scholarly journals Winter fidelity, movements, and energy expenditure of Midcontinent Greater White-fronted Geese

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jay A. VonBank ◽  
Mitch D. Weegman ◽  
Paul T. Link ◽  
Stephanie A. Cunningham ◽  
Kevin J. Kraai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Expenditure ◽  
Time Allocation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Animal Movement ◽  
Transition Probabilities ◽  
Winter Period ◽  
Daily Movement ◽  
Regional Energy ◽  
Wintering Areas ◽  
Wintering Distribution

Abstract Background Animal movement patterns are the result of both environmental and physiological effects, and the rates of movement and energy expenditure of given movement strategies are influenced by the physical environment an animal inhabits. Greater white-fronted geese in North America winter in ecologically distinct regions and have undergone a large-scale shift in wintering distribution over the past 20 years. White-fronts continue to winter in historical wintering areas in addition to contemporary areas, but the rates of movement among regions, and energetic consequences of those decisions, are unknown. Additionally, linkages between wintering and breeding regions are generally unknown, and may influence within-winter movement rates. Methods We used Global Positioning System and acceleration data from 97 white-fronts during two winters to elucidate movement characteristics, model regional transition probabilities using a multistate model in a Bayesian framework, estimate regional energy expenditure, and determine behavior time-allocation influences on energy expenditure using overall dynamic body acceleration and linear mixed-effects models. We assess the linkages between wintering and breeding regions by evaluating the winter distributions for each breeding region. Results White-fronts exhibited greater daily movement early in the winter period, and decreased movements as winter progressed. Transition probabilities were greatest towards contemporary winter regions and away from historical wintering regions. Energy expenditure was up to 55% greater, and white-fronts spent more time feeding and flying, in contemporary wintering regions compared to historical regions. White-fronts subsequently summered across their entire previously known breeding distribution, indicating substantial mixing of individuals of varying breeding provenance during winter. Conclusions White-fronts revealed extreme plasticity in their wintering strategy, including high immigration probability to contemporary wintering regions, high emigration from historical wintering regions, and high regional fidelity to western regions, but frequent movements among eastern regions. Given that movements of white-fronts trended toward contemporary wintering regions, we anticipate that a wintering distribution shift eastward will continue. Unexpectedly, greater energy expenditure in contemporary wintering regions revealed variable energetic consequences of choice in wintering region and shifting distribution. Because geese spent more time feeding in contemporary regions than historical regions, increased energy expenditure is likely balanced by increased energy acquisition in contemporary wintering areas.

scholarly journals Using process data to understand problem-solving strategies and processes for drag-and-drop items in a large-scale mathematics assessment

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Jiang ◽  
Tao Gong ◽  
Luis E. Saldivia ◽  
Gabrielle Cayton-Hodges ◽  
Christopher Agard
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Time Allocation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Solution Process ◽  
Process Data ◽  
Mathematics Assessments ◽  
Assessment Design ◽  
Eighth Grade Students ◽  
Problem Solving Strategies ◽  
Drag And Drop

AbstractIn 2017, the mathematics assessments that are part of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) program underwent a transformation shifting the administration from paper-and-pencil formats to digitally-based assessments (DBA). This shift introduced new interactive item types that bring rich process data and tremendous opportunities to study the cognitive and behavioral processes that underlie test-takers’ performances in ways that are not otherwise possible with the response data alone. In this exploratory study, we investigated the problem-solving processes and strategies applied by the nation’s fourth and eighth graders by analyzing the process data collected during their interactions with two technology-enhanced drag-and-drop items (one item for each grade) included in the first digital operational administration of the NAEP’s mathematics assessments. Results from this research revealed how test-takers who achieved different levels of accuracy on the items engaged in various cognitive and metacognitive processes (e.g., in terms of their time allocation, answer change behaviors, and problem-solving strategies), providing insights into the common mathematical misconceptions that fourth- and eighth-grade students held and the steps where they may have struggled during their solution process. Implications of the findings for educational assessment design and limitations of this research are also discussed.

scholarly journals Fencing affects African wild dog movement patterns and population dynamics

Oryx ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Helen M. K. O'Neill ◽  
Sarah M. Durant ◽  
Stefanie Strebel ◽  
Rosie Woodroffe
Keyword(s):  
Population Dynamics ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Animal Movement ◽  
Landscape Connectivity ◽  
Ecological Impact ◽  
Movement Patterns ◽  
Wrong Side ◽  
African Wild Dog ◽  
Wild Dog ◽  
Wild Dogs

Abstract Wildlife fences are often considered an important tool in conservation. Fences are used in attempts to prevent human–wildlife conflict and reduce poaching, despite known negative impacts on landscape connectivity and animal movement patterns. Such impacts are likely to be particularly important for wide-ranging species, such as the African wild dog Lycaon pictus, which requires large areas of continuous habitat to fulfil its resource requirements. Laikipia County in northern Kenya is an important area for wild dogs but new wildlife fences are increasingly being built in this ecosystem. Using a long-term dataset from the area's free-ranging wild dog population, we evaluated the effect of wildlife fence structure on the ability of wild dogs to cross them. The extent to which fences impeded wild dog movement differed between fence designs, although individuals crossed fences of all types. Purpose-built fence gaps increased passage through relatively impermeable fences. Nevertheless, low fence permeability can lead to packs, or parts of packs, becoming trapped on the wrong side of a fence, with consequences for population dynamics. Careful evaluation should be given to the necessity of erecting fences; ecological impact assessments should incorporate evaluation of impacts on animal movement patterns and should be undertaken for all large-scale fencing interventions. Where fencing is unavoidable, projects should use the most permeable fencing structures possible, both in the design of the fence and including as many purpose-built gaps as possible, to minimize impacts on wide-ranging wildlife.

scholarly journals The 1995-2018 global evolution of the network of amicable and hostile relations among nation-states

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Omid Askarisichani ◽  
Ambuj K. Singh ◽  
Francesco Bullo ◽  
Noah E. Friedkin
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Transition Probabilities ◽  
Balance Theory ◽  
Frobenius Norm ◽  
Structural Balance ◽  
Interdisciplinary Field ◽  
Global Evolution ◽  
Nation States ◽  
Appraisal Systems ◽  
Large Scale Networks

AbstractThere has been longstanding interest in the evolution of positive and negative relationships among countries. An interdisciplinary field of study, Structural Balance Theory, has developed on the dynamics of such appraisal systems. However, the advancement of research in the field has been impeded by the lack of longitudinal empirical data on large-scale networks. We construct the networks of international amicable and hostile relations occurring in specific time-periods in order to study the global evolution of the network of such international appraisals. Here we present an empirical evidence on the alignment of Structural Balance Theory with the evolution of the structure of this network, and a model of the probabilistic micro-dynamics of the alterations of international appraisals during the period 1995-2018. Also remarkably, we find that the trajectory of the Frobenius norm of sequential transition probabilities, which govern the evolution of international appraisals among nations, dramatically stabilizes.

scholarly journals Large Scale Shell Model Calculations of the Negative-Parity States Structure in 24Mg Nucleus

2021 ◽  
Vol 66 (4) ◽  
pp. 293
Author(s):  
A.A. Al-Sammarraie ◽  
F.A. Ahmed ◽  
A.A. Okhunov
Keyword(s):  
Shell Model ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Transition Probabilities ◽  
Transition Probability ◽  
Energy Levels ◽  
Form Factors ◽  
Model Space ◽  
Negative Parity ◽  
Matrix Elements ◽  
Model Calculations

The negative-parity states of 24Mg nucleus are investigated within the shell model. We are based on the calculations of energy levels, total squared form factors, and transition probability using the p-sd-pf (PSDPF) Hamiltonian in a large model space (0 + 1) hW. The comparison between the experimental and theoretical states showed a good agreement within a truncated model space. The PSDPF-based calculations successfully reproduced the data on the total squared form factors and transition probabilities of the negative-parity states in 24Mg nucleus. These quantities depend on the one-body density matrix elements that are obtained from the PSDPF Hamiltonian. The wave functions of radial one-particle matrix elements calculated with the harmonic-oscillator potential are suitable to predict experimental data by changing the center-of-mass corrections.

scholarly journals Influence of Porcine Housing Density on Species Diversity and Number of Airborne Microorganisms at Fattening Facilities

2006 ◽  
Vol 75 (4) ◽  
pp. 533-540 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ž. Pavičić ◽  
T. Balenović ◽  
H. Valpotić ◽  
A. Tofant ◽  
M. Popović ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Diversity ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Coliform Bacteria ◽  
Winter Period ◽  
Ambient Conditions ◽  
Airborne Microorganisms ◽  
Housing Density ◽  
Gram Positive Bacteria ◽  
Microclimatic Conditions ◽  
Bacteria And Fungi

Microbiological composition of air, as a factor of ambient conditions in animal facilities can significantly influence performance, health and animal welfare in the swine production. The aim of this investigation was to determine, by monitoring primary microclimatic conditions, the possible association of the number of fattening pigs per unit of housing space with species diversity and number of airborne microorganisms. The research was conducted at a fattening and finishing facility of 450 m2 (equipped with 44 pens designed for 10 animals each) with low-pressure ventilation in three different trials. The first trial was conducted during the autumn-winter period with the capacity of 440 animals (0.7 m2 of pen area per fattening pig), the second trial was conducted during the winter-spring period with 356 animals (0.8 m2 of pen area per fattening pig), and the third trial was conducted during the spring-summer period with 312 animals (1.0 m2 of pen area per fattening pig). The air samples for isolation of fungi and mesophilic, haemolytic, and coliform bacteria were taken and microclimatic conditions were monitored during each trial at the same consecutive weekly periods. According to the data obtained from all trials, the total number of bacteria and fungi did not exceed 104 and 103 CFU per m3, respectively. The most numerous were gram-positive bacteria, followed by gram-negative bacteria and fungi. The total number of airborne microorganisms correlates significantly (at p < 0.05) with porcine housing density. These data may be useful for the assessment of housing density at fattening facilities that will not compromise swine health and welfare regarding the microbiological air quality, and thus may contribute to the implementation of optimal rearing conditions in large-scale animal producing units.

Fitting hidden semi-Markov models to breakpoint rainfall data

2001 ◽  
Vol 38 (A) ◽  
pp. 142-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Sansom ◽  
Peter Thomson
Keyword(s):  
Dwell Time ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Markov Models ◽  
Transition Probabilities ◽  
Rainfall Data ◽  
The Em Algorithm ◽  
Semi Markov Process ◽  
The Times ◽  
Log Normal ◽  
Disjoint Domains

The paper proposes a hidden semi-Markov model for breakpoint rainfall data that consist of both the times at which rain-rate changes and the steady rates between such changes. The model builds on and extends the seminal work of Ferguson (1980) on variable duration models for speech. For the rainfall data the observations are modelled as mixtures of log-normal distributions within unobserved states where the states evolve in time according to a semi-Markov process. For the latter, parametric forms need to be specified for the state transition probabilities and dwell-time distributions.Recursions for constructing the likelihood are developed and the EM algorithm used to fit the parameters of the model. The choice of dwell-time distribution is discussed with a mixture of distributions over disjoint domains providing a flexible alternative. The methods are also extended to deal with censored data. An application of the model to a large-scale bivariate dataset of breakpoint rainfall measurements at Wellington, New Zealand, is discussed.

The use of the large-scale integrated sensor (LSI) to estimate energy expenditure

1984 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colleen R. McGowan ◽  
Cynthia M. Bulik ◽  
Leonard H. Epstein ◽  
David J. Kupfer ◽  
Robert J. Robertson
Keyword(s):  
Energy Expenditure ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Integrated Sensor

scholarly journals Drought dynamics in the East European Plain for the period 1980-2018

2020 ◽  
Vol 163 ◽  
pp. 02004
Author(s):  
Maxim Kharlamov ◽  
Maria Kireeva
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Atmospheric Precipitation ◽  
Summer Rainfall ◽  
Low Flow ◽  
East European Plain ◽  
Winter Period ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
East European ◽  
Huge Impact ◽  
Favorable Conditions

Drought is one of the most dangerous natural hazards that has a huge impact on the economy and population in the world and in Russia as well. A large number of studies speak of an increase in the number of droughts and low flow conditions, including Russia. In this work, an analysis was made of the conditions for droughts in the East European Plain over the past 38 years based on the data from the ERA-5 reanalysis. The atmospheric precipitation, air temperature over the seasons and the Palmer index (as a general indicator) for the study area were analyzed. Much attention was paid to the characteristics of the winter period, since the supposedly mild winters create favorable conditions for the formation of droughts in the summer period. It was found that the main factors affecting the drought formation of 2007-2018 was the lack of summer rainfall, and the remaining factors played a “preparatory” role in the process of the formation of large-scale drought.

scholarly journals Atomic Processes in Planetary Nebulae

2003 ◽  
Vol 209 ◽  
pp. 325-334
Author(s):  
Sultana N. Nahar
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sections ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Transition Probabilities ◽  
Central Star ◽  
Dielectronic Recombination ◽  
Impact Excitation ◽  
Electron Impact Excitation ◽  
Theoretical Treatment ◽  
Atomic Processes ◽  
Ion Recombination

A hot central star illuminating the surrounding ionized H II region usually produces very rich atomic spectra resulting from basic atomic processes: photoionization, electron-ion recombination, bound-bound radiative transitions, and collisional excitation of ions. Precise diagnostics of nebular spectra depend on accurate atomic parameters for these processes. Latest developments in theoretical computations are described, especially under two international collaborations known as the Opacity Project (OP) and the Iron Project (IP), that have yielded accurate and large-scale data for photoionization cross sections, transition probabilities, and collision strengths for electron impact excitation of most astrophysically abundant ions. As an extension of the two projects, a self-consistent and unified theoretical treatment of photoionization and electron-ion recombination has been developed where both the radiative and the dielectronic recombination processes are considered in an unified manner. Results from the Ohio State atomic-astrophysics group, and from the OP and IP collaborations, are presented. A description of the electronic web-interactive database, TIPTOPBASE, with the OP and the IP data, and a compilation of recommended data for effective collision strengths, is given.

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