title: Tree encroachment may lead to functionally-significant changes in peatland testate amoeba communities

authors: Payne, Richard J.

subjects: Science & Technology

abstract: Climate change is likely to cause increased tree recruitment on open peatlands but we currently have little idea what consequences this vegetation change may have below-ground. Here we use transects across forested to open bog ecotones at three Russian peatland complexes to assess potential changes in the most abundant group of peatland protists – the testate amoebae. We show that the testate amoeba communities of forested and open bog are markedly different with a very abrupt boundary at, or near, the vegetation ecotone. Changes along our transects suggest that tree encroachment may reduce the trophic level of testate amoeba communities and reduce the contribution of mixotrophic testate amoebae to primary production. Our study strongly suggests that increased tree recruitment on open peatlands will have important consequences for both microbial biodiversity and microbially-mediated ecosystem processes.

text: Tree encroachment may lead to functionally-significant changes in peatland testate amoeba communities Climate change is likely to cause increased tree recruitment on open peatlands but we currently have little idea what consequences this vegetation change may have below-ground. Here we use transects across forested to open bog ecotones at three Russian peatland complexes to assess potential changes in the most abundant group of peatland protists – the testate amoebae. We show that the testate amoeba communities of forested and open bog are markedly different with a very abrupt boundary at, or near, the vegetation ecotone. Changes along our transects suggest that tree encroachment may reduce the trophic level of testate amoeba communities and reduce the contribution of mixotrophic testate amoebae to primary production. Our study strongly suggests that increased tree recruitment on open peatlands will have important consequences for both microbial biodiversity and microbially-mediated ecosystem processes.

year: 2016

title: Being satisfied at work does affect burnout among psychiatrists: A national follow-up study from New Zealand

authors: Kumar, Shailesh

subjects: Burnout

abstract: Background: Burnout and job satisfaction in psychiatrists has been an area of considerable interest. Longitudinal studies on the subject are lacking, rendering it difficult to establish whether burnout changes with time or whether low job satisfaction may predict high burnout with time in psychiatrists.
Aims: This longitudinal study of burnout and job satisfaction in a cohort of New Zealand psychiatrists was conducted to examine if initial scores on the Job Diagnostic Survey (JDS) predicted scores on the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) three years later and vice versa.
Methods: Three questionnaires (a socio-demographic questionnaire, the JDS and the MBI) were sent to all registered psychiatrists in 2008, which included all those who had participated in a study three years earlier. Scores on these three questionnaires were compared for those who had participated in both studies.
Results: The overall number of psychiatrists reporting a high level of emotional exhaustion (EE) did not change across the two phases. The number of psychiatrists reporting high levels of depersonalization (DP) increased from 31 (13%) to 45 (20.2%); the mean DP score for the cohort significantly increased by 17.5% (p < .01). Those reporting reduced personal accomplishment (PA) increased from 90 (37.7%) to 98 (43.9%); the mean PA score for the cohort significantly reduced by 14.5% (p < .001). Low scores on skill variety, task Identity, and feedback of the JDS were significantly correlated with high EE scores three years later, whereas low scores on skill variety were significantly correlated with high scores on DP, and low scores on task significance and feedback were correlated with low scores on PA three years later.
Conclusions: Paying attention to aspects of job satisfaction may assist us in developing specific interventions for psychiatrists who may score high on different dimensions of burnout.

text: Being satisfied at work does affect burnout among psychiatrists: A national follow-up study from New Zealand Background: Burnout and job satisfaction in psychiatrists has been an area of considerable interest. Longitudinal studies on the subject are lacking, rendering it difficult to establish whether burnout changes with time or whether low job satisfaction may predict high burnout with time in psychiatrists.
Aims: This longitudinal study of burnout and job satisfaction in a cohort of New Zealand psychiatrists was conducted to examine if initial scores on the Job Diagnostic Survey (JDS) predicted scores on the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) three years later and vice versa.
Methods: Three questionnaires (a socio-demographic questionnaire, the JDS and the MBI) were sent to all registered psychiatrists in 2008, which included all those who had participated in a study three years earlier. Scores on these three questionnaires were compared for those who had participated in both studies.
Results: The overall number of psychiatrists reporting a high level of emotional exhaustion (EE) did not change across the two phases. The number of psychiatrists reporting high levels of depersonalization (DP) increased from 31 (13%) to 45 (20.2%); the mean DP score for the cohort significantly increased by 17.5% (p < .01). Those reporting reduced personal accomplishment (PA) increased from 90 (37.7%) to 98 (43.9%); the mean PA score for the cohort significantly reduced by 14.5% (p < .001). Low scores on skill variety, task Identity, and feedback of the JDS were significantly correlated with high EE scores three years later, whereas low scores on skill variety were significantly correlated with high scores on DP, and low scores on task significance and feedback were correlated with low scores on PA three years later.
Conclusions: Paying attention to aspects of job satisfaction may assist us in developing specific interventions for psychiatrists who may score high on different dimensions of burnout.

year: 2013

title: A Māori homeless woman

authors: Groot, Shiloh Ann Maree

subjects: Māori

abstract: Indigenous peoples are overrepresented in homeless populations in many countries. As part of a larger ethnographic project, this case study draws upon interviews and photoelicitation projects with a homeless Māori woman, Ariā. The actions of this Māori woman exemplify how Indigenous cultural practices can shape a person’s efforts to retain a positive sense of self and place while homeless. Māori cultural concepts relating to caring, leadership, unity, relationships, spirituality, history and place provide a basis for interpreting Ariā’s actions. This article demonstrates the appropriateness of cultural concepts indigenous to a group for conducting ethnographic research into homelessness within that group.

text: A Māori homeless woman Indigenous peoples are overrepresented in homeless populations in many countries. As part of a larger ethnographic project, this case study draws upon interviews and photoelicitation projects with a homeless Māori woman, Ariā. The actions of this Māori woman exemplify how Indigenous cultural practices can shape a person’s efforts to retain a positive sense of self and place while homeless. Māori cultural concepts relating to caring, leadership, unity, relationships, spirituality, history and place provide a basis for interpreting Ariā’s actions. This article demonstrates the appropriateness of cultural concepts indigenous to a group for conducting ethnographic research into homelessness within that group.

year: 2011-09