bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Shared Care, elder and family member skills used to manage burden
Authors: Sebern Margaret
Published: September 2005

Aim. The aim of this paper is to further develop the construct of Shared Care by comparing and contrasting it to related research, and to show how the construct can be used to guide research and practice.

Background. While researchers have identified negative outcomes for family caregivers caused by providing care, less is known about positive aspects of family care for both members of a family dyad. Understanding family care relationships is important to nurses because family participation in the care of chronically ill elders is necessary to achieve optimal outcomes from nursing interventions. A previous naturalistic inquiry identified a new construct, Shared Care, which was used to describe a family care interaction that contributed to positive care outcomes.

Methods. A literature review was carried out using the databases Medline, CINAHL, and Psych‐info and the keywords home care, care receiver, disability, family, communication, decision‐making and reciprocity. The results of the review were integrated to suggest how Shared Care could be used to study care difficulties and guide interventions.

Results. The literature confirmed the importance of dyad relationships in family care. Shared Care extended previous conceptualizations of family care by capturing three critical components: communication, decision‐making, and reciprocity. Shared Care provides a structure to expand the conceptualization of family care to include both members of a care dyad and account for positive and negative aspects of care.

Conclusions. The extended view provided by the construct of Shared Care offers practitioners and scholars tools to use in the context of our ageing population to improve the effectiveness of family care relationships.
Student–teacher connection: a place of possibility
Authors: Gillespie Mary
Published: September 2005

Aim.  This paper expands the understanding of student–teacher connection and offers direction for educators in supporting connection as a place of possibility.

Background.  The evolution of a humanistic paradigm in nursing education is evident in research exploring student–teacher relationships. Connection is described within humanistic student–teacher relationships, reported as part of experiences of students, educators and clinicians within emancipatory curricula, and emerged as a central metaphor in a metasynthesis of caring in nursing education. Additionally, student–teacher connection in clinical nursing education has been reported as creating positive outcomes for students’ learning experiences and professional socialization.

Discussion.  In this paper, student–teacher connection is envisioned as having a value beyond these tangible outcomes – a value that arises from the essence of connection itself. The qualities inherent in the essence of connection – knowing, trust, respect and mutuality – create a transformative space in which students are affirmed, gain insight into their potential, and grow toward fulfilling personal and professional capacities: student–teacher connection emerges as a place of possibility. The possibilities that exist for students and teachers in a connected relationship are exemplified as connection is proposed as a cornerstone in supporting students at risk of failing a clinical nursing course.

Conclusion.  Acknowledging student–teacher connection as a place of possibility highlights the importance of student–teacher relationship to students’ learning and raises implications for preparation and evaluation of educators, and educational practice within the international nursing arena. Of note is the need for the preparation of educators to include a focus of developing relational competence as well as evaluation processes that consider the teacher‐in‐relationship. Regardless of the educational setting, educators are challenged to consider their beliefs and actions and the influence these exert on relationships with students. Further research exploring specific possibilities within connection is required.
Anthropogenic forcing on the spatial dynamics of an agricultural weed: the case of the common sunflower
Authors: HUMSTON ROBERT , MORTENSEN DAVID A. , BJØRNSTAD OTTAR N.
Published: September 2005

Establishment and spread are central in weed invasion. In this study we quantified the impact of harvest and weed management practices on these processes in row‐crop agriculture. Quantifying the dynamics of patch expansion can direct management aimed at containment of weed populations.

We assessed annual patterns of common sunflower Helianthus annuus seedling recruitment to determine the influence of management on seed dispersal and patch expansion. Weed seed banks were sowed at three initial densities and exposed to either high or low intensity weed management. Fields were maintained in a maize–soybean crop rotation, with cultivation and harvest orientated in a single direction. We analysed spatial pattern in annual seedling recruitment using geostatistics and an integro‐difference model to determine treatment effects on spatial dynamics.

The two spatial analyses allowed us to separate and quantify the contributions of natural and anthropogenic dispersal to seedling emergence and patch expansion. Expansion was predominantly isotropic, and estimated rates of isotropic spread (i.e. diffusion) were consistent between analysis methods.

We also confirmed that directional management practices can effect significant anisotropy on dispersal and expansion. Crop rotation had the greatest impact on expansion; anisotropy in patch expansion was more pronounced in maize compared with soybean. However, the scale of weed seed dispersal by machine (combine harvester) was greater following harvest of soybean. Simulation of patch dynamics indicated that harvest can increase expansion rate nearly fourfold.

Synthesis and applications. Patches of H. annuus originating from intermediate and high seed bank densities had the potential to spread rapidly from the source population. Patches with a low initial seed bank experienced extinction when subjected to high levels of chemical weed management. The combined approach of spatial modelling and geostatistics was particularly effective for quantifying admixed modes of dispersal from sequential data of population distribution. Independence of the two methods provided a system for cross‐validating model assumptions and estimated parameters. The scales of spatial dynamics we assessed were well suited to these methods. The results of the analysis underscore the importance of managing populations in order to keep local populations at low densities. Helianthus annuus is difficult to manage and once intermediate or high local densities are reached, the rate of spread is accelerated, distributing this weed widely across fields. A targeted site‐specific approach to maintaining populations at low levels would reduce the necessity for more costly field‐wide management.
Inter‐specific variation in avian responses to human disturbance
Authors: BLUMSTEIN DANIEL T. , FERNÁNDEZ‐JURICIC ESTEBAN , ZOLLNER PATRICK A. , GARITY SUSAN C.
Published: September 2005

Increasing urbanization and recreational activities around and within biodiversity hotspots require an understanding of how to reduce the impacts of human disturbance on more than a single species; however, we lack a general framework to study multiple species. One approach is to expand on knowledge about the theory of anti‐predator behaviour to understand and predict how different species might respond to humans.

We reviewed the literature and found that only 21% of studies that used a behavioural approach to study human disturbance focused on multiple species. These studies identified a number of potential predictive variables.

We developed a simulation model that investigates interspecific variation in different parameters of disturbance with variation in human visitation. We found that fitness‐related responses, such as the quantity of food consumed by a species, are relatively sensitive to the distance at which animals detect humans, the frequency of disturbance by humans and the interaction of these factors, but are less sensitive to other characteristics.

We examined avian alert distance (the distance animals first orientated to an approaching threat, a proxy for detection distance) across 150 species, controlling for phylogenetic effects. We found that larger species had greater alert distances than smaller species, which could increase local spatial and temporal limitations on suitable habitat with increasing human visitation.

Synthesis and applications. Our results suggest that body size could be a potential predictor of responses to human disturbance across species, and could be used by managers to make conservation decisions regarding levels of human visitation to a protected site. We suggest that three things are essential to develop predictive models of how different species will respond to human disturbance. First, multiple indicators of disturbance should be studied to select those with lower intraspecific variation for a given study system. Secondly, the species‐specific nature of responses should be identified. Thirdly, life history, natural history and other correlates with these species‐specific responses must be assessed.
The effects of landscape complexity on arable weed species diversity in organic and conventional farming
Authors: ROSCHEWITZ INDRA , GABRIEL DOREEN , TSCHARNTKE TEJA , THIES CARSTEN
Published: September 2005

There is growing concern about declining species diversity in agro‐ecosystems caused by agricultural intensification at the field and landscape scales. Species diversity of arable weeds is classically related to local abiotic factors and resource conditions. It is believed to be enhanced by organic farming but the surrounding landscape may also be important.

This study assessed the ruderal vegetation, seed bank and seed rain in 24 winter wheat fields to examine the relative importance of organic vs. conventional farming and landscape complexity for weed species diversity. Diversity was partitioned into its additive components: alpha, beta and gamma diversity. Percentage arable land in a circular landscape sector of 1‐km radius around each study site was used as an indicator of landscape complexity.

Weed species diversity in the vegetation, seed rain and seed bank was higher in organic than in conventional fields. Increasing landscape complexity enhanced species diversity more strongly in the vegetation of conventional than organic fields, to the extent that diversity was similar in both farming systems when the landscape was complex. Species diversity of the seed bank was increased by landscape complexity irrespective of farming system.

Overall diversity was largely determined by the high heterogeneity between and within the fields (beta diversity). Only in very few cases could higher weed species diversity in complex landscapes and/or organic farming be related to species dependence on landscape or farming system.

Synthesis and applications. Local weed species diversity was influenced by both landscape complexity and farming system. Species diversity under organic farming systems was clearly higher in simple landscapes. Conventional vegetation reached similar diversity levels when the surrounding landscape was complex through the presence of refugia for weed populations. Consequently, agri‐environment schemes designed to preserve and enhance biodiversity should not only consider the management of single fields but also of the surrounding landscape.
Plant communities can predict the distribution of solitarious desert locust Schistocerca gregaria
Authors: VAN DER WERF WOPKE , WOLDEWAHID GEBREMEDHIN , VAN HUIS ARNOLD , BUTROUS MUNIR , SYKORA KARLE
Published: September 2005

The desert locust is a migratory pest whose population development in remote areas must be monitored to prevent outbreaks, upsurges and plagues. Monitoring would be very much facilitated if the area of search could be restricted to sites of likely population increase.

The spatial distribution of solitarious desert locusts on the Red Sea coastal plain of Sudan was determined over 3 years from November to March. Additional observations were made on habitat factors, such as plant community, soil texture, soil moisture and land use.

Locust densities varied according to the amount and distribution of rainfall and longevity of the annual green vegetation, with virtually no locusts being observed in the driest season.

Samples on a grid of 120 sites within a 120‐km stretch of coastal plain showed that locusts were prevalent only in the millet–Heliotropium plant community, which is found at sites with a fine sandy soil texture and comparatively high and long‐lasting soil moisture in wadi deltas. These sites constitute less than 5% of the area of this part of the plain.

An accessory study showed association between desert locust distribution and millet cropping in an area where no Heliotropium was found. Other samples confirmed the association between solitarious desert locust and millet agriculture.

Synthesis and applications. The results indicate that surveys for early detection and control of desert locust on the Red Sea coast of Sudan can focus on millet cropping areas. The results suggest that the efficiency of monitoring migratory pest outbreaks in remote areas could be enhanced by using associations between plant communities and herbivorous insects to predict risk areas and target survey efforts.
ForecastingCameraria ohridellainvasion dynamics in recently invaded countries: from validation to prediction
Authors: GILBERT M. , GUICHARD S. , FREISE J. , GRÉGOIRE J.‐C. , HEITLAND W. , STRAW N. , TILBURY C. , AUGUSTIN S.
Published: September 2005

Biological invasions have an anthropogenic origin, and although many species are able to spread on their own within the newly invaded area, long‐distance dispersal events shown to accelerate rates of spread are frequently associated with human activities. In a previous study, the performances of several invasion models of the spread of the horse chestnut leafminerCameraria ohridellain Germany were compared, demonstrating that the best model in qualitative and quantitative terms was a stratified dispersal model taking into account the effect of human population density on the probability of long‐distance dispersal events.

Similar data were collected in France over 4 years (2000–2004, 5274 observation points). These data were used to assess the performance of the best‐fit models from Germany using the original parameters and to model the spread of the leafminer in France.

The stratified dispersal model accounting for variations in human population density developed in Germany, predicted the invasion of France with a similar level of predictive power as in the area where it was developed. This suggests that an equivalent level of predictability can be expected in a newly invaded country with similar environmental conditions.

We applied the model to forecast the future invasion dynamics in the UK from 2005 to 2008, based on the first observations ofCamerariain the country in 2002–2004. Predictions are discussed in the light of different prevailing environmental conditions.

Synthesis and application. The model and predictions developed in this study provide one of the few examples of an a priori model of invasion in a newly invaded country, and provide a simple modelling framework that can be used to explore the spread of other invading organisms. In the case ofCameraria, little can be done to prevent or slow its spread but our model, by predicting changes in distribution and rates of spread, provides fore‐warning of where and when damaging pest populations are likely to appear.
Sink or swim? Viability of a black‐tailed godwit population in relation to flooding
Authors: RATCLIFFE NORMAN , SCHMITT SABINE , WHIFFIN MARK
Published: September 2005

Godwits of theLimosa l. limosarace have declined throughout northern Europe because of changing agricultural practices. The relict UK population is now mostly confined to two reserves within flood‐defence structures, and numbers have declined at one of these. This study diagnosed the cause of this decline and evaluated options for remedial management.

Re‐nesting models showed that productivity varied among sites and years in relation to flooding patterns. Floods caused breeding failure by forcing godwits to nest on nearby arable fields where nest and chick survival rates were low.

A population model showed that flood‐dependent variations in productivity were sufficient to explain the contrasting population trends at the two sites.

The relative merits of various options for mitigating the effect of floods on godwits were investigated using a combination of hydrological, re‐nesting and population models.

Models assuming a closed population resulted in numbers of godwit pairs at one site, the Ouse Washes in eastern England, declining and becoming extirpated within 30 years under current conditions. Some management options improved productivity, population growth and persistence likelihood, but the chances of extirpation were still high and conservation targets would not be met.

Models assuming an open population showed that target populations would only be achieved within 30 years if all of the available flood mitigation options were combined. However, habitat creation outside the Ouse Washes resulted in comparable productivity and population growth at a fraction of the cost.

Synthesis and applications.Provision of compensatory habitat is likely to be a more parsimonious means of conserving black‐tailed godwits at the Ouse Washes than flood mitigation. However, reliance on the creation of new habitat is a more risky strategy as the godwits may continue to use traditional arable fields in favour of grassland alternatives, and because their productivity on created grassland is unknown.
Forest change on a steep mountain gradient after extended fire exclusion: San Francisco Peaks, Arizona, USA
Authors: COCKE ALLISON E. , FULÉ PETER Z. , CROUSE JOSEPH E.
Published: September 2005

More than a century of forest management, including fire exclusion, livestock grazing and tree harvesting, may have affected forest structure and composition in south‐western USA. Dendroecological techniques were used to reconstruct an 1876 baseline against which modern conditions could be compared. We assessed the magnitude of changes on the San Francisco Peaks in five distinct forest types: ponderosa, mixed conifer, aspen, spruce–fir and bristlecone.

We established a systematic grid of 135 plots, each 0·1 ha in size, over a 1117‐m altitudinal band.

In the contemporary forest, density was greatest in spruce–fir and least in bristlecone whereas basal area was greatest in spruce–fir and lowest in ponderosa. In 1876, all forest types had significantly lower densities and basal areas.

The period since 1876 was associated with increased forest density, a shift in species composition as a result of invasion of shade‐tolerant conifers, and a trend for mesic species to migrate to lower altitudes. Changes were least evident in the highest altitude forests. Climate and human‐caused and natural biotic disturbance factors probably all played a role in forest change, but we argue that the most prominent factor was probably exclusion of the thinning effect of fire, especially on fire‐susceptible mesic species.

Synthesis and applications.Mesic species have encroached to lower altitudes and forest density has increased since 1876. These changes have created to conditions opposite to those suitable for warmer, drier future climates that will display increased fire risk, setting the stage for sudden and severe change. Management is complex because of heavy fuel loading, administrative constraints and high public visibility. However, ‘sky island’ landscapes such as the Peaks represent protected ecosystems of great importance in arid regions. Testing of wildland fire use and other management interventions to restore composition and fuel structures more resilient to warmer climate should proceed.
Predicting calyptrate fly populations from the weather, and probable consequences of climate change
Authors: GOULSON DAVE , DERWENT LARA C. , HANLEY MICHAEL E. , DUNN DEREK W. , ABOLINS STEVEN R.
Published: September 2005

Calyptrate flies include numerous species that are disease vectors and have a high nuisance value, notably Musca domestica. Populations are often associated with livestock farms and domestic waste disposal facilities such as landfill, where the accumulating organic matter provides suitable breeding conditions for a range of species.

We examined the relationship between fly numbers and weather conditions using a 4‐year data set of weekly fly catches from six sites in southern UK, together with meteorological data. The first 3 years were used to develop predictive models, and these were then used to forecast fly populations in the fourth year. The accuracy of these predictions was assessed by comparison with the actual fly catches for that year. Separate models were developed for M. domestica, Calliphora spp. and all calyptrate flies combined.

Predictions based only on humidity, temperature and rainfall were strongly correlated with observed data (r2 values ranged from 0·52 to 0·84), suggesting that fly population changes are largely driven by the weather rather than by biotic factors. We can forecast fly populations so that control measures need only be deployed when weather conditions are suitable for a fly outbreak, reducing the need for prophylactic insecticide use.

Climate change was simulated using the most recent predictions of future temperature increases. Our models predicted substantial increases in fly populations up to 244% by 2080 compared with current levels, with the greatest increases occurring in the summer months.

Synthesis and applications. Models developed use weather data to predict populations of pestiferous flies such as M. domestica, which may prove valuable in integrated control programmes. These models predict substantial increases in fly populations in the future under likely scenarios of climate change. If this occurs we may expect considerable increases in the incidence of fly‐borne disease.
Predictive value of plant traits to grazing along a climatic gradient in the Mediterranean
Authors: DE BELLO FRANCESCO , LEPŠ JAN , SEBASTIÀ MARIA‐TERESA
Published: September 2005

In the face of large‐scale environmental changes, predicting the consequences for species composition from species’ traits can be a major step towards generalizing ecological patterns and management. Few studies, however, have explored the applicability of this tool in relation to different climatic conditions. Here, the changes in species composition along a gradient of sheep‐grazing pressure (high, low, abandonment) were used to test whether a common set of plant functional traits (PFT) would provide consistent predictions of species’ responses to grazing in different biogeographical regions.

Data were collected across an altitudinal and climatic gradient from Mediterranean rangelands to subalpine grasslands in north‐eastern Spain. Species’ responses were calculated using partial constrained ordination to account only for the effect of grazing intensity. Regression trees and general linear models were applied to identify traits that could predict species’ responses.

Results were mostly consistent with the ruderal vs. competitive strategy (sensuGrime), in terms of life cycle, life form and plant height, and their expected responses to repeated disturbance.

However, the predictive capacity of the investigated traits changed with climatic conditions. Traits generally related to grazing did not show a strong repeatability across the climatic gradient. Convergent selection of climatic conditions and grazing indicated that plant features might reflect an adaptation to multiple selective forces. The climatic conditions acted as filters on the pool of PFT available and shifted the relevance of plant traits as potential predictors. Results were not substantially different after applying phylogenetically independent contrasts (PIC).

Synthesis and applications. At a local scale, plant functional traits are useful tools in predicting species’ responses to grazing and, for conservation purposes, identifying species vulnerable to land‐use changes. However, predictions cannot be extrapolated from one climatic region to another. The methodology proposed in this study to detect predicting traits can be applied more generally. Regression trees, in particular, appear to be a useful tool because they account for non‐additive effects and allow visualizations of trait combinations.
Saltmarsh erosion and restoration in south‐east England: squeezing the evidence requires realignment
Authors: WOLTERS MINEKE , BAKKER JAN P. , BERTNESS MARK D. , JEFFERIES ROBERT L. , MÖLLER IRIS
Published: September 2005

Saltmarshes in south‐east England have been eroding rapidly since 1960. Recently, Hughes & Paramor (2004) and Morris et al. (2004) have presented contrasting views on the extent to which physical and biological processes might contribute to the erosion. There are three contentious issues: (i) saltmarsh erosion is the result of coastal squeeze, where sea walls prevent a landward migration of a saltmarsh in response to sea level rise; (ii) saltmarsh erosion is linked to bioturbation and herbivory of seedlings by the ragworm Nereis diversicolor; (iii) new saltmarshes will not develop on managed realignment sites where existing sea walls have been removed because of the effects of ragworms.

In this paper, we provide a literature review of physical and biological processes relevant to the above three issues, and discuss the relative importance of these processes at different spatial and temporal scales.

Our synthesis shows that, at a regional scale, the combination of strong winds, high tides and increased wave height appears to be responsible for the increased rate of marsh erosion and creek dissection recorded in the 1970s. There is also some laboratory evidence that bioturbation and herbivory from populations of Nereis can lead to sediment instability and loss of pioneer plant species, such as Salicornia spp. However, the field evidence is more equivocal and has been conducted at small spatial scales.

At a large number of different managed realignment sites there is strong evidence that even if bioturbation and herbivory by Nereis have occurred, overall the effects have been insufficient to restrict plant succession of exposed sediment.

Synthesis and applications. There is an urgent need for long‐term field studies that integrate and quantify physical and biological processes and the related feedbacks at different spatial and temporal scales. Until this is completed, terms such as coastal squeeze will remain contentious and management decisions will invite criticism.
Climate change: the science and the policy
Authors: KING DAVID
Published: September 2005

Globally we face serious challenges from the effects of climate change. The causal link between global warming and increased greenhouse gas emissions is well established. Carbon dioxide levels are at a higher level than at any time in the past 750 000 years at least, and it is too late to stop further warming and consequent impacts on UK and global societies. Here I summarize the latest scientific evidence for anthropogenic global warming and outline strategies for adapting to its impacts and mitigating the effects in the longer term.
Diversity patterns of vascular epiphytes along an elevational gradient in the Andes
Authors: Krömer Thorsten , Kessler Michael , Robbert Gradstein S. , Acebey Amparo
Published: September 2005

Aim  To document the elevational pattern of epiphyte species richness at the local scale in the tropical Andes with a consistent methodology.

Location  The northern Bolivian Andes at 350–4000 m above sea level.

Methods  We surveyed epiphytic vascular plant assemblages in humid forests in (a) single trees located in (b) 90 subplots of 400 m2 each located in (c) 14 plots of 1 ha each. The plots were separated by 100–800 m along the elevational gradient.

Results  We recorded about 800 epiphyte species in total, with up to 83 species found on a single tree. Species richness peaked at c. 1500 m and declined by c. 65% to 350 m and by c. 99% to 4000 m, while forests on mountain ridges had richness values lowered by c. 30% relative to slope forests at the same elevations. The hump‐shaped richness pattern differed from a null‐model of random species distribution within a bounded domain (the mid‐domain effect) as well as from the pattern of mean annual precipitation by a shift of the diversity peak to lower elevations and by a more pronounced decline of species richness at higher elevations. With the exception of Araceae, which declined almost monotonically, all epiphyte taxa showed hump‐shaped curves, albeit with slightly differing shapes. Orchids and pteridophytes were the most species‐rich epiphytic taxa, but their relative contributions shifted with elevation from a predominance of orchids at low elevations to purely fern‐dominated epiphyte assemblages at 4000 m. Within the pteridophytes, the polygrammoid clade was conspicuously overrepresented in dry or cold environments. Orchids, various small groups (Cyclanthaceae, Ericaceae, Melastomataceae, etc.), and Bromeliaceae (below 1000 m) were mostly restricted to the forest canopy, while Araceae and Pteridophyta were well represented in the forest understorey.

Main conclusions  Our study confirms the hump‐shaped elevational pattern of vascular epiphyte richness, but the causes of this are still poorly understood. We hypothesize that the decline of richness at high elevations is a result of low temperatures, but the mechanism involved is unknown. The taxon‐specific patterns suggest that some taxa have a phylogenetically determined propensity for survival under extreme conditions (low temperatures, low humidity, and low light levels in the forest interior). The three spatial sampling scales show some different patterns, highlighting the influence of the sampling methodology.
Nestedness in fragmented landscapes: a case study on birds, arboreal marsupials and lizards
Authors: Fischer Joern , Lindenmayer David B.
Published: September 2005

Aim  The potential nestedness of assemblages of birds, arboreal marsupials and lizards was examined in a fragmented landscape in south‐eastern Australia. We assessed which ecological processes were related to the presence or absence of nestedness, particularly in relation to previous autoecological studies in the same study area.

Location  Data were collected at Buccleuch State Forest, c. 100 km to the west of the Australian Capital Territory in south‐eastern Australia.

Methods  Presence/absence matrices were compiled for birds (40 pine sites, 40 continuous forest sites, 43 fragments), arboreal marsupials (41 continuous forest sites, 39 fragments) and lizards (30 sites including all landscape elements) from a range of field surveys conducted since 1995. Nestedness was analysed using a standardized discrepancy measure, and statistical significance was assessed using the RANDNEST null model. For birds, species thought to be extinction‐prone were analysed separately to assess if assemblages comprising extinction‐prone species were more strongly nested than others. Also, sites with a substantial amount of Eucalyptus radiata were analysed separately to assess whether nestedness was stronger if environmental heterogeneity was minimized.

Results  The assemblages of lizards and arboreal marsupials were not nested, probably because of qualitative differences between species in response to environmental conditions. The assemblages of birds in fragments and pine sites were significantly nested, but nestedness was substantially stronger in fragments. For birds, nestedness appeared to be related to somewhat predictable extinction sequences, although there were many outliers in the analysis. Nestedness increased when extinction‐prone species were analysed by themselves. Nestedness decreased when environmental heterogeneity was minimized by including only sites dominated by E. radiata.

Main conclusions  In a given landscape, different vertebrate assemblages can respond in vastly different ways to fragmentation. Nestedness analyses can provide a useful overview of likely conservation issues in fragmented landscapes, for example by highlighting the possible roles of local extinction and immigration. However, nestedness analyses are a community‐level tool, and should be complemented by more detailed autoecological studies when applied in a conservation context.
Multiple selection pressures generate adherence to Bergmann's rule in a Neotropical migratory songbird
Authors: Jones Jason , Gibb Christine E. , Millard Susanne C. , Barg Jennifer J. , Katharine Girvan M. , Lisa Veit M. , Friesen Vicki L. , Robertson Raleigh J.
Published: September 2005

Aim  Bergmann's rule, the tendency for body size to be positively correlated with latitude, is widely accepted but the mechanisms behind the patterns are still debated. Bergmann's originally conceived mechanism was based on heat conservation; other proposed mechanisms invoke phylogeny, migration distance and resource seasonality. With the goal of examining these mechanisms, we quantified morphological variation across the breeding range of a Neotropical migratory songbird, the cerulean warbler (Dendroica cerulea).

Location  Deciduous forests of eastern North America.

Methods  We sampled nine cerulean warbler populations, spanning the species’ breeding range. We captured 156 males using targeted playback and model presentation, and included 127 adult males in our analyses of morphological variation. We used an information‐theoretical approach to identify climatic variables associated with geographical variation in body size.

Results  Cerulean warbler body size adheres to Bergmann's rule: individuals in northern populations are larger than those in southern populations. Variation in body size is best explained by variation in dry and wet‐bulb temperature and actual evapotranspiration.

Main conclusions  Adherence to Bergmann's rule by the cerulean warbler appears to be linked to thermodynamics (heat conservation in the north, evaporative cooling in the south) and resource seasonality. Multiple selection pressures can interact to generate a single axis of morphological geographical variation, and even subtle fluctuations in climatic variables can exert significant selection pressures. We suggest that the influence of selection pressures on migrants might be enhanced by migratory connectivity, providing further support for the important role played by this phenomenon in the ecology, evolution and population dynamics of migratory songbirds.
Numerical abundance and biodiversity of below‐ground taxocenes along a pH gradient across the Netherlands
Authors: Mulder Christian , Van Wijnen Harm J. , Van Wezel Annemarie P.
Published: September 2005

Aim Taxocenes are regulated by different kinds of predictors, but can broad‐scale patterns of prokaryotes (bacteria) and eukaryotes (such as fungi and invertebrates) be ascribed to soil acidity? We sought to test for relationships between the numerical abundances of bacteria, microfungi, nematodes and arthropods along a pH gradient.

Location 284 agro‐ecosystems on Pleistocene sand across the Netherlands.

Methods Generalized Linear Models (GLM) and stepwise regressions were applied, using soil‐ and leaf‐litter organisms sampled from a land‐cover network.

Results The major variation in the numerical abundance of the organisms belonging to the investigated taxocenes could be ascribed to soil acidity. Contrary to expectations, the effects of temperature on numerical abundance were significant only for Fungi and Nematoda (P < 0.0001). Geographical co‐ordinates always play a minor role. The often‐suggested close correlation between the numerical abundance of eukaryotes and their local taxonomic diversity applied only to Arthropoda and Fungi (P < 0.00001). Only the number of bacterial DNA bands seemed to reflect the taxa–area relationship (F‐value = 22.45,P < 0.0001).

Main conclusions There were strong relationships between the numerical abundances of all the investigated taxocenes and the field‐measured soil acidity (P < 0.0001). The largest effects were detected in the Fungi, which tended to be much more acid‐tolerant than Bacteria. These patterns imply ecological shifts in the detrital soil food web and deserve further investigation.
The genus Stauroneis (Bacillariophyceae) in the Antarctic region
Authors: Van de Vijver Bart , Gremmen Niek J. M. , Beyens Louis
Published: September 2005

Aim  To provide a detailed biogeography of the diatom genus Stauroneis in the Antarctic and sub‐Antarctic regions and to establish the biogeographical relationships between the different constituent locations to test the application of a precise and refined taxonomy in generating accurate polar biogeographies.

Location  The Antarctic and sub‐Antarctic region comprising the islands South Georgia, Crozet, Kerguelen, Marion, Heard and the Antarctic Peninsula.

Methods  Diatom samples from different habitats in a large part of the sub‐Antarctic and Antarctic region were investigated for their Stauroneis content. Presence/absence data were investigated using Sørensen's similarity index. An additional 500 samples from Arctic locations were used to provide a bipolar comparison. Using reliable literature data, gaps in the distribution of the Stauroneis taxa were filled.

Results  The Stauroneis flora of the Antarctic and sub‐Antarctic regions is quite distinct from its Arctic equivalent, with only five species (out of 60) common to both areas. Within the (sub‐)Antarctic group, the islands of the Indian Ocean have the most diverse Stauroneis composition, which is clearly separated from the rest of the region. The South Georgia Stauroneis composition has some affinities with the Antarctic Peninsula but the latter has far fewer species. These results are in clear contrast to older data showing no biogeographical difference between the Arctic and Antarctic regions.

Main conclusions  Using only a single genus, a clear biogeography of the (sub‐)Antarctic region can be produced that separates the Indian Ocean islands from other sampling locations. When based on a precise taxonomy, biogeographical relationships between locations in the region become much more reliable. Contrary to previous work, there is almost no similarity in the diatom floras of the Arctic and Antarctic regions.
The sensitivity of the premature infant pain profile – PIPP to measure pain in hospitalized neonates
Authors: Jonsdottir Rakel Bjorg , Kristjansdottir G.
Published: September 2005

Aim  The present study uses an Icelandic translation of the original version of the Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP) in order to assess its accuracy and sensitivity to the measure of pain in hospitalized neonates in Iceland. The PIPP is a composite tool developed to assess acute pain in preterm and term neonates.

Methods  A crossover design, with a sample of 24 neonates, was used on three, routinely occurring events in the neonatal intensive care unit, where neonates were their own controls. The three events were baseline, non‐pain and pain event. Neonates were independently assessed for their pain, using the Icelandic translation of the PIPP, at the bedside.

Results  Repeated measures analysis yielded a statistically significant main effect for the three events (pain, non‐pain and baseline), thus differentiating pain from non‐pain and baseline events (F = 57.11; P < 0.0001). Pair‐wise comparisons were subsequently carried out and the results show that PIPP scores at the pain event (11.72) were significantly lower (P < 0.0001) than that at the non‐pain event (6.04) and that at the baseline event (3.54; P < 0.0001). The PIPP scores at the non‐pain event were also significantly higher than that at the baseline event (P < 0.0001). These results suggest that the PIPP measure is sensitive to a painful event and differentiates between stress and pain in a clinical context across linguistic barriers. The findings also revealed almost a complete correlation between the PIPP scores of the two independent nurse raters at all events (P < 0.0001).

Conclusion  Therefore the authors conclude that the Icelandic translation of the PIPP qualifies as a satisfying measure of pain responses in Icelandic neonates and can be recommended for use by clinicians and researchers. More research is, however, needed to further the accuracy and validity of the PIPP measure in general to assess pain in neonates in comparison to other pain measures.
Publishing outcome data: is it an effective approach?
Authors: Mason Anne , Street Andrew
Published: September 2005

Rationale, aims and objectives  The publication of health outcome data – rather than merely the measurement and collection – is being given increasing consideration. Publication reflects society's increasing emphasis on a general ‘right to know’, as well as being a means of informing consumer choice. In theory, publication may help to promote public trust, support patient choice, and stimulate action to improve the quality of care whilst controlling costs.

Methods  Drawing on a literature review, this paper overviews the strategies employed in the UK and US to publish outcome data. The focus is on outcomes, and certain related process measures, that measure the performance of hospitals or surgeons.

Results and conclusions  Presenting the limited evidence that exists, we review the potential beneficial and harmful effects of publishing hospital outcome data. We also consider the risks of making incorrect inferences based on these data and the potential for dysfunctional consequences. Recognizing that the public largely mistrusts currently published health outcome data, we offer some recommendations for the future direction of strategies for publication.
Exploring the continuum: medical information to effective clinical practice*. Paper I: the translation of knowledge into clinical practice
Authors: Genuis Shelagh K. , Genuis Stephen J.
Published: September 2005

This paper investigates the translation of medical information into clinical practice and the role of thoughtful dissent by exploring the influence of sociological factors on change, the impact of evidence‐based medicine (EBM), and the role of industry. Changing practice related to hormone therapy for menopausal and post‐menopausal women provides context for this discussion. Medical change involves diffusion of ideas to potential users and ongoing reconciliation of new information with old ideas; this process is influenced by sociological factors including values and experiences, interpersonal relationships and local context. While EBM has alerted doctors to the importance of high quality research and theoretically provides a tool for translating research into practice, there are important problems with its application: (1) it has resulted in a reductionist approach to research and illness; (2) there is a considerable gap between research findings and the complex environment of clinical practice; and (3) EBM has been appropriated by experts, thus corporately developed ‘standard‐of‐care’ documents have become instruments of external regulation, and EBM has ceased to be a tool in the hand of individual clinicians. In addition, industry impacts the translation of knowledge by significantly influencing academia, researchers, medical publications, consensus conferences, and practising doctors. While questioning doctrinaire practices or directives is a daunting prospect for individual clinicians, the translation of knowledge into practice and evolution of medical thought is dependent on the progressive role of thoughtful dissent.
Exploring the continuum: medical information to effective clinical practice*. Paper II. Towards aetiology‐centred clinical practice
Authors: Genuis Stephen J. , Genuis Shelagh K.
Published: September 2005

Contemporary clinical practice increasingly functions within a disease management paradigm aimed at finding and implementing therapeutic interventions that demonstrate efficacy in clinical trials. Disease prevention, elucidation of illness aetiology and proactive health promotion have taken a back seat. Current clinical care often includes a ‘fast‐food’ type of medical encounter, which frequently neglects disease causality. The medical community is presently challenged by unique administrative and professional adversities as well as undue commercial influence; these factors contribute to a lethargic response to escalating rates of chronic illness and to mainstream medicine's relative inattention to emerging research about disease aetiology. Individual medical practitioners and the medical establishment must strategically seek to advance patient health and maintain professional relevancy by a renewed emphasis on the following principles: patient‐based clinical care, aetiology‐centred medicine, and proactive health promotion.
Do case‐generic measures of queue performance for bypass surgery accurately reflect the waiting‐list experiences of those most urgent?
Authors: Burstein Jason , Lee Douglas S. , Alter David A.
Published: September 2005

Background  Queue performance is typically assessed using generic measures, which capture the queue in aggregate. The objective of this study was to examine whether case‐generic measures of queue performance appropriately reflected the waiting‐list experiences of those patients with greatest disease  severity. 

Methods  We examined the queue for isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in Ontario between April 1993 and March 2000 using data obtained from the Cardiac Care Network. Our primary measure of queue performance was the proportion of patients who received their bypass surgery within their recommended maximum waiting times (%RMWTs) in any given month. We compared case‐generic measures of queue performance to case‐specific measures of queue performance stratified  by  urgency  level.

Results  The queue was largely comprised of elective cases ranging from 73% (1993) to 57%(1999). Urgent patients comprised the minority of the queue ranging from 14% (1993) to 20% (1999). Case‐generic month‐to‐month variations in the percentage of cases completed within RMWTs (an aggregated waiting list measure encompassing the characteristics of all patients in the queue) closely resembled the experiences of elective patients (R2 = 0.81), but conversely, bore little relationship to the waiting‐list experiences of those most urgent (R2 = 0.15).

Interpretation  Case‐generic measures of queue performance for bypass surgery in Ontario were not reflective of the waiting‐list experiences of those most urgent. Our results reinforce the concept that urgency‐specific waiting list monitoring systems are required to best evaluate and appropriately respond to fluctuations in queue performance.
Strengthening the case for disease management effectiveness: un‐hiding the hidden bias
Authors: Linden Ariel , Adams John L. , Roberts Nancy
Published: September 2005

As is the case with most health care program evaluations, disease management (DM) programs typically follow an observational study design, indicating that randomization to treatment or control was not performed. The foremost limitation of observational studies, compared to randomized studies, is that the only biases that can be controlled for are those associated with observed variables. Hidden bias refers to all those unobserved covariates that may distort the conclusions of the study. This paper introduces a sensitivity analysis that is used to determine the magnitude of hidden bias necessary to alter the conclusion that a DM program intervention was indeed effective.