис», підводний схил, берег, підводний вал, авандюна.

Over the past two decades, Antarctic ice shelves have retreated, thinned and suffered catastrophic collapse. In this study we extended the 25-year long record of ice shelf thickness change in Antarctica, from 2010 to 2017. In the Amundsen Sea Sector where widespread ice shelf thinning dominates the signal, a 51% slowdown in the rate of ice loss over the last 7-years can be attributed to a coincident decrease in ocean temperatures in the region since 2010. Overall, ice shelves in Antarctica have thickened by an average of 1.3 m between 2010 and 2017 as ice losses from West Antarctica are compensated by ice gains in East Antarctica and the Antarctic Peninsula, reversing the negative trend of the previous two decades. The detailed spatial pattern of ice shelf thickness change across Antarctica, demonstrates the need for future investment in high spatial resolution observations and techniques.

The fluvial landscape of the Hengchun Peninsula in southernmost Taiwan is generally characterized by a narrow river and a wide valley plain. Such underfit stream features are unusual in tectonically active areas such as Taiwan. In this research, we hypothesize that the relative sea level change since the end of the last glacial period might be the main factor driving the formation of this type of landscape on the relatively recently emerged Taiwan Island. The Gangkou River is among the largest and most pristine rivers on the Hengchun Peninsula, and well-preserved river terraces and bedrock exposures occur along the river and river mouth. Therefore, the Gangkou River was thoroughly surveyed to investigate the factors shaping the landscape and to determine the landscape evolutionary history. Our research indicates that the average uplift rate of the Gangkou River is 1.5 - 1.7 mm yr-1. Because of the low uplift rate, the rising sea level after the last glaciation caused widespread aggradation in the Gangkou River. At approximately 8.0 - 7.7 ka, maximum flooding occurred, and the sea level subsequently remained stable, while the aggradation stopped after 7.1 ka. Incision followed, forming the high terraces, and starting in the Little Ice Age, repeated aggradation and incision occurred, forming the low terraces. These processes produced the current landscape of the Gangkou River. Overall, the uplift rates calculated from this research are relatively low in this tectonically active area.

Polychaeta represents the most diverse class in the phylum Annelida, mainly composed by marine organisms, with some terrestrial and freshwater representatives. The present work records the information of the benthic polychaetes, which were collected in four stations in the northern sector of the Antarctic Peninsula, in the III Expedición “Admiral Padilla” verano austral 2016-2017, including taxonomy, relative abundance and frequency of occurrence by family. A total of 326 individuals were quantified, distributed in 12 families: Apistobranchidae, Capitellidae, Cirratulidae, Dorvilleidae, Maldanidae, Nereididae, Orbiniidae, Paraonidae, Serpulidae, Sigalionidae, Spionidae and Syllidae, and the suborder Terebelliformia. Cirratulidae, and Paraonidae were predominant in terms of abundance and frequency. A previous taxonomic analysis has shown morphological variability in the families Cirratulidae, Dorvilleidae, Maldanidae, Paraonidae and Syllidae, and the suborder Terebelliformia. The samples were processed, and deposited at the Marine Natural History Museum of Colombia (MHNMC) – Makuriwa from the Marine and Coastal Research Institute “José Benito Vives de Andréis - Invemar.

We analysed 114 DNA samples collected in different locations within the stock G breeding grounds, including Ecuador and the northern and southern Pacific of Colombia. We genotyped 15 microsatellite loci, sexed all samples, and performed genotype comparisons. Genotype comparisons were done using a DNA register of previously genotyped individuals from the Colombian breeding ground and the Antarctic Peninsula feeding Area. We confirmed connectivity between feeding grounds in Antarctic Peninsula and breeding grounds in Colombia and Ecuador using microsatellite loci. We found recaptures within each sampling location in the same year, but we also found a few recaptures in the same locations between years both in breeding and feeding grounds. Interestingly, we found recaptures between breeding and feeding grounds using samples collected 20 years apart, providing some information about longevity in this stock. Further comparisons with other data sets (Brazil, North Pacific) are needed to understand the migratory connectivity of this stock. RESUMEN En este estudio, se analizaron 114 muestras de ADN colectadas en diferentes localidades en la zona de reproducción de la población G (stock G), incluyendo la costa de Ecuador y localidades en el norte y sur del Pacífico colombiano, así como muestras obtenidas en la primera expedición científica colombiana a la Antártica en el estrecho de Gerlache. Se genotipificaron 15 loci microsatellites y se realizaron comparaciones de los genotipos obtenidos. Para estas comparaciones se utilizó una base de datos genéticos de individuos tanto en zonas de reproducción de Colombia y la zona de alimentación alrededor de la península Antártica. Se confirmó la conectividad existente entre las zonas de alimentación alrededor de la península Antártica y las zonas de reproducción en Colombia y Ecuador utilizando marcadores microsatélites. Se encontraron recapturas entre localidades en un mismo año, pero también se obtuvieron algunas recapturas en una misma localidad entre años diferentes, tanto en zonas de reproducción como de alimentación. Se encontraron recapturas de individuos en muestras colectadas con 20 años de diferencia, dando información preliminar sobre la longevidad de los animales de esta población.

On 20 October 2016, aircraft observations documented a significant train of lee waves above and downstream of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula on the west coast of Iceland. Simulations of this event with the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model provide an excellent representation of the observed structure of these mountain waves. The orographic features producing these waves are characterized by the isolated Snæfellsjökull volcano near the tip of the peninsula and a fairly uniform ridge along its spine. Sensitivity simulations with the WRF Model document that the observed wave train consists of a superposition of the waves produced individually by these two dominant orographic features. This behavior is consistent with idealized simulations of a flow over an isolated 3D mountain and over a 2D ridge, which reproduce the essential behavior of the observed waves and those captured in the WRF simulations. Linear analytic analysis confirms the importance of a strong inversion at the top on the boundary layer in promoting significant wave activity extending far downstream of the terrain. However, analysis of the forced and resonant modes for a two-layer atmosphere with a capping inversion suggest that this wave train may not be produced by resonant modes whose energy is trapped beneath the inversion. Rather, these appear to be vertically propagating modes with very small vertical group velocity that can persist far downstream of the mountain. These vertically propagating waves potentially provide a mechanism for producing near-resonant waves farther aloft due to interactions with a stable layer in the midtroposphere.

A structural interpretation of the first Re–Os dating of pyrite and arsenopyrite from the Malinovsky gold deposit is given. Comparison of the obtained data and the known ages of ore-bearing granitoids from the ore field made it possible to determine the age of mineralization as 100–90 Ma. This age corresponds to the time of completion of the Albian–Cenomanian geodynamic setting of the transform margin of the Asian Continent with significant left-shear dislocations, as is evident from the structural patterns of localization of ore bodies and magmatic rocks. The time interval and geodynamic conditions for the formation of the Malinovka deposit are similar to those of many gold and gold-bearing deposits within the Sikhote-Alin orogenic belt and the south of the Korean Peninsula.

All coastal systems experience disturbances and many across the planet are under unprecedented threat from an intensification of a variety of stressors. The West Antarctic Peninsula is a hotspot of physical climate change and has experienced a dramatic loss of sea‐ice and glaciers in recent years. Among other things, sea‐ice immobilizes icebergs, reducing collisions between icebergs and the seabed, thus decreasing ice‐scouring. Ice disturbance drives patchiness in successional stages across seabed assemblages in Antarctica's shallows, making this an ideal system to understand the ecosystem resilience to increasing disturbance with climate change. We monitored a shallow benthic ecosystem before, during and after a 3‐year pulse of catastrophic ice‐scouring events and show that such systems can return, or bounce back, to previous states within 10 years. Our long‐term data series show that recovery can happen more rapidly than expected, when disturbances abate, even in highly sensitive cold, polar environments.

Peesey Swamp on southern Yorke Peninsula, southern Australia, is a north-northwesterly—south-southeasterly trending lowland depression, approximately 24 km long and 4 to 10 km wide. The richly foss...

The Antarctic Peninsula is one of the most rapidly warming regions on earth, and it is likely that the abundance and distribution of marine predators will change as a result.Procellariiform seabirds are highly mobile predators, which target specific habitat characteristics associated with underlying distributions of prey and areas of increased prey availability. We use ship surveys and hurdle models, to estimate the summer distribution and relative density of 11 seabird species within the northern Antarctic Peninsula marine ecosystem. Models differed among species; however, sea surface temperature and depth were frequently associated with seabird occurrence and had the greatest explanatory power across many species. Null models based on observation data were better at predicting seabird density than models that included environmental covariates. This suggests that the main driver of distribution patterns is the broad-scale habitat features, and fine-scale aggregations within these ranges are harder to predict. Our seabird distribution models reflect known habitat associations, species hotspots, and community organization relative to oceanic and coastal marine processes. Application of species distribution models will benefit the assessments of critical habitat and potential responses to climate change and anthropogenic disturbance, which will provide insight into how species may change in polar ecosystems.

The Antarctic Peninsula of West Antarctica was one of the most rapidly warming regions on the Earth during the second half of the 20th century. Changes in the atmospheric circulation associated with remote tropical climate variabilities have been considered as leading drivers of the change in surface conditions in the region. However, the impacts of climate variabilities over the mid-latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere on this Antarctic warming have yet to be quantified. Here, through observation analysis and model experiments, we reveal that increases in winter sea surface temperature (SST) in the Tasman Sea modify Southern Ocean storm tracks. This, in turn, induces warming over the Antarctic Peninsula via planetary waves triggered in the Tasman Sea. We show that atmospheric response to SST warming over the Tasman Sea, even in the absence of anomalous tropical SST forcing, deepens the Amundsen Sea Low, leading to warm advection over the Antarctic Peninsula., The Antarctic Peninsula sees some of the strongest warming of the whole continent over the last decades, the drivers of which are not well known. Here, the authors show that winter sea surface temperature increases in the Tasman sea lead to changes in Southern Ocean storm tracks that in turn warm the Antarctic Peninsula.

The paper presents characteristics of the species composition, spatial distribution, and trophic interactions of ichthyoplankton and zooplankton in the spring–summer period 2017 dependent on intensity of the warming-up of the upper sea layer against the background of transition in a system of the surface currents from the winter-to summer-type of the circulation. In April–May, successful spawning of temperate-water fish species was prolonged due to low values of the sea surface temperature (8–9°С) on the shelf of Crimean Peninsula between Kerch Strait and the cape Sarych. The maximum abundance of Sprattus sprattus eggs was 162.8 egg/m2 and larvae –116 ind/m2. Warm-water species occurred only in the western sector from Herakleian Peninsula to the Cape Tarkhankut, where the water temperature was at its maximum and peaked at 14–15°С. In June–July the delayed summer hydrological season hampered the warming-up of the upper quasi-homogenous layer, which thickness varied from 1–5 to 10–15 m. Notwithstanding the large number of species in the ichthyoplankton, maximum abundance did not exceed 50 egg/m2 and 14 ind/m2 for larvae. The proportion of larvae of temperate-water fish species averaged 32% and reached 40% in deep water areas. Juvenile stages of copepods of the cold-water complex were dominant in the larval fish diet both in the spring and summer seasons.

The White-rumped Sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis) (Vieillot 1819) is one of the longest migrating birds that breeds in the high Arctic in Alaska and Canada and spends the post-breeding period in South America. This bird is a frequent vagrant visitor of Islas Georgias del Sur/South Georgia and the South Shetland islands. Here we provide the first record for the White-rumped Sandpiper at the Continental Antarctica. The individual was observed the 2 February 2019 at Esperanza/Hope Bay (63° 23′ 56″ S, 56° 59′ 06″ W), the north of the Antarctic Peninsula, in an ice-free rockery close to a melt-water-run-off area. At the moment of the observation, the temperature was above 0 °C and the wind calm. However, strong winds from the north-west and west directions were registered during the last week of January 2019 at Esperanza Station (peak 65 knots) and at the Drake Passage (peak 49 knots) which might explain the presence of the White-rumped Sandpiper individual at Hope Bay. Our report contributes to list the non-native species observed in Antarctica. One plausible explanation could be related to changes in migratory routes of flying birds.

We conducted a ship observation of two anticyclonic mesoscale eddies (Eddies A and B) between June and July 2016 in the offshore region of the western subarctic North Pacific to clarify the impact of anticyclonic eddies on biological production. Analysis of satellite data reveals that Eddy A formed south of the Alaskan Peninsula on May 2011 while Eddy B formed in the observation area on November 2015. Iron concentration was low both inside and outside Eddies A and B, and there were no large differences between chlorophyll a (chl-a) concentration inside and outside eddies. Satellite-derived chl-a concentration inside Eddy A had been high compared with that in the surrounding area when the eddy was located along the Aleutian Islands and just after it detached from the islands, suggesting that iron originating from the coastal region was consumed during the two-year journey from the coastal region to the observation area. Field measurements also reveal that vertical diffusivity was low both inside and outside Eddies A and B, which could be another factor underlying low iron both inside and outside Eddies A and B and small differences between chl-a concentration inside and outside the eddies.

Investigating precipitation phase transitions is crucial for improving our understanding of precipitation formation processes and impacts, particularly in Polar Regions. This study uses observational data and numerical modelling to investigate precipitation phase transitions in the western and northern Antarctic Peninsula (AP) during austral summer. The analysis is based on the ERA5 reanalysis product, dynamically downscaled using the Polar-WRF (Polar Weather Research and Forecasting) model, evaluated using regular meteorological observations and additional measurements made during the Year of Polar Prediction special observing period. We analyse three cases of extra-tropical cyclones bringing precipitation with phase transitions, observed at the Chilean station Professor Julio Escudero (King George Island, north of the AP) and the Ukrainian Antarctic Akademik Vernadsky station (western side of the AP) during the first week of December 2018. We use observed and modelled near-surface air temperature and pressure, precipitation amount and type, and vertical temperature profiles. Our results show that precipitation type (snow or rain) is well-represented by ERA5 and Polar-WRF, but both overestimate the total amount of precipitation. The ERA5 daily variability and vertical air temperature profile are close to the observed, while Polar-WRF underestimates temperature in the lower troposphere. However, ERA5 underestimates the temperature inversion, which is present during the atmospheric river event, while Polar-WRF represents that inversion well. The average weekly temperature, simulated with Polar-WRF, is lower compared to ERA5. The Polar-WRF fraction of snow in the total precipitation amount is higher than for ERA5; nevertheless, Polar-WRF represents the precipitation phase transition better than ERA5 during the event, associated with an atmospheric river. These case studies demonstrated a relationship between specific synoptic conditions and precipitation phase transitions at the AP, evaluated the ability of the state-of-the-art reanalysis and regional climate model to represent these events, and demonstrated the added value of combined analysis of observations from the western and northern AP, particularly for characterizing precipitation during synoptic events affecting the entire AP.

In this study, we analysed the spatiotemporal characteristics of precipitation in Korea in connection with weakening of tropical cyclones (TCs) around the Korean Peninsula (32°–36° N, 122°–132° E) over the past 30 years (1979–2015). Weakened TCs were classified into two categories: TCs weakened to extratropical cyclones (WEC) and TCs weakened to tropical depressions (WTD). In WEC, precipitation was evenly distributed over all of the Korean Peninsula, with the greatest precipitation recorded on the southern coast. In WTD, the amount of precipitation was the greatest on the southern coast, while low precipitation was recorded in the central and inland areas of Korea. In Region 1 (Central Province, Jeollabuk-do, and the inland region of Gyeongsangbuk-do), greater precipitation was observed in WEC than in WTD. In Region 2 (Jeollanam-do, Gyeongsangnam-do, Southeast Gyeongsangbuk-do, and Jeju-do), little difference in precipitation was found between WEC and WTD. In WEC, potential vorticity developed in the upper-level troposphere with TCs approaching Korea along with a thermal trough in the lower-level troposphere to the northwest of the TCs. Meanwhile, an upper-level troposphere jet and a strong upper-level troposphere divergence region were observed to the northeast of the TCs. It was assumed that these meteorological factors had induced baroclinic disturbance and nondiabatic process, creating a wide precipitation area around the TCs. In contrast, in WTD, none of the intense potential vorticity, thermal trough, and upper-level troposphere jet was observed around the TCs. Consequently, only a narrow precipitation area was created around the TCs. The upper-level troposphere divergence region was relatively small, and no intense precipitation area was formed around the TCs.

The article contains results of study of meteorological hazards on the territory of the Crimean peninsula using the data of 23 meteorological stations for the period 1976-2018. Frequency, duration and intensity of meteorological hazards within the current climate period was assessed. The main long-term trends in annual frequency of such events related to precipitation and wind as well as its total number have been established. The analysis of baric formations in the surface atmosphere layer causing storm weather in the Azov-Black Sea region was carried out. The corresponding leading atmospheric processes in the middle troposphere are also described.

Background. Hydrozoan populations have an important role on the dynamic of the coastal ecosystems. However, the studies on hydromedusae in coastal lagoons from the Yucatan State are scarce. Goals. This study focuses on describe the specimens from the first taxonomic list of hydromedusae in a coastal lagoon of the State of Yucatan. Methods. Samples were obtained through circular surface trawls using a zooplankton net in the coastal lagoon of Bocas de Dzilam. Six sampling stations were established inside the lagoon and eight outside, in adjacent zones to the mouth of the lagoon. The collected hydromedusae were fixed in a 4% formalin solution and identified with specialized literature. Results. Nine hydromedusae, divided in 3 orders and 8 families were identified, from which Hydractinia carica constitutes a new record for the Gulf of Mexico; the descriptions and images of the specimens are presented in the paper. Conclusions. These results set a basis to start to understand the composition of hydromedusae in coastal lagoons of Yucatan and continue researching about this complex group. However, further research efforts are required in coastal environments of the peninsula, in order to better understand its composition and richness.

Preliminary studies of cultivated phytoplankton microalgae were carried out in water samples collected during four expeditions at oceanographic stations of the coastal waters of the northwestern and northeastern parts of the Black Sea in different seasons of 2019-2020. Some features of the development of the algological component in conditions of changing oceanological characteristics of the environment have been established. In spring, the most active growth of diatoms was revealed in the area from Balaklava to the water area of the Sevastopol Bay.

The article is devoted to the generalization of the existing information concerning dinoflagellates of the Crimea. A list of dinoflagellate species of continental waters of the peninsula and the Crimean coast (Black and Azov seas) of Ukraine was compiled. It is based on the analysis of literature and original data obtained in 1987, 1992-1993 and 2011 in the Black Sea. The list of dinoflagellata species of Crimea includes 196 species (206 infraspecific taxa) belonging to 64 genera, 36 families, 15 orders and 3 classes. Eighteen species have been recorded in the fresh and salt water bodies and mud volcanoes of the least studied continental part of Crimea; half of them were also found in marine waters. Dinoflagellates of the Azov coast of Crimea and the Kerch Strait are similar in number of species, but differ significantly in composition (26 and 31 species, respectively; only 13 (25%) of them are common). The greatest number of species of dinoflagellates found on the Black Sea coast of Crimea. It is almost half of all species known for the Black Sea (196 and 447, respectively). To compare the species richness of dinoflagellates from different regions of the Crimea, survey data covering all areas in a short period of time are of great importance. A total of 74 species of dinoflagellates belonging to 3 classes, 11 orders, 22 families and 30 genera were found off the coast of Crimea. The most species-rich genera are Protoperidinium Bergh (17), Dinophysis Ehrenb. (8), Gymnodinium F.Stein (7) and Prorocentrum Ehrenb. (6). Based on the analysis of original and literature data and the criterion of similarity of the species composition of Crimean dinoflagellates, it’s division into five algofloristic regions is proposed: the western Black Sea coast of Crimea (from Karkinitsky Bay to Cape Aya); southeastern (from Ayia to Takil), Kerch Strait, Azov coast of Crimea and land (which, in turn, is divided into steppe and mountainous Crimean regions). It is in compliance with the algofloristic zoning of Ukraine.

Antarctic Peninsula region is experiencing one of the fastest rates of climate change on Earth. Its waters are known as important feeding grounds for the Antarctic minke whales (Balaenoptera bonaerensis). The purpose of the present study was to reveal the summer and early autumn presence of the Antarctic minke whales in the area adjacent to the Kiev Peninsula of West Antarctica and to estimate the encounter rates of the species in the area. The boat-based photo-identification cetacean studies were initiated as part of the long-term monitoring program based at the Akademik Vernadsky station near the Kiev Peninsula of West Antarctica. From 22 January to 7 April 2019, 35 boat and yacht cruises of the 821 nautical miles of total length were conducted. There were encountered 13 Antarctic minke whales in 7 sightings. The encounter rate was 0.015 whales per nautical mile. Minke whales were encountered only in 5% of the total sightings. Three more whales were opportunistically seen from the top of Galindez Island. There were single whales sighted and small groups of up to 3 specimens (Med = 2). At least 2 individuals were identified as juveniles. Primary behavior for whales in 7 sightings was foraging, and 2 groups were observed while travelling. A total 9 individuals of the Antarctic minke whales were photo-identified during the survey, and no matches were found between the different encounters. Our pilot study indicates summer and early autumn presence of the Antarctic minke whales in the area adjacent to the Kiev Peninsula. But encounter rates seem to be low in comparison with results of some previous surveys. Our results show the possibility to monitor minke whales in the area, and further long-term complex monitoring is essential for understanding the ecology and population dynamics of the Antarctic minke whales in rapidly changing marine environment of the Antarctic Peninsula.

The Gorgona guitarfish is a poorly documented ray found in the Eastern Pacific. It can be distinguished from its congeners due to its distinctive coloration and rostral cartilages. Here I document an extensive northern range expansion of almost 2000 km based on a juvenile specimen caught off the Baja California Peninsula. This specimen also represents the smallest documented individual of this species, along with the first quantitative morphometric data reported since the 1995 description. Additionally, an updated key to the guitarfishes of the North Eastern Pacific is included.

Coastal inundation results in many human casualties and significant economic losses. In this study, an inundation model with an unstructured mesh was developed using the ADvanced CIRCulation (ADCIRC) and Simulating WAves Nearshore (SWAN) models to simulate 43 inundation events from 1998 to 2018. A combined wind-pressure field derived from the assimilation wind-pressure model was used to drive the coupled ADCIRC-SWAN model. On the basis of the model results, a sensitivity study of the influence of land reclamation on coastal inundation was conducted. The results of the study showed that coastline changes caused by reclamation significantly influence the distribution of coastal inundation, particularly in areas where narrow waterways, bays, and peninsulas are newly formed. Combining the extreme inundation events calculated using the Gumbel and Weibull distributions, the 10-year, 50-year, 100-year, and 200-year return coastal inundations were obtained for the Pearl River Estuary in China. The risk of coastal inundation was analyzed according to the probability of the inundation depth exceeding 1 m. A hazard grade zoning map was drawn to guide disaster relief and mitigation in the reclamation area.

Bardsey Island is located at the western end of the Llŷn Peninsula in northwestern Wales. Separated from the mainland by a channel that is some 3 km wide, it is surrounded by reversing tidal streams of up to 4 m s−1 during spring tides. These local hydrodynamic details and their consequences are unresolved by satellite altimetry and are not represented in regional tidal models. Here we look at the effects of the island on the strong tidal stream in terms of the budgets for tidal energy dissipation and the formation and shedding of eddies. We show, using local observations and a satellite-altimetry-constrained product (TPXO9), that the island has a large impact on the tidal stream and that even in this latest altimetry-constrained product the derived tidal stream is under-represented due to the island not being resolved. The effect of the island leads to an underestimate of the current speed in the TPXO9 data in the channel of up to a factor of 2.5, depending on the timing in the spring–neap cycle, and the average tidal energy resource is underestimated by a factor up to 14. The observed tidal amplitudes are higher at the mainland than at the island, and there is a detectable phase lag in the tide across the island; this effect is not seen in the TPXO9 data. The underestimate of the tide in the TPXO9 data has consequences for tidal dissipation and wake effect computation and shows that local observations are key to correctly estimating tidal energetics around small-scale coastal topography.

Using a coastal assimilation model, generation mechanism of unusually high sea level (UHSL) at the south coast of Japan in September 2011 is investigated. Both model results and tide gauge observations indicate that sea level rise associated with the UHSL event occurred twice in the middle and end of September. The first one, which is localized around the eastern part of the Seto Inland Sea, is caused by a cyclonic circulation in the Kii Channel formed as a result of northward migration of the Kuroshio axis toward Cape Shionomisaki. The second sea level rise, which is the main contributor to this UHSL event, is observed in wide areas not only at the south coast of Japan, but also at the coast of the Japan Sea. It is brought about by a coastal trapped wave (CTW) induced as a result of a fluctuation of the Kuroshio path to the south of the Boso Peninsula. The CTW with positive SSH anomalies propagates westward along the south coast of Japan, and then goes into the coast of the Japan Sea. Sensitivity experiments and a modal characteristic analysis indicate that the CTW is mainly characterized by the first mode baroclinic Kelvin wave. The phase speed for the first mode is calculated at 2.96 m s$$^{-1}$$ - 1 , which compares well with that estimated by tide gauge observations.

The biogeochemical effect of birds can influence the paedogenic processes in the Antarctica soils. The content of nutrients (phosphorus, potassium, nitrate and ammonium) and the total carbon and nitrogen contents in soils were determined at the nesting and feeding sites of flying and non-flying birds in the Fildes Peninsula (King George Island, West Antarctica). The results showed that the difference between soils affected by birds (both flying and non-flying) and the background soils was observed with the higher content of biogenic elements (e.g. C, N, P, K) and fine-earth content, variable soil pH values, more expressed soil structure and specific morphology of the uppermost organogenic and organo-mineral horizons. Additional chemical indices are suggested for diagnostics of current and recent effect of birds on paedoenvironments.

The Mediterranean waters (MW) occupy intermediate depths (500–1500 m) of the Northeast Atlantic. These waters are transported by the bottom current to the Atlantic through the Strait of Gibraltar. Salinity of these waters exceeds 37.0 and the temperature is warmer than 13°C. In addition to the MW transport by the quasi-continuous “stream” component there is an irregular “lens” component. This component consists of intra-thermocline eddies or long-living MW lenses, the “Meddies”, which are formed west of the Iberian Peninsula and then spread over long distances. These lenses desintegrated in time and support the salt MW “tongue” far from the Strait of Gibraltar. The goal of this work is to give a brief review of the main research of this phenomenon and to determine the criteria to distinguish MW lenses based on selected field data. Peculiarities of the space and time evolution of the MW lenses are shown based on the T,S-analysis of the lens cores.

During the austral summer of 2006, the Projeto Baleias/Brazilian Antarctic Program (PROANTAR) conducted ship surveys for estimating whale encounter rates and abundance in Gerlache and Bransfield Straits, westward of the Antarctic Peninsula (edge between IWC Areas I and II). The encounter rate was higher in the Bransfield Strait (0.32 groups n. mile–1; 95% CI: 0.26–0.39) than in the Gerlache Strait (0.24 groups n. mile–1; 95% CI: 0.13–0.44), though the difference was not statistically evident. An abundance estimate using conventional distance sampling methods was computed only for the Bransfield Strait. The perpendicular distance data was best fitted by the half-normal model without adjustments. Derived abundance for the surveyed area was 865 humpback whales (95% CI = 656–1,141; CV = 14.13). This area represents only a small fraction of the Stock G feeding ground.

Climate change affects various components of the polar environment, including lacustrine systems in many regions of the Antarctic Peninsula. However, the recent status of these life-preserving habitats remains poorly known. We performed field geomorphological mapping and limnological characterization of lakes distributed across Devil's Bay in the northern area of Vega Island, James Ross Archipelago, and described some significant changes in their physical and chemical properties during the 2013 summer season. Fifty lakes were described in the area, even though the area is relatively small (~12 km2). Six major lake types were distinguished based on their geomorphological settings and their origins, and their hydrochemical properties were compared with the neighbouring lake districts. The geomorphic characteristics of the lakes range from stable lakes on till plains (21 out of 50 lakes), to kettle lakes on fresh moraines with an unstable shoreline, to very dynamic ice-contact lakes with fluctuating water levels and inundated areas. The ice-contact lake dynamics were observed using ‘Lake Payer’ as an example. At the interface between hydrology and geosciences, this study provides new and original data from a yet largely unexplored region and emphasizes the importance of cross-disciplinary research in polar sciences.

Assemblage structure analysis was conducted based on seasonal fish species composition data collected four times a year during 2009–2013 from 10 stations around Korea (except the western coast of Korea) using set nets. A total of 154 fish species were identified, of which Trachurus japonicus (22.1%) was the most dominant, followed by Konosirus punctatus (9.2%) and Scomber japonicus (8.7%). Species richness was highest in Jumunjin (in the mid-eastern coast of Korea) and lowest in Gijang (in the east-southern coast of Korea), and species diversity was highest in Gangjeong (southern Jejudo Island) and lowest in Hanrim (northern Jejudo Island). Based on a Bray-Curtis similarity index value of 38%, the 10 stations were divided into three groups: group A comprised four stations in the eastern coast of Korea, group B comprised four stations in the east-southern coast of Korea and Jejudo Island, and group C comprised two stations in the westsouthern coast of Korea. One-way analysis of similarities showed significant differences among groups (global R: 0.822, p = 0.001). The characteristics of the sea currents (e.g., Tsushima Warm Current, North Korea Cold Current) and water masses (e.g., Yellow Sea Bottom Cold Water) might have influenced this grouping.

Sands are distributed in a sheet form across the entire shelf of the Yellow and South seas. They are barely several meters thick except for sand waves and ridges, which are commonly thicker than 10 m. These shelf sands are called transgressive sand deposits (TSDs), which formed during the Holocene. The formation of TSDs can be explained by shoreface retreat, a morpho-dynamical process in response to sea-level rise. This process is accompanied by an intensive erosion of beach/barriers with the eroded sands depositing behind onto tidal or estuarine muddy sediments. The TSDs in the Yellow and South seas may well be traceable to the present coast. As a result, the TSDs reflect successive earlier positions of the coastline. The consequence of the shoreface retreat in the Yellow and South seas is expressed in the Holocene stratigraphy. It shows a somewhat abrupt change in the grain texture of sediments in the upper part. That is, the sediments coarsen upward from mud or muddy sand to massive fine-to-medium sand, i.e. the TSDs. Most of the TSDs are still reworked by strong tidal currents and winter stormy waves as evidenced by asymmetric sand waves of various scale. The Korean coast of the East Sea is characterized by beaches and sand bars in wave-dominant environments. However, the narrow and steep shelf of the East Sea is virtually barren of TSDs. That may be elucidated by a sediment-dynamical finding that shoreface retreat becomes more erosive as the slope gradient increases.

The occurrence of global warming and concomitant rises in sea level means it is important to assess the vertical lowering rates and evolution of shore platforms. Most previous studies, however, were based on empirical measurements and limited to the decadal scale, implying there is great necessity to learn about long-term rates of change on rocky coasts. In particular, because it is relatively easy to monitor soft rocks such as chalk, there is little information about hard rocky coasts that consist of volcanic, igneous, and metamorphic rocks. In this study, we used cosmogenic 36Cl exposure dating to overcome the spatial and temporal limitations of previous studies that have restricted progress in rocky coast research. Results show that the exposure ages of samples collected from the shore platforms along volcanic islands in the middle of the East Sea (Sea of Japan) range from the mid-Holocene (ca. 4 ka) to the last century (ca. 0.1 ka). The large range in ages along the outer platform edges may be related to stochastic, differential, and mechanical wave erosion. We also calculated the rates of vertical lowering from the 36Cl concentrations of the platform surfaces, yielding a maximum rate, excluding outliers, of 0.68 mm/yr. The rates of vertical lowering inferred from the cosmogenic 36Cl abundances are comparable with previous empirical values, and will improve our understanding of the long-term evolution of rocky coasts.

Though leopard seals live and reproduce almost exclusively in fast ice and pack ice habitats surrounding the Antarctic Continent, they have been reported to range northward to South Georgia in the South Atlantic Ocean, South Africa, Patagonia, New Zealand and several islands in the South Atlantic, South Pacific, and southern Indian oceans. We summarize recent (2011 through 2018) sightings of leopard seals at Easter Island (Rapa Nui), Eastern Polynesia, and we discuss archeological and anthropological records (i.e., rock art, legends, archeological specimens, Rongorongo script) that arguably indicate that leopard seals have periodically appeared at the island for several centuries. We think that the most likely origin of these visits of leopard seals to Easter Island is from the Antarctic Peninsula to southwestern South America in austral winter as seasonal sea ice expands northward, or perhaps more recently from a small resident population in Tierra del Fuego, via the broad, cold Humboldt Current that flows northward along the Chilean coast from the Southern Ocean.

The paper presents the results of the analysis of diatoms from surface sediments (stones, sands) and macroflora (seagrass, macroalgae) collected at 16 sampling sites located along the inner coastal zone of Puck Bay (southern Baltic Sea) along the Hel Peninsula. The main diatom species of epilithon, epipsammon and epiphyton were characterized with respect to their autecological preferences (habitat, salinity, trophic status, saprobity). Three groups of diatoms were distinguished with respect to the type of substrate based on the results of benthic flora analysis: diatoms (i) of one type of substrate, (ii) of two types and (iii) those occurring on all types of substrates. Moreover, the distribution of benthic diatom communities indicates ecological differences in the study area. Marine and brackish-water species were observed in large numbers in the coastal zone of the Outer Puck Bay, whereas freshwater flora occurred with a higher frequency in the coastal zone of the Puck Lagoon. The content of polysaprobionts and of α-mesosaprobionts indicates that the region of the Hel Tip is highly eutrophicated and very polluted. The coast in the vicinity of Kuznica is less polluted, whereas the best environmental conditions are found in the Jurata–Jastarnia region, as evidenced by the frequency of diatoms that are β-mesosaprobionts.