An assessment of mussel mortality caused by a drop in the water level of Lake Kariba

The level of Lake Kariba steadily fell during the period 1 June 1979 to 2 Feb 1980, except for a 2-wk period during Dec when it was allowed to rise slightly. Following this the level was again drawn down in anticipation of the Upper Zambezi flood water reaching the lake. At its highest level in June 1979 the lake was 487.42 m above sea level but by Feb 1980 it had dropped to 484.53 m, a total drop of 2.89 m. This left a considerable area of exposed shoreline and a large number of stranded mussels. This report presents the results of an attempt to estimate the mussel mortality, carried out from 28 Jan to 1 Feb 1980. The study area extended from the Charara river mouth to Andora harbour with a total of 24 stations

Tuning in to babies: Nurturing relationships in early childhood settings

Babies are born primed to engage with people and to explore the world around them. They are learning and developing from their day of birth in every context in which they find themselves. As babies’ participation in out-of-home early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings is rising (OECD, 2012), the quality of this education and care is of the utmost importance. This article explores why we should focus on babies in ECEC settings in Ireland, the unintended consequences of some policy actions, the specialised knowledge and relational skills required for working with babies, and some recommendations for policy and practice

2012: The End of the World as We Know It?

Many so-called “2012 doomsayers theorists,” such as John Major Jenkins and Jose Arguelles successfully convinced a portion of the modern Western world that the ancient Maya had predicted the end of the world. They swayed many into believing that the world was supposed come to a violent end on December 21, 2012. This important date is referred to as the end of the “Great Cycle” of 13 Bak’tuns, according to translations of the ancient Maya hieroglyphic texts. But what evidence, if any, in the archaeological recorded suggested a cataclysmic collapse in support of these doomsday predictions? Here, I explore the root of these concepts of violent collapse. Although we now know their predictions were false, they seem to have gotten a good deal of the Western world worried about what was to come this past winter. What exactly did these doomsayers like Jenkins and Arguelles predict and how do their predictions compare with what the ancient and contemporary Maya say? The archaeological evidence that survives suggests the ancient Maya would not have feared this time but would have celebrated it as a time of renewal. Although the ancient Maya mythology suggests destruction of the world at the end of the 13th Bak’tun, a new world would no doubt have been anticipated by the ancient Maya who would have celebrated this period as a time of rebirth and renewal, much like other important period endings in their calendar. Below I review the doomsayers’ theories and present evidence from several archaeological contexts that suggest the predictions of December 21st, 2012 do not accurately reflect the thinking of the ancient Maya

The high scope approach to early learning

Learning Objectives: After studying this chapter the reader should be able to: • Describe the historical origins, the longitudinal research, and the theoretical underpinnings of the HighScope approach. • Identify the teaching strategies adopted by HighScope educators. • Appreciate the curriculum content. • Understand the HighScope approach to the assessment of children’s learning. • Consider some criticisms of the HighScope research and approach to early learning. This chapter aims to provide an overview of the HighScope curriculum. It is presented in order of the learning objectives listed above

From the depths: rich pickings of principles of sustainable development and general international law on the ocean floor - the Seabed Disputes Chamber’s 2011 advisory opinion

In February 2011, the Seabed Disputes Chamber of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea handed down its Advisory Opinion in Responsibilities and Obligations of States Sponsoring Persons and Entities with respect to Activities in the Area. Although primarily focused on governance of the deep seabed beyond national jurisdiction (‘the Area’), the Opinion has wider relevance for both international environmental law and general international law. More specifically, although sustainable development is not directly referenced in the Opinion, this article argues that it goes a long way towards strengthening many of the emerging normative rules associated with it. Using the International Law Association’s 2002 New Delhi Declaration of Principles of International Law relating to Sustainable Development as a framework, this article specifically analyses the Advisory Opinion’s contribution to the sustainable use of natural resources, the precautionary approach, common but differentiated responsibilities, and the principle of good governance

Eve

Undergraduat