Sensory Communication

Contains list of research project split into seven sections, listing researchers and grants.National Science Foundation (Grant BNS 84-11392)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 RO1 NS10916)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 RO1 NS12846)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 RO1 NS14902)National Science Foundation (Grant BNS 84-17817)National Institutes of Health (Grant 1 RO1 NS21322)National Institutes of Health (Grant 1 P01 NS23734)National Science Foundation (Grant DMC 83-32460

Toward Human-Carnivore Coexistence: Understanding Tolerance for Tigers in Bangladesh

Fostering local community tolerance for endangered carnivores, such as tigers (Panthera tigris), is a core component of many conservation strategies. Identification of antecedents of tolerance will facilitate the development of effective tolerance-building conservation action and secure local community support for, and involvement in, conservation initiatives. We use a stated preference approach for measuring tolerance, based on the ‘Wildlife Stakeholder Acceptance Capacity’ concept, to explore villagers’ tolerance levels for tigers in the Bangladesh Sundarbans, an area where, at the time of the research, human-tiger conflict was severe. We apply structural equation modeling to test an a priori defined theoretical model of tolerance and identify the experiential and psychological basis of tolerance in this community. Our results indicate that beliefs about tigers and about the perceived current tiger population trend are predictors of tolerance for tigers. Positive beliefs about tigers and a belief that the tiger population is not currently increasing are both associated with greater stated tolerance for the species. Contrary to commonly-held notions, negative experiences with tigers do not directly affect tolerance levels; instead, their effect is mediated by villagers’ beliefs about tigers and risk perceptions concerning human-tiger conflict incidents. These findings highlight a need to explore and understand the socio-psychological factors that encourage tolerance towards endangered species. Our research also demonstrates the applicability of this approach to tolerance research to a wide range of socio-economic and cultural contexts and reveals its capacity to enhance carnivore conservation efforts worldwide

The impact of biogenic carbon emissions on aerosol absorption inMexico City

In order to determine the wavelength dependence of atmospheric aerosol absorption in the Mexico City area, the absorption angstrom exponents (AAEs) were calculated from aerosol absorption measurements at seven wavelengths obtained with a seven-channel aethalometer during two field campaigns, the Mexico City Metropolitan Area study in April 2003 (MCMA 2003) and the Megacity Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations in March 2006 (MILAGRO). The AAEs varied from 0.76 to 1.56 in 2003 and from 0.54 to 1.52 in 2006. The AAE values determined in the afternoon were consistently higher than the corresponding morning values, suggesting the photochemical formation of absorbing secondary organic aerosols (SOA) in the afternoon. The AAE values were compared to stable and radiocarbon isotopic measurements of aerosol samples collected at the same time to determine the sources of the aerosol carbon. The fraction of modern carbon (fM) in the aerosol samples, as determined from {sup 14}C analysis, showed that 70% of the carbonaceous aerosols in Mexico City were from modern sources, indicating a significant impact from biomass burning during both field campaigns. The {sup 13}C/{sup 12}C ratios of the aerosol samples illustrate the significant impact of Yucatan forest fires (C-3 plants) in 2003 and local grass fires (C-4 plants) at site T1 in 2006. A direct comparison of the fM values, stable carbon isotope ratios, and calculated aerosol AAEs suggested that the wavelength dependence of the aerosol absorption was controlled by the biogenically derived aerosol components

Communications Biophysics

Contains research objectives and reports on six research projects split into three sections.National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 P01 NS13126-07)National Institutes of Health (Training Grant 5 T32 NS07047-05)National Institutes of Health (Training Grant 2 T32 NS07047-06)National Science Foundation (Grant BNS 77-16861)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 R01 NS1284606)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 T32 NS07099)National Science Foundation (Grant BNS77-21751)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 R01 NS14092-04)Gallaudet College SubcontractKarmazin Foundation through the Council for the Arts at M.I.T.National Institutes of Health (Grant 1 R01 NS1691701A1)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 R01 NS11080-06)National Institutes of Health (Grant GM-21189

Communications Biophysics

Contains reports on seven research projects split into three sections, with research objective for the final section.National Institutes of Health (Grant 2 PO1 NS 13126)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 RO1 NS 18682)National Institutes of Health (Grant 1 RO1 NS 20322)National Institutes of Health (Grant 1 RO1 NS 20269)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 T32 NS 07047)Symbion, Inc.National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 RO1 NS10916)National Institutes of Health (Grant 1 RO1 NS16917)National Science Foundation (Grant BNS83-19874)National Science Foundation (Grant BNS83-19887)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 RO1 NS12846)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 RO1 NS21322)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 RO1 NS 11080

Communication Biophysics

Contains reports on six research projects.National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 PO1 NS13126)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 RO1 NS18682)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 RO1 NS20322)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 R01 NS20269)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 T32NS 07047)Symbion, Inc.National Science Foundation (Grant BNS 83-19874)National Science Foundation (Grant BNS 83-19887)National Institutes of Health (Grant 6 RO1 NS 12846)National Institutes of Health (Grant 1 RO1 NS 21322

Communications Biophysics

Contains reports on seven research projects split into three sections.National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 PO1 NS13126)National Institutes of Health (Grant 1 RO1 NS18682)National Institutes of Health (Training Grant 5 T32 NS07047)National Science Foundation (Grant BNS77-16861)National Institutes of Health (Grant 1 F33 NS07202-01)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 RO1 NS10916)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 RO1 NS12846)National Institutes of Health (Grant 1 RO1 NS16917)National Institutes of Health (Grant 1 RO1 NS14092-05)National Science Foundation (Grant BNS 77 21751)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 R01 NS11080)National Institutes of Health (Grant GM-21189

Communications Biophysics

Contains research objectives and reports on eight research projects split into three sections.National Institutes of Health (Grant 2 PO1 NS13126)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 RO1 NS18682)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 RO1 NS20322)National Institutes of Health (Grant 1 RO1 NS 20269)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 T32 NS 07047)Symbion, Inc.National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 R01 NS10916)National Institutes of Health (Grant 1 RO NS 16917)National Science Foundation (Grant BNS83-19874)National Science Foundation (Grant BNS83-19887)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 RO1 NS12846)National Institutes of Health (Grant 1 RO1 NS21322-01)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 T32-NS07099-07)National Institutes of Health (Grant 1 RO1 NS14092-06)National Science Foundation (Grant BNS77-21751)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 RO1 NS11080