THE ECOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF HABITAT AND MICROHABITAT USE IN LIZARDS:: A REVIEW

We review the ecological consequences of habitat and microhabitat use in lizards. Different habitats have different biotic and abiotic properties and thus are likely to have different consequences for the lizards that occur in them. Individual performance and life histories are influenced by habitat use, particularly when habitats differ in thermal characteristics that may influence physiological processes or constrain activity. We know relatively little about how the effects of habitat use on individual performance translate into population dynamics. We do know that the ability of lizards to use particular habitats can influence the persistence of populations in the face of habitat changes. Community-level processes (e.g., competition) and community structure (e.g., diversity) can be influenced by habitat use in lizards, often by habitat use facilitating co-existence of two or more potentially competing species. We know relatively little about how other community processes, such as predation and parasitism, are influenced by habitat use

Xenosaurus grandis

Number of Pages: 4Integrative BiologyGeological Science

Advocacy for the Perioperative Patient

Thousands of surgeries and procedures happen daily. Patients place their lives and well-being in the hands of the surgical team. The operating room is a high risk environment and unfortunately, errors can occur resulting in harm and even death. Each surgical team member has a role and responsibilities during the surgical case. One main role of the perioperative nurse is patient advocacy and patient safety. However, this role can be impeded due to hierarchy and the operating room culture. Identifying the perioperative nurse\u27s role and responsibility relating to patient advocacy will provide directions in the perioperative nurse\u27s daily practice. An educational session designed to address the perioperative nursing role of patient advocacy is described. Watson\u27s theoretical framework of caring, presence, and empowerment enlightens the nurses to be more fully engaged in providing care to perioperative patients

Xenosaurus newmanorum

Number of Pages: 2Integrative BiologyGeological Science

Xenosaurus platyceps

Number of Pages: 2Integrative BiologyGeological Science

The Effects of Daytime Sleepiness on School Performance in Late Adolescence

Daytime sleepiness and grade point average were examined to assess the strength and direction of the relationship. Other variables measured included depression, test anxiety, and stress. Sixty-one participants completed the study, 15 males and 46 females. Average age of the participants was 20.89 (SD = 1.18). Participants were given a series of five brief questionnaires. Participants volunteered for the study and completed the survey in a group, classroom setting. Measures included a demographic questionnaire, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, Test Attitude Inventory and the Perceived Stress Scale. It was found that while an inverse relationship exists between daytime sleepiness and grade point average, it did not approach statistical significance. Although sleep may play a minor role in performance levels, results of this study suggest that a decrease in performance is primarily mediated by other factors. Upon separate analysis of women and those who work or participate in extracurricular activities 12 hours or more per week, findings were similar, yielding significant positive correlations between sleepiness and stress, sleepiness and depression, stress and test anxiety, stress and depression, and depression and test anxiety for both groups, as well as the overall sample. There was also a significant correlation between sleepiness and test anxiety for the overall sample and for women, but not for those who participate in 12 or more hours of activity per week. None of the partial correlations reached significance for the three groups. An analysis of those who skip one or more classes regularly revealed the same six relationships for women and the overall sample. However, it also revealed a significant inverse relationship between grade point average and test anxiety. The same inverse relationship occurred when analyzing the group of participants who work or participate in activities less than 12 hours per week. For this particular group, the only other significant bivariate relationships were between stress and test anxiety, stress and depression, and depression and test anxiety. For the latter two groups, comparing grade point average and test anxiety while controlling for sleepiness resulted in a slight increase. No other partial correlations reached significance. In conclusion, a combination of many negative symptoms is likely to exist in the lives of college students. It appears that these symptoms are intertwined, which complicates the research process. Further examination of these areas is important in order to devise interventions useful for increasing academic potential

The Effects of Daytime Sleepiness on School Performance in Late Adolescence

Daytime sleepiness and grade point average were examined to assess the strength and direction of the relationship. Other variables measured included depression, test anxiety, and stress. Sixty-one participants completed the study, 15 males and 46 females. Average age of the participants was 20.89 (SD = 1.18). Participants were given a series of five brief questionnaires. Participants volunteered for the study and completed the survey in a group, classroom setting. Measures included a demographic questionnaire, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, Test Attitude Inventory and the Perceived Stress Scale. It was found that while an inverse relationship exists between daytime sleepiness and grade point average, it did not approach statistical significance. Although sleep may play a minor role in performance levels, results of this study suggest that a decrease in performance is primarily mediated by other factors. Upon separate analysis of women and those who work or participate in extracurricular activities 12 hours or more per week, findings were similar, yielding significant positive correlations between sleepiness and stress, sleepiness and depression, stress and test anxiety, stress and depression, and depression and test anxiety for both groups, as well as the overall sample. There was also a significant correlation between sleepiness and test anxiety for the overall sample and for women, but not for those who participate in 12 or more hours of activity per week. None of the partial correlations reached significance for the three groups. An analysis of those who skip one or more classes regularly revealed the same six relationships for women and the overall sample. However, it also revealed a significant inverse relationship between grade point average and test anxiety. The same inverse relationship occurred when analyzing the group of participants who work or participate in activities less than 12 hours per week. For this particular group, the only other significant bivariate relationships were between stress and test anxiety, stress and depression, and depression and test anxiety. For the latter two groups, comparing grade point average and test anxiety while controlling for sleepiness resulted in a slight increase. No other partial correlations reached significance. In conclusion, a combination of many negative symptoms is likely to exist in the lives of college students. It appears that these symptoms are intertwined, which complicates the research process. Further examination of these areas is important in order to devise interventions useful for increasing academic potential

Xenosaurus

Number of Pages: 3Integrative BiologyGeological Science

Satellite remote sensing can provide semi-automated monitoring to aid coastal decision-making

Coastlines are projected to face unprecedented pressures over the next century due to climate change-induced changes in sea level, storm, wave, and tidal regimes. This projection of increasing pressure is driving a reappraisal of existing shoreline management practices, with both science and policy calling for future strategies to work with the natural protection provided by coastal habitats such as salt marshes. However, we currently lack the understanding of long-term ecosystem dynamics required to incorporate these habitats into the definitive predictions of risk relied on in coastal protection planning. Satellite remote sensing has the potential to provide data that could address this knowledge gap with its frequent repeat times and global coverage facilitating the production of high temporal frequency time-series over large areas. This study sought to explore this potential in one of the largest coastal plain estuaries the in the UK, the Severn Estuary. The Random Forest machine learning algorithm was used to develop a time-series of marsh extents across the estuary from 1985 to 2020 in Google Earth Engine, with widths also extracted as a proxy for the marshes’ protective capacity. These changes were monitored in six areas that contained the most significant areas of salt marsh across the estuary. This analysis revealed a significant increasing trend in extent and widths (p 90% and a strong agreement found between the detected widths and those found in previous surveys. These findings demonstrate that satellite remote sensing combined with machine learning has the potential to provide valuable insights into changes in the extents of marshes and therefore their protective capacity. This information can be useful in the coastal planning process, allowing decision-makers to assess the sustainability of existing defences fronted by marshes, as well as allowing them to make informed decisions about the location of restoration schemes