Making the most of the University campus for teaching ecology

University campuses provide an accessible, cheap and useful means of teaching ecology to undergraduate students.  We describe a short campus-based activity that was trialed in the 2015-16 academic year to engage first year physical geography students with both ecology and urban ecology. Students undertook a 40-minute investigation of the campus to identify niches and ecosystems and were asked to relate their findings to previous lecture material. Overall, the activity was enjoyed by students and considered useful by both students and staff in supporting students’ engagement with ecology.Keywords: Field work; practical work; urban ecology; campu

Defective Gut Function in \u3cem\u3eDrop-Dead\u3c/em\u3e Mutant \u3cem\u3eDrosophila\u3c/em\u3e

Mutation of the gene drop-dead (drd ) causes adult Drosophila to die within 2 weeks of eclosion and is associated with reduced rates of defecation and increased volumes of crop contents. In the current study, we demonstrate that flies carrying the strong allele drdlwf display a reduction in the transfer of ingested food from the crop to the midgut, as measured both as a change in the steady-state distribution of food within the gut and also in the rates of crop emptying and midgut filling following a single meal. Mutant flies have abnormal triglyceride (TG) and glycogen stores over the first 4 days post-eclosion, consistent with their inability to move food into the midgut for digestion and nutrient absorption. However, the lifespan of mutants was dependent upon food presence and quality, suggesting that at least some individual flies were able to digest some food. Finally, spontaneous motility of the crop was abnormal in drdlwf flies, with the crops of mutant flies contracting significantly more rapidly than those of heterozygous controls. We therefore hypothesize that mutation of drd causes a structural or regulatory defect that inhibits the entry of food into the midgut

Edith Wharton’s dark ecology : representations of nature in three major novels

This thesis is arranged in three chapters which explore Wharton’s representations of nature in three novels: The House of Mirth (1905), The Fruit of the Tree (1907), and The Custom of the County (1913). This thesis contends that Wharton’s novels reveal changes in the interplay between representations of nature and patterns of gender, privilege and commerce. In so doing, I reveal how idealizations of nature fulfill specific social functions

Athletic Training Student Patient Encounter Characteristics during Immersive and Non-Immersive Experiences: A Report From the Athletic Training Clinical Network

Context: Professional athletic training programs are now required to include at least one immersive clinical experience (ICE), which allow students to see more patient-care opportunities and job responsibilities that athletic trainers complete than those at a non-immersive clinical experience (N-ICE). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the characteristics of patient encounters (PEs) that occurred at ICEs and N-ICEs. Methods: This study used a multi-site panel design in which 336 athletic training students from 12 professional, CAATE-accredited programs (5 undergraduate, 7 graduate) logged PEs for one academic year (2018-2019). PEs were documented in E*Value (MedHub, Minneapolis, MN), and descriptive statistics were used to summarize the characteristic of each PE. Chi-Square tests were used to compare the percentages of student role during PEs in ICEs and N-ICEs (p\u3c0.05). Results: A total of 10,999 PEs occurred at ICEs and 18,228 PEs occurred at N-ICEs. Immersive experiences mostly occurred at collegiate settings (64%) followed by secondary school settings (29.8%); similar frequencies were found with N-ICEs (collegiate=67.2%, secondary school=24.4%). At ICEs, students performed 70.6% of reported PEs, assisted with 17.2%, and observed 12.2%. At N-ICEs, students performed 72% of reported PEs, assisted with 16.3%, and observed 11.7%. Participants averaged 0.80 diagnoses and 1.35 procedures per PE during ICEs, compared to 0.82 diagnoses and 1.33 procedures per PE during N-ICEs. Chi-square analyses revealed that there were no significant differences in the percentages of observed (χ2(1) = .00, p=1.00), assisted (χ 2(1)=.03, p=.862), or performed (χ 2(1)=.007, p=.933) PEs between ICEs and N-ICEs. Conclusions: Student role during PEs, clinical site type, and PE length similarly occurred at both ICEs and N-ICEs. Programs may intend to use ICEs later in their curriculum to demonstrate progressive clinical autonomy, but there were no statistically significant differences in student role during ICEs or N-ICEs in this study.https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/gradposters2020_healthsciences/1005/thumbnail.jp

Educator and Preceptor Roles in Athletic Training Student Development

Context: Healthcare professions use a unique learning pattern in which they are educated both didactically and clinically. Previous research has focused on preceptor selection and training, but there has been limited emphasis on perceived roles of didactic and clinical educators. Identifying potential discrepancies in perceived roles may help improve athletic training student education through a shared understanding of role delineation. Objective: To understand the perceived roles of academic faculty and clinical preceptors regarding athletic training student development. Design: Consensual qualitative research. Setting: Webex Focus Group Interviews. Patient or other Participants: 8 faculty, 7 preceptors, and 7 dual role educator/preceptor representing professional programs participated in this study. Data saturation guided the number of focus groups conducted. Data Collection and Data Analysis: Semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted and transcribed verbatim. Four researchers used a consensus process to analyze data, identify emergent themes, and create a codebook independently. Once completed, a consensual codebook was created with all identified themes and subgroups. Credibility was established by use of an external auditor to finalize the codebook. Results: Three themes emerged from the data: (1) Contributors to Role Achievement, (2) Challenges to Role Achievement, and (3) Perceived Improvements. Factors that contributed to role achievement included positive relationships, effective communication, role development,https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/gradposters2020_healthsciences/1002/thumbnail.jp

Economic value of trees in the estate of the Harewood House stately home in the United Kingdom

The estates of stately homes or manor houses are an untapped resource for assessing the ecosystem services provided by trees. Many of these estates have large collections of trees with clear value in terms of carbon storage, runoff prevention, and pollution removal along with additional benefits to biodiversity and human health. The estate of Harewood House in North Yorkshire represents an ideal example of such a stately home with a mixture of parkland and more formally planted gardens. The trees in each type of garden were analysed for height, diameter at breast height and light exposure. The data were then processed in iTrees software to generate economic benefits for each tree in both gardens. The analysis found that the larger North Front parkland garden had greater total benefits but the more densely planted formal West Garden had the greater per hectare value. In total, the trees on Harewood House estate are estimated to provide approximately £29 million in ecosystem service benefits. This study is the first to analyse the trees of stately homes for economic benefits and highlights that the trees are a valuable commodity for the estates. This should be considered in future planning and management of such estates