Warm sea currents are responsible for the melting of the Antarctic ice shelves
Researchers from the British Antarctic Service (BAS) have established that warm sea currents are the main cause of the melting of the ice in Antarctica. The ice is being melted by sea currents that are warming the base of the ice shelves. Once these have melted, the glaciers that they were holding back flow more quickly into the ocean. This discovery should help scientists to make a more accurate prediction of the rise in sea levels caused by this melting.
A Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Programme report for the Arctic Council presented at a conference in Montreal shows that the population of mammals and fish increased in the Arctic between 1970 and 2007, while the number of sea birds went down. At the same conference, scientists called for a ban on fishing, which is being made easier by the melting of the ice in the region.
Bioluminescence (production of light) is thought to occur in 10 % of shark species, especially those that live deep down. Light is produced by a hormone known as prolactin and is used as a camouflage against predators that are below them and to communicate in the dark. Julien CLAES from the Catholic University of Louvain says that this function probably evolved from the ability of sharks in shallow waters to change the colour of their skin in order to blend in with their environment.
On 26 April, the “Institut Français de Recherche pour l’Exploitation de la MER” (IFREMER) oceanographic vessel Thalassa embarked on an observation campaign to assess the stocks of small sea fish (anchovies, sardines, mackerel, sprats…) in the Gulf of Gascony. This inventory is an essential preliminary to any decisions about fishing quotas. One aspect unique in Europe, the ship will be supported by professional fishing trawlers with the financial support of “France Filière Pêche”.
Albert FALCO, who travelled with Jacques-Yves COUSTEAU and was the captain of his oceanographic vessel Calypso, died on 21 April 2012 in Marseille at the age of 84. During a life totally dedicated to diving and the protection of marine life, he was also one of the first “oceanauts” to live for several days under the sea as part of the Precontinent I experiment, and chief pilot of the “diving saucer” Denise. His death comes shortly after the creation of the Calanques National Park, for which he fought for many years.
A report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) warns that climate change could aggravate water stress on the Pacific islands, especially the small islands that depend on the seasonal rains for their water needs. It is vital to make more efficient use of the resource in order to meet the basic needs of the population and promote sustainable development, said the UNEP regional manager.
Researchers from the SENCKENBERG Institute of Research (Germany) and the DE LA SALLE University (Philippines) have discovered four new species of freshwater purple crabs on the island of Palawan. The species are endemic, which means that they are found only on this island, like half of the species that live here. This makes the threat caused by a number of mining projects on this biodiversity “hot spot” even greater.
Despite a leak in the bow caused by a collision with an unidentified floating object, the yacht Groupama 4 sailed by Franck CAMMAS and his crew earned a historic victory on 10 March, winning the fourth stage of the Volvo Ocean Race in Auckland (New Zealand). This round-the-world crewed yachting race in stages is for single-hull boats and has taken over from the Whitbread Round the World Race. It’s the first victory by a Frenchman since Alain GABBAY’s win in 1977-1978.
