Jellyfish, jellypress and jellyperception: Final report - Belgian case study

During the last decades, the number of reports on invasions and blooms of jellyfish has increased, both in scientific literature as in the general media. There is however no clarity about a global rise of gelatinous zooplankton due to the lack of extended time series, and due to the fact that public perception is potentially driven by the media. However, public perception is a key driver in policy decisions, including coastal zone governance and research funding. Consequently, it is useful to investigate the variability within public perception and the relationship between media and public perception in the light of policy. This was investigated within a case study at the Belgian coast regarding the perception on jellyfish and the consequences of jellyfish blooms, based on the results of a questionnaire survey and a media search. The results indicate that perception is only partly driven by the press if it comes to jellyfish. Personal experience seems to be at least equally important as driver. Additionally, the results indicate that there is a large variation in perception on jellyfish, in this study illustrated by the differences in perception between beach tourists and divers. The lack of knowledge about differences between jellyfish species turns out to be a key issue determining perception. Both the variability in perception and the species issue are important for the incorporation of the jellification problem in integrated coastal zone management. In first instance, it is important to extend perception surveys to all groups directly and indirectly affected by jellyfish. By doing so, opportunities may emerge for cooperation between scientists, policymakers and public parties in the form of citizen science. Secondly, management actions concerning jellyfish increases should include the provision of species-specific information, for example by distributing leaflets and putting up warning boards on the beach. This would likely result in a higher acceptance of jellyfish, a better communication between scientists and the public, and in a better quality of data in citizen science programs

Information about action outcomes differentially affects learning from self-determined versus imposed choices

The valence of new information influences learning rates in humans: good news tends to receive more weight than bad news. We investigated this learning bias in four experiments, by systematically manipulating the source of required action (free versus forced choices), outcome contingencies (low versus high reward) and motor requirements (go versus no-go choices). Analysis of model-estimated learning rates showed that the confirmation bias in learning rates was specific to free choices, but was independent of outcome contingencies. The bias was also unaffected by the motor requirements, thus suggesting that it operates in the representational space of decisions, rather than motoric actions. Finally, model simulations revealed that learning rates estimated from the choice-confirmation model had the effect of maximizing performance across low- and high-reward environments. We therefore suggest that choice-confirmation bias may be adaptive for efficient learning of action–outcome contingencies, above and beyond fostering person-level dispositions such as self-esteem

Preliminary reports on the 2016-2017 excavation of the Neolithic ossuary and terrace

This article reports on the first three systematic excavation seasons at the Neolithic ossuary of Grotte de La Faucille, Belgium. The site was dated on human bone to 4266 ± 40 14C BP (3011-2702 cal BC; 2 sigma), corresponding to the transition from the late to the final Neolithic. The area excavated to date is clearly reworked and the individuals are distributed across the site. Further excavation will focus on the inferior levels at the entrance and inside the cave. This report presents the preliminary analysis of the anthropological and archaeological evidence recorded to date. Five archaeological artefacts were discovered made on bone, tooth and flint. The site has produced skeletal and dental remains of at least 12 humans (MNI 6 juveniles and 6 adults) as well as a number of bone and lithic artefacts. The skeletal remains are fragmentary and some elements, such as the cranium, are highly underrepresented given the number of individuals. The potential to find the remainder of at least 12 individuals is promising and continued excavation may result in one of the largest recent excavation of a multiple Neolithic burial site of the 21st century. The results presented here and ongoing analysis have the potential to significantly expand our understanding of the mortuary behaviours, or variation in behaviours, of the Belgian Neolithic and contribute further to the lively debate on the spread of the Neolithic

Marien zwerfvuil: van droeve cijfers tot hoopvolle initiatieven

Het eerste synthetische plastic (‘bakeliet’) deed zijn intrede in 1907, dankzij onze landgenoot Leo Baekeland. Nu, een dikke eeuw later, komt plastic of kunststof voor in alle vormen en maten: van verpakkingsmateriaal en drinkflessen, tot touw en kledijvezels, vaak ter vervanging van natuurlijke materialen als hout, steen, leer, metaal of glas. Maar wat in de 20ste eeuw nog beschreven werd als ‘hét wonderproduct’, zorgt nu voor een van de meest zichtbare vormen van vervuiling, op land maar zeker ook in zee..