Loss of wetlands due to the expansion of polder in the Dongting Plain, China, AD 1368–1980

The Holocene ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 646-656
Author(s):  
Yikai Li ◽  
Yu Ye ◽  
Xiuqi Fang ◽  
Chengpeng Zhang ◽  
Zhilong Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Wetland Loss ◽  
Spatial Difference ◽  
Chronological Order ◽  
Wetland Area ◽  
The Past ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Times ◽  
Wetland Losses ◽  
Over Time

The Dongting Plain is an area characterized by wetland losses because of long-term polder construction. The study of historical polder expansion provides an opportunity to better understand the loss of wetlands covered by polders. To reconstruct the polder expansion over time, the polder patches extracted though remote sensing were marked with the names obtained from maps and the times of construction obtained from local gazetteers, and shown in the chronological order of turning points. Then, the distribution and changes in the wetlands covered by polders during 1368–1980 were reconstructed. The following are the major findings: (1) the current polders (2010s) accumulated over many centuries. There were 5.7% of the current polder area in 1644, 14.0% in 1735, 23.4% in 1850, 55.0% in 1911, 73.6% in 1949, and 100% in 1980; (2) the wetlands were mostly lost in the northern part of the region and declined rapidly over the past two centuries. The wetland area in 1850 was 6635 km2, which in 1911, 1949 and 1980 were 73.9%, 62.7% and 40.6% of that in 1850, respectively; (3) there were differences in the rate of wetland loss. The fastest time of wetland area disappearance was in 1949–1980, and 45.8 km2 of the wetlands had been lost each year; and (4) there was a spatial difference in wetland losses caused by polder expansion. In the northern part of the area, the wetland loss was mainly in 1851–1980, and the polders constructed in this period covered 89.5% of the polder area. In contrast, in the southern part of the area, the change in the wetland area was relatively small in each period, and the polder constructed before and after 1850 covered 48.3% and 52.7% of the polder area, respectively.

scholarly journals Disentangling niche theory and beta diversity change

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Godsoe ◽  
Peter J Bellingham ◽  
Elena Moltchanova
Keyword(s):  
Beta Diversity ◽  
Price Equation ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Environmental Requirements ◽  
Habitat Specialists ◽  
Montane Tropical Forest ◽  
Ecological Drift ◽  
Over Time

Beta diversity describes the differences in species composition among communities. Changes in beta diversity over time are thought to be due to selection based on species' niche characteristics. For example, theory predicts that selection that favours habitat specialists will increase beta diversity. In practice, ecologists struggle to predict how beta diversity changes. To remedy this problem, we propose a novel solution that formally measures selection's effects on beta diversity. Using the Price equation, we show how change in beta diversity over time can be partitioned into fundamental mechanisms including selection among species, variable selection among communities, drift, and immigration. A key finding of our approach is that a species' short-term impact on beta diversity cannot be predicted using information on its long-term environmental requirements (i.e. its niche). We illustrate how our approach can be used to partition causes of diversity change in a montane tropical forest before and after an intense hurricane. Previous work in this system highlighted the resistance of habitat specialists and the recruitment of light-demanding species but was unable to quantify the importance of these effects on beta diversity. Using our approach, we show that changes in beta diversity were consistent with ecological drift. We use these results to highlight the opportunities presented by a synthesis of beta diversity and formal models of selection.

The Final Score

2020 ◽  
pp. 201-210
Author(s):  
Steven M. Ortiz
Keyword(s):  
Lived Experience ◽  
Longitudinal Research ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Professional Athlete ◽  
The Past ◽  
Personal Empowerment ◽  
Final Score ◽  
Short And Long Term ◽  
Over Time

The conclusion provides some final observations about the longitudinal research itself and its short- and long-term effects on the women involved. It briefly touches on the few areas of the sport marriage that have seen improvement in the past few decades, discusses the conscious decisions the women make to continue normalizing the career-dominated marriage, and reports on how the marriages fared over time. It also describes the women’s personal empowerment as a result of their participation in the research. Finally, it summarizes the advice and suggested keys to a successful sport marriage that the wives in both studies offered, based on their lived experience. This overview essentially describes how and why the wife of a male professional athlete must adapt to realities if she wants her marriage to survive her husband’s career and retirement.

scholarly journals A Dutch geoscience perspective on the Katrina disaster

2007 ◽  
Vol 86 (3) ◽  
pp. 307-315 ◽  
Author(s):  
T.E. Törnqvist
Keyword(s):  
Sea Level ◽  
Mississippi Delta ◽  
Gulf Coast ◽  
Wetland Loss ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Long Term Stability ◽  
Anthropogenic Processes ◽  
The Times ◽  
Precarious Situation

AbstractA combination of geological and anthropogenic processes have rendered the U.S. Gulf Coast in general – and the Mississippi Delta in particular – extremely sensitive to coastal hazard. Thus, the Katrina disaster was not a question of ‘if’ but of ‘when’. This contribution outlines the geo-environmental context of the Mississippi Delta that evolved during the 20th century and set the stage for Hurricane Katrina’s devastation. This includes a brief discussion of the processes responsible for coastal erosion and wetland loss, the proposed measures to combat these problems, and the policy decisions (or, rather, the lack thereof) made so far. A connection is made with the 1953 storm surge that devastated the southwestern Netherlands and had a profound impact on Dutch science and engineering by providing the impetus for the widely known and highly praised Delta Plan, as well as for unprecedented studies of Holocene sea-level change. Whether a similar route will be followed for the Gulf Coast is primarily dependent on the amount of political will. Results are presented of recent studies of crustal movements in the Mississippi Delta that show surprising long-term stability of the Pleistocene basement, evidence that could prove critical for decision makers with regard to the rebuilding process. Finally, the neglect of the precarious situation along the Gulf Coast by the federal government is viewed as a possible metaphor for current U.S. policies with respect to science in general, and to global warming in particular.“Land that sits below sea level. Levees and dams that stand against nature’s fury. Countryside that sinks more every year. New Orleans? No. Holland: a nation whose flood protections makes ours look primitive and slapdash”John McQuaid, The Times-Picayune, November 13, 2005

No Margin for Error: Fifteen Years in the Working Lives of Lone Mothers and their Children

2018 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
JANE MILLAR ◽  
TESS RIDGE
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Security Policy ◽  
Qualitative Research Study ◽  
The Past ◽  
Lone Mothers ◽  
Working Lives ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Social Security Policy ◽  
Over Time

AbstractOver the past two decades, the emphasis on paid work has become one of the defining features of social security policy in the UK. Lone mothers and their families have been one of the key groups affected. In this article we focus on the working and family lives of lone mothers and their children over time, drawing on material from a long-term qualitative research study, and setting this in the context of policy developments. We explore the long-term consequences of trying to sustain work, and manage low-income family life as children grow up and needs change over time. This highlights some of the tensions and limitations in family support and relationships when resources are limited. We reflect on the links between insecurity, legacies and the state.

scholarly journals Medical Ethnography over Time

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Murray Last
Keyword(s):  
Local Culture ◽  
Important Data ◽  
The Past ◽  
Women And Children ◽  
Medical Ethnography ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Over Time

Too often, research into the health of a particular community is brief and superficial, focusing only on what is public and leaving the private health of women and children ‘foggy’. By contrast, long-term anthropology can offer access to processes taking place within a local culture of illness. Here, an account of a community’s experience of health over the past 50 years not only outlines the key changes as seen anthropologically but also shows how even close ethnography can initially miss important data. Furthermore, the impact of a researcher – both as a guest and as a source of interference – underlines how complex fieldwork can be in reality, especially if seen through the eyes of the researcher’s hosts.

scholarly journals Can we always trust rhinomanometry?

2011 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-52
Author(s):  
Helle L. Thulesius ◽  
Anders Cervin ◽  
Max Jessen
Keyword(s):  
Nasal Cavity ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Nasal Airway ◽  
Nasal Surgery ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Nasal Stuffiness ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Over Time ◽  
Active Anterior Rhinomanometry

Objectives: Rhinomanometry before and after decongestion distinguishes a nasal airway organic stenosis from congestion of nasal mucosa in patients with nasal stuffiness. Together with rhinoscopy and patient history, it is used to decide if nasal surgery would benefit the patient. Rhinomanometry measurements should thus be reliable and reproducible. Materials and methods: We performed repetitive active anterior rhinomanometry in 9 persons during 5 months to test reproducibility of nasal airway resistance (NAR) over time. We also did test-retest measurements in several participants. Xylometazoline hydrochloride was applied in each nasal cavity to minimize effects of mucosal variation and the nasal cavity was examined with rhinoscopy. The participants evaluated subjective nasal stuffiness on a visual analogue scale (VAS). Results: The long term mean coefficient of variation (CV) of NAR over time was 27% for the whole group while the short term CV was 7 - 17% for test-retest within an hour. Mean NAR reduction after decongestion was 33%, but 13% of NAR values were not reduced after decongestion. Participants had difficulties estimating stuffiness on a VAS in 15% of the assessments, but there was no correlation between the VAS estimates and NAR. Conclusion: We found a high NAR variation over a period of five months. This implies low long-term rhinomanometry reproducibility and we suggest future research on standardised decongestion to increase the reproducibility.

scholarly journals Green Construction: Contractor Motivation and Trends in Austin, Texas

2006 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 118-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Audrey Tinker ◽  
Urs Kreuter ◽  
Richard Burt ◽  
Sherry Bame
Keyword(s):  
Public Education ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Residential Construction ◽  
Sustainable Communities ◽  
The Past ◽  
Construction Contractor ◽  
Study Population ◽  
The U.S ◽  
Over Time

The purpose of this paper is to describe and assess one of the first comprehensive residential green-builder programs in the U.S. It compares trends of items used in residential construction during the past five years and reports why participating builders chose to incorporate specific items and their level of commitment to the program. This description provides a baseline of strategies to investigate the effect of this program in developing sustainable communities. The builder study population was derived from a database of registered “green” residences built during 1998-2002 in greater Austin, Texas (2,335 homes and 73 listed builders). Almost half the builders constructed just one “green” home, whereas two builders built almost 75% of the green homes during the 5-year study period. Less than 1% of the homes received a perfect 5-star rating, whereas 87% were rated 1 or 2 stars. The frequency of implementing the 122 green features were compared over time and analyzed for correlation with cost and their associated star-value. Cost was the primary factor determining item use frequency. Participating builders generally concurred that the program was successful and beneficial to homeowners but that the additional work required for participation provided little financial reward for builders. While much can be done with low-cost interventions to reduce the negative environmental impacts of residential construction, builder participation may be enhanced by promotion of some of the higher cost features. In addition, public education about the long-term benefits of green homes is needed to increase homeowner participation, and encourage builders to incorporate more environmentally friendly features in the homes they construct.

scholarly journals EMPIRICAL STUDY ON ALTERNATIVES FOR SAVING AND INVESTING IN THE POSTPANDEMIC PERIOD. CASE STUDY: ROMANIA

2021 ◽  
Vol S.I. (2) ◽  
pp. 27-40
Author(s):  
Alexandru Mihai Alexandru Mihai ◽  
◽  
Ruxandra DINULESCU ◽  
Florin PUCHEANU ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Study ◽  
The Past ◽  
Trading Market ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Double Approach ◽  
Potential Risks ◽  
Potential Strategy ◽  
The Impact

This paper develops investigations in the field of saving and investing techniques related to the impact of the COVID19 pandemic on the Romanian trading market. The study focuses particularly on the alternatives for accumulation of money capital which can lead to a positive long-term return. The research aims to investigate the available current services and opportunities in the Romanian investment market and their returns after the pandemic. Towards this objective, the study presents the past returns for several products and the users potential risks. Furthermore, an investigation is conducted based on the latest statistics whereas different variants of portfolios are presented. Unlike most of the previous studies, this analysis has a double approach: evaluating viable alternatives depending on several characteristics and simultaneously developing a long-term potential strategy that could be used to ensure the financial future of an individual in the period of the outbreak of the COVID19 pandemic. This contribution provides an initial analysis of the saving and investing market of Romania before and after the pandemic.

scholarly journals Evolution of the Resistance of Botrytis cinerea to Carbendazim and the Current Efficacy of Carbendazim Against Gray Mold After Long-Term Discontinuation

Plant Disease ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 104 (6) ◽  
pp. 1647-1653 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leiming He ◽  
Kaidi Cui ◽  
Tongtong Li ◽  
Yufei Song ◽  
Ning Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Botrytis Cinerea ◽  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Mycelial Growth ◽  
Gene Sequence ◽  
Gray Mold ◽  
The Past ◽  
Major Mutation ◽  
Over Time ◽  
Strong Ability

Gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea is a fungal disease that critically threatens agricultural production, and carbendazim was the first fungicide used to control B. cinerea. However, B. cinerea developed serious resistance to carbendazim, and this fungicide has thus rarely been used in the past decade in China. Due to the extended discontinuation of carbendazim use, the evolution of the resistance of B. cinerea to carbendazim in recent years is unclear, and whether carbendazim can effectively control gray mold is largely unknown. Therefore, this study determined the sensitivity of 407 B. cinerea isolates collected from 2014 to 2018 to carbendazim and the ability of carbendazim to control gray mold in the field. The results showed that the frequency of B. cinerea isolates resistant to carbendazim remained above 95%. Three different mutation types responsible for the resistance of B. cinerea to carbendazim were identified at codon 198 in the β-tubulin gene sequence: E198V (changed from GAG to GTG), E198A (changed from GAG to GCG), and E198K (changed from GAG to AAG). Over the last 5 years, E198V was the major mutation. However, an analysis of its evolution revealed that the percentage of the E198V mutation declined after 2017 to 56.5% in 2018. In addition, the proportion of isolates with the E198K mutation decreased over time, and no isolates with this mutation were found in either 2017 or 2018. The proportion of the E198A mutation increased over the 5-year test period to reach 43.5% in 2018. Furthermore, three greenhouse experiments demonstrated that carbendazim has lost its ability to control gray mold. We attribute the above findings to our results showing that the carbendazim-resistant isolates had no fitness penalties compared with the carbendazim-sensitive isolates for sporulation and mycelial growth. In particular, the E198A mutant isolates exhibited a strong ability to sporulate, suggesting that the E198A mutation might become dominant in the future. Interestingly, the results showed that carbendazim-sensitive isolates could be easily controlled by four conventional fungicides, namely boscalid, procymidone, iprodione, and pyrimethanil, with mean EC50 values of 0.71 ± 0.2 mg liter−1, 1.33 ± 0.39 mg liter−1, 0.59 ± 0.33 mg liter−1, and 6.02 ± 3.02 mg liter−1, respectively. In conclusion, carbendazim has lost its application value and is ineffective for the control of gray mold.

scholarly journals Long-term consistency of personality traits of cattle

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 191849 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather W. Neave ◽  
Joao H. C. Costa ◽  
Daniel M. Weary ◽  
Marina A. G. von Keyserlingk
Keyword(s):  
Personality Traits ◽  
Sexual Maturation ◽  
Animal Species ◽  
Farm Animals ◽  
Life Stages ◽  
Physiological Changes ◽  
Personality Changes ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Over Time

Personality is often defined as the behaviour of individual animals that is consistent across contexts and over time. Personality traits may become unstable during stages of ontogeny from infancy to adulthood, especially during major periods of development such as around the time of sexual maturation. The personality of domesticated farm animals has links with productivity, health and welfare, but to our knowledge, no studies have investigated the development and stability of personality traits across developmental life stages in a mammalian farm animal species. Here, we describe the consistency of personality traits across ontogeny in dairy cattle from neonate to first lactation as an adult. The personality traits ‘bold’ and ‘exploratory’, as measured by behavioural responses to novelty, were highly consistent during the earlier (before and after weaning from milk) and later (after puberty to first lactation) rearing periods, but were not consistent across these rearing periods when puberty occurred. These findings indicate that personality changes in cattle around sexual maturation are probably owing to major physiological changes that are accelerated under typical management conditions at this time. This work contributes to the understanding of the ontogeny of behaviour in farm animals, especially how and why individuals differ in their behaviour.

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