New insights into the diets of harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) in the Salish Sea revealed by analysis of fatty acid signatures

Harbor seals (Phoca fvitulina) are an abundant predator along the west coast of North America, and there is considerable interest in their diet composition, especially in regard to predation on valued fish stocks. Available informationon harbor seal diets, primarily derived from scat analysis, suggests that adult salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.), Pacific Herring (Clupea pallasii), and gadids predominate. Because diet assessments based on scat analysis may be biased, we investigated diet composition through quantitative analysis of fatty acid signatures. Blubber samples from 49 harbor seals captured in western North America from haul-outs within the area of the San Juan Islands and southern Strait of Georgia in the Salish Sea were analyzed for fatty acid composition, along with 269 fish and squid specimens representing 27 potential prey classes. Diet estimates varied spatially, demographically, and among individual harbor seals. Findings confirmed the prevalence of previously identified prey species in harbor seal diets, but other species also contributed significantly. In particular, Black (Sebastes melanops) and Yellowtail (S. flavidus) Rockfish were estimated to compose up to 50% of some individual seal diets. Specialization and high predation rates on Black and Yellowtail Rockfish by a subset of harbor seals may play a role in the population dynamics of these regional rockfish stocks that is greater than previously realized.

Fish consumption by harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) in the San Juan Islands, Washington

The harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) is a large-bodied and abundant predator in the Salish Sea ecosystem, and its population has recovered since the 1970s after passage of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the cessation of bounties. Little is known about how this large predator population may affect the recovery of fish stocks in the Salish Sea, where candidate marine protected areas are being proposed. We used a bioenergetics model to calculate baseline consumption rates in the San Juan Islands, Washington. Salmonids (Oncorhynchus spp.) and herring (Clupeidae) were the 2 most energetically important prey groups for biomass consumed by harbor seals. Estimated consumption of salmonids was 783 (±380 standard deviation [SD]) metric tons (t) in the breeding season and 675 (±388 SD t in the nonbreeding season. Estimated consumption of herring was 646 (±303 SD) t in the breeding season and 2151 (±706 SD) t in the nonbreeding season. Rockfish, a depressed fish stock currently in need of population recovery, composed one of the minor prey groups consumed by harbor seals (84 [±26 SD] t in the nonbreeding season). The variables of seal body mass and proportion of prey in seal diet explained >80% of the total variation in model outputs. Prey groups, such as rockfish, that are targeted for recovery may still be affected by even low levels of predation. This study highlights the importance of salmonids and herring for the seal population and provides a framework for refining consumption estimates and their confidence intervals with future data.

秦岭苔类植物的研究和中国剪叶苔属（Herbertus S. Gray）的分类学修订

本论文包括两部分的内容，第一部分是秦岭苔类植物的区系研究，第二部分是中国剪叶苔属Herbertus的分类学修订。 秦岭位于我国的中部，东经104º30´～112º52´，北纬32º50´～34º45´N，约76 500 km2。它主要位于陕西省的南部地区，并包括了河南、甘肃和湖北的部分县、市。秦岭的最高峰是太白山，海拔3 767米。秦岭是长江和黄河的分水岭，也是我国温带和亚热带气候的过渡地带。 本研究包含了对自19世纪开始对秦岭苔藓植物的主要采集活动的回顾，和截止2008年以来对秦岭苔类和角苔类植物报道的总结和分析，且首次给出了一份秦岭地区详细的苔类植物的名录，并包括了各个种在秦岭地区的详细分布。根据目前的研究，现已知秦岭的苔类植物有226种（包括种下单位，以下同），其中角苔纲1科3属6种，苔纲30科59属220种；提出了1个新异名：Radula constricta Steph.被处理为Radula lindenbergiana Gottsche var. atypa Massalongo的异名；并提出了1个新组合Metzgeria pubescens var. kinabaluensis (Kuwah) F.X. Li & Y. Jia；发现秦岭新分布的苔类有78种。根据种数，秦岭地区苔类的优势科为光萼苔科（34种），其次为耳叶苔科（23种），裂叶苔科（23种）和羽苔科（19种）。 通过对这些种地理成分的统计，发现秦岭苔类的地理成分以北温带成分为主，占35.05%；其次是东亚成分占到31.78%，这两种地理成分在秦岭占了很大比例，高达66.83%。热带成分相对较少，有22种，占到10.29%。对于苔类来说，中国特有成分在秦岭地区较多，已知有34种，占到15.89%。说明秦岭地区苔类地理成分以温带为主，热带成分占少量比例，且秦岭地区的特有性也比较高。 文章第二部分是对中国剪叶苔属Herbertus S. Gray的分类学修订。剪叶苔属隶属于剪叶苔科，是一个古老而自然的类群，广泛分布于热带和南北温带地区。剪叶苔属植物由于其叶横生或近于横生，侧叶2裂，腹叶2裂或部分不对称3裂，并具假肋，叶细胞具大的三角体而明显区别于苔类的其它属。虽然这个属的概念比较清楚，但在属内种间的划分上存在较大的问题，是苔类中分类较混乱的一个类群。剪叶苔属种的概念多基于叶片形态，包括裂瓣的顶端细胞和假肋的形态及叶基盘边缘附属物的形态。但这些形态特征具很大的可塑性，性状不稳定，造成该属种的概念很模糊。目前全世界剪叶苔属约100余种。中国剪叶苔属的种类尚不确定，《中国苔藓志》中报道了中国有25种l亚种，但Juslen在2006年对亚洲剪叶苔属的修订中，提到中国分布的仅有6种。二者的研究中都存在有一些疏漏和不足之处，对有些种还有争议；且他们的研究中引证的标本都很少，不能全面反映中国剪叶苔属的种类和分布情况。 本研究着手于中国的剪叶苔属，从模式标本入手，从模式标本入手，结合对前人文献中引证标本的查阅，并检视了全国各大标本馆收藏的大量该属的普通标本，对于分类归并上有争议的种，采用扫描电镜和分子生物学的手段进行实验性的研究，对中国的剪叶苔属进行一个全面系统的分类学修订。期望通过本研究，明确中国剪叶苔属的种类和分布情况，为东亚乃至世界剪叶苔属的分类修订提供一份翔实的资料。共查阅了剪叶苔属26个种的模式标本，并检视了中科院北京植物研究所、华南植物园和深圳仙湖植物园馆藏的大量该属植物标本，约600余份。 通过本研究，提出2个新异名：将H. buchii Juslén和H. longispinus var calvs Massalongo处理为H. dicranus (Taylor) Trevis.；将樱井剪叶苔H. sakuraii (Warnst.) S. Hatt.（原并入H. dicranus）和H. minimus Horik.（原并入H. dicranus）重新提出；发现1个中国新分布：H. setigerus (Steph.) H. A. Mill.；确认中国的剪叶苔属17种1亚种：剪叶苔H. aduncus (Dicks.) Gray，剪叶苔纤细亚种H. aduncus subsp. tenuis (A. Evans) H. A. Mill.et E. B. Bohrer，H. armitanus (Steph.) H. A. Mill.，南亚剪叶苔H. ceylanicus (Steph.) Abeyw.，长角剪叶苔H. dicranus (Taylor) Trevis.，高氏剪叶苔H. gaochienii Fu，广东剪叶苔H. guangdongii P.J. Lin & Piippo，卵叶剪叶苔H. herpocladioides Scott. et. Miller，红枝剪叶苔H. huerlimannii Miller，细指剪叶苔H. kurzii (Steph.) H. A. Mill.，长肋剪叶苔H. longifissus Steph.，长刺剪叶苔H. longispinus Jack et Steph.，H. minimus Horik.，长茎剪叶苔H. parisii (Steph.) H. A. Mill.，多枝剪叶苔H. ramosus (Steph.) H. A. Mill.，樱井剪叶苔H. sakuraii (Warnst.) S. Hatt.，短叶剪叶苔H. sendtneri (Nees) Lindb.和H. setigerus (Steph.) H. A. Mill.。本研究还在扫描电镜下观察了H. armitanus、长角剪叶苔H. dicranus和多枝剪叶苔H. ramosus的孢子形态。对于剪叶苔属的修订，还需要更多模式标本的借阅，随着研究深入，剪叶苔属的种类可能会有大量的减少，中国剪叶苔属的种类也将会有一定的减少。

Assessment and monitoring of marine debris in Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary

Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary (GRNMS) is located 32.4 km offshore of Sapelo Island, Georgia. The ecological importance of this area is related to the transition between tropical and temperate waters, and the existence of a topographically complex system of ledges. Due to its central location, GRNMS can be used as a focal site to study the accumulation and impacts of marine debris on the Atlantic continental shelf offshore of the Southeast United States. Previously, researchers characterized marine debris in GRNMS and reported that incidence of the debris at the limited densely colonized ledge sites was significantly greater than at sand or sparsely colonized live bottom, and is further influenced by the level of boating activity and physiographic characteristics (e.g., ledge height). Information gleaned from the initial marine debris characterization was used to devise a strategy for prioritizing cleanup and monitoring efforts. However, a significant gap in knowledge was the rate of debris accumulation. The primary objective of this study was to select, mark, and perform initial marine debris surveys at permanent monitoring sites within GRNMS to quantify long-term trends in types, abundance, impacts, and accumulation rates of debris. Ledge sites were selected to compare types, abundance, and accumulation rates of marine debris between a) areas of high and low use and b) short and tall ledges. Nine permanent monitoring sites were marked and initially surveyed in 2007/2008. Surveys were conducted within a 50 x 4 m transect for a total survey area of 200 square meters. All debris was removed and detailed information was taken on the types of debris, quantity, and associations with benthic fauna. Information on associations with benthic fauna included degree of entanglement, type of organism with which it is entangled or resting on, degree of fouling, and visible impacts such as tissue abrasions. Sites were re-surveyed approximately one year later to quantify new accumulation. During the initial survey, a total of ten debris items, totaling 16.3 kg in weight, were removed from two monitoring stations, both “tall” sites within the area of high boat use. Year-one accumulation totaled five items and approximately 7 kg in weight. Similar to the initial survey, all debris was found at sites in the area of high boat use. However, in contrast to the initial survey, two of these items were found on medium-height ledges. Removed items included fishing line, leaders, rope, plastic, and fabric. Although items were often encrusted in benthic biota or entangled on the ledge, impacts such as abrasions or other injuries were not observed. During the 2009 monitoring efforts, volunteer divers were trained to conduct the survey. Monitoring protocols were documented for GRNMS staff and included as an appendix of this report to enable long-term monitoring of sites. Additionally, national reconnaissance data (e.g. satellite, radar, aerial surveys) and other information on known fishing locations were examined for patterns of resource use and correlations with debris occurrence patterns. A previous model predicting the density of marine debris based on ledge features and boat use was refined and the results were used to generate a map of predicted debris density for all ledges.

Boundary options for a research area within Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary

Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary (GRNMS) is exploring the concept of a research area (RA) within its boundaries. The idea of a research area was first suggested in public scoping meetings held prior to the review of the Gray’s Reef Management Plan. An RA is a region specifically designed for conducting controlled scientific studies in the absence of confounding factors. As a result, a multidisciplinary group gathered by GRNMS was convened to consider the issue. This Research Area Working Group (RAWG) requested that a suite of analyses be conducted to evaluate the issue quantitatively. To meet this need, a novel selection procedure and geographic information system (GIS) was created to find the optimal location for an RA while balancing the needs of research and existing users. This report and its associated GIS files describe the results of the requested analyses and enable further quantitative investigation of this topic by the RAWG and GRNMS.

Temporal and spatial dynamics of spawning, settlement, and growth of gray snapper (Lutjanus griseus) from the West Florida shelf as determined from otolith microstructures

The goal of our study was to understand the spatial and temporal variation in spawning and settlement of gray snapper (Lutjanus griseus) along the West Florida shelf (WFS). Juvenile gray snapper were collected over two consecutive years from seagrass meadows with a benthic scrape and otter trawl. Spawning, settlement, and growth patterns were compared across three sampling regions (Panhandle, Big bend, and Southwest) by using otolith microstructure. Histology of adult gonads was also used for an independent estimate of spawning time. Daily growth increments were visible in the lapilli of snapper 11–150 mm standard length; ages ranged from 38 to 229 days and estimated average planktonic larval duration was 25 days. Estimated growth rates ranged from 0.60 to 1.02 mm/d and did not differ among the three sampling regions, but did differ across sampling years. Back-calculated fertilization dates from otoliths indicated that juveniles in the Panhandle and Big Bend were mainly summer spawned fish, whereas Southwest juveniles had winter and summer fertilization dates. Settlement occurred during summer both years and in the winter of 1997 for the southern portion of the WFS. Moon phase did not appear to be strongly correlated with fertilization or settlement. Histological samples of gonads from adults collected near the juvenile sampling areas indicated a summer spawning period.

Frontal and cingulate gray matter volume reduction in heroin dependence: Optimized voxel-based morphometry

Aims: Repeated exposure to heroin, a typical opiate, causes neuronal adaptation and may result in anatomical changes in specific brain regions, particularly the frontal and limbic cortices. The volume changes of gray matter (GM) of these brain regions, ho

Uncertainty increases pain: evidence for a novel mechanism of pain modulation involving the periaqueductal gray.

Predictions about sensory input exert a dominant effect on what we perceive, and this is particularly true for the experience of pain. However, it remains unclear what component of prediction, from an information-theoretic perspective, controls this effect. We used a vicarious pain observation paradigm to study how the underlying statistics of predictive information modulate experience. Subjects observed judgments that a group of people made to a painful thermal stimulus, before receiving the same stimulus themselves. We show that the mean observed rating exerted a strong assimilative effect on subjective pain. In addition, we show that observed uncertainty had a specific and potent hyperalgesic effect. Using computational functional magnetic resonance imaging, we found that this effect correlated with activity in the periaqueductal gray. Our results provide evidence for a novel form of cognitive hyperalgesia relating to perceptual uncertainty, induced here by vicarious observation, with control mediated by the brainstem pain modulatory system.

When fear is near: threat imminence elicits prefrontal-periaqueductal gray shifts in humans.

Humans, like other animals, alter their behavior depending on whether a threat is close or distant. We investigated spatial imminence of threat by developing an active avoidance paradigm in which volunteers were pursued through a maze by a virtual predator endowed with an ability to chase, capture, and inflict pain. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we found that as the virtual predator grew closer, brain activity shifted from the ventromedial prefrontal cortex to the periaqueductal gray. This shift showed maximal expression when a high degree of pain was anticipated. Moreover, imminence-driven periaqueductal gray activity correlated with increased subjective degree of dread and decreased confidence of escape. Our findings cast light on the neural dynamics of threat anticipation and have implications for the neurobiology of human anxiety-related disorders.

Microsatellites assessment of Chinese sturgeon (Acipenser sinensis Gray) genetic variability

Four microsatellites were used to examine the genetic variability of the spawning stocks of Chinese sturgeon, Acipenser sinensis, from the Yangtze River sampled over a 3-year period (1999-2001). Within 60 individuals, a total of 28 alleles were detected over four polymorphic microsatellite loci. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 4 to 15, with an average allele number of 7. The number of genotypes per locus ranged from 6 to 41. The genetic diversity of four microsatellite loci varied from 0.34 to 0.67, with an average value of 0.54. For the four microsatellite loci, the deviation from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was mainly due to null alleles. The mean number of alleles per locus and the mean heterozygosity were lower than the average values known for anadromous fishes. Fish were clustered according to their microsatellite characteristics using an unsupervised 'Artificial Neural Networks' method entitled 'Self-organizing Map'. The results revealed no significant genetic differentiation considering genetic distance among samples collected during different years. Lack of heterogeneity among different annual groups of spawning stocks was explained by the complex age structure (from 8 to 27 years for males and 12 to 35 years for females) of Chinese sturgeon, leading to formulate an hypothesis about the maintenance of genetic diversity and stability in long-lived animals.

Color to Gray: Visual Cue Preservation

Both commercial and scientific applications often need to transform color images into gray-scale images, e. g., to reduce the publication cost in printing color images or to help color blind people see visual cues of color images. However, conventional color to gray algorithms are not ready for practical applications because they encounter the following problems: 1) Visual cues are not well defined so it is unclear how to preserve important cues in the transformed gray-scale images; 2) some algorithms have extremely high time cost for computation; and 3) some require human-computer interactions to have a reasonable transformation. To solve or at least reduce these problems, we propose a new algorithm based on a probabilistic graphical model with the assumption that the image is defined over a Markov random field. Thus, color to gray procedure can be regarded as a labeling process to preserve the newly well-defined visual cues of a color image in the transformed gray-scale image. Visual cues are measurements that can be extracted from a color image by a perceiver. They indicate the state of some properties of the image that the perceiver is interested in perceiving. Different people may perceive different cues from the same color image and three cues are defined in this paper, namely, color spatial consistency, image structure information, and color channel perception priority. We cast color to gray as a visual cue preservation procedure based on a probabilistic graphical model and optimize the model based on an integral minimization problem. We apply the new algorithm to both natural color images and artificial pictures, and demonstrate that the proposed approach outperforms representative conventional algorithms in terms of effectiveness and efficiency. In addition, it requires no human-computer interactions.

'Gray's Pale Spectre': Evan Evans, Thomas Gray, and the Rise of Welsh Bardic Nationalism

Prescott, S. (2006). 'Gray's Pale Spectre': Evan Evans, Thomas Gray, and the Rise of Welsh Bardic Nationalism. Modern Philology. 104(1), pp.72-95. RAE2008

Signs of community or marks of the exclusive? Parish and guild seals in later medieval England

New, Elizabeth, 'Signs of community or marks of the exclusive? Parish and guild seals in later medieval England', In: The Parish in Late Medieval England, (Lincs: Shaun Tyas) pp.112-128, 2006 RAE2008