scholarly journals Evidence that population increase and range expansion by Eurasian Sparrowhawks has impacted avian prey populations

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Paul Bell
Keyword(s):  
Range Expansion ◽  
Census Data ◽  
Prey Species ◽  
Site Occupancy ◽  
Population Increase ◽  
Substantial Impact ◽  
Bird Populations ◽  
General Decline ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Prey Populations

AbstractThe role of increased predator numbers in the general decline of bird populations in the late 20th century remains controversial, particularly in the case of the Eurasian Sparrowhawk, for which there are contradictory results concerning its effect on the abundance of potential prey species. Previous studies of breeding season census data for Sparrowhawks and prey species in Britain have measured predator abundance either as raw presence-absence data or as an estimate derived from spatially explicit modelling, and have found little evidence of association between predator and prey populations. Here, a predator index derived from site-level binary logistic modelling was used in a regression analysis of breeding census data on 42 prey species, with significant effects emerging in 27 species (16 positive, 11 negative). The frequency of significant positive associations may indicate the tracking of prey abundance by Sparrowhawks, which would tend to cancel out any negative predation effect on prey populations, rendering it difficult to detect using census data. If so, the negative effects that have emerged for some species may underestimate the impact of increased Sparrowhawk numbers on the prey populations concerned. Nevertheless, estimates of the effect on national populations of prey species, obtained by combining effect sizes with a measure of the increase in site occupancy by the predator, suggest the possibility of a substantial impact. It cannot, therefore, be ruled out that the increase in abundance and range expansion of Sparrowhawks made a significant contribution to contemporaneous declines in the populations of many of its prey species.

The Digital Divide and K-12 Student Computer Use

10.28945/2926 ◽  
2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
James N. Morgan ◽  
Craig A. VanLengen
Keyword(s):  
Digital Divide ◽  
Computer Use ◽  
Census Data ◽  
Internet Access ◽  
Demographic Characteristics ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Substantial Impact ◽  
Limited Basis ◽  
K 12 ◽  
The Impact

The divide between those who have computer and Internet access and those who do not appears to be narrowing, however overall statistics may be misleading. Measures of computer availability in schools often include cases where computers are only available for administration or are available only on a very limited basis (Gootman, 2004). Access to a computer and the Internet outside of school helps to reinforce student learning and emphasize the importance of using technology. Recent U.S. statistics indicate that ethnic background and other demographic characteristics still have substantial impact on the availability and use of computers by students outside of the classroom. This paper examines recent census data to determine the impact of the household on student computer use outside of the classroom. Encouragingly, the findings of this study suggest that use of a computer at school substantially increases the chance that a student will use a computer outside of class. Additionally, this study suggests that computer use outside of the classroom is positively and significantly impacted by being in a household with adults who either use a computer at work or work in an industry where computers are extensively used.

The Impact of a Potential Public/Private Initiative on a Defined Region of the South Suburban Chicago Metropolitan Area

2019 ◽  
pp. 14-32
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Economic Impact ◽  
Impact Analysis ◽  
Census Data ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Local Economy ◽  
Market Area ◽  
State And Local ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact

The university is considered one of the engines of growth in a local economy or its market area, since its direct contributions consist of 1) employment of faculty and staff, 2) services to students, and supply chain links vendors, all of which define the University’s Market area. Indirect contributions consist of those agents associated with the university in terms of community and civic events. Each of these activities represent economic benefits to their host communities and can be classified as the economic impact a university has on its local economy and whose spatial market area includes each of the above agents. In addition are the critical links to the University, which can be considered part of its Demand and Supply chain. This paper contributes to the field of Public/Private Impact Analysis, which is used to substantiate the social and economic benefits of cooperating for economic resources. We use Census data on Output of Goods and Services, Labor Income on Salaries, Wages and Benefits, Indirect State and Local Taxes, Property Tax Revenue, Population, and Inter-Industry to measure economic impact (Implan, 2016).

scholarly journals Review on Sublethal Effects of Environmental Contaminants in Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Knowledge Gaps and Future Perspectives

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 1863 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agata Di Noi ◽  
Silvia Casini ◽  
Tommaso Campani ◽  
Giampiero Cai ◽  
Ilaria Caliani
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Sublethal Effects ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Anthropogenic Contamination ◽  
Knowledge Gaps ◽  
Pollination Services ◽  
General Decline ◽  
Polycyclic Aromatic ◽  
The Impact

Honey bees and the pollination services they provide are fundamental for agriculture and biodiversity. Agrochemical products and other classes of contaminants, such as trace elements and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, contribute to the general decline of bees’ populations. For this reason, effects, and particularly sublethal effects of contaminants need to be investigated. We conducted a review of the existing literature regarding the type of effects evaluated in Apis mellifera, collecting information about regions, methodological approaches, the type of contaminants, and honey bees’ life stages. Europe and North America are the regions in which A. mellifera biological responses were mostly studied and the most investigated compounds are insecticides. A. mellifera was studied more in the laboratory than in field conditions. Through the observation of the different responses examined, we found that there were several knowledge gaps that should be addressed, particularly within enzymatic and molecular responses, such as those regarding the immune system and genotoxicity. The importance of developing an integrated approach that combines responses at different levels, from molecular to organism and population, needs to be highlighted in order to evaluate the impact of anthropogenic contamination on this pollinator species.

scholarly journals Review on Urban Heat Island in China: Methods, Its Impact on Buildings Energy Demand and Mitigation Strategies

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 762
Author(s):  
Liu Tian ◽  
Yongcai Li ◽  
Jun Lu ◽  
Jue Wang
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Urban Heat Island ◽  
Building Energy ◽  
Design Stage ◽  
Heat Island ◽  
Building Energy Consumption ◽  
Rapid Urbanization ◽  
Substantial Impact ◽  
Urban Heat ◽  
The Impact

High population density, dense high-rise buildings, and impervious pavements increase the vulnerability of cities, which aggravate the urban climate environment characterized by the urban heat island (UHI) effect. Cities in China provide unique information on the UHI phenomenon because they have experienced rapid urbanization and dramatic economic development, which have had a great influence on the climate in recent decades. This paper provides a review of recent research on the methods and impacts of UHI on building energy consumption, and the practical techniques that can be used to mitigate the adverse effects of UHI in China. The impact of UHI on building energy consumption depends largely on the local microclimate, the urban area features where the building is located, and the type and characteristics of the building. In the urban areas dominated by air conditioning, UHI could result in an approximately 10–16% increase in cooling energy consumption. Besides, the potential negative effects of UHI can be prevented from China in many ways, such as urban greening, cool material, water bodies, urban ventilation, etc. These strategies could have a substantial impact on the overall urban thermal environment if they can be used in the project design stage of urban planning and implemented on a large scale. Therefore, this study is useful to deepen the understanding of the physical mechanisms of UHI and provide practical approaches to fight the UHI for the urban planners, public health officials, and city decision-makers in China.

scholarly journals Whole-genome sequencing from the New Zealand Saccharomyces cerevisiae population reveals the genomic impacts of novel microbial range expansion

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Higgins ◽  
Cooper A Grace ◽  
Soon A Lee ◽  
Matthew R Goddard
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Whole Genome Sequencing ◽  
Genome Sequencing ◽  
Range Expansion ◽  
Copy Number ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Whole Genome ◽  
Copy Number Changes ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Saccharomyces cerevisiae is extensively utilized for commercial fermentation, and is also an important biological model; however, its ecology has only recently begun to be understood. Through the use of whole-genome sequencing, the species has been characterized into a number of distinct subpopulations, defined by geographical ranges and industrial uses. Here, the whole-genome sequences of 104 New Zealand (NZ) S. cerevisiae strains, including 52 novel genomes, are analyzed alongside 450 published sequences derived from various global locations. The impact of S. cerevisiae novel range expansion into NZ was investigated and these analyses reveal the positioning of NZ strains as a subgroup to the predominantly European/wine clade. A number of genomic differences with the European group correlate with range expansion into NZ, including 18 highly enriched single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) and novel Ty1/2 insertions. While it is not possible to categorically determine if any genetic differences are due to stochastic process or the operations of natural selection, we suggest that the observation of NZ-specific copy number increases of four sugar transporter genes in the HXT family may reasonably represent an adaptation in the NZ S. cerevisiae subpopulation, and this correlates with the observations of copy number changes during adaptation in small-scale experimental evolution studies.

scholarly journals Breathing space: deoxygenation of aquatic environments can drive differential ecological impacts across biological invasion stages

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
James W. E. Dickey ◽  
Neil E. Coughlan ◽  
Jaimie T. A. Dick ◽  
Vincent Médoc ◽  
Monica McCard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Oxygen Saturation ◽  
Ecological Impacts ◽  
Neogobius Melanostomus ◽  
Aquatic Environments ◽  
Relative Impact ◽  
Low Oxygen ◽  
Per Capita ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Prey Populations

AbstractThe influence of climate change on the ecological impacts of invasive alien species (IAS) remains understudied, with deoxygenation of aquatic environments often-overlooked as a consequence of climate change. Here, we therefore assessed how oxygen saturation affects the ecological impact of a predatory invasive fish, the Ponto-Caspian round goby (Neogobius melanostomus), relative to a co-occurring endangered European native analogue, the bullhead (Cottus gobio) experiencing decline in the presence of the IAS. In individual trials and mesocosms, we assessed the effect of high, medium and low (90%, 60% and 30%) oxygen saturation on: (1) functional responses (FRs) of the IAS and native, i.e. per capita feeding rates; (2) the impact on prey populations exerted; and (3) how combined impacts of both fishes change over invasion stages (Pre-invasion, Arrival, Replacement, Proliferation). Both species showed Type II potentially destabilising FRs, but at low oxygen saturation, the invader had a significantly higher feeding rate than the native. Relative Impact Potential, combining fish per capita effects and population abundances, revealed that low oxygen saturation exacerbates the high relative impact of the invader. The Relative Total Impact Potential (RTIP), modelling both consumer species’ impacts on prey populations in a system, was consistently higher at low oxygen saturation and especially high during invader Proliferation. In the mesocosm experiment, low oxygen lowered RTIP where both species were present, but again the IAS retained high relative impact during Replacement and Proliferation stages at low oxygen. We also found evidence of multiple predator effects, principally antagonism. We highlight the threat posed to native communities by IAS alongside climate-related stressors, but note that solutions may be available to remedy hypoxia and potentially mitigate impacts across invasion stages.

scholarly journals The Impact of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) on the Health and Social Needs of Sex Workers in Singapore

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rayner Kay Jin Tan ◽  
Vanessa Ho ◽  
Sherry Sherqueshaa ◽  
Wany Dee ◽  
Jane Mingjie Lim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Sex Work ◽  
Sex Workers ◽  
Social Needs ◽  
Medical Services ◽  
Substantial Impact ◽  
Sex Worker ◽  
Permanent Resident ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Depth Interviews

AbstractWe evaluated the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on the sex work industry and assessed how it has impacted the health and social conditions of sex workers in Singapore. We conducted a sequential exploratory mixed methods study amidst the COVID-19 pandemic from April to October 2020, including in-depth interviews with 24 stakeholders from the sex work industry and surveyor-administered structured surveys with 171 sex workers. COVID-19 had a substantial impact on sex workers' income. The illegality of sex work, stigma, and the lack of work documentation were cited as exclusionary factors for access to alternative jobs or government relief. Sex workers had experienced an increase in food insecurity (57.3%), housing insecurity (32.8%), and sexual compromise (8.2%), as well as a decrease in access to medical services (16.4%). Being transgender female was positively associated with increased food insecurity (aPR = 1.23, 95% CI [1.08, 1.41]), housing insecurity (aPR = 1.28, 95% CI [1.03, 1.60]), and decreased access to medical services (aPR = 1.74, 95% CI [1.23, 2.46]); being a venue-based sex worker was positively associated with increased food insecurity (aPR = 1.46, 95% CI [1.00, 2.13]), and being a non-Singaporean citizen or permanent resident was positively associated with increased housing insecurity (aPR = 2.59, 95% CI [1.73, 3.85]). Our findings suggest that COVID-19 has led to a loss of income for sex workers, greater food and housing insecurity, increased sexual compromise, and reduced access to medical services for sex workers. A lack of access to government relief among sex workers exacerbated such conditions. Efforts to address such population health inequities should be implemented.

scholarly journals Estimation of Determinants of Farmland Abandonment and Its Data Problems

Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 596
Author(s):  
Shinichi Kitano
Keyword(s):  
Census Data ◽  
Evaluation Research ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Objective Data ◽  
Farmland Abandonment ◽  
Subjective Data ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
Abandoned Farmland ◽  
The Impact

Abandoned farmland is particularly problematic in developed countries where agriculture has a comparative disadvantage in terms of effective use of land resources invested over time. While many studies have estimated the causes of these problems, few have discussed in detail the impact of data characteristics and accuracy on the estimation results. In this study, issues related to the underlying data and the estimation of the determinants of farmland abandonment were examined. Most previous studies on farmland abandonment in Japan have used census data as the basis of their analyses. However, census data are recorded subjectively by farmers. To address this, surveys of abandoned farmland are being conducted by a third party, and the results are compiled into a geographic information system (GIS) database. Two types of datasets (subjective census data and objective GIS data) were examined for their estimation performance. Although the two sets of data are correlated, there are considerable differences between them. Subjective variables are compatible with subjective data, and objective variables are compatible with objective data (meaning that parameters are easily identified). Original data for analysis, such as policy variables, are compatible with objective data. In policy evaluation research, attention should be paid to objective data collection.

scholarly journals Use of Artificial Intelligence to understand adults’ thoughts and behaviours relating to COVID-19

2021 ◽  
pp. 175791392097933
Author(s):  
SW Flint ◽  
A Piotrkowicz ◽  
K Watts
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Severe Illness ◽  
Free Text ◽  
Community Recovery ◽  
Substantial Impact ◽  
Lifestyle Behaviours ◽  
Artificial Intelligence Methods ◽  
High Concern ◽  
The Impact

Aims: The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic that has had substantial impact across societies. An attempt to reduce infection and spread of the disease, for most nations, has led to a lockdown period, where people’s movement has been restricted resulting in a consequential impact on employment, lifestyle behaviours and wellbeing. As such, this study aimed to explore adults’ thoughts and behaviours in response to the outbreak and resulting lockdown measures. Methods: Using an online survey, 1126 adults responded to invitations to participate in the study. Participants, all aged 18 years or older, were recruited using social media, email distribution lists, website advertisement and word of mouth. Sentiment and personality features extracted from free-text responses using Artificial Intelligence methods were used to cluster participants. Results: Findings demonstrated that there was varied knowledge of the symptoms of COVID-19 and high concern about infection, severe illness and death, spread to others, the impact on the health service and on the economy. Higher concerns about infection, illness and death were reported by people identified at high risk of severe illness from COVID-19. Behavioural clusters, identified using Artificial Intelligence methods, differed significantly in sentiment and personality traits, as well as concerns about COVID-19, actions, lifestyle behaviours and wellbeing during the COVID-19 lockdown. Conclusions: This time-sensitive study provides important insights into adults’ perceptions and behaviours in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdown. The use of Artificial Intelligence has identified that there are two behavioural clusters that can predict people’s responses during the COVID-19 pandemic, which goes beyond simple demographic groupings. Considering these insights may improve the effectiveness of communication, actions to reduce the direct and indirect impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and to support community recovery.

Potential effects of climate change on the Chinese Bulbul (Pycnontus sinensis) in China

Biologia ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 69 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Longying Wen ◽  
Huigen He ◽  
Yong Wang ◽  
Jimmy Gorimar ◽  
Mark Liu
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Range Expansion ◽  
Human Disturbance ◽  
Southern China ◽  
Distribution Range ◽  
Population Increase ◽  
Increased Temperature

AbstractThe Chinese Bulbul (Pycnontus sinensis) has an extensive distribution throughout southern China. Investigators have reported that the species has expanded its distribution range northward since 1995. We performed a literature review and analysis to examine the relationships between the range expansion of the species and the changes of climate and habitat. We found that the northward range expansion was associated with the increased temperature and human created habitat. We believe that the combination of the increased temperature and the ability to utilize human created habitat while maintaining genetic diversity resulted in the population increase and range expansion of the species. We suggest that increased temperature and human disturbance could lead to evolutionary and distributional changes of some species such as the Chinese Bulbul, therefore possibly making these species indicators of climate change.

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