Spatial-temporal excess mortality patterns of the 1918-1919 influenza pandemic in Spain

Background: The impact of socio-demographic factors and baseline health on the mortality burden of seasonal and pandemic influenza remains debated. Here we analyzed the spatial-temporal mortality patterns of the 1918 influenza pandemic in Spain, one of the countries of Europe that experienced the highest mortality burden. Methods: We analyzed monthly death rates from respiratory diseases and all-causes across 49 provinces of Spain, including the Canary and Balearic Islands, during the period January-1915 to June-1919. We estimated the influenza-related excess death rates and risk of death relative to baseline mortality by pandemic wave and province. We then explored the association between pandemic excess mortality rates and health and socio-demographic factors, which included population size and age structure, population density, infant mortality rates, baseline death rates, and urbanization. Results: Our analysis revealed high geographic heterogeneity in pandemic mortality impact. We identified 3 pandemic waves of varying timing and intensity covering the period from Jan-1918 to Jun-1919, with the highest pandemic-related excess mortality rates occurring during the months of October-November 1918 across all Spanish provinces. Cumulative excess mortality rates followed a south-north gradient after controlling for demographic factors, with the North experiencing highest excess mortality rates. A model that included latitude, population density, and the proportion of children living in provinces explained about 40% of the geographic variability in cumulative excess death rates during 1918-19, but different factors explained mortality variation in each wave. Conclusions: A substantial fraction of the variability in excess mortality rates across Spanish provinces remained unexplained, which suggests that other unidentified factors such as comorbidities, climate and background immunity may have affected the 1918-19 pandemic mortality rates. Further archeo-epidemiological research should concentrate on identifying settings with combined availability of local historical mortality records and information on the prevalence of underlying risk factors, or patient-level clinical data, to further clarify the drivers of 1918 pandemic influenza mortality.

Strengthening governance across scales in aquatic agricultural systems

Aquatic agricultural systems in developing countries face increasing competition from multiple stakeholders operating from local to national and regional scales over rights to access and use natural resources—land, water, wetlands, and fisheries-essential to rural livelihoods. A key implication is the need to strengthen governance to enable equitable decision-making amidst such competition, building capacities for resilience and transformations that reduce poverty. This paper provides a simple framework to analyze the governance context for aquatic agricultural system development focused on three dimensions: stakeholder representation, distribution of power, and mechanisms of accountability. Case studies from Cambodia, Bangladesh, Malawi/Mozambique, and Solomon Islands illustrate the application of these concepts to fisheries and aquaculture livelihoods in the broader context of intersectoral and cross-scale governance interacti

An ecological analysis of rockfish (Sebastes spp.) assemblages in the North Pacific Ocean along broad-scale environmental gradients

Environmental variability affects the distributions of most marine fish species. In this analysis, assemblages of rockfish (Sebastes spp.) species were defined on the basis of similarities in their distributions along environmental gradients. Data from 14 bottom trawl surveys of the Gulf of Alaska and Aleutian Islands (n=6767) were used. Five distinct assemblages of rockfish were defined by geographical position, depth, and temperature. The 180-m and 275-m depth contours were major divisions between assemblages inhabiting the shelf, shelf break, and lower continental slope. Another noticeable division was between species centered in southeastern Alaska and those found in the northern Gulf of Alaska and Aleutian Islands. The use of environmental variables to define the species composition of assemblages is different from the use of traditional methods based on clustering and nonparametric statistics and as such, environmentally based analyses should result in predictable assemblages of species that are useful for ecosystem-based management.

Diets of Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) in Southeast Alaska, 1993−1999

The diet of Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) was determined from 1494 scats (feces) collected at breeding (rookeries) and nonbreeding (haulout) sites in Southeast Alaska from 1993 to 1999. The most common prey of 61 species identified were walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma), Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii), Pacific sand lance (Ammodytes hexapterus), Pacific salmon (Salmonidae), arrowtooth flounder (Atheresthes stomias), rockfish (Sebastes spp.), skates (Rajidae), and cephalopods (squid and octopus). Steller sea lion diets at the three Southeast Alaska rookeries differed significantly from one another. The sea lions consumed the most diverse range of prey categories during summer, and the least diverse during fall. Diet was more diverse in Southeast Alaska during the 1990s than in any other region of Alaska (Gulf of Alaska and Aleutian Islands). Dietary differences between increasing and declining populations of Steller sea lions in Alaska correlate with rates of population change, and add credence to the view that diet may have played a role in the decline of sea lions in the Gulf of Alaska and Aleutian Islands.

Petrografia, litogeoquímica e datação Ar-Ar dos montes submarinos e dos rochedos de Martim Vaz - Cadeia Vitória-Trindade

Este trabalho de mestrado estudou a ilha de Martin Vaz e cinco montes submarinos da Cadeia Vitória-Trindade Columbia, Dogaressa, Davis, Jaseur e Montague. Martin Vaz é um conjunto de ilhas formado pela ilha principal - Martin Vaz, duas ilhotas íngremes e inacessíveis - a Ilha do Norte e a Ilha do Sul além de vários rochedos menores, como o Rochedo Agulha, espalhados a 48 km a leste de Trindade, perfazendo uma área total de 0,3 km. Martin Vaz, assim como os montes submarinos, pertencem a chamada Cadeia Vitória-Trindade, estão inseridos em um contexto tectônico regional cujo trend W-E sugere representar o track da pluma mantélica de Trindade quando da passagem da Placa Sul Americana sobre ela desde o Terciário (CROUGH et al., 1980; OCONNOR & DUNCAN, 1990, GIBSON et at., 1997). A petrografia das amostras de Martin Vaz indica haver basanitos parcialmente alteradas, melanocráticas, textura afanítica, porosas, apresentando vesículas em torno de 1,0-5,0 milímetros. Apresenta fenocristais de piroxênio além de alguns fenocristais de olivina verde-oliva translúcido variando de 1,0-3,0 milímetros. A ilha principal apresenta também diques e necks fonolíticos apresentando matriz microlítica alterada, orientada, de cor verde apresentando minerais ripiformes de cor branca (feldspato alcalino) e outros de cor violácea (titanoaugita) além de pequenos opacos. Pequenos fenocristais de aegerina-augita fortemente pleocroica, alguns apresentando geminação simples, por vezes zonado, apresenta extinção variando de c ∧ α ou X = 23 a 33 (medida de 10 grãos). Biotita laranja amarronzada com textura poiquilítica (1,0 mm), minúsculos cristais euédricos de titanita (raros), além de cristais pseudohexagonais isotrópicos alterados de analcita e carbonatos. As amostras utilizadas neste trabalho de mestrado possuem valor mínimo de 33.91 % SiO2 (TRIM-01D) e máximo de 52,2 (MVA-01) variando de ultrabásicas a básicas. Através da análise dos óxidos SiO2 e MgO é possível distinguir dois grupos de rochas para Martin Vaz: um ultramáfico magnesiano (<42% SiO2 e >7% MgO) e um básico (>45% SiO2) e, para os montes submarinos, dois grupos: um ultramáfico magnesiano (>9% MgO <42% SiO2) e um básico (>45% SiO2 e com valores de MgO em torno de 4%). As análises de Ar-Ar para as quatro amostras de Martin Vaz apresentam idades para o derrame de basanito variando de 320366 Ka (MVA-10) à 623127 Ka (MVA-04). A única amostra datada representando do dique de fonólito é a MVA-05B e obteve idade de 64984 Ka, indicando ser contemporânea ao derrame basanítico.

Spotted Seals, Phoca largha, in Alaska

The worldwide literature on management of spotted seals, Phoca largha, was reviewed and updated, and aerial surveys weref lown in 1992 and 1993 to determine the species' distribution and abundance in U.S. waters. In April, spotted seals were found only in the Bering Sea ice front. In June, they were seen along deteriorating ice floes and fast ice in Norton Sound. Surveys along most of Alaska's western coast in August and September found over 2,500 spotted seals in Kuskokwim Bay and concentrations of 100-400 seals around Nunivak Island, Scammon Bay, Golovnin Bay/Norton Sound, Cape Espenberg/Kotzebue Sound, and Kasegaluk Lagoon. All of these sites have been used by spotted seals in the past. The sum of the highest counts, irrespective of year, was 3,570 seals (CV =0.06). This is not an abundance estimate for all spotted seals in the Bering Sea, because it does not account for animals in the water, and we did not survey the Asian coast and some islands. Also, spotted seals and harbor seals, Phoca vitulina, are too similar in appearance to be identified accurately from the air, so our results probably include a mix of these species where their ranges overlap.

Biodiversidade e dinâmica estrutural de assembleias de esponjas marinhas (Filo Porifera) da Ilha Grande e cercanias, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

Estudos de comunidades de esponjas marinhas são escassos no Brasil, sendo este trabalho pioneiro nessa abordagem para a Ilha Grande - RJ, um local de alta diversidade biológica. A estrutura das assembleias de esponjas marinhas e da comunidade bentônica marinha séssil foi avaliada, a partir de índices descritores de diversidade, em seis pontos da Ilha Grande e ilhas próximas, sendo três do lado continental e três do lado oceânico. As assembleias foram comparadas entre os diferentes lado e profundidade, através da contagem do número de indivíduos e área de cobertura por foto-quadrados. Paralelamente, as esponjas foram coletadas, fixadas e posteriormente identificadas através de metodologia e literatura especializada. Foi encontrado um total de 5.457 indivíduos, representando as Classes Demospongiae e Calcarea, distribuídos em 41 espécies e nove morfotipos, indicando maior diversidade para Lagoa Azul e menor para Parnaióca, sendo o local com maior riqueza a Ilha do Abraão. Dentre as espécies identificadas, quatro dominaram mais de 50% do total e 26 não alcançaram nem 5% da abundância absoluta. Análises de variância por GLM só evidenciaram diferença significativa para profundidade com substratos diferentes (F= 2,79; p<0,04), enquanto o fator lado (F= 2,23; p>0,16) e a interação entre os fatores (F= 1,17; p>0,38) não tiveram diferença estatística. As análises multivariadas de ordenação Cluster e MDS indicaram a formação de quatro assembleias de esponjas: 1) quatro locais com substrato não consolidado; 2) Lagoa Azul com substrato não consolidado; 3) locais oceânicos de substrato rochoso; e 4) locais continentais de substrato consolidado. Já para a comunidade geral, 49 espécies foram encontradas, sendo o Filo Porifera o de maior representatividade específica, apesar das macroalgas terem formado o grupo mais abundante. A comunidade bentônica foi dominada por quatro espécies, que juntas alcançaram média de 50% da cobertura bentônica: alga calcária incrustante, algas formadoras de tapete de turf, a esponja Iotrochota arenosa e o zoantídeo Palythoacaribaeorum. Estatisticamente, o lado continental se mostrou diferente do oceânico, o qual possui maior riqueza, diversidade e uniformidade de espécies, muito provavelmente pelo menor número de espécies dominantes e aliado a isso maior heterogeneidade de habitats, o que promove o aumento da diversidade. Quinze novas espécies estão sendo registradas para a Baía da Ilha Grande, sendo três novas espécies, as quais estão sendo descritas por especialistas, e 12 são novos registros de espécies ou gêneros para a região, evidenciando que a diversidade de esponjas marinhas na BIG é alta e ainda pouco conhecida e que a formação de assembleias pode ser devida a singularidade de cada local, implicando na necessidade de conservação dos costões rochosos da Ilha Grande e cercanias, a qual pode ser manejada através da realização de rápidos levantamentos sobre a riqueza e o número de indivíduos da espécie na região

A guide to monitoring reef fish in the National Park Service's South Florida/Caribbean Network

Reef fishes are conspicuous and essential components of coral reef ecosystems and economies of southern Florida and the United States Virgin Islands (USVI). Throughout Florida and the USVI, reef fish are under threat from a variety of anthropogenic and natural stressors including overfishing, habitat loss, and environmental changes. The South Florida/Caribbean Network (SFCN), a unit of the National Park Service (NPS), is charged with monitoring reef fishes, among other natural and cultural resources, within six parks in the South Florida - Caribbean region (Biscayne National Park, BISC; Buck Island Reef National Monument, BUIS; Dry Tortugas National Park, DRTO; Everglades National Park, EVER; Salt River Bay National Historic Park and Ecological Preserve, SARI; Virgin Islands National Park, VIIS). Monitoring data is intended for park managers who are and will continue to be asked to make decisions to balance environmental protection, fishery sustainability and park use by visitors. The range and complexity of the issues outlined above, and the need for NPS to invest in a strategy of monitoring, modeling, and management to ensure the sustainability of its precious assets, will require strategic investment in long-term, high-precision, multispecies reef fish data that increases inherent system knowledge and reduces uncertainty. The goal of this guide is to provide the framework for park managers and researchers to create or enhance a reef fish monitoring program within areas monitored by the SFCN. The framework is expected to be applicable to other areas as well, including the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument. The favored approach is characterized by an iterative process of data collection, dataset integration, sampling design analysis, and population and community assessment that evaluates resource risks associated with management policies. Using this model, a monitoring program can adapt its survey methods to increase accuracy and precision of survey estimates as new information becomes available, and adapt to the evolving needs and broadening responsibilities of park management.

Prey consumption of Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) off Alaska: How much prey do they require?

The effects of seasonal and regional differences in diet composition on the food requirements of Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) were estimated by using a bioenergetic model. The model considered differences in the energy density of the prey, and differences in digestive efficiency and the heat increment of feeding of different diets. The model predicted that Steller sea lions in southeast Alaska required 45–60% more food per day in early spring (March) than after the breeding season in late summer (August) because of seasonal changes in the energy density of the diets (along with seasonal changes in energy requirements). The southeast Alaska population, at 23,000 (±1660 SD) animals (all ages), consumed an estimated 140,000 (±27,800) t of prey in 1998. In contrast, we estimated that the 51,000 (±3680) animals making up the western Alaska population in the Gulf of Alaska and Aleutian Islands consumed just over twice this amount (303,000 [±57,500] t). In terms of biomass removed in 1998 from Alaskan waters, we estimated that Steller sea lions accounted for about 5% of the natural mortality of gadids (pollock and cod) and up to 75% of the natural mortality of hexagrammids (adult Atka mackerel). These two groups of species were consumed in higher amounts than any other. The predicted average daily food requirement per individual ranged from 16 (±2.8) to 20 (±3.6) kg (all ages combined). Per capita food requirements differed by as much as 24% between regions of Alaska depending on the relative amounts of low–energy-density prey (e.g. gadids) versus high–energy-density prey (e.g. forage fish and salmon) consumed. Estimated requirements were highest in regions where Steller sea lions consumed higher proportions of low–energy-density prey and experienced the highest rates of population decline

Diving behavior of immature Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus)

Understanding the ontogenetic relationship between juvenile Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) and their foraging habitat is key to understanding their relationship to available prey and ultimately their survival. We summarize dive and movement data from 13 young-of-the-year (YOY) and 12 yearling Steller sea lions equipped with satellite dive recorders in the Gulf of Alaska and Aleutian Islands (n=18), and Washington (n=7) from 1994 to 2000. A total of 1413 d of transmission (x =56.5 d, range: 14.5–104.1 d) were received. We recorded 222,073 dives, which had a mean depth of 18.4 m (range of means: 5.8−67.9 m; SD=16.4). Alaska YOY dived for shorter periods and at shallower depths (mean depth=7.7 m, mean duration=0.8 min, mean maximum depth=25.7 m, and maximum depth=252 m) than Alaska yearlings (x =16.6 m, 0=1.1 min, x = 63.4 m, 288 m), whereas Washington yearlings dived the longest and deepest (mean depth=39.4 m, mean duration=1.8 min, mean maximum depth=144.5 m, and maximum depth=328 m). Mean distance for 564 measured trips was 16.6 km; for sea lions ≤10 months of age, trip distance (7.0 km) was significantly less than for those >10 months of age (24.6 km). Mean trip duration for 10 of the 25 sea lions was 12.1 h; for sea lions ≤10 months of age, trip duration was 7.5 h and 18.1 h for those >10 months of age. We identified three movements types: long-range trips (>15 km and >20 h), short-range trips (<15 km and <20 h) during which the animals left and returned to the same site, and transits to other haul-out sites. Long-range trips started around 9 months of age and occurred most frequently around the assumed time of weaning, whereas short-range trips happened almost daily (0.9 trips/day, n=426 trips). Transits began as early as 7 months of age, occurred more often after 9 months of age, and ranged between 6.5 and 454 km. The change in dive characteristics coincided with the assumed onset of weaning. These yearling sea lion movement patterns and dive characteristics suggest that immature Steller sea lions are as capable of making the same types of movements as adults.

A participatory study of the traditional knowledge of fishing communities in the Gulf of Mannar, India

This is the first in a series of case studies undertaken by the International Collective in Support of Fishworkers (ICSF) to document the traditional knowledge of fishing communities dependent on marine and coastal resources in protected and conserved areas in different parts of the world. The study, done with the support of the Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem (BOBLME) project, documents the traditional knowledge of fishing communities in the Gulf of Mannar in the state of Tamil Nadu. It focuses on two fishing villages, Chinnapalam and Bharathi Nagar, whose communities have traditionally depended on Krusadai and Appa Islands for their livelihood. Traditional knowledge relating to oceanographic, meteorological, biological, ecological and navigational aspects of fisheries was documented. The study will be useful for researchers, students, scientists, policymakers, fishworker organizations, NGOs and anyone interested in the traditional knowledge of local fishing communities related to marine biodiversity and the customary use of fisheries resources and fishing practices.

Occurrence of milkfish, Chanos chanos (Forsskal) eggs around Panay Island, Philippines

The study documents the occurrence of milkfish, Chanos chanos (Forsskal) eggs around Panay Island, Philippines: in Cuyo East Pass, Panay Gulf, Visayan Sea, Sibuyan Sea and Cagayan Islands. Most of the eggs, 545 out of 551, were obtained from Cuyo East Pass compared to Cagayan Islands and Sibuyan Sea while no milkfish egg was recovered from either Panay Gulf or Visayan Sea.

Establishing a mangrove nursery

Mangroves play an important role in creating habitats for a diverse community of organisms ranging from bacteria and fungi to fishes and mammals. They grow in intertidal flats, estuaries and offshore islands. In the Philippines, mangrove forests have dramatically decreased in area since the start of the century, and therefore there is a need to reforest. However, first mangrove nurseries must be established since they serve as sources of planting materials for different mangrove species. Furthermore, nurseries would mean a sustainable source of livelihood for coastal communities because of continuous demand for propagules. A brief account is given of procedures as to the establishment of a mangrove nursery, describing the construction of a nursery, preparation of potting materials, seed collection, seed sowing, and maintenance and protection. Details are provided of the most common true mangrove species in the Philippines. The mangrove nursery is a place for raising and tending seedlings until they are ready for permanent planting. The establishment of mangrove nurseries is in line with government s efforts to rehabilitate the coastal and mangrove ecosystems.

The present-day fishery of the Uganda waters of Lake Victoria

The Uganda waters of Lake Victoria comprise an area of 28,500 square kilometres with a shore line of 2,380 kilometres extending from the Uganda/Tanzania border in the west to the Uganda/Kenya border in the east. A large part of the Uganda waters of the lake is less than 60 metres deep, waters deeper than 60 metres being on the eastern side of the lake. Thus the Uganda part of the lake is tilted towards the east. A number of rivers drain into the lake from the north and the River Nile flows out of the lake towards the Mediterranean Sea. The Ssese, Kome, Buvuma and Busoga Islands form a very distinctive feature of the lake. These are perhaps the remaining high hills which survived the drowning of the northern valleys during the formation of the lake. In fact, in T. P. O'Brien's book 'The Prehistoric Uganda Protectorate (1939)', Solmon gives a critical summary of the work on the formation of Lake Victoria and shows that the northern part of the lake has numerous drowned valleys, a feature which provides varying habitats for particular species of fish and which may have an effect on the species composition reflected in the catches in different areas along the northern shore of the lake. It is interesting to note that although Lake Victoria as a whole has a number of rivers draining into it, Halbfass (1923) calculated and found that 76 per cent of the water entering the lake is precipitation on the lake surface.

Material transport in self-assembled InAs/GaAs quantum dot ensemble

Introducing the growth interruption between the InAs deposition and subsequent GaAs growth in self-assembled quantum dot (QD) structures, the material transport process in the InAs layers has been investigated by photoluminescence and transmission electron microscopy measurement. InAs material in structures without misfit dislocations transfers from the wetting layer to QDs corresponding to the red-shift of PL peak energy due to interruption. On the other hand, the PL peak shifts to higher energy in the structures with dislocations. In this case, the misfit dislocations would capture the InAs material from the surrounding wetting layer and coherent islands leading to the reduction of the size of these QDs. The variations in the PL intensity and Linewidth are also discussed.