An understanding of risks to biodiversity is needed for planning action to slow current rates of decline and secure ecosystem services for future human use. Although the IUCN Red List criteria ...provide an effective assessment protocol for species, a standard global assessment of risks to higher levels of biodiversity is currently limited. In 2008, IUCN initiated development of risk assessment criteria to support a global Red List of ecosystems. We present a new conceptual model for ecosystem risk assessment founded on a synthesis of relevant ecological theories. To support the model, we review key elements of ecosystem definition and introduce the concept of ecosystem collapse, an analogue of species extinction. The model identifies four distributional and functional symptoms of ecosystem risk as a basis for assessment criteria: A) rates of decline in ecosystem distribution; B) restricted distributions with continuing declines or threats; C) rates of environmental (abiotic) degradation; and D) rates of disruption to biotic processes. A fifth criterion, E) quantitative estimates of the risk of ecosystem collapse, enables integrated assessment of multiple processes and provides a conceptual anchor for the other criteria. We present the theoretical rationale for the construction and interpretation of each criterion. The assessment protocol and threat categories mirror those of the IUCN Red List of species. A trial of the protocol on terrestrial, subterranean, freshwater and marine ecosystems from around the world shows that its concepts are workable and its outcomes are robust, that required data are available, and that results are consistent with assessments carried out by local experts and authorities. The new protocol provides a consistent, practical and theoretically grounded framework for establishing a systematic Red List of the world's ecosystems. This will complement the Red List of species and strengthen global capacity to report on and monitor the status of biodiversity.
Abstract
The
L
ake
E
yre
B
asin, one of the world's last unregulated wild river basins, covers almost one sixth of the Australian continent, with large areas of connected wetlands (73 903 km
2
), ...including floodplains, lakes, waterholes and river channels. Few data existed and so we used literature and government biotic and abiotic data and anthropogenic impacts to assess the conservation risk of the ecosystem as
L
east
C
oncern (
IUCN R
ed
L
ist criteria for ecosystems, version 2.0). This was based on limited distributional change and low levels of degradation or anthropogenic threatening processes. The approach could be applied to ecosystem assessments of other large river basins around the world, given the
L
ake
E
yre
B
asin occupies one extreme (unmodified) while the
A
ral
S
ea (collapsed), previously assessed, occupies the other extreme (highly modified). River flow analysis with available biotic data is critical for risk assessment as well as identification and tracking of long‐term threats. Assessment was possible at this large basin scale and appropriate, given the critical importance of connectivity but could also occur at finer spatial scale. Increased diversions for irrigation, mining impacts on floodplains and projected increased temperatures threaten the current status (
L
east
C
oncern) of the connected wetlands of the
L
ake
E
yre
B
asin ecosystem.
The Lake Eyre Basin, one of the world's last unregulated wild river basins, covers almost one sixth of the Australian continent, with large areas of connected wetlands (73 903 km2), including ...floodplains, lakes, waterholes and river channels. Few data existed and so we used literature and government biotic and abiotic data and anthropogenic impacts to assess the conservation risk of the ecosystem as Least Concern (IUCN Red List criteria for ecosystems, version 2.0). This was based on limited distributional change and low levels of degradation or anthropogenic threatening processes. The approach could be applied to ecosystem assessments of other large river basins around the world, given the Lake Eyre Basin occupies one extreme (unmodified) while the Aral Sea (collapsed), previously assessed, occupies the other extreme (highly modified). River flow analysis with available biotic data is critical for risk assessment as well as identification and tracking of long‐term threats. Assessment was possible at this large basin scale and appropriate, given the critical importance of connectivity but could also occur at finer spatial scale. Increased diversions for irrigation, mining impacts on floodplains and projected increased temperatures threaten the current status (Least Concern) of the connected wetlands of the Lake Eyre Basin ecosystem.
The seeds of the tropical seagrass
Enhalus acoroides were analyzed for their nutritive components to assess their dietary value for humans. Proximate analysis of flour prepared by grinding the dried ...seeds gave the following results: 9.8% moisture; 8.8% protein; 0.2% fat; 72.4% carbohydrates; 2.4% crude fiber; 6.4% ash; 933
mg/kg calcium; 2392
mg/kg phosphorous; and 2813
mg/kg iron. Correspondingly, proximate analysis of the starch prepared from the flour with a 50% yield, resulted in the following: 11% moisture; 0.8% protein; 0.1% fat; 87.6% carbohydrates; 0.4% crude fiber; 0.5% ash; 320
mg/kg calcium; 210
mg/kg phosphorous and; 220
mg/kg iron. Comparison of the proximate analysis results and the calculated caloric values of the seagrass seed flour and starch showed similarity with those of terrestrial origin.
The value of insectivorous birds as agents for biological control of arthropod pests has been little studied, especially in Australia. This paper reports on the extent to which arthropods from ...various pest and non-pest taxa feature in the diets of birds captured in farm shelterbelts in central western New South Wales. The parameters examined were the types of arthropod fragments in bird faeces and percentage volume and frequency of occurrence of each component. The faecal data were compared with samples of the arthropod fauna trapped in shelterbelts during the period the birds were captured. In 26 of 29 faecal samples, arthropod fragments were the predominant components, the most common being from Coleoptera, Hymenoptera (especially Formicidae), Orthoptera and Araneae. The recognisable pest taxa in faecal samples were Scarabaeidae and wingless grasshopper Phaulacridium vittatum (Sjöstedt) (Orthoptera: Acrididae). The results indicate that the native bird species common in farm shelterbelts preyed on a range of arthropod taxa including several that are pests of crops and pastures. Accordingly, conservation of birds in farmlands could contribute to suppression of arthropod pests.
Preterm newborns are exposed to several risk factors for developing brain injury. Clinical studies have suggested that the presence of intrauterine infection is a consistent risk factor for preterm ...birth and white matter injury. Animal models have confirmed these associations by identifying inflammatory cascades originating at the maternofetal interface that penetrate the fetal blood-brain barrier and result in brain injury. Acquired diseases of prematurity further potentiate the risk for cerebral injury. Systems biology approaches incorporating ante- and post-natal risk factors and analyzing omic and multiomic data using machine learning are promising methodologies for further elucidating biologic mechanisms of fetal and neonatal brain injury.
Background
Combined first‐trimester screening (cFTS) for fetal anomalies involves maternal serum screening for biochemical markers and measurement of the nuchal translucency (NT) by ultrasound. ...Noninvasive prenatal screening (NIPS) analyses cell‐free DNA present in a maternal blood sample for presence of fetal chromosomal aneuploidies.
Aims
To compare NIPS with cFTS as frontline screening in a public hospital in Australia.
Materials and methods
Women were offered NIPS in addition to the usual cFTS routinely offered to all women at a public hospital in NSW, Australia. The cFTS sample was collected at ten weeks' gestation and the NIPS sample at 12 weeks' gestation at the ultrasound appointment.
Results
In a low‐risk population of 997 women, frontline NIPS had a screen‐positive rate of 0.5% (5/997) vs 4.2% (42/997) with cFTS. cFTS correctly identified one trisomy 21 case and one trisomy 18 case; however, there were two trisomy 18 false negatives. Of five positive NIPS calls, four were correctly identified as trisomy 21 (one) and trisomy 18 (three); there were no NIPS false negatives. Overall, the false‐positive rate with NIPS was 0.1% vs 4.0% by cFTS.
Conclusions
The lower screen‐positive rate with NIPS for common trisomies was a result of the significantly lower false‐positive rate with NIPS. Consequently, NIPS as first‐line screening, even if funded by the hospital, may provide cost savings. We believe NIPS should be used from ten weeks' gestation in conjunction with morphology ultrasound for routine first‐trimester prenatal management.
This work evaluated the use of eugenol and menthol as anesthesia for juvenile Piaractus brachypomus. Experiment I determined the times for anesthesia induction and recovery using different ...concentrations of eugenol and menthol (0, 25, 50, 75, 100 and 125 mg L−1), as well as their effects on ventilation frequency (VF) for two size classes: Juveniles I - 0.87 ± 0.20 g and Juveniles II - 17.14 ± 3.27 g for eugenol and Juveniles I - 0.83 ± 21 g and Juveniles II - 16.83 ± 2.78 g for menthol. Based on data from Experiment I, Experiment II evaluated the effects of 0, 25 (beyond the recommended times for induction and recovery) and 50 mg L−1 (within the recommended times for induction and recovery) of eugenol and menthol (independent tests) on hematological and biochemical parameters of fish measured at two blood collection times (1 h post-induction and 24 h post-recovery). Sixty juveniles weighing 16.92 ± 3.34 g and 60 juveniles weighing 18.49 ± 3.07 g were used to evaluate eugenol and menthol, respectively. Survival was 100% at 24 h after the end of Experiment I. Eugenol concentrations between 50 and 100 mg L−1 were able to induce deep anesthesia for both juvenile size classes, while menthol was able to induce deep anesthesia at concentrations between 25 and 100 mg L−1 for Juveniles I and between 50 and 125 mg L−1 for Juveniles II. The use of 50 mg L−1 of eugenol was able to reduce VF during recovery and prevent an increase in plasma glucose while having little influence on hematological and biochemical parameters after handling. The use of 50 mg L−1 of menthol also reduced VF during recovery and did not cause changes in blood parameters that would be harmful to fish physiology.
•Eugenol and menthol show efficacy as anesthetics for juvenile Piaractus brachypomus•Concentrated eugenol was able to prevent an increase in plasma glucose after handling stress•Concentrated menthol caused few changes in blood parameters after handling stress
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