A plasma display window?-The shifting baseline problem in a technologically mediated natural world

Humans will continue to adapt to an increasingly technological world. But are there costs to such adaptations in terms of human well being? Toward broaching this question, we investigated physiological effects of experiencing a HDTV quality real-time view of nature through a plasma display “window.” In an office setting, 90 participants (30 per group) were exposed either to (a) a glass window that afforded a view of a nature scene, (b) a plasma window that afforded a real-time HDTV view of essentially the same scene, or (c) a blank wall. Results showed that in terms of heart rate recovery from low-level stress the glass window was more restorative than a blank wall; in turn, a plasma window was no more restorative than a blank wall. Moreover, when participants spent more time looking at the glass window, their heart rate tended to decrease more rapidly; that was not the case with the plasma window. Discussion focuses on how the purported benefits of viewing nature may be attenuated by a digital medium.     

A Regional Survey of the Microbiological Water Quality along the Shoreline of the Southern California Bight

A regional survey of the microbiological water quality along the shoreline of the Southern California Bight (SCB), from Point Conception south to Ensenada, Mexico, was conducted during August, 1998, by 36 agencies under the coordination of the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project (SCCWRP). Microbiological water quality was assessed by calculating the percentage of shoreline-mile-days that exceeded bacterial indicator thresholds for total and fecal coliforms, total/fecal ratios, and enterococci. Sample sites were selected using a stratified random sampling approach, with the SCB recreational shoreline divided into six strata: high- and low-use sandy beaches, high- and low-use rocky shoreline, and perennial and ephemeral freshwater outlets. Samples were collected on a weekly basis at a total of 253 sites, beginning on August 2^nd, 1998 and continuing for five weeks. Samples were analyzed by 22 participating labs using their normal methods (multiple tube fermentation, membrane filtration, Colilert® and/or Enterolert®). All labs met testing criteria established through intercalibration exercises and quality control check samples distributed during the sampling period. Nearly 95% of the shoreline-mile days did not exceed daily and monthly bacterial indicator thresholds, demonstrating good bacteriological water quality along the SCB shoreline. Freshwater outlets, comprised mainly of storm drains, had the poorest water quality with 60% and 40% of the shoreline-miles exceeding monthly and daily thresholds, respectively. Freshwater outlets were also more likely to demonstrate exceedances by multiple indicators at a single site, and repeat exceedances at sites over the five-week period. Compared with the southern California beaches, Mexican beaches had nearly 5 times the number of exceedances for total and fecal coliforms, and nearly 8 times the number of exceedances for total/fecal ratios.     

Feeding rates and prey selectivity of planktonic decapod larvae in the Western English Channel

Meroplankton are seasonally important contributors to the zooplankton, particularly at inshore sites, yet their feeding ecology is poorly known relative to holoplankton. While several studies have measured feeding in decapod larvae, few studies have examined the feeding rates of decapod larvae on natural prey assemblages throughout the reproductive season. We conducted 8 feeding experiments with Necora puber, Liocarcinus spp. and Upogebia spp. zoea larvae collected from the L4 monitoring site off Plymouth (50°15.00′N, 4°13.02′W) during spring–summer 2009 and 2010. This period spanned moderate-to-high food availability (0.5–1.6 µg chl-a L^?1), but a great range in food composition with small cells <20 µm dominating in 2010. Daily rations averaged 17, 60 and 22 % of body C for the 3 respective decapod species. Clearance rates differed according to prey type, and all 3 decapod genera showed evidence of selection of dinoflagellates. Importantly, small cells including nano- and pico-plankton were ingested, this being demonstrated independently by flow cytometric analysis of the feeding experiments and molecular analysis. PCR-based analysis of the haptophyte portion of the diet revealed ingestion of Isochrysis galbana by decapod larvae in the bottle incubations and Isochrysis galbana and Phaeocystis globosa by decapod larvae collected directly from the field. This study has shown that pico- and nano-sized plankton form an important supplement to the diverse and variable diet of decapod larvae.     

Community‐based preparedness programmes and the 2009 Australian bushfires: policy implications derived from applying theory

The Victorian Country Fire Authority in Australia runs the Community Fireguard (CFG) programme to assist individuals and communities in preparing for fire. The objective of this qualitative research was to understand the impact of CFG groups on their members' fire preparedness and response during the 2009 Australian bushfires. Social connectedness emerged as a strong theme, leading to an analysis of data using social capital theory. The main strength of the CFG programme was that it was driven by innovative community members; however, concerns arose regarding the extent to which the programme covered all vulnerable areas, which led the research team to explore the theory of diffusion of innovation. The article concludes by stepping back from the evaluation and using both applied theories to reflect on broad options for community fire preparedness programmes in general. The exercise produced two contrasting options for principles underlying community fire preparedness programmes.     

Population and seasonal variation in response to prey calls by an eavesdropping bat

The fringe-lipped bat, Trachops cirrhosus, is an eavesdropping predator that hunts frogs and katydids by approaching these preys' sexual advertisement calls. In captivity, bats can rapidly learn to associate novel acoustic stimuli with food rewards. It is unknown how this learning ability is related to foraging behavior in the wild where prey and the calls that identify them vary over space and time. In two bat populations that differ in available prey species (Soberanía, Panama, and La Selva, Costa Rica), we presented wild-caught bats with frog calls, katydid calls, and control stimuli. Bats in Soberanía were significantly more responsive to complex calls and choruses of the túngara frog, Physalaemus pustulosus, than were bats in La Selva. La Selva bats were significantly more responsive to katydid calls (Steirodon sp.) than Soberanía bats. We also examined seasonal variation in bat response to prey cues. Bats were captured in Soberanía in dry and wet seasons and presented with the calls of a dry season breeding frog (Smilisca sila), a wet season breeding frog (P. pustulosus), and four katydid species. Bats captured in the dry season were significantly more responsive to the calls of S. sila than bats captured in the wet season, but there were no seasonal differences in response to the calls of P. pustulosus or the katydid calls. We demonstrate plasticity in the foraging behavior of this eavesdropping predator but also show that response to prey cues is not predicted solely by prey availability.     

Building resilience to climate risks through social protection: from individualised models to systemic transformation

This article analyses the role of social protection programmes in contributing to people's resilience to climate risks. Drawing from desk‐based and empirical studies in Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda, it finds that social transfers make a strong contribution to the capacity of individuals and households to absorb the negative impacts of climate‐related shocks and stresses. They do so through the provision of reliable, national social safety net systems—even when these are not specifically designed to address climate risks. Social protection can also increase the anticipatory capacity of national disaster response systems through scalability mechanisms, or pre‐emptively through linkages to early action and early warning mechanisms. Critical knowledge gaps remain in terms of programmes’ contributions to the adaptive capacity required for long‐term resilience. The findings offer insights beyond social protection on the importance of robust, national administrative systems as a key foundation to support people's resilience to climate risks.     

Flux by fin: fish-mediated carbon and nutrient flux in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico

Seagrass meadows are among the most productive ecosystems in the marine environment. It has been speculated that much of this production is exported to adjacent ecosystems via the movements of organisms. Our study utilized stable isotopes to track seagrass-derived production into offshore food webs in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. We found that gag grouper (Myctereoperca microlepis) on reefs as far as 90 km from the seagrass beds incorporate a significant portion of seagrass-derived biomass. The muscle tissue of gag grouper, a major fisheries species, was composed on average of 18.5–25% seagrass habitat-derived biomass. The timing of this annual seagrass subsidy appears to be important in fueling gag grouper egg production. The δ³⁴S values of gag grouper gonad tissues varied seasonally and were δ³⁴S depleted during the spawning season indicating that gag utilize the seagrass-derived biomass to support reproduction. If such large scale trophic subsidies are typical of temperate seagrass systems, then loss of seagrass production or habitat would result in a direct loss of offshore fisheries productivity.     

Spike dives of juvenile southern bluefin tuna (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Thunnus maccoyii</Emphasis>): a navigational role?

Tunas make sharp descents and ascents around dawn and dusk called spike dives. We examine spike dives of 21 southern bluefin tuna (Thunnus maccoyii) implanted with archival tags in the Great Australian Bight. Using a new way to categorize this behavior, we show that spike dives are similar among all the fish in the study. The dive profiles are mirror images at dawn and dusk and are precisely timed with respect to sunrise and sunset. We analyze the possible reasons for spike dives, considering the timing of spike dives, the characteristic dive profile, and the tuna's magnetic habitat. In addition, we present anatomical evidence for elaboration of the pineal organ, which is light mediated and has been implicated in navigation in other vertebrates. The new evidence presented here leads us to suspect that spike dives represent a survey related to navigation.     

Diversity, host affinity, and distribution of seed-infecting fungi: a case study with Cecropia

Recruitment limitation has been proposed as an important mechanism contributing to the maintenance of tropical tree diversity. For pioneer species, infection by fungi significantly reduces seed survival in soil, potentially influencing both recruitment success and adult distributions. We examined fresh seeds of four sympatric Cecropia species for evidence of fungal infection, buried seeds for five months in common gardens below four C. insignis crowns in central Panama, and measured seed survival and fungal infection of inviable seeds. Seed survival varied significantly among species and burial sites, and with regard to local (Panama) vs. foreign (Costa Rica) maternal seed sources. Fresh seeds contained few cultivable fungi, but > 80% of soil-incubated seeds were infected by diverse Ascomycota, including putative pathogens, saprophytes, and endophytes. From 220 isolates sequenced for the nuclear internal transcribed spacer region (ITS), 26 of 73 unique genotypes were encountered more than once. Based on the most common genotypes, fungal communities demonstrate host affinity and are structured at the scale of individual crowns. Similarity among fungal communities beneath a given crown was significantly greater than similarity among isolates found under different crowns. However, the frequency of rare species suggests high fungal diversity and fine-scale spatial heterogeneity. These results reveal complex plant-fungal interactions in soil and provide a first indication of how seed survival in tropical forests may be affected by fungal community composition.