Using Emerging Technologies to Bolster Long-Term Monitoring of Wetlands

Freshwater wetlands support a disproportionately high diversity of species relative to other ecosystems and they are particularly vulnerable to climate change. Across Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, wetlands represent just 3% of the landscape, yet 70% of Wyoming bird species and all native amphibians in the region use wetlands for some stage of their life. The Greater Yellowstone Inventory and Monitoring Network has monitored amphibians in wetlands since 2006 and found that over 40% of the region’s isolated wetlands are dry in years with above average temperatures and reduced precipitation. Adding novel technologies to these monitoring efforts will increase our understanding of species diversity in wetlands susceptible to drying. We outfitted three wetland sites in Grand Teton National Park with acoustic (i.e., audible and ultrasonic) monitoring technology and wildlife camera traps in summer 2016. We collected data over a four-week period to test the efficacy of automated technology for wetland monitoring. Based on preliminary results from the ultrasonic monitoring and wildlife cameras, we detected four times more species with these tools, when compared to visual surveys of amphibians alone. Additionally, automated methods allowed us to detect species over a longer time window than feasible with visual surveys. We will continue our work in 2017, using environmental DNA, acoustic monitoring, and wildlife camera traps to capture information about a broader diversity of taxa using wetlands, to expand and enrich current monitoring efforts

Identification of low-acuity attendances in routine clinical information documented in German Emergency Departments

Abstract Introduction It has not yet been possible to ascertain the exact proportion, characterization or impact of low-acuity emergency department (ED) attendances on the German Health Care System since valid and robust definitions to be applied in German ED routine data are missing. Methods Internationally used methods and parameters to identify low-acuity ED attendances were identified, analyzed and then applied to routine ED data from two EDs of the tertiary care hospitals Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte (CCM) and Campus Virchow (CVK). Results Based on the three routinely available parameters `disposition´, `transport to the ED´ and `triage´ 33.2% (n = 30 676) out of 92 477 presentations to the two EDs of Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin (CVK, CCM) in 2016 could be classified as low-acuity presentations. Conclusion This study provides a reliable and replicable means of retrospective identification and quantification of low-acuity attendances in German ED routine data. This enables both intra-national and international comparisons of figures across future studies and health care monitoring

Complex Challenges of Maintaining Whitebark Pine in Greater Yellowstone under Climate Change: A Call for Innovative Research, Management, and Policy Approaches

Climate suitability is projected to decline for many subalpine species, raising questions about managing species under a deteriorating climate. Whitebark pine (WBP) (Pinus albicaulis) in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) crystalizes the challenges that natural resource managers of many high mountain ecosystems will likely face in the coming decades. We review the system of interactions among climate, competitors, fire, bark beetles, white pine blister rust (Cronartium ribicola), and seed dispersers that make WBP especially vulnerable to climate change. A well-formulated interagency management strategy has been developed for WBP, but it has only been implemented across <1% of the species GYE range. The challenges of complex climate effects and land allocation constraints on WBP management raises questions regarding the efficacy of restoration efforts for WBP in GYE. We evaluate six ecological mechanisms by which WBP may remain viable under climate change: climate microrefugia, climate tolerances, release from competition, favorable fire regimes, seed production prior to beetle-induced mortality, and blister-rust resistant trees. These mechanisms suggest that WBP viability may be higher than previously expected under climate change. Additional research is warranted on these mechanisms, which may provide a basis for increased management effectiveness. This review is used as a basis for deriving recommendations for other subalpine species threatened by climate change

Risk indexes (RIs) for HESN participants in the UK and Ugandan cohorts over 4 visits.

<p>RIs were generated based on reported sexual behaviors for the last 3 months (if concordant with answers from the HIV+ study partner), partner HIV-1 pVL, concurrent STIs, male circumcision status, and pregnancy. Boxplots of RI are shown, where the midline and box represent the median ± the 25th and 75th percentiles; whiskers extend to the extreme data points that are ≤1.5 times the interquartile range. Extreme outliers are indicated by circles.</p

Sexual behavior scores (SBSs) across visits for study groups in the UK¹ (top row) and Uganda (bottom row) cohorts.

<p>Boxplots of SBSs of concordant individuals are shown, where the midline and box represent the median ± the 25th and 75th percentiles; whiskers extend to the extreme data points that are ≤1.5 times the interquartile range. Extreme outliers are indicated by circles. ¹Note that the scales of the y-axis for UK HIV+ and HUSN are much larger than those of the other groups. *One UK HESN with a very large SBS at Visit 3 (0.126) is not shown in order to maintain a comparable scale over plots where possible.</p