Use of Ordination Techniques to Follow Community Succession from Oil Impact to Recovery in the Field

Much effort has been directed toward elucidating pollution effects on marine benthic communities (Pearson and Rosenberg, 1978; Sanders et al., 1980; NAS 1985). Less effort has been directed at methods of data analysis which will identify distribution patterns and relationships between communities. Traditional community structure summary parameters such as species richness and various indices of diversity utilize only part of the information contained in a data set and are not very useful in elucidating relationships between communities of animals.     

Effects of water-body characteristics other than temperature and salinity on respiration in Euphausia pacifica

Ample evidence exists that many planktonic species are limited in their distribution to a given water mass. It has been suggested that the temperature-salinity values which define a given water mass are in themselves limiting these species' distribution. Other workers have suggested that other unique properties of a water mass may be involved. Euphausia pacifica is distributed throughout the Pacific subarctic water mass; its distribution also extends into British Columbia coastal waters. Experiments have shown that E. pacifica can withstand temperature changes of up to 15 C°; it can also withstand salinity changes of up to 10. Coastal E. pacifica appear to be able to better withstand stress from changes in temperature and salinity in water from some sources than in water from others. These differences are thought to result from differences in the past history of the water in question.Contribution No. 75008 from the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences.     

Decrease of net carbon flux in two species of mussels caused by extracts of crude oil

Effects of crude oil and salinity stress on the metabolism of two common filter-feeding animals (Mytilus edulis and Modiolus demissus) have been investigated. Carbon budgets have been calculated for each species under a variety of combinations of oil content and salinity. Both reduced salinity and the presence of crude oil tend to decrease the net carbon flux for each species; stresses from each source interacted in their effects on experimental animals. Although similar responses to oil were shown by each species, Mytilus edulis appeared to be slightly more resistant to oil than Modiolus demissus.     

Regional organisations and climate change adaptation in small island developing states

Regional Environmental Change - Regional organisations play a central role in coordinating regional climate change adaptation responses across small island developing states, 58 countries that are...     

Prenatal cystic fibrosis carrier screening: Factors in a woman's decision to decline testing

Among 2207 women eligible to be screened for cystic fibrosis (CF) carrier status during pregnancy, 325 (15 per cent) declined to be tested. Of these, 260 (80 per cent) answered a questionnaire soliciting their reasons for not participating. The main factor was opposition to termination of pregnancy, with 43 per cent being against termination for any reason and another 11 per cent against termination of a CF fetus. Other reasons given were partner's disapproval or non-participation (10 per cent), perceived risk of a CF child being low (7 per cent), the error rate of the test (6 per cent), and the generation of unacceptable levels of anxiety (5 per cent). Eleven women (4 per cent) said that they did not wish to be tested during pregnancy, but only six of these would have accepted screening at another time.