Application of palaeoecological techniques to inform blanket mire conservation in Yorkshire, UK

In a recent discussion of research priorities for palaeoecology, it was suggested that palaeoecological data can be applied and used to inform nature conservation practice. The present study exemplifies this approach. It was conducted on three degraded blanket mires in Yorkshire, UK, in collaboration with a field-based moorland restoration agency. High-resolution, multiproxy palaeoecological analyses on peat cores from Mossdale Moor, Oxenhope Moor and West Arkengarthdale reconstructed mid- to late-Holocene vegetation changes. Humification, pollen, plant macrofossil and charcoal analyses carried out throughout the peat profile at each site show marked changes in species composition and indicate their potential causes. Results suggest that human clearance in the Mesolithic–Neolithic transition may have initiated peat growth at Mossdale Moor, making this landscape ‘semi-natural’ in its origin. Further human-induced changes are identified at 1300 cal. years BP at Mossdale Moor, 2100 cal. BP at Oxenhope Moor and c. 3250 cal. BP at West Arkengarthdale, most likely deliberate clearance by fire. Increased anthropogenic activity is identified at each site since the industrial revolution where monocots and Eriophorum vaginatum increase, consistent with rises in charcoal at Mossdale Moor and West Arkengarthdale. These are interpreted as recent (<300 years) management practices using burning to encourage browse on the moor. Climatic deteriorations have also been identified, with wetter conditions at 5000 cal. BP and 4400 cal. BP at West Arkengarthdale and Oxenhope Moor, c. 2400 cal. BP at Mossdale Moor and West Arkengarthdale and the Little Ice Age at each site. It is intended that these long-term ecological histories of the sites, derived using palaeoecological techniques, will be used to inform conservation practice and can help set feasible targets for restoration and conservation

The ‘Little Ice Age’ in the Southern Hemisphere in the context of the last 3000 years : Peat-based proxy-climate data from Tierra del Fuego

DM’s research (at Department of Earth Sciences, Uppsala University) was supported through a European Community Marie Curie Fellowship (Contract HPMF-CT-2000-01056).Peer reviewedPostprin

Application of palaeoecology for peatland conservation at Mossdale Moor, UK

In a recent discussion of research priorities for palaeoecology, it was suggested that palaeoecological data can be applied and used to inform nature conservation practice. The present study exemplifies this approach and was conducted on a degraded blanket mire in Yorkshire, UK, in collaboration with a field-based moorland restoration agency. High-resolution, multiproxy palaeoecological analyses on a peat core from Mossdale Moor reconstructed mid to late-Holocene vegetation changes. Humification, pollen, plant macrofossil and charcoal analyses carried out throughout the peat profile show marked changes in species composition and indicate their potential causes. Results suggest that human clearance in the Mesolithic–Neolithic transition may have initiated peat growth at Mossdale Moor, making this landscape ‘semi-natural’ in its origin. Further human-induced changes are identified at 1300 cal years BP, most likely clearance by fire, and between 20 and 0 cm depth where a substantial charcoal increase is interpreted as recent (<400 years) management practices using burning to encourage browse on the moor. The long-term ecological history of the moor, derived using palaeoecological techniques, will be used to inform conservation practice and to help set feasible targets for restoration and conservation at Mossdale Moo

Ascertaining the nature and timing of mire degradation : using palaeoecology to assist future conservation management in Northern England

This study was initiated under contract VT0419 from English Nature (Natural England) to CECQR. In 2015, additional funding was provided by the Yorkshire Peat Partnership, for 210Pb dating, to refine age–depth estimates. We thank the following for fieldwork co-ordination, logistics or field assistance: Miriam Baynes, Mike Sutcliffe, Martin Furness, Gez Marshall, Paul Duncan, Tim Page, Andrew Windrum, Craig Sandham and Jackie Smith. We thank the Editor and two anonymous reviewers for suggestions for improvements.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Informing innovative peatland conservation in light of palaeoecological evidence for the demise of Sphagnum imbricatum: the case of Oxenhope Moor, Yorkshire, UK

Actively growing mires have high conservation value and the potential to sequester carbon. However, drainage, burning, overgrazing and atmospheric pollution have led to depauperation of native flora and loss of peat at many peatland sites. In order to counteract such degradation, palaeoecological techniques can be applied and the data then used to inform nature conservation practice. The present study exemplifies this approach and was conducted on degraded blanket mire in Yorkshire, UK, in collaboration with a field-based moorland restoration agency. High-resolution, multiproxy palaeoecological analyses on a peat core from Oxenhope Moor were used to reconstruct Holocene vegetation changes spanning approximately the last 7000 years. Humification, pollen, plant macrofossil and charcoal analyses show distinct changes in species composition and indicate their potential causes. Human-induced changes identified at 2100 cal. BP are most likely to reflect deliberate clearance by fire. Sphagnum imbricatum disappears and is subsequently replaced by S. papillosum at ca. 1000 cal. BP, possibly due to drier conditions and competition between the two species. Increased human activity is identified since the Industrial Revolution where monocots and Eriophorum vaginatum increase, interpreted as a result of managed burning. It is intended that the long-term ecological history of the site, derived using palaeoecological techniques, will be used to inform conservation practice and can help set feasible targets for restoration and conservation. Specifically, encouraging a species mix that has pre-19th century longevity is suggested, including the specific recommendation that translocation of S. imbricatum be explored experimentally at this site, with a view to ascertaining likely success elsewhere

Using palaeoecology to advise peatland conservation: An example from West Arkengarthdale, Yorkshire, UK

Globally, peatlands are regarded as important carbon stores and their conservation essential for ensuring continuation of terrestrial carbon storage. Numerous peatlands in particular regions of Europe have been degraded by drainage, burning, extraction, overgrazing and pollution in recent decades, often leading to erosion, loss of peat mass and a loss of a variety of flora. In the UK, some 90% of peatlands can be regarded as degraded. Implemented restoration schemes have been aimed at blocking drainage ditches, re-vegetating bare peat or changing the present vegetation assemblage to a more ‘desirable’ alternative. Here we use palaeoecological techniques to reconstruct the development of a blanket peatland through its entirety with a particular focus on recent land management practices and their impact on vegetation in order to determine and support restoration targets. Analysis at West Arkengarthdale, Yorkshire, UK, shows that the present vegetation is not characteristic and has only been present for c. 200 years. Peat has been developing at the site for approximately 6700 years with Sphagnum particularly abundant between 0–40 cm depth (present day—450 cal. BP) and 150–190 cm depth (c. 3200–3900 cal. BP) and seldom recorded elsewhere in the core. A very recent change in Sphagnum composition is seen towards the surface of the profile, with Sphagnum papillosum making up 100% of the identified Sphagnum in the last 50 years. Monocots, Poaceae, Rumex and Polytrichum commune increase with the beginning of the industrial revolution and an increase in charcoal fragments is indicative of increased pollution and managed burning to support grouse management. It is suggested that any intention to alter land management at the site to encourage a greater variety of Sphagnum species and a decrease in Calluna is in line with peatland development at the site over the past 450 years. This collaborative approach between research palaeoecologists and conservation agency staff has wider application elsewhere

Cost-effectiveness of home versus hospital management of children at onset of Type 1 Diabetes: The DECIDE randomised controlled trial

Objective The aim of this economic evaluation was to assess whether home management could represent a cost-effective strategy in the patient pathway of Type 1 diabetes (T1D). This is based on the DECIDE trial (ISRCTN78114042), which compared home versus hospital management from diagnosis in childhood diabetes and found no statistically significant difference in glycaemic control at 24 months. Design Cost-effectiveness analysis alongside a randomised controlled trial. Setting Eight paediatric diabetes centres in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Participants 203 clinically well children aged under 17 years, with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes and their carers. Outcome measures The base case analysis adopted an NHS perspective. A scenario analysis assessed costs from a broader societal perspective. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) expressed as cost per mmol/mol reduction in HbA1c, was based on the mean difference in costs between the home and hospital groups, divided by mean differences in effectiveness (HbA1c). Uncertainty was considered in terms of the probability of cost-effectiveness. Results At 24 months post-intervention, the base case analysis showed a difference in costs between home and hospital, in favour of home management (mean difference -£2,217; 95% CI -£2,825 to -£1,609; p<0.001). Home care dominated, with an ICER of £7,434 (saved) per mmol/mol reduction of HbA1c. The results of the scenario analysis also favoured home management. The greatest driver of cost differences was hospitalisation during the initiation period. Conclusions Home management from diagnosis of children with T1D who are medically stable represents a less costly approach for the NHS in the UK, without impacting clinical effectiveness

Maintenance of respiratory chain function in mouse hearts with severely impaired mtDNA transcription

The basal mitochondrial transcription machinery is essential for biogenesis of the respiratory chain and consists of mitochondrial RNA polymerase, mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) and mitochondrial transcription factor B2. This triad of proteins is sufficient and necessary for mtDNA transcription initiation. Abolished mtDNA transcription caused by tissue-specific knockout of TFAM in the mouse heart leads to early onset of a severe mitochondrial cardiomyopathy with lethality within the first post-natal weeks. Here, we describe a mouse model expressing human TFAM instead of the endogenous mouse TFAM in heart. These rescue mice have severe reduction in mtDNA transcription initiation, but, surprisingly, are healthy at the age of 52 weeks with near-normal steady-state levels of transcripts. In addition, we demonstrate that heavy-strand mtDNA transcription normally terminates at the termination-associated sequence in the control region. This termination is abolished in rescue animals resulting in heavy (H)-strand transcription of the entire control region. In conclusion, we demonstrate here the existence of an unexpected mtDNA transcript stabilization mechanism that almost completely compensates for the severely reduced transcription initiation in rescue hearts. Future elucidation of the underlying molecular mechanism may provide a novel pathway to treat mitochondrial dysfunction in human pathology

Regional variability in peatland burning at mid- to high-latitudes during the Holocene

Acknowledgements This work developed from the PAGES (Past Global Changes) C-PEAT (Carbon in Peat on EArth through Time) working group. PAGES has been supported by the US National Science Foundation, Swiss National Science Foundation, Swiss Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Sciences. We acknowledge the following financial support: UK Natural Environment Research Council Training Grants NE/L002574/1 (T.G.S.) and NE/S007458/1 (R.E.F.); Dutch Foundation for the Conservation of Irish Bogs, Quaternary Research Association and Leverhulme Trust RPG-2021-354 (G.T.S); the Academy of Finland (M.V); PAI/SIA 80002 and FONDECYT Iniciación 11220705 - ANID, Chile (C.A.M.); R20F0002 (PATSER) ANID Chile (R.D.M.); Swedish Strategic Research Area (SRA) MERGE (ModElling the Regional and Global Earth system) (M.J.G.); Polish National Science Centre Grant number NCN 2018/29/B/ST10/00120 (K.A.); Russian Science Foundation Grant No. 19-14-00102 (Y.A.M.); University of Latvia Grant No. AAp2016/B041/Zd2016/AZ03 and the Estonian Science Council grant PRG323 (TrackLag) (N.S. and A.M.); U.S. Geological Survey Land Change Science/Climate Research & Development Program (M.J., L.A., and D.W.); German Research Foundation (DFG), grant MA 8083/2-1 (P.M.) and grant BL 563/19-1 (K.H.K.); German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), grant no. 57044554, Faculty of Geosciences, University of Münster, and Bavarian University Centre for Latin America (BAYLAT) (K.H.K). Records from the Global Charcoal Database supplemented this work and therefore we would like to thank the contributors and managers of this open-source resource. We also thank Annica Greisman, Jennifer Shiller, Fredrik Olsson and Simon van Bellen for contributing charcoal data to our analyses. Any use of trade, firm, or product name is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.Peer reviewedPostprin