Size‐based differences in isotopic niche width (δ13C and δ15N) of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) nesting on Príncipe Island,Gulf of Guinea

Within the same population, nesting green turtles (Chelonia mydas) might exploit different niches by exhibiting polymorphic foraging strategies and/or inhabiting geographically distinct foraging areas. This is crucial information for the conservation of this species. Here, we used stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) to test for differences in a population of green turtles nesting on Príncipe Island (1°37′N; 7°24?′E), Central Africa. A total of 60 nesting females were sampled on the two main nesting beaches of the island in December 2012. Minimum curved carapace length (CCL) was recorded, and δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values were measured in the epidermis of each individual. Overall, CCL varied from 87.0 to 108.0 cm (mean ± SD =100.0 ± 5.1), δ¹³C values from ?19.4 to ?8.6‰ (?17.3 ± 1.8) and δ¹⁵N values from 7.9 to 17.3‰ (13.6 ± 1.5). Despite the large variation in both isotopic ratios, their distributions were unimodal, showing an absence of polymorphic foraging strategies and isotopically distinct foraging areas. However, smaller females (< median, 100.8 cm) occupied a much larger isotopic niche (i.e., four times greater) than larger females. These results suggest that nesting green turtles may forage opportunistically on the resources available in each of their foraging home ranges, with smaller females venturing to more isotopic‐diversified areas and/or exhibiting broader foraging strategies than larger females. In addition, and in accordance with other studies, findings suggest that the foraging grounds used by the Príncipe green turtle nesting females are distributed mainly throughout the Gulf of Guinea.     

Possible solar control on primary production along the Indian west coast on decadal to centennial timescale

Using multiple geochemical proxies including specific biomarkers (dinosterol, phytol, stigmasterol and β‐sitosterol) measured in a high‐sedimentation rate core collected from the inner shelf (depth ～45 m) off Goa (India), we reconstruct surface productivity, which is mainly controlled by the monsoon upwelling in this region, during the last ca. 700 a. Surface productivity appears to have varied in tandem with the Konkan–Goa rainfall and sunspot activity during the instrumental period (last 250 a). The productivity proxies also covary with the total solar irradiance reconstructed for the period beyond the instrumental era, within the considerable uncertainty of the age model. This suggests that solar forcing may control coastal upwelling intensity and biological productivity in the eastern Arabian Sea on decadal to centennial timescales. During the late Anthropocene (last ca. 50 a), steep increases in all four biomarkers indicate greatly enhanced productivity in response to high solar irradiance as well as anthropogenic inputs of nutrients. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Temperature and Ionization of T-Tauri Micro-Jets

The effects of phenomenological heating functions on the flow thermodynamics of cold T-Tauri disk winds are examined. Turbulent dissipation (mechanical) heating and a warm disk corona are invoked to heat the wind. The temperature and ionization evolution are solved for along the flow. The results allow the construction of synthetic observations; emission maps, forbidden line ratios, line fluxes and line profiles; and successfully reproduce a number of observed trends. Mechanical heating produces line ratios and fluxes that fit very well with observations. Invoking a warm disk corona successfully reproduces forbidden line profile low velocity components.     

Self-Collimated Stationary Disk Winds

In this contribution, we first review the theory of self-collimated jets launched from magnetized accretion disks (disk-winds originating from the first AUs). We show why it is crucial to solve in a self-consistent way the interplay between the resistive accretion disk and the ideal MHD jets. Indeed, this is the only way to get exact values for the disk ejection efficiency ξ (the jet mass load issue). Then, we show self-similar calculations of such accretion-ejection structures: first cold jets, then warm jets obtained in the presence of a hot disk chromosphere. Finally, we present for the first time an accretion-ejection flow crossing all three critical points.     

Concepts and science for coastal erosion management - An introduction to the Conscience framework

The main objective of the Conscience project was to develop and test concepts, guidelines and tools for the sustainable management of erosion along the European coastline, based on the best available scientific knowledge and on existing practical experience. Four concepts are potentially capable of providing the nexus between scientific knowledge and management: coastal resilience, coastal sediment cell, favourable sediment status and strategic sediment reservoir. The project has tested the use of these concepts and found that they are useful, provided that they are positioned and linked within a logical structure that we shall call the Conscience “Frame of Reference”, defined in time and space and supported through data and monitoring. Practical experience in six coastal sites in Europe has shown that the use of this Frame of Reference together with these concepts can make management objectives explicit and transparent. It can therefore support the design of an appropriate, resilience based coastal erosion management practice.     

Virtual Jets: From Self-Similar to Numerical Solutions

The goal of this contribution is not to describe results on accretion discs launching jets obtained within the self-similar framework. Rather, I would like (1) to emphasize the huge difficulties one has to face when attempting to perform magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) numerical simulations of such discs; (2) to show how self-similar solutions can help to solve these difficulties. In particular, they allow to choose suitable boundary conditions and/or relevant initial conditions. In all cases anyway, they provide a framework for understanding and testing the outcome of numerical simulations.     

Grain-size end-members and environmentally sensitive grain-size components: A comparative study in the mud shelf depocenters off southern Brazil

The current study aims to do a comparative analysis of the results obtained with two End-Member(EM)grain-size modeling techniques(AnalySize and BasEMMA)and the Environmental Sensitive Grain-Size(ESGS)modeling for sediment samples collected in the mudbelts of the southern Brazilian shelf.The methods were compared using grain-size data from the south Brazilian shelf,and the results are discussed here.It is the first time that the concept of ESGS,in its present form,is utilized outside China.The results show that despite its relative ease of use,the ESGS is not fully comparable to the EM analyses,and only two grain-size ESGS classes were recognized as analogous to EMs.The comparison of the AnalySize and BasEMMA procedures also revealed significant differences between the techniques.A comparative analysis between the two EM techniques revealed advantages in the BasEMMA,especially in the better correlation of the end-members with the original grain size distribution.The analysis of the geographical distribution of the EM abundances allowed point sources of sandy populations to be recognized as well as the contribution of the Rio de la Plata as a source of silty sediments to be inferred.     

Thresholds for morphological changes on an exposed sandy beach as a function of wave height

A sandy beach in the south of Portugal (Faro beach, Ria Formosa) was surveyed from the dune crest seaward to 15 m depth 20 times over a period of 26 months. Wave time‐series between surveys were analysed to obtain relationships between wave height and vertical profile variations and to define wave thresholds for important morphological changes. Results show that the active zone of the profile lies between 5 m above and 10·4 m below mean sea level, and that there are clear cross‐shore differences in the vertical variability of the profile. Based on the pattern of vertical variability, the profile was divided into four cross‐shore sectors: A (berm), 20–80 m from the profile origin; B (sub‐tidal terrace), 80–170 m; C (long‐shore bar), 170–360 m; and D, 360–700 m. The relationship between the modulus of the maximum vertical change in each sector and the 99th percentile of significant wave height between surveys was always significant. Calculated thresholds for significant wave height generating important morphological changes were 2·3 m in sector A, 3·2 m in sectors B and C, and 4·1 m in sector D. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.