By tradition, palaeontologists use the Linnaean scheme in the classification of fossil organisms. But what about the naming of rocks or sequences of rocks in which those fossils occur; or what about those rocks which never had even a whiff of an organism at the time of their formation? My favourite rock name is Charnockite, named from the tombstone of Job Charnock, an employee of the East India Company and the founder of Calcutta, who by legend “after the death of his wife, every year sacrificed a cock to her memory in the mausoleum” (Dictionary of National Biography, 1990) until his own death in January 1693. But it is not individual rock types that form the subject of this note; rather it is larger sets of related rocks, whether sedimentary, igneous, or metamorphic in origin. Description of related sets of rocks requires schemes of nomenclature that are widely accepted and used; these, in themselves, must be firmly based on an internationally agreed set of principles, and there must be wide dissemination of additions to the nomenclature.

Dr Michael J. Rycroft, the Editor responsible for Atmospheric Sciences, resigned on 31 December 1990. Dr Rycroft left British Antarctic Survey and took up a new post as Professor and Dean of the School of Aeronautical Studies, Cranfield Institute of Technology, during 1990. He played a key role in the establishment of Antarctic Science and took every opportunity to stimulate submissions from atmospheric scientists whose work he believed was of interest and value to a multi-disciplinary audience.

Springtime ozone depletion over Antarctica has been observed for over a decade. Associated with ozone depletion is an increase in the levels of biologically harmful ultraviolet-B (UV-B) that reach the earth's surface, a situation that has prompted much controversy about the ecological effects of this atmospheric phenomenon on Antarctic ecosystems. A major hindrance to assessing the ecological impact is lack of appropriate data on Antarctic systems before the present ozone depletion cycle began. In addition, certain physical features of the Antarctic environment (clouds, snow and ice) and the UV-B photobiology (repair processes and protective strategies) of endemic species can alter the potential biological effects of this environmental stress in, as yet, undetermined ways. Increases in incident UV levels will most likely result in changes in the taxonomic structure of communities. The effects of these changes on net productivity and trophic dynamics cannot be accurately assessed without quantifying ambient doeses of UV and characterizing the UV photobiology of individual species. Both the physical features of the springtime environment and the biological responses of endemic species must be considered in future research efforts to evaluate the biological consequences of the Antarctic ozone hole.

The consumption of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) by an “average-sized” (male 6994 kg; female 8249 kg), sexually mature Minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) was estimated, from stomach capacity, ingestion rate and respiratory allometry methods. Estimates obtained from the stomach capacity and respiratory allometry methods differed by 17%–23%. An “average-sized” male Minke whale consumes 37.2 t of krill during a 90-day stay, and an “average-sized” female Minke whale consumes 56.2 t of krill during a 120-day stay, in Antarctic waters during the austral summer. It is estimated that the Minke whale population in the Antarctic (60°S and higher) consumes 35.5 × 106 t of krill annually.

The breeding season diet of the three surface-nesting petrel species on the Rauer Islands, Prydz Bay were examined. The stomach contents of cape petrel (Daption capense), Antarctic petrel (Thalassoica antarctica), and southern fulmar (Fulmarus glacialoides) were sampled by collecting regurgitates and by stomach flushing during the 1987/88 early chick-rearing period. Pleuragramma antarcticum and Euphausia superba dominated the diets of all species. By mass they constituted 78% and 22% of Antarctic petrel diet, 63% and 36% of southern fulmar diet, and 14% and 85% of cape petrel diet respectively. P. antarcticum increased in importance in the diet of Antarctic petrels during the course of the study, while E. superba became increasingly important in the diets of southern fulmars and cape petrels. Previous studies conducted during incubation consistently reported the diets as comprising chiefly cephalopods and euphausiids, whilst studies during chick-rearing have reported fish and euphausiids dominating, and very little cephalopod material.

A histochemical and electron microscopy study was carried out on muscle growth in demersal stages of the Antarctic teleost Notothenia neglecta Nybelin. The total number of myotomal muscle fibres was similar in fish ranging in body mass from 11.9g to 889g. Post-anal myotomes contained around 17,000 slow muscle fibres and 70,000 fast muscle fibres. Myosatellite cells were extremely rare. The diameter of fast fibres varied from <10μm to 130μm in the smallest, and from >40μm to 450μm in the largest fish studied. Slow muscle fibre diameters in the largest fish ranged from >30μm to 260μm. Even the largest diameter slow fibres contained significant numbers of mitochondria, which suggests that the diffusion of oxygen does not limit metabolism. The results confirm that muscle fibre hyperplasia ceases prior to the demersal stages of the life history, and that subsequent muscle growth is entirely via the hypertrophy of existing fibres. Comparative studies suggest that this may be one of the factors contributing to the relatively slow rate of somatic growth in this species.

Field populations of Oscillatoriales, from fresh and saline lakes and ponds, and from terrestrial habitats, are characterised on the basis of their morphology and morphometry. Fifteen morphotypes are recognized principally from the following characteristics; cross-sectional shape of the trichome, presence or absence of a calyptra on the apical cell, occurrence or otherwise of numerous trichomes within a common sheath, and trichome width distribution. Where possible morphotypes are assigned to traditional species described by earlier investigations of algae in the Ross Sea region and a reassessment is made of the early descriptions, in some cases using material from the identical locations to the original collections. The following traditional species are described; Lyngbya murrayi, Microcoleus vaginatus, Oscillatoria deflexa, O. koettlitzi, O. priestleyi, O. sancta, Phormidium autumnale and P. subproboscidea. Intraspecific morphotypes of M. vaginatus, O. priestleyi and P. autumnale are recognised on the basis of trichome width. A new species and variety of Crinalium (Crow) Winder, Stal & Mur, a genus characterized by flattened trichomes, are described from cryoconite ponds on glaciers. C. glaciale sp. nov. possesses wide, straight trichomes in contrast to C. glaciale var. helicoides nov. var. in which trichomes are narrower and helically coiled.

A small freshwater pond near Palmer Station, Anvers Island, (64° 45'S, 64° 05'W) was sampled every 6 h over a 24 h period during the late austral summer to examine changes in both neuston and plankton population levels and activity. Total bacteria using acridine orange and epifluorescence microscopy, counts of viable colony-forming units, and chlorophyll a were determined. Activity was estimated by measuring the rate of 3H-thymidine incorporation. The data indicate that over this time period the bacterioneuston populations went through a diel fluctuation and temperature may be an important factor in this cycle. Although the bacterioneuston populations were often more numerous than corresponding plankton populations, subsurface bacteria appeared to be metabolically more active.

Halozetes belgicae is distributed widely in the Subantarctic and maritime Antarctic, with subspecies described from Macquarie Island and the South Sandwich Islands. A morphometrical study, based largely on the development of the setae, indicates that the nominate subspecies is confined to the Antarctic Peninsula and its offshore islands (including the South Shetland Islands), whilst specimens from the South Orkney Islands are probably consubspecific with individuals on the South Sandwich Islands. In comparison with other studies of the Acari, the results strengthen the case for the recognition of a South Orkadian biogeographical zone.

Analysis of a 1.5 m thick sediment sequence from Midge Lake, Byers Peninsula, Livingston Island, shows that the lake and its catchment have undergone significant changes during the last 4000 years. Radiocarbon dating (AMS), sediment lithology, and microfossil analyses indicate that the lake was deglaciated over 4000 14C years ago. Distinct peaks in accumulation rates of sediment, Pediastrum algae, pollen and spores, as well as changes in the diatom assemblage, suggest significant environmental changes between ca 3200 and 2700 y BP. These changes are interpreted as reflecting a milder and more humid, maritime climate. The increased humidity can explain independent observations of glacier growth during this period. The combined data also indicate that between ca 1500 and 500 y BP the area might have experienced more continental conditions with slightly colder and drier climate than today. Since the 14C dates from the Midge Lake sediments are regarded as reliable and the sediment sequence is rich in tephra layers this sediment sequence will be critical for a forthcoming tephra chronology of the region.

Two geochemical surveys of the major constituents of the Alph River, situated in Walcott Bay, Victoria Land, were undertaken in the austral summer of 1987–88. At the same time, tributaries and the runoff from various glaciers were investigated. The Alph River has an average total dissolved solids (TDS) concentration of 63.5 mgl−1, approximately half that of average world river water. The chemical composition is dominated by Na+ and HCO−3. Glacial melt waters have very low TDS but chemical weathering over the course of a few kilometres causes solute concentrations in the tributaries to exceed those of the Alph River. The composition of the streams is variable, but often Ca2+ is the principal cation. Enrichment factor and mass balance calculations indicate that the salts in the Alph River and its tributaries have a substantial non-marine component. Chemical weathering of calcite, mirabilite, gypsum and halite contribute solutes to the aquatic system. A “Gibbs Plot” [TDS versus Na:(Na+Ca) weight ratio] indicates that water samples from direct glacial runoff fall outside the world water envelope. They have low solute levels but enhanced Ca2+ concentrations, resulting from the aeolian deposition and subsequent dissolution of calcitic material.

On the basis of a skull from the late Eocene La Meseta Formation on Seymour Island, Antarctic Peninsula, a gadiform fish is reported from the Antarctic region for the first time. This specimen, the most completely preserved fossil teleost cranium yet described from Antarctica, provides convincing evidence for the presence of Gadiformes in a far southerly location under temperate climatic conditions 40 m.y. ago. The exoccipital condyles, supraoccipital and lambdoidal crests, and post-temporal and supratemporal fossae are well preserved, as are the roofing bones on the posterior half of the skull. Comparative osteological study indicates that these features are very similar in appearance to those of merlucciids (hakes) and gadids (cods).

The bivalve Aulacomyella is described formally from Tithonian deposits of the Antarctic Peninsula region for the first time. Two species are recognized. A. willeyi Kelly sp. nov. was collected in situ from the Nordenskjöld Formation, Longing Gap on the east coast of Graham Land, and in clasts reworked into Cretaceous glide block deposits on James Ross Island. A. cf. problematica Furlani is recorded from the Himalia Ridge Formation, Fossil Bluff Group, Alexander Island. These Antarctic records are the first published systematic descriptions of the genus from the Southern Hemisphere. Together with Mexican and Turkish records, they represent the last known occurrences of this genus. Globally the genus is particularly abundant during the Kimmeridgian and Early Tithonian stages and is therefore of value as a biostratigraphic indicator. It was almost certainly an epibyssate suspension feeder, although the precise palaeoecological setting for Aulacomyella is uncertain. It normally occurs in black shales or mudstones. The most likely life habits were either living epifaunally on the sea floor, where it bloomed under episodic dysaerobic conditions in an otherwise anaerobic environment, or pseudoplanktonically infesting floating sea weeds etc. Of these hypotheses the former is preferred here.