(Table 1) Age determination of North Atlantic sediment cores

Four cores raised from the eastern Norwegian Sea and adjacent Norwegian fjords at sites influenced by Atlantic water have been investigated. Oxygen isotope analyses in benthic and planktonic foraminifera are used as a proxy for the paleotemperature development spanning the last 800 years. The cores have been dated using a combination of 210Pb and radiocarbon dates yielding time resolutions of 2-5 years for the last century and 9-25 years beyond this. The proxy records have been compared with instrumental time series covering the last 100 years in order to validate the oxygen isotope measurements as a proxy for paleotemperature. The comparison shows that the paleotemperature variability derived from the oxygen isotope analyses is generally similar to the amplitudes and trends seen in the instrumental time series. In particular, a cooling around 1905-1925 followed by a warming until 1955 is evident in all proxy records as well as in the instrumental time series. Beyond the last century the proxy records show two periods from ~1225-1450 and ~1650-1905(25) when temperatures were 1.3-1.6°C lower than present separated by a period of temperatures periodically comparable to present. The last 80 years represent the modern warming and appear to be the warmest period of the last 800 years. We find that that the ocean temperature variability is comparable to terrestrial reconstructions from the region implying a strong link in the ocean-atmosphere climate system. This suggests that the climate variability in this region beyond the period covered by instrumental time series was also associated with changes in the thermohaline circulation.

2003 Habitat Maps derived from Grey Nurse Shark (GNS) Project of Wolf Rock, Double Island Point, Queensland, Australia

Surveying habitats critical to the survival of grey nurse sharks in South-East Queensland has mapped critical habitats, gathered species inventories and developed protocols for ecological monitoring of critical habitats in southern Queensland. This information has assisted stakeholders with habitat definition and effective management. In 2002 members of UniDive applied successfully for World Wide Fund for Nature, Threatened Species Network funds to map the critical Grey Nurse Shark Habitats in south east Queensland. UniDive members used the funding to survey, from the boats of local dive operators, Wolf Rock at Double Island Point, Gotham, Cherub's Cave, Henderson's Rock and China Wall at North Moreton and Flat Rock at Point Look Out during 2002 and 2003. These sites are situated along the south east Queensland coast and are known to be key Grey Nurse Shark aggregation sites. During the project UniDive members were trained in mapping and survey techniques that include identification of fish, invertebrates and substrate types. Training was conducted by experts from the University of Queensland (Centre of Marine Studies, Biophysical Remote Sensing) and the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service who are also UniDive members. The monitoring methods (see methods) are based upon results of the UniDive Coastcare project from 2002, the international established Reef Check program and research conducted by Biophysical Remote Sensing and the Centre of Marine Studies. Habitats were mapped using a combination of towed GPS photo transects, aerial photography, bathymetry surveys and expert knowledge. This data provides georeferenced information regarding the major features of each of Sites mapped including Wolf Rock