Spatially explicit estimates of length and biomass of Micromesistius poutassou (Blue Whiting) from acoustic and trawl surveys in the North-East Atlantic in May 2010

Acoustic estimates of herring and blue whiting abundance were obtained during the surveys using the Simrad ER60 scientific echosounder. The allocation of NASC-values to herring, blue whiting and other acoustic targets were based on the composition of the trawl catches and the appearance of echo recordings. To estimate the abundance, the allocated NASC -values were averaged for ICES-squares (0.5° latitude by 1° longitude). For each statistical square, the unit area density of fish (rA) in number per square nautical mile (N*nm-2) was calculated using standard equations (Foote et al., 1987; Toresen et al., 1998). To estimate the total abundance of fish, the unit area abundance for each statistical square was multiplied by the number of square nautical miles in each statistical square and then summed for all the statistical squares within defined subareas and over the total area. Biomass estimation was calculated by multiplying abundance in numbers by the average weight of the fish in each statistical square then summing all squares within defined subareas and over the total area. The Norwegian BEAM soft-ware (Totland and Godø 2001) was used to make estimates of total biomass.

Spatially explicit estimates of length and biomass of Clupea harengus (Norwegian spring spawning herring) from acoustic and trawl surveys in the North-East Atlantic in May 2011

Acoustic estimates of herring and blue whiting abundance were obtained during the surveys using the Simrad ER60 scientific echosounder. The allocation of NASC-values to herring, blue whiting and other acoustic targets were based on the composition of the trawl catches and the appearance of echo recordings. To estimate the abundance, the allocated NASC -values were averaged for ICES-squares (0.5° latitude by 1° longitude). For each statistical square, the unit area density of fish (rA) in number per square nautical mile (N*nm-2) was calculated using standard equations (Foote et al., 1987; Toresen et al., 1998). To estimate the total abundance of fish, the unit area abundance for each statistical square was multiplied by the number of square nautical miles in each statistical square and then summed for all the statistical squares within defined subareas and over the total area. Biomass estimation was calculated by multiplying abundance in numbers by the average weight of the fish in each statistical square then summing all squares within defined subareas and over the total area. The Norwegian BEAM soft-ware (Totland and Godø 2001) was used to make estimates of total biomass.

Spatially explicit estimates of length and biomass of Clupea harengus (Norwegian spring spawning herring) from acoustic and trawl surveys in the North-East Atlantic in May 2007

Acoustic estimates of herring and blue whiting abundance were obtained during the surveys using the Simrad ER60 scientific echosounder. The allocation of NASC-values to herring, blue whiting and other acoustic targets were based on the composition of the trawl catches and the appearance of echo recordings. To estimate the abundance, the allocated NASC -values were averaged for ICES-squares (0.5° latitude by 1° longitude). For each statistical square, the unit area density of fish (rA) in number per square nautical mile (N*nm-2) was calculated using standard equations (Foote et al., 1987; Toresen et al., 1998). To estimate the total abundance of fish, the unit area abundance for each statistical square was multiplied by the number of square nautical miles in each statistical square and then summed for all the statistical squares within defined subareas and over the total area. Biomass estimation was calculated by multiplying abundance in numbers by the average weight of the fish in each statistical square then summing all squares within defined subareas and over the total area. The Norwegian BEAM soft-ware (Totland and Godø 2001) was used to make estimates of total biomass.

Spatially explicit estimates of length and biomass of Micromesistius poutassou (Blue Whiting) from acoustic and trawl surveys in the North-East Atlantic in May 2012

Acoustic estimates of herring and blue whiting abundance were obtained during the surveys using the Simrad ER60 scientific echosounder. The allocation of NASC-values to herring, blue whiting and other acoustic targets were based on the composition of the trawl catches and the appearance of echo recordings. To estimate the abundance, the allocated NASC -values were averaged for ICES-squares (0.5° latitude by 1° longitude). For each statistical square, the unit area density of fish (rA) in number per square nautical mile (N*nm-2) was calculated using standard equations (Foote et al., 1987; Toresen et al., 1998). To estimate the total abundance of fish, the unit area abundance for each statistical square was multiplied by the number of square nautical miles in each statistical square and then summed for all the statistical squares within defined subareas and over the total area. Biomass estimation was calculated by multiplying abundance in numbers by the average weight of the fish in each statistical square then summing all squares within defined subareas and over the total area. The Norwegian BEAM soft-ware (Totland and Godø 2001) was used to make estimates of total biomass.

Tab. 1: Number and percentage of glacier movements in the Austrian Alps between 1960 and 1975

The statistical record of the length of Austrian glaciers is continued with an improved classification scheme. The tendency of increasing glacier advance is maintained since 1965. 54 glaciers, or 58 % of the 93 observed, were advancing in 1975. A relation that is noticed between the behavior of the terminus and mean air temperature of the ablation period is discussed in qualitative terms.

Contribution of woody habitat islands to the conservation of birds and their potential ecosystem services in an extensive Colombian rangeland

The conservation of birds and their habitats is essential to maintain well-functioning ecosystems including human-dominated habitats. In simplified or homogenized landscapes, patches of natural and semi-natural habitat are essential for the survival of plant and animal populations. We compared species composition and diversity of trees and birds between gallery forests, tree islands and hedges in a Colombian savanna landscape to assess how fragmented woody plant communities affect forest bird communities and how differences in habitat characteristics influenced bird species traits and their potential ecosystem function. Bird and tree diversity was higher in forests than in tree islands and hedges. Soil depth influenced woody species distribution, and canopy cover and tree height determined bird species distribution, resulting in plant and bird communities that mainly differed between forest and non-forest habitat. Bird and tree species and traits widely co-varied. Bird species in tree islands and hedges were on average smaller, less specialized to habitat and more tolerant to disturbance than in forest, but dietary differences did not emerge. Despite being less complex and diverse than forests, hedges and tree islands significantly contribute to the conservation of forest biodiversity in the savanna matrix. Forest fragments remain essential for the conservation of forest specialists, but hedges and tree islands facilitate spillover of more tolerant forest birds and their ecological functions such as seed dispersal from forest to the savanna matrix.

(Table 1) Biomass per area of picoplankton algae, cyanobacteria, and total picoplankton and their contribution to total phytoplankton biomass in 0-200 m layer

Abundance of picophytoplankton in the Subantarctic and subtropical frontal zones was found to be 10**6-10**7 cells/l. Biomass of eucaryotes and procaryotes reached 2 g/m**2 and accounted for 1-15% of total phytoplankton biomass. A deep peak in the distribution of phytoplankton abundance was found at 40-120 m. Maximum number of dividing cyanobacteria cells occurred at depths of 40-60 m. An estimate of picophytoplankton production shows that picophytoplankton accounts for 30-40% of total primary production.

Characteristics of soils from the Quartermain Mountain area, Antarctica

Soil-forming processes and soil development rates are compared and contrasted on glacial deposits in two adjacent and coeval valleys of the Quartermain Mountains, which are important because they display Miocene glacial stratigraphy and some of the oldest landforms in the McMurdo Dry Valleys. More than 100 soil profiles were examined on seven drift sheets ranging from 115 000 to greater than 11.3 million years in age in Beacon Valley and Arena Valley. Although the two valleys contain drifts of similar age, they differ markedly in ice content of the substrate. Whereas Arena Valley generally has 'dry-frozen' permafrost in the upper 1 m and minimal patterned ground, Beacon Valley contains massive ice buried by glacial drift and ice-cored rock glaciers and has ice-cemented permafrost in the upper 1 m and considerable associated patterned ground. Arena Valley soils have twice the rate of profile salt accumulation than Beacon Valley soils, because of lower available soil water and minimal cryoturbation. The following soil properties increase with age in both valleys: weathering stage, morphogenetic salt stage, thickness of the salt pan, the quantity of profile salts, electrical conductivity of the horizon of maximum salt enrichment, and depth of staining. Whereas soils less than 200 000 years and older soils derived from sandstone-rich ground moraine are Typic Anhyorthels and Anhyturbels, soils of early Quaternary and older age, particularly on dolerite-rich drifts, are Petronitric Anhyorthels. Arena Valley has the highest pedodiversity recorded in the McMurdo Dry Valleys. The soils of the Quartermain Mountains are the only soils in the McMurdo Dry Valleys known to contain abundant nitrates.

Link between energy consumption per hour of activity and productivity of labour

The data set shows energy consumption per hour of work (in MJ/hour), and labour productivity (in USD/hour) in the PS economic sector (Energy & Mining + Industry + Construction) for the period 1970-2009 and for the following countries: Germany, Spain, USA, Canada, Italy, UK, France, Japan. The intention is to look at the relationship between energy consumption as a driver of improvements in the productivity of labour. This is of particular relevance for the discussion of reducing working time in the context of the 'degrowth' debate, as it is done in the article to which this data is a suplement.