Historical dynamics in ecosystem service bundles Renard, Delphine; Rhemtulla, Jeanine M.; Bennett, Elena M.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
10/2015, Volume:
112, Issue:
43
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Managing multiple ecosystem services (ES), including addressing trade-offs between services and preventing ecological surprises, is among the most pressing areas for sustainability research. These ...challenges require ES research to go beyond the currently common approach of snapshot studies limited to one or two services at a single point in time. We used a spatiotemporal approach to examine changes in nine ES and their relationships from 1971 to 2006 across 131 municipalities in a mixed-use landscape in Quebec, Canada. We show how an approach that incorporates time and space can improve our understanding of ES dynamics. We found an increase in the provision of most services through time; however, provision of ES was not uniformly enhanced at all locations. Instead, each municipality specialized in providing a bundle (set of positively correlated ES) dominated by just a few services. The trajectory of bundle formation was related to changes in agricultural policy and global trends; local biophysical and socioeconomic characteristics explained the bundles’ increasing spatial clustering. Relationships between services varied through time, with some provisioning and cultural services shifting from a trade-off or no relationship in 1971 to an apparent synergistic relationship by 2006. By implementing a spatiotemporal perspective on multiple services, we provide clear evidence of the dynamic nature of ES interactions and contribute to identifying processes and drivers behind these changing relationships. Our study raises questions about using snapshots of ES provision at a single point in time to build our understanding of ES relationships in complex and dynamic social-ecological systems.
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•Measuring forest dependence is important for informing joint poverty alleviation and forest conservation efforts.•Assessing household forest dependence is largely limited to measuring forest ...incomes.•We introduce a new household-level index, the Forest Dependence Index (FDI), which complements the forest income approach.•The FDI measures the importance of and labour involved in forest product collection, as well as livelihood resources.•A Malawi case study demonstrates that forest income may underestimate household forest dependence compared to the FDI.
Across the tropics, in both forested and agricultural landscapes, many households are highly dependent on forest resources. Small-holder farmers, many with few alternatives, collect fuelwood, building materials, wild foods, medicinal plants, and other forest products for subsistence or sale. Given continued tropical forest loss coupled with household forest dependence, quantifying levels of forest dependence is important for informing approaches to poverty alleviation and forest conservation. Forest dependence is largely measured using a relative forest income (RFI) approach, notably in the global analysis by the Poverty Environment Network of the Center for International Forestry Research. This approach ascribes monetary values to forest products, which may be unsuitable for contexts where households primarily consume rather than sell forest goods, and which does not address other burdens on households of relying on forest products (e.g., time use). In this paper, we introduce a new Forest Dependence Index (FDI), which measures (at the household level) forest products collected, effort involved in forest product collection, asset-based relative wealth, and non-forest livelihood strategies. Using a case study in Malawi, a country with high rates of poverty and forest ecosystem change, we: 1) demonstrate the FDI and its application; 2) compare the FDI to RFI; and 3) assess how the sub-indices contribute nuance to the FDI values. We calculate the FDI for agricultural communities in southern Malawi using household surveys that we conducted on income, assets and use of all forest products (e.g., amounts collected, walking time to collection sites). We show that the majority of households had intermediate FDI but low RFI values. We demonstrate how households can have the same RFI yet varying FDI values. Ultimately, we show that the FDI provides insight into multiple livelihood aspects of dependence and is a valuable addition to the RFI method for informing forest-based poverty alleviation strategies.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Better understanding of the dynamics of the current U.S. overdose epidemic may aid in the development of more effective prevention and control strategies. We analyzed records of 599,255 deaths from ...1979 through 2016 from the National Vital Statistics System in which accidental drug poisoning was identified as the main cause of death. By examining all available data on accidental poisoning deaths back to 1979 and showing that the overall 38-year curve is exponential, we provide evidence that the current wave of opioid overdose deaths (due to prescription opioids, heroin, and fentanyl) may just be the latest manifestation of a more fundamental longer-term process. The 38+ year smooth exponential curve of total U.S. annual accidental drug poisoning deaths is a composite of multiple distinctive subepidemics of different drugs (primarily prescription opioids, heroin, methadone, synthetic opioids, cocaine, and methamphetamine), each with its own specific demographic and geographic characteristics.
Alpha-1 Antitrypsin (AAT) is a serum protease inhibitor that regulates increased lung protease production induced by cigarette smoking. Mutations in the Serpina1 gene cause AAT to form hepatoxic ...polymers, which can lead to reduced availability for the protein's primary function and severe liver disease. An AAT antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) was previously identified to be beneficial for the AATD liver disease by blocking the mutated AAT transcripts. Here we hypothesized that knockdown of AAT aggravates murine lung injury during smoke exposure and acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into 4 groups each for the smoking and smoke-flu injury models. The ASO and control (No-ASO) were injected subcutaneously starting with smoking or four days prior to influenza infection and then injected weekly at 50 mg/kg body weight. ASO treatment during a 3-month smoke exposure significantly decreased the serum and lung AAT expression, resulting in increased Cela1 expression and elastase activity. However, despite the decrease in AAT, neither the inflammatory cell counts in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) nor the lung structural changes were significantly worsened by ASO treatment. We observed significant differences in inflammation and emphysema due to smoke exposure, but did not observe an ASO treatment effect. Similarly, with the smoke-flu model, differences were only observed between smoke-flu and room air controls, but not as a result of ASO treatment. Off-target effects or compensatory mechanisms may account for this finding. Alternatively, the reduction of AAT with ASO treatment, while sufficient to protect from liver injury, may not be robust enough to lead to lung injury. The results also suggest that previously described AAT ASO treatment for AAT mutation related liver disease may attenuate hepatic injury without being detrimental to the lungs. These potential mechanisms need to be further investigated in order to fully understand the impact of AAT inhibition on protease-antiprotease imbalance in the murine smoke exposure model.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
A systematic review to examine the efficacy of computer-based cognitive interventions for cognitively healthy older adults was conducted. Studies were included if they met the following criteria: ...average sample age of at least 55 years at time of training; participants did not have Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment; and the study measured cognitive outcomes as a result of training. Theoretical articles, review articles, and book chapters that did not include original data were excluded. We identified 151 studies published between 1984 and 2011, of which 38 met inclusion criteria and were further classified into three groups by the type of computerized program used: classic cognitive training tasks, neuropsychological software, and video games. Reported pre-post training effect sizes for intervention groups ranged from 0.06 to 6.32 for classic cognitive training interventions, 0.19 to 7.14 for neuropsychological software interventions, and 0.09 to 1.70 for video game interventions. Most studies reported older adults did not need to be technologically savvy in order to successfully complete or benefit from training. Overall, findings are comparable or better than those from reviews of more traditional, paper-and-pencil cognitive training approaches suggesting that computerized training is an effective, less labor intensive alternative.
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Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease mediated by allergen-specific CD4 T cells that promote lung inflammation through recruitment of cellular effectors into the lung. A subset of lung T cells can ...persist as tissue-resident memory T cells (TRMs) following infection and allergen induction, although the generation and role of TRM in asthma persistence and pathogenesis remain unclear. In this study, we used a mouse model of chronic exposure to intranasal house dust mite (HDM) extract to dissect how lung TRMs are generated and function in the persistence and pathogenesis of allergic airway disease. We demonstrate that both CD4
and CD8
T cells infiltrate into the lung tissue during acute HDM exposure; however, only CD4
TRMs, and not CD8
TRMs, persist long term following cessation of HDM administration. Lung CD4
TRMs are localized around airways and are rapidly reactivated upon allergen re-exposure accompanied by the rapid induction of airway hyperresponsiveness independent of circulating T cells. Lung CD4
TRM activation to HDM challenge is also accompanied by increased recruitment and activation of dendritic cells in the lungs. Our results indicate that lung CD4
TRMs can perpetuate allergen-specific sensitization and direct early inflammatory signals that promote rapid lung pathology, suggesting that targeting lung CD4
TRMs could have therapeutic benefit in alleviating recurrent asthma episodes.
Effective predictive biomarkers are needed to enable personalized medicine and increase treatment efficacy and survival for cancer patients, thereby reducing toxic side effects and treatment costs. ...Patient-derived organoids (PDOs) enable individualized tumour response testing. Since 2018, 17 publications have examined PDOs as a potential predictive biomarker in the treatment of cancer patients. We review and provide a pooled analysis of the results regarding the use of PDOs in individualized tumour response testing, focusing on evidence for analytical validity, clinical validity and clinical utility. We identify future perspectives to accelerate the implementation of PDOs as a predictive biomarker in the treatment of cancer patients.
Oviposition-site choice is a major maternal effect by which females can affect the survival and phenotype of their offspring. Across oviparous species, the ultimate reasons for females' selection of ...oviposition sites often differ. We present six hypotheses that have been used to explain nonrandom oviposition-site choice in insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles, and birds: (
a
) maximizing embryo survival, (
b
) maximizing maternal survival, (
c
) modifying offspring phenotype, (
d
) proximity to suitable habitat for offspring, (
e
) maintaining natal philopatry, and (
f
) indirect oviposition-site choice via mate choice. Because these hypotheses differ in their relevance across oviparous taxa, each hypothesis must be tested to ensure accurate understanding of the ultimate reason behind oviposition-site choice in a particular taxon. By presenting the major hypotheses for oviposition-site choice as they relate to diverse oviparous animals, we nonetheless illustrate particular trends across animal taxa, while highlighting avenues for future research into the ecological and evolutionary drivers of oviposition-site choice.
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•The antioxidant activity of the Costa Rican guava pulp extract and its fractions was assessed.•The ethyl acetate fraction showed the highest antioxidant activity.•Its inhibitory activities against ...IL-8 and MMP-1 expression were assessed.•The ethyl acetate fraction displayed activity in both the IL-8 and MMP-1 assays in a concentration-dependent manner.•Nine compounds are reported for the first time in the Costa Rican guava.
The potential therapeutic effects of Costa Rican guava (Psidium friedrichsthalianum) extracts for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were examined. The ethyl acetate fraction displayed the highest antioxidant activity, as compared to the hexane, chloroform, and n-butanol fractions, as well as the crude extract. This fraction was evaluated for its anti-inflammatory activity response relationship against interleukin-8 (IL-8) and inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) expression before and after treatment with cigarette smoke. The ethyl acetate fraction exhibited inhibitory activity against IL-8 production and MMP-1 expression, showing the most potent inhibitory activities in both assays at 100μg/mL, and nine compounds (1–9) were found. Phenolic compounds 1-O-trans-cinnamoyl-β-d-glucopyranose (2), ellagic acid (3), myricetin (4), quercitrin (7), and quercetin (9) were identified using standard compounds or literature reports from related species. Compounds 1, 5, 6, and 8 were tentatively identified as 1,5-dimethyl citrate (1), sinapic aldehyde 4-O-β-d-glucopyranose (5), 3,3′,4-tri-O-methylellagic acid-4′-O-d-glucopyranoside (6), and 1,3-O-diferuloylglycerol (8), All nine compounds are reported for the first time in Costa Rican guava.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
In the face of rapid environmental and cultural change, orthodox concepts in restoration ecology such as historical fidelity are being challenged. Here we re-examine the diverse roles played by ...historical knowledge in restoration, and argue that these roles remain vitally important. As such, historical knowledge will be critical in shaping restoration ecology in the future. Perhaps the most crucial role in shifting from the present version of restoration ecology ("v1.0") to a newer formulation ("v2.0") is the value of historical knowledge in guiding scientific interpretation, recognizing key ecological legacies, and influencing the choices available to practitioners of ecosystem intervention under conditions of open-ended and rapid change.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NMLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
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