1,720,962 research outputs found
A social-ecological perspective on urban biodiversity and its effects on ecosystem services
No full textBy 2050, more than two-thirds of the global population will live in cities. These areas are continuously subject to environmental impacts, such as climate change, threatening human health and well-being. A crucial strategy to mitigate these impacts is through the implementation of urban green infrastructure. However, the distribution, composition, and benefits of green spaces and green elements are shaped by social and ecological factors that can act as biodiversity filters. To enhance urban livability, assessing these local drivers and modeling ecosystem services at high spatial resolutions is essential for maximizing benefits. The general aim of this thesis was to categorize and model the social and ecological mediators of various biodiversity facets within green infrastructure and provide insights into local factors influencing climate regulation. This is particularly relevant for urban areas in the Mediterranean basin, which are highly vulnerable to climate change. Specifically, this thesis 1) Proposed a conceptual “Socio-Ecological Traits Framework” that explores linkages between species traits, social-ecological filters, and ecosystem services; 2) Analyzed the distribution of neighborhood trees’ abundance and diversity (both taxonomic and functional), and functional groups at multiple scales in Lisbon, Portugal; 3) Modelled the influence of social-ecological factors on these trees; and, 4) Modelled the influence of green infrastructure and local contexts on climate regulation at high spatial resolutions. We categorized the ecological factors into urban abiotic and biotic dimensions and social factors into socio-cultural, economic, and governance dimensions, which affect human interactions with urban nature. Our findings reveal that: i) Social factors significantly influence urban tree abundance, taxonomic and functional diversity, and functional groups’ distribution, while ecological factors affect abundance; ii) Higher values of abundance and diversity are observed in the most urbanized areas, which are dominated by a few species; iii) Urban trees can be categorized into different functional groups with potential contrasting resilience to disturbances and complementary ecosystem services delivery; iv) Tree canopy and urban morphology greatly influence microclimate regulation. These results underscore the importance of considering local factors to understand biodiversity facets and ecosystem services delivery, providing valuable insights for urban planning aimed at creating more livable and sustainable cities
A social-ecological perspective on urban biodiversity and its effects on ecosystem services
No full textBy 2050, more than two-thirds of the global population will live in cities. These areas are continuously subject to environmental impacts, such as climate change, threatening human health and well-being. A crucial strategy to mitigate these impacts is through the implementation of urban green infrastructure. However, the distribution, composition, and benefits of green spaces and green elements are shaped by social and ecological factors that can act as biodiversity filters. To enhance urban livability, assessing these local drivers and modeling ecosystem services at high spatial resolutions is essential for maximizing benefits. The general aim of this thesis was to categorize and model the social and ecological mediators of various biodiversity facets within green infrastructure and provide insights into local factors influencing climate regulation. This is particularly relevant for urban areas in the Mediterranean basin, which are highly vulnerable to climate change. Specifically, this thesis 1) Proposed a conceptual “Socio-Ecological Traits Framework” that explores linkages between species traits, social-ecological filters, and ecosystem services; 2) Analyzed the distribution of neighborhood trees’ abundance and diversity (both taxonomic and functional), and functional groups at multiple scales in Lisbon, Portugal; 3) Modelled the influence of social-ecological factors on these trees; and, 4) Modelled the influence of green infrastructure and local contexts on climate regulation at high spatial resolutions. We categorized the ecological factors into urban abiotic and biotic dimensions and social factors into socio-cultural, economic, and governance dimensions, which affect human interactions with urban nature. Our findings reveal that: i) Social factors significantly influence urban tree abundance, taxonomic and functional diversity, and functional groups’ distribution, while ecological factors affect abundance; ii) Higher values of abundance and diversity are observed in the most urbanized areas, which are dominated by a few species; iii) Urban trees can be categorized into different functional groups with potential contrasting resilience to disturbances and complementary ecosystem services delivery; iv) Tree canopy and urban morphology greatly influence microclimate regulation. These results underscore the importance of considering local factors to understand biodiversity facets and ecosystem services delivery, providing valuable insights for urban planning aimed at creating more livable and sustainable cities
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
Influência de factores locais no uso das galerias ripícolas por carnívoros num ambiente mediterrânico
No full textTese de mestrado. Biologia (Biologia da Conservação). Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências, 2013As galerias ripícolas são elementos estruturantes das paisagens Mediterrânicas e a sua importância para os carnívoros tem sido amplamente demonstrada, já que lhes proporcionam refúgio, alimento e água. Contudo, a humanização da paisagem tem conduzido à degradação destes elementos paisagísticos com consequências que importa explorar. Com o intuito de avaliar, de forma expedita, a qualidade destes elementos paisagísticos, foi criado o índice da Qualidade das Galerias Ripícolas (QBR) que avalia a cobertura total ripícola, estrutura e qualidade da cobertura e alterações do canal. Neste estudo, realizado na Companhia das Lezírias, foi desenvolvida uma adaptação deste índice considerando os requisitos dos mesocarnívoros. Analisaram-se as variações de qualidade em sectores sucessivos de uma galeria ripícola, através da avaliação da cobertura total ripícola, estrutura da cobertura, factores de perturbação e disponibilidade de alimento, considerando neste último parâmetro, frutos, insectos, lagostins, pequenos mamíferos e lagomorfos. Foi testada a associação entre a qualidade da galeria ripícola e o seu uso pelos carnívoros considerados, tendo este sido avaliado através de foto-armadilhagem e contagem de indícios de presença. De um modo geral, o uso da galeria pelos carnívoros apresentou flutuações espaciais mas não temporais. No total foram detectadas 6 espécies de carnívoros, sendo que a que mais utiliza a galeria é a raposa, correspondendo possivelmente à sua maior abundância na área. As flutuações na qualidade do habitat entre os diferentes sectores pareceram coincidir com as flutuações encontradas no uso das galerias pelos carnívoros. Assim, quando se consideraram as quatro estações do ano, as pontuações do QBR adaptado mostraram-se positivamente correlacionadas com o uso das galerias pelos carnívoros, havendo uma tendência para locais com melhor qualidade serem mais utilizados pelos carnívoros. Uma tendência semelhante foi observada quando se considerou o QBR original. Quando se compararam as pontuações do índice QBR original com as do QBR adaptado, verificou-se que são positivamente correlacionadas o que sugere que o Índice QBR original poderá ser um bom indicador para avaliar a qualidade do habitat para os mesocarnívoros. A avaliação das características ambientais ligadas à sobrevivência ou presença das espécies pode servir como orientação para a prática da conservação, beneficiando as populações de mamíferos carnívoros das paisagens Mediterrânicas. Contudo, para abordagens espacialmente mais vastas, a utilização do QBR original pode servir como um bom indicador da presença de mesocarnívoros e ser útil na definição de estratégias de investigação e monitorização.Riparian galleries are structural elements of Mediterranean landscapes and their importance for carnivores has been widely demonstrated, since they provide shelter, food and water. However, the humanization of the landscape has led to the degradation of these landscape elements with consequences that should be explored. In order to evaluate, in an expeditious manner, the quality of these landscape elements, the quality of riparian galleries index was created (QBR) which evaluates the total riparian cover, structure and quality of the cover and channel alterations. In this study, in “Companhia das Lezírias”, an adaptation of the QBR index was developed, considering the requirements of mesocarnivores. The changes of quality were analyzed in successive sectors of a riparian gallery, through the assessment of total riparian cover, cover structure, disturbance factors and food availability, being consided, in the latter parameter, fruits, insects, crayfish, small mammals and lagomorphs. The association between the quality of the riparian gallery and its use by carnivores was tested, being the latter evaluated through photo trapping and evidence of presence. In general, the use of the gallery showed spatial fluctuations but not temporal. In total there were found 6 species of carnivores, and the specie that most used the gallery was the fox, possibly corresponding to its greater abundance in the area. Fluctuations in habitat quality between sectors seemed to coincide with the fluctuations found in the use of riparian galleries by carnivores. Thus, when considering all the four seasons, the scores of the adapted QBR were positively correlated with the use of the galleries by carnivores with a tendency for places with better quality to be more used by carnivores. A similar trend was observed when considering the original QBR. When comparing the scores of the original QBR with the scores from the adapted QBR it was found a positive correlation, suggesting that the original QBR may be a good indicator for evaluating the quality of habitat for mesocarnivores. The assessment of the environmental characteristics related to the presence or survival of species can serve as guidance for the practice of conservation, benefiting the populations of carnivorous mammals of Mediterranean landscapes. However, for spatially wider approaches, using the original QBR can serve as a good indicator for the presence of mesocarnivores, being useful in the development of strategies for research and monitoring
Influência de factores locais no uso das galerias ripícolas por carnívoros num ambiente mediterrânico
No full textTese de mestrado. Biologia (Biologia da Conservação). Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências, 2013As galerias ripícolas são elementos estruturantes das paisagens Mediterrânicas e a sua importância para os carnívoros tem sido amplamente demonstrada, já que lhes proporcionam refúgio, alimento e água. Contudo, a humanização da paisagem tem conduzido à degradação destes elementos paisagísticos com consequências que importa explorar. Com o intuito de avaliar, de forma expedita, a qualidade destes elementos paisagísticos, foi criado o índice da Qualidade das Galerias Ripícolas (QBR) que avalia a cobertura total ripícola, estrutura e qualidade da cobertura e alterações do canal. Neste estudo, realizado na Companhia das Lezírias, foi desenvolvida uma adaptação deste índice considerando os requisitos dos mesocarnívoros. Analisaram-se as variações de qualidade em sectores sucessivos de uma galeria ripícola, através da avaliação da cobertura total ripícola, estrutura da cobertura, factores de perturbação e disponibilidade de alimento, considerando neste último parâmetro, frutos, insectos, lagostins, pequenos mamíferos e lagomorfos. Foi testada a associação entre a qualidade da galeria ripícola e o seu uso pelos carnívoros considerados, tendo este sido avaliado através de foto-armadilhagem e contagem de indícios de presença. De um modo geral, o uso da galeria pelos carnívoros apresentou flutuações espaciais mas não temporais. No total foram detectadas 6 espécies de carnívoros, sendo que a que mais utiliza a galeria é a raposa, correspondendo possivelmente à sua maior abundância na área. As flutuações na qualidade do habitat entre os diferentes sectores pareceram coincidir com as flutuações encontradas no uso das galerias pelos carnívoros. Assim, quando se consideraram as quatro estações do ano, as pontuações do QBR adaptado mostraram-se positivamente correlacionadas com o uso das galerias pelos carnívoros, havendo uma tendência para locais com melhor qualidade serem mais utilizados pelos carnívoros. Uma tendência semelhante foi observada quando se considerou o QBR original. Quando se compararam as pontuações do índice QBR original com as do QBR adaptado, verificou-se que são positivamente correlacionadas o que sugere que o Índice QBR original poderá ser um bom indicador para avaliar a qualidade do habitat para os mesocarnívoros. A avaliação das características ambientais ligadas à sobrevivência ou presença das espécies pode servir como orientação para a prática da conservação, beneficiando as populações de mamíferos carnívoros das paisagens Mediterrânicas. Contudo, para abordagens espacialmente mais vastas, a utilização do QBR original pode servir como um bom indicador da presença de mesocarnívoros e ser útil na definição de estratégias de investigação e monitorização.Riparian galleries are structural elements of Mediterranean landscapes and their importance for carnivores has been widely demonstrated, since they provide shelter, food and water. However, the humanization of the landscape has led to the degradation of these landscape elements with consequences that should be explored. In order to evaluate, in an expeditious manner, the quality of these landscape elements, the quality of riparian galleries index was created (QBR) which evaluates the total riparian cover, structure and quality of the cover and channel alterations. In this study, in “Companhia das Lezírias”, an adaptation of the QBR index was developed, considering the requirements of mesocarnivores. The changes of quality were analyzed in successive sectors of a riparian gallery, through the assessment of total riparian cover, cover structure, disturbance factors and food availability, being consided, in the latter parameter, fruits, insects, crayfish, small mammals and lagomorphs. The association between the quality of the riparian gallery and its use by carnivores was tested, being the latter evaluated through photo trapping and evidence of presence. In general, the use of the gallery showed spatial fluctuations but not temporal. In total there were found 6 species of carnivores, and the specie that most used the gallery was the fox, possibly corresponding to its greater abundance in the area. Fluctuations in habitat quality between sectors seemed to coincide with the fluctuations found in the use of riparian galleries by carnivores. Thus, when considering all the four seasons, the scores of the adapted QBR were positively correlated with the use of the galleries by carnivores with a tendency for places with better quality to be more used by carnivores. A similar trend was observed when considering the original QBR. When comparing the scores of the original QBR with the scores from the adapted QBR it was found a positive correlation, suggesting that the original QBR may be a good indicator for evaluating the quality of habitat for mesocarnivores. The assessment of the environmental characteristics related to the presence or survival of species can serve as guidance for the practice of conservation, benefiting the populations of carnivorous mammals of Mediterranean landscapes. However, for spatially wider approaches, using the original QBR can serve as a good indicator for the presence of mesocarnivores, being useful in the development of strategies for research and monitoring
Influência de factores locais no uso das galerias ripícolas por carnívoros num ambiente mediterrânico
No full textTese de mestrado. Biologia (Biologia da Conservação). Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências, 2013As galerias ripícolas são elementos estruturantes das paisagens Mediterrânicas e a sua importância para os carnívoros tem sido amplamente demonstrada, já que lhes proporcionam refúgio, alimento e água. Contudo, a humanização da paisagem tem conduzido à degradação destes elementos paisagísticos com consequências que importa explorar. Com o intuito de avaliar, de forma expedita, a qualidade destes elementos paisagísticos, foi criado o índice da Qualidade das Galerias Ripícolas (QBR) que avalia a cobertura total ripícola, estrutura e qualidade da cobertura e alterações do canal. Neste estudo, realizado na Companhia das Lezírias, foi desenvolvida uma adaptação deste índice considerando os requisitos dos mesocarnívoros. Analisaram-se as variações de qualidade em sectores sucessivos de uma galeria ripícola, através da avaliação da cobertura total ripícola, estrutura da cobertura, factores de perturbação e disponibilidade de alimento, considerando neste último parâmetro, frutos, insectos, lagostins, pequenos mamíferos e lagomorfos. Foi testada a associação entre a qualidade da galeria ripícola e o seu uso pelos carnívoros considerados, tendo este sido avaliado através de foto-armadilhagem e contagem de indícios de presença. De um modo geral, o uso da galeria pelos carnívoros apresentou flutuações espaciais mas não temporais. No total foram detectadas 6 espécies de carnívoros, sendo que a que mais utiliza a galeria é a raposa, correspondendo possivelmente à sua maior abundância na área. As flutuações na qualidade do habitat entre os diferentes sectores pareceram coincidir com as flutuações encontradas no uso das galerias pelos carnívoros. Assim, quando se consideraram as quatro estações do ano, as pontuações do QBR adaptado mostraram-se positivamente correlacionadas com o uso das galerias pelos carnívoros, havendo uma tendência para locais com melhor qualidade serem mais utilizados pelos carnívoros. Uma tendência semelhante foi observada quando se considerou o QBR original. Quando se compararam as pontuações do índice QBR original com as do QBR adaptado, verificou-se que são positivamente correlacionadas o que sugere que o Índice QBR original poderá ser um bom indicador para avaliar a qualidade do habitat para os mesocarnívoros. A avaliação das características ambientais ligadas à sobrevivência ou presença das espécies pode servir como orientação para a prática da conservação, beneficiando as populações de mamíferos carnívoros das paisagens Mediterrânicas. Contudo, para abordagens espacialmente mais vastas, a utilização do QBR original pode servir como um bom indicador da presença de mesocarnívoros e ser útil na definição de estratégias de investigação e monitorização.Riparian galleries are structural elements of Mediterranean landscapes and their importance for carnivores has been widely demonstrated, since they provide shelter, food and water. However, the humanization of the landscape has led to the degradation of these landscape elements with consequences that should be explored. In order to evaluate, in an expeditious manner, the quality of these landscape elements, the quality of riparian galleries index was created (QBR) which evaluates the total riparian cover, structure and quality of the cover and channel alterations. In this study, in “Companhia das Lezírias”, an adaptation of the QBR index was developed, considering the requirements of mesocarnivores. The changes of quality were analyzed in successive sectors of a riparian gallery, through the assessment of total riparian cover, cover structure, disturbance factors and food availability, being consided, in the latter parameter, fruits, insects, crayfish, small mammals and lagomorphs. The association between the quality of the riparian gallery and its use by carnivores was tested, being the latter evaluated through photo trapping and evidence of presence. In general, the use of the gallery showed spatial fluctuations but not temporal. In total there were found 6 species of carnivores, and the specie that most used the gallery was the fox, possibly corresponding to its greater abundance in the area. Fluctuations in habitat quality between sectors seemed to coincide with the fluctuations found in the use of riparian galleries by carnivores. Thus, when considering all the four seasons, the scores of the adapted QBR were positively correlated with the use of the galleries by carnivores with a tendency for places with better quality to be more used by carnivores. A similar trend was observed when considering the original QBR. When comparing the scores of the original QBR with the scores from the adapted QBR it was found a positive correlation, suggesting that the original QBR may be a good indicator for evaluating the quality of habitat for mesocarnivores. The assessment of the environmental characteristics related to the presence or survival of species can serve as guidance for the practice of conservation, benefiting the populations of carnivorous mammals of Mediterranean landscapes. However, for spatially wider approaches, using the original QBR can serve as a good indicator for the presence of mesocarnivores, being useful in the development of strategies for research and monitoring
Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts
Full text linkWe conducted a full-scale evaluative citation analysis study of scholars in the XML research field to explore just how different from each other author rankings resulting from different citation counting methods actually are, and to demonstrate the capability of emerging data and tools on the Web in supporting more realistic citation counting methods. Our results contest some common arguments for the continued
use of first-author citation counts in the evaluation of scholars, such as high correlations between author rankings by first-author citation counts and other citation
counting methods, and high costs of using more realistic citation counting methods that are not well-supported by the ISI databases. It is argued that increasingly available digital full text research papers make it possible for citation analysis studies to go beyond what the ISI databases have directly supported and to employ more
sophisticated methods
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