Trends in deep-water shark fisheries in the Azores

Deep-sea resources have been increasingly exploited, and due to that, several ecosystems and species have been considerably affected. Deep-water sharks populations have been of the most disturbed by practices of unselected fisheries, bycatch and discard, mainly due to their low commercial value. Those practices make deep-water sharks very vulnerable to overfishing given their life-history traits, increasing their extinction risk. With the prohibition of the direct fishery, and implementation of quotas and TACs (Total Allowable Catches) regarding the deep-sea shark landings, the official landings have dramatically decreased after the 1990s. However, the IUU (Illegal, unreported and unregulated) catch has exponentially increased. With the analysis of catch per unit effort (CPUE), the depths, and the mean weight of the individuals over the years for each one of the nine most caught species in the Azores, we produced a descriptive analysis of the effect of fisheries in those species. The results show that some of these species have been suffering from a great fishing pressure, and their populations will be greatly affected in the near future if drastic measures are not taken when it comes to managing their long term sustainability.

Prevalence of Artemisia Species Pollinosis in Western Poland: Impact of Climate Change on Aerobiological Trends, 1995-2004

Background: Artemisia species pollen represents a major cause of allergy in Central Europe. Variations in the pollen season, the influence of climate variables and the prevalence of pollinosis to it were analyzed in Poznan, in western Poland between 1995 and 2004. Methods: A Hirst volumetric spore trap was used for atmospheric sampling. Pollination date trend analysis and Spearman correlation tests were performed. Skin prick tests (SPT) and allergen specific immunoglobulin (Ig)E antibody measurements were performed in 676 and 524 patients, respectively. Results: The Artemisia species pollen season grew longer due to a clear advance in the starting day and only a slightly earlier end point; the peak day also came slightly earlier. Rainfall in the fi rst fortnight of July highly influenced pollen season severity. Temperature was directly correlated with daily Artemisia species pollen levels; relative humidity was inversely correlated. Twelve percent of patients had a positive SPT reaction to Artemisia species. Their symptoms were rhinitis and conjunctivitis (15%), atopic dermatitis (15%), chronic urticaria (14.3%), bronchial asthma (2.4%), and facial and disseminated dermatitis (1.3%). Elevated specifi c IgE concentrations were detected in the sera of 10.1% of patients. Conclusions: Artemisia species pollen is an important cause of pollinosis in western Poland. Pollen season intensity is highly influenced by rainfall in the previous weeks. Trends towards earlier season starts and longer duration, possibly caused by climate change, may have an impact on the allergic population.

The Occurrence of Ambrosia Pollen in Rzeszów, Kraków and Poznań, Poland: Investigation of Trends and Possible Transport of Ambrosia Pollen from Ukraine

Previous studies have shown that ragweed pollen arrives in Poland from sources in the south, in Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Austria. It is likely that ragweed pollen also arrives from sources in the southeast (e.g. Ukraine). This hypothesis is investigated using 13-years of pollen data and back-trajectory analysis. Ambrosia pollen data were collected at three sites in Poland, Rzeszów, Kraków and Poznań. The amount of ragweed pollen recorded at Rzeszów was significantly higher than in Poznań and Kraków. This can be related to either a higher abundance of local populations of Ambrosia in south-east Poland or the nearness of Rzeszów to foreign sources of ragweed pollen. The combined results of pollen measurements and air mass trajectory calculations identified plumes of Ambrosia pollen that were recorded at Rzeszów, Kraków and Poznań on the 4th and 5th September 1999 and the 3rd September 2002. These plumes arrived at the pollen-monitoring sites from an easterly direction indicating sources of Ambrosia pollen in eastern Poland or Ukraine. This identifies Ukraine as a possible new source of ragweed pollen for Poland and therefore an important source area of Ambrosia pollen on the European Continent.