Impact of dredging on the volute Cymbiolacca pulchra and its environment at Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia

The impact of dredging operations on the volute Gastropod (Cymbiolacca pulchra) population of a coral reef atoll (Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia) was investigated using data from annual surveys of the population and its environment Comparisons were made of pre-dredging (1984 to 1986), during-dredging (1987) and post-dredging (1988 and 1989) summer densities and size distributions of volutes at eight locations on the reef. There was significant variation among the sites in the pre-dredging years with volutes restricted to four sites characterised by a combination ofre1ative1y low bommie cover « 2%) and high sand cover (> 75%). All four sites were influenced by the dredge plume during dredging operations (September to November 1987 and February 1988). Volute densities declined significantly during dredging (1987) compared to the pre-dredging years. In the following year (1988) the difference was highly significant with zero densities recorded. By 1989 there had been a recovery with no significant difference in the overall density of volutes although the density of small volutes was greater and larger volutes smaller compared to pre-dredging densities. From June 1985 to May 1986 monthly counts were made at all sites to examine seasonal patterns of recruitment Recruitment into the population occurred over much of the year, though it tended to be higher in the autumn months (March to May), presumably following summer breeding. We suggest that the declines in volute densities were probably due to a failure of recruitment during dredging coupled with a loss of large volutes which may have resulted from natural mortality, emigration, or dredging. The recovery probably followed immigration of large volutes from less affected areas. The environmental factors of percent cover of sand, rock, rubble, coral, bommies and macroalgae were also monitored and there were significant changes in the cover of algae, coral, sand and rubble. These changes are interpreted as covariates rather than causes of observed changes in volute densities. Post-dredging increases in the cover of algae persisted beyond the termination of this study

Perspectives on a Global Observing System to Assess Ocean Health

Concern over the deterioration of the oceans has generated a demand for a system able to assess ocean health globally, and approaches to assess ocean health globally and an observing system delivering the data to support this assessment are now being developed. In parallel with public health systems, a system to assess ocean health should evaluate the occurrence and severity of a set of syndromes of concern through a series of indicators composed from a parsimonious set of ecosystem essential ocean variables delivered by a coherent and robust observing system. The development of such approach for the global assessment of ocean health will help inform policies acting upon the drivers causing ocean syndromes and help ensure a healthy ocean for all

Effects of fishing in the Great Barrier Reef Region : proceedings of a workshop held under the auspices of the Advisory Committee on Research on Fishing in the Great Barrier Reef Region : summary report, February 19-24, 1989, Magnetic Island, Townsville, Qld

A scientific workshop was held in 1989 on the auspices of of the Advisory committee on Research on Fishing in the Great Barrier Reef Region to discuss and recommend a research program of the effects of fishing, particularly trawling, in the Great Barrier Reef Region

Geniculo-Cortical Projection Diversity Revealed within the Mouse Visual Thalamus

This is the final version of the article. It was first available from PLOS via http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0144846All dLGN cell co-ordinates, V1 injection sites, dLGN boundary coordinates, experimental protocols and analysis scripts are available for download from figshare at https://figshare.com/s/36c6d937b1844eec80a1.The mouse dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) is an intermediary between retina and primary visual cortex (V1). Recent investigations are beginning to reveal regional complexity in mouse dLGN. Using local injections of retrograde tracers into V1 of adult and neonatal mice, we examined the developing organisation of geniculate projection columns: the population of dLGN-V1 projection neurons that converge in cortex. Serial sectioning of the dLGN enabled the distribution of labelled projection neurons to be reconstructed and collated within a common standardised space. This enabled us to determine: the organisation of cells within the dLGN-V1 projection columns; their internal organisation (topology); and their order relative to V1 (topography). Here, we report parameters of projection columns that are highly variable in young animals and refined in the adult, exhibiting profiles consistent with shell and core zones of the dLGN. Additionally, such profiles are disrupted in adult animals with reduced correlated spontaneous activity during development. Assessing the variability between groups with partial least squares regression suggests that 4?6 cryptic lamina may exist along the length of the projection column. Our findings further spotlight the diversity of the mouse dLGN?an increasingly important model system for understanding the pre-cortical organisation and processing of visual information. Furthermore, our approach of using standardised spaces and pooling information across many animals will enhance future functional studies of the dLGN.Funding was provided by a Wellcome Trust grant jointly awarded to IDT and SJE (083205, www.wellcome.ac.uk), and by MRC PhD Studentships awarded to MNL and ACH (http://www.mrc.ac.uk/)

Making Marine Life Count: A New Baseline for Policy

The Census of Marine Life aids practical work of the Convention on Biological Diversity, discovers and tracks ocean biodiversity, and supports marine environmental planning

Are anthropogenic factors affecting nesting habitat of sea turtles? The case of Kanzul beach, Riviera Maya-Tulum (Mexico)

Marine coast modification and human pressure affects many species, including sea turtles. In order to study nine anthropogenic impacts that might affect nesting selection of females, incubation and hatching survival of loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and green turtle (Chelonia mydas), building structures were identified along a 5.2 km beach in Kanzul (Mexico). A high number of hotels and houses (88; 818 rooms), with an average density of 16.6 buildings per kilometer were found. These buildings form a barrier which prevents reaching the beach from inland, resulting in habitat fragmentation. Main pressures were detected during nesting selection (14.19% of turtle nesting attempts interrupted), and low impact were found during incubation (0.77%) and hatching (4.7%). There were three impacts defined as high: beach furniture that blocks out the movement of hatchlings or females, direct pressure by tourists, and artificial beachfront lighting that can potentially mislead hatchlings or females. High impacted areas showed lowest values in nesting selection and hatching success. Based on our results, we suggest management strategies to need to be implemented to reduce human pressure and to avoid nesting habitat loss of loggerhead and green turtle in Kanzul, Mexico

Four Regional Marine Biodiversity Studies: Approaches and Contributions to Ecosystem-Based Management

We compare objectives and approaches of four regional studies of marine biodiversity: Gulf of Maine Area Census of Marine Life, Baltic Sea History of Marine Animal Populations, Great Barrier Reef Seabed Biodiversity Project, and Gulf of Mexico Biodiversity Project. Each program was designed as an "ecosystem" scale but was created independently and executed differently. Each lasted 8 to 10 years, including several years to refine program objectives, raise funding, and develop research networks. All resulted in improved baseline data and in new, or revised, data systems. Each contributed to the creation or evolution of interdisciplinary teams, and to regional, national, or international science-management linkages. To date, there have been differing extents of delivery and use of scientific information to and by management, with greatest integration by the program designed around specific management questions. We evaluate each research program's relative emphasis on three principal elements of biodiversity organization: composition, structure, and function. This approach is used to analyze existing ecosystem-wide biodiversity knowledge and to assess what is known and where gaps exist. In all four of these systems and studies, there is a relative paucity of investigation on functional elements of biodiversity, when compared with compositional and structural elements. This is symptomatic of the current state of the science. Substantial investment in understanding one or more biodiversity element(s) will allow issues to be addressed in a timely and more integrative fashion. Evaluating research needs and possible approaches across specific elements of biodiversity organization can facilitate planning of future studies and lead to more effective communication between scientists, managers, and stakeholders. Building a general approach that captures how various studies have focused on different biodiversity elements can also contribute to meta-analyses of worldwide experience in scientific research to support ecosystem-based management