Multispecies genetic objectives in spatial conservation planning.

The growing threats to biodiversity and global alteration of habitats and species distributions make it increasingly necessary to consider evolutionary patterns in conservation decision-making. Yet there is no clear-cut guidance on how genetic features can be incorporated into conservation planning processes, with multiple molecular markers and several genetic metrics for each marker type to choose from. Genetic patterns also differ between species, but the potential trade-offs amongst genetic objectives for multiple species in conservation planning are currently understudied. This study compares spatial conservation prioritizations derived from two metrics of both genetic diversity (nucleotide and haplotype diversity) and genetic isolation (private haplotypes and local genetic differentiation) for mitochondrial DNA for five marine species. The findings show that conservation plans based solely on habitat representation noticeably differ from those additionally including genetic data, with habitat-based conservation plans selecting fewer conservation priority areas. Furthermore, all four genetic metrics selected approximately similar conservation priority areas, which is likely a result of prioritizing genetic patterns across a genetically diverse array of species. Largely, the results suggest that multi-species genetic conservation objectives are vital to create protected area networks that appropriately preserve community-level evolutionary patterns. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

What is a good level of soil organic matter? An index based on organic carbon to clay ratio

Simple measures of appropriate levels of soil organic matter are needed for soil evaluation, management and monitoring, based on readily‐measurable soil properties. We test an index of soil organic matter based on the soil organic carbon (SOC) to clay ratio, defined by thresholds of SOC/clay ratio for specified levels of soil structural quality. The thresholds were originally delineated for a small number of Swiss soils. We assess the index using data from the initial sampling (1978–83) of the National Soil Inventory of England and Wales, covering 3809 sites under arable land, grassland and woodland. Land use, soil type, annual precipitation and soil pH together explained 21% of the variance in SOC/clay ratio in the dataset, with land use the most important variable. Thresholds of SOC/clay ratio of 1/8, 1/10 and 1/13 indicated the boundaries between ‘very good’, ‘good’, ‘moderate’ and ‘degraded’ levels of structural condition. On this scale, 38.2, 6.6, and 5.6% of arable, grassland and woodland sites, respectively, were degraded. The index gives a method to assess and monitor soil organic matter at national, regional or sub‐regional scales based on two routinely measured soil properties. Given the wide range of soils and land uses across England and Wales in the dataset used to test the index, we suggest it should apply to other European soils in similar climate zones

Distribution and habitat of unionid mussels and invasive sea lamprey larvae in the Paw Paw River, a tributary of Lake Michigan

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/91129/1/j.1365-2427.2012.02777.x.pd

Variable sea-ice conditions influence trophic dynamics in an Arctic community of marine top predators

Sea-ice coverage is a key abiotic driver of annual environmental conditions in Arctic marine ecosystems and could be a major factor affecting seabird trophic dynamics. Using stable isotope ratios of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) in eggs of thick-billed murres (Uria lomvia), northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis), glaucous gulls (Larus hyperboreus), and black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla), we investigated the trophic ecology of prebreeding seabirds nesting at Prince Leopold Island, Nunavut, and its relationship with sea-ice conditions. The seabird community of Prince Leopold Island had a broader isotopic niche during lower sea-ice conditions, thus having a more divergent diet, while the opposite was observed during years with more extensive sea-ice conditions. Species' trophic position was influenced by sea ice; in years of lower sea-ice concentration, gulls and kittiwakes foraged at higher trophic levels while the opposite was observed for murres and fulmars. For murres and fulmars over a longer time series, there was no evidence of the effect of sea-ice concentration on species' isotopic niche. Results suggest a high degree of adaptation in populations of high Arctic species that cope with harsh and unpredictable conditions. Such different responses of the community isotopic niche also show that the effect of variable sea-ice conditions, despite being subtle at the species level, might have large

Breast cancer risk and drinking water contaminated by wastewater: a case control study

BACKGROUND: Drinking water contaminated by wastewater is a potential source of exposure to mammary carcinogens and endocrine disrupting compounds from commercial products and excreted natural and pharmaceutical hormones. These contaminants are hypothesized to increase breast cancer risk. Cape Cod, Massachusetts, has a history of wastewater contamination in many, but not all, of its public water supplies; and the region has a history of higher breast cancer incidence that is unexplained by the population's age, in-migration, mammography use, or established breast cancer risk factors. We conducted a case-control study to investigate whether exposure to drinking water contaminated by wastewater increases the risk of breast cancer. METHODS: Participants were 824 Cape Cod women diagnosed with breast cancer in 1988–1995 and 745 controls who lived in homes served by public drinking water supplies and never lived in a home served by a Cape Cod private well. We assessed each woman's exposure yearly since 1972 at each of her Cape Cod addresses, using nitrate nitrogen (nitrate-N) levels measured in public wells and pumping volumes for the wells. Nitrate-N is an established wastewater indicator in the region. As an alternative drinking water quality indicator, we calculated the fraction of recharge zones in residential, commercial, and pesticide land use areas. RESULTS: After controlling for established breast cancer risk factors, mammography, and length of residence on Cape Cod, results showed no consistent association between breast cancer and average annual nitrate-N (OR = 1.8; 95% CI 0.6 – 5.0 for ≥ 1.2 vs. < .3 mg/L), the sum of annual nitrate-N concentrations (OR = 0.9; 95% CI 0.6 – 1.5 for ≥ 10 vs. 1 to < 10 mg/L), or the number of years exposed to nitrate-N over 1 mg/L (OR = 0.9; 95% CI 0.5 – 1.5 for ≥ 8 vs. 0 years). Variation in exposure levels was limited, with 99% of women receiving some of their water from supplies with nitrate-N levels in excess of background. The total fraction of residential, commercial, and pesticide use land in recharge zones of public supply wells was associated with a small statistically unstable higher breast cancer incidence (OR = 1.4; 95% CI 0.8–2.4 for highest compared with lowest land use), but risk did not increase for increasing land use fractions. CONCLUSION: Results did not provide evidence of an association between breast cancer and drinking water contaminated by wastewater. The computer mapping methods used in this study to link routine measurements required by the Safe Drinking Water Act with interview data can enhance individual-level epidemiologic studies of multiple health outcomes, including diseases with substantial latency

Biogeographical analyses to facilitate targeted conservation of orchid diversity hotspots in Costa Rica

Aim: We conduct a biogeographical assessment of orchids in a global biodiversity hotspot to explore their distribution and occurrences of local hotspots while identifying geographic attributes underpinning diversity patterns. We evaluate habitat characteristics associated with orchid diversity hotspots and make comparisons to other centres of orchid diversity to test for global trends. The ultimate goal was to identify an overall set of parameters that effectively characterize critical habitats to target in local and global orchid conservation efforts. Location: Costa Rica; Mesoamerica. Taxon: Orchidaceae. Methods: Data from an extensive set of herbarium records were used to map orchid distributions and to identify diversity hotspots. Hotspot data were combined with geographic attribute data, including environmental and geopolitical variables, and a random forest regression model was utilized to assess the importance of each variable for explaining the distribution of orchid hotspots. A likelihood model was created based on variable importance to identify locations where suitable habitats and unidentified orchid hotspots might occur. Results: Orchids were widely distributed and hotspots occurred primarily in mountainous regions, but occasionally at lower elevations. Precipitation and vegetation cover were the most important predictive variables associated with orchid hotspots. Variable values underpinning Costa Rican orchid hotspots were similar to those reported at other sites worldwide. Models also identified suitable habitats for sustaining orchid diversity that occurred outside of known hotspots and protected areas. Main conclusions: Several orchid diversity hotspots and potentially suitable habitats occur outside of known distributions and/or protected areas. Recognition of these sites and their associated geographic attributes provides clear targets for optimizing orchid conservation efforts in Costa Rica, although certain caveats warrant consideration. Habitats linked with orchid hotspots in Costa Rica were similar to those documented elsewhere, suggesting the existence of a common biogeographical trend regarding critical habitats for orchid conservation in disparate tropical regions.Universidad de Puerto Rico/[]/UPR/Puerto RicoUniversidad de Costa Rica/[]/UCR/Costa RicaUCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Agroalimentarias::Jardín Botánico Lankester (JBL

Status, sources and contamination levels of organochlorine pesticide residues in urban and agricultural areas: a preliminary review in central–southern Italian soils

Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) are synthetic chemicals commonly used in agricultural activities to kill pests and are persistent organic pollutants (POPs). They can be detected in different environmental media, but soil is considered an important reservoir due to its retention capacity. Many different types of OCPs exist, which can have different origins and pathways in the environment. It is therefore important to study their distribution and behaviour in the environment, starting to build a picture of the potential human health risk in different contexts. This study aimed at investigating the regional distribution, possible sources and contamination levels of 24 OCP compounds in urban and rural soils from central and southern Italy. One hundred and forty-eight topsoil samples (0–20 cm top layer) from 78 urban and 70 rural areas in 11 administrative regions were collected and analysed by gas chromatography–electron capture detector (GC–ECD). Total OCP residues in soils ranged from nd (no detected) to 1043 ng/g with a mean of 29.91 ng/g and from nd to 1914 ng/g with a mean of 60.16 ng/g in urban and rural area, respectively. Endosulfan was the prevailing OCP in urban areas, followed by DDTs, Drins, Methoxychlor, HCHs, Chlordane-related compounds and HCB. In rural areas, the order of concentrations was Drins > DDTs > Methoxychlor > Endosulfans > HCHs > Chlordanes > HCB. Diagnostic ratios and robust multivariate analyses revealed that DDT in soils could be related to historical application, whilst (illegal) use of technical DDT or dicofol may still occur in some urban areas. HCH residues could be related to both historical use and recent application, whilst there was evidence that modest (yet significant) application of commercial technical HCH may still be happening in urban areas. Drins and Chlordane compounds appeared to be mostly related to historical application, whilst Endosulfan presented a complex mix of results, indicating mainly historical origin in rural areas as well as potential recent applications on urban areas. Contamination levels were quantified by Soil Quality Index (SoQI), identifying high levels in rural areas of Campania and Apulia, possibly due to the intensive nature of some agricultural practices in those regions (e.g., vineyards and olive plantations). The results from this study (which is in progress in the remaining regions of Italy) will provide an invaluable baseline for OCP distribution in Italy and a powerful argument for follow-up studies in contaminated areas. It is also hoped that similar studies will eventually constitute enough evidence to push towards an institutional response for more adequate regulation as well as a full ratification of the Stockholm Convention