bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Association of Illness Perception and Prognosis for Pain and Physical Function in Patients With Noncancer Musculoskeletal Pain: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: de Raaij Edwin J. , Ostelo Raymond W. , Maissan Francois , Mollema Jurgen , Wittink Harriët
Published: May 2018

Background

In the literature, illness perceptions have been reported to be important psychological factors associated with pain intensity and physical function in individuals with musculoskeletal pain.

Objective

To assess the relationship of illness perceptions with pain intensity and physical function in individuals with noncancer musculoskeletal pain.

Methods

In this systematic review, relevant literature databases, including PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and SPORTDiscus, were searched from inception through December 12, 2017. Two authors (E.D.R. and H.W.) independently performed the search procedures, according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses and the A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews guidelines, and the risk-of-bias assessment, using the QUality In Prognosis Studies tool. A qualitative best-evidence synthesis was performed.

Results

A total of 26 articles were included in the review. There were 11 cross-sectional studies concerning associations of illness perceptions with pain intensity and 11 cross-sectional studies of associations of illness perceptions with physical function. For the prognosis of pain intensity by illness perceptions, the authors found 4 longitudinal studies, and for the prognosis of physical function by illness perceptions, the authors found 12 longitudinal studies. All studies except 1 had high risk of bias. Across 15 cross-sectional studies on 9 different musculoskeletal conditions, the researchers found limited to moderate evidence for a consistent direction of the relationship of illness perceptions with pain intensity and physical function. Higher maladaptive illness perceptions imply stronger pain intensity and more limitation in physical function. Evidence in longitudinal studies is lacking, especially on pain.

Conclusion

There is limited to moderate evidence for the cross-sectional relationship between illness perceptions and various musculoskeletal conditions. The prognostic value, however, remains unclear. Future research is recommended to investigate the longitudinal relationship between illness perception domains and outcomes in greater detail. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2018;48(10):789–800. Epub 10 May 2018. doi:10.2519/jospt.2018.8072
Mortalidad y estancia hospitalaria relacionada con trauma ocupacional atendido durante el fin de semana en el servicio de emergencias.
Authors: Teherán Aníbal A , Alfonso Luis E. , Ávila Albert , Hernández Juan Carlos , Pacheco Claudia P. , Chapeta Edwin G. , Pimienta-Neira Fernando J. , Martínez Víctor M.
Published: May 2018

Objetivo. Los desenlaces del trauma ocupacional agudo (TOA) puede estar condicionado al desarrollo industrial y al momento de la semana de ocurrencia; se comparó la mortalidad y estancia hospitalaria (EH) de trabajadores que presentaron TOA en diferentes momentos de la semana.Métodos. Con un estudio descriptivo retrospectivo y utilizando los datos de una base de datos administrativa de trabajadores atendidos por TOA, entre enero/2007-diciembre/2010, en una Clínica de III nivel en Bogotá, se comparó la mediana de EH y el riesgo de mortalidad (OR; IC95%) en pacientes atendidos por TOA entre semana (ES) y en fin de semana (FdS); la frecuencia de eventos fue ponderada (p) por los días ES-p (4 días) y FdS-p (3 días).Resultados. Se evaluaron 65.169 registros médicos, en FdS-p y en ES-p ocurrieron 4295 y 13071 TOA, respectivamente; los TOA predominaron en hombres, adultos-jóvenes (edad mediana 30-33 años). La mediana de EH ES fue 0,43 horas y en FdS 0,48 horas (p: 0,000).  Los TOA ocurridos en trabajadores de 45-64 años (3,47;1.76-6,76), atendidos en la noche (3,27;1,64-6,40), en FdS (4,57;1,25-18,4) y en noche-FdS (4,49;1,64-14,0) presentaron el riesgo más elevado de mortalidad.Conclusión. Los trabajadores atendidos por TOA durante el fin de semana tienen mayor EH, riesgo de muerte y baja frecuencia de atenciones por Medicina Especializada. Los protocolos institucionales de atención por TOA podrían contemplar este efecto, para brindar atenciones seguras y equitativas, independiente del momento de atención.
THE FORMATION OF INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE OF FUTURE PHILOLOGISTS BY INCREASING OF LECTURERS PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE
Authors: Nezhenets E.
Published: May 2018

The paper proves the need of lecturers training to form future philologists  intercultural competence. The need has several reasons: firstly, the development of  future philologists intercultural competence requires improvement of lecturers pedagogical skills and the development of their own  intercultural communication skills; secondly, as higher school teachers are free to choose education technologies, forms, methods and means of students learning, they  should be given the relevant methodological knowledge for training  students with a high level of intercultural competence . The article describes the forms and methods of improving the lecturers  professional competence that are necessary for the formation of future philologists  entercultucal competence. The best ways for increasing lecturers professional competence are: participation in scientific seminars, participation in international projects, studying the best educational experience connected with the formation of intercultural competence, scientific and methodological activities in collaboration with foreign colleagues (participation in international conferences, " round tables " etc); selfeducation.Key word: lecturer, professional competence, intercultural competence, philologist, scientific seminars, international projects, international conferences.Неженець Е. В. Формування міжкультурної  компетентності майбутніх філологів   шляхом підвищення професійної компетентності викладача вищого навчального закладу / Дніпровський гуманітарний університет, Україна, Дніпро В статті розкривається необхідність підготовки викладачів до формування міжкультурної компетентності майбутніх філологів. На це є низка  причин: по-перше, розвиток міжкультурної компетентності майбутніх філологів потребує вдосконалення педагогічних навичок викладачів та розвитку їх власних навичок міжкультурного спілкування; по-друге, оскільки вчителі вищої школи вільні вибирати освітні технології, форми, методи та засоби навчання студентів, їм слід надавати відповідні методологічні знання для підготовки студентів з високим рівнем міжкультурної компетентності.Стаття описує форми та способи вдосконалення професійної компетентності викладачів, які необхідні для формування міжкультурної компетентності майбутніх філологів. Найкращі шляхи підвищення професійної компетентності викладачів це: участь у наукових семінарах, участь у міжнародних проектах, вивчення передового педагогічного  досвіду, пов'язаного з формуванням міжкультурної компетентності, науково-методична діяльність у співпраці з іноземними колегами (участь у міжнародних конференціях, "круглий" таблиці "тощо); самоосвітаКлючові слова: викладач, професійна компетентність, міжкультурна компетентність, філолог, наукові семінари, міжнародні проекти, міжнародні конференції.
KARAR VERME YÖNTEMLERİ VE ASKERÎ MUHAREBE FONKSİYONLARI ALANLARINA YÖNELİK UYGULAMALARI
Authors: APLAK Hakan Soner
Published: May 2018

ÖZ

Karar ortamı;

belirlilik, belirsizlik ve çeşitli seviyelerde risk durumları içeren

ortamlardan oluşabilir. Karar süreci ise, çevresel faktörlerin bütüncül bir

bakış açısı ile değerlendirilmesi, problemlerin tanımlanması, çözüm olması

muhtemel alternatiflerin belirlenmesi, sistematik bir değerlendirme yapılması

ve aralarından en uygun kararın tespit edilmesi sürecidir. Sürecin etkin ve

doğru yönetimi, organizasyonların hedefleri açısından önem teşkil etmektedir.

Günümüzde milli güvenliğinin sağlanmasında; silahlı kuvvetlerin etkin

kullanımına yönelik harekâtın incelenmesi, problemlerin tanımlanması, askerî

gücün analiz edilmesi, sistem ve analitik yöntemlerin kullanılarak optimal

harekât tarzlarının bulunması giderek önem kazanmaktadır.

Bu çalışma ile askerî

muharebe fonksiyon alanındaki problemlerin çözümünde karar sürecinin nasıl

işletilebileceği ve hangi analitik yöntemlerin kullanılabileceği gösterilmeye

çalışılmıştır. Öncelikle, genel olarak karar ortamı, kararı etkileyecek

faktörler ve karar süreci anlatılmaktadır. Müteakiben, muharebe fonksiyon

alanlarına göre muhtemel problem alanlarından bahsedilmektedir. Daha sonra, söz

konusu problemlerin çözümünde kullanılabilecek analitik yöntemler ve

uygulamaları anlatılmaktadır. 
A Comparative Analysis of Green ICT Maturity Models
Authors: Lautenschutz David , España Sergio , Hankel Albert , Overbeek Sietse , Lago Patricia
Published: May 2018

Maturity models have become a common tool for organisations to assess their capabilities in a variety of domains. However, for fields that have not yet been researched thoroughly, it can be difficult to create and evolve a maturity model that features all the important aspects in that field. It takes time and many iterative improvements for a maturity model to come of age. This is the case for Green ICT maturity models, whose aim is typically to either provide insight on the important aspects an organisation or a researcher should take into account when trying to improve the social or environmental impact of ICT, or to assist in the auditing of such aspects. In fact, when we were commissioned a comprehensive ICT-sustainability auditing for Utrecht University, we not only faced the need of selecting a Green ICT maturity model, but also to ensure that it covered as many organisational aspects as possible, extending the model if needed. This paper reports on the comparison we carried out of several Green ICT maturity models, how we extended our preferred model with needed constructs, and how we applied the resulting model during the ICT-sustainability auditing.
An Empirical Evaluation of Database Software Features on Energy Consumption
Authors: Akinli Kocak Sedef , Isiklar Alptekin Gülfem , Miranskyy Andriy , Bener Ayse , Cialini Enzo
Published: May 2018

Although software does not consume energy by itself, its characteristics determine which hardware resources are made available and how much energy is used. Therefore, energy efficiency of software products has become a popular agenda for both industry and academia in recent years. Designing such software is now a core initiative of software development companies aiming toward social responsibility. Meanwhile, however, devel- oping environmentally sustainable software products is a challenge in that performance, functionality and energy consumption can reflect conflicting goals. In this paper, our ob- jective is to analyze the effects of different features on energy consumption of the IBM DB2, a commonly used database product. The empirical work focuses on three features. We executed a workload in preconfigured software with some features enabled or disabled and with different numbers of users. To compare the different scenarios, three sets of green metrics were utilized. The metric set identified various parts of the software system where energy is consumed. Our findings may suggest that the conflicts among software system performance, functionality, and energy consumption can be mitigated by choosing a combination of features that interact in a way that improves energy efficiency. Index Terms energy consumption, green metrics, energy efficiency, environmental sustainability, software feature interaction, database.
Energy consumption of mobile data transfer – Increasing or decreasing? Evaluating the impact of technology development & user behavior
Authors: Pihkola Hanna , Hongisto Mikko , Apilo Olli , Lasanen Mika , Vatanen Saija
Published: May 2018

Mobile data consumption in Finland is among the highest in the world. Increase in mobile data usage has been rapid and continuous growth is foreseen. While the energy consumed per transmitted gigabyte has substantially decreased, it seems that the absolute annual energy consumption related to mobile operators’ activities has started to increase. Simultaneously, consumer behavior is changing. While new end-user devices are more and more energy-efficient, we use more and more time with mobile devices. Is increasing usage outweighing achieved energy savings? What kinds of options are available for tackling increasing energy demand?

This paper discusses current and future trends related to energy consumption of mobile data transfer and mobile networks in Finland. Using a top-down approach and publicly available data, an illustrative trend (kWh/gigabyte) for the energy consumption of transmitted mobile data was constructed for the years 2010-2016. In addition, energy consumption related to mobile data transfer is discussed from a life cycle perspective, considering both direct and indirect energy use and challenges in conducting such assessments. Contributions of relevant technological and social developments (radio network technology transformations from 4G to 5G and consumer behavior) are analyzed considering possible trade-offs and pointing out aspects that require future studies.
Innovation alliances for sustainable ICT - Good practices and success factors, using the example of initiatives to improve the energy efficiency of data centers
Authors: Hintemann Ralph , Hinterholzer Simon
Published: May 2018

Digitalization is driving the increasing energy and resource needs of ICT. In Ger- many, ICT accounts for eight percent of electricity consumption. Data centers alone cur- rently consume 2.3% of the electricity in Germany, with an upward

trend.

Although the ICT sector is generally considered to be very innovative and new solu- tions are often implemented very quickly, deployment of energy- and resource-efficient innovations is frequently confronted with considerable obstacles and barriers.

Innovation alliances of companies are a promising instrument of governmental sup- port for new environmental technologies in the fast-paced ICT sector. In the past ten years, several initiatives of this kind have been launched, e.g., the consortium GreenIT Amsterdam, the Innovationsallianz Rechenzentren (Innovation Alliance Data Centers) in Hesse, Germany, and the Netzwerk energieeffiziente Rechenzentren (Network Energy- Efficient Data Centers). Some of these initiatives have achieved remarkable successes.

The present paper analyzes such innovation alliances using the example of energy efficiency in data centers as the field of application. Three good-practice examples from Germany are presented. The paper shows what these innovation alliances can achieve and analyzes the factors contributing to their successful implementation. It concludes with concrete recommendations for practical implementation of such initiatives.
Indirect Effects of the Digital Transformation on Environmental Sustainability: Methodological Challenges in Assessing the Greenhouse Gas Abatement Potential of ICT
Authors: Bieser Jan C. T. , Hilty Lorenz M.
Published: May 2018

The digital transformation has direct and indirect effects on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Direct effects are caused by the production, use and disposal of information and communication technology (ICT) hardware. Indirect effects include the changes to patterns of production and consumption in other domains. Studies quantifying both effects often conclude that net effects (indirect minus direct effects) can lead to a significant GHG emission reduction. We revisited a study by Accenture on ICT’s GHG abatement potential in Switzerland by reassessing the main assumptions. Our results confirm that ICT has the potential to reduce GHG emissions in Switzerland, especially in the building, transport and energy domains. However, our results also suggest that the potential is smaller than anticipated and that exploiting this potential requires targeted action. Reasons for differences among these results (and the results of similar other studies) are: degrees of freedom in the assessment methodology, selection of ICT use cases, allocation of impacts to ICT, definition of the baseline, estimation of the environmental impact, prediction of the future adoption of use cases, estimation of rebound effects, interaction among use cases, and extrapolation from use case to society- wide impacts. We suggest addressing these methodological challenges to improve comparability of results.
Shut up and take my environmental data! A study on ICT enabled citizen science practices, participation approaches and challenges
Authors: Palacin-Silva Maria , Porras Jari
Published: May 2018

Citizen Science initiatives have been around since the 20th century in numerous fields, from astronomy to health monitoring. In recent years, social changes mediated by the development of information and communication technologies have pivoted new types of civic actions, which have enabled an expansion in the breath of citizen science applications. This civic technology has become a genuine interactive and inclusive opportunity for engaging citizens in the continuous collection of data relevant to science, governance, businesses, communal living, as well as individual concerns. This article presents the practices, trends and challenges of 108 ICT enabled citizen science projects. In addition, we present a palette for participation in ICT enabled citizen science that depicts the shapes civic participation is currently taking in different contexts. We discuss the potential uses of this palette for improving the engineering of ICT citizen science platforms to better fit the needs of volunteers and build opportunities for active engagement.
The energy and carbon footprint of the global ICT and E&M sectors 2010 - 2015
Authors: Malmodin Jens , Lundén Dag
Published: May 2018

This paper estimates the energy and carbon footprint of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Entertainment & Media (E&M) sectors globally for 2010-2015 as well as a forecast to 2020. It builds on two previous global studies (2007 and 2011) and a Swedish study (2015) by the same authors. The study is based on a extensive dataset which combines primary and secondary data for operational (use stage) energy consumption and life cycle greenhouse gas emissions (CO2e) for the included sub- sectors, including energy and carbon footprint data from about 100 of the major global manufacturers, operators and ICT and E&M service providers. The data set also includes sale statistics and forecasts for equipment to estimate product volumes in addition to published LCA studies and primary manufacturing data to estimate the embodied carbon footprint of products. The result shows that the ICT and E&M sectors have turned their previous growing footprints into shrinking ones despite a continuous increase in subscriptions and data traffic. Furthermore the results of this study is also indicating significantly lower levels than previous forecasts.
Evaluating Equality Requirements for Software Systems
Authors: Al Hinai Maryam , Chitchyan Ruzanna
Published: May 2018

Equality is one of the key requisites of social sustainability: history shows that deprivation of some groups in favour of others inevitably leads to social tensions, unrest, and uprisings. As nowadays software systems control access to services, information, and even education, we maintain that all software systems ought to address equality requirements. To facilitate this, we present a template for equality requirements derived through study of 6 sample requirements specifications. The utility of the template is evaluated through a study of its application by a group of expert requirements engineers. The results obtained from a group that used the template are contrasted to the results from another group that completed the same task without the template. This study observes a substantial positive feedback from the template use.
Zeta potential for cell surface – nanoenvironment interaction assessment
Authors: Chafai Djamel Eddine , Nemogová Ingrida , Dráber Pavel , Cifra Michal
Published: May 2018

The pulsed electric field technologies are of great importance in biomedicine and biotechnology. While it is clear that at the physical level the electric field effects are mediated by charges and dipoles, the full mechanisms of electric field action on the cellular and biomolecular level are not understood in details. In this work, we attempt to understand the interaction of electrolyte ions with the cell surface in culture media and in different buffers. So far, we aligned our work with the buffers typically used in electroporation of cells. We used Zeta potential to assess cell surface-nanoenvironment interaction, where, the Zeta potential values in different buffers were different from the one measured in culture media. Therefore, the cell surface- nanoenvironment interaction has a prodigious influence on the final electric charge distribution, thus the subsequent phenomena caused by the pulsed electric field. It is also shown that Zeta potential characterizes this interaction taking into account the physicochemical properties of buffers and cell type simultaneously.
Assessment of Investment in the Café Service Sector
Authors: Adamowicz Mieczysław , Ziółkowska Karolina
Published: May 2018

Subject and purpose of work: The subject of the work is the issue related to making investment decisions on the Polish market of café services in Warsaw. The work contains a theoretical and an empirical part. The aim of the work is to evaluate the effectiveness of different ways of running a café in the form of creating your own brand, a network café franchise or cooperation based on an agency agreement. Materials and methods: The work was based on the problem literature, materials made available by companies offering cooperation in the cafeteria industry and reports from a research company regarding the HoReCa market. A prospective ex-ante analysis has been given the form of a business plan for a newly created coffee shop. Results: The basics of creating a new enterprise were discussed and the undertaking was characterized taking into account the location, competition, employment plan, marketing and risk assessment. A SWOT analysis and financial forecasts were prepared, taking into account capital expenditures, demand forecast, revenues, costs and margins, as well as the analysis of other financial parameters. Conclusions: Available business models offer the investor a wide range of investment options. The choice of a business model depends both on the investor’s expectations and its proneness to risk taking as well as on the location of the planned undertaking.
Territorial Marketing as a Method of Creating New Values of a Territorial Unit Based on the Example of Dobra Szczecińska Municipality in the West Pomeranian Province
Authors: Kondratowicz-Pozorska Jolanta
Published: May 2018

Subject and purpose of work: The subject of the study is to show that the method of managing a municipality, taking into account the marketing philosophy, creates additional values for a given municipality. The purpose of the work is to show that Dobra Szczecińska Municipality, being a territorial unit, has developed a certain manner of managing and directing local resources, which, using territorial marketing, has created a unique and inimitable character of the location. Materials and methods: Scientific literature, source materials from the Municipal Office of Dobra Szczecińska as well as all statistics and studies available online were used. Literature review and analysis, as well as deductive and inductive methods were applied as research tools. Results: It has been proved that Dobra Szczecińska is a municipality with its own identity, possesses its own unique image, cares about the municipality’s product and satisfies the needs of its residents and entrepreneurs. Conclusions: The municipality was justifiably ranked 23rd in the 2016 Ranking, because the local authorities make every effort to ensure that the residents and entrepreneurs believe that they live and operate in the best place in West Pomeranian Province. The analysis of the collected material confirmed that Dobra Szczecińska municipality is rightly called a good one because it develops in accordance with the principles of sustainable development.
Loss of heather Calluna vulgaris moorland in the Scottish uplands: the role of red grouse Lagopus lagopus scoticus management
Authors: Robertson Peter A. , Park Kirsty J. , Barton Andrew F.
Published: May 2018

Scottish upland moorland dominated by heather Calluna vulgaris is the primary habitat for red grouse Lagopus lagopus scoticus, and has been declining since the 1940s. At the same time red grouse numbers have also fallen. We compared land cover change on sites managed for grouse shooting (1945–1990), and on sites which were managed for grouse in the 1940s but on which management had stopped by the 1980s. Land cover type for sites (N = 229) containing >10% heather cover in the 1940s were examined during the 1940s, 1970s and 1980s. Grouse management existed on 49% of sites in the 1940s, a number which had fallen to 20% by the 1980s. In the 1940s there were no significant differences in land cover type between areas that were managed for grouse, and areas that were not. However, differences emerged during the 1970s and 1980s; areas where grouse management had ceased by the 1980s showed an expansion in woodland cover from 6% in the 1940s to 30% in the 1980s, and a reduction in heather cover from 53 to 29%. In areas where active grouse management had been maintained, woodland increased from 3 to 10% and heather decreased from 51 to 41% during the same period. These changes may be, in part, a consequence of government agricultural and forestry policy. When profitable, grouse management reduces the attractiveness of such subsidies and thereby results in a slower loss of heather.
Autumn population size of capercaillieTetrao urogallusin relation to bilberryVaccinium myrtillusproduction and weather: an analysis of Norwegian game reports
Authors: Selås Vidar
Published: May 2018

From a study area in Aust‐Agder, southern Norway, game reports from 1920–1978, supplemented with autumn counts carried out during 1968–1984, were used to determine whether the autumn population size of capercaillieTetrao urogallusshowed no increase, a slight increase or a strong increase compared to the population size the previous year. Based on the mast depression hypothesis, it was predicted that adverse weather conditions should have less influence on the reproduction and thus also on the autumn population size in postmast years of bilberryVaccinium myrtillusthan in other years, because of a higher food quality and therefore also a higher body condition of the birds. In a logistic regression model, only the bilberry index and the June–September temperature of the previous year contributed significantly to explain the status of the capercaillie population. A negative effect of high summer temperatures in the previous year was highly significant when analysing post‐mast years separately, possibly because bilberry plants were less depressed after a high seed crop if summer temperatures and thus primary production were high. Only when years with high bilberry production were analysed separately, did I find effects of weather conditions which could be assumed to have direct impacts on breeding success, such as snow conditions in spring and precipitation in early summer.
Partial migration by large ungulates: characteristics of seasonal mooseAlces alcesranges in northern Sweden
Authors: Ball John P. , Nordengren Caroline , Wallin Kjell
Published: May 2018

We studied seasonal migration of individually radio‐collared mooseAlces alcesin a partially migrant population in northern Sweden. First, to investigate habitat selection at the level of individuals, we examined use vs availability of habitat characteristics within seasonal ranges. Second, to investigate what habitat characteristics migrants use to select these seasonal ranges, we contrasted the characteristics of summer and winter ranges of individual migrants. Third, to investigate why some moose migrate whereas others do not, we contrasted the snow conditions and the composition of the vegetation in the seasonal ranges of 36 migrant and 30 resident moose. At the level of habitat selection within a range, moose selected areas which had less mire, clear‐cut and field habitats, as well as less snow. At the level of the entire range, migrants and residents had rather similar range compositions and differed only in migrants having less field habitats in their winter ranges; the proportion of Scots pinePinus sylvestrisstands, Norway sprucePicea abiesstands, mire, deciduous, and clear‐cut forest habitats did not differ, nor was there a difference in snow depth. Similarly, within the group of migrants, we detected no differences in habitat composition or snow depth between the summer ranges they just left, and the winter ranges they moved to. Snow quality (as indexed by the depths to which moose sank) did not differ between the two seasonal ranges of migrants, but calves sank less deeply in ranges of migrants than in ranges of residents, suggesting that snow quality may play a role in the selection of ranges by moose or their decision to migrate/remain resident. Thus, habitat composition and snow depth were important at lower levels of habitat selection, but differences among home ranges were not dramatic. The observation that snow quality differed significantly between ranges of residents and migrants suggests that future studies of migration might profitably investigate snow quality.
Snow cover and snow gooseAnser caerulescens caerulescensdistribution during spring migration
Authors: Hupp Jerry W. , Zacheis Amy B. , Anthony R. Michael , Robertson Donna G. , Erickson Wallace P. , Palacios Kelly C.
Published: May 2018

Arctic geese often use spring migration stopover areas when feeding habitats are partially snow covered. Melting of snow during the stopover period causes spatial and temporal variability in distribution and abundance of feeding habitat. We recorded changes in snow cover and lesser snow gooseAnser caerulescens caerulescensdistribution on a spring migration stopover area in south‐central Alaska during aerial surveys in 1993–1994. Our objectives were to determine whether geese selected among areas with different amounts of snow cover and to assess how temporal changes in snow cover affected goose distribution. We also measured temporal changes in chemical composition of forage species after snow melt. We divided an Arc/Info coverage of the approximately 210 km2coastal stopover area into 2‐km2cells, and measured snow cover and snow goose use of cells. Cells that had 10–49.9% snow cover were selected by snow geese, whereas cells that lacked snow cover were avoided. In both years, snow cover diminished along the coast between mid‐April and early May. Flock distribution changed as snow geese abandoned snow‐free areas in favour of cells where snow patches were interspersed with bare ground. Snow‐free areas may have been less attractive to geese because available forage had been quickly exploited as bare ground was exposed, and because soils became drier making extraction of underground forage more difficult. Fiber content of two forage species increased whereas non‐structural carbohydrate concentrations of forage plants appeared to diminish after snow melt, but changes in nutrient concentrations likely occurred too slowly to account for abandonment of snow‐free areas by snow geese.
Effects of duckling body condition on hunting vulnerability in juvenile and immature common eiders Somateria mollissima
Authors: Christensen Thomas Kjær
Published: May 2018

Condition related pre‐breeding hunting vulnerability in the common eider Somateria mollissima, i.e. the relationship between body condition attained as a duckling and the probability of being shot, was analysed from recoveries of hunter‐retrieved birds ringed in the Stavns Fjord colony in Denmark during 1991–1995. Mean duckling cohort condition showed significant variation between years, but the proportions of birds retrieved during the first three seasons were similar (4.9% ± 1.4 SD). The proportion of birds retrieved by hunters declined from 3.9% in the first year to 0.64% and 0.38% in the second and third year, respectively. A condition bias was found in first‐year retrieved birds in the cohorts with the highest and poorest mean condition, but not in the cohorts of intermediate condition. In accordance with a priori predictions regarding condition related non‐hunting mortality during the period between marking and the opening of the hunting season, the direction of the bias was negative (hunters retrieved poor individuals compared to cohort mean) in the cohort of high mean condition, and positive (hunters retrieved good individuals compared to cohort mean) in the cohort of poor mean condition. Despite significant variation in cohort condition, the duckling condition of individuals retrieved during their first season from the cohorts of high and poor mean condition was comparable. The condition of first‐year retrieved birds was not significantly different from the condition of birds retrieved during their second and third year, when all years were pooled. As there is a significant positive relationship within cohorts between duckling condition and recruitment of (female) eiders, the present results suggest, 1) that hunting vulnerability in the eider is related to a specific (poor) level of body condition attained prior to fledging, and 2) that hunting tends to remove the poorest individuals present at the time when the hunting season opens.
Parturition dates for Eurasian beaver Castor fiber: when should spring hunting cease?
Authors: Parker Howard , Rosell Frank
Published: May 2018

Hunting Eurasian beaver Castor fiber with firearms during late spring is the dominating harvest form in Norway but may violate the Norwegian wildlife management principle of not hunting during the breeding season. In particular, shooting mothers from newborn young would be considered cruel. As beaver cannot be sexed or effectively aged under spring hunting conditions, selective harvesting at this time is impossible. We examined 32 pregnant beaver shot between 27 March and 12 May 1997–1999 in southeast Norway. No post‐parturition females were shot, despite a 15‐day extension of the normal hunting season to 15 May. A regression model predicted a mean birth date for the population of 13 May, with most births between 7 and 18 May and few before 30 April. Post‐parturition females were not shot primarily because most births occur after hunting has ceased. Additionally, reduced activity of mothers outside the lodge may limit exposure to hunters. Terminating hunting a month earlier would eliminate the shooting of pregnant females with well‐developed foetuses. However, as few watersheds in Norway are ice‐free before mid‐April, and most beaver are presently bagged in late April, this would likely result in a major reduction in beaver harvests and an increase in damage complaints.
Optimal and suboptimal use of compensatory responses to harvesting: timing of hunting as an example
Authors: Kokko Hanna
Published: May 2018

The sustainability of exploitation is based on density‐dependent renewal of populations: when population density decreases as some individuals are taken, the remaining individuals compensate by surviving or reproducing better. In general there is a trade‐off between two desired outcomes: a high yield and a high remaining population size. A hunting strategy is Pareto optimal if it balances this trade‐off without wasting possibilities of improving the performance in either aspect. Lack of knowledge concerning the age structure, mating system or density dependence operating in a population will very easily cause suboptimality in this sense, whereas utilising knowledge of density dependence may, in some cases, even overcome the conflict between the goals, so that harvesting can increase rather than decrease population sizes. Suboptimal timing of harvesting is an example which not only causes unnecessary harm to a population, but also hampers estimation of the compensatory or additive nature of mortality. A bias towards additivity will be found if hunting and natural mortality overlap in time, and even ‘superadditive’ results are possible. A mortality pattern that appears additive cannot, therefore, be used to deduce that overwinter survival is density independent. These results have consequences to harvest planning. Adjusting the length of the open season is a tool frequently used to regulate the harvest. Since estimated slopes of compensation cannot be assumed to remain constant if the timing of the open season is changed, the effect of a prolonged season will be more drastic than a mere change in kill rates would predict. Such factors are likely to have the strongest effects in species with long harvest seasons, such as many migratory European waterfowl.
Harvesting unstable populations: red grouse Lagopus lagopus scoticus (Lath.) in the United Kingdom
Authors: Hudson Peter J. , Dobson Andrew P.
Published: May 2018

The optimal harvesting strategies for unstable populations are explored using first discrete time models and second a continuous time model specifically applied to the destabilising effects of the caecal nematode Trichostrongylus tenuis on the dynamics of red grouse Lagopus lagopus scoticus. In discrete time models, with overcompensation generating either cyclic or chaotic fluctuations in abundance harvesting can act as both a stabilising and a destabilising process. Maximum yields occur at the harvesting rate that coincides with the point where the harvesting stabilises the overcompensation. Optimal harvesting rates increase with the degree of overcompensation although these are more vulnerable to overharvesting. Harvesting in the continuous time model provides similar results, although observed hunting records do not appear to be stabilised by harvesting. Empirical data on the mortality caused by other natural enemies of red grouse, the hen harrier Circus cyaenus and the louping ill virus, show that these mortalities do stabilise grouse dynamics. One explanation is that both hen harriers and louping ill virus cause significant mortality to chicks before the infective stages of T. tenuis are laid down on the ground, whereas shooting takes place after the infective stages are laid down and thus do not stabilise the populations.
Pattern of goshawk Accipiter gentilis predation on four forest grouse species in northern Finland
Authors: Tornberg Risto
Published: May 2018

I studied predator‐prey relationships between goshawk Accipiter gentilis and four species of forest grouse (Tetraonidae) in northern Finland during 1988–1998. The main purpose of my study was to evaluate the impact of goshawk predation and its possible effect on multiannual cycling patterns in grouse numbers. Theoretically specialist predators should tend to cause stable‐limit cycles in prey populations if there is a time‐lag in the predator's response to prey density and the prey species should be most affected at low densities. Four grouse species, willow grouse Lagopus lagopus, black grouse Tetrao tetrix, capercaillie Tetrao urogallus and hazel grouse Bonasa bonasia, form the main food of the goshawk in boreal forests in northern Finland. Grouse constituted >40% of the goshawk's diet during the breeding season. The impact of predation by breeding goshawks on grouse varied depending on grouse species within 7–32% during the breeding season. Losses were highest for willow grouse and lowest for capercaillie. On average, goshawks took 6% of grouse chicks. On an annual basis breeding goshawks took 2–31% of the August grouse population. The goshawk's share of the total mortality in grouse was also species related. The most reliable estimates were found for black grouse of which 35% were removed and for hazel grouse of which 40% were removed. Goshawks are relatively specialised on forest grouse in northern boreal forests as was demonstrated by a weak functional response of the hawks to changes in grouse density. Breeding goshawks showed no numerical response to changes in grouse density but the production of young tended to lag one year behind black grouse density. The predation rate of goshawks was inversely density dependent on changes in grouse density, which may have had a destabilising effect on the grouse populations. A positive relationship existed between summer predation on willow grouse and changes in the population the previous year.
Sex, age, condition and tooth wear of harvested caribou Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus in west Greenland, 1995–1998
Authors: Loison Anne , Cuyler L. Christine , Linnell John D.C. , Landa Arild
Published: May 2018

Managing ungulate populations in a sustainable way requires monitoring plans to provide useful information about population status and trend. Our aim is to evaluate the use of hunters to collect information about the status of caribou Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus in Greenland. Caribou have been harvested under a quota system since 1995 in four regions of west Greenland. In each year, hunters were asked to return information on the sex, approximate age and body condition of animals harvested, and lower jawbones were collected from animals shot in 1995. The harvest is strongly sex‐biased (90:10) towards males. Jawbone length did not vary among regions. Age‐specific tooth wear was, however, most pronounced in the northern region (Sisimiut‐Kangerlussuaq), probably due to the nature of the substrate in the area. The condition of animals, based on a rump‐fat index, appears to be good over all west Greenland, with some slight but consistent differences between regions. We conclude that information provided by hunters will be useful in monitoring the caribou populations, but validation of their information is required.
Summer response distances of Svalbard reindeerRangifer tarandus platyrhynchusto provocation by humans on foot
Authors: Colman Jonathan E. , Jacobsen Bente W. , Reimers Eigil
Published: May 2018

The objective of our study was to examine response distances of Svalbard reindeerRangifer tarandus platyrhynchusto direct provocation by humans on foot during summer in areas subject to combinations of high or low human activity, and hunting or no hunting. We hypothesised that Svalbard reindeer can become habituated to human activity even when hunted. Reindeer sight, fright, flight and running response distances were measured in response to direct provocation by humans on foot in five areas chosen for their degree of human activity and hunting. No differences in sight distance were found among the five areas. Reindeer in the area with the most human activity in summer and no hunting (Adventdalen) had shorter fright, flight and running distances than reindeer in the area with little human activity and no hunting (Reinsdyrflya). Reindeer response distances in the three areas with hunting and moderate human activity were similar and intermediate to areas with high and low human activity and no hunting There were significant negative correlations between the fright, flight and running distances and the amount of human activity in an area, and with the exception of running distance having a borderline significant value, there were no correlations with intensity of hunting. Our findings suggest that Svalbard reindeer become habituated to human activity and that hunting probably has only a weak or even no influence on it. Furthermore, these findings do not lend support to the hypothesis that reindeer that are hunted by humans are less likely to habituate to human activity than those that are not hunted.
Feeding of hand‐reared grey partridge Perdix perdix chicks ‐ importance of invertebrates
Authors: Liukkonen‐Anttila Tuija , Putaala Ahti , Hissa Raimo
Published: May 2018

Survival of hand‐reared gamebirds is reported to be poor after release into the wild. One reason for the high mortality is assumed to be nutritional maladaptation of hand‐reared birds to natural foods. In captivity, birds are usually fed commercial poultry foods, which are originally meant for chickens. We carried out a feeding trial to examine the importance of invertebrates and animal protein on the growth and development of temperature regulation in grey partridge Perdix perdix chicks. Three diet groups were established: invertebrate‐rich, low‐invertebrate, and fish groups. Invertebrate food consisted of fly (Calliphora) larvae and ant (Formicoidea) pupae, and the fish diet of fresh vendace Coregonus albula and smelt Osmerus eperlanus. Each diet group was provided with ad libitum plant food. Chicks were weighed every third day, their primaries were measured, and their cooling rate at 0°C was recorded. Chicks fed an invertebrate‐rich diet were heavier than the other chicks, and their primaries developed earlier than the other chicks' feathers. Chicks fed a low‐invertebrate or a fish diet cooled faster than chicks fed an invertebrate‐rich diet. A wild brood was captured and 7‐day‐old wild chicks were examined as a reference group for the captive chicks. Results obtained from these chicks are in agreement with the results obtained from the chicks fed an invertebrate‐rich diet. In conclusion, invertebrates are not replaceable by a fish diet like the one used in our study during the growth period of hand‐reared grey partridges. Invertebrates should be included in the diet of hand‐reared grey partridge chicks during their first weeks of life.
Mortality of semi‐domestic reindeer Rangifer tarandus in central Norway
Authors: Nybakk Kai , Kjelvik Ola , Kvam Tor , Overskaug Kristian , Sunde Peter
Published: May 2018

During the last decade, losses of semi‐domestic reindeer Rangifer tarandus have increased in central Norway. Natural mortality in a semi‐domestic reindeer herd was studied by use of mortality sensing transmitters. From 15 April 1995 to 15 April 1996,135 of 612 animals equipped with radio collars were found dead. Adult females (>2 years old) suffered a mortality of 18.3%, of which 40.5% was due to predation. Yearlings suffered a yearly mortality of 20.2% of which 66.7% was due to predation. Calf mortality from 6 August 1995 to 15 April 1996 was 31.0%, of which 75.3% was due to predation. Predation by Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx was the predominant cause of death, with 39.3% of the total mortality. Accidents were the second most important cause of death, with 16.0% of the total mortality. Peaks in mortality were registered in September, November and January.
Diving behaviour of long‐finned pilot whales Globicephala melas around the Faroe Islands
Authors: Heide‐Jørgensen Mads Peter , Bloch Dorete , Stefansson Eydfinn , Mikkelsen Bjarni , Helen Ofstad Lise , Dietz Rune
Published: May 2018

Three long‐finned pilot whales Globicephala melas were equipped with satellite‐linked time‐depth recorders on the Faroe Islands on 15 July 2000. The purpose was to study the diving behaviour and habitat use of free‐ranging pilot whales in the northeast Atlantic. Summarised data on the diving behaviour of the whales were collected for up to 129 6‐hour periods. The maximum depth of dives was 828 m and the mean number of dives below 12 m was 12.2/hour (SD = 8.2). On average, the whales spent 60% of their time above 7 m depth. All three whales had significantly longer surface times when they were outside the continental shelf than when they were on the shelf. The mean vertical speeds ranged from 0.9 m/second for dives to 150 m to 2.3 m/second for dives to 600 m. No dives below 12 m lasted longer than 18 minutes, and more than 60% of dives lasted less than three minutes. The mean number of dives that lasted less than one minute was significantly higher in offshore areas than on the continental slope for all three whales. Compared to other odontocetes of similar size, long‐finned pilot whales apparendy either have a lower dive capacity or utilise a niche in the water column that requires less diving activity.