Abstract Nine non-pollen palynomorph (NPP) groups occur in Quaternary marine and brackish-water sediments; these groups represent various planktonic or micro- to macrobenthic organisms. Some extant NPP were previously classified as fossil Acritarcha, Chitinozoa or scolecodonts. We refer to reviews of these fossils and their applications for Paleozoic–Mesozoic biostratigraphy and palaeoecology but focus on extant marine NPP that can be studied by laboratory culture, genetics or micro-geochemical methods. Marine NPP include resting cysts of planktonic dinoflagellates and prasinophytes, tintinnids and other cilates, copepod eggs and skeletal remains, and various microzoobenthos: microforaminiferal organic linings, ostracod mandibles and carapace linings, various worm egg capsules and mouthparts. New micro-Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy spectra suggest the probable affinities of the tintinnid cyst type P and Beringiella . Our applications in marine biodiversity and provincialism studies emphasize under-studied polar regions and neglected ice-algae nano-plankton and compare climate-based NPP distributions to Ocean Biogeographic Information System realms. Trophic relationships are outlined using sediment-trap studies. Seasonal to annual-scale investigations of palaeoproduction provide new perspectives on ocean carbon budgets during times of rapid climate change and atmospheric carbon increase. More taxonomic and source-linkage studies of non-dinocyst marine NPP are needed but we outline potentials for studies of hemispheric or global-scale shifts in marine food webs as driven by ocean warming.

Abstract A holistic understanding of the oceans as part of the Earth system is imperative for the future management and sustainable utilization of the ocean's natural resources. Increasing pressures on global resources have been accompanied by important advances in acoustic remote sensing technologies, allowing us to map the seabed in unprecedented detail. The MAREANO (Marine areal database for Norwegian waters) programme in Norway, one of the world's largest seabed mapping programmes, is designed to close the knowledge gaps with the use of the new technologies. To date, since the start in 2005, c. 1170 million NOK (Norwegian kroner), equivalent to c. US$115m have been allocated to this programme (2005–20). This paper outlines the development of MAREANO and other large marine mapping and science programme proposals in Norway, and considers which factors influenced whether they were realized or not. In conclusion, funding of MAREANO came as a result of the convergence of political needs, technical capacity and multi-institutional co-operation. We further give an overview of the new and improved seabed mapping technologies, and finally we discuss the Norwegian programmes in connection with similar major international ongoing programmes and new initiatives and take a look at possible advances in future seabed mapping.

Abstract The development of laser ablation techniques using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry has enabled the routine and fast acquisition of in situ U–Pb and Pb–Pb isotope ratio data from single detrital grains or parts of grains. Detrital zircon dating is a technique that is increasingly applied to sedimentary provenance studies. However, sand routing information using zircon analysis alone may be obscured by repeated sedimentary reworking cycles and mineral fertility variations. These biases are illustrated by two clear case studies from the Triassic–Jurassic of the Barents Shelf where the use of U–Pb geochronology on apatite and rutile and Pb–Pb isotopic data from K-feldspar is highly beneficial for provenance interpretations. In the first case study, U–Pb apatite ages from the (Induan – Norian) Havert, Kobbe and Snadd formations indicate an evolving provenance and identify possible episodes of storage within foreland basins prior to delivery onto the Barents Shelf. In the second case study, U–Pb rutile and Pb isotopic analyses of K-feldspar from the Norian–Pliensbachian Realgrunnen Subgroup provide a clear distinction between north Norwegian Caledonides and Fennoscandian Shield sources and suggest that a similar approach may be used to test competing models for sand dispersal for this Subgroup in regions farther north than this study.