The reverent eye : scientific visual culture and the origins of modern British zoology, 1815-1840

PhD ThesisBetween 1815 and 1840, decades of unprecedented social and political upheaval, the life sciences in Britain were transformed. What for centuries had been a single subject, natural history, fragmented into a set of related but distinct scientific disciplines, defined by their objects of investigation. This study focuses on one of them, zoology, and the ways in which its emerging, transitional practices and methodologies, prompted by the vast increase in empirical information, the emergence of new institutions, development of new audiences, and increasing colonial expansion, were codified and disseminated in some of the most stunning images ever created of life on earth. At the heart of this process was quinarianism, a now almost forgotten system of ordering the natural world which originated in the long-running and acrimonious ‘Species Debate’, the single most important issue in early-nineteenth century biology. Far from being a historical and scientific irrelevance, quinarianism was crucial to the institutional and methodological development of zoology in Britain. As developed by a small, politically-diverse group of zoologists centred upon the Linnean and Zoological Societies of London, it fused natural theology and continental Idealism in a powerful synthesis which, for twenty years, defined zoology as a British, imperial science, providing the institutional framework which made possible the great advances of the 1860s and 1870s. At a time when widespread unrest, calls for political reform, and imported European materialism seemed to threaten the stability of British society, the quinarian vision of a stable, divinely-ordained world was mobilised to both establish zoology as a discipline and promote a ‘safe’, hierarchical social order. Ornithology was one of the first biological disciplines to emerge from the broader natural history, and it was here that quinarianism made the greatest impact. It was also the most visual and ornithological works, from relatively cheap editions to the vast expensive folios of John Gould were copiously illustrated by well-known artists and engravers. These illustrated works have long been neglected as a historical resource, their images regarded as secondary to text as a source of scientific knowledge and often regarded purely on aesthetic grounds. To fully understand the genesis and appeal of quinarianism, it is crucial to consider these images not simply as art objects, but as sources of scientific authority within their wider context. Deploying an interdisciplinary methodology, and building upon recent studies by Lorraine Daston, Peter Galison, and Jonathan Smith, it is demonstrated here that, created through the manipulation of the visual conventions of natural history, images such as Gould’s were central to the epistemological and extrascientific agendas of early nineteenth-century zoologists, and crucial to our understanding of a formative, transitional period in British science that has long been shrouded in obscurity.Arts and Humanities Research Council PhD studentshi

Lewy body compared with Alzheimer dementia is associated with decreased functional connectivity in resting state networks.

Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to measure whole brain functional connectivity within specific networks hypothesised to be more affected in dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) (a disease characterised by prominent attentional deficits, spontaneous motor features of parkinsonism and depression) than in Alzheimer׳s disease (AD) and controls. This study involved 68 subjects (15 DLB, 13 AD and 40 controls) who were scanned using resting state BOLD (blood-oxygen-level-dependent) fMRI on a 3T MRI scanner. Functional connectivity was measured using a model-free independent component analysis approach that consisted of temporally concatenating the resting state fMRI data of all study subjects and investigating group differences using a back-reconstruction procedure. Resting state functional connectivity was affected in the default mode, salience, executive and basal ganglia networks in DLB subjects compared with AD and controls. Functional connectivity was lower in DLB compared with AD and controls in these networks, except for the basal ganglia network, where connectivity was greater in DLB. No resting state networks showed less connectivity in AD compared with DLB or controls. Our results suggest that functional connectivity of resting state networks can identify differences between DLB and AD subjects that may help to explain why DLB subjects have more frequent attentional deficits, parkinsonian symptoms, and depression than those with AD.North East Dementia and Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Network (DeNDRoN)This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Elsevier via http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pscychresns.2014.06.00

Evaluation of the achievement of WSMPA conservation features and their target values for WSMPA Phase 1

At CCAMLR-38, the Delegation of the European Union and its Member States and Norway proposed that the Weddell Sea Marine Protected Area (WSMPA) should be adopted by CCAMLR in two phases: WSMPA Phase 1 and WSMPA Phase 2. A proposal to establish WSMPA Phase 1 has been submitted to CCAMLR-38. At this point, we provide brief information on the achievement of the WSMPA conservation features and their conservation targets for WSMPA Phase 1

Assessing the viability of estimating baleen whale abundance from tourist vessels

Many populations of southern hemisphere baleen whales are recovering and are again becoming dominant consumers in the Southern Ocean. Key to understanding the present and future role of baleen whales in Southern Ocean ecosystems is determining their abundance on foraging grounds. Distance sampling is the standard method for estimating baleen whale abundance but requires specific logistic requirements which are rarely achieved in the remote Southern Ocean. We explore the potential use of tourist vessel-based sampling as a cost-effective solution for conducting distance sampling surveys for baleen whales in the Southern Ocean. We used a dataset of tourist vessel locations from the southwest Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean and published knowledge from Southern Ocean sighting surveys to determine the number of tourist vessel voyages required for robust abundance estimates. Second, we simulated the abundance and distributions of four baleen whale species for the study area and sampled them with both standardized line transect surveys and non-standardized tourist vessel-based surveys, then compared modeled abundance and distributions from each survey to the original simulation. For the southwest Atlantic, we show that 12-22 tourist vessel voyages are likely required to estimate abundance for humpback and fin whales, with relative estimates for blue, sei, Antarctic minke, and southern right whales. Second, we show tourist vessel-based surveys outperformed standardized line transect surveys at reproducing simulated baleen whale abundances and distribution. These analyses suggest tourist vessel-based surveys are a viable method for estimating baleen whale abundance in remote regions. For the southwest Atlantic, the relatively cost-effective nature of tourist vessel-based survey and regularity of tourist vessel voyages could allow for annual and intra-annual estimates of abundance, a fundamental improvement on current methods, which may capture spatiotemporal trends in baleen whale movements on forging grounds. Comparative modeling of sampling methods provided insights into the behavior of general additive model-based abundance modeling, contributing to the development of detailed guidelines of best practices for these approaches. Through successful engagement with tourist company partners, this method has the potential to characterize abundance across a variety of marine species and spaces globally, and deliver high-quality scientific outcomes relevant to management organizations.publishedVersio

Drones and marine mammals in Svalbard, Norway

The impact of remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) on marine mammals remains poorly documented despite their increasing use. In the high-Arctic Archipelago of Svalbard, where marine mammals face increasing pressure from climate change and expanding tourism, the use of RPAS remains largely unregulated. In this study we assessed the impacts of RPAS across a range of species to provide science-based management advice, using a variety of aircraft sizes and approach strategies. We explored RPAS sound levels and animal behavior prior to and after flights. Preexperimental alertness influenced sensitivity to disturbance notably. Harbor seals were more sensitive during prebreeding than during molting, reacting at distances of 80 m, whereas walruses responded at distances <50 m. Polar bears reacted to the sound of RPAS during take-off at 300 m, although response levels were relatively low. White whales reacted to the sight of RPAS when flown ahead of the pod, below 15 m. Variations in sound levels typical in overhead descents and manual flights increased disturbance potential more than RPAS size; preprogrammed flight paths are advised. Our study highlights factors that can influence sensitivity to RPAS including tidal state and swell, the presence of young individuals, ambient noise levels, and RPAS approach strategies

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) survey of the Antarctic shag (Leucocarbo bransfieldensis) breeding colony at Harmony Point, Nelson Island, South Shetland Islands

Monitored seabird populations—useful sentinels of marine ecosystem health—have been declining worldwide at a rapid pace. Yet, lack of reliable long-term monitoring data constrains assessment of the conservation status of many seabird populations. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have the potential to increase survey efficiency and count precision of seabird populations, especially where time constraints or inaccessible terrain, such as sea stacks, limit meaningful ground-based surveys. Furthermore, tremendous potential exists to combine fine-scale spatially integrated habitat mapping obtained from UAV images with occupancy to unravel how abiotic factors such as topography affect animal populations. In late December 2018, we used an UAV to create a georeferenced orthomosaic image and digital elevation model (DEM) from which we determined the size of the Antarctic shag (Leucocarbo bransfieldensis) breeding colony at Harmony Point, Nelson Island, South Shetland Islands. Our population estimate of 69 breeding pairs is approximately double that reported for the early 2000s and the highest count since the late 1980s. Most nests were located 10 to 20 m above sea level, on relatively shallow gradients that predominantly faced southeast. While it is difficult to compare historical ground-based counts with the UAV-derived estimates presented here, our new data provide robust baseline information for future monitoring of the colony population size using comparable survey methods. Our basic mapping of the topography of the breeding colony also highlights how UAV-derived habitat information can facilitate our understanding of the influence of landscape structure on animal population dynamics.http://link.springer.com/journal/3002021-01-02hj2020Mammal Research InstituteZoology and Entomolog

Antarctic krill Euphausia superba: spatial distribution, abundance, and management of fisheries in a changing climate

Antarctic krill Euphausia superba, a keystone species in the Southern Ocean, is highly relevant for studying effects of climate-related shifts on management systems. Krill provides a key link between primary producers and higher trophic levels and supports the largest regional fishery. Any major perturbation in the krill population would have severe ecological and economic ramifications. We review the literature to determine how climate change, in concert with other environmental changes, alters krill habitat, affects spatial distribution/abundance, and impacts fisheries management. Findings recently reported on the effects of climate change on krill distribution and abundance are inconsistent, however, raising questions regarding methods used to detect changes in density and biomass. One recent study reported a sharp decline in krill densities near their northern limit, accompanied by a poleward contraction in distribution in the Southwest Atlantic sector. Another recent study found no evidence of long-term decline in krill density or biomass and reported no evidence of a poleward shift in distribution. Moreover, with predicted decreases in phytoplankton production, vertical foraging migrations to the seabed may become more frequent, also impacting krill production and harvesting. Potentially cumulative impacts of climate change further compound the management challenge faced by CCAMLR, the organization responsible for conservation of Antarctic marine living resources: to detect changes in the abundance, distribution, and reproductive performance of krill and krill-dependent predator stocks and to respond to such change by adjusting its conservation measures. Based on CCAMLR reports and documents, we review the institutional framework, outline how climate change has been addressed within this organization, and examine the prospects for further advances toward ecosystem risk assessment and an adaptive management system.publishedVersio

Exploitation of Antarctic krill Euphausia superba by three air-breathing predators with contrasting foraging strategies – implications for fisheries feedback management

-SCAR Open Science Conference, Kuala Lumpur 201

Antarctic krill and ecosystem monitoring survey off the South Orkney Islands in 2023

Environmental monitoring along 5 set transect lines off South Orkney Islands in the Southern Ocean have been carried out annually (since 2011) by the Institute of Marine Research, Norway. Data are used to calculate biomass of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) as well as mapping distribution and demographic composition of krill, but also other macrozooplankton and fish taxa. Visual sightings of cetaceans and pinnipeds are registered systematically along the transects during daylight hours. During this year's survey, a pilot photo-drone project was also undertaken to investigate the potential of employing this type of technology to monitor body-size of individual whales to form the basis for calculating energetics and prey needs. Personnel were also deployed on Powell Island with breeding chinstrap penguins to satellite-tag penguins. At the same time, we maneuvered an unmanned sail drone, fitted with an echosounder, via satellite communication into what is known to be the preferred feeding area for chinstraps that breed at Powell Island. This data will be used to study swarm types in relation to penguins foraging strategies as well as assessing potential spatiotemporal overlaps with fisheries. Herein we report on the survey activities from 2023 and present some preliminary results.Antarctic krill and ecosystem monitoring survey off the South Orkney Islands in 2023publishedVersio

Communicating the best available science to inform Antarctic policy and management: a practical introduction for researchers

Communication at the science-policy interface can be bewildering not only for early-career researchers, but also for many within the research community. In the context of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean, decision-makers operating within the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS) aspire to use the best available science as a basis for their decision-making. Therefore, to maximize the impact of Antarctic Treaty Parties' substantial investment in southern polar research, researchers wishing to contribute to policy and management must understand 1) how their work relates to and can potentially inform Antarctic and/or global policy and 2) the available mechanisms by which their research can be communicated to decision-makers. Recognizing these needs, we describe the main legal instruments relevant to Antarctic governance (primarily the ATS) and the associated meetings and stakeholders that contribute to policy development for the region. We highlight effective mechanisms by which Antarctic researchers may communicate their science into the policy realm, including through National Delegations or the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), and we detail the key contemporary topics of interest to decision-makers, including those issues where further research is needed. Finally, we describe challenges at the Antarctic science-policy interface that may potentially slow or halt policy development