bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Acquisitions of Chinese State‐Owned Enterprises by Multinational Corporations: Driving Forces, Barriers and Implications for HRM
Authors: Cooke Fang Lee
Published: February 2006

This article explores the driving forces for, barriers to, and trends and patterns of acquisition of Chinese state‐owned enterprises (SOEs) by foreign investment and its implications for HRM and the experience of work for the workers. It questions the level of objectives alignment between the Chinese side and the FDI during the acquisition of Chinese SOEs. Issues related to the Chinese managerial skills and behaviour in acquisition negotiation are discussed as well as the policy making, administrative and practical role of the local government. The article argues that FDI's acquisition of Chinese firms creates unique management issues which require further research, particularly in the area of HRM, in order to establish the likely similarities and differences between acquisitions in other countries and those taking place in China and the implications of this for the globalizing businesses.
The dangers of corruption in special needs education
Authors: Daniels Harry
Published: February 2006

This article is based on the text of the Gulliford Lecture given by Professor Harry Daniels at the University of Birmingham in October 2005. Professor Daniels takes, as his starting point, Ron Gulliford's assertion that teachers need to learn from their experience of trying to teach children who are ‘hard to teach’. He goes on to look at the process of categorisation, which he identifies as a sociocultural and highly context‐dependent process. Harry Daniels explores the pressures in favour of categorisation experienced by parents and professionals alike and notes some of the uses to which categorisations of learners are put. In concluding his article, Harry Daniels contrasts the current rhetoric about the personalisation of learning with the kinds of ‘simplistic protocols or magic answers’ that are often assumed to follow from categorisation. He argues that glib responses like these run counter to the reflective and dialogic principles established by Ron Gulliford and colleagues two decades ago.
The importance of awareness and communication for the inclusion of young people with life‐limiting and life‐threatening conditions in mainstream schools and colleges
Authors: Asprey Anthea , Nash Tricia
Published: February 2006

Anthea Asprey and Tricia Nash both belong to the Children's Hospice South West Research Group, based at the University of Exeter. In this article, they report one aspect of a research project designed to determine the adequacy of support for young people with life‐limiting and life‐threatening conditions in the education system. They describe here a set of findings drawn from interviews with parents whose children attended LEA‐maintained mainstream schools and colleges of further education. They focus particularly on parents' perceptions of the levels of awareness of their children's needs and concerns and the consequent impact upon their successful inclusion in mainstream education. The findings show clearly that awareness of the needs and difficulties of these young people was seriously lacking. The issue of poor communication, both between school and home and between education and health agencies, was a central concern. Anthea Asprey and Tricia Nash discuss the influence of two models of disability (the medical model and the social model) upon educational practice with regard to these young people. Despite the difficulties reported here, some encouraging and helpful reports of good practice also emerged from the interviews, indicating that inclusion for these young people is not an impossible goal.
Provision for students with learning difficulties in general colleges of further education – have we been going round in circles?
Authors: Wright Anne‐Marie
Published: February 2006

In this article, Anne‐Marie Wright, lecturer at the University of Chester, considers the current situation for students with severe learn i n g difficulties in general colleges of further education. She presents findings from a critical review of the literature and a small‐scale preliminary investigation which set out to explore the idea that, despite radical changes to the special school sector and to the structure and organisation of further education, provision in colleges of further education for these students is poorly focused. Students with severe learning difficulties experience provision that is, at best, circuitous and repetitive and that, at worst, leads individuals back into dependence, unemployment and social segregation. Using the outcomes of her own interviews and the scrutiny of inspection reports, Anne‐Marie Wright provides a searching critique of current practice and an interesting set of recommendations for ways in which the situation could be radically reviewed and improved.
Early identification of special educational needs and the definition of ‘at risk’: The Early Years Transition and Special Educational Needs (EYTSEN) Project
Authors: Taggart Brenda , Sammons Pam , Smees Rebecca , Sylva Kathy , Melhuish Edward , Siraj‐Blatchford Iram , Elliot Karen , Lunt Ingrid
Published: February 2006

Education in the early years is a key element in the Government's current strategy. Recently, the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) funded a major study of Effective Provision of Pre‐School Education (EPPE). The Early Years Transition and Special Educational Needs (EYTSEN) Project developed from the EPPE research and was also funded by the DfES. The authors of this article, Brenda Taggart, Pam Sammons, Rebecca Smees, Kathy Sylva, Edward Melhuish, Iram Siraj‐Blatchford, Karen Elliott and Ingrid Lunt, all worked on the EYTSEN Project, based at the Institute of Education, University of London. In this article, they provide a summary of the findings from the EYTSEN Project, reviewing the impact of pre‐school provision on children said to be ‘at risk’ of developing special educational needs. They suggest that pre‐school experience has a positive impact on cognitive attainment and social or behavioural development and that integrated centres (where education and care are fully combined) and nursery schools have the most positive influence among the different f o rms of pre‐school provision. This paper also discusses the identification of special educational needs; quality in pre‐school centres; parents' perspectives; and future developments. The article closes with a call for improved training for practitioners working in early years settings.
Double Hierarchical Generalized Linear Models (With Discussion)
Authors: Lee Youngjo , Nelder John A.
Published: February 2006

We propose a class of double hierarchical generalized linear models in which random effects can be specified for both the mean and dispersion. Heteroscedasticity between clusters can be modelled by introducing random effects in the dispersion model, as is heterogeneity between clusters in the mean model. This class will, among other things, enable models with heavy-tailed distributions to be explored, providing robust estimation against outliers. The h-likelihood provides a unified framework for this new class of models and gives a single algorithm for fitting all members of the class. This algorithm does not require quadrature or prior probabilities.
THE PRIVATE FINANCE INITIATIVE IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Authors: Ball Rob , King David
Published: March 2006

This paper distinguishes between the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) and the more general Public Private Partnerships (PPP). It traces the growth of the initiative since its start in 1992 to the current day and considers the implications of PFI for the public finances. A number of economic issues are discussed including bidding costs, financing costs and whole life costing. The importance of risk transfer in the value for money analysis of PFI projects is emphasised and the extent to which risk actually is transferred is questioned. Finally, the contribution of PFI towards modernising public service is recognised but the Audit Commission's recommendation that a wider range of procurement tools ought to be considered is noted.
The Effects of Experience on Entrepreneurial Optimism and Uncertainty
Authors: FRASER STUART , GREENE FRANCIS J.
Published: February 2006

This paper develops an occupational choice model in which entrepreneurs, who are initially uncertain about their true talent, learn from experience. As a consequence, both optimistic bias in talent beliefs and uncertainty diminish with experience. The model gives rise naturally to a heteroscedastic probit estimator of occupational choices, in contrast to the commonly used homoscedastic estimator. The model is applied to British data on self‐employment and optimism for the period 1984–99. The empirical analysis supports the main propositions of the model: principally, entrepreneurs are found to be more optimistic than employees, and both optimism and uncertainty diminish with experience.
Covered Interest Arbitrage: Then versus Now
Authors: JUHL TED , MILES WILLIAM , WEIDENMIER MARC D.
Published: February 2006

We introduce a new weekly database of spot and forward US–UK exchange rates and interest rates to examine the integration of forward exchange markets during the classical Gold Standard period (1880–1914). Using threshold autoregressions (TARs), we estimate the transaction cost band of covered interest differentials (CIDs) and compare our results with studies of more recent periods. We find that CIDs for the US–UK rate were generally largest during the classical Gold Standard. We argue that slower information and communications technology during the Gold Standard period led to fewer short‐term financial flows, higher transaction costs and larger CIDs.
Value Judgments and Value Neutrality in Economics
Authors: MONGIN PHILIPPE
Published: February 2006

The paper analyses economic evaluations by distinguishing evaluative statements from actual value judgments. From this basis, it compares four solutions to the value neutrality problem in economics. After rebutting the strong theses about neutrality (normative economics is illegitimate) and non‐neutrality (the social sciences are value‐impregnated), the paper settles the case between the weak neutrality thesis (common in welfare economics) and a novel, weak non‐neutrality thesis that extends the realm of normative economics more widely than the other weak thesis does.
Worker–Job Matches, Job Mobility and Real Wage Cyclicality
Authors: HART ROBERT A.
Published: February 2006

Using the British New Earnings Survey Panel Data (NESPD), this paper examines male and female real wage cyclicality over the period 1975–2001. Estimation is undertaken separately for job stayers and job movers. ‘Stayers’ are defined with respect to single jobs within the company, while ‘movers’ refers to individuals changing jobs both within and between companies. Core estimates concern real hourly standard wage rates. Additional features include differentiating between manual and non‐manual workers and distinguishing between hourly wage rates and hourly wage earnings.
Opportunity, Inequality and the Intergenerational Transmission of Child Labour
Authors: EMERSON PATRICK M. , KNABB SHAWN D.
Published: February 2006

This paper presents a model in which opportunity differences within society result in child labour, where ‘opportunity’ is broadly defined but can include school quality, access to higher paying jobs, access to information about the returns to education and actual discrimination. If opportunity differences exist, child labour and poverty are shown to be symptomatic of this underlying socioeconomic condition. It is then shown that policies that ban child labour and/or introduce compulsory education laws can actually reduce dynastic welfare, increase poverty and further exacerbate income inequality within society, because they treat the symptom rather than the disease: the lack of opportunity.
Unpacking cosmopolitanism for the social sciences: a research agenda
Authors: Beck Ulrich , Sznaider Natan
Published: February 2006

This article calls for a re‐conceptualization of the social sciences by asking for a cosmopolitan turn. The intellectual undertaking of redefining cosmopolitanism is a trans‐disciplinary one, which includes geography, anthropology, ethnology, international relations, international law, political philosophy and political theory, and now sociology and social theory. Methodological nationalism, which subsumes society under the nation‐state, has until now made this task almost impossible. The alternative, a ‘cosmopolitan outlook’, is a contested term and project. Cosmopolitanism must not be equalized with the global (or globalization), with ‘world system theory’ (Wallerstein), with ‘world polity’ (Meyer and others), or with ‘world‐society’ (Luhmann). All of those concepts presuppose basic dualisms, such as domestic/foreign or national/international, which in reality have become ambiguous. Methodological cosmopolitanism opens up new horizons by demonstrating how we can make the empirical investigation of border crossings and other transnational phenomena possible.
The cosmopolitan imagination: critical cosmopolitanism and social theory
Authors: Delanty Gerard
Published: February 2006

Critical cosmopolitanism is an emerging direction in social theory and reflects both an object of study and a distinctive methodological approach to the social world. It differs from normative political and moral accounts of cosmopolitanism as world polity or universalistic culture in its conception of cosmopolitanism as socially situated and as part of the self‐constituting nature of the social world itself. It is an approach that shifts the emphasis to internal developmental processes within the social world rather than seeing globalization as the primary mechanism. This signals a post‐universalistic kind of cosmopolitanism, which is not merely a condition of diversity but is articulated in cultural models of world openness through which societies undergo transformation. The cosmopolitan imagination is articulated in framing processes and cultural models by which the social world is constituted; it is therefore not reducible to concrete identities, but should be understood as a form of cultural contestation in which the logic of translation plays a central role. The cosmopolitan imagination can arise in any kind of society and at any time but it is integral to modernity, in so far as this is a condition of self‐problematization, incompleteness and the awareness that certainty can never be established once and for all. As a methodologically grounded approach, critical cosmopolitan sociology has a very specific task: to discern or make sense of social transformation by identifying new or emergent social realities.
Cosmopolitanism and violence: difficulties of judgment
Authors: Fine Robert
Published: February 2006

This paper addresses the difficult relation of cosmopolitan ideas to the existence of war and violence. It explores the ambivalences within the cosmopolitan outlook as it seeks to reconcile its attentiveness to the actuality of violence in the modern age with its normative vision of perpetual peace. I address these ambivalences through a discussion of a) what it is to learn from the catastrophes of the twentieth century; b) the contribution Kant's theory of cosmopolitan law to the solution to contemporary problems of violence; c) the reconstruction of cosmopolitan thinking in the wake of the Holocaust as an attempt to take atrocities seriously; d) the application of cosmopolitan criteria to the justification and authorization of humanitarian military intervention; and e) the attempt on the part of Habermas and Derrida to address the ambivalence involved in reconciling cosmopolitanism and violence in Kosovo and Iraq. While cosmopolitanism is usually understood as a reference to a worldly legal and institutional order, the cosmopolitan outlook is also a mode of understanding the world, an ethic of responsibility and an ongoing exercise of political judgment in the face of violence.
Vulnerability, violence and (cosmopolitan) ethics: Butler's Precarious Life*
Authors: McRobbie Angela
Published: February 2006

This article proposes that Butler's Precarious Life: The Powers of Mourning and Violence provides a valuable contribution to the sociology of cosmopolitanism on the basis of a perspective which forcefully addresses the new sovereign power of the USA which reneges on the possibilities of cosmopolitanization by means of resurgent nationalism, extra‐legal modalities of militarization and incarceration (‘the new war prison’) and state powers now integrated into normalized practices of everyday governmentality. Butler's Foucauldian approach to power and subjectivity is contrasted with Beck's understanding of self‐reflexivity in cosmopolitanized society. Butler's feminist‐inspired approach to mourning and grief and her account of vulnerability and violence also encourage a response to recent acts of terrorism and subsequent wars by means of an ethics of non‐violence. Drawing on the Levinasian concept of ‘the face’ Butler explores the obligation posed by ‘the face’ to refuse violent confrontation. The article suggests a sociological reading of Butler's ethical account which throws light on issues pertinent to the cosmopolitanization thesis, through an interrogation of the relations of power and powerlessness which underlie encounters with otherness.
Classical sociology and cosmopolitanism: a critical defence of the social
Authors: Turner Bryan S.
Published: February 2006

It is frequently argued that classical sociology, if not sociology as a whole, cannot provide any significant insight into globalization, primarily because its assumptions about the nation‐state, national cultures and national societies are no longer relevant to a global world. Sociology cannot consequently contribute to a normative debate about cosmopolitanism, which invites us to consider loyalties and identities that reach beyond the nation‐state.

My argument considers four principal topics. First, I defend the classical legacy by arguing that classical sociology involved the study of ‘the social’ not national societies. This argument is illustration by reference to Emile Durkheim and Talcott Parsons. Secondly, Durkheim specifically developed the notion of a cosmopolitan sociology to challenge the nationalist assumptions of his day. Thirdly, I attempt to develop a critical version of Max Weber's verstehende soziologie to consider the conditions for critical recognition theory in sociology as a necessary precondition of cosmopolitanism. Finally, I consider the limitations of some contemporary versions of global sociology in the example of ‘flexible citizenship’ to provide an empirical case study of the limitations of globalization processes and ‘sociology beyond society’. While many institutions have become global, some cannot make this transition. Hence, we should consider the limitations on as well as the opportunities for cosmopolitan sociology.
Microsatellite analysis of genetic diversity in fragmented South African buffalo populations
Authors: O'Ryan Colleen , Harley Eric H. , Bruford Michael W. , Beaumont Mark , Wayne Robert K. , Cherry Michael I.
Published: February 2006

Genetic variation was measured in 105 African buffalo from four populations in South Africa to investigate the effects of habitat fragmentation. Levels of heterozygosity, allelic diversity and genetic differentiation among populations were quantified using seven polymorphic microsatellite markers. There was a significant correlation between the amount of genetic variation and population size, and differentiation was detected among all populations measured by FST and RST. We used likelihood analysis to infer the effective population sizes of each population and to determine whether the fragmented populations were historically differentiated from one another. The genetic estimates of census size were consistent with historical records, and no historical genetic differentiation could be inferred in the original population before fragmentation. These results are discussed in the light of conservation management of fragmented buffalo populations, particularly where natural gene flow is no longer possible.
Cryptic chromosomal variation in suni Neotragus moschatus (Artiodactyla, Bovidae)
Authors: Kingswood S. C. , Kumamoto A. T. , Charter S. J. , Jones M. L.
Published: February 2006

Thirty‐eight captive‐born suni (Neotragus moschatus) had chromosomal complements of 2n = 52–56 (fn = 60). Variation in diploid number was the result of two centric fusion polymorphisms: a 4;19 fusion and a putative 18;22 fusion. Specimens that were descendants of wild‐caught N. m. akeleyi and N. m. zuluensis were 2n = 52 and 56, respectively, but 2n = 53, 54, and 55 cytotypes were probably the result of hybridization in captivity between the two subspecies. Although populations of suni from different geographic regions are phenotypically indistinguishable, cytogenetic differences between N. m. akeleyi and N. m. zuluensis indicate that they should be recognized as distinct management units. Chromosomal variation among our panel of captive‐born specimens and evidence of higher perinatal mortality in supposed hybrid cytotypes suggest that these two subspecies be managed as separate populations, particularly with regard to captive breeding, reintroductions, and animal translocations. Insofar as our findings are restricted to the captive population, the cytogenetics of natural populations of suni should be investigated to determine if indeed N. m. akeleyi and N. m. zuluensis have fixed chromosomal differences or if the centric fusion polymorphisms found in captive animals also occur in wild suni.
Reproduction and population density: trade‐offs for the conservation of rhinos in situ
Authors: Rachlow Janet L. , Berger Joel
Published: February 2006

As the human population increases, wildlife is becoming restricted to protected remnants of ecosystems with boundaries that limit dispersal. The effect on large herbivores generally is an increase in population density. We investigated the relationship between population density and reproduction in white rhinos (Ceratotherium simum) in Matobo National Park, Zimbabwe. Two lines of evidence were examined: (1) a contrast in reproduction between a high‐density and a low‐density population; and (2) a longitudinal analysis of changes in reproductive parameters of a fenced population as density increased by >200%. As density increased within the fenced area, the rates of population growth and recruitment of calves decreased, and the age at first reproduction for females increased significantly. Females in the low‐density population produced their first calves at significantly younger ages than those in the high‐density population. Loss of body condition was related to both population density and female reproductive status. Because most African rhinos exist in relatively small reserves, an understanding of the implications of restricted dispersal and increased population density on their demography is critical to their conservation in situ. Managers need to consider trade‐offs between enhanced safety from poaching and density‐dependent effects on reproduction in developing conservation strategies for rhinos and other rare, large species confined to reserve systems.
Habitat use and resource tracking by African Ceratogymna hornbills: implications for seed dispersal and forest conservation
Authors: Whitney Kenneth D. , Smith Thomas B.
Published: February 2006

Conservation of tropical forests requires an understanding of the seasonal patterns of abundance and distribution of important seed dispersers. In the forests of Central Africa, three species of hornbills in the genus Ceratogymna (Aves: Bucerotidae) provide dispersal for over 50 species of trees and lianas, yet their ecology is poorly known. We present the first empirical evidence for resource tracking and large‐scale movements by two of these species, which were previously considered resident. Hornbill numbers and fruit production were estimated over a one‐year period in the Dja Reserve, Cameroon. Monthly abundances of C. atrata and C. cylindricus varied four‐ and 12‐fold, respectively, and were predicted by community fruit availability as measured by fruitfall on a 4.3 km trail. In contrast, C. fistulator abundances varied little and were not related to fruit availability. Synchronous population fluctuations in sites 22 km distant were observed for atrata and cylindricus, but not for fistulator. Together, these results indicate that atrata and cylindricus populations track fruit resources via seasonal emigrations, while the fistulator population appears to be relatively sedentary. Comparisons of hornbill densities in primary and secondary forests suggest that they are important dispersers in both habitats, and will likely play larger roles in central African forest regeneration as more vulnerable seed dispersers are removed by hunting. If large seasonal movements of hornbills turn out to be a general phenomenon, effective management of central African forest reserves will require greater emphasis on reserve connectivity and on seasonal and spatial patterns of fruit production.
Testing for potential survey bias: the effect of roads, urban areas and nature reserves on a southern African mammal data set
Authors: Freitag S. , Hobson C. , Biggs H. C. , van Jaarsveld A. S.
Published: February 2006

Mammalian record collection densities and bias attributable to observer survey preferences are assessed for the former Transvaal region of South Africa using a geographic information system (GIS). A method is presented which may be used to distinguish between highly biased and relatively unbiased sampling densities. Small mammal survey records within the region appear to have been collected relatively independently of the road and urban area infrastructure and are not biased towards nature reserves. Large mammal data on the other hand has mostly been collected within existing conservation areas. Although this latter data set would appear to be highly biased, it does accurately reflect the current distributions of larger mammalian taxa, which are presently almost entirely restricted to conservation areas.
The role of habitat and mink predation in determining the status and distribution of water voles in England
Authors: Barreto Guillermo R. , Rushton Steve P. , Strachan Rob , Macdonald David W.
Published: February 2006

One hundred and sixty‐one river sites throughout the Thames catchment area were surveyed during the summer of 1995 and a number of habitat features were recorded in order to identify relevant habitat variables for the water vole (Arvicola terrestris; Arvicolidae). In addition, the role of the American mink (Mustela vision; Mustelidae) in determining the present distribution of water voles in the Thames region was investigated. The data were analysed by using generalized linear models (GLM).

Water voles were found in places characterised by low banks, unmodified channels, vegetated bars, submerged vegetation and were tolerant of moderate levels of bank reinforcement. The presence of mink was the most important variable. The results suggest that the American mink is the main factor determining the current distribution of water voles in this area. Restoration and recreation of habitat for water voles are likely to be a powerful tool in the recovery of water vole populations. It is hypothesised that mink control will be necessary only while the water vole population is small; once the population starts to increase both species could co‐exist provided that the habitat is suitable.
Sorting out tigers (Panthera tigris): mitochondrial sequences, nuclear inserts, systematics, and conservation genetics
Authors: Cracraft Joel , Feinstein Julie , Vaughn Jeffrey , Helm‐Bychowski Kathleen
Published: February 2006

Sequences from complete mitochondrial cytochrome b genes of 34 tigers support the hypothesis that Sumatran tigers are diagnostically distinct from mainland populations. None of the latter, including Bengals, Siberians, or Indochinese tigers, were found to have fixed diagnostic characters. Phylogenetic analysis of these sequences confirms these results. Within the framework of a phylogenetic species concept, current evidence thus supports the recognition of two distinct taxa, and within the context of this definition they could be ranked at the species level. This paper also documents a previously unrecognized nuclear insert of mitochondrial DNA that includes, minimally, mitochondrial homologues of a control region that lacks the feline mitochondrial repeat sequences, a complete cytochrome b gene, and complete tRNAThr and tRNAsurPro genes. In a phylogenetic analysis of the nuclear cytochrome b‐like sequences and various feline mitochondrial sequences, the nuclear insert clusters with lion mitochondrial cytochrome b sequences, which suggests the insert is at least as old as the split between lions and tigers. The results of this study emphasize the importance of doing more to conserve Sumatran tigers. Because they are underrepresented in zoos relative to Bengals and Siberians, an effort should be made to increase captive breeding stocks of Sumatrans. That Sumatrans are a distinct taxonomic entity relative to mainland populations can be used in educational programs to increase conservation efforts within Indonesia.
Branching models predict loss of many bird and mammal orders within centuries
Authors: McKinney Michael L.
Published: February 2006

Branching (birth–death) models are used to project the time to extinction for bird and mammal orders. While such projections are very coarse, they provide information on how long fundamental units of biodiversity, as represented by such higher taxa as orders, will persist at specified rates of species extinction. The results of a basic decay model indicate that, if all threatened species in each order go extinct within the next 100 years, and this species extinction rate continues indefinitely, then half the species in most orders will disappear in a few hundred years or less. This result is robust and is in agreement with other estimates. A more detailed branching model indicates that most bird and mammal orders will become 100% extinct in a few thousand years if current extinction trends are extrapolated. This projection is also relatively robust, as it is consistently produced using a number of different methods and estimates of future species extinction rates. Mammal orders generally have substantially shorter half‐lives and time to 100% extinction than bird orders because of a combination of fewer species per order and higher species extinction rates.
The need for pre‐release health screening in animal translocations: a case study of the Cuban iguana (Cyclura nubila)
Authors: Alberts Allison C. , Oliva Marcie L. , Worley Michael B. , Telford Sam R. , Morris Patrick J. , Janssen Donald L.
Published: February 2006

A serious concern with the increasing use of translocation and reintroduction in animal conservation programs is the potential for disease transmission between captive and free‐ranging populations. As part of an experimental headstarting program, 45 juvenile Cuban iguanas, Cyclura nubila, were artificially incubated, maintained in captivity for six to 18 months, and subsequently released into natural areas on the US Naval Base at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. Prior to release, all animals underwent physical examinations, hematological analyses, plasma biochemical determinations, and blood and fecal parasite screening. Comparable data were collected from free‐ranging juveniles to establish normal baseline values. Although all hematological parameters were within expected ranges for healthy reptiles, captive juveniles exhibited higher total leukocyte counts and percent lymphocytes, but lower percent heterophils, than free‐ranging juveniles. All biochemical values other than lactate dehydrogenase and creatine phosphokinase were within normal ranges. Although higher than reported in other species, these enzymes did not differ in captive and free‐ranging juveniles. Free‐ranging juveniles significantly exceeded captive juveniles in levels of potassium, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, total protein, cholesterol and triglycerides, whereas the reverse was true for carbon dioxide and glucose. Although free‐ranging juveniles exhibited oxyurids and coccidian oocysts in their feces, captive juveniles were negative for the presence of these parasites. Electron microscopy confirmed that a high percentage of both captive and free‐ranging juveniles possessed erythrocytes infected with the piroplasm Sauroplasma. Implications of these results for successful repatriation of captive‐reared iguanas are discussed.
Female preferences and effective population size
Authors: Blumstein Daniel T.
Published: February 2006

As effective population size (Ne) decreases, genetic factors may become relatively important to a population's or species' persistence. Conservation biologists should be aware of anything that can potentially cause a sudden reduction in Ne. I used simple models to illustrate how certain types of female mating preferences combined with certain types of male traits may lead to a sudden and substantial decrease in Ne. Specifically, if and when there is a sudden ‘downward’ shift in the expression of condition‐dependent male traits, females using fixed‐threshold mate choice criteria might find fewer acceptable males. While mechanisms of female choice remain elusive, a variety of sexually selected traits may be condition dependent. Because the expression of condition‐dependent traits is likely to be impacted by natural or human‐induced environmental changes, behavioral and conservation biologists should pay special attention to them around the mating season. Armed with knowledge of condition‐dependent male traits, it may be possible to minimize the impact on condition‐dependent traits while planning translocations or reintroductions.
Variation in annual estimates of effective population size for San Joaquin kit foxes
Authors: Otten Mark R. M. , Cypher Brian L.
Published: February 2006

We used a demographic model to calculate a series of annual Ne/Nestimates ((Ne/N)S) for a population of the endangered San Joaquin kit fox (Vulpes macrotis mutica) and to identify the demographic parameters explaining significant portions of the variation in (Ne/N)S estimates. Demographic data were collected between 1981 and 1995 from adult kit foxes located on the Naval Petroleum Reserves in California. Demographic parameters were estimated by determining the sex of captured adult foxes and monitoring the survival and reproduction of adult foxes fitted with radiocollars. Individual demographic parameters explaining significant portions (P < 0.10) of the variation in (Ne/N)S estimates was determined using forward stepwise multiple regression. Estimates of (Ne/N)S were highly variable, ranging from 0.22 to 1.15, (
image

= 0.67, sem= 0.07, n= 14), with a harmonic mean of 0.55. Forward stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated that mean annual female survival (P= 0.002) and mean annual female reproductive success (P= 0.004) explained significant portions of the variation in estimates of (Ne/N)S, while mean annual sex ratio (P = 0.159), mean annual litter size (P= 0.406) and mean annual male survival (P= 0.922) did not. Long‐term kit fox conservation strategies will probably have to account for wide variation in (Ne/N)S ratios and focus on maintaining or expanding the size and connectivity of populations.
Ecological characteristics of a threatened snake species, Hoplocephalus bungaroides (Serpentes, Elapidae)
Authors: Webb Jonathan K. , Shine Richard
Published: February 2006

Species with ecological (habitat, dietary) specialization and low reproductive output may be at particular risk from anthropogenic habitat disturbance. We studied growth, reproduction and diet of the threatened broad‐headed snake (Hoplocephalus bungaroides), a small nocturnal elapid from sandstone habitats in south‐eastern Australia. Our data suggest that the life‐history traits and diets of broad‐headed snakes contribute to their vulnerability. Rather than searching actively for prey (like most sympatric elapids), broad‐headed snakes wait under rocks to ambush prey. In consequence, these snakes feed infrequently, grow slowly, mature late and reproduce infrequently (compared with other sympatric snake species). Because of an ontogenetic shift in food habits, populations of broad‐headed snakes require access to high densities of velvet geckos (in rock outcrops) as well as small mammals (in adjacent woodland). The specialized diet, reliance upon two distinctive habitats, low rate of growth, delayed maturation and low reproductive output may have exacerbated the vulnerability of broad‐headed snakes to habitat destruction. All of these traits may be due to the species' reliance upon ambush predation rather than active foraging. A broader analysis supports the hypothesis that foraging mode may contribute to endangerment: a disproportionate number of ‘threatened’ species of Australian elapid snakes rely on ambush predation.
Influence of population isolation on genetic variation and demography in Seychelles warblers: a field experiment
Authors: Komdeur Jan , Kappe Anique , van de Zande Louis
Published: February 2006

Between 1959 and 1968 the entire world population of Seychelles warblers (Acrocephalus sechellensis) comprised only 26–29 individuals entirely confined to Cousin Island (26 ha). Through conservation actions the island population has reached a carrying capacity of ca 320 birds since 1982. The warbler population has significantly lower levels of genetic variation, as determined by multilocus DNA fingerprinting, compared with its mainland relative, the Australian warbler (Acrocephalus australis) and other outbred natural bird populations (mean band sharing coefficients are 0.50, 0.22 and 0.21, respectively), and has a very low annual reproductive rate of 0.28 yearlings per breeding pair. Therefore some degree of inbreeding may have occurred in this population.

The relatively low level of genetic variation is not directly responsible for this low reproductive output since breeding pairs that were transferred to the islands of Aride (68 ha) and Cousine (29 ha) with similar vegetation and climate, but with higher year‐round insect food abundance, had significantly higher fecundity and survival. In contrast, no difference in reproductive success was observed between incestuous breeding pairs and non‐incestuous breeding pairs.

In addition, annual production of yearlings by pairs on Aride was on average 44 times higher than that by the same pairs on Cousin before the transfer. Annual production of yearlings by pairs on Cousine, that were as inbred as those on Aride, was on average five times higher than that by the same pairs on Cousin before the transfer. Eight years after translocation, the Aride population had grown to over 1000 birds, and six years after translocation, the Cousine population had grown to 186 birds.

The experiments, controlled for group size, breeding partner, breeder age and experience, showed that the differences in reproductive success by warblers on the three islands cannot be due to genetic differences because of similar band‐sharing similarities, but seem entirely accounted for by differences in food supply. Although the amount of genetic variation in the Seychelles warblers is relatively low, the demographic parameters do not indicate apparent signs of inbreeding depression in these populations.
Use of simulation models to plan species reintroductions: the case of the bearded vulture in southern Spain
Authors: Bustamante Javier
Published: February 2006

I used VORTEX to make a prior evaluation of the planned reintroduction project of the endangered bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) in the mountains of southern Spain. The minimum size of a captive population needed to ensure the release of two bearded vulture fledglings per year is 30 individuals. If breeding success was improved, this minimum captive population could be reduced to 10 individuals. As the cost of the project is proportional to the size of the captive population, some research effort should be devoted to improving breeding success in captivity. The current size of the captive population — four individuals — is not enough to start the releases, even if the vultures were already breeding. The first step for the project should be to increase the size of the captive population. If on average one individual per year was added to the captive population, it would take 15 years to reach 30 individuals. If breeding in captivity was improved, it would take only three to seven years to reach the minimum captive population of 10 individuals. Once releases were started, the project would need on average 20 years to reach a goal of 15 adult pairs in the Cazorla mountains. Both the success of the project and the time necessary to reach this stated goal are very sensitive to the mortality rates in the wild. There is little known about these rates, and better estimates are urgently needed to improve the predictions of the models.
Pairing in mallards and American black ducks: a new view on population decline in American black ducks
Authors: Morton Eugene S.
Published: February 2006

Data on mating systems suggest that mate choice and dominance advantages by mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) males are not sufficient to explain declines in American black ducks (Anas rubripes). Courtship and pairing of mallards and American black ducks overwintering at a site on the Chesapeake Bay were studied from 1976–1993, during October–March. Mallards declined relative to American black ducks during this period at the study site. Courtship groups and pairs (one exception) consisted of conspecific individuals. Mallards and American black ducks segregated when courting but not when resting. Hybrid males joined courting groups of either species but did not pair successfully with either parental species. Handraised American black ducks hatched from eggs, imprinted on humans, and fledged at the study site, paired with American black ducks even though they were initially the rarer species. Handraised American black ducks avoided pairing with siblings. American black ducks and mallards pair assortatively and hybrids are selected against on the Chesapeake Bay. American black ducks may be declining due to human disturbance rather than due to direct interactions with mallards. Mallards may be increasing because they tolerate human disturbance and through direct release by humans into the American black duck's breeding range.
Unsupervised recognition of individual tigers and snow leopards from their footprints
Authors: Riordan P.
Published: February 2006

This study presents the testing of two unsupervised classification methods for their ability to accurately identify unknown individual tigers, Panthera tigris, and snow leopards, Panthera uncia, from their footprints. A neural‐network based method, the Kohonen self‐organizing map (SOM), and a Bayesian method, AutoClass, were assessed using hind footprints taken from captive animals under standardized conditions. AutoClass successfully discriminated individuals of both species from their footprints. Classification accuracy was greatest for tigers, with more misclassification of individuals occurring for snow leopards. Examination of variable influence on class formations failed to identify consistently influential measurements for either species. The self‐organizing map did not provide accurate classification of individuals for either species. Results were not substantially improved by altering map dimensions nor by using principal components derived from the original data. The interpretation of resulting classifications and the importance of using such techniques in the study of wild animal populations are discussed. The need for further testing in the field is highlighted.
Can artificial brood reduction assist the conservation of yellow‐eyed penguins (Megadyptes antipodes)?
Authors: Efford Murray G. , Edge Kerri‐Anne
Published: February 2006

The yellow‐eyed penguin is a threatened species endemic to New Zealand and its subantarctic islands. Survival and fledging success vary from year to year partly in response to changing food availability. Mortality in ‘poor food’ years may potentially be reduced if adults are allowed to rear only one of their two chicks. Conservation managers have therefore deliberately reduced broods to one in some recent breeding seasons, but the merits of this policy are controversial. We investigated, by simulation modelling, the conditions under which a policy of artificial brood reduction would enhance population growth. Food supply may be difficult to predict from early‐season indicators so we also considered the effect of forecasting errors. Artificial brood reduction can increase the population growth rate, even in the presence of moderate forecasting errors, given a large enough cost of breeding. However, field studies suggest that the required cost of breeding is unrealistically large and the policy is unlikely to be a useful management tool for yellow‐eyed penguins.
Disease as a threat to endangered species: Ethiopian wolves, domestic dogs and canine pathogens
Authors: Laurenson Karen , Sillero‐Zubiri Claudio , Thompson Hal , Shiferaw Fekadu , Thirgood Simon , Malcolm James
Published: February 2006

With increasing awareness of disease as an endangering process, an assessment of which pathogens might pose a problem and their patterns of infection in natural hosts is necessary. This paper examines the exposure of sympatric Ethiopian wolves (Canis simensis) and domestic dogs to canine distemper virus (CDV), canine adenovirus (CAV) and canine parvovirus (CPV) in the Bale region, Ethiopia and then relates these data to population trends of wolves. Wolves (n= 30) sampled between 1989 and 1992 had been exposed to CDV, CAV and CPV, but only CAV might be able to persist in this wolf population. Anecdotal and serological evidence suggested that an epidemic of CDV occurred in the dog population of the Bale Mountains National Park (BMNP) in 1992–93. All park dogs born since this time were seronegative to CDV, although some young dogs in the nearby urban population were seropositive. Despite evidence of CAV infection in wolves, none of the dogs sampled in the park were CAV seropositive, although this virus appeared highly seroprevalent and endemic in urban dogs. All dogs tested for CPV antibodies were seropositive. The BMNP wolf population declined in the late 1980s and early 1990s, with rabies responsible for a dramatic population reduction between 1990 and 1992. Although the population declined further up until 1995, it is not possible to assess whether the concurrent canine distemper epidemic in park dogs also affected wolves. Nevertheless, with evidence of rabies, CDV, CAV and CPV infections in sympatric domestic dogs and Ethiopian wolves, canid diseases clearly pose a significant threat to the future persistence of this Ethiopian wolf population.
Review of DNA‐based census and effective population size estimators
Authors: Schwartz Michael K. , Tallmon David A. , Luikart Gordon
Published: February 2006

The detection of reductions in effective population size (Ne) or census size (Nc) is essential for conservation. Recent developments allow wildlife researchers to obtain genetic material via non‐invasive sampling techniques that may provide the large sample sizes necessary for precise estimates of Ne and Nc. Population genetic theory provides several methods to estimate Ne from allele frequency data: including temporal change in allele frequencies, gametic disequilibrium and heterozygote excess methods. Modification of capture–mark–recapture methods for use with multi‐locus genotype data provides new means for estimating Nc. The combination of new DNA sampling techniques, polymerase chain reaction‐based DNA markers and analytical methods may provide unprecedented power to detect reductions in Ne and Nc of endangered populations. However, these genetic methods are largely untested in the field. We review some relatively unexplored, but promising ways that multi‐locus genetic data can be used to provide important genetic and demographic information and suggest avenues for further research in this area.