Using Multiple Regression Models to Understand the Influence of Geologic History, Topography, Island Size, Isolation and Dispersability on Plant Community Assemblage in the Western Aleutian Islands

Island groups are often subject to habitat filters and dissimilar dispersal sources, and as a result may reflect dissimilar plant assemblages between islands. Though the Aleutian Islands have likely acted as a route for plant dispersal across the North Pacific, many continental endemics have colonized the islands but have not dispersed over the chain as a whole (Talbot, 1994). Typically, North American endemic plant species represent an increasing proportion of the flora with closer proximity to the Alaskan mainland, while Asian endemics increase in proportion towards Kamchatka (Lindroth, 1961). Using plant species occurrence data across the Western Aleutian Islands, we may examine the impact of several barriers to dispersal and flora assemblage

Species richness, community composition, and species distribution patterns in Aleutian plants

Thesis (M.S.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2016We conducted an analysis of vascular plant distributional patterns in the Aleutian Islands to identify and quantify the impact of potential Aleutian Island distance dispersal barriers and ecological constraints. Data were collected from Open Access databases, printed floristic accounts, and independent collections made by the primary author to develop an Aleutian Islands floristic database. We documented 520 vascular plant species from 231 genera and 69 families across thirteen well-collected islands in the study area. The most common plant distribution pattern was 'Eastern', though it compared similarly to the 'Western' and 'Widespread' distribution pattern. We calculated and input a classic species assemblage dissimilarity measurement (Jaccard Index), a measurement of phylogenetic dissimilarity (UniFrac), and species richness into non-parametric algorithmic models (TreeNet) based on classic and Aleutians-specific island biogeography hypotheses. Aleutian plant species richness is strongly associated with the equilibrium model variables area and island isolation, as well as distance from the islands to the Alaska Peninsula, and island total stream length. Species composition, using cluster groups of the Jaccard dissimilarity metric between islands, is strongly associated with the landmass groups during the last glacial maximum, maximum island elevation, island isolation and island area. Species composition, using cluster groups of the phylogenetic-derived UniFrac distance metric, is associated with island area, distance from the islands to the Chukotka Peninsula, maximum island elevation, island geologic age, and island isolation. Altogether, this study adds to the growing body of studies extending the classical equilibrium theory of island biogeography to include additional important drivers of diversification on islands such as the landmass during the LGM, or human perturbations affecting extinction rates. Although this study included a compilation of over eighty years of collecting efforts in the Aleutian Islands, it highlights how few "complete" floras have been assembled. The conclusions presented here highlight research targets for gaining continued insights into diversity patterns across the Aleutians

A New Snow Leopard Record Reflects the Value of Remote Protected Areas for Connectivity

As wildlife becomes more isolated in human-dominated and rapidly changing environments, species conservation requires investment in landscape connectivity. Identifying stepping stones (discrete areas of suitable habitat that facilitate the movement of dispersing individuals) can help meet connectivity goals. We report the occurrence of the snow leopard Panthera uncia in Ikh Nart Nature Reserve, Mongolia, over 250 km from the nearest known population, one of the easternmost records for the species. Ikh Nart Nature Reserve lies within a region considered highly resistant to movement but harbours high densities of argali sheep Ovis ammon and Siberian ibexes Capra sibirica, both important prey items for snow leopards. This occurrence reveals a new distribution record for the species, the capacity of the species to move across low-quality environments, the value of investment in community conservation and collaborative park management, and the role of remote protected areas such as Ikh Nart Nature Reserve as stepping stones for facilitating population expansion and broader connectivity to other potentially suitable but unoccupied areas

SPATIOTEMPORAL VARIATIONIN GRASSLAND BIOMASS AND FORAGE QUALITY ACROSS THE UPPER YELLOWSTONE RIVER BASIN

Spatial and temporal heterogeneity in the abundance of high quality forage is known to play an important role in migratory ungulate ecology. While many studies have documented how variations in the timing of start of growth and land use affect the availability of high quality forage across temperate landscapes, few studies have quantified how the abundance of high quality forage varies across these gradients. In this study we quantified how aboveground biomass, crude protein, and digestibility varied throughout the growing season in (1) grasslands that start growth early, mid, and late in the season and (2) in irrigated agriculture, private grasslands, and public grasslands and then used these estimates to (3)assess how the seasonal abundance of high quality forage differed in these start of season and land use classes in the Upper Yellowstone River Basin. We found that grasslands that start growth late in the season had up to 150% greater aboveground biomass, 20% greater crude protein, and 15% greater digestibility at its seasonal peak than grasslands that start growth mid and early in the season. Irrigated agriculture had up to 500% greater aboveground biomass, 90% greater crude protein, and 10% greater digestibility at its seasonal peak than private and public grasslands. Overall, the abundance of high quality forage was greater in the late start of season and irrigated agriculture grasslands. Understanding these landscape-scale variations in the abundance of high quality forage may provide important information for migratory ungulate research and management

Spatiotemporal Variability in Biomass and Forage Quality Across a Temperate Landscape with Heterogeneous Phenology Patterns (Poster)

Although spatial and temporal heterogeneity in grassland biomass and forage quality is well-recognized to play an important role in migratory ungulate population dynamics, attempts to directly quantify biomass and forage quality across temperate landscapes throughout the growing season are limited. It is generally recognized that biomass and forage quality are directly related to phenology, but little is known about how seasonal biomass and forage quality differs across land use and biophysical gradients with varying phenology patterns. This study uses field estimates of biomass, chlorophyll concentration, crude protein, and in vitro dry matter digestibility collected from 20, 250m2 grassland plots throughout the summers of 2013 and 2014 to quantify how biomass and forage quality differ across land uses and biophysical gradients in the migratory elk (Cervus elaphus) range in the Upper Yellowstone River Basin. Key findings were that irrigated agriculture had overall greater and longer available biomass and forage quality throughout the growing season compared to private and public grasslands with natural phenology patterns. And that areas that begin growth later in the season had overall greater biomass and forage quality than areas with mid and early phenology characteristics, but availability was shorter. These results suggest that seasonal patterns of biomass and forage quality differ with phenological characteristics across temperate landscapes. This information should be incorporated in our understanding of spatiotemporal patterns of vegetation important for studying migratory ungulate ecology and predicting the effects of climate change and human land use on vegetation dynamics in temperate landscapes

"A wealth of knowledge": A survey of the employment experiences of older nurses and midwives in the NHS

Background: The United Kingdom's National Health Service workforce is ageing, and the specific needs of this sector of its workforce need to be addressed. Nursing, and midwifery shortage is a worldwide issue, and with increasing demands for care the retention of older nurses and midwives is crucial. Objectives: To report on the employment experiences of nurses and midwives with it particular focus on issues relating to age, ethnicity, ill-health and disability. Design: The postal survey was developed following a literature review and analysis of National Health Service and Government policy documents. Settings: This was a UK-wide Survey of nurses and midwives working in National Health Service Trusts and Primary Care Trusts. Participants/methods: A postal Survey of nurses and midwives was undertaken between May and December 2005. National Health Service Trusts and Primary Care Trusts (n = 44) identified as having policies relevant to the Study were contacted regarding the procedure for seeking research governance approval. Thirteen National Health Service Trusts and Primary Care Trusts participated, with 2610 surveys distributed; 510 Surveys were returned (20% response rate). Results: Nurses and midwives aged 50 years and over had undertaken fewer Continuing Professional Development activities than nurses and midwives Under 50. Whilst not related to age, the study also found that 20% of the survey sample reported experiencing some form of discrimination. Nurses and midwives did not differ on either quality of life or psychological health using standard instruments. Having a disability did not lead to greater psychological morbidity but did have a negative effect on quality of life. Having a work-related illness had a negative impact on both quality of life and psychological morbidity. hi relation to ethnicity, black nurses and midwives reported lower psychological morbidity than other ethnic groups; that is, they enjoyed a higher level of mental well-being. Conclusion: The nursing and midwifery workforce is ageing worldwide with a significant proportion now approaching, or having already reached, potential retirement age. With the recent introduction of the age legislation the working lives of older nurses and midwives in the National Health Service have never been more relevant. Whilst access to Continuing Professional Development is pertinent to the retention of nurses and midwives of all ages, in this study, older nurses reported less access that younger nurses. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Using NDVI and EVI to Map Spatiotemporal Variation in the Biomass and Quality of Forage for Migratory Elk in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) have gained considerable attention in ecological research and management as proxies for landscape-scale vegetation quantity and quality. In the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE), these indices are especially important for mapping spatiotemporal variation in the forage available to migratory elk (Cervus elaphus). Here, we examined how the accuracy of using MODIS-derived NDVI and EVI as proxies for forage biomass and quality differed across elevation-related phenology and land use gradients, determined if polynomial NDVI/EVI, site, and season effects improved these models, and then mapped spatiotemporal variation in the abundance of high quality forage available to elk across the Upper Yellowstone River Basin (UYRB) of the GYE. Models with a polynomial NDVI effect explained 19%–55% more variation in biomass than the linear NDVI and EVI models. Models with linear season effect explained 14%–20% more variation in chlorophyll, 37%–69% more variation in crude protein, and 26%–50% more variation in in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) than the linear NDVI and EVI models. Linear NDVI models explained more variation in biomass and quality across the UYRB than the linear EVI models. The accuracy of these models was lowest in grasslands with late onset of growth, in irrigated agriculture, and after the peak in biomass. Forage biomass and quality varied across the elevation-related phenology and land use gradients in the UYRB throughout the season. At their seasonal peak, the abundance of high quality forage for elk was 50% greater in grasslands with late onset of growth and 200% greater in irrigated agriculture than in all other grasslands, suggesting that these grasslands play an especially important role in the movement and fitness of migratory elk. These results provide novel information on the utility of NDVI and EVI for mapping spatiotemporal patterns of forage biomass and quality