Plankton Ecology and Productivity in Jamaican Waters with New and Unique Applications

Unique applications of plankton ecology and productivity in Jamaican waters are presented. While traditional indices were inadequate descriptors of mangrove lagoon water quality, planktonic indices (total Chlorophyll a, zooplankton groups and species) were more reliable. Phytoplankton biomass was used to indicate a longitudinal gradient along the Hellshire Coastline, identifying non-point sources of enrichment, and movement of water masses in the absence of expensive Eulerian current meters. Along that same coast, mean primary production, determined by 14C techniques, confirmed a gradient from the eutrophic Kingston Harbour (21.1 g C m−2year−1) to the oligotrophic control site (0.52 g C m−2 year−1). Maximum inshore station values (36.75–18.39 g C m−2 year−1) were more than 20 times greater than offshore and exceeded Harbour values, confirming non-point sources and localized mechanisms as important inshore sources of eutrophication. The novel use of Ecopath with Ecosim (EwE) software to model trophic flows within planktonic communities was done in two bays. For Discovery Bay, on Jamaica’s north coast, the model indicated a developing ecosystem with open mineral cycles and poor nutrient conservation while in Foul and Folly Bays on the southeastern coast the model indicated greater resilience and ability to recover from perturbations. These applications have facilitated informed management decisions for sustainable use in Jamaican coastal ecosystems

Managing biodiversity for ecosystem services in apple orchards

Conventional intensive agriculture is largely reliant on high agrochemical inputs and has resulted in damaging environmental impacts including large scale biodiversity loss. More environmentally sustainable agricultural production methods are required. Ecological intensification is an approach which aims to sustainably increase production by using biodiversity-derived ecosystem services and replacing agrochemical inputs where possible. This can be achieved through modifying agricultural management practices to support ecosystem service-providing beneficial species. This thesis investigates the ecological intensification of commercial apple orchards in the UK. Apples are one of the most economically and nutritionally important fruit crops globally and their production relies upon a number of ecosystem services including pollination, pest regulation, and soil fertility services. Alleyway cover crops were trialled as a novel management practice which has the potential to improve a number of orchard ecosystem services. Three different cover crop species mixtures, all based on perennial legumes but each with a different rationale, were compared to a standard mown-grass control. Growing cover crops in the alleyways was provided improved habitat quality for beneficial species, attracting greater numbers of natural enemy taxa including predatory beetles, parasitoids, and active-hunting spiders, without increasing the abundance of crop pests. Greater numbers of pollinators were also observed in alleyways sown with cover crops. Despite the greater numbers of beneficial species recorded in the cover crop treatments, no increases in pest regulation or pollination services were detected and no change in production was observed during the timescale of the study. A second potential benefit of alleyway cover crops is the production of mulch material. Traditionally, organic mulches were used in orchards to help supress weeds underneath the trees, increase soil nutrients, and retain soil moisture, however many of these functions have now been replaced by agrochemical inputs. The cuttings from alleyway cover crops can provide an in-situ source of mulching material. Alleyway cuttings were compared to two traditional mulch materials, compost and straw, and a standard no-mulch control. Alleyway cover crop cuttings boosted numbers of earthworms and enhanced leaf litter decomposition, whilst the traditional straw and compost mulches improved some soil fertility measures including soil organic matter and moisture when compared to the control. In the final study of the thesis, the importance of pollination is quantified and the methods used to assess pollinator dependence and pollination deficits are tested, with recommendations made about the scale at which these experiments should be carried out. Following pollinator exclusion apple yields were found to fall to 55% whilst supplementary hand pollination led yields to increase to 167% of current ‘open’ pollination rates, showing that pollination deficits existed in the study orchards. This study also highlights the importance of pollination for fruit quality, a key deciding factor of a crop’s economic value. Alleyway cover cropping was found to have positive effects on ecosystem service providers both above and below ground. Even relatively inexpensive cover crop mixtures, combined with a reduction in mowing frequency and increase in mowing height, were found to increase numbers of beneficial species. The findings demonstrate the potential benefits of this multi-purpose habitat management method

UK: racial violence and the night-time economy

This article examines fifty-five racist attacks over a six-month period in the UK’s night-time economy, showing the risks faced by members of the public and workers at taxi firms, takeaways, convenience stores and service stations. It argues that flexible and highly casualised labour conditions exacerbate the risk of racial violence

Traditional and cover crop-derived mulches enhance soil ecosystem services in apple orchards

Organic mulches are a traditional method of groundcover management in temperate commercial orchards, now largely replaced by herbicides and synthetic fertilisers. As a potential contribution to improving orchard sustainability, we hypothesised that the addition of organic mulches would: (H1) improve soil fertility and lead to greater tree growth and yields; (H2) support a larger and more biologically active community of soil organisms, assessed as increased soil respiration and greater earthworm numbers and biomass; and (H3) increase leaf litter decomposition and burial, potentially reducing the risk of apple scab disease (Venturia inaequalis). Cuttings from two legume-based cover crop mixtures grown in the alleyway spaces between tree rows and two traditional mulch materials, straw and compost, were trialled alongside a bare soil business-as-usual control for two years, using a randomized complete block design in a conventionally managed commercial ‘Gala’ apple orchard in the UK. Compared to the control, the compost mulch significantly increased both soil carbon and nitrogen by over 50 %. The straw mulch effectively suppressed weeds by about 90 % and increased soil moisture by about 5 %. Cover crop cuttings increased moisture levels and increased earthworm numbers and mass by 1.7 and 1.8 times greater respectively in the double-rate ‘legume-grass’ cuttings treatment. Increasing the quantity of cover crop cuttings produced more positive effects; the cumulative addition of cuttings can benefit several soil-derived ecosystem services. This study took place in a commercial apple orchard, the findings may therefore be applicable to other orchard and row-grown perennial crops

Proteomics analysis of vesicles isolated from plasma and urine of prostate cancer patients using a multiplex, aptamer-based protein array

Proteomics analysis of biofluid-derived vesicles holds enormous potential for discovering non-invasive disease markers. Obtaining vesicles of sufficient quality and quantity for profiling studies has, however, been a major problem, as samples are often replete with co-isolated material that can interfere with the identification of genuine low abundance, vesicle components. Here, we used a combination of ultracentrifugation and size-exclusion chromatography to isolate and analyse vesicles of plasma or urine origin. We describe a sample-handling workflow that gives reproducible, quality vesicle isolations sufficient for subsequent protein profiling. Using a semi-quantitative aptamer-based protein array, we identified around 1,000 proteins, of which almost 400 were present at comparable quantities in plasma versus urine vesicles. Significant differences were, however, apparent with elements like HSP90, integrin αVβ5 and Contactin-1 more prevalent in urinary vesicles, while hepatocyte growth factor activator, prostate-specific antigen–antichymotrypsin complex and many others were more abundant in plasma vesicles. This was also applied to a small set of specimens collected from men with metastatic prostate cancer, highlighting several proteins with the potential to indicate treatment refractory disease. The study provides a practical platform for furthering protein profiling of vesicles in prostate cancer, and, hopefully, many other disease scenarios

Coupled versus uncoupled hindcast simulations of the Madden-Julian oscillation in the Year of Tropical Convection

This study investigates the impact of a full interactive ocean on daily initialised 15 day hindcasts of the Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO), measured against a Met Office Unified Model (MetUM) atmosphere control simulation (AGCM) during a 3 month period of the Year of Tropical Convection (YOTC). Results indicated that the coupled configuration (CGCM) extends MJO predictability over that of the AGCM, by up to 3-5 days. Propagation is improved in the CGCM, which we partly attribute to a more realistic phase relationship between sea surface temperature (SST) and convection. In addition, the CGCM demonstrates skill in representing downwelling oceanic Kelvin and Rossby waves which warm SSTs along their trajectory, with the potential to feed back on the atmosphere. These results imply that an ocean model capable of simulating internal ocean waves may be required to capture the full effect of air-sea coupling for the MJO

How can we recruit more men of African or African-Caribbean ancestry into our research? Co-creating a video to raise awareness of prostate cancer risk and the PROFILE study

Background Men of African ancestry are at increased risk of developing prostate cancer (PrCa) compared to men from other backgrounds. The PROFILE study aims to understand whether genetic information can better target who needs PrCa screening. PROFILE has so far had difficulty reaching men of African or African -Caribbean ancestry to take part. In this involvement project we worked in partnership with a group of such men to co-create a video to raise awareness of PrCa risk amongst this community and promote participation in the study. Methods We recruited seven men of African or African-Caribbean ancestry who completed an initial survey on the Cancer Patients’ Voice platform. We then held an online discussion panel and maintained contact to encourage dialogue and planning of the video. Utilising a participatory approach, the ideas for the video were decided in collaboration with the panel who held expert knowledge of various communities and understood the messages that would best resonate and engage with other men of the same origins. Once the video had been edited and finalised, two members of the group expressed interest in writing up the project and are listed as co-authors. Results The video in its entirety was driven by the panel’s ideas. The choice of a barber shop setting; leading with a positive case study and highlighting the importance of men’s family members rather than a focus on scientific language, statistics or researchers were all features that were discussed and agreed upon by the panel. The men shared the video within their networks. It was placed on websites and promoted as part of a social media campaign during Black History Month. Conclusions Groups with the greater healthcare needs and the most to gain from advances in care and treatment can often be the most excluded from research participation. This is pertinent in PrCa research where men of African or African-Caribbean ancestry are at greater risk. The project gave equal power and decision making to the men and provides an example of successful inclusive involvement. The result was a unique approach to making a study video

Metamorphism of the Sierra de Maz and implications for the tectonic evolution of the MARA terrane

The Mesoproterozoic MARA terrane of western South America is a composite igneous-metamorphic complex that is important for Paleozoic paleogeographic reconstructions and the relative positions of Laurentia and Gondwana. The magmatic and detrital records of the MARA terrane are consistent with a Laurentian origin; however, the metamorphic and deformation records lack sufficient detail to constrain the correlation of units within the MARA terrane and the timing and mechanisms of accretion to the Gondwana margin. Combined regional mapping, metamorphic petrology, and garnet and monazite geochronology from the Sierra de Maz of northwest Argentina suggest that the region preserves four distinct litho-tectonic units of varying age and metamorphic conditions that are separated by middle- to lower-crustal ductile shear zones. The Zaino and Maz Complexes preserve Barrovian metamorphism and ages that are distinct from other units within the region. The Zaino and Maz Complexes both record metamorphism ca. 430–410 Ma and show no evidence of the regional Famatinian orogeny (ca. 490–455 Ma). In addition, the Maz Complex records an earlier granulite facies event at ca. 1.2 Ga. The Taco and Ramaditas Complexes, in contrast, experienced medium- and low-pressure upper amphibolite to granulite facies metamorphism, respectively, between ca. 470–460 Ma and were later deformed at ca. 440–420 Ma. The Maz shear zone that bounds the Zaino and Maz Complexes records sinistral oblique to sinistral deformation between ca. 430–410 Ma. The data suggest that at least some units in the MARA terrane were accreted by translation, and the Gondwana margin of northwest Argentina transitioned from a dominantly convergent margin to a highly oblique margin in the Silurian