The proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) is the prevailing method for basis generation in the model reduction of fluids. A serious limitation of this method, however, is that it is empirical. In other words, this basis accurately represents the flow data used to generate it, but may not be accurate when applied ‘off-design’. Thus, the reduced-order model may lose accuracy for flow parameters (e.g. Reynolds number, initial or boundary conditions and forcing parameters) different from those used to generate the POD basis and generally does. This paper investigates the use of sensitivity analysis in the basis selection step to partially address this limitation. We examine two strategies that use the sensitivity of the POD modes with respect to the problem parameters. Numerical experiments performed on the flow past a square cylinder over a range of Reynolds numbers demonstrate the effectiveness of these strategies. The newly derived bases allow for a more accurate representation of the flows when exploring the parameter space. Expanding the POD basis built at one state with its sensitivity leads to low-dimensional dynamical systems having attractors that approximate fairly well the attractor of the full-order Navier–Stokes equations for large parameter changes.

In this paper, we present an approach to compare the impact of different management options on the dynamics of a mixed fishery. We used ISIS-Fish, a simulation tool aimed at evaluating the impact of spatial and seasonal management measures on the dynamics of mixed fisheries. The French Nephrops norvegicus (Norway lobster) – Merluccius merluccius (hake) mixed fishery of the Bay of Biscay was chosen as a study case. First, we parameterised the population and exploitation models. We then selected several management measures, including marine protected areas (MPAs) and total allowable catches (TAC), and parameterised fishermen's reaction to each measure. Then, a sensitivity analysis was performed according to a fractional factorial experimental design. Management scenarios were assessed and compared using a statistical simulation design. The sensitivity analysis showed the large influence of some parameters, such as natural mortality, N. norvegicus fecundity, and catchability on both abundance and catches. Given model parameters, an improvement of trawl selectivity and several MPA designs (differing in size, seasonality and location) were found to result in a significant increase in abundance over 10 years, especially for N. norvegicus. This study illustrates the need for a pluri-specific approach to fisheries assessment and management.

The diversity of reef ecosystems, the multiplicity of reef resource uses and the breadth of the range of the island socio-cultural contexts concerned make coral reef fisheries (CRF) management in the South Pacific a complex task. The health and state of the targeted resources depend both on ecosystem characteristics (as determined by ecological and biological factors) and on fishing pressure, whose effects are only partly known. Increasing harvests from commercial and recreational fishing increasingly overlap with traditional subsistence activity, creating an important CRF management challenge. This paper presents a new approach to CRF assessment and monitoring by providing a set of multidisciplinary indicators. The fisheries system is assessed from three different viewpoints: ecology of targeted populations, exploitation and the broader socio-economic fishery context. The use of complementary indicators chosen from each of these fields could balance the chronic lack of human and financial resources for the management of these fisheries. We suggest the use of these indicators through an assessment grid or an indicator dashboard specifically adapted to given situations and management objectives determined through a participatory approach. The operational efficiency of this dashboard depends on i) dialogue between users, ii) the objectivity of the proposed monitoring, iii) the visual transcription of divergent/convergent interests amongst stakeholders, and iv) stakeholder involvement in the decision-making process. The use and constraints of such a tool are described with reference to Ouvea atoll (New-Caledonia, South Pacific) for which an analysis of available indicators for assessing fisheries status is presented.

Monitoring the abundance of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) is necessary to assess population trends and risks of collapse. This note presents a study aimed at comparing three techniques for the direct estimation of green turtle numbers in their foraging habitats (seagrass beds and reef flats). The experiment was carried out at Mayotte Island, Western Indian Ocean. The techniques involved were surveys by snorkel, and aerial surveys using a microlight aircraft and a paramotor. Each technique had shortcomings and advantages. While each technique provided estimations of turtle numbers only surveys by snorkel permitted identification of species and sex, whenever visibility and turtle behaviour permitted. Along the shorelines, and over foraging areas, the paramotor was found to be most suitable for direct estimations of turtle numbers. The major advantage of this technique lied in its capability to obtain a synoptic snapshot of turtle distribution over foraging areas. Linear surveys from a microlight aircraft are better suited to monitor foraging areas located further away from the shore.

The present paper aims at identifying and assessing indicators of the effects of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in coral reef regions, based on a bibliography review in ecology, economics and social sciences. First the various effects studied within each of these domains and the variables used to measure them were censused. Potential ecological indicators were assessed through their link with the question used (here termed “relevance”) and their “effectiveness” which encompasses the issues of precision, accuracy and statistical power. Relevance and effectiveness were respectively measured by the frequency of use of each indicator and the proportion of significant results in the reviewed articles. For social and economic effects, the approach was not possible due to the low number of references; we thus discussed the issue of finding appropriate indicators for those fields. Results indicate: 1- the unbalance in literature between disciplines; 2- the need for protocols and methodologies which include controls in order to assess MPA effects; 3- an important proportion of ecological indicators with low effectiveness; 4- the large number of ecological effects still not studied or not demonstrated at present.

The levels of drought tolerance and nucleotide polymorphism at the CBF4 locus were examined in a world-wide sample of 17 core accessions of Arabidopsis thaliana. The results showed that different accessions exhibited considerable differences in adaptation to drought stress. Compared with Columbia accession, the frequency of nucleotide polymorphism at the CBF4 locus of 25av, 203av and 244av accessions, including single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and insertion/deletion (Indel), was high, on average 1 SNP per 35.8 bp and 1 Indel per 143 bp. No significance in all regions of Tajima's D test indicated that the neutral mutation hypothesis could explain the nucleotide polymorphism in this CBF4 gene region. The higher polymorphism was the result of purification selection. Nucleotide polymorphism in the non-coding region was three times higher than in the coding region. This might indicate a recent relaxation of selection pressures on the non-coding region of CBF4 gene. In the coding region of CBF4, SNP frequency was 1 SNP per 96.4 bp and one non-synonymous mutation was detected from 25av, 203av and 244av accessions: the amino acid variation gly↔val at position 205, caused by the nucleotide variation G↔T at position 1034 (corresponding to the nucleotide at position 19 696 of GenBank accession no. AB015478 as 1). Furthermore, four differential SNPs were discovered in haplotype 6 constituted by 203av, one of them located in the 3′ non-coding region (A↔C at position 1106) and the others in the 5′ non-coding region (A↔G, A↔C and G↔A at positions 27, 129 and 171, respectively). The drought tolerance assay indicated that accession 203av was the best at tolerating water deficiency. We propose that haplotype 6 is consistent with its drought tolerance.

Marine Protected Areas (MPA) are often contemplated as a tool for the sustainable management of exploited resources and ecosystem conservation. This paper proposes an approach to establish a statistical diagnostic of the effects of MPAs on fish assemblages, and define corresponding ecological indicators. This requires choosing relevant variables (abundance, diversity, demographic parameters ...) and appropriate statistical methods. The study was based on data from the Abore reef Reserve in New Caledonia. Two sets of methods: 1-inferential linear models (ANOVA, GLM); 2- Partial Least Squares (PLS) methods of regression, were used to test the effects of this MPA. PLS enabled us to test simultaneously within a model, density, species richness, biomass and mean size variables of fish community to retain the most sensitive and relevant ones. Habitat variability was also taken into account in these models. Species were grouped according to several criteria: 1- feeding habit; 2- taxonomy; 3- mobility; 4- adult size; 5- demographic strategy. No significant effect of the opening of the Abore reef to fishing was found for mobility. Feeding habit was the only criterion for which the results from the inferential models and PLS showed a significant effect of reserve status for all variables. Species richness, density, and to a lesser extent mean size, were sensitive to the removal of reserve status, but not biomass. Results from ANOVA and PLS regression were consistent but the latter allows a more holistic approach as it integrates all variables within a single model.

Inshore marine areas host key habitats for the biological cycle of many marine populations, but are subject to strong anthropogenic pressure. Uses of inshore areas are multiple and often give rise to conflicting interests. In this context, marine protected areas (MPAs) and artificial reefs (ARs) are increasingly regarded as interesting management measures, in that they contribute to ecosystem conservation, fisheries sustainability, and because they can be helpful in zoning coastal areas in order to reduce conflicts between users. Beyond these expected benefits, it is important to appraise whether MPAs and ARs meet managers' objectives. This review focuses on the interaction between ecological sciences and management in the purpose of establishing or monitoring MPAs and ARs. We first study how objectives have to be formalized through management plans, and which kinds of information need to be collected in this respect. We then report management objectives related to MPAs and ARs, and list corresponding observed effects. Finally, we discuss the present role of monitoring and scientific research in the management process and propose a few perspectives for scientific research.

A statistical approach is proposed to utilize the information contained both in scientific surveys and commercial fishing logbooks, in order to determine spatial and temporal distributions of recruiting and spawning fish of exploited populations. The approach is based on multivariate descriptive methods including ordination methods and classification techniques. A typology involving a principal component analysis (PCA), followed by a hierarchical ascending classification (HAC), is applied to both scientific and commercial data. PCA that accounts for spatial and temporal contiguities were performed. These analyses allow to compare structures observed at global and local scales, with those observed without focusing on a particular scale. The method is applied to the whiting population in the Celtic Sea. The analyses performed on both scientific and commercial CPUE show that most age groups are found north of 50°N. The analysis of commercial CPUE indicates four periods in the year associated with particular areas. High abundances of adults (age >2 years) are observed during spawning season (January–April) in inshore areas (south of Ireland and off Cornwall). Intermediate abundances of adults are observed in the same area in May and June. Between July and September, all age groups are observed in the Smalls area, where particularly high abundance of recruiting group 1 are found. During the last quarter, the distribution of adults is more widespread, mainly ranging between 51°N and 52°N.

The ability of captive-reared turtles to survive in the wild is not precisely known, nor are movements of immature turtles in the open ocean. To provide information on these issues, a satellite tracking experiment was conducted in the western Indian Ocean to monitor oceanic movements of immature green turtles. Two wild turtles and four captive-reared individuals were tracked. The latter had been displaced after birth from nesting sites to a distant rearing site. Wild turtles survived after release, but did not move far away from release site. We hypothesize that this resident behaviour may be explained by stage-specific habitat requirements. Captive-reared turtles survived after release and migrated over thousands of kilometres. Among these, the oldest immature turtles retrieved the foraging sites of their native population, with movement patterns similar to those displayed by adults. Observed movements may be linked to hydrographic conditions such as general oceanic circulation, sea temperature and thermal fronts.

Objectives: In a context where sleep laboratories are overwhelmed by a growing demand to diagnose obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), efficient substitutive solutions to in-laboratory polysomnography should be found. To compare the effectiveness and costs of home unattended polysomnography (Hpsg) and telemonitored polysomnography (TMpsg), a cost minimization study was performed.

Methods: In a crossover trial, 99 patients underwent on two consecutive nights TMpsg and Hpsg according to a randomized order. A legibility recording criterion was retained to measure effectiveness. A microcosting study of TMpsg and Hpsg was performed. The risks to adopt home strategy or telemonitored strategy, according to different scenario chosen to reach the diagnosis in case of failure of Hpsg or TMpsg, were analyzed.

Results: The recording was considered to be ineffective in 11.2% of TMpsg (95% CI, 4.9–17.4) and in 23.4% (95% CI, 19.12–27.68) of Hpsg. The effectiveness differential was 12.2% (95% CI, 1.8–22.6) (p = .02). Assuming that in case of failure PSGs would be re-realized in the same condition to reach the diagnosis, then TMpsg could be selected if Hc/TMc (cost of Hpsg/cost of TMpsg) > 0.97; Hpsg could be selected if Hc/TMc < 0.76. If 0.76 ≤ Hc/TMc ≤ 0.97, the choice of TMpsg would be ambiguous. TMc was estimated to be $244, while Hc was $153 (Hc/TMc = 0.63).

Conclusion: Unless some specific geographical situations generate significant transport costs, the implementation of a strategy based on unattended polysomnography at home is cost-saving compared to a telemonitoring strategy.

Fish stock assessment makes Widespread use of Virtual Population Analysis (VPA) and long-term equilibrium prediction models. Although there have been some statistical investigations about the properties of VPA results, apparently there are no complete analyse about predictions statistical and numerical behaviour. However, management decisions generally rely upon production forecasts. This paper compares stability properties of VPA and the yield per recruit model with regard to various errors concerning all the input parameters. Robustness fis assessed by means of first-ordo sensitivities whereas variances are inferred from delta-method estimators. Sensitivity of yield per recruit appears to be mainly due to terminal mortality rate and age-specific weights, and to a lesser extent, to catches and natural mortality. Mean values of the input parameters were also found to influence the model's behaviour. A complete estimation of variances would require a variance-covariance matrix for weights at age and terminal fishing mortality rates. Sensitivities and variances are complementary in that the first quantify the absolute robustness of the models whereas the second show model robustness in relation to the dimensioned interval of variation of each input parameter. If variances were available for all parameters, yield per recruit estimates could be taken into account for fisheries management decisions.