Strong marine heatwaves trigger flowering in seagrass

In recent decades, the global intensification of marine heatwaves has impacted several ecosystems and species, including the endemic Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica. However, the scarcity of research in Eastern Mediterranean meadows, where historical and present thermal conditions differ from those of the Western Mediterranean, hampers our ability to draw comprehensive conclusions regarding the species\u27 response to elevated sea temperatures. Here, we studied flowering patterns of P. oceanica meadows (3–15 m depth) of the Greek seas and assessed their potential association with marine heatwaves, while also examining the effects on plant growth associated with the transition from vegetative to sexual reproduction. To do so, we reconstructed flowering patterns from 2007 to 2021 across 58 meadows using lepidochronology and estimated summer marine heatwave metrics and categories using satellite sea surface temperature. The results revealed that flowering, while sporadic in most meadows (mean flowering frequency: 0.15), it was triggered by strong (Category II) summer marine heatwaves and a cumulative intensity exceeding 30°C days. Nevertheless, flowering density was low (mean flowering density: 11 inflorescences m−2) and not fuelled by frequency, intensity, or duration of marine heatwaves. Despite the potential long-term benefits of sexual reproduction, annual rhizome production of flowering shoots decreased 1.5-fold for at least 2 yr postflowering. This study uncovers the susceptibility of Eastern Mediterranean P. oceanica meadows, akin to their western counterparts, to marine heatwaves induced stress and its effects on reproductive strategies, raising concerns about the prospective plant growth and reproductive fitness to the escalating trend in marine heatwaves

Ebola virus VP35 induces high-level production of recombinant TPL-2–ABIN-2–NF-κB1 p105 complex in co-transfected HEK-293 cells

Activation of PKR (double-stranded-RNA-dependent protein kinase) by DNA plasmids decreases translation, and limits the amount of recombinant protein produced by transiently transfected HEK (human embryonic kidney)-293 cells. Co-expression with Ebola virus VP35 (virus protein 35), which blocked plasmid activation of PKR, substantially increased production of recombinant TPL-2 (tumour progression locus 2)–ABIN-2 [A20-binding inhibitor of NF-κB (nuclear factor κB) 2]–NF-κB1 p105 complex. VP35 also increased expression of other co-transfected proteins, suggesting that VP35 could be employed generally to boost recombinant protein production by HEK-293 cells

Potential Operating Models, Harvest Control Rules and Performance Statistics for the NAFO 3M Cod MSE.

This document presents a proposal of possible Operating Models (OMs), Harvest Control Rules (HCR) and Performance Statistics (PS) to carry out the Management Strategies Evaluation (MSE) for the 3M cod of NAFO. This proposal will have to be reviewed by the NAFO SC to decide the first set of OMs to test with the possible HCRs in the 3M Cod MSE

Blink: Fast Connectivity Recovery Entirely in the Data Plane

We present Blink, a data-driven system that leverages TCPinduced signals to detect failures directly in the data plane. The key intuition behind Blink is that a TCP flow exhibits a predictable behavior upon disruption: retransmitting the same packet over and over, at epochs exponentially spaced in time. When compounded over multiple flows, this behavior creates a strong and characteristic failure signal. Blink efficiently analyzes TCP flows to: (i) select which ones to track; (ii) reliably and quickly detect major traffic disruptions; and (iii) recover connectivity—all this, completely in the data plane. We present an implementation of Blink in P4 together with an extensive evaluation on real and synthetic traffic traces. Our results indicate that Blink: (i) achieves sub-second rerouting for large fractions of Internet traffic; and (ii) prevents unnecessary traffic shifts even in the presence of noise. We further show the feasibility of Blink by running it on an actual Tofino switch

Does ICCAT need ecosystem plans? a pilot ecosystem plan for the Atlantic tropical ecoregion.

The implementation of an Ecosystem Approach Fisheries Management (EAFM) in ICCAT has been slow and patchy, as it lacks a long-term plan, vision and guidance on how to operationalize it. Ecosystem plans are needed to formalize the process of operationalizing the EAFM by identifying and formalizing ecosystem goals and objectives, planning actions based on priorities, measuring performance of the whole fishery system, addressing trade-offs, and incorporating them in fisheries management. The Specific Contract N0 2 under the Framework Contract - EASME/EMFF/2016/008 provisions of Scientific Advice for Fisheries Beyond EU Waters has developed a pilot ecosystem plan for the tropical ecoregion of the Atlantic Ocean. In this document, we highlight the main potential benefits of developing ecosystem plans in ICCAT. Second, we briefly describe the main core elements developed in the pilot ecosystem plan for the Tropical ecoregion of the Atlantic Ocean. Third, we summarize our main thoughts and lessons learned in the development of this pilot ecosystem plan for one ecoregion within ICCAT. Last, we propose a list of actions, research activities and capacity building activities to foster the development, use and implementation of ecosystem plans in ICCAT.Versión del edito

Climate-driven impacts of exotic species on marine ecosystems

Aim Temperature is fundamental to the physiological and ecological performance of marine organisms, but its role in modulating the magnitude of ecological impacts by exotic species remains unresolved. Here, we examine the relationship between thermal regimes in the range of origin of marine exotic species and sites of measured impact, after human-induced introduction. We compare this relationship with the magnitude of impact exerted by exotic species on native ecosystems. Location Global. Time period 1977–2017 (meta-analysis). Major taxa studied Marine exotic species. Methods Quantitative impacts of exotic species in marine ecosystems were obtained from a global database. The native range of origin of exotic species was used to estimate the realized thermal niche for each species and compared with the latitude and climatic conditions in recipient sites of recorded impact of exotic species. The difference in median temperatures between recipient sites and the thermal range of origin (i.e., thermal midpoint anomaly) was compared with the magnitude of effect sizes by exotic species on native species, communities and ecosystems. Results Recorded impacts occurred predominantly within the thermal niche of origin of exotic species, albeit with a tendency toward higher latitudes and slightly cooler conditions. The severity of impacts by exotic species on abundance of native taxa displayed a hump-shaped relationship with temperature. Peak impacts were recorded in recipient sites that were 2.2°C cooler than the thermal midpoint of the range of origin of exotic species, and impacts decreased in magnitude toward higher and lower thermal anomalies. Main conclusions Our findings highlight how temperature and climatic context influence ecological impacts by exotic species in marine ecosystems and the implications for existing and novel species interactions under climate change.En prensa5,14

Selecting ecosystem indicators for fisheries targeting highly migratory species: An EU project to advance the operationalization of the EAFM in ICCAT and IOTC

Several international legal agreements and guidelines have set the minimum standards and key principles to guide the implementation of an ecosystem approach to fisheries management (EAFM). However, the implementation of an EAFM in tuna Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) has been patchy and lack a long-term plan, vision and guidance on how to operationalize it. The Specific Contract N0 2 “selecting ecosystem indicators for fisheries targeting highly migratory species-” (SC02 project) under the Framework Contract - EASME/ EMFF/2016/008 provisions of Scientific Advice for Fisheries Beyond EU Waters- addresses several scientific challenges and provides insights to support the implementation of an EAFM through collaboration and consultation with the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) and the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC). Specifically, this project first highlights properties of success and best practices from other regions of the world in operationalizing the ecosystem approach that potentially could be transferred to ICCAT and IOTC. Second, it delivered a list of potential ecosystem indicators of relevance to tuna RFMOs (ICCAT and IOTC) that are suitable to track the impacts of fisheries targeting tuna and tuna-like species on the broader pelagic ecosystem. Third, it designed a general framework based on a rule-based decision tree to provide guidance on how reference points could be set and used for diverse types of ecosystem indicators. Fourth, it proposed candidate ecoregions within the Atlantic and Indian Oceans which could be used to guide region-based ecosystem plans, assessments and research to ultimately provide better ecosystem-based advice to inform fisheries management. Fifth, it developed two pilot ecosystem plans for two case study regions, the tropical ecoregion within the ICCAT convention area, and the temperate ecoregion within the IOTC convention area. At this stage, these pilot ecosystem plans aim to create awareness about the need for ecosystem planning, start a discussion about the elements that need to be part of a planning process, and initiate a discussion in ICCAT and IOTC about the potential needs of ecosystem plans and their function. Finally, this project provided recommendations to foster the potential development, use, and implementation of ecosystem plans in ICCAT and IOTC

Nitrogen uptake and internal recycling in Zostera marina exposed to oyster farming: eelgrass potential as a natural biofilter

Oyster farming in estuaries and coastal lagoons frequently overlaps with the distribution of seagrass meadows, yet there are few studies on how this aquaculture practice affects seagrass physiology. We compared in situ nitrogen uptake and the productivity of Zostera marina shoots growing near off-bottom longlines and at a site not affected by oyster farming in San Quintin Bay, a coastal lagoon in Baja California, Mexico. We used benthic chambers to measure leaf NH4 (+) uptake capacities by pulse labeling with (NH4)-N-15 (+) and plant photosynthesis and respiration. The internal N-15 resorption/recycling was measured in shoots 2 weeks after incubations. The natural isotopic composition of eelgrass tissues and vegetative descriptors were also examined. Plants growing at the oyster farming site showed a higher leaf NH4 (+) uptake rate (33.1 mmol NH4 (+) m(-2) day(-1)) relative to those not exposed to oyster cultures (25.6 mmol NH4 (+) m(-2) day(-1)). We calculated that an eelgrass meadow of 15-16 ha (which represents only about 3-4 % of the subtidal eelgrass meadow cover in the western arm of the lagoon) can potentially incorporate the total amount of NH4 (+) excreted by oysters (similar to 5.2 x 10(6) mmol NH4 (+) day(-1)). This highlights the potential of eelgrass to act as a natural biofilter for the NH4 (+) produced by oyster farming. Shoots exposed to oysters were more efficient in re-utilizing the internal N-15 into the growth of new leaf tissues or to translocate it to belowground tissues. Photosynthetic rates were greater in shoots exposed to oysters, which is consistent with higher NH4 (+) uptake and less negative delta C-13 values. Vegetative production (shoot size, leaf growth) was also higher in these shoots. Aboveground/belowground biomass ratio was lower in eelgrass beds not directly influenced by oyster farms, likely related to the higher investment in belowground biomass to incorporate sedimentary nutrients

Sustainable drainage systems: Helping people live with water

Sustainable drainage systems or ‘Suds’ are increasingly accepted as an effective means of ‘making space for water’, adapting to possible climate change and helping communities become more flood and drought resilient. This study explores potential shifts in perception and attitude through Suds installation, development and habituation. Attitudes and awareness in communities in the USA and UK, where Suds have been in place for some time, were compared and contrasted, examining any evolution of beliefs and practices and wider community resilience. The principal finding was that there existed a lack of understanding about the existence and function of Suds. The paper concludes that consultation regarding solutions during Suds planning and installation, and ongoing dialogue afterwards, could usefully be explored as a means to improve local awareness of and satisfaction with Suds and promote greater understanding of their function. This may in turn encourage behaviour change to improve longer-term functionality of Suds and increase community resilience to flooding and drought