Insurance in a climate of change

Catastrophe insurance provides peace of mind and financial security. Climate change can have adverse impacts on insurance affordability and availability, potentially slowing the growth of the industry and shifting more of the burden to governments and individuals. Most forms of insurance are vulnerable, including property, liability, health, and life. It is incumbent on insurers, their regulators, and the policy community to develop a better grasp of the physical and business risks. Insurers are well positioned to participate in public-private initiatives to monitor loss trends, improve catastrophe modeling, address the causes of climate change, and prepare for and adapt to the impacts.     

Long-term ecosystem stress: the effects of years of experimental acidification on a small lake

Experimental acidification of a small lake from an original pH value of 6.8 to 5.0 over an 8-year period caused a number of dramatic changes in the lake's food web. Changes in phytoplankton species, cessation of fish reproduction, disappearance of the benthic crustaceans, and appearance of filamentous algae in the littoral zone were consistent with deductions from synoptic surveys of lakes in regions of high acid deposition. Contrary to what had been expected from synoptic surveys, acidification of Lake 223 did not cause decreases in primary production, rates of decomposition, or nutrient concentrations. Key organisms in the food web leading to lake trout, including Mysis relicta and Pimephales promelas, were eliminated from the lake at pH values as high as 5.8, an indication that irreversible stresses on aquatic ecosystems occur earlier in the acidification process than was heretofore believed. These changes are caused by hydrogen ion alone, and not by the secondary effect of aluminum toxicity. Since no species of fish reproduced at pH values below 5.4, the lake would become fishless within about a decade on the basis of the natural mortalities of the most long-lived species.     

Thermoresponsiveness of the preoptic region of the brain in house sparrows

Heating the preoptic region of the house sparrow caused the bird to decrease its metabolism and to decrease its body temperature, whereas cooling that region caused an increase in metabolism and an increase in body temperature. These responses indicate that the preoptic region of birds, like that of other vertebrates, is an important center for thermoregulation.     

Effects of altitude on circadian rhythm of adult locomotor activity in Himalayan strains of Drosophila helvetica

Background  

We recently reported that the altitude of origin altered the photic and thermal sensitivity of the circadian pacemaker controlling eclosion and oviposition rhythms of high altitude Himalayan strains of Drosophila ananassae. The present study was aimed at investigating the effects of altitude of origin on the pacemaker controlling the adult locomotor activity rhythm of D. helvetica.     

Performance of acclimatized European horses in a modified One Star (*) Three-Day Event in heat and humidity

The physiological and biochemical responses of previously acclimatized European three-day event horses to competition in hot humid conditions were investigated. Four Thoroughbred (TB) and four non-Thoroughbred (NTB) horses were flown from Europe to Georgia (USA), underwent a three-week period of acclimatization, and then took part in a modified FEI One star Three-Day Event. The speed and endurance test was modified in an attempt to compensate for the environmental conditions to reduce thermal stress; these alterations included reduction of Phase A, a 10 min cooling stop on Phase C and extension of the 10 min box to 12 min to permit a test to be performed in order to obtain a cardiac recovery index (CRI). Non-Thoroughbred horses were significantly heavier than Thoroughbred horses (591 ± 31 versus 522 ± 17 kg; P<0.02). There were no significant differences in any other characteristics between TB and NTB and only minor differences in variables measured or recorded at rest or during competition. Final competition placings of TB were not significantly different from NTB. None of the horses suffered any heat-related condition at any time before, during or following the field trial. All horses returned to Europe and no medical consequences were reported to occur subsequently in relation acclimatization or competition.     

Biomarkers predictive of long-term fertility found in vaginal lipidome of gilts at weaning

A marker indicative of the fertility potential of replacement gilts early in development would decrease culling rates in the sow herd, improve sow herd reproductive efficiency, and reduce production costs. The objective of this study was to determine if vaginal lipid profiles at 21 d postnatal (PN) could predict sow reproductive performance. Vaginal swabs of the anterior vagina were taken at 21 ± 4 d PN from gilts born on a commercial sow production facility for lipidomic analysis. Animals were followed prospectively for 2 yr and assigned to reproductive performance categories based on the observation of estrus or piglets weaned per sow per year (PSY) across two farrowings. Lipids were extracted from cellular material collected with swabs taken from high fertility (HF; n = 28; ≥26 PSY) and infertile (IF; n = 34; no estrus, no pregnancy) animals, and multiple reaction monitoring profiling was used for lipidome analysis. The relative abundance of arachidonic acid (C20:4) and docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6) was lower (P < 0.05) in IF gilts than HF gilts, whereas the abundance of the free fatty acids such as cerotic (C26:0), ximenic (C26:1), and nonadecanoic (C19:0) acids was greater (P < 0.05) in IF gilts. Additionally, eicosapentaenoic acid (C20:5), a precursor of prostaglandins, was higher (P < 0.05) in IF gilts. The perspective of having a panel of lipids captured with vaginal swabs at weaning that can predict the reproductive efficiency of gilts shows promise and warrants future research in this area.     

Serial exploitation of global sea cucumber fisheries

In recent decades, invertebrate fisheries have expanded in catch and value worldwide. One increasingly harvested group is sea cucumbers (class Holothuroidea), which are highly valued in Asia and sold as trepang or bêche‐de‐mer. We compiled global landings, economic data, and country‐specific assessment and management reports to synthesize global trends in sea cucumber fisheries, evaluate potential drivers, and test for local and global serial exploitation patterns. Although some sea cucumber fisheries have existed for centuries, catch trends of most individual fisheries followed boom‐and‐bust patterns since the 1950s, declining nearly as quickly as they expanded. New fisheries expanded five to six times faster in 1990 compared to 1960 and at an increasing distance from Asia, encompassing a global fishery by the 1990s. Global sea cucumber production was correlated to the Japanese yen at a leading lag. Regional assessments revealed that population declines from overfishing occurred in 81% of sea cucumber fisheries, average harvested body size declined in 35%, harvesters moved from near‐ to off‐shore regions in 51% and from high‐ to low‐value species in 76%. Thirty‐eight per cent of sea cucumber fisheries remained unregulated, and illegal catches were of concern in half. Our results suggest that development patterns of sea cucumber fisheries are largely predictable, often unsustainable and frequently too rapid for effective management responses. We discuss potential ecosystem and human community consequences and urge for better monitoring and reporting of catch and abundance, proper scientific stock assessment and consideration of international trade regulations to ensure long‐term and sustainable harvesting of sea cucumbers worldwide.