Testing methods to mitigate Caribbean yellow-band disease on Orbicella faveolata

Outbreaks of coral diseases continue to reduce global coral populations. In the Caribbean, yellow band is a severe and wide-spread disease that commonly affects corals of the Orbicella spp. complex, significantly impeding coral reproduction, and hindering the natural recovery of Orbicella spp. populations. Caribbean yellow-band disease (CYBD) lesions may be severe, and often result in the complete loss of coral tissue. The slow spread of CYBD, however, provides an opportunity to test methods to mitigate the disease. Here we report the results of in situ experiments, conducted within Buck Island Reef National Monument in St. Croix, USVI, to test the effectiveness of three techniques to minimize disease impact on Orbicella faveolata: (1) shading, (2) aspirating, and (3) chiseling a “firebreak” to isolate the lesion. Neither shading nor aspirating the diseased tissue significantly reduced CYBD tissue loss. However, chiseling reduced the rate and amount of tissue lost by 31%. While 30–40% of the chiseled lesions appeared to be free of disease signs 12–16 months after treatment, success significantly and steadily declined over 23 months, indicating a possible lack of long-term viability of the technique. The results of this study demonstrate that creating a “firebreak” between diseased and healthy- appearing tissue slows the spread of the disease and may prolong the life of O. faveolata colonies. The firebreak method yielded the best results of all the techniques tested, and also required the least amount of effort and resources. However, we do not recommend that this treatment alone be used for long-term disease mitigation. Rather, we propose that modifications of this and other treatment options be sought. The results also highlight the need for extended monitoring of CYBD after any treatment, due to the slow but variable rate and pattern of tissue loss in this disease

Testing methods to mitigate Caribbean yellow-band disease on Orbicella faveolata

Outbreaks of coral diseases continue to reduce global coral populations. In the Caribbean, yellow band is a severe and wide-spread disease that commonly affects corals of the Orbicella spp. complex, significantly impeding coral reproduction, and hindering the natural recovery of Orbicella spp. populations. Caribbean yellow-band disease (CYBD) lesions may be severe, and often result in the complete loss of coral tissue. The slow spread of CYBD, however, provides an opportunity to test methods to mitigate the disease. Here we report the results of in situ experiments, conducted within Buck Island Reef National Monument in St. Croix, USVI, to test the effectiveness of three techniques to minimize disease impact on Orbicella faveolata: (1) shading, (2) aspirating, and (3) chiseling a “firebreak” to isolate the lesion. Neither shading nor aspirating the diseased tissue significantly reduced CYBD tissue loss. However, chiseling reduced the rate and amount of tissue lost by 31%. While 30–40% of the chiseled lesions appeared to be free of disease signs 12–16 months after treatment, success significantly and steadily declined over 23 months, indicating a possible lack of long-term viability of the technique. The results of this study demonstrate that creating a “firebreak” between diseased and healthy-appearing tissue slows the spread of the disease and may prolong the life of O. faveolata colonies. The firebreak method yielded the best results of all the techniques tested, and also required the least amount of effort and resources. However, we do not recommend that this treatment alone be used for long-term disease mitigation. Rather, we propose that modifications of this and other treatment options be sought. The results also highlight the need for extended monitoring of CYBD after any treatment, due to the slow but variable rate and pattern of tissue loss in this disease

Maximum (prior) brain size, not atrophy, correlates with cognition in community-dwelling older people: a cross-sectional neuroimaging study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Brain size is associated with cognitive ability in adulthood (correlation ~ .3), but few studies have investigated the relationship in normal ageing, particularly beyond age 75 years. With age both brain size and fluid-type intelligence decline, and regional atrophy is often suggested as causing decline in specific cognitive abilities. However, an association between brain size and intelligence may be due to the persistence of this relationship from earlier life.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We recruited 107 community-dwelling volunteers (29% male) aged 75–81 years for cognitive testing and neuroimaging. We used principal components analysis to derived a 'general cognitive factor' (g) from tests of fluid-type ability. Using semi-automated analysis, we measured whole brain volume, intracranial area (ICA) (an estimate of maximal brain volume), and volume of frontal and temporal lobes, amygdalo-hippocampal complex, and ventricles. Brain atrophy was estimated by correcting WBV for ICA.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Whole brain volume (WBV) correlated with general cognitive ability (g) (r = .21, P < .05). Statistically significant associations between brain areas and specific cognitive abilities became non-significant when corrected for maximal brain volume (estimated using ICA), i.e. there were no statistically significant associations between atrophy and cognitive ability. The association between WBV and g was largely attenuated (from .21 to .03: i.e. attenuating the variance by 98%) by correcting for ICA. ICA accounted for 6.2% of the variance in g in old age, whereas atrophy accounted for < 1%.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The association between brain regions and specific cognitive abilities in community dwelling people of older age is due to the life-long association between whole brain size and general cognitive ability, rather than atrophy of specific regions. Researchers and clinicians should therefore be cautious of interpreting global or regional brain atrophy on neuroimaging as contributing to cognitive status in older age without taking into account prior mental ability and brain size.</p

Hiding from the Moonlight: Luminosity and Temperature Affect Activity of Asian Nocturnal Primates in a Highly Seasonal Forest

The effect of moonlight and temperature on activity of slow lorises was previously little known and this knowledge might be useful for understanding many aspects of their behavioural ecology, and developing strategies to monitor and protect populations. In this study we aimed to determine if the activity of the pygmy loris (Nycticebus pygmaeus) is affected by ambient temperature and/or moonlight in a mixed deciduous forest. We radio-collared five females and five males in the Seima Protection Forest, Cambodia, in February to May, 2008 and January to March, 2009 and recorded their behaviour at 5 minutes intervals, totalling 2736 observations. We classified each observation as either inactive (sleeping or alert) or active behaviour (travel, feeding, grooming, or others). Moon luminosity (bright/dark) and ambient temperature were recorded for each observation. The response variable, activity, was binary (active or inactive), and a logit link function was used. Ambient temperature alone did not significantly affect mean activity. Although mean activity was significantly affected by moonlight, the interaction between moonlight and temperature was also significant: on bright nights, studied animals were increasingly more active with higher temperature; and on dark nights they were consistently active regardless of temperature. The most plausible explanation is that on bright cold nights the combined risk of being seen and attacked by predators and heat loss outweigh the benefit of active behaviours

The Conservation and Ecology of the Pygmy Slow Loris (Nycticebus pygmaeus) in Eastern Cambodia

In Cambodia, the sale of large numbers of dried pygmy slow loris (Nycticebus pygmaeus) carcasses has been frequently reported since the 1990s, and recent large-scale deforestation has occurred within its distributional range. It is listed as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List, and in Appendix 1 of CITES based on increasing and unsustainable trade, habitat loss and degradation. However, little was known of the ecology, behaviour, and conservation status of this small nocturnal primate; this thesis aimed to determine the ecology and use of the species in Cambodia. The first experiment (Chapter 3) evaluated the effectiveness of three sampling methods in detecting animals at two field sites. Spotlighting with a red filter was found to be an effective method, recording a mean encounter rate of 0.33 animals km-1. No animals were detected in arboreal wire cage traps or on tracking plates. I collected spotlighting data and interview data from local communities to survey the relative abundance, distribution, diet, sociality and habitat preference of the species in three protected areas in eastern Cambodia and found these were consistent between the two data sets (Chapter 4). Importantly, these data indicated recent severe population declines. I radio-collared 10 individuals and conducted focal animal follows across two seasons in 2008 and 2009 to collect ecological data (Chapter 5, 6 and 7). Mean (± SD) home range sizes were 22.23 ± 10.28 ha in adult males (n = 3), 12.08 ± 1.73 ha in adult females (n = 4) and 12.49 ± 2.16 ha in sub-adults (n = 3). Animals primarily slept alone at sleep sites (43/45 observations) located in thick vegetation high in the canopy (mean ±SD) height = 8.45±3.74 m). Adult males displayed a large testes volume (mean (±SD) = 2326.54 ± 132.67 mm3) when compared to other nocturnal primates. Adult males had a larger and more variable home range size and nightly travel distance when compared to adult females, and there was no significant difference in mean body weight (p=0.67), or head-body length (p=0.74) between the sexes. Adult males slept at sites along the perimeter of their home range and rarely returned to the same sleep sites. Adult females usually returned to the same sleep sites, and these sites were located closer to the centre of home ranges. These findings suggest this species may have a promiscuous copulatory pattern. Observations of feeding and analysis of scats indicated a diverse diet, consisting of gums, fruits, arthropods, flower parts, fungi, parts of bamboo culms, reptiles, small mammals, lichen and/or fungi. Radio-tracked animals were consistently active on dark nights (p=0.02). Temperature alone did not have an effect on activity (p=0.81). There was a significant interaction between moonlight and temperature (p=0.04), with animals increasing activity with higher ambient temperatures only on bright nights. This interaction indicated that both predation and heat loss influence activity. Lastly, I conducted interviews and questionnaires to determine the use and users of lorises, and whether access to alternative therapies may reduce the use (Chapter 8). Traditional medicine sellers identified slow lorises (Nycticebus spp.) are the most requested animal product in Phnom Penh (84.68%, 94/111) and the primary user group was women (76%, 38/50) between 25 to 45 years old (92%, 46/50) from middle to upper class backgrounds (84.61%, 55/65). Slow lorises were predominantly used in a tonic for women after childbirth (69%, 77/111), stomach problems (54.1%, 60/111), healing wounds (54.1%, 60/111) and broken bones (53.2%, 59/111), and treating sexually transmitted diseases (16.2%, 18/111). Supplies are sourced from protected areas, and the market price per animal had more than doubled from 1997 to 2007. Respondents expressed reluctance to substitute loris medicines with alternatives. Low encounter rates and reports of large-scale decline (Chapter 4), large spatial requirements (Chapter 5), and the popularity and use of this species in traditional medicines (Chapter 8) indicate that if the current decimation of populations and forests across Eastern Cambodia continues, extinction of these populations is likely. These findings highlight the urgent need for protection of remaining habitats, and education and enhanced law enforcement initiatives to curtail large-scale hunting and sale of this species in Cambodia

Obligate exudativory characterizes the diet of the pygmy slow loris Nycticebus pygmaeus

Few primate species are known to excavate plant sources to procure exudates and other foods via active gouging. It is now apparent that slow lorises belong to this rare guild of obligate exudativorous primates. We investigate the diet of the pygmy loris (Nycticebus pygmaeus) in a mixed deciduous forest in the Seima Protection Forest, Eastern Cambodia, and attempted to determine the importance of this resource in their diet. Feeding behaviors of six females and seven males were observed using radio-tracking to facilitate follows, and nine fecal samples were collected in February-May and January-March in 2008 and 2009 respectively. We observed 168 feeding bouts, during which the animals ate exudates (76); fruits (33); arthropods (27); flower parts (21); fungi (3); parts of bamboo culms (7); and reptiles (1). We filmed 19 bouts of exudativory, and observed animals consuming exudates in an orthograde posture, or standing quadrupedally over the exudate source. Pygmy lorises also gouged bamboo to collect lichen and fungi, or broke open dead culms to access invertebrates. Feeding occurred on terminal tree branches (24), tree trunks (21), bamboo (13), the middle of branches (7), and the undergrowth (1). The fecal samples contained plant parts, small-sized arthropods (primarily Coleoptera and Lepidoptera), reptile scales, animal bones, and animal hairs. Pygmy slow lorises are morphologically specialized for processing and digesting exudates, displaying small body sizes, specialized dentitions, elongated, and narrow tongues, large caecums, short duodenums, expanded volar pads, and modified hindlimbs. These features, combined with the prevalence of exudates in their diet across seasons, and ill health when exudates are missing from their diet in captivity, points to this species being an obligate exudativore. copy; 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Traditional use of slow lorises Nycticebus bengalensis and N. pygmaeus in Cambodia: an impediment to their conservation

In Cambodia, periodic reports since the 1990s have identified the sale of large numbers of dried pygmy Nycticebus pygmaeus and northern slow lorises N. bengalensis in traditional medicine stores. We used interviews and questionnaires to identify the uses and users of lorises, elucidate factors affecting selection of loris medicines, and determine whether access to alternative therapies may reduce the use of loris medicines. Pygmy lorises were found to be the most commonly requested animal from traditional medicine stores in Cambodia's capital Phnom Penh, and the primary users recalled by sellers were women between the ages of 25 and 45 from middle to upper class backgrounds. Slow lorises were predominantly used in a tonic for women after childbirth, stomach problems, healing wounds and broken bones, and in the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases. Lorises were reported to be sourced from provinces with large protected areas within their distribution ranges. Market values of both species more than doubled from 1997 to 2007; however, the majority of respondents expressed reluctance to substitute loris medicines with alternatives, indicating that promotion of alternatives would be an inappropriate conservation tool. Education and enhanced law enforcement are vital to conserve slow lorises in Cambodia

Testing methods to mitigate Caribbean yellow-band disease on Orbicella faveolata

Outbreaks of coral diseases continue to reduce global coral populations. In the Caribbean, yellow band is a severe and wide-spread disease that commonly affects corals of the Orbicella spp. complex, significantly impeding coral reproduction, and hindering the natural recovery of Orbicella spp. populations. Caribbean yellow-band disease (CYBD) lesions may be severe, and often result in the complete loss of coral tissue. The slow spread of CYBD, however, provides an opportunity to test methods to mitigate the disease. Here we report the results of in situ experiments, conducted within Buck Island Reef National Monument in St. Croix, USVI, to test the effectiveness of three techniques to minimize disease impact on Orbicella faveolata: (1) shading, (2) aspirating, and (3) chiseling a “firebreak” to isolate the lesion. Neither shading nor aspirating the diseased tissue significantly reduced CYBD tissue loss. However, chiseling reduced the rate and amount of tissue lost by 31%. While 30–40% of the chiseled lesions appeared to be free of disease signs 12–16 months after treatment, success significantly and steadily declined over 23 months, indicating a possible lack of long-term viability of the technique. The results of this study demonstrate that creating a “firebreak” between diseased and healthy- appearing tissue slows the spread of the disease and may prolong the life of O. faveolata colonies. The firebreak method yielded the best results of all the techniques tested, and also required the least amount of effort and resources. However, we do not recommend that this treatment alone be used for long-term disease mitigation. Rather, we propose that modifications of this and other treatment options be sought. The results also highlight the need for extended monitoring of CYBD after any treatment, due to the slow but variable rate and pattern of tissue loss in this disease