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Syftet med denna studie är att bidra med kunskap om de effekter lärare som deltagit i det regeringsinitiativ i form av kompetensutvecklingssatsningen Språk- och kunskapsutvecklande arbetssätt (SKUA) upplever att satsningen har haft på användningen av ämnesspråk i svenskundervisningen. Detta har undersökts genom att samla in och analysera exit tickets som de deltagande lärarna fått fylla i, i anslutning till de träffar som genomförts under satsningen, samt genom att genomföra kvalitativa intervjuer. Intervjuerna var av semistrukturerad form där informanterna givits möjligheten att svara fritt för att på bästa sätt få förmedla sina egna erfarenheter och upplevelser av SKUA. Allt material från datainsamlingen har analyserats och bearbetats med hjälp av den vetenskapliga analysmetoden fenomenografi och studiens teoretiska utgångspunkter grundar sig i läroplansteoretiska perspektiv på kunskap, samt begreppet scaffolding. Med stöd i tidigare forskning skildras ämnesspråkets betydelse vid bedömning och betygssättning, där ökade ämnesspråkliga kunskaper anses bidraga till elevers ökade måluppfyllelse. Studiens resultat synliggör att lärare upplever att SKUA har bidragit tillatt de har utvecklat en medvetenhet om det samband som finns mellan språk- och kunskapsutveckling. Denna medvetenhet förväntas enligt lärarna bidra till ett på sikt ökat användande av ämnesspråk i svenskundervisningen. The purpose of this study is to contribute knowledge about the effects that teachers who participated in the governmental competence development initiative Language- and knowledge development methods (SKUA), experience that this initiative has had on the use of subject specific language in swedish language education. This has been investigated by analyzing exit tickets that the participating teachers was asked to fill in, in the end of the meetings during the initiative, as well as through qualitative interviews. The semi-structured interviews gave the participants the opportunity to answer freely, in order to best convey their own experiences of SKUA. All material from the data collection has been analyzed and processed through thescientific analysis method phenomenography, and the study’s theoretical framework are based on curriculum theory perspectives, as well as the concept of scaffolding. Based on earlierresearch, the importance of the subject specific language in assessment and grading is stated, where increased knowledge of subject specific language is considered to contribute to students’increased goal achievement. The results of the study show that teachers experience that SKUA has contributed to their develop of an increasingly growing awareness of the connection between subject specific language and knowledge development. According to the teachers, this awareness is expected to contribute to an increased use of subject specific language in swedish language education in the long term.

There has been an ongoing increase in tourist visits to the Antarctic since 2010. These visits primarily concentrate on a small number of sites, increasing the possible environmental impact. One of the tourism hotspots is the central Argentine Islands in Wilhelm Archipelago. These islands, being one of the top 20 most visited Antarctic sites, consist of Galindez Island, Winter Island, and Skua Island. They are known for wildlife, rich vegetation (old moss banks, rich bryophyte and lichen communities, Antarctic pearlwort Colobanthus quitensis and hairgrass Deschampsia antarctica populations), spectacular views. They include one of the oldest Antarctic research stations: the Ukrainian Antarctic Akademik Vernadsky station. Previously no measures have been developed to minimize the impact of tourism on this region. Thus, the Visitor Site Guidelines (VSG) approach and the numerous studies in the region were used to determine the central values of this site and to identify those key features that can be opened for tourists. In addition to the most frequently mentioned values, such as seabirds and mammals, we considered it necessary to mention the vegetation. We assessed threats to these values, distinguishing known and potential impacts. We have also analyzed and developed landing requirements for the studied area, including the most critical requirement to be considered, namely the number of visitors. We think that the maximum number of visitors should be 36 at any time and 270 per day, not counting passengers of yachts. This is the first time that the Visitor Site Guidelines were modified to limit the number of yachts visiting the site to three yachts per day. To reduce the tourist load at the station itself and at the same time to concentrate tourists in the studied region, we proposed two tourist trails: one for Galindez Island, the other — the existing trail for Winter Island. The prepared draft of Visitor Site Guidelines is given in Appendix 2.

Group-size variation is common in colonially breeding species, including seabirds, whose breeding colonies can vary in size by several orders of magnitude. Seabirds are some of the most threatened marine taxa and understanding the drivers of colony size variation is more important than ever. Reproductive success is an important demographic parameter that can impact colony size, and it varies in association with a number of factors, including nesting habitat quality. Within colonies, seabirds often aggregate into distinct groups or subcolonies that may vary in quality. We used data from two colonies of Adélie penguins 73 km apart on Ross Island, Antarctica, one large and one small to investigate (1) How subcolony habitat characteristics influence reproductive success and (2) How these relationships differ at a small (Cape Royds) and large (Cape Crozier) colony with different terrain characteristics. Subcolonies were characterized using terrain attributes (elevation, slope aspect, slope steepness, wind shelter, flow accumulation), as well group characteristics (area/size, perimeter-to-area ratio, and proximity to nest predators). Reproductive success was higher and less variable at the larger colony while subcolony characteristics explained more of the variance in reproductive success at the small colony. The most important variable influencing subcolony quality at both colonies was perimeter-to-area ratio, likely reflecting the importance of nest predation by south polar skuas along subcolony edges. The small colony contained a higher proportion of edge nests thus higher potential impact from skua nest predation. Stochastic environmental events may facilitate smaller colonies becoming “trapped” by nest predation: a rapid decline in the number of breeding individuals may increase the proportion of edge nests, leading to higher relative nest predation and hindering population recovery. Several terrain covariates were retained in the final models but which variables, the shapes of the relationships, and importance varied between colonies.

Due to global warming, the glaciers and ice systems of Antarctica and the Antarctic Peninsula have been significantly changing in shape and size in recent decades. Therefore, to control, forecast and prevent such processes, it is necessary to constantly monitor and analyse changes in the basic parameters of glaciers and ice systems. This paper proposes a study of changes in the area of ice caps located on the Galindez, Winter and Skua islands (Argentine Islands, West Antarctica). The study is based on the integration of different spatio-temporal datasets into a single system for retrospective geographical monitoring of changes in the area of Galindez, Winter and Skua islands ice caps. The system for integrating space-time datasets is the UTM coordinate system (zone 20, South). Using transformed archival cartographic materials, as well as recently obtained orthophotos, the boundaries of the glaciers in different periods of research were digitized. Based on the identified boundaries, the significance of changes in the area of island glaciers, as well as the rate of their change during 1935–2019, were determined. Based on the integration of different spatio-temporal datasets into a single system, retrospective-geographical monitoring of changes in icecaps area during 1935–2019 was performed. The ice caps were found to be experiencing systematic decrease in area with average linear rate of decrease from –0.30%/year to –0.37%/year. A detailed analysis of all integrated spatio-temporal data sets including determination of the cause of changes in the area of the Galindez, Winter and Skua islands' ice caps is a promising topic for further research.

Large animals such as sea birds and marine mammals can transport limiting nutrients between different regions of the ocean, thereby stimulating and enhancing productivity. In Antarctica this process is influenced by formation and breakup of sea ice and its influence on the feeding behaviour of predators and their prey. We used analyses of bioactive metals (for example, Fe, Co, Mn), macronutrients (for example, N) and stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) in the excreta of Adelie (Pygoscelis adeliae) and emperor penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri) as well as Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) from multiple sites, among multiple years (2012–2014) to resolve how changes in sea ice dynamics, as indicated by MODIS satellite images, were coincident with prey switching and likely changes in nutrient fluxes between the offshore pelagic and coastal zones. We also sampled excreta of the south polar skua (Stercorarius maccormicki), which preys on penguins and scavenges the remains of both penguins and seals. We found strong coincidence of isotopic evidence for prey switching, between euphausiids (Euphausia superba and E. crystallorophias) and pelagic/cryopelagic fishes (for example, Pleuragramma antarcticum) in penguins, and between pelagic/cryopelagic fishes and Antarctic toothfish (Dissostichus mawsoni) in Weddell seals, with changes in sea ice cover among years. Further, prey switching was strongly linked to changes in the concentrations of nutrients (Fe and N) deposited in coastal environments by both penguins and seals. Our findings have important implications for understanding how the roles of large animals in supporting coastal productivity may shift with environmental conditions in polar ecosystems.

The biogeochemical effect of birds can influence the paedogenic processes in the Antarctica soils. The content of nutrients (phosphorus, potassium, nitrate and ammonium) and the total carbon and nitrogen contents in soils were determined at the nesting and feeding sites of flying and non-flying birds in the Fildes Peninsula (King George Island, West Antarctica). The results showed that the difference between soils affected by birds (both flying and non-flying) and the background soils was observed with the higher content of biogenic elements (e.g. C, N, P, K) and fine-earth content, variable soil pH values, more expressed soil structure and specific morphology of the uppermost organogenic and organo-mineral horizons. Additional chemical indices are suggested for diagnostics of current and recent effect of birds on paedoenvironments.

The arctic skua (Stercorarius parasiticus) is one of the most long‐lived bird species. In 2010, we captured in Finland an adult, female arctic skua which had been ringed as a nestling in 1987. We tagged it also with a color ring. The bird has last been seen in July 2020 at the age of 33 years, making it most likely the oldest known arctic skua of the world. In 2010–2011 the bird carried a light‐level measuring geolocator, the data of which revealed that the bird had spent the nonbreeding season in the Canary Current area on the west coast of Africa. Breeding populations of arctic skuas have declined recently especially in British Isles, thus it is useful to get longevity data of this species with a high breeding site fidelity., Arctic skuas (Stercorarius parasiticus) are one of the most long‐lived bird species. In Satakunta, Finland is breeding a female that was ringed as a nestling in 1987, meaning that it is now 33 years old. In 2010–2011 the bird carried a light‐level measuring geolocator, so we know that it spends the non‐breeding season in the Canary Current area by the west coast of Africa.

Migratory bird species may serve as vectors of contaminants to Antarctica through the local deposition of guano, egg abandonment, or mortality. To further investigate this chemical input pathway, we examined the contaminant burdens and profiles of the migratory South polar skua (Catharacta maccormicki) and compared them to the endemic Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae). A range of persistent organic pollutants were targeted in muscle and guano to facilitate differentiation of likely exposure pathways. A total of 56 of 65 targeted analytes were detected in both species, but there were clear profile and magnitude differences between the species. The South polar skua and Adélie penguin muscle tissue burdens were dominated by p,p′-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (mean 5600 ng g−1 lw and 330 ng g−1 lw respectively) and hexachlorobenzene (mean 2500 ng g−1 lw and 570 ng g−1 lw respectively), a chemical profile characteristic of the Antarctic and Southern Ocean region. Species profile differences, indicative of exposure at different latitudes, were observed for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), with lower chlorinated congeners and deca-chlorinated PCB-209 detected in South polar Skua, but not in Adélie penguins. Notably, the more recently used perfluoroalkyl substances and the brominated flame retardants, hexabromocyclododecane and tetrabromobisphenol A, were detected in both species. This finding suggests local exposure, given the predicted slow and limited long-range environmental transport capacity of these compounds to the eastern Antarctic sector.

Den här rapporten handlar om en utvärdering av en fortbildningsinsats i språk- och kunskapsutvecklande arbetssätt. Insatsen genomfördes i Uppsala kommun under åren 2020-2022. Att förbättra skolresultat och inkludering för nyanlända och flerspråkiga elever i Uppsala kommuns gymnasieskolor var det övergripande målet med fortbildningsinsats SKUA, som ingick i den av Skolverket finansierade riktade insatsen för nyanlända och flerspråkiga barn och elevers utbildning. Genom analys av fokusgruppsintervjuer ger den här rapporten en inblick i hur fortbildningsinsats SKUA upplevdes av ett urval rektorer och lärare. Fokusgruppsintervjuer med en mindre grupp flerspråkiga elever på de nationella programmen i Uppsala ger insyn i deras upplevelser av undervisning i skolor där en del lärare har gått fortbildningen. Lärare och rektorer uttrycker att de har blivit mer medvetna om vikten av ett fokus på språk i ämnesundervisningen och den viktiga rollen som studiehandledare kan ha i detta. Dock nämns även en del strukturella hinder till en tillfredsställande organisering av studiehandledning på modersmålet och det kollegiala lärandet i skolan. Elever som intervjuats beskriver en undervisning där lärare överlag upplevs ha höga krav på sina elever och ger varierande former och grader av stöttning. Studiehandledning som har fokus på både språk och ämnesinnehåll uppskattas av elever. Rapportens resultat visar på att ett fokus på både språk- och kunskapsutveckling upplevs som angeläget hos alla informanter. Det finns även indikationer om utvecklingsområden som rektorer, lärare, fortbildare och andra beslutsfattare inom gymnasieskolan kan fortsätta arbeta med, bland annat rutiner kring studiehandledning, fortbildningens innehåll och organisation av det kollegiala lärandet.

Identifying the factors influencing seabird breeding output is critical for their conservation because breeding performance in turn influences population dynamics. This is particularly important in sensitive environments, where ecological disturbances can lead to changes in population trends of extremely specialized species in a relatively short time. Here, we have reported on the breeding output of the Adélie penguin Pygoscelis adeliae in three colonies of the Mid Victoria Land, Ross Sea (Antarctica), in 2017/2018–2018/2019 to provide scientific information for the Ross Sea Marine Protected Area research and management plan. Breeding chronology, breeding success and chick growth did not differ between study colonies and were in line with data reported for other penguin colonies across Antarctica. Penguin breeding success was higher in central than in peripheral nests and decreased with an increasing number of neighboring nesting skuas; conversely, at-nest weather conditions experienced by chicks did not seem to play a role. Our findings suggest that the quality of the nesting environment seems more important than the general condition of the colony in determining breeding output. Therefore, along with marine habitat characteristics for the planning of management and conservation of seabirds, the importance of the terrestrial environment must be also duly considered.

Studying the effects of prey distribution on predator behavior is complex in systems where there are multiple prey species. The role of prey density in predator behavior is rarely studied in closed ecosystems of one predator species and one prey species, despite these being an ideal opportunity to test these hypotheses. In this study, we investigate the effect of prey density on the foraging behavior of a predatory species in an isolated Antarctic ecosystem of effectively a single predatory species and a single prey species. We use resource selection models to compare prey density in areas utilized by predators (obtained from fine‐scale GPS telemetry data) to prey density at randomly generated points (pseudoabsences) throughout the available area. We demonstrate that prey density of breeding Antarctic petrels (Thalassoica antarctica) is negatively associated with the probability of habitat use in its only predator, the south polar skua (Catharacta maccormicki). Skuas are less likely to utilize habitats with higher petrel densities, reducing predation in these areas, but these effects are present during chick rearing only and not during incubation. We suggest that this might be caused by successful group defense strategies employed by petrel chicks, primarily spitting oil at predators., We used habitat selection models to analyse the effect of prey density on predator behavior in a uniquely straightforward system of one predator species and one prey species. We found that probability of habitat use by south polar skuas is negatively associated with antarctic petrel density and that this effect varies depending on whether predator or prey is incubating eggs or brooding chicks. We suggest that this effect is a result of successful group defense strategies employed by petrels.

Sulfur is an important nutrient, as well as a part of some aminoacids, enzymes and vitamins. The lack of sulfur in the plant organism is accompanied by a decrease of photosynthetic pigments content and, by external signs, resembles chlorosis caused by nitrogen deficiency. In Maritime Antarctica the main source of sulfur for terrestrial ecosystems are numerous ornithogenic products – guano, feathers, pellets, etc. However, many soils of this region do not contain visual signs of ornithogenous impact. The purpose of this study was to establish whether the sulfur content in these soils is the limiting factor for plant growth and development. It has been found that the total S content in both ornithogenic and non-ornithogenic soils is high, much higher than in the zonal soils of the temperate climate zone. Most of the sulfur is contained in the organic compounds and is not available for plants – more than 80% in ornithogenic and more than 90% in non-ornithogenic soils. It was found that the availability of sulfur is not a limiting factor for the growth and development of plants on the studied soils of Coastal Antarctica. We suggest that sulfur-containing organic substances play an important role as precursors of soil organic matter under Antarctic conditions.

In the present study, an effective secondary selection of transgressive variants from a homozygous population of Pusa Sugandh 3 (PS3) has led to the development of basmati variant SKUA 494. SKUA 494 exhibited a grain yield (7.9 t/ha) with superiority of 21.5% over its progenitor (6.5 t/ha). Besides, the genotype revealed an earliness of about 13 and 15 days for flowering and maturity, respectively. Hulling, milling and head rice recovery traits of SKUA 494 were comparatively better over the controls PS3 and Pusa Basmati 1509. No significant differences in the cooking quality were observed in SKUA 494 over its parental line. Quality traits of SKUA 494 revealed an intermediate score for alkali spreading value, besides similar values for gel consistency and amylose content in comparison to PS3. On the basis of stability variables, stability index and overall mean for most of the traits, SKUA 494 depicted stable performance across the locations and over the years. Molecular analysis based on simple sequence repeat markers revealed polymorphism at locus flanking the quantitative trait loci for days to heading (Hd6) between SKUA 494 and its parent (PS3). Based on overall superiority in the performance and adaptability of SKUA 494, the variety has been recommended to farmers for general cultivation under temperate ecology.

This paper represents results of GPR surveying of the ice caps on Galindez (–64.24716W; –65.24992S), Winter (–64.25954W; –65.24944S) and Skua (–64.26530W; –65.25309S) islands (Wilhelm Archipelago, Antarctica) for the period April 2017 — January 2019. The main objectives were identification of the ice layering, monitoring of interglacial heterogeneities (crevasses, interglacial channels and voids) and measurements of the ice thickness. Methods: Surveying on the glaciers has been done with ground coupled shielded bowtie antenna VIY3-300 (300 MHz) GPR and with air coupled dipole Zond 12-e (75 MHz) antenna system. Monitoring investigation of glacier’s interior has been done with VIY3-300. Zond 12-e was applied mostly for indication of the ice-rock border. Monitoring investigation has been done on one (1) ice cap on Galindez Island, on two (2) ice caps on Winter Island and on two (2) ice caps on Skua Island. Monitoring with VIY3-300 GPR of the ice cap on Galindez Island has been done once per month since April 2017. Four surveys were done on Winter Island: May 2017, January, May and October 2018. Four periods were surveyed on Skua Island: May and September 2017, January—February and October 2018. Monitoring with VIY3-300 has been done on the same position (according to the GPS data) each time. For precise investigation during February—March 2018, islands were covered with a grid of profiles with 25 meters spacing between them. Results: Three (3) to eight (8) strong internal linear reflections are detected in the ice caps, heterogeneities are visible closer to edges of the glaciers, seasonal anomalies in glacier`s interior are observed and a maximum ice thickness of 35 meters on Galindez Island is obtained. Seasonal anomalies were traced better in November—January 2017—2018 than during November—January 2018—2019. Reflection from the ice-rock border is better visible on the data from Zond 12-e, but layering and interior structure are better identified with VIY3-300. This spatial resolution difference evidently happened because central frequency of antenna was 4 times higher in VIY3-300 than in Zond 12-e. Further monitoring of the ice caps on Galindez, Winter and Skua islands is recommended to trace their evolution. It is crucial to continue these scientific observations in the future because changes of small ice caps in West Antarctica are indicators of global warming.

Capsule: The number of breeding pairs of Europe’s largest Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus colony at Slettnes, Norway, showed a dramatic decline of at least 50% over two decades, with food shortage in four years and increasing predation by Red Fox Vulpes vulpes leading to total breeding failure in five out of six recent study years. Aims: To document the decline of Europe’s largest Arctic Skua colony and quantify bottom-up and top-down effects on reproduction. Methods: We compared nest counts between 1997–1998 and 2014–2019 and collected data on egg size, clutch size and nest success for all years, and adult body mass, nest attendance, at-sea activity, aggressive nest defence, Red Fox Vulpes vulpes encounters, daily nest survival and adult survival for 2014–2019. We deployed nest cameras to identify predators in 2018–2019. In addition, we developed a demographic model to estimate the fecundity required for a stable population. Results: A higher proportion of time spent at sea, small eggs, low adult female body mass and indirect assessment of foraging fish availability suggested food shortages in four of six recent study years. At the same time, nest predation by Red Foxes, the likely predator involved, increased during the six-year study. The combined effects of food shortage and nest predation led to total breeding failures in 2017–2019. Conclusion: We provide evidence of both bottom-up (food shortage) and top-down (predation) effects on reproductive investment and hatching success in this colony. The reproductive output in recent years is far too low to sustain a stable population. The severe decline of the Arctic Skua colony at Slettnes fits reported trends for this species across most of its European breeding range, as well as for its important host species, the Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea and the Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla.

The Antarctic ecosystem represents a remote region far from point sources of pollution. Still, Antarctic marine predators, such as seabirds, are exposed to organohalogen contaminants (OHCs) which may induce adverse health effects. With increasing restrictions and regulations on OHCs, the levels and exposure are expected to decrease over time. We studied south polar skua (Catharacta maccormiciki), a top predator seabird, to compare OHC concentrations measured in whole blood from 2001/2002 and 2013/2014 in Dronning Maud Land. As a previous study found increasing organochlorine concentrations with sampling day during the 2001/2002 breeding season, suggesting dietary changes, we investigated if this increase was repeated in the 2013/2014 breeding season. In addition to organochlorines, we analyzed hydroxy-metabolites, brominated contaminants and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in 2013/2014, as well as dietary descriptors of stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen, to assess potential changes in diet during breeding. Lipid normalized concentrations of individual OHCs were 63%, 87% and 105% higher for hexachlorobenzene (HCB), 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis (p- chlorophenyl)ethylene (p,p’-DDE), and ∑Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), respectively, in 2013/2014 compared to 2001/2002. South polar skuas males in 2013/2014 were in poorer body condition than in 2001/ 2002, and with higher pollutant levels. Poorer body condition may cause the remobilization of contaminants from stored body reserves, and continued exposure to legacy contaminants at overwintering areas may explain the unexpected higher OHC concentrations in 2013/2014 than 2001/2002. Concentrations of protein-associated PFAS increased with sampling day during the 2013/2014 breeding season, whereas the lipid-soluble chlorinated pesticides, PCBs and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDEs) showed no change. OHC occurrence was not correlated with stable isotopes. The PFAS biomagnification through the local food web at the colony should be investigated further. Organic pollutants Seabirds PFAS PCB HCB Mirex Catharacta maccormicki

The high occurrence of social monogamy in birds has led to questions about partner fidelity, or the perennial nature of monogamy from one breeding season to another. Despite the evolutionary advantages of partner fidelity, divorce occurs among 95% of bird species. We aimed to describe patterns of divorce and partner fidelity in five seabird species breeding in Arctic and Antarctic regions and investigated the influence of breeding status on pair bond maintenance. For four out of the five species considered, we observed low divorce rates (respectively 1.9%, 3.3%, 2.5%, and 0.0% for Brünnich's guillemot, glaucous gull, Antarctic petrel, and south polar skua), while the divorce rate was much higher (19.1%) for the black‐legged kittiwake. For kittiwakes, the divorce rate was lower for pairs that managed to raise their chick to 15 days of age, while the effect of breeding success on divorce in the four other species could not be tested due to the rareness of divorce events. Our results emphasize the potentially large temporal (interannual) variations that should be taken into account in understanding divorce and partner fidelity in seabirds., We studied divorce rates in five polar seabirds and found low divorce rates in four of them (respectively 1.9%, 3.3%, 2.5%, and 0.0% for Brünnich's guillemot, glaucous gull, Antarctic petrel, and south polar skua). Divorce rate was much higher (19.1%) for the black‐legged kittiwake and was dependent on previous breeding success. Our results emphasize the potentially large temporal (interannual) variations that should be taken into account in understanding divorce and partner fidelity in seabirds.

In breeding Great Skuas Stercorarius skua on Skúvoy, Faroe Islands, central tail feather elongation was longer in males than females and was related to head size, laying date, egg volume, diet composition and, only in males, the tendency to incubate the clutch. Sexual ornaments, such as elongated tail feathers, allow birds to attract conspecifics of the opposite sex. In skuas, the smaller species have clearly elongated central tail feathers, while in the larger species, the elongation is marginal. We evaluate here if the modest elongation of the central tail feathers in Great Skuas is associated with ecological factors and thus could still function as a social signal. We caught 47 breeding Great Skuas on their nests on Skúvoy, Faroe Islands in 2013, measured their central tail feathers, other biometrics and reproductive success. Central tail feathers were more elongated in males (mean 15.2 mm, n = 20) than females (11.3 mm, n = 27). This sexual dimorphism persisted when corrected for body size, as males were smaller than females. In both sexes, longer tail feather elongation was associated with a shorter head, an earlier laying date, and a higher bird-based proportion in the pair’s diet, while no spatial patterns were found. Moreover, during our catching attempts, males with a longer tail feather elongation were quicker back at the nest to incubate the clutch. Egg volume, but not chick body condition, increased with parent tail feather elongation. In a model including laying date, head size, and diet, only laying date persisted as a significant predictor of the tail feather elongation, as earlier laying birds had shorter heads and ate more birds. We argue that the modest tail feather elongation in Great Skuas may signal individual quality for both sexes, and in males specifically also the nest attentiveness, even though this trait may seem ecologically irrelevant at first glance.

The occurrence and bioaccumulation of new and legacy persistent organic pollutants (POPs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs), hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs), and Dechlorane Plus (DPs) and their related compounds (Dechloranes) in an ecosystem on King George Island, Antarctica are investigated. The new and legacy POPs were widely detected in the animal samples collected from Antarctica, which included Limpet, Antarctic cod, Amphipods, Antarctic icefish, Gentoo and Chinstrap penguins, Kelp gull, and South polar skua. The trophic magnification factors indicated that the levels of PCNs and HBCDs, as well as the legacy POPs, were magnified through the food web, whereas DPs might be diluted through the trophic levels contradicting the classification of Dechloranes as POPs. This is one of the first extensive surveys on PCNs, HBCDs, and Dechloranes, which provides unique information on the distribution and trophic biomagnification potential of the new and legacy POPs in the Antarctic region.

Oxidative stress is considered the main physiological mechanism involved in short- and long-term life histories, operating through the progressive deterioration of tissues, with consequences in the reproductive performance, growth patterns, aging, and survival. Besides, the Antarctic Peninsula environmental change, registered in the last decades, makes essential the antioxidant status knowledge of fauna and flora to optimize current management plans to protect Antarctic wildlife. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the differences between the oxidant-antioxidant status in adults and chicks´ blood of the skuas Stercorarius antarcticus and Stercorarius maccormicki. Through spectrophotometric techniques, the enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione S-transferase (GST) as well as the level of total glutathione (TG), total protein (TP), lipid peroxidation (LPO), and protein oxidation (PO) were measured. The adults of both species showed higher TG levels than the chicks. S. antarcticus adults were characterized by showing high GST activity and the highest total protein (TP) levels. Instead, S. maccormicki adults showed high levels of oxidative damage (PO and LPO) and high CAT activity. On the other hand, the chicks of both species were typified by the augmented SOD activity compared to those registered in adults. In turn, S. maccormicki chicks had increased GPx activity. Considering the multiple factors that affect the antioxidant status of both skua species, the information reported, herein, is a first promising dataset that would allow giving reference values for them. Fil: Di Fonzo, Carla Ianina. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; Argentina Fil: Montalti, Diego. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Zoología de Vertebrados. Sección Ornitología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentina Fil: Ansaldo, Martin. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; Argentina

International audience; Since mercury (Hg) biogeochemistry in the Southern Ocean is minimally documented, we investigated Hg stable isotopes in the blood of seabirds breeding at different latitudes in the Antarctic, subantarctic and subtropical zones. Hg isotopic composition was determined in adult penguins (5 species) and skua chicks (2 species) from the Adélie Land (66°39′S, Antarctic) to Crozet Islands (46°25′S, subantarctic) and Amsterdam Island (37°47'S, subtropical). Mass-dependent (MDF, δ202Hg) and mass-independent (MIF, ∆199Hg) Hg isotopic values separated populations geographically. Antarctic seabirds exhibited lower δ202Hg values (-0.02 to 0.79 ‰, min-max) than subantarctic (0.88 to 2.12 ‰) and subtropical (1.44 to 2.37 ‰) seabirds. In contrast, ∆199Hg values varied slightly from Antarctic (1.31 to 1.73 ‰) to subtropical (1.69 to 2.04 ‰) waters. The extent of methylmercury (MeHg) photodemethylation extrapolated from ∆199Hg values was not significantly different between locations, implying that most of the bioaccumulated MeHg was of mesopelagic origin. The larger increase of MDF between the three latitudes co-varies with MeHg concentrations. This supports an increasing effect of specific biogenic Hg pathways from Antarctic to subtropical waters, such as Hg biological transformations and accumulations. This “biogenic effect” among different productive southern oceanic regions can also be related to different mixed layer depth dynamics and biological turnover that specifically influence the vertical transport between the mesopelagic and the photic zones. This study shows the first Hg isotopic data of the Southern Ocean at large scale and reveals how regional Southern Ocean dynamics and productivity control marine MeHg biogeochemistry and the exposure of seabirds to Hg contamination.

Accepted manuscript version, licensed CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. High levels of halogenated organic contaminants (HOCs) have been found in the marine predatory seabird great skua (Stercorarius skua) from breeding colonies in the Northeastern Atlantic, with large unexplained inter-colony variation. The present study aimed at analyzing if the HOCs occurrence in breeding great skuas in remote colonies was explained by local baseline food web exposure determined by long-range transport, or by ecological factors such as diet specialization and relative trophic position in the breeding area. The occurrence of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) was analyzed in plasma of 204 adult great skuas collected over two years (2008 and 2009) and 5 colonies across the North-Atlantic from Shetland to Svalbard. The ΣHOCs levels in plasma ranged across two orders of magnitude, from 40 to 7600 ng/g (wet weight) and differed significantly across the great skua colonies. The variation in contaminant occurrence among colonies did not reflect long-range transport through a latitudinal or remoteness gradient, as the second northernmost colony (Bjørnøya), had the highest contaminant concentrations. No latitudinal or remoteness gradient was evident in the contaminant pattern among the colonies. The contaminant levels increased significantly with increasing δ15N values, and regurgitated pellets of undigested prey suggested that great skuas with higher δ15N values had a higher proportion of bird prey in their diet, mostly seabirds. In contrast, great skuas from colonies with lower δ15N and lower contaminant level fed mostly on fish. The enrichment of δ13C increased with decreasing δ15N and lower contaminant levels. Therefore, individual behavior of great skuas, such as migration strategies and diet specialization, rather than long-range transport and thus baseline food web exposure, explain among and within colony variance in contaminant occurrence.

Over the past decades, research in Antarctica has built a new understanding of Antarctica, its past, present and future. Human activities and long-range pollutants are increasing on the Antarctic continent. Research on persistent organic pollutants (POPs) has been carried out internationally by several countries having their permanent research stations to explain the impact of an ever increasing range of POPs in Antarctic ecosystem. POPs have been detected in Antarctica despite its geographical isolation and almost complete absence of human settlements. The presence of POPs in different abiotic (atmosphere, water bodies, sediments, soil, sea ice) and biotic components (mosses, lichens, krill, penguins, skua, etc.) in Antarctica has been studied and documented around for decades and has either been banned or strictly regulated but is still found in the environment. This review focuses on recent research pertaining to sources and occurrence of POPs in Antarctic lake water, soil, sediment, lichen, mosses and other Antarctic marine community. This review also proposes to summarize the current state of research on POPs in Antarctica environment and draw the earliest conclusions on possible significance of POPs in Antarctica based on presently available information from related Antarctic environment.

Environmental contaminants are found throughout Arctic marine ecosystems, and their presence in seabirds has been associated with toxicological responses. However, there are few studies of genotoxicity in Arctic avian wildlife. The purpose of the present study was to quantify deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage in lymphocytes of selected seabird species and to examine whether accumulation of organohalogen contaminants (ΣOHCs) affects DNA damage. Blood was sampled from common eider (Somateria mollissima), black guillemot (Cepphus grylle), black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla), glaucous gull (Larus hyperboreus), arctic skua (Stercorarius parasiticus), and great skua (Stercorarius skua) in Kongsfjorden, Svalbard (Norway). Contaminant concentrations found in the 6 species differed, presumably because of foraging ecology and biomagnification. Despite large differences in contaminant concentrations, ranging from ΣOHCs 3.3 ng/g wet weight in the common eider to ΣOHCs 895 ng/g wet weight in the great skua, there was no strong difference among the species in baseline DNA damage or sensitivity to a genotoxic stressor (hydrogen peroxide). Baseline levels of DNA damage were low, with median values ranging from 1.7% in the common eider to 8.6% in the great skua. There were no associations between DNA damage and contaminants in the investigated species, suggesting that contaminant concentrations in Kongsfjorden are too low to evoke genotoxic effects, or possibly that lymphocytes are resistant to strand breakage. Clearly, genotoxicity is a topic for future studies of Arctic seabirds. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:1084-1091. © 2017 SETAC.

In this paper results of ground penetrating radar (GPR) surveying of island’s glaciers are shown. The main objectives were testing of VIY-3 300 GPR in weather conditions of Antarctica and check which information about glaciers can be obtained with this equipment. Methods: results of GPR surveying on Galindez Іsland were compared with results of video-impulse radiolocation method (1998 year), vertical electric-resonance sounding (2004 year) and meteorological data (2014-2017). Common offset modification of the GPR method was applied; central frequency of ground coupled antenna: 300 MHz. Results: GPR profiles were recorded along 2 glaciers on Winter island, 2 glaciers on Skua island and along 1 glacier on Galindez island. Several anomalies were indicated, which interpreted as layering of the ice, glacier’s bed, fissures, voids, areas of higher moisture content and potential glacier conduits. Further GPR monitoring of the glaciers’ interior should be done to obtain clear information about mentioned heterogeneities and about their future development. Conclusions: VIY-3 300 GPR works properly in conditions of Antarctica and is suitable for identification of heterogeneities in glaciers up to 27.5 meters. Mentioned equipment can be easily transported, recording of the profiles on mentioned glaciers could be done by one person. Speed of work is 300 meters in 20 minutes for new area (first time surveying on glacier) and 600 meters in 30 minutes for monitoring site (while monitoring on Galindez island).

This study aims to analyze the implementation of SKUA program management in shaping the religious character of students at MA Ummul Quro Putri Pamekasan. The method used is a qualitative approach with descriptive analysis type. Data collection techniques were obtained through observation, interviews and documentation. Then the data collected was analyzed with the stages of data condensation activities, data presentation, and drawing conclusions or verification. The results of the research that have been conducted show that: First, the process of implementing the SKUA program management in shaping the religious character of students at MA Ummul Quro Putri consists of five stages, planning, organizing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating. Second, the impact obtained is to deepen students scientific treasures, slowly students begin to learn daily practices with discipline, each student begins ti be directed ti have a religious character and students begin to get used ti religius attitudes and traits. Third, the inhibiting factor is the lack of awareness of students how important the SKUA program is in daily life, student personal differences and different environmental factors have a negative impact on the formation of students religious character. Solution that can be done to overcome these inhibiting factors are by firt identifying the problems faced by students and then looking for solutions, providing sanctions related to religion, and providing special guidance to overcome problems that cannot be solved by sanctions.

Drastic sea ice retreats in the Antarctic Peninsula, and the consequent environmental changes have brought about the consequences of biological adaptation and food competition. The isotopic niche is reflected by the ecological position and functional role of a species, which can be altered depending on these environmental changes. We assessed the isotopic niche and trophic positions (TP) of 3 seabirds on the Barton Peninsula, King George Island, Antarctica, to understand ecological interaction among the species. The average TP of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) (hereafter “krill”) (2.6 ± 0.1) was estimated by using the compiled published data of the compound-specific nitrogen isotope ratio of glutamic acid and phenylalanine in the Southern Ocean, and TP values of the seabirds based on that of krill to be reliable according to ecological knowledge. Our results on the overlap of the isotopic niches of seabirds suggests potential diet competition among the consumers, such as the brown skua (Stercorarius antarcticus) and south polar skua (Stercorarius maccormicki), whereas the distinct and broad isotopic niche width of kelp gulls (Larus dominicanus) suggesting that their adaptation through generalization was related to their extended habitat and various food sources. Our research indicates that isotopic niche of seabirds reflects their survival strategy for food competition. Consequently, these seabirds can be easily influenced by alternative food sources, including terrestrial and human-derived sources, by rapid environmental changes, indicating that they are valuable as key environmental species and require long-term monitoring in the Antarctic Peninsula.

Despite widespread recognition of the crucial role seabirds play in the fertilization of nutrient-poor polar terrestrial ecosystems, no studies have attempted a concurrent analysis of the entire or large proportion of an ornithogenically-supported food web. The aim of the current study was to assess the significance of allochthonous nutrient enrichment of key elements of the Bjornoya (Svalbard) terrestrial ecosystem by investigating how different seabird species influenced the characteristics of soil, vegetation, and soil invertebrates (direct ornithogenic effects), and also how those characteristics were interrelated (indirect ornithogenic effects). We sampled in the vicinity of a little auk ( Alle alle ) colony, and in areas occupied by great skua ( Stercorarius skua ) and glaucous gull ( Larus hyperboreus ) nests. Our data demonstrate clear, multi-trophic-level, ornithogenic impacts across the terrestrial ecosystem, with most of the measured parameters of soil, vegetation and invertebrates being altered by proximity to bird nesting areas, though to varying degrees. The ornithogenic effects tended to weaken with increasing complexity of interactions between the ecosystem components, with progression through successive trophic levels. The clearest responses were observed for soil (higher nitrogen stable isotope ratio δ 15 N, nitrogen and water content) and vegetation characteristics (higher δ 15 N, N content and total cover, lower diversity and species number, and modified community composition). The responses seen in the invertebrate communities were less clear (community composition change), and were only apparent when major invertebrate groups were considered together and for the assumed decomposers: springtails and oribatid mites, while not in the case of predators (mesostigmatid mites and one spider species). There were also suggestions in the data that different seabird species may have different impacts on the surrounding environment, probably due to their different diet and nesting area topography. However, generally, the species of bird was a weaker factor than the presence of a seabird colony or nest itself.

The Culzean Field, located in UK CNS Block 22/25a between the Lomond Deep and the Heron Cluster, was discovered in 2008 by the 22/25a-9Z well and subsequently appraised by wells 22/25a-10, 22/25a-10Z, 22/25a-10Y and 22/25a-11. The primary reservoir is the Triassic Skagerrak Formation, with a secondary reservoir in the Middle Jurassic Pentland Formation. Total recoverable reserves are estimated to be 250 – 300 MMBOE. One principal challenge concerning the Skagerrak reservoir in Culzean is the stratigraphy, and especially how it relates to adjacent wells in Quadrant 22. Historically, biostratigraphic age determinations of the Skagerrak Formation in Quadrant 22 have been unsuccessful, unlike in Quadrant 30 where biostratigraphic recovery is good and ages are well established. However, good recovery in the Culzean discovery well 22/25a-9Z enabled identification of the Jonathan Mudstone Member, the Joanne Sandstone Member, the Julius Mudstone Member, the Judy Sandstone Member and Marnock Mudstone. The Joanne Sandstone Member and the Jonathan Mudstone Member are therefore more widely distributed in Quadrant 22 than has been hitherto recognized. The Skagerrak Formation in Culzean also has a well-defined heavy mineral stratigraphy, enabling correlation into the adjacent Marnock, Skua, Egret and Heron fields. This correlation shows that the reservoir succession in Egret and Heron is largely equivalent to the Joanne Sandstone Member, whereas Marnock and Skua contain the Judy Sandstone Member overlain by truncated Joanne Sandstone Member and Julius Mudstone Member intervals.

Pelagic seabirds are amongst the most threatened of all avian groups. They face a range of immunological challenges which seem destined to increase due to environmental changes in their breeding and foraging habitats, affecting prey resources and exposure to pollution and pathogens. Therefore, the identification of biomarkers for the assessment of their health status is of considerable importance. Peptidylarginine deiminases (PADs) post-translationally convert arginine into citrulline in target proteins in an irreversible manner. PAD-mediated deimination can cause structural and functional changes in target proteins, allowing for protein moonlighting in physiological and pathophysiological processes. PADs furthermore contribute to the release of extracellular vesicles (EVs), which play important roles in cellular communication. In the present study, post-translationally deiminated protein and EV profiles of plasma were assessed in eight seabird species from the Antarctic, representing two avian orders: Procellariiformes (albatrosses and petrels) and Charadriiformes (waders, auks, gulls and skuas). We report some differences between the species assessed, with the narrowest EV profiles of 50&ndash, 200 nm in the northern giant petrel Macronectes halli, and the highest abundance of larger 250&ndash, 500 nm EVs in the brown skua Stercorarius antarcticus. The seabird EVs were positive for phylogenetically conserved EV markers and showed characteristic EV morphology. Post-translational deimination was identified in a range of key plasma proteins critical for immune response and metabolic pathways in three of the bird species under study, the wandering albatross Diomedea exulans, south polar skua Stercorarius maccormicki and northern giant petrel. Some differences in Gene Ontology (GO) biological and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways for deiminated proteins were observed between these three species. This indicates that target proteins for deimination may differ, potentially contributing to a range of physiological functions relating to metabolism and immune response, as well as to key defence mechanisms. PAD protein homologues were identified in the seabird plasma by Western blotting via cross-reaction with human PAD antibodies, at an expected 75 kDa size. This is the first study to profile EVs and to identify deiminated proteins as putative novel plasma biomarkers in Antarctic seabirds. These biomarkers may be further refined to become useful indicators of physiological and immunological status in seabirds&mdash, many of which are globally threatened.

Skuas are top predator and scavenger seabirds in marine and terrestrial ecosystems and monitoring their diet can provide valuable insights on the abundance and distribution of prey. The diet of the brown skua was studied at Mayes Island, Kerguelen archipelago, by collection of prey remains during their breeding cycle in 2013. We investigated a potential diet shift by comparing our results to those obtained two decades ago at the same colony. Our results confirmed the high specialisation of this skua colony in active predation of two burrowing petrels: the blue petrel and the thin-billed prion. We observed a shift in the diet of the brown skua with the importance of the thin-billed prion dropping significantly by 15%. Concomitantly, we observed a decreasing trend of burrow occupancy of the two main preys, with a more severe decline for the thin-billed prion. We suspected a dietary shift of brown skuas at Mayes Island related to a change in the relative abundance of blue petrels and thin-billed prions. Diet of brown skuas appears to be a valuable indicator of the relative abundance of burrowing petrels when they constitute the main food resource during breeding.

An analysis of 20 samples of eggshells using SEM imaging successfully identified the samples to species level. The samples came from an archaeological site in Iceland dating to the 17th and 18th century, an elite ecclesiastical centre and Bishop’s household. The eggs are all from wildfowl, specifically mallards, Arctic skua, common guillemot and razorbill, and we know from historical sources that the harvesting of wild bird eggs for consumption was a common practice. The present study contributes to a better understanding of everyday life at the bishopric of Skalholt during the Early Modern period in Iceland.

Colonial seabirds use various methods to defend their nests from predators, such as mobbing behavior, emitting alarm calls, vomiting, and defecating. In Antarctica, penguins aggressively defend their territory from skuas in order to guard their offspring, since skuas frequently prey on penguins’ eggs or chicks.

In the Ross Sea region, most South Polar Skuas (Stercorarius maccormicki) nest near Adelie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) colonies, preying and scavenging on fish, penguins, and other carrion. To derive a relationship to predict skua numbers from better-quantified penguin numbers, we used distance sampling to estimate breeding skua numbers within 1000 m of 5 penguin nesting locations (Cape Crozier, Cape Royds, and 3 Cape Bird locations) on Ross Island in 3 consecutive years. Estimated numbers of skua breeding pairs were highest at Cape Crozier (270,000 penguin pairs; 1099 and 1347 skua pairs in 2 respective years) and lowest at Cape Royds (3000 penguin pairs; 45 skua pairs). The log–log linear relationship (R 2 = 0.98) between pairs of skuas and penguins was highly significant, and most historical estimates of skua and penguin numbers in the Ross Sea were within 95 % prediction intervals of the regression. Applying our regression model to current Adelie Penguin colony sizes at 23 western Ross Sea locations predicted that 4635 pairs of skuas now breed within 1000 m of penguin colonies in the Ross Island metapopulation (including Beaufort Island) and northern Victoria Land. We estimate, using published skua estimates for elsewhere in Antarctica, that the Ross Sea South Polar Skua population comprises ~50 % of the world total, although this may be an overestimate because of incomplete data elsewhere. To improve predictions and enable measurement of future skua population change, we recommend additional South Polar Skua surveys using consistent distance-sampling methods at penguin colonies of a range of sizes.