Introduction

The 1992 PACLIM meeting featured the Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) program, sponsored by the National Science Foundation. Ranging from hot to cold and wet to dry climatic regimes, these 18 sites are attempting to understand the web of relationships in different locations as communities evolve over time scales of years to decades to centuries. During this time they are subject to external forcings, including those that vary smoothly and somewhat predictably, like the seasons, upon which are superimposed random "shocks" of various magnitudes.

Introduction

In 1984, a workshop was held on "Climatic variability of the eastern North Pacific and western North America". From it has emerged an annual series of workshops held each spring at the Asilomar Conference Center, Monterey Peninsula, California. These annual gatherings have come to be called PACLIM (Pacific Climate) Workshops, reflecting broad interests in the climatologies associated with the Pacific Ocean.

Introduction

This volume contains a total of 21 papers given in talks or poster sessions at the eighth annual Pacific Climate (PACLIM) meeting at the Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove, California, March 10-13, 1991. Consisting of about a third of the total presentations, this selection gives a representative cross section of the breadth and diversity of topics. With the beautiful and peaceful setting, the relaxed and informal style of the sessions, the diversity of topics, and the quality of presentations, these meetings provide a stimulating atmosphere for cross-disciplinary interaction.

Introduction

The PACLIM workshops celebrated their tenth anniversary from April 4 to 7, 1993. The location, as for each of the previous meetings, was the beautiful grounds of the Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove, California. The setting is emblematic of the concerns of those who attend: tucked in amidst the vegetation, a short stroll away from the zone where the land and the ocean and the atmosphere have long continued a meeting of their own, although a meeting with a far more ancient pedigree.

Introduction

Nearly 100 participants attended the eleventh annual PACLIM workshop at the Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove, California, on April 19-22, 1994. A one-day theme session of ten 45-minute talks was followed by sessions of 20-minute presentations. In addition, 19 presenters gave 1- to 2-minute introductions to their posters, which were displayed throughout the meeting.

Introduction

The Twelfth Annual PACLIM Workshop was held at the Asilomar Conference Center on May 2-5, 1995. The workshop included 32 talks and 26 poster presentations. The talks consisted of a 1-day theme session of nine 45-minute talks and two featured evening talks. Throughout the remainder of the meeting were over 20 shorter 20-minute presentations. Poster presenters gave a 1-2 minute introduction to their posters, which were displayed during the entire meeting. About 100 participants were registered at the workshop.

Introduction

The Thirteenth Annual PACLIM Workshop was held at the Asilomar Conference Center on April 14-17, 1996. Attended by about 100 registered participants, the workshop included 27 talks and 26 poster presentations. The talks consisted of a one-day theme session of seven 45-minute talks and two featured evening talks. Throughout the remainder of the meeting were nearly 20 shorter, 20-minute presentations. Poster presenters gave a short 1-2 minute introduction to their posters, which were displayed during the entire meeting. All presenters were invited to expand their abstracts into a manuscript for inclusion in the Proceedings volume, and nearly all presentations are included in manuscript or abstract form. In this Proceedings volume, manuscripts are presented first, and abstracts of talks and then posters follow.

An illustrated key to the Malacostraca (Crustacea) of the northern Arabian Sea. Part 1: Introduction

The key deals with the Malacostraca from the northern Arabian Sea (22 degree 09'N to 10 degree N and 50 degree E to 76 degree E). It is compiled from the specimens available to us and those which are in the literature. An introduction to the class Malacostraca and key to the identification of subclasses, superorders and orders is given. Al the key characters are illustrated. Original references with later changes are mentioned. The key will be published in parts not necessarily in chronological order.