Digital Commons Network^™

Quantification Of Trace Metal(Loids) In The River Seaton, Cornwall, Uk And The Influence Of The South Caradon Mine On Ecological Risk, Bjorn Piñol

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Freshwater quality is critical to the health of aquatic ecosystems and human water security, yet anthropogenic activities, such as historic mining, continue to degrade aquatic systems. While extensive research has examined metal contamination in major rivers like the River Tamar, smaller tributaries affected by legacy mining remain understudied. This study investigates trace metal contamination and its controlling factors in the River Seaton, Cornwall, a small river influenced by historic mining from the South Caradon Mine. Water samples collected from four study sites along the river gradient and a reference site at Siblyback Lake were subjected to ICP-MS analysis and physico-chemical …

Assessing Overtopping Hazard To The Dawlish Railway Line: Integrating Wave Propagation Models For Coastal Metocean Condition Analysis, Matthew R. Owen

The Plymouth Student Scientist

With rising sea levels and increasingly frequent and intense storms due to climate change, coastal communities and structures are at an increasing risk of overtopping occurring. This study investigates the coastal metocean conditions responsible for overtopping at coastal defences, using Delft3D to model these processes with Dawlish as the case study site. Wave propagation models were employed to simulate metocean conditions from December 2021 to March 2022 to compare inshore wave conditions, alongside water level and wind parameters, with observed overtopping data from the WireWall system installed on top of the seawall, next to the railway line. The results indicate …

Scaling Wind Farm Layout Optimisation To Meet Uk Energy Demands, Grace Richardson

The Plymouth Student Scientist

This research aims to explore the Wind Farm Layout Optimisation Problem (WFLOP) through both single- and multi-objective optimisation, to show that it can be used to create farm layouts that provide enough power for all homes in the UK. We highlight the intricacies of the problem, including the application of different algorithms and models, and the challenges of scaling the models to achieve optimal results. We employ both a Hill Climbing Algorithm (HCA) and an evolutionary algorithm (NSGA-II) to obtain wind farm layouts, and compare these to the well-known results proposed by Mosetti et al. Moreover, we present a novel …

Life Cycle Assessment Comparing Electric And Petrol-Powered Rigid Inflatable Boats For Recreational And Harbour-Master Applications, Amir Bordbar, Badr Moutik, Adam Kyte, Simon Ussher, Keri Collins, Marcin Roszkowski, Tony Wilson, Sarah Fear

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

This study presents the first cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment (LCA), focusing exclusively on environmental impacts, comparing electric and petrol-powered rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) under low-usage recreational and high-usage harbour-master scenarios. The study follows ISO-compliant LCA methodology and emphasizes transparency in data and assumptions. Ten environmental impact categories were analysed, including global warming potential (GWP), particulate matter formation, acidification, eutrophication, ecotoxicity, and resource scarcity. Results show that switching to electric RIBs reduces GWP by 34 % for recreational and 52 % for harbour-master scenarios, despite higher production-phase impacts across all categories. The electric RIB delivers notable operational benefits in GWP and …

Light Or Acid? Suppressing Water Deactivation In Saf Production Via Phenyl-Mediated Charge Transfer In Wox/Zrox-Functionalised Pmos, Vannia C. Dos Santos-Durndell, Mark A. Isaacs, Jinesh C. Manayil, Lee J. Durndell

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

The aviation sector contributes ∼2.5 % of global energy-related CO2 emissions, driving demand for sustainable aviation fuel production (SAF) from biomass. However, water, whether intrinsic or produced in situ, often drives on-stream catalyst deactivation, reducing efficiency and creating barriers to process scale-up. Here, we present an exciting new approach using WOx/ZrOx-functionalised periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) photocatalysts that exhibit exceptional stability and performance under aqueous conditions. The incorporation of bis(triethoxysilyl)benzene (BTSB) into the PMO framework not only enhances surface hydrophobicity and acidity but also strategically positions organic π-conjugated phenyl groups next to WOx/ZrOx active sites. These phenyl moieties act as conductive …

Tectonic Modulation Of Caldera Volcanism On The South Aegean Island Arc, A Metcalfe, Tim Druitt, Katharina Pank, Steffen Kutterolf, Jonas Preine, Sarah Beethe, Axel K. Schmitt, Christian Hübscher, Paraskevi Nomikou, Thomas A. Ronge, Carole Berthod, Hehe Chen, Shun Chiyonobu, Acacia Clark, Susan Debari, Ralf Gertisser, Raymond Johnston, Olga Koukousioura, Michael Manga, Molly Mccanta, Iona Mcintosh, Ally Peccia, Masako Tominaga, Yuzuru Yamamoto, Adam Woodhouse, Alexis Bernard, Tatiana Fernandez-Perez, Christopher Jones, Kumar Batuk Joshi, Günther Kletetschka

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Many highly hazardous, caldera-forming explosive eruptions occur in extensional tectonic regimes, but the role of lithospheric rifting in modulating caldera volcanism remains enigmatic. IODP Expedition 398 deep-drilled the volcano-sedimentary infills of submarine half-grabens around Santorini caldera on the continental South Aegean Volcanic Arc. Here we use the volcanic tephra archives to produce a high-resolution eruptive chronostratigraphy for Santorini, to ground-truth seismic stratigraphy, and to extract an integrated timeline of volcano-tectonic couplings. The rift basins contain several submarine volcaniclastic megabeds from the caldera-forming eruptions of Santorini and one from the Kos caldera. The thickest megabed succession is < 250,000 yrs old and lies on a seismic reflection onlap surface that records a phase of rapid rifting. Sedimentation lagged behind subsidence during this rifting phase, creating bathymetric troughs. Integrating submarine core-seismic and onland datasets, we propose that rifting may have driven the transition of Santorini from a prolonged state of effusive and minor explosive activity (∼550 – 250 ka) typical of arc stratovolcanoes to one of repeated caldera-forming eruptions (<250 ka). Rapid rifting may have amplified the normal internal dynamics of the magmatic system in three ways, driving the volcano into a sustained, highly explosive state: (1) an increase in the supply of mantle-derived basalt, (2) enhanced shearing, permeability, and melt percolation in the transcrustal magmatic system, and (3) the development of horizontally extensive magma reservoirs. Broadly simultaneous transitions into caldera-forming activity of the widely separated Santorini and Kos Volcanoes suggest that the two magmatic systems are linked by plate-scale lithospheric stresses.

Rewilding Gender: Toward Relational Understandings Of ‘The Wild’, Kim Ward

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

This commentary reframes gender and rewilding through a relational understanding of wildness. Moving beyond a binary lens of ‘the wild’, it examines how gendered relations shape rewilding's material, emotional, and epistemic dimensions. Centring relational wildness exposes how rewilding challenges masculine imaginaries of control and ownership while opening space for more equitable multispecies relations.

Exploring Experiences Of Mental Health Challenges In Under-Represented Young People (Aged 16–24 Years) In England: A Narrative Inquiry Protocol, Rebecca Syed Sheriff, Jason Arday, Rohit Shankar, Roisin Mooney, Louise Chandler, Helen Adams, Lili Z Nagy, Roger Farrell, Daisy Fancourt, Scott Weich, Catherine Henderson, Shaima Hassan, Joe Langley, Kamaldeep Bhui

Peninsula Medical School

Introduction Three-quarters of mental health problems start before the age of 25. However, young people are the least likely to receive mental healthcare. Some young people (such as those from ethnic minorities) are even less likely to receive mental healthcare than others. Long-term impacts of mental health problems include poorer physical health, relationships, education and employment. We aim to elicit the views, experiences and needs of diverse young people (aged 16–24 years), to better understand (1) their experiences of under-representation, mental health and coping, (2) mechanisms that shape mental health trajectories and (3) how online arts and culture might be …

A Geological Carbon Cycle Sink Hosted By Ocean Crust Talus Breccias, Rosalind M. Coggon, Elliot J. Carter, Lewis Grant, Aled D. Evans, Christopher Lowery, Damon A.H. Teagle, Pamela Kempton, Matthew J. Cooper, Claire Routledge, Elmar Albers, Justin Estep, Gail Christeson, Michelle Harris, Thomas Belgrano, Jason Sylvan, Julia Reece, Emily Estes, Trevor Williams

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Calcium carbonate precipitation in ageing ocean crust sequesters carbon dioxide dissolved in seawater through seafloor weathering reactions, influencing atmospheric CO2 concentrations on million-year timescales. However, this crustal carbon sink, and the extent it balances CO2 degassing during crustal formation at mid-ocean ridges, remain poorly quantified due to limited sampling of the vast ridge flanks where CO2 uptake continues for millions of years. Here we quantify the carbon sink hosted within talus breccias that accumulated through mass wasting 61 million years ago during rift faulting at the slow spreading Mid-Atlantic Ridge, cored during International Ocean Discovery Program South Atlantic Transect Expedition …

Thinning Antarctic Glaciers Expose High-Altitude Nunataks Delivering More Bioavailable Iron To The Southern Ocean, Kate Winter, John Woodward, Stuart A. Dunning, James R. Jordan, Joseph A. Graly, Matthew J. Westoby, Sian F. Henley, Robert Raiswell

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Glacial systems entrain and transfer sediment, rich in essential nutrients, from continental sources to the ocean, where they are released by meltwater. In the Southern Ocean, primary producers are limited by the availability of micronutrients, like iron (Fe), so any increase in continental sediment supply could enhance primary productivity and subsequent drawdown of atmospheric CO₂. Here we provide a systematic account of labile Fe concentrations in Antarctic continental sediments. Ferrihydrite and crystalline Fe (oxyhydr)oxides were extracted from 27 Antarctic samples collected from nunataks, lateral moraines and blue ice areas in the Sør Rondane Mountains, East Antarctica. We report …

Cultural Innovation Can Increase And Maintain Biodiversity: A Case Study From Medieval Europe, Adam Spitzig, Manfred Rösch, Jessie Woodbridge, Martin Bauch, Piotr Guzowski, Peter Erhart, Ralph Fyfe, Elena Marinova, Adam Izdebski

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Numerous research efforts have used paleoecological data to reconstruct past biodiversity in Europe. In these projects, researchers have identified increases in biodiversity over the Holocene and hinted at a positive correlation with human population. These are important findings but are not easily translated into effective biodiversity conservation and restoration policy. We argue that, in order to better inform policymaking, studies of past biodiversity dynamics should include analyses of contemporaneous cultural phenomena in order to identify and describe specific anthropogenic drivers of past biodiversity changes. We present an example here, a case study from the Lake Constance region (southwestern Germany), one …

Artificial Light At Night Alters Seaweed Reproductive Phenology, Emma Moyse, Louise Firth, Tim Smyth, Thomas Davies

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Artificial light at night (ALAN) is a growing, globally prevalent environmental stressor. It is known to disrupt biological processes across taxa and biomes, including reproductive phenology in terrestrial plants, but its potential to alter reproductive timings in marine macroalgae remains unexplored. We used reflectance spectrometry to quantitatively assess changes in receptacle ripeness of three fucoid macroalgae species at four field sites along an ALAN gradient in Plymouth Sound, UK over a six-month period. At sites with elevated ALAN (measured using Sky Quality Meters, range 16.15–18.76 mag arcsec ⁻², equivalent to 3.75 × 10 ⁻²–3.38 × 10 ⁻³ cd/m …

Integrating Heritage Assets Into Peatland Restoration: Finding, Assessing And Valuing The Palaeoenvironmental Archive, Heather Davies, Ralph Fyfe

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Peatland restoration projects aim to improve the delivery of ecosystem services. Cultural heritage and Historic Environment assets are usually identified as co-beneficiaries of restoration but are not commonly well-integrated at the planning or design stages. This paper considers the heritage value of upland peatlands and methods for integrating these values in ecosystem services approaches. Taking Exmoor National Park as a case study, an extensive walkover survey identified 119 small mires and assessed their cultural heritage asset potential. Many were not previously recognised as part of the Historic Environment potential of the upland. A novel valuation system based on proximity of …

Phanerozoic Paleoenvironmental And Paleoclimatic Evolution In Svalbard, Aleksandra Smyrak-Sikora, Peter Betlem, Victoria S. Engelschiøn, William J. Foster, Sten Andreas Grundvåg, Mads E. Jelby, Morgan T. Jones, Grace E. Shephard, Kasia K. Śliwińska, Madeleine L. Vickers, Valentin Zuchuat, Lars Eivind Augland, Jan Inge Faleide, Jennifer M. Galloway, William Helland-Hansen, Maria A. Jensen, Erik P. Johannessen, Maayke Koevoets, Denise Kulhanek, Gareth S. Lord, Tereza Mosociova, Snorre Olaussen, Sverre Planke, Gregory D. Price, Lars Stemmerik, Kim Senger

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Sedimentary rocks can provide information about the Earth paleoenvironment and are studied extensively to understand the causes and consequences of global climate changes in deep time. They facilitate long-time perspectives that constrain climate models and provide analogues for how Earth systems may respond to, and recover from, intervals of profound environmental change, including projected anthropogenic change. The Norwegian Svalbard archipelago offers an extensive Phanerozoic stratigraphic record that reflects the geological evolution of the northern flanks of continental assemblages that include Laurentia, Eurasia, and Pangea. Svalbard’s Phanerozoic sedimentary and paleoclimatic archive is controlled largely by Svalbard’s overall northward plate-tectonic motion from …

Quantifying The Seasonal Dynamics Of A Transitional Ice Cliff-Pond System On A Debris-Covered Glacier, Zhen He, Matthew Westoby, Shaoting Ren, Chuanxi Zhao, Yifei He, Tianzhao Zhang, Wei Yang

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Ice cliffs and supraglacial ponds are key drivers of mass loss on debris-covered glaciers. However, the relationship between melt ponds and adjacent ice cliffs has not been fully explored. We investigated the seasonal drainage patterns of a melt pond on the debris-covered Zhuxi Glacier in southeast Tibet and estimated the mass loss of its adjacent ice cliff during 2023-2024. Using hourly time-lapse photogrammetry we built a series of high-resolution point clouds to quantify the evolution of the ice cliff-pond system. Our findings indicate that subaerial melting and undercutting were the primary mechanisms of ice cliff mass loss during summer. In …

Measurement Of Soluble Aerosol Trace Elements: Inter-Laboratory Comparison Of Eight Leaching Protocols, Mingjin Tang, Morgane M.G. Perron, Alex R. Baker, Rui Li, Andrew R. Bowie, Clifton S. Buck, Ashwini Kumar, Rachel Shelley, Simon J. Ussher, Robert Clough, Scott Meyerink, Prema P. Panda, Ashley T. Townsend, Neil Wyatt

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

A range of leaching protocols have been used to measure the soluble fraction of aerosol trace elements worldwide, and therefore these measurements may not be directly comparable. This work presents the first large-scale international laboratory intercomparison study for aerosol trace element leaching protocols. Eight widely-used protocols are compared using 33 samples that were subdivided and distributed to all participants. Protocols used ultrapure water, ammonium acetate, or acetic acid (the so-called "Berger leach") as leaching solutions, although none of the protocols were identical to any other. The ultrapure water leach resulted in significantly lower soluble fractions, when compared to the ammonium …

Impact Of Macroporosity On The Transesterification Of Triglycerides Over Mgo/Sba-15, Thomas A. Bryant, Lois Damptey, Mark A. Isaacs, Christopher M.A. Parlett, Lee J. Durndell, Marta Granollers Mesa, Georgios Kyriakou, Karen Wilson, Adam F. Lee

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Biofuels are critical drop-in replacement energy sources to support the decarbonisation of hard-to-abate sectors such as aviation and marine shipping. Transesterification of non-edible oils is a well-established route to biodiesel as a versatile liquid transport fuel, but is challenging to scale using existing homogeneous liquid base catalysts. In this work, we report the synthesis, characterisation, and application of silica-supported MgO solid base catalysts for triglyceride transesterification with methanol and highlight the impact of silica pore structure on performance. True liquid crystal templating enables the one-pot synthesis of mesoporous MgO/SBA-15 catalysts with variable Mg content, or hierarchical macroporous–mesoporous MgO/SBA-15 analogues through …

Determining The Accumulation Potential Of Nanoplastics In Crops: An Investigation Of 14C-Labelled Polystyrene Nanoplastic Into Radishes, Nathaniel J. Clark, Astrid C. Fischer, Demelza Carne, George R. Littlejohn, Lee J. Durndell, Anne Plessis, Richard C. Thompson

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

The capacity of crops to accumulate nanoplastics has remained relatively unexplored largely due to analytical constraints. To address this challenge, the present study employed a radiolabelling approach to demonstrate, for the first time, that polystyrene nanoplastics (¹⁴C-PS NPs) accumulate and move into the edible tissues of radishes (Raphanus sativus). Radishes were exposed hydroponically for five days, with only their non-fleshy roots in contact with the ¹⁴C-PS NPs, while accumulation in the fleshy (edible) roots and shoots was subsequently measured. The radish roots retained nearly 5 % of the ¹⁴C-PS NPs from the exposure, either through accumulation …

Epigenetic And Genotoxic Effects Of Tritium In Marine Mussels: Comparing Waterborne And Metal-Associated Forms, Maria Florencia Ferreira, Andrew Turner, Mickaël Payet, Olivier Debellemaniere, Christian Grisolia, Veronique Malard, Michael N. Moore, Awadhesh N. Jha

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Tritium (³H), an isotope of hydrogen, is a by-product of the nuclear industry. Decommissioning and normal operations of nuclear facilities can generate tritiated stainless-steel particles (T-SSPs) that could be unintentionally released into the environment. Considering tritium's physicochemical properties and the proximity of nuclear facilities to water bodies, assessing the behaviour and potential effects of these particles in the aquatic environment is imperative. In the present study, marine mussels, Mytilus galloprovincialis, were exposed to: (a) hydrogenated, non-radioactive stainless-steel particles (H-SSPs) (10 mg L⁻¹) (b) T-SSPs (1 and 10 MBq L⁻¹) and (c) tritiated water (HTO) …

Hydrogen, Single-Carbon Compounds, And Thermal Regime In The Oceanic Ultramafic-Dominated Lithosphere: Insights From A Deep Borehole On The Atlantis Massif, Susan Q. Lang, C. Geoffrey Wheat, Kristin L. Dickerson, Mark K. Reagan, Ivan P. Savov, Jordyn A. Robare, William J. Brazelton, Johanna Suhonen, Oscar Cavazos, Andrew Mccaig, Peter Blum, Natsue Abe, Rémi Coltat, Jeremy R. Deans, Marguerite Godard, Barbara E. John, Frieder Klein, Rebecca Kuehn, Kuan Yu Lin, C. Johan Lissenberg, Haiyang Liu, Ethan L. Lopes, Toshio Nozaka, William Osborne, Andrew J. Parsons, Vamdev Pathak, Jessica Rodgers, Jeffrey S. Seewald, Kenneth W. Sims, Gordon Southam

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Water that flows through permeable ultramafic rocks produces high abundances of molecular hydrogen (H₂), methane (CH₄), and other small organic molecules. Such products can fuel life in the rocky subseafloor, be extracted for energy, and may have played a role in pre-biological chemical synthesis on early Earth or other planetary bodies. The International Ocean Discovery Program drilled a new 1268-m-deep borehole (U1601C) into serpentinized mantle with minor gabbroic rocks on the Atlantis Massif, ∼800-m north of the Lost City hydrothermal field (30°N, Mid-Atlantic Ridge). Measured temperatures of the disturbed borehole reached 91.3 °C, and equilibrated temperatures …

(Un)Just Transitions For Youth And The Disabled? The Exclusionary Pressures Facing Science, Technology, Engineering And Mathematics (Stem) Education, Elizabeth Done, Helen Knowler, Irina Lazar, Sylvia Hayes, Joshua Lait, Andrea Perez-Porres

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences

This paper highlights the under-representation of young people with disabilities in STEM subjects and career pathways, with particular reference to the engineering sector given its prominent role in the design of energy systems related to net-zero policies. We consider the role of physical infrastructure, and pedagogic and representational practices, in facilitating the marginalisation and under-representation of young people with disabilities. Ultimately, we seek a broader understanding of the ‘just transition’ that acknowledges the role of education in ensuring the active participation of all young people, regardless of learning difficulty or disability or social identity, in that transition. The research is …

Potentially Toxic Metals, Anthropogenic Microfibres And Other Microplastics In Sediments From A Small, Urban Estuary (Plym, Southwest England), Kwong Ricky Li, Andrew Turner

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Anthropogenic microfibres (AMFs) and microplastics (MPs) are pervasive and ubiquitous environmental contaminants of growing concern. However, their study in geosolids, like sediments, is often conducted in the absence of other important geochemical and anthropogenic markers. In the present study, surface and subsurface sediments from the Plym Estuary, southwest England, have been analysed for AMFs and MPs along with organic matter (as loss on ignition; LOI), calcium, iron, manganese and potentially toxic metals (PTMs). The latter were heterogeneously distributed throughout the estuary because of multiple inputs and variations in sediment granulometry. AMFs were mainly constructed of cellulosic and petroleum-based polymers and …

Model Fatigue: Debugging Hector Through Climate Computational Aesthetics, Helen Pritchard, Guillemette Legrand

School of Art, Design and Architecture

In this paper, we document three computational features of the climate model Hector by translating the modalities through which the model predicts climate futures in a game engine. We build upon the computational aesthetics of M. Beatrice Fazi and Matthew Fuller (2016) and suggest additional characteristics of computation to their proposed list. We argue that these computational aesthetics are essential to climate modelling. The three features are time series, couplings and cosmograms, which are based on our practical and theoretical inquiry into Hector’s computation and literacy. We develop a framework that employs two processual methods: translating the model’s operations into …

Letters, Emotions And The Experience Of Separation In The Early Modern World, James Daybell

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences

No abstract provided.

Reply To The ‘Comment On “Why There Is No Evidence That Pyridine Killed The English Crabs”’, Alex Ford, Mark Fitzsimons, Crispin Halsall

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

We highlight that the commentary by Peters which uses a CREED/CRED risk assessment framework supports the previous government reports that rejected the pyridine hypothesis and considers the previous evidence as unreliable. This reaffirms our conclusions that pyridine didn't kill the Teesside crabs.

Understanding Extreme-Wave Hazards On High-Energy Coasts Requires A Standardised Approach To Field Data Collection: Analysis And Recommendations, Rónadh Cox, Mary C. Bourke, Max Engel, Andrew B. Kennedy, Annie Lau, Serge Suanez, Sarah J. Boulton, Maria Alexandra Oliveira, Raphaël Paris, Dimitra Salmanidou, Michaela Spiske, Wayne Stephenson, Storm Roberts, Adam D. Switzer, Nadia Mhammdi, Niamh D. Cullen, Masashi Watanabe

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Coastal boulder deposits provide vital information on extreme wave events. They are crucial for understanding storm and tsunami impacts on rocky coasts, and for understanding long-term hazard histories. But study of these deposits is still a young field, and growth in investigation has been rapid, without much contactbetween research groups. Therefore, inconsistencies in field data collection among different studies hinder crosssite comparisons and limit the applicability of findings across disciplines. This paper analyses field methodologiesfor coastal boulder deposit measurement based using an integrated database (ISROC-DB), and demonstrates inconsistencies in current approaches. We use the analysis as a basis for outlining …

The Volume And Characteristics Of Research On Gastrointestinal Symptoms In ‘Natural’ Peri- And Postmenopause:: A Scoping Review, Naomi Shaw, Rebecca Abbott, Clare Pettinger

School of Health Professions

BACKGROUND: Menopause has been linked to an array of symptoms, often with adverse effects on quality of life, work and relationships. Despite evidence of economic and social impacts, and a growing population of menopausal individuals, there are significant gaps in knowledge regarding menopause. Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in peri- and postmenopause are areas of uncertainty that warrant further investigation.

OBJECTIVES: Following JBI guidance, this scoping review aimed to systematically map research on GI symptoms in 'natural' peri- and postmenopause, exploring the volume and conduct of research, and variables investigated that could influence symptom experience.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Studies assessing GI symptoms (constipation, …

Unraveling Historical Carbon Records Of Zostera Marina Seagrass Meadows: High-Resolution Analysis, Dating, And Methodological Evaluation Of Deep Sediment Cores, Jessica A. Cramp, Jodie K. Fisher, Geoff E. Millward, Siân E. Rees, William Blake, Mark Parry, Martin J. Attrill

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Understanding long-term carbon storage in temperate seagrass habitats is crucial for assessing their role as a “nature-based” climate solution. However, many studies often use shallow cores, low-resolution analyses, and inconsistent methodologies, limiting the ability to infer large-scale carbon storage potential. This study presents the first high-resolution carbon analysis of temperate seagrass sediments to 3 m depth and provides first estimates of sediment and carbon accumulation rates for UK subtidal meadows. Three sediment vibrocores were collected from a subtidal Zostera marina meadow at Drakes Island, Plymouth Sound, UK. High-resolution sampling at 1 cm intervals in the upper meter, and every 5 …

On The Ecological Impact Of Prehistoric Hunter-Gatherers In Europe: Early Holocene (Mesolithic) And Last Interglacial (Neanderthal) Foragers Compared, Anastasia Nikulina, Anhelina Zapolska, Maria Antonia Serge, Didier M. Roche, Florence Mazier, Marco Davoli, Elena A. Pearce, Jens Christian Svenning, Dave Van Wees, Ralph Fyfe, Katharine Macdonald, Wil Roebroeks, Fulco Scherjon

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Recent studies have highlighted evidence of human impact on landscapes dating back to the Late Pleistocene–long before the advent of agriculture. Quantifying the extent of vegetation transformations by hunter-gatherers remains a major research challenge. We address this challenge by comparing climate-based potential natural vegetation cover with pollen-based vegetation reconstructions for the Last Interglacial and the Early Holocene. Differences between these datasets suggest that climate alone cannot fully explain the pollen-based vegetation patterns in Europe during these periods. To explore this issue, we used an upgraded version of the HUMan impact on LANDscapes (HUMLAND) agent-based model (ABM), combined with a genetic …

Plio-Quaternary Coastal Uplift Along The Western Iberian Margin: Insights From Dated Marine Terraces (Peniche, Portugal), M Gouveia, Pp Cunha, A Martins, Martin Stokes, A Gomes, Christophe Falguères, Pierre Voinchet, Jean-Jacques Bahain, Telom Pereira, Silvério Figueiredo, Qingfeng Shao, Olivier Tombret

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

This study presents a detailed geomorphological and geochronological analysis of a marine terrace staircase developed into the Peniche Peninsula (Portugal), a rocky headland of Jurassic carbonate bedrock located in the central sector of the Western Iberian passive margin. The marine terrace levels are described morphologically and sedimentologically, but also dated using ESR and U-Series methodologies. The marine terrace staircase comprises six emerged levels ranging from 4 m (above mean sea level, asl) (Tm6) to 24–28 m asl (Tm1), inset into a summit wave-cut platform at 29–45 m asl (Pm). The marine terrace sediments are composed of rounded boulders to cobbles …