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A roadmap for Antarctic and Southern Ocean science for the next two decades and beyond
- M.C. Kennicutt II, S.L. Chown, J.J. Cassano, D. Liggett, L.S. Peck, R. Massom, S.R. Rintoul, J. Storey, D.G. Vaughan, T.J. Wilson, I. Allison, J. Ayton, R. Badhe, J. Baeseman, P.J. Barrett, R.E. Bell, N. Bertler, S. Bo, A. Brandt, D. Bromwich, S.C. Cary, M.S. Clark, P. Convey, E.S. Costa, D. Cowan, R. Deconto, R. Dunbar, C. Elfring, C. Escutia, J. Francis, H.A. Fricker, M. Fukuchi, N. Gilbert, J. Gutt, C. Havermans, D. Hik, G. Hosie, C. Jones, Y.D. Kim, Y. Le Maho, S.H. Lee, M. Leppe, G. Leitchenkov, X. Li, V. Lipenkov, K. Lochte, J. López-Martínez, C. Lüdecke, W. Lyons, S. Marenssi, H. Miller, P. Morozova, T. Naish, S. Nayak, R. Ravindra, J. Retamales, C.A. Ricci, M. Rogan-Finnemore, Y. Ropert-Coudert, A.A. Samah, L. Sanson, T. Scambos, I.R. Schloss, K. Shiraishi, M.J. Siegert, J.C. Simões, B. Storey, M.D. Sparrow, D.H. Wall, J.C. Walsh, G. Wilson, J.G. Winther, J.C. Xavier, H. Yang, W.J. Sutherland
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- Journal:
- Antarctic Science / Volume 27 / Issue 1 / February 2015
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 18 September 2014, pp. 3-18
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Antarctic and Southern Ocean science is vital to understanding natural variability, the processes that govern global change and the role of humans in the Earth and climate system. The potential for new knowledge to be gained from future Antarctic science is substantial. Therefore, the international Antarctic community came together to ‘scan the horizon’ to identify the highest priority scientific questions that researchers should aspire to answer in the next two decades and beyond. Wide consultation was a fundamental principle for the development of a collective, international view of the most important future directions in Antarctic science. From the many possibilities, the horizon scan identified 80 key scientific questions through structured debate, discussion, revision and voting. Questions were clustered into seven topics: i) Antarctic atmosphere and global connections, ii) Southern Ocean and sea ice in a warming world, iii) ice sheet and sea level, iv) the dynamic Earth, v) life on the precipice, vi) near-Earth space and beyond, and vii) human presence in Antarctica. Answering the questions identified by the horizon scan will require innovative experimental designs, novel applications of technology, invention of next-generation field and laboratory approaches, and expanded observing systems and networks. Unbiased, non-contaminating procedures will be required to retrieve the requisite air, biota, sediment, rock, ice and water samples. Sustained year-round access to Antarctica and the Southern Ocean will be essential to increase winter-time measurements. Improved models are needed that represent Antarctica and the Southern Ocean in the Earth System, and provide predictions at spatial and temporal resolutions useful for decision making. A co-ordinated portfolio of cross-disciplinary science, based on new models of international collaboration, will be essential as no scientist, programme or nation can realize these aspirations alone.
Genetic diversity of an introduced pest, the green spruce aphid Elatobium abietinum (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in New Zealand and the United Kingdom
- D. Nicol, K.F. Armstrong, S.D. Wratten, P.J. Walsh, N.A. Straw, C.M. Cameron, C. Lahmann, C.M. Frampton
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- Journal:
- Bulletin of Entomological Research / Volume 88 / Issue 5 / October 1998
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 10 July 2009, pp. 537-543
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The green spruce aphid Elatobium abietinum (Walker) is an introduced pest in the United Kingdom and more recently in New Zealand. In outbreak years this aphid can cause severe defoliation and sometimes death of spruce trees (Picea spp.). As chemical control is not financially viable, other options including host-plant resistance and biological control are currently being investigated. An understanding of the genetic variation of this pest is imperative in fully utilizing these control strategies. To examine this, E. abietinum was collected from Sitka spruce Picea sitchensis from four locations in the UK that were up to 240 km apart. Of these, 40 aphids were analysed via two alternative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses using primer pairs. The first analysis used 10-mer random primers, whilst the second analysis used primers designed to amplify across the intergenic spacer region of rDNA. Combining results from the two analyses allowed the 40 UK aphids to be separated into 28 different genotypes. The genetic variation was also high within each UK site, with 77 to 89% of the aphids sampled being of a different genotype. The two PCR analyses were subsequently used to examine 40 aphids across six sites in New Zealand up to 1200 km apart. No genetic variation was identified. Further analysis of several of these New Zealand aphids with 87 individual 10-mer primers and two polymerase enzymes, still did not detect any genetic variation. The high degree of genotypic diversity in the UK populations was presumably due to a longer period of establishment, multiple introductions and/or sexual reproduction. The contrasting lack of genetic variation in New Zealand populations was probably due to a very limited founder population, continued isolation and lack of sexual reproduction. Reduced genetic diversity can seriously decrease the ability of a population to adapt to control strategies. Therefore the durability of certain control methods may be more readily maintained in such an isolated population in New Zealand.