No abstract

a b s t r a c t a r t i c l e i n f oThe West Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) has experienced marked recent climate change. Air temperature increased by ≤ 3°C since the 1950s, glaciers are in retreat, and adjacent ocean sea ice cover has decreased. WAP also exhibits considerable inter-annual ocean-atmosphere variability, governed by the Southern Hemisphere Annular Mode (SAM) and by the Antarctic Dipole (ADI), which is itself modulated by ENSO. Both climate trends and oscillations affect WAP ecosystems, but sound evidence for mechanistic coupling of distinct processes to climate change is scarce. We analyzed decadal variability in shell growth over the past 49 years for the bivalve Laternula elliptica at Maxwell Bay, King George Island. Distinct changes in shell growth pattern include a near doubling of specific growth rate, a 25% decrease in maximum size, and a shift in individual energy expenditure from production to respiration. ENSO forces shell growth through local air temperature that constitutes the major link between regional climate forcing and the direct marine drivers of L. elliptica growth. The close coupling of shell growth to local and regional climate variability renders L. elliptica a promising tool for tracking climate forcing of Antarctic coastal systems in general, as well as for the reconstruction of coastal ecosystem variability from fossil shells.

A hepatopancreatic parvo-like virus (HPV) infect~on was identified in the hepatopancreata of moribund Penaeus japonicus postlarvae from a hatchery in Queensland. The virus formed basophilic, fine granular intranuclear inclusion bodies within the hepatopancreocytes. These caused nuclear hypertrophy and displacement of the nucleolus. Subsphencal viral particles, 17-20 nm in diameter, were observed embedded within the inclusions. We wlll refer to this virus as HPV to avoid confusion within the literature. However, molecular data is required to definitively identify this virus as HPV.

A major vector for unintentional species introductions is international shipping. A wide range of organisms have been transported over long distances in ships' ballast tanks and as hull fouling. Although many desk studies and ship sampling programmes have been carried out, little information is available on changing numbers of individuals in ballast water during voyages. Detailed information could assist in evaluating the dimension of species import and future risks of unintentional species introductions by ballast water. The first European study, organised as a concerted action team and financed by the European Union, carried out several long‐term and short‐term workshops on board ships undertaking international voyages. The preliminary results from sampling the ballast water of the first four oceangoing workshops of this Concerted Action showed a decrease in numbers of specimens and taxa over time.