Temperature niche composition change inside and outside protected areas under climate warming

Conservation of biodiversity relies heavily on protected areas but their role and effectiveness under a warming climate is still debated. We estimated the climate-driven changes in the temperature niche compositions of bird communities inside and outside protected areas in southern Canada. We hypothesized that communities inside protected areas include a higher proportion of cold-dwelling species than communities outside protected areas. We also hypothesized that communities shift to warm-dwelling species more slowly inside protected areas than outside. To study community changes, we used large-scale and long-term (1997–2019) data from the Breeding Bird Survey of Canada. To describe the temperature niche compositions of bird communities, we calculated the community temperature index (CTI) annually for each community inside and outside protected areas. Generally, warm-dwelling species dominated communities with high CTI values. We modeled temporal changes in CTI as a function of protection status with linear mixed-effect models. We also determined which species contributed most to the temporal changes in CTI with a jackknife approach. As anticipated, CTI was lower inside protected areas than outside. However, contrary to our expectation, CTI increased faster over time inside than outside protected areas and warm-dwelling species contributed most to CTI change inside protected areas. These results highlight the ubiquitous impacts of climate warming. Currently, protected areas can aid cold-dwelling species by providing habitat, but as the climate warms, the communities’ temperature compositions inside protected areas quickly begin to resemble those outside protected areas, suggesting that protected areas delay the impacts of climate warming on cold-dwelling species.     

Sensing and characterization technologies at Los Alamos National Laboratory

We describe four sensing and characterization technologies recently developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory; a select set of mass spectral and optical techniques is emphasized. This work describes new, or newly developed, technologies which can be used for on-site, at-line and laboratory analyses. These include two each of optical-and mass spectrometric-based systems. We describe first a field deployable mass spectrometer, based on an ion trap analyzer, and variants of that system. We then describe a hand-held, battery-operated optical spectrometer, usable in either absorption, or fluorescence excitation mode. A laser-based mass spectrometer is also described, which used a minimal tunable laser system, and a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. Finally, a Zeeman effect optical diffractomer is described.     

Prenatal diagnosis of medium-chain acyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase deficiency

A fatal case of medium-chain acyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase deficiency is described in a patient who presented with hypoglycaemia and a gross non-ketotic dicarboxylic aciduria. Cultured skin fibroblasts released ¹⁴CO₂ from [1–¹⁴C] octanoic acid at half the normal rate. Prenatal diagnosis was undertaken in a subsequent pregnancy in which cultured amniotic fluid cells revealed a marked reduction in octanoate oxidation indicative of an affected fetus. The pregnancy was terminated and the diagnosis was confirmed by enzyme analysis of skin fibroblasts taken from the fetus. The high residual octanoate oxidation by affected fibroblasts together with the absence of any characteristic abnormality of amniotic fluid organic acids are a potential limitation to the reliability of this type of prenatal diagnosis.     

The distribution of 210Pb in human bone and its impact on methods for the retrospective estimation of 222Rn exposure from in vivo measurements

It is possible to estimate radon exposure to man retrospectively by the in vivo measurement of the decay product (210)Pb, which accumulates in the bones. For in vivo methods, knowledge of the distribution of (210)Pb in the skeleton is needed to determine the optimal site for measurement, the skull or the knee. In this study the activity of (210)Pb in a variety of bone samples from 3 individuals have been measured in vitro using underground gamma-ray spectrometry. The individuals were unlikely to have had elevated intakes of Rn. These measurements give baseline data on the bone massic activity of (210)Pb. They show that the massic activity is similar for each of these people and there are similar massic activities of (210)Pb in the skull and the knee of the 2 individuals for which the skull was measured. Additionally for 2 of the individuals trabecular and cortical bone were separated and massic activities were found to be strongly correlated indicating that the (210)Pb is associated with the hydroxyapatite.     

A biomonitor as a measure of an ecologically-significant fraction of metals in an industrialized harbour

Biomonitors are commonly used to assess levels of bioavailable contaminants in the environment, however the relationships between biomonitor tissue concentrations and ecological effects are rarely assessed. The present study investigated metal contamination within a highly industrialised harbour and ecological effects on sessile invertebrates. The native oyster Saccostrea glomerata was deployed as a biomonitor across twenty-six sites to test for correlations between metal levels in their tissues and the recruitment of hard-substrate invertebrates. Concentrations of lead and copper in oyster tissues were negatively correlated with densities of the dominant barnacle, Amphibalanus variegatus, and positively correlated with densities of the dominant polychaete, Hydroides elegans, and the two native encrusting bryozoans Celloporaria nodulosa and Arachnopusia unicornis. Results suggest that highly localised events drive contaminant availability and that these events pose a significant risk to fauna. Biomonitoring studies may be enhanced by running concurrent ecological surveys.     

Smoke pollution must be part of the savanna fire management equation: A case study from Darwin,Australia

Savanna fire management is a topic of global debate, with early dry season burning promoted as a large-scale emissions reduction opportunity. To date, discussions have centred on carbon abatement efficacy, biodiversity and cultural benefits and/or risks. Here we use a case study of Darwin, Australia to highlight smoke pollution as another critical consideration. Smoke pollution from savanna fires is a major public health issue, yet absent so far from discussions of program design. Here, we assess the likely impacts of increased early dry season burning on smoke pollution in Darwin between 2004 and 2019, spanning the introduction and expansion of carbon abatement programs. We found increased smoke pollution in the early dry season but little change in the late dry season, contributing to a net annual increase in air quality standard exceedances. Geospatial analysis suggests this relates to increased burning in the path of early dry season trade winds. This study highlights the complex health trade-offs involved with any large-scale prescribed burning, including for carbon abatement.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13280-022-01745-9.