A Business Process Oriented Method of KM Solution Design: The Case of Samsung Electronics Anycall Gumi

Building a knowledge management (KM) solution based on a business process oriented methodology requires a transition from the traditional whole company approach to an approach focusing on a certain knowledge intensive business process, which is the core importance for a company. We chose a process dependent method as it provides practically relevant advice for managers who are striving to inject knowledge-leveraging activities inside everyday work activities of their employees. Knowledge only has organizational value when applied in better decision making or improved behavior of employees, thus, KM-related interventions need to have impact directly in value-adding business process. We present how KM projects can be more successful if they are treated as business process oriented organizational change projects. The goal of this article is: 1) to provide a six step method for design of knowledge management solutions, and 2) to show its practical application in the case of Samsung Electronics Anycall Gumi

Juvenile age and available coral species modulate transition probability from herbivory to corallivory in Acanthaster cf. solaris (Crown-of-Thorns Seastar)

Prior to transitioning to a coral diet, juvenile Acanthaster cf. solaris, the Crown-of-Thorns Seastar (COTS), feed on crustose coralline algae. Although a detailed understanding of juvenile ecology is crucial to predict and prevent outbreaks, the exact timing of the transition is unresolved. Two experiments were conducted to measure time and size of COTS at the transition, and investigate potential modulating effects of different coral species. COTS began early transitions at similar sizes (7.5–8.5 mm), and these first transitions were observed around 136–145 d. Between 175 and 191 d, a 50% transition in the presence of Acropora tenuis was measured. After 175d, the percentage of COTS cohorts that had transitioned was significantly lower in A. millepora (38%) and Stylophora pistillata (7%) compared to A. tenuis (51%). These data fill important knowledge gaps in juvenile ecology, and the influence of coral species on transition suggests an undescribed feedback mechanism between prey and predator

Telomere dynamics in the Pacific crown-of-thorns seastar (Acanthaster cf. solaris): effect of age, diet, and tissue type

Population irruptions of crown-of-thorns seastar (CoTS, Acanthaster spp.) represent a perennial threat to Indo-Pacific coral reefs. Age determination of CoTS is challenging, thereby hindering understanding and management of this nuisance species. Telomeres, which are protective DNA structure found at the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes that shorten at each cell division, have been used to estimate age in wild animals. To investigate the use of telomeres in CoTS, we optimized a quantitative PCR protocol to measure relative telomere length (rTL) in CoTS for the first time. Comparing rTL among four age groups (4, 7, 16, > 24 months post-settlement), we found that adult CoTS generally exhibit shorter rTL than juveniles, which is the first evidence of age-related telomere attrition in CoTS. However, there was large within-age class variation, and no significant relationships were found between adult CoTS rTL and potential age-indicating external features. Furthermore, we found accelerated telomere attrition under sub-optimal diet, where individuals that were fed crustose coralline algae for 16 months exhibited shorter rTL than their counterparts fed on coral. A positive correlation was found between rTL of tube feet and pyloric caeca, suggesting synchronization of telomere dynamics across somatic tissues in CoTS. Overall, our results suggest that rTL could be used to classify CoTS into broad age groups, though individual variation constrains the ability to resolve specific cohorts. The present study contributes to the understanding of telomere dynamics in marine invertebrates, while laying the groundwork for future research into rTL as biomarker for age and potentially stress for CoTS

Reef Rescue Marine Monitoring Program: Report of AIMS Activities: inshore coral reef monitoring 2012. Report for Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority

The coral reef monitoring component of the Reef Rescue Marine Monitoring Program (MMP) undertaken in 2012 was a continuation of activities under previous arrangements from 2005 to 2011. The coral monitoring program surveyed the cover of benthic organisms, the numbers of coral genera, the number of juvenile-sized coral colonies and sediment quality at inshore reef locations in four Natural Resource Management (NRM) regions: Wet Tropics; Burdekin; Mackay Whitsunday; and Fitzroy. Monitoring of coral recruitment also continued at three core reef sites in each of the four Regions. The completion of the eighth inshore coral reef survey under the MMP allows for updated assessments of the overall condition of inshore coral reef communities

Ocean Acidification Changes Abiotic Processes but Not Biotic Processes in Coral Reef Sediments

In coral reefs, sediments play a crucial role in element cycling by contributing to primary production and the remineralization of organic matter. We studied how future ocean acidification (OA) will affect biotic and abiotic processes in sediments from two coral reefs of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. This was investigated in the laboratory under conditions where water-sediment exchange was dominated by molecular diffusion (Magnetic Island) or by porewater advection (Davies Reef). OA conditions (+ΔpCO2: 170–900 μatm, −ΔpH: 0.1–0.4) did not affect photosynthesis, aerobic and anaerobic organic matter remineralization, and growth of microphytobenthos. However, microsensor measurements showed that OA conditions reduced the porewater pH. Under diffusive conditions these changes were limited to the upper sediment layers. In contrast, advective conditions caused a deeper penetration of low pH water into the sediment resulting in an earlier pH buffering by dissolution of calcium carbonate (CaCO3). This increased the dissolution of Davis Reef sediments turning them from net precipitating (−0.8 g CaCO3 m−2 d−1) under ambient to net dissolving (1 g CaCO3 m−2 d−1) under OA conditions. Comparisons with in-situ studies on other reef sediments show that our dissolution rates are reasonable estimates for field settings. We estimate that enhanced dissolution due to OA will only have a minor effect on net ecosystem calcification of the Davies Reef flat (<4%). However, it could decrease recent sediment accumulation rates in the lagoon by up to 31% (by 0.2–0.4 mm year−1), reducing valuable reef space. Furthermore, our results indicate that high-magnesium calcite is predominantly dissolving in the studied sediments and a drastic reduction in this mineral can be expected on Davis Reef lagoon in the near future, leaving sediments of an altered mineral composition. This study demonstrates that biotic sediment processes will likely not directly be affected by OA. Ensuing indirect effects of OA-induced sediment dissolution on biotic processes are discussed

Nitrate fertilisation does not enhance CO₂ responses in two tropical seagrass species

Seagrasses are often considered "winners" of ocean acidification (OA); however, seagrass productivity responses to OA could be limited by nitrogen availability, since nitrogen-derived metabolites are required for carbon assimilation. We tested nitrogen uptake and assimilation, photosynthesis, growth, and carbon allocation responses of the tropical seagrasses Halodule uninervis and Thalassia hemprichii to OA scenarios (428, 734 and 1213 μatm pCO₂) under two nutrients levels (0.3 and 1.9 μM NO₃⁻). Net primary production (measured as oxygen production) and growth in H. uninervis increased with pCO₂ enrichment, but were not affected by nitrate enrichment. However, nitrate enrichment reduced whole plant respiration in H. uninervis. Net primary production and growth did not show significant changes with pCO₂ or nitrate by the end of the experiment (24 d) in T. hemprichii. However, nitrate incorporation in T. hemprichii was higher with nitrate enrichment. There was no evidence that nitrogen demand increased with pCO₂ enrichment in either species. Contrary to our initial hypothesis, nutrient increases to levels approximating present day flood plumes only had small effects on metabolism. This study highlights that the paradigm of increased productivity of seagrasses under ocean acidification may not be valid for all species under all environmental conditions

The thermal tolerance of crown-of-thorns (Acanthaster planci) embryos and bipinnaria larvae: implications for spatial and temporal variation in adult populations

To understand the role of sea temperature on the population biology of the crown-of-thorns sea star Acanthaster planci, the thermal window for embryonic and larval development was investigated. In two experiments, the response of embryos and larvae across 12 temperatures from 19.4 to 36.5 °C was quantified as the percentage of individuals reaching cleavage stage embryos, blastula, gastrula, early-bipinnaria, late-bipinnaria larvae or abnormal. Measurements were made at 7 times up to 72 h post-fertilisation, with the morphometrics of larvae measured in the 72-h sample. Acanthaster planci developed at temperatures between 19.4 and 33.2 °C, with a thermal window for development to the late-bipinnaria stage between 25.6 and 31.6 °C. Development rate, normal development and larval size were optimal at 28.7 °C, with development rates remaining relatively constant up to 31.6 °C. Rates of abnormality increased steadily (early embryonic stages) above 28.7 °C and was 100 % at temperatures approaching 33 °C. These experiments provide a more detailed insight into the response of A. planci developmental stages to temperature. The present day distribution of the species in eastern Australia overlap with the optimal thermal window for development to the late-bipinnaria stage (≈25–32 °C), implying a role of temperature in controlling population distributions and abundances. Despite this, short- or long-term temperature increases may not be a major modulator of the crown-of-thorns recruitment success, population dynamics and distribution in the future as no significant change in development rates, larval survival and growth occurred within this thermal window. Therefore, moderate (1–2 °C) increases in sea temperatures caused by El Nino or near-future ocean warming may not drive an increase in developmental and settlement success. Indeed, without any acclimation to warmer temperatures expected under near-future warming (+2 to 4 °C), climate change could ultimately reduce larval survival due to elevated mortality above the optimal development temperature

Adjusting tropical marine water quality guideline values for elevated ocean temperatures

Increased frequency of summer heatwaves and poor water quality are two of the most prevalent and severe pressures faced by coral reefs. While these pressures often co-occur, their potential risks to tropical marine species are usually considered independently. Here, we extended the application of multisubstance-Potentially Affected Fraction (ms-PAF) to a nonchemical stressor, elevated sea surface temperature. We then applied this method to calculate climate-Adjusted water quality guideline values (GVs) for two reference toxicants, copper and the herbicide diuron, for tropical marine species. First, we developed a species sensitivity distribution (SSD) for thermal stress based on published experimental data for 41 tropical benthic marine species using methods adapted from water quality GV derivation. This enabled quantitative predictions of community effects as temperatures exceeded acclimation values. The resulting protective temperature values (PTx) were similar to temperatures known to initiate coral bleaching and are therefore relevant for application in multistressor risk assessments. The extended ms-PAF method enabled the adjustment of current water quality GVs to account for thermal stress events. This approach could be applied to other ecosystems and other non-contaminant stressors (e.g., sediment, low salinity, anoxia, and ocean acidification), offering an alternative approach for deriving environmental GVs, reporting and assessing the risk posed by multiple stressors

Reef Rescue Marine Monitoring Program: Final report of AIMS activities 2011 inshore coral reef monitoring

The coral reef monitoring component of the Reef Rescue Marine Monitoring Program (MMP) undertaken in 2011 was a continuation of activities under previous arrangements from 2005 to 2010. The coral monitoring program surveyed the cover of benthic organisms, the numbers of coral genera, the number of juvenile-sized coral colonies and sediment quality at inshore reef locations in four Natural Resource Management (NRM) regions: Wet Tropics; Burdekin; Mackay Whitsunday; and Fitzroy. Monitoring of coral recruitment also continued at three core reef sites in each of the four Regions. The completion of the eighth inshore coral reef survey under the MMP allows for updated assessments of the overall condition of inshore coral reef communitie