Determination of the Distribution of the Resident Inshore and Offshore Migratory Cod Populations Around Shetland (IVa) and Westwards into VIa

The current genetic analysis alludes to finer scale structuring of Atlantic cod stocks in the IVa and VIa stock units than had previously been reported by Heath et al. (2014). Consistent with previous studies of maturation, cod from Viking sampled in 2014 matured at a later age and larger size than other areas, providing a phenotypic population marker.  During spawning time there was no indication that the Viking group extended beyond the > 100 m waters of the northern North Sea. Indeed, the new genetic and maturity evidence suggests that Shetland coastal cod (ShIE) appear to extend into waters > 100 m east of Shetland.  The possible separation of cod from Scottish inshore waters from those offshore is also reminiscent of the inshore-offshore division seen in the northern North Sea.  There is some indication of mixing of populations outside the breeding season in the genetic analysis as well as the observation of large immature cod present in west coast samples.  The present study has considerably expanded our understanding of the Viking cod from northern IVa and when combined with the studies by Poulsen et al. (2011) and Heath et al. (2014), provides a good indication of population extent at spawning time and suggests a split around 0030 W

Micropiles for Support of Heavy Crane Ring Foundation

The replacement of a steam generator at a nuclear power plant was accomplished with the use of a massive crane, believed to be one of the largest available cranes in the world market. Four steam generators were replaced, with each generator weighing 3.2 MN. The crane used for the job had a circular support that required a ring foundation. The crane support imposed huge loads on the ring foundation. Because of the presence of soft to medium stiff clayey fill on one side of the ring foundation, the load-sensitive nature of existing underground safetyrelated duct banks, and the nature of the loads applied to the foundation, it was necessary to support the ring foundation on piles. In order to minimize vibrations next to the containment building (the plant was operational while the piles were being installed), micropiles were selected. A total of 80 micropiles were installed, most of them at a batter of 10o from vertical, to provide the required vertical and lateral load resistance. Despite significant challenges imposed by space constraints, subsurface conditions, buried utilities, and design changes, the micropiles were installed within schedule, and performed as designed

Water Footprint Differences of Producing Cultivars of Selected Crops in New Zealand

Water footprint (WF) is a measure of the amount of water used to produce goods and services. It is a very important concept on indicating how much water can be consumed to complete a process of growing or processing a product at a particular location. However, paucity of water footprint information in countries facing increased competition for water resources between industries limits market access and profit optimization. Water footprint differences of producing selected cultivars of potato, oca and pumpkin squash were determined under irrigation and rain-fed regimes. All crop husbandry practices were followed in potato, oca (3.3 plants m−2) and pumpkin squash (2.2 plants m−2). Water footprint was determined as the ratio of volume of evapotranspiration for irrigated and rain-fed crops plus grey water to total yield. The consumptive water use for the rain-fed crop was 75, 65 and 69% of the irrigated oca, potato and pumpkin squash, respectively, with high water consumption in heritage cultivars. The water footprint was low in pumpkin squash and highest in oca, while potato cultivars were intermediate. Irrigation reduced water footprint especially in crops more responsive to irrigation. Farmers should focus on improving the harvest index and irrigation to reduce water footprint

Linking Scales of Life-History Variation With Population Structure in Atlantic Cod

It is increasingly recognised that sustainable exploitation of marine fish requires the consideration of population diversity and associated productivity. This study used a combination of genotypic screening and phenotypic traits to define the scale of population structuring in Atlantic cod inhabiting the northern North Sea (ICES Sub-division 4a) and Scottish west coast (ICES Division 6a). The genetic analysis indicated an isolation by distance pattern with an even finer scale structuring than previously reported, that persisted over a decade and between feeding and spawning seasons. Spatial variation in phenotypic traits reflected genetic variation with cod maturing later and at a larger size near the Viking Bank in 4a. The identified population structuring provides an explanation for differences in historic changes in maturation schedules and the temperature exposure recorded in previous electronic tagging studies. The study also highlights how the mismatch between stock divisions and population units is leading to a misunderstanding about stock recovery

Environmental Fate and Behavior of the Herbicide Glyphosate in Sandy Soils of Florida Under Citrus Production

Chemical weed control using herbicide glyphosate to manage emerged weeds is an important production practice in Florida citrus. Despite the extensive use of glyphosate in citrus orchards, very limited information is available on its environmental fate and behavior in Florida soils that are predominantly sandy in nature. Hence, the study’s objective was to understand the adsorption-desorption, dissipation dynamics, and vertical movement or leaching of glyphosate in sandy soils in citrus orchards. Laboratory, field, and greenhouse experiments were conducted at Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in Immokalee, Florida. The adsorption-desorption behavior of glyphosate in the soils from three major citrus production areas in Florida was studied utilizing a batch equilibrium method. The dissipation of glyphosate was tracked in the field following its application at the rate of 4.20 kg ae ha−1. Soil leaching columns in greenhouse conditions were used to study the vertical movement of glyphosate. The results suggest that glyphosate has a relatively lower range of adsorption or binding (Kads = 14.28–30.88) in the tested soil types. The field dissipation half-life (DT50) of glyphosate from surface soil was found to be ∼26 days. Glyphosate moved vertically or leached into the soil profile, up to 40 cm in the soil column, when analyzed 40 days after herbicide application. The primary degradation product of glyphosate, i.e., aminomethyl phosphonic acid (AMPA), was also detected up to the depth of 30 cm below the soil surface, indicating the presence of microbial metabolism of glyphosate in the soil

Neuroendocrine regulation of reproduction in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua): Evidence of Eya3 as an integrator of photoperiodic cues and nutritional regulation to initiate sexual maturation

Evidence from mammals and aves alludes to a possibly conserved seasonal photoperiod induced neuroendocrine cascade which stimulates subsequent sexual maturation however our understanding of this mechanism in teleosts is lacking. Unlike all teleosts studied to date, the Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) is a short day breeder with the reduction in day-length from the summer solstice stimulating gametogenesis. Cod specific orthologues of eya3, tshβ and dio2 were identified and their expression was monitored in the brain and pituitary of cod held under either stimulated or inhibited photoperiod conditions. While no differential expression was apparent in brain dio2 & tshβ and pituitary tshβ, there was significant temporal variation in expression of pituitary eya3 under the SNP treatment, with expression level elevating in association with active gametogenesis. Under the LL treatment, sexual maturation was inhibited and there was a corresponding suppression of eya3 expression. In a second study the impact of size/energetic status on the initiation of sexual maturation was investigated. In the feed restricted population maturation was significantly suppressed (5% sexually mature) compared to the ab libitum fed stock (95% sexually mature) with there being a concomitant significant suppression in pituitary eya3 expression. Overall, these results suggest that pituitary eya3 has the potential to act as an integrator of both environmental and energetic regulation of sexual maturation of cod. Being the first account of eya3 induction in a short day breeding teleost, the conserved association with stimulation of reproduction and not seasonal state indicates that the upstream drivers which initiate the pathway differ among vertebrates according to their breeding strategies, but the pathway itself and its role in the reproductive cascade appears to be conserved across the vertebrate clade

Evangelical Christianity and Women’s Changing Lives

Women have outnumbered men as followers of Christianity at least since the transition to industrial capitalist modernity in the West. Yet developments in women's lives in relation to employment, family and feminist values are challenging their Christian religiosity. Building on a new strand of gender analysis in the sociology of religion, this article argues that gender is central to patterns of religiosity and secularization in the West. It then offers a case study of evangelical Christianity in England to illustrate how changes in women's lives are affecting their religiosity. Specifically, it argues that evangelical Christianity continues to be important among women occupying more traditional social positions (as wives and mothers), but adherence is declining among the growing number whose lives do not fit this older model