bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In and beyond the classroom: research ethics and participatory pedagogies
Authors: Askins Kye
Published: June 2008

In this paper I want to talk about the use of participatory approaches to ‘teaching’, drawing on my own efforts to explore research ethics with undergraduate students. I first critically address what we ‘teach’ regarding ethics in geography, given that ‘codes of ethics’ and ‘good research practice’ are both highly contested entities. Secondly, echoing

Valentine's (2005
Progress in Human Geography 29 483–7) belief that students need the skills to ‘navigate their own ethical maps’, I argue that there is a need to interrogate how we may enable such skills. Engaging with debates about ‘border geographies’ and situated knowledges, and emphasising that any ethics ‘teaching’ should incorporate students’ everyday practices and relationships in and beyond the academy, I suggest that a participatory approach to ‘teaching’ encourages students to practically engage with ethics as social relations – while usefully deconstructing perceived boundaries between spaces of learning and spaces of research.
Autonomy of Artistic Expression for Adult Learners with Disabilities
Authors: Young Graham C.
Published: June 2008

When an art tutor adopts the role of assistant to a disabled artist it is difficult not to move from helping with the physical handling of materials on the one hand into the actual creative process on the other, thus influencing how the artwork looks. Ecas is an Edinburgh‐based charity which promotes opportunities for physically disabled people to be self‐fulfilled and to participate in all aspects of society. They run, among other things, traditional art classes and computer classes. The use of computer technology (CT) in art seemed to offer the chance for self‐fulfilment for disabled artists by increasing control over artistic choices and providing for self expression with only minimal assistance required from others. Ecas decided to fund a research project in the form of a ten‐week pilot course and the data collected during the trial confirmed these possibilities and it was clear that adult learners with disabilities could benefit from CT in order to have greater autonomy in the creation of their art than before. In particular the program Corel Painter IX.5 and various graphics tablets proved to be a powerful arsenal for self‐expression without having to wait for a tutor to tape paper to a board, replenish paint, change brushes attached to a head pointer or any one of the many and varied problems disabled students had with traditional art materials.
Insights into the Integration of Traditional Filipino Arts in Art and Design Education: Voices from the Academe
Authors: Loza Cynthia B. , De Guzman Allan B. , Jose Regalado T.
Published: June 2008

This article presents the first segment of a qualitative study that explores the feasibility of integrating traditional arts in Philippine art and design education. The views of educators on traditional arts were sought to provide an impetus for the study and a springboard for discussion regarding the relevance of traditional Filipino arts in a predominantly Westernised educational system. The educators’ views and opinions on the central question, ‘Why and how should the study of traditional Filipino arts be integrated in the art and design programme?’ will be used to guide a trial integration of the learning of traditional arts in tertiary art and design classes. They will form part of the multiple perspectives that will be gathered from various sectors throughout the course of research. This phenomenological study, on the whole, seeks to uncover the potentials of traditional arts as a rich resource for learning, particularly for students of art and design.
How can we Create the Conditions for Students’ Freedom of Speech within Studies in Art?
Authors: Matthews Miranda
Published: June 2008

This study investigates how the dynamics of students’ voice can be productively brought into teaching situations. I have researched the conditions required for constructive freedom of speech, within art education. I explored the potential for vocal peer assessment and for students’ ownership of their educational experiences, for the Teacher—Artist Partnership Programme, 2006‐7.

My methodology engages in a dialectical exchange between the philosophies of Jean‐Paul Sartre and Michel Foucault, specifically their ethics and interpretations of freedom. This theory was integrated via action research, with the creative learning situation. Sartre's reflections on freewill, ‘free commitment’ and the ‘free project of a sentence’ are discussed. These ideas are related to Foucault's stance on personal autonomy, and the individual's interface with structures of power and knowledge. I have also charted research on student consultation by Sarah Bragg, examining parallels between contemporary perspectives and the views of pragmatist John Dewey.

The project was conducted in a creative partnership with artist Thurle Wright. We planned workshops that would maximise freedom of expression, with students of AS Photography at Crown Woods School, Greenwich. The transcripts of group discussions after the workshops have provided essential insights into how students can contend with preconceptions, and autonomously interpret freedom.
White Heat or Blue Screen? Digital Technology in Art & Design Education
Authors: Radclyffe‐Thomas Natascha
Published: June 2008

The recent explosion in ICT means computers are marketed as an essential element of modern education. Governments have spent heavily on ICT but evidence of the effectiveness of this investment is contradictory; teacher attitude is cited as both a barrier to and a facilitator of its implementation. Initially used to simplify course administration, ICT now has the potential to fundamentally change practices; recognising the opportunities ICT offers as a bridge between classrooms and the relevant world beyond, teachers access online resources such as museum collections and practitioners. No consensus exists within art and design education as to the role of ICT or even its validity in the arts; using the computer as a tool for fine art may mean different teaching skills are required and different learning approaches are enabled. This article reviews international research on the adoption of ICT in schools and colleges, specifically looks at examples of good practice in art and design education and reviews trends in technology to determine the benefits and limitations for future practice.
The Act of Looking: Wofgang Iser's Literary Theory and Meaning Making in the Visual Arts
Authors: Hubard Olga M.
Published: June 2008

In his account about reading novels, Wolfgang Iser argued that the work of art is not the text itself but the experience that emerges as a reader interacts with the text. Yet, he clarified that the aesthetic object is not based only on the subjective input of the reader but also determined by specific signs that a text presents. This article draws from Iser's theories to examine the process through which five teenagers discover meaning in an abstract sculpture by artist Isamu Noguchi. The author shows how the young viewers arrived at a series of readings that were elicited by the qualities of the work and that built upon each other in a sort of snowballing process. The article also illustrates how the sort of meaning that an artwork can yield stretches throughout the whole experience and can therefore not be translated into a discursive statement.
Designing a Utopia: An Architectural Studio Experience on David Harvey's Edilia
Authors: Yesilkaya Nese Gurallar
Published: June 2008

The design of a utopia was devised as a studio project in order to bring critical thinking into the design studio and to stimulate creativity. By suggesting a utopia, the pedagogical aim was to improve progressive thinking and critical thought in the design education of architectural students — and also future architects. From this perspective, the utopia called Edilia, from the book Spaces of Hope by the critical geographer David Harvey, was taken as a basis for the students to design a utopic environment. In addition to Harvey's book, students were not only challenged by the idea of an alternative society but also by the idea of a different space. Utopia, as an inter‐disciplinary subject, brought various issues and different perspectives into the design studio such as public and private realms, everyday life, work, leisure, nature, technology and sustainability. With the help of the concept of utopia, a theoretically‐informed design studio enabled students to criticise the existing world, dream about an alternative one and make the design of their dreams in a creative way.
Art at the Mall: A Look at the Aesthetics of Popular Mall Art Culture
Authors: Szekely Ilona
Published: June 2008

Currently there is a scarcity of information in the art education literature about purchasing art. This article examines how art acquires economic and social value, as well as how consumers make decisions when purchasing a piece of art. Where does an art student, or the general public learn about buying art? How much, if any, of this process is happening in the art class? There is an assumption art educators make, that raising some invisible standards of taste leads to greater awareness of art consumption. In this article, the author visits four mall stores to study the aesthetics of art purchase to discuss a number of implications for art teaching. Elitist views of the contemporary art world regarding popular culture and the purchase of art frame the debate. As art educators we ask art students to look at the world as critical consumers; this article then, offers practical approaches for classroom discussions surrounding the purchase of art.
The ‘Night Owl’ Learning Style of Art Students: Creativity and Daily Rhythm
Authors: Wang Sy‐Chyi , Chern Jin‐Yuan
Published: June 2008

This article explores the deep‐rooted ‘night owl’ image of art practitioners and calls for attention on a consideration of the time for learning in art. It has been recognised that the human body has its own internal timings and knowing the ‘time’ pattern is important for better productivity in conducting creativity‐related activities.

This study surveyed 230 art students and 251 management students in a university and examined if there existed any cross‐disciplinary differences in terms of self‐confidence of creative ability, preferences of a particular time for creativity tasks, and routine patterns for daily activities such as getting up, going to bed and working.

The results reveal that the art students have more confidence in their creative ability than the management students; about 58 per cent of the art students feel more creative after 10 p.m., as opposed to 29.2 per cent of the management students; and there exist significant differences between the two groups in terms of what time they get up, go to sleep and prefer to work.
Implementing a ventilator care bundle in an adult intensive care unit
Authors: Westwell Samantha
Published: June 2008

Background:  Ventilator‐associated pneumonia (VAP), in addition to causing distress to patients, is associated with increased length of stay in intensive care, higher rates of morbidity and mortality and pressure on critical care capacity and costs. A care bundle approach for the management of ventilated patients can reduce the risk of VAP.

Aim:  This paper aims to appraise the implementation of a series of high impact intervention care bundle components directed at preventing the development of VAP, within an adult intensive care unit of a district general hospital.

Intervention:  Subsequent to the implementation of care bundle components, evidence from audit data revealed that compliance fell below standard. To address this, Department of Health staff who were visiting the hospital recommended that the frequency of audit activity should be increased to facilitate the rapid identification of areas of poor compliance, which could then be rectified.

Conclusion/Implications:  Daily care bundle audits showed a positive impact on compliance. However, without a robust method to collect data on prevalence of VAP, the impact of the care bundles on improving outcomes for this aspect of care is unknown.
Managing a good death in critical care: can health policy help?
Authors: Coombs Maureen , Long Tracy
Published: June 2008

Aim:  This paper discusses end‐of‐life care (EoLC) in critical care through exploration of what is known from the international literature and what is currently presented within UK policy.

Background and context:  EoLC is an important international critical care issue, and currently provides a key focus for health care policy in the UK. While society holds that critical care is delivered in a highly technical area with a strong focus on cure and recovery, mortality rates in this speciality remain at approximately 20%. When patient recovery is not an outcome, discussions with patient, family and extended care teams turn towards futility of treatment and end‐of‐life management. However, there are specific barriers to overcome in EoLC for the critically ill.

Conclusion:  A key issue for EoLC in critical care is a lack of robust systems to prospectively identify individuals who are most at risk of dying. A further challenge is divergent perspectives within and across clinical teams on treatment withdrawal and limitation practices. To streamline patient management and underpin a hospice approach to care, EoLC policies are currently being used within the UK. While this provides a national framework to address some key critical care clinical issues in the UK, there is a need for further refinement of the tool to reflect the reality of EoLC for the critically ill. It is important that international best practice exemplars are examined and clinicians actively engage and contribute to ensure that any local EoLC frameworks are fit for purpose.
Experiences of intensive care nurses assessing sedation/agitation in critically ill patients
Authors: Weir Stephanie , O’Neill Anna
Published: June 2008

Background:  Patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) will more often than not require sedative and analgesic drugs to enable them to tolerate the invasive procedures and therapies caused as a result of their underlying condition and/or necessary medical interventions.

Aim:  This article reports a study exploring the perceptions and experiences of intensive care nurses using a sedation/agitation scoring (SAS) tool to assess and manage sedation and agitation amongst critically ill patients. The principle aims and objectives of this study were as follows:

to explore nurse’s everyday experiences using a sedation scoring tool;

to explore and understand nurse’s attitudes and beliefs of the various components of assessing and managing sedation among critically ill patients.

Method:  Using a descriptive qualitative approach, semistructured interviews were carried out with a purposive sample of eight ICU nurses within a district general hospital ICU. The interviews focused on nurse’s own experiences and perceptions of using a sedation scoring tool in clinical practice. Burnard’s 14‐stage thematic content analysis framework was employed to assist in the data analysis process.

Results:  Three key themes emerged that may have implications not only for clinical practice but for further research into the use of the SAS tool.

Benefits to patient care as a direct result of using a sedation scoring tool.

The concerns of nursing staff.

The implications of using such a tool in clinical practice.

Conclusion:  This paper reinforces the potential benefits to patients as a direct result of implementing the SAS scoring tool and clinical guidelines. Furthermore, it highlights the reluctance of a number of staff to adhere to such guidelines and discusses the concerns regarding less experienced nurses administering sedative agents. Attention was also drawn to the educational requirements of nursing and medical staff when using the SAS scoring tool.
Commentary: Jackson JC et al. (2007). Post‐traumatic stress disorder and post‐traumatic stress symptoms following critical illness in medical intensive care unit patients: assessing the magnitude of the problem
Authors: Rattray Janice
Published: June 2008

Post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a potentially serious psychiatric disorder that has traditionally been associated with traumatic stressors such as participation in combat, violent assault and survival of natural disasters. Recently, investigators have reported that the experience of critical illness can also lead to PTSD, although details of the association between critical illness and PTSD remain unclear. We conducted keyword searches of MEDLINE and Psych Info and investigations of secondary references for all articles pertaining to PTSD in medical intensive care unit (ICU) survivors. From 78 screened papers, 16 studies (representing 15 cohorts) and approximately 920 medical ICU patients met the inclusion criteria. A total of 10 investigations used brief PTSD screening tools exclusively as opposed to more comprehensive diagnostic methods. Reported PTSD prevalence rates varied from 5% to 63%, with the three highest prevalence estimates occurring in studies with fewer than 30 patients. Loss to follow‐up rates ranged from 10% to 70%, with average loss to follow‐up rates exceeding 30%. Exact PTSD prevalence rates cannot be determined because of methodological limitations such as selection bias, loss to follow‐up and the wide use of screening (as opposed to diagnostic) instruments. In general, the high prevalence rates reported in the literature are likely to be overestimates because of the limitations of the investigations conducted to date. Although PTSD may be a serious problem in some survivors of critical illness, data on the whole population are inconclusive. Because the magnitude of the problem posed by PTSD in survivors of critical illness is unknown, there remains a pressing need for larger and more methodologically rigorous investigations of PTSD in ICU survivors.

Abstract reprinted from the Critical Care, volume 11, Jackson JC et al., ‘Post‐traumatic stress disorder and post‐traumatic stress symptoms following critical illness in medical intensive care unit patients: assessing the magnitude of the problem.’, page R27. © 2007, reproduced with permission from BioMed Central Ltd.
Assessing the Effects of Climate Change on Aquatic Invasive Species
Authors: RAHEL FRANK J. , OLDEN JULIAN D.
Published: June 2008

Abstract:  Different components of global environmental change are typically studied and managed independently, although there is a growing recognition that multiple drivers often interact in complex and nonadditive ways. We present a conceptual framework and empirical review of the interactive effects of climate change and invasive species in freshwater ecosystems. Climate change is expected to result in warmer water temperatures, shorter duration of ice cover, altered streamflow patterns, increased salinization, and increased demand for water storage and conveyance structures. These changes will alter the pathways by which non‐native species enter aquatic systems by expanding fish‐culture facilities and water gardens to new areas and by facilitating the spread of species during floods. Climate change will influence the likelihood of new species becoming established by eliminating cold temperatures or winter hypoxia that currently prevent survival and by increasing the construction of reservoirs that serve as hotspots for invasive species. Climate change will modify the ecological impacts of invasive species by enhancing their competitive and predatory effects on native species and by increasing the virulence of some diseases. As a result of climate change, new prevention and control strategies such as barrier construction or removal efforts may be needed to control invasive species that currently have only moderate effects or that are limited by seasonally unfavorable conditions. Although most researchers focus on how climate change will increase the number and severity of invasions, some invasive coldwater species may be unable to persist under the new climate conditions. Our findings highlight the complex interactions between climate change and invasive species that will influence how aquatic ecosystems and their biota will respond to novel environmental conditions.
Five Potential Consequences of Climate Change for Invasive Species
Authors: HELLMANN JESSICA J. , BYERS JAMES E. , BIERWAGEN BRITTA G. , DUKES JEFFREY S.
Published: June 2008

Abstract:  Scientific and societal unknowns make it difficult to predict how global environmental changes such as climate change and biological invasions will affect ecological systems. In the long term, these changes may have interacting effects and compound the uncertainty associated with each individual driver. Nonetheless, invasive species are likely to respond in ways that should be qualitatively predictable, and some of these responses will be distinct from those of native counterparts. We used the stages of invasion known as the “invasion pathway” to identify 5 nonexclusive consequences of climate change for invasive species: (1) altered transport and introduction mechanisms, (2) establishment of new invasive species, (3) altered impact of existing invasive species, (4) altered distribution of existing invasive species, and (5) altered effectiveness of control strategies. We then used these consequences to identify testable hypotheses about the responses of invasive species to climate change and provide suggestions for invasive‐species management plans. The 5 consequences also emphasize the need for enhanced environmental monitoring and expanded coordination among entities involved in invasive‐species management.
An Assessment of Invasion Risk from Assisted Migration
Authors: MUELLER JILLIAN M. , HELLMANN JESSICA J.
Published: June 2008

Abstract:  To reduce the risk of extinction due to climate change, some ecologists have suggested human‐aided translocation of species, or assisted migration (AM), to areas where climate is projected to become suitable. Such intentional movement, however, may create new invasive species if successful introductions grow out of control and cause ecologic or economic damage. We assessed this risk by surveying invasive species in the United States and categorizing invaders based on origin. Because AM will involve moving species on a regional scale within continents (i.e., range shifts), we used invasive species with an intracontinental origin as a proxy for species that would be moved through AM. We then determined whether intracontinental invasions were more prevalent or harmful than intercontinental invasions. Intracontinental invasions occurred far less frequently than invasions from other continents, but they were just as likely to have had severe effects. Fish and crustaceans pose a particularly high threat of intracontinental invasion. We conclude that the risk of AM to create novel invasive species is small, but assisted species that do become invasive could have large effects. Past experience with species reintroductions may help inform policy regarding AM.
Managing Aquatic Species of Conservation Concern in the Face of Climate Change and Invasive Species
Authors: RAHEL FRANK J. , BIERWAGEN BRITTA , TANIGUCHI YOSHINORI
Published: June 2008

Abstract:  The difficult task of managing species of conservation concern is likely to become even more challenging due to the interaction of climate change and invasive species. In addition to direct effects on habitat quality, climate change will foster the expansion of invasive species into new areas and magnify the effects of invasive species already present by altering competitive dominance, increasing predation rates, and enhancing the virulence of diseases. In some cases parapatric species may expand into new habitats and have detrimental effects that are similar to those of invading non‐native species. The traditional strategy of isolating imperiled species in reserves may not be adequate if habitat conditions change beyond historic ranges or in ways that favor invasive species. The consequences of climate change will require a more active management paradigm that includes implementing habitat improvements that reduce the effects of climate change and creating migration barriers that prevent an influx of invasive species. Other management actions that should be considered include providing dispersal corridors that allow species to track environmental changes, translocating species to newly suitable habitats where migration is not possible, and developing action plans for the early detection and eradication of new invasive species.
Capacity of Management Plans for Aquatic Invasive Species to Integrate Climate Change
Authors: BIERWAGEN BRITTA G. , THOMAS ROXANNE , KANE AUSTIN
Published: June 2008

Abstract:  The consequences of climate change will affect aquatic ecosystems, including aquatic invasive species (AIS) that are already affecting these ecosystems. Effects on AIS include range shifts and more frequent overwintering of species. These effects may create new challenges for AIS management. We examined available U.S. state AIS management plans to assess each program's capacity to adapt to climate‐change effects. We scored the adaptive capacity of AIS management plans on the basis of whether they addressed potential impacts resulting from climate change; demonstrated a capacity to adapt to changing conditions; provided for monitoring strategies; provided for plan revisions; and described funding for implementation. Most plans did not mention climate change specifically, but some did acknowledge climatic boundaries of species and ecosystem sensitivities to changing conditions. Just under half the plans mentioned changing environmental conditions as a factor, most frequently as part of research activities. Activities associated with monitoring showed the highest capacity to include information on changing conditions, and future revisions to management plans are likely to be the easiest avenue through which to address climate‐change effects on AIS management activities. Our results show that programs have the capacity to incorporate information about climate‐change effects and that the adaptive‐management framework may be an appropriate approach.
Integrated Monitoring and Information Systems for Managing Aquatic Invasive Species in a Changing Climate
Authors: LEE II HENRY , REUSSER DEBORAH A. , OLDEN JULIAN D. , SMITH SCOTT S. , GRAHAM JIM , BURKETT VIRGINIA , DUKES JEFFREY S. , PIORKOWSKI ROBERT J. , MCPHEDRAN JOHN
Published: June 2008

Abstract:  Changes in temperature, precipitation, and other climatic drivers and sea‐level rise will affect populations of existing native and non‐native aquatic species and the vulnerability of aquatic environments to new invasions. Monitoring surveys provide the foundation for assessing the combined effects of climate change and invasions by providing baseline biotic and environmental conditions, although the utility of a survey depends on whether the results are quantitative or qualitative, and other design considerations. The results from a variety of monitoring programs in the United States are available in integrated biological information systems, although many include only non‐native species, not native species. Besides including natives, we suggest these systems could be improved through the development of standardized methods that capture habitat and physiological requirements and link regional and national biological databases into distributed Web portals that allow drawing information from multiple sources. Combining the outputs from these biological information systems with environmental data would allow the development of ecological‐niche models that predict the potential distribution or abundance of native and non‐native species on the basis of current environmental conditions. Environmental projections from climate models can be used in these niche models to project changes in species distributions or abundances under altered climatic conditions and to identify potential high‐risk invaders. There are, however, a number of challenges, such as uncertainties associated with projections from climate and niche models and difficulty in integrating data with different temporal and spatial granularity. Even with these uncertainties, integration of biological and environmental information systems, niche models, and climate projections would improve management of aquatic ecosystems under the dual threats of biotic invasions and climate change.
Current Practices and Future Opportunities for Policy on Climate Change and Invasive Species
Authors: PYKE CHRISTOPHER R. , THOMAS ROXANNE , PORTER READ D. , HELLMANN JESSICA J. , DUKES JEFFREY S. , LODGE DAVID M. , CHAVARRIA GABRIELA
Published: June 2008

Abstract:  Climate change and invasive species are often treated as important, but independent, issues. Nevertheless, they have strong connections: changes in climate and societal responses to climate change may exacerbate the impacts of invasive species, whereas invasive species may affect the magnitude, rate, and impact of climate change. We argue that the design and implementation of climate‐change policy in the United States should specifically consider the implications for invasive species; conversely, invasive‐species policy should address consequences for climate change. The development of such policies should be based on (1) characterization of interactions between invasive species and climate change, (2) identification of areas where climate‐change policies could negatively affect invasive‐species management, and (3) identification of areas where policies could benefit from synergies between climate change and invasive‐species management.
Managing Invasive Aquatic Plants in a Changing System: Strategic Consideration of Ecosystem Services
Authors: HERSHNER CARL , HAVENS KIRK J.
Published: June 2008

Abstract:  Climate change is projected to increase stress for many coastal plant communities. Along large portions of the North American coast, habitat degradation from anthropogenic changes to the environment already threaten the community structure of tidal marshes and submerged aquatic grass beds. The potential loss of ecological services historically provided by these communities has been a long‐standing rationale for aggressive control of invading plants such as Phragmites australis and Hydrilla verticillata. Increasing evidence of ecological services provided by invasive species such as P. australis and H. verticillata suggest that, in the face of increasing stress, it may be prudent to take a more pragmatic approach regarding the effect of these species on coastal ecosystems. The notable resilience of these species to control efforts and their competitive success and comparative vigor in stressed systems and capacity to provide at least some beneficial services combine to suggest some invasive species may have a useful role in managed coastal ecosystems.
National Responsibilities in European Species Conservation: a Methodological Review
Authors: SCHMELLER DIRK S. , GRUBER BERND , BUDRYS EDUARDAS , FRAMSTED ERIK , LENGYEL SZABOLCS , HENLE KLAUS
Published: June 2008

Abstract: One particular challenge in reducing the loss of biodiversity by 2010, as agreed on at the Earth Summit in 2002, is to assign conservation tasks to geographic or administrative entities (e.g., countries or regions) on different geographical scales. To identify conservation tasks, it is imperative to determine the importance of a specific area for the global survival of a species. So far, these national or subnational responsibilities for the conservation of species have been included differently in methods prioritizing conservation. We reviewed how 12 European and 3 non‐European methods determined national conservation responsibilities and evaluated the international importance of a biological population. Different countries used different methodologies, which made a direct comparison of assessments of national responsibilities among countries extremely difficult. Differences existed in the importance criteria used. Criteria included population decline, range reduction, rarity status, degree of isolation of a population, endemism, proportional distribution, and geographic location. To increase comparability, it is imperative to develop criteria for which data are generally available and to standardize the methodology among countries. A standardized method would allow conservation decisions to be based on the conservation status of a species and on the responsibility of a geographic or administrative entity for the survival of a species. We suggest that such a method should use a scalable index of proportional distribution, taxonomic status, and the distribution pattern of a taxon or species as key elements. Such a method would allow for the creation of hierarchical lists and would be highly relevant for parts of the world with multiple political jurisdictions or state unions and for nations with regional governmental structures. Conservation priorities could then be reasonably set by combining national responsibility assessments with the international conservation status of a species.
Consumer Control of Salt Marshes Driven by Human Disturbance
Authors: BERTNESS MARK D. , SILLIMAN BRIAN R.
Published: June 2008

Abstract:  Salt marsh ecosystems are widely considered to be controlled exclusively by bottom–up forces, but there is mounting evidence that human disturbances are triggering consumer control in western Atlantic salt marshes, often with catastrophic consequences. In other marine ecosystems, human disturbances routinely dampen (e.g., coral reefs, sea grass beds) and strengthen (e.g., kelps) consumer control, but current marsh theory predicts little potential interaction between humans and marsh consumers. Thus, human modification of top–down control in salt marshes was not anticipated and was even discounted in current marsh theory, despite loud warnings about the potential for cascading human impacts from work in other marine ecosystems. In spite of recent experiments that have challenged established marsh dogma and demonstrated consumer‐driven die‐off of salt marsh ecosystems, government agencies and nongovernmental organizations continue to manage marsh die‐offs under the old theoretical framework and only consider bottom–up forces as causal agents. This intellectual dependency of many coastal ecologists and managers on system‐specific theory (i.e., marsh bottom–up theory) has the potential to have grave repercussions for coastal ecosystem management and conservation in the face of increasing human threats. We stress that marine vascular plant communities (salt marshes, sea grass beds, mangroves) are likely more vulnerable to runaway grazing and consumer‐driven collapse than is currently recognized by theory, particularly in low‐diversity ecosystems like Atlantic salt marshes.
Evaluation of a Market in Wetland Credits: Entrepreneurial Wetland Banking in Chicago
Authors: ROBERTSON MORGAN , HAYDEN NICHOLAS
Published: June 2008

Abstract:  With the rise of market‐led approaches to environmental policy, compensation for permitted discharge of dredge or fill material into wetlands under Section 404 of the U.S. Clean Water Act has been purchased increasingly from entrepreneurial third‐party providers. The growth of this practice (i.e., entrepreneurial wetland banking) has resolved many challenges associated with wetland compensation. But it has also produced (1) quantifiable temporal loss of wetland ecological functions, (2) spatial redistribution of wetland area, and (3) a degree of regulatory instability that may pose a threat to entrepreneurial compensation as a sustainable component of wetland‐compensation policy. We used achieved compensation ratios, lapse between bank credit sale and the attainment of performance standards, distance between impact and bank site, and changes in bank market area to examine these 3 factors. We analyzed data from a census of all such transactions in the Chicago District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, compiled from site visits, Corps databases, and contacts with consultants and Section 404 permittees. Entrepreneurial banking provided compensation at a lower overall ratio than nonbank forms of compensation. Approximately 60% of bank credits were sold after site‐protection standards were met but before ecological performance standards were met at the bank site. The average distance between bank and impact site was approximately 26 km. The area of markets within which established banks can sell wetland credits has fluctuated considerably over the study period. Comparing these data with similar data for other compensation mechanisms will assist in evaluating banking as an element of conservation policy. Data characterizing the performance of entrepreneurial wetland banks in actual regulatory environments are scarce, even though it is the most established of similar markets that have become instrumental to federal policy in administering several major environmental protection laws.
Estimates of Natural Selection in a Salmon Population in Captive and Natural Environments
Authors: FORD MICHAEL J. , HARD JEFFREY J. , BOELTS BRANT , LaHOOD ERIC , MILLER JASON
Published: June 2008

Abstract:  Captive breeding is a commonly used strategy for species conservation. One risk of captive breeding is domestication selection—selection for traits that are advantageous in captivity but deleterious in the wild. Domestication selection is of particular concern for species that are bred in captivity for many generations and that have a high potential to interbreed with wild populations. Domestication is understood conceptually at a broad level, but relatively little is known about how natural selection differs empirically between wild and captive environments. We used genetic parentage analysis to measure natural selection on time of migration, weight, and morphology for a coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) population that was subdivided into captive and natural components. Our goal was to determine whether natural selection acting on the traits we measured differed significantly between the captive and natural environments. For males, larger individuals were favored in both the captive and natural environments in all years of the study, indicating that selection on these traits in captivity was similar to that in the wild. For females, selection on weight was significantly stronger in the natural environment than in the captive environment in 1 year and similar in the 2 environments in 2 other years. In both environments, there was evidence of selection for later time of return for both males and females. Selection on measured traits other than weight and run timing was relatively weak. Our results are a concrete example of how estimates of natural selection during captivity can be used to evaluate this common risk of captive breeding programs.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENY OF PHYCOCYANIN‐CONTAINING CRYPTOPHYTES: EVOLUTION OF BILIPROTEINS AND GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION1
Authors: Hoef‐Emden Kerstin
Published: June 2008

Of 34 strains assigned to the cryptophyte genera Chroomonas Hansg., Hemiselmis Parke, and Komma D. R. A. Hill, distribution patterns of biliproteins, habitats, and sampling sites across a phylogenetic tree have been examined. The combined data set assembled from nuclear SSU rDNA, partial nuclear LSU rDNA, and nucleomorph SSU rDNA sequences comprised 4,083 positions and yielded an almost completely resolved tree. Spectrophotometry of the biliproteins and mapping of the different types of biliproteins onto the phylogenetic tree unveiled a complex evolutionary history. Different from other cryptophyte clades, the types of biliproteins were not generally congruent with clades or subclades of the genera Chroomonas (paraphyletic, phycocyanins [PCs] 645 or 630), Hemiselmis (PCs 612, 630 or phycoerythrin [PE] 555), and Komma (PC 645). At least one putative character reversal took place in the genus Chroomonas. Several changes in biliproteins have been found in the genus Hemiselmis, including two new biliprotein variants that probably originated by slight modifications from PC 612 and PE 555, respectively (PC 577 and PE 545/555). Freshwater and marine/brackish taxa were intermingled across the tree without displaying a specific pattern. In four terminal clades, genetically identical strains have been found to occur both in Europe and in the USA. The Chroomonas/Hemiselmis/Komma clade proved to be the most diverse of all cryptophyte clades concerning types of biliproteins and distribution of clades across marine or freshwater habitats.
THE ROLE OF NITRIC OXIDE IN DIATOM ADHESION IN RELATION TO SUBSTRATUM PROPERTIES1
Authors: Thompson Stephanie E. M. , Taylor Alison R. , Brownlee Colin , Callow Maureen E. , Callow James A.
Published: June 2008

Adhesion of raphid diatoms to surfaces, mediated by the secretion of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), is an important strategy for growth and survival. Diatom biofilms are also important in the context of biofouling. Diatoms exhibit selectivity in adhering to surfaces, but little is understood about how they perceive the properties of a substratum and translate that perception into altered adhesion properties. In this study, we demonstrate thatSeminavis robustaDanielidis et D. G. Mann,like many other pennate diatoms,adheres more strongly to hydrophobic surfaces (such as silicone elastomer foul‐release coatings) than to hydrophilic surfaces. To explore the cellular mechanisms that may underlie this selectivity, we tested the hypothesis that diatoms may perceive a hydrophilic surface as unconducive to adhesion through a form of stress response involving nitric oxide (NO) production. Single‐cell imaging with the fluorescent indicator DAF‐FM DA (4‐amino‐5‐methylamino‐2′,7′‐difluorofluorescein diacetate), revealed NO levels that were 4‐fold higher in cells adhered to a hydrophilic surface (acid‐washed glass) compared with a hydrophobic surface (polydimethylsiloxane elastomer, PDMSE). Elevated levels of NO caused by the addition of the NO donorS‐nitroso‐N‐acetylpenicillamine (SNAP) did not affect growth, but cells showed reduced adhesion strength to both glass and PDMSE. Addition of the nitric oxide synthase inhibitorNG‐monomethyl‐l‐arginine (NMMA) caused a small but significant increase in adhesion strength. Overall, the results suggest that NO acts as a signal of the wettability properties of substrata forSeminavis.
MORPHOLOGICAL AND GENETIC VARIATION IN THE POPULATIONS OF SARGASSUM HEMIPHYLLUM (PHAEOPHYCEAE) IN THE NORTHWESTERN PACIFIC1
Authors: Cheang Chi Chiu , Chu Ka Hou , Ang, Jr. Put O.
Published: June 2008

Difficulty in species identification of Sargassum (Sargassaceae, Fucales) is partly attributed to the high polymorphism among its individuals and populations. This study aimed at assessing morphological and genetic variations in two varieties, var. hemiphyllum J. Agardh and var. chinense J. Agardh, of Sargassum hemiphyllum (Turner) C. Agardh, a widely distributed species in the northwestern Pacific. We investigated 26 measurable, five numerical, and 33 categorical morphological parameters associated with different branching levels of specimens from each of six localities within its distribution range using cluster analysis (CA) and principal coordinate analysis (PCoA). Leaf size of the primary and secondary branching levels and the vesicle size of the secondary branches of the specimens examined were determined to be the most important morphological parameters that were significantly different among populations. Change in leaf and vesicle length of individuals among the six populations followed a latitudinal gradient, with smaller leaves and vesicles associated with northern populations and larger ones in the southern populations. The possible influence of the gradual change in sea surface temperatures (SSTs) along this gradient in the northwestern Pacific on leaf and vesicle morphologies of this species was suggested. PCR‐RFLP analysis of the RUBISCO spacer in the chloroplast genome revealed two distinct and highly homogenous clades, a China clade and a Japan‐Korea clade, which corresponded to var. chinense and var. hemiphyllum, respectively. The formation of refugia along the “Paleo‐coast” in the East China Sea during glacial periods is suggested to have led to the vicariance of ancestral populations of S. hemiphyllum and thus to have promoted genetic differentiation. The massive freshwater outflow of the Yellow and Yangtze rivers may continue to act as a barrier, prolonging the allopatric distribution of the two varieties.
INVOLVEMENT OF INDOLE‐3‐ACETIC ACID PRODUCED BY THE GROWTH‐PROMOTING BACTERIUM AZOSPIRILLUM SPP. IN PROMOTING GROWTH OF CHLORELLA VULGARIS1
Authors: De‐Bashan Luz E. , Antoun Hani , Bashan Yoav
Published: June 2008

Involvement of indole‐3‐acetic acid (IAA), produced by the microalgae‐growth‐promoting bacteria Azospirillum brasilens and A. lipoferum, in promoting growth of the microalga Chlorella vulgaris Beij. was studied. Four wildtype strains of Azospirillum and their IAA‐deficient mutants were co‐immobilized with C. vulgaris in alginate beads. Cultures were grown in synthetic growth medium supplemented with tryptophan. Growth promotion of microalgae and production of exogenous IAA by Azospirillum spp. were monitored. All wildtype Azospirillum spp. produced significant but varying amounts of IAA, while their mutant forms produced significantly less. The results demonstrated a significant growth promotion in Chlorella cultures when immobilized with the four wildtype strains of Azospirillum, while very low or no enhanced growth was induced by the four IAA‐deficient mutants, compared to when C. vulgaris is immobilized alone. A complementation experiment, where an IAA‐attenuated mutant (A. brasilense SpM7918) was supplemented with IAA produced by its parental wildtype strain (A. brasilense Sp6), restored growth promotion in the microalgae‐mutant culture.
DIAZOTROPHIC GROWTH OF THE MARINE CYANOBACTERIUM TRICHODESMIUM IMS101 IN CONTINUOUS CULTURE: EFFECTS OF GROWTH RATE ON N2‐FIXATION RATE, BIOMASS, AND C:N:P STOICHIOMETRY1
Authors: Holl Carolyn M. , Montoya Joseph P.
Published: June 2008

Trichodesmium N2 fixation has been studied for decades in situ and, recently, in controlled laboratory conditions; yet N2‐fixation rate estimates still vary widely. This variance has made it difficult to accurately estimate the input of new nitrogen (N) by Trichodesmium to the oligotrophic gyres of the world ocean. Field and culture studies demonstrate that trace metal limitation, phosphate availability, the preferential uptake of combined N, light intensity, and temperature may all affect N2 fixation, but the interactions between growth rate and N2 fixation have not been well characterized in this marine diazotroph. To determine the effects of growth rate on N2 fixation, we established phosphorus (P)–limited continuous cultures of Trichodesmium, which we maintained at nine steady‐state growth rates ranging from 0.27 to 0.67 d−1. As growth rate increased, biomass (measured as particulate N) decreased, and N2‐fixation rate increased linearly. The carbon to nitrogen ratio (C:N) varied from 5.5 to 6.2, with a mean of 5.8 ± 0.2 (mean ± SD, N = 9), and decreased significantly with growth rate. The N:P ratio varied from 23.4 to 45.9, with a mean of 30.5 ± 6.6 (mean ± SD, N = 9), and remained relatively constant over the range of growth rates studied. Relative constancy of C:N:P ratios suggests a tight coupling between the uptake of these three macronutrients and steady‐state growth across the range of growth rates. Our work demonstrates that growth rate must be considered when planning studies of the effects of environmental factors on N2 fixation and when modeling the impact of Trichodesmium as a source of new N to oligotrophic regions of the ocean.