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A significant proportion of Southern Ocean seafloor biodiversity is thought to be associated with fragile, slow growing, long-lived, and habitat-forming taxa. Minimizing adverse impact to these so-called vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs) is a conservation priority that is often managed by relying on fisheries bycatch data, combined with threshold-based conservation rules in which all “indicator” taxa are considered equal. However, VME indicator taxa have different vulnerabilities to fishing disturbance and more consideration needs to be given to how these taxa may combine to form components of ecosystems with high conservation value. Here, we propose a multi-criteria approach to VME identification that explicitly considers multiple taxa identified from imagery as VME indicator morpho-taxa. Each VME indicator morpho-taxon is weighted differently, based on its vulnerability to fishing. Using the “Antarctic Seafloor Annotated Imagery Database”, where 53 VME indicator morpho-taxa were manually annotated generating >40000 annotations, we computed an index of cumulative abundance and overall richness and assigned it to spatial grid cells. Our analysis quantifies the assemblage-level vulnerability to fishing, and allows assemblages to be characterized, e.g. as highly diverse or highly abundant. The implementation of this quantitative method is intended to enhance VME identification and contextualize the bycatch events.

Marine imagery is a comparatively cost-effective way to collect data on seafloor organisms, biodiversity and habitat morphology. However, annotating these images to extract detailed biological information is time-consuming and expensive, and reference libraries of consistently annotated seafloor images are rarely publicly available. Here, we present the Antarctic Seafloor Annotated Imagery Database (AS-AID), a result of a multinational collaboration to collate and annotate regional seafloor imagery datasets from 19 Antarctic research cruises between 1985 and 2019. AS-AID comprises of 3,599 georeferenced downward facing seafloor images that have been labelled with a total of 615,051 expert annotations. Annotations are based on the CATAMI (Collaborative and Automated Tools for Analysis of Marine Imagery) classification scheme and have been reviewed by experts. In addition, because the pixel location of each annotation within each image is available, annotations can be viewed easily and customised to suit individual research priorities.This dataset can be used to investigate species distributions, community patterns, it provides a reference to assess change through time, and can be used to train algorithms to automatically detect and annotate marine fauna.

Vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs) are typically fragile and slow to recover, making them likely to be substantially altered by disturbance. In the High Seas, regional fishery management organizations (RFMOs) are required to implement measures to prevent significant adverse impacts on VMEs. The objectives of the present study were to: update distribution models of VME indicator taxa in the South Pacific RFMO Convention Area; evaluate these against newly-collated independent field data to test the reliability of the presence-only habitat suitability models; and assess how well the updated models were able to predict into unsampled space. Ensemble habitat suitability models of 10 VME indicator taxa performed well using the newly collated data (AUC > 0.95, TSS > 0.76, and RMSE 0.93, TSS > 0.71, and RMSE

Juvenile haemochromatosis is a severe inherited iron-loading disorder that can present in children and adolescents. Typical manifestations include heart failure, endocrine failure (including diabetes and hypogonadism), cirrhosis, and arthropathy. Compared with HFE haemochromatosis, juvenile haemochromatosis affects female and male individuals similarly, presents at a younger age, and causes multiple organ dysfunction; the principle of iron loading into tissues from the gut is shared by both forms, but the process is far more rapid in juvenile haemochromatosis. Juvenile haemochromatosis is initially recognised by extreme increases of serum ferritin and transferrin saturation, which is supported by an MRI showing iron deposition in the heart and liver. MRI software techniques allow quantification of iron in these organs, and can therefore be used to monitor progress. Juvenile haemochromatosis is autosomal recessive and is generally associated with mutations in HJV (type 2A) or HAMP (type 2B). Mutations in TFR2 cause an intermediate severity phenotype (type 3), but this phenotype can cross over into the juvenile haemochromatosis spectrum so it might need to be additionally considered during diagnosis. Treatment needs to be administered without delay, in the form of aggressive iron chelation, and a multidisciplinary approach is essential. Because iron is removed, organ function is restored, which could obviate the need for cardiac or liver transplantation. Substantial restoration of health can ensue, but patients require life-long monitoring. Family screening is an important component of the management of juvenile haemochromatosis. Genetic advances which underpin the haemochromatosis types also clarify the role of iron metabolism in health and disease, particularly the role of hepcidin in regulating iron homoeostasis. Therefore, juvenile haemochromatosis is an important condition to understand; it can present insidiously in children and adolescents, and awareness of the diagnosis is needed to inform early recognition and treatment.

Turbidity flows – underwater avalanches – are large-scale physical disturbances that are believed to have profound and lasting impacts on benthic communities in the deep sea, with hypothesized effects on both productivity and diversity. In this review we summarize the physical characteristics of turbidity flows and the mechanisms by which they influence deep-sea benthic communities, both as an immediate pulse-type disturbance and through longer-term press-type impacts. Further, we use data from turbidity flows that occurred hundreds to thousands of years ago as well as three more recent events to assess published hypotheses that turbidity flows affect productivity and diversity. We find, unlike previous reviews, that evidence for changes in productivity in the studies was ambiguous at best, whereas the influence on regional and local diversity was more clear-cut: as had previously been hypothesized, turbidity flows decrease local diversity but create mosaics of habitat patches that contribute to increased regional diversity. Studies of more recent turbidity flows provide greater insights into their impacts in the deep sea, but without pre-disturbance data, the factors that drive patterns in benthic community productivity and diversity, be they physical, chemical, or a combination thereof, still cannot be identified. We propose criteria for data that would be necessary for testing these hypotheses and suggest that studies of Kaikōura Canyon, New Zealand, where an earthquake-triggered turbidity flow occurred in 2016, will provide insights into the impacts of turbidity flows on deep-sea benthic communities as well as the impacts of other large-scale disturbances such as deep-sea mining.

Intestinal transplant is considered in a small number of patients with intestinal failure or locally invasive benign abdominal tumours to improve both quality of life and survival. The complexity of the underlying diseases and postoperative findings are reflected in the imaging undertaken to support this patient group. Increasing numbers of patients are undergoing these procedures. Radiologists are increasingly likely to encounter these patients before and after surgery. This article will discuss the imaging findings that may prompt referral for transplantation assessment. It will also describe surgical anatomy and postoperative complications.

Methods that predict the distributions of species and habitats by developing statistical relationships between observed occurrences and environmental gradients have become common tools in environmental research, resource management, and conservation. The uptake of model predictions in practical applications remains limited, however, because validation against independent sample data is rarely practical, especially at larger spatial scales and in poorly sampled environments. Here, we use a quantitative dataset of benthic invertebrate faunal distributions from seabed photographic surveys of an important fisheries area in New Zealand as independent data against which to assess the usefulness of 47 habitat suitability models from eight published studies in the region. When assessed against the independent data, model performance was lower than in published cross-validation values, a trend of increasing performance over time seen in published metrics was not supported, and while 74% of the models were potentially useful for predicting presence or absence, correlations with prevalence and density were weak. We investigate the reasons underlying these results, using recently proposed standards to identify areas in which improvements can best be made. We conclude that commonly used cross-validation methods can yield inflated values of prediction success even when spatial structure in the input data is allowed for, and that the main impediments to prediction success are likely to include unquantified uncertainty in available predictor variables, lack of some ecologically important variables, lack of confirmed absence data for most taxa, and modeling at coarse taxonomic resolution.

Turbidity flows – underwater avalanches – are large-scale physical disturbances that are believed to have profound and lasting impacts on benthic communities in the deep sea, with hypothesised effects on both productivity and diversity. In this review we summarize the physical characteristics of turbidity flows and the mechanisms by which they influence deep sea benthic communities, both as an immediate pulse-type disturbance and through longer term press-type impacts. Further, we use data from turbidity flows that occurred hundreds to thousands of years ago as well as three more recent events to assess published hypotheses that turbidity flows affect productivity and diversity. We found, unlike previous reviews, that evidence for changes in productivity in the studies was ambiguous at best, whereas the influence on regional and local diversity was more clear-cut: as had previously been hypothesized turbidity flows decrease local diversity but create mosaics of habitat patches that contribute to increased regional diversity. Studies of more recent turbidity flows provide greater insights into their impacts in the deep sea but without pre-disturbance data the factors that drive patterns in benthic community productivity and diversity, be they physical, chemical, or a combination thereof, still cannot be identified. We propose criteria for data that would be necessary for testing these hypotheses and suggest that studies of Kaikōura Canyon, New Zealand, where an earthquake-triggered turbidity flow occurred in 2016, will present helpful insights into the impacts of turbidity flows on deep-sea benthic communities.

Background Venesection is the standard treatment for hereditary haemochromatosis (HH) preventing morbidity and mortality, but therapeutic venesection may not be clinically beneficial in all patients. Furthermore, serum ferritin may not accurately reflect the true extent of iron overload. To inform practice we correlated magnetic resonance (MR) iron quantification data in a cohort investigated for HH. Methods A cross-sectional study of 93 hyperferritinaemic subjects without known liver or haematological disease was undertaken. All subjects underwent HFE genotyping and MR imaging with hepatic iron quantification. Serum ferritin and transferrin saturation values were time-matched with MR liver iron concentration (LIC). For those patients undergoing venesection, volume of blood removed was calculated as a measure of iron overload. Results The cohort comprised 45 C282Y homozygotes, 23 compound heterozygotes (C282Y/H63D) and 25 who were either C282Y heterozygotes or wild-type for HFE. Of 45 C282Y homozygotes (20 females, 25 males, mean age 60), serum ferritin ranged 184–4523 mcg/l (mean 1027 mcg/l), transferrin saturation 43–100% (mean 81%), and LIC 1.27–9.97 mg/g (mean 5.06 mg/g). Removing the two homozygotes with ferritin >3000 mcg/l, there was a moderately positive correlation between ferritin and LIC in homozygotes (r=0.48). Of 23 compound heterozygotes (5 females, 18 males, mean age 55), serum ferritin ranged 418–3016 mcg/l (mean 1033 mcg/l), transferrin saturation 29%-100% (mean 51%) and LIC 1.36–4.58 mg/g (mean 2.43 mg/g). Serum ferritin of >1000 mcg/l had 92% sensitivity and 50% specificity for the detection of significant iron overload (LIC >2.5 mg/g). In the remaining group (3 females, 22 males, average age 65), serum ferritin ranged 351–1957 mcg/l (mean 1113 mcg/l), transferrin saturation 21%-96% (mean 46%) and LIC 1.41–4.23 mg/g (mean 2.11 mg/g). Those with liver risk factors (including alcohol and high BMI) had higher serum ferritin (1254 vs 901 mcg/l, p LIC was significantly higher in homozygotes compared with other groups for any given ferritin concentration. Of the 93 patients, 20 homozygotes and 4 compound heterozygotes were venesected to serum ferritin Conclusion MR LIC correlates well with iron overload in HH as calculated by volume of blood removed; LIC is therefore likely to be discriminatory in non-homozygotes where additional risk factors contribute to hyperferritinaemia. Compound heterozygotes are more likely to benefit from venesection when serum ferritin is >1000 mcg/l.

Despite bottom trawling being the most widespread, severe disturbance affecting deep-sea environments, it remains uncertain whether recovery is possible once trawling has ceased. Here, we review information regarding the resilience of seamount benthic communities to trawling. We focus on seamounts because benthic communities associated with these features are especially vulnerable to trawling as they are often dominated by emergent, sessile epifauna, and trawling on seamounts can be highly concentrated. We perform a meta-analysis to investigate whether any taxa demonstrate potential for recovery once trawling has ceased. Our findings indicate that mean total abundance can gradually increase after protection measures are placed, although taxa exhibit various responses, from no recovery to intermediate/high recovery, resistance, or signs of early colonisation. We use our results to recommend directions for future research to improve our understanding of the resilience of seamount benthic communities, and thereby inform the management of trawling impacts on these ecosystems.

Primary retroperitoneal mucinous cystadenoma (PRMC) is a rare tumour. It was first reported in 1965, and since then, less than 100 cases have been reported. It is cystic in nature and most commonly affects the female population. It becomes symptomatic in later stages due to its mass effect, making the diagnosis challenging in its early asymptomatic stage. We report a case of a 32-year-old female who presented with abdominal pain and a mass in left iliac fossa. Diagnostic imaging revealed a large cystic lesion in retroperitoneum. A midline laparotomy was performed, and a complete surgical excision was accomplished without any spillage. Surgical histology confirmed the diagnosis of PRMC. The patient was discharged on postoperative day 2. There was no evidence of tumour recurrence on repeat imaging at 90-day follow-up. Surgical approach, with complete resection and without any spillage, remains the most effective and appropriate treatment for this tumour.

Vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs) are at risk from the impacts of deep-sea trawling. Identifying the presence of VMEs in high seas fisheries management areas has to date relied mainly on presence records, or on habitat suitability models of VME indicator taxa (e.g., the stony coral species Solenosmilia variabilis Duncan, 1873) as proxies for the occurrence of VMEs (e.g., cold-water coral reefs). However, the presence or predicted presence of indicator taxa does not necessarily equate to the occurrence of a VME. There have been very few attempts to determine density thresholds of VME indicator taxa that relate to a “significant concentration” which supports a “high diversity” of associated taxa, as per the current criterion for identifying structurally complex VMEs (FAO 2009). Without knowing such thresholds, identifications of VMEs will continue to be subjective, impeding efforts to design effective spatial management measures for VMEs. To address this issue, we used seafloor video and still image data from the Louisville Seamount Chain off New Zealand to model relationships between the densities of live Solenosmilia variabilis coral heads, as well as percent cover of live and dead coral matrix, and the number of other epifauna taxa present. Analyses were conducted at three spatial scales; 50 m2 and 25m2 for video, and 2 m2 for stills. Model curves exhibited initial steep positive responses reaching thresholds for the number of live coral heads at 0.11 m-2 (50 m2), 0.14 m-2 (25 m2), and 0.85 m-2 (2 m2). Both live and dead coral cover were positively correlated with the number of associated taxa up to about 30% cover, for all spatial scales (24.5 to 28%). We discuss the results in the context of past and future efforts to develop criteria for identifying VMEs.

Hydrogeological processes influence the morphology, mechanical behavior, and evolution of subduction margins. Fluid supply, release, migration, and drainage control fluid pressure and collectively govern the stress state, which varies between accretionary and nonaccretionary systems. We compiled over a decade of published and unpublished acoustic data sets and seafloor observations to analyze the distribution of focused fluid expulsion along the Hikurangi margin, New Zealand. The spatial coverage and quality of our data are exceptional for subduction margins globally. We found that focused fluid seepage is widespread and varies south to north with changes in subduction setting, including: wedge morphology, convergence rate, seafloor roughness, and sediment thickness on the incoming Pacific plate. Overall, focused seepage manifests most commonly above the deforming backstop, is common on thrust ridges, and is largely absent from the frontal wedge despite ubiquitous hydrate occurrences. Focused seepage distribution may reflect spatial differences in shallow permeability architecture, while diffusive fluid flow and seepage at scales below detection limits are also likely. From the spatial coincidence of fluids with major thrust faults that disrupt gas hydrate stability, we surmise that focused seepage distribution may also reflect deeper drainage of the forearc, with implications for pore-pressure regime, fault mechanics, and critical wedge stability and morphology. Because a range of subduction styles is represented by 800 km of along-strike variability, our results may have implications for understanding subduction fluid flow and seepage globally., peer-reviewed

Given the need to describe, analyze and index large quantities of marine imagery data for exploration and monitoring activities, a range of specialized image annotation tools have been developed worldwide. Image annotation - the process of transposing objects or events represented in a video or still image to the semantic level, may involve human interactions and computer-assisted solutions. Marine image annotation software (MIAS) have enabled over 500 publications to date. We review the functioning, application trends and developments, by comparing general and advanced features of 23 different tools utilized in underwater image analysis. \{MIAS\} requiring human input are basically a graphical user interface, with a video player or image browser that recognizes a specific time code or image code, allowing to log events in a time-stamped (and/or geo-referenced) manner. \{MIAS\} differ from similar software by the capability of integrating data associated to video collection, the most simple being the position coordinates of the video recording platform. \{MIAS\} have three main characteristics: annotating events in real time, in posteriorly to annotation and interact with a database. These range from simple annotation interfaces, to full onboard data management systems, with a variety of toolboxes. Advanced packages allow to input and display of data from multiple sensors or multiple annotators via intranet or internet. Posterior human-mediated annotation often include tools for data display and image analysis, e.g. length, area, image segmentation, point count; and in a few cases the possibility of browsing and editing previous dive logs or to analyze annotation data. The interaction with a database allows the automatic integration of annotations from different surveys, repeated annotation and collaborative annotation of shared datasets, browsing and querying of data. Progress in the field of automated annotation is mostly in post processing, for stable platforms or still images. Integration into available \{MIAS\} is currently limited to semi-automated processes of pixel recognition through computer-vision modules that compile expert-based knowledge. Important topics aiding the choice of a specific software are outlined, the ideal software is discussed and future trends are presented.

Capturing age and sex of subjects from whole-body features has important applications in a wide variety of areas. However, current techniques for determining this information without subject interaction or high-resolution images are problematic. While computer vision techniques (e.g. poselets and histogram-oriented gradients) are functional at a stand-off, these methods often include areas influenced by characteristics such as clothing or hairstyle which vary by region and culture. Whole-body anthropometrics, especially those of children and youth experiencing rapid musculoskeletal changes, may help inform robust models of age estimation and sex classification. Models of anthropometric variables were developed from a pre-existing database for age estimation using linear regression techniques. Sex classification was performed both over the entire subject group as well as three individual age bins (2 ≤ subject age < 8, 8 ≤ subject age < 14, and 14 ≤ subject age). Age estimation models were highly dependent on head size and exhibited r-squared values as high as 0.91 and root mean square error values as low as 1.29 years. Sex classification was found to be highly linked to a combination of foot, hand, hip, and torso metrics for correct classification as high as 88%. The results presented herein may help develop and focus methods of determining age and sex.

The spread of human activities into the deep sea may pose a high risk to benthic communities and affect ecosystem integrity. The deep sea is characterized by physical and biological heterogeneity and different habitat types are likely to differ in their vulnerability to anthropogenic impacts. However, across-habitat comparisons are rare, and no comprehensive ecological risk assessment has yet been developed. To address this gap in our knowledge, we compared macro-infaunal community structure in four habitats (slope, canyons, seamounts and methane seeps) at depths between 700 and 1500 m in the Hikurangi Margin and Bay of Plenty regions off New Zealand. The most striking contrast in community structure was between the two study regions, due to an order of magnitude difference in macro-infaunal abundance that we believe was caused by differences in surface productivity and food availability at the sea bed. We found differences in structural and functional attributes of macro-infaunal communities among some habitats in the Hikurangi Margin (slope, canyon and seep), but not in the Bay of Plenty. We posit that differences between canyon and slope communities on the Hikurangi Margin are due to enhanced food availability inside canyons compared with adjacent slope habitats. Seep communities were characterized by elevated abundance of both symbiont-bearing and heterotrophic taxa, and were the most distinct, and variable, among the habitats that we considered on the Hikurangi Margin. Communities of seamounts were not distinct from slope or canyon communities on the Hikurangi Margin, probably reflecting similar environmental conditions in these habitats. The communities of deep-sea canyon and seep habitats on the Hikurangi Margin were sufficiently dissimilar from each other and from slope habitats to warrant separate management consideration. By contrast, the low dissimilarity between communities of canyon and slope habitats in the Bay of Plenty suggests that habitat-based management is not required in this region, for macro-infauna at least. Although the two study regions share similar species pools, populations of the Hikurangi Margin region may be less vulnerable than the sparser populations of the Bay of Plenty due to the higher availability of potential colonizers and faster population growth. Thus regions, and habitats in some regions, should be subject to separate ecological risk assessment to help identify the key risks and consequences of human activities, and to inform options for reducing or mitigating impacts.

Growing economic interest in seabed resources in the deep-sea highlights the need for information about the spatial distribution and vulnerability to disturbance of benthic habitats and fauna. Categorisation of seabed habitats for management is often based on topographic features such as canyons and seamounts that can be distinguished using regional bathymetry (‘mega-habitats’). This is practical but because such habitats are contiguous with others, there is potential for overlap in the communities associated with them. Because concepts of habitat and community vulnerability are based on the traits of individual taxa, the nature and extent of differences between communities have implications for strategies to manage the environmental effects of resource use. Using towed video camera transects, we surveyed mega-epifaunal communities of three topographically-defined habitats (canyon, seamount or knoll, and continental slope) and two physico-chemically defined meso-scale habitats (cold seep and hydrothermal vent) in two regions off New Zealand to assess whether each supports a distinct type of community. Cold seep and hydrothermal vent communities were strongly distinct from those in other habitats. Across the other habitats, however, distinctions between communities were often weak and were not consistent between regions. Dissimilarities among communities across all habitats were stronger and the density of filter-feeding taxa was higher in the Bay of Plenty than on the Hikurangi Margin, whereas densities of predatory and scavenging taxa were higher on the Hikurangi Margin. Substratum diversity at small spatial scales (

Intestinal failure is the inability to maintain adequate nutrition or hydration through the gut. It is caused by a diverse range of benign and malignant aetiologies. Imaging takes a central role in the multidisciplinary assessment of patients with intestinal failure.

We report a case of a 33-year-old man with a background of longstanding ileo-colonic Crohn’s disease and primary sclerosing cholangitis. Following a trip to India he developed diarrhoea which was treated as an exacerbation of Crohn’s disease. Liver tests became chronically deranged after increasing immunosuppression, which comprised mercaptopurine, adalimumab and prednisolone. Chronic genotype 1 hepatitis E was diagnosed and successfully treated with reduction of immunosuppression followed by a 24-week course of ribavirin. We believe that this is the first reported case of chronic hepatitis E in genotype 1. Deranged liver tests should prompt testing for hepatitis E infection in the context of immunosuppression for inflammatory bowel disease.

The Global Marine Environment Datasets (GMED) is a compilation of publicly available climatic, biological and geophysical environmental layers featuring present, past and future environmental conditions. Marine biologists increasingly utilize geo-spatial techniques with modelling algorithms to visualize and predict species biodiversity at a global scale. Marine environmental datasets available for species distribution modelling (SDM) have different spatial resolutions and are frequently provided in assorted file formats. This makes data assembly one of the most time-consuming parts of any study using multiple environmental layers for biogeography visualization or SDM applications. GMED covers the widest available range of environmental layers from a variety of sources and depths from the surface to the deepest part of the ocean. It has a uniform spatial extent, high-resolution land mask (to eliminate land areas in the marine regions), and high spatial resolution (5 arc-minute, c. 9.2 km near equator). The free public online availability of GMED enables rapid map overlay of species of interest (e.g. endangered or invasive) against different environmental conditions of the past, present and the future, and expedites mapping distribution ranges of species using popular SDM algorithms. GMED can be found at http://gmed.auckland.ac.nz/ (DOI: https://10.6084/m9.figshare.5937268).

Patterns of habitat use by animals and knowledge of the environmental factors affecting these spatial patterns are important for understanding the structure and dynamics of ecological communities. Both aspects are poorly known for deep-sea habitats. The present study investigates echinoid distributions within cold water coral (CWC) habitats on continental margins off France, Australia, and New Zealand. It further examines the influence of habitat-related variables that might help explain the observed distribution of echinoid taxa. Six echinoid taxa were examined from video and photographic transects to reveal taxon-specific distribution patterns and habitat-related influences. The Echinoidea were found in all habitats studied, but tended to aggregate in architecturally complex habitats associated with living cold-water corals. However, a taxon-specific investigation found that such associations were largely an artefact of the dominant taxa observed in a specific region. Despite the food and shelter resources offered to echinoids by matrix-forming coral habitats, not all taxa were associated with these habitats, and some had a random association with the habitats examined, while others displayed non-random associations. Echinoid distribution was correlated with several variables; the presence of other echinoids, depth, and fishing history were the most influential factors. This study indicates that image data can be a useful tool to detect trends in echinoid habitat associations. It also suggests that refinement of the methods, in particular with studies conducted at a more precise taxon and habitat scale, would facilitate better quantitative analyses of habitat associations and paint a more realistic picture of a population's ecology. Most deep-sea ecological studies to date have been conducted at a relatively coarse taxonomic and habitat resolution, and lack sufficient resolution to provide useful information for the conservation of vulnerable deep-sea habitats.

Although the global flux of sediment and carbon from land to the coastal ocean is well known, the volume of material that reaches the deep ocean—the ultimate sink—and the mechanisms by which it is transferred are poorly documented. Using a globally unique data set of repeat seafloor measurements and samples, we show that the moment magnitude (Mw) 7.8 November 2016 Kaikōura earthquake (New Zealand) triggered widespread landslides in a submarine canyon, causing a powerful “canyon flushing” event and turbidity current that traveled >680 km along one of the world’s longest deep-sea channels. These observations provide the first quantification of seafloor landscape change and large-scale sediment transport associated with an earthquake-triggered full canyon flushing event. The calculated interevent time of ~140 years indicates a canyon incision rate of 40 mm year−1, substantially higher than that of most terrestrial rivers, while synchronously transferring large volumes of sediment [850 metric megatons (Mt)] and organic carbon (7 Mt) to the deep ocean. These observations demonstrate that earthquake-triggered canyon flushing is a primary driver of submarine canyon development and material transfer from active continental margins to the deep ocean., peer-reviewed

Deep-sea fisheries operate globally throughout the world's oceans, chiefly targeting stocks on the upper and mid-continental slope and offshore seamounts. Major commercial fisheries occur, or have occurred, for species such as orange roughy, oreos, cardinalfish, grenadiers and alfonsino. Few deep fisheries have, however, been sustainable, with most deep-sea stocks having undergone rapid and substantial declines. Fishing in the deep sea not only harvests target species but can also cause unintended environmental harm, mostly from operating heavy bottom trawls and, to a lesser extent, bottom longlines. Bottom trawling over hard seabed (common on seamounts) routinely removes most of the benthic fauna, resulting in declines in faunal biodiversity, cover and abundance. Functionally, these impacts translate into loss of biogenic habitat from potentially large areas. Recent studies on longline fisheries show that their impact is much less than from trawl gear, but can still be significant. Benthic taxa, especially the dominant mega-faunal components of deep-sea systems such as corals and sponges, can be highly vulnerable to fishing impacts. Some taxa have natural resilience due to their size, shape, and structure, and some can survive in natural refuges inaccessible to trawls. However, many deep-sea invertebrates are exceptionally long-lived and grow extremely slowly: these biological attributes mean that the recovery capacity of the benthos is highly limited and prolonged, predicted to take decades to centuries after fishing has ceased. The low tolerance and protracted recovery of many deep-sea benthic communities has implications for managing environmental performance of deep-sea fisheries, including that (i) expectations for recovery and restoration of impacted areas may be unrealistic in acceptable time frames, (ii) the high vulnerability of deep-sea fauna makes spatial management—that includes strong and consistent conservation closures—an important priority, and (iii) biodiversity conservation should be > balanced with options for open areas that support sustainable fisheries.

Seamounts in the Ross Sea were surveyed during the New Zealand IPY-CAML research voyage in 2008. Admiralty seamount, and seamounts of the Scott Island Seamount chain (Scott Island, Scott A, Scott B, Scott South) were sampled to examine variability in benthic faunal communities of seamounts. Multivariate analysis of video and still image data showed that benthic community composition was highly variable both within and between seamounts. The distribution patterns of benthic communities varied considerably, with very high densities of certain taxa in some places, sparse fauna in many others, and highly patchy distributions for others. Dissimilarities between seamounts were influenced by differences in population densities of taxa, the proportions of transects in which taxa were present, and by taxa being restricted to only one seamount or group of seamounts. Scott Island seamount was less similar to the others, despite the greater distances between Admiralty and Scott A and B seamounts. The observed variability in community composition was mainly associated with differences in depth, chlorophyll concentration, and seabed rugosity. Results support an earlier hypothesis that the location of seamounts relative to the Ross Sea gyre could be an important factor determining the composition and abundance of benthic invertebrate communities.

To investigate regional drivers of spatial patterns in macro- and meio-faunal community structure (abundance, biomass and taxonomic diversity) and ecosystem function (sediment community oxygen consumption [SCOC]), we sampled two regions in close proximity on New Zealand's continental margin—the Chatham Rise and the Challenger Plateau. Sites (n = 15) were selected in water depths ranging from 266–1212 m to generate a gradient in sedimentary properties and, in particular, surface pelagic productivity. Both macro- and meio-fauna abundance and biomass was 2–3.5 times higher on the Chatham Rise than on the Challenger Plateau, reflecting regional differences in pelagic primary production. We also found significant inter- and intra-regional differences in macro-fauna taxonomic diversity with two distinctive site groupings in each region. Univariate and multivariate measures of macro-fauna community attributes were most strongly correlated with sediment photosynthetic pigment (explaining 24%–59% of the variation)...

Studies on human perception have identified pelvis and torso motion as key discriminators between male and female gaits. However, while most observers would advocate that men and women walk differently, consistent findings and explanations of sex differences in gait kinematics across modern empirical studies are rare. In the present study we evaluated sex differences in whole body gait kinematics from a large sample of subjects (55 men, 36 women) walking at self selected speeds. We analyzed the data through comparisons of discrete metrics and whole curve analyses. Results showed that in the frontal plane, women walked with greater pelvic obliquity than men, but exhibited a more stable torso and head. Women had greater transverse plane pelvis and torso rotation as well as greater arm swing. Additional sex differences were noted at the hip and ankle. These kinematic results are in line with anectdotal observations and qualitative studies. In order to understand these observations and substantiate some of the explanations previously set forth in the biomechanics literature, we also explored possible reasons for dynamic sex effects, and suggested applications that may benefit from their consideration.