scholarly journals Assessing the efficacy of direct conservation interventions: clutch protection of the leatherback marine turtle in the Dominican Republic

Oryx ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 677-686 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ohiana Revuelta ◽  
Yolanda M. León ◽  
Annette C. Broderick ◽  
Pablo Feliz ◽  
Brendan J. Godley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dominican Republic ◽  
Hatching Success ◽  
Marine Turtle ◽  
Dermochelys Coriacea ◽  
Protection Measures ◽  
Nesting Site ◽  
Incubation Duration ◽  
Artificial Incubation

AbstractThe beaches of Jaragua National Park in the Dominican Republic are the country's last known major nesting site for the leatherback marine turtle Dermochelys coriacea. This nesting aggregation is threatened by widespread illegal egg take, and clutch relocation and artificial incubation have been carried out as protection measures since 1974. We assess the efficacy of such efforts and investigate how artificial incubation may be influencing the success and sex ratios of clutches. We compare hatching success, incubation duration and embryo mortality in in-situ clutches (n = 43) with those incubated artificially at sites in the east and west of the Park (n = 35 and n = 31, respectively). Our results show that in the west, artificial incubation significantly decreases hatching success in clutches. In the east the duration of incubation is increased, which we predict would result in an increase in the number of males from these clutches. Clutch relocation is currently the only viable conservation option for clutches on eastern beaches because of illegal egg take but action is needed to ensure that the natural sex ratio is not distorted. However, on the western beaches in situ clutch incubation seems possible through beach protection. Further community engagement and enforcement are required to improve conservation measures at eastern beaches if long-term, less sustainable intervention is to be avoided.

scholarly journals Long-term monitoring of marine turtle nests in northeastern Brazil

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aline da Costa Bomfim ◽  
Daniel Solon Dias de Farias ◽  
Flávio José de Lima Silva ◽  
Silmara Rossi ◽  
Simone Almeida Gavilan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hatching Success ◽  
Sea Turtle ◽  
Marine Turtle ◽  
Northeastern Brazil ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Olive Ridley ◽  
Potiguar Basin ◽  
Long Term Monitoring ◽  
Term Monitoring

Abstract: This study monitored marine turtle nests in a region known as the Potiguar Basin, which stretches from the northern region of Rio Grande do Norte State (5°4’1.15” S, 36°4’36.41” W) to eastern Ceará State (4°38’48.28” S, 37°32’52.08” W) in Brazil. We collected data from January 2011 to December 2019 to identify species of sea turtles that spawn in the basin, to analyze the nesting spatial-temporal pattern and nests characteristics, and to record effects of environmental and anthropic factors on nests. A field team examined sea turtle tracks and nests signs. Turtle clutches were monitored daily until hatchings emerged from the nests. We monitored nests of hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata; n = 238) and olive Ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea; n = 103). The nesting season for E. imbricata occurred between December and May and for L. olivacea from March to August. Hawksbills had clutch size, incubation time, number of unhatched eggs, and dead hatchlings higher than olive Ridley turtles; nevertheless, they presented lower hatching success. Precipitation between 0 and 22 mm and relative humidity (RH) higher than 69% increased the hatching success rate for E. imbricata; however, rainfall above 11 mm and RH 64% had the same effect for L. olivacea. Signs of egg theft and human presence (e.g. vehicle traffic and plastic residues on the beach) were recorded and are considered threats to nests. The results of our long-term monitoring study in the Potiguar Basin provide basis for the implementation of mitigation measures and adoption of management policies at nesting beaches in this Brazilian region.

scholarly journals Protected areas host important remnants of marine turtle nesting stocks in the Dominican Republic

Oryx ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 348-358 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ohiana Revuelta ◽  
Yolanda M. León ◽  
Pablo Feliz ◽  
Brendan J. Godley ◽  
Juan A. Raga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dominican Republic ◽  
Protected Areas ◽  
National Park ◽  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Marine Turtle ◽  
Dermochelys Coriacea ◽  
The South ◽  
Leatherback Turtles ◽  
Leatherback Turtle ◽  
The Status

AbstractNesting by marine turtles in the Caribbean has declined considerably, mainly because of human exploitation, but there has previously been no monitoring in the Dominican Republic. We present the first detailed assessment of the status of marine turtle nesting in the country, based on surveys during 2006–2010. Nesting populations of hawksbill Eretmochelys imbricata and leatherback turtle Dermochelys coriacea are of regional importance and the green turtle Chelonia mydas is still present, although nesting in low numbers. The two main nesting sites are within protected areas: the Jaragua National Park in the south-west, important for leatherback turtles (mean of 126 nests per season), and Del Este National Park on Saona Island in the south-east, principally for hawksbill turtles (mean of 100 nests per season). Comparison with historical data suggests all rookeries are profoundly reduced in size. Although the main nesting beaches are within protected areas, illegal egg-take and meat consumption continues there, and also elsewhere in the country.

Running against time: conservation of the remaining hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) nesting population in the Dominican Republic

2012 ◽  
Vol 93 (4) ◽  
pp. 1133-1140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ohiana Revuelta ◽  
Yolanda M. León ◽  
Francisco J. Aznar ◽  
Juan A. Raga ◽  
Jesús Tomás
Keyword(s):  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Dominican Republic ◽  
Preliminary Survey ◽  
Eretmochelys Imbricata ◽  
Emergence Success ◽  
Human Predation ◽  
Incubation Temperatures ◽  
Artificial Incubation

Saona Island hosts the last hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) nesting population in the Dominican Republic, which has experienced a severe decline in the last decades, mostly due to illegal egg take. Here we present the results of an artificial incubation programme started in 2007 to protect the clutches from human predation. A preliminary survey in 2006 showed that about 60% of clutches laid were taken by humans. Over the study period (2007–2010) we recorded 400 clutches, of which 38.2% were predated by humans, 40.7% were artificially incubated and 21% were incubated in situ. Overall, the artificial incubation programme allowed the release of 12,340 hatchlings. No differences were found in hatching and emergence success between clutches incubated in situ and clutches artificially incubated. However, incubation temperatures and incubation durations recorded suggest a male-biased hatchling sex-ratio in artificially incubated clutches. Although artificial incubation may mitigate the effect of egg take, our results indicate that other measures, such as clutch relocation to protected sections of the beach should be taken. Beach patrolling and education are currently implemented so that artificial incubation will be eventually phased out in favour of in situ incubation.

scholarly journals Global soil moisture data derived through machine learning trained with in-situ measurements

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sungmin O. ◽  
Rene Orth
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Short Term Memory ◽  
Temporal Dynamics ◽  
Soil Moisture Data ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Global Soil

AbstractWhile soil moisture information is essential for a wide range of hydrologic and climate applications, spatially-continuous soil moisture data is only available from satellite observations or model simulations. Here we present a global, long-term dataset of soil moisture derived through machine learning trained with in-situ measurements, SoMo.ml. We train a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) model to extrapolate daily soil moisture dynamics in space and in time, based on in-situ data collected from more than 1,000 stations across the globe. SoMo.ml provides multi-layer soil moisture data (0–10 cm, 10–30 cm, and 30–50 cm) at 0.25° spatial and daily temporal resolution over the period 2000–2019. The performance of the resulting dataset is evaluated through cross validation and inter-comparison with existing soil moisture datasets. SoMo.ml performs especially well in terms of temporal dynamics, making it particularly useful for applications requiring time-varying soil moisture, such as anomaly detection and memory analyses. SoMo.ml complements the existing suite of modelled and satellite-based datasets given its distinct derivation, to support large-scale hydrological, meteorological, and ecological analyses.

scholarly journals A Study of UVER in Santiago, Chile Based on Long-Term In Situ Measurements (Five Years) and Empirical Modelling

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 368
Author(s):  
Lisdelys González-Rodríguez ◽  
Amauri Pereira de Oliveira ◽  
Lien Rodríguez-López ◽  
Jorge Rosas ◽  
David Contreras ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Solar Spectrum ◽  
Sun Exposure ◽  
Great Accuracy ◽  
In Situ Measurements ◽  
Uv Index ◽  
Empirical Modelling ◽  
The People

Ultraviolet radiation is a highly energetic component of the solar spectrum that needs to be monitored because is harmful to life on Earth, especially in areas where the ozone layer has been depleted, like Chile. This work is the first to address the long-term (five-year) behaviour of ultraviolet erythemal radiation (UVER) in Santiago, Chile (33.5° S, 70.7° W, 500 m) using in situ measurements and empirical modelling. Observations indicate that to alert the people on the risks of UVER overexposure, it is necessary to use, in addition to the currently available UV index (UVI), three more erythema indices: standard erythemal doses (SEDs), minimum erythemal doses (MEDs), and sun exposure time (tery). The combination of UVI, SEDs, MEDs, and tery shows that in Santiago, individuals with skin types III and IV are exposed to harmfully high UVER doses for 46% of the time that UVI indicates is safe. Empirical models predicted hourly and daily values UVER in Santiago with great accuracy and can be applied to other Chilean urban areas with similar climate. This research inspires future advances in reconstructing large datasets to analyse the UVER in Central Chile, its trends, and its changes.

scholarly journals “I’ve Heard of It, Yes, but I Can’t Remember What Exactly It Was”—A Qualitative Study on Awareness, Knowledge, and Use of the UV Index

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 1615
Author(s):  
Katharina Diehl ◽  
Tatiana Görig ◽  
Charlotte Jansen ◽  
Maike Carola Hruby ◽  
Annette B. Pfahlberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Sun Protection ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Protection Factor ◽  
Protection Measures ◽  
Uv Index ◽  
Correct Definition ◽  
Definition Of

Pharmacists and pharmaceutical technicians play an important role in counselling customers regarding sunscreen use and sun protection measures. A potentially helpful tool that can be used during counselling is the ultraviolet index (UVI), which informs individuals when and what sun protection measures are needed at a specific place and time. Our aim in this qualitative study was to explore awareness, knowledge, and use of the UVI during counselling in pharmacies. We used semi-structured interviews with pharmacists and pharmaceutical technicians (n = 20) to answer our research questions. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. During the interviews pharmacists and pharmaceutical technicians revealed a lot of uncertainty and lack of knowledge regarding the UVI. Eight professionals were able to give a correct definition of UVI. Amongst others, the UVI was confused with sun protection factor. Overall, the UVI was hardly used during the counselling of customers. The UVI was developed to provide guidance when which type of sun protection is required to avoid detrimental effects of ultraviolet radiation. For effective implementation, both the general population and health professionals (e.g., pharmacists) have to increase their knowledge about the UVI. This would strengthen its use during professional counselling in pharmacies and may help to reduce the incidence of skin cancer over the long term.

scholarly journals In-Situ Annealed Ti3C2Tx MXene Based All-Solid-State Flexible Zn-Ion Hybrid Micro Supercapacitor Array with Enhanced Stability

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
La Li ◽  
Weijia Liu ◽  
Kai Jiang ◽  
Di Chen ◽  
Fengyu Qu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Energy ◽  
High Rate ◽  
High Energy Density ◽  
Electrochemical Performances ◽  
Integrated Electronics ◽  
Long Term Stability ◽  
Hybrid Supercapacitors ◽  
Portable Electronics

AbstractZn-ion hybrid supercapacitors (SCs) are considered as promising energy storage owing to their high energy density compared to traditional SCs. How to realize the miniaturization, patterning, and flexibility of the Zn-ion SCs without affecting the electrochemical performances has special meanings for expanding their applications in wearable integrated electronics. Ti3C2Tx cathode with outstanding conductivity, unique lamellar structure and good mechanical flexibility has been demonstrated tremendous potential in the design of Zn-ion SCs, but achieving long cycling stability and high rate stability is still big challenges. Here, we proposed a facile laser writing approach to fabricate patterned Ti3C2Tx-based Zn-ion micro-supercapacitors (MSCs), followed by the in-situ anneal treatment of the assembled MSCs to improve the long-term stability, which exhibits 80% of the capacitance retention even after 50,000 charge/discharge cycles and superior rate stability. The influence of the cathode thickness on the electrochemical performance of the MSCs is also studied. When the thickness reaches 0.851 µm the maximum areal capacitance of 72.02 mF cm−2 at scan rate of 10 mV s−1, which is 1.77 times higher than that with a thickness of 0.329 µm (35.6 mF cm−2). Moreover, the fabricated Ti3C2Tx based Zn-ion MSCs have excellent flexibility, a digital timer can be driven by the single device even under bending state, a flexible LED displayer of “TiC” logo also can be easily lighted by the MSC arrays under twisting, crimping, and winding conditions, demonstrating the scalable fabrication and application of the fabricated MSCs in portable electronics.

scholarly journals Poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(1,3-trimethylene carbonate) Copolymers for the Formulation of In Situ Forming Depot Long-Acting Injectables

Pharmaceutics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 605
Author(s):  
Marie-Emérentienne Cagnon ◽  
Silvio Curia ◽  
Juliette Serindoux ◽  
Jean-Manuel Cros ◽  
Feifei Ng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ethylene Glycol ◽  
Surface Erosion ◽  
Sustained Delivery ◽  
Trimethylene Carbonate ◽  
Poly Ethylene Glycol ◽  
In Situ Forming ◽  
Poly Ethylene ◽  
Long Acting

This article describes the utilization of (methoxy)poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(1,3-trimethylene carbonate) ((m)PEG–PTMC) diblock and triblock copolymers for the formulation of in situ forming depot long-acting injectables by solvent exchange. The results shown in this manuscript demonstrate that it is possible to achieve long-term drug deliveries from suspension formulations prepared with these copolymers, with release durations up to several months in vitro. The utilization of copolymers with different PEG and PTMC molecular weights affords to modulate the release profile and duration. A pharmacokinetic study in rats with meloxicam confirmed the feasibility of achieving at least 28 days of sustained delivery by using this technology while showing good local tolerability in the subcutaneous environment. The characterization of the depots at the end of the in vivo study suggests that the rapid phase exchange upon administration and the surface erosion of the resulting depots are driving the delivery kinetics from suspension formulations. Due to the widely accepted utilization of meloxicam as an analgesic drug for animal care, the results shown in this article are of special interest for the development of veterinary products aiming at a very long-term sustained delivery of this therapeutic molecule.

In Situ Tests on Creep Behavior of Rock Mass with Joint or Shearing Zone in Foundation of Large-Scale Hydroelectric Projects

2004 ◽  
Vol 261-263 ◽  
pp. 1097-1102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian Liu ◽  
Xia Ting Feng ◽  
Xiu Li Ding ◽  
Huo Ming Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Rock Mass ◽  
Creep Behavior ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Time Dependent ◽  
Three Gorges Project ◽  
Three Gorges ◽  
The Three Gorges ◽  
The Three Gorges Project

The time-dependent behavior of rock mass, which is generally governed by joints and shearing zones, is of great significance for engineering design and prediction of long-term deformation and stability. In situ creep test is a more effective method than laboratory test in characterizing the creep behavior of rock mass with joint or shearing zone due to the complexity of field conditions. A series of in situ creep tests on granite with joint at the shiplock area of the Three-Gorges Project and basalt with shearing zone at the right abutment of the Xiluodu Project were performed in this study. Based on the test results, the stress-displacement-time responses of the joints and basalt are analyzed, and their time-dependent constitutive model and model coefficients are given, which is crucial for the design to prevent the creep deformations of rock masses from causing the failure of the operation of the shiplock gate at the Three-Gorges Project and long-term stability of the Xiluodu arc dam.

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