Complex temporal climate signals drive the emergence of human water-borne disease

Predominantly occurring in developing parts of the world, Buruli ulcer is a severely disabling mycobacterium infection which often leads to extensive necrosis of the skin. While the exact route of transmission remains uncertain, like many tropical diseases, associations with climate have been previously observed and could help identify the causative agent's ecological niche. In this paper, links between changes in rainfall and outbreaks of Buruli ulcer in French Guiana, an ultraperipheral European territory in the northeast of South America, were identified using a combination of statistical tests based on singular spectrum analysis, empirical mode decomposition and cross-wavelet coherence analysis. From this, it was possible to postulate for the first time that outbreaks of Buruli ulcer can be triggered by combinations of rainfall patterns occurring on a long (i.e., several years) and short (i.e., seasonal) temporal scale, in addition to stochastic events driven by the El Nino-Southern Oscillation that may disrupt or interact with these patterns. Long-term forecasting of rainfall trends further suggests the possibility of an upcoming outbreak of Buruli ulcer in French Guiana

Calf health from birth to weaning. III. housing and management of calf pneumonia

Calfhood diseases have a major impact on the economic viability of cattle operations. A three part review series has been developed focusing on calf health from birth to weaning. In this paper, the last of the three part series, we review disease prevention and management with particular reference to pneumonia, focusing primarily on the pre-weaned calf. Pneumonia in recently weaned suckler calves is also considered, where the key risk factors are related to the time of weaning. Weaning of the suckler calf is often combined with additional stressors including a change in nutrition, environmental change, transport and painful husbandry procedures (castration, dehorning). The reduction of the cumulative effects of these multiple stressors around the time of weaning together with vaccination programmes (preconditioning) can reduce subsequent morbidity and mortality in the feedlot. In most studies, calves housed individually and calves housed outdoors with shelter, are associated with decreased risk of disease. Even though it poses greater management challenges, successful group housing of calves is possible. Special emphasis should be given to equal age groups and to keeping groups stable once they are formed. The management of pneumonia in calves is reliant on a sound understanding of aetiology, relevant risk factors, and of effective approaches to diagnosis and treatment. Early signs of pneumonia include increased respiratory rate and fever, followed by depression. The single most important factor determining the success of therapy in calves with pneumonia is early onset of treatment, and subsequent adequate duration of treatment. The efficacy and economical viability of vaccination against respiratory disease in calves remains unclear

MODELS OF ECOLOGICAL RESPONSES TO FLOW REGIME CHANGE TO INFORM ENVIRONMENTAL FLOWS ASSESSMENTS

Environmental flows assessments use advanced hydrologic and hydraulic modeling techniques to quantify changes in flow regime and aquatic habitats. However, predictions of ecological responses to these changes are often based upon expert opinion or limited quantitative relationships between flow, habitat, and ecological response. Increasing knowledge of ecological responses to changing flow regimes, along with the emergence of new and powerful modeling approaches, means that statistical models of ecological response can be used more effectively in environmental flows assessments. We describe a process that environmental flows assessment teams could use to identify, modify, or develop models of ecological response to changing flow regime. We describe several major modeling approaches that can be used to test hypotheses and to quantify cause–effect relationships, and then classify these approaches according to their requirements for ecological knowledge and data. Some modeling techniques are simple to implement and could be employed in many environmental flows assessment projects. Others are more demanding to develop and implement, potentially requiring additional ecological modeling expertise as part of environmental flows assessment teams. Capacity for modeling ecological responses to changing flow regimes will evolve over time as part of monitoring and adaptive management of environmental water release decisions. However, sufficient data, expertise, and approaches already exist for ecological models to be employed more insightfully and far more often in environmental flows assessments.No Full Tex

Managing threats to freshwater systems within protected areas

• Freshwater and estuarine ecosystems are among the most threatened In the world, are under-represented In Protected Area Policies and have the highest portion of species threatened with extinction. • Freshwater biodiversity is particularly threatened because its conservation depends on: maintaining hydrological processes; retaining longitudinal connectivity of water flows without barriers along rivers; conserving lateral connectivity between a water body and its floodplain; sustaining adequate groundwater-surface water interactions; managing exogenous threats that are propagated across catchments; and Integrating governance by multiple management authorities. The impacts of agriculture, aquaculture and fishing need to be managed. • Where PAs are established particular attention should be given to: minimising impacts of water infrastructure, Invasive species incursion control; reducing impacts of visitor facilities and activities; and pollution prevention. • Floods, droughts and fire are natural processes in many freshwater eco-­systems and plants and animals can normally tolerate or recover from them. However, these processes are increasingly exacerbated by climate change leading to changes in ecological character. In different circumstances freshwater ecosystems may attenuate or increase the impacts of natural disasters on people.Full Tex