Automating Research Data Management Using Machine-Actionable Data Management Plans

Many research funders mandate researchers to create and maintain data management plans (DMPs) for research projects that describe how research data is managed to ensure its reusability. A DMP, being a static textual document, is difficult to act upon and can quickly become obsolete and impractical to maintain. A new generation of machine-actionable DMPs (maDMPs) was therefore proposed by the Research Data Alliance to enable automated integration of information and updates. maDMPs open up a variety of use cases enabling interoperability of research systems and automation of data management tasks. In this article, we describe a system for machine-actionable data management planning in an institutional context. We identify common use cases within research that can be automated to benefit from machine-actionability of DMPs. We propose a reference architecture of an maDMP support system that can be embedded into an institutional research data management infrastructure. The system semi-automates creation and maintenance of DMPs, and thus eases the burden for the stakeholders responsible for various DMP elements. We evaluate the proposed system in a case study conducted at the largest technical university in Austria and quantify to what extent the DMP templates provided by the European Commission and a national funding body can be pre-filled. The proof-of-concept implementation shows that maDMP workflows can be semi-automated, thus workload on involved parties can be reduced and quality of information increased. The results are especially relevant to decision makers and infrastructure operators who want to design information systems in a systematic way that can utilize the full potential of maDMPs.

Ant diversity (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Turvo State Park, municipality of Derrubadas, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

The knowledge of ant assemblages that occurs in Conservation Units in the Atlantic Forest domain is a priority, considering the number of endemic species and the impacts that this biome has been suffering. The aim of this study was to evaluate ant assemblages in the Turvo State Park, which is the largest conservation unit in the State of Rio Grande do Sul and presents an important role on biodiversity protection. Two samplings were conducted in 2019, one in the summer (January) and the other in the spring (November and December), at five sites 2 km apart, with pitfall traps (soil and canopy), sardine baits, glucose, beating net, sweeping net and manual collection. We sampled 121 species in the summer and 120 in the spring, totaling 163 ant species. A total of 78 species (47.8%) occurred in both sampling seasons. The richest genera in the study were Camponotus (S = 30), Pheidole (S = 23) and Linepithema (S = 11). Seventeen species were recorded for the first time for Rio Grande do Sul state. The results indicate that this is one of the most species-rich assemblages of ants ever surveyed in a conservation unit in southern Brazil. The study highlights the importance of Conservation Units as protected environments against habitat loss for ant biodiversity. The results of this study contribute to myrmecofauna knowledge and serve as a basis for environmental impact studies, management plans and conservation of Atlantic Forest remnants.

Distribution pattern of arthropods on the leaf surfaces of Acacia auriculiformis saplings

Acacia auriculiformis A. Cunn. Ex Benth. (Fabaceae), a non-native pioneer species in Brazil with fast growth and rusticity, is used in restoration programs. Our goal was to assess during a 24-month survey the pattern of arthropods (phytophagous insects, bees, spiders, and predator insects) on the leaf surfaces of A. auriculiformis saplings. Fourteen species of phytophagous, two of bees and eleven of predators were most abundant on the adaxial surface. The values of the ecological indexes (abundance, diversity, and species richness) and the rarefaction, and k-dominance curves of phytophagous, bees and arthropod predators were highest on the adaxial leaf surface of A. auriculiformis. The k-dominance and abundance of Aleyrodidae (Hemiptera) (both leaf surfaces), the native stingless bee Tetragonisca angustula Latreille (Hymenoptera: Apidae) (both leaf surfaces) and the ant Brachymyrmex sp. (adaxial surface) and Pheidole sp. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) (abaxial surface) were the highest between the taxonomic groups of phytophagous, bees, and predators, respectively on A. auriculiformis saplings. The ecological indexes and rarefaction, abundance, and k-dominance curves of phytophagous insects, bees, and predators were highest on the adaxial leaf surface. The preference of phytophagous insects for the adaxial leaf surface is probably due to the lower effort required to move on this surface. Understanding the arthropod preferences between leaf surfaces may help to develop sampling and pest management plans for the most abundant phytophagous insects on A. auriculiformis saplings. Also, knowledge on the preference pattern of bees and predators may be used to favour their conservation.

The Spatial Distribution of the House Mouse, Mus musculus domesticus, in Multi-Family Dwellings

The house mouse, Mus musculus domesticus, creates significant public health risks for residents in low-income multi-family dwellings (MFDs). This study was designed to evaluate the spatial distribution of house mice in MFDs. Four low-income high-rise apartment buildings in three cities in New Jersey were selected for building-wide monitoring on two occasions with approximately one year between the monitoring events. The presence of a house mouse infestation was determined by placing mouse bait stations with three different non-toxic baits for a one-week period in all accessible units as well as common areas. Permutation tests were conducted to evaluate house mouse infestation spatial patterns. All four analyzed buildings exhibited a significant correlation between apartments with house mouse infestations and whether they share a common wall or ceiling/floor at both sampling periods except one building during the second inspection, which contained a high number of isolated apartments. Foraging ranges, speed of locomotion, and dispersal behavior of house mice are relatively larger, faster, and more common, respectively, compared to common urban arthropod pests. This could lead to the conclusion that house mice are as likely to infest non-neighboring apartments as those that share a wall or floor/ceiling. However, these results demonstrate that house mouse infestations tend to occur among apartments that share common walls or ceilings/floors. This spatial distribution pattern can be utilized in rodent management plans to improve the efficiency of house mouse management programs in MFDs.

Stingray Habitat Use Is Dynamically Influenced by Temperature and Tides

Abiotic factors often have a large influence on the habitat use of animals in shallow marine environments. Specifically, tides may alter the physical and biological characteristics of an ecosystem while changes in temperature can cause ectothermic species to behaviorally thermoregulate. Understanding the contextual and relative influences of these abiotic factors is important in prioritizing management plans, particularly for vulnerable faunal groups like stingrays. Passive acoustic telemetry was used to track the movements of 60 stingrays at a remote and environmentally heterogeneous atoll in Seychelles. This was to determine if habitat use varied over daily, diel and tidal cycles and to investigate the environmental drivers behind these potential temporal patterns. Individuals were detected in the atoll year-round, but the extent of their movement and use of multiple habitats increased in the warmer NW-monsoon season. Habitat use varied over the diel cycle, but was inconsistent between individuals. Temperature was also found to influence stingray movements, with individuals preferring the deeper and more thermally stable lagoon habitat when extreme (hot or cold) temperature events were observed on the flats. Habitat use also varied over the tidal cycle with stingrays spending a higher proportion of time in the lagoon during the lowest tides, when movement on the flats were constrained due to shallow waters. The interplay of tides and temperature, and how these varied across diel and daily scales, dynamically influenced stingray habitat use consistently between three species in an offshore atoll.

Propuesta metodológica para la caracterización y tipificación de las costas españolas. Aplicación a las costas de Galicia.

There are several coastal classifications. Most of them have been elaborated worldwide using tectonic, climatic, topographic, or oceanographic criteria. Other classifications have been generated on a larger scale and focused on classifying the coastal forms, as cliffs, beaches, estuaries, lagoons, or dune complexes in different places.This project analyzes the types of coastlines, understanding as such each sector that presents certain topographic conditions marked by the elevation and slope, and that was modeled on a concrete type of rock in a specific climatic and marine environment. This paper describes a methodological approach for a detailed scale classification. This approach based on the delimitation of the different coastal systems, exemplified in cliffs and boulder beaches, sandy beaches, and dunes. In this case the shore platforms, marshes and lagoons have not been considered for the technical problems derived from the LiDAR data source, from which the 2 m spatial resolution digital terrain models (DTM) are derived.The first step in the classification was a manual delimitation combining DTMs and orthophotographs. Subsequently, other typification has been carried out through the automatic creation of Coastal Topographic Units (CTU). This index is the combination of two variables: coastal elevation and slope. The possible integration of others, such as orientation or lithology, is possible, but generate a very high number of units and make it difficult to interpret. For this reason, this study did not consider more variables.In this project 30 CTUs was generated, and then selecting only those that appear in the cliffs, boulder beaches, sandy beaches, and coastal dunes sectors. The possibility of viewing one or several CTUs in any sector of the coast allows to know more accurately the conditions of each sector and these categories could be improve the coastal management plans.

Treatment of MIS-C in Children and Adolescents

Purpose of Review Different treatment approaches have been described for the management of COVID-19-related multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), the pathogenesis of which has not yet been fully elucidated. Here, we comprehensively review and summarize the recommendations and management strategies that have been published to date. Recent Findings MIS-C patients are treated with different regimens, mostly revolving around the use of immunomodulatory medications, including IVIG and glucocorticoids as first-tier therapy. Refractoriness to IVIG and glucocorticoids warrants a step-up of immunomodulatory therapy to biologic agents such as anakinra, tocilizumab, and infliximab. Summary We review the current evidence regarding the use of monotherapy versus combination therapy, as well as the current recommendations for assessing thrombotic risk and administering antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapy. We anticipate that future studies will provide evidence for management plans that maximize short- and long-term outcomes.

How Might World Heritage Status Support the Protection of Sacred Natural Sites? An Analysis of Nomination Files, Management, and Governance Contexts

This study provides an overview of how sacred natural sites are given recognition within the World Heritage system. It offers an analysis of the extent to which sacred natural sites that are part of nine World Heritage sites are recognised in site nomination files, management plans, and governance of these sites. The World Heritage sites are located across all continents except for Antarctica. We analysed sites in Australia, Greece, Guatemala, India, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, New Zealand and the Russian Federation. We found that the cultural and spiritual significance of sacred natural sites is under-recognised, especially in natural World Heritage sites. In addition, Indigenous and religious custodians are frequently excluded from site management and governance. We make four recommendations for improving the recognition of sacred natural sites and the involvement of their custodians in the World Heritage process and in site nomination, governance, and management: (1) identification and recognition of sacred natural sites including their associated cultural and spiritual values; (2) recognition of, and articulated roles for custodians of sacred natural sites in the governance and management of World Heritage sites; (3) increased uptake of religious groups and Indigenous Peoples’ conservation approaches to the joint management of World Heritage sites that contain sacred natural sites, and (4) prevention of exclusion of custodians and ecological migration by applying inclusive conservation practices through rights-based approaches.

Plant invasions in riparian areas of the Middle Danube Basin in Serbia

Riparian areas experience strong invasion pressures worldwide and represent important points of spread for invasive alien plants (IAPs) in the European mainland. The Danube Basin is a well-known point of high plant invasion levels. Given that the middle part of the Danube Basin is critically understudied and the general lack of data for Serbia, the study aimed to provide an insight into the spatial patterns of plant invasions in the riparian areas of Serbia (Middle Danube Basin area). A total of 250 field sites, distributed along 39 rivers (nine catchment areas) and six canal sections, were studied during a four-year period (2013–2016) for the presence and abundance of IAPs. At the landscape scale, we studied distribution patterns of IAPs, differences in invasion levels in different catchment areas and between rivers and canals. At the local scale, we investigated how the proximity to roads/railway lines, housing areas, different land-use types (primarily agriculture), and dominant vegetation on site related to invasion patterns. Of the 26 studied IAPs, those with a well-known weedy behavior, long history of cultivation and strong affinity for riparian areas prevailed in the study area. Riparian zones of the Danube catchment exhibited the highest invasion levels in terms of IAPs richness and abundance, followed by the catchment areas of the Timok, Sava and Zapadna Morava rivers. Surprisingly, the Danube-Tisa-Danube canal network had the lowest invasion level. At the local scale, agriculture in proximity of the field site and dominant vegetation on site were observed as significant predictors of the invasion level. On the other hand, proximity to roads/railway lines and housing areas was not related to the invasion level. Finally, our study provides the first systematic overview of IAPs’ distribution data for riparian areas of the Middle Danube Basin in Serbia, which could provide a basis for long-term monitoring of IAPs and development of future management plans.