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The past few years have been marked by a drastic increase in pathogen spillover events. However, the extent and taxonomic range at which these events take place remain as crucial unanswered questions in many host–pathogen systems. Here, we take advantage of opportunistically sampled bird carcasses from the South Island of New Zealand, with the aim of identifying Plasmodium spp. infections in native and endemic New Zealand seabird species. In total, six samples from five bird species were positive for avian malaria, including four of which were successfully sequenced and identified as Plasmodium matutinum LINN1 lineage. These results provide new Plasmodium infection records in seabirds, including the first documented case in Procellariiformes in New Zealand, highlighting the potential disease risk to these species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The order Procellariiformes includes several species of seabirds that perform long-distance migrations crossing all the oceans. These movements may contribute to the dispersal and exchange of hemoparasites, such as haemosporidians. There is a lack of studies regarding the order Haemosporida in Procellariiformes, and, to date, only the genus Plasmodium has been reported. This survey investigated the occurrence of the three genera of haemosporidians, Plasmodium, Haemoproteus, and Leucocytozoon, in samples collected between 2013 and 2022 from 95 individuals of 14 species of Procellariiformes from southern Brazil, including live animals in rehabilitation centers, individuals caught as incidental bycatch, and carcasses found along the coast. A total of 171 samples of blood and fragments of liver and spleen were analyzed, with extracted DNA being subjected to a nested PCR followed by phylogeny analysis. All animals were negative for Plasmodium spp. and Leucocytozoon spp., but one Black-browed Albatross (Thalassarche melanophris) and one Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) specimen were positive for Haemoproteus spp. The sequences obtained from positive seabirds did not show 100% similarity with other known lineages available in the MalAvi database and thus were probably novel lineages. However, one sequence clustered together with Haemoproteus noctuae, a parasite from Strigiformes, while the other was grouped with Haemoproteus columbae, which is classically related to Columbiformes. These results suggest that both positive animals may have become infected when beached or in rehabilitation centers by a spillover of vectors from local birds. This highlights the importance of surveillance of the health of Procellariiformes regarding the possibility of dissemination of new pathogens in different bird populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The simulation of the initial stress field of coal rock generally generalizes the coal seam, roof and floor and overlying rock layer into isotropic plates, and the stress field simulation of the entire wellfield scale has certain limitations if this method is adopted. In order to accurately construct the coal and rock physical property parameters model under complex geological conditions, the 3D model that conforms to the fluctuation of coal seam was constructed by using Petrel software platform, well point data interpolation, seismic data liaison control, well logging data calculation and laboratory test data correction. The bending energy index of the coal seam roof in the study area is calculated, the bursting liability of the roof is preliminarily evaluated, and the roof is divided according to the evaluation criteria.

Underwater gliders are unmanned undersea vehicles that utilize hydrodynamic principles to glide through water. They rely on a range of technologies, including overall design principles such as hydrodynamic shape and pressure-resistant hull, specific unit technologies such as buoyancy-driven propulsion, attitude adjustment, energy management, intelligent control, and sensor integration, as well as application technologies such as path planning and collaborative networking. The deep-sea intelligent equipment team at Tianjin University has made significant advancements in the development of underwater gliders in China, having spent over 20 years since 2002 designing and refining their flagship model, the Petrel. This vehicle has achieved a high level of performance in critical areas such as working depth, endurance, and sensor integration. This review presents an overview of the key technologies, advanced methods, and innovative theories that have been used in the development of the Petrel series, including its overall design, buoyancy-driven propulsion system, energy management, collaborative networking, and sea trial applications. Additionally, we explore the potential of bionic technology to inform the future development of underwater glider technology. This review seeks to afford valuable insights that will inform the continued rapid advancement of unmanned undersea vehicle technology in China.

Grey-faced Petrels (Pterodroma gouldi) are colonial burrowing seabirds predominantly nesting on offshore islands of the upper North Island of New Zealand. We studied their chick provisioning on Te Hāwere-a-Maki during two years of unfavourable warmer La Niña conditions in 2011 and 2013. We intensively monitored chicks in each year, weighing chicks every 12 h for 10 consecutive days to estimate meal sizes following chick provisioning and to estimate 12-hourly body mass loss as a function of time since last feeding. We found a quadratic relationship of body mass loss with time since last feeding, with rapid digestion of meals following provisioning followed by a period of fasting from five days post feeding as chicks waited an unknown and variable amount of time until their next meal. The rate of body mass loss did not depend on chick age nor body mass, and did not differ between years, but heavier chicks included in our study were more likely to successfully fledge, suggesting a legacy of adult provisioning prior to our study commencing. Our regular handling of chicks for monitoring has no discernible impact on parent provisioning compared to a set of control chicks. The mean estimates of 100-gram meal sizes and 10-day foraging trip durations are likely to be below the break-even point for this species.

The tectono-sedimentary history of Gippsland Basin from the Early Cretaceous to present was modelled using Badlands landscape software constrained by a 3D structural and stratigraphic Petrel model. The aim is to assess the theoretical sedimentary models using empirical data to better understand the sedimentary history for this rift basin. The models measure the relative effects and most significant variables for basin evolution, including climate, deposition and erosion with extension, subsidence, uplift and eustacy. They show how the detailed basin landscapes evolved and provide new insights to understand facies development in the basin. Early Cretaceous paleotopography ca 137 Ma had extensive highland areas to north, east and south of a rapidly subsiding intracratonic rift with sediment transport east to west. The simulated paleoenvironments are alluvial and fluvial with floodplain lakes developing into extensive lake systems further west. The mid-Cretaceous uplift changed basin architecture, initiating the Strzelecki Ranges and regional erosion. Tasman Sea rifting in early Late Cretaceous formed the Central Deep further east and flipped the paleodrainage eastwards. Latrobe Group sediments filled this smaller depocentre to the east starting with rapidly deposited very thick intracratonic fluvial and lacustrine sediments becoming more coastal plain and shallow marine up section, with Emperor, Golden Beach and Halibut subgroups containing reservoirs and potential source rocks for petroleum. Rising sea-levels in the Late Cretaceous transgressed most of the Latrobe Group by the Oligocene. Simulations from Oligocene to Holocene show less extensive non-marine deposition onshore with incised valleys and very thick coals, while a widespread carbonate shelf built and prograded offshore, periodically cut by submarine canyons. Scenario analysis for 13 variables shows that no single factor is the main control on rift basin evolution; rather basin history is shaped by interactions between climate, uplift, erosion, subsidence and deposition. These controls usually balance sea-level except where it changes rapidly. Numerical tectono-sedimentary basin history reconstruction constrained by empirical data requires a balance of uplift, sediment supply and subsidence. Paleolandscape simulation in the Gippsland Basin from Early Cretaceous to present-day shows how the detailed facies distribution changed with time. New potential reservoirs and source rocks are recognised within the Cretaceous Strzelecki Group, Emperor and Golden Beach subgroups. Organic-rich Turonian source rocks were deposited in restricted lacustrine intra-rift settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grey-faced Petrels (Pterodroma gouldi) are a colonial burrowing seabird predominantly nesting on offshore islands of the upper North Island of New Zealand. We studied their annual breeding biology and the impact of Southern Oscillation Index climatic effects by measuring colony productivity and chick growth rates from 2011 to 2015 on Te Hāwere-a-Maki as unfavorable warmer La Niña conditions changed to favorable cooler El Niño conditions. Across all five years, annual chick hatching consistently occurred within a one-week period at the end of August but fledging variably occurred over a three-week period following Christmas. Because ship rats are pest controlled on Te Hāwere-a-Maki, we found only a slight reduction in breeding success with nearby predator-free islands. However, chick growth and fledging rates were significantly higher under El Niño conditions occurring towards the end of our study, rather than La Niña conditions at the start of our study. Our regular handling of chicks for monitoring had no discernible impact compared to a set of control chicks. The combined impacts of annual variation in predation and climate mean the Grey-faced Petrel colony on Te Hāwere-a-Maki maintains a constant population size of around 100 burrows.

Simple Summary: Grey-faced Petrels breed on islands around the upper North Island of New Zealand and raise one chick per year from September to December. Parents forage at sea and return to the colony intermittently to feed chicks. We monitored the feeding rate of chicks every 12 h for 10 consecutive days in 2011 and 2013 at the colony on Te Hāwere-a-Maki (Goat Island). In both years tropical Pacific Ocean winds bringing warmer surface air temperatures made raising chicks more difficult for parents. We found chicks processed their meals during the day and conserved energy from five days after their last meal, not knowing when their next meal might arrive. Body mass loss after meals did not depend on chick age nor body mass, but heavier chicks were more likely to survive. Measurements of feeding rates of chicks that were not included in our study showed no negative effect of our intensive monitoring on feeding rates of chicks in our study. Chicks being fed on average 100-gram meals every 10 days from each parent is unlikely to sustain them. Grey-faced Petrels (Pterodroma gouldi) are colonial burrowing seabirds predominantly nesting on offshore islands of the upper North Island of New Zealand. We studied their chick provisioning on Te Hāwere-a-Maki during two years of unfavourable warmer La Niña conditions in 2011 and 2013. We intensively monitored chicks in each year, weighing chicks every 12 h for 10 consecutive days to estimate meal sizes following chick provisioning and to estimate 12-hourly body mass loss as a function of time since last feeding. We found a quadratic relationship of body mass loss with time since last feeding, with rapid digestion of meals following provisioning followed by a period of fasting from five days post feeding as chicks waited an unknown and variable amount of time until their next meal. The rate of body mass loss did not depend on chick age nor body mass, and did not differ between years, but heavier chicks included in our study were more likely to successfully fledge, suggesting a legacy of adult provisioning prior to our study commencing. Our regular handling of chicks for monitoring has no discernible impact on parent provisioning compared to a set of control chicks. The mean estimates of 100-gram meal sizes and 10-day foraging trip durations are likely to be below the break-even point for this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maximising survey efficiency can help reduce the tradeoff between spending limited conservation resources on identifying population changes and responding to those changes through management. Burrow‐nesting seabirds are particularly challenging to survey because nests cannot be counted directly. We evaluated a stratified random survey design for generating unbiased population estimates simultaneously for four petrel species nesting on Macquarie Island, Australia, where the survey cue, burrow entrances, is similar for all species. We also compared the use of design‐based and model‐based analyses for minimising uncertainty in estimates. We recorded 2845 Antarctic prion burrows, 306 white‐headed petrel burrows and two blue petrel burrows while distance‐sampling along 154 km of transects. For blue petrels and grey petrels, we completed nocturnal searches along a further 71 km and searched 249 km of tracks during follow‐up ground searches. We failed to generate unbiased population estimates for two rare and localised species, blue and grey petrels, from our stratified random survey. Only for the most widespread and abundant species, Antarctic prion, did the estimate have reasonable power to detect a rapid population change. Model‐based analyses of the stratified random survey data did not improve upon traditional design‐based analyses in terms of uncertainty in population estimates, but they did provide useful spatial representation of current populations. Models that used the targeted survey data did not reflect current population sizes and distributions of the two rare and localised species. We found that when species ecologies, distributions and abundances vary, a multi‐method approach to surveys is needed. Species with low abundance that occur patchily across large islands are likely to be best estimated using targeted surveys, whereas widespread and abundant species can be accurately and precisely estimated from randomised surveys using informative model‐based analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mature fields have been playing a significant role in the oil and gas realm recently, and redevelopment and optimization efforts are being made globally to prolong the lifetime of these resources. The aim of this study is to showcase the benefits of hydrocarbon reservoir modelling, with a special focus on various aspects of Petrel workflows. This article is a direct continuation of Nemes et al. (2021), which described the Phase 1 geomodel of the same field described in this study. The Phase 2 geomodel – the scope of the current article – is based on a significantly more complete, more detailed, and fundamentally rebuilt dataset compared to Phase 1. The seismic and petrophysical interpretations were updated, and additional data sources were incorporated into the analysis. The geomodel was created in Schlumberger's Petrel software, and during the building of it, a comprehensive 800-plus-step, full-cycle, automated workflow was outlined. The created workflow makes the model update faster by a minimum of five times, makes it more transparent and decreases the risk of human error. The created workflow describes the entire geomodelling process from data loading, via surface adjustments, structural modelling, and property modelling, to a closing of the loop with volumetric calculation. The whole workflow can be rerun easily, and beside the updates made to the geomodel, a full range of quality-check supporting calculations and visualizations were created in order to provide the user with full control. The geomodel showcased here is a key building block of the ongoing and planned development and redevelopment activities in the field, serves as a tool for well and workover planning, water injection system adjustments and a direct input to dynamic simulation, and also provides direct inputs to the documentation of an updated field development plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Grey-faced Petrels breed on islands around the upper North Island of New Zealand and raise one chick per year from September to December. We regularly (weekly or fortnightly) monitored the growth rates of chicks from 2011 to 2015 at the colony on Te Hāwere-a-Maki (Goat Island). Monthly variation in tropical Pacific Ocean winds bringing warmer surface air temperatures was found to negatively affect the growth rates of chicks, ultimately causing important annual differences in chick growth rates and colony productivity. This pattern is likely to be consistent across other Grey-faced Petrel colonies on islands in the Hauraki Gulf. Measurements of chicks that were not included in our study at the end of each breeding season showed no negative effects of our regular monitoring on the growth rates of chicks in our study. Due to the combined impacts of predation and climate, the Grey-faced Petrel colony on Te Hāwere-a-Maki remains at a constant size. Grey-faced Petrels (Pterodroma gouldi) are a colonial burrowing seabird predominantly nesting on offshore islands of the upper North Island of New Zealand. We studied their annual breeding biology and the impact of Southern Oscillation Index climatic effects by measuring colony productivity and chick growth rates from 2011 to 2015 on Te Hāwere-a-Maki as unfavorable warmer La Niña conditions changed to favorable cooler El Niño conditions. Across all five years, annual chick hatching consistently occurred within a one-week period at the end of August but fledging variably occurred over a three-week period following Christmas. Because ship rats are pest controlled on Te Hāwere-a-Maki, we found only a slight reduction in breeding success with nearby predator-free islands. However, chick growth and fledging rates were significantly higher under El Niño conditions occurring towards the end of our study, rather than La Niña conditions at the start of our study. Our regular handling of chicks for monitoring had no discernible impact compared to a set of control chicks. The combined impacts of annual variation in predation and climate mean the Grey-faced Petrel colony on Te Hāwere-a-Maki maintains a constant population size of around 100 burrows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the behavior of birds around tall structures such as electrical-transmission lines, communication towers, and wind turbines is important in assessing the potential effects of those structures on bird populations; it is especially important for threatened or endangered species. We studied responses of the mostly crepuscular/nocturnal Hawaiian Petrel (Pterodroma sandwichensis) and the mostly nocturnal Newell's (Townsend's) Shearwater (Puffinus newelli ; Aves: Procellariiformes) to coastal and near-coastal transmission lines on Kaua'i Island, Hawai'i, USA, in 1992–2002. Hawaiian Petrels responded to transmission lines significantly more often (19.1% of the time; N = 209) than Newell's Shearwaters did (7.4%; N = 392), responded significantly more often with decreasing distance from a line, and responded significantly less often if a study-site was dark (i.e. unlit by ambient lights from nearby towns) than if it was light (i.e. lit by ambient lights from nearby towns), regardless of whether the sky was light (i.e. daylight or crepuscular light conditions) or dark (nocturnal light conditions). In contrast, Newell's Shearwaters showed little variation in response rates by distance or by whether the study-site or sky was light or dark. Hawaiian Petrels mostly responded to transmission lines by changing flight velocity and flight altitude, whereas Newell's Shearwaters mostly responded by changing flight direction and flight altitude. The higher responserates and more-buoyant flight characteristics of Hawaiian Petrels than Newell's Shearwaters may contribute to lower rates of fatality of Hawaiian Petrels than Newell's Shearwaters at coastal and near-coastal transmission lines on Kaua'i. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Islands worldwide have suffered seabird extinctions after the arrival of humans and the alien species they introduced. On Santa Luzia (Cabo Verde), an uninhabited island of 35 km2, the presence of an impressive quantity of petrel bones in coastal dunes suggested the previous existence of an important seabird colony. Yet, these remains had not been identified and no seabird extinctions have been reported for the island. This paper characterizes the extinct seabird colony of Santa Luzia and discusses the chronology and possible causes of its demise. A total of 130 grid points in a 5 km2 area and 38 supplementary points within and outside the main study area were excavated to collect bone remains. A total of 1318 anatomical elements, identified as White-faced Storm Petrel Pelagodroma marina eadesorum (85.3% of the minimum number of individuals, MNI), Boyd's Shearwater Puffinus lherminieri boydi (11.8% MNI) and Cape Verde Storm Petrel Hydrobates jabejabe (2.9% MNI), were found in 18% of the sampling points, within 1.25 km2. Neither of the two former species currently breeds on Santa Luzia. In addition, two bones of the Cape Verde Shearwater Calonectris edwardsii and Pterodroma sp. were detected in the supplementary points. Radiocarbon dating of White-faced Storm Petrel (n = 10) and Boyd's Shearwater bones (n = 13) suggests that the colony probably went extinct during the first half of the twentieth century. The recent extinction of these species on Santa Luzia might be consequent on the arrival of humans and their domestic animals on the island. We estimate that the extinct seabird populations must have been at least hundreds of thousand strong, far larger than current populations of the same species in Cabo Verde. We suggest that, following feral cat eradication, Santa Luzia has a significant potential for seabird restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe a new Procellaria petrel species from the late Pliocene of Taranaki, New Zealand. The new species is most similar morphologically to the White-Chinned Petrel (P. aequinoctialis), Spectacled Petrel (P. conspicillata) and the Westland Petrel (P. westlandica). Compared with those taxa, the new species has a deeper and shorter premaxilla, longer coracoid and shorter wings, while its legs are a similar size. Today, New Zealand is the centre of global diversity of the genus, with four breeding species. This is the first fossil species of Procellaria to be described from New Zealand, attesting to a reasonably long history of this genus in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Seabirds are impacted by coastal light pollution, leading to massive mortality events. Juveniles comprise the majority of affected individuals, while adults are only seldom grounded and reported in rescue programs. We propose a connection between visual system development of burrow nesting seabirds and the observed higher vulnerability to light pollution by a specific age group. We illustrate the need for multidisciplinary research to better understand and further mitigate light‐induced mortality.

Seabirds are impacted by coastal light pollution, leading to massive mortality events. Juveniles comprise the majority of affected individuals, while adults are only seldom grounded and reported in rescue programs. We propose a connection between visual system development of burrow nesting seabirds and the observed higher vulnerability to light pollution by a specific age group. We illustrate the need for multidisciplinary research to better understand and further mitigate light‐induced mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Producing undesirable phases like water oil wells is a challenging problem in the oil industry. Water coning could be classified as one of the main reasons for that problem, as water coning is defined as a rate-sensitive phenomenon generally associated with high drawdown across the reservoirs to achieve high producing oil rates. Water coning is a near-wellbore phenomenon develops once the pressure forces drawing fluids toward the perforations overcome the buoyancy forces that segregate water from oil. This study implements Nexus simulation to build different mechanistic models with different parameters known in the literature that affect water coning formation in oil reservoirs. Simulating water coning is very challenging due to the instabilities of matrixes solvers in numerical simulators due to severe saturation change near wellbore unless very small-time steps and small grid sizes were used. The enormous number of simulation runs are used to quantify the effect of every parameter on the progress of water to form conning around the wellbore. Neural Network was built using the input and output parameters of data from the simulation runs to have a simple approach of calculation critical rate of production and how the parameter uncertainty would affect the formation of coning and finally the ultimate oil recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assessed the interspecific variability in plastic ingested by albatrosses and petrels using bycaught birds from fisheries of the Southwest Atlantic. From 107 stomachs examined, 4.17 % of the albatrosses and 62.86 % of the petrels contained plastics. Macronectes halli and Ardenna gravis had 100 % of occurrence. They were followed by Procellaria conspicillata (75 %), Procellaria aequinoctialis (47.62 %), T. melanophris (4.35 %) and T. chlororhynchos (0 %). The most common groups of plastics by size, type and color, were mesoplastics (5–20 mm), user plastics and white-clear items, respectively. Larger species tend to ingest larger items with greater surfaces. Together with evidence from other studies, our results indicate that interspecific differences in the occurrence and the dimensions of plastics appear to be associated with digestive tract morphology, foraging techniques, body size, interaction with fishing vessels, and with the availability of plastics at the sea surface. • We assessed the ingestion of plastic by albatrosses and petrels off the Uruguayan coast. • From 107 specimens examined, 23.36 % contained plastic items in their stomachs. • The frequency of occurrence of plastics was 62.86 % for petrels and 4.17 % for albatrosses. • User plastics, mesoplastics and white-clear items were most common type of plastics. • Larger species tend to ingest larger items with greater surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Procellariiform seabirds (petrels, albatrosses and shearwaters) navigate vast distances over seemingly featureless ocean habitat by mechanisms that are not well understood. These birds have large olfactory bulbs, and the use of smell has been implicated in both foraging and homing behavior. While many olfactory cues relevant to these behaviors have been identified, ammonia is a potentially significant, biogenic, scented compound that has not been studied in this context. Ammonium (NH4+) constitutes a primary waste product produced by many of the prey species on which procellariiforms forage. Nitrogen waste products, including volatilized ammonia (NH3) also scent the terrestrial landscape of sub-Antarctic islands where newly breeding procellariiform seabirds recruit and raise their young. Since an ability to smell ammonia may be relevant to both prey detection and locating colonies or islands, we used a non-invasive, behavioral assay to examine whether this scented compound is detectable by a candidate test species, the blue petrel Halobaena caerulea Gmelin. Our results suggest that these birds can detect volatilized ammonia within a concentration range that they may naturally encounter (10(-11) to 10(-5) M), and point to ammonia as a potential signal molecule in the sub-Antarctic.

Procellariiform seabirds (petrels, albatrosses and shearwaters) forage over thousands of square kilometres for patchily distributed prey resources. While these birds are known for their large olfactory bulbs and excellent sense of smell, how they use odour cues to locate prey patches in the vast ocean is not well understood. Here, we investigate species-specific responses to 3-methyl pyrazine in a sub-Antarctic species assemblage near South Georgia Island (54degrees00' S, 36degrees00' W). Pyrazines are scented compounds found in macerated Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba), a primary prey item for many seabird species in this region. To examine behavioural attraction to this odour, we presented birds with either scented or 'unscented' vegetable oil slicks at sea. As a positive control for our experiments, we also compared birds' responses to a general olfactory attractant, herring oil. Responses to pyrazine were both highly species specific and consistent with results from earlier studies investigating responses to crude krill extracts. For example, Cape petrels (Daption capense), giant petrels (Macronectes sp.) and white-chinned petrels (Procellaria aequinoctialis) were sighted at least 1.8-4 times as often at pyrazine-scented slicks than at control slicks. Black-browed albatrosses (Diomedea melanophris) were only sighted at pyrazine-scented slicks and never at control slicks. Wilson's storm-petrels (Oceanites oceanicus), black-bellied storm-petrels(Fregetta tropica), great shearwaters (Puffinus gravis) and prions (Pachyptila sp.) were sighted with equal frequency at control and pyrazine-scented slicks. As expected, responses to herring oil were more common. With the exception of great shearwaters (Puffinus gravis), each of these species was sighted up to five times as often at slicks scented with herring oil compared with control slicks. Together, the results support the hypothesis that Antarctic procellariiforms use species-specific foraging strategies that are inter-dependent and more complex than simply tracking prey by scent.

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Copyright of Journal of Central South University is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Incidental mortality (bycatch) in fisheries remains the greatest threat to many large marine vertebrates and is a major barrier to fisheries sustainability. Robust assessments of bycatch risk are crucial for informing effective mitigation strategies, but are hampered by missing information on the distributions of key life‐history stages (adult breeders and non‐breeders, immatures and juveniles).Using a comprehensive biologging dataset (1,692 tracks, 788 individuals) spanning all major life‐history stages, we assessed spatial overlap of four threatened seabird populations from South Georgia, with longline and trawl fisheries in the Southern Ocean. We generated monthly population‐level distributions, weighting each life‐history stage according to population age structure based on demographic models. Specifically, we determined where and when birds were at greatest potential bycatch risk, and from which fleets.Overlap with both pelagic and demersal longline fisheries was highest for black‐browed albatrosses, then white‐chinned petrels, wandering and grey‐headed albatrosses, whereas overlap with trawl fisheries was highest for white‐chinned petrels.Hotspots of fisheries overlap occurred in all major ocean basins, but particularly the south‐east and south‐west Atlantic Ocean (longline and trawl) and south‐west Indian Ocean (pelagic longline). Overlap was greatest with pelagic longline fleets in May–September, when fishing effort south of 25°S is highest, and with demersal and trawl fisheries in January–June. Overlap scores were dominated by particular fleets: pelagic longline—Japan, Taiwan; demersal longline and trawl—Argentina, Namibia, Falklands, South Africa; demersal longline—Convention for Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) waters, Chile, New Zealand.Synthesis and applications. We provide a framework for calculating appropriately weighted population‐level distributions from biologging data, which we recommend for future fisheries bycatch risk assessments. Many regions of high spatial overlap corresponded with high seabird bycatch rates recorded by on‐board observers, indicating that our approach reliably mapped relative bycatch risk at large spatial scales. Implementation of effective bycatch mitigation in these high‐risk regions varies considerably. Although potential bycatch risk appears to have decreased since the early 2000s, albatross and petrel populations from South Georgia and elsewhere are still declining, emphasizing the need for much improved observer coverage and monitoring of compliance with bycatch regulations. We provide a framework for calculating appropriately weighted population‐level distributions from biologging data, which we recommend for future fisheries bycatch risk assessments. Many regions of high spatial overlap corresponded with high seabird bycatch rates recorded by on‐board observers, indicating that our approach reliably mapped relative bycatch risk at large spatial scales. Implementation of effective bycatch mitigation in these high‐risk regions varies considerably. Although potential bycatch risk appears to have decreased since the early 2000s, albatross and petrel populations from South Georgia and elsewhere are still declining, emphasizing the need for much improved observer coverage and monitoring of compliance with bycatch regulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The Upper Bahariya Member represents an argillaceous sandstone reservoir and it is one the Late Cretaceous units. There is a need for understanding the detailed facies and petrophysics of this member and identifying whether its petrophysical parameters are related to the facies changes or the present structures. Therefore, the present study aims at determining the facies and petrophysical characteristics of the Upper Bahariya Member and their distribution in the Abu Gharadig field. This field is located in the central portion of Abu Gharadig basin in the northern part of the Western Desert of Egypt. The available data for the present study includes four digital well logs, twenty 2D seismic sections and a checkshot survey. This is achieved through building the 3D facies and petrophysical models using Petrel™ Schlumberger Modeling software. These models were built on a predefined 3D stratigraphic and structural framework. The interpreted lithology of the Upper Bahariya Member is represented by sandstone cemented by argillaceous and/or calcareous materials, siltstone, shale and minor limestone inter-beds. A new lithofacies subdivision for the Upper Bahariya is introduced in the present study through the study area. This subdivision is represented by three lithofacies (an upper shale-silt-carbonate lithofacies, a middle sand-silt lithofacies and a lower shale-silt lithofacies). The Upper Bahariya Member is evaluated as a good quality reservoir and it exhibits rapid variations in the conditions of deposition, from continental fluvial to marine passing through the tidal flood plain conditions. The sandstone source is mainly from the southeast and southwest directions. The vertical and lateral changes of the different petrophysical parameters are directly related to vertical and lateral facies changes. Highlights • The Upper Bahariya Member is argillaceous sandstone reservoir and represents one of the Late Cretaceous units. • The Upper Bahariya Member is investigated in Abu Gharadig field using the 3D facies and petrophysical modeling technique. • This member is subdivided into three lithofacies (from top): shale-silt-carbonate, sand-silt and shale-silt lithofacies. • The changing of petrophysical parameters is directly related to vertical and lateral facies changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During a three month research cruise near the island of South Georgia, sea surface temperature (SST) increased from c. 2°C to over 4°C. Satellite derived SST show that this corresponded to a rapid southward and eastward shift of isotherms in the northern Scotia Sea, which could have resulted from changes in the wind field. At the same time, observation from the ship of seabirds close to the island indicated changes in the abundance of some non-resident species, whereas resident breeders from South Georgia, such as black-browed albatrosses (Diomedea melanophris) and prions (Pachyptila spp.) which were foraging locally, were present at consistent density in both halves of the survey. Blue petrels (Halobaena caerulea) left the area after breeding, so were associated only with the low water temperatures during the first part of the cruise. In contrast, great shearwaters (Puffinus gravis) and soft-plumaged petrels (Pterodroma mollis) migrated into the area later in the survey. These birds were almost certainly non-breeders which were feeding in the warmer water which had moved towards the island. © 1992, Antarctic Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hornby's Storm Petrel Oceanodroma hornbyi is endemic to the Humboldt Current Region. Historically, little has been known about the location of the species' breeding sites or the size of its population. For these reasons, this species has been classified as 'Data Deficient' by IUCN, and it is difficult to know whether the species is threatened, and if so, what conservation actions may be necessary. As part of the project 'Golondrinas del Desierto' a search for the colonies of this species began in November 2013. It was known that the species breeds in the Atacama Desert, because some mummified individuals had been found there, and fledglings attracted by lights whilst on their way to the sea were found in nearby coastal cities. In this paper, we describe the first breeding site discovered for this species. This breeding location is 75 km from the shoreline, at 1100 meters above sea level, in the centre of the Atacama Desert, also known as the 'absolute desert'. However, there is strong anthropogenic pressure on this desert due to the development of mines and solar energy projects. To protect these birds, it is important to estimate the breeding population size of the colony, search for new colonies and assess the threats to each of them, and to evaluate how many fledglings are drawn off course by lights into cities and industrial sites and how many die there. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Antarctic, sub-Antarctic islands and surrounding sea-ice provide a unique environment for the existence of organisms. Nonetheless, birds and seals of a variety of species inhabit them, particularly during their breeding seasons. Early research on Antarctic wildlife health, using serology-based assays, showed exposure to viruses in the families Birnaviridae , Flaviviridae , Herpesviridae , Orthomyxoviridae and Paramyxoviridae circulating in seals (Phocidae), penguins (Spheniscidae), petrels (Procellariidae) and skuas (Stercorariidae). It is only during the last decade or so that polymerase chain reaction-based assays have been used to characterize viruses associated with Antarctic animals. Furthermore, it is only during the last five years that full/whole genomes of viruses (adenoviruses, anelloviruses, orthomyxoviruses, a papillomavirus, paramyoviruses, polyomaviruses and a togavirus) have been sequenced using Sanger sequencing or high throughput sequencing (HTS) approaches. This review summaries the knowledge of animal Antarctic virology and discusses potential future directions with the advent of HTS in virus discovery and ecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global-scale gene flow is an important concern in conservation biology as it has the potential to either increase or decrease genetic diversity in species and populations. Although many studies focus on the gene flow between different populations of a single species, the potential for gene flow and introgression between species is understudied, particularly in seabirds. The only well-studied example of a mixed-species, hybridizing population of petrels exists on Round Island, in the Indian Ocean. Previous research assumed that Round Island represents a point of secondary contact between Atlantic ( Pterodroma arminjoniana) and Pacific species ( Pterodroma neglecta and Pterodroma heraldica). This study uses microsatellite genotyping and tracking data to address the possibility of between-species hybridization occurring outside the Indian Ocean. Dispersal and gene flow spanning three oceans were demonstrated between the species in this complex. Analysis of migration rates estimated using bayesass revealed unidirectional movement of petrels from the Atlantic and Pacific into the Indian Ocean. Conversely, structure analysis revealed gene flow between species of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, with potential three-way hybrids occurring outside the Indian Ocean. Additionally, geolocation tracking of Round Island petrels revealed two individuals travelling to the Atlantic and Pacific. These results suggest that interspecific hybrids in Pterodroma petrels are more common than was previously assumed. This study is the first of its kind to investigate gene flow between populations of closely related Procellariiform species on a global scale, demonstrating the need for consideration of widespread migration and hybridization in the conservation of threatened seabirds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial lights at night cause high mortality of seabirds, one of the most endangered groups of birds globally. Fledglings of burrow-nesting seabirds, and to a lesser extent adults, are attracted to and then grounded (i.e., forced to land) by lights when they fly at night. We reviewed the current state of knowledge of seabird attraction to light to identify information gaps and propose measures to address the problem. Although species in families such as Alcidae and Anatidae can be grounded by artificial light, the most affected seabirds are petrels and shearwaters (Procellariiformes). At least 56 species of Procellariiformes, more than one-third of them (24) threatened, are subject to grounding by lights. Seabirds grounded by lights have been found worldwide, mainly on oceanic islands but also at some continental locations. Petrel breeding grounds confined to formerly uninhabited islands are particularly at risk from light pollution due to tourism and urban sprawl. Where it is impractical to ban external lights, rescue programs of grounded birds offer the most immediate and employed mitigation to reduce the rate of light-induced mortality and save thousands of birds every year. These programs also provide useful information for seabird management. However, these data are typically fragmentary, biased, and uncertain and can lead to inaccurate impact estimates and poor understanding of the phenomenon of seabird attraction to lights. We believe the most urgently needed actions to mitigate and understand light-induced mortality of seabirds are estimation of mortality and effects on populations; determination of threshold light levels and safe distances from light sources; documentation of the fate of rescued birds; improvement of rescue campaigns, particularly in terms of increasing recovery rates and level of care; and research on seabird-friendly lights to reduce attraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discipline of ecosystem oceanography provides a framework for assessing the role of mesoscale physical processes on the formation and occurrence of biological hotspots. We used shipboard surveys over nine years to investigate environmental determinants of seabird hotspots near the Antarctic Peninsula, a region experiencing rapid climate change and an expanding krill fishery. We hypothesize that seabird hotspots are structured by mesoscale ocean conditions that reflect differences in prey distribution within oceanic and coastal waters. We used generalized additive models to quantify functional relationships of seabird hotspots with krill biomass, and a suite of remotely sensed environmental variables, such as eddy kinetic energy. The spatial organization, changes in intensity, and distribution shifts of seabird hotspots indicate different environmental drivers within coastal and oceanic domains and reflect the seasonal variability of the ecosystem. Our results indicate at least eight mesoscale hotspot zones that represent ecologically important areas where significant krill and predator biomass may be concentrated. Our ecosystem assessment of seabird hotspots identified critical foraging habitat and provided reference points to benefit research on estimating their trophic impacts on Antarctic ecosystems and potential effects from the krill fishery. Our approach is generally applicable to other pelagic ecosystems that are structured by hydrographic fronts and eddies, and containing schooling forage species shared by multiple wide-ranging predators. Furthermore, identification of biological hotspots is useful for the designation of marine protected areas most critical to potentially endangered wildlife and fisheries resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coalbed methane reservoir is a unconventional natural gas reservoir, and is bigger different from conventional natural gas reservoir in occurrence mode, coalbed parameters and development method. Three-dimensional geological model of coalbed methane reservoir accurately describes the spatial distribution of coalbed methane parameters, effectively promotes the change of coalbed methane reservoirs from qualitative to quantitative, and also has important significance for the development of coalbed methane reservoirs. Taking the coalbed methane reservoirs in block B of Australia as an example, the geological, seismic, logging data and coring analysis data were selected, and the precise interpretation results of the coalbed surface and logging were analyzed, and the precise characterization results of coalbed methane parameters were discussed; based on the top surface and fault seismic interpretation results of coalbed, the structural model of block B was built in the constraint condition of logging coalbed division using the three-dimensional geological modeling software Petrel; and then, the facies-controlled coalbed model was built based on the lithofacies of single well interpreted from logging data; according to facies-controlled modeling theory, based on the characterization results of coalbed methane parameters of reservoir, the space distributions of coalbed methane parameters (such as gas content of dry ash-free basis, permeability, density, ash content and saturation) were simulated; according to the three-dimensional geological model of coalbed methane reservoir, the geological reserve of block B was calculated, and the favorable parameters and criteria for favorable areas of coalbed methane reservoir were determined, and then, the favorable areas were divided. The established three-dimensional geological model of coalbed methane reservoir has important significance for the calculation of geological reserve and the division of favorable areas, and also provides the geological basis for the follow-up development of well pattern selection and layout of coalbed methane reservoir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical cyclones are renowned for their destructive nature and are an important feature of marine and coastal tropical ecosystems. Over the last 40 years, their intensity, frequency and tracks have changed, partly in response to ocean warming, and future predictions indicate that these trends are likely to continue with potential consequences for human populations and coastal ecosystems. However, our understanding of how tropical cyclones currently affect marine biodiversity, and pelagic species in particular, is limited. For seabirds, the impacts of cyclones are known to be detrimental at breeding colonies, but impacts on the annual survival of pelagic adults and juveniles remain largely unexplored and no study has simultaneously explored the direct impacts of cyclones on different life-history stages across the annual life cycle. We used a 20-year data set on tropical cyclones in the Indian Ocean, tracking data from 122 Round Island petrels and long-term capture-mark-recapture data to explore the impacts of tropical cyclones on the survival of adult and juvenile (first year) petrels during both the breeding and migration periods. The tracking data showed that juvenile and adult Round Island petrels utilize the three cyclone regions of the Indian Ocean and were potentially exposed to cyclones for a substantial part of their annual cycle. However, only juvenile petrel survival was affected by cyclone activity; negatively by a strong cyclone in the vicinity of the breeding colony and positively by increasing cyclone activity in the Northern Indian Ocean where they spend the majority of their first year at sea. These contrasting effects raise the intriguing prospect that the projected changes in cyclones under current climate change scenarios may have positive as well as the more commonly perceived negative impacts on marine biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]