Resources and predation: drivers of sociality in a cyclic mesopredator

In socially fexible species, the tendency to live in groups is expected to vary through a trade-of between costs and benefts, determined by ecological conditions. The Resource Dispersion Hypothesis predicts that group size changes in response to patterns in resource availability. An additional dimension is described in Hersteinsson’s model positing that sociality is further afected by a cost–beneft trade-of related to predation pressure. In the arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus), group-living follows a regional trade-of in resources’ availability and intra-guild predation pressure. However, the efect of local fuctuations is poorly known, but ofers an unusual opportunity to test predictions that difer between the two hypotheses in systems where prey availability is linked to intra-guild predation. Based on 17-year monitoring of arctic fox and cyclic rodent prey populations, we addressed the Resource Dispersion Hypothesis and discuss the results in relation to the impact of predation in Hersteinsson’s model. Group-living increased with prey density, from 7.7% (low density) to 28% (high density). However, it remained high (44%) despite a rodent crash and this could be explained by increased benefts from cooperative defence against prey switching by top predators. We conclude that both resource abundance and predation pressure are factors underpinning the formation of social groups in fuctuating ecosystems.publishedVersio

Genomic Consequences of Fragmentation in the Endangered Fennoscandian Arctic Fox (Vulpes lagopus)

Accelerating climate change is causing severe habitat fragmentation in the Arctic, threatening the persistence of many cold-adapted species. The Scandinavian arctic fox (V. lagopus) is highly fragmented, with a once continuous, circumpolar distribution, it struggled to recover from a demographic bottleneck in the late 19th century. The future persistence of the entire Scandinavian population is highly dependent on the northernmost Fennoscandian subpopulations (Scandinavia and the Kola Peninsula), to provide a link to the viable Siberian population. By analyzing 43 arctic fox genomes, we quantified genomic variation and inbreeding in these populations. Signatures of genome erosion increased from Siberia to northern Sweden indicating a stepping-stone model of connectivity. In northern Fennoscandia, runs of homozygosity (ROH) were on average ~1.47-fold longer than ROH found in Siberia, stretching almost entire scaffolds. Moreover, consistent with recent inbreeding, northern Fennoscandia harbored more homozygous deleterious mutations, whereas Siberia had more in heterozygous state. This study underlines the value of documenting genome erosion following population fragmentation to identify areas requiring conservation priority. With the increasing fragmentation and isolation of Arctic habitats due to global warming, understanding the genomic and demographic consequences is vital for maintaining evolutionary potential and preventing local extinctions. inbreeding; runs of homozygosity; bottleneck; fragmentation; mutational load; conservatio

Dynamics of inbreeding and genetic rescue in a small population

Isolation at small population size can reduce individual fitness and impede population growth caused by inbreeding and genetic drift (i.e. inbreeding depression). Inbreeding depression can however be circumvented by gene flow from unrelated individuals through masking of recessive deleterious alleles and contribute to population persistence (i.e. genetic rescue). Studying these processes in natural populations across generations and under fluctuating environmental conditions however comes with major challenges. Several gaps in the knowledge thus remain regarding causes and consequences of inbreeding depression and genetic rescue in the wild. Using long term data on life history traits, combined with traditional population genetics and novel genomic techniques, we explored the dynamics of inbreeding and gene flow in the highly fragmented arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) population in Sweden. This thesis mainly focused on the southernmost subpopulation (Helagsfjällen), previously documented to suffer from inbreeding depression. Construction of a genetically verified pedigree (Chapter I and II) revealed that gene flow from three outbred male foxes released from a captive breeding station in Norway resulted in genetic rescue, expressed as elevated first year survival and breeding success in immigrant first generation offspring (F1; Chapter I). However, the rescue effect likely only lasted for one single generation, as we found no selective advantage in later descendants of immigrants (Chapter II and IV). Whole genome sequencing of a subset of individuals from the same subpopulation showed that some immigrant F2 and F3 individuals were highly inbred despite the recent outbreeding events (Chapter III). Identification of putative deleterious variation within coding regions suggested that the immigrants introduced a large number of strongly deleterious alleles which were absent from the native gene pool (Chapter IV and V). Expression of the deleterious variation introduced may explain the low persistence of genetic rescue. We also found a negative relationship between the amount of homozygous strongly deleterious mutations and individual fitness (Chapter IV) and may be an important cause of inbreeding depression in the Swedish arctic fox. Finally, when replicating the study of genomic consequences of inbreeding and gene flow, by including an additional Swedish subpopulation (Vindelfjällen) located further north, we found contrasting patterns between the two subpopulations. While inbreeding decreased in both Helagsfjällen and Vindelfjällen following immigration, the proportion of deleterious variation increased in Helagsfjällen but not in Vindelfjällen. A potential explanation could be more regular gene flow between northern located subpopulations compared to the more geographically isolated population in Helagsfjällen, which may instead have purged a subset of strongly deleterious variation pre immigration. The results from this thesis highlight the transient nature of genetic rescue and the importance to study fitness and genetic effects of gene flow across several generations, as immigration could have negative consequences that are not manifested initially. Finally, as the effects of gene flow can be highly context dependent, demographic histories and functional genetic variation in both source and target populations should be considered before making translocation decisions for conservation purposes

Dynamics of inbreeding and genetic rescue in a small population

Isolation at small population size can reduce individual fitness and impede population growth caused by inbreeding and genetic drift (i.e. inbreeding depression). Inbreeding depression can however be circumvented by gene flow from unrelated individuals through masking of recessive deleterious alleles and contribute to population persistence (i.e. genetic rescue). Studying these processes in natural populations across generations and under fluctuating environmental conditions however comes with major challenges. Several gaps in the knowledge thus remain regarding causes and consequences of inbreeding depression and genetic rescue in the wild. Using long term data on life history traits, combined with traditional population genetics and novel genomic techniques, we explored the dynamics of inbreeding and gene flow in the highly fragmented arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) population in Sweden. This thesis mainly focused on the southernmost subpopulation (Helagsfjällen), previously documented to suffer from inbreeding depression. Construction of a genetically verified pedigree (Chapter I and II) revealed that gene flow from three outbred male foxes released from a captive breeding station in Norway resulted in genetic rescue, expressed as elevated first year survival and breeding success in immigrant first generation offspring (F1; Chapter I). However, the rescue effect likely only lasted for one single generation, as we found no selective advantage in later descendants of immigrants (Chapter II and IV). Whole genome sequencing of a subset of individuals from the same subpopulation showed that some immigrant F2 and F3 individuals were highly inbred despite the recent outbreeding events (Chapter III). Identification of putative deleterious variation within coding regions suggested that the immigrants introduced a large number of strongly deleterious alleles which were absent from the native gene pool (Chapter IV and V). Expression of the deleterious variation introduced may explain the low persistence of genetic rescue. We also found a negative relationship between the amount of homozygous strongly deleterious mutations and individual fitness (Chapter IV) and may be an important cause of inbreeding depression in the Swedish arctic fox. Finally, when replicating the study of genomic consequences of inbreeding and gene flow, by including an additional Swedish subpopulation (Vindelfjällen) located further north, we found contrasting patterns between the two subpopulations. While inbreeding decreased in both Helagsfjällen and Vindelfjällen following immigration, the proportion of deleterious variation increased in Helagsfjällen but not in Vindelfjällen. A potential explanation could be more regular gene flow between northern located subpopulations compared to the more geographically isolated population in Helagsfjällen, which may instead have purged a subset of strongly deleterious variation pre immigration. The results from this thesis highlight the transient nature of genetic rescue and the importance to study fitness and genetic effects of gene flow across several generations, as immigration could have negative consequences that are not manifested initially. Finally, as the effects of gene flow can be highly context dependent, demographic histories and functional genetic variation in both source and target populations should be considered before making translocation decisions for conservation purposes

Sjuksköterskors tillämpning av personcentrerad vård i vården av äldre personer inom kommunal hemsjukvård

Bakgrund    Enligt Sveriges Kommuner och Landsting så ska vårdpersonal inom regioner, kommuner och landsting arbeta för införandet av personcentrerad vård (PCV) som arbetssätt. PCV har tre grundpelare: partnerskap, patientberättelse samt dokumentation. Vårda i samråd med personen som behöver vård är grunden i hela den personcentrerade vården. Syfte                                   Syftet med studien var att beskriva sjuksköterskans tillämpning av personcentrerad vård inom den kommunala hemsjukvården i vården av personer 65 år och äldre. Metod                                 Studien har en beskrivande design med kvalitativ ansats. Huvudresultat                   Ingen av de inkluderade kommunerna tillämpade PCV fullt ut idag. De förutsättningar för en god PCV som sjuksköterskorna beskrev var att de arbetade för att ha personen i fokus. De försökte också skapa en relation till personen och dess anhöriga genom kontinuitet, partnerskap och patientens levnadsberättelse. Hinder för att kunna tillämpa PCV var brist på organisatorisk ledning gällande PCV, bristande kontinuitet, tidsbrist och orealistiska önskemål från personen samt kunskapsbrist om PCV.   Slutsats                              Sjuksköterskorna saknar kunskap om vad PCV innebär inom kommunal hemsjukvård och hur PCV skall tillämpas i det dagliga vårdarbetet. Studien visade på att det är ledningen som präglar vilken vård som ges till dem som vårdades. En ledning som guidar, stöttar och ger förutsättningar till sina sjuksköterskor för att de skall kunna tillämpa PCV är den största förutsättningen för att PCV skall kunna implementeras inom den kommunala hemsjukvården. Det borde vara en rättighet för alla som vårdas att få PCV.Background                  According to the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions should all healthcare professionals within the regions, municipalities and county council work for an introduction of person-centered care (PCC). PCC has three fundamental pillars: partnership, the patient´s story and documentation. Healthcare should be in agreement with the person needing care, it´s the foundation of PCC. Objective                      The objective of the study was to describe the nurse's application of person-centered care in the municipal home healthcare in the care of people aged 65 years and older. Method                              The study has a descriptive design with a qualitative approach. Main results                      The results showed that none of the participating municipalities applied PCC to full extend currently in daily work. The nurses described good conditions for PCC like having focus on the person. The nurses also tried to create a relationship with the patient and their relatives, through continuity, partnership and patient´s life story. The study identified obstacles in the application of PCC like lack of organizational management, continuity and time, unrealistic requests of care from the person and knowledge deficit regarding PCC. Conclusion                         The nurses within municipal home healthcare lacked knowledge regarding PCC and how to apply PCC in daily work. The study showed that it is the management who characterizes the care given. In the application of PCC a necessity is a management who guides, supports and offers relevant conditions for PCC to the nurses. It should be a right for all people receiving care to obtain PCC

Vision and Reality in the Öresund Collaboration : Research report on collaboration and potential för development in the Öresund region

This report looks at some of the progress made in the Öresund collaboration since the building of the Öresund Bridge. The extent of exchange and collaboration in the Öresund region has increased drastically. The long-distance, primarily passing traffic has been redirected along a new path and has grown. The Öresund Bridge is a successful project in itself, both technically and financially, with a stable economic situation which in the long term will also generate a financial surplus. The Öresund collaboration thus shows positive signs in all material respects. At the same time, there is a common view in the Öresund region that the collaboration should have progressed further. We perceive this as widespread frustration over the situation and in the development of the collaboration in the Öresund region. There is a question of whether something has been done wrong, if it’s possible to think and act differently, and how to proceed in the future. This is the focus of the analysis of the Öresund collaboration carried out by the KTH Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in this project for Region Skåne. We believe the frustration and impatience of many actors in the Öresund region is a result of the sometimes very high expectations, as well as the potential for further collaboration that can be seen but not realised. The Öresund Regional Development Strategy (ÖRUS), an initiative of the Öresund Committee and in many ways relevant also for Region Skåne, is promising in many ways. However, we feel that it also risks adding to the frustration by being ambitious whilst having a relatively constrained time schedule.   One of the more significant lessons learned from the project is that the future development should be based on and surrounded by visions which are clearly formed from prevailing institutional conditions (practices, culture, laws and rules, organisational forms) and should be weighed up in terms of which forms of collaboration are appropriate and realistic in different situations. Case-specific collaboration is the way forward which we propose.  It is generally counterproductive to place excessively high requirements and expectations on collaborations in which there is no realistic basis for collaboration among the concerned actors due to a lack of commitment and ownership on their part. It is also important to remember that cooperation and collaboration (or in the most developed situations, even integration) can come in different forms; from a relatively loose coexistence to situations in which differences are evened out or of such an insignificant scope that they in no way inhibit collaboration. Here, it is important to remember that competition is one of the more developed forms of collaboration; perhaps even the ultimate sign that integration has come into being. Division of labour and specialisation are important elements of a region such as Öresund and perhaps primarily comes about in a truly competitive market model.  Here, the matter of differences being a better catalyst for integration and collaboration than similarities is an interesting part of understanding the dynamic process that is the Öresund collaboration. In situations whereby exchange rates, taxes, etc., deviate between Sweden and Denmark, the collaboration and exchange across Öresund increases, only to subside when the differences decrease. The three different areas of collaboration that KTH has studied in more detail (education and research, industry collaboration and culture) demonstrate collaboration primarily in the form of loose structures. There are relatively few examples of integration in advanced stages; something which can change via a more concrete collaboration strategy, but which may also indicate that informal collaboration is a good model which partners often prefer.  We recommend a number of concrete measures that Region Skåne should be able to implement together with other actors in the Öresund region in order to develop the collaboration.   • Short term – efficiency here and now In this timescale, efforts are primarily concentrated within the scope of the current conditions in terms of language, culture, legislation, etc. The main focus in this timescale should be the optimal use of existing resources. A great many collaborations can be considered based on these starting points, in both the public and private sectors, in order to take advantage of thus far unutilised opportunities for collaboration. This can be a matter of better planning and the utilisation of health and medical care, cultural institutions, education systems, research environments and transport infrastructure, but it may also be about improving the information provided to actors in the industry about opportunities for collaboration in the near future by e.g., helping to create social forums and networks.  We recommend as a further measure, as highlighted above, a survey of potential areas of collaboration within the areas that can be influenced in the short term. Put together a project group tasked with drawing up concrete proposals for collaboration between e.g., Copenhagen Municipality and Malmö City/Region Skåne. Collaboration in company form has proven to work in different contexts and may be worth testing in other areas.  • Medium term – creating good conditions This level is about influencing both the formal structures in terms of legislation and formal regulations for tax, social insurance, pensions, etc. These areas have been studied in-depth by the partners of the Öresund collaboration and a number of reports have been compiled. Naturally, further investment in this area is required in order to attempt to bring about measures which facilitate collaboration and exchange across Öresund.  There is potential for this is connection with the upcoming election in Sweden, where Region Skåne should endeavour to make this a prioritised measure for improving both the growth potential and labour market conditions in the Öresund region.  Another measure would be to recommend that Sweden elect a state representative tasked with working specifically with these matters. The Swedish State should perhaps have a representation office in Malmö tasked with working towards a clear reduction of the institutional border obstacles.  A more radical measure would be for Region Skåne to issue a guarantee or “collaboration guarantee” which involves the region bearing the additional costs or covering any lost benefits in terms of the social security systems and taxes that citizens of Region Skåne can receive as a result of their choice to work in Denmark. The scope and legality of the recommendation must of course be carefully examined, as well as various aspects of legal security. In the areas controlled by regional and local actors, the areas of education,research and transport infrastructure stand out as the most important in this timescale as well. The project “The Scandinavian 8 Million City”, which is currently underway and which is an endeavour to bring about a rail link between Oslo and Copenhagen and further connections in both directions, is a good example of this. The potential extension of the metro between Malmö and Copenhagen is another. One project that should be more clearly arranged in the regional strategy is the HH Tunnel (the plan for connecting Helsingborg and Elsinore/Helsingör with a fixed transport infrastructure link). The two projects ESS and MAX IV provide what are probably the best opportunities for a more structurally established collaboration across Öresund within some areas of research. Here, Region Skåne should concentrate efforts on supporting and promoting different forms of collaboration. With its base in research, the project provides the opportunity for a great many associated activities within the labour market, services and accommodation. • Long term – changing informal and cultural conditions This is perhaps the most paradoxical of the three levels or timescales in the collaboration. On one hand, most are aware that language, culture and habits are relatively deeply rooted in Swedish and Danish society respectively. We often come back to the differences we perceive from both sides in collaboration and competition between our countries. And in general we are clear about these being conditions that will only change in the long term. On the other hand, these conditions are often emphasised as inhibitive and limiting in the collaboration across Öresund. Levelling out these conditions will take time. Greater understanding of the culture that we wish to work with is however generally beneficial. Our view is that this occurs primarily via the everyday individual exchange which is based on commercial and interpersonal relationships. Measures which could be tried, however, are more active investments in linguistic comprehension between Swedish and Danish in school. However, we find other measures such as attempting to coordinate cultural life between Malmö and Copenhagen by means of government action somewhat dubious. It is probably a better and more accessible road to invest in collaboration in culture that is based on “simpler” cost minimisation/efficiency in the short-term perspective than to attempt to circumnavigate these issues and go directly to an integration model. Once again, it is likely that the hypothesis that differences spur on collaboration is a better model than attempting to organise collaboration in which there is a lack of logic for collaboration and incentive.  The findings of the report are based on a large number of interviews with actors in the Öresund region, as well as other material. A summary of the interviews is provided in an appendix to the report, which is available in Swedish.QC 20141114</p

Vision och verklighet i Öresundssamarbetet : Forskningsrapport om samarbete och utvecklingspotentialer i Öresundsregionen

Rapporten sammanfattar en utvärdering av samarbetet i Öresund mellan Sverige och Danmark sedan Öresundsbron byggdes. Samarbete inom områdena Kultur och even, Näringlivssamverakn och Utbildning och forskning studeras. Analysen görs utifrån instituttionell teori och utmynnar i rekommendationer om det fortsatta samarbetet i Öresundsregionen.Qc 20140616</p

Dataset from Genetic rescue in an inbred Arctic fox (<i>Vulpes lagopus</i>) population

Genetic and life history dat

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