Governance across the land-sea interface

Effective governance is urgently needed to reduce the existing pressures on coastal-marine resources due to human activities on both the land and sea. Yet effective governance across the land-sea interface remains elusive in theory and practice. The purpose of my doctoral work is to illuminate the elements of effective governance necessary to address sustainability challenges and ensure the wellbeing of communities situated at the margins of the land and sea. Specifically, I examined (1) the current state of knowledge regarding effective land-sea governance, (2) the contributions of network governance to improving capacities to address social and ecological processes across the land-sea interface, and (3) the conditions that foster transformations towards network governance in land-sea systems. My research was guided by an overall transdisciplinary framing, which allowed for the application of multiple strategies of inquiry – including systematic review and case studies – and a concurrent mixed methods approach to both qualitative and quantitative analysis. Data were collected through a systematic literature search and semi-structured interviews. The case studies were drawn from the Lesser Antilles – a region currently facing multiple sustainability challenges across the land-sea interface due to rapid land-use change, uncontrolled coastal development, and the cross-cutting threats associated with climate change. Systematic review of land-sea governance scholarship found that the main governance challenges associated with addressing land-sea interactions include determining boundaries, addressing cross-scale effects, and accessing appropriate scientific and local knowledge. Science-policy integration and functional fit are the two most referenced ingredients of governance effectiveness across the land-sea interface. However, supportive networks and both social and temporal fit were also cited relatively frequently as factors contributing to governance effectiveness. Despite the presence of a firm knowledge base, the review highlighted the need for improved conceptual richness and theory-building regarding governance across the land-sea interface. In comparative case studies from the southeast coast of Saint Lucia and the southwest coast of Dominica, I examined how network governance contributes to social-ecological fit, or the ability to address social-ecological processes in land-sea systems. I found that network governance has contributed to coordinating management of shared resources and interconnected ecological entities. However, its potential role in promoting co-governance and land-sea integration is yet to be fully realized due to the inertia of existing arrangements. The analysis demonstrates that a more thorough understanding of how network governance emerges in largely hierarchical governance systems is needed in order to improve governance capacities for addressing land-sea interactions in the region. I then examined the processes contributing to the emergence of network governance in four embedded case studies: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (focus on Saint Vincent), Antigua and Barbuda (focus on Antigua), Grenada, and Saint Kitts and Nevis (focus on Saint Kitts). Drawing on network governance theory and the concept of governance transformations, I investigated the conditions that foster transformations towards network governance in land-sea systems. I found that participation on collaborative projects has been an essential ingredient in initiating transitions towards network governance. The case studies revealed that project participation was both necessary and sufficient for initiating a transition towards land-sea integration. However, project participation was necessary but insufficient to promote transitions towards co-governance, or state and non-state collaboration in network governance. Other important conditions for initiating transitions include the ratification of multilateral agreements, the presence of boundary-spanning organizations, and experience with extreme events (e.g., tropical storms). The leadership of central actors and core teams can help ensure that ongoing transitions proceed towards network governance. Also, it will be important to find innovative governance strategies or arrangements that can leverage and build the latent capacities found within communities to improve the emergence of co-governance. These strategies will likely challenge current conceptions of network governance in the region. A synthesis across these analyses yields three broader contributions. First, my research supports the proposition that network governance can be beneficial to address land-sea interactions. Network governance as a concept helps bridge the theory and knowledge garnered over the years in attempting to apply integrated and ecosystem-based management. It allows for an examination of how different patterns of collaboration and coordination can help match functional interactions in ecosystems and promote inclusive participation in governance. In practice, such an approach can help match governance simultaneously to both the social and ecological properties of land-sea systems – a challenge that has been pervasive. Second, my research identifies the limitations of network governance specifically in relation to preparing for, and responding to extreme events. The governance networks useful to address land-sea interactions may simply be too cumbersome or inefficient in the face of hurricanes and other storms. Improved integration between land-sea governance networks and the institutional arrangements in place to manage disasters could compensate for these limitations of network governance. Third, my research shows the need to consider multiple modes of governance – specifically, both hierarchical and networked modes – as coexisting, rather than in isolation. Governance networks and the hierarchical mode can be synergistic or antagonistic – either serving to support or undermine one another. My research challenges a view that network governance necessarily implies a hollowing of the state. Rather, I demonstrate how effective network governance is contingent upon appropriate guidance from the state. The state, in such instances, requires a clear mandate to participate in governance networks and ensure sustainable regulation. These contributions – although grounded in the Lesser Antilles context – are relevant for coastal areas and island nations throughout the globe

Effect of fenbendazole on shedding and embryonation of Ascaris suum eggs in naturally infected gestating sows

Objectives To determine the time to cessation of Ascaris suum egg shedding, the percent of animals that stop shedding, and to estimate the reduction in environmental burden from eggs shed in naturally infected female breeding swine after different treatment levels of fenbendazole to better determine timing of anthelmintic use prior to movement into a farrowing environment. To determine the ovicidal activity of different fenbendazole levels on Ascaris suum eggs shed from naturally infected commercial breeding female swine. Materials and methods Study 1 - Egg shedding Five experiments across three commercial sow farms known to be infected with A suum were conducted. Breeding gilts and sows were identified with natural A suum infections and allocated to one of 4 treatments: CNT = untreated controls, TX1 = 545.5 mg fenbendazole for one day, TX2 = 545.5 mg fenbendazole daily, for 3 consecutive days (1636.5 mg total), and TX3 = 1636.5 mg fenbendazole for one day (TX3 only in experiment 5). Fecal samples were collected on various days and evaluated using the modified Wisconsin sugar flotation technique, with at least 1 EPG considered a positive sample. Time-to-negative was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis with Log-Rank test and censoring of animals that reached the end of the study period still shedding. Percent negative at the end of the experiment was evaluated by Chi-square analysis using Fisher\u27s exact test. Environmental burden (BURD), a calculation of eggs observed versus eggs expected, was evaluated by ANOVA and Tukey\u27s studentized test. Study 2 - Embryonation Three experiments were conducted on a commercial breeding farm infected with A suum. Breeding gilts and sows were identified with natural A suum infections and allocated to one of 4 treatments: CNT = untreated controls, TX1 = 545.5 mg fenbendazole for one day, TX2 = 545.5 mg fenbendazole daily, for 3 consecutive days (1636.5 mg total), and TX3 = 1636.5 mg fenbendazole for one day (TX3 only in experiment 3). Eggs were isolated from fecal samples at various days post-treatment (dpt) by experiment and incubated in 0.1 N H2SO4 at room temperature for 60 days. Embryonation rates (ER) for each animal were determined by counting the number of eggs with fully developed larvae out of 100 eggs counted. Results Study 1 - Egg shedding Mean time-to-negative shedding ranged from 9.3 to 13.1 for TX1, 8.9 to 13.1 days and 9.8 for TX3 with 0 to 10 percent censored, while CNT ranged from 13.4 to 28.2 with 70 to 100 percent censored. For all fenbendazole treatment groups, 90 to 100 percent of sows were negative by the end of the study, compared to 0 to 28.6 percent for CNT. Mean BURD range was 7.0 to 60.9 for TX1, 13.9 to 60.8 for TX2, 29.3 for TX3 and 60.4 to 219.0 for CNT. All fenbendazole treatment values were different from CNT (P\u3c0.05) but not from each other for time-to-negative, percent negative and BURD. Study 2 - Embryonation ER of A suum eggs shed from CNT animals ranged from 90.3 to 99.3 percent across all experiments and sampling days. ER were significantly (P\u3c0.0001, ANOVA) reduced to 29.3 and 30.5 percent for TX1 and TX2 in A suum eggs shed at 8 dpt, and 26.6 percent for TX3 in eggs shed at 6 dpt. Differences in ER between treatments was only seen in eggs shed at 4 dpt; TX1=75.4, TX2=70.9, and TX3=47.0. In addition, many of the A suum eggs shed from treated animals had atypical character, such as abnormal cell division, granular appearance and irregular shapes. Implications * Fenbendazole is an effective anthelmintic for the treatment of Ascaris suum in naturally infected breeding gilts and sows. * When using fenbendazole for the control of A suum transmission from dams to offspring, treatment should begin approximately 14 days prior to movement into clean farrowing facilities. * Fenbendazole was effective at all treatment levels used in decreasing the number of A suum eggs shed into the environment. * Fenbendazole is ovicidal against A suum in eggs shed from naturally infected breeding gilts and sows. * Use of fenbendazole provides additional epidemiological benefits in control of A suum through reduced effective environmental contamination due to the reduced number of eggs shed and those that develop to an infectious larvae

Development and Examination of Mobile Sensor Systems and Software Applications for Use in Estimation of Forage Dry Matter Biomass and Crude Protein

The use of field-based sensors can generate large amounts of data rapidly for phenomic modeling and management decisions; however some challenges may be encountered. AgriLogger software developed to rapidly acquire data for predictive model construction and implementation. AgriLogger features include user controls for data acquisition rate and a single output file for multiple sensors. Temporal and spatial data parsing was achieved from position and time stamps. Non-destructive biomass estimation of vegetation has been performed via remote sensing. This study examined several types of ground-based mobile sensing strategies for forage biomass estimation in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.], and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Forage quality analysis has historically been performed on physically collected samples through laboratory methods. Developing a sensor system which can collect data and provide estimates for crude protein (CP) in a more timely manner will allow near real time decision making by mangers. To evaluate the feasibility of such a system bermudagrass tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), and wheat were examined. AgriLogger reduced the post-processing time by a factor of 10 and data acquisition time by a factor of 60 as compared to commercially available alternatives which could be used for sensor data acquisition on vegetation. Predictive models were constructed via partial least squares regression and modeled estimates were compared to the physically measured biomass and CP. Differences between methods were minimal (average percent error of 11.2% for difference between predicted values versus machine and quadrat harvested biomass values (1.64 and 4.91 t ha-1, respectively). The predicted CP regressed with those measured in a laboratory using NIRS produced an R2 of 0.75 for a hyperspectral model. Wheat model prediction of crude protein bore n R2 of 0.65 and tall fescue R2=0.83. These data suggest that using mobile sensor-based biomass and CP estimation models could be an effective alternative to the traditional clipping and laboratory methods for rapid, accurate in-field estimation.Plant & Soil Science

Sandy beach social–ecological systems at risk: regime shifts, collapses, and governance challenges

Approximately half of the world’s ice-free ocean coastline is composed of sandy beaches, which support a higher level of recreational use than any other ecosystem. However, the contribution of sandy beaches to societal welfare is under increasing risk from local and non-local pressures, including expanding human development and climate-related stressors. These pressures are impairing the capacity of beaches to meet recreational demand, provide food, protect livelihoods, and maintain biodiversity and water quality. This will increase the likelihood of social–ecological collapses and regime shifts, such that beaches will sustain neither the original ecosystem function nor the related services and societal goods and benefits that they provide. These social–ecological systems at the land–sea interface are subject to market forces, weak governance institutions, and societal indifference: most people want a beach, but few recognize it as an ecosystem at risk.CSIC: Grupos ID 3

Human dimensions of ecosystem-based management: Lessons in managing trade-offs from the Northern Shrimp Fishery in Northern Peninsula, Newfoundland

The final publication is available at Elsevier via https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2018.08.018 © 2018. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/Fisheries can have significant impacts on the structure and function of marine ecosystems, including impacts on habitats and non-target species. As a result, management agencies face growing calls to account for the ecosystem impacts of fishing, while navigating the political and economic interests of diverse stakeholders. This paper assesses the impacts of two specific factors on the attitudes and well-being of shrimp fishers in the context of a selective fisheries closure designed to protect crabs in the Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada: (1) the species portfolios of fishers; and (2) democratic rulemaking. The results of this analysis suggest that shrimp fishers were more likely to support selective closures for the shrimp fishery if they also fished for crab, and felt they had an influence on the management of the fishery. The results further indicate that species portfolio diversification had a positive and statistically significant impact on the subjective economic well-being of fishers. This study contributes to an emerging literature on the human dimensions of ecosystem-based fisheries management, highlighting opportunities to address trade-offs in fisheries through species diversification and by enhancing the role and influence of fishers in management processes.OceanCanada Partnership through a grant from the Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) of Canad

Towards greater transparency and coherence in funding for sustainable marine fisheries and healthy oceans

This final manuscript in the special issue on “Funding for ocean conservation and sustainable fisheries” is the result of a dialogue aimed at connecting lead authors of the special issue manuscripts with relevant policymakers and practitioners. The dialogue took place over the course of a two-day workshop in December 2018, and this “coda” manuscript seeks to distil thinking around a series of key recurring topics raised throughout the workshop. These topics are collected into three broad categories, or “needs”: 1) a need for transparency, 2) a need for coherence, and 3) a need for improved monitoring of project impacts. While the special issue sought to collect new research into the latest trends and developments in the rapidly evolving world of funding for ocean conservation and sustainable fisheries, the insights collected during the workshop have helped to highlight remaining knowledge gaps. Therefore, each of the three “needs” identified within this manuscript is followed by a series of questions that the workshop participants identified as warranting further attention as part of a future research agenda. The crosscutting nature of many of the issues raised as well as the rapid pace of change that characterizes this funding landscape both pointed to a broader need for continued dialogue and study that reaches across the communities of research, policy and practice.S

Integrating team science into interdisciplinary graduate education: an exploration of the SESYNC Graduate Pursuit

Complex socio-environmental challenges require interdisciplinary, team-based research capacity. Graduate students are fundamental to building such capacity, yet formal opportunities for graduate students to develop these capacities and skills are uncommon. This paper presents an assessment of the Graduate Pursuit (GP) program, a formal interdisciplinary team science graduate research and training program administered by the National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC). Quantitative and qualitative assessment of the program’s first cohort revealed that participants became significantly more comfortable with interdisciplinary research and team science approaches, increased their capacity to work across disciplines, and were enabled to produce tangible research outcomes. Qualitative analysis of four themes—(1) discipline, specialization, and shared purpose, (2) interpersonal skills and personality, (3) communication and teamwork, and (4) perceived costs and benefits—encompass participants’ positive and negative experiences and support findings from past assessments. The findings also identify challenges and benefits related to individual personality traits and team personality orientation, the importance of perceiving a sense of autonomy and independence, and the benefit of graduate training programs independent of the university and graduate program environment

Photonic quantum technologies

The first quantum technology, which harnesses uniquely quantum mechanical effects for its core operation, has arrived in the form of commercially available quantum key distribution systems that achieve enhanced security by encoding information in photons such that information gained by an eavesdropper can be detected. Anticipated future quantum technologies include large-scale secure networks, enhanced measurement and lithography, and quantum information processors, promising exponentially greater computation power for particular tasks. Photonics is destined for a central role in such technologies owing to the need for high-speed transmission and the outstanding low-noise properties of photons. These technologies may use single photons or quantum states of bright laser beams, or both, and will undoubtably apply and drive state-of-the-art developments in photonics

Burmese pythons in Florida: A synthesis of biology, impacts, and management tools

Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus) are native to southeastern Asia, however, there is an established invasive population inhabiting much of southern Florida throughout the Greater Everglades Ecosystem. Pythons have severely impacted native species and ecosystems in Florida and represent one of the most intractable invasive-species management issues across the globe. The difficulty stems from a unique combination of inaccessible habitat and the cryptic and resilient nature of pythons that thrive in the subtropical environment of southern Florida, rendering them extremely challenging to detect. Here we provide a comprehensive review and synthesis of the science relevant to managing invasive Burmese pythons. We describe existing control tools and review challenges to productive research, identifying key knowledge gaps that would improve future research and decision making for python control. (119 pp

Interdisciplinary views of fNIRS: Current advancements, equity challenges, and an agenda for future needs of a diverse fNIRS research community

Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) is an innovative and promising neuroimaging modality for studying brain activity in real-world environments. While fNIRS has seen rapid advancements in hardware, software, and research applications since its emergence nearly 30 years ago, limitations still exist regarding all three areas, where existing practices contribute to greater bias within the neuroscience research community. We spotlight fNIRS through the lens of different end-application users, including the unique perspective of a fNIRS manufacturer, and report the challenges of using this technology across several research disciplines and populations. Through the review of different research domains where fNIRS is utilized, we identify and address the presence of bias, specifically due to the restraints of current fNIRS technology, limited diversity among sample populations, and the societal prejudice that infiltrates today's research. Finally, we provide resources for minimizing bias in neuroscience research and an application agenda for the future use of fNIRS that is equitable, diverse, and inclusive