The application of remote sensing to the management of urban wildlife habitats

The project set out with two main aims. The first aim was to determine whether large scale multispectral aerial photography could be used to successfully survey and monitor urban wildlife habitats. The second objective was to investigate whether this data source could be used to predict population numbers of selected species expected to be found in a particular habitat type. Panchromatic, colour and colour infra-red, 1:2500 scale aerial photographs, taken in 1981 and 1984, were used. For the orderly extraction of information from the imagery, an urban wildlife habitat classification was devised. This was based on classifications already in use in urban environments by the Nature Conservancy Council. Pilot tests identified that the colour infra-red imagery provided the most accurate results about urban wildlife habitats in the study area of the Blackbrook Valley, Dudley. Both the 1981 and 1984 colour infra-red photographs were analysed and information was obtained about the type, extent and distribution of habitats. In order to investigate whether large scale aerial photographs could be used to predict likely animal population numbers in urban environments, it was decided to limit the investigation to the possible prediction of bird population numbers in Saltwells Local Nature Reserve. A good deal of research has already been completed into the development of models to predict breeding bird population numbers in woodland habitats. These models were analysed to determine whether they could be used successfully with data extracted from the aerial photographs. The projects concluded that 1:2500 scale colour infra-red photographs can provide very useful and very detailed information about the wildlife habitats in an urban area. Such imagery can also provide habitat area data to be used with population predictive models of woodland breeding birds. Using the aerial photographs, further investigations into the relationship between area of habitat and the breeding of individual bird species were inconclusive and need further research.

Simulating Mechanisms for Dispersal, Production and Stranding of Small Forage Fish in Temporary Wetland Habitats

Movement strategies of small forage fish (<8 cm total length) between temporary and permanent wetland habitats affect their overall population growth and biomass concentrations, i.e., availability to predators. These fish are often the key energy link between primary producers and top predators, such as wading birds, which require high concentrations of stranded fish in accessible depths. Expansion and contraction of seasonal wetlands induce a sequential alternation between rapid biomass growth and concentration, creating the conditions for local stranding of small fish as they move in response to varying water levels. To better understand how landscape topography, hydrology, and fish behavior interact to create high densities of stranded fish, we first simulated population dynamics of small fish, within a dynamic food web, with different traits for movement strategy and growth rate, across an artificial, spatially explicit, heterogeneous, two-dimensional marsh slough landscape, using hydrologic variability as the driver for movement. Model output showed that fish with the highest tendency to invade newly flooded marsh areas built up the largest populations over long time periods with stable hydrologic patterns. A higher probability to become stranded had negative effects on long-term population size, and offset the contribution of that species to stranded biomass. The model was next applied to the topography of a 10 km × 10 km area of Everglades landscape. The details of the topography were highly important in channeling fish movements and creating spatiotemporal patterns of fish movement and stranding. This output provides data that can be compared in the future with observed locations of fish biomass concentrations, or such surrogates as phosphorus ‘hotspots’ in the marsh.

Hide, survive and hitch a ride, the dispersal of Antarctic krill into the nursery habitats

Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba), a key species of Southern Ocean food webs plays a central role in ecosystem processes, community dynamics of apex predators and as a commercial fishery target. A decline in krill abundance during the late 20th century in the SW Atlantic sector has been linked to a concomitant decrease in sea ice, based on the hypothesis that sea ice acts as a feeding ground for overwintering larvae. However, evidence supporting this hypothesis has been scarce due to logistical challenges of collecting data in austral winter. Here we report on a winter study that involved diver observations of larval krill in their under-ice environment, ship-based studies of krill, sea ice physical characteristics, and biophysical model analyses of krill-ocean-ice interactions. We present evidence that complex under-ice topography is vital for larval krill in terms of dispersal and advection into high productive nursery habitats, rather than the provision by the ice environment of food. Further, ongoing changes in sea ice will lead to increases in sea-ice regimes favourable for overwintering larval krill but shifting southwards. This will result in ice-free conditions in the SW Atlantic, which will be conducive for enhancing food supplies due to sufficient light and iron availability, thus enhancing larvae development and growth. However, the associated impact on dispersal and advection may lead to a net shift in krill from the SW Atlantic to regions further east by the eastward flowing ACC and the northern branch of the Weddell Gyre, with profound consequences for the Southern Ocean pelagic ecosystem.

Projections of change in key ecosystem indicators for planning and management of marine protected areas: An example study for European seas

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are widely used as tools to maintain biodiversity, protect habitats and ensure that development is sustainable. If MPAs are to maintain their role into the future it is important for managers to understand how conditions at these sites may change as a result of climate change and other drivers, and this understanding needs to extend beyond temperature to a range of key ecosystem indicators. This case study demonstrates how spatially-aggregated model results for multiple variables can provide useful projections for MPA planners and managers. Conditions in European MPAs have been projected for the 2040s using unmitigated and globally managed scenarios of climate change and river management, and hence high and low emissions of greenhouse gases and riverborne nutrients. The results highlight the vulnerability of potential refuge sites in the north-west Mediterranean and the need for careful monitoring at MPAs to the north and west of the British Isles, which may be affected by changes in Atlantic circulation patterns. The projections also support the need for more MPAs in the eastern Mediterranean and Adriatic Sea, and can inform the selection of sites.

Projections of change in key ecosystem indicators for planning and management of marine protected areas: An example study for European seas

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are widely used as tools to maintain biodiversity, protect habitats and ensure that development is sustainable. If MPAs are to maintain their role into the future it is important for managers to understand how conditions at these sites may change as a result of climate change and other drivers, and this understanding needs to extend beyond temperature to a range of key ecosystem indicators. This case study demonstrates how spatially-aggregated model results for multiple variables can provide useful projections for MPA planners and managers. Conditions in European MPAs have been projected for the 2040s using unmitigated and globally managed scenarios of climate change and river management, and hence high and low emissions of greenhouse gases and riverborne nutrients. The results highlight the vulnerability of potential refuge sites in the north-west Mediterranean and the need for careful monitoring at MPAs to the north and west of the British Isles, which may be affected by changes in Atlantic circulation patterns. The projections also support the need for more MPAs in the eastern Mediterranean and Adriatic Sea, and can inform the selection of sites.

Genetic analyses reveal high levels of seed and pollen flow in hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna Jacq.), a key component of hedgerows

Hedgerows represent important components of agri-environment landscapes that are increasingly coming under threat from climate change, emergent diseases, invasive species and land use change. Given that population genetic data can be used to inform best-practice management strategies for woodland and hedgerow tree species, we carried out a study on hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna Jacq.), a key component of hedgerows, on a regional basis using a combination of nuclear and chloroplast microsatellite markers. We found that levels of genetic diversity were high and comparable to, or slightly higher than, other tree species from the same region. Levels of population differentiation for both sets of markers, however, were extremely low, suggesting extensive gene flow via both seed and pollen. These findings suggest that a holistic approach to woodland management, one which does not necessarily rely on the concept of “seed zones” previously suggested, but which also takes into account populations with high and/or rare chloroplast (i.e. seed-specific) genetic variation, might be the best approach to restocking and replanting.

Using social network analysis to identify key stakeholders in agricultural biodiversity governance and related land-use decisions at regional and local level

In 2013 the European Commission launched its new green infrastructure strategy to make another attempt to stop and possibly reverse the loss of biodiversity until 2020, by connecting habitats in the wider landscape. This means that conservation would go beyond current practices to include landscapes that are dominated by conventional agriculture, where biodiversity conservation plays a minor role at best. The green infrastructure strategy aims at bottom-up rather than top-down implementation, and suggests including local and regional stakeholders. Therefore, it is important to know which stakeholders influence land-use decisions concerning green infrastructure at the local and regional level. The research presented in this paper served to select stakeholders in preparation for a participatory scenario development process to analyze consequences of different implementation options of the European green infrastructure strategy. We used a mix of qualitative and quantitative social network analysis (SNA) methods to combine actors’ attributes, especially concerning their perceived influence, with structural and relational measures. Further, our analysis provides information on institutional backgrounds and governance settings for green infrastructure and agricultural policy. The investigation started with key informant interviews at the regional level in administrative units responsible for relevant policies and procedures such as regional planners, representatives of federal ministries, and continued at the local level with farmers and other members of the community. The analysis revealed the importance of information flows and regulations but also of social pressure, considerably influencing biodiversity governance with respect to green infrastructure and biodiversity.

Ikkε Is Key To Induction Of Insulin Resistance In The Hypothalamus, And Its Inhibition Reverses Obesity.

IKK epsilon (IKKε) is induced by the activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). Whole-body IKKε knockout mice on a high-fat diet (HFD) were protected from insulin resistance and showed altered energy balance. We demonstrate that IKKε is expressed in neurons and is upregulated in the hypothalamus of obese mice, contributing to insulin and leptin resistance. Blocking IKKε in the hypothalamus of obese mice with CAYMAN10576 or small interfering RNA decreased NF-κB activation in this tissue, relieving the inflammatory environment. Inhibition of IKKε activity, but not TBK1, reduced IRS-1(Ser307) phosphorylation and insulin and leptin resistance by an improvement of the IR/IRS-1/Akt and JAK2/STAT3 pathways in the hypothalamus. These improvements were independent of body weight and food intake. Increased insulin and leptin action/signaling in the hypothalamus may contribute to a decrease in adiposity and hypophagia and an enhancement of energy expenditure accompanied by lower NPY and increased POMC mRNA levels. Improvement of hypothalamic insulin action decreases fasting glycemia, glycemia after pyruvate injection, and PEPCK protein expression in the liver of HFD-fed and db/db mice, suggesting a reduction in hepatic glucose production. We suggest that IKKε may be a key inflammatory mediator in the hypothalamus of obese mice, and its hypothalamic inhibition improves energy and glucose metabolism.

Biased Random-key Genetic Algorithms For The Winner Determination Problem In Combinatorial Auctions.

Abstract In this paper, we address the problem of picking a subset of bids in a general combinatorial auction so as to maximize the overall profit using the first-price model. This winner determination problem assumes that a single bidding round is held to determine both the winners and prices to be paid. We introduce six variants of biased random-key genetic algorithms for this problem. Three of them use a novel initialization technique that makes use of solutions of intermediate linear programming relaxations of an exact mixed integer-linear programming model as initial chromosomes of the population. An experimental evaluation compares the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms with the standard mixed linear integer programming formulation, a specialized exact algorithm, and the best-performing heuristics proposed for this problem. The proposed algorithms are competitive and offer strong results, mainly for large-scale auctions.

Key Issues In Inhibitor Management In Patients With Haemophilia.

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Key Endothelial Cell Angiogenic Mechanisms Are Stimulated By The Circulating Milieu In Sickle Cell Disease And Attenuated By Hydroxyurea.

As hypoxia-induced inflammatory angiogenesis may contribute to sickle cell disease manifestations, we compared the angiogenic molecular profiles of plasma from sickle cell disease individuals and correlated these with in vitro endothelial cell-mediated angiogenesis-stimulating activity and in vivo neovascularization. Bioplex demonstrated that plasma from steady-state sickle cell anemia patients presented elevated concentrations of pro-angiogenic factors (Angiopoietin-1, basic fibroblast growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor-D and placental growth factor) and displayed potent pro-angiogenic activity, significantly augmenting endothelial cell proliferation, migration and capillary-like structure formation. In vivo neovascularization of Matrigel plugs was significantly greater in sickle cell disease mice, compared with non-sickle cell disease mice, consistent with an upregulation of angiogenesis in the disease. In plasma from patients with hemoglobin SC disease without proliferative retinopathy, anti-angiogenic endostatin and thrombospondin-2 were significantly elevated. In contrast, plasma from hemoglobin SC individuals with proliferative retinopathy displayed a pro-angiogenic profile and had more significant effects on endothelial cell proliferation and capillary formation than plasma of patients without retinopathy. Hydroxyurea therapy was associated with significant reductions in plasma angiogenic factor profile, in association with an inhibition of endothelial cell-mediated angiogenic mechanisms and neovascularization. Thus, sickle cell anemia and retinopathic hemoglobin SC individuals present a highly angiogenic circulating milieu, capable of stimulating key endothelial cell-mediated angiogenic mechanisms. Combination anti-angiogenic therapy for preventing progression of unregulated neovascularization and associated manifestations in sickle cell disease, such as pulmonary hypertension, may be indicated; furthermore, the benefits and drawbacks of the potent anti-angiogenic effects of hydroxyurea should be clarified.

Key Participants Of The Tumor Microenvironment Of The Prostate: An Approach Of The Structural Dynamic Of Cellular Elements And Extracellular Matrix Components During Epithelial-stromal Transition.

Cancer is a multistep process that begins with the transformation of normal epithelial cells and continues with tumor growth, stromal invasion and metastasis. The remodeling of the peritumoral environment is decisive for the onset of tumor invasiveness. This event is dependent on epithelial-stromal interactions, degradation of extracellular matrix components and reorganization of fibrillar components. Our research group has studied in a new proposed rodent model the participation of cellular and molecular components in the prostate microenvironment that contributes to cancer progression. Our group adopted the gerbil Meriones unguiculatus as an alternative experimental model for prostate cancer study. This model has presented significant responses to hormonal treatments and to development of spontaneous and induced neoplasias. The data obtained indicate reorganization of type I collagen fibers and reticular fibers, synthesis of new components such as tenascin and proteoglycans, degradation of basement membrane components and elastic fibers and increased expression of metalloproteinases. Fibroblasts that border the region, apparently participate in the stromal reaction. The roles of each of these events, as well as some signaling molecules, participants of neoplastic progression and factors that promote genetic reprogramming during epithelial-stromal transition are also discussed.

Revisão taxonômica de Leptolobium (Papilionoideae, Leguminosae)

This revision of Leptolobium Vogel includes an identification key, descriptions, illustrations, and distribution maps for the taxa. Leptolobium comprises 12 species, and is characterized by its arboreal or shrubby habit, flowers with white, actinomorphic or slightly zygomorphic corollas, 10 free stamens, a stipitate ovary with many ovules, indehiscent (samara-like or nut-like) fruits, compressed seeds, and a bulbose hypocotyl-radicle axis. Leptolobium is a neotropical genus that occurs from Mexico to northern Argentina. Eleven species are found in Brazil, seven of which are endemic to the country. The lectotype of Sweetia glazioviana Harms is designated in this paper. In addition, information about uses, common names, geographical distribution, and habitats are provided.

Key terms in semiotics

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Répteis da Estação Ecológica Serra Geral do Tocantins, Brasil Central

Os Cerrados sul-americanos abrigam alta diversidade de répteis, incluindo elevado número de endemismos. No entanto, o conhecimento desta diversidade é ainda incompleto frente à acelerada transformação das paisagens naturais no Brasil central. Constituem, portanto, uma das regiões prioritárias para estudo e conservação da biodiversidade mundial. Estudos intensivos sobre a fauna de répteis do Cerrado são necessários e urgentes para melhor compreensão dos processos que levaram à sua origem e distribuição e para subsidiar ações de conservação. Por meio de métodos padronizados, amostramos duas regiões ainda inexploradas da Estação Ecológica Serra Geral do Tocantins, situada na região do Jalapão. Registramos 45 espécies de répteis para a EESGT e entorno, o que representa uma riqueza alta e comparável à de outras regiões bem amostradas do Cerrado. Curvas de acumulação e estimadores indicam que a riqueza local de lagartos e anfisbenídeos aproxima-se da riqueza real enquanto a de serpentes é subestimada. A distribuição não-aleatória das espécies na paisagem concorda com evidências anteriores sugerindo utilização diferencial dos hábitats pelos répteis. Reunindo os resultados do presente estudo com os de levantamentos prévios realizados na região, registramos 88 espécies de répteis para o Jalapão sendo oito registros novos que incluem Bachia oxyrhina uma espécie recém descrita da região. As espécies da área apresentam três padrões gerais de distribuição: (1) espécies endêmicas do Cerrado, (2) espécies compartilhadas com domínios da diagonal de formações abertas sul-americanas, e (3) espécies de ampla ocorrência, compartilhadas também com ecossistemas florestais. Prevalecem espécies de ampla distribuição, porém é grande o número de espécies típicas do Cerrado, incluindo cinco possivelmente endêmicas do Jalapão, e há contribuição importante da fauna da Caatinga. A distribuição dos répteis em escala local e regional demonstra a necessidade de considerar a heterogeneidade paisagística para o planejamento de diretrizes visando à conservação em regiões do Cerrado. Por sua grande extensão, posição biogeográfica e complexidade de relevo e tipos de hábitat, a EESGT tem papel fundamental para a preservação e conhecimento da diversidade de répteis do Cerrado.