Orkney Islands Research Articles

Extent of the last ice sheet in northern Scotland tested with cosmogenic 10Be exposure ages

AbstractThe extent of the last British–Irish Ice Sheet (BIIS) in northern Scotland is disputed. A restricted ice sheet model holds that at the global Last Glacial Maximum (LGM; ca. 23–19 ka) the BIIS terminated on land in northern Scotland, leaving Buchan, Caithness and the Orkney Islands ice‐free. An alternative model implies that these three areas were ice‐covered at the LGM, with the BIIS extending offshore onto the adjacent shelves. We test the two models using cosmogenic 10Be surface exposure dating of erratic boulders and glacially eroded bedrock from the three areas. Our results indicate that the last BIIS covered all of northern Scotland during the LGM, but that widespread deglaciation of Caithness and Orkney occurred prior to rapid warming at ca. 14.5 ka. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Active layer thermal regime under different vegetation conditions in permafrost areas. A case study at Signy Island (Maritime Antarctica)

Climate change is now evident also in Antarctica, with impacts both on the abiotic and the biotic components of ecosystems, particularly on permafrost, active layer thickness, vegetation, and soil properties. Permafrost ecosystems are recognized to be sensitive to the influences of the changing climate, which may activate, through complex mechanisms, both positive and negative feedbacks relating to CO 2 fluxes. For this reason we analysed, through a data set collected over a complete year, the thermal regime of the active layer at four sites with different vegetation (bare ground, lichen vegetation with Usnea aurantiaco-atra, moss vegetation with Sanionia uncinata, grass vegetation with Deschampsia antarctica) but with similar topographic and geomorphological conditions at Signy Island (Maritime Antarctica). Except for the Deschampsia site, the other three sites are the same formerly studied by Chambers in the 1960s. The three sites show significant differences of the mean annual ground surface temperature (MAGST), ranging from − 1.9 ( Usnea) to − 2.6 °C ( Sanionia). Despite the clear differences in MAGST at the investigated sites, the mean annual ground temperature at 30 cm is virtually identical. Our results confirm that mosses play an important role in cooling the ground. The results of our study allow us to suggest also that the thawing degree days should be used instead of the growing degree days as a more suitable measure of the favourable conditions for the growth of the Antarctic cryptogam vegetation. Comparing our data with those of Chambers [Chambers, M.J.G., 1966b. Investigations on patterned ground at Signy Island, South Orkney Islands: II. Temperature regimes in the active layer. British Antarctic Survey Bulletin, 10: 71–83.], we can stress that the thermal conditions favourable to the frost heave is actually even more limited in depth (30 cm vs 40 cm in Chambers). Moreover, the freeze–thaw days near the surface appeared to be more frequent in the vegetated sites than in the bare ground.

Revision of the hirsuticornis‐like species of Macrothrix Baird, 1843 (Cladocera: Anomopoda: Macrothricidae) from Subantarctic and temperate regions of the southern hemisphere

The aim of this paper is to revise populations of Macrothrix cf. hirsuticornis (Cladocera: Anomopoda: Macrothricidae) from different regions of the southern hemisphere. It is demonstrated that M. hirsuticornis Norman and Brady, 1867 s. str. is absent there, and five related species occupy different Subantarctic islands and the southernmost portions of South America, and Africa. Macrothrix boergeni Studer, 1878 from the Kerguelen Archipelago is redescribed and a neotype is selected. All populations in the southernmost portion of continental South America, Tierra del Fuego, Falklands, South Georgia, South Orkney Islands, and on the Antarctic Peninsula belong to M. oviformis Ekman, 1900. All the taxa described from this region—M. ciliata Vávra, 1900, M. odontocephala Daday, 1902, M. propinqua Sars, 1909, and, probably, M. inflata Daday, 1902—are junior synonyms of M. oviformis. Two new species are established: M. sarsi sp. nov. from the Cape region of South Africa and M. ruehei sp. nov. from Crozet, Marion islands, and Île Amsterdam. Macrothrix cf. flagellata Smirnov and Timms, 1983, previously known only from Tasmania, is found on Macquarie Island too. Differences between species from the southern hemisphere and Palaearctic M. hirsuticornis are summarized. It is demonstrated that characters of the general body shape (i.e. presence of a hood or a tooth on posterior head border) have a limited value for the systematics of Macrothrix. In contrast, some fine details, mostly missed by previous authors, are valuable for species discrimination. The present study increases the number of species recorded from the Antarctic‐Subantarctic region. Probably, the current pattern of Macrothrix distribution results from a disruption of a pan‐continental (early Mesozoic?) species complex.

Vikings in the Nor’ Wast: The Roots of Orkney’s Identity in Norway and Canada

ABSTRACT: This article delves into the cultural identity of the Orkney Islands by examining the narratives people tell about Orkney’s historical relationships with Norway and Canada. Orkney, just off the northern coast of Scotland, was settled by Scandinavians during the Viking period, and the people of Orkney still draw strongly on Scandinavian, primarily Norwegian, imagery in their own conceptions of the islands’ identity. A millennium after the Vikings arrived, people went from Orkney to Canada with the Hudson’s Bay Company, and family and cultural ties were forged between Orcadians and First Nations people throughout Canada. I explore both relationships through an ethnographic study of Orcadians’ ideas about their islands’ connections to Canada and to Norway. Both relationships include characterizations of a tough, rugged, individualistic person—a Viking explorer.

Age and significance of former low-altitude corrie glaciers on Hoy, Orkney Islands

Synopsis Geomorphological mapping provides evidence for two former low-level corrie glaciers on Hoy, both defined by end moraines. Five 10 Be exposure ages obtained from sandstone boulders on moraine crests fall within the range 12.4 ± 1.5 ka to 10.4 ± 1.7 ka (weighted mean 11.7 ± 0.6 ka), confirming that these glaciers developed during the Loch Lomond (Younger Dryas) Stade (LLS) of 12.9–11.5 cal. ka bp , and demonstrate the feasibility of using this approach to establish the age of LLS glacier limits. The equilibrium line altitude (ELA) of one of the glaciers (99 m) is the lowest recorded for any LLS glacier, and the area-weighted mean ELA for both (141 m) is consistent with a general northward ELA decrease along the west coast of Britain. The size of moraines fronting these small (≤0.75 km 2 ) glaciers implies that glacier termini remained at or close to their limits for a prolonged period. The apparent restriction of LLS glaciers to only two sites on Hoy probably reflects topographic favourability, and particularly the extent of snow-contributing areas.

Scenario-based stakeholder engagement: Incorporating stakeholders preferences into coastal planning for climate change

Climate change poses many challenges for ecosystem and resource management. In particular, coastal planners are struggling to find ways to prepare for the potential impacts of future climate change while dealing with immediate pressures. Decisions on how to respond to future risks are complicated by the long time horizons and the uncertainty associated with the distribution of impacts. Existing coastal zone management approaches in the UK either do not adequately incorporate changing stakeholder preferences, or effectively ensure that stakeholders are aware of the trade-offs inherent in any coastal management decision. Using a novel method, scenario-based stakeholder engagement, which brings together stakeholder analysis, climate change management scenarios and deliberative techniques, the necessary trade-offs associated with long term coastal planning are explored. The method is applied to two case studies of coastal planning in Christchurch Bay on the south coast of England and the Orkney Islands off the north coast of Scotland. A range of conflicting preferences exist on the ideal governance structure to manage the coast under different climate change scenarios. In addition, the results show that public understanding of the trade-offs that have to be made is critical in gaining some degree of public support for long term coastal decision-making. We conclude that scenario-based stakeholder engagement is a useful tool to facilitate coastal management planning that takes into account the complexities and challenges of climate change, and could be used in conjunction with existing approaches such as the Shoreline Management Planning process.

Change in the distribution of a member of the strand line community: the seaweed fly (Diptera: Coelopidae)

Abstract 1. Coastal organisms are predicted to be particularly susceptible to the impact of global warming. In this study the distribution and relative abundance of two coastal invertebrates, Coelopa frigida (Fabricius) and C. pilipes are investigated.2. Coelopa pilipes has a more southerly distribution than C. frigida, and prefers a warmer climate. Coelopa pilipes is less resistant to sub‐zero temperatures than C. frigida and its northerly distribution is probably limited by cold winter days.3. The most recent distribution map of C. frigida and C. pilipes in northern Europe was published a decade ago and showed the northerly extent of the distribution of C. pilipes reaching the north coast of mainland Scotland but its complete absence from the Western and Northern Isles.4. C. pilipes has now spread throughout the Western Isles and the Orkney Islands but is still absent from Shetland. There has also been an increase in the relative frequency of C. pilipes at sites harbouring coelopids on the British mainland. A similar pattern of distribution change along the west coast of Sweden is reported.5. It is proposed that these changes have occurred primarily as a result of global warming and in particular due to the recent increase in winter temperatures. A number of other indirect effects may have also contributed to these changes, including a probable change in macroalgae distribution. The implications of these changes for the wrack bed ecosystem and at higher trophic levels are considered.

Review ofDue south, by John Kelly

This small volume is basically the diary of John Kelly, who visited the British Antarctic Survey station on Signy Island in the South Orkney Islands. It includes about 60 monochrome plates (mainly half-page ones), a few sketches and a map of the island. The text is essentially a diary of the author’s time, from beginning in the Falkland Islands, sailing aboard RRS Ernest Shackleton , staying on the island from 25 January to 8 March 2003 to the return journey. As well as the illustrations, the text is accompanied by brief poetical extracts by the author and others. It is substantially a personal account of the visit, and may be best understood by those who have seen exhibitions of his artistic works. Impressions of Signy Island are confined to modern ones gained during the artist’s visit; thus, there is no reference to the Norwegian aspects of its history (neither the derivation of the name from Signy, daughter of the whaling captain Petter Sorlle, nor the graves of five whalers on Factory Bluff, is mentioned). Similarly, reference to the continuing scientific research conducted at the station is minimal although he accompanied a limnological survey.

Second World War upper air observations by the Fleet Air Arm in the Orkney Islands

Second World War upper air observations by the Fleet Air Arm in the Orkney Islands

Microsatellite analysis reveals genetic differentiation between year-classes in the icefish Chaenocephalus aceratus at South Shetlands and Elephant Island

Chaenocephalus aceratus is one of the most abundant Antarctic icefish species in the Atlantic sector and has been a by-catch species in the fishery for mackerel icefish, Champsocephalus gunnari, between the mid-1970s and mid-1980s at South Georgia, South Orkney, and South Shetland Islands. The species became the target of the fishery in particular seasons, such as at South Georgia in 1977/78. In our paper, we report results on genetic differentiation for 11 microsatellite loci in C. aceratus samples collected at the South Shetlands and Elephant Island. This study represents the first report on microsatellite variability of an icefish species. Our results support the evidence from previous studies on differences in infestation patterns of parasites that a single panmictic population of C. aceratus exists, spanning the two sampling sites separated by about 100 km. Moreover, our study indicates the presence of a significant genetic differentiation between individual year-classes pointing out the existence of dynamic processes acting at the population genetic level, according to recent results for broadly distributed marine species. Both small effective population size and immigration from unsampled differentiated stocks may be at the base of the differentiation found in C. aceratus.

Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of coastal aeolian sand accumulation in Sanday, Orkney Islands, Scotland

Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of sand has been used to identify periods of enhanced aeolian activity at two coastal archaeological sites in Orkney that coincide with periods of Holocene climatic deterioration recorded elsewhere in both Scotland and W Europe. Areas of Tofts Ness, Sanday were settled from the Neolithic, abandoned in the late Neolithic/early Bronze Age, reoccupied and permanently abandoned in the Iron Age. Sand layers above the Neolithic soils have been OSL dated to about 4000 BP, correlating well with a period of increased aeolian activity elsewhere in W Europe. OSL dating of aeolian sands above midden deposits and a Bronze Age burial at Lopness on Sanday suggest dune development by 3000 BP, although both sites also contain sand that was deposited during the `Little Ice Age'. Several possible mechanisms may have contributed to an increase in aeolian activity during the Holocene that led to the abandonment of these sites. Although volcanic eruptions in Iceland cannot be discounted as a contributory factor, a more likely driver of change in sand dune systems is the enhanced N Atlantic storminess suggested by ice core records from Greenland. During periods of climatic deterioration the declining productivity of other agricultural land places enhanced demands on agriculturally marginal sand dunes, leading to further destabilization and the potential for enhanced sand transport events.

Bacterial aggregates in the tentacles of the sea anemone Metridium senile

This paper provides first information on organ-like bacterial aggregates in the tentacles of the sea anemone Metridium senile. The specimens were collected from waters near Helgoland (German Bight, North Sea) and the Orkney Islands. Tentacles were prepared for morphological inspection by light and scanning electron microscopy as well as for the phylogenetic analysis of endocytic bacteria. Bacterial aggregates are located in caverns of the tentacles’ epidermis. The aggregates are enwrapped in thin envelopes, which contain coccoid and/or rod-shaped tightly packed bacteria of different division states. Most of the bacterial cells are connected by fine filamentous structures. The phylogenetic determination is based on the sequence data of the 16S rDNA derived from tentacle material. Sequence analysis revealed three different subgroups of intratentacular proteobacteria. The dominant band, detected in all of the samples tested, showed a close relationship (98%) to a gram-negative Endozoicimonas elysicola. Two bands, only detected in tentacles of M. senile from Helgoland were assigned to Pseudomonas saccherophilia (99%), a knallgas bacterium, and to Ralstonia pickettii (100%). The bacteria represent a specific bacterial community. Their DGGE profiles do not correspond to the profiles of the planktonic bacteria generated from seawater close to the habitats of the anemones. The allocation of DNA sequences to the different morphotypes, their isolation, culturing and the elucidation of the physiological functions of intratentacular bacteria are in progress.

European Marine Energy Centre: facilities and resources

This paper describes the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) wave and tidal test facility, which was established on Orkney Islands, UK, to assist and hasten the development of the wave and tidal stream energy conversion industries. The facilities include infrastructure and a number of soft provisions, or services. After a brief overview of the theory of wave and tidal energy assessment and extraction, the wave and tidal resources available at the EMEC test sites are summarised. The paper also gives an update on the uptake of facilities by developers.

The winter distribution of chinstrap penguins from two breeding sites in the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica

Satellite telemetry was used to determine the winter movements of eight chinstrap penguins from two breeding colonies in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica during the 2000 and 2004 austral winters. Chinstrap penguins foraged largely inshore, on the shelf, north of the South Shetland Islands during 2000, but foraged mainly offshore in pelagic waters in 2004. Analyses of foraging trip durations during the chick-rearing periods that preceded the 2000 and 2004 winters suggest that prey were more abundant inshore during the summer of 2000 than in 2004. Oceanographic data further revealed the presence of a strong shelf-slope front in 2000 that was absent in 2004. In addition, two of the six chinstrap penguins from the colony in Admiralty Bay migrated from the South Shetland Islands region to the vicinity of the South Orkney and South Sandwich Islands, distances of 800 and 1,300 km, respectively. We postulate that the differences in winter migratory behavior among chinstrap penguins from this colony may reflect individual ties to different ancestral epicenters of chinstrap populations; one older and local in the South Shetland Islands and one relatively recent, arising from the emigration of chinstrap penguins that occurred during the expansion of this species in the mid-1900s.

Wild or domestic? Biometric variation in the cat Felis silvestris Schreber

AbstractInvestigation of modern biometric data indicates that it may be possible to distinguish wildcats from house cats in many instances. Applying the log‐ratio (log‐difference) technique to archaeological samples from medieval northern Europe, and to mixed samples of wildcats and house cats, shows that the differentiation may not always be clear, and the possibility that some samples include hybrids is discussed. The technique is applied to samples from the Orkney Islands to demonstrate that single wildcat specimens can be identified in small samples. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Comparative study on the cell toxicity and enzymatic activity of two northern scyphozoan species Cyanea capillata (L.) and Cyanea lamarckii (Péron & Léslieur)

Two species of venomous pelagic cnidaria are compared according to their enzymatic, cytotoxic and haemolytic potency. The widely distributed jellyfish Cyanea capillata and Cyanea lamarckii were collected in the North Sea at the coasts of the Orkney Island and the Island of Helgoland. Purified cnidocyst extracts from fishing and mesenteric tentacles were prepared and tested for their bioactivity. The haemolysis induced by toxins of C. capillata was determined with respect to organism size and toxigenic organs. The haemolytic activity of the related species C. lamarckii was documented for the first time. Dose dependent haemolytic activities have been detected by means of protein equivalents at concentrations above 20 μg protein/mL. Extracts of fishing tentacle cnidocysts showed a less potent haemolytic activity compared to extracts of mesenteric tentacles. In vitro studies with permanent cells of a hepatoma cell line have shown a time and concentration dependent loss of cell vitality up to 90% at 33.3 μg protein/mL (10 μg protein/10 5 cells). Supplementing the cell based toxicity tests an enzyme assay was performed to measure a phospholipase A 2 (PLA 2) activity. A PLA 2-like activity could be demonstrated in cnidocysts extracts prepared from mesenteric and fishing tentacles of both jellyfish species.

The Scottish national Antarctic expedition (1902–04) and the founding of Base Orcadas

The history of the establishment of the scientific research station on Laurie Island, South Orkney Islands, is recounted. Its founding by the Scottish National Antarctic (Scotia) Expedition (1902–04) and the subsequent operation by Argentina resulted in it becoming the first all‐year‐round permanently‐staffed research facility in Antarctica. The networks of government and non‐government personnel involved in the rivalry between British and Scottish interests and aspirations and the transfer of the Laurie Island facility from the Scottish expedition to Argentine government control are investigated. The narrative is set against the background of the centennial celebrations of that transfer.

The Scottish National Antarctic Expedition (1902 - 04) and the founding of Base Orcadas

Abstract The history of the establishment of the scientific research station on Laurie Island, South Orkney Islands, is recounted. Its founding by the Scottish National Antarctic (Scotia) Expedition (1902–04) and the subsequent operation by Argentina resulted in it becoming the first all‐year‐round permanently‐staffed research facility in Antarctica. The networks of government and non‐government personnel involved in the rivalry between British and Scottish interests and aspirations and the transfer of the Laurie Island facility from the Scottish expedition to Argentine government control are investigated. The narrative is set against the background of the centennial celebrations of that transfer.

Relationships between the Arctic and the Antarctic cyanobacteria; three Phormidium-like strains evaluated by a polyphasic approach

Selected strains of filamentous Phormidium-like cyanobacteria isolated from two Arctic regions (Ellesmere Island, High Canadian Arctic and Svalbard) and from Antarctica (Antarctic peninsula, South Shetland Islands and South Orkney Islands) were studied. The polyphasic approach used included phenotypic observations of morphological features and genotypic analyses (restriction fragment length polymorphism of 16S rRNA gene, internal transcribed space, 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis). Although genotypes generally correspond to observed morphotypes, the genetic analyses revealed a high degree of biodiversity that could not be unveiled using solely morphological evaluations. According to the phylogenetic analysis, the three clones were divided into two major clades, indicating that the phylogenetic distance between Arct-Ph5/Ant-Ph68 and Ant-Ph58 was so large they belonged to different genera. The polyphyletic position of strains of the genus Phormidium was confirmed by this study, attesting the need to entirely revise classification in this taxon in the future.

Review of Due south, by John Kelly

This small volume is basically the diary of John Kelly, who visited the British Antarctic Survey station on Signy Island in the South Orkney Islands. It includes about 60 monochrome plates (mainly half-page ones), a few sketches and a map of the island. The text is essentially a diary of the author’s time, from beginning in the Falkland Islands, sailing aboard RRS Ernest Shackleton , staying on the island from 25 January to 8 March 2003 to the return journey. As well as the illustrations, the text is accompanied by brief poetical extracts by the author and others. It is substantially a personal account of the visit, and may be best understood by those who have seen exhibitions of his artistic works. Impressions of Signy Island are confined to modern ones gained during the artist’s visit; thus, there is no reference to the Norwegian aspects of its history (neither the derivation of the name from Signy, daughter of the whaling captain Petter Sørlle, nor the graves of five whalers on Factory Bluff, is mentioned). Similarly, reference to the continuing scientific research conducted at the station is minimal although he accompanied a limnological survey.