Southwest Indian Ocean Region Research Articles

Detection, characterization, and phylogenetic analysis of novel astroviruses from endemic Malagasy fruit bats

Bats (order: Chiroptera) are known to host a diverse range of viruses, some of which present a human public health risk. Thorough viral surveillance is therefore essential to predict and potentially mitigate zoonotic spillover. Astroviruses (family: Astroviridae) are an understudied group of viruses with a growing amount of indirect evidence for zoonotic transfer. Astroviruses have been detected in bats with significant prevalence and diversity, suggesting that bats may act as important astrovirus hosts. Most astrovirus surveillance in wild bat hosts has, to date, been restricted to single-gene PCR detection and concomitant Sanger sequencing; additionally, many bat species and many geographic regions have not yet been surveyed for astroviruses at all. Here, we use metagenomic Next Generation Sequencing (mNGS) to detect astroviruses in three species of Madagascar fruit bats, Eidolon dupreanum, Pteropus rufus, and Rousettus madagascariensis. We detect numerous partial sequences from all three species and one near-full length astrovirus sequence from Rousettus madagascariensis, which we use to characterize the evolutionary history of astroviruses both within bats and the broader mammalian clade, Mamastrovirus. Taken together, applications of mNGS implicate bats as important astrovirus hosts and demonstrate novel patterns of bat astrovirus evolutionary history, particularly in the Southwest Indian Ocean region.

Developing climate services for vulnerable islands in the Southwest Indian Ocean: A combined statistical and dynamical CMIP6 downscaling approach for climate change assessment

Climate change is a global challenge necessitating adaptation at the local level. Small island developing states (SIDS) in the southwest Indian Ocean (SWIO) basin are particularly vulnerable and already facing significant challenges due to climate variability and extreme weather events like tropical cyclones (TCs). Tailored climate services, catering to their specific needs and contexts, are crucial for formulating appropriate adaptation strategies. This study aims to fill the gap of localized and reliable information for climate services in the SWIO region. A 12-km resolution regional climate model is dynamically downscaled from a CMIP6 model to capture the climatology of tropical cyclones. Outputs are bias-corrected at kilometer-scale resolution over multiple islands. A subset of CMIP6 simulations is also statistically downscaled over La Réunion to quantify model uncertainties at the local scale and compare statistical and dynamical downscaling methods.CMIP6 models project an average increase in daily mean temperatures over small islands ranging from 1.2 °C (SSP1-2.6) to 3.7 °C (SSP5-8.5) by the end of the century compared to the reference period of 1981–2010, and up to 4.4 °C on Madagascar (SSP5-8.5). The dry season in the SWIO region is anticipated to become significantly drier, with precipitation deficits ranging from 10 % to 40 %, primarily due to a delayed onset of the rainy season. The cyclonic risk is expected to increase due to stronger cyclone intensities, a higher proportion of strong TCs, and the poleward migration of very intense TCs by one to two degrees latitude, further amplifying the risk faced by the Mascarene islands.

Maritime China, sea temples, and contested heritage in the Indian Ocean

ABSTRACT This article examines the complex interplay between heritage, cultural identity, and state power, as exemplified by the contested heritage discourse surrounding a sea temple and the Chinese cult of Guandi in Mauritius. The main temple of Guandi in Mauritius abound in aquatic and oceanic manifestations, which stand in sharp contrast with state-endorsed, land-based Guandi temples in China. This contrast suggests a distinct cultural identity of the Chinese society in the Southwest Indian Ocean region. As reflected in the narratives of both Mauritian and Chinese authorities, the temple and cult also figure prominently in the re-imagining of Mauritian nation building and China’s Maritime Silk Road Initiative. Drawing on critical heritage studies and the revitalised academic focus on sea temples that revisits the overlooked maritime connectivity, this article demonstrates how a historically-forged transoceanic identity in the name of Guandi is being contested by the new processes of heritagisation initiated by the Mauritian and Chinese states and how appreciation of the maritime heritage of Chinese diaspora in the Indian Ocean can re-emerge when the interpretation of the cult shifts from its role as one component of Mauritian and Chinese national heritage to its unorthodox oceanic reinvention.

Mixed layer heat budget in the Mozambique channel: Interannual variability and influence of Rossby waves

The evolution of the mixed layer temperature anomalies in the Mozambique Channel is analysed using a mixed layer heat budget covering sub-seasonal to interannual time scales. Sub-seasonal variations in mixed layer temperature are largely dominated by surface heat fluxes, except along the southern coast of Mozambique and Madagascar, where both the advection and the residual terms become significant. The northern Channel is dominated by the mean flow while the southern Channel is modulated by both the mean and eddy terms. Minimum heat gain through advection is observed in the channel during January–February when the Northeast Madagascar current opposes the northwesterly monsoonal winds. During the 1997/98 El Niño/positive Indian Ocean dipole, extreme warming and coral bleaching events were noted in the northern Channel. Such warming was linked with the relaxation of local winds, positive heat gain from the atmosphere and the shedding of large anticyclonic eddies northwest of Madagascar, associated with the arrival of downwelling Rossby waves. By contrast, upwelling Rossby waves and large cyclonic eddies in the Channel occurred during the 1998–2001 protracted La Niña, but only the northern part of the Channel experienced significant negative anomalies in mixed layer temperature. While no coral bleaching hotspots were noted in the northern Channel in summer 1999/2000 due to negative anomalies in advection, marine heatwaves occurred in the southern Channel during that summer. Finally, the protracted 1998–2001 La Niña was the last time that substantial upwelling Rossby wave activity occurred in the tropical South Indian Ocean; recent La Niña events showed muted or weak upwelling Rossby wave activity, including the recent 2020–2022 protracted event. Post-2001 also occurs at the same time as a stronger warming trend in the southwest Indian Ocean region.

Quantifying plastic use and waste footprints in SIDS: Application to Seychelles

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are the most vulnerable territories to marine litter and plastic waste pollution. The magnitude of the issue and ways of action can only be known if the material flows and their origins are correctly estimated. Unfortunately, small territories are often left outside the global ecological footprint databases and models. The present research aims at quantifying the plastic footprint of Seychelles through a standard Environmentally-Extended Input-Output Analysis (EEIOA) and multi-regional input-output (MRIO) approach combining international and domestic data in the south-west Indian Ocean region. The results of several model specifications and industrial classifications are compared to the literature findings and show that SIDS may display the same level of plastic use and waste per capita as high-income countries, without the same infrastructure of waste treatment. A few services and exporting sectors concentrate the bulk of the territorial quantity of plastics used throughout the economy. The multi-regional Indian Ocean context helps to foresee potential joint actions in order to reduce the plastic footprint of SIDS.

Molecular Epidemiology of Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum Phylotype I Strains in the Southwest Indian Ocean Region and Their Relatedness to African Strains.

The increasing requirement for developing tools enabling fine strain traceability responsible for epidemics is tightly linked with the need to understand factors shaping pathogen populations and their environmental interactions. Bacterial wilt caused by the Ralstonia solanacearum species complex (RSSC) is one of the most important plant diseases in tropical and subtropical regions. Sadly, little, outdated, or no information on its epidemiology is reported in the literature, although alarming outbreaks are regularly reported as disasters. A large set of phylotype I isolates (n = 2,608) was retrieved from diseased plants in fields across the Southwest Indian Ocean (SWIO) and Africa. This collection enabled further assessment of the epidemiological discriminating power of the previously published RS1-MLVA14 scheme. Thirteen markers were validated and characterized as not equally informative. Most had little infra-sequevar polymorphism, and their performance depended on the sequevar. Strong correlation was found with a previous multilocus sequence typing scheme. However, 2 to 3% of sequevars were not correctly assigned through endoglucanase gene sequence. Discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC) revealed four groups with strong phylogenetic relatedness to sequevars 31, 33, and 18. Phylotype I-31 isolates were highly prevalent in the SWIO and Africa, but their dissemination pathways remain unclear. Tanzania and Mauritius showed the greatest diversity of RSSC strains, as the four DAPC groups were retrieved. Mauritius was the sole territory harboring a vast phylogenetic diversity and all DAPC groups. More research is still needed to understand the high prevalence of phylotype I-31 at such a large geographic scale.

Integrative taxonomy and phylogeny of leafless Vanilla orchids from the South‐West Indian Ocean region reveal two new Malagasy species

AbstractThe leafless Vanilla species complex from the South‐West Indian Ocean (SWIO) region has long been a taxonomic challenge, due to limited patterns of morphological differentiation and an absence of variation within chloroplast sequences. This complex includes seven known morphospecies: V. madagascariensis, V. bosseri, V. decaryana, and V. perrieri endemic to Madagascar, V. humblotii presumed as endemic to the Comoros Archipelago, but also present in Madagascar, V. roscheri from the East African coast, and V. phalaenopsis endemic to Seychelles. A previous population genetic study using microsatellite markers allowed us to distinguish, in addition to the five recognized Malagasy taxa, two other genetic clusters present in the East of the island. An integrative taxonomy approach was therefore conducted by combining microsatellite and morphological data used in the previous study with new data sets, and by adding ITS sequencing data, to validate the taxonomic level of these Malagasy genetic clusters and unravel phylogenetic relationships between SWIO species. As a result, based on phylogenetic, genotypic and morphological evidence, nine species were discriminated in the SWIO region, including seven in Madagascar, with two new eastern species. The leafless Vanilla group originated and diversified in Madagascar, from an ancestor of African descent, with three subsequent independent colonization events from Madagascar to the other territories of SWIO within the two main lineages (white versus yellow flower species). The new Malagasy species, V. allorgeae Andriamihaja & Pailler sp. nov., and V. atsinananensis Andriamihaja & Pailler sp. nov., are described and a new identification key is proposed.

Intraseasonal and synoptic climate variability of surface solar radiation over South‐West Indian Ocean: Regional climate modelling

AbstractThe abundant surface solar radiation (SSR) over South‐West Indian Ocean (SWIO) presents significant temporal variability. To characterize this temporal variability is important for the application of solar energy, such as photovoltaic industry. This article studied the intraseasonal and synoptic climate variability of SSR by regional climate modelling over SWIO region. The regional climate model, RegCM4's skill is first evaluated through analysing the seasonal mean SSR with the precipitation, near surface temperature and total cloud cover in austral summer and winter. The basic validation of those simulated parameters with the reference data showed model's performance on SSR. The austral summer (November–February) 1999–2008 was chosen to search the Madden–Julian Oscillation patterns and tropical temperate troughs which are the major expression of intraseasonal and synoptic climate variability. The circulation, moisture fluxes, and radiation fluxes have been checked at the beginning for RegCM4's input dataset (ERA‐Interim) to find the signals. Then, the output simulation results were taking into account to see if the model can reproduce the intraseasonal and synoptic climate variability or not. SSR from SARAH‐E (CM SAF@5 km) as the reference dataset in the end has been used to validate the simulated patterns, which showed that the eastward SSR anomalies propagation and negative SSR anomalies bands can be observed in RegCM4 and the according satellite dataset. These results identified and explained SSR's intraseasonal and synoptic climate variability over SWIO region, which provide a way through RegCM to perform SSR's evaluation and prediction.

Population Structure of the South West Indian Ocean Islands: Implications for Precision Medicine.

Precision medicine has brought new hopes for patients around the world with the applications of novel technologies for understanding genetics of complex diseases and their translation into clinical services. Such applications however require a foundation of skills, knowledge and infrastructure to translate genetics for health care. The crucial element is no doubt the availability of genomics data for the target populations, which is seriously lacking for most parts of Africa. We discuss here why it is vital to prioritize genomics data for the South West Indian Ocean region where a mosaic of ethnicities co-exist. The islands of the SWIO, which comprise Madagascar, La Reunion, Mauritius, Seychelles and Comoros, have been the scene for major explorations and trade since the 17th century being on the route to Asia. This part of the world has lived through active passage of slaves from East Africa to Arabia and further. Today’s demography of the islands is a diverse mix of ancestries including European, African and Asian. The extent of admixtures has yet to be resolved. Except for a few studies in Madagascar, there is very little published data on human genetics for these countries. Isolation and small population sizes have likely resulted in reduced genetic variation and possible founder effects. There is a significant prevalence of diabetes, particularly in individuals of Indian descent, while breast and prostate cancers are on the rise. The island of La Reunion is a French overseas territory with a high standard of health care and close ties to Mauritius. Its demography is comparable to that of Mauritius but with a predominantly mixed population and a smaller proportion of people of Indian descent. On the other hand, Madagascar’s African descendants inhabit mostly the lower coastal zones of the West and South regions, while the upper highlands are occupied by peoples of mixed African-Indonesian ancestries. Historical records confirm the Austronesian contribution to the Madagascar genomes. With the rapid progress in genomic medicine, there is a growing demand for sequencing services in the clinical settings to explore the incidence of variants in candidate disease genes and other markers. Genome sequence data has become a priority in order to understand the population sub-structures and to identify specific pathogenic variants among the different groups of inhabitants on the islands. Genomic data is increasingly being used to advise families at risk and propose diagnostic screening measures to enhance the success of therapies. This paper discusses the complexity of the islands’ populations and argues for the needs for genotyping and understanding the genetic factors associated with disease risks. The benefits to patients and improvement in health services through a concerted regional effort are depicted. Some private patients are having recourse to external facilities for molecular profiling with no return of data for research. Evidence of disease variants through sequencing represents a valuable source of medical data that can guide policy decisions at the national level. There are presently no such records for future implementation of strategies for genomic medicine.

A first assessment of marine meso-litter and microplastics on beaches: Where does Mauritius stand?

Marine litter is a major global concern that is threatening marine ecosystems. This study assessed the meso-litter and microplastics density around Mauritius Island, South West Indian Ocean (SWIO) region. WIOMSA guidelines were used for meso-litter and microplastics sampling from October to December 2019 at 12 sites. A total of 1095 meso-litter items (weighing 1250 g) was sampled. Plastics were the most abundant litter category. ‘Shoreline and recreational activities’ were the main meso-litter source. Microplastics density was highest at the vegetation line (VL) zone. Fragments, mostly blue-coloured, were the most encountered type of microplastics, and polyethylene was the most prevalent polymer type. This study provides important baseline data which can be used by relevant authorities for more effective waste management strategies and awareness campaigns that will help further mitigate the marine litter problem in Mauritius, and to check the effectiveness of management measures in place.

Population characteristics and exploitation of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares Bonnaterre, 1788) in the coastal waters of Kenya

Yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares (Bonnaterre, 1788) is a highly migratory and important commercial fishery species. Data on length-frequency, growth parameters and mortality rates of yellowfin tuna in the coastal waters of Kenya is limited. We assessed Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE), size distribution, growth parameters and mortality rates based on length-frequency and catch data collected from August 2015 to December 2016 at five fish landing sites along the Kenyan coast. The sample comprised of 1281 individuals of yellowfin tuna weighing 12,671 kg. Highest CPUE was recorded in October 2015 (10.8 kg·Fisher-1Trip-1) and lowest CPUE, 2.6 kg·Fisher-1Trip-1 in December 2016. Yellowfin tuna was more abundant in the South-East Monsoon (SEM), from May to October, with an average CPUE of 7.3 kg Fisher-1Trip-1 compared to North East Monsoon (NEM), from November to April, with a CPUE of 7.0 kg Fisher-1Trip-1. Spatial variation of CPUE was evident. Old Town recorded the highest CPUE of 54.2 kgTrip-1, while Mnarani the lowest of 19.4 kgTrip-1. At least 91 % of the fish sampled were < 100 cm FL and hence not yet mature. The asymptotic Length (L∞) was found to be 195 cm FL, the Von Bertalanffy growth constant (K) 0.43 year-1, t0 - 0.82 and the Growth Performance Index (f) 4.21. The total mortality coefficient (Z) was 2.59 year-1 , Natural Mortality (M) 0.59 year-1, Fishing Mortality (F) 2.00 year-1 and Exploitation Rate (E) 0.77 year-1. Results show that mortality and exploitation rates were above the optimal, indicating high fishing pressure on coastal yellowfin tuna. The information generated by this study provides some further insights on the scientific knowledge of the coastal yellowfin tuna to inform policy for sustainable management and development of this fishery in Kenya and the entire South West Indian Ocean (SWIO) region.

First Record of the Cymothoid Isopod Nerocila exocoeti Pillai, 1954 (Crustacea, Isopoda) in the South-West Indian Ocean and First Record of a Perciform Host, Echeneis naucrates, for this Species.

Cymothoid isopods of the genus Nerocila are generally poorly known. The aim of this work was to document the first record of cymothoid isopod Nerocila exocoeti for the South-West Indian Ocean, representing a significant westward range extension for this species. A single adult, female N. exocoeti and 38 mancae specimens were collected from a live sharksucker Echeneis naucrates at D'Arros Island, Seychelles. The female isopod specimen was examined using a stereo microscope and described based on distinct morphological traits. Observations of novel behaviour were also made for E. naucrates. The examined female isopod specimen measured 26mm long by 10mm wide. It possessed short coxae with the postero-lateral angles of pereonites 1-5 not produced and those of 6 and 7 reduced. The first antenna was composed of eight articles and the endopod of the uropod was half the length of the exopod. These traits confirm the specimen as N. exocoeti. Observations of novel behaviour in the wild host specimen showed the individual to deliberately and repeatedly swim ashore before thrashing in the substrate, returning to the water only once the isopod was removed. To date, N. exocoeti is known from India, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Taiwan. The present study represents the first record of N. exocoeti from the South-West Indian Ocean region and the first record of E. naucrates as a host of any cymothoid isopod. Additionally, N. exocoeti has previously only been recorded as parasitising beloniform fish hosts and these data present the first evidence of a perciform host for this species. The novel behaviour observed in E. naucrates likely represents a means to remove external parasites.

Diversity and Geographical Structure of Xanthomonas citri pv. citri on Citrus in the South West Indian Ocean Region.

A thorough knowledge of genotypic and phenotypic variations (e.g., virulence, resistance to antimicrobial compounds) in bacteria causing plant disease outbreaks is key for optimizing disease surveillance and management. Using a comprehensive strain collection, tandem repeat-based genotyping techniques and pathogenicity assays, we characterized the diversity of X. citri pv. citri from the South West Indian Ocean (SWIO) region. Most strains belonged to the prevalent lineage 1 pathotype A that has a wide host range among rutaceous species. We report the first occurrence of genetically unrelated, nonepidemic lineage 4 pathotype A* (strains with a host range restricted to Mexican lime and related species) in Mauritius, Moheli and Réunion. Microsatellite data revealed that strains from the Seychelles were diverse, grouped in three different clusters not detected in the Comoros and the Mascarenes. Pathogenicity data suggested a higher aggressiveness of strains of one of these clusters on citron (Citrus medica). With the noticeable exception of the Comoros, there was no sign of recent interisland movement of the pathogen. Consistent with this finding, the copL gene, a marker for the plasmid-borne copLAB copper resistance that was recently identified in Réunion, was not detected in 568 strains from any islands in the SWIO region apart from Réunion.

Correction to: The modulation of Indian summer monsoon onset processes during ENSO through equatorward migration of the subtropical jet stream

In this study, we demonstrate a new mechanism, on how the warm phase of El Nino and Southern Oscillation (ENSO) delays the Indian Summer Monsoon onset through coupled ocean-atmospheric processes. Strong basin-wide warming is prominent over North Indian Ocean (NIO) during the El Nino years. The warming is intense over the South West Indian Ocean (SWIO) due to the westward propagation of the equatorial Rossby waves from the Pacific Ocean. It increases the convective activities over the southern tropical Indian Ocean (0–10° S), adjacent to the SWIO region. The warming over the SWIO and the NIO strengthens the divergent wind from the Indian Ocean to the sub-tropics via a wind-evaporation-SST feedback mechanism, which causes more upper-level convergence within 30° N latitudes. Besides, a warmer Indian Ocean enhances the upper-level diabatic heating over the southern Arabian Peninsula and Eastern Indian landmass. These factors strengthen but shift the local Hadley circulation over the Indian Ocean more southward, with an ascending branch centered over the SWIO region. The shifting of the local Hadley circulation during the El Nino years causes the Sub Tropical Jet (STJ) to migrate more southward and centered more over the Indian subcontinent. This southward movement of the STJ over the Indian subcontinent in response to the El Nino condition inhibits the establishment and propagation of the tropical easterly jet during the monsoon season, which subsequently hinders the monsoon circulation, thus delays its onset.

Draft Genome Sequences of 284 Xanthomonas citri pv. citri Strains Causing Asiatic Citrus Canker.

High-quality Illumina assemblies were produced from 284 Xanthomonas citri pv. citri pathotype A strains mostly originating from the Southwest Indian Ocean region, a subset of which was also sequenced using MinION technology. Some strains hosted chromosomally encoded transcription activator-like effector (TALE) genes, an atypical feature for this bacterium.

Radiation budget in RegCM4: simulation results from two radiative schemes over the South West Indian Ocean

One way to estimate solar resources required by the solar industry is via regional climate models (RCMs), which provide a comprehensive and physically based state-of-the-art description of the atmosphere and its interactions with the Earth’s surface. Here we describe the first application of RCM simulations with Regional Climate Model Version 4 (RegCM4) for radiation fluxes over the South West Indian Ocean (SWIO). We analyzed the performance of RegCM4 on radiation fluxes, especially its radiative schemes presentation, which could provide basic information for surface solar radiation temporal-spatial variability analysis with RegCM4 over SWIO region. We used ERA-Interim reanalysis data for the period 2000-2005 to drive RegCM4 to simulate the radiation budget and associated parameters such as cloud cover, precipitation and surface temperature, over Southern Africa and the SWIO with a horizontal resolution of 50 km. The 2 existing available radiation schemes were tested and evaluated: (1) the default radiation scheme of the NCAR Community Climate Model Version 3 (CCM); and (2) the recently implemented Rapid Radiation Transfer Model (RRTM). To analyze the behavior of the radiation schemes and their impact on the surface climate, model outputs were validated against available satellite and reanalysis data. A comparison of the seasonal radiation budget as simulated by RegCM4-CCM and RegCM4-RRTM at the surface and at the top of the atmosphere showed good qualitative agreement. RegCM4 with the RRTM scheme generally better simulates the radiation budget and cloud cover over the whole domain with regard to the reference data than RegCM4 with the CCM scheme; RRTM could therefore be chosen as the radiative scheme in subsequent studies of surface solar radiation by RegCM4.

The Leafless Vanilla Species-Complex from the South-West Indian Ocean Region: A Taxonomic Puzzle and a Model for Orchid Evolution and Conservation Research

The pantropical genus Vanilla is a member of the Orchidaceae family, one of the largest and most diverse families of angiosperms in the world. It originated in America and differentiated in America, Africa, and Asia. About 132 species of Vanilla have now been accepted since the discovery of the genus. Within the Vanilla genus, leaflessness has appeared at least three independent times, in Africa, Asia, and America as an adaptation to drought conditions. The South-West Indian Ocean (SWIO) region, a biodiversity hotspot for orchids, is home to seven leafless species. Chloroplast markers failed to differentiate species within this recent SWIO clade. Morphological traits used for description are very similar between species and do not provide reliable identification. Moreover, some of the species have overlapping flowering periods and geographic distribution in Madagascar, increasing the probability of finding some sympatric species and, therefore, hybrids. Leafless Vanilla species from the SWIO islands are thus an excellent model for understanding the evolution of orchids. For their conservation, and to confirm the identity of these leafless species, an integrated approach with classical taxonomy using a large number of samples, intense fieldwork on biology and ecology, and molecular studies using variable markers is necessary.

Estimates of marine turtle nesting populations in the south-west Indian Ocean indicate the importance of the Chagos Archipelago

AbstractGlobal marine turtle population assessments highlight the importance of the south-west Indian Ocean region, despite data gaps for the Chagos Archipelago. The archipelago hosts nesting hawksbill Eretmochelys imbricata and green turtles Chelonia mydas, both heavily exploited for 2 centuries until protection in 1968–1970. We assessed available nesting habitat and spatial distribution of nesting activity during rapid surveys of 90% of the archipelago's coastline in 1996, 1999, 2006 and 2016. We quantified seasonality and mean annual egg clutch production from monthly track counts during 2006–2018 along a 2.8 km index beach on Diego Garcia island. An estimated 56% (132 km) of coastline provided suitable nesting habitat. Diego Garcia and Peros Banhos atolls accounted for 90.4% of hawksbill and 70.4% of green turtle nesting. Hawksbill turtles showed distinct nesting peaks during October–February, and green turtles nested year-round with elevated activity during June–October. Estimates of 6,300 hawksbill and 20,500 green turtle clutches laid annually during 2011–2018 indicate that nesting on the Chagos Archipelago has increased 2–5 times for hawksbill turtles and 4–9 times for green turtles since 1996. Regional estimates indicate green turtles produce 10 times more egg clutches than hawksbill turtles, and the Chagos Archipelago accounts for 39–51% of an estimated 12,500–16,000 hawksbill and 14–20% of an estimated 104,000–143,500 green turtle clutches laid in the south-west Indian Ocean. The improved status may reflect > 40 years without significant exploitation. Long-term monitoring is needed to captureinterannual variation in nesting numbers and minimize uncertainty in population estimates.

Desensitized pasts and sensational futures in Mauritius and Zanzibar

ABSTRACTThis paper seeks to assert the relevance of ‘sensing’ identity in social analyses of the Southwest Indian Ocean islands. It is proposed that for some time, a broad concept of social change (specifically creolization) has been the reference point for understanding identity in the region. However, authors have tended to ignore the sensorial nature of human identity and the sensory experience of slavery and colonization. As a result, they have advanced a ‘sense’ less articulation of the islands and their inhabitants. Focusing on the senses in human identity and social experience, this article offers a sense-rich analysis of identity in the Southwest Indian Ocean region, revealing multidimensional senses of self in a diversity of social spaces. The author concludes that by fixating on historical dates, broad social processes and the interests of a largely patriarchal society, some scholars have desensitized the past, obfuscating the realities of and creativity emerging out of slavery and colonization. Sensorial analyses of identity in the Southwest Indian Ocean region open up new avenues for thinking about human/nature relations and politics, the nature of ‘culture’ and experiences of social change.

Eastward propagating decadal temperature variability in the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans

AbstractThe origin and structure of eastward propagating decadal temperature variability in the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans are investigated by using long‐term output of coupled general circulation model. Composite analysis during the warm Southwest Indian Ocean (SWIO) years shows that decadal temperature anomalies in the SWIO region originate in the South Atlantic and are associated with density anomalies. Since the density anomalies propagate at the speed of a few cm s−1, slower than the speed of the background eastward Antarctic Circumpolar Current, and exhibit a surface‐intensified equivalent barotropic structure, the eastward propagation of the density anomalies may be attributed to quasi‐stationary oceanic Rossby waves. The density anomalies are also accompanied with anomalous Ekman pumping, indicating an important contribution from the overlying atmospheric variability. The role of atmospheric variability is further examined by evaluating the mixed‐layer heat balance. It is found that the warm temperature anomalies in the South Atlantic are due to anomalous entrainment and meridional advection. These results suggest that the atmospheric variability plays an important role through the ocean mixed layer in generating the eastward propagation of decadal temperature variability from the South Atlantic besides the internal ocean variability as suggested in previous studies.