Long-term Monitoring Plan Research Articles

Sustainable And Bioengineered Concrete For Armor Units Of Low-Crested Structures

In the last two decades, Eco-engineering has emerged to mitigate and compensate the environmental impacts of man-made structures while integrates benefits to society, being concrete the most widely alternative material used to natural rocks for construction of artificial coastal structures. Over the past three decades, an extensive literature has documented different supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) to reduce CO2 emissions from Portland cement, with common SCMs used in marine and coastal structures such as fly ashes, ground granulated blast furnace slags, pozzolanas and limestones. However, there is a need to further investigate the suitability of SCMs for the construction of Low-Crested Structures (LCS) to decrease carbon footprint from concrete production and improve the bioreceptivity of concrete armor units during the breakwater lifetime. A literature review conducted in this study shows several advantages of slag cements compared to other SCMs to reduce carbon emissions and enhance biological colonization and durability of concrete submerged in seawater, identifying surface roughness as the most effective factor in design of bioreceptive concrete. This study also highlights the importance of the type and quantity of cement used in concrete mixes to reduce carbon footprint of the manufacture of concrete armor units of LCS and the implementation of long-term monitoring plans to fully understand the functioning of local communities that develop on concrete surfaces of artificial structures, and thus, to improve the integration of environmental parameters in the field of coastal engineering.

Three-dimensional deviation analysis and digital visualization of shape change before and after conservation treatment of historic kiln site

The Gangjin Celadon Kiln, after its excavation in 1982, was relocated and restored in 1987 and subjected to primary conservation treatment in 2007. However, many problems such as soil disintegration and cavitation occurred in the kiln until recently. In this study, the shape changes due to the conservation treatment in 2020, which was performed to maintain the original shape of the kiln site, were recorded via three-dimensional (3D) scanning, and numerical analysis was conducted to ensure continuous monitoring and preventive conservation. From the results of this study, the locations and ranges of shape changes before and after the conservation treatment of the kiln site were identified through root-mean-square (RMS) deviation analysis and visualization, and the ranges of reinforcement and soil mulch removal were quantified through the deviations at different points. In particular, the most noticeable shape changes occurring from the conservation treatment on the kiln site with 11.2 m long and 16.7° slope were around 15 mm, and many relative changes of 40 mm or more were also observed. In addition, a reinforcement of approximately 40 mm thickness at the least and a flattening were prominently evident on the floor of the working space; the inside of the combustion chamber was visualized with a reinforcement of at least about 50 mm. Damage caused by natural or artificial factors is expected because two extensive conservation treatments were applied in 2007 and 2020 to the kiln sites. Therefore, short-term monitoring using periodic 3D scanning and time-series data comparisons is necessary for the identification of the point of shape change and the determination of major damaged areas so that a mid- to long-term monitoring plan can be established based on the findings of such observations. In addition, predictive modeling research is mandated to detect areas in the entire kiln site that exhibit a greater probability of deterioration based on the available shape change data.

Comprehensive understanding of hydrogeochemical evaluation of seasonal variability in groundwater quality dynamics in the gold mining areas of Osun state, Nigeria

Background: A crucial issue directly affecting the well-being of the human race is water quality. Within a few decades, a greater reliance on groundwater was needed to supply water for drinking, agriculture, and other uses due to the scarcity and contamination of surface water. To forecast its long-term use and increase output, irrigated agriculture requires high-quality water, which must be measured. Objective: The goals of the current study are to comprehend the hydro-geochemistry, drinking water appropriateness, and occurrence of hydro-geochemistry concepts in the groundwater of the gold mining regions of Osun State, South-West Nigeria. Method: Standardized analytical methods were used in the research. All sampling, conservation, transportation, and analysis were carried out in accordance with APHA guidelines (2012). To prevent deterioration of the organic compounds, all acquired samples were sent to research laboratory, while maintaining in an icebox. Results: The study also identifies critical pollutants, affecting the groundwater quality within its course through the gold mining areas of Osun State. Finally, Colour, pH, DO, EC, TDS, TSS, TS, Hardness, Magnesium, Nitrate, Phosphate, Lead, Cadmium, Chromium, Manganese, Mercury and Arsenic have been found to be critical parameters for the stretch in each season of this research. Conclusion: The authors advise developing ongoing systems for monitoring water quality as well as efficient management techniques to prevent excessive groundwater pollution. These findings will therefore aid decision-makers in managing pollution in Osun State's gold mining zones and better understanding the impact of different seasons on water quality. The findings of this study can serve as a foundation for the future monitoring of the effects of anthropogenic activities on local watercourses when mining companies are developed. This requires consideration in terms of both regulatory measures and proactive initiatives for addressing the ensuing issues in the future. In order to maintain sustainability, a long-term monitoring plan is suggested in this study to be implemented into the groundwater bodies to restore their quality.

Designing a Long-term Occupancy Monitoring Plan for a Cryptic Reptile

Monitoring populations of cryptic reptiles is challenging because of their crypticity. Occupancy monitoring is a useful technique for local populations, but seasonal unavailability for detection can result in large swings in apparent annual occupancy. We used data from 5 yr of occupancy surveys, and the observed sampling and process error, to evaluate the power to detect true change in occupancy under a range of sampling scenarios and occupancy trends for a cryptic reptile, Mojave Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) None of the sampling strategies that we tested had the power to detect a 1% per annum increase in true occupancy over a 10-yr period and required ≥70 sites to detect a 1% decline in occupancy. For a 2% per annum change in true occupancy, 50 sites were needed and for a 3–4% per annum change 20–30 sites were needed. Power to detect a 4% per annum decline in occupancy was >80% for all number of secondary visits and number of sites if the number of sites was ≥50, but required seven visits to ≥60 sites to detect a 4% increase in occupancy Multiple sampling designs provided equivalent power. For example, both designs of 80 sites with three secondary visits and 50 sites with seven secondary visits yielded >50% power on average to detect 1–4% per annum changes in true occupancy. These results can help local managers of Mojave Desert Tortoises and other cryptic reptiles to design optimally efficient occupancy monitoring strategies.

The lesser of two evils: the role of an instream barrier to control the distribution and invasive potential of non-native fish species in the Mooi River, South Africa

Context Recreational angling has a history of species introductions causing significant loss of native biodiversity. Despite this, it represents a large economy supporting many livelihoods. The Mooi River, South Africa, supports trout fisheries in its upper reach. A weir was constructed to mitigate the loss of a natural barrier, now inundated by a large impoundment. Aims We evaluated the Inchbrakie Weir’s efficacy in restricting movement of non-native fish. Methods We evaluated the weir as a fish barrier by using fish surveys. We used species distribution modelling to assess the potential for bass to invade the upper reaches should they make their way past the barrier. Key results Our surveys detected three bass species in the study area, including Micropterus salmoides upstream of the fish barrier. Micropterus dolomieu was the main concern with the highest invasion potential, but was not found upstream of the fish barrier. Distribution modelling showed that suitable habitat was available for all three detected bass species, with M. salmoides showing the greatest potential in the upper Mooi River. Implications Invasion by Micropterus spp. concerns the local trout fishery and native fauna persistence. We suggest a long-term continuous monitoring plan to detect the early invasion of M. dolomieu and that a pre-emptive management plan is in place.

Landscape-Level Long-Term Biological Research and Monitoring Plan for the Crane Trust

Our obligation is to make sure we are effectively utilizing science to meet the objectives of the Platte River Whooping Crane Maintenance Trust (1981) laid out in its charter “to rehabilitate and preserve a portion of the habitat for Whooping Cranes and other migratory birds in the Big Bend reach of the Platte River between Overton and Chapman (i.e., Central Platte River Valley), Nebraska”. The original declaration is aimed at maintaining “the physical, hydrological, and biological integrity of the Big Bend area as a life-support system for the Whooping Crane and other migratory species that utilize it.” It was clear from the institution’s founding that to accomplish this goal it was necessary to study the effectiveness of land conservation and management actions in providing habitat for Whooping Cranes and other migratory bird species. Quality habitat necessarily comprises all the components that Whooping Cranes and other migratory bird life require to complete their migrations –food and shelter– including nutrient rich diet items such as invertebrates, vascular plants, herpetofauna, fish, and small mammals as well as suitable roosting and foraging locations including wide braided rivers and undisturbed wet meadows (Allen 1952; Steenhof et al. 1988; Geluso 2013; Caven et al. 2019, 2021). Article “A” of the Crane Trust’s (1981) declaration is “to establish a written habitat monitoring plan which can be used to describe change in…[habitat] within the Big Bend of the Platte River…utilized by Sandhill Cranes and Whooping Cranes….” Following initial inventories including avian (Hay and Lingle 1982), vegetation (Kolstad 1981; Nagel 1981), small mammals (Springer 1981), herpetofauna (Jones et al. 1981), insects (Ratcliffe 1981), and fish (Cochar and Jenson 1981), a variety of excellent research has continued at the Crane Trust (https://cranetrust.org/conservation-research/publications/). However, despite the clarity of the Trust’s original declaration, long-term habitat monitoring has not progressed unabated throughout the history of the Crane Trust.

Decarbonisation of the urban built environment through vegetation-based carbon sequestration

The impacts of climate change require a strategic improvement in design decision-making. Leading professionals are aiming for carbon-positive buildings that can achieve carbon sequestration by adding vegetation to buildings. Multiple references and case studies explored in this paper suggest that there is theoretical potential for cities to become carbon sinks by constructing carbon-positive buildings. However, determining effective strategies, and quantifying and monitoring carbon sequestration in buildings, requires a standardised approach so that this carbon sequestration potential can be measurably established. This paper provides two key outputs: firstly, the paper identifies strategies that could shift buildings towards being capable of active carbon sequestration. Secondly, the paper provides a methodological framework with four key considerations that building professionals can use to design for carbon sequestration. These are: understanding the site’s ecological, climatic, cultural and legal context; identifying response, pressure, state and benefits indicators to set carbon sequestration targets; considering site ecosystem functioning and carbon dynamics to strategise carbon sequestration through design; and preparing long-term monitoring, evaluation and management plans. This paper identifies two areas for further investigation: linking manual quantification methods with computer-aided methods; and utilising biomass data and growth models at the landscape, regional, and global levels for carbon sequestration assessment.

Optimizing monitoring of an endemic terrestrial salamander (Speleomantes ambrosii): comparing cost-effectiveness of different methods for abundance estimation

In order to correctly plan conservation and management of animal populations, it is fundamental to obtain reliable information on population abundance using cost-effective monitoring methods. In the case of small terrestrial vertebrates, capture–mark–recapture, removal sampling and counts of unmarked individuals have proven to be reliable techniques to estimate population abundance. In the present study, we applied a multinomial N-mixture modelling approach, performed through a double-observer sampling protocol, to estimate population size of the endemic terrestrial salamander Speleomantes ambrosii. We aimed at comparing cost-effectiveness of this protocol with those of other estimation methods (i.e., capture–mark–recapture and removal sampling), with particular attention to management and monitoring guidelines. The double-observer multinomial N-mixture protocol was the most cost-effective among the different methods: given its ease of application and cost-effectiveness, we encourage its employment for long-term monitoring and conservation plans of the near-threatened plethodontid salamander Speleomantes ambrosii.

Land Cover Changing Pattern in Pre- and Post-Earthquake Affected Area from Remote Sensing Data: A Case of Lushan County, Sichuan Province

Extremely hard-hit areas face frequent secondary geological hazards and difficulties in vegetation recovery, and subsequent effects have a significant impact on land cover changes. At present, there is a lack of research on the dynamic restoration of, and changes in, the ecological environment before and after an earthquake, and especially a lack of quantitative assessment of the impact of earthquakes on land cover at the microscopic scale of spatial distribution of landscape indices. Taking the Lushan earthquake in Sichuan Province as an example, this paper obtained land cover data from the study area between 2012 and 2020, and analyzes the spatial distribution characteristics and influencing factors of land cover change frequency by using a comprehensive land cover degree index, land cover transfer matrix and landscape ecology index. The results show that the types of cropland, forest, built-up and bare land have changed significantly in the study area. During the earthquake recovery period, the comprehensive land cover index of the study area showed an increasing trend, and land cover has been continuously improved under the effect of artificial measures and natural restoration. After 2013, patch density (PD) and landscape shape index (LSI) values decreased and aggregation index (AI) values increased for the vast majority of landscape land classes, indicating a benign ecological development across the region in the post-earthquake period. The research results are not only helpful to establish scientific ecological environmental management in the earthquake-stricken areas, but also helpful to formulate medium- and long-term ecological environmental monitoring and ecological restoration plans based on land cover change patterns.

Monitored Natural Recovery of Contaminated Sediment in Cottonwood Bay, Texas

ABSTRACT Monitored natural recovery (MNR) is a response action for contaminated sediment that relies on natural processes to reduce ecological and human health risks to acceptable levels over time. Multi-media long-term monitoring is necessary to verify remedy effectiveness and success. Whereas MNR has most often been employed together with other engineered remedies to address contaminated sediment, this case study describes an evaluation demonstrating the suitability of MNR with adaptive management as a stand-alone sediment remedial strategy for Cottonwood Bay, located in Dallas, Texas. Current risks at the Cottonwood Bay site are associated with human consumption of fish contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The lines of evidence used to evaluate MNR included documentation of source control; review of PCB burial/isolation and surface sediment recovery; evaluation of sediment deposition and sediment stability; and demonstration of decreasing temporal trends in fish tissue PCB concentrations. The multiple lines of evidence demonstrated that source control and natural recovery processes have contributed substantially to reduced concentrations of PCBs and metals in surface sediments and PCBs in fish. MNR has been approved by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and is incorporated as a stand-alone remedy in the revised Remedial Action Plan (RAP) for Cottonwood Bay. A long-term monitoring plan is being implemented as part of an MNR response action to confirm decreasing trends in surface sediment and fish fillet PCB concentrations over time and to demonstrate the continued effectiveness of natural recovery processes.

Difficult-to-Treat Asthma Management in School-Age Children

The World Health Organization divides severe asthma into three categories: untreated severe asthma; difficult-to-treat severe asthma; and severe, therapy-resistant asthma. The apparent frequency of severe asthma in the general population of asthmatic children is probably around 5%. Upon referral of these children, it is important to evaluate the diagnosis of asthma carefully before modifying management and applying a long-term monitoring plan. Identification of pathophysiologic phenotypes using objective biomarkers is essential in our routine assessments of severe asthma. Although conventional pharmacologic approaches should be attempted first, there is growing recognition that children with difficult-to-treat asthma may have unique clinical phenotypes that may necessitate alternative treatment approaches including asthma biologics. These new medications, especially those with effects on multiple pathologic features of asthma, raise the hope that new treatment strategies could induce remission. Besides introducing new medications, the opportunity for closer monitoring is feasible with advances in digital health. Therefore, we have the opportunity to improve response to medications, individualize treatment, and monitor response along with potential steps to prevent severe asthma.

Global water shortage and potable water safety; Today’s concern and tomorrow’s crisis

Climate change, severe droughts, population growth, demand increase, and poor management during the recent decades have further stressed the scarce freshwater resources worldwide and resulted in severe water shortages in many regions. The water utilities address the water shortage by providing alternative source of water, augment the supplied water, supply intermittently, and even bulk water delivery under severe water shortage conditions. On the other hand, many households store water in building storage tanks to cope with insufficient delivery of potable water due to frequent interruptions. All these practices could pose crucial risks to the chemical and microbiological quality of the water. However, consistent monitoring and implementation of mitigation strategies could lower the potential risks associated with these practices. It is critical to identify the potential hazards resulting from the alternative water supplies and distribution practices to develop temporary and long-term monitoring and mitigation plans and reduce the microbial and chemical contamination of potable water delivered to the consumers. This paper provides a holistic review of the significant hazards associated with the practices employed by the water utilities and water consumers to alleviate the potable water shortage and discusses the required monitoring and mitigation practices.

Accelerating the development of structural complexity: lidar analysis supports restoration as a tool in coastal Pacific Northwest forests

A century of land-use changes and intensive plantation-style forestry in the Pacific Northwest have resulted in a substantial deficit of structurally complex late-successional forests, which serve key ecological and social functions. Restoration treatments can theoretically accelerate the development of structural complexity in simplified forest stands, but our understanding of the short-term effects of such treatments on forest structure and gap patterns is still emerging. In this study, we used a bi-temporal airborne lidar dataset to assess short-term (10 years post-treatment) effects of restoration treatments on the structural complexity of forest stands in the Ellsworth Creek Preserve in southwestern Washington. We also compared forest structure and gap patterns between treated stands and existing late-successional areas within the preserve. Restoration treatments in older stands (60- to 80-years old) resulted in a greater increase in the mean and variability of both vertical and horizontal structural complexity and a considerable increase in the density of canopy gaps, indicating accelerated development towards increased structural complexity. Treatments in the younger stands (20- to 30-years old) primarily accelerated the development of vertical canopy complexity. Older treated stands within the preserve will require natural growth in canopy height, increased regeneration density, and filling in and diversification of canopy gaps to reach the structural complexity of late-successional forests in the preserve, but accelerating these developments may require additional restoration-focused treatments. Forest managers in the region should consider restoration treatments as a viable option for improving short-term structural complexity in simplified forest stands. We also encourage long-term management and monitoring plans that continue to address the deficit of late-successional forests in the region.

Organochlorine compounds pose health risks to the Qinling Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca qinlingensis).

To assess organochlorine compound (OC) contamination, its possible sources, and adverse health impacts on giant pandas, we collected soil, bamboo, and panda fecal samples from the habitat and research center of the Qinling panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca qinlingensis)-the rarest recognized panda subspecies. The polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) concentrations were comparatively low which suggests that moderate sources of OC pollution currently. OC levels were lower in samples from nature reserve than in those collected from pandas held in captivity, and OC levels within the reserve increased between functional areas in the order: core, buffer and experimental. The distribution patterns, and correlation analyses, combined with congener distributions suggested PCBs and OCPs originated from similar sources, were dispersed by similar processes, being transported through atmosphere and characterized by historical residues. Backward trajectory analyses results, and detected DRINs (aldrin, dieldrin, endrin and isodrin) both suggest long-range atmospheric transport of pollution source. PCBs pose potential cancer risk, and PCB 126 was the most notable toxicant as assessed be the high carcinogenic risk index. We provide data for health risk assessment that can guide the identification of priority congeners, and recommend a long-term monitoring plan. This study proposes an approach to ecotoxicological threats whereby giant pandas may be used as sentinel species for other threatened or endangered mammals. By highlighting the risks of long-distance transmission of pollutants, the study emphasizes the importance of transboundary cooperation to safeguard biodiversity.

Influence of Temperature Change on the Fate of Chlorinated Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs): A Preliminary Study

In this study, the influence of climate change on the fate of chlorinated Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in Ulsan, South Korea was evaluated using a multimedia environmental fate model (CoZMo-POP 2). PCB-28 and PCB-153, representative POPs, were selected for the modeling with the temperature changes (±5.0°C and ±2.5°C). Results indicate that the long-term trends of PCB concentrations reflect an emission scenario, with the exception of PCB-153 in soil and sediment. In particular, when the temperature increased, the concentrations of PCBs in the atmosphere also increased; however, those of PCBs in other media (canopy, soil, water, and sediment) decreased. In contrast, the concentration of PCB-153 in a deciduous canopy increased with an increase in temperature due to the high deposition velocity. Due to the temperature changes, the accumulation amounts of PCB-153 showed larger variations from the current levels in the atmosphere, whereas PCB-28 showed larger variations in other media. More specifically, high-chlorinated PCBs mainly accumulated in forest soil, but their levels in the atmosphere demonstrated the high impact caused by the temperature changes. Low-chlorinated PCB levels in the canopy and atmosphere were also highly impacted by the temperature changes. The results of this study can be applied to establish long-term monitoring plans and regulatory policies of POPs according to climate changes such as increases in temperatures. Key Words: POPs, PCBs, Climate change, Multimedia environmental model, CoZMo-POP 2

Comprehensive assessment of the indoor air quality in a chlorinated Olympic-size swimming pool

Elite swimmers and swimming pool employees are likely to be at greater health risk due to their regular and intense exposure to air stressors in the indoor swimming pool environment. Since data on the real long-term exposure is limited, a long-term monitoring and sampling plan (22 non-consecutive days, from March to July 2017) was carried out in an indoor Olympic-size pool with a chlorine-based disinfection method to characterize indoor environments to which people involved in elite swimming and maintenance staff may be exposed to. A comprehensive set of parameters related with comfort and environmental conditions (temperature, relative humidity (RH), carbon dioxide (CO2) and monoxide and ultrafine particles (UFP)) were monitored both indoors and outdoors in order to determine indoor-to-outdoor (I/O) ratios. Additionally, an analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOC) concentration and its dynamics was implemented in three 1-hr periods: early morning, evening elite swimmers training session and late evening. Samplings were simultaneously carried out in the air layer above the water surface and in the air surrounding the pool, selected to be representative of swimmers and coaches/employees’ breathing zones, respectively. The results of this work showed that the indoor climate was very stable in terms of air temperature, RH and CO2. In terms of the other measured parameters, mean indoor UFP number concentrations (5158 pt/cm3) were about 50% of those measured outdoors whereas chloroform was the predominant substance detected in all samples collected indoors (13.0–369.3 µg/m3), among a varied list of chemical compounds. An I/O non-trihalomethanes (THM) VOC concentration ratio of 2.7 was also found, suggesting that, beyond THM, other potentially hazardous VOC have also their source(s) indoors. THM and non-THM VOC concentration were found to increase consistently during the evening training session and exhibited a significant seasonal pattern. Compared to their coaches, elite swimmers seemed to be exposed via inhalation to significantly higher total THM levels, but to similar concentrations of non-THM VOC, during routine training activities. Regarding swimming employees, the exposure to THM and other VOC appeared to be significantly minimized during the early morning period. The air/water temperature ratio and RH were identified as important parameters that are likely to trigger the transfer processes of volatile substances from water to air and of their accumulation in the indoor environment of the swimming pool, respectively.

Evaluating toxicity risk in sediments after remediation at a Superfund megasite using a Triad approach.

The Pine River downstream of the Velsicol Superfund site has been contaminated with various hydrophobic organic pollutants for more than 50 years. Remediation and sediment dredging near the site began in spring of 1999, and was completed in 2006. In 2011, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality completed a baseline assessment report long-term monitoring plan for the Pine River. However, there has been limited assessment of the benthic community since this evaluation. The objective of this research was to evaluate the risk of Pine River sediment to aquatic macroinvertebrates downstream from the Superfund site after decades of degradation and dredging using the Triad approach. Three sites were selected downstream from the Superfund site, and an upstream reference site was used. At each site, macroinvertebrates surveys were conducted and sediments were collected for chemical analysis of DDT (1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis (4-chlorophenyl) ethane) and its degradation products and for laboratory toxicity testing for mortality and sublethal effects using Hyalella azteca and Chironomus dilutus. Sediment concentrations of DDT, DDD, and DDE were below levels expected to cause toxicity, and there was no observed toxicity in laboratory tests. Additionally, there were no statistically significant differences in richness, richness of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) species, total EPT abundance, percent EPT, or percent dominant taxa between the reference site and the downstream sites. There was an observed decrease in abundance of macroinvertebrate taxa at all downstream sites and a shift in macroinvertebrate structure when comparing the reference with most impaired sites. Although the sites downstream of the Superfund site remain different than the upstream control, there are improvements in species composition and abundance. However, more research is needed to evaluate the potential effects on ecosystem function.

How to spot a black-footed cat? Successful application of cross-species markers to identify captive-bred individuals from non-invasive genetic sampling

The black-footed cat (Felis nigripes) is the smallest felid of Southern Africa, endemic to the arid steppe and savannah habitats. However, though threatened and characterized by decreasing sizes of its populations, a number of ecological, demographic, sanitary, and genetic aspects, essential for the long-term conservation of the species, still remain poorly known. Non-invasive genetic sampling may represent an appropriate and cost-effective tool to fill this lack of information. Thus, for the first time so far, we developed a protocol for species and individual identification of black-footed cats, starting from markers originally designed for the domestic cat and from 23 non-invasively collected samples of captive-bred individuals. We then tested its genotyping efficiency and reliability for future applications in non-invasive genetic monitoring programs of the wild populations. Most of the samples (65%), corresponding to 15 individuals, were successfully genotyped at 316 bp of the mtDNA ND5 and at nine autosomal microsatellites. We detected two black-footed cat mtDNA ND5 haplotypes that were clearly distinguishable from all the other wild and domestic felids. All microsatellites were polymorphic and showed low error rates, probabilities of identity < 0.001 and a mean observed heterozygosity HO = 0.68. Subsequent approximate Bayesian computation simulations confirmed that black-footed cats and African and European wildcats likely experienced sequential population splittings that started during the Late Pliocene and continued through the Early Pleistocene. Our study provided the first reliable and cost-effective molecular multilocus characterization of non-invasively collected samples of black-footed cats. Though solely tested on captive-bred individuals, our method could be applied to design and implement effective long-term monitoring and conservation plans of poorly investigated black-footed cat wild populations.

Celiac Disease and Adherence to Gluten Free Diet; an Outpatient View

Celiac disease (CD) seems to be a considerable health disorder in Egypt. However, no full data on patients’ current situation concerning main presentation, tools commonly used for diagnosis, extent of adherence to gluten free diet (GFD), and long-term monitoring plan. This study was undertaken to investigate these important management issues. Design: A convenient sample of 72records was selected for those who were referred to the outpatient clinic of National Nutrition Institute (NNI) for prescribing a gluten-free diet for them and attended nutrition education sessions at NNI.Data was collected to evaluate patients’ current situation concerning main presenting manifestations, tools commonly used for diagnosis, and extent of adherence to gluten free diet. Results: 72.0% of cases were mainly in infancy and childhood age and number of referred girls/females was nearly double that of boys/males. Vomiting/diarrhea represented main manifestations (63.0%) and weight loss/failure to thrive was the next common (31.0%). Anemia was also common (25.0%). Anti-tissue transglutaminase IgA (anti-tTG) IgA (46.0%) and endoscopy (40.0%) were the main investigating tools.Duodenal biopsy was takenin 22.0% out of these 40.0% and villous lesion of various degrees was reported in only 22.0% out of these 40.0%. Quantitative assessment of Gluten Free Diet (GFD) adequacy showed multiple micronutrients’ insufficiency. Consumption of apparent and hidden gluten sources was dramatically decreased following the nutrition education and training sessions. The shortage in availability of gluten-free products and their high cost were among main obstacles. Conclusion and Recommendations: The only treatment for celiac disease, at present, is a strict gluten-free diet for life. There is an urgent need to increase awareness among primary health care physicians and pediatricians about the wide diversity of clinical manifestations and the role of serological testing in the diagnosis of celiac disease.Governmental support for providing GF products is mandatory for proper GF adherence and for improving nutrients’ adequacy.

Conservation status of the forest beetles (Insecta, Coleoptera) from Azores, Portugal.

BackgroundIsland biodiversity is under considerable pressure due to the ongoing threats of invasive alien species, land use change or climate change. The few remnants of Azorean native forests harbour a unique set of endemic beetles, some of them possibly already extinct or under severe long term threat due to the small areas of the remaining habitats or climatic changes. In this contribution we present the IUCN Red List profiles of 54 forest adapted beetle species endemic to the Azorean archipelago, including species belonging to four speciose families: Zopheridae (12 species), Carabidae (11 species), Curculionidae (11 species) and Staphylinidae (10 species).New informationMost species have a restricted distribution (i.e. 66% occur in only one island) and a very small extent of occurrence (EOO) and area of occupancy (AOO). Also common to most of the species is the severe fragmentation of their populations, and a continuing decline in EOO, AOO, habitat quality, number of locations and subpopulations caused by the ongoing threat from pasture intensification, forestry, invasive species and future climatic changes. Therefore, we suggest as future measures of conservation: (1) a long-term monitoring plan for the species; (2) control of invasive species; (3) species-specific conservation action for the most highly threatened species.