Distinct Bacterial Communities in Surficial Seafloor Sediments Following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Blowout

A major fraction of the petroleum hydrocarbons discharged during the 2010 Macondo oil spill became associated with and sank to the seafloor as marine snow flocs. This sedimentation pulse induced the development of distinct bacterial communities. Between May 2010 and July 2011, full-length 16S rRNA gene clone libraries demonstrated bacterial community succession in oil-polluted sediment samples near the wellhead area. Libraries from early May 2010, before the sedimentation event, served as the baseline control. Freshly deposited oil-derived marine snow was collected on the surface of sediment cores in September 2010, and was characterized by abundantly detected members of the marine Roseobacter cluster within the Alphaproteobacteria. Samples collected in mid-October 2010 closest to the wellhead contained members of the sulfate-reducing, anaerobic bacterial families Desulfobacteraceae and Desulfobulbaceae within the Deltaproteobacteria, suggesting that the oil-derived sedimentation pulse triggered bacterial oxygen consumption and created patchy anaerobic microniches that favored sulfate-reducing bacteria. Phylotypes of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-degrading genus Cycloclasticus, previously found both in surface oil slicks and the deep hydrocarbon plume, were also found in oil-derived marine snow flocs sedimenting on the seafloor in September 2010, and in surficial sediments collected in October and November 2010, but not in any of the control samples. Due to the relative recalcitrance and stability of polycyclic aromatic compounds, Cycloclasticus represents the most persistent microbial marker of seafloor hydrocarbon deposition that we could identify in this dataset. The bacterial imprint of the DWH oil spill had diminished in late November 2010, when the bacterial communities in oil-impacted sediment samples collected near the Macondo wellhead began to resemble their pre-spill counterparts and spatial controls. Samples collected in summer of 2011 did not show a consistent bacterial community signature, suggesting that the bacterial community was no longer shaped by the DWH fallout of oil-derived marine snow, but instead by location-specific and seasonal factors

Monitoring international migration flows in Europe. Towards a statistical data base combining data from different sources

The paper reviews techniques developed in demography, geography and statistics that are useful for bridging the gap between available data on international migration flows and the information required for policy making and research. The basic idea of the paper is as follows: to establish a coherent and consistent data base that contains sufficiently detailed, up-to-date and accurate information, data from several sources should be combined. That raises issues of definition and measurement, and of how to combine data from different origins properly. The issues may be tackled more easily if the statistics that are being compiled are viewed as different outcomes or manifestations of underlying stochastic processes governing migration. The link between the processes and their outcomes is described by models, the parameters of which must be estimated from the available data. That may be done within the context of socio-demographic accounting. The paper discusses the experience of the U.S. Bureau of the Census in combining migration data from several sources. It also summarizes the many efforts in Europe to establish a coherent and consistent data base on international migration. The paper was written at IIASA. It is part of the Migration Estimation Study, which is a collaborative IIASA-University of Groningen project, funded by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO). The project aims at developing techniques to obtain improved estimates of international migration flows by country of origin and country of destination

Linking coral recruitment to reef recovery in the Anthropocene

Coral reefs are among the most biodiverse and valuable ecosystems on Earth, providing food, coastal protection, and jobs for over a billion people worldwide. Coral reefs are also among the most imperiled by global climate change and local stressors that cause degradation. Disturbances that kill corals are becoming more frequent and intense and it has become increasingly important to understand how disturbances impact the recovery potential of coral reefs and which processes are most important for driving recovery. In my dissertation work I utilized time series data from the Moorea Coral Reef LTER along with observational approaches and field experiments to investigate the impacts of disturbances on coral communities, identify processes that drive recovery after disturbance, and understand the mechanisms shape early demographic processes in corals. I first investigated the impacts of a severe marine heatwave on coral communities in Moorea, French Polynesia, and found that coral bleaching caused disproportionate mortality of the largest, most fecund corals and near complete loss of newly-settled coral recruits. This work suggests that climate change may cryptically erode the recovery capacity of coral reefs by disproportionately impacting the coral life stages most important for recovery. Reefs in Moorea have a history of recovering from disturbance, and prior to the bleaching event reefs were recovering from an outbreak of the coral-eating sea star, Acanthaster planci, and a cyclone that killed nearly all corals on the outer reefs. I investigated the drivers of differences in recovery rates between deep and shallow reefs and found that slower recovery on deeper reefs was driven by lower rates of coral recruitment and post-settlement bottlenecks that limited the establishment of new corals. My work points to the importance of post-settlement processes that dictate rates of coral recruitment and ultimately reef recovery. Next, I investigated how benthic communities shape the settlement choices of coral larvae, and found that larvae made complex settlement choices that were strongly influenced by benthic community composition at the scale of millimeters. This work improves our ability to understand and predict how coral communities will respond to disturbances in the Anthropocene

Improving mental health literacy in the university setting: the role of mental health first aid

The impact of mental illness within the Australian population has become increasingly apparent. The 2007 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing (SMHWB) conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics found that 1 in 5 Australians aged between 16 and 85 years experienced one or more of the common mental disorders in the 12 months prior to the survey (AIHW 2010). More than one quarter (26%) of people aged between 16-24 years experienced a mental health disorder in the preceding 12 months. Almost two thirds of people (65%) identified in the survey as having symptoms of a mental health disorder in the past 12 months did not use a service for their mental health problems.\ud \ud In line with the general population, the number of university students with a serious mental illness has increased significantly. A systematic review of students with mental health problems identified the major problems experienced by university students include anxiety, depression and psychotic disorders. The level of distress experienced by these students was noted to be very high with 83% of students moderately or severely distressed (Storrie, Ahern & Tuckett 2010).\ud \ud Failure to progress satisfactorily may be an indicator of developing, or established, mental health problems. A US study revealed that emotional health had a major effect on the student's academic ability and intent to withdraw from University (Pritchard & Wilson 2003). Academic and administrative support staff interact frequently with students, and are well placed to assist students with emerging mental health issues by providing them with appropriate information and referral options, yet many staff, lack knowledge of common mental health issues.\ud In this presentation, we report on the findings from our study that aimed to improve the mental health literacy of academic and administrative staff in an attempt to enable them to identify and respond more effectively to students experiencing an emerging mental health problem. Our results demonstrate how the introduction of the 12 hour Mental Health First Aid course builds capacity within the staff and results in better outcomes for staff as well as students

Estimates of fish and coral larvae as nutrient subsidies to coral reef ecosystems

Nutrient subsidies are essential for the functioning of many ecosystems. A long‐standing conundrum in coral reef ecology is how these systems can be among the most productive globally, but persist in nutrient‐poor conditions. Here, we investigate the importance of the larvae of fishes and corals and gametes of corals as nutrient subsidies for coral reefs. We provide evidence that fish larvae may be an ecologically important source of exogenous nutrients. We found that at the high end of mean estimates of fish larval supply rates, larvae can replace the nutrients in the entire fish community (estimated from Caribbean coral reefs) in 28 and 434 d for nitrogen (N) and phosphorus, respectively. Coral larvae, on the other hand, appear to represent only a fraction of the nutrients supplied by the larval fish community. In contrast, coral gametes provide substantial pulses of recycled nutrients during synchronous spawning events. Within a single night, gametes from coral spawning events can produce nutrient fluxes that represent 13 and 64 times the amount of N and carbon, respectively, stored in coral reef fish communities. Our analysis suggests that larvae and/or gametes of fishes and corals may represent an important, but previously underappreciated, source of nutrients to coral reefs that warrant inclusion into models of nutrient dynamics and ecosystem function.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/144262/1/ecs22216_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/144262/2/ecs22216.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/144262/3/ecs22216-sup-0002-AppendixS2.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/144262/4/ecs22216-sup-0001-AppendixS1.pd

Management of the slowly emerging zoonosis, Hendra virus, by private veterinarians in Queensland, Australia: a qualitative study

Background: Veterinary infection control for the management of Hendra virus (HeV), an emerging zoonosis in Australia, remained suboptimal until 2010 despite 71.4% (5/7) of humans infected with HeV being veterinary personnel or assisting a veterinarian, three of whom died before 2009. The aim of this study was to identify the perceived barriers to veterinary infection control and HeV management in private veterinary practice in Queensland, where the majority of HeV outbreaks have occurred in Australia.\ud \ud Results: Most participants agreed that a number of key factors had contributed to the slow uptake of adequate infection control measures for the management of HeV amongst private veterinarians: a work culture characterised by suboptimal infection control standards and misconceptions about zoonotic risks; a lack of leadership and support from government authorities; the difficulties of managing biosecurity and public health issues from a private workforce perspective; and the slow pattern of emergence of HeV. By 2010, some infection control and HeV management changes had been implemented. Participants interviewed agreed that further improvements remained necessary; but also cautioned that this was a complex process which would require time.\ud \ud Conclusion: Private veterinarians and government authorities prior to 2009 were unprepared to handle new slowly emerging zoonoses, which may explain their mismanagement of HeV. Slowly emerging zoonoses may be of low public health significance but of high significance for specialised groups such as veterinarians. Private veterinarians, who are expected to fulfil an active biosecurity and public health role in the frontline management of such emerging zoonoses, need government agencies to better recognise their contribution, to consult with the veterinary profession when devising guidelines for the management of zoonoses and to provide them with greater leadership and support. We propose that specific infection control guidelines for the management of slowly emerging zoonoses in private veterinary settings need to be developed

Difficulties experienced by veterinarians when communicating about emerging zoonotic risks with animal owners: the case of Hendra virus

Background: Communication skills are essential for veterinarians who need to discuss animal health related matters with their clients. When dealing with an emerging zoonosis, such as Hendra virus (HeV), veterinarians also have a legal responsibility to inform their clients about the associated risks to human health. Here we report on part of a mixed methods study that examined the preparedness of, and difficulties experienced by, veterinarians communicating about HeV-related risks with their clients.Methods: Phase 1 was an exploratory, qualitative study that consisted of a series of face-to-face, semi-structured interviews with veterinary personnel from Queensland, Australia (2009-10) to identify the barriers to HeV management in equine practices. Phase 2a was a quantitative study that surveyed veterinarians from the same region (2011) and explored the veterinarians' preparedness and willingness to communicate about HeV-related risks, and the reactions of their clients that they experienced. The second study included both multiple choice and open-ended questions.Results: The majority of the participants from Phase 2a (83.1%) declared they had access to a HeV management plan and over half (58.6%) had ready-to-use HeV information available for clients within their practice. Most (87%) reported "always or sometimes" informing clients about HeV-related risks when a horse appeared sick. When HeV was suspected, 58.1% of participants reported their clients were receptive to their safety directives and 24.9% of clients were either initially unreceptive, overwhelmed by fear, or in denial of the associated risks. The thematic analysis of the qualitative data from Phases 1 and 2a uncovered similar themes in relation to HeV-related communication issues experienced by veterinarians: "clients' intent to adhere"; "adherence deemed redundant"; "misunderstanding or denial of risk"; "cost"; "rural culture"; "fear for reputation". The theme of "emotional state of clients" was only identified during Phase 1.Conclusion: Warning horse owners about health and safety issues that may affect them when present in a veterinary work environment is a legal requirement for veterinarians. However, emerging zoonoses are unpredictable events that may require a different communication approach. Future training programs addressing veterinary communication skills should take into account the particular issues inherent to managing an emerging zoonosis and emphasise the importance of maintaining human safety. Veterinary communication skills and approaches required when dealing with emerging zoonoses should be further investigated