scholarly journals Efficiency of snake sampling methods in the Brazilian semiarid region

2013 ◽  
Vol 85 (3) ◽  
pp. 1127-1139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paulo C.M.D. Mesquita ◽  
Daniel C. Passos ◽  
Sonia Z. Cechin
Keyword(s):  
Sampling Methods ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Semiarid Region ◽  
Pitfall Traps ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Financial Investment ◽  
Brazilian Semiarid ◽  
Stony Soil ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Number Of Individuals

The choice of sampling methods is a crucial step in every field survey in herpetology. In countries where time and financial support are limited, the choice of the methods is critical. The methods used to sample snakes often lack objective criteria, and the traditional methods have apparently been more important when making the choice. Consequently researches using not-standardized methods are frequently found in the literature. We have compared four commonly used methods for sampling snake assemblages in a semiarid area in Brazil. We compared the efficacy of each method based on the cost-benefit regarding the number of individuals and species captured, time, and financial investment. We found that pitfall traps were the less effective method in all aspects that were evaluated and it was not complementary to the other methods in terms of abundance of species and assemblage structure. We conclude that methods can only be considered complementary if they are standardized to the objectives of the study. The use of pitfall traps in short-term surveys of the snake fauna in areas with shrubby vegetation and stony soil is not recommended.

scholarly journals Influencia de microhábitats en el desempeño de especies herbáceas en áreas de bosque maduro y secundario en la región semiárida de Brasil

2015 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 357 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliana Ramos de Andrade ◽  
Kleber Andrade da Silva ◽  
Josiene Maria Fraga dos Santos ◽  
Danielle Melo dos Santos ◽  
Thiago Pereira Guerra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Forest ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Fruit Production ◽  
Semiarid Region ◽  
Mature Forest ◽  
Disturbed Areas ◽  
Brazilian Semiarid ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Number Of Individuals ◽  
Biological Group

<p>The conditions for plant establishment in mature forest are different from those found in disturbed areas. In dry environments, the herbaceous cover is the most important in the recolonization of deforested areas. It can, therefore, act as an ideal biological group for assessing how changes in habitat heterogeneity affect the resilience of dry forests. The aim of this research was to evaluate whether natural regeneration of the herbaceous stratum differed between areas of mature and secondary forest of Caatinga and to describe this process. The study took place in the Brazilian semiarid region during the rainy season 2011 (January to August), where fifty 1m² plots were set up, 25 allocated to the microhabitat established as “between canopies” and 25 to the microhabitat “under the canopy”. The herbaceous species selected for the study were <em>Delilia biflora</em> (Asteraceae), <em>Gomphrena vaga</em> (Amaranthaceae) and <em>Pseudabutilon spicatum</em> (Malvaceae), abundant species occurring in both areas. All individuals from the selected populations were counted, marked with sequential numbers, and the height of the stem was measured. Differences between areas, and in size and survival between microhabitats, were found only for the first two species. Fruit production was higher in the mature forest for the three species. The study concluded that: 1. The effect of the microhabitats “between canopies” and “under the canopy” in mature and secondary forest areas depends on the species considered; 2. Populations sensitive to light intensity differ in number of individuals, height and fruit production; and 3. The resilience of anthropogenic areas in semiarid environments can be characterized by the presence of spatial heterogeneity with regard to the emergence and survival of herbaceous seedlings, suggesting that the regeneration of disturbed areas may occur in patches. </p>

Diptera (Dryomyzidae, Fanniidae, Muscidae, Piophilidae) Associated With Pig Carcasses in a Forest Habitat of Poland: Sex-Related Patterns of Visitation and Effectiveness of Sampling Methods

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daria Bajerlein ◽  
Mateusz Jarmusz ◽  
Aleksandra Gregor ◽  
Andrzej Grzywacz
Keyword(s):  
Forensic Entomology ◽  
Sampling Method ◽  
Sampling Methods ◽  
Sex Ratios ◽  
Pitfall Traps ◽  
Appearance Time ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Pig Carcasses ◽  
Number Of Individuals

Abstract Our knowledge on many necrophilous dipterans was limited for a long time mainly due to taxonomic issues. Therefore, findings on the sex-related associations with pig carcasses in Dryomyzidae, Fanniidae, Muscidae, and Piophilidae are presented. Moreover, the effectiveness of pitfall traps and sweep nets in fly sampling were compared, since the correct method of collecting insects is critical for the development and application of entomological tools for forensic purposes. The trapped numbers of all species differed significantly in respect to both sexes. The sex ratios were strongly female-biased in most species of Muscidae and in Fanniidae. More females were also collected in Piophilidae, but the proportion of males was higher when compared to muscids. Within Dryomyzidae, the sex ratio differed according to species. Only Dryomyza flaveola (Fabricius, 1794) (Diptera: Dryomyzidae) and Muscina pascuorum (Meigen, 1826) (Diptera: Muscidae) had male-biased sex ratios. Differences in residency patterns between sexes in Stearibia nigriceps (Meigen, 1826) (Diptera: Piophilidae), Liopiophila varipes (Meigen, 1830) (Diptera: Piophilidae), and D. flaveola were statistically insignificant. All studied species were recorded for each sampling method. The effect of the sampling method on the number of individuals was statistically significant for all dipterans but Piophilidae. Pitfall traps outcompeted the aerial sweep net in representing Dryomyzidae and Muscidae, whereas both methods were almost equally effective in the collection of Piophilidae. A varied effectiveness of sampling methods was observed in Fanniidae. The sampling method significantly affected the determination of the appearance time of flies on carcasses, but the effect of species and sampling method was insignificant. Implications for forensic entomology are discussed.

Career decisions of further education college students: where does higher education 'fit in'?

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-78
Author(s):  
Aunam Quyoum ◽  
Rita Hordósy ◽  
Jenna Mittelmeier ◽  
Steven Jones ◽  
Tee McCaldin
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Career Planning ◽  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Further Education ◽  
University Education ◽  
Structural Constraints ◽  
Financial Investment ◽  
Outreach Programme ◽  
The Cost

In the context of a proliferation of post-16 options, the need for substantial individual financial investment in university education, and uncertainties of employment outcomes, this paper explores student agency and structural constraints around career planning and progression into Higher Education (HE). Analysing data collected on behalf of a National Collaborative Outreach Programme (NCOP) hub in England, this research considers the views of students and staff at further education colleges (FECs). It draws on fourteen in-depth interviews with students undertaking qualifications that facilitate university entry, and seven interviews with staff involved in delivering information, advice and guidance (IAG) in some capacity within FECs. The paper explores the similarities and differences in how IAG is perceived, regarding its timing, depth, focus and scope. Students and staff broadly agreed that IAG in their FEC was often too broad, generic and insufficiently tailored to individual needs. In the cost-benefit analysis on university progression, students weighed up individual circumstances, calculating their best option whilst negotiating the structural constraints. Self-sufficiency was a common desire and ambition, and as such, the financial risks of entering university needed to be mitigated by a clear promise of stability in the future.

Hostile Takeovers and Anti-takeover Defenses in the Russian Corporate Market

2007 ◽  
pp. 70-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Demidova
Keyword(s):  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Benefit Analysis ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
Hostile Takeovers ◽  
Russian Market ◽  
Takeover Defenses ◽  
The Cost ◽  
European Markets

This article analyzes definitions and the role of hostile takeovers at the Russian and European markets for corporate control. It develops the methodology of assessing the efficiency of anti-takeover defenses adapted to the conditions of the Russian market. The paper uses the cost-benefit analysis, where the costs and benefits of the pre-bid and post-bid defenses are compared.

The Evolutionary Psychology of Scientific Publishing: Cost-Benefit Optimization of Players in the Game

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milind Watve
Keyword(s):  
Peer Review ◽  
Current System ◽  
Critical Mass ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Scientific Publishing ◽  
Collective Goal ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Collective Goals ◽  
Innate Tendency

Peer reviewed scientific publishing is critical for communicating important findings, interpretations and theories in any branch of science. While the value of peer review is rarely doubted, much concern is being raised about the possible biases in the process. I argue here that most of the biases originate in the evolved innate tendency of every player to optimize one’s own cost benefits. Different players in the scientific publishing game have different cost-benefit optima. There are multiple conflicts between individual optima and collective goals. An analysis of the cost-benefit optima of every player in the scientific publishing game shows how and why biases originate. In the current system of publishing, by optimization considerations, the probability of publishing a ‘bad’ manuscript is relatively small but the probability of rejecting a ‘good’ manuscript is very high. By continuing with the current publishing structure, the global distribution of the scientific community would be increasingly clustered. Publication biases by gender, ethnicity, reputation, conformation and conformity will be increasingly common and revolutionary concepts increasingly difficult to publish. Ultimately, I explore the possibility of designing a peer review publishing system in which the conflicts between individual optimization and collective goal can be minimized. In such a system, if everyone behaves with maximum selfishness, biases would be minimized and the progress towards the collective goal would be faster and smoother. Changing towards such a system might prove difficult unless a critical mass of authors take an active role to revolutionize scientific publishing.

What's it Worth? Improving Surface Water Quality

1999 ◽  
Vol 40 (10) ◽  
pp. 153-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. H. Newsome ◽  
C. D. Stephen
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Surface Water ◽  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Surface Water Quality ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Benefit Analysis ◽  
The Cost

Many countries are investing in measures to improve surface water quality, but the investment programmes for so doing are increasingly becoming subject to cost-benefit analysis. Whilst the cost of control measures can usually be determined for individual improvement schemes, there are currently no established procedures for valuing the benefits attributable to improved surface water quality. The paper describes a methodology that has been derived that now makes this possible.

Protecting the Desperate: The Regulation of Payday Lending

2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 147-176
Author(s):  
Andrew J Serpell
Keyword(s):  
Consumer Credit ◽  
Law Reform ◽  
Payday Lending ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Payday Loans ◽  
The Law ◽  
The Right ◽  
Credit Contracts ◽  
The Cost

Payday loans are small-amount, short-term, unsecured, high-cost credit contracts provided by non-mainstream credit providers. Payday loans are usually taken out to help the consumer pay for essential items, such as food, rent, electricity, petrol, broken-down appliances or car registration or repairs. These consumers take out payday loans because they cannot — or believe that they cannot — obtain a loan from a mainstream credit provider such as a bank. In recent years there has been a protracted debate in Australia — and in several overseas jurisdictions — about how to regulate the industry. Recent amendments to the National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 (Cth) — referred to in this article as the 2013 reforms — are designed to better protect payday loan consumers. While the 2013 reforms provide substantially improved protection for payday loan consumers, further changes to the law may be warranted. This article raises several law reform issues which should be considered as part of the 2015 review into small amount credit contracts, including whether the caps on the cost of credit are set at the right level, whether the required content and presentation of the consumer warnings needs to be altered, whether more needs to be done to protect consumers who are particularly disadvantaged or vulnerable and whether a general anti-avoidance provision should be included in the credit legislation.

The Mismatch between Expectations and Realities of AS4 Audits: A Post-Implementation Research Analysis

2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanaz Aghazadeh ◽  
Marietta Peytcheva
Keyword(s):  
Implementation Research ◽  
Risk Premium ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Multiple Methods ◽  
Material Weakness ◽  
Key Stakeholders ◽  
Auditing Standards ◽  
Equilibrium Market ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Research Analysis

SUMMARY We conduct a post-implementation research analysis of AS4, a standard guiding voluntary audits of material weakness (MW) remediation disclosures, to understand the reasons for the scarcity of AS4 audits in practice. We use multiple methods (experiments, comment letter analysis, and surveys) to understand the perspectives of key stakeholders. We find that regulators' expectations of the use of the standard did not come to fruition because an equilibrium market for active use of the standard could not be achieved; that managers desire to engage in AS4 audits for the riskier MWs but do not expect the associated costs to be high; and that auditors are reluctant to audit riskier MWs and would charge a considerable risk premium. Finally, we find that investors value AS4 audits, especially for riskier MWs, and find value in an AS4 audit for those risky MWs beyond that of the year-end audit. The overall findings of our study indicate that a mismatch in the cost-benefit functions of the key stakeholders led to a lack of AS4 audits. Our findings are important given the high costs associated with auditing standards development and approval.

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