Time-series of seagrass and land cover maps from 1972 to 2010, in South East Queensland, Australia, with links to GeoTIFFs

Long term global archives of high-moderate spatial resolution, multi-spectral satellite imagery are now readily accessible, but are not being fully utilised by management agencies due to the lack of appropriate methods to consistently produce accurate and timely management ready information. This work developed an object-based remote sensing approach to map land cover and seagrass distribution in an Australian coastal environment for a 38 year Landsat image time-series archive (1972-2010). Landsat Multi-Spectral Scanner (MSS), Thematic Mapper (TM) and Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM+) imagery were used without in situ field data input (but still using field knowledge) to produce land and seagrass cover maps every year data were available, resulting in over 60 map products over the 38 year archive. Land cover was mapped annually using vegetation, bare ground, urban and agricultural classes. Seagrass distribution was also mapped annually, and in some years monthly, via horizontal projected foliage cover classes, sand and deep water. Land cover products were validated using aerial photography and seagrass maps were validated with field survey data, producing several measures of accuracy. An average overall accuracy of 65% and 80% was reported for seagrass and land cover products respectively, which is consistent with other studies in the area. This study is the first to show moderate spatial resolution, long term annual changes in land cover and seagrass in an Australian environment, created without the use of in situ data; and only one of a few similar studies globally. The land cover products identify several long term trends; such as significant increases in South East Queensland's urban density and extent, vegetation clearing in rural and rural-residential areas, and inter-annual variation in dry vegetation types in western South East Queensland. The seagrass cover products show that there has been a minimal overall change in seagrass extent, but that seagrass cover level distribution is extremely dynamic; evidenced by large scale migrations of higher seagrass cover levels and several sudden and significant changes in cover level. These mapping products will allow management agencies to build a baseline assessment of their resources, understand past changes and help inform implementation and planning of management policy to address potential future changes.

Nematodes and meiofauna in sediments obtained during Belgica cruise BG06/13, north-east Atlantic

The Gollum Channels and Whittard Canyon (NE Atlantic) are two areas that receive high input of organic matter and phytodetritus from euphotic layers, but they are typified by different trophic and hydrodynamic conditions. Sediment biogeochemistry was analysed in conjunction with structure and diversity of the nematode community and differences were tested between study areas, water depths (700 m vs 1000 m), stations, and sediment layers. The Gollum Channels and Whittard Canyon harboured high meiofauna abundances (1054-1426 ind. 10 cm**-2) and high nematode diversity (total of 181 genera). Next to enhanced meiofauna abundance and nematode biomass, there were signs of high levels of organic matter deposition leading to reduced sedimentary conditions, which in turn structured the nematode community. Striking in this respect was the presence of large numbers of 'chemosynthetic' Astomonema nematodes (Astomonema southwardorum, Order Monhysterida, Family Siphonolaimidae). This genus lacks a mouth, buccal cavity and pharynx and possesses a rudimentary gut containing internal, symbiotic prokaryotes which have been recognised as sulphur-oxidising bacteria. Dominance of Astomonema may indicate the presence of reduced environments in the study areas, which is partially confirmed by the local biogeochemical environment. The nematode communities were mostly affected by sediment layer differences and concomitant trophic conditions rather than other spatial gradients related to study area, water depth or station differences, pointing to small-scale heterogeneity as the main source of variation in nematode structure and function. Furthermore, the positive relation between nematode standing stocks, and quantity and quality of the organic matter was stronger when hydrodynamic disturbance was greater. Analogically, this study also suggests that structural diversity can be positively correlated with trophic conditions and that this relation is tighter when hydrodynamic disturbance is greater.

(Table 2) Mercury and selenium concentration in the brain stem of wild polar bears (Ursus maritimus), east Greenland

Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are exposed to high concentrations of mercury because they are apex predators in the Arctic ecosystem. Although mercury is a potent neurotoxic heavy metal, it is not known whether current exposures are of neurotoxicological concern to polar bears. We tested the hypotheses that polar bears accumulate levels of mercury in their brains that exceed the estimated lowest observable adverse effect level (20 µg/g dry wt) for mammalian wildlife and that such exposures are associated with subtle neurological damage, as determined by measuring neurochemical biomarkers previously shown to be disrupted by mercury in other high-trophic wildlife. Brain stem (medulla oblongata) tissues from 82 polar bears subsistence hunted in East Greenland were studied. Despite surprisingly low levels of mercury in the brain stem region (total mercury = 0.36 ± 0.12 µg/g dry wt), a significant negative correlation was measured between N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor levels and both total mercury (r = -0.34, p < 0.01) and methylmercury (r = -0.89, p < 0.05). No relationships were observed among mercury, selenium, and several other neurochemical biomarkers (dopamine-2, gamma-aminobutyric acid type A, muscarinic cholinergic, and nicotinic cholinergic receptors; cholinesterase and monoamine oxidase enzymes). These data show that East Greenland polar bears do not accumulate high levels of mercury in their brain stems. However, decreased levels of NMDA receptors could be one of the most sensitive indicators of mercury's subclinical and early effects.

Radio-echo sounding investigation of the western Dronning Maud Land and north-eastern Coats Land, East Antarctica (Scale 1:2 500 000)

During two Antarctic field seasons, western Dronning Maud Land and eastern Coats Land were covered by airborne radio-echo sounding surveys, conducted in combination with magnetic and gravity measurements along the 50 NW-SE-directed tracks, totaling about 11200 km and spaced 20 km apart. The data were collected in analogue form and then processed to compile ice surface, ice thickness and bedrock topography maps in I : 2 500 000 scale which gave a new and/or more detailed information on the region than previous compilations. The maps show that western Dronning Maud Land is dominated by a large mountainous area with altitudes up to 2800 m including rock outcrops of Annandagstoppane, Borgmassivet, Kirwanveggen and Heimefrontfjella. Upland terrains of Vestfjella and Mannefallknausane have an isolated position and are surrounded by a plain with bedrock depressions of 600 m deep below sea level. A narrow strip of north-eastern Coats Land studied by radio-echo soundings exhibits a smooth subice relief with altitudes close to sea level. The structural style of bedrock topography was mostly determined by extensional tectonics.

(Table 1) Concentrations of neutral and phenolic organohalogen compounds in adipose tissue, blood, brain and liver of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from East Greenland

The tissue-specific composition of sum classes of brominated and chlorinated contaminants and metabolic/degradation byproducts was determined in adult male and female polar bears from East Greenland. Significantly (p < 0.05) higher concentrations of SUM-PCBs, various other organochlorines such as SUM-CHL, p,p'-DDE, SUM-CBz, SUM-HCHs, octachlorostyrene (OCS),SUM-mirex, dieldrin, the flame retardants SUM-PBDEs, and total-(R)-hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), SUM-methylsulfonyl (MeSO2)-PCBs and 3-MeSO2-p,p'-DDE, were found in the adipose and liver tissues relative to whole blood and brain. In contrast, SUM-hydroxyl (OH)-PCB, 4-OH-heptachlorostyrene and SUM-OH-PBDE concentrations were significantly highest (p < 0.05) in whole blood, whereas the highest concentrations of SUM-OH-PBBs were found in the adipose tissue. Based on the total concentrations of all organohalogens in all three tissues and blood, the combined body burden was estimated to be 1.34 ± 0.12 g, where >91% of this amount was accounted for by the adipose tissue alone, followed by the liver, whole blood, and brain. These results show that factors such as protein association and lipid solubility appear to be differentially influencing the toxicokinetics, in terms of tissue composition/localization and burden, of organohalogen classes with respect to chemical structure and properties such as the type of halogenation (e.g., chlorination or bromination), and the presence or absence of additional phenyl group substituents (e.g., MeO and OH groups). The tissue- and blood-specific accumulation (or retention) among organohalogen classes indicates that exposure and any potential contaminant-mediated effects in these polar bears are likely tissue or blood specific.

Mineral content, major oxides and trace elements concentrations in clay from different IODP Holes of 331-C0013, 331-C0017, East China sea shelf and different Taiwan rivers

The Okinawa Trough (OT) in the East Asian continental margin is characterized by thick terrigenous sediment and ubiquitous volcanic-hydrothermal activities. In this study, the clays collected during IODP Expedition 331 to the middle OT (Iheya North Knoll) were analyzed for mineralogical and geochemical compositions. By comparing with the clays from the East China Sea shelf and surrounding rivers, we examine different clay origins. The hydrothermal field in the mid-OT is dominated by Mg-rich chlorite, while the recharge zone has clay mineral assemblages similar to the shelf and rivers, showing high content of illite, subordinate chlorite and kaolinite and scarce smectite. Compared to the terrigenous clays, the hydrothermal clays in the OT have high concentrations of Mg, Mn and Zr but low Fe, Na, K, Ca, Ba, Sr, P, Sc and Ti, while the hydrothermal clays in the mid-ocean ridge are relatively enriched in Fe and V and depleted in Al, Mg, Zr, Sc and Ti. Different fractionation patterns of rare earth elements also register in the terrigenous and hydrothermal clays, diagnostic of variable clay origins. We infer that the OT hydrothermal clay was primarily formed by the chemical alteration of detrital sediments subject to the hydrothermal fluids. The remarkably different compositions of hydrothermal clays between the sediment-rich back arc basin like OT and the sediment-starved ocean ridge suggest different physical and chemical processes of hydrothermal fluids and fluid-rock/sediment reactions under various geologic settings.