Effect of Computer-Assisted Instruction on Secondary School Students' Achievement in Ecological Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nkemdilim, Egbunonu Roseline; Okeke, Sam O. C.

2014-01-01

This study investigated the effects of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) on students' achievement in ecological concepts. Quasi-experimental design, specifically the pre-test post test non-equivalent control group design was adopted. The sample consisted of sixty-six (66) senior secondary year two (SS II) biology students, drawn from two…

The Importance of Harmony: An Ecological Metaphor for Writing Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fleckenstein, Kristie S.; Spinuzzi, Clay; Rickly, Rebecca J.; Papper, Carole Clark

2008-01-01

This essay argues for the value of an ecological metaphor in conceptualizing, designing, and enacting research in writing studies. Such a metaphor conceives of activities, actors, situations, and phenomena as interdependent, diverse, and fused through feedback. This ecological orientation invites composition scholars to research rhetorically: to…

Ecological Investigations, Curriculum Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Washington City Board of Education, NC.

Activities which stress ecological concepts make up the major portion of this curriculum guide. Designed as a 12 week mini-course for students in grades eight and nine, the guide first presents the course schedule, including time requirements, lists the ecological concepts to be studied, and correlates the concepts with the activities. Following…

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.

A study protocol to evaluate the relationship between outdoor air pollution and pregnancy outcomes.

PubMed

Ribeiro, Manuel C; Pereira, Maria J; Soares, Amílcar; Branquinho, Cristina; Augusto, Sofia; Llop, Esteve; Fonseca, Susana; Nave, Joaquim G; Tavares, António B; Dias, Carlos M; Silva, Ana; Selemane, Ismael; de Toro, Joaquin; Santos, Mário J; Santos, Fernanda

2010-10-15

The present study protocol is designed to assess the relationship between outdoor air pollution and low birth weight and preterm births outcomes performing a semi-ecological analysis. Semi-ecological design studies are widely used to assess effects of air pollution in humans. In this type of analysis, health outcomes and covariates are measured in individuals and exposure assignments are usually based on air quality monitor stations. Therefore, estimating individual exposures are one of the major challenges when investigating these relationships with a semi-ecologic design. Semi-ecologic study consisting of a retrospective cohort study with ecologic assignment of exposure is applied. Health outcomes and covariates are collected at Primary Health Care Center. Data from pregnant registry, clinical record and specific questionnaire administered orally to the mothers of children born in period 2007-2010 in Portuguese Alentejo Litoral region, are collected by the research team. Outdoor air pollution data are collected with a lichen diversity biomonitoring program, and individual pregnancy exposures are assessed with spatial geostatistical simulation, which provides the basis for uncertainty analysis of individual exposures. Awareness of outdoor air pollution uncertainty will improve validity of individual exposures assignments for further statistical analysis with multivariate regression models. Exposure misclassification is an issue of concern in semi-ecological design. In this study, personal exposures are assigned to each pregnant using geocoded addresses data. A stochastic simulation method is applied to lichen diversity values index measured at biomonitoring survey locations, in order to assess spatial uncertainty of lichen diversity value index at each geocoded address. These methods assume a model for spatial autocorrelation of exposure and provide a distribution of exposures in each study location. We believe that variability of simulated exposure values at geocoded addresses will improve knowledge on variability of exposures, improving therefore validity of individual exposures to input in posterior statistical analysis.

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

76 FR 76337 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for Lost River...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-07

... ecology, as well as the technological advancements made available since preparing the 1994 proposed rule..., advancement in our understanding of Lost River sucker's and shortnose sucker's ecology, and the technological... required for Lost River sucker and shortnose sucker from studies of this species' habitat, ecology, and...

An Ecological Momentary Assessment of the Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Patterns of University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rouse, Peter C.; Biddle, Stuart J. H.

2010-01-01

Objective: We used ecological momentary assessment to understand the physical activity and sedentary behaviour patterns of university students. Study design: Cross sectional, opportunistic sample from a university in the English midlands. Methods: Ecological momentary assessment diaries were completed every 15 minutes across two days. The sample…

Defining the Ecological Coefficient of Performance for an Aircraft Propulsion System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Şöhret, Yasin

2018-05-01

The aircraft industry, along with other industries, is considered responsible these days regarding environmental issues. Therefore, the performance evaluation of aircraft propulsion systems should be conducted with respect to environmental and ecological considerations. The current paper aims to present the ecological coefficient of performance calculation methodology for aircraft propulsion systems. The ecological coefficient performance is a widely-preferred performance indicator of numerous energy conversion systems. On the basis of thermodynamic laws, the methodology used to determine the ecological coefficient of performance for an aircraft propulsion system is parametrically explained and illustrated in this paper for the first time. For a better understanding, to begin with, the exergy analysis of a turbojet engine is described in detail. Following this, the outputs of the analysis are employed to define the ecological coefficient of performance for a turbojet engine. At the end of the study, the ecological coefficient of performance is evaluated parametrically and discussed depending on selected engine design parameters and performance measures. The author asserts the ecological coefficient of performance to be a beneficial indicator for researchers interested in aircraft propulsion system design and related topics.

Measures of precision for dissimilarity-based multivariate analysis of ecological communities.

PubMed

Anderson, Marti J; Santana-Garcon, Julia

2015-01-01

Ecological studies require key decisions regarding the appropriate size and number of sampling units. No methods currently exist to measure precision for multivariate assemblage data when dissimilarity-based analyses are intended to follow. Here, we propose a pseudo multivariate dissimilarity-based standard error (MultSE) as a useful quantity for assessing sample-size adequacy in studies of ecological communities. Based on sums of squared dissimilarities, MultSE measures variability in the position of the centroid in the space of a chosen dissimilarity measure under repeated sampling for a given sample size. We describe a novel double resampling method to quantify uncertainty in MultSE values with increasing sample size. For more complex designs, values of MultSE can be calculated from the pseudo residual mean square of a permanova model, with the double resampling done within appropriate cells in the design. R code functions for implementing these techniques, along with ecological examples, are provided. © 2014 The Authors. Ecology Letters published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and CNRS.

Predicting fifth-grade students' understanding of ecological science concepts with motivational and cognitive variables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alao, Solomon

The need to identify factors that contribute to students' understanding of ecological concepts has been widely expressed in recent literature. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between fifth grade students' prior knowledge, learning strategies, interest, and learning goals and their conceptual understanding of ecological science concepts. Subject were 72 students from three fifth grade classrooms located in a metropolitan area of the eastern United States. Students completed the goal commitment, interest, and strategy use questionnaire (GISQ), and a knowledge test designed to assess their prior knowledge and conceptual understanding of ecological science concepts. The learning goals scale assessed intentions to try to learn and understand ecological concepts. The interest scale assessed the feeling and value-related valences that students ascribed to science and ecological science concepts. The strategy use scale assessed the use of two cognitive strategies (monitoring and elaboration). The knowledge test assessed students' understanding of ecological concepts (the relationship between living organisms and their environment). Scores on all measures were examined for gender differences; no significant gender differences were observed. The motivational and cognitive variables contributed to students' understanding of ecological concepts. After accounting for interest, learning goals, and strategy use, prior knowledge accounted for 28% of the total variance in conceptual understanding. After accounting for prior knowledge, interest, learning goals, and strategy use explained 7%, 6%, and 4% of the total variance in conceptual understanding, respectively. More importantly, these variables were interrelated to each other and to conceptual understanding. After controlling for prior knowledge, learning goals, and strategy use, interest did not predict the variance in conceptual understanding. After controlling for prior knowledge, interest, and strategy use, learning goals did not predict the variance in conceptual understanding. And, after controlling for prior knowledge, interest, and learning goals, strategy use did not predict the variance in conceptual understanding. Results of this study indicated that prior knowledge, interest, learning goals, and strategy use should be included in theoretical models design to explain and to predict fifth grade students' understanding of ecological concepts. Results of this study further suggested that curriculum developers and science teachers need to take fifth grade students' prior knowledge of ecological concepts, interest in science and ecological concepts; intentions to learn and understand ecological concepts, and use of cognitive strategies into account when designing instructional contexts to support these students' understanding of ecological concepts.

Integrating Survey and Molecular Approaches to Better Understand Wildlife Disease Ecology

PubMed Central

Cowled, Brendan D.; Ward, Michael P.; Laffan, Shawn W.; Galea, Francesca; Garner, M. Graeme; MacDonald, Anna J.; Marsh, Ian; Muellner, Petra; Negus, Katherine; Quasim, Sumaiya; Woolnough, Andrew P.; Sarre, Stephen D.

2012-01-01

Infectious wildlife diseases have enormous global impacts, leading to human pandemics, global biodiversity declines and socio-economic hardship. Understanding how infection persists and is transmitted in wildlife is critical for managing diseases, but our understanding is limited. Our study aim was to better understand how infectious disease persists in wildlife populations by integrating genetics, ecology and epidemiology approaches. Specifically, we aimed to determine whether environmental or host factors were stronger drivers of Salmonella persistence or transmission within a remote and isolated wild pig (Sus scrofa) population. We determined the Salmonella infection status of wild pigs. Salmonella isolates were genotyped and a range of data was collected on putative risk factors for Salmonella transmission. We a priori identified several plausible biological hypotheses for Salmonella prevalence (cross sectional study design) versus transmission (molecular case series study design) and fit the data to these models. There were 543 wild pig Salmonella observations, sampled at 93 unique locations. Salmonella prevalence was 41% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 37–45%). The median Salmonella DICE coefficient (or Salmonella genetic similarity) was 52% (interquartile range [IQR]: 42–62%). Using the traditional cross sectional prevalence study design, the only supported model was based on the hypothesis that abundance of available ecological resources determines Salmonella prevalence in wild pigs. In the molecular study design, spatial proximity and herd membership as well as some individual risk factors (sex, condition score and relative density) determined transmission between pigs. Traditional cross sectional surveys and molecular epidemiological approaches are complementary and together can enhance understanding of disease ecology: abundance of ecological resources critical for wildlife influences Salmonella prevalence, whereas Salmonella transmission is driven by local spatial, social, density and individual factors, rather than resources. This enhanced understanding has implications for the control of diseases in wildlife populations. Attempts to manage wildlife disease using simplistic density approaches do not acknowledge the complexity of disease ecology. PMID:23071552

Design and modeling of sustainable bioethanol supply chain by minimizing the total ecological footprint in life cycle perspective.

PubMed

Ren, Jingzheng; Manzardo, Alessandro; Toniolo, Sara; Scipioni, Antonio; Tan, Shiyu; Dong, Lichun; Gao, Suzhao

2013-10-01

The purpose of this paper is to develop a model for designing the most sustainable bioethanol supply chain. Taking into consideration of the possibility of multiple-feedstock, multiple transportation modes, multiple alternative technologies, multiple transport patterns and multiple waste disposal manners in bioethanol systems, this study developed a model for designing the most sustainable bioethanol supply chain by minimizing the total ecological footprint under some prerequisite constraints including satisfying the goal of the stakeholders', the limitation of resources and energy, the capacity of warehouses, the market demand and some technological constraints. And an illustrative case of multiple-feedstock bioethanol system has been studied by the proposed method, and a global best solution by which the total ecological footprint is the minimal has been obtained. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Education for Sustainability: An Ecological Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Companion, Marc

2002-01-01

Describes the ecological design in water purification, indoor climate regulation, and repairing polluted bodies of water. Discusses the implications of ecosystems in the classroom in which students study concepts such as homeostasis and self-regulation. (YDS)

INCORPORATING INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY INTO HIERARCHICAL CHEMICAL PROCESS DESIGN

EPA Science Inventory

Incorporating Industrial Ecology into Hierarchical Chemical Process Design: Determining Targets for the Exchange of Waste

The exchange of waste to be used as a recycled feed has long been encouraged by practitioners of industrial ecology. Industrial ecology is a field t...

Measures of precision for dissimilarity-based multivariate analysis of ecological communities

PubMed Central

Anderson, Marti J; Santana-Garcon, Julia

2015-01-01

Ecological studies require key decisions regarding the appropriate size and number of sampling units. No methods currently exist to measure precision for multivariate assemblage data when dissimilarity-based analyses are intended to follow. Here, we propose a pseudo multivariate dissimilarity-based standard error (MultSE) as a useful quantity for assessing sample-size adequacy in studies of ecological communities. Based on sums of squared dissimilarities, MultSE measures variability in the position of the centroid in the space of a chosen dissimilarity measure under repeated sampling for a given sample size. We describe a novel double resampling method to quantify uncertainty in MultSE values with increasing sample size. For more complex designs, values of MultSE can be calculated from the pseudo residual mean square of a permanova model, with the double resampling done within appropriate cells in the design. R code functions for implementing these techniques, along with ecological examples, are provided. PMID:25438826

Integrative approaches to investigating human-natural systems: the Baltimore ecosystem study

Treesearch

Mary L. Cadenasso; Steward T.A. Pickett; Morgan J. Grove; Morgan J. Grove

2006-01-01

This paper presents an overview of the research approaches used to study metropolitan Baltimore (Maryland, USA) as an ecological system. The urban ecosystem is a complex of biophysical, social, and built components, and is studied by an interdisciplinary teamof biological, social, and physical scientists, and urban designers. Ecology ?of? themetropolis is addressed...

The science of trail surveys: Recreation ecology provides new tools for managing wilderness trails

USGS Publications Warehouse

Marion, Jeffrey L.; Wimpey, Jeremy F.; Park, Logan O.

2011-01-01

Recreation ecology examines the effects of recreation on protected area ecosystems. One core focus of recreation ecology research is trail science, including the development of efficient protocols to assess and monitor the type and severity of resource impacts, analyses to improve knowledge of factors that influence trail conditions, and studies to assist land managers in improving trail design, maintenance, and visitor management. This article reviews alternative trail survey methodologies most useful for the management of wilderness and backcountry trail networks. Illustrations and implications from survey data for trail planning, design, and management are included.

An Instructional Design Using the Virtual Ecological Pond for Science Education in Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tarng, Wernhuar; Ou, Kuo-Liang; Tsai, Wen-Shin; Lin, Yu-Si; Hsu, Chen-Kai

2010-01-01

Ecological ponds can be a good teaching tool for science teachers, but they must be built and maintained properly to provide students with a safe and suitable learning environment. However, many schools do not have the ability to build and maintain an ecological pond. This study used virtual reality technology to develop a web-based virtual…

The individualistic fallacy, ecological studies and instrumental variables: a causal interpretation.

PubMed

Loney, Tom; Nagelkerke, Nico J

2014-01-01

The validity of ecological studies in epidemiology for inferring causal relationships has been widely challenged as observed associations could be biased by the Ecological Fallacy. We reconsider the important design components of ecological studies, and discuss the conditions that may lead to spurious associations. Ecological associations are useful and valid when the ecological exposures can be interpreted as Instrumental Variables. A suitable example may be a time series analysis of environmental pollution (e.g. particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of <10 micrometres; PM10) and health outcomes (e.g. hospital admissions for acute myocardial infarction) as environmental pollution levels are a cause of individual exposure levels and not just an aggregate measurement. Ecological exposures may also be employed in situations (perhaps rare) where individual exposures are known but their associations with health outcomes are confounded by unknown or unquantifiable factors. Ecological associations have a notorious reputation in epidemiology and individualistic associations are considered superior to ecological associations because of the "ecological fallacy". We have argued that this is incorrect in situations in which ecological or aggregate exposures can serve as an instrumental variable and associations between individual exposure and outcome are likely to be confounded by unmeasured variables.

Accounting for imperfect detection in ecology: a quantitative review.

PubMed

Kellner, Kenneth F; Swihart, Robert K

2014-01-01

Detection in studies of species abundance and distribution is often imperfect. Assuming perfect detection introduces bias into estimation that can weaken inference upon which understanding and policy are based. Despite availability of numerous methods designed to address this assumption, many refereed papers in ecology fail to account for non-detection error. We conducted a quantitative literature review of 537 ecological articles to measure the degree to which studies of different taxa, at various scales, and over time have accounted for imperfect detection. Overall, just 23% of articles accounted for imperfect detection. The probability that an article incorporated imperfect detection increased with time and varied among taxa studied; studies of vertebrates were more likely to incorporate imperfect detection. Among articles that reported detection probability, 70% contained per-survey estimates of detection that were less than 0.5. For articles in which constancy of detection was tested, 86% reported significant variation. We hope that our findings prompt more ecologists to consider carefully the detection process when designing studies and analyzing results, especially for sub-disciplines where incorporation of imperfect detection in study design and analysis so far has been lacking.

[Site selection of nature reserve based on the self-learning tabu search algorithm with space-ecology set covering problem: An example from Daiyun Mountain, Southeast China].

PubMed

Huang, Jia Hang; Liu, Jin Fu; Lin, Zhi Wei; Zheng, Shi Qun; He, Zhong Sheng; Zhang, Hui Guang; Li, Wen Zhou

2017-01-01

Designing the nature reserves is an effective approach to protecting biodiversity. The traditional approaches to designing the nature reserves could only identify the core area for protecting the species without specifying an appropriate land area of the nature reserve. The site selection approaches, which are based on mathematical model, can select part of the land from the planning area to compose the nature reserve and to protect specific species or ecosystem. They are useful approaches to alleviating the contradiction between ecological protection and development. The existing site selection methods do not consider the ecological differences between each unit and has the bottleneck of computational efficiency in optimization algorithm. In this study, we first constructed the ecological value assessment system which was appropriated for forest ecosystem and that was used for calculating ecological value of Daiyun Mountain and for drawing its distribution map. Then, the Ecological Set Covering Problem (ESCP) was established by integrating the ecological values and then the Space-ecology Set Covering Problem (SSCP) was generated based on the spatial compactness of ESCP. Finally, the STS algorithm which possessed good optimizing performance was utilized to search the approximate optimal solution under diverse protection targets, and the optimization solution of the built-up area of Daiyun Mountain was proposed. According to the experimental results, the difference of ecological values in the spatial distribution was obvious. The ecological va-lue of selected sites of ESCP was higher than that of SCP. SSCP could aggregate the sites with high ecological value based on ESCP. From the results, the level of the aggregation increased with the weight of the perimeter. We suggested that the range of the existing reserve could be expanded for about 136 km 2 and the site of Tsuga longibracteata should be included, which was located in the northwest of the study area. Our research aimed at providing an optimization scheme for the sustai-nable development of Daiyun Mountain nature reserve and the optimal allocation of land resource, and a novel idea for designing the nature reserve of forest ecosystem in China.

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.

[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.

Helping Students Develop a 21st Century Environmental & Social Ethic.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peters, Richard Oakes

This document presents an interdisciplinary curriculum in ecology and social studies for the K-12 grade level. Topics include: (1) A Model Strategy; (2) Participatory Citizenship; (3) Graphic Studies; (4) Globescope Matrices; (5) Nurturing an Environmental and Social Ethic; (6) Unit Outline; and (7) Lesson Design Format. Ecology lesson plans are…

Advances and Limitations of Disease Biogeography Using Ecological Niche Modeling

PubMed Central

Escobar, Luis E.; Craft, Meggan E.

2016-01-01

Mapping disease transmission risk is crucial in public and animal health for evidence based decision-making. Ecology and epidemiology are highly related disciplines that may contribute to improvements in mapping disease, which can be used to answer health related questions. Ecological niche modeling is increasingly used for understanding the biogeography of diseases in plants, animals, and humans. However, epidemiological applications of niche modeling approaches for disease mapping can fail to generate robust study designs, producing incomplete or incorrect inferences. This manuscript is an overview of the history and conceptual bases behind ecological niche modeling, specifically as applied to epidemiology and public health; it does not pretend to be an exhaustive and detailed description of ecological niche modeling literature and methods. Instead, this review includes selected state-of-the-science approaches and tools, providing a short guide to designing studies incorporating information on the type and quality of the input data (i.e., occurrences and environmental variables), identification and justification of the extent of the study area, and encourages users to explore and test diverse algorithms for more informed conclusions. We provide a friendly introduction to the field of disease biogeography presenting an updated guide for researchers looking to use ecological niche modeling for disease mapping. We anticipate that ecological niche modeling will soon be a critical tool for epidemiologists aiming to map disease transmission risk, forecast disease distribution under climate change scenarios, and identify landscape factors triggering outbreaks. PMID:27547199

Advances and Limitations of Disease Biogeography Using Ecological Niche Modeling.

PubMed

Escobar, Luis E; Craft, Meggan E

2016-01-01

Mapping disease transmission risk is crucial in public and animal health for evidence based decision-making. Ecology and epidemiology are highly related disciplines that may contribute to improvements in mapping disease, which can be used to answer health related questions. Ecological niche modeling is increasingly used for understanding the biogeography of diseases in plants, animals, and humans. However, epidemiological applications of niche modeling approaches for disease mapping can fail to generate robust study designs, producing incomplete or incorrect inferences. This manuscript is an overview of the history and conceptual bases behind ecological niche modeling, specifically as applied to epidemiology and public health; it does not pretend to be an exhaustive and detailed description of ecological niche modeling literature and methods. Instead, this review includes selected state-of-the-science approaches and tools, providing a short guide to designing studies incorporating information on the type and quality of the input data (i.e., occurrences and environmental variables), identification and justification of the extent of the study area, and encourages users to explore and test diverse algorithms for more informed conclusions. We provide a friendly introduction to the field of disease biogeography presenting an updated guide for researchers looking to use ecological niche modeling for disease mapping. We anticipate that ecological niche modeling will soon be a critical tool for epidemiologists aiming to map disease transmission risk, forecast disease distribution under climate change scenarios, and identify landscape factors triggering outbreaks.

Designing the Perfect Plant: Activities to Investigate Plant Ecology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lehnhoff, Erik; Woolbaugh, Walt; Rew, Lisa

2008-01-01

Plant ecology is an important subject that often receives little attention in middle school, as more time during science classes is devoted to plant biology. Therefore, the authors have developed a series of activities, including a card game--Designing the Perfect Plant--to introduce student's to plant ecology and the ecological trade offs…

Nematode Community Response to Green Infrastructure Design in a Semiarid City.

PubMed

Pavao-Zuckerman, Mitchell A; Sookhdeo, Christine

2017-05-01

Urbanization affects ecosystem function and environmental quality through shifts in ecosystem fluxes that are brought on by features of the built environment. Green infrastructure (GI) has been suggested as a best management practice (BMP) to address urban hydrologic and ecological impacts of the built environment, but GI practice has only been studied from a limited set of climatic conditions and disciplinary approaches. Here, we evaluate GI features in a semiarid city from the perspective of soil ecology through the application of soil nematode community analysis. This study was conducted to investigate soil ecological interactions in small-scale GI as a means of assessing curb-cut rain garden basin design in a semiarid city. We looked at the choice of mulching approaches (organic vs. rock) and how this design choice affects the soil ecology of rain basins in Tucson, AZ. We sampled soils during the monsoon rain season and assessed the soil nematode community as a bioindicator of soil quality and biogeochemical processes. We found that the use of organic mulch in GI basins promotes enhanced soil organic matter contents and larger nematode populations. Nematode community indices point to enhanced food web structure in streetscape rain garden basins that are mulched with organic material. Results from this study suggest that soil management practices for GI can help promote ecological interactions and ecosystem services in urban ecosystems. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Ecological security pattern construction based on ecological protection redlines in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zou, Changxin

2017-04-01

China is facing huge environmental problems with its current rapid rate of urbanization and industrialization, thus causing biodiversity loss, ecosystem service degradation on a major scale. Against this background, three previous examples (the nature reserve policy, the afforestation policy, and the zoning policy) are implemented in China. These all play important roles in protecting natural ecosystems, although they can sometimes cause new problems and lack rigorous targets for environmental outcomes. To overcome current management conflicts, China has proposed a new "ecological protection redlines" policy (EPR). EPR can be defined as the ecological baseline area needed to provide ecosystem services to guarantee and maintain ecological safety. This study analyzed the scope, objectives and technical methods of delineating EPR in China, and put forward the proposed scheme for the ecological security pattern based on EPR. We constructed three kinds of redlines in China, including key ecological function area redlines, ecological sensitive or fragile areas redlines, and forbidden development areas redlines. For the key ecological function area redlines, a total of 38 water conservation functional zones have been designated, covering a total area of 3.23 million km2; 14 soil conservation zones have been designated, covering a total area of 881700 km2; wind-prevention and sand-fixation zones across the country cover a total area of about 1.73 million km2, accounting for 57.13% of the total land area of the whole country. With respect to the ecologically vulnerable redlines, 18 ecologically vulnerable zones has been designated across the country, covering 2.19 million km2, accounting for 22.86% of the total land area of the whole country. Forbidden development areas redlines covered a total area of 3.29 million km2, accounting for 34.3% of the total land area of the whole country. We also suggest to form a complete ecological security pattern including patterns of protecting ecological function, residential environment safety, and biodiversity maintenance. Further emphasis should be put in supporting management and control measures in order to promote ecological protection in China.

Complicating Silence: A Case Study Investigation of Optimal Student Writing Ecologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lampi, Jodi P.; Wilson, Nancy Effinger; Armstrong, Sonya L.

2018-01-01

In this article, the authors report on a study designed to explore college students' experiences in two writing environments, or ecologies: a media-free, silent zone and a media-saturated zone. Participants shared varying reactions to both environments. Some individuals found media distracting while writing, and others found it to be an energy…

The Ecological Transition to Auditory-Verbal Therapy: Experiences of Parents Whose Children Use Cochlear Implants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neuss, Deirdre

2006-01-01

This Canadian study reports on the experiences of parents whose children use cochlear implants and on their perspectives prior to and following the transition to Auditory-Verbal therapy. A qualitative case study design, framed in social-ecological theory, guided this research. Data collection procedures included a family information questionnaire,…

Establishment and Data Collection of Vegetation-related Studies on the Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project Study Sites

Treesearch

Brian L. Brookshire; Daniel C. Dey

2000-01-01

The Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project (MOFEP) is an experiment designed to determine the effects of forest management practices on important ecosystem attributes. MOFEP treatments evaluated include even-aged, uneven-aged, and no management treatments. Forest vegetation provides a common ecological link among many organisms and ecological processes, and therefore...

[Ecological design of ditches in agricultural land consolidation: a review].

PubMed

Ye, Yan-mei; Wu, Ci-fang; Yu, Jing

2011-07-01

Agricultural land consolidation is a strong disturbance to farmland ecosystem. In traditional agricultural land consolidation, the main technical and economic indices for the design of ditches include the convenience for production and transportation, the allocation of water resources, and the improvement of water utilization, but short of ecological consideration, which has already affected the spread of agricultural species, caused the degradation of bio-habitat, and given obvious negative effects on the bio-competition mechanism, buffering and compensation capacity, and insect pests-resistance of farmland ecosystem. This paper summarized the functions of ecological ditches, and introduced the recent progress on the formations and construction designs of ecological ditches, tests of ecological engineering methods, and technologies and methods of choosing correct ecological materials. It was suggested that the future research should focus on the different functional requirements and specifications for different roads and ditches, and the characteristics and habitats of all the organisms and animals should be considered by the designers and constructors. Moreover, a comprehensive design which meets the ecological demands for the ditches' formations, structures, and regulatory sizes should be taken into account to solve the most of the problems listed above.

Promoting Experimental Problem-solving Ability in Sixth-grade Students Through Problem-oriented Teaching of Ecology: Findings of an intervention study in a complex domain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roesch, Frank; Nerb, Josef; Riess, Werner

2015-03-01

Our study investigated whether problem-oriented designed ecology lessons with phases of direct instruction and of open experimentation foster the development of cross-domain and domain-specific components of experimental problem-solving ability better than conventional lessons in science. We used a paper-and-pencil test to assess students' abilities in a quasi-experimental intervention study utilizing a pretest/posttest control-group design (N = 340; average performing sixth-grade students). The treatment group received lessons on forest ecosystems consistent with the principle of education for sustainable development. This learning environment was expected to help students enhance their ecological knowledge and their theoretical and methodological experimental competencies. Two control groups received either the teachers' usual lessons on forest ecosystems or non-specific lessons on other science topics. We found that the treatment promoted specific components of experimental problem-solving ability (generating epistemic questions, planning two-factorial experiments, and identifying correct experimental controls). However, the observed effects were small, and awareness for aspects of higher ecological experimental validity was not promoted by the treatment.

Empirical studies of software design: Implications for SSEs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krasner, Herb

1988-01-01

Implications for Software Engineering Environments (SEEs) are presented in viewgraph format for characteristics of projects studied; significant problems and crucial problem areas in software design for large systems; layered behavioral model of software processes; implications of field study results; software project as an ecological system; results of the LIFT study; information model of design exploration; software design strategies; results of the team design study; and a list of publications.

Defining quantitative stream disturbance gradients and the additive role of habitat variation to explain macroinvertebrate taxa richness

EPA Science Inventory

Most studies dealing with the use of ecological indicators and other applied ecological research relies on some definition or concept of what constitutes least-, intermediate- and most-disturbed condition. Currently, most rigorous methodologies designed to define those conditions...

The Guide to the Ecology Box.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ontario Inst. for Studies in Education, Toronto.

Cooperating with the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education has prepared boxes of experimental curriculum materials on the subject of ecology. This guide summarizes the design and contents of the boxes and provides instructions for those using the boxes--principals, teachers, parents, librarians, and…

Promoting community socio-ecological sustainability through technology: A case study from Chile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aguayo, Claudio; Eames, Chris

2017-12-01

The importance of community learning in effecting social change towards ecological sustainability has been recognised for some time. More recently, the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools to promote socio-ecological sustainability has been shown to have potential in community education for sustainable development (ESD). The effective design and use of technology for community learning implies an understanding of a range of cross-dimensional factors including: socio-cultural characteristics and needs of the target audience; considerations of available and culturally responsive types of technology; and non-formal pedagogical ESD strategies for community empowerment. In addition, both technology itself and social communities are dynamically evolving and complex entities. This article presents a case study which evaluated the potential of ICT for promoting ecological literacy and action competence amongst community members in southern Chile. The case study addressed the ecological deterioration of a lake, which is having deep social, economic, recreational and cultural implications locally. The authors' research involved developing a theoretical framework for the design, implementation and use of ICT for community learning for sustainability. The framework was based on key ideas from ESD, ICT and community education, and was underpinned by a systems thinking approach to account for the dynamism and complexity of such settings. Activity theory provided a frame to address overarching socio-cultural elements when using technology as a mediating tool for community learning. The authors' findings suggest that the use of an ICT tool, such as a website, can enhance ecological literacy in relation to a local socio-ecological issue.

The Sustainable Expression of Ecological Concept in the Urban Landscape Environment Design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Junyan; Zhou, Tiejun; Xin, Lisen; Tan, Yuetong; Wang, Zhigang

2018-02-01

Urbanization is an inevitable trend of development of human society, also the inevitable outcome of economic development and scientific and technological progress, while urbanization process in promoting the development of human civilization, also no doubt, urban landscape has been a corresponding impact. Urban environment has suffered unprecedented damage, the urban population density, traffic congestion, shortage of resources, environmental pollution, ecological degradation, has become the focus of human society. In order to create an environment of ecological and harmonious, beautiful, sustainable development in the urban landscape, This paper discusses the concept of ecological design combined with the urban landscape design and sustainable development of urban landscape design.

Spatially Explicit Landscape-Level Ecological Risks Induced by Land Use and Land Cover Change in a National Ecologically Representative Region in China.

PubMed

Gong, Jian; Yang, Jianxin; Tang, Wenwu

2015-11-09

Land use and land cover change is driven by multiple influential factors from environmental and social dimensions in a land system. Land use practices of human decision-makers modify the landscape of the land system, possibly leading to landscape fragmentation, biodiversity loss, or environmental pollution-severe environmental or ecological impacts. While landscape-level ecological risk assessment supports the evaluation of these impacts, investigations on how these ecological risks induced by land use practices change over space and time in response to alternative policy intervention remain inadequate. In this article, we conducted spatially explicit landscape ecological risk analysis in Ezhou City, China. Our study area is a national ecologically representative region experiencing drastic land use and land cover change, and is regulated by multiple policies represented by farmland protection, ecological conservation, and urban development. We employed landscape metrics to consider the influence of potential landscape-level disturbance for the evaluation of landscape ecological risks. Using spatiotemporal simulation, we designed scenarios to examine spatiotemporal patterns in landscape ecological risks in response to policy intervention. Our study demonstrated that spatially explicit landscape ecological risk analysis combined with simulation-driven scenario analysis is of particular importance for guiding the sustainable development of ecologically vulnerable land systems.

Spatially Explicit Landscape-Level Ecological Risks Induced by Land Use and Land Cover Change in a National Ecologically Representative Region in China

PubMed Central

Gong, Jian; Yang, Jianxin; Tang, Wenwu

2015-01-01

Land use and land cover change is driven by multiple influential factors from environmental and social dimensions in a land system. Land use practices of human decision-makers modify the landscape of the land system, possibly leading to landscape fragmentation, biodiversity loss, or environmental pollution—severe environmental or ecological impacts. While landscape-level ecological risk assessment supports the evaluation of these impacts, investigations on how these ecological risks induced by land use practices change over space and time in response to alternative policy intervention remain inadequate. In this article, we conducted spatially explicit landscape ecological risk analysis in Ezhou City, China. Our study area is a national ecologically representative region experiencing drastic land use and land cover change, and is regulated by multiple policies represented by farmland protection, ecological conservation, and urban development. We employed landscape metrics to consider the influence of potential landscape-level disturbance for the evaluation of landscape ecological risks. Using spatiotemporal simulation, we designed scenarios to examine spatiotemporal patterns in landscape ecological risks in response to policy intervention. Our study demonstrated that spatially explicit landscape ecological risk analysis combined with simulation-driven scenario analysis is of particular importance for guiding the sustainable development of ecologically vulnerable land systems. PMID:26569270

Gene expression profiling--Opening the black box of plant ecosystem responses to global change

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

Leakey, A.D.B.; Ainsworth, E.A.; Bernard, S.M.

The use of genomic techniques to address ecological questions is emerging as the field of genomic ecology. Experimentation under environmentally realistic conditions to investigate the molecular response of plants to meaningful changes in growth conditions and ecological interactions is the defining feature of genomic ecology. Since the impact of global change factors on plant performance are mediated by direct effects at the molecular, biochemical and physiological scales, gene expression analysis promises important advances in understanding factors that have previously been consigned to the 'black box' of unknown mechanism. Various tools and approaches are available for assessing gene expression in modelmore » and non-model species as part of global change biology studies. Each approach has its own unique advantages and constraints. A first generation of genomic ecology studies in managed ecosystems and mesocosms have provided a testbed for the approach and have begun to reveal how the experimental design and data analysis of gene expression studies can be tailored for use in an ecological context.« less

Design and Construction Process of Two LEED Certified University Buildings: A Collective Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rich, Kim

2011-01-01

This study was conducted at the early stages of integrating LEED into the design process in which a clearer understanding of what sustainable and ecological design was about became evident through the duration of designing and building of two academic buildings on a university campus. In this case study, due to utilizing a grounded theory…

Bullying Behaviour, Intentions and Classroom Ecology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pryce, Sarah; Frederickson, Norah

2013-01-01

Anti-bullying commitment across school communities is seen as crucial to the effectiveness of interventions. This exploratory study used a mixed-methods design to investigate bullying behaviour, intentions and aspects of the classroom ecology within the context of an anti-bullying initiative that was launched with a declaration of commitment.…

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…

Ecology of Missouri Forests. Instructional Unit. Conservation Education Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Jim

This unit is designed to help science, social studies, vocational agriculture, and other teachers incorporate forest ecology concepts into their subject matter. The unit includes: (1) topic outline; (2) unit objectives; (3) background information on climate and soils, levels of a deciduous forest, age classes, food and energy relationships, forest…

Objectives and study design of the Colville study: silviculture, ecology, utilization, and economics of small-diameter densely stocked stands.

Treesearch

R.J. Barbour; S.D. Tesch; J. McNeel; S.A. Willits; R.D. Fight; A. Mason; K.E. Skog

1997-01-01

Public land managers in the United States are increasingly interested in managing forests to provide a range of ecological and social outputs in addition to timber. These outputs might include healthy riparian areas, connected blocks of late-successional forests, habitat for threatened and endangered species, and high quality recreational opportunities. On National...

Ecological effects of alternative fuel-reduction treatments: highlights of the National Fire and Fire Surrogate study (FFS)

Treesearch

James D. McIver; Scott L. Stephens; James K. Agee; Jamie Barbour; Ralph E. J. Boerner; Carl B. Edminster; Karen L. Erickson; Kerry L. Farris; Christopher J. Fettig; Carl E. Fiedler; Sally Haase; Stephen C. Hart; Jon E. Keeley; Eric E. Knapp; John F. Lehmkuhl; Jason J. Moghaddas; William Otrosina; Kenneth W. Outcalt; Dylan W. Schwilk; Carl N. Skinner; Thomas A. Waldrop; C. Phillip Weatherspoon; Daniel A. Yaussy; Andrew Youngblood; Steve Zack

2012-01-01

The 12-site National Fire and Fire Surrogate study (FFS) was a multivariate experiment that evaluated ecological consequences of alternative fuel-reduction treatments in seasonally dry forests of the US. Each site was a replicated experiment with a common design that compared an un-manipulated control, prescribed fire, mechanical and mechanical + fire treatments....

Ecological Risk Assessment Guidance for Superfund: Process for Designing and Conducting Ecological Risk Assessments - Interim Final

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This document provides guidance to site managers and Remedial Project Managers who are legally responsible for the management of a site on how to design and conduct technically defensible ecological risk assessments for the Superfund program.

Techno-ecological synergy as a path toward sustainability of a North American residential system.

PubMed

Urban, Robert A; Bakshi, Bhavik R

2013-02-19

For any human-designed system to be sustainable, ecosystem services that support it must be readily available. This work explicitly accounts for this dependence by designing synergies between technological and ecological systems. The resulting techno-ecological network mimics nature at the systems level, can stay within ecological constraints, and can identify novel designs that are economically and environmentally attractive that may not be found by the traditional design focus on technological options. This approach is showcased by designing synergies for a typical American suburban home at local and life cycle scales. The objectives considered are carbon emissions, water withdrawal, and cost savings. Systems included in the design optimization include typical ecosystems in suburban yards: lawn, trees, water reservoirs, and a vegetable garden; technological systems: heating, air conditioning, faucets, solar panels, etc.; and behavioral variables: heating and cooling set points. The ecological and behavioral design variables are found to have a significant effect on the three objectives, in some cases rivaling and exceeding the effect of traditional technological options. These results indicate the importance and benefits of explicitly including ecosystems in the design of sustainable systems, something that is rarely done in existing methods.

Pathways from marine protected area design and management to ecological success

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Using an international dataset compiled from 121 sites in 87 marine protected areas (MPAs) globally (Edgar et al., 2014), I assessed how various configurations of design and management conditions affected MPA ecological performance, measured in terms of fish species richness and biomass. The set-theoretic approach used Boolean algebra to identify pathways that combined up to five ‘NEOLI’ (No-take, Enforced, Old, Large, Isolated) conditions and that were sufficient for achieving positive, and negative, ecological outcomes. Ecological isolation was overwhelming the most important condition affecting ecological outcomes but Old and Large were also conditions important for achieving high levels of biomass among large fishes (jacks, groupers, sharks). Solution coverage was uniformly low (<0.35) for all models of positive ecological performance suggesting the presence of numerous other conditions and pathways to ecological success that did not involve the NEOLI conditions. Solution coverage was higher (>0.50) for negative results (i.e., the absence of high biomass) among the large commercially-exploited fishes, implying asymmetries in how MPAs may rebuild populations on the one hand and, on the other, protect against further decline. The results revealed complex interactions involving MPA design, implementation, and management conditions that affect MPA ecological performance. In general terms, the presence of no-take regulations and effective enforcement were insufficient to ensure MPA effectiveness on their own. Given the central role of ecological isolation in securing ecological benefits from MPAs, site selection in the design phase appears critical for success. PMID:26644975

[Theories and methodologies of engineering designs on sustainable agricultural land consolidation project--a case study of Xuemeiyang land consolidation project in Changtai County, Fujian Province].

PubMed

Ye, Yanmei; Wu, Cifang; Cheng, Chengbiao; Qiu, Lingzhang; Huang, Shengyu; Zheng, Ruihui

2002-09-01

The concept and characteristics of engineering designs on sustainable agricultural land consolidation project were discussed in this paper. Principles, basic methods and procedures of engineering designs on agricultural land consolidation project were put forward, which were successfully adopted for designing agricultural land consolidation in Xuemeiyang region of Changtai County, including diversity designs of sustainable land use, engineering designs of soil improvement, roads, ditches, and drains for protecting existent animal environments, and design of ecological shelter-forests in farmland. Moreover, from sustainable economic, ecological and social points, the results of these engineering designs were evaluated based on fouteen important indexes. After carrying out these engineeringdesigns, the eco-environments and agricultural production conditions were significantly improved, and the farm income was increased in planned regions.

Study on planning and design of ecological tourist rural complex for the elderly

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Zhoulin; Jiang, Nan; He, Yunxiao; Long, Yanping

2018-03-01

In order to deal with the increasingly serious aging problem in China, a new model about serving the aged better needs to be explored. This paper puts forward the concept of ecological tourist rural complex for the elderly, a novel pattern that combining the rural retirement place with pastoral complex which is proposed recently. A concrete example of Deteng complex in Mianyang is given to explore the construction condition and planning approach. Three important aspects including pastoral, ecology, serving the aged are the core elements to develop ecological tourist rural complex for the elderly.

Building Ecology & School Design. Technical Bulletin.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maryland State Dept. of Education, Baltimore.

To better understand construction's impact, an overview of building ecology as a concept and as a decision-making model for school systems is provided. "Building ecology" is defined as the interrelationships among people, the built environment, and the natural environment. It has special relevance for school design because most of the…

The Attitudes of Interior Design Students towards Sustainability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruff, Caimen Leigh; Olson, Margot A.

2009-01-01

To measure attitudes toward environmental issues, interior design students responded to a four-part survey: demographics, ecology, sustainability, and comments. The ecology section was composed of modifications of questions from the New Ecological Paradigm Scale (Dunlap et al. "Journal of Environmental Education," 9:10-19, 2000). The researchers…

Capturing the genetic makeup of the active microbiome in situ.

PubMed

Singer, Esther; Wagner, Michael; Woyke, Tanja

2017-09-01

More than any other technology, nucleic acid sequencing has enabled microbial ecology studies to be complemented with the data volumes necessary to capture the extent of microbial diversity and dynamics in a wide range of environments. In order to truly understand and predict environmental processes, however, the distinction between active, inactive and dead microbial cells is critical. Also, experimental designs need to be sensitive toward varying population complexity and activity, and temporal as well as spatial scales of process rates. There are a number of approaches, including single-cell techniques, which were designed to study in situ microbial activity and that have been successively coupled to nucleic acid sequencing. The exciting new discoveries regarding in situ microbial activity provide evidence that future microbial ecology studies will indispensably rely on techniques that specifically capture members of the microbiome active in the environment. Herein, we review those currently used activity-based approaches that can be directly linked to shotgun nucleic acid sequencing, evaluate their relevance to ecology studies, and discuss future directions.

Effect of additional warning sounds on pedestrians' detection of electric vehicles: An ecological approach.

PubMed

Fleury, Sylvain; Jamet, Éric; Roussarie, Vincent; Bosc, Laure; Chamard, Jean-Christophe

2016-12-01

Virtually silent electric vehicles (EVs) may pose a risk for pedestrians. This paper describes two studies that were conducted to assess the influence of different types of external sounds on EV detectability. In the first study, blindfolded participants had to detect an approaching EV with either no warning sounds at all or one of three types of sound we tested. In the second study, designed to replicate the results of the first one in an ecological setting, the EV was driven along a road and the experimenters counted the number of people who turned their heads in its direction. Results of the first study showed that adding external sounds improve EV detection, and modulating the frequency and increasing the pitch of these sounds makes them more effective. This improvement was confirmed in the ecological context. Consequently, pitch variation and frequency modulation should both be taken into account in future AVAS design. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Capturing the genetic makeup of the active microbiome in situ

PubMed Central

Singer, Esther; Wagner, Michael; Woyke, Tanja

2017-01-01

More than any other technology, nucleic acid sequencing has enabled microbial ecology studies to be complemented with the data volumes necessary to capture the extent of microbial diversity and dynamics in a wide range of environments. In order to truly understand and predict environmental processes, however, the distinction between active, inactive and dead microbial cells is critical. Also, experimental designs need to be sensitive toward varying population complexity and activity, and temporal as well as spatial scales of process rates. There are a number of approaches, including single-cell techniques, which were designed to study in situ microbial activity and that have been successively coupled to nucleic acid sequencing. The exciting new discoveries regarding in situ microbial activity provide evidence that future microbial ecology studies will indispensably rely on techniques that specifically capture members of the microbiome active in the environment. Herein, we review those currently used activity-based approaches that can be directly linked to shotgun nucleic acid sequencing, evaluate their relevance to ecology studies, and discuss future directions. PMID:28574490

A Design Research Study of a Curriculum and Diagnostic Assessment System for a Learning Trajectory on Equipartitioning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Confrey, Jere; Maloney, Alan

2015-01-01

Design research studies provide significant opportunities to study new innovations and approaches and how they affect the forms of learning in complex classroom ecologies. This paper reports on a two-week long design research study with twelve 2nd through 4th graders using curricular materials and a tablet-based diagnostic assessment system, both…

Promoting Experimental Problem-Solving Ability in Sixth-Grade Students through Problem-Oriented Teaching of Ecology: Findings of an Intervention Study in a Complex Domain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roesch, Frank; Nerb, Josef; Riess, Werner

2015-01-01

Our study investigated whether problem-oriented designed ecology lessons with phases of direct instruction and of open experimentation foster the development of cross-domain and domain-specific components of "experimental problem-solving ability" better than conventional lessons in science. We used a paper-and-pencil test to assess…

Research on the Development of Ecological Concepts and Conceptual Systems: Implications for the Elementary Educator.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cothron, Julia H.; Thompson, Ertle

Student variables which influence attainment of ecological concepts and conceptual systems were investigated. Researcher-designed paper/pencil and free-sort categorization tests were administered to 256 Science Curriculum Improvement Study (SCIS) students in grades 4-6. Findings are: (1) grade and ability, not sex, influenced concept attainment…

Developing a Multi-Year Learning Progression for Carbon Cycling in Socio-Ecological Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mohan, Lindsey; Chen, Jing; Anderson, Charles W.

2009-01-01

This study reports on our steps toward achieving a conceptually coherent and empirically validated learning progression for carbon cycling in socio-ecological systems. It describes an iterative process of designing and analyzing assessment and interview data from students in upper elementary through high school. The product of our development…

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…

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.

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.

Model Configuration and Innovative Design of College Students’ Ecological Civilization Construction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chengwen, Yang

2018-02-01

This study is based on Marxist eco-civilization thought, combining with Eco management theory, puts forward solutions for college students’ ecological civilization construction. The paper based on the perspective of ecological management theory to analyze the main elements of eco-civilization construction of college students, mainly including five categories. In view of above-mentioned analyze, constructed the model of college students’ eco-civilization which is based on the theory of eco-management, and put forward on concrete methods to improve it.

INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY AND SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS INNOVATION: A STUDENT DESIGN PROJECT ON MOBILITY IN THE POST-AUTOMOBILE ERA

EPA Science Inventory

The emergent field of industrial ecology (IE) has been described as the "science and engineering of sustainability" and the "technological core of sustainability." Some proponents of IE draw on metaphors from systems ecology and suggest that a design revolution is necessary t...

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.

Designing Flood Management Systems for Joint Economic and Ecological Robustness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spence, C. M.; Grantham, T.; Brown, C. M.; Poff, N. L.

2015-12-01

Freshwater ecosystems across the United States are threatened by hydrologic change caused by water management operations and non-stationary climate trends. Nonstationary hydrology also threatens flood management systems' performance. Ecosystem managers and flood risk managers need tools to design systems that achieve flood risk reduction objectives while sustaining ecosystem functions and services in an uncertain hydrologic future. Robust optimization is used in water resources engineering to guide system design under climate change uncertainty. Using principles introduced by Eco-Engineering Decision Scaling (EEDS), we extend robust optimization techniques to design flood management systems that meet both economic and ecological goals simultaneously across a broad range of future climate conditions. We use three alternative robustness indices to identify flood risk management solutions that preserve critical ecosystem functions in a case study from the Iowa River, where recent severe flooding has tested the limits of the existing flood management system. We seek design modifications to the system that both reduce expected cost of flood damage while increasing ecologically beneficial inundation of riparian floodplains across a wide range of plausible climate futures. The first robustness index measures robustness as the fraction of potential climate scenarios in which both engineering and ecological performance goals are met, implicitly weighting each climate scenario equally. The second index builds on the first by using climate projections to weight each climate scenario, prioritizing acceptable performance in climate scenarios most consistent with climate projections. The last index measures robustness as mean performance across all climate scenarios, but penalizes scenarios with worse performance than average, rewarding consistency. Results stemming from alternate robustness indices reflect implicit assumptions about attitudes toward risk and reveal the tradeoffs between using structural and non-structural flood management strategies to ensure economic and ecological robustness.

DESIGN OF FIELD STUDIES FOR THE MEASUREMENT OF BAFS AND BSAFS.

EPA Science Inventory

Bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) and biota-sediment accumulation factors (BSAFs) for aquatic organisms are necessary parameters for assessing the ecological risks of nonpolar organic chemicals in aquatic ecosystems. In designing a field study to measure BAFs and/or BSAFs, one of th...

Plant Galls and Ecological Concepts: A Multidisciplinary Outdoor Education Teaching Resource Packet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, Bruce; And Others

Designed for adaptation in primary through high school classes, the lessons in this resource packet use the development of plant galls (plant growths caused by irritation of the plant tissue) as a focus for outdoor education studies and activities. Emphasis is on science and ecology, though other disciplines are represented. Illustrations and…

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,…

Developing Ecological Habits of Mind through the Arts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Upitis, Rena

2009-01-01

This study describes the experiences of nine school-based artists who took part in a six-day professional development course on ecology and the arts at an off-grid wilderness facility. The course was designed to increase artist-educators' awareness of issues surrounding energy use and consumption as well as to provide them with direction for…

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,…

Integrating Geoscience and Sustainability: Examining Socio-Techno-Ecological Relationships within Content Designed to Prepare Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hale, Annie E.; Shelton, Catharyn C.; Richter, Jennifer; Archambault, Leanna M.

2017-01-01

Coupling the study of sustainability with geoscience may enable students to explore science in a more sophisticated way by examining the social-technological-ecological relationships that exist between human-nonhuman and flora-fauna-land interactions. Elementary educators are a population capable of making these issues come to life for today's…

The Tree of Knowledge Project: Organic Designs as Virtual Learning Spaces

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gui, Dean A. F.; AuYeung, Gigi

2013-01-01

The virtual Department of English at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, also known as the Tree of Knowledge, is a project premised upon using ecology and organic forms to promote language learning in Second Life (SL). Inspired by Salmon's (2010) Tree of Learning concept this study examines how an interactive ecological environment--in this…

The development of an ecological approach to manage the pollution risk from highway runoff.

PubMed

Crabtree, B; Dempsey, P; Johnson, I; Whitehead, M

2009-01-01

In the UK, the Highways Agency is responsible for operating, maintaining and improving the strategic road network in England. One focus of the Highways Agency's ongoing research into the nature and impact of highway runoff is aimed at ensuring that the Highways Agency will meet the requirements of the EU Water Framework Directive. A research programme, undertaken in partnership with the Environment Agency, is in progress to develop a better understanding of pollutants in highway runoff and their ecological impact. The paper presents the outcome of a study to: (1) monitor pollutants in highway runoff under different climate and traffic conditions; (2) develop standards to assess potential ecological risks from soluble pollutants in highway runoff; and (3) develop a model to predict pollutant concentrations in highway runoff. The model has been embedded in a design tool incorporating risk assessment procedures and receiving water standards for soluble and insoluble pollutants--the latter has been developed elsewhere in another project within the research programme. The design tool will be used to support improved guidance on where, and to what level, treatment of runoff is required for highway designers to manage the risk of ecological impact from highway runoff.

Applying a Social-Ecological Framework to Factors Related to Nicotine Replacement Therapy for Adolescent Smoking Cessation.

PubMed

King, Jessica L; Merten, Julie W; Wong, Tzu-Jung; Pomeranz, Jamie L

2018-06-01

This systematic review synthesizes factors related to nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) use among adolescents seeking to quit smoking, using the social-ecological model as a guiding framework. Searches of PubMED, ProQuest, EBSCOhost, and ERIC were conducted in July 2016. Original studies of cigarette smokers younger than 18 years that discussed NRT were included. Two reviewers individually extracted study purpose, sample, design, and results. Factors were categorized by social-ecological model level and summarized. A total of 103 907 articles were identified during initial search. After narrowing to peer-reviewed articles in English and eliminating reviews and adult-only studies, we reviewed 51 articles. These 51 articles identified factors from studies at each level of the social-ecological model: intrapersonal ( k = 20), interpersonal ( k = 2), organizational ( k = 7), community ( k = 11), and public policy ( k = 14). Findings provide insight into the applicability of NRT for adolescent smoking cessation, and factors by social-ecological model level highlight areas for additional research. Future adolescent NRT studies should assess factors at the interpersonal, organizational, and community levels, as well as the interactions between levels.

Sampling design for an integrated socioeconomic and ecological survey by using satellite remote sensing and ordination

PubMed Central

Binford, Michael W.; Lee, Tae Jeong; Townsend, Robert M.

2004-01-01

Environmental variability is an important risk factor in rural agricultural communities. Testing models requires empirical sampling that generates data that are representative in both economic and ecological domains. Detrended correspondence analysis of satellite remote sensing data were used to design an effective low-cost sampling protocol for a field study to create an integrated socioeconomic and ecological database when no prior information on ecology of the survey area existed. We stratified the sample for the selection of tambons from various preselected provinces in Thailand based on factor analysis of spectral land-cover classes derived from satellite data. We conducted the survey for the sampled villages in the chosen tambons. The resulting data capture interesting variations in soil productivity and in the timing of good and bad years, which a purely random sample would likely have missed. Thus, this database will allow tests of hypotheses concerning the effect of credit on productivity, the sharing of idiosyncratic risks, and the economic influence of environmental variability. PMID:15254298

Ecological speciation in the tropics: insights from comparative genetic studies in Amazonia

PubMed Central

Beheregaray, Luciano B.; Cooke, Georgina M.; Chao, Ning L.; Landguth, Erin L.

2015-01-01

Evolution creates and sustains biodiversity via adaptive changes in ecologically relevant traits. Ecologically mediated selection contributes to genetic divergence both in the presence or absence of geographic isolation between populations, and is considered an important driver of speciation. Indeed, the genetics of ecological speciation is becoming increasingly studied across a variety of taxa and environments. In this paper we review the literature of ecological speciation in the tropics. We report on low research productivity in tropical ecosystems and discuss reasons accounting for the rarity of studies. We argue for research programs that simultaneously address biogeographical and taxonomic questions in the tropics, while effectively assessing relationships between reproductive isolation and ecological divergence. To contribute toward this goal, we propose a new framework for ecological speciation that integrates information from phylogenetics, phylogeography, population genomics, and simulations in evolutionary landscape genetics (ELG). We introduce components of the framework, describe ELG simulations (a largely unexplored approach in ecological speciation), and discuss design and experimental feasibility within the context of tropical research. We then use published genetic datasets from populations of five codistributed Amazonian fish species to assess the performance of the framework in studies of tropical speciation. We suggest that these approaches can assist in distinguishing the relative contribution of natural selection from biogeographic history in the origin of biodiversity, even in complex ecosystems such as Amazonia. We also discuss on how to assess ecological speciation using ELG simulations that include selection. These integrative frameworks have considerable potential to enhance conservation management in biodiversity rich ecosystems and to complement historical biogeographic and evolutionary studies of tropical biotas. PMID:25653668

Discussions on the Design of the Pool Landscape in the Rain Garden Construction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zou, Shuzhen; Zhu, Yirong; Wei, Chaojun; Tao, Biaohong

2018-03-01

With rapid urbanization, the environmental problems are becoming increasingly prominent and diversified ecological landscape designs consequently appear with the rain garden landscape design as a typical. Based on the introduction to rain garden ecological functions and in combination with domestic and international rain garden landscape design cases, this paper discussed the rain garden pool landscape design.

Comparison of sampling methodologies and estimation of population parameters for a temporary fish ectoparasite.

PubMed

Artim, J M; Sikkel, P C

2016-08-01

Characterizing spatio-temporal variation in the density of organisms in a community is a crucial part of ecological study. However, doing so for small, motile, cryptic species presents multiple challenges, especially where multiple life history stages are involved. Gnathiid isopods are ecologically important marine ectoparasites, micropredators that live in substrate for most of their lives, emerging only once during each juvenile stage to feed on fish blood. Many gnathiid species are nocturnal and most have distinct substrate preferences. Studies of gnathiid use of habitat, exploitation of hosts, and population dynamics have used various trap designs to estimate rates of gnathiid emergence, study sensory ecology, and identify host susceptibility. In the studies reported here, we compare and contrast the performance of emergence, fish-baited and light trap designs, outline the key features of these traps, and determine some life cycle parameters derived from trap counts for the Eastern Caribbean coral-reef gnathiid, Gnathia marleyi. We also used counts from large emergence traps and light traps to estimate additional life cycle parameters, emergence rates, and total gnathiid density on substrate, and to calibrate the light trap design to provide estimates of rate of emergence and total gnathiid density in habitat not amenable to emergence trap deployment.

Environmental Education & Ecology in a Life Science Course for Preservice K-8 Teachers Using Project Wildlife in Learning Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Allan

2010-01-01

During laboratory sessions devoted to ecology, 182 preservice K-8 teachers participated in a Project Wildlife in Learning Design (WILD) workshop. Participants rated the workshop highly, indicated they would use more inquiry-based activities, and were more interested in teaching ecology following the workshop. Post-test scores indicated an…

[Coupling between ecological vulnerability and economic poverty in contiguous destitute areas, China: Empirical analysis of 714 poverty-stricken counties.

PubMed

Cao, Shi Song; Wang, Yan Hui; Duan, Fu Zhou; Zhao, Wen Ji; Wang, Zhi Heng; Fang, Na

2016-08-01

Maintaining the coordinated correlation between ecological environment and economic development is one of the important strategies in the new stage of poverty alleviation and development. Taking 714 poverty-stricken counties in contiguous destitute areas as study areas, this paper designed the ecological vulnerability evaluation indicator system based on the ecological sensitivity-resilience-pressure (SRP) conceptual model, as well as the comprehensive poverty evaluation indicators from the perspective of socioeconomic development, so as to build the coupling model to reveal the coupling between ecological vulnerability and economic poverty. The results showed that Hu-Line could act as a feasible partition label to depict the spatial distribution patterns of ecological vulnerability, economic poverty, as well as their coupling degree in contiguous destitute areas, which should be fully taken into consideration the influence of Hu-Line on the east-west pattern classification of national poverty reduction. In addition, there existed a symbiotic positive correlation between ecological vulnerability and economic poverty, therefore, the strategic significance of ecological and environment protection in poverty-stricken areas should be specifically emphasized to reduce economic poverty by synchronously protecting the ecological environment. Approximately half of the counties involved in the study area were in the coordinated type of recession disorders, where the ecological environment quality and the economic development could not be synchronized.

Microbial ecology of the closed artificial ecosystem MELiSSA (Micro-Ecological Life Support System Alternative): reinventing and compartmentalizing the Earth's food and oxygen regeneration system for long-haul space exploration missions.

PubMed

Hendrickx, Larissa; De Wever, Heleen; Hermans, Veronik; Mastroleo, Felice; Morin, Nicolas; Wilmotte, Annick; Janssen, Paul; Mergeay, Max

2006-01-01

MELiSSA is a bioregenerative life support system designed by the European Space Agency (ESA) for the complete recycling of gas, liquid and solid wastes during long distance space exploration. The system uses the combined activity of different living organisms: microbial cultures in bioreactors, a plant compartment and a human crew. In this minireview, the development of a short-cut ecological system for the biotransformation of organic waste is discussed from a microorganism's perspective. The artificial ecological model--still in full development--that is inspired by Earth's own geomicrobiological ecosystem serves as an ideal study object on microbial ecology and will become an indispensable travel companion in manned space exploration.

Capturing the genetic makeup of the active microbiome in situ

DOE PAGES

Singer, Esther; Wagner, Michael; Woyke, Tanja

2017-06-02

More than any other technology, nucleic acid sequencing has enabled microbial ecology studies to be complemented with the data volumes necessary to capture the extent of microbial diversity and dynamics in a wide range of environments. In order to truly understand and predict environmental processes, however, the distinction between active, inactive and dead microbial cells is critical. Also, experimental designs need to be sensitive toward varying population complexity and activity, and temporal as well as spatial scales of process rates. There are a number of approaches, including single-cell techniques, which were designed to study in situ microbial activity and thatmore » have been successively coupled to nucleic acid sequencing. The exciting new discoveries regarding in situ microbial activity provide evidence that future microbial ecology studies will indispensably rely on techniques that specifically capture members of the microbiome active in the environment. Herein, we review those currently used activity-based approaches that can be directly linked to shotgun nucleic acid sequencing, evaluate their relevance to ecology studies, and discuss future directions.« less

Capturing the genetic makeup of the active microbiome in situ

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

Singer, Esther; Wagner, Michael; Woyke, Tanja

More than any other technology, nucleic acid sequencing has enabled microbial ecology studies to be complemented with the data volumes necessary to capture the extent of microbial diversity and dynamics in a wide range of environments. In order to truly understand and predict environmental processes, however, the distinction between active, inactive and dead microbial cells is critical. Also, experimental designs need to be sensitive toward varying population complexity and activity, and temporal as well as spatial scales of process rates. There are a number of approaches, including single-cell techniques, which were designed to study in situ microbial activity and thatmore » have been successively coupled to nucleic acid sequencing. The exciting new discoveries regarding in situ microbial activity provide evidence that future microbial ecology studies will indispensably rely on techniques that specifically capture members of the microbiome active in the environment. Herein, we review those currently used activity-based approaches that can be directly linked to shotgun nucleic acid sequencing, evaluate their relevance to ecology studies, and discuss future directions.« less

English for an Electronic Age: A Media Ecology Approach, K-12. Curriculum Development Series No. 1-2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meeks, Particia; And Others

This communications curriculum guide is designed to humanize the teaching of English through a "media ecology" approach which means bringing into the classroom the media of the outside world and expanding the traditional content of English instruction to include such studies as movie-making and message-sending via posters. It contains 70 short…

Ecology and the Environment. Language Arts around the World, Volume V. Cross-Curricular Activities for Grades 4-6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McAllister, Elizabeth A.; Hildebrand, Joan M.; Ericson, Joann H.

Suggesting that students in the intermediate grades can explore the world around them and practice valuable skills in spelling, reading, writing, communication, and language, this book presents cross-curricular units designed to integrate language-arts activities into the study of ecology and the environment. The units in the book reach diverse…

Estimating the Occurrence of Child Maltreatment and Risk-Factor Effects: Benefits of a Mixed-Design Strategy in Epidemiologic Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bertolli, Jeanne; And Others

1995-01-01

This article discusses methodologic limitations of four observational study designs (ecologic, case-control, cross-sectional, and cohort) that dominate the child abuse and neglect literature and identifies key features of an "ideal" study of child maltreatment. It proposes a new mixed-design strategy, which improves ability to identify child…

Culturally compelling strategies for behaviour change: a social ecology model and case study in malaria prevention.

PubMed

Panter-Brick, Catherine; Clarke, Sian E; Lomas, Heather; Pinder, Margaret; Lindsay, Steve W

2006-06-01

Behaviour change is notoriously difficult to initiate and sustain, and the reasons why efforts to promote healthy behaviours fail are coming under increasing scrutiny. To be successful, health interventions should build on existing practices, skills and priorities, recognise the constraints on human behaviour, and either feature community mobilisation or target those most receptive to change. Furthermore, interventions should strive to be culturally compelling, not merely culturally appropriate: they must engage local communities and nestle within social and ecological landscapes. In this paper, we propose a social ecology perspective to make explicit the links between intention to change, actual behaviour change, and subsequent health impact, as relating to both theory-based models and practical strategies for triggering behaviour change. A social ecology model focuses attention on the contexts of behaviour when designing, implementing or critically evaluating interventions. As a case study, we reflect on a community-directed intervention in rural Gambia designed to reduce malaria by promoting a relatively simple and low-cost behaviour: repairing holes in mosquito bednets. In phase 1, contextual information on bednet usage, transactions and repairs (the 'social lives' of nets) was documented. In phase 2 (intervention), songs were composed and posters displayed by community members to encourage repairs, creating a sense of ownership and a compelling medium for the transmission of health messages. In phase 3 (evaluation), qualitative and quantitative data showed that household responses were particularly rapid and extensive, with significant increase in bednet repairs (p<0.001), despite considerable constraints on human agency. We highlight a promising approach-using songs-as a vehicle for change, and present a framework to embed the design, implementation and critical evaluation of interventions within the larger context-or social ecology-of behaviour practices that are the bedrock of health interventions.

Social-Ecological Correlates in Adult Autism Outcome Studies: A Scoping Review.

PubMed

Anderson, Kristy A; Roux, Anne M; Kuo, Alice; Shattuck, Paul T

2018-04-01

The transition into adulthood is a critical period in the life course that shapes later outcomes. Many adults on the autism spectrum fare poorly across a wide range of quality of life indicators. Understanding the multilevel factors that influence transition outcomes is necessary to develop strategies that promote better outcomes. In this scoping review, we characterize the use of social-ecological factors in adult autism outcome studies, identify understudied areas of research, and provide recommendations for future research. We conducted a literature search for studies in which the relationship between social-ecological factors and transition outcomes among transition-age youth with autism was assessed. We organized variables used in studies across 5 levels of influence: family-, interpersonal-, institutional-, community-, and policy-level factors. Our findings reveal that both breadth and depth of social-ecological factors usage in autism outcomes studies is limited because of the narrow inclusion of variables across social-ecological levels, the overreliance on a limited number of national data sets, and the overall lack of variation in research design. We propose 9 recommendations to inform the development of multilevel studies. Copyright © 2018 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Controlled Ecological Life Support Systems (CELSS) conceptual design option study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oleson, Melvin; Olson, Richard L.

1986-01-01

Results are given of a study to explore options for the development of a Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) for a future Space Station. In addition, study results will benefit the design of other facilities such as the Life Sciences Research Facility, a ground-based CELSS demonstrator, and will be useful in planning longer range missions such as a lunar base or manned Mars mission. The objectives were to develop weight and cost estimates for one CELSS module selected from a set of preliminary plant growth unit (PGU) design options. Eleven Space Station CELSS module conceptual PGU designs were reviewed, components and subsystems identified and a sensitivity analysis performed. Areas where insufficient data is available were identified and divided into the categories of biological research, engineering research, and technology development. Topics which receive significant attention are lighting systems for the PGU, the use of automation within the CELSS system, and electric power requirements. Other areas examined include plant harvesting and processing, crop mix analysis, air circulation and atmosphere contaminant flow subsystems, thermal control considerations, utility routing including accessibility and maintenance, and nutrient subsystem design.

The legacy of biosphere 2 for the study of biospherics and closed ecological systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, J. P.; Nelson, M.; Alling, A.

The unprecedented challenges of creating Biosphere 2, the world's first laboratory for biospherics, the study of global ecology and long-term closed ecological system dynamics, led to breakthrough developments in many fields, and a deeper understanding of the opportunities and difficulties of material closure. This paper will review accomplishments and challenges, citing some of the key research findings and publications that have resulted from the experiments in Biosphere 2. Engineering accomplishments included development of a technique for variable volume to deal with pressure differences between the facility and outside environment, developing methods of atmospheric leak detection and sealing, while achieving new standards of closure, with an annual atmospheric leakrate of less than 10%, or less than 300 ppm per day. This degree of closure permitted detailed tracking of carbon dioxide, oxygen, and trice gases such as nitrous oxide and ethylene over the seasonal variability of two years. Full closure also necessitated developing new approaches and technologies for complete air, water, and wastewater recycle and reuse within the facility. The development of a soil-based highly productive agricultural system was a first in closed ecological systems, and much was learned about managing a wide variety of crops using non-chemical means of pest and disease control. Closed ecological systems have different temporal biogeochemical cycling and ranges of atmospheric components because of their smaller reservoirs of air, water and soil, and higher concentration of biomass, and Biosphere 2 provided detailed examination and modeling of these accelerated cycles over a period of closure which measured in years. Medical research inside Biosphere 2 included the effects on humans of lowered oxygen: the discovery that human productivity can be maintained with good health with lowered atmospheric oxygen levels could lead to major economies on the design of space stations and planetary/lunar settlements. The improved health resulting from the calorie-restricted but nutrient dense Biosphere 2 diet was the first such scientifically controlled experiment with humans. The success of Biosphere 2 in creating a diversity of terrestrial and marine environments, from rainforest to coral reef, allowed detailed studies with comprehensive measurements such that the dynamics of these complex biomic systems are now better understood. The coral reef ecosystem, the largest artificial reef ever built, catalyzed methods of study now being applied to planetary coral reef systems. Restoration ecology advanced through the creation and study of the dynamics of adaptation and self-organization of the biomes in Biosphere 2. The international interest that Biosphere 2 generated has given new impetus to the public recognition of the sciences of biospheres (biospherics), biomes and closed ecological life systems. The facility, although no longer a materially-closed ecological system, is being used as an educational facility by Columbia University as an introduction to the study of the biosphere and complex system ecology and for carbon dioxide impacts utilizing the complex ecosystems created in Biosphere '.The many lessons learned from Biosphere 2 are being used by its key team of creators in their design and operation of a laboratory-sized closed ecological system, the Laboratory Biosphere, in operation as of March 2002, and for the design of a Mars on Earth ™ prototype life support system for manned missions to Mars and Mars surface habitats. Biosphere 2 is an important foundation for future advances in biospherics and closed ecological system research.

Citizen Science and the Urban Ecology of Birds and Butterflies - A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Wang Wei, James; Lee, Benjamin P Y-H; Bing Wen, Low

2016-01-01

Citizen science has gained widespread currency as a tool for ecological research over the past decade. However, in the discipline of urban ecology, the existing contributions and future potential of citizen science engagement, specifically in terms of knowledge gain, have not yet been comprehensively explored. Here, we present a systematic review of published work on the urban ecology of birds and butterflies in relation to their use of citizen science data between 2005 and 2014. We compared the number of studies that used citizen science data to the number of studies that could potentially have employed data derived from citizen science. The take-up rates of citizen science data were 21% and 26% for birds and butterflies respectively. Most studies that employed citizen science used volunteer-derived data as primary data, and adopted Collegial, Collaborative and Contributional engagement modes to the exclusion of Contractual and Co-created arrangements. There was no evidence that citizen science studies investigated a different organismal scale (community vs. species) compared to the urban ecology literature. For both taxa, citizen science contributions were lower than expected compared to their representation in the urban ecology literature for studies on species-environment relationships at landscape and micro-environment scales, as well as behavioural ecology in general. Other research topics that could benefit from further citizen science involvement include breeding studies and guild analyses for birds, and multi-taxa studies for butterflies. Promising models of citizen science engagement for urban ecology are highlighted in relation to their thematic foci and methodological detail, and a number of research questions that could be productively addressed using citizen science are identified. The dynamics of contemporary engagement between citizen science and urban ecology described by this review could inform the design and refinement of urban ecology-citizen science programmes in order to optimise their scientific contributions.

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

Coinfection by the tick-borne pathogens Babesia microti and Borrelia burgdorferi: ecological, epidemiological and clinical consequences

PubMed Central

Diuk-Wasser, Maria A.; Vannier, Edouard

2015-01-01

Ixodes ticks maintain a large and diverse array of human pathogens in the enzootic cycle, including Borrelia burgdorferi and Babesia microti. Despite the poor ecological fitness of B. microti, babesiosis has recently emerged in areas endemic for Lyme disease. Studies in ticks, reservoir hosts and humans indicate that coinfection with B. burgdorferi and B. microti is common, promotes transmission and emergence of B. microti in the enzootic cycle, and causes greater disease severity and duration in humans. These integrative studies may serve as a paradigm for the study of other vector-borne coinfections. Identifying ecological drivers of pathogen emergence and host factors that fuel disease severity will help guide the design of effective curative and prevention strategies. PMID:26613664

Shoreline ecology program for Prince William Sound, Alaska, following the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Part 3: Biology

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

Gilfillan, E.S.; Page, D.S.; Harner, E.J.

1995-12-31

This study describes the biological results of a comprehensive shoreline ecology program designed to assess ecological recovery in Prince William Sound following the Exxon Valdez oil spill on march 24, 1989. The program is an application of the ``Sediment Quality Triad`` approach, combining chemical, toxicological, and biological measurements. The study was designed so that results could be extrapolated to the entire spill zone in Prince William Sound. The spill affected four major shoreline habitat types in Prince William Sound: pebble/gravel, boulder/cobble, sheltered bedrock, and exposed bedrock. The study design had two components: (1) one-time stratified random sampling at 64 sitesmore » representing four habitats and four oiling levels (including unoiled reference sites) and (2) periodic sampling at 12 nonrandomly chosen sites that included some of the most heavily oiled locations in the sound. Biological communities on rock surfaces and in intertidal and shallow subtidal sediments were analyzed for differences resulting from to oiling in each of 16 habitat/tide zone combinations. Statistical methods included univariate analyses of individual species abundances and community parameter variables (total abundance, species richness, and Shannon diversity), and multivariate correspondence analysis of community structure. 58 refs., 13 figs., 9 tabs.« less

Socio-Ecological Risk Factors for Prime-Age Adult Death in Two Coastal Areas of Vietnam

PubMed Central

Kim, Deok Ryun; Ali, Mohammad; Thiem, Vu Dinh; Wierzba, Thomas F.

2014-01-01

Background Hierarchical spatial models enable the geographic and ecological analysis of health data thereby providing useful information for designing effective health interventions. In this study, we used a Bayesian hierarchical spatial model to evaluate mortality data in Vietnam. The model enabled identification of socio-ecological risk factors and generation of risk maps to better understand the causes and geographic implications of prime-age (15 to less than 45 years) adult death. Methods and Findings The study was conducted in two sites: Nha Trang and Hue in Vietnam. The study areas were split into 500×500 meter cells to define neighborhoods. We first extracted socio-demographic data from population databases of the two sites, and then aggregated the data by neighborhood. We used spatial hierarchical model that borrows strength from neighbors for evaluating risk factors and for creating spatially smoothed risk map after adjusting for neighborhood level covariates. The Markov chain Monte Carlo procedure was used to estimate the parameters. Male mortality was more than twice the female mortality. The rates also varied by age and sex. The most frequent cause of mortality was traffic accidents and drowning for men and traffic accidents and suicide for women. Lower education of household heads in the neighborhood was an important risk factor for increased mortality. The mortality was highly variable in space and the socio-ecological risk factors are sensitive to study site and sex. Conclusion Our study suggests that lower education of the household head is an important predictor for prime age adult mortality. Variability in socio-ecological risk factors and in risk areas by sex make it challenging to design appropriate intervention strategies aimed at decreasing prime-age adult deaths in Vietnam. PMID:24587031

Socio-ecological risk factors for prime-age adult death in two coastal areas of Vietnam.

PubMed

Kim, Deok Ryun; Ali, Mohammad; Thiem, Vu Dinh; Wierzba, Thomas F

2014-01-01

Hierarchical spatial models enable the geographic and ecological analysis of health data thereby providing useful information for designing effective health interventions. In this study, we used a Bayesian hierarchical spatial model to evaluate mortality data in Vietnam. The model enabled identification of socio-ecological risk factors and generation of risk maps to better understand the causes and geographic implications of prime-age (15 to less than 45 years) adult death. The study was conducted in two sites: Nha Trang and Hue in Vietnam. The study areas were split into 500×500 meter cells to define neighborhoods. We first extracted socio-demographic data from population databases of the two sites, and then aggregated the data by neighborhood. We used spatial hierarchical model that borrows strength from neighbors for evaluating risk factors and for creating spatially smoothed risk map after adjusting for neighborhood level covariates. The Markov chain Monte Carlo procedure was used to estimate the parameters. Male mortality was more than twice the female mortality. The rates also varied by age and sex. The most frequent cause of mortality was traffic accidents and drowning for men and traffic accidents and suicide for women. Lower education of household heads in the neighborhood was an important risk factor for increased mortality. The mortality was highly variable in space and the socio-ecological risk factors are sensitive to study site and sex. Our study suggests that lower education of the household head is an important predictor for prime age adult mortality. Variability in socio-ecological risk factors and in risk areas by sex make it challenging to design appropriate intervention strategies aimed at decreasing prime-age adult deaths in Vietnam.

Final Report: The Human Microbiome as a Multipurpose Biomarker

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-11-23

Office P.O. Box 12211 Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2211 microbiome, biomarker, microbial forensics, microbial ecology , identifiability REPORT...temporal variation in the ecology of the human microbiome, this work demonstrated the feasibility of microbiome-based identifiability for the first time...a result with important ethical implications for microbiome study design. In order to construct metagenomic codes that are stable over time, we

An Examination of the Extent to Which School Outdoor Activities Could Enhance Senior Secondary Two Students' Achievement in Ecology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Achor, Emmanuel E.; Amadu, Samuel O.

2015-01-01

This study examined the extent to which school outdoor activities could enhance senior secondary (SS) two students' achievement in ecology. Non randomized pre test post test control group Quasi-experimental design was adopted. A sample of 160 SS II students from 4 co-educational schools in Jalingo metropolis, Taraba State Nigeria was used. A 40…

Training Course on the Marine Ecology of the Red Sea. Red Sea & Gulf of Aden Programme (PERSGA).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arab Organization for Education and Science, Cairo (Egypt).

This document presents a training course on the marine ecology of the Red Sea designed by the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) in collaboration with the Marine Science Department of UNESCO for the Program for Environmental Studies, Red Sea and Gulf of Aden (PERSGA). It was hosted by the Marine Science Station,…

Improving Ecological Forecasting: Data Assimilation Enhances the Ecological Forecast Horizon of a Complex Food Web

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Massoud, E. C.; Huisman, J.; Benincà, E.; Bouten, W.; Vrugt, J. A.

2017-12-01

Species abundances in ecological communities can display chaotic non-equilibrium dynamics. A characteristic feature of chaotic systems is that long-term prediction of the system's trajectory is fundamentally impossible. How then should we make predictions for complex multi-species communities? We explore data assimilation (DA) with the Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) to fuse a two-predator-two-prey model with abundance data from a long term experiment of a plankton community which displays chaotic dynamics. The results show that DA improves substantially the predictability and ecological forecast horizon of complex community dynamics. In addition, we show that DA helps provide guidance on measurement design, for instance on defining the frequency of observations. The study presented here is highly innovative, because DA methods at the current stage are almost unknown in ecology.

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.

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.

Do College Introductory Biology Courses Increase Student Ecological Literacy?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheruvelil, Kendra Spence; Ye, Xuemei

2012-01-01

College introductory biology educators have an opportunity to increase ecological literacy. This research used a pre-/postsurvey design to ask the following questions: (a) What level of ecological literacy do underclass science majors have? (b) What demographic factors are related to ecological literacy? and (c) Does taking introductory organismal…

Feed Your Mind: Cultivating Ecological Community Literacies with Permaculture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wade, Stephanie

2015-01-01

This article proposes permaculture, an ecological alternative to industrial agriculture, as a way to design first-year composition and community literacy classes. First, the paper connects permaculture with post-humanism to describe ecological community literacies--the type of knowledge that ecological theorists say we need to navigate the end of…

Multimodal Interfaces: Literature Review of Ecological Interface Design, Multimodal Perception and Attention, and Intelligent Adaptive Multimodal Interfaces

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-05-01

Multimodal Interfaces Literature Review of Ecological Interface Design , Multimodal Perception and Attention, and Intelligent... Design , Multimodal Perception and Attention, and Intelligent Adaptive Multimodal Interfaces Wayne Giang, Sathya Santhakumaran, Ehsan Masnavi, Doug...Advanced Interface Design Laboratory, E2-1303N 200 University Avenue West Waterloo, Ontario Canada N2L 3G1 Contract Project Manager: Dr. Catherine

Application of management tools to integrate ecological principles with the design of marine infrastructure.

PubMed

Dafforn, Katherine A; Mayer-Pinto, Mariana; Morris, Rebecca L; Waltham, Nathan J

2015-08-01

Globally the coastal zone is suffering the collateral damage from continuing urban development and construction, expanding resource sectors, increasing population, regulation to river flow, and on-going land change and degradation. While protection of natural coastal habitat is recommended, balancing conservation with human services is now the challenge for managers. Marine infrastructure such as seawalls, marinas and offshore platforms is increasingly used to support and provide services, but has primarily been designed for engineering purposes without consideration of the ecological consequences. Increasingly developments are seeking alternatives to hard engineering and a range of ecological solutions has begun to replace or be incorporated into marine and coastal infrastructure. But too often, hard engineering remains the primary strategy because the tools for managers to implement ecological solutions are either lacking or not supported by policy and stakeholders. Here we outline critical research needs for marine urban development and emerging strategies that seek to mitigate the impacts of marine infrastructure. We present case studies to highlight the strategic direction necessary to support management decisions internationally. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evolving science of marine reserves: New developments and emerging research frontiers

PubMed Central

Gaines, Steven D.; Lester, Sarah E.; Grorud-Colvert, Kirsten; Costello, Christopher; Pollnac, Richard

2010-01-01

The field of marine reserve science has matured greatly over the last decade, moving beyond studies of single reserves and beyond perspectives from single disciplines. This Special Feature exemplifies recent advances in marine reserve research, showing insights gained from synthetic studies of reserve networks, long-term changes within reserves, integration of social and ecological science research, and balance between reserve design for conservation as well as fishery and other commercial objectives. This rich body of research helps to inform conservation planning for marine ecosystems but also poses new challenges for further study, including how to best design integrated fisheries management and conservation systems, how to effectively evaluate the performance of entire reserve networks, and how to examine the complex coupling between ecological and socioeconomic responses to reserve networks. PMID:20978212

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

Simulation of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Removal in Ecological Ditch Based on EFDC Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, S. M.; Wang, X. L.; Zhou, Q. Y.; Han, N. N.

2018-03-01

Agricultural non-point source pollution threatens water quality and ecological system recently. To control it, the first and most important task is to control the migration and transformation of nitrogen and phosphorus in the agricultural ditches. An ecological ditch was designed, and according to the design a pilot device was built, the mechanism of N and P removal in ditches under the collaboration of aquatic organisms-hydraulic power was studied through the dynamic and static experiments, in order to find out the specific influences of different environmental factors such as influent concentration, influent flow and water level. The transport and diffusion of N and P in the ditch was simulated by a three dimensional water quality model EFDC, the simulation results and the experimental data were compared. The average relative errors of EFDC model simulated results were all less than 15%, which verified the reliability of the model.

Spatially balanced survey designs for natural resources

EPA Science Inventory

Ecological resource monitoring programs typically require the use of a probability survey design to select locations or entities to be physically sampled in the field. The ecological resource of interest, the target population, occurs over a spatial domain and the sample selecte...

Ecological and methodological drivers of species' distribution and phenology responses to climate change.

PubMed

Brown, Christopher J; O'Connor, Mary I; Poloczanska, Elvira S; Schoeman, David S; Buckley, Lauren B; Burrows, Michael T; Duarte, Carlos M; Halpern, Benjamin S; Pandolfi, John M; Parmesan, Camille; Richardson, Anthony J

2016-04-01

Climate change is shifting species' distribution and phenology. Ecological traits, such as mobility or reproductive mode, explain variation in observed rates of shift for some taxa. However, estimates of relationships between traits and climate responses could be influenced by how responses are measured. We compiled a global data set of 651 published marine species' responses to climate change, from 47 papers on distribution shifts and 32 papers on phenology change. We assessed the relative importance of two classes of predictors of the rate of change, ecological traits of the responding taxa and methodological approaches for quantifying biological responses. Methodological differences explained 22% of the variation in range shifts, more than the 7.8% of the variation explained by ecological traits. For phenology change, methodological approaches accounted for 4% of the variation in measurements, whereas 8% of the variation was explained by ecological traits. Our ability to predict responses from traits was hindered by poor representation of species from the tropics, where temperature isotherms are moving most rapidly. Thus, the mean rate of distribution change may be underestimated by this and other global syntheses. Our analyses indicate that methodological approaches should be explicitly considered when designing, analysing and comparing results among studies. To improve climate impact studies, we recommend that (1) reanalyses of existing time series state how the existing data sets may limit the inferences about possible climate responses; (2) qualitative comparisons of species' responses across different studies be limited to studies with similar methodological approaches; (3) meta-analyses of climate responses include methodological attributes as covariates; and (4) that new time series be designed to include the detection of early warnings of change or ecologically relevant change. Greater consideration of methodological attributes will improve the accuracy of analyses that seek to quantify the role of climate change in species' distribution and phenology changes. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Simulation and experimental studies of operators` decision styles and crew composition while using an ecological and traditional user interface for the control room of a nuclear power plant

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

Meshkati, N.; Buller, B.J.; Azadeh, M.A.

1995-04-01

The goal of this research is threefold: (1) use of the Skill-, Rule-, and Knowledge-based levels of cognitive control -- the SRK framework -- to develop an integrated information processing conceptual framework (for integration of workstation, job, and team design); (2) to evaluate the user interface component of this framework -- the Ecological display; and (3) to analyze the effect of operators` individual information processing behavior and decision styles on handling plant disturbances plus their performance on, and preference for, Traditional and Ecological user interfaces. A series of studies were conducted. In Part I, a computer simulation model and amore » mathematical model were developed. In Part II, an experiment was designed and conducted at the EBR-II plant of the Argonne National Laboratory-West in Idaho Falls, Idaho. It is concluded that: the integrated SRK-based information processing model for control room operations is superior to the conventional rule-based model; operators` individual decision styles and the combination of their styles play a significant role in effective handling of nuclear power plant disturbances; use of the Ecological interface results in significantly more accurate event diagnosis and recall of various plant parameters, faster response to plant transients, and higher ratings of subject preference; and operators` decision styles affect on both their performance and preference for the Ecological interface.« less

Design and implementation of monitoring studies to evaluate the success of ecological restoration on wildlife

Treesearch

William M. Block; Alan B. Franklin; James P. Ward; Joseph L. Ganey; Gary C. White

2001-01-01

Restoration projects are often developed with little consideration for understanding their effects on wildlife. We contend, however, that monitoring treatment effects on wildlife should be an integral component of the design and execution of any management activity, including restoration. Thus, we provide a conceptual framework for the design and implementation of...

Citizen Science and the Urban Ecology of Birds and Butterflies — A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Wang Wei, James; Lee, Benjamin P. Y-H.; Bing Wen, Low

2016-01-01

Citizen science has gained widespread currency as a tool for ecological research over the past decade. However, in the discipline of urban ecology, the existing contributions and future potential of citizen science engagement, specifically in terms of knowledge gain, have not yet been comprehensively explored. Here, we present a systematic review of published work on the urban ecology of birds and butterflies in relation to their use of citizen science data between 2005 and 2014. We compared the number of studies that used citizen science data to the number of studies that could potentially have employed data derived from citizen science. The take-up rates of citizen science data were 21% and 26% for birds and butterflies respectively. Most studies that employed citizen science used volunteer-derived data as primary data, and adopted Collegial, Collaborative and Contributional engagement modes to the exclusion of Contractual and Co-created arrangements. There was no evidence that citizen science studies investigated a different organismal scale (community vs. species) compared to the urban ecology literature. For both taxa, citizen science contributions were lower than expected compared to their representation in the urban ecology literature for studies on species-environment relationships at landscape and micro-environment scales, as well as behavioural ecology in general. Other research topics that could benefit from further citizen science involvement include breeding studies and guild analyses for birds, and multi-taxa studies for butterflies. Promising models of citizen science engagement for urban ecology are highlighted in relation to their thematic foci and methodological detail, and a number of research questions that could be productively addressed using citizen science are identified. The dynamics of contemporary engagement between citizen science and urban ecology described by this review could inform the design and refinement of urban ecology–citizen science programmes in order to optimise their scientific contributions. PMID:27285581

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.

Location Based Services for Outdoor Ecological Learning System: Design and Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsiao, Hsien-Sheng; Lin, Chih-Cheng; Feng, Ruei-Ting; Li, Kun Jing

2010-01-01

This paper aimed to demonstrate how location-based services were implemented in ubiquitous outdoor ecological learning system. In an elementary school in northern Taiwan, two fifth grade classes on an ecology project were randomly selected: The experimental group could access the ecological learning system on hand-held devices while the control…

Spatial assessment of landscape ecological connectivity in different urban gradient.

PubMed

Park, Sohyun

2015-07-01

Urbanization has resulted in remnant natural patches within cities that often have no connectivity among themselves and to natural reserves outside the urban area. Protecting ecological connectivity in fragmented urban areas is becoming crucial in maintaining urban biodiversity and securing critical habitat levels and configurations under continual development pressures. Nevertheless, few studies have been undertaken for urban landscapes. This study aims to assess ecological connectivity for a group of species that represent the urban desert landscape in the Phoenix metropolitan area and to compare the connectivity values along the different urban gradient. A GIS-based landscape connectivity model which relies upon ecological connectivity index (ECI) was developed and applied to this region. A GIS-based concentric buffering technique was employed to delineate conceptual boundaries for urban, suburban, and rural zones. The research findings demonstrated that urban habitats and potential habitat patches would be significantly influenced by future urban development. Particularly, the largest loss of higher connectivity would likely to be anticipated in the "in-between areas" where urban, suburban, and rural zones overlap one another. The connectivity maps would be useful to provide spatial identification regarding connectivity patterns and vulnerability for urban and suburban activities in this area. This study provides planners and landscape architects with a spatial guidance to minimize ecological fragmentation, which ultimately leads to urban landscape sustainability. This study suggests that conventional planning practices which disregard the ecological processes in urban landscapes need to integrate landscape ecology into planning and design strategies.

Field techniques and methods of data collection used in studies of wood storks of the Birdsville Colony and swamps of the Savannah River Plant

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

Coulter, M.C.; Bryan, A.L. Jr.

1988-10-01

The United States population of Wood Storks (Mycteria americana) has been declining over the last 50 years, although there has been disagreement as to the magnitude of the decrease. In 1984, the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed the US breeding population as endangered. In that year the University of Georgia's Savannah River Ecology Laboratory began an extensive research program on the breeding biology and foraging ecology of Wood Storks of the Birdsville colony in Millen, Jenkins county, east-central Georgia, USA. The SREL Wood Stork program was designed to evaluate the importance of foraging habitat on the Savannah River Plantmore » to storks, and to design and develop management plans for artificial foraging ponds at the National Audubon Society's Silver Bluff Plantation Sanctuary. It was necessary to develop an understanding of the general foraging ecology of the birds, and to understand their forage needs during the breeding season. We have summarized the methods that we developed during this program as an aid to researchers studying storks or other wading birds. Although the methods described here were designed to answer questions important to our program, we hope that they are general enough to be helpful to others. Some of the methods were designed in 1983, during a preliminary part of the study. All the methods have evolved during the program, improving from our experience. Many people have been involved in the study and all have contributed to the methods and their improvement.« less

[Coupling coordination evaluation method between eco-environment quality and economic development level in contiguous special poverty-stricken areas of China].

PubMed

Wang, Yan-hui; Li, Jing-yi

2015-05-01

It is one of the important strategies in the new period of national poverty alleviation and development to maintain the basic balance between the ecological environment and economic development, and to promote the coordinated sustainable development of economy and ecological environment. Taking six contiguous special poverty-stricken areas as the study areas, a coupling coordination evaluation method between eco-environment quality and economic development level in contiguous special poverty-stricken areas was explored in this paper. The region' s ecological poverty index system was proposed based on the natural attribute of ecological environment, and the ecological environment quality evaluation method was built up by using AHP weighting method, followed by the design of the coupling coordination evaluation method between the ecological environment indices and the county economic poverty comprehensive indices. The coupling coordination degrees were calculated and their spatial representation differentiations were analyzed respectively at district, province, city, and county scales. Results showed that approximately half of the counties in the study areas achieved the harmoniously coordinated development. However, the ecological environmental quality and the economic development in most counties could not be synchronized, where mountains, rivers and other geographic features existed roughly as a dividing line of the coordinated development types. The phenomena of dislocation between the ecological environment and economic development in state-level poor counties were more serious than those of local poor counties.

Visual preference and ecological assessments for designed alternative brownfield rehabilitations.

PubMed

Lafortezza, Raffaele; Corry, Robert C; Sanesi, Giovanni; Brown, Robert D

2008-11-01

This paper describes an integrative method for quantifying, analyzing, and comparing the effects of alternative rehabilitation approaches with visual preference. The method was applied to a portion of a major industrial area located in southern Italy. Four alternative approaches to rehabilitation (alternative designs) were developed and analyzed. The scenarios consisted of the cleanup of the brownfields plus: (1) the addition of ground cover species; (2) the addition of ground cover species and a few trees randomly distributed; (3) the addition of ground cover species and a few trees in small groups; and (4) the addition of ground cover species and several trees in large groups. The approaches were analyzed and compared to the baseline condition through the use of cost-surface modeling (CSM) and visual preference assessment (VPA). Statistical results showed that alternatives that were more ecologically functional for forest bird species dispersal were also more visually preferable. Some differences were identified based on user groups and location of residence. The results of the study are used to identify implications for enhancing both ecological attributes and visual preferences of rehabilitating landscapes through planning and design.

Feature-based Approach in Product Design with Energy Efficiency Consideration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, D. D.; Zhang, Y. J.

2017-10-01

In this paper, a method to measure the energy efficiency and ecological footprint metrics of features is proposed for product design. First the energy consumption models of various manufacturing features, like cutting feature, welding feature, etc. are studied. Then, the total energy consumption of a product is modeled and estimated according to its features. Finally, feature chains that combined by several sequence features based on the producing operation orders are defined and analyzed to calculate global optimal solution. The corresponding assessment model is also proposed to estimate their energy efficiency and ecological footprint. Finally, an example is given to validate the proposed approach in the improvement of sustainability.

SADA: Ecological Risk Based Decision Support System for Selective Remediation

EPA Science Inventory

Spatial Analysis and Decision Assistance (SADA) is freeware that implements terrestrial ecological risk assessment and yields a selective remediation design using its integral geographical information system, based on ecological and risk assessment inputs. Selective remediation ...

Application of QUAL2K Model to Assess Ecological Purification Technology for a Polluted River

PubMed Central

Zhu, Wenting; Niu, Qian; Zhang, Ruibin; Ye, Rui; Qian, Xin; Qian, Yu

2015-01-01

Industrialization and urbanization have caused water pollution and ecosystem degradation, especially in urban canals and rivers in China; accordingly, effective water quality improvement programs are needed. In this study, the Tianlai River in Jiangsu, China was taken as a research site, and a combination of ecological purification technologies consisting of biological rope, phytoremediation, and activated carbon were applied in a laboratory-scale study to examine degradation coefficients under dynamic water conditions. Coefficients were then input into the QUAL2K model to simulate various hypothetical scenarios and determine the minimum density of ecological purification combination and hydraulic retention time (HRT) to meet Grade V or IV of the China standard for surface water. The minimum densities for Grade V and IV were 1.6 times and 2 times the experimental density, while the minimum HRTs for Grade V and IV were 2.4 day and 3 day. The results of this study should provide a practical and efficient design method for ecological purification programs. PMID:25689997

General Design Memorandum, Gulfport Harbor, Mississippi. Design Memorandum Number 1. Appendix D. Environmental Documentation

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-06-01

thousands of acres of wetlands have been lost as a result of rapid coastal development. In view of their important ecological functions, it becomes... ecological roles: 1. trap sediment and stabilize bottom sediments; 2. carry on basic productivity that, in the eastern gulf, may considerably exceed the...be different, depending on the ecological attributes of the replacement habitat. This would result in no net loss of total habitat value, but might

ASSESSING THE ECOLOGICAL CONDITION OF SOUTHEAST U. S. ESTUARIES

EPA Science Inventory

As a means to assess ecological condition, 151 stations located in southeastern estuaries from Cape Henry, Virginia to Biscayne Bay, Florida were sampled by state agencies during the summer of 2000 using a probabilistic design. The design used 8 size classes of estuaries ranging ...

Population Ecology (Organizational Ecology): An Experiential Exercise Demonstrating How Organizations in an Industry Are Born, Change, and Die

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacMillan, Karen; Komar, Jennifer

2018-01-01

This article describes a classroom exercise that is designed to help students understand the basic tenets of population ecology (also known as organizational ecology). The macro-level, longitudinal approach to understanding organizations can be difficult for students to conceptualize as it involves systems thinking. This exercise makes the theory…

Integrating paleobiology, archeology, and history to inform biological conservation.

PubMed

Rick, Torben C; Lockwood, Rowan

2013-02-01

The search for novel approaches to establishing ecological baselines (reference conditions) is constrained by the fact that most ecological studies span the past few decades, at most, and investigate ecosystems that have been substantially altered by human activities for decades, centuries, or more. Paleobiology, archeology, and history provide historical ecological context for biological conservation, remediation, and restoration. We argue that linking historical ecology explicitly with conservation can help unify related disciplines of conservation paleobiology, conservation archeobiology, and environmental history. Differences in the spatial and temporal resolution and extent (scale) of prehistoric, historic, and modern ecological data remain obstacles to integrating historical ecology and conservation biology, but the prolonged temporal extents of historical ecological data can help establish more complete baselines for restoration, document a historical range of ecological variability, and assist in determining desired future conditions. We used the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) fishery of the Chesapeake Bay (U.S.A.) to demonstrate the utility of historical ecological data for elucidating oyster conservation and the need for an approach to conservation that transcends disciplinary boundaries. Historical ecological studies from the Chesapeake have documented dramatic declines (as much as 99%) in oyster abundance since the early to mid-1800 s, changes in oyster size in response to different nutrient levels from the sixteenth to nineteenth centuries, and substantial reductions in oyster accretion rates (from 10 mm/year to effectively 0 mm/year) from the Late Holocene to modern times. Better integration of different historical ecological data sets and increased collaboration between paleobiologists, geologists, archeologists, environmental historians, and ecologists to create standardized research designs and methodologies will help unify prehistoric, historic, and modern time perspectives on biological conservation. ©2012 Society for Conservation Biology.

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.

Requirements for psychological models to support design: Towards ecological task analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kirlik, Alex

1991-01-01

Cognitive engineering is largely concerned with creating environmental designs to support skillful and effective human activity. A set of necessary conditions are proposed for psychological models capable of supporting this enterprise. An analysis of the psychological nature of the design product is used to identify a set of constraints that models must meet if they can usefully guide design. It is concluded that cognitive engineering requires models with resources for describing the integrated human-environment system, and that these models must be capable of describing the activities underlying fluent and effective interaction. These features are required in order to be able to predict the cognitive activity that will be required given various design concepts, and to design systems that promote the acquisition of fluent, skilled behavior. These necessary conditions suggest that an ecological approach can provide valuable resources for psychological modeling to support design. Relying heavily on concepts from Brunswik's and Gibson's ecological theories, ecological task analysis is proposed as a framework in which to predict the types of cognitive activity required to achieve productive behavior, and to suggest how interfaces can be manipulated to alleviate certain types of cognitive demands. The framework is described in terms, and illustrated with an example from the previous research on modeling skilled human-environment interaction.

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.

Emerging Affordances in Videoconferencing for Language Learning and Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dey-Plissonneau, Aparajita

2017-01-01

The theory of affordances (Gibson, 1977) came into focus in humancomputer interactions and ecological interactive design to explore design strategies to support the actor in direct perception of action possibilities in the operation of things. However, few studies have analysed the basis of affordances in the cultural-historical development of…

Construction and Application of Enhanced Remote Sensing Ecological Index

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, X.; Liu, C.; Fu, Q.; Yin, B.

2018-04-01

In order to monitor the change of regional ecological environment quality, this paper use MODIS and DMSP / OLS remote sensing data, from the production capacity, external disturbance changes and human socio-economic development of the three main factors affecting the quality of ecosystems, select the net primary productivity, vegetation index and light index, using the principal component analysis method to automatically determine the weight coefficient, construction of the formation of enhanced remote sensing ecological index, and the ecological environment quality of Hainan Island from 2001 to 2013 was monitored and analyzed. The enhanced remote sensing ecological index combines the effects of the natural environment and human activities on ecosystems, and according to the contribution of each principal component automatically determine the weight coefficient, avoid the design of the weight of the parameters caused by the calculation of the human error, which provides a new method for the operational operation of regional macro ecological environment quality monitoring. During the period from 2001 to 2013, the ecological environment quality of Hainan Island showed the characteristics of decend first and then rise, the ecological environment in 2005 was affected by severe natural disasters, and the quality of ecological environment dropped sharply. Compared with 2001, in 2013 about 20000 square kilometers regional ecological environmental quality has improved, about 8760 square kilometers regional ecological environment quality is relatively stable, about 5272 square kilometers regional ecological environment quality has decreased. On the whole, the quality of ecological environment in the study area is good, the frequent occurrence of natural disasters, on the quality of the ecological environment to a certain extent.

Modelling Ecological Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapies for Building Virtual Environments in Brain Injury.

PubMed

Martínez-Moreno, J M; Sánchez-González, P; Luna, M; Roig, T; Tormos, J M; Gómez, E J

2016-01-01

Brain Injury (BI) has become one of the most common causes of neurological disability in developed countries. Cognitive disorders result in a loss of independence and patients' quality of life. Cognitive rehabilitation aims to promote patients' skills to achieve their highest degree of personal autonomy. New technologies such as virtual reality or interactive video allow developing rehabilitation therapies based on reproducible Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), increasing the ecological validity of the therapy. However, the lack of frameworks to formalize and represent the definition of this kind of therapies can be a barrier for widespread use of interactive virtual environments in clinical routine. To provide neuropsychologists with a methodology and an instrument to design and evaluate cognitive rehabilitation therapeutic interventions strategies based on ADLs performed in interactive virtual environments. The proposed methodology is used to model therapeutic interventions during virtual ADLs considering cognitive deficit, expected abnormal interactions and therapeutic hypotheses. It allows identifying abnormal behavioural patterns and designing interventions strategies in order to achieve errorless-based rehabilitation. An ADL case study ('buying bread') is defined according to the guidelines established by the ADL intervention model. This case study is developed, as a proof of principle, using interactive video technology and is used to assess the feasibility of the proposed methodology in the definition of therapeutic intervention procedures. The proposed methodology provides neuropsychologists with an instrument to design and evaluate ADL-based therapeutic intervention strategies, attending to solve actual limitation of virtual scenarios, to be use for ecological rehabilitation of cognitive deficit in daily clinical practice. The developed case study proves the potential of the methodology to design therapeutic interventions strategies; however our current work is devoted to designing more experiments in order to present more evidence about its values.

ASSESSING THE ECOLOGICAL CONDITION OF A COASTAL PLAIN WATERSHED USING A PROBABILISTIC SURVEY DESIGN

EPA Science Inventory

Using a probabilistic survey design, we assessed the ecological condition of the Florida (USA) portion of the Escambia River watershed using selected environmental and benthic macroinvertebrate data. Macroinvertebrates were sampled at 28 sites during July-August 1996, and 3414 i...

IN EXPECTATION OF RELATIONSHIPS: CENTERING THEORIES AROUND ECOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDING

EPA Science Inventory

Over the last several decades, many educators and professionals in the design and planning fields have made a "turn to ecology," where "turn" means a shift in emphasis and priorities. From the publication of Design with Nature (McHarg 1969) to the publication of contemporary appr...

[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.

Cultivating Bakhtin in the garden: Children's ecological narratives on becoming community gardeners

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grugel, Annie H.

2009-12-01

This dissertation illustrates how a children's community garden, designed specifically to promote intergenerational, multi-sociocultural relationships, is an "ideological environment" linking individuals and their community and connecting people with nature, in order to promote feelings of belonging, social connection, and encourage a sense of stewardship and identification with the environment (Bakhtin, 1978). By spending time in a community garden, responding to the natural ecosystems which exist on this land, and reflecting, through image and story about our childhood experience, the participants and I engaged in the dialogic process of what Thomashow (1996) refers to as "doing ecological identity work." Throughout this study I question how our past experiences with nature in ideological environments shape our ecological epistemologies, and how the dialogic process of becoming a gardener within the context of a community garden shapes a person's ecological identity. To frame this exploration of ecological identity work as a dialogic process and its role in the development of an ecological identity, I draw from sociocultural theory (Holland, et al., 1998), Bakhtin's theory of dialogism, and ecological identity studies (Clayton and Opotow, 2003; Cobb, 1993; Orr, 1994, 2006; Sobel, 1996, 2008; Thomashow, 1996). A large body of scholarly writing done by environmental researchers is devoted to examining and describing how adults, who self-identify as environmentalists, developed an ecological worldview. However, only a fraction of research is devoted to theorizing how children develop an environmental epistemology. In this study, I focus on how community gardens are dialogic spaces that provide a place for elementary-aged children to "experience" the discourse of gardening. Here, I describe the discourses that shape the garden and describe how gardeners, as a result of their collaborative experiences between human and non-human actors, take up social and dialogical tools for authoring new ecological identities.

Game Coaching System Design and Development: A Retrospective Case Study of FPS Trainer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tan, Wee Hoe

2013-01-01

This paper is a retrospective case study of a game-based learning (GBL) researcher who cooperated with a professional gamer and a team of game developers to design and develop a coaching system for First-Person Shooter (FPS) players. The GBL researcher intended to verify the ecological validity of a model of cooperation; the developers wanted to…

Nonindependence and sensitivity analyses in ecological and evolutionary meta-analyses.

PubMed

Noble, Daniel W A; Lagisz, Malgorzata; O'dea, Rose E; Nakagawa, Shinichi

2017-05-01

Meta-analysis is an important tool for synthesizing research on a variety of topics in ecology and evolution, including molecular ecology, but can be susceptible to nonindependence. Nonindependence can affect two major interrelated components of a meta-analysis: (i) the calculation of effect size statistics and (ii) the estimation of overall meta-analytic estimates and their uncertainty. While some solutions to nonindependence exist at the statistical analysis stages, there is little advice on what to do when complex analyses are not possible, or when studies with nonindependent experimental designs exist in the data. Here we argue that exploring the effects of procedural decisions in a meta-analysis (e.g. inclusion of different quality data, choice of effect size) and statistical assumptions (e.g. assuming no phylogenetic covariance) using sensitivity analyses are extremely important in assessing the impact of nonindependence. Sensitivity analyses can provide greater confidence in results and highlight important limitations of empirical work (e.g. impact of study design on overall effects). Despite their importance, sensitivity analyses are seldom applied to problems of nonindependence. To encourage better practice for dealing with nonindependence in meta-analytic studies, we present accessible examples demonstrating the impact that ignoring nonindependence can have on meta-analytic estimates. We also provide pragmatic solutions for dealing with nonindependent study designs, and for analysing dependent effect sizes. Additionally, we offer reporting guidelines that will facilitate disclosure of the sources of nonindependence in meta-analyses, leading to greater transparency and more robust conclusions. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Plant Phenology Monitoring Design for the National Ecological Observatory Network

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elmendorf, Sarah C.; Jones, Katherine D.; Cook, Benjamin I.; Diez, Jeffrey M.; Enquist, Carolyn A. F.; Hufft, Rebecca A.; Jones, Matthew O.; Mazer, Susan J.; Miller-Rushing, Abraham J.; Moore, David J. P.;

The plant phenology monitoring design for the National Ecological Observatory Network

USGS Publications Warehouse

Elmendorf, Sarah C; Jones, Katherine D.; Cook, Benjamin I.; Diez, Jeffrey M.; Enquist, Carolyn A.F.; Hufft, Rebecca A.; Jones, Matthew O.; Mazer, Susan J.; Miller-Rushing, Abraham J.; Moore, David J. P.; Schwartz, Mark D.; Weltzin, Jake F.

2016-01-01

Phenology is an integrative science that comprises the study of recurring biological activities or events. In an era of rapidly changing climate, the relationship between the timing of those events and environmental cues such as temperature, snowmelt, water availability or day length are of particular interest. This article provides an overview of the plant phenology sampling which will be conducted by the U.S. National Ecological Observatory Network NEON, the resulting data, and the rationale behind the design. Trained technicians will conduct regular in situ observations of plant phenology at all terrestrial NEON sites for the 30-year life of the observatory. Standardized and coordinated data across the network of sites can be used to quantify the direction and magnitude of the relationships between phenology and environmental forcings, as well as the degree to which these relationships vary among sites, among species, among phenophases, and through time. Vegetation at NEON sites will also be monitored with tower-based cameras, satellite remote sensing and annual high-resolution airborne remote sensing. Ground-based measurements can be used to calibrate and improve satellite-derived phenometrics. NEON’s phenology monitoring design is complementary to existing phenology research efforts and citizen science initiatives throughout the world and will produce interoperable data. By collocating plant phenology observations with a suite of additional meteorological, biophysical and ecological measurements (e.g., climate, carbon flux, plant productivity, population dynamics of consumers) at 47 terrestrial sites, the NEON design will enable continentalscale inference about the status, trends, causes and ecological consequences of phenological change.

Ecological Inventory Exemplars.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sobsey, Dick, Ed.

The document contains 20 ecological inventories (developed at the University of Minnesota and the University of Alberta) to help severely disabled students learn functional living skills. The ecological approach is designed to uncover the functions critical for success in specific environments which the student frequently encounters. Matching the…

Approaches for advancing scientific understanding of macrosystems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Levy, Ofir; Ball, Becky A.; Bond-Lamberty, Ben; Cheruvelil, Kendra S.; Finley, Andrew O.; Lottig, Noah R.; Surangi W. Punyasena,; Xiao, Jingfeng; Zhou, Jizhong; Buckley, Lauren B.; Filstrup, Christopher T.; Keitt, Tim H.; Kellner, James R.; Knapp, Alan K.; Richardson, Andrew D.; Tcheng, David; Toomey, Michael; Vargas, Rodrigo; Voordeckers, James W.; Wagner, Tyler; Williams, John W.

2014-01-01

The emergence of macrosystems ecology (MSE), which focuses on regional- to continental-scale ecological patterns and processes, builds upon a history of long-term and broad-scale studies in ecology. Scientists face the difficulty of integrating the many elements that make up macrosystems, which consist of hierarchical processes at interacting spatial and temporal scales. Researchers must also identify the most relevant scales and variables to be considered, the required data resources, and the appropriate study design to provide the proper inferences. The large volumes of multi-thematic data often associated with macrosystem studies typically require validation, standardization, and assimilation. Finally, analytical approaches need to describe how cross-scale and hierarchical dynamics and interactions relate to macroscale phenomena. Here, we elaborate on some key methodological challenges of MSE research and discuss existing and novel approaches to meet them.

Ecological Research Division Theoretical Ecology Program. [Contains abstracts

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

Not Available

1990-10-01

This report presents the goals of the Theoretical Ecology Program and abstracts of research in progress. Abstracts cover both theoretical research that began as part of the terrestrial ecology core program and new projects funded by the theoretical program begun in 1988. Projects have been clustered into four major categories: Ecosystem dynamics; landscape/scaling dynamics; population dynamics; and experiment/sample design.

Development of a complex experimental system for controlled ecological life support technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, S.; Tang, Y.; Zhu, J.; Wang, X.; Feng, H.; Ai, W.; Qin, L.; Deng, Y.

A complex experimental system for controlled ecological life support technique can be used as a test platform for plant-man integrated experiments and material close-loop experiments of the controlled ecological life support system CELSS Based on lots of plan investigation plan design and drawing design the system was built through the steps of processing installation and joined debugging The system contains a volume of about 40 0m 3 its interior atmospheric parameters such as temperature relative humidity oxygen concentration carbon dioxide concentration total pressure lighting intensity photoperiod water content in the growing-matrix and ethylene concentration are all monitored and controlled automatically and effectively Its growing system consists of two rows of racks along its left-and-right sides separately and each of which holds two up-and-down layers eight growing beds hold a total area of about 8 4m 2 and their vertical distance can be adjusted automatically and independently lighting sources consist of both red and blue light-emitting diodes Successful development of the test platform will necessarily create an essential condition for next large-scale integrated study of controlled ecological life support technique

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.

The importance of replication in wildlife research

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, D.H.

2002-01-01

Wildlife ecology and management studies have been widely criticized for deficiencies in design or analysis. Manipulative experiments--with controls, randomization, and replication in space and time--provide powerful ways of learning about natural systems and establishing causal relationships, but such studies are rare in our field. Observational studies and sample surveys are more common; they also require appropriate design and analysis. More important than the design and analysis of individual studies is metareplication: replication of entire studies. Similar conclusions obtained from studies of the same phenomenon conducted under widely differing conditions will give us greater confidence in the generality of those findings than would any single study, however well designed and executed.

Integrating theory into disturbance interaction experiments to better inform ecosystem management.

PubMed

Foster, Claire N; Sato, Chloe F; Lindenmayer, David B; Barton, Philip S

2016-04-01

Managing multiple, interacting disturbances is a key challenge to biodiversity conservation, and one that will only increase as global change drivers continue to alter disturbance regimes. Theoretical studies have highlighted the importance of a mechanistic understanding of stressor interactions for improving the prediction and management of interactive effects. However, many conservation studies are not designed or interpreted in the context of theory and instead focus on case-specific management questions. This is a problem as it means that few studies test the relationships highlighted in theoretical models as being important for ecological management. We explore the extent of this problem among studies of interacting disturbances by reviewing recent experimental studies of the interaction between fire and grazing in terrestrial ecosystems. Interactions between fire and grazing can occur via a number of pathways; one disturbance can modify the other's likelihood, intensity or spatial distribution, or one disturbance can alter the other's impacts on individual organisms. The strength of such interactions will vary depending on disturbance attributes (e.g. size or intensity), and this variation is likely to be nonlinear. We show that few experiments testing fire-grazing interactions are able to identify the mechanistic pathway driving an observed interaction, and most are unable to detect nonlinear effects. We demonstrate how these limitations compromise the ability of experimental studies to effectively inform ecological management. We propose a series of adjustments to the design of disturbance interaction experiments that would enable tests of key theoretical pathways and provide the deeper ecological understanding necessary for effective management. Such considerations are relevant to studies of a broad range of ecological interactions and are critical to informing the management of disturbance regimes in the context of accelerating global change. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Ecology and Evolution: Islands of Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benz, Richard

This book was designed for middle and junior high school science classes and focuses on island biogeography, ecology, and evolution. Sections include: (1) "Galapagos: Frame of Reference"; (2) "Ecology and Islands"; and (3) "Evolution." Nineteen standards-based activities use the Galapagos Islands as a running theme…

Blended Learning Ecologies in the Military: Comparative Studies for CombatMedics and Their Instructors

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-10-01

submitted for publication. Blended learning ecology, combat lifesaver skills, eLearning , instructional design, program of instruction 172 bea.babbitt...making use of PRDs would improve student learning and satisfaction in CLS training. Two eLearning Modules or “eModules” were developed in this project to...Enhanced Lecture PowerPoint (Final Version) with CPS Integration [See Appendix C] • eModules [See Appendix D] Developed and published two eLearning

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.

A suggested approach for design of oak (Quercus L.) regeneration research considering regional differences

Treesearch

Daniel C. Dey; Martin A. Spetich; Dale R. Wiegel; David L. Graney; John M. Kabrick

2009-01-01

Research on oak (Quercus L.) regeneration has generally consisted of smallscale studies of treatments designed to favor oak, including consideration of site quality and topographic effects on oak regeneration. However, these experiments have not consistently factored in broader-scale ecological differences found in the eastern United States. Oak...

Rationale, Design and Methods of the Ecological Study of Sexual Behaviors and HIV/STI among African American Men Who Have Sex with Men in the Southeastern United States (The MARI Study)

PubMed Central

Hickson, DeMarc A.; Truong, Nhan L.; Smith-Bankhead, Neena; Sturdevant, Nikendrick; Duncan, Dustin T.; Schnorr, Jordan; Gipson, June A.; Mena, Leandro A.

2015-01-01

Background This paper describes the rationale, design, and methodology of the Ecological Study of Sexual Behaviors and HIV/STI among African American Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) in the Southeastern United States (U.S.; known locally simply as the MARI Study). Methods Participants are African American MSM aged 18 years and older residing in the deep South. Results Between 2013 and 2015, 800 African American MSM recruited from two study sites (Jackson, MS and Atlanta, GA) will undergo a 1.5-hour examination to obtain anthropometric and blood pressure measures as well as to undergo testing for sexually transmitted infections (STI), including HIV. Intrapersonal, interpersonal, and environmental factors are assessed by audio computer-assisted self-interview survey. Primary outcomes include sexual risk behaviors (e.g., condomless anal sex) and prevalent STIs (HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, and Chlamydia). Conclusion The MARI Study will typify the HIV environmental 'riskscape' and provide empirical evidence into novel ecological correlates of HIV risk among African American MSM in the deep South, a population most heavily impacted by HIV. The study's anticipated findings will be of interest to a broad audience and lead to more informed prevention efforts, including effective policies and interventions, that achieve the goals of the updated 2020 U.S. National HIV/AIDS Strategy. PMID:26700018

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...

Ecological Interface Design for Computer Network Defense.

PubMed

Bennett, Kevin B; Bryant, Adam; Sushereba, Christen

2018-05-01

A prototype ecological interface for computer network defense (CND) was developed. Concerns about CND run high. Although there is a vast literature on CND, there is some indication that this research is not being translated into operational contexts. Part of the reason may be that CND has historically been treated as a strictly technical problem, rather than as a socio-technical problem. The cognitive systems engineering (CSE)/ecological interface design (EID) framework was used in the analysis and design of the prototype interface. A brief overview of CSE/EID is provided. EID principles of design (i.e., direct perception, direct manipulation and visual momentum) are described and illustrated through concrete examples from the ecological interface. Key features of the ecological interface include (a) a wide variety of alternative visual displays, (b) controls that allow easy, dynamic reconfiguration of these displays, (c) visual highlighting of functionally related information across displays, (d) control mechanisms to selectively filter massive data sets, and (e) the capability for easy expansion. Cyber attacks from a well-known data set are illustrated through screen shots. CND support needs to be developed with a triadic focus (i.e., humans interacting with technology to accomplish work) if it is to be effective. Iterative design and formal evaluation is also required. The discipline of human factors has a long tradition of success on both counts; it is time that HF became fully involved in CND. Direct application in supporting cyber analysts.

Urbanization and stream ecology: Diverse mechanisms of change

USGS Publications Warehouse

Roy, Allison; Capps, Krista A.; El-Sabaawi, Rana W.; Jones, Krista L.; Parr, Thomas B.; Ramirez, Alonso; Smith, Robert F.; Walsh, Christopher J.; Wenger, Seth J.

2016-01-01

The field of urban stream ecology has evolved rapidly in the last 3 decades, and it now includes natural scientists from numerous disciplines working with social scientists, landscape planners and designers, and land and water managers to address complex, socioecological problems that have manifested in urban landscapes. Over the last decade, stream ecologists have met 3 times at the Symposium on Urbanization and Stream Ecology (SUSE) to discuss current research, identify knowledge gaps, and promote future research collaborations. The papers in this special series on urbanization and stream ecology include both primary research studies and conceptual synthesis papers spurred from discussions at SUSE in May 2014. The themes of the meeting are reflected in the papers in this series emphasizing global differences in mechanisms and responses of stream ecosystems to urbanization and management solutions in diverse urban streams. Our hope is that this series will encourage continued interdisciplinary and collaborative research to increase the global understanding of urban stream ecology toward stream protection and restoration in urban landscapes.

Trait-based approaches for understanding microbial biodiversity and ecosystem functioning

PubMed Central

Krause, Sascha; Le Roux, Xavier; Niklaus, Pascal A.; Van Bodegom, Peter M.; Lennon, Jay T.; Bertilsson, Stefan; Grossart, Hans-Peter; Philippot, Laurent; Bodelier, Paul L. E.

2014-01-01

In ecology, biodiversity-ecosystem functioning (BEF) research has seen a shift in perspective from taxonomy to function in the last two decades, with successful application of trait-based approaches. This shift offers opportunities for a deeper mechanistic understanding of the role of biodiversity in maintaining multiple ecosystem processes and services. In this paper, we highlight studies that have focused on BEF of microbial communities with an emphasis on integrating trait-based approaches to microbial ecology. In doing so, we explore some of the inherent challenges and opportunities of understanding BEF using microbial systems. For example, microbial biologists characterize communities using gene phylogenies that are often unable to resolve functional traits. Additionally, experimental designs of existing microbial BEF studies are often inadequate to unravel BEF relationships. We argue that combining eco-physiological studies with contemporary molecular tools in a trait-based framework can reinforce our ability to link microbial diversity to ecosystem processes. We conclude that such trait-based approaches are a promising framework to increase the understanding of microbial BEF relationships and thus generating systematic principles in microbial ecology and more generally ecology. PMID:24904563

A hyper-temporal remote sensing protocol for high-resolution mapping of ecological sites

PubMed Central

Karl, Jason W.

2017-01-01

Ecological site classification has emerged as a highly effective land management framework, but its utility at a regional scale has been limited due to the spatial ambiguity of ecological site locations in the U.S. or the absence of ecological site maps in other regions of the world. In response to these shortcomings, this study evaluated the use of hyper-temporal remote sensing (i.e., hundreds of images) for high spatial resolution mapping of ecological sites. We posit that hyper-temporal remote sensing can provide novel insights into the spatial variability of ecological sites by quantifying the temporal response of land surface spectral properties. This temporal response provides a spectral ‘fingerprint’ of the soil-vegetation-climate relationship which is central to the concept of ecological sites. Consequently, the main objective of this study was to predict the spatial distribution of ecological sites in a semi-arid rangeland using a 28-year time series of normalized difference vegetation index from Landsat TM 5 data and modeled using support vector machine classification. Results from this study show that support vector machine classification using hyper-temporal remote sensing imagery was effective in modeling ecological site classes, with a 62% correct classification. These results were compared to Gridded Soil Survey Geographic database and expert delineated maps of ecological sites which had a 51 and 89% correct classification, respectively. An analysis of the effects of ecological state on ecological site misclassifications revealed that sites in degraded states (e.g., shrub-dominated/shrubland and bare/annuals) had a higher rate of misclassification due to their close spectral similarity with other ecological sites. This study identified three important factors that need to be addressed to improve future model predictions: 1) sampling designs need to fully represent the range of both within class (i.e., states) and between class (i.e., ecological sites) spectral variability through time, 2) field sampling protocols that accurately characterize key soil properties (e.g., texture, depth) need to be adopted, and 3) additional environmental covariates (e.g. terrain attributes) need to be evaluated that may help further differentiate sites with similar spectral signals. Finally, the proposed hyper-temporal remote sensing framework may provide a standardized approach to evaluate and test our ecological site concepts through examining differences in vegetation dynamics in response to climatic variability and other drivers of land-use change. Results from this study demonstrate the efficacy of the hyper-temporal remote sensing approach for high resolution mapping of ecological sites, and highlights its utility in terms of reduced cost and time investment relative to traditional manual mapping approaches. PMID:28414731

A hyper-temporal remote sensing protocol for high-resolution mapping of ecological sites.

PubMed

Maynard, Jonathan J; Karl, Jason W

2017-01-01

Ecological site classification has emerged as a highly effective land management framework, but its utility at a regional scale has been limited due to the spatial ambiguity of ecological site locations in the U.S. or the absence of ecological site maps in other regions of the world. In response to these shortcomings, this study evaluated the use of hyper-temporal remote sensing (i.e., hundreds of images) for high spatial resolution mapping of ecological sites. We posit that hyper-temporal remote sensing can provide novel insights into the spatial variability of ecological sites by quantifying the temporal response of land surface spectral properties. This temporal response provides a spectral 'fingerprint' of the soil-vegetation-climate relationship which is central to the concept of ecological sites. Consequently, the main objective of this study was to predict the spatial distribution of ecological sites in a semi-arid rangeland using a 28-year time series of normalized difference vegetation index from Landsat TM 5 data and modeled using support vector machine classification. Results from this study show that support vector machine classification using hyper-temporal remote sensing imagery was effective in modeling ecological site classes, with a 62% correct classification. These results were compared to Gridded Soil Survey Geographic database and expert delineated maps of ecological sites which had a 51 and 89% correct classification, respectively. An analysis of the effects of ecological state on ecological site misclassifications revealed that sites in degraded states (e.g., shrub-dominated/shrubland and bare/annuals) had a higher rate of misclassification due to their close spectral similarity with other ecological sites. This study identified three important factors that need to be addressed to improve future model predictions: 1) sampling designs need to fully represent the range of both within class (i.e., states) and between class (i.e., ecological sites) spectral variability through time, 2) field sampling protocols that accurately characterize key soil properties (e.g., texture, depth) need to be adopted, and 3) additional environmental covariates (e.g. terrain attributes) need to be evaluated that may help further differentiate sites with similar spectral signals. Finally, the proposed hyper-temporal remote sensing framework may provide a standardized approach to evaluate and test our ecological site concepts through examining differences in vegetation dynamics in response to climatic variability and other drivers of land-use change. Results from this study demonstrate the efficacy of the hyper-temporal remote sensing approach for high resolution mapping of ecological sites, and highlights its utility in terms of reduced cost and time investment relative to traditional manual mapping approaches.

The shared landscape: what does aesthetics have to do with ecology?

Treesearch

Paul H. Gobster; Joan I. Nassauer; Terry C. Daniel; Gary Fry

2007-01-01

This collaborative essay grows out of a debate about the relationship between aesthetics and ecology and the possibility of an "ecological aesthetic" that affects landscape planning, design, and management. We describe our common understandings and unresolved questions about this relationship, including the importance of aesthetics in understanding and...

Monitoring changes in exotic vegetation

Treesearch

Robert D. Sutter

1998-01-01

Ecological monitoring provides critical information for management decisions by measuring changes in managed and unmanaged populations, communities and ecological systems. It integrates ecology, goal and objective setting, sampling design, sampling methods, and statistical analysis. It is a topic that I, with a team of Nature Conservancy ecologists, teach in a six day...

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.

2005 annual progress report: Elk and bison grazing ecology in the Great Sand Dunes complex of lands

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schoenecker, Kate A.; Lubow, Bruce C.; Zeigenfuss, Linda C.; Mao, Julie

2006-01-01

To address the questions and needs of local resource managers, a multi-agency research project was initiated in 2005 to study the ecology, forage relations, and habitat relations of elk and bison in the Great Sand Dunes–Sangre de Cristo–Baca complex of lands. Meetings and discussions of what this research should include were started in 2001 with representatives from NPS, USFWS, TNC, the Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW), and USDA-FS/BLM. The final study plan was successfully funded in 2004 with research scheduled to start in 2005. The research was designed to encompass three major study elements: (1) animal movements and population dynamics, (2) vegetation and nutrient effects from ungulate herbivory, and (3) development of ecological models, using empirical data collected from the first two components, that will include estimates of elk carrying capacity and management scenarios for resource managers.

Social capital and common mental disorder: a systematic review.

PubMed

Ehsan, Annahita M; De Silva, Mary J

2015-10-01

This study aims to systematically review all published quantitative studies examining the direct association between social capital and common mental disorders (CMD). Social capital has potential value for the promotion and prevention of CMD. The association between different types of social capital (individual cognitive and structural, and ecological cognitive and structural) and CMD must be explored to obtain conclusive evidence regarding the association, and to ascertain a direction of causality. 10 electronic databases were searched to find studies examining the association between social capital and CMD published before July 2014. The effect estimates and sample sizes for each type of social capital were separately analysed for cross-sectional and cohort studies. From 1857 studies retrieved, 39 were selected for inclusion: 31 cross-sectional and 8 cohort studies. 39 effect estimates were found for individual level cognitive, 31 for individual level structural, 9 for ecological level cognitive and 11 for ecological level structural social capital. This review provides evidence that individual cognitive social capital is protective against developing CMD. Ecological cognitive social capital is also associated with reduced risk of CMD, though the included studies were cross-sectional. For structural social capital there was overall no association at either the individual or ecological levels. Two cross-sectional studies found that in low-income settings, a mother's participation in civic activities is associated with an increased risk of CMD. There is now sufficient evidence to design and evaluate individual and ecological cognitive social capital interventions to promote mental well-being and prevent CMD. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

The Colorado LEAP study: rationale and design of a study to assess the short term longitudinal effectiveness of a preschool nutrition and physical activity program

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The preschool years are a critical window for obesity prevention efforts; representing a time when children establish healthy eating habits and physical activity patterns. Understanding the context in which these behaviors develop is critical to formulating a model to address childhood obesity. The Colorado LEAP Study, an intervention study designed to prevent early childhood obesity, utilizes a social ecological approach to explore individual, family and environmental factors and their relationship to child weight status over a 3 year timeframe. Methods The study is located in 5 rural Colorado preschool centers and elementary schools (2 treatment and 3 control). Treatment sites receive The Food Friends® nutrition (12 weeks) and physical activity (18 weeks) interventions during preschool. Observational measures assess 3 layers of the social ecological model including individual, family and organizational inputs. Children’s food preferences, food intake, gross motor skills, physical activity (pedometers/accelerometers), cognitive, physical and social self-competence and height/weight are collected. Parents provide information on feeding and activity practices, child’s diet, oral sensory characteristics, food neophobia, home food and activity environment, height/weight and physical activity (pedometers). School personnel complete a school environment and policy assessment. Measurements are conducted with 3 cohorts at 4 time points – baseline, post-intervention, 1- and 2-year follow-up. Discussion The design of this study allows for longitudinal exploration of relationships among eating habits, physical activity patterns, and weight status within and across spheres of the social ecological model. These methods advance traditional study designs by allowing not only for interaction among spheres but predictively across time. Further, the recruitment strategy includes both boys and girls from ethnic minority populations in rural areas and will provide insights into obesity prevention effects on these at risk populations. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01937481. PMID:24321701

Solving the ecological puzzle of mycorrhizal associations using data from annotated collections and environmental samples - an example of saddle fungi.

PubMed

Hwang, Jonathan; Zhao, Qi; Yang, Zhu L; Wang, Zheng; Townsend, Jeffrey P

2015-08-01

The relation between ecological and genetic divergence of Helvella species (saddle fungi) has been perplexing. While a few species have been clearly demonstrated to be ectomycorrhizal fungi, ecological roles of many other species have been controversial, alternately considered as either saprotrophic or mycorrhizal. We applied SATé to build an inclusive deoxyribonucleic acid sequence alignment for the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) of annotated Helvella species and related environmental sequences. Phylogenetic informativeness of ITS and its regions were assessed using PhyDesign. Mycorrhizal lineages present a diversity of ecology, host type and geographic distribution. In two Helvella clades, no Helvella ITS sequences were recovered from root tips. Inclusion of environmental sequences in the ITS phylogeny from these sequences has the potential to link these data and reveal Helvella ecology. This study can serve as a model for revealing the diversity of relationships between unculturable fungi and their potential plant hosts. How non-mycorrhizal life styles within Helvella evolved will require expanded metagenomic investigation of soil and other environmental samples along with study of Helvella genomes. © 2015 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Microbial ecology-based engineering of Microbial Electrochemical Technologies.

PubMed

Koch, Christin; Korth, Benjamin; Harnisch, Falk

2018-01-01

Microbial ecology is devoted to the understanding of dynamics, activity and interaction of microorganisms in natural and technical ecosystems. Bioelectrochemical systems represent important technical ecosystems, where microbial ecology is of highest importance for their function. However, whereas aspects of, for example, materials and reactor engineering are commonly perceived as highly relevant, the study and engineering of microbial ecology are significantly underrepresented in bioelectrochemical systems. This shortfall may be assigned to a deficit on knowledge and power of these methods as well as the prerequisites for their thorough application. This article discusses not only the importance of microbial ecology for microbial electrochemical technologies but also shows which information can be derived for a knowledge-driven engineering. Instead of providing a comprehensive list of techniques from which it is hard to judge the applicability and value of information for a respective one, this review illustrates the suitability of selected techniques on a case study. Thereby, best practice for different research questions is provided and a set of key questions for experimental design, data acquisition and analysis is suggested. © 2017 The Authors. Microbial Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Society for Applied Microbiology.

Online Course Increases Nutrition Professionals' Knowledge, Skills, and Self-Efficacy in Using an Ecological Approach to Prevent Childhood Obesity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stark, Christina M.; Graham-Kiefer, Meredith L.; Devine, Carol M.; Dollahite, Jamie S.; Olson, Christine M.

2011-01-01

Objective: To assess the impact of an online continuing education course on the knowledge, skills, and self-efficacy of nutrition professionals to use an ecological approach to prevent childhood obesity. Design: Quasi-experimental design using intervention and delayed intervention comparison groups with pre/post-course assessments. Setting: Online…

Geomorphic and Ecological Disturbance and Recovery from Two Small Dams and Their Removal

PubMed Central

Tullos, Desirée D.; Finn, Debra S.; Walter, Cara

2014-01-01

Dams are known to impact river channels and ecosystems, both during their lifetime and in their decommissioning. In this study, we applied a before-after-control-impact design associated with two small dam removals to investigate abiotic and biotic recovery trajectories from both the elimination of the press disturbance associated with the presence of dams and the introduction of a pulse disturbance associated with removal of dams. The two case studies represent different geomorphic and ecological conditions that we expected to represent low and high sensitivities to the pulse disturbance of dam removal: the 4 m tall, gravel-filled Brownsville Dam on the wadeable Calapooia River and the 12.5 m tall, sand and gravel-filled Savage Rapids Dam on the largely non-wadeable Rogue River. We evaluated both geomorphic and ecological responses annually for two years post removal, and asked if functional traits of the macroinvertebrate assemblages provided more persistent signals of ecological disturbance than taxonomically defined assemblages over the period of study. Results indicate that: 1) the presence of the dams constituted a strong ecological press disturbance to the near-downstream reaches on both rivers, despite the fact that both rivers passed unregulated flow and sediment during the high flow season; 2) ecological recovery from this press disturbance occurred within the year following the restoration action of dam removal, whereas signals of geomorphic disturbance from the pulse of released sediment persisted two years post-removal, and 3) the strength of the press disturbance and the rapid ecological recovery were detected regardless of whether recovery was assessed by taxonomic or functional assemblages and for both case studies, in spite of their different geomorphic settings. PMID:25233231

Current Challenges in Plant Eco-Metabolomics

PubMed Central

Peters, Kristian; Worrich, Anja; Alka, Oliver; Balcke, Gerd; Bruelheide, Helge; Dietz, Sophie; Dührkop, Kai; Heinig, Uwe; Kücklich, Marlen; Müller, Caroline; Poeschl, Yvonne; Pohnert, Georg; Ruttkies, Christoph; Schweiger, Rabea; Shahaf, Nir; Tortosa, Maria; Ueberschaar, Nico; Velasco, Pablo; Weiß, Brigitte M.; van Dam, Nicole M.

2018-01-01

The relatively new research discipline of Eco-Metabolomics is the application of metabolomics techniques to ecology with the aim to characterise biochemical interactions of organisms across different spatial and temporal scales. Metabolomics is an untargeted biochemical approach to measure many thousands of metabolites in different species, including plants and animals. Changes in metabolite concentrations can provide mechanistic evidence for biochemical processes that are relevant at ecological scales. These include physiological, phenotypic and morphological responses of plants and communities to environmental changes and also interactions with other organisms. Traditionally, research in biochemistry and ecology comes from two different directions and is performed at distinct spatiotemporal scales. Biochemical studies most often focus on intrinsic processes in individuals at physiological and cellular scales. Generally, they take a bottom-up approach scaling up cellular processes from spatiotemporally fine to coarser scales. Ecological studies usually focus on extrinsic processes acting upon organisms at population and community scales and typically study top-down and bottom-up processes in combination. Eco-Metabolomics is a transdisciplinary research discipline that links biochemistry and ecology and connects the distinct spatiotemporal scales. In this review, we focus on approaches to study chemical and biochemical interactions of plants at various ecological levels, mainly plant–organismal interactions, and discuss related examples from other domains. We present recent developments and highlight advancements in Eco-Metabolomics over the last decade from various angles. We further address the five key challenges: (1) complex experimental designs and large variation of metabolite profiles; (2) feature extraction; (3) metabolite identification; (4) statistical analyses; and (5) bioinformatics software tools and workflows. The presented solutions to these challenges will advance connecting the distinct spatiotemporal scales and bridging biochemistry and ecology. PMID:29734799

Fire effects in southwestern forests: Proceedings of the Second La Mesa Fire symposium

USGS Publications Warehouse

Allen, Craig D.

1996-01-01

In 1977, the La Mesa Fire burned across 15,444 acres of ponderosa pine forests on the adjoining lands of Bandelier National Monument, the Santa Fe National Forest, and Los Alamos National Laboratory. Following this event, several fire effects studies were initiated. The 16 papers herein document longer-term knowledge gained about the ecological effects of the fire and about Southwestern fire ecology in general. The presentations are also designed to give resource managers practical information for managing fire in local landscapes. Studies presented range from fire histories and avifauna to geomorphology and arthropods.

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

Life on Guam: Farm & Garden.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Philip H.

This unit is a part of a series of materials produced by a project to develop locally applicable class, lab, and field materials in ecology and social studies for Guam junior and senior high school. While the materials were designed for Guam, they can be adapted to other localities. This unit is designed to interest the student in growing plants…

Learning "with" Immigrant Children, Families and Communities: The Imperative of Early Childhood Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

da Silva Iddings, Ana Christina; Reyes, Iliana

2017-01-01

This article reports on a longitudinal study spanning over 5 years, involving the design and implementation of an early childhood teacher education program model that engages a critical-ecological theoretical approach, a funds of knowledge perspective, and design-based methodology. This project aimed to promote equitable education for all…

Greenhouse Affect: The Relationship between the Sustainable Design of Schools and Children's Environmental Attitudes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Izadpanahi, Parisa; Elkadi, Hisham; Tucker, Richard

2017-01-01

This study aims to determine if primary school children's environmental attitudes can be predicted by whether their school had been designed or adapted for sustainability. A New Ecological Paradigm ("NEP") scale for children was adopted to measure attitudes, with supplementary questions added to align this scale to the Australian context…

Caring in the Dynamics of Design and Languaging: Exploring Second Language Learning in 3D Virtual Spaces

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zheng, Dongping

2012-01-01

This study provides concrete evidence of ecological, dialogical views of languaging within the dynamics of coordination and cooperation in a virtual world. Beginning level second language learners of Chinese engaged in cooperative activities designed to provide them opportunities to refine linguistic actions by way of caring for others, for the…

Treatment of CELSS and PCELSS waste to produce nutrients for plant growth. [Controlled Ecological Life Support Systems and Partially Controlled Ecological Life Support Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Modell, M.; Meissner, H.; Karel, M.; Carden, J.; Lewis, S.

1981-01-01

The research program entitled 'Development of a Prototype Experiment for Treating CELSS (Controlled Ecological Life Support Systems) and PCELSS (Partially Controlled Ecological Life Support Systems) Wastes to Produce Nutrients for Plant Growth' consists of two phases: (1) the development of the neccessary facilities, chemical methodologies and models for meaningful experimentation, and (2) the application of what methods and devices are developed to the interfacing of waste oxidation with plant growth. Homogeneous samples of freeze-dried human feces and urine have been prepared to ensure comparability of test results between CELSS waste treatment research groups. A model of PCELSS food processing wastes has been developed, and an automated gas chromatographic system to analyze oxidizer effluents was designed and brought to operational status. Attention is given the component configuration of the wet oxidation system used by the studies.

Urban permeable pavement system design based on “sponge city” concept

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, M. M.; Zhu, J. W.; Gao, W. F.; Xu, D. P.; Zhao, M.

2017-08-01

Based on the “sponge city” concept, to implement the goal of building a city within the city to solve the sponge waterlogging, rational utilization of water resources, reduce water pollution this paper, combined with the city planning level in China, establishes the design system of city road flooding from the macro, medium and micro level, explore the design method of city water permeable pavement system, and has a practical significance the lower flood risk water ecological problems. On the macro level, we established an urban pavement sponge system under the regional ecological pattern by “spot permeable open space - low impact developing rain water road system - catchment area and catchment wetland”. On a medium level, this paper proposed the permeable suitability of pavement and the planning control indicators when combined with urban functional districts to conduct permeable pavement roads plans and controls. On micro level, the paper studied sponge technology design of permeable pavement from road structure, surface material, and other aspects aimed at the pavement permeability requirements.

Role of Design in the Consumer Culture Development: Ecological Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pankina, Marina V.; Khrustalyova, Christina ?.; Egarmin, Anton ?.; Shekhova, Natalia V.

2016-01-01

The relevance of the researched problem stems from ecological issues that are a reflection of the contemporary culture crisis covering the whole range of people's interactions with each other, with society and with nature. In many respects, an ecological crisis is an ideological crisis and global environmental problems are impossible to solve…

Experiential Learning as a Constraint-Led Process: An Ecological Dynamics Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brymer, Eric; Davids, Keith

2014-01-01

In this paper we present key ideas for an ecological dynamics approach to learning that reveal the importance of learner-environment interactions to frame outdoor experiential learning. We propose that ecological dynamics provides a useful framework for understanding the interacting constraints of the learning process and for designing learning…

Range Management and Ecology. Curriculum Guide for Agriscience 382.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas A and M Univ., College Station. Dept. of Agricultural Education.

This curriculum guide provides materials for teachers to use in developing a course in "Range Management and Ecology, Agriscience 382," one of 28 semester courses in agricultural science and technology for Texas high schools. This introductory course is designed to acquaint students with the ecology and management of native rangeland for…

Ecological Consultancy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Scott McG.; Tattersfield, Peter

2004-01-01

This is the first of a new regular feature on careers, designed to provide those who teach biology with some inspiration when advising their students. In this issue, two consultant ecologists explain how their career paths developed. It is a misconception that there are few jobs in ecology. Over the past 20 or 30 years ecological consultancy has…

Ecological science and transformation to the sustainable city

Treesearch

S.T.A. Pickett; Christopher G. Boone; Brian P. McGrath; M.L. Cadenasso; Daniel L. Childers; Laura A. Ogden; Melissa McHale; J. Morgan Grove

2013-01-01

There is growing urgency to enhance the sustainability of existing and emerging cities. The science of ecology, especially as it interacts with disciplines in the social sciences and urban design, has contributions to make to the sustainable transformation of urban systems. Not all possible urban transformations may lead toward sustainability. Ecological science helps...

Synthetic microbial ecology and the dynamic interplay between microbial genotypes.

PubMed

Dolinšek, Jan; Goldschmidt, Felix; Johnson, David R

2016-11-01

Assemblages of microbial genotypes growing together can display surprisingly complex and unexpected dynamics and result in community-level functions and behaviors that are not readily expected from analyzing each genotype in isolation. This complexity has, at least in part, inspired a discipline of synthetic microbial ecology. Synthetic microbial ecology focuses on designing, building and analyzing the dynamic behavior of ‘ecological circuits’ (i.e. a set of interacting microbial genotypes) and understanding how community-level properties emerge as a consequence of those interactions. In this review, we discuss typical objectives of synthetic microbial ecology and the main advantages and rationales of using synthetic microbial assemblages. We then summarize recent findings of current synthetic microbial ecology investigations. In particular, we focus on the causes and consequences of the interplay between different microbial genotypes and illustrate how simple interactions can create complex dynamics and promote unexpected community-level properties. We finally propose that distinguishing between active and passive interactions and accounting for the pervasiveness of competition can improve existing frameworks for designing and predicting the dynamics of microbial assemblages.

Design-with-Nature for Multifunctional Landscapes: Environmental Benefits and Social Barriers in Community Development

PubMed Central

Yang, Bo; Li, Ming-Han; Li, Shujuan

2013-01-01

Since the early 1970s, Ian McHarg’s design-with-nature concept has been inspiring landscape architects, community and regional planners, and liked-minded professionals to create designs that take advantage of ecosystem services and promote environmental and public health. This study bridges the gap in the literature that has resulted from a lack of empirical examinations on the multiple performance benefits derived through design-with-nature and the under-investigated social aspect emanated from McHarg’s Ecological Determinism design approach. The Woodlands, TX, USA, an ecologically designed community development under McHarg’s approach, is compared with two adjacent communities that follow the conventional design approach. Using national environmental databases and multiple-year residents’ survey information, this study assesses three landscape performance metrics of McHarg’s approach: stormwater runoff, urban heat island effect, and social acceptance. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) was used to assess the development extent and land surface temperature distribution. Results show that McHarg’s approach demonstrates benefits in reducing runoff and urban heat island effect, whereas it confronts challenges with the general acceptance of manicured landscapes and thus results in a low safety perception level when residents interact with naturally designed landscapes. The authors argue that design-with-nature warrants multifunctionality because of its intrinsic interdisciplinary approach. Moreover, education and dissemination of successful examples can achieve a greater level of awareness among the public and further promote multifunctional design for landscape sustainability. PMID:24169408

Design-with-nature for multifunctional landscapes: environmental benefits and social barriers in community development.

PubMed

Yang, Bo; Li, Ming-Han; Li, Shujuan

2013-10-28

Since the early 1970s, Ian McHarg's design-with-nature concept has been inspiring landscape architects, community and regional planners, and liked-minded professionals to create designs that take advantage of ecosystem services and promote environmental and public health. This study bridges the gap in the literature that has resulted from a lack of empirical examinations on the multiple performance benefits derived through design-with-nature and the under-investigated social aspect emanated from McHarg's Ecological Determinism design approach. The Woodlands, TX, USA, an ecologically designed community development under McHarg's approach, is compared with two adjacent communities that follow the conventional design approach. Using national environmental databases and multiple-year residents' survey information, this study assesses three landscape performance metrics of McHarg's approach: stormwater runoff, urban heat island effect, and social acceptance. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) was used to assess the development extent and land surface temperature distribution. Results show that McHarg's approach demonstrates benefits in reducing runoff and urban heat island effect, whereas it confronts challenges with the general acceptance of manicured landscapes and thus results in a low safety perception level when residents interact with naturally designed landscapes. The authors argue that design-with-nature warrants multifunctionality because of its intrinsic interdisciplinary approach. Moreover, education and dissemination of successful examples can achieve a greater level of awareness among the public and further promote multifunctional design for landscape sustainability.

Dynamic design of ecological monitoring networks for non-Gaussian spatio-temporal data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wikle, C.K.; Royle, J. Andrew

2005-01-01

Many ecological processes exhibit spatial structure that changes over time in a coherent, dynamical fashion. This dynamical component is often ignored in the design of spatial monitoring networks. Furthermore, ecological variables related to processes such as habitat are often non-Gaussian (e.g. Poisson or log-normal). We demonstrate that a simulation-based design approach can be used in settings where the data distribution is from a spatio-temporal exponential family. The key random component in the conditional mean function from this distribution is then a spatio-temporal dynamic process. Given the computational burden of estimating the expected utility of various designs in this setting, we utilize an extended Kalman filter approximation to facilitate implementation. The approach is motivated by, and demonstrated on, the problem of selecting sampling locations to estimate July brood counts in the prairie pothole region of the U.S.

Stream Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamilton City Board of Education (Ontario).

This manual provides teachers with some knowledge of ecological study methods and techniques used in collecting data when plants and animals are studied in the field. Most activities deal with the interrelatedness of plant and animal life to the structure and characteristics of a stream and pond. Also included in this unit plan designed for the…

Reinventing Flashcards to Increase Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Senzaki, Sawa; Hackathorn, Jana; Appleby, Drew C.; Gurung, Regan A. R.

2017-01-01

Two studies examined the effectiveness of a flashcard-based study strategy, "Flashcards-Plus," in an ecologically valid context. The strategy requires students to create flashcards designed to increase their ability to retain, comprehend, and apply textbook material to exams. In Studies 1a (n = 73) and 1b (n = 62), we introduced all…

The Ecology of Study Areas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sommer, Robert

This project was conducted to determine the conditions that make a satisfying study environment in colleges and universities and to relay the findings to those who design and manage educational spaces. The investigation focused upon the process of studying and its relation to environmental setting, and data was primarily gathered through site…

Which nature? A case study of Whitetop Mountain

Treesearch

David P. Robertson; R. Bruce Hull

2000-01-01

Nature is socially constructed and many different environmental conditions can be considered natural. These assertions have profound implications for landscape design, planning, and management. In our case study of Whitetop Mountain, we found four discrete but closely related natures - ecotourism, romanticism, pastoralism, and ecologism...

Understanding Children and Adolescents’ Victimizations at Multiple Levels: An Ecological Review of the Literature

PubMed Central

Sabri, Bushra; Hong, Jun Sung; Campbell, Jacquelyn C.; Cho, Hyunkag

2013-01-01

This article examines children and adolescent exposure to violence in various contexts. A systematic review of the literature was conducted to identify the definitions and types of violence reported in studies on victimization using the ecological systems framework. Sources included research studies and/or reports from scholarly journals (n = 140), books (n = 9), conference/workshops (n = 5), and web sources, such as Uniform Crime Reports (n = 23). The findings indicated that research differed in terminologies, conceptual and operational definitions, sample sizes and age group classification for children and adolescents. Further, studies lacked focus on the co-occurrence and inter-relatedness of victimization, and how these factors might affect the outcomes. Many studies employed a cross-sectional design, which limits strong conclusions about the temporal order of victimization experiences and outcomes. Future research efforts need more consistency among researchers in conceptual and operational definitions and the use of more rigorous designs. Increased holistic assessments are critical for effective prevention and intervention strategies for at-risk children and adolescents PMID:24065867

Understanding Children and Adolescents' Victimizations at Multiple Levels: An Ecological Review of the Literature.

PubMed

Sabri, Bushra; Hong, Jun Sung; Campbell, Jacquelyn C; Cho, Hyunkag

2013-05-01

This article examines children and adolescent exposure to violence in various contexts. A systematic review of the literature was conducted to identify the definitions and types of violence reported in studies on victimization using the ecological systems framework. Sources included research studies and/or reports from scholarly journals ( n = 140), books ( n = 9), conference/workshops ( n = 5), and web sources, such as Uniform Crime Reports ( n = 23). The findings indicated that research differed in terminologies, conceptual and operational definitions, sample sizes and age group classification for children and adolescents. Further, studies lacked focus on the co-occurrence and inter-relatedness of victimization, and how these factors might affect the outcomes. Many studies employed a cross-sectional design, which limits strong conclusions about the temporal order of victimization experiences and outcomes. Future research efforts need more consistency among researchers in conceptual and operational definitions and the use of more rigorous designs. Increased holistic assessments are critical for effective prevention and intervention strategies for at-risk children and adolescents.

Simulation of a dynamical ecotourism system with low carbon activity: A case from western China.

PubMed

He, Yuan; Huang, Ping; Xu, Hong

2018-01-15

Currently, sustainable tourism is becoming more and more important in developing ecological economies. To achieve low-carbon development, some industries, such as logistics and municipal solid waste, have already taken action, but tourism has not attached sufficient importance to this issue. This paper designs an ecotourism system including tourism, carbon waste (solid waste and sewage), and ecology (water supply and green areas) to simulate low-carbon ecotourism through a quantitative approach. This paper explores the tourism system as well as some interactive factors and studies their quantitative relationship based on historical data. A feedback-loop dynamical system model is designed to simulate tourism, waste carbon, and ecology simultaneously. Finally, a case study applying the feedback-loop dynamical system model to Leshan City, a typical travel destination with colorful natural resources in western China, is conducted to indicate the development of ecotourism in an environmentally friendly economy, which verifies the positive effects of the model. Results show a coordinating upward tendency of tourism, solid waste carbon, and ecology from the dynamical model. When tourism increases, solid waste accumulation increases; however, the amount of sewage dumped directly into nature decreases sharply. After analysis of investment policy scenarios, the research indicates that more funds for sewage treatment will attract more tourists. To maintain the equilibrium of carbon waste, more funds shall be invested in solid waste treatment in the long term. Some discussions about local policy are included. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of urban metabolic processes based on input-output method: model development and a case study for Beijing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yan; Liu, Hong; Chen, Bin; Zheng, Hongmei; Li, Yating

2014-06-01

Discovering ways in which to increase the sustainability of the metabolic processes involved in urbanization has become an urgent task for urban design and management in China. As cities are analogous to living organisms, the disorders of their metabolic processes can be regarded as the cause of "urban disease". Therefore, identification of these causes through metabolic process analysis and ecological element distribution through the urban ecosystem's compartments will be helpful. By using Beijing as an example, we have compiled monetary input-output tables from 1997, 2000, 2002, 2005, and 2007 and calculated the intensities of the embodied ecological elements to compile the corresponding implied physical input-output tables. We then divided Beijing's economy into 32 compartments and analyzed the direct and indirect ecological intensities embodied in the flows of ecological elements through urban metabolic processes. Based on the combination of input-output tables and ecological network analysis, the description of multiple ecological elements transferred among Beijing's industrial compartments and their distribution has been refined. This hybrid approach can provide a more scientific basis for management of urban resource flows. In addition, the data obtained from distribution characteristics of ecological elements may provide a basic data platform for exploring the metabolic mechanism of Beijing.

Use of EMAP Freshwater and Marine Data in EPA Region 10

Treesearch

Gretchen A. Hayslip; C. Lorraine Edmond; Lillian G. Herger

2006-01-01

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designed the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) to provide tools to monitor and assess the condition of the nation’s ecological resources. Since 1993, EPA Region 10 has worked with the States in our region to demonstrate the application of the ecological indicators and statistical designs developed by EMAP...

A comparative ecological risk assessment of Orimulsion and Fuel Oil No. 6 in the coastal marine environment

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

Harwell, M.; Ault, J.; Gentile, J.

1995-12-31

The conduct of comparative ecological risk assessments (CERA) resulting from the release of anthropogenic stressors into coastal marine environments requires theoretical and methodological innovations to integrate contaminant exposure with populations at risk over time and space scales. Consequently, predicted risks must be scaled to allow comparisons of relative ecological impacts in three physical dimensions plus time. This study was designed to compare the risks from hypothetical spills of Orimulsion and Fuel Oil No. 6 into the Tampa Bay ecosystem. The CERA framework used in this study integrates numerical hydrodynamic and transport-and-fate, toxicological, and biological models with extensive spatially explicit databasesmore » that describe the distributions of critical species and habitats. The presentation of the comparative ecological risks is facilitated by visualization and GIS techniques to allow realistic comparisons of toxicant exposures and their co-occurrence with key biological resources over time and across the seascape. A scaling methodology is presented that uses toxicological data as scalars for graphically representing the ecological effects associated with exposure levels for each scenario simulation. The CERA model serves as an interactive tool for assessing the relative ecological consequences of a range of potential exposure scenarios and for forecasting the longer-term productivity of critical biological resources and habitats that are key to ecosystem structure and function.« less

Observational studies and the difficult quest for causality: lessons from vaccine effectiveness and impact studies.

PubMed

Lipsitch, Marc; Jha, Ayan; Simonsen, Lone

2016-12-01

Although randomized placebo-controlled trials (RCT) are critical to establish efficacy of vaccines at the time of licensure, important remaining questions about vaccine effectiveness (VE)-used here to include individual-level measures and population-wide impact of vaccine programmes-can only be answered once the vaccine is in use, from observational studies. However, such studies are inherently at risk for bias. Using a causal framework and illustrating with examples, we review newer approaches to detecting and avoiding confounding and selection bias in three major classes of observational study design: cohort, case-control and ecological studies. Studies of influenza VE, especially in seniors, are an excellent demonstration of the challenges of detecting and reducing such bias, and so we use influenza VE as a running example. We take a fresh look at the time-trend studies often dismissed as 'ecological'. Such designs are the only observational study design that can measure the overall effect of a vaccination programme [indirect (herd) as well as direct effects], and are in fact already an important part of the evidence base for several vaccines currently in use. Despite the great strides towards more robust observational study designs, challenges lie ahead for evaluating best practices for achieving robust unbiased results from observational studies. This is critical for evaluation of national and global vaccine programme effectiveness. © The Author 2016; all rights reserved. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association.

Controlled Ecological Life Support System. Design, Development, and Use of a Ground-Based Plant Growth Module

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Macelroy, Robert D.; Smernoff, David T.; Rummel, John D.

1987-01-01

Problems of food production by higher plants are addressed. Experimentation requirements and necessary equipment for designing an experimental Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) Plant Growth Module are defined. A framework is provided for the design of laboratory sized plant growth chambers. The rationale for the development of an informal collaborative effort between investigators from universities and industry and those at Ames is evaluated. Specific research problems appropriate for collaborative efforts are identified.

Energy sustainable cities. From eco villages, eco districts towards zero carbon cities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaręba, Anna; Krzemińska, Alicja; Łach, Janusz

2017-11-01

Minimizing energy consumption is the effect of sustainable design technics as among many others: designing buildings with solar access and natural ventilation, using climate responsive design materials and effective insulation. Contemporary examples of zero-carbon cities: Masdar City, United Arab Emirates and Dongtan, China, confirm technical feasibility of renewable energy by implementation of solar PV and wind technologies. The ecological city - medium or high density urban settlement separated by greenspace causes the smallest possible ecological footprint on the surrounding countryside through efficient use of land and its resources, recycling used materials and converting waste to energy. This paper investigates the concept of energy sustainable cities, examines, how urban settlements might affect building energy design in eco-villages, eco-districts (e.g. Vauban, Freiburg in Germany, Bo01 Malmo in Sweden), and discuss the strategies for achieving Zero Emission Cities principles in densely populated areas. It is focused on low energy architectural design solutions which could be incorporated into urban settlements to create ecological villages, districts and cities, designed with consideration of environmental impact, required minimal inputs of energy, water, food, waste and pollution.

Field sampling and data analysis methods for development of ecological land classifications: an application on the Manistee National Forest.

Treesearch

George E. Host; Carl W. Ramm; Eunice A. Padley; Kurt S. Pregitzer; James B. Hart; David T. Cleland

1992-01-01

Presents technical documentation for development of an Ecological Classification System for the Manistee National Forest in northwest Lower Michigan, and suggests procedures applicable to other ecological land classification projects. Includes discussion of sampling design, field data collection, data summarization and analyses, development of classification units,...

Dynamic heterogeneity: a framework to promote ecological integration and hypothesis generation in urban systems

Treesearch

S. T. A. Pickett; M. L. Cadenasso; E. J. Rosi-Marshall; Ken Belt; P. M. Groffman; Morgan Grove; E. G. Irwin; S. S. Kaushal; S. L. LaDeau; C. H. Nilon; C. M. Swan; P. S. Warren

2016-01-01

Urban areas are understood to be extraordinarily spatially heterogeneous. Spatial heterogeneity, and its causes, consequences, and changes, are central to ecological science. The social sciences and urban design and planning professions also include spatial heterogeneity as a key concern. However, urban ecology, as a pursuit that integrates across these disciplines,...

On Consistency Test Method of Expert Opinion in Ecological Security Assessment

PubMed Central

Wang, Lihong

2017-01-01

To reflect the initiative design and initiative of human security management and safety warning, ecological safety assessment is of great value. In the comprehensive evaluation of regional ecological security with the participation of experts, the expert’s individual judgment level, ability and the consistency of the expert’s overall opinion will have a very important influence on the evaluation result. This paper studies the consistency measure and consensus measure based on the multiplicative and additive consistency property of fuzzy preference relation (FPR). We firstly propose the optimization methods to obtain the optimal multiplicative consistent and additively consistent FPRs of individual and group judgments, respectively. Then, we put forward a consistency measure by computing the distance between the original individual judgment and the optimal individual estimation, along with a consensus measure by computing the distance between the original collective judgment and the optimal collective estimation. In the end, we make a case study on ecological security for five cities. Result shows that the optimal FPRs are helpful in measuring the consistency degree of individual judgment and the consensus degree of collective judgment. PMID:28869570

On Consistency Test Method of Expert Opinion in Ecological Security Assessment.

PubMed

Gong, Zaiwu; Wang, Lihong

2017-09-04

To reflect the initiative design and initiative of human security management and safety warning, ecological safety assessment is of great value. In the comprehensive evaluation of regional ecological security with the participation of experts, the expert's individual judgment level, ability and the consistency of the expert's overall opinion will have a very important influence on the evaluation result. This paper studies the consistency measure and consensus measure based on the multiplicative and additive consistency property of fuzzy preference relation (FPR). We firstly propose the optimization methods to obtain the optimal multiplicative consistent and additively consistent FPRs of individual and group judgments, respectively. Then, we put forward a consistency measure by computing the distance between the original individual judgment and the optimal individual estimation, along with a consensus measure by computing the distance between the original collective judgment and the optimal collective estimation. In the end, we make a case study on ecological security for five cities. Result shows that the optimal FPRs are helpful in measuring the consistency degree of individual judgment and the consensus degree of collective judgment.

Forest Community: An Ecological Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zipko, Stephen J.

1974-01-01

Discusses science activities designed to examine a balanced community in an unspoiled wooded section, including the study of physical and floral characteristics, shrubs, small and large trees, and animals. Indicates that the students' awareness of man's place in nature and nature's place in man is enhanced through such activities. (CC)

Design of an ecological momentary assessment study of exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields and non-specific physical symptoms

PubMed Central

Bogers, Rik P; Bolte, John F B; Houtveen, Jan H; Lebret, Erik; van Strien, Rob T; Schipper, C Maarten A; Alkadhimi, Mehdi; Baliatsas, Christos; van Kamp, Irene

2013-01-01

Introduction Idiopathic Environmental Intolerance (IEI) attributed to electromagnetic fields (EMF) refers to self-reported sensitivity mainly characterised by the attribution of non-specific physical symptoms to low-level EMF exposure emitted from sources such as mobile phones. Scientific studies have not provided evidence for the existence of IEI-EMF, but these studies did not resemble the real-life situation or suffered from poor exposure characterisation and biased recall of health symptoms. To improve existing methods for the study of IEI-EMF, an Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) study is designed. Methods and analysis The study is an EMA study in which respondents carry personal exposure metres (exposimeters) that measure radiofrequency (RF) EMF, with frequent assessment of health symptoms and perceived EMF exposure through electronic diary registration during five consecutive days. Participants will be a selection from an epidemiological study who report to be sensitive to RF EMF. The exposimeters measure electric field strength in 12 frequency bands. Diary questions include the occurrence and severity of 10 non-specific physical symptoms, mood states and perceived exposure to (sources of) EMF. The relationship of actual and perceived EMF exposure and mood with non-specific physical symptoms will be analysed using multilevel regression analysis with time-shift models. Discussion The study has several advantages over previous studies, including assessment of personal EMF exposure and non-specific physical symptoms by an ecological method with a minimised chance of recall bias. The within-person design reduces confounding by time-stable factors (eg, personal characteristics). In the conduct of the study and the analysis and interpretation of its outcomes, some methodological issues including a high participant burden, reactivity, compliance to the study protocol and the potential of chance findings due to multiple statistical testing will be accounted for and limited as much as possible. PMID:23988360

Integrated methods for teaching population health.

PubMed

Sistrom, Maria Gilson; Zeigen, Laura; Jones, Melissa; Durham, Korana Fiol; Boudrot, Thomas

2011-01-01

The Institute of Medicine recommends reforms to public health education to better prepare the public health workforce. This study addresses the application of two of the recommended reforms in the population health nursing curriculum at one university: use of an ecological model and distance learning methods. Using interdisciplinary faculty, integrated teaching and learning methods, and a multimedia curriculum, this study examined the following question: can distance learning be designed to support learning goals and outcomes specific to an ecological approach and population health concepts in general? Course content was evaluated using students' perception of practice utility and understanding of population health concepts. Integrated teaching methods were evaluated using a scale as well as comparison to other student distance learning experiences within the university. Findings demonstrated that both the ecological model and distance learning methods were successfully used to teach population health to a large nursing student cohort. 2011, SLACK Incorporated.

Co-design, co-production, and dissemination of social-ecological knowledge to promote sustainability and resilience: urban experiences from the U.S

Treesearch

J. Morgan Grove; Rinku Roy Chowdhury; Daniel Childers

2015-01-01

To promote sustainability and resilience, the role of co-design, co-production, and dissemination of social-ecological knowledge is of growing interest and importance. Although the antecedents for this approach are decades old, the integration of science and practice to advance sustainability and resilience is different from earlier approaches in several ways. In this...

Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Global Environmental Change: Research findings and policy implications

PubMed Central

Gómez-Baggethun, Erik; Corbera, Esteve; Reyes-García, Victoria

2015-01-01

This paper introduces the special feature of Ecology and Society entitled “Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Global Environmental Change. The special feature addresses two main research themes. The first theme concerns the resilience of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (hereafter TEK) and the conditions that might explain its loss or persistence in the face of global change. The second theme relates to new findings regarding the way in which TEK strengthens community resilience to respond to the multiple stressors of global environmental change. Those themes are analyzed using case studies from Africa, Asia, America and Europe. Theoretical insights and empirical findings from the studies suggest that despite the generalized worldwide trend of TEK erosion, substantial pockets of TEK persist in both developing and developed countries. A common trend on the studies presented here is hybridization, where traditional knowledge, practices, and beliefs are merged with novel forms of knowledge and technologies to create new knowledge systems. The findings also reinforce previous hypotheses pointing at the importance of TEK systems as reservoirs of experiential knowledge that can provide important insights for the design of adaptation and mitigation strategies to cope with global environmental change. Based on the results from papers in this feature, we discuss policy directions that might help to promote maintenance and restoration of living TEK systems as sources of social-ecological resilience. PMID:26097492

HEAVY METALS STRUCTURE BENTHIC COMUNITIES IN COLORADO MOUNTAIN STREAMS

EPA Science Inventory

The development of field sampling designs that employ multiple reference and polluted sites has been proposed as an alternative to the traditional upstream vs. downstream approach used in most biomonitoring studies. Spatially extensive monitoring programs can characterize ecologi...

Proposal and Research Direction of Soil Mass Organic Reorganization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Lu; Han, Jichang

2018-01-01

Land engineering as a new discipline has been temporarily outrageous. The proposition of soil body organic reorganization undoubtedly enriches the research content for the construction of land engineering disciplines. Soil body organic reconstruction is designed to study how to realize the ecological ecology of the land by studying the external force of nature, to study the influence of sunlight, wind and water on soil body, how to improve the soil physical structure, to further strengthen the research of biological enzymes and microbes, and promote the release and utilization of beneficial inert elements in soil body. The emerging of frontier scientific research issues with soil body organic reorganization to indicate directions for the future development of soil engineering.

The transition to siblinghood: a developmental ecological systems perspective and directions for future research.

PubMed

Volling, Brenda L

2005-12-01

The birth of a baby sibling is a normative life event for many children. Few studies address this important transition period and changes in the older sibling's adjustment and family relationships following the sibling's birth. The present article presents a developmental ecological systems model for studying changes in family life and the older child's adjustment following the birth of a baby sibling. Simultaneous changes occurring in the family and how these changes are interrelated over time to predict patterns of adaptation after the transition to siblinghood are underscored. Recommendations for designing longitudinal studies that take advantage of recent developments in multilevel modeling are also discussed. Copyright 2006 APA, all rights reserved).

Maximizing ecological and evolutionary insight in bisulfite sequencing data sets

PubMed Central

Lea, Amanda J.; Vilgalys, Tauras P.; Durst, Paul A.P.; Tung, Jenny

2017-01-01

Preface Genome-scale bisulfite sequencing approaches have opened the door to ecological and evolutionary studies of DNA methylation in many organisms. These approaches can be powerful. However, they introduce new methodological and statistical considerations, some of which are particularly relevant to non-model systems. Here, we highlight how these considerations influence a study’s power to link methylation variation with a predictor variable of interest. Relative to current practice, we argue that sample sizes will need to increase to provide robust insights. We also provide recommendations for overcoming common challenges and an R Shiny app to aid in study design. PMID:29046582

Latina adolescent sleep and mood: an ecological momentary assessment pilot study.

PubMed

Garcia, Carolyn; Zhang, Lei; Holt, Katie; Hardeman, Rachel; Peterson, Barbara

2014-08-01

Sleep and mood represent two important malleable opportunities for adolescent health. This study investigated the sleep-mood relationship in adolescent girls. Short-term, longitudinal design. Latina adolescents (N = 19, mean age 15) completed ecological momentary assessments on sleep (perceived quality, self-report quantity) and mood (negative affect, positive affect, and positivity ratio). Adolescents sent 1,598 texts on sleep and mood. Bidirectional sleep-mood relationships were in expected directions; negative affect and the positivity ratio affect predicted adolescents' sleep quality. Interventions should encourage sleep-mood relationship awareness, and further research should identify significant differences to inform tailored interventions with adolescents. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Characterizing forest composition of the Allegheny Mountains using extensive forest inventory data

Treesearch

W. H. McWilliams; R. Riemann Hershey; D. A. Drake; C. L. Alerich

1993-01-01

There is a general lack of information that describes forest composition at the landscape level, e.g. for entire physiographic provinces. Studies in the ecological literature usually are local in scope and combining data from such studies is questionable due to different design methodology.

Multinational Corporations, Democracy and Child Mortality: A Quantitative, Cross-National Analysis of Developing Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shandra, John M.; Nobles, Jenna E.; London, Bruce; Williamson, John B.

2005-01-01

This study presents quantitative, sociological models designed to account for cross-national variation in child mortality. We consider variables linked to five different theoretical perspectives that include the economic modernization, social modernization, political modernization, ecological-evolutionary, and dependency perspectives. The study is…

Animals Alive! An Ecological Guide to Animal Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holley, Dennis

Animals Alive! is designed to help teachers develop an inquiry-oriented program for studying the animal kingdom in which, whenever possible, live animals are collected locally, studied, observed, and then released completely unharmed back into their natural habitats. By careful selection and modification of the chapter questions, activities, and…

English in China's Language Policies for Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xu, Hongmei

2012-01-01

Taking ecological language planning and policy as its conceptual orientation and interpretive policy analysis as its methodological framework, and following an embedded single-case study design, this study explores the role of English, as compared with the role of Chinese, in China's educational language planning and policy for higher education.…

Ecological forestry in an uneven-aged, late-successional forest: Simulated effects of contrasting treatments on structure and yield

Treesearch

Jacob J. Hanson; Craig G. Lorimer; Corey R. Halpin; Brian J. Palik

2012-01-01

Ecological forestry practices are designed to retain species and structural features important for maintaining ecosystem function but which may be deficient in conventionally managed stands. We used the spatially-explicit, individual tree model CANOPY to assess tradeoffs in enhanced ecological attributes vs. reductions in timber yield for a wide variety of treatments...

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.

Valley Fill Design and Construction Alternatives to Improve Ecological Performance

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This presentation discusses; current challenges, comprehensive approaches, BMPs, the Middlefork Development, the Guy Cove project, and a path forward when looking at construction alternatives to improve the ecological performance of valley fills.

The effects of incubation temperature and experimental design on heart rates of lizard embryos.

PubMed

Hulbert, Austin C; Mitchell, Timothy S; Hall, Joshua M; Guiffre, Cassia M; Douglas, Danielle C; Warner, Daniel A

2017-08-01

Many studies of phenotypic plasticity alter environmental conditions during embryonic development, yet only measure phenotypes at the neonatal stage (after embryonic development). However, measuring aspects of embryo physiology enhances our understanding of how environmental factors immediately affect embryos, which aids our understanding of developmental plasticity. While current research on reptile developmental plasticity has demonstrated that fluctuating incubation temperatures affect development differently than constant temperatures, most research on embryo physiology is still performed with constant temperature experiments. In this study, we noninvasively measured embryonic heart rates of the brown anole (Anolis sagrei), across ecologically relevant fluctuating temperatures. We incubated eggs under temperatures measured from potential nests in the field and examined how heart rates change through a diel cycle and throughout embryonic development. We also evaluated how experimental design (e.g., repeated vs. single measures designs, constant vs. fluctuating temperatures) and different protocols (e.g., removing eggs from incubators) might influence heart rate. We found that heart rates were correlated with daily temperature and increased through development. Our findings suggest that experimenters have reasonable flexibility in choosing an experimental design to address their questions; however, some aspects of design and protocol can potentially influence estimations of heart rates. Overall, we present the first ecologically relevant measures of anole embryonic heart rates and provide recommendations for experimental designs for future experiments. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Development of an Ecological Momentary Assessment Mobile App for a Low-Literacy, Mexican American Population to Collect Disordered Eating Behaviors

PubMed Central

Stein, Karen F; Chaudry, Beenish; Trabold, Nicole

2016-01-01

Background Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) is a popular method for understanding population health in which participants report their experiences while in naturally occurring contexts in order to increase the reliability and ecological validity of the collected data (as compared to retrospective recall). EMA studies, however, have relied primarily on text-based questionnaires, effectively eliminating low-literacy populations from the samples. Objective To provide a case study of design of an EMA mobile app for a low-literacy population. In particular, we present the design process and final design of an EMA mobile app for low literate, Mexican American women to record unhealthy eating and weight control behaviors (UEWCBs). Methods An iterative, user-centered design process was employed to develop the mobile app. An existing EMA protocol to measure UEWCBs in college-enrolled Mexican American women was used as the starting point for the application. The app utilizes an icon interface, with optional audio prompts, that is culturally sensitive and usable by a low-literacy population. A total of 41 women participated over the course of 4 phases of the design process, which included 2 interview and task-based phases (n=8, n=11), focus groups (n=15), and a 5-day, in situ deployment (n=7). Results Participants’ mental models of UEWCBs differed substantially from prevailing definitions found in the literature, prompting a major reorganization of the app interface. Differences in health literacy and numeracy were better identified with the Newest Vital Sign tool, as compared with the Short Assessment of Health Literacy tool. Participants had difficulty imagining scenarios in the interviews to practice recording a specific UEWCB; instead, usability was best tested in situ. Participants were able to use the EMA mobile app over the course of 5 days to record UEWCBs. Conclusions Results suggest that the iterative, user-centered design process was essential for designing the app to be made usable by the target population. Simply taking the protocol designed for a higher-literacy population and replacing words with icons and/or audio would have been unsuccessful with this population. PMID:27418020

Interdisciplinary Adventures in Perceptual Ecology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bocast, Christopher S.

A portfolio dissertation that began as acoustic ecology and matured into perceptual ecology, centered on ecomusicology, bioacoustics, and translational audio-based media works with environmental perspectives. The place of music in Western eco-cosmology through time provides a basis for structuring an environmental history of human sound perception. That history suggests that music may stabilize human mental activity, and that an increased musical practice may be essential for the human project. An overview of recent antecedents preceding the emergence of acoustic ecology reveals structural foundations from 20th century culture that underpin modern sound studies. The contextual role that Aldo Leopold, Jacob von Uexkull, John Cage, Marshall McLuhan, and others played in anticipating the development of acoustic ecology as an interdiscipline is detailed. This interdisciplinary aspect of acoustic ecology is defined and defended, while new developments like soundscape ecology are addressed, though ultimately sound studies will need to embrace a broader concept of full-spectrum "sensory" or "perceptual" ecology. The bioacoustic fieldwork done on spawning sturgeon emphasized this necessity. That study yielded scientific recordings and spectrographic analyses of spawning sounds produced by lake sturgeon, Acipenser fulvescens, during reproduction in natural habitats in the Lake Winnebago watershed in Wisconsin. Recordings were made on the Wolf and Embarrass River during the 2011-2013 spawning seasons. Several specimens were dissected to investigate possible sound production mechanisms; no sonic musculature was found. Drumming sounds, ranging from 5 to 7 Hz fundamental frequency, verified the infrasonic nature of previously undocumented "sturgeon thunder". Other characteristic noises of sturgeon spawning including low-frequency rumbles and hydrodynamic sounds were identified. Intriguingly, high-frequency signals resembling electric organ discharges were discovered. These sounds create a distinctive acoustic signature of sturgeon spawning. Media files include concert performance video, sturgeon audio samples, podcasts, radio pieces, music recordings, sound design, and a time-lapse soundscape reconstructed from Aldo Leopold's notes.

The Legacy of Biosphere 2 for Biospherics and Closed Ecological System Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, J.; Alling, A.; Nelson, M.

The unprecedented challenges of creating Biosphere 2, the world's first laboratory for biospherics, the study of global ecology and long-term closed ecological system dynamics led to breakthrough developments in many fields, and a deeper understanding of the opportunities and difficulties of material closure. This paper will review these accomplishments and challenges, citing some of the key research accomplishments and publications which have resulted from the experiments in Biosphere 2. Engineering accomplishments included development of a technique for variable volume to deal with pressure differences between the facility and outside environment, developing methods of leak detection and sealing, and achieving new standards of closure, with an annual atmospheric leakrate of less than 10%, or less than 300 ppm per day. This degree of closure permitted detailed tracking of carbon dioxide, oxygen, and trace gases such as nitrous oxide and ethylene over the seasonal variability of two years. Full closure also necessitated developing new approaches and technologies for complete air, water, and wastewater recycle and reuse within the facility. The development of a soil-based highly productive agricultural system was a first in closed ecological systems, and much was learned about managing a wide variety of crops using non-chemical means of pest and disease control. Closed ecological systems have different temporal b ogeochemical cycling and ranges ofi atmospheric components because of their smaller reservoirs of air, water and soil, and higher concentration of biomass, and Biosphere 2 provided detailed examination and modeling of these accelerated cycles over a period of closure which measured in years. Medical research inside Biosphere 2 included the effects on humans of lowered oxygen: the discovery that human productivity can be maintained down to 15% oxygen could lead to major economies on the design of space stations and planetary/lunar settlements. The improved health resulting from the calorie-restricted but nutrient dense Biosphere 2 diet was the first such scientifically-controlled experiment with humans. The success of Biosphere in creating a diversity of terrestrial and marine environments, from rainforest to coral reef, allowed detailed studies with comprehensive measurements such that the dynamics of these complex biomic systems can be better understood. The coral reef ecosystem, the largest artificial reef ever built, catalyzed methods of study now being applied to planetary coral reef systems. Restoration ecology can learn much from the creation and dynamics of adaptation of the biomes in Biosphere 2. The international interest that Biosphere 2 generated has given new impetus to the public recognition of the sciences of biospheres, biospherics, biomes and closed ecological life systems. The facility is still being used as an educational facility by Columbia University as an introduction to the study of the biosphere and complex system ecology. The many lessons learned from Biosphere 2, from its successes, surprises and challenges, is being used by its key team of creators as the foundations for their design of a laboratory-sized closed ecological system and Mars on Earth prototype life support system for Mars exploration and can be an important foundation for future advances in biospherics and closed ecological system research.

Beneath Our Eyes: An Exploration of the Relationship between Technology Enhanced Learning and Socio-Ecological Sustainability in Art and Design Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sclater, Madeleine

2016-01-01

This article uses published research to explore how Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) can help to sustain learning communities to engage in creative exploration and open investigation. It then draws on this research to ask: how could we use TEL to support pedagogies of socio-ecological sustainability in the Art and Design education community?…

Ecological Literacy, Urban Green Space, and Mobile Technology: Exploring the Impacts of an Arboretum Curriculum Designed for Undergraduate Biology Courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phoebus, Patrick E.

Increasing individual ecological literacy levels may help citizens make informed choices about the environmental challenges facing society. The purpose of this study was to explore the impacts of an arboretum curriculum incorporating mobile technology and an urban greenspace on the ecological knowledge, environmental attitudes and beliefs, and environmental behaviors of undergraduate biology students and pre-service K-8 teachers during a summer course. Using a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, both quantitative and qualitative data were collected, analyzed, and later merged to create an enhanced understanding of the impact of the curriculum on the environmental attitudes and beliefs of the participants. Quantitative results revealed a significant difference between pre- and post-survey scores for ecological knowledge, with no significant differences between pre- and post-scores for the other variables measured. However, no significant difference in scores was found between experimental and comparison groups for any of the three variables. When the two data sets were compared, results from the quantitative and qualitative components were found to converge and diverge. Quantitative data indicated the environmental attitudes and beliefs of participants were unaffected by the arboretum curriculum. Similarly, qualitative data indicated participants' perceived environmental attitudes and beliefs about the importance of nature remained unchanged throughout the course of the study. However, qualitative data supporting the theme connecting with the curriculum suggested experiences with the arboretum curriculum helped participants develop an appreciation for trees and nature and led them to believe they increased their knowledge about trees.

The role of social message using norm abstraction level and ecological value orientation to achieve sustainable consumption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ekasari, A.

2018-01-01

Pro-environmental behavior is one of human activities to achieve sustainability. In order to encourage people to do so, it needs contribution from marketing discipline using social message. The research aims to investigate the effect of social message framed by norm abstraction level and ecological value orientation on attitude and intention to act pro-environmental behavior in the context of littering. This study implemented a 3 (message framing: biospheric/altruistic/egoistic) × 2 (norm abstraction level : abstract/concrete) between subject experimental design to collect the data. An independent sample t test was used to analyze the data. The results indicate that a social message using concrete norm combined with the three ecological value orientation gains more positive response than the use of abstract norm with the same ecological value orientations. Findings of the research are expected to help government or other institutions to create an appropriate social message in anti littering campaign and motivates people to change their behavior in practicing sustainable consumption.

Landscape genetics for the empirical assessment of resistance surfaces: The European pine marten (Martes martes) as a target-species of a regional ecological network

Treesearch

Aritz Ruiz-Gonzalez; Mikel Gurrutxaga; Samuel A. Cushman; Maria Jose Madeira; Ettore Randi; Benjamin J. Gomez-Moliner

2014-01-01

Coherent ecological networks (EN) composed of core areas linked by ecological corridors are being developed worldwide with the goal of promoting landscape connectivity and biodiversity conservation. However, empirical assessment of the performance of EN designs is critical to evaluate the utility of these networks to mitigate effects of habitat loss and...

Wastewater Conveyance Feasibility Investigation, Cranston, RI, Volume 1 Main Report and Environmental Assessment

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-05-01

K Task 10c - Water Quality and Hydrology Assessment APPENDIX L Task 10d - Archaeological/Historic Assessment APPENDIX M Task l~e - Ecological ...options to select a proposed project. The first phase included feasibility level design, cost estimating, water quality, ecological , archaeological and...Assessment 47 Ecological Assessment 49 Historic/Archaeological Assessment 53 Socio/Economic Assessment 54 Proposed Project 57 Chapter 7. PRELIMINARY

Floating Ocean Platform

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-08-15

floating structures create novel habitats for subtidal epibiota?, MARINE ECOLOGY -PROGRESS SERIES, 43-52 Mar. Ecol.- Prog. Ser., 2002 Vegueria, SFJ Godoy... ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS, 350-366 Ecol. Appl., 2000 Niedzwecki, JM van de Lindt, JW Gage, JH Teigen, PS, Design estimates of surface wave interaction with...The ecological effects beyond the offshore platform, Coastal Zone: Proceedings of the Symposium on Coastal and Ocean Management, v 2, n pt2, 1989, p

Curriculum Thinking in Oregon

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crowell, Fred A.

1971-01-01

Outlines a proposal for establishing ecological-based curriculum design and evaluation centers. Compares traditional transmission-oriented curriculum design with new self-designing curriculum structure and ECO Center development. (BL)

[Identification of ecological corridors and its importance by integrating circuit theory].

PubMed

Song, Li Li; Qin, Ming Zhou

2016-10-01

Landscape connectivity is considered as an extraordinarily important factor affecting various ecological processes. The least cost path (LCP) on the basis of minimum cumulative resis-tance model (MCRM) may provide a more efficient approach to identify functional connectivity in heterogeneous landscapes, and is already adopted by the research of landscape functional connecti-vity assessment and ecological corridor simulation. Connectivity model on circuit theory (CMCT) replaced the edges in the graph theory with resistors, cost distance with resistance distance to measure the functional connectivity in heterogeneous landscapes. By means of Linkage Mapper tool and Circuitscape software, the simulated landscape generated from SIMMAP 2.0 software was viewed as the study object in this article, aimed at exploring how to integrate MCRM with CMCT to identify ecological corridors and relative importance of landscape factors. The results showed that two models had their individual advantages and mutual complement. MCRM could effectively identify least cost corridors among habitats. CMCT could effectively identify important landscape factor and pinch point, which had important influence on landscape connectivity. We also found that the position of pinch point was not affected by corridor width, which had obvious advantage in the research of identifying the importance of corridors. The integrated method could provide certain scientific basis for regional ecological protection planning and ecological corridor design.

Man as the main component of the closed ecological system of the spacecraft or planetary station.

PubMed

Parin, V V; Adamovich, B A

1968-01-01

Current life-support systems of the spacecraft provide human requirements for food, water and oxygen only. Advanced life-support systems will involve man as their main component and will ensure completely his material and energy requirements. The design of individual components of such systems will assure their entire suitability and mutual control effects. Optimization of the performance of the crew and ecological system, on the basis of the information characterizing their function, demands efficient methods of collection and treatment of the information obtained through wireless recording of physiological parameters and their automatic treatment. Peculiarities of interplanetary missions and planetary stations make it necessary to conform the schedule of physiological recordings with the work-and-rest cycle of the space crew and inertness of components of the ecological system, especially of those responsible for oxygen regeneration. It is rational to model ecological systems and their components, taking into consideration the correction effect of the information on the health conditions and performance of the crewmen. Wide application of physiological data will allow the selection of optimal designs and sharply increase reliability of ecological systems.

Carnivorous Plants.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canipe, Stephen

This biology lesson on carnivorous (insectivorous) plants is designed to supplement the textbook in the areas of plant diversity, ecology, and distribution. An introduction provides general background information for use as lecture material by the teacher or as reading and/or study material for students. The introduction also includes…

Experimenting with Extinction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeSantis, Larisa; DeSantis, Derek

2017-01-01

This article describes a lesson in which high school biology, ecology, environmental science, anatomy, and physiology students can devise hypotheses and test them with scientific data, identify unanswered questions, and design an additional study to answer those questions. This module connects students with exciting research and current science…

Using "Leaf Prints" To Investigate a Common Bacterium.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holland, Mark A.; Davis, Rebecca; Moffitt, Stephanie; O'Laughlin, Kristinae; Peach, Denise; Sussan, Stacy; Wimbrow, Lori; Tayman, Bryan

2000-01-01

Describes a laboratory activity investigating important concepts in microbiology and ecology in which students design and carry out their own experiments and learn about microorganisms. Points out that all microorganisms are not dangerous and studies the relationship between Methylobacterium and plants. (YDS)

Let’s Talk about Children Evaluation (LTCE) study in northern Finland: a multiple group ecological study of children’s health promotion activities with a municipal and time-trend design

PubMed Central

Kujala, Veikko; Jokinen, Jaana; Ebeling, Hanna; Pohjola, Anneli

2017-01-01

Introduction Making change towards child and family-based and coordinated services is critical to improve quality, outcomes and value. The Let’s Talk about Children (LTC) approach, which consists of brief psychoeducational discussions with parents of kindergarten-aged and school-aged children, has been launched as a municipality-specific programme in the Council of Oulu Region. The aim of this paper is to present a protocol of an ecological study evaluating the group-specific effects of an intervention about LTC activities in a geographically defined population. The programme is designed to promote children’s socioemotional well-being. Methods and analysis A quasi-experimental ecological study protocol is implemented to evaluate whether systematic LTC practices improve children’s well-being. A multi-informant setting covers 30 municipalities in northern Finland and involves all the municipal teachers, social and healthcare workers. In each municipality, a Local Management Team is responsible for implementing the LTC programme and collecting the annual data of LTC discussions and network meetings. The outcome data are retrieved from child welfare statistics and hospital registers. The population data, child welfare statistics and referrals to hospitals was retrieved at baseline (2014), and will be retrieved annually. Furthermore, the annual data of LTC discussions and network meetings will be collected of the years 2015–2018. Ethics and dissemination The study design has been approved by the management of the Oulu University Hospital in accordance with the guidelines given by The Regional Ethics Committee of the Northern Ostrobothnia Hospital District in Oulu, Finland. All data are treated and implemented according to national data security laws. Study findings will be disseminated to provincial and municipal partners, collaborative community groups and the research and development community. The Let’s Talk about Children Evaluation study databases will guide future regional development action and policies. PMID:28710220

Narrowing the Achievement Gap in Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koba, Susan B.

1996-01-01

An inner-city Omaha high school created an untracked, wholly desegregated 2-year thematic science curriculum for all 9th and 10th graders. Under the outdoor community study theme, students participate in a simulated archaeological dig of an Omaha Indian earth lodge, study the school grounds' ecological status, and design areas along a proposed…

An Action Research in Science: Providing Metacognitive Support to Year 9 Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wagaba, Francis; Treagust, David F.; Chandrasegaran, A. L.; Won, Mihye

2016-01-01

An action research study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of providing metacognitive support to enhance Year 9 students' metacognitive capabilities in order to better understand science concepts related to light, environmental health, ecosystems, genetics, ecology, atoms and the Periodic Table. The study was conducted over three years…

Research gaps: adaptive management to cross-cutting issues

Treesearch

Jonathan W. Long; Carl Skinner; Malcolm North; Lenya Quinn-Davidson

2014-01-01

A number of studies undertaken by the Forest Service within the synthesis area have been designed and implemented to better understand both more immediate and long-term effects of treatments, including the Blacks Mountain Ecological Research Project (Oliver 2000); Goosenest Adaptive Management Area Project (Ritchie 2005); Long-Term Soil Productivity Study (Powers 2006...

Animals Alive! An Ecological Guide to Animal Activities. Revised Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holley, Dennis

This guide is designed to help teachers develop an inquiry-oriented program for studying the animal kingdom in which live animals are collected locally, studied, observed, and then released completely unharmed back into their natural habitats. This book addresses such concerns of life science teachers as the environmental soundness of methods and…

Towards an Ecological Understanding of Willingness to Communicate in EFL Classrooms in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peng, Jian-E.

2012-01-01

This article reports on a multiple-case study designed to investigate factors influencing willingness to communicate (WTC) in the English as a foreign language (EFL) classroom in China. Four university students participated in this study; data were collected through semi-structured interviews, learning journals recorded by the students, and…

Ecological requirements for pallid sturgeon reproduction and recruitment in the Missouri River—A synthesis of science, 2005 to 2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Delonay, Aaron J.; Chojnacki, Kimberly A.; Jacobson, Robert B.; Albers, Janice L.; Braaten, Patrick J.; Bulliner, Edward A.; Elliott, Caroline M.; Erwin, Susannah O.; Fuller, David B; Haas, Justin D.; Ladd, Hallie L.A.; Mestl, Gerald E.; Papoulias, Diana M.; Wildhaber, Mark L.

2016-01-20

Scientific understanding of the ecological requirements of pallid sturgeon has increased almost exponentially in the last two decades, and efforts are now turning from understanding fundamental biology of the species to quantifying how population dynamics relate to potential management actions. Progress in developing the science needed to inform management actions on the Missouri River may benefit from continuation of monitoring of reproductive cycles, reproductive movements, growth, and survival of telemetry tagged adults, increased emphasis on focused, complementary field and laboratory studies of factors influencing early life history, implementation of studies to resolve the role of food limitations in growth, survival, and reproductive condition, and implementation of studies designed specifically to parameterize models linking management to populations.

Assessment of sampling stability in ecological applications of discriminant analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Williams, B.K.; Titus, K.

1988-01-01

A simulation study was undertaken to assess the sampling stability of the variable loadings in linear discriminant function analysis. A factorial design was used for the factors of multivariate dimensionality, dispersion structure, configuration of group means, and sample size. A total of 32,400 discriminant analyses were conducted, based on data from simulated populations with appropriate underlying statistical distributions. A review of 60 published studies and 142 individual analyses indicated that sample sizes in ecological studies often have met that requirement. However, individual group sample sizes frequently were very unequal, and checks of assumptions usually were not reported. The authors recommend that ecologists obtain group sample sizes that are at least three times as large as the number of variables measured.

The Effectiveness of a Case Study-Based First-Year Biology Class at a Black Women's College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pai, Aditi; Benning, Tracy; Woods, Natasha; McGinnis, Gene; Chu, Joanne; Netherton, Josh; Bauerle, Cynthia

2010-01-01

The authors used a case study-based approach in the introductory biology course at Spelman College. The course taught to entering freshmen was divided into three modules--ecology, evolution, and biodiversity, each designed around a case study. They noted that (1) case study teaching was dramatically more effective than the traditional lecture…

A multi-level model of emerging technology: An empirical study of the evolution of biotechnology from 1976 to 2003

PubMed Central

van Witteloostuijn, Arjen

2018-01-01

In this paper, we develop an ecological, multi-level model that can be used to study the evolution of emerging technology. More specifically, by defining technology as a system composed of a set of interacting components, we can build upon the argument of multi-level density dependence from organizational ecology to develop a distribution-independent model of technological evolution. This allows us to distinguish between different stages of component development, which provides more insight into the emergence of stable component configurations, or dominant designs. We validate our hypotheses in the biotechnology industry by using patent data from the USPTO from 1976 to 2003. PMID:29795575

Landscape genetics for the empirical assessment of resistance surfaces: the European pine marten (Martes martes) as a target-species of a regional ecological network.

PubMed

Ruiz-González, Aritz; Gurrutxaga, Mikel; Cushman, Samuel A; Madeira, María José; Randi, Ettore; Gómez-Moliner, Benjamin J

2014-01-01

Coherent ecological networks (EN) composed of core areas linked by ecological corridors are being developed worldwide with the goal of promoting landscape connectivity and biodiversity conservation. However, empirical assessment of the performance of EN designs is critical to evaluate the utility of these networks to mitigate effects of habitat loss and fragmentation. Landscape genetics provides a particularly valuable framework to address the question of functional connectivity by providing a direct means to investigate the effects of landscape structure on gene flow. The goals of this study are (1) to evaluate the landscape features that drive gene flow of an EN target species (European pine marten), and (2) evaluate the optimality of a regional EN design in providing connectivity for this species within the Basque Country (North Spain). Using partial Mantel tests in a reciprocal causal modeling framework we competed 59 alternative models, including isolation by distance and the regional EN. Our analysis indicated that the regional EN was among the most supported resistance models for the pine marten, but was not the best supported model. Gene flow of pine marten in northern Spain is facilitated by natural vegetation, and is resisted by anthropogenic landcover types and roads. Our results suggest that the regional EN design being implemented in the Basque Country will effectively facilitate gene flow of forest dwelling species at regional scale.

Water, Energy, and Biogeochemical Budgets (WEBB) program: Data availability and research at the Northern Temperate Lakes site in north-central Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Elder, John F.; Krabbenhoft, David P.; Walker, John F.

1992-01-01

The NTL-WEBB study area includes seven lakes that are also the site of a Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) project, sponsored by the National Science Foundation. This project incorporates diverse research investigations conducted by faculty and research associates of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The research orientation of NTL-LTER is principally toward aquatic ecology and geochemistry of the lakes. The WEBB research plan, with its emphasis on hydrologic processes in the lake watersheds, is designed to complement and enhance the LTER work.

Incidental Learning of Melodic Structure of North Indian Music.

PubMed

Rohrmeier, Martin; Widdess, Richard

2017-07-01

Musical knowledge is largely implicit. It is acquired without awareness of its complex rules, through interaction with a large number of samples during musical enculturation. Whereas several studies explored implicit learning of mostly abstract and less ecologically valid features of Western music, very little work has been done with respect to ecologically valid stimuli as well as non-Western music. The present study investigated implicit learning of modal melodic features in North Indian classical music in a realistic and ecologically valid way. It employed a cross-grammar design, using melodic materials from two modes (rāgas) that use the same scale. Findings indicated that Western participants unfamiliar with Indian music incidentally learned to identify distinctive features of each mode. Confidence ratings suggest that participants' performance was consistently correlated with confidence, indicating that they became aware of whether they were right in their responses; that is, they possessed explicit judgment knowledge. Altogether our findings show incidental learning in a realistic ecologically valid context during only a very short exposure, they provide evidence that incidental learning constitutes a powerful mechanism that plays a fundamental role in musical acquisition. Copyright © 2016 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Frontiers in research on biodiversity and disease.

PubMed

Johnson, Pieter T J; Ostfeld, Richard S; Keesing, Felicia

2015-10-01

Global losses of biodiversity have galvanised efforts to understand how changes to communities affect ecological processes, including transmission of infectious pathogens. Here, we review recent research on diversity-disease relationships and identify future priorities. Growing evidence from experimental, observational and modelling studies indicates that biodiversity changes alter infection for a range of pathogens and through diverse mechanisms. Drawing upon lessons from the community ecology of free-living organisms, we illustrate how recent advances from biodiversity research generally can provide necessary theoretical foundations, inform experimental designs, and guide future research at the interface between infectious disease risk and changing ecological communities. Dilution effects are expected when ecological communities are nested and interactions between the pathogen and the most competent host group(s) persist or increase as biodiversity declines. To move beyond polarising debates about the generality of diversity effects and develop a predictive framework, we emphasise the need to identify how the effects of diversity vary with temporal and spatial scale, to explore how realistic patterns of community assembly affect transmission, and to use experimental studies to consider mechanisms beyond simple changes in host richness, including shifts in trophic structure, functional diversity and symbiont composition. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

A watershed approach to ecosystem monitoring in Denali National Park and preserve, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thorsteinson, L.K.; Taylor, D.L.

1997-01-01

The National Park Service and the National Biological Service initiated research in Denali National Park and Preserve, a 2.4 million-hectare park in southcentral Alaska, to develop ecological monitoring protocols for national parks in the Arctic/Subarctic biogeographic area. We are focusing pilot studies on design questions, on scaling issues and regionalization, ecosystem structure and function, indicator selection and evaluation, and monitoring technologies. Rock Creek, a headwater stream near Denali headquarters, is the ecological scale for initial testing of a watershed ecosystem approach. Our conceptual model embraces principles of the hydrological cycle, hypotheses of global climate change, and biological interactions of organisms occupying intermediate, but poorly studied, positions in Alaskan food webs. The field approach includes hydrological and depositional considerations and a suite of integrated measures linking key aquatic and terrestrial biota, environmental variables, or defined ecological processes, in order to establish ecological conditions and detect, track, and understand mechanisms of environmental change. Our sampling activities include corresponding measures of physical, chemical, and biological attributes in four Rock Creek habitats believed characteristic of the greater system diversity of Denali. This paper gives examples of data sets, program integration and scaling, and research needs.

Frontiers in research on biodiversity and disease

PubMed Central

Johnson, Pieter T. J.; Ostfeld, Richard S.; Keesing, Felicia

2016-01-01

Global losses of biodiversity have galvanised efforts to understand how changes to communities affect ecological processes, including transmission of infectious pathogens. Here, we review recent research on diversity–disease relationships and identify future priorities. Growing evidence from experimental, observational and modelling studies indicates that biodiversity changes alter infection for a range of pathogens and through diverse mechanisms. Drawing upon lessons from the community ecology of free-living organisms, we illustrate how recent advances from biodiversity research generally can provide necessary theoretical foundations, inform experimental designs, and guide future research at the interface between infectious disease risk and changing ecological communities. Dilution effects are expected when ecological communities are nested and interactions between the pathogen and the most competent host group(s) persist or increase as biodiversity declines. To move beyond polarising debates about the generality of diversity effects and develop a predictive framework, we emphasise the need to identify how the effects of diversity vary with temporal and spatial scale, to explore how realistic patterns of community assembly affect transmission, and to use experimental studies to consider mechanisms beyond simple changes in host richness, including shifts in trophic structure, functional diversity and symbiont composition. PMID:26261049

EVALUATING MACROINVERTEBRATE COMMUNITY ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Since 2010, new construction in California is required to include stormwater detention and infiltration that is designed to capture rainfall from the 85th percentile of storm events in the region, preferably through green infrastructure. This study used recent macroinvertebrate community monitoring data to determine the ecological threshold for percent impervious cover prior to large scale adoption of green infrastructure using Threshold Indicator Taxa Analysis (TITAN). TITAN uses an environmental gradient and biological community data to determine individual taxa change points with respect to changes in taxa abundance and frequency across that gradient. Individual taxa change points are then aggregated to calculate the ecological threshold. This study used impervious cover data from National Land Cover Datasets and macroinvertebrate community data from California Environmental Data Exchange Network and Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Preliminary TITAN runs for California’s Chaparral region indicated that both increasing and decreasing taxa had ecological thresholds of <1% watershed impervious cover. Next, TITAN will be used to determine shifts in the ecological threshold after the implementation of green infrastructure on a large scale. This presentation for the Society for Freshwater Scientists will discuss initial evaluation of community and taxa-specific thresholds of impairment for macroinvertebrates in California streams along

Structural Equation Modeling: Applications in ecological and evolutionary biology research

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pugesek, Bruce H.; von Eye, Alexander; Tomer, Adrian

2003-01-01

This book presents an introduction to the methodology of structural equation modeling, illustrates its use, and goes on to argue that it has revolutionary implications for the study of natural systems. A major theme of this book is that we have, up to this point, attempted to study systems primarily using methods (such as the univariate model) that were designed only for considering individual processes. Understanding systems requires the capacity to examine simultaneous influences and responses. Structural equation modeling (SEM) has such capabilities. It also possesses many other traits that add strength to its utility as a means of making scientific progress. In light of the capabilities of SEM, it can be argued that much of ecological theory is currently locked in an immature state that impairs its relevance. It is further argued that the principles of SEM are capable of leading to the development and evaluation of multivariate theories of the sort vitally needed for the conservation of natural systems. Supplementary information can be found at the authors website, http://www.jamesbgrace.com/. • Details why multivariate analyses should be used to study ecological systems • Exposes unappreciated weakness in many current popular analyses • Emphasizes the future methodological developments needed to advance our understanding of ecological systems.

The dimensions of land use change in rural landscapes: lessons learnt from the GB Countryside Surveys.

PubMed

Petit, Sandrine

2009-07-01

Rural landscapes are highly dynamic and their change impacts on a number of ecological processes such as the dynamics of biodiversity. Although a substantial amount of research has focused on quantifying these changes and their impact on biodiversity, most studies have focused on single dimensions of land use change. This lack of integration in land use change studies can be explained by the fact that data on the spatial, temporal, and ecological dimensions of land use are seldom available for the same geographical location. In this paper, the benefits of taking into account these three dimensions are illustrated with results derived from the Great Britain Countryside Surveys (CS), a large-scale monitoring programme designed to assess change in the extent and ecological condition of British habitats. The overview of CS results presented in this paper shows that (1) changes in land use composition will translate into a variety of spatial patterns; (2) the temporal stability of land use is often lower than can be expected; and (3) there can be large-scale shifts in the ecological condition of the land use types that form our rural landscapes. The benefits of integrated rural landscape studies are discussed in the context of other national monitoring programmes.

Outrun or Outmaneuver: Predator-Prey Interactions as a Model System for Integrating Biomechanical Studies in a Broader Ecological and Evolutionary Context.

PubMed

Moore, Talia Y; Biewener, Andrew A

2015-12-01

Behavioral studies performed in natural habitats provide a context for the development of hypotheses and the design of experiments relevant both to biomechanics and to evolution. In particular, predator-prey interactions are a model system for integrative study because success or failure of predation has a direct effect on fitness and drives the evolution of specialized performance in both predator and prey. Although all predators share the goal of capturing prey, and all prey share the goal of survival, the behavior of predators and prey are diverse in nature. This article presents studies of some predator-prey interactions sharing common predation strategies that reveal general principles governing the behaviors of predator and prey, even in distantly related taxa. Studies of predator-prey interactions also reveal that maximal performance observed in a laboratory setting is not necessarily the performance that determines fitness. Thus, considering locomotion in the context of predation ecology can aid in evolutionarily relevant experimental design. Classification by strategy reveals that displaying unpredictable trajectories is a relevant anti-predator behavior in response to multiple predation strategies. A predator's perception and pursuit of prey can be affected indirectly by divergent locomotion of similar animals that share an ecosystem. Variation in speed and direction of locomotion that directly increases the unpredictability of a prey's trajectory can be increased through genetic mutation that affects locomotor patterns, musculoskeletal changes that affect maneuverability, and physical interactions between an animal and the environment. By considering the interconnectedness of ecology, physical constraints, and the evolutionary history of behavior, studies in biomechanics can be designed to inform each of these fields. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

[Environmental Education Experiences].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burke County Board of Education, Morganton, NC.

Environmental/ecological experiences, appropriate for elementary grades, are presented in this compilation. Designed as individual units of study, they consider components of the natural environment and in particular the local environment of Burke County, North Carolina. Units are titled: Burke County in a Nutshell, Our Culture, A Tour of the…

Nutritional adequacy of dietary intake in women with anorexia nervosa

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Background: Understanding nutrient intake of anorexia nervosa (AN) patients is essential for the establishment of dietary treatment. Design: Women, aged 19 to 30 years, with both restricting and binge purge types of AN, participating in an ecological momentary assessment study, completed three nonc...

Analysis of the ecological water diversion project in Wenzhou City

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Haibo; Fu, Lei; Lin, Tong

2018-02-01

As a developed city in China, Wenzhou City has been suffered from bad water quality for years. In order to improve the river network water quality, an ecological water diversion project was designed and executed by the regional government. In this study, an investigation and analysis of the regional ecological water diversion project is made for the purpose of examining the water quality improvements. A numerical model is also established, different water diversion flow rates and sewer interception levels are considered during the simulation. Simulation results reveal that higher flow rate and sewer interception level will greatly improve the river network water quality in Wenzhou City. The importance of the flow rate and interception level has been proved and future work will be focused on increasing the flow rate and upgrading the sewer interception level.

Designing Autonomy: Opportunities for New Wildness in the Anthropocene.

PubMed

Cantrell, Bradley; Martin, Laura J; Ellis, Erle C

2017-03-01

Maintaining wild places increasingly involves intensive human interventions. Several recent projects use semi-automated mediating technologies to enact conservation and restoration actions, including re-seeding and invasive species eradication. Could a deep-learning system sustain the autonomy of nonhuman ecological processes at designated sites without direct human interventions? We explore here the prospects for automated curation of wild places, as well as the technical and ethical questions that such co-creation poses for ecologists, conservationists, and designers. Our goal is to foster innovative approaches to creating and maintaining the autonomy of evolving ecological systems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Design for mosquito abundance, diversity, and phenology sampling within the National Ecological Observatory Network

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hoekman, D.; Springer, Yuri P.; Barker, C.M.; Barrera, R.; Blackmore, M.S.; Bradshaw, W.E.; Foley, D. H.; Ginsberg, Howard; Hayden, M. H.; Holzapfel, C. M.; Juliano, S. A.; Kramer, L. D.; LaDeau, S. L.; Livdahl, T. P.; Moore, C. G.; Nasci, R.S.; Reisen, W.K.; Savage, H. M.

2016-01-01

The National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) intends to monitor mosquito populations across its broad geographical range of sites because of their prevalence in food webs, sensitivity to abiotic factors and relevance for human health. We describe the design of mosquito population sampling in the context of NEON’s long term continental scale monitoring program, emphasizing the sampling design schedule, priorities and collection methods. Freely available NEON data and associated field and laboratory samples, will increase our understanding of how mosquito abundance, demography, diversity and phenology are responding to land use and climate change.

The possibility of coexistence and co-development in language competition: ecology-society computational model and simulation.

PubMed

Yun, Jian; Shang, Song-Chao; Wei, Xiao-Dan; Liu, Shuang; Li, Zhi-Jie

2016-01-01

Language is characterized by both ecological properties and social properties, and competition is the basic form of language evolution. The rise and decline of one language is a result of competition between languages. Moreover, this rise and decline directly influences the diversity of human culture. Mathematics and computer modeling for language competition has been a popular topic in the fields of linguistics, mathematics, computer science, ecology, and other disciplines. Currently, there are several problems in the research on language competition modeling. First, comprehensive mathematical analysis is absent in most studies of language competition models. Next, most language competition models are based on the assumption that one language in the model is stronger than the other. These studies tend to ignore cases where there is a balance of power in the competition. The competition between two well-matched languages is more practical, because it can facilitate the co-development of two languages. A third issue with current studies is that many studies have an evolution result where the weaker language inevitably goes extinct. From the integrated point of view of ecology and sociology, this paper improves the Lotka-Volterra model and basic reaction-diffusion model to propose an "ecology-society" computational model for describing language competition. Furthermore, a strict and comprehensive mathematical analysis was made for the stability of the equilibria. Two languages in competition may be either well-matched or greatly different in strength, which was reflected in the experimental design. The results revealed that language coexistence, and even co-development, are likely to occur during language competition.

[Towards understanding human ecology in nursing practice: a concept analysis].

PubMed

Huynh, Truc; Alderson, Marie

2010-06-01

Human ecology is an umbrella concept encompassing several social, physical, and cultural elements existing in the individual's external environment. The pragmatic utility method was used to analyze the "human ecology" concept in order to ascertain the conceptual fit with nursing epistemology and to promote its use by nurses in clinical practice. Relevant articles for the review were retrieved from the MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and CSA databases using the terms "human ecology," "environment," "nursing," and "ecology." Data analysis revealed that human ecology is perceived as a theoretical perspective designating a complex, multilayered, and multidimensional system, one that comprises individuals and their reciprocal interactions with their global environments and the subsequent impact of these interactions upon their health. Human ecology preconditions include the individuals, their environments, and their transactions. Attributes of this concept encompass the characteristics of an open system (e.g., interdependence, reciprocal).

Ecology for a crowded planet

USGS Publications Warehouse

Palmer, Margaret; Bernhardt, Emily S.; Chornesky, Elizabeth A.; Collins, Scott L.; Dobson, Andrew; Duke, Clifford; Gold, Barry; Jacobson, Robert; Kingsland, Sharon E.; Kranz, Rhonda H.; Mappin, Michael J.; Martinez, M. Luisa; Micheli, Fiorenza; Morse, Jennifer L.; Pace, Michael L.; Pascual, Mercedes; Palumbi, Stephen S.; Reichman, O. J.; Simons, Ashley; Townsend, Alan R.; Turner, Monica

2004-01-01

Within the next 50 to 100 years, the support and maintenance of an extended human family of 8 to 11 billion people will be difficult at best. The authors of this Policy Forum describe changes that are required if we hope to meet the needs and aspirations of humans while improving the health of our planet's ecosystems. Problems as diverse as disease transmission and global climate change have benefited substantially from advances in ecology. Such advances have set the stage for emergence of a proactive ecological science in which social and political realities are acknowledged and attention is turned decisively toward the future. The ecological sciences must chart an understanding of how ecosystem services can persist given their extensive human use. Innovative research on the sciences of ecosystem services, ecological restoration, and ecological design must be massively accelerated and must be accompanied by more effective communication of ecological knowledge to society.

An approach to the mathematical modelling of a controlled ecological life support system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Averner, M. M.

1981-01-01

An approach to the design of a computer based model of a closed ecological life-support system suitable for use in extraterrestrial habitats is presented. The model is based on elemental mass balance and contains representations of the metabolic activities of biological components. The model can be used as a tool in evaluating preliminary designs for closed regenerative life support systems and as a method for predicting the behavior of such systems.

Aspects of Marine Ecology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Awkerman, Gary L.

This publication is designed for use in standard science curricula to develop oceanologic manifestations of certain science topics. Included are teacher guides, student activities, and demonstrations to impart ocean science understanding, specifically, aspects of marine ecology, to high school students. The course objectives include the ability of…

Weed ecology and population dynamics

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A global rise in herbicide resistant weed genotypes, coupled with a growing demand for food produced with minimal external synthetic inputs, is driving producer interest in reducing reliance on herbicides for weed management. An improved understanding of weed ecology can support the design of weed s...

A Synthetic Health Curriculum Design in Ecologic Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoyman, Howard S.

1977-01-01

The newly emerging ecologic approach to health education is focused on the man-environment complex, in terms of not only personal health but of awareness of man's position in the scheme of evolution and his responsibility for the environment of the world. (JD)

Investigation of ecological parameters of four-stroke SI engine, with pneumatic fuel injection system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marek, W.; Śliwiński, K.

2016-09-01

The publication presents the results of tests to determine the impact of using waste fuels, alcohol, to power the engine, on the ecological parameters of the combustion engine. Alternatively fuelled with a mixture of iso- and n-butanol, indicated with "X" and "END, and gasoline and a mixture of fuel and alcohol. The object of the study was a four-stroke engine with spark ignition designed to work with a generator. Motor power was held by the modified system of pneumatic injection using hot exhaust gases developed by Prof. Stanislaw Jarnuszkiewicz, controlled by modern mechatronic systems. Tests were conducted at a constant speed for the intended use of the engine. The subject of the research was to determine the control parameters such as ignition timing, mixture composition and the degree of exhaust gas recirculation on the ecological parameters of the engine. Tests were carried out using partially quality power control. In summary we present the findings of this phase of the study.

Space ecosynthesis: An approach to the design of closed ecosystems for use in space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Macelroy, R. D.; Averner, M. M.

1978-01-01

The use of closed ecological systems for the regeneration of wastes, air, and water is discussed. It is concluded that such systems, if they are to be used for the support of humans in space, will require extensive mechanical and physico-chemical support. The reason for this is that the buffering capacity available in small systems is inadequate, and that natural biological and physical regulatory mechanisms rapidly become inoperative. It is proposed that mathematical models of the dynamics of a closed ecological system may provide the best means of studying the initial problems of ecosystem closure. A conceptual and mathematical model of a closed ecosystem is described which treats the biological components as a farm, calculates the rates of flow of elements through the system by mass-balance techniques and control theory postulates, and can evaluate the requirements for mechanical buffering activities. It is suggested that study of the closure of ecosystems can significantly aid in the establishment of general principles of ecological systems.

Ecological relevance of current water quality assessment unit designations in impaired rivers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Layhee, Megan J.; Sepulveda, Adam; Ray, Andrew; Mladenka, Greg; Van Every, Lynn

2016-01-01

Managers often nest sections of water bodies together into assessment units (AUs) to monitor and assess water quality criteria. Ideally, AUs represent an extent of waters with similar ecological, watershed, habitat and land-use conditions and no overlapping characteristics with other waters. In the United States, AUs are typically based on political or hydrologic boundaries rather than on ecologically relevant features, so it can be difficult to detect changes in impairment status. Our goals were to evaluate if current AU designation criteria of an impaired water body in southeastern Idaho, USA that, like many U.S. waters, has three-quarters of its mainstem length divided into two AUs. We focused our evaluation in southeastern Idaho's Portneuf River, an impaired river and three-quarters of the river is divided into two AUs. We described biological and environmental conditions at multiple reaches within each AU. We used these data to (1) test if variability at the reach-scale is greater within or among AUs and, (2) to evaluate alternate AU boundaries based on multivariate analyses of reach-scale data. We found that some biological conditions had greater variability within an AU than between AUs. Multivariate analyses identified alternative, 2- and 3-group, AUs that reduced this variability. Our results suggest that the current AU designations in the mainstem Portneuf River contain ecologically distinct sections of river and that the existing AU boundaries should be reconsidered in light of the ecological conditions measured at the reach scale. Variation in biological integrity within designated AUs may complicate water quality and biological assessments, influence management decisions or affect where monitoring or mitigation resources are directed.

Turning a hazardous waste lagoon into reclaimed land for wildlife management: A case study

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

Leong, A.K.

Brownfields are turning back to green. This paper presents a case study of a former dump site for hazardous waste that has been remediated and will be developed into an enhanced wildlife management habitat. This successful remediation case combined various investigations, remedial designs, risk assessments, ecological studies, and engineering practices. 3 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab.

Designing for Persuasion: Toward Ambient Eco-Visualization for Awareness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Tanyoung; Hong, Hwajung; Magerko, Brian

When people are aware of their lifestyle's ecological consequences, they are more likely to adjust their behavior to reduce their impact. Persuasive design that provides feedback to users without interfering with their primary tasks can increases the awareness of neighboring problems. As a case study of design for persuasion, we designed two ambient displays as desktop widgets. Both represent a users' computer usage time, but in different visual styles. In this paper, we present the results of a comparative study of two ambient displays. We discuss the gradual progress of persuasion supported by the ambient displays and the differences in users' perception affected by the different visualization styles. Finally, Our empirical findings lead to a series of design implications for persuasive media.

A Preliminary Research Plan for Development of a Photosynthetic Link in a Closed Ecological Life Support System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morgan, P. W.

1979-01-01

The use of higher plants in a closed ecological life support system for long duration space missions involving large numbers of people is considered. The approach to planning and developing both the habitat for a long term space mission and closed ecological life support systems are discussed with emphasis on environmental compatibility and integrated systems design. The requirements of photosynthetic processes are summarized and evaluated in terms of their availability within a closed ecological life support environment. Specific references are recommended as a data base for future research on this topic.

Homophobic and Transphobic Bullying: Barriers and Supports to School Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Donoghue, Kate; Guerin, Suzanne

2017-01-01

This study explores the perceived barriers and supports identified by school staff in tackling homophobic and transphobic bullying, using Bronfenbrenner's ecological model as a framework. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants from five separate second-level/high schools (two designated disadvantaged schools, and three…

Inhabitants of the Fresh-Water Community.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jorgensen, Joseph; Schroeder, Marlene

This learner's guide is designed to assist middle school students in studying freshwater organisms. Following a brief introduction to freshwater ecology, simple line drawings facilitate the identification of plants and animals common to Florida's freshwater ecosystems. Emphasis of the short text which accompanies each illustration is upon the…

RANKED SET SAMPLING FOR ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH: ACCOUNTING FOR THE TOTAL COSTS OF SAMPLING

EPA Science Inventory

Researchers aim to design environmental studies that optimize precision and allow for generalization of results, while keeping the costs of associated field and laboratory work at a reasonable level. Ranked set sampling is one method to potentially increase precision and reduce ...

THE ECOLOGICAL CONDITION OF VERACRUZ, MEXICO ESTUARIES

EPA Science Inventory

During June and July, 2002, forty-seven stations were sampled within estuaries along the gulf coast of the state of Veracruz, MX, using a probabilistic survey design and a common set of response indicators. The objective of the study was to collect information to assess the condi...

Understanding behavioral responses of fish to pheromones in natural freshwater environments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, Nicholas S.; Li, Weiming

2010-01-01

There is an abundance of experimental studies and reviews that describe odorant-mediated behaviors of fish in laboratory microcosms, but research in natural field conditions has received considerably less attention. Fish pheromone studies in laboratory settings can be highly productive and allow for controlled experimental designs; however, laboratory tanks and flumes often cannot replicate all the physical, physiological and social contexts associated with natural environments. Field experiments can be a critical step in affirming and enhancing understanding of laboratory discoveries and often implicate the ecological significance of pheromones employed by fishes. When findings from laboratory experiments have been further tested in field environments, often different and sometimes contradictory conclusions are found. Examples include studies of sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) mating pheromones and fish alarm substances. Here, we review field research conducted on fish pheromones and alarm substances, highlighting the following topics: (1) contradictory results obtained in laboratory and field experiments, (2) how environmental context and physiological status influences behavior, (3) challenges and constraints of aquatic field research and (4) innovative techniques and experimental designs that advance understanding of fish chemical ecology through field research.

Principal short-term findings of the National Fire and Fire Surrogate study

Treesearch

James McIver; Karen Erickson; Andrew Youngblood

2012-01-01

Principal findings of the National Fire and Fire Surrogate (FFS) study are presented in an annotated bibliography and summarized in tabular form by site, discipline (ecosystem component), treatment type, and major theme. Composed of 12 sites, the FFS is a comprehensive multidisciplinary experiment designed to evaluate the costs and ecological consequences of...

Harvest operations for density management: planning requirements, production, costs, stand damage, and recommendations

Treesearch

Loren D. Kellogg; Stephen J. Pilkerton

2013-01-01

Since the early 1990s, several studies have been undertaken to determine the planning requirements, productivity, costs, and residual stand damage of harvest operations in thinning treatments designed to promote development of complex forest structure in order to enhance ecological functioning and biological diversity. Th ese studies include the Oregon State...

Ecology and Human Values: A Course of Study. (Working Draft).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wisconsin State Dept. of Public Instruction, Madison.

This interdisciplinary course is designed for senior year high school students in social studies and/or science. Its main thrust is the investigation of human values as they relate to the environment, although rooted in the natural sciences as a means of understanding the complexities inherent in the environment. Use is made of the case study…

3-D Technology Approaches for Biological Ecologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Liyu; Austin, Robert; U. S-China Physical-Oncology Sciences Alliance (PS-OA) Team

Constructing three dimensional (3-D) landscapes is an inevitable issue in deep study of biological ecologies, because in whatever scales in nature, all of the ecosystems are composed by complex 3-D environments and biological behaviors. Just imagine if a 3-D technology could help complex ecosystems be built easily and mimic in vivo microenvironment realistically with flexible environmental controls, it will be a fantastic and powerful thrust to assist researchers for explorations. For years, we have been utilizing and developing different technologies for constructing 3-D micro landscapes for biophysics studies in in vitro. Here, I will review our past efforts, including probing cancer cell invasiveness with 3-D silicon based Tepuis, constructing 3-D microenvironment for cell invasion and metastasis through polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) soft lithography, as well as explorations of optimized stenting positions for coronary bifurcation disease with 3-D wax printing and the latest home designed 3-D bio-printer. Although 3-D technologies is currently considered not mature enough for arbitrary 3-D micro-ecological models with easy design and fabrication, I hope through my talk, the audiences will be able to sense its significance and predictable breakthroughs in the near future. This work was supported by the State Key Development Program for Basic Research of China (Grant No. 2013CB837200), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 11474345) and the Beijing Natural Science Foundation (Grant No. 7154221).

More ecological ERA: incorporating natural environmental factors and animal behavior.

PubMed

Bednarska, Agnieszka J; Jevtić, Dragan M; Laskowski, Ryszard

2013-07-01

We discuss the importance of selected natural abiotic and biotic factors in ecological risk assessment based on simplistic laboratory bioassays. Although it is impossible to include all possible natural factors in standard lower-tier ecotoxicological testing, neglecting them is not an option. Therefore, we try to identify the most important factors and advocate redesigning standard testing procedures to include theoretically most potent interactions. We also point out a few potentially important factors that have not been studied enough so far. The available data allowed us to identify temperature and O2 depletion as the most critical factors that should be included in ecotoxicity testing as soon as possible. Temporal limitations and fluctuations in food availability also appear important, but at this point more fundamental research in this area is necessary before making decisions on their inclusion in risk assessment procedures. We propose using specific experimental designs, such as Box-Behnken or Central Composite, which allow for simultaneous testing of 3 or more factors for their individual and interactive effects with greater precision and without increasing the effort and costs of tests dramatically. Factorial design can lead to more powerful tests and help to extend the validity of conclusions. Finally, ecological risk assessment procedures should include information on animal behavior, especially feeding patterns. This requires more basic studies, but already at this point adequate mechanistic effect models can be developed for some species. Copyright © 2013 SETAC.

Effect of Methodological and Ecological Approaches on Heterogeneity of Nest-Site Selection of a Long-Lived Vulture

PubMed Central

Moreno-Opo, Rubén; Fernández-Olalla, Mariana; Margalida, Antoni; Arredondo, Ángel; Guil, Francisco

2012-01-01

The application of scientific-based conservation measures requires that sampling methodologies in studies modelling similar ecological aspects produce comparable results making easier their interpretation. We aimed to show how the choice of different methodological and ecological approaches can affect conclusions in nest-site selection studies along different Palearctic meta-populations of an indicator species. First, a multivariate analysis of the variables affecting nest-site selection in a breeding colony of cinereous vulture (Aegypius monachus) in central Spain was performed. Then, a meta-analysis was applied to establish how methodological and habitat-type factors determine differences and similarities in the results obtained by previous studies that have modelled the forest breeding habitat of the species. Our results revealed patterns in nesting-habitat modelling by the cinereous vulture throughout its whole range: steep and south-facing slopes, great cover of large trees and distance to human activities were generally selected. The ratio and situation of the studied plots (nests/random), the use of plots vs. polygons as sampling units and the number of years of data set determined the variability explained by the model. Moreover, a greater size of the breeding colony implied that ecological and geomorphological variables at landscape level were more influential. Additionally, human activities affected in greater proportion to colonies situated in Mediterranean forests. For the first time, a meta-analysis regarding the factors determining nest-site selection heterogeneity for a single species at broad scale was achieved. It is essential to homogenize and coordinate experimental design in modelling the selection of species' ecological requirements in order to avoid that differences in results among studies would be due to methodological heterogeneity. This would optimize best conservation and management practices for habitats and species in a global context. PMID:22413023

Species, habitats, society: an evaluation of research supporting EU's Natura 2000 network.

PubMed

Popescu, Viorel D; Rozylowicz, Laurentiu; Niculae, Iulian M; Cucu, Adina L; Hartel, Tibor

2014-01-01

The Natura 2000 network is regarded as one of the conservation success stories in the global effort to protect biodiversity. However, significant challenges remain in Natura 2000 implementation, owing to its rapid expansion, and lack of a coherent vision for its future. Scientific research is critical for identifying conservation priorities, setting management goals, and reconciling biodiversity protection and society in the complex political European landscape. Thus, there is an urgent need for a comprehensive evaluation of published Natura 2000 research to highlight prevalent research themes, disciplinary approaches, and spatial entities. We conducted a systematic review of 572 scientific articles and conference proceedings focused on Natura 2000 research, published between 1996 and 2014. We grouped these articles into 'ecological' and 'social and policy' categories. Using a novel application of network analysis of article keywords, we found that Natura 2000 research forms a cohesive small-world network, owing to the emphasis on ecological research (79% of studies, with a strong focus on spatial conservation planning), and the underrepresentation of studies addressing 'social and policy' issues (typically focused on environmental impact assessment, multi-level governance, agri-environment policy, and ecosystem services valuation). 'Ecological' and 'social and policy' research shared only general concepts (e.g., Natura 2000, Habitats Directive) suggesting a disconnection between these disciplines. The UK and the Mediterranean basin countries dominated Natura 2000 research, and there was a weak correlation between number of studies and proportion of national territory protected. Approximately 40% of 'social and policy' research and 26% of 'ecological' studies highlighted negative implications of Natura 2000, while 21% of studies found positive social and biodiversity effects. We emphasize the need for designing inter- and transdisciplinary research in order to promote a social-ecological understanding of Natura 2000, and advance EU conservation policies.

Monitoring network-design influence on assessment of ecological condition in wadeable streams

EPA Science Inventory

We investigated outcomes of three monitoring networks for assessing ecological character and condition of wadeable streams in the Waikato region, New Zealand. Sites were selected 1) based on a professional judgment network, 2) within categories of stream and watershed characteris...

The Ecological Classroom: The Magic and Mystery of Electricity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cookman, Ed

1993-01-01

Ecological, interdisciplinary, and interconnected laboratory lessons focusing on magneticism: (1) producing electric power; (2) magnetics and magneticism; (3) electomagnetism (2 parts); and turbines (2 parts). Lessons, designed as precursor for students to make choices in electricity production, use a directed inquiry approach. (MCO)

Software for marine ecological environment comprehensive monitoring system based on MCGS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, X. H.; Ma, R.; Cao, X.; Cao, L.; Chu, D. Z.; Zhang, L.; Zhang, T. P.

2017-08-01

The automatic integrated monitoring software for marine ecological environment based on MCGS configuration software is designed and developed to realize real-time automatic monitoring of many marine ecological parameters. The DTU data transmission terminal performs network communication and transmits the data to the user data center in a timely manner. The software adopts the modular design and has the advantages of stable and flexible data structure, strong portability and scalability, clear interface, simple user operation and convenient maintenance. Continuous site comparison test of 6 months showed that, the relative error of the parameters monitored by the system such as temperature, salinity, turbidity, pH, dissolved oxygen was controlled within 5% with the standard method and the relative error of the nutrient parameters was within 15%. Meanwhile, the system had few maintenance times, low failure rate, stable and efficient continuous monitoring capabilities. The field application shows that the software is stable and the data communication is reliable, and it has a good application prospect in the field of marine ecological environment comprehensive monitoring.

Meeting now suggests we will meet again: Implications for debates on the evolution of cooperation

PubMed Central

Krasnow, Max M.; Delton, Andrew W.; Tooby, John; Cosmides, Leda

2013-01-01

Humans are often generous, even towards strangers encountered by chance and even in the absence of any explicit information suggesting they will meet again. Because game theoretic analyses typically conclude that a psychology designed for direct reciprocity should defect in such situations, many have concluded that alternative explanations for human generosity—explanations beyond direct reciprocity—are necessary. However, human cooperation evolved within a material and informational ecology: Simply adding consideration of one minimal ecological relationship to the analysis of reciprocity brings theory and observation closer together, indicating that ecology-free analyses of cooperation can be fragile. Using simulations, we show that the autocorrelation of an individual's location over time means that even a chance encounter with an individual predicts an increased probability of a future encounter with that same individual. We discuss how a psychology designed for such an ecology may be expected to often cooperate even in apparently one-shot situations. PMID:23624437

An evaluation of the performance and suitability of R × C methods for ecological inference with known true values.

PubMed

Plescia, Carolina; De Sio, Lorenzo

2018-01-01

Ecological inference refers to the study of individuals using aggregate data and it is used in an impressive number of studies; it is well known, however, that the study of individuals using group data suffers from an ecological fallacy problem (Robinson in Am Sociol Rev 15:351-357, 1950). This paper evaluates the accuracy of two recent methods, the Rosen et al. (Stat Neerl 55:134-156, 2001) and the Greiner and Quinn (J R Stat Soc Ser A (Statistics in Society) 172:67-81, 2009) and the long-standing Goodman's (Am Sociol Rev 18:663-664, 1953; Am J Sociol 64:610-625, 1959) method designed to estimate all cells of R × C tables simultaneously by employing exclusively aggregate data. To conduct these tests we leverage on extensive electoral data for which the true quantities of interest are known. In particular, we focus on examining the extent to which the confidence intervals provided by the three methods contain the true values. The paper also provides important guidelines regarding the appropriate contexts for employing these models.

Designs for the combination of group- and individual-level data

PubMed Central

Haneuse, Sebastien; Bartell, Scott

2012-01-01

Background Studies of ecologic or aggregate data suffer from a broad range of biases when scientific interest lies with individual-level associations. To overcome these biases, epidemiologists can choose from a range of designs that combine these group-level data with individual-level data. The individual-level data provide information to identify, evaluate, and control bias, while the group-level data are often readily accessible and provide gains in efficiency and power. Within this context, the literature on developing models, particularly multi-level models, is well-established, but little work has been published to help researchers choose among competing designs and plan additional data collection. Methods We review recently proposed “combined” group- and individual-level designs and methods that collect and analyze data at two levels of aggregation. These include aggregate data designs, hierarchical related regression, two-phase designs, and hybrid designs for ecologic inference. Results The various methods differ in (i) the data elements available at the group and individual levels and (ii) the statistical techniques used to combine the two data sources. Implementing these techniques requires care, and it may often be simpler to ignore the group-level data once the individual-level data are collected. A simulation study, based on birth-weight data from North Carolina, is used to illustrate the benefit of incorporating group-level information. Conclusions Our focus is on settings where there are individual-level data to supplement readily accessible group-level data. In this context, no single design is ideal. Choosing which design to adopt depends primarily on the model of interest and the nature of the available group-level data. PMID:21490533

Ecological Momentary Assessment Methodology in Chronic Pain Research: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

May, Marcella; Junghaenel, Doerte U; Ono, Masakatsu; Stone, Arthur A; Schneider, Stefan

2018-01-31

Self-reported pain intensity assessments are central to chronic pain research. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) methodologies are uniquely positioned to collect these data, and are indeed being used in the field. However, EMA protocols are complex, and many decisions are necessary in the design of EMA research studies. A systematic literature review identified 105 articles drawing from 62 quantitative EMA research projects examining pain intensity in adult chronic pain patients. Study characteristics were tabulated to summarize and describe the use of EMA, with an emphasis placed on various dimensions of decision-making involved in executing EMA methodologies. Most identified studies considered within-person relationships between pain and other variables, and a few examined interventions on chronic pain. There was a trend toward the use of smartphones as EMA data collection devices more recently, and completion rates were not reported in nearly one third of studies. Pain intensity items varied widely with respect to number of scale points, anchor labels, and length of reporting period; most used numeric rating scales. Recommendations are provided for reporting to improve reproducibility, comparability, and interpretation of results, and for opportunities to clarify the importance of design decisions. Studies that use EMA methodologies to assess pain intensity are heterogeneous. Aspects of protocol design, including data input modality and pain item construction, have the potential to influence the data collected. Thorough reporting on design features and completion rates therefore facilitates reproducibility, comparability, and interpretation of study results. Copyright © 2018 The American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ecological factors affecting gene flow in the Brachionus plicatilis complex (Rotifera).

PubMed

Gómez, Africa; Carmona, María José; Serra, Manuel

1997-07-01

We investigated how adaptation to salinity and temperature acts as reproductive barriers in three sympatric species from the Brachionus plicatilis species complex. These species co-occur in a salt marsh in Spain, and a previous electrophoretic study of variation revealed no hybrids between them. A factorial experiment was designed to test for differences in population growth rates and patterns of bisexual reproduction. The design combined representative strains from each species in different salinity and temperature conditions, representing the range over which these rotifers are found in their natural environment. We found differences in the growth response of the three species to both factors and in the pattern of bisexual reproduction. These differences help to explain patterns of succession observed in the field. We conclude that these ecological factors, together with mate recognition systems, account for the absence of gene flow in these sympatric species.

International Neural Network Society Annual Meeting (1994) Held in San Diego, California on 5-9 June 1994. Volume 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-06-09

Ethics and the Soul 1-221 P. Werbos A Net Program for Natural Language Comprehension 1-863 J. Weiss Applications Oral ANN Design of Image Processing...Controlling Nonlinear Dynamic Systems Using Neuro-Fuzzy Networks 1-787 E. Teixera, G. Laforga, H. Azevedo Neural Fuzzy Logics as a Tool for Design Ecological ...Discrete Neural Network 11-466 Z. Cheng-fu Representation of Number A Theory of Mathematical Modeling 11-479 J. Cristofano An Ecological Approach to

Ecological study of ruffed grouse broods in Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stewart, R.E.

1956-01-01

The Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus), commonly called "pheasant" throughout the southern Appalachian region, is a popular game bird in the mountains of Virginia. Unfortunately, however, the grouse populations in this State have declined noticeably during the past fifty years. Because of this, special field studies were designed through the cooperation of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U. S. Forest Service, which would provide information that could be used in devising more efficient grouse management practices. As part of this program, I was assigned to investigate the ecology and habits of this species in the Shenandoah Mountains during the spring and summer of 1941. These studies were conducted within the George Washington National Forest in northwestern Augusta County, southwestern Rockingham County, and northeastern Highland County, Virginia.

Point process methods in epidemiology: application to the analysis of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome mortality in urban areas.

PubMed

Quesada, Jose Antonio; Melchor, Inmaculada; Nolasco, Andreu

2017-05-26

The analysis of spatio-temporal patterns of disease or death in urban areas has been developed mainly from the ecological studies approach. These designs may have some limitations like the ecological fallacy and instability with few cases. The objective of this study was to apply the point process methodology, as a complement to that of aggregated data, to study HIV/AIDS mortality in men in the city of Alicante (Spain). A case-control study in residents in the city during the period 2004-2011 was designed. Cases were men who died from HIV/AIDS and controls represented the general population, matched by age to cases. The risk surfaces of death over the city were estimated using the log-risk function of intensities, and we contrasted their temporal variations over the two periods. High risk significant areas of death by HIV/AIDS, which coincide with the most deprived areas in the city, were detected. Significant spatial change of the areas at risk between the periods studied was not detected. The point process methodology is a useful tool to analyse the patterns of death by HIV/AIDS in urban areas.

Sensitivity analysis as an aid in modelling and control of (poorly-defined) ecological systems. [closed ecological systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hornberger, G. M.; Rastetter, E. B.

1982-01-01

A literature review of the use of sensitivity analyses in modelling nonlinear, ill-defined systems, such as ecological interactions is presented. Discussions of previous work, and a proposed scheme for generalized sensitivity analysis applicable to ill-defined systems are included. This scheme considers classes of mathematical models, problem-defining behavior, analysis procedures (especially the use of Monte-Carlo methods), sensitivity ranking of parameters, and extension to control system design.

Understanding the dynamics of sustainable social-ecological systems: human behavior, institutions, and regulatory feedback networks.

PubMed

Anderies, John M

2015-02-01

I present a general mathematical modeling framework that can provide a foundation for the study of sustainability in social- ecological systems (SESs). Using basic principles from feedback control and a sequence of specific models from bioeconomics and economic growth, I outline several mathematical and empirical challenges associated with the study of sustainability of SESs. These challenges are categorized into three classes: (1) the social choice of performance measures, (2) uncertainty, and (3) collective action. Finally, I present some opportunities for combining stylized dynamical systems models with empirical data on human behavior and biophysical systems to address practical challenges for the design of effective governance regimes (policy feedbacks) for highly uncertain natural resource systems.

Numerical studies on groundwater-grassland relations in an inland arid region in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, J. R.; Hu, L. T.; Sun, K. N.; Liu, X. M.

2017-08-01

In this study, a 2-D numerical model was developed to assess the impacts of groundwater on grassland ecology in the Hulun Lake Basin. An extreme dry climate scenario and water resource management scenario and their interactions in the Hulun Lake Basin were designed, and their influence on groundwater was evaluated. The results show that the grassland ecology is heavily dependent on groundwater, and a distribution of groundwater with a depth of 8 m correlates well with the distribution of grassland. Under the water resource management scenario, the groundwater level will increase to a maximum value of 2.5 m after 15 years around Hulun Lake. The groundwater level will decrease dramatically under the extreme dry climate scenario, thus affecting the environment.

Supervision in School Psychology: The Developmental/Ecological/Problem-Solving Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simon, Dennis J.; Cruise, Tracy K.; Huber, Brenda J.; Swerdlik, Mark E.; Newman, Daniel S.

2014-01-01

Effective supervision models guide the supervisory relationship and supervisory tasks leading to reflective and purposeful practice. The Developmental/Ecological/Problem-Solving (DEP) Model provides a contemporary framework for supervision specific to school psychology. Designed for the school psychology internship, the DEP Model is also…

Ecology: A Teaching Module. Occasional Paper No. 94.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brehm, Shirley; And Others

Designed to address conceptual problems associated with ecology, this module can be used with high school students or college nonscience majors including those in elementary education. The materials offer guidance to teachers in diagnosing student deficiencies, in creating dissatisfaction with misconceptions, and in providing opportunities for…

Teacher's Guide, Ecology, Grade 7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yadkin Valley Economic Development District, Inc., Walnut Cove, NC.

This teacher's guide has been constructed to assist in developing and implementing a life science course with an environment/ecological unit for Grade 7. Designed primarily for use with other science units, it offers numerous multidisciplinary activities which emphasize involvement in problem-solving through open-ended investigation rather than…

Teaching Ecology to Undergraduates: A Practical Course Using Projects.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dangerfield, J. M.; And Others

1987-01-01

Describes how short-term laboratory projects were used to teach population and community ecology to undergraduate environmental science students. Directed students to formulate and implement their own hypotheses and experimental designs. Uses questionnaire results and written reports to assess the contribution of the course to student…

STATISTICAL ISSUES FOR MONITORING ECOLOGICAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES IN THE UNITED STATES

EPA Science Inventory

The United States funds a number of national monitoring programs to measure the status and trends of ecological and natural resources. Each of these programs has a unique focus: the scientific objectives are different as are the sample designs. However, individuals and committees...

Multi-scale ecosystem monitoring: an application of scaling data to answer multiple ecological questions

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Background/Question/Methods Standardized monitoring data collection efforts using a probabilistic sample design, such as in the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring (AIM) Strategy, provide a core suite of ecological indicators, maximize data collection efficiency,...

Multiscale ecosystem monitoring: an application of scaling data to answer multiple ecological questions

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Standardized monitoring data collection efforts using a probabilistic sample design, such as in the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring (AIM) Strategy, provide a core suite of ecological indicators, maximize data collection efficiency, and promote reuse of monitor...

Trash Ecology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lind, Georgia J.

2004-01-01

A hands on activity involving density, frequency and biomass using transects, quadrats and a local good deed by cleaning up the neighborhood while practicing important techniques in ecology is detailed. The activity is designed for KCC-STEP, whose primary goal is to expand the scientific knowledge and research experiences of their students, who…

Teacher's Guide, Ecology, Grade 10.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yadkin Valley Economic Development District, Inc., Walnut Cove, NC.

This teacher's guide has been constructed to assist in developing and implementing a life science course with an environment/ecological unit for Grade 10. Designed primarily for use with other science units, it offers numerous multidisciplinary activities which emphasize involvement in problem-solving through open-ended investigation rather than…

AGWA: The Automated Geospatial Watershed Assessment Tool to Inform Rangeland Management

EPA Science Inventory

Do you want a relatively easy to use tool to assess rangeland soil and water conservation practices on rangeland erosion that is specifically designed to use ecological information? New Decision Support Tools (DSTs) that are easy-to-use, incorporate ecological concepts and rangel...

Multivariate Models of Men's and Women's Partner Aggression

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Leary, K. Daniel; Smith Slep, Amy M.; O'Leary, Susan G.

2007-01-01

This exploratory study was designed to address how multiple factors drawn from varying focal models and ecological levels of influence might operate relative to each other to predict partner aggression, using data from 453 representatively sampled couples. The resulting cross-validated models predicted approximately 50% of the variance in men's…

The Ecological and Developmental Role of Recovery High Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finch, Andrew J.; Frieden, Gina

2014-01-01

Recovery high schools are secondary schools designed specifically for students recovering from substance use or co-occurring disorders. Studies have affirmed the chronic nature of substance use disorders and the developmental value of social supports for adolescents. As part of understanding human growth and development, training programs for…

Impaired anterior swim bladder inflation following exposure to the thyroid peroxidase inhibitor 2-mercaptobenzothiazole - Part II: zebrafish

EPA Science Inventory

Disruption of the thyroid hormone (TH) system is increasingly being recognized as an important mode of action that can lead to ecologically relevant adverse outcomes, especially during embryonic development. The present study was designed to further characterize the effects of di...

Does a Socio-Ecological School Model Promote Resilience in Primary Schools?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Patricia C.; Stewart, Donald E.

2013-01-01

Background: This research investigates the extent to which the holistic, multistrategy "health-promoting school" (HPS) model using a resilience intervention can lead to improved resilience among students. Methods: A quasi-experimental design using a study cohort selected from 20 primary schools in Queensland, Australia was employed. Ten…

Economic opportunities and trade-offs in collaborative forest landscape restoration

Treesearch

Alan A. Ager; Kevin C. Vogler; Michelle A. Day; John D. Bailey

2017-01-01

We modeled forest restoration scenarios to examine socioeconomic and ecological trade-offs associated with alternative prioritization scenarios. The study examined four US national forests designated as priorities for investments to restore fire resiliency and generate economic opportunities to support local industry. We were particularly interested in economic trade-...

The Development of a Resource for Physically Active School Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bradley, Vicki R.; O'Connor, Justen P.

2009-01-01

This project describes the development of a resource designed to facilitate the exploration of factors influencing physical activity within school settings across multiple levels. Using a socio-ecological framework, the study draws upon factors across three domains that potentially impact physical activity levels within school settings: The…

DESIGNING PESTICIDE METABOLIC PATHWAY/DEGRADATE DATABASES FOR REGISTRANT SUBMITTED HEALTH EFFECTS/ECOLOGICAL EFFECTS DATA

EPA Science Inventory

OPPTS requires information on the toxic effects of pesticide metabolites as well as the parent chemical. Currently, OPP receives metabolic maps with registrant study data submissions, but there is no efficient way to access previously submitted maps on similar chemicals to help w...

Facilitating Transdisciplinary Sustainable Development Research Teams through Online Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dale, Ann; Newman, Lenore; Ling, Chris

2010-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to discuss the potential of online communication technologies to facilitate university-led transdisciplinary sustainable development research and lower the ecological footprints of such research projects. A series of case studies is to be explored. Design/methodology/approach: A one year project is conducted…

Testing Honey Bees' Avoidance of Predators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Jesse Wade; Nieh, James C.; Goodale, Eben

2012-01-01

Many high school science students do not encounter opportunities for authentic science inquiry in their formal coursework. Ecological field studies can provide such opportunities. The purpose of this project was to teach students about the process of science by designing and conducting experiments on whether and how honey bees (Apis mellifera)…

Middle School Physical Education Teachers' Perspectives on Overweight Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doolittle, Sarah A.; Rukavina, Paul B.; Li, Weidong; Manson, Mara; Beale, Angela

2016-01-01

Using the Social Ecological Constraints model, a qualitative multiple case study design was used to explore experienced and committed middle school physical education teachers' perspectives on overweight and obese students (OWS), and how and why they acted to include OWS in physical education and physical activity opportunities in their school…

Using Artificial Nests to Study Nest Predation in Birds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Belthoff, James R.

2005-01-01

A simple and effective field exercise that demonstrates factors affecting predation on bird nests is described. With instructor guidance, students in high school biology or college-level biology, ecology, animal behavior, wildlife management or ornithology laboratory courses can collaborate to design field experiments related to nest depredation.

76 FR 48184 - Notice of Permit Applications Received Under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-08

... developed regulations for the establishment of a permit system for various activities in Antarctica and... establish such a permit system to designate Antarctic Specially Protected Areas. The applications received... established in 1986 studying the foraging ecology, population dynamics, census and reproductive success and...

Marine Program Annual Report 1973.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New Hampshire Univ., Durham. Marine Program.

This report describes the activities of a program designed to develop the information and systems necessary for managing the Continental Shelf and Coastal Zone of Northern New England. Ten research areas or projects are discussed: aquaculture, biology and ecology, coastal oceanography, buoy systems studies, man in the sea, marine platforms and…

The School as a Tool for Survival for Homeless Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lively, K. L.; Kleine, Paul F.

This study used an ecological perspective to examine the development and implementation of Hopeful Horizons, a program designed to serve the educational needs of homeless children in Morgan County, Oklahoma. Information was collected through journals, observations, key informant interviews, surveys of administrators and staff, and psychological…

ENVIRONMENTALLY STRATIFIED SAMPLING DESIGN FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE GREAT LAKES ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS

EPA Science Inventory

Ecological indicators must be shown to be responsive to stress. For large-scale observational studies the best way to demonstrate responsiveness is by evaluating indicators along a gradient of stress, but such gradients are often unknown for a population of sites prior to site se...

Remote Sensing and the Earth.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brosius, Craig A.; And Others

This document is designed to help senior high school students study remote sensing technology and techniques in relation to the environmental sciences. It discusses the acquisition, analysis, and use of ecological remote data. Material is divided into three sections and an appendix. Section One is an overview of the basics of remote sensing.…

Aquaculture: A Course of Study for Sand Point Secondary School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alaska State Dept. of Education, Juneau. Office of Public Information and Publications.

This program is designed to involve students in the economy of their community. It combines an interdisciplinary educational program with practical field and laboratory experience. This program provides opportunities in the area of aquaculture, controlled cultivation of marketable species and the total ecological corrections necessary to maintain…

Integrating Thinking, Art and Language in Teaching Young Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Ping

2009-01-01

This study investigates learning outcomes of four-year-old children at a preschool in P. R. China. The children are educated in a school ecology designed to address cognitive, social, linguistic and psychological development, where an instructional technique, "Integrating Thinking, Art and Language" (ITAL), is applied to support them in…

Developmental Change in Social Responsibility during Adolescence: An Ecological Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wray-Lake, Laura; Syvertsen, Amy K.; Flanagan, Constance A.

2016-01-01

Social responsibility can be defined as a set of prosocial values representing personal commitments to contribute to community and society. Little is known about developmental change--and predictors of that change--in social responsibility during adolescence. The present study used an accelerated longitudinal research design to investigate the…

A revealed preference approach to estimating supply curves for ecosystem services: use of auctions to set payments for soil erosion control in Indonesia.

PubMed

Jack, B Kelsey; Leimona, Beria; Ferraro, Paul J

2009-04-01

To supply ecosystem services, private landholders incur costs. Knowledge of these costs is critical for the design of conservation-payment programs. Estimating these costs accurately is difficult because the minimum acceptable payment to a potential supplier is private information. We describe how an auction of payment contracts can be designed to elicit this information during the design phase of a conservation-payment program. With an estimate of the ecosystem-service supply curve from a pilot auction, conservation planners can explore the financial, ecological, and socioeconomic consequences of alternative scaled-up programs. We demonstrate the potential of our approach in Indonesia, where soil erosion on coffee farms generates downstream ecological and economic costs. Bid data from a small-scale, uniform-price auction for soil-conservation contracts allowed estimates of the costs of a scaled-up program, the gain from integrating biophysical and economic data to target contracts, and the trade-offs between poverty alleviation and supply of ecosystem services. Our study illustrates an auction-based approach to revealing private information about the costs of supplying ecosystem services. Such information can improve the design of programs devised to protect and enhance ecosystem services.

Mapping the information landscape: Discerning peaks and valleys for ecological monitoring

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moniz, L.J.; Nichols, J.D.; Nichols, J.M.

2007-01-01

We investigate previously unreported phenomena that have a potentially significant impact on the design of surveillance monitoring programs for ecological systems. Ecological monitoring practitioners have long recognized that different species are differentially informative of a system?s dynamics, as codified in the well-known concepts of indicator or keystone species. Using a novel combination of analysis techniques from nonlinear dynamics, we describe marked variation among spatial sites in information content with respect to system dynamics in the entire region. We first observed these phenomena in a spatially extended predator?prey model, but we observed strikingly similar features in verified water-level data from a NOAA/NOS Great Lakes monitoring program. We suggest that these features may be widespread and the design of surveillance monitoring programs should reflect knowledge of their existence.

Sustainable Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoekstra, Joel

2001-01-01

Shows how architectural design can merge ecological living and learning as illustrated by the Wolf Ridge's new Environmental Learning Center in Finland, Minnesota. Photos and design details are provided. (GR)

Bivariate spline solution of time dependent nonlinear PDE for a population density over irregular domains.

PubMed

Gutierrez, Juan B; Lai, Ming-Jun; Slavov, George

2015-12-01

We study a time dependent partial differential equation (PDE) which arises from classic models in ecology involving logistic growth with Allee effect by introducing a discrete weak solution. Existence, uniqueness and stability of the discrete weak solutions are discussed. We use bivariate splines to approximate the discrete weak solution of the nonlinear PDE. A computational algorithm is designed to solve this PDE. A convergence analysis of the algorithm is presented. We present some simulations of population development over some irregular domains. Finally, we discuss applications in epidemiology and other ecological problems. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Work plan for conducting an ecological risk assessment at J-Field, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland

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

Hlohowskyj, I.; Hayse, J.; Kuperman, R.

1995-03-01

The Environmental Management Division of Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), Maryland, is conducting a remedial investigation and feasibility study (RI/FS) of the J-Field area at APG pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), as amended. J-Field is within the Edgewood Area of APG in Harford County, Maryland, and activities at the Edgewood Area since World War II have included the development, manufacture, testing, and destruction of chemical agents and munitions. The J-Field site was used to destroy chemical agents and munitions by open burning and open detonation. This work plan presents the approach proposed to conduct anmore » ecological risk assessment (ERA) as part of the RI/FS program at J-Field. This work plan identifies the locations and types of field studies proposed for each area of concern (AOC), the laboratory studies proposed to evaluate toxicity of media, and the methodology to be used in estimating doses to ecological receptors and discusses the approach that will be used to estimate and evaluate ecological risks at J-Field. Eight AOCs have been identified at J-Field, and the proposed ERA is designed to evaluate the potential for adverse impacts to ecological receptors from contaminated media at each AOC, as well as over the entire J-Field site. The proposed ERA approach consists of three major phases, incorporating field and laboratory studies as well as modeling. Phase 1 includes biotic surveys of the aquatic and terrestrial habitats, biological tissue sampling and analysis, and media toxicity testing at each AOC and appropriate reference locations. Phase 2 includes definitive toxicity testing of media from areas of known or suspected contamination or of media for which the Phase 1 results indicate toxicity or adverse ecological effects. In Phase 3, the uptake models initially developed in Phase 2 will be finalized, and contaminant dose to each receptor from all complete pathways will be estimated.« less

Landscape Genetics for the Empirical Assessment of Resistance Surfaces: The European Pine Marten (Martes martes) as a Target-Species of a Regional Ecological Network

PubMed Central

Ruiz-González, Aritz; Gurrutxaga, Mikel; Cushman, Samuel A.; Madeira, María José; Randi, Ettore; Gómez-Moliner, Benjamin J.

2014-01-01

Coherent ecological networks (EN) composed of core areas linked by ecological corridors are being developed worldwide with the goal of promoting landscape connectivity and biodiversity conservation. However, empirical assessment of the performance of EN designs is critical to evaluate the utility of these networks to mitigate effects of habitat loss and fragmentation. Landscape genetics provides a particularly valuable framework to address the question of functional connectivity by providing a direct means to investigate the effects of landscape structure on gene flow. The goals of this study are (1) to evaluate the landscape features that drive gene flow of an EN target species (European pine marten), and (2) evaluate the optimality of a regional EN design in providing connectivity for this species within the Basque Country (North Spain). Using partial Mantel tests in a reciprocal causal modeling framework we competed 59 alternative models, including isolation by distance and the regional EN. Our analysis indicated that the regional EN was among the most supported resistance models for the pine marten, but was not the best supported model. Gene flow of pine marten in northern Spain is facilitated by natural vegetation, and is resisted by anthropogenic landcover types and roads. Our results suggest that the regional EN design being implemented in the Basque Country will effectively facilitate gene flow of forest dwelling species at regional scale. PMID:25329047

Freshwater Ecology. LC Science Tracer Bullet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niskern, Diana, Comp.

Freshwater ecosystems include lakes, ponds, streams, rivers, and certain types of wetlands. This literature and resources guide is not intended to be a comprehensive bibliography on freshwater ecology; the guide is designed--as the name of the series implies--to put the reader or student "on target." Other literature guides related to…

An Integrated Approach to Recruiting and Retaining Appalachian Engineering Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winn, Gary; Hensel, Robin; Curtis, Reagan; Taylor, Lydotta M.; Cilento, Gene

2012-01-01

Recruiting and retaining Appalachian engineering students is difficult for a variety of ecological and cultural reasons. At West Virginia University an NSF STEP grant has allowed the development of specific interventions to evolve from an ecological model we describe here. The interventions include web-based, realistic engineering design exercises…

Translating the Social-Ecological Perspective into Multilevel Interventions for Family Planning: How Far Are We?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schölmerich, Vera L. N.; Kawachi, Ichiro

2016-01-01

Scholars and practitioners frequently make recommendations to develop family planning interventions that are "multilevel." Such interventions take explicit account of the role of environments by incorporating multilevel or social-ecological frameworks into their design and implementation. However, research on how interventions have…

The role of ecological monitoring in managing wilderness

Treesearch

Peter B. Landres

1995-01-01

Good management requires good information. Monitoring provides this information when it is structured into the process of management, well designed and executed. As federal and state agencies strive to implement a management paradigm based on sustaining ecosystems, ecological information becomes a vital part of managing natural resources. Inventory and monitoring...

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...

Situations, Interaction, Process and Affordances: An Ecological Psychology Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Michael F.; DePalma, Andrew; Garrett, Steven

2002-01-01

From an ecological psychology perspective, a full analysis of any learning context must acknowledge the complex nonlinear dynamics that unfold as an intentionally-driven learner interacts with a technology-based purposefully designed learning environment. A full situation model would need to incorporate constraints from the environment and also…

REGIONAL-SCALE FISH ECOLOGY IN NORTHEASTERN USA LAKES USING A PROBABILITY-BASED SURVEY DESIGN

EPA Science Inventory

Historically, most fish ecology has been done at local scales. As these data accumulate, the need to set this knowledge into landscape, regional, and historical context grows. There are important broad-scale issues (e.g., non-point source pollution, biodiversity loss, alien spe...

Exploring the origins of ecological forestry in North America

Treesearch

Anthony W. ​D' Amato; Brian J. Palik; Jerry F. Franklin; David R. Foster

2016-01-01

The use of ecological forestry to achieve management objectives, such as the maintenance of native biodiversity, has become increasingly common on public and private ownerships in North America. These approaches generally use natural disturbance processes and their structural and compositional outcomes as models for designing silvicultural prescriptions that restore or...

Building a Sustainable Future: Ecological Design in Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trudeau, Miho

2011-01-01

It is no surprise that many environmental education programs include outdoor experiences as a foundational part of their curriculum; after all, who better to teach ecological lessons than nature itself? In contrast, there are inherent challenges to teaching environmental education while restricted inside a classroom. The average student currently…

75 FR 44760 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-29

... ecology of existing Chinook salmon populations and life history types in the Snohomish River estuary, and... while conducting research designed to provide information on their basic life histories, ecology, and... salmon populations in the Snohomish River basin. The information gathered by this research would benefit...

An Open-Ended Investigative Microbial Ecology Laboratory for Introductory Biology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones-Held, Susan; Paoletti, Robert; Glick, David; Held, Michael E.

2010-01-01

In this article we describe a multi-week investigative laboratory in microbial ecology/diversity and nitrogen cycling that we have used in our introductory biology course. This module encourages active student involvement in experimental design, using the scientific literature and quantitative analysis of large data sets. Students analyze soil…

Teaching Ecologically-Based Communication Skills to Persons Who Are Developmentally Delayed.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sousie, Susan P.

The paper offers a framework for the design, implementation, and evaluation of appropriate, effective communication instructional programs for persons who are severely developmentally delayed. The use of an ecological approach that incorporates the instruction of communication skills with that of activities of daily living (ADL) is emphasized.…

Exploring Our Ecological Selves within Learning Organizations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rogers, Katrina S.

2012-01-01

Purpose: The paper's aim is to explore the connection between individual worldviews, called ecological selves, and organizational change, which allows people to create the conditions to confront the global environmental challenges they face as a species. Design/methodology/approach: The essay is a conceptual one, with reference to a small…

Ecology in the Classroom [Complete Kit].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Audubon Naturalist Society of the Central Atlantic States, Inc., Washington, DC.

Designed specifically for use in inner city schools, this ecology project for grades four through six attempts to help children develop an appreciation of the out-of-doors and an awareness of the natural features of their own environment. The eight-week project consists of units about interdependence, plants, pollination, insects and their…

A Methodology for Teaching Industrial Ecology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cervantes, Gemma

2007-01-01

Purpose: To describe a way of teaching industrial ecology (IE) and to show some tools that may help for the IE teaching. Design/methodology/approach: In the paper, the development of lectures, practical lessons and projects on real industrial ecosystems are described. Also the teaching materials used are described. Findings: The presented…

Integrating urbanization into landscape-level ecological assessments.

Treesearch

Jeffrey D. Kline; Alissa Moses; Ralph J. Alig

2001-01-01

Economists and ecologists are often asked to collaborate on landscape-level analyses designed to jointly assess economic and ecological conditions resulting from environmental policy scenarios. This trend toward multidisciplinary projects, coupled with the growing use of geographic information systems, has led to the development policy scenarios. This trend toward...

ECOLOGICAL SUSTAINABILITY IN RAPIDLY URBANIZING WATERSHEDS: EVALUATING STRATEGIES DESIGNED TO MITIGATE IMPACTS ON STREAM ECOSYSTEMS

EPA Science Inventory

Urbanization has profound impacts on the hydrology and ecology of streams via alteration in water temperatures, peak and base flows, and nutrient, sediment, and contaminant inputs. Storm water management (SWM) is commonly used to reduce these impacts; however, comprehensive w...

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…

Ecosystem Matters: Activity and Resource Guide for Environmental Educators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Mary; And Others

An ecological approach involved making conscious decisions which result in actions that responsibly contribute to the long-term stewardship of natural resources. This activity and resource guide was designed for use by both educators and resource managers to supplement existing courses and programs concerning ecological matters. These…

Applied statistics in ecology: common pitfalls and simple solutions

Treesearch

E. Ashley Steel; Maureen C. Kennedy; Patrick G. Cunningham; John S. Stanovick

2013-01-01

The most common statistical pitfalls in ecological research are those associated with data exploration, the logic of sampling and design, and the interpretation of statistical results. Although one can find published errors in calculations, the majority of statistical pitfalls result from incorrect logic or interpretation despite correct numerical calculations. There...

Developing ecologically based PCB, pesticide, and metal remedial goals for an impacted northeast wooded swamp

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

Rury, P.M.; Turton, D.J.

Historically, remedial goals at hazardous waste sites have been developed based on human health risk estimates. As the disciplines of remedial investigation, risk assessment, and remedial design have evolved, there has been a shift toward the development of remedial goals that are protective of both human health and the environment. This has increased the need for sound quantitative ecological risk methodologies from which to derive ecologically protective remedial goals. The foundation of many ecological risk assessment models is the bioconcentration or bioaccumulation factor that estimates the partitioning of the compound of concern between the media (e.g., water, soil, or food)more » and the organism. Simple dietary food-chain models are then used to estimate the dose and resulting risk to higher trophic levels. For a Superfund site that encompassed a northeastern wooded swamp, a PCB pesticide and metal uptake and toxicity study was conducted on the earthworm commonly known as the red wiggler (Eisenea foetida). The study resulted in site-specific sediment to earthworm bioconcentration factors for PCBs and a range of pesticides and metals. In addition, largemouth bass and yellow perch were collected from an impacted pond to identify PCB and pesticide concentrations in mink (Mustela vison) prey. Utilizing the empirical data and site-specific bioconcentration factors in food-chain models, potential risks to the American woodcock (Scolopax minor) and mink were assessed, and ecologically protective PCB, pesticide, and metal remedial goals for the sediments of the wooded swamp were developed.« less

Understanding the earth systems of Malawi: Ecological sustainability, culture, and place-based education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glasson, George E.; Frykholm, Jeffrey A.; Mhango, Ndalapa A.; Phiri, Absalom D.

2006-07-01

The purpose of this 2-year study was to investigate Malawian teacher educators' perspectives and dispositions toward teaching about ecological sustainability issues in Malawi, a developing country in sub-Sahara Africa. This study was embedded in a larger theoretical framework of investigating earth systems science through the understanding of nature-knowledge-culture systems from local, place-based perspectives. Specifically, we were interested in learning more about eco-justice issues that are related to environmental degradation in Malawi and the potential role of inquiry-oriented pedagogies in addressing these issues. In a science methods course, the African educators' views on deforestation and teaching about ecological sustainability were explored within the context of the local environment and culture. Teachers participated in inquiry pedagogies designed to promote the sharing of perspectives related to the connections between culture and ecological degradation. Strategies encouraging dialogue and reflection included role-playing, class discussions, curriculum development activities, teaching experiences with children, and field trips to a nature preserve. Data were analyzed from postcolonial and critical pedagogy of place theoretical perspectives to better understand the hybridization of viewpoints influenced by both Western and indigenous science and the political hegemonies that impact sustainable living in Malawi. Findings suggested that the colonial legacy of Malawi continues to impact the ecological sustainability issue of deforestation. Inquiry-oriented pedagogies and connections to indigenous science were embraced by the Malawian educators as a means to involve children in investigation, decision making, and ownership of critical environmental issues.

Examining ecological validity in social interaction: problems of visual fidelity, gaze, and social potential.

PubMed

Reader, Arran T; Holmes, Nicholas P

2016-01-01

Social interaction is an essential part of the human experience, and much work has been done to study it. However, several common approaches to examining social interactions in psychological research may inadvertently either unnaturally constrain the observed behaviour by causing it to deviate from naturalistic performance, or introduce unwanted sources of variance. In particular, these sources are the differences between naturalistic and experimental behaviour that occur from changes in visual fidelity (quality of the observed stimuli), gaze (whether it is controlled for in the stimuli), and social potential (potential for the stimuli to provide actual interaction). We expand on these possible sources of extraneous variance and why they may be important. We review the ways in which experimenters have developed novel designs to remove these sources of extraneous variance. New experimental designs using a 'two-person' approach are argued to be one of the most effective ways to develop more ecologically valid measures of social interaction, and we suggest that future work on social interaction should use these designs wherever possible.

Developmental Change in Social Responsibility during Adolescence: An Ecological Perspective

PubMed Central

Wray-Lake, Laura; Syvertsen, Amy K.; Flanagan, Constance A.

2015-01-01

Social responsibility can be defined as a set of prosocial values representing personal commitments to contribute to community and society. Little is known about developmental change – and predictors of that change – in social responsibility during adolescence. The present study used an accelerated longitudinal research design to investigate the developmental trajectory of social responsibility values and ecological assets across family, school, community, and peer settings that predict these values. Data come from a three-year study of 3,683 U.S. adolescents enrolled in upper-level elementary, middle school, and high schools in rural, semi-urban, and urban communities. Social responsibility values significantly decreased from age 9 to 16 before leveling off in later adolescence. Family compassion messages and democratic climate, school solidarity, community connectedness, and trusted friendship positively predicted within-person change in adolescents’ social responsibility values. These findings held after accounting for other individual-level and demographic factors and provide support for the role of ecological assets in adolescents’ social responsibility development. In addition, fair society beliefs and volunteer experience had positive between- and within-person associations with social responsibility values. The manuscript discusses theoretical and practical implications of the conclusion that declines in ecological assets may partly explain age-related declines in social responsibility values. PMID:26619322

Bases of the scientific conception of the “green frame” designing in urban areas for providing ecological safety of the urban environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bespalov, V.; Kotlyarova, E.

2017-10-01

In modern conditions of a stable urban areas development special place is occupied by the problem of ecological security of built-up areas, including residential, recreational, industrial areas and objects of transport and engineering infrastructure. The main results of the study are to establish the basis of formation of the concept of choice of energy-efficient technologies and tools of forming an ecologically efficient “green frame” of urban areas on the basis of a single integrated scientific concept. Analysis allowed us to divide the measures for improvement into the following main groups: organizational and planning, engineering and technical and special engineering and environmental. The significance of these results for the construction industry, including transport infrastructure, is to increase the level of environmental safety in the construction and reconstruction of urban areas due to the organization of their improvement on the basis suggested by the authors scientific approach. Its basis is integrated accounting of the natural and climatic features of the landscaping territory, the types and level of environmental impact of negative anthropogenic factors, the features of architectural and planning solutions of the existing or projected on the studied area, the structure and types of green spaces and their functional ecological properties.

Developmental change in social responsibility during adolescence: An ecological perspective.

PubMed

Wray-Lake, Laura; Syvertsen, Amy K; Flanagan, Constance A

2016-01-01

Social responsibility can be defined as a set of prosocial values representing personal commitments to contribute to community and society. Little is known about developmental change-and predictors of that change-in social responsibility during adolescence. The present study used an accelerated longitudinal research design to investigate the developmental trajectory of social responsibility values and ecological assets across family, school, community, and peer settings that predict these values. Data come from a 3-year study of 3,683 U.S. adolescents enrolled in upper-level elementary, middle, and high schools in rural, semiurban, and urban communities. Social responsibility values significantly decreased from age 9 to 16 before leveling off in later adolescence. Family compassion messages and democratic climate, school solidarity, community connectedness, and trusted friendship, positively predicted within-person change in adolescents' social responsibility values. These findings held after accounting for other individual-level and demographic factors and provide support for the role of ecological assets in adolescents' social responsibility development. In addition, fair society beliefs and volunteer experience had positive between- and within-person associations with social responsibility values. The manuscript discusses theoretical and practical implications of the conclusion that declines in ecological assets may partly explain age-related declines in social responsibility values. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Promoting Student Progressions in Science Classrooms: A Video Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jin, Hui; Johnson, Michele E.; Shin, Hyo Jeong; Anderson, Charles W.

2017-01-01

This study was conducted in a large-scale environmental literacy project. In the project, we developed a Learning Progression Framework (LPF) for matter and energy in social-ecological systems; the LPF contains four achievement levels. Based on the LPF, we designed a Plant Unit to help Levels 2 and 3 students advance to Level 4 of the LPF. In the…

"El Miedo y El Hambre": Understanding the Familial, Social, and Educational Realities of Undocumented Latino Families in North Central Indiana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Viramontez Anguiano, Ruben P.; Lopez, Anayeli

2012-01-01

This study explored how different ecological factors, within and outside the family, affected the educational success of the children of undocumented families. The sample consisted of 63 immigrant Latino parents (40 families) who resided in North Central Indiana. This study utilized an ethnographic research design. Findings demonstrated that…

Genotypic variability enhances the reproducibility of an ecological study.

PubMed

Milcu, Alexandru; Puga-Freitas, Ruben; Ellison, Aaron M; Blouin, Manuel; Scheu, Stefan; Freschet, Grégoire T; Rose, Laura; Barot, Sebastien; Cesarz, Simone; Eisenhauer, Nico; Girin, Thomas; Assandri, Davide; Bonkowski, Michael; Buchmann, Nina; Butenschoen, Olaf; Devidal, Sebastien; Gleixner, Gerd; Gessler, Arthur; Gigon, Agnès; Greiner, Anna; Grignani, Carlo; Hansart, Amandine; Kayler, Zachary; Lange, Markus; Lata, Jean-Christophe; Le Galliard, Jean-François; Lukac, Martin; Mannerheim, Neringa; Müller, Marina E H; Pando, Anne; Rotter, Paula; Scherer-Lorenzen, Michael; Seyhun, Rahme; Urban-Mead, Katherine; Weigelt, Alexandra; Zavattaro, Laura; Roy, Jacques

2018-02-01

Many scientific disciplines are currently experiencing a 'reproducibility crisis' because numerous scientific findings cannot be repeated consistently. A novel but controversial hypothesis postulates that stringent levels of environmental and biotic standardization in experimental studies reduce reproducibility by amplifying the impacts of laboratory-specific environmental factors not accounted for in study designs. A corollary to this hypothesis is that a deliberate introduction of controlled systematic variability (CSV) in experimental designs may lead to increased reproducibility. To test this hypothesis, we had 14 European laboratories run a simple microcosm experiment using grass (Brachypodium distachyon L.) monocultures and grass and legume (Medicago truncatula Gaertn.) mixtures. Each laboratory introduced environmental and genotypic CSV within and among replicated microcosms established in either growth chambers (with stringent control of environmental conditions) or glasshouses (with more variable environmental conditions). The introduction of genotypic CSV led to 18% lower among-laboratory variability in growth chambers, indicating increased reproducibility, but had no significant effect in glasshouses where reproducibility was generally lower. Environmental CSV had little effect on reproducibility. Although there are multiple causes for the 'reproducibility crisis', deliberately including genetic variability may be a simple solution for increasing the reproducibility of ecological studies performed under stringently controlled environmental conditions.

The effects of run-of-river hydroelectric power schemes on invertebrate community composition in temperate streams and rivers.

PubMed

Bilotta, Gary S; Burnside, Niall G; Turley, Matthew D; Gray, Jeremy C; Orr, Harriet G

2017-01-01

Run-of-river (ROR) hydroelectric power (HEP) schemes are often presumed to be less ecologically damaging than large-scale storage HEP schemes. However, there is currently limited scientific evidence on their ecological impact. The aim of this article is to investigate the effects of ROR HEP schemes on communities of invertebrates in temperate streams and rivers, using a multi-site Before-After, Control-Impact (BACI) study design. The study makes use of routine environmental surveillance data collected as part of long-term national and international monitoring programmes at 22 systematically-selected ROR HEP schemes and 22 systematically-selected paired control sites. Five widely-used family-level invertebrate metrics (richness, evenness, LIFE, E-PSI, WHPT) were analysed using a linear mixed effects model. The analyses showed that there was a statistically significant effect (p<0.05) of ROR HEP construction and operation on the evenness of the invertebrate community. However, no statistically significant effects were detected on the four other metrics of community composition. The implications of these findings are discussed in this article and recommendations are made for best-practice study design for future invertebrate community impact studies.

The effects of run-of-river hydroelectric power schemes on invertebrate community composition in temperate streams and rivers

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Run-of-river (ROR) hydroelectric power (HEP) schemes are often presumed to be less ecologically damaging than large-scale storage HEP schemes. However, there is currently limited scientific evidence on their ecological impact. The aim of this article is to investigate the effects of ROR HEP schemes on communities of invertebrates in temperate streams and rivers, using a multi-site Before-After, Control-Impact (BACI) study design. The study makes use of routine environmental surveillance data collected as part of long-term national and international monitoring programmes at 22 systematically-selected ROR HEP schemes and 22 systematically-selected paired control sites. Five widely-used family-level invertebrate metrics (richness, evenness, LIFE, E-PSI, WHPT) were analysed using a linear mixed effects model. The analyses showed that there was a statistically significant effect (p<0.05) of ROR HEP construction and operation on the evenness of the invertebrate community. However, no statistically significant effects were detected on the four other metrics of community composition. The implications of these findings are discussed in this article and recommendations are made for best-practice study design for future invertebrate community impact studies. PMID:28158282

Migration-related detention centers: the challenges of an ecological perspective with a focus on justice.

PubMed

Esposito, Francesca; Ornelas, José; Arcidiacono, Caterina

2015-06-06

In recent years, border control and migration-related detention have become increasingly widespread practices affecting the lives of undocumented migrants, their families, and communities at large. In spite of the concern within academia, few studies have directly witnessed the life and experiences of people confined to migration-related detention centers. In the medical and psychological fields, a considerable body of research has demonstrated the pathogenic nature of detention in terms of mental health, showing an association between length of detention and severity of distress. Nevertheless, it was limited to the assessment of individuals' clinical consequences, mainly focusing on asylum seekers. There currently exists a need to adopt an ecological perspective from which to study detained migrants' experiences as context-dependent, and influenced by power inequalities. This paper addresses this gap. Drawing upon advances in community psychology, we illustrate an ecological framework for the study of migration-related detention contexts, and their effects on the lives of detained migrants and all people exposed to them. Making use of existing literature, Kelly's four principles (interdependence, cycling of resources, adaptation, succession) are analyzed at multiple ecological levels (personal, interpersonal, organizational, communal), highlighting implications for future research in this field. A focus on justice, as a key-dimension of analysis, is also discussed. Wellbeing is acknowledged as a multilevel, dynamic, and value-dependent phenomenon. In presenting this alternative framework, the potential for studying migration-related detention through an ecological lens is highlighted, pointing the way for future fields of study. We argue that ecological multilevel analyses, conceptualized in terms of interdependent systems and with a focus on justice, can enhance the comprehension of the dynamics at play in migration-related detention centers, providing an effective tool to address the multi-level challenges of doing research within them. Furthermore, they can contribute to the development of policies and practices concerned with health, equality, and human rights of all people exposed to migration-related detention. Consistent with these assumptions, empirical studies adopting such a framework are strongly encouraged. These studies should use mixed and multi-method culturally situated designs, based on the development of collaborative and empowering relationships with participants. Ethnographic approaches are recommended.

Mammals of the Savannah River Site

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

Cothran, E.G.; Smith, M.H.; Wolff, J.O.

1991-12-31

This book is designed to be used as a field guide, reference book, bibliography, and introduction to the basic biology and ecology of the 54 mammal species that currently or potentially exist on or near the Savannah River Site (SRS). For 50 of these species, we present basic descriptions, distinguishing morphological features, distribution and habitat preferences, food habits, reproductive biology, social behavior, ecological relationships with other species, and economic importance to man. For those species that have been studied on the SRS, we summarize the results of these studies. Keys and illustrations are provided for whole body and skull identification.more » A selected glossary defines technical terminology. Illustrations of tracks of the more common larger mammals will assist in field identifications. We also summarize the results of two major long-term SRS studies, ``The Forbearer Census`` and ``White-tailed Deer Studies``. A cross-indexed list of over 300 SRS publications on mammals classifies each publication by 23 categories such as habitat, reproduction, genetics, etc., and also for each mammal species. The 149 Master`s theses and Ph.D. dissertations that have been conducted at the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory are provided as additional references.« less

Mammals of the Savannah River Site

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

Cothran, E.G.; Smith, M.H.; Wolff, J.O.

1991-01-01

This book is designed to be used as a field guide, reference book, bibliography, and introduction to the basic biology and ecology of the 54 mammal species that currently or potentially exist on or near the Savannah River Site (SRS). For 50 of these species, we present basic descriptions, distinguishing morphological features, distribution and habitat preferences, food habits, reproductive biology, social behavior, ecological relationships with other species, and economic importance to man. For those species that have been studied on the SRS, we summarize the results of these studies. Keys and illustrations are provided for whole body and skull identification.more » A selected glossary defines technical terminology. Illustrations of tracks of the more common larger mammals will assist in field identifications. We also summarize the results of two major long-term SRS studies, The Forbearer Census'' and White-tailed Deer Studies''. A cross-indexed list of over 300 SRS publications on mammals classifies each publication by 23 categories such as habitat, reproduction, genetics, etc., and also for each mammal species. The 149 Master's theses and Ph.D. dissertations that have been conducted at the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory are provided as additional references.« less

An advanced concept that promises ecological and economic viability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wright, B. R.; Sedgwick, T. A.; Urie, D. M.

1976-01-01

The actuality of supersonic commercial service being provided by Concorde is demonstrating to the world the advantages offered by supersonic travel for both business and recreation. Public acceptance will gradually and persistently stimulate interest to proceed with a second generation design that meets updated economic and ecological standards. It is estimated that this concept could operate profitably on world-wide routes with a revenue structure based upon economy fares. Airplanes will meet all present day ecological requirements regarding noise and emissions.

Controlled Ecological Life Support System: Research and Development Guidelines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mason, R. M. (Editor); Carden, J. L. (Editor)

1982-01-01

Results of a workshop designed to provide a base for initiating a program of research and development of controlled ecological life support systems (CELSS) are summarized. Included are an evaluation of a ground based manned demonstration as a milestone in CELSS development, and a discussion of development requirements for a successful ground based CELSS demonstration. Research recommendations are presented concerning the following topics: nutrition and food processing, food production, waste processing, systems engineering and modelling, and ecology-systems safety.

An ecological framework for informing permitting decisions on scientific activities in protected areas

PubMed Central

Saarman, Emily T.; Owens, Brian; Murray, Steven N.; Weisberg, Stephen B.; Field, John C.; Nielsen, Karina J.

2018-01-01

There are numerous reasons to conduct scientific research within protected areas, but research activities may also negatively impact organisms and habitats, and thus conflict with a protected area’s conservation goals. We developed a quantitative ecological decision-support framework that estimates these potential impacts so managers can weigh costs and benefits of proposed research projects and make informed permitting decisions. The framework generates quantitative estimates of the ecological impacts of the project and the cumulative impacts of the proposed project and all other projects in the protected area, and then compares the estimated cumulative impacts of all projects with policy-based acceptable impact thresholds. We use a series of simplified equations (models) to assess the impacts of proposed research to: a) the population of any targeted species, b) the major ecological assemblages that make up the community, and c) the physical habitat that supports protected area biota. These models consider both targeted and incidental impacts to the ecosystem and include consideration of the vulnerability of targeted species, assemblages, and habitats, based on their recovery time and ecological role. We parameterized the models for a wide variety of potential research activities that regularly occur in the study area using a combination of literature review and expert judgment with a precautionary approach to uncertainty. We also conducted sensitivity analyses to examine the relationships between model input parameters and estimated impacts to understand the dominant drivers of the ecological impact estimates. Although the decision-support framework was designed for and adopted by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for permitting scientific studies in the state-wide network of marine protected areas (MPAs), the framework can readily be adapted for terrestrial and freshwater protected areas. PMID:29920527

A pilot study of Aboriginal health promotion from an ecological perspective

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background For health promotion to be effective in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities, interventions (and their evaluation) need to work within a complex social environment and respect Indigenous knowledge, culture and social systems. At present, there is a lack of culturally appropriate evaluation methods available to practitioners that are capable of capturing this complexity. As an initial response to this problem, we used two non-invasive methods to evaluate a community-directed health promotion program, which aimed to improve nutrition and physical activity for members of the Aboriginal community of the Goulburn-Murray region of northern Victoria, Australia. The study addressed two main questions. First, for members of an Aboriginal sporting club, what changes were made to the nutrition environment in which they meet and how is this related to national guidelines for minimising the risk of chronic disease? Second, to what degree was the overall health promotion program aligned with an ecological model of health promotion that addresses physical, social and policy environments as well as individual knowledge and behaviour? Methods Rather than monitoring individual outcomes, evaluation methods reported on here assessed change in the nutrition environment (sports club food supply) as a facilitator of dietary change and the 'ecological' nature of the overall program (that is, its complexity with respect to numbers of targets, settings and strategies). Results There were favourable changes towards the provision of a food supply consistent with Australian guidelines at the sports club. The ecological analysis indicated that the design and implementation of the program were consistent with an ecological model of health promotion. Conclusions The evaluation was useful for assessing the impact of the program on the nutrition environment and for understanding the ecological nature of program activities. PMID:21961906

2011 AERA Presidential Address: Designing Resilient Ecologies--Social Design Experiments and a New Social Imagination

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gutiérrez, Kris D.

2016-01-01

This article is about designing for educational possibilities--designs that in their inception, social organization, and implementation squarely address issues of cultural diversity, social inequality, and robust learning. I discuss an approach to design-based research, social design experiments, that privileges a social scientific inquiry…

Is tourism damaging ecosystems in the Andes? Current knowledge and an agenda for future research.

PubMed

Barros, Agustina; Monz, Christopher; Pickering, Catherine

2015-03-01

Despite the popularity of tourism and recreation in the Andes in South America and the regions conservation value, there is limited research on the ecological impacts of these types of anthropogenic use. Using a systematic quantitative literature review method, we found 47 recreation ecology studies from the Andes, 25 of which used an experimental design. Most of these were from the Southern Andes in Argentina (13 studies) or Chile (eight studies) with only four studies from the Northern Andes. These studies documented a range of impacts on vegetation, birds and mammals; including changes in plant species richness, composition and vegetation cover and the tolerance of wildlife of visitor use. There was little research on the impacts of visitors on soils and aquatic systems and for some ecoregions in the Andes. We identify research priorities across the region that will enhance management strategies to minimise visitor impacts in Andean ecosystems.

Proceedings of the Agent 2002 Conference on Social Agents : Ecology, Exchange, and Evolution

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

Macal, C., ed.; Sallach, D., ed.

2003-04-10

Welcome to the ''Proceedings'' of the third in a series of agent simulation conferences cosponsored by Argonne National Laboratory and The University of Chicago. The theme of this year's conference, ''Social Agents: Ecology, Exchange and Evolution'', was selected to foster the exchange of ideas on some of the most important social processes addressed by agent simulation models, namely: (1) The translation of ecology and ecological constraints into social dynamics; (2) The role of exchange processes, including the peer dependencies they create; and (3) The dynamics by which, and the attractor states toward which, social processes evolve. As stated in themore » ''Call for Papers'', throughout the social sciences, the simulation of social agents has emerged as an innovative and powerful research methodology. The promise of this approach, however, is accompanied by many challenges. First, modeling complexity in agents, environments, and interactions is non-trivial, and these representations must be explored and assessed systematically. Second, strategies used to represent complexities are differentially applicable to any particular problem space. Finally, to achieve sufficient generality, the design and experimentation inherent in agent simulation must be coupled with social and behavioral theory. Agent 2002 provides a forum for reviewing the current state of agent simulation scholarship, including research designed to address such outstanding issues. This year's conference introduces an extensive range of domains, models, and issues--from pre-literacy to future projections, from ecology to oligopolistic markets, and from design to validation. Four invited speakers highlighted major themes emerging from social agent simulation.« less

The impact of humanitarian emergencies on the prevalence of violence against children: an evidence-based ecological framework.

PubMed

Rubenstein, Beth L; Stark, Lindsay

2017-03-01

Little is known about the patterns and mechanisms by which humanitarian emergencies may exacerbate violence against children. In this article, we propose using the ecological framework to examine the impact of humanitarian emergencies on interpersonal violence against children. We consider the literature that supports this framework and suggest future directions for research to fill identified gaps in the framework. The relationship between humanitarian emergencies and violence against children depends on risk factors at multiple levels, including a breakdown of child protection systems, displacement, threats to livelihoods, changing gender roles, changing household composition, overcrowded living conditions, early marriage, exposure to conflict or other emergency events, and alcohol abuse. The empirical evidence supporting the proposed emergency/violence framework is limited by cross-sectional study designs and a propensity to predominantly examine individual-level determinants of violence, especially exposure to conflict or emergency events. Thus, there is a pressing need to contextualize the relationship between conflict or emergency events and violence against children within the wider ecological and household dynamics that occur during humanitarian emergencies. Ultimately, this will require longitudinal observations of children, families and communities from before the emergency through recovery and improvements to ongoing global surveillance systems. More complete data will enable the humanitarian community to design effective, appropriate and well-targeted interventions.

A chamber design for closed ecological systems research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schwartzkopf, H.; Stofan, P. E.

1981-01-01

A single-plant growth chamber is described which is closed with respect to nutrient and gas flows, in order to serve as a tool in the investigation of control over biological systems. Such control procedures are essential for the use of biological components in the development of a closed ecological life support system (CELSS). The chamber's design consists of two concentric clear plastic cylinders equipped with aeroponic feed tubing, a supporting platform for the plant and a set of sensors that includes an anemometer, thermistors, pressure and strain gauges, and humidity sensors.

Advanced support systems development and supporting technologies for Controlled Ecological Life Support Systems (CELSS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simon, William E.; Li, Ku-Yen; Yaws, Carl L.; Mei, Harry T.; Nguyen, Vinh D.; Chu, Hsing-Wei

1994-01-01

A methyl acetate reactor was developed to perform a subscale kinetic investigation in the design and optimization of a full-scale metabolic simulator for long term testing of life support systems. Other tasks in support of the closed ecological life support system test program included: (1) heating, ventilation and air conditioning analysis of a variable pressure growth chamber, (2) experimental design for statistical analysis of plant crops, (3) resource recovery for closed life support systems, and (4) development of data acquisition software for automating an environmental growth chamber.

Let's Talk about Children Evaluation (LTCE) study in northern Finland: a multiple group ecological study of children's health promotion activities with a municipal and time-trend design.

PubMed

Kujala, Veikko; Jokinen, Jaana; Ebeling, Hanna; Pohjola, Anneli

2017-07-13

Making change towards child and family-based and coordinated services is critical to improve quality, outcomes and value. The Let's Talk about Children (LTC) approach, which consists of brief psychoeducational discussions with parents of kindergarten-aged and school-aged children, has been launched as a municipality-specific programme in the Council of Oulu Region. The aim of this paper is to present a protocol of an ecological study evaluating the group-specific effects of an intervention about LTC activities in a geographically defined population. The programme is designed to promote children's socioemotional well-being. A quasi-experimental ecological study protocol is implemented to evaluate whether systematic LTC practices improve children's well-being. A multi-informant setting covers 30 municipalities in northern Finland and involves all the municipal teachers, social and healthcare workers. In each municipality, a Local Management Team is responsible for implementing the LTC programme and collecting the annual data of LTC discussions and network meetings. The outcome data are retrieved from child welfare statistics and hospital registers. The population data, child welfare statistics and referrals to hospitals was retrieved at baseline (2014), and will be retrieved annually. Furthermore, the annual data of LTC discussions and network meetings will be collected of the years 2015-2018. The study design has been approved by the management of the Oulu University Hospital in accordance with the guidelines given by The Regional Ethics Committee of the Northern Ostrobothnia Hospital District in Oulu, Finland. All data are treated and implemented according to national data security laws. Study findings will be disseminated to provincial and municipal partners, collaborative community groups and the research and development community. The Let's Talk about Children Evaluation study databases will guide future regional development action and policies. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

A qualitative, exploratory study of predominantly female parental perceptions of consumer health technology use by their overweight and/or obese female adolescent participating in a fee-based 4-week weight-management intervention.

PubMed

Knoblock-Hahn, Amy L; LeRouge, Cynthia M

2014-04-01

Consumer health technologies (CHTs) are a growing part of the continuum of care for self-management of overweight and obesity. Parents positively or negatively influence adolescent weight-management efforts and are especially important throughout continuum of care settings. User-centered design (UCD) applications have been developed to assist primary users, such as adolescents, with their weight management, but less is known about the influence of parents as secondary users across many socio-ecological environments. The purpose of this study was to use the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) to inform the design of a UCD application in a qualitative study that sought to determine parental views on how technology can support previously learned behaviors that require ongoing management and support beyond formal lifestyle interventions. Parents of overweight and obese adolescents (n=14) were interviewed about perceived usefulness and planned user-intent of CHT that was designed for adolescents. UTAUT provided theoretical parental constructs (intention, performance and effort expectancy, and social influence) interactions within several socio-ecological contexts, including the home food environment and restaurant dining experiences. Although generalizations of this qualitative study are limited by a small sample size with predominantly mothers (n=13) of overweight and obese daughters (n=12), the exploratory inquiry using a parent as a secondary consumer user can complement the adoption of applications designed by adolescents. Copyright © 2014 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A new force in the battle against light pollution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mizon, R.

2009-02-01

A powerful new force in the ever-growing army of those concerned enough to publicly express their opposition to light pollution is Daniel Nixon. Thirty-year-old Daniel, of Wickford, Essex, studied Graphic Design at South East Essex College, Southend, and graduated with a BA (Hons). He is now busily forging a career as a freelance graphic designer. From early on, a special aspect of Dan's work has been what might be termed an "art attack" on light pollution, and in 2008 July he won the coveted Green Award for the best ecological project at the New Designers' Exhibition at the Business Design Centre in London.

FORT Molecular Ecology Laboratory

USGS Publications Warehouse

Oyler-McCance, Sara J.; Stevens, P.D.

2011-01-01

The mission of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) at the Fort Collins Science Center Molecular Ecology Laboratory is to use the tools and concepts of molecular genetics to address a variety of complex management questions and conservation issues facing the management of the Nation's fish and wildlife resources. Together with our partners, we design and implement studies to document genetic diversity and the distribution of genetic variation among individuals, populations, and species. Information from these studies is used to support wildlife-management planning and conservation actions. Current and past studies have provided information to assess taxonomic boundaries, inform listing decisions made under the Endangered Species Act, identify unique or genetically depauperate populations, estimate population size or survival rates, develop management or recovery plans, breed wildlife in captivity, relocate wildlife from one location to another, and assess the effects of environmental change.

Supporting Development of the Epistemology of Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lehrer, Richard; Schauble, Leona; Lucas, Deborah

2008-01-01

A sixth-grade class investigated the ecologies of two local retention ponds over the course of one school year. In this context, instruction assisted development as students designed models of the pond in one-gallon jars and attempted to stabilize these jars in sustainable ecosystems that could be used to study questions about the ponds.…

A whole-plant perspective reveals unexpected impacts of above- and belowground herbivores on plant growth and defense

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Tradeoffs between plant growth and defense are central to theoretical frameworks used to study the ecology and evolution of plant defense against herbivores. However, these frameworks, as well as the experiments designed to test them, rarely include the remarkable diversity of belowground herbivores...

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…

Hands-On Herpetology: Exploring Ecology and Conservation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schneider, Rebecca L.; Krasny, Marianne E.; Morreale, Stephen J.

This guide provides an introduction to the study of reptiles and amphibians and presents opportunities for young people to become involved in their conservation. This book is designed as an instructional guide for many educators in various settings from classroom to nature center. The material provides a thorough introduction to the world of…

Fire in the Wildland–Urban Interface

Treesearch

Evan Mercer; Wayne Zipperer

2012-01-01

In this chapter we provide an overview of the socio-economic and ecological effects and trends of wildfire in the WUI, methods for assessing wildfire risk in the WUI, approaches to managing the wildfire problem including fuels management, home construction and design, and community action programs. This overview is combined with two case studies analyzing wildfire risk...

Sulfometuron methyl: Its use in forestry and potential phytotoxicity

Treesearch

Nathan D. Robertson; Anthony S. Davis

2010-01-01

Planting site preparation is a common practice used to enhance seedling establishment success. Site preparations include herbicide, fire, and mechanical methods. Studies designed to explore the use of herbicides as site preparation and release tools are common, and herbicides have shown their use in forestry to be logistically, economically, and ecologically...

Goal Oriented and Risk Taking Behavior: The Roles of Multiple Systems for Caucasian and Arab-American Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tynan, Joshua J.; Somers, Cheryl L.; Gleason, Jamie H.; Markman, Barry S.; Yoon, Jina

2015-01-01

With Bronfenbrenner's (1977) ecological theory and other multifactor models (e.g. Pianta, 1999; Prinstein, Boergers, & Spirito, 2001) underlying this study design, the purpose was to examine, simultaneously, key variables in multiple life contexts (microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem levels) for their individual and combined roles in predicting…

A Standardized Soil Ecotoxicological Test Using Red Worms (Eisenia fetida).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paradise, Christopher J.

2001-01-01

Describes a simple, inexpensive test for soil contamination that can be used in a variety of courses to examine the effects of soil toxicity, to practice standardized laboratory procedures, to study experimental design and data analysis, or to investigate earthworm ecology. Presents background information along with details regarding equipment,…

Recycling as a Result of "Cultural Greening"?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flagg, Julia A.; Bates, Diane C.

2016-01-01

Purpose: This study aims to test whether faculty and students who have developed the most pro-environmental values and concerns are also the most likely to reduce the on-campus waste stream. It does so by using the theory of ecological modernization. Design/methodology/approach: Questionnaires were created and disseminated to a representative…

An Ecological Regional Analysis of South Carolina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Frank W.; Robinson, Kenneth

2011-01-01

This study of the counties of South Carolina introduces a limited purpose, modifiable technology that is designed to reproduce the rapid discovery strategy of the natural sciences. It uses factor analysis to identify types of communities and the threats they face, and evaluates their success in dealing with these by comparisons based on…

Environmental Education and Service Learning in the Tropics: Making Global Connections

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haines, Sarah

2010-01-01

Research has suggested that a service-learning component can add a powerful dimension to learning course content in a variety of science disciplines, in addition to assisting students in seeing connections between their studies and the world outside the classroom. This article describes a tropical ecology course designed for science preservice…

Ecological Condition of Streams in Eastern and Southern NevadaEPA R-EMAP Muddy-Virgin River Project

EPA Science Inventory

The report presents data collected during a one year study period beginning in May of 2000. Sampling sites were selected using a probability-based design (as opposed to subjectively selected sites) using the USEPA River Reach File version 3 (RF3). About 37 sites were sampled. ...

Development of interactive hypermedia software for high school biology: A research and development study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alturki, Uthman T.

The goal of this research was to research, design, and develop a hypertext program for students who study biology. The Ecology Hypertext Program was developed using Research and Development (R&D) methodology. The purpose of this study was to place the final "product", a CD-ROM for learning biology concepts, in the hands of teachers and students to help them in learning and teaching process. The product was created through a cycle of literature review, needs assessment, development, and a cycle of field tests and revisions. I applied the ten steps of R&D process suggested by Borg and Gall (1989) which, consisted of: (1) Literature review, (2) Needs assessment, (3) Planning, (4) Develop preliminary product, (5) Preliminary field-testing, (6) Preliminary revision, (7) Main field-testing, (8) Main revision, (9) Final field-testing, and (10) Final product revision. The literature review and needs assessment provided a support and foundation for designing the preliminary product---the Ecology Hypertext Program. Participants in the needs assessment joined a focus group discussion. They were a group of graduate students in education who suggested the importance for designing this product. For the preliminary field test, the participants were a group of high school students studying biology. They were the potential user of the product. They reviewed the preliminary product and then filled out a questionnaire. Their feedback and suggestions were used to develop and improve the product in a step called preliminary revision. The second round of field tasting was the main field test in which the participants joined a focus group discussion. They were the same group who participated in needs assessment task. They reviewed the revised product and then provided ideas and suggestions to improve the product. Their feedback were categorized and implemented to develop the product as in the main revision task. Finally, a group of science teachers participated in this study by reviewing the product and then filling out the questionnaire. Their suggestions were used to conduct the final step in R&D methodology, the final product revision. The primary result of this study was the Ecology Hypertext Program. It considered a small attempt to give students an opportunity to learn through an interactive hypertext program. In addition, using the R&D methodology was an ideal procedure for designing and developing new educational products and material.

Improving Conceptual Understanding and Representation Skills Through Excel-Based Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malone, Kathy L.; Schunn, Christian D.; Schuchardt, Anita M.

2018-02-01

The National Research Council framework for science education and the Next Generation Science Standards have developed a need for additional research and development of curricula that is both technologically model-based and includes engineering practices. This is especially the case for biology education. This paper describes a quasi-experimental design study to test the effectiveness of a model-based curriculum focused on the concepts of natural selection and population ecology that makes use of Excel modeling tools (Modeling Instruction in Biology with Excel, MBI-E). The curriculum revolves around the bio-engineering practice of controlling an invasive species. The study takes place in the Midwest within ten high schools teaching a regular-level introductory biology class. A post-test was designed that targeted a number of common misconceptions in both concept areas as well as representational usage. The results of a post-test demonstrate that the MBI-E students significantly outperformed the traditional classes in both natural selection and population ecology concepts, thus overcoming a number of misconceptions. In addition, implementing students made use of more multiple representations as well as demonstrating greater fascination for science.

Reframing family-centred obesity prevention using the Family Ecological Model

PubMed Central

Davison, Kirsten K; Jurkowski, Janine M; Lawson, Hal A

2017-01-01

Objective According to the Family Ecological Model (FEM), parenting behaviours are shaped by the contexts in which families are embedded. In the present study, we utilize the FEM to guide a mixed-methods community assessment and summarize the results. Additionally, we discuss the utility of the FEM and outline possible improvements. Design Using a cross-sectional design, qualitative and quantitative methods were used to examine the ecologies of parents’ cognitions and behaviours specific to children’s diet, physical activity and screen-based behaviours. Results were mapped onto constructs outlined in the FEM. Setting The study took place in five Head Start centres in a small north-eastern city. The community assessment was part of a larger study to develop and evaluate a family-centred obesity prevention programme for low-income families. Subjects Participants included eighty-nine low-income parents/caregivers of children enrolled in Head Start. Results Parents reported a broad range of factors affecting their parenting cognitions and behaviours. Intrafamilial factors included educational and cultural backgrounds, family size and a lack of social support from partners. Organizational factors included staff stability at key organizations, a lack of service integration and differing school routines. Community factors included social connectedness to neighbours/friends, shared norms around parenting and the availability of safe public housing and play spaces. Policy- and media-related factors included requirements of public assistance programmes, back-to-work policies and children’s exposure to food advertisements. Conclusions Based on these findings, the FEM was refined to create an evidence-based, temporally structured logic model to support and guide family-centred research in childhood obesity prevention. PMID:23089267

The power and promise of RNA-seq in ecology and evolution.

PubMed

Todd, Erica V; Black, Michael A; Gemmell, Neil J

2016-03-01

Reference is regularly made to the power of new genomic sequencing approaches. Using powerful technology, however, is not the same as having the necessary power to address a research question with statistical robustness. In the rush to adopt new and improved genomic research methods, limitations of technology and experimental design may be initially neglected. Here, we review these issues with regard to RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). RNA-seq adds large-scale transcriptomics to the toolkit of ecological and evolutionary biologists, enabling differential gene expression (DE) studies in nonmodel species without the need for prior genomic resources. High biological variance is typical of field-based gene expression studies and means that larger sample sizes are often needed to achieve the same degree of statistical power as clinical studies based on data from cell lines or inbred animal models. Sequencing costs have plummeted, yet RNA-seq studies still underutilize biological replication. Finite research budgets force a trade-off between sequencing effort and replication in RNA-seq experimental design. However, clear guidelines for negotiating this trade-off, while taking into account study-specific factors affecting power, are currently lacking. Study designs that prioritize sequencing depth over replication fail to capitalize on the power of RNA-seq technology for DE inference. Significant recent research effort has gone into developing statistical frameworks and software tools for power analysis and sample size calculation in the context of RNA-seq DE analysis. We synthesize progress in this area and derive an accessible rule-of-thumb guide for designing powerful RNA-seq experiments relevant in eco-evolutionary and clinical settings alike. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Exploring Tree Age & Diameter to Illustrate Sample Design & Inference in Observational Ecology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Casady, Grant M.

2015-01-01

Undergraduate biology labs often explore the techniques of data collection but neglect the statistical framework necessary to express findings. Students can be confused about how to use their statistical knowledge to address specific biological questions. Growth in the area of observational ecology requires that students gain experience in…

Living with the Heat. Submarine Ring of Fire--Grades 5-6. Hydrothermal Vent Ecology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (DOC), Rockville, MD.

This activity is designed to teach about hydrothermal vent ecology. Students are expected to describe how hydrothermal vents are formed and characterize the physical conditions at these sites, explain chemosynthesis and contrast this process with photosynthesis, identify autotrophic bacteria as the basis for food webs in hydrothermal vent…

Using water quality to assess ecological condition in the St. Marys River and Huron-Erie Corridor

EPA Science Inventory

The St. Marys River and Huron-Erie-Corridor were assessed by EPA for the first time in 2014-2016 as part of the National Coastal Condition Assessment (NCCA). NCCA uses a probabilistic survey design to allow unbiased assessment of ecological condition across the entire Great Lakes...

Eco-Logic: Logic-Based Approaches to Ecological Modelling

Treesearch

Daniel L. Schmoldt

1991-01-01

This paper summarizes the simulation research carried out during 1984-1989 at the University of Edinburgh. Two primary objectives of their research are 1) to provide tools for manipulating simulation models (i.e., implementation tools) and 2) to provide advice on conceptualizing real-world phenomena into an idealized representation for simulation (i.e., model design...

Integrating Geospatial Technologies, Action Research, and Curriculum Theory to Promote Ecological Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agnello, Mary Frances; Carpenter, Penny

2010-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine and report on the impact of integrating geospatial technology and ecological literacy into an educational leadership Master's class block comprised of action research and curriculum theory. Design/methodology/approach: Action and teacher research informed by environmental issues framed an action…

Using Mobile Learning in Free-Choice Educational Settings to Enhance Ecological Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aguayo, Claudio; Eames, Chris

2017-01-01

This article presents the case for using mobile technologies to facilitate the integration of classroom and outside-of-classroom learning experiences designed to enhance the ecological literacy of primary school students and their parents. There is growing evidence supporting the transformative potential of mobile learning technologies and tools…

Ecological and Political Economy Lenses for School Health Education: A Critical Pedagogy Shift

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martinson, Marty; Elia, John P.

2018-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to critically examine school health education in the USA and present alternative approaches for more critical and comprehensive health education. Design/methodology/approach: An ecological model framework is used to identify the limitations and opportunities for improvement in school health education in the…

Everyday Theory: A Practical Application of the Ecological Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barry, Adam; Honore, Heather

2009-01-01

Knowledge of health behavior theory allows health practitioners to design health promotion interventions that are based on factors that influence behavior. Objectives: At the conclusion of this lesson, students will be able to: (1) identify and define the three major levels of influence of the Ecological Perspective, (2) identify how each level of…

78 FR 5385 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Endangered Status for Four Central Texas...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-25

... Ecological Services Field Office, 10711 Burnet Rd, Suite 200, Austin, TX 78758; by telephone 512-490- 0057... proposed designation of critical habitat for the Austin blind salamander, Georgetown salamander, Jollyville... or by mail from the Austin Ecological Services Field Office (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT...

Language Arts: The Literature of Ecology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Douglass, Gloria; Annunziata, Joyce

The course guide for a language arts unit within the Dade County Florida Quinmester Program lists performance objectives for the unit designed to give students a clearer understanding of the ecological problems that confront mankind. The viewpoint taken is that of the layman, not the scientist. Selections from state-adopted and other books are…

NEON terrestrial field observations: designing continental scale, standardized sampling

Treesearch

R. H. Kao; C.M. Gibson; R. E. Gallery; C. L. Meier; D. T. Barnett; K. M. Docherty; K. K. Blevins; P. D. Travers; E. Azuaje; Y. P. Springer; K. M. Thibault; V. J. McKenzie; M. Keller; L. F. Alves; E. L. S. Hinckley; J. Parnell; D. Schimel

2012-01-01

Rapid changes in climate and land use and the resulting shifts in species distributions and ecosystem functions have motivated the development of the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON). Integrating across spatial scales from ground sampling to remote sensing, NEON will provide data for users to address ecological responses to changes in climate, land use,...

Learning about Urban Ecology through the Use of Visualization and Geospatial Technologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnett, Michael; Houle, Meredith; Mark, Sheron; Strauss, Eric; Hoffman, Emily

2010-01-01

During the past three years we have been designing and implementing a technology enhanced urban ecology program using geographic information systems (GIS) coupled with technology. Our initial work focused on professional development for in-service teachers and implementation in K-12 classrooms. However, upon reflection and analysis of the…

Synergy between ecological needs and economic aspects of ecosystem restoration

Treesearch

Charles E. Keegan; Carl E. Fiedler

2000-01-01

The implementation of properly designed treatments to restore and sustain desired forest conditions in the Inland Northwest, besides moving forest stands more rapidly to an ecologically desirable and sustainable condition, can generate positive revenues from the timber to be removed. These treatments also have potential to increase the number of relatively high paying...

Ecological fire use for ecological fire management: Managing large wildfires by design

Treesearch

Timothy Ingalsbee

2015-01-01

Past fire exclusion policies and fire suppression actions have led to a historic "fire deficit" on public wildlands. These sociocultural actions have led to unprecedented environmental changes that have created conditions conducive to more frequent large-scale wildfires. Politicians, the newsmedia, and agency officials portray large wildland fires as...

The Importance of Industrial Ecology in Engineering Education for Sustainable Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biswas, Wahidul K.

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to show how industrial ecology can facilitate the achievement of sustainable development through its incorporation into an engineering curriculum. Design/methodology/approach: A model has been developed for assessing sustainability learning outcomes due to the incorporation of the concept of industrial ecology…

Prevention and control of sexually transmitted infections among adolescents: the importance of a socio-ecological perspective--a commentary.

PubMed

DiClemente, R J; Salazar, L F; Crosby, R A; Rosenthal, S L

2005-09-01

The sexually transmitted infection (STI) epidemic among adolescents in the USA is inextricably tied to individual, psychosocial and cultural phenomena. Reconceptualizing the epidemic within an expanded socio-ecological framework may provide an opportunity to better confront its challenges. In this article, we use a socio-ecological framework to identify determinants of adolescents' sexual risk and protective behaviours as well as antecedents of their STI acquisition. The goal is to provide a synthesis of several discrete categories of research. Subsequently, we propose an integrated strategy that addresses the STI epidemic among adolescents by promoting a socio-ecological perspective in both basic research and intervention design. This approach may expand the knowledge base and facilitate the development of a broader array of intervention strategies, such as community-level interventions, policy initiatives, institutionally based programmes, and macro-level societal changes. Although there are inherent challenges associated with such an approach, the end result may have reciprocal and reinforcing effects designed to enhance the adoption and maintenance of STI-preventive practices among adolescents, and further reduce the rate of STIs.

Land Ecological on Public Transport Infrastructure Development In Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sari, N.

2017-10-01

The development of public transport infrastructure in Indonesia has been growing rapidly since the last five years. The utilization of area as public transport infrastructure, for example bus depot, bus Station and terminal requires wide area and influences many elements, such as land ecological quality, water supplies, power supplies, and environmental balance. However the development of public transport infrastructure now days is less considering on environmental approach, especially for green and catchment area for water conservation (water balance).This paper aims to propose the concept of Public Transport Infrastructure using green concept. The green design concept is using GBCI (Green Building Council Indonesia) standard, which contains seven categories: land ecological enhancement, movement and connectivity, water management and conservation, solid waste and material, community wellbeing strategy, building and energy, and also innovation and future development. The result is, by using the GBCI standard for the green design of Public Transport Infrastructure, the land ecological impact could be decreased. The effective areas that required are at least 5000 m2, from which the green areas for public increase 36% and 76% of areas could be used as catchment area for water conservation.

The big data-big model (BDBM) challenges in ecological research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Y.

2015-12-01

The field of ecology has become a big-data science in the past decades due to development of new sensors used in numerous studies in the ecological community. Many sensor networks have been established to collect data. For example, satellites, such as Terra and OCO-2 among others, have collected data relevant on global carbon cycle. Thousands of field manipulative experiments have been conducted to examine feedback of terrestrial carbon cycle to global changes. Networks of observations, such as FLUXNET, have measured land processes. In particular, the implementation of the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON), which is designed to network different kinds of sensors at many locations over the nation, will generate large volumes of ecological data every day. The raw data from sensors from those networks offer an unprecedented opportunity for accelerating advances in our knowledge of ecological processes, educating teachers and students, supporting decision-making, testing ecological theory, and forecasting changes in ecosystem services. Currently, ecologists do not have the infrastructure in place to synthesize massive yet heterogeneous data into resources for decision support. It is urgent to develop an ecological forecasting system that can make the best use of multiple sources of data to assess long-term biosphere change and anticipate future states of ecosystem services at regional and continental scales. Forecasting relies on big models that describe major processes that underlie complex system dynamics. Ecological system models, despite great simplification of the real systems, are still complex in order to address real-world problems. For example, Community Land Model (CLM) incorporates thousands of processes related to energy balance, hydrology, and biogeochemistry. Integration of massive data from multiple big data sources with complex models has to tackle Big Data-Big Model (BDBM) challenges. Those challenges include interoperability of multiple, heterogeneous data sets; intractability of structural complexity of big models; equifinality of model structure selection and parameter estimation; and computational demand of global optimization with Big Models.

Dangerous dads? Ecological and longitudinal analyses of paternity leave and risk for child injury.

PubMed

Laflamme, Lucie; Månsdotter, Anna; Lundberg, Michael; Magnusson, Cecilia

2012-11-01

In 1974, Sweden became the first country to permit fathers to take paid parental leave. Other countries are currently following suit issuing similar laws. While this reform supports the principles of the United Nations convention of the right for children to be with both parents and enshrines the ethos of gender equality, there has been little systematic examination of its potential impact on child health. Instead, there is uninformed debate that fathers may expose their children to greater risks of injury than mothers. In this Swedish national study, the authors therefore assess whether fathers' parental leave can be regarded as a more serious risk factor for child injuries than that of mothers. Nationwide register-based ecological and longitudinal studies of hospitalisation due to injury (and intoxication) in early childhood, involving the Swedish population in 1973-2009 (ecological design), and children born in 1988 and 1989 (n=118 278) (longitudinal design). An increase in fathers' share of parental leave over time was parallelled by a downward trend in child injury rates (age 0-4 years). At the individual level, the crude incidence of child injury (age 0-2 years) was lower during paternity as compared with maternity leave. This association was, however, explained by parental socio-demographic characteristics (multivariate HR 0.96, 95% CI 0.74 to 1.2). There is no support for the notion that paternity leave increases the risk of child injury.

Ecological restoration and effect investigation of a river wetland in a semi-arid region, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, S.; Jiang, X.; Liu, Y.; Fu, Y.; Zhao, Q.

2015-05-01

River wetlands are heavily impacted by human intervention. The degradation and loss of river wetlands has made the restoration of river ecosystems a top priority. How to rehabilitate rivers and their services has been a research focus. The main goal of it is to restore the river wetland ecosystems with ecological methods. The Gudong River was selected as a study site in Chaoyang city in this study. Based on the analysis of interference factors in the river wetland degradation, a set of restoration techniques were proposed and designed for regional water level control, including submerged dikes, ecological embankments, revegetation and dredging. The restoration engineering has produced good results in water quality, eco-environment, and landscape. Monthly reports of the Daling River show that the water quality of Gudong River was better than Grade III in April 2013 compared with Grade V in May 2012. The economic benefit after restoration construction is 1.71 million RMB per year, about 1.89 times that before. The ratio of economic value, social value and eco-environmental value is 1:4:23.

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.

Landscape-Scale Research In The Ouachita Mountains Of West-Central Arkansas: General Study Design

Treesearch

James M. Guldin

2004-01-01

Abstract A landscape-scale study on forest ecology and management began in 1995 in the eastern Ouachita Mountains. Of four large watersheds, three were within the Winona Ranger District of the Ouachita National Forest, and a major forest industry landowner largely owned and managed the fourth. These watersheds vary from 3,700 to 9,800 acres. At this...

Environmental risk factors for cancers of the brain and nervous system: the use of ecological data to generate hypotheses.

PubMed

de Vocht, Frank; Hannam, Kimberly; Buchan, Iain

2013-05-01

There is a public health need to balance timely generation of hypotheses with cautious causal inference. For rare cancers this is particularly challenging because standard epidemiological study designs may not be able to elucidate causal factors in an early period of newly emerging risks. Alternative methodologies need to be considered for generating and shaping hypotheses prior to definitive investigation. To evaluate whether open-access databases can be used to explore links between potential risk factors and cancers at an ecological level, using the case study of brain and nervous system cancers as an example. National age-adjusted cancer incidence rates were obtained from the GLOBOCAN 2008 resource and combined with data from the United Nations Development Report and the World Bank list of development indicators. Data were analysed using multivariate regression models. Cancer rates, potential confounders and environmental risk factors were available for 165 of 208 countries. 2008 national incidences of brain and nervous system cancers were associated with continent, gross national income in 2008 and Human Development Index Score. The only exogenous risk factor consistently associated with higher incidence was the penetration rate of mobile/cellular telecommunications subscriptions, although other factors were highlighted. According to these ecological results the latency period is at least 11-12 years, but probably more than 20 years. Missing data on cancer incidence and for other potential risk factors prohibit more detailed investigation of exposure-response associations and/or explore other hypotheses. Readily available ecological data may be underused, particularly for the study of risk factors for rare diseases and those with long latencies. The results of ecological analyses in general should not be overinterpreted in causal inference, but equally they should not be ignored where alternative signals of aetiology are lacking.

[Regional ecological planning and ecological network construction: a case study of "Ji Triangle" Region].

PubMed

Li, Bo; Han, Zeng-Lin; Tong, Lian-Jun

2009-05-01

By the methods of in situ investigation and regional ecological planning, the present ecological environment, ecosystem vulnerability, and ecological environment sensitivity in "Ji Triangle" Region were analyzed, and the ecological network of the study area was constructed. According to the ecological resources abundance degree, ecological recovery, farmland windbreak system, environmental carrying capacity, forestry foundation, and ecosystem integrity, the study area was classified into three regional ecological function ecosystems, i. e., east low hill ecosystem, middle plain ecosystem, and west plain wetland ecosystem. On the basis of marking regional ecological nodes, the regional ecological corridor (Haerbin-Dalian regional axis, Changchun-Jilin, Changchun-Songyuan, Jilin-Songyuan, Jilin-Siping, and Songyuan-Siping transportation corridor) and regional ecological network (one ring, three links, and three belts) were constructed. Taking the requests of regional ecological security into consideration, the ecological environment security system of "Ji Triangle" Region, including regional ecological conservation district, regional ecological restored district, and regional ecological management district, was built.

How livestock and flooding mediate the ecological integrity of working forests in Amazon River floodplains.

PubMed

Lucas, Christine M; Sheikh, Pervaze; Gagnon, Paul R; Mcgrath, David G

2016-01-01

The contribution of working forests to tropical conservation and development depends upon the maintenance of ecological integrity under ongoing land use. Assessment of ecological integrity requires an understanding of the structure, composition, and function and major drivers that govern their variability. Working forests in tropical river floodplains provide many goods and services, yet the data on the ecological processes that sustain these services is scant. In flooded forests of riverside Amazonian communities, we established 46 0.1-ha plots varying in flood duration, use by cattle and water buffalo, and time since agricultural abandonment (30-90 yr). We monitored three aspects of ecological integrity (stand structure, species composition, and dynamics of trees and seedlings) to evaluate the impacts of different trajectories of livestock activity (alleviation, stasis, and intensification) over nine years. Negative effects of livestock intensification were solely evident in the forest understory, and plots alleviated from past heavy disturbance increased in seedling density but had higher abundance of thorny species than plots maintaining low activity. Stand structure, dynamics, and tree species composition were strongly influenced by the natural pulse of seasonal floods, such that the defining characteristics of integrity were dependent upon flood duration (3-200 d). Forests with prolonged floods ≥ 140 d had not only lower species richness but also lower rates of recruitment and species turnover relative to forests with short floods <70 d. Overall, the combined effects of livestock intensification and prolonged flooding hindered forest regeneration, but overall forest integrity was largely related to the hydrological regime and age. Given this disjunction between factors mediating canopy and understory integrity, we present a subset of metrics for regeneration and recruitment to distinguish forest condition by livestock trajectory. Although our study design includes confounded factors that preclude a definitive assessment of the major drivers of ecological change, we provide much-needed data on the regrowth of a critical but poorly studied ecosystem. In addition to its emphasis on the dynamics of tropical wetland forests undergoing anthropogenic and environmental change, our case study is an important example for how to assess of ecological integrity in working forests of tropical ecosystems.

Ecological conservation through aesthetic landscape planning: a case study of the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway.

PubMed

Hale, Brack W; Steen-Adams, Michelle M; Predick, Katie; Fisher, Nick

2005-04-01

A consequence of expanding residential development into rural areas is the potential alteration of ecological communities. Certain novel land-use policies seek practical solutions by accommodating social needs for housing while conserving biodiversity. This study investigates whether regulations designed to protect the aesthetic characteristics of a river corridor simultaneously mitigate negative effects of development on avian biodiversity, despite the absence of explicit conservation objectives. Using housing data from the US Census (1990 and 2000) and the Audubon Christmas Bird Count (1987-2000), we examined changes in housing density, avian communities, and the relationship between these two variables in a location that has adopted aesthetic landscape planning, the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway. We found that overall species diversity increased in the Riverway, but remained constant in reference areas, although the relative increase in housing density in the two areas did not differ. We also found that omnivore populations decreased in the Riverway and increased in reference sites. On the whole, our study provides preliminary evidence that aesthetic landscape planning, such as employed in the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway, might constitute a politically viable approach to conserve ecological resources.

Building Ecology and Partition Design. Technical Bulletin.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maryland State Dept. of Education, Baltimore.

This bulletin is intended as a resource for school system facility planners and architects who design schools. Ways in which decision makers can incorporate environmental concerns in the design of school buildings are detailed. Focus is on the design of interior partition systems. Partition systems in schools serve several purposes; they define…

Sustainability for the Americas Initiative: Land Design Institute, Ball State University

Treesearch

J. L. Motloch; Pedro Pacheco; Eloy F. Jr. Casagrande

2006-01-01

The Ball State University Land Design Institute (LDI) pursues ecologically and culturally sustainable land design through education, research, outreach, and demonstration. LDI seeks to lead communities (local, regional, global) to sustainable futures. It connects communities and sustainability experts to optimize education about land management, planning, and design...

Urban Landscape Architecture in the Reshaping of the Contemporary Cityscape

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ananiadou-Tzimopoulou, Maria; Bourlidou, Anastasia

2017-10-01

The contemporary urban landscape is the evolving image of dynamic social, economic and ecological changes and heterogeneity. It constitutes the mirror of history, natural and cultural, urban processes, as well as locations of hybrid character, such as degraded and fragmented spaces within the urban fabric or in the city boundaries -areas in between, infrastructures, post-industrial and waterfront sites, but also potential grounds for urban development. Along with the awakening of the global ecological awareness and the ongoing discussion on sustainability issues, the cityscape with its new attributes, constitutes a challenging field of research and planning for various disciplines, further more than landscape architecture, such as architecture, planning, ecology, environment and engineering. This paper focuses on the role of urban landscape architecture, via its theory and practice, in the reshaping of the city territory. It aspires to broaden the discussion concerning the upgrading of the contemporary cities, aiming firstly at the determination of a wider vocabulary for the urban landscape and its design, and secondly at the highlighting of landscape architecture’s contribution to the sustainable perspective of urban design and planning. The methodology is based on a comparative research implemented both on a theoretical level and on a level of applied work. Urban landscape architecture is described through theory and practice, along with correlative approaches deriving mainly from landscape urbanism and secondarily from the field of architecture. Urban landscape is approached as a socio-ecological and perceptual legible, a territory of culture, process and production; operating as an entity of ecological, infrastructural systems and planning needs, it is also regarded as a precedent for urban development. Furthermore, the research is supported by selected European and International urban landscape projects, presented in a cohesive multiscalar approach, from the node to the region. Theory is reflected upon: a/smaller scale projects-cultural landscapes, b/infrastructural projects, c/extended process territories and d/grand metropolitan projects. The particular case studies constitute representative design approaches dealing with the urban complexity and are hierarchized on qualitative criteria, spatial and functional; they are indicative of the spectrum of project’s scale, type of intervention -redesign, reclamation, reuse, planning, but also of the project’s operational value -cultural, infrastructural, strategic. They stress the importance of landscape’s flexible and open-ended nature and ultimately, they underline the crucial role of urban landscape architecture, within transdisciplinarity and sustainable design strategies, in the regeneration of the contemporary cityscape.

Designing ecological flows to gravely braided rivers in alpine environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Egozi, R.; Ashmore, P.

2009-04-01

Designing ecological flows in gravelly braided streams requires estimating the channel forming discharge in order to maintain the braided reach physical (allocation of flow and bed load) and ecological (maintaining the habitat diversity) functions. At present, compared to single meander streams, there are fewer guiding principles for river practitioners that can be used to manage braided streams. Insight into braiding morphodynamics using braiding intensity indices allows estimation of channel forming discharge. We assess variation in braiding intensity by mapping the total number of channels (BIT) and the number of active (transporting bed load) channels (BIA) at different stages of typical diurnal melt-water hydrographs in a pro-glacial braided river, Sunwapta River, Canada. Results show that both BIA and BIT vary with flow stage but over a limited range of values. Furthermore, maximum BIT occurs below peak discharge. At this stage there is a balance between channel merging from inundation and occupation of new channels as the stage rises. This stage is the channel forming discharge because above this stage the existing braided pattern cannot discharge the volume of water without causing morphological changes (e.g., destruction of bifurcations, channel avulsion). Estimation of the channel forming discharge requires a set of braiding intensity measurements over a range of flow stages. The design of ecological flows must take into consideration flow regime characteristics rather than just the channel forming discharge magnitude.

Ecological Feasibility Studies in Restoration Decision Making

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hopfensperger, Kristine N.; Engelhardt, Katharina A. M.; Seagle, Steven W.

2007-06-01

The restoration of degraded systems is essential for maintaining the provision of valuable ecosystem services, including the maintenance of aesthetic values. However, restoration projects often fail to reach desired goals for a variety of ecologic, financial, and social reasons. Feasibility studies that evaluate whether a restoration effort should even be attempted can enhance restoration success by highlighting potential pitfalls and gaps in knowledge before the design phase of a restoration. Feasibility studies also can bring stakeholders together before a restoration project is designed to discuss potential disagreements. For these reasons, a feasibility study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of restoring a tidal freshwater marsh in the Potomac River near Alexandria, Virginia. The study focused on science rather than engineering questions, and thus differed in approach from other feasibility studies that are mostly engineering driven. The authors report the framework they used to conduct a feasibility study to inform other potential restoration projects with similar goals. The seven steps of the framework encompass (1) initiation of a feasibility study, (2) compilation of existing data, (3) collection of current site information, (4) examination of case studies, (5) synthesis of information in a handbook, (6) meeting with selected stakeholders, and (7) evaluation of meeting outcomes. By conducting a feasibility study using the seven-step framework, the authors set the stage for conducting future compliance studies and enhancing the chance of a successful restoration.

Social capital and mental illness: a systematic review

PubMed Central

De Silva, M. J; McKenzie, K.; Harpham, T.; Huttly, S.

2005-01-01

Study objective: The concept of social capital has influenced mental health policies of nations and international organisations despite its limited evidence base. This papers aims to systematically review quantitative studies examining the association between social capital and mental illness. Design and setting: Twenty electronic databases and the reference sections of papers were searched to identify published studies. Authors of papers were contacted for unpublished work. Anonymised papers were reviewed by the authors of this paper. Papers with a validated mental illness outcome and an exposure variable agreed as measuring social capital were included. No limitations were put on date or language of publication. Main results: Twenty one studies met the inclusion criteria for the review. Fourteen measured social capital at the individual level and seven at an ecological level. The former offered evidence for an inverse relation between cognitive social capital and common mental disorders. There was moderate evidence for an inverse relation between cognitive social capital and child mental illness, and combined measures of social capital and common mental disorders. The seven ecological studies were diverse in methodology, populations investigated, and mental illness outcomes, making them difficult to summarise. Conclusions: Individual and ecological social capital may measure different aspects of the social environment. Current evidence is inadequate to inform the development of specific social capital interventions to combat mental illness. PMID:16020636

Using Internet of Things (IoT) technology to study environmental processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinez, Kirk; Hart, Jane; Black, Andrew; Blagg, Olivia

2016-04-01

The Internet of Things is a term which has emerged to describe the increase of Internet connectivity of everyday objects. While wireless sensor networks have developed highly energy efficient designs they need a step-change in their interoperability and usability to become essential tools in the study of our environment. We discuss the design, deployment and results from an IoT system installed on the Cairngorm Plateau, Scotland. This is a fragile remote environment, which provides an ideal location to test IoT techniques. We have investigated cryospheric, hydrologic and ecological processes, and we report our preliminary findings.

Eliciting and Representing High-Level Knowledge Requirements to Discover Ecological Knowledge in Flower-Visiting Data

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Observations of individual organisms (data) can be combined with expert ecological knowledge of species, especially causal knowledge, to model and extract from flower–visiting data useful information about behavioral interactions between insect and plant organisms, such as nectar foraging and pollen transfer. We describe and evaluate a method to elicit and represent such expert causal knowledge of behavioral ecology, and discuss the potential for wider application of this method to the design of knowledge-based systems for knowledge discovery in biodiversity and ecosystem informatics. PMID:27851814

A social-ecological analysis of the self-determination literature.

PubMed

Shogren, Karrie A

2013-12-01

This paper uses a social-ecological lens to examine self-determination research, attempting to organize what is known (and unknown) about contextual factors that have the potential to impact the development and expression of self-determined behavior in people with disabilities across multiple ecological systems. Identifying and categorizing the contextual factors that researchers suggest influence self-determination have the potential to allow for the development of a framework that promotes systematic consideration of contextual factors when designing, implementing, and evaluating supports to promote self-determination. Directions for future research and practice are discussed.

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

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.

Ecologically Enhancing Coastal Infrastructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mac Arthur, Mairi; Naylor, Larissa; Hansom, Jim; Burrows, Mike; Boyd, Ian

2017-04-01

Hard engineering structures continue to proliferate in the coastal zone globally in response to increasing pressures associated with rising sea levels, coastal flooding and erosion. These structures are typically plain-cast by design and function as poor ecological surrogates for natural rocky shores which are highly topographically complex and host a range of available microhabitats for intertidal species. Ecological enhancement mitigates some of these negative impacts by integrating components of nature into the construction and design of these structures to improve their sustainability, resilience and multifunctionality. In the largest UK ecological enhancement trial to date, 184 tiles (15x15cm) of up to nine potential designs were deployed on vertical concrete coastal infrastructure in 2016 at three sites across the UK (Saltcoats, Blackness and Isle of Wight). The surface texture and complexity of the tiles were varied to test the effect of settlement surface texture at the mm-cm scale of enhancement on the success of colonisation and biodiversity in the mid-upper intertidal zone in order to answer the following experimental hypotheses: • Tiles with mm-scale geomorphic complexity will have greater barnacle abundances • Tiles with cm-scale geomorphic complexity will have greater species richness than mm-scale tiles. A range of methods were used in creating the tile designs including terrestrial laser scanning of creviced rock surfaces to mimic natural rocky shore complexity as well as artificially generated complexity using computer software. The designs replicated the topographic features of high ecological importance found on natural rocky shores and promoted species recruitment and community composition on artificial surfaces; thus enabling us to evaluate biological responses to geomorphic complexity in a controlled field trial. At two of the sites, the roughest tile designs (cm scale) did not have the highest levels of barnacle recruits which were instead counted on tiles of intermediate roughness such as the grooved concrete with 257 recruits on average (n=8) at four months' post-installation (Saltcoats) and 1291 recruits at two months' post-installation (Isle of Wight). This indicates that a higher level of complexity does not always reflect the most appropriate roughness scale for some colonisers. On average, tiles with mm scale texture were more successful in terms of barnacle colonisation compared to plain-cast control tiles (n=8 per site). The poor performance of the control tiles (9 recruits, Saltcoats; 147 recruits, Isle of Wight after 4 and 2 months, respectively) further highlights that artificial, hard substrates are poor ecological surrogates for natural rocky shores. One of the sites, Blackness, was an observed outlier to the general trend of colonisation, likely due to its estuarine location. This factor may contribute to why every design, including the control tile, had high abundances of barnacles. Artificially designed tiles with cm-scale complexity had higher levels of species richness, with periwinkles and topshells frequently observed to utilise the tile microhabitats in greater numbers than found on other tile designs. These results show that the scale of geomorphic complexity influences early stage colonisation. Data analysis is being carried out between now and the EGU - these advanced analyses would be presented.

An ecological framework for temporal and individual differences in color preferences.

PubMed

Schloss, Karen B; Palmer, Stephen E

2017-12-01

There are well-known and extensive differences in color preferences between individuals, but there are also within-individual differences from one time to another. Despite the seeming independence between these individual and temporal effects, we propose that they have the same underlying cause: people's ecological experiences with color-associated objects and events. Our approach is motivated by the Ecological Valence Theory (EVT; Palmer & Schloss, 2010) which states that preference for a given color is determined by the combined valence (liking/disliking) of all objects and events associated with that color. We define three ecologically-based hypotheses for explaining temporal and individual differences in color preferences concerning: (1) differences in object valences, (2) differences in color-object associations, and (3) differences in object activations in the mind when preferences are measured. We review prior studies that support these hypotheses and raise open research questions about untested predictions. We also extend the computational framework of the EVT by defining a single weighted average equation that captures both individual and temporal differences in color preferences. Finally, we consider other factors that potentially contribute to color preferences, including abstract symbolic associations, color in design, and psychophysical and/or physiological factors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ecological modelling and toxicity data coupled to assess population recovery of marine amphipod Gammarus locusta: Application to disturbance by chronic exposure to aniline.

PubMed

de los Santos, Carmen B; Neuparth, Teresa; Torres, Tiago; Martins, Irene; Cunha, Isabel; Sheahan, Dave; McGowan, Tom; Santos, Miguel M

2015-06-01

A population agent-based model of marine amphipod Gammarus locusta was designed and implemented as a basis for ecological risk assessment of chemical pollutants impairing life-history traits at the individual level. We further used the model to assess the toxic effects of aniline (a priority hazardous and noxious substance, HNS) on amphipod populations using empirically-built dose-response functions derived from a chronic bioassay that we previously performed with this species. We observed a significant toxicant-induced mortality and adverse effects in reproductive performance (reduction of newborn production) in G. locusta at the individual level. Coupling the population model with the toxicological data from the chronic bioassay allowed the projection of the ecological costs associated with exposure to aniline that might occur in wild populations. Model simulations with different scenarios indicated that even low level prolonged exposure to the HNS aniline can have significant long-term impacts on G. locusta population abundance, until the impacted population returns to undisturbed levels. This approach may be a useful complement in ecotoxicological studies of chemical pollution to transfer individual-collected data to ecological-relevant levels. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A novel framework for analyzing conservation impacts: evaluation, theory, and marine protected areas.

PubMed

Mascia, Michael B; Fox, Helen E; Glew, Louise; Ahmadia, Gabby N; Agrawal, Arun; Barnes, Megan; Basurto, Xavier; Craigie, Ian; Darling, Emily; Geldmann, Jonas; Gill, David; Holst Rice, Susie; Jensen, Olaf P; Lester, Sarah E; McConney, Patrick; Mumby, Peter J; Nenadovic, Mateja; Parks, John E; Pomeroy, Robert S; White, Alan T

2017-07-01

Environmental conservation initiatives, including marine protected areas (MPAs), have proliferated in recent decades. Designed to conserve marine biodiversity, many MPAs also seek to foster sustainable development. As is the case for many other environmental policies and programs, the impacts of MPAs are poorly understood. Social-ecological systems, impact evaluation, and common-pool resource governance are three complementary scientific frameworks for documenting and explaining the ecological and social impacts of conservation interventions. We review key components of these three frameworks and their implications for the study of conservation policy, program, and project outcomes. Using MPAs as an illustrative example, we then draw upon these three frameworks to describe an integrated approach for rigorous empirical documentation and causal explanation of conservation impacts. This integrated three-framework approach for impact evaluation of governance in social-ecological systems (3FIGS) accounts for alternative explanations, builds upon and advances social theory, and provides novel policy insights in ways that no single approach affords. Despite the inherent complexity of social-ecological systems and the difficulty of causal inference, the 3FIGS approach can dramatically advance our understanding of, and the evidentiary basis for, effective MPAs and other conservation initiatives. © 2017 New York Academy of Sciences.

Avalanche ecology and large magnitude avalanche events: Glacier National Park, Montana, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fagre, Daniel B.; Peitzsch, Erich H.

2010-01-01

Large magnitude snow avalanches play an important role ecologically in terms of wildlife habitat, vegetation diversity, and sediment transport within a watershed. Ecological effects from these infrequent avalanches can last for decades. Understanding the frequency of such large magnitude avalanches is also critical to avalanche forecasting for the Going-to-the-Sun Road (GTSR). In January 2009, a large magnitude avalanche cycle occurred in and around Glacier National Park, Montana. The study site is the Little Granite avalanche path located along the GTSR. The study is designed to quantify change in vegetative cover immediately after a large magnitude event and document ecological response over a multi-year period. GPS field mapping was completed to determine the redefined perimeter of the avalanche path. Vegetation was inventoried using modified U.S. Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis plots, cross sections were taken from over 100 dead trees throughout the avalanche path, and an avalanche chronology was developed. Initial results indicate that the perimeter of this path was expanded by 30%. The avalanche travelled approximately 1200 vertical meters and 3 linear kilometers. Stands of large conifers as old as 150 years were decimated by the avalanche, causing a shift in dominant vegetation types in many parts of the avalanche path. Woody debris is a major ground cover up to 3 m in depth on lower portions of the avalanche path and will likely affect tree regrowth. Monitoring and measuring the post-avalanche vegetation recovery of this particular avalanche path provides a unique dataset for determining the ecological role of avalanches in mountain landscapes.

Integrating the statistical analysis of spatial data in ecology

Treesearch

A. M. Liebhold; J. Gurevitch

2002-01-01

In many areas of ecology there is an increasing emphasis on spatial relationships. Often ecologists are interested in new ways of analyzing data with the objective of quantifying spatial patterns, and in designing surveys and experiments in light of the recognition that there may be underlying spatial pattern in biotic responses. In doing so, ecologists have adopted a...

Strategic Genius

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-05-21

complex adaptive systems, emergence, lateral thinking, bias, communication, buy-in, discourses, ecologies 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17...consistent logic. Dr. Alice Butler-Smith dramatically opened my mind to understand the nature of design and the ecology of discourses. I’m also indebted to...perspectives. A lifelong student in the classical Greek style, Scipio possessed a highly lateral background in logic, ethics , astronomy, geometry

Ecologia: Spanish Ecology Packet Resource Units and Materials for Intermediate and Advanced Spanish Classes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Mozelle Sawyer; Arribas, E. Jaime

This Spanish ecology packet contains resource units and materials for intermediate and advanced Spanish classes. It is designed to be used for individual and small-group instruction in the senior high school to supplement the Spanish language curriculum. Included are articles, pictures, and cartoons from Spanish-language newspapers and magazines…

An Inquiry-Based Laboratory Design for Microbial Ecology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tessier, Jack T.; Penniman, Clayton A.

2006-01-01

There is a collective need to increase the use of inquiry-based instruction at the college level. This paper provides of an example of how inquiry was successfully used in the laboratory component of an undergraduate course in microbial ecology. Students were offered a collection of field and laboratory methods to choose from, and they developed a…

Nature-Computer Camp. Final Evaluation Report 1984-1985. E.C.I.A. Chapter 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

District of Columbia Public Schools, Washington, DC. Div. of Quality Assurance.

This report presents a description and evaluation of the Nature-Computer Camp (NCC), a science- and technology-oriented program for sixth-grade students from the District of Columbia Public Schools. The NCC experience is designed to offer students opportunities in such environmentally-related areas as woodland ecology, stream ecology, geology, as…

Reviewing Biosphere Reserves globally: effective conservation action or bureaucratic label?

PubMed

Coetzer, Kaera L; Witkowski, Edward T F; Erasmus, Barend F N

2014-02-01

The Biosphere Reserve (BR) model of UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Programme reflects a shift towards more accountable conservation. Biosphere Reserves attempt to reconcile environmental protection with sustainable development; they explicitly acknowledge humans, and human interests in the conservation landscape while still maintaining the ecological values of existing protected areas. Conceptually, this model is attractive, with 610 sites currently designated globally. Yet the practical reality of implementing dual 'conservation' and 'development' goals is challenging, with few examples successfully conforming to the model's full criteria. Here, we review the history of Biosphere Reserves from first inception in 1974 to the current status quo, and examine the suitability of the designation as an effective conservation model. We track the spatial expansion of Biosphere Reserves globally, assessing the influence of the Statutory Framework of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves and Seville strategy in 1995, when the BR concept refocused its core objectives on sustainable development. We use a comprehensive range of case studies to discuss conformity to the Programme, the social and ecological consequences associated with implementation of the designation, and challenges in aligning conservation and development. Given that the 'Biosphere Reserve' label is a relatively unknown designation in the public arena, this review also provides details on popularising the Biosphere Reserve brand, as well as prospects for further research, currently unexploited, but implicit in the designation. © 2013 The Authors. Biological Reviews © 2013 Cambridge Philosophical Society.

The ecological dimension of psychoanalysis and the concept of inner sustainability.

PubMed

Ley, Wolfgang

2008-12-01

An "ecological-cum-psychoanalytic" perspective elucidates the innate kinship between modern, critical ecological thinking and the assumptions on the nature of the human animal underlying Freudian psychoanalysis. "Critical ecology" engages with the issues posed by a meaningful, "sustainable" design for the relationship between nature and culture; psychoanalysis investigates and engages therapeutically with human self-relations in the field of tension existing between the culture-imprinted and culture-productive "ego," on the one hand, and the independent, naturally established motivational sides of the psyche subsumed by Freud under the term "id" on the other. Against an ecological-cum-psychoanalytic backdrop, modern developments in object relations theory and self psychology can be understood in a way that places them in a conceptual framework corresponding to Freud's central concern with the balance or integration-successful or unsuccessful-of the motivational (interactional) strivings of "internal nature" and the requirements posed by human "self-production" via culture. Psychoanalysis and critical ecology, it is argued, stand to profit from one another.

Land Use Change Around Nature Reserves: Implications for Sustaining Biodiversity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hansen, A. J.; Defries, R.; Curran, L.; Liu, J.; Reid, R.; Turner, B.

2004-12-01

The effects of land use change outside of reserves on biodiversity within reserves is not well studied. This paper draws on research from Yellowstone, East Africa, Yucatan, Borneo, and Wolong, China to examine land use effects on nature reserves. Objectives are: quantify rates of change in land use around reserves; examine consequences for biodiversity within the context of specific ecological mechanisms; and draw implications for regional management. Within each of the study regions, semi-natural habitats around nature reserves have been converted to agricultural, rural residential, or urban land uses. Rates vary from 0.2-0.4 %/yr in Yucatan, to 9.5 %/yr in Borneo. Such land use changes may be important because nature reserves are often parts of larger ecosystems that are defined by flows in energy, materials, and organisms. Land use outside of reserves may disrupt these flows and alter biodiversity within reserves. Ecological mechanisms that connect biodiversity to these land use changes include habitat size, ecological flows, crucial habitats, and edge effects. For example, the effective size of the East African study area has been reduced by 45% by human activities. Based on the species area relationship, this reduction in habitat area will lead to a loss of 14% of bird and mammal species. A major conclusion is that the viability of nature reserves can best be ensured by managing them in the context of the surrounding region. Knowledge of the ecological mechanisms by which land use influences nature reserves provides design criteria for this regional management.

Tick-, mosquito-, and rodent-borne parasite sampling designs for the National Ecological Observatory Network

USGS Publications Warehouse

Springer, Yuri P.; Hoekman, David; Johnson, Pieter T. J.; Duffy, Paul A.; Hufft, Rebecca A.; Barnett, David T.; Allan, Brian F.; Amman, Brian R.; Barker, Christopher M.; Barrera, Roberto; Beard, Charles B.; Beati, Lorenza; Begon, Mike; Blackmore, Mark S.; Bradshaw, William E.; Brisson, Dustin; Calisher, Charles H.; Childs, James E.; Diuk-Wasser, Maria A.; Douglass, Richard J.; Eisen, Rebecca J.; Foley, Desmond H.; Foley, Janet E.; Gaff, Holly D.; Gardner, Scott L.; Ginsberg, Howard; Glass, Gregory E.; Hamer, Sarah A.; Hayden, Mary H.; Hjelle, Brian; Holzapfel, Christina M.; Juliano, Steven A.; Kramer, Laura D.; Kuenzi, Amy J.; LaDeau, Shannon L.; Livdahl, Todd P.; Mills, James N.; Moore, Chester G.; Morand, Serge; Nasci, Roger S.; Ogden, Nicholas H.; Ostfeld, Richard S.; Parmenter, Robert R.; Piesman, Joseph; Reisen, William K.; Savage, Harry M.; Sonenshine, Daniel E.; Swei, Andrea; Yabsley, Michael J.

2016-01-01

Parasites and pathogens are increasingly recognized as significant drivers of ecological and evolutionary change in natural ecosystems. Concurrently, transmission of infectious agents among human, livestock, and wildlife populations represents a growing threat to veterinary and human health. In light of these trends and the scarcity of long-term time series data on infection rates among vectors and reservoirs, the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) will collect measurements and samples of a suite of tick-, mosquito-, and rodent-borne parasites through a continental-scale surveillance program. Here, we describe the sampling designs for these efforts, highlighting sampling priorities, field and analytical methods, and the data as well as archived samples to be made available to the research community. Insights generated by this sampling will advance current understanding of and ability to predict changes in infection and disease dynamics in novel, interdisciplinary, and collaborative ways.

Translating the Social-Ecological Perspective Into Multilevel Interventions for Family Planning: How Far Are We?

PubMed

Schölmerich, Vera L N; Kawachi, Ichiro

2016-06-01

Scholars and practitioners frequently make recommendations to develop family planning interventions that are "multilevel." Such interventions take explicit account of the role of environments by incorporating multilevel or social-ecological frameworks into their design and implementation. However, research on how interventions have translated these concepts into practice in the field of family planning-and generally in public health-remains scarce. This article seeks to review the current definitions of multilevel interventions and their operationalization in the field of family planning. First, we highlight the divergent definitions of multilevel interventions and show the persistent ambiguity around this term. We argue that interventions involving activities at several levels but lacking targets (i.e., objectives) to create change on more than one level have not incorporated a social-ecological framework and should therefore not be considered as "multilevel." In a second step, we assess the extent to which family planning interventions have successfully incorporated a social-ecological framework. To this end, the 63 studies featured in Mwaikambo et al.'s systematic review on family planning interventions were reexamined. This assessment indicates that the multilevel or social-ecological perspective has seldom been translated into interventions. Specifically, the majority of interventions involved some form of activity at the community and/or organizational level, yet targeted and measured intrapersonal change as opposed to explicitly targeting/measuring environmental modification. © 2016 Society for Public Health Education.

TARGETED CAPTURE IN EVOLUTIONARY AND ECOLOGICAL GENOMICS

PubMed Central

Jones, Matthew R.; Good, Jeffrey M.

2016-01-01

The rapid expansion of next-generation sequencing has yielded a powerful array of tools to address fundamental biological questions at a scale that was inconceivable just a few years ago. Various genome partitioning strategies to sequence select subsets of the genome have emerged as powerful alternatives to whole genome sequencing in ecological and evolutionary genomic studies. High throughput targeted capture is one such strategy that involves the parallel enrichment of pre-selected genomic regions of interest. The growing use of targeted capture demonstrates its potential power to address a range of research questions, yet these approaches have yet to expand broadly across labs focused on evolutionary and ecological genomics. In part, the use of targeted capture has been hindered by the logistics of capture design and implementation in species without established reference genomes. Here we aim to 1) increase the accessibility of targeted capture to researchers working in non-model taxa by discussing capture methods that circumvent the need of a reference genome, 2) highlight the evolutionary and ecological applications where this approach is emerging as a powerful sequencing strategy, and 3) discuss the future of targeted capture and other genome partitioning approaches in light of the increasing accessibility of whole genome sequencing. Given the practical advantages and increasing feasibility of high-throughput targeted capture, we anticipate an ongoing expansion of capture-based approaches in evolutionary and ecological research, synergistic with an expansion of whole genome sequencing. PMID:26137993

Greenroads : a sustainability performance metric for roadway design and construction.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-11-01

Greenroads is a performance metric for quantifying sustainable practices associated with roadway design and construction. Sustainability is defined as having seven key components: ecology, equity, economy, extent, expectations, experience and exposur...

Temporal optimisation of fuel treatment design in blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus) plantations

Treesearch

Ana Martin; Brigite Botequim; Tiago M. Oliveira; Alan Ager; Francesco Pirotti

2016-01-01

This study was conducted to support fire and forest management planning in eucalypt plantations based on economic, ecological and fire prevention criteria, with a focus on strategic prioritisation of fuel treatments over time. The central objective was to strategically locate fuel treatments to minimise losses from wildfire while meeting budget constraints and demands...

Development and Validation of a Modified Multiple Errands Test for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steverson, Tom; Adlam, Anna-Lynne R.; Langdon, Peter E.

2017-01-01

Background: The aims of the current study were to adapt a version of the MET for people with intellectual disabilities and assess its ecological and construct validity. Material and Methods: Using a correlational design, 40 participants with intellectual disabilities were invited to complete a battery of neuropsychological assessments and the…

Effects of Orientation and Weatherproofing on the Detection of Bat Echolocation Calls

Treesearch

E. Britzke; B. Slack; M Armstrong; S. Loeb

2010-01-01

Ultrasonic detectors are powerful tools for the study of bat ecology. Many options are available for deploying acoustic detectors including various weatherproofing designs and microphone orientations, but the impacts of these options on the quantity and quality of the bat calls that are recorded are unknown. We compared the impacts of three microphone orientations (...

Students as Web Site Authors: Effects on Motivation and Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Brett D.

2003-01-01

This study examined the effects of a Web site design project on students' motivation and achievement. Tenth-grade biology students worked together in teams on an ecology project that required them to locate relevant information on the Internet, decide which information should be included on their Web site, organize the information into Web pages,…

Influence of Course in Medical Ethics and Law on Career Plans of Medical Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheng, Shi-Yann; Lin, Lih-Hwa; Kao, Chung-Han; Chan, Tzu-Min

2015-01-01

Background: The significant increase in medical disputes and lawsuits in recent years in Taiwan has severely affected behavior and ecology in medical practice. For this reason, we designed integrated courses on ethics and law and conducted a questionnaire-based career plan study to understand whether these issues influence their specialty…

Life - Past, Present and Future. Environmental Education Curriculum. Revised.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Topeka Public Schools, KS.

This unit attempts to interrelate the traditional biological science studies such as food webs, population changes and ecological succession to form a coherent picture of our world today, the factors that created it and the forces that continue to change it. Designed for use in the secondary schools, it is built around nine films and has seven…

Habitat networks for terrestrial wildlife: concepts and case studies

Treesearch

Mary M. Rowland; Michael J. Wisdom

2008-01-01

Species of conservation concern, which we define as species with rare or declining populations or habitats, often number in the hundreds or even thousands within a given ecosystem. Moreover, these species typically span a wide spectrum of taxa and are associated with a broad set of ecological characteristics and diverse management challenges. Management designed to...

A synopsis of short-term response to alternative restoration treatments in Sagebrush-Steppe: The SageSTEP Project

Treesearch

James McIver; Mark Brunson; Steve Bunting; Jeanne Chambers; Paul Doescher; James Grace; April Hulet; Dale Johnson; Steve Knick; Richard Miller; Mike Pellant; Fred Pierson; David Pyke; Benjamin Rau; Kim Rollins; Bruce Roundy; Eugene Schupp; Robin Tausch; Jason Williams

2014-01-01

The Sagebrush Steppe Treatment Evaluation Project (SageSTEP) is an integrated long-term study that evaluates ecological effects of alternative treatments designed to reduce woody fuels and to stimulate the herbaceous understory of sagebrush steppe communities of the Intermountain West. This synopsis summarizes results through 3 yr posttreatment. Woody vegetation...

Reading Nature from a "Bottom-Up" Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Magntorn, Ola; Hellden, Gustav

2007-01-01

This paper reports on a study of ecology teaching and learning in a Swedish primary school class (age 10-11 yrs). A teaching sequence was designed to help students read nature in a river ecosystem. The teaching sequence had a "bottom up" approach, taking as its starting point a common key organism--the freshwater shrimp. From this…

Engaging communities and climate change futures with Multi-Scale, Iterative Scenario Building (MISB) in the western United States

Treesearch

Daniel Murphy; Carina Wyborn; Laurie Yung; Daniel R. Williams; Cory Cleveland; Lisa Eby; Solomon Dobrowski; Erin Towler

2016-01-01

Current projections of future climate change foretell potentially transformative ecological changes that threaten communities globally. Using two case studies from the United States Intermountain West, this article highlights the ways in which a better articulation between theory and methods in research design can generate proactive applied tools that enable...

Swimming against the Tide: Characteristics of Muslim-Arab Women in Israel Who Initiated Divorce

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kulik, Liat; Klein, Dana

2010-01-01

The present study compared Muslim-Arab women in Israel who initiated divorce (n=45) with those who stayed in stressful marital relationships (n=46). Based on an ecological approach and using a cross-sectional design, we explored the differences between the two groups with regard to the following variables: personal resources (education, paid…

Eliminating the Textbook: Learning Science with Cell Phones

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tessier, Jack T.

2014-01-01

College faculty have myriad choices of resources for their students when designing courses. The rising prices of textbooks and the availability of cell phones with internet access open the question of using cell phones in the classroom. In this study, I compared student learning in an ecology course between a semester in which a textbook was used…

Task Design and Skill Level Perceptions of Middle School Students toward Competition in Dance-Related Active Gaming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernstein, Eve; Gibbone, Anne; Rukavina, Paul

2015-01-01

In this study, we drew upon McCaughtry, Tischler, and Flory's (2008) reconceptualized ecological framework to examine middle school students' perceptions (N = 391) of competition in physical education, specifically after participating in noncompetitive and competitive active gaming (AG) sessions. Chi-square tests of independence were computed on…

Implementing a Social-Ecological Model of Health in Wales

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rothwell, Heather; Shepherd, Michael; Murphy, Simon; Burgess, Stephen; Townsend, Nick; Pimm, Claire

2010-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to assess the implementation of the Welsh Network of Healthy School Schemes (WNHSS) at national, local and school levels, using a systems approach drawing on the Ottawa Charter. Design/methodology/approach: The approach takes the form of a single-case study using data from a documentary analysis, interviews…

The Impact of Community Involvement on the Success of Schoolyard Ecosystem Restoration/Education Programs: A Case Study Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cline, Shannon; Cronin-Jones, Linda; Johnson, Courtney; Hakverdi, Meral; Penwell, Rebecca

Schoolyard ecosystem programs, such as mini-farms, gardens, or nature trails on school grounds, are usually designed to promote greater insight and understanding of ecological relationships and develop an appreciation of an individual's responsibility for environmental quality. This paper focuses on evaluation practices of schoolyard habitat…

Normative Study of the Functional Assessment of Verbal Reasoning and Executive Strategies (FAVRES) Test in the French-Canadian Population

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marcotte, Karine; McSween, Marie-Pier; Pouliot, Monica; Martineau, Sarah; Pauze, Anne-Marie; Wiseman-Hakes, Catherine; MacDonald, Sheila

2017-01-01

Purpose: The Functional Assessment of Verbal Reasoning and Executive Strategies (FAVRES; MacDonald, 2005) test was designed for use by speech-language pathologists to assess verbal reasoning, complex comprehension, discourse, and executive skills during performance on a set of challenging and ecologically valid functional tasks. A recent French…

The notions of resilience in spatial planning for drought - flood coexistence (DFC) at regional scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trong Hoa, Nguyen; Vinh, Nguyen Quoc

2018-04-01

The notions of urban resilience and resilient city has been developed in the 2000s [1], four decades since the first concept of ecological resilience was originally introduced in the 1970s by ecologist C.S. Holling [2]. However, they have attracted great attentions and interests, in both academia and urban governance, then in planning practice over recent years. The first two sections of this paper examine the term resilience in ecological systems, urban systems, in spatial planning and in urban design. Specific attention of the paper, introduced in the third part, is to investigate resilience in the context of drought-flood coexistence (DFC), revolving two key objects and their interactions: DFC and urban at regional scale. Flood and drought events, in their turns intertwine in natural correlation, which is also reviewed. These relationships are literally investigated, to prove that they interplay mutually with each other, and that once a city develops in relation with water cycle at a regional context, in arid zone, not only hydrological drought could be regionally decreased, but human-induced floods could be ecologically regulated. The study concludes in the fourth, together with lessons from relevant case studies in America, China, with some principles on spatial planning, resilient/adaptive to DFC, which could be ecologically managed in correlation with urban development on a sustainable pathway.