From the individual to the community and beyond: water quality, stress indicators and key species in coastal waters

This review examines water quality and stress indicators at levels of organisation from the individual to the community and beyond by means of three case studies concentrating on rocky shores within the north-east Atlantic. Responses of dogwhelks (Nucella) to tributyltin pollution from antifouling paints is examined as the main case study. There are effects at the individual level (development of male sexual characteristics in the female leading to effective sterility) and population level (reduction in juveniles, few females and eventual population disappearance of dogwhelks in badly contaminated areas) but information on community level effects of dogwhelk demise is sparse. Such effects were simulated by dogwhelk removal experiments on well studied, moderately exposed ledges on shores on the Isle of Man. The removal of dogwhelks reduced the size and longevity of newly established Fucus clumps that had escaped grazing. Removal of dogwhelks also increased the likelihood of algal escapes. In a factorial experiment dogwhelks were shown to be less important than limpets \{Patella) in structuring communities but still had a significant modifying effect by increasing the probability of algal escapes. Community level responses to stress on rocky shores are then explored by reference to catastrophic impacts such as oil spills, using the Torrey Canyon as a case study. Recovery of the system in response to this major perturbation took between 10-15 years through a series of damped oscillations. The final case study is that of indicators of ecosystem level change in response to climate fluctuations, using ratios of northern \{Semibalanus balanoides) and southern (Chthamalus spp.) barnacles. Indices derived from counts on the shore show good correlations with inshore sea-water temperatures after a 2-year lag phase. The use of barnacles to measure offshore changes is reviewed. The discussion considers the use of bioindicators at various levels of organisation.

Aplicação da pena privativa de liberdade e o dever jurídico-constitucional de minimização da afetação individual: uma nova proposta discursiva

Investiga se o atual modelo de aplicação da pena privativa de liberdade se mostra adequado aos parâmetros traçados pela constituição de 1988, atendendo ao fundamento da dignidade da pessoa humana e aos objetivos fundamentais de construção de uma sociedade livre, justa e solidária e de promoção do bem de todos. Analisa a dinâmica histórica da aplicação e das teorias das penas privativas de liberdade no Brasil, abordando os principais critérios e atuais orientações da aplicação penal. Sustenta que a dignidade da pessoa humana constitui fundamento do Estado Republicano e Democrático de Direito brasileiro e que, ao lado do princípio da humanidade das penas, seu correspondente penal, fundamenta a necessidade de se evitar ao máximo que os indivíduos sejam afetados pela intervenção do poder punitivo. Conclui, então, pela existência de um autêntico dever jurídico-constitucional da agência judicial no sentido de minimizar a intensidade de afetação do indivíduo sentenciado. Procura erigir novos princípios quanto à aplicação da pena, dotados de força normativa e que atuem de maneira integrada para a tutela dos direitos fundamentais. Defende que a Constituição de 1988 não incorporou o discurso legitimador da pena, limitando-se à tarefa de contenção de danos e de fixação de limites punitivos. Preconiza novos parâmetros para a fixação da pena-base, sustentando a incompatibilidade constitucional das finalidades de reprovação e prevenção do crime. Debate qual deve ser o adequado sentido constitucional das circunstâncias judiciais da pena. Discute as bases da tendência exasperadora da pena, caracterizada pelas agravantes, qualificadoras e causas de aumento, assim como da tendência mitigadora da pena, representada pelas atenuantes, causas de diminuição, participação de agentes, tentativa, concurso de crimes, crime continuado, unificação e limite de penas. Identifica a existência de crise no dogma da pena mínima, propondo, afinal, a construção de um novo modelo interpretativo de aplicação da pena privativa de liberdade.

Determinación de compuestos orgánicos potencialmente alérgenos en equipos textiles de protección individual (EPIs) mediante analisis directo por pirólisis acoplado a cromatografía de gases espectrometría de masas (Py-GC/MS).

Nota de aplicación instrumental desarrollada en el Servicio Central de Análisis de Bizkaia (SCAB)

Using the empirical Bayes method to estimate and evaluate bycatch rates of seabirds from individual fishing vessels

Minimizing bycatch of seabirds is a major goal of the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service. In Alaska waters, the bycatch (i.e., inadvertent catches) of seabirds has been an incidental result of demersal groundfish longline fishery operations. Notably, the endangered short-tailed albatross (Phoebastria albatrus) has been taken in this groundfish fishery. Bycatch rates of seabirds from individual vessels may be of particular interest because vessels with high bycatch rates may not be functioning effectively with seabird avoidance gears, and there may be a need for suggestions on how to use these avoidance gears more effectively. Therefore, bycatch estimates are usually made on an individual vessel basis and then summed to obtain the total estimate for the entire fleet.

The role of mate guarding, Male Size and Male Investment on Individual Reproductive Success in the Blue Crab, Callinectes Sapidus.

Male blue crabs, Callinectes Sapidus, guard their mates before and after mating, suggesting that the conditions regulating both types of mate guarding dictate individual reproductive success. I tested the hypothesis that large male blue crabs have advantages in sexual competition using experimental manipulations, a simulation model, and field data on crabs from mid-Chesapeake Bay between 1991-1994.

Heterogeneous individual growth of Macrobrachium rosenbergii male morphotypes

In a single cohort of small freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii, the size range of females in the population is rather small. However, among the males, three major morphotypes are found and each has a distinct size category. The differential growth pattern in males, termed "heterogeneous individual growth" (HIG), is a major bottleneck confronting the profitability of farming this species. An attempt is made to understand the cause and impact of HIG on the culture system and methods by which HIG could be minimized in growout in order to maximize the market yield structure of the harvested population.

Maximum likelihood estimation of mortality and growth with individual variability from multiple length-frequency data

We consider estimation of mortality rates and growth parameters from length-frequency data of a fish stock and derive the underlying length distribution of the population and the catch when there is individual variability in the von Bertalanffy growth parameter L∞. The model is flexible enough to accommodate 1) any recruitment pattern as a function of both time and length, 2) length-specific selectivity, and 3) varying fishing effort over time. The maximum likelihood method gives consistent estimates, provided the underlying distribution for individual variation in growth is correctly specified. Simulation results indicate that our method is reasonably robust to violations in the assumptions. The method is applied to tiger prawn data (Penaeus semisulcatus) to obtain estimates of natural and fishing mortality.