Oceanic Dispersal Research Articles

Managing fisheries in a world with more sea turtles

For decades, fisheries have been managed to limit the accidental capture of vulnerable species and many of these populations are now rebounding. While encouraging from a conservation perspective, as populations of protected species increase so will bycatch, triggering management actions that limit fishing. Here, we show that despite extensive regulations to limit sea turtle bycatch in a coastal gillnet fishery on the eastern United States, the catch per trip of Kemp's ridley has increased by more than 300% and green turtles by more than 650% (2001-2016). These bycatch rates closely track regional indices of turtle abundance, which are a function of increased reproductive output at distant nesting sites and the oceanic dispersal of juveniles to near shore habitats. The regulations imposed to help protect turtles have decreased fishing effort and harvest by more than 50%. Given uncertainty in the population status of sea turtles, however, simply removing protections is unwarranted. Stock-assessment models for sea turtles must be developed to determine what level of mortality can be sustained while balancing continued turtle population growth and fishing opportunity. Implementation of management targets should involve federal and state managers partnering with specific fisheries to develop bycatch reduction plans that are proportional to their impact on turtles.

Holocene summer temperature in arid central Asia linked to millennial-scale North Atlantic climate events and driven by centennial-scale solar activity

The millennial- and centennial-scale variability of Holocene climate in arid central Asia (ACA) is poorly understood, due to the lack of high-resolution records, especially of temperature. We present a high-resolution (~45-yr) peat α-cellulose δ13C record spanning the last ~11,030 years from a well-dated peat core (ATM10-C7) from the Altai Mountains in ACA. It is interpreted as a summer temperature record and exhibits millennial- and centennial-scale variability. The millennial-scale variability corresponds well to North Atlantic ice rafting events, implying a climatic link between the North Atlantic and the ACA via the Westerlies. The centennial-scale cold events were synchronous with stages of low solar activity. Spectral and cross-spectral analyses demonstrate that summer temperature and solar activity have a common cyclicity, and we therefore suggest that solar activity was the fundamental driver of the centennial-scale variability of summer temperature in ACA during the Holocene.

Holocene palaeoenvironmental records from the high-altitude Wular Lake, Western Himalayas

We present a comprehensive record of Holocene (11,590–628 cal. yr BP) climate and hydrographic changes around the Wular Lake located in Kashmir Valley, India. Based on the multi-proxy investigations, we have identified three phases of wet climate conditions that prevailed from the commencement of the Holocene Epoch – 9000 cal. yr BP, 8100–6650 cal. yr BP and 6350–5000 cal. yr BP, whereas periods of dry climate were observed during 9000–8100 cal. yr BP, 6650–6350 cal. yr BP and ~5000 to 4000 cal. yr BP. The results also suggested that the lake widened and deepened significantly around 6350–5000 cal. yr BP. The results indicated desiccation and the exposure of the lake margin around 5000–4500 cal. yr BP. The sedimentation rate since 4500–628 cal. yr BP was quite low for detailed paleoclimate interpretations. Oscillations in lake extension and deepening appear to be due to changing intensity of westerly moisture in the region, and we correlate several of the low lake-level phases to the Bond events caused by North Atlantic ice rafting events.

Predicted distributions and abundances of the sea turtle ‘lost years’ in the western North Atlantic Ocean

Oceanic dispersal characterizes the early juvenile life‐stages of numerous marine species of conservation concern. This early stage may be a ‘critical period’ for many species, playing an overriding role in population dynamics. Often, relatively little information is available on their distribution during this period, limiting the effectiveness of efforts to understand environmental and anthropogenic impacts on these species. Here we present a simple model to predict annual variation in the distribution and abundance of oceanic‐stage juvenile sea turtles based on species’ reproductive output, movement and mortality. We simulated dispersal of 25 cohorts (1993–2017) of oceanic‐stage juveniles by tracking the movements of virtual hatchling sea turtles released in a hindcast ocean circulation model. We then used estimates of annual hatchling production from Kemp's ridley Lepidochelys kempii (n = 3), green Chelonia mydas (n = 8) and loggerhead Caretta caretta (n = 5) nesting areas in the northwestern Atlantic (inclusive of the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea and eastern seaboard of the U.S.) and their stage‐specific mortality rates to weight dispersal predictions. The model's predictions indicate spatial heterogeneity in turtle distribution across their marine range, identify locations of increasing turtle abundance (notably along the U.S. coast), and provide valuable context for temporal variation in the stranding of young sea turtles across the Gulf of Mexico. Further effort to collect demographic, distribution and behavioral data that refine, complement and extend the utility of this modeling approach for sea turtles and other dispersive marine taxa is warranted. Finally, generating these spatially‐explicit predictions of turtle abundance required extensive international collaboration among scientists; our findings indicate that continued conservation of these sea turtle populations and the management of the numerous anthropogenic activities that operate in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean will require similar international coordination.

Anisotropy and Inhomogeneity in Drifter Dispersion

AbstractOcean flows are known to be locally anisotropic and inhomogeneous. Nonetheless, the ocean's statistical dispersion properties are traditionally assumed to be isotropic and homogeneous. Here, we investigate the effect of local anisotropy and inhomogeneity on dispersion statistics, using a unique data set of roughly 300 near‐surface drifters that were launched within 10 days in the summer of 2012. The unique launch strategy based on nested triplets resulted in an unusually large number of nearly colocated drifter pairs. Thus, this data set is ideally suited for an estimate of the directional bias and inhomogeneity effects inherent in drifter pair statistics.Several metrics are proposed to assess the time evolution of anisotropy and inhomogeneity effects at multiple initial separation scales (100 m, 200 m, 500 m, 1 km, and 10 km). Locally, statistically significant anisotropy and inhomogeneity are observed at all scales, although anisotropy is noticeably less at 10 km, suggesting that the energetic processes driving anisotropic dispersion operate primarily at smaller scales. Moreover, averaged over a sufficient variety of different flow regimes, the signature of both anisotropy and inhomogeneity in dispersion metrics lessens. These trends hold generally across all scales, with longer time scales associated with larger spatial scales. The results indicate that oceanic dispersion is statistically isotropic and homogeneous over large swaths, but for an application in a specific location, local anisotropy and inhomogeneity matter. What size swath is large enough is situation dependent: For this specific data set, statistics had to be evaluated over multiple deployments, giving a required area greater than 150 km2.

Comparing eDNA metabarcoding and species collection for documenting Arctic metazoan biodiversity

AbstractBackgroundArctic biodiversity has long been poorly documented and is now facing rapid transformations due to ongoing climate change and other impacts, including shipping activities. These changes are placing marine coastal invertebrate communities at greater risk, especially in sensitive areas such as commercial ports. Preserving biodiversity is a significant challenge, going far beyond the protection of charismatic species and involving suitable knowledge of the spatiotemporal organization of species. Therefore, knowledge of alpha, beta, and gamma biodiversity is of great importance to achieve this objective, particularly when partnered with new cost‐effective approaches to monitor biodiversity.Method and resultsThis study compares metabarcoding of COI mitochondrial and 18S rRNA genes from environmental DNA (eDNA) water samples with standard invertebrate species collection methods to document community patterns at multiple spatial scales. Water samples (250 ml) were collected at three different depths within three Canadian Arctic ports: Churchill, MB; Iqaluit, NU; and Deception Bay, QC. From these samples, 202 genera distributed across more than 15 phyla were detected using eDNA metabarcoding, of which only 9%–15% were also identified through species collection at the same sites. Significant differences in taxonomic richness and community composition were observed between eDNA and species collections at both local and regional scales. This study shows that eDNA dispersion in the Arctic Ocean reduces beta diversity in comparison with species collections while emphasizing the importance of pelagic life stages for eDNA detection.ConclusionThe study also highlights the potential of eDNA metabarcoding to assess large‐scale Arctic marine invertebrate diversity while emphasizing that eDNA and species collection should be considered as complementary tools to provide a more holistic picture of coastal marine invertebrate communities.

Predictability of a short-term emergency assessment system of the marine environmental radioactivity

ABSTRACTA Short-Term Emergency Assessment system of the Marine Environmental Radioactivity (STEAMER) was developed at the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) to forecast or reanalyze the oceanic dispersion of radionuclides that are released into the ocean around Japan from nuclear facilities during routine operation or in an emergency. STEAMER is currently in daily operation at JAEA to conduct single forecast simulation. The predictability of STEAMER is validated by utilizing oceanographic forecast and reanalysis data in this study. The oceanic dispersion simulations that use oceanographic reanalysis data as input data are assumed to have true solutions. Reanalysis data that has been optimized by data assimilation is the most reliable input for post-analysis. Rigorous oceanic dispersion simulations are conducted for the hypothetical release of Cs-137 from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. The predictability of the Cs-137 oceanic dispersion is quantitatively estimated over a forecast period. Moreover, ensemble forecast simulations are also performed applying the Lagged Average Forecast methodology and they successfully improve the predictability of the Cs-137 oceanic dispersion over that obtained using single forecast simulation. The ensemble forecast simulations need to be installed in STEAMER in the future.

Tandem host‐parasite dispersal inferred from similarities in phylogeographical patterns among Little Penguins and their ‘terrestrial’ ectoparasites

AbstractAimOrganisms with poor intrinsic dispersal capacity, such as parasites, often rely entirely on transport with host species that have a greater dispersal capacity. Penguins, for example, are exploited by terrestrial ectoparasites when they come ashore to breed. Recent research indicates that Little Penguin (Eudyptula minor and E. novaehollandiae) hard ticks (Ixodes eudyptidis and I. kohlsi) may be capable of surviving short periods (days) at sea with their hosts, but their capacity to survive longer voyages (weeks) is not known. We here aimed to assess whether phylogeographical patterns in Little Penguins and their ticks indicate that the terrestrial ectoparasites are able to disperse long distances at sea with their swimming hosts.LocationSouthern Australia and New Zealand.TaxonIxodes eudyptidis and I. kohlsi ticks.MethodsWe conducted a broad‐scale genomic assessment of Little Penguin ticks from across their hosts’ ranges in Australia and New Zealand. Using genotyping by sequencing, we generated SNP data sets from ticks from 14 penguin colonies, and analysed phylogeographical structure. We included ticks from some sympatric flighted seabirds to verify host specificity.ResultsWe resolved two distinct lineages of Ixodes from Little Penguins, with one restricted to Australia, and the other found throughout New Zealand and in low numbers at some eastern Australian sites. Both lineages exhibited phylogeographical structure consistent with patterns observed in their hosts, with some evidence of occasional oceanic dispersal, including across the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand. Ticks from sympatric short‐tailed shearwaters (Ardenna tenuirostris), which disperse aerially, were genetically distinct from those collected from Little Penguins, supporting prior evidence of host specificity in seabird ticks.Main conclusionsThe most parsimonious explanation for our results is that ticks can travel at sea with Little Penguins. We infer that some terrestrial ectoparasites associated with aquatically dispersing hosts have evolved the capacity to survive oceanic voyages.

Normal mode dispersion and time warping in the coastal ocean.

Simple, analytically solvable models of normal mode propagation in the coastal ocean are developed and applied to study the effect of the seafloor bathymetry on modal travel times. Within the adiabatic approximation, horizontal inhomogeneity of the waveguide is found to change the modal dispersion curves in a way that helps separation of the modal components of the acoustic field using the time-warping transform. It is shown that moderate seafloor slopes can lead to surprisingly large errors in retrieved geoacoustic parameters and cause a positive bias in bottom sound speed estimates if horizontal refraction is ignored.

Development of regional downscaling capability in STEAMER ocean prediction system based on multi-nested ROMS model

ABSTRACT Oceanic regional downscaling capability was implemented into Short-Term Emergency Assessment system of Marine Environmental Radioactivity (STEAMER) developed by Japan Atomic Energy Agency to enable us to predict more realistically the oceanic dispersion of radionuclides at higher spatiotemporal resolutions for broader applications. The system consisted of a double-nested oceanic downscaling circulation model with tidal forcing and an oceanic radionuclide dispersion model. This system was used to comparatively examine downscaling and tidal effects on the dispersion of radionuclides hypothetically released from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in the colder season. The simulated dissolved 137Cs distribution was different from that obtained using coarser-resolution models because downscaling enhanced both horizontal and vertical mixing. The suppression of horizontal mixing and the promotion of vertical mixing by tidal forcing synergistically reduced offshore 137Cs transport. In addition, the submesoscale effects strengthened the three-dimensional 137Cs fluctuations by <10 times, while the tidal effects promoted slightly increased the intensity of three-dimensional 137Cs fluctuations by approximately 3%. This indicated that the submesoscale effects substantially surpassed tidal forcing in oceanic mixing in the coastal margin off Fukushima in the colder season.

DEVElOPMENT OF DOSE ESTIMATION SYSTEM INTEGRATING SEDIMENT MODEL FOR RECYCLING RADIOCESIUM-CONTAMINATED SOIL TO COASTAL RECLAMATION.

We have developed a dose estimation system integrating assessment methods of radionuclide dispersion in ocean for the case of recycling radiocesium-contaminated soil to coastal reclamation. Radionuclide dispersion in ocean is assessed considering dissolved radionuclide and adsorbed radionuclide on particle by sediment model (OECD/NEA). Time series of Cs-137 dispersion at Fukushima coastal area is assessed by the sediment model and result is almost same with measured value. The major exposure pathways in recycling are estimated by using result of radiocesium dispersion assessment, and internal exposure dose by marine products ingestion is sufficiently lower than external exposure dose of worker.

A general framework for propagule dispersal in mangroves.

Dispersal allows species to shift their distributions in response to changing climate conditions. As a result, dispersal is considered a key process contributing to a species' long-term persistence. For many passive dispersers, fluid dynamics of wind and water fuel these movements and different species have developed remarkable adaptations for utilizing this energy to reach and colonize suitable habitats. The seafaring propagules (fruits and seeds) of mangroves represent an excellent example of such passive dispersal. Mangroves are halophytic woody plants that grow in the intertidal zones along tropical and subtropical shorelines and produce hydrochorous propagules with high dispersal potential. This results in exceptionally large coastal ranges across vast expanses of ocean and allows species to shift geographically and track the conditions to which they are adapted. This is particularly relevant given the challenges presented by rapid sea-level rise, higher frequency and intensity of storms, and changes in regional precipitation and temperature regimes. However, despite its importance, the underlying drivers of mangrove dispersal have typically been studied in isolation, and a conceptual synthesis of mangrove oceanic dispersal across spatial scales is lacking. Here, we review current knowledge on mangrove propagule dispersal across the various stages of the dispersal process. Using a general framework, we outline the mechanisms and ecological processes that are known to modulate the spatial patterns of mangrove dispersal. We show that important dispersal factors remain understudied and that adequate empirical data on the determinants of dispersal are missing for most mangrove species. This review particularly aims to provide a baseline for developing future research agendas and field campaigns, filling current knowledge gaps and increasing our understanding of the processes that shape global mangrove distributions.

Integrative evidence confirms new endemic island frogs and transmarine dispersal of amphibians between Madagascar and Mayotte (Comoros archipelago).

Previous genetic studies of frogs from Mayotte Island (a French Overseas Department in the Comoros Archipelago) in the Western Indian Ocean have provided evidence for oceanic dispersal in amphibians, which is a rare phenomenon due to the osmotic intolerance of amphibians to saline water. Using an integrative approach including morphological, bioacoustic, and genetic evidence, we here confirm that these frogs correspond to two new species and are the only representatives of the family Mantellidae not endemic to Madagascar. Blommersia transmarina sp. nov. differs from its sister taxon, B. wittei, by several morphological differences including larger body size (snout-vent length up to 34.5mm) and by slight differences in advertisement calls. Boophis nauticus sp. nov. differs from its closest relatives, B. tephraeomystax and B. doulioti, by slight morphological differences (including larger body size), a reddish (vs. silvery or golden) iris coloration in life, and slightly different advertisement calls. The two new species differ from their closest relatives by a substantial genetic differentiation, with pairwise genetic distances > 5% in the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene, and based on the limited available data, also by distinct differences in nuclear DNA. They also are both larger than their closest relatives from Madagascar and B. transmarina sp. nov. is the largest Blommersia species, suggesting a moderate form of island gigantism. The Madagascan sister species B. wittei and B. doulioti are among the relatively few amphibian species occurring in the arid western biomes of the island, are adapted to open landscape, and reproduce in stagnant water bodies, which we hypothesizemay represent important preadaptations for successful overseas colonization.

Characterizing the branching architecture of drepanophycalean lycophytes (Lycopsida): an exceptional specimen from the Early Devonian Hunsrück Slate, southwest Germany, and its paleobiological implications

An exceptionally large and well-preserved drepanophycalean lycophyte specimen from the Early Emsian Hunsruck Slate exhibits branching morphology and architecture that suggest previously unrecognized diversity of drepanophycalean lycophytes in the German Early Devonian. The specimen shows long prostrate axes giving rise to both rooting axes and erect leafy, unbranched axes via K-branching. Rhizomatous growth along the substrate promoted rapid vegetative expansion of the plant forming monoclonal patches, potential adaptations to colonizing an unstable deltaic environment. K-branches including dormant buds may have allowed resurrection of the shoot system following burial by sediment or damage to growing shoot apices. Cutbank erosion may have uprooted parts of the plants, which were then transported into the open marine areas and eventually buried in the Hunsruck Slate depositional environment. We hypothesize that remains of Late Silurian/Early Devonian plants (and possibly Prototaxites) may have drifted for many kilometers and were large enough to raft small organisms over considerable distances. Thus, the Late Silurian/Early Devonian may have witnessed the earliest passive oceanic dispersal by rafting of terrestrial invertebrates and therefore marks a crucial time in Earth’s history with respect to this important paleobiogeographical factor.

Modeling the active dispersal of juvenile leatherback turtles in the North Atlantic Ocean

BackgroundThe Northwest Atlantic (NWA) leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) subpopulation is one of the last healthy ones on Earth. Its conservation is thus of major importance for the conservation of the species itself. While adults are relatively well monitored, pelagic juveniles remain largely unobserved. In an attempt to reduce this knowledge gap, this paper presents the first detailed simulation of the open ocean dispersal of juveniles born on the main nesting beaches of French Guiana and Suriname (FGS).MethodsDispersal is simulated using STAMM, an Individual Based Model in which juveniles actively disperse under the combined effects of oceanic currents and habitat-driven movements. For comparison purposes, passive dispersal under the sole effect of oceanic currents is also simulated.ResultsSimulation results show that oceanic currents lead juveniles to cross the Atlantic at mid-latitudes. Unlike passive individuals, active juveniles undertake important north-south seasonal migrations while crossing the North Atlantic. They finally reach the European or North African coast and enter the Mediterranean Sea. Less than 4-year-old active turtles first arrive off Mauritania. Other productive areas on the eastern side of the Atlantic (the coast of Galicia and Portugal, the Gulf of Cadiz, the Bay of Biscay) and in the Mediterranean Sea are first reached by 6 to 9-year-old individuals. This active dispersal scheme, and its timing, appear to be consistent with all available stranding and bycatch data gathered on the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts of Europe and North Africa. Simulation results also suggest that the timing of the dispersal and the quality of the habitats encountered by juveniles can, at least partly, explain why the NWA leatherback subpopulation is doing much better than the West Pacific one.ConclusionThis paper provides the first detailed simulation of the spatial and temporal distribution of juvenile leatherback turtles dispersing from their FGS nesting beaches into the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Simulation results, corroborated by stranding and bycatch data, pinpoint several important developmental areas on the eastern side of the Atlantic Ocean and in the Mediterranean Sea. These results shall help focus observation and conservation efforts in these critical areas.

Putting keyhole limpets on the map: phylogeny and biogeography of the globally distributed marine family Fissurellidae (Vetigastropoda, Mollusca)

Fissurellidae are marine gastropods with a worldwide distribution and a rich fossil record. We integrate molecular, geographical and fossil data to reconstruct the fissurellid phylogeny, estimate divergence times and investigate historical routes of oceanic dispersal. With five molecular markers for 143 terminals representing 27 genera, we resolve deep nodes and find that many genera (e.g., Emarginula, Diodora, Fissurella) are not monophyletic and need systematic revision. Several genera classified as Emarginulinae are recovered in Zeidorinae. Future work should prioritize emarginuline genera to improve understanding of ancestral traits and the early evolution of fissurellids. Tree calibration with the fossilized birth-death model indicates that crown fissurellids originated around 175 Ma, and generally resulted in younger ages for the earliest nodes than the node dating approach. Model-based biogeographic reconstruction, supported by fossils, infers an Indo-West Pacific origin, with a westward colonization of new oceans via the Tethys Seaway upon the breakup of Pangea. Western Atlantic clades then served as source for dispersal towards other parts of the globe. As the sister group to all other fissurellids, Rimula is ranked in its own subfamily, Rimulinae stat. nov. New synonyms: Hemitominae syn. nov. of Zeidorinae stat. nov.; Cranopsissyn. nov. of Puncturella; Variegemarginulasyn. nov. of Montfortula.

Global-scale dispersal and connectivity in mangroves

Dispersal provides a key mechanism for geographical range shifts in response to changing environmental conditions. For mangroves, which are highly susceptible to climate change, the spatial scale of dispersal remains largely unknown. Here we use a high-resolution, eddy- and tide-resolving numerical ocean model to simulate mangrove propagule dispersal across the global ocean and generate connectivity matrices between mangrove habitats using a range of floating periods. We find high rates of along-coast transport and transoceanic dispersal across the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. No connectivity is observed between populations on either side of the American and African continents. Archipelagos, such as the Galapagos and those found in Polynesia, Micronesia, and Melanesia, act as critical stepping-stones for dispersal across the Pacific Ocean. Direct and reciprocal dispersal routes across the Indian Ocean via the South Equatorial Current and seasonally reversing monsoon currents, respectively, allow connectivity between western Indian Ocean and Indo-West Pacific sites. We demonstrate the isolation of the Hawaii Islands and help explain the presence of mangroves on the latitudinal outlier Bermuda. Finally, we find that dispersal distance and connectivity are highly sensitive to the minimum and maximum floating periods. We anticipate that our findings will guide future research agendas to quantify biophysical factors that determine mangrove dispersal and connectivity, including the influence of ocean surface water properties on metabolic processes and buoyancy behavior, which may determine the potential of viably reaching a suitable habitat. Ultimately, this will lead to a better understanding of global mangrove species distributions and their response to changing climate conditions.

Multiple meltwater discharge and ice rafting events recorded in the deglacial sediments along the Beaufort Margin, Arctic Ocean

The first regional model for the deglacial history of the Beaufort margin slope, in the western Arctic, is presented. The conceptual model was developed using new high-resolution CHIRP seismic reflection, multibeam bathymetry, and sediment core data acquired along the margin. This synthesis provides important constraints on sediment source and dispersal patterns for the last deglaciation. The continental slope from Barrow Canyon to the Mackenzie Trough is characterized by thick Holocene sediments mostly sourced from Barrow Canyon and continental discharge. This acoustically transparent, fine-grained unit overlies acoustically laminated sediments sourced from the Mackenzie River and ice rafting. The deglacial history of the margin from Mackenzie Trough to the Amundsen Gulf is characterized by many ice rafting and meltwater discharge events. Ice rafted debris layers were deposited around ∼14.6 ka and ∼14.1 ka and likely document enhanced ice shedding events from the Amundsen and M'Clure ice streams as they retreated. There are three inferred meltwater discharge events, all sourced from the Mackenzie region. The oldest discharge event had two phases, one sometime between ∼14.5 ka and ∼14.2 ka and another between ∼14.0 ka and ∼13.0 ka. This discharge deposited finely laminated sediments more than 7 m thick sourced from proglacial lakes in the area. Following this was a flood event starting at ∼12.94 ka, which generated high amplitude reflectors, deposited coarse debris, and caused a lowering in the δ18O record. This is possibly a major outburst flood from glacial Lake Agassiz with an additional component of Agassiz meltwater that was diverted from its southern drainage pathway down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico. Finally, a third discharge event was initiated by ∼11.3 ka, which deposited coarse laminated sediments focused in the Mackenzie Trough. Timing of these second and third events correlates with the onset of the Younger Dryas cold period and the preBoreal oscillation event, respectively, suggesting that fresh water discharge may have reached a tipping point, leading to those climate events.

Oceanographic processes shape genetic signatures of planktonic cephalopod paralarvae in two upwelling regions

The planktonic paralarval stage of cephalopods (octopus, squids and cuttlefishes) is an important dispersal phase, particularly of benthic species, that lasts from days to months. Cephalopod paralarvae modify their vertical position in the water in upwelling ecosystems and such behaviour influences their spatial distribution and genetic structure, but to what extent? In this work specific water masses were sampled with Lagrangian buoys in two contrasting upwelling systems (Iberian Peninsula and Morocco) of the Iberian–Canary current eastern boundary upwelling (ICC) in order to: (i) identify the cephalopod assemblage in the different upwelling systems (ii) define their planktonic dispersal patterns and (iii) analyse the effect of different dispersal patterns on genetic structure and connectivity. Cephalopod paralarvae were identified using the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (COI), revealing 21 different species and Fst values showed no population structure between both upwelling systems. Cephalopod species richness was two times higher in the Moroccan upwelling than in the Iberian Peninsula, with an undescribed Ancistrocheiridae species identified in Moroccan waters. Three common planktonic dispersal patterns were identified in the ICC: coastal, coastal-oceanic and oceanic. Coastal and oceanic dispersal patterns favoured spatio-temporal paralarval retention or “schooling” of different cohorts over the continental shelf and continental slope in 9 and 11 species, respectively. Such spatio-temporal retention was reflected in the complex haplotype networks and high nucleotide/haplotype diversity recorded for these two groups. The only cephalopod species displaying a coastal-oceanic dispersal pattern was Octopus vulgaris, where low nucleotide and haplotype diversity was observed. The observed decline in genetic structure resulted from the dispersal of similar cohorts within upwelling currents and upwelling filaments to the oceanic realm. Seascape analysis revealed that cephalopod paralarvae from two coastal upwelling ecosystems of the ICC display three planktonic dispersal patterns with contrasting distributions and signatures at the genetic level.

Features of ice-rafted debris (IRD) at IODP site U1312 and their palaeoenvironmental implications during the last 2.6 Myr

In this paper, we build an age model by tuning the G. ruber δ18O curve to the LR04 stack and U1308 benthic δ18O curve with the aid of the high-resolution lightness parameter L*, which mirrors the marine oxygen isotope stages, and we analyse the major palaeoenvironmental events indicated by different proxies, particularly the >250 μm fraction and the 150–250 μm fraction of ice-rafted debris (IRD) at IODP Site U1312. In general, the input of IRD at Site U1312 can be divided into two stages. In Stage 1, ranging from ~2.6 Ma to ~1 Ma, the number of lithic grains was small, the frequency of ice rafting events was low, and the components were diverse and mainly comprised quartz, feldspar and clasts. In Stage 2, ranging from ~1 Ma to the present, the number and frequency of lithic grains considerably increased and were accompanied by detrital carbonate additions derived from the Hudson Strait after ~650 ka. Regarding the IRD features in the study area, the distinctive layers are as follows. IRD did not occur until 2.52 Ma at Site U1312, implying that icebergs discharged by the Northern Hemisphere glaciers bearing lithic grains were involved in pelagic sedimentation for the first time. Interestingly, a monotonic component of debris, magnetite with some ilmenite and quartz, was observed in a single layer at approximately 1.4 Ma. The source of this component may simply be the erosion of volcanic formations in Iceland during the glacial period. Detrital carbonate played an important role in the IRD component after ~650 ka, and the input and frequency of IRD increased dramatically, revealing glacier enhancements and the instability of the Laurentide ice sheet. The IRD characteristics at Site U1312 during MIS 22, MIS 12 and MIS 6 were different from those at other sites near the IRD belt and may be closely related to the European ice sheets. During MIS 10-8, the input of IRD was high, the dominant warm species G. ruber was too rare for the isotope test to be conducted, and the abundance of planktonic foraminifera severely declined, which may indicate that extreme conditions occurred at Site U1312 during this interval.