Turning off the DRIP (‘Data-rich, information-poor’) – rationalising monitoring with a focus on marine renewable energy developments and the benthos

Marine renewable energy developments (MREDs) are rapidly expanding in size and number as society strives to maintain electricity generation whilst simultaneously reducing climate-change linked CO2 emissions. MREDs are part of an ongoing large-scale modification of coastal waters that also includes activities such as commercial fishing, shipping, aggregate extraction, aquaculture, dredging, spoil-dumping and oil and gas exploitation. It is increasingly accepted that developments, of any kind, should only proceed if they are ecologically sustainable and will not reduce current or future delivery of ecosystem services. The benthos underpins crucial marine ecosystem services yet, in relation to MREDs, is currently poorly monitored: current monitoring programmes are extensive and costly yet provide little useful data in relation to ecosystem-scale-related changes, a situation called ‘data-rich, information-poor’ (DRIP). MRED –benthic interactions may cause changes that are of a sufficient scale to change ecosystem services provision, particularly in terms of fisheries and biodiversity and, via trophic linkages, change the distribution of fish, birds and mammals. The production of DRIPy data should be eliminated and the resources used instead to address relevant questions that are logically bounded in time and space. Efforts should target identifying metrics of change that can be linked to ecosystem function or service provision, particularly where those metrics show strongly non-linear effects in relation to the stressor. Future monitoring should also be designed to contribute towards predictive ecosystem models and be sufficiently robust and understandable to facilitate transparent, auditable and timely decision-making

Exploring health practitioners' acceptability of a prospective semi-quantitative pfHRP2 device to define severe malaria in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Background: A rapid diagnostic tool is being developed to discern severely ill children with severe malaria from children who are ill with alternative febrile diseases but have coincidental peripheral blood parasitaemia. The device semi-quantitatively measures plasma pfHRP2 and has the potential to reduce mortality in children with severe febrile illnesses by improving diagnosis. The aim of this study is to identify contributing and inhibiting factors that affect healthcare practitioners' acceptability of this prospective diagnostic device in a high malaria transmission setting in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Methods: Data were collected qualitatively by conducting semi-structured interviews with a purposeful sample of health professionals in Kinshasa, capital of Democratic Republic of Congo. In total, 11 interviews were held with professionals at four different institutes. Results: Four key findings emerged: (1) Congolese practitioners perceive the semi-quantitative pfHRP2 device as a welcome intervention as they recognize the limited reliability of their current diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to severe febrile illnesses; (2) compatibility of the semi-quantitative pfHRP2 device with clinical equipment and competences of Congolese health practitioners is considered to be limited, especially in rural settings; (3) a formal training programme is crucial for correct understanding and application of the semi-quantitative pfHRP2 device; and, (4) provision of evidence to practitioners, and support from health authorities would be important to establish confidence in the semi-quantitative pfHRP2 device. Conclusions: Congolese practitioners perceive the prospective semi-quantitative pfHRP2 device as a welcome addition to their clinical equipment. The device could improve current diagnostic work-up of severe febrile illness, which might consequently improve treatment choices. However, despite this recognized potential, several hurdles and drivers need to be taken into account when implementing this device in DR Congo

Turning off the drip (‘data-rich, information-poor’) – rationalising monitoring with a focus on marine renewable energy developments and the benthos

Marine renewable energy developments (MREDs) are rapidly expanding in size and number as society strives to maintain electricity generation whilst simultaneously reducing climate-change linked CO2 emissions. MREDs are part of an ongoing large-scale modification of coastal waters that also includes activities such as commercial fishing, shipping, aggregate extraction, aquaculture, dredging, spoil-dumping and oil and gas exploitation. It is increasingly accepted that developments, of any kind, should only proceed if they are ecologically sustainable and will not reduce current or future delivery of ecosystem services. The benthos underpins crucial marine ecosystem services yet, in relation to MREDs, is currently poorly monitored: current monitoring programmes are extensive and costly yet provide little useful data in relation to ecosystem-scale-related changes, a situation called 'data-rich, information-poor' (DRIP). MRED -benthic interactions may cause changes that are of a sufficient scale to change ecosystem services provision, particularly in terms of fisheries and biodiversity and, via trophic linkages, change the distribution of fish, birds and mammals. The production of DRIPy data should be eliminated and the resources used instead to address relevant questions that are logically bounded in time and space. Efforts should target identifying metrics of change that can be linked to ecosystem function or service provision, particularly where those metrics show strongly non-linear effects in relation to the stressor. Future monitoring should also be designed to contribute towards predictive ecosystem models and be sufficiently robust and understandable to facilitate transparent, auditable and timely decision-making

Towards answering the “so what” question in marine renewables environmental impact assessment

Marine renewable energy projects (MREs) are supported by mandatory environmental monitoring programmes due to assumed environmental impacts. These programmes concentrate on the resultant effects of single industrial projects onto biological and physical components contributing to the local ecosystem structure. To date, impact assessments at the ecosystem functioning level (e.g. trophic interactions, nutrient cycling) are largely lacking. This critical knowledge gap hampers our ability to answering the “so what” question when assessing environmental impacts, i.e. whether the observed impacts are classified as good, bad or neutral, and/or acceptable or unacceptable. When assessing MREs, there is a fundamental need to focus on ecosystem functioning at relevant spatial and temporal scales to properly understand ecological impacts and its consequences. Here, we make a science-based plea for an increased investment in large scale impact assessment of MREs focused on ecosystem functioning. This presentation will cover a selection of examples from MRE monitoring programmes, where the current knowledge has limited conclusions on the “so what” question. Further, applications will demonstrate how a proposed ecosystem functioning approach at an appropriate spatial and temporal scale could advance our current assessment. These examples will illustrate the need to expand the current level of MRE monitoring beyond that of community structure and of individual industrial projects. This work will advance and strengthen collaborative MRE monitoring strategies, facilitating scientists, developers and regulators to answer the much needed “so what” question when undertaking environmental assessments, and reassuring stakeholders with high confidence over these assessments

An AAV-CRISPR/Cas9 strategy for gene editing across divergent rodent species: Targeting neural oxytocin receptors as a proof of concept

A major issue in neuroscience is the poor translatability of research results from preclinical studies in animals to clinical outcomes. Comparative neuroscience can overcome this barrier by studying multiple species to differentiate between species-specific and general mechanisms of neural circuit functioning. Targeted manipulation of neural circuits often depends on genetic dissection, and use of this technique has been restricted to only a few model species, limiting its application in comparative research. However, ongoing advances in genomics make genetic dissection attainable in a growing number of species. To demonstrate the potential of comparative gene editing approaches, we developed a viral-mediated CRISPR/Cas9 strategy that is predicted to target the oxytocin receptor (Oxtr) gene in >80 rodent species. This strategy specifically reduced OXTR levels in all evaluated species (n = 6) without causing gross neuronal toxicity. Thus, we show that CRISPR/Cas9-based tools can function in multiple species simultaneously. Thereby, we hope to encourage comparative gene editing and improve the translatability of neuroscientific research

Effects of offshore renewables on benthos: prioritizing the ‘known-unknowns’

International audienceOffshore marine renewables energy developments (MREDs), particularly in the light of extensive offshore wind farm development in shallow shelf seas, are expected to affect the structure and functioning of marine ecosystems. Several activities linked to the installation and operation of MREDs each have their differential impacts onto the ecosystem. The benthos plays key roles in the ecosystem, supporting numerous ecosystem goods and services such as long-term carbon storage and food resources for higher trophic groups (e.g. fish, birds, mammals and including humans). Development of MREDs will initiate processes which are expected to affect benthic assemblages over various, currently unknown, spatial and temporal scales. This work provides a structured overview of ecological cause-effect relationships related to MREDs, based on a set of hypothesis-driven pathways supported by literature (>230 publications reviewed). Furthermore, this work evaluated the sensitivity of benthic causeeffect relationships to potential effects of MREDs on different spatial and temporal scales and weighted the assessment by confidence in existing knowledge and the consistency of effects among habitats. The outcomes allowed identification of knowledge gaps about ecological processes, in order to prioritize the ‘known-unknowns’ and highlight priority research areas. Our results suggest that the sensitivity of the benthos to MREDs is much higher than previously indicated, particularly where cascading effects lead to changes in ecological functioning. Filling existing knowledge gaps and understanding ecological processes and patterns occurring at low-trophic levels, including those within the benthos, are essential to maintain ecological integrity key to the ecosystem and to society even under MREDs developments