Not all jellyfish are equal: isotopic evidence for inter- and intraspecific variation in jellyfish trophic ecology

Jellyfish are highly topical within studies of pelagic food-webs and there is a growing realisation that their role is more complex than once thought. Efforts being made to include jellyfish within fisheries and ecosystem models are an important step forward, but our present understanding of their underlying trophic ecology can lead to their oversimplification in these models. Gelatinous zooplankton represent a polyphyletic assemblage spanning >2,000 species that inhabit coastal seas to the deep-ocean and employ a wide variety of foraging strategies. Despite this diversity, many contemporary modelling approaches include jellyfish as a single functional group feeding at one or two trophic levels at most. Recent reviews have drawn attention to this issue and highlighted the need for improved communication between biologists and theoreticians if this problem is to be overcome. We used stable isotopes to investigate the trophic ecology of three co-occurring scyphozoan jellyfish species (Aurelia aurita, Cyanea lamarckii and C. capillata) within a temperate, coastal food-web in the NE Atlantic. Using information on individual size, time of year and δ 13 C and δ 15 N stable isotope values, we examined: (1) whether all jellyfish could be considered as a single functional group, or showed distinct inter-specific differences in trophic ecology; (2) Were size-based shifts in trophic position, found previously in A. aurita, a common trait across species?; (3) When considered collectively, did the trophic position of three sympatric species remain constant over time? Differences in δ 15 N (trophic position) were evident between all three species, with size-based and temporal shifts in δ 15 N apparent in A. aurita and C. capillata. The isotopic niche width for all species combined increased throughout the season, reflecting temporal shifts in trophic position and seasonal succession in these gelatinous species. Taken together, these findings support previous assertions that jellyfish require more robust inclusion in marine fisheries or ecosystem models

Unravelling the macro-evolutionary ecology of fish–jellyfish associations: life in the ‘gingerbread house’

Fish–jellyfish interactions are important factors contributing to fish stock success. Jellyfish can compete with fish for food resources, or feed on fish eggs and larvae, which works to reduce survivorship and recruitment of fish species. However, jellyfish also provide habitat and space for developing larval and juvenile fish which use their hosts as means of protection from predators and feeding opportunities, helping to reduce fish mortality and increase recruitment. Yet, relatively little is known about the evolutionary dynamics and drivers of such associations which would allow for their more effective incorporation into ecosystem models. Here, we found that jellyfish association is a probable adaptive anti-predator strategy for juvenile fish, more likely to evolve in benthic (fish living on the sea floor), benthopelagic (fish living just above the bottom of the seafloor), and reef-associating species than those adapted to other marine habitats. We also found that jellyfish association likely preceded the evolution of a benthic, benthopelagic, and reef-associating lifestyle rather than its evolutionary consequence, as we originally hypothesized. Considering over two-thirds of the associating fish identified here are of economic importance, and the wide-scale occurrence and diversity of species involved, it is clear the formation of fish–jellyfish associations is an important but complex process in relation to the success of fish stocks globally

Uncomfortable yet Necessary: The Impact of PPE on Communication in Emergency Medicine

Background: The efficacy of pre-hospital emergency services is heavily dependent on the effective communication of care providers. This effective communication occurs between providers as part of a team, but also among providers interacting with family members and patients. The COVID-19 pandemic introduced a number of communication challenges to emergency care, which are primarily linked to the increased use of PPE. Methods: We sought to analyze the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on Emergency Medical Service (EMS) workers and pre-hospital care delivery. We conducted focus groups and one-on-one interviews with fire-EMS first responders between Sept 2021 and 2022. Interviews included questions about job related stress, EMS skills, work experiences and changes during Covid-19. Interviews were recorded, independently dual coded, and analyzed for themes. Results: 223 first responders participated in 40 focus groups and 40 lead paramedics participated in individual interviews. We found that additional use of personal protective-equipment (PPE) was reported to have significantly impaired efficiency and perceptions of quality of care—among EMS team members and also between EMS workers and patients. EMS personnel also experienced on scene hostility on arrival (from both families and other agencies). Use of extensive PPE muffles voices, obscures facial expressions, and can cause team members to have difficulty recognizing and communicating with one another and can be a barrier to showing empathy and connecting with patients. Creative solutions such as putting a hand on someone’s shoulder, wearing name tags on suits, and explaining rationale for perceived delays were mentioned as methods to transcend these barriers. The appearance of providers in heavy PPE can be unsettling and create barriers to human connection, particularly for pediatric patients. Conclusion: Human connection is an important element of health care delivery and healing. These findings shed light on new skills that are needed to initiate and maintain human connection in these times of PPE use, especially full body PPE. Awareness of the communication and empathy barriers posed by PPE is the first step to improving provider-patient interactions in pre-hospital EMS. Additionally, ‘communication-friendly’ adaptations of PPE equipment may be an important area for future research and development in manufacturing and the healthcare industry

Controlling Site to Evaluate History: Vegetation Patterns of a New England Sand Plain

The widespread and long-lasting impact of human activity on natural ecosystems indicates that land-use history must he treated as an integral aspect of ecological study and a critical component of conservation planning. The New England landscape has undergone a complete transformation as forests were converted to agriculture in the 18th and 19th centuries followed by succession to woodland as a result of widespread agricultural abandonment. Despite the prevalence of human impacts, the effect and longevity of land-use practices on modern forest conditions are poorly understood. In the present study of pitch pine-scrub oak vegetation on a sand plain in the Connecticut Valley of Massachusetts, we address the following questions: (1) what is the relative importance of human and natural disturbance and environmental factors in controlling vegetation composition, structure, and landscape patterns; (2) what are the mechanisms underlying human impacts on vegetation, and what is the duration of these impacts; and (3) what are the implications of land-use history for the interpretation and conservation of these communities? Sand plain vegetation was selected for investigation because the homogeneity of site conditions facilitates the interpretation of land-use and natural disturbance impacts, and because the uncommon vegetation and constituent species are priorities for conservation efforts. Paleoecological data suggest that pre-European fires were common on the study area, perhaps ignited by a large regional Indian population. The area was noted historically as an extensive pine plain and was used for wood products from the 18th to the mid-19th century. Eighty-two percent of the area was subsequently plowed for agriculture before being abandoned in the early 20th century. Soil analyses confirm the homogeneity of site conditions and suggest that land uses (plowing, woodlot/pasture) were determined according to ownership pattern rather than site factors. Previously cultivated parcels have distinct Ap (plow horizons) 15-33 cm deep, whereas uncultivated parcels have A horizons 3-10 cm in depth. Soil physical and chemical characteristics are similar among land uses and modern vegetation types. Aerial photographs document a dramatic transformation in plant cover over the last 50 yr. In 1939, the vegetation was grassland or shrub-heath (49%), open-canopy forest (29%), and scrub-oak shrublands (15%). In 1985, 73% of the study area was forested with pitch pine (40%), hardwood (12%), or mixed stands (21%), 9% was in open-canopy stands, and 3% was covered by grass or shrubs. Vegetation/land-use relations are striking. Pitch pine occurs almost exclusively (97%) on former plowed sites, whereas scrub oak stands occur preferentially (89%) on sites that have not been plowed. Land use explains the greatest variation in modern vegetation as well as the distribution and abundance of many taxa. Fire has been common across the study area but has influenced vegetation largely within patterns resulting from prior land use. Land-use patterns and factors controlling vegetation composition and structure are broadly paralleled at similar sites elsewhere in the Connecticut Valley. The study indicates that conservation biologists interested in preserving species, communities, and landscape patterns on sand plains in the northeastern United States need to incorporate a dynamic perspective of biological systems that includes the overriding impact of prior land use. In order to appreciate, study, and display these land-use and vegetation patterns it is essential to conserve the mosaic of assemblages and historical uses within a landscape setting.Organismic and Evolutionary Biolog

Renal systems biology of patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome

A systems biology approach was used to comprehensively examine the impact of renal disease and hemodialysis (HD) on patient response during critical illness. To achieve this we examined the metabolome, proteome, and transcriptome of 150 patients with critical illness, stratified by renal function. Quantification of plasma metabolites indicated greater change as renal function declined, with the greatest derangements in patients receiving chronic HD. Specifically, 6 uremic retention molecules, 17 other protein catabolites, 7 modified nucleosides, and 7 pentose phosphate sugars increased as renal function declined, consistent with decreased excretion or increased catabolism of amino acids and ribonucleotides. Similarly, the proteome showed increased levels of low-molecular weight proteins and acute phase reactants. The transcriptome revealed a broad-based decrease in mRNA levels among patients on HD. Systems integration revealed an unrecognized association between plasma RNASE1 and several RNA catabolites and modified nucleosides. Further, allantoin, N1-methyl-4-pyridone-3-carboxamide, and n-acetylaspartate were inversely correlated with the majority of significantly down-regulated genes. Thus, renal function broadly affected the plasma metabolome, proteome, and peripheral blood transcriptome during critical illness; changes not effectively mitigated by hemodialysis. These studies allude to several novel mechanisms whereby renal dysfunction contributes to critical illness