Lessons from cumulative effects assessment and management initiatives on the North Pacific Coast of British Columbia

The Marine Plan Partnership (MaPP) is a collaborative, government-to-government initiative between the Province of British Columbia and 17 member First Nations in an area that encompasses approximately 102,000 km2 along two-thirds of British Columbia’s coast. Between 2011 and 2016, the Partners worked together complete a set of comprehensive marine plans for four sub-regions and an accompanying Regional Action Framework (RAF) emphasizing ecosystem-based management (EBM) of coastal and marine ecosystems and resources. MaPP sub-regional plans and the RAF inform decisions on the sustainable economic development and stewardship of the North Pacific Coast’s ecosystems by providing recommendations for key areas of marine management. One area of focus is development and implementation of a framework for cumulative effects assessment and management. The framework is split into four phases: foundation, assessment, management, and monitoring, and results are iteratively updated through formal adaptive management. The MaPP team is currently using this framework to advance cumulative effects assessment and management in the Skeena Estuary, using best available science and local and traditional knowledge to identify a set of values, ecosystem indicators, potential drivers of change, and management benchmarks and triggers (i.e., levels of an indicator at which management should respond). We describe key lessons learned that are relevant for applying cumulative effects frameworks in other regions, including (1) methods for identifying values, pathways of effects models, and indicators for pilot values (e.g., estuaries, salmon, and access to marine resources); (2) the role of a collaborative governance model; and (3) challenges and opportunities for data collection, monitoring, storage and management

A review of the opportunities and challenges for using remote sensing for management of surface-canopy forming kelps

© The Author(s), 2021. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Cavanaugh, K. C., Bell, T., Costa, M., Eddy, N. E., Gendall, L., Gleason, M. G., Hessing-Lewis, M., Martone, R., McPherson, M., Pontier, O., Reshitnyk, L., Beas-Luna, R., Carr, M., Caselle, J. E., Cavanaugh, K. C., Miller, R. F., Hamilton, S., Heady, W. N., Hirsh, H. K., Hohman R., Lee L. C., Lorda J., Ray J., Reed D. C., Saccomanno V. R., Schroeder, S. B. A review of the opportunities and challenges for using remote sensing for management of surface-canopy forming kelps. Frontiers in Marine Science, 8, (2021): 753531, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.753531.Surface-canopy forming kelps provide the foundation for ecosystems that are ecologically, culturally, and economically important. However, these kelp forests are naturally dynamic systems that are also threatened by a range of global and local pressures. As a result, there is a need for tools that enable managers to reliably track changes in their distribution, abundance, and health in a timely manner. Remote sensing data availability has increased dramatically in recent years and this data represents a valuable tool for monitoring surface-canopy forming kelps. However, the choice of remote sensing data and analytic approach must be properly matched to management objectives and tailored to the physical and biological characteristics of the region of interest. This review identifies remote sensing datasets and analyses best suited to address different management needs and environmental settings using case studies from the west coast of North America. We highlight the importance of integrating different datasets and approaches to facilitate comparisons across regions and promote coordination of management strategies.Funding was provided by the Nature Conservancy (Grant No. 02042019-5719), the U.S. National Science Foundation (Grant No. OCE 1831937), and the U.S. Department of Energy ARPA-E (Grant No. DE-AR0000922)

Building relationships and facilitating immigrant community integration: An evaluation of a Cultural Navigator Program

Despite the United States’ long history of immigration, large and small communities around the country struggle to integrate newcomers into the social, economic, cultural, and political spheres of society. Utilizing results from the program evaluation of one public library’s Cultural Navigator Program (CNP), the authors illustrate how communities and public institutions can promote integration and relationship building between newly arrived immigrants and long-time residents. Existing social networks, conceptualized in this article as social capital, within receiving communities were leveraged to build capacity among newly arrived immigrants and foster inclusivity and integration at the community level. As a place of intervention, public libraries are suggested as a safe and shared space where community integration can be fostered. The program model is provided as an approach to immigrant community integration. Insights derived from the evaluation inform a discussion on engaging approaches to immigrant integration. The CNP utilized community networks to deliberately and systematically facilitate integration and relationship building between newly arrived immigrants and community members. Lessons learned and recommendations for program evaluators and administrators are provided

Comparative analytical performance of multiple plasma Aβ42 and Aβ40 assays and their ability to predict positron emission tomography amyloid positivity

INTRODUCTION: This report details the approach taken to providing a dataset allowing for analyses on the performance of recently developed assays of amyloid beta (Aβ) peptides in plasma and the extent to which they improve the prediction of amyloid positivity. METHODS: Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative plasma samples with corresponding amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) data were run on six plasma Aβ assays. Statistical tests were performed to determine whether the plasma Aβ measures significantly improved the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for predicting amyloid PET status compared to age and apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype. RESULTS: The age and APOE genotype model predicted amyloid status with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.75. Three assays improved AUCs to 0.81, 0.81, and 0.84 (P < .05, uncorrected for multiple comparisons). DISCUSSION: Measurement of Aβ in plasma contributes to addressing the amyloid component of the ATN (amyloid/tau/neurodegeneration) framework and could be a first step before or in place of a PET or cerebrospinal fluid screening study. HIGHLIGHTS: The Foundation of the National Institutes of Health Biomarkers Consortium evaluated six plasma amyloid beta (Aβ) assays using Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative samples. Three assays improved prediction of amyloid status over age and apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype. Plasma Aβ42/40 predicted amyloid positron emission tomography status better than Aβ42 or Aβ40 alone

Ancient origin of the biosynthesis of lignin precursors

BACKGROUND: Lignin plays an important role in plant structural support and water transport, and is considered one of the hallmarks of land plants. The recent discovery of lignin or its precursors in various algae has raised questions on the evolution of its biosynthetic pathway, which could be much more ancient than previously thought. To determine the taxonomic distribution of the lignin biosynthesis genes, we screened all publicly available genomes of algae and their closest non-photosynthetic relatives, as well as representative land plants. We also performed phylogenetic analysis of these genes to decipher the evolution and origin(s) of lignin biosynthesis. RESULTS: Enzymes involved in making p-coumaryl alcohol, the simplest lignin monomer, are found in a variety of photosynthetic eukaryotes, including diatoms, dinoflagellates, haptophytes, cryptophytes as well as green and red algae. Phylogenetic analysis of these enzymes suggests that they are ancient and spread to some secondarily photosynthetic lineages when they acquired red and/or green algal endosymbionts. In some cases, one or more of these enzymes was likely acquired through lateral gene transfer (LGT) from bacteria. CONCLUSIONS: Genes associated with p-coumaryl alcohol biosynthesis are likely to have evolved long before the transition of photosynthetic eukaryotes to land. The original function of this lignin precursor is therefore unlikely to have been related to water transport. We suggest that it participates in the biological defense of some unicellular and multicellular algae. REVIEWERS: This article was reviewed by Mark Ragan, Uri Gophna, Philippe Deschamps

A multimodal cell census and atlas of the mammalian primary motor cortex

ABSTRACT We report the generation of a multimodal cell census and atlas of the mammalian primary motor cortex (MOp or M1) as the initial product of the BRAIN Initiative Cell Census Network (BICCN). This was achieved by coordinated large-scale analyses of single-cell transcriptomes, chromatin accessibility, DNA methylomes, spatially resolved single-cell transcriptomes, morphological and electrophysiological properties, and cellular resolution input-output mapping, integrated through cross-modal computational analysis. Together, our results advance the collective knowledge and understanding of brain cell type organization: First, our study reveals a unified molecular genetic landscape of cortical cell types that congruently integrates their transcriptome, open chromatin and DNA methylation maps. Second, cross-species analysis achieves a unified taxonomy of transcriptomic types and their hierarchical organization that are conserved from mouse to marmoset and human. Third, cross-modal analysis provides compelling evidence for the epigenomic, transcriptomic, and gene regulatory basis of neuronal phenotypes such as their physiological and anatomical properties, demonstrating the biological validity and genomic underpinning of neuron types and subtypes. Fourth, in situ single-cell transcriptomics provides a spatially-resolved cell type atlas of the motor cortex. Fifth, integrated transcriptomic, epigenomic and anatomical analyses reveal the correspondence between neural circuits and transcriptomic cell types. We further present an extensive genetic toolset for targeting and fate mapping glutamatergic projection neuron types toward linking their developmental trajectory to their circuit function. Together, our results establish a unified and mechanistic framework of neuronal cell type organization that integrates multi-layered molecular genetic and spatial information with multi-faceted phenotypic properties

Geographic variation in species demography and community structure in temperate rocky reefs

Geographic variation in coastal marine upwelling creates a complex seascape of environmental conditions that underlie biogeographic patterns of demographic rates, species distributions, and the structure of marine assemblages. Quantitative descriptions of spatial and temporal variation in assemblages can identify potential processes that regulate structure and dynamics of species at different scales. Understanding the spatial patterns of species demography and structure of assemblages across the seascape also informs more applied endeavors such as fisheries management, conservation of species diversity and species response to global change. This dissertation addresses patterns of community structure and demographic variation of populations in temperate kelp forest ecosystems and explores mechanisms that may generate these patterns. In Chapter 1, I present one of the first comprehensive studies of kelp forest community structure across variable upwelling conditions. Variation in the strength and frequency of upwelling can influence coastal marine assemblages through bottom-up effects of temperature, nutrients, and larval delivery. However, high variability in community structure may exist at local scales due to species interactions, habitat structure, and other local-scale processes. I ask whether benthic species vary across regional scales (10s-100s km), reflecting variation in upwelling, or at local-scales (1-10s km), signaling possible effects of local processes. From replicate detailed surveys of kelp forest flora and fauna, I explicitly test the assumption that subtidal benthic communities exhibit variation in the abundance of dominant benthic functional groups associated with regional-scale variation in upwelling. I demonstrate that upwelling processes regulate biomass of functional groups in kelp forest assemblages, but that local-scale patterns are important for some species, highlighting the need to look at both aggregate and compositional aspects of natural assemblages. In Chapters 2 and 3, I compare life history traits (i.e. growth, fecundity, and survival) among populations of Megastraea undosa, a benthic turbinid snail, across different upwelling regimes. Geographic variation in life history traits underlies patterns of population persistence, biogeography, evolutionary biology, and predicted response to global change and resource management; but, geographic variation in life history traits has received little attention, particularly in marine conservation and management. Variation in coastal upwelling dynamics leads to differences in both temperature and food availability, two factors that can affect energy available for individual maintenance, reproduction and growth. However, temperature and food availability are negatively correlated in coastal marine systems dominated by upwelling and may lead to reduced energy available for multiple life history traits. In Chapter 2, I examine whether geographic variation in upwelling leads to trade-offs between growth and reproduction in Megastraea undosa, and whether geographic differences in trade-offs lead to differences in average individual fitness between populations. Using mark-recapture and histology techniques, I demonstrate that geographic variation in trade-offs between growth and reproduction exists and is related to variation in upwelling. In cold, nutrient-rich waters, higher growth rates lead to lower reproductive allocation, while in regions of less persistent upwelling, the opposite occurs. However, these two different life history strategies lead to similar lifetime cumulative reproductive output between regions. These results highlight the importance of considering multiple life history traits rather than single traits when examining geographic variation in population dynamics. Furthermore, I show that applying similar fisheries regulations across populations with varying demography may result in local depletion of populations. In Chapter 3, I examine whether a relationship between seawater temperature and individual growth of M. undosa exists, and if this relationship varies with regional variation in upwelling conditions. I reconstruct time series of water temperature and growth of M. undosa using isotopes and growth marks in calcium carbonate opercula. Results indicate that M. undosa growth is correlated with water temperature, but the direction of the correlation depends on upwelling region. The mechanisms causing spatial variation in these relationships are likely the direct effects of temperature on metabolism coupled with the indirect responses of the dominant macroalgae to upwelling intensity and energy allocation to other vital rates

Identifying potential consequences of natural perturbations and management decisions on a coastal fishery social-ecological system using qualitative loop analysis

Managing for sustainable development and resource extraction requires an understanding of the feedbacks between ecosystems and humans. These feedbacks are part of complex social-ecological systems (SES), in which resources, actors, and governance systems interact to produce outcomes across these component parts. Qualitative modeling approaches offer ways to assess complex SES dynamics. Loop analysis in particular is useful for examining and identifying potential outcomes from external perturbations and management interventions in data poor systems when very little is known about functional relationships and parameter values. Using a case study of multi-species, multi-fleet coastal small-scale fisheries, we demonstrate the application of loop analysis to provide predictions regarding SES responses to perturbations and management actions. Specifically, we examine the potential ecological and socioeconomic consequences to coastal fisheries of different governance interventions (e.g., territorial user rights, fisheries closures, market-based incentives, ecotourism subsidies) and environmental changes. Our results indicate that complex feedbacks among biophysical and socioeconomic components can result in counterintuitive and unexpected outcomes. For example, creating new jobs through ecotourism or subsidies might have mixed effects on members of fishing cooperatives vs. non members, highlighting equity issues. Market-based interventions, such as ecolabels, are expected to have overall positive economic effects, assuming a direct effect of ecolabels on market-prices, and a lack of negative biological impacts under most model structures. Our results highlight that integrating ecological and social variables in a unique unit of management can reveal important potential trade-offs between desirable ecological and social outcomes, highlight what user groups might be more vulnerable to external shocks, and identify which interventions should be further tested to identify potential win-win outcomes across the triple-bottom line of the sustainable development paradigm

Identifying potential consequences of natural perturbations and management decisions on a coastal fishery social-ecological system using qualitative loop analysis

Managing for sustainable development and resource extraction requires an understanding of the feedbacks between ecosystems and humans. These feedbacks are part of complex social-ecological systems (SES), in which resources, actors, and governance systems interact to produce outcomes across these component parts. Qualitative modeling approaches offer ways to assess complex SES dynamics. Loop analysis in particular is useful for examining and identifying potential outcomes from external perturbations and management interventions in data poor systems when very little is known about functional relationships and parameter values. Using a case study of multispecies, multifleet coastal small-scale fisheries, we demonstrate the application of loop analysis to provide predictions regarding SES responses to perturbations and management actions. Specifically, we examine the potential ecological and socioeconomic consequences to coastal fisheries of different governance interventions (e.g., territorial user rights, fisheries closures, market-based incentives, ecotourism subsidies) and environmental changes. Our results indicate that complex feedbacks among biophysical and socioeconomic components can result in counterintuitive and unexpected outcomes. For example, creating new jobs through ecotourism or subsidies might have mixed effects on members of fishing cooperatives vs. nonmembers, highlighting equity issues. Market-based interventions, such as ecolabels, are expected to have overall positive economic effects, assuming a direct effect of ecolabels on market-prices, and a lack of negative biological impacts under most model structures. Our results highlight that integrating ecological and social variables in a unique unit of management can reveal important potential trade-offs between desirable ecological and social outcomes, highlight which user groups might be more vulnerable to external shocks, and identify which interventions should be further tested to identify potential win-win outcomes across the triple-bottom line of the sustainable development paradigm