The Plymouth Student Scientist - Volume 5, No. 2 - 2012https://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk/handle/10026.1/127972024-03-29T04:42:17Z2024-03-29T04:42:17ZHow will ocean acidification affect marine photosynthetic organisms? A reviewJarrold, M.https://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk/handle/10026.1/140042022-09-26T09:07:11Z2012-01-01T00:00:00ZHow will ocean acidification affect marine photosynthetic organisms? A review
Jarrold, M.
Atmospheric carbon dioxide is increasing year on year, mainly as a result of burning
fossil fuels. Although carbon dioxide dissolves in the oceans, mitigating atmospheric
effects, it does result in a reduction of the alkalinity of sea water; an effect termed
Ocean Acidification (OA). The subsequent changes in carbon chemistry will most
likely affect marine photosynthetic organisms in a number of ways; including the
ability of organisms to build calcium carbonate shells or skeletons (calcification) and
primary production. Previous work indicates that both processes respond to OA, but
not always in the same way. Consequently the aim of this review is to evaluate how
our understanding of the effects of OA on calcification and primary production has
progressed in recent years. It is concluded after examining the literature that our
understanding has not developed, with recent work either agreeing with or
contradicting past studies. However, there has been an increase in the number of
multi-factorial studies, and so from this point of view our understanding has
increased. To gain a better understanding, it is imperative that more comparable
data becomes available, which although this sounds self-evident does mean that a
consensus must be reached on the best methodology to use.
2012-01-01T00:00:00ZBiologging science: advances in our knowledge of seabirds and their behavioursEvans, D.https://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk/handle/10026.1/140032022-09-26T09:07:11Z2012-01-01T00:00:00ZBiologging science: advances in our knowledge of seabirds and their behaviours
Evans, D.
The use of miniature tags attached to free-living animals to record data is termed
‘biologging’. This procedure has been used to study seabirds since the 1970’s and our
knowledge of their behaviour, physiology and migration has advanced through the decades,
along with the potential for conservation of species. Technological advances in recent years
have improved data resolution and storage, enabling a better understanding of seabirds and
their environment
2012-01-01T00:00:00ZThe conservation biology and ecology of the African leopard Panthera pardus pardusPitman, R.T.https://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk/handle/10026.1/140022022-09-26T09:07:11Z2012-01-01T00:00:00ZThe conservation biology and ecology of the African leopard Panthera pardus pardus
Pitman, R.T.
The African leopard Panthera pardus pardus is an apex predator, and a reliable
indicator of a healthy ecosystem. Currently assessed as ‗near threatened‘ by the IUCN
Red List of Threatened Species, leopards are exposed to a range of threats that
include: habitat loss and/or degradation, depletion of natural prey, conflict with people,
consumptive- and non-consumptive practices, and the illegal trade of leopard products.
Leopards have disappeared from 37% of their historical range, and are continuing to
decline. Leopards have been extirpated across many areas of Africa, especially where
people are densely populated, which has left patchily distributed leopard populations
throughout the continent—to date, an accurate census has never been achieved.
A variety of management techniques and conservation schemes are used in an attempt
to mitigate threats directed at leopards; for example: (1) improved livestock husbandry
that reduces livestock depredation and thus reduces retaliatory killing of the supposed
offender—often thought to be the leopard, (2) designing community-based conservation
schemes that benefit local people (i.e., food, money, jobs, ownership), (3) financial
compensation for livestock losses, (4) ecotourism and regulated sport hunting, and (5)
ratification of conservation-orientated government policies.
Detailed, long-term leopard research began in the 1970‘s, and continues to the present
day with many peer-reviewed papers focusing primarily on their ecology within
savannah ecosystems. Technological advances (e.g., GPS tracking collars and remote
camera traps) are helping to further our knowledge of leopard demographics, intra- and
inter-specific interactions, predation, habitat use, and effective monitoring techniques.
Nevertheless, more research is desperately required if leopard populations are to
persist within human-dominated landscapes, like continental Africa.
2012-01-01T00:00:00ZThe ecology of tardigradesNorthcote-Smith, E.https://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk/handle/10026.1/140012022-09-26T09:07:11Z2012-01-01T00:00:00ZThe ecology of tardigrades
Northcote-Smith, E.
No abstract provided for this article.
2012-01-01T00:00:00Z