Comparing the Invasibility of Experimental “Reefs” with Field Observations of Natural Reefs and Artificial Structures

Natural systems are increasingly being modified by the addition of artificial habitats which may facilitate invasion. Where invaders are able to disperse from artificial habitats, their impact may spread to surrounding natural communities and therefore it is important to investigate potential factors that reduce or enhance invasibility. We surveyed the distribution of non-indigenous and native invertebrates and algae between artificial habitats and natural reefs in a marine subtidal system. We also deployed sandstone plates as experimental ‘reefs’ and manipulated the orientation, starting assemblage and degree of shading. Invertebrates (non-indigenous and native) appeared to be responding to similar environmental factors (e.g. orientation) and occupied most space on artificial structures and to a lesser extent reef walls. Non-indigenous invertebrates are less successful than native invertebrates on horizontal reefs despite functional similarities. Manipulative experiments revealed that even when non-indigenous invertebrates invade vertical “reefs”, they are unlikely to gain a foothold and never exceed covers of native invertebrates (regardless of space availability). Community ecology suggests that invertebrates will dominate reef walls and algae horizontal reefs due to functional differences, however our surveys revealed that native algae dominate both vertical and horizontal reefs in shallow estuarine systems. Few non-indigenous algae were sampled in the study, however where invasive algal species are present in a system, they may present a threat to reef communities. Our findings suggest that non-indigenous species are less successful at occupying space on reef compared to artificial structures, and manipulations of biotic and abiotic conditions (primarily orientation and to a lesser extent biotic resistance) on experimental “reefs” explained a large portion of this variation, however they could not fully explain the magnitude of differences

Measuring nutrition-related outcomes in a cohort of multi-trauma patients following intensive care unit discharge

BACKGROUND: Functional recovery is an important outcome for those who survive critical illness. The present study aimed to assess nutrition provision and nutrition-related outcomes in a multi-trauma cohort following intensive care unit (ICU) discharge. METHODS: The present study investigated a prospective cohort of patients discharged from an ICU, who had been admitted because of major trauma and required mechanical ventilation for at least 48 h. Nutrition-related outcomes, including body weight, quadriceps muscle layer thickness (QMLT), handgrip strength and subjective global assessment, were recorded on ICU discharge, days 5-7 post-ICU discharge and then weekly until hospital discharge. Nutrition intake was recorded for 5 days post-ICU discharge. Unless otherwise stated, data are presented as the mean (SD). RESULTS: Twenty-eight patients [75% males, 55 (22.5) years] were included. Intake met 64% (28%) of estimated energy and 72% (32%) of protein requirements over the 5 days post-ICU discharge, which was similar to over the ICU admission. From ICU admission to hospital discharge, the mean reduction in weight was 4.2 kg (95% confidence interval = 2.2-6.3, P < 0.001) and after ICU discharge, the mean reduction in weight and QMLT was 2.6 kg (95% confidence interval = 1.0-4.2, P = 0.004) and 0.23 cm (95% confidence interval = 0.06-0.4, P = 0.01), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Patients received less energy and protein than estimated requirements after ICU discharge. Weight loss and reduction in QMLT also occurred during this period

Anelídeos poliquetas como isco vivo: caracterização da actividade de apanha em ambientes salobros costeiros portugueses

A captura de isco vivo para a pesca, efetuada em sedimentos intertidais, tem aumentado em todo o Mundo, pois face ao incremento da procura, constitui uma importante fonte de rendimento para as populações que vivem junto à costa. Macroinvertebrados, tais como, moluscos, crustáceos e anelídeos poliquetas, entre outros, são capturados em muitos sistemas estuarinos portugueses, sendo a dimensão real das capturas subestimada. Este é o caso das capturas de anelídeos poliquetas para utilização, quer como isco vivo, quer como suplemento alimentar em atividades de aquacultura. Com o intuito de estimar o esforço da apanha de isco, espécies-alvo, técnicas e ferramentas utilizadas nesta atividade e as características dos apanhadores (número, idade e género), foram escolhidos como locais de estudo os estuários do Tejo e do Sado e as Rias de Aveiro e Formosa, no âmbito do projeto “Anelídeos Poliquetas como Isco Vivo em Portugal: Gestão da Apanha, Importação e Cultivo”, financiado pelo Programa PROMAR. Os resultados obtidos nestes sistemas mostraram que: i) os apanhadores de moluscos bivalves foram claramente maioritários no Estuário do Tejo e nas Rias de Aveiro e Formosa. No Estuário do Sado, o número de apanhadores que procuravam anelídeos poliquetas para isco foi muito semelhante ao número de apanhadores que se dedicavam a outras capturas; ii) os anelídeos poliquetas foram o grupo alvo de 28,8% e 14,9% dos apanhadores no Estuário do Sado (dias úteis e não úteis, respetivamente), 10,4% na Ria de Aveiro, 2,4% na Ria Formosa e 0,5% no Estuário do Tejo (apenas em dias úteis); iii) na Ria de Aveiro, no Estuário do Tejo e na Ria Formosa, a espécie Diopatra neapolitana (“casulo”), foi o isco mais procurado, enquanto no Estuário do Sado a espécie Marphysa sanguinea (“ganso”), foi claramente dominante; iv) a captura da espécie Hediste diversicolor, vulgarmente designada por minhocada- lama, outrora preponderante, parece ser agora marginal nas capturas; v) apenas no Estuário do Sado se verificou ser relevante a captura por apanhadores do sexo feminino, principalmente durante os dias úteis. Globalmente, a baixa incidência da procura de anelídeos poliquetas como isco vivo poderá dever-se ao facto de ser mais rentável a apanha de moluscos bivalves (amêijoajaponesa, Ruditapes philippinarum) e, no caso da minhoca-dalama, à concorrência do isco importado. Além dos efeitos diretos nas populações das espécies exploradas, a apanha intertidal de anelídeos poliquetas tem fortes impactos indiretos provocados pelo pisoteio e revolvimento de grandes extensões de sedimento, influenciando de forma significativa, tanto os ciclos biogeoquímicos, como as comunidades biológicas estuarinas. Deste modo, é fundamental a implementação de uma gestão racional a uma escala nacional desta atividade, designadamente através de restrições espaciais e temporais que contribuam para a sua sustentabilidade

Non-indigenous species in Portuguese coastal areas, coastal lagoons, estuaries and islands

Trends in abundance, temporal occurrence and spatial distribution of marine and brackish nonindigenous species (NIS) are part of the indicators to assess the compliance of Good Environmental Status in the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive (EU-MSFD). European-wide regional and national databases for NIS will be useful for the implementation of the EU-MSFD but there are still spatial gaps for some regions and taxonomic groups. In 2009, Portugal was among the countries with the lowest reported numbers of NIS in Europe and a national online database on NIS was not available. This study provides an updated list of NIS registered in Portuguese coastal and estuarine waters, including mainland Portugal and the Azores and Madeira archipelagos. A list of 133 NIS was cataloged, most of which recorded in the last three decades, showing that this area of the North Atlantic is no less prone to introductions than neighboring areas. Most NIS reported in the current inventory are native in the Indo- Pacific region. Fouling and ballast water are the most likely introduction vectors of NIS in the studied area but shipping routes connecting to the NIS native regions are rare, indicating that most species are secondary introductions. The high number of NIS in the Azores and Madeira islands indicates that this ecosystem type seems to be more susceptible to invasions but these preliminary results might be biased by a higher number of studies and knowledge on the NIS occurrence on the islands

Local benthic assemblages in shallow rocky reefs find refuge in a marine protected area at Madeira Island

The patterns of variability in the composition and structure of benthic communities along two depth strata (5 and 10m) and the presence of sea urchins in structuring the subtidal rocky reefs were quantified in a long-established coastal marine protected area (Garajau MPA) and in two size equivalent and contiguous impacted areas (one highly urbanized and other with high fishing pressure) at Madeira Island (northeast Atlantic). Results suggest i) the MPA could be acting as a refuge for local biodiversity, ii) communities from the highly fished area could be suffering an impoverishment of local biodiversity, and iii) communities from the highly urbanized area would be enriched by the establishment of opportunistic species. These findings support that the level of human-pressure likely plays an important role in the composition of benthic communities in this insular ecosystem, although this was more relevant at the shallower stratum where the key grazer Diadema africanum explained 65% of the variance of benthic assemblages. It is suggested that this MPA small dimension and proximity to human impacted areas are limiting the survival of predators of the D. africanum.Agência financiadora Oceanic Observatory of Madeira M1420-01-0145-FEDER-000001-OOM ARDITI - Madeira's Regional Agency for the Development of Research, Technology and Innovation Madeira M1420-09-5369-FSE-000001 2014 FCT Investigator Programme IF/01606/2014/CP1230/CT0001info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio