South Georgian diving petrels (Pelecanoides georgicus) breeding on Codfish Island

© 2018 Fischer et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Unresolved taxonomy of threatened species is problematic for conservation as the field relies on species being distinct taxonomic units. Differences in breeding habitat and results from a preliminary molecular analysis indicated that the New Zealand population of the South Georgian Diving Petrel (Pelecanoides georgicus) was a distinct, yet undescribed, species. We measured 11 biometric characters and scored eight plumage characters in 143 live birds and 64 study skins originating from most populations of P. georgicus, to assess their taxonomic relationships. We analysed differences with principal component analyses (PCA), factorial ANOVAs, and Kruskal-Wallis rank sum tests. Results show that individuals from New Zealand differ significantly from P. georgicus from all other populations as following: 1) longer wings, 2) longer outer tail feathers, 3) deeper bills, 4) longer heads, 5) longer tarsi, 6) limited collar extent, 7) greater extent of contrasting scapulars, 8) larger contrasting markings on the secondaries, 9) paler ear coverts, 10) paler collars, and 11) paler flanks. Furthermore, we used a species delimitation test with quantitative phenotypic criteria; results reveal that the New Zealand population of P. georgicus indeed merits species status. We hereby name this new species Pelecanoides whenuahouensis sp. nov. Due to severe reductions in its range and the very low number of remaining birds (~150 individuals limited to a single breeding colony on Codfish Island/Whenua Hou) the species warrants listing as ‘Critically Endangered’. An abstract in the Māori language/Te Reo Māori can be found in S1 File.

A population of South Georgian diving petrels (Pelecanoides georgicus) (c. 130 g) became extinct at Mason Bay, on the west coast of Stewart Island, before European settlement. Pacific rat (Rattus exulans) bones with the diving petrel fossils provided an opportunity to determine whether the rats arrived before the petrels went extinct. Fifteen 14C accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) ages on purified diving petrel bone gelatin from various parts of Mason Bay clustered unexpectedly in the 14th and 15th centuries ad, and none was older. Bayesian statistical analysis, using a Markov Chain Monte Carlo procedure, gave a 95% probability that the diving petrel colony was founded between 1338 and 1440 ad, lasted 40–310 years, and became extinct between 1475 and 1650 ad. Possible reasons for the late colonisation of Mason Bay by South Georgian diving petrels burrow are discussed. Bayesian analysis of five 14C AMS determinations on Pacific rat bone gelatin did not exclude the possibility that the Pacific rat arrived before the diving petrel colony was established. However, the enriched 513C of their bone gelatin suggests that the rats had a partially marine diet, and a terrestrial calibration procedure for their AMS ages was probably not appropriate. The Pacific rat is likely to have arrived after the diving petrel colony became established and probably caused the bird's extinction after a short period of coexistence.

This study examined divergence in the foraging distribution, at-sea behaviour and pro- visioning strategies of a small procellarid, the Cook's petrel Pterodroma cookii, during chick-rearing at 2 islands off New Zealand, separated latitudinally by ~1000 km. There was little overlap in forag- ing distribution between adults from Little Barrier Island (LBI), which ranged to the west into the Northern Tasman Sea and east into the Pacific Ocean, and conspecifics from Codfish Island (CDF), which foraged west of the South Island in the south Tasman Sea in association with the subtropical convergence zone. Although birds from CDF ranged further than those from LBI, there was no differ- ence in mean foraging trip duration. Cook's petrels from CDF foraged over deeper, cooler water, with higher primary productivity, than conspecifics from LBI. At-sea behaviour also differed: adults from LBI spent less time in flight, and showed less variation in total flight time per day. Overall, Cook's petrels spend much more time in flight than albatrosses, and approximately the same amounts of time on the water during the night as during the day, suggesting a high portion of nocturnal foraging. Dive depths did not differ between colonies but were greater than expected for a gadfly petrel. Stable isotope signatures of blood indicated population-specific diets, and suggested that birds from LBI primarily consume cephalopods and fish, whereas those from CDF eat more crustaceans. Chicks at CDF received more food. These results suggest a broad divergence in foraging strategies between geographically well-separated colonies in response to regional differences in oceanography.

Tawera mawsoni (Hedley, 1916), the most southerly occurring of all the Tawera species in the Australasian region, lives on sandy substrates from 12 to 450 m depth around Macquarie Island, on Macquarie Ridge, and on Caroline Ridge. Most shells sampled are homogeneous in shape, sculpture, colouring, and shell thickness, except that some from south of Macquarie Island have thinner valves. Tawera mawsoni appears to produce annual growth rings. Shell shape does not appreciably alter with growth. Recruitment rate is low and variable from year to year. Predation appears to be an important cause of mortality, the chief predators being naticids ( Falsilunatia pisum ) and muricids (Trophon macquariensis and T. mawsoni) . No size class of Tawera mawsoni is excluded from predation.

Notophthiracarus (Oribatida, Phthiracaridae) is a large genus of ptyctimous oribatid mites with species in Australasian, Ethiopian, Neotropical, Oriental and Subantarctic regions, mostly in tropical and subtropical areas. Herein, we describe two new species from the Western Cape of South Africa: Notophthiracarus sidorchukae Niedbała sp. nov. and Notophthiracarus spathulatus Niedbała sp. nov. Each is represented by adult specimens collected from soil in a coastal forest in the Kaaimansgat estuary, the only documented locality. These two bring the known South African fauna of Notophthiracarus to 31 species, all of which are either indigenous or endemic. A review of distributional data shows that within South Africa most species have been recorded from southern, eastern and northeastern parts, and are most prevalent near the coast, where woody vegetation dominates.

Specimens of the genus Forcipomyia are among the most commonly encountered in biting midge collections in Australia, but until recently no systematic studies of the genus have been undertaken. The present author has published taxonomic studies of Australasian Region species of the subgenera Lasiohelea and Dacnoforcipomyia, and (with W. W. Wirth) of Euprojoannisia; the remaining subgenera are now examined. In this first part a key to the Australasian Region subgenera, and a study of those subgenera related to Thyridomyia and Trichohelea, are presented. These are: Thyridomyia Saunders (three previously described species); Synthyridomyia Saunders (six new species: caestuum, oryx, bucera, tympanista, operimenti, ansericolli); Collessohelea, subgen. nov. (one new species, yungurara); Blantonia Wirth & Dow (one new species, testudo); Schineromyia, subgen. nov. (one new species, gandangara); Trichohelea Goetghebuer (16 species, of which 10 - ferrea, cliens, imparidentes, alienus, sector, chirurgus, scorpio, lunata, arcis, tumulus - are new); Typhonomyia, subgen. nov. (one new species, anachoreta); Herakleohelea, subgen. nov. (one new species, grallator); Kattangomyia, subgen. nov. (two new species: taurus, orbis); Pterobosca Macfie (five previously described species); and Phytohelea Remm (five species, of which one - forfices - is new). For each subgenus the history of the taxon and its recorded biology are summarised, and the relationships of the Australasian species to other faunas are discussed. The interrelationships of the subgenera are also considered. The Japanese species Dasyhelea crinume Tokunaga, 1932 (subsequently (1934) transferred by its author to Apelma sensu Saunders = Phytohelea), which was described in all stages, is transferred to subgenus Pterobosca, where it provides important amplification of the subgeneric diagnosis.

While much research has focused on the timing of individual plant phenological events, the sequence of phenological events has received considerably less attention. Here we identify drivers and patterns of flower and leaf emergence sequence (FLS) in deciduous tree species of the Great Lakes region of North America. Five hypotheses related to cold tolerance, water dynamics, seed mass, pollination syndrome, and xylem anatomy type were compared for their ability to explain FLS. Phylogenetic and geographic patterns of FLS were also assessed. We identified additional traits associated with FLS using Random Forest models. Of the hypotheses assessed, those related to species' water dynamics and seed mass had the greatest support. The spatial pattern of FLS was found to be strongly related to minimum monthly temperature and the phylogenetic pattern was clustered among species. Based on results from Random Forest models, species' fruiting characteristics were found to be the most important variables in explaining FLS. Our results show that FLS is related to a suite of plant traits and environmental tolerances. We emphasize the need to expand phenological research to include both the timing and sequence of plant's entire phenology, in particular in relation to plant physiology and global change.

A two-dimensional mathematical model for simulating coupled problems of water flow and heat transport in saturated-unsaturated porous media is presented. The model is composed of two submodels; that is, a saturated-unsaturated water flow submodel and a heat transport submodel. The saturatedunsaturated water flow submodel can take into consideration thermal convection in saturated zone due to temperature gradient, soil water hysteresis accompanied by unsaturated flow, and temperature effect on the density and viscosity of water together with the typical forced convection. The heat transport submodel can handle heat conduction, heat dispersion, and forced and thermal convection in saturatedunsaturated porous media. The numerical method proposed in this paper is based on the finite elements for water flow and the characteristic finite elements for heat transport.The model was applied to two experimental problems with laboratory and field data. First, water flow in saturated-unsaturated soil column was analyzed under hysteretic and isothermal condition. Then, the model was applied to a problem of coupled transport of water and heat in saturated-unsaturated porous media. The latter problem is accommodated to account for an aquifer thermal energy storage experiment conducted in Sanrihama dune sand area where serial tests of artificial recharge of warm and cold water and recovery for agricultural use have been taken place for several years. Although it was not possible to compare the simulation and experimental results in a strict sense due to the lack of adequate experimental data, it was qualitatively proved that the model can be successfully applied to this type of coupled problems.

Juniperus species play a crucial ecological role by inhabiting sand dunes, thereby mitigating coastal encroachment and contributing to the stabilization and protection of these areas. However, due to excessive exploitation and seeds dormancy, this species is currently facing a continuous decline in population. To address this issue, a study was conducted to enhance the germination of J. phoenicea seeds by evaluating the impact of biogeography and various pretreatment methods. Mature red cones of J. phoenicea were collected in February-March 2021 from three different locations in northeastern Morocco, representing coastal, semi-continental, and continental populations, based on the distribution patterns of the species in the northeastern region of morocco. The gathered seeds underwent nine distinct pretreatments, including physical treatments such as mechanical and thermal shock, as well as chemical treatments involving sulfuric acid and acetic acid, alongside a control. Subsequently, the treated seeds were incubated at a consistent temperature of 20°C. Before germination, we proceeded to a viability test and found that the seed viability was 87%, although it varied depending on the geographical origin of the seeds. The cold-hot stratification had the highest seed germination rate from the semi-continental location, with a percentage of 66%, followed by the seeds of the continental location with 60%. The boiling water pretreatment recorded a germination rate of 54% in semi-continental seeds, while 51% was recorded in continental seeds. Coastal seeds had the lowest viability and germination rates regardless of the stratification applied. Due to their better germination potential, the use of continental seeds to generate seedlings of J. phoenicea in eastern Morocco should be considered. Regardless the biogeographic location, cold-warm stratification can increase germination potential at a significant rate of up to 66%.

Located that oil port of siders following waha Oil Company which is located west of sirt on covering the moving sand dunes pot dominated system desertification. The solar energy will be used to evaporated brine and generate cool air pure water in order to grow food inside the greenhouses where the sea water will be used facilities. Concentrated idea of the project to exploit an area of about 20km through which pipeline to flow of sea water to the ground which may allow the lows of Nature which produce fresh water from sea water and change climate conditions to humid climate contributes to the rainfall and characterized the technology that will be used in the project to its ability to transform large tracts of desert into green produce commercial quantities of food and energy crops and freshwater used the project is based on the establishment of greenhouse where sea water used provide growth conditions cold and wet of vegetables in addition to the production of fresh water and will be connected to the solar with thermal units for the desalination of sea water supported by technology and will allow pilot also cultivation of algae in the system of bioreactors optical and farming systems in basins exposed produces plant food ,water, energy between greenhouse protected salt water and solar power intensive and cultivation of algae and technological and scientific . the basic idea of this project is to bring sea water into the desert then vaporized process centered on what is known as sea water where the evaporating sea water by solar energy and then intensify freshwater not only that but maintains a moist interior cool and are ideal for the cultivation of crops ,it was the first model to sea water greenhouse a unit area of 2000 square meters in port Augusta in Australia and has won its first crop tomatoes in the last months ago ,Sahara forest project combines the technology and solar power uses mirrors to focus the light on the complex to heat which in turn produces steam for the management of turbine generator at a supplying greenhouse powered and operated and the greenhouse extended solar power plant with water marking them more efficient that the project is promising and important in the field of renewable energy and to take advantage of the potential and of solar energy in our integrated project and ambitious aims to cultivate bio-fuels to generate an energy clean aimed at protecting the environmental may work on climate change. The project is based on the new Technologies in carpeted into solar energy and seawater Greenhouse and cultivation of green algae and for the cultivation of arid areas and the provision of food and fresh water as well as bio-fuels to generate clean energy. The idea of the project is simple and Natural based on the use of solar energy in the evaporation of salty seawater to generate cold air and water and clean energy in deserts and Technology use Mirrors sunlight to form steam to Run turbines which in turn generate electricity is expected to shift the equipment desert to the territory to the a prosperous agricultural out about the need to drill water wells which increase water shortage and possible planting any kind of vegetables in greenhouse sea water are essential in the project which cost to be cooling desert air warm and ? Wet with sea water before being admitted to the greenhouse and this air humidifier will feed crops inside greenhouse then dryer where flowing sea water heated warmly sun? and soon meet air humidifies of channels containing water condenses fresh water and dripped drops on the external aspects of channels that can be assembled the process mimic what happens in Nature evaporates sea water as a result of the sun’s heat and work is underway to cooling leads to the formation of clouds and condense these vapors of water to fall water like rain only 10-15 % of moist air condenses into fresh water and the rest out of the surrounding tress thus the greenhouse creating green surroundings around the will be through energy intensive and through the use of Mirrors to focus sunlight on pipes and boilers for water district cause radiation intensive production high heat inside the pipe provides enough power to turn Turbines team which in turn would for electrical power and six cell additional power to the people are a population of benefiting says a specialist and is Neil Crompton one energy experts there is huge potential for these new Technologies unit focused and one covering only 9% of the area of deserts ground and can provide five global need for energy as well as can invest this technique streaming tons of sea water per day using only 20 thousand greenhouse.

The Antarctic marine environment has a unique geologic and climatic history that has contributed to the evolution of high species diversity. Given the current trend of environmental warming, understanding the history of Antarctic species is crucial for predicting the impact of climate change on ecosystem function. Soft corals are a group of striking presence in the benthic marine assemblages in the Southern Ocean, which is recognized as a biodiversity hotspot. DNA sequences (Cox1, mtMutS, and 28S rDNA) were utilized for molecular phylogenetic reconstructions, species delimitations, and divergence estimations to investigate the spatial patterns of genetic diversity in Alcyonium species in the southern South American-Antarctic region. Significant genetic divergence was observed between regions, with a clear genetic break between South America and the West Antarctic Peninsula and the identification of four putative species. Divergence time estimates indicated that Alcyonium's diversification began about 41.1 million years ago (Ma), coinciding with the opening of the Drake Passage and the formation of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC, ~42 Ma). This indicates that Alcyonium has persisted insitu for an extensive period, enduring a wide range of environmental conditions.

Because of the difficulties of at-sea identification of diving-petrels, little is known about the distribution of Pelecanoides species away from their breeding islands.Here we report an individual that collided with a vessel in the southeast Atlantic Ocean.The species could be confirmed by detailed examination of the bill and nostrils.This record represents a considerable range extension of South Georgian Diving Petrel Pelecanoides georgicus and the farthest from its breeding islands to be confirmed.It suggests that diving-petrels disperse farther from breeding islands than previously known.