Emergency and Disaster Planning at Ohio Animal Shelters

Results of a cross-sectional study to determine the level of emergency and disaster response planning at Ohio nonhuman animal shelters and the role Ohio agencies have in emergency and disaster response planning in their communities indicated a lack of preparedness coupled with underutilization of the agencies as a resource. A total of 115 agencies (68%) responded to a standardized survey mailed to 170 Ohio agencies. Most (68%) agencies agreed that emergency and disaster response planning was important to their organization, although only 13% of agencies had completed a written emergency and disaster response plan. The majority (80%) of agencies indicated they would provide critical resources in an emergency or disaster in their community. Only 38 (33%) of the responding agencies were aware of the PETS Act of 2006. Although many agencies indicated the importance of an emergency and disaster plan, there may be insufficient resources, including time and proper training, available to ensure plans are developed. Improved coordination among veterinarians, local veterinary medical associations, emergency preparedness agencies, and animal shelters would enhance the relief efforts in a crisis.     

Resource allocation mechanisms for maximizing provider’s revenue in infrastructure as a service (IaaS) cloud

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) is a cloud computing service provided over the internet to facilitate the provisioning of various services such as storage, processes, etc. The provider in the IaaS market may offer some purchasing plans including: reservation, on-demand, and spot plans for its resources. As in real scenarios, demand volume for each plan is assumed to be a random variable with a given probability distribution. The provider maximizes its average revenue in the long run by optimal allocation of its resources among the plans. We formulate an Integer Linear Programming (ILP) model with a stochastic constraint, to determine the number of resources to be allocated for each plan in every time slot in the planning horizon. First, fixed prices are considered for each plan, then two mechanisms of Continuous Double Auction and Second Price Sealed Bid Auction are considered for reservations and spot plans, respectively, to obtain market-driven prices of the services. The Seasonal Weighted Moving Average method is used to predict the amount of demand in every slot. Finally, the proposed mechanisms are evaluated through simulations and the results confirm the effectiveness of the methods in maximizing the revenue and overall utilization of the available IaaS capacity.

     

Stopover duration of fall-migrating dabbling ducks

The amount of time migrating birds spend at stopover sites, or stopover duration, partially determines an individual's access to resources, the environmental conditions encountered, and the exposure to predation, which in turn affect survival and fecundity. As such, migratory behaviors such as stopover duration can have a considerable effect on populations of migrants and plans for their conservation. This is especially true for migrant waterfowl, which are explicitly conserved through Joint Venture (JV) partnerships under the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. Although waterfowl are one of the most heavily studied taxa, little is known about their stopover behavior due to the scope of migration. Consequently, conservation plans of many mid-migration JVs either omit estimates of stopover duration or rely on antiquated data to estimate energetic requirements. We used weather surveillance radar to identify and enumerate ducks emigrating from an important stopover area in central Illinois. By using radar data in combination with data from weekly aerial inventories, we estimated an average stopover duration for fall-migrating dabbling ducks (tribe Anatini) of 28 days (SD = 12) over 8 years (1996, 1997, 2003, 2005–2009). Our estimate was similar to the historical estimate of 28 days (1940–1966), which serves as the primary reference for the Upper Mississippi River Great Lakes Region JV conservation plan. In addition to a corroborative mean, we also found considerable inter-annual variation in stopover duration. Estimated annual stopover duration was correlated positively with an index of annual foraging habitat quality (Spearman's rank correlation; r_s = 0.83), suggesting ducks may have assessed local conditions and adjusted the spatiotemporal course of fall migration. If the stopover behavior of fall-migrating ducks is flexible and forage-dependent, it is possible ducks allocate their time among sites in a somewhat ideal and optimal fashion, which could substantially affect the way resources are allocated within the spatial context of a JV region. © 2012 The Wildlife Society.     

Comparative Planning of Flattening-Filter-Free and Flat Beam IMRT for Hypopharynx Cancer as a Function of Beam and Segment Number

Although highly conformal dose distributions can be achieved by IMRT planning, this often requires a large number of segments or beams, resulting in increased treatment times. While flattening-filter-free beams offer a higher dose rate, even more segments may be required to create homogeneous target coverage. Therefore, it is worthwhile to systematically investigate the dependence of plan quality on gantry angles and number of segments for flat vs. FFF beams in IMRT planning. For the practical example of hypopharynx cancer, we present a planning study of flat vs. FFF beams using three different configurations of gantry angles and different segment numbers. The two beams are very similar in physical properties, and are hence well-suited for comparative planning. Starting with a set of plans of equal quality for flat and FFF beams, we assess how far the number of segments can be reduced before the plan quality is markedly compromised, and compare monitor units and treatment times for the resulting plans. As long as a sufficiently large number of segments is permitted, all planning scenarios give good results, independently of gantry angles and flat or FFF beams. For smaller numbers of segments, plan quality decreases both for flat and FFF energies; this effect is stronger for fewer gantry angles and for FFF beams. For low segment numbers, FFF plans are generally worse than the corresponding flat beam plans, but they are less sensitive to a decrease in segment number if many gantry angles are used (18 beams); in this case the quality of flat and FFF plans remains comparable even for few segments.     

Evaluation of a commercial automatic treatment planning system for liver stereotactic body radiation therapy treatments

PurposeAutomated treatment planning is a new frontier in radiotherapy. The Auto-Planning module of the Pinnacle³ treatment planning system (TPS) was evaluated for liver stereotactic body radiation therapy treatments.MethodsTen cases were included in the study. Six plans were generated for each case by four medical physics experts. The first two planned with Pinnacle TPS, both with manual module (MP) and Auto-Planning one (AP). The other two physicists generated two plans with Monaco TPS (VM). Treatment plan comparisons were then carried on the various dosimetric parameters of target and organs at risk, monitor units, number of segments, plan complexity metrics and human resource planning time. The user dependency of Auto-Planning was also tested and the plans were evaluated by a trained physician.ResultsStatistically significant differences (Anova test) were observed for spinal cord doses, plan average beam irregularity, number of segments, monitor units and human planning time. The Fisher-Hayter test applied to these parameters showed significant statistical differences between AP e MP for spinal cord doses and human planning time; between MP and VM for monitor units, number of segments and plan irregularity; for all those between AP and VM. The two plans created by different planners with AP were similar to each other.ConclusionsThe plans created with Auto-Planning were comparable to the manually generated plans. The time saved in planning enables the planner to commit more resources to more complex cases. The independence of the planner enables to standardize plan quality.     

Testing assumptions for conservation of migratory shorebirds and coastal managed wetlands

Managed wetlands provide critical foraging and roosting habitats for shorebirds during migration; therefore, ensuring their availability is a priority action in shorebird conservation plans. Contemporary shorebird conservation plans rely on a number of assumptions about shorebird prey resources and migratory behavior to determine stopover habitat requirements. For example, the US Shorebird Conservation Plan for the Southeast-Caribbean region assumes that average benthic invertebrate biomass in foraging habitats is 2.4 g dry mass m^?2 and that the dominant prey item of shorebirds in the region is Chironomid larvae. For effective conservation and management, it is important to test working assumptions and update predictive models that are used to estimate habitat requirements. We surveyed migratory shorebirds and sampled the benthic invertebrate community in coastal managed wetlands of South Carolina. We sampled invertebrates at three points in time representing early, middle, and late stages of spring migration, and concurrently surveyed shorebird stopover populations at approximately 7-day intervals throughout migration. We used analysis of variance by ranks to test for temporal variation in invertebrate biomass and density, and we used a model based approach (linear mixed model and Monte Carlo simulation) to estimate mean biomass and density. There was little evidence of a temporal variation in biomass or density during the course of spring shorebird migration, suggesting that shorebirds did not deplete invertebrate prey resources at our site. Estimated biomass was 1.47 g dry mass m^?2 (95 % credible interval 0.13–3.55), approximately 39 % lower than values used in the regional shorebird conservation plan. An additional 4728 ha (a 63 % increase) would be required if habitat objectives were derived from biomass levels observed in our study. Polychaetes, especially Laeonereis culveri (2569 individuals m^?2), were the most abundant prey in foraging habitats at our site. Polychaetes have lower caloric content than levels assumed in the regional plan; when lower caloric content and lower biomass levels are used to determine habitat objectives, an additional 6395 ha would be required (86 % increase). Shorebird conservation and management plans would benefit from considering the uncertainty in parameters used to derive habitat objectives, especially biomass and caloric content of prey resources. Iterative testing of models that are specific to the planning region will provide rapid advances for management and conservation of migratory shorebirds and coastal managed wetlands.     

An overview of recent global experience with recovery plans for depleted marine resources and suggested guidelines for recovery planning

Progress with stock recovery plans to date for depleted marine resources is reviewed, based on published and publicly available sources. Most plans began within the last two decades, so quantifying progress is difficult, but some 60 cases were found where a recovery effort had been explicitly tackled by either a closure or restrictive measures, and seven documented case studies were used to draw general conclusions on recovery procedures and to provide a list of considerations for best practice in recovery planning. More successes were documented for pelagic .sheries than demersals, especially with closures, while spontaneous recoveries of some depleted invertebrate resources seem related to reductions in predator pressure. Few shared, straddling or highly migratory stocks have been restored to date. Most successful recoveries occurred in the centre of the species geographical range and/or in favourable regimes. Success seems to depend on non-discretionary fishery control laws being applied. Depletions aggravated by unfavourable climatic regimes will be difficult to reverse, as illustrated by a simulation. Durations of recovery plans in particular depend on regime, and using stock information from favourable regimes to predict plan duration should be treated with caution. Although successful recoveries to date have tended to be decadal, a considerable proportion are still underway, and are likely to exceed this duration. An erratum to this article is available at .     

Genetic variation in the horsetail Equisetum variegatum Schleich., an endangered species in the Parisian region

Equisetum variegatum Schleicher is a circumboreale species of horsetail. In France, it typically grows at high elevations but is very rare in lowlands. The genetic variation of these populations is described using isozyme electrophoresis and PCR-RFLP of chloroplast DNA. Sampled sites were chosen to represent central vs. marginal and/or endangered parts of the distribution area. Extensive clonal multiplication of plants together with the absence of local recruitment by sexual reproduction seem to be responsible for the low genetic diversity observed within populations. Since adaptive response to environmental changes ultimately relies on the presence of genetic variability, clonal populations of E. variegatum may be particularly vulnerable to disturbance. Moreover, in lowland populations, isolation gives no chance to recover new genotypes through migration events. The preservation of the two endangered populations is proposed by propagation by cuttings of all extant genetic individuals. In the case of a disappearance of one genotype in the field, a replacement will be possible. This plan may be sufficient to preserve E. variegatum in the French lowland for several years.     

Climate change-integrated conservation strategies

Aim Conservation strategies currently include little consideration of climate change. Insights about the biotic impacts of climate change from biogeography and palaeoecology, therefore, have the potential to provide significant improvements in the effectiveness of conservation planning. We suggest a collaboration involving biogeography, ecology and applied conservation. The resulting Climate Change‐integrated Conservation Strategies (CCS) apply available tools to respond to the conservation challenges posed by climate change. Location The focus of this analysis is global, with special reference to high biodiversity areas vulnerable to climate change, particularly tropical montane settings. Methods Current tools from climatology, biogeography and ecology applicable to conservation planning in response to climate change are reviewed. Conservation challenges posed by climate change are summarized. CCS elements are elaborated that use available tools to respond to these challenges. Results Five elements of CCS are described: regional modelling; expanding protected areas; management of the matrix; regional coordination; and transfer of resources. Regional modelling uses regional climate models, biotic response models and sensitivity analysis to identify climate change impacts on biodiversity at a regional scale appropriate for conservation planning. Expansion of protected areas management and systems within the planning region are based on modelling results. Management of the matrix between protected areas provides continuity for processes and species range shifts outside of parks. Regional coordination of park and off‐park efforts allows harmonization of conservation goals across provincial and national boundaries. Finally, implementation of these CCS elements in the most biodiverse regions of the world will require technical and financial transfer of resources on a global scale. Main conclusions Collaboration across disciplines is necessary to plan conservation responses to climate change adequately. Biogeography and ecology provide insights into the effects of climate change on biodiversity that have not yet been fully integrated into conservation biology and applied conservation management. CCS provide a framework in which biogeographers, ecologists and conservation managers can collaborate to address this need. These planning exercises take place on a regional level, driven by regional climate models as well as general circulation models (GCMs), to ensure that regional climate drivers such as land use change and mesoscale topography are adequately represented. Sensitivity analysis can help address the substantial uncertainty inherent in projecting future climates and biodiversity response.     

This is more difficult than we thought! The responsibility of scientists, managers and stakeholders to mitigate the unsustainability of marine fisheries

The management of marine fisheries needs to undergo dramatic change in the new millennium, in response to the well-documented evidence of global overfishing and the general depletion of commercial fish stocks. The axioms of sustainable development and equilibrium productivity of wild ecosystems are identified as misleading concepts, which nonetheless underlie current approaches to the management of living marine resources. Current trends in marine fisheries landings worldwide provide little evidence of sustainability of marine resources under current management paradigms, where biological, economic and social aspects of fisheries are usually treated as different disciplines. While open-access conditions are less widespread than formerly, except for many straddling and highly migratory resources, fishers usually have access to the resource year-round throughout its range. Despite quotas, the nominal control of capacity and technical measures protecting juveniles, top-down management has generally been unable to prevent stock depletion, particularly of the older spawners that for demersal stocks often support recruitment. An integrated solution to the complexity of managing wild resources seems not to have been achieved. Any new paradigm should assert the basic unpredictability of fisheries at the system level and require a broader range of performance indicators to be incorporated into the decisional framework. This must reflect the non-equilibrium nature of marine systems, and give greater importance to resource (as opposed to harvest) continuity in the face of regime shifts, and promote habitat restoration and conservation of genetic resources.The new management framework requires co-management and collective decision-making to be incorporated within a precautionary and pre-negotiated management framework. This must explicitly recognize that decision-making occurs in conditions of model-based uncertainty and precautionary approaches should be incorporated at all levels, not least of which is to avoid the assumption that all resources can be harvested in a sustainable fashion through time. Redundancy in data inputs to management are needed to avoid the surprises that model-based sampling occasionally leads to, for example, when regime changes reduce productivity in response to climatic fluctuations. Emergency frameworks imposing non-discretionary rules must be invoked when overfishing and/or regime change trigger reference points indicating stock depletion. Non-discretionary recovery plans should then override rights-based systems and persist until fish populations recover to pre-established healthy levels, which may in turn need to await the return of a favourable regime.In fact, some stocks may require periodic rebuilding after regime-induced collapses or because of a combination of ecological or economic impacts, hence a constant harvest policy may not always be possible. It will probably also be necessary to discard the axiom that a stock should be available to harvesting throughout its range and seasonal cycle. Technological advances mean that time- and area-specific access rights are now practical options, through satellite monitoring of vessel operations, even offshore. More fundamentally, the basic axiom of "enlightened self interest" underlying current methods of management will need to be tempered by an increased ethical concern for the fragility of natural ecosystems.     

An iterative approach to plan combination in radiotherapy

Radiation therapy concerns the delivery of a proper dose of radiation to a tumor volume without causing irreparable damage to surrounding healthy tissue and critical organs. The problem of plan combination in radiation therapy treatment planning (RTTP) proposed, formulated and studied here, addresses a situation when for a specific clinical case, a set of several treatment plans is proposed, but each one of them violates the prescribed dose in at least one significant region of the volume that has to be treated. We represent treatment plans as vectors in the Euclidean space, and define their equivalence, acceptability and realizability. A simple linear algebraic model for combining them is then used in order to derive, from the given set of approximate plans, a combined treatment plan, which will be both acceptable, and technically realizable. In the event that such a combined plan does not exist, the alternatives for relaxing the treatment requirements can be systematically considered.     

An Automated Treatment Plan Quality Control Tool for Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy Using a Voxel-Weighting Factor-Based Re-Optimization Algorithm

Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) currently plays an important role in radiotherapy, but its treatment plan quality can vary significantly among institutions and planners. Treatment plan quality control (QC) is a necessary component for individual clinics to ensure that patients receive treatments with high therapeutic gain ratios. The voxel-weighting factor-based plan re-optimization mechanism has been proved able to explore a larger Pareto surface (solution domain) and therefore increase the possibility of finding an optimal treatment plan. In this study, we incorporated additional modules into an in-house developed voxel weighting factor-based re-optimization algorithm, which was enhanced as a highly automated and accurate IMRT plan QC tool (TPS-QC tool). After importing an under-assessment plan, the TPS-QC tool was able to generate a QC report within 2 minutes. This QC report contains the plan quality determination as well as information supporting the determination. Finally, the IMRT plan quality can be controlled by approving quality-passed plans and replacing quality-failed plans using the TPS-QC tool. The feasibility and accuracy of the proposed TPS-QC tool were evaluated using 25 clinically approved cervical cancer patient IMRT plans and 5 manually created poor-quality IMRT plans. The results showed high consistency between the QC report quality determinations and the actual plan quality. In the 25 clinically approved cases that the TPS-QC tool identified as passed, a greater difference could be observed for dosimetric endpoints for organs at risk (OAR) than for planning target volume (PTV), implying that better dose sparing could be achieved in OAR than in PTV. In addition, the dose-volume histogram (DVH) curves of the TPS-QC tool re-optimized plans satisfied the dosimetric criteria more frequently than did the under-assessment plans. In addition, the criteria for unsatisfied dosimetric endpoints in the 5 poor-quality plans could typically be satisfied when the TPS-QC tool generated re-optimized plans without sacrificing other dosimetric endpoints. In addition to its feasibility and accuracy, the proposed TPS-QC tool is also user-friendly and easy to operate, both of which are necessary characteristics for clinical use.     

Historical and contemporary forces shape genetic variation in the Olympic mudminnow (Novumbra hubbsi), an endemic fish from Washington State,USA

Genetic data have become increasingly useful for conservation planning when data regarding population status and long-term viability is limited. The Olympic mudminnow is the only fish species endemic to Washington State, USA. The species is an increasing priority for conservation given its limited distribution and increasing habitat loss. Presently, information important for developing conservation plans including population abundance data, knowledge of population boundaries, and estimates of gene flow among populations are limited. We used microsatellite markers to assess the level of genetic variation within and among Olympic mudminnow collections from 23 sites across the species range. Genetic variation within collections ranged widely and was greatest within the Chehalis River Basin, a former glacial refugium. Analysis of population boundaries showed that each collection site represented a unique population with the exception of collections made within two large wetland and stream complexes. Genetic variation among populations appears to be strongly influenced by glacial history and the species’ life history. Populations originating from the Chehalis River glacial refugium clustered together in multiple analyses and populations from the Olympic Coast, which persisted in separate refugia and have limited capacity for dispersal, showed a high level of differentiation. Competing theories existed regarding the origins of disjunct populations in east Puget Sound and genetic data showed that these populations represent undocumented introductions rather than a glacial remnant or historic colonization from the Chehalis refugium. Data presented in this study will help fill important information gaps and advance conservation planning for this species.     

Visualisation of Respiratory Tumour Motion and Co-Moving Isodose Lines in the Context of Respiratory Gating,IMRT and Flattening-Filter-Free Beams

Respiratory motion during percutaneous radiotherapy can be considered based on respiration-correlated computed tomography (4DCT). However, most treatment planning systems perform the dose calculation based on a single primary CT data set, even though cine mode displays may allow for a visualisation of the complete breathing cycle. This might create the mistaken impression that the dose distribution were independent of tumour motion. We present a movie visualisation technique with the aim to direct attention to the fact that the dose distribution migrates to some degree with the tumour and discuss consequences for gated treatment, IMRT plans and flattening-filter-free beams. This is a feasibility test for a visualisation of tumour and isodose motion. Ten respiratory phases are distinguished on the CT, and the dose distribution from a stationary IMRT plan is calculated on each phase, to be integrated into a movie of tumour and dose motion during breathing. For one example patient out of the sample of five lesions, the plan is compared with a gated treatment plan with respect to tumour coverage and lung sparing. The interplay-effect for small segments in the IMRT plan is estimated. While the high dose rate, together with the cone-shaped beam profile, makes the use of flattening-filter-free beams more problematic for conformal and IMRT treatment, it can be the option of choice if gated treatment is preferred. The different effects of respiratory motion, dose build-up and beam properties (segments and flatness) for gated vs. un-gated treatment can best be considered if planning is performed on the full 4DCT data set, which may be an incentive for future developments of treatment planning systems.     

Assessing the internal consistency of management plans for the recovery of threatened species

Recovery planning is an important global conservation strategy for threatened species. Despite the existence of international standards for recovery planning, deficiencies and anomalies have been detected in several jurisdictions. This study evaluated the quality of recovery plans based on internal consistency as a measurement of coherent planning. We analyzed 236 plans developed by the Australian Government (1992–2006) using three criteria: (a) consistency of gaps in scientific information with prescribed research actions, (b) consistency of identified threats with prescribed threat abatement actions and (c) consistency of established plan objectives with performance evaluation criteria. These criteria were aggregated in order to calculate an index of plan consistency. We tested two hypotheses: (1) plans made for single-species would exhibit better consistency than those for multi-species; and (2) plans made under the amended legislation of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBCA) would exhibit better consistency than those under the rescinded Endangered Species Protection Act (ESPA). In total, over 85% of the plans consistently addressed the research needs. However, the plans addressed threats poorly (66% of all plans exhibited inconsistencies). Moreover, nearly 50% of all plans established inconsistent performance evaluation criteria. Under the ESPA, single- and multi-species plans exhibited equal consistency, but under the EPBCA, single-species plans clearly exhibited higher consistency. Our major contribution is the assessment of attributes of consistency that are paramount for effective recovery planning. Evaluation of these attributes may provide knowledge of universal utility and relevance to other biodiversity conservation efforts.     

Intensification, Tipping Points, and Social Change in a Coupled Forager-Resource System

This paper presents a stylized bioeconomic model of hunter-gatherer foraging effort designed to study the process of intensification on open-access resources. A critical insight derived from the model is that the very success of an adaptation at the level of an individual forager group can create system-level vulnerabilities that subsequently feed back to cause emergent social change. The model illustrates how the intensification of harvest time by individuals within a habitat creates a forager-resource system that becomes vulnerable to perturbations. When the system is vulnerable, it is characterized by two resource harvest equilibria: a sustainable, low-effort equilibrium and a degraded, high-effort equilibrium. In this situation, the forager-resource system can be shocked back and forth between these different equilibria by perturbations, generating considerable risk for foragers. We use the model to isolate the ecological conditions under which the instability of the system generates the risk that foragers will experience a shortfall of resources, and we suggest a mechanism that might lead foragers to adopt social institutions that regulate who can access a habitat as an adaptive response. As an illustration of the potential utility of the insights drawn from the model, comparisons are made with a substantial ethnographic data set.     

The formation and execution of sequential plans in pigeons (Columba livia)

The ability to formulate and execute plans is a hallmark of human behaviour. Here we present evidence of planning in pigeons. Subjects were trained to respond to three geometric shapes in a prescribed order. Probe trials were then introduced in which, following a response to the first item, the on screen positions of the second and third item were exchanged. If subjects were planning a sequence of responses at the outset of a trial, we would expect reaction time to the second item to increase, reflecting the updating of a predetermined response plan. This is exactly what was found. Subjects also responded correctly on trials in which, following a response to the first item, stimuli were covered by opaque white squares. Together these results suggest pigeons are able to plan one step ahead on the simultaneous chaining paradigm.     

Chinanteco management ofAechmea Magdalenae: Implications for the use of TEK and TRM in management plans

The importance of incorporating traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) and traditional resource management (TRM) into resource management plans is increasingly recognized, but little quantitative data exists on the ecological and economic implications of these systems. We quantitatively evaluate the TEK and TRM associated with the nontimber forest species, Aechmea magdalenae, in indigenous Chinanteco communities in Mexico. Two TRM systems forA. magdalenae are described and their effects on growth rates of individuals and populations are measured. Simulations using matrix population models combined with yield experiments reveal that one management system is higher yielding and less costly than the other. Thinning and transplanting are two of the most important management practices that enable populations to withstand higher rates of harvest than those predicted in a management plan that was not based on TRM. Quantitative evaluation of Chinanteco TEK is used to discuss how it may be best combined with science in management plans for nontimber forest species.     

Identification and conservation of remnant genetic resources of brown trout in relict populations from Western Mediterranean streams

Brown trout is a cold-adapted freshwater species with restricted distribution to headwater streams in rivers of the South European peninsulas, where populations are highly vulnerable because Mediterranean regions are highly sensitive to the global climatic warming. Moreover, these populations are endangered due to the introgressive hybridization with cultured stocks. Individuals from six remnant populations in Western Mediterranean rivers were sequenced for the complete mitochondrial DNA control region and genotyped for 11 nuclear markers. Three different brown trout lineages were present in the studied region. Significant genetic divergence was observed among locations and a strong effect of genetic drift was suggested. An important stocking impact (close to 25%) was detected in the zone. Significant correlations between mitochondrial-based rates of hatchery introgression and water flow variation suggested a higher impact of stocked females in unstable habitats. In spite of hatchery introgression, all populations remained highly differentiated, suggesting that native genetic resources are still abundant. However, climatic predictions indicated that suitable habitats for the species in these rivers will be reduced and hence trout populations are highly endangered and vulnerable. Thus, management policies should take into account these predictions to design upstream refuge areas to protect remnant native trout in the region.     

Implications of isolation and low genetic diversity in peripheral populations of an amphi-Atlantic coral

Limited dispersal and connectivity in marine organisms can have negative fitness effects in populations that are small and isolated, but reduced genetic exchange may also promote the potential for local adaptation. Here, we compare the levels of genetic diversity and connectivity in the coral Montastraea cavernosa among both central and peripheral populations throughout its range in the Atlantic. Genetic data from one mitochondrial and two nuclear loci in 191 individuals show that M. cavernosa is subdivided into three genetically distinct regions in the Atlantic: Caribbean-North Atlantic, Western South Atlantic (Brazil) and Eastern Tropical Atlantic (West Africa). Within each region, populations have similar allele frequencies and levels of genetic diversity; indeed, no significant differentiation was found between populations separated by as much as 3000 km, suggesting that this coral species has the ability to disperse over large distances. Gene flow within regions does not, however, translate into connectivity across the entire Atlantic. Instead, substantial differences in allele frequencies across regions suggest that genetic exchange is infrequent between the Caribbean, Brazil and West Africa. Furthermore, markedly lower levels of genetic diversity are observed in the Brazilian and West African populations. Genetic diversity and connectivity may contribute to the resilience of a coral population to disturbance. Isolated peripheral populations may be more vulnerable to human impacts, disease or climate change relative to those in the genetically diverse Caribbean-North Atlantic region.