A University of Central Florida biologist whose groundbreaking work tracking the movements of sea turtle yearlings in the North Atlantic Ocean attracted international attention has completed a similar study in the South Atlantic with surprising results.
South Atlantic sea turtles do not passively ride prevailing currents as historically assumed, but instead actively swim and orient to keep themselves offshore. Depending on whether they hatch early, in the middle or late in the sea turtle hatching season, they travel in different and sometimes opposite directions, including into the Northern Hemisphere.
“It is important from a conservation perspective to understand where the youngest sea turtles go and how they interact with their environment,” said biology Assistant Professor Kate Mansfield who led the study. “Knowing they disperse in different directions, depending on changes in ocean currents, will help us get a better sense of where and when we need conservation efforts to ensure continued survival of these protected species.”
The team’s findings are published today in the Proceedings of Royal Society B.
This study was a collaboration between UCF, Brazilian sea turtle conservation group Projeto TAMAR, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries. The study of turtles in the South Atlantic helps build knowledge about the sea turtles’ “lost years,” the time after they hatch and head to sea, and before they return closer to shore as large juveniles several years to as much as a decade later. Very little is known about these young turtles during their early years at sea.
“This study helps fill some long-standing data gaps in our knowledge of the sea turtle life cycle among Brazilian turtles,” said Milagros Mendilaharsu, a co-author with Projeto TAMAR.
Young turtles have to survive several years in the open ocean and a couple decades in coastal waters before they reach maturity and can contribute to their populations, Mansfield said. Sea turtles are very late-maturing and long-lived creatures, which makes knowledge and understanding of the “lost years” challenging.
The team tracked 19 loggerhead turtles for more than 120 days off the coast of Bahia, Brazil. Turtles in the study were released early in the hatching season when prevailing currents are to the south, in the middle of the hatching season as currents begin to switch from north to south, and late in the hatching season when offshore currents head mostly to the north/northwest.
Passive floats, or oceanographic drifters, were released with the satellite-tagged turtles to test for their swimming behavior. The floats also served as a comparison between the turtles’ behavior and known passively drifting objects that would move with the currents.
The team found that early in the hatching season the majority of the turtles followed the strong southward currents. The turtles released in the middle of the season initially moved southward and three eventually veered to the north as the currents shifted. All drifters accompanying these turtles beached within a month, yet all turtles remained offshore.
Late in the hatching season, when currents flowed to the north and west, turtles uniformly moved north and northwestward across the equator. Mansfield said that active orientation combined with swimming behavior helps the turtles remain seaward of the Brazilian continental shelf instead of allowing themselves to be driven toward land like the drifters.
“Biologically speaking, this is fascinating,” Mansfield said.
Mansfield’s 2014 study, which looked at North Atlantic loggerhead turtles, gave some of the first insights into these “lost years.” In that study, many of the tracked turtles unexpectedly left the currents associated with the North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre, a large, circular current system in the North Atlantic Ocean, and entered the Sargasso Sea, an area inside the gyre. A similar gyre, the South Atlantic Subtropical Gyre, exists in the South Atlantic, but the sea turtles in the south did not act the same.
Fellow co-author Nathan Putman, a senior scientist with LGL Research, said the observed movement patterns may be “like money invested in a diverse suite of stocks. This may allow Brazilian turtles to spread risk for their offspring between two, largely independent, ocean basins, fostering a resilient population. In fact, that does seem to be the case for Brazil’s loggerheads.”
Unlike some other populations that have undergone dramatic declines or increases, these seem to be pretty steady – much like money invested in a diverse suite of stocks” said Putman.
Mansfield said: “As we track more young turtles in different ocean basins under different oceanographic conditions, we are finding that long-held assumptions and hypotheses about sea turtle “lost year” behavior are too limited—one hypothesis can’t explain all.”
With improving technology and miniaturization of satellite tags – such as tags developed by the ICARUS Initiative that Mansfield intends to deploy as part of the next steps in her research: icarusinitiative.org – the researchers said it will be exciting to learn more about these young seafarers.
Leesburg man wins top prize playing $5,000,000 GOLD RUSH DOUBLER Scratch-Off game
The Florida Lottery announces that Waldo Banks, 80, of Leesburg, claimed a top prize in the $5,000,000 GOLD RUSH DOUBLER Scratch-Off game at Florida Lottery Headquarters in Tallahassee. He chose to receive his winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $3,725,000.
Banks purchased his winning ticket from Publix, located at 10601 U.S. Highway 441 in Leesburg. The retailer will receive a $10,000 bonus commission for selling the winning Scratch-Off ticket.
The $20 game, $5,000,000 GOLD RUSH DOUBLER, features six top prizes of $5 million, 30 prizes of $1 million, and more than $752 million in total cash prizes! This $20 game offers more than 16.8 million winning tickets, and the overall odds of winning are one-in-2.99.
Scratch-Offs are an important part of the Lottery’s portfolio of games, generating more than $784 million for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (EETF) in FY 2016-17, and comprising approximately 68 percent of ticket sales.
New Explanation for Mars Clay May Provide Clues for Future Exploration Options
A study published today in Nature provides a new explanation for how clay formed on Mars, which could help scientists and engineers figure out how to unlock the early climate history of the planet.
“The basic recipe for making clay is you take rock and you add heat and water,” said Kevin Cannon, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Central Florida who led the research while completing his Ph.D. at Brown University. “This same material used for ceramics and pottery on Earth is also found on Mars, and now we think it may have formed beneath a thick steamy atmosphere just after the planet formed.”
There are thousands of clay outcrops on the Martian surface and more buried underground. This kind of clay is formed by the interaction of water with volcanic rock, leading many scientists to conclude there must have been widespread surface water or an active hydrothermal system at some point in Martian history. But the new research suggests the clays formed during the creation of the Martian crust itself, long before any water could have flowed on the planet. The scattering of the clay would be the result of impacts on the Red planet years after its initial formation.
Cannon and his co-authors, planetary scientists at Brown, said the scenario offers a means of creating widespread clay deposits that doesn’t require a warm and wet climate or a sustained hydrothermal system on early Mars. State-of-the-art climate models suggest an early Mars where the temperature rarely crept above freezing and where water flow on the surface was sporadic and isolated.
To test his theory, Cannon and his team recreated the conditions of early Mars in a lab at Brown. They used synthetic Mars basalt, high temperatures and pressure vessels to see what would happen. The results of the two weeks of testing supported the team’s hypothesis.
Then the team worked to create computer models to run simulations about what would have happened to the clay over time as the planet faced impacts from asteroids, which are evidenced today by the large craters seen on the surface. The simulations took more than a year to account for dozens of variables.
“One of the complications that comes up in Mars evolution is that surface weathering doesn’t seem to have had the capacity to produce the extent of mineral alteration that we see,” said John Mustard, a planetary science professor at Brown and study co-author. “We’re certainly not trying to discount other alteration mechanisms entirely. Surface weathering and other types of alteration surely occurred at different points in Martian history, but we think this is a plausible way to explain much of the widespread clay we see in the oldest Martian terrains.”
Together the lab experiments and computer modeling support the new theory. By better understanding the formation of the clay and its evolution over time, researchers will have more clues in figuring out the earliest history of Mars and potentially other planets, Cannon said.
Cannon joined UCF in July to work with Professor Dan Britt, who also runs NASA’s Center for Lunar & Asteroid Surface Science. Britt is also working with private asteroid mining companies and on several NASA missions including Lucy and New Horizons. Cannon said he was drawn to UCF because of the Planetary Sciences Group’s reputation and the university’s goals to conduct research that can make an impact.
“It was really exciting to me to come here where the work is hands-on and you are potentially helping prep for space exploration,” Cannon said. He also was the recipient of the university’s Preeminent Postdoctoral Program, which helps fund postdoctoral scholars.
Cannon has a Ph.D. in earth, environmental and planetary sciences from Brown University. He also has a degree in geological sciences from Queen’s University in Canada. His research focus at UCF includes diverse topics within planetary science, particularly surface mineralogy, comparative planetology and resource utilization. He is currently working on creating realistic Mars and asteroid regolith simulants.
Co-investigators on the paper are Stephen W. Parman and John F. Mustard from the Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences at Brown University.
Gov. Rick Scott in Israel: I Support Jerusalem as Israel’s Capital City
Florida Stands with Israel
Governor Rick Scott applauded the Trump Administration’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital city and the announcement of plans to move the U.S. Embassy. Governor Scott is leading a trade mission in Israel this week to continue to build on Florida and Israel’s strong relationship. Last week, Governor Scott announced in advance of his trip to Israel that the U.S. Embassy should move from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The video was taken earlier today at the Western Wall.
To view the video, see above or click HERE.
FDOT to Begin Concrete Repairs on S.R. 44 in DeLand
The Florida Department of Transportation is starting a project to help make the ride smoother along a portion of State Road (S.R.) 44/New York Avenue in DeLand. Crews will be sealing cracks in the concrete and removing and replacing damaged concrete slabs at various locations between Boundary and Hill avenues.
Construction is to begin Monday, Dec. 11, at Boundary Avenue, moving east, and is expected to finish in fall 2018. The project also includes replacing the concrete at the intersection of Plymouth Avenue and Woodland Boulevard, which is expected to occur toward the end of the project.
During construction, motorists can expect daytime and nighttime lane closures with flagging operations on S.R. 44, as well as nighttime detours. No lane closures are permitted during peak morning and afternoon travel between Clara and Fairview avenues, and no daytime lane closures are permitted on Woodland Boulevard.
Please note that construction schedules may change due to weather or other circumstances. Electronic message boards will be used to alert motorists to lane closures and detours, and updates will be available on the FDOT’s Central Florida website CFLRoads.com.
Media inquiries should be directed to FDOT Communications Manager Steve Olson at 386-943-5479 or [email protected]. Other construction-related questions may be directed to Carolyn Fitzwilliam, Public Information Coordinator, 386-740-3566 or [email protected].
Gov. Rick Scott Presents Wix with Business Ambassador Award for Creating 100 Florida Jobs
As part of his ongoing trade mission in Israel, Governor Rick Scott yesterday presented Wix, a website-building platform headquartered in Israel, with a Governor’s Business Ambassador Award for creating 100 jobs since opening their first Florida location in Miami in 2014.
Governor Scott said, “I was proud to present Wix with a Governor’s Business Ambassador Award today in recognition of their work to create 100 new jobs. While this global company could have chosen to invest in any state, they ultimately chose Florida to grow and create new opportunities for our families. We must continue to market our state across the world and I look forward to continuing to share this message with Israeli business leaders during our trade mission this week.”
Ron Gutler, lead board member for Wix, said, “Wix has experienced incredible growth in Florida over the past two years. It was an honor to accept the Governor’s Business Ambassador Award today. This award belongs to our Miami team, the dedicated employees who demonstrate the talent we have found in the great state of Florida. We look forward to continued success and serving our growing base of global customers.”
Governor Scott is currently leading a delegation of nearly 70 Florida business and education leaders on a trade mission in Israel to continue to build on Florida and Israel’s strong relationship. Florida’s economic development and trading partnership with Israel exceeds $286 million a year.
Understanding Diabetes
Diabetes is a lifelong condition, so whether you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, proper health care and a good relationship with physicians and specialists is imperative to a happy, healthy you. A diabetes diagnosis is no longer something to be afraid of, you can learn to live with the new normal and have a satisfying, healthful life.
Type 1 Diabetes: A Lack of Insulin
Insulin is a hormone that helps your body’s cells use sugar for energy and stores extra energy in muscle, fat, and liver cells. Without it, sugar can’t get into these cells, which causes your blood sugar levels to become high. High blood sugar can cause damage to the eyes, heart, blood vessels, nerves, and kidneys. It can also increase your risk for other health complications. Type 1 diabetes occurs when your pancreas stops making insulin. It can happen at any age, but it generally starts in childhood or young adulthood. While there is no cure for type 1 diabetes, you can live a long and active life with the proper treatment.
There is a genetic factor to type 1 diabetes. Some people who have a parent or sibling with the disease are at a higher risk of developing it. Other risk factors include being Caucasian and having islet cell antibodies in the blood. Symptoms of type 1 diabetes that can be early warning signs include:
- Being very thirsty
- Urinating frequently
- Unexplained weight loss
- Being abnormally hungry at times
- Blurred eyesight
Treatment plans include taking insulin, eating a healthy diet in which carbohydrates are spread throughout the day, checking blood sugar levels multiple times daily, and getting exercise regularly.
Type 2 Diabetes: Misused Insulin
You can get type 2 diabetes if your body doesn’t respond to insulin appropriately or if your pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin. If you are overweight, sedentary, or have a history of type 2 diabetes in your family, you are more likely to be at risk. It can be prevented or delayed if you live a healthy lifestyle. Treating type 2 diabetes includes making healthy food choices, losing weight if you’re overweight, getting regular exercise, and taking medications if necessary. You should also see your doctor regularly, test your blood sugar levels daily, keep your blood pressure and cholesterol under control, and quit smoking.
The Emotional Toll
Living with diabetes can seem insurmountable, but the good news is that it’s not! By following doctor’s orders, managing your weight, exercising, eating right, and staying on top of your blood sugar levels, you can lead a happy, healthy life regardless of your diagnosis. It’s common to feel upset, and that’s okay – just remember that you can still live your life to the fullest.
For more information about diabetes, visit Capital Health Plans’ Healthwise® Knowledgebase at capitalhealth.com.
Hayley Scott, MD, is a family medicine physician at Capital Health Plan and is fluent in American Sign Language.
ICYMI: The Times of Israel: Beyond beaches: Florida seeks to lure Israeli startups
Beyond beaches: Florida seeks to lure Israeli startups
The Times of Israel
Shoshanna Solomon
December 5, 2017
Move over, Silicon Valley and New York. Florida Gov. Rick Scott is looking to put his state “on the map for innovation.”
Scott is visiting Israel this week at the head of an almost 70-strong delegation including businessmen and university heads hoping to whip up the appetite of Israeli startups to set up their businesses in the third-most populous US state.
“Over half a million people have moved to Florida recently because of its economic development,” Scott told a gathering of businessmen in Tel Aviv on Monday, in a bid to raise the state’s profile. “There are today opportunities for technology companies to access the US markets by setting up their headquarters in Florida, because of the comfortable terms offered by our good business environment. We have an extensive space industry — and there is lots of place for Israeli startups to integrate into the field.”
Scott is a supporter of the Florida-Israel Business Accelerator (FIBA), a technology accelerator that aims to make use of the local Jewish community to foster the growth of high-tech local and Israeli ventures in the Tampa Bay area and help Israeli startups make inroads in the US. The program was set up last year by the Tampa Jewish Community Centers & Federation.
“It is the first time, to the best of our knowledge, that any Jewish community has set up a business development platform together with a community engagement platform” to deal with Israel, said Jack Ross, a former executive director of the Tampa JCC and an investor in Israeli startup StemRad, for whom he is also a VP in charge of the North America market. “We wanted more people to intersect with Israeli culture and innovation and give Israel a community partner.”
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“The idea is to put Florida on the map for innovation,” said Rakefet Bachur, the executive director of marketing for FIBA, and also “fill the gap” for Israeli startups who have “great technologies” but find it hard to navigate the process of starting sales in the US.
“Israelis don’t understand the local culture or the business culture. Our aim is to give them a solid understanding and the tools to navigate the process once they meet a big enterprise,” she said.
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FWC approves new Critical Wildlife Area in Volusia County
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) today approved a new Critical Wildlife Area in Volusia County.
The small island, known as Port Orange Colony and now approved as a CWA, shelters hundreds of brown pelicans during nesting season. It is less than 2 acres but is one of the largest breeding sites for brown pelicans along Florida’s Atlantic coast.
Other vulnerable shorebirds documented to nest there include the tricolored heron and American oystercatcher. Also breeding and sheltering on the island are snowy egrets, great egrets, double-crested cormorants and great blue herons.
“Protecting Florida’s birds is what gave rise to the conservation movement in the United States,” said FWC Chairman Brian Yablonski. “This is a legacy moment that we leave for the ages as a Commission,”
In November 2016, the FWC significantly increased the number and range of Critical Wildlife Areas, created by the agency to protect critical wildlife in its most vulnerable stages from human disturbance. At that time, 13 new CWAs were added and five existing CWAs were expanded. The proposal to establish the Port Orange CWA was postponed because of questions about ownership of the property that have since been resolved.
Once the Port Orange CWA is established, it will be closed to public access from Jan. 1 to Aug. 31. The protected area includes a water buffer around the island of anywhere from 10 to 150 feet. Signs will be posted in the water to alert the public to stay out of the CWA during the closed dates.
In 2016 before establishing and expanding CWAs, the FWC conducted a statewide effort to present the proposals and obtain public input. More than 400 people attended 14 CWA workshops throughout the state. The agency then used the public feedback to improve the CWA proposals.
Learn more about Florida’s CWAs at MyFWC.com/CWA.
Gov. Rick Scott Recognizes Agreement Between Florida Venture Hive and Israeli AWG Group
As part of his ongoing trade mission in Israel, Governor Rick Scott recognized the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding yesterday between Florida-based Venture Hive and Tel Aviv-based AGW, an Israeli technology commercialization company. This agreement will ultimately help create, promote and implement technology commercialization and corporate innovation programs supported by the two organizations. To view the agreement, click HERE.
Governor Scott said, “This agreement is just one of the many ways that we are actively working to build on Florida and Israel’s strong relationship, and encourage continued economic growth and new opportunities for our families. I look forward to seeing the success of Venture Hive and AGW Group’s new partnership.”
Venture Hive works with Fortune 200 corporations, accelerators and universities to help develop entrepreneurs and innovators through management software solutions and training. Together, Venture Hive and AGW Group will develop innovation pipelines to support international commercialization opportunities for corporations and universities throughout the Americas, Israeli and Florida.
Governor Scott is currently leading a delegation of nearly 70 Florida business and education leaders on a trade mission in Israel to continue to build on Florida and Israel’s strong relationship. Florida’s economic development and trading partnership with Israel exceeds $286 million a year.