Revisiting the silicon isotopic signal of sponge skeletons and its implications

This study investigates the relationship between the silicon (Si) isotopic composition of sponge skeletal silica (δ30SibSi) and seawater characteristics in sponge habitats, specifically the concentration of dissolved silicic acid and its Si isotopic signature (δ30SidSi). Initially, these correlations were considered a promising calibration proxies for paleoceanographic reconstructions, but the incorporation of subsequent data points into the dataset over the past decade has highlighted complexities in how sponges fractionate silicon isotopes during silicification processes. We revisit the historical dataset, including a detailed examination of each datapoint to identify biases related to environmental, biological, and taxonomic factors. We also contribute new isotopic data obtained by multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer analysis, specifically targeting underrepresented low-silicic-acid environments. This revised dataset highlights that anomalies in the calibration, in particular species with fused skeletal frameworks, remain incongruous. We found that part of the problem is that the relationship between silicic acid concentration and δ30SibSi in the revised dataset of only Demospongiae follows a distinct, statistically robust, non-linear trend different from the weak, linear fit in Hexactinellida. Consequently, isotopic data from these two sponge classes should not be combined for calibration analysis, if possible. Yet, while the robust non-linear regression for only Demospongiae revitalizes the proxy, the relationship becomes asymptotic at silicic acid values above 200 μM, limiting its applicability to Cenozoic and Mesozoic conditions and excluding early Paleozoic scenarios with high concentrations of silicic acid. Practical recommendations for using and improving the proxy are discussed

Preparing for the next generation of material environmental health and safety (EHS) concerns: guidelines for future data curation collaborations

Emergence of a new class of nanoscaled contaminants, such as micro- and nanoplastics, as well as nanotechnology’s current transition into advanced materials have broadened the boundaries of the field. These field-expanding topics exemplify the core role of collaboration in creating “good” and trustable data for future analyses. It is imperative that the environmental health and safety community recalls previous efforts to integrate data surrounding engineered nanomaterials to serve as guidance for the next generation of materials. We therefore describe an international collaboration focused at the early stages in the informatics process, the data curation level. Our experiences are described in nine guidelines that can be adopted by future collaborations. These guidelines were written to be actionable and structured within scalable phases. Guidance is also provided on the necessary personnel roles that should be incorporated into funding plans for developing and using advanced materials. Current shifts in the field demand community consensus to define data that are qualified as “good” and “trustable”, which require collaboration at the early stages of the informatics and data generation processes

Advancing operational flood forecasting, early warning and risk management with new emerging science: gaps, opportunities and barriers in Kenya

Kenya and the wider East African region suffer from significant flood risk, as illustrated by major losses of lives, livelihoods and assets in the most recent years. This is likely to increase in future as exposure rises and rainfall intensifies under climate change. Accordingly, flood risk management is a priority action area in Kenya's national climate change adaptation planning. Here, we outline the opportunities and challenges to improve end-to-end flood early warning systems, considering the scientific, technical and institutional/governance dimensions. We demonstrate improvements in rainfall forecasts, river flow, inundation and baseline flood risk information. Notably, East Africa is a ‘sweetspot’ for rainfall predictability at sub-seasonal to seasonal timescales for extending forecast lead times beyond a few days and for ensemble flood forecasting. Further, we demonstrate coupled ensemble flow forecasting, new flood inundation simulation, vulnerability and exposure data to support Impact based Forecasting (IbF). We illustrate these advances in the case of fluvial and urban flooding and reflect on the potential for improved flood preparedness action. However, we note that, unlike for drought, there remains no national flood risk management framework in Kenya and there is need to enhance institutional capacities and arrangements to take full advantage of these scientific advances

Method Dependence in Thermal Conductivity and Aerodynamic Roughness Length Estimates on a Debris‐Covered Glacier

Rock debris partially covers glaciers worldwide, with varying extents and distributions, and controls sub‐debris melt rates by modifying energy transfer from the atmosphere to the ice. Two key physical properties controlling this energy exchange are thermal conductivity (k) and aerodynamic roughness length (z0).Accurate representation of these properties in energy‐balance models is critical for understanding climate‐glacier interactions and predicting the behavior of debris‐covered glaciers. However, k and z0 have been derived at very few sites from limited local measurements, using different approaches, and most model applications rely on values reported from these few sites and studies. We derive k and z0 using established and modified approaches from data at three locations on Pirámide Glacier in the central Chilean Andes. By comparing methods and evaluating melt simulated with an energy‐balance model, we reveal substantial differences between approaches. These lead to discrepancies between ice melt from energy‐balance simulations and observed data, and highlight the impact of method choice on calculated ice melt. Optimizing k against measured melt appears a viable approach to constrain melt simulations. Determining z0 seems less critical, as it has a smaller impact on total melt. Profile aerodynamic method measurements for estimating z0, despite higher costs, are independent of ice melt calculations. The large, unexpected differences between methods indicate a substantial knowledge gap. The fact that field‐derived k and z0 fail to work well in energy‐balance models, suggests that model values represent bulk properties distinct from theoretical field measurements. Addressing this gap is essential for improving glacier melt predictions

Agricultural landscapes impede woodland ground-dwelling beetle colonisation and establishment in planted woodlands

Global insect declines have been partly attributed to habitat loss and agricultural intensification. Large-scale habitat restoration is crucial to address this biodiversity crisis, with woodlands representing a key habitat that supports diverse insect communities, particularly beetle assemblages. However, little is known about beetle colonisation and establishment processes as woodland is created. Using data from a long-term natural experiment (the WrEN project), we investigate the relative importance of local and landscape characteristics on ground-dwelling beetle colonisation and establishment across 60 UK secondary broadleaved woodlands. Our sites, planted 12 – 160 years ago, range in size between 0.5 – 32 ha and are embedded in landscapes ranging from 20 – 90 % agriculture. Using structural equation models, we show that woodland generalist and specialist beetles were more abundant in larger woodlands and more species-rich in woodlands with a lower proportion of surrounding agriculture. Woodland specialists were more abundant in woodlands with lower tree densities, a positive indirect effect of woodland age. Beetle community composition varied according to woodland age and structure, with younger and more homogenous woodlands having more non-woodland species. These findings suggest that the agricultural matrix may hinder woodland beetle colonisation into newly established woodlands in farmed landscapes. To enhance beetle biodiversity, woodland restoration initiatives should prioritise planting larger sites, and active management such as selective thinning that reduces tree density and increases structural heterogeneity. We highlight a potential paradox between the benefits of restoration that avoids landscapes with high agriculture to promote beetle colonisation vs. targeting these landscapes in efforts to enhance biodiversity

Exploring stakeholder perceptions and priorities related to reducing tick-related public health risks in natural environments of the United Kingdom

•Background: Tick-borne disease (TBD) risks to humans and livestock are increasing rapidly in temperate regions, including the UK, with severe impacts on human and animal health and livelihoods. These threats could be exacerbated by large-scale policy-driven changes to increase woodland area and connectivity, which might increase the abundance of the key tick vector, Ixodes ricinus, and its interactions with people, livestock and wildlife hosts. Environmental interventions have been suggested as potential ecologically friendly options with the propensity to mitigate risk from ticks and TBDs in woodland areas, which are often characterised by high tick-human contact rates. Yet the uptake of these interventions is dependent on their alignment with stakeholders’ land management priorities and attitudes. Effective co-production practices will ensure that the implementation of land-based tick control interventions aligns with stakeholder priorities and are acceptable to society. However, there is limited empirical understanding about the viability and acceptability of land-based interventions to reduce risk from ticks on the ground. •Methods: Three multi-stakeholder workshops (N = 40 participants), held in Aberdeenshire (Scotland) and New Forest (England) respectively, together with key-informant interviews (N = 18) were used to explore the stakeholders’ perceptions of, and attitudes towards, the potential implementation of land-based tick control interventions. •Results: Overall, while study participants expressed a general concern about the tick ‘problem’, there were varied perspectives towards implementing potential environmental interventions for tick and deer management. Of the potential interventions identified, deer exclusion measures (e.g. fencing) were perceived negatively as costly and ineffective at scale. Study participants highlighted there is no one-size-fits-all intervention for deer and/or tick management, noting that a combination of interventions is needed to reconcile differing stakeholder priorities and expectations about land management on a landscape scale. •Conclusion: Altogether, the study highlights the importance of harmonising land-use policies and continuous dialogue between stakeholders to reconcile competing land management objectives

Structural controls on pressure communication across the Bunter Sandstone Formation, UK Southern North Sea

The utilization of extensive saline aquifers for CO 2 storage will require careful consideration of the potential pressure responses. The displacement of formation waters results in far-reaching pressure footprints that extend beyond the storage sites. Where multiple storage projects share a connected saline aquifer, the available pressure budgets for neighbouring projects may be negatively impacted. Structures such as faults and salt walls can potentially divide an aquifer into smaller hydraulic units. The extent of hydraulic units in the Bunter Sandstone Formation (BSF) within the UK Southern North Sea (UKSNS) was investigated by structural interpretation of seismic data. A new classification scheme was developed to characterize the major structural features affecting the BSF and their likely impact on boundary conditions. The resultant boundary condition map indicates where structures are expected to inhibit pressure communication through displacement/dislocation of the BSF aquifer. The results were validated by pressure data, which confirmed the existence of variable pressure regimes across the BSF. Understanding these boundary conditions is essential to support the strategic deployment of CO 2 storage in the UKSNS and to maximize storage capacity. The methodology can also be applied to other regions where extensive saline aquifers are considered for CO 2 storage

Stakeholder views on the implementation of the UK’s Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) National Action Plan (2019–2024) in relation to AMR in the environment

•Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the environment is an important component of One Health AMR research and is increasingly incorporated into AMR National Action Plans (NAPs), including the UK’s AMR NAP ‘Tackling antimicrobial resistance 2019–2024’. However, implementation of the environmental commitments has yet to be evaluated. •Objective: In this study, we aimed to understand UK stakeholder perspectives on the delivery and implementation of the environmental components of the UK’s AMR NAP 2019–2024, with a particular focus on wastewater, which could be used to inform the 2024–2029 NAP. •Methods: We undertook semi-structured, qualitative interviews with informed UK stakeholders to discuss how the NAP had been implemented and future directions relevant to environmental AMR. •Results: Two main themes emerged from the interviews: 1) the perception of ‘risk’, and 2) barriers that have hampered policy action. Some wanted more evidence to inform policy and mitigations, particularly concerning the relative risk posed by different pollution sources in driving and maintaining AMR in the environment, and the risk posed by transmission of AMR from the environment to humans. Where evidence was lacking, several academics and regulators proposed that policy action could be justified based on the precautionary principle. •Conclusions: Although we do not know the impact environmental exposure plays in driving clinical AMR infections relative to other sources, evidence suggests that exposure to environmental and wastewater sources may play a role, and thus requires policy interventions. Government leadership is critical for ensuring the uptake of environmental AMR research to inform mitigation and interventions based on the precautionary principle

Empowering researchers through data stewardship and digital training to adapt to new data services

In an increasingly digital research landscape, the importance of open and FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data practices are becoming more apparent. Technology advances open up new ways of discovering and re-using large volumes of data, however they can also require a higher entry-point for users, who must have the digital literacy to be able to interact with these emerging technologies and interfaces. As such, education remains a key tool for providing researchers with the skills and knowledge to understand how to adapt these technologies to their own scientific discipline, and ensure their own datasets are compatible for use by both humans and machines. Here, we explore the uses of training and data stewardship for improving researcher digital skills, from developing practical day-to-day approaches in research data management, through to increasing awareness and understanding of how to interact with complex digital systems effectively. While some research groups often have a range of digital skills, these are often either self-taught or learnt only for a specific purpose, limiting how data can be reused. By engaging with researchers across different disciplines and backgrounds, we can lower that entry point for interacting with NERC data services, allowing more efficient and increased opportunities data re-use. This engagement includes both one-on-one data stewardship throughout a project to use a specific service, as well as wider training for key staff within a research organisation to develop and promote best practices which can be disseminated throughout their teams and incorporated into future research. By engaging with researchers early on in the project lifecycle, we can bridge the gap between what users require from NERC data services, what services and guidance we provide, and showcase the benefits and opportunities of open and FAIR data. This ensures that researchers have the capabilities to interact with new digital research infrastructures efficiently, which not only reduces barriers to accessing environmental data, but also increases it’s potential for re-use in new innovative ways