Tag Archives: science

The Greater Impacts of Fisheries and Environmental Change than Seal Predation in the Baltic Sea

Posted on April 4, 2019 by | Leave a comment

With the declining fish population, many commercial fisheries and artisanal fishers are worried. They see the recovering seal population as competitors for the dwindling fish stocks and this economic toll has led some fishers to take out their anger and frustration for on the seals, which truthfully is wrong! Researchers are working hard to scientifically prove that seals are not responsible for the decline in fish biomass in the Baltic Sea but rather the anthropogenic and environmental factors that are prevalent in the region.

“Freshly Caught Cod Fish” by Emad Basiri at Granville Island Vancouver BC, 2019

Dr. David Costalago by Emad Basiri at the Aquatic Ecosystems Research Laboratory, 2019

Dr. David Costalago, a postdoctoral fellow from University of British Columbia’s Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries is helping shed some light on this controversial topic. Research done by Dr. Costalago and his team has helped to serve as a guide for a more comprehensive approach to management and conservation of seals. His research concludes that the recovering seal population is not to blame for the plummeting number of fish, instead, environmental changes, and overfishing cause more significant decreases in the fish population.

 

Source: SCIE 300 SO Project 213-6 Song “Kiss from a Rose” by Seal

By modelling future environmental scenarios, the researchers investigated how grey seal predation affected the fish stocks in the Baltic Sea. The data modeling software, Ecosim with Ecopath,  allowed researchers to study and model the feeding interactions between different marine mammals from 1974 – 2012. In addition, the models allowed the researchers to look into the consumption rates of fish by grey seals and compare that to the amount of fish caught by Baltic fishermen. 

Source: SCIE 300 SO Project 213-6 Song “Kiss from a Rose” by Seal

Dr. Costalago’s research brings awareness to the seal population in the Baltic Sea, but further research is needed to accurately determine the economic impact the seals are having in the Baltic. For instance, more data over a longer time period needs to be collected, especially along coastal regions because it’s where most Artisanal fishers are. 

“I know for a fact that some of the fishers are struggling nowadays and I know that seals might be playing a role in their struggles so that needs to be addressed,” said Dr. Costalgo. After talking to a local BC fisherman, he mentioned that the damages the seals would cause would lead to several hours of untangling lines and additional money spent to replace damaged equipment.

“Grey seal on Märket” by Niklas Sjöblom is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

“We know that the seal population are not affecting the fish biomass but the economic problems that some fishers have to face also need to be addressed by the government” – Dr. David Costalago

 

Dr. Costalago’s study is helping other ecologists and government officials to find ways to manage the seals and fix their own relationships with the fishermen with regards to fishing policy. This has brought attention to the unjust treatment of seals and the significant impact that the environment and fisheries have on the fish biomass.

By Group 213-6: Emad Basiri, Tenanye Haglund, Katherine Lam, Arrthy Thayaparan

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Posted in Biological Sciences, Outreach Project, Science Communication

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Predicting Marine Populations with Phytoplankton

Posted on April 3, 2019 by | Leave a comment

View of Earth from space. Photo from Wikimedia Commons.

Did you know that the ocean is predicted to warm over 4°C  the next 100 years? There’s certainly more than meets the eye when it comes to understanding the effects of global warming, and knowing how ecosystems change in response to changes in temperature can help make our efforts more focused and accurate.

As a recent PhD graduate from the University of British Columbia, Dr. Joey Bernhardt is already making waves in the science community. Her most recent paper describes the use of phytoplankton to analyze growth rates among species under different temperature conditions. Most of the study’s work actually occurred just last September, and we were lucky enough to be able to meet Dr. Bernhardt to explore the bigger picture issues she’s addressing.

What’s so special about phytoplankton?

Green swirls of phytoplankton in the Baltic Sea. Photo from Wikimedia Commons.

To debunk a common misconception: not all of the oxygen we breathe comes from trees. In reality, nearly 50% of the world’s oxygen supply is produced by phytoplankton. What’s more, phytoplankton serve as the basis of marine food webs, so it’s no surprise that they were the main subjects used in Dr. Bernhardt’s study. These remarkable organisms can actually help us make predictions about species populations in the context of global warming.

What issues are being addressed?

2070-2100 global warming predictions map. Photo from Wikimedia Commons.

One of the most pressing issues in our global warming narrative surrounds how temperature changes affect species population. While it’s easy to measure population growth rates in the controlled conditions of a lab, Dr. Bernhardt explores whether we can apply these results to the unpredictable, fluctuating temperatures of the outdoor environment.

If we were to disregard the fact that in nature temperatures fluctuate, we will ultimately make inaccurate population predictions. To generate a more realistic sample, Dr. Bernhardt collected phytoplankton off the coast of Vancouver Island and placed them in lab incubators that mimic a natural environment using a variety of temperature settings.

To gain a better understanding of the methodology behind Dr. Bernhardt’s study, check out our video:

https://youtu.be/F5rC4PLMsds

Why should I care?

When a species find themselves in an environment outside of their normal temperature range, they will either die off or relocate to more habitable areas. This now presents an entirely new problem since it’s not always easy for the communities that rely on these populations to pack up and move as well. From an economic standpoint, there are whole industries built upon the reliance that these populations will return, year after year.

The Future of Global Economic and Climate Change Issues

These experiments allow us to see the range of temperatures at which a species can persist. We can then pair this with the knowledge of how temperatures around the globe will shift over time in order to build more sustainable communities.

We take a deeper look into the applications of this technology in our podcast:

Group 213-5: Danny Israel, Christy Lau, Christina Rayos

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Posted in Biological Sciences, Issues in Science, Science Communication

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Maybe my mom was right…

Posted on March 11, 2019 by | 1 comment

Ragged, calloused fingers danced across the damp ivory keys of the slightly out-of-tune instrument. A nocturne echoed, howling across the room, as the fear of failure kept his teary eyes glued upon the page. A metaphorical chain shackling him to the traditional device of torture twisted deep into the flesh of his aching wrists. A slave to the music. Broken, tired, and hungry. Those dark and terrible years would haunt him for the rest of his life.

As soon as I could walk, I was forced to play the piano. The daunting task of rehearsing the same piece for hours enraged my heart as a child, and when I asked my mom “why?” she always replied with “you’ll appreciate it when you’re older.” After 14 years of slaving away on that wretched instrument, along with having symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, I realized, maybe she was right. I was privileged to have an opportunity that she hadn’t had when she grew up and it allowed me to appreciate music further as well as learn other instruments with ease. But beyond this, I questioned, “in what other ways did I benefit from playing an instrument?” As a kid, I remember overhearing how playing piano had some correlation between being better at math, and although this seemed crazy, it led me to ponder the effects that playing instruments had on the brain.

 

Piano Keys By Elliot Billings 

How does playing an instrument affect the brain?

Today, the study of the brain is conducted by monitoring participants as they complete tasks such as reading or mathematical equations. Neuroscientists have found, that in doing such specific areas of the brain were activated. When monitoring the activation as participants listened to music, they found multiple areas across the brain firing all at once which differed from other activities.  Moreover, when playing a musical instrument nearly the entire brain was stimulated.

How does this transfer over to things outside of music?

Just as working out makes a person stronger, practicing an instrument is found to strengthen the brain functions used. For example, since studies show that there are common mechanisms used when playing an instrument and reading, it can be said that music can be used to promote child literacy. Similar suggestions from other studies can also be said for playing an instrument with linguistics and mathematics. These benefits, even when done as a child, were retained all the way into adulthood.  Furthermore, the act of playing an instrument utilizes both sides of the brain. In doing so, musicians are found to have increased volume and activity in the brain’s corpus callosum, which is what links the two sides together. This means that the brain has an easier time sending messages from one side to another, which could be beneficial as each side focuses on different processes. The TED-ED video below goes into further detail on the topic. 

The Corpus Callosum by Henry Vandyke Carter

So, in the unfortunate case that I end up with a child, I’ll probably get them to learn an instrument at a young age, and if they ask why, I’ll tell them “You’ll appreciate it when you’re older.”

-Nelson Bulaun

 

 

 

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Can Video Games Help You Learn?

Posted on March 11, 2019 by | 2 comments

Canada currently has the third largest video game industry in the world. As a leader in the industry, it comes to no surprise that over 19 million Canadians identify as gamers. In doing so, as the societal interest in video games increases, so does the interest to research the effects of gaming, especially on students.

Child playing Fortnite. Image from Alex Haney, Unsplash

What does past research show?

Past research has shown that gaming by young people can lead them to develop a variety of detrimental behaviours. Children who played violent games had a higher likelihood of being more antisocial, more aggressive, and less empathetic than their non-gaming peers. Other studies have shown that excessive gaming can have a similar effect on a child’s brain as drugs and alcohol. This effect would lead to poor school performance and a higher likelihood of developing other addictions later in life. These results highlight the issues behind unhealthy gaming behaviour that goes beyond the limits of a hobby. While these results are very important to consider, there may be some benefits to gaming.

Is there any current research on gaming?

A recent study done by Ruhr-Universität Bochum compared the learning of gamers and non-gamers. Of the 34 participants, 17 volunteers did not play games regularly, and the other 17 played for 15+ hours a week. Both groups completed a weather prediction task while being recorded by an MRI.

In the task, participants were shown a combination of cue cards with varying symbols. Based on the cards shown, they had to guess whether that particular combination predicted sun or rain. With each guess, participants were given feedback on whether they were correct or not. This feedback would lead to learning of the combinations by all participants, but at varying rates.

Diagram of the brain showing the hippocampus, amygdala and cerebellum. Image from picturesboss.com

What are the effects of gaming on learning?

The results showed that gamers were significantly better at learning the card combinations with a faster learning curve and more correct answers. While the non-gamers did show learning, they were much slower in comparison. Also, the MRI scans showed that gamers had a stronger activation response in the hippocampus and surrounding regions of the brain. All of which are associated with learning and memory.

Based on these results, researchers were able to conclude that gaming helped individuals in probability-based tasks, which are activities that requires individuals to learn rules as they go. Gamers displayed a heightened ability to analyze and adapt to a new situation. This adaptation showed that players had a much better categorization performance, where they are able to generate and classify new information quickly. Thus illustrating that video games helped enhance learning performance rather than deter it.

While excessive gaming can have detrimental effects, there also are some beneficial factors. Video games, when done in moderation, allows individuals to learn more rapidly by training their hippocampus to be quick and effective. Video games create a challenging environment that pushes players to problem-solve and think creatively to achieve their goals. Looking ahead, researchers believe that further studies can be done to see whether games can help older people reduce the effects of memory loss.

– Arrthy Thayaparan

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Help! I can’t stop eating!

Posted on March 5, 2019 by | Leave a comment

A child eating pizza. Image from Wikimedia Commons

One slice of pizza turns into five boxes of pizza and twenty hours later… you’re still eating! Imagine an insatiable hunger and a love for food turned deadly. When eating becomes your worst enemy, Prader-Willi Syndrome may be the culprit.

What is Prader-Willi Syndrome?

Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) is a rare genetic disorder in which an individual feels hungry all the time. So much to the point where they are found constantly eating, and can continue eating even after they’re full. These individuals can literally eat to the point of death.

PWS was first described in 1956 by Swiss doctors Andrea Prader, Alexis Labhart, and Heinrich Willi. Anyone can develop PWS, and it was found that this disorder affects nearly 1 in every 15,000 births. As a result, PWS is one of the leading causes of childhood obesity.

Symptoms of a Deadly Appetite

The most common symptom of PWS is chronic hunger. Other symptoms can include: poor muscle tone during infancy, early-onset obesity, limited growth, delayed motor and verbal skills, behaviour and mental disorders, and curvature of the spine.

A 15-year-old child with typical PWS facial features. Note the presence of mild truncal obesity. Image from Wikimedia Commons

How does this happen?

PWS is a genetic disorder, which means that children inherit this disorder from their parents. Specifically, from an abnormality in a chromosome that comes from the father. This abnormality arises when a part of the gene is missing or malfunctioning. When this occurs, the hypothalamus (the part of the brain that controls hunger and thirst and releases hormones that promote growth) stops working which results in an inability to regulate food intake.

Is there a cure?

Unfortunately, there is no known cure for PWS. In fact, most of the research to date has only been targeted towards developing treatments for the disorder. For example, doctors may prescribe a growth hormone to treat PWS that not only increases height, but also decreases body fat, increases muscle mass, improves weight distribution, increases stamina, and increases bone mineral density.

Ultimately, the inability to regulate food intake remains one of the biggest obstacles that prevent individuals with PWS from living independently. There is still no effective medication that aids in regulating appetite. Nevertheless, those with PWS can still live a long and fulfilling life with the right guidance and support, as seen with Katie in the video below. Her documentary on living life with PWS gives us a better insight into the disorder, and presents a new meaning to the saying “you are what you eat”:

Documentary of Katie, a child living with PWS. Video from Youtube.

-Christina Rayos

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New Wireless Pacemaker Offers Treatment for Parkinson’s Disease

Posted on February 11, 2019 by | 1 comment

In Canada, over 10,000 people currently live with Parkinson’s disease with an additional 6,600 new cases being diagnosed every year. The disease is caused by a loss of dopamine producing nerve cells. Without dopamine, the nerves are unable to control body movements efficiently. As Parkinson’s advances, movements such as walking and talking become heavily affected. Due to the complexity of this disease, the reason behind the nerve damage is very difficult to determine. Thus, researchers are focusing on ways to alleviate patients’ difficulty in movement. Most recently, UC Berkeley scientists have discovered a new neurostimulator, WAND, that could change the course of neurological disorder treatment, especially Parkinson’s.

What is a neurostimulator?

The most effective method of Parkinson’s treatment is the implantation of a neurostimulator device to the brain. This is very similar to a cardiac pacemaker, since it is able to maintain appropriate circuits in the brain. The dysfunctional areas of the brain are targeted by electrical signals that block any irregular brain waves.

What is Deep Brain Stimulation?

The most used neurostimulator is the deep brain stimulation (DBS) device. As seen in the video below, the DBS electrode is implanted near target areas, with wires passing under the skin down to the shoulders and connected to the neurostimulator in the chest. The patient after recovery is provided with a remote or magnet that allows for the stimulator to be turned on and off at home. While this treatment has been seen to be mostly effective, the surgery process and control of the device can be very strenuous, especially considering the advanced age of most Parkinson’s patients. Therefore, UC Berkeley researchers have developed a new neurostimulator, called WAND, that is smaller and much more advanced in capabilities.

Video of How Deep Brain Stimulation Works. Courtesy of The Wall Street Journal

What is WAND?

WAND or wireless artifact-free neuromodulation device, contains wireless and autonomous capabilities. This means that the device once trained to recognize signs of tremors or seizures, is able to adjust the stimulation parameters and apply electrical signals on its own. WAND is also able to record brain wave activity while applying the treatment. These recordings would allow doctors to see how the patient is reacting during and after the treatment. This is a large advancement from the typical DBS treatments which either stop recording or record away from the target region.

Newly Developed WAND Device. Source: Rikky Muller, UC Berkeley

Has WAND been tested?

To test its effectivity, researchers applied the device in a study that taught subjects to use a joystick to move a cursor. WAND was able to detect the neural signatures that preceded the joystick motion, and delay it by applying electrical stimulation. Thus, showing that the closed-loop system and neurological recordings worked more effectively in a demonstration done by previous DBS devices.

In all, WAND is a brilliant new technology that is cost-effective, time-effective, and saves patient’s the worry of having to apply their own electrical stimulations. The device is able to treat and record simultaneously, which builds an up-to-date record of treatment. While there is still much research needed to look at potential side effects, this technology gives hopes to Parkinson’s patients of returning to their former, healthy selves.

–          Arrthy Thayaparan

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Global Warming and Mountain living species Extinction. No place to live!

Posted on January 27, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Scientists believe that the global temperature will continue to rise for future decades due to climate change and global warming, which will impact the whole ecosystem severely. One big issue that scientists found in recent years is called “Elevational Range Shift”. Each species that lives in a different range and altitude of mountains, together form a balance in mountain ecosystem. As the temperature continuously increase, many species, especially those living in the mid and high elevation of mountains, seek to escape from the warming original habitats and move towards higher ground. However, the living space in mountaintops is limited. What will happen to those creatures that have already lived at the highest levels and cannot go any higher? The only ending is the extension. In recent several years, more evidence have shown that species’ geographic range shift had arose and constituted an elevational extinction to species that live in mountains.

In November 2018, Dr Benjamin Freeman, from the University of British Columbia, published an article showing evidence about impacts of recent temperature warming on high-elevation birds species abundance declination and extinction in Peruvian Andes Mountains. Peruvian Andes is a tropical mountain located in the western edge of South America, with an average height of about 4,000m and host abundant types of species. Tropical species, especially birds, born and live within one particulate section of woods and don’t migrate.

A scarlet-breasted bird lives at high elevations on the Cerro de Pantiacolla in Peru. Source: BBC News

“It is only got a little bit warmer in the tropics and tropical animals seen to live a bit higher now than they used to,” told by Dr. Freeman to BBC News report.

The research team conducted a survey in 2017 of bird species that lived on a mountain peak by using same methods and at same time of year as a pervious survey carried out in 1985. They compared the results and found that the average living range had shifted upwards of the slope and most bird species that are found at the highest elevation had already declined in population and range significantly. Of the 16 species of tropical birds that had been recorded living at high elevation of the study area in previous survey, 8 had disappeared in the new survey in 2017.

Comparative species richness patterns for recent and historical. Source: PLOS

In contrast, scientists found that low elevation living bird species of the mountain get benefits from climate change by expanding their habitats range as they shift their upper living limits upslope. But current increasing in abundance still cannot guarantee that these birds will not face to the problem of run out of habitats.

What about the non-mobile species, like plants? Scientists believe that plants may be unable to shift according to the data showing that about 88% plant species show weak to no evidence of range shift. The main reason is due to plants’ dispersal limitation. Plant need other species, such as birds, or external force like wind to disperse seeds, which may not be quickly enough to keep peace with climate change.

In conclusion, the escalator to extinction will be even worse in the future if temperature continuously rising. “The way to deal with it is to maintain protected habitat corridors that stretch across large elevational gradients.” told by Dr. Freeman to BBC News.

– Jingyi Cheng

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New Wireless Pacemaker Offers Treatment for Parkinson’s Disease

Posted on January 21, 2019 by | Leave a comment

In Canada, over 10,000 people are currently living with Parkinson’s disease with an additional 6,600 new cases being diagnosed every year. The disease is caused by a loss of dopamine producing nerve cells. Without this vital neurotransmitter the nerves are unable to control body movements efficiently. As Parkinson’s advances, movements such as walking and talking become heavily affected. Due to the complexity of this disease, the reason behind the nerve damage is very difficult to determine. Thus, researchers are focusing on ways to alleviate patients’ difficulty in movement. Most recently, UC Berkeley scientists have discovered a new neurostimulator, WAND, that could change the course of neurological disorder treatment, especially Parkinson’s.

The most effective method of Parkinson’s treatment is the implantation of a neurostimulator device to the brain. This is very similar to a cardiac pacemaker; in which it is able to maintain appropriate circuits in the brain. The dysfunctional areas of the brain are targeted by electrical signals that block any irregular brain waves.

The most used neurostimulator is the deep brain stimulation (DBS) device. As seen in the video below, the DBS electrode is implanted near target areas, with wires passing under the skin down to the shoulders and connected to the neurostimulator in the chest. The patient after recovery is provided with a remote or magnet that allows for the stimulator to be turned on and off at home. While this treatment has been seen to be mostly effective, the surgery process and control of the device can be very strenuous, especially considering the advanced age of most Parkinson’s patients. Therefore, UC Berkeley researchers have developed a new neurostimulator, called WAND, that is smaller and much more advanced in capabilities.

WAND or wireless artifact-free neuromodulation device, contains wireless and autonomous capabilities. This means that the device once trained to recognize signs of tremors or seizures, is able to adjust the stimulation parameters and apply electrical signals on its own. WAND is also able to record brain wave activity while applying the treatment. These recordings would allow doctors to see how the patient is reacting during and after the treatment. This is a large advancement from the typical DBS treatments which either stop recording or record away from the target region.

Newly Developed WAND Device. Source: Rikky Muller, UC Berkeley

To test its effectivity, researchers applied the device in a study that taught subjects to use a joystick to move a cursor. WAND was able to detect the neural signatures that preceded the joystick motion, and delay it by applying electrical stimulation. Thus, showing that the closed-loop system and neurological recordings worked more effectively in a demonstration done by previous DBS devices.

In all, WAND is a brilliant new technology that is cost-effective, time-effective, and saves patient’s the worry of having to apply their own electrical stimulations. The device is able to treat and record simultaneously, which builds an up-to-date record of treatment. While there is still much research needed to look at potential side effects, this technology gives hopes to Parkinson’s patients of returning to their former, healthy selves.

–          Arrthy Thayaparan

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Combating Climate Change with Robotic Jellyfish

Posted on January 21, 2019 by | 1 comment

The backbone of any diverse ecosystem is a healthy coral reef. Image from Wikimedia Commons

A quick dive beneath the ocean’s surface can reveal a completely different world. Our ocean’s coral reefs house some of nature’s most complex, diverse, and lively aquatic life. Alas, with global warming increasing our ocean’s temperatures, most of this coral is actually dying at an alarming rate.

Be that as it may, within this bustling community you might come across a robotic jellyfish or two. Have no fear, these ones don’t sting! In fact, these devices may be our solution to combating climate change.

What are robotic jellyfish?

The robotic jellyfish is a device that was developed by Erik Engeberg and his team of mechanical engineers at Florida Atlantic University. This robot mimics the gentle movements of a real jellyfish and collects data on ocean temperatures via built-in sensors. Ultimately, this allows for the study of the hidden impacts of climate change at sea.

The robotic jellyfish propelling itself gently through the ocean. Image from JENNIFER FRAME, NICK LOPEZ, OSCAR CURET AND ERIK D. ENGEBERG/IOP PUBLISHING

Can this robot save our reefs?

Yes! In fact, the Great Barrier Reef recently experienced a widespread death of coral (a process known as “bleaching”). Consequently, the death of aquatic life whom depended on coral as shelter to protect themselves from predators followed suit. With that being said, the creation of the robotic jellyfish has allowed scientists to develop better measures to protect these reefs from further damage.

Coral reefs become lacklustre and dull after dying in a process known as “bleaching”. The bleaching of coral reefs no longer provide shelter for aquatic life. Image from Wikimedia Commons

How were coral reefs studied before?

In the past, drones were deployed to collect data on marine life; however, they were very destructive. For instance, drones produced a lot of noise which can scare off marine life. On top of that, their propellers take in ocean water quite forcibly, tearing off the coral which is an essential habitat for these animals.

The soft movements of wild jellyfish were what inspired Engeberg and his team to develop quieter technology to monitor coral reefs. The robotic jellyfish has allowed us to collect data without posing as a threat to animals or potentially destroying the reef.

Underwater drones were used in the past. However, their propellers were quite noisy and posed as a threat to the coral reefs. Image from Wikimedia Commons

The Future of the Robotic Jellyfish

Though the robotic jellyfish is still a work in progress, it has given scientists a better understanding of how to tackle the ongoing fight with climate change. To give you a better visual and understanding of the robotic jellyfish, this Youtube video summarizes the robot and all its technicalities:

-Christina Rayos

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