A Spatiotemporal Synthesis of High-Resolution Salinity Data with Aquaculture Applications

Technological advancement and the desire to better monitor shallow habitats in the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, United States led to the initiation of several high-resolution monitoring programs such as ConMon (short for “Continuous Monitoring”) measuring oxygen, salinity, and chlorophyll-a at a 15-minute frequency. These monitoring efforts have yielded an enormous volume of data and insight into the condition of the tidal water of the Bay. But this information is underutilized in documenting the fine-scale variability of water quality, which is critical in identifying the link between water quality and ecological responses, partly due to the challenges in integrating monitoring data collected at different frequencies and locations. In a project to understand the environmental suitability of aquaculture sites and the future potential overlap between aquaculture and submerged aquatic vegetation, we developed a spatiotemporal synthesis of ConMon data with data from long-term, fixed-station seasonal monitoring. Here, we present our generalized additive model-based approach to predict salinity at high frequency (15 minutes) and fine spatial resolution (~100 meters) in the Maryland portion of the Bay, its major tributaries, and the shallow tidal creeks that exchange with the tributaries. Predictive performance was validated to be 1 PSU (practical salinity unit) in root mean square error using de novo monitoring. The resulting data provide insights into the environmental suitability of aquaculture, specifically the sensitivity of the Easter oyster (Crassostrea virginica) to low salinity stress. The spatiotemporal synthesis approach has potential applications for integrated monitoring and potential linkage with high-resolution water quality models for shallow habitats

Resilience indicators support valuation of estuarine ecosystem restoration under climate change

Economic valuation of ecological restoration most often encompasses only the most tangible ecosystem service benefits, thereby omitting many difficult‐to‐measure benefits, including those derived from enhanced reliability of ecosystem services. Because climate change is likely to impose novel ecosystem stressors, a typical approach to valuing benefits may fail to capture the contribution of ecosystem resilience to sustaining long‐term benefits. Unfortunately, we generally lack predictive probabilistic models that would enable measurement and valuation of resilience. Therefore, alternative measures are needed to complement monetary values and broaden understanding of restoration benefits. We use a case study of Chesapeake Bay restoration (total maximum daily load) to show that ecosystem service benefits that are typically monetized leave critical information gaps. To address these gaps, we review evidence for ecosystem services that can be quantified or described, including changes in harmful algal bloom risks. We further propose two integrative indicators of estuarine resilience—the extent of submerged aquatic vegetation and spatial distribution of fish. Submerged aquatic vegetation extent is indicative of qualities of ecosystems that promote positive feedbacks to water quality. Broadly distributed fish populations reduce risk by promoting diverse responses to spatially heterogeneous stresses. Our synthesis and new analyses for the Chesapeake Bay suggest that resilience metrics improve understanding of restoration benefits by demonstrating how nutrient and sediment load reductions will alleviate multiple sources of stress, thereby enhancing the system's capacity to absorb or adapt to extreme events or novel stresses

A genome-wide association study identifies key modulators of complement factor H binding to malondialdehyde-epitopes

Genetic variants within complement factor H (CFH), a major alternative complement pathway regulator, are associated with the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and other complementopathies. This is explained with the reduced binding of CFH or its splice variant factor H-like protein 1 (FHL-1) to self-ligands or altered self-ligands (e.g., malondialdehyde [MDA]-modified molecules) involved in homeostasis, thereby causing impaired complement regulation. Considering the critical role of CFH in inhibiting alternative pathway activation on MDA-modified surfaces, we performed an unbiased genome-wide search for genetic variants that modify the ability of plasma CFH to bind MDA in 1,830 individuals and characterized the mechanistic basis and the functional consequences of this. In a cohort of healthy individuals, we identified rs1061170 in CFH and the deletion of CFHR3 and CFHR1 as dominant genetic variants that modify CFH/FHL-1 binding to MDA. We further demonstrated that FHR1 and FHR3 compete with CFH for binding to MDA-epitopes and that FHR1 displays the highest affinity toward MDA-epitopes compared to CFH and FHR3. Moreover, FHR1 bound to MDA-rich areas on necrotic cells and prevented CFH from mediating its cofactor activity on MDA-modified surfaces, resulting in enhanced complement activation. These findings provide a mechanistic explanation as to why the deletion of CFHR3 and CFHR1 is protective in AMD and highlight the importance of genetic variants within the CFH/CFHR3/CFHR1 locus in the recognition of altered-self in tissue homeostasis

Imidazolium and Pyridinium Ionic Liquids from Mandelic Acid Derivatives: Synthesis and Bacteria and Algae Toxicity Evaluation

A new class of low bacterial and algal toxicity imidazolium and pyridinium halide ionic liquids (ILs), produced by a short synthesis from substituted mandelic acid derivatives is disclosed. Melting points for most of the ILs were above or close to 100 °C; however, one imidazolium example has a glass transition temperature below room temperature (RT; −3.3 °C). The series of 8 ILs enables an investigation of toxicity on modifying the heterocycle, aromatic ring substitution, ester group, and proximity of cation to aromatic ring present within mandelic acid constituent. Two pyridinium salts, methyl 2-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-pyridinium acetate, bromide salt and methyl 2-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-(2-pyridiniumacetoxy)­acetate, bromide salt have low toxicity to all bacteria strains (including Vibrio fischeri), and freshwater green algae (C. Vulgaris and P. subcapitata) screened. All eight pyridinium and imidazolium ILs have low toxicity to Gram-positive (B. subtilis) and Gram-negative (E. coli, P. fluorescens, P. putida (CP1), and P. putgida (KT 2440)) bacteria strains, although a significant range in IC₅₀ values was obtained. Mandelate derived ILs have EC₅₀ (C. Vulgaris and P. subcapitata) values 10³–10⁷ higher (less toxic) than other C14–C18 ionic liquids previously reported