Differences in Encoding Strategy as a Potential Explanation for Age-Related Decline in Place Recognition Ability

The ability to recognise places is known to deteriorate with advancing age. In this study, we investigated the contribution of age-related changes in spatial encoding strategies to declining place recognition ability. We recorded eye movements while younger and older adults completed a place recognition task first described by Muffato et al. (2019). Participants first learned places, which were defined by an array of four objects, and then decided whether the next place they were shown was the same or different to the one they learned. Places could be shown from the same spatial perspective as during learning or from a shifted perspective (30° or 60°). Places that were different to those during learning were changed either by substituting an object in the place with a novel object or by swapping the locations of two objects. We replicated the findings of Muffato et al. (2019) showing that sensitivity to detect changes in a place declined with advancing age and declined when the spatial perspective was shifted. Additionally, older adults were particularly impaired on trials in which object locations were swapped; however, they were not differentially affected by perspective changes compared to younger adults. During place encoding, older adults produced more fixations and saccades, shorter fixation durations, and spent less time looking at objects compared to younger adults. Further, we present an analysis of gaze chaining, designed to capture spatio-temporal aspects of gaze behaviour. The chaining measure was a significant predictor of place recognition performance. We found significant differences between age groups on the chaining measure and argue that these differences in gaze behaviour are indicative of differences in encoding strategy between age groups. In summary, we report a direct replication of Muffato et al. (2019) and provide evidence for age-related differences in spatial encoding strategies, which are related to place recognition performance

Effect of Hydrologic Restoration on the Habitat of the Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow, 2008 – Final Report

This document summarizes the activities that were accomplished in 2008, the sixth year of the research project “Effect of hydrologic restoration on the habitat of the Cape Sable seaside sparrow”, a collaborative effort among the US Army Corps of Engineers, Everglades National Park, Florida International University, and the US Geological Survey (Florida Integrated Science Center). The major activities in 2008 included field work, data analysis, and presentations. Jay Sah presented the results of 6th year field work at the Cape Sable seaside sparrow (CSSS) Fire Meeting 2008, held on December 2-3 at the Krome Center, Homestead, Florida. In the same meeting, Mike Ross presented results from a related USFWS-funded project on encroachment pattern of woody plants in Cape Sable seaside sparrow habitat

The MeerKAT Galaxy Cluster Legacy Survey: I. Survey overview and highlights

Please abstract in the article.The South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), the National Research Foundation (NRF), the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, US National Science Foundation, the South African Research Chairs Initiative of the DSI/NRF, the SARAO HCD programme, the South African Research Chairs Initiative of the Department of Science and Innovation.http://www.aanda.orghj2022Physic

Sources, degassing, and contamination of CO₂, H₂O, He, Ne and Ar in basaltic glasses from Kolbeinsey Ridge, North Atlantic

New volatile data (CO₂, H₂O, He, Ne, and Ar) are presented for 24 submarine basaltic glasses from the Kolbeinsey Ridge, Tjörnes Fracture Zone and Mohns Ridge, North Atlantic. Low CO₂ and He contents indicate that magmas were strongly outgassed with the extent of degassing increasing toward the south, as expected from shallower ridge depths. Ne and Ar are significantly more abundant in the southernmost glasses than predicted for degassed melt. The strong atmospheric isotopic signal associated with this excess Ne and Ar suggests syn- or posteruptive contamination by air. Degassing, by itself, cannot generate the large variations in δ13C values of dissolved CO₂ or coupled CO₂-Ar variations. This suggests that δ13C values were also affected by some other processes, most probably melt-crust interaction. Modelling indicates that degassing had a negligible influence on water owing to its higher solubility in basaltic melt than the other volatiles. Low H₂O contents in the glasses reflect melting of a mantle source that is not water-rich relative to the source of N-MORB. Before eruption, Kolbeinsey Ridge melts contained ~400 ppm CO₂ with δ13C of -6‰, 0.1 to 0.35 wt.% H₂O, 3He/4He ~ 11 RA, and CO₂/3He of ~2 x 10⁹. We model restored volatile characteristics and find homogeneous compositions in the source of Kolbeinsey Ridge magmas. Relative to the MORB-source, He and Ne are mildly fractionated while the 40Ar/36Ar may be low. The 3He/4He ratios in Tjörnes Fracture Zone glasses are slightly higher (13.6 RA) than on Kolbeinsey Ridge, suggesting a greater contribution of Icelandic mantle from the south, but the lack of 3He/4He variation along the Kolbeinsey Ridge is inconsistent with active dispersal of Icelandic mantle beyond the Tjörnes Fracture Zone

The effects of urbanisation on coastal habitats and the potential for ecological engineering: A Singapore case study

10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2014.11.006Ocean and Coastal Management10378-8

The effects of urbanisation on coastal habitats and the potential for ecological engineering: A Singapore case study

Habitat loss associated with land reclamation and shoreline development is becoming increasingly prevalent as coastal cities expand. The majority of Singapore's mangrove forests, coral reefs and sand/mudflats disappeared between the 1920s and 1990s. Our study quantifies additional coastal transformations during the subsequent two decades, analyses the potential impact of future development plans, and synthesises the mitigation options available. Comparisons of topographical maps between 1993 and 2011 reveals declines in total cover of intertidal coral reef flats (from 17.0 km2 to 9.5 km2) and sand/mudflats has (from 8.0 km2 to 5.0 km2), largely because of extensive land reclamation. Conversely, mangrove forests have increased (from 4.8 km2 to 6.4 km2) due to restoration efforts and greater regulatory protection. However, 15 and 50-year projections based on Singapore's 2008 Master Plan and 2011 Concept Plan show that all habitats are predicted to shrink further as new reclamations are completed. Such decline may be counteracted, at least in part, if ecological engineering is used to help conserve biodiversity. The problems exemplified by Singapore, and the potential future solutions discussed in our paper, provide guidance for urban marine conservation in coastal cities that are experiencing rapid development and land use change