BSRN Toolbox V2.0 - a tool to create quality checked output files from BSRN datasets and station-to-archive files

The BSRN Toolbox is a software package supplied by the WRMC and is freely available to all station scientists and data users. The main features of the package include a download manager for Station- to-Archive files, a tool to convert files into human readable TAB-separated ASCII-tables (similar to those output by the PANGAEA database), and a tool to check data sets for violations of the "BSRN Global Network recommended QC tests, V2.0" quality criteria. The latter tool creates quality codes, one per measured value, indicating if the data are "physically possible," "extremely rare," or if "intercomparison limits are exceeded." In addition, auxiliary data such as solar zenith angle or global calculated from diffuse and direct can be output. All output from the QC tool can be visualized using PanPlot (doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.816201).

BSRN snapshot 2015-09, links to zip archives

The Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN) and its central archive - the World Radiation Monitoring Center (WRMC) - was created in 1992. It is a project of the Data Assimilation Panel from the Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (GEWEX) under the umbrella of the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) and as such is aimed at detecting important changes in the Earth's radiation field at the Earth's surface which may be related to climate changes. The data are of primary importance in supporting the validation and confirmation of satellite and computer model estimates of these quantities. At a small number of stations in contrasting climatic zones, covering a latitude range from 80°N to 90°S, solar and atmospheric radiation is measured with instruments of the highest available accuracy and with high time resolution (1 to 3 minutes). Since 2008 the WRMC is hosted by the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), Bremerhaven, Germany (http://www.bsrn.awi.de/).

Compilation of scientific results of the OASIS project

Seamounts are of great interest to science, industry and conservation because of their potential role as 'stirring rods' of the oceans, their enhanced productivity, their high local biodiversity, and the growing exploitation of their natural resources. This is accompanied by rising concern about the threats to seamount ecosystems, e.g. through over-fishing and the impact of trawling. OASIS described the functioning characteristics of seamount ecosystems. OASIS' integrated hydrographic, biogeochemical and biological information. Based on two case studies. The scientific results, condensed in conceptual and mass balanced ecosystem models, were applied to outline a model management plan as well as site-specific management plans for the seamounts investigated. OASIS addressed five main objectives: Objective 1: To identify and describe the physical forcing mechanisms effecting seamount systems Objective 2: To assess the origin, quality and dynamics of particulate organic material within the water column and surface sediment at seamounts. Objective 3: To describe aspects of the biodiversity and the ecology of seamount biota, to assess their dynamics and the maintenance of their production. Objective 4: Modelling the trophic ecology of seamount ecosystems. Objective 5: Application of scientific knowledge to practical conservation.

Literature review of elasmobranch bycatch and retention rate

To address growing concern over the effects of fisheries non-target catch on elasmobranchs worldwide, the accurate reporting of elasmobranch catch is essential. This requires data on a combination of measures, including reported landings, retained and discarded non-target catch, and post-discard survival. Identification of the factors influencing discard vs. retention is needed to improve catch estimates and to determine wasteful fishing practices. To do this we compared retention rates of elasmobranch non-target catch in a broad subset of fisheries throughout the world by taxon, fishing country, and gear. A regression tree and random forest analysis indicated that taxon was the most important determinant of retention in this dataset, but all three factors together explained 59% of the variance. Estimates of total elasmobranch removals were calculated by dividing the FAO global elasmobranch landings by average retention rates and suggest that total elasmobranch removals may exceed FAO reported landings by as much as 400%. This analysis is the first effort to directly characterize global drivers of discards for elasmobranch non-target catch. Our results highlight the importance of accurate quantification of retention and discard rates to improve assessments of the potential impacts of fisheries on these species.