The Ethical Implications of Geospatial Technologies and New Perspectives for Community Involvement in the Face of Global Change: The Case of Malaria in Sucre, Venezuela

AbstractUnderstanding and predicting possible responses of grassland species to global change is of important meaning for adapting grassland management to a changed and changing environment. A laboratory clipping experiment was conducted to examine the interspecific responses in an ecological context of competition and environmental changes. Festuca rubra and Trifolium pratense, either in monoculture or two- and three-species mixtures, were grown in three environmental combinations (ambient and increased temperature, repetitive N supply, and simulated acid rain), respectively. After a growth time of three months, plants were clipped at the height of 1.0 cm above soil surface. Plant height and aboveground biomass prior clipping, and survival rate and regrowth (height and biomass) after clipping were analyzed. F. rubra and T. pratense responded differently in compensatory growth and competition intensity to environmental change and co-existing species. The differences in their physiological and ecological traits may account for species-dependent responses. The present study emphasizes that predicting the plant assemblage response in the face of global change requires in understanding the integrating effects of abiotic and biotic factors.

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Ecophysiology of avian migration in the face of current global hazards

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rstb.2012.0008 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 367 (1596) ◽

pp. 1719-1732 ◽

Cited By ~ 68

Author(s):

Marcel Klaassen ◽

Bethany J. Hoye ◽

Bart A. Nolet ◽

William A. Buttemer

Keyword(s):

Global Change ◽

Migratory Birds ◽

High Energy ◽

Change Processes ◽

Negative Consequences ◽

Long Distance ◽

Physiological Limits ◽

The Face ◽

Abiotic And Biotic Factors ◽

The Impact

Long-distance migratory birds are often considered extreme athletes, possessing a range of traits that approach the physiological limits of vertebrate design. In addition, their movements must be carefully timed to ensure that they obtain resources of sufficient quantity and quality to satisfy their high-energy needs. Migratory birds may therefore be particularly vulnerable to global change processes that are projected to alter the quality and quantity of resource availability. Because long-distance flight requires high and sustained aerobic capacity, even minor decreases in vitality can have large negative consequences for migrants. In the light of this, we assess how current global change processes may affect the ability of birds to meet the physiological demands of migration, and suggest areas where avian physiologists may help to identify potential hazards. Predicting the consequences of global change scenarios on migrant species requires (i) reconciliation of empirical and theoretical studies of avian flight physiology; (ii) an understanding of the effects of food quality, toxicants and disease on migrant performance; and (iii) mechanistic models that integrate abiotic and biotic factors to predict migratory behaviour. Critically, a multi-dimensional concept of vitality would greatly facilitate evaluation of the impact of various global change processes on the population dynamics of migratory birds.

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The Potential and Pitfalls of Collector Collaboration in Southeast Arizona

Advances in Archaeological Practice ◽

10.1017/aap.2021.29 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Mary E. Whisenhunt

Keyword(s):

Community Involvement ◽

Local Community ◽

Private Property ◽

Critical Evaluation ◽

Archaeological Sites ◽

Property A ◽

Ethical Implications ◽

Course Of Action ◽

Legal Challenges ◽

Crucial Information

ABSTRACT In locales where much of the archaeological record has been destroyed or heavily impacted by pothunting and development, engaging with collector informants—including those who legally excavated sites on private property in the 1980s—can help fill crucial information gaps. However, such collaboration can pose ethical, and potentially legal, challenges. In this article, I outline research goals and results from a survey project in southeast Arizona's York-Duncan Valley, discuss the legal and ethical implications involved in working with former pothunters, and offer a critical evaluation of project practice. Finally, I offer a set of recommendations for those considering similar collaborations. I argue that the rejection of individuals who are knowledgeable about damaged or destroyed archaeological sites effectively silences the sites forever. Data acquired from former pothunters led to the identification and recording of 25 of 87 archaeological sites in the York-Duncan Valley. These individuals also served as interlocutors with others in the local community, helping us foster the trusted relationships necessary to promote site preservation on private property. A long-term engagement strategy that incorporates an assessment determining whether collector informants are responsible or responsive and that nurtures community involvement in preserving local archaeology offers a more productive course of action.

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