Temporospatial dynamics and public health significance of bacterial flora identified on a major leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) nesting beach in the Southern Caribbean

Grande Riviere beach, on the island of Trinidad, supports the largest nesting population of leatherback turtles in the Caribbean region. Throughout the nesting season, nests are naturally disturbed by newly nesting females, resulting in egg breakage and loss of some nest viability. This environment is ideal for the growth and proliferation of microorganisms. The range of bacterial flora present in beach sand and egg shells was examined, with emphasis on bacteria that may pose a threat to public and animal health. The extent to which the bacterial load and genera on the beach changed throughout the season was also assessed. Twenty‐five genera were identified, with Pseudomonas spp. found to be the most predominant environmental bacteria. Four genera identified possess zoonotic potential, while five additional genera are known to be of public and animal health significance. Distinct shifts in the density and distribution of bacteria were observed along the beach from early to peak nesting season. Shifts were seen across heavily traversed zones, thus highlighting the potential exposure threats posed to beach visitors and animals alike. Further studies aimed at speciating this population of bacteria, as well as isolating potential fungal pathogens may mitigate this threat. Identification of bacterial agents that are specifically pathogenic to leatherback turtles, turtle eggs, hatchlings and those who may interact with these animals will serve to enhance and guide efforts to better conserve this species and protect the health of all who visit this ecologically significant site.     

Post‐tectonic clastic dykes in the Dalradian of Scotland and Ireland: implications for delayed lithification and deformation of sediments

Structures associated with soft‐sediment deformation are preserved in the Neoproterozoic Dalradian Supergroup of SW Scotland and NW Ireland. Clastic dykes display a range of age relationships to regional Caledonian D₁ folds and fabrics from pre‐tectonic to hitherto unrecognized post‐tectonic. Evidence for the post‐D₁ timing of some dykes includes the emplacement of centimetre‐scale injections along regional S₁ cleavage, the disorientation and transport of cleaved wall‐rock clasts within larger dykes, and clastic dykes which markedly cross‐cut and transect F₁ fold hinges and axial planes. Collectively, these observations are compatible with the earliest regional (D₁) structures deforming a sequence which contained locally overpressured and unlithified pockets of sediment. These critical relationships indicate that overpressured pockets of unlithified sediment were possibly retained within the Dalradian for significant periods of time spanning at least 120 Ma given existing isotopic constraints. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.