Patterns of contribution to citizen science biodiversity projects increase understanding of volunteers’ recording behaviour

The often opportunistic nature of biological recording via citizen science leads to taxonomic, spatial and temporal biases which add uncertainty to biodiversity estimates. However, such biases may also give valuable insight into volunteers’ recording behaviour. Using Greater London as a case-study we examined the composition of three citizen science datasets – from Greenspace Information for Greater London CIC, iSpot and iRecord - with respect to recorder contribution and spatial and taxonomic biases, i.e. when, where and what volunteers record. We found most volunteers contributed few records and were active for just one day. Each dataset had its own taxonomic and spatial signature suggesting that volunteers’ personal recording preferences may attract them towards particular schemes. There were also patterns across datasets: species’ abundance and ease of identification were positively associated with number of records, as was plant height. We found clear hotspots of recording activity, the 10 most popular sites containing open water. We note that biases are accrued as part of the recording process (e.g. species’ detectability) as well as from volunteer preferences. An increased understanding of volunteer behaviour gained from analysing the composition of records could thus enhance the fit between volunteers’ interests and the needs of scientific projects

Molecular diversity within clonal complex 22 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus encoding Panton–Valentine leukocidin in England and Wales

AbstractPanton–Valentine leukocidin (PVL)-positive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) that are multi-locus sequence type clonal complex 22 (CC22) comprise a significant public health problem in the UK. In the present study we sought to determine the genetic diversity, and the respective patient demographics, among 47 PVL-MRSA with a CC22 pulsotype that occurred sporadically or in clusters in community and healthcare settings in eight of nine geographic regions in England and Wales between January 2005 and September 2007. Patient demographics and disease presentations were typical for PVL-S. aureus infections (mostly skin and soft tissue infections in individuals <40 years old); one patient with community-acquired pneumonia died. Although the isolates were closely genotypically related by spa typing and pulsed field gel electrophoresis, at least two variant groups were suggested. PCR detections demonstrated that the majority of the CC22 PVL-MRSA identified (n = 42; 89%) harboured SCCmecIVc, three had SCCmecIVd, one had SCCmecIV but was non-subtypeable, and one isolate harboured SCCmecV. At least three different PVL-encoding phages were detected: ΦPVL, Φ108PVL and an unidentified icosahedral phage. Agar dilution MIC determinations showed that the CC22 PVL-MRSA identified were typically resistant to gentamicin and trimethoprim (43 of 47 isolates) and ciprofloxacin resistance was also noted in six isolates. In conclusion, the CC22 PVL-MRSA tested were geographically disseminated but highly genetically related. The observed variances in acquired elements (most notably SCCmec and PVL-encoding phages) suggested that CC22 PVL-MRSA in England and Wales have evolved on multiple occasions

On the use of 12CO/13CO as a test of common-envelope evolution

We present K-band echelle spectra of the cataclysmic variable SS Cyg and the pre-cataclysmic variable V471 Tau in order to measure the strengths of the 12CO and 13CO bands at 2.3525 and 2.3448 microns, respectively, and so perform the observational test of the common-envelope model of close binary star evolution proposed by Sarna et al. (1995). Although we find evidence of an absorption feature coincident with the expected wavelength of 13CO in both objects, we attribute it instead to a cluster of neutral atomic absorption features (primarily due to TiI) possibly arising from star-spots on the surfaces of the rapidly rotating secondary stars in these systems, thereby rendering the test inconclusive. We present a modified observational test of common-envelope evolution, based on the observation of the 13CO bands at 2.3739 and 2.4037 microns, which is insensitive to spectral contamination by star-spots

The Role of Predator Removal by Fishing on Ocean Carbon Dynamics

Total ocean carbon exceeds 40,000 GT either dissolved in the water column or buried in ocean sediments, and the ocean continues to sequester carbon from the atmosphere. Selective removal of predatory fsh through extractive fshing alters the community structure of the ocean. This altered community results in increased biomass of more productive, low trophic level fsh, higher overall fsh respiration rates and lower carbon sequestration rates from fsh, despite possible decreases in total fsh biomass. High-pressure fshing on high trophic level fsh, a globally occurring phenomenon, may result in as much as a 19% increase in respiration from fsh communities overall. This increase in respiration will reduce sequestration rates and could prove highly signifcant in global carbon budgets. Preliminary estimates suggest a loss of sequestration equating to around 90Mt C.year−1 (~10% of total ocean sequestration or~1% of anthropogenic fossil fuel emissions per year). Ultimately, to reduce these carbon emissions, fshing needs to be carbon optimised, alongside other fsheries management outcomes, which may mean that fewer higher trophic level fsh are removed. This study highlights the potential magnitude of fshing on ocean carbon dynamics and presents the key uncertainties (including understanding the efects of fshing on zoo- and phytoplankton communities) we need to urgently research to accurately quantify the efects and model future fshing practices

Can Coral Reef Restoration Programmes Facilitate Changes in Environmental Attitudes? A Case Study on a Rural Fisher Community in North Bali, Indonesia

There is currently limited research assessing the ecological potential of coral restoration programmes of habitat enhancement and restoration of benthic and mobile populations for influencing the attitudes (and subsequent behaviours) of the communities where they are based. Our qualitative study investigated the impact of a coral reef restoration programmes on local environmental attitudes in a rural fishing community in north Bali, Indonesia. We conducted semi-structured interviews with individuals and multi-stakeholder focus groups (n = 31) in Tianyar Village, where the NGO ‘North Bali Reef Conservation’ (‘Yowana Bhakti Segara’) was based. Our results highlight several factors that influenced environmental behaviours, including perceived value of coral reefs (e.g.,changes in fishing yield), drivers of support for coral reef restoration (e.g., local leaders’ influence) and barriers to coral reef restoration support (e.g., lack of investment). Overall, our data indicate that the restoration programme has influenced positive environmental attitudes within the community through improvements in waste management, increased support for restoration work, and the establishment of new environmental regulations. Based on our results, we make five recommendations: (1) continuing environmental education within the community, (2) strengthening regulations and improving enforcement, (3) increasing financial and logistical support for waste management and ecotourism, (4) continuing the construction and deployment of artificial reefs, ensuring ‘best practice’ recommendations are followed, and (5) utilising the influence of local leaders to create positive environmental behaviours

Species-specific or assemblage-wide decline? The case of Arthroleptides dutoiti Loveridge, 1935 and the amphibian assemblage of Mount Elgon, Kenya

The frog Arthroleptides dutoiti Loveridge, 1935, endemic to Mount Elgon, East Africa was last collected in 1962 and has not been observed since. The species is regarded as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List and is a priority species on the Zoological Society of London’s EDGE (Evolutionarily Distinct, Globally Endangered) project, given its Red List status and phylogenetic distinctiveness. We analyse temporal patterns of abundance (1934–2014) of A. dutoiti and the remainder of the Mount Elgon amphibian assemblage to infer the probability of re-encountering A. dutoiti and assess whether declines are species specific to A. dutoiti, or whether they are assemblage-wide phenomena. Our results show that for localities where surveys have been repeatedly conducted, A. dutoiti is likely to be locally extinct. Declines are observed in other Mount Elgon amphibians, encompassing both specialists and generalists. Causal factors for declines are unknown, but habitat change might be important, given the high degree of forest loss in the area, especially since the turn of the 20th century. Urgent sampling of preferred microhabitats of A. dutoiti at the type locality and surrounding areas beyond those included in our study are required to determine whether or not the species is extinct. Impacts on other taxonomic groups would also be useful to understand so that it can be determined how broad the changes are for the Mount Elgon biota

Nutrient dynamics, carbon storage and community composition on artificial and natural reefs in Bali, Indonesia

Artificial reefs are now commonly used as a tool to restore degraded coral reefs and have a proven potential to enhance biodiversity. Despite this, there is currently a limited understanding of ecosystem functioning on artificial reefs, and how this compares to natural reefs. We used water sampling (bottom water sampling and pore water sampling), as well as surface sediment sampling and sediment traps, to examine the storage of total organic matter (as a measure of total organic carbon) and dynamics of dissolved inorganic nitrate, nitrite, phosphate and ammonium. These biogeochemical parameters were used as measures of ecosystem functioning, which were compared between an artificial reef and natural coral reef, as well as a degraded sand flat (as a control habitat), in Bali, Indonesia. We also linked the differences in these parameters to observable changes in the community structure of mobile, cryptobenthic and benthic organisms between habitat types. Our key findings showed: (1) there were no significant differences in inorganic nutrients between habitat types for bottom water samples, (2) pore water phosphate concentrations were significantly higher on the artificial reef than on both other habitats, (3) total organic matter content in sediments was significantly higher on the coral reef than both other habitat types, and (4) total organic matter in sediment traps in sampling periods May and September were higher on coral reefs than other habitats, but no differences were found in November. Overall, in terms of ecosystem functioning (specifically nutrient storage and dynamics), the artificial reef showed differences from the nearby degraded sand flat, and appeared to have some similarities with the coral reef. However, it was shown to not yet be fully functioning as the coral reef, which we hypothesise is due its relatively less complex benthic community and different fish community. We highlight the need for longer term studies on artificial reef functioning, to assess if these habitats can replace the ecological function of coral reefs at a local level

Increases in plasma sheet temperature with solar wind driving during substorm growth phases

During the substorm growth phase, magnetic reconnection extracts ~10^15 J from the solar wind through magnetic reconnection at the magnetopause, which is then stored in the magnetotail lobes. Plasma sheet pressure then increases to balance magnetic flux density increases in the lobes. We examine plasma sheet pressure, density and temperature during substorm growth phases using nine years of Cluster data (>316,000 data points). We show that plasma sheet pressure and temperature are higher during growth phases with higher solar wind driving whereas the density is approximately constant. We also show a weak correlation between plasma sheet temperature before onset and the minimum SuperMAG SML auroral index in the subsequent substorm. We discuss how energization of the plasma sheet before onset may result from thermodynamically adiabatic processes; how hotter plasma sheets may result in magnetotail instabilities and how this relates to the onset and size of the subsequent substorm expansion phase