Acoustic patterns at the Samford Ecological Research Facility in South East Queensland,Australia: The Peri-Urban SuperSite of the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network

Acoustic signals that emanate from ecosystems are an important ecological variable which can provide evidence of current ecological condition as well as ecological change over time. The Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN) established protocols to record sounds in ten SuperSites distributed throughout Australia with the objective of characterizing the soundscape in a representative landscape in different regions of Australia. This acoustic monitoring system enables a comparison of the soundscapes within and between Australian regions to determine similarities and differences in these landscapes and regions.This research quantifies the soundscape patterns in one of these SuperSites, Samford Ecological Research Facility (TERN-SERF), which is part of the South-East Queensland Peri-Urban SuperSite. An analysis and visualization of patterns in the soundscape was conducted using a continuous acoustic recording collected at TERN-SERF. The recording was made using a Song Meter (SM2) in a representative wooded habitat at TERN-SERF from 1 August to 30 September 2013. The recording was made in 16-bit stereo at 44 kHz and stored in wav file format. The recording was split into 1-minute-long recordings comprising 86,196 records and then sub-sampled at a 30-minute interval, providing 2878 one-minute-long recordings every 1/2 h. Soundscape metrics were computed for each of the two recording intervals. Soundscape power values were computed for each of ten frequency intervals (1–11 kHz) for both the 1-minute and the 30-minute interval recordings. In addition, six acoustic indices were computed from each recording.The acoustics metrics derived from the two sets of recordings (1-minute and 30-minute recording intervals) were examined to determine if they revealed different patterns. Several soundscape metrics were calculated for each recording including ten soundscape power values at 1 kHz frequency intervals and six acoustics indices. The soundscape shows a dynamic but consistent pattern over time of day during the monitoring period, depending on the metric examined. The metrics revealed different soundscape patterns. All soundscape power values at 1 kHz frequency intervals defined the dawn and dusk chorus, some more distinctly than others. Three of six acoustic indices also changed abruptly at the dawn chorus. No significant difference was found when soundscape metrics were compared between the 1-minute (high resolution) and 30-minute (lower resolution) recording intervals. A t-test was used to compare the mean values of ten soundscape power frequency intervals (p = 0.44) and the mean values of six acoustics indices (p = 0.41).Sounds were identified in 180 recordings made at 0530 h, 0600 h and 0630 h in the 1-minute long 30-minute interval recordings each day during the recording period (August and September). Sixty-seven species of birds were identified. Soundscape metrics were correlated with avian species counts and calls by all species using a correlation threshold of r > 0.7. This analysis revealed that soundscape power at the frequency interval 3–4 kHz was correlated with both the number of species (r = − 0.927) and total calls (r = − 0.996) over the three time periods. Three indices, the ADI (r = 0.953, r = 0.709), the AEI (r = 0.978, r = 0.774) and (H) (r = 0.795, r = 0.985) were similarly correlated as was an index derived soundscape power, the Shannon-Weaver Index (r = − 0.997, r = − 0.849). Other indices were correlated (r > 0.7) with only the number of avian species or only the number of calls.This methodology establishes an analysis protocol for analyzing large acoustic data sets, and demonstrates the effectiveness of using acoustic metrics for summarizing and interpreting long-term recordings.     

The Curious Acoustic Behavior of Estuarine Snapping Shrimp: Temporal Patterns of Snapping Shrimp Sound in Sub-Tidal Oyster Reef Habitat

Ocean soundscapes convey important sensory information to marine life. Like many mid-to-low latitude coastal areas worldwide, the high-frequency (>1.5 kHz) soundscape of oyster reef habitat within the West Bay Marine Reserve (36°N, 76°W) is dominated by the impulsive, short-duration signals generated by snapping shrimp. Between June 2011 and July 2012, a single hydrophone deployed within West Bay was programmed to record 60 or 30 seconds of acoustic data every 15 or 30 minutes. Envelope correlation and amplitude information were then used to count shrimp snaps within these recordings. The observed snap rates vary from 1500–2000 snaps per minute during summer to <100 snaps per minute during winter. Sound pressure levels are positively correlated with snap rate (r = 0.71–0.92) and vary seasonally by ~15 decibels in the 1.5–20 kHz range. Snap rates are positively correlated with water temperatures (r = 0.81–0.93), as well as potentially influenced by climate-driven changes in water quality. Light availability modulates snap rate on diurnal time scales, with most days exhibiting a significant preference for either nighttime or daytime snapping, and many showing additional crepuscular increases. During mid-summer, the number of snaps occurring at night is 5–10% more than predicted by a random model; however, this pattern is reversed between August and April, with an excess of up to 25% more snaps recorded during the day in the mid-winter. Diurnal variability in sound pressure levels is largest in the mid-winter, when the overall rate of snapping is at its lowest, and the percentage difference between daytime and nighttime activity is at its highest. This work highlights our lack of knowledge regarding the ecology and acoustic behavior of one of the most dominant soniforous invertebrate species in coastal systems. It also underscores the necessity of long-duration, high-temporal-resolution sampling in efforts to understand the bioacoustics of animal behaviors and associated changes within the marine soundscape.     

Silent oceans: ocean acidification impoverishes natural soundscapes by altering sound production of the world's noisiest marine invertebrate

Soundscapes are multidimensional spaces that carry meaningful information for many species about the location and quality of nearby and distant resources. Because soundscapes are the sum of the acoustic signals produced by individual organisms and their interactions, they can be used as a proxy for the condition of whole ecosystems and their occupants. Ocean acidification resulting from anthropogenic CO₂ emissions is known to have profound effects on marine life. However, despite the increasingly recognized ecological importance of soundscapes, there is no empirical test of whether ocean acidification can affect biological sound production. Using field recordings obtained from three geographically separated natural CO₂ vents, we show that forecasted end-of-century ocean acidification conditions can profoundly reduce the biological sound level and frequency of snapping shrimp snaps. Snapping shrimp were among the noisiest marine organisms and the suppression of their sound production at vents was responsible for the vast majority of the soundscape alteration observed. To assess mechanisms that could account for these observations, we tested whether long-term exposure (two to three months) to elevated CO₂ induced a similar reduction in the snapping behaviour (loudness and frequency) of snapping shrimp. The results indicated that the soniferous behaviour of these animals was substantially reduced in both frequency (snaps per minute) and sound level of snaps produced. As coastal marine soundscapes are dominated by biological sounds produced by snapping shrimp, the observed suppression of this component of soundscapes could have important and possibly pervasive ecological consequences for organisms that use soundscapes as a source of information. This trend towards silence could be of particular importance for those species whose larval stages use sound for orientation towards settlement habitats.     

Sonic environment and vegetation structure: A methodological approach for a soundscape analysis of a Mediterranean maqui

Herein we present one of the first attempts to couple the complexity of vegetation and topographic features with the sonic environment to understand the distribution of bird species and individuals in their habitat. To achieve this, the sonic features of a bird community were studied during the spring and early summer of 2011 in a Mediterranean maqui located on the western slope of a remote hanging valley that is dominated by Erica arborea, Quercus ilex and Arbutus unedo.Species composition, height, vertical foliage profile, canopy density and dispersion of vegetation were utilized as probable proxies for the sonic patterns. The acoustic activity of birds was collected through the use of a regular matrix of 20 audio recorders, spaced 25 m apart, which were placed following the topographic isoclines. The sonic complexity of the soundscape was evaluated using the Acoustic Complexity Index (ACI), which is a recently developed metric.The PCA applied to the vegetation parameters revealed two principal distinguishing factors, which we were able to define as “vegetation density and structure” and “species segregation.” Moreover, the results show that, even in the case of sampling sites that are very close together, sonic patterns vary across the season, highlighting the great variability of the soundscape and confirming the adequacy of the sampling scale of 25 m adopted in this study. The topographic features do not seem to be connected to the sonic environment. The main sonic complexity was found where the vegetation was taller and denser, especially where E. arborea was the dominant species. Although this proves that acoustic dynamics can be linked to vegetation structure, even on a small scale, a consistent element of sonic variability cannot be explained by vegetation patterns alone, and a soundtope hypothesis must be invoked.     

Use of the size fractionation of the macrobenthic biomass for the rapid assessment of benthic organic enrichment

A new biomass index for monitoring the impact of marine fish cage farming on the benthic environment was evaluated at seven commercial fish farms in the eastern Mediterranean. At each farm, stations near and further away from the cages were sampled for macrofauna and geochemical variables during July 2001, and March and October 2002. Benthic samples were sequentially sieved through 1.0 and 0.5 mm mesh screens and a biomass fractionation index (BFI) was estimated as follows: biomass having passed through 1.0 mm and retained on 0.5 mm sieve only/total biomass (biomass retained on 1.0 mm + 0.5 mm sieve). BFI was quantitatively assessed and compared with the geochemical faunistic and management practice data. BFI was found to decrease consistently with distance from fish cages and particularly after 10 m from the edge of the cages. At all farms, BFI was found to be significantly correlated with distance, redox potential and organic carbon. Multiple regression analysis showed that BFI incorporates various components of sediment geochemistry (sediment grain size and total organic carbon) as well as distance and feeding rates. Although BFI needs to be further tested in different geographic locations and under different management practices, the results seem to be promising for long-term monitoring programmes since it provides a simple and inexpensive solution for assessing the effects of benthic organic enrichment due to fish farm activities.     

Mapping biodiversity in three-dimensions challenges marine conservation strategies: The example of coralligenous assemblages in North-Western Mediterranean Sea

Multi-facet diversity indices have been increasingly widely used in conservation ecology but congruence analyses both on horizontal and vertical axes have not yet been explored. We investigated the vertical and horizontal distributions of α and β taxonomic (TD), functional (FD) and phylogenetic diversity (PD) in a three-dimensional structured ecosystem. We focused on the Mediterranean coralligenous assemblages which form complex structures both vertically and horizontally, and are considered as the most diverse and threatened communities of the Mediterranean Sea. Although comparable to tropical reef assemblages in terms of richness, biomass and production, coralligenous assemblages are less known and more rarely studied, in particular because of their location in deep waters. Our study covers the entire range of distribution of coralligenous habitats along the French Mediterranean coasts, representing the most complete database so far developed for this important ecosystem. To our knowledge, this is the first analysis of spatial diversity patterns of marine biodiversity on both horizontal and vertical scales.Our study revealed that taxonomic diversity differed from functional and phylogenetic diversity patterns at the station level, the latter two being strongly structured by depth, with shallower stations generally richer than deeper ones. Considering all stations, phylogenetic diversity was less congruent to taxonomic diversity (Pearson's correlation of r = 0.48) but more congruent to functional diversity (r = 0.69) than randomly expected. Similar congruence patterns were revealed for stations deeper than 50 m (r = 0.44 and r = 0.84, respectively) but no significantly different congruence level than randomly expected was revealed among diversity facets for more shallow stations. Mean functional α- and β-diversity were lower than phylogenetic diversity and even lower than taxonomic α- and β-diversity for both vertical and horizontal scales. Low FD and PD values at both α- and β-diversity indicated functional and phylogenetic clustering. Community dissimilarities (β-diversity) increased over depth especially in central and eastern part of the French Mediterranean littoral and in northern Corsica, indicating coralligenous vertical structure within these regions. Overall horizontal β-diversity was higher within the 50–70 m depth belts.We conclude that taxonomic diversity alone is inadequate as a basis for setting conservation goals for this ecosystem and additional information, at least on phylogenetic diversity, is needed to preserve the ecosystem functioning and coralligenous evolutionary history. Our results highlight the necessity of considering different depth belts as a basis for regional scale conservation efforts. Current conservation approaches, such as the existing marine protected areas, are insufficient in preserving coralligenous habitats. The use of multi-facet indices should be considered, focusing on preserving local diversity patterns and compositional dissimilarities, both vertically and horizontally.     

Shells and ochre in Middle Paleolithic Qafzeh Cave,Israel: indications for modern behavior

Qafzeh Cave, the burial grounds of several anatomically modern humans, producers of Mousterian industry, yielded archaeological evidence reflecting their modern behavior. Dated to 92 ka BP, the lower layers at the site contained a series of hearths, several human graves, flint artifacts, animal bones, a collection of sea shells, lumps of red ochre, and an incised cortical flake. The marine shells were recovered from layers earlier than most of the graves except for one burial. The shells were collected and brought from the Mediterranean Sea shore some 35 km away, and are complete Glycymeris bivalves, naturally perforated. Several valves bear traces of having been strung, and a few had ochre stains on them.     

Genetic structure of Octopus vulgaris (Cephalopoda,Octopodidae) in the central Mediterranean Sea inferred from the mitochondrial COIII gene

The polymorphism of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase III was studied in the Mediterranean octopus, Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797. A total of 202 specimens from seven sampling sites were analysed with the aim of elucidating patterns of genetic structure in the central Mediterranean Sea and to give an insight into the phylogeny of the Octopus genus. Phylogenetic analyses showed that individuals from the central Mediterranean belong to the O. vulgaris species whose limits should nevertheless be clarified. Concerning genetic structure, two high-frequency haplotypes were present in all locations. The overall genetic divergence (Φ_ST = 0.05, P < 0.05) indicated a significant genetic structuring in the study area and an AMOVA highlighted a significant break between western and eastern Mediterranean basins (Φ_CT = 0.094, P < 0.05). Possible explanations for the observed patterns of genetic structuring are discussed with reference to their relevance for fisheries management.     

Dosimetric characterization of small fields using a plastic scintillator detector: A large multicenter study

PurposeIn modern radiation therapy accurate small fields dosimetry is a challenge and its standardization is fundamental to harmonize delivered dose in different institutions. This study presents a multicenter characterization of MLC-defined small field for Elekta and Varian linear accelerators. Measurements were performed using the Exradin W1 plastic scintillator detector.Materials and methodsThe project enrolled 24 Italian centers. Each center performed Tissue Phantom Ratio (TPR), in-plane and cross-plane dose profiles of 0.8 × 0.8 cm² field, and Output Factor (OF) measurements for square field sizes ranging from 0.8 to 10 cm. Set-up conditions were 10 cm depth in water phantom at SSD 90 cm. Measurements were performed using two twin Exradin W1 plastic scintillator detectors (PSD) correcting for the Cerenkov effect as proposed by the manufacturer.ResultsData analysis from 12 Varian and 12 Elekta centers was performed. Measurements of 7 centers were not included due to cable problems. TPR measurements showed standard deviations (SD) < 1%; SD < 0.4 mm for the profile penumbra was obtained, while FWHM measurements showed SD < 0.5 mm. OF measurements showed SD < 1.5% for field size greater than 2 × 2 cm². Median OFs values were in agreement with the recent bibliography.ConclusionsHigh degree of consistency was registered for all the considered parameters. This work confirmed the importance of multicenter dosimetric intercomparison. W1 PSD could be considered as a good candidate for small field measurements.     

Validation of a simple,rapid and cost effective method for the estimation of caprylic acid and sodium caprylate from biological products using NEFA-C kit

The method for the determination of caprylic acid and sodium caprylate from biological products was systematically validated using NEFA-C kit. The results obtained demonstrated that the kit method was simple, rapid, reliable, sensitive, reproducible and cost effective in comparison to the current methods i.e. colorimetric, High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Gas Chromatography (GC) methods. The assay exhibited excellent linearity, accuracy, precision and robustness. Mean recoveries ranged between 95 and 101.3% (n = 6). The proposed method was linear over the concentration range of 0.05–10 mM of caprylate with values of coefficient of regression being >0.99. Method showed sensitivity of 0.05 mM (7.21 μg/ml for caprylic acid and 8.31 μg/ml for sodium caprylate). The % Relative standard Deviation (%RSD) for intra and interprecision studies was less than 5%. In conclusion the validated method was successfully used in monitoring of processed bulk and final products generated during production of biological products thus laying emphasis on strict control of release criteria for biological products fractionated using caprylic acid.     

Molecular cloning,structure, and reactivity of the second bromoperoxidase from Ascophyllum nodosum

The sequence of bromoperoxidase II from the brown alga Ascophyllum nodosum was determined from a full length cloned cDNA, obtained from a tandem mass spectrometry RT-PCR-approach. The clone encodes a protein composed of 641 amino-acids, which provides a mature 67.4 kDa-bromoperoxidase II-protein (620 amino-acids). Based on 43% sequence homology with the previously characterized bromoperoxidase I from A. nodosum, a tertiary structure was modeled for the bromoperoxidase II. The structural model was refined on the basis of results from gel filtration and vanadate-binding studies, showing that the bromoperoxidase II is a hexameric metalloprotein, which binds 0.5 equivalents of vanadate as cofactor per 67.4 kDa-subunit, for catalyzing oxidation of bromide by hydrogen peroxide in a bi-bi-ping-pong mechanism (k_cat = 153 s⁻¹, 22 °C, pH 5.9). Bromide thereby is converted into a bromoelectrophile of reactivity similar to molecular bromine, based on competition kinetic data on phenol bromination and correlation analysis. Reactivity provided by the bromoperoxidase II mimics biosynthesis of methyl 4-bromopyrrole-2-carboxylate, a natural product isolated from the marine sponge Axinella tenuidigitata.     

Phylogenetic relationships of Cochlodinium polykrikoides Margalef (Gymnodiniales,Dinophyceae) from the Mediterranean Sea and the implications of its global biogeography

Although the diversity of dinoflagellates has been intensively studied in several locations in the Mediterranean Sea since the 1950s, it is only during the last two decades that the morphotype of the toxic unarmoured dinoflagellate Cochlodinium polykrikoides Margalef has been detected, coinciding with its apparent worldwide expansion in marine coastal waters. In this study, vegetative cells of C. polykrikoides morphotype from the Catalan coast (NW Mediterranean Sea) were detected and isolated, and the DNA from collected cells was sequenced. While in the Mediterranean Sea, detections are scarce and C. polykrikoides is consistently present at low concentrations, we reported exceptional blooms of this species, in which the maximum abundance reached 2 × 10⁴ cells L⁻¹. Partial LSU rDNA region sequences showed that most C. polykrikoides populations from the Catalan coast formed a new differentiated ribotype, but others were included within the ‘Philippines’ ribotype, demonstrating their coexistence in the Mediterranean Sea. Thus, the current biogeographic nomenclature of the ribotypes is likely to be invalid with respect to the available information from populations comprising the ‘Philippines’ ribotype. The phylogeny suggests the existence of cryptic species that should be evaluated for species-level status. Accordingly, the ribotype determination must be carefully evaluated for all detections and bloom events, since accurate characterization of the morphology, ecophysiology and distribution of the ribotypes are not well resolved.     

Stable-isotope dilution GC–MS approach for nitrite quantification in human whole blood,erythrocytes, and plasma using pentafluorobenzyl bromide derivatization: Nitrite distribution in human blood

Previously, we reported on the usefulness of pentafluorobenzyl bromide (PFB-Br) for the simultaneous derivatization and quantitative determination of nitrite and nitrate in various biological fluids by GC–MS using their ¹⁵N-labelled analogues as internal standards. As nitrite may be distributed unevenly in plasma and blood cells, its quantification in whole blood rather than in plasma or serum may be the most appropriate approach to determine nitrite concentration in the circulation. So far, GC–MS methods based on PFB-Br derivatization failed to measure nitrite in whole blood and erythrocytes because of rapid nitrite loss by oxidation and other unknown reactions during derivatization. The present article reports optimized and validated procedures for sample preparation and nitrite derivatization which allow for reliable quantification of nitrite in human whole blood and erythrocytes. Essential measures for stabilizing nitrite in these samples include sample cooling (0–4 °C), hemoglobin (Hb) removal by precipitation with acetone and short derivatization of the Hb-free supernatant (5 min, 50 °C). Potassium ferricyanide (K₃Fe(CN)₆) is useful in preventing Hb-caused nitrite loss, however, this chemical is not absolutely required in the present method. Our results show that accurate GC–MS quantification of nitrite as PFB derivative is feasible virtually in every biological matrix with similar accuracy and precision. In EDTA-anticoagulated venous blood of 10 healthy young volunteers, endogenous nitrite concentration was measured to be 486 ± 280 nM in whole blood, 672 ± 496 nM in plasma (C_P), and 620 ± 350 nM in erythrocytes (C_E). The C_E-to-C_P ratio was 0.993 ± 0.188 indicating almost even distribution of endogenous nitrite between plasma and erythrocytes. By contrast, the major fraction of nitrite added to whole blood remained in plasma. The present GC–MS method is useful to investigate distribution and metabolism of endogenous and exogenous nitrite in blood compartments under basal conditions and during hyperemia.     

Population fluctuation and vertical distribution of meiofauna in the Red Sea interstitial environment

The composition and distribution of the benthic meiofauna assemblages of the Egyptian coasts along the Red Sea are described in relation to abiotic variables. Sediment samples were collected seasonally from three stations chosen along the Red Sea to observe the meiofaunal community structure, its temporal distribution and vertical fluctuation in relation to environmental conditions of the Red Sea marine ecosystem. The temperature, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen, and redox potential were measured at the time of collection. The water content of the sediments, total organic matters and chlorophyll a values were determined, and sediment samples were subjected to granulometric analysis. A total of 10 meiofauna taxa were identified, with the meiofauna being primarily represented by nematodes (on annual average from 42% to 84%), harpacticoids, polycheates and ostracodes; and the meiofauna abundances ranging from 41 to 167 ind./10 cm². The meiofaunal population density fluctuated seasonally with a peak of 192.52 ind./10 cm² during summer at station II. The vertical zonation in the distribution of meiofaunal community was significantly correlated with interstitial water, chlorophyll a and total organic matter values. The present study indicates the existence of the well diversified meiofaunal group which can serve as food for higher trophic levels in the Red Sea interstitial environment.     

Spatial distribution of toxic Alexandrium tamiyavanichii (Dinophyceae) in the southeastern South China Sea-Sulu Sea: A molecular-based assessment using real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay

In this study, a quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assay targeting the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) of the nuclear-encoded ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA) was developed for Alexandrium tamiyavanichii, a harmful tropical marine dinoflagellate. This species is of concern because it produces toxins that cause paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP). The qPCR assay employed hydrolysis probe technology and showed high specificity, with a detection limit of 10² gene copies (less than one cell equivalent). Using this assay, the spatial distribution of A. tamiyavanichii was assessed, for the first time, in the southeastern South China Sea and the Sulu Sea. Plankton samples were collected from 71 stations during a scientific cruise from the Research Vessel Sonne as part of the joint EU project on Stratosphere ozone: Halogens in a Varying Atmosphere (SHIVA), conducted in November 2011. The highest cell densities were detected offshore of Kuching, southern Borneo (150 cells l⁻¹) and exceeded the threshold level of 20–40 cells l⁻¹ where the bioaccumulation of PSP toxins by shellfish is of concern. The distribution of A. tamiyavanichii was patchy horizontally with the highest cell concentrations found mainly offshore of southern Borneo, and a heterogeneous vertical distribution was observed above the pycnocline. The A. tamiyavanichii qPCR assay proved its applicability, specificity and sensitivity, and provides an alternative implementation tool for harmful microalgae monitoring programs.     

Effect Factors for marine eutrophication in LCIA based on species sensitivity to hypoxia

Hypoxia is an important environmental stressor to marine species, especially in benthic coastal waters. Increasing anthropogenic emissions of nutrients and organic matter contribute to the depletion of dissolved oxygen (DO). Biotic sensitivity to low levels of DO is determined by the organisms’ ability to use DO as a respiratory gas, a process depending on oxygen partial pressure. A method is proposed to estimate an indicator of the intensity of the effects caused by hypoxia on exposed marine species. Sensitivity thresholds to hypoxia of an exposed ecological community, modelled as lowest-observed-effect-concentrations (LOEC), were compiled from literature for 91 benthic, demersal and benthopelagic species of fish, crustaceans, molluscs, echinoderms, annelids, and cnidarians, and converted to temperature-specific benthic (100 m depth) LOEC values. Species distribution and LOEC values were combined using a species sensitivity distribution (SSD) methodology to estimate the DO concentration at which the potentially affected fraction (PAF) of the community's species having their LOEC exceeded is 50% (HC50_LOEC). For the purpose of effect modelling in Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA), Effect Factors (EF [(PAF) m³ kgO₂⁻¹]) were derived for five climate zones (CZ) to represent the change in effect due to a variation of the stressor intensity, or EF = ΔPAF/ΔDO = 0.5/HC50_LOEC. Results range from 218 (PAF) m³ kgO₂⁻¹ (polar CZ) to 306 (PAF) m³ kgO₂⁻¹ (tropical CZ). Variation between CZs was modest so a site-generic global EF of 264 (PAF) m³ kgO₂⁻¹ was also estimated and may be used to represent the average impact on a global ecological community of marine species exposed to hypoxia. The EF indicator is not significantly affected by the major sources of uncertainty in the underlying data suggesting valid applicability in characterisation modelling of marine eutrophication in LCIA.     

Effects of potassium ion supplementation on survival and ion regulation in Gulf killifish Fundulus grandis larvae reared in ion deficient saline waters

Teleost fish often live in an environment in which osmoregulatory mechanisms are critical for survival and largely unknown in larval fish. The effects of a single important marine ion (K⁺) on survival and ion regulation of larval Gulf killifish, an estuarine, euryhaline teleost, were determined. A four-week study was completed in four separate recirculating systems with newly hatched larvae. Salinity in all four systems was maintained between 9.5 and 10‰. Two systems were maintained using crystal salt (99.6% NaCl) with K⁺ supplementation (1.31 ± 0.04 mmol/L and 2.06 ± 0.04 mmol/L K⁺; mean ± SEM), one was maintained with crystal salt and no K⁺ supplementation (0.33 ± 0.05 mmol/L K⁺), the fourth system was maintained using a standard marine mix salt (2.96 ± 0.04 mmol/L K⁺), the salt mix also included standard ranges of other ions such as calcium and magnesium. Larvae were sampled throughout the experiment for dry mass, Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase (NKA) activity, whole body ion composition, relative gene expression (NKA, Na⁺/K⁺/2Cl^? cotransporter (NKCC) and cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR)), and immunocytochemistry staining for NKA, NKCC, and CFTR. Larvae stocked into water with no K⁺ supplementation resulted in 100% mortality within 24 h. Mortality and dry mass were significantly influenced by K⁺ concentration (P ≤ 0.05). No differences were observed among treatment groups for NKA activity. At 1 dph NKA mRNA expression was higher in the 0.3 mmol [K⁺] group than in other treatment groups and at 7 dph differences in intestinal NKA and CFTR staining were observed. These data indicate that the rearing of larval Gulf killifish may be possible in ion deficient water utilizing specific ion supplementation.     

Soundscape analysis and acoustic monitoring document impacts of natural gas exploration on biodiversity in a tropical forest

Natural resource extraction is increasing rapidly in tropical forests, but we lag behind in understanding the impacts of these disturbances on biodiversity. In high diversity tropical habitats, acoustic monitoring is an efficient tool for sampling a large proportion of the fauna across varied spatial and temporal scales. We used passive acoustic monitoring in a pre-montane forest in Peru to investigate how soundscape composition and richness of acoustic frequencies varied with distance from a natural gas exploratory well and with operational phase (construction and drilling). We also evaluated how anuran and avian species richness and vocal activity varied with distance and between phases. Soundscape analyses showed that acoustic frequency similarity was greatest among sites closer to (≤250 m) and farther from (≥500 m) the platform. Soundscapes revealed more frequencies were used during construction and showed a weak trend of increasing frequency richness with increasing distance from the disturbance. Avian species richness and detections increased with distance from the platform, but anuran richness and detections declined with distance. Operational phase did not play a significant role in overall richness or activity patterns of either group. Among birds, insectivore detections increased with distance from the platform, and nectarivores were detected more frequently during the drilling phase. Results demonstrate that acoustic monitoring and soundscape analyses are useful tools for evaluating the impact of development activity on the vocalizing community, and should be implemented as a best practice in monitoring biodiversity and for guiding specific mitigation strategies.     

Expanding ecological appropriation approach: Solar space method and a case study in Yangzhou city,East China

In this paper, the authors made an attempt to measure appropriation of ecosystems more reasonably and effectively based on examining the advantages and disadvantages of emergy analysis and ecological footprint. By combining emergy analysis with ecological footprint (EF) in terms of spatial equivalent of energy productivity, a new method of solar space (SS) and its calculating framework was proposed, and some necessary parameters for this method of analysis were calculated. A case study was followed under this calculating framework for Yangzhou city, Jiangsu province, Eastern China, using the data of the year 2000. The main results are as follows: (1) The ecological space in Yangzhou city includes earth surface space and solar space, and their demands were bigger than their supply. In the year of 2000, the earth surface space had an absolute deficit of 2.3063E?02 Ga-ha per capita (global hectares), and the solar space had an absolute deficit of 1.4944E?04 Sa-ha per capita (solar hectares). (2) There was a relative ecological deficit of 3.68% in earth surface space, and that of 154.86% in solar space. (3) Only freshwater areas and built-up areas were in a state of surplus, and there was a relative ecological surplus of 82.66% for freshwater areas, being greater than that for built-up areas. (4) The ranking of absolute ecological deficit in a descending order was as follows: solar space > arable land > pasture > forest > marine area > garden land, while the relative ecological deficit was the following: solar space > pasture land > forest land > arable land > garden land, except marine areas.A qualitative comparison of methodology was made between solar space method and ecological footprint according to their capability to describe the temporal-spatial characteristics of ecosystems appropriation. Moreover, a quantitative comparison was also conducted to show their differences in applicability to the assessment of ecosystems appropriation. It was shown that the calculating results from solar space method were bigger than that from ecological footprint because the former supplemented additional items of appropriation omitted by the later and included some new items of indirect appropriation that were excluded by the later. It is found that the new measure of solar space operates well as an indicator of the city's appropriation to ecosystems.     

Quantification and monitoring of PET/CT data in multicentre trials: The Swiss SAKK 56/07 trial experience

AimTo outline the importance of continuous monitoring of quantitative positron emission tomography (PET) data in multicentre trials to minimize quantitative bias in longitudinal intra-patient PET studies in light of the multicentre SAKK 56/07 experience in quantification and monitoring ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT data.Patients and methodsWe collected 64 uniform phantom ¹⁸F-FDG PET acquisitions periodically at the enrolling centres (12 European institutions). A core-laboratory analysed them for standard uptake value (SUV) accuracy (desired 1.00 ± 10%) and acceptable image noise was defined by a coefficient of variation (COV) less than 15%. In total, 151 patients ¹⁸F-FDG PET acquisitions (baseline and follow-up) were also collected and analysed to verify longitudinal coherence of main acquisition/reconstruction parameters (DICOM tags verification) and patient preparation, in particular the uptake time (desired uptake time [UT] = 60 ± 10 min).ResultsUniform phantom PET acquisition satisfied the inclusion criteria in 58/64 (89%) examinations. All PET scanner exhibited comparable SUV quantification, but we found large dispersion in terms of noise, with COV ranging 3–15%. Only 1 phantom PET acquisition was out of range with COV = 21.5%. Patient data exhibited important variation in uptake time with UT = 65 ± 10 min (mean ± SD), with only 111/151 (74%) patients’ examinations satisfying inclusion criteria while 26% were out of range.ConclusionsRegular monitoring of PET data in multicentre trials is capital to ensure longitudinal intra-patient PET data consistence and minimize quantitative bias while it helps to spread the culture of quality in participating centre. Recent EARL (EANM Research Ltd) standardization and unification of procedures is a welcome step in this direction.