Project 3.6: Establishing a research framework for future NESP investment into better understanding of the presence of box-jellyfishes (Irukandji) and risks in the Great Barrier Reef

[Extract] The intent of this project was to conduct a workshop with key researchers and stakeholders to establish the future research framework for NESP investment into better understanding of box-jellyfishes presence and risk in the Great Barrier Reef. This was to include, defining the scope of work required to: identify how species of Irukandji and stingers respond to changing water quality conditions, make predictions of box-jellyfishes presence based on environmental conditions, determine ecological impacts and recommend innovative management options. We proposed to engage with stakeholders to discuss stakeholder concerns, determine the scientific information already available, determine research gaps to be filled and develop a framework to guide future NESP research to meet end-user needs

Project 3.6: Establishing a research framework for future NESP investment into better understanding of the presence of box-jellyfishes (Irukandji) and risks in the Great Barrier Reef

[Extract] The intent of this project was to conduct a workshop with key researchers and stakeholders to establish the future research framework for NESP investment into better understanding of box-jellyfishes presence and risk in the Great Barrier Reef. This was to include, defining the scope of work required to: identify how species of Irukandji and stingers respond to changing water quality conditions, make predictions of box-jellyfishes presence based on environmental conditions, determine ecological impacts and recommend innovative management options. We proposed to engage with stakeholders to discuss stakeholder concerns, determine the scientific information already available, determine research gaps to be filled and develop a framework to guide future NESP research to meet end-user needs

Incorporating surrogate species and seascape connectivity to improve marine conservation outcomes

Conservation focuses on maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, but gaps in our knowledge of species biology and ecological processes often impede progress. For this reason, focal species and habitats are used as surrogates for multispecies conservation, but species-based approaches are not widely adopted in marine ecosystems. Reserves in the Solomon Islands were designed on the basis of local ecological knowledge to conserve bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) and to protect food security and ecosystem functioning. Bumphead parrotfish are an iconic threatened species and may be a useful surrogate for multispecies conservation. They move across tropical seascapes throughout their life history, in a pattern of habitat use that is shared with many other species. We examined their value as a conservation surrogate and assessed the importance of seascape connectivity (i.e., the physical connectedness of patches in the seascape) among reefs, mangroves, and seagrass to marine reserve performance. Reserves were designed for bumphead parrotfish, but also enhanced the abundance of other species. Integration of local ecological knowledge and seascape connectivity enhanced the abundance of 17 other harvested fish species in local reserves. This result has important implications for ecosystem functioning and local villagers because many of these species perform important ecological processes and provide the foundation for extensive subsistence fisheries. Our findings suggest greater success in maintaining and restoring marine ecosystems may be achieved when they are managed to conserve surrogate species and preserve functional seascape connections

Gelatinous Zooplankton Biomass In the Global Oceans: Geographic Variation and Environmental Drivers

Aim Scientific debate regarding the future trends, and subsequent ecological, biogeochemical and societal impacts, of gelatinous zooplankton (GZ) in a changing ocean is hampered by lack of a global baseline and an understanding of the causes of biogeographic patterns. We address this by using a new global database of GZ records to test hypotheses relating to environmental drivers of biogeographic variation in the multidecadal baseline of epipelagic GZ biomass in the world\u27s oceans. Location Global oceans. Methods Over 476,000 global GZ data and metadata items were assembled from a variety of published and unpublished sources. From this, a total of 91,765 quantitative abundance data items from 1934 to 2011 were converted to carbon biomass using published biometric equations and species-specific average sizes. Total GZ, Cnidaria, Ctenophora and Chordata (Thaliacea) biomass was mapped into 5° grid cells and environmental drivers of geographic variation were tested using spatial linear models. Results We present JeDI (the Jellyfish Database Initiative), a publically accessible database available at http://jedi.nceas.ucsb.edu. We show that: (1) GZ are present throughout the world\u27s oceans; (2) the global geometric mean and standard deviation of total gelatinous biomass is 0.53 ± 16.16 mg C m−3, corresponding to a global biomass of 38.3 Tg C in the mixed layer of the ocean; (3) biomass of all gelatinous phyla is greatest in the subtropical and boreal Northern Hemisphere; and (4) within the North Atlantic, dissolved oxygen, apparent oxygen utilization and sea surface temperature are the principal drivers of biomass distribution. Main conclusions JeDI is a unique global dataset of GZ taxa which will provide a benchmark against which future observations can be compared and shifting baselines assessed. The presence of GZ throughout the world\u27s oceans and across the complete global spectrum of environmental variables indicates that evolution has delivered a range of species able to adapt to all available ecological niches

Questioning the rise of gelatinous zooplankton in the World's oceans

During the past several decades, high numbers of gelatinous zooplankton species have been reported in many estuarine and coastal ecosystems. Coupled with media-driven public perception, a paradigm has evolved in which the global ocean ecosystems are thought to be heading toward being dominated by “nuisance” jellyfish. We question this current paradigm by presenting a broad overview of gelatinous zooplankton in a historicalcontext to develop the hypothesis that population changes reflect the human-mediated alteration of global ocean ecosystems. To this end, we synthesize information related to the evolutionary context of contemporary gelatinous zooplankton blooms, the human frame of reference forchanges in gelatinous zooplankton populations, and whether sufficient data are available to have established the paradigm. We conclude that the current paradigm in which it is believed that there has been a global increase in gelatinous zooplankton is unsubstantiated, and we develop a strategy for addressing the critical questions about long-term, human-related changes in the sea as they relate to gelatinous zooplankton blooms

The Lantern, 2021-2022

No More Buses through El Paso • A Woman\u27s World • The Angel of Tragedy • A Victim of Circumstance • Ace of Hearts • Ghost Light • Missing Diamonds • The Upside-Down House: A Dialogue with the Self • What is Chronic Pain? • A Sunny Day in Sinkhole • Extra Marshmallows • Fourth Wall Broken • Hemlock • In the Comfort of Others • Lasting Impressions • Let\u27s Do the Time Warp Again • One Last Afternoon • Space Invaders • The Dogwood Tree • An Ode to Poppies • Charlotte\u27s Web • Crab • Crossing • Dandelions • Dandelion Sandwich • Grizzly Hood • Help Wanted • I Gave Way • I\u27m not who you wanted but maybe one day I can be • Kneeling • Lemon Cookies • Lies • Method Acting • Moment of Tranquility • Our Home • Overthinking • Sea Glass • Seasonal • Thirty-Two (No Spares) • The Autumn Beast • The Miller\u27s Daughter • Theodore • To the Earring I Left Behind in Your Carpet • Virginia • Waltzing • Yellow House • 1/25 British Monarch • Cracked • In the Shadows • Jewelwing • Life on the Wing • O\u27 Captain my Captain • Stars Above the Bay • The Common Fall • Tom • Cats + Crowshttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/lantern/1190/thumbnail.jp

Differences in Efficacy and Safety of Pharmaceutical Treatments between Men and Women: An Umbrella Review

Being male or female is an important determinant of risks for certain diseases, patterns of illness and life expectancy. Although differences in risks for and prognoses of several diseases have been well documented, sex-based differences in responses to pharmaceutical treatments and accompanying risks of adverse events are less clear. The objective of this umbrella review was to determine whether clinically relevant differences in efficacy and safety of commonly prescribed medications exist between men and women. We retrieved all available systematic reviews of the Oregon Drug Effectiveness Review Project published before January 2010. Two persons independently reviewed each report to identify relevant studies. We dually abstracted data from the original publications into standardized forms. We synthesized the available evidence for each drug class and rated its quality applying the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) approach. Findings, based on 59 studies and data of more than 250,000 patients suggested that for the majority of drugs no substantial differences in efficacy and safety exist between men and women. Some clinically important exceptions, however, were apparent: women experienced substantially lower response rates with newer antiemetics than men (45% vs. 58%; relative risk 1.49, 95% confidence interval 1.35–1.64); men had higher rates of sexual dysfunction than women while on paroxetine for major depressive disorder; women discontinued lovastatin more frequently than men because of adverse events. Overall, for the majority of drugs sex does not appear to be a factor that has to be taken into consideration when choosing a drug treatment. The available body of evidence, however, was limited in quality and quantity, confining the range and certainty of our conclusions

Temporal variation in the virgin biomass of the edible jellyfish, Catostylus mosaicus (Scyphozoa, Rhizostomeae)

Temporal variation in the virgin biomass and abundance of a single stock of the edible jellyfish, Catostylus mosaicus\ud (Scyphozoa, Rhizostomeae) was estimated at Lake Illawarra, a coastal lagoon in New South Wales, Australia. Density and\ud biomass were estimated three times within 3 weeks during three survey periods: April 1997, October 1997 and May 1998.\ud Density and biomass were estimated for two size classes: all medusae easily counted from a moving boat (i.e. medusae\ud ≥50mm bell diameter (BD)) and those considered to be vulnerable to the fishery (≥200mm BD). Densities of medusae\ud ≥50mm BD varied greatly between survey periods and between days within survey periods. Densities of medusae ≥200mm\ud BD were similar between survey periods but varied within survey periods. The virgin biomass of medusae≥50mmBD ranged\ud between 1831 t during April 1997 and 18,526 t during May 1998. The biomass of medusae that was vulnerable to the fishery\ud varied between 207 t in May 1998 and 2865 t in April 1997

Recruitment and growth of medusae of the schyphozoan jellyfish, Catostylus mosaicus

The timing of recruitment and growth of medusae of the commercially harvested jellyfish, Catostylus mosaicus (Scyphozoa), was examined over a period of 8 years at Botany Bay and 2.5 years at Lake Illawarra in New South Wales, Australia. Recruitment events occurred sporadically during December and between March and July at Botany Bay and between February and July at Lake Illawarra. Recruitment did not occur during late winter or spring at either location, although small numbers of recruit medusae could potentially occur during any time of year. Despite anecdotal observations that recruitment sometimes occurred after periods of heavy rain, we found no correlation between the timing of recruitment and rainfall in Botany Bay over a period of 8 years. Cohort analyses indicated growth of small medusae was very rapid (max. 4.81 mm day–1), with growth rates decreasing as medusae grew larger. Medusae appeared to grow faster at Botany Bay than Lake Illawarra. A conservative estimate indicated medusae of C. mosaicus can live for up to 13 months