scholarly journals Little evidence that lowering the pH of concrete supports greater biodiversity on tropical and temperate seawalls

2020 ◽  
Vol 656 ◽  
pp. 193-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
AR Hsiung ◽  
WT Tan ◽  
LHL Loke ◽  
LB Firth ◽  
EC Heery ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Linear Models ◽  
Lower Surface ◽  
Similar Species ◽  
Community Assemblage ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Separate Site ◽  
Intertidal Habitats ◽  
Species Richness And Abundance ◽  
The Tropics

Concrete is one of the most commonly used materials in the construction of coastal and marine infrastructure despite the well known environmental impacts which include a high carbon footprint and high alkalinity (~pH 13). There is an ongoing discussion regarding the potential positive effects of lowered concrete pH on benthic biodiversity, but this has not been investigated rigorously. Here, we designed a manipulative field experiment to test whether carbonated (lowered pH) concrete substrates support greater species richness and abundance, and/or alter community composition, in both temperate and tropical intertidal habitats. We constructed 192 experimental concrete tiles, half of which were carbonated to a lower surface pH of 7-8 (vs. control pH of >9), and affixed them to seawalls in the United Kingdom and Singapore. There were 2 sites per country, and 6 replicate tiles of each treatment were collected at 4 time points over a year. Overall, we found no significant effect of lowered pH on the abundance, richness, or community assemblage in both countries. Separate site- and month-specific generalised linear models (GLMs) showed only sporadic effects: i.e. lowered pH tiles had a small positive effect on early benthic colonisation in the tropics but this was later succeeded by similar species assemblages regardless of treatment. Thus, while it is worth considering the modification of concrete from an environmental/emissions standpoint, lowered pH may not be a suitable technique for enhancing biodiversity in the marine built environment.

Myrmecochory in the Zingiberaceae: seed removal of Globba franciscii and G. propinqua by ants (Hymenoptera – Formicidae) in rain forests on Borneo

2004 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 705-708 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Pfeiffer ◽  
Jamili Nais ◽  
K. Eduard Linsenmair
Keyword(s):  
Seed Dispersal ◽  
Rain Forest ◽  
Dispersal Distance ◽  
Ant Dispersal ◽  
Important Benefit ◽  
Plant Families ◽  
Species Richness And Abundance ◽  
The Tropics ◽  
Ant Diversity ◽  
Old World Tropics

The Old-World tropics encompass one of the floristically richest zones of the world and some of the hot spots of ant diversity. This results in a large variety of ecological interactions between both groups. One of them is the phenomenon of myrmecochory, seed dispersal by ants, which is also well known from temperate forests (Gorb & Gorb 2003, Ulbrich 1919), and which is most prominent in sclerophyll shrublands of Australia and southern Africa (Andersen 1988). Beattie (1983), who reviewed the distribution of ant-dispersed plants (at least 80 plant families worldwide) proposed that species richness and abundance of myrmecochores and diaspore-dispersing ants increases with decreasing latitude and thus predicted a greater variety of ant-dispersal systems in the tropics. However, up to now, few tropical myrmecochores have been described (Horvitz 1981, Horvitz & Schemske 1986), especially in the palaeotropics (Kaufmann et al. 2001). Here we report myrmecochory in two species of rain-forest herb of the Zingiberaceae, give the first evidence for seed dispersal by ants in this plant family and present a list of seed-dispersing ant species. An important benefit of myrmecochory is the dispersal distance of the ant-transported seeds (Andersen 1988), that has been found to be positively correlated with ant size (Gomez & Espadaler 1998a, Pudlo et al. 1980). In this study, we checked whether this correlation is also true for the conditions of the tropical rain forest, where Globba plants occur.

scholarly journals Measuring the Effectiveness of Virtuous Pedagogy: A Quantitative Study of the What If Learning Approach in Church of England Schools

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 315
Author(s):  
Sabina Hulbert ◽  
Trevor Cooling ◽  
Robert Bowie
Keyword(s):  
Church Of England ◽  
Learning Approach ◽  
Online Surveys ◽  
Pedagogical Approach ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Implicit And Explicit ◽  
Explicit Measures ◽  
Positive Effect

What If Learning is a pedagogical approach that allows teachers to deliver traditional content, as prescribed by national curricula, while at the same time promoting character virtues fundamental to Christian ethos. It encourages teachers to present topics from a different perspective, which shapes understanding through the lenses of cooperation, coaching or hospitality. What If Learning reframes ‘how’ to teach rather than changing ‘what’ to teach. This study tested the effects of a three-months-long What If Learning intervention which reshaped the delivery of lessons to reflect values of hospitality and welcome in twenty schools across five dioceses in the United Kingdom. Four hundred and seventy-four pupils and 198 of their teachers filled in online surveys presenting implicit and explicit measures of intergroup attitudes adapted from the existing literature to reflect our operationalisation of tolerance as the Christian virtue of hospitality or welcome. Data were collected from all participants at three time points: before and after the intervention and then again three months later. Analyses of variance revealed a pattern of answers largely supportive of the positive effect of the proposed pedagogical approach, although not always consistent with the hypotheses. Teachers report overwhelming positive effects of the intervention on several aspects of pupils’ behaviour and flourishing potentials. The discussion focuses on the widespread implications of these findings while acknowledging the need for additional research to strengthen our conclusions and promote the approach even further.

scholarly journals Proactive and Integrated Management and Empowerment in Parkinson’s Disease: Designing a New Model of Care

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Tenison ◽  
Agnes Smink ◽  
Sabi Redwood ◽  
Sirwan Darweesh ◽  
Hazel Cottle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Integrated Management ◽  
Models Of Care ◽  
Model Of Care ◽  
New Model ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
The United Kingdom

Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative condition after Alzheimer’s disease. The number of patients will rise dramatically due to ageing of the population and possibly also due to environmental issues. It is widely recognised that the current models of care for people with Parkinson’s disease or a form of atypical parkinsonism lack continuity, are reactive to problems rather than proactive, and do not adequately support individuals to self-manage. Integrated models of care have been developed for other chronic conditions, with a range of positive effects. A multidisciplinary team of professionals in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, all with a long history of caring for patients with movement disorders, used knowledge of deficiencies with the current model of care, an understanding of integrated care in chronic disease and the process of logic modelling, to develop a novel approach to the care of patients with Parkinson’s disease. We propose a new model, termed PRIME Parkinson (Proactive and Integrated Management and Empowerment in Parkinson’s Disease), which is designed to manage problems proactively, deliver integrated, multidisciplinary care, and empower patients and their carers. It has five main components: (1) personalised care management, (2) education and empowerment of patients and carers, (3) empowerment of healthcare professionals, (4) a population health approach, and (5) support of the previous four components by patient- and professional-friendly technology. Having mapped the processes required for the success of this initiative, there is now a requirement to assess its effect on health-related and quality of life outcomes as well as determining its cost-effectiveness. In the next phase of the project, we will implement PRIME Parkinson in selected areas of the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.

Variable effects of climate and density on the juvenile ecology of two salmonids in an Alaskan lake

2014 ◽  
Vol 71 (6) ◽  
pp. 799-807 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan P. Kovach ◽  
John E. Joyce ◽  
Scott C. Vulstek ◽  
Evan M. Barrientos ◽  
David A. Tallmon
Keyword(s):  
Sockeye Salmon ◽  
Oncorhynchus Kisutch ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Climatic Variation ◽  
Life History Strategies ◽  
Similar Species ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Growing Seasons ◽  
Climatic Impacts ◽  
Effects Of Temperature

Despite concerns over rapidly warming temperatures, an empirical understanding of climatic impacts on wild salmonid populations is limited. We tested how temperature and density affected juvenile coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) using a 31 year census from an Alaskan lake. There were positive effects of temperature on overall salmon biomass, sockeye biomass, and the length of age 2 sockeye smolts. There was, however, little evidence for relationships between temperature or length of growing season and coho biomass, coho length, smolts per spawner (both species), and age structure (both species). In some cases there were temporal changes contrary to what is generally expected in a warming Alaskan lake with longer growing seasons (e.g., increasing proportions of age 2 smolts). Intraspecific density was negatively related to sockeye length at out-migration, but there was no evidence for relationships between density and other response variables. Overall, patterns observed here and in other studies emphasize that responses to climatic variation can vary substantially across locations, between similar species occupying the same habitats, and among alternative life history strategies within populations.

Changing Conceptions of Care

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 107-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebekah Fox ◽  
Nancy R. Gee
Keyword(s):  
Animal Health ◽  
Companion Animals ◽  
Rapid Change ◽  
Companion Animal ◽  
Human Society ◽  
Attitudes And Practices ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Emerging Trends ◽  
Home Based

This paper explores the changing nature of companion animal-human relationships in Britain over the past 30 years. This period has seen rapid change in attitudes and practices towards companion animals, with notable advances in medical treatment, nutrition, and understanding of non-human animal behavior, as well as re-evaluations of the position of animals within the home. Based upon in-depth interviews with companion animal caretakers and professionals involved in the companion animal industry, we examined these changes in the United Kingdom. Major themes were identified: Humanization, Commercialization, Medicalization, Responsible Companionship, and Alternative Companionship. These changes have had largely positive effects on companion animal health and welfare, but also bring new expectations of the companion relationship, which humans and nonhuman animals may be unable or unwilling to fulfill. While dominant discourses of responsible companionship prevail, the process of change is ongoing and reflects emerging trends in human society towards diversification and alternative lifestyles.

scholarly journals Edge effects and landscape matrix use by a small mammal community in fragments of semideciduous submontane forest in Mato Grosso, Brazil

2008 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 703-710 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Santos-Filho ◽  
DJ. da Silva ◽  
TM. Sanaiotti
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Species Number ◽  
Sampling Effort ◽  
Similar Species ◽  
Species Accumulation Curves ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Mato Grosso ◽  
Species Accumulation ◽  
Species Richness And Abundance

A community of small mammals was studied in seasonal semideciduous submontane forest in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. This study evaluated the use of edge and matrix pasture, by different small mammal species. Overall, 31 areas were studied, with a total sampling effort of 33,800 trap x nights. Only seven of the 25 species captured in the study sites were able to use the pasture matrix; we classified these species as generalists. Fourteen species were found to be intermediate in habits, being able to use forest edges. We found only four species habitat specialists, occurring only on transect lines in the interior of the fragment, at least 150 m from the edge. Transects located in the pasture matrix and 50 m from the edge had significantly lower species richness and abundance than transects located in the fragment edge or in the interior of the fragment. All transects located within the fragment had similar species richness and abundance, but transects located 50 m from the edge had slightly lower, but non-significant, species richness than transects located 100 m apart from edges. Rarefaction curves demonstrated that only medium-sized fragments (100 300 ha) reached an asymptote of species accumulation. The other areas require further sampling, or more sampling transect, before species accumulation curves stabilize, due to a continued increase in species number.

scholarly journals Taking a deeper look: Quantifying the differences in fish assemblages between shallow and mesophotic temperate rocky reefs

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joel Williams ◽  
Alan Jordan ◽  
David Harasti ◽  
Peter Davies ◽  
Tim Ingleton
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Fish Assemblages ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Rocky Reefs ◽  
Temperate Reefs ◽  
Video Systems ◽  
Parsimonious Model ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Species Richness And Abundance

AbstractThe spatial distribution of a species assemblage is often determined by habitat and climate. In the marine environment, depth can become an important factor as degrading light leads to changes in the biological habitat structure. To date, much of the focus of ecological fish research has been based on reefs in less than 40 m with little research on the ecological role of mesophotic reefs. We deployed baited remote underwater stereo video systems (stereo-BRUVS) on temperate reefs in two depth categories: shallow (20-40m) and mesophotic (80-120m), off Port Stephens, Australia. Sites were selected using data collected by swath acoustic sounder to ensure stereo-BRUVS were deployed on reef. The sounder also provided rugosity, slope and relief data for each stereo-BRUVS deployment. Multivariate analysis indicates that there are significant differences in the fish assemblages between shallow and mesophotic reefs, primarily driven by Ophthalmolepis lineolatus and Notolabrus gymnogenis only occurring on shallow reefs and schooling species of fish that were unique to each depth category: Atypichthys strigatus on shallow reefs and Centroberyx affinis on mesophotic reefs. While shallow reefs had a greater species richness and abundance of fish when compared to mesophotic reefs, mesophotic reefs hosted the same species richness of fishery targeted species. Chrysophrys auratus (pink snapper) and Nemodactylus douglassii (grey morwong) are two highly targeted species in this region. While C. auratus was numerically more abundant on shallow reefs, mesophotic reefs provide habitat for larger fish. In comparison, N. douglassii were evenly distributed across all sites sampled. Generalized linear models revealed that depth and habitat type provided the most parsimonious model for predicting the distribution of C. auratus, while habitat type alone best predicted the distribution of N. douglassii. These results demonstrate the importance of mesophotic reefs to fishery targeted species and therefore have implications for informing the management of these fishery resources on shelf rocky reefs.

scholarly journals Exploring relationships between drought and epidemic cholera in Africa using generalised linear models

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gina E. C. Charnley ◽  
Ilan Kelman ◽  
Nathan Green ◽  
Wes Hinsley ◽  
Katy A. M. Gaythorpe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Significant Risk Factor ◽  
Cholera Outbreak ◽  
Generalised Linear Models ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Temperature And Precipitation ◽  
Linear Relationships ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Temperature and precipitation are known to affect Vibrio cholerae outbreaks. Despite this, the impact of drought on outbreaks has been largely understudied. Africa is both drought and cholera prone and more research is needed in Africa to understand cholera dynamics in relation to drought. Methods Here, we analyse a range of environmental and socioeconomic covariates and fit generalised linear models to publicly available national data, to test for associations with several indices of drought and make cholera outbreak projections to 2070 under three scenarios of global change, reflecting varying trajectories of CO2 emissions, socio-economic development, and population growth. Results The best-fit model implies that drought is a significant risk factor for African cholera outbreaks, alongside positive effects of population, temperature and poverty and a negative effect of freshwater withdrawal. The projections show that following stringent emissions pathways and expanding sustainable development may reduce cholera outbreak occurrence in Africa, although these changes were spatially heterogeneous. Conclusions Despite an effect of drought in explaining recent cholera outbreaks, future projections highlighted the potential for sustainable development gains to offset drought-related impacts on cholera risk. Future work should build on this research investigating the impacts of drought on cholera on a finer spatial scale and potential non-linear relationships, especially in high-burden countries which saw little cholera change in the scenario analysis.

scholarly journals Exploring the adjustment to parasite pressure hypothesis: differences in uropygial gland volume and haemosporidian infection in palearctic and neotropical birds

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergio Magallanes ◽  
Anders Pape Møller ◽  
Charlene Luján-Vega ◽  
Esteban Fong ◽  
Daniel Vecco ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Relative Size ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Uropygial Gland ◽  
Gland Volume ◽  
Selective Forces ◽  
Species Richness And Abundance ◽  
Additional Support ◽  
The Tropics

Abstract Parasites are globally widespread pathogenic organisms, which impose important selective forces upon their hosts. Thus, in accordance with the Adjustment to parasite pressure hypothesis, it is expected that defenses among hosts vary relative to the selective pressure imposed by parasites. According to the latitudinal gradient in diversity, species richness and abundance of parasites peak near the equator. The uropygial gland is an important defensive exocrine gland against pathogens in birds. Size of the uropygial gland has been proposed to vary among species of birds because of divergent selection by pathogens on their hosts. Therefore, we should expect that bird species from the tropics should have relatively larger uropygial glands for their body size than species from higher latitudes. However, this hypothesis has not yet been explored. Here, we analyze the size of the uropygial gland of 1719 individual birds belonging to 36 bird species from 3 Neotropical (Peru) and 3 temperate areas (Spain). Relative uropygial gland volume was 12.52% larger in bird species from the tropics than from temperate areas. This finding is consistent with the relative size of this defensive organ being driven by selective pressures imposed by parasites. We also explored the potential role of this gland as a means of avoiding haemosporidian infection, showing that species with large uropygial glands for their body size tend to have lower mean prevalence of haemosporidian infection, regardless of their geographical origin. This result provides additional support for the assumption that secretions from the uropygial gland reduce the likelihood of becoming infected with haemosporidians.

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