bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Protection alone may not promote natural recovery of biogenic habitats of high biodiversity damaged by mobile fishing gears
Authors: Fariñas-Franco Jose M. , Allcock A. Louise , Roberts Dai
Published: July 2018

The horse mussel Modiolus modiolus (L.) is a large marine bivalve that aggregates to create complex habitats of high biodiversity. As a keystone species, M. modiolus is of great importance for the functioning of marine benthic ecosystems, forming biogenic habitats used to designate Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). The present study investigates the condition of M. modiolus beds historically subjected to intense scallop fishing using mobile fishing gears. The study, conducted seven years after the introduction of legislation banning all forms of fishing, aimed to establish whether natural habitat recovery occurs after protection measures are put in place. Lower biodiversity and up to 80% decline in densities of M. modiolus were recorded across the current dis- tributional range of the species in Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland. The decline in biodiversity in most areas surveyed was consistent with that observed in biogenic reefs impacted by mobile fishing gears elsewhere. Epifauna, including sponges, hydroids and tunicates, experienced the most substantial decline in biodiversity, with up to 64% fewer taxa recorded in 2010 compared with 2003. Higher variability in community composition and a shift towards faunal assemblages dominated by opportunistic infaunal species typical of softer substrata were also detected. Based on these observations we suggest that, for biogenic habitats, the designation of MPAs and the introduction of fishing bans alone may not be sufficient to reverse or halt the negative effects caused by past anthropogenic impacts. Direct intervention, including habitat restoration based on translocation of native keystone species, should be considered as part of management strategies for MPAs which host similar biogenic reef habitats where condition and natural recovery have been compromised.
Utility of primary scientific literature to environmental managers: an international case study on coral-dominated marine protected areas
Authors: Cvitanovic Chris , Fulton Christopher , Wilson Shaun , van Kerkhoff Lorrae , Cripps Ingrid , Muthiga Nyawira
Published: July 2018

Integration of scientific information into the decision-making process for the management of marine resources remains a significant challenge, with the inaccessibility of primary scientific literature to environmental practitioners identified as a key limiting factor. Here, we quantify the use of primary scientific literature in environmental management plans, and explore potential barriers to the efficient integration of such scientific information into the decision-making process. Through a case study of coral dominated Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) spanning three countries (Australia, Kenya and Belize), we find that primary scientific literature represents only 14% of information cited in management plans. Such a low proportion is likely to be symptomatic of several issues regarding the accessibility of primary scientific literature to MPA managers, such as: 1. Long publication times for articles (average 40.2 ± 1.8 months); 2. Subscription-only access (up to 56% of articles behind paywalls); and/or 3. Poor articulation of management implications (only 19% of articles provided clear outcomes relevant to management). Such impediments can undermine the adaptive governance of MPAs, so we suggest improvements to knowledge transfer among scientists and managers via a diversity of approaches including knowledge brokers, boundary organisations, knowledge co-production and management-orientated summaries in research articles.
Evidence for rapid recovery of shark populations within a coral reef marine protected area
Authors: Speed Conrad
Published: July 2018

There is limited evidence on the rate at which the shark populations of coral reefs can rebound from over-exploitation, the baselines that might signify when recovery has occurred and the role of no-take Marine Protected Areas (MPA) in aiding this process. We surveyed shark assemblages at Ashmore Reef in Western Australia using baited remote underwater video stations in 2004 prior to enforcement of MPA status and then again in 2016 after eight years of strict enforcement. We found an increase in the relative mean abundance of Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos from 0.16 ± 0.06 individuals h−1 in 2004 to 0.74 ± 0.11 individuals h−1 in 2016, a change that was also accompanied by a shift in the assemblage of sharks to greater proportions of apex species (from 7.1% to 11.9%) and reef sharks (from 28.6% to 57.6%), and a decrease in the proportional abundance of lower trophic level species (from 64.3% to 30.5%). Abundances and trophic assemblage of sharks at Ashmore Reef in 2004 resembled those of the Scott Reefs, where targeted fishing for sharks still occurs, whereas in 2016, abundances and trophic structures had recovered to resemble those of the Rowley Shoals, a reef system that has been a strictly enforced MPA for over 25 years. The shift in abundance and community structure coincident with strict enforcement of the MPA at Ashmore Reef has occurred at a rate greater than predicted by demographic models, implying the action of compensatory processes in recovery. Our study shows that shark communities can recover rapidly after exploitation in a well-managed no-take MPA.
Stranded capital: environmental stewardship is part of the economy, too
Authors: Roman Joe
Published: July 2018

The many values that humans place on biodiversity are widely acknowledged but difficult to measure in practice. We address this problem by quantifying the contribution of marine‐related environmental stewardship, in the form of donations and volunteer hours, to the economy of coastal Massachusetts. Our conservative evaluation suggests that marine stewardship activities contributed at least $179 million to the state economy in 2014, a figure that exceeded revenues derived in that same year from commercial finfish operations ($105 million) and whale watching ($111 million), two acknowledged cornerstones of the regional economy. Almost imperceptibly, the coastal economy has been transformed from one dependent on commercial exchange to a diverse economy that includes, to a large measure, marine stewardship. Donations and volunteer efforts are useful indicators of environmental values that can be hard to quantify, and represent one measure of human determination to protect the planet.
Exploring local fishery management through cooperative acoustic surveys in the Aleutian Islands
Authors: Barbeaux Steven , Fritz Lowell , Logerwell Elizabeth
Published: July 2018

An alternate management system is introduced which uses seasonal and spatially explicit multi-species quotas generated from small-scale cooperative fishery acoustic surveys to manage the Aleutian Islands walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) fishery while limiting impacts on the endangered Western stock of Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus). This is a novel collaboration among scientists, industry, and Alaska Natives considering a cooperative management approach. The proposed system integrates the catch monitoring and accounting systems already in place in the federal groundfish fisheries off Alaska with cooperative acoustic survey biomass estimates to facilitate more refined spatial and temporal fishery management decisions. Conditions were examined under which such a system could operate successfully and results from field work conducted to assess technical requirements were discussed. During field trials biomass estimates from each survey were produced within 24-h of survey completion. This suggests spatial abundance estimates can be available in a timely manner for managing local fisheries. The proposed management system was found feasible and relatively easy to initiate because of highly motivated and cooperative industry partners, a well-established mechanism for setting allowable catch limits, and a robust catch accounting system already in place. In addition, high quality commercial echosounders required for this system are currently used by industry and, with proper controls on calibration and survey design, produce biomass estimates of sufficient quality. The application of this approach beyond this case study is also discussed for managing fisheries worldwide where fine temporal and spatial scale management could benefit the conservation of other protected species.
Barnacle recruit-adult relationship (full paper published in 2017 in PeerJ 5: article e3444)
Authors: Scrosati Ricardo Augusto , Ellrich Julius A.
Published: July 2018

Recruitment is a key demographic process for population persistence. This paper focuses on barnacle (Semibalanus balanoides) recruitment. In rocky intertidal habitats from the Gulf of St. Lawrence coast of Nova Scotia (Canada), ice scour is common during the winter. At the onset of intertidal barnacle recruitment in early May (after sea ice has fully melted), mostly only adult barnacles and bare substrate are visible at high elevations in wave-exposed habitats. We conducted a multiannual study to investigate if small-scale barnacle recruitment could be predicted from the density of pre-existing adult barnacles. In a year that exhibited a wide adult density range (ca. 0-130 individuals/dm2), the relationship between adult density and recruit density (scaled to the available area for recruitment, which excluded adult barnacles) was unimodal. In years that exhibited a lower adult density range (ca. 0-40/50 individuals/dm2), the relationship between adult and recruit density was positive and resembled the lower half of the unimodal relationship. Overall, adult barnacle density was able to explain 26-40% of the observed variation in recruit density. The unimodal adult-recruit relationship is consistent with previously documented intraspecific interactions. Between low and intermediate adult densities, the positive nature of the relationship relates to the previously documented fact that settlement-seeking larvae are chemically and visually attracted to adults, which might be important for local population persistence. Between intermediate and high adult densities, where population persistence may be less compromised and the abundant adults may limit recruit growth and survival, the negative nature of the relationship suggests that adult barnacles at increasingly high densities stimulate larvae to settle elsewhere. The unimodal pattern may be especially common on shores with moderate rates of larval supply to the shore, because high rates of larval supply may swamp the coast with settlers, decoupling recruit density from local adult abundance.
State of the plate: Assessing present and future contribution of ﬁsheries and aquaculture to Hawai‘i’s food security
Authors: Teneva Lida T. , Schemmel Eva , Kittinger John N.
Published: July 2018

Seafood provides the most important source of protein on the planet, and millions in coastal communities depend on this sector for nutrition, livelihoods, and cultural values. Despite seafood's important role, in many locations the contributions of ﬁsheries and aquaculture to local food security have not been accurately assessed. An overview is provided of current and future contributions of seafood to food security in Hawai‘i through metrics using a supply chain approach from hook-to-plate, encompassing production and consumption. Hawai‘i's local seafood production is nearly 21,000 metric tons per year, with ~90% sourced from pelagic ﬁsheries, and 6% from reef ﬁsheries. Seafood is a bright spot in the overall Hawai‘i food system, providing a relatively higher degree of self-suﬃciency than other food sources. Annual local production of seafood in Hawai‘i is estimated at 20,424,243 ± 1,958,488 kg (μ ± SD). Accounting for imports and exports, the total locally available seafood (32,450,820 kg ± 1,571,905 kg) accounts for about 134 ± 6.5 million meals available every year. Wild-capture ﬁsheries (pelagic and nearshore) in Hawai‘i are modeled to be able to meet 45% or less of the growing seafood demand in Hawai‘i by 2040, compared to an estimated 55% in 2015. A projected 20% increase in total seafood demand by 2040 would exceed current average annual local production by up to 37%. Improvement in sustainable ﬁsheries, aquaculture, and innovations in value and supply chains are critical if Hawai‘i is to improve its seafood security and the food provisioning functions of ocean and coastal environments.
Plastic fragments as a major component of marine litter: a case study in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
Authors: Fernandino Gerson , Elliff Carla Isobel , Silva Iracema Reimão , de Souza Brito Thiago , da Silva Pinto Bittencourt Abílio Carlos
Published: July 2018

Urban areas are hotspots for marine litter. Plastic materials are the most common type of beach litter and can fragment into even smaller pieces. A total of 24 sampling stations were distributed along the coast of Salvador, Brazil, from which every litter item > 2 cm was sampled. A total of 17,089 items were sampled from the beaches of Salvador in two different survey sea- sons (10,416 during the winter and 6,673 during the summer). Plastic represented 87.45% of all materials sampled during the winter and 85.24%, during the summer. In both seasons, the majority of the sampled beaches were classified as extremely dirty according to the Clean-Coast Index. Plastic fragments were found in every sampling station in both field surveys, representing 45.7% of the overall plastic items sampled. Tourism/recreation activities appeared to be important sources of litter to the area.
Human dimensions information needs of fishery managers in the Laurentian Great Lakes
Authors: Heck Nadine , Stedman Richard C. , Gaden Marc
Published: July 2018

Fishery management is increasingly moving towards ecosystem-based approaches that integrate ecological and human dimensions of fisheries. Studies on the human dimensions (HD) of fisheries have increased in recent years. A gap, however, remains between the nature of available information and the information needed by fishery managers. Our paper addresses this gap for the Great Lakes fisheries. We explicitly explored information needs of fishery managers to better reconcile the supply and demand of HD information. Our study finds that managers need HD information in particular to demonstrate the achievements of management goals and to address management issues. In addition, understanding the purpose and timing of information is important in order to provide timely and relevant information as fishery managers identify distinct information needs for planning, decision-making, and evaluation of management. Fishery managers in our study were particularly interested in direct and indirect economic values of the fisheries as well as values, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors of users. Interviewed managers were not only interested in the status quo of these factors but also wanted to understand what influences and shapes them. In addition, fishery managers would like to understand the contribution of fisheries to ecosystem services in the basin including cultural values. Our interviews did not detect interest in information on long-term HD trends or the explicit need for interdisciplinary studies. Such information, however, would be critical to understand and predict changes in the human dimensions of the fisheries and to develop management strategies to cope with these changes.
Designing connected marine reserves in the face of global warming
Authors: Álvarez-Romero Jorge Gabriel , Munguía-Vega Adrián , Beger Maria , del Mar Mancha-Cisneros Maria , Suárez-Castillo Alvin N. , Gurney Georgina G. , Pressey Robert L. , Gerber Leah R. , Reyes-Bonilla Héctor , Adams Vanessa , Kolb Melanie , Graham Erin M. , VanDerWal Jeremy , Castillo-López Alejandro , Hinojosa-Arango Gustavo , Petatán-Ramírez David , Moreno-Baez Marcia , Godínez-Reyes Carlos R. , Torre Jorge , Morzaria-Luna Hem Nalini
Published: July 2018

Marine reserves are widely used to protect species important for conservation and fisheries and to help maintain ecological processes that sustain their populations, including recruitment and dispersal. Achieving these goals requires well-connected networks of marine reserves that maximize larval connectivity, thus allowing exchanges between populations and recolonization after local disturbances. However, global warming can disrupt connectivity by shortening potential dispersal pathways through changes in larval physiology. These changes can compromise the performance of marine reserve networks, thus requiring adjusting their design to account for ocean warming. To date, empirical approaches to marine prioritization have not considered larval connectivity as affected by global warming. Here, we develop a framework for designing marine reserve networks that integrates graph theory and changes in larval connectivity due to potential reductions in planktonic larval duration (PLD) associated with ocean warming, given current socioeconomic constraints. Using the Gulf of California as case study, we assess the benefits and costs of adjusting networks to account for connectivity, with and without ocean warming. We compare reserve networks designed to achieve representation of species and ecosystems with networks designed to also maximize connectivity under current and future ocean-warming scenarios. Our results indicate that current larval connectivity could be reduced significantly under ocean warming because of shortened PLDs. Given the potential changes in connectivity, we show that our graph-theoretical approach based on centrality (eigenvector and distance-weighted fragmentation) of habitat patches can help design better-connected marine reserve networks for the future with equivalent costs. We found that maintaining dispersal connectivity incidentally through representation-only reserve design is unlikely, particularly in regions with strong asymmetric patterns of dispersal connectivity. Our results support previous studies suggesting that, given potential reductions in PLD due to ocean warming, future marine reserve networks would require more and/or larger reserves in closer proximity to maintain larval connectivity.
Ecosystem-based management of coastal zones in face of climate change impacts: Challenges and inequalities
Authors: Fernandino Gerson , Elliff Carla Isobel , Silva Iracema Reimão
Published: July 2018

Climate change effects have the potential of affecting both ocean and atmospheric processes. These changes pose serious threats to the millions of people that live by the coast. Thus, the objective of the present review is to discuss how climate change is altering (and will continue to alter) atmospheric and oceanic processes, what are the main implications of these alterations along the coastline, and which are the ecosystem-based management (EBM) strategies that have been proposed and applied to address these issues. While ocean warming, ocean acidification and increasing sea level have been more extensively studied, investigations on the effects of climate change to wind and wave climates are less frequent. Coastal ecosystems and their respective natural resources will respond differently according to location, environmental drivers and coastal processes. EBM strategies have mostly concentrated on improving ecosystem services, which can be used to assist in mitigating climate change effects. The main challenge for developing nations regards gaps in information and scarcity of resources. Thus, for effective management and adaptive EBM strategies to be developed worldwide, information at a local level is greatly needed.
Does full protection count for the maintenance of β‐diversity patterns in marine communities? Evidence from Mediterranean fish assemblages
Authors: Appolloni Luca
Published: July 2018

1. Although it is widely recognized that protection may enhance size, abundance, and diversity offish, its effect on spatial heterogeneity of fish assemblages and species turnover is still poorlyunderstood.2. Here the effect of full protection within a Mediterranean marine protected area on β‐diversity patterns of fish assemblages along a depth gradient comparing a no‐take zone with multiple unprotected areas is explored. The no‐take zone showed significantly higher synecological parameters, higher β‐diversity among depths, and lower small‐scale heterogeneity of fish assemblages relative to unprotected areas.3. Such patterns might likely depend on the high level of fishing pressure outside the no‐takezone, as also abundance‐biomass curves seemed to indicate. Results suggested that full protection could play a role in maintaining high β‐diversity, thus reducing the fragility of marine communities and ecosystems, and spatial heterogeneity may represent a reliable predictor of how management actions could provide insurance against undesirable phase shifts.
Lessons from Philippines MPA Management: Social ecological interactions, participation, and MPA performance
Authors: Twichell Julia , Pollnac Richard , Christie Patrick
Published: July 2018

International interest in increasing marine protected area (MPA) coverage reflects broad recognition of the MPA as a key tool for marine ecosystems and fisheries management. Nevertheless, effective management remains a significant challenge. The present study contributes to enriching an understanding of best practices for MPA management through analysis of archived community survey data collected in the Philippines by the Learning Project (LP), a collaboration with United States Coral Triangle Initiative (USCTI), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and partners. We evaluate stakeholder participation and social ecological interactions among resource users in MPA programs in the Palawan, Occidental Mindoro, and Batangas provinces in the Philippines. Analysis indicates that a complex suite of social ecological factors including demographics, conservation beliefs, scientifically correct knowledge, perceptions of personal benefit, and perceptions of fish scarcity influence participation, which in turn is related to perceived MPA performance. Findings indicate positive feedbacks within the system that have potential to strengthen perceptions of MPA success. The results of this evaluation provide empirical reinforcement to current inquiries concerning the role of participation in influencing MPA performance.
Beating the Microbead: How private environmental governance has influenced the regulatory process of banning microbeads in the UK
Authors: Meier Leonie
Published: July 2018

Microplastics pollution in marine environments is one of the top global emerging conservation issues (Sutherland et al., 2010), with science gradually emerging about its detrimental impacts on animal welfare and human health. Microbeads have been identified as one source of microplastic pollution intentionally added to personal care and cosmetics products (PCCPs) (UNEP, 2015). Microbead governance has been subject to increasing involvement of private actors such as NGOs and businesses, besides government interventions through regulatory bans. Previous research suggests that private environmental governance has ambiguous effects in terms of democratic decision-making and transparency. This study advances our understanding of the type and impacts of private governance in the regulatory process of microbeads in the UK, drawing on the qualitative analysis of 3 expert interviews and 56 documents submitted to the government during the parliamentary inquiry phase. The case study analysis suggests that private governance of microbeads, in the form of voluntary certification schemes and corporate self-regulation, has the potential to significantly influence regulatory processes through their influence on power and market dynamics, and their ability to create a common discourse.
Evaluating the bio-economic performance of a Callo de hacha (Atrina maura, Atrina tuberculosa & Pinna rugosa) fishery restoration plan in La Paz, Mexico
Authors: Palacios-Abrantes Juliano , Rodríguez Salvador , Herrera-Correal Juliana , Brunkow Jacy , Molina Renato
Published: July 2018

mall-scale fisheries are large contributors to regional economies and livelihoods in coastal communities of Latin America. While Mexico is one of the cases where small-scale fisheries play an important role, overfishing and poor management strategies have led to the collapse of many of its fisheries. The callo de hacha scallop fishery of the Ensenada de La Paz in Baja California Sur is an example of such a fishery which, after years of mismanagement, was closed by the Mexican authorities in 2009. The present study evaluated the recovery efforts in the cove and the potential outcomes of a collaboration between a non-governmental organization and a fishing community working towards the restoration of this pen-shell fishery. After more than four years of closure and active monitoring of the recovering process, the callo de hacha population has shown a significant population recovery, with potential solvency for reopening fishing activities. Four scenarios of uncertainty are evaluated with two of them providing positive net present values from reopening the fishery. We also document the involvement of a non-governmental organization with a fishing community, which created social capital and, in our opinion, was essential for a successful restoration. Having an actively involved community helped raise funds for the fishing closure so fishers were able to comply with Mexican legislation; it also fostered community building and self-organization that will be crucial to maintaining the sustainability of the fishery.
Innovation in Communications about Marine Protection
Authors: Day Andrew , Laffoley Dan , Davis John , Jeffrey Andy , Musard Olivier , Vick Charlotte
Published: July 2018

1. Most of the people working in the field of marine protection share a common goal: that decision makers, stakeholders, and the public should see marine protection as a priority and dedicate a portion of their attention and resources to it, making decisions and taking actions that reflect the value of marine protection to ecological and human well-being. 2. If this goal is to be achieved, the field of marine protection needs to embrace the field of communication in a more concerted manner. 3. In this paper we outline some of the latest trends, principles and issues relevant to communication in marine protection and illustrated these with a range of examples. We discuss key themes emerging from our review. 4. We outline a number of strategies for strengthening the role of communications, including means for those involved in marine protection communications to connect with each other, increased testing and sharing of examples, the use of grounded theory methods to continuously define lessons and principles, and ways to increase coordination between marine protection organizations. 5. It is our hope and intention that this paper will mark the beginning of a stronger cross-disciplinary field of study, and that such a field will in turn advance marine protection locally and globally. 6. Readers can contribute to this goal and emerging field by connecting with each other and with us around strategies, ideas and examples.
Ingestion of plastic by fish destined for human consumption in remote South Pacific islands
Authors: Forrest Alice , Hindell Mark
Published: July 2018

Plastic marine debris is increasingly recognized as one of the greatest threats to global oceans, and the humans who depend on them. This study documents plastic ingestion in 24 species caught or sold for human consumption in the South Pacific. Fish were collected from local fishermen and markets in remote locations, including French Polynesia, Lord Howe Island and Henderson Island (Pitcairn group). Gastrointestinal tracts of 126 fish were visually examined and plastic was found in 7.9% of individual fish and 25% of species. The plastics were mostly microplastics (fragments, nurdles and rope). There was no significant difference in plastic ingestion in relation to feeding style, length, region or species. This is concerning as plastic appears to be widespread across species, lifestyles and habitats. This is the first report of plastic in South Pacific fish, raising concerns about the transfer of pollutants in a region that is largely oceanic and heavily dependent on seafood. The remote locations of the study also provide evidence of the widespread nature of this issue.
Examining the ‘cultural sustainability’ of two different ways of governing fishing practices
Authors: Gustavsson Madeleine
Published: July 2018

Research has suggested there is a need for an increased attention to the socio-cultural lifeworlds of fishers and fisheries and its importance for fisheries management. An emerging response to this call has been to examine the social and cultural contexts of ‘good fishing’ – an idea which, drawing on the work of Pierre Bourdieu, has sought to move the discussion beyond simply the economic aspects of fishing to also understand the importance of other forms of capital. Utilising these concepts together with the conceptual idea of ‘knowledge cultures’, the following paper examines the ‘cultural sustainability’ of different ways of governing fishing practices – in particular Marine Conservation Zones and voluntary lobster v-notching using a case study approach to the small-scale fishery of Llŷn peninsula, North Wales (UK). The paper observes that those approaches that allow fishers to demonstrate skills and recognises the temporal contingency of fishing lives can be considered more culturally sustainable than others. This paper also notes that culturally acceptable changes to fishing practices can be supported by fishing regulations and, the paper suggests, such innovations are more likely to be taken up by fishers in their everyday fishing practices. The paper recommends that policies seeking to alter fishing practices consider: i) the importance fishers hold in demonstrating their skills; ii)how social relations are as important as economic aspects to fishers long-term uptake of new practices; and iii)the past and the future (such as if a successor is present) holds significance for fishers actions in the present.
Indicators to Evaluate the Social Dimensions of the Recreational Fishery in the Great Lakes
Authors: Heck Nadine , Stedman Richard C. , Gaden Marc
Published: July 2018

Natural resource management agencies increasingly engage in monitoring and evaluation activities to become more explicit and transparent about their activities and to demonstrate management achievements. As fishery management focuses on fish resources and the people using these resources, evaluating management performance requires assessing both environmental and human-centered outcomes of a fishery. Our paper addresses the current lack of indicators to evaluate the social dimensions of the recreational fishery in the Great Lakes. We identified management outcomes and evaluation indicators for the social dimensions of the fishery through semistructured interviews with fishery managers. Our study finds that fishery managers identified desired management outcomes and indicators at three distinct levels: individual anglers, local communities, and Great Lakes states and provinces. Managers’ input on outcomes and indicators was key to clarifying generic management goals such as “happy anglers.” Desired outcomes also revealed that managers’ understanding of management effectiveness goes beyond current management goals. Regular adaptation of management goals for the fishery might be critical to make sure that goals reflect what managers would like to achieve. We also suggest extending evaluation efforts beyond the assessment of management goals. Including ecological, social, and economic trends in the basin that influence the performance of the fishery could help managers understand and predict the effect of contextual changes in the basin on the fishery over time.
Group CBT versus MBSR for Social Anxiety Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: goldin philippe , Morrison Amanda , Jazaieri Hooria , brozovich faith , heimberg richard , Gross James
Published: July 2018

Objective: To investigate treatment outcome and mediators of Cognitive-Behavioral Group Therapy (CBGT) vs. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) vs. Waitlist (WL) in patients with generalized social anxiety disorder (SAD). Method: 108 unmedicated patients (55.6% female; mean age = 32.7, SD = 8.0; 43.5% Caucasian, 39% Asian, 9.3% Hispanic, 8.3% other) were randomized to CBGT vs. MBSR vs. WL and completed assessments at baseline, post-treatment/WL, and at 1-year follow-up, including the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale – Self-Report (primary outcome) as well as measures of treatment-related processes. Results: Linear mixed model analysis showed that CBGT and MBSR both produced greater improvements on most measures compared to WL. Both treatments yielded similar improvements in social anxiety symptoms, cognitive reappraisal frequency and self-efficacy, cognitive distortions, mindfulness skills, attention focusing and rumination. There were greater decreases in subtle avoidance behaviors following CBGT than MBSR. Mediation analyses revealed that increases in reappraisal frequency, mindfulness skills, attention focusing and attention shifting, and decreases in subtle avoidance behaviors and cognitive distortions mediated the impact of both CBGT and MBSR on social anxiety symptoms. However, increases in reappraisal self-efficacy and decreases in avoidance behaviors mediated the impact of CBGT (vs. MBSR) on social anxiety symptoms. Conclusions: CBGT and MBSR both appear to be efficacious for SAD. However, their effects may be a result of both shared and unique changes in underlying psychological processes.
Meditation Experience Predicts Introspective Accuracy
Authors: Fox Kieran , Dixon Matt , Ellamil Melissa , Thompson Evan , Christoff Kalina
Published: July 2018

The accuracy of subjective reports, especially those involving introspection of one’s own internal processes, remains unclear, and research has demonstrated large individual differences in introspective accuracy. It has been hypothesized that introspective accuracy may be heightened in persons who engage in meditation practices, due to the highly introspective nature of such practices. We undertook a preliminary exploration of this hypothesis, examining introspective accuracy in a cross-section of meditation practitioners (1–15,000 hrs experience). Introspective accuracy was assessed by comparing subjective reports of tactile sensitivity for each of 20 body regions during a ‘body-scanning’ meditation with averaged, objective measures of tactile sensitivity (mean size of body representation area in primary somatosensory cortex; two-point discrimination threshold) as reported in prior research. Expert meditators showed significantly better introspective accuracy than novices; overall meditation experience also significantly predicted individual introspective accuracy. These resultssuggest that long-term meditators provide more accurate introspective reports than novices.
Cultivating mindfulness through technology in higher education: A Buberian perspective
Authors: Hadar Linor , Ergas Oren
Published: July 2018

One of the most fundamental concepts within Martin Buber’s philosophy concerns two modes of being: I–it, which reflects an egocentric instrumental existence, and I–thou, which reflects dialogical encounter and interrelatedness. At the face of it, technology seems to be the ultimate example of that which engenders and I–it consciousness. Indeed, a recurrent concern in contemporary times suggests that the increase in our technology use is slowly but surely depriving us of meaningful encounters with the other. In this paper we propose that technology can in fact be applied as an antidote to this predicament. To make this point we describe the teaching of mindfulness practice in higher education. We focus particularly on the use of cell phones to cultivate mindful attention as a precondition and characteristic of I–thou relationships. These cell phones, which have somewhat become extensions of our bodies, remind us to become present and hence more likely to acknowledge interrelatedness. Brief excerpts from student projects in these courses will be applied to demonstrate these transitions.
Development and Validation of the Balanced Inventory of Mindfulness-Related Skills (BIMS)
Authors: Van Dam Nicholas T , Bilgrami Zarina Rovane , Eisenlohr-Moul Tory A.
Published: July 2018

Despite a number of psychometric limitations, the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) is one of the most widely used measures of mindfulness. Despite its potential to guide improvement of the scale, no multidimensional item response theory (IRT) analysis of the FFMQ has been conducted to date. The present studies fit competing Confirmatory Factor models to different versions of the FFMQ. A 23-item short-form of the FFMQ exhibited the most robust model-to-data fit, however, polytomous bifactor IRT exhibited poor properties, suggesting the need for scale revision. The authors undertook content revision, creating the Balanced-Inventory of Mindfulness-related Skills (BIMS). The BIMS used a structured alternative response format, wherein participants rate which of two response options is more like them, as well as the extent to which it is like them. Confirmatory factor and IRT analyses revealed reasonably good psychometric properties to a 22-item BiFactor scale, consisting of a general and 4 specific (ActAware, Describe, NonJudge, NonReact) factors. The BIMS appears to be a more psychometrically sound revision of the FFMQ, however, it’s representation of the underlying construct of mindfulness continues to be a question for debate.
Prevalence of mind and body exercises (MBE) in relation to demographics, self-rated health, and purchases of prescribed psychotropic drugs and analgesics
Authors: Rådmark Lina , Magnusson Linda Hanson , Horwitz Eva Bojner , Osika Walter
Published: July 2018

This study aims to identify any differences regarding gender, age, socioeconomic status (SES), self-rated health, perceived stress and the purchase of prescribed drugs among people who practice mind and body exercises (MBE) extensively compared to people who do not. Methods: The study includes 3,913 men and 4,803 women aged 20–72 who participated in the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (SLOSH). The respondents were divided into three groups depending on frequency of MBE practice (never/seldom/often). Measures regarding MBE practice, health behaviors, self-rated health, and illnesses were drawn from the SLOSH questionnaire, while more objective measures of socioeconomic status and education were derived from registry data. In addition, data on purchases of prescription drugs for all respondents were included in the study. These data were obtained from the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register, which contains information about prescription drugs dispensed at Swedish pharmacies. Separate analyses were performed for mental MBE (mindfulness, meditation, relaxation techniques) and physical MBE (yoga, Tai Chi, Qi Gong), respectively. Results: A high intensity MBE practice is cross-sectionally related to poor self-assessed health (sleeping problems, pain, depressive symptoms, mental disorders), high levels of stress, and high levels of purchases of psychotropic drugs and analgesics. These cross-sectional relationships are generally stronger for mental MBE than for bodily-directed MBE. More women than men are practicing MBE on a regular basis, and physically active people participate to a greater extent in MBE compared with the physically inactive. Conclusion: Overall, the study shows that frequent participation in mind and body exercises is associated with high levels of purchases of psychotropic drugs and analgesics as well as with poor self-assessed health and high levels of stress. However, since this is a cross-sectional study, it is impossible to establish cause and effect, and to further investigate the associations found; longitudinal studies that can account for temporality between covariates and MBE use are needed.
Greater Cortical Thickness in Elderly Female Yoga Practitioners—A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Afonso Rui F. , Balardin Joana B. , Lazar Sara , Sato João R. , Igarashi Nadja , Santaella Danilo F. , Lacerda Shirley S. , Amaro Edson , Kozasa Elisa Harumi
Published: July 2018

Yoga, a mind-body activity that requires attentional engagement, has been associated with positive changes in brain structure and function, especially in areas related to awareness, attention, executive functions and memory. Normal aging, on the other hand, has also been associated with structural and functional brain changes, but these generally involve decreased cognitive functions. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to compare brain cortical thickness (CT) in elderly yoga practitioners and a group of age-matched healthy non-practitioners. We tested 21 older women who had practiced hatha yoga for at least 8 years and 21 women naive to yoga, meditation or any mind-body interventions who were matched to the first group in age, years of formal education and physical activity level. A T1-weighted MPRAGE sequence was acquired for each participant. Yoga practitioners showed significantly greater CT in a left prefrontal lobe cluster, which included portions of the lateral middle frontal gyrus, anterior superior frontal gyrus and dorsal superior frontal gyrus. We found greater CT in the left prefrontal cortex of healthy elderly women who trained yoga for a minimum of 8 years compared with women in the control group.
The Role of One’s Motive in Meditation Practices and Prosociality
Authors: Reddy J. Shashi Kiran , Roy Sisir
Published: July 2018

No individual exists without exhibiting prosociality in one or another situation during their lifetime. The argument however, is to what extent? Does it arise spontaneously, out of true empathy and compassion for others, or it is goal-oriented with some hidden motive? Here, our primary intention is to convey that, though various meditation-based interventions can be utilized for different purposes like cultivating prosocial behaviors such as compassion, empathy etc., one’s underlying motive and intent seems to play a crucial role in an individual’s development. Most of the studies exploring prosociality, in the context of meditation, usually do not consider the role of hidden or underlying motivation in one’s prosocial expression. By considering an example of how mindfulness may sometimes lead to the wrong consequences, we try to analyze why it is important to include the aspect of inner motivation in future studies exploring the effects of meditation on prosociality. We also propose that while practicing meditation one may need traditional assistance and ethical/moral teachings in addition to those merely isolated techniques.
Mindfulness-to-Meaning Theory - Mindfulness Broadens Awareness and Builds Eudaimonic Meaning: A Process Model of Mindful Positive Emotion Regulation
Authors: Garland Eric , Farb Norman A. S. , goldin philippe , Fredrickson Barbara
Published: July 2018

Contemporary scholarship on mindfulness casts it as a form of purely nonevaluative engagement with experience. Yet, traditionally mindfulness was not intended to operate in a vacuum of dispassionate observation, but was seen as facilitative of eudaimonic mental states. In spite of this historical context, modern psychological research has neglected to ask the question of how the practice of mindfulness affects downstream emotion regulatory processes to impact the sense of meaning in life. To fill this lacuna, here we describe the Mindfulness-to-Meaning Theory, from which wederive a novel process model of mindful positive emotion regulation informed by affective science, in which mindfulness is proposed to introduce flexibility in thegeneration of cognitive appraisals by enhancing interoceptive attention, thereby expanding the scope of cognition to facilitate reappraisal of adversity and savoring of positive experience. This process is proposed to culminate in a deepened capacity for meaning-making and greater engagement with life.
Meditation buffers medical student compassion from the deleterious effects of depression.
Authors: Mascaro Jennifer S , Kelley Sean , Darcher Alana , Negi Lobsang , Worthman Carol , Miller Andrew , Raison Charles
Published: July 2018

Increasing data suggest that for medical school students the stress of academic and psychologicaldemands can impair social emotions that are a core aspect of compassion and ultimately physiciancompetence. Few interventions have proven successful for enhancing physician compassion inways that persist in the face of suffering and that enable sustained caretaker well-being. To addressthis issue, the current study was designed to (1) investigate the feasibility of cognitively-basedcompassion training (CBCT) for second-year medical students, and (2) test whether CBCT decreasesdepression, enhances compassion, and improves daily functioning in medical students. Comparedto the wait-list group, students randomized to CBCT reported increased compassion, and decreasedloneliness and depression. Changes in compassion were most robust in individuals reporting highlevels of depression at baseline, suggesting that CBCT may benefit those most in need by breakingthe link between personal suffering and a concomitant drop in compassion
Meditation and the brain in health and disease
Authors: Fox Kieran , Cahn B. Rael
Published: July 2018

The aim of this chapter is to provide an accessible introduction to the neuroscience of meditation. First, we review studies examining the relationship between meditation and alterations in the structure of the brain’s grey and white matter (so-called morphometric neuroimaging). Next, we discuss findings from functional neuroimaging methods, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) scans, and what they have taught us about the brain’s patterns of activity during different forms of meditation, how meditation alters the brain’s response to various tasks and experiences, and how the expertise of long-term meditators might be harnessed to help us explore subtle aspects of human cognition. Third, we review electrophysiological methods of measuring brain activity during meditation, such as electroencephalography (EEG), and how these findings relate to what we have learned from morphometric and functional neuroimaging. Finally, we discuss the implications of this research and of meditation more generally for brain health and psychological well-being. Specifically, we focus on how meditation might ameliorate the deficits related to cognitive aging, as well as help ameliorate the symptoms and underlying neural substrates associated with neurodegenerative and psychiatric disease.
Is Mindfulness “Religious”? From Sectarianism to Universalism
Authors: Sun Jessie
Published: July 2018

A brief essay guided by these questions: To what extent can mindfulness meditation, purposefully removed from its traditional Buddhist context, be considered “religious”? How does this deepen our understanding of the relationship between religion and modernity?