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For migratory animals, understanding where individuals are in space and time is a cornerstone for conservation. Atlantic bluefin tuna (ABT) are a migratory teleost fish with a high commercial value. Their distribution in the North Atlantic has fluctuated over time, and as a result a key research goal over the past two decades has be discerning trends in both their general distribution and migratory habits. This thesis investigates the contemporary spatial ecology of ABT in the northeast Atlantic. This thesis represents the most comprehensive analysis of the spatial ecology of ABT in the northeast Atlantic to date. In Chapter 2 I combine datasets from multiple sources (citizen science, ecotour operators, fisheries surveys, and commercial fisheries) to demonstrate that ABT have increased in relative occurrence off the UK and Ireland since 2014. This increase is likely linked to an increase in the eastern stock of ABT, and in part to hydroclimatic forcing. In Chapter 3, I show that ABT present in foraging aggregations off the coast of Ireland form two migratory ecotypes, one that migrates to the Central Atlantic and another that conducts dominant east-west movements. For all ABT tracked from Ireland, the Bay of Biscay is identified as an important foraging ground, no tracked ABT migrated to the English Channel (hereafter "the Channel") and individuals from both ecotypes visit known spawning grounds in the Mediterranean Sea. In Chapter 4, I identify a direct relationship between data quantity and the accuracy and precision of geolocation for tracked ABT using Wildlife Computers' proprietary software (GPE3) and hardware (MiniPATs). To aid the field of biologging. I provide researchers and manufacturers with quality control processes to reduce the risk of drawing conclusions based on inaccurate or imprecise data. The ramifications of the findings from this chapter are considerable as they will aid all researcher undertaking PAT-based research requiring route reconstruction from drawing erroneous conclusions. In Chapter 5, I contrast the migratory behaviours observed in Chapter 3 by analysing a dataset generated from 50 ABT tagged with PATs at foraging grounds on the Celtic Deeps and off southwest England. Generally, these ABT did not migrate to waters off the coast of Ireland but did overlap spatially on foraging grounds in the Central Atlantic and Bay of Biscay and on eastern-stock spawning grounds in the Western and Central Mediterranean Sea. Finally, the piece of work outlines putative spawning in four Mediterranean Sea regions. Together, these chapters indicate that ABT have returned to waters off the UK and Ireland for the first time in a generation. The ABT that now, once again, visit these waters (1) comprise at least two migratory ecotypes, (2) all spend most of the time east of the 45°W meridian, (3) visit known spawning grounds in the Mediterranean Sea when large enough, and (4) exhibit tagging-site fidelity in subsequent years. Between July and November large ABT forage off the Irish coast and smaller ABT forage in waters off southwest England. However, outside of this period, ABT tracked from the UK and Ireland mix extensively on High Seas foraging grounds and in the Bay of Biscay, specifically. These results have some parallels with the migratory behaviours of ABT tracked from the USA, where similar size-specific migration patterns have been documented. Finally, the results detailed from tracking ABT shown here have important implications for conservation through management of the commercial fishery. Previous assumptions of foraging aggregations off the UK and Ireland being comprised of ABT that roam freely throughout eastern and western management regions are dispelled and, instead, I show that the individuals responsible for the recovery of ABT in the northeast Atlantic, remain almost completely in eastern stock management regions.

The main aim of this thesis was to investigate the occurrence of dolphins in Pacific waters adjacent to the Panama Canal in the context of biological, temporal and spatial factors. Acoustic data were collected at 101 sites at a range of distances and depths from the shipping region. Data were collected between March 2010 and April 2011 in a diurnal cycle over a total of 114 recording days. Received sound levels were split into 1/3 Octave bandwidths to study variation in sound pressure levels and then converted to spectrum density levels to show the sound components of the background noise in this region. Generalised Linear Models were used to relate dolphin whistle detections to temporal, spatial, environmental and acoustic variables. The major sources of background noise were biological noise from soniferous fish and snapping shrimp and anthropogenic noise from vessels characterised by mid to high frequencies produced by artisanal fishing boats. There was monthly and diurnal variation with some locations characterised by loud sounds in the mid to high frequencies at night. Whistle characteristics analysis revealed that the frequencies and range of the whistles were different to those previously reported under similar conditions. Whistles varied diurnally and in the presence of fish chorus and fishing boats. The study highlights a strong correlation between fish choruses and whistle detection. Temporal and spatial models showed that whistle detections varied monthly and in relation to fish noise and small vessel engine noise. Dolphins were distributed throughout most of the study area; however, whistle detections varied with distance from the coast. The results provide new knowledge about background noise composition in this region and provide the first information on the ecology of dolphin whistles in relation to this background noise, especially to fish chorus.

Tropical wildfires account for up to 93% of global burnt area and approximately 85% of the resulting carbon emissions, yet are significantly under-represented in existing fire models. These models are predominantly process-based, require a multitude of input datasets, parameters and calculations, and are difficult to reproduce or use independently from a dynamic global vegetation model (DGVM). The aim of this thesis is to develop empirical parameterisations of tropical fire occurrence and spread that represent an improvement in accuracy over existing models and that can be easily implemented both as standalone models or within a DGVM. These models are based on well-documented relationships from the literature. An index of potential fire is produced based on the observed peak of fire activity at intermediate levels of productivity and aridity. This can be converted into expected fire counts using a simple, observation-derived parameter map. Fire sizes have been shown to follow an approximately fractal distribution in a range of ecosystems, which is used to develop a new burnt area model. Replacing the fire count and burnt area calculations of existing fire models with these new parameterisations improves the spatial distribution of the resulting estimates, while giving temporally comparable predictions to the original models. The magnitude of the resulting burnt area estimates is also improved. The use of empirical fire modelling is therefore a viable alternative to current process-based methods, and makes practical use of theories that are well-documented in the literature. These models require few input variables and can be easily incorporated into a DGVM. However, further work to improve the temporal accuracy and dynamicity of these models would be beneficial, as would a method to link these models to parameterisations of combustion and trace gas emissions.

In eastern North America, "tree bats" (Genera: Lasiurus and Lasionycteris) are highly susceptible to collisions with wind energy turbines and are known to fly offshore during migration. This raises concern about ongoing expansion of offshore wind-energy development off the Atlantic Coast. Season, atmospheric conditions, and site-level characteristics such as local habitat features (e.g., forest coverage) have been shown to influence wind turbine collision rates by bats onshore, and similar features may be related to risk offshore. In response to rapidly developing offshore wind energy development, I assessed the factors affecting coastal and offshore presence of tree bats. I continuously gathered tree bat nightly occurrence data using stationary acoustic recorders on five structures (four lighthouses on barrier islands and one light tower offshore) off the coast of Virginia, USA, across all seasons, 2012–2019. I used generalized additive models to describe nightly tree bat occurrence in relation to multiple factors. I found that sites either indicated maternity or migratory patterns in their seasonal occurrence pattern that were associated with local roosting resources (i.e., presence of forest). Across all sites, nightly occurrence was negatively related to wind speed and positively related to temperature and visibility. Using predictive performance metrics, I concluded that the model was highly predictive for the Virginia coast. My findings were consistent with other studies—tree bat occurrence probability and presumed mortality risk to offshore wind-energy collisions is highest on nights with low wind speed, high temperature and visibility during spring and fall. The high predictive model performance I observed provides a basis for which managers, using a similar monitoring and modeling regime, could develop an effective curtailment-based mitigation strategy. Although information at fixed points is helpful for managing specific sites, large questions remain on certain aspects of tree bat migration, in part because direct evidence (i.e., tracking of individuals) has been difficult to obtain so far. For instance, patterns in fall behavior such as the timing of migration events, the existence of migratory pathways, consistencies in the direction of travel, the drivers of over-water flight, and the activity states of residents (or bats in stopover) remain unstudied in the mid-Atlantic. The recently established Motus Wildlife Tracking System, an array of ground-based receiver stations, provides a new technique to track individual bats via the ability to detect course-scale movement paths of attached very high frequency radio-tags. To reveal patterns in migration, and to understand drivers of over-water flight, I captured and radio-tagged 115 eastern red bats (Lasiurus borealis) and subsequently tracked their movements. For the bats with evidence of large movements, most traveled in a southwesterly direction whereby paths were often oriented interior toward the continental landmass rather than being oriented along the coastline. This observation challenges earlier held beliefs that bats closely follow linear landscape features, such as the coast, when migrating. I documented bats traveling across wide sections of the Chesapeake and Delaware bays confirming the species' ability to travel across large water bodies. This behavior typically occurred in the early hours of the night and during favorable flying conditions such as low wind speeds, warm temperatures, and/or during sudden increases in temperature associated with the passage of cold fronts. For bats engaging in site residency through the fall, the proportion of night-hours in which bats were in a resting state (and possibly torpor), increased with colder temperatures and the progression of the fall season. My study demonstrated that bats may be at risk to offshore wind turbine collisions off the mid-Atlantic, but that this risk might be minimal if most bats are migrating toward the interior landscape rather than following the coast. Nonetheless, if flight over large water bodies such as Chesapeake and Delaware bays is a viable proxy for over-ocean flight, then collision risk at offshore wind turbines may be somewhat linked to atmospheric, seasonal timing, or other effects, and therefore some level of predictable and manageable with mitigations options such as smart curtailment.

Abstract: With the persistent demand for petroleum energy products, the energy development footprint in northern Alberta continues to expand, perforating habitat in the boreal forest. Modern in situ, or below ground, bitumen extraction techniques have broadened the extent of accessible reserves and are creating a different type of footprint than conventional surface mining. Development of exploratory vegetation clearings, including 3-dimensional seismic lines (hereafter “seismic”), winter roads, and well sites, as well as permanent infrastructure, such as roads, pipelines, extraction wells, and industrial facilities, creates an expansive network of small-scale disturbances that alter biological communities, including songbirds. Additional work is needed to understand how different development features influence species-specific habitat use and selection for songbirds, especially in peatland habitats that are less-well understood. Here I examined the influence of different in situ oil sands development feature types on habitat use and selection of a conifer generalist, Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis), and peatland specialist, Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum), songbird at multiple spatial scales within peatland habitats. Specifically, the objectives of this study were to: (1) identify the relative effects of different in situ development and habitat features on landscape-level avian occurrence and local-scale habitat selection for songbirds with different habitat niche breadths; and (2) understand potential behavioural mechanisms affecting species-specific responses to in situ developments on individual territory placement and within-territory habitat selection. I used point counts to sample Dark-eyed Junco and Palm Warbler occurrence at 157 peatland sites located across a range of development feature types and intensities. I also examined territory-level (2nd order) and within-territory (3rd order) habitat selection by conducting behavioural observations within 11, 25-hectare sites. I modelled occurrence (presence-absence) for each species using binomial logistic regression; and modelled territory and within-territory selection using generalized linear mixed effect models to compare used to available locations for 80-82 individuals of each species. Permanent polygonal and linear features influenced occurrence for both species, whereas exploratory features did not, suggesting that permanent development features have a greater impact on avian populations. Both species avoided permanent (e.g. polygonal or linear) or larger exploratory features (e.g. well sites) at the territory scale, but relative use of development features was greater for Dark-eyed Juncos than Palm Warblers. At the within-territory scale, Dark-eyed Juncos avoided permanent features and well sites for singing but were more likely to sing by wide linear features in areas with taller vegetation, relative to locations with shorter vegetation. Juncos were more likely to forage on or near all features except seismic, but relative intensity of use for some features was greater in areas near higher productivity vegetation. Palm Warblers avoided singing by well sites but selected singing locations near wide linear features in areas with taller vegetation. Palm Warblers avoided foraging on or near well features across all habitat productivity levels but selected seismic features only in low productivity habitats. Our results show that avian responses to different development features are complex, with species-specific responses that vary for different behaviours and local habitat characteristics. Use, selection, and avoidance of different development features varies with spatial scale, and even small, 2-3 m wide seismic features can influence avian behaviours. I recommend pairing fine-scale behavioural studies with coarse-scale avian monitoring to increase understanding of the mechanisms driving species-specific responses to different development feature types and inform landscape management decisions.

Abstract: Aphanomyces euteiches causes Aphanomyces root rot (ARR), an important disease of field pea (Pisum sativum). The development of ARR results in severe root damage, wilting and large yield losses under wet soil conditions. A survey of field pea crops in central Alberta in 2016 found an average incidence of root rot of 57.6%, ranging from 2% to 100%. Species of Fusarium were recovered most frequently from symptomatic roots, followed by Pythium spp., A. euteiches and Rhizoctonia spp. Inoculum density experiments under greenhouse and field conditions demonstrated an adverse effect of increasing A. euteiches inoculum concentration on pea seedling emergence, root nodulation and plant vigor. Seed treatment with the fungicides Apron Advance (thiabendazole + fludioxonil + metalaxyl) + Vibrance (difenoconazole+ metalaxyl-M+ sedaxane), Intego Solo (ethaboxam), BAS 516F (boscalid + pyraclostrobin), BAS 720F (metalaxyl + pyraclostrobin + fluxapyroxad) or BAS 516F + BAS 720F (3:1) were evaluated for their efficacy against ARR. All seed treatments except Apron Advance suppressed ARR development under controlled conditions. Twenty-two pea lines and cultivars were evaluated for resistance to ARR in field plot experiments, with the genotype 00-2067 found to be most tolerant to the disease. A recombinant inbred line (RIL) pea population was obtained by single-seed descent from the cross 00-2067 (ARR tolerant) × Reward (ARR susceptible) and used to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with root rot severity, height, vigor, root weight and foliar weight in greenhouse and field trials. A total of 212 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were screened by bulk segregant analysis and the polymorphic markers used for linkage map construction. Composite interval mapping identified a total of six QTLs associated with tolerance to ARR, root weight, foliar weight and height. Two of the QTLs, PARR-LGI and PRW-LGI on linkage group I (LGI), explained 52.5% and 34.2% of the variation in root rot severity and root weight, respectively, in one greenhouse replication, while the four other QTLs, PRW-LGII, PFW-LGII-1, PFWLGII-2 and PH-LGII on linkage group II (LGII), explained 14.0-17.1% of the phenotypic data in greenhouse and field experiments. The results of this study suggest that an integrated approach, which incorporates the use of seed treatments and QTLs associated with tolerance to the ARR, will be required for the sustainable management of ARR of field pea in Canada.

Abstract: The occurrence of pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) in municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) is an emerging environmental issue. Among other concerns, aquatic invertebrates sampled from WWTP have measurable concentrations of PPCPs, which have been found to cause adverse effects in the growth and development of birds when consumed. The Livingstone Trail Environmental Control Facility (LTECF) is the municipal wastewater treatment facility for the City of Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada (lat. 60o43’N, long. 135o03’W). The LTECF is a constructed wetland that hosts a high diversity and abundance of waterfowl, which may be attracted to the facility due to the abundance of aquatic invertebrates. Risk of PPCP accumulation in waterfowl feeding at the LTECF is a concern because the facility may be acting as an ecological trap. This research was the first of its kind at the LTECF and represents a first step in understanding the potential risk to waterfowl feeding at the LTECF. The main objectives of the study were to 1) quantify the occurrence of PPCPs in water, sludge, aquatic invertebrates, and algae, and 2) quantify the removal efficiency, seasonal variation, and bioaccumulation of PPCPs at the LTECF. Water, sludge, aquatic invertebrates, and algae were sampled from the primary, secondary and tertiary stages of treatment in the spring, summer and fall in 2013 and 2014. The PPCPs with the highest concentrations in water were: acetaminophen (150 µg/L), caffeine (100 µg/L) and ibuprofen (10 µg/L), consistent with other studies of WWTP. The PPCPs with the highest concentrations in sludge, aquatic invertebrates and algae were two antimicrobials, triclosan (93,000 ng/g, 36 ng/g, and 210 ng/g, respectively) and triclocarban (31,000 ng/g; 29 µg/g; 47 ng/g, respectively), also consistent with other WWTP studies. Estrogens and synthetic musks were among the PPCPs with the lowest concentrations in all media. Generally, PPCP removal efficiencies at the LTECF were equal to, if not exceeding those reported from other WWTP studies, including both conventional wastewater treatment plants and constructed wetlands. The high removal rates at the LTECF may be attributed to the exceptionally long hydraulic retention time and large surface area of the treatment cells, subjecting the chemicals to prolonged periods of photo- and biodegradation. Concentrations of PPCPs were significantly lower in spring than in summer and fall, likely from dilution of the wastewater entering the LTECF during the winter and spring. There was no significant difference between summer and fall PPCP concentrations in any stage of treatment. Triclocarban was the only PPCP at the LTECF to be classified as bioaccumulative, according to the Persistence and Bioaccumulation Regulations in the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999. An ecological risk assessment for triclocarban has been recommended for future research at the LTECF.

In highly urbanized areas, intensive use of pyrethroids has led to offsite transport to surface waters at concentrations known to cause toxicity to aquatic organisms. However, there is limited knowledge on the occurrence and distribution of pyrethroids in urban settings, or the role dust particles play in offsite transport of pyrethroids. Additionally, when pyrethroids enter the environment, they undergo transformation to form a common degradation product 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA), which has been shown to cause endocrine disruption. However, little research has been conducted on the formation of 3-PBA in urban environments, its occurrence in urban streams, or its stability in different environmental matrices. Here we first evaluated the occurrence of particle-borne insecticides including pyrethroids in outdoor urban dust and studied their spatial and temporal distribution patterns and correlation with particle sizes. Temporally, particle-bound insecticides increased over the dry season and then significantly decreased after winter rains. Spatially, levels of pyrethroids in dust did not differ with distance from point of application, suggesting redistribution. Pyrethroids were found to associate predominantly with the smallest particle size fraction in dust. These findings suggest that loose particles are likely a significant source for offsite contamination of insecticides. In a subsequent study, we investigated pyrethroid transformation processes on concrete and 3-PBA formation. Pyrethroid degradation was rapid with hydrolysis being the most significant pathway, leading to rapid formation of 3-PBA. Low levels of 3-PBA were constantly detected in urban surface water, suggesting the need to understand chronic exposure and risk to aquatic species. In order to aid risk assessment of 3-PBA, in the last study we examined its stability in different environmental matrices. The half-life of 3-PBA in surface water and aerobic sediments was relatively short, while it was prolonged in soil and anaerobic sediments. These results further suggested that urban soil may be a source of 3-PBA to surface water or underlying groundwater, and due to the continuous input, additional research is needed to evaluate adverse effects on non-target organisms.

Abstract: Water disinfection is necessary for killing pathogens, but it causes an unintended chemical risk from the formation of disinfection byproducts (DBPs). Epidemiological studies show a potential association of water disinfection with increased risk of bladder cancer. It is unknown what DBPs are responsible for the observed adverse health effects. The quantitative structure and toxicity relationship analysis predicts halobenzoquinones (HBQs) are potential bladder cancer carcinogens. The objectives of this study are to characterize the occurrence, formation, transformation, removal, and toxicity of HBQs as DBPs. An analytical methodology that can identify and quantify trace levels of new HBQs in water was essential for my research. Therefore, I first developed an analytical method using solid phase extraction–ultra-high performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (SPE-UHPLC-MS/MS) and applied it to study what HBQs are present in swimming pools. 2,6-dichloro-(1,4)benzoquinone (2,6-DCBQ) was widely present in swimming pool water at concentrations up to 100 times higher than its concentrations in the input tap water. Other HBQs 2,3,6-trichloro-(1,4)benzoquinone (TriCBQ), 2,3-dibromo-5,6-dimethyl-(1,4)benzoquinone (DMDBBQ) and 2,6-dibromo-(1,4)benzoquinone (2,6-DBBQ) were also identified in the water of some swimming pools but not in the input tap water. These additional HBQs formed in the pools were due to personal care products, higher levels of dissolved organic contents, higher chlorine doses, and higher water temperatures, as compared to tap water. To understand what precursors contribute to the formation of HBQs in water, I conducted laboratory-controlled chlorination experiments to characterize precursors of HBQs in source waters. The biopolymer fraction of natural organic matter (NOM) in source water was identified as the most important source of 2,6-DCBQ precursors based on statistical analysis. Lotions and sunscreens also contain precursors of 2,6-DCBQ and other HBQs in swimming pool water. To control HBQ formation in drinking water, I evaluated water treatment processes on the removal of HBQ precursors. Common treatments used in drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs), including coagulation, ozonation, and granular activated carbon, can partially remove or destroy HBQ precursors, but not substantially eliminate them. Anthracite/sand filtration and UV irradiation show negligible impact on HBQ formation. To understand the fate and behavior of HBQs in drinking water distribution systems, I examined the transformation of HBQs in laboratory experiments and in field samples. Using high-resolution quadrupole time-of-flight (QToF) MS, I found that HBQs were transformed to halo-hydroxyl-benzoquinones (OH-HBQs) at neutral pH in the laboratory experiments. An SPE-UHPLC-MS/MS method was developed to quantify HBQs and OH-HBQs in authentic drinking water samples. Using this method, I confirmed that OH-HBQs are DBPs in drinking water and that they increased with decrease of HBQs in several DWTPs. An in vitro toxicity study with CHO-K1 cells showed that HBQs are two-fold more toxic than OH-HBQs, and that both HBQs and OH-HBQs are significantly more toxic than the regulated DBPs. Finally, I studied the interaction of glutathione (GSH) with HBQs to elucidate potential mechanisms of HBQ toxicity. Mono-, di-, tri-, and tetra-GSH conjugates (GS-HBQs) were identified using LC-MS/MS in reaction mixtures. The glutathionylated conjugates were elevated with the increase in GSH levels. Halosemiquinone (HSQ) free radicals were gradually depleted with the increase in GSH levels using electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. These results suggest that (1) reversible redox reactions between HBQs and halo-hydrobenzoquinones (HHQs) to form HSQ radicals and oxidize GSH to glutathione disulfide; (2) Michael addition of GSH on HBQs; and (3) nucleophilic substitution of the halo groups of HBQs by GSH. Unique desulfurized and disulfide GSH-DBBQ conjugates, and the substitution of the methyl group by GSH on 2,6-dichloro-3-methyl-(1,4)benzoquinone (DCMBQ) were also observed. Finally, the conjugates in HBQ-treated HepG2 cells were identified to be the same as those produced in the reaction of (5:1) GSH/HBQs. This dissertation confirms HBQs as a group of emerging DBPs and provides the occurrence data and the mechanisms of the formation and transformation of HBQs during water treatment. Evaluation of current treatments for removal of HBQ precursors provides information for DWTPs to control these DBPs. The analytical characterization combined with toxicity evaluation of HBQs stresses the importance of monitoring these DBPs compared to the regulated DBPs. The highly sensitive and specific analytical tools developed here enable future research on assessment of human exposure and health risk of HBQs. The research methodologies are useful for discovery of other potentially important DBPs.

In this paper five datasets are described that provide information about records of mammals in the Vertebrate Collection of the Museum of Zoology of the University of Navarra (MZNA-VERT). The datasets contain 3,466 records belonging to 20 species of mammals sampled across the transition zone between the Atlantic and Mediterranean biogeographical regions (north Iberian Peninsula). The datasets include both distributional data (georeferenced records) and basic biometric data of most of the vouchered specimens stored in the museum facilities. The samples originated mainly within research projects and PhD theses carried out in the former department of Zoology and Ecology of the University of Navarra between 1982 and 2011. The Darwin Core Archive Format datasets are accessible through GBIF.

The occurrence and distribution of stable strontium around the United States was not well documented. Data from both the United States Geological Survey and United States Environmental Protection Agency from the past 10 years resulted in 39,256 samples that showed strontium was widely distributed with pockets of very elevated levels (≥ 10 mg/L) located along the Gulf Coast for surface water and in the Midwest for groundwater.Strontium removal data from a number of full-scale ion exchange, iron removal/coagulation, lime softening, and iron-based adsorption plants were examined. Point-of-entry ion exchange and iron removal, and point-of-use reverse osmosis effectiveness were also studied. Cation exchange and lime softening were effective strontium removal strategies, while iron removal/coagulation and iron-based adsorption approaches were not.The effectiveness of conventional coagulation and lime softening treatments on the removal of strontium at the bench-scale was needed. Alum and iron coagulants were able to achieve 18% and 6.0% strontium removal, respectively, from surface water after 0.2 µm vacuum filtering. No significant change in strontium removal was observed with the increase of coagulant dose, initial strontium concentration, pH, or initial turbidity. Lime softening was able to achieve 77% strontium removal after 0.2 µm vacuum filtering. Higher strontium removal efficiencies were seen at higher lime dosages which corresponded to a higher final pH. No significant changes in strontium removal was observed with the increase of initial strontium concentration.Fundamental studies were conducted with nanopure water to find the mechanism(s) for the lime softening strontium removal efficiencies. When calcium was not initially added, no significant change in strontium removal was observed with the increase of pH or initial strontium concentration. When calcium was initially added, the strontium and calcium removals were significantly increased above pH 11 to 65% and 98%, respectively. When calcium was initially added, a low initial dissolved inorganic carbon greatly reduced both strontium and calcium removal efficiencies to 8.1% and 29%, respectively.Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images for the fundamental experiments at a pH of 11 showed high spherical vaterite, the least stable polymorph of calcium carbonate, is prevalent in the samples compared to rhombohedron calcite, the most stable polymorph. Strontianite was only found in the sample with the lowest initial calcium concentration. X-ray diffraction patterns revealed that vaterite was shifted, indicating that strontium could be replacing calcium inside the crystal lattice. SEM images also revealed clusters of minerals in a transitional phase at the lowest and highest initial calcium concentrations.The possible mechanism(s) for strontium removal during the lime-soda ash softening treatment process includes surface adsorption into calcium carbonate precipitates, coprecipitation with the calcium carbonate precipitations, or surface-solution ion exchange within calcium carbonate.

The state of Hidalgo (Mexico) is an important region from the point of view of biodiversity. However, there exists a significant gap in accessible knowledge about species diversity and distribution, especially regarding to freshwater ecosystems. This dataset comprises the sampling records of two projects developed in Hidalgo between 2007 and 2009 about the freshwater fish communities of Tecocomulco lake and rivers belonging to the Metztitlán Canyon Biosphere Reserve. It contains the taxonomic identity (species level) and basic biometric data (total length and weight) as well as date of collection and coordinates of more than 9000 specimens. This dataset is the primary result of the first and unrepeated exhaustive freshwater fish’s survey of Metztitlán Canyon Biosphere Reserve and Tecocomulco lake. It incorporates seven more species to the regional fish fauna, and new exclusive biometric data of ten species. This dataset can be used by studies dealing with, among other interests, North American freshwater fish diversity (species richness, distribution patterns) and biometric analyses, useful for the management and conservation of these areas. The complete dataset is also provided in Darwin Core Archive format.

Ochratoxin A (OTA), B (OTB) and their methyl (MeOTA, MeOTB) and ethyl (OTC, EtOTB) esters were evaluated in 51 red wine samples from Navarra (Spain). Detectable levels of OTA and OTB were found in 100% of the samples, and 71% showed the presence of OTC. The six ochratoxins appeared simultaneously in 18% of the samples. Results indicated that OTC is hydrolyzed to OTA in red wine. Therefore, ochratoxin intake from wine can be underestimated when only assessed by OTA analysis. Analyzed Navarra wines are scarcely contaminated with ochratoxins and their contribution to human intake is low, with the worst case being 4.7% and 6.6% of the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) for OTA and for the sum of ochratoxins, respectively. No significant differences were generally found between vintages. With the exception of OTA, no significant differences were observed between organic and traditional farming. Levels of ochratoxins were positively correlated with temperature and inversely correlated with humidity and rainfall.

ABSTRACTContext. Radiation therapy (RT) is a common treatment for prostate cancer. Despite available research, prostate cancer patients report that information about side effects is their most important unmet need. Additional research is needed that focuses on specific dimensions of the patient's symptom experience.Objectives. The study's purposes were to evaluate the trajectories of occurrence, severity, and distress of the six most prevalent symptoms reported by patients undergoing RT for prostate cancer and evaluate the effects of selected demographic and clinical characteristics on these trajectories.Methods. Patients completed the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale eleven times before, during, and after RT. For problems with urination, pain, lack of energy, feeling drowsy, difficulty sleeping, and diarrhea, the trajectories of occurrence, severity, and distress were evaluated using multilevel generalized linear models.Results. Across all three dimensions, pain, lack of energy, feeling drowsy, and difficulty sleeping followed a decreasing linear trend. Problems with urination and diarrhea demonstrated more complex patterns of change over time.Conclusions. While longitudinal data on pain, lack of energy, feeling drowsy, and difficulty sleeping are limited, they are highly prevalent symptoms in these 3 patients. In addition, diarrhea becomes a significant problem for these patients over the course of RT. Various demographic and clinical characteristics effect the trajectories of the various symptoms differentially.

Determining the occurrence and potential adverse effects of antibiotic pharmaceuticals released into the environment is a critical step towards responsible environmental stewardship. Under aqueous conditions typically found in soils and natural waters, the antibiotic agent sulfamethoxazole (SMX) was transformed in the presence of pyrolusite MnO2 via oxidative pathways. At least 50% loss of SMX was observed after 269 hr in acidic and basic solutions (pH 3-9). A maximum of 100% loss was recorded at pH 3 and 66% loss was recorded at circumneutral pH. Concomitantly, aqueous manganese concentrations increased to around 10 µM at pH 3 and 2 µM at pH 6 over the same time period which suggests an oxidative transformation associated with the mineral surface. Initial pseudo-first order reaction rate constants (kinit) increase with decreasing pH from 0.0039 hr-1 at pH 9 to 0.019 hr-1 at pH 3. HPLC results showed similar transformation products at different pH values. Mass spectrometry of the reaction products collected at pH 3 and 4 confirm an oxidative pathway by which oxidation and hydroxylation occurs at the aniline moiety and isoxazole ring of SMX, and hydrolysis occurs at the sulfonamide moiety. Transformation kinetics of SMX on the surface of manganite was also studied. The initial transformation of SMX on manganite was faster than on pyrolusite at pH 4 to 9; however, at pH 3, the transformation rate was much slower. The observed transformation of SMX by manganese oxides suggests that this ubiquitous component of soils and sediments likely plays an important role in the fate of this antibiotic agent in the environment.

NOTE: Unpublished paper. SIRC research award. Includes bibliographical references. [ABSTRACT FROM CONTRIBUTOR]

Heterogeneity in the rupture process of subduction zone earthquakes is examined and interpreted in terms of inhomogeneity in the stress distribution on the plate interface. The largest earthquakes in subduction zones dominate seismic energy release; knowledge of the spatial pattern of their coseismic displacement provides information on the first-order material properties of the fault plane or asperity locations. For the great 1971 Solomon Islands doublet events, occurring at the junction of the Solomon Islands-New Britain Arc, and for the 1968 Tokachi-Oki event, occurring near the junction of the Japan-Kurile Islands Arc, the regions of enhanced displacement (asperities) correspond to geometric peculiarities in the subducting plates. The association between highly stressed portions of the fault plane and contortions in the subducted lithosphere, provides a physical mechanism in which to interpret the distribution of stress heterogeneity on these fault planes. A study of the four largest earthquakes occurring in the souther Kurile Islands Arc, has allowed the construction of a map of the dominant asperity distribution. Hypocenters of an additional 80 earthquakes with m$\sb{\rm b}\geq$ 5.3 and known underthrusting mechanisms were recomputed using the method of joint hypocenter determination in order to assess the influence that the strength distribution exerts on the interplate seismicity patterns. The distribution of earthquake hypocenters with respect to the mainshock asperities reveals that nearly all of the earthquakes locate outside of the mainshock asperities. This observation is consistent with complete release of accumulated strain energy in asperity regions during the mainshocks and a redistribution of stress in adjacent areas following their rupture. Also the mainshock asperities and most of the M$\sb{\rm s}\geq$ 7 earthquakes occur in the down-dip portion of the mainshock aftershock zones, producing a sharp peak in accumulated moment release at distances between 100 to 120 km from the trench axis. The peak in moment release at the down-dip half of the coupled plate interface reflects an increase in mechanical strength with depth. This suggests that models of the rheological properties of continental fault zones, which predict a maximum in shear stress near the base of the seismogenic zone, may also be appropriate for subduction zone environments.