bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Fire and species range in Mediterranean landscapes: an experimental comparison of seed and seedling performance amongCentaureataxa
Authors: Riba Miquel , Rodrigo Anselm , Colas Bruno , Retana Javier 
Published: March 2003

AimFire is a major disturbance event in Mediterranean landscapes. In this paper, we experimentally assess the effects of fire and post‐fire conditions on seed germination and establishment of twentyCentaureataxa to test whether differences among taxa are associated with range size.MethodsThe taxa (species and subspecies) considered were classified as rare and widespread according to their `area of occupancy' in the Mediterranean coast of Spain and France. In a first experiment, we analyse the effects of heat‐shock (particularly, room temperature, 70 and 110 °C) on percentage germination and speed of germination (T50). In a second experiment, we analyse the effects of post‐fire conditions (shading and soil type: burned/unburned) on seed germination and establishment ability.ResultsTemperatures over 120 °C resulted in 100% mortality, while temperatures in the range of those expected to be found in the first centimetres down the soil profile during a wildfire (70–110 °C) had no effect on seed germination. Differences in germination percentage and T50 among taxa were not related to rarity. In the post‐fire conditions experiment, decreased radiation (shading) increased percentage germination and T50 in most taxa, while burned soil decreased germination in some of them. The effects of post‐fire conditions on seedling growth (number of leaves and leaf size) were also different among taxa, but such differences were not related to rarity. However, rarity was associated with low establishment ability, as rare taxa tended to show smaller seedling size and higher mortality rates under the whole range of conditions tested.Main conclusionsThe results obtained indicate that fire has a negative effect upon the survival of populations in all the taxa considered, and that rare‐common differences in germination and seedling establishment are not directly related to disturbance by fire. As far as interspecific differences in range size are concerned, other factors, either alone or in combination with a low regeneration ability after fire, need to be explored further.
Benthic diatoms in USA rivers: distributions along spatial and environmental gradients
Authors: Potapova Marina G. , Charles Donald F. 
Published: March 2003

AimTo study large‐scale patterns of benthic diatom assemblages in rivers, to assess the relative importance of environmental and geographical factors affecting their composition, and to evaluate the implications of these patterns for the use of diatoms as indicators of water quality, particularly nutrient enrichment.LocationThe United States Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Programme data set covers the conterminous United States.MethodsWe employed gradient analysis to understand the floristic structure of the data set and to discover major ecological gradients underlying variation in species composition at different spatial scales (entire US, Omernik Level 1 and Level 2 ecoregions). We used variance partitioning to separate the effect of environmental and spatial characteristics.ResultsAt the national scale, three major ecological gradients were evident. The first was a complex `downstream' gradient from fast‐flowing, mostly oligotrophic, highland rivers to predominantly eutrophic rivers of high‐ and low‐elevation plains. The second was a gradient integrating water mineral content and pH, which separated the soft and often more acidic waters of the humid eastern part of US from the alkaline waters of arid western regions. The third obvious gradient was related to latitudinal and altitudinal variation of temperature. Up to one‐third of the total explainable variation in species data was attributed solely to geographical factors not correlated with measured environmental characteristics. We present several examples of species with complex patterns of spatial distribution.Main conclusionsAlthough environment consistently plays the most important role in structuring diatom assemblages in rivers, spatial factors also explain some variation in diatom distribution, especially at the continental scale. Most of the species that are confined to limited geographical areas are not yet described and await future taxonomic work. We show that selection of species which could serve as indicators of nutrient enrichment in US rivers is not a straightforward procedure. The existence of complex environmental gradients, and still poorly understood spatial patterns of species distribution, precludes attempts to develop uniform diatom‐based metrics that would be applicable everywhere in the US. We advocate the development and calibration of metrics based on data sets collected from more limited geographical areas, and that include sites having relatively narrow ranges of environmental characteristics other than that which the metrics are designed to indicate.
Population dynamics of reintroduced forest birds on New Zealand islands
Authors: Armstrong Doug P. , Davidson R. Scott , Dimond Wendy J. , Perrott John K. , Castro Isabel , Ewen John G. , Griffiths Richard , Taylor Jason 
Published: March 2003

AimWe studied dynamics of four populations of New Zealand forest birds for 5–9 years after reintroduction to islands. We primarily aimed to predict whether these populations were viable, and what, if any, management was needed to maintain them. However, the small scale of these islands also provided an opportunity to study density‐dependent population growth over a short time frame.LocationWe studied New Zealand robin (toutouwai,Petroica australis) and stitchbird (hihi,Notiomystis cincta) populations reintroduced to Tiritiri Matangi, a 220‐ha offshore island near Auckland, and saddleback (tieke,Philesturnus carunculatus) and stitchbird populations reintroduced to Mokoia, a 135‐ha island in Lake Rotorua. These islands are free of mammalian predators, but have highly modified habitat following clearing and regeneration.MethodsWe closely monitored each population, individually marking all or most of the birds and in some cases experimentally manipulated population density or food supply. We used model selection procedures to understand factors affecting survival, fecundity and dispersal, and developed stochastic simulation models.ResultsThe Tiritiri Matangi robin and Mokoia saddleback populations grew without management and appear to be viable. Both showed strong evidence of density‐dependent growth, with fecundity (saddlebacks) and juvenile survival (both populations) declining with increasing density. Neither stitchbird population appears viable without management and supplementation experiments showed reproduction and/or survival to be limited by food supply. The Tiritiri Matangi population appears viable as long as supplementary feeding continues. However, the Mokoia population has a high mortality rate regardless of supplementary feeding, resulting in tenuous viability even with intensive management. Mokoia stitchbirds suffer from infection byAspergillus fumigatus, a pathogenic fungus that is prevalent in highly modified habitats and more abundant on Mokoia than Tiritiri Matangi.Main conclusionsSome forest birds can thrive in regenerating forest on islands and strong evidence of density dependence can be detected in such populations in as little as 5 years. This allows density‐dependent models to be developed, providing guidance when island populations are harvested for further translocations. Other species are limited by food supply in regenerating environments, a problem potentially overcome by management. However, prevalence ofA. fumigatusmay render highly modified environments uninhabitable by some species regardless of management.
Male‐biased sex ratio in a small tuatara population
Authors: Nelson Nicola J. , Keall Susan N. , Pledger Shirley , Daugherty Charles H. 
Published: March 2003

AimWe estimated population size, survival, longevity and sex ratio of tuatara (Sphenodon guntheri Buller 1877) on North Brother Island and determined whether recruitment was occurring, to aid management and identify potential problems for population viability.LocationThis study was conducted on North Brother Island, Cook Strait, New Zealand. This 4‐ha island supports the sole remnant population of S. guntheri.MethodsDemographic variables were estimated using capture–recapture methods. Tuatara were individually marked and recaptured during twelve trips, spanning a decade. Population size was estimated for selected trips using the CAPTURE package and finite mixture models, and survival was analysed using the Jolly–Seber (J–S) model. Longevity was estimated using tuatara individually marked in 1957.ResultsApproximately 350 adult tuatara profile likelihood interval (PLI) (294–427) inhabit North Brother Island, and the sex ratio is strongly biased towards males (1.7M : 1F). Annual adult survivorship is high (0.95) for both sexes and some tuatara live for at least 61 years.Main conclusionsThe small size and biased sex ratio of this population may make it susceptible to demographic stochasticity, Allee effects, and/or loss of genetic variation. Harvesting for translocation could exacerbate such problems. In addition, tuatara have temperature‐dependent sex determination (TSD), with males produced at higher incubation temperatures. Global warming may therefore skew the sex ratio further unless female nest site choice or adaptive shifts in pivotal temperatures compensate for rising temperatures.
On the distributional patterns of Southeast‐East Asian freshwater fish and their history
Authors: Yap S. Y. 
Published: March 2003

Abstract Aim  The extensively published data on Southeast‐East Asian freshwater fish communities and distributions were compiled and expressed into phenograms.Location  River basins of Southeast China, the Indochinese Peninsula and Sundaland were studied and compared for possible lineages.Methods  The Hennig86 program was employed to cluster the basins of the various subregions on the basis of their similarity in fish assemblages. In this cluster analysis, the outgroup comparison method was used, in which a reference was based on which to make corrections for unequal rates of evolution among the lineages.Results  South‐eastern China, the Indochinese Peninsula and Sundaland are groups of landmass that share a common ancestor and that evolved at distinct epochs and through different geological processes, as shown from the association between the distribution of freshwater fish of Southeast‐East Asia and the twenty‐one river basins they inhabit.Main conclusions  Southeast‐East Asia comprises an estimated 3500 cyprinid species. The phenograms obtained, based on their compositional and distributional patterns, suggest that the riverine fish communities of the area studied fall into nineteen biogeographical zones defined by the main river systems and their underlying geology.
The experience of early miscarriage from a male perspective
Authors: Murphy Fiona A. 
Published: March 2003

• In the literature there is increasing awareness of the psychological consequences of early miscarriage for women.• However, there is little on the feelings, needs and experiences of men whose partner has had an early miscarriage.• This paper aims to describe the experience of early miscarriage from a male perspective using a phenomenological approach.• Seven categories related to the experience of early miscarriage are discussed: Feelings, Loss, Characteristics and differences between men and women, Staff action and attitudes, What to do?, Coping and Time.• Based on an awareness of the needs of both partners, it is suggested that nurses have a key role to play in delivering effective interventions after early miscarriage.
Family response to difficult hospitalizations: the phenomenon of `working through'
Authors: BUTTERY JOANNE , EADES MARGARET , FRISCH SARA , GIGUÈRE MONIQUE , MOUNTJOY ANITA 
Published: March 2003

• This paper describes the process and outcomes of a project to learn about qualitative research methods.• A small study of family participation in decision‐making was conducted with 7 family members who were interviewed after an inter‐unit patient transfer.• The data analysis used strategies derived from grounded theory, family life‐cycle framework and storytelling.• The interviews indicated respondents' concerns about the patient, their efforts to balance their lives during a time of disarray and their sorting through crises in their lives (`working through').• `Working through' discourse has identifiable features, including: linking the past, present and future; refrains; rhetorical questions; and self‐talk.• Clinicians should encourage the `working through' process by family during the hospitalization of a family member.
Women’s experiences of obtaining emergency contraception: a phenomenological study
Authors: Bell Tina , Millward Jennifer 
Published: March 2003

• Emergency contraception (EC) has been available since 1984 but has been labelled the ‘best kept secret’ ( Winfield, 1995).• Because EC was originally termed ‘the morning after pill’, many people interpreted this literally and missed an opportunity to use the method.• More recent publicity has dropped this term and emphasized that the method is effective up to 72 h after unprotected intercourse or contraceptive failure ( Burton & Salvage, 1990).• Uptake of EC has steadily increased since 1985 but there is still evidence that younger women in particular are least aware of its existence ( Zeibland & Maxwell, 1996).
Prevalence of urinary incontinence and its relationship with health status
Authors: Roe Brenda , Doll Helen 
Published: March 2003

• A postal survey of two random samples of adult populations within two health authorities in the UK was undertaken during 1994. One health authority had an established continence advisory service (HA1) and the other one did not have a continence advisory service (HA2).• A total of 12 529 patients (HA1, 6319; HA2, 6210) were mailed a structured questionnaire and 53% (n=6139) returned completed questionnaires.• A point prevalence of current urinary incontinence of 9% (n=519, 95% CI, or confidence interval, from 7.9% to 9.3%) was found. A larger number of people within the populations had experienced urinary incontinence at some time during their adult years (23%, n=1427, 95% CI from 22.2% to 24.3%).• People who were incontinent had a significantly lower health status than people who were continent (mean scores across all eight domains of the Short Form 36, SF36, P < 0.0001), indicative of greater health and social care needs.• The prevalence of urinary incontinence in the adult populations of two communities indicates that it is a sizeable public health and primary healthcare issue.
The effects on patient well‐being of music listening as a nursing intervention: a review of the literature
Authors: Biley Francis C. 
Published: March 2003

• A review of the therapeutic potential of music listening as a nursing intervention was performed.• It revealed that evidence from a variety of fields and clinical specialities existed, including the use of music in critical care environments, surgical settings, dental surgery applications, mental healthcare, pain control, and generally for the control of anxiety and promotion of relaxation.• Due to a number of reasons, including the variety of dependent variables that were measured and methodological issues such as the use of small sample sizes, it is difficult to form any firm conclusions.• Tentatively, the research seems to indicate that there often appear to be positive changes in physiological variables measured, although these changes are not consistent, nor are they always statistically significant.• More confidence can be placed in research that examines psychological variables, as a consistent positive impact on certain measures has been found.
Medication management and older patients: an individualized and systematic approach
Authors: Ryan Assumpta Ann , Chambers Mary 
Published: March 2003

• The aim of this action research study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an individualized education programme on older patients’ knowledge of prescribed medication.• A questionnaire for assessment of medication knowledge was used to collect data from 15 patients at two intervals, before and after an individualized education programme. Following the collection of pre‐intervention data, an individualized education programme was developed for each patient. As part of the education programme patients also had an opportunity to self‐administer their medication.• The results of the study showed that all participants scored higher in the post‐test than the pre‐test although the degree of improvement varied between participants. Patient satisfaction with the education programme was also assessed and revealed a high level of satisfaction.• The most significant finding was the importance of tailoring education programmes to meet the needs of the older person. This is borne out by case studies, which suggest that the most relevant characteristic of successful participants is a real desire to remain independent and in control of their medication.• The findings question the value of standardized programmes of medication education that treat older people as a homogeneous population. The article concludes by emphasizing the need for nurses and other healthcare professionals to individualize their teaching and learning strategies to meet the needs of older patients.
Use of the Oucher Numeric and the Word Graphic Scale in children aged 9–14 years with post‐operative pain
Authors: Ramritu  
Published: March 2003

• The construct validity and clinical applicability of two self‐report scales, the Oucher Numeric and the Word Graphic Scales, were examined in this study. Construct validity was tested on the assumption that pain declines following the administration of analgesia.• Eighty‐one children aged between nine and 14 years with post‐operative pain used the two scales before and for each of the 4 hours following the administration of analgesia, to report their intensity of pain. The method used for testing construct validity was a replication of the study conducted by Aradine et al. (1988; Children’s pain perception before and after analgesia: a study of instrument construct validity and related issues. Journal of Pediatric Nursing 3 (1), 11–23) to test the construct validity of the Oucher Scale. Construct validity was supported for both the scales.• Twenty‐eight nurses who administered the scales and the parents of 45 children who had observed their children use the scales, commented on the usefulness of the scales in assessment of pain during hospitalization.• A majority of children and nurses preferred the Oucher Numeric, whereas the Word Graphic Scale was preferred by a majority of the parents.• Preference of scale was based on its ease of use and whether the child preferred to use numbers or words to describe the intensity of pain.• A majority of the children and nurses and all parents believed that a self‐report scale was useful for assessment and communication of children’s pain following surgery.
Nursing in the community – impact of context on the practice agenda
Authors: Carr Susan M. 
Published: March 2003

• The agenda for health care detailed in recent policy statements has a strong community and primary health care focus.• The impact of the community, and specifically the patient’s home, as a location for practising and learning to practise nursing, is an issue which has received limited exploration. Recent research suggests that the context influences the practice agenda in a number of ways.• Highlighting the impact of working in the community context is timely in order that education providers, policy makers and managers are fully aware of the impact of moving care ‘closer to home’.
‘Brothers in arms’: how men with cancer experience a sense of comradeship through group intervention which combines physical activity with information relay
Authors: Adamsen L , Rasmussen J. Midtgaard , Pedersen L. Sønderby 
Published: March 2003

• The study investigated how a group intervention programme (13 sessions over 16 weeks), designed for men with cancer (n=17), affected their sense of well‐being and had a positive impact on their ability to cope with the physical, psychological and social consequences of living with cancer. The close‐knit relationships fostered between participants stimulated a sense of solidarity and commitment amongst them.• New thinking in relation to gender, group dynamics and social processes is presented, as are the implications for clinical nursing practice in cancer care. The experience from male orientated group intervention programmes shows that men with cancer have undiscovered strengths, whilst some wish to die ‘with their boots on’.
The hidden benefit: the supportive function of the nursing handover for qualified nurses caring for dying people in hospital
Authors: HOPKINSON JANE B. 
Published: March 2003

• The nursing handover is a key activity for nurses working in acute hospital wards in the NHS. Little scholarly attention has been paid to the use nurses make of the information exchanged during nursing handover or how certain features of the nursing handover might impact positively or negatively on patient outcomes.• This paper draws on data from a phenomenological study of 28 qualified diplomate nurses.• During the course of non‐directive semi‐structured interviews, some of the participants in this study expressed the opinion that nursing handover was helpful in enabling them to work with dying people in the acute hospital medical wards in which they worked.• The nurses identified two important functions of the nursing handover. The first was as a forum for discussing opinions and expressing feelings. The second was as a source of information on which to base their nursing decisions and actions.• It is proposed that some qualified nurses need help with the emotional labour of caring for dying people and that the nursing handover can assist in emotional adaptation, so enabling the management of troubling thoughts or feelings experienced in the course of caring for someone who is dying.• The role of the nursing handover in providing emotional support for nurses has been little studied and is a potentially useful area of future research, especially if it can be related to patient experiences and outcomes.
The nursing role in out‐patient child and adolescent mental health services
Authors: BALDWIN LAURENCE 
Published: March 2003

• Whilst nurses in the UK have been working in out‐patient settings in the speciality of child, adolescent and family psychiatry for nearly 20 years, they are frequently unclear about what is their nursing contribution to the multidisciplinary team.• This paper reports a qualitative study of perceptions of the nursing role in child and adolescent mental health teams of 11 clinicians from six different clinics.• Whilst other disciplines were each able to define what was unique about their role, there was found to be no consensus as to what nurses brought by virtue of their nursing background.• There is a risk that if nurses cannot develop a clearer rationale for their role, or be better able to articulate what they do in these teams, that role might be lost.
Adaptation and negotiation as an approach to care in paediatric diabetes specialist nursing practice: a critical review
Authors: MARSHALL MARIE , FLEMING ELIZABETH , GILLIBRAND WARREN , CARTER BERNIE 
Published: March 2003

• Considerable attention has been given to diabetes care in children. However, nursing practice may be guided by biomedical models.• Diabetes care in children should focus on family‐centred approaches arguably based in the community.• Psychosocial constructs have an important role in the development of self‐management of chronic illness in children.• Paediatric diabetes nurse specialists are pivotal in facilitating family‐centred care based on personal models of child and family interventions.