Effects of Changing Climate and Water Availability on Four Riparian Species in the Southwestern United States

The Lower Colorado River and Rio Grande Basins are home to many riparian species of different degrees of rarity. In our study we focused on two species of birds and two species of gartersnakes that are associated with water: the Yellow-Breasted Chat (Icteria virens), the American Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia), the Mexican Gartersnake (Thamnophis eques) and the Narrow-headed Gartersnake (T. rufipunctatus). While the extent of distributions of these species is relatively large, they are often patchily distributed in populations that are small. To evaluate the vulnerability of these species at a landscape scale due to changes in hydrology, we built models of suitability of current and future landscapes for these species. We relied on climatic and hydrological predictions, developed by the Bureau of Reclamation (as part of the WATERSmart program) and NASA’s Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), to derive spatially-explicit metrics that quantify the greenness of riparian vegetation in time. Using WATERSmart data, we were able to project these metrics into the future. The projected changes in water availability by end of the century will directly affect the availability of permanent water and riparian vegetation that surrounds suitable habitats of our study species. Our results suggest significant changes in future landscape suitability (up to 64% of area) for all species that are in addition to other threats. Best models included riparian vegetation as an important component of the predictions but we note that finer scale examination of hydrology and climate effects on habitats would be more useful for effective management

Final Report: Predicting Effects of Climate Change on Riparian Obligate Species in the Southwestern United States

The Lower Colorado River and Rio Grande Basins are home to many riparian vertebrate species with different degrees of rarity. In our study, we focused on two species of birds and two species of gartersnakes that are associated with riparian areas: the Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens), the Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia), the Northern Mexican Gartersnake (Thamnophis eques megalops) and the Narrow-headed Gartersnake (T. rufipunctatus). While the extent of distributions of these species is relatively large, they are often patchily distributed in populations that are small; in addition, both gartersnake species are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Aside from detrimental effects of direct habitat loss and degradation throughout the southwestern United States, future changes in water availability might threaten the long-term persistence of populations of any one of these species. To evaluate this vulnerability at a landscape scale, we built species distribution models under current and future projected climates for each species. For modeling, we relied on climatic and hydrological predictions (downscaled CMIP3 climate and hydrology projections) developed by the Bureau of Reclamation and its partners as part of the West-Wide Climate Risk Assessments within the WATERSmart initiative. We also relied on NASAs Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) to derive a spatially explicit index that quantifies riparian vegetation in space and time. Using downscaled climate projections and other landscape data, we were able to project these riparian vegetation metric forward in time. The projected changes in water availability by end of the century will directly affect the availability of permanent water and riparian vegetation creating the habitats of our study species. Our results suggest significant and negative changes in future landscape suitability for all species (up to 64% loss of suitable area), which are in addition to already identified threats facing these species. Best models included the index of riparian vegetation (linked to water availability) as an important component of the predictions, but we also note that finer scale examination of hydrology and climate effects on habitats would be much more useful for effective management.\u2

Roles of P2 receptors in glial cells: focus on astrocytes

Central nervous system glial cells release and respond to nucleotides under both physiological and pathological conditions, suggesting that these molecules play key roles in both normal brain function and in repair after damage. In particular, ATP released from astrocytes activates P2 receptors on astrocytes and other brain cells, allowing a form of homotypic and heterotypic signalling, which also involves microglia, neurons and oligodendrocytes. Multiple P2X and P2Y receptors are expressed by both astrocytes and microglia; however, these receptors are differentially recruited by nucleotides, depending upon specific pathophysiological conditions, and also mediate the long-term trophic changes of these cells during inflammatory gliosis. In astrocytes, P2-receptor-induced gliosis occurs via activation of the extracellular-regulated kinases (ERK) and protein kinase B/Akt pathways and involves induction of inflammatory and anti-inflammatory genes, cyclins, adhesion and antiapoptotic molecules. While astrocytic P2Y1 and P2Y2,4 are primarily involved in short-term calcium-dependent signalling, multiple P2 receptor subtypes seem to cooperate to astrocytic long-term changes. Conversely, in microglia, exposure to inflammatory and immunological stimuli results in differential functional changes of distinct P2 receptors, suggesting highly specific roles in acquisition of the activated phenotype. We believe that nucleotide-induced activation of astrocytes and microglia may originally start as a defence mechanism to protect neurons from cytotoxic and ischaemic insults; dysregulation of this process in chronic inflammatory diseases eventually results in neuronal cell damage and loss. On this basis, full elucidation of the specific roles of P2 receptors in these cells may help exploit the beneficial neuroprotective features of activated glia while attenuating their harmful properties and thus provide the basis for novel neuroprotective strategies that specifically target the purinergic system

An Ecohydraulic Model to Identify and Monitor Moapa Dace Habitat

<div><p>Moapa dace (<em>Moapa coriacea</em>) is a critically endangered thermophilic minnow native to the Muddy River ecosystem in southeastern Nevada, USA. Restricted to temperatures between 26.0 and 32.0°C, these fish are constrained to the upper two km of the Muddy River and several small tributaries fed by warm springs. Habitat alterations, nonnative species invasion, and water withdrawals during the 20th century resulted in a drastic decline in the dace population and in 1979 the Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge) was created to protect them. The goal of our study was to determine the potential effects of reduced surface flows that might result from groundwater pumping or water diversions on Moapa dace habitat inside the Refuge. We accomplished our goal in several steps. First, we conducted snorkel surveys to determine the locations of Moapa dace on three warm-spring tributaries of the Muddy River. Second, we conducted hydraulic simulations over a range of flows with a two-dimensional hydrodynamic model. Third, we developed a set of Moapa dace habitat models with logistic regression and a geographic information system. Fourth, we estimated Moapa dace habitat over a range of flows (plus or minus 30% of base flow). Our spatially explicit habitat models achieved classification accuracies between 85% and 91%, depending on the snorkel survey and creek. Water depth was the most significant covariate in our models, followed by substrate, Froude number, velocity, and water temperature. Hydraulic simulations showed 2–11% gains in dace habitat when flows were increased by 30%, and 8–32% losses when flows were reduced by 30%. To ensure the health and survival of Moapa dace and the Muddy River ecosystem, groundwater and surface-water withdrawals and diversions need to be carefully monitored, while fully implementing a proactive conservation strategy.</p> </div

Rapport/Report 18/2014 English summary

-Salg av levende kongekrabbe har de siste årene økt betydelig og utgjorde ca. 35 % av den samlede kongekrabbefangsten i sesongen 2013. Selv om kongekrabbe har alle naturgitte forutsetninger for levendelagring og levendesalg er det viktig å utvikle skånsomme metoder som sikrer høy kvalitet og best mulig dyrevelferd under levendelagring og transport til marked. Målet med prosjektet var derfor å erverve ny kunnskap som kan brukes av kongekrabbenæringen for å sikre høy overlevelse, kvalitet og best mulig dyrevelferd under levendelagring av kongekrabbe. For å belyse disse problemstillingene ble det til sammen satt opp fire ulike delforsøk: 1) Optimal individtetthet, 2) Betydning av fôring tilgjengelighet på krabbevelferd, 3) Tilrettelegging for levende transport til marked, 4) Velferdstiltak for kongekrabbe som har dårlig kondisjon.Sales of live king crab have increased significantly in the past few years and accounted for approximately 35 % of the total catch of king crab in the 2013 catch season. King crabs have all the natural attributes necessary for live storage and export. However, it is important to develop suitable holding and transport techniques that ensure a high quality product reaches the market as well as maintaining the best possible animal welfare conditions during live storage and transport. The aim of the project was to develop techniques that can be used by the king crab industry to ensure high survival, quality and the best possible animal welfare during live storage of crab. Experiments were conducted on: 1) Optimal stocking density, 2) The effects of feed availability on crab welfare, 3) Protocols for live transport to market, 4) Welfare measures for king crab in poor condition

Model parameters and coefficients for Model 1 (top) and Model 2 (bottom): outputs were obtained from multiple logistic regression on Plummer Creek, with samples collected in the spring of 2009 (<i>n</i> = 450; 309 absences and 141 presences).

<p>See <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0055551#pone-0055551-t001" target="_blank">Table 1</a> for variable definitions; variables with an underscore (e.g., Dep_2) are squared terms.</p

Model results for univariate and multivariate logistic regression, listed from best to worst according to AIC score (<i>n</i> = 450; 309 absences and 141 presences).

<p>Statistics presented are twice the negative log-likelihood value (−2L), the number of parameters (NPar), change in AIC score when compared to the best model (ΔAIC), AIC model weight (w), Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit statistic (Ĉ), Nagelkerke pseudo R-squared (R²), overall classification accuracy (OA), ROC area-under-the-curve (AUC), and the principal variables in each model (higher-order terms not shown. For variable descriptions, see <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0055551#pone-0055551-t001" target="_blank">Table 1</a>; * denotes the variable that had the greatest influence on the model’s log likelihood. Quadratic terms are not shown in the Variables field.</p

Predictor variables used for Moapa dace habitat modeling.

<p>Predictor variables used for Moapa dace habitat modeling.</p

Habitat-discharge relations among Plummer, Pedersen, and Apcar creeks, in 10% flow increments.

<p>In panel A, the amount of predicted habitat by flow is presented after standardizing the data by stream length. In panel B, the relative change in habitat in relation to baseflow was calculated in 10% flow increments.</p