Stakeholder-driven transformative adaptation is needed for climate-smart nutrition security in sub-Saharan Africa.

Improving nutrition security in sub-Saharan Africa under increasing climate risks and population growth requires a strong and contextualized evidence base. Yet, to date, few studies have assessed climate-smart agriculture and nutrition security simultaneously. Here we use an integrated assessment framework (iFEED) to explore stakeholder-driven scenarios of food system transformation towards climate-smart nutrition security in Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia.

Fast and destructive density currents created by ocean-entering volcanic eruptions.

Volcanic eruptions on land create hot and fast pyroclastic density currents, triggering tsunamis or surges that travel over water where they reach the ocean. However, no field study has documented what happens when large volumes of erupted volcanic material are instead delivered directly into the ocean. We show how the rapid emplacement of large volumes of erupted material onto steep submerged slopes triggered extremely fast (122 kilometers per hour) and long-runout (>100 kilometers) seafloor currents.

Prediction of near-term climate change impacts on UK wheat quality and the potential for adaptation through plant breeding.

Wheat is a major crop worldwide, mainly cultivated for human consumption and animal feed. Grain quality is paramount in determining its value and downstream use. While we know that climate change threatens global crop yields, a better understanding of impacts on wheat end-use quality is also critical.

Elevated CO does not alter behavioural lateralization in free-swimming juvenile European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) tested in groups.

The authors investigated left-right turning preferences of n = 260 juvenile European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) reared in ambient conditions and ocean acidification (OA) conditions or in ambient conditions but tested in OA water. Groups of 10 individuals were observed alone in a circular tank, and individuals' left and right turning during free-swimming was quantified using trajectory data from the video. The authors showed that near-future OA levels do not affect the number of turns made, or behavioural lateralization (turning preference), in juvenile D.

Cost of a deprived environment - increased intraspecific aggression and susceptibility to pathogen infections.

A lack of environmental enrichment can be severely detrimental to animal welfare. For terrestrial species, including humans, barren environments are associated with reduced cognitive function and increased stress responses and pathology. Despite a clear link between increased stress and reduced immune function, uncertainty remains on how enrichment might influence susceptibility to disease.

Maze learning and memory in a decapod crustacean.

Spatial learning is an ecologically important trait well studied in vertebrates and a few invertebrates yet poorly understood in crustaceans. We investigated the ability of European shore crabs, , to learn a complex maze over four consecutive weeks using food as a motivator. Crabs showed steady improvement during this conditioning period in both the time taken to find the food and in the number of wrong turns taken.

Disease profiles of juvenile edible crabs (Cancer pagurus L.) differ at two geographically-close intertidal sites.

The prevalence of disease in edible crabs (Cancer pagurus) was assessed at two sites in South West Wales; one estuarine (Pembroke Ferry) and another facing open water (Freshwater East). Diseases included pink crab disease caused by Hematodinium sp., an infection of the antennal gland caused by Paramikrocytos canceri and an idiopathic inflammatory condition of the connective tissue surrounding the anterior ganglionic masses.

Increased disease calls for a cost-benefits review of marine reserves.

Marine reserves (or No-Take Zones) are implemented to protect species and habitats, with the aim of restoring a balanced ecosystem. Although the benefits of marine reserves are commonly monitored, there is a lack of insight into the potential detriments of such highly protected waters. High population densities attained within reserves may induce negative impacts such as unfavourable trophic cascades and disease outbreaks.

Characterization and molecular epidemiology of a fungal infection of edible crabs (Cancer pagurus) and interaction of the fungus with the dinoflagellate parasite Hematodinium.

This study reports on an emerging fungal disease of the edible crab, Cancer pagurus. Juvenile (prerecruit) crabs were found to be subject to this disease condition during the months of May to September at two intertidal sites in South Wales, United Kingdom. Histopathology revealed that the fungi overwhelm the host response in the tissues, leading to progressive septicemia.

Morphology and pathology of the ectoparasitic copepod, Nicothoë astaci ('lobster louse') in the European lobster, Homarus gammarus.

Ectoparasitic copepods have been reported in a wide range of aquatic animals, including crustacean shellfish. However, with the exception of the salmon louse, Lepeophtheirus salmonis, our knowledge of such parasites in commercial species is rudimentary. The current study examines the morphology and pathology of the parasitic copepod, Nicothoë astaci (the 'lobster louse') in its host, the European lobster, Homarus gammarus.

Enhanced cellular immunity in shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) after 'vaccination'.

It has long been viewed that invertebrates rely exclusively upon a wide variety of innate mechanisms for protection from disease and parasite invasion and lack any specific acquired immune mechanisms comparable to those of vertebrates. Recent findings, however, suggest certain invertebrates may be able to mount some form of specific immunity, termed 'specific immune priming', although the mechanism of this is not fully understood (see Textbox S1). In our initial experiments, either formalin-inactivated Vibrio harveyi or sterile saline were injected into the main body cavity (haemocoel) of juvenile shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei).

Enhanced immune defences in Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) post-exposure to a vibrio vaccine.

This study was conducted to determine if exposure of shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, to a commercial anti-vibrio vaccine caused changes in antibacterial and cellular (phagocytosis) defences. Shrimp post-larvae were administered either Vibromax™ vaccine or a blank preparation. Whole body homogenates were prepared before (day 0), during (day 10) and after (day 20) vaccination and incubated with a selection of pathogenic vibrios.

Entomopathogenic fungus as a biological control for an important vector of livestock disease: the Culicoides biting midge.

Background: The recent outbreak of bluetongue virus in northern Europe has led to an urgent need to identify control measures for the Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) biting midges that transmit it. Following successful use of the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae against larval stages of biting midge Culicoides nubeculosus Meigen, we investigated the efficacy of this strain and other fungi (Beauveria bassiana, Isaria fumosorosea and Lecanicillium longisporum) as biocontrol agents against adult C. nubeculosus in laboratory and greenhouse studies.

Biosynthesis and functions of eicosanoids generated by the coelomocytes of the starfish, Asterias rubens.

Eicosanoids are a group of oxygenated fatty acid derivatives formed from C20 polyunsaturated fatty acids, including arachidonic and eicosapentaenoic acids. The potential of the coelomocytes of the starfish, Asterias rubens, to generate eicosanoids through the cyclooxygenase (COX) and lipoxygenase (LOX) pathways was investigated using reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography, enzyme immunoassay and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The principal LOX product was identified as 8-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (8-HETE) with 8-hydroxyeicosapentaenoic acid (8-HEPE) synthesised at significantly lower levels.

The heart of Ciona intestinalis: eicosanoid-generating capacity and the effects of precursor fatty acids and eicosanoids on heart rate.

Eicosanoids are a group of oxygenated fatty-acid derivatives formed from C20 polyunsaturated fatty acids including arachidonic and eicosapentaenoic acids. In mammals, these compounds have been shown to be key molecules in several physiological processes including regulation of the vascular system. This study determined whether eicosanoids or their precursors are involved in the regulation of heart rate in the sea squirt Ciona intestinalis.