Southern New Research Articles

CORRECTION: American lobster Homarus americanus responses to construction and operation of an offshore wind farm in southern New England

CORRECTION: American lobster Homarus americanus responses to construction and operation of an offshore wind farm in southern New England

American lobster Homarus americanus responses to construction and operation of an offshore wind farm in southern New England

Construction and operation of the Block Island Wind Farm (BIWF) has occurred against a background of declining American lobster Homarus americanus abundance and harvests in southern New England (SNE), USA. Potential effects of BIWF on a portion of the SNE stock were assessed with a ventless trap survey conducted at 2 blocks near BIWF and 2 blocks at a reference location located 22 km northeast from May through October, 2013-2019. Collaboration with the fishing industry to select sampling locations yielded a reference location on favored fishing grounds to document potential effects on the fishery. Results of the before-after-control-impact (BACI) design revealed American lobster catches decreased between the baseline and operation time periods at the wind farm (-30%) and reference (-18%) locations, and this decrease was greater as a proportion of the overall catch near the wind farm (BACI interaction [α = 0.10]), but similar in absolute numbers (-0.8 vs. -0.9 lobsters trap-1). Catch rates of females carrying late-stage eggs were relatively high in the reference location where bottom water temperatures were lowest. An adverse impact of turbine installation activities on lobster catches was not apparent. Temporal variation in lobster catch rates was similar to that observed in other regional ventless trap surveys. The design decision to document lobster metrics on the deeper fishing grounds satisfied fishing industry concerns. However, potential BIWF effects cannot be separated from regional shifts in lobster distributions to deeper, colder habitat, which reflects one limitation of using a BACI design when effects, if present, likely follow a spatial gradient.

Quantifying shrub-shrub competition in drylands using aerial imagery and a novel landscape competition index.

The Jornada Basin Long-Term Ecological Research Site (JRN-LTER, or JRN) is a semiarid grassland-shrubland in southern New Mexico, USA. The role of intraspecific competition in constraining shrub growth and establishment at the JRN and in arid systems, in general, is an important question in dryland studies. Using information on shrub distributions and growth habits at the JRN, we present a novel landscape-scale (c. 1 ha) metric (the 'competition index', CI), which quantifies the potential intensity of competitive interactions. We map and compare the intensity of honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa, Torr.) competition spatially and temporally across the JRN-LTER, investigating associations of CI with shrub distribution, density, and soil types. The CI metric shows strong correlation with values of percent cover. Mapping CI across the Jornada Basin shows that high-intensity intraspecific competition is not prevalent, with few locations where intense competition is likely to be limiting further honey mesquite expansion. Comparison of CI among physiographic provinces shows differences in average CI values associated with geomorphology, topography, and soil type, suggesting that edaphic conditions may impose important constraints on honey mesquite and growth. However, declining and negative growth rates with increasing CI suggest that intraspecific competition constrains growth rates when CI increases above c. 0.5.

Using electronic health records in analysing medication adherence in southern New Zealand patients with inflammatory bowel diseases.

Electronic health records (EHRs) are widely used in medication adherence (MA) assessment. Poor adherence in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) can lead to worse disease outcomes and increased health costs. This study explores the suitability of southern New Zealand EHRs for estimating adherence, and the relationship between adherence and corticosteroid dispensings (indicating negative disease outcomes). Medication dispensing EHR data of former Southern District Health Board IBD patients were analysed to estimate 3-year adherence, using daily polypharmacy possession ratio. The correlation with the number of corticosteroid dispensings was investigated. Of 248/1,290 (19%) consenting patients, only 108/248 (44%) had sufficient data available (46%/54% Crohn's disease/ulcerative colitis; 57% female; 89.8%/0.9% NZ European/Māori; mean 5.1 corticosteroid dispensings). Mean adherence was 83.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 80.0-86.4; standard deviation [SD]:16.7), with 69% of patients having MA ≥80% (good adherence). Median adherence was 13% higher for males versus females (96% vs 83%; p=0.0001). There was no correlation between adherence and the number of corticosteroid dispensings (Pearson's r=0.11; p>0.05). These findings should be considered with caution as the data were not obtained from all pharmacies and the quantum/nature of missing data is unknown. The patients' adherence seems high, with no correlation with corticosteroid dispensings demonstrated. Useful EHR data are available but need optimisation for adherence assessments.

Inshore juvenile lobsters threatened by warming waters and migratory fish predators in southern New England

The southern New England stock of the American lobster Homarus americanus has declined since its peak in the 1990s. While the decline of lobsters has been directly attributed to warming sea temperatures, indirect effects such as migratory fish species shifting north may also be important. Two sets of experiments and a survey of gut contents collected from wild-caught scup Stenotomus chrysops and black sea bass Centropristis striata during the summer were performed to assess thermal and predatory stressors on juvenile lobsters. A temperature experiment compared the growth and survival of young-of-year (YOY) and 1 yr old lobsters in ambient seawater and seawater warmed or cooled by 3°C. Two predation experiments compared the survival of juvenile lobsters in treatments with scup, black sea bass, and Asian shore crabs Hemigrapsus sanguineus. Increased water temperature did not increase mortality in juvenile lobsters, but it did tend to have a negative impact on growth and weight gain of YOY lobsters and weight gain of 1 yr old lobsters. In the predation experiments, fewer lobsters survived in mesocosms with black sea bass and scup than in the control treatment. Fish gut contents contained few lobsters, but black sea bass stomachs contained many juvenile cancer crabs, signifying that the fish prey in cobble habitat that is preferred by both juvenile cancer crabs and lobsters. While juvenile lobsters can survive current temperatures, they may face compounding challenges as warmer water slows their growth and leaves them more susceptible to predation by increasing numbers of migratory scup and black sea bass.

High densities of large tuaki, the New Zealand cockle Austrovenus stutchburyi, provide a post-settlement predation refuge for conspecific juveniles

Bivalves are ecosystem engineers, and their effective management relies on a full understanding of the mechanisms that influence population dynamics. Juvenile tuaki (New Zealand cockle) Austrovenus stutchburyi, a numerically dominant and ecologically important bivalve in New Zealand estuaries, were found at higher densities when surrounded by high densities of large adults within Waitati Inlet, in southern New Zealand. Consequently, we hypothesised that adults provided a refuge from predation for juveniles, resulting in higher juvenile survival and retention in dense beds. The observed pattern was consistent with post-settlement Allee effects, where declines in density and truncated size distributions may have resulted in unsuccessful recruitment if a density threshold was reached. Field experiments were undertaken in 2020 and 2021 to test the potential sheltering effect of adults on retention and survival of juveniles, with and without the addition of organic loading of sediments. Presence of adults had significant effects on juvenile retention and interaction with organic loading in 2020, but not in 2021. To isolate the effects of adult presence on predation of juveniles, a series of laboratory experiments were carried out using the predatory crab Ovalipes catharus. Juvenile survivorship from crab predation was enhanced in the presence of large adults, consistent with the hypothesised sheltering effect. Further, predation rates increased significantly from winter to summer, which correlated with increasing water temperatures and the breeding and moult cycle of crabs. These findings across surveys, field and laboratory manipulations have significant implications for effective fisheries management and restoration of bed-forming bivalves.

Fallowing Strategy and Its Impact on Surface Water and Groundwater Withdrawal, and Agricultural Economics: A System Dynamics Approach in Southern New Mexico

Enhancing the comprehension of alterations in land use holds paramount importance for water management in semi-arid regions due to its effects on hydrology and agricultural economics. Allowing agricultural land to lie fallow has emerged as a technique to decrease water use. This research employs the methodology of system dynamics modeling to evaluate the hydrologic and agricultural economic ramifications of employing the fallowing strategy, which aims to preserve water resources in interconnected socio-hydrologic systems. This strategy is explored across three different crops, focusing on the Mesilla–Rincon Valley (MRV) in southern New Mexico. The study’s timeline spans from 2022 to 2050 with historical background from 1969 and encompasses various dimensions, including water availability, land utilization, and agricultural economics. Three types of crops were selected for the fallowing strategy, including cotton, alfalfa/hay, and chile. For each crop, 2500 acres of it would be designated for fallowing separately in two subsequent years, allowing the land to be cultivated in the third year and recurring such pattern. Simulation findings across scenarios (GFDL, UKMO, and NCAR) indicate that water withdrawals for all crops decreased significantly, ranging from approximately 2.69% to 4.37%. Similarly, agriculture income experienced reductions, varying from around 1.53% to 2.26%. Also, surface water and groundwater withdrawals are represented as percentages. The data illustrate significant reductions in water withdrawals across all scenarios. For instance, in the GFDL scenario, surface water withdrawal decreased by approximately 1.85% for cotton, 2.56% for alfalfa/hay, and 1.58% for chile. Similarly, groundwater withdrawals saw substantial reductions, such as 14.93% for cotton, 20.44% for alfalfa/hay, and 12.62% for chile. These numbers emphasize the urgent need for sustainable water management practices to address the challenges posed by reduced water availability.

Potassium and Sulfur Fertilizer Sources Influence Alfalfa Yield and Nutritive Value and Residual Soil Characteristics in an Arid, Moderately Low-Potassium Soil

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) requires a large amount of potassium (K) for maintaining forage yield and stand persistence. Therefore, soil inherently low in K levels must be supplemented with K fertilizers. Although several commercial K fertilizers are available on the market, choosing an appropriate K-supplementing source for a particular soil can be crucial in boosting alfalfa yield and nutritive value. A two-year study was conducted in an arid southern New Mexico location near Tularosa to evaluate the efficacy of three K commercial fertilizer sources in improving alfalfa yield and nutritive value in a moderately low potassium (84 ppm) soil. Nine K treatments or combinations and a no-K control were tested in a randomized complete-block design with four replications. Overall, supplementation of 160 kg ha−1 of K2O in all treatments resulted in a significant increase in alfalfa seasonal forage yield and nutritive value compared to the control. Sulfate of potash combined with ammonium sulfate (AS) produced greater seasonal yield compared to other fertilizers (muriate of potash and potassium nitrate) or combinations with gypsum (p < 0.05). This treatment combination also showed greater crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, tissue Fe and S, and soil residual sulfate-S and nitrate-N. A positive correlation between sulfur abundance and nitrogen availability in alfalfa production was evident in the study. Addition of AS to all three K fertilizers yielded better seasonal forage yield than K fertilizers alone or K fertilizers in combination with gypsum. Adding gypsum to the K-fertilizers appeared to have negative effect on the seasonal forage yield. Future research should evaluate various combinations of the levels of K and S to determine the most reasonable balance.

Larval presence and settlement of the American lobster (Homarus americanus) in a changing southern New England estuary

During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the American lobster (Homarus americanus) fishery boomed in southern New England, but starting in the early 2000s lobsters declined in the nearshore regions and the fishery retracted. While previous research has focused on the causes for the declining numbers of adult lobsters in the region as well as lobster settlement, lobster larvae were not sampled in Rhode Island waters. Additionally research was mixed on the origin of lobster larvae found inshore. To examine larval presence in coastal Rhode Island, weekly net tows were conducted at the mouth of Narragansett Bay during summer from 2019 to 2021, and light traps were deployed in 2020 and 2021. Time series segmentation and generalized linear models assessed trends and connections between lobsters caught in trawl surveys, commercial landings data, lobster settlement data, bottom water temperatures, and climate indices. Larval supply to Narragansett Bay is very low and mostly concentrated in the East Passage where ocean water flows into the bay, suggesting that a failure in larval supply from offshore sources is harming local population levels. Time series segmentation and models indicate that declines in lobster settlement followed the decline in adult lobsters in coastal Rhode Island, not Narragansett Bay. Altogether, the data suggest that larval lobster are transported inshore from spawning stock outside the bay. Present circulation patterns combined with the movement of lobsters into deeper waters has made the transport of larvae to Narragansett Bay unlikely.

Who's near the local food? A regional proximity analysis of short food supply chain types in southern New England

Abstract This paper examines three types of locally oriented Short Food Supply Chains in southern New England and their spatial alignment with a variety of demographic factors. We find that pay-as-you-go operations are particularly likely in predominantly White areas, and to some extent in higher income areas, but box share arrangements (i.e., community-supported agricultures) show stronger associations with educational attainment. Building on these empirical findings, we argue that local food availability is a systematically uneven phenomenon. Through the role of proximity we demonstrate how the dynamics of that availability vary with both outlet type and social characteristics.

The Pleistocene footprints are younger than we thought: correcting the radiocarbon dates of Ruppia seeds, Tularosa Basin, New Mexico

AbstractPast studies have demonstrated that Ruppia cirrhosa (Ruppia), which typically grows in brackish water, is far too unreliable to serve as the chronological basis for radiocarbon dating because of the hard water effect (HWE). Despite this unreliability, Ruppia seeds have been used to date footprints along the margins of paleo-Lake Otero in southern New Mexico to around 23,000–21,000 cal yr BP. In this study, we employ a modern analog approach using δ13C values and radiocarbon dates from modern Ruppia plants growing in Salt Creek to calculate a maximum limiting age range for the footprints. Those plant samples with higher δ13C values produced greater age discrepancies. This simple relationship can be used to correct for the HWE and demonstrates that the human footprints purported to have been made during the local last glacial maximum could be at least ~7500 yr younger.

Ten-Year Follow-Up of Women at High Risk for Familial Breast and Ovarian Cancer in Otago and Southland, New Zealand.

Care for families affected by Familial Breast and Ovarian Cancer (FBOC) is challenging as a broad range of professions and specialties are involved. The aim was to review management and outcomes for a cohort of women at high risk for familial breast and ovarian cancer. Ten-year retrospective follow-up study of individuals in Southern New Zealand assessed by Genetic Health Service New Zealand to be high risk for FBOC and without a personal cancer diagnosis at time of consultation. Twenty women were identified; twelve underwent genetic testing, and a pathogenic BRCA variant was identified in eleven. Eight women had no testing, as no index case was available. Guidelines had been fully adhered to in 55% of women, regardless of BRCA status. Six did not undergo appropriate breast surveillance. To date, seven of the 11 patients who tested positive for a pathogenic BRCA variant (64%) had risk-reducing surgeries. Two women were diagnosed with breast cancer on surveillance imaging; none were diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Four women were lost to follow-up, one of whom subsequently presented with a symptomatic breast cancer. To our knowledge, this is the first study providing long-term data for FBOC in New Zealand. Overall, guidelines were followed satisfactorily, but some women did not receive appropriate surveillance or referrals. An integrated interdisciplinary long-term care provision model in New Zealand might help to address gaps in FBOC surveillance and management.

Gastrointestinal helminths of the Australasian harrier (Circus approximans Peale, 1848) in New Zealand, and description of a new species of nematode, Procyrnea fraseri n. sp. (Habronematidae).

The Australasian harrier Circus approximans, a native of Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific, is an opportunistic hunter of small prey, although a large part of its diet consists of carrion, mainly from roadkill. Besides a record of a single, unnamed species of capillariid nematode there have been no investigations into the parasites of Australasian harriers in New Zealand. In this study, a helminthological survey of sixty-five deceased harriers from southern New Zealand uncovered a gastrointestinal helminth fauna consisting of six parasite species. Porrocaecum circinum (Nematoda) was previously described only from fragmented females, and a redescription is presented here. Procyrnea fraseri n. sp. (Nematoda) is described, and distinguished from its congeners by its slender body shape and shorter spicules. Strigea falconis (Trematoda) is reported for the first time in New Zealand. Cladotaenia anomalis (Cestoda) and Polymorphus circi (Acanthocephala) were previously described as new species elsewhere. An unnamed species of capillariid appears to be mainly confined to North Island and is rare in South Island. Prevalence and intensity metrics are given, and DNA sequences provided to accompany new re/descriptions. Potential intermediate hosts are discussed, and the origins of the helminths and their potential for pathogenicity are considered.

Modeling Historic Arsenic Exposures and Spatial Risk for Bladder Cancer.

Arsenic is a bladder carcinogen though less is known regarding the specific temporal relationship between exposure and bladder cancer diagnosis. In this study, we modeled time-varying mixtures of arsenic exposures at many historic temporal windows to evaluate their association with bladder cancer risk in the New England Bladder Cancer Study. We used arsenic exposure estimates up to 60 years prior to study entry and compared the goodness of fit of models using these mixtures to those using summary measures of arsenic exposures. We used the Bayesian index low rank kriging multiple membership model (LRK-MMM) to estimate the associations of these mixtures with bladder cancer and estimate cumulative spatial risk for bladder cancer using participants' residential histories. We found consistent evidence that modeling arsenic exposures as a time-varying mixture provided better fit to the data than using a single arsenic exposure summary measure. We estimated several positive though not significant associations of the time-varying arsenic mixtures with bladder cancer having odds ratios (ORs) of 1.03-1.14 and identified many significant and positive associations for an interaction among those who consumed water from a private dug well (ORs 1.28-1.60). Arsenic exposures 40-50 years before study entry received elevated importance weights in these mixtures. Additionally, we found two small areas of elevated cumulative spatial risk for bladder cancer in southern New Hampshire and in south central Maine. These results emphasize the importance of considering time-varying mixtures of exposures for diseases with long latencies such as bladder cancer.

STABILITY OF ROAD ROUTES IN THE MOSCOW UYEZD IN THE 17TH - FIRST THIRD OF THE 18TH CENTURY

The article examines a little-studied problem in the period of formation of the system of overland roads in the central part of the Russian state. The purpose of the study is to find out how stable were the road routes in the southern (Zaretskaya) part of the Moscow uyezd in the 17th and the first third of the 18th century. This choice is explained by the fact that the roads in the southern part of the uyezd, separated from its northern (Zamoskovnaya) part by the Moskva river, were a unified complex of communications. The research was based on the cadasters of 1627-1629, Moscow uyezd’s maps of the second half of the 17th century, as well as land surveyor’s plans in the 1720s from the map collection of J.-N. Delisle. The study included identification of settlements indicated on the early 18th-century maps and plans of the second half of the 17th century, a comparison of identified settlements, and search for settlements from the cadasters of 1627-1629 on the basis of comparisons of maps and plans (in some cases, the settlements in the cadasters have references to roads that serve as landmarks). The author concludes that five major roads in southern Moscow suburbs, New Mozhaisk, Zvenigorod, Borovsk, Kashira and Kamensk roads, were formed up to the mid-17th century and kept their importance throughout the 18th century. They were postal highways, “federal highways” of that time. It is impossible to draw a conclusion about the route stability of country roads on the basis of the analyzed sources. The data of cadasters of 1627-1629 allows to confirm that at least three out of five roads (Borovsk, Kamensk and Kashira) existed not only in the second, but also in the first half of the 17th century. The absence of the Zvenigorod road in the Zaretskaya part of the uyezd in the cadasters does not mean that it did not exist in the first third of the17th century. Most likely the scribe simply did not indicate it as a landmark.

Gorges partition diversity within New Zealand flathead Galaxias populations.

Understanding the landscape factors governing population connectivity in riverine ecosystems represents an ongoing challenge for freshwater biologists. We used DNA sequence analysis to test the hypothesis that major geomorphological features underpin freshwater-limited fish diversity in a tectonically dynamic region of New Zealand. Phylogeographic analysis of 101 Galaxias depressiceps cytochrome b sequences, incorporating 55 localities from southern New Zealand, revealed 26 haplotypes, with only one shared among rivers. We detect strong hierarchical genetic differentiation both among and within river systems. Genetic structuring is particularly pronounced across the Taieri River system (63 individuals from 35 sites, 18 haplotypes), with 92% of variation partitioned among locations. Distinctive within-river genetic clusters are invariably associated with major subcatchment units, typically isolated by substantial gorges. The anomalous distribution of a single lineage across a major drainage divide is consistent with local, tectonically driven headwater capture. We conclude that major landscape features such as gorges can strongly partition riverine fish diversity and constrain freshwater biodiversity.

Simulating How Freshwater Diversions Impact Salinity Regimes in an Estuarine System

The Bonnet Carré Spillway is a large flood control structure that diverts Mississippi River floodwaters into Lake Pontchartrain and the Mississippi Sound to prevent flooding in southern Louisiana and New Orleans. When operating at full capacity, the Spillway releases water at a rate of 7080 m3/s. Spillway openings regularly last a month or more. The enormous amount of freshwater that is diverted through the Spillway impacts salinity and nutrients in the Mississippi Sound. The objective of this research is to use a hydrodynamic model to simulate the impact of Bonnet Carré Spillway openings on the salinity of the Mississippi Sound over multiple years. Specifically, four hypothetical simulations of Spillway openings are compared to simulations during the same time when the Spillway is closed. The results show by how much, for how long, and where salinity is impacted in the estuarine system. The maximum difference in salinity at any given location over the mapped dates between the non-opening and hypothetical opening scenarios varies between 22 and 30 in each year. Differences in salinity between the opening and non-opening scenarios begin to decline in the study area approximately 18 days after Spillway closure. Decreases in salinity in Lake Borgne persist over a year. The Bonnet Carré Spillway affects salinity mostly in Lake Borgne and along an east/west ribbon that embraces the Mississippi coastline. Decreases in salinity caused by Spillway openings are seen up to 200 km east of the Spillway. These results are important for planning management strategies for estuarine resources during Spillway openings.

Chihuahuan Desert Shrine Caves: Refining Chronologies of Religious Iconography and Social Histories for the Jornada and Mimbres Mogollon Regions of the North American Southwest

AbstractThis article presents radiocarbon dates on 29 perishable objects deposited in shrine caves in the Jornada and Mimbres Mogollon regions of far west Texas and southern New Mexico. The dated objects include tablita fragments, effigies, prayer sticks, hafted projectile point foreshafts, and flat curved sticks. Analysis of the dates reveals three significant trends: a particular set of Indigenous ritual practices involving shrine caves in the North American Southwest was of extraordinary temporal depth and continuity; the meanings and material culture associated with shrine caves changed through time; and a signature iconographic expression of Jornada and Mimbres origin cosmologies, the Goggle-eye or “Tlaloc” entity, is older than previously understood. The dating of shrine caves and iconographic motifs provides new insights on early eras of religious expression in the southern Southwest, clarifying both the nature and time depth of foundational cosmologies and providing a deep time perspective for interpretations of how such cosmologies and their material and iconographic expressions changed through time.

Variation in body condition of moose calves in regions with contrasted winter conditions and tick loads

For many mammals living at higher latitudes, food scarcity and snow-hindered movements associated with their first winter are synonymous of trying months. In addition, most wild animals have to cope with parasites. Many studies have been conducted on captive animals to assess consequences parasitism on health over winter, but comparable studies on wild populations are scarce for large mammals. Here, we performed winter tick ( Dermacentor albipictus Packard, 1869) counts and collected body condition data (mass and hematological parameters) on 15 moose ( Alces alces (Linnaeus, 1758)) calves from two distinct climatic regions in northern and southern New Brunswick (Canada) in January. The same calves were recaptured 3 months later to observe variation in body condition parameters. Higher tick loads and more drastic changes of hematological parameters, such as hematocrit and creatinine in southern individuals, suggested that this population might be suffering more from the consequences of winter tick infestation than the northernmost population. However, other parameters that were not measured in our study, such as quantity and quality of food, could influence moose calves body condition at the southeastern limit of their range.

Sea urchin Arbacia punctulata feeding preference for algal turf over kelp in a degraded kelp forest ecosystem

Climate change is driving a shift in the distribution of global kelp forests, with the contraction of kelp habitats occurring at warm range edges. Declining kelps often have been replaced by novel algal turf assemblages, which are reinforced by ecological feedback mechanisms and provide fewer ecosystem services. Trophic interactions among marine herbivores, algal turfs, and kelps on algal turf-dominated reefs remain poorly resolved but could have important implications for the stability of algal turf reefs and the potential for kelp forest recovery. Here, we examine herbivory by the Atlantic purple sea urchin, Arbacia punctulata, in a degraded kelp forest ecosystem dominated by algal turf in southern New England, USA. In a localized field survey, we observed lower algal turf cover on reef areas containing A. punctulata (mean ± SE: 62 ± 12% turf cover) as compared to areas with no sea urchins present (92 ± 4% turf cover). Reef areas with and without sea urchins had similarly low cover of the previously dominant kelp, Saccharina latissima (6–8% kelp cover). In laboratory and field experiments, individuals or groups of A. punctulata enclosed with a diet choice of algal turf versus kelp had higher grazing rates on the algal turf. A. punctulata in the laboratory also exhibited greater attraction to algal turf over kelp, physically moving towards this food source. In combination, the results provide evidence that A. punctulata has a feeding preference for algal turf over kelp in southern New England. Future research is warranted to further examine the grazing ecology of A. punctulata, particularly in the context of ongoing kelp forest restoration efforts in this region.