Southeastern Africa Research Articles

Transport of Radium and Nutrients Through Eastern South African Beaches

AbstractSubmarine groundwater discharge (SGD) plays a critical role in coastal and ocean biogeochemistry. Elucidating spatially and temporally heterogeneous SGD fluxes is difficult. Here we use radium isotopes to explore the external sources and mixing regime along the eastern coast of South Africa. We demonstrate that the long‐lived radium isotope compositions are controlled by low inputs of low‐ and high‐salinity terrestrial groundwater. While activities of 228Ra and 226Ra in beach porewaters are similar to coastal waters, 224Ra is enriched by inputs of 228Th from coastal seawater. Porewater ages, based on the production of 224Ra from 228Th, range from 0.3 to 2.3 days, indicating rapid flushing of the beach system. Unlike radium, however, nutrients follow a more complex pathway. We hypothesize that high total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) and phosphorus concentrations in beach porewaters (TDN ranges from 1 to >700 μM) and the coastal ocean (TDN ranges from 1 to >40 μM) are derived from a source not enriched in radium. We speculate that this source is terrestrial water flowing below the dune barrier at depths exceeding our beach sampling depths. This water likely flows upward through breaches in the confining layer into the beach or enters the ocean directly through paleochannels. The presence of high nutrient concentrations in the coastal ocean unaccompanied by high 228Ra activities leads to the hypothesis of this additional nutrient source. These combined inputs may be of considerable importance to the coastal ecology of southeastern Africa, an oligotrophic ecosystem dominated by the nutrient‐poor Agulhas Current.

Between the current and the coast: genetic connectivity in the spiny lobster Panulirus homarus rubellus, despite potential barriers to gene flow

The spiny lobster Panulirus homarus rubellus is endemic to the Southwest Indian Ocean, where it inhabits a narrow continental shelf between an exposed coast and the upper reaches of the strong western-boundary Agulhas Current. Long-lived phyllosoma larvae released in this dynamic ocean environment have an uncertain fate—they can be retained over the shelf by sub-mesoscale processes, dispersed downstream along the coast or across the Mozambique Channel, or become entrained in the Agulhas Current, and presumably lost. To assess gene flow and population genetic structure, we analyzed mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 and hypervariable control region sequences, and 19 nuclear microsatellite loci obtained from lobsters collected at nine sites in eastern South Africa, Mozambique and southeast Madagascar. Clustering analyses confirmed genetic connectivity among all populations, and gene flow patterns supported the hypothesis that nearshore processes, such as lee eddies and counter currents, retain some phyllosomas over the shelf; whereas, net gene flow direction was moderate towards the southwest. The Mozambique Channel did not impede contemporary gene flow from Madagascar to the African shelf, but return gene flow was rare. Different marker types showed contrasting gene flow patterns during contemporary and evolutionary periods, when Pleistocene glacial/interglacial cycles would have affected sea level, ocean currents and dispersal patterns. Despite genetic connectivity and the importance of local recruitment, recent gene flow suggests an ancillary source/sink dynamic concordant with the prevailing southwesterly direction of boundary currents at the shelf-edge—a factor to consider in regional fisheries and conservation strategies.

Italy, the developing world, and aid policy, 1969–1979: the ‘historic compromise’ and Italian foreign policy

ABSTRACTPolitical support and economic cooperation with progressive developing countries was a key factor in the ‘historic compromise’, the cooperation between the Communist Party and the Christian Democrats that dominated Italy in the 1970s. Circumventing the so-called ‘conventio ad excludendum’, the Partito Comunista Italiano (PCI) gained a voice in Italian foreign policy which reached beyond the pro-Soviet camp, in particular in the Mediterranean, in the Horn, and in South-Eastern Africa. The real nature and the ultimate aim of this cooperation, in a country in which the borders between domestic and foreign policy were often blurred, remains a matter for historical debate.

Local Perceptions of Hydraulic Fracturing Ahead of Exploratory Drilling in Eastern South Africa.

Applications for exploratory shale gas development via hydraulic fracturing (fracking) have raised concern about energy development impacts in South Africa. Initially, focus was on the arid Karoo, but interest now includes KwaZulu-Natal, a populous, agricultural province with high cultural, ecological, and economic diversity. We conducted focus groups and an online survey to determine how some South Africans perceive fracking. Focus group participants were unanimous in their opposition, primarily citing concerns over water quality and rural way-of-life. The survey confirmed broad consistency with focus group responses. When asked which provinces might be affected by fracking, KwaZulu-Natal ranked behind provinces in the Karoo, suggesting an awareness bias towards Karoo projects. Frequently-identified concerns regarding Agriculture and Natural Resources were Reduced quality of water, Negative impacts to ecosystems and natural biodiversity, Reduced quantity of water, and Pollution hazards. Frequent concerns regarding Social, Cultural, and Local Community issues were Impacts to human health, Visual/aesthetic degradation of tourism areas, Degradation of local infrastructure, and Physical degradation of tourism sites. Most survey respondents were pessimistic about potential benefits of fracking to South Africa's domestic energy supply, and did not agree fracking would reduce negative impacts of coal mining or create jobs. Survey respondents were pessimistic about government's preparedness for fracking and agreed fracking created opportunity for corruption. Many respondents agreed they would consider fracking when voting, and identified needs for more research on fracking in South Africa, which focused heavily on environmental impacts, especially water, in addition to the welfare of local citizens and their communities.

Taxonomic affinities of the putative titanosaurs from the Late Jurassic Tendaguru Formation of Tanzania: phylogenetic and biogeographic implications for eusauropod dinosaur evolution

The Late Jurassic Tendaguru Formation of Tanzania, southeastern Africa, records a rich sauropod fauna, including the diplodocoids Dicraeosaurus and Tornieria, and the brachiosaurid titanosauriform Giraffatitan. However, the taxonomic affinities of other sympatric sauropod taxa are poorly understood. Here, we critically reassess and redescribe these problematic taxa, and present the largest phylogenetic analysis for sauropods (117 taxa scored for 542 characters) to explore their placement in Eusauropoda. Janenschia robusta has played a prominent role in discussions of titanosaur origins, with various authors referring at least some remains to Titanosauria, a clade otherwise known only from the Cretaceous. Redescription of the holotype of Janenschia, and all referable remains, supports its validity and placement as a non-neosauropod eusauropod. It forms a clade with Haestasaurus from the earliest Cretaceous of the UK, and the Middle/Late Jurassic Chinese sauropod Bellusaurus. Phylogenetic analysis and CT scans of the internal pneumatic tissue structure of Australodocus bohetii tentatively support a non-titanosaurian somphospondylan identification, making it the only known pre-Cretaceous representative of that clade. New information on the internal pneumatic tissue structure of the dorsal vertebrae of the enigmatic Tendaguria tanzaniensis, coupled with a full redescription, results in its novel placement as a turiasaur. Tendaguria is the sister taxon of Moabosaurus, from the Early Cretaceous of North America, and is the first turiasaur recognized from Gondwana. A previously referred caudal sequence cannot be assigned to Janenschia and displays several features that indicate a close relationship with Middle–Late Jurassic East Asian mamenchisaurids. It can be diagnosed by six autapomorphies, so we erect the new taxon Wamweracaudia keranjei gen. et sp. nov. The presence of a mamenchisaurid in the Late Jurassic of southern Gondwana indicates an earlier and more widespread diversification of this clade than previously realized, prior to the geographic isolation of East Asia. Our revised phylogenetic dataset sheds light on the evolutionary history of Eusauropoda, including supporting a basal diplodocoid placement for Haplocanthosaurus, and elucidating the interrelationships of rebbachisaurids. The Tendaguru Formation shares representatives of nearly all sauropod lineages with Middle Jurassic–earliest Cretaceous global faunas, but displays a greater range of diversity than any of those faunas considered individually. Biogeographic analysis indicates that the Tendaguru sauropod fauna was assembled as a result of three main phenomena during the late Early and/or Middle Jurassic: (1) invasions from Euramerica (brachiosaurids, turiasaurs); (2) endemism in west Gondwana (dicraeosaurids, diplodocids); and (3) regional extinctions that restricted the ranges of once widespread groups (mamenchisaurids, the Janenschia lineage). Multiple dispersals across the Central Gondwanan Desert are required to explain the distributions of Jurassic sauropods, suggesting that this geographic feature was at most a filter barrier that became easier to cross during the late Middle Jurassic.

Ovarian Development of the Penaeid Shrimp Penaeus indicus (Decapoda): A Case for the Indian Ocean Coastal Waters of Kilifi Creek, Kenya

The Indian prawn Penaeus indicus, is one of the major commercial shrimp species globally. It is widely distributed in the Indo-West Pacific; from eastern and south-eastern Africa, through India, Malaysia and Indonesia to southern China and northern Australia. The species has been recorded to reach 22 cm, inhabiting depths of 100 m. Globally P. indicus is widely studied, although majority of the studies have focused on developmental stages between shallow waters and the deep seas. Studies indicate that development takes place in the sea before the larvae move into estuaries to grow, then return as sub-adults. However, studies on the maturity of this species in shallow waters and especially creeks and embayments are clearly lacking for the Kenyan coastline. This study was conducted in the Kilifi Creek, north coast Kenya, from the mouth at the Kilifi Bridge to past Kibokoni, some 5 km into the creek. Samples were collected from 6 landing sites. Morphometric and biological data including total length (TL, cm), carapace length (CL, cm), body weight (BW, g) and sex were recorded, and the specimens dissected to check for ovarian development and maturity. Ovarian development stages were determined from size, shape and colour of the ovaries, and through frequency analysis of the cortical granules. A total of 1,149 specimens were sampled from January to April, 2018. The catch mostly comprised of the 1.5 cm to 2.5 cm CL size class. However some individuals in the >4.0 cm CL size class were also recorded suggesting that some individuals still matured in the creeks although majority are known to migrate deep sea. Regression analysis showed a strong positive correlation between CL, and TL (r2=0.7548) and BW (r2=0.7497). The condition factor ranged from 0.19-0.94 indicating presence of both immature/spent (4.7%) and ripe individuals (95.3%) in good condition. Size frequency analysis of the ovary cortical granules displayed a poly-modal pattern with 2 peaks of immaturity and 3 peaks for developing and near-ripe respectively. The presence of spent stages as well as mature specimens in the creek waters indicated that apart from using these habitats as nursery and feeding grounds, some of the individuals might also be growing, maturing and spawning in the creek, calling for further studies into the assessment of the growth patterns and reproductive aspects of this species in the Kilifi Creek and other coastal waters.

Measurement of water-use by <i>Jatropha curcas</i> L. using the heat-pulse velocity technique

In response to the proposed introduction of the potential bio-diesel species Jatropha curcas (Linnaeus) to South Africa, field experiments were conducted to investigate its likely water-use impacts relative to other forms of vegetative land use. As no existing water-use data could be found for this species worldwide, sap flow in Jatropha curcas trees was measured continuously for a 17-month period at two sites in eastern South Africa. These consisted of young (4-year-old) trees at a relatively wet site and mature (12-year-old) trees at a dry site. The heat-ratio method of the heat-pulse technique was utilised, together with measurements of meteorological variables and soil water. Sap- flow rates varied according to tree age, season, prevailing meteorological conditions, and soil moisture levels. Peak sap-flow rates occurred during the warm wet summer months, but due to the deciduous nature of the species, water use was negligible during winter. Scaled-up sap-flow measurements resulted in estimates of total annual transpiration of 1 983 l (147 mm) for a 4-year-old J. curcas tree, and 4 884 l (362 mm) for a 12-year-old J. curcas tree. The study concluded that the J. curcas trees studied were conservative in their water use, and were unlikely to transpire more water than indigenous vegetation types of the area.

Spreading of Islam without any violence in Central, East and West Africa as a case study

This article studies the violence in the spreading of Islam by conquest and the factors that influenced the development of Islam in Central, East, West and Southeastern Africa. Although the spreading of Islam in these territories had not been done by Islamic conquests, as perpetrated in North Africa and other regions of the Islamic world, the majority of the population in the countries such as Sudan, Chad, Mali, Sierra Leone and Madagascar are Muslims. The results of this article show that the emigrations into these regions had an important role in introducing Islam to the native inhabitants. These emigrations had occurred either freely, through trading by Muslim traders and religious scholars, or forcefully by escaping the political and religious violence perpetrated by Eastern rulers in different areas in Central Africa. In this emigration process, the effect of Islamic scholars, missionaries and Islamic traders together with communication intermediaries among the natives is striking and as the natives became familiar with Islam and Islamic culture, Islam gradually developed after generations of integration between Muslims and native tribes.

Insights into the Summer Diurnal Cycle over Eastern South Africa

Abstract Adopting a state-of-the-art numerical model system, we investigate how the diurnal variations in precipitation and local breeze systems are characterized by lower-boundary conditions related to the Drakensberg highland and warm SST associated with the Agulhas Current. A control simulation can simulate the hydrometeorological climates in the region realistically, but the terrestrial rainfall is overestimated. During daytime, the precipitation is confined to the Drakensberg highland, and there is an onshore local breeze, while during midnight to morning, the rainfall is confined to the Agulhas Current, and the breeze is offshore. These variations are captured by the numerical simulation, although the timing of maximum rainfall is early over the land and delayed over the ocean. The sensitivity experiment in which the Drakensberg is absent shows a drastic modification in the diurnal variations over land and ocean. The terrestrial precipitation is largely decreased around the Drakensberg and is largest along the coast during daytime. The nocturnal marine precipitation along the Agulhas Current is also reduced. Although the daily residual breeze is still pronounced even without the Drakensberg, wind speed is weakened. We attribute this to the reduction of precipitation. In another sensitivity experiment with smoothened warm SST due to the Agulhas Current, the amplitudes of diurnal variations are not modified remarkably, but the coastal rainfall is diminished to some extent due to less evaporation along the Agulhas Current. This study concludes that the Drakensberg plays a crucial role for the diurnal cycle, and the impact of the Agulhas Current is limited on the diurnal cycle of the coastal precipitation in this region.

Climate and the Global Famine of 1876–78

AbstractFrom 1875 to 1878, concurrent multiyear droughts in Asia, Brazil, and Africa, referred to as the Great Drought, caused widespread crop failures, catalyzing the so-called Global Famine, which had fatalities exceeding 50 million people and long-lasting societal consequences. Observations, paleoclimate reconstructions, and climate model simulations are used 1) to demonstrate the severity and characterize the evolution of drought across different regions, and 2) to investigate the underlying mechanisms driving its multiyear persistence. Severe or record-setting droughts occurred on continents in both hemispheres and in multiple seasons, with the “Monsoon Asia” region being the hardest hit, experiencing the single most intense and the second most expansive drought in the last 800 years. The extreme severity, duration, and extent of this global event is associated with an extraordinary combination of preceding cool tropical Pacific conditions (1870–76), a record-breaking El Niño (1877–78), a record strong Indian Ocean dipole (1877), and record warm North Atlantic Ocean (1878) conditions. Composites of historical analogs and two sets of ensemble simulations—one forced with global sea surface temperatures (SSTs) and another forced with tropical Pacific SSTs—were used to distinguish the role of the extreme conditions in different ocean basins. While the drought in most regions was largely driven by the tropical Pacific SST conditions, an extreme positive phase of the Indian Ocean dipole and warm North Atlantic SSTs, both likely aided by the strong El Niño in 1877–78, intensified and prolonged droughts in Australia and Brazil, respectively, and extended the impact to northern and southeastern Africa. Climatic conditions that caused the Great Drought and Global Famine arose from natural variability, and their recurrence, with hydrological impacts intensified by global warming, could again potentially undermine global food security.

Interannual Agulhas Leakage Variability and Its Regional Climate Imprints

We investigate the interannual variability of Agulhas leakage in an ocean-eddy-resolving coupled simulation and characterize its influence on regional climate. Many observational leakage estimates are based on the study of Agulhas rings, whereas recent model studies suggest that rings and eddies carry less than half of leakage transport. While leakage variability is dominated by eddies at seasonal time scales, the noneddy leakage transport is likely to be constrained by large-scale forcing at longer time scales. To investigate this, leakage transport is quantified using an offline Lagrangian particle tracking approach. We decompose the velocity field into eddying and large-scale fields and then recreate a number of total velocity fields by modifying the eddying component to assess the dependence of leakage variability on the eddies. We find that the resulting leakage time series show strong coherence at periods longer than 1000 days and that 50% of the variance at interannual time scales is linked to the smoothed, large-scale field. As shown previously in ocean models, we find Agulhas leakage variability to be related to a meridional shift and/or strengthening of the westerlies. High leakage periods are associated with east–west contrasting patterns of sea surface temperature, surface heat fluxes, and convective rainfall, with positive anomalies over the retroflection region and negative anomalies within the Indian Ocean to the east. High leakage periods are also related to reduced inland convective rainfall over southeastern Africa in austral summer.

Searching for a needle in a haystack: Where to survey for climatically-matched biological control agents for two grasses (Sporobolus spp.) invading Australia

Climatic incompatibility between source and intended release sites of biological control agents is frequently cited as a limiting factor to their establishment and proliferation, and ultimately the successful control of a target weed. Climate matching techniques have been used to overcome this limitation by prioritising regions in the target weed’s native range to survey for climatically-matched control agents. However, climate matching has been criticised for not considering that climatically compatible regions may not contain host-plant populations, which is especially important for weeds with an unknown or uncertain native distribution. To overcome this limitation, an ecological niche modelling approach (MaxEnt) was used to identify “sweet-spots” to search for candidate biological control agents for two African grasses that are invasive in Australia, namely: Sporobolus pyramidalis P. Beauv. and S. natalensis (Steud.) Dur. & Schinz (Poaceae) (giant rat’s tail grasses). “Sweet-spots” were identified by overlaying rasters indicative of climatic suitability for plant growth, reproduction and survival (i.e. models calibrated using native range occurrences) and climatic compatibility with intended biological control agent release sites in Australia (i.e. models calibrated using invaded range occurrences). This approach reduced the total geographic search area by 3.8–7.5 million km2 (57–88% of the total search area), with respect to traditional climatic matching techniques. The models identified: eastern South Africa, eastern Madagascar, Ethiopia, Kenya and coastal West Africa (S. pyramidalis only) as high-priority regions to search for potentially climatically-matched biological control agents. These findings are discussed in the context of guiding and optimising the native range component of this biological control programme, and how this increases the likelihood of successfully managing weed infestations in Australia.

Quantifying and contextualising cyclone-driven, extreme flood magnitudes in bedrock-influenced dryland rivers

In many drylands worldwide, rivers are subjected to episodic, extreme flood events and associated sediment stripping. These events may trigger transformations from mixed bedrock-alluvial channels characterised by high geomorphic and ecological diversity towards more dominantly bedrock channels with lower diversity. To date, hydrological and hydraulic data has tended to be limited for these bedrock-influenced dryland rivers, but recent advances in high-resolution data capture are enabling greater integration of different investigative approaches, which is helping to inform assessment of river response to changing hydroclimatic extremes. Here, we use field and remotely sensed data along with a novel 2D hydrodynamic modelling approach to estimate, for the first time, peak discharges that occurred during cyclone-driven floods in the Kruger National Park, eastern South Africa, in January 2012. We estimate peak discharges in the range of 4470–5630 m3 s−1 for the Sabie River (upstream catchment area 5715 km2) and 14,407–16,772 m3s−1 for the Olifants River (upstream catchment area 53,820 km2). These estimates place both floods in the extreme category for each river, with the Olifants peak discharge ranking among the largest recorded or estimated for any southern African river in the last couple of hundred years. On both rivers, the floods resulted in significant changes to dryland river morphology, sediment flux and vegetation communities. Our modelling approach may be transferable to other sparsely gauged or ungauged rivers, and to sites where palaeoflood evidence is preserved. Against a backdrop of mounting evidence for global increases in hydroclimatic extremes, additional studies will help to refine our understanding of the relative and synergistic impacts of high-magnitude flood events on dryland river development.

Vera-duthiea zebrina (Asparagaceae, Scilloideae), a new species from eastern South Africa, and a first genus record for southern Africa

In the course of revising the subfamily Urgineoideae of the Hyacinthaceae it became evident, based on molecular and morphological data, that some plants usually named ‘Drimia indica’ from northeastern South Africa represent rather an undescribed species of Vera-duthiea. This is the first record of this genus occurring in southern Africa. The new species (V. zebrina) was collected and illustrated some 50 years ago, but never validly published. We here provide data on its morphology, ecology, and distribution.

Diversity of copy number variation in the worldwide goat population.

Goats (Capra hircus) are an important farm animal species. Copy number variation (CNV) represents a major source of genomic structural variation. We investigated the diversity of CNV distribution in goats using CaprineSNP50 genotyping data generated by the ADAPTmap Project. We identified 6286 putative CNVs in 1023 samples from 50 goat breeds using PennCNV. These CNVs were merged into 978 CNV regions, spanning ~262 Mb of total length and corresponding to ~8.96% of the goat genome. We then divided the samples into six subgroups per geographic distribution and constructed a comparative CNV map. Our results revealed a population differentiation in CNV across different geographical areas, including Western Asia, Eastern Mediterranean, Alpine & Northern Europe, Madagascar, Northwestern Africa, and Southeastern Africa groups. The results of a cluster heatmap analysis based on the CNV count per individual across different groups was generally consistent with the one generated from the SNP data, likely reflecting the population history of different goat breeds. We sought to determine the gene content of these CNV events and found several important CNV-overlapping genes (e.g. EDNRA, ADAMTS20, ASIP, KDM5B, ADAM8, DGAT1, CHRNB1, CLCN7, and EXOSC4), which are involved in local adaptations such as coat color, muscle development, metabolic processes, osteopetrosis, and embryonic development. Therefore, this research generated an extensive CNV map in the worldwide population of goat, which offers novel insight into the goat genome and its functional annotation.

Reduction in nutritional quality and growing area suitability of common bean under climate change induced drought stress in Africa

Climate change impacts on food security will involve negative impacts on crop yields, and potentially on the nutritional quality of staple crops. Common bean is the most important grain legume staple crop for human diets and nutrition worldwide. We demonstrate by crop modeling that the majority of current common bean growing areas in southeastern Africa will become unsuitable for bean cultivation by the year 2050. We further demonstrate reductions in yields of available common bean varieties in a field trial that is a climate analogue site for future predicted drought conditions. Little is known regarding the impact of climate change induced abiotic stresses on the nutritional quality of common beans. Our analysis of nutritional and antinutritional compounds reveals that iron levels in common bean grains are reduced under future climate-scenario relevant drought stress conditions. In contrast, the levels of protein, zinc, lead and phytic acid increase in the beans under such drought stress conditions. This indicates that under climate-change induced drought scenarios, future bean servings by 2050 will likely have lower nutritional quality, posing challenges for ongoing climate-proofing of bean production for yields, nutritional quality, human health, and food security.

Distribution of polychlorinated biphenyl along the course of the Buffalo River, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, and possible health risks

Humans and wildlife are vulnerable to the toxicity of semi-volatile and persistent organic pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Neither the distribution of these pollutants nor their seasonal variation has ever been determined in the Buffalo River. Thus, the occurrence and concentration of 19 PCBs was assessed in King William’s Town (KWT), Izele (IZ), Zwelitsha (ZW), Maden (MD), Mdantsane (MSN) and Buffalo River estuary (BRE), all on the Buffalo River in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Water samples were subjected to liquid-liquid extraction for PCBs, after which the compounds were separated and quantified on gas chromatography with electron capture detection. The PCBs differ in concentration from below detection limit (BDL) to 482 ng·L−1 in summer and BDL to 2 383 ng·L−1 in autumn. While the order of congeners increases during the summer from KWT > IZ > ZW > MD > MSN > BRE, the distribution in autumn followed the order BRE > IZ > ZW > KWT > MSN > MD. The total levels of PCBs at all the sites during summer were below the World Health Organization (WHO) permissible level of 500 ng·L−1 recommended for humans, but were exceeded at all the sampling sites in autumn except at MD. The evaluated risk with respect to cancer was lower than the acceptable threshold (10-6), whereas hazard quotients were slightly higher than the maximum threshold (of 1) stated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). The compounds are known to be toxic to humans and animals. The results appear to show that the exposure levels of the compounds were safe for humans and animals. Further studies are recommended in order to make a definitive conclusion.

Use of rapidly evolving molecular markers to distinguish species and clarify range uncertainties in the spearfishes (Istiophoridae, Tetrapturus)

Despite broad spatial distributions in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans, relatively little is known about spearfishes (family Istiophoridae, genus Tetrapturus) due to their pelagic nature and relative scarcity. The limited biological understanding of spearfishes includes uncertain taxonomic relationships complicated by conserved morphology, thus specific identification relies heavily on geographic location of capture. Previous phylogenetic studies incorporating a limited number of loci and few representatives of each species have been unable to consistently resolve the four currently recognized species comprising Tetrapturus. In the present study, we surveyed 14 nuclear microsatellite loci and the mitochondrial DNA control region across relatively large numbers of samples per species to genetically discriminate spearfish species. Molecular data resolved roundscale spearfish (n = 89) (Tetrapturus georgii Lowe, 1841) and Mediterranean spearfish (n = 12) (Tetrapturus belone Rafinesque, 1810) as genetically distinct groups. Longbill spearfish (n = 79) (Tetrapturus pfluegeri Robins and de Sylva, 1963) and shortbill spearfish (n = 29) (Tetrapturus angustirostris Tanaka, 1915) were not consistently resolved. A single individual collected in the western central Atlantic Ocean off Brazil assigned to shortbill spearfish and likely represents a vagrant. Additionally, a spearfish sampled from the Indian Ocean off eastern South Africa was morphologically identified as a longbill spearfish, and the molecular profile of this specimen was consistent with the morphological identification. Our study represents the most extensive molecular evaluation of the spearfishes to date. Results reported here underscore the substantial level of genetic similarity between longbill and shortbill spearfishes, and suggest high-resolution genomic methods may be required to unambiguously resolve these species.

Clinical Breast Examination and Navigation for Early Cancer Detection in Remote Communities Without an Imaging Screening Option

Purpose According to Gazette Review report 2018, Malawi is reportedly the lowest-income country in southeastern Africa. It has a population of 19 million people, of which 70% are women and children. A powerful women’s organization was established to support the increased care and status of the women in the community. Methods Malawi’s Catholic Women’s Organization (CWO), with the Diocese of Mangochi, submitted approval for comprehensive breast examination (CBE) and basic patient navigation training, which was completed in May 2018, that targeted remote communities without resources for early breast cancer detection. The rural population-based data are incomplete, though it is commonly held that the high mortality rate from breast cancer is a result of a lack of education and transportation, cultural stigmas, a lack of support, and other barriers to care. Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer death in women in Mangochi. The CWO routinely brings outside medical experts to address health care disparity and invited a breast care and cancer registered nurse to address these barriers and provide training in viable and sustainable solutions to overcome these obstacles. Results Trusted community members of an existing women’s organization were trained in breast physiology, anomalies, simplified medical reporting, and navigation to existing facilities for diagnostics and treatment. The following challenges were addressed: remote locations of communities without available imaging, early detection of anomalies without the benefit of local mammography or ultrasound, a poor to nonexistent belief that breast cancer can be cured with early diagnosis, poor to nonexistent communication and transportation means, and late presentation of breast cancer once diagnosed. With training, the following was achieved: education of CWO women of Mangochi in breast exams, reporting, and navigation pathways for diagnosis; breast molds (eight), PowerPoint presentations, and reporting tools were developed as educational tools; PowerPoints were created for breast education, breast anomaly education, CBE, self-breast examination, reporting, data collection, workshop start-up, and patient education; and ongoing support for breast cancer program development. Conclusion Collaborative and multidisciplinary work to mitigate the effects of breast cancer will greatly increase survivability among the women of Mangochi. Targeting the communities through the trusted women who live in the same villages allows for a unique outreach for ongoing, routine education through workshops, CBE, and supported efforts to overcome barriers through planned patient flow pathways to diagnostics and treatment as needed. AUTHORS' DISCLOSURES OF POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST The following represents disclosure information provided by authors of this manuscript. All relationships are considered compensated. Relationships are self-held unless noted. I = Immediate Family Member, Inst = My Institution. Relationships may not relate to the subject matter of this manuscript. For more information about ASCO's conflict of interest policy, please refer to www.asco.org/rwc or ascopubs.org/jco/site/ifc . No COIs from the authors.

Climatology of extreme cold events in the central Peruvian Andes during austral summer: origin, types and teleconnections

The climatological and large‐scale characteristics of the extreme cold events (ECEs) in the central Peruvian Andes (Mantaro basin (MB)) during austral summer (January–March) are examined using reanalysis, gridded and in situ surface minimum temperature (Tmin) data for the 1979–2010 period.To describe the influence of the Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO) on ECEs in the MB, two ECE groups are defined on the basis of the sign of the outgoing long‐wave radiation (OLR) anomalies in the MJO band (30–100 days, 0–9 eastward) at 12.5°S, 75°W. Type‐1 ECEs occur during the suppressed convection phase of the MJO (OLR anomalies ≥+2 W/m2) while Type‐2 ECEs occur during the enhanced convection phase of the MJO (OLR anomalies ≤−2 W/m2).ECEs in the MB are associated with the advection of cold and dry air along the east of the Andes through equatorward propagation of extratropical Rossby wave trains (ERWTs). This cold advection weakens the Bolivian High–Nordeste Low (BH‐NL) system over South America (SA) at upper‐tropospheric levels.The MJO is an important driver of ECEs in the MB, favouring the cold advection along the Andes during specific MJO phases. Fifty‐nine per cent of Type‐1 ECE's and 86% of Type‐2 ECE's occur in MJO Phases 7‐2. Type‐1 and 2 ECEs feature a weakened BH over SA at upper‐tropospheric levels. For Type‐1, ERWTs emanate from southeastern Africa in MJO Phases 8‐1 while ERWTs are strengthened when crossing the subtropical southern Pacific Ocean during MJO Phases 2 and 7. With respect to Type‐2, MJO Phases 7‐2 feature circumpolar Rossby wave trains propagating toward SA.Ultimately, MJO Phases 7‐2 induce negative Tmin anomalies over MB, while MJO Phases 3‐6 induce positive Tmin anomalies. El Niño and La Niña strengthen negative Tmin anomalies over the MB during MJO Phases 7‐8 while they weaken positive Tmin anomalies over the MB during MJO Phases 3‐6.