Opportunistic Platform Research Articles

Monitoring the composition, sources and spatial distribution of seafloor litter in the Adriatic Sea (Mediterranean Sea) through Fishing for Litter initiatives.

Although the seafloor is an important sink for marine litter, its less accessible environment makes seafloor litter the least studied component. Nevertheless, detailed monitoring of its composition and spatial distribution is urgently needed to develop appropriate mitigation strategies in areas exposed to multiple anthropogenic pressures, such as the Adriatic Sea. Commercial fisheries such as bottom trawls can serve as an opportunistic platform for collecting data on seafloor litter and help researchers in addressing the lack of data through Fishing for Litter initiatives. In this study, the crews of twelve trawlers from two Italian Adriatic ports collected seafloor litter as part of their Fishing for Litter initiatives. In addition to the classical scheme, the collected litter was sorted on board into different bags, and speed, duration and geographical coordinates of each haul were recorded to allow an assessment of both densities and spatial distribution. More than 600 kg of litter was removed from the seafloor by the fishers in approximately 1 month and characterised by the researchers on the docks. Most of the found items were made of synthetic polymers and related to packaging, fisheries and aquaculture activities. Abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear and mussel nets were identified as of particular concern in the maritime compartment of Chioggia and Civitanova Marche, respectively. Three hotspots for marine litter were identified: near the Venice lagoon, in the centre of the northern basin and at greater depth in the central Adriatic. This study provides a detailed picture of the spatial distribution and composition of seafloor litter in the areas studied and highlights the importance of increased cooperation between fishermen and scientists to improve the identification of hotspots and sources while removing marine litter from the seafloor and raising awareness of the problem.

Intra-season variations in distribution and abundance of humpback whales in the West Antarctic Peninsula using cruise vessels as opportunistic platforms.

Fine‐scale knowledge of spatiotemporal dynamics in cetacean distribution and abundance throughout the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) is sparse yet essential for effective ecosystem‐based management (EBM). Cruise vessels were used as platforms of opportunity to collect data on the distribution and abundance of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) during the austral summer of 2019/2020 in a region that is also important for the Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) fishery, to assess potential spatiotemporal interactions for future use in EBM. Data were analyzed using traditional design‐based line transect methodology and spatial density surface hurdle models fitted using a set of physical environmental covariates to estimate the abundance and distribution of whales in the area, and to describe their temporal dynamics. Our results indicate a rapid increase in humpback whale abundance in the Bransfield and Gerlache Straits through December, reaching a stable abundance by mid‐January. The distribution of humpback whales appeared to change from a patchier distribution in the northern Gerlache Strait to a significantly concentrated presence in the central Gerlache and southern Bransfield Straits, followed by a subsequent dispersion throughout the area. Abundance estimates agreed well with previous literature, increasing from approximately 7000 individuals in 2000 to a peak of 19,107 in 2020. Based on these estimates, we project a total krill consumption of between 1.4 and 3.7 million tons based on traditional and contemporary literature on per capita krill consumption of whales, respectively. When taken in the context of krill fishery catch data in the study area, we conclude that there is minimal spatiotemporal overlap between humpback whales and fishery activity during our study period of November–January. However, there is potential for significant interaction between the two later in the feeding season, but cetacean survey efforts need to be extended into late season in order to fully characterize this potential overlap.

Humpback whales in Banderas Bay, Mexico: relative abundance and temporal patterns between 2004 and 2017

Banderas Bay, Mexico is an important breeding and transit area for the North Pacific humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) population. In this paper we estimated relative abundance (RA = number of whales/hours of navigation) as a proxy to assess population temporary patterns in the area. We analyzed data from 14 breeding seasons (2004-2017), collected between December and March each winter. A total of 8,013 whales were observed in 1,394.6 navigation hours. Average seasonal RA was 5.7 whales per hour with a maximum of 7.5 (2013) and a minimum of 4.0 (2016). Sea surface temperature (SST) averaged 25.1°C and remained within the range considered optimal for humpback whale reproduction areas. SST showed no significant correlation with RA (r = 0.183). Inter-seasonal RA values suggested an increase throughout the study period, although the increase was not statistically significant (R = 0.32; R2 = 0.10; t = 1.15, p > 0.05). Intra-seasonal analyses showed that RA in December and January were significantly higher (U = 150, p < 0.05) than in February and March; this pattern was consistent throughout the seasons of study. These results represent a shift in the intra-seasonal abundance peak relative to previous studies when most whales were observed between January and February. It is important to recognize changes in population parameters of humpback whales in breeding areas to improve management practices. This study also highlights the potential of opportunistic platforms, such as whale watching tour boats, as viable sources of quality information, particularly in contexts when funding is limited.

Local movements and site-tenacity of minke whale in Iceland in relation to feeding and a northward distribution shift

ABSTRACT Population dynamics, movement patterns and migratory routes of common minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) in the North Atlantic are not yet fully understood. Small-scale movements of minke whales within Skjálfandi Bay, Iceland, were analysed and discussed in relation to population dynamics in the North Atlantic. Local distribution and abundance of minke whales were investigated on both individual and population basis. Data were obtained through continuous sighting surveys from 2005 to 2018, conducted by trained volunteers using whale watching vessels as opportunistic research platforms. Variations in abundance might reflect a species distribution shift to higher latitudes. Competition for prey and the general movement of several species from different taxonomic groups support a potential range shift. For the first time, habitat use of minke whales in Skjálfandi Bay was revealed through spatial analysis, as well as small-scale site-tenacity, proven through modelling of distances between individual and random relocations. To improve the status of the declining minke whale population around Iceland we suggest recognition of separate minke whale management units using different areas. Additionally, we encourage the protection of different feeding grounds which will reduce local anthropogenic stressors and likely improve minke whales' coping with climate change and shifts in prey.

Scanning ferry routes: looking for eDNA traces of marine mammals and their preys

Marine environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys are becoming a promising approach to monitor biodiversity status and its variation over time. However, monitoring offshore areas could be extremely costly when using dedicated vessels, beside the impossibility to sample simultaneously geographically distant (even if adjacent) areas. The unexplored possibility of availing on operating ferries as an opportunistic platform for eDNA sampling offers several advantages besides opening limitless opportunities for systematic surveys on marine biodiversity.We present the results of both metabarcoding and barcoding approaches obtained from the analysis of water samples collected on board of a ferry boat along a pilot Mediterranean route crossing the Pelagos Sanctuary for Mediterranean Marine Mammals. The recently described MarVer primer sets (12SrDNA and 16SrDNA regions), specifically designed for the simultaneous detection of marine mammals and other marine vertebrates, were employed. The High Throughput Sequencing (HTS) outcome showed that the markers successfully detected most trophic levels of vertebrate marine communities, and classes, including bony fish, rays, cetaceans and birds. Ferry-based sampling allow to collect sample at any time of the day, and we indeed found diel differences in both quantitative and qualitative distribution of read counts. For instances, we observed an increased abundance of lantern fish amplicons in night-time collect samples (50%), reflecting nocturnal migration through the water column. In general, the number of read counts was significantly higher in nocturnal samples. Such diel differences within our sample indirectly provides evidence of the efficiency of the eDNA approach to detect contemporary signals in the sampled environment. Similarly, cetaceans were detected in correspondence of visual sightings (when these occurred, supplementary samples were collected). Rare species, such as the monk seal, are difficult to be detected in metabarcoding surveys, thus we opted to side the screening of the ferry-samples with a panel of species-specific qPCR assays, which were able to detect DNA traces of the endangered pinniped in the Tuscany archipelago (Tyrrhenian Sea) long before visual observations witnessed its presence in the same area. The study demonstrates the feasibility of using commercial shipping as a platform for eDNA marine sampling without dedicated survey cruises. Commercial shipping routes have potential to act as regular systematic sampling transects which can contribute to evaluating and monitoring marine biodiversity.

Health Literacy, Knowledge on Cervical Cancer and Pap Smear and Its Influence on Pre-Marital Malay Muslim Women Attitude towards Pap Smear.

Background:Cervical cancer is preventable. In Malaysia, women are found to have good awareness of the disease and yet, the Pap smear uptake is still poor. Measuring health literacy level could explain this discrepancy. This study aims to determine the relationship between health literacy, level of knowledge of cervical cancer and Pap smear with attitude towards Pap smear among women attending pre-marital course. Methods:A cross sectional study was performed in three randomly selected centres that organised pre-marital courses. All Malay Muslim women participants aged 18 to 40 years old were recruited while non-Malaysian, illiterate, and had hysterectomy were excluded. Validated self-administered questionnaires used were European Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q16 Malay) and Knowledge and attitude towards Cervical Cancer and Pap Smear Questionnaire. The mean percentage score (mean± SD) was calculated, with higher scores showed better outcomes. Multiple linear regression was used to measure the relationship of independent variables with attitude towards Pap smear. Results:A total of 417 participants were recruited with a mean age of 24.9 ± 3.56 years old. Prevalence of awareness of cervical cancer was 91.6% (n=382, 95% CI: 89.0%, 94.2%) and mean percentage score was 74.7%±7.6. Prevalence of awareness of Pap smear was 59.0% (n=246, 95% CI: 54.2%, 63.8%) and mean percentage score was 80.2% ± 6.5. The health literacy mean score was 13.3±3.6, with minimum score 0 and maximum score 16. The mean percentage score of attitudes towards Pap smear was 64.8%±9.3. Multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated significant relationship between health literacy (p=0.047) and knowledge of Pap smear (p<0.001) with attitude towards Pap smear. Conclusion:A higher health literacy with high knowledge of Pap smear improves the attitude towards Pap smear. Pre-marital course is an opportunistic platform to disseminate information to improve health literacy and knowledge of cervical cancer and Pap smear screening.

Slicing the cake without baking it: Opportunistic platform entry strategies in digital markets

The growth of digital platforms relies on the generative nature of digital resources and platforms' openness to complementary innovation. These features often generate strong network effects and winner-take-all dynamics that protect incumbents from competition. However, under certain conditions, these same features render incumbent platforms vulnerable to competitive strategic moves via entrant platforms wherein the entrants can capture value and simultaneously avoid upfront investments in value creation. In this study, we identify three such strategies: platform exploitation, platform injection, and platform pacing. These strategies allow the entrant platform to capture value using the incumbent ecosystem's resources by copying parts of the resources (exploitation), by following the development cycle of key boundary resources (pacing), or by placing itself inside the platform (injection). In this study, we employ an interpretative cross-case synthesis to both theorize these strategies as a new category of opportunistic platform competition and to reveal their distinctive characteristics. Overall, the study demonstrates the potential for unconventional and opportunistic platform competition strategies that extend beyond more traditional ones, such as quality, variety, and network size.

Haemophilus influenzae Glucose Catabolism Leading to Production of the Immunometabolite Acetate Has a Key Contribution to the Host Airway-Pathogen Interplay.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by abnormal inflammatory responses and impaired airway immunity, which provides an opportunistic platform for nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) infection. Clinical evidence supports that the COPD airways present increased concentrations of glucose, which may facilitate proliferation of pathogenic bacteria able to use glucose as a carbon source. NTHi metabolizes glucose through respiration-assisted fermentation, leading to the excretion of acetate, formate, and succinate. We hypothesized that such specialized glucose catabolism may be a pathoadaptive trait playing a pivotal role in the NTHi airway infection. To find out whether this is true, we engineered and characterized bacterial mutant strains impaired to produce acetate, formate, or succinate by inactivating the ackA, pflA, and frdA genes, respectively. While the inactivation of the pflA and frdA genes only had minimal physiological effects, the inactivation of the ackA gene affected acetate production and led to reduced bacterial growth, production of lactate under low oxygen tension, and bacterial attenuation in vivo. Moreover, bacterially produced acetate was able to stimulate the expression of inflammatory genes by cultured airway epithelial cells. These results back the notion that the COPD lung supports NTHi growth on glucose, enabling production of fermentative end products acting as immunometabolites at the site of infection. Thus, glucose catabolism may contribute not only to NTHi growth but also to bacterially driven airway inflammation. This information has important implications for developing nonantibiotic antimicrobials, given that airway glucose homeostasis modifying drugs could help prevent microbial infections associated with chronic lung disease.

Preclinical Evaluation of the Antimicrobial-Immunomodulatory Dual Action of Xenohormetic Molecules against Haemophilus influenzae Respiratory Infection.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by abnormal inflammation and impaired airway immunity, providing an opportunistic platform for nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) infection. In this context, therapies targeting not only overactive inflammation without significant adverse effects, but also infection are of interest. Increasing evidence suggests that polyphenols, plant secondary metabolites with anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, may be protective. Here, a Cistus salviifolius plant extract containing quercetin, myricetin, and punicalagin was shown to reduce NTHi viability. Analysis of these polyphenols revealed that quercetin has a bactericidal effect on NTHi, does not display synergies, and that bacteria do not seem to develop resistance. Moreover, quercetin lowered NTHi airway epithelial invasion through a mechanism likely involving inhibition of Akt phosphorylation, and reduced the expression of bacterially-induced proinflammatory markers il-8, cxcl-1, il-6, pde4b, and tnfα. We further tested quercetin’s effect on NTHi murine pulmonary infection, showing a moderate reduction in bacterial counts and significantly reduced expression of proinflammatory genes, compared to untreated mice. Quercetin administration during NTHi infection on a zebrafish septicemia infection model system showed a bacterial clearing effect without signs of host toxicity. In conclusion, this study highlights the therapeutic potential of the xenohormetic molecule quercetin against NTHi infection.

The Interplay Between Immune Response and Bacterial Infection in COPD: Focus Upon Non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a debilitating respiratory disease and one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. It is characterized by persistent respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation due to abnormalities in the lower airway following consistent exposure to noxious particles or gases. Acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) are characterized by increased cough, purulent sputum production, and dyspnea. The AECOPD is mostly associated with infection caused by common cold viruses or bacteria, or co-infections. Chronic and persistent infection by non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi), a Gram-negative coccobacillus, contributes to almost half of the infective exacerbations caused by bacteria. This is supported by reports that NTHi is commonly isolated in the sputum from COPD patients during exacerbations. Persistent colonization of NTHi in the lower airway requires a plethora of phenotypic adaptation and virulent mechanisms that are developed over time to cope with changing environmental pressures in the airway such as host immuno-inflammatory response. Chronic inhalation of noxious irritants in COPD causes a changed balance in the lung microbiome, abnormal inflammatory response, and an impaired airway immune system. These conditions significantly provide an opportunistic platform for NTHi colonization and infection resulting in a “vicious circle.” Episodes of large inflammation as the consequences of multiple interactions between airway immune cells and NTHi, accumulatively contribute to COPD exacerbations and may result in worsening of the clinical status. In this review, we discuss in detail the interplay and crosstalk between airway immune residents and NTHi, and their effect in AECOPD for better understanding of NTHi pathogenesis in COPD patients.

Leveraging the checkpoint-restart technique for optimizing CPU efficiency of ATLAS production applications on opportunistic platforms

Data processing applications of the ATLAS experiment, such as event simulation and reconstruction, spend considerable amount of time in the initialization phase. This phase includes loading a large number of shared libraries, reading detector geometry and condition data from external databases, building a transient representation of the detector geometry and initializing various algorithms and services. In some cases the initialization step can take as long as 10-15 minutes. Such slow initialization has a significant negative impact on overall CPU efficiency of the production job, especially when the job is executed on opportunistic, often short-lived, resources such as commercial clouds or volunteer computing. In order to improve this situation, we can take advantage of the fact that ATLAS runs large numbers of production jobs with similar configuration parameters (e.g. jobs within the same production task). This allows us to checkpoint one job at the end of its configuration step and then use the generated checkpoint image for rapid startup of thousands of production jobs. By applying this technique we can bring the initialization time of a job from tens of minutes down to just a few seconds. In addition to that we can leverage container technology for restarting checkpointed applications on the variety of computing platforms, in particular of platforms different from the one on which the checkpoint image was created.We will describe the mechanism of creating checkpoint images of Geant4 simulation jobs with AthenaMP (the multi-process version of the ATLAS data simulation, reconstruction and analysis framework Athena) and the usage of these images for running ATLAS Simulation production jobs on volunteer computing resources (ATLAS@Home) and on Supercomputers.

Utilizing Occupancy Models and Platforms-of-Opportunity to Assess Area Use of Mother-Calf Humpback Whales

The Hawaiian Islands, and particularly the Maui 4-island region, are a critical breeding and calving habitat for humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) belonging to the Hawaii distinct population segment. Our aims were to test the use of platforms-of-opportunity to determine trends in mother-calf pod use of the region and to present opportunistic platforms as an alternative method of long-term, cross-seasonal monitoring. Data were collected from whale watching vessels over a 4-year period and analyzed using occupancy models to determine the probability of habitat use of pods with calves and pods without calves within the study area. Detection probability was influenced by survey effort and month for all pod types with detection of adult only pods further influenced by year. Pods with a calf showed a preference for shallow (75 meters). Results presented here align with previous work, both in Hawaii and in other breeding grounds, which show a distinct segregation of mothers with a calf from other age-classes of humpback whales. The need for long-term continuous monitoring of cetacean populations is crucial to ensure species conservation. Data collected aboard platforms-of-opportunity, as presented here, provide important insight on humpback whale spatial and temporal distribution, which are essential for species protection and management.

Exploiting Trust: Stealthy Attacks Through Socioware and Insider Threats

Online social networks (OSNs) provide a new dimension to people's lives by giving birth to online societies. OSNs have revolutionized the human experience, but they have also created a platform for attackers to distribute infections and conduct cybercrime. An OSN provides an opportunistic attack platform for cybercriminals through which they can spread infections at a large scale. We describe a category of malware (or attacks) known as socioware that exploits OSN environments for performing unauthorized and nefarious activities. Socioware can be an executable, an extension, an exploit code, etc., that conducts malicious operations in OSNs with serious impact on users. Furthermore, we discuss the socioware taxonomy highlighting the characteristics of socioware to illustrate the design and exploitation tactics of OSN malware. In contrast, insider threats (employees or contractors) are posing a grave threat to organizations, with a motivation to steal critical data and monetize it for financial gains. Insider threats have become a serious concern for many organizations today. We present a complete attack model to demonstrate how an insider threat exploits the online trust and confidentiality by transforming an OSN into a socioware distribution platform that infects other employees' systems. Finally, we discuss security defenses that can be adopted to defend against socioware.

Novel Methodological Considerations Regarding the Use of Visual Analog Scale (VAS) Questionnaires to Assess Appetite Control and Satiety

BackgroundVAS questionnaires are commonly used in appetite research to measure postprandial changes in hunger and fullness as markers of subsequent food intake. The current prevalence of smartphone usage provides an opportunistic platform to assess these questions. However, little is known with respect to whether the repetitive use of these questionnaires influence eating behavior or whether novel modifications in their delivery are warranted.ObjectivesTo compare VAS appetite and satiety questionnaires delivered through a smartphone application vs. a commonly used computerized program and to test whether the use of these questionnaires alter subsequent eating behavior.MethodsTwelve healthy young adults (age: 22±1 y; BMI: 22.1±0.9 kg/m2) completed the following randomized crossover design study. On five separate days, the participants came to the facility between 7–9 am and were placed in a room that was void of all time cues. Within 30 min after arrival, they were provided with a 130 kcal preload breakfast containing 30 g protein. During four of the five testing days, the participants completed VAS questionnaires (hunger, fullness, desire to eat, prospective food consumption) every 30 min for 4h using the respective appetite applications (ScaleKit) on an iPod Touch (Apple; Cupertino, CA) or netbook computer application (AVAS; Neurobehavioral Research Laboratory and Clinic; San Antonio, TX). At the end of the 4h periods, the participants were provided with an ad libitum pasta meal to consume until ‘comfortably full.’ To examine the influence of VAS assessment on subsequent eating behavior, no questionnaires were provided over the 4h period on one of the five testing days.ResultsNo differences in 4h postprandial hunger, fullness, desire to eat, or prospective food consumption were observed between the smartphone application and the computer program. Additionally, no differences in energy content consumed at the subsequent eating occasions were observed between the days that included the VAS questionnaires (484 ± 50 kcal) vs. no questionnaires (500 ± 53 kcal).ConclusionsThe use of a newly developed VAS smartphone application provides similar measures of reported appetite and satiety compared to a previously validated computer program and the use of VAS questionnaires does not influence subsequent eating behavior.Support or Funding InformationInternal Funds

Opportunity cooperative embedded platform and control mechanism based on selectivity of time and frequency domain

The opportunistic cooperative platform and adaptive cooperative control scheme were proposed based on the redundancy degree and priority of cooperative data packet, as well as selective characteristics of time domain and frequency domain. First, opportunistic cooperative platform was defined according to the cooperative data stream scale, mapping algorithm, and priority and redundancy of cooperative data packets. Second, under the single or multiple relay network environment and mobility of sensors, the selective characteristics of time and frequency domain were studied. The active domain and negative domain were proposed for adjusting and improving the opportunistic cooperative platform. Third, the opportunistic cooperative control mechanism based on selectivity of time domain and frequency domain (OCC-TFD) was proposed for improving the performance of wireless sensor networks. Finally, the mathematical results demonstrated that the proposed platform and scheme can provide reliable, robust, and efficient data communication services of wireless sensor networks.

Opportunistic Acoustic Telemetry Platforms: Benefits of Collaboration in the Gulf of Maine

ABSTRACTBiologists monitor animal behavior, habitat use, and survival through local telemetry projects. Migratory species cross these lines, connecting projects. Biologists can further these connections by expanding the area monitored, but this step is expensive. We evaluated three opportunistic platforms: (1) oceanographic buoys, (2) commercial fishing gear, and (3) drifters to test the feasibility of expanding coverage while minimizing costs. All Gulf of Maine platforms provided novel data, generating over 15,000 detections from animals released by 18 organizations. Performance was strong for buoys and commercial gear but low recovery hampered drifter utility, although advances in real‐time drifter communication should improve future efficacy. Opportunistic platforms proved to be a low‐cost method that can benefit researchers across aquatic systems. Animals from other studies connected us with researchers, fostered dialogue, and highlighted information gains from data sharing. Working with fishers and oceanographers also strengthens interdisciplinary and stakeholder communication and can increase overall public understanding and support.

Global Evidence Reaffirms the Case for Routine HPV and Potential HIV Adolescent Vaccination in South Africa

ABSTRACT: The availability of two prophylactic HPV vaccines, coupled with a potential prophylactic HIV vaccine delivered to adolescents through a school-based sexual and reproductive health platform represents a potentially significant, potent long-term primary prevention strategy against two sexually transmitted infections: HPV and HIV infection within a highly susceptible group. South Africa has earmarked the re-engineering of school health services. This initiative ensures a ‘health presence in every school’ focused on developing a social, sexual and reproductive health platform within secondary schools addressing HIV/AIDS prevention, teenage pregnancies and social concerns such as drug abuse. Despite this opportunistic platform for HIV and HPV vaccines introduction among adolescents, much work remains to overcome existing ethical and financial and programmatic barriers.

The little-known Fraser’s dolpin Lagenodelphis hosei in the North Atlantic: new records and a review of distribution

The distribution of the poorly known Fraser’s dolphin Lagenodelphis hosei Fraser (Sarawak Mus J 7:478–503, 1956), is revised for the northern Atlantic (NA), with new records for temperate and subtropical oceanic islands. Fraser’s dolphins are reported for the first time in the Azores, from a pod of approximately 50 individuals observed in August 2008, and for the Madeira Archipelago, where a pod of circa 80 individuals is described from opportunistic observations in August 2010. Observations in the Azores occurred during a period of regional increase in seawater temperature (23.5 °C; >1 °C for circa 15 days), revealing the species potential as a bio-indicator of climate change. The occurrence of Fraser’s dolphins in the NA is characterized by an equally small number of stranding events and sightings at sea which have been accumulating since 1972. A compilation of 47 occurrences from publications, reports and online databases (plus one report with 123 sightings in the Lesser Antilles), was used to comment on the species ecology in the region. Stranding events are often of a single specimen, occurring on both western and eastern margins. Sightings at sea are scattered throughout the NA, with most observations from the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea, where year-round sightings have been reported in the Lesser Antilles (off Guadeloupe). Observations are mostly confined to open waters over 200–2,200 m depth areas, approaching the coasts of oceanic islands. Pod sizes vary between 50 and 80 in the Caribbean Sea, with smaller pods observed in the Gulf of Mexico (15–30), only rarely exceeding 100 individuals per group (20 %, n = 5), in contrast to large aggregations reported in the Pacific. Captures have been reported from St. Vincent (Lesser Antilles) and more recently from Ghana. Mixed-species groups have been observed, such as with Peponocephala electra and Globicephala macrorhynchus. Knowledge of Fraser’s dolphin ecology in the NA is expected to grow with increasing surveys in the Caribbean area and tropical latitudes. Reports on the species occurrence, such as data from opportunistic platforms, should continue to reach the scientific community, including with associated environmental data.

AN OVERVIEW OF INDIGENOUS, INDIGENISED AND CONTEMPORARY WATER HARVESTING AND CONSERVATION PRACTICES IN SOUTH AFRICA

ABSTRACTA scoping study has found that there are at least 15 water harvesting and conservation methods in use across South Africa, with minor variations and combinations also evident. Some of these are indigenous in that they were developed locally, others are indigenised, meaning they are hybrid solutions incorporating external influences, and finally, there are contemporary practices introduced more recently by scientists or development agencies. The techniques that were identified covered a wide range of scales in differing socio‐economic and agricultural contexts, such as the tens of thousands of hectares of commercially oriented floodwater harvesting in the Northern Cape, called the saaidam (literally ‘planting‐dam’), to micro‐terracing in Mpumalanga. Our review concluded that while there are some indigenous water harvesting and conservation (WHC) practices, these are notably few compared with other places in the world. This is explained by historical settlement patterns in the wetter part of South Africa, with low land pressure, and an indigenous culture which placed more emphasis on pastoral than cropping practices. Indigenous and indigenised practices, which are locally well adapted, have inherent sustainability and present an opportunistic platform from which to inform new interventions in support of improved agricultural production. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Field Notes on Risso's Dolphin (&lt;I&gt;Grampus griseus&lt;/I&gt;) Distribution, Social Ecology, Behaviour, and Occurrence in the Azores

This study reports new information on Grampus griseus (G. Cuvier, 1812) distribution with depth and slope, group size, general and interspecific behaviour, and calving intervals for the Azorean archipelago. Observations are in agreement with scarce previous work and most other regions in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean. Data were collected on 107 sightings south of Pico Island that took place between 17 May and 29 August 2003 from opportunistic research platforms. Information on occurrence, provided by an observer with 50 y of land-based cetacean experience, was included for comparison. Risso’s dolphins preferred areas between 497 and 1,233 m depth (modal class 600 to 650 m; N = 69), with slopes between 27 and 35%, although these data require validation. The majority of groups were composed of up to 20 individuals (modal 6 to 10), averaging 12.3 (1 to 55; N = 74). Large socializing aggregations observed during July and August (55 to ~175 individuals) were similar to land-based observations between 1992 and 2005. G. griseus’s diurnal activities in this study were mostly traveling (77%) and socializing (13%), with feeding (5%) and resting (3.7%) occurring less frequently. The first newborn calves are reported. Twospecies groups and interactions with six cetacean species are described. Harassment behaviours with Globicephala spp. and Physeter macrocephalus suggest competitive interference. Year-round observations between 1992 and 2005 near Pico Island, together with birth reports and recent data on site fidelity, suggest population residency.