bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Habitat Restoration as a Means of Controlling Non‐Native Fish in a Mojave Desert Oasis
Authors: Scoppettone G. Gary , Rissler Peter H. , Gourley Chad , Martinez Cynthia 
Published: May 2005

Abstract Non‐native fish generally cause native fish decline, and once non‐natives are established, control or elimination is usually problematic. Because non‐native fish colonization has been greatest in anthropogenically altered habitats, restoring habitat similar to predisturbance conditions may offer a viable means of non‐native fish control. In this investigation we identified habitats favoring native over non‐native fish in a Mojave Desert oasis (Ash Meadows) and used this information to restore one of its major warm water spring systems (Kings Pool Spring). Prior to restoration, native fishes predominated in warm water (25–32°C) stream and spring‐pool habitat, whereas non‐natives predominated in cool water (≤23°C) spring‐pool and marsh/slack water habitat. Native Amargosa pupfish (Cyprinodon nevadensis) and Ash Meadows speckled dace (Rhinichthys osculus nevadensis) inhabited significantly faster mean water column velocities (MWCV) and greater total depth (TD) than non‐native Sailfin molly (Poecilia latipinna) and Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) in warm water stream habitat, and Ash Meadows speckled dace inhabited significantly faster water than non‐natives in cool water stream habitat. Modification of the outflow of Kings Pool Spring from marsh to warm water stream, with MWCV, TD, and temperature favoring native fish, changed the fish composition from predominantly non‐native Sailfin molly and Mosquitofish to predominantly Ash Meadows pupfish. This result supports the hypothesis that restoring spring systems to a semblance of predisturbance conditions would promote recolonization of native fishes and deter non‐native fish invasion and proliferation.
The Restoration of Plant–Pollinator Interactions in Hay Meadows
Authors: Forup Mikael Lytzau , Memmott Jane 
Published: May 2005

Abstract Whether restoration programs successfully reinstate ecological interactions remains a contentious and largely untested issue. We investigated plant and pollinator interactions on two old and two restored hay meadows, with the aim of evaluating if quantitative patterns of insect visitation and pollen transport were comparable among old and restored meadows. In terms of structural diversity, few species of plants and insects were shared among the webs. In all four meadows, Diptera and Hymenoptera dominated the visitor community in terms of both species richness and abundance. Coleoptera, Hemiptera, and Lepidoptera comprised the remainder of the flower visitors. No significant difference was found between restored and old sites in plant or insect species richness or in plant and insect abundance. In terms of function, the meadows appeared more similar, although a slightly higher proportion of the potential links between plants and insects was realized for old meadows. No difference was found in the proportion of plant species visited, and visited plant species were generalized, with all having more than a single species of insect visitor. We also sampled approximately 400,000 pollen grains from the flower‐visiting insects. There were no differences between old and restored sites in the amount of pollen being transported or in the average number of pollen grains per insect. At both types of meadows, Hymenoptera carried most pollen, followed by Diptera. Again, generalization was the norm, with all plants having more than a single species of pollen carrier. No difference was observed in the connectance of pollen transport webs between old and restored sites. Overall, although the four meadows showed considerable structural variation, they showed similarity with regard to the functional processes we studied. Because structural variation is expected among localities, we conclude that the two restoration projects have been successful.
Avian Use of Restoration Plantings along a Creek Linking Rainforest Patches on the Atherton Tablelands, North Queensland
Authors: Jansen Amy 
Published: May 2005

Abstract Rainforest fragmentation and creek degradation are major problems on the Atherton Tablelands in North Queensland. Lake Barrine and Wooroonooran National Parks are separated by a 1.5‐km length of Toohey's Creek which has been cleared except for small remnant rainforest patches. The creek has been fenced and replanted to create a corridor between the two national parks. The aim of this study was to monitor the success of the corridor in providing habitat for rainforest birds. Avian communities were monitored in the corridor and in adjacent rainforest sites using point counts over the period of reestablishment of a continuous rainforest canopy. In terms of bird community composition, within 3 years of planting, the replanted sites were on a trajectory toward the rainforest sites. Although specialist rainforest species were not yet found in the plantings, after 3 years those species which mainly inhabit rainforest but also utilize edges and riparian strips were found in similar numbers in the plantings and in the small remnant patches along the corridor. Frugivorous species were quite abundant even in the youngest plantings. Thus, replanting of rainforest trees along Toohey's Creek has begun to provide habitat for some rainforest birds. It also shows good potential to act as a corridor to connect the previously isolated patches of rainforest for these species and to develop in habitat complexity as the frugivorous birds bring in rainforest plant species from nearby areas.
Catchment Liming to Restore Degraded, Acidified Heathlands and Moorland Pools
Authors: Dorland Edu , Van Den Berg Leon J. L. , Brouwer Emiel , Roelofs Jan G. M. , Bobbink Roland 
Published: May 2005

Abstract Current restoration measures of degraded, acidified heathland ecosystems have not always been successful in the Netherlands. Positive effects of a restored hydrology are often counteracted by acidification of the soil and the local groundwater system. Liming of the heathlands in the catchment of moorland pools might contribute to the restoration of both habitats. Experimental catchment liming was carried out in two degraded Dutch heathlands, with doses varying between 2 and 6 tons/ha. Catchment liming resulted in increased pH and base cation concentrations in the highest elevated limed parts, as well as in the lower situated, nonlimed heath areas and moorland pools. Generally, catchment liming created suitable conditions for the return of heathland target species, and the positive effects lasted for at least 6 years. The response of the heathland vegetation to the liming has, however, been slow because only a small number of endangered plant species increased in abundance. In contrast, four Red List soft‐water macrophytes strongly increased in abundance in the moorland pool. Our results show that, even with the slow return of Red List plant species, catchment liming can be a successful management tool for the restoration of the acidified heathland landscape.
Invading Monotypic Stands of Phalaris arundinacea: A Test of Fire, Herbicide, and Woody and Herbaceous Native Plant Groups
Authors: Foster Richard D. , Wetzel Paul R. 
Published: May 2005

Abstract
Phalaris arundinacea L. is an aggressive species that can dominate wetlands by producing monotypic stands that suppress native vegetation. In this study invasion windows were created for native species in monotypic stands of P. arundinacea with either fire or herbicide. Three native species groups, herbaceous plants, herbaceous seeds, and woody shrubs, were planted into plots burned or treated with herbicide in the early spring. Fire did not create an effective invasion window for native species; there was no difference in P. arundinacea root and shoot biomass or cover between burned and control plots (p≥ 0.998). Herbicide treatment created an invasion window for native species by reducing P. arundinacea root and shoot biomass for two growing seasons, but that invasion window was fast closing by the end of the second growing season because P. arundinacea shoot biomass had nearly reached the shoot biomass levels in the control plots (p= 0.053). Transplant mortality, frost, and animal herbivory prevented the herbaceous species and woody seedlings from becoming fully established in the plots treated with herbicide during the first year of the experiment. Transplanted monocots had a greater survival than dicots. By the second growing season the herbaceous group had the greatest mean areal cover (5%), compared to the woody seedlings (3%) and seed group (0%). Long‐term monitoring of the plots will determine whether the herbaceous transplants will compete effectively with P. arundinacea and whether the woody species will survive, shade the P. arundinacea, and accelerate forest succession.
An Ecologically Based Approach to Identifying Restoration Priorities in an Acid‐Impacted Watershed
Authors: Petty J. Todd , Thorne David 
Published: May 2005

Abstract The extent of impairment to some Appalachian watersheds from acid precipitation is so extreme that watershed scale analytical tools are needed to help guide cost‐effective management decisions. The objective of this study was to develop a measure of the functional value of streams as potential areas for juvenile Brook trout recruitment. This measure, which we term “weighted potential recruitment area” (WPRA), is a function of the expected Brook trout spawning intensity and juvenile survivorship. Estimates of WPRA for each stream segment were then used to identify restoration priorities and optimal restoration programs in the upper Shavers Fork watershed in West Virginia, U.S.A. Using this approach, we determined that the watershed has lost nearly 80% of its historic juvenile recruitment potential as a result of acid precipitation. We also determined that of the 145 stream segments in the watershed, eight critical stream segments account for nearly 20% of the loss. The costs and ecological benefits of a series of five alternative restoration programs were then assessed using an ArcGIS model (Environmental Systems Research Institute, Redlands, CA, U.S.A.). This approach identified two “optimal” alternatives: (1) a low‐cost, moderate‐benefit approach that would use existing rail access to treat acidification in three critical headwater locations and (2) a high‐cost, high‐benefit approach that would use aerial limestone application to treat numerous acidic tributaries near their source. The measure of stream ecological value that we developed was effective in identifying critical restoration priorities and optimal restoration strategies in this watershed. A similar procedure could be used to guide watershed restoration decisions throughout the Appalachian region.
Restoration of Arthropod Assemblages in a Spartina Salt Marsh following Removal of the Invasive Plant Phragmites australis
Authors: Gratton Claudio , Denno Robert F. 
Published: May 2005

Abstract Invasive plants are one of the most serious threats to native species assemblages and have been responsible for the degradation of natural habitats worldwide. As a result, removal of invasive species and reestablishment of natural vegetation have been attempted in order to restore biodiversity and ecosystem function. This study examined how native arthropod assemblages, an abundant and functionally important group of organisms in many ecosystems, are affected by the incursion of the invasive wetland plant Phragmites australis and if the restoration of the native vegetation in brackish Spartina alterniflora marshes results in the reestablishment of the arthropod community. The invasion of Phragmites into a coastal Spartina marsh in southern New Jersey seriously altered arthropod assemblages and trophic structure by changing the abundance of trophic groups (detritivores, herbivores, carnivores) and their taxonomic composition. Herbivore assemblages shifted from the dominance of external free‐living specialists (e.g., planthoppers) in Spartina to concealed feeders in Phragmites (stem‐feeding cecidomyiids). Moreover, free‐living arthropods in Phragmites became dominated by detritivores such as Collembola and chironomids. The dominant marsh spiders, web‐building linyphiids, were significantly reduced in Phragmites habitats, likely caused by differences in the physical environment of the invaded habitats (e.g., lower stem densities). Thus, trophic structure of arthropod assemblages in Phragmites, as seen in the large shifts in feeding guilds, was significantly different from that in Spartina. Removal of Phragmites with the herbicide glyphosate resulted in the rapid return of Spartina (≤5 yrs). Moreover, return of the dominant vegetation was accompanied by the recovery of most original habitat characteristics (e.g., live and dead plant biomass, water flow rate). The arthropod assemblage associated with Spartina also quickly returned to its preinvasion state and was not distinguishable from that in uninvaded Spartina reference sites. This study provides evidence that the reestablishment of native vegetation in areas previously altered by an invasive plant can result in the rapid recovery of the native arthropod assemblage associated with the restored habitat.
Experimental Restoration of an Indigenous Hawaiian Grassland after Invasion by Buffel Grass (Cenchrus ciliaris)
Authors: Daehler Curtis C. , Goergen Erin M. 
Published: May 2005

Abstract Introduced grasses have displaced Hawaiian Pili grass (Heteropogon contortus) in most dry, leeward habitats of the Hawaiian Islands. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of restoring an indigenous Heteropogon grassland at the Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site, where introduced Buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) is now dominant. Heteropogon seeds (50 seedlings/m2) were added to replicate plots within a Cenchrus grassland. Some plots were subjected to one‐time herbicide or hand‐pulling treatments to remove established Cenchrus. Because Hawaiians historically used fire to promote Heteropogon grasslands, the plots were burned biennially. Plots were also subjected to two levels of water supplementation. Heteropogon establishment was monitored over 2 and 4 years in the higher‐ and lower‐water plots, respectively. In treatments containing established Cenchrus, Heteropogon establishment was consistently poor (<10% cover). But in the burned plots where established Cenchrus had been removed, as many as 31 Heteropogon seedlings per square meter were recorded, and Heteropogon became the dominant cover, averaging 34% absolute cover (81% relative cover) after 4 years in the lower‐water plot and 34% absolute cover (60% relative cover) after 2 years in the higher‐water plot. Few Cenchrus grass seedlings survived, possibly due to insufficient water. Water supplementation promoted growth of other alien grasses from the seed bank (Digitaria insularis and Eragrostis spp.); however, these grasses quickly declined after supplemental watering was terminated. Although initial suppression of Cenchrus was required, Heteropogon expanded quickly when seeds and fire were reintroduced, demonstrating that a Heteropogon‐dominated grassland can be reestablished in 2–4 years.
Diminishing Spatial Heterogeneity in Soil Organic Matter across a Prairie Restoration Chronosequence
Authors: Lane Diana R. , BassiriRad Hormoz 
Published: May 2005

Abstract Habitat restoration resulting in changes in plant community composition or species dominance can affect the spatial pattern and variability of soil nutrients. Questions about how these changes in soil spatial heterogeneity develop over time at restoration sites, however, remain unaddressed. In this study, a geostatistical approach was used to quantify changes over time in the spatial heterogeneity of soil organic matter (SOM) across a 26‐year chronosequence of tallgrass prairie restoration sites at FermiLab, outside of Chicago, Illinois. We used total soil N and C as an index of the quantity of SOM. We also examined changes in C:N ratio, which can influence the turnover of SOM. Specifically, the spatial structure of total N, total C, and C:N ratio in the top 10 cm of soil was quantified at a macroscale (minimum spacing of 1.5 m) and a microscale (minimum spacing of 0.2 m). The magnitude of spatial heterogeneity (MSH) was characterized as the proportion of total sample variation explained by spatially structured variation. At the macroscale, the MSH for total N decreased with time since restoration (r2= 0.99, p < 0.001). The decrease in spatial heterogeneity over time corresponded with a significant increase in the dominance of the C4 grasses. At the microscale, there was significant spatial structure for total N at the 4‐year‐old, 16‐year‐old, and 26‐year‐old sites, and significant spatial structure for total C at the 16‐year‐old and 26‐year‐old sites. These results suggest that an increase in dominance of C4 grasses across the chronosequence is homogenizing organic matter variability at the field scale while creating fine‐scale patterns associated with the spacing of vegetation. Areas of higher soil moisture were associated with higher soil N and C at the two oldest restoration sites and at the native prairie site, potentially suggesting patches of increased belowground productivity in areas of higher soil moisture. This study is one of the first to report significant changes over time in the spatial structure of organic matter in response to successional changes initiated by restoration.
The Implied Longevity Yield: A Note on Developing an Index for Life Annuities
Authors: Milevsky Moshe A. 
Published: May 2005

AbstractI develop an index for tracking the dynamic behavior of life (pension) annuity payouts over time, based on the concept of self‐annuitization. Our implied longevity yield (ILY) value is defined equal to the internal rate of return (IRR) over a fixed deferral period that an individual would have to earn on their investable wealth if they decided to self‐annuitize using a systematic withdrawal plan. A larger ILY number indicates a greater relative benefit from immediate annuitization. I use age 65—with a 10‐year period certain—compared against the same annuity at age 75 as the standard benchmark for the index, and calibrate to a comprehensive time series of weekly (Canadian) life annuity quotes from 2000 through 2004. I find that during this period the ILY varied from 5.45 percent to 6.90 percent for males and from 5.00 percent to 6.42 percent for females and was highly correlated with a duration‐weighted average yield of 10‐year and long‐term Government of Canada bonds. I believe our ILY metric can help promote and explain the benefits of acquiring lifetime payout annuities by translating the abstract‐sounding longevity insurance into more concrete and measurable financial rates of return.
Nurse Practitioners' Perceptions of Their Caring Behaviors
Authors: Brunton Byrle , Beaman Margaret 
Published: May 2005

PURPOSETo explore nurse practitioners' (NPs) perceptions of their own caring behaviors, the relationship between sociodemographic variables, environmental factors, and NP's perceptions of their caring behaviors.DATA SOURCESA mailed survey to a systematic random sample of 200 members of an Illinois NP group.CONCLUSIONSThe top ten caring behaviors in rank order were appreciating the patient as a human being, showing respect for the patient, being sensitive to the patient, talking with the patient, treating patient information confidentially, treating the patient as an individual, encouraging the patient to call with problems, being honest with the patient, and listening attentively to the patient.IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICEThe quality of instruction in the biomedical aspect of nursing education is relatively easily assessed. Caring is nurses' hidden work that may go unrecognized except when the caring behaviors are missed by the patients or their families.
The Distribution of Advanced Practice Nurses in Arkansas: Gaps in the Care of Rural Underserved Populations
Authors: Kippenbrock Thomas , Stacy Annette , Tester Karen , Richey Roger 
Published: May 2005

PURPOSETo examine the relationships between advanced practice nurses' (APN) practice sites and economic factors, racial and ethnic characteristics of the populations they serve, and the likelihood of APNs practicing in underserved areas.DATA SOURCESRetrospective analysis of U. S. census data and records supplied by the Arkansas State Board of Nursing.CONCLUSIONSNurse practitioners (NPs) were the only APN group with equal distribution in rural or urban areas. Overall, APNs and NPs were more likely to practice in counties with higher rates of poverty and lower education levels.IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICEMore effort needs to be made in recruiting and retaining APNs in rural and underserved areas.
Factors Contributing to the Quality of End‐of‐Life Care
Authors: Gabany Jennifer M. 
Published: May 2005

PURPOSETo examine the factors influencing healthcare for the elderly and the terminally ill in modern health care.DATA SOURCESSelected articles, Internet sources, and legal sources.CONCLUSIONDespite increasing use of advance directives, patients are not given adequate information at an appropriate time to make informed decisions. Even when advance directives are in place, they may not be honored.IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICEAmong the most critical areas to consider in improving end‐of‐life care are encouraging patients to make known their wishes, respecting patients' concerns about quality of life, and promoting continuity and skill in end‐of‐life care.
Periodontal Disease: Diagnosis and Management
Authors: Ridgeway Elaine Embrack 
Published: May 2005

ABSTRACTApproximately 50% of all adults in the United States have some form of gingivitis, and 80% have experienced some degree of periodontitis. Despite the use of fluoride, a critical element in the prevention of periodontal disease, many children and adults still suffer needlessly from this “silent” destroyer of the gum tissue and its underlying bone structures. This article highlights the prevalence, pathophysiology, classifications, health risk factors and clinical management of clients with periodontal diseases. Regardless of the health care setting, the advanced practice nurse plays a critical role in the prevention, early diagnosis and intervention of periodontal disease.
Tobacco Cessation Intervention in a Nurse Practitioner Managed Clinic
Authors: Reeve Kathleen , Calabro Karen , Adams‐McNeill Jeanette 
Published: May 2005

ABSTRACTTobacco cessation counseling by health care professionals has been associated with increased tobacco cessation rates. In this study we compare the effectiveness of two smoking cessation approaches administered by nurse practitioners – a stepped care approach (n = 34) and a routine care approach (n = 41), using a pre‐ and post‐test control group study design. Additionally, this study was guided by the “stages of change” construct of the transtheoretical model. Study results indicated that nurse practitioners delivered consistent office‐based advice about tobacco use. In addition, nurse practitioner smoking cessation interventions contributed to positive shifts in stage of change for smoking cessation.
Professionalism and the Nurse‐Midwife Practitioner: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Hampton Dorothee L. , Hampton Gerald M. 
Published: May 2005

ABSTRACTThis article reports the findings of an exploratory study on the level of professionalism among certified‐nurse midwives (CNMs). Using a five dimensional scale to measure professionalism, our research examined the level of professionalism among CNMs. It explored the relationship between organizational reward structures, level of education, and professionalism. The results show that CNMs exhibit a high degree of professionalism in the practice of nurse‐midwifery. The findings also support the notion of a causal relationship between reward structures, education levels and CNM professionalism.