scholarly journals Effects of a Short-Term Trampling Experiment on Alpine Vegetation in the Tatras, Slovakia

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 2750
Author(s):  
Veronika Piscová ◽  
Michal Ševčík ◽  
Juraj Hreško ◽  
František Petrovič
Keyword(s):  
Outdoor Recreation ◽  
Plant Cover ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Recreational Activities ◽  
Small Areas ◽  
Management Plans ◽  
Deciduous Shrubs ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Potential Damage ◽  
Alpine Communities

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.

scholarly journals A Framework for Property Developers to Survive in a Recession

10.29007/cfr2 ◽  
2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zunoon Parambath ◽  
Nilupa Udawatta
Keyword(s):  
Survival Strategies ◽  
Economic Activities ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Property Development ◽  
Market Shares ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Set Up ◽  
High Level ◽  
Property Developers

Recession is considered as a major threat to the economy as it slows down economic activities. The property development sector is extremely responsive to these economic conditions. Thus, it is crucial to understand causes, effects and strategies for property developers to survive in a recession without any ill effects. Thus, this research aimed to develop a framework for property developers to identify appropriate survival strategies in recession. A comprehensive literature review was conducted in this research to achieve the above mentioned aim. The results of this study indicated that recession prompts negative impacts on property development sector resulting in unemployment, lower demand, production and revenue, decline in resources and high level of competition. According to the results, the survival strategies were classified into short-term and long-term strategies. The short term strategies include: implementing management tactics, cut down of operating costs, keeping financing lines set up, timely repayment of debts, setting vital new objectives for the future, undertaking shorter time span developments, specialisation in favoured market, renegotiating deals and contracts. The long-term strategies include retrenchment, restructuring, investment and ambidextrous strategies. Similarly, attention should be paid to predict any changes in the economic environment that can influence property development activities and it is necessary to carefully evaluate investment activities to increase sales, profits and market shares of property developers. Preparing for a crisis is doubtlessly the ideal approach as it can facilitate both survival and growth. Thus, the property developers can implement these suggested strategies in their businesses to enhance their practices.

scholarly journals Contrasting the Motivations and Wildlife-Related Value Orientations of Recreational Fishers With Participants of Other Outdoor and Indoor Recreational Activities

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatriz Morales-Nin ◽  
Robert Arlinghaus ◽  
Josep Alós
Keyword(s):  
Outdoor Recreation ◽  
Participation Rate ◽  
Human Dimensions ◽  
Value Orientations ◽  
Recreational Fishing ◽  
Psychological Benefits ◽  
Natural Resource Use ◽  
Recreational Activities ◽  
Management Actions ◽  
Indoor And Outdoor

Assessing the motivations and wildlife-related value orientations (WVOs) of outdoor recreations, such as recreational fishing (RF), is of key importance to understand the human dimensions of natural resource use and to inform management actions. Using a national random telephone survey, we contrasted the participation rate, the socio-economical profile, and the motivations and WVO of the participants of RF, outdoor recreation (OR), consumptive outdoor recreation (COR), and indoor recreation (IR) in Spain. Participation rates of the four subgroups were 6.6, 15.3, 49.4, and 28.4%, for RF, COR, OR, and IR, respectively. The four subgroups differed in socio-economic characteristics, with women being substantially less involved in RF compared to COR, OR, and IR. Moreover, we found higher incomes and educational degrees of the participants in the three outdoor modalities compared to IR. Motivations to engage in RF, COR, OR, and IR were different. Recreational fishers placed significantly more importance on the motives “to be close to nature,” “to experience tranquility,” “to get away from the usual demands of life,” “to relax psychically,” “to stay with family,” and “to get exercise” compared to the other recreational groups, being very different from the ones to practice IR. We did not find significant differences in the WVO among the participants of the four recreational activities. We conclude that recreational fishing is a widespread recreational activity in Spain, embedded in all the segments of the society, thereby generating substantial psychological benefits, which are not equally produced by other forms of indoor and outdoor recreation.

Medical tourism in the COVID-19 era: opportunities, challenges and the way ahead

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Arvind Chhabra ◽  
Mehak Munjal ◽  
Prabhu Chandra Mishra ◽  
Kritika Singh ◽  
Debjanee Das ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Tourism ◽  
Healthcare Industry ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Indian Government ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe novel coronavirus has not only caused significant illness and loss of life, it has caused major disruption at local, national and global levels. While the healthcare industry is experiencing growth during the pandemic, disruption to travel has affected medical tourism. This article considers the short-term factors affecting medical tourism and how they could be mitigated by incorporating technological advances to secure long-term growth.Design/methodology/approachThe study examines data provided by the Indian government as well as from non-government sources available in the public domain to review the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on medical tourism. The authors also examine data on technological advances in the healthcare industry that could help to reduce the impact of the pandemic.FindingsThis study’s findings show that while in-person services have been seriously impacted in the short term, technological adaptation of medical services to facilitate remote medical consultation has significantly increased. This has enlarged the business opportunities available to hospitals and general practitioners, and it could be leveraged to enhance medical tourism.Originality/valueThe article provides an analysis of the impact of the pandemic on medical tourism and how technology could be used to overcome short-term negative impacts and support longer-term development.

scholarly journals Using a double codend to reduce discard mortality

2009 ◽  
Vol 66 (10) ◽  
pp. 2077-2081 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matt K. Broadhurst ◽  
Russell B. Millar ◽  
Sebastian S. Uhlmann
Keyword(s):  
Cloud Cover ◽  
Marine Science ◽  
Total Catch ◽  
Fishing Mortality ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Discard Mortality ◽  
Conventional Design ◽  
Gear Selectivity ◽  
Negative Impacts

Abstract Broadhurst, M. K., Millar, R. B., and Uhlmann, S. S. 2009. Using a double codend to reduce discard mortality. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 66: 2077–2081. Traditional technical strategies for mitigating collateral fishing mortality have involved improving gear selectivity (to reduce bycatch) and, more recently, concomitant changes to onboard handling procedures to reduce some of the negative impacts to the remaining discards. A less common approach is to modify gears physically to minimize deleterious catching mechanisms and subsequent mortalities during fishing. This study aimed to investigate the utility of the latter category of modifications for penaeid trawls by separating a codend into two compartments (termed a double codend) to alleviate interactions between catches. Compared with a conventional design, the double codend significantly reduced the immediate (from 17.1 to 13.8%) and short-term (22.5 to 17.1%) mortalities of discarded juvenile school prawns (Metapenaeus macleayi). The effectiveness of the double codend remained independent of other factors known to affect the fate of discarded juvenile M. macleayi, including cloud cover and, owing to minimal variability, the weight of the total catch. However, irrespective of the codend configuration, overall mortalities were also positively correlated with the quantity of jellyfish. We conclude that when combined with modifications to improve selectivity and appropriate onboard handling strategies, compartmentalizing codend catches could cumulatively reduce unaccounted fishing mortality.

scholarly journals Understanding Transience and Participation in University Student-Led Food Gardens

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 2788 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Laycock Pedersen ◽  
Zoe P. Robinson ◽  
Emma Surman
Keyword(s):  
Feedback Loops ◽  
University Student ◽  
Causal Loop Diagram ◽  
Short Term ◽  
High Turnover ◽  
National Union ◽  
Food Gardens ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Academic Year

In an increasingly mobile world, transience is becoming the norm. Sustainable community food initiatives, therefore, must organise to withstand high turnover of volunteers. Using a case study of the United Kingdom’s National Union of Students’ food growing scheme in universities, this paper aims to map the causes and effects of short-term, irregular, and low participation using a causal loop diagram to understand how to mitigate their negative impacts and improve participation. Data was gathered through interviews, workshops, photovoice, a fishbowl discussion, and a reflective diary. We found three amplifying feedback loops increasing short-term, irregular and low participation, their causes, and their impacts. These feedback loops were precariously buffered by a continuous in-flow of new potential participants each academic year. We also found that the stakeholders of these gardens conceptualised time akin to both temporary and permanent organisations, and these differing conceptualisations were a source of tension. Furthermore, although ‘organisational amnesia’ was a problem, the gardens were still learningful spaces. We recommend both upstream and downstream solutions are implemented to buffer the impacts of transience and suggest that university and students’ union staff could play a crucial and subtle supporting role.

scholarly journals Global ecosystem thresholds driven by aridity

Science ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 367 (6479) ◽  
pp. 787-790 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel Berdugo ◽  
Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo ◽  
Santiago Soliveres ◽  
Rocío Hernández-Clemente ◽  
Yanchuang Zhao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Plant Cover ◽  
Plant Productivity ◽  
Abrupt Changes ◽  
Dryland Ecosystems ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Ecosystem Changes ◽  
Three Phases

Aridity, which is increasing worldwide because of climate change, affects the structure and functioning of dryland ecosystems. Whether aridification leads to gradual (versus abrupt) and systemic (versus specific) ecosystem changes is largely unknown. We investigated how 20 structural and functional ecosystem attributes respond to aridity in global drylands. Aridification led to systemic and abrupt changes in multiple ecosystem attributes. These changes occurred sequentially in three phases characterized by abrupt decays in plant productivity, soil fertility, and plant cover and richness at aridity values of 0.54, 0.7, and 0.8, respectively. More than 20% of the terrestrial surface will cross one or several of these thresholds by 2100, which calls for immediate actions to minimize the negative impacts of aridification on essential ecosystem services for the more than 2 billion people living in drylands.

Effect of disturbances on trophic groups in soil nematode assemblages

Nematology ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 553-559 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert McSorley
Keyword(s):  
Plant Cover ◽  
Parasitic Nematodes ◽  
Soil Nematode ◽  
Trophic Groups ◽  
Bare Ground ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Free Living ◽  
Free Living Nematode ◽  
A Site

AbstractFree-living nematodes in soil ecosystems are vital in the decomposition of organic matter and recycling of nutrients. The effects of various types of disturbances on nematode assemblages were examined in several experiments on a single soil: a short-term detrimental disturbance from solarisation, a short-term beneficial disturbance from amendment addition, and a long-term detrimental disturbance from bare ground without plant cover. Comparison of solarised and non-solarised field plots revealed lower numbers of fungivores in solarised plots. As a result, indices involving ratios of fungivores to bacterivores and fungivores to total free-living nematodes were decreased as well. Addition of an amendment increased numbers of bacterivores. This change was also reflected in calculated indices that expressed trophic groups as percentages of the total free-living nematodes. A severely disturbed site with bare ground that was without plant cover for more than 5 years was compared with an adjacent site maintained in grass. No plant-parasitic nematodes were recovered from the bare ground site, which contained lower numbers of nematodes in all trophic groups than the grass site. However, the structure of the free-living nematode assemblages in both sites was similar, as indicated by the proportions of various trophic groups and by ratios of fungivores and bacterivores. The free-living nematode assemblage in a site with a perceived severe long-term disturbance maintained a trophic structure similar to a site with perennial plant cover.

scholarly journals Impact of Biochar on Earthworm Populations: A Review

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon L. Weyers ◽  
Kurt A. Spokas
Keyword(s):  
Black Carbon ◽  
Total Biomass ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Feeding Behaviors ◽  
Soil System ◽  
Earthworm Population ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Earthworm Populations

Despite the overwhelming importance of earthworm activity in the soil system, there are a limited number of studies that have examined the impact resulting from biochar addition to soil. Biochar is part of the black carbon continuum of chemo-thermal converted biomass. This review summarizes existing data pertaining to earthworms where biochar and other black carbon substances, including slash-and-burn charcoals and wood ash, have been applied. After analyzing existing studies on black carbon, we identified that these additions have a range from short-term negative impacts to long-term null effects on earthworm population density and total biomass. Documented cases of mortality were found with certain biochar-soil combinations; the cause is not fully understood, but hypothesized to be related to pH, whether the black carbon is premoistened, affects feeding behaviors, or other unknown factors. With wood ashes, negative impacts were overcome with addition of other carbon substrates. Given that field data is limited, soils amended with biochar did not appear to cause significant long-term impacts. However, this may indicate that the magnitude of short-term negative impacts on earthworm populations can be reduced with time.

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