A transnational marine ecological observatory in the Adriatic Sea to harmonize a fragmented approach to monitoring and conservation

The design and establishment of Marine Ecological Observatories (MEOs) are fostered at the European level. MEOs should adopt a holistic view, integrating and harmonizing long-term oceanographic and ecological research and monitoring, and increasing conservation strategies effectiveness according to the ecological connectivity concept. The data and knowledge collected and made available through MEOs should inform policies dealing with conservation and management of the marine environment. We present and discuss these issues in the Adriatic Sea context, where the transnational ecological observatory “ECOAdS” is under development in the framework of the Interreg Italy-Croatia project ECOSS (Observing System in the Adriatic Sea: oceanographic observations for biodiversity), which aims to support Natura 2000 network implementation and cross-border coordination of multiple monitoring initiatives. We analyse the main EU directives that deal with marine conservation, notably the Habitats and Birds directives, the Water Framework Directive, and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, as they are the primary instruments that can guide the development of the observatory while strengthening cooperation at the basin scale. We bring out the synergies and discrepancies among these legal instruments, and build on them ECOAdS as a monitoring platform that may respond and contribute to their requirements, boosting the synergies and overcoming the weaknesses. Finally, we provide some hints for the further development of this transnational MEO as a collector of the existing monitoring efforts aimed at harmonizing their approaches and incorporating the ecological connectivity to foster an ecosystem-based approach to conservation management.

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Nest cameras do not affect nest survival in a meadow-nesting shorebird

Bird Conservation International ◽

10.1017/s0959270920000659 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-10

Author(s):

VOLKER SALEWSKI ◽

LUIS SCHMIDT

Keyword(s):

Nest Survival ◽

Bird Species ◽

Conservation Strategies ◽

Survival Models ◽

Northern Germany ◽

Term Study ◽

Long Term Study ◽

Limosa Limosa ◽

Study Sites

Summary Identifying the fate of birds’ nests and the causes of breeding failure is often crucial for the development of conservation strategies for threatened species. However, collecting these data by repeatedly visiting nests might itself contribute to nest failure or bias. To solve this dilemma, automatic cameras have increasingly been used as a time-efficient means for nest monitoring. Here, we consider whether the use of cameras itself may influence hatching success of nests of the Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa at two long-term study sites in northern Germany. Annually between 2013 and 2019, cameras were used to monitor godwit nests. In 2014 and 2019, nests were randomly equipped with cameras or not, and nest survival checked independently of the cameras. Nest-survival models indicated that survival probabilities varied between years, sites and with time of the season, but were unaffected by the presence of cameras. Even though predation is the main cause of hatching failure in our study system, we conclude that predators did not learn to associate cameras with food either when the cameras were initially installed or after they had been used for several years. Cameras were thus an effective and non-deleterious tool to collect data for conservation in this case. As other bird species may react differently to cameras at their nests, and as other sets of predators may differ in their ability to associate cameras with food, the effect of cameras on breeding success should be carefully monitored when they are used in a new study system.

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Applications, challenges, and needs for employing synthetic biology beyond the lab

Nature Communications ◽

10.1038/s41467-021-21740-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Sierra M. Brooks ◽

Hal S. Alper

Keyword(s):

Synthetic Biology ◽

Great Promise ◽

Long Term Storage ◽

Autonomous Function ◽

Recent Advances ◽

Resource Limited ◽

Major Application ◽

Further Development ◽

Probiotic Delivery

AbstractSynthetic biology holds great promise for addressing global needs. However, most current developments are not immediately translatable to ‘outside-the-lab’ scenarios that differ from controlled laboratory settings. Challenges include enabling long-term storage stability as well as operating in resource-limited and off-the-grid scenarios using autonomous function. Here we analyze recent advances in developing synthetic biological platforms for outside-the-lab scenarios with a focus on three major application spaces: bioproduction, biosensing, and closed-loop therapeutic and probiotic delivery. Across the Perspective, we highlight recent advances, areas for further development, possibilities for future applications, and the needs for innovation at the interface of other disciplines.

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Sustaining Trade during COVID-19 Pandemic: Establishing a Conceptual Model Including COVID-19 Impact

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13105418 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (10) ◽

pp. 5418

Author(s):

Nashwan M. A. Saif ◽

Jianping Ruan ◽

Bojan Obrenovic

Keyword(s):

International Trade ◽

Bilateral Trade ◽

Production Costs ◽

Research Directions ◽

Economic Distance ◽

Conceptual Paper ◽

Sudden Decrease ◽

Further Development ◽

Conceptual Research

The conceptual research aims to identify antecedents conducive to bilateral trade during the COVID-19 pandemic. Considering the relevance of bilateral trade for foreign policy and economy studies, there is a need for a renewed framework in times of extreme economic instability. As international commerce is essential for improving the country’s economy, we have examined how economic distance, population, trade percentage of GDP, exchange rate, and political changes interconnect and relate to COVID-19, influencing trade flows. This conceptual paper illustrates the likely impact of COVID-19 on international trade by exploring pandemics’ effects on standard trading parameters such as GDP, distance, policy stability, and population. We model the resulting shock as a multifaceted variable reflected in capital underutilization, manufacturing output decline, international trade costs inflation, production costs inflation, decrease in demand for certain services and shift from everyday needs towards activities that exclude the proximity between people, e.g., proclivity towards virtual market products. The sudden decrease in GDP and bilateral trade, as well as FDI, is amplified by further development of pandemics’ long-term consequences. We take COVID-19 to be a technological, financial, and policy shock significantly influencing international trade and economic development and argue that it will have a varying impact on diverse sectors and economies. The paper offers preliminary insight into the pandemic-related economics that are unfolding and deduce recommendations on positive changes in trading policy to fully leverage on arising trading opportunities and point to potential research directions.

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The Impact of COVID-19 on Hospitality Industry in Greece and Its Treasured Santorini Island

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13147906 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (14) ◽

pp. 7906

Author(s):

Nikola Medová ◽

Lucie Macková ◽

Jaromir Harmacek

Keyword(s):

Social Impact ◽

Tourism Sector ◽

Challenges And Opportunities ◽

Multiple Variables ◽

Hospitality Sector ◽

Tourism And Hospitality ◽

The Impact ◽

Further Development

This paper focuses on the dynamic of the recent upheaval in the tourism and hospitality sector due to the COVID-19 epidemic in Greece and Santorini island. It uses the case study of a country one-fourth of whose GDP consists of tourism. We compare the available statistical data showing the change in variables in the previous years with 2020 and look into the new challenges and opportunities posed by the drop in the numbers of visitors and flights. We focus mainly on the economic and social impact on the destination and possible future scenarios for further development in the area. Data show a significant effect of the pandemic on multiple variables, such as the long-term trend of the importance of tourism sector in GDP in Greece, the number of flights and visitors to Greece and Santorini island, and the contribution of tourism and travel to GDP. Based on the available data, we also construct three foresight scenarios that describe the possible futures for Santorini island in terms of the pandemic evolution. These scenarios may help various stakeholders and policymakers to be better prepared for different developments that may appear.

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Characteristics of Liparis loeselii (L.) Rich. populations in selected Natura 2000 areas in eastern Poland

Folia Geobotanica ◽

10.1007/s12224-020-09371-7 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 55 (3) ◽

pp. 151-162

Author(s):

Danuta Urban ◽

Joanna Sender ◽

Ewelina Tokarz ◽

Andrzej Różycki

Keyword(s):

Natura 2000 ◽

Total Carbon ◽

Habitat Conditions ◽

Total Carbon Content ◽

Poor Fen ◽

Calcareous Fen ◽

Liparis Loeselii ◽

The Individual ◽

Insight Into

AbstractIn view of the sensitivity of Liparis loeselii to changes in habitat conditions, we carried out a study with the aim to monitor population numbers, identify the individual features of the Liparis loeselii population, analyse habitat conditions, identify threats and propose conservation measures to preserve the species. The investigations were conducted in seven unmanaged objects located in three Natura 2000 areas in eastern Poland. The results of this study provide a new insight into Liparis loeselii ecology. The analysed populations inhabited some habitat types: extremely poor fen, transitional mire, rich fen, calcareous fen, spring-fed fen. The content of nutrients was similar in all the habitats. A CCA analysis revealed that the total carbon content, pH, and redox potential of the substrate determine differences between the habitats analysed. Juvenile individuals represented a maximum of 12% of the analysed populations and were the least abundant group of these plants. The flowering was primarily influenced by hydrological conditions. Based on the long-term observations reported in this article, it can be assumed that the species stands a chance of surviving at the localities analysed, provided that the habitat conditions do not change dramatically.

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The Potential of Satellite Imagery for Surveying Whales

Sensors ◽

10.3390/s21030963 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (3) ◽

pp. 963

Author(s):

Caroline Höschle ◽

Hannah C. Cubaynes ◽

Penny J. Clarke ◽

Grant Humphries ◽

Alex Borowicz

Keyword(s):

Satellite Imagery ◽

Automated Detection ◽

Future Research ◽

Science And Engineering ◽

Future Directions ◽

Detection And Identification ◽

Basin Scale ◽

Terrestrial Environments ◽

Research Questions ◽

Further Development

The emergence of very high-resolution (VHR) satellite imagery (less than 1 m spatial resolution) is creating new opportunities within the fields of ecology and conservation biology. The advancement of sub-meter resolution imagery has provided greater confidence in the detection and identification of features on the ground, broadening the realm of possible research questions. To date, VHR imagery studies have largely focused on terrestrial environments; however, there has been incremental progress in the last two decades for using this technology to detect cetaceans. With advances in computational power and sensor resolution, the feasibility of broad-scale VHR ocean surveys using VHR satellite imagery with automated detection and classification processes has increased. Initial attempts at automated surveys are showing promising results, but further development is necessary to ensure reliability. Here we discuss the future directions in which VHR satellite imagery might be used to address urgent questions in whale conservation. We highlight the current challenges to automated detection and to extending the use of this technology to all oceans and various whale species. To achieve basin-scale marine surveys, currently not feasible with any traditional surveying methods (including boat-based and aerial surveys), future research requires a collaborative effort between biology, computation science, and engineering to overcome the present challenges to this platform’s use.

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A fuzzy set model for assessment of a perspectives level for integration of new materials in industrial enterprise processes

SHS Web of Conferences ◽

10.1051/shsconf/20184400045 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 44 ◽

pp. 00045

Author(s):

Elena Kasianenko ◽

Evgenii Konnikov ◽

Nikita Lukashevich

Keyword(s):

Risk Process ◽

Industrial Enterprise ◽

New Materials ◽

Process Systems ◽

Industrial Enterprises ◽

Definition Of ◽

Effective Models ◽

Further Development ◽

Qualitative Changes

The definition of effective improvement vectors is currently one of the most pressing challenges facing the industry representatives. The transition to the sixth technological mode effectively contributes to competition intensification in all markets of industrial products. This is largely due to the fact that existing process systems are at the peak of their effectiveness. Further development requires qualitative changes. However, the principal improvement is a long-term and high-risk process. For this reason the issue of creating effective models for assessment of the strategic lines of processes improvement becomes increasingly important for industrial enterprises. This article considers in details the vector of industrial enterprise processes improvement based on the integration of new materials. As a result, a model allowing to assess a perspectives level for integration of new materials in industrial enterprise processes is created.

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Neural Transplantation

Cell Transplantation ◽

10.1177/096368979500400410 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 4 (4) ◽

pp. 393-400 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Olle Lindvall

Keyword(s):

Cell Transplantation ◽

Therapeutic Strategy ◽

Symptomatic Relief ◽

Animal Experiments ◽

Research Field ◽

Term Survival ◽

Demyelinating Disorders ◽

And Function ◽

Further Development

Cell transplantation is now being explored as a new therapeutic strategy to restore function in the diseased human central nervous system. Neural grafts show long-term survival and function in patients with Parkinson's disease but the symptomatic relief needs to be increased. Cell transplantation seems justified in patients with Huntington's disease and, at a later stage, possibly also in demyelinating disorders. The further development in this research field will require systematic studies in animal experiments but also well-designed clinical trials in small groups of patients.

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Qualified temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen climatologies in a changing Adriatic Sea

Ocean Science Discussions ◽

10.5194/osd-11-331-2014 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 331-390

Author(s):

M. Lipizer ◽

E. Partescano ◽

A. Rabitti ◽

A. Giorgetti ◽

A. Crise

Keyword(s):

Dissolved Oxygen ◽

Adriatic Sea ◽

Eastern Mediterranean ◽

Temporal Stability ◽

The South ◽

The North ◽

Synthetic Temperature ◽

Oxygen Utilisation ◽

Oxygen Minimum

Abstract. An updated climatology, based on a comprehensive dataset (1911–2009) of temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen, has been produced for the whole Adriatic Sea with the Variational Inverse Method using the DIVA software. Climatological maps were produced at 26 levels and validated with Ordinary Cross Validation and with real vs. synthetic Temperature–Salinity diagram intercomparison. The concept of Climatology–Observation Misfit (COM) has been introduced as an estimate of the physical variability associated with the climatological structures. In order to verify the temporal stability of the climatology, long-term variability has been investigated in the Mid Adriatic and the South Adriatic Pits, regarded as the most suitable records of possible long-term changes. Compared with previous climatologies, this study reveals a surface temperature rise (up to 2 °C), a clear deep dissolved oxygen minimum in the South Adriatic Gyre and a bottom summer oxygen minimum in the North Adriatic. Below 100 m all properties profoundly differ between the Middle and the South Adriatic. The South Adriatic Pit clearly shows the remote effects of the Eastern Mediterranean Transient, while no effect is observed in Middle Adriatic Pits. The deepest part of the South Adriatic seems now to be significantly saltier (+0.18 since the period 1911–1914, with an increase of +0.018 decade−1 since the late 1940s) and warmer (+0.54 °C since 1911–1914), even though a long-term temperature trend could not be statistically demonstrated. Conversely, the Middle Adriatic Pits present a long-term increase in apparent oxygen utilisation (+0.77 mL L−1 since 1911–1914, with a constant increase of +0.2 mL L−1 decade−1 after the 1970s).

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Population genetics of the coral Acropora millepora: Towards a genomic predictor of bleaching

10.1101/867754 ◽

2019 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Zachary L. Fuller ◽

Veronique J.L. Mocellin ◽

Luke Morris ◽

Neal Cantin ◽

Jihanne Shepherd ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Genome Wide Association Study ◽

Balancing Selection ◽

Genome Wide Association ◽

Conservation Strategies ◽

Genome Sequences ◽

Acropora Millepora ◽

Genome Wide ◽

A Genome ◽

In The Wild

AbstractAlthough reef-building corals are rapidly declining worldwide, responses to bleaching vary both within and among species. Because these inter-individual differences are partly heritable, they should in principle be predictable from genomic data. Towards that goal, we generated a chromosome-scale genome assembly for the coral Acropora millepora. We then obtained whole genome sequences for 237 phenotyped samples collected at 12 reefs distributed along the Great Barrier Reef, among which we inferred very little population structure. Scanning the genome for evidence of local adaptation, we detected signatures of long-term balancing selection in the heat-shock co-chaperone sacsin. We further used 213 of the samples to conduct a genome-wide association study of visual bleaching score, incorporating the polygenic score derived from it into a predictive model for bleaching in the wild. These results set the stage for the use of genomics-based approaches in conservation strategies.

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