Relative conservation value of Nova Scotia’s forests: forested wetlands as avian diversity hotspots

2020 ◽  
Vol 50 (12) ◽  
pp. 1307-1322 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Brazner ◽  
Frances MacKinnon
Keyword(s):  
Forested Wetlands ◽  
Bird Communities ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
Conservation Value ◽  
Avian Diversity ◽  
Forest Stands ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Upland Forest ◽  
Relative Conservation ◽  
Conservation Concern

Nova Scotia’s forested landscapes are degraded and under stress. As the province moves toward an ecological forestry management approach, land managers need more complete information about the relative biodiversity value of various habitats in landscapes that they manage to fully assess conservation consequences of different management options. To begin assessing the relative conservation value of different forest types, we surveyed bird communities in 18 forested wetlands (wooded bogs, tall shrub swamps, and treed swamps), mature upland forest stands, and regenerating upland forest stands in western Nova Scotia during the breeding season in 2017 and 2018. There were distinct differences among the bird communities in each forest type. Bird species diversity, overall abundance, and abundance of several guilds and species of conservation concern were higher in forested wetlands than in mature and regenerating upland forests. Bogs and shrub swamps had the highest number of species with strong habitat affinities, but treed swamps and mature sites had unique suites of strongly associated species and guilds — several of conservation concern. Regenerating sites were occupied mainly by forest-edge species and conservation value was low. Our study highlights the importance of forested wetlands to bird conservation and supports the idea that forested wetlands are avian diversity hotspots.

scholarly journals Low effect of young afforestations on bird communities inhabiting heterogeneous Mediterranean cropland

PeerJ ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. e1453 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan S. Sánchez-Oliver ◽  
José M. Rey Benayas ◽  
Luis M. Carrascal
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Bird Communities ◽  
Tree Plantations ◽  
Conservation Value ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
High Conservation ◽  
Conservation Concern ◽  
The One

Afforestation programs such as the one promoted by the EU Common Agricultural Policy have spread tree plantations on former cropland. These afforestations attract generalist forest and ubiquitous species but may cause severe damage to open habitat species, especially birds of high conservation value. We investigated the effects of young (<20 yr) tree plantations dominated by pineP. halepensison bird communities inhabiting the adjacent open farmland habitat in central Spain. We hypothesize that pine plantations located at shorter distances from open fields and with larger surface would affect species richness and conservation value of bird communities. Regression models controlling for the influence of land use types around plantations revealed positive effects of higher distance to pine plantation edge on community species richness in winter, and negative effects on an index of conservation concern (SPEC) during the breeding season. However, plantation area did not have any effect on species richness or community conservation value. Our results indicate that the effects of pine afforestation on bird communities inhabiting Mediterranean cropland are diluted by heterogeneous agricultural landscapes.

scholarly journals Not just trash birds: Quantifying avian diversity at landfills using community science data

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (9) ◽  
pp. e0255391
Author(s):  
Zachary J. Arnold ◽  
Seth J. Wenger ◽  
Richard J. Hall
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Bird Communities ◽  
Trophic Levels ◽  
Avian Diversity ◽  
Reference Sites ◽  
Science Data ◽  
Grassland Species ◽  
Conservation Concern ◽  
Community Science

Landfills provide seasonally reliable food resources to many bird species, including those perceived to be pest or invasive species. However, landfills often contain multiple habitat types that could attract diverse species, including those of conservation concern. To date, little is known about the characteristics and composition of bird communities at landfills relative to local and regional pools. Here we used the community science database eBird to extract avian species occurrence data at landfills across the US. We compared species richness and community similarity across space in comparison to similarly-sampled reference sites, and further quantified taxonomic and dietary traits of bird communities at landfills. While landfills harbored marginally lower species richness than reference sites (respective medians of 144 vs 160), landfill community composition, and its turnover across space, were similar to reference sites. Consistent with active waste disposal areas attracting birds, species feeding at higher trophic levels, especially gulls, were more frequently observed at landfills than reference sites. However, habitat specialists including two declining grassland species, Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) and Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis), as well as migratory waterfowl, were more frequently encountered at landfills than reference sites. Together, these results suggest that landfills harbor comparable avian diversity to neighboring sites, and that habitats contained within landfill sites can support species of conservation concern. As covered landfills are rarely developed or forested, management of wetlands and grasslands at these sites represents an opportunity for conservation.

scholarly journals Management of extra-abdominal fibromatosis in a musculoskeletal tumour centre in Hong Kong

2021 ◽  
pp. 221049172198908
Author(s):  
Lam Wei Sze Yvette ◽  
Fong Sin Tak ◽  
Mak Ka Lok
Keyword(s):  
Watchful Waiting ◽  
Surgical Excision ◽  
Treatment Modalities ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
Conservative Approach ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Musculoskeletal Tumour ◽  
Female Predominance ◽  
Tumour Location ◽  
Marginal Status

Introduction: Fibromatosis is a benign disease yet prone to recurrence. The best treatment option remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to analyse the management approach in our musculoskeletal tumour centre. Materials and Methods: Thirty-four patients with extra-abdominal fibromatosis referred to our centre between 2000 to 2018 were included. Patients’ demographics, tumour location and size, year of diagnosis, treatment modalities, surgical margins, recurrence, and subsequent management were analysed. Results: Patients mostly presented in the second and third decade, with female predominance. Twenty-seven patients underwent excision. Other management options included ‘watchful waiting’, pharmacological treatment and radiotherapy. Recurrence rate was 51.9%. There was no statistically significant relationship between marginal status and recurrence. Conclusion: We report our experiences on management of fibromatosis, with strategy shifted from early excision to a conservative approach over the years. Surgical excision is still indicated in some situations. Tumour recurrence is not rare but second excision is not always necessary.

scholarly journals Assessing Conservation Value of Bird Communities with Partners in Flight-Based Ranks

The Auk ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 120 (2) ◽  
pp. 541-549
Author(s):  
Tim Nuttle ◽  
Loren W. Burger,
Keyword(s):  
Bird Communities ◽  
Conservation Value ◽  
Partners In Flight

Cytostatic Agents in the Management of Malignant Gliomas

1998 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 150-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom Mikkelsen
Keyword(s):  
Signal Transduction ◽  
Brain Tumors ◽  
Tumor Invasion ◽  
Proteinase Inhibitors ◽  
Malignant Gliomas ◽  
Cytotoxic Agents ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
Cytostatic Agents ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Malignant Brain Tumors

Background: Cytotoxic therapy for malignant gliomas is limited by poor delivery and drug resistance, and local therapy is ineffective in managing migratory cells. However, recent developments in malignant glioma therapy involve trials of cytostatic rather than conventional cytotoxic agents. Methods: The biology of the brain extracellular matrix, tumor invasion, and angiogenesis are reviewed, and the cytostatic agents that inhibit matrix metalloproteinases, angiogenesis, cell proliferation, and signal transduction are discussed, as well as studies of the angiogenic and migratory capacity of malignant brain tumors. Results: Two specific and interrelated areas, anti-invasion (migration) and anti-angiogenesis, are potential areas to develop new treatment strategies. Tumor invasion and angiogenesis are important components of the spread and biologic effects of malignant gliomas. Several proteinase inhibitors are in clinical trial, as well as anti-angiogenic agents and signal transduction cascade inhibitors. Conclusions: Biologic control of brain tumor cell populations may offer a new management approach to add to currently available management options for malignant brain tumors.

scholarly journals Breaking the Bottleneck: Conflicts Metamorphosis of Chure Landscape Management in Federal Nepal

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-86
Author(s):  
Bhola Bhattarai ◽  
Dipak Bishwokarma ◽  
Mathilde Legras
Keyword(s):  
Local Governments ◽  
Community Forestry ◽  
Management Practice ◽  
Landscape Management ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
Resource Exploitation ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Community Conflict ◽  
Environmental Protection Area ◽  
Protection Area

Chure forests, which is one of the youngest and most fragile landscapes of Nepal, continue to be degraded due to resource exploitation and conflict over its management. This region is considered to be the lifeline to down-stream communities - mainly for water - while inhabiting millions of poor and rural people that depend on natural resources - especially forests commons. Government initiatives to manage Chure have escalated contestations in the recent years. Its decision to declare Chure landscape as ‘Environmental Protection Area’ manifests a protection-centric management approach. This research scrutinises the genesis of contestation on Chure management utilising three–elements of conflicts described by Brown et al. (2017). It analyses power–relation to demonstrate potential implications on Chure landscape management as well as conflict resolution options, in the changed political context of federal Nepal. Our research reveals that all stakeholders are well aware of the continuous degradation of Chure landscape and have agreed on discovering the common locus of sustainable management. However, the state-community contestation still persists due to divergent understandings of degradation. Despite multiple strands of management options, contextualised community-based approach still appears to be an appropriate option to solve this persistent contestation, building on the practices of community forestry and historic failures of top-down, protection-centric management practice. The newly elected provincial and local governments could further facilitate a more effective management of Chure landscape through resolving the contentious state-community conflict.

scholarly journals Retrobulbar triamcinolone for inflammatory choroidal neovascularization in pregnancy

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emilia Maggio ◽  
Maurizio Mete ◽  
Antonio Polito ◽  
Gloria Parrozzani ◽  
Grazia Pertile
Keyword(s):  
Choroidal Neovascularization ◽  
Vision Loss ◽  
Therapeutic Option ◽  
Correct Diagnosis ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Oral Corticosteroids ◽  
In Pregnancy ◽  
Myopic Cnv

Abstract Background Choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in pregnancy has rarely been described. A differential diagnosis between inflammatory, idiopathic, and myopic CNV may be challenging. Moreover, there is no consensus on management, and therapeutic options may be further limited by patient and physician concerns about potential risk to the fetus. Herein, we report a case of inflammatory CNV during pregnancy and describe a previously unreported management approach with retrobulbar triamcinolone injections. Case presentation A 36-year-old woman presented with vision loss and metamorphopsia in her right eye while 21 weeks pregnant. She was diagnosed with an inflammatory CNV based on the following multimodal imaging findings: a type 2 lesion with the “pitchfork sign” on OCT, along with the absence of tomographic signs of myopic CNV, and the presence on autofluorescence of multiple hyper-autofluorescent spots, interpreted as focal areas of inflammation at the level of the outer retina and inner choroid. The patient refused oral corticosteroids and any intravitreal injection therapies. Therefore, she was treated with two trans-Tenon’s retrobulbar injections of triamcinolone acetonide after explaining the procedure and acquiring consent. The treatment resulted in a regression of inflammatory signs and a reduction of neovascular activity. No adverse events occurred for the mother or the baby, neither during the pregnancy nor after delivery. Conclusion Inflammatory CNV may be rarely associated with pregnancy. The correct diagnosis is crucial to allow the consideration of all possible management options. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of treatment with retrobulbar triamcinolone injections. This may represent a suitable therapeutic option in the absence of any other therapeutic approaches.

Bird communities and vegetation associations across a treeline ecotone in the Mealy Mountains, Labrador, which is an understudied part of the boreal forest

2015 ◽  
Vol 93 (6) ◽  
pp. 477-486 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith P. Lewis ◽  
Brian M. Starzomski
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Bird Communities ◽  
Tree Cover ◽  
Strong Impact ◽  
Avian Diversity ◽  
Bird Abundance ◽  
Treeline Ecotone ◽  
Point Counts ◽  
Deciduous Shrub

We examined the factors structuring bird communities across a complex subarctic treeline in the Mealy Mountains, Labrador, Canada. Using point counts of bird abundance in 2007 and 2008, we show that changes in vegetation driven by elevation are strongly correlated with avian community structure in this treeline ecotone system. Overall, avian diversity was higher in the forest compared with other habitat classes (krummholz, deciduous shrub, and alpine). There were strong correlations between avian diversity and vegetation richness, as well as structure, among and within habitat class in 2008. Numerous habitat types (subset of habitat class) were correlated with avian composition, although some species were clearly habitat generalists. Contrary to expectation, avian species composition was associated with physiognomy (vegetation structure) in alpine and deciduous shrub, and with either physiognomy or floristics (vegetation species composition) in krummholz and forest. Given the strong impact of elevation on vegetation and the demonstrated influence on bird communities, we note that for bird species whose near-southernmost populations are found in the Mealy Mountains, climate change is likely to have a strong negative effect if alpine tundra habitat is lost. Furthermore, forest bird species are likely to benefit from the increased tree cover as treeline moves poleward and upward.

scholarly journals Assessment of Healthcare Waste Management Paradigms and Its Suitable Treatment Alternative: A Case Study

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Mehedi Hasan ◽  
M. Habibur Rahman
Keyword(s):  
Waste Management ◽  
Hazardous Waste ◽  
Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Generation Rate ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
Potential Hazard ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Healthcare Waste ◽  
Healthcare Waste Management

The management and treatment of healthcare waste (HCW) are of great concern owing to its potential hazard to human health and the environment, particularly in developing countries. Nowadays, various technological alternatives are gaining momentum as efficient and favorable waste management options across the world. However, selecting a suitable technology as well as an effective waste management approach for the treatment of HCW is still a challenging task for the municipal authorities. This study renders a comprehensive analysis of healthcare waste management (HCWM) practices and the technological options for its better management through a case study in Khulna, the southwestern division of Bangladesh. A number of healthcare establishments (HCEs) in the study area were selected and a questionnaire survey, as well as field investigations, was performed to find out the present status of HCWM and its limitations. An assessment of different technological alternatives was also carried out using Sustainability Assessment of Technologies (SAT) methodology which could pave the way for treating hazardous waste more efficiently in the Khulna metropolitan area. The study revealed that the overall HCW generation rate and hazardous HCW generation rate in Khulna city were 0.90 kg bed−1 day−1 and 0.18 kg bed−1 day−1, respectively. Assessment of management system revealed that 56% (n=38) of workers did not receive any form of training in the handling of hazardous waste. Around 54% (n=47) of them did not use any safety equipment or clothing. It has been found from the study that, among different technological alternatives based on the final score, incineration was the most suitable option for the treatment of hazardous waste in Khulna. Finally, some guidelines have been put forward to improve its existing management practices.

scholarly journals Indigenous plant protection practices of Tripura, India

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Satyapriya Singh ◽  
Biswajit Das ◽  
Anup Das ◽  
Sujan Majumder ◽  
Hidangmayum Lembisana Devi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pest Management ◽  
Plant Protection ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Native People ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
Management Options ◽  
The Status ◽  
Indigenous Plant ◽  
House Type ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Background Traditional plant protection strategies have an integral part of food production system in North Eastern state Tripura, India, which has bestowed with rich heritage and biodiversity. However, there is no comprehensive report on the indigenous plant protection practices (IPPPs) specific to insect and vertebrate pest management, being followed by the inhabitants of the region for centuries. The present study was conducted to investigate, collect, and document the vulnerable IPPP practices followed by the native people from far flung locations of the Tripura. Methods The study aimed to document the IPPP following semi-structured questionnaires, participatory interaction, and direct observations with a total of 200 informants. We have calculated the relative frequencies of citation (RFC) for IPPP and estimated principal component analysis to link the status of IPPP with socio-demographic factors of the informants. The relationship between the field of IPPP used and different covariates (age, education, occupation, gender, location, and house type) was assessed using the Kruskal–Wallis test and Chi-square test. The relationship between adoption level and the respondents’ characteristics was analyzed using count regression analysis. Results The study found that the status of the IPPP has increased for mitigating pest issues. A total of 39 indigenous practices were recorded specifically to pest management from the ethnic people of Tripura, India. People acquired pretty knowledge about IPPP, and these were inherited from ancestors. The respondents in the study developed notable innovations for the management of many pest issues using locally available resources that warrant cost-effective and eco-friendly. Seed drying before storage to protect grain commodities was the most cited IPPP with a frequency of citation 0.675. In the field of IPPP used, the people primarily practiced agriculture + horticulture + storage category. An important implication from the study is the identification of two IPPP strategies in this region for the first time. Furthermore, the recorded IPPP used field was significantly associated with age, education, occupation, gender, locality, and house type. Likewise, the respondents’ socio-demographic variables were coupled considerably with the adoption of specific IPPP. Conclusion The reported IPPP for alleviating pest problems reflects the wisdom and generosity of the ethnic growers of Tripura, India. The study suggests the IPPP has strong potential in an integrated pest management approach passed down from generation to generation. The vulnerable practices largely remained unexplored due to inadequate scientific scrutiny and authenticity, yet in danger of being lost if not documented systematically. This study provides the first step toward accessing the valuable technology of untapped Tripura in IPPP and could be viable in paving action paradigm for their preservation, diffusion, and application with advanced pest management options.

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