What determines the impact of alien birds and mammals in Europe?

An often-cited reason for studying the process of invasion by alien species is that the understanding sought can be used to mitigate the impacts of the invaders. Here, we present an analysis of the correlates of local impacts of established alien bird and mammal species in Europe, using a recently described metric to quantify impact. Large-bodied, habitat generalist bird and mammal species that are widespread in their native range, have the greatest impacts in their alien European ranges, supporting our hypothesis that surrogates for the breadth and the amount of resources a species uses are good indicators of its impact. However, not all surrogates are equally suitable. Impacts are generally greater for mammal species giving birth to larger litters, but in contrast are greater for bird species laying smaller clutches. There is no effect of diet breadth on impacts in birds or mammals. On average, mammals have higher impacts than birds. However, the relationships between impact and several traits show common slopes for birds and mammals, and relationships between impact and body mass and latitude do not differ between birds and mammals. These results may help to anticipate which species would have large impacts if introduced, and so direct efforts to prevent such introduction

Глокалізація та освіта вчителів – етичні міркування у складні часи

The article emphasizes that global thinking begins at the structural level of educational programs on teacher preparation, and we offer the example of Ukraine, which recently underwent a large-scale reform of its higher education system towards international standardization, which included their educational program on teacher preparation. At the same time, the process of modernization of higher education in Ukraine has a somewhat one-sided focus on the global sphere and neglects some local features, which has led to the emergence of problems. This article explores the connection between glocalization and teacher education from methodological and ethical perspective. We argue that global competence helps teachers and future generations to develop a multi-perspective view to accurately respond to current and future challenges and understand the world in its complexity. This mindset also enables them to make thoughtful ethical decisions based on well-considered global principles. In addition, we argue that glocalization begins at the structural level, and offer the example of Ukraine, which recently underwent a large-scale reform of its education system, including teacher education. However, the reform focused mainly on the global sphere and neglected some local features, leading to numerous problems and challenges. To better understand the idea of glocalization in teacher education from the ethical perspective, future scientific researches can be focused on the study of the international teacher education programs, which find a balance between national traditions and international developments in education, so different systems can learn and enrich each other. Of course, the article does not cover all theoretical aspects of the considered problem and provides further scientific discussions about glocalization in teacher education.У статті досліджуєються зв’язок між глокалізацією та педагогічною освітою з етичної точки зору. Ми стверджуємо, що посилений акцент на концепції глокалізації в освіті вчителів краще підготує майбутні покоління до відповіді на поточні та майбутні виклики. Усвідомлення взаємозв’язку між локальною та глобальною сферами допомагає вчителям і, зрештою, учням зрозуміти світ у його складності. Глокальний спосіб мислення дозволяє їм приймати обдумані етичні рішення, які враховують різні точки зору. Такі рішення базуються на глобальних принципах, таких як соціальна відповідальність, справедливість і стійкість. У статті акцентовано, що глобальне мислення починається на структурному рівні освітніх програм з підготовки вчителів, і надаємо приклад України, яка нещодавно пройшла широкомасштабну реформу своєї системи вищої освіти в напрямку міжнародної стандартизації, яка включала їхню програму підготовки вчителів. Водночас, процес модернізації вищої освіти в Україні має дещо однобічний фокус на глобальній сфері та відюбувається нехтування деякими локальними обставинами, що призвело до виникнення проблем. У статті обговорюється зв’язок між глокалізацією та педагогічною освітою з методологічної та етичної точки зору. Ми стверджуємо, що глобальна компетентність допомагає вчителям і майбутнім поколінням розвивати багаторакурсний погляд, щоб точно реагувати на сучасні та майбутні виклики та розуміти світ у його складності. Таке мислення також дає їм змогу приймати обдумані етичні рішення, які ґрунтуються на добре зважених глобальних принципах. Крім того, ми стверджуємо, що глокалізація починається на структурному рівні, і наводимо приклад України, яка нещодавно пройшла широкомасштабну реформу своєї системи освіти, зокрема й педагогічної освіти. Тим не менш, реформа зосередилася в основному на глобальній сфері та знехтувала деякими місцевими обставинами, що призвело до численних проблем і викликів. Щоб краще зрозуміти ідею глокалізації в педагогічній освіті з етичної точки зору, майбутні наукові дослідження можуть зосереджуватись на вивченні міжнародних програм педагогічної освіти, які знаходять баланс між національними традиціями та міжнародними розробками в освіті, щоб різні освітні системи могли вчитися та збагачувати одна одну. Звісно, матеріал статті не вичерпує всіх теоретичних аспектів розглянутої проблеми і передбачає подальші наукові дискусія про глокалізацію в освіті вчителів

The generic impact scoring system (GISS): a standardized tool to quantify the impacts of alien species

Alien species can exert negative environmental and socio-economic impacts. Therefore, administrations from different sectors are trying to prevent further introductions, stop the spread of established species, and apply or develop programs to mitigate their impact, to contain the most harmful species, or to eradicate them if possible. Often it is not clear which of the numerous alien species are most important in terms of damage, and therefore, impact scoring systems have been developed to allow a comparison and thus prioritization of species. Here, we present the generic impact scoring system (GISS), which relies on published evidence of environmental and socio-economic impact of alien species. We developed a system of 12 impact categories, for environmental and socio-economic impact, comprising all kinds of impacts that an alien species may exert. In each category, the intensity of impact is quantified by a six-level scale ranging from 0 (no impact detectable) to 5 (the highest impact possible). Such an approach, where impacts are grouped based on mechanisms for environmental impacts and receiving sectors for socio-economy, allows for cross-taxa comparisons and prioritization of the most damaging species. The GISS is simple and transparent, can be conducted with limited funds, and can be applied to a large number of alien species across taxa and environments. Meanwhile, the system was applied to 349 alien animal and plant species. In a comparison with 22 other impact assessment methods, the combination of environmental and socio- economic impact, as well as the possibility of weighting and ranking of the scoring results make GISS the most broadly applicable system

Species richness-environment relationships of European arthropods at two spatial grains : habitats and countries

We study how species richness of arthropods relates to theories concerning net primary productivity, ambient energy, water-energy dynamics and spatial environmental heterogeneity. We use two datasets of arthropod richness with similar spatial extents (Scandinavia to Mediterranean), but contrasting spatial grain (local habitat and country). Samples of ground-dwelling spiders, beetles, bugs and ants were collected from 32 paired habitats at 16 locations across Europe. Species richness of these taxonomic groups was also determined for 25 European countries based on the Fauna Europaea database. We tested effects of net primary productivity (NPP), annual mean temperature (T), annual rainfall (R) and potential evapotranspiration of the coldest month (PETmin) on species richness and turnover. Spatial environmental heterogeneity within countries was considered by including the ranges of NPP, T, R and PETmin. At the local habitat grain, relationships between species richness and environmental variables differed strongly between taxa and trophic groups. However, species turnover across locations was strongly correlated with differences in T. At the country grain, species richness was significantly correlated with environmental variables from all four theories. In particular, species richness within countries increased strongly with spatial heterogeneity in T. The importance of spatial heterogeneity in T for both species turnover across locations and for species richness within countries suggests that the temperature niche is an important determinant of arthropod diversity. We suggest that, unless climatic heterogeneity is constant across sampling units, coarse-grained studies should always account for environmental heterogeneity as a predictor of arthropod species richness, just as studies with variable area of sampling units routinely consider area

Framework and guidelines for implementing the proposed IUCN Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa (EICAT)

Recently, Blackburn et al. (2014) developed a simple, objective and transparent method for classifying alien taxa in terms of the magnitude of their detrimental environmental impacts in recipient areas. Here, we present a comprehensive framework and guidelines for implementing this method, which we term the Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa, or EICAT. We detail criteria for applying the EICAT scheme in a consistent and comparable fashion, prescribe the supporting information that should be supplied along with classifications, and describe the process for implementing the method. This comment aims to draw the attention of interested parties to the framework and guidelines, and to present them in their entirety in a location where they are freely accessible to any potential users

Appropriate uses of EICAT protocol, data and classifications

The Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa (EICAT) can be used to classify alien taxa according to the magnitude and type of their environmental impacts. The EICAT protocol, classifications of alien taxa using the protocol (EICAT classification) and the data underpinning classifications (EICAT data) are increasingly used by scientists and practitioners such as governments, NGOs and civil society for a variety of purposes. However, the properties of the EICAT protocol and the data it generates are not suitable for certain uses. Therefore, we present guidelines designed to clarify and facilitate the appropriate use of EICAT to tackle a broad range of conservation issues related to biological invasions, as well as to guide research and communication more generally. Here we address common misconceptions and give a brief overview of some key issues that all EICAT users need to be aware of to take maximal advantage of this resource. Furthermore, we give examples of the wide variety of ways in which the EICAT protocol, classifications and data can be and have been utilised and outline common errors and pitfalls to avoid

A conceptual framework for prioritization of invasive alien species for management according to their impact

The number of invasive alien species is increasing and so are the impacts these species cause to the environment and economies. Nevertheless, resources for management are limited, which makes prioritization unavoidable. We present a prioritization framework which can be useful for decision makers as it includes both a scientific impact assessment and the evaluation of impact importance by affected stakeholders. The framework is divided into five steps, namely 1) stakeholder selection and weighting of stakeholder importance by the decision maker, 2) factual description and scoring of changes by scientists, 3) evaluation of the importance of impact categories by stakeholders, 4) calculation of weighted impact categories and 5) calculation of final impact score and decision making. The framework could be used at different scales and by different authorities. Furthermore, it would make the decision making process transparent and retraceable for all stakeholders and the general public.v2012o

More than “100 worst” alien species in Europe

“One hundred worst” lists of alien species of the greatest concern proved useful for raising awareness of the risks and impacts of biological invasions amongst the general public, politicians and stakeholders. All lists so far have been based on expert opinion and primarily aimed at representativeness of the taxonomic and habitat diversity rather than at quantifying the harm the alien species cause. We used the generic impact scoring system (GISS) to rank 486 alien species established in Europe from a wide range of taxonomic groups to identify those with the highest environmental and socioeconomic impact. GISS assigns 12 categories of impact, each quantified on a scale from 0 (no impact detectable) to 5 (the highest impact possible). We ranked species by their total sum of scores and by the number of the highest impact scores. We also compared the listing based on GISS with other expert- based lists of the “worst” invaders. We propose a list of 149 alien species, comprising 54 plants, 49 invertebrates, 40 vertebrates and 6 fungi. Among the highest ranking species are one bird (Branta canadensis), four mammals (Rattus norvegicus, Ondatra zibethicus, Cervus nippon, Muntiacus reevesi), one crayfish (Procambarus clarkii), one mite (Varroa destructor), and four plants (Acacia dealbata, Lantana camara, Pueraria lobata, Eichhornia crassipes). In contrast to other existing expert-based “worst” lists, the GISS-based list given here highlights some alien species with high impacts that are not represented on any other list. The GISS provides an objective and transparent method to aid prioritization of alien species for management according to their impacts, applicable across taxa and habitats. Our ranking can also be used for justifying inclusion on lists such as the alien species of Union concern of the European Commission, and to fulfill Aichi target 9

Vorzeitiger Berufseinstieg ins Lehramt. Risiken für die Profession

Aufgrund des aktuellen Lehrer*innenmangels arbeiten Lehramtsstudierende zunehmend als Lehrpersonen. Fraglich ist, ob dies zu einer eingeschränkten individuellen Professionalisierung sowie kollektiven Deprofessionalisierung des Lehrer*innenberufs führt und wie es infolge zu einer Reprofessionalisierung kommen kann. Bereits unterrichtende Lehramtsstudierende wurden leitfadengestützt zur eigenen Professionalisierung interviewt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass Studierende den vorzeitigen Berufseinstieg als bereichernd wahrnehmen, jedoch eine Reflexion des eigenen Professionalisierungsprozesses fehlt. (DIPF/Orig.

Clarification and guidance on the use of the Socio-Economic Impact Classification for Alien Taxa (SEICAT) framework

Understanding the ways in which alien taxa threaten human well-being, beyond purely monetary costs, can be difficult as impacts differ vastly across social, cultural, and economic contexts. Failure to capture impacts outside of monetary costs means that impacts are unfairly weighted towards those that can be easily monetised, which is unlikely to be a realistic measure of how alien species truly affect human well-being. To address this issue, the Socio-Economic Impact Classification for Alien Taxa (SEICAT) was developed with the intention to facilitate standardised classifications and comparisons of the impacts of alien taxa on human well-being and livelihood. The framework measures impacts by assessing to what extent alien taxa have altered human activities, so has application across a broad range of reported impacts associated with different constituents of human well-being. Although in their original paper, Bacher et al. (2018) provided an overview of the SEICAT framework, comprehensive guidelines that enable assessors to overcome potential ambiguities were, until now, unavailable. This may be preventing the broad application of the framework due to reduced usability. Here, we provide clarification and guidance for the application of SEICAT to facilitate standardised, consistent assessments. In particular, we address uncertainties stemming from unclear definitions of impacted communities and activities, as well as the spatial and temporal scales of relevance. We clarify these key issues and give explicit recommendations, whilst encouraging the collection of additional contextual information to be recorded for each assessed impact report, to generate more practical information for end-users of SEICAT data. Further, we recommend adopting an alternative terminology for the impact categories to reduce the potential misuse of the current descriptors. The intended outcome of this work is to aid the broad application of the SEICAT framework in a consistent and transparent manner