Responses of Nestling Black-crowned Night Herons (Nycticorax nycticorax ) to Aquatic and Terrestrial Recreational Activities: a Manipulative Study

Over the past decades, outdoor recreation in mountains has become progressively more important and as a result human induced potential damage has increased. Alpine communities are particularly susceptible to human recreational activities, such as tourist trampling. Although there are a number of studies that explicitly assess the effects of trampling on alpine communities, they do not reflect on terrains with a rich topography and the presence of more communities in very small areas. In this study, effects of short-term trampling on some alpine communities in the Tatras, the highest mountains of the Carpathians, were studied experimentally. Vulnerability to disturbance was compared among plant communities in terms of resistance and resilience, which are based on cover measurements. With proximity to trampling intensity, we found a significant decrease in plant cover and abundance of deciduous shrubs, lichens, and mosses. These results demonstrate that human trampling in alpine communities has major negative impacts on lichen and moss abundance and species richness. A short-term trampling experiment required several years of community regeneration. Therefore, management plans should discourage hiking activity off paths and restrict recreational activities.

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Social integration and its relationship with functional limitations in Chilean older adults

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckaa166.1185 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽

Author(s):

L de Albuquerque Araújo ◽

G Icaza Noguera ◽

C Albala Brevis

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Social Integration ◽

Daily Living ◽

Protective Factor ◽

Public Policies ◽

Functional Limitations ◽

Functional Limitation ◽

Lower Prevalence ◽

Community Groups ◽

Recreational Activities

Abstract We are experiencing the highest levels of life expectancy and it poses challenges in the maintenance of the functional capacity in old age. This study seeks to determine the relation between social integration and functional limitation in Chilean older adults. Cross-sectional study with baseline of two cohort studies: the SABE cohort (born before 1940) and the Alexandros cohort (born between 1940 and 1948 from Primary Health Care centers), from Santiago. Were considered 1733 elderly. Performance variables were studied in seven Instrumental Activity of Daily Living (IADL): preparing food, managing money, leaving home alone, making purchases, making or receiving calls, doing light housework, organizing and taking medications, and six basic Activities of Daily Living (ADL): bathing, dressing, use of the bathroom, transfer, continence of urine and feeding. Having difficulties or inability to perform at least one activity was classified as having functional limitations. Social integration variables were: participation in community groups, clubs or organizations and in recreational activities. Adjustment variables were: sex, age, educational level, household income, depression, cognitive impairment and multimorbidity. Robust Poisson Regression was performed and prevalence ratios (PR) of functional limitation in ADL and IADL were reported. The level of significance was ≤0.5. Prevalence of functional limitations in ADL was 73.3% and in AIVD was 37.1%. Who participated in recreational activities have a lower prevalence of functional limitation in ADL (PR 0.85; 95%CI 0.80-0.90) and in IADL (PR 0.74; 95% CI0.63-0.86). Participation in community groups, clubs or organizations was associated with a lower prevalence of limitation in ADL (RP 0.78; 95%CI 0.71-0.87), although it was not significantly related to performance in IADL. Greater social integration in adulthood is a protective factor for limitation in ADL and IADL and should be the subject of public policies in Chile. Key messages Social integration seems to be a protective factor for functional limitation in Chilean older adults. Society and public policies should give greater opportunity for the elderly to participate in recreational activities and community groups.

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