Biologists from the University of Bonn have discovered that the cichlid fish Pelvicachromis taeniatus can see in the near infrared range; this was thought to be unlikely until now. Seeing in the infrared range is apparently helping fish to hunt in shallow African rivers. The results will be published in the journal "Naturwissenschaften" and are already available online now.
A research team in the work group of Prof. Dr. T. C. M. Bakker at the Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, has been studying the biology of the African cichlid fish Pelvicachromis taeniatus for years.
Researchers conducted a prey choice experiment
Researchers investigated the ability to see in the infrared range using a classical prey choice experiment. P. taeniatus also feeds on small crustaceans, such as freshwater shrimp. These prey animals reflect near infrared radiation. The researchers used this fact to examine the perception of infrared light. In a dark room a prey selection experiment was set up illuminated by infrared lamps. In front of the water basin containing the fish freshwater shrimp were offered in two separate chambers. One of the chambers with the prey was covered with a filter blocking infrared wavelengths. The other chamber was covered with a filter that would let only infrared light pass. "Consequently, the fish were only able to perceive the freshwater shrimp in one chamber in the near infrared range" explains Dr. |Sebastian Baldauf, one of the scientists involved in the study.
Physiologists thought that seeing in the near ir range would be unlikely
The experiment showed that the fish spent more time and were more frequently in front of the chamber that let infrared light pass. "The fish detect their prey based on infrared radiation alone" reports the biologist from the University of Bonn. "Until now, physiologists thought that noise levels in the near-infrared range were too high to allow visual perception." As the experiment has shown, the fish were capable of perceiving prey in a wavelength range above 780 nanometers. It is well-known that snakes can perceive far infrared radiation at longer wavelengths above 2,000 nanometers. "But they don't use their eyes for this purpose; instead they have a heat-sensitive pit organ," says Dr. Baldauf. Human eyes are not capable of seeing infrared radiation.
Seeing infrared is useful in the natural habitat
The advantage of the fish's ability to see infrared may become obvious when you look at its natural habitat. The shallow rivers of West Africa have a relatively large amount of infrared radiation. "That's exactly why it makes sense to use infrared cues for detecting prey organisms," explains Dr. Baldauf. "It is a clear selective advantage if you can perceive additional signals that others cannot perceive." It is quite likely that other animals also have evolved a perception of near-infrared radiation, e.g. for hunting or orientation, such as other fishes or birds. The researchers from the University of Bonn now want to study more closely the physiology of infrared vision, and to what extent infrared radiation is relevant in other contexts.
Infrared radiation in partner selection?
When performing color measurements on these fish the researchers found that certain regions of the cichlid body reflect the light in the near-infared range. "We found that females reflect infrared radiation from their belly region, and males from their fins" says Dr. Baldauf. The female belly is important for mate choice, and the fins are displayed during aggressive encounters between males. "Perhaps near-infrared signals play a role in visual communication in this species" says the biologist. "And that's what we additionally would like to study in further experiments."
###
Denis Meuthen, Ingolf P. Rick, Timo Th?nken, Sebastian A. Baldauf: Visual prey detection by near-infrared cues in a fish, "Naturwissenschaften", DOI: 10.1007/s00114-012-0980-7
University of Bonn: http://www.uni-bonn.de
Thanks to University of Bonn for this article.
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It is autumn, and where I live the leaves are peaking; there is a riot of them everywhere, narrow ones, broad ones, droopy ones, crunchy ones. Leaves come in so many shapes, hues, textures ? the closer you look, the more differences you see. Botanists have names for every leaf type, and clumped together, says writer Robert Dunn, they sound like free verse poetry ...
pinnate, ciliate, barbellate, bearded, canescent, glabrous, glandular, viscid, scurfy, floccose, arachnoid, and my favorite, tomentose (covered with woolly hairs).
But to us, they're just leaves, and this week they're just winding up their show, taking a last shot at the sunshine before they catch a breeze and waft away. This is their brief time to be admired.
Which we do. And then we go on to other things. That's why I'd like to introduce you to a better class of leaf admirer.
The creatures I'm talking about don't drive to a Vermont hotel for one weekend a year. No, they spend every day of their lives not just liking leaves, but pretending to be leaves, which I think is a much higher form of praise.
Check out these leaf mimic katydids. They're not content to just look like a plain green leaf. "That would be too easy," says entomologist and wildlife photographer Piotr Nasrecki
"No, their bodies are perfect replicas of leaves that have been chewed up, torn, rotten, dried up, partially decayed, or covered by fungi. Some even have fake holes in their wings (fake, because the holes are in fact thin, translucent parts of the wing membrane.)"
This next one, a Costa Rican Leaf katydid, goes a step further. It looks like a leaf that's been eaten, or has what's called a "necrotic" or diseased edge. A monkey looking around for a juicy katydid to munch on would have a hard time seeing this as anything but a leaf.
This isn't, by the way, a standard act of mime. You won't find thousands of katydids with the exact same bite-on-the-edge look. "No two individuals are alike," says Piotr Nasrecki. In fact, "you can find individuals whose appearance is so dramatically different that one would feel justified to place them in different species." But they're not. These are, you should excuse the expression, artists: individuals pretending, in their very different ways, to be a leaf.
The biological explanation is that the tamarind monkeys who want to eat them are excellent hunters. They comb through foliage, unfurl leaves, and look closely for insects hiding in plain sight. If katydids had 10 standard imitations, the monkeys would learn those types and spot them every time, but says Piotr, "when every individual in the katydid population looks slightly different, then the task of finding them is much more difficult."
And now comes my finish: This is the most beautiful deceit of all ? and it's seasonally appropriate!
This here is a leaf katydid from Guyana. See if you can find it.
These insects don't have hidden colors under their wings that they can flash to frighten predators. They're just boringly brown. So when a predator approaches, they do what October leaves do where I live. They float gently to the ground and play dead.
Meryl Streep would be jealous.
You can learn about these katydids in more detail on Piotr Nasrecki's blog, called "The Smaller Majority". He takes the photos, he tells the stories, he knows the science. He also posts all the time, so if you are hungry for bug stories of every sort, check him out. He also has a new book, just published, called Relics.
But if your passion is leafy, not buggy, then may I suggest yet another great leaf appreciator. This one doesn't just gaze at leaves, or pretend to be one; instead, he scissors them into startlingly funny shapes, taking leaves to places they've never been before. His name is Christoph Niemann, and if you haven't seen his leaves, you haven't experienced the full possibilities of autumn.
New week, new set of high profile product releases and service details. As you might have heard, Apple launched a new tablet, Microsoft's Surface and Windows 8 finally see the cold light of day, and Dan wants more data, but isn't sure if he wants to pay so much for it. Also on the agenda is the latest in 3D printing, the financial woes of a mobile giant, and a curious punishment dished out after a patent dispute ruling. Another seven days in the world of the Engadget Eurocast it is then.
Hosts: Dan Cooper, James Trew, Mat Smith Producer: James Trew
Barnes & Noble: hacked PIN pads were located in 63 stores in nine states. If you used a debit or credit card at one of them, change your PIN number immediately and contact your bank.?
By Schuyler Velasco,?Correspondent / October 24, 2012
A Barnes & Noble bookstore is shown in Encinitas, Calif., in this 2008 file photo.According to Barnes & Noble, hacked PIN pads at 63 of its 700 bookstores may have allowed hackers to steal credit-card information from customers who used the pads.
Mike Blake/Reuters/File
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Barnes & Noble has been hacked, and is warning customers of a data breach affecting 63 of its stores in nine states.
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The breach was ?a sophisticated criminal effort to steal credit card information, debit card information, and debit card PIN numbers from customers who swiped their cards through PIN pads when they made purchases,? New York-based?bookseller said in a statement Wednesday.
States with stores involved in the breach are California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York,?Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island.
The hackers placed bugs to collect information on one PIN pad at each of the 63 affected stores, and only customers who used those specific PIN pads (less than 1 percent) are at risk, Barnes & Noble says.
As a precaution, Barnes & Noble has halted PIN pad use at each of its 700 locations nationwide. Customers can still make credit card purchases via cash registers.
The ?customer database is secure,? the company statement read. ?Purchases on Barnes & Noble.com, NOOK and NOOK mobile apps were not affected. The member database was also not affected. None of the affected PIN pads was discovered at Barnes & Noble College Bookstores.?
Customers who have used PIN pads at any of the affected locations should take the following steps:
Debit Card Users:
Change the PIN numbers on debit cards
Review account activity for unauthorized transactions
If any unauthorized purchases or withdrawals are discovered, notify your bank immediately.?
Credit Card Users:
Review statements for any unauthorized transactions
Notify your bank if you discover any unauthorized purchases or cash advances
For further information, visit Barnes & Noble?s release, here.
Below is Barnes & Noble?s complete ?list of targeted stores:
These days, there?s more to a candy bar than simply chocolate. With a laundry list of?ingredients, it?s hard to know which ingredients aren?t the best to ingest, and why they?re there even in our candy bars in the first place. So we?ve peeled back the wrapper to uncover which ingredients are harmless, and which should go straight from the trick-or-treat bag to the trash.
What Is This In My Candy Bar?! ? The Need-to-Know
From the weirdly named additives to surprising ingredients and ominous oils, here are some ingredients in candy that will freak us out even when Halloween is over:
Safe
Tertiary butyl hydroquinone. This impossible-to-pronounce preservative prevents candy from going rancid and enhances storage life. Better yet, both the FDA and European Food Safety Authority say TBHQ is safe for humans. (And thank goodness, since it?s in America?s favorite Reece?s Peanut Butter Cup.)
Polyglycerol polyricinoleate. PGPR is a chemical that blends the ingredients in candy bars to make chocolate super smooth. It?s safe for humans to consume and is found in Kit Kat Bars and Hershey?s Milk Chocolate Bars[].
Soy lecithin. This additive is a substance extracted from soybeans that emulsifies the cocoa and cocoa butter in candy, keeping the ingredients from separating. Although soy can be a dangerfood when eaten in large quantities, (messing with hormone balance and testosterone levels) studies show small amounts of soy lecithin in our candy (like Almond Joy?s and M&M?s!) are a-okay[][].
Caution
Artificial flavors. Adding some flava flav to food can make them taste more appetizing (Butterfingers, anyone?). The studies of artificial flavors (not to be confused with artificial coloring!)are few and far between, but the Center For Science in the Public Interest says artificial flavoring is probably safe.
Milk fat. We?re talkin? more than just whole milk, here. Milk fat is the main component of cream, and is composed of triglycerides, a type of fat that may thicken the artery walls and increase cardiovascular risk[]. The bad news is milk fat is found in most chocolate candies, including Snickers and Milky Way bars, so look for bars lower in saturated fat.
Salt. Yep, it?s not just in the savory stuff. Salt is often added to candy bars to offset all the sugar and corn syrup. And we definitely don?t need any more of the salty stuff: Most Americans consume more sodium than recommended (2,300 mg) which can raise blood pressure and contribute to heart disease.
Avoid
Artificial coloring. Sorry M&M?s and candy corn, it looks like you?re doing more harm than good. Although artificial coloring may make candy more appealing, it has been linked to behavioral problems, asthma, and even cancer when consumed in large quanities[][][]. Another (not so fun) fact? After Halloween in 1950, food dye Orange #1 was banned from candy (for good!) after many kids got sick.
High fructose corn syrup. Sugar and spice may not be so nice. The consumption of HFCS, a sweetener derived from (you guessed it!) corn, may sometimes lead to kidney damage and liver disease in high doses[][]. Hold off on those king-size Twix and Milky Ways (and most other candy bars, in fact)!
Hydrogenated palm kernel oil. If you thought milk fat was bad, check out this oil creeping in our candy. More than 80 percent of palm kernel oil?s fat is the saturated kind (which can up LDL cholesterol) but is often used in foods because it?s cheaper than alternatives[].
Have a Healthier Halloween ? Your Action Plan
Don?t fret! These sneaky ingredients don?t have to take all the fun (and flavor) from Halloween. Check out these tips for a healthier Halloween, no creepy ingredients included.
Choose better. Okay, there?s no denying a least a few pieces of candy on Halloween. So while we?re at it, let?s pick some better options, like dark chocolate Raisinetes, mini Hershey Special Dark bars, or a Twizzler or two. Or try low fat popcorn and pretzels for some crunch!
Make your own. Ditch the wrapper and make candy from scratch. Try some classics like Snickers, Reece?s Peanut Butter Cups, or these vegan Kit Kats.? That way, you?ll have control over everything that goes into the mix!
Sharing is caring. Stuck with a whole bag of Halloween treats? Make sure to spread the love! Bring the bag into the office or share with friends, while allowing yourself a bite-sized treat when that sweet tooth kicks in.
Get creative. The stomach can be satisfied on Halloween without going down the candy aisle. Sip on some spiced cider, munch on a caramel apple, or dip some sliced fruit in a creamy pumpkin dip. Just remember to eat regularly and not skip meals!
Give it away. Donate the extra goods to people around the world. Organizations like Operation Shoe Box and Operation Gratitude are great places to start.
Celebrate outside. Halloween isn?t just about the sweets. Focus the fun on other traditions, like hayrides, apple picking, or walking through a haunted house (eek!). We promise you won?t miss those Almond Joy?s.
This article has been read and approved by Greatist Experts?Catherine Ulbricht?and Lindsey Joe.
How carefully do you examine ingredient lists? Share your thoughts in the comments below or tweet the author at?@lschwech.
Looking At Different Business Home Internet Marketing Opportunities
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Summary: If you are interested in making money from home, you should know that there are many different business home internet marketing opportunity factors that should come into play. First of all, when you are looking for home business or internet marketing opportunities that you are interested in, you should keep several things in mind. The first thing that you should keep in mind is that not every business/home internet marketing opportunity is going to be the same, because there ...
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Article Body: If you are interested in making money from home, you should know that there are many different business home internet marketing opportunity factors that should come into play. First of all, when you are looking for home business or internet marketing opportunities that you are interested in, you should keep several things in mind. The first thing that you should keep in mind is that not every business/home internet marketing opportunity is going to be the same, because there are many different opportunities that you might want to thing about in many different areas.
You want to make sure that your business home internet marketing opportunity is one that you could stand to do for quite some time. This is because as you et the chance to do more and more, you internet marketing business is going to grow, and you are going to have to keep in going. This means that the business home internet marketing opportunity that you are starting up has to be something that you want to do for the long term.
The other thing that you should keep in mind when you are talking about a business home internet marketing opportunity is that you have to be able to have a way to make money.? Your business home internet marketing opportunity has to be something that you want to do but also that will make you money.
There are also other things that you should keep in mind when you are thinking about different business home internet marketing opportunity propositions that you might come across. The most important is that you can find something to do that is interesting to you. It has to be something that you are interested in because it cannot be something that will bore you or make you uninterested.
So, when you are looking at the business home internet marketing opportunity that comes your way, you have to be sure that you first of all are interested in the proposition. You also have to be sure that you have a way to make money from the business home internet marking opportunity, and also you have to be sure that you are willing to do the internet marketing business for quite some time.
When you have brought all of these things in to play, there are many chances for you to find a home internet marketing opportunity of a business. There will be many chances for you to find these online, and they can be chances that you might want to take because they will give you money and they will give you security for the future. These are all things that you should keep in mind when you are looking at the different business home internet marketing opportunities that might come your way. Remember that this could be something you do for a long time.
BEIJING (AP) ? China's biggest rare earths producer has suspended output in an effort to shore up slumping prices of the materials used by makers of mobile phones and other high-tech products.
Baotou Steel Rare-earth (Group) Hi-tech Co. said in a statement released through the Shanghai Stock Exchange that it suspended production Tuesday to promote "healthy development" of the rare earths market.
It gave no indication when production would resume and phone calls to Baogang were not answered.
The suspension comes amid efforts by China's government to tighten control over rare earths mining and exports to capture more of the profits that flow to Western makers of lightweight batteries and other products made of rare earths.
BRUSSELS (AP) ? The debt burden of the 17 countries that use the euro rose to 90 percent of the value of its economy at the end of the second quarter, in spite of efforts by many of the countries to cut back on their spending.
The rise reported Wednesday by Eurostat, the EU's statistics office, from the previous quarter's 88.2 percent provides further evidence that stalling economic growth is making it harder for eurozone countries to handle their debts.
The debt problems are getting worse for many euro countries, including Italy, Spain, Ireland and Portugal.
Greece saw the biggest quarterly increase in its debt burden to 150.3 percent of its national income from 136.9 percent. The country's deep recession, which appears headed for a sixth year, is making the debt mountain more burdensome.
By Rembert Browne on Grantland Illustration/Getty Images
I don't really know where to start. There's a lot to discuss. First the facts?
? NFL RedZone is a television channel. ? It is hosted by Scott Hanson. ? It premiered in September 2009.
That's really all I've got. Now for the emotions.
This Edison-rivaling invention referred to as "RedZone" is a game changer in the same way running water made wells obsolete. It's incredible. Similar to how it's hard to believe we as a TV-watching culture viewed non-HD television with such joy for so long, it's hard to believe that for 99.82 percent of my life, I pushed the "last" button on my remote while two games were on simultaneously, all the while sulking that I didn't have access to all the other Sunday games being played. Getting to flip between two games was exciting and, believe it or not, at times worked like a poor man's RedZone, with one game reaching high drama as the other was at commercial.
But it wasn't RedZone. Not even close.
Wait, do you not know what RedZone is? Were those earlier facts and initial description not enough? My apologies. Let's try this again.
The facts 2.0:
? NFL RedZone is a television channel that you have to pay for, but considering that it should cost $3,000 but ends up being around $40, it's the biggest steal since the first year McDonald's did the Monopoly game and put too many free hash browns up for grabs.
? There are no commercials. FOR SEVEN HOURS.
? It is hosted by Scott Hanson, who is one part typical host, 27 parts Wizard of Oz. I've seen his face a few times, but not enough to have actually convinced myself that he's real. In addition to narrating and commentating on the day's events, he has access to a device. A very powerful device (to be discussed later).
? Scott Hanson (NFL RedZone) is not the same as Chris Hanson (To Catch a Predator), but you will make that mistake here and there.
? At the end of the day, Scott blesses the viewers who have just spent seven hours immobile, ordering BBQ, via delivery, and not going to the bathroom with a montage of every single touchdown that took place over the course of the RedZoneDay. It's like Luther's "One Shining Moment" but without the tears, from the players and from me.
? There is no proof that there are any other employees at RedZone, so one has to believe Scott is responsible for everything.
? When RedZone is on, the only historical timeline that is relevant in the eyes of Him is whether or not said event took place on RedZone. If Scott Hanson says Drew Brees threw three touchdowns in a half for the first time ever and you seem to remember him doing it four years ago, just know that it didn't happen, you're wrong, and you will pay for questioning Him. Other news ? Drew Bledsoe: never existed.
In case you've never seen RedZone, this is how they kicked off the 2012 season.
Yes, that's the countdown into the Transformer NFL opening RIGHT INTO THE QUADBOX. No idea what the QUADBOX is? I guess this would be a good time to discuss the aforementioned special "device."
When RedZone is at its least dramatic (which is still high drama, comparatively), Hanson flips between games, putting the most exciting one on the main screen. He does this by pulling a blue lever on his special Scott Hanson RedZone future device. But when things start getting hot and heavy, simply flipping between games becomes inadequate. Dead time has since left the building and, with two teams tied in the fourth quarter with less than two minutes left, for example, viewers need to watch both games at the same time. So what does Scooter do in his Area 51 football bunker? He twists the orange knob and BOOM, two screens. "Dubbox," the kids are apparently calling it.
I've seen this with my own eyes (the split screen, definitely not Hanson doing the orange twist) and it is a beautiful thing to watch. But that's not where it stops. Sometimes there's more, like when a third game is also in a high-drama situation. When this happens, at the discretion of The Hanson (which is always an appropriate judgment call), he flicks the green thingamabob and ? POW ? the glory-filled "Tribox."
I've only seen a few Triboxes in my day, but let me tell you: If this happens, you have no choice but to stand up and scream, with your friends or completely by yourself. The Tribox is an achievement.
And this, finally, brings us back the QUADBOX. As I'm sure you've figured out, this is when there are four screens on the television (caused by Hanson allegedly spinning the red wheel). But I have never witnessed the QUADBOX with my own eyes. Yes, I know good, trustworthy people who claim to have witnessed it (and sent me pictures of their QUADBOXED televisions), but until I see it, it's merely a myth.
Rumblings on the Internet have people discussing the Quintbox, but that's just taking it too far. The only way a Quintbox even happens is if there is a Presidential Order for Hanson to "Bop It Extreme," which is more of a distress signal to our allies (watching RedZone) than a cool way to watch five really small games on one television.
Yes, RedZone is already bigger than football. And its potential reach can go so much further than simply exciting Sundays and wartime distress signals.
Picture this: four of your favorite TV shows or movies, all on at the same time, and Scott Hanson (yes, he is the only man on this Earth qualified to make such high-pressure calls) juggling between the four based on which is the most exciting. Yes, Scott, how did you know I wanted to see the Independence Day Bill Pullman speech, then shift into the final Drumline battle, then the part when Will and Grace try to have sex for the first time, and finally the intro theme sequence of Recess? How? Because you're Scott Hanson, the hero we need right now but don't even come close to deserving.
Or, to keep the football theme alive, what if RedZone works for four gridiron classics? Say Remember the Titans, The Replacements, Any Given Sunday, and Little Giants are all on at the same time. Who really wants to sit through all the lame talks of race equality and bar makeouts and emotional pregame speeches and Chevrolet dealership?for?gas station bets when there's football to watch? Not Scott and, therefore, not you or me. Let's allow Scott to flip between these four great films, and at the end, who knows, maybe we'll get a Denzel/Keanu/Foxx/Moranis QUADBOX? Who knows?
In this RedZone era, all we want is the action, immediately, always, and if Mr. Hanson is allowed to be at the wheel (or the Bop It Extreme) in all facets of our life, solely controlling our emotions by way of a single children's toy, I can't imagine how this could go wrong. That is, unless with such power comes greed, and with such greed comes evil, in which case he's going to kill us all by Week 15.
Three vandals did more than $35,000 worth of damage to the field and concession stands at East Carolina?s Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium early Sunday morning while the team was playing a road game. Now, school officials are scrambling to clean up the mess prior to Saturday?s Military Appreciation Day game against Navy.
According to police, the three individuals used Kubota utility vehicles to do doughnuts between the 30-yard lines. They also crashed the vehicles into concession stands and two water fountains.
William Banks, an East Carolina freshman, has been arrested in connection with the vandalism. Banks lost his phone during the destruction and was nabbed when he returned the next day to retrieve it. Banks was charged with breaking and entering, first-degree trespass, injury to real property and injury to personal property.
?That is our house,? said ECU coach Ruffin McNeill, who also noted he wanted those responsible to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. ?I just heard about it right before the press conference and that is incredible to me. Why would anyone destroy our house?
?Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium is very precious to me having played and bled on the field. It is really disappointing that someone or some group of people would disrespect us and this university in that manner. It is unacceptable and disappointing that someone would do that to our field.?
- ? - Got a tip for Dr. Saturday? Email us at dr.saturday@ymail.com. You can also connect with us via Twitter @YahooDrSaturday and be sure to ?Like? Dr. Saturday on Facebook for football conversations and stuff you won?t see on the blog.
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Biologists record increasing amounts of plastic litter in the Arctic deep seaPublic release date: 23-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Sina Lschke medien@awi.de 49-047-148-312-008 Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres
Studies confirm that twice as much marine debris is lying on the seabed today compared to 10 years ago
Biologists record increasing amounts of plastic litter in the Arctic deep sea: studies confirm that twice as much marine debris is lying on the seabed today compared to ten years ago
Bremerhaven, 22nd October 2012. The seabed in the Arctic deep sea is increasingly strewn with litter and plastic waste. As reported in the advance online publication of the scientific journal Marine Pollution Bulletin by Dr. Melanie Bergmann, biologist and deep-sea expert at the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research in the Helmholtz Association. The quantities of waste observed at the AWI deep-sea observatory HAUSGARTEN are even higher than those found in a deep-sea canyon near the Portuguese capital Lisbon.
For this study Dr. Melanie Bergmann examined some 2100 seafloor photographs taken near HAUSGARTEN, the deep-sea observatory of the Alfred Wegener Institute in the eastern Fram Strait. This is the sea route between Greenland and the Norwegian island Spitsbergen. "The study was prompted by a gut feeling. When looking through our images I got the impression that plastic bags and other litter on the seafloor were seen more frequently in photos from 2011 than in those dating back to earlier years. For this reason I decided to go systematically through all photos from 2002, 2004, 2007, 2008 and 2011," Melanie Bergmann explains.
The deep-sea scientists from the HGF-MPG Group for Deep-Sea Ecology and Technology of the Alfred Wegener Institute regularly deploy their towed camera system OFOS (Ocean Floor Observation System) during Polarstern expeditions to the HAUSGARTEN. At the central HAUSGARTEN station it is towed at a water depth of 2500 metres, 1.5 metres above the seabed, and takes a photograph every 30 seconds. Deep-sea biologists principally use these photographs to document changes in biodiversity with respect to larger inhabitants such as sea cucumbers, sea lilies, sponges, fish and shrimps. However, for Melanie Bergmann they also provided evidence of increasing deep-sea pollution: "Waste can be seen in around one percent of the images from 2002, primarily plastic. In the images from 2011 we made the same discovery on around two percent of the footage. The quantity of waste on the seabed has therefore doubled", the scientist says. If we consider the time span between 2007 and 2011 the amount has even risen by an order of magnitude.
At first sight, the "two percent" result may not cause much concern. However a comparison demonstrates the true extent of the pollution in the Arctic deep sea: "The Arctic Ocean and especially its deep-sea areas have long been considered to be the most remote and secluded regions of our planet. Unfortunately, our results refute this notion at least for our observatory. The quantities observed were higher than those recorded from a deep-sea canyon not far from the industrialised Portuguese capital Lisbon," Melanie Bergmann explains. It is also important to bear in mind that, according to recent research, more plastic waste will accumulate in deep-sea canyons than in open slope environments such as HAUSGARTEN.
Melanie Bergmann is unable to determine the origin of litter from photographs alone. However she suspects that the shrinking and thinning of the Arctic sea ice may play an important role. "The Arctic sea ice cover normally acts as a natural barrier, preventing wind blowing waste from land out onto the sea, and blocking the path of most ships. Ship traffic has increased enormously since the ice cover has been continuously shrinking and getting thinner. We are now seeing three times the number of private yachts and up to 36 times more fishing vessels in the waters surrounding Spitsbergen compared to pre-2007 times," Melanie Bergmann says. Furthermore, litter counts made during annual clean-ups of the beaches of Spitsbergen have shown that the litter washed up there originates primarily from fisheries.
The main victims of the increasing contamination of the seafloor are the deep-sea inhabitants. "Almost 70 percent of the plastic litter that we recorded had come into some kind of contact with deep-sea organisms. For example we found plastic bags entangled in sponges, sea anemones settling on pieces of plastic or rope, cardboard and a beer bottle colonised by sea lilies," Melanie Bergmann says.
When sponges or other suspension feeders come into contact with plastic, this may cause injuries to the surface of their body. The consequence: the inhabitants of the sea bed are able to absorb fewer food particles, grow more slowly as a result, and probably reproduce less often. Breathing could also be impaired. Furthermore, plastic always contains chemical additives, which have various toxic effects. "Other studies have also revealed that plastic bags that sink to the seafloor can alter the gas exchange processes in this area. The sediment below then becomes a low oxygen zone, in which only few organisms survive," Melanie Bergmann says. On the other hand, other animals use the waste as hard substratum to settle on. "This allows colonisation by species that previously would have found hardly any suitable substratum. This means that the waste could change the deep-sea composition of species and therefore biodiversity in the long-term," the researcher adds.
In view of the far-reaching climate changes in the Arctic, Melanie Bergmann and colleagues want to expand their research projects on "litter in the sea": "Until now our results from the Fram Strait merely constitute a snapshot, reflecting the observations that we were able to make with the naked eye," the scientist explains. For example, the focus is currently moving to the question of deep-sea pollution resulting from so-called micro-plastic particles. "We took samples for the first time during the last expedition with our research ice breaker POLARSTERN to the HAUSGARTEN observatory. Our AWI colleagues from Helgoland will analyse them for micro-plastics," says Melanie Bergmann. Micro-plastics can be ingested by marine animals including commercially harvested prawns and fish and enter the human food chain.
During this expedition Belgian mammal and bird observers also counted 32 pieces of litter floating at the water surface. The probability of researchers finding more litter on the deep ocean floor is therefore great. Melanie Bergmann: "Pieces of plastic on the deep seafloor are unlikely to degrade into micro-plastics as quickly as is the case on the North Sea coast, for example. This is due to the lack both of sunlight at a depth below 200 metres and of strong water movement. Instead it is dark and cold there. Under these conditions plastic waste can probably persist for centuries."
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Glossary:
HAUSGARTEN: HAUSGARTEN is the deep-sea observatory of the Alfred Wegener Institute in the eastern Fram Strait. It consists of 16 stations covering water depths of between 1000 and 5500 metres. Since 1999 samples were taken annually at these stations every year during the summer months. The year-round deployment of moorings and free-falling systems that act as observation platforms on the sea bed enables seasonal measurements. A remotely controlled underwater vehicle (Remotely Operated Vehicle, ROV) takes targeted samples, positions and services automatic measuring instruments and conducts experiments in situ on a regular basis. HAUSGARTEN is one of the key regions in the European Network of Excellence ESONET (European Seas Observatory Network) and is a member of the German Long Term Ecological Research Network (LTER-D).
Microplastic particles: microplastic particles denote microscopically small plastic particles that are created when plastic waste breaks down into ever smaller fragments during the course of chemical and physical aging processes. Due to their size, microplastics pose a risk of being eaten by small shrimps, fish larvae and other organisms at the bottom of the food chain. For example microplastics have already been found in the stomachs of commercially fished Norwegian lobster. In addition to the pure physical damage, the absorption and concentration of pollutants from the microplastic particles is to be anticipated. No studies have so far looked into the effect of this on the individual organism and on other components of the food chain, however negative consequences are to be feared.
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Biologists record increasing amounts of plastic litter in the Arctic deep seaPublic release date: 23-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Sina Lschke medien@awi.de 49-047-148-312-008 Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres
Studies confirm that twice as much marine debris is lying on the seabed today compared to 10 years ago
Biologists record increasing amounts of plastic litter in the Arctic deep sea: studies confirm that twice as much marine debris is lying on the seabed today compared to ten years ago
Bremerhaven, 22nd October 2012. The seabed in the Arctic deep sea is increasingly strewn with litter and plastic waste. As reported in the advance online publication of the scientific journal Marine Pollution Bulletin by Dr. Melanie Bergmann, biologist and deep-sea expert at the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research in the Helmholtz Association. The quantities of waste observed at the AWI deep-sea observatory HAUSGARTEN are even higher than those found in a deep-sea canyon near the Portuguese capital Lisbon.
For this study Dr. Melanie Bergmann examined some 2100 seafloor photographs taken near HAUSGARTEN, the deep-sea observatory of the Alfred Wegener Institute in the eastern Fram Strait. This is the sea route between Greenland and the Norwegian island Spitsbergen. "The study was prompted by a gut feeling. When looking through our images I got the impression that plastic bags and other litter on the seafloor were seen more frequently in photos from 2011 than in those dating back to earlier years. For this reason I decided to go systematically through all photos from 2002, 2004, 2007, 2008 and 2011," Melanie Bergmann explains.
The deep-sea scientists from the HGF-MPG Group for Deep-Sea Ecology and Technology of the Alfred Wegener Institute regularly deploy their towed camera system OFOS (Ocean Floor Observation System) during Polarstern expeditions to the HAUSGARTEN. At the central HAUSGARTEN station it is towed at a water depth of 2500 metres, 1.5 metres above the seabed, and takes a photograph every 30 seconds. Deep-sea biologists principally use these photographs to document changes in biodiversity with respect to larger inhabitants such as sea cucumbers, sea lilies, sponges, fish and shrimps. However, for Melanie Bergmann they also provided evidence of increasing deep-sea pollution: "Waste can be seen in around one percent of the images from 2002, primarily plastic. In the images from 2011 we made the same discovery on around two percent of the footage. The quantity of waste on the seabed has therefore doubled", the scientist says. If we consider the time span between 2007 and 2011 the amount has even risen by an order of magnitude.
At first sight, the "two percent" result may not cause much concern. However a comparison demonstrates the true extent of the pollution in the Arctic deep sea: "The Arctic Ocean and especially its deep-sea areas have long been considered to be the most remote and secluded regions of our planet. Unfortunately, our results refute this notion at least for our observatory. The quantities observed were higher than those recorded from a deep-sea canyon not far from the industrialised Portuguese capital Lisbon," Melanie Bergmann explains. It is also important to bear in mind that, according to recent research, more plastic waste will accumulate in deep-sea canyons than in open slope environments such as HAUSGARTEN.
Melanie Bergmann is unable to determine the origin of litter from photographs alone. However she suspects that the shrinking and thinning of the Arctic sea ice may play an important role. "The Arctic sea ice cover normally acts as a natural barrier, preventing wind blowing waste from land out onto the sea, and blocking the path of most ships. Ship traffic has increased enormously since the ice cover has been continuously shrinking and getting thinner. We are now seeing three times the number of private yachts and up to 36 times more fishing vessels in the waters surrounding Spitsbergen compared to pre-2007 times," Melanie Bergmann says. Furthermore, litter counts made during annual clean-ups of the beaches of Spitsbergen have shown that the litter washed up there originates primarily from fisheries.
The main victims of the increasing contamination of the seafloor are the deep-sea inhabitants. "Almost 70 percent of the plastic litter that we recorded had come into some kind of contact with deep-sea organisms. For example we found plastic bags entangled in sponges, sea anemones settling on pieces of plastic or rope, cardboard and a beer bottle colonised by sea lilies," Melanie Bergmann says.
When sponges or other suspension feeders come into contact with plastic, this may cause injuries to the surface of their body. The consequence: the inhabitants of the sea bed are able to absorb fewer food particles, grow more slowly as a result, and probably reproduce less often. Breathing could also be impaired. Furthermore, plastic always contains chemical additives, which have various toxic effects. "Other studies have also revealed that plastic bags that sink to the seafloor can alter the gas exchange processes in this area. The sediment below then becomes a low oxygen zone, in which only few organisms survive," Melanie Bergmann says. On the other hand, other animals use the waste as hard substratum to settle on. "This allows colonisation by species that previously would have found hardly any suitable substratum. This means that the waste could change the deep-sea composition of species and therefore biodiversity in the long-term," the researcher adds.
In view of the far-reaching climate changes in the Arctic, Melanie Bergmann and colleagues want to expand their research projects on "litter in the sea": "Until now our results from the Fram Strait merely constitute a snapshot, reflecting the observations that we were able to make with the naked eye," the scientist explains. For example, the focus is currently moving to the question of deep-sea pollution resulting from so-called micro-plastic particles. "We took samples for the first time during the last expedition with our research ice breaker POLARSTERN to the HAUSGARTEN observatory. Our AWI colleagues from Helgoland will analyse them for micro-plastics," says Melanie Bergmann. Micro-plastics can be ingested by marine animals including commercially harvested prawns and fish and enter the human food chain.
During this expedition Belgian mammal and bird observers also counted 32 pieces of litter floating at the water surface. The probability of researchers finding more litter on the deep ocean floor is therefore great. Melanie Bergmann: "Pieces of plastic on the deep seafloor are unlikely to degrade into micro-plastics as quickly as is the case on the North Sea coast, for example. This is due to the lack both of sunlight at a depth below 200 metres and of strong water movement. Instead it is dark and cold there. Under these conditions plastic waste can probably persist for centuries."
###
Glossary:
HAUSGARTEN: HAUSGARTEN is the deep-sea observatory of the Alfred Wegener Institute in the eastern Fram Strait. It consists of 16 stations covering water depths of between 1000 and 5500 metres. Since 1999 samples were taken annually at these stations every year during the summer months. The year-round deployment of moorings and free-falling systems that act as observation platforms on the sea bed enables seasonal measurements. A remotely controlled underwater vehicle (Remotely Operated Vehicle, ROV) takes targeted samples, positions and services automatic measuring instruments and conducts experiments in situ on a regular basis. HAUSGARTEN is one of the key regions in the European Network of Excellence ESONET (European Seas Observatory Network) and is a member of the German Long Term Ecological Research Network (LTER-D).
Microplastic particles: microplastic particles denote microscopically small plastic particles that are created when plastic waste breaks down into ever smaller fragments during the course of chemical and physical aging processes. Due to their size, microplastics pose a risk of being eaten by small shrimps, fish larvae and other organisms at the bottom of the food chain. For example microplastics have already been found in the stomachs of commercially fished Norwegian lobster. In addition to the pure physical damage, the absorption and concentration of pollutants from the microplastic particles is to be anticipated. No studies have so far looked into the effect of this on the individual organism and on other components of the food chain, however negative consequences are to be feared.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Despite the apparent advancement of HTML-driven websites and old-school methodology of designing Dreamweaver or NetObjects-based websites, programming, designing and editorial preference has shifted almost entirely to content management systems (CMS).
Since frameworks such as cascading style sheets (CSS), Java and other rich PHP classes are designed for easier navigation and compliance with language standards, content management systems have become the epitome of all that is and is to come in the future of the Internet.
Unlike shopping for design software, choosing the appropriate content management system with which to build feature-rich applications, is not about picking the easiest program ? it?s about choosing the best program.
We now explore the seven tips for picking content management systems for design needs: Scalable Architecture
For full support of futuristic marketing, developmental growth and adherence to W3C standards, the architecture of the CMS framework needs scalability without close-loop scripting sequences. Whether platforms use Java or .Net frameworks to build content management systems is secondary to the fact that scalability needs to have impending changes in mind.
If CSS classes, plugin containers and other necessary implementations change, the architecture must support these changes or face certain demise. Our initial investigation has revealed that Joomla should definitely be last on your list if architectural scalability is high on your list of needs.
The Top 5 which offer the most mountable architecture (in any order):
? Frog
? Drupal
? WordPress
? Concrete5
? Radiant
Open Source
The necessity for open source software or Web applications has become critical from the programming perspective because one programmer can simply piggyback off the coding of another. Simply look at the YUI monstrosity that continuously adds CSS framework updates to reapply toward content management systems, plugins and other cloud-based necessities. If your CMS platform is closed, innovating closes with it ? it also makes the programmer?s job nightmarish because he or she will have to strip the CSS and PHP apart to propagate the correct sequence of calls, file complements and style sheets. Therefore, without deploying an open-source content management system that is built by all, and works cross-browser, you?ll have little room for growth when future implementations are necessary.
Here are the Top 5 open source platforms currently on the market today (no particular order):
? Drupal
? WordPress
? Concrete5
? DotNetNuke
? Joomla
Mobility
Although currently speculation, it?s likely our future will be reliant on complete mobility, even on the content management services platform. With clear navigation, easy to scale front-end CSS templates and properly-interwoven PHP, mobile content management will dominate the blogosphere, business world and, therefore, will be an inevitable need in both the entrepreneurial and programming sectors. With this in mind, and the necessity to have easily accessible SQL scripts, we looked closely at the most technically-sound content management systems for mobile-friendly browsers that won?t snowball the end-user with errors:
? Radiant CMS ? Built on ROR (Ruby on Rails) with logical CSS integration.
? WordPress ? Already the leader in mobile content development of their open-source CMS.
? Contao (formerly know as TYPOlight) ? Integrates Ajax and PHP5, which makes static pages and general blog layouts easier to manipulate.
? Frog ? Similar to Radiant except uses solely PHP5, offering cleaner coding.
Security
Security on both front- and back-end portions of CMS sites is an important programming feature. Code protection prevents hacks and sandbox testing prevents publishing CSS that doesn?t fly with security standards your clients want. To survive the CMS decision-making cut, we disseminated the major content management systems and verified whether they?ve updated, or planned program updates to enhance coding security within CMS frameworks and database programming relevant to end-user needs. Running test suites, updating patches and code reviewing are instrumental in any CMS developmental stage or later enhancement.
Here are the picks of the litter when security is obligatory:
? WordPress ? although presently open source, programming contributors continually make security updates to PHP code and offer easy-to-implement plugin API?s to enhance SSL.
? Joomla ? Continually updates program patches and potential coding loopholes to tighten security.
? DotNetNuke ? A very large community of active developers assure that current security trends remain free of security attrition.
? Orchard ? Microsoft gets its hands dirty in this New BSD License CMS which, backed by a corporation built on secure platforms, should make this an excellent choice for programmers.
? Umbraco ? Released in 2004, this relatively new CMS is written in C# which is historically an expandable and secure programming script language.
Database Servers
Why would the authenticity of database servers be important when choosing a CMS? Simple: MySQL and Oracle seem to be arm wrestling for speed, reliability and framework compatibility ? a fight that seems to favor MySQL considering Google, YouTube, Yahoo and Facebook are all on-board with SQL, leaving many of the non-conforming server-side scripts fighting for crumbs. Since the big dogs rely on SQL, it will be shaping the future of our current Internet as we know it. The decision of which database script will connect your completed CMS to databases, tables and the like, will fall under your choosing, although the top current CMS platforms are using Linux or Unix servers for SQL speed.
Packaged Size
When working with content management files, grid sheets, PHP scripts and plugin containers, your final package needs to be small enough to adhere to speed requirements of browsers, end-users and even your clients. The final packaged size needs to be portable enough to install quickly yet be equally powerful, meaning the code integrity needs to be outstanding. These are the best final package CMS platforms guaranteed to be smaller than competition platforms:
? Drupal
? WordPress
? Concrete5
? Joomla
? Orchard Development Costs Versus Final Value
Although more compulsory for those who develop the actual platform, keep in mind, programmers are vital in all phases of development, open source additions and CSS template creation. Bear in mind, customers want something for nothing. Your programming hours need to be considered, however, because, obviously, you will not spend hours on framing plugins or nifty CSS snippets to make $15,000 on your finished product, unless extremely customized. Considering most CMS platforms are Commons Licensed, these are perhaps the CMS platforms that offer easy and quick scripting updates so both you and your potential clients can come out winners:
? WordPress ? Since many nifty themes can be programmed to perform balancing acts, this CMS is the long-standing champion of quick updates, integrations and CSS.
? Joomla ? Packaged nicely and offers quick PHP, CSS and plugin integrations.
? Drupal ? Building impressive websites quickly using gridded CSS sheets makes this CMS programming choice for database-savvy designers.
? DotNetNuke ? ASP.Net programmers love this CMS since the scripting is small, meaning the time necessary to update front-end scripts is much quicker.
? Kentico ? A newer CMS built on ASP.Net framework and perhaps the newest CMS to integrate quick coding scripts. DevNet gives this CMS a high rating. Kentico has had an impressive 550 percent growth in three short years.
Summary
Choose your CMS based on the information above, although it would appear the overall champion is WordPress. You should focus on mobility, security and cost because the perfect culmination of the three from both a programmer and customer standpoint will be key in the future.
Tim Wilson works as content manager at HostPapa, a website hosting company serving more than 100,000 customers around the world. Since launching in 2006, HostPapa has offered reliable, budget-friendly, easy-to-use web hosting solutions for small- to medium-sized businesses.
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Public release date: 23-Oct-2012
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