Broad-scale Assessment Research Articles

Building Vulnerability to Landslides: Broad-Scale Assessment in Xinxing County, China.

This study develops a model to assess building vulnerability across Xinxing County by integrating quantitative derivation with machine learning techniques. Building vulnerability is characterized as a function of landslide hazard risk and building resistance, wherein landslide hazard risk is derived using CNN (1D) for nine hazard-causing factors (elevation, slope, slope shape, geotechnical body type, geological structure, vegetation cover, watershed, and land-use type) and landslide sites; building resistance is determined through quantitative derivation. After evaluating the building susceptibility of all the structures, the susceptibility of each village is then calculated through subvillage statistics, which are aimed at identifying the specific needs of each area. Simultaneously, different landslide hazard classes are categorized, and an analysis of the correlation between building resistance and susceptibility reveals that building susceptibility exhibits a positive correlation with landslide hazard and a negative correlation with building resistance. Following a comprehensive assessment of building susceptibility in Xinxing County, a sample encompassing different landslide intensity areas and susceptibility classes of buildings was chosen for on-site validation, thus yielding an accuracy rate of the results as high as 94.5%.

Mapping ecosystem service temporal trends: a case study of European wood potential, supply and demand between 2008 and 2018

Wood is one of the key forest Ecosystem Services (ES) of growing ecological, social and economic importance; therefore, we need more precise information about its long-term usage. To achieve this, it is necessary to examine the spatio-temporal aspects of wood ES potential, supply and demand. In this study, we analyse spatio-temporal patterns of wood ES supply and demand at continental, national and regional scales to identify areas of increasing and decreasing supply and demand levels in Europe. In addition, we present background information about the potential of European forests to provide wood ES and its relationship to supply and demand. Our results showed that the overall European wood supply and demand as well as the wood ES potential were characterised by increasing trends. Furthermore, this increase was also regional, particularly in central and northern Europe. This study demonstrates not only the significance of spatio-temporal data in ES mapping, but also the importance of considering a broader range of components of the ES cascade model when assessing change. Our research has shown that potential, supply and demand can all increase in the same area, but also that low supply and demand do not guarantee wood potential growth. In addition, we found that a broad scale assessment helps to identify more general patterns and trends, but analysing data at a more accurate scale provides more comprehensive insights for identifying areas that may require targeted action for sustainable forest management.

Productivity versus environmental sustainability: A broadscale assessment of freshwater aquaculture's technical efficiency and ecological efficiency in China's inland provinces

AbstractPromoting the productivity and environmental sustainability of aquaculture is critical in ensuring its healthy development. This study assesses freshwater aquaculture's technical efficiency and ecological efficiency in China's 19 inland provinces from 2008 to 2019, aiming to reveal its productivity and environmental sustainability status. We employ the three‐stage Data Envelopment Analysis‐CCR (T‐DEA‐CCR) and three‐stage Slack‐Based Measure‐DEA (T‐SBM‐DEA) methods to explore the technical efficiency and the ecological efficiency while accounting for environmental conditions and random errors. The average technical efficiency and ecological efficiency during 2008–2019 are 0.857 and 0.702, respectively, indicating substantial scope for enhancing the productivity and environmental sustainability of China's inland aquaculture. We further investigate the regional development using the club convergence, finding that the provincial‐level technical efficiencies have already achieved population convergence while the ecological efficiencies diverge into two clubs, suggesting that Chinese freshwater aquaculture's productivity and environmental sustainability have different development pathways. Acknowledging the pivotal roles of environmental protection and growers' training in aquaculture's productivity and environmental sustainability, policymakers may institute funding and recognition to foster the adoption of innovative, environmentally responsible practices by operators.

A Broadscale Assessment of Sentinel-2 Imagery and the Google Earth Engine for the Nationwide Mapping of Chlorophyll a

A Broadscale Assessment of Sentinel-2 Imagery and the Google Earth Engine for the Nationwide Mapping of Chlorophyll a

Quantifying fire-specific smoke exposure and health impacts.

Rapidly changing wildfire regimes across the Western United States have driven more frequent and severe wildfires, resulting in wide-ranging societal threats from wildfires and wildfire-generated smoke. However, common measures of fire severity focus on what is burned, disregarding the societal impacts of smoke generated from each fire. We combine satellite-derived fire scars, air parcel trajectories from individual fires, and predicted smoke PM2.5 to link source fires to resulting smoke PM2.5 and health impacts experienced by populations in the contiguous United States from April 2006 to 2020. We quantify fire-specific accumulated smoke exposure based on the cumulative population exposed to smoke PM2.5 over the duration of a fire and estimate excess asthma-related emergency department (ED) visits as a result of this exposure. We find that excess asthma visits attributable to each fire are only moderately correlated with common measures of wildfire severity, including burned area, structures destroyed, and suppression cost. Additionally, while recent California fires contributed nearly half of the country's smoke-related excess asthma ED visits during our study period, the most severe individual fire was the 2007 Bugaboo fire in the Southeast. We estimate that a majority of smoke PM2.5 comes from sources outside the local jurisdictions where the smoke is experienced, with 87% coming from fires in other counties and 60% from fires in other states. Our approach could enable broad-scale assessment of whether specific fire characteristics affect smoke toxicity or impact, inform cost-effectiveness assessments for allocation of suppression resources, and help clarify the growing transboundary nature of local air quality.

Broad-Scale Assessment of Methylmercury in Adult Amphibians.

Mercury (Hg) is a toxic contaminant that has been mobilized and distributed worldwide and is a threat to many wildlife species. Amphibians are facing unprecedented global declines due to many threats including contaminants. While the biphasic life history of many amphibians creates a potential nexus for methylmercury (MeHg) exposure in aquatic habitats and subsequent health effects, the broad-scale distribution of MeHg exposure in amphibians remains unknown. We used nonlethal sampling to assess MeHg bioaccumulation in 3,241 juvenile and adult amphibians during 2017-2021. We sampled 26 populations (14 species) across 11 states in the United States, including several imperiled species that could not have been sampled by traditional lethal methods. We examined whether life history traits of species and whether the concentration of total mercury in sediment or dragonflies could be used as indicators of MeHg bioaccumulation in amphibians. Methylmercury contamination was widespread, with a 33-fold difference in concentrations across sites. Variation among years and clustered subsites was less than variation across sites. Life history characteristics such as size, sex, and whether the amphibian was a frog, toad, newt, or other salamander were the factors most strongly associated with bioaccumulation. Total Hg in dragonflies was a reliable indicator of bioaccumulation of MeHg in amphibians (R2 ≥ 0.67), whereas total Hg in sediment was not (R2 ≤ 0.04). Our study, the largest broad-scale assessment of MeHg bioaccumulation in amphibians, highlights methodological advances that allow for nonlethal sampling of rare species and reveals immense variation among species, life histories, and sites. Our findings can help identify sensitive populations and provide environmentally relevant concentrations for future studies to better quantify the potential threats of MeHg to amphibians.

Vulnerability of sea turtle nesting sites to erosion and inundation: A decision support framework to maximize conservation

AbstractSandy beaches provide essential nesting habitats for sea turtles but are threatened globally by a rapidly changing climate. Identifying which nesting sites are at the greatest risk from erosion and inundation remains an important goal of sea turtle conservation globally. Yet, efforts to identify at‐risk sites have been hindered by the ability to model complex processes and incomplete information on nesting distribution and abundance. To assess the erosion and inundation risk to the reproductive success of a discrete genetic stock of flatback turtles (Natator depressus) across its nesting range in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, we used the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade‐offs (InVEST) Coastal Vulnerability Model. A relative exposure index was calculated for 402 nesting beaches in terms of six geophysical variables: wind and wave exposure, surge potential, relief, observed sea level rise, and coastal geomorphology, and coupled with published information on the distribution and abundance of turtle tracks in the region. The majority of beaches (74%) had intermediate to high exposure. In particular, 36% of beaches with a high abundance of flatback tracks (the top 25% of the frequency distribution) had a high exposure (the top 25% of the frequency distribution). This suggests that coastal exposure is a key vulnerability to the reproductive success of sea turtles that nest in this region. Promisingly, five beaches with a high abundance of turtle tracks also had a low exposure (bottom 25% of the frequency distribution), and these beaches may be critical for the long‐term resilience of the stock against sea level rise and severe storms. Exposure varied across nesting sites, and the approach presented here allows for a rapid and broadscale assessment of relative erosion and inundation risks at a scale most relevant to management.

The broad scale impact of climate change on planning aerial wildlife surveys with drone-based thermal cameras

Helicopters used for aerial wildlife surveys are expensive, dangerous and time consuming. Drones and thermal infrared cameras can detect wildlife, though the ability to detect individuals is dependent on weather conditions. While we have a good understanding of local weather conditions, we do not have a broad-scale assessment of ambient temperature to plan drone wildlife surveys. Climate change will affect our ability to conduct thermal surveys in the future. Our objective was to determine optimal annual and daily time periods to conduct surveys. We present a case study in Texas, (United States of America [USA]) where we acquired and compared average monthly temperature data from 1990 to 2019, hourly temperature data from 2010 to 2019 and projected monthly temperature data from 2021 to 2040 to identify areas where surveys would detect a commonly studied ungulate (white-tailed deer [Odocoileus virginianus]) during sunny or cloudy conditions. Mean temperatures increased when comparing the 1990–2019 to 2010–2019 periods. Mean temperatures above the maximum ambient temperature in which white-tailed deer can be detected increased in 72, 10, 10, and 24 of the 254 Texas counties in June, July, August, and September, respectively. Future climate projections indicate that temperatures above the maximum ambient temperature in which white-tailed deer can be detected will increase in 32, 12, 15, and 47 counties in June, July, August, and September, respectively when comparing 2010–2019 with 2021–2040. This analysis can assist planning, and scheduling thermal drone wildlife surveys across the year and combined with daily data can be efficient to plan drone flights.

Assessing the broadscale effects of wildfire under extreme drought conditions to boreal peatlands

Climate warming and changing fire regimes in the North American boreal zone have the capacity to alter the hydrology and ecology of the landscape with long term consequences to peatland ecosystems and their traditional role as carbon sinks. It is important to understand how peatlands are affected by wildfire in relation to both extent of burn and severity of burn to the organic soil (peat) layers where most of the C is stored. Peatlands cover more than 75% of the landscape in the southern Northwest Territories, Canada where extreme drought led to widespread wildfires in 2014–2015. To assess the wildfire effects across a 14.6 million ha study area including 136 wildfire events, we used an integration of field data collection, land cover mapping of peatland and upland ecotypes, Landsat-8-based mapping of burn severity to the soil organic layers, and MODIS-hotspot mapping of fire progression for season of burning. The intersection of these geospatial products allows for a broadscale assessment of wildfire effects across gradients of ecotype, ecoregions, seasons, and year of burn. Using a series of chi-squared goodness of fit tests, we found that peatlands are more susceptible to wildfire on the Taiga shield where they are smaller and hydrologically isolated by the rocky landscape. There burning affected proportionally larger peat areas with an evenness of burn severity to the organic soil layers which may lead to less spatial diversity in post-fire recovery, making the landscape less resilient to future fire. The most resilient peatlands are expected to be hydrologically well-connected to both ground water systems and larger peatland complexes such as those on the Taiga plains which exhibited large unburned and singed patches across the landscape, and greater variability in burn severity across seasons and ecotypes. Understanding the tipping point of drought conditions at which the landscape becomes connected, and peatlands are susceptible to wildfire with deeper burning of the organic soil layers is important for understanding the potential future effects of climate change and projected increases in wildfire on peatlands. This is critical for C accounting and climate mitigation strategies.

Acceptability measures of water, sanitation and hygiene interventions in low- and middle-income countries, a systematic review.

BackgroundInadequate access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) is an environmental risk factor for poor health outcomes globally, particularly for children in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Despite technological advancements, many interventions aimed at improving WASH access return less than optimal results on long term impact, efficacy and sustainability. Research focus in the ‘WASH sector’ has recently expanded from investigating ‘which interventions work’ to ‘how they are best implemented’. The ‘acceptability’ of an intervention is a key component of implementation that can influence initial uptake and sustained use. Acceptability assessments are increasingly common for health interventions in clinical settings. A broad scale assessment of how acceptability has been measured in the WASH sector, however, has not yet been conducted.Methods/Principal findingsWe conducted a systematic literature review of intervention studies published between 1990 and 2021 that evaluated the acceptability of WASH interventions in LMIC settings. Using an implementation science approach, focused outcomes included how acceptability was measured and defined, and the timing of acceptability assessment. We conducted quality assessment for all included studies using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool for randomised studies, and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for non-randomised studies.Of the 1238 records; 36 studies were included for the analysis, 22 of which were non-randomized interventions and 16 randomized or cluster-randomized trials. We found that among the 36 studies, four explicitly defined their acceptability measure, and six used a behavioural framework to inform their acceptability study design. There were few acceptability evaluations in schools and healthcare facilities. While all studies reported measuring WASH acceptability, the measures were often not comparable or described.ConclusionsAs focus in WASH research shifts towards implementation, a consistent approach to including, defining, and measuring acceptability is needed.

CORRIGENDUM

Hydrological ProcessesVolume 36, Issue 7 e14610 CORRIGENDUMFree Access CORRIGENDUM This article corrects the following: Broad scale assessment of key drivers of streamflow generation in urban and urbanizing rivers Sarah S. Ariano, Claire J. Oswald, Volume 36Issue 4Hydrological Processes First Published online: April 26, 2022 First published: 04 July 2022 https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.14610AboutSectionsPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat The referenced article, Ariano and Oswald (2022), contains an incorrect citation. For ease of location, we refer to the PDF version of the article. The left-hand column on page 9 contains the following text:-. “Even though impervious cover is often discussed as the primary driver of the urban stream response to rainfall (Askarizadeh et al., 2015; Bell et al., 2016; Boyd et al., 1993; Brun & Band, 2000; Guan et al., 2016; Ma et al., 2018),…”. The first author's name in Ma et al., (2018) is incorrect. This citation should read Paule-Mercado et al., 2018). The reference list has also been amended to reflect this change. It should read:-. Paule-Mercado, M. C. A., Salim, I., Lee, B. Y., Memon, S., Sajjad, R. U., Sukhbaatar, C., & Lee, C. H. (2018). Monitoring and quantification of stormwater runoff from mixed land use and land cover catchment in response to land development. Ecological Indicators, 93, 1112–1125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2018.06.006 These changes have also been made to the full-text version. REFERENCE Ariano, S. S., & Oswald, C. J. (2022). Broad scale assessment of key drivers of streamflow generation in urban and urbanizing rivers. Hydrological Processes, 36(4), e14579. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.14579 Volume36, Issue7July 2022e14610 ReferencesRelatedInformation

The last hope: the struggle for survival of fan mussels in the Gulf of Erdek, Sea of Marmara, Turkey

This study presents the results of the first broad-scale assessment of the spatial distribution of the fan mussel (Pinna nobilis Linnaeus, 1758) population in the Gulf of Erdek (Sea of Marmara, Turkey), based on underwater surveys. The population density and structure of mussels were estimated by diving along strip transects between the shoreline and a depth of 15.8 m, in a study area of 9080 km2. A total of 2164 mussels were counted, of which 78.8% were alive, and 21.2% were dead in 29 sites. The mean density was calculated as 18.3 ± 3.3 ind·100 m-2, and recorded densities reached 71.2 ind·100 m-2 among the studied sites. Although mussel density was very high (>15 ind·100 m-2) in nine sites, dead mussels were also recorded in the gulf. Benthic habitats, depth range, and exposure levels seem to play a crucial role in the spatial distribution and survival of fan mussels. The average height (± SE) was calculated as 19.5 ± 0.35 cm and 24.9 ± 0.37 cm for alive and dead mussels, respectively. The percentage of juveniles (≤20 cm) was 57% in the population, and they dominated in seagrass meadow beds and shallow waters. Despite many deaths due to uncertain causes, the results indicate a partially promising scenario for the fan mussel population in the Gulf of Erdek and highlight the existence of many alive juveniles that could play a primary role in the sustainability of the population. This situation is not static, as anthropogenic changes and human activities could affect population welfare in the future. These high-density sites need to be protected, and protection measures in these locations should include all effects that may cause incidental mortality.

Broad scale assessment of key drivers of streamflow generation in urban and urbanizing rivers

AbstractUrbanization is characterized by increased impervious cover, artificial drainage via sewers, soil compaction, and vegetation removal, which fundamentally alters how water moves across landscapes. Less rainwater and snowmelt infiltrate the subsurface and stream responses to precipitation are faster and larger compared to natural environments. While the impacts of catchment imperviousness on hydrologic processes have been widely investigated, the relationship between stream hydrologic response and infrastructure‐mediated hydrologic connectivity across a wide range of urban watersheds has not. This study examines the relative magnitude of control that catchment characteristics, total impervious area (TIA), and sewer‐corrected TIA have on broad‐scale spatial variability in hydrologic response. Sewer‐corrected TIA accounts for inter‐catchment water transfer via storm and/or combined sewer pipes and is feasible to estimate at the watershed‐scale using urban drainage asset data. Daily stream discharge data were used to calculate the Richards‐Baker Flashiness Index for 96 watersheds located across southern Ontario, Canada. For a subset of watersheds (n = 39) with suitable stream discharge and rainfall data, watershed average event runoff ratio (RR) was calculated, and watersheds with spatial sewer network data (n = 24), were used to assess if sewer‐corrected TIA is a better predictor of hydrologic response than TIA. As expected, stream flashiness and RR increased linearly as a function of TIA and sewer‐corrected TIA, however, sewer‐corrected TIA did not explain any additional variability in the response variables. Likewise, the relative control of catchment characteristics on the spatial variability in streamflow generation were negligible. Despite sewer‐corrected TIA not improving our understanding of broad scale variation in runoff response, it could be a useful metric to consider when assessing inter‐event variability in runoff response of, heavily urbanized sub‐catchments for improved understanding of flooding and water quality.

Feasibility, Methodology, and Interpretation of Broad-Scale Assessment of Cardiorespiratory Fitness in a Large Community-Based Sample

Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is intricately related to health status. The optimal approach for CRF quantification is through assessment of peak oxygen uptake (VO2), but such measurements have been largely confined to small referral populations. Here we describe protocols and methodological considerations for peak VO2 assessment and determination of volitional effort in a large community-based sample. Maximum incremental ramp cycle ergometry cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) was performed by Framingham Heart Study participants at a routine study visit (2016 to 2019). Of 3,486 individuals presenting for a multicomponent study visit, 3,116 (89%) completed CPET. The sample was middle-aged (54 ± 9 years), with 53% women, body mass index 28.3 ± 5.6 kg/m2, 48% with hypertension, 6% smokers, and 8% with diabetes. Exercise duration was 12.0 ± 2.1 minutes (limits 3.7to20.5). No major cardiovascular events occurred. A total of 98%, 96%, 90%, 76%, and 57% of the sample reached peak respiratory exchange ratio (RER) values of ≥1.0, ≥1.05, ≥1.10, ≥1.15, and ≥1.20, respectively (mean peak RER=1.21 ± 0.10). With rising peak RER values up to ≈1.10, steep changes were observed for percent predicted peak VO2, VO2 at the ventilatory threshold/peak VO2, heart rate response, and Borg (subjective dyspnea) scores. More shallow changes for effort dependent CPET variables were observed with higher achieved RER values. In conclusion, measurement of peak VO2 is feasible and safe in a large sample of middle-aged, community-dwelling individuals with heterogeneous cardiovascular risk profiles. Peak RER ≥1.10 was achievable by the majority of middle-aged adults and RER values beyond this threshold did not necessarily correspond to higher peak VO2 values.

Broadscale Assessment of Groundhog (Marmota monax) Predictions of Spring Onset No Better than Chance

AbstractGroundhog Day is a widespread North American ritual that marks the onset of spring, with festivities centered around animals that humans believe have abilities to make seasonal predictions. Yet, the collective success of groundhog Marmota monax prognosticators has never been rigorously tested. Here, we propose the local climate-predicted phenology of early blooming spring plants (Carolina spring beauty, or Claytonia caroliniana, which overlaps in native range with groundhogs) as a novel and relevant descriptor of spring onset that can be applied comparatively across a broad geographical range. Of 530 unique groundhog-year predictions across 33 different locations, spring onset was correctly predicted by groundhogs exactly 50% of the time. While no singular groundhog predicted the timing of spring with any statistical significance, there were a handful of groundhogs with notable records of both successful and unsuccessful predictions: Essex Ed (Essex, Connecticut), Stonewall Jackson (Wantage, New Jersey), and Chuckles (Manchester, Connecticut) correctly predicted spring onset over 70% of the time. By contrast, Buckeye Chuck (Marion, Ohio), Dunkirk Dave (Dunkirk, New York), and Holland Huckleberry (Holland, Ohio) made incorrect predictions over 70% of the time. The two most widely recognized and long-tenured groundhogs in their respective countries—Wiarton Willie (Canada) and Punxsutawney Phil (United States)—had success rates of 54% and 52%, respectively, despite over 150 collective guesses. Using a novel phenological indicator of spring, this study determined, without a shadow of a doubt, that groundhog prognosticating abilities for the arrival of spring are no better than chance.

A Comparison of Brook Trout Passage at Road Culverts to Broadscale Assessment Criteria in a Pennsylvania Headwater Stream

AbstractRestoring stream connectivity by replacing road culverts is a high conservation priority, yet long‐term fish passage data aimed to “ground‐truth” culvert prioritization methods are lacking. One common tool for prioritizing culvert removals is the protocol developed by the North Atlantic Aquatic Connectivity Collaborative (NAACC), which uses culvert characteristics to estimate barrier severity and fish passage. To determine the degree to which NAACC scoring reflects trout passage, we monitored Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis movements through three culverts and a reference site (no culvert) in a central Pennsylvania watershed. Passage was nearly continuously monitored for 16 months using remote stationary PIT tag readers. We found that NAACC ranks underestimated Brook Trout passage through two of three culverts. Specifically, the culvert with a rank of “reduced aquatic organism passage (AOP)” experienced higher rates of upstream passage (up to 10 upstream movements per day) than all other sites combined, including the reference site. The reduced AOP site also had a similar proportion of the tagged population that moved upstream (20.9%) compared to the reference site (16.9%). Of the two remaining culverts, both box culverts rated as “no AOP,” one had almost no upstream passage (only two upstream movements over the entire study) and the other had passage rates similar to the reference stream (up to four upstream movements per day). Brook Trout tended to move during high flow and the fall spawning period. We suggest that, for the streams considered in our study, the NAACC protocol may better predict upstream passage if it emphasizes culvert type and adjusts measurement thresholds in the AOP coarse screening. If these patterns are supported by studies at other locations, a more nuanced treatment of culvert type and outlet characteristics in NAACC protocols may more accurately predict Brook Trout passage through culverts.

European cephalopods distribution under climate-change scenarios

In a context of increasing anthropogenic pressure, projecting species potential distributional shifts is of major importance for the sustainable exploitation of marine species. Despite their major economical (i.e. important fisheries) and ecological (i.e. central position in food-webs) importance, cephalopods literature rarely addresses an explicit understanding of their current distribution and the potential effect that climate change may induce in the following decades. In this study, we focus on three largely harvested and common cephalopod species in Europe: Octopus vulgaris, Sepia officinalis and Loligo vulgaris. Using a recently improved species ensemble modelling framework coupled with five atmosphere–ocean general circulation models, we modelled their contemporary and potential future distributional range over the twenty-first century. Independently of global warming scenarios, we observed a decreasing in the suitability of environmental conditions in the Mediterranean Sea and the Bay of Biscay. Conversely, we projected a rapidly increasing environmental suitability in the North, Norwegian and Baltic Seas for all species. This study is a first broad scale assessment and identification of the geographical areas, fisheries and ecosystems impacted by climate-induced changes in cephalopods distributional range.

Conservation status of common wombats in Tasmania I: incidence of mange and its significance

Sarcoptic mange is an infectious disease impacting over 100 mammalian species around the world, including Australia’s common wombat (Vombatus ursinus). A 94% decline in a localised population attributed to mange has raised concerns for the status of the two subspecies endemic to the island state of Tasmania, Australia. We provide the first broad-scale assessment of sarcoptic mange distribution and prevalence in wombats in Tasmania. Mange-affected wombats are widespread in Tasmania from sea level to 960 m above sea level, although there are no confirmed cases from the western region of Tasmania or Maria Island. It has been recorded in most major vegetation groups, but particularly in agricultural areas. Mange prevalence estimated from night-time spotlight observation and camera surveys varied between regions (0.0–17.6%) with an overall prevalence of 4.4% for observation surveys and 0.6% for camera surveys. Time of day, survey method, and distance from observer can influence mange assessments. Local reductions in wombat numbers and animal welfare impacts due to sarcoptic mange are concerning and warrant on-going monitoring of wombats and mange, and the development and trials of effective disease management options.

Inferring spatial patterns of mercury exposure in migratory boreal songbirds: Combining feather mercury and stable isotope (δ2H) measurements

Migratory songbirds breeding in the Canadian Boreal forest are exposed to mercury (Hg), a potent neurotoxin that impairs avian health, however, the degree of exposure depends on many factors. As breeding grounds are geographically remote and vast, the measurement of Hg in individual birds is impractical particularly at large spatial scales. Here, we present a Canada-wide dataset of nearly 2000 migratory songbirds that were used to assess summer Hg exposure of 15 songbird species sampled during fall migration. We measured Hg concentrations in tail feathers and related those to dietary guild, geographic capture location, age, sex and probable breeding ground locations using feather δ2H. Overall mean (±SE) feather Hg concentration was 1.49 ± 0.03 μg/g (N = 1946): however, a clear geographic gradient in feather Hg concentrations emerged being highest in East and lowest in West. Dietary guild was the next strongest predictor of feather Hg with insectivorous songbirds in Eastern Canada at particular risk due to Hg exposure on summer breeding grounds. This broad-scale assessment of Hg exposure in migratory songbirds in Canada can be used to guide future studies on finer-scale determinants of Hg exposure in birds.

3D Printed Hydrogel-Based Sensors for Quantifying UV Exposure.

Exposure to excessive ultraviolet (UV) radiation can have detrimental effects on human health. Inexpensive easy-to-use sensors for monitoring UV radiation can allow broad-scale assessment of UV exposure, but their implementation requires technology that enables rapid and affordable manufacturing of these sensors on a large scale. Herein, we report a novel three-dimensional (3D) printing procedure and printable ink composition that produce robust, flexible, and wearable UV sensors. To fabricate the sensors, a color-changing hydrogel ink was first developed from which standalone constructs were 3D printed. The ink contains alginate, gelatin, photoactive titanium dioxide nanoparticles, and dyes (methyl orange, methylene blue, and malachite green) in which the nanoparticles are used to initiate photocatalytic degradation of dyes, leading to discoloration of the dye. The sensors resemble a color-changing tattoo that loses color upon exposure to UV. The viscosity and ink composition were optimized to achieve printability and tune the mechanical properties (e.g., modulus, hardness) of the sensors. The optimized procedure enabled the one-step fabrication of mechanically stable sensors that can effectively measure outdoor sun exposure by quantifying the decrease in color, visible to the naked eye. Apart from being used as wearable sensors, these sensors have the potential to be used along with UV-based workspace sterilizing devices to ensure that surfaces have been efficiently exposed to UV. The sensors are inexpensive, stable, extremely robust, biodegradable, and easy to use. The tunability, biocompatibility, and printability of the ink offer excellent potential for developing advanced 3D printing methods that, in addition to UV sensors, can be applied more broadly to fabricate other sensing technologies for a variety of other applications.