Dealing with climate change : palaeoclimate research in Australia

Palaeoclimate research relevant to marine systems in Australia includes the collection and analysis of: (a) shallow-water and deep-sea corals, which provide high resolution archives, (b) deep-sea sediment and ice cores, which span longer time scales, and (c) palaeoclimate modelling, which gives us insights into mechanisms, dynamics and thresholds underlying past climate states. Palaeoclimate research in Australia is mature and well recognised internationally. To further advance Australian palaeoclimate research, we must address major challenges that include insufficient research vessel access, insufficient targeted research funding, as well as the lack of a well funded national centre to coordinate research efforts (e.g. academic institution or ARC Centre of Excellence for Palaeoclimate Research).

[1]  J. Houghton,et al.  Climate Change 2013 - The Physical Science Basis: Working Group I Contribution to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change , 2014 .

[2]  A. Roberts,et al.  Sea-level and deep-sea-temperature variability over the past 5.3 million years , 2014, Nature.

[3]  D. Hodgson,et al.  Retreat history of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet since the Last Glacial Maximum , 2014 .

[4]  E. Jansen,et al.  Influence of the tropics and southern westerlies on glacial interhemispheric asymmetry , 2012 .

[5]  Yan Zhao,et al.  Evaluation of climate models using palaeoclimatic data , 2012 .

[6]  Robert B. Dunbar,et al.  Dynamic behaviour of the East Antarctic ice sheet during Pliocene warmth , 2013 .

[7]  W. Broecker,et al.  Loss of Carbon from the Deep Sea Since the Last Glacial Maximum , 2010, Science.

[8]  Steven J. Phipps,et al.  Paleoclimate Data–Model Comparison and the Role of Climate Forcings over the Past 1500 Years* , 2013 .

[9]  Jody M. Webster,et al.  Ice Sheet Collapse Following a Prolonged Period of Stable Sea Level during the Last Interglacial , 2013 .

[10]  W. Howard,et al.  Reduced calcification in modern Southern Ocean planktonic foraminifera , 2009 .

[11]  L. Sime,et al.  Recent Antarctic Peninsula warming relative to Holocene climate and ice-shelf history , 2012, Nature.

[12]  J. Cole,et al.  Recent intensification of tropical climate variability in the Indian Ocean , 2008 .

[13]  W. Huiskamp,et al.  Oceanic carbon and water masses during the Mystery Interval: A model‐data comparison study , 2012 .

[14]  J. Turner,et al.  Evolution of the Southern Annular Mode during the past millennium , 2014 .

[15]  Daniela Liggett,et al.  Polar research: Six priorities for Antarctic science , 2014, Nature.

[16]  A. Sluijs,et al.  Reorganization of Southern Ocean Plankton Ecosystem at the Onset of Antarctic Glaciation , 2013, Science.

[17]  G. Hegerl,et al.  Detection and attribution of climate change: from global to regional , 2013 .

[18]  C. Woodroffe,et al.  A weak El Nino/Southern Oscillation with delayed seasonal growth around 4,300 years ago , 2013 .

[19]  Adam N. Rountrey,et al.  Corals record long-term Leeuwin current variability including Ningaloo Niño/Niña since 1795 , 2014, Nature Communications.

[20]  Paolo Montagna,et al.  Coral resilience to ocean acidification and global warming through pH up-regulation , 2012 .

[21]  Hans de Moel,et al.  Human deforestation outweighs future climate change impacts of sedimentation on coral reefs , 2013, Nature Communications.

[22]  A. Weaver,et al.  Impact of sea ice variability on the oxygen isotope content of seawater under glacial and interglacial conditions , 2013 .

[23]  Eelco J. Rohling,et al.  Making sense of palaeoclimate sensitivity , 2012, Nature.