(Table 2) Age interval and accumulation rates of organic and inorganic carbon from ODP Sites 175-1082, 175-1084, 175-1085 and 175-1087

The Ocean Drilling Program Leg 175 recovered a unique series of stratigraphically continuous sedimentary sections along the SW African margin, an area which is presently affected by active coastal upwelling. The accumulation rates of organic and inorganic carbon are a major component of this record. Four Leg 175 sites (1082, 1084, 1085, 1087) are chosen as part of a latitudinal transect from the present northern to southern boundaries of the Benguela Current upwelling system, to decipher the Pliocene-Pleistocene history of biogenic production and its relationship with global and local changes in oceanic circulation and climate. The pattern of CaCO3 and Corg mass accumulation rates (MARs) over 0.25-Myr intervals indicates that the evolution of carbon burial is highly variable between the northern and the southern Benguela regions, as well as between sites that have similar hydrological conditions. This, as well as the presence over most locations of high-amplitude, rapid changes of carbon burial, reflect the partitioning of biogenic production and patterns of sedimentation into local compartments over the Benguela margin. The combined mapping of CaCO3 and Corg MARs at the study locations suggests four distinct evolutionary periods, which are essentially linked with major steps in global climate change: the early Pliocene, the mid-Pliocene warm event, a late Pliocene intensification of northern hemisphere glaciation and the Pleistocene. The early Pliocene spatially heterogeneous patterns of carbon burial are thought to reflect the occurrence of mass-gravitational movements over the Benguela slope which resulted in disruption of the recorded biogenic production. This was followed (3.5-3 Ma) by an episode of peak carbonate accumulation over the whole margin and, subsequently, by the onset of Benguela provincialism into a northern and a southern sedimentary regime near 2 Ma. This mid and late Pliocene evolution is interpreted as a direct response to changes in the ventilation of bottom and intermediate waters, as well as to dynamics of the subtropical gyral circulation and associated wind stress.

Table 1: Basic mass-balance, Peyto Glacier, 1967/1974

The eight-year record of mass balance of Peyto Glacier is correlated to meteorological data measured near the glacier and at Lake Louise 30 km to the south. The period investigated includes the llighest and lowest accumulations for the past 40 years. The primar'y controls of net annual balance are seen to be the depth of the 'winter sno,y pack and the temperature record during the summer. Extensive summer snowfalls in the ablation area can slow down melt rates very considerably and affect the net annual balance positively. The variable nature of winter accumulation and its influence on snowline retreat and ice melt is illustrated by three years' data.

Growth, survival, gene expression, microbiota and tryptic activity during feeding of Scophthalmus maximus first feeding larvae with beta-glucan (MacroGard)

Reflecting the natural biology of mass spawning fish aquaculture production of fish larvae is often hampered by high and unpredictable mortality rates. The present study aimed to enhance larval performance and immunity via the oral administration of an immunomodulator, beta-glucan (MacroGard®) in turbot (Scophthalmus maximus). Rotifers (Brachionus plicatilis) were incubated with or without yeast beta-1,3/1,6-glucan in form of MacroGard® at a concentration of 0.5 g/L. Rotifers were fed to first feeding turbot larvae once a day. From day 13 dph onwards all tanks were additionally fed untreated Artemia sp. nauplii (1 nauplius ml/L). Daily mortality was monitored and larvae were sampled at 11 and 24 dph for expression of 30 genes, trypsin activity and size measurements. Along with the feeding of beta-glucan daily mortality was significantly reduced by ca. 15% and an alteration of the larval microbiota was observed. At 11 dph gene expression of trypsin and chymotrypsin was elevated in the MacroGard® fed fish, which resulted in heightened tryptic enzyme activity. No effect on genes encoding antioxidative proteins was observed, whilst the immune response was clearly modulated by beta-glucan. At 11 dph complement component c3 was elevated whilst cytokines, antimicrobial peptides, toll like receptor 3 and heat shock protein 70 were not affected. At the later time point (24 dph) an anti-inflammatory effect in form of a down-regulation of hsp 70, tnf-alpha and il-1beta was observed. We conclude that the administration of beta-glucan induced an immunomodulatory response and could be used as an effective measure to increase survival in rearing of turbot.

Age models and sedimentation rates of sites in the tropical Atlantic

Late Pleistocene signals of calcium carbonate, organic carbon, and opaline silica concentration and accumulation are documented in a series of cores from a zonal/meridional/depth transect in the equatorial Atlantic Ocean to reconstruct the regional sedimentary history. Spectral analysis reveals that maxima and minima in biogenous sedimentation occur with glacial-interglacial cyclicity as a function of both (1) primary production at the sea surface modulated by orbitally forced variation in trade wind zonality and (2) destruction at the seafloor by variation in the chemical character of advected intermediate and deep water from high latitudes modulated by high-latitude ice volume. From these results a pattern emerges in which the relative proportion of signal variance from the productivity signal centered on the precessional (23 kyr) band decreases while that of the destruction signal centered on the obliquity (41 kyr) and eccentricity (100 kyr) periods increases below ~3600-m ocean depth.

Microsatellite genotyping of Mediterranean population of Ircinia fasciculata and Ircinia variabilis

Recent episodes of mass mortalities in the Mediterranean Sea have been reported for the closely related marine sponges Ircinia fasciculata and I. variabilis, which live in sympatry. In this context, the assessment of the genetic diversity, bottlenecks and connectivity of these sponges has become urgent in order to evaluate the potential effects of mass mortalities on their latitudinal range. Our study aims to establish 1.) the genetic structure, connectivity, and signs of bottlenecks across the populations of I. fasciculata, and 2.) the hybridization levels between I. fasciculata and I. variabilis. To accomplish the first objective, 194 individuals of I. fasciculata from 12 locations across the Mediterranean were genotyped at 14 microsatellite loci. For the second objective, mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I sequences of 16 individuals from both species were analyzed along with genotypes at 12 microsatellite loci of 40 individuals coexisting in 3 Mediterranean populations. We detected strong genetic structure along the Mediterranean for I. fasciculata, with high levels of inbreeding in all locations and bottleneck signs in most locations. Oceanographic barriers like the Almeria-Oran front, North-Balearic front, and the Ligurian-Thyrrenian barrier seem to be impeding gene flow for I. fasciculata, adding population divergence to the pattern of isolation by distance derived from the low dispersal abilities of sponge larvae. Hybridization between both species occurred in some populations, which might be increasing genetic diversity and somewhat palliating the genetic loss caused by population decimation in I. fasciculata

Sample information and classification of lower Miocene gravity-flow types of sediment core CRP-1 (Table 1)

Nineteen samples of the Cape Roberts-1 drillcore were taken from Miocene- age deposits, from 90.25 - 146.50 metres below seafloor (mbsf) for thin section and laser grain-size analysis. Using the grain-size distribution, detailed core logging, X-radiography and thin-section analysis of microstructures, coupled with a statistical grouping of the grain-size data, three main styles of gravity-flow sedimentation were revealed. Thin (centimetre-scale) muddy debris-flow deposits are the most common and are possibly tirggered by debris rain-out from sea-ice These deposits are characterised by very poorly sorted, faintly laminated muddy sandstones with coarse granules toward their base. Contacts are gradational to sharp. Variations on this style of mass-wasting deposit are rhythmically stacked sequences of pebbly-coarse sandstones representing successive thin debris-flow events. These suggest very high sedimentation rates on an unstable slope in a shallow-water proximal glacimarine environment. Sandy-silty turbidites appear more common in the lower sections of the core, below approximately 141.00 mbsf, although they occur occasionally with the debris flow deposits The turbidites are characterised by inversely to normally graded, well-laminated siltstones with occasional lonestones, and represent a more distal shallow-water glacimarine environment.

Sediment and pore water data of five cores from the continental slope off Uruguay

Assessing frequency and extent of mass movement at continental margins is crucial to evaluate risks for offshore constructions and coastal areas. A multidisciplinary approach including geophysical, sedimentological, geotechnical, and geochemical methods was applied to investigate multistage mass transport deposits (MTDs) off Uruguay, on top of which no surficial hemipelagic drape was detected based on echosounder data. Nonsteady state pore water conditions are evidenced by a distinct gradient change in the sulfate (SO4**2-) profile at 2.8 m depth. A sharp sedimentological contact at 2.43 m coincides with an abrupt downward increase in shear strength from approx. 10 to >20 kPa. This boundary is interpreted as a paleosurface (and top of an older MTD) that has recently been covered by a sediment package during a younger landslide event. This youngest MTD supposedly originated from an upslope position and carried its initial pore water signature downward. The kink in the SO4**2- profile approx. 35 cm below the sedimentological and geotechnical contact indicates that bioirrigation affected the paleosurface before deposition of the youngest MTD. Based on modeling of the diffusive re-equilibration of SO4**2- the age of the most recent MTD is estimated to be <30 years. The mass movement was possibly related to an earthquake in 1988 (approx. 70 km southwest of the core location). Probabilistic slope stability back analysis of general landslide structures in the study area reveals that slope failure initiation requires additional ground accelerations. Therefore, we consider the earthquake as a reasonable trigger if additional weakening processes (e.g., erosion by previous retrogressive failure events or excess pore pressures) preconditioned the slope for failure. Our study reveals the necessity of multidisciplinary approaches to accurately recognize and date recent slope failures in complex settings such as the investigated area.

(Table T1) Density, porosity, void ratio, diffusivity and permeability of ODP Site 185-1149 sediments

The subduction of oceanic plates regulates crustal growth, influences arc volcanism, and refertilizes the mantle. Continental growth occurs by subduction of crustal material (seawater components, marine sediments, and basaltic crust). The geochemical and physical evolution of the Earth's crust depends, in large part, on the fate of subducted material at convergent margins (Armstrong, 1968, doi:10.1029/RG006i002p00175; Karig and Kay, 1981, 10.1098/rsta.1981.0108). The crustal material on the downgoing plate is recycled to various levels in the subduction zone. The recycling process that takes place in the "Subduction Factory" is difficult to observe directly but is clearly illuminated using chemical tracers. Von Huene and Scholl (1991, doi:10.1029/91RG00969) and Plank and Langmuir (1993, doi:10.1038/362739a0) preliminarily calculated a large flux of subducted materials. By mass balancing the chemical tracers and measuring the fractionations that occur between them, the Subduction Factory work and the effect on the Earth's evolution can be estimated. In order to elucidate this mass balance, Ocean Drilling Program Leg 185 drilled two deepwater shales into the oceanic crust situated in the Mariana-Izu Trenches and recovered core samples of incoming oceanic crust. The calculations of mass circulation in the subduction zone, however, did not take into account the mass transfer properties within subducted oceanic crust, although the dewatering fluid and diffused ions may play an important role in various activities such as seismogeneity, serpentine diapiring, and arc volcanism. Thus, this paper focuses on the quantitative measurements of the physical and mass transfer properties of subducted oceanic crust.

Ground ice hydrochemical composition of permafrost core ICDP5011-3

The continuous sediment record from Lake El'gygytgyn in the northeastern Eurasian Arctic spans the last 3.6 Ma and for much of this time permafrost dynamics and lake level changes have likely played a crucial role for sediment delivery to the lake. Changes in the ground-ice hydrochemical composition (d18O, dD, pH, electrical conductivity, Na+, Mg2+, Ca2+, K+, HCO3-, Cl-, SO4-) of a 141 m long permafrost record from the western crater plain are examined to reconstruct repeated periods of freeze and thaw at the lake edge. Stable water isotope and major ion records of ground ice in the permafrost reflect both a synsedimentary palaeo-precipitation signal preserved in the near-surface permafrost (0.0-9.1 m core depth) and a post-depositional record of thawing and refreezing in deeper layers of the core (9.1-141.0 m core depth). These lake marginal permafrost dynamics were controlled by lake level changes that episodically flooded the surfaces and induced thaw in the underlying frozen ground. During times of lake level fall these layers froze over again. At least three cycles of freeze and thaw are identified and the hydrochemical data point to a vertical and horizontal talik refreezing through time. Past permafrost thaw and freeze may have destabilised the basin slopes of Lake El'gygytgyn and this has probably promoted the release of mass movements from the lake edge to the deeper basin as known from frequently occurring turbidite layers in the lake sediment column.

Surface mass balance along the K-transect in West Greenland

A 21-year record is presented of surface mass balance measurements along the K-transect. The series covers the period 1990-2011. Data are available at 8 sites along a transect over an altitude range of 390 - 1850 m at approximately 67° N in West Greenland. The surface mass balance gradient is on average 3.8 x 10**-3 m w.e./m, and the mean equilibrium line altitude is 1553 m a.s.l. Only the lower 3 sites within 10 km of the margin experience a significant increasing trend in the ablation over the entire period.