470 research outputs found
Amphibian diversity in Amazonian flooded forests of Peru
No full textGlobal biodiversity is currently facing the sixth mass extinction, with extinction rates at least 100 times higher than background levels. The Amazon Basin has the richest amphibian fauna in South America, but there remain significant gaps in our knowledge of the drivers of diversity in this region and how amphibian assemblages are responding to environmental change.
Surveys were conducted in the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve (PSNR) in Amazonian Peru, with a view to (1) comparing assemblage structure on floating meadows and adjacent terrestrial habitats; (2) determining the predictors of diversity in these habitats; and (3) exploring the effects of disturbance and seasonal flooding on diversity measures. Eighty-one species of amphibians have been recorded in these habitats since 1996 representing 11 families and three orders. In 2012-2013 22 anuran species used the floating meadow habitat, of which 10 were floating meadow specialists. These specialists were predominantly hylids which breed on floating meadows all the year round. Floating meadows therefore host an assemblage of species which is different to that found in adjacent terrestrial areas which are subject to seasonal flooding. Floating meadows enhance the amphibian diversity of the region, and rafts of vegetation that break away and disperse frogs downstream may explain the wide distribution of hylids within the Amazon Basin.
Fourteen different reproductive modes were represented within the 54 anuran species observed. The number of reproductive modes present was influenced by localised disturbance and seasonal flooding. Diversity increased in the low water period, with hylids breeding in temporary pools. When the forest is inundated most species disperse away from the flood waters.
Disturbance, habitat change, emerging diseases and climate change would likely lead to changes in species composition and assemblage structure rather than wholescale extinctions. However, further studies are needed to evaluate long-term consequences of synergistic environmental change
Single Second Laser Annealed CuInSe2 Semiconductors from Electrodeposited Precursors as Absorber Layers for Solar Cells
No full textpeer reviewe
The changing face of the Constantia Valley a temporal study of land use change in a heritage landscape
No full textIncludes bibliographical references.The study of land use change and urban morphology requires a multi-layered approach. Case studies are needed to gain an understanding of the local factors that are driving land use change and forming urban landscapes. This study will provide a temporal perspective on land use change in the Constantia Valley, a high income suburb on the outskirts of Cape Town. It will contextualise the efforts to conserve its heritage and, furthermore, attempt to explain the factors underlying the observed changes in the urban form. This study, through the use of Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping and a series of interviews, examines how and why the urban form of the Constantia Valley has changed. Finally, based on the findings the possible future urban form of Constantia will be considered
Nobel Laureate Anthony J Leggett: A scientometric portrait
No full textThis paper attempts to analyse the publication productivity of Anthony J. Leggett, the 2003 Nobel Prize winner in physics. His contributions peaked in 1987, 1994, and 1998 with 10 papers each. He had 194 publications during 1964 - 2004 in domains like Superfluid 3He (65), Foundations of Quantum Mechanics (36), Dissipative Quantum Systems (24), Atomic Alkali Gases (18), and Miscellaneous (51)which were analysed for authorship pattern with his 70 collaborators. Most active collaborators with Anthony J Leggett were: A. Garg with six papers and A. O. MCaldeira, D. M. Ginsberg, D. J. Vanharlingen , F. Sols, S.Takagi and D. A. Wollman with five papers each. His productivity coefficient was 0.60 which clearly indicates that his productivity
increased after 50 percentile age. The highest degree of collaboration (1) for Anthony J. Leggett was found during 1964, 1971 and 1983. Journals have been the most preferred channel of communication, where as many as 139 papers out of 194 have been published. The core journals publishing his papers were: Phys. Rev. Leu. (42), Phys. Rev. B (9), J. Low Temp. Phys. (8),Phys. Rev. A (7), Ann. Phys. (6), Foundations of physics (6), J. Phys.(5), Prog. Theor: Phys. (5), and Rev. Mod. Phys. (5).Publication density was 3.02 and publication concentration was 3.59
Comparison of water velocity profiles through morphologically dissimilar seagrasses measured with a simple and inexpensive current meter
No full textThe influence of seagrass morphology on water flow was studied by measuring water velocity profiles through natural seagrass meadows. An array of eight solid-state electronic current meters was used to obtain profiles through meadows of Amphibolis griffithii (Cymodoceaceae), a seagrass which possesses a profusely-branched erect stem with terminal leaf clusters, and two strap-like seagrasses, Posidonia australis and P. sinuosa (Posidoniaceae). Significant differences were observed in the shapes of velocity profiles of the different seagrass species; in particular, a region of high water velocity was observed beneath the leafy canopy of Amphibolis, but not in the Posidonia canopy. There is a strong correlation between the water velocity profile of Amphibolis plants and the distribution of leaf biomass, highlighting the influence of the 'stem-and-leaf cluster' morphology on the velocity profile. The unusual velocity profile of Amphibolis has implications for the ecology of these ecosystems, and sediment stability in particular. The solid-state electronic current meters used in this study were found to be an effective and inexpensive means of measuring water velocity profiles in seagrass canopies
Famous Business Fusions: Ideas that Revolutionized Industries/ CJ Meadows.
No full textIn English.Where do startup founders and product developers get radical, high-value ideas? This book presents innovation behind-the-scenes stories from companies such as Apple, Airbnb, Coca-Cola, Google, P&G, Uber, and more. It reveals where the ideas came from and provides guidance on how you, too, can combine unlikely ideas to create new offerings and startup ventures by integrating industries, fields, technologies, and people. Famous Fusions discusses how an idea from one place, transported somewhere new, can lead to radically creative innovation. The book is replete with stories of lateral thinking or "fusion" that inspire you to think bigger, discover deeper insights, sense real opportunities and craft high-value fusion. This book is essential reading for those interested in new inventions, innovation and entrepreneurship; business leaders and consultants involved in innovation and new product or service development; and academics seeking material on business innovation and startups.Frontmatter -- Advance Praise for Famous Business Fusions -- Acknowledgments -- Contents -- About the Author -- Introduction and How Fusion Can Help You -- Chapter 1 Art and Music -- Chapter 2 Biomimicry -- Chapter 3 Consumer Products and Retailing -- Chapter 4 Entertainment -- Chapter 5 Everyday Inventions -- Chapter 6 Healthcare -- Chapter 7 Leaders and Organizations -- Chapter 8 Science -- Chapter 9 Services -- Chapter 10 Technology -- Chapter 11 Travel and Housing -- Conclusions: How You, Too, Can Combine Unlikely Ideas to Create Radical Value -- Bibliography -- Index.1 online resource (1 volume)
J Environ Health
No full textThe National Environmental Health Association strives to provide up-to-date and relevant information on environmental health and to build partnerships in the profession. In pursuit of these goals, we feature this column on environmental health services from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in every issue of the |. In these columns, authors from CDC's Water, Food, and Environmental Health Services Branch, as well as guest authors, will share tools, resources, and guidance for environmental health practitioners. The conclusions in these columns are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position of CDC. Traci Augustosky leads a team of writer-editors at the National Center for Environmental Health within CDC. Kathleen Walker is a senior content strategist who creates plain language health content that educates and inspires behavior change. Dr. Allison Chatham is a health communications specialist at the National Center for Environmental Health within CDC. Don Meadows is a technical writer-editor for the CDC Office of Communication. Yvanna Marlin-Guanga is a project manager who leads CommunicateHealth teams in creating inclusive products that educate, inform, and empower various audiences.CC999999/ImCDC/Intramural CDC HHSUnited States
Brigham Young, the Quorum of the Twelve, and the Latter-Day Saint investigation of the Mountain Meadows Massacre
No full textSeptermber 21, 2006.Includes bibliographical references.On September 11, 1857, a wagon train of emigrants passing through the Utah Territory on their way to California were massacred at Mountain Meadows. Although today's historians agree that the principal perpetrators were members of the Mormon militia in southern Utah, how much the central Mormon leadership, especially Brigham Young at the top, knew about the massacre, when and how they learned about it, and the extent of a cover up afterward are still matters of controversy and debate
Scientometric portrait of Nobel laureate Leland H. Hartwell
No full textLeland H. Hartwell was honoured with the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (2001) at his 62 years age and at 41 years of research publishing career. The first contribution of the author was in 1961 at the age of 22. The number of his contributions in a year peaked in 1997 when it touched 8. He had 108 publications during 1961 – 2001 in domains: Molecular Biology of Cell Cycle Regulation (43), Genetics of Cell Division (48), Genomic Re-arrangement and DNA Repair (9), Molecular Genetics of Yeast Cell Fission (5), and Drug Target Interaction (3) which were analysed for authorship pattern with his 101 collaborators. Most active researchers having number of publications with Leland H. Hartwell were : Weinert, T. A. (10), Garvik, B. M. (8), McLaughlin, C. S. (8), Jenness, D. D. (5). His productivity coefficient was 0.76 which clearly indicates that his productivity increased after 50 percentile age. Highest collaboration coefficient (1) for Leland H. Hartwell was found during 1963-1965, 1968-1969, 1977, 1981-1983, 1985-1990, 1996 and 1998-2001. Journals have been the most preferred channel of communication where, as many as 96 papers out of 108 have been published. The core journals publishing his papers were: Cell (14), Genetics (12), Mol. Cell Biol. (8), J. Bactariol. (7), J. Cell Biol. ( 7), Science (7) J. Mol. Biol.(6), Exp. Cell Res. (5), and Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci.(5). Publication density is 2.63 and Publication concentration is 14.63. Most prolific keywords in titles of publications were: Saccharomyces cerevisiae , Yeast , Cell division cycle , RAD9, DNA Damage , Genes , Cell cycle, Genetic control , Check point (s) , Cell division , Mutant of Yeast
Patterns of floristic diversity in wet meadows and fens of the southern Sierra Nevada, California, USA
No full text2011 Summer.Includes bibliographical references.Wetlands are often described as important contributors to species diversity, but this contribution has seldom been quantified. In mountain regions, wetlands often occur as geographically isolated habitats in a matrix of forest, shrub, or dry meadow communities, providing important ecosystem services and increased habitat heterogeneity. The goal of this study was to quantify the contribution of wet meadows and fens to the floristic species richness of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in California, USA, and assess variables that influence species richness and composition in wetlands and broad vegetation assemblages. Park-wide inventory data were used from 687 samples to identify broad-scale vegetation assemblages and compare species richness values among assemblages. Data were grouped using an iterative clustering procedure able to handle highly heterogeneous data ranging from alpine talus to montane meadows. Species richness in vegetation assemblages were compared using a series of complementary methods including: Shannon's and Simpson's Indices, Coleman Rarefaction curves, and 'Chao 2' non-parametric species richness estimator curves. Classification and regression trees (CART) were used to describe the variables influencing species richness and composition in vegetation assemblages. A combination of ordination and classification was used to interpret vegetation pattern in wet meadows and fens. Cluster analysis identified 10 broad vegetation assemblages. Species richness indices and estimator curves revealed that Montane Wet Meadows, Subalpine Wet Meadows, and Lower Montane Woodlands and Chaparral were the most species rich assemblages. Combined Montane and Subalpine Wet Meadows had the highest species richness values of all groups, even though they occupied only 2% of the almost 350,000 hectare survey area. Wet Meadows were found to be important to species richness across the study area as well as being highly complementary to other vegetation assemblages in the park. Lower Montane Woodlands and Chaparral also make important contributions to species richness and occupy 6.5% of the survey area. CART models indicated that elevation, topographic wetness, and slope were important to species richness and vegetation assembly. This study suggests that a simple series of complementary methods can be used to analyze inventory data to assess patterns of species richness at landscape scales. These findings can inform future monitoring efforts and the protection of diverse habitats in montane regions
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