Strait Region Research Articles

The prevalence of falls and associated factors in older adults of the Torres Strait.

To assess the prevalence of falls and examine associations between falls and potential risk factors in older adults of the Torres Strait Region of Australia. Two hundred and fifty people aged ≥45 years residing in the Torres Strait, who identified as Torres Strait Islander, Aboriginal or both, were asked whether they had sustained any falls in the past year. Associations between self-reported falls and predictor variables were examined using logistic regression. 21% of participants reported at least one fall; 9% reported ≥2 falls. Participants who reported any falls in the past year were more than twice as likely to have urinary incontinence and poor mobility (p < .01) compared to participants who did not report any falls. Around one in five respondents reported one or more falls in the past year, demonstrating that falls are a significant issue for older adults of the Torres Strait. Fall prevention strategies that are effective in other populations are likely to be beneficial to the region but need to be informed by local consultation and implemented in partnership with the people of the Torres Strait.

Mitigation strategies and policies recommendation for the economic impact of the Sunda Strait Megathrust: Seismic risk probability assessment and cost loss estimates

This study investigates seismic risk and potential impacts of future earthquakes in the Sunda Strait region, known for its susceptibility to significant seismic events due to the subduction of the Indo-Australian Plate beneath the Eurasian Plate. The aim is to assess the likelihood of major earthquakes, estimate their impact, and propose strategies to mitigate associated risks. The research uses historical seismic data and probabilistic models to forecast earthquakes with magnitudes ranging from 6.0 to 8.2 Mw. The Gutenberg-Richter model helps project potential earthquake occurrences and their impacts. The findings suggest that the probability of a major earthquake could occur as early as 2026–2027, with a more significant event estimated to likely occur around 2031. Economic estimates for a 7.8–8.2 Mw earthquake suggest potential damage of up to USD 1.255 billion with significant loss of life. The study identifies key vulnerabilities, such as inadequate building foundations and ineffective disaster management infrastructure, which could worsen the impact of future seismic events. In conclusion, the research highlights the urgent need for comprehensive seismic risk mitigation strategies. Recommendations include reinforcing infrastructure to comply with seismic standards, implementing advanced early warning systems, and enhancing public education on earthquake preparedness. Additionally, government policies must address these issues by increasing funding for disaster management, enforcing building regulations, and incorporating traditional knowledge into construction practices. These measures are essential to reducing future earthquake impacts and improving community resilience.

Utilization of Muria Strait Toponymy data in mitigation: Building resilience to disaster risk

Abstract The North Coast of Java Island, including the area around Kendal to Rembang (formerly known as the Muria Strait region), is susceptible to sea water rise and land subsidence, which pose a significant risk to the lives of its inhabitants. Similarly, the districts of Demak, Kudus, Pati, Rembang, and Juwana are also vulnerable to these threats given that they were formed by alluvial deposits and are now densely populated. However, the community’s resilience to various changes in Muria Strait’s geosphere can be observed in the development of local knowledge, including toponymy. In the modern era, toponymic data can be used as instruments to support disaster mitigation and recovery efforts. The information content obtained after the toponymy study can be used as an instrument to increase public awareness and develop a targeted mitigation infrastructure. Given the community’s vulnerability to a range of disasters exacerbated by climate change, the objective of this research is to disseminate the findings of a toponym study of the Muria Strait, with a focus on the potential of these data to inform disaster-mitigation strategies. Toponymy data analysis was conducted using an ethnopedological approach in the context of archaeological and historical research. This approach was also necessary to analyse historical sources related to soil cover/land use (SLC) and changes in the geosphere of the Muria Strait over time.

Geospatial Analysis of Tsunami Hazards and Mitigation Strategies

Abstract Indonesia has experienced its deadliest disasters named tsunamis, particularly since the devastating earthquakes in Aceh and Yogyakarta. The Sunda Strait region and its surrounding areas, located in the Megathrust zone of western Java, are especially vulnerable to tsunami events. Geospatial technology’s advancement offers disaster mitigation strategies with potential for loss reduction. This research aims to analyze tsunami hazards and its mitigation using geospatial approach. We focused on Pagelaran Sub-District in Pandeglang Regency, Banten, Indonesia. Secondary sources and field checks provide research data on hazards and tsunami evacuation routes. We used several data such as slope, coastlines, elevation, river and road networks, as well as land use. Analysis was carried out employing weighting, scoring, overlay, and network techniques. Tsunami hazard is categorized in three categories ie. low, medium, and high. In Tegalpapak, Margagiri, and Margasana villages, a total residential area of 34.93 hectares places these villages in a high vulnerability category. The fastest evacuation route covers 1 km in 2.41 minutes (Margagiri Village). Efforts to mitigate tsunami risk include identifying and mapping potential threats, community outreach, enhanced spatial planning, and placement of evacuation signs.

Analisis Deformasi di Lampung dan Selat Sunda berdasarkan Data GNSS tahun 2018 hingga 2021

The Lampung Province and Sunda Strait have a seismic gap zone with the potential for major earthquakes in the future. This study analyzes the deformation occurring in this region using continuous Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) station data from Indonesia Continuously Operating Reference Station (InaCORS) and Sumatran GPS Array (SuGAr) from 2018 to 2021.5. The GNSS data was processed using the Bernese 5.2 scientific software, applying least squares for velocity changes and statistical tests to analyze significance. The data processing was carried out in two schemes: the first scheme covering 2018-2020, and the second covering 2019-2021. The results of the deformation analysis from 2018 to 2021, using two continuous GNSS data processing schemes, showed velocity changes relative to the Sundaland Plate ranging from ~2 mm/year to ~20 mm/year. In the eastern region of the Sumatra fault, the velocity changes were smaller, around ~5 mm/year, due to the minimal influence of tectonic activity. However, in the Sunda Strait region, the deformation was influenced by volcanic activity. The deformation occurring in Lampung Province and the Sunda Strait, based on GNSS velocity changes, significantly contributes to tectonic and volcanic activities.

Tracking a large‐scale and highly toxic Arctic algal bloom: Rapid detection and risk communication

AbstractIn recent years, blooms of the neurotoxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium catenella have been documented in Pacific Arctic waters, and the paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) that this species produces have been detected throughout the food web. These observations have raised significant concerns about the role that harmful algal blooms (HABs) will play in a rapidly changing Arctic. During a research cruise in summer 2022, a massive bloom of A. catenella was detected in real time as it was advected through the Bering Strait region. The bloom was exceptional in both spatial scale and density, extending &gt; 600 km latitudinally, reaching concentrations &gt; 174,000 cells L−1, and producing high‐potency PST congeners. Throughout the event, coastal stakeholders in the region were engaged and a multi‐faceted community response was mobilized. This unprecedented bloom highlighted the urgent need for response capabilities to ensure safe utilization of critical marine resources in a region that has little experience with HABs.

The Eurasian Arctic Ocean along the MOSAiC drift in 2019–2020: An interdisciplinary perspective on physical properties and processes

The Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC, 2019–2020), a year-long drift with the Arctic sea ice, has provided the scientific community with an unprecedented, multidisciplinary dataset from the Eurasian Arctic Ocean, covering high atmosphere to deep ocean across all seasons. However, the heterogeneity of data and the superposition of spatial and temporal variability, intrinsic to a drift campaign, complicate the interpretation of observations. In this study, we have compiled a quality-controlled physical hydrographic dataset with best spatio-temporal coverage and derived core parameters, including the mixed layer depth, heat fluxes over key layers, and friction velocity. We provide a comprehensive and accessible overview of the ocean conditions encountered along the MOSAiC drift, discuss their interdisciplinary implications, and compare common ocean climatologies to these new data. Our results indicate that, for the most part, ocean variability was dominated by regional rather than seasonal signals, carrying potentially strong implications for ocean biogeochemistry, ecology, sea ice, and even atmospheric conditions. Near-surface ocean properties were strongly influenced by the relative position of sampling, within or outside the river-water influenced Transpolar Drift, and seasonal warming and meltwater input. Ventilation down to the Atlantic Water layer in the Nansen Basin allowed for a stronger connectivity between subsurface heat and the sea ice and surface ocean via elevated upward heat fluxes. The Yermak Plateau and Fram Strait regions were characterized by heterogeneous water mass distributions, energetic ocean currents, and stronger lateral gradients in surface water properties in frontal regions. Together with the presented results and core parameters, we offer context for interdisciplinary research, fostering an improved understanding of the complex, coupled Arctic System.

Early Pliocene Ostracoda from the Jemmys Point Formation, Gippsland Basin, southeastern Australia: nearshore and offshore origins of biodiversity

Early Pliocene ostracod faunas of the Jemmys Point Formation, onshore Gippsland Basin, yield a rich and well-preserved marine ostracod fauna of mixed shallow marine and deep marine origins. The ostracod faunas evidence a marine continental shelf palaeoenvironment that, during the deposition of one stratigraphic interval, was influenced by a strong, persistent upwelling current. This upwelling current allowed the migration of deep-sea Ostracoda (Philoneptunus sp.) onto the continental shelf. The deeper marine aspect of this early Pliocene fauna, and of modern ostracod faunas from the Bass Strait region, evidence the adaptation of deep shelf taxonomic clades to shallow cool temperate shelf environments and highlights one unusual evolutionary mechanism that has contributed to modern Bass Strait shallow marine biodiversity. Four species are newly described: Neonesidea chapminuta sp. nov., Tasmanocypris salaputia sp. nov., Oculocytheropteron jemmyensis sp. nov., and Philoneptunus plutonis sp. nov. Abbey P. McDonald* [a.mcdonald@deakin.edu.au], School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia; Elizabeth A. Weldon [l.weldon@deakin.edu.au], School of Life and Environmental Sciences and Deakin Marine Research and Innovation Centre, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia; Mark T. Warne [mark.warne@deakin.edu.au], School of Life and Environmental Sciences and Deakin Marine Research and Innovation Centre, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia, and Museums Victoria, GPO Box 666, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia.

A mixed-methods evaluation: COVID Care in the Home, a public health response to the first omicron wave across the Torres and Cape region, Queensland

ObjectiveThe purpose of this article is to evaluate the COVID-19 Care in the Home (CCITH) program during the first COVID-19 omicron wave across Torres Strait and Cape York region of Far North Queensland in 2022. MethodsA mixed-method study: An online survey and semi-structured interviews of CCITH internal and external stakeholders and participants was utilised to develop a greater understanding of perspectives of the program. ResultsSurvey participants n=140. Most survey respondents did not attend hospital, emergency, or primary healthcare centre during isolation for medical assistance (82%, 115/140) and most strongly agreed/agreed (87%, 122/140) that the CCITH program cared for their health needs. Interview participants n=14. Thematic analysis of interviews verified survey responses and identified successes of this program including improved community relationships and primary healthcare centres and community members felt supported. Limitations included rapid changes to policies and roles and limited food availability during isolation. ConclusionsThe CCITH program highlights the resilience and self-determination of First Nations communities and primary health staff across the Torres Strait and Cape York throughout the first COVID-19 outbreak in the region. Implications for Public HealthThis virtual model of care could be employed in similar settings to improve service provision in both primary and public health to increase community safety and achieve good health outcomes.

Transformative Ecological and Human Impacts from Diminished Sea Ice in the Northern Bering Sea

Abstract Our goal is to tie climate-scale meteorology to regional physics and ecosystem changes and demonstrate a few resulting impacts to which regional peoples are having to respond in the Alaskan Bering Strait region. The sea ice loss events in the winters of 2017/18 and 2018/19 initiated a series of marine environmental, ecological, and industrial changes through a chain of connected events from jet-stream meanders, storms, southerly winds, warmer sea temperatures, and minimum sea ice cover. Resulting impacts continue as coastal communities respond to ongoing nutritional, cultural, and economic challenges. Global warming potentially initiated these events through a weakened atmospheric Arctic Front. Ecological shifts included a transition/reorganization of the Bering Strait regional marine ecosystem. Subsequent changes included shifts in zooplankton species, increases in large-bodied, predatory fish species moving northward, an ice seal unusual mortality event, and seven consecutive years of multispecies seabird die-offs. These changes in the marine ecosystem create a serious food security concern. Ongoing impacts include large, toxic harmful algal blooms and coastal erosion. Recent changes to the maritime industries of the transboundary waters of the Bering Strait include increased industrial ship traffic, planned development of the Port of Nome, and northward proximity of foreign fishing activity. Projections for the next decades are for an increasing frequency of low sea ice years and continuing ecosystem and industrial transitions that contribute to increasing economic and food security concerns for the 16 coastal communities that compose the Bering Strait region. Significance Statement Extreme events in the atmosphere/oceans and resultant record sea ice minimums in 2018 and 2019 were manifested in marine ecosystem transitions and maritime industry impacts. This led to ongoing concerns over the food safety and food security of marine resources essential to the nutritional, cultural, and economic well-being of Alaskan coastal communities of the Bering Strait region. Persistent weakening of the Arctic Front may signal an increased frequency of low sea ice events into the next decades.

Existence and Dynamics of The Islamic-Malay Sultanate Across The Malacca Strait: A Multifaceted Exploration Of Non-Western Ir Theories

The historical interactions among the Malay sultanates/kingdoms across the Malacca Strait offer a fascinating glimpse into the world of international relations beyond the Western lens. Based on the desire to build a non-Western IR theory, this study has highlighted the rich tapestry of cultural diversity, postcolonial struggles, local agency, alternative ideas, and hybridity that characterized the diplomatic landscape of these kingdoms. The struggle for power, strategic cooperation, and regionalism among the Malay kingdoms were deeply rooted in their cultural heritage, challenging the conventional narratives, and showcasing the resilience and adaptability of non-Western societies in shaping their international relations. As we reflect on these historical dynamics, it becomes evident that the lessons from the past continue to resonate in the contemporary global landscape, emphasizing the importance of embracing diverse perspectives and recognizing the agency of all nations in shaping the course of international relations. This study delves into the intricate historical interactions among the Islamic-Malay kingdoms in the Malacca Strait region. Employing a diverse array of non-Western International Relations (IR) theories, the research sheds light on the multifaceted dimensions of the diplomatic landscape in pre-modern Southeast Asia. Through an extensive library research approach, which involved the analysis of classic manuscripts and texts relevant to the topic, this study unveils the nuanced power struggles, strategic alliances, and regional cooperation mechanisms that shaped the Malay kingdoms' international relations. By delving into these historical records, the research provides a comprehensive understanding of how cultural context, postcolonial perspectives, local agency, alternative ideas, and hybridity influenced the diplomatic maneuvers of the Malay kingdoms, challenging conventional Western-centric narratives and showcasing the richness of non-Western IR theories.

Pressure Flakers of Late Neolithic Forest Hunter-Gatherer-Fishers of Eastern Europe and Their Remote Counterparts

Abstract The remarkable group of tools was detected among the hunter-gatherer-fishers’ archaeological materials of the East European Plain central part dated around 3500–2700 BC. The so-called “crooked items” were initially interpreted as ritual phallic depictions, but now after conducting a more detailed analysis of their morphology, technology, and use-wear, it became clear that we deal with pressure flakers used to process flint tools. The most astonishing fact is that the straight parallel to these tools exists, coming from the opposite side of the globe, namely, the Bering Strait region – Kamchatka, Chukotka, and Alaska, where the same tools are known quite well both in archaeological and ethnographical collections. In this study, we discuss the results of use-wear analysis of both handles and removable tips from the Central Russian settlements of Moscow, Ivanovo, and Yaroslavl regions dated the second half of the fourth to the beginning of the third millennium BC.

Proterozoic - basal Cambrian stratigraphy across Nares Strait: correlation between Inglefield Land and Bache Peninsula

In the Kane Basin region of Nares Strait (78° to 79°N) unmetamorphosed Proterozoic and basal Cambrian platform strata overlie the Precambrian Shield both in Inglefield Land in Greenland, and on Bache Peninsula in Ellesmere Island. The platform succession is composed of two shallow-water elastic sequences separated by an erosional disconformity. The lower formation, of multicoloured sandstone and siltstone with minor shale and stromatolitic dolomite, is assigned to the redefined Rensselaer Bay Formation; the upper, composed of red and overlying white sandstone with dolomitic sandstone and siltstone at the top, is assigned to the Dallas Bugt Formation. Basic sills from the Rensselaer Bay Formation have yielded isotopic ages as old as 1200 m.y., while the trace fossils Rusophycus and Skolithos suggest a basal Cambrian age for the Dallas Bugt Formation.&#x0D; The platform sequences of Inglefield Land and Bache Peninsula show striking similarity in lithology and thickness and the detail correlation is supported by the evidence from isotopic ages of basic sills and from trace fossils. In both areas the bipartite succession is overlain with apparent conformity by dolomites that pass upwards into limestones containing Early Cambrian macrofauna.&#x0D; The Rensselaer Bay Formation thickens southwards and passes into the much thicker sedimentary sequence of the Thule Basin, while the Dallas Bugt Formation and the overlying dolomites thicken northwards, indicating that the two formations were laid down in separate sedimentary basins. The close correlation of the platform successions and the corresponding configuration of the depositional slopes on both sides of the Kane Basin clearly indicate that the Proterozoic - Early Cambrian sedimentary pattern has not been radically disturbed by tectonism or by any appreciable transcurrent movement along Nares Strait.

Factors influencing the community participation approaches used in Aedes mosquito management in the Torres Strait, Australia

BackgroundAedes-borne disease risk is increasing in tropical and sub-tropical regions across the globe. While Aedes-borne disease continues to disproportionally affect low- and middle-income countries, parts of high-income countries, such as the Torres Strait region in Australia are also at risk. The Torres Strait is a group of islands located between Cape York Peninsula in far north Queensland, Australia and Papua New Guinea. The Torres Strait has both Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti and is close to Papua New Guinea where dengue fever is endemic. Managing Aedes-borne disease risk requires a range of strategies, including community participation. Existing research shows that high-income countries tend to favour government-led (top-down) informing approaches when engaging communities in Aedes mosquito management. Little is known about the factors that influence the choice of community participation approaches in Aedes mosquito management particularly in a high-income country setting, such as Australia. This research contributes to filling this knowledge gap by exploring the community participation approaches used in Aedes mosquito management and the factors influencing these choices in the Torres Strait.Methods16 semi-structured interviews were conducted with local government and state government agencies working in Aedes mosquito management in the Torres Strait. Six key mosquito management plans and policies were also reviewed. Thematic analysis was used to identify, analyse and attribute meaning from the data collected.ResultsA range of community participation approaches were used within the two main Aedes mosquito management programs (Aedes albopictus Elimination Program and the Torres Strait Island Regional Council, Environmental Health Program) in the Torres Strait. These approaches included door-to-door inspections, awareness raising strategies, and community clean-up events. Approaches were chosen for reasons related to regulations, attitude and beliefs, and resourcing.ConclusionsThis study revealed the use of both top-down and bottom-up approaches to engaging the community in Aedes mosquito management in the Torres Strait. These findings contribute to a better understanding of why bottom-up approaches are used, which is valuable for shaping future policy decisions. This study also provides suggestions on ways to enhance community participation in the Torres Strait, which could also be considered in other similar tropical regions.

Efficient Optimization of a Regional Water Elevation Model With an Automatically Generated Adjoint

AbstractCalibration of unknown model parameters is a common task in many ocean model applications. We present an adjoint‐based optimization of an unstructured mesh shallow water model for the Baltic Sea. Spatially varying bottom friction parameter is tuned to minimize the misfit with respect to tide gauge sea surface height (SSH) observations. A key benefit of adjoint‐based optimization is that computational cost does not depend on the number of unknown variables. Adjoint models are, however, typically very laborious to implement. In this work, we leverage a domain specific language framework in which the discrete adjoint model can be obtained automatically. The adjoint model is both exactly compatible with the discrete forward model and computationally efficient. A gradient‐based quasi‐Newton method is used to minimize the misfit. Optimizing spatially‐variable parameters is typically an under‐determined problem and can lead to over‐fitting. We employ Hessian‐based regularization to penalize the spatial curvature of the friction field to overcome this problem. The SSH dynamics in the Baltic Sea are simulated for a 3‐month period. Optimization of the bottom friction parameter results in significant improvement of the model performance. The results are especially encouraging in the complex Danish Straits region, highlighting the benefit of unstructured meshes. Domain specific language frameworks enable automated model analysis and provide easy access to adjoint modeling. Our application shows that this capability can be enabled with few efforts, and the optimization procedure is robust and computationally efficient.

Novel peeling skin condition in neonatal Pacific walruses, Saint Lawrence Island, Alaska, USA.

We describe here a novel peeling skin condition (PSC) in 2 neonatal Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus subsp. divergens). Macroscopically, calves had various degrees of peeling skin exacerbated by mechanical trauma. Lesions occurred in areas subject to friction: ventrum, fore- and hindflippers, and associated joints. Histopathologic features included pseudocarcinomatous epithelial hyperplasia with orthokeratotic hyperkeratosis. Bacterial cocci were present within the stratum corneum. A few intraepidermal clefts were present. Inflammation, epidermolysis, and vasculopathies were not observed. PCR assays were negative for vesivirus and for Staphylococcus aureus exfoliative and toxic shock syndrome toxins. Tissue samples were cultured and bacteria isolated and identified by MALDI-TOF MS as Carnobacterium maltaromaticum, Psychrobacter phenylpyruvicus, Globicatella sanguinis, Streptococcus phocae, Pseudomonas spp., Rahnella aquatilis, and Escherichia coli. Given the young age of the calves and their clinical presentation, congenital ichthyosis was suspected. No genetic differences were detected for sequenced portions of keratin genes (keratin gene K10) between diseased and normal walrus skin. This rare PSC in neonatal Pacific walruses is recognized as novel by indigenous Alaskan marine mammal hunters of the Bering Strait region. A comprehensive diagnostic work-up of future case materials is needed to characterize the underlying biochemical defect(s).

The Role of Spain in Ibero-American Cooperation

This article examines one of the most actual issues of Spanish foreign policy: the role of Spain in Ibero-American cooperation. The historical background and claims of Spain and Morocco to these disputed territories, which are used by it to substantiate its claims, are presented. The problem is far from being resolved: the migrant crisis in Ceuta in May 2021 and Morocco’s claims to the cities of Ceuta and Melilla confirm the difficult situation in the Strait region for Spanish foreign policy. The article deals with territorial issues in the Strait, in which Spain has jurisdiction, powers and special responsibility, using cooperation with the EU as a short- and long-term strategy.

Extrapolation of electromagnetic pointing error corrections for Sentinel-1 Doppler currents from land areas to the open ocean

By utilizing single-look complex data from synthetic aperture radar (SAR), the Doppler centroid anomaly method (DCA) can be employed to determine the velocity of the sea surface current field along the radar line-of-sight direction. However, due to the influence of platform or antenna perturbations, SAR Doppler shift measurements are subject to electromagnetic pointing error (EPE). These errors can typically be reduced by using echo information from land areas (including islands) within the SAR images to correct the Doppler shift. This allows the successful estimation of Doppler shifts due to sea surface factors and, in turn, the retrieval of ocean currents in the radar line-of-sight. However, in cases where SAR images lack data over land, uncorrectable EPE can result in significant inaccuracies in the retrieval of ocean currents. This study utilizes data captured by Sentinel-1A on four orbits in the Florida Strait region of the Gulf Stream from July 2020 to October 2022 to investigate the variation characteristics of EPE. To address the issues of calculating these in SAR images lacking land data, an EPE fitting method is proposed. The correction significantly reduces the error of S1A retrieved current velocity compared with line-of-sight current velocity from the HYCOM model and in situ HF radar, indicating that the proposed method provides an effective way to reduce the impact of EPE in SAR images, even when land is not directly observed.

Structure and morphology of an active conjugate relay zone, Messina Strait, southern Italy

AbstractMessina Strait is a narrow fault‐bounded marine basin that separates the Calabrian peninsula from Sicily in southern Italy. It sits in a seismically active region where normal fault scarps and raised Quaternary marine terraces record ongoing extension driven by southeastward rollback of the Calabrian subduction zone. A review of published studies and new data shows that normal faults in the Messina Strait region define a conjugate relay zone where displacement is transferred along strike from NW‐dipping normal faults in the northeast (southern Calabria) to the SE‐dipping Messina‐Taormina normal fault in the southwest (offshore eastern Sicily). The narrow marine strait is a graben undergoing active subsidence within the relay zone, where pronounced curvature of normal faults results from large strain gradients and clockwise rotations related to fault interactions. Based on regional fault geometries and published age constraints, we infer that normal faults in southern Calabria migrated northwest while normal faults in NE Sicily migrated southeast during the past ca. 2–2.5 Myr. This pattern has resulted in tectonic narrowing of the strait through time by inward migration of facing normal faults and rapid mantle‐driven uplift.

The Influence of Butterflies and Bees on Old Bering Sea Visual Art

Insects are a common sight across much of the circumpolar region during the summer season and have a multi-faceted cultural significance to Indigenous peoples across North America’s Arctic and the Bering Strait region. Historians and ethnologists in the 19th and 20th centuries documented contemporary Indigenous interactions and beliefs involving insects, notably butterflies, moths, and bees. However, these investigations inferred comparatively little about the understanding among ancient Arctic peoples and the influence of insects in their lives. By examining a select group of Old Bering Sea (OBS) ivory artifacts, I identify insect-related designs on OBS hunting implements and investigate the correlation between these designs and the potential implications of their inclusion on these objects. I attempt to challenge the vertebrate bias present in the study of Arctic prehistory and relational ecology and suggest that insects have a deeper cultural influence than has been previously acknowledged.