Modelling the effect of behavior on the distribution of the jellyfish Mauve stinger (Pelagianoctiluca) in the Balearic Sea using an individual-based model

Jellyfish behavior and physiology significantly influence spatial distribution and aggregations in the marine environment. However, current models used to study these transport patterns have a limited incorporation of these physiological and behavioral variables. In this paper, the life cycle and movement of the mauve stinger, Pelagia noctiluca, is simulated from fertilized egg up to the adult stage using an individual-based model (IBM). Our model combines available knowledge on the mauve stinger with inputs of ocean currents and temperature from the CMEMS hydrodynamic model. Horizontal transport is solely governed by ocean currents, but vertical distribution is controlled by diel vertical migration, motility and stage of development. Particle agents are released along the submarine canyons in the Spanish Mediterranean waters during the spring reproduction period, to later disperse and develop through an interplay between physical and biological processes. When compared with a simpler model, that omits behavior and physiology, the biophysical model is able to qualitatively better predict stranding events in the Balearic Sea. Our results expose the potential for operational life stage and distribution modelling of jellyfish

GROWTH AND PRODUCTIVITY OF ROSELLE (HIBISCUS SABDARIFFA L.) AS AFFECTED BY YEAST AND HUMIC ACID

This field study was undertaken at the Experimental Farm of Agriculture Faculty, Tanta University, during two seasons of 2015 and 2016 to investigate the efficiency of yeast and humic acid foliar application with the half recommended dose of NPK on plant growth, yield components and biochemical composition of roselle plant. The experiment consisted of five levels of yeast extract 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 g/l and three levels of humic acid i.e. 0, 1 and 2 g/l. Fifteen treatment combinations were laid out in a split plot design. Treatments were twice applied, the first application was 30 days after sowing while, the second one was 20 days after the first one. Yeast and humic acid combinations influenced positively on roselle productivity as it raised plant height, stem diameter, branch number, fruit number/plant, calices yield/plant compared to control plants. Total chlorophyll, carbohydrates and anthocyanin content were increased by yeast and humic acid applications. Total protein and macro elements N, P and K showed an increase more so by the treatment of 8 g/l yeast plus 2 g/l humic acid. So, it could be recommended for using foliar spray of yeast at concentration of 8 g/l plus 2 g/l humic acid with the half recommended dose of NPK for improving the growth and productivity of roselle plant

Investigating the Energy Dissipation Capability of Solid Piles Breakwater

In terms of the importance of coastal zones, this research started with the motivation of proposing an innovative coastal protection measure (solid piles, evenly distributed and staggered, breakwaters) and investigating their capability of energy dissipation, experimentally. Physical models of solid piles breakwater were designed and constructed. Experimental flume was arranged to test these models and measuring devices were arranged. Contributing parameters (i.e. wave height, period, steepness, piles arrangements and diameters) were varied, Based on the discussions and within the experimented range of parameters, it was clear that solid piles possess an enormous capability of dissipating the wave energy by a percentage that ranged between 20 to 75% which is considered to be significant amount from the coastal engineering point of view

Historical and future naturalization of Magallana gigas in the Galician coast in a context of climate change

Financiado para publicación en acceso aberto: Universidade de Vigo/CISUGMagallana gigas is a naturalized species on the north coast of Galicia (Rías Altas, Northwest Iberian Peninsula), where it was unintentionally introduced. In recent decades, a greater abundance of M. gigas has been observed on the Galician coast, expanding towards the south, reaching the Artabro Gulf (Rías Centrales, NW Galician coast), probably due to ocean warming. Although this species has been cultivated in the Rías Baixas since the early 1990s and spawning has been reported, recruitment was never observed, which is likely due to the cold water upwelled during the spawning months. The future rise in seawater temperature may favor the naturalization of the non-indigenous species M. gigas southwards, in the Rías Baixas. Thermally, the Ría de Arousa seems to be the most favorable estuary for the future settlement of M. gigas, which may occur in the next decades. The extent of thermally favorable zones within estuaries is projected to increase rapidly by mid-century, and reaching 100 % of the estuarine area by the end of the century. As has already happened in other areas of the world, the expansion and naturalization of the Pacific oyster on the Galician coast will likely affect the native communities and economic activities, making it necessary to implement monitoring and management strategies to mitigate its effect.Xunta de Galicia | Ref. ED481B-2021-103Xunta de Galicia-FEDER | Ref. ED431C 2021/44Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia | Ref. UIDP/50017/2020Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia | Ref. UIDB/50017/2020Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia | Ref. LA/ P/0094/202

Hepatitis C virus infection and global kidney health: the consensus proceedings of the International Federation of Kidney Foundations

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is an important cause of major morbidities including chronic liver disease, liver cancer, acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Among patients with kidney disease who have HCV infection, the clinical outcomes are worse. The prevalence of HCV infection is exceptionally high among dialysis and kidney transplant patients throughout the globe. It is estimated that 5% to 25% or more of dialysis-dependent patients are affected. Almost half of all deaths in CKD patients, including HCV-infected patients, are due to cardiovascular disease, and HCV-infected patients have higher mortality. Given the importance and impact of the HCV epidemic on global kidney health, and the status of Egypt as the nation with the highest prevalence of HCV infection in the world along with its initiatives to eradicate HCV, the International Federation of Kidney Foundations convened a consensus conference in Cairo in December 2017. This article reflects the opinions and recommendations of the contributing experts and reiterates that, with the current availability of highly effective and well tolerated pharmacotherapy, CKD patients should be given priority for the treatment of HCV, as an important step towards the World Health Organization’s goal of eliminating viral hepatitis as a public health problem by 2030

Improving the description of the suspended particulate matter concentrations in the southern North Sea through assimilating remotely sensed data

The integration of remote sensing data of suspended particulate matter (SPM) into numerical models is useful to improve the understanding of the temporal and spatial behaviour of SPM in dynamic shelf seas. In this paper a generic method based on the Ensemble Kalman Filtering (EnKF) for assimilating remote sensing SPM data into a transport model is presented. The EnKF technique is used to assimilate SPM data of the North Sea retrieved from the MERIS sensor, into the computational water quality and sediment transport model, Delft3D-WAQ. The satellite data were processed with the HYDROPT algorithm that provides SPM concentrations and error information per pixel, which enables their use in data assimilation. The uncertainty of the transport model, expressed in the system noise covariance matrix, was quantified by means of a Monte Carlo approach. From a case study covering the first half of 2003, it is demonstrated that the MERIS observations and transport model application are sufficiently robust for a successful generic assimilation. The assimilation results provide a consistent description of the spatial-temporal variability of SPM in the southern North Sea and show a clear decrease of the model bias with respect to independent in-situ observations. This study also identifies some shortcomings in the assimilated results, such as over prediction of surface SPM concentrations in regions experiencing periods of rapid stratification/de-stratification. Overall this feasibility study leads to a range of suggestions for improving and enhancing the model, the observations and the assimilation scheme. © 2011 Korea Ocean Research & Development Institute (KORDI) and the Korean Society of Oceanography (KSO) and Springer Netherlands

EuroGOOS roadmap for operational coastal downstream services

The EuroGOOS Coastal working group examines the entire coastal value chain from coastal observations to services for coastal users. The main objective of the working group is to review the status quo, identify gaps and future steps needed to secure and improve the sustainability of the European coastal service provision. Within this framework, our white paper defines a EuroGOOS roadmap for sustained “community coastal downstream service” provision, provided by a broad EuroGOOS community with focus on the national and local scale services. After defining the coastal services in this context, we describe the main components of coastal service provision and explore community benefits and requirements through sectoral examples (aquaculture, coastal tourism, renewable energy, port, cross-sectoral) together with the main challenges and barriers to user uptake. Technology integration challenges are outlined with respect to multiparameter observations, multi-platform observations, the land-coast-ocean continuum, and multidisciplinary data integration. Finally, the technological, financial, and institutional sustainability of coastal observing and coastal service provision are discussed. The paper gives special attention to the delineation of upstream and downstream services, public-private partnerships and the important role of Copernicus in better covering the coastal zone. Therefore, our white paper is a policy and practice review providing a comprehensive overview, in-depth discussion and actionable recommendations (according to key short-term or medium-term priorities) on the envisaged elements of a roadmap for sustained coastal service provision. EuroGOOS, as an entity that unites European national operational oceanography centres, research institutes and scientists across various domains within the broader field of operational oceanography, offers to be the engine and intermediary for the knowledge transfer and communication of experiences, best practices and information, not only amongst its members, but also amongst the different (research) infrastructures, institutes and agencies that have interests in coastal oceanography in Europe

Chemical and Microbiological Contamination in Limpet (Patella spp.) of the Portuguese Coast

Coastal production areas can be impacted by anthropogenic contamination from urban, agro-industrial and leisure activities. Some contaminants, such as chemical substances might also have a telluric origin. Non filter feeding univalve mollusks, such as limpets, which are collected in rocky shores either for sale or for auto-consumption, are very appreciated in Portugal, but have been excluded from provisions on the classification of production areas, although can present relevant contamination. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the microbiological and toxic metal contaminations in limpets (Patella spp) of the Portuguese coast, taking into account the production area and seasonal variation, and comparing their contamination levels with those occurring in bivalve mollusk indicator species, mussel (Mytilus edulis). The risks associated to the consumption of limpet meals were also assessed. For that, microbial total and fecal levels and cadmium, lead and mercury contents in limpets and mussels samples from three coastal areas over several months were analyzed based on standard methodologies. Contents of mercury and lead in limpets from the three areas studied, were always below the limits of 0.50 mg kg-1 and 1.5 mg kg-1 allowed by the EU, respectively. Regarding cadmium, levels in limpet were always above the limit of 1.0 mg kg-1, reaching about 3.0 mg kg-1 in some samples. These values probably indicate contamination from telluric origin (soil or rocks) in the coastal studied areas. Results indicated that microbiological contamination of fecal origin was low and in general below the detection level. Contamination levels did not show a clear seasonal pattern. The two mollusk species, limpets and mussels, differed statistically in all contaminants analyzed, being cadmium the most of concern, and always higher in limpets than in mussel samples. Thus, the potential risk associated with limpet consumption, taking into account the cadmium tolerable weekly intake (TWI), was investigated, being possible to reach a reliable recommendation of less than a monthly meal of 160 g. As recreational picking of limpets is common in Portugal, official 4recommendations of maximum periodic human consumption should be published and enforcement increased in forbidden areasinfo:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Natural capital accounting perspectives: a pragmatic way forward

Introduction: Recent debates surrounding the application of natural capital accounting (NCA) have produced several approaches to further develop this system, as well as highlighted a number of conceptual and methodological issues that need to be resolved before mainstreaming NCA into policy and decision making. We argue that prolonged debate over the value concepts (i.e., exchange versus other values) underpinning different modifications to NCA has slowed progress in experimentation and uptake by policymakers.Outcomes: Consequently we propose three broad approaches which can be progressed in parallel to reinvigorate experimentation with the NCA principles and practice, while at the same time generating policy relevant tools and evidence bases for decision support. The three approaches are; extended SNA accounting anchored to the use of exchange values; a complementary accounts network (CAN) that utilizes plural values as supplementary accounts to the SNA system; and wealth accounting that focuses on measures of welfare and wellbeing. The three approaches are complementary and data developed in any one can inform the other two.Conclusions: We contend that CAN offers the most flexibility and opportunities to progress short term support for decision making on environmental issues which are now becoming urgent

Integrating inland and coastal water quality data for actionable knowledge

Water quality measures for inland and coastal waters are available as discrete samples from professional and volunteer water quality monitoring programs and higher-frequency, near-continuous data from automated in situ sensors. Water quality parameters also are estimated from model outputs and remote sensing. The integration of these data, via data assimilation, can result in a more holistic characterization of these highly dynamic ecosystems, and consequently improve water resource management. It is becoming common to see combinations of these data applied to answer relevant scientific questions. Yet, methods for scaling water quality data across regions and beyond, to provide actionable knowledge for stakeholders, have emerged only recently, particularly with the availability of satellite data now providing global coverage at high spatial resolution. In this paper, data sources and existing data integration frameworks are reviewed to give an overview of the present status and identify the gaps in existing frameworks. We propose an integration framework to provide information to user communities through the the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) AquaWatch Initiative. This aims to develop and build the global capacity and utility of water quality data, products, and information to support equitable and inclusive access for water resource management, policy and decision making.Additional co-authors: Anders Knudby, Camille Minaudo, Nima Pahlevan, Ils Reusen, Kevin C. Rose, John Schalles and Maria Tzortzio