scholarly journals Attitudes And Preferences of Wildlife And Their Relationship With Childhood Nature Experience Amongst Residents In A Tropical Urban City

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kang Min Ngo ◽  
Tetsuro Hosaka ◽  
Shinya Numata
Keyword(s):  
Urban Development ◽  
Biodiversity Conservation ◽  
Strongly Correlated ◽  
Urban City ◽  
Preferred Habitat ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
The Common ◽  
Global And Local ◽  
Nature Experience ◽  
Forest Habitats

Abstract How people relate to biodiversity and whether they are supportive of conservation programs and policies has implications on global and local biodiversity conservation efforts. Nature experiences in childhood has been shown to be strongly correlated to positive attitudes towards nature and wildlife in adulthood. In this study, we examined wildlife experience, attitudes and willingness to coexist with 26 vertebrates and invertebrates amongst residents in a highly urbanized tropical city, Singapore. A total of 1004 respondents were surveyed and their childhood nature experience and various socioeconomic variables were obtained. The animals were grouped by their likeability and preferred habitat from the respondents’ answers. Three main groups of animals were discerned – unfavorable animals, mammals, and favorable animals. Singapore residents generally had high direct experiences of animals that are common in urban settings, for both favorable and unfavorable animals, such as butterflies, dragonflies, crows and bees, but low direct experiences of forest-dependent wildlife. Animals that were well-liked and acceptable near homes include the common urban ones and some forest-dependent ones, while animals that were disliked included stinging insects (bees and hornets) and reptiles (snakes and water monitors). The apparent mismatch between greening policies and people’s willingness to coexist with wildlife may be problematic as urban development further encroaches on forest habitats, and this study highlights the importance of preserving forest habitats so that young children and adults have opportunities to be exposed to them.

scholarly journals Why Do Immigrant and Swedish Adolescents Engage in Ethnic Victimization? Common and Distinct Underlying Factors

2021 ◽  
Vol 50 (11) ◽  
pp. 2236-2248
Author(s):  
S. Bayram Özdemir ◽  
C. Giles ◽  
M. Özdemir
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Composition ◽  
Attitudes Toward Immigrants ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
School Settings ◽  
Immigrant Background ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
The Common ◽  
Native Youth ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Ethnic Victimization

AbstractYouth of immigrant background are at risk of experiencing victimization due to their ethnic or cultural background. However, limited knowledge is available regarding why youth victimize their immigrant peers, and whether the factors associated with engagement in ethnic victimization vary across adolescents of different background. To address this gap in knowledge, the present study aimed to elucidate the common or differential factors associated with engagement in ethnic victimization among immigrant and native youth. The analytical sample included seventh grade students residing in Sweden from 55 classrooms (N = 963, Mage = 13.11, SD = 0.41; 46% girls; 38% youth of immigrant background). The results showed that being morally disengaged and engaging in general victimization are the common denominators of engagement in ethnic victimization for immigrant and Swedish youth. Low levels of positive attitudes toward immigrants provide a foundation for ethnic victimization among Swedish youth, but not youth of immigrant background. Classroom ethnic composition was not significantly related to engagement in ethnic victimization in either group. Predictors of engagement in ethnic victimization seem to have similarities and differences among immigrant and Swedish youth. The factors involved require further attention in developing strategies to combat bias-based hostile behaviors in diverse school settings.

scholarly journals Do Pre-service Teachers Dance with Wolves? Subject-Specific Teacher Professional Development in A Recent Biodiversity Conservation Issue

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Büssing ◽  
Maike Schleper ◽  
Susanne Menzel
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Transformative Learning ◽  
Biodiversity Conservation ◽  
Teacher Professional Development ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Subject Specific ◽  
Teacher Professional ◽  
Affective Components ◽  
Affective Dimensions

Biodiversity conservation issues are adequate topics of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), as they involve ecological, economic and social aspects. But teaching about these topics often challenges teachers due to high factual complexity but also because of additional affective dimensions. As a consequence, teacher professional development in ESD should address these affective components, to better qualify and motivate teachers to integrate conservation issues into their teaching. To investigate behaviourally relevant factors, we selected the context of natural remigration and conservation of the grey wolf (Canis lupus) in Germany and surveyed 120 pre-service biology teachers (M = 23.2 years, SD = 3.3 years) about contextual factors and their motivation to teach about the issue. Participants reported more positive attitudes, higher enjoyment and an increased perceived behavioural control towards teaching the issue in future teachers when they perceived a smaller psychological distance to the issue and an overall higher motivation to protect the species. As this motivation was grounded in more fundamental personality characteristics like wildlife values and attitudes towards wolves, we discuss the central role of these traits as a basis for transformative learning processes and the necessity of a holistic and subject-specific teacher professional development in ESD.

scholarly journals Who or What Influences the Individuals’ Decision-Making Process Regarding Vaccinations?

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (12) ◽  
pp. 4461 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanna Czajka ◽  
Szymon Czajka ◽  
Paweł Biłas ◽  
Paulina Pałka ◽  
Szczepan Jędrusik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Demographic Data ◽  
Medical Community ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Multiple Choice Questions ◽  
Vaccine Preventable Diseases ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Grade Scale ◽  
High Quality Information ◽  
Level Of Knowledge ◽  
Global And Local

Thanks to vaccines, many people are not exposed to the risks associated with vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs). This, however, results in growing popularity of antivaccine movements and affects global and local epidemiological situation. Vaccine hesitancy has become a significant problem not only for epidemiologists but also for practitioners. Fortunately, the hesitant group seems to be vulnerable to intervention, and studies indicate that these patients can be persuaded to undergo vaccinations. The aim of the present study was to determine the factors most strongly affecting vaccination-related attitudes and decisions. An anonymous, self-administered survey consisting of demographic data and single select multiple-choice questions regarding vaccination was conducted. The voluntary study included secondary school pupils, medical and nonmedical students, healthcare professionals, hospital and clinic patients as well as parents. A total of 7950 survey forms were distributed between January 2018 and June 2019 in south-eastern Poland. A total of 6432 respondents (80.2%) completed a questionnaire that was eligible for analysis. The positive attitude toward vaccination was significantly affected by older age, by the fact of obtaining information on vaccinations from a physician, this information’s higher quality (assessed in school grade scale), higher level of knowledge on vaccines and by the fact of denying the association between vaccination and autism in children (p < 0.001). The probability of supporting vaccinations was almost eight-fold lower among respondents believing the vaccine–autism relationship. Chance of supporting vaccination doubled in the group with a higher knowledge level. The individuals not provided with expert information on vaccination were twice as often unconvinced. Age, education and having children significantly affected the attitude toward influenza immunization (p < 0.001). Older, better educated respondents and those having children were more positive about vaccinations. The medical community still exert decisive effects on attitudes toward vaccinations. High-quality information provided by them is of great importance. Skillful and competent provision of evidence-based information disproving the myth about vaccine–autism connection and proper education of medical staff is essential in molding positive attitudes toward vaccinations.

Recognising Biodiversity Conservation as a “Common Concern of Mankind”: A Legal Appraisal

2020 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 171-180
Author(s):  
Sharaban Tahura Zaman
Keyword(s):  
Biodiversity Conservation ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
International Community ◽  
Regulatory Regime ◽  
Due Diligence ◽  
National Sovereignty ◽  
Common Concern ◽  
Legal Provisions ◽  
Legal Implications ◽  
The Common

By analysing the legal provisions of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and its Nagoya Protocol, this article focuses on the legal implications of recognising biodiversity conservation as a “common concern of mankind”. In this context, the “common concern” concept clearly involves precise environmental protection, through actions (and addressing resources) that transcend the territorial sovereignty of individual States; establish common responsibilities towards the international community; and develop international regulations and institutions to secure these objectives. When applied in this context, this concept poses a significant legal implication for national sovereignty and the international community. It restricts sovereignty by requiring States to meet a national-level version of the standard of due diligence, including by adopting laws, and developing strategic plans, as well as entering into partnership with local, indigenous communities, the private sector and international communities for their implementation. It also establishes among the States a “common but differentiated responsibility” towards the entire international community – a duty to cooperate and collaborate for the conservation of biodiversity. These legal implications have been subject to legal debates and challenges, especially when they require the setting of standards of due diligence applicable to all States and most particularly with regard to commitments they have made regarding technical and financial cooperation. It is clearly quite difficult to enforce such legal obligations precisely, particularly under the CBD’s regulatory regime. To uphold the “common concern” approach, all nations will need to participate and to accept both their respective differentiated responsibilities and the restrictions that this approach imposes on national sovereignty. The international regulatory regime also needs to develop a new compliance technique and enforcement mechanism. Such global responses and efforts are indispensable for sustaining life on earth.

scholarly journals Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Urban Development

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 4964
Author(s):  
Ingo Kowarik ◽  
Leonie K. Fischer ◽  
Dave Kendal
Keyword(s):  
Urban Development ◽  
Biodiversity Conservation ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Sustainable Urban Development ◽  
Urban Landscapes ◽  
Sustainable Cities ◽  
Cultural Ecosystem Services ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Conservation Policies

Urbanization is a major driver of environmental change and is closely linked to the future of biodiversity. Cities can host a high richness of plants and animals, and this urban biodiversity supports multiple regulating, provisioning and cultural ecosystem services. Developing biodiversity-friendly cities is thus inextricably linked to sustainable urban development and human wellbeing. The contributions to this Special Issue on “Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Urban Development” in the journal Sustainability illustrate the role of urban environments as pressures on biodiversity, and envision pathways towards developing more biodiverse urban environments that are accepted and supported by people. Contributions reveal promising opportunities for conserving biodiversity within many urban landscapes. The insights from this Special Issue can support urban conservation policies and their implementation in the development of sustainable cities.

scholarly journals Diversity of the selected elements of agricultural potential in the European Union countries

2020 ◽  
Vol 66 (No. 6) ◽  
pp. 260-268
Author(s):  
Agnieszka Tluczak
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Rural Population ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Potential Models ◽  
European Union Countries ◽  
Agricultural Potential ◽  
Population Potential ◽  
The Common ◽  
Global And Local ◽  
Statistical Yearbook

Agricultural importance in determining the directions of respective regions results from its production potential. The agricultural potential of a given country is determined by natural resources, ways of using them, natural conditions, workforce resources, technical resources and basic economic conditions. In this paper, only income and rural population are taken under consideration to describe the agricultural potential. Currently, European Union countries are functioning under the assumptions of the Common Agricultural Policy, assuming, among other things, increasing agricultural productivity, ensuring an adequate standard of living for the rural population and stabilising markets. The European Union (EU) is one of the world’s leading exporters and importers of agricultural products. The obtained results allowed the identification in 2010 and 2018 of countries with high and low values of income and population potential. It is characteristic that within both potentials, population and income, the countries with the lowest potentials are the most numerous group. Poland and Romania stand out against the background of all countries, where due to the high share of people working in agriculture, the population’s potential has the highest values. Denmark is also an outstanding country for which income potential has the highest value. This study aims to examine the diversity of selected elements of agricultural potential in the European Union countries. The research was conducted using, among other potential models and global and local spatial autocorrelation statistics. The analysis covered the years 2010 and 2018 by applying statistical data (Eurostat, Statistical Yearbook of Agriculture).

Hominoid dietary evolution

1991 ◽  
Vol 334 (1270) ◽  
pp. 199-209 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Middle Miocene ◽  
Common Ancestor ◽  
Brain Size ◽  
Foraging Strategies ◽  
Open Forest ◽  
Major Shift ◽  
The Common ◽  
Hominid Fossils ◽  
Forest Habitats ◽  
Dietary Similarity

During the later Palaeocene and early Miocene, catarrhine primates and the evolving hominoids had adaptations for frugivorous diets, with the emphasis on soft foods. Early in the middle Miocene the hominoids underwent a major shift, both in morphology and in habitat, with the morphology characterized by thickened enamel on the molars, enlarged incisors and massive jaws. The diet indicated by this morphology is interpreted as still mainly frugivorous but with changed emphasis, possibly towards harder objects. The thick-enamelled hominoids are found associated with more open forest habitats, and the distribution of food resources in equivalent habitats today is discontinuous both in time and in space, leading to evolutionary pressures particularly affecting locomotion, brain size and social behaviour. The earliest known hominid fossils differed little in dental and mandibular morphology from the middle Miocene apes, and the implied dietary similarity, together with ape-like patterns of dental development and retained arboreal adaptations of the postcrania, suggests little change in the foraging strategies of the earliest hominids compared with their ape ancestors and further suggests similarity in evolutionary grade. This similarity may have extended to other aspects of behaviour, for example to patterns of tool making and use, which may have been similar in the common ancestor of apes and humans to the pattern shared by the earliest australopithecines and chimpanzees.

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