Data compilation on the biological response to ocean acidification: environmental and experimental context of data sets and related literature

The exponential growth of studies on the biological response to ocean acidification over the last few decades has generated a large amount of data. To facilitate data comparison, a data compilation hosted at the data publisher PANGAEA was initiated in 2008 and is updated on a regular basis (doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.149999). By January 2015, a total of 581 data sets (over 4 000 000 data points) from 539 papers had been archived. Here we present the developments of this data compilation five years since its first description by Nisumaa et al. (2010). Most of study sites from which data archived are still in the Northern Hemisphere and the number of archived data from studies from the Southern Hemisphere and polar oceans are still relatively low. Data from 60 studies that investigated the response of a mix of organisms or natural communities were all added after 2010, indicating a welcomed shift from the study of individual organisms to communities and ecosystems. The initial imbalance of considerably more data archived on calcification and primary production than on other processes has improved. There is also a clear tendency towards more data archived from multifactorial studies after 2010. For easier and more effective access to ocean acidification data, the ocean acidification community is strongly encouraged to contribute to the data archiving effort, and help develop standard vocabularies describing the variables and define best practices for archiving ocean acidification data.

Environmental data from coastal sediments along natural CO2 gradients at a volcanic vent in Papua New Guinea

Natural CO2 venting systems can mimic conditions that resemble intermediate to high pCO2 levels as predicted for our future oceans. They represent ideal sites to investigate potential long-term effects of ocean acidification on marine life. To test whether microbes are affected by prolonged exposure to pCO2 levels, we examined the composition and diversity of microbial communities in oxic sandy sediments along a natural CO2 gradient. Increasing pCO2 was accompanied by higher bacterial richness and by a strong increase in rare members in both bacterial and archaeal communities. Microbial communities from sites with CO2 concentrations close to today's conditions had different structures than those of sites with elevated CO2 levels. We also observed increasing sequence abundance of several organic matter degrading types of Flavobacteriaceae and Rhodobacteraceae, which paralleled concurrent shifts in benthic cover and enhanced primary productivity. With increasing pCO2, sequences related to bacterial nitrifying organisms such as Nitrosococcus and Nitrospirales decreased, and sequences affiliated to the archaeal ammonia-oxidizing Thaumarchaeota Nitrosopumilus maritimus increased. Our study suggests that microbial community structure and diversity, and likely key ecosystem functions, may be altered in coastal sediments by long-term CO2 exposure to levels predicted for the end of the century.

Diatom abundance in surface sediments of the northern North Pacific

In order to map the modern distribution of diatoms and to establish a reliable reference data set for paleoenvironmental reconstruction in the northern North Pacific, a new data set including the relative abundance of diatom species preserved in a total of 422 surface sediments was generated, which covers a broad range of environmental variables characteristic of the subarctic North Pacific, the Sea of Okhotsk and the Bering Sea between 30° and 70°N. The biogeographic distribution patterns as well as the preferences in sea surface temperature of 38 diatom species and species groups are documented. A Q-mode factor analysis yields a three-factor model representing assemblages associated with the Arctic, Subarctic and Subtropical water mass, indicating a close relationship between the diatom composition and the sea surface temperatures. The relative abundance pattern of 38 diatom species and species groups was statistically compared with nine environmental variables, i.e. the summer sea surface temperature and salinity, annual surface nutrient concentration (nitrate, phosphate, silicate), summer and winter mixed layer depth and summer and winter sea ice concentrations. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) indicates 32 species and species groups have strong correspondence with the pattern of summer sea surface temperature. In addition, the total diatom flux data compiled from ten sediment traps reveal that the seasonal signals preserved in the surface sediments are mostly from spring through autumn. This close relationship between diatom composition and the summer sea surface temperature will be useful in deriving a transfer function in the subarctic North Pacific for the quantitative paleoceanographic and paleoenvironmental studies. The relative abundance of the sea-ice indicator diatoms Fragilariopsis cylindrus and F. oceanica of >20% in the diatom composition is used to represent the winter sea ice edge in the Bering Sea. The northern boundary of the distribution of F. doliolus in the open ocean is suggested to be an indicator of the Subarctic Front, while the abundance of Chaetoceros resting spores may indicate iron input from nearby continents and shelves and induced productivity events in the study area.

Physiological and ecological variables measured at the high and low pCO2 reef sections

Experiments have shown that ocean acidification due to rising atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations has deleterious effects on the performance of many marine organisms. However, few empirical or modelling studies have addressed the long-term consequences of ocean acidification for marine ecosystems. Here we show that as pH declines from 8.1 to 7.8 (the change expected if atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations increase from 390 to 750 ppm, consistent with some scenarios for the end of this century) some organisms benefit, but many more lose out. We investigated coral reefs, seagrasses and sediments that are acclimatized to low pH at three cool and shallow volcanic carbon dioxide seeps in Papua New Guinea. At reduced pH, we observed reductions in coral diversity, recruitment and abundances of structurally complex framework builders, and shifts in competitive interactions between taxa. However, coral cover remained constant between pH 8.1 and ~7.8, because massive Porites corals established dominance over structural corals, despite low rates of calcification. Reef development ceased below pH 7.7. Our empirical data from this unique field setting confirm model predictions that ocean acidification, together with temperature stress, will probably lead to severely reduced diversity, structural complexity and resilience of Indo-Pacific coral reefs within this century.

Nanotechnology in the food industry I: applications

Nanotechnology is a multidisciplinary science that is having a boom today, providing new products with attractive physicochemical properties for many applications. In agri/feed/food sector, nanotechnology offers great opportunities for obtaining products and innovative applications for agriculture and livestock, water treatment and the production, processing, storage and packaging of food. To this end, a wide variety of nanomaterials, ranging from metals and inorganic metal oxides to organic nanomaterials carrying bioactive ingredients are applied. This review shows an overview of current and future applications of nanotechnology in the food industry. Food additives and materials in contact with food are now the main applications, while it is expected that in the future are in the field of nano-encapsulated and nanocomposites in applications as novel foods, additives, biocides, pesticides and materials food contact.

Jatropha cultivation in Malawi and Mozambique: impact on ecosystem services, local human well-being, and poverty alleviation

Jatropha-based biofuels have undergone a rapid boom-and-bust cycle in southern Africa. Despite strong initial support by governments, donors, and the private sector, there is a lack of empirical studies that compare the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of Jatropha’s two dominant modes of production: large plantations and smallholder-based projects. We apply a rapid ecosystem services assessment approach to understand the impact of two Jatropha projects that are still operational despite widespread project collapse across southern Africa: a smallholder-based project (BERL, Malawi) and a large plantation (Niqel, Mozambique). Our study focuses on changes in provisioning ecosystem services such as biofuel feedstock, food, and woodland products that can have important effects on human well-being locally. Qualitative information is provided for other regulating and cultural ecosystem services. Although at this stage no impact is tremendously positive or negative, both projects show some signs of viability and local poverty alleviation potential. However, their long-term sustainability is not guaranteed given low yields, uncertain markets, and some prevailing management practices.

Resilience and development: mobilizing for transformation

In 2014, the Third International Conference on the resilience of social-ecological systems chose the theme “resilience and development: mobilizing for transformation.” The conference aimed specifically at fostering an encounter between the experiences and thinking focused on the issue of resilience through a social and ecological system perspective, and the experiences focused on the issue of resilience through a development perspective. In this perspectives piece, we reflect on the outcomes of the meeting and document the differences and similarities between the two perspectives as discussed during the conference, and identify bridging questions designed to guide future interactions. After the conference, we read the documents (abstracts, PowerPoints) that were prepared and left in the conference database by the participants (about 600 contributions), and searched the web for associated items, such as videos, blogs, and tweets from the conference participants. All of these documents were assessed through one lens: what do they say about resilience and development? Once the perspectives were established, we examined different themes that were significantly addressed during the conference. Our analysis paves the way for new collective developments on a set of issues: (1) Who declares/assign/cares for the resilience of what, of whom? (2) What are the models of transformations and how do they combine the respective role of agency and structure? (3) What are the combinations of measurement and assessment processes? (4) At what scale should resilience be studied? Social transformations and scientific approaches are coconstructed. For the last decades, development has been conceived as a modernization process supported by scientific rationality and technical expertise. The definition of a new perspective on development goes with a negotiation on a new scientific approach. Resilience is presently at the center of this negotiation on a new science for development.

Study of white spot disease in four native species in Persian Gulf by histopathology and PCR methods

After serious disease outbreak, caused by new virus (WSV), has been occurring among cultured penaeid shrimps in Asian countries like China since 1993 and then in Latin American countries, during June till July 2002 a rapid and high mortality in cultured Penaeus indicus in Abadan region located in south of Iran with typical signs and symptoms of White Spot Syndrome Virus was confirmed by different studies of Histopathology, PCR, TEM, Virology. This study was conducted for the purpose of determination of prevalence(rate of infection)/ROI and grading severity (SOI) of WSD to five species: 150 samples of captured shrimps and 90 samples of cultured ones; Penaeus indicus, P. semisulcatus, P. merguiensis, Parapenaopsis styliferus, and Metapenaeus affinis in 2005. 136 of 240 samples have shown clinical and macroscopical signs & symptoms including; white spots on carapase (0.5-2 mm), easily removing of cuticule, fragility of hepatopancreas and red color of motility limbs. Histopathological changes like specific intranuclear inclusion bodies (cowdry-type A) were observed in all target tissues (gill, epidermis, haemolymph and midgut) but not in hepatopancreas, among shrimps collected from various farms in the south and captured ones from Persian Gulf, even ones without clinical signs. ROI among species estimated, using the NATIVIDAD & LIGHTNER formula(1992b) and SOI were graded, using a generalized scheme for assigning a numerical qualitative value to severity grade of infection which was provided by LIGHTNER(1996), in consideration to histopathology and counting specific inclusion bodies in different stages(were modified by B. Gholamhoseini). Samples with clinical signs, showed grades more than 2. Most of the P. semisulcatus and M. affinis samples showed grade of 3, in the other hand in most of P. styliferus samples grade of 4 were observed, which can suggest different sensitivity of different species. All samples were tested by Nested PCR method with IQTm 2000 WSSV kit and 183 of 240 samples were positive and 3 1evel of infection which was shown in this PCR confirmed our SOI grades, but they were more specified.

Pasantía en laboratorio central de diagnostico veterinario y microbiología de alimentos (LCDVMA) IPSA 2015-2016

La realización de pasantías tienen un componente formativo,una pasantía debe dar la oportunidad a los jóvenes de aprender calificaciones prácticas que causarán una buena impresión sobre los potenciales empleadores.Seis meses de pasantías en el Laboratorio Central de DiagnósticoVeterinario y Microbiología de Alimentos IPSA en el área de Virología se fundamentó los tres meses iniciales en la Inducción a técnicas utilizadas en análisis de muestras para el diagnóstico de enfermedades virales tales como: Síndrome Respiratorio y Reproductivo Porcino (PRRS), Peste Porcina Clásica (PPC), Circovirus Porcino, Enfermedad de Aujeszky, Diarrea Viral Bovina (BVDV), Fiebre del Nilo Occidental, La Enfermedad de Newcastle (EN), Laringotraqueitis Infecciosa Aviar (LTI), Bronquitis Infecciosa Aviar (BIA),Virus de la Enfermedad de la Cabeza Amarilla (YHV),El virus del Síndrome de Taura (TSV), Virus de la Necrosis Hipodérmica y Hematopoyética infecciosa (IHHNV), Bacteria de la Necrosis Hepatopancreática (NHPB),Virus Mionecrosis Infecciosa (IMNV), Nodavirus del Penaeus Vannamei (PVNV),Virus Mancha Blanca (WSSV), correcto manejo de la muestras, uso de equipos en el área de virología, realización de tareas de desinfección y esterilización de materiales que se utilizan, manejo de documentación en solicitudes de análisis de muestras y resultados emitidos para mantener la trazabilidad de las mismas. Tres meses posteriores de la pasantía enfocado a un trabajo experimental que se realizó con 4 aves utilizando biología molecular en el estudio de ácidos nucleicos para implementación de una nueva técnica de diagnóstico en el área de Virología para la enfermedad aviar de Newcastle mediante PCR tiempo real ; en la cual lleve un seguimiento desde la elaboración del cronograma de actividades, vacuna de las aves, recolección de muestras por tres semanas, elaboración de bitácora del experimento, presupuesto de equipos y materiales, hasta su extracción y amplificación de ácidos nucleicos en un termociclador. (bajo supervisión del jefe de área) a través de la cadena polimerasa con el objetivo de hacer un aporte en extender el conocimiento de manejo de esta técnica en la Facultad de Ciencia Animal tan actual y para el laboratorio se sustenta la relevancia del experimento, en una necesidad tangible para ser competitivos con el mercado internacional y garantizar la inocuidad de los productos destinados a consumo humano un servicio con mayor rapidez debido a la relevancia de la enfermedad en un país con una economía insipiente donde Nicaragua es libre con vacunación de dicha enfermedad y por el cual necesitamos mantener dicho estatus a nivel internacional mediante pruebas más sensibles que vayan acorde con los requisitos estipulados por la OIE.. La pasantía me permitió la oportunidad de aplicar los conocimientos adquiridos en la Universidad Nacional Agraria, intercambiando información científica e investi gación sobre temas innovadores como el de biología molecular en el estudio de ácidos nucleicos. Realizando un conjunto de actividades de carácter teórico –práctico, en este caso en un ente estatal Laboratorio Central de Diagnostico Veterinario y Microbio logía de Alimentos (LCDVMA) IPSA, a fin de aplicar y complementar los conocimientos en el campo especifico de trabajo, colaborar en la solución de problemas y adquirir experiencias laboral.

Alpheid shrimps (Crustacea: Decapoda: Alpheidae) of Vietnam

The present paper deals with a collection of alpheid shrimps from Vietnam received by Mr R. Serene, formerly Director the Institute of Oceanography, Nhatrang (Vietnam). Though small in size the material has proved to be fairly rich. It contains 23 species belonging to the genera Alpheopsis Coutiere, Synalpheus Bate and Alpheus Fabricius, the last named genus accounting for all but three species. Two new species, one each belonging to Alpheopsis and Alpheus, have been briefly described by the author (Tiwari, 1962) in an earlier paper. The remaining species are already known and some of them have an extensive distribution in the Indo-West-Pacific.

Utilização de quitosana obtida de resíduos de camarão para avaliar a capacidade de adsorção de íons Fe3+

A quitosana é produzida através de uma desacetilação alcalina da quitina, a qual é encontrada em exoesqueleto de crustáceos, parede celular de fungos e materiais biológicos. Calcula-se que os resíduos de camarão apresentam de 5 a 7% do seu peso total na forma de quitina, sugerindo que estes sejam utilizados para obtenção do biopolímero. Os processos para obtenção destes biopolímeros consiste nas seguintes etapas: desmineralização, desproteinização e desodorização, obtendo-se assim, a quitina úmida. Após seca, passa por uma desacetilação química para a conversão em quitosana úmida, sendo purificada e posteriormente seca. A quitosana, por apresentar grupamentos amino livres em sua estrutura, é uma molécula capaz de formar complexos estáveis com cátions metálicos. O objetivo geral deste trabalho foi obter quitina a partir de resíduos de camarão (Penaeus brasiliensis) com posterior produção de quitosana, e avaliar sua capacidade de complexação com íons Fe3+, em solução. A quitosana produzida foi caracterizada através do grau de desacetiliação e da massa molecular viscosimétrica, Para caracterização estrutural das amostras de quitosana, utilizaram-se espectrometria de infravermelho e espectrofotometria UV-Visível, bem como para o complexo formado de quitosana e ferro. Para analisar a eficiência da remoção deste íon, foram feitas análises em espectrometria de absorção atômica em chama e em espectrofotometria UV-Visível. Uma análise estatística foi realizada para avaliar a percentagem de remoção do íon ferro das soluções, sendo utilizado um planejamento fatorial em dois níveis, tendo como variáveis independentes o pH do meio, a quantidade de quitosana adicionada, a granulometria da mesma e o tempo de reação. A quitosana apresentou grau de desacetilação de 87±2% e massa molecular viscosimétrica de 196±4kDa, sendo esses valores, comparáveis à quitosana disponível comercialmente. Na melhor região de trabalho definida pela análise estatística, obteve-se uma remoção máxima de 85 % do íon ferro das soluções.

Contaminação por compostos Butilestânicos em três regiões portuárias do Chile

O imposex em gastrópodes (Acanthina monodon, Oliva peruviana e Xanthochroid Cassidyformis) e os níveis de butilestânicos (BTs) em sedimentos superficiais e tecidos foram avaliados em três áreas sob a influência das atividades marítimas ao longo da costa central do Chile. As concentrações mais elevadas de TBT foram observadas na baia de São Vicente (Concepción), atingindo 122,3 ng Sn g-1 em sedimentos superficiais e 59,7 ng Sn g-1 em tecidos de gastrópodes, enquanto em Valparaiso variou de 7,4 a 15,8 ng Sn g-1 em biota. As menores concentrações de TBT em sedimentos foram detectadas em Coquimbo (<2 ng Sn g- 1 ), que pode ser atribuída a um menor tráfego de embarcações (provavelmente usando produtos livres de TBT) associado à dinâmica local. Apesar de DBT e MBT serem os analitos predominantes, aportes recentes de TBT foram evidentes em algumas áreas. Na verdade, os barcos de pesca pode ser uma fonte relevante, uma vez que estes predominaram nos locais mais contaminados. Além disso, a ausência de diferenças significativas entre os níveis BTs de ambos os sexos de A. monodon sugere que os tecidos de sexos distintos podem ser indistintamente utilizados para estudos futuros de contaminação. A incidência de Imposex foi detectada em 11 dos 15 locais amostrados, indicando que os níveis ambientais de TBT tem sido suficiente para induzir efeitos deletérios sobre os organismos expostos. Assim, os impactos causados pelo TBT nas zonas costeiras do Chile foram detectáveis e consistentes com outros estudos realizados na América do Sul. Este problema ambiental pode ser, provavelmente, devido a falta de regulamentação proibindo o uso de tintas antiincrustantes a base de TBT, indicando que esta pode ser a realidade das demais áreas do Chile sob influência de atividades marítimas.

Species from the Heliothinae complex (Lepidoptera: noctuidae) in Tucuman, Argentina, an update of geographical distribution of Helicoverpa armigera.

The Heliothinae complex in Argentina encompasses Helicoverpa gelotopoeon (Dyar), Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), Helicoverpa armigera (Hu ̈ bner), and Chloridea virescens (Fabricius). In Tucum an, the native species H. gelotopoeon is one of the most voracious soybean pests and also affects cotton and chickpea, even more in soybean-chickpea succession cropping systems. Differentiation of the Heliothinae complex in the egg, larva, and pupa stages is difficult. Therefore, the observation of the adult wing pattern design and male genitalia is useful to differentiate species. The objective of this study was to identify the species of the Heliothinae complex, determine population fluctuations of the Heliothinae complex in soybean and chickpea crops using male moths collected in pheromone traps in Tucuman province, and update the geographical distribution of H. armigera in Argentina. The species found were H. gelotopoeon, H. armigera, H. zea , and C. virescens. Regardless of province, county, crop, and year, the predominant species was H. gelotopoeon . Considering the population dynamics of H. gelotopoeon and H. armigera in chickpea and soybean crops, H. gelotopoeon was the most abundant species in both crops, in all years sampled, and the differences registered were significant. On the other hand, according to the Sistema Nacional Argentino de Vigilancia y Monitoreo de Plagas (SINAVIMO) database and our collections, H. armigera was recorded in eight provinces and 20 counties of Argentina, and its larvae were found on soybean, chickpea, sunflower crops and spiny plumeless thistle (Carduus acanthoides). This is the first report of H. armigera in sunflower and spiny plumeless thistle in Argentina.

Alternative codends to reduce bycatch in Chilean crustacean trawl fisheries

This study was conducted to determine the reduction in bycatch and the loss of target catch in trawl hauls for three commercial crustacean species (yellow squat lobster, Cervimunida johni, nylon shrimp, Heterocarpus reedi, and red squat lobster, Pleuroncodes monodon) in central Chile. Two experiments were carried out using the covered codend method; the first used different mesh sizes (56 and 70 mm, knot-centre to knot-centre) and shapes (diamond and square), and the second tested different reduction devices (escape panel and sorting grid). We analysed the escape proportions of the species caught and the size frequency distributions of the target species and Chilean hake (Merluccius gayi), the main commercial bycatch species. The results demonstrate that it is feasible to significantly reduce bycatch while keeping losses within acceptable ranges. In particular, the best option for yellow squat lobster was the combination of a 70-mm diamond mesh with an escape panel that reduced non-target and target catches by 48% and 7%, respectively. For nylon shrimp, the best option was the use of a 56-mm diamond mesh with a sorting grid that reduced non-target and target catches by 41% and 11%, respectively. Although the results for red squat lobster were not as promising, they will help to guide future research.

Primeiro registro do besouro-amarelo-do-eucalipto em plantio de eucalipto no Estado do Acre.

A ocorrência do besouro-amarelo-do-eucalipto, Costalimaita ferruginea (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), foi confirmada em plantio de Eucalyptus pellita F. Muell, Eucalyptus urophylla S. T. Blake e Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehn., no município de Senador Guiomard, Acre. O ataque foi constatado com maior intensidade em E. pellita, seguido por E. urophylla e E. camaldulensis em menor intensidade. Este é o primeiro registro dessa espécie de besouro desfolhador, em eucaliptais cultivados no Estado, contribuindo assim para o aumento do conhecimento sobre a distribuição geográfica desse inseto na região amazônica, bem como no Brasil.