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Can I actually target areas to lose fat, like my belly?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nick-fuller-219993">Nick Fuller</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> Spend some time scrolling social media and you’re all-but-guaranteed to see an ad promising to help you with targeted fat loss. These ads promote a concept known as “spot reduction”, claiming you can burn fat in a specific body area, usually the belly, with specially designed exercises or workouts. It’s also common to see ads touting special diets, pills and supplements that will blast fat in targeted areas. These ads – which often feature impressive before and after photos taken weeks apart – can seem believable. Unfortunately, spot reduction is another weight-loss myth. It’s simply not possible to target the location of fat loss. Here’s why. <h2>1. Our bodies are hardwired to access and burn all our fat stores for energy</h2> To understand why spot reduction is a myth, it’s important to understand how body fat is stored and used. The fat stored in our bodies takes the form of triglycerides, which are a type of lipid or fat molecule we can use for energy. Around 95% of the dietary fats <a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/triglycerides">we consume are triglycerides</a>, and when we eat, our bodies also convert any unused energy consumed into triglycerides. Triglycerides are stored in special fat cells called adipocytes, and they’re released into our bloodstream and transported to adipose tissue – tissue we more commonly refer to as body fat. This body fat is found all over our bodies, but it’s primarily stored as subcutaneous fat under our skin and as visceral fat around our internal organs. These fat stores serve as a vital energy reserve, with our bodies mobilising to access stored triglycerides to provide energy during periods of prolonged exercise. We also draw on these reserves when we’re dieting and fasting. However, contrary to what many spot-reduction ads would have us think, our muscles can’t directly access and burn specific fat stores when we exercise. Instead, they use a process called lipolysis to convert triglycerides into free fatty acids and a compound called glycerol, which then travels to our muscles via our bloodstream. As a result, the fat stores we’re using for energy when we exercise come from everywhere in our bodies – not just the areas we’re targeting for fat loss. Research reinforces how our bodies burn fat when we exercise, confirming spot reduction is a weight-loss myth. This includes a randomised <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25766455/">12-week clinical trial</a> which found no greater improvement in reducing belly fat between people who undertook an abdominal resistance program in addition to changes in diet compared to those in the diet-only group. Further, <a href="https://www.termedia.pl/A-proposed-model-to-test-the-hypothesis-of-exerciseinduced-localized-fat-reduction-spot-reduction-including-a-systematic-review-with-meta-analysis,129,45538,0,1.html">a 2021 meta-analysis</a> of 13 studies involving more than 1,100 participants found that localised muscle training had no effect on localised fat deposits. That is, exercising a specific part of the body did not reduce fat in that part of the body. <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/7/3845">Studies</a> purporting to show spot-reduction benefits have small numbers of participants with results that aren’t clinically meaningful. <h2>2. Our bodies decide where we store fat and where we lose it from first</h2> Factors outside of our control influence the areas and order in which our bodies store and lose fat, namely: <ul> <li> our genes. Just as DNA prescribes whether we’re short or tall, genetics plays a significant role in how our fat stores are managed. Research shows our genes can account for <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24632736/">60% of where fat is distributed</a>. So, if your mum tends to store and lose weight from her face first, there’s a good chance you will, too </li> <li> our gender. Our bodies, by nature, have distinct fat storage characteristics <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11706283/">driven by our gender</a>, including females having more fat mass than males. This is primarily because the female body is designed to hold fat reserves to support pregnancy and nursing, with women tending to lose weight from their face, calves and arms first because they impact childbearing the least, while holding onto fat stored around the hips, thighs and buttocks </li> <li> our age. The ageing process triggers changes in muscle mass, metabolism, and hormone levels, which can impact where and how quickly fat is lost. Post-menopausal <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-menopause-making-me-put-on-weight-no-but-its-complicated-198308">women</a> and middle-aged <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/sex-differences-in-fat-storage-fat-metabolism-and-the-health-risks-from-obesity-possible-evolutionary-origins/00950AD6710FB3D0414B13EAA67D4327">men</a> tend to store visceral fat around the midsection and find it a stubborn place to shift fat from. </li> </ul> <h2>3. Over-the-counter pills and supplements cannot effectively target fat loss</h2> Most advertising for these pills and dietary supplements – including products claiming to be “the best way to lose belly fat” – will also proudly claim their product’s results are backed by “clinical trials” and “scientific evidence”. But the reality is a host of independent studies don’t support these claims. This includes two recent studies by the University of Sydney that examined data from more than 120 placebo-controlled trials of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31984610/">herbal</a> and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33976376/">dietary</a> supplements. None of the supplements examined provided a clinically meaningful reduction in body weight among overweight or obese people. <h2>The bottom line</h2> Spot reduction is a myth – we can’t control where our bodies lose fat. But we can achieve the results we’re seeking in specific areas by targeting overall fat loss. While you may not lose the weight in a specific spot when exercising, all physical activity helps to burn body fat and preserve muscle mass. This will lead to a change in your body shape over time and it will also help you with long-term weight management. This is because your metabolic rate – how much energy you burn at rest – is determined by how much muscle and fat you carry. As muscle is more metabolically active than fat (meaning it burns more energy than fat), a person with a higher muscle mass will have a faster metabolic rate than someone of the same body weight with a higher fat mass. Successfully losing fat long term comes down to losing weight in small, manageable chunks you can sustain – periods of weight loss, followed by periods of weight maintenance, and so on, until you achieve your goal weight. It also requires gradual changes to your lifestyle (diet, exercise and sleep) to ensure you form habits that last a lifetime. At the Boden Group, Charles Perkins Centre, we are studying the science of obesity and running clinical trials for weight loss. You can <a href="https://redcap.sydney.edu.au/surveys/?s=RKTXPPPHKY">register here</a> to express your interest.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/205203/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nick-fuller-219993">Nick Fuller</a>, Charles Perkins Centre Research Program Leader, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-i-actually-target-areas-to-lose-fat-like-my-belly-205203">original article</a>.

Body

Natural spaces linked to better health – especially for poorer areas

We know wealth is a huge decider of public health, with people in wealthier neighbourhoods enjoying longer life expectancy. Now a new study has suggested that natural spaces can reduce this inequality. Published in the Journal of Epidemiology of Community Health, the research suggests that the amount of green and blue space in an area lengthens the lifespans of people under 65: and, critically, narrows the lifespan gap between richer and poorer areas. Fighting for green space is nothing new to many people, like those in places like Adelaide, Perth and Canberra, but this new understanding will add weight to their arguments that it needs to be retained. The researchers took data from the 2016 Scottish Burden of Disease study, which tracks health in the Scottish population at a local level. Examining data from people aged under 65, the researchers tracked “years of life lost”, or YLL, to get an idea of the chance of premature death. The researchers then used the Ordnance Survey Mastermap to examine area of natural space or private garden. This included woodland, marshes, open water, natural and semi natural grassland (such as grass on sports pitches, roadside verges, and farmland), agriculture, and bare rocky ground or sand and soil. Comparing these two showed that areas with the highest income deprivation had smallest amount of natural space and gardens, as well as the worst health. But, even when wealth was controlled for, natural spaces were still linked with improved health. Every 10% increase in natural space was associated with a 7% fall in premature deaths. Because the study is observational, the researchers can’t show that natural spaces are causing better health: even though income has been taken into account, there may be other factors at play. But, since this result is similar to other studies which have found a beneficial effect of nature, the researchers are hopeful that natural spaces have an “equigenic” effect: they can help to equalise the effects of wealth inequality. “An increased amount of natural/green spaces within local areas has the potential to reduce the disparity in YLL between the most and least income deprived areas,” write the researchers in their paper. An accompanying editorial points out that we still don’t fully understand why natural spaces are good for our health. “Why is green space beneficial? An obvious explanation is that interaction with the natural environment drove our evolution; thus, we prefer biologically diverse environments and derive mental benefits from them,” write the editorial authors, who weren’t involved with the research. “Physical activity, facilitated by green space, is an established contributor to better health,” they add. They also suggest that more time in green space improves the diversity of our microbiome and immunity, but advocate for more research in the area. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/natural-space-health-inequality/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Ellen Phiddian. Image: Shutterstock

Body

The quick and easy way to create an office in your living area

Working from home is here to stay, but for many Australians the luxury of a home office isn’t always an option. Bunnings have teamed up with Better Homes and Gardens to bring you these handy hacks to create your own designated work space at home. 1. Find the perfect desk First things first, you’ll need a sturdy desk. Whether you buy a ready-made desk or build one yourself, ensure it’s the ideal size (common dimensions range between 120 and 180cm wide and 60 to 90cm deep). Select your countertop material to suit your interior style. A minimalist, timber design is the epitome of Scandinavian style, whereas a black metal desk evokes an industrial mood. <h3>2. Add a feature wall</h3> A bold feature wall creates a strong visual contrast and can liven up any lacklustre room. It’s also the key to dividing your study nook from an open-plan area — creating a separate space that’s truly your own. Here, the Bunnings team use premium paint to form a striking focal point. This rich black colour has a calming and powerful effect, perfect for creating focus in a working zone. What’s more, this simple DIY paint project can transform your home office in a matter of hours. <h3>3. Install floating shelves</h3> Sufficient storage is key to an organised workstation, so you can sit down with a clear mind at the start of each working day. Floating shelves are the answer to decluttering your desk and keeping organised, as they can hold folders, stationery, and other office equipment. Open shelves are also a beautiful way to personalise your study and show off décor. Plus, installing shelving is a straightforward DIY task that any renovation novice with a power drill can tackle. <h3>4. Allow for ample lighting</h3> Whether your home office is tucked around a corner or is a statement piece in your living room, it’s important to consider lighting. Poor lighting can induce eye fatigue and headaches, while negatively affecting your energy and productivity. Whilst we can’t all have an office with a view, it is worth considering a space with great natural light, which creates a warm, attractive environment and can enlarge a small space. If possible, position your desk near a window, and invest in a lamp to further brighten your desk. <h3>5. Decorate with plants </h3> Bring the outdoors in with a burst of greenery on your desk. A leafy desk friend is proven to boost attention, reduce stress and increase creativity, not to mention plants also improve air quality. Decorate with indoor plants that are easy to care for and require little sunlight, such as a snake plant, peace lily or philodendron green. Image: Better Homes & Gardens

Home Hints & Tips

Deforestation can raise local temperatures by up to 4.5℃ – and heat untouched areas 6km away

Forests directly cool the planet, like natural evaporative air conditioners. So what happens when you cut them down? In tropical countries such as Indonesia, Brazil and the Congo, rapid deforestation <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nclimate3250">may have accounted for</a> up to 75% of the observed surface warming between 1950 and 2010. <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ac2fdc">Our new research</a> took a closer look at this phenomenon. Using satellite data over Indonesia, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea, we found deforestation can heat a local area by as much as 4.5℃, and can even raise temperatures in undisturbed forests up to 6km away. More than 40% of the world’s population live in the tropics and, under climate change, rising heat and humidity could push them into <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-021-00695-3">lethal conditions</a>. Keeping forests intact is vital to protect those who live in and around them as the planet warms. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/431859/original/file-20211115-13-g3akke.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/431859/original/file-20211115-13-g3akke.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> Trees provide shade, habitat, and regulate the supply of clean water. Shutterstock <h2>Deforestation hot spots</h2> At the recent climate change summit in Glasgow, world leaders representing 85% of Earth’s remaining forests committed to ending, and reversing, <a href="https://ukcop26.org/glasgow-leaders-declaration-on-forests-and-land-use/">deforestation by 2030</a>. This is a crucial measure in our fight to stop the planet warming beyond the internationally agreed limit of 1.5℃, because forests store vast amounts of carbon. Deforestation releases this carbon – <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rstb.2019.0120">approximately 5.2</a> billion tonnes of carbon dioxide per year – back into the atmosphere. This accounts for nearly 10% of the global emissions from 2009-2016. Deforestation is <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aax8574">particularly prevalent</a> in Southeast Asia. <a href="https://data.globalforestwatch.org/documents/14228e6347c44f5691572169e9e107ad/explore">We calculate</a> that between 2000 and 2019, Indonesia lost 17% of its forested area (26.8 million hectares of land), and Malaysia 28% of its forest cover (8.12 million hectares). Others in the region, such as Papua New Guinea, are considered “<a href="https://wwf.panda.org/discover/our_focus/forests_practice/deforestation_fronts_/">deforestation hot spots</a>”, as they’re at high risk of losing their forest cover in the coming decade. Forests in this region are cut down for a variety of reasons, including for expanding palm oil and timber plantations, logging, mining and small-scale farms. And these new types of land uses produce different spatial patterns of forest loss, which we can see and measure using satellites. <h2>What we found</h2> We already know forests cool the climate directly, and losing forest causes local temperatures to rise. But we wanted to learn whether the different patterns of forest loss influenced how much temperatures increased by, and how far warming spread from the deforested site into neighbouring, unchanged areas. To find out, <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ac2fdc">we used</a> satellite images that measure the temperature of the land surface. As the illustration below shows, we measured this by averaging forest loss in rings of different widths and radius, and looking at the average temperature change of the forest inside the ring. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/431019/original/file-20211109-27-mpcx2l.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/431019/original/file-20211109-27-mpcx2l.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="Illustration of how temperature changes due to forest loss." /></a> How forest clearing near an unchanged area causes temperatures to rise. For example, if you consider a circle of forest that’s 4km wide, and there’s a completely deforested, 2km-wide ring around it, the inner circle would warm on average by 1.2℃. The closer the forest loss, the higher the warming. If the ring was 1-2km away, the circle would warm by 3.1℃, while at 4-6km away, it’s 0.75℃. These might not sound like big increases in temperature, but global studies show <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/114/35/9326.short">for each 1℃ increase in temperature</a>, yields of major crops would decline by around 3-7%. Retaining forest within 1km of agricultural land in Southeast Asia could therefore avoid crop losses of 10-20%. These estimates are conservative, because we only measured the effect of forest loss on average yearly temperatures. But another important factor is that higher average temperatures <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2011JD016382">usually create</a> higher temperature extremes, like those during heatwaves. And those really high temperatures in heatwaves are what put people and crops at most risk. Of course, forests aren’t normally cut down in rings. This analysis was designed to exclude other causes of temperature change, putting the effect of non-local forest loss in focus. <h2>Why is this happening?</h2> Forests cool the land because trees draw water from the soil to their leaves, where it then evaporates. The energy needed to evaporate the water comes from sunshine and heat in the air, the same reason you feel colder when you get out of a pool with water on your skin. A single tree in a tropical forest can cause <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959378017300134">local surface cooling equivalent</a> to 70 kilowatt hours for every 100 litres of water used from the soil — as much cooling as two household air conditioners. Forests are particularly good at cooling the land because their canopies have large surface area, which can evaporate a lot of water. When forests in tropical regions are cut down, this evaporative cooling stops, and the land surface warms up. This is not news to the people of Borneo. In 2018, researchers surveyed <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959378017314188">people in 477 villages</a>, and found they’re well aware nearby forest loss has caused them to live with hotter temperatures. When asked why forests were important to their health and the health of their families, the ability for trees to regulate temperature was the most frequent response. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/431029/original/file-20211109-13-18wfaj.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/431029/original/file-20211109-13-18wfaj.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="Logging road" /></a> A logging road in East Kalimantan, Bornea: logged forest on the left, virgin/primary forest on the right. <a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ab/Logging_road_East_Kalimantan_2005.jpg" class="source">Aidenvironment, 2005/Wikimedia Commons</a>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/" class="license">CC BY-SA</a> <h2>A climate change double whammy</h2> In many parts of the world, including the tropics and Australia, expanding farmland is a major reason for cutting down forest. But given hotter temperatures also reduce the productivity of farms, conserving forests might prove a better strategy for food security and for the livelihoods of farmers. If forests must be removed, there may be ways to avoid the worst possible temperature increases. For example, we found that keeping at least 10% of forest cover helped reduce the associated warming by an average of 0.2℃. Similarly, temperatures did not increase as much when the area of forest loss was smaller. This means if deforestation occurs in smaller, discontinuous blocks rather than uniformly, then the temperature impacts will be less severe. To help share these findings, <a href="https://treeheat.azurewebsites.net">we’ve built a web mapping tool</a> that lets users explore the effects of different patterns and areas of forest loss on local temperatures in maritime South East Asia. It helps show why protecting forests in the tropics offers a climate change double whammy – lowering carbon dioxide emissions and local temperatures together.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/163584/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sally-thompson-1223399">Sally Thompson</a>, Associate professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067">The University of Western Australia</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/debora-correa-1288935">Débora Corrêa</a>, Research fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067">The University of Western Australia</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/john-duncan-1288934">John Duncan</a>, Research fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067">The University of Western Australia</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/octavia-crompton-1246306">Octavia Crompton</a>, Postdoctoral researcher, Pratt School of Engineering, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/duke-university-1286">Duke University</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/deforestation-can-raise-local-temperatures-by-up-to-4-5-and-heat-untouched-areas-6km-away-163584">original article</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

Marine protected area is long overdue: Humans threaten the Antarctic Peninsula’s fragile ecosystem

Antarctica, the world’s <a href="https://media.nature.com/original/magazine-assets/d41586-018-07183-6/d41586-018-07183-6.pdf">last true wilderness</a>, has been protected by an <a href="https://www.ats.aq/e/antarctictreaty.html">international treaty</a> for the last 60 years. But the same isn’t true for most of the ocean surrounding it. <a href="https://www.asoc.org/advocacy/marine-protected-areas">Just 5%</a> of the Southern Ocean is protected, leaving biodiversity hotspots exposed to threats from human activity. The Western Antarctic Peninsula, the northernmost part of the continent and one of its <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0011683">most biodiverse regions</a>, is particularly vulnerable. It faces the cumulative threats of commercial krill fishing, tourism, research infrastructure expansion and climate change. In an <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02939-5">article</a> published in Nature today, we join more than <a href="https://homewardboundprojects.com.au/about/">280 women in STEMM</a> (science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine) from the global leadership initiative Homeward Bound to call for the immediate protection of the peninsula’s marine environment, through the designation of a <a href="https://www.antarcticanow.org/">marine protected area</a>. Our call comes ahead of a meeting, due in the next fortnight, of the <a href="https://www.ccamlr.org/en">international group</a> responsible for establishing marine protected areas in the Southern Ocean. We urge the group to protect the region, because delays could be disastrous. Threats on the peninsula The Southern Ocean <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-how-the-antarctic-circumpolar-current-helps-keep-antarctica-frozen-106164">plays a vital role</a> in global food availability and security, regulates the planet’s climate and drives global ocean currents. Ice covering the continent stores 70% of the earth’s freshwater. Climate change threatens to unravel the Southern Ocean ecosystem as species superbly adapted to the cold struggle to adapt to warmer temperatures. The impacts of climate change are especially insidious on the Western Antarctic Peninsula, one of the fastest-warming places on Earth. In February, temperatures reached a record high: <a href="https://theconversation.com/anatomy-of-a-heatwave-how-antarctica-recorded-a-20-75-c-day-last-month-134550">a balmy 20.75℃</a>. The peninsula is also the <a href="https://theconversation.com/humans-are-encroaching-on-antarcticas-last-wild-places-threatening-its-fragile-biodiversity-142648">most-visited part of Antarctica</a>, thanks to its easy access, dramatic beauty, awe-inspiring wildlife and rich marine ecosystems. Tourist numbers have doubled in the past decade, increasing the risk of introducing invasive species that hitch a ride on the toursts’ gear. More than <a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/470576496/Polar-Perspectives-No-1-Is-it-time-for-a-paradigm-shift-in-how-Antarctic-tourism-is-controlled#download&from_embed">74,000 cruise ship passengers</a> visited last year, up from 33,000 in the 2009-10 season. <a href="https://theconversation.com/australia-wants-to-build-a-huge-concrete-runway-in-antarctica-heres-why-thats-a-bad-idea-139596">The expansion of infrastructure</a> to accommodate scientists and research, such as buildings, roads, fuel storage and runways, can also pose a threat, as it displaces local Antarctic biodiversity. Eighteen nations have science facilities on the Antarctic Peninsula, the highest concentration of research stations anywhere on the continent. There are 19 permanent and 30 seasonal research bases there. Another big threat to biodiversity in the peninsula is the commercial fishing of Antarctic krill, a small, shrimp-like crustacean which is the <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2017.2015">cornerstone of life</a> in this region. A cornerstone of life Krill is a foundation of the food chain in Antarctica, with whales, fish, squid, seals and Adélie and gentoo penguins all feeding on it. But as sea ice cover diminishes, more industrial fishing vessels can encroach on penguin, seal and whale foraging grounds, effectively acting as a competing super-predator for krill. In the past 30 years, colonies of Adélie and Chinstrap penguins on the Antarctic Peninsula have <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/41242231?seq=1">declined by more than 50%</a> due to reduced sea ice and krill harvesting. Commercial Antarctic krill fishing is largely for omega-3 dietary supplements and fish-meal. The fishery in the waters of the Western Antarctic Peninsula is the largest in the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-2979.2011.00406.x">Southern Ocean</a>. The krill catch here has <a href="https://www.ccamlr.org/en/fisheries/krill">more than tripled</a> from 88,800 tonnes in 2000 to almost 400,000 tonnes in 2019 — the third-largest krill catch in history and a volume not seen since the 1980s. How do we save it? To save the Antarctic Peninsula, one of critical steps is to protect its waters and its source of life: those tiny, but crucially important, Antarctic krill. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838471/antarctica-3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/b40e7f32cd174fa39cb137d91ce94e0f" /> Image caption: A map of the current and proposed marine protected areas under consideration. Cassandra Brooks, Author provided This can be done by establishing a marine protected area (MPA) in the region, which would limit or prohibit human activities such as commercial fishing. An MPA around the peninsula was first proposed <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336888437_Protecting_Antarctica_through_Co-production_of_actionable_science_Lessons_from_the_CCAMLR_marine_protected_area_process">in 2018</a>, <a href="https://www.ccamlr.org/en/science/mpa-planning-domains">covering</a> 670,000 square kilometres. But the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (the organisation responsible for establishing MPAs in the Southern Ocean) has yet to reach agreement on it. The proposed MPA is an excellent example of balancing environmental protection with <a href="https://theconversation.com/no-take-marine-areas-help-fishers-and-fish-far-more-than-we-thought-119659">commercial interests</a>. The area would be split into two zones. The first is a general protection zone covering 60% of the MPA, designed to protect different habitats and key wildlife and mitigate specific ecosystem threats from fishing. The second is a krill fishery zone, allowing for a precautionary management approach to commercial fishing and keeping some fishing areas open for access. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838472/antarctica-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/be0da721223d49479b289f835fa16b2b" /> Image caption: A map of the current and proposed marine protected areas under consideration. Cassandra Brooks, Author provided The proposed MPA would stand for 70 years, with a review every decade so zones can be adjusted to preserve ecosystems. No more disastrous delays The commission is made up of 25 countries and the European Union. In its upcoming meeting, the proposed MPA will once again be considered. Two other important MPA proposals are also on the table in the East Antarctic and Weddell Sea. In fact, for <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/nov/02/antarctic-marine-park-conservationists-frustrated-after-protection-bid-fails-for-eight-time">eight consecutive years</a>, the proposal for a marine park in Eastern Antarctica has failed. Delays like this are potentially disastrous for the fragile ecosystem. Protecting the peninsula is the most pressing priority due to rising threats, but the commission should adopt all three to fulfil their <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269874896_Competing_values_on_the_Antarctic_high_seas_CCAMLR_and_the_challenge_of_marine-protected_areas">2002 commitment</a> to establishing an MPA network in Antarctica. If all three were established, then more than 3.2 million square kilometres of the Southern Ocean would be protected, giving biodiversity a fighting chance against the compounding threats of human activity in the region. Written by <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/marissa-parrott-561432">Marissa Parrott</a>, University of Melbourne; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/carolyn-hogg-1166504">Carolyn Hogg</a>, University of Sydney; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/cassandra-brooks-419939">Cassandra Brooks</a>, University of Colorado Boulder; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/justine-shaw-299755">Justine Shaw</a>, The University of Queensland, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/melissa-cristina-marquez-1166518">Melissa Cristina Márquez</a>, Curtin University. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/humans-threaten-the-antarctic-peninsulas-fragile-ecosystem-a-marine-protected-area-is-long-overdue-147671">The Conversation.</a>

Cruising

Why marine protected areas are often not where they should be

There’s no denying the grandeur and allure of a nature reserve or marine protected area. The concept is easy to understand: limit human activity there and marine ecosystems will thrive. But while the number of marine protected areas is increasing, so too is the number of threatened species, and the health of marine ecosystems is <a href="https://ipbes.net/global-assessment">in decline</a>. Why? <a href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/cobi.13429">Our research</a> shows it’s because marine protected areas are often placed where there’s already low human activity, rather than in places with high biodiversity that need it most. Not where they should be Many parts of the world’s protected areas, in both terrestrial and marine environments, are placed in locations with no form of manageable human activity or development occurring, such as fishing or infrastructure. These places are often remote, such as in the centres of oceans. And where marine protected areas have been increasing, they’re placed where <a href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/cobi.13429">pressures cannot be managed</a>, such as areas where there is increased ocean acidification or dispersed pollution. But biodiversity is often highest in the places with human activity – we use these locations in the ocean to generate income and livelihoods, from tourism to fishing. This includes coastal areas in the tropics, such as the Coral Triangle (across six countries including Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia), which has almost <a href="https://ccafs.cgiar.org/publications/marine-protected-areas-coral-triangle-progress-issues-and-options">2,000 marine protected areas</a>, yet is <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-seagrass-in-indonesias-marine-protected-areas-is-still-under-threat-125875">also home</a> to one of the largest shipping routes in the world and high fishing activity. What’s more, many marine industries are already regulated through licences and quotas, so it’s hard to establish a new marine protected area that adds a different type of management on top of what already exists. This leaves us with an important paradox: the places where biodiversity is under the most pressure are also the places humanity is most reluctant to relinquish, due to their social or economic value. Because of those values, people and industry resist changes to behaviour, leaving governments to try to find solutions that avoid conflict. Lessons from the fishing industry How can we resolve the paradox of marine protected areas? A strategy used in the fishing industry may show the way. Fisheries have had experience in going beyond the limits of sustainability and then stepping back, changing their approach to managing species and ecosystems for better sustainability, while still protecting economic, social and environmental values. In the past, many of the world’s fisheries regularly exceeded the sustainable limit of catches, and many species such as <a href="https://www.ccsbt.org/en/content/latest-stock-assessment">southern bluefin tuna</a> declined significantly in number. But <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/117/4/2218">strong rules around how a fishery should operate</a> mean declines have since been reversed. So how did they do it? In recent decades, many of the world’s large-scale fisheries implemented formal “harvest strategies”. These strategies can flip downward trends of marine species in places not designated a marine protected area. Harvest strategies have three steps. First is pre-agreed monitoring of species and ecosystems by fishers, regulators and other stakeholders. Second, regulators and scientists assess their impact on the species and ecosystems. And last, all stakeholders agree to put management measures in place to improve the status of the monitored species and ecosystems. These measures may include changing how fishing is done or how much is done. It’s a commonsense strategy that’s delivered <a href="https://theconversation.com/marine-parks-and-fishery-management-whats-the-best-way-to-protect-fish-66274">successful results</a> with many fished species either recovering or recovered. In Australia, the federal government introduced a <a href="https://www.agriculture.gov.au/sites/default/files/sitecollectiondocuments/fisheries/domestic/harvest-strategy-policy.docx">formal harvest strategy policy</a> to manage fisheries in 2007. It was evaluated in <a href="https://academic.oup.com/icesjms/article/71/2/195/788673">2014</a>, and the report found many (but not all) fish stocks are no longer overfished. This includes species such as orange roughy and southern bluefin tuna in Australia, which were overfished but are no longer so. But unfortunately, this positive trend has not been replicated for biodiversity hit by the combinations of other human activities such as coastal development, transport, oil and gas extraction and marine debris. A consistent strategy We need to adapt the experience from fisheries and apply a single, formal, transparent and agreed biodiversity strategy that outlines sustainable management objectives for the places we can’t put marine protected areas. This would look like a harvest strategy, but be applied more broadly to threatened species and ecosystems. What might be sustainable from a single species point of view as used in the fisheries might not sustainable for multiple species. This would mean for our threatened species, we would be monitoring their status, assessing whether the total population was changing and agreeing on when and how we would change the way that they are impacted. Such a strategy would also allow monitoring of whole marine ecosystems, even when information is limited. Information on trends in species and ecosystems often exists, but is hidden as commercial-in-confidence or kept privately within government, research or commercial organisations. Looking ahead Still, a lack of data shouldn’t limit decision making. Experience in fisheries without much data shows even rules of thumb can be <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fishres.2014.11.005">effective management tools</a>. Rules of thumb can include simple measures like gear restrictions or spatial or temporal closures that don’t change through time. Moving forward, all stakeholders need to agree to implement the key parts of harvest strategies for all marine places with high biodiversity that aren’t protected. This will complement existing marine protected area networks without limiting economic activity, while also delivering social and environmental outcomes that support human well-being. Our marine ecosystems provide fish, enjoyment, resources and and simple beauty. They must survive for generations to come. Written by Piers Dunstan, Natalie Downing, Simone Stevenson and Skipton Woolley. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-marine-protected-areas-are-often-not-where-they-should-be-133076">The Conversation.</a>

Cruising

Vets implore those living in bushfire areas to consider their pets safety

Australia’s national vet association are appealing for pet owners to consider their pets’ safety and wellbeing this bushfire season. “People living in bushfire zones will have planned ahead and be prepared for such emergencies, but we can’t stress enough how critical it is that pets are also included in any emergency plans,” said Dr Julia Crawford, President of the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA). Dr Crawford also urged pet owners to ensure that they take the necessary steps to look after their animals in extreme heat. “It's crucial to remember that our pets can't perspire in the way humans do and produce only a tiny amount of sweat through their footpads. They cool themselves down by panting, but sometimes this isn't enough, and they start to overheat.” Heat stress can occur rapidly, and signs can include noisy panting, seizures, drooling and collapse. “Heat stress can kill your pet, it is an emergency in itself, so it is critical to know the signs and get your pet to a vet as soon as possible,” said Dr Crawford. “This might not always be possible during a bushfire, so it is equally essential that you know how to assist your pet until you can get to a vet”. “Place your pet in front of an air conditioner or a fan and put wet towels on the hairless parts of their body, such as footpads and the groin, to help them cool down, and ensure they have access to plenty of cool fresh water.” The AVA recommends an emergency kit for pets ahead of time in case evacuation becomes necessary, which includes non-perishable food and water in spill-proof containers. “If it starts to look likely that evacuation may be necessary, try to confine your pets to the safest enclosed room of the house, such as the bathroom, where they can be quickly collected. Make sure you also have your pet’s carry cages and leads on hand, so you don’t have to search for these if the decision is made to leave” said Dr Crawford.

Family & Pets

The all-natural, multipurpose product that cleans every area of your home

Keeping your house liveable and clean is a tricky and sometimes expensive job. From the showers to the sinks, even to the microwave and dishwasher, there are multiple products you seemingly have to buy to keep it all tidy and together. But what if I told you there really was no need to invest in all of those fancy home cleaning products any longer? That’s right — you have a multipurpose product sitting in your pantry right now that you can use in all areas of your home: vinegar. Read on to learn just how many ways you can use vinegar around your house for a quick and simple fix. 1. Steam clean your microwave Mix one cup of water and 1/4 cup of vinegar in a glass bowl, then microwave on high for five minutes. The steam will help to loosen up all of the grime, making your clean up super easy. 2. Brighten dishes Adding white vinegar to the rinse aid dispenser of your dishwasher will give your plates and glasses the sparkle they have been missing. 3. Keep windows spotless Mix up equal parts of white vinegar and water to create your own window cleaning solution. Apply the mixture with a sponge and your windows will be spotless in no time. 4. Trap fruit flies Simply fill a mason jar up halfway with apple cider vinegar, punch a few holes in the lid before screwing on tight, and place in any room in your home. You will never have to worry about those pesky fruit flies again! 5. Eliminate wine stains Blot white vinegar on wine-stained clothing and wash as directed, making accidental wine spills a problem of the past. 6. Clean the coffee machine Fill your coffee machine’s water reservoir with 2 cups of white vinegar and 1 cup of water. Run through the brew cycle twice and your machine will be as good as new. 7. Freshen up flowers Are your fresh flowers looking a little droopy? Spruce them up by adding two tablespoons of white vinegar plus two tablespoons of sugar into the vase. 8. Put an end to cat litter odour Pour white vinegar into your empty cat litter box, let it sit for 20 minutes, and then rinse out with water. All traces of odour will vanish. 9. Make a homemade scrub for pots and pans Make your own pot and pan scrub by adding equal parts salt and flour and then a little touch of vinegar. This will create a substantial scrubbing paste for all of your cookware. 10. Sanitise your loofah Soak your loofah overnight in a white vinegar and water mixture whenever it needs a little refresher. 11. Rinse sinks and showers Mist and scrub your shower, sinks, and even your tile floors with white vinegar, followed by a quick water rinse. This will even help to whiten the grout. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.domain.com.au" target="_blank">Domain.com.au</a>.

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Natural spaces linked to better health – especially for poorer areas

The quick and easy way to create an office in your living area

Deforestation can raise local temperatures by up to 4.5℃ – and heat untouched areas 6km away

Marine protected area is long overdue: Humans threaten the Antarctic Peninsula’s fragile ecosystem

Why marine protected areas are often not where they should be

Vets implore those living in bushfire areas to consider their pets safety

The all-natural, multipurpose product that cleans every area of your home

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Lifestyle

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Can I actually target areas to lose fat, like my belly?

Natural spaces linked to better health – especially for poorer areas

The quick and easy way to create an office in your living area

Deforestation can raise local temperatures by up to 4.5℃ – and heat untouched areas 6km away

Marine protected area is long overdue: Humans threaten the Antarctic Peninsula’s fragile ecosystem

Why marine protected areas are often not where they should be

Vets implore those living in bushfire areas to consider their pets safety

The all-natural, multipurpose product that cleans every area of your home

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