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The impact of beaver dams on distribution of waterborne Escherichia coli and turbidity in an agricultural landscape
Get PDFGlobally, freshwater environments are threatened by point source and diffuse pollution, habitat loss, and climate change. Enhancing water quality and reducing microbial pollution are priorities to realise their ecosystem services potential but challenging to achieve and require creative solutions. Beavers are receiving increasing attention as ecosystem engineers, their dams benefitting aquatic ecosystems via improved biodiversity, water quality, and flow regulation. However, effects on microbial water quality remain uncertain. Here, we investigated the influence of engineering by Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber L.) on variation in Escherichia coli concentrations and turbidity in an agricultural stream. Water samples were collected over a period of two years (2017–2019, encompassing 11 sampling dates), from a sequence of 14 beaver dams and associated ponds to quantify fluxes of turbidity and E. coli. On average, dam structures were a source whereas ponds acted as a sink for both turbidity and E. coli. The sink effect of ponds strengthened with upstream load, increasingly outweighing the source effect of dams while being moderated by season and antecedent flow and rainfall. To complement these findings, in 2023, an in-situ pollution event was simulated by adding a slurry of livestock manure (25 l) to two nearby closely comparable streams, one beaver-engineered, the other not (control), and tracking the downstream distribution of waterborne E. coli. Consistent with our field sampling campaign, E. coli was strongly attenuated in beaver ponds, which reduced peak concentrations by >95 % and slowed the flushing of E. coli compared to the control stream. Our study demonstrates that beaver dams exert a range of effects on microbial and associated pollution but, importantly, under peak loading can significantly decrease pollution reaching downstream receptors. Beaver dams, and potentially their analogues, could therefore support environmental management strategies in agricultural systems as part of a suite of nature-based approaches
Lengthy shifts and decision fatigue in out-of-hours primary care: a qualitative study
Get PDFRationale: Demands on healthcare workers are high: services are stretched, shifts are long, and healthcare professionals regularly work lengthy periods without a break. Spending time continuously ‘on task’ changes decision-making in predictable ways, as described by the ‘decision fatigue’ phenomenon where decision-makers progressively shift towards making less cognitively effortful decisions as the time worked without a break increases. This phenomenon has been observed repeatedly in large quantitative observational studies, however, individual healthcare workers’ experiences have not been explored. Aims: This qualitative study aimed to explore general practitioners’ (GPs) and advanced nurse practitioners’ (ANPs) experiences of working for lengthy periods in an out-of-hours primary care service in the UK. This included exploration of self-perceived changes in decision-making throughout a work shift, and mitigating strategies used to avoid changes in decision-making over time. Design: Semi-structured interviews were conducted online. An inductive thematic analysis was carried out to identify salient issues articulated by participants. Setting and participants: The interview sample (n=10) comprised ANPs (n=5) and GPs (n=5) who regularly worked within the out-of-hours primary care service across a regional National Health Service (NHS) health board. Results: Healthcare professionals (GPs and ANPs) provided insights into their experiences during lengthy shifts and the impact of prolonged periods of work on clinical decision-making. Four main themes were identified and developed: (1) Healthcare professionals (HCPs) are aware of decision fatigue effects over the course of a shift; (2) Multiple factors help and hinder stable decision-making quality; (3) HCPs deliberately use strategies to help keep the quality of their decision-making stable; and (4) HCPs are aware of contextual changes, likely related to the decision fatigue phenomenon. Conclusions: The findings of this study underscore the intricate interplay of personal, social, and systemic factors in decision-making quality and highlight healthcare professionals' deliberate efforts to mitigate decision fatigue's effects in practice
Marine aquaculture sites have huge potential as data providers for climate change assessments
Get PDFIn-situ data is essential in understanding climate change in coastal and marine environments, especially in nearshore locations that are challenging for models to simulate and are often lacking in downscaled climate projections. Environmental parameters such as sea temperature and oxygen are often recorded at fish farms, and this information could be useful for observing coastal changes and climate change assessment. For aquaculture, Norway's BarentsWatch portal is one of the most advanced open-data platforms in the sector. The aim of this study was to inspect the weekly sea temperature data collected from salmon lice monitoring within the Fish Health dataset in BarentsWatch and consider if the recorded temperatures could have value for monitoring climate change due to the spatial and temporal coverage of the farm data. Initial inspection of the dataset found many inconsistencies and suspected errors. In total there were 667 sites where suspected errors were removed. Suspected errors amounted to 7797 data points. Following data cleaning there were 1129 sites and 303,792 data points in total, covering much of the Norwegian coastline. The positions offered good insight into the range of conditions, with data from sheltered inner fjords as well as more exposed locations. Analysis of the BarentsWatch temperatures revealed some sites in southern and western Norway that have already experienced temperatures above 20 °C, challenging conditions for Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) aquaculture. The results showed differences between sites within the same production regions due to site-specific characteristics, illustrating the need for more local-scale data that represents the actual conditions the fish experience, rather than a reliance on regional averages. Although the BarentsWatch platform provided some insight into the temperatures experienced at Norwegian salmon farms, the lack of standardised reporting and uncertainties about data collection and aggregated values meant that detailed analysis was not possible at present. The BarentsWatch analysis was complemented by data from two farms that further demonstrated the need for better guidance and standardised data collection and reporting. Standardised data collection and reporting would ensure that data from different farms is directly comparable. When considered in context with other conditions and fish health parameters, more standardised and robust monitoring of water temperatures at farms would aid the identification of potential challenging conditions and allow for more targeted adaptation responses. Improved data collection and reporting in the present day would have huge value in the future by facilitating the creation of long-term datasets spanning multiple decades at hundreds of locations along the Norwegian coastline, offering exceptional insight into coastal climate change
Plasticity of thermal tolerance and associated gill transcriptome in ballan wrasse (Labrus bergylta)
Get PDFThermal condition has profound influence on physiology and behaviour of ballan wrasse (Labrus bergylta), a cleaner fish commonly deployed in salmon cages to control sea lice infection. To address knowledge gaps on the species thermal biology, critical thermal limits were determined by acclimating fish (21.5 ± 3.1 g, 10.5 ± 0.4 cm) at a range of temperatures (6, 10, or 14°C) found in its natural habitat on the west coast of Scotland for one week and subjecting them to ramping temperature (~0.3°C/min) until loss of equilibrium. Critical thermal maxima (CT max), minima (CT min), and thermal breadth values increased with acclimation temperature. Thermal tolerance polygon was constructed and showed the intrinsic (7.9 to 16.8°C) and acquired (3.4°C and 22.8°C) thermal tolerance zones, supporting the seasonal differences in behaviour and delousing efficacy of ballan wrasse deployed in salmon farms. Gill transcriptomic profiles of ballan wrasse were performed following thermal acclimation and subsequent exposure to CT max and CT min. Initial acclimation resulted in unique differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and enrichment of GO terms that were almost exclusively found in each acclimation group. Transcriptome response to CT max and CT min also varied between acclimation groups. CT max and CT min shared 0% DEGs at 6°C, 43% at 10°C, and 7% at 14°C, but some overlapping GO terms. This study is the first to investigate the thermal tolerance limits of ballan wrasse and provides new data into the plasticity of thermal tolerance limits and molecular response to thermal stimuli in fish
Large Language Model Based Mutations in Genetic Improvement
Get PDFEver since the first large language models (LLMs) have become available, both academics and practitioners have used them to aid software engineering tasks. However, little research as yet has been done in combining search-based software engineering (SBSE) and LLMs. In this paper, we evaluate the use of LLMs as mutation operators for genetic improvement (GI), an SBSE approach, to improve the GI search process. In a preliminary work, we explored the feasibility of combining the Gin Java GI toolkit with OpenAI LLMs in order to generate an edit for the JCodec tool. Here we extend this investigation involving three LLMs and three types of prompt, and five real-world software projects. We sample the edits at random, as well as using local search. We also conducted a qualitative analysis to understand why LLM-generated code edits break as part of our evaluation. Our results show that, compared with conventional statement GI edits, LLMs produce fewer unique edits, but these compile and pass tests more often, with the OpenAI model finding test-passing edits 77% of the time. The OpenAI and Mistral LLMs are roughly equal in finding the best run-time improvements. Simpler prompts are more successful than those providing more context and examples. The qualitative analysis reveals a wide variety of areas where LLMs typically fail to produce valid edits commonly including inconsistent formatting, generating non-Java syntax, or refusing to provide a solution
Indoor comfort domains and well-being of older adults in residential settings: A scoping review
Get PDFThis study provides a comprehensive scoping review of the literature on the well-being of residential environments for older adults, addressing multiple domains of indoor comfort. The aim is to investigate the gap in environmental standards research for older adults, acknowledging the global challenge of an ageing population. As residential settings become the primary living spaces for older adults in later life, the interrelated domains of indoor comfort significantly impact their well-being. The concept of “Aging in Place” underscores the importance of appropriate indoor comfort design to enhance the autonomy of older adults. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), this scoping review establishes a broad scientific foundation for future research by identifying, analysing, and categorising existing studies on indoor comfort domains for older adults. The review investigates, in total, 173 studies in six domains of indoor comfort: thermal, air quality, visual, acoustic, ergonomic, and multiple domains, highlighting existing knowledge gaps and suggesting possible directions for future research. There is a growing trend toward holistic research methods integrating physical, psychological, and social factors in indoor comfort research for older adults. The definition of indoor comfort needs and levels for older adults varies across regions due to cultural, climatic, and residential type differences. Furthermore, design recommendations across multiple domains present contradictions that need careful evaluation and application by designers and engineers. Future research could focus on adaptive long-term health impacts and integrate findings across indoor comfort domains to inform policy and practice in residential settings.Good Health and Well-BeingSustainable Cities and Communitie
Piecing together the jigsaw: Forests in the EU's Fit for 55 Package
Get PDFThis article considers the intricate regulatory jigsaw of forest governance that has emerged from the Fit for 55 Package. It focuses on the 2023 revision of the Land Use, Land-use Change and Forestry Regulation, the treatment of forest biomass in the 2023 Renewables Directive, and Regulation on carbon removals and carbon farming. The article explores the interconnections between these instruments, their relationship with other relevant EU Law instrument, and their projected impacts. Recognising the evolving nature of law and policy in this area, we offer an initial assessment of this regulatory jigsaw, highlighting the challenges of balancing the cultural, economic, social, political, and scientific considerations intersecting in EU forest governance
Integrated management of the raw water transfer invasion pathway
Get PDFRaw Water Transfer (RWT) schemes move large volumes of freshwater between separate waterbodies via complex infrastructure networks, and are a pathway of freshwater invasive non-native species (INNS) spread in most nations globally. Environmental regulators in England and Scotland have recently introduced progressive policies outlining requirements for pathway stakeholders to manage RWTs. This is a positive step; though no known management methods currently exist, and the development of effective methods will be a long and challenging process. Additionally, under the current policy, not all RWTs will have to be managed. Multilateral stakeholder collaboration and co-ordinated action is therefore needed to deal with the invasion risk posed by the ever-increasing number of RWTs. RWT information is disparate and difficult to access in Great Britain however, and the INNS management community remains generally unaware of the pathway. We therefore present information to illustrate the scale and prevalence of RWTs in England and Wales, and highlight that many of the approximately 162 major RWTs (> 45 million litres/day) in England and Wales cross Water Framework Directive management catchments and river basins boundaries, and in some cases political borders. We discuss the consequent need to integrate RWTs into well co-ordinated surveillance and management plans at multiple scales, and explore options to improve information access and stakeholder collaboration, in support of improved management efficacy and the attainment of national INNS targets
Ways Out of the Void? Postcolonial and Decolonial Theories in Relation to Armenia and Armenianness
No full textThe application of postcolonial theory to former Soviet socialist republics is much debated. For Tlostanova, ‘Western’ theorisations of colonialism consign former Soviet socialist republics including Armenia to an undifferentiated ‘void’, not fully part of the Global North or South. Spivak’s (2008) discussion of the Armenian case highlights the inability of conceptualisations of colonialism focused on the nation-state to account for the imperial forces at work in the Caucasus. She argues instead for the potential of a non-ethnic, critical regionalism highlighting local and highly specific histories. Tlostanova and others meanwhile have called for the development of more decolonial approaches drawing on Southern epistemologies and broader, intersectional explorations of national identity in relation to the Caucasus and other regions of the former Soviet East. In this article, we contribute to these debates by reassessing how well postcolonial analyses can illuminate the complex global power relations and identity formations in the Republic of Armenia. Furthermore, we explore the relevance of these theories to different groups resident there. The first section focuses on postcolonial theory and explores different periods of Armenian history and their legacies in terms of colonialism. The second section explores the (little) everyday salience of these theories to residents of a country dominated since independence by war with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), drawing on a research project on migration to and from Armenia carried out in the early 2020s and led by the first author. The third section discusses potential theoretical ways forward, and uses for, theories of post and decoloniality in such complex and unstable circumstances. The experience and multiple viewpoints of Armenia’s diverse internal diasporan communities -and particularly those resident in Armenia since the Syrian, Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) and Ukraine wars – are threaded throughout.Sustainable Cities and Communitie
Hidden presences: the role of next-of-kin in shaping the context and experience of POW captivity
Get PDFThis article explores the role next-of-kin played in framing discussion over the treatment of military prisoners during the era of the two world wars. Prisoners’ next-of-kin came to assume an influential position during the First World War, and this was reflected in the 1929 POW Convention, which deliberately anticipated their involvement in shaping public debate and government policy in future wars. These assumptions proved faulty; the Second World War saw a sharp decline in the influence of next-of-kin, and, as a consequence, the updated convention of 1949 looked to other mechanisms, notably the neutral inspection regime, to hold governments to their humanitarian obligations towards captured enemy combatants
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