bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Análisis determinístico de la red de regulación génica involucrada en la expresión y función del factor de transcripción σ^32 en E. coli.
Authors: Clavijo Buriticá Diana Carolina , Mejía Bárbara Valeria , Rojas Lina María , Sáenz Leandro , Yosa Juvenal
Published: May 2018

Motivación: La expresión del factor es una respuesta de E.Coli bajo condiciones de choque térmico. El mecanismo de inducción de las proteínas chaperonas y proteasas de choque térmico ha sido bastante estudiado, pero gran parte de la red de regulación del factor no se comprende completamente. Por esto, en este trabajo se plantea un modelo determinístico de la red, el cual se soluciona por medio de las herramientas presentes en Matlab® y en seguida se evalúa la influencia de la velocidad de transcripción, de traducción y de degradación sobre todas las concentraciones de las especies involucradas en la red, con el fin de determinar cuál de estos factores es el que la célula posiblemente emplea  para regular la expresión del factor .Resultados: En la resolución del sistema de ecuaciones ordinarias mediante el algoritmo ode45, se corroboró que el tiempo de vida media de sigma 32 es de 1 minuto por la concentración en estado estacionario. Además se encontró que las variaciones en  las constantes  de transcripción de rpoH y degradación de mRNA de la red (  no son significativas en la producción del factor, ni en la producción de las proteínas de choque térmico.   Por otro lado, del análisis de sensibilidad se infirió que la constante de traducción  de mRNA es la velocidad más crítica para la regulación de la expresión del factor en la red. Finalmente, con respecto a  se concluye que es un término importante en la estabilización del factor .Disponibilidad e Implementación: El análisis se llevó a cabo en MatLab_R 2011a y el código fuente se encuentra en el Material Suplementario.
Miasis Intracerebral, Generalidades y limitantes en el tratamiento, reporte de caso.
Authors: Acuña Sandy Mariottiz , Cardona Castellanos D P , Corredor Quintero A B
Published: May 2018

La Miasis es un parasitismo de los tejidos vivos o necróticos y órganos de los seres humanos causados por larvas de díptero, dentro de la clasificación según su localización se describe la miasis cavitaria, la miasis cerebral se describe como una entidad excepcionalmente rara, en esta se puede presentar la invasión del tejido meníngeo y encefálico, posterior a la perforación de los huesos del cráneo. Presentamos el caso de un paciente atendido en servicio de urgencias del Hospital Departamental Universitario del Quindío San Juan de Dios de Armenia - Colombia, quien consultó por múltiples cuadros de cefalea y malestar general, encontrando ulceración excavada, mal oliente, con infestación por larvas y huevos en el cuero cabelludo de región parietal y occipital con pérdida de tejido, recibió inicialmente manejo médico, los cuales no se lograban finalizar, dado que en la mayoría de ocasiones el paciente solicitaba retiros voluntarios. Luego de varios reingresos hospitalariosy tratamientos incompletos, el paciente ingresa al servicio de urgencias con gran deterioro neurológico, empeoramiento en su estado clínico y posteriormente fallece.
SİLAHLI İNSANSIZ HAVA ARAÇLARININ KULLANIMINDA KARAR MEKANİZMALARI
Authors: AK Tarık
Published: May 2018

ÖZ

 

      İnsansız Hava Araçları son on yılda
teknolojik gelişmelerle birlikte daha çok görünür olmuş, araçlara silah monte
edilmesi ile birlikte kamuoyu tarafından bilinirliği artmıştır. Ancak aracın
teknolojik gelişmişliği, -insanlı uçaklardan farklı olarak- kullanımında çoklu
karar mekanizmasını da gerekli kılmıştır. Bu nedenle silahlı insansız hava
aracı kullanımında aracın kendisinden operatörüne, sorumlu komutanından politik
karar alıcısına kadar kimlerin ne ölçüde yetkili ve sorumlu olacağı hususu
çözüm gerektiren konular olarak ortaya çıkmıştır. Bu kapsamda çalışmanın amacı,
araçların kullanımına ilişkin karar mekanizmalarını belirlemek ve karar
vericilerin sorumluluklarına yönelik öneriler getirmektedir..
The Footprint of Things: A hybrid approach towards the collection, storage and distribution of life cycle inventory data
Authors: van Capelleveen Guido , Pohl Johanna , Fritsch Andreas , Schien Daniel
Published: May 2018

Life cycle assessment is a well-established methodology for assessing the environmental impacts of products and services. Unfortunately, an essential part of this life cycle assessment method, col- lecting inventory data, is extremely time consuming. The quality of manually conducted LCA studies is often limited by uncertainty in the inventory data or narrow scope. Past attempts to overcome these challenges through automation of data collection utilizing the Internet of Things have relied on fully centralized architectures. The drawback of a central repository is the complex coordination between all involved actors in supply chains of products and services. This paper proposes an alternative hybrid approach combining a primary distributed system supplemented with a central repository reducing the need for coordination. This hybrid approach is named "the Footprint of Things". We present a system design that embeds the automatic reporting of life cycle inventory data, such as energy and material flows, into all product components involved in a service delivery. The major strength of our novel system design, among others, is its capacity for real-time and more precise impact calculation of ICT services.
Indoor temperature awareness using an Ambient Information Display - a semi-longitudinal study of one household
Authors: Hedin Björn , Larsson Victor , Artman Henrik
Published: May 2018

This paper explores the use of an Ambient Information Display (AID) to visualize indoor temperature, in order to promote behavior change through reflection and discussion. A prototype system was built using Philips Hue, a personal wireless LED lighting system, to visualize indoor temperature with colors, and an unused smartphone as temperature sensor. A household with a family of five was used as test environment. The design process underwent two major design iterations focusing on the visualization and its impact on the family’s everyday perception of the indoor temperature, and the reflective processes this triggered. After three months of usage, late December to late March, the system was evaluated thoroughly. The awareness of the indoor temperature had been increased with the use of the system, where the AID had served as a trigger for discussions.
AaaS and MaaS for reduced environmental and climate impact of transport
Authors: Kramers Anna , Ringenson Tina , Sopjani Liridona , Arnfalk Peter
Published: May 2018

In this paper, a set of indicators is presented that aim to identify promising service innovations for Accessibility as a Service (AaaS) and Mobility as a Service (MaaS); services that potentially can reduce the demand for transport and optimize use of transport infrastructure and vehicles in urban regions. The proposed indicators characterize service innovations from three different perspectives: 1) Is the service innovation environmentally sustainable? Does it reduce negative impacts on the environment (reduce carbon emissions, use of space), 2) Is it rewardable? Is value created for an organization? Does it make use of new sustainable business models, and 3) How widely is the service spread? How many users are there, what is the geographic distribution and what level of societal transition has occurred? The developed indicators are meant to guide policy makers, decision makers, business developers and academia in the prioritizations that need to be made when allocating land and resources to the most promising and powerful innovations, moving towards more environmentally friendly mobility and accessibility. The next step will be to test the indicators to identify and categorize existing and emerging new services, ideas, pilots and prototypes. The results of this second step will be presented in our next article.
Shifting the maturity needle of ICT for Sustainability
Authors: Mann Samuel , Bates Oliver , Maher Raymond
Published: May 2018

The ubiquity of ICT means the potential of ICT4S covers a broad range of sustainability topics and application domains. However, ICT4S research can be ill positioned with regard to the complexity of transforming society in such a way that people and environmental ecologies can coexist in a sustainable system. The danger is that ICT4S becomes partitioned into a small subset of sustainability and using a limited set of the levers at our disposal. Grounded in the Mann-Bates maturity scale for sustainability this paper performs an analysis of the ICT4S conference corpus to measure how mature the research is in our field with regard to sustainability. Based on this analysis we identify areas in which the ICT4S community can begin to shift the maturity of research in order to promote sustainable futures. By applying the Transformation Mindset our article demonstrates through a series of illustrative how ICT4S can apply this mindset to shift ICT4S research towards more sustainable trajectories. This is an essential first step in taking stock, highlighting shortcomings and identifying opportunities in ICT for sustainability.
Towards a sustainable business model for smartphones: Combining product-service systems with modularity
Authors: Frantz Schneider Alice , Matinfar Sepideh , Martino Grua Eoin , Casado-Mansilla Diego , Cordewener Lars
Published: May 2018

Based on the Sustainable Development Goals introduced by the United Nations and on the circular economy concept, ICT providers are adapting to become more sustainable. Some assess the CO2 emissions in the whole life cycle, while others propose to use renewable energies during manufacturing and assembling. In contrast with the current smartphone business models that rely on ongoing patterns of production and consumption, this paper proposes a more sustainable approach by combining product modularity, Product-Service Systems (PSS), and design for attachment. With a modular design, it becomes easier to repair the product or to replace parts, allowing for an extended lifespan. In combination with PSS, we propose that the modules, when no longer used by one customer, return to the market to be reused by another one. Lastly, we discuss the impact of the users’ behaviour through emotional bond, personalization, and technology appropriation as predictors of attachment to the product and consequently an extended lifespan. Through comparing case studies and using Life Cycle Assessment to calculate the CO2 equivalent emissions, we argue that our approach would directly reduce the environmental impact of the smartphone on the production phase, which accounts for most of the emissions throughout its life cycle.
Empirical Evaluation of the Energy Impact of Refactoring Code Smells
Authors: Verdecchia Roberto , Aparicio Saez René , Procaccianti Giuseppe , Lago Patricia
Published: May 2018

Software energy efficiency has gained increasing attention of the research community. How to improve it, however, still lacks evidence. Specifically, the impact of code smell refactoring on energy efficiency has been scarcely investigated. In the pilot study here reported, we investigate the impact on performance and energy consumption of refactoring well-known code smells on Java software applications. In order to understand if software metrics can be used as indicators of the energy impact of refactoring, we also measured the variation caused by refactoring on a set of well-established software metrics. We conducted a controlled experiment using state-of-the-art power measurement equipment. Statistical hypothesis testing and effect size estimation were performed on the experimental results. Results show that in one out of three applications, refactoring each smell significantly impacted power- and energy consumption. Specifically, refactoring Feature Envy and Long Method smells led to a 49% energy efficiency improvement. No software metrics significantly correlated with execution time, power or energy consumption. In conclusion, refactoring code smells can significantly improve software energy efficiency. The magnitude of the impact may depend on application properties, e.g. size or age. Further research is needed to understand the relationship between software metrics and energy efficiency.
Transparent Farmers: how farmers are using technology for new ways of selling and communicating with consumers
Authors: Zapico Jorge Luis , Söderberg Maja
Published: May 2018

There is a growing number of farmers embracing information and communication technologies (ICT) as a way of enabling direct sales to consumers and creating added value through involving the consumers and making food production more transparent. This article presents the case of Nybrukarna, a community supported agriculture (CSA) cooperative in the south of Sweden, and explores how social media is used in their operation. The social media posts during a growing season were analyzed and used to identify different cases. Three main themes were identified: (1) practical communication and feedback from customers; (2) increasing transparency of crop production and values; (3) marketing and direct sales. These results were combined with information from a survey with feedback of the CSA customers, and a survey with growers in similar context, for identifying and discussing challenges, drivers, and opportunities for future development and research.
"Sustainability... it's just not important." - The Challenges of Academic Engagement with Diverse Stakeholders
Authors: Remy Christian , Bates Oliver , Thomas Vanessa , Broadbent Matthew
Published: May 2018

Research at the intersection of sustainability and computing often engages with external stakeholders, and those engagements can determine success and impact of the sustainable goals as well as the entire research. In this paper, we reflect on various stakeholder en- gagements to derive lessons for the ICT4S community that seeks to broaden its sustainable impact beyond their own field. We briefly describe our experiences with case studies from each of the individual author’s research, and then synthesize across those experiences to reflect on similarities and differences. The resulting discussion highlights what we feel were our important lessons learned, as well as some of our thoughts on how to approach collab- orations or deployments with external stakeholders in sustainable computing projects.
A high-level estimate of the material footprints of the ICT and the E&M sector
Authors: Malmodin Jens , Bergmark Pernilla , Matinfar Sepideh
Published: May 2018

This paper attempts to make a high-level estimate of the material footprints of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Entertainment and Media (E&M) sectors for one year from four different perspectives while including the full life cycle of products and applying a top-down perspective. The four perspectives explored are: i) amount of materials used; ii) carbon footprint of the materials focusing on Raw Materials Acquisition (RMA) and End of Life Treatment (EoLT) stages; iii) material resource depletion; and iv) toxicity of materials.

For the given assumptions, it is estimated that the sectors represent about 0,5% of the global annual usage of the selected materials, and for several materials (indium, gallium and germanium), ICT and E&M usage represents as much as 80-90% of the overall usage. Their use of materials represents about 0.9% of the carbon footprint for the selected materials, and about 0.1% of the total global carbon footprint, while the sectors material resource depletion potential is estimated to be between 13% and 48% of overall global depletion for the selected materials, depending on impact assessment method. Finally, the for toxicity of the selected materials, plus cement production, ICT and E&M are estimated to represent about 3.3%, based on ReCiPe. Toxicity and resource depletion results and the mass result for specific materials all indicate that the ICT and E&M sectors play a larger role than their average share of the total annual materials usage indicates, and gold and copper are identified as the most impacting materials. The applied top-down method provide only coarse estimates and further research is needed based on bottom-up methods.
Shared Autonomous Vehicles: Potentials for a Sustainable Mobility and Risks of Unintended Effects
Authors: Pakusch Christina , Stevens Gunnar , Bossauer Paul
Published: May 2018

Automated and connected cars could significantly reduce congestion and emissions through a more efficient flow of traffic and a reduction in the number of vehicles. An increase in demand for driving with autonomous vehicles is also conceivable due to higher comfort and improved quality of time using driverless cars. So far, empirical evidence supporting this hypothesis is missing. To analyze the influence of autonomous driving on mobility behavior and to uncover user preferences, which serve as an indicator for future travel mode choices, we conducted an online survey with a paired comparison of current and future travel modes with 302 German participants. The results do not confirm the hypothesis that ownership will become an outdated model in the future. Instead they suggest that private cars, whether traditional or fully automated, will remain the preferred travel mode. At the same time, carsharing will benefit from full automation more than private cars. However, findings indicate that the growth of carsharing will mainly be at the expense of public transport, showing that more effort should be placed in making public transportation more attractive if sustainable mobility is to be developed.
Undesigning the Internet: An exploratory study of reducing everyday Internet connectivity
Authors: Widdicks Kelly , Ringenson Tina , Pargman Daniel , Kuppusamy Vishnupriya , Lago Patricia
Published: May 2018

Internet connectivity is seamlessly integrated into many of our everyday habits and activities. Despite this, previous research has highlighted that our rather excessive Internet use is not sustainable or even always socially beneficial. In this paper, we carried out an exploratory study on how Internet disconnection affects our everyday lives and whether such disconnection is even possible in today’s society. Through daily surveys, we captured what Internet use means for ten participants and how this varies when they are asked to disconnect by default, and re-connect only when their Internet use is deemed as necessary. From our study, we found that our participants could disconnect from the Internet for certain activities (particularly leisure focused), yet they developed adaptations in their lives to address the necessity of their Internet use. We elicit these adaptations into five themes that encompass how the participants did, or did not, use the Internet based on their necessities. Drawing on these five themes, we conclude with ways in which our study can inspire future research surrounding: Internet infrastructure limits; the promotion of slow values; Internet non-use; and the undesign of Internet services.
ICT for Sustainability Beyond Efficiency: Pushing Cleantech and the Circular Economy
Authors: Townsend Jack
Published: May 2018

Sustainability necessitates reform of resource production and consumption to reduce environmental harms. The main way that ICT can address these resource impacts is through digital optimization. Spreng found that optimization of an industrial process either increases resource efficiency by reducing energy inputs (“save impacts”) or reduces production and consumption times to increase resource outputs (“push impacts”). It was assumed that a difficult choice then exists between save impacts that progress sustainability and push impacts that meet market demand. Based on a new typology of enabling impacts, this paper argues that there are two important cases in which push impacts can be just as valuable for sustainability as save impacts: 1) when the process drives the production and adoption of an environmentally beneficial product i.e. “cleantech” e.g. a solar panel or 2) when the process is specific to the Circular Economy, such as recycling, maintenance/refurbishment, and sharing/reuse e.g. car- sharing, ride-sharing and tool-sharing in the Sharing Economy. The opportunities for ICT4S optimization are thus threefold: "saving" resources with efficiency, “pushing” the adoption of cleantech, and “pushing” the circulation of resources.
Regional Variation in Changes in Agricultural Production in Poland in the Context of Environmental Impact
Authors: Kopiński Jerzy
Published: May 2018

Subject and purpose of work: Agricultural production activity brings about specific environmental effects. The aim of the study was to analyse changes in agricultural production in regions of Poland (NUTS-2) in the context of environmental impact using the gross nitrogen balance. Materials and methods: The analysis covered the medium-term perspective of 2001-2016. The primary source of information was statistical data of the Polish Central Statistical Office (Główny Urząd Statystyczny - GUS). Results: During the 2002-2004 period, the balance of gross nitrogen balance in Poland did not change and amounted to an average of 47.5 kg N∙ha-1 UAA (Utilized Agricultural Area). The progressive extensification of plant production in the following provinces: Slaskie, Malopolskie, Podkarpackie and Swietokrzyskie, is accompanied by a rapid reduction in the stocking density of livestock. Conclusions: The nitrogen balance, highly differentiated regionally, just as its individual elements, show the potential differentiation scale of the agricultural impact on the state of the environment. Very high balance surpluses occurring in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Lodzkie and Wielkopolskie provinces may indicate high environmental pressure from the agricultural production.
The diet of the brown bearUrsus arctosin the Pasvik Valley, northeastern Norway
Authors: Persson Inga‐Lill , Wikan Steinar , Swenson Jon E. , Mysterud Ivar
Published: May 2018

The seasonal composition of and the annual variation in the diet of the brown bearUrsus arctosin the Pasvik Valley, northeastern Norway, were estimated based on the analysis of 137 bear scats. The importance of mooseAlces alcesand reindeerRangifer tarandusin the diet was given special attention, because results from Russia suggest that brown bears are generally more carnivorous in the north. Ungulates, especially adult moose, comprised the most important food item for bears in the Pasvik Valley during spring and summer, contributing 85 and 70% of the Estimated Dietary Energy Content (EDEC), respectively. During autumn, when the bears have to build up fat reserves and increase lean body mass for hibernation, berries were the most important food item, contributing 49% of the EDEC, but ungulates were still important, contributing 30% of the EDEC. Insects and vegetation were of low importance in all seasons. The proportion of ungulates in the diet of brown bears in the Pasvik Valley was considerably higher than farther south in Scandinavia, and this regional difference is important concerning bear and moose management in northern areas.
CougarPuma concoloruse of wildlife crossing structures on the Trans‐Canada highway in Banff National Park, Alberta
Authors: Gloyne Claire C. , Clevenger Anthony P.
Published: May 2018

Large carnivores are vulnerable to road effects because of their great mobility and extensive spatial requirements for survival. Wildlife crossing structures have mitigated harmful effects of roads for ungulate species, but there is limited information on how effective these structures are for large predators. We investigated the response of cougarsPuma concolorto wildlife crossing structures along 45 kilometers of the Trans‐Canada highway in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. Twenty‐two crossing structures were monitored year‐round for wildlife passage during 1996–2000. Cougar consistently used the wildlife crossing structures more than expected during winter months and less than expected during the summer. There was a significant positive correlation between passages made by cougar through wildlife crossing structures and those made by mule deerOdocoileus hemionusand white‐tailed deerO. virginianus.There was no correlation between cougar and human use of the wildlife crossing structures. Cougar use of the five structure types differed from that expected. Open‐span bridge underpasses were used more than expected, whereas creek bridge underpasses were used in proportion to their availability. All other crossing structure types were used significantly less than expected. The wildlife crossing structures that received the highest numbers of cougar passages were those situated close to high quality cougar habitat. The pattern of structure use was partly explained by the quality and distribution of cougar habitat near the structures as opposed to their physical features. Our results indicated that cougars tended to use underpasses more than wildlife overpass structures, and our study documents that cougars used crossing structures in a way that ensures habitat connectivity.
Duck nests and predators: interaction, specialisation and possible management
Authors: Opermanis Otars , Mednis Aivars , Bauga Ilmārs
Published: May 2018

Low hatching success due to nest depredation has frequently been reported from waterfowl breeding sites, but current knowledge on relationships between duck nests and their predators, which should form a basis for successful management, remains incomplete. We used a 13‐year data set to test whether specific predator species are more successful in finding certain types of natural duck nests and whether there are interspecific differences in nest characteristics. Multinomial logistic regression allowed simultaneous evaluation of the effects of different factors, including their interactions. Significant predictors of duck nest fate were the presence of water edge and 3‐way interaction among presence of gull colonies, island type and clutch initiation date. Significant predictors of nest site use by duck species were: 3‐way interaction among presence of gull colonies, island type and clutch initiation date, 3‐way interaction among presence of gull colonies, island type and presence of water edge and 2‐way interaction between presence of water edge and clutch initiation date. The above interactions led to certain associations between duck species and predator species. Corvids (hooded crow Corvus corone cornix and raven Corvus corax) were responsible for depredating more mallard Anas platyrhynchos nests, but fewer common pochard Aythya ferina and tufted duck Aythya fuligula nests than expected. American mink Mustela vison was responsible for destroying more small Anas species (northern shoveler Anas clypeata, garganey Anas querquedula and gadwall Anas strepera) and tufted duck nests, but fewer mallard nests than expected. Marsh harrier Circus aeruginosus was apparently a generalist predator since we were not able to detect significant associations between this predator and nests of any specific duck species. We believe that examination of interactions between different factors affecting the probability that nests will be either successful or depredated by certain predator species may help waterfowl managers increase management success.
DNA‐based population estimate for grizzly bears Ursus arctos in northeastern British Columbia, Canada
Authors: Poole Kim G. , Mowat Garth , Fear Darcy A.
Published: May 2018

Current harvest management of grizzly bears Ursus arctos in British Columbia (B.C.), Canada, is based primarily on modeling of habitat capability/suitability. No research has been conducted in the northern half of B.C. to verify these habitat‐based estimates. We estimated grizzly bear population size in a 8,527 km2 study area in northeastern B.C. that included the east slopes of the northern Rocky Mountains (Northern Boreal Mountains ecoprovince) and the boreal plains (Taiga Plains ecoprovince) using hair removal to sample bears, microsatellite profiling to identify individuals, and mark‐recapture models. We placed bait sites encircled by barbed wire in a grid of 103 9 × 9 km (81 km2) cells. In each cell a different bait site was set for 12 days in each of five sessions. We collected 2,062 hair samples from 332 sites and detected grizzly bears at 113 sites. DNA profiling of grizzly bear samples identified 98 different bears; 44 of these individuals were females, 47 were males, and the remaining seven individuals could not be sexed. Forty‐one grizzly bears were caught at >1 site. We used a closed mark‐recapture model to obtain a naive population estimate of 148 grizzly bears (95% confidence interval (Cl): 124–182). We reduced this estimate by 6.8% to account for closure bias, which resulted in an adjusted population estimate of 138 grizzly bears (95% Cl: 114–172) within the study area (16 bears/1,000 km2; 95% Cl: 13–20). Within the two biophysical ecoprovinces we estimated a density (corrected for closure) of 29 bears/1,000 km2 (95% Cl: 23–37) for the Northern Boreal Mountains and 10 bears/1,000 km2 (95% Cl: 7–18) for the Taiga Plains. The current habitat‐based capability ratings for grizzly bears in the boreal ecoprovinces of B.C. are supported by our results in the Taiga Plains, but are lower than densities we obtained in the Northern Boreal Mountains by about half. With further testing, habitat‐based estimates of grizzly bear density in B.C. could be adjusted using the results of DNA‐based population estimates.
Population manipulations of North American deer Odocoileus spp.: balancing high yield with sustainability
Authors: McCullough Dale R.
Published: May 2018

An array of models for sustainable harvesting has been proposed, and most are in some way dependent on a density‐dependent response. I tested a subset of these models by manipulating three North American deer populations to reveal density dependence and determine population response to harvests. These were a white‐tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus population on the George Reserve (GR) in southeastern Michigan, and black‐tailed deer O. hemionus columbianus populations on Hopland Research and Extension Center (HREC) in Mendocino County, California, and on Fort Hunter Liggett (FHL) in Monterey County, California. The study areas represented a gradation in size, productivity, management control, and environmental stochasticity. The GR population showed a nearly linear density‐dependent relationship of r on N. A mean maximum sustainable yield (MS Y) of 49 deer/year was obtained at an N of 56% of K carrying capacity (KCC). A fixed harvest with stochasticity, however, reduced the sustainable MSY to 43 deer/year. A second population growth experiment 50 years after the initial introduction showed an equivalent growth rate. Analysis of harvest data from FHL showed buck harvest to be positively related to size of previous female harvests. From these results, a ‘linked‐sex harvest strategy’ (LSHS) was proposed in which female harvest is sequentially incremented so long as buck harvest continues to increase, up to a presumed ‘safe’ female to buck ratio. At HREC, bucks were harvested in public bucks‐only seasons. Buck harvest was monitored for 6‐year pre‐ and posttreatment periods without female removals, and for a 7‐year treatment period during which 20 females/year were removed for three years and 30 females/year for four years. There was no significant difference in pre‐ and post‐treatment period buck harvests, so they were combined as a ‘control’. There was a significant (25%) increase in buck harvest during the treatment period despite its coinciding with six consecutive years of drought. The combined‐sex harvest was more than double that of the buck harvest alone during the control periods. The relevance of these studies to deer harvest management is discussed.
Can geese adjust their clocks? Effects of diurnal regulation of goose shooting
Authors: Madsen Jesper
Published: May 2018

Since 1994, goose shooting in Denmark has only been allowed from 1½ hours before sunrise to 10 a.m. (since 1997 until 11 a.m.). The aim of the diurnal regulation was to provide autumn‐staging and wintering geese with more undisturbed feeding opportunities, and hence to extend the length of their stay in Danish haunts. A field study was carried out during 1994–1997 to investigate the effects of the regulation on the behaviour and site use by geese, focused on greylag geese Anser anser and pink‐footed geese Anser brachyrhynchus at three important Danish sites. Data from earlier studies and monitoring schemes provided baseline information. In one study area with low shooting intensity, greylag geese did not change the timing of their morning departure from the roost to the feeding areas. In two sites with higher shooting intensities, they gradually delayed their morning departure from the roosts over the years. In the two sites with intensive shooting, greylag geese redistributed themselves during the daytime, albeit in small numbers. In the site with low shooting intensity, greylag geese depleted the waste grain resources, the preferred food. In the two sites with higher shooting intensities, the geese left while food was still plentiful. Pink‐footed geese did not change their roost flight departure and only marginally redistributed themselves during the daytime. In sites where shooting‐free areas were established, numbers of greylag and pink‐footed geese immediately increased. The weak reaction by the geese to diurnal regulation was not due to a lack of behavioural flexibility in response, but reflected the fact that staying and adjusting to the diurnal regulation was a less attractive option than moving on to less disturbed sites. In conclusion, the diurnal shooting regulation did not achieve the intended management objectives.
An evaluation of methods for distinguishing between juvenile and adult mountain hares Lepus timidus
Authors: Kauhala Kaarina , Soveri Timo
Published: May 2018

Different age determination methods were compared to find a practical method for distinguishing between young and adult mountain hares Lepus timidus. The age of the hares was determined using: 1) the ossification stage of the radius and ulna, and 2) the dry weight of the eye lens. The ossification stage of the bones was examined with the unaided eye and palpation, and by using radiography. The proportion of young was higher when the bones were examined using radiography rather than the unaided eye, except in early autumn when the two methods led to the same results. Age determination based on bone examination using the unaided eye gave more reliable results than age determination based on radiography; this became evident when the results were compared with the reproductive status of females or with the dry weight of the eye lens. Using an eye lens weight of 0.25 g as a discriminating value between young and adult hares, gave an age determination similar to that derived from bone examinations using the unaided eye in 90% of the cases. Age determination based on examination of the radius and ulna using the unaided eye and palpation, together with the eye lens weight thus forms a reliable and practical method for distinguishing between young and adult mountain hares, and radiography is only necessary when examining live animals.
Effects of paragliding on alpine chamois Rupicapra rupicapra rupicapra
Authors: Schnidrig‐Petrig Reinhard , Ingold Paul
Published: May 2018

We studied the influence of paragliding flying activity on female chamois Rupicapra r. rupicapra behaviour and distribution in four areas in the Swiss Alps. We observed chamois as they were overflown by co‐operative pilots on controlled routes. Female chamois fled at great distances (up to a maximum of 900 m) in all areas and sought refuge within forest cover after paragliders appeared. Escape distances were larger when paragliders appeared over the animals than when they appeared at about the same heights, and were shorter when chamois were closer to forest cover than when they were in open alpine meadows above the timberline. Colour of the paragliders, distance to rocks, and group size did not affect the reactions of the chamois. In areas with regular paragliding, chamois moved away from the air traffic and eventually disappeared into the forest, and did so earlier with increasing flying activity. The chamois stayed within forest cover longer with increased duration of paragliding off the normal flight path. In an area with only sporadic paragliding, chamois sought refuge within the forest for up to four hours after single paraglider fly‐overs. In an area with no paragliding, chamois stayed in the pastures and rocks above the treeline all day. This study provides a basis for the development of control measures for paragliding in certain areas.
Temporal variation in annual survival probability of the Eurasian woodcock Scolopax rusticola wintering in France
Authors: Tavecchia Giacomo , Pradel Roger , Gossmann François , Bastat Claudine , Ferrand Yves , Lebreton Jean‐Dominique
Published: May 2018

The Eurasian woodcock Scolopax rusticola is an important quarry species hunted all over its range. Some authors have reported local declines in both wintering and breeding woodcock numbers. In order to investigate whether these possible declines are the result of a negative trend in survival, we analysed 3,312 recoveries of 15,839 woodcocks ringed in France during 14 consecutive winters (1984/85–1997/98). We distinguished between winter (October–February) and summer (March–September) recoveries in order to estimate survival and recovery rate separately for each period because selective pressures during these two periods are likely to be different. Survival varied according to year during both winter and summer. Winter survival probability covaried positively with mean winter nocturnal temperature and ranged from 0.74 (SE = 0.057) during the winter of 1985/86 to 0.83 (SE = 0.042) during the winter of 1994/95. Mortality of first‐year birds was 22% higher than that of adults in any year. Results from a second analysis in which we compared survival of birds ringed during 1991–1997 in the three main woodcock wintering areas along the French Atlantic coast suggested a threshold effect of weather conditions. Mean winter survival covaried with temperature and rainfall mainly in the northernmost regions where weather conditions are more severe. We did not find any particular trend in survival probability that could explain the possible declines in woodcock numbers. However, the generally low adult annual survival, and the negative influence of stochastic events such as severe winter conditions might drive populations to a level from which it would be difficult to recover. Results of a two‐age‐class demographic model are discussed together with implications for management.
Factors affecting reproduction and population growth in a restored elkCervus elaphus nelsonipopulation
Authors: Larkin Jeffery L. , Maehr David S. , Cox John J. , Wichrowski Michael W. , Crank R. Daniel
Published: May 2018

In 1997, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources began a restoration program intended to translocate 200 elkCervus elaphus nelsoniper year over a nine‐year period. Initially, the age structure of males in this restored elk population was heavily skewed toward the yearling age class. We examined the reproductive performance of this elk herd for two years. During 1998, the male:adult female ratio was 35:65 (corresponding to 54:100). In 1999, the male:adult female ratio was 45:62 (corresponding to 73:100). The proportion of yearling males declined from 89% in 1998 to 31% in 1999. We used radio telemetry to locate males and females during the rut and to document calf production. Calving rates during 1998 and 1999 were 53 and 92%, respectively. Post‐release movements of adult cows (N = 22) to areas devoid of males averaged 21 km and ranged within 7–57 km. Temporary Allee effects may have been responsible for annual differences in calving rates. The calving season was 67 days when breeding was dominated by yearlings and 37 days when breeding was dominated by adults. A male age structure heavily skewed toward yearlings does not appear to limit population growth. Calving rates could be improved by reducing initial post‐release wanderings of adult females. Distribution of potential mates may be more important to population growth rather than balanced sex ratios and age structures.
Expectations and realities of GPS animal location collars: results of three years in the field
Authors: Johnson Chris J. , Heard Douglas C. , Parker Katherine L.
Published: May 2018

GPS collars have the potential to automatically collect large numbers of relatively accurate animal relocations. Collar costs, levels of accuracy, and satellite signal reception have been reported by other studies, but there has been little discussion of long‐term performance under field conditions. Between March 1996 and April 1999, we placed 11 GPS collars on 23 individual woodland caribou Rangifer tarandus caribou for a total of 26 collar deployments. Reliability was highly variable; some collar deployments operated normally for their expected period of time, other deployments functioned for less than half of their expected lives. Collars attempted 41,822 locations and collected 15,247 3‐D and 10,411 2‐D locations, for an average acquisition rate of 59%. We recommend that researchers carefully consider project objectives, budget constraints, and available options such as differential correction and remote collar communication, before purchasing GPS collars.
Biased adult sex ratio can affect fecundity in primiparous moose Alces alces
Authors: Solberg Erling J. , Loison Anne , Ringsby Tor H. , Sæther Bernt‐Erik , Heim Morten
Published: May 2018

Recruitment rate has declined in many Norwegian moose Alces alces populations during the last two decades and at the same time the population size has increased and the proportion of males to females has decreased. Although density‐dependent food limitation may explain part of the decrease in productivity, we evaluated to what extent the decline could also be a result of an insufficient number of males in the populations to fertilise all females. To test this hypothesis, we compared, based on ovary analyses, the age‐specific variation in fecundity rates in eight Norwegian moose populations with annual variation in the adult sex ratio. Differences in female age and body mass explained a significant proportion of the variance in the probability of pregnancy. In addition, there was a significant relationship between the population sex ratio and the probability of pregnancy among 2‐year‐old females, but not the probability of pregnancy of older females. Because biased sex ratio only affects first‐time breeders, the effect on the population recruitment rate may be limited. However, we also call attention to other possible effects of biased sex ratio, e.g. delayed parturition date, which in the long term may decrease population productivity through effects on survival and fecundity.
Patterns in winter nutritional status of white‐tailed deerOdocoileus virginianuspopulations in Maine, USA
Authors: Ditchkoff Stephen S. , Servello Frederick A.
Published: May 2018

We used urinary indices to determine temporal and regional patterns in nutritional status of white‐tailed deerOdocoileus virginianusin nine wintering areas in northern and central Maine, USA. Winter severity was greater in the northern region, and we expected deer in that region to exhibit greater evidence for nutritional restriction. We collected an average of 26 urine samples from snow on a biweekly basis during 1 January‐ 31 March 1993 in each wintering area and analyzed them for ratios of urea nitrogen (N):creatinine (C), an index of nutritional status, and potassium (K):creatinine (C), an index of forage intake. Mean urea N:C ratios increased to 3.0 and 3.3 during March in northern and central Maine, respectively, suggesting that nutritional status of deer in these populations was poor. There were no differences in ratios of urea N:C between regions within time periods, except for late March when urea N:C ratios were greater in the central region. The proportions of deer exhibiting severe nutritional restriction (urea N:C ≥3.5) were greatest in March in both regions (0.16–0.31); however, proportions were highly variable among populations (range: 0–0.44). K:C ratios decreased during winter, but did not differ among regions. Our results indicate that urinary indices of free‐ranging deer populations in wintering areas vary greatly, and we contend that high variability among populations is an important consideration for designing future deer research.
Relationship between calving time and physical condition in three wild reindeer Rangifer tarandus populations in southern Norway
Authors: Flydal Kjetil , Reimers Eigil
Published: May 2018

Time of calving in reindeer Rangifer tarandus varies between populations, but takes place around the start of the green season to ensure a stable food supply for doe and calf. Causes of variation in calving time was investigated by studying the three adjacent populations of North Ottadalen, South Ottadalen and Snøhetta, in Norway. The peak calving time was 12–14 May during 1996–1998 in North Ottadalen, 10 May in 1997 and 11 May in 1998 in South Ottadalen, and 22–26 May during 1996–1998 in Snøhetta. Comparing these results with recordings from 1969–1972, 1978 and 1985, peak calving time has been delayed by 6–8 days in North Ottadalen, and has advanced by 2–6 days in Snøhetta. In South Ottadalen, the peak calving time has remained almost constant. Analyses of covariance showed that calving time was negatively related to autumn dressed weight (P < 0.05), but not to mandible length (P = 0.15), and that calving happened later in Snøhetta than in North Ottadalen for the same level of autumn dressed weight (P < 0.05; 11.5 days) and mandible length (P < 0.05; 14 days). These results strengthen the hypothesis that delayed conception and calving is a consequence of relatively poor doe condition in autumn.
Molecular population phylogeny of the hazel grouse Bonasa bonasia in East Asia inferred from mitochondrial control‐region sequences
Authors: Baba Yoshiyuki , Fujimaki Yuzo , Klaus Siegfried , Butorina Olga , Drovetskii Serguei , Koike Hiroko
Published: May 2018

A total of 62 mitochondrial haplotypes were detected from 174 samples of hazel grouse Bonasa bonasia from Hokkaido, Primorskii, Sakhalin, Magadan, Siberia and Bohemia using 428 bp of the mitochondrial DNA control region. Haplotype diversity for four populations in Hokkaido was more than 0.8, suggesting that a reasonable population size had been maintained throughout their history. Haplotypes from Hokkaido and haplotypes from Primorskii were clearly separated from other Eurasian continent haplotypes, not only in the phylogenetic tree but also in the network tree. Haplotypes from Hokkaido, Sakhalin and Magadan radiated from the hypothetical root composed of a double cubic network of parallel substitutions. Most of the haplotypes were separated by three substitutions from the root, or within a maximum of five substitutions. Pairwise sequence differences for most Eurasian haplotypes had a bimodal curve consisting of the first peak at 0–1 substitution differences and the second peak at 3–4 substitution differences, whereas those for Hokkaido haplotypes had only a peak at around 4–6 substitution differences. These observations most likely indicate that the populations analysed were differentiated about 40,000 years ago, and have expanded to the present distribution during the climatic optimum over the last 10,000 years.