Search

Abstract A combined multiscale approach using ground, drone and satellite surveys can provide accurate landscape scale spatial mapping and monitoring. We used field observations with drone collected imagery covering 70 ha annually for a 5‐year period to estimate changes in living and dead vegetation of four widespread and abundant arid zone woody shrub species. Random forest classifiers delivered high accuracy (> 95%) using object‐based detection methods, with fast repeatable and transferrable processing using Google Earth Engine. Our classifiers performed well in both dominant arid zone landscape types: dune and swale, and at extremes of dry and wet years with minimal alterations. This highlighted the flexibility of the approach, potentially delivering insights into changes in highly variable environments. We also linked this classified drone vegetation to available temporally and spatially explicit Landsat satellite imagery, training a new, more accurate fractional vegetation cover model, allowing for accurate tracking of vegetation responses at large scales in the arid zone. Our method promises considerable opportunity to track vegetation dynamics including responses to management interventions, at large geographic scales, extending inference well beyond ground surveys.

ABSTRACT Introduction Anxiety and depression in older adults (60+ years of age) are under‐diagnosed and under‐treated. Older adults are less likely to seek help for these problems due to a lack of awareness, difficulty accessing health care due to availability or disability and fear of loss of independence. Existing points of contact between older adults and non‐traditional services, for example, the Fire and Rescue Service (FRS), could provide opportunities to support help‐seeking for mental ill‐health. The FRS conduct Home Fire Safety Visits (HFSVs) with older adults and are well positioned to provide health‐related support. This study examines a range of perspectives on the potential role of the FRS in the identification of, and signposting for, anxiety and depression in older adults. Methods This was a qualitative study carried out using mixed methods in West Midlands, UK. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with older adults and health and social care providers (practitioners, managers, commissioners) to explore the acceptability of the FRS expanding its role to detect and signpost for anxiety and depression in older adults. Observations examined delivery of existing HFSVs to older adults. Data were combined and analysed using a reflexive thematic approach. Results Eighteen health and social care providers and 8 older adults were interviewed; 10 HFSVs were observed. Two overarching themes were identified: (1) Potential role for the FRS and (2) Operationalising identification of mental health problems by FRS. Interviews and observations demonstrated how HFSVs offer a suitable opportunity to start conversations about mental health. All interview participants felt that although the FRS would be well placed to deliver an intervention, they would require training, support and a referral pathway co‐produced with and supported by health and social care partners. Conclusion A whole‐system approach is needed if the FRS are to expand HFSVs to identify mental health problems in older adults and provide signposting to appropriate services. Patient or Public Contribution J.S. is a public co‐investigator. A Patient Advisory Group contributed to the initial funding application, design and conduct of the study, including data analysis and advice on dissemination.

Abstract Plant invasions drive biodiversity loss, transform ecosystems, and promote positive‐feedback cycles between invasion and fire. However, the long‐term impacts of invasive grasses across landscapes with diverse plant communities and interactions with fire are poorly known. Our objectives were to examine whether buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris), a globally significant plant invader, altered the abundance of understory and overstory plants, homogenized plant composition, and shifted ecosystems from woodlands to grassland and to explore interrelationships between invasion and fire. We combined two methodological approaches to assess invasion spread and impacts of buffel grass in the Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands of arid central Australia: a before‐after‐control‐impact (BACI) experiment over 25 years at 15 sites and a paired‐plot (randomized‐block) experiment at 18 sites. Both experiments spanned two geographic regions and multiple vegetation communities situated on flat plains and rocky hills. We used generalized linear mixed models to analyze predictions about plant abundance and permutational multivariate ANOVA (PERMANOVA) and permutational multivariate analysis of dispersion (PERMDISP) to examine changes in community composition. Fire and invasion interactions were explored using fire history or the relative fire tolerance of plant species as covariates, predictors, or responses. Fire interacted with the invasion process in multiple ways. Invaded sites had burnt more frequently and recently than native sites in one region, and where propagules were present in 1995, buffel grass abundance increased most when fires ensued. Abundance of understory plant functional groups (native grasses, ferns, and vines) decreased with invasion, and understory shrubs decreased due to frequent fires in invaded sites. Overstory composition shifted from fire‐sensitive species toward fire‐tolerant species, but this was not directly attributable to invasion. Partial evidence for ecosystem regime shifts included homogenization of understory communities in invaded rocky hills, and an increase in woody shrub cover at native but not invaded sites over 25 years, resulting in a 5% cover difference by 2019. Impacts were detected across heterogeneous ecological communities at a scale not previously tested amongst high background community variability. Although invasion is not dependent on fire, the acceleration of invasion spread and impacts with fire is a critical consideration for future research and management of grass invaders.

Abstract The 2022 Hunga eruption caused unprecedented stratospheric hydration. Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) measurements show that the stratospheric water vapor mass remains essentially unchanged as of early 2024 and that the Hunga hydration occurred atop a robust (possibly accelerating) moistening trend in the stratosphere. Enhanced by the excess Hunga water vapor, dehydration via polar stratospheric cloud sedimentation in the 2023 Antarctic vortex exceeded climatological values by ∼50%. Simple projections based on modeled exponential decay illustrate that the timing of the return to humidity levels that would have been expected absent the Hunga hydration depends on the ongoing stratospheric water vapor trend. With the Hunga hydration compounding an underlying moistening trend, the stratosphere could remain anomalously humid for an extended period.

Abstract Neophobia is an ecologically relevant personality trait that manifests as aversion to new or unfamiliar stimuli. Fear and subsequent avoidance of novel stimuli represents a challenge for pest management programs, as control tools that induce a neophobic response will reduce their effectiveness. Additionally, neophobia can be a plastic trait induced by exposure to high‐risk environments, and so can be exacerbated by repeated harassment, which often occurs in pest management programs that are conducted at high intensity. We investigated the propensity of feral cats (Felis catus) to exhibit neophobic behavior towards a novel control device. We also tested whether neophobia was altered by capture and radio‐collaring or changed over time. We found that there is significant potential for initial avoidance of control devices by some feral cats, and that capture and handling significantly increased the likelihood of avoidance. Neophobia generally declined over time suggesting that long‐term deployment may reduce the impact of neophobia. Avoidance of novel control tools could severely limit their effectiveness, especially if deployed to remove the last remaining cats from confined areas. Remaining cats may have avoided repeated attempts at conventional control techniques and so may be more neophobic. In such circumstances, control tool deployments should be lengthened considerably, to take advantage of waning neophobia over time, and, concealed effectively to hide them from neophobic cats. The increased neophobia recorded in cats that were handled and radio‐collared for monitoring suggests that results from experiments that test new control devices may not be indicative of the behavior of naïve cats. Changes to methodology such as minimizing capture and handling may be required to reduce neophobia and provide valid research results when testing novel control tools.

Abstract The current treatment approach to patients with liver cirrhosis relies on the individual management of complications. Consequently, there is an unmet need for an overall therapeutic strategy for primary and secondary prevention of complications. The clinical potential of long‐term albumin infusions supported by recent clinical trials has expanded its indications and holds promise to transform the management and secondary prevention of cirrhosis‐related complications. This renewed interest in albumin comes with inherent controversies, compounding challenges and pressing need for rigorous evaluation of its clinical potential to capitalize on its therapeutic breakthroughs. Australia is among a few countries worldwide to adopt outpatient human albumin infusion. Here, we summarize currently available evidence of the potential benefits of human albumin for the management of multiple liver cirrhosis‐related complications and discuss key challenges for wide application of long‐term albumin administration strategy in Australian clinical practice. Australian Gastroenterological week (AGW), organised by the Gastroenterological Society of Australia (GESA), was held between 9‐11 September 2022. A panel of hepatologists, advanced liver nurses and one haematologist, were invited to a roundtable meeting to discuss the use of long‐term albumin infusions for liver cirrhosis. management in Australia. In this review, we summarise the proceedings of this meeting in context of the current literature.

Abstract Southern hemisphere blue (Balaenoptera musculus intermedia) and fin (Balaenoptera physalus) whales are the largest predators in the Southern Ocean, with similarities in morphology and distribution. Yet, understanding of their life history and foraging is limited due to current low abundances and limited ecological data. To address these gaps, historic Antarctic blue (n = 5) and fin (n = 5) whale baleen plates, collected in 1947–1948 and recently rediscovered in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, were analyzed for bulk (δ13C and δ15N) stable isotopes. Regular oscillations in isotopic ratios, interpreted as annual cycles, revealed that baleen plates contain approximately 6 years (14.35 ± 1.20 cm year−1) of life history data in blue whales and 4 years (16.52 ± 1.86 cm year−1) in fin whales. Isotopic results suggest that: (1) while in the Southern Ocean, blue and fin whales likely fed at the same trophic level but demonstrated niche differentiation; (2) fin whales appear to have had more regular annual migrations; and (3) fin whales may have migrated to ecologically distinct sub‐Antarctic waters annually while some blue whales may have resided year‐round in the Southern Ocean. These results reveal differences in ecological niche and life history strategies between Antarctic blue and fin whales during a time period when their populations were more abundant than today, and before major human‐driven climatic changes occurred in the Southern Ocean.

Abstract In 1992, the UN banned the use of large‐scale pelagic driftnets on the high seas (UNGA Resolution 46/215). Three decades later, however, drift gillnets remain one of the primary fishing gears in the Indian Ocean, accounting for approximately 30% of tuna catches in this ocean. Recent estimates indicate that several million small cetaceans have been killed in Indian Ocean gillnets over the past few decades. National agencies and the regional fisheries management organization charged with managing tuna fisheries, the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission, have yet to effectively document the bycatch of small cetaceans in these fisheries. Here, we review current information on cetacean bycatch in Indian Ocean drift gillnets and propose potential solutions to this important conservation issue.

Abstract Ecologists are now widely utilising video data to quantify the behaviours and interactions of animals in the wild. This process can be facilitated by collecting videos in stereo, which can provide information about animals' positions, movements and behaviours in three‐dimensions (3D). However, there are no published designs that can collect underwater 3D stereo data at high spatial and temporal resolutions for extended periods (days). Here, we present complete hardware and software solutions for a long‐running, open‐source, underwater stereo camera rig, costing £1337. This stereo camera can continuously record aquatic species and their behaviours/interactions in high resolution (1080 p and 30 fps) and in 3D, over multiple days. We provide full design guides for the cameras and a travel‐friendly rig, and include guidance and open‐source code for calibrating the cameras in space and time. We also show how these cameras could be used to track animals' body parts and positions, and how their size, posture and behaviour can be inferred. This stereo camera will facilitate the collection of high‐resolution ecological and behavioural data, such as affiliative, agonistic or trophic interactions between species, which can inform us about the health and structure of ecosystems. These data will assist ecologists and conservationists in monitoring and understanding the impacts of current environmental pressures on ecosystem functioning.

Abstract Background Cognitive impairment is common in Parkinson's disease and is associated with poorer quality of life and increased caregiver distress, but little qualitative information is available on lived experiences of people with Parkinson's who also have cognitive impairment. Objectives The aim of this study was to explore the challenges of cognitive impairment in Parkinson's, triangulating the perspectives of people with Parkinson's, caregivers and healthcare professionals. Methods Semistructured interviews were conducted with 11 people with Parkinson's and cognitive impairment, 10 family caregivers and 27 healthcare professionals, using purposive sampling in the United Kingdom (2019–2021). Cognitive impairment was identified by healthcare professionals and required subjective symptoms. Relevant cognitive diagnoses were recorded. Interviews were audio‐recorded, transcribed and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results An overarching concept of the compound impact of cognitive and physical decline was developed, with six themes. Four themes describe the experience of living with cognitive impairment in Parkinson's: (1) Challenges in Daily Activities, (2) Psychological Impact and (3) Evolving Communication Difficulties together contributing to (4) Social Shift, encompassing a reduction in wider social activities but intensification of close relationships with increased dependence. A fifth theme (5) Living Well describes positive influences on these experiences, encompassing intrinsic motivation, self‐management strategies and supportive relationships. Furthermore, underlying and shaping the whole experience was the sixth theme: (6) Preconceptions about Cognitive Impairment, describing fear and denial of symptoms and poor understanding of the nature of cognitive impairment in Parkinson's, with differences to other dementia pathologies. Conclusions Cognitive impairment superimposed on the existing challenges of Parkinson's has a multifaceted impact and makes living with the condition arduous. Increased understanding of the experiences of this group and employing the identified facilitators for living well may be able to improve patient and caregiver experiences. Patient or Public Contribution Two people with Parkinson's and cognitive impairment and three caregivers contributed to the study. Between them they contributed throughout the entirety of the project, giving input at conceptualisation as well as advice and review of interview questions, participant information leaflets, recruitment, interpretation of findings and summaries of the project.

Abstract Aim To examine the impact of six areas of work‐life, emotional intelligence and psychological capital on compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction among Canadian Registered Nurses and licensed practical nurses. Design A cross‐sectional survey study. Methods A convenience sample of 296 Registered Nurses and 110 licensed practical nurses answered a self‐administered questionnaire measuring areas of work‐life, psychological capital, emotional intelligence, compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue in September 2019. The association between variables were analysed with descriptive and correlational analyses, while the hypothesized models were tested using multiple regression analyses. Results This study identified several areas of work‐life and intrapersonal resources that impacted compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue. Among Registered Nurses, compassion satisfaction was predicted by psychological capital, rewards, values and workload. Compassion fatigue was predicted by psychological capital, workload, control and community. Among licensed practical nurses, compassion satisfaction was predicted by psychological capital and emotional intelligence. Compassion fatigue was predicted by workload and psychological capital. Study results also revealed significant differences in Registered Nurses' and licensed practical nurses' perceptions of workload, rewards and fairness at work, and both compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue. Registered Nurses perceived their workload to be more manageable and perceived greater rewards and greater fairness at work than licensed practical nurses. Compassion fatigue was higher for Registered Nurses than licensed practical nurses, while compassion satisfaction was higher for licensed practical nurses than Registered Nurses. Future studies should investigate the nature and span of these differences to suggest relevant strategies to mitigate compassion fatigue and promote compassion satisfaction for each of these nursing roles. Conclusion The results of this study underscore the need to create nursing work environments that foster a manageable workload and positive social relationships, where nurses have professional autonomy, decision‐making capacities and access to adequate resources to do their job effectively. The nursing work environment should also provide recognition of nurses' contributions and an alignment between personal and organizational values. Investments in the development and improvement of nurses' psychological capital and emotional intelligence should be prioritized since they are malleable and impactful intrapersonal resources on compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue. Reporting method This study adhered to the STROBE guidelines. Public contribution A total of 406 nurses were involved in this study by answering a self‐administered study survey.

Abstract Here, we report on eDNA week, an international conference held online as a five‐day series of webinars from January 17, 2022, to January 21, 2022. The conference was organized by the UK DNA working group, which has witnessed considerable growth and application of eDNA research since its founding and first conference in 2014. The 2022 event, held online due to the COVID‐19 pandemic, provided an opportunity to invite international researchers who are leading the field, without the usual constraints of conference location. Compared with the previous UK‐based in‐person conferences, there was greater international participation amongst the 514 people who registered to attend the event. To emphasize the importance of collaboration between sectors in driving forward DNA monitoring, a session was devoted to presentations by participants from governmental agencies, and another to those from commercial companies developing and utilizing DNA tools. The industry and stakeholder sessions were accompanied by state‐of‐the‐art presentations delivered by a global group of DNA/eDNA researchers from 11 countries. These sessions were complemented by an open forum session for reflection and discussion.

Abstract Microbial communities play important roles in lake ecosystems and are sensitive to environmental change. However, our understanding of their responses to long‐term change such as eutrophication is limited, as long‐term lake monitoring is rare, and traditional paleolimnological techniques (pigments and microfossils) are restricted to a low taxonomic resolution, or organisms with well‐preserved structures. Sedimentary DNA (sedDNA) is a promising technique to reconstruct past microbial communities in sediments, but taphonomic processes and the ability of sedDNA to record bacterial pelagic history accurately are largely unknown. Here, we sequenced the 16S rRNA gene in triplicate sediment cores from Esthwaite Water (English Lake District) which has concurrent long‐term monitoring and observational data. The sediment record spanned 113 years and included an episode of increased nutrient availability from the 1970s, followed by a more recent decline. Trends in bacterial community composition were broadly similar among the three sediment cores. Cyanobacterial richness in the sediment cores correlated significantly with that of cyanobacteria in a 65‐year microscopy‐based monitoring record, and some known pelagic bacterial taxa were detected in the sediment. sedDNA revealed distinct shifts in community composition in response to changing lake physicochemical conditions. The relative abundance of cyanobacteria closely reflected nutrient enrichment, and Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Verrucomicrobia were relatively more abundant in recent sediments, while Chloroflexi, Firmicutes, Acidobacteria, Nitrospirae, Spirochaetes, and Planctomycetes declined in more recent sediments. Following lake restoration efforts to reduce nutrient enrichment, the relative abundance of cyanobacteria returned to pre‐1970 levels, but the bacterial community did not fully recover from the period of intense eutrophication within the time scale of our study. These results suggest that sedDNA is a valuable approach to reconstruct lake microbial community composition over the 100‐year time scale studied, but an improved understanding of DNA deposition and degradation is required to further the application of sedDNA in paleolimnology.

Abstract We use Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) trace gas measurements to investigate whether water vapor (H2O) injected into the stratosphere by the Hunga Tonga‐Hunga Ha'apai (HTHH) eruption affected the 2022 Antarctic stratospheric vortex. Other MLS‐measured long‐lived species are used to distinguish high HTHH H2O from that descending in the vortex from the upper‐stratospheric H2O peak. HTHH H2O reached high southern latitudes in June–July but was effectively excluded from the vortex by the strong transport barrier at its edge. MLS H2O, nitric acid, chlorine species, and ozone within the 2022 Antarctic polar vortex were near average; the vortex was large, strong, and long‐lived, but not exceptionally so. There is thus no clear evidence of HTHH influence on the 2022 Antarctic vortex or its composition. Substantial impacts on the stratospheric polar vortices are expected in succeeding years since the H2O injected by HTHH has spread globally.

Background As partial pressure of oxygen (pO2) rises with the first breath, the ductus arteriosus (DA) constricts, diverting blood flow to the pulmonary circulation. The DA's O2 sensor resides within smooth muscle cells. The DA smooth muscle cells’ mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) produces reactive oxygen species (ROS) in proportion to oxygen tension, causing vasoconstriction by regulating redox‐sensitive ion channels and enzymes. To identify which ETC complex contributes most to DA O2 sensing and determine whether ROS mediate O2 sensing independent of metabolism, we used electron leak suppressors, S1QEL (suppressor of site IQ electron leak) and S3QEL (suppressor of site IIIQo electron leak), which decrease ROS production by inhibiting electron leak from quinone sites IQ and IIIQo, respectively. Methods and Results The effects of S1QEL, S3QEL, and ETC inhibitors (rotenone and antimycin A) on DA tone, mitochondrial metabolism, O2‐induced changes in intracellular calcium, and ROS were studied in rabbit DA rings, and human and rabbit DA smooth muscle cells. S1QEL's effects on DA patency were assessed in rabbit kits, using micro computed tomography. In DA rings, S1QEL, but not S3QEL, reversed O2‐induced constriction (P=0.0034) without reducing phenylephrine‐induced constriction. S1QEL did not inhibit mitochondrial metabolism or ETC‐I activity. In human DA smooth muscle cells, S1QEL and rotenone inhibited O2‐induced increases in intracellular calcium (P=0.02 and 0.001, respectively), a surrogate for DA constriction. S1QEL inhibited O2‐induced ROS generation (P=0.02). In vivo, S1QEL prevented O2‐induced DA closure (P

Abstract The dataset described here includes estimates of historical (1980–2020) daily surface water temperature, lake metadata, and daily weather conditions for lakes bigger than 4 ha in the conterminous United States (n = 185,549), and also in situ temperature observations for a subset of lakes (n = 12,227). Estimates were generated using a long short‐term memory deep learning model and compared to existing process‐based and linear regression models. Model training was optimized for prediction on unmonitored lakes through cross‐validation that held out lakes to assess generalizability and estimate error. On the held‐out lakes with in situ observations, median lake‐specific error was 1.24°C, and the overall root mean squared error was 1.61°C. This dataset increases the number of lakes with daily temperature predictions when compared to existing datasets, as well as substantially improves predictive accuracy compared to a prior empirical model and a debiased process‐based approach (2.01°C and 1.79°C median error, respectively).

Abstract The United States official soybean (Glycine max L.) test weight (TW) is 75.7 kg hL−1 (60 lb bu−1). This standard is used to convert the weight of a load of soybean into bushels. Typically, when TW falls below 68.4 kg hL−1, (54 lb bu−1), growers may receive discounted payments. In recent years, the average TW of soybean appears to have declined in certain regions. There is currently no literature on the relative merits of common instruments used to measure TW. Therefore, we compared three instruments: a Mini GAC Plus, a Perten Aquamatic 5200, and a volumetric instrument, for accuracy and speed of sample processing in a lab setting. The TW of 517 plots generated from 11 soybean field trials grown in Tallassee, Alabama, over 2 years was measured to compare the performance of these instruments. The median value per instrument was used to determine variation and bias among the machines, and the speed of processing 100 samples was used as a measure of efficiency. For accuracy, the Perten had better agreement with the volumetric than the GAC and contained less bias compared to the GAC. All three TW instruments differed significantly from each other in processing speed. The volumetric instrument had the fastest processing speed, but its utility was limited due to a lack of moisture measurement. Otherwise, the Perten Aquamatic 5200 is more efficient. Future experiments should examine seed quality parameters and how they may influence the measurements of samples.

Abstract Background Cachexia is a debilitating complication of cancer characterized by progressive wasting and weakness of skeletal muscles that reduces quality of life and can compromise survival. Many anticancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, also cause muscle wasting, which impairs the response to treatment. Given that many cancer patients present with cachexia at the initiation of treatment, we investigated whether cachectic mice were susceptible to chemotherapy‐induced muscle wasting and to investigate contributing mechanisms, including the dysregulation of microRNAs (miRs). Methods Cachectic colon‐26 (C‐26) tumour‐bearing mice were given 5‐fluourouracil (5‐FU) chemotherapy or vehicle treatment and analysed for muscle mass, fibre size and composition, and miR expression. Mechanisms were validated in vitro using C2C12 cell culture and miR mimics and inhibitors and were confirmed in vivo by injecting muscles of 5‐FU‐treated cachectic mice with recombinant adeno‐associated viral (rAAV) vectors encoding a miR sponge. Results In cachectic tumour‐bearing mice, 5‐FU chemotherapy exacerbated the loss of skeletal muscle mass compared with vehicle treatment (by −12% to −20%, P

Abstract Molecular identification of mixed‐species pollen samples has a range of applications in various fields of research. To date, such molecular identification has primarily been carried out via amplicon sequencing, but whole‐genome shotgun (WGS) sequencing of pollen DNA has potential advantages, including (1) more genetic information per sample and (2) the potential for better quantitative matching. In this study, we tested the performance of WGS sequencing methodology and publicly available reference sequences in identifying species and quantifying their relative abundance in pollen mock communities. Using mock communities previously analyzed with DNA metabarcoding, we sequenced approximately 200Mbp for each sample using Illumina HiSeq and MiSeq. Taxonomic identifications were based on the Kraken k‐mer identification method with reference libraries constructed from full‐genome and short read archive data from the NCBI database. We found WGS to be a reliable method for taxonomic identification of pollen with near 100% identification of species in mixtures but generating higher rates of false positives (reads not identified to the correct taxon at the required taxonomic level) relative to rbcL and ITS2 amplicon sequencing. For quantification of relative species abundance, WGS data provided a stronger correlation between pollen grain proportion and sequence read proportion, but diverged more from a 1:1 relationship, likely due to the higher rate of false positives. Currently, a limitation of WGS‐based pollen identification is the lack of representation of plant diversity in publicly available genome databases. As databases improve and costs drop, we expect that eventually genomics methods will become the methods of choice for species identification and quantification of mixed‐species pollen samples.

Abstract A growing body of work examines the direct and indirect effects of climate change on ecosystems, typically by using manipulative experiments at a single site or performing meta‐analyses across many independent experiments. However, results from single‐site studies tend to have limited generality. Although meta‐analytic approaches can help overcome this by exploring trends across sites, the inherent limitations in combining disparate datasets from independent approaches remain a major challenge. In this paper, we present a globally distributed experimental network that can be used to disentangle the direct and indirect effects of climate change. We discuss how natural gradients, experimental approaches, and statistical techniques can be combined to best inform predictions about responses to climate change, and we present a globally distributed experiment that utilizes natural environmental gradients to better understand long‐term community and ecosystem responses to environmental change. The warming and (species) removal in mountains (WaRM) network employs experimental warming and plant species removals at high‐ and low‐elevation sites in a factorial design to examine the combined and relative effects of climatic warming and the loss of dominant species on community structure and ecosystem function, both above‐ and belowground. The experimental design of the network allows for increasingly common statistical approaches to further elucidate the direct and indirect effects of warming. We argue that combining ecological observations and experiments along gradients is a powerful approach to make stronger predictions of how ecosystems will function in a warming world as species are lost, or gained, in local communities.

Abstract Background and Aims In moving towards the elimination of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among people living with HIV, understanding HCV transmission patterns may provide insights to guide and evaluate interventions. In this study, we evaluated patterns of, and factors associated with HCV phylogenetic clustering among people living with HIV/HCV co‐infection in Australia in the direct‐acting antiviral era. Methods HCV RNA was extracted from dried blood spot (DBS) samples collected between 2014 and 2018 in the CEASE cohort study. The HCV Core‐E2 region was amplified by a polymerase chain reaction and Sanger sequenced. Maximum likelihood phylogenetic trees (1000 bootstrap replicates) were used to identify patterns of clustering (3% genetic distance threshold). Mixed‐effects logistic regression was used to determine correlates of phylogenetic clustering. Factors assessed were sexual risk behavior, education, injecting drug use, housing, employment, HIV viral load, age, sex, and sexuality. Results Phylogenetic trees were reconstructed for HCV subtype 1a (n = 139) and 3a (n = 63) sequences, with 29% (58/202) in a pair or cluster. Overall (n = 202), phylogenetic clustering was positively associated with younger age (under 40; adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.52, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.20–5.29), and among gay and bisexual men (n = 168), was positively associated with younger age (aOR 2.61, 95% CI 1.10–6.19), higher education (aOR 2.58, 95% CI 1.09–6.13), and reporting high‐risk sexual behavior (aOR 3.94, 95% CI 1.31–11.84). During follow‐up, five reinfections were observed, but none were in phylogenetic clusters. Conclusion This study found a high proportion of phylogenetic relatedness, predominantly among younger people and gay and bisexual men reporting high‐risk sexual behavior. Despite this, few reinfections were observed, and reinfections demonstrated little relationship with known clusters. These findings highlight the importance of rapid HCV treatment initiation, together with monitoring of the phylogeny.

Abstract Fibropapillomatosis (FP) is a tumor‐forming disease which affects all species of marine turtle, but predominantly the green turtle (Chelonia mydas). Expression of this disease is thought to be precipitated by poor environmental conditions and often linked to anthropogenically induced environmental changes. Although FP is a globally distributed disease, targeted studies on the spatial distribution of the disease in Australia are limited. Here, we present the first comprehensive report of FP prevalence in Queensland, Australia. A retrospective analysis of 25,645 capture records for 15 sites along the Queensland coast were used to determine FP prevalence and trends in foraging green turtles. Within this data set, 791 turtles (3.1%) with FP tumors were recorded. Our analysis showed that prevalence varies between sites and years, with juvenile turtles being the most frequently affected by the disease. We found that survey method has a significant influence on the apparent FP prevalence detected at each site. That is, surveys which were explicitly FP‐targeted detected higher numbers of individual turtles with FP, and therefore generated higher prevalence rates than comprehensive population surveys. We also report the first attempt at developing water quality indices (WQIs) to compare with FP prevalence data in foraging green turtles. The WQIs were built from metrics published in a range of peer‐reviewed papers, reports, and based on expert opinion. Despite utilizing an extensive data set, a relationship between FP prevalence and WQI rankings at each site could not be quantified. The analysis was confounded by a range of limitations, including data gaps, varying temporal scales and data capture methods in the FP prevalence, and water quality data sets. This study has significant implications for management as it highlights the benefits of designing and collecting centralized data that can be integrated and used across multiple projects or programs.

Abstract The application of evolutionary and ecological principles to cancer prevention and treatment, as well as recognizing cancer as a selection force in nature, has gained impetus over the last 50 years. Following the initial theoretical approaches that combined knowledge from interdisciplinary fields, it became clear that using the eco‐evolutionary framework is of key importance to understand cancer. We are now at a pivotal point where accumulating evidence starts to steer the future directions of the discipline and allows us to underpin the key challenges that remain to be addressed. Here, we aim to assess current advancements in the field and to suggest future directions for research. First, we summarize cancer research areas that, so far, have assimilated ecological and evolutionary principles into their approaches and illustrate their key importance. Then, we assembled 33 experts and identified 84 key questions, organized around nine major themes, to pave the foundations for research to come. We highlight the urgent need for broadening the portfolio of research directions to stimulate novel approaches at the interface of oncology and ecological and evolutionary sciences. We conclude that progressive and efficient cross‐disciplinary collaborations that draw on the expertise of the fields of ecology, evolution and cancer are essential in order to efficiently address current and future questions about cancer.

Abstract Assessments of fish communities tend to rely on capture‐based methods that, due to sampling biases, can underestimate actual species richness. Alternatively, environmental DNA (eDNA) based metabarcoding is a noncapture approach that infers species richness and distribution by collecting and sequencing DNA present in the ecosystem. Here, eDNA metabarcoding was applied to the lower River Severn, a highly modified and impounded river, to identify the species present in the fish assemblage. Using a universal primer for fish (12S mtDNA region), comparisons were made between the species identified as present by eDNA metabarcoding versus long‐term data available from fisheries monitoring data based on capture methods. Depending on the stringency of detection thresholds applied, the two methods detected between 15 and 25 fish species present in the river, with the eDNA metabarcoding detecting most species previously reported in the capture surveys, although with differences in the relative abundance of species between the methods. Notably, eDNA metabarcoding detected species of high conservation importance that were never sampled by capture techniques, including native European shads (Alosa spp.). Differences in the similarity indices of species detection were greater between the sampling methods than between sampling sites on each river. These results highlight the high potential of eDNA metabarcoding to provide an effective monitoring tool for biodiversity and conservation in rivers, but also indicate the need for complementary multi‐method sampling for robust estimates of fish species richness.

Abstract To mitigate the negative impacts of invasive rabbits in Australia, land managers are permitted to release the biocontrol virus, rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV), to reduce rabbit numbers. However, it is strongly recommended that RHDV is not released when young rabbits are present in the population as infection in this cohort is sublethal and induces life‐long virus immunity. The recruitment of these rabbits into the breeding population may make the population harder to control in future, potentially leading to increasing rather than decreased population size. To investigate whether the recommended release guidelines are followed, we obtained data on the supply and release of RHDV by land managers. We then used generalized additive models to investigate Australia‐wide and state‐specific annual and long‐term temporal trends in the supply and release of RHDV. Half of all RHDV supply (47%) and three quarters of reported releases (74%) Australia‐wide occurred during the anticipated major rabbit breeding seasons and when the risk of immunizing young rabbits is greatest. We found evidence of both RHDV supply and release during the anticipated major rabbit breeding seasons in almost all states for which data existed. RHDV supply increased with below average annual rainfall. This may indicate a tendency for land managers to notice, and want to control, rabbits and their impacts more following drier years when both rabbits and their impacts are potentially more damaging. Our study raises concerns regarding the inappropriate release of RHDV by land managers and whether its supply should be restricted to ensure ongoing and effective management of invasive rabbits. More broadly, our study serves as a warning to other conservation and pest management activities reliant on land managers or citizens following implementation guidelines. In some cases, good intentions may have adverse outcomes.

Abstract Cancer treatment is often aimed at achieving rapid, large, and sustained reductions in tumor burden. Even when these strong responses are achieved, treatment frequently fails due to the emergence of drug‐resistant cell lineages. Over the last decade, a variety of authors have suggested that treatment should instead be aimed at containing resistance rather than curing the patient. That new philosophy poses a dilemma: how to choose between treatment regimens that can sometimes cure the patient and regimens that can delay progression but not cure the patient? Here, we investigate that choice. We define aspects of the evolution and ecology of tumor dynamics that determine whether it is better to attempt cure or to manage resistance. Even when it is possible to manage resistance and delay progression, this may not be the best treatment option. We show that the best option depends on how “cure” and “delaying progression” are prioritized, and how those priorities will vary among patients. We also discuss the difficulties of comparing in clinical trials traditional strategies that can sometimes successfully cure to alternative approaches where cure is not possible. More generally, where resistance management is possible, there are new challenges in communicating options to patients, setting treatment guidelines, and evaluating data from clinical trials.

Abstract Introduction COVID‐19 has impacted people with dementia and their family carers, yet little is known about effects on overall quality of life. Methods In a UK cohort study, pre‐ and post‐pandemic data were collected from 114 carers and 93 recently diagnosed people with dementia. Latent growth curve modeling examined change in quality of life. Results Carers reported significant decline in quality of life, although no change was demonstrated by people with dementia. In multivariable analyses, higher levels of cognitive impairment, deprivation, study site, and lower number of memory clinic contacts were associated with greater decline in carer quality of life. Discussion Maintaining life quality for people with dementia during the pandemic appears to have come at the expense of their family carers. This inequity has fallen hardest on those caring for people with more severe dementia, in deprived areas, and with least support from memory services. These effects may be prevented or reversed by post‐diagnostic care.

Abstract The ecosystem services approach is based on the interdependencies between nature and human well‐being. However, while the ecosystem services aspect of this approach is well‐developed, the human well‐being aspect remains unstructured and vaguely defined. An integrated conceptual framework was developed by adapting and linking the UK National Ecosystem Assessment‐Follow On framework with human well‐being domains. As well as benefits, the notion of disbenefits was incorporated to recognise the potentially detrimental effects from interacting with nature. Benefits and disbenefits occur at the social–ecological interface and are classified by the seven domains of human well‐being they affect. The framework is applied to saltmarsh habitat as a case study, highlighting knowledge gaps and the potential applicability and usefulness of the framework. In saltmarsh, benefits mainly accrue at larger scales with a greater impact affecting local to global individuals, while disbenefits tend to occur at a smaller scale and impact in‐situ individuals. The framework provides in‐depth insight into links, trade‐offs and dichotomies between benefits and disbenefits and human well‐being, and improves accessibility to the complex research area of human well‐being. This research can be a useful tool to guide environmental and health policy and management, as well as stakeholder engagement. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.

Abstract Although the negative impacts of roads on herpetiles are well documented, broad‐scale implementation of effective mitigation measures to address these impacts remains limited. Here, we evaluated whether a novel, cost‐effective, retrofit ecopassage design can reduce road mortality of herpetiles in the Lake Simcoe Watershed, using a before‐after‐control‐impact study. We also examined whether the ecopassages impacted the movement of turtles across the landscape using wildlife cameras. Our study indicated that the ecopassages significantly reduced turtle road mortality at the treatment sites but were not effective at mitigating road mortality of other herpetiles. Most turtle road‐kill at the ecopassages sites occurred at fence ends, highlighting the need for solutions to address fence‐end effects for herpetiles. There was no evidence that the ecopassages reduced turtles' ability to move between habitats as individuals were observed crossing through the ecopassages. Our results suggest that inexpensive solutions can effectively mitigate road mortality for turtles and taller fencing could improve the design for other species. Ecopassages, such as the ones tested in this study, should be widely implemented in road‐kill hotspots across all regions, especially in habitats of rare or at‐risk species, in order to protect turtles and other wildlife from the increasing threat of roads.

Abstract False killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens) depredate bait and catch in the Hawai‘i‐based deep‐set longline fishery, and as a result, this species is hooked or entangled more than any other cetacean in this fishery. We analyzed data collected by fisheries observers and from satellite‐linked transmitters deployed on false killer whales to identify patterns of odontocete depredation that could help fishermen avoid overlap with whales. Odontocete depredation was observed on ˜6% of deep‐set hauls across the fleet from 2004 to 2018. Model outcomes from binomial GAMMs suggested coarse patterns, for example, higher rates of depredation in winter, at lower latitudes, and with higher fishing effort. However, explanatory power was low, and no covariates were identified that could be used in a predictive context. The best indicator of depredation was the occurrence of depredation on a previous set of the same vessel. We identified spatiotemporal scales of this repeat depredation to provide guidance to fishermen on how far to move or how long to wait to reduce the probability of repeated interactions. The risk of depredation decreased with both space and time from a previous occurrence, with the greatest benefits achieved by moving ˜400 km or waiting ˜9 d, which reduced the occurrence of depredation from 18% to 9% (a 50% reduction). Fishermen moved a median 46 km and waited 4.7 h following an observed depredation interaction, which our analysis suggests is unlikely to lead to large reductions in risk. Satellite‐tagged pelagic false killer whales moved up to 75 km in 4 h and 335 km in 24 h, suggesting that they can likely keep pace with longline vessels for at least four hours and likely longer. We recommend fishermen avoid areas of known depredation or bycatch by moving as far and as quickly as practical, especially within a day or two of the depredation or bycatch event. We also encourage captains to communicate depredation and bycatch occurrence to enable other vessels to similarly avoid high‐risk areas.

Abstract Ants play multiple roles in ecosystems, but their ability to affect decomposition processes in temperate grasslands is relatively unknown. We investigated whether the suppression of ant populations influenced litter decomposition in grasslands via predation of some decomposers (e.g., mites and springtails) and/or microbial activity and composition. We performed two successful ant suppression treatments (seven weeks, 37% suppression, year 1, 10 weeks, 70% suppression, year 2) over the course of a 59‐week experiment. We then assayed the effects of ant suppression using coarse‐ and fine‐mesh litterbags and evaluated litter chemistry, microbial and arthropod communities, and microbial enzyme activity. Ant suppression efforts reduced ant abundance and altered ant, arthropod decomposer, and non‐ant predator community composition. However, ant suppression did not affect decomposer arthropod abundance, litter mass loss, microbial composition, or enzyme activity in litterbags. Litterbag mesh size did not alter microbial composition, perhaps due to a failure to exclude decomposers, as mites and springtails were more or equally abundant in fine‐mesh bags. Nevertheless, mesh size did change litter chemistry, suggesting that mesh size‐mediated microenvironments affect decomposition environment regardless of invertebrate exclusion. Coarse‐mesh litterbags had higher concentrations of microbial sugars, lignin, and N and lower concentrations of litter C and crystalline cellulose than fine‐mesh litterbags. Litterbag mesh size may alter decomposition processes irrespective of invertebrate abundance. We found no evidence that ant predation was an important driver of decomposer populations or decomposition in these systems, and we suspect redundancy at the top of the detrital food web dilutes the role of ants.

Abstract Lakes support globally important food webs through algal productivity and contribute significantly to the global carbon cycle. However, predictions of how broad‐scale lake carbon flux and productivity may respond to future climate are extremely limited. Here, we used an integrated modeling framework to project changes in lake‐specific and regional primary productivity and carbon fluxes under 21st century climate for thousands of lakes. We observed high uncertainty in whether lakes collectively were to increase or decrease lake CO2 emissions and carbon burial in our modeled region owing to divergence in projected regional water balance among climate models. Variation in projected air temperature influenced projected changes in lake primary productivity (but not CO2 emissions or carbon burial) as warmer air temperatures decreased productivity through reduced lake water volume. Cross‐scale interactions between regional drivers and local characteristics dictated the magnitude and direction of lake‐specific carbon flux and productivity responses to future climate.

Abstract Background Vitamin D3 (VitD) deficiency is linked to increased incidence and worse survival in bladder cancer (BCa). In addition to cystectomy, patients are treated with cisplatin‐based chemotherapy, however 30%‐50% of patients do not benefit from this treatment. The effects of VitD deficiency on response to chemotherapy remain unknown. Methods To test effects of VitD supplementation on the response to cisplatin we analyzed patient serum VitD levels and correlated that with survival. In vivo, VitD deficient mice were treated with cisplatin, with or without pretreatment with the active VitD metabolite, 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25D3). Lastly, using BCa cell lines, T24 and RT‐112, the mechanism of action of 1,25D3 and cisplatin combination treatment was determined by apoptosis assays, as well as western blot and RT‐PCR. Results In this study, we determined that low serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D3 (25D3) levels was significantly associated with worse response to cisplatin. Pretreating deficient mice with 1,25D3, reduced tumor volume compared to cisplatin monotherapy. In vitro, 1,25D3 pretreatment increased the apoptotic response to cisplatin. 1,25D3 pretreatment increased expression of TAp73 and its pro‐apoptotic targets, in a VDR dependent manner. VDR and its transcriptional targets were induced after 1,25D3 treatment and further increased after the combination of 1,25D3 and cisplatin in a TAp73 dependent manner. Conclusions Our data suggest that VitD deficiency could be a biomarker for poor response to cisplatin, and pretreating with VitD can increase the apoptotic response to cisplatin through VDR and TAp73 signaling crosstalk.

Abstract The impacts of warming on communities and ecosystems are predicted to be significant in mountain ecosystems because physiological processes, including rates of carbon (C) cycling, are often more temperature‐sensitive in colder environments. Plant biodiversity can also influence C exchange, yet few studies integrate how biotic and abiotic factors may directly or interactively impact ecosystem C flux. Here, we examine the link between simultaneous changes in multiple dimensions of plant diversity and peak growing season ecosystem C uptake across a climatic gradient in the Rocky Mountains, Colorado, USA. We found that taxonomic diversity (species richness), functional diversity (functional evenness), and phylogenetic diversity (mean pairwise distance) were significantly and positively related to peak growing season ecosystem C uptake (i.e., net ecosystem exchange) when considered independently. However, when abiotic and biotic factors were integrated in a structural equation model, only plant phylogenetic diversity was significantly related to C uptake. In addition, we found that actual evapotranspiration (AET—a measure that integrates precipitation and temperature) affected ecosystem C exchange indirectly via its impact on the three dimensions of plant diversity that we examined. These findings highlight complex relationships among key measures of biodiversity and ecosystem C uptake in a rapidly warming ecosystem, and the possible mechanisms that underlie relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. They also point to the need for integrating multiple dimensions of biodiversity into studies of community and ecosystem ecology.

Abstract Arid rangelands are degraded worldwide, suffering vegetation transformation, soil erosion, introductions, and extinctions. Wild deserts is restoring a desert ecosystem in Sturt National Park, New South Wales, Australia (35,000 ha), eradicating or controlling introduced animals, managing native herbivores, and reintroducing regionally extinct mammals. We describe a Strategic Adaptive Management Plan for restoration of this desert ecosystem, including a vision, model of ecosystem processes, stakeholder input, a hierarchy of objectives linked to triggers and their management actions, producing outcomes and outputs. Our management treatments included two “no restoration” areas and three “restoration” areas. The latter include two exclosures (each 2,000 ha), free of introduced animals (foxes, cats, rabbits), with previously abundant kangaroos removed and regionally extinct mammals to be reintroduced. The third management treatment is a Wild Training Zone (10,400 ha), with introduced animals and kangaroos managed at low levels, using innovative methods, improving survivorship and avoidance behavior of reintroduced mammals to introduced predators. These measures will allow populations of threatened animals to establish, initially in the exclosures, then the Wild Training Zone and potentially more widely. Our strategic adaptive management planning approach is generic and implementable for any natural resource management project, providing explicit steps and processes that track and report transparently on outcomes, fostering learning by doing.

Abstract Studies are lacking on the performance of napiergrass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) fertilized with swine (Sus scrofa domestica)‐lagoon effluent. This study (2011–2013) determined biomass yield, nutrient removal, nutritive value, and ethanol yield in cultivar ‘Merkeron’ at a single, late‐season harvest. Effluent irrigations provided 727 kg ha–1 nitrogen (N) annually (3‐yr average). Napiergrass removed 92% of N and 73% of phosphorus (P) applied in 2013, the peak year of production (58.9 Mg ha–1). As compared to stems, leaves had greater (p

Abstract Understanding invasive species spread and projecting how distributions will respond to climate change is a central task for ecologists. Typically, current and projected air temperatures are used to forecast future distributions of invasive species based on climate matching in an ecological niche modeling approach. While this approach was originally developed for terrestrial species, it has also been widely applied to aquatic species even though aquatic species do not experience air temperatures directly. In the case of lakes, species respond to lake thermal regimes, which reflect the interaction of climate and lake attributes such as depth, size, and clarity. The result is that adjacent waterbodies can differ notably in thermal regime. Given these obvious limitations of modeling aquatic species distributions using climate data, we take advantage of recent advances in simulating lake thermal regimes to model the distributions of invasive spiny water flea (Bythotrephes cederströmii) for current and projected future climates in the upper Midwest of the USA. We compared predictions and future projections from models based on modeled air temperatures with models based on modeled water temperature. All models predicted that the number of suitable lakes in the region will decrease with climate change. Models based on air and water temperature differed dramatically in the extent of this decrease. The air temperature model predicted 89% of study lakes to be suitable, with suitability declining dramatically in the late century with climate warming to just a single suitable lake. Lake suitability predictions from the water temperature model declined to a much lesser degree with warming (42% of lakes were predicted to be suitable, declining to 19% in the late century) and were more spatially independent. Our results expose the limitations of using air temperatures to model habitat suitability for aquatic species, and our study further highlights the importance of understanding lake‐specific responses to climate when assessing aquatic species responses to climate change. While we project a contraction in the potential range of Bythotrephes with warming in the study region, we anticipate that Bythotrephes will likely continue to expand into new lakes that will remain suitable in the following decades.

Abstract Background and Aims Direct‐acting antiviral therapy for hepatitis C virus (HCV) is effective, but few prospective studies among people with ongoing injecting drug use exist. This study evaluated the efficacy of elbasvir/grazoprevir in people with HCV genotype 1/4 (G1/4) infection and recent injecting drug use. An exploratory aim evaluated the feasibility of fingerstick point‐of‐care HCV RNA testing prior to and following treatment. Methods DARLO‐C (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02940691) is an open‐label phase 4 trial. Participants were recruited between May 2017 and March 2018 from two drug treatment clinics, two hospital clinics, and one community clinic in Australia. Inclusion criteria included recent injection drug use (previous 6 months) and HCV G1/4 infection. Exclusion criteria included prior HCV treatment and decompensated liver disease. Participants received elbasvir/grazoprevir once‐daily for 12 weeks. The primary endpoint was undetectable HCV RNA 12 weeks post‐treatment (SVR). Fingerstick whole‐blood samples were tested using the Xpert HCV Viral Load Fingerstick (Xpert HCV VL Fingerstick) assay and compared to the Aptima HCV Quant Dx Assay on plasma samples. Results Of a planned 150 participants, 32 were enrolled due to slower than anticipated recruitment [median age 46 years, 10 (31%) female, 29 (91%) G1a]. Eighteen (56%) were receiving opioid agonist therapy and 29 (91%) injected in the previous month. Twenty‐six (81%) of 32 completed treatment (lost to follow‐up, n = 5; incarceration, n = 1). There were no virological failures. Twenty‐four (75%, 95% CI 59%‐91%) of 32 achieved SVR. Two participants who completed treatment did not have SVR (loss to follow‐up, n = 1; refused test, n = 1). Among paired samples (n = 36), sensitivity of the Xpert HCV VL Fingerstick assay for HCV RNA detection was 100.0% (95% CI 75.3%‐100.0%) and specificity was 95.7% (95% CI 78.1%‐99.9%). Conclusion Elbasvir/grazoprevir is effective among people with HCV G1 with recent injecting drug use. Implementation of point‐of‐care HCV RNA testing was feasible, but the high error rate requires investigation.

Abstract Plant ecologists require spatial information on functional soil properties but are often faced with soil classifications that are not directly interpretable or useful for statistical models. Sand and clay content are important soil properties because they indicate soil water‐holding capacity and nutrient content, yet these data are not available for much of the landscape. Remotely sensed soil radiometric data offer promise for developing statistical models of functional soil properties applicable over large areas. Here, we build models linking radiometric data for an area of 40,000 km2 with soil physicochemical data collected over a period of 30 years and demonstrate a strong relationship between gamma radiometric potassium (40K), thorium (²³²Th), and soil sand and clay content. Our models showed predictive performance of 43% with internal cross‐validation (to held‐out data) and ~30% for external validation to an independent test dataset. This work contributes to broader availability and uptake of remote sensing products for explaining patterns in plant distribution and performance across landscapes.

The potential contribution of exogenous dust and grit and endogenous plant silica to tooth wear of the African buffalo in Kruger National Park was examined. Endogenous silica as percent dry matter on basalt soils (6.58%) was significantly higher than on granite soils (4.41%), and significantly higher in dry season grasses (6.64%) than in wet season grasses (4.41%). Exogenous grit on granite grasses (0.43%) had significantly higher loads than basalt grasses (0.16%) and wet season loads significantly higher (0.50%) than dry season (0.09%) loads. Grasses on granite soils were significantly tougher (0.266 J m-1) than those on basalt soils (0.215 J m-1). Adult buffalo were estimated to consume 10–28 kg per year of exogenous grit and 300–400 kg per year of endogenous silica. First lower buffalo molars are estimated to wear at an average rate of 1.94 mm per year with no significant difference between wear on the different soil types or between sexes. The high silica intake with no observable differences in tooth wear questions the role of silica in tooth wear. It is proposed that there is an interaction between exogenous and endogenous abrasives and that abrasion must be considered more holistically.

Abstract Climate change is rapidly warming aquatic ecosystems including lakes and reservoirs. However, variability in lake characteristics can modulate how lakes respond to climate. Water clarity is especially important both because it influences the depth range over which heat is absorbed, and because it is changing in many lakes. Here, we show that simulated long‐term water clarity trends influence how both surface and bottom water temperatures of lakes and reservoirs respond to climate change. Clarity changes can either amplify or suppress climate‐induced warming, depending on lake depth and the direction of clarity change. Using a process‐based model to simulate 1894 north temperate lakes from 1979 to 2012, we show that a scenario of decreasing clarity at a conservative yet widely observed rate of 0.92% yr−1 warmed surface waters and cooled bottom waters at rates comparable in magnitude to climate‐induced warming. For lakes deeper than 6.5 m, decreasing clarity was sufficient to fully offset the effects of climate‐induced warming on median whole‐lake mean temperatures. Conversely, a scenario increasing clarity at the same rate cooled surface waters and warmed bottom waters relative to baseline warming rates. Furthermore, in 43% of lakes, increasing clarity more than doubled baseline bottom temperature warming rates. Long‐term empirical observations of water temperature in lakes with and without clarity trends support these simulation results. Together, these results demonstrate that water clarity trends may be as important as rising air temperatures in determining how waterbodies respond to climate change.

Abstract Background MEGDHEL is an autosomal recessive syndrome defined as 3‐MEthylGlutaconic aciduria (3‐MGA) with Deafness, Hepatopathy, Encephalopathy, and Leigh‐like syndrome on magnetic resonance imaging, due to mutations in the SERAC1 (Serine Active Site Containing 1) gene, which plays a role in the mitochondrial cardiolipin metabolism. Methods We report the case of a young patient who presented with a convulsive encephalopathy, 3‐methylglutaconic aciduria, deafness, and bilateral T2 hypersignals of the putamen and the thalami, who passed away at 8 years of age. Results Analysis of nuclear genes using an ampliSeq™ targeted custom panel disclosed two compound heterozygous variants in the SERAC1 gene: a nonsense substitution in exon 4, c.202C>T, resulting in a premature stop codon (p.Arg68*), and a novel variant at a canonical splicing site upstream exon 4 (c.129‐1G>C). mRNAs sequencing from the fibroblasts of the patient showed that the splice site variant resulted in exon 3 skipping without frameshift while Western blot experiments showed the absence of SERAC1 expression compared to controls and abnormal filipin staining. Conclusion We showed that the loss of the putative transmembrane domain of SERAC1, due to a novel splice site variant, impairs the protein expression and is responsible for the MEGDHEL syndrome.

Abstract Successful management of natural resources requires local action that adapts to larger‐scale environmental changes in order to maintain populations within the safe operating space (SOS) of acceptable conditions. Here, we identify the boundaries of the SOS for a managed freshwater fishery in the first empirical test of the SOS concept applied to management of harvested resources. Walleye (Sander vitreus) are popular sport fish with declining populations in many North American lakes, and understanding the causes of and responding to these changes is a high priority for fisheries management. We evaluated the role of changing water clarity and temperature in the decline of a high‐profile walleye population in Mille Lacs, Minnesota, USA, and estimated safe harvest under changing conditions from 1987 to 2017. Thermal–optical habitat area (TOHA)—the proportion of lake area in which the optimal thermal and optical conditions for walleye overlap—was estimated using a thermodynamic simulation model of daily water temperatures and light conditions. We then used a SOS model to analyze how walleye carrying capacity and safe harvest relate to walleye thermal–optical habitat. Thermal–optical habitat area varied annually and declined over time due to increased water clarity, and maximum safe harvest estimated by the SOS model varied by nearly an order of magnitude. Maximum safe harvest levels of walleye declined with declining TOHA. Walleye harvest exceeded safe harvest estimated by the SOS model in 16 out of the 30 yr of our dataset, and walleye abundance declined following 14 of those years, suggesting that walleye harvest should be managed to accommodate changing habitat conditions. By quantifying harvest trade‐offs associated with loss of walleye habitat, this study provides a framework for managing walleye in the context of ecosystem change.

Abstract Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) are endemic to western North America where they occupy expanses of grassland and sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) habitats. The Red Desert region in south‐central Wyoming, USA, has historically served as a stronghold for pronghorn populations, but many herds there have experienced declining population trends over the last two decades, concurrent with oil and natural gas development. These demographic changes and the potential for such energy development, its associated infrastructure, and other anthropogenic features including roads and fences to influence pronghorn habitat selection were the impetuses for our study. We sought to evaluate the potential effect of human‐induced disturbance on multi‐scale seasonal resource selection of 142 adult female pronghorn from 2013 to 2016 using 442 unique animal‐season‐year datasets. We utilized a traditional resource selection function to evaluate seasonal home‐range selection and a step‐selection function to assess fine‐scale, patch‐level seasonal selection. We also compared resource selection during daytime and nighttime hours with step‐selection analyses. At the seasonal home‐range scale, pronghorn selected for areas with more sagebrush during both seasons and areas farther from fences during summer. This trend was also apparent at the patch‐scale level, where pronghorn selected sagebrush‐dominant habitats and avoided crossing fences in all seasons during both day and night. Additionally at this scale, pronghorn selected areas farther from fences during daytime in summer. At the broader, home‐range scale, pronghorn selected areas with greater road density during summer, but with lower road densities and farther from wells during winter. Avoidance of anthropogenic features during winter was also observed at the finer, patch‐scale, with pronghorn selecting for increased density of roads and oil and natural gas wells during daytime in summer, but selecting areas farther from these features during daytime in winter. We recommend minimizing fencing and other forms of anthropogenic disturbance in high‐quality seasonal pronghorn habitats with high proportions of sagebrush, particularly during winter when risk‐avoidance responses may be amplified.

Core Ideas Leaching below the root zone is estimated based on eight sites of intensive vadose zone monitoring. Across methods N losses estimated at the annual orchard scale were in the same order of magnitude. Simple N mass balance provided a good proxy of the orchard scale annual N accumulation in the soil Under current BMP N load to groundwater is likely in the range of 60 to 100 kg N ha–1. Large spatial and temporal variability in water flow and N transport dynamics poses significant challenges to accurately estimating N losses form orchards. A 2‐yr study was conducted to explore nitrate (NO3−) leaching below the root zone of an almond [Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D. A. Webb] orchard. Temporal changes in water content, pore water NO3− concentrations and soil water potential were monitored within and below the root zone to a soil depth of 3 m at eight sites, which represented spatial variations in soil profiles within an almond orchard in California. Orchard monthly average NO3− concentrations below the root zone ranged from 225 to 710 mg L−1 with mean annual concentration of 468 and 333 mg L−1 for the 2014 and 2015 growing seasons, respectively. Despite the huge variability in pore water NO3− concentration between sites, the larger spatiotemporal scale N losses estimated at the annual orchard scale from surface N mass balance, vadose zone based water and N mass balance, flow calculations, and HYDRUS modeling were all on the same order of magnitude (80–240 kg N ha−1 yr−1). All methods indicated that most of the N losses occur early in the growing season (February–May) when fertilizer is applied to wet soil profiles. Simple mass balance (i.e., N load applied minus N load removed) provided a good proxy of the annual N accumulation in the soil profile at the orchard scale. Reduction of N losses at the orchard scale would require alternative fertigation and irrigation practices to decrease the difference between the N load removed and the N load applied to orchards.

Background Rheumatic heart disease is a high‐burden condition in Australian Aboriginal communities. We evaluated a stepped‐wedge, community, randomized trial at 10 Aboriginal communities from 2013 to 2015. A multifaceted intervention was implemented using quality improvement and chronic care model approaches to improve delivery of penicillin prophylaxis for rheumatic heart disease. The trial did not improve penicillin adherence. This mixed‐methods evaluation, designed a priori, aimed to determine the association between methodological approaches and outcomes. Methods and Results An evaluation framework was developed to measure the success of project implementation and of the underlying program theory. The program theory posited that penicillin delivery would be improved through activities implemented at clinics that addressed elements of the chronic care model. Qualitative data were derived from interviews with health‐center staff, informants, and clients; participant observation; and project officer reports. Quantitative data comprised numbers and types of “action items,” which were developed by participating clinic staff with project officers to improve delivery of penicillin injections. Interview data from 121 health‐center staff, 22 informants, and 72 clients revealed barriers to achieving the trial's aims, including project‐level factors (short trial duration), implementation factors (types of activities implemented), and contextual factors (high staff turnover and the complex sociocultural environment). Insufficient actions were implemented addressing “self‐management support” and “community linkage” streams of the chronic care model. Increased momentum was evident in later stages of the study. Conclusions The program theory underpinning the study was sound. The limited impact made by the study on adherence was attributable to complex implementation challenges.

Background Health system strengthening is needed to improve delivery of secondary prophylaxis against rheumatic heart disease. Methods and Results We undertook a stepped‐wedge, randomized trial in northern Australia. Five pairs of Indigenous community clinics entered the study at 3‐month steps. Study phases comprised a 12 month baseline phase, 3 month transition phase, 12 month intensive phase and a 3‐ to 12‐month maintenance phase. Clinics received a multicomponent intervention supporting activities to improve penicillin delivery, aligned with the chronic care model, with continuous quality‐improvement feedback on adherence. The primary outcome was the proportion receiving ≥80% of scheduled penicillin injections. Secondary outcomes included “days at risk” of acute rheumatic fever recurrence related to late penicillin and acute rheumatic fever recurrence rates. Overall, 304 patients requiring prophylaxis were eligible. The proportion receiving ≥80% of scheduled injections during baseline was 141 of 304 (46%)—higher than anticipated. No effect attributable to the study was evident: in the intensive phase, 126 of 304 (41%) received ≥80% of scheduled injections (odds ratio compared with baseline: 0.78; 95% confidence interval, 0.54–1.11). There was modest improvement in the maintenance phase among high‐adhering patients (43% received ≥90% of injections versus 30% [baseline] and 28% [intensive], P