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Monitoring in the Western Pacific region shows evidence of seagrass decline in line with global trends

Short FT, Coles R, Fortes MD, Victor S, Salik M, Isnain I, et al.

Mar Pollut Bull, 2014 Jun 30;83(2):408-16.
PMID: 24746094 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.03.036

Seagrass systems of the Western Pacific region are biodiverse habitats, providing vital services to ecosystems and humans over a vast geographic range. SeagrassNet is a worldwide monitoring program that collects data on seagrass habitats, including the ten locations across the Western Pacific reported here where change at various scales was rapidly detected. Three sites remote from human influence were stable. Seagrasses declined largely due to increased nutrient loading (4 sites) and increased sedimentation (3 sites), the two most common stressors of seagrass worldwide. Two sites experienced near-total loss from of excess sedimentation, followed by partial recovery once sedimentation was reduced. Species shifts were observed at every site with recovering sites colonized by pioneer species. Regulation of watersheds is essential if marine protected areas are to preserve seagrass meadows. Seagrasses in the Western Pacific experience stress due to human impacts despite the vastness of the ocean area and low development pressures.
Quantification of blue carbon in seagrass ecosystems of Southeast Asia and their potential for climate change mitigation

Stankovic M, Ambo-Rappe R, Carly F, Dangan-Galon F, Fortes MD, Hossain MS, et al.

Sci Total Environ, 2021 Aug 20;783:146858.
PMID: 34088119 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146858

Seagrasses have the ability to contribute towards climate change mitigation, through large organic carbon (Corg) sinks within their ecosystems. Although the importance of blue carbon within these ecosystems has been addressed in some countries of Southeast Asia, the regional and national inventories with the application of nature-based solutions are lacking. In this study, we aim to estimate national coastal blue carbon stocks in the seagrass ecosystems in the countries of Southeast Asia including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India. This study further assesses the potential of conservation and restoration practices and highlights the seagrass meadows as nature-based solution for climate change mitigation. The average value of the total carbon storage within seagrass meadows of this region is 121.95 ± 76.11 Mg ha-1 (average ± SD) and the total Corg stock of the seagrass meadows of this region was 429.11 ± 111.88 Tg, with the highest Corg stock in the Philippines (78%). The seagrass meadows of this region have the capacity to accumulate 5.85-6.80 Tg C year-1, which accounts for $214.6-249.4 million USD. Under the current rate of decline of 2.82%, the seagrass meadows are emitting 1.65-2.08 Tg of CO2 year-1 and the economic value of these losses accounts for $21.42-24.96 million USD. The potential of the seagrass meadows to the offset current CO2 emissions varies across the region, with the highest contribution to offset is in the seagrass meadows of the Philippines (11.71%). Current national policies and commitments of nationally determined contributions do not include blue carbon ecosystems as climate mitigation measures, even though these ecosystems can contribute up to 7.03% of the countries' reduction goal of CO2 emissions by 2030. The results of this study highlight and promote the potential of the southeast Asian seagrass meadows to national and international agencies as a practical scheme for nature-based solutions for climate change mitigation.
STROCSS 2021: Strengthening the reporting of cohort, cross-sectional and case-control studies in surgery

Mathew G, Agha R, Albrecht J, Goel P, Mukherjee I, Pai P, et al.

Int J Surg, 2021 Dec;96:106165.
PMID: 34774726 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijsu.2021.106165

INTRODUCTION: Strengthening The Reporting Of Cohort Studies in Surgery (STROCSS) guidelines were developed in 2017 in order to improve the reporting quality of observational studies in surgery and updated in 2019. In order to maintain relevance and continue upholding good reporting quality among observational studies in surgery, we aimed to update STROCSS 2019 guidelines.
METHODS: A STROCSS 2021 steering group was formed to come up with proposals to update STROCSS 2019 guidelines. An expert panel of researchers assessed these proposals and judged whether they should become part of STROCSS 2021 guidelines or not, through a Delphi consensus exercise.
RESULTS: 42 people (89%) completed the DELPHI survey and hence participated in the development of STROCSS 2021 guidelines. All items received a score between 7 and 9 by greater than 70% of the participants, indicating a high level of agreement among the DELPHI group members with the proposed changes to all the items.
CONCLUSION: We present updated STROCSS 2021 guidelines to ensure ongoing good reporting quality among observational studies in surgery.
STROCSS 2019 Guideline: Strengthening the reporting of cohort studies in surgery

Agha R, Abdall-Razak A, Crossley E, Dowlut N, Iosifidis C, Mathew G, et al.

Int J Surg, 2019 Nov 06;72:156-165.
PMID: 31704426 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijsu.2019.11.002

INTRODUCTION: The STROCSS guideline was developed in 2017 to improve the reporting quality of observational studies in surgery. Building on its impact and usefulness, we sought to update the guidelines two years after its publication.
METHODS: A steering group was formed to review the existing guideline and propose amendments to the 17-item checklist. A Delphi consensus exercise was utilised to determine agreement across a list of proposed modifications to the STROCSS 2017 guideline. An expert panel of 46 surgeons were invited to assess the proposed updates via Google Forms.
RESULTS: The response rate was 91% (n = 42/46). High agreement was reached across all the items and the guideline was finalised in the first round. The checklist maintained 17-items, with modifications primarily considered to improve content and readability.
CONCLUSIONS: The STROCSS 2019 guideline is hereby presented as a considered update to improve reporting of cohort, cross-sectional and case-control studies in surgery.