bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
An appraisal of techniques for the study of litter decomposition in eucalypt forests
Authors: WOODS P. V. , RAISON R. J. 
Published: July 2006

AbstractThe merits of methods which have been or could be used to estimate the rate of decomposition of litter in eucalypt forests are discussed, and recommendations are given for their improved application. Since each method has serious limitations, several approaches need to be combined in most studies for conclusions to be drawn with confidence.Suitable methods for studying the loss of weight of litter as it decays include the use of mesh bags, the tethering of leaves, the measurement of respiration rate, and the temporal comparison of inputs of litter with changes in accumulated litter. Where the litter can be aged with some confidence (e.g. after afire) and where grazing by litter invertebrates is low, the loss of weight per unit of leaf area is a useful index of the decomposition rate of leaves in situ. For study of the pattern of nutrient release from litter the most promising method is the collection and analysis of litter leachate. Fresh, naturally shed litter should usually be used in studies which require measurements on a selected sample. Green foliage picked from branches normally has a much higher nutrient content and decomposes more rapidly than leaves which are naturally abscissed.Difficulty in identifying and thus measuring the weight of the incorporated component (mull‐type humus) of accumulated litter, and the likely absence of steady‐state quantities of accumulated litter because of widespread fires, seriously hinder both the estimation and application of decomposition constants (k) in Australian eucalypt forests.Based on limited available evidence, initial rates of litter decomposition (e.g. as measured in litterbags over a 12–18 month period) should not be extrapolated to predict long‐term rates of decomposition.In several eucalypt forests, the major release of organically bound nutrients does not occur until litter has undergone several years of decay, and probably occurs after some fragmentation and incorporation of litter into the surface soil. Much more information is needed on these processes, including the role of C: element ratio, litter fauna, changed microclimate as litter is incorporated, and the influence of plant roots on mineralization processes.
Relationship of litterfall to basal area and climatic variables in cool temperate forests of southern Tasmania
Authors: TURNBULL C. R. A. , MADDEN J. L. 
Published: July 2006

Abstract Components of litter accession were measured for 2 years in two re growth eucalypt stands, a Nothofagus mixed forest, and a tall shrubland in the temperate forests of southern Tasmania. Total annual litterfall (t ha‐1) ranged from 4.77 to 5.64 in the regrowth eucalypt stands and 4.06 to 4.94 and 1.95 to 2.17 in the Nothofagus mixed forest and tall shrubland, respectively. Significant correlations were found between annual litterfall of individual tree species and their respective basal area measured at 1.3 m height. The seasonal patterns of litterfall were most closely related to mean maximum temperatures. However, fall of non‐leaf material was also related to gale force winds associated with the spring equinox.
Vegetation and nesting preferences of black noddies at Masthead Island, Great Barrier Reef. I Patterns at the macro‐scale
Authors: DALE P. , HULSMAN K. , JAHNKE B. R. , DALE M. 
Published: July 2006

AbstractVegetation types on Masthead Island. Great Barrier Reef were analysed and related to the distribution and abundance of nests of black noddies, Anous minutus. Vegetation attributes used in the analysis were tree species in height classes for each replicated sample. A classification program based on information statistics was used to group the vegetation into four main types. These were the coastal Casuarina forest, low Pisonia forest. medium Pisonia forests and the tall Pisonia forest. The Casuarina forest was characterized by Casuarina trees in all height classes and by the paucity of other tree species. The Pisonia forests were dominated by Pisonia trees and were differentiated by the height of these and by the associated species and their heights. We suggest that the variety of species and heights associated with each type is related to stages in a succession process. The uneven distribution in time and space of disturbance is reflected in the patchy distribution of each of the Pisonia forests. Disturbances are probably initiated by wind damage to the vegetation.Noddies prefer to nest in specific vegetation types. Highest nest densities occurred in the medium Pisonia forests, especially where Pisonia trees were only > 6–8 m tall and were associated with Ficus, Celtis and Pipturus. Taller Pisonia forests in which Ficus and Celtis occurred also had fairly high nest densities. Since these Pisonia forests appear to be regenerating following damage, we suggest that noddy nesting is also related to disturbance. The paucity of nests in the low Pisonia forest implies that noddies avoid areas of recent disturbance, probably because suitable nest sites are scarce.
Biomass and nutrient changes in the herbaceous layer of two central Australian mulga shrublands after unusually high rainfall
Authors: FRIEDEL M. H. 
Published: July 2006

AbstractThe amount of standing plant material in the ground storey and its botanical composition are compared for two central Australian mulga communities, one with a predominantly annual understorey and the other with a predominantly perennial understorey. Amounts of litter and nutrient levels in standing plant material, litter and soils are also compared.The number of species, particularly forbs, was greater in the annual community and differences in botanical composition are unlikely to have been caused by cattle grazing. The differences may be attributable in part to the greater proximity of the annual community to sources of alluvial material, and thus to better supplies of nutrients.For the 13 1/2 month study period following exceptional summer rain, the weight of herbage in the perennial community generally exceeded that in the annual community, whereas the weight of litter was less in the perennial community. Of a large number of plant and soil nutrients, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium were lower in the perennial community; these three nutrients, together with nitrogen, may be deficient for either plant growth or cattle diet in that community. The amount of sulphur was lower in the annual community but was unlikely to be deficient.
Life table analysis of leaf fall in Tasmanian cool temperate forests
Authors: MADDEN J. L. , TURNBULL C. R. A. 
Published: July 2006

AbstractThe annual leaf fall of three species of cool temperate forest trees was examined for two different consecutive seasons at two localities in Tasmania. The reverse summation of the sequential fall of leaves throughout an annual cycle provided a population biomass that was amenable to life table analyses.Rates of leaf fall were compared between species at different times, and were related to temperature. The threshold temperature for leaf fall to commence was approximately 11–12°C. Estimates of the probability of leaves remaining on trees at different times through the cycle were also obtained.
Leaf demography of the rainforest shrub Wilkiea macrophylla and its implications for the ecology of foliicolous lichens
Authors: ROGERS R. W. , BARNES A. 
Published: July 2006

AbstractA population of leaves of the rainforest shrub Wilkiea macrophylla was studied for a period of 3 years. Survival curves for three subsamples were constructed. The estimated proportion of leaves initiated during the study that survived for the length of the study period (1150 days) was 79.7% and, by extrapolating in time, their mean half life was estimated to be 6.8 years. Those leaves present at the inception of the programmes but without lichen cover at that time, showed 80.1% survival over the subsequent 1150 days, whereas only 55.2% of those with lichen cover survived for 1150 days. Leaf growth and fall was concentrated in the period September‐December, suggesting cool temperate affinities. Leaves of W. macrophylla are so long‐lived that it cannot be assumed that foliicolous lichens are ruderals: only comparative studies will establish their nature.
Plant species richness in the mallee region of Western Australia
Authors: VAN DER MOEZEL PAUL G. , BELL DAVID T. 
Published: July 2006

AbstractSixteen sites (area 1000 m2) within the mallee region of southern Western Australia were sampled for vascular plant species richness. Species richness ranged from 17 species per 1000m2 in a Halosarcia syncarpa salt‐complex site and a Eucalyptus occidentalis tree mallee site, up to 48 species per 1000 m2 in a Eucalyptus angulosa‐Eucalyptus tetragona shrub mallee site. Woodland, woodland/mallee and mallee sites consisted mainly of perennial species while shrubland sites and salt‐complex sites had a higher percentage of ephemeral species. Sites with the highest species richness occurred on soils with the lowest nutrient content. Sites with lowest species numbers were those with severe habitat conditions or where better nutrient conditions may have provided the dominants with a competitive advantage to suppress associated species.
Soil and litter respiration in rainforests of contrasting nutrient status and physiognomic structure near Lake Eacham, north‐east Queensland
Authors: MAGGS JOHN , HEWETT BOB 
Published: July 2006

AbstractSoil and litter respiration and nutrient concentrations (N, P, Ca, Mg and K) were measured in two adjacent rainforests near Lake Eacham on the Atherton Tableland in north‐east Queensland. One forest had soil formed on basalt and, in physiognomic‐structural classification of Webb (1968, 1978), was structurally complex. The other had soil formed on metamorphic rock and was structurally simple. Respiration was measured by the alkali trap method on 16 monthly occasions in 1986 and 1987.Soil and litter nutrient concentrations were higher in the complex forest (with the exception of soil N). The relative differences were greater for soil than litter and more pronounced for P and Ca (and also soil Mg) than other nutrients. Litter polyphenol concentrations were lower in the complex forest.Rates of litter respiration in the complex forest were, on average, nearly twice those of the simple forest. Soil respiration rates were occasionally slightly lower in the complex forest during the wet season but did not differ between the forests during the dry season. Highest rates of respiration were measured during the wet season although high rates for litter occasionally occurred during the dry season. Cumulative CO2release from the soil and overlying litter did not differ between forests and averaged 5134 ± 96 g CO2m‐2per year (mean ± s.e.m.) (1400 g C m‐2per year). Litter respiration accounted for 14% of the annual release in the complex forest and 11% in the simple forest.The association between site nutrient status and forest physiognomic structure at Lake Eacham represents a more general pattern in rainforests of north‐east Queensland. Further study is needed to ascertain whether the results from this study apply more generally in both primary and secondary rainforests.
Disturbing hard and soft bottom communities: A comparison of marine and freshwater environments
Authors: LAKE P. S. 
Published: July 2006

AbstractFor communities of intertidal rock surfaces, inshore soft sediments and streams, disturbance is regarded as an important community‐structuring force. Care needs to be taken in defining disturbance to avoid confusion with other processes such as predation. In the environments discussed, there have been many descriptive studies of disturbance and relatively few experimental studies. The latter have yielded interesting insights. Disturbance generates patches and thus may alter the outcome of biotic interactions, especially competition, by providing refuges for poor competitors and beleaguered prey. Between the three environments, colonization and succession differ — a difference no doubt related to the proportion of mobile versus sedentary biota in each environment. In succession on hard intertidal surfaces inhibition appears to be most important, whereas facilitation is dominant on soft sediments and tolerance is the most plausible mechanism of succession in streams. Across the three environments there are some striking similarities in the colonization dynamics of the mobile fauna. Disturbance is a key part of several hypotheses proposed to explain the regulation of community diversity, and for communities in the environments examined none of the hypotheses has been found to have general application.
Species abundance and habitat differences in biomass of subterranean termites (Isoptera) in the wheatbelt of Western Australia
Authors: ABENSPERG‐TRAUN MAX , DE BOER EGBERT S. 
Published: July 2006

AbstractThe distribution and abundance, and habitat differences in biomass of subterranean termites, were assessed through soil trenching for woodland, mallee and heath habitats in the central wheatbelt of Western Australia. Over an 11 month sampling period, there were no significant habitat differences in biomass. Mean dry biomass in the surficial layer of soil (per 5000 cm3) averaged 46 mg in woodland, 28 mg in mallee, and 23 mg in heath. Termite biomass peaked in September, with 141 mg for woodland, 83 mg for mallee and 47 mg for heath (per 5000 cm3). Soil moisture and termite activity near the surface were positively correlated. A total of 36 species of termites, comprising 11 genera, were identified, and species abundance within and across habitats differed significantly.
Social and foraging components of the home range in Antechinus stuartii (Dasyuridae: Marsupialia)
Authors: LAZENBY‐COHEN KATIE A. , COCKBURN ANDREW 
Published: July 2006

AbstractThe home range of Antechinus stuartii has two components. A small area (0.94 ha for males, 0.38 ha for females) is used for foraging, while a much greater social range (mean for males in a given year may exeed 5 ha; the mean for females never exceeded 3 ha) encompasses communal nests, which are used by both males and females. The foraging range of females is stable throughout the year. The foraging range may not coincide at all, or only partially coincide with her social range. By contrast, male foraging ranges drift through the year, and generally lie within their social range. Intersexual differences reflect the different selection pressures on the sexes. Females require access to resources to sustain a costly lactation, while males require a knowledge of many possible sites for mating and early resolution of agonistic interactions with other males with which they cohabit during mating.
Design and implementation of rapid assessment approaches for water resource monitoring using benthic macroinvertebrates
Authors: RESH VINCENT H. , NORRIS RICHARD H. , BARBOUR MICHAEL T. 
Published: July 2006

Abstract
Benthic macroinvertebrates are the group of organisms most widely used for assessment of water resources. Rapid assessment approaches are intended to be efficient and cost effective; savings are found in reduced sampling and more efficient data analysis. Rapid bioassessment programmes have been quickly accepted and now cover most of the United States (US) and equivalent programmes cover all of the United Kingdom (UK). Rapid bioassessment programmes are designed to screen large regions, pinpointing trouble spots worthy of more detailed attention.Fundamental to all rapid bioassessment methods is the classification of streams so that comparisons can be made between reference areas and areas of concern, or test sites with similar characteristics. Both the UK and US approaches assess habitat characteristics. These characteristics are used to predict the fauna expected at a test site in the UK approach; in the US they are used as an aid to classification and interpretation of aquatic faunal data. Habitat assessments in the US are also used to determine whether poor water quality or degraded habitat are stressing the invertebrate communities. This is a major development in approaches to water resource assessment.In the UK, a model developed using multivariate statistics uses a few environmental variables thought to be unaffected by human activities to predict the fauna expected at a test site. The US approaches analyse data using several indices (or metrics) presumed to represent ecological features of interest. These indices have a range of sensitivities to different kinds of stress and must be calibrated for the area of interest. The two approaches have been developed in isolation but may have much to offer each other. Developing programmes are advised to consider both.Future needs include: development of procedures that can be applied to large rivers and to lakes; further refinement of ecological principles underlying metric choice; the inclusion of chemical criteria and toxicity tests to establish thresholds that indicate impairment; and development of criteria indicating the necessity for implementation of quantitative assessment studies.
Association of leisure time physical activity and abdominal obesity with fasting serum insulin and 2‐h postchallenge plasma glucose levels
Authors: Borodulin K. , Tuomilehto J. , Peltonen M. , Lakka T. A. , Sundvall J. , Jousilahti P. 
Published: July 2006

AbstractAims  We investigated the joint associations of leisure time physical activity and abdominal obesity with fasting insulin and 2‐h glucose levels and with the risk of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and Type 2 diabetes (Type 2 DM).Methods  A cross‐sectional population‐based random sample of 1812 Finnish adults 45–74 years of age without a history of cardiovascular disease or diabetes. Relative energy expenditure during the previous 12 months (METh/week), assessed by a questionnaire, was used as a measure of leisure time physical activity. Waist–hip ratio (WHR) was used as a measure of abdominal obesity. IGT and Type 2 DM were assessed by a 2‐h oral glucose tolerance test and were defined according to the World Health Organization guidelines.Results  While 2‐h glucose and fasting insulin levels increased with increasing WHR (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively), both of them decreased with increasing physical activity (P = 0.015 and P < 0.001, respectively). The highest 2‐h glucose and fasting insulin levels were found among individuals who had most abdominal obesity and were least physically active. Physically inactive individuals had a higher prevalence of IGT and Type 2 DM in all WHR tertiles than physically active persons.Conclusions  Higher levels of leisure time physical activity are associated with lower 2‐h glucose and fasting insulin levels and a reduced risk of having IGT and Type 2 DM, independent of the level of abdominal obesity.
The natural history of chronic painful peripheral neuropathy in a community diabetes population
Authors: Daousi C. , Benbow S. J. , Woodward A. , MacFarlane I. A. 
Published: July 2006

AbstractAims  To examine the natural history of chronic painful diabetic neuropathy (CPDN).Methods  A cross‐sectional study of 350 people with diabetes was performed during 1998–1999 to assess the prevalence of CPDN in the community. Fifty‐six patients with CPDN were identified and were followed up an average of 5 years later.Results  From the original cohort, 12 patients had died and 14 had moved away or were unable to participate in the follow‐up study. Thus 30 patients with CPDN [21 male, mean (sd) age 68.6 years (9.4), mean (sd) duration of diabetes 15.4 years (8.7)] were re‐assessed. Seven (23%) had been pain free for at least 12 months and 23 continued to report neuropathic pain of similar quality and severity [total McGill Pain Questionnaire Score median (interquartile range) at follow‐up 22 (16–39) vs. 20 (16–33) at baseline, P = 0.3; mean (sd) visual analogue scale (VAS) score for pain over the preceding 24 h 5.3 cm (2.9) vs. 4.6 cm (2.5) at baseline, P = 0.1]. Only 65% had ever received treatment for CPDN despite 96% (22/23) reporting pain to their physician; 43.5% had received antidepressants, 17.4% anticonvulsants, 39% opiates and 30% had tried complementary therapies.Conclusions  The neuropathic pain of CPDN can resolve completely over time in a minority (23%). In those in whom painful neuropathic symptoms had persisted over 5 years, no significant improvement in pain intensity was observed. Despite the improvement in treatment modalities for chronic pain in recent years, patients with CPDN continue to be inadequately treated.
Jordanian nurses’ job satisfaction, patients’ satisfaction and quality of nursing care
Authors: Mrayyan M.T. 
Published: July 2006

Purpose:  To study nurses’ job satisfaction, patients’ satisfaction, and quality of nursing care in a Jordanian educational hospital.Design:  A descriptive cross‐sectional comparative design was used. The total populations at the educational hospital where the study was conducted were: 200 nurses (response rate 60%), 510 patients (response rate 49%), and 26 head nurses (NHs) (response rate 92%). Mueller/McCloskey Satisfaction Scale (MMSS) 1990; Eriksen’s (1988) scale of The Satisfaction with Nursing Care; and Quality of Nursing Care Questionnaire‐Head Nurse of Safford & Schlotfeldt (1960) were used to measure the phenomena of interest.Findings:  Nurses were ‘neither satisfied nor dissatisfied’ in their jobs, nurses who work in wards reported a slightly better job satisfaction than nurses who work in critical care units. Patients reported that they were ‘moderately’ satisfied, and head nurses reported that nurses ‘usually (practically)’ provide a high of quality of nursing care. There were no significant differences between critical care units and wards in regard to patients’ satisfaction and quality of nursing care.Conclusions:  Jordanian nurses’ job satisfaction is on the borderline, which arguably requires more interventions. Patients’ satisfaction and quality of nursing care have to be enhanced to reach the levels of ‘very satisfied’ and ‘always’ consecutively.
Old age, vulnerability and sexual violence: implications for knowledge and practice
Authors: Jones H. , Powell J.L. 
Published: July 2006

Aim:  This paper seeks to offer further analysis on the relationship between abuse of power, elder abuse and sexual violence. Importantly, current definitions are examined and the existing literature is reviewed to establish what the current level of debate is on sexual violence in its relationship to elderly women.Methods:  Through the analysis of available literature it is possible to observe which and how older people have been marginalized both in particular disciplines of study and policy spaces.Findings:  We conclude that marginalization results in inadequate redress to issues of violence and power that may manifest against the older person, and which leads to feelings of vulnerability. There are important implications for helping health professionals, especially nurses, for understanding the policy, theory and practice. The need for empirical research in this difficult area is paramount.
A COMMODITY‐REGIONAL MODEL OF WEST VIRGINIA*
Authors: Shahrokh Fereidoon , Labys Walter C. 
Published: July 2006

ABSTRACTThis paper presents the specification, estimation, validation, and application of a modeling study which analyzes the possible impacts of a resource industry on a state economy. The Commodity Regional Econometric Annual Macro Model of West Virginia (CREAM model) is composed of a commodity model of the West Virginia coal industry and a macroeconometric regional model of the West Virginia state economy. The model describes the detailed interrelationship between the primary commodity sector and the rest of the economy of the region. The CREAM model utilizes the concept of engine of growth at the regional level and shows the impacts of market fluctuations in the demand for and value of coal on the economy of the state.