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Rader JA, Serrato-Capuchina A, Anspach T, Matute DR. The spread of Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) in the islands of São Tomé and Príncipe. Acta Trop 2024; 251:107106. [PMID: 38185188 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.107106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
The mosquito Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) is a vector species of the causal agents of Dengue, yellow fever, and Zika among other diseases pathogens. The species originated in Southeast Asia and has spread widely and rapidly in the last century. The species has been reported in localities from the Gulf of Guinea since the early 2000s, but systematic sampling has been scant. We sampled Ae. albopictus twice, in 2013 and 2023 across the altitudinal gradient in São Tomé and found that the species was present in all sampled years at altitudes up to 680 m. We also found some evidence of increases in proportional representation compared to Ae. aegypti over time. We report the presence of the species in Príncipe for the first time, suggesting that the range of Ae. albopictus is larger than previously thought. Finally, we use bioclimatic niche modeling to infer the potential range of Ae. albopictus and infer that the species has the potential to spread across a large portion of São Tomé and Príncipe. Our results suggest that Ae. albopictus has established itself as a resident species of the islands of the Gulf of Guinea and should be incorporated into the list of potential vectors that need to be surveyed and controlled.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan A Rader
- Biology Department, University of North Carolina, 250 Bell Tower Drive, Genome Sciences Building, Chapel Hill, NC 27510, USA
| | | | - Tayte Anspach
- Biology Department, University of North Carolina, 250 Bell Tower Drive, Genome Sciences Building, Chapel Hill, NC 27510, USA
| | - Daniel R Matute
- Biology Department, University of North Carolina, 250 Bell Tower Drive, Genome Sciences Building, Chapel Hill, NC 27510, USA.
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2
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Plunkett E, Negoita L, Sevilla C, Velasco N, Jaramillo Díaz P. Enhancing restoration success of rare plants in an arid-tropical climate through water-saving technologies: a case study of Scalesia affinis ssp. brachyloba in the Galapagos Islands. PeerJ 2023; 11:e16367. [PMID: 38077418 PMCID: PMC10710167 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Arid tropical archipelagos, such as the Galapagos Islands, host a high concentration of endemic plant species, many of which require restoration intervention to recover from past environmental degradation. Water-saving technologies (WSTs) have potential for hastening restoration by providing plants with additional water during the early stages of growth. However, it remains unclear whether such technologies provide an advantage for plant species of arid-tropical regions. This study examined the effect of the water-saving technology Groasis Waterboxx® (Groasis) on the rare endemic plant species Scalesia affinis ssp. brachyloba during early stages of restoration. Survival was monitored for 374 individuals planted across six sites on Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos (326 with technology and 48 as controls). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the use of Groasis reduced mortality during the first two years of the seedling survival. A mixed-effect logistic regression that modelled plant survival as a function of total precipitation, maximum temperature, and WST treatment (Groasis and no-technology control) found that despite low overall survival rates, plants grown with Groasis exhibited a three-fold higher predicted survival by the end of the 3.7 year duration of the study. Finally, through a resampling method, we demonstrate that the effect of the WST treatment is not dependent on the unbalanced design typical of a restoration project framework. We conclude that water-saving technologies such as the Groasis Waterboxx® can enhance survival of rare plant species such as S. affinis ssp. brachyloba in restoration programs in arid-tropical regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esme Plunkett
- Charles Darwin Foundation, Puerto Ayora, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
| | - Luka Negoita
- Charles Darwin Foundation, Puerto Ayora, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
| | - Christian Sevilla
- Galapagos National Park Directorate, Puerto Ayora, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
| | - Nicolás Velasco
- Charles Darwin Foundation, Puerto Ayora, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
- Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Patricia Jaramillo Díaz
- Charles Darwin Foundation, Puerto Ayora, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
- Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
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Hoon V, Padgett RR. Integrating marine debris into socioeconomic monitoring: Informing local actions in Minicoy Island, India and charting a new global approach. Mar Pollut Bull 2023; 197:115801. [PMID: 37984093 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
In 2019, the authors introduced the topic of anthropogenic marine debris into the Global Socioeconomic Monitoring Initiative for Coastal Management (SocMon) during an assessment conducted at Minicoy Island in India. SocMon is a process-based approach and set of tools for conducting community-based socio-economic monitoring of changes in coastal communities that has been adopted and adapted worldwide through the Global SocMon network. It provides an experiential learning opportunity that often leads to community driven action. By adding marine debris into this assessment, it is hoped that the data collected, along with the authors' experience and analysis, will provide a baseline and support resource management changes locally and provide lessons for other SocMon researchers. Further, this paper shows that SocMon provides an opportunity to assess changes caused by plastics or other marine debris not only in the physical environment, but also within a community and society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vineeta Hoon
- Centre for Action Research on Environment Science and Society, Chennai 600094, India.
| | - Rebekah R Padgett
- Centre for Action Research on Environment Science and Society, Chennai 600094, India
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Millat-Martínez P, Baro B, Kasian B, Lorry L, Sanz S, Wali C, Raulo S, Elizah A, Koleala T, Kaius-Ome M, Karl S, Mitjà O, Laman M, Pomat W, Bassat Q. A cross-sectional study to ascertain malaria prevalence among asymptomatic travellers arriving on the Lihir Group of Islands, Papua New Guinea: implications for elimination efforts. Malar J 2023; 22:364. [PMID: 38031175 PMCID: PMC10688477 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-023-04804-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Lihir Islands of Papua New Guinea host a mining operation that has resulted in a mine-impacted zone (MIZ) with reduced malaria transmission and a substantial influx of mine employees, informal cross-country traders, returning locals, and visitors. Prevalence of malaria parasites was assessed in travellers arriving on the Lihir Group of Islands to evaluate the risk of parasite importation. METHODS In 2018, a cross-sectional study at the airport and main wharf was conducted, targeting asymptomatic travellers who had been away from Lihir for at least 12 days. Microscopy, rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), and quantitative PCR (qPCR) were used to determine Plasmodium parasite prevalence, employing logistic regression models to identify factors associated with qPCR positivity. RESULTS 398 travellers arriving by plane and 402 arriving by boat were included. Both cohorts were significantly different. Mean age among travellers arriving by plane was 40.1 years (SD ± 10.1), 93% were male and 96% were employed at the mine. In contrast, among travellers arriving by boat, the mean age was 31.7 years (SD ± 14.0), 68% were male and 36% were employed at the mine. The prevalence of malaria infection among travellers arriving by plane was 1% by RDT and microscopy, and increased to 5% by qPCR. In contrast, those arriving by boat showed a prevalence of 8% by RDT and microscopy, and 17% by qPCR. Risk factors for infection were arriving by boat (OR 4.2; 95%CI 2.45,7.21), arriving from nearby provinces with high malaria incidence (OR 5.02; 95%CI 1.80, 14.01), and having been away from Lihir for 91 days or more (OR 4.15; 95%CI 2.58, 6.66). Being mine worker staying at the mine accommodation was related with less infection risk (OR 0.24; 95% CI 0.14, 0.43); while Lihirian residents returning from a trip, VFRs, or people with trading unrelated to mining had higher risks (p = 0.0066). CONCLUSIONS Travellers arriving by boat faced increased risk of malaria infection than those arriving by plane. This subpopulation poses an import risk to the MIZ and the rest of Lihir Islands. Screening of high-risk groups at wharfs, and collaboration with nearby Islands, could sustain reduced transmission and facilitate malaria elimination strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bàrbara Baro
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Bernadine Kasian
- Vector-Borne Diseases Unit, Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Madang, Papua New Guinea
| | - Lina Lorry
- Vector-Borne Diseases Unit, Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Madang, Papua New Guinea
| | - Sergi Sanz
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Chilaka Wali
- Lihir Malaria Elimination Programme, Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea
| | - Sylvia Raulo
- Lihir Malaria Elimination Programme, Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea
| | - Arthur Elizah
- Lihir Malaria Elimination Programme, Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea
| | - Tamarah Koleala
- Vector-Borne Diseases Unit, Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Madang, Papua New Guinea
| | - Maria Kaius-Ome
- Vector-Borne Diseases Unit, Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Madang, Papua New Guinea
| | - Stephan Karl
- Vector-Borne Diseases Unit, Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Madang, Papua New Guinea
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
| | - Oriol Mitjà
- Fight Infectious Diseases Foundation, Hospital Germans Trias I Pujol, Badalona, Spain
- School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
- Centre for Health and Social Care Research (CESS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Vic - Central University of Catalonia (UVic - UCC), Vic, Catalonia, Spain
- Lihir Medical Centre, International SOS, Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea
| | - Moses Laman
- Vector-Borne Diseases Unit, Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Madang, Papua New Guinea
| | - William Pomat
- Vector-Borne Diseases Unit, Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Madang, Papua New Guinea
| | - Quique Bassat
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- ICREA, Pg. Lluís Companys 23, 08010, Barcelona, Spain
- Pediatrics Department, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Universitat de Barcelona, Esplugues, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigação Em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Maputo, Mozambique
- CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
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Barney A, Polatidis H, Vakalis S, Grondin D, Benne M, Salces FS, Haralambopoulos D. Energy transition awareness: Can it guide local transition planning on islands? Heliyon 2023; 9:e19960. [PMID: 37809593 PMCID: PMC10559555 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The consequences of climate change and reduced energy security are becoming increasingly apparent, especially on islands. At the same time, the energy transition is quickly spreading and its value to society becoming clearer. Two main obstacles to this transition, rigid policy and lack of local understanding, are particularly troubling on islands, where national policies often aren't flexible enough to consider local particularities and residents are exposed to different energy realities from those on the mainland. Using exploratory interviews and a survey on four islands, this article considers island residents' awareness of energy transition concepts and presents how it interacts with, and is potentially influenced by, relevant energy policies at the national level. The paper presents the comparative results for the geographically, demographically and climatologically diverse islands of Gotland (Sweden), Lesvos (Greece), La Réunion (France) and Mallorca (Spain) to focus on European island energy transitions. Differences were noted between the islands' residents with regards to awareness of and willingness to use specific energy transition tools or to join activities like energy communities. Additionally, differences were noted between the islands for what was the most important reason to consider when using demand response, though 'Ease of use' was important across all. The potential reasons for differences among the islands are discussed and suggestions to increase consumer engagement with energy transition activities on islands are given. Overall, the results show that while awareness of energy concepts isn't greater on these European islands, interest in prospective transition actions was high and provide an opportunity for planners to capitalize on. However, if there are potential policy obstacles, these higher levels of interest cannot ensure higher levels of willingness to engage. Taken together, these two findings indicate the potential for an acceleration of transition activity on these islands, and potentially beyond, should engagement with island residents be increased along with review, and amendment of policies impeding it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Barney
- Uppsala University, Dept. of Earth Sciences, Cramérgatan 3, 621 57, Visby, Sweden
| | - Heracles Polatidis
- Uppsala University, Dept. of Earth Sciences, Cramérgatan 3, 621 57, Visby, Sweden
| | - Stergios Vakalis
- University of the Aegean, Dept. of Environment, University Hill, 81100, Mytilene, Lesvos, Greece
| | - Dominique Grondin
- ENERGY Lab, University of La Réunion, 15 Avenue René Cassin CS 92003, CEDEX 9, 97744, Saint-Denis, France
| | - Michel Benne
- ENERGY Lab, University of La Réunion, 15 Avenue René Cassin CS 92003, CEDEX 9, 97744, Saint-Denis, France
| | - Fausto Sainz Salces
- International University of La Rioja, College of Engineering and Technology (ESIT), Avenida de la Paz, 137. 26006, Logroño, Spain
| | - Dias Haralambopoulos
- University of the Aegean, Dept. of Environment, University Hill, 81100, Mytilene, Lesvos, Greece
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Reilly SB, Stubbs AL, Karin BR, Arida E, Arifin U, Hamidy A, Kaiser H, Bi K, Riyanto A, Iskandar DT, McGuire JA. Bewildering biogeography: waves of dispersal and diversification across southern Wallacea by bent-toed geckos (genus: Cyrtodactylus). Mol Phylogenet Evol 2023:107853. [PMID: 37327831 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2023.107853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Bent-toed Geckos, genus Cyrtodactylus, are one of the most diverse terrestrial vertebrate groups, and their range extends from South Asia into Australo-Papua and adjacent Pacific islands. Given the generally high faunal endemism on Wallacean islands, it is rather paradoxical that the diversity in these geckos appears to be so low (21 species in Wallacea, 15 in the Philippines) compared with continental shelf assemblages (>300 species on Sunda + Sahul Shelves + adjacent islands). To determine whether this shortfall was real or an artifact of historical undersampling, we analyzed mitochondrial DNA sequences of hundreds of southern Wallacean samples (Lesser Sundas + southern Maluku). After screening to guide sample selection for target capture data collection, we obtained a 1150-locus genomic dataset (1,476,505 bp) for 119 samples of southern Wallacean and closely related lineages. The results suggest that species diversity of Cyrtodactylus in southern Wallacea is vastly underestimated, with phylogenomic and clustering analyses suggesting as many as 25 candidate species, in contrast to the 8 currently described. Gene exchange between adjacent candidate species is absent or minimal across the archipelago with only one case of >0.5 migrants per generation. Biogeographical analysis suggests that the hitherto unrecognized diversity is the result of at least three independent dispersals from Sulawesi or its offshore islands into southern Wallacea between 6-14 Ma, with one invasion producing small-bodied geckos and the other two or three producing larger-bodied geckos. The smaller-bodied laevigatus group appears to be able to coexist with members of either larger-bodied clade, but we have yet to find members of the two larger-bodied clades occurring in sympatry, suggesting that ecological partitioning or competitive exclusion may be shaping individual island assemblages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean B Reilly
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology and Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA.
| | - Alexander L Stubbs
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology and Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Benjamin R Karin
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology and Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Evy Arida
- Museum Zoologicum Bogoriense, Indonesian Institute of Sciences, Cibinong, Indonesia
| | - Umilaela Arifin
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology and Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; School of Life Sciences and Technology, Institut Teknologi Bandung, 10 Jalan Ganesha, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
| | - Amir Hamidy
- Museum Zoologicum Bogoriense, Indonesian Institute of Sciences, Cibinong, Indonesia
| | - Hinrich Kaiser
- Department of Biology, 18422 Bear Valley Road, Victor Valley College, Victorville, California 92395, USA, and Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversitätswandels, Museum Koenig, Adenauerallee 160, 53113 Bonn, Germany
| | - Ke Bi
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology and Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Computational Genomics Resource Laboratory, California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Awal Riyanto
- Museum Zoologicum Bogoriense, Indonesian Institute of Sciences, Cibinong, Indonesia
| | - Djoko T Iskandar
- Basic Sciences Commission, Indonesian Academy of Sciences, 11, Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan Jakarta 10110, Indonesia; School of Life Sciences and Technology, Institut Teknologi Bandung, 10 Jalan Ganesha, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
| | - Jimmy A McGuire
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology and Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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Zittis G, Ahrens B, Obermann-Hellhund A, Giannakis E, Risto D, Agulles Gamez M, Jorda G, Quesada Peña M, Lora Rodríguez V, Guersi Sauret JL, Lionello P, Briche E, Collignan J, Grätz M, Arikas D, Stylianou C, Neophytou H, Serghides D. Maritime transport and regional climate change impacts in large EU islands and archipelagos. EuroMediterr J Environ Integr 2023; 8:1-14. [PMID: 37361134 PMCID: PMC10213571 DOI: 10.1007/s41207-023-00370-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Maritime transport is a vital sector for global trade and the world economy. Particularly for islands, there is also an important social dimension of this sector, since island communities strongly rely on it for a connection with the mainland and the transportation of goods and passengers. Furthermore, islands are exceptionally vulnerable to climate change, as the rising sea level and extreme events are expected to induce severe impacts. Such hazards are anticipated to also affect the operations of the maritime transport sector by affecting either the port infrastructure or ships en route. The present study is an effort to better comprehend and assess the future risk of maritime transport disruption in six European islands and archipelagos, and it aims at supporting regional to local policy and decision-making. We employ state-of-the-art regional climate datasets and the widely used impact chain approach to identify the different components that might drive such risks. Larger islands (e.g., Corsica, Cyprus and Crete) are found to be more resilient to the impacts of climate change on maritime operations. Our findings also highlight the importance of adopting a low-emission pathway, since this will keep the risk of maritime transport disruption similar to present levels or even slightly decreased for some islands because of an enhanced adaptation capacity and advantageous demographic changes. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s41207-023-00370-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Zittis
- Climate and Atmosphere Research Center (CARE-C), The Cyprus Institute, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Bodo Ahrens
- Institute for Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences (IAU), Goethe University Frankfurt, Altenhoeferallee 1, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Anika Obermann-Hellhund
- Institute for Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences (IAU), Goethe University Frankfurt, Altenhoeferallee 1, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Elias Giannakis
- Energy, Environment and Water Research Center (EEWRC), The Cyprus Institute, Nicosia, Cyprus
- Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Danny Risto
- Institute for Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences (IAU), Goethe University Frankfurt, Altenhoeferallee 1, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Miguel Agulles Gamez
- Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (IMEDEA, UIB-CSIC), Esporles, Spain
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche ed Ambientali, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Gabriel Jorda
- Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (IMEDEA, UIB-CSIC), Esporles, Spain
| | | | | | | | - Piero Lionello
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche ed Ambientali, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
- Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change (CMCC), Lecce, Italy
| | - Elodie Briche
- Agence de la Transition Écologique (ADEME), Angers, France
| | - Julie Collignan
- Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique/IPSL-Ecole Polytechnique, Paris, France
| | - Matthias Grätz
- Baltic Environmental Forum Deutschland (BEF), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Damian Arikas
- Baltic Environmental Forum Deutschland (BEF), Hamburg, Germany
| | | | | | - Despina Serghides
- Energy, Environment and Water Research Center (EEWRC), The Cyprus Institute, Nicosia, Cyprus
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Kanchanapiya P, Tantisattayakul T. Analysis of wastewater reuse options using a multicriteria decision tool for Phuket, Thailand. J Environ Manage 2023; 334:117426. [PMID: 36796197 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The act of balancing between water demand and water supply in Phuket Island is facing challenges, suggesting water reuse options in various activities on the island should be properly promoted considering the potential benefits in a variety of dimensions. This research presented options to reuse effluent water from wastewater treatment plants for Phuket Municipality in 3 main activity groups, namely, domestic reuse, agricultural reuse, and raw water for water treatment plants (WTP). Water demand, additional water treatment trains, and the length of the major water distribution pipeline for each water reuse option were designed, and its cost and expenses were calculated. Multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) was used by 1000Minds internet-based software to prioritize the suitability of each water reuse option based on a four-dimensional scorecard, including economic, social, health, and environmental aspects. The decision algorithm for the trade-off scenario based on the government's budget allocation was proposed to obtain weighing without subjective expert opinions. The results revealed that recycling effluent water as raw water for the existing WTP was the first priority, followed by agriculture reuse for planting coconut, Phuket's economic crops, and domestic reuse. There was a significant difference in the total scores of economic and health indicators between the first- and second-priority options because of the difference in the additional treatment system in which the first-priority option applied the microfiltration and reverse osmosis system, which could effectively eliminate viruses and chemical micropollutants. In addition, the first priority option required a much smaller piping system than other water reuse options because it relied on the existing plumbing system of WTP, lowering the investment cost, which was a very important indicator for decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Premrudee Kanchanapiya
- National Metal and Materials Technology Center, National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathumthani, 12120, Thailand
| | - Thanapol Tantisattayakul
- Department of Sustainable Development Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Thammasat University, 12120, Thailand.
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9
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Li G, Zheng S, Zhang Z, Hu Y, Lin N, Julie N, Shu L, Sun L, Zhang H, Yuan Y, Liang Y, Yu Z, Xie W, Mwaisiga R, Morewaya J, Xu Q, Song J, Deng C. A campaign of mass drug administration with artemisinin-piperaquine to antimalaria in Trobriand Islands. Prev Med Rep 2023; 32:102154. [PMID: 36852307 PMCID: PMC9958052 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2023.102154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
We conducted a study on the Trobriand Islands of Papua New Guinea (PNG) in 2018 to verify the safety and efficacy of the artemisinin-piperaquine (AP) mass drug administration (MDA) campaign in regions with moderate to high mixed malaria transmission. Based on the natural topography of the Trobriand Islands, 44,855 residents from 92 villages on the islands were enrolled and divided into the main and outer islands. Three rounds of MDA were conducted using grid-based management. The primary endpoint was the coverage rate. Adverse reactions, parasitemia, and malaria morbidity were the secondary endpoints. There were 36,716 people living in 75 villages on the main island, and the MDA coverage rate was 92.58-95.68%. Furthermore, 8,139 people living in 17 villages on the outer islands had a coverage rate of 94.93-96.11%. The adverse reactions were mild in both groups, and parasitemia decreased by 87.2% after one year of surveillance. The average annual malaria morbidity has decreased by 89.3% after the program for four years. High compliance and mild adverse reactions indicated that the MDA campaign with AP was safe. The short-term effect is relatively ideal, but the evidence for long-term effect evaluation is insufficient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoming Li
- Artemisinin Research Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China,Institute of Science and Technology Park, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shaoqin Zheng
- Artemisinin Research Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China,Institute of Science and Technology Park, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhenyan Zhang
- Institute of Science and Technology Park, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yanshan Hu
- Artemisinin Research Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Nansong Lin
- Institute of Science and Technology Park, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Nadia Julie
- Artemisinin Research Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lei Shu
- Institute of Science and Technology Park, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Liwei Sun
- Institute of Science and Technology Park, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hongying Zhang
- Artemisinin Research Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China,Institute of Science and Technology Park, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yueming Yuan
- Artemisinin Research Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China,Institute of Science and Technology Park, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuan Liang
- Institute of Science and Technology Park, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhengjie Yu
- Institute of Science and Technology Park, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wei Xie
- Institute of Science and Technology Park, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ridley Mwaisiga
- Milne Bay Provincial Health Authority, Alotau, Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea
| | - Jacob Morewaya
- Milne Bay Provincial Health Authority, Alotau, Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea
| | - Qin Xu
- Artemisinin Research Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jianping Song
- Artemisinin Research Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China,Institute of Science and Technology Park, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China,The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China,Corresponding authors.
| | - Changsheng Deng
- Artemisinin Research Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China,Institute of Science and Technology Park, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China,The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China,Corresponding authors.
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10
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Belluardo F, Jesus Muñoz-Pajares A, Miralles A, Silvestro D, Cocca W, Mihaja Ratsoavina F, Villa A, Roberts SH, Mezzasalma M, Zizka A, Antonelli A, Crottini A. Slow and steady wins the race: Diversification rate is independent from body size and lifestyle in Malagasy skinks (Squamata: Scincidae: Scincinae). Mol Phylogenet Evol 2023; 178:107635. [PMID: 36208694 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2022.107635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Most of the unique and diverse vertebrate fauna that inhabits Madagascar derives from in situ diversification from colonisers that reached this continental island through overseas dispersal. The endemic Malagasy Scincinae lizards are amongst the most species-rich squamate groups on the island. They colonised all bioclimatic zones and display many ecomorphological adaptations to a fossorial (burrowing) lifestyle. Here we propose a new phylogenetic hypothesis for their diversification based on the largest taxon sampling so far compiled for this group. We estimated divergence times and investigated several aspects of their diversification (diversification rate, body size and fossorial lifestyle evolution, and biogeography). We found that diversification rate was constant throughout most of the evolutionary history of the group, but decreased over the last 6-4 million years and independently from body size and fossorial lifestyle evolution. Fossoriality has evolved from fully quadrupedal ancestors at least five times independently, which demonstrates that even complex morphological syndromes - in this case involving traits such as limb regression, body elongation, modification of cephalic scalation, depigmentation, and eyes and ear-opening regression - can evolve repeatedly and independently given enough time and eco-evolutionary advantages. Initial diversification of the group likely occurred in forests, and the divergence of sand-swimmer genera around 20 Ma appears linked to a period of aridification. Our results show that the large phenotypic variability of Malagasy Scincinae has not influenced diversification rate and that their rich species diversity results from a constant accumulation of lineages through time. By compiling large geographic and trait-related datasets together with the computation of a new time tree for the group, our study contributes important insights on the diversification of Malagasy vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Belluardo
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Universidade do Porto, Campus de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal; Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Praça Gomes Teixeira, 4099-002 Porto, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal.
| | - A Jesus Muñoz-Pajares
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Universidade do Porto, Campus de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal; Departamento de Genética, Universidad de Granada, Avenida de la Fuente Nueva S/N, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Aurélien Miralles
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, Paris, France
| | - Daniele Silvestro
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Ch. du Musée 10, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland; Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Box 461, 405 30 Göteborg, Sweden; Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, Box 461, 405 30 Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Walter Cocca
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Universidade do Porto, Campus de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal; Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Praça Gomes Teixeira, 4099-002 Porto, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
| | - Fanomezana Mihaja Ratsoavina
- Mention Zoologie et Biodiversité Animale, Domaine Sciences et Technologies, Université d'Antananarivo, B.P. 906, 101 Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Andrea Villa
- Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Edifici ICTA-ICP, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Sam Hyde Roberts
- SEED Madagascar, Unit 7, Beethoven Street 1A, W10 4LG London, UK; Oxford Brookes University, Headington Campus, 0X3 0BP Oxford, UK; Operation Wallacea, Wallace House, Old Bolingbroke, PE23 4EX Spilsby, UK
| | - Marcello Mezzasalma
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Universidade do Porto, Campus de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal; Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci 4/B, 87036 Rende, Italy
| | - Alexander Zizka
- Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Straße 8, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Alexandre Antonelli
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Box 461, 405 30 Göteborg, Sweden; Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, Box 461, 405 30 Göteborg, Sweden; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, TW9 3AE Richmond, UK; Department of Biology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, OX1 3RB Oxford, UK
| | - Angelica Crottini
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Universidade do Porto, Campus de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal; Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Praça Gomes Teixeira, 4099-002 Porto, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
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11
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Khaleel R, Valsan G, Rangel-Buitrago N, Warrier AK. Hidden problems in geological heritage sites: The microplastic issue on Saint Mary's Island, India, Southeast Arabian Sea. Mar Pollut Bull 2022; 182:114043. [PMID: 35985130 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) have become a dominant constituent of several oceanic islands. This study focuses on the occurrence and distribution of MPs present in the beach sediments of Saint Mary's Island (SMI), a geological heritage site located in the south-eastern part of the Arabian Sea. The average (standard deviation) abundance of MPs on this island was 97.18 (80.49) particles/kg. Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy revealed that MPs are composed of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and polyamide (PA). Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) highlighted the presence of Cr, As, Pb, and Cd (harmful pollutants) on MP surfaces. The MPs in the SMI are largely contributed by the nearby fishing harbour, touristic beaches and estuaries. The results of this study, act as a starting point for continuous environmental monitoring in this unique region of the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rizwan Khaleel
- Department of Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India
| | - Gokul Valsan
- Department of Civil Engineering, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India
| | - Nelson Rangel-Buitrago
- Programa de Física, Facultad de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad del Atlántico, Puerto Colombia, Atlántico, Colombia; Programa de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad del Atlántico, Puerto Colombia, Atlántico, Colombia
| | - Anish Kumar Warrier
- Department of Civil Engineering, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India; Centre for Climate Studies, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India.
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12
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Patterson J, Jeyasanta KI, Laju RL, Booth AM, Sathish N, Edward JKP. Microplastic in the coral reef environments of the Gulf of Mannar, India - Characteristics, distributions, sources and ecological risks. Environ Pollut 2022; 298:118848. [PMID: 35032604 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.118848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs; particles <5 mm) are widely distributed in various habitats from the land to the oceans. They have even reached the remotest of places, including the deep seas and Polar Regions. Although research on MPs pollution in the marine environment has received widespread attention in recent years, the distribution, sources and ecological risks of MPs in coastal areas remain unclear. This study assessed the abundance, characteristics, sources and ecological risk of MPs in surface waters and sediment of the mainland coast and four island groups comprising the coral reef environment of the Gulf of Mannar (GoM), southeast India. Mean MPs abundance across all 95 sampling sites ranged from 28.4 to 126.6 items L-1 in water and from 31.4 to 137.6 items kg-1 in sediment. MP fibers <2 mm dominated the water, while fragments >3 mm were predominant in sediments. Polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) were the most common polymers in both matrices. The major proportion of MPs in the GoM derived from land-based sources, with distance to the mainland, coastal population density and improper handling of solid waste being the main factors influencing the abundance of MPs. Polymer Hazard Index (PHI), Pollution Load Index (PLI) and Potential Ecological Risk Index (PERI) were used to assess current levels of MPs. While the GoM has high PHI values (>1000) resulting from MPs with high hazard scores (e.g. polyamide, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride), the PLI values (1.46 and 1.51) indicate low MPs pollution levels in GoM waters and sediments, and the PERI values (31.7 and 24.4) indicate that this represents a minor ecological risk. The results from the current study enhance our understanding of the characteristics, sources, and associated environmental risks of MPs to marine ecosystems. This data may provide a baseline for future monitoring and the formulation of environmental policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamila Patterson
- Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Institute, Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, India.
| | | | - R L Laju
- Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Institute, Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Andy M Booth
- Department of Climate and Environment, SINTEF Ocean, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Narmatha Sathish
- Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Institute, Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, India
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13
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Zhao X, Wang D, Xu H, Ding Z, Shi Y, Lu Z, Cheng Z. Groundwater pollution risk assessment based on groundwater vulnerability and pollution load on an isolated island. Chemosphere 2022; 289:133134. [PMID: 34863721 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.133134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Prolonged leakage of surface pollutants has an impact on groundwater quality, especially in shallow groundwater. This paper proposes a new method combining Modflow and geographic information system data for groundwater pollution risk assessment. First, hydrogeological information of the study area was obtained through a field investigation and data referencing, and the groundwater flow field in the study area was constructed. The actual drilling water level data were then used for verification. A groundwater solute transport model was constructed based on the groundwater flow field, combined with pollution source sampling and detection data. Finally, based on the simulation of the migration value of pollutants, the groundwater in the study area was evaluated by constructing a groundwater pollution risk assessment system that combined groundwater vulnerability and pollution load. The results showed that in the study area, the heavy-risk area accounted for 38%, the high-risk area accounted for 29%, the medium-risk area accounted for 22%, and the low-risk area accounted for 11%. Approximately 70% of the area was rated as high-risk or above, indicating that the groundwater in the study area was more susceptible to surface pollutants. Once groundwater is contaminated, recovery is difficult; therefore, groundwater pollution risk assessments are necessary. The groundwater pollution risk assessment system constructed by the groundwater numerical simulation and multi-index comprehensive evaluation method has significance as a reference for regional groundwater pollution risk identification and scientific management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoning Zhao
- Defense Engineering College, Army Engineering University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210007, China.
| | - Daqing Wang
- Defense Engineering College, Army Engineering University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210007, China.
| | - Haoli Xu
- Defense Engineering College, Army Engineering University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210007, China.
| | - Zhibin Ding
- Defense Engineering College, Army Engineering University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210007, China.
| | - Yue Shi
- Defense Engineering College, Army Engineering University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210007, China.
| | - Zhao Lu
- Defense Engineering College, Army Engineering University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210007, China.
| | - Zijian Cheng
- Defense Engineering College, Army Engineering University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210007, China.
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14
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Villata S, Tabor W. A self-organized sentence processing theory of gradience: The case of islands. Cognition 2022; 222:104943. [PMID: 35026687 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2021.104943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Formal theories of grammar and traditional parsing models, insofar as they presuppose a categorical notion of grammar, face the challenge of accounting for gradient effects (sentences receive gradient acceptability judgments, speakers report a gradient ability to comprehend sentences that deviate from idealized grammatical forms, and various online sentence processing measures yield gradient effects). This challenge is traditionally met by explaining gradient effects in terms of extra-grammatical factors, positing a purely categorical core for the language system. We present a new way of accounting for gradience in a self-organized sentence processing (SOSP) model. SOSP generates structures with a continuous range of grammaticality values by assuming a flexible structure-formation system in which the parses are formed even under sub-optimal circumstances by coercing elements to play roles that do not optimally suit them. We focus on islands, a family of syntactic domains out of which movement is generally prohibited. Islands are interesting because, although many linguistic theories treat them as fully ungrammatical and uninterpretable, experimental studies have revealed gradient patterns of acceptability and evidence for their interpretability. We describe the conceptual framework of SOSP, showing that it largely respects island constraints, but in certain cases, consistent with empirical data, coerces elements that block dependencies into elements that allow them.
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15
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Cuschieri S, Pallari E, Hatziyianni A, Sigurvinsdottir R, Sigfusdottir ID, Sigurðardóttir ÁK. Mortality comparisons of COVID-19 with all-cause and non-communicable diseases in Cyprus, Iceland and Malta: lessons learned and forward planning. Public Health 2022; 202:52-57. [PMID: 34891099 PMCID: PMC8059981 DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2021.03.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The COVID-19 pandemic has spread throughout the world, including Cyprus, Iceland and Malta. Considering the small population sizes of these three island countries, it was anticipated that COVID-19 would be adequately contained and mortality would be low. This study aims to compare and contrast COVID-19 mortality with mortality from all causes and common non-communicable diseases (NCDs) over 8 months between these three islands. METHODS Data were obtained from the Ministry of Health websites and COVID dashboards from Cyprus, Iceland and Malta. The case-to-fatality ratio (CFR) and years of life lost (YLLs) were calculated. Comparisons were made between the reported cases, deaths, CFR, YLLs, swabbing rates, restrictions and mitigation measures. RESULTS Low COVID-19 case numbers and mortality rates were observed during the first wave and transition period in Cyprus, Iceland and Malta. The second wave saw a drastic increase in the number of confirmed cases and mortality rates, especially for Malta, with high CFR and YLLs. Similar restrictions and measures were evident across the three island countries. Results show that COVID-19 mortality was generally lower than mortality from NCDs. CONCLUSIONS The study highlights that small geographical and population size, along with similar restrictive measures, did not appear to have an advantage against the spread and mortality rate of COVID-19, especially during the second wave. Population density, an ageing population and social behaviours may play a role in the burden of COVID-19. It is recommended that a country-specific syndemic approach is used to deal with the local COVID-19 spread based on the population's characteristics, behaviours and the presence of other pre-existing epidemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Cuschieri
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.
| | - E Pallari
- University College London, MRC Clinical Trials and Methodology Unit, London, England.
| | - A Hatziyianni
- Ammochostos General Hospital, 25 Christou Kkeli, Paralimni, 5310, Cyprus.
| | | | - I D Sigfusdottir
- Department of Psychology, Reykjavik University, Reykjavik, Iceland; Teacher's College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Á K Sigurðardóttir
- School of Health Science, University of Akureyri, Sólborg, Iceland; Akureyri Hospital, Akureyri, Iceland.
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16
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Blanke JM, Steinberg MK, Donlevy JP. A baseline analysis of marine debris on southern islands of Belize. Mar Pollut Bull 2021; 172:112916. [PMID: 34526268 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Marine debris is a global issue with acute impacts. Using beach transect surveys, this study investigates debris prevalence on 7 islands in the Caribbean country of Belize. 1754 items were cataloged based on object size, form, material, condition, and economic use. Most of the litter was plastics (68.1%). Styrofoam was the second highest in abundance (9.46%), followed by foam/rubber items (8.04%), glass (3.82%), metal (2.57%), and aluminum (1.94%). Most litter was associated with an urban source (74.8%), while 4.2% and 2.1% were linked to industrial and fishing activities respectively. This study provides a novel baseline for future studies in the scarcely studied region, especially as Belize's economy continues in the conscious shift away from single-use plastic and styrofoam products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayla M Blanke
- Department of Geography, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, United States.
| | - Michael K Steinberg
- Department of Geography, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, United States
| | - James P Donlevy
- Department of Geography, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, United States
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17
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Kwiringira JN, Mugisha J, Akugizibwe M, Ariho P. 'When will the doctor be around so that I come by?!' Geo-socio effects on health care supply, access and utilisation: experiences from Kalangala Islands, Uganda. BMC Health Serv Res 2021; 21:1163. [PMID: 34702272 PMCID: PMC8549200 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-021-07204-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The study set out to give an in-depth intersection of geo, eco-socio exposition of the factors relating to geography, healthcare supply and utilization in an island setting. This analysis is informed by what has emerged to be known as social epidemiology. We provide in-depth explanation of context to health care access, utilization and outcomes. We argue that health care delivery has multiple intersections that are experientially complex, multi-layered and multi-dimensional to the disadvantage of vulnerable population segments of society in the study area. Methods We used a cross-sectional qualitative exploratory design. Qualitative methods facilitated an in-depth exploration and understanding of this island dispersed and peripheral setting. Data sources included a review of relevant literature and an ethnographic exploration of the lived experiences of community members while seeking and accessing health care. Data collection methods included in-depth interviews (IDI) from selected respondents, observation, focus group discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews (KII). Results We report based on the health care systems model which posits that, health care activities are diverse but interconnected in a complex way. The identified themes are; the role of geography, access (geographical and financial) to health services, demand and utilization, Supplies, staffing and logistical barriers and a permissive and transient society. When and how to travel for care was beyond a matter of having a health need/ being sick and need arising. A motivated workforce is as critical as health facilities themselves in determining healthcare outcomes. Conclusion Geography doesn’t work and affect health outcomes in isolation. Measures that target only individuals will not be adequate to tackle health inequalities because aspects of the collective social group and physical environment may also need to be changed in order to reduce health variations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - James Mugisha
- Department of Sociology and Social Administration, Kyambogo University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Mathias Akugizibwe
- Department of Sociology and Social Administration, Kyambogo University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Paulino Ariho
- Department of Sociology and Social Administration, Kyambogo University, Kampala, Uganda
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18
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Fawzi M, Sharmeen JB, Juliano H, Chaker EK. Endemic and indigenous plants from Mascarene Islands with antiviral propensities. Curr Drug Targets 2021; 23:72-86. [PMID: 34431460 DOI: 10.2174/1389450122666210824143910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Antiviral resistance and inefficiency of available antiviral drugs to effectively treat viral infections have prompted many researchers worldwide to explore medicinal plants and their isolated compounds as alternative antivirals. The rich flora from the Mascarene Islands has also been thoroughly studied for their wide therapeutic activities, including their antiviral properties. <P> Objective: The aim of this paper is to highlight the antiviral propensities of Mascarene endemic and indigenous medicinal plants. <P> Methodology: A review of the literature was conducted via major databases and other primary sources of information. The inhibitory concentration/effective dose causing 50% viral inhibition (IC50/ED50), cytotoxic concentration causing 50% reduction in cell viability (CC50), and selectivity index (SI) were reported, and mechanisms of antiviral action were also discussed. <P> Results: Stillingia lineata was the most effective against chikungunya virus (SI: 10.9), and among its isolated compounds, 12-O-acetylphorbol-13(2″-methyl)- butyrate and 12-deoxyphorbol-13(2″-methyl)butyrate were the most potent and selective inhibitors of chikungunya virus replication (SI= 41 and >240, respectively). 12-O-acetylphorbol-13(2″-methyl)- butyrate, 12β-O-[nona-2Z,4E,6E-trienoyl]-4α-deoxyphorbol-13-butyrate, 12-deoxyphorbol-13(2″-methyl)butyrate, and 12-deoxyphorbol-13-[8'-oxohexadeca-2E,4E,6E-trienoate showed strong selective antiviral effect on human immunodeficiency virus-I (SI 36-899) and II (SI 33-2056). Obetia ficifolia and Erythroxylon laurifolium were most active against the herpes virus (SI: 16 and 18.5, respectively). Labourdonnaisia glauca showed potent anti-poliovirus activity (SI: 40), while Badula insularis Labourdonnaisia glauca and Myonima violacea were active against Rhinovirus (SI: 1.3-2.5). The most effective against the Zika virus were Aphloia theiformis and Psiloxylon mauritianum. Both anti-zika and anti-dengue virus activity were reported for Doratoxylon apetalum. <P> Conclusion: Promising spectrum of antiviral properties notably against Zika, dengue, chikungunya, polio, rhino, herpes, and human immunodeficiency viruses were presented by the Mascarene plants suggesting them as viable candidates for the potential development of effective natural antiviral drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahomoodally Fawzi
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Mauritius, Réduit. Mauritius
| | - Jugreet Bibi Sharmeen
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Mauritius, Réduit. Mauritius
| | - Haddad Juliano
- Unité Mixte Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical, INSERM U1187, CNRS UMR 9192, IRD UMR 249, Université de La Réunion. Plateforme Technologique CYROI, 94791, Sainte Clotilde, La Réunion. France
| | - El Kalamouni Chaker
- Unité Mixte Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical, INSERM U1187, CNRS UMR 9192, IRD UMR 249, Université de La Réunion. Plateforme Technologique CYROI, 94791, Sainte Clotilde, La Réunion. France
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Oliveros CH, Andersen MJ, Moyle RG. A phylogeny of white-eyes based on ultraconserved elements. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2021; 164:107273. [PMID: 34333115 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2021.107273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
White-eyes are an iconic radiation of passerine birds that have been the subject of studies in evolutionary biology, biogeography, and speciation theory. Zosterops white-eyes in particular are thought to have radiated rapidly across continental and insular regions of the Afro- and Indo-Pacific tropics, yet their phylogenetic history remains equivocal. Here, we sampled 77% of the genera and 47% of known white-eye species and sequenced thousands of ultraconserved elements to infer the phylogeny of the avian family Zosteropidae. We used concatenated maximum likelihood and species tree methods and found strong support for seven clades of white-eyes and three clades within the species-rich Zosterops radiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl H Oliveros
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity Institute, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA
| | - Michael J Andersen
- Department of Biology and Museum of Southwestern Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Robert G Moyle
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity Institute, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA.
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20
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Wright KA, Kelman I, Dodds R. Tourism development from disaster capitalism. Ann Tour Res 2021; 89:103070. [PMID: 33100430 PMCID: PMC7568692 DOI: 10.1016/j.annals.2020.103070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Kelly-Ann Wright
- University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Ilan Kelman
- University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- University of Agder, Norway
| | - Rachel Dodds
- Ted Rogers School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3, Canada
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21
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Ahn J, Lee J, Lee SH, Park MY, Lee W. The Occupational Characteristics and Health Status of Workers in Geographically Isolated and Confined Areas in the Republic of Korea. J Korean Med Sci 2021; 36:e119. [PMID: 33942580 PMCID: PMC8093608 DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2021.36.e119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study investigates the safety and health status of geographically isolated and confined workers. METHODS This study was conducted in Baekryeong Island in Korea in 2020. The age-standardized prevalence ratios (aSPR) for occupational injury, unmet medical needs, psychological status, and lifestyle were estimated from the available data. Also, we compared the aSPRs of workers in Baekryeong Island with a reference study population who participated in a nationally representative survey in Korea. RESULTS The study revealed that Baekryeong Island workers had an increased risk of acquiring health and safety problems compared to the general worker population. The island workers showed a significant increase in unmet medical care (aSPR, 5.319; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.984-6.958) and occupational injury (aSPR, 8.371; 95% CI, 3.820-15.892). CONCLUSION This study identified the safety and health problems of geographically isolated workers in Baekryeong Island. The risk of occupational injury and unmet medical care are simultaneously highlighted in the region's population, thereby underscoring the importance of prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joonho Ahn
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jongin Lee
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sang Ha Lee
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Korea
| | - Min Young Park
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
| | - Wanhyung Lee
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Gil Medical Center, Gachon University College of Medicine, Incheon, Korea.
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22
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Clyde N, Hargan KE, Forbes MR, Iverson SA, Blais JM, Smol JP, Bump JK, Gilchrist HG. Seaduck engineers in the Arctic Archipelago: nesting eiders deliver marine nutrients and transform the chemistry of island soils, plants, and ponds. Oecologia 2021; 195:1041-52. [PMID: 33675409 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-021-04889-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Seabirds are thought to provide ecological services such as the movement of nutrients between marine and terrestrial ecosystems, which may be especially critical to productivity and diversity in nutrient-poor environments. Most Arctic ecosystems are unaffected by local human impacts and are naturally nutrient poor and especially sensitive to warming. Here, we assessed the effects of nesting common eider ducks (Somateria mollissima) on soil, vegetation, and pond sediments on island archipelagoes in Hudson Strait between Nunavut and Québec, Canada. Soil, moss, and pond sediments were significantly higher in nitrogen on islands with large numbers of nesting eiders compared to sites with no nesting birds. The highest concentrations of nitrogen in soils and moss occurred at the margins of ponds on eider islands, which correspond to the areas of highest eider use. δ15N and δ34S values in soils, moss, and sediments indicated substantial marine-derived organic matter inputs at the higher nutrient sites. We propose that by foraging on coastal marine benthic invertebrates and returning to islands to nest, eider ducks bio-transport and concentrate marine-derived nutrients to their colony islands, fertilizing Arctic island ecosystems in the process. As common eiders nest on thousands of low to mid-latitude islands throughout the circumpolar Arctic, these nutrient inputs likely dramatically affect biota and ecosystem functioning throughout the tundra biome.
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23
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González-Morales O, Santana Talavera A, Domínguez González D. The involvement of marine tourism companies in CSR: the case of the island of Tenerife. Environ Dev Sustain 2021; 23:11427-11450. [PMID: 33584128 PMCID: PMC7864801 DOI: 10.1007/s10668-020-01120-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Corporate Social Responsibility is a voluntary strategy by companies, which integrates a set of actions that contribute to sustainable development. This study analyzes the degree of involvement of marine tourism companies in human resource management, adaptation to change, environmental management, local community development and collaboration with public and private agents. These areas configure companies' Corporate Social Responsibility strategies. Information was collected from marine tourism companies on the island of Tenerife using quantitative and qualitative methodologies. A binary logistic regression analysis was applied. The results indicate that, in general, marine tourism companies are socio-environmentally responsible. Environmental aspects and adaptation to change through innovation have the greatest weight in these companies' Corporate Social Responsibility strategies. Actions for local community development and collaboration with private agents are also important. However, human resource management influences negatively since marine tourism is a highly regulated sector in this regard. Thus, actions are mandatory and not voluntary, affecting all companies equally whether they have high levels of Corporate Social Responsibility implementation or not. Regarding relations with public authorities, the results indicate that improvement is urgently required, given the low participation of marine tourism companies in policy making.
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Affiliation(s)
- O. González-Morales
- Department of Applied Economics and Quantitative Methods, University of La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - A. Santana Talavera
- Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
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24
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Ssetaala A, Nabawanuka J, Matovu G, Nakiragga N, Namugga J, Nalubega P, Kaluuma HL, Chinyenze K, Perehudoff K, Michielsen K, Bagaya B, Price M, Kiwanuka N, Degomme O. Components of antenatal care received by women in fishing communities on Lake Victoria, Uganda; a cross sectional survey. BMC Health Serv Res 2020; 20:901. [PMID: 32993644 PMCID: PMC7526094 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-020-05739-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Uganda has one of the highest maternal deaths at a ratio of 336 per 100,000 live births. As Uganda strives to achieve sustainable development goals, appropriate antenatal care is key to reduction of maternal mortality. We explored women's reported receipt of seven of the Uganda guidelines components of antenatal care, and associated factors in hard to reach Lake Victoria island fishing communities of Kalangala district. METHODS A cross sectional survey among 486 consenting women aged 15-49 years, who were pregnant at any time in the past 6 months was conducted in 6 island fishing communities of Kalangala district, Uganda, during January-May 2018. Interviewer administered questionnaires, were used to collect data on socio-demographics and receipt of seven of the Uganda guidelines components of antenatal care. Regression modeling was used to determine factors associated with receipt of all seven components. RESULTS Over three fifths (65.0%) had at least one ANC visit during current or most recent pregnancy. Fewer than a quarter of women who reported attending care at least four times received all seven ANC components [(23.6%), P < 0.05]. Women who reported receipt of ANC from the mainland were twice as likely to have received all seven components as those who received care from islands (aOR = 1.8; 95% CI:0.9-3.7). Receipt of care from a doctor was associated with thrice likelihood of receiving all components relative to ANC by a midwife or nurse (aOR = 3.2; 95% CI:1.1-9.1). CONCLUSIONS We observed that the delivery of antenatal care components per Ugandan guidelines is poor in these communities. Cost effective endeavors to improve components of antenatal care received by women are urgently needed. Task shifting some components of ANC to community health workers may improve care in these island communities. TRIAL REGISTRATION PACTR201903906459874 (Retrospectively registered).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Ssetaala
- UVRI-IAVI HIV Vaccine Program, Entebbe, Uganda. .,Ghent University International Centre for Reproductive Health, Ghent, Belgium.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Katrina Perehudoff
- Ghent University International Centre for Reproductive Health, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Kristien Michielsen
- Ghent University International Centre for Reproductive Health, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Bernard Bagaya
- Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Matt Price
- IAVI, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Noah Kiwanuka
- Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Olivier Degomme
- Ghent University International Centre for Reproductive Health, Ghent, Belgium
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25
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Maddock ST, Nussbaum RA, Day JJ, Latta L, Miller M, Fisk DL, Wilkinson M, Rocha S, Gower DJ, Pfrender ME. The roles of vicariance and isolation by distance in shaping biotic diversification across an ancient archipelago: evidence from a Seychelles caecilian amphibian. BMC Evol Biol 2020; 20:110. [PMID: 32847507 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-020-01673-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Island systems offer excellent opportunities for studying the evolutionary histories of species by virtue of their restricted size and easily identifiable barriers to gene flow. However, most studies investigating evolutionary patterns and processes shaping biotic diversification have focused on more recent (emergent) rather than ancient oceanic archipelagos. Here, we focus on the granitic islands of the Seychelles, which are unusual among island systems because they have been isolated for a long time and are home to a monophyletic radiation of caecilian amphibians that has been separated from its extant sister lineage for ca. 65–62 Ma. We selected the most widespread Seychelles caecilian species, Hypogeophis rostratus, to investigate intraspecific morphological and genetic (mitochondrial and nuclear) variation across the archipelago (782 samples from nine islands) to identify patterns and test processes that shaped their evolutionary history within the Seychelles. Results Overall a signal of strong geographic structuring with distinct northern- and southern-island clusters were identified across all datasets. We suggest that these distinct groups have been isolated for ca. 1.26 Ma years without subsequent migration between them. Populations from the somewhat geographically isolated island of Frégate showed contrasting relationships to other islands based on genetic and morphological data, clustering alternatively with northern-island (genetic) and southern-island (morphological) populations. Conclusions Although variation in H. rostratus across the Seychelles is explained more by isolation-by-distance than by adaptation, the genetic-morphological incongruence for affinities of Frégate H. rostratus might be caused by local adaptation over-riding the signal from their vicariant history. Our findings highlight the need of integrative approaches to investigate fine-scale geographic structuring to uncover underlying diversity and to better understand evolutionary processes on ancient, continental islands.
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26
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Çağlayan M. Pol β gap filling, DNA ligation and substrate-product channeling during base excision repair opposite oxidized 5-methylcytosine modifications. DNA Repair (Amst) 2020; 95:102945. [PMID: 32853828 DOI: 10.1016/j.dnarep.2020.102945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
DNA methylation on cytosine in CpG islands generates 5-methylcytosine (5mC), and further modification of 5mC can result in the oxidized variants 5-hydroxymethyl (5hmC), 5-formyl (5fC), and 5-carboxy (5caC). Base excision repair (BER) is crucial for both genome maintenance and active DNA demethylation of modified cytosine products and involves substrate-product channeling from nucleotide insertion by DNA polymerase (pol) β to the subsequent ligation step. Here, we report that, in contrast to the pol β mismatch insertion products (dCTP, dATP, and dTTP), the nicked products after pol β dGTP insertion can be ligated by DNA ligase I or DNA ligase III/XRCC1 complex when a 5mC oxidation modification is present opposite in the template position in vitro. A Pol β K280A mutation, which perturbates the stabilization of these base modifications within the active site, hinders the BER ligases. Moreover, the nicked repair intermediates that mimic pol β mismatch insertion products, i.e., with 3'-preinserted dGMP or dTMP opposite templating 5hmC, 5fC or 5caC, can be efficiently ligated, whereas preinserted 3'-dAMP or dCMP mismatches result in failed ligation reactions. These findings herein contribute to our understanding of the insertion tendencies of pol β opposite different cytosine base forms, the ligation properties of DNA ligase I and DNA ligase III/XRCC1 complex in the context of gapped and nicked damage-containing repair intermediates, and the efficiency and fidelity of substrate channeling during the final steps of BER in situations involving oxidative 5mC base modifications in the template strand.
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27
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Pérez-Cembranos A, Pérez-Mellado V. It sounds like food: Phonotaxis of a diurnal lizard. Behav Processes 2020; 179:104217. [PMID: 32763461 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2020.104217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2019] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Foraging diurnal lizards are well known for their use of visual and chemical cues to detect prey. We already showed that the Balearic lizard is able to detect prey using visual and chemical cues, even from airborne odors. In this study we carried out a field experiment to test if lizards can detect prey using acoustic cues. Our results show that Podarcis lilfordi is able to detect flies trapped inside opaque cups, only using acoustic cues. To our knowledge, this is the first known case of phonotaxis of a diurnal lizard. Thus, P. lilfordi can detect, from far away, current pollinators trapped inside floral chambers of the dead horse arum, Helicodiceros muscivorus. This is another behavioral trait displayed by the Balearic lizard during its complex interaction with the dead horse arum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Pérez-Cembranos
- Department of Animal Biology Edificio de Farmacia, 5ª Planta Campus Miguel de Unamuno s/n, University of Salamanca, 37071, Salamanca, Spain.
| | - Valentín Pérez-Mellado
- Department of Animal Biology Edificio de Farmacia, 5ª Planta Campus Miguel de Unamuno s/n, University of Salamanca, 37071, Salamanca, Spain.
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28
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Martins FC, Cox SC, Irestedt M, Prŷs-Jones RP, Day JJ. A comprehensive molecular phylogeny of Afrotropical white-eyes (Aves: Zosteropidae) highlights prior underestimation of mainland diversity and complex colonisation history. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2020; 149:106843. [PMID: 32330543 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2020.106843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Revised: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
White-eyes (Zosterops) are a hyper-diverse genus of passerine birds that have rapidly radiated across the Afrotropics and Southeast Asia. Despite their broad range, a disproportionately large number of species are currently recognised from islands compared to the mainland. Described species-level diversity of this 'great speciator' from continental Africa-Arabia is strikingly low, despite the vast size and environmental complexity of this region. However, efforts to identify natural groups using traditional approaches have been hindered by the remarkably uniform morphology and plumage of these birds. Here, we investigated the phylogenetic relationships and systematics of Afrotropical Zosterops, including the Gulf of Guinea and western Indian Ocean islands. We included exceptional sampling (~160 individuals) from all except one subspecies of the 55 taxa (32 species, plus 23 additional named sub-species) currently recognized throughout the region, in addition to a subset of extra-Afrotropical taxa, by exploiting blood and archival samples. Employing a multi-locus phylogenetic approach and applying quantitative species delimitation we tested: (1) if there has been a single colonisation event of the Afrotropical realm; (2) if constituent mainland and island birds are monophyletic; and (3) if mainland diversity has been underestimated. Our comprehensive regional phylogeny revealed a single recent colonisation of the Afrotropical realm c.1.30 Ma from Asia, but a subsequent complex colonisation history between constituent island and mainland lineages during their radiation across this vast area. Our findings suggest a significant previous underestimation of continental species diversity and, based on this, we propose a revised taxonomy. Our study highlights the need to densely sample species diversity across ranges, providing key findings for future conservation assessments and establishing a robust framework for evolutionary studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederico C Martins
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Siobhan C Cox
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK; Bird Group, Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, Akeman Street, Tring, Herts HP23 6AP, UK
| | - Martin Irestedt
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genetics, Swedish Museum of Natural History, PO Box 50007, Stockholm 10405, Sweden
| | - Robert P Prŷs-Jones
- Bird Group, Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, Akeman Street, Tring, Herts HP23 6AP, UK
| | - Julia J Day
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
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Stewart ND, Mastromonaco GF, Burness G. No island-effect on glucocorticoid levels for a rodent from a near-shore archipelago. PeerJ 2020; 8:e8590. [PMID: 32110493 PMCID: PMC7034373 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.8590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Island rodents are often larger and live at higher population densities than their mainland counterparts, characteristics that have been referred to as "island syndrome". Island syndrome has been well studied, but few studies have tested for island-mainland differences in stress physiology. We evaluated island syndrome within the context of stress physiology of white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) captured from 11 islands and five mainland sites in Thousand Islands National Park, Ontario, Canada. Stress physiology was evaluated by quantifying corticosterone (a stress biomarker), the primary glucocorticoid in mice, from hair and its related metabolites from fecal samples. White-footed mice captured in this near-shore archipelago did not display characteristics of island syndrome, nor differences in levels of hair corticosterone or fecal corticosterone metabolites compared with mainland mice. We suggest that island white-footed mice experience similar degrees of stress in the Thousand Islands compared with the mainland. Although we did not find evidence of island syndrome or differences in glucocorticoid levels, we identified relationships between internal (sex, body mass) and external (season) factors and our hormonal indices of stress in white-footed mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan D Stewart
- Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Gary Burness
- Department of Biology, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
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Abstract
BACKGROUND The immense geologic and ecological complexity of the Caribbean has created a natural laboratory for interpreting when and how organisms disperse through time and space. However, competing hypotheses compounded with this complexity have resulted in a lack of unifying principles of biogeography for the region. Though new data concerning the timing of geologic events and dispersal events are emerging, powerful new analytical tools now allow for explicit hypothesis testing. Arthropods, with varying dispersal ability and high levels of endemism in the Caribbean, are an important, albeit understudied, biogeographic model system. Herein, we include a comprehensive analysis of every publicly available genetic dataset (at the time of writing) of terrestrial Caribbean arthropod groups using a statistically robust pipeline to explicitly test the current extent of biogeographic hypotheses for the region. RESULTS Our findings indicate several important biogeographic generalizations for the region: the South American continent is the predominant origin of Caribbean arthropod fauna; GAARlandia played a role for some taxa in aiding dispersal from South America to the Greater Antilles; founder event dispersal explains the majority of dispersal events by terrestrial arthropods, and distance between landmasses is important for dispersal; most dispersal events occurred via island hopping; there is evidence of 'reverse' dispersal from islands to the mainland; dispersal across the present-day Isthmus of Panama generally occurred prior to 3 mya; the Greater Antilles harbor more lineage diversity than the Lesser Antilles, and the larger Greater Antilles typically have greater lineage diversity than the smaller islands; basal Caribbean taxa are primarily distributed in the Greater Antilles, the basal-most being from Cuba, and derived taxa are mostly distributed in the Lesser Antilles; Jamaican taxa are usually endemic and monophyletic. CONCLUSIONS Given the diversity and deep history of terrestrial arthropods, incongruence of biogeographic patterns is expected, but focusing on both similarities and differences among divergent taxa with disparate life histories emphasizes the importance of particular qualities responsible for resulting diversification patterns. Furthermore, this study provides an analytical toolkit that can be used to guide researchers interested in answering questions pertaining to Caribbean biogeography using explicit hypothesis testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah C Crews
- California Academy of Sciences, Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability, 55 Music Concourse Drive, San Francisco, CA, 94118, USA
| | - Lauren A Esposito
- California Academy of Sciences, Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability, 55 Music Concourse Drive, San Francisco, CA, 94118, USA.
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31
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Tapia PI, Negoita L, Gibbs JP, Jaramillo P. Effectiveness of water-saving technologies during early stages of restoration of endemic Opuntia cacti in the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador. PeerJ 2019; 7:e8156. [PMID: 31824769 PMCID: PMC6896940 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.8156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Restoration of keystone species is a primary strategy used to combat biodiversity loss and recover ecological services. This is particularly true for oceanic islands, which despite their small land mass, host a large fraction of the planet’s imperiled species. The endemic Opuntia spp. cacti are one example and a major focus for restoration in the Galápagos archipelago, Ecuador. These cacti are keystone species that support much of the unique vertebrate animal community in arid zones, yet human activities have substantially reduced Opuntia populations. Extreme aridity poses an obstacle for quickly restoring Opuntia populations though water-saving technologies may provide a solution. The aim of this study was to evaluate current restoration efforts and the utility of two water-saving technologies as tools for the early stages of restoring Opuntia populations in the Galápagos archipelago. We planted 1,425 seedlings between 2013 and 2018, of which 66% had survived by the end of 2018. Compared with no-technology controls, seedlings planted with Groasis Waterboxx® water-saving technology (polypropylene trays with water reservoir and protective refuge for germinants) had a greater rate of survival in their first two-years of growth on one island (Plaza Sur) and greater growth rate on four islands whereas the “Cocoon” water-saving technology (similar technology but made of biodegradable fiber) did not affect growth and actually reduced seedling survival. Survival and growth rate were also influenced by vegetation zone, elevation, and precipitation in ways largely contingent on island. Overall, our findings suggest that water-saving technologies are not always universally applicable but can substantially increase the survival and growth rate of seedlings in certain conditions, providing in some circumstances a useful tool for improving restoration outcomes for rare plants of arid ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Isabela Tapia
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, United Kingdom.,Charles Darwin Research Station, Charles Darwin Foundation, Santa Cruz, Galápagos, Ecuador
| | - Luka Negoita
- Charles Darwin Research Station, Charles Darwin Foundation, Santa Cruz, Galápagos, Ecuador
| | - James P Gibbs
- Department of Environmental and Forest Biology, State University of New York, Syracuse, NY, United States of America
| | - Patricia Jaramillo
- Charles Darwin Research Station, Charles Darwin Foundation, Santa Cruz, Galápagos, Ecuador.,Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
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32
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Pafilis P, Herrel A, Kapsalas G, Vasilopoulou-Kampitsi M, Fabre AC, Foufopoulos J, Donihue CM. Habitat shapes the thermoregulation of Mediterranean lizards introduced to replicate experimental islets. J Therm Biol 2019; 84:368-374. [PMID: 31466776 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2019.07.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Revised: 07/11/2019] [Accepted: 07/27/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Both environmental temperatures and spatial heterogeneity can profoundly affect the biology of ectotherms. In lizards, thermoregulation may show high plasticity and may respond to environmental shifts. In the context of global climate change, lizards showing plastic thermoregulatory responses may be favored. In this study, we designed an experiment to evaluate the extent to which lizard thermoregulation responds to introduction to a new environment in a snapshot of time. In 2014, we captured individuals of the Aegean Wall lizard (Podarcis erhardii) from Naxos Island (429.8 km2) and released them onto two small, lizard-free islets, Galiatsos (0.0073 km2) and Kampana (0.004 km2) (Aegean Sea, Greece). In 2017, we returned to the islets and estimated the effectiveness (E), accuracy and precision of thermoregulation measuring operative, preferred (Tpref) and body temperatures. We hypothesized that the three habitats would differ in thermal quality and investigated the extent to which lizards from Naxos demonstrate plasticity when introduced to the novel, islet habitats. Thermal parameters did not differ between Galiatsos and Naxos and this was reflected in the similar E and Tpref. However, lizards from Kampana deviated in all focal traits from Naxos, resulting in higher E and a preference for higher Tpref. In sum, Naxos lizards shifted their thermoregulatory profile due to the idiosyncratic features of their new islet habitat. Our results advocate a high plasticity in lizard thermoregulation and suggest that there is room for effective responses to environmental changes, at least for Podarcis lizards in insular habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panayiotis Pafilis
- Dept. of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece; Zoological Museum, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.
| | - Anthony Herrel
- Dept. Adaptation du Vivant, UMR 7179 CNRS/MNHN, Paris, France; Dept. of Biology, University of Antwerp, Belgium; Dept. of Biology, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Grigoris Kapsalas
- Dept. of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
| | | | - Anne-Claire Fabre
- Dept. of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Colin M Donihue
- Dept. Adaptation du Vivant, UMR 7179 CNRS/MNHN, Paris, France; Dept. of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, USA; Dept. of Biology, Washington University of St. Louis, USA
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Abstract
Aim With the most robust floristic data set for any arid archipelago, we use statistical modeling to determine the underlying controls of plant diversity and species composition. Location The study was undertaken in the Midriff Islands of the Gulf of California, Mexico. Methods Using the area–diversity relationship we estimate the power coefficient z with generalized linear models (GLM). We tested eight predictors (area, human presence, habitat diversity, topography, distance to mainland, island type, precipitation, and seabird dynamics) using a step-wise process on the same GLM procedure. Plant species composition was assessed by conducting a non-standardized principal component analysis on a presence-absence matrix of the 476 (plant species) × 14 (islands). Finally, families were tested for over or under representation with a X2 analysis subjected to a Bonferroni correction. Results The classic species-area model explained 85% of the variance in island plant diversity and yielded a slope (z) of 0.303 (±0.01). When the effect of area is removed, four additional factors were shown to account for observed variation; habitat diversity (34%), seabird dynamics (23%), island type (21%), topography (14%). Human presence and distance to mainland were not predictors of species richness. Species composition varies significantly with island area; small islands have a particular flora where certain families are overrepresented, such as Cactaceae, while the flora of larger islands is strongly dependent on the continental source. Main conclusions The factors that control diversity levels are expressions of geology, landscape heterogeneity, and land-sea connections. Species assemblages in small islands are governed by copious marine nutrients in the form of guano that depress species diversity. Distance to mainland and human presence hold no predictive power on diversity. The results show these islands to be isolated arid ecosystems with functioning ecological networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin T Wilder
- Desert Laboratory on Tumamoc Hill, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Richard S Felger
- University of Arizona Herbarium, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Exequiel Ezcurra
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
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Adler PH, Takaoka H, Sofian-Azirun M, Chen CD, Suana IW. Evolutionary and biogeographic history of the black fly Simulium wayani (Diptera: Simuliidae) on the island of Timor. Acta Trop 2019; 193:1-6. [PMID: 30772330 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2019.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Revised: 02/11/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
A recently described species of black fly, Simulium wayani Takaoka and Chen, from the island of Timor was chromosomally mapped to provide insights into its evolutionary and biogeographic history. The morphologically based species status of S. wayani is supported by a suite of fixed chromosomal rearrangements and unique sex chromosomes derived primarily from a large pool of polymorphisms in the S. ornatipes complex in Australia. The banding patterns of its polytene chromosomes indicate that S. wayani is closely related to a pair of homosequential cryptic species (S. norfolkense Dumbleton and S. ornatipes cytoform A2) in the S. ornatipes Skuse complex on mainland Australia; all three species uniquely share the same amplified band in their chromosomal complement. The low level of polymorphism and heterozygosity in S. wayani, relative to Australian populations of the S. ornatipes complex, suggests few colonization events from the larger land mass.
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Katircioglu S, Cizreliogullari MN, Katircioglu S. Estimating the role of climate changes on international tourist flows: evidence from Mediterranean Island States. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2019; 26:14393-14399. [PMID: 30868454 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-019-04750-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2019] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
This article examines the role of climate change on tourist flows to Malta, Cyprus (north), and Cyprus (south) which are major tourist destinations in the Mediterranean. Results from time series analyses reveal that climate change positively impacts on foreign tourist flows to these island states. Thus, this finding is reasonable where we argue that global warming leads to increases in international tourist arrivals to small island states. This paper has also found statistically significant effects of overall energy consumption on foreign tourist arrivals to Malta and Cyprus revealing that energy efficiency policies are essential in small island states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Setareh Katircioglu
- Department of Banking and Finance, University of Kyrenia, Karakum, Via Mersin 10, Kyrenia, Northern Cyprus, Turkey
| | | | - Salih Katircioglu
- Department of Banking and Finance, Eastern Mediterranean University, Via Mersin 10, 99628, Famagusta, Northern Cyprus, Turkey.
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Akao T, Onji M, Kawasaki K, Uehara T, Kuwabara Y, Nishimoto T, Yamamoto S, Miyaike J, Oomoto M, Miyake T. Surveillance of Hepatitis Viruses in Several Small Islands of Japan by Ship: A Public Health Approach for Elimination of Hepatitis Viruses by 2030. Euroasian J Hepatogastroenterol 2019; 9:57-62. [PMID: 32117691 PMCID: PMC7047309 DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10018-1304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Aim In 1990, an epidemiological survey by ship in some Japanese islands revealed high prevalence of hepatitis viruses and human T cell leukemia virus (HTLV). A second prevalence study of these viruses were accomplished in 2018, 28 years after initial survey. Analysis of these studies provide insights about strategies of elimination of hepatitis viruses at remote areas. Materials and methods In 2018, prevalence of hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and HTLV was checked in 305 subjects in the islands those covered in 1990's survey. Hepatitis A virus was checked by the presence of anti-HAV IgG in sera; HBV was affirmed when hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in sera. Hepatitis C virus infection was evaluated by the presence of antibody to HCV (anti-HCV) and infection with HTLV was estimated by immunoassay. The methodology of assessment of different hepatitis viruses were optimized on the basis of present scientific knowhow. Results In 1990, the prevalence of HAV (presence of anti-HAV), HBV (presence of HBsAg), HCV (positivity for anti-HCV), and HTLV was found in 79.3%, 11.1%, 2.2%, and 3.3% of apparently health subjects of the islands, respectively. The prevalence of HAV, HBV, HCV, and HTLV was 47.9%, 4.6%, 1.0%, and 3.0%, respectively, in 2018. A shift of age of infected persons tilted towards right as the days progressed. Conclusion The study indicates a scenario of elimination of hepatitis viruses in Japan as lower trends of prevalence of HAV, HBV, and HCV have been recorded in 2018 compared with 1990, mainly by preventive measures. The most notable finding is that there are almost no new case below the age of 40 years, indicating an effective containment measure against these viruses. How to cite this article Akao T, Onji M, Kawasaki K, et al. Surveillance of Hepatitis Viruses in Several Small Islands of Japan by Ship: A Public Health Approach for Elimination of Hepatitis Viruses by 2030. Euroasian J Hepato-Gastroenterol 2019;9(2):57–62.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Morikazu Onji
- Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime, Japan
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Jiro Miyaike
- Saiseikai Imabari Hospital, Imabari, Ehime, Japan
| | | | - Teruki Miyake
- Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime, Japan
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Abstract
Introduced psittacine birds can become highly invasive. In this study, we assessed invasions of Psittaciformes in Puerto Rico. We reviewed the literature, public databases, citizen science records, and performed in situ population surveys across the island to determine the historical and current status and distribution of psittacine species. We used count data from Ebird to determine population trends. For species whose populations were increasing, we modelled their potential distribution using niche modeling techniques. We found 46 Psittaciformes in Puerto Rico, of which 26% are only present as pets, at least 29 species have been reported in the wild, and of those, there is evidence that at least 12 species are breeding. Our results indicate that most introduced species which have been detected as established still persist, although mostly in localized areas and small populations. Clear evidence of invasiveness was found for Brotogeris versicolurus and Myiopsitta monachus, which have greatly expanded their range in recent years. Psittacara erythrogenys and Eupsittacula canicularis also showed population increases, although to a lesser degree. The niche models predicted suitable areas for the four species, and also indicate the potential for range expansion. We discuss the factors leading to invasion success, assess the potential impacts, and we discuss possible management strategies and research prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wilfredo Falcón
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico at Humacao, Humacao, Puerto Rico, United States of America.,Center for Applied Tropical Ecology and Conservation, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras, Puerto Rico, United States of America.,Bureau of Research and Conservation of Habitats and Biodiversity, Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States of America
| | - Raymond L Tremblay
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico at Humacao, Humacao, Puerto Rico, United States of America.,Center for Applied Tropical Ecology and Conservation, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras, Puerto Rico, United States of America
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Freedman MG, Miller RH, Rogers HS. Landscape-level bird loss increases the prevalence of honeydew-producing insects and non-native ants. Oecologia 2018; 188:1263-72. [PMID: 30367244 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-018-4273-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 10/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Bird exclusion experiments consistently show that birds exhibit strong top-down control of arthropods, including ants and the honeydew-producing insects (HPIs) that they tend. However, it remains unclear whether the results of these small-scale bird exclosure experiments can be extrapolated to larger spatial scales. In this study, we use a natural bird removal experiment to compare the prevalence of ants and HPIs between Guam, an island whose bird community has been extirpated since the 1980s due to the introduction of the brown tree snake, and two nearby islands (Rota and Saipan) that have more intact bird assemblages. Consistent with smaller-scale bird exclosure experiments, we show that (1) forest trees from Guam are significantly more likely to host HPIs than trees from Saipan and (2) ants are nearly four times as abundant on Guam than on both Saipan and Rota. The prevalence of HPIs varied slightly based on tree species identity, although these effects were not as strong as island-level effects associated with bird loss. Ant community composition differed between Guam and the other two islands. These results corroborate past observational studies showing increased spider densities on Guam and suggest that trophic changes associated with landscape-level bird extirpation may also involve alterations in the abundance of ants and HPIs. This study also provides a clear example of the strong indirect effects that invasive species can have on natural food webs.
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Ríos N, Frias JPGL, Rodríguez Y, Carriço R, Garcia SM, Juliano M, Pham CK. Spatio-temporal variability of beached macro-litter on remote islands of the North Atlantic. Mar Pollut Bull 2018; 133:304-311. [PMID: 30041319 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.05.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2018] [Revised: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Marine litter has been identified as one of the major environmental problems that oceans are currently facing. Worldwide efforts are being made to reduce the input of litter into the oceans, and projects aimed at monitoring their quantities are key to evaluate their success. This study, provide baseline information on the quantities of marine litter found on 42 beaches spread throughout the nine islands of the Azores archipelago, North Atlantic Ocean. A total of 31,439 items were collected throughout the archipelago with an average density of 0.62 ± 0.15 macro-litter items m-2. Of this litter 87% were plastic and its majority (67%) plastic fragments. Six beaches were further monitored every three months for two years. Substrate type and wind exposure were important factors for explaining patterns of litter deposition. Our results highlight that marine litter have the tendency to accumulate in remote islands of the North Atlantic Ocean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noelia Ríos
- OMA - Observatório do Mar dos Açores, Fábrica da Baleia de Porto Pim, Monte da Guia, 9900 Horta, Faial, Portugal
| | - João P G L Frias
- MFRC - Marine and Freshwater Research Centre, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT), Dublin Road, Galway, Ireland; IMAR - Instituto do Mar, Departamento de Oceanografia e Pescas, Universidade dos Açores, 9901-862 Horta, Portugal
| | - Yasmina Rodríguez
- OKEANOS - Universidade dos Açores, Departamento de Oceanografia e Pescas, 9901-862 Horta, Portugal; IMAR - Instituto do Mar, Departamento de Oceanografia e Pescas, Universidade dos Açores, 9901-862 Horta, Portugal
| | - Rita Carriço
- OKEANOS - Universidade dos Açores, Departamento de Oceanografia e Pescas, 9901-862 Horta, Portugal; IMAR - Instituto do Mar, Departamento de Oceanografia e Pescas, Universidade dos Açores, 9901-862 Horta, Portugal
| | - Sofia M Garcia
- DRAM - Direção Regional dos Assuntos do Mar/Regional Directorate for Sea Affairs, Secretaria Regional do Mar, Ciência e Tecnologia, Colónia Alemã - Apartado 9, 9900-014 Horta, Faial, Portugal
| | - Manuela Juliano
- OKEANOS - Universidade dos Açores, Departamento de Oceanografia e Pescas, 9901-862 Horta, Portugal
| | - Christopher K Pham
- OKEANOS - Universidade dos Açores, Departamento de Oceanografia e Pescas, 9901-862 Horta, Portugal.
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40
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Freni-Sterrantino A, Ventrucci M, Rue H. A note on intrinsic conditional autoregressive models for disconnected graphs. Spat Spatiotemporal Epidemiol 2018; 26:25-34. [PMID: 30390932 DOI: 10.1016/j.sste.2018.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2017] [Revised: 03/23/2018] [Accepted: 04/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In this note we discuss (Gaussian) intrinsic conditional autoregressive (CAR) models for disconnected graphs, with the aim of providing practical guidelines for how these models should be defined, scaled and implemented. We show how these suggestions can be implemented in two examples, on disease mapping.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Freni-Sterrantino
- Small Area Health Statistics Unit, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, United Kingdom.
| | | | - Håvard Rue
- CEMSE Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Saudi Arabia
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Abstract
Does anthropogenic environmental change constrain long-term sociopolitical outcomes? It is clear that human colonization of islands radically alters their biological and physical systems. Despite considerable contextual variability in local specificities of this alteration, I argue that these processes are to some extent regular, predictable, and have socio-political implications. Reviewing the data for post-colonization ecodynamics, I show that Neolithic colonization of previously insulated habitats drives biotic homogenization. I argue that we should expect such homogenization to promote regular types of change in biophysical systems, types of change that can be described in sum as environmentally convergent. Such convergence should have significant implications for human social organization over the long term, and general dynamics of this sort are relevant in the context of understanding remarkably similar social evolutionary trajectories towards wealth-inequality not only islands, but also more generally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas P. Leppard
- McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3ER UK
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Agavekar G, Hita Garcia F, Economo EP. Taxonomic overview of the hyperdiverse ant genus Tetramorium Mayr (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in India with descriptions and X-ray microtomography of two new species from the Andaman Islands. PeerJ 2017; 5:e3800. [PMID: 28948101 PMCID: PMC5610556 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2017] [Accepted: 08/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
With 600 described species, the ant genus Tetramorium represents one of the most species-rich ant radiations. However, much work remains to fully document the hyperdiversity of this remarkable group. Tetramorium, while globally distributed, is thought to have originated in the Afrotropics and is particularly diverse in the Old World. Here, we focus attention on the Tetramorium fauna of India, a region of high biodiversity value and interest for conservation. We overview Tetramorium diversity in India by providing a species list, accounts of all species groups present, an illustrated identification key to Indian Tetramorium species groups and notes on the Indian Tetramorium fauna. Further, we describe two new species, Tetramorium krishnani sp. n. and Tetramorium jarawa sp. n. from the Andaman Islands archipelago and embed them into currently recognized Tetramorium tonganum and Tetramorium inglebyi species groups. We also provide illustrated species level keys for these groups. Along with detailed species descriptions and high-resolution montage images of types, we provide 3D cybertypes of the new species derived from X-ray micro-computed tomography.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaurav Agavekar
- Master's Program in Wildlife Biology and Conservation, Wildlife Conservation Society - India Program and National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore, India.,National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore, India.,Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna-son, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Francisco Hita Garcia
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna-son, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Evan P Economo
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna-son, Okinawa, Japan
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Techer MA, Clémencet J, Simiand C, Preeaduth S, Azali HA, Reynaud B, Hélène D. Large-scale mitochondrial DNA analysis of native honey bee Apis mellifera populations reveals a new African subgroup private to the South West Indian Ocean islands. BMC Genet 2017; 18:53. [PMID: 28577537 PMCID: PMC5457595 DOI: 10.1186/s12863-017-0520-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2016] [Accepted: 05/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The South West Indian Ocean (SWIO) archipelagos and Madagascar constitute a hotspot of biodiversity with a high rate of endemism. In this area, the endemic subspecies A. m. unicolor has been described in Madagascar. It belongs to the African lineage, one of the four described evolutionary lineages in honey bees. Despite a long beekeeping tradition and several recorded European introductions, few studies have been carried out on the diversity and proportion of honey bee subspecies. In order to identify and define which evolutionary lineages and potential sub-lineages are present in the SWIO, the COI-COII intergenic region and the ND2 gene of the mtDNA were sequenced in honey bee colonies from three archipelagos. An extensive sampling (n = 1184 colonies) was done in the Mascarene (La Réunion, Mauritius, Rodrigues), Seychelles (Mahé, Praslin, La Digue) and Comoros (Grande Comore, Mohéli, Anjouan, Mayotte) archipelagos. Islands genetic diversity was compared to newly sampled populations from Madagascar, continental African and European populations. RESULTS African lineage haplotypes were found in all islands (except for Rodrigues). Madagascar, Comoros and Seychelles had 100% of A lineage, 95.5% in La Réunion and 56.1% in Mauritius. Among all African colonies detected in the SWIO, 98.1% (n = 633) of COI-COII haplotypes described the presence of the subspecies A. M. unicolor. Both genetic markers revealed i) a new private AI mitochondrial group shared by the SWIO archipelagos and Madagascar distant from continental populations; ii) the private African haplotypes for each island suggested diversity radiation in the archipelagos; iii) the detection of the Comoros archipelago as a possible contact area between insular and continental African populations. The exotic European C and M lineages were only detected in the Mascarene archipelago, but striking differences of proportion were observed among islands. Merely 4.6% of European colonies were found in La Réunion whereas Mauritius cumulated 44%. Here, among the 84 observed COI-COII haplotypes, 50 were newly described including 13 which were private to the SWIO archipelagos and Madagascar. Similarly, 24 of the 34 found ND2 haplotypes were novel which included six haplotypes particular to the SWIO populations. CONCLUSION A new African subgroup was described in the SWIO region with mitochondrial genetic evidence that A. m. unicolor is the indigenous subspecies of the archipelagos surrounding Madagascar.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maéva Angélique Techer
- UMR PVBMT, Université de La Réunion, F-97715 Saint Denis cedex 9, La Réunion, France
- CIRAD, UMR PVBMT, 7 chemin de l’Irat, Ligne Paradis, 97410 Saint Pierre, La Réunion France
- Current Address: Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Ecology and Evolution unit, 1919-1 Tancha Onna-son, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa, 904-0495 Japan
| | - Johanna Clémencet
- UMR PVBMT, Université de La Réunion, F-97715 Saint Denis cedex 9, La Réunion, France
| | - Christophe Simiand
- CIRAD, UMR PVBMT, 7 chemin de l’Irat, Ligne Paradis, 97410 Saint Pierre, La Réunion France
| | - Sookar Preeaduth
- Ministry of Agro Industry and Food Security, Entomology Division, Reduit, Republic of Mauritius
| | - Hamza Abdou Azali
- Université des Comores, Route de la Corniche, BP 2585, Mkazi, Comoros
| | - Bernard Reynaud
- CIRAD, UMR PVBMT, 7 chemin de l’Irat, Ligne Paradis, 97410 Saint Pierre, La Réunion France
| | - Delatte Hélène
- CIRAD, UMR PVBMT, 7 chemin de l’Irat, Ligne Paradis, 97410 Saint Pierre, La Réunion France
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Ojeda DI, Valido A, Fernández de Castro AG, Ortega-Olivencia A, Fuertes-Aguilar J, Carvalho JA, Santos-Guerra A. Pollinator shifts drive petal epidermal evolution on the Macaronesian Islands bird-flowered species. Biol Lett 2017; 12:rsbl.2016.0022. [PMID: 27122008 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2016.0022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2016] [Accepted: 04/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Pollinator shifts are considered to drive floral trait evolution, yet little is still known about the modifications of petal epidermal surface at a biogeographic region scale. Here we investigated how independent shifts from insects to passerine birds in the Macaronesian Islands consistently modified this floral trait (i.e. absence of papillate cells). Using current phylogenies and extensive evidence from field observations, we selected a total of 81 plant species and subspecies for petal microscopy and comparative analysis, including 19 of the 23 insular species pollinated by opportunistic passerine birds (Macaronesian bird-flowered element). Species relying on passerine birds as the most effective pollinators (bird-pollinated) independently evolved at least five times and in all instances associated with a loss of papillate cells, whereas species with a mixed pollination system (birds plus insects and/or other vertebrates) evolved at least five times in Macaronesia and papillate cells were lost in only 25% of these transitions. Our findings suggest that petal micromorphology is a labile trait during pollinator shifts and that papillate cells tend to be absent on those species where pollinators have limited mechanical interaction with flowers, including opportunistic passerine birds that forage by hovering or from the ground.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario I Ojeda
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Avenue F.D Roosevelt 50, 1050, Belgium
| | - Alfredo Valido
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), C/Américo Vespucio s/n, La Cartuja, Sevilla 41092, Spain
| | | | - Ana Ortega-Olivencia
- Área de Botánica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, Avenida de Elvas s.n., Badajoz 06006, Spain
| | | | - José A Carvalho
- Jardim Botânico da Madeira Eng. Rui Vieira, Caminho do Meio, 9064-512 Funchal, Madeira, Portugal
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Mencía A, Ortega Z, Pérez-Mellado V. From tameness to wariness: chemical recognition of snake predators by lizards in a Mediterranean island. PeerJ 2017; 5:e2828. [PMID: 28123905 PMCID: PMC5244877 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.2828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2016] [Accepted: 11/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Antipredatory defenses are maintained when benefit exceeds cost. A weak predation pressure may lead insular lizards to tameness. Podarcis lilfordi exhibits a high degree of insular tameness, which may explain its extinction from the main island of Menorca when humans introduced predators. There are three species of lizards in Menorca: the native P. lilfordi, only on the surrounding islets, and two introduced lizards in the main island, Scelarcis perspicillata and Podarcis siculus. In addition, there are three species of snakes, all introduced: one non-saurophagous (Natrix maura), one potentially non-saurophagous (Rhinechis scalaris) and one saurophagous (Macroprotodon mauritanicus). We studied the reaction to snake chemical cues in five populations: (1) P. lilfordi of Colom, (2) P. lilfordi of Aire, (3) P. lilfordi of Binicodrell, (4) S. perspicillata, and (5) P. siculus, ordered by increasing level of predation pressure. The three snakes are present in the main island, while only R. scalaris is present in Colom islet, Aire and Binicodrell being snake-free islets. We aimed to assess the relationship between predation pressure and the degree of insular tameness regarding scent recognition. We hypothesized that P. lilfordi should show the highest degree of tameness, S. perspicillata should show intermediate responses, and P. siculus should show the highest wariness. Results are clear: neither P. lilfordi nor S. perspicillata recognize any of the snakes, while P. siculus recognizes the scent of M. mauritanicus and reacts to it with typical well-defined antipredatory behaviours as tail waving and slow motion. These results rise questions about the loss of chemical recognition of predators during island tameness and its related costs and benefits for lizards of insular habitats. In addition, this highlights the necessity for strong conservation measures to avoid the introduction of alien predators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abraham Mencía
- Department of Animal Biology, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Zaida Ortega
- Department of Animal Biology, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
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Jiménez A, Weigelt B, Santos-Guerra A, Caujapé-Castells J, Fernández-Palacios JM, Conti E. Surviving in isolation: genetic variation, bottlenecks and reproductive strategies in the Canarian endemic Limonium macrophyllum (Plumbaginaceae). Genetica 2017; 145:91-104. [PMID: 28108874 DOI: 10.1007/s10709-017-9948-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2016] [Accepted: 01/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Oceanic archipelagos are typically rich in endemic taxa, because they offer ideal conditions for diversification and speciation in isolation. One of the most remarkable evolutionary radiations on the Canary Islands comprises the 16 species included in Limonium subsection Nobiles, all of which are subject to diverse threats, and legally protected. Since many of them are single-island endemics limited to one or a few populations, there exists a risk that a loss of genetic variation might limit their long-term survival. In this study, we used eight newly developed microsatellite markers to characterize the levels of genetic variation and inbreeding in L. macrophyllum, a species endemic to the North-east of Tenerife that belongs to Limonium subsection Nobiles. We detected generally low levels of genetic variation over all populations (H T = 0.363), and substantial differentiation among populations (F ST = 0.188; R ST = 0.186) coupled with a negligible degree of inbreeding (F = 0.042). Obligate outcrossing may have maintained L. macrophyllum relatively unaffected by inbreeding despite the species' limited dispersal ability and the genetic bottlenecks likely caused by a prolonged history of grazing. Although several factors still constitute a risk for the conservation of L. macrophyllum, the lack of inbreeding and the recent positive demographic trends observed in the populations of this species are factors that favour its future persistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ares Jiménez
- Department of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany and Botanical Garden, University of Zurich, Zollikerstrasse 107, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Barbara Weigelt
- Department of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany and Botanical Garden, University of Zurich, Zollikerstrasse 107, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Arnoldo Santos-Guerra
- Instituto Canario de Investigaciones Agrarias, Calle Guaidil 16, 38280, Tegueste, Tenerife, Spain
| | - Juli Caujapé-Castells
- Jardín Botánico Canario "Viera y Clavijo" - Unidad Asociada CSIC, Cabildo de Gran Canaria, Camino al palmeral 15, 35017, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - José María Fernández-Palacios
- Island Ecology and Biogeography Research Group, Universidad de La Laguna, Avda. Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez s/n, 38109, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - Elena Conti
- Department of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany and Botanical Garden, University of Zurich, Zollikerstrasse 107, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland
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Michel LN, Sturaro N, Heughebaert A, Lepoint G. AxIOM: Amphipod crustaceans from insular Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows. Biodivers Data J 2016:e10109. [PMID: 27660521 PMCID: PMC5018114 DOI: 10.3897/bdj.4.e10109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2016] [Accepted: 09/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The Neptune grass, Posidoniaoceanica (L.) Delile, 1813, is the most widespread seagrass of the Mediterranean Sea. This foundation species forms large meadows that, through habitat and trophic services, act as biodiversity hotspots. In Neptune grass meadows, amphipod crustaceans are one of the dominant groups of vagile invertebrates, forming an abundant and diverse taxocenosis. They are key ecological components of the complex, pivotal, yet critically endangered Neptune grass ecosystems. Nevertheless, comprehensive qualitative and quantitative data about amphipod fauna found in Mediterranean Neptune grass meadows remain scarce, especially in insular locations. New information Here, we provide in-depth metadata about AxIOM, a sample-based dataset published on the GBIF portal. AxIOM is based on an extensive and spatially hierarchized sampling design with multiple years, seasons, day periods, and methods. Samples were taken along the coasts of Calvi Bay (Corsica, France) and of the Tavolara-Punta Coda Cavallo Marine Protected Area (Sardinia, Italy). In total, AxIOM contains 187 samples documenting occurrence (1775 records) and abundance (10720 specimens) of amphipod crustaceans belonging to 72 species spanning 29 families. The dataset is available at http://ipt.biodiversity.be/resource?r=axiom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loïc N Michel
- Laboratory of Oceanology, FOCUS research unit, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium
| | - Nicolas Sturaro
- Laboratory of Oceanology, FOCUS research unit, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium
| | | | - Gilles Lepoint
- Laboratory of Oceanology, FOCUS research unit, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium
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Lameris TK, Bennett JR, Blight LK, Giesen M, Janssen MH, Schaminée JJHJ, Arcese P. A century of ecosystem change: human and seabird impacts on plant species extirpation and invasion on islands. PeerJ 2016; 4:e2208. [PMID: 27547531 PMCID: PMC4963222 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.2208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2016] [Accepted: 06/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We used 116 years of floral and faunal records from Mandarte Island, British Columbia, Canada, to estimate the indirect effects of humans on plant communities via their effects on the population size of a surface-nesting, colonial seabird, the Glaucous-winged gull (Larus glaucescens). Comparing current to historical records revealed 18 extirpations of native plant species (32% of species historically present), 31 exotic species introductions, and one case of exotic introduction followed by extirpation. Contemporary surveys indicated that native species cover declined dramatically from 1986 to 2006, coincident with the extirpation of 'old-growth' conifers. Because vegetation change co-occurred with an increasing gull population locally and regionally, we tested several predictions from the hypothesis that the presence and activities of seabirds help to explain those changes. Specifically, we predicted that on Mandarte and nearby islands with gull colonies, we should observe higher nutrient loading and exotic plant species richness and cover than on nearby islands without gull colonies, as a consequence of competitive dominance in species adapted to high soil nitrogen and trampling. As predicted, we found that native plant species cover and richness were lower, and exotic species cover and richness higher, on islands with versus without gull colonies. In addition, we found that soil carbon and nitrogen on islands with nesting gulls were positively related to soil depth and exotic species richness and cover across plots and islands. Our results support earlier suggestions that nesting seabirds can drive rapid change in insular plant communities by increasing nutrients and disturbing vegetation, and that human activities that affect seabird abundance may therefore indirectly affect plant community composition on islands with seabird colonies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas K Lameris
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands; Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Joseph R Bennett
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Institute of Environmental Science and Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Louise K Blight
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Procellaria Research & Consulting, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Marissa Giesen
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Michael H Janssen
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada , Ottawa, Ontario , Canada
| | - Joop J H J Schaminée
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Peter Arcese
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia , Vancouver, British Columbia , Canada
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Chiari Y, Glaberman S, Tarroso P, Caccone A, Claude J. Ecological and evolutionary influences on body size and shape in the Galápagos marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus). Oecologia 2016; 181:885-94. [PMID: 27041683 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-016-3618-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2014] [Accepted: 03/17/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Oceanic islands are often inhabited by endemic species that have undergone substantial morphological evolutionary change due to processes of multiple colonizations from various source populations, dispersal, and local adaptation. Galápagos marine iguanas are an example of an island endemic exhibiting high morphological diversity, including substantial body size variation among populations and sexes, but the causes and magnitude of this variation are not well understood. We obtained morphological measurements from marine iguanas throughout their distribution range. These data were combined with genetic and local environmental data from each population to investigate the effects of evolutionary history and environmental conditions on body size and shape variation and sexual dimorphism. Our results indicate that body size and shape are highly variable among populations. Sea surface temperature and island perimeter, but not evolutionary history as depicted by phylogeographic patterns in this species, explain variation in body size among populations. Conversely, evolutionary history, but not environmental parameters or island size, was found to influence variation in body shape among populations. Finally, in all populations except one, we found strong sexual dimorphism in body size and shape in which males are larger, with higher heads than females, while females have longer heads than males. Differences among populations suggest that plasticity and/or genetic adaptation may shape body size and shape variation in marine iguanas. This study will help target future investigations to address the contribution of plasticity versus genetic adaptation on size and shape variation in marine iguanas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ylenia Chiari
- Department of Biology, University of South Alabama, 5871 USA Drive North, Mobile, AL, 36688, USA.
| | - Scott Glaberman
- Department of Biology, University of South Alabama, 5871 USA Drive North, Mobile, AL, 36688, USA
| | - Pedro Tarroso
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos da Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Adalgisa Caccone
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - Julien Claude
- Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution, UMR 5554, CNRS/IRD/UM/EPHE, Université de Montpellier II, 2 Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095, Montpellier Cedex 5, France
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Ramalho RS, Winckler G, Madeira J, Helffrich GR, Hipólito A, Quartau R, Adena K, Schaefer JM. Hazard potential of volcanic flank collapses raised by new megatsunami evidence. Sci Adv 2015; 1:e1500456. [PMID: 26601287 PMCID: PMC4646801 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1500456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2015] [Accepted: 07/07/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Large-scale gravitational flank collapses of steep volcanic islands are hypothetically capable of triggering megatsunamis with highly catastrophic effects. Yet, evidence for the generation and impact of collapse-triggered megatsunamis and their high run-ups remains scarce or is highly controversial. Therefore, doubts remain on whether island flank failures truly generate enough volume flux to trigger giant tsunamis, leading to diverging opinions concerning the real hazard potential of such collapses. We show that one of the most prominent oceanic volcanoes on Earth-Fogo, in the Cape Verde Islands-catastrophically collapsed and triggered a megatsunami with devastating effects ~73,000 years ago. Our deductions are based on the recent discovery and cosmogenic (3)He dating of tsunamigenic deposits found on nearby Santiago Island, which attest to the impact of this giant tsunami and document wave run-up heights exceeding 270 m. The evidence reported here implies that Fogo's flank failure involved at least one fast and voluminous event that led to a giant tsunami, in contrast to what has been suggested before. Our observations therefore further demonstrate that flank collapses may indeed catastrophically happen and are capable of triggering tsunamis of enormous height and energy, adding to their hazard potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo S. Ramalho
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queen’s Road, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University, Comer Geochemistry Building, 61 Route 9W, P. O. Box 1000, Palisades, NY 10964–8000, USA
| | - Gisela Winckler
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University, Comer Geochemistry Building, 61 Route 9W, P. O. Box 1000, Palisades, NY 10964–8000, USA
| | - José Madeira
- Departamento de Geologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
- Instituto Dom Luiz, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - George R. Helffrich
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queen’s Road, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK
- Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1-IE-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
| | - Ana Hipólito
- Centro de Vulcanologia e Avaliação de Riscos Geológicos, Universidade dos Açores, Rua da Mãe de Deus, Edifício do Complexo Científico, 3° Andar–Ala Sul, 9500-321 Ponta Delgada, Açores, Portugal
| | - Rui Quartau
- Instituto Dom Luiz, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
- Divisão de Geologia e Georecursos Marinhos, Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera I.P., Rua C do Aeroporto, 1749-077 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Katherine Adena
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queen’s Road, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK
| | - Joerg M. Schaefer
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University, Comer Geochemistry Building, 61 Route 9W, P. O. Box 1000, Palisades, NY 10964–8000, USA
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