Enhanced adsorption of epoxy‐functional nanoparticles onto stainless steel significantly reduces friction in tribological studies

Epoxy-functional sterically-stabilized diblock copolymer nanoparticles (ca. 27 nm) are prepared via RAFT dispersion polymerization in mineral oil. Nanoparticle adsorption onto stainless steel is examined using a quartz crystal microbalance. Incorporating epoxy groups within the steric stabilizer chains results in a two-fold increase in the adsorbed amount, Γ, at 20 °C (7.6 mg m−2) compared to epoxy-core functional nanoparticles (3.7 mg m−2) or non-functional nanoparticles (3.8 mg m−2). A larger difference in Γ is observed at 40 °C; this suggests chemical adsorption of the nanoparticles rather than merely physical adsorption. A remarkable near five-fold increase in Γ is observed for ca. 50 nm epoxy-functional nanoparticles compared to non-functional nanoparticles (31.3 vs. 6.4 mg m−2, respectively). Tribological studies confirm that chemical adsorption of the latter epoxy-functional nanoparticles leads to a significant reduction in friction between 60 °C and 120 °C

Limits on Production of Magnetic Monopoles Utilizing Samples from the DO and CDF Detectors at the Tevatron

We present 90% confidence level limits on magnetic monopole production at the Fermilab Tevatron from three sets of samples obtained from the D0 and CDF detectors each exposed to a proton-antiproton luminosity of $\sim175 {pb}^{-1}$ (experiment E-882). Limits are obtained for the production cross-sections and masses for low-mass accelerator-produced pointlike Dirac monopoles trapped and bound in material surrounding the D0 and CDF collision regions. In the absence of a complete quantum field theory of magnetic charge, we estimate these limits on the basis of a Drell-Yan model. These results (for magnetic charge values of 1, 2, 3, and 6 times the minimum Dirac charge) extend and improve previously published bounds.Comment: 18 pages, 17 figures, REVTeX

A synthesis of three decades of socio-ecological change in False Bay, South Africa: setting the scene for multidisciplinary research and management

Over the past three decades, marine resource management has shifted conceptually from top-down sectoral approaches towards the more systems-oriented multi-stakeholder frameworks of integrated coastal management and ecosystem-based conservation. However, the successful implementation of such frameworks is commonly hindered by a lack of cross-disciplinary knowledge transfer, especially between natural and social sciences. This review represents a holistic synthesis of three decades of change in the oceanography, biology and human dimension of False Bay, South Africa. The productivity of marine life in this bay and its close vicinity to the steadily growing metropolis of Cape Town have led to its socio-economic significance throughout history. Considerable research has highlighted shifts driven by climate change, human population growth, serial overfishing, and coastal development. Upwelling-inducing winds have increased in the region, leading to cooling and likely to nutrient enrichment of the bay. Subsequently the distributions of key components of the marine ecosystem have shifted eastward, including kelp, rock lobsters, seabirds, pelagic fish, and several alien invasive species. Increasing sea level and exposure to storm surges contribute to coastal erosion of the sandy shorelines in the bay, causing losses in coastal infrastructure and posing risk to coastal developments. Since the 1980s, the human population of Cape Town has doubled, and with it pollution has amplified. Overfishing has led to drastic declines in the catches of numerous commercially and recreationally targeted fish, and illegal fishing is widespread. The tourism value of the bay contributes substantially to the country’s economy, and whale watching, shark-cage diving and water sports have become important sources of revenue. Compliance with fisheries and environmental regulations would benefit from a systems- oriented approach whereby coastal systems are managed holistically, embracing both social and ecological goals. In this context, we synthesize knowledge and provide recommendations for multidisciplinary research and monitoring to achieve a better balance between developmental and environmental agendas

Use of openly available occurrence data to generate biodiversity maps within the South African EEZ

Biodiversity maps are an important component of ecosystem-based management and conservation. In the past, biodiversity maps were largely generated using patchy occurrence data from a range of data sources. Currently, substantial species occurrence data are readily available for large parts of the world and are accessible programmatically. Considering both the observed and expected changes in species distributions, and hence biodiversity, in response to present and future climate change, it is important to utilise readily available species occurrence databases to generate temporal and spatial biodiversity maps. In this study biodiversity maps were generated for three generic functional groups within the exclusive economic zone of South Africa: zooplankton, fishes and benthos. This was achieved by stacking individual species-distribution maps. Freely available occurrence data from the Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS) were accessed for this purpose. Ensemble species-distribution modelling, employing five widely used statistical methods, was used to generate species-distribution maps for each functional group. The resulting spatial patterns of biodiversity for the three functional groups were largely in agreement with known patterns. The results of this study highlight the value of open-source occurrence and environmental data to generate biodiversity maps that can potentially be used in future spatial prioritisation or planning for management of marine areas and in environmental-change studies. Keywords: conservation planning, environmental data, mapping, marine areas, model stacking, open-source data, spatial pattern, speciesdistribution mode

Vagrant Subantarctic fur seals at Bouvetøya

Three vagrant Subantarctic fur seals, Arctocephalus tropicalis, were seen amongst a colony of Antarctic fur seals, A. gazella, at the isolated subantarctic island, Bouvetøya. Possible sources of the vagrants are populations at either Gough Island or the Prince Edward Islands Archipelago.Keywords: Arctocephalus tropicalis, Bouvetøya, vagrants, subantarcti

Evidence for density dependent population regulation in southern elephant seals in the southern Indian Ocean

The means by which populations are regulated form a central theme in conservation biology, and much debate has revolved around density dependence as a mechanism driving population change. Marion Island (46°54’S, 37°45’E) is host to a relatively small breeding population of southern elephant seals, which like its counterparts in the southern Indian and southern Pacific Oceans, have declined precipitously over the past few decades. An intensive mark– recapture study, which commenced in 1983, has yielded a long time-series of resight data on this population. We used the program MARK to estimate adult female survival in this population from resight data collected over the period 1986–1999. Including concurrent population counts as covariates significantly improved our mark–recapture models and suggests density dependent population regulation to be operational in the population. Although  predation may have been involved, it is far more likely that density dependent regulation has been based on a limited food supply. A significant increase in adult female survival was evident which is likely to have given rise to recent  changes in population growth.Key words: density dependence, southern elephant seals, Marion Island, population regulation

Pup growth and maternal attendance patterns in Subantarctic fur seals

Samples of pups from the expanding populations of Subantarctic fur seals  (Arctocephalus tropicalis) at Marion and Gough islands were weighed at specific ages between birth and weaning in the period 1993-2000. Growth was estimated and compared between years, sexes, sites of different density, and populations. Pups of comparable age were consistently heavier at Marion Island than at Gough Island, probably reflecting relative prey resource abundance. No changes in pup growth rates were apparent over the study period, nor was there any evidence that growth was affected by ENSO events. Measures of pup growth at Marion Island were complemented by measures of maternal attendance behaviour during three summer and winter  seasons. More years of data are required to determine patterns between attendance, growth, resource conditions and population abundance trends.Key words: Subantarctic fur seal, Marion Island, Gough Island, pup growth, maternal attendance behaviour

Cephalopod diet of the Cape fur seal, Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus, along the Namibian coast: variation due to location

Scats of the Cape fur seal, Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus, were sampled at four mainland colonies, Cape Cross, Atlas Bay,Wolf Bay and Van Reenen Bay, along the Namibian coast over a period of eight years (1994–2001) to assess the diversity and spatial variability in the cephalopod component of the seal diet. Additional scat samples were collected from the Possession Island seal colony (1999–2000) to gain a broader perspective of spatial variation. A uniform and low diversity of cephalopods, only six species amongst all colonies, was identified, indicating that independently the scat sampling method is unsatisfactory for determining species diversity within the diet. Given the ease of scat collection, this method does, however, provide valuable insight into the variability of the most important species in the diet. Ommastrephids dominated the cephalopod component of the diet of seals from Atlas/Wolf Bay and Cape Cross, both in terms of wet mass and numbers. Sepia australis proved to be numerically the most important cephalopod in the diet of seals from Possession Island and Van Reenen Bay, while Octopus magnificus dominated at these colonies in terms of wet mass. Contrary to previous findings it is suggested that seals from Van Reenen Bay and Possession Island forage south of the upwelling cell at Lüderitz (in the southern Benguela ecosystem), while previous evidence of Atlas/Wolf Bay and Cape Cross seals foraging north of this upwelling cell (in the northern Benguela ecosystem) is supported. Prey specimen size differences, within species between colonies, were identified, but lack of cephalopod life history and movement data, and scat sampling biases preclude adequate explanation of these findings, indicating the necessity for further studies.Keywords: Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus, cephalopods, spatial variation, diet, scat samples, Namibi