Abstract: In 1954, brown trout were introduced to the Kerguelen archipelago (49°S, 70°E), a pristine, sub-Antarctic environment previously devoid of native freshwater fishes. Trout began spreading rapidly via coastal waters to colonize adjacent watersheds, however, recent and unexpectedly the spread has slowed. To better understand the ecology of the brown trout here, and why their expansion has slowed, we documented the marine habitat use, foraging ecology, and environmental conditions experienced over one year by 50 acoustically tagged individuals at the colonization front. Trout mainly utilized the marine habitat proximate to their tagging site, ranging no further than 7 km and not entering any uncolonized watersheds. Nutritional indicators showed that trout were in good condition at the time of tagging. Stomach contents and isotope signatures in muscle of additional trout revealed a diet of amphipods (68%), fish (23%), isopods (6%), and zooplankton (6%). The small migration distances observed, presence of suitable habitat, and rich local foraging opportunities suggest that trout can achieve their resource needs close to their home rivers. This may explain why the expansion of brown trout at Kerguelen has slowed.

Abstract: The annual flux of extraterrestrial material on Earth is largely dominated by sub-millimetre particles. The mass distribution and absolute value of this cosmic dust flux at the Earth's surface is however still uncertain due to the difficulty in monitoring both the collection efficiency and the exposure parameter (i.e. the area-time product in m2.yr). In this paper, we present results from micrometeorite collections originating from the vicinity of the CONCORDIA Station located at Dome C (Antarctica), where we performed several independent melts of large volumes of ultra-clean snow. The regular precipitation rate and the exceptional cleanliness of the snow from central Antarctica allow a unique control on both the exposure parameter and the collection efficiency. A total of 1280 unmelted micrometeorites (uMMs) and 808 cosmic spherules (CSs) with diameters ranging from 30 to 350 μm were identified. Within that size range, we measured mass fluxes of 3.0 μg.m−2.yr−1 for uMMs and 5.6 μg.m−2.yr−1 for CSs. Extrapolated to the global flux of particles in the 12-700 μm diameter range, the mass flux of dust at Earth's surface is 5,200±12001500 tons.yr−1 (1,600±500 and 3,600±7001000 tons.yr−1 of uMMs and CSs, respectively). We indicate the statistical uncertainties expected for collections with exposure parameters in the range of 0.1 up to 105 m2.yr. In addition, we estimated the flux of altered and unaltered carbon carried by heated and un-heated particles at Earth's surface. The mass distributions of CSs and uMMs larger than 100 μm are fairly well reproduced by the CABMOD-ZoDy model that includes melting and evaporation during atmospheric entry of the interplanetary dust flux. These numerical simulations suggest that most of the uMMs and CSs originate from Jupiter family comets and a minor part from the main asteroid belt. The total dust mass input before atmospheric entry is estimated at 15,000 tons.yr−1. The existing discrepancy between the flux data and the model for uMMs below 100 μm suggests that small fragile uMMs may evade present day collections, and/or that the amount of small interplanetary particles at 1 AU may be smaller than expected.

Abstract: The sub-Antarctic islands are remote and isolated environments with original flora and fauna composed of a few species that are highly adapted to cold oceanic conditions. Their peculiar naturalness makes these ecosystems intrinsically fragile.This book focuses on terrestrial ecosystems and, in particular, on invertebrates – earthworms, mollusks, spiders and insects – that inhabit the French sub-Antarctic islands of the South Indian Ocean. All native and introduced species are presented in the form of individual fact sheets, which include the main identification criteria, geographical distribution and principal ecological traits. Numerous summary tables, distribution maps of introduced species, and a discussion on the originality and vulnerability of this fauna are also included.The Terrestrial Macroinvertebrates of the Sub-Antarctic Iles Kerguelen and Ile de la Possession is based on an expansive literature base, as well as on observations and photographs taken as part of a research program funded by the French Polar Institute Paul-Emile Victor (IPEV). The book also gives an important part to the history of the discoveries of the different species, as well as current conservation issues.

Abstract: Since The Signature Of The Minamata Convention On Mercury In 2017, National Regulation Coordinated At An International Level Will Come Into Force In Order To Limit Anthropogenic Emissions And Therefore Protect The Human Health And Ecosystem From This Highly Toxic Pollutant. One Need To Evaluate The Efficiency Of National Measures, And Long-term Monitoring Of Atmospheric Mercury (Hg) Is An Important Tool To Address The Changes Over Time Of Emission Sources, Transport, And Deposition Patterns.the Global Mercury Observation System (Gmos) Project Was Funded By The European Commission (Http://www.gmos.eu) And Started In November 2010 With The Overall Goal To Develop A Coordinated Global Observing System To Monitor Hg On A Global Scale, Including A Large Network Of Ground-based Monitoring Stations. To Date, More Than 40 Ground-based Monitoring Sites Constitute The Global Network Covering Many Regions Where Little To No Observational Data Were Available Before Gmos (Sprovieri Et Al., 2016). All Gmos Work Is Now Continued In The Framework Of The International Frame Work Of Gos4m (Global Observation System For Mercury – Http://www.gos4m.org)although Essential To Fully Understand The Cycling Of Mercury At The Global Scale, Mercury Species Records In The Southern Hemisphere Were Really Scarce Before Gmos. In This Context, An Atmospheric Mercury Monitoring Station Has Been Set Up On Amsterdam Island (37◦48 S, 77◦34 E) In The Remote Southern Indian Ocean In 2012. Since 2012, We Continuously Measured Gaseous Mercury Species With A 15 Min Frequency. Angot Et Al. (2014) Discussed The First Two Years Of This Record, Using Principally Wind Sector Analysis And Air Mass Back Trajectories. They Also Include In Their Analysis The Unique Continuous Record Of Radon 222 And 220 (Thoron) (Polian Et Al., 1986; Kritz Et Al., 1990). Radon 222 And 220 (Thoron) Activities Can Be Used To Distinguish Local Soil Outgassing From Remote Continental Source. Combined With Meteorological Data, The Change Of Activities Are Then Powerful Tool To Classify Air Mass Origin For The Atmospheric Gaseous Mercury Record. Rapid And Sharp Variations Of Radon 222 Activity, Referred To As &Ldquo;radonic Storms” (Lambert Et Al., 1970) And Ascribed To Strong Continental Air Mass Advection, Are Then Observed At Amsterdam Island. The Occurrence Of Radonic Storms Was Estimated To Be About 4 % In 2012 And 7 % In 2013. Considering The Works Realized In 2014, The Goal Of This Internship Is To Deeper Explore The Relationships Between The Collected Gaseous Elemental Mercury And Observed Radon (222rn / 220rn) Activities In The Entire Data Set. In Particular, We Will Study The Specific And Coupled Trend Of These Compounds, The Frequency And Intensity Of Radonic Storm Occurrence And Their Potential Link With The Gaseous Elemental Mercury Cycle. Local Meteorology Data As Well As Backtrajectories Simulation (Hysplit And/or Flexpart Model) Will Be Also Used.

Abstract: Reproductive success can improve with experience, which increases with age in many long-lived species. Signals that provide reliable information about age are therefore of importance for mate choice and consequently are under sexual selection. In birds, these are often vocal signals as well as visual signals in the form of plumage coloration. King penguins, Aptenodytes patagonicus, are sexually monomorphically ornamented seabirds that perform a complex visual and acoustic courtship display. Coloured beak spots and ear patches contain information about the condition and physiological status of adult males and females, but their role as a signal of age has previously only been studied in young birds. Vocalizations have mainly been studied as signals of individuality and not in the context of courtship. We investigated two multicomponent signals in the context of mate choice by analysing beak spot, ear patch and call parameters of wild king penguins. We explored the relation between these signals and age as well as age classes (chicks, juveniles, adults). Ornament parameters were weakly correlated with in males, but not in females, while acoustic parameters were highly correlated with age in both sexes. The calls' fundamental frequency and energy parameters and all the beak spot parameters reliably classified individuals into their age class. Since age class was redundantly encoded in both acoustic and colour parameters, we hypothesize that calls and ornaments function as back-up signals that increase the chance of accurately conveying the age class of the sender to receivers. King penguins might sequentially analyse age class signals during courtship, where acoustic signals serve as long-range communication when sender and receiver are out of sight, and ornamentation signals become important at close range. We show the importance of considering bimodal, multicomponent signals when studying complex behaviour and discuss how signalling environment, the species’ life history and mating system influence the evolution of communication signals.