Nesting Behavior And Hunting Activity Of The Gyrfalcon, Falco Rusticolus, In South Central Alaska

Thesis (M.S.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 198

Response of Overwintering Caribou to Burned Habitat in Northwest Alaska

Caribou (Rangifer tarandus granti) use lichens, when available, as primary forage on their winter range. In boreal forest habitats, wildland fires effectively destroy lichens, and overwintering caribou are known to avoid burned areas for decades while lichen communities regenerate. However, little has been published about caribou response to burned habitat in tundra ecosystems. To assess the relationship between winter caribou distribution and burned areas, we instrumented Western Arctic Herd caribou with satellite telemetry collars and evaluated their locations in relation to recent burns of known age (? 55 years old) across northwestern Alaska. We analyzed caribou distribution for different habitat types (tundra and boreal forest), age categories of burns, and possible edge effects. We also reanalyzed the data, limiting available habitat to a uniform traveling distance (5658 m) from daily satellite locations. Using selection indices that compared caribou use of burns and buffers to their availability, we found that caribou strongly selected against burned areas within the tundra ecosystem. Recent burns were selected against at both large (range-wide) and intermediate (5658 m) spatial scales. Caribou particularly selected against 26- to 55-year-old burns and the interior (core) portions of all burns. We found that caribou were more likely to select burned areas in the late fall and early spring than midwinter. Increased fires in northwestern Alaska could decrease the availability and quality of winter habitat available to the herd over the short term (up to 55 years), potentially influencing herd population dynamics and reducing sustainable harvest levels. We recommend that fire managers consider caribou midwinter range condition and extent: however, management that achieves a mosaic pattern of fire history may benefit a wide array of species, including caribou. A better understanding of the current regional fire regime and the distribution of available winter range will be required before practicable management recommendations can be developed for this herd.Le fourrage principal du parcours d’hiver du caribou (Rangifer tarandus granti) est le lichen, lorsque celui-ci se trouve à sa disposition. Dans les habitats de forêt boréale, les feux de broussailles détruisent les lichens, au point où les caribous évitent, pendant des décennies l’hiver, les régions qui ont été brûlées afin de laisser le temps au lichen de se régénérer. Cependant, peu d’information a été publiée à l’égard de la réaction du caribou envers l’habitat brûlé des écosystèmes de la toundra. Afin d’évaluer la relation entre la répartition du caribou d’hiver et les régions brûlées, nous avons posé à un troupeau de caribous de l’Arctique de l’Ouest des colliers émetteurs à télémétrie par satellite et évalué leur emplacement par rapport à des régions brûlées récemment dont on savait à quand remontaient les incendies (? 55 ans) et ce, aux quatre coins du nord-ouest de l’Alaska. Nous avons analysé la répartition du caribou en fonction de types d’habitats différents (la toundra et la forêt boréale), de catégories d’âge des régions brûlées et d’effets de lisière possibles. De plus, nous avons réanalysé les données en prenant soin de limiter l’habitat disponible à une distance de déplacement uniforme (5 658 m) à partir des emplacements satellites quotidiens. Grâce aux indices de sélection comparant l’utilisation faite par les caribous des régions brûlées et des zones tampons et leur disponibilité, nous avons remarqué que le caribou délaissait fortement les régions brûlées dans l’écosystème de la toundra. Les régions brûlées récemment étaient rejetées tant à la grande échelle spatiale (l’ensemble du parcours) qu’à l’échelle intermédiaire (5658 m). Plus particulièrement, le caribou se tenait loin des régions brûlées il y a 26 à 55 ans et des sections intérieures (au centre) de toutes les régions brûlées. Nous avons constaté que le caribou était plus susceptible d’opter pour les régions brûlées vers la fin de l’automne et au début du printemps qu’au milieu de l’hiver. Les incendies à la hausse dans le nord-ouest de l’Alaska pourraient avoir pour effet de diminuer la disponibilité et la qualité de l’habitat d’hiver à la disposition du troupeau à court terme (jusqu’à 55 ans), ce qui pourrait influencer la dynamique de la population du troupeau et réduire les taux de récoltes durables. Nous recommandons que les directeurs des incendies considèrent l’état et l’étendue du parcours du caribou en parcours d’hiver. Cela dit, une gestion donnant lieu à un dessin en mosaïque de l’historique des incendies pourrait avantager une vaste gamme d’espèces, dont le caribou. Il faudra avoir une meilleure compréhension du régime régional actuel des incendies et de la répartition du parcours d’hiver disponible avant que des recommandations de gestion réalisables puissent être faites pour ce troupeau

Does Professional Development of Preschool Teachers Improve Child Socio-Emotional Outcomes?

From 2011 to 2013 a randomized controlled trial has been run in Danish preschools to obtain evidence on improvements of early childhood education by providing training to the preschool teachers. The purpose of the intervention is to improve child socio-emotional outcomes (measured by SDQ), especially for socially disadvantaged children. The intervention preschools received extra training of the preschool teachers, whereas control preschools did not receive any training. The results show improvements in several subscales of the SDQ scale. However, the intervention proves less beneficial for socially disadvantaged children, in particular as a consequence of unfavorable preschool characteristics

Scarce Water Resources and Cereal Import Dependency: The Role of Integrated Water Resources Management

This study globally analyzes the nonlinear relationship between cereal import dependency and total renewable water resources per capita by testing for potential thresholds in water resources. Data are from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and consider the years of 2002, 2007, and 2012. The results show evident ceiling effects with a threshold of 1588 m 3 /(capita/year) in the multiple predictor model. Above this value, the total renewable water resources per capita no longer have a considerable effect on cereal import dependency. Importantly, we found that if integrated water resource management improves, cereal import dependency will increase for countries with total renewable water resources per capita between 1588 m 3 /(capita/year) and 5000 m 3 /(capita/year), but not for countries below or equal to the threshold of 1588 m 3 /(capita/year). Water-scarce countries above the threshold use cereal imports as a coping strategy to save limited national water resources. This strategy might be suggested to extremely water-scarce countries below the threshold to increase their water use efficiency. Global solidarity of grain exporters with water-scarce countries is required to guarantee their food security, while water-scarce countries need to overcome their skepticism of foreign dominance through food imports

Evaluation of the Effects of an Undenatured Collagen Type-2-Based Nutraceutical (ARTHROSHINE® HA²) on Recovery Time after TPLO in Dogs: A Prospective, Randomized Study with Objective Gait Analysis as the Primary Outcome Measure

This randomized, prospective clinical trial investigates the impact of a novel undenatured collagen type 2 (T2NDC)-based nutraceutical, ARTHROSHINE® HA² (AS), on postoperative rehabilitation following Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO) in 50 dogs with unilateral cranial cruciate ligament rupture (CCLR). The patients were randomly allocated to either group A, receiving AS once daily for 24 weeks post-TPLO surgery, or group B, without any supplementation. Frequency matching was applied to enhance group comparability. Assessment of outcomes included computerized gait analysis and a validated owner questionnaire. AS supplementation was well received, without any reported side effect. Consistently, patients in group A exhibited significantly higher peak vertical force values during all follow-up assessments. By the 12-week mark, gait analysis indicated a return to a physiological gait pattern in group A, while group B achieved this normalization only by the 24-week point. The administration of AS post-TPLO surgery demonstrates promise in enhancing limb function, leading to faster restoration of a physiological gait pattern. The inclusion of AS, a T2NDC-based nutraceutical, in the post-TPLO rehabilitation protocol may contribute to improved limb function and an expedited recovery, potentially facilitating a quicker return to normalcy. It is noteworthy that subjective owner perceptions did not differ between the two groups

STEREOLOGICAL QUANTITATION OF LEYDIG AND SERTOLI CELLS IN THE TESTIS FROM YOUNG AND OLD MEN

ABSTRACT One of the newer stereological methods, the optical fractionator, was applied to the study of the effects of ageing on the human testis. The estimated total number of Sertoli and Leydig cells per testis in men younger than 30 years were 430×10 6 (CV = SD/mean = 0.35) and 117×10 6 (CV = 0.53), respectively, while in men older than 50 years the estimated total Sertoli cell number was 266×10 6 (CV = 0.46) and the mean Leydig cell number 83×10 6 (CV = 0.53). The difference between the number of Sertoli cells in men younger than 30 years compared with men older than 50 years was close to statistical significance (p = 0.052) while no differences was found in total Leydig cell number (p = 0.22)

Status Management: A Theory of Punishment and Rehabilitation

This report outlines the Status Management Theory, originally titled the Degradation-Accreditation Theory for application in correctional settings for deterrence or rehabilitation of criminal perpetrators

Nonrandom Territory Occupancy by Nesting Gyrfalcons (\u3ci\u3eFalco rusticolus\u3c/i\u3e)

We know little regarding how specific aspects of habitat influence spatial variation in site occupancy by Arctic wildlife, yet this information is fundamental to effective conservation. To address this information gap, we assessed occupancy of 84 Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus Linnaeus, 1758) breeding territories observed annually between 2004 and 2013 in western Alaska. In line with the theory of population regulation by site dependence, we asked whether Gyrfalcons exhibited a nonrandom pattern of site selection and if heterogeneous landscape attributes correlated with observed occupancy patterns. We characterized high- and low-occupancy breeding territories as those occupied more or less often than expected by chance, and we evaluated land cover at 1 and 15 km circles centered around nesting territories to identify habitat variables associated with observed occupancy patterns. We tested 15 competing models to rank hypotheses reflecting prey and habitat variables important to nesting Gyrfalcons. We confirmed a nonrandom pattern of site selection but found only weak evidence that the distribution of prey habitat was responsible for this pattern. We reason that preferential habitat use by nesting Gyrfalcons may be determined by spatial scales other than those we measured or may be driven by landscape-level attributes at time periods other than during the brood rearing period