Temporal, spatial, and body size effects on growth rates of loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) in the Northwest Atlantic

In response to a call from the US National Research Council for research programs to combine their data to improve sea turtle population assessments, we analyzed somatic growth data for Northwest Atlantic (NWA) loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) from 10 research programs. We assessed growth dynamics over wide ranges of geography (9–33°N latitude), time (1978–2012), and body size (35.4–103.3 cm carapace length). Generalized additive models revealed significant spatial and temporal variation in growth rates and a significant decline in growth rates with increasing body size. Growth was more rapid in waters south of the USA (<24°N) than in USA waters. Growth dynamics in southern waters in the NWA need more study because sample size was small. Within USA waters, the significant spatial effect in growth rates of immature loggerheads did not exhibit a consistent latitudinal trend. Growth rates declined significantly from 1997 through 2007 and then leveled off or increased. During this same interval, annual nest counts in Florida declined by 43 % (Witherington et al. in Ecol Appl 19:30–54, 2009) before rebounding. Whether these simultaneous declines reflect responses in productivity to a common environmental change should be explored to determine whether somatic growth rates can help interpret population trends based on annual counts of nests or nesting females. Because of the significant spatial and temporal variation in growth rates, population models of NWA loggerheads should avoid employing growth data from restricted spatial or temporal coverage to calculate demographic metrics such as age at sexual maturity.     

The effects of personal music devices on pedestrian behaviour

It has been suggested that pedestrians listening to personal music devices (PMD) are more likely to be involved in accidents than those not listening to PMDs. Though it has been demonstrated that pedestrians on cell phones exhibit less cautionary behaviour when street crossing ( [Hatfield and Murphy, 2007], [Nasar et al., 2008] and [Stavrinos et al., 2009]), little research has been conducted with PMD users. In the present study, cautionary behaviour (e.g., looking before crossing a road) was observed and recorded for pedestrians with or without PMDs. Amongst males, pedestrians listening to PMDs displayed more looking behaviour than those not listening to PMDs. Females showed no differences between the two conditions. Thus, unlike cell phones, PMDs do not decrease the cautionary behaviour of pedestrians. This suggests that cell phones and PMDs are two different types of distractions, and this needs to be taken into account when developing methods to prevent pedestrian accidents in the future.     

Potential interference bias in ozone standard compliance monitoring

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has established a federal reference method (FRM) for ozone (O3) and allowed for designation of federal equivalent methods (FEMs). However, the ethylene-chemiluminescence FRM for O3 has been replaced by the UV photometric FEM by most state and local monitoring agencies because of its relative ease of operation. Accumulating evidence indicates that the FEM is prone to bias under the hot, humid, and stagnant conditions conducive to high O3 formation. This bias may lead to overreporting hourly O3 concentrations by as much as 20-40 ppb. Measurement bias is caused by contamination of the O3 scrubber, a problem that is not detected by dry air calibration. An adequate wet test has not been codified, although a procedure has been proposed for agency consideration. This paper includes documentation of laboratory tests quantifying specific interferant responses, collocated ambient FRM/FEM monitoring results, and smog chamber comparisons of the FRM and FEMs with alternative scrubber designs. As the numbers of reports on monitor interferences have grown, interested parties have called for agency recognition and correction of these biases.     

A female-specific attractant for the codling moth,<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Cydia pomonella</Emphasis>, from apple fruit volatiles

Host plant-derived esters were investigated as potential female-specific attractants for the codling moth (CM), Cydia pomonella (L.), a key pest of apples worldwide. The behavioural effects of single and combined volatile compounds and of a natural odour blend were examined using olfactometry and wind-tunnel bioassays. The apple-derived volatile butyl hexanoate attracted mated females while it was behaviourally ineffective for males over a dosage range of more than three orders of magnitude in olfactometer assays. Female CM preferred this kairomone to the headspace volatiles from ripe apples. Both no-choice and choice trials in the wind-tunnel suggested that female moths might be effectively trapped by means of this compound. In contrast, headspace volatiles collected from ripe apple fruits as well as a blend containing the six dominant esters from ripe apples were behaviourally ineffective. A female-specific repellency was found for the component hexyl acetate in the olfactometer, but this ester had no significant effect in the wind-tunnel. Butyl hexanoate with its sex-specific attraction should be further evaluated for monitoring and controlling CM females in orchards.     

Application of a magnetic extraction technique to assess radionuclide-mineral association in Cumbrian shoreline sediments

An assessment has been made of the association of (239+240)Pu, 241Am and 210Po (in secular equilibrium with 210Pb) with iron minerals using a magnetic extraction technique. Grab samples of beach sand from the Cumbrian (UK) coastline were subjected to successive extractions with an approximately 0.1 T ferrite magnet and an approximately 0.3 T rare-earth magnet procedure to separate magnetic iron oxide minerals. Radionuclide concentrations in the magnetic extracts were enhanced (by approximately 4-6-fold) relative to the residue. Those in the approximately 0.1 T magnet extracts were broadly similar to those in the antiferromagnetic material extracted by the approximately 0.3 T magnet, despite the very large differences in magnetic property values between the two fractions (one to two orders of magnitude). The percentage of magnetic material in terms of mass was small and therefore, the majority of these radionuclides (on average 88%) were associated with the residue. Removal of stable Fe was incomplete. Given that the radionuclides may also bind to paramagnetic (nonmagnetic) Fe minerals, the data were extrapolated by normalising the results to quantitative Fe removal. This yielded average values of 37%, 45% and 46% for (239+240)Pu, 241Am and 210Po(210Pb), respectively, as upper limits for the fraction associated with magnetic + nonmagnetic Fe minerals. There are significant uncertainties inherent in quantifying data from this extraction technique. Nevertheless, it seems reasonable to conclude that radionuclide association with Fe minerals is unlikely to have a significant impact upon the physical dispersion of sediment contaminated by Sellafield discharges in the Irish Sea. However, it may be an important factor in governing Pu redox and redissolution behaviour.     

Watershed associations in West Virginia: their impact on environmental protection

Grassroots watershed associations have formed as an avenue to facilitate public involvement in protecting watersheds. Growth in the number of watershed associations has created a need to evaluate whether their existence enhances environmental protection by local communities. In this research, environmental protection was measured by the number of watershed protection activities conducted and amount of funding directed towards protecting surface waters by non-profit, volunteer organizations. Regression models were utilized to examine the influence of population demographic and watershed characteristics variables to explain the formation of watershed associations along with watershed protection activities and funding. Regression results showed that the presence of watershed associations had positive impacts on both the number of activities and financial resources acquired. The results confirm that watershed associations enhance the ability of communities to obtain funding and to implement watershed protection actions. Thus, watershed associations serve as an effective institution for promoting environmental protection.     

Prenatally diagnosed non-immune hydrops caused by congenital transient leukaemia

Congenital transient leukaemia (CTL) is a haematological disorder characterized by proliferation of myeloblasts within the bone marrow and peripheral blood of affected newborns. Infants with Down syndrome are most frequently affected and although the disorder can result in fetal death due to hydrops, it typically resolves spontaneously after birth. We present a case of prenatally diagnosed fetal hydrops accompanied by splenomegaly and an enlarged, echogenic liver in a fetus identified with CTL after birth.