Digital Commons Network^™

The Importance Of Experience: Supporting Pupils’ Creative Writing About The Natural World, Christopher Hanley, David Cooper, Jennifer Rowntree

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

The first part of this article considers the challenge of supporting pupils to write creatively about the natural world. It examines a text by a gifted young writer: Diary of a Young Naturalist by Dara McAnulty. It asks what the challenges might be for pupils who maybe motivated to model their writing on McAnulty’s, but have limited experience of the natural world. Drawing on the scholarly work of John Dixon, Robert Eaglestone and others, the article highlights the importance of pupil experience in the formation of their writerly voice, thereby emphasising the need for writing pedagogies that deepen and enrich …

Resource Limitation Of Compensatory Responses In Ecosystem Processes After Biodiversity Loss, Jan Hiddink, Thomas Davies

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Biodiversity loss may result in the decline in important ecosystem processes. The effect of biodiversity loss on ecosystem functioning is determined by the functional contribution of the species lost and the compensatory responses of the remaining species. It is unknown to what extent the strength of the compensatory response of the remaining species depends on resources availability. Here we evaluate how the primary production of an assemblage of salt marsh plants responds to a realistic sequence of species loss in an 7-year experiment, with and without the addition of fertiliser. We found near-full compensation of progressive species loss in gross …

Genomic, Morphological And Physiological Data Support Fast Ecotypic Differentiation And Incipient Speciation In An Alpine Diving Beetle, Susana Pallares, Joaquin Ortego, Jose Antonio Carbonell, Eduardo Franco-Fuentes, David T. Bilton, Andres Millan, Pedro Abellan

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

An intricate interplay between evolutionary and demographic processes has frequently resulted in complex patterns of genetic and phenotypic diversity in alpine lineages, posing serious challenges to species delimitation and biodiversity conservation planning. Here we integrate genomic data, geometric morphometric analyses and thermal tolerance experiments to explore the role of Pleistocene climatic changes and adaptation to alpine environments on patterns of genomic and phenotypic variation in diving beetles from the taxonomically complex Agabus bipustulatus species group. Genetic structure and phylogenomic analyses revealed the presence of three geographically cohesive lineages, two representing trans-Palearctic and Iberian populations of the elevation-generalist A. bipustulatus and …

Accumulation Of Environmental Radioactivity On The Surface Of A High Arctic Ice Cap (Flade Isblink, Ne Greenland), Dylan B. Beard, Giovanni Baccolo, Caroline C. Clason, Geoffrey E. Millward, Edyta Łokas, Elena Di Stefano, Sally Rangecroft, Dariusz Sala, Przemysław Wachniew, William H. Blake

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Under climatic warming, glaciers are becoming a secondary source of atmospheric contaminants originally released into the environment decades ago. This phenomenon has been well-documented for glaciers near emission sources. However, less is known about polar ice sheets and ice caps. Radionuclides are one of the contaminants that can be remobilised through ice melting and accumulate in cryoconite material on the surface of glaciers. To understand the cycling of radionuclides in polar glacial contexts, we evaluate the radioactivity of cryoconite samples from Flade Isblink, a High Arctic ice cap in northeast Greenland. The measured radioactivity is among the highest reported across …

Advances In Representation: Interactive Heritage Site Mobile Application On Artworks, Marius Varga, Dena Bazazian

School of Nursing and Midwifery

In this work, we are introducing early technological prototypes of an interactive mobile application aimed at heritage sites and museums. This mobile application will comprise three main components as follows: (1) Image Captioning, (2) Indoor Navigation, and (3) Augmented Reality. To address the Image Captioning component, we aim to build a mobile application for the guidance of heritage site visitors with a caption with relevant information about each artwork. This application can be helpful for visually impaired visitors, and it can provide some extra information about the museum’s objects. We will build this project based on computer vision and AI …

Testing Metabolic Cold Adaptation And The Climatic Variability Hypothesis In Two Latitudinally Distant Populations Of A Supratidal Water Beetle, J.M. Miron-Gaton, J. Velasco, S. Pallares, A.J. García-Meseguer, A. Millan, David T. Bilton

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Temperature significantly impacts ectotherm physiology, with thermal tolerance and metabolic traits typically varying with latitude across species ranges. The drivers of this variation remain unclear, however, despite obvious consequences for population persistence and conservation in the face of ongoing global change. This study explored local adaptation and phenotypic plasticity of metabolic rates and thermal limits in the supratidal rockpool beetle Ochthebius lejolisii. Using populations from localities at different ends of the species range that experience contrasting thermal variability, we simultaneously tested two of the major paradigms of spatial physiological ecology: metabolic cold adaptation (MCA) and the climatic variability hypothesis (CVH). …

Pathways And Timescales Of Southern Ocean Hydrothermal Iron And Manganese Transport, Antony J. Birchill, Chelsea Baker, Neil Wyatt, Katsiaryna Pabortsava, Hugh Venables, Mark Moore, Isobel Turnbull, Angela Milne, Simon Ussher, Sophy Oliver, Adrian Martin

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Scarcity of iron and manganese limits the efficiency of the biological carbon pump over large areas of the Southern Ocean. The importance of hydrothermal vents as a source of these micronutrients to the euphotic zone of the Southern Ocean is debated. Here we present full depth profiles of dissolved and total dissolvable trace metals in the remote eastern Pacific sector of the Southern Ocean (55–60° S, 89.1° W), providing evidence of enrichment of iron and manganese at depths of 2000–4000 m. These enhanced micronutrient concentrations were co-located with ³He enrichment, an indicator of hydrothermal fluid originating from ocean ridges. …

Complementary Classifications Of Aeolian Dunes Based On Morphology, Dynamics, And Fluid Mechanics, Sylvain Courrech Du Pont, David M. Rubin, Clément Narteau, Mathieu G.A. Lapôtre, Mackenzie Day, Philippe Claudin, Ian Livingstone, Matt W. Telfer, Jani Radebaugh, Cyril Gadal, Andrew Gunn, Patrick A. Hesp, Sabrina Carpy, Charles S. Bristow, Andreas C.W. Baas, Ryan C. Ewing, Giles F.S. Wiggs

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Dunes form where winds blow over a bed of mobile sediment grains — conditions that are common in our solar system. On Earth, dunes abound in arid continental interiors and along sandy coastlines. Dune fields have also been recognized on Venus, Mars, Saturn’s moon Titan, and Pluto. In response to the different boundary conditions and other environmental forcings, dunes adopt a rich diversity of shapes, sizes, and behaviors. Thus, people around the globe and over centuries have developed a rich vocabulary to describe dunes and their complexity. As a result, existing dune nomenclature often includes redundant terms with differing definitions …

Five-Year Recurrence/Survival After Pancreatoduodenectomy For Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma: Does Pre-Existing Diabetes Matter? Results From The Recurrence After Whipple's (Raw) Study, Ashray Rajagopalan, Somaiah Aroori, Shang-Ming Zhou

School of Nursing and Midwifery

BackgroundDiabetes mellitus (DM) has a complex relationship with pancreatic cancer. This study examines the impact of preoperative DM, both recent-onset and pre-existing, on long-term outcomes following pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).MethodsData were extracted from the Recurrence After Whipple's (RAW) study, a multi-centre cohort of PD for pancreatic head malignancy (2012–2015). Recurrence and five-year survival rates of patients with DM were compared to those without, and subgroup analysis performed to compare patients with recent-onset DM (less than one year) to patients with established DM.ResultsOut of 758 patients included, 187 (24.7%) had DM, of whom, 47 of the 187 (25.1%) …

Dynamic Expansions And Retinal Expression Of Spectrally Distinct Short-Wavelength Opsin Genes In Sea Snakes, Isaac H. Rossetto, Alastair J. Ludington, Bruno F. Simões, Nguyen Van Cao, Kate L. Sanders

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

The photopigment-encoding visual opsin genes that mediate color perception show great variation in copy number and adaptive function across vertebrates. An open question is how this variation has been shaped by the interaction of lineage-specific structural genomic architecture and ecological selection pressures. We contribute to this issue by investigating the expansion dynamics and expression of the duplicated Short-Wavelength-Sensitive-1 opsin (SWS1) in sea snakes (Elapidae). We generated one new genome, 45 resequencing datasets, 10 retinal transcriptomes, and 81 SWS1 exon sequences for sea snakes, and analyzed these alongside 16 existing genomes for sea snakes and their terrestrial relatives. Our analyses revealed …

More Resilience, More Green Berets: A Quantitative Analysis Of The Effects Of Functional Imagery Training During British Army Commando Training, Emma S. J. Yates

The Plymouth Student Scientist

This study investigates the low completion rates of the British Army commando training course in 2018-2019, recorded at 20%, following concerns raised by course Directing Staff. It examines the relationship between resilience and performance in military contexts and evaluates whether resilience-building interventions can improve completion rates. To establish how completion rates could be improved, sixty-two candidates from three commando training cohorts were recruited and assigned to either a Functional Imagery Training (FIT) intervention or a control group. Interventions were delivered in week one of training with a booster in week five. FIT, a goal-centred imagery intervention, has previously improved resilience-related …

Empirical Algorithms For Estimating Downwelling Light Attenuation At Λ=490 Nm From Sentinel-2 In A Narrow Optically Complex Bay, Plymouth Sound, United Kingdom, Louis J. Thornton

The Plymouth Student Scientist

This study investigates the potential of reflectance band ratios, modelled on Sentinel-2’s MultiSpectral Instrument (MSI) bands 10m resolution to estimate the downwelling attenuation coefficient for planar irradiance, Kd(λ), at 490nm (Kd(490)) in Plymouth Sound. Kd(λ) is vital for characterising subsurface light climate, strongly influencing physical and biogeochemical processes in coastal and oceanic waters. In temperate shelf seas, human activities have led to loss in vitality and spatial extent of structurally complex seabed, emphasizing the need for enhanced monitoring. Satellite-based remote sensing (RS) offers spatial and temporal advantages to conventional in situ methods. There are, however two main inadequacies that persist …

Diverse And Ecologically Unique Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems In The Central Indian Ocean, Clara Diaz, Kerry Howell, Philip Hosegood, Adam Bolton, Nicola Foster

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Research on Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems (MCEs; 30–150 m) has grown exponentially in the last few decades, highlighting their rich diversity and extensive distribution. However, they are still largely underexplored compared to shallow-water coral reefs and frequently remain under-protected and under-represented in marine spatial planning. One reason for the imbalance between the high ecological value of MCEs and the limited levels of protection may be that baseline data on MCEs are largely missing to date, yet are crucial to provide evidence-based information for management actions. Here, we present data on the alpha and beta diversity of the benthic communities within MCEs …

Gaze Preferences To Male Contrapposto And Non-Contrapposto Postures, Farid Pazhoohi, Oliver Lee Jacobs, Alan Kingstone

School of Psychology

Contrapposto, an asymmetrical twisting of the hips and shoulders, has historically been associated with beauty and aesthetics in art. While the impact of a female contrapposto posture on perception of attractiveness and visual attention has been studied, its effects on males remain understudied. The current research aims to explore whether contrapposto postures in men influence perceptions of attractiveness, dominance, masculinity, dynamism, and naturalness, as well as visual attention. Two eye-tracking studies were conducted, utilizing images of male models in contrapposto and upright poses. Despite differences in attributions, no significant differences were found in visual attention between the two poses in …

Evaluating The Antibacterial Efficacy Of A Silver Nanocomposite Surface Coating Against Nosocomial Pathogens As An Antibiofilm Strategy To Prevent Hospital Infections, James Butler, Sian Morgan, Lewis Jones, Mathew Upton, Alexandros Besinis

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Antimicrobial nanocoatings may be a means of preventing nosocomial infections, which account for significant morbidity and mortality. The role of hospital sink traps in these infections is also increasingly appreciated. We describe the preparation, material characterization and antibacterial activity of a pipe cement-based silver nanocoating applied to unplasticized polyvinyl chloride, a material widely used in wastewater plumbing. Three-dimensional surface topography imaging and scanning electron microscopy showed increased roughness in all surface finishes versus control, with grinding producing the roughest surfaces. Silver stability within nanocoatings was >99.89% in deionized water and bacteriological media seeded with bacteria. The nanocoating exhibited potent antibiofilm …

Decoding Anotylus (Thomson 1859) Beetle Diversity: Dna And External Morphology Match In Área De Conservacion Guanacaste, Costa Rica, K. Dante Underwood, Robert Puschendorf, David T. Bilton, Daniel H. Janzen, Winnie Hallwachs, M. Alex Smith

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Taxonomy underpins biological research because names are needed for comparative analysis, conservation status, and public communication. Despite this, many species remain undescribed and are therefore vulnerable and unprotected, particularly in the tropics. Neotropical Staphylinidae beetles (Coleoptera) are among the insect groups most likely to contain significant unknown and/or cryptic diversity. Here we used an integrative taxonomic framework to conduct a preliminary review of one particularly diverse genus of Staphylinidae (Anotylus) in Área de Conservaciόn Guanacaste, northwestern Costa Rica. We began by DNA barcoding novel collections and using Barcode Index Numbers (BINs) as an estimate of taxonomic diversity; we found 18 …

The Advent Of Quantum Computer Music: Mapping The Field, Eduardo Miranda

School of Art, Design and Architecture

Quantum computing technology is developing at a fast pace. The impact of quantum computing on the music industry is inevitable. This paper maps the emerging field of quantum computer music. Quantum computer music investigates, and develops applications and methods to process music using quantum computing technology. The paper begins by contextualising the field. Then, it discusses significant examples of various approaches developed to date to leverage quantum computing to learn, process and generate music. The methods discussed range from rendering music using data from physical quantum mechanical systems and quantum mechanical simulations to computational quantum algorithms to generate music, including …

Sublime And Extended Reality Experiences To Enhance Emotional Wellbeing For Autistic People: A State Of The Art Review And Narrative Synthesis, Chris Bennewith, Johara Bellali, Lance Watkins, Samuel Tromans, Kamaldeep Bhui, Rohit Shankar

More Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business Research

Background: Sublime is a centuries old concept of emergent experience arising from immense and threatening awareness provoked by overwhelming fear and dread when faced with an incomprehensible situation as is common to autistic people. Extended Reality (XR) technologies have been used since the mid-1990s, in regulating emotions, behaviour and supporting social skill development for autistic people. Aims: To understand utility of XR technologies in creating immersive experiences for autistic people to alleviate anxiety and the relationship to the sublime. Method: A State of the Art literature review and narrative synthesis was conducted. PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of …

Connecting Ecosystem Services Research And Human Rights To Revamp The Application Of The Precautionary Principle, Holly J. Niner, Elisa Morgera, Andrea Longo, Kerry L. Howell, Siân E. Rees

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

With ecosystem services (ES) vital for human wellbeing¹, the protection of nature is a human rights matter. We outline how recent advances in international human rights law should inform a revamp of how precaution is applied within environmental decision-making. Critically, precautionary decision-making must evolve to make use of best-available evidence, including novel ES research approaches, to assess ‘foreseeable’ harms to all aspects of human wellbeing that are protected as human rights.

Comparison Of The Symptom Networks Of Long-Covid And Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: From Modularity To Connectionism, Michael Hyland, Yuri Antonacci, Alison Bacon

School of Psychology

The objective was to compare the symptom networks of long-COVID and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in conjunction with other theoretically relevant diagnoses in order to provide insight into the etiology of medically unexplained symptoms (MUS). This was a cross-sectional comparison of questionnaire items between six groups identified by clinical diagnosis. All participants completed a 65-item psychological and somatic symptom questionnaire (GSQ065). Diagnostically labelled groups were long-COVID (N = 107), CFS (N = 254), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS, N = 369), fibromyalgia (N = 1,127), severe asthma (N = 100) and healthy group (N = 207). The 22 symptoms that best …

Changing Neighborhood Income Deprivation Over Time, Moving In Childhood, And Adult Risk Of Depression, Clive E Sabel, Carsten Bøcker Pedersen, Sussie Antonsen, Roger T Webb, Henriette Thisted Horsdal

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

IMPORTANCE: Complex biological, socioeconomic, and psychological variables combine to cause mental illnesses, with mounting evidence that early-life experiences are associated with adulthood mental health.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether changing neighborhood income deprivation and residential moves during childhood are associated with the risk of receiving a diagnosis of depression in adulthood.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cohort study included the whole population of 1 096 916 people born in Denmark from January 1, 1982, to December 31, 2003, who resided in the country during their first 15 years of life. Individuals were followed up from 15 years of age until either …

Sea Anemones (Actinia Equina) Show Consistent Individual Differences In Boldness And Thoroughness But Lack A Behavioural Syndrome, Samantha Simpson, Mark Briffa

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Behavioural syndromes are suites of behaviours that corelate between-individuals but the same behaviours may also show within-individual correlations owing to state dependency or trade-offs. Therefore, overall phenotypic behavioural correlations must be separated into their between- and within-individual components. We investigate how startle response duration (an index of boldness) and time taken to reject an inert item (an index of investigation thoroughness) covary in beadlet sea anemones, Actinia equina. Anemones took longer to reject a more complex item compared to a simpler one, validating this measure of investigation thoroughness. We then quantified between- and within-individual correlations using a Bayesian analysis and …

Perceived Effects Of Climate Change On Aquaculture Production In Zambia: Status, Vulnerability Factors, And Adaptation Strategies, Sahya Maulu, Oliver J. Hasimuna, Moses Chibesa, Ian Bbole, Joseph Mphande, Mazuba Mwanachingwala, Kundananji Nawanzi, Doubt Chibeya, Sillah Siavwapa, Joyce Mbewe, Lucy Namukonda, Friday Balungu, Inyambo Mumbula, Mwangala Kabika, Shimbetu Mweemba, Mwaanda Sikanyenyene, Enock Siankwilimba, Imikendu Imbwae, Hansel M. Mweetwa

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Aquaculture plays a critical role in Zambia's food and nutrition security. However, aquaculture is highly vulnerable to the effects of a changing climate which can lead to economic losses, and food and nutrition insecurity. In this study, we investigated the perceived effects of climate change on aquaculture production in Zambia, vulnerability factors, and adaptation strategies. We used semi-structured and structured questionnaires to collect data from aquaculture producers in all provinces across the country. Results revealed high (over 80%) awareness of climate change, primarily attributed to literacy levels and access to media. Producers perceived occurrence of climate-related changes such as rising …

Dietary Tea Polyphenol Supplementation And Its Impacts On Growth Performance, Plasma Parameters, And Antioxidant Capacity Of Juvenile Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia (Gift: Oreochromis Niloticus), Christopher Peterson Daniel, Sahya Maulu, Wenqiang Jiang, Shiyou Chen, Linghong Miao, Xiangping Ge

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

The term ‘tea polyphenols’ (TPs) comprises a broad range of polyphenol compounds present in tea, demonstrating positive health effects such as antioxidant activity, etc. in animals. This study investigated the effects of TPs supplementation in juvenile genetically improved farmed tilapia (GIFT); Oreochromis niloticus). Fifteen fish (weight: 13.46 ± 1.25 g) were distributed in six tanks and randomly assigned with diets containing graded levels of TPs (mg/kg): 0.00 (control), 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 in quadruplicate for 8 weeks. After the trial, the fish fed 500 mg/kg TPs exhibited a significant reduction (p < 0.05) in final body weight (FBW) compared with the control. Whole-body moisture content was elevated, while crude protein was lowered significantly (p < 0.05) by a 100 mg/kg TPs diet compared with the control. Plasma low-density lipoprotein (LDL) was significantly elevated (p < 0.05) at over 200 mg/kg; triglyceride (TG) content was lowered (p < 0.05) by the TPs diet compared with the control diet. Catalase (CAT) was significantly enhanced (p < 0.05) by TPs except at 300 mg/kg; superoxide dismutase (SOD) was increased (p < 0.05) by 200, 400 and 500 mg/kg; total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) was enhanced (p < 0.05) by 400–500 mg/kg; glutathione (GSH) was improved (p < 0.05) by 500 mg/kg; and malondialdehyde (MDA) level was elevated (p < 0.05) in the 100–200 mg/kg TPs diet compared with the control. TPs can be utilized as a feed supplement to improve the plasma biochemical parameters and AOC of GIFT juveniles.

Deterioration Of Bio-Based Polylactic Acid Plastic Teabags Under Environmental Conditions And Their Associated Effects On Earthworms, Winnie Courtene-Jones, Fannie Burgevin, Lily Munns, Maia B. T. Shillam, Francesca De Falco, Antoine Buchard, Richard Handy, Richard Thompson, Mick Hanley

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

In response to the plastic waste crisis, teabag producers have substituted the petrochemical-plastic content of their products with bio-based, biodegradable polymers such as polylactic acid (PLA). Despite widespread use, the degradation rate of PLA/PLA-blended materials in natural soil and their effects on soil biota are poorly understood. This study examined the percentage mass deterioration of teabags with differing cellulose:PLA compositions following burial (−10 cm depth) in an arable field margin for 7-months, using a suite of analytical techniques, such as size exclusion chromatography, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance, dynamic scanning calorimetry, and scanning electron microscopy. The effect of 28-d exposure to …

An Alcohol-Related Liver Disease Multi-Stakeholder Hub (Arms-Hub) To Enhance Research Activity In Underserved Communities In The Uk, Ashwin Dhanda, Victoria Allgar, Neeraj Bhala, Lynne Callaghan, Joana Castro, Shilpa Chokshi, Amanda Clements, Wendy Clyne, Colin Drummond, Ewan Forrest, Lesley Manning, Richard Parker, Debbie Shawcross, Jennifer Towey

Peninsula Medical School

Background: Alcohol use is the third leading risk factor of death and disability in the UK and costs the NHS £3.5 billion per year. Despite the high prevalence and healthcare burden of Alcohol-related Liver Disease (ArLD), there has been minimal research addressing prevention, morbidity and mortality. Reasons for this include stigma and lack of interest from public, charitable and commercial funding bodies. The objectives of this project were to identify and develop interdisciplinary partnerships, to explore stigma in ArLD, to develop a representative Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) group, to build research capacity, and to develop interdisciplinary research …

Global Scoping Review Of Behavioral Interventions To Reduce Plastic Pollution With Recommendations For Key Sectors, Sohvi Nuojua, Deborah Louise Cracknell, Anja Heske, Sabine Pahl, Kayleigh J. Wyles, Richard C. Thompson

School of Psychology

End users of single‐use plastics can help minimize their contribution to plastic pollution via mindful purchasing and waste management. These behaviors can be impacted via behavior change interventions in various key sectors of society. This review set out to summarize recent (2015–2023) peer‐reviewed evidence on interventions aimed at changing the plastic consumption, recycling, and/or littering behaviors of individuals across four sectors: business and retail, tourism and leisure, schools and education, and communities. Systematic literature searches were conducted across multiple databases and resulted in the inclusion of 92 intervention studies. Information on intervention strategy and effectiveness was extracted, and the studies …

Pliocene-Pleistocene Warm-Water Incursions And Water Mass Changes On The Ross Sea Continental Shelf (Antarctica) Based On Foraminifera From Iodp Expedition 374, Iodp Expedition 374 Scientists, Julia L. Seidenstein, R. Mark Leckie, Robert Mckay, Laura De Santis, David Harwood, Jeanine Ash, François Beny, Imogen M. Browne, Giuseppe Cortese, Justin P. Dodd, Oliver M. Esper, Jenny A. Gales, Saki Ishino, Benjamin A. Keisling, Sookwan Kim, Sunghan Kim, Denise K. Kulhanek, Juliane Müller, Molly O. Patterson, Brian W. Romans, Oscar E. Romero, Francesca Sangiorgi, Osamu Seki, Amelia E. Shevenell, Shiv M. Singh, Isabela M. Cordeiro De Sousa, Saiko T. Sugisaki, Tina Van De Flierdt

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 374 sailed to the Ross Sea in 2018 to reconstruct paleoenvironments, track the history of key water masses, and assess model simulations that show warm-water incursions from the Southern Ocean led to the loss of marine-based Antarctic ice sheets during past interglacials. IODP Site U1523 (water depth 828m) is located at the continental shelf break, northeast of Pennell Bank on the southeastern flank of Iselin Bank, where it lies beneath the Antarctic Slope Current (ASC). This site is sensitive to warm-water incursions from the Ross Sea Gyre and modified Circumpolar Deep Water (mCDW) today …

Reflections On The Past, Present, And Potential Futures Of Knowledge Hierarchies In Ocean Biodiversity Governance Research, Holly J. Niner, David Wilson, Kelly Hoareau, Mia Strand, Jennifer Whittingham, Dylan Mcgarry, Bolanle Erinosho, Sulley Ibrahim, Sirkka Tshiningayamwe, Senia Febrica, Alana Malinde S. N. Lancaster, Milica Prokic

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Governance of the ocean and its biodiversity is deeply entangled within social, political and cultural histories. The evolution of marine science has been subject to similar influences, and we (the authors) consider these factors to create, embed and reinforce knowledge hierarchies in ocean governance processes and associated research that set societal patterns of prioritisation and exclusion. Such knowledge hierarchies have constructed dominant Western-oriented knowledge systems as ‘rational’ and ‘objective’ approaches to environmental governance in contrast to non-Western knowledge systems and have led to a dominance of natural (normal) sciences over centralised biodiversity governance. The extraction and incorporation of traditional knowledge …

Game Changer: Exploring The Role Of Board Games In The Lives Of Autistic People, Gray Atherton, Liam Cross, Francesca Belshaw, Andrea Piovesan

School of Psychology

This mixed methods paper reports findings from three studies examining the overlap between autism and hobbyist board gaming. The first was a quantitative survey of over 1600 board gamers, showing that autistic individuals are overrepresented in this hobby compared to the general population and that autistic traits measured by the AQ are significantly elevated amongst board gamers. Study 1 also assessed gamers’ motivations and preferences and reported key differences as well as similarities between autistic and non-autistic gamers. The second was a qualitative study that reported the results of 13 interviews with autistic individuals who are hobbyist board gamers. Using …