We are embarked on a decade of celebrations of the national expeditions of what is now termed the Heroic Age. Exploring the Antarctic – the great unknown continent – a hundred years ago was great adventure and, given what we now know of the primitive state of their equipment, it is surprising that more of these explorers did not die. The tragic death of Captain Scott's polar party must be taken as a key talisman for the title “Heroic Age” but we should not underestimate the courage and fortitude of all the others – British, Swedish, Norwegian, French, German, Belgian, Argentinean, Polish, Romanian, American etc – who sailed, walked and sledged into the unknown for the greater good of their nation.

Pingüinera Stream is one of the two main lotic environments of Cierva Point (Antarctic Specially Protected Area No. 134) on the Danco Coast, Antarctic Peninsula. It originates in a large snowfield, flows through a penguin rookery, moss and grass banks, discharging into Cierva Cove. During late Antarctic summer 2003, we sampled the stream at six locations along its course. Abiotic features characterize it as a clear water system, yet receiving a very high amount of PO4-P and NH4-N from the rookery. These nutrients decrease downstream mainly due to uptake by epilithic algae and oxidation of NH4+ to NO3-, consequently lowering pH and dissolved O2, which was always under-saturated. Strong correlations between all these parameters support these findings. The epilithic algal community shows both temporal and spatial changes in biomass, composition and relative frequencies. Dominant species at the higher reach of the stream are cyanobacteria, mainly Chamaesiphon subglobosus (Rostafinski) Lemm. and a mesh of Leptolyngbya spp. filaments. The chlorophyta Prasiola calophylla (Carmich.) Menegh. dominates the community in oxygenated, fast-flowing reaches. Comparison with the other main stream from Cierva Point, which is not influenced by the rookery, shows that growth and survival of the epilithic community in this area is limited by factors other than nutrient concentrations.

Simultaneous, but contrary, decadal-scale changes in population trajectories of two penguin species in the western Pacific and Ross Sea sectors of the Southern Ocean, during the early/mid-1970s and again during 1988–89, correspond to changes in weather and sea ice patterns. These in turn are related to shifts in the semi-annual and Antarctic oscillations. Populations of the two ecologically dissimilar penguin species - Adélie Pygoscelis adeliae and emperor Aptenodytes forsteri - have been tallied annually since the 1950s making these the longest biological datasets for the Antarctic. Both species are obligates of sea ice and, therefore, allowing for the demographic lags inherent in the response of long-lived species to habitat or environmental variation, the proximate mechanisms responsible for the shifts involved changes in coastal wind strength and air and sea temperatures, which in turn affected the seasonal formation and decay of sea ice and polynyas. The latter probably affected such rates as the proportion of adults breeding and ultimately the reproductive output of populations in ways consistent with the two species' opposing sea ice needs. Corresponding patterns for the mid-1970s shift were reflected also in ice-obligate Weddell seal Leptonychotes weddelli populations and the structure of shallow-water sponge communities in the Ross Sea. The 1988–89 shift, by which time many more datasets had become available, was reflected among several ice-frequenting vertebrate species from all Southern Ocean sectors. Therefore, the patterns most clearly identified in the Pacific Sector were apparently spread throughout the high latitudes of the Southern Ocean.

The introduction of invasive species may be the most profound modern threat to biological communities in high-latitude regions. In the Southern Ocean, the natural transport mechanism for shallow-water marine organisms provided by kelp rafts is being increasingly augmented by plastic debris and shipping activity. Plastic debris provide additional opportunities for dispersal of invasive organisms, but dispersal routes are passive, dependent on ocean currents, and already established. In contrast, ships create novel pathways, moving across currents and often visiting many locations over short periods of time. Transportation of hull-fouling communities by vessel traffic thus poses the most likely mechanism by which exotic species may be introduced to the Southern Ocean.

The flux and composition of settling particles were measured in a subtidal benthic environment of Marian Cove, King George Island, from February 1998–January 2000. The total mass flux ranged between 2.47 g m−2 d−1 (August and September 1998) and 21.97 g m−2 d−1 (February 1999), and showed distinct seasonal variation: high in the summer and low in winter. Lithogenic particles constituted 70–95% of the total particles, while biogenic particles represented only 10%, except in spring when biogenic particles made up more than 30%. The fluxes of organic carbon, biogenic silica, nitrogen, and organic phosphorus all peaked in spring rather than in summer, with ranges of 4.4–34.0, 1.2–23.5, 0.48–5.56, and 0.01–0.15 mmol m−2 d−1, respectively. Fluxes of metals (Al, Ti, Cu, Cd, and Pb) showed temporal variability, similar to that of the total mass flux, but each metal had different enrichment factor (EF) values. The EF value of Cu correlated positively with fluxes in lithogenic components, while the EF value of Cd correlated with biogenic particle fluxes. The Cu flux is mainly related to substantial inflows of melt water laden with Cu- enriched lithogenic particles. The Cd flux is probably associated with organic matter deposition following phytoplankton blooms in the water column.

Roots of nine of the 12 vascular plant species present on sub-Antarctic Heard Island were examined for mycorrhizae. All species examined had some type of mycorrhization with most possessing associations with vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae or dark septate mycorrhizae. The degree of mycorrhization varied considerably across sites. Sampled plants were growing on either morainic or beach substrates with some areas exposed only in the last century. As mycorrhizae are known to play an important role in the nutrient uptake by host-plants, these results support the idea that mycorrhizae can influence the capacities of plants to colonize in cold and low-nutrient environments such as sub-Antarctic glacier forelands. Comparisons with data from other sub-Antarctic islands are made.

Dimethyl sulphide (DMS) and its oxidation products (e.g. methanesulphonic acid, MSA) are known to play important roles in atmospheric chemistry (Liss et al. 1997). They act as source of atmospheric particles, and affect the radiative balance of the atmosphere directly by absorbing and scattering solar radiation or indirectly by forming cloud condensation nuclei, which enhance cloud albedo (Charlson et al. 1987, Curran & Jones 2000).

Deception Island is a young, active volcano located in the south-western part of Bransfield Strait, between the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland archipelago. New gravity and magnetic data, from a marine geophysical cruise (DECVOL-99), were analysed. Forty-eight survey lines were processed and mapped around Deception Island to obtain Bouguer and magnetic anomaly maps. These maps show well- defined groups of gravity and magnetic anomalies, as well as their gradients. To constrain the upper crustal structure, we have performed 2+1/2D forward modelling on three profiles perpendicular to the main anomalies of the area, and taking into account previously published seismic information. From the gravity and magnetic models, two types of crust were identified. These were interpreted as continental crust (located north of Deception Island) and more basic crust (south of Deception Island). The transition between these crustal types is evident in the Bouguer anomaly map as a high gradient area trending NE–SW. Both magnetic and gravity data show a wide minimum at the eastern part of Deception Island, which suggests a very low bulk susceptibility and low density intrusive body. With historical recorded eruptions and thermal and fumarolic fields, we interpret this anomaly as a partially melted intrusive body. Its top has been estimated to be at 1.7 km depth using Euler deconvolution techniques.

The ice surface of the glacier in the 7 km long valley Scharffenbergbotnen in Heimefrontfjella, Dronning Maud Land, is characterized by blue ice fields and is partly covered by supraglacial moraine complexes. The debris cover of the supraglacial moraines is generally less than 50 cm thick and rests on glacial ice, and most of the surface morphology of ridges and numerous sink holes reflects irregularities in the underlying ice. The debris consists of angular to sub-angular clasts of local bedrock. We interpret the moraines to have an entirely supraglacial history, where colluvium and pre-existing moraines were brought into Scharffenbergbotnen primarily from the south/south-west by an advancing glacier during the last ice maximum in the region. The debris cover of the supraglacial moraines extends up to 200–250 m above the present ice surface on surrounding slopes in Scharffenbergbotnen, and generally to less than 100 m above the present ice surface on slopes outside the valley. We interpret this as marking the ice surface elevation in the area during the last ice maximum (probably LGM). The deposition of supraglacial moraines in the valley at that time, and their survival in the area until the present day, indicate that a local ablation centre and probably blue ice fields were present in Scharffenbergbotnen at LGM, and has been a persistent feature since. In a wider context, we argue that supraglacial moraines constitute a hitherto unexploited resource when reconstructing the former extent of blue ice areas.

During fieldwork of the 1998–99 and 1999–2000 Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition (CHINARE), three different kinds of Cenozoic sedimentary record were found in the Grove Mountains, which are in East Antarctica about 450km inland of Prydz Bay. These consist of (1) glaciogenic sedimentary erratics found in the moraine banks in the central area of Grove Mountains, which can be subdivided into four types according to different degrees of lithification as well as differences in inner structure and include in-situ diamicts; (2) palaeosols found in several small depressions in the southern slope of the Mount Harding; and (3) different kinds of glacial moraine floating on the surface of blue ice or around the foot of some nunataks. Preliminary results suggest that the in situ glaciogenic sediments were formed in the ice-sheet frontal area by the interaction of glacial movement and ice sheet melt water under climatic conditions warmer than today.

The Permian ended with the largest of known mass extinctions in the history of life. This signal event has been difficult to recognize in Antarctic non-marine rocks, because the boundary with the Triassic is defined by marine fossils at a stratotype section in China. Late Permian leaves (Glossopteris) and roots Vertebraria), and Early Triassic leaves (Dicroidium) and vertebrates (Lystrosaurus) roughly constrain the Permian–Triassic boundary in Antarctica. Here we locate the boundary in Antarctica more precisely using carbon isotope chemostratigraphy and total organic carbon analyses in six measured sections from Allan Hills, Shapeless Mountain, Mount Crean, Portal Mountain, Coalsack Bluff and Graphite Peak. Palaeosols and root traces also are useful for recognizing the Permian–Triassic boundary because there was a complete turnover in terrestrial ecosystems and their soils. A distinctive kind of palaeosol with berthierine nodules, the Dolores pedotype, is restricted to Early Triassic rocks. Late Permian and Middle Triassic root traces are carbonaceous, whereas those of the Early Triassic are replaced by claystone or silica. Antarctic Permian–Triassic sequences are among the most complete known, judging from the fine structure and correlation of carbon isotope anomalies.

The McDonald Islands (53°S, 73°E) originally comprised three small islands that lie on the Kerguelen Plateau, 44 km west of Heard Island. No volcanic activity was observed since their discovery in 1874 until 1997, when two passing ships recorded major changes and eruptive behaviour. A 2001 satellite image showed that the main island had doubled its area. This paper reports observations made from a cruise ship in November 2002, supplemented by a high-resolution satellite image acquired in March 2003. A new volcanic complex comprises lava domes, spines and flows, all assumed to be phonolitic, similar to the older volcanic rocks. The complex shows dormant volcanic activity, with numerous fumaroles, recent spine evolution and lava flows. Changes in relative sea level have connected Flat and McDonald Islands. A spit about 1km long with extensive shoals beyond, now extends eastward from McDonald Island and presents new hazards to shipping. Biological changes include colonization by king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonica), previously absent, and a large reduction in numbers of formerly widespread macaroni penguins (Eudyptes chrysolophus chrysolophus).

To date, Cretaceous nautilids from the Antarctic Peninsula have received little attention and only a single species had been reported, Eutrephoceras simile Spath, from Seymour, Snow Hill, and James Ross islands. Currently, it is considered a synonym of Eutrephoceras subplicatum (Steinmann), which has also been described from the Upper Cretaceous of central Chile, southern Argentina and Angola. Here, we report and describe E. subplicatum in detail, based on specimens from the Lower Campanian–Maastrichtian of Vega, Seymour and James Ross islands, presenting, for the first time, embryonic conch features related to the palaeoecology of these organisms. The nauta of this species had a diameter of approximately 30 mm with 5–6 septa. In addition, we describe a new species, Eutrephoceras antarcticum, and one specimen assigned to the same genus in open nomenclature, both recovered from the Lower Campanian beds of James Ross Island.

Fluctuations in the volume of the Antarctic ice sheet for the last 740 ka are calculated by forcing a simple ice sheet model with a sea-level history (from a composite deep sea δ18O record) and a temperature history (from the Dome C deuterium record). Antarctic ice volume reaches maximum values of about 30 × 1015 m3, 3 to 8 ka after glacial maxima [defined as maximum values of the deep sea δ18O record]. Minimum values of ice volume reached in the course of interglacial periods are about 26 × 1015 m3. Most of the time the temperature forcing (larger accumulation) and sea-level forcing (grounding-line retreat) tend to have competing effects. However, towards the end of a glacial cycle, when temperature rises and sea-level is still relatively low, the ice volume reaches a peak. The peak value is very sensitive to the relative phase of the sea-level forcing with respect to the temperature forcing. This is further studied by looking at the response of the model to purely periodic forcings with different relative phase. The large sensitivity of ice sheet size to the phase of the forcings may have some implications for dating of deep ice cores. Care has to be taken by using anchor points from the deep sea record.

In an attempt to clarify the release of trace elements from the seasonal coastal sea ice, samples were periodically collected in a nearshore station inside the Gerlache Inlet (Terra Nova Bay, Western Ross Sea), during the summer 2000/01 and analysed for dissolved and particulate cadmium, copper, iron, manganese and lead, as well as salinity, suspended particulate matter, nutrients and phytoplankton pigments. In order to provide insight on the metal association with the particles included in the sea ice, the metal solid speciation was also investigated. Both vertical distributions within the ice cores and temporal variations at the seawater interface were studied, in an effort to fully characterize the system and correlation among the considered parameters. Concentrations and speciation patterns clearly indicate metal incorporation within the annual sea ice due to resuspension of sediments, followed by release of particulate metals during melting as a primary process affecting trace metal availability in the Antarctic coastal waters.