[1] The relationship between the production of dimethylsulfide (DMS) in the upper ocean and atmospheric sulfate aerosols has been confirmed through local shipboard measurements, and global modeling studies alike. In order to examine whether such a connection may be recoverable in the satellite record, we have analyzed the correlation between mean surface chlorophyll (CHL) and aerosol optical depth (AOD) in the Southern Ocean, where the marine atmosphere is relatively remote from anthropogenic and continental influences. We carried out the analysis in 5-degree zonal bands between 50°S and 70°S, for the period (1997)(1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004), and in smaller meridional sectors in the Eastern Antarctic, Ross and Weddell seas. Seasonality is moderate to strong in both CHL and AOD signatures throughout the study regions. Coherence in the CHL and AOD time series is strong in the band between 50°S and 60°S, however this synchrony is absent in the sea-ice zone (SIZ) south of 60°S. Marked interannual variability in CHL occurs south of 60°S, presumably related to variability in sea-ice production during the previous winter. We find a clear latitudinal difference in the cross correlation between CHL and AOD, with the AOD peak preceding the CHL bloom by up to 6 weeks in the SIZ. This suggests that substantial trace gas emissions (aerosol precursors) are being produced over the SIZ in spring (October-December) as sea ice melts. This hypothesis is supported by field data that record extremely high levels of sulfur species in sea ice, surface seawater, and the overlying atmosphere during ice melt.Citation: Gabric, A. J., J. M. Shephard, J. M. Knight, G. Jones, and A. J. Trevena (2005), Correlations between the satellite-derived seasonal cycles of phytoplankton biomass and aerosol optical depth in the Southern Ocean: Evidence for the influence of sea ice, Global Biogeochem. Cycles, 19, GB4018,

Animal tracking data are being collected more frequently, in greater detail, and on smaller taxa than ever before. These data hold the promise to increase the relevance of animal movement for understanding ecological processes, but this potential will only be fully realized if their accompanying location error is properly addressed. Historically, coarsely-sampled movement data have proved invaluable for understanding large scale processes (e.g., home range, habitat selection, etc.), but modern fine-scale data promise to unlock far more ecological information. While location error can often be ignored in coarsely sampled data, fine-scale data require much more care, and tools to do this have been lacking. Current approaches to dealing with location error largely fall into two categories—either discarding the least accurate location estimates prior to analysis or simultaneously fitting movement and error parameters in a hidden-state model. Unfortunately, both of these approaches have serious flaws. Here, we provide a general framework to account for location error in the analysis of animal tracking data, so that their potential can be unlocked. We apply our error-model-selection framework to 190 GPS, cellular, and acoustic devices representing 27 models from 14 manufacturers. Collectively, these devices are used to track a wide range of animal species comprising birds, fish, reptiles, and mammals of different sizes and with different behaviors, in urban, suburban, and wild settings. Then, using empirical data on tracked individuals from multiple species, we provide an overview of modern, error-informed movement analyses, including continuous-time path reconstruction, home-range distribution, home-range overlap, speed and distance estimation. Adding to these techniques, we introduce new error-informed estimators for outlier detection and autocorrelation visualization. We furthermore demonstrate how error-informed analyses on calibrated tracking data can be necessary to ensure that estimates are accurate and insensitive to location error, and allow researchers to use all of their data. Because error-induced biases depend on so many factors—sampling schedule, movement characteristics, tracking device, habitat, etc.—differential bias can easily confound biological inference and lead researchers to draw false conclusions.

The sea-to-air flux of the biogenic sulfur (S) compound dimethylsulfide (DMS) is thought to constitute an important radiative impact on climate, especially in remote marine areas. Previous biogeochemical modelling analyses simulate medium to large changes in the sea-to-air flux of DMS in polar regions under warming scenarios. Here we assess the global radiative impact of such a prescribed change in DMS flux on contemporary climate using a low-resolution atmospheric general circulation model. This impact operates through the atmospheric oxidation of DMS to radiatively-active sulfate aerosols, which are known to both reflect incoming short-wave radiation and to affect the microphysical properties of clouds, for example, through an increase in cloud albedo. We use an atmospheric GCM with incorporated sulfur cycle, coupled to a mixed-layer ('q-flux') ocean, to estimate the climatic response to a prescribed meridionally-variable change in zonal DMS flux, as simulated in a previous modelling analysis. We compare baseline sulfur emissions (contemporary anthropogenic S and contemporary DMS sea-to-air flux), with contemporary anthropogenic S and a perturbed DMS flux. Our results indicate that the global mean DMS vertically integrated concentration increases by about 41 per cent. The relative increase in DMS annual emission is around 17 per cent in 70-80°N, although the most significant increase is in 50-70°S, up to 70 per cent. However, concentrations of atmospheric SO 2 and SO 4 2-increase by only about eight per cent. The oxidation of DMS by OH increases by about 20 per cent. Oxidation of SO 2 to SO 4 2 by H 2 O 2 increases seven per cent. The oxidation of SO 2 by O 3 increases around six per cent. Overall sulfur emissions increase globally by around 4.6 per cent.Global mean aerosol optical depth (AOD) increases by 3.5 per cent. Global mean surface temperature decreases by 0.6 K. There is a notable difference between the impacts in the southern and northern hemispheres. In general, most processes and chemical species related to the sulfur cycle show a larger increase in the southern hemisphere, except SO 2 and the oxidation of DMS by NO 3 . The global mean direct radiative forcing due to the DMS change is -0.05 Wm -2 with total forcing (direct + indirect effects) of -0.48 Wm -2 . This perturbation on DMS flux leads to a mean surface temperature decrease in the southern hemisphere of around 0.8 K, compared with a decrease of 0.4 K in the northern hemisphere.

Considered to have a declining world population, concern has been expressed in recent years over the conservation status of the White-bellied Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster (Gmelin, 1788) within Australia. We used mitochondrial (mtDNA) control region sequence data to investigate the current distribution of genetic variation in this species at the continental level and within and between specified regional units. We were specifically interested in identifying breaks in genetic connectivity between the west and east of the continent and between Tasmania and the Australian mainland. We also investigated the likelihood of a bottleneck at the time of colonisation, and propose hypotheses regarding colonisation history. Sequence data were obtained from 128 individuals describing 15 haplotypes. Overall, diversity was low and AMOVA results failed to provide any significant level of genetic subdivision between regions. We suggest that the population expanded from a bottleneck approximately 160,000 years ago during the late Pleistocene, and spread throughout the continent through a contiguous range expansion. There is insufficient evidence to suggest division of the population into different units for conservation management purposes based on the theoretical definition of the 'evolutionary significant unit'. It is clear from the analysis that there are signatures of both historical and contemporary processes affecting the current distribution. Additional sampling and confirmation of the perceived pattern of population structure using a nuclear marker is recommended to validate conservation monitoring and management at a continental scale.

The okapi is an endangered, evolutionarily distinctive even-toed ungulate classified within the giraffidae family that is endemic to the Democratic Republic of Congo. The okapi is currently under major anthropogenic threat, yet to date nothing is known about its genetic structure and evolutionary history, information important for conservation management given the species' current plight. The distribution of the okapi, being confined to the Congo Basin and yet spanning the Congo River, also makes it an important species for testing general biogeographic hypotheses for Congo Basin fauna, a currently understudied area of research. Here we describe the evolutionary history and genetic structure of okapi, in the context of other African ungulates including the giraffe, and use this information to shed light on the biogeographic history of Congo Basin fauna in general. Using nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequence analysis of mainly non-invasively collected samples, we show that the okapi is both highly genetically distinct and highly genetically diverse, an unusual combination of genetic traits for an endangered species, and feature a complex evolutionary history. Genetic data are consistent with repeated climatic cycles leading to multiple Plio-Pleistocene refugia in isolated forests in the Congo catchment but also imply historic gene flow across the Congo River.