Social Ecology as Innovative Tertiary Environmental Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Lesley

1992-01-01

This paper explains the origin of the University of West Sidney's Bachelor of Applied Science in Social Ecology degree, and describes underlying philosophical framework, the major course organizing principles, and the proposed structure of the course. Highlights the problematic nature of setting up a dialectical, nondisciplinary-based program.…

Ethical Considerations for Conducting Health Disparities Research in Community Health Centers: A Social-Ecological Perspective

PubMed Central

Scott, Ebony; Melendez, Jennifer; Rodriguez, Anna; Ramos, Rosio; Kanna, Balavenkatesh; Michelen, Walid

2013-01-01

Community health centers (CHCs) provide optimal research settings. They serve a high-risk, medically underserved population in the greatest need of intervention. Low socioeconomic status renders this population particularly vulnerable to research misconduct. Traditional principles of research ethics are often applied to participants only. The social-ecological model offers a comprehensive framework for applying these principles across multiple levels (participants, providers, organizations, communities, and policy). Our experience with the Trial Using Motivational Interviewing, Positive Affect and Self-Affirmation in African-Americans with Hypertension, a randomized trial conducted in CHCs, led us to propose a new platform for discussing research ethics; examine the social, community, and political factors surrounding research conducted in CHCs; and recommend how future research should be conducted in such settings. PMID:24134347

Ethical considerations for conducting health disparities research in community health centers: a social-ecological perspective.

PubMed

Boutin-Foster, Carla; Scott, Ebony; Melendez, Jennifer; Rodriguez, Anna; Ramos, Rosio; Kanna, Balavenkatesh; Michelen, Walid

2013-12-01

Community health centers (CHCs) provide optimal research settings. They serve a high-risk, medically underserved population in the greatest need of intervention. Low socioeconomic status renders this population particularly vulnerable to research misconduct. Traditional principles of research ethics are often applied to participants only. The social-ecological model offers a comprehensive framework for applying these principles across multiple levels (participants, providers, organizations, communities, and policy). Our experience with the Trial Using Motivational Interviewing, Positive Affect and Self-Affirmation in African-Americans with Hypertension, a randomized trial conducted in CHCs, led us to propose a new platform for discussing research ethics; examine the social, community, and political factors surrounding research conducted in CHCs; and recommend how future research should be conducted in such settings.

An ecological process model of systems change.

PubMed

Peirson, Leslea J; Boydell, Katherine M; Ferguson, H Bruce; Ferris, Lorraine E

2011-06-01

In June 2007 the American Journal of Community Psychology published a special issue focused on theories, methods and interventions for systems change which included calls from the editors and authors for theoretical advancement in this field. We propose a conceptual model of systems change that integrates familiar and fundamental community psychology principles (succession, interdependence, cycling of resources, adaptation) and accentuates a process orientation. To situate our framework we offer a definition of systems change and a brief review of the ecological perspective and principles. The Ecological Process Model of Systems Change is depicted, described and applied to a case example of policy driven systems level change in publicly funded social programs. We conclude by identifying salient implications for thinking and action which flow from the Model.

Operationalizing ecological resilience at a landscape scale: A framework and case study from Silicon Valley

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beller, E.; Robinson, A.; Grossinger, R.; Grenier, L.; Davenport, A.

2015-12-01

Adaptation to climate change requires redesigning our landscapes and watersheds to maximize ecological resilience at large scales and integrated across urban areas, wildlands, and a diversity of ecosystem types. However, it can be difficult for environmental managers and designers to access, interpret, and apply resilience concepts at meaningful scales and across a range of settings. To address this gap, we produced a Landscape Resilience Framework that synthesizes the latest science on the qualitative mechanisms that drive resilience of ecological functions to climate change and other large-scale stressors. The framework is designed to help translate resilience science into actionable ecosystem conservation and restoration recommendations and adaptation strategies by providing a concise but comprehensive list of considerations that will help integrate resilience concepts into urban design, conservation planning, and natural resource management. The framework is composed of seven principles that represent core attributes which determine the resilience of ecological functions within a landscape. These principles are: setting, process, connectivity, redundancy, diversity/complexity, scale, and people. For each principle we identify several key operationalizable components that help illuminate specific recommendations and actions that are likely to contribute to landscape resilience for locally appropriate species, habitats, and biological processes. We are currently using the framework to develop landscape-scale recommendations for ecological resilience in the heavily urbanized Silicon Valley, California, in collaboration with local agencies, companies, and regional experts. The resilience framework is being applied across the valley, including urban, suburban, and wildland areas and terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Ultimately, the framework will underpin the development of strategies that can be implemented to bolster ecological resilience from a site to landscape scale.

Populations, Natural Selection, and Applied Organizational Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKelvey, Bill; Aldrich, Howard

1983-01-01

Deficiencies in existing models in organizational science may be remedied by applying the population approach, with its concepts of taxonomy, classification, evolution, and population ecology; and natural selection theory, with its principles of variation, natural selection, heredity, and struggle for existence, to the idea of organizational forms…

Functional ecomorphology: Feedbacks between form and function in fluvial landscape ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fisher, Stuart G.; Heffernan, James B.; Sponseller, Ryan A.; Welter, Jill R.

2007-09-01

The relationship between form and function has been a central organizing principle in biology throughout its history as a formal science. This concept has been relevant from molecules to organisms but loses meaning at population and community levels where study targets are abstract collectives and assemblages. Ecosystems include organisms and abiotic factors but ecosystem ecology too has developed until recently without a strong spatially explicit reference. Landscape ecology provides an opportunity to once again anneal form and function and to consider reciprocal causation between them. This ecomorphologic view can be applied at a variety of ecologically relevant scales and consists of an investigation of how geomorphology provides a structural template that shapes, and is shaped by ecological processes. Running water ecosystems illustrate several principles governing the interaction of landscape form and ecological function subsumed by the concept of "Functional Ecomorphology". Particularly lucrative are ecosystem-level interactions between geologic form and biogeochemical processes integrated by hydrologic flowpaths. While the utility of a flowpath-based approach is most apparent in streams, spatially explicit biogeochemical processing pervades all landscapes and may be of general ecological application.

[Guidelines of reference recording in scientific papers of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology].

PubMed

Xiao, Hong

2008-01-01

To improve the compilation quality of references, work in well with articles search and periodicals evaluation, and promote international academic exchange, the Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology shall adjust its principles of reference recording in scientific papers based on the GB/T7714 -2005. From 2008, the references in scientific papers to be submitted are requested to record by the Citation-Sequence. In this paper, some examples were presented, and the issues needed to be paid more attention to by the authors were put forward.

Systems management techniques and problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1971-01-01

Report is reviewed which discusses history and trends of systems management, its basic principles, and nature of problems that lend themselves to systems approach. Report discusses systems engineering as applied to weapons acquisition, ecology, patient monitoring, and retail merchandise operations.

An Applied Ecological Framework for Evaluating Infrastructure to Promote Walking and Cycling: The iConnect Study

PubMed Central

Bull, Fiona; Powell, Jane; Cooper, Ashley R.; Brand, Christian; Mutrie, Nanette; Preston, John; Rutter, Harry

2011-01-01

Improving infrastructure for walking and cycling is increasingly recommended as a means to promote physical activity, prevent obesity, and reduce traffic congestion and carbon emissions. However, limited evidence from intervention studies exists to support this approach. Drawing on classic epidemiological methods, psychological and ecological models of behavior change, and the principles of realistic evaluation, we have developed an applied ecological framework by which current theories about the behavioral effects of environmental change may be tested in heterogeneous and complex intervention settings. Our framework guides study design and analysis by specifying the most important data to be collected and relations to be tested to confirm or refute specific hypotheses and thereby refine the underlying theories. PMID:21233429

[Decline of protective forest and its prevention strategies from viewpoint of restoration ecology: taking Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica plantation in Zhanggutai as an example].

PubMed

Jiang, Fengqi; Zeng, Dehui; Yu, Zhanyuan

2006-12-01

Aimed at the decline of protective forest in China, and applying the key principles of restoration ecology, such as ecological succession, disturbance, and population density, etc., this paper assessed the rationality of designing elements of protective forest in decision-making level, and analyzed its relationships with the decline of the forest, taking Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica plantation in Zhanggutai sandy land as an example. It was considered that the disagreement of large-scale afforestation with succession climax in regional scale was aberrant to the ecological principles, and resulted in the aberrancy of the objectives, steps, species composition, and stand density of protective forest establishment, being the main cause of protective forest decline. Mismanagement and frequent natural and human disturbances were also the important causes for the decline. Three strategies for preventing the decline, i.e., better understanding damaged ecosystems, increasing material and energy input, and overcoming disturbances were put forward, and the objectives of restoring vegetation, judgment of climax for ecological succession, and application of plagioclimax in establishing artificial vegetation were discussed.

Reinterpreting maximum entropy in ecology: a null hypothesis constrained by ecological mechanism.

PubMed

O'Dwyer, James P; Rominger, Andrew; Xiao, Xiao

2017-07-01

Simplified mechanistic models in ecology have been criticised for the fact that a good fit to data does not imply the mechanism is true: pattern does not equal process. In parallel, the maximum entropy principle (MaxEnt) has been applied in ecology to make predictions constrained by just a handful of state variables, like total abundance or species richness. But an outstanding question remains: what principle tells us which state variables to constrain? Here we attempt to solve both problems simultaneously, by translating a given set of mechanisms into the state variables to be used in MaxEnt, and then using this MaxEnt theory as a null model against which to compare mechanistic predictions. In particular, we identify the sufficient statistics needed to parametrise a given mechanistic model from data and use them as MaxEnt constraints. Our approach isolates exactly what mechanism is telling us over and above the state variables alone. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

Approaches for integrated assessment of ecological and eutrophication status of surface waters in Nordic Countries.

PubMed

Andersen, Jesper H; Aroviita, Jukka; Carstensen, Jacob; Friberg, Nikolai; Johnson, Richard K; Kauppila, Pirkko; Lindegarth, Mats; Murray, Ciarán; Norling, Karl

2016-10-01

We review approaches and tools currently used in Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden) for integrated assessment of 'ecological status' sensu the EU Water Framework Directive as well as assessment of 'eutrophication status' in coastal and marine waters. Integration principles for combining indicators within biological quality elements (BQEs) and combining BQEs into a final-integrated assessment are discussed. Specific focus has been put on combining different types of information into indices, since several methods are currently employed. As a consequence of the variety of methods used, comparisons across both BQEs and water categories (river, lakes and coastal waters) can be difficult. Based on our analyses, we conclude that some principles and methods for integration can be critical and that a harmonised approach should be developed. Further, we conclude that the integration principles applied within BQEs are critical and in need of harmonisation if we want a better understanding of potential transition in ecological status between surface water types, e.g. when riverine water enters a downstream lake or coastal water body.

Application of Microfluidics in Experimental Ecology: The Importance of Being Spatial.

PubMed

Nagy, Krisztina; Ábrahám, Ágnes; Keymer, Juan E; Galajda, Péter

2018-01-01

Microfluidics is an emerging technology that is used more and more in biology experiments. Its capabilities of creating precisely controlled conditions in cellular dimensions make it ideal to explore cell-cell and cell-environment interactions. Thus, a wide spectrum of problems in microbial ecology can be studied using engineered microbial habitats. Moreover, artificial microfluidic ecosystems can serve as model systems to test ecology theories and principles that apply on a higher level in the hierarchy of biological organization. In this mini review we aim to demonstrate the versatility of microfluidics and the diversity of its applications that help the advance of microbiology, and in more general, experimental ecology.

The Red Lotus Health Promotion Model: a new model for holistic, ecological, salutogenic health promotion practice.

PubMed

Gregg, Jane; O'Hara, Lily

2007-04-01

There is a need for a system of values and principles consistent with modern health promotion that enables practitioners to use these values and principles to understand health and in their needs assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation practice. Grounded theory, document analysis and the authors' own practice experience were used to systematically collect and analyse data from key health promotion literature and to develop the Red Lotus Health Promotion Model. The Red Lotus Health Promotion Model is a new model for holistic, ecological, salutogenic health promotion practice. It is distinct from other health promotion models in that it incorporates a system of values and principles that is applied across the phases of health promotion, including determining the health paradigm, needs assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation. The Red Lotus Health Promotion Model enables practitioners to proactively and purposefully put into action a connected system of values and principles across the phases of a health promotion process.

SPECIAL SECTION: Perspectives of the Scientific Community on the Status of Ecological Risk Assessment

PubMed

Power; Adams

1997-11-01

/ Views from a wide variety of practicing environmental professionals on the current status of ecological risk assessment (ERA) indicate consensus and divergence of opinion on the utility and practice of risk assessment. Central to the debate were the issues of whether ERA appropriately incorporates ecological and scientific principle into its conceptual paradigm. Advocates argue that ERA effectively does both, noting that much of the fault detractors find with the process has more to do with its practice than its purpose. Critics argue that failure to validate ERA predictions and the tendency to over-simplify ecological principles compromise the integrity of ERA and may lead to misleading advice on the appropriate responses to environmental problems. All authors felt that many improvements could be made, including validation, better definition of the ecological questions and boundaries of ERA, improved harmonization of selected methods, and improvements in the knowledge base. Despite identified deficiencies, most authors felt that ERA was a useful process undergoing evolutionary changes that will inevitably determine the range of environmental problems to which it can be appropriately applied. The views expressed give ERA a cautious vote of approval and highlight many of the critical strengths and weaknesses in one of our most important environmental assessment tools.KEY WORDS: Ecological risk assessment; Ecology; Probability

Quantitative site type delineation for pastures in the northeastern United States

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Grazing Lands component of the USDA-NRCS Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) is a national assessment of the environmental effects of management practices used on pasture and rangelands. The pasture subcomponent is based around applying ecological principles to temperate humid grazing...

Quantifying the biases in metagenome mining for realistic assessment of microbial ecology of naturally fermented foods.

PubMed

Keisam, Santosh; Romi, Wahengbam; Ahmed, Giasuddin; Jeyaram, Kumaraswamy

2016-09-27

Cultivation-independent investigation of microbial ecology is biased by the DNA extraction methods used. We aimed to quantify those biases by comparative analysis of the metagenome mined from four diverse naturally fermented foods (bamboo shoot, milk, fish, soybean) using eight different DNA extraction methods with different cell lysis principles. Our findings revealed that the enzymatic lysis yielded higher eubacterial and yeast metagenomic DNA from the food matrices compared to the widely used chemical and mechanical lysis principles. Further analysis of the bacterial community structure by Illumina MiSeq amplicon sequencing revealed a high recovery of lactic acid bacteria by the enzymatic lysis in all food types. However, Bacillaceae, Acetobacteraceae, Clostridiaceae and Proteobacteria were more abundantly recovered when mechanical and chemical lysis principles were applied. The biases generated due to the differential recovery of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) by different DNA extraction methods including DNA and PCR amplicons mix from different methods have been quantitatively demonstrated here. The different methods shared only 29.9-52.0% of the total OTUs recovered. Although similar comparative research has been performed on other ecological niches, this is the first in-depth investigation of quantifying the biases in metagenome mining from naturally fermented foods.

Microbial ecology to manage processes in environmental biotechnology.

PubMed

Rittmann, Bruce E

2006-06-01

Microbial ecology and environmental biotechnology are inherently tied to each other. The concepts and tools of microbial ecology are the basis for managing processes in environmental biotechnology; and these processes provide interesting ecosystems to advance the concepts and tools of microbial ecology. Revolutionary advancements in molecular tools to understand the structure and function of microbial communities are bolstering the power of microbial ecology. A push from advances in modern materials along with a pull from a societal need to become more sustainable is enabling environmental biotechnology to create novel processes. How do these two fields work together? Five principles illuminate the way: (i) aim for big benefits; (ii) develop and apply more powerful tools to understand microbial communities; (iii) follow the electrons; (iv) retain slow-growing biomass; and (v) integrate, integrate, integrate.

Applying principles from economics to improve the transfer of ecological production estimates in fisheries ecosystem services research

EPA Science Inventory

Ecosystem services (ES) represent a way to represent and quantify multiple uses, values as well as connectivity between ecosystem processes and human well-being. Ecosystem-based fisheries management approaches may seek to quantify expected trade-offs in ecosystem services due to ...

Volume V: a framework for sustainable-ecosystem management.

Treesearch

Bernard T. Bormann; Martha H. Brookes; E. David Ford; A. Ross Kiester; Chadwick D. Oliver; James F. Weigand

1994-01-01

Principles for sustainable-ecosystem management are derived by integrating fundamental, societal, and scientific premises. Ecosystem science is applied in the design of a system of management focused on building overlap between what people collectively want and what is ecologically possible. We conclude that management must incorporate more science and societal...

Principles and practices of integrated pest management on cotton in the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Sustainable agriculture is ecologically sound, economically viable, socially just, and humane. These four goals for sustainability can be applied to all aspects of any agricultural system, from production and marketing, to processing and consumption. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) may be conside...

A landscape ecology approach to assessing development impacts in the tropics: A geothermal energy example in Hawaii

USGS Publications Warehouse

Griffith, J.A.; Trettin, C.C.; O'Neill, R. V.

2002-01-01

Geographic information systems (GIS) are increasingly being used in environmental impact assessments (EIA) because GIS is useful for analysing spatial impacts of various development scenarios. Spatially representing these impacts provides another tool for landscape ecology in environmental and geographical investigations by facilitating analysis of the effects of landscape patterns on ecological processes and examining change over time. Landscape ecological principles are applied in this study to a hypothetical geothermal development project on the Island of Hawaii. Some common landscape pattern metrics were used to analyse dispersed versus condensed development scenarios and their effect on landscape pattern. Indices of fragmentation and patch shape did not appreciably change with additional development. The amount of forest to open edge, however, greatly increased with the dispersed development scenario. In addition, landscape metrics showed that a human disturbance had a greater simplifying effect on patch shape and also increased fragmentation than a natural disturbance. The use of these landscape pattern metrics can advance the methodology of applying GIS to EIA.

Phytoplankton community ecology: Principles applied in San Francisco Bay

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cloern, J.E.; Dufford, R.

2005-01-01

In his seminal 1961 paper 'The paradox of the plankton' Am Nat 95:137-147, G. E. Hutchinson asked why many species of phytoplankton can coexist while competing for a small number of limiting resources in an unstructured habitat. Hutchinson anticipated the resolution of his paradox, recognizing that communities are organized by processes beyond resource competition including species interactions, habitat variability and dispersal. Since 1961 we have made fundamental discoveries that have revolutionized our conceptual understanding of pelagic ecology, including (1) habitat heterogeneity at all scales relevant to plankton population dynamics, (2) community shifts in response to global climate cycles, (3) fast and selective predation as a powerful top-down force to shape phytoplankton communities, (4) turbulent mixing as a physical process that selects species on the basis of their size and form, (5) mixotrophy that allows some algal species to tap organic nutrient pools and function at multiple trophic levels, (6) taxon-specific life cycles including alternating vegetative and resting stages, and (7) the pelagic as an open system where communities are continually reshaped by species immigration. Here we synthesize these discoveries to show how they validate and amplify Hutchinson's hypothesis that phytoplankton communities are assembled by many processes. Our synthesis is built around observations of phytoplankton species composition from a decade of study in San Francisco Bay, used as a case study to illustrate the contemporary principles of phytoplankton community ecology. We apply these principles to address 2 central questions: (1) What processes assemble phytoplankton communities? (2) How does phytoplankton community composition influence ecosystem functions such as production in pelagic and benthic food webs?

[General principles of urban ecological land classification and planning].

PubMed

Deng, Xiaowen; Sun, Yichao; Han, Shijie

2005-10-01

Urban ecological land planning is a difficult and urgent task in city layout. This paper presented the definition of urban ecological land, and according the definition, divided the urban ecological land into two groups, i. e., ecological land for service, and ecological land for functioning. Based on the principles of city layout, some measures to plan these two urban ecological land groups were proposed.

Compatibility of intensive timber culture with recreation, water and wildlife management

Treesearch

Samuel P. Shaw

1977-01-01

Two principles of ecology can be applied to make management for recreation, water, and wildlife habitat compatible with timber management. They are diversity within plant communities (i.e. timber types) and interspersion of these diverse communities in place and time. Intensive cultural operations can be the tool to create the...

Point Estimate Transfers in Ecosystem Services Research: Applying Principles from Economics to Improve the Transfer of Ecological Production Estimates

EPA Science Inventory

There is increasing demand to describe and account for the benefits that humans derive from ecosystem functions in decision-making. Comprehensive descriptions of these benefits, referred to as ecosystem services (ES), and their production can be limited because there is limited ...

[Ecology suitability of Polygonum capitatum in Guizhou province based on topographical conditions].

PubMed

Zhang, Xiaobo; Zhou, Tao; Guo, Lanping; Zhu, Shoudong; Huang, Luqi

2011-02-01

To study ecology suitability rank dividing of Polygonum capitatum for selecting artificial planting base and high-quality industrial raw material in Guizhou province. Based on the investigation of PCB and DEM data of Guizhou province, the relationship between the gallic acid content in P. capitatum and topographical conditions was analyzed by statistical analysis. The geographic information systems (GIS)-based assessment and landscape ecological principles were applied to assess ecology suitability areas of P. capitatum in Guizhou. slope, aspect and altitude are main topographical factors that affect the content of gallic acid in P. capitatum. The gallic acid content of P. capitatum is higher in the lower altitude, shady slope and smaller slope areas. The gallic acid content is higher in the eastern areas of Guizhou province.

Understanding and applying principles of social cognition and ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Environmental governance systems are under greater pressure to adapt and to cope with increased social and ecological uncertainty from stressors like climate change. We review principles of social cognition and decision making that shape and constrain how environmental governance systems adapt. We focus primarily on the interplay between key decision makers in society and legal systems. We argue that adaptive governance must overcome three cooperative dilemmas to facilitate adaptation: (1) encouraging collaborative problem solving, (2) garnering social acceptance and commitment, and (3) cultivating a culture of trust and tolerance for change and uncertainty. However, to do so governance systems must cope with biases in people’s decision making that cloud their judgment and create conflict. These systems must also satisfy people’s fundamental needs for self-determination, fairness, and security, ensuring that changes to environmental governance are perceived as legitimate, trustworthy, and acceptable. We discuss the implications of these principles for common governance solutions (e.g., public participation, enforcement) and conclude with methodological recommendations. We outline how scholars can investigate the social cognitive principles involved in cases of adaptive governance. Social-ecological stressors place significant pressure on major societal systems, triggering adaptive reforms in human governance and environmental law. Though potentially benefici

A rapid method to score stream reaches based on the overall performance of their main ecological functions.

PubMed

Rowe, David K; Parkyn, Stephanie; Quinn, John; Collier, Kevin; Hatton, Chris; Joy, Michael K; Maxted, John; Moore, Stephen

2009-06-01

A method was developed to score the ecological condition of first- to third-order stream reaches in the Auckland region of New Zealand based on the performance of their key ecological functions. Such a method is required by consultants and resource managers to quantify the reduction in ecological condition of a modified stream reach relative to its unmodified state. This is a fundamental precursor for the determination of fair environmental compensation for achieving no-net-loss in overall stream ecological value. Field testing and subsequent use of the method indicated that it provides a useful measure of ecological condition related to the performance of stream ecological functions. It is relatively simple to apply compared to a full ecological study, is quick to use, and allows identification of the degree of impairment of each of the key ecological functions. The scoring system was designed so that future improvements in the measurement of stream functions can be incorporated into it. Although the methodology was specifically designed for Auckland streams, the principles can be readily adapted to other regions and stream types.

Environmental protection: applying the precautionary principle and proactive regulation to biotechnology.

PubMed

Richmond, Robert H

2008-08-01

Biotechnology is a broad field encompassing diverse disciplines from agriculture to zoology. Advances in research are occurring at a rapid pace, and applications that have broad implications socially, economically, ecologically and politically are emerging. Along with notable benefits, environmental consequences that affect core quality-of-life issues for present and future generations are materializing. The precautionary principle should be applied to biotechnology research, activities and products, and a strengthened, enforceable and proactive regulatory framework is needed. The environmental impacts of agriculture, aquaculture, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and even pharmaceuticals are raising public concerns and demonstrate the need for guidance from a variety of social, economic and scientific disciplines to insure the benefits of biotechnology are enjoyed without unacceptable and irreversible environmental costs.

An Ecological Framework of the Human Virome Provides Classification of Current Knowledge and Identifies Areas of Forthcoming Discovery

PubMed Central

Parker, Michael T.

2016-01-01

Recent advances in sequencing technologies have opened the door for the classification of the human virome. While taxonomic classification can be applied to the viruses identified in such studies, this gives no information as to the type of interaction the virus has with the host. As follow-up studies are performed to address these questions, the description of these virus-host interactions would be greatly enriched by applying a standard set of definitions that typify them. This paper describes a framework with which all members of the human virome can be classified based on principles of ecology. The scaffold not only enables categorization of the human virome, but can also inform research aimed at identifying novel virus-host interactions. PMID:27698618

Designing Industrial Networks Using Ecological Food Web Metrics.

PubMed

Layton, Astrid; Bras, Bert; Weissburg, Marc

2016-10-18

Biologically Inspired Design (biomimicry) and Industrial Ecology both look to natural systems to enhance the sustainability and performance of engineered products, systems and industries. Bioinspired design (BID) traditionally has focused on a unit operation and single product level. In contrast, this paper describes how principles of network organization derived from analysis of ecosystem properties can be applied to industrial system networks. Specifically, this paper examines the applicability of particular food web matrix properties as design rules for economically and biologically sustainable industrial networks, using an optimization model developed for a carpet recycling network. Carpet recycling network designs based on traditional cost and emissions based optimization are compared to designs obtained using optimizations based solely on ecological food web metrics. The analysis suggests that networks optimized using food web metrics also were superior from a traditional cost and emissions perspective; correlations between optimization using ecological metrics and traditional optimization ranged generally from 0.70 to 0.96, with flow-based metrics being superior to structural parameters. Four structural food parameters provided correlations nearly the same as that obtained using all structural parameters, but individual structural parameters provided much less satisfactory correlations. The analysis indicates that bioinspired design principles from ecosystems can lead to both environmentally and economically sustainable industrial resource networks, and represent guidelines for designing sustainable industry networks.

An assessment of adherence to basic ecological principles by payments for ecosystem service projects.

PubMed

Prager, C M; Varga, A; Olmsted, P; Ingram, J C; Cattau, M; Freund, C; Wynn-Grant, R; Naeem, S

2016-08-01

Programs and projects employing payments for ecosystem service (PES) interventions achieve their objectives by linking buyers and sellers of ecosystem services. Although PES projects are popular conservation and development interventions, little is known about their adherence to basic ecological principles. We conducted a quantitative assessment of the degree to which a global set of PES projects adhered to four ecological principles that are basic scientific considerations for any project focused on ecosystem management: collection of baseline data, identification of threats to an ecosystem service, monitoring, and attention to ecosystem dynamics or the formation of an adaptive management plan. We evaluated 118 PES projects in three markets-biodiversity, carbon, and water-compiled using websites of major conservation organizations; ecology, economic, and climate-change databases; and three scholarly databases (ISI Web of Knowledge, Web of Science, and Google Scholar). To assess adherence to ecological principles, we constructed two scientific indices (one additive [ASI] and one multiplicative [MSI]) based on our four ecological criteria and analyzed index scores by relevant project characteristics (e.g., sector, buyer, seller). Carbon-sector projects had higher ASI values (P < 0.05) than water-sector projects and marginally higher ASI scores (P < 0.1) than biodiversity-sector projects, demonstrating their greater adherence to ecological principles. Projects financed by public-private partnerships had significantly higher ASI values than projects financed by governments (P < 0.05) and marginally higher ASI values than those funded by private entities (P < 0.1). We did not detect differences in adherence to ecological principles based on the inclusion of cobenefits, the spatial extent of a project, or the size of a project's budget. These findings suggest, at this critical phase in the rapid growth of PES projects, that fundamental ecological principles should be considered more carefully in PES project design and implementation in an effort to ensure PES project viability and sustainability. © 2015 Society for Conservation Biology.

Ecological hierarchies and self-organisation - Pattern analysis, modelling and process integration across scales

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reuter, H.; Jopp, F.; Blanco-Moreno, J. M.; Damgaard, C.; Matsinos, Y.; DeAngelis, D.L.

2010-01-01

A continuing discussion in applied and theoretical ecology focuses on the relationship of different organisational levels and on how ecological systems interact across scales. We address principal approaches to cope with complex across-level issues in ecology by applying elements of hierarchy theory and the theory of complex adaptive systems. A top-down approach, often characterised by the use of statistical techniques, can be applied to analyse large-scale dynamics and identify constraints exerted on lower levels. Current developments are illustrated with examples from the analysis of within-community spatial patterns and large-scale vegetation patterns. A bottom-up approach allows one to elucidate how interactions of individuals shape dynamics at higher levels in a self-organisation process; e.g., population development and community composition. This may be facilitated by various modelling tools, which provide the distinction between focal levels and resulting properties. For instance, resilience in grassland communities has been analysed with a cellular automaton approach, and the driving forces in rodent population oscillations have been identified with an agent-based model. Both modelling tools illustrate the principles of analysing higher level processes by representing the interactions of basic components.The focus of most ecological investigations on either top-down or bottom-up approaches may not be appropriate, if strong cross-scale relationships predominate. Here, we propose an 'across-scale-approach', closely interweaving the inherent potentials of both approaches. This combination of analytical and synthesising approaches will enable ecologists to establish a more coherent access to cross-level interactions in ecological systems. ?? 2010 Gesellschaft f??r ??kologie.

Rethinking biology instruction: The application of DNR-based instruction to the learning and teaching of biology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maskiewicz, April Lee

Educational studies report that secondary and college level students have developed only limited understandings of the most basic biological processes and their interrelationships from typical classroom experiences. Furthermore, students have developed undesirable reasoning schemes and beliefs that directly affect how they make sense of and account for biological phenomena. For these reasons, there exists a need to rethink instructional practices in biology. This dissertation discusses how the principles of Harel's (1998, 2001) DNR-based instruction in mathematics could be applied to the teaching and learning of biology. DNR is an acronym for the three foundational principles of the system: Duality, Necessity, and Repeated-reasoning. This study examines the application of these three principles to ecology instruction. Through clinical and teaching interviews, I developed models of students' existing ways of understanding in ecology and inferred their ways of thinking. From these models a hypothetical learning trajectory was developed for 16 college level freshmen enrolled in a 10-week ecology teaching experiment. Through cyclical, interpretive analysis I documented and analyzed the evolution of the participants' progress. The results provide empirical evidence to support the claim that the DNR principles are applicable to ecology instruction. With respect to the Duality Principle, helping students develop specific ways of understanding led to the development of model-based reasoning---a way of thinking and the cognitive objective guiding instruction. Through carefully structured problem solving tasks, the students developed a biological understanding of the relationship between matter cycling, energy flow, and cellular processes such as photosynthesis and respiration, and used this understanding to account for observable phenomena in nature. In the case of intellectual necessity, the results illuminate how problem situations can be developed for biology learners that create cognitive disequilibrium-equilibrium phases and thus lead to modification or refinement of existing schemes. Elements that contributed to creating intellectual need include (a) problem tasks that built on students' existing knowledge; (b) problem tasks that challenged students; (c) a routine in which students presented their group's solution to the class; and (d) the didactical contract (Brousseau, 1997) established in the classroom.

Savannah River Ecology Laboratory. Annual technical progress report of ecological research, period ending July 31, 1994

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1994-07-31

The Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (SREL) is a research unit of the University of Georgia (UGA) that is managed in conjunction with the University`s Institute of Ecology. The laboratory`s overall mission is to acquire and communicate knowledge of ecological processes and principles. SREL conducts basic and applied ecological research, as well as education and outreach programs, under an M&O contract with the US Department of Energy at the Savannah River Site. Significant accomplishments were made during the year ending July 31, 1994 in the areas of research, education and service. Reviewed in this document are research projects in the followingmore » areas: Environmental Operations Support (impacted wetlands, streams, trace organics, radioecology, database synthesis, wild life studies, zooplankton, safety and quality assurance); wood stork foraging and breeding ecology; defence waste processing facility; environmental risk assessment (endangered species, fish, ash basin studies); ecosystem alteration by chemical pollutants; wetlands systems; biodiversity on the SRS; Environmental toxicology; environmental outreach and education; Par Pond drawdown studies in wildlife and fish and metals; theoretical ecology; DOE-SR National Environmental Research Park; wildlife studies. Summaries of educational programs and publications are also give.« less

Top 10 principles for designing healthy coastal ecosystems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gaydos, Joseph K.; Dierauf, Leslie; Kirby, Grant; Brosnan, Deborah; Gilardi, Kirsten; Davis, Gary E.

2008-01-01

Like other coastal zones around the world, the inland sea ecosystem of Washington (USA) and British Columbia (Canada), an area known as the Salish Sea, is changing under pressure from a growing human population, conversion of native forest and shoreline habitat to urban development, toxic contamination of sediments and species, and overharvest of resources. While billions of dollars have been spent trying to restore other coastal ecosystems around the world, there still is no successful model for restoring estuarine or marine ecosystems like the Salish Sea. Despite the lack of a guiding model, major ecological principles do exist that should be applied as people work to design the Salish Sea and other large marine ecosystems for the future. We suggest that the following 10 ecological principles serve as a foundation for educating the public and for designing a healthy Salish Sea and other coastal ecosystems for future generations: (1) Think ecosystem: political boundaries are arbitrary; (2) Account for ecosystem connectivity; (3) Understand the food web; (4) Avoid fragmentation; (5) Respect ecosystem integrity; (6) Support nature's resilience; (7) Value nature: it's money in your pocket; (8) Watch wildlife health; (9) Plan for extremes; and (10) Share the knowledge.

Hydrology and Ecology Go to Court

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wise, W. R.; Crisman, T. L.

2009-04-01

The authors were involved in a high profile case in the United States District Court involving Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades Agricultural Area in the State of Florida. One of the central issues of the case rested on a theory that all navigable waters of the United States comprised one "unitary" water body, and as such, transfer of water from one navigable water to another did not require any permitting action. Should this theory have prevailed, great precedent would be set regarding inter-basin transfer of volumes of water capable of significantly impact to the ecologic structure and function of all involved basins. Furthermore, the impact would certainly have had demographic implications of great significance. We were asked to serve as an expert witnesses in the case charged with developing a strategy to demonstrate that three large irrigation canals were "meaningfully hydrologically distinct" (language from the U.S. Supreme Court opinion on a related case) from Lake Okeechobee, the second largest freshwater lake wholly in the continental U.S. Although a totally hydrologic approach could have been taken easily, it was thought better for the legal team to include an aquatic ecologic perspective, a true example of the linkage of the two disciplines into ecohydrology. Together, an argument was crafted to explain to the judge how, in fact, the waters could in no way be "unitary" in character and that they were "meaningfully hydrologically distinct." The fundamentals of the arguments rested on well known and established principles of physics, chemistry, and biology. It was incumbent upon the authors to educate the judge on how to think about hydrologic and ecologic principles. Issues of interest to the judge included a forensic assessment of the hydrologic and ecologic regime of the lake and the original Everglades system when the State of Florida first joined the U.S. While there are anecdotal archives that describe some elements of the system, there are few historical data from which to quantify the flow regime. Nevertheless, the authors worked with their legal team to fill in the blanks based on their knowledge of hydrology and ecology. One of the most important lessons learned by the authors is the importance of participating in the public process. Often, scientists shy away from such matters. Many of the principles that were applied were researched long ago. No research papers were generated by the case, but many were used to solidify arguments. It was gratifying to the authors to realize that the work product of their disciplines could be applied in a cooperative manner to address an issue with such profound implications. It was a clear demonstration that ecohydrology, the linkage of hydrology and ecology, was much preferred as a way to address a complicated legal issue.

Conway's "Game of Life" and the Epigenetic Principle.

PubMed

Caballero, Lorena; Hodge, Bob; Hernandez, Sergio

2016-01-01

Cellular automatons and computer simulation games are widely used as heuristic devices in biology, to explore implications and consequences of specific theories. Conway's Game of Life has been widely used for this purpose. This game was designed to explore the evolution of ecological communities. We apply it to other biological processes, including symbiopoiesis. We show that Conway's organization of rules reflects the epigenetic principle, that genetic action and developmental processes are inseparable dimensions of a single biological system, analogous to the integration processes in symbiopoiesis. We look for similarities and differences between two epigenetic models, by Turing and Edelman, as they are realized in Game of Life objects. We show the value of computer simulations to experiment with and propose generalizations of broader scope with novel testable predictions. We use the game to explore issues in symbiopoiesis and evo-devo, where we explore a fractal hypothesis: that self-similarity exists at different levels (cells, organisms, ecological communities) as a result of homologous interactions of two as processes modeled in the Game of Life.

JPRS Report West Europe

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-10-26

mentioned the ecological component of an SPD economy. What is the basic principle? [Answer] In the past 20 years we have actually applied only fiscal ...interest rates, and the necessary harmonization of our fiscal policies. The prob- lem lies in creating conditions which will incite Belgians as well as...Miguel Cadilhe has proven inflexible in not conceding the "few billion more escudos " requested by his colleagues, the telephone never stops ringing

Ecological resilience in lakes and the conjunction fallacy.

PubMed

Spears, Bryan M; Futter, Martyn N; Jeppesen, Erik; Huser, Brian J; Ives, Stephen; Davidson, Thomas A; Adrian, Rita; Angeler, David G; Burthe, Sarah J; Carvalho, Laurence; Daunt, Francis; Gsell, Alena S; Hessen, Dag O; Janssen, Annette B G; Mackay, Eleanor B; May, Linda; Moorhouse, Heather; Olsen, Saara; Søndergaard, Martin; Woods, Helen; Thackeray, Stephen J

2017-11-01

There is a pressing need to apply stability and resilience theory to environmental management to restore degraded ecosystems effectively and to mitigate the effects of impending environmental change. Lakes represent excellent model case studies in this respect and have been used widely to demonstrate theories of ecological stability and resilience that are needed to underpin preventative management approaches. However, we argue that this approach is not yet fully developed because the pursuit of empirical evidence to underpin such theoretically grounded management continues in the absence of an objective probability framework. This has blurred the lines between intuitive logic (based on the elementary principles of probability) and extensional logic (based on assumption and belief) in this field.

How can we identify and communicate the ecological value of deep-sea ecosystem services?

PubMed

Jobstvogt, Niels; Townsend, Michael; Witte, Ursula; Hanley, Nick

2014-01-01

Submarine canyons are considered biodiversity hotspots which have been identified for their important roles in connecting the deep sea with shallower waters. To date, a huge gap exists between the high importance that scientists associate with deep-sea ecosystem services and the communication of this knowledge to decision makers and to the wider public, who remain largely ignorant of the importance of these services. The connectivity and complexity of marine ecosystems makes knowledge transfer very challenging, and new communication tools are necessary to increase understanding of ecological values beyond the science community. We show how the Ecosystem Principles Approach, a method that explains the importance of ocean processes via easily understandable ecological principles, might overcome this challenge for deep-sea ecosystem services. Scientists were asked to help develop a list of clear and concise ecosystem principles for the functioning of submarine canyons through a Delphi process to facilitate future transfers of ecological knowledge. These ecosystem principles describe ecosystem processes, link such processes to ecosystem services, and provide spatial and temporal information on the connectivity between deep and shallow waters. They also elucidate unique characteristics of submarine canyons. Our Ecosystem Principles Approach was successful in integrating ecological information into the ecosystem services assessment process. It therefore has a high potential to be the next step towards a wider implementation of ecological values in marine planning. We believe that successful communication of ecological knowledge is the key to a wider public support for ocean conservation, and that this endeavour has to be driven by scientists in their own interest as major deep-sea stakeholders.

How Can We Identify and Communicate the Ecological Value of Deep-Sea Ecosystem Services?

PubMed Central

Jobstvogt, Niels; Townsend, Michael; Witte, Ursula; Hanley, Nick

2014-01-01

Submarine canyons are considered biodiversity hotspots which have been identified for their important roles in connecting the deep sea with shallower waters. To date, a huge gap exists between the high importance that scientists associate with deep-sea ecosystem services and the communication of this knowledge to decision makers and to the wider public, who remain largely ignorant of the importance of these services. The connectivity and complexity of marine ecosystems makes knowledge transfer very challenging, and new communication tools are necessary to increase understanding of ecological values beyond the science community. We show how the Ecosystem Principles Approach, a method that explains the importance of ocean processes via easily understandable ecological principles, might overcome this challenge for deep-sea ecosystem services. Scientists were asked to help develop a list of clear and concise ecosystem principles for the functioning of submarine canyons through a Delphi process to facilitate future transfers of ecological knowledge. These ecosystem principles describe ecosystem processes, link such processes to ecosystem services, and provide spatial and temporal information on the connectivity between deep and shallow waters. They also elucidate unique characteristics of submarine canyons. Our Ecosystem Principles Approach was successful in integrating ecological information into the ecosystem services assessment process. It therefore has a high potential to be the next step towards a wider implementation of ecological values in marine planning. We believe that successful communication of ecological knowledge is the key to a wider public support for ocean conservation, and that this endeavour has to be driven by scientists in their own interest as major deep-sea stakeholders. PMID:25055119

Navigating translational ecology: Creating opportunities and overcoming obstacles for scientist participation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morelli, T. L.; Hallett, L. M.; Gerber, L. R.; Moritz, M.; Schwartz, M.; Stephenson, N.; Tank, J. L.; Williamson, M. A.; Woodhouse, C. A.

2016-12-01

As scientists seek to make their research more relevant and impactful, a growing number are interested in translational approaches that yield scientific and applied outcomes through iterative collaboration between scientists and practitioners. This is particularly true in the field of ecology, where many of its experts are interested in the resource management and conservation implications of their research. Unfortunately, the pathways to translational ecology are not always apparent. Here we will outline a set of principles to guide academic scientists in the process of translational ecology and provide concrete examples of novel outcomes. We will highlight structural aspects of collaborations, such as how to initiate and sustain projects in ways that meet the needs of all participants. We will also outline common pitfalls for scientists and practitioners, and ways in which translational research can help overcome them. Throughout we will use pressing environmental challenges to emphasize opportunities that exist within current institutional frameworks, while also highlighting ways in which institutions are changing to facilitate effective translational research.

Integral control for population management.

PubMed

Guiver, Chris; Logemann, Hartmut; Rebarber, Richard; Bill, Adam; Tenhumberg, Brigitte; Hodgson, Dave; Townley, Stuart

2015-04-01

We present a novel management methodology for restocking a declining population. The strategy uses integral control, a concept ubiquitous in control theory which has not been applied to population dynamics. Integral control is based on dynamic feedback-using measurements of the population to inform management strategies and is robust to model uncertainty, an important consideration for ecological models. We demonstrate from first principles why such an approach to population management is suitable via theory and examples.

Comparing the Ecological Stoichiometry in Green and Brown Food Webs - A Review and Meta-analysis of Freshwater Food Webs.

PubMed

Evans-White, Michelle A; Halvorson, Halvor M

2017-01-01

The framework of ecological stoichiometry was developed primarily within the context of "green" autotroph-based food webs. While stoichiometric principles also apply in "brown" detritus-based systems, these systems have been historically understudied and differ from green ones in several important aspects including carbon (C) quality and the nutrient [nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P)] contents of food resources for consumers. In this paper, we review work over the last decade that has advanced the application of ecological stoichiometry from green to brown food webs, focusing on freshwater ecosystems. We first review three focal areas where green and brown food webs differ: (1) bottom-up controls by light and nutrient availability, (2) stoichiometric constraints on consumer growth and nutritional regulation, and (3) patterns in consumer-driven nutrient dynamics. Our review highlights the need for further study of how light and nutrient availability affect autotroph-heterotroph interactions on detritus and the subsequent effects on consumer feeding and growth. To complement this conceptual review, we formally quantified differences in stoichiometric principles between green and brown food webs using a meta-analysis across feeding studies of freshwater benthic invertebrates. From 257 datasets collated across 46 publications and several unpublished studies, we compared effect sizes (Pearson's r) of resource N:C and P:C on growth, consumption, excretion, and egestion between herbivorous and detritivorous consumers. The meta-analysis revealed that both herbivore and detritivore growth are limited by resource N:C and P:C contents, but effect sizes only among detritivores were significantly above zero. Consumption effect sizes were negative among herbivores but positive for detritivores in the case of both N:C and P:C, indicating distinct compensatory feeding responses across resource stoichiometry gradients. Herbivore P excretion rates responded significantly positively to resource P:C, whereas detritivore N and P excretion did not respond; detritivore N and P egestion responded positively to resource N:C and P:C, respectively. Our meta-analysis highlights resource N and P contents as broadly limiting in brown and green benthic food webs, but indicates contrasting mechanisms of limitation owing to differing consumer regulation. We suggest that green and brown food webs share fundamental stoichiometric principles, while identifying specific differences toward applying ecological stoichiometry across ecosystems.

Comparing the Ecological Stoichiometry in Green and Brown Food Webs – A Review and Meta-analysis of Freshwater Food Webs

PubMed Central

Evans-White, Michelle A.; Halvorson, Halvor M.

2017-01-01

The framework of ecological stoichiometry was developed primarily within the context of “green” autotroph-based food webs. While stoichiometric principles also apply in “brown” detritus-based systems, these systems have been historically understudied and differ from green ones in several important aspects including carbon (C) quality and the nutrient [nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P)] contents of food resources for consumers. In this paper, we review work over the last decade that has advanced the application of ecological stoichiometry from green to brown food webs, focusing on freshwater ecosystems. We first review three focal areas where green and brown food webs differ: (1) bottom–up controls by light and nutrient availability, (2) stoichiometric constraints on consumer growth and nutritional regulation, and (3) patterns in consumer-driven nutrient dynamics. Our review highlights the need for further study of how light and nutrient availability affect autotroph–heterotroph interactions on detritus and the subsequent effects on consumer feeding and growth. To complement this conceptual review, we formally quantified differences in stoichiometric principles between green and brown food webs using a meta-analysis across feeding studies of freshwater benthic invertebrates. From 257 datasets collated across 46 publications and several unpublished studies, we compared effect sizes (Pearson’s r) of resource N:C and P:C on growth, consumption, excretion, and egestion between herbivorous and detritivorous consumers. The meta-analysis revealed that both herbivore and detritivore growth are limited by resource N:C and P:C contents, but effect sizes only among detritivores were significantly above zero. Consumption effect sizes were negative among herbivores but positive for detritivores in the case of both N:C and P:C, indicating distinct compensatory feeding responses across resource stoichiometry gradients. Herbivore P excretion rates responded significantly positively to resource P:C, whereas detritivore N and P excretion did not respond; detritivore N and P egestion responded positively to resource N:C and P:C, respectively. Our meta-analysis highlights resource N and P contents as broadly limiting in brown and green benthic food webs, but indicates contrasting mechanisms of limitation owing to differing consumer regulation. We suggest that green and brown food webs share fundamental stoichiometric principles, while identifying specific differences toward applying ecological stoichiometry across ecosystems. PMID:28706509

Toward actionable science: Empowering ecologists to engage in the process of translation through decision-maker and stakeholder partnerships

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Enquist, C.; Jackson, S. T.; Garfin, G. M.

2017-12-01

Translational ecology is an approach by which ecologists, stakeholders, and decision-makers work collaboratively to develop and deliver ecological research that, ideally, results in actionable science that leads to improved environmental decision-making. We analyzed a diverse array of real-world case studies and distilled six principles that characterize the practice of translational ecology: communication, commitment, collaboration, engagement, process, and decision-framing. In this talk, we highlight a subset of the case studies that illustrate these principles. Notably, we found that translational ecology is distinct from both basic and applied ecological research. As a practice, the approach deliberately extends research beyond theory or opportunistic applications, motivated by a search for outcomes that directly serve the needs of natural resource managers and decision-makers. Translational ecology is also distinct from knowledge co-production in that it does not require deep engagement between collaborators, although incorporating differing modes of co-production relative to the decision context, associated time frame, and available financial resources can greatly enhance the translational approach. Although there is a need for incentives to pursue in this type of work, we found that the creativity and context-specific knowledge of resource managers, practitioners, and decision-makers informs and enriches the scientific process, helping shape actionable science. Moreover, the process of addressing research questions arising from on-the-ground management issues, rather than from the top-down or expert-oriented perspectives of traditional science, can foster the long-term trust and commitment that is critical for long-term, sustained engagement between partners. Now, perhaps more than ever, the climate and environmental issues facing society are complex, often politicized, and value-laden. We argue that ecological science should play a key role in informing these problems and ecologists can engage as important partners committed to finding solutions. More broadly, scientists that embrace translational approaches are poised to make science-informed decision-making a reality in the face of a rapidly changing global environment.

Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Impervious Cover Relative to Watershed Stream Location

EPA Science Inventory

The influence of spatial pattern on ecological processes is a guiding principle of landscape ecology. The guiding principle of spatial pattern was used for a U.S. nationwide assessment of impervious cover (IC). Spatial pattern was measured by comparing IC concentration near strea...

Conway's “Game of Life” and the Epigenetic Principle

PubMed Central

Caballero, Lorena; Hodge, Bob; Hernandez, Sergio

2016-01-01

Cellular automatons and computer simulation games are widely used as heuristic devices in biology, to explore implications and consequences of specific theories. Conway's Game of Life has been widely used for this purpose. This game was designed to explore the evolution of ecological communities. We apply it to other biological processes, including symbiopoiesis. We show that Conway's organization of rules reflects the epigenetic principle, that genetic action and developmental processes are inseparable dimensions of a single biological system, analogous to the integration processes in symbiopoiesis. We look for similarities and differences between two epigenetic models, by Turing and Edelman, as they are realized in Game of Life objects. We show the value of computer simulations to experiment with and propose generalizations of broader scope with novel testable predictions. We use the game to explore issues in symbiopoiesis and evo-devo, where we explore a fractal hypothesis: that self-similarity exists at different levels (cells, organisms, ecological communities) as a result of homologous interactions of two as processes modeled in the Game of Life PMID:27379213

An ecological and theoretical deconstruction of a school-based obesity prevention program in Mexico.

PubMed

Safdie, Margarita; Cargo, Margaret; Richard, Lucie; Lévesque, Lucie

2014-08-10

Ecological intervention programs are recommended to prevent overweight and obesity in children. The National Institute of Public Health (INSP) in Mexico implemented a successful ecological intervention program to promote healthy lifestyle behaviors in school age children. This study assessed the integration of ecological principles and Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) constructs in this effective school-based obesity prevention program implemented in 15 elementary schools in Mexico City. Two coders applied the Intervention Analysis Procedure (IAP) to "map" the program's integration of ecological principles. A checklist gauged the use of SCT theory in program activities. Thirty-two distinct intervention strategies were implemented in one setting (i.e., school) to engage four different target-groups (students, parents, school representatives, government) across two domains (Nutrition and Physical Activity). Overall, 47.5% of the strategies targeted the school infrastructure and/or personnel; 37.5% of strategies targeted a key political actor, the Public Education Secretariat while fewer strategies targeted parents (12.5%) and children (3%). More strategies were implemented in the Nutrition domain (69%) than Physical Activity (31%). The most frequently used SCT construct within both intervention domains was Reciprocal Determinism (e.g., where changes to the environment influence changes in behavior and these behavioral changes influence further changes to the environment); no significant differences were observed in the use of SCT constructs across domains. Findings provide insight into a promising combination of strategies and theoretical constructs that can be used to implement a school-based obesity prevention program. Strategies emphasized school-level infrastructure/personnel change and strong political engagement and were most commonly underpinned by Reciprocal Determinism for both Nutrition and Physical Activity.

Anthropic Risk Assessment on Biodiversity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piragnolo, M.; Pirotti, F.; Vettore, A.; Salogni, G.

2013-01-01

This paper presents a methodology for risk assessment of anthropic activities on habitats and species. The method has been developed for Veneto Region, in order to simplify and improve the quality of EIA procedure (VINCA). Habitats and species, animals and plants, are protected by European Directive 92/43/EEC and 2009/147/EC but they are subject at hazard due to pollution produced by human activities. Biodiversity risks may conduct to deterioration and disturbance in ecological niches, with consequence of loss of biodiversity. Ecological risk assessment applied on Natura 2000 network, is needed to best practice of management and monitoring of environment and natural resources. Threats, pressure and activities, stress and indicators may be managed by geodatabase and analysed using GIS technology. The method used is the classic risk assessment in ecological context, and it defines the natural hazard as influence, element of risk as interference and vulnerability. Also it defines a new parameter called pressure. It uses risk matrix for the risk analysis on spatial and temporal scale. The methodology is qualitative and applies the precautionary principle in environmental assessment. The final product is a matrix which excludes the risk and could find application in the development of a territorial information system.

How economics can further the success of ecological restoration.

PubMed

Iftekhar, Md Sayed; Polyakov, Maksym; Ansell, Dean; Gibson, Fiona; Kay, Geoffrey M

2017-04-01

Restoration scientists and practitioners have recently begun to include economic and social aspects in the design and investment decisions for restoration projects. With few exceptions, ecological restoration studies that include economics focus solely on evaluating costs of restoration projects. However, economic principles, tools, and instruments can be applied to a range of other factors that affect project success. We considered the relevance of applying economics to address 4 key challenges of ecological restoration: assessing social and economic benefits, estimating overall costs, project prioritization and selection, and long-term financing of restoration programs. We found it is uncommon to consider all types of benefits (such as nonmarket values) and costs (such as transaction costs) in restoration programs. Total benefit of a restoration project can be estimated using market prices and various nonmarket valuation techniques. Total cost of a project can be estimated using methods based on property or land-sale prices, such as hedonic pricing method and organizational surveys. Securing continuous (or long-term) funding is also vital to accomplishing restoration goals and can be achieved by establishing synergy with existing programs, public-private partnerships, and financing through taxation. © 2016 Society for Conservation Biology.

Introduction to the Special Issue: Beyond traits: integrating behaviour into plant ecology and biology.

PubMed

Cahill, James F

2015-10-26

The way that plants are conceptualized in the context of ecological understanding is changing. In one direction, a reductionist school is pulling plants apart into a list of measured 'traits', from which ecological function and outcomes of species interactions may be inferred. This special issue offers an alternative, and more holistic, view: that the ecological functions performed by a plant will be a consequence not only of their complement of traits but also of the ways in which their component parts are used in response to environmental and social conditions. This is the realm of behavioural ecology, a field that has greatly advanced our understanding of animal biology, ecology and evolution. Included in this special issue are 10 articles focussing not on the tried and true metaphor that plant growth is similar to animal movement, but instead on how application of principles from animal behaviour can improve our ability to understand plant biology and ecology. The goals are not to draw false parallels, nor to anthropomorphize plant biology, but instead to demonstrate how existing and robust theory based on fundamental principles can provide novel understanding for plants. Key to this approach is the recognition that behaviour and intelligence are not the same. Many organisms display complex behaviours despite a lack of cognition (as it is traditionally understood) or any hint of a nervous system. The applicability of behavioural concepts to plants is further enhanced with the realization that all organisms face the same harsh forces of natural selection in the context of finding resources, mates and coping with neighbours. As these ecological realities are often highly variable in space and time, it is not surprising that all organisms-even plants-exhibit complex behaviours to handle this variability. The articles included here address diverse topics in behavioural ecology, as applied to plants: general conceptual understanding, plant nutrient foraging, root-root interactions, and using and helping others. As a group, the articles in this special issue demonstrate how plant ecological understanding can be enhanced through incorporation of behavioural ideas and set the stage for future research in the emerging discipline of plant behavioural ecology. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company.

Principles for urban stormwater management to protect stream ecosystems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Walsh, Christopher J.; Booth, Derek B.; Burns, Matthew J.; Fletcher, Tim D.; Hale, Rebecca L.; Hoang, Lan N.; Livingston, Grant; Rippy, Megan A.; Roy, Allison; Scoggins, Mateo; Wallace, Angela

2016-01-01

Urban stormwater runoff is a critical source of degradation to stream ecosystems globally. Despite broad appreciation by stream ecologists of negative effects of stormwater runoff, stormwater management objectives still typically center on flood and pollution mitigation without an explicit focus on altered hydrology. Resulting management approaches are unlikely to protect the ecological structure and function of streams adequately. We present critical elements of stormwater management necessary for protecting stream ecosystems through 5 principles intended to be broadly applicable to all urban landscapes that drain to a receiving stream: 1) the ecosystems to be protected and a target ecological state should be explicitly identified; 2) the postdevelopment balance of evapotranspiration, stream flow, and infiltration should mimic the predevelopment balance, which typically requires keeping significant runoff volume from reaching the stream; 3) stormwater control measures (SCMs) should deliver flow regimes that mimic the predevelopment regime in quality and quantity; 4) SCMs should have capacity to store rain events for all storms that would not have produced widespread surface runoff in a predevelopment state, thereby avoiding increased frequency of disturbance to biota; and 5) SCMs should be applied to all impervious surfaces in the catchment of the target stream. These principles present a range of technical and social challenges. Existing infrastructural, institutional, or governance contexts often prevent application of the principles to the degree necessary to achieve effective protection or restoration, but significant potential exists for multiple co-benefits from SCM technologies (e.g., water supply and climate-change adaptation) that may remove barriers to implementation. Our set of ideal principles for stream protection is intended as a guide for innovators who seek to develop new approaches to stormwater management rather than accept seemingly insurmountable historical constraints, which guarantee future, ongoing degradation.

Teachers Curriculum Guide for Field Ecology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bemiss, Clair W.

Focusing upon a working knowledge of ecological principles as a requisite for today's society, this teacher's guide suggests numerous field studies which make pertinent use of these principles. It is designed to serve as an aid in planning student-centered activities which allow for understanding and improving the ecosystem in which they are an…

Innovative urban forestry governance in Melbourne?: Investigating "green placemaking" as a nature-based solution.

PubMed

Gulsrud, Natalie Marie; Hertzog, Kelly; Shears, Ian

2018-02-01

A nature-based approach to climate resilience aims to challenge and re-frame conventional environmental management methods by refocusing solutions from technological strategies to socio-ecological principles such as human well-being and community-based governance models, thereby improving and legitimizing the delivery of ecosystem services (ES). There are, however, many challenges to applying a socio-ecological agenda to urban climate resilience and thereby re-framing ES delivery as community and people focused, a knowledge gap extensively outlined in the environmental governance literature. In this paper, we aim to contribute to this re-assesment of urban environmental governance by examining the City of Melbourne's approach to urban re-naturing governance from a place-based perspective. Here we focus on the city's internationally-acclaimed urban forest strategy (UFS), investigating how and to which extent the governance arrangements embedded within the UFS draw strength from diverse perspectives and allow for institutional arrangements that support "situated" reflexive decision making and co-creation. We find that Melbourne's UFS governance process fosters green placemaking by re-focusing climate adaptation solutions from technological strategies to situated socio-ecological principles such as human well-being and community-based decision making. In this sense, this case provides valuable insight for the broader UGI governance field regarding the opportunities and challenges associated with a socio-cultural approach to urban re-naturing and ES delivery. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The redoubtable ecological periodic table

EPA Science Inventory

Ecological periodic tables are repositories of reliable information on quantitative, predictably recurring (periodic) habitat–community patterns and their uncertainty, scaling and transferability. Their reliability derives from their grounding in sound ecological principle...

Statistical Physics Approaches to Microbial Ecology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mehta, Pankaj

The unprecedented ability to quantitatively measure and probe complex microbial communities has renewed interest in identifying the fundamental ecological principles governing community ecology in microbial ecosystems. Here, we present work from our group and others showing how ideas from statistical physics can help us uncover these ecological principles. Two major lessons emerge from this work. First, large, ecosystems with many species often display new, emergent ecological behaviors that are absent in small ecosystems with just a few species. To paraphrase Nobel laureate Phil Anderson, ''More is Different'', especially in community ecology. Second, the lack of trophic layer separation in microbial ecology fundamentally distinguishes microbial ecology from classical paradigms of community ecology and leads to qualitative different rules for community assembly in microbes. I illustrate these ideas using both theoretical modeling and novel new experiments on large microbial ecosystems performed by our collaborators (Joshua Goldford and Alvaro Sanchez). Work supported by Simons Investigator in MMLS and NIH R35 R35 GM119461.

A Literature Review of the Bacterium Klebsiella spp.: Grays Harbor and Chehalis River Improvements to Navigation Environmental Studies,

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-04-01

Protection Agency. Braman, S. K., R. J. Eberhart, M. A. Asbury, and G. J. Hermann. 1973. Capsular types of Klebsiella pneumonias associated with bovine ... mastitis . American Veterinary Mcdical Association, 162: 109-111. Brock, T. D. Principles of Microbial Ecology. Prentice-Hall, Inc, New Jersey, 1966...isolates. Applied Microbiology, 28: 672-678. McDonald, T. J., J. S. McDonald, and Rose, D. L. 1970. Aerobic gram-negative rods isolated from bovine

Economics, ecologics, and mechanics: The dynamics of responding under conditions of varying motivation

PubMed Central

Killeen, Peter R.

1995-01-01

The mechanics of behavior developed by Killeen (1994) is extended to deal with deprivation and satiation and with recovery of arousal at the beginning of sessions. The extended theory is validated against satiation curves and within-session changes in response rates. Anomalies, such as (a) the positive correlation between magnitude of an incentive and response rates in some contexts and a negative correlation in other contexts and (b) the greater prominence of incentive effects when magnitude is varied within the session rather than between sessions, are explained in terms of the basic interplay of drive and incentive motivation. The models are applied to data from closed economies in which changes of satiation levels play a key role in determining the changes in behavior. Relaxation of various assumptions leads to closed-form models for response rates and demand functions in these contexts, ones that show reasonable accord with the data and reinforce arguments for unit price as a controlling variable. The central role of deprivation level in this treatment distinguishes it from economic models. It is argued that traditional experiments should be redesigned to reveal basic principles, that ecologic experiments should be redesigned to test the applicability of those principles in more natural contexts, and that behavioral economics should consist of the applications of these principles to economic contexts, not the adoption of economic models as alternatives to behavioral analysis. PMID:16812776

[Attributes of forest infrastructure].

PubMed

Gao, Jun-kai; Jin, Ying-shan

2007-06-01

This paper discussed the origin and evolution of the conception of ecological infrastructure, the understanding of international communities about the functions of forest, the important roles of forest in China' s economic development and ecological security, and the situations and challenges to the ongoing forestry ecological restoration programs. It was suggested that forest should be defined as an essential infrastructure for national economic and social development in a modern society. The critical functions of forest infrastructure played in the transition of forestry ecological development were emphasized. Based on the synthesis of forest ecosystem features, it was considered that the attributes of forest infrastructure are distinctive, due to the fact that it is constructed by living biological material and diversified in ownership. The forestry ecological restoration program should not only follow the basic principles of infrastructural construction, but also take the special characteristics of forests into consideration in studying the managerial system of the programs. Some suggestions for the ongoing programs were put forward: 1) developing a modern concept of ecosystem where man and nature in harmony is the core, 2) formulating long-term stable investments for forestry ecological restoration programs, 3) implementing forestry ecological restoration programs based on infrastructure construction principles, and 4) managing forests according to the principles of infrastructural construction management.

PRINCIPLES AND PATTERNS OF BAT MOVEMENTS: FROM AERODYNAMICS TO ECOLOGY

PubMed Central

Voigt, Christian C.; Frick, Winifred F.; Holderied, Marc W.; Holland, Richard; Kerth, Gerald; Mello, Marco A. R.; Plowright, Raina K.; Swartz, Sharon; Yovel, Yossi

2018-01-01

Movement ecology as an integrative discipline has advanced associated fields because it presents not only a conceptual framework for understanding movement principles but also helps formulate predictions about the consequences of movements for animals and their environments. Here, we synthesize recent studies on principles and patterns of bat movements in context of the movement ecology paradigm. The motion capacity of bats is defined by their highly articulated, flexible wings. Power production during flight follows a U-shaped curve in relation to speed in bats yet, in contrast to birds, bats use mostly exogenous nutrients for sustained flight. The navigation capacity of most bats is dominated by the echolocation system, yet other sensory modalities, including an iron-based magnetic sense, may contribute to navigation depending on a bat’s familiarity with the terrain. Patterns derived from these capacities relate to antagonistic and mutualistic interactions with food items. The navigation capacity of bats may influence their sociality, in particular, the extent of group foraging based on eavesdropping on conspecifics’ echolocation calls. We infer that understanding the movement ecology of bats within the framework of the movement ecology paradigm provides new insights into ecological processes mediated by bats, from ecosystem services to diseases. PMID:29861509

Using the Child's Environment To Teach at Home and School. ERIC/CSMEE Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heimlich, Joe E.

This digest details how global concepts of environmental education, the basic principles of ecology, and the importance of environmental responsibility can be made concrete for children at home and at school. Topics discussed are: basic principles of ecology, "What is the home?"--teaching environment through the home, and living and the…

Building translational ecology communities of practice: insights from the field

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lawson, Dawn M.; Hall, Kimberly R.; Yung, Laurie; Enquist, Carolyn A. F.

2017-01-01

Translational ecology (TE) prioritizes the understanding of social systems and decision contexts in order to address complex natural resource management issues. Although many practitioners in applied fields employ translational tactics, the body of literature addressing such approaches is limited. We present several case studies illustrating the principles of TE and the diversity of its applications. We anticipate that these examples will help others develop scientific products that decision makers can use “off the shelf” when solving critical ecological and social challenges. Our collective experience suggests that research of such immediate utility is rare. Long‐term commitment to working directly with partners to develop and reach shared goals is central to successful translation. The examples discussed here highlight the benefits of translational processes, including actionable scientific results, more informed policy making, increased investment in science‐driven solutions, and inspiration for partnerships. We aim to facilitate future TE‐based projects and build momentum for growing this community of practice.

An industrial ecology approach to municipal solid waste ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Municipal solid waste (MSW) can be viewed as a feedstock for industrial ecology inspired conversions of wastes to valuable products and energy. The industrial ecology principle of symbiotic processes using waste streams for creating value-added products is applied to MSW, with examples suggested for various residual streams. A methodology is presented to consider individual waste-to-energy or waste-to-product system synergies, evaluating the economic and environmental issues associated with each system. Steps included in the methodology include identifying waste streams, specific waste components of interest, and conversion technologies, plus steps for determining the economic and environmental effects of using wastes and changes due to transport, administrative handling, and processing. In addition to presenting the methodology, technologies for various MSW input streams are categorized as commercialized or demonstrated to provide organizations that are considering processes for MSW with summarized information. The organization can also follow the methodology to analyze interesting processes. Presents information useful for analyzing the sustainability of alternatives for the management of municipal solid waste.

Ecological theory as a foundation to control pathogenic invasion in aquaculture

PubMed Central

De Schryver, Peter; Vadstein, Olav

2014-01-01

Detrimental host–pathogen interactions are a normal phenomenon in aquaculture animal production, and have been counteracted by prophylactic use of antibiotics. Especially, the youngest life stages of cultivated aquatic animals are susceptible to pathogen invasion, resulting in disease and mortality. To establish a more sustainable aquatic food production, there is a need for new microbial management strategies that focus on ‘join them' and not the traditional ‘beat them' approaches. We argue that ecological theory could serve as a foundation for developing sustainable microbial management methods that prevent pathogenic disease in larviculture. Management of the water microbiota in aquaculture systems according to ecological selection principles has been shown to decrease opportunistic pathogen pressure and to result in an improved performance of the cultured animals. We hypothesize that manipulation of the biodiversity of the gut microbiota can increase the host's resistance against pathogenic invasion and infection. However, substantial barriers need to be overcome before active management of the intestinal microbiota can effectively be applied in larviculture. PMID:24892581

Addressing Barriers to Ecological Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Monaghan, Kim; Curthoys, Lesley

2008-01-01

Capra defines ecological literacy as "understanding the basic principles of ecology and being able to embody them in daily life." Roth describes ecological literacy as "the capacity to perceive and interpret the relative health of environmental systems and to take appropriate action to maintain, restore, or improve the health of…

Children in Contemporary Society: Child Ecology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frank, Mary, Ed.

This collection of short articles focuses on various dimensions of childhood ecology. Section I introduces a conceptual framework for the study of childhood ecology and poses 4 methodological principles for human development specialists. Four ecological subsystems are identified and discussed briefly. Section II discusses the family microsystem in…

Understanding and applying principles of social cognition and decision making in adaptive environmental governance.

PubMed

DeCaro, Daniel A; Arnol, Craig Anthony Tony; Boama, Emmanuel Frimpong; Garmestani, Ahjond S

2017-03-01

Environmental governance systems are under greater pressure to adapt and to cope with increased social and ecological uncertainty from stressors like climate change. We review principles of social cognition and decision making that shape and constrain how environmental governance systems adapt. We focus primarily on the interplay between key decision makers in society and legal systems. We argue that adaptive governance must overcome three cooperative dilemmas to facilitate adaptation: (1) encouraging collaborative problem solving, (2) garnering social acceptance and commitment, and (3) cultivating a culture of trust and tolerance for change and uncertainty. However, to do so governance systems must cope with biases in people's decision making that cloud their judgment and create conflict. These systems must also satisfy people's fundamental needs for self-determination, fairness, and security, ensuring that changes to environmental governance are perceived as legitimate, trustworthy, and acceptable. We discuss the implications of these principles for common governance solutions (e.g., public participation, enforcement) and conclude with methodological recommendations. We outline how scholars can investigate the social cognitive principles involved in cases of adaptive governance.

Understanding and applying principles of social cognition and decision making in adaptive environmental governance

PubMed Central

DeCaro, Daniel A.; Arnol, Craig Anthony (Tony); Boama, Emmanuel Frimpong; Garmestani, Ahjond S.

2018-01-01

Environmental governance systems are under greater pressure to adapt and to cope with increased social and ecological uncertainty from stressors like climate change. We review principles of social cognition and decision making that shape and constrain how environmental governance systems adapt. We focus primarily on the interplay between key decision makers in society and legal systems. We argue that adaptive governance must overcome three cooperative dilemmas to facilitate adaptation: (1) encouraging collaborative problem solving, (2) garnering social acceptance and commitment, and (3) cultivating a culture of trust and tolerance for change and uncertainty. However, to do so governance systems must cope with biases in people’s decision making that cloud their judgment and create conflict. These systems must also satisfy people’s fundamental needs for self-determination, fairness, and security, ensuring that changes to environmental governance are perceived as legitimate, trustworthy, and acceptable. We discuss the implications of these principles for common governance solutions (e.g., public participation, enforcement) and conclude with methodological recommendations. We outline how scholars can investigate the social cognitive principles involved in cases of adaptive governance. PMID:29780425

NetMap: a new tool in support of watershed science and resource management.

Treesearch

L. Benda; D. Miller; K. Andras; P. Bigelow; G. Reeves; D. Michael

2007-01-01

In this paper, we show how application of principles of river ecology can guide use of a comprehensive terrain database within geographic information system (GIS) to facilitate watershed analysis relevant to natural resource management. We present a unique arrangement of a terrain database, GIS, and principles of riverine ecology for the purpose of advancing watershed...

Two additional principles for determining which species to monitor.

PubMed

Wilson, Howard B; Rhodes, Jonathan R; Possingham, Hugh P

2015-11-01

Monitoring to detect population declines is widespread, but also costly. There is, consequently, a need to optimize monitoring to maximize cost-effectiveness. Here we develop a quantitative decision analysis framework for how to optimally allocate resources for monitoring among species. By keeping the framework simple, we analytically establish two new principles about which species are optimal to monitor for detecting declines: (1) those that lie on the boundary between species being allocated resources for conservation action and species that are not and (2) those with the greatest uncertainty in whether they are declining. These two principles are in addition to other factors that are also important in monitoring decisions, such as complementarity. We demonstrate the efficacy of these principles when other factors are not present, and show how the two principles can be combined. This analysis demonstrates that the most cost-effective species to monitor are ones where the information gained from monitoring is most likely to change the allocation of funds for action, not necessarily the most vulnerable or endangered. We suggest these results are general and apply to all ecological monitoring, not just of biological species: monitoring and information are only valuable when they are likely to change how people act.

Ethics and integrative medicine: moving beyond the biomedical model.

PubMed

Guinn, D E

2001-01-01

For the most part, those who have written on the ethics of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and integrative medicine have attempted simply to apply traditional bioethics (in the form of principles of autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice) to this new area of healthcare. In this article I argue that adopting the practices of CAM requires a new ethical understanding that incorporates the values implicit in those practices. The characteristics of CAM and conventional medicine can be translated into the language of healthcare values in a variety of ways. I suggest that they support 5 core values: integrated humanity, ecological integrity, naturalism, relationalism, and spiritualism. Characteristics of both CAM and conventional medicine are present in value. What is now thought of as principlism is, in this understanding, simply a subset within these values.

Ecological periodic tables: in principle and practice - January 2013

EPA Science Inventory

The chemical periodic table, the Linnaean system of classification and the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram are iconic information organizing structures in chemistry, biology and astronomy, respectively. Ecological periodic tables are information organizing structures for ecology. T...

Testing basic ecological, evolutionary, and biogeographical principles using invasive species

Treesearch

Cynthia D. Huebner

2006-01-01

Sax et al. argue in Species Invasions: Insights into Ecology, Evolution, and Biogeography that species invasion is an on-going experiment and a research tool with which to test fundamental ecology, evolution, and biogeography tenets.

Operationalizing sustainability in urban coastal systems: a system dynamics analysis.

PubMed

Mavrommati, Georgia; Bithas, Kostas; Panayiotidis, Panayiotis

2013-12-15

We propose a system dynamics approach for Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) in urban coastal systems. A systematic analysis based on theoretical considerations, policy analysis and experts' knowledge is followed in order to define the concept of ESD. The principles underlying ESD feed the development of a System Dynamics Model (SDM) that connects the pollutant loads produced by urban systems' socioeconomic activities with the ecological condition of the coastal ecosystem that it is delineated in operational terms through key biological elements defined by the EU Water Framework Directive. The receiving waters of the Athens Metropolitan area, which bears the elements of typical high population density Mediterranean coastal city but which currently has also new dynamics induced by the ongoing financial crisis, are used as an experimental system for testing a system dynamics approach to apply the concept of ESD. Systems' thinking is employed to represent the complex relationships among the components of the system. Interconnections and dependencies that determine the potentials for achieving ESD are revealed. The proposed system dynamics analysis can facilitate decision makers to define paths of development that comply with the principles of ESD. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Applied ecology: retrospect and prospect].

PubMed

He, Xingyuan; Zeng, Dehui

2004-10-01

Applied ecology is evolved into a principal part of modern ecology that rapidly develops. The major stimulus for the development of applied ecology roots in seeking the solutions for the problems of human populations, resources and environments. Through four decades, the science of applied ecology has been becoming a huge group of disciplines. The future for the applied ecology should concern more with human-influenced and managed ecosystems, and acknowledge humans as the components of ecosystems. Nowadays and in future, the top-priorities in applied ecology should include following fields: sustainable ecosystems and biosphere, ecosystem services and ecological design, ecological assessment of genetically modified organisms, ecology of biological invasions, epidemical ecology, ecological forecasting, ecological process and its control. The authors believe that the comprehensive and active research hotspots coupled some new traits would occur around these fields in foreseeable future.

From academic to applied: Operationalising resilience in river systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parsons, Melissa; Thoms, Martin C.

2018-03-01

The concept of resilience acknowledges the ability of societies to live and develop with dynamic environments. Given the recognition of the need to prepare for anticipated and unanticipated shocks, applications of resilience are increasing as the guiding principle of public policy and programs in areas such as disaster management, urban planning, natural resource management, and climate change adaptation. River science is an area in which the adoption of resilience is increasing, leading to the proposition that resilience may become a guiding principle of river policy and programs. Debate about the role of resilience in rivers is part of the scientific method, but disciplinary disunity about the ways to approach resilience application in policy and programs may leave river science out of the policy process. We propose six elements that need to be considered in the design and implementation of resilience-based river policy and programs: rivers as social-ecological systems; the science-policy interface; principles, capacities, and characteristics of resilience; cogeneration of knowledge; adaptive management; and the state of the science of resilience.

Advancing towards functional environmental flows for temperate floodplain rivers.

PubMed

Hayes, Daniel S; Brändle, Julia M; Seliger, Carina; Zeiringer, Bernhard; Ferreira, Teresa; Schmutz, Stefan

2018-08-15

Abstraction, diversion, and storage of flow alter rivers worldwide. In this context, minimum flow regulations are applied to mitigate adverse impacts and to protect affected river reaches from environmental deterioration. Mostly, however, only selected instream criteria are considered, neglecting the floodplain as an indispensable part of the fluvial ecosystem. Based on essential functions and processes of unimpaired temperate floodplain rivers, we identify fundamental principles to which we must adhere to determine truly ecologically-relevant environmental flows. Literature reveals that the natural flow regime and its seasonal components are primary drivers for functions and processes of abiotic and biotic elements such as morphology, water quality, floodplain, groundwater, riparian vegetation, fish, macroinvertebrates, and amphibians, thus preserving the integrity of floodplain river ecosystems. Based on the relationship between key flow regime elements and associated environmental components within as well as adjacent to the river, we formulate a process-oriented functional floodplain flow (ff-flow) approach which offers a holistic conceptual framework for environmental flow assessment in temperate floodplain river systems. The ff-flow approach underlines the importance of emulating the natural flow regime with its seasonal variability, flow magnitude, frequency, event duration, and rise and fall of the hydrograph. We conclude that the ecological principles presented in the ff-flow approach ensure the protection of floodplain rivers impacted by flow regulation by establishing ecologically relevant environmental flows and guiding flow restoration measures. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Thermal Remote Sensing and the Thermodynamics of Ecosystem Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Luvall, Jeffrey C.; Kay, James J.; Fraser, Roydon F.

2000-01-01

Thermal remote sensing can provide environmental measuring tools with capabilities for measuring ecosystem development and integrity. Recent advances in applying principles of nonequilibrium thermodynamics to ecology provide fundamental insights into energy partitioning in ecosystems. Ecosystems are nonequilibrium systems, open to material and energy flows, which grow and develop structures and processes to increase energy degradation. More developed terrestrial ecosystems will be more effective at dissipating the solar gradient (degrading its energy content). This can be measured by the effective surface temperature of the ecosystem on a landscape scale.

Educational Perspectives in the Ecological Paradigm--Possibilities and Limitations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Sang-O

2007-01-01

In principle, education depends upon the understanding of human beings. Ecological studies can give us opportunities to understand humans more clearly (or scientifically). This truth emphasizes the importance of ecological education. In ecology, a human being is a part of nature. This is because all living beings are members of ecological…

Effective Exercises in Teaching Landscape Ecology

Treesearch

Scott M. Pearson; Monica G. Turner; Dean L. Urban

1999-01-01

The development of landscape ecology and its many applications to land management created a need for courses that address both the conceptual and practical sides of the discipline. Graduate seminars and full-fledged courses in landscape ecology are now featured at many colleges and universities; undergraduate ecology courses may include an introduction to principles...

Ecological Principles for Invasive Plant Management

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Invasive annual grasses continue to advance at an alarming rate despite efforts of control by land managers. Ecologically-based invasive plant management (EBIPM) is a holistic framework that integrates ecosystem health assessment, knowledge of ecological processes and adaptive management into a succ...

Research on ecological function zoning information system based on WebGIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jianxiong; Zhang, Gang

2007-06-01

With the development of information technology, application of WebGIS will make it possible to realize digitization and intellectualization in issuing and managing information of ecological function zoning. Firstly, this paper introduces the fundamental principles, basic methods and current situation of development and various support techniques about WebGIS. Secondly, the paper not only compares and analyzes the above methods but also discusses their applied prospect and feasibility in Web management. Finally, exemplified by Jiaozuo City, the paper puts forward an idea of design and a project of realization about the information system. In this research, the digital map and establishment of map database have been finished by MapInfo. Combining with some technical data of ecological environment of Jiaozuo City, the information of ecological environment resources is collected, stored, analyzed, calculated and displayed in the form of pictures and graphs on the WebGIS platform, which makes use of secondary development flat-MapXtreme for Java and some tools such as Java, JSP and JavaScript. Serve mode is adopted in the system which has realized the operating, inquiring of basic map and working out thematic map. By the finished system, it brings some references.

Application of a micro-credit scheme to some ecological activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hakoyama, F.

2017-03-01

Micro-credit schemes are expanding very rapidly worldwide in ecological activities. Providing gas-cooking equipments in Burkina Faso is a successful example in which the micro-credit system contributes to improve not only poor women’s life but also ecological environment. In Bangladesh, a solar PV system program through micro-credit has been implemented widely and successfully: big NGOs act as equipment dealers and provide micro-credit loans to individual poor households. In contrast, there are very few cases which showed positive results in sanitation projects. Micro-credit schemes are, in principle, based on the income generated through the fund. But in usual cases, sanitation activities do not yield any income. High cost of latrine construction is another barrier. In this paper, we reviewed why we could not apply a micro-credit scheme to our “Améli-eaur project” in Burkina Faso. Common features for the success in ecological activities are 1) enough income yielded from the activity itself, 2) the strong needs from population side, and 3) established system support, both technically and administratively. If we find a way to fulfill these elements in a sanitation project, it can be a long, sustainable project.

Emergent features and perceptual objects: re-examining fundamental principles in analogical display design.

PubMed

Holt, Jerred; Bennett, Kevin B; Flach, John M

2015-01-01

Two sets of design principles for analogical visual displays, based on the concepts of emergent features and perceptual objects, are described. An interpretation of previous empirical findings for three displays (bar graph, polar graphic, alphanumeric) is provided from both perspectives. A fourth display (configural coordinate) was designed using principles of ecological interface design (i.e. direct perception). An experiment was conducted to evaluate performance (accuracy and latency of state identification) with these four displays. Numerous significant effects were obtained and a clear rank ordering of performance emerged (from best to worst): configural coordinate, bar graph, alphanumeric and polar graphic. These findings are consistent with principles of design based on emergent features; they are inconsistent with principles based on perceptual objects. Some limitations of the configural coordinate display are discussed and a redesign is provided. Practitioner Summary: Principles of ecological interface design, which emphasise the quality of very specific mappings between domain, display and observer constraints, are described; these principles are applicable to the design of all analogical graphical displays.

How-To-Do-It. A Beetle, a Bur, and the Potato: An Introduction to Ecology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jantzen, Paul G.

1983-01-01

Describes how the interrelation of the potato beetle, the buffalo-bur, and the potato is used as an introduction to ecology. Methods of controlling the beetle and ecological principles illustrated in the interrelationship are discussed. (JN)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dale, Virginia H; Brown, Sandra; Haeuber, R A

The many ways that people have used and managed land throughout history has emerged as a primary cause of land-cover change around the world. Thus, land use and land management increasingly represent a fundamental source of change in the global environment. Despite their global importance, however, many decisions about the management and use of land are made with scant attention to ecological impacts. Thus, ecologists' knowledge of the functioning of Earth's ecosystems is needed to broaden the scientific basis of decisions on land use and management. In response to this need, the Ecological Society of America established a committee tomore » examine the ways that land-use decisions are made and the ways that ecologists could help inform those decisions. This paper reports the scientific findings of that committee. Five principles of ecological science have particular implications for land use and can assure that fundamental processes of Earth's ecosystems are sustained. These ecological principles deal with time, species, place, dis- turbance, and the landscape. The recognition that ecological processes occur within a temporal setting and change over time is fundamental to analyzing the effects of land use. In addition, individual species and networks of interacting species have strong and far-reaching effects on ecological processes. Furthermore, each site or region has a unique set of organisms and abiotic conditions influencing and constraining ecological processes. Distur- bances are important and ubiquitous ecological events whose effects may strongly influence population, com- munity, and ecosystem dynamics. Finally, the size, shape, and spatial relationships of habitat patches on the landscape affect the structure and function of ecosystems. The responses of the land to changes in use and management by people depend on expressions of these fundamental principles in nature. These principles dictate several guidelines for land use. The guidelines give practical rules of thumb for incorporating ecological principles into land-use decision making. These guidelines suggest that land managers should: (1) examine impacts of local decisions in a regional context, (2) plan for long-term change and unexpected events, (3) preserve rare landscape elements and associated species, (4) avoid land uses that deplete natural resources, (5) retain large contiguous or connected areas that contain critical habitats, (6) minimize the intro- duction and spread of nonnative species, (7) avoid or compensate for the effects of development on ecological processes, and (8) implement land-use and management practices that are compatible with the natural potential of the area. Decision makers and citizens are encouraged to consider these guidelines and to include ecological per- spectives in choices on how land is used and managed. The guidelines suggest actions required to develop the science needed by land managers.« less

Ecological and evolutionary approaches to managing honeybee disease.

PubMed

Brosi, Berry J; Delaplane, Keith S; Boots, Michael; de Roode, Jacobus C

2017-09-01

Honeybee declines are a serious threat to global agricultural security and productivity. Although multiple factors contribute to these declines, parasites are a key driver. Disease problems in honeybees have intensified in recent years, despite increasing attention to addressing them. Here we argue that we must focus on the principles of disease ecology and evolution to understand disease dynamics, assess the severity of disease threats, and control these threats via honeybee management. We cover the ecological context of honeybee disease, including both host and parasite factors driving current transmission dynamics, and then discuss evolutionary dynamics including how beekeeping management practices may drive selection for more virulent parasites. We then outline how ecological and evolutionary principles can guide disease mitigation in honeybees, including several practical management suggestions for addressing short- and long-term disease dynamics and consequences.

Principles for ecologically based invasive plant management

Treesearch

Jeremy J. James; Brenda S. Smith; Edward A. Vasquez; Roger L. Sheley

2010-01-01

Land managers have long identified a critical need for a practical and effective framework for designing restoration strategies, especially where invasive plants dominate. A holistic, ecologically based, invasive plant management (EBIPM) framework that integrates ecosystem health assessment, knowledge of ecological processes, and adaptive management into a successional...

Ecoengineering with Ecohydrology: Successes and failures in estuarine restoration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elliott, Michael; Mander, Lucas; Mazik, Krysia; Simenstad, Charles; Valesini, Fiona; Whitfield, Alan; Wolanski, Eric

2016-07-01

Ecological Engineering (or Ecoengineering) is increasingly used in estuaries to re-create and restore ecosystems degraded by human activities, including reduced water flow or land poldered for agricultural use. Here we focus on ecosystem recolonization by the biota and their functioning and we separate Type A Ecoengineering where the physico-chemical structure is modified on the basis that ecological structure and functioning will then follow, and Type B Ecoengineering where the biota are engineered directly such as through restocking or replanting. Modifying the physical system to create and restore natural processes and habitats relies on successfully applying Ecohydrology, where suitable physical conditions, especially hydrography and sedimentology, are created to recover estuarine ecology by natural or human-mediated colonisation of primary producers and consumers, or habitat creation. This successional process then allows wading birds and fish to reoccupy the rehabilitated areas, thus restoring the natural food web and recreating nursery areas for aquatic biota. We describe Ecohydrology principles applied during Ecoengineering restoration projects in Europe, Australia, Asia, South Africa and North America. These show some successful and sustainable approaches but also others that were less than successful and not sustainable despite the best of intentions (and which may even have harmed the ecology). Some schemes may be 'good for the ecologists', as conservationists consider it successful that at least some habitat was created, albeit in the short-term, but arguably did little for the overall ecology of the area in space or time. We indicate the trade-offs between the short- and long-term value of restored and created ecosystems, the success at developing natural structure and functioning in disturbed estuaries, the role of this in estuarine and wetland management, and the costs and benefits of Ecoengineering to the socio-ecological system. These global case studies provide important lessons for both the science and management of estuaries, including that successful estuarine restoration is a complex and often difficult process, and that Ecoengineering with Ecohydrology aims to control and/or simulate natural ecosystem processes.

Synchronization unveils the organization of ecological networks with positive and negative interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Girón, Andrea; Saiz, Hugo; Bacelar, Flora S.; Andrade, Roberto F. S.; Gómez-Gardeñes, Jesús

2016-06-01

Network science has helped to understand the organization principles of the interactions among the constituents of large complex systems. However, recently, the high resolution of the data sets collected has allowed to capture the different types of interactions coexisting within the same system. A particularly important example is that of systems with positive and negative interactions, a usual feature appearing in social, neural, and ecological systems. The interplay of links of opposite sign presents natural difficulties for generalizing typical concepts and tools applied to unsigned networks and, moreover, poses some questions intrinsic to the signed nature of the network, such as how are negative interactions balanced by positive ones so to allow the coexistence and survival of competitors/foes within the same system? Here, we show that synchronization phenomenon is an ideal benchmark for uncovering such balance and, as a byproduct, to assess which nodes play a critical role in the overall organization of the system. We illustrate our findings with the analysis of synthetic and real ecological networks in which facilitation and competitive interactions coexist.

Legal and institutional foundations of adaptive environmental governance

PubMed Central

DeCaro, Daniel A.; Chaffin, Brian C.; Schlager, Edella; Garmestani, Ahjond S.; Ruhl, J.B.

2018-01-01

Legal and institutional structures fundamentally shape opportunities for adaptive governance of environmental resources at multiple ecological and societal scales. Properties of adaptive governance are widely studied. However, these studies have not resulted in consolidated frameworks for legal and institutional design, limiting our ability to promote adaptation and social-ecological resilience. We develop an overarching framework that describes the current and potential role of law in enabling adaptation. We apply this framework to different social-ecological settings, centers of activity, and scales, illustrating the multidimensional and polycentric nature of water governance. Adaptation typically emerges organically among multiple centers of agency and authority in society as a relatively self-organized or autonomous process marked by innovation, social learning, and political deliberation. This self-directed and emergent process is difficult to create in an exogenous, top-down fashion. However, traditional centers of authority may establish enabling conditions for adaptation using a suite of legal, economic, and democratic tools to legitimize and facilitate self-organization, coordination, and collaboration across scales. The principles outlined here provide preliminary legal and institutional foundations for adaptive environmental governance, which may inform institutional design and guide future scholarship. PMID:29780428

Legal and institutional foundations of adaptive environmental governance.

PubMed

DeCaro, Daniel A; Chaffin, Brian C; Schlager, Edella; Garmestani, Ahjond S; Ruhl, J B

2017-03-17

Legal and institutional structures fundamentally shape opportunities for adaptive governance of environmental resources at multiple ecological and societal scales. Properties of adaptive governance are widely studied. However, these studies have not resulted in consolidated frameworks for legal and institutional design, limiting our ability to promote adaptation and social-ecological resilience. We develop an overarching framework that describes the current and potential role of law in enabling adaptation. We apply this framework to different social-ecological settings, centers of activity, and scales, illustrating the multidimensional and polycentric nature of water governance. Adaptation typically emerges organically among multiple centers of agency and authority in society as a relatively self-organized or autonomous process marked by innovation, social learning, and political deliberation. This self-directed and emergent process is difficult to create in an exogenous, top-down fashion. However, traditional centers of authority may establish enabling conditions for adaptation using a suite of legal, economic, and democratic tools to legitimize and facilitate self-organization, coordination, and collaboration across scales. The principles outlined here provide preliminary legal and institutional foundations for adaptive environmental governance, which may inform institutional design and guide future scholarship.

Educating Ecological Citizens of "The Blue Planet"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacPherson, Seonaigh

2005-01-01

This paper explores the implications of a renewed model of citizenship and citizenship education developed on the principles of ecology and ecological interdependence. By reframing our community from a human polity to a biotic community, the scope of our citizenship responsibilities shift. While expanding to encompass a global context, this new…

Methods for control of tick vectors of Lyme Borreliosis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jaenson, T.G.T.; Fish, D.; Ginsberg, H.S.; Gray, J.S.; Mather, T.N.; Piesman, J.

1991-01-01

During the IVth International Conference on Lyme Borreliosis in Stockholm, 1990, a workshop on control of Lyme disease vectors briefly reviewed: basic ecological principles for tick control; biocontrol of ticks; chemical control, including the use of repellents and use of permethrin-treated rodent nest material; tick control by habitat modification; and reduction of tick host availability. It was concluded that, although much research work remains, Lyme borreliosis is to a large extent a preventable infection. Avoidance of heavily tick-infested areas, personal protection using proper clothing, and prompt removal of attached ticks remain the most effective protective measures. Many other prophylactic measures are available and could be efficiently integrated into schemes to reduce the abundance of vectors. However, since the ecology of the infection varies greatly between different localities it may be necessary to apply different combinations of control methods in different endemic regions.

[Principles and methodology for ecological rehabilitation and security pattern design in key project construction].

PubMed

Chen, Li-Ding; Lu, Yi-He; Tian, Hui-Ying; Shi, Qian

2007-03-01

Global ecological security becomes increasingly important with the intensive human activities. The function of ecological security is influenced by human activities, and in return, the efficiency of human activities will also be affected by the patterns of regional ecological security. Since the 1990s, China has initiated the construction of key projects "Yangtze Three Gorges Dam", "Qinghai-Tibet Railway", "West-to-East Gas Pipeline", "West-to-East Electricity Transmission" and "South-to-North Water Transfer" , etc. The interaction between these projects and regional ecological security has particularly attracted the attention of Chinese government. It is not only important for the regional environmental protection, but also of significance for the smoothly implementation of various projects aimed to develop an ecological rehabilitation system and to design a regional ecological security pattern. This paper made a systematic analysis on the types and characteristics of key project construction and their effects on the environment, and on the basis of this, brought forward the basic principles and methodology for ecological rehabilitation and security pattern design in this construction. It was considered that the following issues should be addressed in the implementation of a key project: 1) analysis and evaluation of current regional ecological environment, 2) evaluation of anthropogenic disturbances and their ecological risk, 3) regional ecological rehabilitation and security pattern design, 4) scenario analysis of environmental benefits of regional ecological security pattern, 5) re-optimization of regional ecological system framework, and 6) establishment of regional ecosystem management plan.

Phase separation driven by density-dependent movement: A novel mechanism for ecological patterns.

PubMed

Liu, Quan-Xing; Rietkerk, Max; Herman, Peter M J; Piersma, Theunis; Fryxell, John M; van de Koppel, Johan

2016-12-01

Many ecosystems develop strikingly regular spatial patterns because of small-scale interactions between organisms, a process generally referred to as spatial self-organization. Self-organized spatial patterns are important determinants of the functioning of ecosystems, promoting the growth and survival of the involved organisms, and affecting the capacity of the organisms to cope with changing environmental conditions. The predominant explanation for self-organized pattern formation is spatial heterogeneity in establishment, growth and mortality, resulting from the self-organization processes. A number of recent studies, however, have revealed that movement of organisms can be an important driving process creating extensive spatial patterning in many ecosystems. Here, we review studies that detail movement-based pattern formation in contrasting ecological settings. Our review highlights that a common principle, where movement of organisms is density-dependent, explains observed spatial regular patterns in all of these studies. This principle, well known to physics as the Cahn-Hilliard principle of phase separation, has so-far remained unrecognized as a general mechanism for self-organized complexity in ecology. Using the examples presented in this paper, we explain how this movement principle can be discerned in ecological settings, and clarify how to test this mechanism experimentally. Our study highlights that animal movement, both in isolation and in unison with other processes, is an important mechanism for regular pattern formation in ecosystems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Allometry and Ecology of the Bilaterian Gut Microbiome

PubMed Central

Sherrill-Mix, Scott; McCormick, Kevin; Lauder, Abigail; Bailey, Aubrey; Zimmerman, Laurie; Li, Yingying; Django, Jean-Bosco N.; Bertolani, Paco; Colin, Christelle; Hart, John A.; Hart, Terese B.; Georgiev, Alexander V.; Sanz, Crickette M.; Morgan, David B.; Atencia, Rebeca; Cox, Debby; Muller, Martin N.; Sommer, Volker; Piel, Alexander K.; Stewart, Fiona A.; Speede, Sheri; Roman, Joe; Wu, Gary; Taylor, Josh; Bohm, Rudolf; Rose, Heather M.; Carlson, John; Mjungu, Deus; Schmidt, Paul; Gaughan, Celeste; Bushman, Joyslin I.; Schmidt, Ella; Bittinger, Kyle; Collman, Ronald G.; Hahn, Beatrice H.

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT Classical ecology provides principles for construction and function of biological communities, but to what extent these apply to the animal-associated microbiota is just beginning to be assessed. Here, we investigated the influence of several well-known ecological principles on animal-associated microbiota by characterizing gut microbial specimens from bilaterally symmetrical animals (Bilateria) ranging from flies to whales. A rigorously vetted sample set containing 265 specimens from 64 species was assembled. Bacterial lineages were characterized by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Previously published samples were also compared, allowing analysis of over 1,098 samples in total. A restricted number of bacterial phyla was found to account for the great majority of gut colonists. Gut microbial composition was associated with host phylogeny and diet. We identified numerous gut bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequences that diverged deeply from previously studied taxa, identifying opportunities to discover new bacterial types. The number of bacterial lineages per gut sample was positively associated with animal mass, paralleling known species-area relationships from island biogeography and implicating body size as a determinant of community stability and niche complexity. Samples from larger animals harbored greater numbers of anaerobic communities, specifying a mechanism for generating more-complex microbial environments. Predictions for species/abundance relationships from models of neutral colonization did not match the data set, pointing to alternative mechanisms such as selection of specific colonists by environmental niche. Taken together, the data suggest that niche complexity increases with gut size and that niche selection forces dominate gut community construction. PMID:29588401

Savannah River Ecology Laboratory annual technical progress report of ecological research for the year ending July 31, 1995

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smith, M.H.

1995-07-01

The Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (SREL) is a research unit of the University of Georgia (UGA). The overall mission of the Laboratory is to acquire and communicate knowledge of ecological processes and principles. SREL conducts basic and applied ecological research, as well as education and outreach programs, under a contract with the US Department of Energy (DOE) at the Savannah River Site near Aiken, South Carolina. Significant accomplishments were made during the past year in the areas of research, education and service. Major additions to SREL Facilities were completed that will enhance the Laboratory`s work in the future. Following severalmore » years of planning, opening ceremonies were held for the 5000 ft{sup 2} multi-purpose conference center that was funded by the University of Georgia Research Foundation (UGARF). The center is located on 68 acres of land that was provided by the US Department of Energy. This joint effort between DOE and UGARF supports DOE`s new initiative to develop partnerships with the private sector and universities. The facility is being used for scientific meetings and environmental education programs for students, teachers and the general public. A 6000 ft{sup 2} office and library addition to S@s main building officially opened this year, and construction plans are underway on a new animal care facility, laboratory addition, and receiving building.« less

ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT AND THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE

EPA Science Inventory

The Precautionary Principle, generated during the late 1980s as a unifying principle for regulating discharge of hazardous material into the North Sea, has been broadened to include a shifting of the burden of proof to the proponent of a proposed activity, adoption of a more holi...

Savannah River Ecology Laboratory. Annual technical progress report of ecological research

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smith, M.H.

1996-07-31

The Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (SREL) is a research unit of the University of Georgia (UGA). The overall mission of the Laboratory is to acquire and communicate knowledge of ecological processes and principles. SREL conducts basic and applied ecological research, as well as education and outreach programs, under a contract with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) at the Savannah River Site (SRS) near Aiken, South Carolina. Significant accomplishments were made during the past year in the areas of research, education and service. The Laboratory`s research mission was fulfilled with the publication of two books and 143 journal articles andmore » book chapters by faculty, technical and students, and visiting scientists. An additional three books and about 80 journal articles currently are in press. Faculty, technician and students presented 193 lectures, scientific presentations, and posters to colleges and universities, including minority institutions. Dr. J Vaun McArthur organized and conducted the Third Annual SREL Symposium on the Environment: New Concepts in Strewn Ecology: An Integrative Approach. Dr. Michael Newman conducted a 5-day course titled Quantitative Methods in Ecotoxicology, and Dr. Brian Teppen of The Advanced Analytical Center for Environmental Sciences (AACES) taught a 3-day short course titled Introduction to Molecular Modeling of Environmental Systems. Dr. I. Lehr Brisbin co-hosted a meeting of the Crocodile Special Interest Group. Dr. Rebecca Sharitz attended four symposia in Japan during May and June 1996 and conducted meetings of the Executive Committee and Board of the International Association for Ecology (ENTECOL).« less

Waste Management in the Circular Economy. The Case of Romania.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iuga, Anca N.

2016-11-01

Applying the principles of sustainable development in Romania involves a new approach to ecological waste using basic concepts of circular economy to weigh accurately the proposed projects in this area taking into account existing environmental resources and zero waste objectives. The paper is focused on: quantitative and qualitative measures of waste prevention in Romania, the changing status of the waste by selling it as product, the mechanisms for paying for treatment and / or disposal which discourage waste generation and the use of financial resources obtained from secondary raw materials for the efficiency of waste management.

Ecological and evolutionary approaches to managing honey bee disease

PubMed Central

Brosi, Berry J.; Delaplane, Keith S.; Boots, Michael; de Roode, Jacobus C.

2017-01-01

Honey bee declines are a serious threat to global agricultural security and productivity. While multiple factors contribute to these declines, parasites are a key driver. Disease problems in honey bees have intensified in recent years, despite increasing attention to addressing them. Here we argue that we must focus on the principles of disease ecology and evolution to understand disease dynamics, assess the severity of disease threats, and manage these threats via honey bee management. We cover the ecological context of honey bee disease, including both host and parasite factors driving current transmission dynamics, and then discuss evolutionary dynamics including how beekeeping management practices may drive selection for more virulent parasites. We then outline how ecological and evolutionary principles can guide disease mitigation in honey bees, including several practical management suggestions for addressing short- and long-term disease dynamics and consequences. PMID:29046562

Volume II: Ecosystem management: principles and applications.

Treesearch

M.E. Jensen; P.S. Bourgeron

1994-01-01

This document provides land managers with practical suggestions for implementing ecosystem management. It contains 28 papers organized into five sections: historical perspectives, ecological principles, sampling design, case studies, and implementation strategies.

Revisiting concepts of thermal physiology: Predicting responses of mammals to climate change.

PubMed

Mitchell, Duncan; Snelling, Edward P; Hetem, Robyn S; Maloney, Shane K; Strauss, Willem Maartin; Fuller, Andrea

2018-02-26

The accuracy of predictive models (also known as mechanistic or causal models) of animal responses to climate change depends on properly incorporating the principles of heat transfer and thermoregulation into those models. Regrettably, proper incorporation of these principles is not always evident. We have revisited the relevant principles of thermal physiology and analysed how they have been applied in predictive models of large mammals, which are particularly vulnerable, to climate change. We considered dry heat exchange, evaporative heat transfer, the thermoneutral zone and homeothermy, and we examined the roles of size and shape in the thermal physiology of large mammals. We report on the following misconceptions in influential predictive models: underestimation of the role of radiant heat transfer, misassignment of the role and misunderstanding of the sustainability of evaporative cooling, misinterpretation of the thermoneutral zone as a zone of thermal tolerance or as a zone of sustainable energetics, confusion of upper critical temperature and critical thermal maximum, overestimation of the metabolic energy cost of evaporative cooling, failure to appreciate that the current advantages of size and shape will become disadvantageous as climate change advances, misassumptions about skin temperature and, lastly, misconceptions about the relationship between body core temperature and its variability with body mass in large mammals. Not all misconceptions invalidate the models, but we believe that preventing inappropriate assumptions from propagating will improve model accuracy, especially as models progress beyond their current typically static format to include genetic and epigenetic adaptation that can result in phenotypic plasticity. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2018 British Ecological Society.

Evolutionary engineering for industrial microbiology.

PubMed

Vanee, Niti; Fisher, Adam B; Fong, Stephen S

2012-01-01

Superficially, evolutionary engineering is a paradoxical field that balances competing interests. In natural settings, evolution iteratively selects and enriches subpopulations that are best adapted to a particular ecological niche using random processes such as genetic mutation. In engineering desired approaches utilize rational prospective design to address targeted problems. When considering details of evolutionary and engineering processes, more commonality can be found. Engineering relies on detailed knowledge of the problem parameters and design properties in order to predict design outcomes that would be an optimized solution. When detailed knowledge of a system is lacking, engineers often employ algorithmic search strategies to identify empirical solutions. Evolution epitomizes this iterative optimization by continuously diversifying design options from a parental design, and then selecting the progeny designs that represent satisfactory solutions. In this chapter, the technique of applying the natural principles of evolution to engineer microbes for industrial applications is discussed to highlight the challenges and principles of evolutionary engineering.

A Western diet ecological module identified from the 'humanized' mouse microbiota predicts diet in adults and formula feeding in children.

PubMed

Siddharth, Jay; Holway, Nicholas; Parkinson, Scott J

2013-01-01

The interplay between diet and the microbiota has been implicated in the growing frequency of chronic diseases associated with the Western lifestyle. However, the complexity and variability of microbial ecology in humans and preclinical models has hampered identification of the molecular mechanisms underlying the association of the microbiota in this context. We sought to address two key questions. Can the microbial ecology of preclinical models predict human populations? And can we identify underlying principles that surpass the plasticity of microbial ecology in humans? To do this, we focused our study on diet; perhaps the most influential factor determining the composition of the gut microbiota. Beginning with a study in 'humanized' mice we identified an interactive module of 9 genera allied with Western diet intake. This module was applied to a controlled dietary study in humans. The abundance of the Western ecological module correctly predicted the dietary intake of 19/21 top and 21/21 of the bottom quartile samples inclusive of all 5 Western and 'low-fat' diet subjects, respectively. In 98 volunteers the abundance of the Western module correlated appropriately with dietary intake of saturated fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins and fiber. Furthermore, it correlated with the geographical location and dietary habits of healthy adults from the Western, developing and third world. The module was also coupled to dietary intake in children (and piglets) correlating with formula (vs breast) feeding and associated with a precipitous development of the ecological module in young children. Our study provides a conceptual platform to translate microbial ecology from preclinical models to humans and identifies an ecological network module underlying the association of the gut microbiota with Western dietary habits.

A Western Diet Ecological Module Identified from the ‘Humanized’ Mouse Microbiota Predicts Diet in Adults and Formula Feeding in Children

PubMed Central

Siddharth, Jay; Holway, Nicholas; Parkinson, Scott J.

2013-01-01

The interplay between diet and the microbiota has been implicated in the growing frequency of chronic diseases associated with the Western lifestyle. However, the complexity and variability of microbial ecology in humans and preclinical models has hampered identification of the molecular mechanisms underlying the association of the microbiota in this context. We sought to address two key questions. Can the microbial ecology of preclinical models predict human populations? And can we identify underlying principles that surpass the plasticity of microbial ecology in humans? To do this, we focused our study on diet; perhaps the most influential factor determining the composition of the gut microbiota. Beginning with a study in ‘humanized’ mice we identified an interactive module of 9 genera allied with Western diet intake. This module was applied to a controlled dietary study in humans. The abundance of the Western ecological module correctly predicted the dietary intake of 19/21 top and 21/21 of the bottom quartile samples inclusive of all 5 Western and ‘low-fat’ diet subjects, respectively. In 98 volunteers the abundance of the Western module correlated appropriately with dietary intake of saturated fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins and fiber. Furthermore, it correlated with the geographical location and dietary habits of healthy adults from the Western, developing and third world. The module was also coupled to dietary intake in children (and piglets) correlating with formula (vs breast) feeding and associated with a precipitous development of the ecological module in young children. Our study provides a conceptual platform to translate microbial ecology from preclinical models to humans and identifies an ecological network module underlying the association of the gut microbiota with Western dietary habits. PMID:24391809

Nurses and teachers: partnerships for green health promotion.

PubMed

Sendall, Marguerite C; Lidstone, John; Fleming, Marylou; Domocol, Michelle

2013-07-01

The term green health promotion is given to health promotion underpinned by the principles of ecological health and sustainability. Green health promotion is supported philosophically by global health promotion documents such as the 1986 Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion and the ecological public health movement. Green health promotion in schools means the practice, the principles of ecological health, and sustainability. A literature review revealed a paucity of publications about green health promotion in schools. Literature about nurses and health promotion in schools is generally found in nursing publications. Literature about ecological sustainability in schools is mostly found in teaching publications. This article explores the nexus between nursing and health promotion, and teachers and ecological sustainability. Collaborative partnerships between health and education do not capitalize on programs such as Health Promoting Schools and the School Based Youth Health Nurse Program in Queensland, Australia. The authors consider how collaborative partnerships between health and education in schools can work toward green health promotion. Nursing's approach to health promotion and education's approach to ecological sustainability need to be aligned to enhance green health promotion in schools. © 2013, American School Health Association.

Ecology, Microbial

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Konopka, Allan

2009-05-15

Microbial ecology is a relatively young discipline within the field of microbiology. Its modern history spans just the past 60 years, and the field is defined by its emphasis on understanding the interactions of microbes with their environment, rather than their behavior under artificial laboratory conditions. Because microbes are ubiquitous, microbial ecologists study a broad diversity of habitats that range from aquatic to terrestrial to plant- or animal-associated. This has made it a challenge to identify unifying principles within the field. One approach is to recognize that although the activity of microbes in nature have effects at the macroscale, theymore » interact with their physical, chemical and biological milieu at a scale of micrometers. At this scale, several different microbial ecosystems can be defined, based upon association with particles, the presence of environmental gradients and the continuous availability of water. Principles applicable to microbial ecology reflect not only their population ecology and physiological ecology, but also their broad versatility and quantitative importance in the biosphere as biogeochemical catalysts and capacity for rapid physiological and evolutionary responses.« less

Developing Sustainable Urban Water-Energy Infrastructures: Applying a Multi-Sectoral Social-Ecological-Infrastructural Systems (SEIS) Framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramaswami, A.

2016-12-01

Urban infrastructure - broadly defined to include the systems that provide water, energy, food, shelter, transportation-communication, sanitation and green/public spaces in cities - have tremendous impact on the environment and on human well-being (Ramaswami et al., 2016; Ramaswami et al., 2012). Aggregated globally, these sectors contribute 90% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and 96% of global water withdrawals. Urban infrastructure contributions to such impacts are beginning to dominate. Cities are therefore becoming the action arena for infrastructure transformations that can achieve high levels of service delivery while reducing environmental impacts and enhancing human well-being. Achieving sustainable urban infrastructure transitions requires: information about the engineered infrastructure, and its interaction with the natural (ecological-environmental) and the social sub-systems In this paper, we apply a multi-sector, multi-scalar Social-Ecological-Infrastructural Systems framework that describes the interactions among biophysical engineered infrastructures, the natural environment and the social system in a systems-approach to inform urban infrastructure transformations. We apply the SEIS framework to inform water and energy sector transformations in cities to achieve environmental and human health benefits realized at multiple scales - local, regional and global. Local scales address pollution, health, wellbeing and inequity within the city; regional scales address regional pollution, scarcity, as well as supply risks in the water-energy sectors; global impacts include greenhouse gas emissions and climate impacts. Different actors shape infrastructure transitions including households, businesses, and policy actors. We describe the development of novel cross-sectoral strategies at the water-energy nexus in cities, focusing on water, waste and energy sectors, in a case study of Delhi, India. Ramaswami, A.; Russell, A.G.; Culligan, P.J.; Sharma, K.R.; Kumar, E. (2016). Meta-Principles for developing smart, sustainable, and healthy cities, Science, 352(6288), 940-3. Ramaswami, A., et al. A Social-Ecological Infrastructural Systems Framework for Inter-Disciplinary Study of Sustainable City-Systems. J. Ind Ecol, 16(6): 801-813, 2012.

Study on Ecological Design Concept of Buton Sultanate Cityscape Based on Local Culture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mansyur, A.; Gunawan, A.; Munandar, A.

2017-10-01

Buton Sultanate Cityscape was constituted of man-made landscape constructed in the era of Buton Sultanate in 1322. It is one of the Indonesian heritage networks proposed to be the world heritage city. The Sultanate cityscape should have the concept of traditional city and refer to the ecological principles. This research was conducted to analyze elements and spatial patterns of Sultanate cityscape based on the ecological principles (eco-design). Descriptive method was utilized in the research by conducting in-depth interviews with the local custom figures and experts of the local culture, literature reviews, and field observations. The main elements of Buton Sultanate Cityscape consisted of palaces, city square, mosque, cemeteries, and settlements, while the supporting elements located outside the city border include mountains, valleys, rivers, and forests. City square is located in the city center surrounded by the palace, cemetery, and mosque. The main pattern of city circulation pattern has formed a simple figure of human body. Ecological principles can be examined from the housing layout paralleled to the road, direction of most city gates facing the east and forests, and the city wall pattern which is closely related to the religious matter.

Principles for Establishing Ecologically Successful Riparian Corridors

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Principles for establishing riparian areas. Riparian areas are three‐dimensional ecotones of interaction that include terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, that extend down into the groundwater, up above the canopy, outward across the floodplain.

Accelerated Evolution in the Death Galaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Austin, Robert; Tung, Chih-Kuan; Gong, Xiu-Quing; Lambert, Guillaume; Liao, David

2010-03-01

We recall 4 main guiding principles of evolution: 1) instability of defections, 2) stress induced non-random mutations, 3) genetic heterogeneity, and 4) fragmented populations. Our previous preliminary experiments have been relatively simple 1-D stress experiments. We are proceeding with 2-D experiments whose design is guided by these principles. Our new experiment we have dubbed the Death Galaxy because of it's use of these design principles. The ``galaxy'' name comes from the fact that the structure is designed as an interconnected array of micro-ecologies, these micro-ecologies are similar to the stars that comprise an astronomical galaxy, and provide the fragmented small populations. A gradient of the antibiotic Cipro is introduced across the galaxy, and we will present results which show how bacterial evolution resulting in resistance to Cipro is accelerated by the physics principles underlying the device.

Monitoring Freeze-Thaw States in the Pan-Arctic: Application of Microwave Remote Sensing to Monitoring Hydrologic and Ecological Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McDonald, K. C.; Kimball, J. S.

2004-12-01

The transition of the landscape between predominantly frozen and non-frozen conditions in seasonally frozen environments impacts climate, hydrological, ecological and biogeochemical processes profoundly. Satellite microwave remote sensing is uniquely capable of detecting and monitoring a range of related biophysical processes associated with the measurement of landscape freeze/thaw status. We present the development, physical basis, current techniques and selected hydrological applications of satellite-borne microwave remote sensing of landscape freeze/thaw states for the terrestrial cryosphere. Major landscape hydrological processes embracing the remotely-sensed freeze/thaw signal include timing and spatial dynamics of seasonal snowmelt and associated soil thaw, runoff generation and flooding, ice breakup in large rivers and lakes, and timing and length of vegetation growing seasons and associated productivity and trace gas exchange. Employing both active and passive microwave sensors, we apply a selection of temporal change classification algorithms to examine a variety of hydrologic processes. We investigate contemporaneous and retrospective applications of the QuikSCAT scatterometer, and the SSM/I and SMMR radiometers to this end. Results illustrate the strong correspondence between regional thawing, seasonal ice break up for rivers, and the springtime pulse in river flow. We present the physical principles of microwave sensitivity to landscape freeze/thaw state, recent progress in applying these principles toward satellite remote sensing of freeze/thaw processes over broad regions, and potential for future global monitoring of this significant phenomenon of the global cryosphere. This work was carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, and at the University of Montana, Missoula, under contract to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

The maximum entropy production principle: two basic questions.

PubMed

Martyushev, Leonid M

2010-05-12

The overwhelming majority of maximum entropy production applications to ecological and environmental systems are based on thermodynamics and statistical physics. Here, we discuss briefly maximum entropy production principle and raises two questions: (i) can this principle be used as the basis for non-equilibrium thermodynamics and statistical mechanics and (ii) is it possible to 'prove' the principle? We adduce one more proof which is most concise today.

The role of fuels for understanding fire behavior and fire effects

Treesearch

E. Louise Loudermilk; J. Kevin Hiers; Joseph J. O' Brien

2018-01-01

Fire ecology, which has emerged as a critical discipline, links the complex interactions that occur between fire regimes and ecosystems. The ecology of fuels, a first principle in fire ecology, identifies feedbacks between vegetation and fire behavior-a cyclic process that starts with fuels influencing fire behavior, which in turn governs patterns of postfire...

A solution to the biodiversity paradox by logical deterministic cellular automata.

PubMed

Kalmykov, Lev V; Kalmykov, Vyacheslav L

2015-06-01

The paradox of biological diversity is the key problem of theoretical ecology. The paradox consists in the contradiction between the competitive exclusion principle and the observed biodiversity. The principle is important as the basis for ecological theory. On a relatively simple model we show a mechanism of indefinite coexistence of complete competitors which violates the known formulations of the competitive exclusion principle. This mechanism is based on timely recovery of limiting resources and their spatio-temporal allocation between competitors. Because of limitations of the black-box modeling there was a problem to formulate the exclusion principle correctly. Our white-box multiscale model of two-species competition is based on logical deterministic individual-based cellular automata. This approach provides an automatic deductive inference on the basis of a system of axioms, and gives a direct insight into mechanisms of the studied system. It is one of the most promising methods of artificial intelligence. We reformulate and generalize the competitive exclusion principle and explain why this formulation provides a solution of the biodiversity paradox. In addition, we propose a principle of competitive coexistence.

Of Maggots Murder: Forensic Entomology in the Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carloye, Lisa

2003-01-01

Presents a hands-on lesson in biology in which students evaluate the evidence from four death scenarios. Students use knowledge of ecological principles, specifically ecological succession, and insect biology. Recommends three web sites related to the subject. (SOE)

Principles for ecologically based invasive plant management

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Land managers long have identified a critical need for a practical and effective framework to guide the implementation of successful restoration, especially where invasive plants dominate the ecosystem. A holistic, ecologically-based invasive plant management (EBIPM) framework that integrates ecosy...

Metacommunity theory as a multispecies, multiscale framework for studying the influence of river network structure on riverine communities and ecosystems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brown, B.L.; Swan, C.M.; Auerbach, D.A.; Campbell, Grant E.H.; Hitt, N.P.; Maloney, K.O.; Patrick, C.

2011-01-01

Explaining the mechanisms underlying patterns of species diversity and composition in riverine networks is challenging. Historically, community ecologists have conceived of communities as largely isolated entities and have focused on local environmental factors and interspecific interactions as the major forces determining species composition. However, stream ecologists have long embraced a multiscale approach to studying riverine ecosystems and have studied both local factors and larger-scale regional factors, such as dispersal and disturbance. River networks exhibit a dendritic spatial structure that can constrain aquatic organisms when their dispersal is influenced by or confined to the river network. We contend that the principles of metacommunity theory would help stream ecologists to understand how the complex spatial structure of river networks mediates the relative influences of local and regional control on species composition. From a basic ecological perspective, the concept is attractive because new evidence suggests that the importance of regional processes (dispersal) depends on spatial structure of habitat and on connection to the regional species pool. The role of local factors relative to regional factors will vary with spatial position in a river network. From an applied perspective, the long-standing view in ecology that local community composition is an indicator of habitat quality may not be uniformly applicable across a river network, but the strength of such bioassessment approaches probably will depend on spatial position in the network. The principles of metacommunity theory are broadly applicable across taxa and systems but seem of particular consequence to stream ecology given the unique spatial structure of riverine systems. By explicitly embracing processes at multiple spatial scales, metacommunity theory provides a foundation on which to build a richer understanding of stream communities.

Persistence of Soil Organic Carbon can be Explained as an Emergent Property of Microbial Ecology and Population Dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woolf, D.; Lehmann, J.

2016-12-01

The exchange of carbon between soils and the atmosphere represents an important uncertainty in climate predictions. Current Earth system models apply soil organic matter (SOM) models based on independent carbon pools with 1st order decomposition dynamics. It has been widely argued over the last decade that such models do not accurately describe soil processes and mechanisms. For example, the long term persistence of soil organic carbon (SOC) is only adequately described by such models by the post hoc assumption of passive or inert carbon pools. Further, such 1st order models also fail to account for microbially-mediated dynamics such as priming interactions. These shortcomings may limit their applicability to long term predictions under conditions of global environmental change. In addition to incorporating recent conceptual advances in the mechanisms of SOM decomposition and protection, next-generation SOM models intended for use in Earth system models need to meet further quality criteria. Namely, that they should (a) accurately describe historical data from long term trials and the current global distribution of soil organic carbon, (b) be computationally efficient for large number of iterations involved in climate modeling, and (c) have sufficiently simple parameterization that they can be run on spatially-explicit data available at global scale under varying conditions of global change over long time scales. Here we show that linking fundamental ecological principles and microbial population dynamics to SOC turnover rates results in a dynamic model that meets all of these quality criteria. This approach simultaneously eliminates the need to postulate biogeochemically-implausible passive or inert pools, instead showing how SOM persistence emerges from ecological principles, while also reproducing observed priming interactions.

Plants in Your Ants: Using Ant Mounds to Test Basic Ecological Principles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zettler, Jennifer A.; Collier, Alexander; Leidersdorf, Bil; Sanou, Missa Patrick

2010-01-01

Urban students often have limited access to field sites for ecological studies. Ubiquitous ants and their mounds can be used to study and test ecology-based questions. We describe how soil collected from ant mounds can be used to investigate how biotic factors (ants) can affect abiotic factors in the soil that can, in turn, influence plant growth.

Exploring the Ecological Approach Used by RTLBs in Interventions for Students with Learning and Behaviour Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sebestian, Sandiyao

2013-01-01

The ecological approach, based on the RTLB Toolkit that guides RTLBs in New Zealand, is one of the seven principles used for interventions for students with learning and behaviour concerns. As a result of a paradigm shift moving from a functional limitations perspective to a more inclusive/ecological perspective in 1999, RTLBs have been trained…

Striding toward social justice: the ecologic milieu of physical activity.

PubMed

Lee, Rebecca E; Cubbin, Catherine

2009-01-01

Disparities in physical activity should be investigated in light of social justice principles. This article critically evaluates evidence and trends in disparities research within an ecologic framework, focusing on multilevel factors such as neighborhood and racial discrimination that influence physical activity. Discussion focuses on strategies for integrating social justice into physical activity promotion and intervention programming within an ecologic framework.

An Ecological Approach to the Design of UAV Ground Control Station (GCS) Status Displays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dowell, Susan; Morphew, Ephimia; Shively, Jay

2003-01-01

Use of UAVs in military and commercial applications will continue to increase. However, there has been limited research devoted to UAV GCS design. The current study employed an ecological approach to interfac e design. Ecological Interface Design (EID) can be characterized as r epresenting the properties of a system, such that an operator is enco uraged to use skill-based behavior when problem solving. When more ef fortful cognitive processes become necessary due to unfamiliar situations, the application of EID philosophy supports the application of kn owledge-based behavior. With advances toward multiple UAV command and control, operators need GCS interfaces designed to support understan ding of complex systems. We hypothesized that use of EID principles f or the display of UAV status information would result in better opera tor performance and situational awareness, while decreasing workload. Pilots flew a series of missions with three UAV GCS displays of statu s information (Alphanumeric, Ecological, and Hybrid display format). Measures of task performance, Situational Awareness, and workload dem onstrated the benefits of using an ecological approach to designing U AV GCS displays. The application of ecological principles to the design of UAV GCSs is a promising area for improving UAV operations.

Microbial bebop: creating music from complex dynamics in microbial ecology.

PubMed

Larsen, Peter; Gilbert, Jack

2013-01-01

In order for society to make effective policy decisions on complex and far-reaching subjects, such as appropriate responses to global climate change, scientists must effectively communicate complex results to the non-scientifically specialized public. However, there are few ways however to transform highly complicated scientific data into formats that are engaging to the general community. Taking inspiration from patterns observed in nature and from some of the principles of jazz bebop improvisation, we have generated Microbial Bebop, a method by which microbial environmental data are transformed into music. Microbial Bebop uses meter, pitch, duration, and harmony to highlight the relationships between multiple data types in complex biological datasets. We use a comprehensive microbial ecology, time course dataset collected at the L4 marine monitoring station in the Western English Channel as an example of microbial ecological data that can be transformed into music. Four compositions were generated (www.bio.anl.gov/MicrobialBebop.htm.) from L4 Station data using Microbial Bebop. Each composition, though deriving from the same dataset, is created to highlight different relationships between environmental conditions and microbial community structure. The approach presented here can be applied to a wide variety of complex biological datasets.

Legal and Institutional Foundations of Adaptive Environmental ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Legal and institutional structures fundamentally shape opportunities for adaptive governance of environmental resources at multiple ecological and societal scales. Properties of adaptive governance are widely studied. However, these studies have not resulted in consolidated frameworks for legal and institutional design, limiting our ability to promote adaptation and social-ecological resilience. We develop an overarching framework that describes the current and potential role of law in enabling adaptation. We apply this framework to different social-ecological settings, centers of activity, and scales, illustrating the multidimensional and polycentric nature of water governance. Adaptation typically emerges organically among multiple centers of agency and authority in society as a relatively self-organized or autonomous process marked by innovation, social learning, and political deliberation. This self-directed and emergent process is difficult to create in an exogenous, top-down fashion. However, traditional centers of authority may establish enabling conditions for adaptation using a suite of legal, economic, and democratic tools to legitimize and facilitate self-organization, coordination, and collaboration across scales. The principles outlined here provide preliminary legal and institutional foundations for adaptive environmental governance, which may inform institutional design and guide future scholarship. Adaptation typically emerges organically among m

Community-based native seed production for restoration in Brazil - the role of science and policy.

PubMed

Schmidt, I B; de Urzedo, D I; Piña-Rodrigues, F C M; Vieira, D L M; de Rezende, G M; Sampaio, A B; Junqueira, R G P

2018-05-20

Large-scale restoration programmes in the tropics require large volumes of high quality, genetically diverse and locally adapted seeds from a large number of species. However, scarcity of native seeds is a critical restriction to achieve restoration targets. In this paper, we analyse three successful community-based networks that supply native seeds and seedlings for Brazilian Amazon and Cerrado restoration projects. In addition, we propose directions to promote local participation, legal, technical and commercialisation issues for up-scaling the market of native seeds for restoration with high quality and social justice. We argue that effective community-based restoration arrangements should follow some principles: (i) seed production must be based on real market demand; (ii) non-governmental and governmental organisations have a key role in supporting local organisation, legal requirements and selling processes; (iii) local ecological knowledge and labour should be valued, enabling local communities to promote large-scale seed production; (iv) applied research can help develop appropriate techniques and solve technical issues. The case studies from Brazil and principles presented here can be useful for the up-scaling restoration ecology efforts in many other parts of the world and especially in tropical countries where improving rural community income is a strategy for biodiversity conservation and restoration. © 2018 German Society for Plant Sciences and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

COMPLEMENTARITY OF ECOLOGICAL GOAL FUNCTIONS

EPA Science Inventory

This paper summarizes, in the framework of network environ analysis, a set of analyses of energy-matter flow and storage in steady state systems. The network perspective is used to codify and unify ten ecological orientors or external principles: maximum power (Lotka), maximum st...

NOx formation in combustion of gaseous fuel in ejection burner

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rimár, Miroslav; Kulikov, Andrii

2016-06-01

The aim of this work is to prepare model for researching of the formation in combustion of gaseous fuels. NOx formation is one of the main ecological problems nowadays as nitrogen oxides is one of main reasons of acid rains. The ANSYS model was designed according to the calculation to provide full combustion and good mixing of the fuel and air. The current model is appropriate to research NOx formation and the influence of the different principles of NOx reduction method. Applying of designed model should spare both time of calculations and research and also money as you do not need to measure the burner characteristics.

Mess management in microbial ecology: Rhetorical processes of disciplinary integration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCracken, Christopher W.

As interdisciplinary work becomes more common in the sciences, research into the rhetorical processes mediating disciplinary integration becomes more vital. This dissertation, which takes as its subject the integration of microbiology and ecology, combines a postplural approach to rhetoric of science research with Victor Turner's "social drama" analysis and a third-generation activity theory methodological framework to identify conceptual and practical conflicts in interdisciplinary work and describe how, through visual and verbal communication, scientists negotiate these conflicts. First, to understand the conflicting disciplinary principles that might impede integration, the author conducts a Turnerian analysis of a disciplinary conflict that took place in the 1960s and 70s, during which American ecologists and biologists debated whether they should participate in the International Biological Program (IBP). Participation in the IBP ultimately contributed to the emergence of ecology as a discipline distinct from biology, and Turnerian social drama analysis of the debate surrounding participation lays bare the conflicting principles separating biology and ecology. Second, to answer the question of how these conflicting principles are negotiated in practice, the author reports on a yearlong qualitative study of scientists working in a microbial ecology laboratory. Focusing specifically on two case studies from this fieldwork that illustrate the key concept of textually mediated disciplinary integration, the author's analysis demonstrates how scientific objects emerge in differently situated practices, and how these objects manage to cohere despite their multiplicity through textually mediated rhetorical processes of calibration and alignment.

Ecological periodic tables: in principle and practice (in OIKOS)

EPA Science Inventory

“Science is organized knowledge.” Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) Ecological periodic tables are an information organizing system with categorical habitat types as elements and predictably recurring (periodic) properties of a target biotic community, such as its relative species rich...

Parent–offspring conflicts, “optimal bad motherhood” and the “mother knows best” principles in insect herbivores colonizing novel host plants

PubMed Central

García-Robledo, Carlos; Horvitz, Carol C

2012-01-01

Specialization of insect herbivores to one or a few host plants stimulated the development of two hypotheses on how natural selection should shape oviposition preferences: The “mother knows best” principle suggests that females prefer to oviposit on hosts that increase offspring survival. The “optimal bad motherhood” principle predicts that females prefer to oviposit on hosts that increase their own longevity. In insects colonizing novel host plants, current theory predicts that initial preferences of insect herbivores should be maladaptive, leading to ecological traps. Ecological trap theory does not take into account the fact that insect lineages frequently switch hosts at both ecological and evolutionary time scales. Therefore, the behavior of insect herbivores facing novel hosts is also shaped by natural selection. Using a study system in which four Cephaloleia beetles are currently expanding their diets from native to exotic plants in the order Zingiberales, we determined if initial oviposition preferences are conservative, maladaptive, or follow the patterns predicted by the “mother knows best” or the “optimal bad motherhood” principles. Interactions with novel hosts generated parent–offspring conflicts. Larval survival was higher on native hosts. However, adult generally lived longer on novel hosts. In Cephaloleia beetles, oviposition preferences are usually associated with hosts that increase larval survival, female fecundity, and population growth. In most cases, Cephaloleia oviposition preferences follow the expectations of the “mothers knows best” principle. PMID:22957153

Achieving biodiversity benefits with offsets: Research gaps, challenges, and needs.

PubMed

Gelcich, Stefan; Vargas, Camila; Carreras, Maria Jose; Castilla, Juan Carlos; Donlan, C Josh

2017-03-01

Biodiversity offsets are becoming increasingly common across a portfolio of settings: national policy, voluntary programs, international lending, and corporate business structures. Given the diversity of ecological, political, and socio-economic systems where offsets may be applied, place-based information is likely to be most useful in designing and implementing offset programs, along with guiding principles that assure best practice. We reviewed the research on biodiversity offsets to explore gaps and needs. While the peer-reviewed literature on offsets is growing rapidly, it is heavily dominated by ecological theory, wetland ecosystems, and U.S.-based research. Given that majority of offset policies and programs are occurring in middle- and low-income countries, the research gaps we identified present a number of risks. They also present an opportunity to create regionally based learning platforms focused on pilot projects and institutional capacity building. Scientific research should diversify, both topically and geographically, in order to support the successful design, implementation, and monitoring of biodiversity offset programs.

[Analysis of effect of topographical conditions on content of total alkaloid in Coptidis Rhizoma in Chongqin, China].

PubMed

Liu, Xin; Huang, He; Yang, Yan-fang; Wu, He-zhen

2014-12-01

To study ecology suitability rank dividing of the total alkaloid content of Coptis Rhizoma for selecting artificial planting base and high-quality industrial raw material in Chongqing province. Based on the investigation of PCB and DEM data of Chongqing province, the relationship between the total alkaloid content in Coptis Rhizoma and topographical conditions was analyzed by statistical analysis. The geographic information systems (GIS)-based assessment and landscape ecological principles were applied to assess eco logy suitability areas of Coptis Rhizoma in Chongqing. slope, aspect and altitude are main topographical factors that affect the content of the total alkaloid content in Coptis Rhizoma The total alkaloid content in Coptis Rhizoma is higher in the lower altitude, shady slope and bigger slope areas. The total alkaloid content is higher in the south areas of Chongqing province and lower in the northeast. Terrain conditions of the southern region of Chongqing are most suitable for The accumulated of total alkaloid Coptis Rhizoma content.

Striding Toward Social Justice: The Ecologic Milieu of Physical Activity

PubMed Central

Lee, Rebecca E.; Cubbin, Catherine

2009-01-01

Disparities in physical activity should be investigated in light of social justice principles. This manuscript critically evaluates evidence and trends in disparities research within an ecologic framework, focusing on multi-level factors such as neighborhood and racial discrimination that influence physical activity. Discussion focuses on strategies for integrating social justice into physical activity promotion and intervention programming within an ecologic framework. PMID:19098519

Integrating ecology into biotechnology.

PubMed

McMahon, Katherine D; Martin, Hector Garcia; Hugenholtz, Philip

2007-06-01

New high-throughput culture-independent molecular tools are allowing the scientific community to characterize and understand the microbial communities underpinning environmental biotechnology processes in unprecedented ways. By creatively leveraging these new data sources, microbial ecology has the potential to transition from a purely descriptive to a predictive framework, in which ecological principles are integrated and exploited to engineer systems that are biologically optimized for the desired goal. But to achieve this goal, ecology, engineering and microbiology curricula need to be changed from the very root to better promote interdisciplinarity.

Issuance of Final Guidance: Ecological Risk Assessment and Risk Management Principles for Superfund Sites, October 7, 1999

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This guidance is intended to help Superfund risk managers make ecological risk management decisions that are based on sound science, consistent across Regions, and present a characterization of site risks that is transparent to the public.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Konopka, Allan

Microbial ecology is a relatively young discipline within the field of microbiology. Its modern history spans just the past 60 years, and the field is defined by its emphasis on understanding the interactions of microbes with their environment, rather than their behavior under artificial laboratory conditions. Because microbes are ubiquitous, microbial ecologists study a broad diversity of habitats that range from aquatic to terrestrial to plant- or animal-associated. This has made it a challenge to identify unifying principles within the field. One approach is to recognize that although the activity of microbes in nature have effects at the macroscale, theymore » interact with their physical, chemical and biological milieu at a scale of micrometers. At this scale, several different microbial ecosystems can be defined, based upon association with particles, the presence of environmental gradients and the continuous availability of water. Principles applicable to microbial ecology reflect not only their population ecology and physiological ecology, but also their broad versatility and quantitative importance in the biosphere as biogeochemical catalysts and capacity for rapid physiological and evolutionary responses.« less

Nonlinear Socio-Ecological Dynamics and First Principles ofCollective Choice Behavior of ``Homo Socialis"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sonis, M.

Socio-ecological dynamics emerged from the field of Mathematical SocialSciences and opened up avenues for re-examination of classical problems of collective behavior in Social and Spatial sciences. The ``engine" of this collective behavior is the subjective mental evaluation of level of utilities in the future, presenting sets of composite socio-economic-temporal-locational advantages. These dynamics present new laws of collective multi-population behavior which are the meso-level counterparts of the utility optimization individual behavior. The central core of the socio-ecological choice dynamics includes the following first principle of the collective choice behavior of ``Homo Socialis" based on the existence of ``collective consciousness": the choice behavior of ``Homo Socialis" is a collective meso-level choice behavior such that the relative changes in choice frequencies depend on the distribution of innovation alternatives between adopters of innovations. The mathematical basis of the Socio-Ecological Dynamics includes two complementary analytical approaches both based on the use of computer modeling as a theoretical and simulation tool. First approach is the ``continuous approach" --- the systems of ordinary and partial differential equations reflecting the continuous time Volterra ecological formalism in a form of antagonistic and/or cooperative collective hyper-games between different sub-sets of choice alternatives. Second approach is the ``discrete approach" --- systems of difference equations presenting a new branch of the non-linear discrete dynamics --- the Discrete Relative m-population/n-innovations Socio-Spatial Dynamics (Dendrinos and Sonis, 1990). The generalization of the Volterra formalism leads further to the meso-level variational principle of collective choice behavior determining the balance between the resulting cumulative social spatio-temporal interactions among the population of adopters susceptible to the choice alternatives and the cumulative equalization of the power of elites supporting different choice alternatives. This balance governs the dynamic innovation choice process and constitutes the dynamic meso-level counterpart of the micro-economic individual utility maximization principle.

The ecological future of cities.

PubMed

McDonnell, Mark J; MacGregor-Fors, Ian

2016-05-20

The discipline of urban ecology arose in the 1990s, primarily motivated by a widespread interest in documenting the distribution and abundance of animals and plants in cities. Today, urban ecologists have greatly expanded their scope of study to include ecological and socioeconomic processes, urban management, planning, and design, with the goal of addressing issues of sustainability, environmental quality, and human well-being within cities and towns. As the global pace of urbanization continues to intensify, urban ecology provides the ecological and social data, as well as the principles, concepts and tools, to create livable cities. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Some steps toward a central theory of ecosystem dynamics.

PubMed

Ulanowicz, Robert E

2003-12-01

Ecology is said by many to suffer for want of a central theory, such as Newton's laws of motion provide for classical mechanics or Schroedinger's wave equation provides for quantum physics. From among a plurality of contending laws to govern ecosystem behavior, the principle of increasing ascendency shows some early promise of being able to address the major questions asked of a theory of ecosystems, including, "How do organisms come to be distributed in time and space?, what accounts for the log-normal distribution of species numbers?, and how is the diversity of ecosystems related to their stability, resilience and persistence?" While some progress has been made in applying the concept of ascendency to the first issue, more work is needed to articulate exactly how it relates to the latter two. Accordingly, seven theoretical tasks are suggested that could help to establish these connections and to promote further consideration of the ascendency principle as the kernel of a theory of ecosystems.

36 CFR 219.2 - Principles.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... increased human uses, it is essential that uses of today do not impair the functioning of ecological... achievement of goals. (b) Planning contributes to social and economic sustainability by providing for a wide... responsive to a broad range of ecological, social, and economic. (5) Planning acknowledges the limits and...

Ecological Development through Service-Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Daniel

2006-01-01

This article describes a successful model used in international service-learning projects that integrates economic development and ecological improvement. The principles of the model are discussed, including commitments to maintain partnerships over time, emphasize the transfer of knowledge from one generation of students to the next, start small,…

Nurses and Teachers: Partnerships for Green Health Promotion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sendall, Marguerite C.; Lidstone, John; Fleming, MaryLou; Domocol, Michelle

2013-01-01

Background: The term "green health promotion" is given to health promotion underpinned by the principles of ecological health and sustainability. Green health promotion is supported philosophically by global health promotion documents such as the 1986 Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion and the ecological public health movement. Green…

The Use of the Mounds of Lasius flavus in Teaching Some Principles of Ecological Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, T. J.; Woodell, S. R. J.

1975-01-01

Outlines the ecology of Lasius flavus ant hill, describes sampling techniques for the determination of the species composition of the surrounding vegetation, presents a table of typical results from an ant-hill practical, and lists suggestions for further experiments. (GS)

Environmental Awareness: Just a Pane of Glass Away.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kopchynski, Kevin

1982-01-01

Highlights several basic ecological principles and suggests corresponding classroom activities for grades five to eight that revolve around a freshwater aquarium. Basic ecological concepts, adaptations, characteristics of aquatic habitats, and pollution problems are outlined in separate tables. A short list of resource materials is included.…

Ecological Systems Theory in "School Psychology Review"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burns, Matthew K.; Warmbold-Brann, Kristy; Zaslofsky, Anne F.

2015-01-01

Ecological systems theory (EST) has been suggested as a framework to provide effective school psychology services, but previous reviews of research found questionable consistency between methods and the principles of EST. The current article reviewed 349 articles published in "School Psychology Review" (SPR) between 2006 and 2015 and…

Strengthening Resiliency in Coastal Watersheds: An Ecosystem Services and Ecological Integrity Decision Support System

EPA Science Inventory

This product provides an integrated assessment framework linked to a decision support system (DSS) that incorporates the ecological integrity (EI) principles and goals described in detail in the US EPA’s Office of Water’s Healthy Watersheds Program (HWP), with Ecosyst...

Trait-based approaches in the analysis of stream fish communities

USGS Publications Warehouse

Frimpong, Emmanuel; Angermeier, Paul

2010-01-01

Species traits are used to study the functional organization of fish communities for a range of reasons, from simply reducing data dimensionality to providing mechanistic explanations for observed variation in communities. Ecological and life history traits have been used to understand the basic ecology of fishes and predict (1) species and community responses to habitat and climate alteration, and (2) species extinction, species invasion, and community homogenization. Many approaches in this arena have been developed during the past three decades, but they often have not been integrated with related ecological concepts or subdisciplines, which has led to confusion in terminology. We review 102 studies of species traits and then summarize patterns in traits being used and questions being addressed with trait-based approaches. Overall, studies of fish–habitat relationships that apply habitat templates and hierarchical filters dominate our sample; the most frequently used traits are related to feeding. We define and show the relationships among key terms such as fundamental and realized niches; functional traits, performance, and fitness; tactic, trait-state, syndromes, and strategies; and guilds and functional groups. We propose accelerating research to (1) quantify trait plasticity, (2) identify traits useful for testing ecological hypotheses, (3) model habitat and biotic interactions in communities while explicitly accounting for phylogenetic relationships, (4) explore how traits control community assembly, and (5) document the importance of traits in fish– community responses to anthropogenic change and in delivering ecosystem services. Further synthesis of these topics is still needed to develop concepts, models, and principles that can unify the disparate approaches taken in trait-based analysis of fish communities, link fish community ecology to general community ecology, and inform sustainable management of ecosystems.

Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) as a model system in community, landscape and ecosystem ecology

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bowker, Matthew A.; Maestre, Fernando T.; Eldridge, David; Belnap, Jayne; Castillo-Monroy, Andrea; Escolar, Cristina; Soliveres, Santiago

2014-01-01

Model systems have had a profound influence on the development of ecological theory and general principles. Compared to alternatives, the most effective models share some combination of the following characteristics: simpler, smaller, faster, general, idiosyncratic or manipulable. We argue that biological soil crusts (biocrusts) have unique combinations of these features that should be more widely exploited in community, landscape and ecosystem ecology. In community ecology, biocrusts are elucidating the importance of biodiversity and spatial pattern for maintaining ecosystem multifunctionality due to their manipulability in experiments. Due to idiosyncrasies in their modes of facilitation and competition, biocrusts have led to new models on the interplay between environmental stress and biotic interactions and on the maintenance of biodiversity by competitive processes. Biocrusts are perhaps one of the best examples of micro-landscapes—real landscapes that are small in size. Although they exhibit varying patch heterogeneity, aggregation, connectivity and fragmentation, like macro-landscapes, they are also compatible with well-replicated experiments (unlike macro-landscapes). In ecosystem ecology, a number of studies are imposing small-scale, low cost manipulations of global change or state factors in biocrust micro-landscapes. The versatility of biocrusts to inform such disparate lines of inquiry suggests that they are an especially useful model system that can enable researchers to see ecological principles more clearly and quickly.

Application and Implications of Agent Technology for Librarians.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nardi, Bonnie A.; O'Day, Vicki L.

1998-01-01

Examines intelligent software agents, presents nine design principles aimed specifically at the technology perspective (to personalize task performance and general principles), and discusses what librarians can do that software agents (agents defined as activity-aware software programs) cannot do. Describes an information ecology that integrates…

Teaching Ecological Principles as a Basis for Understanding Environmental Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webb, Paul; Boltt, Gill

1989-01-01

Using case study data, determines high school pupils' and university students' (n=162) ability to predict possible outcomes of interactions between ecological populations . Results indicate the majority of respondents could predict interactive outcomes within a simple food web but not when the interaction involved multiple routes. (five…

75 FR 20992 - Science Advisory Board Staff Office; Request for Nominations of Experts To Augment the SAB...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-22

... experts in ecology, environmental economics, social and behavioral science, geographic information systems... services; (2) ecosystem services monitoring design; (3) landscape ecology principles, especially as related... activities, or the appearance of a lack of impartiality, as defined by Federal regulation. Ethics information...

An Ecological Approach to the On-Line Assessment of Problem-Solving Paths: Principles and Applications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaw, Robert E.; And Others

1997-01-01

Proposes a theoretical framework for designing online-situated assessment tools for multimedia instructional systems. Uses a graphic method based on ecological psychology to monitor student performance through a learning activity. Explores the method's feasibility in case studies describing instructional systems teaching critical-thinking and…

Surprises and insights from long-term aquatic datasets and experiments

Treesearch

Walter K. Dodds; Christopher T. Robinson; Evelyn E. Gaiser; Gretchen J.A. Hansen; Heather Powell; Joseph M. Smith; Nathaniel B. Morse; Sherri L. Johnson; Stanley V. Gregory; Tisza Bell; Timothy K. Kratz; William H. McDowell

2012-01-01

Long-term research on freshwater ecosystems provides insights that can be difficult to obtain from other approaches. Widespread monitoring of ecologically relevant water-quality parameters spanning decades can facilitate important tests of ecological principles. Unique long-term data sets and analytical tools are increasingly available, allowing for powerful and...

Wilderness management principles: science, logical thinking or personal opinion?

Treesearch

David N. Cole

1995-01-01

Recreational use adversely affects the ecological integrity of wilderness. Wilderness managers face the challenge of keeping this loss of ecological integrity to minimal levels, a task that must be accomplished primarily through management of wilderness visitors. For the past 30 years, researchers have assisted managers by assessing problems associated with...

Natural disturbance and stand development principles for ecological forestry

Treesearch

Jerry F. Franklin; Robert J. Mitchell; Brian J. Palik

2007-01-01

Foresters use natural disturbances and stand development processes as models for silvicultural practices in broad conceptual ways. Incorporating an understanding of natural disturbance and stand development processes more fully into silvicultural practice is the basis for an ecological forestry approach. Such an approach must include 1) understanding the importance of...

Ecological Dynamics of the Inner City: Implications for Community Psychology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Myers, Ernest R.

If community psychology is a discipline of principles, methods, and techniques designed to adapt tomorrow's psychologists to a community orientation and commitment, then ecological parameters necessarily become fundamental concerns. It is no revelation that urban America, particularly the central city, is characteristically the home site of "Black…

Global Health, Medical Anthropology, and Social Marketing: Steps to the Ecology of Collaboration.

PubMed

Whiteford, Linda

2015-06-01

Anthropology and global health have long been a focus of research for both biological and medical anthropologists. Research has looked at physiological adaptations to high altitudes, community responses to water-borne diseases, the integration of traditional and biomedical approaches to health, global responses to HIV/AIDS, and more recently, to the application of cultural approaches to the control of the Ebola epidemic. Academic anthropology has employed theory and methods to extend knowledge, but less often to apply that knowledge. However, anthropologists outside of the academy have tackled global health issues such as family planning and breast-feeding by bringing together applied medical anthropology and social marketing. In 2014, that potent and provocative combination resulted in the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida being made the home of an innovative center designed to combine academic and applied anthropology with social marketing in order to facilitate social change. This article discusses how inter- and intra-disciplinary research/application has led to the development of Florida's first World Health Organization Collaborating Center (WHO CC), and the first such center to focus on social marketing, social change and non-communicable diseases. This article explains the genesis of the Center and presents readers with a brief overview, basic principles and applications of social marketing by reviewing a case study of a water conservation project. The article concludes with thoughts on the ecology of collaboration among global health, medical anthropology and social marketing practitioners.

Basic principles and ecological consequences of changing water regimes: riparian plant communities.

PubMed

Nilsson, Christer; Svedmark, Magnus

2002-10-01

Recent research has emphasized the importance of riparian ecosystems as centers of biodiversity and links between terrestrial and aquatic systems. Riparian ecosystems also belong among the environments that are most disturbed by humans and are in need of restoration to maintain biodiversity and ecological integrity. To facilitate the completion of this task, researchers have an important function to communicate their knowledge to policy-makers and managers. This article presents some fundamental qualities of riparian systems, articulated as three basic principles. The basic principles proposed are: (1) The flow regime determines the successional evolution of riparian plant communities and ecological processes. (2) The riparian corridor serves as a pathway for redistribution of organic and inorganic material that influences plant communities along rivers. (3) The riparian system is a transition zone between land and water ecosystems and is disproportionately plant species-rich when compared to surrounding ecosystems. Translating these principles into management directives requires more information about how much water a river needs and when and how, i.e., flow variables described by magnitude, frequency, timing, duration, and rate of change. It also requires information about how various groups of organisms are affected by habitat fragmentation, especially in terms of their dispersal. Finally, it requires information about how effects of hydrologic alterations vary between different types of riparian systems and with the location within the watershed.

From Stool Transplants to Next-generation Microbiota Therapeutics

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

The epidemic of Clostridium difficile infection fueled by new virulent strains of the organism has led to increased use of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). The procedure is effective for even the most desperate cases, after failure of multiple courses of antibiotics. The approach recognizes microbiota to be integral to normal human physiology, and microbiota being used in FMT represents a new class of therapeutics. Imbalance in the composition and altered activity of the microbiota are associated with many diseases. Consequently, there is growing interest in applying FMT to non-C. difficile indications. However, this may succeed only if microbiota therapeutics are developed systematically, based on mechanistic understanding, and applying updo-date principles of microbial ecology. We discuss two pathways in development of this new therapeutic class: whole microbial communities separated from donor stool and an assembly of specific fecal microorganisms grown in vitro. PMID:24412527

Progress in Applied Surface, Interface and Thin Film Science 2015. Solar Renewable Energy News IV, November 23-26, 2015, Florence, Italy (SURFINT-SREN IV)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2017-02-01

The main goal of the conference is to contribute to new knowledge in surface, interface, ultra-thin films and very-thin films science of inorganic and organic materials by the most rapid interactive manner - by direct communication among scientists of corresponding research fields. The list of topics indicates that conference interests cover the development of basic theoretical physical and chemical principles and performance of surfaces-, thin films-, and interface-related procedures, and corresponding experimental research on atomic scale. Topical results are applied at development of new inventive industrial equipments needed for investigation of electrical, optical, and structural properties, and other parameters of atomic-size research objects. The conference range spreads, from physical point of view, from fundamental research done on sub-atomic and quantum level to production of devices built on new physical principles. The conference topics include also presentation of principally new devices in following fields: solar cells, liquid crystal displays, high-temperature superconductivity, and sensors. During the event, special attention will be given to evaluation of scientific and technical quality of works prepared by PhD students, to deep ecological meaning of solar cell energy production, and to exhibitions of companies.

Staying alive: the psychology of human survival

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Walsh, R.

Human beings need not live on the edge of global extinction. The author advocates that the problems created by greed, aggression, and ignorance (such as pollution, nuclear weaponry, and ecological imbalances) can be altered by individual and collective effort to confront inner confusion. By making the effort to educate each other, changing beliefs about themselves and others, and reducing fear and defensiveness, people can work toward developing the positive global psychology that the author outlines. Using the principles of behavior modification, he reinterprets motivation to apply to a global therapy based on optimism and good will. An appendix gives themore » names and addresses of organizations working toward the resolution of global problems. 174 references.« less

Ernst Haeckel's biodynamics 1866 and the occult basis of organic farming

PubMed Central

Kutschera, Ulrich

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT One hundred and 50 years ago (Sept. 1866), Ernst Haeckel published a monograph entitled General Morphology of Organisms, wherein key terms, such as Protista, Monera, ontogeny, phylogeny, ecology and the ‘biogenetic law’ where introduced. In addition, Haeckel coined the word “biodynamics” as a synonym for “general physiology.” In contrast, Rudolf Steiner's “biodynamic agriculture,” which originated in 1924, and was promoted via Ehrenfried Pfeiffer's book of 1938 with the same title, is an occult pseudoscience still popular today. The misuse of Haeckel's term to legitimize disproven homeopathic principles and esoteric rules within the context of applied plant research is unacceptable. PMID:27322020

[Basic theory and research method of urban forest ecology].

PubMed

He, Xingyuan; Jin, Yingshan; Zhu, Wenquan; Xu, Wenduo; Chen, Wei

2002-12-01

With the development of world economy and the increment of urban population, the urban environment problem hinders the urban sustainable development. Now, more and more people realized the importance of urban forests in improving the quality of urban ecology. Therefore, a new subject, urban forest ecology, and correlative new concept frame in the field formed. The theoretic foundation of urban forest ecology derived from the mutual combination of theory relating to forest ecology, landscape ecology, landscape architecture ecology and anthrop-ecology. People survey the development of city from the view of ecosystem, and regard the environment, a colony of human, animals and plants, as main factors of the system. The paper introduces systematically the urban forest ecology as follows: 1) the basic concept of urban forest ecology; 2) the meaning of urban forest ecology; 3) the basic principle and theoretic base of urban forest ecology; 4) the research method of urban forest ecology; 5) the developmental expectation of urban forest ecology.

Eco-Design of River Fishways for Upstream Passage: Application for Hanfeng Dam, Pengxi River, China

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, Gary E.; Rainey, William S.

2012-05-20

This paper provides a scientific approach to eco-design of river fishways to allow upstream movement of fish past new and existing dams in China. This eco-design approach integrates principles of fish ecology/behavior and engineering, a scientific field also known as bio-engineering or eco-hydraulics. We define a fishway as a structure or mechanism to convey fish upstream past a dam. Man-made or natural stream beds can be part of the fishway mechanism. Fish include bony and non-bony fishes, and upstream passage is the concern here, not downstream passage. The problem is dams block access to upstream habitat used for spawning, rearing,more » and refuge, i.e., dams decrease habitat connectivity. A solution to alleviate this problem is to design fishways, preferably while the dam is being designed, but if necessary, as retrofits afterward to provide a route that fish can and will use to pass safely upstream without undue delay. Our eco-design approach for fishways involves eight steps: 1) identify the primary species of importance; 2) understand basic ecology and behavior of these fish; 3) characterize the environmental conditions where passage is or will be blocked; 4 identify fishway alternatives and select a preferred alternative; 5) establish eco-design criteria for the fishway, either from management agencies or, if necessary, developed specifically for the given site; 6) where needed, identify and perform research required to resolve critical uncertainties and finalize the eco-design criteria; 7) apply the eco-design criteria and site-specific considerations to design the fishway, involving peer-review by local stakeholders in the process; 8) build the fishway, monitor its effectiveness, and apply the lessons learned. Example fishways are described showing a range of eco-designs depending on the dam site and fish species of concern. We apply the eco-design principles to recommend an approach and next steps for a fishway to pass fish upstream at Hanfeng Dam, an existing regulating dam forming Hanfeng Lake on the Pengxi River near Kaixian, China.« less

Study on ecological conservation planning of Xianyue Park in Xiamen City, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Naizhong; Xi, Rong; Ren, Tingyan; Zhao, Peng; Chuai, Zeyao

2017-08-01

The paper discusses the current situation and existing problems of ecological restoration and tourist infrastructure development of Xiamen Xianyue Park located in Xiamen Island, China. Issues of ecosystem restoration and landscape improvement, restoring habitats, and ecosystem management system are analyzed. Options of further optimization of the tourist-targeted infrastructure are proposed, which take into account the ecological system and landscape pattern optimization, promotion of ecotourism, and implementation of the ecological management system. The particular solution envisages the park zoning with three primary zones (ecological protection, ecological buffer, and general activity zones) and five secondary ones (scenic landscape, ecotourism, religious activity, buildings and structures, and entertainment zones). By integrating the ecological principles into other land use objectives, taking full advantage of the park ecological and cultural heritage, and improving its ecological management, it is expected to provide the ecological restoration of the park under study and optimize its contribution to the regional economic and social development.

The Contribution of Geography to Current Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gerasimov, I. P.

1975-01-01

The three main principles on which geographical knowledge is based are regionalism, ecology, and anthropogenesis. The role that each of these principles has played in the development of geographical science is examined. Current and future trends in geography are also discussed. For address of journal see SO 504 028. (Author/RM)

Design of a Course on the Medical Consequences of Nuclear War.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cassel, Christine; And Others

1982-01-01

A course is described in which students were to: learn about nuclear weapons and their medical, social, and ecological consequences; identify principles of social ethics defining health professionals' roles; and define professional activities consistent with these principles. Student attitudes toward the course and its content were measured. (MSE)

Vacated niches, competitive release and the community ecology of pathogen eradication

PubMed Central

Lloyd-Smith, James O.

2013-01-01

A recurring theme in the epidemiological literature on disease eradication is that each pathogen occupies an ecological niche, and eradication of one pathogen leaves a vacant niche that favours the emergence of new pathogens to replace it. However, eminent figures have rejected this view unequivocally, stating that there is no basis to fear pathogen replacement and even that pathogen niches do not exist. After exploring the roots of this controversy, I propose resolutions to disputed issues by drawing on broader ecological theory, and advance a new consensus based on robust mechanistic principles. I argue that pathogen eradication (and cessation of vaccination) leads to a ‘vacated niche’, which could be re-invaded by the original pathogen if introduced. Consequences for other pathogens will vary, with the crucial mechanisms being competitive release, whereby the decline of one species allows its competitors to perform better, and evolutionary adaptation. Hence, eradication can cause a quantitative rise in the incidence of another infection, but whether this leads to emergence as an endemic pathogen depends on additional factors. I focus on the case study of human monkeypox and its rise following smallpox eradication, but also survey how these ideas apply to other pathogens and discuss implications for eradication policy. PMID:23798698

Using ecology to guide the study of cognitive and neural mechanisms of different aspects of spatial memory in food-hoarding animals.

PubMed

Smulders, Tom V; Gould, Kristy L; Leaver, Lisa A

2010-03-27

Understanding the survival value of behaviour does not tell us how the mechanisms that control this behaviour work. Nevertheless, understanding survival value can guide the study of these mechanisms. In this paper, we apply this principle to understanding the cognitive mechanisms that support cache retrieval in scatter-hoarding animals. We believe it is too simplistic to predict that all scatter-hoarding animals will outperform non-hoarding animals on all tests of spatial memory. Instead, we argue that we should look at the detailed ecology and natural history of each species. This understanding of natural history then allows us to make predictions about which aspects of spatial memory should be better in which species. We use the natural hoarding behaviour of the three best-studied groups of scatter-hoarding animals to make predictions about three aspects of their spatial memory: duration, capacity and spatial resolution, and we test these predictions against the existing literature. Having laid out how ecology and natural history can be used to predict detailed cognitive abilities, we then suggest using this approach to guide the study of the neural basis of these abilities. We believe that this complementary approach will reveal aspects of memory processing that would otherwise be difficult to discover.

Governance principles for wildlife conservation in the 21st century

USGS Publications Warehouse

Decker, Daniel J.; Smith, Christian; Forstchen, Ann; Hare, Darragh; Pomeranz, Emily; Doyle-Capitman, Catherine; Schuler, Krysten; Organ, John F.

2016-01-01

Wildlife conservation is losing ground in the U.S. for many reasons. The net effect is declines in species and habitat. To address this trend, the wildlife conservation institution (i.e., all customs, practices, organizations and agencies, policies, and laws with respect to wildlife) must adapt to contemporary social–ecological conditions. Adaptation could be supported by clear guidelines reflecting contemporary expectations for wildlife governance. We combine elements of public trust thinking and good governance to produce a broad set of wildlife governance principles. These principles represent guidance for ecologically and socially responsible wildlife conservation. They address persistent, systemic problems and, if adopted, will bring the institution into line with modern expectations for governance of public natural resources. Implementation will require changes in values, objectives, and processes of the wildlife conservation institution. These changes may be difficult, but promise improved wildlife conservation outcomes and increased support for conservation. We introduce challenges and opportunities associated with the principles, and encourage dialogue about them among scientists, practitioners, and other leaders in U.S. wildlife conservation. The principles alone will not change the course of conservation for the better, but may be necessary for such change to occur.

Ecological Principles Affecting Community Structure and Secondary Production by Zooplankton in Marine and Freshwater Environments

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-01-01

Bialv~al can be common lipid -accumulating copepods or euphau- siids. The latitudinal trend in species rich- ness of freshwaters is the opposite...Cretaceous large- dinosaur com- er. For this reason it is most secure to focus munity (Oldman Formation). Ecology 57: 841- measurement effort on the

Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning: Exploring Principles of Ecology with Agricultural Plants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruesink, Jennifer; O'Connor, Eileen; Sparks, Grace

2006-01-01

To date, little of the ecological research on biological diversity and ecosystem functioning has been carried out in agricultural systems, despite the fact that agriculture is a major contributor to loss of native habitats and species. However, agricultural research has demonstrated that polycultures of multiple crop species can have higher total…

Evaluating Effects of Pump-Storage Water Withdrawals Using an Individual-Based Metapopulation Model of a Benthic Fish Species

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-04-01

Bunn S. E. and Arthington A.H. 2002. Basic principles and ecological consequences of altered flow regimes on aquatic biodiversity . Environmental...cycling in streams: can fish create biogeochemical hotspots ? Ecology 89: 2335-2346. Matthews W.J. and Marsh-Matthews E. 2003. Effects of drought on

Applications of KHZ-CW Lidar in Ecological Entomology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malmqvist, Elin; Brydegaard, Mikkel

2016-06-01

The benefits of kHz lidar in ecological entomology are explained. Results from kHz-measurements on insects, carried out with a CW-lidar system, employing the Scheimpflug principle to obtain range resolution, are presented. A method to extract insect events and analyze the large amount of lidar data is also described.

Landscape ecologists have a role in poverty relief. Book review.

Treesearch

Louis R. Iverson

2007-01-01

The causes, consequences, and solutions to human poverty throughout the world lie squarely in the realm of landscape ecology. I believe the book "The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for our Time" by Jeffrey Sachs should motivate additional research and implementation of principles within landscape ecology into this critical arena.

An Ecojustice Approach to Educational Reform in Adult Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowers, Chet A.

2017-01-01

This paper describes the key principles of an ecojustice approach to adult education. The author describes the cultural roots of the ecological crisis, the difference between ecological and individual intelligence and the linguistic colonization of the present by the past. The dangers of an overreliance on print are described and the need for a…

A 'Knowledge Ecologies' Analysis of Co-designing Water and Sanitation Services in Alaska.

PubMed

Fam, Dena; Sofoulis, Zoë

2017-08-01

Willingness to collaborate across disciplinary boundaries is necessary but not sufficient for project success. This is a case study of a transdisciplinary project whose success was constrained by contextual factors that ultimately favoured technical and scientific forms of knowledge over the cultural intelligence that might ensure technical solutions were socially feasible. In response to Alaskan Water and Sewer Challenge (AWSC), an international team with expertise in engineering, consultative design and public health formed in 2013 to collaborate on a two-year project to design remote area water and sanitation systems in consultation with two native Alaskan communities. Team members were later interviewed about their experiences. Project processes are discussed using a 'Knowledge Ecology' framework, which applies principles of ecosystems analysis to knowledge ecologies, identifying the knowledge equivalents of 'biotic' and 'abiotic' factors and looking at their various interactions. In a positivist 'knowledge integration' perspective, different knowledges are like Lego blocks that combine with other 'data sets' to create a unified structure. The knowledge ecology framework highlights how interactions between different knowledges and knowledge practitioners ('biotic factors') are shaped by contextual ('abiotic') factors: the conditions of knowledge production, the research policy and funding climate, the distribution of research resources, and differential access to enabling infrastructures (networks, facilities). This case study highlights the importance of efforts to negotiate between different knowledge frameworks, including by strategic use of language and precepts that help translate social research into technical design outcomes that are grounded in social reality.

Ethics of environmental concern

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Attfield, R.

1983-01-01

The history of ideas and a philosophical investigation into normative ethics and some of its applications focus in this book on environmental concerns. Part one explores moral traditions, which may appear deficient because traditions have been misrepresented. Attitudes and ideas toward ecological problems have a basis in Jewish and Christian stewardship traditions. Part two re-examines moral principles in light of scientific discoveries that have generated and revealed new side effects of human actions on the complex systems of nature. If all worthwhile life is of intrinsic value, it is necessary to reassess and broaden the human obligation to ecology. Themore » author disagrees with the movement to focus environmental ethics on the biosphere as an organic whole rather than on fellow creatures, although his principles embody constraints in the interests of future creaters. The book concludes with an assessment of principles on pollution, resources, population, and preservation. 302 references.« less

Mapping media representation of the Seine river flood to assess the impact of communication on Paris resilience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vicari, Rosa; Tchiguirisnkaia, Ioulia; Schertzer, Daniel

2017-04-01

By the 2000s increasing attention among academics, as well as practitioners, has been devoted to the implementation of resilience. Putting the concept of social-ecological resilience (Holling, 1973) into practice involves relevant changes in policy and decision-making. Indeed, the social-ecological resilience approach emphasizes the need to apply the principle of subsidiarity, i.e. to decentralize risk management, to encourage citizen participation and share responsibilities (Tanguy, 2015). The concept of social-ecological resilience draws attention to the the impact of social construction of the reality- and therefore of the influence of media and other cultural contents, individual and groups knowledge, perceptions, emotions - on urban development. In this framework, communication between municipalities and citizens, especially a two-ways dialogue (i.e. participatory communication), has become a keystone of resilience strategies since it facilitates mutual understanding, shared goals identification and cooperation. Going beyond theory and implementing resilience requires resilience metrics: such indexes allow decision makers to compare the costs of resilience enhancement actions with the economic, environmental, social, and sanitary costs of non-action. However important gaps persists between theories and applied metrics of resilience. For instance, operational resilience metrics are usually defined with the help of semi-quantitative indicators that are applied to variables aggregated up to the outer scale of the system, not across the various spatial scales of the system. This research exploits recent computer aided text mining techniques to explore web communications and map press and social media representation of flood resilience, as well as identify the main opinion makers in the city of Paris. This approach allows a quantitative analysis of communication impacts, in terms of frequency and quality, and it is meant to be a basis to define new resilience communication indicators that take into account the interplay among different resilience drivers and between multiple spatial and temporal scales. This research is being undertaken in partnership with Veolia.

Extending nonlinear analysis to short ecological time series.

PubMed

Hsieh, Chih-hao; Anderson, Christian; Sugihara, George

2008-01-01

Nonlinearity is important and ubiquitous in ecology. Though detectable in principle, nonlinear behavior is often difficult to characterize, analyze, and incorporate mechanistically into models of ecosystem function. One obvious reason is that quantitative nonlinear analysis tools are data intensive (require long time series), and time series in ecology are generally short. Here we demonstrate a useful method that circumvents data limitation and reduces sampling error by combining ecologically similar multispecies time series into one long time series. With this technique, individual ecological time series containing as few as 20 data points can be mined for such important information as (1) significantly improved forecast ability, (2) the presence and location of nonlinearity, and (3) the effective dimensionality (the number of relevant variables) of an ecological system.

In Order to Save the World for Human Habitation, We Must Stop Teaching Economics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Raymond C.

1993-01-01

Reviews 11 normative principles of capitalist economics. Contends that these principles form the basis for much of economics education in the United States and Western society. Argues that to save the world from massive environmental degradation, economics education must be completely restructured to focus on ecological concerns. (CFR)

Leave islands as refugia for low-mobility species in managed forest mosaics

Treesearch

Stephanie J. Wessell-Kelly; Deanna H. Olson

2013-01-01

In recent years, forest management in the Pacifi c Northwest has shifted from one based largely on resource extraction to one based on ecosystem management principles. Forest management based on these principles involves simultaneously balancing and sustaining multiple forest resource values, including silvicultural, social, economic, and ecological objectives. Leave...

Design-Based Research for Professional Learning for "Cultural Mathematics"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kravia, Geori; Owens, Kay

2014-01-01

Design-based research is being used to develop and refine the principles used in professional learning workshops with teachers from three different Papua New Guinean ecologies: highlands, coastal, and inland in a coastal province. The appropriateness of the design of principles for Papua New Guinean Elementary Schools is tried over several phases…

[Urban ecological risk assessment: a review].

PubMed

Wang, Mei-E; Chen, Wei-Ping; Peng, Chi

2014-03-01

With the development of urbanization and the degradation of urban living environment, urban ecological risks caused by urbanization have attracted more and more attentions. Based on urban ecology principles and ecological risk assessment frameworks, contents of urban ecological risk assessment were reviewed in terms of driven forces, risk resources, risk receptors, endpoints and integrated approaches for risk assessment. It was suggested that types and degrees of urban economical and social activities were the driven forces for urban ecological risks. Ecological functional components at different levels in urban ecosystems as well as the urban system as a whole were the risk receptors. Assessment endpoints involved in changes of urban ecological structures, processes, functional components and the integrity of characteristic and function. Social-ecological models should be the major approaches for urban ecological risk assessment. Trends for urban ecological risk assessment study should focus on setting a definite protection target and criteria corresponding to assessment endpoints, establishing a multiple-parameter assessment system and integrative assessment approaches.

A proposal for the classification of biological weapons sensu lato.

PubMed

Rozsa, Lajos

2014-12-01

Due to historical and legislation reasons, the category of bioweapons is rather poorly defined. Authors often disagree on involving or excluding agents like hormones, psychochemicals, certain plants and animals (such as weeds or pests) or synthetic organisms. Applying a wide definition apparently threatens by eroding the regime of international legislation, while narrow definitions abandon several important issues. Therefore, I propose a category of 'biological weapons sensu lato' (BWsl) that is defined here as any tool of human aggression whose acting principle is based on disciplines of biology including particularly microbiology, epidemiology, medical biology, physiology, psychology, pharmacology and ecology, but excluding those based on inorganic agents. Synthetically produced equivalents (not necessarily exact copies) and mock weapons are also included. This definition does not involve any claim to subject all these weapons to international legislation but serves a purely scholarly purpose. BWsl may be properly categorized on the base of the magnitude of the human population potentially targeted (4 levels: individuals, towns, countries, global) and the biological nature of the weapons' intended effects (4 levels: agricultural-ecological agents, and non-pathogenic, pathogenic, or lethal agents against humans).

Towards Engineering Biological Systems in a Broader Context.

PubMed

Venturelli, Ophelia S; Egbert, Robert G; Arkin, Adam P

2016-02-27

Significant advances have been made in synthetic biology to program information processing capabilities in cells. While these designs can function predictably in controlled laboratory environments, the reliability of these devices in complex, temporally changing environments has not yet been characterized. As human society faces global challenges in agriculture, human health and energy, synthetic biology should develop predictive design principles for biological systems operating in complex environments. Natural biological systems have evolved mechanisms to overcome innumerable and diverse environmental challenges. Evolutionary design rules should be extracted and adapted to engineer stable and predictable ecological function. We highlight examples of natural biological responses spanning the cellular, population and microbial community levels that show promise in synthetic biology contexts. We argue that synthetic circuits embedded in host organisms or designed ecologies informed by suitable measurement of biotic and abiotic environmental parameters could be used as engineering substrates to achieve target functions in complex environments. Successful implementation of these methods will broaden the context in which synthetic biological systems can be applied to solve important problems. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

National parks and protected areas: Appoaches for balancing social, economic, and ecological values

USGS Publications Warehouse

Prato, Tony; Fagre, Daniel B.

2005-01-01

National Parks and Protected Areas: Approaches for Balancing Social, Economic and Ecological Values is peerless in its unified treatment of the issues surrounding this subject. From decision-making for planning and management to the principles of ecology and economics, this text examines the analytical methods, information technologies, and planning and management problems associated with protected area planning and management. Protected area managers and students in undergraduate and graduate courses in natural resource management will appreciate this highly readable book.

Justification of system of assessment of ecological safety degree of housing construction objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kankhva, Vadim

2017-10-01

In article characteristics and properties of competitiveness of housing construction objects are investigated, criteria and points of national systems of ecological building’s standardization are structured, the compliance assessment form on stages of life cycle of a capital construction project is developed. The main indicators of level of ecological safety considering requirements of the international ISO standards 9000 and ISO 14000 and which are based on the basic principles of general quality management (TQM) are presented.

Fire and fire ecology: Concepts and principles

Treesearch

Mark A. Cochrane; Kevin C. Ryan

2009-01-01

Fire has been central to terrestrial life ever since early anaerobic microorganisms poisoned the atmosphere with oxygen and multicellular plant life moved onto land. The combination of fuels, oxygen, and heat gave birth to fire on Earth. Fire is not just another evolutionary challenge that life needed to overcome, it is, in fact, a core ecological process across much...

Air Quality and Pollution. Environmental Studies. 4 Color Transparencies, Reproducibles & Teaching Guide. Grade 3, 4, 5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ortleb, Edward P.; And Others

The world is faced with a variety of environmental problems. No country has escaped pollution and resource depletion. Basic ecological principles are often ignored and sometimes this contributes to ecological disasters. This volume is designed to provide basic information about the quality of the earth's atmosphere. The visual aids, worksheets,…

Alternative approaches to urban natural areas restoration: integrating social and environmental goals

Treesearch

Paul H. Gobster

2012-01-01

Ecological restoration incorporates land management principles and activities aimed at returning a damaged or degraded ecosystem back to a key historic trajectory in order to achieve goals of ecosystem health, integrity, and sustainability. In the United States, many restorationists look to ecological conditions present before the time of European settlement as the key...

MMOGs as Learning Environments: An Ecological Journey into "Quest Atlantis" and "The Sims Online"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Michael; Schrader, P. G.; Zheng, Dongping

2006-01-01

Michael Young, P. G. Schrader, and Dongping Zheng use the concepts of ecological psychology to examine how massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) promote specific learning processes in their players. In their analysis they identify and define nine principles of learning that allow such games to have valuable potential as tools for educators:…

Water Quality and Pollution. Environmental Studies. 4 Color Transparencies, Reproducibles & Teaching Guide. Grade 3, 4, 5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ortleb, Edward P.; And Others

The world is faced with a variety of environmental problems. No country has escaped pollution and resource depletion. Basic ecological principles are often ignored and sometimes this contributes to ecological disasters. This volume is designed to provide basic information about the quality of the earth's water resources. The visual aids,…

Energy and the Environment. Environmental Studies. 4 Color Transparencies, Reproducibles & Teaching Guide. Grade 3, 4, 5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ortleb, Edward P.; And Others

The world is faced with a variety of environmental problems. No country has escaped pollution and resource depletion. Basic ecological principles are often ignored and sometimes this contributes to ecological disasters. This volume is designed to provide basic information about the quality of the earth's energy resources. The visual aids,…

Land Resources and Pollution. Environmental Studies. 4 Color Transparencies, Reproducibles & Teaching Guide. Grade 3, 4, 5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ortleb, Edward P.; And Others

The world is faced with a variety of environmental problems. No country has escaped pollution and resource depletion. Basic ecological principles are often ignored and sometimes this contributes to ecological disasters. This volume is designed to provide basic information about the quality of the earth's land resources. The visual aids,…

Research on the fundamental principles of China's marine invasive species prevention legislation.

PubMed

Bai, Jiayu

2014-12-15

China's coastal area is severely damaged by marine invasive species. Traditional tort theory resolves issues relevant to property damage or personal injuries, through which plaintiffs cannot cope with the ecological damage caused by marine invasive species. Several defects exist within the current legal regimes, such as imperfect management systems, insufficient unified technical standards, and unsound legal responsibility systems. It is necessary to pass legislation to prevent the ecological damage caused by marine invasive species. This investigation probes the fundamental principles needed for the administration and legislation of an improved legal framework to combat the problem of invasive species within China's coastal waters. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dynamics of competitive systems with a single common limiting factor.

PubMed

Kon, Ryusuke

2015-02-01

The concept of limiting factors (or regulating factors) succeeded in formulating the well-known principle of competitive exclusion. This paper shows that the concept of limiting factors is helpful not only to formulate the competitive exclusion principle, but also to obtain other ecological insights. To this end, by focusing on a specific community structure, we study the dynamics of Kolmogorov equations and show that it is possible to derive an ecologically insightful result only from the information about interactions between species and limiting factors. Furthermore, we find that the derived result is a generalization of the preceding work by Shigesada, Kawasaki, and Teramoto (1984), who examined a certain Lotka-Volterra equation in a different context.

[The present-day issues of ecology, and possible solutions].

PubMed

Galichiĭ, V A; Stepanova, S I

2005-01-01

Ecology is considered an interdisciplinary bank of knowledge about the relations of humans with nature and anthropogenic environment. The central issue of ecology is prevention of the global catastrophe in consequence of anthropogenic factors. The dire threat of the ecological catastrophe comes from breaching the principle of co-evolution of mankind and nature due to the unilateral prevalence of human interests during formation of the civilization. Issues revealed by the analysis of the present-day knowledge of ecology can be resolved by creating an ecology-oriented ethic system (moral imperative or ecology-focused morals) an ecological imperative (internationally endorsed bans), and taking actions toward the recovery of ruined and preservation of survived eco-systems. Of special concern is analysis of the doctrine of noosphere developed by V.I. Vernadsky. The authors also dwell upon eco-monitoring and prediction with account of the rhythm of animate nature and abiocoen.

Uses of ecologic analysis in epidemiologic research.

PubMed Central

Morgenstern, H

1982-01-01

Despite the widespread use of ecologic analysis in epidemiologic research and health planning, little attention has been given by health scientists and practitioners to the methodological aspects of this approach. This paper reviews the major types of ecologic study designs, the analytic methods appropriate for each, the limitations of ecologic data for making causal inferences and what can be done to minimize these problems, and the relative advantages of ecologic analysis. Numerous examples are provided to illustrate the important principles and methods. A careful distinction is made between ecologic studies that generate or test etiologic hypotheses and those that evaluate the impact of intervention programs or policies (given adequate knowledge of disease etiology). Failure to recognize this difference in the conduct of ecologic studies can lead to results that are not very informative or that are misinterpreted by others. PMID:7137430

Ecological perspectives on synthetic biology: insights from microbial population biology

PubMed Central

Escalante, Ana E.; Rebolleda-Gómez, María; Benítez, Mariana; Travisano, Michael

2015-01-01

The metabolic capabilities of microbes are the basis for many major biotechnological advances, exploiting microbial diversity by selection or engineering of single strains. However, there are limits to the advances that can be achieved with single strains, and attention has turned toward the metabolic potential of consortia and the field of synthetic ecology. The main challenge for the synthetic ecology is that consortia are frequently unstable, largely because evolution by constituent members affects their interactions, which are the basis of collective metabolic functionality. Current practices in modeling consortia largely consider interactions as fixed circuits of chemical reactions, which greatly increases their tractability. This simplification comes at the cost of essential biological realism, stripping out the ecological context in which the metabolic actions occur and the potential for evolutionary change. In other words, evolutionary stability is not engineered into the system. This realization highlights the necessity to better identify the key components that influence the stable coexistence of microorganisms. Inclusion of ecological and evolutionary principles, in addition to biophysical variables and stoichiometric modeling of metabolism, is critical for microbial consortia design. This review aims to bring ecological and evolutionary concepts to the discussion on the stability of microbial consortia. In particular, we focus on the combined effect of spatial structure (connectivity of molecules and cells within the system) and ecological interactions (reciprocal and non-reciprocal) on the persistence of microbial consortia. We discuss exemplary cases to illustrate these ideas from published studies in evolutionary biology and biotechnology. We conclude by making clear the relevance of incorporating evolutionary and ecological principles to the design of microbial consortia, as a way of achieving evolutionarily stable and sustainable systems. PMID:25767468

Protegiendo Nuestra Comunidad: empowerment participatory education for HIV prevention.

PubMed

McQuiston, C; Choi-Hevel, S; Clawson, M

2001-10-01

To be effective, HIV/AIDS interventions must be culturally and linguistically appropriate and must occur within the context of the specific community in which they are delivered. In this article, the development of a culture-specific lay health advisor (LHA) program, Protegiendo Nuestra Comunidad, for recently immigrated Mexicans is described. This program is one component of a collaborative inquiry research project involving community participants and researchers working as partners in carrying out and assessing a program for the prevention of HIV/AIDS. The collaborative inquiry process was applied as an empowerment philosophy and methodology of Paulo Freire and an ecological framework was used for the development of Protegiendo Nuestra Comunidad. The use of principles of empowerment for curriculum development, teaching methodology, and program delivery are described.

Establishing politically feasible water markets: a multi-criteria approach.

PubMed

Ballestero, Enrique; Alarcón, Silverio; García-Bernabeu, Ana

2002-08-01

A multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM) model to simulate the establishment of water markets is developed. The environment is an irrigated area governed by a non-profit agency, which is responsible for water production, allocation, and pricing. There is a traditional situation of historical rights, average-cost pricing for water allocation, large quantities of water used, and inefficiency. A market-oriented policy could be implemented by accounting for ecological and political objectives such as saving groundwater and safeguarding historical rights while promoting economic efficiency. In this paper, a problem is solved by compromise programming, a multi-criteria technique based on the principles of Simonian logic. The model is theoretically developed and applied to the Lorca region in Spain near the Mediterranean Sea.

Nevada Applied Ecology Information Center: a review of technical information support provided to the Nevada Applied Ecology Group

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fore, C.S.; Pfuderer, H.A.

The Nevada Applied Ecology Information Center (NAEIC) was established in January 1972 to serve the needs of the Nevada Applied Ecology Group (NAEG) by identifying, collecting, analyzing, and disseminating technical information relevant to NAEG programs. Since its inception, the NAEIC has been active in providing specialized information support to NAEG staff in the following research areas: (1) environmental aspects of the transuranics; (2) historic literature (pre-1962) on plutonium and uranium; (3) cleanup and treatment of radioactively contaminated land; (4) bioenvironmental aspects of europium and rhodium; (5) NAEG contractor reports; and (6) uptake of radioactivity by food crops.

Mitigating road impacts on animals through learning principles.

PubMed

Proppe, D S; McMillan, N; Congdon, J V; Sturdy, C B

2017-01-01

Roads are a nearly ubiquitous feature of the developed world, but their presence does not come without consequences. Many mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians suffer high rates of mortality through collision with motor vehicles, while other species treat roads as barriers that reduce gene flow between populations. Road effects extend beyond the pavement, where traffic noise is altering communities of songbirds, insects, and some mammals. Traditional methods of mitigation along roads include the creation of quieter pavement and tires and the construction of physical barriers to reduce sound transmission and movement. While effective, these forms of mitigation are costly and time-consuming. One alternative is the use of learning principles to create or extinguish aversive behaviors in animals living near roads. Classical and operant conditioning are well-documented techniques for altering behavior in response to novel cues and signals. Behavioral ecologists have used conditioning techniques to mitigate human-wildlife conflict challenges, alter predator-prey interactions, and facilitate reintroduction efforts. Yet, these principles have rarely been applied in the context of roads. We suggest that the field of road ecology is ripe with opportunity for experimentation with learning principles. We present tangible ways that learning techniques could be utilized to mitigate negative roadside behaviors, address the importance of evaluating fitness within these contexts, and evaluate the longevity of learned behaviors. This review serves as an invitation for empirical studies that test the effectiveness of learning paradigms as a mitigation tool in the context of roads.

20 CFR 668.840 - What cost principles apply to INA funds?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false What cost principles apply to INA funds? 668.840 Section 668.840 Employees' Benefits EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR... Requirements § 668.840 What cost principles apply to INA funds? The cost principles described in OMB Circulars...

Regional Sustainable Development Analysis Based on Information Entropy—Sichuan Province as an Example

PubMed Central

Liang, Xuedong; Si, Dongyang; Zhang, Xinli

2017-01-01

According to the implementation of a scientific development perspective, sustainable development needs to consider regional development, economic and social development, and the harmonious development of society and nature, but regional sustainable development is often difficult to quantify. Through an analysis of the structure and functions of a regional system, this paper establishes an evaluation index system, which includes an economic subsystem, an ecological environmental subsystem and a social subsystem, to study regional sustainable development capacity. A sustainable development capacity measure model for Sichuan Province was established by applying the information entropy calculation principle and the Brusselator principle. Each subsystem and entropy change in a calendar year in Sichuan Province were analyzed to evaluate Sichuan Province’s sustainable development capacity. It was found that the established model could effectively show actual changes in sustainable development levels through the entropy change reaction system, at the same time this model could clearly demonstrate how those forty-six indicators from the three subsystems impact on the regional sustainable development, which could make up for the lack of sustainable development research. PMID:29027982

Regional Sustainable Development Analysis Based on Information Entropy-Sichuan Province as an Example.

PubMed

Liang, Xuedong; Si, Dongyang; Zhang, Xinli

2017-10-13

According to the implementation of a scientific development perspective, sustainable development needs to consider regional development, economic and social development, and the harmonious development of society and nature, but regional sustainable development is often difficult to quantify. Through an analysis of the structure and functions of a regional system, this paper establishes an evaluation index system, which includes an economic subsystem, an ecological environmental subsystem and a social subsystem, to study regional sustainable development capacity. A sustainable development capacity measure model for Sichuan Province was established by applying the information entropy calculation principle and the Brusselator principle. Each subsystem and entropy change in a calendar year in Sichuan Province were analyzed to evaluate Sichuan Province's sustainable development capacity. It was found that the established model could effectively show actual changes in sustainable development levels through the entropy change reaction system, at the same time this model could clearly demonstrate how those forty-six indicators from the three subsystems impact on the regional sustainable development, which could make up for the lack of sustainable development research.

A Review of Mid-Infrared and Near-Infrared Imaging: Principles, Concepts and Applications in Plant Tissue Analysis.

PubMed

Türker-Kaya, Sevgi; Huck, Christian W

2017-01-20

Plant cells, tissues and organs are composed of various biomolecules arranged as structurally diverse units, which represent heterogeneity at microscopic levels. Molecular knowledge about those constituents with their localization in such complexity is very crucial for both basic and applied plant sciences. In this context, infrared imaging techniques have advantages over conventional methods to investigate heterogeneous plant structures in providing quantitative and qualitative analyses with spatial distribution of the components. Thus, particularly, with the use of proper analytical approaches and sampling methods, these technologies offer significant information for the studies on plant classification, physiology, ecology, genetics, pathology and other related disciplines. This review aims to present a general perspective about near-infrared and mid-infrared imaging/microspectroscopy in plant research. It is addressed to compare potentialities of these methodologies with their advantages and limitations. With regard to the organization of the document, the first section will introduce the respective underlying principles followed by instrumentation, sampling techniques, sample preparations, measurement, and an overview of spectral pre-processing and multivariate analysis. The last section will review selected applications in the literature.

A conspiracy of optimism: Sustained yield, multiple use, and intensive management on the national forests, 1945-1991

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hirt, P.W.

1991-01-01

This study focuses on two core national forest management policies; sustained yield and multiple use. Public and elected officials attempt to apply principles of sustainable development to publicly-owned forest lands to ensure that a wide variety of both market and nonmarket forest values are preserved for the benefit of present and future generations. Interest groups, the Forest Service, and policy makers have conceived of sustained yield and multiple use in different and evolving ways over the years. This study explores how these principles have been variously defined and either implemented or thwarted. After World War Two, with escalating demands onmore » national forest resources, the US Forest Service turned to intensive management as a technological method of enhancing natural forest productivity and mitigating the environmental effects of increased use. But the agency's optimistic vision of efficient, sustained production of forest commodities through technical mastery over nature has met overwhelming fiscal, environmental, technical, and political obstacles. Changing public values since the 1960s and popularization of ecology have initiated a growing skepticism toward the premises of intensive management.« less

On Problem of Mathematical Modelling of Thermo-Physical Processes in Regenerative Water-Evaporating Coolers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gulevsky, V. A.; Shatsky, V. P.; Osipov, E. I.; Menzhulova, A. S.

2018-03-01

For cooling the air environment of industrial premises water-evaporating air, conditioners are being increasingly applied. The simplicity of their construction, ecological safety and low power consumption distinguish them from the coolers of other types. Cooling the processed air is due to the loss of energy for the evaporation of moisture from the surface of the water-wetted plates that form air channels. As a result of this process, cooled air is often saturated with moisture, which limits the possibilities for the operation of the coolers of this type. In these cases, more complex coolers of indirect principle without such drawback should be applied. The most effective modification of indirect cooling is the installation of recuperative principle units. The paper presents a mathematical model of heat-mass transfer in such water-evaporating coolers. The scheme of realization of this model based on an iterative algorithm of solution of the system of finite–difference linear equations that takes into account longitudinal and transverse thermal conductivity of the heat transfer plates is suggested. The possibility of obtaining the optimal values of the redistribution of the main and auxiliary air flows through the substantiation of the aerodynamic resistance of the output grid is proved. This allows refusing the inclusion in the additional system cooling fan unit for discharging an auxiliary stream of air.

Look, Think, Act: Using Critical Action Research to Sustain Reform in Complex Teaching/Learning Ecologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patterson, Leslie; Baldwin, Shelia; Araujo, Juan; Shearer, Ragina; Stewart, Mary Amanda

2010-01-01

This paper argues that educators interested in sustainability should look to complexity science for guiding principles. When we view our classrooms and campuses as living, dynamic ecologies, we can, as insiders, make sense of what might otherwise seem chaotic or meaningless. This perspective enables us not only to describe and explain what is…

Evaluating reclamation success: the ecological consideration-proceedings of a symposium; 1990 April 23-26; Charleston, WV.

Treesearch

Jeanne C. Chambers; Gary L. Wade; [Editors

1992-01-01

Includes 10 papers from a symposium organized to review what is know about the ecological principles that will govern the ultimate success or failure of all reclamation efforts on drastically disturbed lands. The papers cover four general areas: soil biological properties and nutrient cycling; vegetation dynamics; animal recolinization; and landscape-scale processes...

Ecological foundations for fire management in North American forest and shrubland ecosystems

Treesearch

J.E. Keeley; G.H. Aplet; N.L. Christensen; S.G. Conard; E.A. Johnson; P.N. Omi; D.L. Peterson; T.W. Swetnam

2009-01-01

This synthesis provides an ecological foundation for management of the diverse ecosystems and fire regimes of North America based on scientific principles of fire interactions with vegetation, fuels, and biophysical processes. Although a large amount of scientific data on fire exists, most of those data have been collected at small spatial and temporal scales. Thus, it...

[From biodiversity to biodiversification: a new economy of nature?].

PubMed

Höhler, Sabine

2014-03-01

This paper explores the relations between economy and ecology in the last quarter of the 20th century with the example of biodiversity. From its definition in the 1980s, the concept of biodiversity responded not only to conservational concerns but also to hopes and demands of economic profitability. The paper argues that archival systems of inventorying and surveying nature, the biodiversity database and the biodiversity portfolio, changed the view on nature from a resource to an investment. The paper studies the alliances of ecologists and environmental economists in managing nature according to economic principles of successful asset management, "diversification", with the aim to distribute risk, minimize ecological loss and maximize overall ecosystem performance. Finally, the paper discusses the assumptions and the consequences of transferring principles from financial risk management to landscape management. How has the substitution of the existential values of nature by shareholder value affected the relations between ecology, environment, and ecosystem conservation? Who gains and who looses in exchanging natural capital and financial capital, yields, and profits?

Evolution in agriculture: the application of evolutionary approaches to the management of biotic interactions in agro-ecosystems

PubMed Central

Thrall, Peter H; Oakeshott, John G; Fitt, Gary; Southerton, Simon; Burdon, Jeremy J; Sheppard, Andy; Russell, Robyn J; Zalucki, Myron; Heino, Mikko; Ford Denison, R

2011-01-01

Anthropogenic impacts increasingly drive ecological and evolutionary processes at many spatio-temporal scales, demanding greater capacity to predict and manage their consequences. This is particularly true for agro-ecosystems, which not only comprise a significant proportion of land use, but which also involve conflicting imperatives to expand or intensify production while simultaneously reducing environmental impacts. These imperatives reinforce the likelihood of further major changes in agriculture over the next 30–40 years. Key transformations include genetic technologies as well as changes in land use. The use of evolutionary principles is not new in agriculture (e.g. crop breeding, domestication of animals, management of selection for pest resistance), but given land-use trends and other transformative processes in production landscapes, ecological and evolutionary research in agro-ecosystems must consider such issues in a broader systems context. Here, we focus on biotic interactions involving pests and pathogens as exemplars of situations where integration of agronomic, ecological and evolutionary perspectives has practical value. Although their presence in agro-ecosystems may be new, many traits involved in these associations evolved in natural settings. We advocate the use of predictive frameworks based on evolutionary models as pre-emptive management tools and identify some specific research opportunities to facilitate this. We conclude with a brief discussion of multidisciplinary approaches in applied evolutionary problems. PMID:25567968

Advantages and challenges associated with implementing an ecosystem services approach to ecological risk assessment for chemicals.

PubMed

Maltby, Lorraine; van den Brink, Paul J; Faber, Jack H; Marshall, Stuart

2018-04-15

The ecosystem services (ES) approach is gaining broad interest in regulatory and policy arenas for use in landscape management and ecological risk assessment. It has the potential to bring greater ecological relevance to the setting of environmental protection goals and to the assessment of the ecological risk posed by chemicals. A workshop, organised under the auspices of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Europe, brought together scientific experts from European regulatory authorities, the chemical industry and academia to discuss and evaluate the challenges associated with implementing an ES approach to chemical ecological risk assessment (ERA). Clear advantages of using an ES approach in prospective and retrospective ERA were identified, including: making ERA spatially explicit and of relevance to management decisions (i.e. indicating what ES to protect and where); improving transparency in communicating risks and trade-offs; integrating across multiple stressors, scales, habitats and policies. A number of challenges were also identified including: the potential for increased complexity in assessments; greater data requirements; limitations in linking endpoints derived from current ecotoxicity tests to impacts on ES. In principle, the approach was applicable to all chemical sectors, but the scale of the challenge of applying an ES approach to general chemicals with widespread and dispersive uses leading to broad environmental exposure, was highlighted. There was agreement that ES-based risk assessment should be based on the magnitude of impact rather than on toxicity thresholds. The need for more bioassays/tests with functional endpoints was recognized, as was the role of modelling and the need for ecological production functions to link measurement endpoints to assessment endpoints. Finally, the value of developing environmental scenarios that can be combined with spatial information on exposure, ES delivery and service provider vulnerability was recognized. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

To manage inland fisheries is to manage at the social-ecological watershed scale.

PubMed

Nguyen, Vivian M; Lynch, Abigail J; Young, Nathan; Cowx, Ian G; Beard, T Douglas; Taylor, William W; Cooke, Steven J

2016-10-01

Approaches to managing inland fisheries vary between systems and regions but are often based on large-scale marine fisheries principles and thus limited and outdated. Rarely do they adopt holistic approaches that consider the complex interplay among humans, fish, and the environment. We argue that there is an urgent need for a shift in inland fisheries management towards holistic and transdisciplinary approaches that embrace the principles of social-ecological systems at the watershed scale. The interconnectedness of inland fisheries with their associated watershed (biotic, abiotic, and humans) make them extremely complex and challenging to manage and protect. For this reason, the watershed is a logical management unit. To assist management at this scale, we propose a framework that integrates disparate concepts and management paradigms to facilitate inland fisheries management and sustainability. We contend that inland fisheries need to be managed as social-ecological watershed system (SEWS). The framework supports watershed-scale and transboundary governance to manage inland fisheries, and transdisciplinary projects and teams to ensure relevant and applicable monitoring and research. We discuss concepts of social-ecological feedback and interactions of multiple stressors and factors within/between the social-ecological systems. Moreover, we emphasize that management, monitoring, and research on inland fisheries at the watershed scale are needed to ensure long-term sustainable and resilient fisheries. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Reshaping Plant Biology: Qualitative and Quantitative Descriptors for Plant Morphology

PubMed Central

Balduzzi, Mathilde; Binder, Brad M.; Bucksch, Alexander; Chang, Cynthia; Hong, Lilan; Iyer-Pascuzzi, Anjali S.; Pradal, Christophe; Sparks, Erin E.

2017-01-01

An emerging challenge in plant biology is to develop qualitative and quantitative measures to describe the appearance of plants through the integration of mathematics and biology. A major hurdle in developing these metrics is finding common terminology across fields. In this review, we define approaches for analyzing plant geometry, topology, and shape, and provide examples for how these terms have been and can be applied to plants. In leaf morphological quantifications both geometry and shape have been used to gain insight into leaf function and evolution. For the analysis of cell growth and expansion, we highlight the utility of geometric descriptors for understanding sepal and hypocotyl development. For branched structures, we describe how topology has been applied to quantify root system architecture to lend insight into root function. Lastly, we discuss the importance of using morphological descriptors in ecology to assess how communities interact, function, and respond within different environments. This review aims to provide a basic description of the mathematical principles underlying morphological quantifications. PMID:28217137

Use of Case Studies to Introduce Undergraduate Students to Principles of Food Microbiology, Molecular Biology, and Epidemiology of Food-Borne Disease

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ponder, Monica A.; Sumner, Susan

2009-01-01

Mock outbreaks of infectious disease offer the ability to introduce principles of food microbiology, ecology, and epidemiology to undergraduate students using an inquiry driven process. Students were presented with an epidemiological case study detailing patient history, clinical presentation, and foods recently consumed. The students then had to…

Integrating Research on How People Learn and Learning across Settings as a Window of Opportunity to Address Inequality in Educational Processes and Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Carol D.

2017-01-01

This chapter addresses how fundamental principles regarding how people learn in the last decade open up possibilities for conceptualizing a broad ecological culturally rooted framework for the design of robust learning environments in a variety of settings, especially schools. These cross-disciplinary principles emerging from across relevant…

[Some comments on ecological field].

PubMed

Wang, D

2000-06-01

Based on the data of plant ecological field studies, this paper reviewed the conception of ecological field, field eigenfunctions, graphs of ecological field and its application of ecological field theory in explaining plant interactions. It is suggested that the basic character of ecological field is material, and based on the current research level, it is not sure whether ecological field is a kind of specific field different from general physical field. The author gave some comments on the formula and estimation of parameters of basic field function-ecological potential model on ecological field. Both models have their own characteristics and advantages in specific conditions. The author emphasized that ecological field had even more meaning of ecological methodology, and applying ecological field theory in describing the types and processes of plant interactions had three characteristics: quantitative, synthetic and intuitionistic. Field graphing might provide a new way to ecological studies, especially applying the ecological field theory might give an appropriate quantitative explanation for the dynamic process of plant populations (coexistence and interference competition).

Computational modeling for eco engineering: Making the connections between engineering and ecology (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowles, C.

2013-12-01

Ecological engineering, or eco engineering, is an emerging field in the study of integrating ecology and engineering, concerned with the design, monitoring, and construction of ecosystems. According to Mitsch (1996) 'the design of sustainable ecosystems intends to integrate human society with its natural environment for the benefit of both'. Eco engineering emerged as a new idea in the early 1960s, and the concept has seen refinement since then. As a commonly practiced field of engineering it is relatively novel. Howard Odum (1963) and others first introduced it as 'utilizing natural energy sources as the predominant input to manipulate and control environmental systems'. Mtisch and Jorgensen (1989) were the first to define eco engineering, to provide eco engineering principles and conceptual eco engineering models. Later they refined the definition and increased the number of principles. They suggested that the goals of eco engineering are: a) the restoration of ecosystems that have been substantially disturbed by human activities such as environmental pollution or land disturbance, and b) the development of new sustainable ecosystems that have both human and ecological values. Here a more detailed overview of eco engineering is provided, particularly with regard to how engineers and ecologists are utilizing multi-dimensional computational models to link ecology and engineering, resulting in increasingly successful project implementation. Descriptions are provided pertaining to 1-, 2- and 3-dimensional hydrodynamic models and their use at small- and large-scale applications. A range of conceptual models that have been developed to aid the in the creation of linkages between ecology and engineering are discussed. Finally, several case studies that link ecology and engineering via computational modeling are provided. These studies include localized stream rehabilitation, spawning gravel enhancement on a large river system, and watershed-wide floodplain modeling of the Sacramento River Valley.

Annual Research Review: What is resilience within the social ecology of human development?

PubMed

Ungar, Michael; Ghazinour, Mehdi; Richter, Jörg

2013-04-01

  The development of Bronfenbrenner's bio-social-ecological systems model of human development parallels advances made to the theory of resilience that progressively moved from a more individual (micro) focus on traits to a multisystemic understanding of person-environment reciprocal processes.   This review uses Bronfenbrenner's model and Ungar's social-ecological interpretation of four decades of research on resilience to discuss the results of a purposeful selection of studies of resilience that have been done in different contexts and cultures.   An ecological model of resilience can, and indeed has been shown to help researchers of resilience to conceptualize the child's social and physical ecologies, from caregivers to neighbourhoods, that account for both proximal and distal factors that predict successful development under adversity. Three principles emerged from this review that inform a bio-social-ecological interpretation of resilience: equifinality (there are many proximal processes that can lead to many different, but equally viable, expressions of human development associated with well-being); differential impact (the nature of the risks children face, their perceptions of the resources available to mitigate those risks and the quality of the resources that are accessible make proximal processes more or less influential to children's development); and contextual and cultural moderation (different contexts and cultures provide access to different processes associated with resilience as it is defined locally).   As this review shows, using this multisystemic social-ecological theory of resilience can inform a deeper understanding of the processes that contribute to positive development under stress. It can also offer practitioners and policy makers a broader perspective on principles for the design and implementation of effective interventions. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry © 2012 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Ecological evidence of intensive cultivation of oaks by California Indians: implications for the treatment of sudden oak death

Treesearch

Lee Klinger

2006-01-01

The native oaks of California are remarkable for being among the oldest and largest oak trees in the United States besides their great age and size, these trees possess various idiosyncrasies in their arrangements and shapes that appear to defy basic principles of ecology and population biology. When taken together, these and other associated patterns present an...

Ecology and silviculture of the spruce-fir forests of eastern North America

Treesearch

Marinus Westveld

1953-01-01

Using the climax forest as a guide to growing the species best suited to the climate and the site, the author offers a silvicultural system for managing the spruce-fir forests of eastern North America. Based on ecological principles, such silviculture is aimed to bring about forests that are inherently healthy and have a natural resistance to insects and disease.

Prospects from agroecology and industrial ecology for animal production in the 21st century.

PubMed

Dumont, B; Fortun-Lamothe, L; Jouven, M; Thomas, M; Tichit, M

2013-06-01

Agroecology and industrial ecology can be viewed as complementary means for reducing the environmental footprint of animal farming systems: agroecology mainly by stimulating natural processes to reduce inputs, and industrial ecology by closing system loops, thereby reducing demand for raw materials, lowering pollution and saving on waste treatment. Surprisingly, animal farming systems have so far been ignored in most agroecological thinking. On the basis of a study by Altieri, who identified the key ecological processes to be optimized, we propose five principles for the design of sustainable animal production systems: (i) adopting management practices aiming to improve animal health, (ii) decreasing the inputs needed for production, (iii) decreasing pollution by optimizing the metabolic functioning of farming systems, (iv) enhancing diversity within animal production systems to strengthen their resilience and (v) preserving biological diversity in agroecosystems by adapting management practices. We then discuss how these different principles combine to generate environmental, social and economic performance in six animal production systems (ruminants, pigs, rabbits and aquaculture) covering a long gradient of intensification. The two principles concerning economy of inputs and reduction of pollution emerged in nearly all the case studies, a finding that can be explained by the economic and regulatory constraints affecting animal production. Integrated management of animal health was seldom mobilized, as alternatives to chemical drugs have only recently been investigated, and the results are not yet transferable to farming practices. A number of ecological functions and ecosystem services (recycling of nutrients, forage yield, pollination, resistance to weed invasion, etc.) are closely linked to biodiversity, and their persistence depends largely on maintaining biological diversity in agroecosystems. We conclude that the development of such ecology-based alternatives for animal production implies changes in the positions adopted by technicians and extension services, researchers and policymakers. Animal production systems should not only be considered holistically, but also in the diversity of their local and regional conditions. The ability of farmers to make their own decisions on the basis of the close monitoring of system performance is most important to ensure system sustainability.

25 CFR 42.1 - What general principles apply to this part?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false What general principles apply to this part? 42.1 Section 42.1 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR EDUCATION STUDENT RIGHTS § 42.1 What general principles apply to this part? (a) This part applies to every Bureau-funded school. The...

Guiding concepts for park and wilderness stewardship in an era of global environmental change

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hobbs, Richard J.; Cole, David N.; Yung, Laurie; Zavaleta, Erika S.; Aplet, Gregory H.; Chapin, F. Stuart; Landres, Peter B.; Parsons, David J.; Stephenson, Nathan L.; White, Peter S.; Graber, David M.; Higgs, Eric S.; Millar, Constance I.; Randall, John M.; Tonnessen, Kathy A.; Woodley, Stephen

2010-01-01

The major challenge to stewardship of protected areas is to decide where, when, and how to intervene in physical and biological processes, to conserve what we value in these places. To make such decisions, planners and managers must articulate more clearly the purposes of parks, what is valued, and what needs to be sustained. A key aim for conservation today is the maintenance and restoration of biodiversity, but a broader range of values are also likely to be considered important, including ecological integrity, resilience, historical fidelity (ie the ecosystem appears and functions much as it did in the past), and autonomy of nature. Until recently, the concept of "naturalness" was the guiding principle when making conservation-related decisions in park and wilderness ecosystems. However, this concept is multifaceted and often means different things to different people, including notions of historical fidelity and autonomy from human influence. Achieving the goal of nature conservation intended for such areas requires a clear articulation of management objectives, which must be geared to the realities of the rapid environmental changes currently underway. We advocate a pluralistic approach that incorporates a suite of guiding principles, including historical fidelity, autonomy of nature, ecological integrity, and resilience, as well as managing with humility. The relative importance of these guiding principles will vary, depending on management goals and ecological conditions.

Green nanoparticle production using micro reactor technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kück, A.; Steinfeldt, M.; Prenzel, K.; Swiderek, P.; Gleich, A. v.; Thöming, J.

2011-07-01

The importance and potential of nanoparticles in daily life as well as in various industrial processes is becoming more predominant. Specifically, silver nanoparticles are increasingly applied, e.g. in clothes and wipes, due to their antibacterial properties. For applications in liquid phase it is advantageous to produce the nanoparticles directly in suspension. This article describes a green production of silver nanoparticles using micro reactor technology considering principles of green chemistry. The aim is to reveal the potential and constraints of this approach and to show, how economic and environmental costs vary depending on process conditions. For this purpose our research compares the proposed process with water-based batch synthesis and demonstrates improvements in terms of product quality. Because of the lower energy consumption and lower demand of cleaning agents, micro reactor is the best ecological choice.

Working at a Watershed Level

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

A short course that provides a basic, but very broad foundation for the use of ecological, social and organizational management principles to guide activities to restore and sustain watershed conditions.

Bayesian models: A statistical primer for ecologists

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hobbs, N. Thompson; Hooten, Mevin B.

2015-01-01

Bayesian modeling has become an indispensable tool for ecological research because it is uniquely suited to deal with complexity in a statistically coherent way. This textbook provides a comprehensive and accessible introduction to the latest Bayesian methods—in language ecologists can understand. Unlike other books on the subject, this one emphasizes the principles behind the computations, giving ecologists a big-picture understanding of how to implement this powerful statistical approach.Bayesian Models is an essential primer for non-statisticians. It begins with a definition of probability and develops a step-by-step sequence of connected ideas, including basic distribution theory, network diagrams, hierarchical models, Markov chain Monte Carlo, and inference from single and multiple models. This unique book places less emphasis on computer coding, favoring instead a concise presentation of the mathematical statistics needed to understand how and why Bayesian analysis works. It also explains how to write out properly formulated hierarchical Bayesian models and use them in computing, research papers, and proposals.This primer enables ecologists to understand the statistical principles behind Bayesian modeling and apply them to research, teaching, policy, and management.Presents the mathematical and statistical foundations of Bayesian modeling in language accessible to non-statisticiansCovers basic distribution theory, network diagrams, hierarchical models, Markov chain Monte Carlo, and moreDeemphasizes computer coding in favor of basic principlesExplains how to write out properly factored statistical expressions representing Bayesian models

Who has to pay for measures in the field of water management? A proposal for applying the polluter pays principle.

PubMed

Grünebaum, Thomas; Schweder, Heinrich; Weyand, Michael

2009-01-01

There is no doubt about the fact that the implementation of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) and the pursuit of its goal of good ecological status will give rise to measures in different fields of water management. However, a conclusive and transparent method of financing these measures is still missing up to now. Measures in the water management sector are no mere end in themselves; instead, they serve specific ends directed at human activities or they serve general environment objectives. Following the integrative approach of the WFD on looking upon river basins as a whole and its requirement to observe the polluter pays principle, all different groups within a river basin should contribute to the costs according to their cost-bearer roles as polluters, stakeholders with vested interests or beneficiaries via relevant yardsticks. In order to quantify the financial expenditure of each cost bearer, a special algorithm was developed and tested in the river basin of a small tributary of the Ruhr River. It was proved to be generally practicable with regard to its handling and the comprehension of the results. Therefore, the application of a cost bearer system based on the polluter-pays principle and thus in correspondence with the WFD's requirements should appear possible in order to finance future measures.

Solving Accounting Problems: Differences between Accounting Experts and Novices.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall, P. Douglas

2002-01-01

Performance of 90 accounting experts (faculty and practitioners) and 60 novices (senior accounting majors) was compared. Experts applied more accounting principles to solving problems. There were no differences in types of principles applied and no correlation between (1) principles applied and number of breadth comments or (2) importance placed…

Research on fast ecological restoration technology of high and steep rocky slope of highway

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, Xin

2017-08-01

Along with the development of the western region, the traffic construction in mountainous areas is booming. In the infrastructure, it produced a large number of secondary bare land. Soil erosion is serious. Based on the literature search and analysis of the domestic and international slope ecological restoration technology, this paper proposes a fast and efficient adaptive highway high steep rock slope ecological restoration technology (it has been authorized by the national patent). And it states the systemic structure, working principle and key construction technology. The ecological restoration technique combines the growth characteristics of the vegetation and the characteristics of the rock mass, which not only improves the survival rate of plants, but also stable slope. The results of this study make up for the shortcomings of the existing ecological restoration technology of slope. Compared with the prior art, which have obvious advantages and suitable for the ecological restoration of high steep rock slope.

Interrelationships between the precautionary principle, prediction strategies, and sustainable use of the planet.

PubMed Central

Cairns, John

2003-01-01

In this article, I examine the relationships between new concepts of human activity in the environment and several prevention strategies used to plot a course toward sustainable use. Natural capitalism and industrial ecology are relatively new concepts that provide a framework for environmental management. Although the precautionary principle puts into policy a determination to prevent environmental damage before it occurs, natural capitalism and industrial ecology go beyond the prevention of environmental damage to the optimization of environmental interactions. The risk assessment tools necessary for preventive management continue to be essential. However, additional tools are needed to go beyond prevention to optimization. A holistic, scientific approach to the human place within the environment is needed, including both interdisciplinary and large-scale research. PMID:12782485

Landscape ecology in North America: past, present, and future

Treesearch

Monica G. Turner

2005-01-01

Landscape ecology offers a spatially explicit perspective on the relationships between ecological patterns and processes that can be applied across a range of scales. Concepts derived from landscape ecology now permeate ecological research across most levels of ecological organization and many scales. Landscape ecology developed rapidly after ideas that originated in...

Mammal population regulation, keystone processes and ecosystem dynamics.

PubMed Central

Sinclair, A R E

2003-01-01

The theory of regulation in animal populations is fundamental to understanding the dynamics of populations, the causes of mortality and how natural selection shapes the life history of species. In mammals, the great range in body size allows us to see how allometric relationships affect the mode of regulation. Resource limitation is the fundamental cause of regulation. Top-down limitation through predators is determined by four factors: (i). body size; (ii). the diversity of predators and prey in the system; (iii). whether prey are resident or migratory; and (iv). the presence of alternative prey for predators. Body size in mammals has two important consequences. First, mammals, particularly large species, can act as keystones that determine the diversity of an ecosystem. I show how keystone processes can, in principle, be measured using the example of the wildebeest in the Serengeti ecosystem. Second, mammals act as ecological landscapers by altering vegetation succession. Mammals alter physical structure, ecological function and species diversity in most terrestrial biomes. In general, there is a close interaction between allometry, population regulation, life history and ecosystem dynamics. These relationships are relevant to applied aspects of conservation and pest management. PMID:14561329

76 FR 19003 - Land Disposal Restrictions: Nevada and California; Site Specific Treatment Variances for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-06

... both a site-specific treatment variance to U.S. Ecology Nevada (USEN) located in Beatty, Nevada and... site-specific treatment variance to U.S. Ecology Nevada (USEN) located in Beatty, Nevada and withdraw... section of this document. II. Does this action apply to me? This proposal applies only to U. S. Ecology...

A criteria and indicators monitoring framework for food forestry embedded in the principles of ecological restoration.

PubMed

Park, Hyeone; Higgs, Eric

2018-02-02

Food forestry is a burgeoning practice in North America, representing a strong multifunctional approach that combines agriculture, forestry, and ecological restoration. The Galiano Conservancy Association (GCA), a community conservation, restoration, and educational organization on Galiano Island, British Columbia in Canada, recently has created two food forests on their protected forested lands: one with primarily non-native species and the other comprising native species. These projects, aimed at food production, education, and promotion of local food security and sustainability, are also intended to contribute to the overall ecological integrity of the landscape. Monitoring is essential for assessing how effectively a project is meeting its goal and thus informing its adaptive management. Yet, presently, there are no comprehensive monitoring frameworks for food forestry available. To fill this need, this study developed a generic Criteria and Indicators (C&I) monitoring framework for food forestry, embedded in ecological restoration principles, by employing qualitative content analysis of 61 literature resources and semi-structured interviews with 16 experts in the fields of food forestry and ecological restoration. The generic C&I framework comprises 14 criteria, 39 indicators, and 109 measures and is intended to guide a comprehensive and systematic assessment for food forest projects. The GCA adapted the generic C&I framework to develop a customized monitoring framework. The Galiano C&I monitoring framework has comprehensive suite of monitoring parameters, which are collectively address multiple values and goals.

Civic Ecology: A Postmodern Approach to Ecological Sustainability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lopes, V. L.

2013-12-01

Human agency is transforming the planetary processes at unprecedented rates risking damaging essential life-support systems. Climate change, massive species extinction, land degradation, resources depletion, overpopulation, poverty and social injustice are all the result of human choices and non-sustainable ways of life. The survival of our modern economic systems depends upon insatiable consumption - a simple way of life no longer satisfies most people. Detached, instrumental rationality has created an ideal of liberalism based on individual pursuit of self-interest, leading the way into unprecedented material progress but bringing with it human alienation, social injustice, and ecological degradation. The purpose of this presentation is to introduce a community-based systems response to a growing sense that the interlocked social-ecological crisis is as much a problem of human thought and behavior as it is about identifying carrying capacities and CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere. This approach, referred to here as civic ecology, presents a new and important paradigm shift in sustainability practice that attempts to bring together and integrate ecological ideas and postmodern thinking. As such, it is as much a holistic, dynamic, and synergistic approach to ecological sustainability, as it is a philosophy of life and ethical perspective born of ecological understanding and insight. Civic ecology starts with the proposition that the key factor determining the health of the ecosphere is the behavior of human beings, and therefore many of the most important issues related to sustainability lie in the areas of human thought and culture. Thus, the quest for sustainability must include as a central concern the transformation of psychological and behavioral patterns that have become an imminent danger to planetary health. At the core of this understanding is a fundamental paradigm shift from the basic commitments of modern Western culture to its model of mechanism and fragmentary modes of existence, to a more relational (ecological) view of the world in which balance and harmony are achieved by ever-changing complexity and differentiation. Central to this view is the recognition that human communities will become increasingly more just and sustainable if their citizens understand, are committed to, and share, a set of values and ecological principles. Shared purposes and principles, however, cannot be handed down from above but must be developed from the bottom-up through community engagement and ecological citizenship.

The Spatial-Temporal Analysis of Ecological Environment of Red Bed Hills in East Sichuan - Taking LU County as a Case

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, H.; Liu, Y.; Wang, X.; Liu, J.

2018-04-01

Good ecological environment is the foundation of human existence and development, the development of society and economy must be based on the premise of maintaining the stability and balance of the ecological environment. RS and GIS technology are used in this paper while the red-bed hills of Sichuan Province-Lu County have been taken as an example. According to the ecological environment characteristics of the study areas and the principle of choosing evaluation index, this paper selected six evaluation indicators (elevation, slope, aspect, vegetation cover, land use, gully density) to establish evaluation index system of ecological environment of Lu County. This paper determine the weight of each evaluation index by AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) and establishes a comprehensive evaluation model by the weighted comprehensive evaluation method. This model is used to divide the ecological environment quality of Lu County into excellent, good, middle, poor and worse, and to analyze the ecological environment change in Lu County in recent ten years.

A Unifying Mathematical Framework for Genetic Robustness, Environmental Robustness, Network Robustness and their Tradeoff on Phenotype Robustness in Biological Networks Part II: Ecological Networks

PubMed Central

Chen, Bor-Sen; Lin, Ying-Po

2013-01-01

In ecological networks, network robustness should be large enough to confer intrinsic robustness for tolerating intrinsic parameter fluctuations, as well as environmental robustness for resisting environmental disturbances, so that the phenotype stability of ecological networks can be maintained, thus guaranteeing phenotype robustness. However, it is difficult to analyze the network robustness of ecological systems because they are complex nonlinear partial differential stochastic systems. This paper develops a unifying mathematical framework for investigating the principles of both robust stabilization and environmental disturbance sensitivity in ecological networks. We found that the phenotype robustness criterion for ecological networks is that if intrinsic robustness + environmental robustness ≦ network robustness, then the phenotype robustness can be maintained in spite of intrinsic parameter fluctuations and environmental disturbances. These results in robust ecological networks are similar to that in robust gene regulatory networks and evolutionary networks even they have different spatial-time scales. PMID:23515112

The ecological rationality of state-dependent valuation.

PubMed

McNamara, J M; Trimmer, P C; Houston, A I

2012-01-01

Laboratory studies on a range of animals have identified a bias that seems to violate basic principles of rational behavior: a preference is shown for feeding options that previously provided food when reserves were low, even though another option had been found to give the same reward with less delay. The bias presents a challenge to normative models of decision making (which only take account of expected rewards and the state of the animal at the decision time). To understand the behavior, we take a broad ecological perspective and consider how valuation mechanisms evolve when the best action depends upon the environment being faced. We show that in a changing and uncertain environment, state-dependent valuation can be favored by natural selection: Individuals should allow their hunger to affect learning for future decisions. The valuation mechanism that typically evolves produces the kind of behavior seen in standard laboratory tests. By providing an insight into why learning should be affected by the state of an individual, we provide a basis for understanding psychological principles in terms of an animal's ecology.

Applying Adaptive Agricultural Management & Industrial Ecology Principles to Produce Lower- Carbon Ethanol from California Energy Beets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alexiades, Anthy Maria

The life cycle assessment of a proposed beet-to-ethanol pathway demonstrates how agricultural management and industrial ecology principles can be applied to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, minimize agrochemical inputs and waste, provide ecosystem services and yield a lower-carbon fuel from a highly land-use efficient, first-generation feedstock cultivated in California. Beets grown in California have unique potential as a biofuel feedstock. A mature agricultural product with well-developed supply chains, beet-sugar production in California has contracted over recent decades, leaving idle production capacity and forcing growers to seek other crops for use in rotation or find a new market for beets. California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) faces risk of steeply-rising compliance costs, as greenhouse gas reduction targets in the transportation sector were established assuming commercial volumes of lower-carbon fuels from second-generation feedstocks -- such as residues, waste, algae and cellulosic crops -- would be available by 2020. The expected shortfall of cellulosic ethanol has created an immediate need to develop lower-carbon fuels from readily available feedstocks using conventional conversion technologies. The life cycle carbon intensity of this ethanol pathway is less than 28 gCO2e/MJEthanol: a 72% reduction compared to gasoline and 19% lower than the most efficient corn ethanol pathway (34 gCO2e/MJ not including indirect land use change) approved under LCFS. The system relies primarily on waste-to-energy resources; nearly 18 gCO2e/MJ are avoided by using renewable heat and power generated from anaerobic digestion of fermentation stillage and gasification of orchard residues to meet 88% of the facility's steam demand. Co-products displace 2 gCO2e/MJ. Beet cultivation is the largest source of emissions, contributing 15 gCO 2e/MJ. The goal of the study is to explore opportunities to minimize carbon intensity of beet-ethanol and investigate the potential contribution of this pathway toward meeting the near-term objectives of California's climate change policy.

Amphibian molecular ecology and how it has informed conservation.

PubMed

McCartney-Melstad, Evan; Shaffer, H Bradley

2015-10-01

Molecular ecology has become one of the key tools in the modern conservationist's kit. Here we review three areas where molecular ecology has been applied to amphibian conservation: genes on landscapes, within-population processes, and genes that matter. We summarize relevant analytical methods, recent important studies from the amphibian literature, and conservation implications for each section. Finally, we include five in-depth examples of how molecular ecology has been successfully applied to specific amphibian systems. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Thermodynamics in landscape ecology: The importance of integrating measurement and modeling of landscape entropy

Treesearch

Samuel A. Cushman

2015-01-01

Entropy and the second law of thermodynamics are the central organizing principles of nature. Or perhaps more accurately, the second law is the central disorganizing principle. Hot things cool down. Cold things warm up. You cannot get something for nothing. You always pay more than you get. Things fall apart. You cannot repeat the past. We grow old and die. It is all...

41 CFR 102-3.95 - What principles apply to the management of advisory committees?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What principles apply to...-FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MANAGEMENT How Are Advisory Committees Managed? § 102-3.95 What principles... principles to the management of their advisory committees: (a) Provide adequate support. Before establishing...

Competency Test Items for Applied Principles of Agribusiness and Natural Resources Occupations. Agricultural Mechanics Component. A Report of Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheek, Jimmy G.; McGhee, Max B.

An activity was undertaken to develop written criterion-referenced tests for the agricultural mechanics component of the Applied Principles of Agribusiness and Natural Resources. Intended for tenth grade students who have completed Fundamentals of Agribusiness and Natural Resources Occupations, applied principles were designed to consist of three…

Competency Test Items for Applied Principles of Agribusiness and Natural Resources Occupations. Common Core Component. A Report of Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheek, Jimmy G.; McGhee, Max B.

An activity was undertaken to develop written criterion-referenced tests for the common core component of Applied Principles of Agribusiness and Natural Resources Occupations. Intended for tenth grade students who have completed Fundamentals of Agribusiness and Natural Resources Occupations, applied principles were designed to consist of three…

Competency Test Items for Applied Principles of Agribusiness and Natural Resources Occupations. Forestry Component. A Report of Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheek, Jimmy G.; McGhee, Max B.

An activity was undertaken to develop written criterion-referenced tests for the forestry component of Applied Principles of Agribusiness and Natural Resources. Intended for tenth grade students who have completed Fundamentals of Agribusiness and Natural Resources Occupations, applied principles were designed to consist of three components, with…

Competency Test Items for Applied Principles of Agribusiness and Natural Resources Occupations. Agricultural Resources Component. A Report of Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheek, Jimmy G.; McGhee, Max B.

An activity was undertaken to develop written criterion-referenced tests for the agricultural resources component of Applied Principles of Agribusiness and Natural Resources. Intended for tenth grade students who have completed Fundamentals of Agribusiness and Natural Resources Occupations, applied principles were designed to consist of three…

Competency Test Items for Applied Principles of Agribusiness and Natural Resources Occupations. Agricultural Production Component. A Report of Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheek, Jimmy G.; McGhee, Max B.

An activity was undertaken to develop written criterion-referenced tests for the agricultural production component of Applied Principles of Agribusiness and Natural Resources Occupations. Intended for tenth grade students who have completed Fundamentals of Agribusiness and Natural Resources Occupations, applied principles were designed to consist…

Understanding the Threat Ecosystem: A Concept for Intelligence Support to Special Warfare

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-10

international law, national law, behavioral norms and ethical principles have no restraining effects on them.5 This emerging complexity paradigm is one...similar to a biome: a major ecological community of organisms adapted to a particular climatic or environmental condition on a large geographic area in...Awareness through tracking agents and agency in the threat environment is paramount to building an accurate ecological frame of the operational environment

Mitigation of eutrophication in river basins, lakes, and coastal waters requires and integrated and adaptive approach; experiences from The Netherlands.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rozemeijer, J.; Jansen, S.; Villars, N.; Grift, B. V. D.

2017-12-01

We propose a guideline for mitigation of eutrophication in river basins, lakes, and coastal waters. The proposed strategy is based on our experiences with implementation of manure legislation and the Water Framework Directive (WFD) in Europe. These regulations led to reduced nutrient losses from highly productive agricultural areas. For example in The Netherlands, the worldwide second largest exporter of agricultural products, nutrient concentrations in agricultural headwaters reduced since the early 1990's. Our guideline builds on three basic principles: (1) a conceptual framework integrating water quality, water quantity, soil, groundwater, and surface water, (2) the `from catchment to coast' approach for up-scaling field-scale pilot results to downstream ecological effects, and (3) a mitigation order of preference from (a) optimizing nutrient uptake efficiency to (b) enhancing nutrient retention and recirculation to (c) nutrient discharge and applying effect oriented measures. The tools needed to mitigate eutrophication are system understanding, smart monitoring, smart modelling, smart measures, and smart governance. Following these principles and using these tools enables an integrated, adaptive approach for selecting, implementing, and evaluating the most cost-effective and sustainable set of mitigation actions.

Modelling nutritional mutualisms: challenges and opportunities for data integration.

PubMed

Clark, Teresa J; Friel, Colleen A; Grman, Emily; Shachar-Hill, Yair; Friesen, Maren L

2017-09-01

Nutritional mutualisms are ancient, widespread, and profoundly influential in biological communities and ecosystems. Although much is known about these interactions, comprehensive answers to fundamental questions, such as how resource availability and structured interactions influence mutualism persistence, are still lacking. Mathematical modelling of nutritional mutualisms has great potential to facilitate the search for comprehensive answers to these and other fundamental questions by connecting the physiological and genomic underpinnings of mutualisms with ecological and evolutionary processes. In particular, when integrated with empirical data, models enable understanding of underlying mechanisms and generalisation of principles beyond the particulars of a given system. Here, we demonstrate how mathematical models can be integrated with data to address questions of mutualism persistence at four biological scales: cell, individual, population, and community. We highlight select studies where data has been or could be integrated with models to either inform model structure or test model predictions. We also point out opportunities to increase model rigour through tighter integration with data, and describe areas in which data is urgently needed. We focus on plant-microbe systems, for which a wealth of empirical data is available, but the principles and approaches can be generally applied to any nutritional mutualism. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

Problems of the development of international standards of “green building” in Russia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meshcheryakova, Tatiana

2017-10-01

Problems of environmental friendliness and energy efficiency in recent decades have become not only the most important issues of economic development of the main industrial economies, but also the basis for the processes of maintaining the security and relative stability of the global ecosystem. The article presents the results of the study of the status and trends of the development of environmental standards for the construction and maintenance of real estate in the world and particularly in Russia. Special market instruments for assessing the compliance with the quality of real estate projects under construction and modern principles of environmental friendliness and energy efficiency include voluntary building certification systems that are actively used in international practice. In Russia there is active use of the following international systems of certification: BREEAM, LEED, DGNB, HQE. Also in the Russian certification market, the national standard STO NOSTROY 2.35.4-2011 “Residential and public buildings” is being implemented, which summarizes the best international experience of the rating evaluation procedure. Comparative characteristics of the “green” standards and the principles of rating assessments of the ecological compatibility of buildings give an idea of applying these standards in Russia.

Values and principles evident in current health promotion practice.

PubMed

Gregg, Jane; O'Hara, Lily

2007-04-01

Modern health promotion practice needs to respond to complex health issues that have multiple interrelated determinants. This requires an understanding of the values and principles of health promotion. A literature review was undertaken to explore the values and principles evident in current health promotion theory and practice. A broad range of values and principles are espoused as being integral to modern health promotion theory and practice. Although there are some commonalities across these lists, there is no recognised, authoritative set of values and principles accepted as fundamental and applicable to modern health promotion. There is a continuum of values and principles evident in health promotion practice from those associated with holistic, ecological, salutogenic health promotion to those more in keeping with conventional health promotion. There is a need for a system of values and principles consistent with modern health promotion that enables practitioners to purposefully integrate these values and principles into their understanding of health, as well as their needs assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation practice.

Metabolic Flexibility as a Major Predictor of Spatial Distribution in Microbial Communities

PubMed Central

Carbonero, Franck; Oakley, Brian B.; Purdy, Kevin J.

2014-01-01

A better understand the ecology of microbes and their role in the global ecosystem could be achieved if traditional ecological theories can be applied to microbes. In ecology organisms are defined as specialists or generalists according to the breadth of their niche. Spatial distribution is often used as a proxy measure of niche breadth; generalists have broad niches and a wide spatial distribution and specialists a narrow niche and spatial distribution. Previous studies suggest that microbial distribution patterns are contrary to this idea; a microbial generalist genus (Desulfobulbus) has a limited spatial distribution while a specialist genus (Methanosaeta) has a cosmopolitan distribution. Therefore, we hypothesise that this counter-intuitive distribution within generalist and specialist microbial genera is a common microbial characteristic. Using molecular fingerprinting the distribution of four microbial genera, two generalists, Desulfobulbus and the methanogenic archaea Methanosarcina, and two specialists, Methanosaeta and the sulfate-reducing bacteria Desulfobacter were analysed in sediment samples from along a UK estuary. Detected genotypes of both generalist genera showed a distinct spatial distribution, significantly correlated with geographic distance between sites. Genotypes of both specialist genera showed no significant differential spatial distribution. These data support the hypothesis that the spatial distribution of specialist and generalist microbes does not match that seen with specialist and generalist large organisms. It may be that generalist microbes, while having a wider potential niche, are constrained, possibly by intrageneric competition, to exploit only a small part of that potential niche while specialists, with far fewer constraints to their niche, are more capable of filling their potential niche more effectively, perhaps by avoiding intrageneric competition. We suggest that these counter-intuitive distribution patterns may be a common feature of microbes in general and represent a distinct microbial principle in ecology, which is a real challenge if we are to develop a truly inclusive ecology. PMID:24465487

Greener Driving Lessons: Oxymoron or Opportunity?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Altieri, Tim

2001-01-01

Recommends the use of an ecosensitive approach to driving lessons as an avenue to reinforce ecological principles. This approach is useful to driving education teachers as well as to interdisciplinary teams of teachers. (DDR)

Framework for metals risk assessment [ Journal Article

EPA Science Inventory

This is a science-based document that describes basic principles that address the special attributes and behaviors of metals and metal compounds to be considered when assessing their human health and ecological risks.

Estimation of carbon sequestration in China's forests induced by atmospheric nitrogen deposition: Principles of ecological stoichiometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, J.; He, N.; Zhang, J.; Wang, Q.; Zhao, N.; Jia, Y.; Ge, J.; Yu, G.

2017-12-01

The worldwide development of industry and agriculture has generated noticeable increases in atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition, significantly altering the global N cycle. These changes might affect the global carbon (C) cycle by enhancing forest C sequestration. Here, we measured a series of datasets from eight typical forests along the north-south transect of eastern China (NSTEC). These datasets contained information on community structure, C and N concentrations in the soil and different organs of 877 plant species (leaf, branch, stem, and fine-root), and atmospheric N deposition. Using the biomass weighting method, we scaled up the C:N ratios from the organ level to the ecosystem level, and evaluated the C sequestration rate (CSRN) in response to N deposition and N use efficiency (NUE) in China's forests on the principles of ecological stoichiometry. Our results showed that atmospheric N deposition had a modest impact on forest C storage. Specifically, CSRN was estimated as 231 kg C ha-1 yr-1 (range: 32.7-507.1 kg C ha-1 yr-1), accounting for 2.1% of NPP and 4.6% of NEP at the ecosystem level. The NUE (NUEeco) of atmospheric N deposition ranged from 9.6 to 27.7 kg C kg-1 N, and increased with increasing latitude from subtropical to cold-temperate forests in China (P < 0.05). This study provides a new approach for estimating the effect of atmospheric deposition on forest C sequestration based on the principle of ecological stoichiometry.

Core Principles of Bacterial Autoinducer Systems

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

SUMMARY Autoinduction (AI), the response to self-produced chemical signals, is widespread in the bacterial world. This process controls vastly different target functions, such as luminescence, nutrient acquisition, and biofilm formation, in different ways and integrates additional environmental and physiological cues. This diversity raises questions about unifying principles that underlie all AI systems. Here, we suggest that such core principles exist. We argue that the general purpose of AI systems is the homeostatic control of costly cooperative behaviors, including, but not limited to, secreted public goods. First, costly behaviors require preassessment of their efficiency by cheaper AI signals, which we encapsulate in a hybrid “push-pull” model. The “push” factors cell density, diffusion, and spatial clustering determine when a behavior becomes effective. The relative importance of each factor depends on each species' individual ecological context and life history. In turn, “pull” factors, often stress cues that reduce the activation threshold, determine the cellular demand for the target behavior. Second, control is homeostatic because AI systems, either themselves or through accessory mechanisms, not only initiate but also maintain the efficiency of target behaviors. Third, AI-controlled behaviors, even seemingly noncooperative ones, are generally cooperative in nature, when interpreted in the appropriate ecological context. The escape of individual cells from biofilms, for example, may be viewed as an altruistic behavior that increases the fitness of the resident population by reducing starvation stress. The framework proposed here helps appropriately categorize AI-controlled behaviors and allows for a deeper understanding of their ecological and evolutionary functions. PMID:25694124

What is the animal doing? Tools for exploring behavioural structure in animal movements.

PubMed

Gurarie, Eliezer; Bracis, Chloe; Delgado, Maria; Meckley, Trevor D; Kojola, Ilpo; Wagner, C Michael

2016-01-01

Movement data provide a window - often our only window - into the cognitive, social and biological processes that underlie the behavioural ecology of animals in the wild. Robust methods for identifying and interpreting distinct modes of movement behaviour are of great importance, but complicated by the fact that movement data are complex, multivariate and dependent. Many different approaches to exploratory analysis of movement have been developed to answer similar questions, and practitioners are often at a loss for how to choose an appropriate tool for a specific question. We apply and compare four methodological approaches: first passage time (FPT), Bayesian partitioning of Markov models (BPMM), behavioural change point analysis (BCPA) and a fitted multistate random walk (MRW) to three simulated tracks and two animal trajectories - a sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) tracked for 12 h and a wolf (Canis lupus) tracked for 1 year. The simulations - in which, respectively, velocity, tortuosity and spatial bias change - highlight the sensitivity of all methods to model misspecification. Methods that do not account for autocorrelation in the movement variables lead to spurious change points, while methods that do not account for spatial bias completely miss changes in orientation. When applied to the animal data, the methods broadly agree on the structure of the movement behaviours. Important discrepancies, however, reflect differences in the assumptions and nature of the outputs. Important trade-offs are between the strength of the a priori assumptions (low in BCPA, high in MRW), complexity of output (high in the BCPA, low in the BPMM and MRW) and explanatory potential (highest in the MRW). The animal track analysis suggests some general principles for the exploratory analysis of movement data, including ways to exploit the strengths of the various methods. We argue for close and detailed exploratory analysis of movement before fitting complex movement models. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2015 British Ecological Society.

Applying core principles to the design and evaluation of the 'Take Charge. Take the Test' campaign: what worked and lessons learned.

PubMed

Fraze, J L; Uhrig, J D; Davis, K C; Taylor, M K; Lee, N R; Spoeth, S; Robinson, A; Smith, K; Johnston, J; McElroy, L

2009-09-01

To describe the application of seven core principles to the design and evaluation of a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing social marketing campaign as a case study example. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) used a structured social marketing approach, informed by the Ecological Model, the Theory of Planned Behaviour and the Health Belief Model, to develop and evaluate a two-city campaign with print, radio and outdoor advertising; HIV telephone hotlines; an HIV website; community partnerships; and events to promote information seeking and HIV testing. The CDC applied seven core principles to design and evaluate the campaign, including formative research, the use of behavioural theories, audience segmentation, message design and pretesting, channel selection, process evaluation and outcome evaluation. Over 200 partners in both cities contributed significantly to campaign efforts. Key informant interviews indicated that, due to increased coordination, city infrastructures for HIV testing improved. More than 9600 individuals attended campaign events in both cities, with 1492 rapid HIV tests administered and 14 newly-identified HIV individuals. Overall, event attendees responded positively to campaign materials and events, and free HIV testing opportunities. The campaign significantly increased information-seeking behaviours in the form of hotline calls and web searches. Audience reaction and receptivity to the final campaign materials was very high. Exposure to campaign messages was associated with increases in key knowledge items, intentions to get tested, and peer-to-peer communication. The seven core principles, including formative research, behavioural theories and extensive partnerships, acted synergistically to help a campaign reach its target audience with compelling, relevant messages and motivate them to seek information and get an HIV test. Rapid testing removes many barriers by providing a testing process that can be accessed and acted upon quickly in response to media exposure. Findings suggest that modifying the campaign in future implementations to encourage the target audience to attend and participate in rapid testing events, while expanding the number and reach of such events, may have considerable potential to measurably increase testing behaviours.

The Use of Thermal Remote Sensing to Study Thermodynamics of Ecosystem Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Luvall, Jeffrey C.; Rickman, Doug L.; Arnold, James E. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Thermal remote sensing can provide environmental measuring tools with capabilities for measuring ecosystem development and integrity. Recent advances in applying principles of nonequilibrium thermodynamics to ecology provide fundamental insights into energy partitioning in ecosystems. Ecosystems are nonequilibrium systems, open to material and energy flows, which grow and develop structures and processes to increase energy degradation. More developed terrestrial ecosystems will be more effective at dissipating the solar gradient (degrading its energy content). This can be measured by the effective surface temperature of the ecosystem on a landscape scale. A series of airborne thermal infrared multispectral scanner data were collected from several forested ecosystems ranging from a western US douglas-fir forest to a tropical rain forest in Costa Rica. These data were used to develop measures of ecosystem development and integrity based on surface temperature.

Thermal Remote Sensing and the Thermodynamics of Ecosystems Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Luvall, Jeffrey C.; Kay, James J.; Fraser, Roydon F.; Goodman, H. Michael (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Thermal remote sensing can provide environmental measuring tools with capabilities for measuring ecosystem development and integrity. Recent advances in applying principles of nonequilibrium thermodynamics to ecology provide fundamental insights into energy partitioning in ecosystems. Ecosystems are nonequilibrium systems, open to material and energy flows, which grow and develop structures and processes to increase energy degradation. More developed terrestrial ecosystems will be more effective at dissipating the solar gradient (degrading its energy content). This can be measured by the effective surface temperature of the ecosystem on a landscape scale. A series of airborne thermal infrared multispectral scanner data were collected from several forested ecosystems ranging from a western US douglas-fir forest to a tropical rain forest in Costa Rica. Also measured were agriculture systems. These data were used to develop measures of ecosystem development and integrity based on surface temperature.

Meta-analysis in applied ecology.

PubMed

Stewart, Gavin

2010-02-23

This overview examines research synthesis in applied ecology and conservation. Vote counting and pooling unweighted averages are widespread despite the superiority of syntheses based on weighted combination of effects. Such analyses allow exploration of methodological uncertainty in addition to consistency of effects across species, space and time, but exploring heterogeneity remains controversial. Meta-analyses are required to generalize in ecology, and to inform evidence-based decision-making, but the more sophisticated statistical techniques and registers of research used in other disciplines must be employed in ecology to fully realize their benefits.

Biology Notes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

School Science Review, 1977

1977-01-01

Includes procedures for demonstrating anaerobic respiration in peas, isolating virgin Drosophila females, solving mortality problems in young gerbils, measuring dissolved oxygen, constructing models for transpiration and DNA molecules, freezing chick embryos, mixing nutrient media, illustrating Darwinian ecological principles, and detecting…

Greenhouse warming and landscape care

Treesearch

Kevin T. Smith

2009-01-01

Climate change is one of the few truly planetary processes that influence the assessments and actions of governments and of everyday citizens. Principles and practices of ecological landscaping fit well with concern about hte effects of climate change.

Insects--How To Study Them

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, E. G.

1975-01-01

Describes an approach to the study of entomology directed at people with no special knowledge of insects. The aim of this approach is to reveal some biological principles by studying insects from an ecological point of view. (GS)

Summer School in Deep Ecology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Macmillan, Catherine Hume

1995-01-01

Describes one teacher's experiences at the Institute for Deep Ecology Education (IDEE) Summer School in Applied Deep Ecology. Reviews the program offered and the focus on interactive, experiential activities. (LZ)

The information science of microbial ecology.

PubMed

Hahn, Aria S; Konwar, Kishori M; Louca, Stilianos; Hanson, Niels W; Hallam, Steven J

2016-06-01

A revolution is unfolding in microbial ecology where petabytes of 'multi-omics' data are produced using next generation sequencing and mass spectrometry platforms. This cornucopia of biological information has enormous potential to reveal the hidden metabolic powers of microbial communities in natural and engineered ecosystems. However, to realize this potential, the development of new technologies and interpretative frameworks grounded in ecological design principles are needed to overcome computational and analytical bottlenecks. Here we explore the relationship between microbial ecology and information science in the era of cloud-based computation. We consider microorganisms as individual information processing units implementing a distributed metabolic algorithm and describe developments in ecoinformatics and ubiquitous computing with the potential to eliminate bottlenecks and empower knowledge creation and translation. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Applying principles from safety science to improve child protection.

PubMed

Cull, Michael J; Rzepnicki, Tina L; O'Day, Kathryn; Epstein, Richard A

2013-01-01

Child Protective Services Agencies (CPSAs) share many characteristics with other organizations operating in high-risk, high-profile industries. Over the past 50 years, industries as diverse as aviation, nuclear power, and healthcare have applied principles from safety science to improve practice. The current paper describes the rationale, characteristics, and challenges of applying concepts from the safety culture literature to CPSAs. Preliminary efforts to apply key principles aimed at improving child safety and well-being in two states are also presented.

Appropriate rehabilitation strategy for a traditional irrigation supply system: a case from the Babai area in Nepal.

PubMed

Adhikari, B; Verhoeven, R; Troch, P

2009-01-01

This paper studies primary canals of three traditional irrigation systems in the southern plains of Nepal. It offers a scientific interpretation of the indigenous technology applied to the systems, which facilitates to use the same channel network for irrigation, drainage and flood management. The flood management technology of the farmers by diverting as much discharge as possible to the field channels results in the reduction of discharge towards the downstream part of the main channel. It is depicted in the simulation study that uses the river analysis program HEC-RAS 4.0. A cascade of weirs is found to be the most cost effective and user-friendly option to upgrade these systems preserving the existing irrigation, drainage as well as flood management functions. This study suggests that the conventional irrigation design principles should be applied very cautiously with full knowledge of the existing socio-institutional setting, hydro-ecological regime and indigenous technology for upgrading any traditional irrigation system successfully. The indigenous flood management technology strengthens the emerging concept that the floods in the Ganges plain are to be managed, not controlled.

Ecological psychology and social psychology: it is Holt, or nothing!

PubMed

Charles, Eric P

2011-03-01

What is the greatest contribution that ecological psychologists can offer social psychology? Ideally, ecological psychologists could explain how people directly perceive the unique properties of their social partners. But social partners are distinguished from mundane objects because they possess mental traits, and tradition tells us that minds cannot be seen. When considering the ideal possibility, we reject that doctrine and posit minds as perceivable. For ecological psychology, this entails asserting that minds are the types of things able to structure ambient energy. Contemporary research and theory suggests distinctly ecological ways of attacking this problem, but the problem is not new. Almost 100 years ago, Holt argued for the visibility of minds. Thus when considering these ideas, ecological psychologists face a choice that is at once about their future and their past. Extending ecological psychology's first principles into the social realm, we come to the point where we must either accept or reject Holt's arguments, and the wider context they bring. In doing so, we accept or reject our ability to study the uniquely social.

Le Chatelier's Principle in Sensation and Perception: Fractal-Like Enfolding at Different Scales

PubMed Central

Norwich, Kenneth H.

2010-01-01

Le Chatelier's principle asserts that a disturbance, when applied to a resting system may drive the system away from its equilibrium state, but will invoke a countervailing influence that will counteract the effect of the disturbance. When applied to the field of sensation and perception, a generalized stimulus will displace the system from equilibrium, and a generalized adaptation process will serve as the countervailing influence tending to reduce the impact of the stimulus. The principle applies at all levels, from the behavioral to the neural, the larger enfolding the smaller in fractal-like form. Le Chatelier's principle, so applied, leads to the unification of many concepts in sensory science. Ideas as diverse as sensory adaptation, reflex arcs, and simple deductive logic can be brought under the umbrella of a single orienting principle. Beyond unification, this principle allows us to approach many questions in pathophysiology from a different perspective. For example, we find new direction toward the reduction of phantom-limb pain and possibly of vertigo. PMID:21423359

Emerging Concepts for Integrating Human and Environmental Water Needs in River Basin Management

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-09-01

SCOWAR concluded (Naiman et al . 2002 ): “the major challenge to freshwater management is to place water resource development within the context of...rate. It has been suggested (Naiman et al . 2002 ) that there are three overarching ecological principles for water resources management. These are...been expanded into another six key principles by Bunn and Arthington ( 2002 ), Nilsson and Svedmark ( 2002 ), and Pinay et al . ( 2002 ): a. Flow is a major

The Way: An Ecological World-view.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldsmith, Edward

1988-01-01

Proposes a world view or cosmology in the form of 67 laws or principles which are seen by some as governing the Cosmos and the cosmological process. Defines the Cosmos in terms of the ecosphere or Gaia. (CW)

Ecological periodic tables: In principle and practice

EPA Science Inventory

The chemical periodic table, the Linnaean system of classification and the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram are iconic information organizing structure in chemistry, biology and astronomy, respectively, because they are simple, exceptionally useful and they foster the expansion of sci...

Earth's Earliest Ecosystems in the Classroom: The Use of Microbial Mats to Teach General Principles in Microbial Ecology, and Scientific Inquiry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beboutl, Brad M.; Bucaria, Robin

2004-01-01

Microbial mats are living examples of the most ancient biological communities on earth, and may also be useful models for the search for life elsewhere. They are centrally important to Astrobiology. In this lecture, we will present an introduction to microbial mats, as well as an introduction to our web-based educational module on the subject of microbial ecology, featuring living mats maintained in a mini "Web Lab" complete with remotely-operable instrumentation. We have partnered with a number of outreach specialists in order to produce an informative and educational web-based presentation, aspects of which will be exported to museum exhibits reaching a wide audience. On our web site, we will conduct regularly scheduled experimental manipulations, linking the experiments to our research activities, and demonstrating fundamental principles of scientific research.

Detection of Extraterrestrial Ecology (Exoecology)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Harry; DeVincenzi, Donald L. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Researchers in the Astrobiology Technology Branch at Ames Research Center have begun investigating alternate concepts for the detection of extraterrestrial life. We suggest searching for extraterrestrial ecology, exoecology, as well as for extraterrestrial biology, exobiology. Ecology describes the interactions of living things with their environment. All ecosystems are highly constrained by their environment and are constrained by well-known system design principles. Ecology could exist wherever there is an energy source and living I things have discovered some means to capture, store, and use the available energy. Terrestrial ecosystems use as energy sources, light, organic molecules, and in thermal vents and elsewhere, simple inorganic molecules. Ecosystem behavior is controlled by matter and energy conservation laws and can be described by linear and nonlinear dynamic systems theory. Typically in an ecosystem different molecules are not in chemical equilibrium and scarce material is conserved, stored, or recycled. Temporal cycles and spatial variations are often observed. These and other -eneral principles of exoecology can help guide the search for extraterrestrial life. The chemical structure observed in terrestrial biology may be highly contingent on evolutionary accidents. Oxygen was not always abundant on Earth. Primitive sulfur bacteria use hydrogen sulfide and sulfur to perform photosynthesis instead of water and oxygen. Astrobiologists have assumed, for the sake of narrowing and focusing our life detection strategies, that extraterrestrial life will have detailed chemical similarities with terrestrial life. Such assumptions appear very reasonable and they allow us to design specific and highly sensitive life detection experiments. But the fewer assumptions we make, the less chance we have of being entirely wrong The best strategy for the detection of extraterrestrial life could be a mixed strategy. We should use detailed assumptions based on terrestrial biology to guide some but not all future searches for alien life. The systems principles of exoecology seem much more fundamental and inescapable than the terrestrial biology analogies of exobiology. We should search for exoecology as well as exobiology.

[The principle of the energy minimum in ontogeny and the channeling of developmental processes].

PubMed

Ozerniuk, N D

1989-01-01

The principle of minimum of energy in ontogenesis has been formulated on the basis of data concerning age changes in energetic metabolism, as well as the influence of ecological factors on this process. According to this principle the smallest expenditures of energy are observed in the zone of the most favorable developmental conditions. The minimal level of energetic metabolism at every developmental stage that corresponds to the most stable state of organism is treated as homeostasis and the developmental stability is treated as homeorrhesis. Regulation mechanisms of energetic metabolism during ontogenesis and under the influence of environmental factors are analyzed.

Report on the Recommended Method to Measure the Carbon Footprint of a USCG Vessel

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

Sector Standard applies the principles of financial accounting and reporting to ensure the accurate account of an agency’s GHG emissions. These...applies the principles of financial accounting and reporting to ensure the accurate account of an agency’s GHG emissions. These principles include

Judo principles and practices: applications to conflict-solving strategies in psychotherapy.

PubMed

Gleser, J; Brown, P

1988-07-01

Jigoro Kano created judo from ju-jitsu techniques. He realized that the Ju principle of both judo and ju-jitsu as the art of yielding, was that of living and changing. The principle of yielding has been applied in dynamic and directive psychotherapies for many years and was recently linked to the Ju principle in martial arts. After several years of using a modified judo practice as a therapeutic tool, and applying the principle of yielding as a dynamic conflict-solving strategy, the authors discovered judo principles applicable to conflict solving, particularly for regressed and violent psychotic patients.

Applications of the principle of maximum entropy: from physics to ecology.

PubMed

Banavar, Jayanth R; Maritan, Amos; Volkov, Igor

2010-02-17

There are numerous situations in physics and other disciplines which can be described at different levels of detail in terms of probability distributions. Such descriptions arise either intrinsically as in quantum mechanics, or because of the vast amount of details necessary for a complete description as, for example, in Brownian motion and in many-body systems. We show that an application of the principle of maximum entropy for estimating the underlying probability distribution can depend on the variables used for describing the system. The choice of characterization of the system carries with it implicit assumptions about fundamental attributes such as whether the system is classical or quantum mechanical or equivalently whether the individuals are distinguishable or indistinguishable. We show that the correct procedure entails the maximization of the relative entropy subject to known constraints and, additionally, requires knowledge of the behavior of the system in the absence of these constraints. We present an application of the principle of maximum entropy to understanding species diversity in ecology and introduce a new statistical ensemble corresponding to the distribution of a variable population of individuals into a set of species not defined a priori.

Planning and design of Berg-en-Dal, a new camp in Kruger National Park

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Riet, W. F.; Cooks, J.

1990-05-01

The premise of this article is that the planning and design of new rest camps in conservation areas should be based on ecological principles in such a way that the plant ecology within the camp be an integral part and extension of the natural ecology of its immediate vicinity. This is desirable so that visitors to the camp will be provided not only with facilities for resting, eating, and sleeping, but also be able to enjoy and study the natural environment in a relaxed atmosphere. The Berg-en-Dal rest camp, which was established in Kruger National Park, was planned in such a way and designed according to the principles outlined by the authors in a companion article. The planning included six zones: a control zone, day visitor zone, overnight visitor zone, staff accommodation zone, recreation zone, and service zone. The point is stressed that plant species selected to be used as additional vegetation to those already growing in the camp were endemic to the nine landscape facets identified in the camp. The design allowed for separation of the various land-use zones in such a way that they would complement each other rather than be a hindrance to each other. The camp has been built according to the plans included in this article and has proved to be a great success. The conclusion is drawn that the planning principles are sound and should be used in the future for the planning and design of rest camps for conservation areas in South Africa.

Estimation of carbon sequestration in China’s forests induced by atmospheric wet nitrogen deposition using the principles of ecological stoichiometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Jianxing; He, Nianpeng; Zhang, Jiahui; Wang, Qiufeng; Zhao, Ning; Jia, Yanlong; Ge, Jianping; Yu, Guirui

2017-11-01

The worldwide development of industry and agriculture has generated noticeable increases in atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition, significantly altering the global N cycle. These changes might affect the global carbon (C) cycle by enhancing forest C sequestration. Here, we used a series of datasets from eight typical forests along the north-south transect of eastern China (NSTEC). These datasets contained information on community structure, C and N concentrations in the soil and the organs (leaf, branch, stem, and fine-root) of 877 plant species, and atmospheric wet N deposition. Using the biomass weighting method, we scaled up the C:N ratios from the organ level to the ecosystem level, and evaluated the C sequestration rate (CSRN) in response to wet N deposition and N use efficiency (NUE) in China’s forests based on the principles of ecological stoichiometry. Our results showed that atmospheric wet N deposition had a modest impact on forest C storage. Specifically, mean CSRN was estimated as 231 kg C ha-1 yr-1 (range: 32.7-507.1 kg C ha-1 yr-1), accounting for 2.1% of NPP and 4.6% of NEP at the ecosystem level. The NUEeco of atmospheric N deposition ranged from 9.6-27.7 kg C kg-1 N, and increased with increasing latitude from subtropical to cold-temperate forests in China (P < 0.05). This study provides a new approach for estimating the effect of atmospheric deposition on forest C sequestration based on the principles of ecological stoichiometry.

Quantitative real-time PCR approaches for microbial community studies in wastewater treatment systems: applications and considerations.

PubMed

Kim, Jaai; Lim, Juntaek; Lee, Changsoo

2013-12-01

Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) has been widely used in recent environmental microbial ecology studies as a tool for detecting and quantifying microorganisms of interest, which aids in better understandings of the complexity of wastewater microbial communities. Although qPCR can be used to provide more specific and accurate quantification than other molecular techniques, it does have limitations that must be considered when applying it in practice. This article reviews the principle of qPCR quantification and its applications to microbial ecology studies in various wastewater treatment environments. Here we also address several limitations of qPCR-based approaches that can affect the validity of quantification data: template nucleic acid quality, nucleic acid extraction efficiency, specificity of group-specific primers and probes, amplification of nonviable DNA, gene copy number variation, and limited number of sequences in the database. Even with such limitations, qPCR is reportedly among the best methods for quantitatively investigating environmental microbial communities. The application of qPCR is and will continue to be increasingly common in studies of wastewater treatment systems. To obtain reliable analyses, however, the limitations that have often been overlooked must be carefully considered when interpreting the results. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The danger within: the role of genetic, behavioural and ecological factors in population persistence of colour polymorphic species.

PubMed

Bolton, Peri E; Rollins, Lee A; Griffith, Simon C

2015-06-01

Polymorphic species have been the focus of important work in evolutionary biology. It has been suggested that colour polymorphic species have specific evolutionary and population dynamics that enable them to persist through environmental changes better than less variable species. We suggest that recent empirical and theoretical work indicates that polymorphic species may be more vulnerable to extinction than previously thought. This vulnerability arises because these species often have a number of correlated sexual, behavioural, life history and ecological traits, which can have a simple genetic underpinning. When exacerbated by environmental change, these alternate strategies can lead to conflict between morphs at the genomic and population levels, which can directly or indirectly affect population and evolutionary dynamics. In this perspective, we identify a number of ways in which the nature of the correlated traits, their underpinning genetic architecture, and the inevitable interactions between colour morphs can result in a reduction in population fitness. The principles illustrated here apply to all kinds of discrete polymorphism (e.g. behavioural syndromes), but we focus primarily on colour polymorphism because they are well studied. We urge further empirical investigation of the genetic architecture and interactions in polymorphic species to elucidate the impact on population fitness. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

[Effects of land use structure change on regional ecological health--taking Shapingba County as an example].

PubMed

Wang, Cheng; Wei, Chaofu; Gao, Ming; Luo, Guanglian; Jiang, Wei

2005-12-01

Land resource is the carrier for the exchange of matter, energy and information flows, while the change velocity and the intensity of land use has strong effects on the ecological processes such as matter circulation, energy flow, and biologic diversity. Land use structure change will alter the type, area, and spatial distribution of ecosystem, and in the meantime, result in the changes of regional ecological health. Employing the principles and methods of landscape ecology, and through endowing relative ecological value to land use type, this paper analyzed the charaeteristics of recent 10 years land use change in Shapingba County of Chongqing, and discussed the effects of land use change on regional ecological health, aimed to provide scientific references for land use planning and sustainable land resource utilization. The results indicated that transformation often occurred among different land use types, and the land use structure in each transformation phase differed quite obviously. Under different land use structure, there was a great disparity in relative ecological value of sub-ecosystems, which played various roles in regional ecological health. In general, the regional relative ecological value embodied both increase and decrease. In the future, the relative ecological value of sub-ecosystem would represent three tendencies, i.e., increase first and decrease then, continuous decrease, and continuous increase. The situation of regional ecological health would gradually become better.

Some considerations on the definition of risk based on concepts of systems theory and probability.

PubMed

Andretta, Massimo

2014-07-01

The concept of risk has been applied in many modern science and technology fields. Despite its successes in many applicative fields, there is still not a well-established vision and universally accepted definition of the principles and fundamental concepts of the risk assessment discipline. As emphasized recently, the risk fields suffer from a lack of clarity on their scientific bases that can define, in a unique theoretical framework, the general concepts in the different areas of application. The aim of this article is to make suggestions for another perspective of risk definition that could be applied and, in a certain sense, generalize some of the previously known definitions (at least in the fields of technical and scientific applications). By drawing on my experience of risk assessment in different applicative situations (particularly in the risk estimation for major industrial accidents, and in the health and ecological risk assessment for contaminated sites), I would like to revise some general and foundational concepts of risk analysis in as consistent a manner as possible from the axiomatic/deductive point of view. My proposal is based on the fundamental concepts of the systems theory and of the probability. In this way, I try to frame, in a single, broad, and general theoretical context some fundamental concepts and principles applicable in many different fields of risk assessment. I hope that this article will contribute to the revitalization and stimulation of useful discussions and new insights into the key issues and theoretical foundations of risk assessment disciplines. © 2013 Society for Risk Analysis.

Ecological periodic tables: In principle and practice - Janury 2012

EPA Science Inventory

The chemical periodic table, the Linnaean system of classification and the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram are iconic information organizing structures in chemistry, biology and astronomy, respectively, because they are simple, exceptionally useful and they foster the expansion of sc...

Risk Assessment Guidance for Superfund (RAGS) Volume III: Part A

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA's Risk Assessment Guidance for Superfund (RAGS) Volume 3A provides policies and guiding principles on the application of probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) methods to human health and ecological risk assessment in the EPA Superfund Program.

IMPROVING THE TMDL PROCESS USING WATERSHED RISK ASSESSMENT PRINCIPLES

EPA Science Inventory

Watershed ecological risk assessment (WERA) evaluates potential causal relationships between multiple sources and stressors and impacts on valued ecosystem components. This has many similarities tothe placed-based analuses that are undertaken to develop total maximum daily loads...

Our microbial selves: what ecology can teach us

PubMed Central

Gonzalez, Antonio; Clemente, Jose C; Shade, Ashley; Metcalf, Jessica L; Song, Sejin; Prithiviraj, Bharath; Palmer, Brent E; Knight, Rob

2011-01-01

Advances in DNA sequencing have allowed us to characterize microbial communities—including those associated with the human body—at a broader range of spatial and temporal scales than ever before. We can now answer fundamental questions that were previously inaccessible and use well-tested ecological theories to gain insight into changes in the microbiome that are associated with normal development and human disease. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the ecosystems associated with our body follow trends identified in communities at other sites and scales, and thus studies of the microbiome benefit from ecological insight. Here, we assess human microbiome research in the context of ecological principles and models, focusing on diversity, biological drivers of community structure, spatial patterning and temporal dynamics, and suggest key directions for future research that will bring us closer to the goal of building predictive models for personalized medicine. PMID:21720391

An ecological approach to promoting population mental health and well-being--a response to the challenge of climate change.

PubMed

Nurse, Jo; Basher, Damian; Bone, Angie; Bird, William

2010-01-01

Climate change can be viewed as human-induced change to climate and depletion of natural systems. It potentially the biggest global health threat of the 21st century. It is predicted to have wide-ranging impacts upon human mental health and well-being, through changes and challenges to people's environment, socioeconomic structures and physical security. Even the most conservative estimates of the health impacts are extremely alarming. Increasingly, the causes of poor human health and environmental damage are related. This implies that there are common solutions. For example, there are co-benefits to human health and biodiversity from mitigating and adapting to climate change (e.g. promoting active transport and reducing car use reduces CO2 emissions, benefits our environment and reduces morbidity and mortality associated with a sedentary lifestyle). This article outlines how climate change impacts upon mental health and well-being. It introduces ecological concepts, applies these to public health and outlines their implications in transforming the way that we prioritize and deliver public health in order to promote both environmental and human health. Evidence, from psychology and neuroscience, suggests that the perception of being disconnected from our inner selves, from each other and from our environment has contributed to poor mental and physical health. We argue that we must transform the way we understand mental health and well-being and integrate it into action against climate change. We describe a Public Health Framework for Developing Well-Being, based on the principles of ecological public health.

From environmental to ecological ethics: toward a practical ethics for ecologists and conservationists.

PubMed

Minteer, Ben A; Collins, James P

2008-12-01

Ecological research and conservation practice frequently raise difficult and varied ethical questions for scientific investigators and managers, including duties to public welfare, nonhuman individuals (i.e., animals and plants), populations, and ecosystems. The field of environmental ethics has contributed much to the understanding of general duties and values to nature, but it has not developed the resources to address the diverse and often unique practical concerns of ecological researchers and managers in the field, lab, and conservation facility. The emerging field of "ecological ethics" is a practical or scientific ethics that offers a superior approach to the ethical dilemmas of the ecologist and conservation manager. Even though ecological ethics necessarily draws from the principles and commitments of mainstream environmental ethics, it is normatively pluralistic, including as well the frameworks of animal, research, and professional ethics. It is also methodologically pragmatic, focused on the practical problems of researchers and managers and informed by these problems in turn. The ecological ethics model offers environmental scientists and practitioners a useful analytical tool for identifying, clarifying, and harmonizing values and positions in challenging ecological research and management situations. Just as bioethics provides a critical intellectual and problem-solving service to the biomedical community, ecological ethics can help inform and improve ethical decision making in the ecology and conservation communities.

Integrating models with data in ecology and palaeoecology: advances towards a model-data fusion approach.

PubMed

Peng, Changhui; Guiot, Joel; Wu, Haibin; Jiang, Hong; Luo, Yiqi

2011-05-01

It is increasingly being recognized that global ecological research requires novel methods and strategies in which to combine process-based ecological models and data in cohesive, systematic ways. Model-data fusion (MDF) is an emerging area of research in ecology and palaeoecology. It provides a new quantitative approach that offers a high level of empirical constraint over model predictions based on observations using inverse modelling and data assimilation (DA) techniques. Increasing demands to integrate model and data methods in the past decade has led to MDF utilization in palaeoecology, ecology and earth system sciences. This paper reviews key features and principles of MDF and highlights different approaches with regards to DA. After providing a critical evaluation of the numerous benefits of MDF and its current applications in palaeoecology (i.e., palaeoclimatic reconstruction, palaeovegetation and palaeocarbon storage) and ecology (i.e. parameter and uncertainty estimation, model error identification, remote sensing and ecological forecasting), the paper discusses method limitations, current challenges and future research direction. In the ongoing data-rich era of today's world, MDF could become an important diagnostic and prognostic tool in which to improve our understanding of ecological processes while testing ecological theory and hypotheses and forecasting changes in ecosystem structure, function and services. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd/CNRS.

Practicing Finding the Spaces Available within the Educational Situation--An Essay Review of "John Dewey and Education Outdoors: Making Sense of the 'Educational Situation' through More than a Century of Progressive Reform"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ware, Molly Noelle

2015-01-01

In this piece, I begin by reviewing and summarizing the book "John Dewey and Education Outdoors" by John Quay and Jayson Seaman. After an overview of the authors' work, I use nuanced presumptions within the authors' work to explore how principles of ecology (complexity theory), principles of embodied movement practices such as…

Incorporating global components into ethics education.

PubMed

Wang, George; Thompson, Russell G

2013-03-01

Ethics is central to science and engineering. Young engineers need to be grounded in how corporate social responsibility principles can be applied to engineering organizations to better serve the broader community. This is crucial in times of climate change and ecological challenges where the vulnerable can be impacted by engineering activities. Taking a global perspective in ethics education will help ensure that scientists and engineers can make a more substantial contribution to development throughout the world. This paper presents the importance of incorporating the global and cross culture components in the ethic education. The authors bring up a question to educators on ethics education in science and engineering in the globalized world, and its importance, necessity, and impendency. The paper presents several methods for discussion that can be used to identify the differences in ethics standards and practices in different countries; enhance the student's knowledge of ethics in a global arena.

[Provision of a legal framework for ecological animal husbandry].

PubMed

Henning, M

1998-08-01

Since 1991 the Regulation (EEC) no. 2092/91 on organic production of agricultural products is applied for plants and plant products. Because of the increasing consumer's demand this regulation has to be supplemented by the area of livestock production. At present an amended commission proposal is discussed which also includes the amendments of the European Parliament. Besides the general principles of livestock production in organic farming the conversion periods from conventional to organic farming, the origin of the animals, feed and supplements, veterinary treatments as well as housing conditions for livestock are described. The negotiations in Brussels will have to achieve a compromise which gives a clear distinction from conventional livestock production, and which allows as many farms as possible, that are producing according to the rules of organic farming under various conditions within the EU member states, to proceed with minor adaptations to the new regulation.

Analysis of a Fishery Model with two competing prey species in the presence of a predator species for Optimal Harvesting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sutimin; Khabibah, Siti; Munawwaroh, Dita Anis

2018-02-01

A harvesting fishery model is proposed to analyze the effects of the presence of red devil fish population, as a predator in an ecosystem. In this paper, we consider an ecological model of three species by taking into account two competing species and presence of a predator (red devil), the third species, which incorporates the harvesting efforts of each fish species. The stability of the dynamical system is discussed and the existence of biological and bionomic equilibrium is examined. The optimal harvest policy is studied and the solution is derived in the equilibrium case applying Pontryagin's maximal principle. The simulation results is presented to simulate the dynamical behavior of the model and show that the optimal equilibrium solution is globally asymptotically stable. The results show that the optimal harvesting effort is obtained regarding to bionomic and biological equilibrium.

Prototypes, Exemplars, and the Natural History of Categorization

PubMed Central

Smith, J. David

2013-01-01

The article explores—from a utility/adaptation perspective—the role of prototype and exemplar processes in categorization. The author surveys important category tasks within the categorization literature from the perspective of the optimality of applying prototype and exemplar processes. Formal simulations reveal that organisms will often (not always!) receive more useful signals about category belongingness if they average their exemplar experience into a prototype and use this as the comparative standard for categorization. This survey then provides the theoretical context for considering the evolution of cognitive systems for categorization. In the article’s final sections, the author reviews recent research on the performance of nonhuman primates and humans in the tasks analyzed in the article. Diverse species share operating principles, default commitments, and processing weaknesses in categorization. From these commonalities, it may be possible to infer some properties of the categorization ecology these species generally experienced during cognitive evolution. PMID:24005828

MAUVE: A New Strategy for Solving and Grading Physics Problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hill, Nicole Breanne

2016-05-01

MAUVE (magnitude, answer, units, variables, and equations) is a framework and rubric to help students and teachers through the process of clearly solving and assessing solutions to introductory physics problems. Success in introductory physics often derives from an understanding of units, a command over dimensional analysis, and good bookkeeping. I developed MAUVE for an introductory-level environmental physics course as an easy-to-remember checklist to help students construct organized and thoughtful solutions to physics problems. Environmental physics is a core physics course for environmental and sustainability science (ESS) majors that teaches principles of radiation, thermodynamics, and mechanics within the context of the environment and sustainable energy systems. ESS student concentrations include environmental biology, applied ecology, biogeochemistry, and natural resources. The MAUVE rubric, inspired by nature, has encouraged my students to produce legible and tactical work, and has significantly clarified the grading process.

Study benefit value of utilization water resources for energy and sustainable environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juniah, Restu; Sastradinata, Marwan

2017-11-01

Referring to the concept of sustainable development, the environment is said to be sustainable if the fulfillment of three pillars of development that is economic, social and ecological or the environment itself. The environment can sustained in the principle of ecology or basic principles of environmental science, when the three environmental components, namely the natural environment, the artificial environment (the built environment) and the social environment can be aligned for sustainability. The natural environment in this study is the water resources, the artificial environment is micro hydroelectric power generation (MHPG), and the social environment is the community living around the MHPG. The existence of MHPG is intended for the sustainability of special electrical energy for areas not yet reached by electricity derived from the state electricity company (SEC). The utilization of MHPG Singalaga in South Ogan Komering Ulu (OKUS) district is not only intended for economic, ecological, and social sustainability in Southern OKU district especially those who live in Singalaga Village, Kisam Tinggi District. This paper discusses the economic, ecological and social benefits of water resources utilization in Southern OKU District for MHPG Singalaga. The direct economic benefits that arise for people living around MHPG Singalaga is the cost incurred by the community for the use of electricity is less than if the community uses electricity coming from outside the MHPG. The cost to society in the form of dues amounting to IDR 15,000 a month / household. Social benefits with the absorption of manpower to manage the MHPG is chairman, secretary and 3 members, while the ecological benefits of water resources and sustainable energy as well as the community while maintaining the natural vegetation that is located around the MHPG for the continuity of water resources.

The nature of dissection: Exploring student conceptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

York, Katharine

The model of conceptual change in science describes the process of learning as a complete restructuring of knowledge, when learners discover or are shown more plausible, intelligent alternatives to existing conceptions. Emotions have been acknowledged as part of a learner's conceptual ecology, but the effects of emotions on learning have yet to be described. This research was conducted to examine the role that emotions have on learning for thirteen high school students, as they dissected cats in a Human Anatomy and Physiology class. The project also investigated whether a student's emotional reactions may be used to develop a sense of connectedness with the nonhuman world, which is defined as ecological literacy. This study utilized a grounded theory approach, in which student responses to interviews were the primary source of data. Interviews were transcribed, and responses were coded according to a constant comparative method of analysis. Responses were compared with the four conditions necessary for conceptual change to occur, and also to five principles of ecological literacy. Students who had negative reactions to dissection participated less in the activity, and demonstrated less conceptual change. Two female students showed the strongest emotional reactions to dissection, and also the lowest amount of conceptual change. One male student also had strong negative reactions to death, and showed no conceptual change. The dissection experiences of the students in this study did not generally reflect ecological principles. The two students whose emotional reactions to dissection were the most negative demonstrated the highest degree of ecological literacy. These results provide empirical evidence of the effects that emotions have on learning, and also supports the opinions of educators who do not favor dissection, because it does not teach students to respect all forms of life.

The Thinking Parent: Understanding and Guiding Your Child.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stokes, Anne

Noting that the principles of good child rearing that apply to very young children are the foundation of the principles that deal with older children, this book translates those early foundational principles and applies them to the kindergarten through grade six child. The material uses a common sense approach that acknowledges the uniqueness of…

Application of the principle of similarity fluid mechanics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hendericks, R. C.; Sengers, J. V.

1979-01-01

The principle of similarity applied to fluid mechanics is described and illustrated. The concept of transforming the conservation equations by combining similarity principles for thermophysical properties with those for fluid flow is examined. The usefulness of the procedure is illustrated by applying such a transformation to calculate two phase critical mass flow through a nozzle.

BRIDGES: Evolution of basic and applied linkages in benthic science

USGS Publications Warehouse

Aumen, Nicholas G.; Gurtz, Martin E.; Barbour, Michael T.; Moerke, Ashley

2010-01-01

Growing awareness of environmental degradation resulted in stricter environmental regulations and laws for aquatic ecosystems. These regulations were followed by an increase in applied research and monitoring beginning in the early 1970s. The number of applied scientists who were members of the North American Benthological Society grew at a commensurate rate. The editors of J-NABS recognized that, despite these increases, submitted manuscripts mostly addressed basic science. In response, the BRIDGES section of J-NABS was created in 1994 to provide a forum for linking basic ecological principles to applied science problems and issues. We examined the emergence of applied science topics in J-NABS and its predecessor, Freshwater Invertebrate Biology, from their beginning in 1982 to 2009. We classified papers among 11 categories that included a basic/applied science linkage. In the 1980s, applied papers were predominantly on effects of eutrophication/pollution and landuse changes. When BRIDGES was established in 1994, papers were solicited by editors and BRIDGES sections usually included >1 paper on a common theme to express complementary or alternate viewpoints. Forty-two papers appeared in BRIDGES between 1994 and 2009, but the number per issue declined after 2001. The total number of applied science papers in J-NABS has increased since ∼1994. Citation analysis of BRIDGES papers illustrates how information is being cited, but applied papers often are used in ways that might not lead to citations. BRIDGES transitioned to a new format in September 2009 to address new types of complex, multifaceted linkages. All new BRIDGES articles will be open access, and authors will be encouraged to produce lay-language fact sheets and to post them on the web.

Applying lean management principles to the creation of a postpartum hemorrhage care bundle.

PubMed

Faulkner, Beth

2013-10-01

A lean management process is a set of interventions, each of which creates value for the customer. Lean management is not a new concept, but is relatively new to health care. Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is the most common cause of maternal death worldwide in both developing and developed countries. We applied lean management principles as an innovative approach to improving outcomes in patients with PPH. Initial results using principles of lean management indicated significant improvements in response time and family-centered care. When applied rigorously and throughout the organization, lean principles can have a dramatic effect on productivity, cost and quality. © 2013 AWHONN.

Integrated Ecology: The Process of Counseling with Nature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohen, Michael J.

1994-01-01

Discusses the theory behind an applied ecopsychology program based on Integrated Ecology. Integrated Ecology uses personal sensory contact with natural areas, in backyards, parks, or back country to unleash natural ability to relate and survive responsibly. (LZ)

Principles for ecological classification

Treesearch

Dennis H. Grossman; Patrick Bourgeron; Wolf-Dieter N. Busch; David T. Cleland; William Platts; G. Ray; C. Robins; Gary Roloff

1999-01-01

The principal purpose of any classification is to relate common properties among different entities to facilitate understanding of evolutionary and adaptive processes. In the context of this volume, it is to facilitate ecosystem stewardship, i.e., to help support ecosystem conservation and management objectives.

Integrating Landscape Ecology into Natural Resource Management - Series: Cambridge Studies in Landscape Ecology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jianguo Liu, Edited By; Taylor, William W.

2002-08-01

The rapidly increasing global population has dramatically increased the demands for natural resources and has caused significant changes in quantity and quality of natural resources. To achieve sustainable resource management, it is essential to obtain insightful guidance from emerging disciplines such as landscape ecology. This text addresses the links between landscape ecology and natural resource management. These links are discussed in the context of various landscape types, a diverse set of resources and a wide range of management issues. A large number of landscape ecology concepts, principles and methods are introduced. Critical reviews of past management practices and a number of case studies are presented. This text provides many guidelines for managing natural resources from a landscape perspective and offers useful suggestions for landscape ecologists to carry out research relevant to natural resource management. In addition, it will be an ideal supplemental text for graduate and advanced undergraduate ecology courses. Written, and rigorously reviewed, by many of the world's leading landscape ecologists and natural resource managers Contains numerous case studies and insightful guidelines for landscape ecologists and natural resource managers

Parasites, ecosystems and sustainability: an ecological and complex systems perspective.

PubMed

Horwitz, Pierre; Wilcox, Bruce A

2005-06-01

Host-parasite relationships can be conceptualised either narrowly, where the parasite is metabolically dependent on the host, or more broadly, as suggested by an ecological-evolutionary and complex systems perspective. In this view Host-parasite relationships are part of a larger set of ecological and co-evolutionary interdependencies and a complex adaptive system. These interdependencies affect not just the hosts, vectors, parasites, the immediate agents, but also those indirectly or consequentially affected by the relationship. Host-parasite relationships also can be viewed as systems embedded within larger systems represented by ecological communities and ecosystems. So defined, it can be argued that Host-parasite relationships may often benefit their hosts and contribute significantly to the structuring of ecological communities. The broader, complex adaptive system view also contributes to understanding the phenomenon of disease emergence, the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms involved, and the role of parasitology in research and management of ecosystems in light of the apparently growing problem of emerging infectious diseases in wildlife and humans. An expanded set of principles for integrated parasite management is suggested by this perspective.

Land use change around protected areas: management to balance human needs and ecological function.

PubMed

DeFries, Ruth; Hansen, Andrew; Turner, B L; Reid, Robin; Liu, Jianguo

2007-06-01

Protected areas throughout the world are key for conserving biodiversity, and land use is key for providing food, fiber, and other ecosystem services essential for human sustenance. As land use change isolates protected areas from their surrounding landscapes, the challenge is to identify management opportunities that maintain ecological function while minimizing restrictions on human land use. Building on the case studies in this Invited Feature and on ecological principles, we identify opportunities for regional land management that maintain both ecological function in protected areas and human land use options, including preserving crucial habitats and migration corridors, and reducing dependence of local human populations on protected area resources. Identification of appropriate and effective management opportunities depends on clear definitions of: (1) the biodiversity attributes of concern; (2) landscape connections to delineate particular locations with strong ecological interactions between the protected area and its surrounding landscape; and (3) socioeconomic dynamics that determine current and future use of land resources in and around the protected area.

Sustainable ecological systems: Implementing an ecological approach to land management

Treesearch

W. Wallace Covington; Leonard F. DeBano

1994-01-01

This conference brought together scientiests and managers from federal, state, and local agencies, along with private-sector interests, to examine key concepts involving sustainable ecological systems, and ways in which to apply these concepts to ecosystem management. Session topics were: ecological consequenses of land and water use changes, biology of rare and...

Ecological restoration of farmland: progress and prospects.

PubMed

Wade, Mark R; Gurr, Geoff M; Wratten, Steve D

2008-02-27

Sustainable agricultural practices in conjunction with ecological restoration methods can reduce the detrimental effects of agriculture. The Society for Ecological Restoration International has produced generic guidelines for conceiving, organizing, conducting and assessing ecological restoration projects. Additionally, there are now good conceptual frameworks, guidelines and practical methods for developing ecological restoration programmes that are based on sound ecological principles and supported by empirical evidence and modelling approaches. Restoration methods must also be technically achievable and socially acceptable and spread over a range of locations. It is important to reconcile differences between methods that favour conservation and those that favour economic returns, to ensure that conservation efforts are beneficial for both landowners and biodiversity. One option for this type of mutual benefit is the use of agri-environmental schemes to provide financial incentives to landholders in exchange for providing conservation services and other benefits. However, further work is required to define and measure the effectiveness of agri-environmental schemes. The broader potential for ecological restoration to improve the sustainability of agricultural production while conserving biodiversity in farmscapes and reducing external costs is high, but there is still much to learn, particularly for the most efficient use of agri-environmental schemes to change land use practice.

Sustainability in the Qatar national dietary guidelines, among the first to incorporate sustainability principles.

PubMed

Seed, Barbara

2015-09-01

To present one of the first national dietary guidelines that incorporates food sustainability principles into its public health recommendations. The paper outlines recommendations and utilizes an ecological framework of policy analysis to examine context, drivers, consequences and future suggestions in establishing and maintaining sustainability principles within the Qatar Dietary Guidelines. Qatar. Population of Qatar. Qatar has produced one of the first national dietary guidelines to integrate principles of food sustainability. National interest in environmental sustainability and food security, population concern over food waste (reinforced by Islamic religious law), strong authority of the Supreme Council of Health (supported by an Emirate government), a small domestic food industry and a lack of food industry influence on the guidelines have contributed to the inclusion of sustainability principles within the document. Whether these principles will be embraced or rejected by the population in the long term will likely be determined by the Dietary Guidelines Task Force and the Supreme Council of Health's commitment to educating the population about the relevance and importance of these principles and establishing champions to advocate for them.

Applying the Seven Principles of Good Practice: Technology as a Lever--In an Online Research Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Sherryl

2014-01-01

This article provides an overview of the seven principles of good practice with emphasis on the implementation of technology in an online healthcare research class in a southwest Georgia (United States) university. The seven principles are outlined using various elements of the online course. Historical and philosophical reasoning are applied to…

Index of the Nevada Applied Ecology Group and associated publications available in the Coordination and Information Center

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maza, B.G.

This publication was created by the Coordination and Information Center (CIC) to provide a readily available research tool for use by researchers interested in a specific area covered in the holdings of the CIC Archives. The Nevada Applied Ecology Group (NAEG) was formed and functioned in agreement with Planning Directive NVO-76 (July 29, 1970 and revised January 1, 1974, (CIC-165845 and CIC-16439) respectively) to coordinate the ecological and other environmental programs necessary to support the continued nuclear testing activities; and to provide a mechanism to effectively comply with requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, Executive Order 11514,more » and AEC Manual Chapter 0510.'' The publication contains only citations to documents currently available at the CIC. It represents a significant portion of the principal research findings of the Nevada Applied Ecology Group.« less

Role of Ecological Cultural Synthesis in Enhancement of Importance and Competitive Ability of Polytechnic Education in the Southern Far East of the Russian Federation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petukhov, V. I.; Golikov, S. Yu; Maiorov, I. S.

2017-11-01

The regional features of polytechnic education development under present-day conditions are considered. The enhanced role of ecological cultural synthesis is proved to be necessary in order to enhance the importance and competitive ability of the polytechnic education in the southern Far East of the Russian Federation. Ecological cultural synthesis is the major condition to turn natural management into the ecologically sparing management of natural resources; it is also a method of a person to learn nature and the mutual relations with nature. It should become a basis for educational programs in the higher schools of the Russian Federation (that may be used with the practical purposes not only in the Russian Federation), and it may promote the search of the national idea, ideological core, and basic principles of further education development in Russia.

Separating macroecological pattern and process: comparing ecological, economic, and geological systems.

PubMed

Blonder, Benjamin; Sloat, Lindsey; Enquist, Brian J; McGill, Brian

2014-01-01

Theories of biodiversity rest on several macroecological patterns describing the relationship between species abundance and diversity. A central problem is that all theories make similar predictions for these patterns despite disparate assumptions. A troubling implication is that these patterns may not reflect anything unique about organizational principles of biology or the functioning of ecological systems. To test this, we analyze five datasets from ecological, economic, and geological systems that describe the distribution of objects across categories in the United States. At the level of functional form ('first-order effects'), these patterns are not unique to ecological systems, indicating they may reveal little about biological process. However, we show that mechanism can be better revealed in the scale-dependency of first-order patterns ('second-order effects'). These results provide a roadmap for biodiversity theory to move beyond traditional patterns, and also suggest ways in which macroecological theory can constrain the dynamics of economic systems.

The principle of superposition and its application in ground-water hydraulics

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reilly, Thomas E.; Franke, O. Lehn; Bennett, Gordon D.

1987-01-01

The principle of superposition, a powerful mathematical technique for analyzing certain types of complex problems in many areas of science and technology, has important applications in ground-water hydraulics and modeling of ground-water systems. The principle of superposition states that problem solutions can be added together to obtain composite solutions. This principle applies to linear systems governed by linear differential equations. This report introduces the principle of superposition as it applies to ground-water hydrology and provides background information, discussion, illustrative problems with solutions, and problems to be solved by the reader.

The principle of superposition and its application in ground-water hydraulics

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reilly, T.E.; Franke, O.L.; Bennett, G.D.

1984-01-01

The principle of superposition, a powerful methematical technique for analyzing certain types of complex problems in many areas of science and technology, has important application in ground-water hydraulics and modeling of ground-water systems. The principle of superposition states that solutions to individual problems can be added together to obtain solutions to complex problems. This principle applies to linear systems governed by linear differential equations. This report introduces the principle of superposition as it applies to groundwater hydrology and provides background information, discussion, illustrative problems with solutions, and problems to be solved by the reader. (USGS)

Concepts in Environmental Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hopkins, Sally

Presented is a discussion of the components and concepts of an ecology typical of the coastal southeastern United States. Principles presented are applicable to other areas. The discussion includes several major sections: the environment, wildlife management, freshwater ecosystems, and the estuarine environment. Numerous figures and illustrations…

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fredrickson, James K.

In synthetic ecology, a nascent offshoot of synthetic biology, scientists aim to design and construct microbial communities with desirable properties. Such mixed populations of microorganisms can simultaneously perform otherwise incompatible functions. Compared with individual organisms, they can also better resist losses in function as a result of environmental perturbation or invasion by other species. Synthetic ecology may thus be a promising approach for developing robust, stable biotechnological processes, such as the conversion of cellulosic biomass to biofuels. However, achieving this will require detailed knowledge of the principles that guide the structure and function of microbial communities.

New concept of aging care architecture landscape design based on sustainable development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Ying

2017-05-01

As the aging problem becoming serious in China, Aging care is now one of the top issuer in front of all of us. Lots of private and public aging care architecture and facilities have been built. At present, we only pay attention to the architecture design and interior design scientific, ecological and sustainable design on aged care architecture landscape. Based on the social economy, population resources, mutual coordination and development of the environment, taking the elderly as the special group, this paper follows the principles of the sustainable development, conducts the comprehensive design planning of aged care landscape architecture and makes a deeper understanding and exploration through changing the form of architectural space, ecological landscape planting, new materials and technology, ecological energy utilization.

Why infectious disease research needs community ecology

PubMed Central

Johnson, Pieter T. J.; de Roode, Jacobus C.; Fenton, Andy

2016-01-01

Infectious diseases often emerge from interactions among multiple species and across nested levels of biological organization. Threats as diverse as Ebola virus, human malaria, and bat white-nose syndrome illustrate the need for a mechanistic understanding of the ecological interactions underlying emerging infections. We describe how recent advances in community ecology can be adopted to address contemporary challenges in disease research. These analytical tools can identify the factors governing complex assemblages of multiple hosts, parasites, and vectors, and reveal how processes link across scales from individual hosts to regions. They can also determine the drivers of heterogeneities among individuals, species, and regions to aid targeting of control strategies. We provide examples where these principles have enhanced disease management and illustrate how they can be further extended. PMID:26339035

Spaceborne receivers: Basic principles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stacey, J. M.

1984-01-01

The underlying principles of operation of microwave receivers for space observations of planetary surfaces were examined. The design philosophy of the receiver as it is applied to operate functionally as an efficient receiving system, the principle of operation of the key components of the receiver, and the important differences among receiver types are explained. The operating performance and the sensitivity expectations for both the modulated and total power receiver configurations are outlined. The expressions are derived from first principles and are developed through the important intermediate stages to form practicle and easily applied equations. The transfer of thermodynamic energy from point to point within the receiver is illustrated. The language of microwave receivers is applied statistics.

City plants as ecological indicator of environment quality in St. Petersburg

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sapunov, Valentin; Glazyrina, Tatyana

2017-04-01

Under increase of natural hazard activity and anthropogenic pressure the effective and cheep monitoring methods become necessary. Majority of modern methods of monitoring, such as space and air, needs significant foundation. The simplest monitoring method is biological indication, basing on essay of variability, sex ration and sexual dimorphism. Such a method does not need long time efforts and may be realized by short observation. Urban plants are natural indicators of ecological pressure. Check or their state may give us significant information on area pollution by use of principles of phenogenic indication. Genetic and phenotypic variability of different organism have general principles and constants. The per cent of abnormal organisms and coefficient of variability are stable for majority of species under favorable state and increase under unfavorable conditions. The basis for indication is both state of adult trees and morphological variability of pollen grains. The part of dried threes and threes infected by parasites-xylophagous is correlated with toxic pollution. Float asymmetry of lives is measure of mutagenic pollution. Abnormal form of three (dichotomy, curved) is criteria of teratogenic pollution. Importance of such an indication is increased by such incidents as Chernobyl, Fucusima and so on. Algorithm for analyze of such a data is considered. The map of ecological pressure of St. Petersburg is presented.

Understanding Immigrant College Students: Applying a Developmental Ecology Framework to the Practice of Academic Advising

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stebleton, Michael J.

2011-01-01

Immigrant college student populations continue to grow, but the complexity of their unique needs and issues remain relatively unknown. To gain a better understanding of the multiple contextual factors impacting immigrant students from a systems-based approach, I applied Bronfenbrenner's (1977) human ecology framework to the study. Students…

Using an Ecological Land Hierarchy to Predict Seasonal-Wetland Abundance in Upland Forests

Treesearch

Brian J. Palik; Richard Buech; Leanne Egeland

2003-01-01

Hierarchy theory, when applied to landscapes, predicts that broader-scale ecosystems constrain the development of finer-scale, nested ecosystems. This prediction finds application in hierarchical land classifications. Such classifications typically apply to physiognomically similar ecosystems, or ecological land units, e.g., a set of multi-scale forest ecosystems. We...

Rewilding the tropics, and other conservation translocations strategies in the tropical Asia-Pacific region

PubMed Central

Louys, Julien; Corlett, Richard T; Price, Gilbert J; Hawkins, Stuart; Piper, Philip J

2014-01-01

Alarm over the prospects for survival of species in a rapidly changing world has encouraged discussion of translocation conservation strategies that move beyond the focus of ‘at-risk’ species. These approaches consider larger spatial and temporal scales than customary, with the aim of recreating functioning ecosystems through a combination of large-scale ecological restoration and species introductions. The term ‘rewilding’ has come to apply to this large-scale ecosystem restoration program. While reintroductions of species within their historical ranges have become standard conservation tools, introductions within known paleontological ranges—but outside historical ranges—are more controversial, as is the use of taxon substitutions for extinct species. Here, we consider possible conservation translocations for nine large-bodied taxa in tropical Asia-Pacific. We consider the entire spectrum of conservation translocation strategies as defined by the IUCN in addition to rewilding. The taxa considered are spread across diverse taxonomic and ecological spectra and all are listed as ‘endangered’ or ‘critically endangered’ by the IUCN in our region of study. They all have a written and fossil record that is sufficient to assess past changes in range, as well as ecological and environmental preferences, and the reasons for their decline, and they have all suffered massive range restrictions since the late Pleistocene. General principles, problems, and benefits of translocation strategies are reviewed as case studies. These allowed us to develop a conservation translocation matrix, with taxa scored for risk, benefit, and feasibility. Comparisons between taxa across this matrix indicated that orangutans, tapirs, Tasmanian devils, and perhaps tortoises are the most viable taxa for translocations. However, overall the case studies revealed a need for more data and research for all taxa, and their ecological and environmental needs. Rewilding the Asian-Pacific tropics remains a controversial conservation strategy, and would be difficult in what is largely a highly fragmented area geographically. PMID:25540698

Application of Recent Advances in Forward Modeling of Emissions from Boreal and Temperate Wildfires to Real-time Forecasting of Aerosol and Trace Gas Concentrations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hyer, E. J.; Reid, J. S.; Kasischke, E. S.; Allen, D. J.

2005-12-01

The magnitude of trace gas and aerosol emissions from wildfires is a scientific problem with important implications for atmospheric composition, and is also integral to understanding carbon cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. Recent ecological research on modeling wildfire emissions has integrated theoretical advances derived from ecological fieldwork with improved spatial and temporal databases to produce "post facto" estimates of emissions with high spatial and temporal resolution. These advances have been shown to improve agreement with atmospheric observations at coarse scales, but can in principle be applied to applications, such as forecasting, at finer scales. However, several of the approaches employed in these forward models are incompatible with the requirements of real-time forecasting, requiring modification of data inputs and calculation methods. Because of the differences in data inputs used for real-time and "post-facto" emissions modeling, the key uncertainties in the forward problem are not necessarily the same for these two applications. However, adaptation of these advances in forward modeling to forecasting applications has the potential to improve air quality forecasts, and also to provide a large body of experimental data which can be used to constrain crucial uncertainties in current conceptual models of wildfire emissions. This talk describes a forward modeling method developed at the University of Maryland and its application to the Fire Locating and Modeling of Burning Emissions (FLAMBE) system at the Naval Research Laboratory. Methods for applying the outputs of the NRL aerosol forecasting system to the inverse problem of constraining emissions will also be discussed. The system described can use the feedback supplied by atmospheric observations to improve the emissions source description in the forecasting model, and can also be used for hypothesis testing regarding fire behavior and data inputs.

Bernoulli's Principle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hewitt, Paul G.

2004-01-01

Some teachers have difficulty understanding Bernoulli's principle particularly when the principle is applied to the aerodynamic lift. Some teachers favor using Newton's laws instead of Bernoulli's principle to explain the physics behind lift. Some also consider Bernoulli's principle too difficult to explain to students and avoid teaching it…

van Eijck and Roth's utilitarian science education: why the recalibration of science and traditional ecological knowledge invokes multiple perspectives to protect science education from being exclusive

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mueller, Michael P.; Tippins, Deborah J.

2010-12-01

This article is a philosophical analysis of van Eijck and Roth's (2007) claim that science and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) should be recalibrated because they are incommensurate, particular to the local contexts in which they are practical. In this view, science maintains an incommensurate status as if it is a "fundamental" basis for the relative comparison of other cultural knowledges, which reduces traditional knowledge to a status of in relation to the prioritized (higher)-status of natural sciences. van Eijck and Roth reject epistemological Truth as a way of thinking about sciences in science education. Rather they adopt a utilitarian perspective of cultural-historical activity theory to demonstrate when traditional knowledge is considered science and when it is not considered science, for the purposes of evaluating what should be included in U.S. science education curricula. There are several challenges for evaluating what should be included in science education when traditional knowledges and sciences are considered in light of a utilitarian analysis. Science as diverse, either practically local or theoretically abstract, is highly uncertain, which provides opportunities for multiple perspectives to enlarge and protect the natural sciences from exclusivity. In this response to van Eijck and Roth, we make the case for considering dialectical relationships between science and TEK in order to ensure cultural diversity in science education, as a paradigm. We also emphasize the need to (re)dissolve the hierarchies and dualisms that may emerge when science is elevated in status in comparison with other knowledges. We conclude with a modification to van Eijck and Roth's perspective by recommending a guiding principle of cultural diversity in science education as a way to make curriculum choices. We envision this principle can be applied when evaluating science curricula worldwide.

ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT: PROTECTING NORTHWEST ANADROMOUS SALMONID STOCKS

EPA Science Inventory

Ecological risk assessment is usually defined as the process that evaluates the likelihood that adverse ecological effects are occurring, or may occur, as a result of exposure to one or mare stressors. he basic concept, while straightforward, is difficult to apply. trong reaction...

Nonequilibrium Thermodynamics in Biological Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aoki, I.

2005-12-01

1. Respiration Oxygen-uptake by respiration in organisms decomposes macromolecules such as carbohydrate, protein and lipid and liberates chemical energy of high quality, which is then used to chemical reactions and motions of matter in organisms to support lively order in structure and function in organisms. Finally, this chemical energy becomes heat energy of low quality and is discarded to the outside (dissipation function). Accompanying this heat energy, entropy production which inevitably occurs by irreversibility also is discarded to the outside. Dissipation function and entropy production are estimated from data of respiration. 2. Human body From the observed data of respiration (oxygen absorption), the entropy production in human body can be estimated. Entropy production from 0 to 75 years old human has been obtained, and extrapolated to fertilized egg (beginning of human life) and to 120 years old (maximum period of human life). Entropy production show characteristic behavior in human life span : early rapid increase in short growing phase and later slow decrease in long aging phase. It is proposed that this tendency is ubiquitous and constitutes a Principle of Organization in complex biotic systems. 3. Ecological communities From the data of respiration of eighteen aquatic communities, specific (i.e. per biomass) entropy productions are obtained. They show two phase character with respect to trophic diversity : early increase and later decrease with the increase of trophic diversity. The trophic diversity in these aquatic ecosystems is shown to be positively correlated with the degree of eutrophication, and the degree of eutrophication is an "arrow of time" in the hierarchy of aquatic ecosystems. Hence specific entropy production has the two phase: early increase and later decrease with time. 4. Entropy principle for living systems The Second Law of Thermodynamics has been expressed as follows. 1) In isolated systems, entropy increases with time and approaches to a maximum value. This is well-known classical Clausius principle. 2) In open systems near equilibrium entropy production always decreases with time approaching a minimum stationary level. This is the minimum entropy production principle by Prigogine. These two principle are established ones. However, living systems are not isolated and not near to equilibrium. Hence, these two principles can not be applied to living systems. What is entropy principle for living systems? Answer: Entropy production in living systems consists of multi-stages with time: early increasing, later decreasing and/or intermediate stages. This tendency is supported by various living systems.

River and Wetland Food Webs in Australia's Wet-Dry Tropics: General Principles and Implications for Management.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Douglas, M. M.; Bunn, S. E.; Davies, P. M.

2005-05-01

The tropical rivers of northern Australia are internationally recognised for their high ecological and cultural values. They have largely unmodified flow regimes and are comparatively free of the impacts associated with intensive land use. However, there is growing demand for agricultural development and existing pressures, such as weeds and feral animals, threaten their ecological integrity. Using the international literature to provide a conceptual framework and drawing on limited published and unpublished data on rivers in northern Australia, we have derived five general principles about food webs and related ecosystem processes that both characterise tropical rivers of northern Australia and have important implications for their management. These are: (1) Seasonal hydrology is a strong driver of ecosystem processes and food web structure; (2) Hydrological connectivity is largely intact and underpins important terrestrial-aquatic food web subsidies; (3) River and wetland food webs are strongly dependent on algal production; (4) A few common macroconsumers species have a strong influence on benthic food webs; (5) Omnivory is widespread and food chains are short. These principles have implications for the management and protection of tropical rivers and wetlands of northern Australia and provide a framework for the formation of testable hypotheses in future research programs.

Linking Deep-Waer Prey Fields with Odontocete Population Structure and Behavior

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-30

potentially mitigate beaked whale responses to disturbance, providing direct input data to PCOD models for beaked whales • Leverage previous...principles of cetacean foraging ecology and responses to disturbance • Identify key prey metrics for future analyses and incorporation into PCOD

36 CFR 219.2 - Principles.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... sustainability of national forests and grasslands to provide for a wide variety of uses, values, products, and services. The benefits sought from these lands depend upon long-term ecological sustainability. Considering... processes and the ability of these natural resources to contribute to sustainability in the future. (1...

School Gardens: Situating Students within a Global Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolsey, Thomas DeVere; Lapp, Diane

2014-01-01

School-based gardens are increasingly common. The benefits to students reflect principles of global education by modeling sustainability through responsible ecological planning and service to the community, the environment, and humanity. The authors propose a pedagogical framework for planning school gardens and related experiences that…

Potentials for win-win alliances among animal agriculture and forest products industries: application of the principles of industrial ecology and sustainable development.

PubMed

Cowling, Ellis B; Furiness, Carl S

2005-12-01

Commercial forests in many parts of the world are deficient in nitrogen and phosphorus. These nutrient-deficient forests often exist in close proximity to large animal feeding operations, meat processing and other food, textile, or other biomass-processing plants, and municipal waste treatment facilities. Many of these facilities produce large surpluses of nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic matter as gaseous ammonia, urea, uric acid, phosphorus compounds, bacterial sludges, and partially treated municipal wastewaters. These co-existing and substantial nutrient deficiencies and surpluses offer ready-made opportunities for discovery, demonstration, and commercial development of science-based, technology-facilitated, environmentally sound, economically viable, and socially acceptable "win-win alliances" among these major industries based on the principles of industrial ecology and sustainable development. The major challenge is to discover practical means to capture the surplus nutrients and put them to work in forest stands from which value-added products can be produced and sold at a profit.

[Ecological misunderstanding, integrative approach, and potential industries in circular economy transition].

PubMed

Wang, Rusong

2005-12-01

Based on the Social-Economic-Natural Complex Ecosystem theory, this paper questioned 8 kinds of misunderstandings in current planning, incubation, development, and management of circular economy, which had led to either ultra-right or ultra-left actions in ecological and economic development. Rather than concentrated only on the 3-r micro-principles of "reduce-reuse-recycle", thise paper suggested 3-R macro-principles of "Rethinking-Reform-Refunction" for circular economy development. Nine kinds of eco-integrative strategies in industrial transition were put forward, i.e., food web-based horizontal/parallel coupling, life cycle-oriented vertical/serial coupling, functional service rather than products-oriented production, flexible and adaptive structure, ecosystem-based regional coupling, social integrity, comprehensive capacity building, employment enhancement, and respecting human dignity. Ten promising potential eco-industries in China's near-future circular economy development were proposed, such as the transition of traditional chemical fertilizer and pesticide industry to a new kind of industrial complex for agro-ecosystem management.

The structure of tropical forests and sphere packings

PubMed Central

Jahn, Markus Wilhelm; Dobner, Hans-Jürgen; Wiegand, Thorsten; Huth, Andreas

2015-01-01

The search for simple principles underlying the complex architecture of ecological communities such as forests still challenges ecological theorists. We use tree diameter distributions—fundamental for deriving other forest attributes—to describe the structure of tropical forests. Here we argue that tree diameter distributions of natural tropical forests can be explained by stochastic packing of tree crowns representing a forest crown packing system: a method usually used in physics or chemistry. We demonstrate that tree diameter distributions emerge accurately from a surprisingly simple set of principles that include site-specific tree allometries, random placement of trees, competition for space, and mortality. The simple static model also successfully predicted the canopy structure, revealing that most trees in our two studied forests grow up to 30–50 m in height and that the highest packing density of about 60% is reached between the 25- and 40-m height layer. Our approach is an important step toward identifying a minimal set of processes responsible for generating the spatial structure of tropical forests. PMID:26598678

The Principle-Based Method of Practical Ethics.

PubMed

Spielthenner, Georg

2017-09-01

This paper is about the methodology of doing practical ethics. There is a variety of methods employed in ethics. One of them is the principle-based approach, which has an established place in ethical reasoning. In everyday life, we often judge the rightness and wrongness of actions by their conformity to principles, and the appeal to principles plays a significant role in practical ethics, too. In this paper, I try to provide a better understanding of the nature of principle-based reasoning. To accomplish this, I show in the first section that these principles can be applied to cases in a meaningful and sufficiently precise way. The second section discusses the question how relevant applying principles is to the resolution of ethical issues. This depends on their nature. I argue that the principles under consideration in this paper should be interpreted as presumptive principles and I conclude that although they cannot be expected to bear the weight of definitely resolving ethical problems, these principles can nevertheless play a considerable role in ethical research.

41 CFR 102-76.55 - What sustainable development principles must Federal agencies apply to the siting, design, and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... construction of new facilities, which include— (a) Optimizing site potential; (b) Minimizing non-renewable... development principles must Federal agencies apply to the siting, design, and construction of new facilities... Federal agencies apply to the siting, design, and construction of new facilities? In keeping with the...

41 CFR 102-76.55 - What sustainable development principles must Federal agencies apply to the siting, design, and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... construction of new facilities, which include— (a) Optimizing site potential; (b) Minimizing non-renewable... development principles must Federal agencies apply to the siting, design, and construction of new facilities... Federal agencies apply to the siting, design, and construction of new facilities? In keeping with the...

41 CFR 102-76.55 - What sustainable development principles must Federal agencies apply to the siting, design, and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... construction of new facilities, which include— (a) Optimizing site potential; (b) Minimizing non-renewable... development principles must Federal agencies apply to the siting, design, and construction of new facilities... Federal agencies apply to the siting, design, and construction of new facilities? In keeping with the...

41 CFR 102-76.55 - What sustainable development principles must Federal agencies apply to the siting, design, and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... construction of new facilities, which include— (a) Optimizing site potential; (b) Minimizing non-renewable... development principles must Federal agencies apply to the siting, design, and construction of new facilities... Federal agencies apply to the siting, design, and construction of new facilities? In keeping with the...

The ecological research needs of business.

PubMed

Armsworth, Paul R; Armsworth, Anastasia N; Compton, Natalie; Cottle, Phil; Davies, Ian; Emmett, Bridget A; Fandrich, Vanessa; Foote, Matthew; Gaston, Kevin J; Gardiner, Phil; Hess, Tim; Hopkins, John; Horsley, Nick; Leaver, Natasha; Maynard, Trevor; Shannon, Delia

2010-04-01

Businesses have an unrivalled ability to mobilize human, physical and financial capital, often manage large land holdings, and draw on resources and supply products that impact a wide array of ecosystems. Businesses therefore have the potential to make a substantial contribution to arresting declines in biodiversity and ecosystem services. To realize this potential, businesses require support from researchers in applied ecology to inform how they measure and manage their impacts on, and opportunities presented to them by, biodiversity and ecosystem services.We reviewed papers in leading applied ecology journals to assess the research contribution from existing collaborations involving businesses. We reviewed applications to, and grants funded by, the UK's Natural Environment Research Council for evidence of public investment in such collaborations. To scope opportunities for expanding collaborations with businesses, we conducted workshops with three sectors (mining and quarrying, insurance and manufacturing) in which participants identified exemplar ecological research questions of interest to their sector.Ten to fifteen per cent of primary research papers in Journal of Applied Ecology and Ecological Applications evidenced business involvement, mostly focusing on traditional rural industries (farming, fisheries and forestry). The review of UK research council funding found that 35% of applications mentioned business engagement, while only 1% of awarded grants met stricter criteria of direct business involvement.Some questions identified in the workshops aim to reduce costs from businesses' impacts on the environment and others to allow businesses to exploit new opportunities. Some questions are designed to inform long-term planning undertaken by businesses, but others would have more immediate commercial applications. Finally, some research questions are designed to streamline and make more effective those environmental policies that affect businesses.Business participants were forward-looking regarding ecological questions and research. For example, representatives from mining and quarrying companies emphasized the need to move beyond biodiversity to consider how ecosystems function, while those from the insurance sector stressed the importance of ecology researchers entering into new types of interdisciplinary collaboration.Synthesis and applications. Businesses from a variety of sectors demonstrated a clear interest in managing their impacts on, and exploiting opportunities created by, ecosystem services and biodiversity. To achieve this, businesses are asking diverse ecological research questions, but publications in leading applied ecology journals and research council funding reveal limited evidence of direct engagement with businesses. This represents a missed opportunity for ecological research findings to see more widespread application.

The ecological research needs of business

PubMed Central

Armsworth, Paul R; Armsworth, Anastasia N; Compton, Natalie; Cottle, Phil; Davies, Ian; Emmett, Bridget A; Fandrich, Vanessa; Foote, Matthew; Gaston, Kevin J; Gardiner, Phil; Hess, Tim; Hopkins, John; Horsley, Nick; Leaver, Natasha; Maynard, Trevor; Shannon, Delia

2010-01-01

Businesses have an unrivalled ability to mobilize human, physical and financial capital, often manage large land holdings, and draw on resources and supply products that impact a wide array of ecosystems. Businesses therefore have the potential to make a substantial contribution to arresting declines in biodiversity and ecosystem services. To realize this potential, businesses require support from researchers in applied ecology to inform how they measure and manage their impacts on, and opportunities presented to them by, biodiversity and ecosystem services. We reviewed papers in leading applied ecology journals to assess the research contribution from existing collaborations involving businesses. We reviewed applications to, and grants funded by, the UK’s Natural Environment Research Council for evidence of public investment in such collaborations. To scope opportunities for expanding collaborations with businesses, we conducted workshops with three sectors (mining and quarrying, insurance and manufacturing) in which participants identified exemplar ecological research questions of interest to their sector. Ten to fifteen per cent of primary research papers in Journal of Applied Ecology and Ecological Applications evidenced business involvement, mostly focusing on traditional rural industries (farming, fisheries and forestry). The review of UK research council funding found that 35% of applications mentioned business engagement, while only 1% of awarded grants met stricter criteria of direct business involvement. Some questions identified in the workshops aim to reduce costs from businesses’ impacts on the environment and others to allow businesses to exploit new opportunities. Some questions are designed to inform long-term planning undertaken by businesses, but others would have more immediate commercial applications. Finally, some research questions are designed to streamline and make more effective those environmental policies that affect businesses. Business participants were forward-looking regarding ecological questions and research. For example, representatives from mining and quarrying companies emphasized the need to move beyond biodiversity to consider how ecosystems function, while those from the insurance sector stressed the importance of ecology researchers entering into new types of interdisciplinary collaboration. Synthesis and applications. Businesses from a variety of sectors demonstrated a clear interest in managing their impacts on, and exploiting opportunities created by, ecosystem services and biodiversity. To achieve this, businesses are asking diverse ecological research questions, but publications in leading applied ecology journals and research council funding reveal limited evidence of direct engagement with businesses. This represents a missed opportunity for ecological research findings to see more widespread application. PMID:20383265

Artificial intelligence based decision support for trumpeter swan management

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sojda, Richard S.

2002-01-01

The number of trumpeter swans (Cygnus buccinator) breeding in the Tri-State area where Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming come together has declined to just a few hundred pairs. However, these birds are part of the Rocky Mountain Population which additionally has over 3,500 birds breeding in Alberta, British Columbia, Northwest Territories, and Yukon Territory. To a large degree, these birds seem to have abandoned traditional migratory pathways in the flyway. Waterfowl managers have been interested in decision support tools that would help them explore simulated management scenarios in their quest towards reaching population recovery and the reestablishment of traditional migratory pathways. I have developed a decision support system to assist biologists with such management, especially related to wetland ecology. Decision support systems use a combination of models, analytical techniques, and information retrieval to help develop and evaluate appropriate alternatives. Swan management is a domain that is ecologically complex, and this complexity is compounded by spatial and temporal issues. As such, swan management is an inherently distributed problem. Therefore, the ecological context for modeling swan movements in response to management actions was built as a multiagent system of interacting intelligent agents that implements a queuing model representing swan migration. These agents accessed ecological knowledge about swans, their habitats, and flyway management principles from three independent expert systems. The agents were autonomous, had some sensory capability, and could respond to changing conditions. A key problem when developing ecological decision support systems is empirically determining that the recommendations provided are valid. Because Rocky Mountain trumpeter swans have been surveyed for a long period of time, I was able to compare simulated distributions provided by the system with actual field observations across 20 areas for the period 1988-2000. Applying the Matched Pairs Multivariate Permutation Test as a statistical tool was a new approach for comparing flyway distributions of waterfowl over time that seemed to work well. Based on this approach, the empirical evidence that I gathered led me to conclude that the base queuing model does accurately simulate swan distributions in the flyway. The system was insensitive to almost all model parameters tested. That remains perplexing, but might result from the base queuing model, itself, being particularly effective at representing the actual ecological diversity in the world of Rocky Mountain trumpeter swans, both spatial and temporally.

Taming wildlife disease: bridging the gap between science and management

USGS Publications Warehouse

Joseph, Maxwell B.; Mihaljevic, Joseph R.; Arellano, Ana Lisette; Kueneman, Jordan G.; Cross, Paul C.; Johnson, Pieter T.J.

2013-01-01

1.Parasites and pathogens of wildlife can threaten biodiversity, infect humans and domestic animals, and cause significant economic losses, providing incentives to manage wildlife diseases. Recent insights from disease ecology have helped transform our understanding of infectious disease dynamics and yielded new strategies to better manage wildlife diseases. Simultaneously, wildlife disease management (WDM) presents opportunities for large-scale empirical tests of disease ecology theory in diverse natural systems. 2.To assess whether the potential complementarity between WDM and disease ecology theory has been realized, we evaluate the extent to which specific concepts in disease ecology theory have been explicitly applied in peer-reviewed WDM literature. 3.While only half of WDM articles published in the past decade incorporated disease ecology theory, theory has been incorporated with increasing frequency over the past 40 years. Contrary to expectations, articles authored by academics were no more likely to apply disease ecology theory, but articles that explain unsuccessful management often do so in terms of theory. 4.Some theoretical concepts such as density-dependent transmission have been commonly applied, whereas emerging concepts such as pathogen evolutionary responses to management, biodiversity–disease relationships and within-host parasite interactions have not yet been fully integrated as management considerations. 5.Synthesis and applications. Theory-based disease management can meet the needs of both academics and managers by testing disease ecology theory and improving disease interventions. Theoretical concepts that have received limited attention to date in wildlife disease management could provide a basis for improving management and advancing disease ecology in the future.

Considerations for applying digital soil mapping to ecological sites

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Recent advancements in the spatial prediction of soil properties are not currently being fully utilized for ecological studies. Linking digital soil mapping (DSM) with ecological sites (ES) has the potential to better land management decisions by improving spatial resolution and precision as well as...

Student Development and Campus Ecology: A Rapprochement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hurst, James C.

1987-01-01

Investigates campus ecology from several innovative perspectives, considering both theory and practice. Conceptualizes current functions of the student affairs administrator playing a key role in higher education and articulates how campus ecology and student development theories complement each other when applied through a systems approach to…

Future Directions for Dissemination and Implementation Science: Aligning Ecological Theory and Public Health to Close the Research to Practice Gap

PubMed Central

Rusch, Dana; Mehta, Tara G.; Lakind, Davielle

2015-01-01

Dissemination and implementation science (DI) has evolved as a major research model for children’s mental health in response to a longstanding call to integrate science and practice and bridge the elusive research to practice gap. However, to address the complex and urgent needs of the most vulnerable children and families, future directions for DI require a new alignment of ecological theory and public health to provide effective, sustainable, and accessible mental health services. We present core principles of ecological theory to emphasize how contextual factors impact behavior and allow for the reciprocal impact individuals have on the settings they occupy, and an alignment of these principles with a public health model to ensure that services span the prevention to intervention continuum. We provide exemplars from our ongoing work in urban schools, and a new direction for research to address the mental health needs of immigrant Latino families. Through these examples we illustrate how DI can expand its reach by embedding within natural settings to build on local capacity and indigenous resources, incorporating the local knowledge necessary to more substantively address long-standing mental health disparities. This paradigm shift for DI, away from an over-emphasis on promoting program adoption, calls for fitting interventions within settings that matter most to children’s healthy development, and utilizing and strengthening available community resources. In this way, we can meet the challenge of addressing our nation’s mental health burden by supporting the needs and values of families and communities within their own unique social ecologies. PMID:26155972

Future Directions for Dissemination and Implementation Science: Aligning Ecological Theory and Public Health to Close the Research to Practice Gap.

PubMed

Atkins, Marc S; Rusch, Dana; Mehta, Tara G; Lakind, Davielle

2016-01-01

Dissemination and implementation science (DI) has evolved as a major research model for children's mental health in response to a long-standing call to integrate science and practice and bridge the elusive research to practice gap. However, to address the complex and urgent needs of the most vulnerable children and families, future directions for DI require a new alignment of ecological theory and public health to provide effective, sustainable, and accessible mental health services. We present core principles of ecological theory to emphasize how contextual factors impact behavior and allow for the reciprocal impact individuals have on the settings they occupy, and an alignment of these principles with a public health model to ensure that services span the prevention to intervention continuum. We provide exemplars from our ongoing work in urban schools and a new direction for research to address the mental health needs of immigrant Latino families. Through these examples we illustrate how DI can expand its reach by embedding within natural settings to build on local capacity and indigenous resources, incorporating the local knowledge necessary to more substantively address long-standing mental health disparities. This paradigm shift for DI, away from an overemphasis on promoting program adoption, calls for fitting interventions within settings that matter most to children's healthy development and for utilizing and strengthening available community resources. In this way, we can meet the challenge of addressing our nation's mental health burden by supporting the needs and values of families and communities within their own unique social ecologies.

Scaling issues in multi-criteria evaluation of combinations of measures for integrated river basin management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dietrich, Jörg

2016-05-01

In integrated river basin management, measures for reaching the environmental objectives can be evaluated at different scales, and according to multiple criteria of different nature (e.g. ecological, economic, social). Decision makers, including responsible authorities and stakeholders, follow different interests regarding criteria and scales. With a bottom up approach, the multi criteria assessment could produce a different outcome than with a top down approach. The first assigns more power to the local community, which is a common principle of IWRM. On the other hand, the development of an overall catchment strategy could potentially make use of synergetic effects of the measures, which fulfils the cost efficiency requirement at the basin scale but compromises local interests. Within a joint research project for the 5500 km2 Werra river basin in central Germany, measures have been planned to reach environmental objectives of the European Water Framework directive (WFD) regarding ecological continuity and nutrient loads. The main criteria for the evaluation of the measures were costs of implementation, reduction of nutrients, ecological benefit and social acceptance. The multi-criteria evaluation of the catchment strategies showed compensation between positive and negative performance of criteria within the catchment, which in the end reduced the discriminative power of the different strategies. Furthermore, benefit criteria are partially computed for the whole basin only. Both ecological continuity and nutrient load show upstream-downstream effects in opposite direction. The principles of "polluter pays" and "overall cost efficiency" can be followed for the reduction of nutrient losses when financial compensations between upstream and downstream users are made, similar to concepts of emission trading.

Feynman’s clock, a new variational principle, and parallel-in-time quantum dynamics

PubMed Central

McClean, Jarrod R.; Parkhill, John A.; Aspuru-Guzik, Alán

2013-01-01

We introduce a discrete-time variational principle inspired by the quantum clock originally proposed by Feynman and use it to write down quantum evolution as a ground-state eigenvalue problem. The construction allows one to apply ground-state quantum many-body theory to quantum dynamics, extending the reach of many highly developed tools from this fertile research area. Moreover, this formalism naturally leads to an algorithm to parallelize quantum simulation over time. We draw an explicit connection between previously known time-dependent variational principles and the time-embedded variational principle presented. Sample calculations are presented, applying the idea to a hydrogen molecule and the spin degrees of freedom of a model inorganic compound, demonstrating the parallel speedup of our method as well as its flexibility in applying ground-state methodologies. Finally, we take advantage of the unique perspective of this variational principle to examine the error of basis approximations in quantum dynamics. PMID:24062428

Dynamics of Shape Memory Alloy Systems, Phase 2

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-22

M.A. Savi, S.L.D. Paiva & A.C.P. Brasil Jr., Applied Ecology and Environmental Research, v.11, n.3, pp.463-490, 2013. ISSN 1589-1623. 26...Dynamics and Chaos of the Daisyworld Employed for Global Warming Description", F.M. Viola, M.A. Savi, S.L.D. Paiva & A.C.P. Brasil Jr., Applied Ecology

[Applications of habitat equivalency analysis in ecological damage assessment of oil spill incident].

PubMed

Yang, Yin; Han, Da-xiong; Wang, Hai-yan

2011-08-01

Habitat equivalency analysis (HEA) is one of the methods commonly used by U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in natural resources damage assessment, but rarely applied in China. Based on the theory of HEA and the assessment practices of domestic oil spill incidents, a modification on the HEA was made in this paper, and applied to calculate the habitat value in oil spill incidents. According to the data collected from an oil spill incident in China, the modified HEA was applied in a case study to scale the compensatory-restoration. By introducing the ecological service equivalent factor to transfer various habitats, it was achieved to value of the injured habitats in ecological damage assessment of oil spill incident.

Nevada Applied Ecology Group procedures handbook for environmental transuranics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

White, M.G.; Dunaway, P.B.

The activities of the Nevada Applied Ecology Group (NAEG) integrated research studies of environmental plutonium and other transuranics at the Nevada Test Site have required many standardized field and laboratory procedures. These include sampling techniques, collection and preparation, radiochemical and wet chemistry analysis, data bank storage and reporting, and statistical considerations for environmental samples of soil, vegetation, resuspended particles, animals, and others. This document, printed in two volumes, includes most of the Nevada Applied Ecology Group standard procedures, with explanations as to the specific applications involved in the environmental studies. Where there is more than one document concerning a procedure,more » it has been included to indicate special studies or applications perhaps more complex than the routine standard sampling procedures utilized.« less

Nevada Applied Ecology Group procedures handbook for environmental transuranics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

White, M.G.; Dunaway, P.B.

The activities of the Nevada Applied Ecology Group (NAEG) integrated research studies of environmental plutonium and other transuranics at the Nevada Test Site have required many standardized field and laboratory procedures. These include sampling techniques, collection and preparation, radiochemical and wet chemistry analysis, data bank storage and reporting, and statistical considerations for environmental samples of soil, vegetation, resuspended particles, animals, and other biological material. This document, printed in two volumes, includes most of the Nevada Applied Ecology Group standard procedures, with explanations as to the specific applications involved in the environmental studies. Where there is more than one document concerningmore » a procedure, it has been included to indicate special studies or applications more complex than the routine standard sampling procedures utilized.« less

A Canadian framework for applying the precautionary principle to public health issues.

PubMed

Weir, Erica; Schabas, Richard; Wilson, Kumanan; Mackie, Chris

2010-01-01

The precautionary principle has influenced environmental and public health policy. It essentially states that complete evidence of a potential risk is not required before action is taken to mitigate the effects of the potential risk. The application of precaution to public health issues is not straightforward and could paradoxically cause harm to the public's health when applied inappropriately. To avoid this, we propose a framework for applying the precautionary principle to potential public health risks. The framework consists of ten guiding questions to help establish whether a proposed application of the precautionary principle on a public health matter is based on adequacy of the evidence of causation, severity of harm and acceptability of the precautionary measures.

New robotics: design principles for intelligent systems.

PubMed

Pfeifer, Rolf; Iida, Fumiya; Bongard, Josh

2005-01-01

New robotics is an approach to robotics that, in contrast to traditional robotics, employs ideas and principles from biology. While in the traditional approach there are generally accepted methods (e. g., from control theory), designing agents in the new robotics approach is still largely considered an art. In recent years, we have been developing a set of heuristics, or design principles, that on the one hand capture theoretical insights about intelligent (adaptive) behavior, and on the other provide guidance in actually designing and building systems. In this article we provide an overview of all the principles but focus on the principles of ecological balance, which concerns the relation between environment, morphology, materials, and control, and sensory-motor coordination, which concerns self-generated sensory stimulation as the agent interacts with the environment and which is a key to the development of high-level intelligence. As we argue, artificial evolution together with morphogenesis is not only "nice to have" but is in fact a necessary tool for designing embodied agents.

[New technologies for evaluation of health status of apparently healthy people].

PubMed

Ushakov, I B; Orlov, O I; Baevskiĭ, R M; Bersenev, E Iu; Chernikova, A G

2013-03-01

The article considers the questions of development of new technologies for evaluation of health of apparently healthy people based on experience of long-term researches of cosmonauts' performed at Russian Academy of Sciences Institute of Biomedical Problems under the direction of academician A. I. Grigoriev. In 2007 in monograph "Concept of Health and Space Medicine" the principle of health estimation in apparently healthy people working in conditions of chronic stress was described. These approaches were realized the same year to produce a new hard and software "Ecosan-2007". In the following 2008 the device has been tested for inspection of bus drivers and pilots of civil aircraft and since 2009 it has been used in the international project "Mars-500". All these developments and researches were supported by the Fundamental Sciences-to-Medicine Program maintained by the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences under guidance of academician A. I. Grigoriev. In the project 'Mars-500" in the "artificial confinement", simulating the interplanetary ship, 6 members of the international "Martian crew" were medically and psycho physiologically surveyed. Among set of various devices the "Ecosan-2007" was also used. With application of the same device, not less that 125 volunteers were examined, who lived usual life in natural and socially-industrial conditions. The investigation was simultaneously conducted in 12 various regions of the world. These long-term medico-ecological researches allowed to receive important experimental substantiations for preclinical approach to state of health estimation. In the frame of these researches the methodology of remote monitoring of adverse ecological factor effects on health initiated telemedical ecology, a new applied discipline. The article concludes with discussion of the issues of health conception and new preclinical diagnostic technologies adapting by the public health services.

Framework for integration of urban planning, strategic environmental assessment and ecological planning for urban sustainability within the context of China

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

He Jia; Bao Cunkuan, E-mail: baock@tongji.edu.cn; Shu Tingfei

2011-11-15

Sustainable development or sustainability has been highlighted as an essential principle in urban master planning, with increasing recognition that uncontrollable urbanization may well give rise to various issues such as overexploitation of natural resources, ecosystem destruction, environmental pollution and large-scale climate change. Thus, it is deemed necessary to modify the existing urban and regional administrative system so as to cope with the challenges urban planning is being confronted with and realize the purpose of urban sustainability. This paper contributed to proposing a mechanism which helps to make urban planning with full consideration of issues with respect to sustainable development. Wemore » suggested that the integration of urban planning, SEA and ecological planning be a multi-win strategy to offset deficiency of each mentioned political tool being individually applied. We also proposed a framework where SEA and ecological planning are fully incorporated into urban planning, which forms a two-way constraint mechanism to ascertain environmental quality of urban planning, although in practice, planning and SEA processes may conditionally be unified. Moreover, as shown in the case study, the integration of the three political tools may be constrained due to slow changes in the contextual factors, in particular the political and cultural dimensions. Currently within the context of China, there may be three major elements which facilitate integration of the three political tools, which are (1) regulatory requirement of PEIA on urban planning, (2) the promotion or strong administrative support from government on eco-district building, and (3) the willingness of urban planners to collaborate with SEA experts or ecologists.« less

A Study in Sexual Health Applying the Principles of Community-Based Participatory Research

PubMed Central

Reece, Michael; Dodge, Brian

2012-01-01

The principles of community-based participatory research were applied to an exploratory sexual health study that examined “cruising for sex” among men on a college campus. In the context of a study seeking a broad interpretation of the health implications of cruising, and when faced with methodological challenges, the researchers found these principles to provide invaluable guidance. A review of the research process is offered and the manner in which the principles of community-based participatory research were operationalized for this study is described. PMID:15129042

Risk management frameworks for human health and environmental risks.

PubMed

Jardine, Cindy; Hrudey, Steve; Shortreed, John; Craig, Lorraine; Krewski, Daniel; Furgal, Chris; McColl, Stephen

2003-01-01

A comprehensive analytical review of the risk assessment, risk management, and risk communication approaches currently being undertaken by key national, provincial/state, territorial, and international agencies was conducted. The information acquired for review was used to identify the differences, commonalities, strengths, and weaknesses among the various approaches, and to identify elements that should be included in an effective, current, and comprehensive approach applicable to environmental, human health and occupational health risks. More than 80 agencies, organizations, and advisory councils, encompassing more than 100 risk documents, were examined during the period from February 2000 until November 2002. An overview was made of the most important general frameworks for risk assessment, risk management, and risk communication for human health and ecological risk, and for occupational health risk. In addition, frameworks for specific applications were reviewed and summarized, including those for (1)contaminated sites; (2) northern contaminants; (3) priority substances; (4) standards development; (5) food safety; (6) medical devices; (7) prescription drug use; (8) emergency response; (9) transportation; (10) risk communication. Twelve frameworks were selected for more extensive review on the basis of representation of the areas of human health, ecological, and occupational health risk; relevance to Canadian risk management needs; representation of comprehensive and well-defined approaches; generalizability with their risk areas; representation of "state of the art" in Canada, the United States, and/or internationally; and extent of usage of potential usage within Canada. These 12 frameworks were: 1. Framework for Environmental Health Risk Management (US Presidential/Congressional Commission on Risk Assessment and Risk Management, 1997). 2. Health Risk Determination: The Challenge of Health Protection (Health and Welfare Canada, 1990). 3. Health Canada Decision-Making Framework for Identifying, Assessing and Managing Health Risks (Health Canada, 2000). 4. Canadian Environmental Protection Act: Human Health Risk Assessment of Priority Substances(Health Canada, 1994). 5. CSA-Q8550 Risk Management: Guidelines for Decision-Makers (Canada Standards Association, 1997). 6. Risk Assessment in the Federal Government: Managing the Process (US National Research Council, 1983). 7. Understanding Risk: Informing Decisions in a Democratic Society (US National Research Council, 1996). 8. Environmental Health Risk Assessment (enHealth Council of Australia, 2002). 9. A Framework for Ecological Risk Assessment (CCME, 1996). 10. Ecological Risk Assessments of Priority Substances Under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (Environment Canada, 1996).11. Guidelines for Ecological Risk Assessment (US EPA, 1998b). 12. Proposed Model for Occupational Health Risk Assessment and Management (Rampal & Sadhra, 1999). Based on the extensive review of these frameworks, seven key elements that should be included in a comprehensive framework for human health, ecological, and occupational risk assessment and management were identified: 1. Problem formulation stage. 2. Stakeholder involvement. 3. Communication. 4. Quantitative risk assessment components. 5. Iteration and evaluation. 6. Informed decision making. 7. Flexibility. On the basis of this overarching approach to risk management, the following "checklist" to ensure a good risk management decision is proposed: - Make sure you're solving the right problem. - Consider the problem and the risk within the full context of the situation, using a broad perspective. - Acknowledge, incorporate, and balance the multiple dimensions of risk. - Ensure the highest degree of reliability for all components of the risk management process. - Involve interested and effected parties from the outset of the process. - Commit to honest and open communication between all parties. - Employ continuous evaluation throughout the process (formative, process, and outcome evaluation), and be prepared to change the decision if new information becomes available. Comprehensive and sound principles are critical to providing structure and integrity to risk management frameworks. Guiding principles are intended to provide an ethical grounding for considering the many factors involved in risk management decision making. Ten principles are proposed to guide risk management decision making. The first four principles were adapted and modified from Hattis (1996) along with the addition of two more principles by Hrudey (2000). These have been supplemented by another four principles to make the 10 presented. The principles are based in fundamental ethical principles and values. These principles are intended to be aspirational rather than prescriptive--their application requires flexibility and practical judgement. Risk management is inherently a process in search of balance among competing interests and concerns. Each risk management decision will be "balancing act" of competing priorities, and trade-offs may sometimes have to be made between seemingly conflicting principles. The 10 decision-making principles, with the corresponding ethical principle in italics are: 1. Do more good than harm (beneficence, nonmalificence).- The ultimate goal of good risk management is to prevent or minimize risk, or to "do good" as much as possible. 2. Fair process of decision making (fairness, natural justice). - Risk management must be just, equitable, impartial, unbiased, dispassionate, and objective as far as possible given the circumstances of each situation. 3. Ensure an equitable distribution of risk (equity). - An equitable process of risk management would ensure fair outcomes and equal treatment of all concerned through an equal distribution of benefits and burdens (includes the concept of distributive justice, i.e., equal opportunities for all individuals). 4. Seek optimal use of limited risk management resources (utility). - Optimal risk management demands using limited resources where they will achieve the most risk reduction of overall benefit. 5. Promise no more risk management that can be delivered (honesty).- Unrealistic expectations of risk management can be avoided with honest and candid public accounting of what we know and don't know, and what we can and can't do using risk assessment and risk management. 6. Impose no more risk that you would tolerate yourself (the Golden Rule). - The Golden Rule is important in risk management because it forces decision makers to abandon complete detachment from their decisions so they may understand the perspectives of those affected. 7. Be cautious in the face of uncertainty ("better safe than sorry"). - Risk management must adopt a cautious approach when faced with a potentially serous risk, even if the evidence is uncertain. 8. Foster informed risk decision making for all stakeholders (autonomy). - Fostering autonomous decision making involves both providing people with the opportunity to participate, and full and honest disclosure of all the information required for informed decisions. 9. Risk management processes must be flexible and evolutionary to be open to new knowledge and understanding (evolution, evaluation, iterative process). - The incorporation of new evidence requires that risk management be a flexible, evolutionary, and iterative process, and that evaluation is employed at the beginning and througthout the process. 10. the complete elimination fo risk is not possible (life is not risk free).- Risk is pervasive in our society, and cannot be totally eliminated despite an oft-expressed public desire for "zero risk". However, the level of risk that may ve tolerable by any individual is dependent on values of beliefs, as well as scientific information. Each agency must continue to employ a process that meets the needs of their specific application of risk management. A single approach cannot satisfy the diverse areas to which risk decisions are being applied. However, with increasing experience in the application of the approaches, we are evolving to a common understanding of the essential elements and principles required for successful risk assessment, risk management, and risk communication. Risk management will continue to be a balancing act of competing priorities and needs. Flexibility and good judgement are ultimately the key to successfully making appropriate risk decisions.

Balancing access to participation in research and protection from risks: applying the principle of justice.

PubMed

Kiskaddon, Sarah H

2005-04-01

The problem for Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) of balancing access to participation in research with protection of research subjects has always been a difficult one. IRBs, charged with applying the "Common Rule," as well as the Belmont Principles, in their review of clinical research, are given little guidance on approaching this problem. This article argues that the third Belmont Principle, the Justice Principle, may provide a useful framework for considering this balance. The changing research environment is discussed in an historical context, and the Justice Principle is considered both in the context of individual rights, as well as the potential benefit to classes of people. The author further suggests that application of the Justice Principle be driven by findings derived from an analysis of the first 2 principles. This feedback model will enable a more formal application of the Justice Principle and less ambiguous, more transparent, decisions regarding the equitable selection of subjects. The author calls for more systematic attention to the Justice Principle by IRBs, and proposes a model that includes incorporating the deliberation of the other Belmont Principles into the Justice Principle.

From the exposome to mechanistic understanding of chemical-induced adverse effects

EPA Science Inventory

BACKGROUND: Current definitions of the exposome expand beyond the initial idea to consider the totality of exposure and aim to relate to biological effects. While the exposome has been established for human health, its principles can be extended to include broader ecological issu...

Book review: Darwinian agriculture: How understanding evolution can improve agriculture by R. Ford Dennison

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Agricultural research continually seeks to increase productivity while protecting soil, water and genetic resources. The book Darwinian Agriculture: How Understanding Evolution Can Improve Agriculture, by R. Ford Dennison, delivers a thought-provoking view of how principles of ecology and evolution ...

Genetics and variation

Treesearch

John R. Jones; Norbert V. DeByle

1985-01-01

The broad genotypic variability in quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.), that results in equally broad phenotypic variability among clones is important to the ecology and management of this species. This chapter considers principles of aspen genetics and variation, variation in aspen over its range, and local variation among clones. For a more...

High School Environmental Science Course Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donovan, Edward P.; Korman, Barbara

A course in environmental science was developed to increase course options for students of all abilities and interest levels. Major topic areas of the course include: introduction to ecological principles and ecosystems; extinction of species; human population dynamics; agricultural systems and pest control; air quality; water quality; solid…

Dendropedagogy: Teaching Botany, Ecology and Statistical Principles through Tree-Ring Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rubino, Darrin L.; McCarthy, Brian C.

2002-01-01

Develops a simple tree-ring laboratory to demonstrate the basics of dendrochronology. Provides two upper-level laboratory exercises primarily intended to demonstrate the specific dendrochronology subdisciplines of dendroclimatology and dendroecology. Suggests using the exercises separately or in unison as part of a multidisciplinary capstone…

Ecological planning of urbanized areas in the south of the Far East (Birobidzhan city as an example)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalmanova, V. B.

2018-01-01

Ecological planning of urbanized areas is an urgent demand of the time, because more than 70% of Russia’s population lives in cities. The article describes that the city’s ecological planning is an important part of the area’s organization in its development strategy. The principles and features of the urban area’s ecological organization are proposed. The basis for environmental planning is the ecological and functional zoning of urban areas. The algorithm of ecological-functional zoning is developed to optimize the quality of the urban environment. Based on it, it is possible to identify the planning structure’s features, justify anthropogenic pressure on the natural components of the urban environment, etc. The article briefly presents the possibility of using the main conditions of the ecological framework in the planning of urban areas. Considering the perspective trends of the formation and development of cities in the south of the Far East, the ecological problems caused by regional natural and anthropogenic causes (features of relief, climate, functional-planning structure) are considered. The need for environmental planning of cities in the south of the Far East is shown. The results of the ecological framework’s formation of Birobidzhan city based on its ecological and functional zoning are described. The total area of open unreformed spaces in the city is calculated to be 60.8%, which can serve as the main elements of the ecological framework and perspective reserve areas for ecological planning. The cartographic model of Birobidzhan’s ecological framework is presented, which is the result and model of this type of planning. The practical use of the proposed model will facilitate the adoption of effective management decisions aimed at stabilized development of the city.

Should I use that model? Assessing the transferability of ecological models to new settings

EPA Science Inventory

Analysts and scientists frequently apply existing models that estimate ecological endpoints or simulate ecological processes to settings where the models have not been used previously, and where data to parameterize and validate the model may be sparse. Prior to transferring an ...

Grand Challenges for Disaster Reduction

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-06-01

6—Promote risk-wise behavior. Develop and apply principles of economics and human behavior to enhance communications, trust, and understand- ing...Challenges for Disaster Reduction Promote Risk-Wise Behavior. Develop and apply principles of economics and human behavior to enhance communications

Ecological Forecasting in the Applied Sciences Program and Input to the Decadal Survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Skiles, Joseph

2015-01-01

Ecological forecasting uses knowledge of physics, ecology and physiology to predict how ecosystems will change in the future in response to environmental factors. Further, Ecological Forecasting employs observations and models to predict the effects of environmental change on ecosystems. In doing so, it applies information from the physical, biological, and social sciences and promotes a scientific synthesis across the domains of physics, geology, chemistry, biology, and psychology. The goal is reliable forecasts that allow decision makers access to science-based tools in order to project changes in living systems. The next decadal survey will direct the development Earth Observation sensors and satellites for the next ten years. It is important that these new sensors and satellites address the requirements for ecosystem models, imagery, and other data for resource management. This presentation will give examples of these model inputs and some resources needed for NASA to continue effective Ecological Forecasting.

Applied Behavior Analysis in Flying Training Research. Interim Report for Period June 1978-August 1978.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bailey, Jon S.; Hughes, Ronald G.

Research developments in learning theory over the past fifty years have led to principles of behavior which have been shown in innumerable applied settings to be valuable in analyzing and modifying human behavior. When applied to flying training using simulators, these principles suggest that a significant contribution could be made in improving…

Niche conservatism as an emerging principle in ecology and conservation biology.

PubMed

Wiens, John J; Ackerly, David D; Allen, Andrew P; Anacker, Brian L; Buckley, Lauren B; Cornell, Howard V; Damschen, Ellen I; Jonathan Davies, T; Grytnes, John-Arvid; Harrison, Susan P; Hawkins, Bradford A; Holt, Robert D; McCain, Christy M; Stephens, Patrick R

2010-10-01

The diversity of life is ultimately generated by evolution, and much attention has focused on the rapid evolution of ecological traits. Yet, the tendency for many ecological traits to instead remain similar over time [niche conservatism (NC)] has many consequences for the fundamental patterns and processes studied in ecology and conservation biology. Here, we describe the mounting evidence for the importance of NC to major topics in ecology (e.g. species richness, ecosystem function) and conservation (e.g. climate change, invasive species). We also review other areas where it may be important but has generally been overlooked, in both ecology (e.g. food webs, disease ecology, mutualistic interactions) and conservation (e.g. habitat modification). We summarize methods for testing for NC, and suggest that a commonly used and advocated method (involving a test for phylogenetic signal) is potentially problematic, and describe alternative approaches. We suggest that considering NC: (1) focuses attention on the within-species processes that cause traits to be conserved over time, (2) emphasizes connections between questions and research areas that are not obviously related (e.g. invasives, global warming, tropical richness), and (3) suggests new areas for research (e.g. why are some clades largely nocturnal? why do related species share diseases?). 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd/CNRS.

Ecology and bioprospecting.

PubMed

Beattie, Andrew J; Hay, Mark; Magnusson, Bill; de Nys, Rocky; Smeathers, James; Vincent, Julian F V

2011-05-01

Bioprospecting is the exploration of biodiversity for new resources of social and commercial value. It is carried out by a wide range of established industries such as pharmaceuticals, manufacturing and agriculture as well as a wide range of comparatively new ones such as aquaculture, bioremediation, biomining, biomimetic engineering and nanotechnology. The benefits of bioprospecting have emerged from such a wide range of organisms and environments worldwide that it is not possible to predict what species or habitats will be critical to society, or industry, in the future. The benefits include an unexpected variety of products that include chemicals, genes, metabolic pathways, structures, materials and behaviours. These may provide physical blueprints or inspiration for new designs. Criticism aimed at bioprospecting has been addressed, in part, by international treaties and legal agreements aimed at stopping biopiracy and many activities are now funded by agencies that require capacity-building and economic benefits in host countries. Thus, much contemporary bioprospecting has multiple goals, including the conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable management of natural resources and economic development. Ecologists are involved in three vital ways: first, applying ecological principles to the discovery of new resources. In this context, natural history becomes a vast economic database. Second, carrying out field studies, most of them demographic, to help regulate the harvest of wild species. Third, emphasizing the profound importance of millions of mostly microscopic species to the global economy.

Droughts and governance impacts on water scarcity: an~analysis in the Brazilian semi-arid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva, A. C. S.; Galvão, C. O.; Silva, G. N. S.

2015-06-01

Extreme events are part of climate variability. Dealing with variability is still a challenge that might be increased due to climate change. However, impacts of extreme events are not only dependent on their variability, but also on management and governance. In Brazil, its semi-arid region is vulnerable to extreme events, especially droughts, for centuries. Actually, other Brazilian regions that have been mostly concerned with floods are currently also experiencing droughts. This article evaluates how a combination between climate variability and water governance might affect water scarcity and increase the impacts of extreme events on some regions. For this evaluation, Ostrom's framework for analyzing social-ecological systems (SES) was applied. Ostrom's framework is useful for understanding interactions between resource systems, governance systems and resource users. This study focuses on social-ecological systems located in a drought-prone region of Brazil. Two extreme events were selected, one in 1997-2000, when Brazil's new water policy was very young, and the other one in 2012-2015. The analysis of SES considering Ostrom's principle "Clearly defined boundaries" showed that deficiencies in water management cause the intensification of drought's impacts for the water users. The reasons are more related to water management and governance problems than to drought event magnitude or climate change. This is a problem that holdup advances in dealing with extreme events.

Warming reduces metabolic rate in marine snails: adaptation to fluctuating high temperatures challenges the metabolic theory of ecology.

PubMed

Marshall, David J; McQuaid, Christopher D

2011-01-22

The universal temperature-dependence model (UTD) of the metabolic theory of ecology (MTE) proposes that temperature controls mass-scaled, whole-animal resting metabolic rate according to the first principles of physics (Boltzmann kinetics). Controversy surrounds the model's implication of a mechanistic basis for metabolism that excludes the effects of adaptive regulation, and it is unclear how this would apply to organisms that live in fringe environments and typically show considerable metabolic adaptation. We explored thermal scaling of metabolism in a rocky-shore eulittoral-fringe snail (Echinolittorina malaccana) that experiences constrained energy gain and fluctuating high temperatures (between 25°C and approximately 50°C) during prolonged emersion (weeks). In contrast to the prediction of the UTD model, metabolic rate was often negatively related to temperature over a benign range (30-40°C), the relationship depending on (i) the temperature range, (ii) the degree of metabolic depression (related to the quiescent period), and (iii) whether snails were isolated within their shells. Apparent activation energies (E) varied between 0.05 and -0.43 eV, deviating excessively from the UTD's predicted range of between 0.6 and 0.7 eV. The lowering of metabolism when heated should improve energy conservation in a high-temperature environment and challenges both the theory's generality and its mechanistic basis.

[Theoretical risk management and legitimacy of the precautionary principle in medicine. Look back at HIV contamination through blood transfusion in France, twenty years ago].

PubMed

Moutel, G; Hergon, E; Duchange, N; Bellier, L; Rouger, P; Hervé, C

2005-02-01

The precautionary principle first appeared in France during the health crisis following the contamination of patients with HIV via blood transfusion. This study analyses whether the risk associated with blood transfusion was taken into account early enough considering the context of scientific uncertainty between 1982 and 1985. The aim was to evaluate whether a precautionary principle was applied and whether it was relevant. First, we investigated the context of scientific uncertainty and controversies prevailing between 1982 and 1985. Then we analysed the attitude and decisions of the French authorities in this situation to determine whether a principle of precaution was applied. Finally, we explored the reasons at the origin of the delay in controlling the risk. Despite the scientific uncertainties associated with the potential risk of HIV contamination by transfusion in 1983, we found that a list of recommendations aiming to reduce this risk was published in June of that year. In the prevailing climate of uncertainty, these measures could be seen as precautionary. However, the recommended measures were not widely applied. Cultural, structural and economic factors hindered their implementation. Our analysis provides insight into the use of precautionary principle in the domain of blood transfusion and, more generally, medicine. It also sheds light on the expectations that health professionals should have of this principle. The aim of the precautionary principle is to manage rather than to reduce scientific uncertainty. The principle is not a futile search for zero risk. Rather, it is a principle for action allowing precautionary measures to be taken. However, we show that these measures must appear legitimate to be applied. This legitimacy requires an adapted decision-making process, involving all those concerned in the management of collective risks.

Timescales and the management of ecological systems.

PubMed

Hastings, Alan

2016-12-20

Human management of ecological systems, including issues like fisheries, invasive species, and restoration, as well as others, often must be undertaken with limited information. This means that developing general principles and heuristic approaches is important. Here, I focus on one aspect, the importance of an explicit consideration of time, which arises because of the inherent limitations in the response of ecological systems. I focus mainly on simple systems and models, beginning with systems without density dependence, which are therefore linear. Even for these systems, it is important to recognize the necessary delays in the response of the ecological system to management. Here, I also provide details for optimization that show how general results emerge and emphasize how delays due to demography and life histories can change the optimal management approach. A brief discussion of systems with density dependence and tipping points shows that the same themes emerge, namely, that when considering issues of restoration or management to change the state of an ecological system, that timescales need explicit consideration and may change the optimal approach in important ways.

Optimization of the scheme for natural ecology planning of urban rivers based on ANP (analytic network process) model.

PubMed

Zhang, Yichuan; Wang, Jiangping

2015-07-01

Rivers serve as a highly valued component in ecosystem and urban infrastructures. River planning should follow basic principles of maintaining or reconstructing the natural landscape and ecological functions of rivers. Optimization of planning scheme is a prerequisite for successful construction of urban rivers. Therefore, relevant studies on optimization of scheme for natural ecology planning of rivers is crucial. In the present study, four planning schemes for Zhaodingpal River in Xinxiang City, Henan Province were included as the objects for optimization. Fourteen factors that influenced the natural ecology planning of urban rivers were selected from five aspects so as to establish the ANP model. The data processing was done using Super Decisions software. The results showed that important degree of scheme 3 was highest. A scientific, reasonable and accurate evaluation of schemes could be made by ANP method on natural ecology planning of urban rivers. This method could be used to provide references for sustainable development and construction of urban rivers. ANP method is also suitable for optimization of schemes for urban green space planning and design.

Complementarity and Compensation: Bridging the Gap between Writing and Design.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Killingsworth, M. Jimmie; Sanders, Scott P.

1990-01-01

Outlines two rhetorical principles for producing iconic-mosaic texts--the principle of complementarity and the principle of compensation. Shows how these principles can be applied to practical problems in coordinating the writing and design processes in student projects. (RS)

Estimation and Application of Ecological Memory Functions in Time and Space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Itter, M.; Finley, A. O.; Dawson, A.

2017-12-01

A common goal in quantitative ecology is the estimation or prediction of ecological processes as a function of explanatory variables (or covariates). Frequently, the ecological process of interest and associated covariates vary in time, space, or both. Theory indicates many ecological processes exhibit memory to local, past conditions. Despite such theoretical understanding, few methods exist to integrate observations from the recent past or within a local neighborhood as drivers of these processes. We build upon recent methodological advances in ecology and spatial statistics to develop a Bayesian hierarchical framework to estimate so-called ecological memory functions; that is, weight-generating functions that specify the relative importance of local, past covariate observations to ecological processes. Memory functions are estimated using a set of basis functions in time and/or space, allowing for flexible ecological memory based on a reduced set of parameters. Ecological memory functions are entirely data driven under the Bayesian hierarchical framework—no a priori assumptions are made regarding functional forms. Memory function uncertainty follows directly from posterior distributions for model parameters allowing for tractable propagation of error to predictions of ecological processes. We apply the model framework to simulated spatio-temporal datasets generated using memory functions of varying complexity. The framework is also applied to estimate the ecological memory of annual boreal forest growth to local, past water availability. Consistent with ecological understanding of boreal forest growth dynamics, memory to past water availability peaks in the year previous to growth and slowly decays to zero in five to eight years. The Bayesian hierarchical framework has applicability to a broad range of ecosystems and processes allowing for increased understanding of ecosystem responses to local and past conditions and improved prediction of ecological processes.

Applying a Resilience Systems Framework to Urban Environmental Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krasny, Marianne E.; Tidball, Keith G.

2009-01-01

A growing body of literature on community gardening, watershed restoration, and similar "civic ecology" practices suggests avenues for integrating social and ecological outcomes in urban natural resources management. In this paper, we argue that an environmental education programme in which learning is situated in civic ecology practices…

Designing the Electronic Classroom: Applying Learning Theory and Ergonomic Design Principles.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emmons, Mark; Wilkinson, Frances C.

2001-01-01

Applies learning theory and ergonomic principles to the design of effective learning environments for library instruction. Discusses features of electronic classroom ergonomics, including the ergonomics of physical space, environmental factors, and workstations; and includes classroom layouts. (Author/LRW)

The Case Method for Teaching College Economics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffith, John R., Jr.

1971-01-01

The author explains the use of the case method of applying the principles of economics to current economic policy issues. This approach allows the classroom economics teacher to teach the student how to apply economic principles to real life problems. (Author)

Elder Abuse by Adult Children: An Applied Ecological Framework for Understanding Contextual Risk Factors and the Intergenerational Character of Quality of Life.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schiamberg, Lawrence B.; Gans, Daphna

2000-01-01

Using an applied ecological model, this study focuses on contextual risk factors of elder abuse. Five levels of environment were used to interpret existing research on risk factors. Configuration of risk factors provides a framework for understanding the intergenerational character of quality of life for older adults, developing recommendations…

REECo activities and sample logistics in support of the Nevada Applied Ecology Group

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wireman, D.L.; Rosenberry, C.E. Jr.; White, M.G.

Activities and sample logistics of Reynolds Electrical and Engineering Co., Inc. (REECo), in support of the Nevada Applied Ecology Group (NAEG), are discussed in this summary report. Activities include the collection, preparation, and shipment of samples of soils, vegetation, and small animals collected at Pu-contaminated areas of the Nevada Test Site and Tonopah Test Range. (CH)

76 FR 44400 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-25

... principles of social marketing. Social marketing principles and practices apply marketing principles to... Card Marketing Customer Survey. Abstract: The purpose of the social marketing prepaid card initiative...

Ethical principles in federal regulations: the case of children and research risks.

PubMed

Williams, P C

1996-04-01

Ethical principles play an important part not only in the promulgation of regulations but also in their application, i.e., enforcement and adjudication. while traditional ethical principles--promotion of welfare, freedom, and fairness--play an important role in both elements of regulation, some other kinds of ethical principles are significant as well. Principles governing the structure of decision processes should shape the structure and actions of agencies; principles of wise application should govern the work of those whose responsibility it is to apply regulatory language to particular situations. These points are demonstrated by investigating a case study: federal regulations designed to protect children involved in scientific research applied to a placebo study of the effects of recombinant human growth hormone on children of extremely short stature.

Learning as change: Responding to socio-scientific issues through informal education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, Lauren Brooks

Informal learning is an important venue for educating the general public about complex socio-scientific issues: intersections of scientific understanding and society. My dissertation is a multi-tiered analysis of how informal education, and particularly informal educators, can leverage learning to respond to one particular socio-scientific issue: climate change. Life-long, life-wide, and life-deep learning not only about the science of climate change, but how communities and society as a whole can respond to it in ways that are commensurate with its scale are necessary. In my three-article dissertation, I investigated the changes in practice and learning that informal educators from a natural history museum underwent in the process of implementing a new type of field trip about climate change. This study focused on inquiry-based learning principles taken on by the museum educators, albeit in different ways: learner autonomy, conversation, and deep investigation. My second article, a short literature review, makes the argument that climate change education must have goals beyond simply increasing learners' knowledge of climate science, and proposes three research-based principles for such learning: participation, relevance, and interconnectedness. These principles are argued to promote learning to respond to climate change as well as increased collective efficacy, necessary for responding. Finally, my third article is an in-depth examination of a heterogeneous network of informal educators and environmental professionals who worked together to design and implement a city-wide platform for informal climate change learning. By conceptualizing climate change learning at the level of the learning ecology, educators and learners are able to see how it can be responded to at the community level, and understand how climate change is interconnected with other scientific, natural, and social systems. I briefly discuss a different socio-scientific issue to which these principles can be applied: heritable, human manipulation of other biological entities; in other words, genetic engineering.

Applications Research of Microbial Ecological Preparation in Sea Cucumber Culture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Jiahui; Wang, Guangyu

2017-12-01

At present, micro ecological preparation is widely applied in aquaculture with good effect. The application of micro ecological preparation in sea cucumber culture can effectively improve the economic benefits. The micro ecological preparation can play the role of inhibiting harmful bacteria, purifying water quality and saving culture cost in the process of sea cucumber culture. We should select appropriate bacteria, guarantee stable environment and use with long-term in the applications of microbial ecological preparation in sea cucumber culture to obtain good effects.

The Evaluation of Land Ecological Safety of Chengchao Iron Mine Based on PSR and MEM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Xiangdong; Chen, Yong

2018-01-01

Land ecological security is of vital importance to local security and sustainable development of mining activities. The study has analyzed the potential causal chains between the land ecological security of Iron Mine mining environment, mine resource and the social-economic background. On the base of Pressure-State-Response model, the paper set up a matter element evaluation model of land ecological security, and applies it in Chengchao iron mine. The evaluation result proves to be effective in land ecological evaluation.

Children's reasoning about physics within and across ontological kinds.

PubMed

Heyman, Gail D; Phillips, Ann T; Gelman, Susan A

2003-08-01

Reasoning about seven physics principles within and across ontological kinds was examined among 188 5- and 7-year-olds and 59 adults. Individuals in all age groups tended to appropriately generalize what they learned across ontological kinds. However, children also showed sensitivity to ontological kind in their projections: when learning principles with reference to people they were more likely to assume that the principles apply to another person than to an inanimate object, and when learning with reference to an inanimate object they were more likely to assume that the principles apply to another inanimate object than to a person. Five-year-olds, but not 7-year-olds, projected concepts learned about people to a greater extent than principles learned about inanimate objects, closely paralleling the findings of Carey for the biological domain (Carey, S. (1985). Conceptual change in childhood. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press). Results from a separate sample of 22 5-year-olds suggest that the primary findings cannot be explained by response perseveration. The present findings indicate that children understand physics principles that apply to both animate and inanimate objects, but distinguish between these ontological kinds.

Extended Producer Responsibility and Product Stewardship for Tobacco Product Waste

PubMed Central

Curtis, Clifton; Collins, Susan; Cunningham, Shea; Stigler, Paula; Novotny, Thomas E

2015-01-01

This paper reviews several environmental principles, including Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), Product Stewardship (PS), the Polluter Pays Principle (PPP), and the Precautionary Principle, as they may apply to tobacco product waste (TPW). The review addresses specific criteria that apply in deciding whether a particular toxic product should adhere to these principles; presents three case studies of similar approaches to other toxic and/or environmentally harmful products; and describes 10 possible interventions or policy actions that may help prevent, reduce, and mitigate the effects of TPW. EPR promotes total lifecycle environmental improvements, placing economic, physical, and informational responsibilities onto the tobacco industry, while PS complements EPR, but with responsibility shared by all parties involved in the tobacco product lifecycle. Both principles focus on toxic source reduction, post-consumer take-back, and final disposal of consumer products. These principles when applied to TPW have the potential to substantially decrease the environmental and public health harms of cigarette butts and other TPW throughout the world. TPW is the most commonly littered item picked up during environmental, urban, and coastal cleanups globally. PMID:26457262

Learning with Multiple Representations: Extending Multimedia Learning beyond the Lab

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eilam, Billie; Poyas, Yael

2008-01-01

The present study extended multimedia learning principles beyond the lab to an ecologically valid setting (homework). Eighteen information cards were used to perform three homework tasks. The control group students learned from single representation (SR) cards that presented all information as printed text. The multiple representation (MR) group…

Neoliberalism and Justice in Education for Sustainable Development: A Call for Inclusive Pluralism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kopnina, Helen; Cherniak, Brett

2016-01-01

Commonly conceived, sustainable development is concerned with social and economic equity and maintenance of ecological stability for future generations. The Brundtland Report addresses the ethical principles of intragenerational and intergenerational equity as fundamental pillars of sustainable development. This equity is often defined in economic…

STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, MAY 1996

EPA Science Inventory

The ORD Strategic Plan is based on nine principles: (1) Focus research on the greatest risks to people and the environment, (2) Focus research on reducing uncertainty in risk assessment, (3) Balance human health and ecological research, (4) Work for customers and clients, (5) Mai...

Introducing Undergraduates to Economics in an Interdisciplinary Setting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caviglia-Harris, Jill L.

2003-01-01

Outlines a model for teaching economics that incorporates introductory economics concepts into an interdisciplinary class that includes three disciplines focused on a central theme. Covers the principles of microeconomics and the fundamentals of environmental economics. Links these topics to those covered in the ecology and philosophy sections of…

Wildland fire in ecosystems: fire and nonnative invasive plants

Treesearch

Kristin Zouhar; Jane Kapler Smith; Steve Sutherland; Matthew L. Brooks

2008-01-01

This state-of-knowledge review of information on relationships between wildland fire and nonnative invasive plants can assist fire managers and other land managers concerned with prevention, detection, and eradication or control of nonnative invasive plants. The 16 chapters in this volume synthesize ecological and botanical principles regarding relationships between...

Going Global in Arlington, Virginia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miranda, Edgar

2010-01-01

In July 2008, the Ashlawn Elementary School in Arlington, Virginia, began the implementation of the Global Citizenship Project, which is designed around the four guiding principles of the Earth Charter: respect and care for the community of life; ecological integrity; social and economic justice; and democracy, nonviolence and peace. The intent of…

A new landscape classification system for monitoring and assessment of pastures

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Pasturelands in the United States span a broad range of climate, soils, physical sites, and management. Rather than treat each site as a unique entity, this diversity must be classified into basic units for research and management purposes. A similar system based on ecological principles is needed f...

Evaluation of Natural Resource Education Materials: Implications for Resource Management.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pomerantz, Gerri A.

1991-01-01

An analysis of elementary school natural resource lessons (n=700) that focus on ecological principles, on resource management issues, and on analytical skill development affecting students' environmental behavior is presented. The fundamental conclusion is that very few of the lesson materials help to develop critical thinking skills and behaviors…

Balloon logging with the inverted skyline

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mosher, C. F.

1975-01-01

There is a gap in aerial logging techniques that has to be filled. The need for a simple, safe, sizeable system has to be developed before aerial logging will become effective and accepted in the logging industry. This paper presents such a system designed on simple principles with realistic cost and ecological benefits.

UPSTREAM-TO-DOWNSTREAM CHANGES IN NUTRIENT EXPORT RISK

EPA Science Inventory

One of the early operating principles of landscape ecology was the importance of studying the
movement of energy, nutrients, and biota in the horizontal or x,y plane (Risser et al. 1984). The new focus on horizontal movement was in part based on the recognition that many ecol...

Science Galls Me: What Is a Niche Anyway?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halverson, Kristy Lynn; Lankford, Deanna Marie

2009-01-01

The authors have developed a lesson to investigate basic principles of ecology, more specifically niche partitioning, while using a jigsaw activity that explores galling insects' interactions with goldenrods. Not only does this lesson capture secondary students' interest and keeps them engaged in hands-on activities, the content addresses two…

Forest Management

Treesearch

S. Hummel; K. L. O' Hara

2008-01-01

Global variation in forests and in human cultures means that a single method for managing forests is not possible. However, forest management everywhere shares some common principles because it is rooted in physical and biological sciences like chemistry and genetics. Ecological forest management is an approach that combines an understanding of universal processes with...

An Environmental Ethic for Parks and Recreation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McAvoy, Leo

1990-01-01

Suggests an environmental ethic for parks and recreation professionals who are often on the wrong side of the environmental controversy because they lack a professional ethic. This article provides a guide for implementing an environmental ethic, noting that philosophy of service must be grounded in ecological principles, not merchant values. (SM)

The Relationship between Artificial and Second Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ettlinger, Marc; Morgan-Short, Kara; Faretta-Stutenberg, Mandy; Wong, Patrick C. M.

2016-01-01

Artificial language learning (ALL) experiments have become an important tool in exploring principles of language and language learning. A persistent question in all of this work, however, is whether ALL engages the linguistic system and whether ALL studies are ecologically valid assessments of natural language ability. In the present study, we…

The Ecology of the Mind

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mazzetti, Luciano

2013-01-01

Dr. Mazzetti's almost lyrical description of the role of encounters, both human and natural, suggests the terrible difficulty that would occur if the diversity of the natural environment, which is so essential to Montessori's prepared environment was lost. In principle, Dr. Mazzetti suggests that the child's encounter with the world needs deep…

The Principles and Implications of Nuclear Winter.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grover, Herbert D.

1985-01-01

The ecological consequences of nuclear war are discussed. Ultimately, the solution to the nuclear dilemma lies in education. We must come to thoroughly understand the odds we face and must gain control of our destiny from accidents of technological origin as well as from misguided action by any government. (RM)

Nevada applied ecology group publications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chilton, B.D.; Pfuderer, H.A.; Cox, T.L.

Since January 1972, the Nevada Applied Ecology Information Center (NAEIC), Information Research and Analysis Section, Health and Safety Research Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, has provided technical information support to the Nevada Applied Ecology Group (NAEG) relevant to the behavior of specific radionuclides, primarily plutonium and americium, in the environment, with special emphasis on pathways to man. This bibliography represents a summary of the biomedical and environmental studies conducted by the NAEG and its contractors. The bibliography focuses on research sponsored by the NAEG. Subject areas of the publications include cover studies of soil, vegetation, animals, microorganisms, resuspension, and meteorology.more » All references in this publication are stored in a computerized form that is readily available for searches upon request to NAEG and it contractors. 558 refs.« less

Total Quality Management in Higher Education: Applying Deming's Fourteen Points.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masters, Robert J.; Leiker, Linda

1992-01-01

This article presents guidelines to aid administrators of institutions of higher education in applying the 14 principles of Total Quality Management. The principles stress understanding process improvements, handling variation, fostering prediction, and using psychology to capitalize on human resources. (DB)

Applying smart growth principles and strategies to resolving land use conflicts around airports.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-09-01

This report presents the findings and conclusions from a research project to explore how the principles and : strategies of smart growth can be applied to resolving land use conflicts around airports. The study entailed a : literature review, intervi...

Quantifying an Integral Ecology Framework: A Case Study of the Riverina, Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wheeler, Sarah A.; Haensch, Juliane; Edwards, Jane; Schirmer, Jackie; Zuo, Alec

2018-02-01

Communities in Australia's Murray-Darling Basin face the challenge of trying to achieve social, economic, and environmental sustainability; but experience entrenched conflict about the best way to achieve a sustainable future, especially for small rural communities. Integral ecology is a philosophical concept that seeks to address community, economic, social, and environmental sustainability simultaneously. Its inclusive processes are designed to reduce stakeholder conflict. However, to date the application of the integral ecology concept has been largely qualitative in nature. This study developed a quantitative integral ecology framework, and applied this framework to a case study of the Riverina, in the Murray-Darling Basin. Seventy-seven community-focused initiatives were assessed, ranked, and quantified. The majority of the community-focused ranked initiatives did not exhibit all aspects of integral ecology. Initiatives typically prioritized either (1) economic and community development or (2) environmental health; rarely both together. The integral ecology framework developed here enables recommendations on future community initiatives and may provide a pathway for community leaders and other policy-makers to more readily apply integral ecology objectives. Further research refining the framework's operationalization, application and implementation to a wider-scale may enhance communities' capacity to develop and grow sustainably.

Developing a systematic strategy incorporating ethical , animal welfare and practice principles to guide the genetic improvement of dairy cattle.

PubMed

Fisher, M W; Mellor, D J

2008-06-01

People have complex and diverse relationships and interactions with, and expectations of, animals; relationships which are very important. In making sense of this complexity, we draw on our values. The objective of this study was to reflect upon, develop and articulate key values guiding the genetic improvement of dairy cattle. Animal husbandry is guided by the philosophy that while animals serve our needs, we must ensure that their needs are met, and any compromises to those needs justified and minimised. In applying modern technology to the genetic improvement of animals, this philosophy should be enacted through consideration of all the broader goals of agriculture, and the ecology and biology of the farming system. It should also be informed by the differing perspectives of interested parties, including stock handlers, veterinarians, animal welfare groups, consumers, and the public. Monitoring the consequences of technology applications, managing and avoiding any harms, and considering the future of animals and ourselves, should also be part of decision making in this area. Transparent consideration of these principles will help to ensure that any compromises to animal welfare resulting from trait selection are both reasonable and necessary, and that any harms are minimised, thereby helping to safeguard continuation of the important contribution that animal agriculture, and in particular the dairy sector, makes to society.

Common evolutionary trends underlie the four-bar linkage systems of sunfish and mantis shrimp.

PubMed

Hu, Yinan; Nelson-Maney, Nathan; Anderson, Philip S L

2017-05-01

Comparative biomechanics offers an opportunity to explore the evolution of disparate biological systems that share common underlying mechanics. Four-bar linkage modeling has been applied to various biological systems such as fish jaws and crustacean appendages to explore the relationship between biomechanics and evolutionary diversification. Mechanical sensitivity states that the functional output of a mechanical system will show differential sensitivity to changes in specific morphological components. We document similar patterns of mechanical sensitivity in two disparate four-bar systems from different phyla: the opercular four-bar system in centrarchid fishes and the raptorial appendage of stomatopods. We built dynamic linkage models of 19 centrarchid and 36 stomatopod species and used phylogenetic generalized least squares regression (PGLS) to compare evolutionary shifts in linkage morphology and mechanical outputs derived from the models. In both systems, the kinematics of the four-bar mechanism show significant evolutionary correlation with the output link, while travel distance of the output arm is correlated with the coupler link. This common evolutionary pattern seen in both fish and crustacean taxa is a potential consequence of the mechanical principles underlying four-bar systems. Our results illustrate the potential influence of physical principles on morphological evolution across biological systems with different structures, behaviors, and ecologies. © 2017 The Author(s). Evolution © 2017 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Harm reduction principles for healthcare settings.

PubMed

Hawk, Mary; Coulter, Robert W S; Egan, James E; Fisk, Stuart; Reuel Friedman, M; Tula, Monique; Kinsky, Suzanne

2017-10-24

Harm reduction refers to interventions aimed at reducing the negative effects of health behaviors without necessarily extinguishing the problematic health behaviors completely. The vast majority of the harm reduction literature focuses on the harms of drug use and on specific harm reduction strategies, such as syringe exchange, rather than on the harm reduction philosophy as a whole. Given that a harm reduction approach can address other risk behaviors that often occur alongside drug use and that harm reduction principles have been applied to harms such as sex work, eating disorders, and tobacco use, a natural evolution of the harm reduction philosophy is to extend it to other health risk behaviors and to a broader healthcare audience. Building on the extant literature, we used data from in-depth qualitative interviews with 23 patients and 17 staff members from an HIV clinic in the USA to describe harm reduction principles for use in healthcare settings. We defined six principles of harm reduction and generalized them for use in healthcare settings with patients beyond those who use illicit substances. The principles include humanism, pragmatism, individualism, autonomy, incrementalism, and accountability without termination. For each of these principles, we present a definition, a description of how healthcare providers can deliver interventions informed by the principle, and examples of how each principle may be applied in the healthcare setting. This paper is one of the firsts to provide a comprehensive set of principles for universal harm reduction as a conceptual approach for healthcare provision. Applying harm reduction principles in healthcare settings may improve clinical care outcomes given that the quality of the provider-patient relationship is known to impact health outcomes and treatment adherence. Harm reduction can be a universal precaution applied to all individuals regardless of their disclosure of negative health behaviors, given that health behaviors are not binary or linear but operate along a continuum based on a variety of individual and social determinants.

Evaluating European Climate Change Policy: An Ecological Justice Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muhovic-Dorsner, Kamala

2005-01-01

To date, the concept of ecological justice, when applied to international climate change policy, has largely focused on the North-South dichotomy and has yet to be extended to Central and Eastern European countries. This article argues that current formulations of climate change policy cannot address potential issues of ecological injustice to…

Social-Ecological Resilience and Environmental Education: Synopsis, Application, Implications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plummer, Ryan

2010-01-01

The resilience approach is rooted in ecology and is being advanced as a means to understand change in social-ecological systems. How can resilience be applied to understanding change in social systems, including in environmental education? In probing this question the main resilience approaches are described, the manner in which they may be…

Universal Design for Online Courses: Applying Principles to Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rao, Kavita; Edelen-Smith, Patricia; Wailehua, Cat-Uyen

2015-01-01

Universal design (UD) educational frameworks provide useful guidelines for designing accessible learning environments with the intention of supporting students with and without disabilities. This article describes how one university instructor defined and applied the principles of Universal Instructional Design (UID) to pedagogy, while designing…

Evolution of sociality by natural selection on variances in reproductive fitness: evidence from a social bee.

PubMed

Stevens, Mark I; Hogendoorn, Katja; Schwarz, Michael P

2007-08-29

The Central Limit Theorem (CLT) is a statistical principle that states that as the number of repeated samples from any population increase, the variance among sample means will decrease and means will become more normally distributed. It has been conjectured that the CLT has the potential to provide benefits for group living in some animals via greater predictability in food acquisition, if the number of foraging bouts increases with group size. The potential existence of benefits for group living derived from a purely statistical principle is highly intriguing and it has implications for the origins of sociality. Here we show that in a social allodapine bee the relationship between cumulative food acquisition (measured as total brood weight) and colony size accords with the CLT. We show that deviations from expected food income decrease with group size, and that brood weights become more normally distributed both over time and with increasing colony size, as predicted by the CLT. Larger colonies are better able to match egg production to expected food intake, and better able to avoid costs associated with producing more brood than can be reared while reducing the risk of under-exploiting the food resources that may be available. These benefits to group living derive from a purely statistical principle, rather than from ecological, ergonomic or genetic factors, and could apply to a wide variety of species. This in turn suggests that the CLT may provide benefits at the early evolutionary stages of sociality and that evolution of group size could result from selection on variances in reproductive fitness. In addition, they may help explain why sociality has evolved in some groups and not others.

China's transboundary waters: new paradigms for water and ecological security through applied ecology.

PubMed

He, Daming; Wu, Ruidong; Feng, Yan; Li, Yungang; Ding, Chengzhi; Wang, Wenling; Yu, Douglas W

2014-10-01

China is Asia's most important upstream riparian country, sharing 110 rivers and lakes with 18 downstream countries. Consequently, China's management of transboundary water resources must consider both environmental and geopolitical risks.The major threats to and conflicts over international rivers in China revolve around biotic homogenisation due to the installation of transport links, water allocation, water pollution, alteration of natural flow patterns and disruption of fisheries due to the installation of hydropower dams, and droughts and floods exacerbated by climate change. Because these problems have an international component, they fall under China's Peaceful Rise strategy, mandating that transboundary conflicts be resolved amicably as part of the overarching goal of increasing regional economic growth with as little conflict as possible.Science-backed policy is more likely to result in long term, mutually agreeable solutions; the results of applied ecological research have already resulted in a number of mitigation measures, including setting operational thresholds to reduce the downstream impact of dams, designating protected areas along key river stretches where dams cannot be installed (one dam in a critical location has been cancelled), and the installation of terrestrial protected-area networks. Synthesis and applications . Applied ecology will continue to play an important role in the diagnosis and resolution of environmental threats to China's transboundary waters. More importantly, applied ecology can inform the development of a transboundary environmental compensation mechanism and regional consultative mechanisms that support informed, cooperative decision-making for China and its riparian neighbours.

China's transboundary waters: new paradigms for water and ecological security through applied ecology

PubMed Central

He, Daming; Wu, Ruidong; Feng, Yan; Li, Yungang; Ding, Chengzhi; Wang, Wenling; Yu, Douglas W

2014-01-01

China is Asia's most important upstream riparian country, sharing 110 rivers and lakes with 18 downstream countries. Consequently, China's management of transboundary water resources must consider both environmental and geopolitical risks. The major threats to and conflicts over international rivers in China revolve around biotic homogenisation due to the installation of transport links, water allocation, water pollution, alteration of natural flow patterns and disruption of fisheries due to the installation of hydropower dams, and droughts and floods exacerbated by climate change. Because these problems have an international component, they fall under China's Peaceful Rise strategy, mandating that transboundary conflicts be resolved amicably as part of the overarching goal of increasing regional economic growth with as little conflict as possible. Science-backed policy is more likely to result in long term, mutually agreeable solutions; the results of applied ecological research have already resulted in a number of mitigation measures, including setting operational thresholds to reduce the downstream impact of dams, designating protected areas along key river stretches where dams cannot be installed (one dam in a critical location has been cancelled), and the installation of terrestrial protected-area networks. Synthesis and applications. Applied ecology will continue to play an important role in the diagnosis and resolution of environmental threats to China's transboundary waters. More importantly, applied ecology can inform the development of a transboundary environmental compensation mechanism and regional consultative mechanisms that support informed, cooperative decision-making for China and its riparian neighbours. PMID:25558084

Soil management: The key to soil quality and sustainable agriculture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basch, Gottlieb; Barão, Lúcia; Soares, Miguel

2017-04-01

Today, after the International Year of Soils in 2015 and the proclamation by the International Union of Soil Sciences of the International Decade of Soils 2015-2020, much attention is paid to soil quality. Often used interchangeably, both terms, soil quality and soil health, refer to dynamic soil properties such as soil organic matter or pH, while soil quality also includes inherent soil properties such as texture or mineral composition. However, it is the dynamic or manageable properties that adequate soil management can influence and thus contribute to a well-functioning soil environment capable to deliver the soil-mediated provisioning, regulating and supporting ecosystem services and soil functions. This contribution intends to highlight the key principles of sustainable soil management and provide evidence that they are compliant with a productive, resource efficient and ecologically friendly agriculture. Paradoxically, and despite benefitting from good soil quality, agriculture itself when based on conventional, especially intensive tillage-based soil management practices contributes decisively to soil degradation and to several of the soil threats as identified by the Soil Thematic Strategy, being soil erosion and soil organic matter decline the most notorious ones. To mitigate soil degradation, the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy has introduced conservation measures, mainly through cross-compliance measures supposed to guarantee minimum soil cover, to limit soil erosion and to maintain the levels of soil organic matter. However, it remains unclear to what extent EU member states apply these 'Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition' (GAEC) measures to their utilized agricultural areas. Effective and cost-efficient soil management systems able to conserve or to restore favourable soil conditions, to minimize soil erosion and to invert soil organic matter and soil biodiversity decline and improve soil structure are those capable to mimic as close as possible natural soil conditions while producing food, feed, fibre and fuel. This means to establish and manage crops while disturbing the soil as least as possible, to maintain the soil permanently covered with plants or their residues and to allow for a diversity of plants either in rotation or in association. These principles also known as Conservation Agriculture have shown to be the most promising approach for a sustainable production intensification and proven to work in a wide range of agro-ecological conditions. Although adopted already on more than 150 Mha worldwide, in Europe it still can be considered a novel soil management practice as it is applied on only around 2% of the annual cropland. A paradigm shift and innovative approaches are needed both to recognise the principles of Conservation Agriculture as the only cost-effective, and thus overall sustainable soil management practices capable to deliver the soil-mediated ecosystem services and to make Conservation Agriculture systems work and accepted as the best compromise to attain better soil quality. Keywords: Soil threats, Soil conservation, GAEC, Conservation Agriculture, Resource efficiency

19 CFR 10.824 - Verification and justification of claim for preferential treatment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... accounting principles. When conducting a verification of origin to which Generally Accepted Accounting Principles may be relevant, CBP will apply and accept the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles applicable...

19 CFR 10.784 - Verification and justification of claim for preferential treatment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... accounting principles. When conducting a verification of origin to which Generally Accepted Accounting Principles may be relevant, CBP will apply and accept the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles applicable...

Remembering Zoltan Dienes, a Maverick of Mathematics Teaching and Learning: Applying the Variability Principles to Teach Algebra

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gningue, Serigne Mbaye

2016-01-01

This paper is written in honor of Zoltan Paul Dienes, an internationally renowned mathematician and educator, who passed away in January 2014. It is an attempt to describe, analyze and apply Dienes' theory on how mathematical structures can be taught by applying his four principles of learning upon which he believed a teacher can base concept…

. Ecological conceptual models: a framework and case study on ecosystem management for South Florida sustainability

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gentile, J.H.; Harwell, M.A.; Cropper, W.; Harwell, C. C.; DeAngelis, Donald L.; Davis, S.; Ogden, J.C.; Lirman, D.

2001-01-01

The Everglades and South Florida ecosystems are the focus of national and international attention because of their current degraded and threatened state. Ecological risk assessment, sustainability and ecosystem and adaptive management principles and processes are being used nationally as a decision and policy framework for a variety of types of ecological assessments. The intent of this study is to demonstrate the application of these paradigms and principles at a regional scale. The effects-directed assessment approach used in this study consists of a retrospective, eco-epidemiological phase to determine the causes for the current conditions and a prospective predictive risk-based assessment using scenario analysis to evaluate future options. Embedded in these assessment phases is a process that begins with the identification of goals and societal preferences which are used to develop an integrated suite of risk-based and policy relevant conceptual models. Conceptual models are used to illustrate the linkages among management (societal) actions, environmental stressors, and societal/ecological effects, and provide the basis for developing and testing causal hypotheses. These models, developed for a variety of landscape units and their drivers, stressors, and endpoints, are used to formulate hypotheses to explain the current conditions. They are also used as the basis for structuring management scenarios and analyses to project the temporal and spatial magnitude of risk reduction and system recovery. Within the context of recovery, the conceptual models are used in the initial development of performance criteria for those stressors that are determined to be most important in shaping the landscape, and to guide the use of numerical models used to develop quantitative performance criteria in the scenario analysis. The results will be discussed within an ecosystem and adaptive management framework that provides the foundation for decision making.

Ixcatec ethnoecology: plant management and biocultural heritage in Oaxaca, Mexico.

PubMed

Rangel-Landa, Selene; Casas, Alejandro; Rivera-Lozoya, Erandi; Torres-García, Ignacio; Vallejo-Ramos, Mariana

2016-07-20

Studying motives of plant management allows understanding processes that originated agriculture and current forms of traditional technology innovation. Our work analyses the role of native plants in the Ixcatec subsistence, management practices, native plants biocultural importance, and motivations influencing management decisions. Cultural and ecological importance and management complexity may differ among species according with their use value and availability. We hypothesized that decreasing risk in availability of resources underlies the main motives of management, but curiosity, aesthetic, and ethical values may also be determinant. Role of plants in subsistence strategies, forms of use and management was documented through 130 semi-structured interviews and participant observation. Free listing interviews to 38 people were used to estimate the cognitive importance of species used as food, medicine, fuel, fodder, ornament and ceremonial. Species ecological importance was evaluated through sampling vegetation in 22 points. Principal Components Analysis were performed to explore the relation between management, cultural and ecological importance and estimating the biocultural importance of native species. We recorded 627 useful plant species, 589 of them native. Livelihood strategies of households rely on agriculture, livestock and multiple use of forest resources. At least 400 species are managed, some of them involving artificial selection. Management complexity is the main factor reflecting the biocultural importance of plant species, and the weight of ecological importance and cultural value varied among use types. Management strategies aim to ensure resources availability, to have them closer, to embellish human spaces or satisfying ethical principles. Decisions about plants management are influenced by perception of risk to satisfy material needs, but immaterial principles are also important. Studying such relation is crucial for understanding past and present technological innovation processes and understand the complex process of developing biocultural legacy.

Ecological conceptual models: a framework and case study on ecosystem management for South Florida sustainability.

PubMed

Gentile, J H; Harwell, M A; Cropper, W; Harwell, C C; DeAngelis, D; Davis, S; Ogden, J C; Lirman, D

2001-07-02

The Everglades and South Florida ecosystems are the focus of national and international attention because of their current degraded and threatened state. Ecological risk assessment, sustainability, and ecosystem and adaptive management principles and processes are being used nationally as a decision and policy framework for a variety of types of ecological assessments. The intent of this study is to demonstrate the application of these paradigms and principles at a regional scale. The effects-directed assessment approach used in this study consists of a retrospective, eco-epidemiological phase to determine the causes for the current conditions and a prospective predictive risk-based assessment using scenario analysis to evaluate future options. Embedded in these assessment phases is a process that begins with the identification of goals and societal preferences which are used to develop an integrated suite of risk-based and policy relevant conceptual models. Conceptual models are used to illustrate the linkages among management (societal) actions, environmental stressors, and societal/ecological effects, and provide the basis for developing and testing causal hypotheses. These models, developed for a variety of landscape units and their drivers, stressors, and endpoints, are used to formulate hypotheses to explain the current conditions. They are also used as the basis for structuring management scenarios and analyses to project the temporal and spatial magnitude of risk reduction and system recovery. Within the context of recovery, the conceptual models are used in the initial development of performance criteria for those stressors that are determined to be most important in shaping the landscape, and to guide the use of numerical models used to develop quantitative performance criteria in the scenario analysis. The results will be discussed within an ecosystem and adaptive management framework that provides the foundation for decision making.

Solving Homeland Security’s Wicked Problems: A Design Thinking Approach

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-01

spur solutions. This thesis provides a framework for how S&T can incorporate design- thinking principles that are working well in other domains to...to spur solutions. This thesis provides a framework for how S&T can incorporate design-thinking principles that are working well in other domains to...Galbraith’s Star Model was used to analyze how DHS S&T, MindLab, and DARPA apply design-thinking principles to inform the framework to apply and

Genetics of Taste Receptors

PubMed Central

Bachmanov, Alexander A.; Bosak, Natalia P.; Lin, Cailu; Matsumoto, Ichiro; Ohmoto, Makoto; Reed, Danielle R.; Nelson, Theodore M.

2016-01-01

Taste receptors function as one of the interfaces between internal and external milieus. Taste receptors for sweet and umami (T1R [taste receptor, type 1]), bitter (T2R [taste receptor, type 2]), and salty (ENaC [epithelial sodium channel]) have been discovered in the recent years, but transduction mechanisms of sour taste and ENaC-independent salt taste are still poorly understood. In addition to these five main taste qualities, the taste system detects such noncanonical “tastes” as water, fat, and complex carbohydrates, but their reception mechanisms require further research. Variations in taste receptor genes between and within vertebrate species contribute to individual and species differences in taste-related behaviors. These variations are shaped by evolutionary forces and reflect species adaptations to their chemical environments and feeding ecology. Principles of drug discovery can be applied to taste receptors as targets in order to develop novel taste compounds to satisfy demand in better artificial sweeteners, enhancers of sugar and sodium taste, and blockers of bitterness of food ingredients and oral medications. PMID:23886383

Self-organization at the frictional interface for green tribology.

PubMed

Nosonovsky, Michael

2010-10-28

Despite the fact that self-organization during friction has received relatively little attention from tribologists so far, it has the potential for the creation of self-healing and self-lubricating materials, which are important for green or environment-friendly tribology. The principles of the thermodynamics of irreversible processes and of the nonlinear theory of dynamical systems are used to investigate the formation of spatial and temporal structures during friction. The transition to the self-organized state with low friction and wear occurs through destabilization of steady-state (stationary) sliding. The criterion for destabilization is formulated and several examples are discussed: the formation of a protective film, microtopography evolution and slip waves. The pattern formation may involve self-organized criticality and reaction-diffusion systems. A special self-healing mechanism may be embedded into the material by coupling the corresponding required forces. The analysis provides the structure-property relationship, which can be applied for the design optimization of composite self-lubricating and self-healing materials for various ecologically friendly applications and green tribology.

Standards for documenting and monitoring bird reintroduction projects

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sutherland, W.J.; Armstrong, D.; Butchart, S.H.M.; Earnhardt, J.M.; Ewen, J.; Jamieson, I.; Jones, C.G.; Lee, R.; Newbery, P.; Nichols, J.D.; Parker, K.A.; Sarrazin, F.; Seddon, P.J.; Shah, N.; Tatayah, V.

2010-01-01

It would be much easier to assess the effectiveness of different reintroduction methods, and so improve the success of reintroductions, if there was greater standardization in documentation of the methods and outcomes. We suggest a series of standards for documenting and monitoring the methods and outcomes associated with reintroduction projects for birds. Key suggestions are: documenting the planned release before it occurs, specifying the information required on each release, postrelease monitoring occurring at standard intervals of 1 and 5 years (and 10 for long-lived species), carrying out a population estimate unless impractical, distinguishing restocked and existing individuals when supplementing populations, and documenting the results. We suggest these principles would apply, largely unchanged, to other vertebrate classes. Similar methods could be adopted for invertebrates and plants with appropriate modification. We suggest that organizations publically state whether they will adopt these approaches when undertaking reintroductions. Similar standardization would be beneficial for a wide range of topics in environmental monitoring, ecological studies, and practical conservation. ??2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Cost-Effective Marine Protection - A Pragmatic Approach

PubMed Central

Oinonen, Soile; Hyytiäinen, Kari; Ahlvik, Lassi; Laamanen, Maria; Lehtoranta, Virpi; Salojärvi, Joona; Virtanen, Jarno

2016-01-01

This paper puts forward a framework for probabilistic and holistic cost-effectiveness analysis to provide support in selecting the least-cost set of measures to reach a multidimensional environmental objective. Following the principles of ecosystem-based management, the framework includes a flexible methodology for deriving and populating criteria for effectiveness and costs and analyzing complex ecological-economic trade-offs under uncertainty. The framework is applied in the development of the Finnish Programme of Measures (PoM) for reaching the targets of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). The numerical results demonstrate that substantial cost savings can be realized from careful consideration of the costs and multiple effects of management measures. If adopted, the proposed PoM would yield improvements in the state of the Baltic Sea, but the overall objective of the MSFD would not be reached by the target year of 2020; for various environmental and administrative reasons, it would take longer for most measures to take full effect. PMID:26751965

Is humanity sustainable?

PubMed Central

Fowler, Charles W; Hobbs, Larry

2003-01-01

The principles and tenets of management require action to avoid sustained abnormal/pathological conditions. For the sustainability of interactive systems, each system should fall within its normal range of natural variation. This applies to individuals (as for fevers and hypertension, in medicine), populations (e.g. outbreaks of crop pests in agriculture), species (e.g. the rarity of endangerment in conservation) and ecosystems (e.g. abnormally low productivity or diversity in 'ecosystem-based management'). In this paper, we report tests of the hypothesis that the human species is ecologically normal. We reject the hypothesis for almost all of the cases we tested. Our species rarely falls within statistical confidence limits that envelop the central tendencies in variation among other species. For example, our population size, CO(2) production, energy use, biomass consumption and geographical range size differ from those of other species by orders of magnitude. We argue that other measures should be tested in a similar fashion to assess the prevalence of such differences and their practical implications. PMID:14728780

Community-level response of fishes and aquatic macroinvertebrates to stream restoration in a third-order tributary of the Potomac River, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Selego, S.M.; Rose, C.L.; Merovich, G.T.; Welsh, S.A.; Anderson, James T.

2012-01-01

Natural stream channel design principles and riparian restoration practices were applied during spring 2010 to an agriculturally impaired reach of the Cacapon River, a tributary of the Potomac River which flows into the Chesapeake Bay. Aquatic macroinvertebrates and fishes were sampled from the restoration reach, two degraded control, and two natural reference reaches prior to, concurrently with, and following restoration (2009 through 2010). Collector filterers and scrapers replaced collector gatherers as the dominant macroinvertebrate functional feeding groups in the restoration reach. Before restoration, based on indices of biotic integrity (IBI), the restoration reach fish and macroinvertebrate communities closely resembled those sampled from the control reaches, and after restoration more closely resembled those from the reference reaches. Although the macroinvertebrate community responded more favorably than the fish community, both communities recovered quickly from the temporary impairment caused by the disturbance of restoration procedures and suggest rapid improvement in local ecological conditions. Copyright ?? 2012 Stephen M. Selego et al.

Community-level response of fishes and aquatic macroinvertebrates to stream restoration in a third-order tributary of the Potomac River, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Selego, Stephen M.; Rose, Charnee L.; Merovich, George T.; Welsh, Stuart A.; Anderson, James T.

2012-01-01

Natural stream channel design principles and riparian restoration practices were applied during spring 2010 to an agriculturally impaired reach of the Cacapon River, a tributary of the Potomac River which flows into the Chesapeake Bay. Aquatic macroinvertebrates and fishes were sampled from the restoration reach, two degraded control, and two natural reference reaches prior to, concurrently with, and following restoration (2009 through 2010). Collector filterers and scrapers replaced collector gatherers as the dominant macroinvertebrate functional feeding groups in the restoration reach. Before restoration, based on indices of biotic integrity (IBI), the restoration reach fish and macroinvertebrate communities closely resembled those sampled from the control reaches, and after restoration more closely resembled those from the reference reaches. Although the macroinvertebrate community responded more favorably than the fish community, both communities recovered quickly from the temporary impairment caused by the disturbance of restoration procedures and suggest rapid improvement in local ecological conditions.

Stable Engraftment of Bifidobacterium longum AH1206 in the Human Gut Depends on Individualized Features of the Resident Microbiome.

PubMed

Maldonado-Gómez, María X; Martínez, Inés; Bottacini, Francesca; O'Callaghan, Amy; Ventura, Marco; van Sinderen, Douwe; Hillmann, Benjamin; Vangay, Pajau; Knights, Dan; Hutkins, Robert W; Walter, Jens

2016-10-12

Live bacteria (such as probiotics) have long been used to modulate gut microbiota and human physiology, but their colonization is mostly transient. Conceptual understanding of the ecological principles as they apply to exogenously introduced microbes in gut ecosystems is lacking. We find that, when orally administered to humans, Bifidobacterium longum AH1206 stably persists in the gut of 30% of individuals for at least 6 months without causing gastrointestinal symptoms or impacting the composition of the resident gut microbiota. AH1206 engraftment was associated with low abundance of resident B. longum and underrepresentation of specific carbohydrate utilization genes in the pre-treatment microbiome. Thus, phylogenetic limiting and resource availability are two factors that control the niche opportunity for AH1206 colonization. These findings suggest that bacterial species and functional genes absent in the gut microbiome of individual humans can be reestablished, providing opportunities for precise and personalized microbiome reconstitution. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

'Ecosystem service opportunities': A practice-oriented framework for identifying economic instruments to enhance biodiversity and human livelihoods.

PubMed

Rode, Julian; Wittmer, Heidi; Emerton, Lucy; Schröter-Schlaack, Christoph

2016-09-01

Economic instruments that promise "win-win" solutions for both biodiversity conservation and human livelihoods have become increasingly popular over recent years. There however remains a gap in terms of practical and policy-relevant guidance about appropriate approaches that take into account the local needs and the specific cultural, legal, and ecological context in which such instruments are being developed and applied. This paper presents a step-by-step framework that helps conservation and development planners and practitioners to identify economic instruments that can promote pro-conservation behaviour in a specific setting. The concept of 'ecosystem service opportunities' builds on, and brings together, general economic principles and an ecosystem services perspective. The framework was designed to also address a number of concerns regarding economic approaches in order to help practitioners recognise the potentials and limits of economic approaches to nature conservation. The framework is illustrated by its application within the realm of a biodiversity conservation project in Thailand.

Complex Adaptive Systems of Systems (CASoS) engineering and foundations for global design.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brodsky, Nancy S.; Finley, Patrick D.; Beyeler, Walter Eugene

2012-01-01

Complex Adaptive Systems of Systems, or CASoS, are vastly complex ecological, sociological, economic and/or technical systems which must be recognized and reckoned with to design a secure future for the nation and the world. Design within CASoS requires the fostering of a new discipline, CASoS Engineering, and the building of capability to support it. Towards this primary objective, we created the Phoenix Pilot as a crucible from which systemization of the new discipline could emerge. Using a wide range of applications, Phoenix has begun building both theoretical foundations and capability for: the integration of Applications to continuously build common understandingmore » and capability; a Framework for defining problems, designing and testing solutions, and actualizing these solutions within the CASoS of interest; and an engineering Environment required for 'the doing' of CASoS Engineering. In a secondary objective, we applied CASoS Engineering principles to begin to build a foundation for design in context of Global CASoS« less

Obtaining natural-like flow releases in diverted river reaches from simple riparian benefit economic models.

PubMed

Perona, Paolo; Dürrenmatt, David J; Characklis, Gregory W

2013-03-30

We propose a theoretical river modeling framework for generating variable flow patterns in diverted-streams (i.e., no reservoir). Using a simple economic model and the principle of equal marginal utility in an inverse fashion we first quantify the benefit of the water that goes to the environment in relation to that of the anthropic activity. Then, we obtain exact expressions for optimal water allocation rules between the two competing uses, as well as the related statistical distributions. These rules are applied using both synthetic and observed streamflow data, to demonstrate that this approach may be useful in 1) generating more natural flow patterns in the river reach downstream of the diversion, thus reducing the ecodeficit; 2) obtaining a more enlightened economic interpretation of Minimum Flow Release (MFR) strategies, and; 3) comparing the long-term costs and benefits of variable versus MFR policies and showing the greater ecological sustainability of this new approach. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rumour propagation and the eco-evolutionary dynamics of social information use.

PubMed

Suire, Alexandre; van Baalen, Minus

2018-03-28

Information is a crucial currency for living organisms as it allows them to adjust their behaviour to environmental fluctuations. Thus, natural selection should have favoured the capacity of collecting information from different sources, including social interactions whereby individuals could quickly gain reliable information. However, such conditions may also favour the gathering of potentially detrimental information, such as false or misinterpreted accounts of environmental and social phenomena such as rumours, which may spread via informational cascades. We applied ecological and evolutionary principles to investigate how the propagation of social information at a populational level affects the propensity to assimilate it, here defined as the gullibilty. Our results show that the evolution of an individual's susceptibility to assimilate information strongly depends on eco-evolutionary feedbacks, in particular when both useful and detrimental information circulate. We discuss our results regarding the different information transmission mechanisms involved with particular attention to specific cases of social learning. © 2018 The Author(s).

Visual-Spatial Thinking in Hypertexts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson-Sheehan, Richard; Baehr, Craig

2001-01-01

Explores what it means to think visually and spatially in hypertexts and how users react and maneuver in real and virtual three-dimensional spaces. Offers four principles of visual thinking that can be applied when developing hypertexts. Applies these principles to actual hypertexts, demonstrating how selectivity, fixation, depth discernment, and…

The special effects of hypnosis and hypnotherapy: A contribution to an ecological model of therapeutic change.

PubMed

Mende, Matthias

2006-04-01

There is ample evidence that hypnosis enhances the effectiveness of psychotherapy and produces some astounding effects of its own. In this paper, the effective components and principles of hypnosis and hypnotherapy are analyzed. The "special" hypnotic and hypnotherapeutic effects are linked to the fact that the ecological requirements of therapeutic change are taken into account implicitly and/or explicitly when working with hypnotic trances in a therapeutic setting. The hypnotic situation is described--theoretically and in case examples--as a therapeutic modality that gratifies and aligns the basic emotional needs to feel autonomous, related, competent, and oriented. It is shown how the hypnotic relationship can help promote a sound ecological balance between these needs--a balance that is deemed to be a necessary prerequisite for salutogenesis. Practical implications for planning hypnotherapeutic interventions are discussed.

Guiding bioprocess design by microbial ecology.

PubMed

Volmer, Jan; Schmid, Andreas; Bühler, Bruno

2015-06-01

Industrial bioprocess development is driven by profitability and eco-efficiency. It profits from an early stage definition of process and biocatalyst design objectives. Microbial bioprocess environments can be considered as synthetic technical microbial ecosystems. Natural systems follow Darwinian evolution principles aiming at survival and reproduction. Technical systems objectives are eco-efficiency, productivity, and profitable production. Deciphering technical microbial ecology reveals differences and similarities of natural and technical systems objectives, which are discussed in this review in view of biocatalyst and process design and engineering strategies. Strategies for handling opposing objectives of natural and technical systems and for exploiting and engineering natural properties of microorganisms for technical systems are reviewed based on examples. This illustrates the relevance of considering microbial ecology for bioprocess design and the potential for exploitation by synthetic biology strategies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Embracing uncertainty in applied ecology.

PubMed

Milner-Gulland, E J; Shea, K

2017-12-01

Applied ecologists often face uncertainty that hinders effective decision-making.Common traps that may catch the unwary are: ignoring uncertainty, acknowledging uncertainty but ploughing on, focussing on trivial uncertainties, believing your models, and unclear objectives.We integrate research insights and examples from a wide range of applied ecological fields to illustrate advances that are generally underused, but could facilitate ecologists' ability to plan and execute research to support management.Recommended approaches to avoid uncertainty traps are: embracing models, using decision theory, using models more effectively, thinking experimentally, and being realistic about uncertainty. Synthesis and applications . Applied ecologists can become more effective at informing management by using approaches that explicitly take account of uncertainty.

A modelling methodology to assess the effect of insect pest control on agro-ecosystems.

PubMed

Wan, Nian-Feng; Ji, Xiang-Yun; Jiang, Jie-Xian; Li, Bo

2015-04-23

The extensive use of chemical pesticides for pest management in agricultural systems can entail risks to the complex ecosystems consisting of economic, ecological and social subsystems. To analyze the negative and positive effects of external or internal disturbances on complex ecosystems, we proposed an ecological two-sidedness approach which has been applied to the design of pest-controlling strategies for pesticide pollution management. However, catastrophe theory has not been initially applied to this approach. Thus, we used an approach of integrating ecological two-sidedness with a multi-criterion evaluation method of catastrophe theory to analyze the complexity of agro-ecosystems disturbed by the insecticides and screen out the best insect pest-controlling strategy in cabbage production. The results showed that the order of the values of evaluation index (RCC/CP) for three strategies in cabbage production was "applying frequency vibration lamps and environment-friendly insecticides 8 times" (0.80) < "applying trap devices and environment-friendly insecticides 9 times" (0.83) < "applying common insecticides 14 times" (1.08). The treatment "applying frequency vibration lamps and environment-friendly insecticides 8 times" was considered as the best insect pest-controlling strategy in cabbage production in Shanghai, China.

A modelling methodology to assess the effect of insect pest control on agro-ecosystems

PubMed Central

Wan, Nian-Feng; Ji, Xiang-Yun; Jiang, Jie-Xian; Li, Bo

2015-01-01

The extensive use of chemical pesticides for pest management in agricultural systems can entail risks to the complex ecosystems consisting of economic, ecological and social subsystems. To analyze the negative and positive effects of external or internal disturbances on complex ecosystems, we proposed an ecological two-sidedness approach which has been applied to the design of pest-controlling strategies for pesticide pollution management. However, catastrophe theory has not been initially applied to this approach. Thus, we used an approach of integrating ecological two-sidedness with a multi-criterion evaluation method of catastrophe theory to analyze the complexity of agro-ecosystems disturbed by the insecticides and screen out the best insect pest-controlling strategy in cabbage production. The results showed that the order of the values of evaluation index (RCC/CP) for three strategies in cabbage production was “applying frequency vibration lamps and environment-friendly insecticides 8 times” (0.80) < “applying trap devices and environment-friendly insecticides 9 times” (0.83) < “applying common insecticides 14 times” (1.08). The treatment “applying frequency vibration lamps and environment-friendly insecticides 8 times” was considered as the best insect pest-controlling strategy in cabbage production in Shanghai, China. PMID:25906199

42 CFR 405.817 - Principles for determining amount in controversy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Principles for determining amount in controversy... the Medicare Part B Program § 405.817 Principles for determining amount in controversy. (a) Individual... may assert that the aggregation principles contained in this subpart may be applied to determine the...

16 CFR 260.6 - General principles.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... ENVIRONMENTAL MARKETING CLAIMS § 260.6 General principles. The following general principles apply to all environmental marketing claims, including, but not limited to, those described in § 260.7. In addition, § 260.7... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false General principles. 260.6 Section 260.6...

The "Fundamental Pedogagical Principle" in Second Language Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krashen, Stephen D.

1981-01-01

A fundamental principle of second language acquisition is stated and applied to language teaching. The principle states that learners acquire a second language when they receive comprehensible input in situations where their affective filters are sufficiently low. The theoretical background of this principle consists of five hypotheses: the…

Taking the conservation biology perspective to secondary school classrooms.

PubMed

Wyner, Yael; Desalle, Rob

2010-06-01

The influence of conservation biology can be enhanced greatly if it reaches beyond undergraduate biology to students at the middle and high school levels. If a conservation perspective were taught in secondary schools, students who are not interested in biology could be influenced to pursue careers or live lifestyles that would reduce the negative impact of humans on the world. We use what we call the ecology-disrupted approach to transform the topics of conservation biology research into environmental-issue and ecology topics, the major themes of secondary school courses in environmental science. In this model, students learn about the importance and complexity of normal ecological processes by studying what goes wrong when people disrupt them (environmental issues). Many studies published in Conservation Biology are related in some way to the ecological principles being taught in secondary schools. Describing research in conservation biology in the language of ecology curricula in secondary schools can help bring these science stories to the classroom and give them a context in which they can be understood by students. Without this context in the curriculum, a science story can devolve into just another environmental issue that has no immediate effect on the daily lives of students. Nevertheless, if the research is placed in the context of larger ecological processes that are being taught, students can gain a better understanding of ecology and a better understanding of their effect on the world.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Friesen, H.N.

This summary document presents results in a broad context; it is not limited to findings of the Nevada Applied Ecology Group. This book is organized to present the findings of the Nevada Applied Ecology Group and correlative programs in accordance with the originally stated objectives of the Nevada Applied Ecology Group. This plan, in essence, traces plutonium from its injection into the environment to movement in the ecosystem to development of cleanup techniques. Information on other radionuclides was also obtained and will be presented briefly. Chapter 1 presents a brief description of the ecological setting of the Test Range Complex.more » The results of investigations for plutonium distribution are presented in Chapter 2 for the area surrounding the Test Range Complex and in Chapter 3 for on-site locations. Chapters 4 and 5 present the results of investigations concerned with concentrations and movement, respectively, of plutonium in the ecosystem of the Test Range Complex, and Chapter 6 summarizes the potential hazard from this plutonium. Development of techniques for cleanup and treatment is presented in Chapter 7, and the inventory of radionuclides other than plutonium is presented briefly in Chapter 8.« less

Science, Communities, and Decision Making: How Can We Learn to Dance with Many Partners?

Treesearch

Liette Vasseur

2006-01-01

Ecosystem management, also called integrated management can be defined as integrated careful and skilful use, development, and protection of ecosystems using ecological, economic, social and managerial principles to sustain ecosystem integrity and desired conditions, uses, products, values, and services over the long term. Although ecosystem or conservation management...

Understanding the game of the environment

Treesearch

David R. Houston

1979-01-01

Understanding the Game of The Environment is a summary of major ecological principles and concepts viewed as a game in which living organisms interact with each other and their nonliving environment. The use of game terminology helps place a bewildering array of facts and relationships into an understandable framework. All students are familiar with games, and they...

Campus Ecology: A Guide to Assessing Environmental Quality and Creating Strategies for Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, April A.; And Others

This book is designed to take the environmental issues and principles currently being studied in the classroom and move them outside the classroom doors into the campus community and the larger world. By making environmental knowledge part and parcel of campus environmental practice, students, faculty, and administrators have an extraordinary…

Parent-Child Communication and Its Perceived Effects on the Young Child's Developing Self-Concept.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banham, Victoria; Hanson, Jane; Higgins, Alice; Jarrett, Michelle

In Australia, an exploratory study was grounded in U. Bronfenbrenner's ecological perspective of human development and his principles of reciprocity, affective tone, and developmental opportunity and developmental risk. It used D. Baumrind's (1979) work on child rearing styles (authoritarian, authoritative, and permissive) to explore the effect of…

BOOK REVIEW: WETLAND DESIGN, PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES FOR LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS AND LAND-USE PLANNERS

EPA Science Inventory

The book is organized in such a way that it provides a stepwise guide that begins with a basic historical and aesthetic overview of wetland design. The book then summarizes the key concepts involved in cumultive impacts from a landscape ecology persepetive, and then delves furth...

The southern plains LTAR watershed research program

Treesearch

Patrick Starks; Jean L. Steiner

2016-01-01

Water connects physical, biological, chemical, ecological, and economic forces across the landscape. While hydrologic processes and scientific investigations related to sustainable agricultural systems are based on universal principles, research to understand processes and evaluate management practices is often site-specific in order to achieve a critical mass of...

"Trees Have a Soul Too!" Developing Empathy and Environmental Values in Early Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lithoxoidou, Loukia S.; Georgopoulos, Alexandros D.; Dimitriou, Anastasia Th.; Xenitidou, Sofia Ch.

2017-01-01

Coping with environmental crisis cannot but presuppose a change in the values adopted by modern man. Both ecocentric values associated with creating a caring relationship with nature, and the development of empathy, can become vehicles of transformation towards a society based on ecological principles. In connection with these issues, an…

How Resource Dependency Can Influence Social Resilience within a Primary Resource Industry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall, N. A.; Fenton, D. M.; Marshall, P. A.; Sutton, S. G.

2007-01-01

Maintaining a healthy balance between human prosperity and environmental integrity is at the core of the principles of Ecological Sustainable Development. Resource-protection policies are frequently implemented so as to regulate the balance between resource access and use, however, they can inadvertently compromise the ability of resource users to…

The Ontario Benthos Biomonitoring Network

Treesearch

Chris Jones; Brian Craig; Nicole Dmytrow

2006-01-01

Canada’s Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Environment Canada (Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network) are developing an aquatic macroinvertebrate biomonitoring network for Ontario’s lakes, streams, and wetlands. We are building the program, called the Ontario Benthos Biomonitoring Network (OBBN), on the principles of partnership, free data sharing, and...

Ecological principles: climate, physiography, soil, and vegetation

Treesearch

George R. Parker; George T. Weaver

1989-01-01

The central hardwood region is a land of transitions in climate, physiography, soils, plants, and animals. Winter temperature and drought are the two most important climatic variables operating on plants and animals. Occasional severe periods of low winter temperatures in the northern half of the region restrict the northern occurrence of many plant and animal species...

Restoring fire-prone Inland Pacific landscapes: seven core principles

Treesearch

Paul F. Hessburg; Derek J. Churchill; Andrew J. Larson; Ryan D. Haugo; Carol Miller; Thomas A. Spies; Malcolm P. North; Nicholas A. Povak; R. Travis Belote; Peter H. Singleton; William L. Gaines; Robert E. Keane; Gregory H. Aplet; Scott L. Stephens; Penelope Morgan; Peter A. Bisson; Bruce E. Rieman; R. Brion Salter; Gordon H. Reeves

2015-01-01

Context More than a century of forest and fire management of Inland Pacific landscapes has transformed their successional and disturbance dynamics. Regional connectivity of many terrestrial and aquatic habitats is fragmented, flows of some ecological and physical processes have been altered in space and time, and the frequency, size and intensity of many disturbances...