Unlocking the potential of sensors for our environment : a call to action from a NERC writing retreat

Funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the Constructing a Digital Environment Strategic Priorities Fund (CDE) programme aspired to support the development of a comprehensive ‘digital environment’ ecosystem that best served scientists, policymakers, businesses, and communities. Emphasising multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary collaboration, CDE supported a team of challenge-focused researchers from a variety of disciplines to bring to the fore current and future digital advances in sensors that are critical to addressing environmental concerns. From March 2023 to January 2024, the team worked together to develop frameworks that sought to optimise the benefits of both existing and emerging sensor network technologies and their related infrastructure. Central to the development of these frameworks was a co-creation writing retreat in July 2023, where we came together to discuss the environmental sensing ecosystems unmet needs and challenges around five themes: Values, Changes, Barriers, Tools, and Lessons. The resultant findings and call for action suggest that: A. Focusing on People, Places and Ethics when making decisions on the whole sensor systems lifecycle (sensor design, deployment, application, and uptake) can ensure that research is more holistic, relevant, ethically sound, innovative, and, at the same time, has the potential for real-world impact. B. There is a clear need for a better-enabled sensor ‘development and use’ ecosystem (i.e., frameworks, methodologies, designs, communities) that has strong foundations and support for collaborative and interdisciplinary research to drive ambition for responsible innovation and resilient research communities. Overall, the findings highlight the vast potential offered by increased sensor utilisation for science and society, as well as broader concerns around data practices and innovation and specific challenges to sensors and sensing for the environment. There is a greater need for responsible data sharing, standardisation and quality assurance, as well as enhanced interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge transfer between academia and industry. Furthermore, sector-specific barriers to recruitment and retention (particularly from those traditionally underrepresented in the sector) need to be addressed if transformative research is to be delivered and sustainable ecosystems that are diverse and inclusive are to be created

A mathematical model of biofilm growth and spread within plant xylem: case study of Xylella fastidiosa in olive trees

Xylem-limited bacterial pathogens cause some of the most destructive plant diseases. Though imposed measures to control these pathogens are generally ineffective, even among susceptible taxa, some hosts can limit bacterial loads and symptom expression. Mechanisms by which this resistance is achieved are poorly understood. In particular, it is still unknown how differences in vascular structure may influence biofilm growth and spread within a host. To address this, we developed a novel theoretical framework to describe biofilm behaviour within xylem vessels, adopting a polymer-based modelling approach. We then parameterised the model to investigate the relevance of xylem vessel diameters on Xylella fastidiosa resistance among olive cultivars. The functionality of all vessels was severely reduced under infection, with hydraulic flow reductions of 2–3 orders of magnitude. However, results suggest wider vessels act as biofilm incubators; allowing biofilms to develop over a long time while still transporting them through the vasculature. By contrast, thinner vessels become blocked much earlier, limiting biofilm spread. Using experimental data on vessel diameter distributions, we were able to determine that a mechanism of resistance in the olive cultivar Leccino is a relatively low abundance of the widest vessels, limiting X. fastidiosa spread

Resolving phytoplankton pigments from spectral images using convolutional neural networks

Motivated by the need for rapid and robust monitoring of phytoplankton in inland waters, this article introduces a protocol based on a mobile spectral imager for assessing phytoplankton pigments from water samples. The protocol includes (1) sample concentrating; (2) spectral imaging; and (3) convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to resolve concentrations of chlorophyll a (Chl a), carotenoids, and phycocyanin. The protocol was demonstrated with samples from 20 lakes across Scotland, with special emphasis on Loch Leven where blooms of cyanobacteria are frequent. In parallel, samples were prepared for reference observations of Chl a and carotenoids by high-performance liquid chromatography and of phycocyanin by spectrophotometry. Robustness of the CNNs were investigated by excluding each lake from model trainings one at a time and using the excluded data as independent test data. For Loch Leven, median absolute percentage difference (MAPD) was 15% for Chl a and 36% for carotenoids. MAPD in estimated phycocyanin concentration was high (102%); however, the system was able to indicate the possibility of a cyanobacteria bloom. In the leave-one-out tests with the other lakes, MAPD was 26% for Chl a, 27% for carotenoids, and 75% for phycocyanin. The higher error for phycocyanin was likely due to variation in the data distribution and reference observations. It was concluded that this protocol could support phytoplankton monitoring by using Chl a and carotenoids as proxies for biomass. Greater focus on the distribution and volume of the training data would improve the phycocyanin estimates

The Bowland Shale Formation in the Blacon Basin: syngenetic processes, stacking patterns and heat productivity

We conducted a high-resolution multi-disciplinary analysis of two core sections in the borehole Ellesmere Port-1, Cheshire, UK. Biostratigraphic analysis indicates the core sections are Kinderscoutian and late Arnsbergian-Chokerian in age, respectively. Both cores are assigned to the Bowland Shale Formation (Holywell Shale). Coupled core scan and discrete geochemical analysis enables interpretation of syngenetic processes at a high stratigraphic resolution. Both cores exhibit the classic cyclicity of limestones, calcareous to non-calcareous mudstones and siltstones, interpreted to represent sediment deposition during fourth-order sea level fluctuation. Machine learning of the well log data coupled to the core scan data enabled prediction of the key lithofacies through the entire Bowland Shale interval in Ellesmere Port-1. The machine predictions show the Bowland Shale is interfingered with three turbiditic leaves of the Cefn-y-fedw Sandstone Formation and contains at least 12 complete fourth-order cycles. The Bowland Shale exhibits high radiogenic heat productivity (RHP) in comparison to other sedimentary rocks, due primarily to relative enrichment in U under intermittently euxinic conditions. Thermal modelling, however, shows Bowland Shale RHP contributes a negligible source of additional heat at the scale of 100s m

An Arctic natural oil seep investigated from space to the seafloor

Due to climate change, decreasing ice cover and increasing industrial activities, Arctic marine ecosystems are expected to face higher levels of anthropogenic stress. To sustain healthy and productive ocean ecosystems, it is imperative to build baseline data to assess future climatic and environmental changes. Herein, a natural oil seep site offshore western Svalbard (Prins Karls Forland, PKF, 80–100 m water depth), discovered using satellite radar images, was investigated using an extensive multiscale and multisource geospatial dataset collected by satellite, aerial, floating, and underwater platforms. The investigated PKF seep area covers roughly a seafloor area of 30,000 m2 and discharges oil from Tertiary or younger source rocks. Biomarker analyses confirm that the oil in the slicks on the sea surface and from the seep on the seafloor have the same origin. Uranium/Thorium dating of authigenic carbonate crusts indicated that the seep had emanated since the Late Pleistocene when ice sheet melting unlocked the hydrocarbons trapped beneath the ice. The faunal communities at the PKF seep are a mix of typical high latitude fauna and taxa adapted to reducing environments. Remarkably, the inhospitable oil-impregnated sediments were also colonized by abundant infaunal organisms. Altogether, in situ observations obtained at the site provide essential insights into the characteristics of high–latitude oil seeps and can be used as a natural laboratory for understanding the potential impacts of human oil discharge into the ocean

Environmental and behavioural drivers of Antarctic krill distribution at the South Orkney Islands: A regional perspective

Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) is a key species in the marine ecosystem of the Southern Ocean, but is also the target of a commercial fishery, with an important fishing ground in the South Orkney Islands region. The potential for competition for krill between predators and the fishery requires risk management strategies for the fishery, underpinned by an understanding of the key physical and behavioural drivers of krill movement and retention in target areas. Here, we present the results of a regional modelling study, combining a high-resolution ocean-sea ice model and an individual-based model parameterised for krill, to elucidate the roles of oceanographic variability and krill behaviour on patterns of transport and retention on and around the South Orkney Plateau. Simulations suggest that oceanic transport from sources around the Antarctic Peninsula is restricted by the northward flowing Antarctic Slope Current. Around the South Orkney Plateau, anticyclonic flows associated with the Weddell Front and the shelf edge transport krill rapidly towards the main fishing grounds to the northwest of the plateau. Transport onto the shelf and subsequent retention are influenced by the strength and direction of regional winds; weaker on-shelf transport and shorter retention times are associated with stronger westerly and northerly winds. The incorporation of sea-ice associated behaviour, whereby krill are moved with sea ice when sea ice is present, significantly modifies the patterns from purely oceanic transport; it reduces the influence of strong regional oceanic flows and increases transport of krill to the South Orkneys region from the Antarctic Peninsula. The inclusion of diel vertical migration also modifies predicted patterns from oceanic transport, but to a lesser extent, and moderates the impact of including sea-ice associated behaviour. We highlight the importance of understanding the behaviour of krill, including age-dependent behavioural changes in response to sea ice conditions, for modelling and management of Antarctic krill populations

Subsurface floats in the Filchner Trough provide the first direct under-ice tracks of the circulation on shelf

Bottom water formation in the Weddell Sea and mass loss from the Filchner–Ronne Ice Shelf are tightly linked by the supply of Warm Deep Water to the continental shelf. Heavy sea ice cover and icebergs restrict ship access and upper-ocean measurements by moorings, compelling us to try new sampling methods. We present results from the first dedicated under-sea-ice float experiment tracking circulation on the continental shelf of the eastern Weddell Sea. Seven Apex profiling floats were deployed in 2017 at three different locations on the eastern Weddell Sea continental shelf, targeting the inflowing modified Warm Deep Water (mWDW), as well as the outflowing Ice Shelf Water (ISW). The floats capture a warm mWDW regime with southward inflow over the eastern continental shelf and a cold ISW regime with a recirculation of ISW in the Filchner Trough throughout the 4 years of observations. We provide the first Lagrangian in situ confirmation that the mWDW flowing onto the continental shelf follows two pathways: the eastern flank of the Filchner Trough and a small trough on the shallow shelf farther east. In the present circulation regime, this warm water is blocked from reaching the ice shelf cavity due to the presence of the thick ISW layer inside the Filchner Trough. The floats’ trajectories and hydrography reveal the dynamically active front, flow reversal, and eddying motion between these two water masses along the eastern flank of the Filchner Trough

Effect of CO2 concentrations on entomopathogen fitness and insect-pathogen interactions

Numerous insect species and their associated microbial pathogens are exposed to elevated CO2 concentrations in both artificial and natural environments. However, the impacts of elevated CO2 on the fitness of these pathogens and the susceptibility of insects to pathogen infections are not well understood. The yellow mealworm, Tenebrio molitor, is commonly produced for food and feed purposes in mass-rearing systems, which increases risk of pathogen infections. Additionally, entomopathogens are used to control T. molitor, which is also a pest of stored grains. It is therefore important to understand how elevated CO2 may affect both the pathogen directly and impact on host-pathogen interactions. We demonstrate that elevated CO2 concentrations reduced the viability and persistence of the spores of the bacterial pathogen Bacillus thuringiensis. In contrast, conidia of the fungal pathogen Metarhizium brunneum germinated faster under elevated CO2. Pre-exposure of the two pathogens to elevated CO2 prior to host infection did not affect the survival probability of T. molitor larvae. However, larvae reared at elevated CO2 concentrations were less susceptible to both pathogens compared to larvae reared at ambient CO2 concentrations. Our findings indicate that whilst elevated CO2 concentrations may be beneficial in reducing host susceptibility in mass-rearing systems, they may potentially reduce the efficacy of the tested entomopathogens when used as biological control agents of T. molitor larvae. We conclude that CO2 concentrations should be carefully selected and monitored as an additional environmental factor in laboratory experiments investigating insect-pathogen interactions

The impact of lake discontinuities on nitrogen biogeochemistry in river networks

River networks connect terrestrial and marine ecosystems through transport of pollutants and nutrients. Lakes represent discontinuities within these river networks, which can be important biogeochemical hotspots, introducing substantial changes to the aquatic environment. Nitrogen is a key macronutrient that can potentially limit or co-limit primary production, but the processes that determine the fate of nitrogen during transport through river-lake networks are poorly understood. We studied three river systems and their lake discontinuities, spanning a range of trophic states and average water residence times, to understand the changes introduced to riverine nitrogen biogeochemistry by lake discontinuities. In-lake processes noticeably altered the concentration and speciation of nitrogen. Annually, lakes reduced up to 44% of nitrate compared to main inflow concentrations, while there was large variability in nitrate dynamics seasonally. The drawdown in surface nitrate concentrations resulted at times in phytoplankton co-limitation by nitrogen in-lake, as well as in the downstream river, where altered nitrogen patterns could persist for several kilometers. However, lakes occasionally subsidized N to downstream rivers as ammonium or dissolved organic nitrogen. Assimilation of nitrate in lake surface waters was one of the dominant processes impacting nitrogen availability; however, stable isotope data revealed an unexpected contribution of nitrification on nitrogen cycling in the epilimnion throughout the year and across trophic gradients. These changes in nitrogen concentration, as well as speciation introduced by lake discontinuities have potentially important consequences for the composition and metabolism of communities in downstream rivers and contribute to our fundamental understanding of freshwater processes

Growth and ecophysiology of two Antarctic benthic predators; Isotealia antarctica and Urticinopsis antarctica

There is a dearth of basic life history and physiological data from Southern Ocean species, particularly from benthic vagile predators. This is an important data gap because species inhabiting the Southern Ocean live in a more temperature stable but seasonally varying environment than temperate and tropical counterparts. For many species living below 0 ◦C for a significant proportion of the year, bodily functions are slowed to disproportionately lower rates than would be predicted by temperature alone. Certain life history and physiological processes are often aligned with the short summer season of productivity. However, predators may behave differently because they are decoupled from the phytoplankton bloom and some have been shown to exhibit less seasonal physiological change. To further our understanding of Antarctic predator growth and seasonal ecophysiology, field growth rates were measured for two soft-bodied Antarctic anemone benthic predators, Isotealia antarctica and Urticinopsis antarctica, using in situ sampling of anemones on uniquely marked tiles. Ex situ measurements of oxygen consumption and seven-day faecal output were obtained from recently collected specimens in aquaria and compared between summer and winter. Winter physiological data for Antarctic species are rare, and we tested the hypothesis that generalist feeders or predators continue to feed during the winter. Growth rates differed between species and between years. I. antarctica and U. antarctica both exhibited overall positive field growth rates across a 15 month period between 2020 and 2021; with U. antarctica increasing 199.80% (± SE 25.8) in mass compared to a 16.85% (± SE 8.9) increase in I. antarctica. There was no significant difference in I. antarctica’s growth between 15 and 25 months field deployment. After 25 months, I. antarctica showed an average 7.96% (± SE 8.05) increase in buoyant weight. Ex situ oxygen consumption and faecal egestion did not differ seasonally, which, demonstrates that anemones fed at similar rates during the winter and summer. In contrast to some members of the Antarctica benthos, I. antarctica and U. antarctica actively feed all year round, whereas several other species have been reported to enter a state of torpor in winter