Can Forel–Ule Index Act as a Proxy of Water Quality in Temperate Waters? Application of Plume Mapping in Liverpool Bay, UK

The use of ocean colour classification algorithms, linked to water quality gradients, can be a useful tool for mapping river plumes in both tropical and temperate systems. This approach has been applied in operational water quality programs in the Great Barrier Reef to map river plumes and assess trends in marine water composition and ecosystem health during flood periods. In this study, we used the Forel–Ule colour classification algorithm for Sentinel-3 OLCI imagery in an automated process to map monthly, annual and long-term plume movement in the temperate coastal system of Liverpool Bay (UK). We compared monthly river plume extent to the river flow and in situ water quality data between 2017–2020. The results showed a strong positive correlation (Spearman’s rho = 0.68) between the river plume extent and the river flow and a strong link between the FUI defined waterbodies and nutrients, SPM, turbidity and salinity, hence the potential of the Forel–Ule index to act as a proxy for water quality in the temperate Liverpool Bay water. The paper discusses how the Forel–Ule index could be used in operational water quality programs to better understand river plumes and the land-based inputs to the coastal zones in UK waters, drawing parallels with methods that have been developed in the GBR and Citclops project. Overall, this paper provides the first insight into the systematic long-term river plume mapping in UK coastal waters using a fast, cost-effective, and reproducible workflow. The study created a novel water assessment typology based on the common physical, chemical and biological ocean colour properties captured in the Forel–Ule index, which could replace the more traditional eutrophication assessment regions centred around strict geographic and political boundaries. Additionally, the Forel–Ule assessment typology is particularly important since it identifies areas of the greatest impact from the land-based loads into the marine environment, and thus potential risks to vulnerable ecosystems

A probabilistic approach to mapping the contribution of individual riverine discharges into Liverpool Bay using distance accumulation cost methods on satellite derived ocean-colour data

Assessments of the water quality in coastal zones often rely on indirect indicators from contributing river inputs and the neighbouring ocean. Using a novel combination of distance accumulation cost methods and an ocean-colour product derived from SENTINEL-3 data, we developed a probabilistic method for the assessment of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) in Liverpool Bay (UK) for the period from 2017 to 2020. Using our approach, we showed the annual and monthly likelihood of DIN exposure from its 12 major contributory rivers. Furthermore, we generated monthly risk maps showing the probability of DIN exposure from all rivers, which revealed a seasonal variation of extent and location around the bay. The highest likelihood of high DIN exposure throughout the year was in the estuarine regions of the Dee, Mersey, and Ribble, along with near-shore areas along the north Wales coast and around the mouth of the rivers Mersey and Ribble. There were seasonal changes in the risk of DIN exposure, and this risk remained high all year for the Mersey and Dee estuary regions. In contrast, for the mouth and near the coastal areas of the Ribble, the DIN exposure decreased in spring, remained low during the summer and early autumn, before displaying an increase during winter. Our approach offers the ability to assess the water quality within coastal zones without the need of complex hydrodynamic models, whilst still having the potential to apportion nutrient exposure to specific riverine inputs. This information can help to prioritise how direct mitigation strategies can be applied to specific river catchments, focusing the limited resources for coastal zone and river basin management

Seaweed aquaculture through the lens of gender: Participation, roles, pay and empowerment in Bantayan, Philippines

Aquaculture is one of the fastest growing food-producing sectors worldwide. Of particular importance is the cultivation of seaweed, particularly in East and Southeast Asia where seaweeds dominate the production market, and are key for coastal communities both as main livelihood source and as alternative or supplementary income to fisheries. Women play a crucial role in various segments of the seaweed aquaculture value chain; yet few researchers have empirically examined the gendered impacts of women’s participation in aquaculture. Using the case study of Bantayan Island, in the Philippines, the objective of this study is to deepen our understanding of the impact of women’s participation in aquaculture by specifically investigating their roles, remuneration and empowerment related to the production node of seaweed aquaculture. Adopting a novel research approach, which combines the outcomes of a focus group discussion and the data collected through two questionnaires, we provide a comprehensive and robust understanding of gender issues in aquaculture. Results of the economic analysis of labour costs indicate that women constitute most of the workforce but are paid less than men; the average gender pay gap is 55.4%. Moreover, our study finds that there is a well-established gendered division of labour in seaweed aquaculture. Greater female participation is not mirrored by more women in leadership roles and decision-making power in the workplace, although participation may have a positive impact on female intrahousehold empowerment. An important contribution of our analysis is to show that gender stereotypes in aquaculture production persist and they affect roles, wages and decision-making power. Acknowledging the fundamental contribution of women in aquaculture can inform the development of gender-sensitive indicators, supporting the measurement of progress towards relevant Targets of the fifth Sustainable Development Goal (“ Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls ”), therefore mainstreaming gender into resource management, and poverty alleviatio

UAV-Thermal Camera Remote Sensing for Monitoring Wild Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) Population

This paper addresses challenges of remote sensing to detect, count and track wild rabbits (Oryctolagus Cuniculus) in their natural habitat. A combination of UAV, thermal and RGB cameras was used to survey the wild rabbit population. Tarot 680 Pro UAV caused significant rabbit disturbance and Phantom 2 caused low to medium disturbance. Due to the rabbit disturbance, the thermal camera did not record any rabbit images. Consequently, airborne remote sensing had to be changed to the rabbit remote sensing from the ground, utilising a tripod and manually focused FLIR A655 thermal camera. The ground system was successful in monitoring the wild rabbit, causing no animal disturbance. OpenCV Python computer vision library automated the noise removal, rabbit detection and count from the thermal imagery. However, this analysis was not fully automated, as parameters for each sequence had to be treated individually. The Lucas-Kanade sparse optical flow tracking algorithm improved the rabbit counts by preventing from double-counting the same individual. This analysis can be enhanced by applying Template Matching Binary Mask (TMBM), which classifies and finds objects of the same size, colour in the rest of the frames. This study shows that remote sensing of wild rabbits in a plan view using RGB sensor is problematic due to the rabbit camouflage against bare soil. Using a thermal sensor, based on the relative temperature, is feasible in the wild rabbit monitoring as it allows for recognition between hot objects and background. However, noise created by warm bare soil needs to be removed from the thermal imagery. A mast and a thermal camera or a quadcopter UAV and a thermal camera are recommended for the rabbit monitoring. These systems need a further testing. Similarly, the rabbit behavioural responses to different UAV types necessitate future research

Mapping Ecosystem Services for Marine Planning: A UK Case Study

This study presents an ecosystem-services-mapping tool that calculates the monetary value of several ecosystem services (ES) provided from an area comprising both MPAs (Marine Protected Areas) and non-managed areas. Findings in the UK South West Marine Management Organisation (MMO) Plan Area show that different MPAs yield high value estimates and that activities are grouped in certain areas, with the Severn Estuary and surrounding Site(s) of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) attracting the most recreational anglers, despite having lower water quality. This can be explained by increased nutrient levels, which enhance biological activity and yet do not cause oxygen depletion. The yearly value of the ecosystem service of carbon sequestration and storage in the area is estimated between £16 and £62 thousand. Proximity to large urban areas and shallow waters appear to be the most appealing factors for anglers, while proximity with France can be associated with the high fishing effort in the southwest of the study area. We show that the use of a tool integrating a willingness-to-pay function with high spatial resolution layers and associated monetary values can be used for short-term marine spatial planning and management

Phenotype, penetrance, and treatment of 133 cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4–insufficient subjects

BACKGROUND: Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) is a negative immune regulator. Heterozygous CTLA4 germline mutations can cause a complex immune dysregulation syndrome in human subjects. OBJECTIVE: We sought to characterize the penetrance, clinical features, and best treatment options in 133 CTLA4 mutation carriers. METHODS: Genetics, clinical features, laboratory values, and outcomes of treatment options were assessed in a worldwide cohort of CTLA4 mutation carriers. RESULTS: We identified 133 subjects from 54 unrelated families carrying 45 different heterozygous CTLA4 mutations, including 28 previously undescribed mutations. Ninety mutation carriers were considered affected, suggesting a clinical penetrance of at least 67%; median age of onset was 11 years, and the mortality rate within affected mutation carriers was 16% (n = 15). Main clinical manifestations included hypogammaglobulinemia (84%), lymphoproliferation (73%), autoimmune cytopenia (62%), and respiratory (68%), gastrointestinal (59%), or neurological features (29%). Eight affected mutation carriers had lymphoma, and 3 had gastric cancer. An EBV association was found in 6 patients with malignancies. CTLA4 mutations were associated with lymphopenia and decreased T-, B-, and natural killer (NK) cell counts. Successful targeted therapies included application of CTLA-4 fusion proteins, mechanistic target of rapamycin inhibitors, and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. EBV reactivation occurred in 2 affected mutation carriers after immunosuppression. CONCLUSIONS: Affected mutation carriers with CTLA-4 insufficiency can present in any medical specialty. Family members should be counseled because disease manifestation can occur as late as 50 years of age. EBV- and cytomegalovirus-associated complications must be closely monitored. Treatment interventions should be coordinated in clinical trials