a. interim report form - ksurp.ksu.edu.sa/sites/rp.ksu.edu.sa/files/res-files/interim... · 2015....
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A. Interim Report Form For Research Projects Funded through the
National Science, Technology and Innovation Plan (NSTIP)
1. PROJECT INFORMATION
Project Code 11-ENV1918-02
Project Title Living on the edge: unravelling how Arabian
Oryx (Oryx leucoryx) survive in the extreme
deserts of the Empty Quarter (Rub Al-Khali) and
Mahazat as-Sayd protected area, Saudi Arabia.
Principal Investigator Dr. Abdulaziz N. Alagaili
Institution King Saud University
Strategic Technology Area Environment
Project Period (Starting Month/Year –
Ending Month/Year)
Nov. 2013
Nov. 2015
Reporting Period (Starting
Month/Year – Ending Month/Year)
Nov. 2013
Dec. 2014
Project Budget (SR) SR 1,990,200
Project Summary (max. 300 words)
The Arabian Oryx is an iconic species of the deserts of the Middle East and is one of the
success stories for conservation biology, being brought back from the brink of extinction.
Despite the prominence of this animal from a conservation aspect we know relatively little about
the survival strategies practiced in the wild which includes the inhospitable Empty Quarter (EQ).
We have used state of the art research technologies – the use of satellite collars (global
positioning system) and associated thermal body temperature loggers that relay to the collar to
monitor the movement and body temperature patterns of two populations of Arabian oryx in
the extreme challenging environment of the Uruq Bani Ma’arid (UBM) within the EQ and the
Mahazat as-Sayd (MS), a fenced protected area. The Arabian oryx has been kept in the
protected area for more than twenty years and as a consequence, the population being
monitored in MS will be used as a control against which to measure a number of variables that
we will also measure in the population in the EQ.
The Global Positioning System equipment has been used to investigate movement
patterns in the two localities so that we can investigate whether the population in the harsher
region (EQ) is more nomadic compared to the population in the less harsh region (MS).
Furthermore, we are currently investigating the daily energy expenditure (DDE) of the Arabian
oryx to ascertain what the food, water and energy requirements of these animals are and
whether there are differences in metabolic requirements between seasons (summer and winter).
For this latter work we are using the doubly labelled water technique. Finally, we are using
actiwatches to monitor if there are seasonal changes in the sleep patterns of the Arabian oryx.
The diversity of specialist scientists from both within Saudi Arabia and from other parts of the
world will ensure shared knowledge transfer that is essential to the success of the study.
At the end of February we will have collected an entire calendar year on individual animal
movement, body temperature data patterns as well as energy budgets.
In year 2 (2015), we plan to continue the winter season for the doubly labelled water, analyze
the collected data, and write up three primary research papers on sleep, energetics and Arabian
oryx home range and movement patterns, as well as a compound paper comparing the
movement patterns and physiological variables in the two localities.
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2. PROJECT PROGRESS
Describe the objectives, phases, and tasks outlined in the original proposal and indicate
the status of each task. This information can be inserted from Form RE-D1-3 of the
original proposal, as long as the information contained therein was comprehensive.
Otherwise, pertinent information from the original proposal can be entered in the table
below (limit table to one page).
Objectives Phases Tasks
Status (Completed,
Ongoing, Planned,
Modified *,
Discontinued*)
Percentage
of
achievement
Movement of Arabian Oryx
in the Mahazat as-Sayd and
Uruq Bani Ma’arid protected
areas of the Arabian
Peninsula over a one year
period to investigate if
Arabian Oryx possess
distinct home ranges or
whether they are nomadic.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four
Deployment of
the collars,
downloading and
processing data
for analysis,
analysis
Ongoing
70%
Obtaining hourly body
temperature (Tb)
measurements using
implanted temperature
transmitters that will be
placed in the abdominal
cavity (one year).
One,
Two,
Three,
Four
Implant of body
temperature
transmitters,
downloading and
processing data
for analysis,
analysis
Ongoing
70%
Determining daily energy
expenditure DEE and water
turnover WTO of Oryx
during both summer and
winter in the protected area
of Mahazat as-Sayd.
Two,
Three,
Four
Injections with
doubly labelled
water
(summer/winter),
lab analysis
Ongoing
50%
Investigating the daily
activity patterns of Oryx
using Actiwatch activity
event monitors to construct a
daily pattern of activity in
relation to movement and
body temperature exhibited
in the Mahazat as-Sayd.
One,
Three,
Four
Implant of
Actiwatch,
downloading and
processing data
for analysis,
analysis
Ongoing
80%
(*) Give details below if modified or discontinued.
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Twenty Arabian oryx were fitted with iridium satellite collars and abdomen body
temperature sensors during February 2014. In March 2014, animals were released in Mahazat
as-Sayd (10 animals) and Uruq Bani Ma’arid (UBM) protected areas (10 animals). Within a
month of the release two Arabian oryx were killed by hunters in the UBM, an incident that
confirmed illegal poaching of oryx in that unfenced protected area that has happened over the
past 20 years. As a consequence, the Saudi Wildlife Authority increased their activities to keep
the animals within the core area of UBM, which in turn affected the free roaming of these
animals. The use of these collars allowed us to bring back those animals leaving the protected
area to nearby towns (an individual moved over 70 km within few hours). We also were
pleased to be able to observe other un-collared Arabian oryx joining the collared ones. Our
team highly recommends the use of a few satellite collars during every future release event
taking place within UBM.
Body temperatures have been recorded every ten minutes for close on one year now. At
the beginning of March we should have a full calendar year for at least 6 animals from the MS
and 8 for the UBM. These body temperature measurements and the associated ambient
temperatures recorded from the collar should enable us to determine the extremes of ambient
temperatures that the oryx experience and the concomitant body temperatures experienced by
the animals under such environmental conditions. A glance at the raw data from one Arabian
oryx occurring in the UBM reveals that during the summer months, the Arabian oryx
experiences a greater range of body temperature than those experienced in the winter. The
Arabian oryx thus employs behavioural heterothermy by potentially heating up in the day and
unloading heat during the relatively cooler evenings, in much the same way as the camel. We
shall, in March, analyze the body temperature profiles of the two populations in line with the
ambient temperatures experienced in the two areas. A glance at Figure 1 reveals that during
winter the body temperature extremes are less than those recorded for the summer period.
Unfortunately, we experienced a 40% failure rate in the deployment of the body temperature
thermistors shortly after the release of the Arabian oryx into the two study areas. Although
40% of loggers failed, the data are still good enough to determine the range of core body
temperatures experienced by oryx throughout the year.
We have been fortunate to be able to track 18 Arabian oryx (10 at MS, 8 at EQ) for a
period of close on a calendar year at two areas that have historically supported this animal (Fig.
2, 3,4,5). We plan to investigate sex differences in movement patterns as well as the home
range of each individual at the UBM and MS. We plan to investigate seasonal changes in
movement of the two populations with a view to assessing if the Arabian oryx in the harsher
habitat (UBM) exhibit a different pattern of movement to those in the less arid habitat (MS).
We have been fortunate to be able to track 18 Arabian oryx for a period of close on a calendar
year at two areas that have historically supported this animal (Fig. 2, 3,4,5). We plan to
investigate sex differences in movement patterns as well as the home range of each individual
at the UBM and MS. We plan to investigate seasonal changes in movement of the two
populations with a view to assessing if the Arabian oryx in the harsher habitat (UBM) exhibit a
different pattern of movement to those in the less arid habitat (MS). We plan to analyze these
pattern movements in April, May and June. We will attempt to assess home range of individual
Arabian oryx and the groups using minimum convex polygons and kernels.
A total of ten Arabian oryx, five in January and five in June were used for investigating the
activity patterns and sleep at MS. Following anaesthesia, two actiwatches were placed into
subcutaneous pockets (one on the neck and one on the hindleg) of each Arabian oryx. The
Arabian oryx were then released into a 2 x 2 km pen, where there was no provisioning of food,
but the Arabian oryx were allowed access to water. Following 3 months of free ranging, the
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Fig. 1: Body temperatures record for a female Arabian oryx at MS (10 months).
Fig. 2: Movement of a female Arabian oryx at MS (10 months).
Fig. 3: Movement of a male Arabian oryx at MS (10 months).
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Fig. 4: Movement of a female Arabian oryx at UBM (10 months).
Fig. 5: Movement of a male Arabian oryx at UBM (10 months).
animals were immobilized and the implants removed. During the winter, the average daily
inactivity or sleep was 4.87 hours. The average daily onset of the major sleep bout occurred at
3:16 am, with this bout having an average length of 124 minutes. Thus, during winter, the
Arabian oryx displayed a diurnal activity pattern, with the vast majority (93%) of inactivity or
sleep, occurring during the night. During summer the average daily inactivity or sleep was 6.03
hours. The average daily onset of the major sleep bout occurred at 12:48 pm with an average
length of 119 minutes. Thus, when compared to winter, the summer daily activity and sleep
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pattern of the Arabian oryx changed dramatically, becoming a crepuscular activity pattern,
having an extra hour of sleep, with 65% of sleep occurring in the daylight period (Fig. 6). This
seasonal change in the daily sleep pattern is a novel finding, not recorded in any other animal.
While this portion of the study is near complete (data analysis ongoing), the results have led us
to continue the sleep work by recording physiological sleep with implanted electrodes in 6
Arabian oryx (3 in winter, 3 in summer) to definitively determine when the Arabian oryx sleep
in the different seasons. It appears that this change in sleep patterns would allow the Arabian
oryx to overcome the problems of heat overload, and, as body temperature drops during sleep,
providing them with a novel way to thermoregulate in the summer.
Fig. 6: Average activity patterns and sleep of Arabian oryx
To determine daily energy expenditure DEE and water turnover WTO in Arabian oryx
during both summer and winter in the protected area of Mahazat as-Syad (MS). We decided to
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inject a total of 20 Arabian oryx with doubly labelled water. We selected the MS to do the
work in because it is possible to collect the samples from the animals at this locality. In the
UBM the constantly shifting sands makes this impossible. We hypothesized that the Arabian
oryx will expend reduced energy, but will show a significantly higher water turnover during
the summer compared to winter. These measurements will be related to the energy and
foraging needs of wild Arabian oryx in order to determine how they are able to survive in
extremely arid environments. To date we have injected 10 Arabian oryx with doubly labelled
water (DLW) during August 2014 (summer) and are due to inject another 10 animals in
February 2015 (winter).
Prior to conducting the research we undertook a pilot study in a captive Arabian oryx at
the King Khalid Wildlife Research Centre in order to determine the optimal dose of DLW, the
equilibration time of isotope in the body of the animal, and also the elimination rate of the
isotope. These aspects are necessary in order to use the DLW technique effectively. For this
purpose, 10.0 ml of deuterated water (99.9% enriched 2H water) was injected IV into a captive
female Arabian oryx. A series of blood samples were collected at various time intervals
afterwards in order to determine both the isotope equilibration rate - “the time taken for isotope
to mix up within the body of the animal” - and the isotope elimination rates - “the time taken
for isotope to be eliminated from the body of the animal, both short and long term” - (Fig.7,8).
We plan to do undertake the winter component of the research in February, 2015 having
already accomplished the summer component in August, 2014. The relative amounts of
deuterium and heavy oxygen will be determined by isotopic ratio mass spectrometry and the
necessary calculations undertaken to assess field metabolic rate and water flux, by examining
the differential elimination rates of the two isotopes
Fig. 7: Isotope equilibration rate, short-term scale, to determine equilibration rates post dose
and optimum times for initial sample
KKWRC Blood Deuterium
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
19/04 00:00
20/04 00:00
21/04 00:00
22/04 00:00
23/04 00:00
De
ut
PP
Ms
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Fig. 8: Isotope elimination rate, long-term scale, to determine elimination rates and optimal
times for final sampling post dose
In conclusion, we are extremely happy with the progress of the research and we feet that
all the objectives outlined in the original submission are being attained. The research has
required a great deal of coordinated field research by a number of individuals. We are also
extremely indebted to the Saudi Wildlife Authority for their continual support of the project in
the form of manpower and logistics and most importantly, the donation of oryx.
KKRRC Blood Deuterium
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
16/04/2014 00:00
21/04/2014 00:00
26/04/2014 00:00
01/05/2014 00:00
06/05/2014 00:00
11/05/2014 00:00
16/05/2014 00:00
De
ut
PP
Ms
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3. PERSONNEL INVOLVEMENT
Provide details addressing the contributions of each person in accomplishing the project
tasks/objectives during the reporting period. Include personnel involved that are not
supported by NSTIP award.
Team Members Name Contribution
Investigator Dr. Abdulaziz Alagaili Directing the project in all its aspects.
Co-investigator/s 1)Prof. N. Bennett, 2)Prof. P. Manger,
3)Prof. J. Speakman,
4)Dr. D. Scantlebury,
5)Dr. O. Mohammed.
1) Physiological analysis and
coordinating with PI and other team
members. 2) Actiwatch analysis.
3,4) Doubly labelled water field
work and analysis. 5) Field work
assistance and data collection.
Consultant/s None
Student/s (specify
undergraduate, M.S. or
Ph.D.)
Due to the delay in
providing funds, a
graduate student could
not be identified.
Research Staff (e.g.,
Postdoctoral Associate,
Technician, Manager)
Mr. Abdulrahman
Alohali
Data management
Administrative Staff None
Others (provide title and
role)
Workers Ground work, moving equipment,
capturing animals, field work
assistance.
Describe any changes in personnel and/or their roles from the original proposal. Please
also include individuals not included in your original proposal that provided significant
contribution to the project to date. (max. 150 words)
No changes in the project personnel except the involvement of Dr. Mads Bertelsen, a veterinary
expert from Copenhagen Zoo who became the project vet. Dr. Bertelsen undertook the
anaesthetic work and the implanting of the abdominal sensors. He has made several trips to Saudi
Arabia to ensure the welfare of the animals, working on over 40 animals during the course of the
1st year. Thankfully, none of the animals died during or post the surgery. Two Arabian oryx died
a month post-surgery due to old age.
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4. RESEARCH OUTPUTS
Include information in the following categories that directly relates to your NSTIP-
funded project. Include details, status (e.g., accepted, published, submitted, under
preparation), and dates for each category that applies to your project.
OUTPUTS:
Patents: (List details on a separate sheet) Quantity Status Date
Patent applications NA
Patent registrations NA
Licenses NA
Other research commercialization
activities
NA
Publications: (List on a separate sheet, the
details of the publication, e.g., title, journal,
impact factor with source such as Thomson
Reuters ISI)
Quantity
Status
Date
Refereed publications 4 ongoing 2015/16
Non-refereed publications such as journal
articles, reviews, conference papers, books
and book chapters
Presentations Quantity Status Date
State the quantity and list & specify on a separate
sheet whether they were conference talks,
seminars, lectures, invited talks, etc., and whether
they were institutional, regional, national or
international.
None up
this point.
Technical Outputs Quantity Status Date
List below any technical outputs such as CDs,
software programs, databases, algorithms, and
measurement instruments.
NA
Service to the Research Community Quantity Status Date
List any membership on national and
international science committees, advisory
boards, journal editorial boards, conference
organizing committees, etc.
NA
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Impact on Policy Quantity Status Date
List any contributions to
development of research or clinical
guidelines, review protocols,
indicators, membership on
government advisory committees,
commissioned governmental
agencies, meetings with policy
makers, etc.
1 Regulations to protect oryx
against poaching are under
consideration at Saudi
Wildlife Authority. The
project PI has been assigned
by the president of SWA to
lead a team to prepare a
strategic plan for future
release/monitoring of
Arabian oryx.
2015/16
Awards and Honors Quantity Status Date
List any major awards, indicating
their scale—regional, national,
international—and honors such as
academic chairs and endowed
positions.
NA
Other Quantity Status Date
List any other forms of research
dissemination that is intended for
non-scientific audiences (such as
radio talks, newspaper articles,
television appearances).
2
* Local TV and
newspaper interviews
before/after the release of
Arabian oryx at the
Empty Quarter.
*SWA announced this
project during
international conventions.
2014
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`
5. BROADER IMPACTS OF THE PROJECT Include information in the following categories that directly relates to your NSTIP-
funded project. Include details and dates for each category that applies to your project.
Teaching and Training
Describe courses, classes, and workshops that were developed, and your role in the
activity (for example, teacher, organizer, developer). - The project provided an opportunity to train Saudi Wildlife Authority personnel (researchers
and rangers) on field techniques (capturing, anaesthesia process, monitoring anesthetized
animals, release techniques, on ground monitoring after release, and online monitoring of
animals through satellite.
- A workshop regarding the project implemented techniques and outcome will be held at King
Saud University. KSU president, SWA president, and KACST vice president will be invited
for part of this workshop where the results will be presented. All three individuals have
expressed a great interest in finding out about this project results, which shows a great interest
in decision makers to such projects in this field.
Infrastructure
If you purchased equipment, describe how it adds to the capability of the institution
and training of researchers outside the project. Indicate whether this equipment is
available elsewhere in the institution and why its purchase was necessary for this
project. The nature of this project is based on field work, thus most purchased equipment was
attached/implanted in the studied animals, which were then released to the wild. It would be a
challenging task to recover this equipment, especially the collars, but we will try to recover
these collars “if possible” from animals released in MS and refurbish them to be used in future
release activities. The project fund enabled us to secure basic equipment needed at most
laboratories such as sensitive electronic scale, animal scales, and dissection tools amongst
other items of small equipment.
Collaborations
Describe the institution, disciplinary focus, research expertise, and nature of any new
or unforeseen partnerships that were developed during the project. Our research group at King Saud University focuses on biological and ecological studies on
mammalian species that occur in Saudi Arabia. The current project is not only a continuation
of a strong collaboration with colleagues from South Africa, but also has provided us the
opportunity to expand our network to be working closely with other colleagues from United
Kingdom and Denmark. Beside the fruitful data coming out of this project, the team has
decided to proceed with future work aiming to study three other endangered Artiodactyl
species found in Saudi Arabia (Arabian and sand gazelles, and the Nubian Ibex).
Funding
Describe how this research has led to additional funding or prospects for future
funding awards and contracts for project investigators, students and staff. Please list
the applications, dates, reference numbers, and amount awarded, if applicable.
None.
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Others
Describe the benefits of your research to society that are not covered by the categories
above. The Arabian oryx is an iconic species that captures the attention of people across the world,
and specifically those living in the Arabian Peninsula. The establishment of SWA was a result
of international efforts to save this species from extinction. The Royal Family of Saudi Arabia
gave the Arabian oryx special care and attention by protecting them not only in protected areas
and breeding centers but also on their private farms. This project, and hopefully future research
plans, will provide more insights about the life history, behavior and physiology of the Arabian
oryx that should be well received by the scientific and conservation communities across the
world. Many colleagues who have learned about this ongoing project have asked to be
informed about the preliminary results. The same attention and excitement was observed
within the country and many decision makers (i.e. ministers and deputy ministers, government
offices directors) already have asked for a report after the end of this project. We are really
proud of this project and happy to see the support from colleagues and the government of
Saudi Arabia.
6. BUDGET
Category First
year
Second year
Amount
Awarded
Amount
Expended
Amount
Awarded
Amount
Expended
Principal Investigator 72,000 0 72,000 0
Co-Investigator/s 180,000 0 180,000 0
Consultant/s NA
Student/s (specify
undergraduate, M.S., Ph.D.)
NA
Research Staff (specify
Postdoctoral Associate,
Technician, Manager)
20,000 20,000 20,000 0
Administrative Staff NA NA NA NA
Major equipment (list
items >100,000 SR below)
343,798 343,798 30,000 0
Other Equipment (list
items >10,000 SR below)
178,202 178,202 78,197 0
Materials & Supplies 304,000 304,000 78,301 0
Travel (e.g., training,
conference, field trips)
100,000 100,000 240,000 0
Dissemination (e.g.,
publications, patents,
workshops, public outreach)
0 0 50,000 0
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Other (specify any >1,000
SR)
0 0 10,000 0
Total 1,198,000 946,000 758,498 0
Please list equipment (>10,000 SR) purchased. In addition, provide brief descriptions of
travel, dissemination, and other expenditures during the reporting period. If funding
sources other than NSTIP have supported any aspect of the research program, please
describe the funding amount and nature of support (financial, in-kind, facilities, etc.)
Also, comment on any existing core or shared research facilities that you have used for
the project to date. If category expenditures differ from budgeted amounts by more than
10%, please comment. (max. 150 words). - Satellite Collars + body temp loggers.
- Travel category covered field work in the two protected areas. A training and conference
attendance will follow up in the 2nd year.
7. Describe any other concerns and comments related to the interim progress of the
research project that were not covered in the sections above (max. 250 words). We have not been able to analyze in full the movement data or body temperature data currently
because the project will only terminate at the end of March. In order to look at and present
seasonal and sex related results we require the full calendar year of data to report accurately on
these parameters measured.
Similarly, we have not been able to report on the seasonal energy expenditure as winter
samples will only be collected in February.
The killing of two of our animals in the Empty Quarter has reduced our data set, but this was
beyond our control. On a positive note, it has enabled us to report that releasing oryx into the
EQ could pose some risk to the stock being released.
Papers planned to be published out of this project:
1- Walk the walk: temporal and spatial patterns of movement in the Arabian Oryx. A
manuscript will firstly be submitted to Journal of Animal Ecology (IF 4.7).
2- Too hot to handle: the body temperature rhythms of Arabian oryx in the extreme desert of
the Empty Quarter. A manuscript will first be submitted to Biology Letters (IF 3.7)
3- From the cold of the night to the heat of the day: seasonal switching of sleep times in the
Arabian oryx. A manuscript will first be submitted to PLoS Biology (IF=11.771).
4- Water and energy in extreme environments: How to Arabian Oryx survive with no water,
extreme heat and little food? A manuscript will first be submitted to PLoS One (IF=3.73)
Thanks