Effect of plant richness on the dynamics of coarse particulate organic matter in a Brazilian Savannah stream

The high plant richness in riparian zones of tropical forest streams and the relationship with an input of organic matter in these streams are not well understood. In this study, we assessed (i) the annual dynamics of inputs of coarse particulate organic matter (CPOM) in a tropical stream; and (ii) the relationship of species richness on riparian vegetation biomass. The fluxes and stock of CPOM inputs (vertical-VI = 512, horizontal-HI = 1912, and terrestrial-TI = 383 g/m²/year) and the benthic stock (BS = 67 g/m²/month) were separated into reproductive parts, vegetative parts and unidentified material. Leaves that entered the stream were identified and found to constitute 64 morphospecies. A positive relationship between species richness and litterfall was detected. The dynamics of CPOM were strongly influenced by rainfall and seasonal events, such as strong winds at the end of the dry season. Leaves contributed most to CPOM dynamics; leaf input was more intense at the end of the dry season (hydric stress) and the start of the rainy season (mechanical removal). Our study show an increase of litter input of CPOM by plant diversity throughout the year. Each riparian plant species contributes uniquely to the availability of energy resources, thus highlighting the importance of plant conservation for maintaining tropical streams functioning.     

Are there connections between the Earth's magnetic field and climate?

Understanding climate change is an active topic of research. Much of the observed increase in global surface temperature over the past 150 years occurred prior to the 1940s and after the 1980s. The main causes invoked are solar variability, changes in atmospheric greenhouse gas content or sulfur due to natural or anthropogenic action, or internal variability of the coupled ocean–atmosphere system. Magnetism has seldom been invoked, and evidence for connections between climate and magnetic field variations have received little attention. We review evidence for correlations which could suggest such (causal or non-causal) connections at various time scales (recent secular variation ∼ 10–100 yr, historical and archeomagnetic change ∼ 100–5000 yr, and excursions and reversals ∼ 10³–10⁶ yr), and attempt to suggest mechanisms. Evidence for correlations, which invoke Milankovic forcing in the core, either directly or through changes in ice distribution and moments of inertia of the Earth, is still tenuous. Correlation between decadal changes in amplitude of geomagnetic variations of external origin, solar irradiance and global temperature is stronger. It suggests that solar irradiance could have been a major forcing function of climate until the mid-1980s, when “anomalous” warming becomes apparent. The most intriguing feature may be the recently proposed archeomagnetic jerks, i.e. fairly abrupt (∼ 100 yr long) geomagnetic field variations found at irregular intervals over the past few millennia, using the archeological record from Europe to the Middle East. These seem to correlate with significant climatic events in the eastern North Atlantic region. A proposed mechanism involves variations in the geometry of the geomagnetic field (f.i. tilt of the dipole to lower latitudes), resulting in enhanced cosmic-ray induced nucleation of clouds. No forcing factor, be it changes in CO₂ concentration in the atmosphere or changes in cosmic ray flux modulated by solar activity and geomagnetism, or possibly other factors, can at present be neglected or shown to be the overwhelming single driver of climate change in past centuries. Intensive data acquisition is required to further probe indications that the Earth's and Sun's magnetic fields may have significant bearing on climate change at certain time scales.     

One-minute rain rate distribution in Nigeria derived from TRMM satellite data

Data from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite sensors, the Microwave Imager (TMI, 3A12 V6) and other satellite sources (3B43 V6) have been used to derive the thunderstorm ratio β, total rain accumulation M, and 1-min rainfall rates, R1min, for 37 stations in Nigeria, for 0.001–1% of an average year, for the period 1998–2006. Results of the rain accumulations from the TRMM satellite (1998–2006) were compared with the data collected from 14 ground stations in Nigeria for the period 1991–2000. The two data sets are reasonably positively correlated, with correlation coefficients varying from 0.64 to 0.99. Deduced 1-min rainfall rates compared fairly well with the previous ground data of Ajayi and Ezekpo (1988. Development of climatic maps of rainfall rate and attenuation for microwave applications in Nigeria. The Nigerian Engineering 23(4), 13–30) with correlation coefficients varying from 0.17 to 0.97 in all 37 stations. The agreement was much better when compared with the International Telecommunications Union Radio communication Study group 3 digital maps with correlation coefficients varying from 0.84 to 0.98 in 23 locations; however there were negative correlation coefficient (of 0.2 in 7 stations) in the Middle Belt and a weak positive coefficient (of 0.09 in 6 stations) in the South South. Regionally the inferred mean annual 1-min rainfall rates are the highest in the South-East region with values between 111 and 125 mm/h throughout the 9 years, followed by the South-South region (105–124 mm/h). The lowest rainfall rate and rainfall accumulation occur in the North-West region (60–86 mm/h) followed, in ascending order, by the North-East (66–95 mm/h) region, the Middle-Belt region (76–102 mm/h) and the South-West region (77–110 mm/h). The present results were also compared with 9 tropical stations around the world and there was positive correlation between the results. The present results will be very useful for satellite rain attenuation modeling in the tropics and subtropical stations around the world.It is useful to note that one country, particularly one as large as Nigeria, can have significant variations in its rainfall characteristics for a variety of reasons, and this is borne out by the results presented.     

Electrical imaging of Narmada–Son Lineament Zone,Central India from magnetotellurics

The Narmada–Son Lineament (NSL) Zone is the second most important tectonic feature after Himalayas, in the Indian geology. Magnetotelluric (MT) studies were carried out in the NSL zone along a 130 km long NNE-SSW trending profile. The area of investigation extends from Edlabad (20°46′16″; 75°59′05″) in the South to Khandwa (21°53′51″; 76°18′05″) in the North. The data shows in general the validity of a two-dimensional (2D) approach. Besides providing details on the shallow crustal section, the 2D modeling results resolved four high conductive zones extending from the middle to deep crust, spatially coinciding with the major structural features in the area namely the Gavligarh, Tapti, Barwani-Sukta and Narmada South faults. The model for the shallow section has brought out a moderately resistive layer (30–150 Ω m) representing the exposed Deccan trap layer, overlying a conductive layer (10–30 Ω m) inferred to be the subtrappean Gondwana sediments, the latter resting on a high resistive basement/upper crust. The Deccan trap thickness varies from around a few hundred meters to as much as 1.5 km along the traverse. A subtrappean sedimentary basin like feature is delineated in the northern half of the traverse where a sudden thickening of subtrappean sediments amounting to as much as 2 km is noticed. The high resistive upper crust is relatively thick towards the southern end and tends to become thinner towards the middle and northern part of the traverse. The lower crustal segment is conductive over a major part of the profile. Considering the generally enhanced heat flow values in the NSL region, coupled with characteristic gravity highs and enhanced seismic velocities coinciding with the mid to lower crustal conductors delineated from MT, presence of zones of high density mafic bodies/intrusives with fluids, presumably associated with magmatic underplating of the crust in the zone of major tectonic faults in NSL region are inferred.     

Testing Taylor’s hypothesis in Amazonian rainfall fields during the WETAMC/LBA experiment

Taylor’s hypothesis (TH) for rainfall fields states that the spatial correlation of rainfall intensity at two points at the same instant of time can be equated with the temporal correlation at two instants of time at some fixed location. The validity of TH is tested in a set of 12 storms developed in Rondonia, southwestern Amazonia, Brazil, during the January–February 1999 Wet Season Atmospheric Meso-scale Campaign. The time Eulerian and Lagrangian Autocorrelation Functions (ACF) are estimated, as well as the time-averaged space ACF, using radar rainfall rates of storms spanning between 3.2 and 23 h, measured at 7–10-min time resolution, over a circle of 100 km radius, at 2 km spatial resolution. TH does not hold in 9 out of the 12 studied storms, due to their erratic trajectories and very low values of zonal wind velocity at 700 hPa, independently from underlying atmospheric stability conditions. TH was shown to hold for 3 storms, up to a cutoff time scale of 10–15 min, which is closely related to observed features of the life cycle of convective cells in the region. Such cutoff time scale in Amazonian storms is much shorter than the 40 min identified in mid-latitude convective storms, due to much higher values of CAPE and smaller values of storm speed in Amazonian storms as compared to mid-latitude ones, which in turn contribute to a faster destruction of the rainfall field isotropy. Storms satisfying TH undergo smooth linear trajectories over space, and exhibit the highest negative values of maximum, mean and minimum zonal wind velocity at 700 hPa, within narrow ranges of atmospheric stability conditions. Non-dimensional parameters involving CAPE (maximum, mean and minimum) and CINE (mean) are identified during the storms life cycle, for which TH holds: CAPE mean/CINE mean = [30–35], CAPE max/CINE mean = [32–40], and CAPE min/CINE mean = [22–28]. These findings are independent upon the timing of storms within the diurnal cycle. Also, the estimated Eulerian time ACF’s decay faster than the time-averaged space and the Lagrangian time ACF’s, irrespectively of TH validity. The Eulerian ACF’s exhibit shorter e-folding times, reflecting smaller correlations over short time scales, but also shorter scale of fluctuation, reflecting less persistence in time than over space. No significant associations (linear, exponential or power law) were found between estimated e-folding times and scale of fluctuation, with all estimates of CAPE and CINE. Secondary correlation maxima appear between 50 and 70 min in the Lagrangian time ACF’s for storms satisfying TH. No differences were found in the behavior of each of the three ACF’s for storms developed during either the Easterly or Westerly zonal wind regimes which characterize the development of meso-scale convective systems over the region. These results have important implications for modelling and downscaling rainfall fields over tropical land areas.     

Coastal and global sea level change

Both coastal and global mean sea level rise by about 3.0 ± 0.5 mm/year from January 1993 to December 2004. Over shorter intervals the coastal sea level rises faster and over longer intervals slowly than the global mean, which trend is almost constant for each interval and is equal to 2.9 ± 0.5 mm/year in 1993–2008. The different trends are due to the higher interannual variability of coastal sea level, caused by the sea level regional variability, that is further averaged out when computing the global mean.Coastal sea level rise is well represented by a selected set of 267 stations of the Permanent Service for Mean Sea Level and by the corresponding co-located altimeter points. Its departure from coastal sea level computed from satellite altimetry in a 150 km distance from coast, dominated by a large rise in the Eastern Pacific, is due to the regional interannual variability.Regionally the trends of the coastal and open-ocean sea level variability are in good agreement and the main world basins have a positive averaged trend. The interannual variability is highly correlated with the El Nino Southern Oscillation (SO) and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) climatic indices over both the altimeter period and the interval 1950–2001. Being the signal of large scale a small number of stations with good spatial coverage is needed. The reconstruction of the interannual variability using the spatial pattern from altimetry and the temporal patterns from tide gauges correlated to NAO and SOI restitutes about 50% of the observed interannual variability over 1993–2001.     

Role of Ocean in the Variability of Indian Summer Monsoon Rainfall

Asian summer monsoon sets in over India after the Intertropical Convergence Zone moves across the equator to the northern hemisphere over the Indian Ocean. Sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies on either side of the equator in Indian and Pacific oceans are found related to the date of monsoon onset over Kerala (India). Droughts in the June to September monsoon rainfall of India are followed by warm SST anomalies over tropical Indian Ocean and cold SST anomalies over west Pacific Ocean. These anomalies persist till the following monsoon which gives normal or excess rainfall (tropospheric biennial oscillation). Thus, we do not get in India many successive drought years as in sub-Saharan Africa, thanks to the ocean. Monsoon rainfall of India has a decadal variability in the form of 30-year epochs of frequent (infrequent) drought monsoons occurring alternately. Decadal oscillations of monsoon rainfall and the well-known decadal oscillation in SST of the Atlantic Ocean (also of the Pacific Ocean) are found to run parallel with about the same period close to 60 years and the same phase. In the active–break cycle of the Asian summer monsoon, the ocean and the atmosphere are found to interact on the time scale of 30–60 days. Net heat flux at the ocean surface, monsoon low-level jetstream (LLJ) and the seasonally persisting shallow mixed layer of the ocean north of the LLJ axis play important roles in this interaction. In an El Niño year, the LLJ extends eastwards up to the date line creating an area of shallow ocean mixed layer there, which is hypothesised to lengthen the active–break (AB) cycle typically from 1 month in a La Niña to 2 months in an El Niño year. Indian monsoon droughts are known to be associated with El Niños, and long break monsoon spells are found to be a major cause of monsoon droughts. In the global warming scenario, the observed rapid warming of the equatorial Indian ocean SST has caused the weakening of both the monsoon Hadley circulation and the monsoon LLJ which has been related to the observed rapid decreasing trend in the seasonal number of monsoon depressions.     

Phase-coherent oscillatory modes in solar and geomagnetic activity and climate variability

Oscillatory modes with the period of approximately 7–8 yr were detected in monthly time series of sunspot numbers, geomagnetic activity aa index, NAO (North Atlantic Oscillation) index and near-surface air temperature from several mid-latitude European locations. Instantaneous phases of the modes underwent synchronization analysis and their statistically significant phase coherence, beginning from 1950s, has been observed. Thus the statistical evidence for a coupling between solar/geomagnetic activity and climate variability has been obtained from continuous monthly data, independent of the season, however, confined to the temporal scale related to oscillatory periods about 7–8 yr.     

Seasonal variability of primary production in a fjord ecosystem of the Chilean Patagonia: Implications for the transfer of carbon within pelagic food webs

We characterized the seasonal cycle of productivity in Reloncaví Fjord (41°30′S), Chilean Patagonia. Seasonal surveys that included measurements of gross primary production, community respiration, bacterioplankton secondary production, and sedimentation rates along the fjord were combined with continuous records of water-column temperature variability and wind forcing, as well as satellite-derived data on regional patterns of wind stress, sea surface temperatures, and surface chlorophyll concentrations. The hydrography and perhaps fjord productivity respond to the timing and intensity of wind forcing over a larger region. Seasonal changes in the direction and intensity of winds, along with a late-winter improvement in light conditions, may determine the timing of phytoplankton blooms and potentially modulate productivity cycles in the region.Depth-integrated gross primary production estimates were higher (0.4–3.8 g C m^?2 d^?1) in the productive season (October, February, and May), and lower (0.1–0.2 g C m^?2 d^?1) in the non-productive season (August). These seasonal changes were also reflected in community respiration and bacterioplankton production rates, which ranged, respectively, from 0.3 to 4.8 g C m^?2 d^?1 and 0.05 to 0.4 g C m^?2 d^?1 during the productive and non-productive seasons and from 0.05 to 0.6 g C m^?2 d^?1 and 0.05 to 0.2 g C m^?2 d^?1 during the same two periods. We found a strong, significant correlation between gross primary production and community respiration (Spearman, r=0.95; p<0.001; n=12), which suggests a high degree of coupling between the synthesis of organic matter and its usage by the planktonic community. Similarly, strong correlations were found between bacterioplankton secondary production and both gross primary production (Spearman, r=0.7, p<0.05, n=9) and community respiration (Spearman, r=0.8, p<0.05, n=9), indicating that bacterioplankton may be processing an important fraction (8–59%) of the organic matter produced by phytoplankton in Reloncaví Fjord. In winter, bacterial carbon utilization as a percentage of gross primary production was >100%, suggesting the use of allochthonous carbon sources by bacterioplankton when the levels of gross primary production are low. Low primary production rates were associated with a greater contribution of small cells to autotrophic biomass, highlighting the importance of small-sized plankton and bacteria for carbon cycling and fluxes during the less productive winter months. Fecal pellet sedimentation was minimal during this period, also suggesting that most of the locally produced organic carbon is recycled within the microbial loop. During the productive season, on the other hand, the area exhibited a great potential to export organic matter, be it to higher trophic levels or vertically towards the bottom.     

Baseflow prediction in a data-scarce catchment with Inselberg topography,Central Mozambique

This study aimed to improve the understanding of hydrological processes in a humid (sub)tropical area in Africa with Inselberg topography. Additionally, the study intended to develop an approach for selective discharge data acquisition to determine water availability for smallholder irrigation in similar data-scarce catchments. During the December 2012–August 2013 field campaign meteorological and river stage data were collected at the Messica catchment in Central Mozambique. The 220 km² catchment has an estimated 1000 ha of irrigated land, developed by smallholder farmers. Baseflow in the perennial tributary streams on the slopes of a meta-sedimentary Inselberg is the source of irrigation water. The baseflow recession curve of one of these tributaries is analysed and the water balance of an average year was determined. Precipitation, potential evapotranspiration, actual evapotranspiration and discharge were estimated to be 1224, 1462, 949 and 266 mm/year respectively. Differential gauging showed that the perennial tributaries gain water; the groundwater contribution increased with approximately 50% over two and a half month relative to the downstream discharge from March to May. In the downstream parts the groundwater contribution per metre stream length is between 30% and 100% higher compared to the upstream parts for two of the tributaries. Nevertheless, due to natural streambed infiltration and irrigation canals, discharge varies over the length of these tributaries. A rainfall–runoff model (HBV) was calibrated using the field data to examine the relation between precipitation characteristics and discharge at the start of the dry season. For precipitation scenarios with low and high intensity precipitation, discharges from June onwards were approximately similar in size according to the calibrated model. This suggest that discharge at the start of the dry season is mainly determined by total precipitation and the timing of precipitation (i.e. early or late in the wet season), not by individual rainfall events or rainfall intensity. It is concluded that the use of selective discharge measurements and low frequency precipitation measurements can effectively be used for water availability assessments in Inselberg catchments. Further research should be conducted to verify the validity of the used techniques in other humid sub-tropical Inselberg areas.     

Solar activity imprints in tree ring width from Chile (1610–1991)

We have investigated the solar activity signal in tree ring data from two locations in Chile. The tree ring time series extended over a period of ∼400 yr. Spectral and wavelet analysis techniques were employed. We have found evidence for the presence of the solar activity Schwabe (∼11 yr), Hale (∼22 yr), fourth-harmonic of the 208-yr Suess cycle (∼52 yr) and Gleissberg (∼80 yr) cycles. The Gleissberg cycle of tree ring data is in anti-phase with solar activity. Wavelet and cross-wavelet techniques revealed that the periods found are intermittent, possibly because solar activity signals observed in tree rings are mostly due to solar influence on local climate (rainfall, temperature, and cloud cover) where trees grow up. Further, cross-wavelet analysis between sunspot and tree ring time series showed that the cross power around the 11 yr solar cycle is more significant during periods of high solar activity (grand maximum) than during periods of low solar activity (grand minimum). As Glaciar Pio XI is practically at the Pacific Ocean level, the tree-ring response may be stronger due to the heating of the Pacific Ocean water following an increase of the solar radiation incidence rather than at the higher altitudes of Osorno region.     

The response in the Pacific to the sun's decadal peaks and contrasts to cold events in the Southern Oscillation

van Loon et al. [2007. Coupled air–sea response to solar forcing in the Pacific region during northern winter. Journal of Geophysical Research 112, D02108, doi:10.1029/2006JD007378] showed that the Pacific Ocean in northern winter is sensitive to the influence of the sun in its decadal peaks. We extend this study by three solar peaks to a total of 14, examine the response in the stratosphere, and contrast the response to solar forcing to that of cold events (CEs) in the Southern Oscillation. The addition of three solar peak years confirms the earlier results. That is, in solar peak years the sea level pressure (SLP) is, on average, above normal in the Gulf of Alaska and south of the equator, stronger southeast trades blow across the Pacific equator and cause increased upwelling and thus anomalously lower sea surface temperatures (SSTs). Since the effect on the Pacific climate system of solar forcing resembles CEs in the Southern Oscillation, we compare the two and note that, even though their patterns appear similar in some ways, they are particularly different in the stratosphere and are thus due to separate processes. That is, in July–August (JA) of the year leading into January–February (JF) of the solar peak years, the Walker cell expands in the Pacific troposphere, and the stratospheric wind anomalies are westerly below 25 hPa and easterly above, whereas this signal in the stratosphere is absent in CEs. Thus the large-scale east–west tropical atmospheric (Walker) circulation is enhanced, though not to the extent that it is in CEs in the Southern Oscillation, and the solar influence thus appears as a strengthening of the climatological mean regional precipitation maxima in the tropical Pacific. Additionally, CEs have a 1-year evolution, while the response to solar peaks extends across 3 years such that the signal in the Pacific SLP of the solar peaks is similar but weaker in the year leading into the peak and in the year after the peak. The concurrent negative SST anomalies develop during the year before the solar peak, and after the peak the anomalies are still present but are waning. In the stratosphere in solar peaks, the equatorial quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) is amplified when it is in its westerly phase in the lower stratosphere and easterly phase above; and the QBO is suppressed when in its easterly phase below–westerly phase above. Such an association is not evident in CEs.     

The Late Eocene 187Os / 188Os excursion: Chemostratigraphy,cosmic dust flux and the Early Oligocene glaciation

High resolution records (ca. 100 kyr) of Os isotope composition (¹⁸⁷Os / ¹⁸⁸Os) in bulk sediments from two tropical Pacific sites (ODP Sites 1218 and 1219) capture the complete Late Eocene ¹⁸⁷Os / ¹⁸⁸Os excursion and confirm that the Late Eocene ¹⁸⁷Os / ¹⁸⁸Os minimum, earlier reported by Ravizza and Peucker-Ehrenbrink [Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 210 (2003) 151–165], is a global feature. Using the astronomically tuned age models available for these sites, it is suggested that the Late Eocene ¹⁸⁷Os / ¹⁸⁸Os minimum can be placed at 34.5 ± 0.1 Ma in the marine records. In addition, two other distinct features of the ¹⁸⁷Os / ¹⁸⁸Os excursion that are correlatable among sections are proposed as chemostratigraphic markers which can serve as age control points with a precision of ca. ± 0.1 Myr. We propose a speculative hypothesis that higher cosmic dust flux in the Late Eocene may have contributed to global cooling and Early Oligocene glaciation (Oi-1) by supplying bio-essential trace elements to the oceans and thereby resulting in higher ocean productivity, enhanced burial of organic carbon and draw down of atmospheric CO₂. To determine if the hypothesis that enhanced cosmic dust flux in the Late Eocene was a cause for the ¹⁸⁷Os / ¹⁸⁸Os excursion can be tested by using the paired bulk sediment and leachate Os isotope composition; ¹⁸⁷Os / ¹⁸⁸Os were also measured in sediment leachates. Results of analyses of leachates are inconsistent between the south Atlantic and the Pacific sites, and therefore do not yield a robust test of this hypothesis. Comparison of ¹⁸⁷Os / ¹⁸⁸Os records with high resolution benthic foraminiferal δ¹⁸O records across the Eocene–Oligocene transition suggests that ¹⁸⁷Os flux to the oceans decreased during cooling and ice growth leading to the Oi-1 glaciation, whereas subsequent decay of ice-sheets and deglacial weathering drove seawater ¹⁸⁷Os / ¹⁸⁸Os to higher values. Although the precise timing and magnitude of these changes in weathering fluxes and their effects on the marine ¹⁸⁷Os / ¹⁸⁸Os records are obscured by recovery from the Late Eocene ¹⁸⁷Os / ¹⁸⁸Os excursion, evidence of the global influence of glaciation on supply of Os to the ocean is robust as it has now been documented in both Pacific and Atlantic records.     

Space-time variability of the Amazon River plume based on satellite ocean color

Satellite ocean color images were used to determine the space-time variability of the Amazon River plume from 2000–2004. The relationship between sea-surface salinity (SSS) and the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) absorption coefficient for dissolved and detrital material (a_dg) (r²=0.76, n=30, rmse=0.4) was used to identify the Amazon River plume low-salinity waters (<34 psu). The plume's spatial information was extracted from satellite bi-weekly time series using two metrics: plume area and plume shape. These metrics identified the seasonal variability of plume dimensions and dispersion patterns. During the study period, the plume showed the largest areas from July to August and the smallest from December to January. The mean annual amplitude and the mean, maximum and minimum plume areas were 1020×10³ km², 680×10³ km², 1506×10³ km² and 268×10³ km², respectively. Three main shapes and dispersion pattern periods were identified: (1) flow to the northeastern South American coast, in a narrow band adjacent to the continental shelf, from January to April; (2) flow to the Caribbean region, from April to July; and (3) flow to the Central Equatorial Atlantic Ocean, from August to December. Cross-correlation techniques were used to quantify the relationship between the plume's spatial variability and environmental forcing factors, including Amazon River discharge, wind field and ocean currents. The results showed that (1) river discharge is the main factor influencing plume area variability, (2) the wind field regulates the plume's northwestward flow velocity and residence time near the river mouth, and (3) surface currents have a strong influence over river plume dispersion patterns.     

Coastal and oceanic SST variability along the western Iberian Peninsula

The inter-annual variability of the sea surface temperature (SST) was analyzed along the western Iberian Peninsula in the region ranging from 9.5 °W to 21.5 °W and from 37.5 °N to 42.5 °N with a spatial resolution of 1°×1° from 1900 to 2008. Both coastal and oceanic SST showed an overall increase with warming and cooling cycles similar to those observed in the North Atlantic region and in previous regional studies. In addition, the evolution of coastal and ocean water has been observed to be different. In general, ocean water is more affected by the different warming–cooling cycles than coastal water. In spite of coast and ocean are highly influenced by global changes affecting the whole North Atlantic region, near shore SST has been observed to be correlated with local wind regime, which is itself a manifestation of the Eastern Atlantic (EA) teleconnection pattern.     

Latitudinal patterns of export production recorded in surface sediments of the Chilean Patagonian fjords (41–55°S) as a response to water column productivity

The Chilean Patagonian fjords region (41–56°S) is characterized by highly complex geomorphology and hydrographic conditions, and strong seasonal and latitudinal patterns in precipitation, freshwater discharge, glacier coverage, and light regime; all of these directly affect biological production in the water column. In this study, we compiled published and new information on water column properties (primary production, nutrients) and surface sediment characteristics (biogenic opal, organic carbon, molar C/N, bulk sedimentary δ¹³C_org) from the Chilean Patagonian fjords between 41°S and 55°S, describing herein the latitudinal pattern of water column productivity and its imprint in the underlying sediments. Based on information collected at 188 water column and 118 sediment sampling sites, we grouped the Chilean fjords into four main zones: Inner Sea of Chiloé (41° to ～44°S), Northern Patagonia (44° to ～47°S), Central Patagonia (48–51°S), and Southern Patagonia (Magellan Strait region between 52° and 55°S). Primary production in the Chilean Patagonian fjords was the highest in spring–summer, reflecting the seasonal pattern of water column productivity. A clear north–south latitudinal pattern in primary production was observed, with the highest average spring and summer estimates in the Inner Sea of Chiloé (2427 and 5860 mg C m^?2 d^?1) and Northern Patagonia (1667 and 2616 mg C m^?2 d^?1). This pattern was closely related to the higher availability of nutrients, greater solar radiation, and extended photoperiod during the productive season in these two zones. The lowest spring value was found in Caleta Tortel, Central Patagonia (91 mg C m^?2 d^?1), a site heavily influenced by glacier meltwater and river discharge loaded with glacial sediments. Biogenic opal, an important constituent of the Chilean fjord surface sediments (Si_OPAL ～1–13%), reproduced the general north–south pattern of primary production and was directly related to water column silicic acid concentrations. Surface sediments were also rich in organic carbon content and the highest values corresponded to locations far away from glacier influence, sites within fjords, and/or semi-enclosed and protected basins, reflecting both autochthonous (water column productivity) and allochthonous sources (contribution of terrestrial organic matter from fluvial input to the fjords). A gradient was observed from the more oceanic sites to the fjord heads (west–east) in terms of bulk sedimentary δ¹³C_org and C/N ratios; the more depleted (δ¹³C_org ?26‰) and higher C/N (23) values corresponded to areas close to rivers and glaciers. A comparison of the Chilean Patagonian fjords with other fjord systems in the world revealed high variability in primary production for all fjord systems as well as similar surface sediment geochemistry due to the mixing of marine and terrestrial organic carbon.     

Inorganic carbon and nutrient fluxes on the Arctic Shelf

Historic data from the Russian-American Hydrochemical Atlas of Arctic Ocean together with data from the TRANSDRIFT II 1994 and TUNDRA 1994 cruises have been used to assess the spatial and inter-annual variability of carbon and nutrient fluxes, as well as air–sea CO₂ exchange in the Laptev and western East Siberian Seas during the summer season. Budget computations using summer data of dissolved inorganic phosphate (DIP), dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) gives that the Laptev Sea shelf is a net sink of DIP and DIN of 2.5×10⁶, 23.2×10⁶ mol d⁻¹, respectively, while it is a net source of DIC (excluding air–sea exchange) of 1249×10⁶ mol d⁻¹. In the East Siberian Seas the budget computations give 0.5×10⁶, −11.4×10⁶ and −173×10⁶ mol d⁻¹ (minus being a sink) for DIP, DIN, and DIC, respectively. In summers, the Laptev Sea Shelf is net autotrophic while the East-Siberian Sea Shelf is net heterotrophic, and both systems are weak net denitrifying. The Laptev Sea Shelf takes up 2.1 mmol CO₂ m⁻² d⁻¹ from atmosphere, whereas the western part of the East-Siberian Sea Shelf loose 0.3 mmol CO₂ m⁻² d⁻¹ to the atmosphere. The variability of DIP, DIN and DIC fluxes during summer in the different regions of the Laptev and East Siberian Seas depends on bottom topography, river runoff, exchange with surrounding seas and wind field.     

How many seasons are there in a sub-tropical lake? A multivariate statistical approach to determine seasonality and its application to phytoplankton dynamics

Seasonal patterns in factors that affect primary producers are an important part of defining the structure and function of aquatic ecosystems. However, defining seasonality is often more difficult in aquatic than in terrestrial ecosystems, particularly in subtropical and tropical environments. In this study, a long-term data set for a shallow subtropical lake (Lake George, Florida, USA) was used to investigate seasonality using a range of physical, chemical and hydrological parameters. K-means cluster analysis of monthly averages among 11 selected environmental factors across 18 years suggested the overall annual pattern consists of three different seasonal clusters: a cold season (January–April), a warm season (May–August) and a flushing season (September–December). High dissolved oxygen and increased Secchi depth are key features of the cold season, while the warm season is characterized by high mean light irradiances, temperature, rainfalls, total nitrogen and phytoplankton biomass (as chlorophyll a level). The flushing season is characterized by high river discharge rates and high levels of dissolved nutrients and colored organic matter. Multiple response permutation procedures indicated that these seasonal cluster arrangements were significantly different than randomly permuted clusters (A-statistics = 0.3314, significance of delta = 0.0160, based on 1000 permutations). Results from principal component analyses supported the presence of the three seasons in the lake. Linear models explaining chlorophyll a levels using the 3-season system generally indicated better ratios of explained variance compared to the models without seasonal alignments, further indicating that even for sub-tropical systems defining seasons provides a better understanding of phytoplankton dynamics. The approaches used in this study provide statistically-based multivariate tools for the definition of seasonality in aquatic ecosystems. The ability to accurately define seasons is a key step in modeling the structure and dynamics of aquatic ecosystem, which is essential to the development of effective management strategies in a rapidly changing world.     

Time–frequency characterization of sub-divisional scale seasonal rainfall in India using the Hilbert–Huang transform

Time–frequency characterization is useful in understanding the nonlinear and non-stationary signals of the hydro-climatic time series. The traditional Fourier transform, and wavelet transform approaches have certain limitations in analyzing non-linear and non-stationary hydro-climatic series. This paper presents an effective approach based on the Hilbert–Huang transform to investigate time–frequency characteristics, and the changing patterns of sub-divisional rainfall series in India, and explored the possible association of monsoon seasonal rainfall with different global climate oscillations. The proposed approach integrates the complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise algorithm and normalized Hilbert transform method for analyzing the spectral characteristics of two principal seasonal rainfall series over four meteorological subdivisions namely Assam-Meghalaya, Kerala, Orissa and Telangana subdivisions in India. The Hilbert spectral analysis revealed the dynamic nature of dominant time scales for two principal seasonal rainfall time series. From the trend analysis of instantaneous amplitudes of multiscale components called intrinsic mode functions (IMFs), it is found that both intra and inter decadal modes are responsible for the changes in seasonal rainfall series of different subdivisions and significant changes are noticed in the amplitudes of inter decadal modes of two seasonal rainfalls in the four subdivisions since 1970s. Further, the study investigated the links between monsoon rainfall with the global climate oscillations such as Quasi Bienniel Oscillation (QBO), El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Sunspot Number (SN), Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) etc. The study noticed that the multiscale components of rainfall series IMF1, IMF2, IMF3, IMF4 and IMF5 have similar periodic structure of QBO, ENSO, SN, tidal forcing and AMO respectively. As per the seasonal rainfall patterns is concerned, the results of the study indicated that for Assam-Meghalaya subdivision, there is a likelihood of extreme rare events at ~0.2 cycles per year, and both monsoon and pre-monsoon rainfall series have decreasing trends; for Kerala subdivision, extreme events can be expected during monsoon season with shorter periodicity (~2.5 years), and monsoon rainfall has statistically significant decreasing trend and post-monsoon rainfall has a statistically significant increasing trend; and for Orissa subdivision, there are chances of extremes rainfall events in monsoon season and a relatively stable rainfall pattern during post-monsoon period, but both monsoon and post-monsoon rainfall series showed an overall decreasing trend; for Telangana subdivision, there is a likelihood of extreme events during monsoon season with a periodicity of ~4 years, but both monsoon and post-monsoon rainfall series showed increasing trends. The results of correlation analysis of IMF components of monsoon rainfall and five climate indices indicated that the association is expressed well only for low frequency modes with similar evolution of trend components.