A comparison of the long-term outdoor performance of two modern paint coating systems and a traditional lead-based paint applied to historic wrought iron

A real time 5-year outdoor study compares the performance of three paint systems (traditional oil based; acrylic; epoxy resin) applied to naturally corroded wrought iron, with their surfaces prepared to Swedish Standard Sa2.5 or Steel Surface Preparation Standard ST3. Interim data at 2 years reports on gloss, colour change, pull-off testing and EIS measurements. Traditional oil-based paint exhibited significant visual change; a modified alkyl paint underwent minor but visually undetectable changes and an epoxy/acrylic coating remained unchanged. The oxide layer in ST3 controlled adherence of the coatings

Organism-sediment interactions govern post-hypoxia recovery of ecosystem functioning

Hypoxia represents one of the major causes of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning loss for coastal waters. Since eutrophication-induced hypoxic events are becoming increasingly frequent and intense, understanding the response of ecosystems to hypoxia is of primary importance to understand and predict the stability of ecosystem functioning. Such ecological stability may greatly depend on the recovery patterns of communities and the return time of the system properties associated to these patterns. Here, we have examined how the reassembly of a benthic community contributed to the recovery of ecosystem functioning following experimentally-induced hypoxia in a tidal flat. We demonstrate that organism-sediment interactions that depend on organism size and relate to mobility traits and sediment reworking capacities are generally more important than recovering species richness to set the return time of the measured sediment processes and properties. Specifically, increasing macrofauna bioturbation potential during community reassembly significantly contributed to the recovery of sediment processes and properties such as denitrification, bedload sediment transport, primary production and deep pore water ammonium concentration. Such bioturbation potential was due to the replacement of the small-sized organisms that recolonised at early stages by large-sized bioturbating organisms, which had a disproportionately stronger influence on sediment. This study suggests that the complete recovery of organism-sediment interactions is a necessary condition for ecosystem functioning recovery, and that such process requires long periods after disturbance due to the slow growth of juveniles into adult stages involved in these interactions. Consequently, repeated episodes of disturbance at intervals smaller than the time needed for the system to fully recover organism-sediment interactions may greatly impair the resilience of ecosystem functioning.

Marine sustainability in an age of changing oceans and seas

The report is the result of fruitful collaboration between EASAC and the JRC. It has been prepared by a working group of experts drawn from the European National Science Academies, which was supported by the JRC. It is hoped that the report will prove useful in the further development and implementation of European Union marine and maritime policy as well as the organisation of supporting science needed to inform and guide these policies. The last ten years have seen a growth in marine and maritime policymaking within the European Union with a key feature being the concept of the ecosystem approach to guide sustainable use of the seas. In view of this increasing focus on coherent marine and maritime policy and governance within the EU, as well as globally, the EASAC Council decided in December 2013 to conduct a study on the issue of marine sustainability. This decision particularly acknowledged the need to provide advice from the point of view of the European science academies on this new direction of marine policy and to highlight the particular challenges that this poses to the organisation of science. The report has the aim of contributing to the governance challenge of how to integrate the various aspects of marine policy (fisheries management, biodiversity conservation and marine environmental protection) as part of a coherent ecosystem approach. It considers how current science knowledge on marine ecosystems and the organisation of science can support an integrated approach to management of the seas. The report looks at a number of key aspects for sustainable development in changing oceans and seas, and particularly highlights the key scientific challenges in addressing these issues. The report presents both recommendations from science for policy development, and recommendations on policy for science. The health of the oceans and coastal seas is vital for the future well-being of all of Europe, indeed of entire mankind, and sustainable management of this sensitive and fast changing component of the global ecosystem is essential.JRC.A.3-Inter-institutional, International Relations and Outreac

The Learning Centre: Supporting student success

LAPs have been empirically shown to contribute to student success through opportunities for academic development and personal growth. But this success is a shared responsibility between administrators, academics, professional staff, and the students themselves. The Learning Centre builds upon a holistic and integrated service model to improve student outcomes through quality learning support initiatives and strong collaborative networks This support applies to both staff and students Together, we can work to maximise student success at USQ and beyond

Happy feet in a hostile world? The future of penguins depends on proactive management of current and expected threats

Penguins face a wide range of threats. Most observed population changes have been negative and have happened over the last 60 years. Today, populations of 11 penguin species are decreasing. Here we present a review that synthesizes details of threats faced by the world's 18 species of penguins. We discuss alterations to their environment at both breeding sites on land and at sea where they forage. The major drivers of change appear to be climate, and food web alterations by marine fisheries. In addition, we also consider other critical and/or emerging threats, namely human disturbance near nesting sites, pollution due to oil, plastics and chemicals such as mercury and persistent organic compounds. Finally, we assess the importance of emerging pathogens and diseases on the health of penguins. We suggest that in the context of climate change, habitat degradation, introduced exotic species and resource competition with fisheries, successful conservation outcomes will require new and unprecedented levels of science and advocacy. Successful conservation stories of penguin species across their geographical range have occurred where there has been concerted effort across local, national and international boundaries to implement effective conservation planning.This work was supported by the WWF-UK and PEW Foundation. SJ is supported by NSF OPP PICA #1643901