Sea Island Research Articles

The Three Domains of Life Within the Discharge Area of a Shallow Subterranean Estuary at a High Energy Beach

Subterranean estuaries (STEs) play an important role in linking nutrient cycling between marine and terrestrial systems. As being the primary drivers of nutrient cycling, the composition of microbial communities and their adaptation toward both, terrestrial and marine conditions are of special interest. While bacterial communities of STEs have received increasing scientific attention, archaeal and meiofaunal diversity was mostly neglected. Previous studies at the investigated sampling site, the STE of a mesotidal beach at the German North Sea island of Spiekeroog, focused on spatial and seasonal patterns of geochemical and bacterial diversity. By additionally investigating the archaeal and meiofaunal diversity and distribution, we now aimed to fill this gap of knowledge to understand the microbial response to submarine groundwater discharge (SGD). The topography of Spiekeroog beach and associated geochemical gradients in porewater displayed a distinct cross-shore zonation, with seawater infiltration on the upper beach at the high water line (HWL), and saline and brackish porewater exfiltration (SGD) at the ridge-runnel structure and the low water line (LWL) on the lower beach. This led to a higher evenness of prokaryotic communities in lower beach areas impacted by SGD compared to unimpacted areas. Archaea contributed 1–4% to the 16S rRNA gene sequence dataset. Those were dominated by Nitrosopumilaceae, corresponding well to higher concentrations of NH4+ in the discharge area of the STE. The unimpacted sites had elevated abundances of Wosearchaeia, which were also detected previously in impacted areas of an STE at Mobile Bay (Gulf of Mexico). While a large proportion of prokaryotes were present in the entire intertidal area, meiofaunal community compositions were site specific and dominated by nematodes. Nematode communities of the high-water line differed distinctively from the other sites. Overall, our data indicates that the three domains of life display distinctly different adaptations when facing the same conditions within the STE. Therefore, distribution patterns of any domain can only be understood if all of them, together with basic environmental information are investigated in an integrated context.

The Natural Stage: Fanny Kemble's Journal of a Residence on a Georgian Plantation in 1838–1839

Noted British actress Fanny Kemble lived eighty-four years on and off the theatrical and political stages of the nineteenth century. Kemble was an active writer who authored her first five-act play, Francis the First, at the age of eighteen. She would go on to write at least ten other published works, including a second full-length play, multiple journals recording her personal observations, notes on Shakespeare, and poetry collections. While Kemble remained devoted to writing as personal practice throughout her life, her most well-known piece of writing is her 1863 Journal of a Residence on a Georgian Plantation in 1838–1839. Kemble's journal documents her outrage and disgust at the living conditions, harsh daily existence, and enslaved individuals she encountered while living on the two Sea Island plantations that her husband, Pierce Butler, inherited off the coast of Georgia.

Method for optimization of design characteristics of high speed passenger catamarans

. In this paper we discuss the theoretical principles the method of design characteristics optimization of high-speed passenger catamarans. The goal of the paper is to determine the role and place of the proposed method in the development of sea passenger traffic and island tourism in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and to illustrate its capabilities in relation to the interests of different participants of process. As a rule, the existing ships are purchased on the secondary market, and new ones are often designed and built at foreign shipyards. This is a reason to develop the design methods that take into account the regional characteristics of Vietnam. The novelty of this research is based on the fact that the proposed method takes into account the regional features, combines mathematical and optimization models of various design levels and allows to take into account the interests of participants of a program for development of maritime transport infrastructure and tourism in Vietnam. The theoretical principles of ship theory, ship design, mathematical programming and statistics were used for the method development.
 In this paper we present the results of design characteristics optimization of high-speed passenger catamarans and comparative analysis of these results with the main dimensions of modern high-speed passenger catamarans. The proposed method can be used in the design and assessment of the economic efficiency of high-speed passenger catamarans. The results can be used in Vietnam government program oriented to development of sea transport infrastructure and tourism.

Origins and diversity of the Bering Sea Island fauna: shifting linkages across the northern continents

We synthesize the historical biogeography of non-marine fauna (mammals, birds, fish, non-parasitic and parasitic invertebrates) occurring across Bering Sea islands, considering endemism, species with origins in both North America and Far East Asia, and the impacts of introduced species through the Bering region. Insular communities often constitute assemblages of unique evolutionary lineages that reflect both neutral and selective processes of diversification as a consequence of isolation and through responses to in situ environmental change. However, current knowledge of the basic distribution, ecology, and evolutionary identity of the majority of terrestrial species through the Bering Sea region is still generally lacking. A preponderance of scientific effort associated with these islands has instead focused on conservation and management of marine-associated species and economically viable biological resources. Given the critical role that terrestrial environments play in maintaining evolutionary and ecological linkages between land and sea, a greater understanding of existing biodiversity, and the biological processes that influence community integrity through this remote region is warranted. Resolving responses of resident insular species to rapidly warming Arctic climate and to modern human-associated disturbances provides valuable insight for effective management of future population trajectories and for revealing the dynamics of intra- and inter-specific connectivity across the northern hemisphere and between marine and terrestrial ecosystems. The location of this region at a high-latitude cross-roads has led to a preponderance of island taxa having trans-Beringian distributions. Species associated with the Palearctic or the Nearctic occur across a strong longitudinal gradient, reflecting the role of the Bering Sea as a dispersal filter between mainland areas. Aleutian oceanic islands reflect different biogeographic histories among taxonomic groups from land-bridge islands of the Bering Sea. We discuss evidence of recent biodiversity responses to modern environmental perturbations, including continued colonisations and novel species interactions, and call for increased scientific scrutiny of terrestrial fauna across these remote outposts.

Toughening of polylactide by in-situ reactive compatibilization with an isosorbide-containing copolyester

Polylactide (PLA)/poly(1,4-cyclohexanedimethylene isosorbide terephthalate) (PEICT) blends were prepared by melt processing. Oligomer, with multiple epoxy functional groups, were introduced as a reactive compatibilizer to enhance interfacial adhesion of the two blend components. The reaction between the reactive compatibilizer and blend components was confirmed by infrared spectroscopy and rheological analysis. The improved compatibility of the blends reduced interfacial tension between polymer components, yielding a co-continuous phase morphology from a sea–island morphology. The added PEICT improved the impact strength of PLA to 22.5 kJ/m2 at 40% loading. After compatibilization and the impact strength of PLA/PEICT blends increased to 44.1 kJ/m2, showing that increased interfacial adhesion improved energy transfer between the polymers.

Orange is the new white: taxonomic revision of Tritonia species (Gastropoda: Nudibranchia) from the Weddell Sea and Bouvet Island

Among nudibranch molluscs, the family Tritoniidae gathers taxa with an uncertain phylogenetic position, such as some species of the genus Tritonia Cuvier, 1798. Currently, 37 valid species belong to this genus and only three of them are found in the Southern Ocean, namely T. challengeriana Bergh, 1884, T. dantarti Ballesteros & Avila, 2006, and T. vorax (Odhner, 1926). In this study, we shed light on the long-term discussed systematics and taxonomy of Antarctic Tritonia species using morpho-anatomical and molecular techniques. Samples from the Weddell Sea and Bouvet Island were dissected and prepared for scanning electron microscopy. The three molecular markers COI, 16S, and H3 were sequenced and analysed through maximum-likelihood and Bayesian methods. The phylogenetic analyses and species delimitation tests clearly distinguished two species, T. challengeriana widely spread in the Southern Ocean and T. dantarti endemic to Bouvet Island. Colouration seems to be an unreliable character to differentiate among species since molecular data revealed both species can either have orange or white colour morphotypes. This variability could be explained by pigment sequestration from the soft coral species they feed on. Morphological analyses reveal differences between Antarctic and Magellanic specimens of T. challengeriana. However, the relationship between T. challengeriana specimens from these two regions remains still unclear due to the lack of molecular data. Therefore, the validity of the T. antarctica Martens & Pfeffer, 1886, exclusively found in Antarctic waters requires further systematic work.

Preparation and properties of blocked solvent-free polyurethane ultrafine synthetic leather base cloth

Blocked solvent-free polyurethane (BSFPU) ultrafine synthetic leather base cloth was composed of polyamide 6-alkali soluble polyester (PA6-COPET) sea-island fiber nonwoven and blocked solvent-free polyurethane through impregnation, alkali decrement and finishing method. Microstructures changing during preparation were observed by scanning electron microscope, and then the effect of BSFPU leaching ratio on the mechanical property and hygienic performance of BSFPU ultrafine synthetic leather base cloth was studied. The results show that the sea island fibers are reduced to 37 bundles with a diameter of about 3 μm and the microstructure similar to natural leather is observed in BSFPU ultrafine synthetic leather base cloth. With the BSFPU leaching ratio increasing, the deweighting rate in the process of alkali decrement goes down from 31.59wt% to 28.22wt%; the elongation at break and tear strength of BSFPU ultrafine synthetic leather base cloth reduce continuously; the tensile strength almost remains the same result and the number begins to decline until the leaching ratio above 100wt%; the air permeability also decreases from 50 086 mL/(m2·s) to 24 757 mL/(m2·s) and the water vapor permeability reduces from 790.47 mg/(10 cm2·24 h) to 488.70 mg/(10 cm2·24 h). After testing, BSFPU ultrafine synthetic leather base cloth can meet the industry standards and its hygienic performance is significantly higher than commercially available solvent-based polyurethane ultrafine synthetic leather base cloth.

Gullah as a literary dialect: Phonological and morphosyntactic features in 19th century writings

Starting from the 18th century, writers began using Gullah in different stories and plays, and speculated about its origins. Gullah is an American English-based creole spoken along the coast of Georgia, South Carolina and in the Sea Islands. It is also known as Sea Island Creole or Geechee. Several American writers have used this creole in their writings. This paper focuses on the way Edgar Allan Poe used Gullah as a literary dialect, in the short story The Gold-Bug, to render the speech of Jupiter, an old Negro slave. The first part of the paper presents phonological and morphosyntactic features that have been attested in Gullah. The second part of this study analyzes the phonological and morphosyntactic features found in the speech of Jupiter and attempts to demonstrate that Jupiter used the regional superstrate variety of Gullah, as expected from house servants. It will also be shown that Jupiter’s speech also contains many features found in Gullah’s sister variety, African American Vernacular English.

Melville and the "Woe that is Madness"

Melville and the "Woe that is Madness" Larry J. Reynolds (bio) I have turned to Moby-Dick (1851) many times during my career, and each time found myself moved by Melville's thought and art. The book, arguably the greatest novel ever written, is a vast symphony, with multiple themes—political, aesthetic, philosophical, religious—woven through its movements. It has been interpreted as an epic nature myth, a Shakespearean tragedy using American materials, a quarrel with God, a satire of Emersonian transcendentalism, a critique of industrial capitalism, an exploration of knowing and being, a study of fate and free will, a drama of race relations, an analysis of tyranny, and a celebration of American democracy. This last interpretation was the first that engaged me, many years ago, when I was a student in an undergraduate class at Ohio State University and was assigned the first "Knights and Squires" chapter to read. In it, Ishmael goes almost operatic, singing a paean to democracy worthy of Whitman. I still love the sentiments and music of the passage, which reads in part: Man, in the ideal, is so noble and so sparkling, such a grand and glowing creature, that over any ignominious blemish in him all his fellows should run to throw their costliest robes […] If then, to meanest mariners, and renegades and castaways, I shall hereafter ascribe high qualities, though dark; weave round them tragic graces; if even the most mournful, perchance the most abased, among them all, shall at times lift himself to the exalted mounts; if I shall touch that workman's arm with some ethereal light; if I shall spread a rainbow over his disastrous set of sun; then against all mortal critics bear me out in it, thou just Spirit of Equality, which hast spread one royal mantle of humanity over all my kind! Bear me out in it, thou great democratic God!1 I had little interest, at the time, in Ahab's insane pursuit of the white whale, but as a budding liberal, I thrilled to Ishmael's prayer. As a young man, I read the entire novel for the first time, and I was surprised and delighted to find the opening chapters light and humorous. One cannot help but laugh at Ishmael's shock at seeing Queequeg, the Maori tattooed South Sea Island harpooner, who returns to the Spouter [End Page 133] Inn (after peddling a shrunken head on the streets of New Bedford), worship his little black idol named Yojo, and jump into bed with the startled Ishmael. As you probably know, an interracial friendship develops between the two, and in Chapter 10, "The Bosom Friend," Ishmael even participates, by invitation, in Queequeg's worship of Yojo. He explains, Now Queequeg is my fellow man. And what do I wish that this Queequeg would do to me? Why, unite with me in my particular Presbyterian form of worship. Consequently, I must unite with him in his; ergo, I must turn idolater. So I kindled the shavings; helped prop up the innocent little idol; offered him burnt biscuit with Queequeg; salaamed before him twice or thrice; kissed his nose; and that done, we undressed and went to bed, at peace with our own consciences and all the world. But we did not go to sleep without some little chat. (58) The homosexual suggestiveness of the relationship is clear to the modern reader, but it was the example of democratic brotherhood that impressed me the most, especially in light of Melville's aristocratic sensibility. (Like Ishmael, Melville came from "an old established family in the land" [6]). I ended up writing my dissertation on the fascinating ambivalent politics of the novel, the way in which Melville combines what he calls, in a letter to Hawthorne, an unconditional democracy in all things, with a dislike to mankind in the mass. Later, as my interests became more interdisciplinary, I turned to the novel in admiration of its stunning aesthetics. Melville was a fan of J.M.W. Turner, especially those paintings of his that capture the sublimity of nature by means of obscure vortices of light, as in Snowstorm: Steamboat off a Harbour's Mouth (1842) and The...

Das Verb „brauen“ im Helgoländischen: mit Beibehaltung der starken Flexion und reich entwickelter Semantik

The verb „brew“ in the North Frisian dialect of the North Sea island of Heligoland is in two respects remarkable: first it has retained its original strong inflection (section 1) and secondly it developed a number of special meanings during the 19/20th century (section 2). I have tried to demonstrate how this great diversity came about: The starting point for thesemantic development was probably the analogy ʽbrew kettleʼ (for beer brewing) ~ ʽsteam boilerʼ (of steam-boats). In a small seafaring nation a shift of meaning from ʽbrew (beer)ʼ → ʽdrive (a ship)ʼ may seem rather natural; less so the further steps via *ʽmove in generalʼ → ʽwalk briskly, runʼ and so on (→ ʽlive, keep house, manage to get on well (as a single)ʼand ʽbe busy, workʼ etc.). Sense 8. of the dictionary entry, a figurative meaning, stands apart, namely ʽconcoct, contrive, prepare, bring about, causeʼ: spec. evil, mischief, trouble, woe (OED). It is noted that this sense was developed in most Germanic languages and it probably represents a much older sprout on the helig. brau-tree than do the senses 2. to 7. Insection 3, I deal with the helig. idiom Bin brau ʽto bring into disorderʼ and the helig.-wfris. parallel uun Bin ~ yn ʼe/ʼt bûn ʽin disorderʼ. – In the appendix the revised and enlarged word article brau with its prefix compounds is presented

Underwater Topography Detection and Analysis of the Qilianyu Islands in the South China Sea Based on GF-3 SAR Images

Shallow sea underwater topography plays an important role in the development of islands and reefs. The Qilianyu Islands, located in Xisha, South China Sea, are a key area for the development and utilization of the South China Sea. Compared with traditional underwater topography detection methods, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) has the advantages of low cost, short time consumption, and the large-scale detection of shallow water topography. The GF-3 satellite is the first SAR satellite launched by China, and its ability to probe shallow sea topography has never been assessed. To detect the underwater topography of the Qilianyu Islands and test the application of GF-3 SAR data in shallow sea underwater topography detection, this paper implements the SAR shallow sea underwater topography detection model, the tidal information corresponding to the imaging time of the SAR image, and six GF-3 SAR images to detect the underwater topography of the Qilianyu island and reefs. The detection results have been analyzed from different imaging times, different water depths and different polarization modes, and the first four SAR images show promising detection results. The average absolute error (MAE) and average relative error (MRE) of the results are 1.5 m and 14.33%, respectively, which demonstrates that GF-3 SAR images have an impressive performance in underwater topography detection of South China Sea island reefs.

Comparative analysis of the feeding habits of Rapana venosa and Neptunea arthritica cumingii near Zhangzi Island, China, based on stable isotope ratios and fatty acid profiles

The two whelks Rapana venosa and Neptunea arthritica cumingii are important fishery resources, but the biomass of these species has declined extensively over the years. In the present study, we selected the sea area around Zhangzi Island, a typical North China Sea island, as the study area. Biochemical trophic markers (stable isotopes and fatty acids (FAs)) were used to estimate the dietary compositions of R. venosa and N. arthritica cumingii. The combined use of stable isotope analysis and analysis of FA composition enabled a comprehensive investigation of these species in the North China Sea. The results showed that the two whelk species were significantly distinguished by their FAs, suggesting that dietary composition significantly differs between the two species; however, the values of C22:6(n-3) (DHA)/C20:5(n-3) (EPA) and δ15N indicated no significant difference between the two whelk species at the trophic level. The EPA content of N. arthritica cumingii was higher than that of R. venosa, indicating that the former species is more involved in the scavenger food chain, although this FA species represented a small proportion of the dietary composition in both whelk species. In contrast, there were no significant differences in stable isotope ratios or FA contents among different size classes of the same whelk species. This study provides insight into the structural changes and dynamics of marine communities. Such information is essential for the protection of fishery resources, their sustainable development and utilization, and the scientific management of marine ecosystems.

Dynamic Expression Analysis and Introgressive Gene Identification of Fiber Length Using Chromosome Segment Substitution Lines from G. hirsutum �G. barbadense

Fiber length is a critical trait that principally determines cotton spinning quality, while Upland cotton as the most widely cultivated Gossypium species around the world subjects to the relatively ordinary fiber performance. Chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs) have been introduced in cotton breeding to take full advantages of superior fiber quality and high yield from Sea Island and Upland cotton, respectively, which serve as ideal materials for elucidating the genetic mechanism of complex quantitative traits. Here, three CSSLs derived from CCRI45 (G. hirsutum) × Hai1 (G. barbadense), two superior (MBI7561 and MBI7747) and one (MBI7285) with ordinary fiber-quality, were subjected to transcriptome sequencing during fiber elongation together with their recurrent parent CCRI45, and 471.425 million clean reads were obtained with 91.47% average Q30 and 45.23% mean GC content. In total, 5,673 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified from multi-sample comparisons, which were mainly involved in the oxidation-reduction process, protein phosphorylation, regulation of transcription, DNA template, and carbohydrate metabolic process. Eight temporal expression patterns were monitored on the DEGs of different lines, of which the significantly enriched profile revealed higher similarities between two superior CSSLs or the ordinary CSSL and CCRI45 with respect to fiber performance. Based on the intersection between the predicted introgressive genes from RNAseq data and the published gene information from the G. barbadense genome, 1,535 introgressive genes were identified in three CSSLs. Further analysis of the three common introgressive sections in superior CSSLs revealed eight candidate genes that were identified to be involved in fiber development, namely, O-fucosyltransferase family protein (GB_A02G0240), glutamine synthetase 2 (GB_A02G0272), Ankyrin repeat family protein (GB_A02G0264), beta-6 tubulin (GB_D03G1742), WRKY DNA-binding protein 2 (GB_D03G1655), quinolinate synthase (GB_D07G0623), nuclear factor Y, subunit B13 (GB_D07G0631), and leucine-rich repeat transmembrane protein kinase (GB_D07G0797). Our results provide novel insights into the mechanism underlying fiber formation and lay a solid foundation for further high-efficiency determination of candidate genes by combining RNA-seq data and pivotal chromosome regions.

Seed Oil Content, Yield and Fiber Quality Traits in Some Egyptian Cotton Genotypes

This work was done at Sakha Agricultural Research Station,during 2018 and 2019 seasons.The aim was evaluating cottonseed oil content,yield and its components and fiber traits of some Egyptian genotypes to improve seed oil content with the other economic traits during selection of new promising crosses.Eighteen extra-long staple genotypes were planted in a randomized complete block design with four replications.Traits studied were:Boll weight,seed cotton,lint and seed yields,lint%,seed index,fiber fineness,strength,length,length uniformity index,seed oil content and seed oil index. Results indicated high level of variability among genotypes in all traits.Most of traits differed significantly from one year to another;genotypes x years interactions were significant for some traits.Genotypes were divided into four groups according to their oil content:high,moderately high, moderately low and low oil content.Phenotypic and genotypic variances showed wide variability in the studied traits, moderate PCV values were recorded for seed cotton, lint and seed yields, GCV showed low values in all traits, suggesting the difficulty of manipulating these traits through plant breeding. Heritability recorded high values for: lint%, fiber fineness and seed index. None of the studied traits showed highexpected genetic advance under selection. Seed oil content and seed oil index showed positive significant correlation with seed index, fiber strength and length uniformity index, whereas correlation was significant negative with lint yield and lint%. The highest oil content was achieved by three genotypes G.93 x [G.76 x(G.45 × sea Island)], (G.93 x G.87) and Giza 92, the three genotypes might be used to improve oil content in Egyptian cottonseed.

Marine Litter Pollution in Baltic Sea Beaches – Application of the Sand Rake Method

Most marine litter monitoring methods used on beaches focus on macro-litter (>25 mm) only and show shortcomings regarding smaller litter classes (<25 mm), especially at Baltic Sea beaches. Therefore, we used a sand rake method developed for large micro- (2–5 mm), and meso- (5–25 mm) litter to quantify the overall pollution status of Baltic Sea beaches and to test if the method is useful in terms of the requirements of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). Between July 2017 and October 2019, 197 sand rake method surveys were carried out at 35 regions around the Baltic Sea. In total, 9345 litter pieces were found on an area of 10,271 m2 of which 69.9% were 2–25 mm in size. Artificial polymers (4921 litter pieces) were predominant (mean 52.7% ± 13.3). Abundance of litter was 0.91 pieces/m2 ± 1.50 (median 0.40 pieces/m2). The most common litter were industrial pellets (19.8%), non-identifiable plastic pieces 2–25 mm (17.3%), cigarette butts (15.3%), and paraffin (11.9%). At 15 surveys at the German North Sea island of Sylt the litter abundance ranged from 0.45 pieces/m2 (median) to 0.59 pieces/m2 ± 0.37 (mean). Here, 69.2% of the litter was 2–25 mm in size and paraffin was predominant (69.2%). Beaches show a high pollution level with large micro- and meso-litter (2–25 mm) and our data can serve as a Baltic-wide pollution baseline. In contrast to the naked eye OSPAR method for macro-litter, the sand rake method is generally applicable on all sandy beaches, both urban and remote. This method also allows for the provision of a full spatial pollution pattern and can serve for assessing the effectiveness of marine litter mitigation measures.

A rejoinder to Meng Qu’s ‘Teshima — From Island Art to the Art Island: Art on/for a previously declining Japanese Inland Sea Island’

A rejoinder to Meng Qu’s ‘Teshima — From Island Art to the Art Island: Art on/for a previously declining Japanese Inland Sea Island’

COVID-19 threat and frontline paediatric care professionals.

COVID-19 threat and frontline paediatric care professionals.

COVID-19 threat and the 1918 Spanish flu outbreak: The following day.

COVID-19 threat and the 1918 Spanish flu outbreak: The following day.

Investigation of geothermal structure of the Sulawesi, using gravity and magnetic method

The Sulawesi Sea and Sulawesi Island are located in the western Pacific area where volcanic activity, plate subduction, and seismic activity are very active. The Sulawesi basin formed during the Middle Eocene-Late Eocene and nearly half of the Eocene oceanic crust has subducted below the North Sulawesi Trench. The Sulawesi Island was spliced and finalized in the Early Pliocene-Pleistocene during volcanic activity and is recently very active. This area is an optimal location to study volcanic geothermal conditions and subduction initiation mechanisms in the southern part of the western Pacific plate margin, which are important in geothermal and geodynamic research. In this study, we combined 133 heat flow data with gravity and magnetic data to calculate the Moho structure and Curie point depth of the Sulawesi Sea and periphery of the Sulawesi Island, and analyze the distribution characteristics of the geothermal gradient and thermal conductivity. The results show that the average depths of the Moho and Curie surfaces in this area are 18.4 and 14.3 km, respectively, which is consistent with the crustal velocity layer structure in the Sulawesi Basin previously determined by seismic refraction. The average geothermal gradient is 4.96°C (100 m)−1. The oceanic area shows a high geothermal gradient and low thermal conductivity, whereas the land area shows a low geothermal gradient and high thermal conductivity, both of which are consistent with statistical results of the geothermal gradient at the measured heat flow points. The highest geothermal gradient zone occurs in the transition zone from the Sulawesi Sea to Sulawesi Island, corresponding to the spreading ridge of the southward-moving Sulawesi Basin. Comprehensive gravity, magnetic, and geothermal studies have shown a high crustal geothermal gradient in the study area, which is conducive to the subduction initiation. The northern part of the Palu-koro fault on the western side of Sulawesi is likely the location where subduction initiation is occurring. During the process of moving northwest, the northern and eastern branches of Sulawesi Island have different speeds; the former is slow and the latter is fast. These branches also show different deep tectonic dynamic directions; the northern branch tilts north-up and the eastern branch tilts north-down.

Spatiotemporal accumulation of fatal pharyngeal entrapment of flatfish in harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) in the German North Sea.

The evolution of a permanent separation of the upper respiratory and digestive tract is one of the adaptions cetaceans evolved for their aquatic life. Generally, it prevents odontocetes from choking on either saltwater or foreign bodies during ingestion under water. Nevertheless, several sporadic single case reports from different parts of the world show that this separation can be reversed especially by overly large items of prey. This incident can have a fatal outcome for the odontocetes. The German federal state of Schleswig-Holstein has a year-round, permanent and systematic stranding network that retrieves stranded marine mammals from its shorelines and constantly enables post-mortem examinations. In 2016, with nine affected animals, a high incidence of fatal pharyngeal entrapment of flatfish in harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) occurred during spring and early summer on the German North Sea island of Sylt. All flatfish were identified as common sole (Solea solea). A retrospective post-mortem data analysis over a 30-year period from the North and Baltic Sea revealed similar yearly and seasonally case accumulations on the same island in the 1990s as well as several single case events over the whole timespan. All cases except one were caused by flatfish. When flatfish speciation was performed, only common sole was identified. From 1990 to 2019, of all examined harbour porpoises, 0.3% (2/713) from the Baltic Sea and 5.5% (45/820) from the North Sea died due to fish entrapped in the pharynx. On the North Sea coast, the occurrence of fatal obstruction shows high yearly variations from 0 to 33.3%. Years that stand out are especially 1990 to 1992, 1995, as well as 2016. The majority of all cases generally occurred between April and July, indicating also a seasonality of cases. This study evaluates the occurrence of fatal pharyngeal entrapment of fish in two geographically separated harbour porpoise populations. Additionally, common sole is clearly identified as a potentially risky item of prey for these small odontocetes.