Will we see you again? Population evaluation of Palinurus elephas inside a marine reserve from Capture-Mark-Recapture data

To achieve an effective management of the marine exploited populations it is necessary to understand their dynamics and the processes driving short- and long-term changes. Key population parameters such as survival and movement can be estimated by means of capture-mark-recapture studies, based on the capture, tagging and re-encounter of the individuals at later times. The Cormack-Jolly-Seber model, which assesses the apparent survival i and the recapture rate pi of a population conditional on first capture, was applied to European spiny lobster Palinurus elephas data from the Columbretes islands marine reserve to evaluate the evolution of this population after closure to fishing over. Particularly strong winter conditions were reported for some years during the period of study whcih were reflected as an increase in the estimate of the encounter probability and a decrease in their survival rate. P. elephas showed a relatively high plasticity against short-term environmental effects, with the apparent survival quickly returning to pre-storm levels. Also a slight increase in survival was identified for this protected population over time. These preliminary results are discussed in terms of the factors affecting the dynamics of this population and the implications for the management of this exploited stoc

Preparing for climate change on marine systems in Australia and India.

Australia and India have coastal marine waters warming at a rate faster than 90% of the world’s oceans. Both countries have extensive coastlines and marine jurisdictions with the majority of the population living adjacent to the coast (Box 1). Marine industries play important roles in sustaining the livelihoods of people in coastal rural towns. Increasing food production, minimising carbon emissions and prioritising carbon sequestration opportunities are key issues facing both countries and form the basis of this research plan. In addressing these issues India and Australia are well placed to become leaders in the development of adaptation options, and pioneers of transformational industries

Non-lethal method to obtain stomach samples from a large marine predator and the use of DNA analysis to improve dietary information

Dietary information of apex predators is crucial to understanding community dynamics and ecosystem processes. However, as dietary studies traditionally involve lethal sampling, obtaining this essential information can have repercussions on predator populations and the structure and functioning of marine ecosystems. With stronger emphasis being placed on conservation of species that are vulnerable to overexploitation, the need for non-destructive methods of sampling is imperative, as is the requirement to maximize the information obtained from each sample. Stomach flushing (gastric lavage) and DNA analysis of stomach contents methods were tested on the broadnose sevengill shark Notorynchus cepedianus Peron 1807. Acoustic tracking and recaptures of sharks implied high survivorship post-fishing and stomach flushing. From 85 prey items collected, 36 (43%) could be identified to species level using morphological analysis. After DNA analysis, a further 35 items were identified to species level, doubling the information obtained from these stomachs. The number of N. cepedianus that were confirmed to have eaten gummy sharks Mustelus antarcticus Gunther 1870 also doubled after DNA analysis. Without DNA analysis (of stomach contents) the importance of M. antarcticus in the diets of N. cepedianus would have been substantially underestimated. In addition, the non-lethal approach provides an opportunity to obtain meaningful information from non-harvested, endangered or rare species or sampling of species within protected areas

Ten tips for developing interdisciplinary socio-ecological researchers

Interdisciplinary research and collaborations are essential to disentangle complex and wicked global socio-ecological challenges. However, institutional structures and practices to support interdisciplinary research are still developing and a shared understanding on how best to develop effective interdisciplinary researchers (particularly at early career stages) is lacking. Barriers to interdisciplinary approaches, which include diverse disciplinary ‘languages’, research time constraints and limited guidance on how to achieve interdisciplinarity in practice, further challenge this understanding. To help overcome these barriers, this paper provides practical advice for early career researchers and their mentors, as well as senior researchers and lab leaders, in the form of 10 tips: ‘Develop an area of expertise’; ‘Learn new languages’; ‘Be open-minded’; ‘Be patient’; ‘Embrace complexity’; ‘Collaborate widely; ‘Push your boundaries’; ‘Consider if you will engage in interdisciplinary research’; ‘Foster interdisciplinary culture’; and ‘Champion interdisciplinary researchers’. They are presented here to empower present and future generations of interdisciplinary researchers in their endeavour to solve contemporary socio-ecological challenges worldwide