Rattus exulans (Pacific rat).

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aaron Shiels
Keyword(s):  
Southeast Asia ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Tropical Pacific ◽  
Pacific Basin ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Ground Nesting ◽  
The Tropical Pacific

Abstract The Pacific rat, R. exulans, is an major agricultural and environmental pest in parts of Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Thought to have spread with Polynesian colonists over the past several thousand years, it is now found through much of the Pacific basin, and is extensively distributed in the tropical Pacific. It poses a significant threat to indigenous wildlife, particularly ground-nesting birds, and has been linked to the extinction of several bird species. R. exulans may also transmit diseases to humans.

Reconstructing an Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation Index from a Pacific Basin–Wide Collection of Ice Core Records

2021 ◽  
Vol 34 (10) ◽  
pp. 3839-3852
Author(s):  
Stacy E. Porter ◽  
Ellen Mosley-Thompson ◽  
Lonnie G. Thompson ◽  
Aaron B. Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Ice Core ◽  
Ice Cores ◽  
Tropical Pacific ◽  
Ice Age ◽  
Pacific Basin ◽  
Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Instrumental Period ◽  
The Tropical Pacific ◽  
Ice Core Records

AbstractUsing an assemblage of four ice cores collected around the Pacific basin, one of the first basinwide histories of Pacific climate variability has been created. This ice core–derived index of the interdecadal Pacific oscillation (IPO) incorporates ice core records from South America, the Himalayas, the Antarctic Peninsula, and northwestern North America. The reconstructed IPO is annually resolved and dates to 1450 CE. The IPO index compares well with observations during the instrumental period and with paleo-proxy assimilated datasets throughout the entire record, which indicates a robust and temporally stationary IPO signal for the last ~550 years. Paleoclimate reconstructions from the tropical Pacific region vary greatly during the Little Ice Age (LIA), although the reconstructed IPO index in this study suggests that the LIA was primarily defined by a weak, negative IPO phase and hence more La Niña–like conditions. Although the mean state of the tropical Pacific Ocean during the LIA remains uncertain, the reconstructed IPO reveals some interesting dynamical relationships with the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ). In the current warm period, a positive (negative) IPO coincides with an expansion (contraction) of the seasonal latitudinal range of the ITCZ. This relationship is not stationary, however, and is virtually absent throughout the LIA, suggesting that external forcing, such as that from volcanoes and/or reduced solar irradiance, could be driving either the ITCZ shifts or the climate dominating the ice core sites used in the IPO reconstruction.

Growing Coconut Palms in the Pacific Islands: Colliding Knowledge and Values

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith A. Bennett
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Islands ◽  
Social Values ◽  
Coconut Oil ◽  
Tropical Pacific ◽  
Experiential Knowledge ◽  
The West ◽  
Passive Resistance ◽  
The People ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
The Tropical Pacific

Coconuts provided commodities for the West in the form of coconut oil and copra. Once colonial governments established control of the tropical Pacific Islands, they needed revenue so urged European settlers to establish coconut plantations. For some decades most copra came from Indigenous growers. Administrations constantly urged the people to thin old groves and plant new ones like plantations, in grid patterns, regularly spaced and weeded. Local growers were instructed to collect all fallen coconuts for copra from their groves. For half a century, the administrations’ requirements met with Indigenous passive resistance. This paper examines the underlying reasons for this, elucidating Indigenous ecological and social values, based on experiential knowledge, knowledge that clashed with Western scientific values.

scholarly journals Decadal Sea Level Variability in the Pacific Ocean: Origins and Climate Mode Contributions

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 689-698 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lingsheng Meng ◽  
Wei Zhuang ◽  
Weiwei Zhang ◽  
Angela Ditri ◽  
Xiao-Hai Yan
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Ocean ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Time Scales ◽  
Wind Stress ◽  
Tropical Pacific ◽  
Central Basin ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
The Pacific Ocean ◽  
Sea Level Variations ◽  
The Tropical Pacific

AbstractSea level changes within wide temporal–spatial scales have great influence on oceanic and atmospheric circulations. Efforts have been made to identify long-term sea level trend and regional sea level variations on different time scales. A nonuniform sea level rise in the tropical Pacific and the strengthening of the easterly trade winds from 1993 to 2012 have been widely reported. It is well documented that sea level in the tropical Pacific is associated with the typical climate modes. However, sea level change on interannual and decadal time scales still requires more research. In this study, the Pacific sea level anomaly (SLA) was decomposed into interannual and decadal time scales via an ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) method. The temporal–spatial features of the SLA variability in the Pacific were examined and were closely associated with climate variability modes. Moreover, decadal SLA oscillations in the Pacific Ocean were identified during 1993–2016, with the phase reversals around 2000, 2004, and 2012. In the tropical Pacific, large sea level variations in the western and central basin were a result of changes in the equatorial wind stress. Moreover, coherent decadal changes could also be seen in wind stress, sea surface temperature (SST), subtropical cells (STCs), and thermocline depth. Our work provided a new way to illustrate the interannual and decadal sea level variations in the Pacific Ocean and suggested a coupled atmosphere–ocean variability on a decadal time scale in the tropical region with two cycles from 1993 to 2016.

scholarly journals Strengthening of the Pacific Equatorial Undercurrent in the SODA Reanalysis: Mechanisms, Ocean Dynamics, and Implications

2014 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 2405-2416 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth J. Drenkard ◽  
Kristopher B. Karnauskas
Keyword(s):  
Heat Budget ◽  
Tropical Pacific ◽  
Global Climate Models ◽  
Ocean Dynamics ◽  
Eastern Pacific ◽  
Boreal Summer ◽  
Trade Winds ◽  
Equatorial Undercurrent ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
The Tropical Pacific

Abstract Several recent studies utilizing global climate models predict that the Pacific Equatorial Undercurrent (EUC) will strengthen over the twenty-first century. Here, historical changes in the tropical Pacific are investigated using the Simple Ocean Data Assimilation (SODA) reanalysis toward understanding the dynamics and mechanisms that may dictate such a change. Although SODA does not assimilate velocity observations, the seasonal-to-interannual variability of the EUC estimated by SODA corresponds well with moored observations over a ~20-yr common period. Long-term trends in SODA indicate that the EUC core velocity has increased by 16% century−1 and as much as 47% century−1 at fixed locations since the mid-1800s. Diagnosis of the zonal momentum budget in the equatorial Pacific reveals two distinct seasonal mechanisms that explain the EUC strengthening. The first is characterized by strengthening of the western Pacific trade winds and hence oceanic zonal pressure gradient during boreal spring. The second entails weakening of eastern Pacific trade winds during boreal summer, which weakens the surface current and reduces EUC deceleration through vertical friction. EUC strengthening has important ecological implications as upwelling affects the thermal and biogeochemical environment. Furthermore, given the potential large-scale influence of EUC strength and depth on the heat budget in the eastern Pacific, the seasonal strengthening of the EUC may help reconcile paradoxical observations of Walker circulation slowdown and zonal SST gradient strengthening. Such a process would represent a new dynamical “thermostat” on CO2-forced warming of the tropical Pacific Ocean, emphasizing the importance of ocean dynamics and seasonality in understanding climate change projections.

scholarly journals Influence of stratospheric airmasses on tropospheric vertical O<sub>3</sub> columns based on GOME (Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment) measurements and backtrajectory calculation over the Pacific

2004 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 903-909 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Ladstätter-Weißenmayer ◽  
J. Meyer-Arnek ◽  
A. Schlemm ◽  
J. P. Burrows
Keyword(s):  
Biomass Burning ◽  
Tropospheric Ozone ◽  
Anthropogenic Pollution ◽  
Tropical Pacific ◽  
Experiment Data ◽  
Significant Seasonal Variation ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Measuring Experiment ◽  
The Western Pacific ◽  
The Tropical Pacific

Abstract. Satellite based GOME (Global Ozone Measuring experiment) data are used to characterize the amount of tropospheric ozone over the tropical Pacific. Tropospheric ozone was determined from GOME data using the Tropospheric Excess Method (TEM). In the tropical Pacific a significant seasonal variation is detected. Tropospheric excess ozone is enhanced during the biomass burning season from September to November due to outflow from the continents. In September 1999 GOME data reveal an episode of increased excess ozone columns over Tahiti (18.0° S; 149.0° W) (Eastern Pacific) compared to Am. Samoa (14.23° S; 170.56° W) and Fiji (18.13° S; 178.40° E), both situated in the Western Pacific. Backtrajectory calculations show that none of the airmasses arriving over the three locations experienced anthropogenic pollution (e. g. biomass burning). Consequently other sources of ozone have to be considered. One possible process leading to an increase of tropospheric ozone is stratosphere-troposphere-exchange. An analysis of the potential vorticity along trajectories arriving above each of the locations reveals that airmasses at Tahiti are subject to enhanced stratospheric influence, compared to Am. Samoa and Fiji. As a result this study shows clear incidents of transport of airmasses from the stratosphere into the troposphere.

scholarly journals New species of herpetofauna from the Greater Mekong region of Southeast Asia reported by WWF

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Todd R Lewis
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Southeast Asia ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Mekong Region ◽  
The Past ◽  
Biological Importance ◽  
Made In

A remarkable 163 new species discoveries have been made in the past year in the jungles and rivers of the Greater Mekong region of Southeast Asia. The new finds in 2008 comprise 100 plants, 28 fish, 18 reptiles, 14 amphibians, 2 mammals and 1 bird species, highlighting the biological importance of this unique and diverse land.

scholarly journals Interannual to Decadal Variability of Tropical Indian Ocean Sea Surface Temperature: Pacific Influence versus Local Internal Variability

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-50
Author(s):  
Lei Zhang ◽  
Gang Wang ◽  
Matthew Newman ◽  
Weiqing Han
Keyword(s):  
Indian Ocean ◽  
Indian Ocean Dipole ◽  
Tropical Indian Ocean ◽  
Tropical Pacific ◽  
Sea Surface ◽  
External Influence ◽  
Sst Variability ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
The Indian Ocean ◽  
The Tropical Pacific

AbstractThe Indian Ocean has received increasing attention for its large impacts on regional and global climate. However, sea surface temperature (SST) variability arising from Indian Ocean internal processes has not been well understood particularly on decadal and longer timescales, and the external influence from the Tropical Pacific has not been quantified. This paper analyzes the interannual-to-decadal SST variability in the Tropical Indian Ocean in observations and explores the external influence from the Pacific versus internal processes within the Indian Ocean using a Linear Inverse Model (LIM). Coupling between Indian Ocean and tropical Pacific SST anomalies (SSTAs) is assessed both within the LIM dynamical operator and the unpredictable stochastic noise that forces the system. Results show that the observed Indian Ocean Basin (IOB)-wide SSTA pattern is largely a response to the Pacific ENSO forcing, although it in turn has a damping effect on ENSO especially on annual and decadal timescales. On the other hand, the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) is an Indian Ocean internal mode that can actively affect ENSO; ENSO also has a returning effect on the IOD, which is rather weak on decadal timescale. The third mode is partly associated with the Subtropical Indian Ocean Dipole (SIOD), and it is primarily generated by Indian Ocean internal processes, although a small component of it is coupled with ENSO. Overall, the amplitude of Indian Ocean internally generated SST variability is comparable to that forced by ENSO, and the Indian Ocean tends to actively influence the tropical Pacific. These results suggest that the Indian-Pacific Ocean interaction is a two-way process.

scholarly journals Oceanic Response to Idealized Net Atmospheric Freshwater in the Pacific at the Decadal Time Scale*

2005 ◽  
Vol 35 (12) ◽  
pp. 2467-2486 ◽  
Author(s):  
Boyin Huang ◽  
Vikram M. Mehta ◽  
Niklas Schneider
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Ocean ◽  
South Pacific ◽  
Tropical Pacific ◽  
Temperature Anomalies ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Basin Scale ◽  
The Pacific Ocean ◽  
The Tropics ◽  
North And South ◽  
The Tropical Pacific

Abstract In the study of decadal variations of the Pacific Ocean circulations and temperature, the role of anomalous net atmospheric freshwater [evaporation minus precipitation minus river runoff (EmP)] has received scant attention even though ocean salinity anomalies are long lived and can be expected to have more variance at low frequencies than at high frequencies. To explore the magnitude of salinity and temperature anomalies and their generation processes, the authors studied the response of the Pacific Ocean to idealized EmP anomalies in the Tropics and subtropics using an ocean general circulation model developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Simulations showed that salinity anomalies generated by the anomalous EmP were spread throughout the Pacific basin by mean flow advection. This redistribution of salinity anomalies caused adjustments of basin-scale ocean currents, which further resulted in basin-scale temperature anomalies due to changes in heat advection caused by anomalous currents. In this study, the response of the Pacific Ocean to magnitudes and locations of anomalous EmP was linear. When forced with a positive EmP anomaly in the subtropical North (South) Pacific, a cooling occurred in the western North (South) Pacific, which extended to the tropical and South (North) Pacific, and a warming occurred in the eastern North (South) Pacific. When forced with a negative EmP anomaly in the tropical Pacific, a warming occurred in the tropical Pacific and western North and South Pacific and a cooling occurred in the eastern North Pacific near 30°N and the South Pacific near 30°S. The temperature changes (0.2°C) in the tropical Pacific were associated with changes in the South Equatorial Current. The temperature changes (0.8°C) in the subtropical North and South Pacific were associated with changes in the subtropical gyres. The temperature anomalies propagated from the tropical Pacific to the subtropical North and South Pacific via equatorial divergent Ekman flows and poleward western boundary currents, and they propagated from the subtropical North and South Pacific to the western tropical Pacific via equatorward-propagating coastal Kelvin waves and to the eastern tropical Pacific via eastward-propagating equatorial Kelvin waves. The time scale of temperature response was typically much longer than that of salinity response because of slow adjustment times of ocean circulations. These results imply that the slow response of ocean temperature due to anomalous EmP in the Tropics and subtropics may play an important role in the Pacific decadal variability.

The Republic of Korea-Pacific Islands Climate Prediction Services Project

2018 ◽  
Vol 99 (2) ◽  
pp. 253-257
Author(s):  
Soo-Jin Sohn ◽  
WonMoo Kim ◽  
Jin Ho Yoo ◽  
Yun-Young Lee ◽  
Sang Myeong Oh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Islands ◽  
Seasonal Prediction ◽  
Climate Prediction ◽  
Tropical Pacific ◽  
Republic Of Korea ◽  
Prediction System ◽  
Physical Relationship ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
The Republic ◽  
The Tropical Pacific

Abstract Seasonal prediction provides critical information for the tropical Pacific region, where the economy and livelihood is highly dependent on climate variability. While the highest skills of dynamical prediction systems are usually found in the tropical Pacific, National Hydrological and Meteorological Services (NHMS) in the Pacific Islands Countries (PICs) do not take full advantage of such scientific achievements. The Republic of Korea-Pacific Islands Climate Prediction Services (ROK-PI CliPS) project aims to help PICs produce regionally tailored climate prediction information using a dynamical seasonal prediction system. The project is being jointly implemented by the APEC Climate Center (APCC) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), in close collaboration with NHMSs in PICs. The regionally tailored, dynamical-statistical hybrid climate prediction system uses predictors that were identified through communications with NHMSs. The predictors were selected based on the empirical physical relationship of the local climate fluctuations, indicated by multi-institutional and multimodel ensembles. This hybrid system makes full use of dynamical seasonal predictions, which have not been commonly utilized in current operation in PICs. In accordance with system development, additional efforts have been made for PIC NHMSs to build capacity by increasing their knowledge and skill needed to develop such methodologies and systems. Nonetheless, the successive and strategic efforts to sustain and further improve climate predictions in the Pacific Islands region are required.

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