Effects of removal of seagrass canopy on assemblages of small motile invertebrates

Copyright © 1995 Inter-Research.To test the importance of seagrass canopy to epifaunal invertebrates in a southern Australian estuary, patches of the short, fine-leaved seagrass Zostera muelleri Irmisch ex Aschers. were cleared of canopy. All other factors were known to be consistent with seagrass presence, and a procedural control was used to measure any effects of the method used to remove seagrass. Effects on epifauna were measured as changes in abundance and biomass of key taxa and in total production, and as differences amongst assemblages, tested using an analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) randomisation routine. Removal of seagrass canopy had a weak but detectable effect on epifauna over and above the slight effect caused by the disturbance concomitant with seagrass removal. Epifauna associated with habitat from which seagrass had been removed did not, however, match that from areas unvegetated prior to the experiment. The epifauna from these previously unvegetated areas were characterised by low abundance and biomass of several key taxa, apart from 1 group, cumaceans, which were far more common in this habitat. The results suggest that the overriding importance of Z. muelleri to epifauna is not simply the presence of seagrass canopy, and explanations of the higher abundance of epifaunal invertebrates in vegetated compared to unvegetated habitats based merely on the presence of seagrass canopy are not supported.Rod M. Connoll

Use of another Driver or other form of Transport by People of an Advanced Age

Background: A comparable number of advanced aged New Zealand Maori and non-Maori are presently driven by someone else or use other forms of transport.Method: Everyday Interests and Activities – Transport subsection of the LiLAC study provided the question area for analysis. Enquiry focused on whether older people did use private car transport driven by someone else, were questioned who was their most regular driver, how often did someone else drive them in a typical week and what distance they drove in a typical journey, whether they had used other forms of transportation, if they had problems obtaining their groceries and did they provide transport in the form of car/assistance for others Methods of analysis included binomial logistic regression, chi-square test for association, ordinal logistic regression, Mann-Whitney U test and descriptive analysis.Results: Participants totaled 931 with 421 New Zealand Maori and 510 New Zealand Maori non-Maori.New Zealand Maori: A higher ratio of New Zealand Maori males were transported making use of their daughter. Most of such trips were made only once a week with more males travelling between 1.5-20.5 kilometres, while both males and females covered longer distances of 25.5-80+ kilometres. New Zealand Maori were not seen to have not made use of other forms of transport in the last twelve months and very rarely had any problem obtaining their groceries. New Zealand Maori females aided other members of the family, while New Zealand Maori males provided such a service to people outside of their family.New Zealand non-Maori: Similarly, New Zealand non-Maori males were also seen to have made greater use of private transport provided by their daughter. In comparison there was almost a 50:50 split between those New Zealand non-Maori females who did and those who did-not make use of such a service. Of those who did such a service was primarily provided by their spouse followed by their daughter. Like New Zealand Maori, non-Maori New Zealanders generally only made use of such transport once a week or not at all. Trips taken by either male and female New Zealand non-Maori was firstly between 1.5-8, and then between 8.2-20.5 kilometres. More New Zealand non-Maori males had use of other forms of transport; while again there was practically a 50:50 split between those females who did and those who did not. Like New Zealand Maori, New Zealand non-Maori male and female very rarely had any problem obtaining their groceries. Both New Zealand non-Maori males and females were seen to provide care/assistance for that outside of the family. Conclusion: Although as is often expected the majority both New Zealand Maori and New Zealand non-Maori representatives were seen to utilise family (daughters and spouse) for transportation. However, use of such a provision was generally restricted to only once a week and in assessing distance, consideration also needs to be made of respondent geographical location, especially in line with placement of main services. However, despite the use of such a transportation facility independent mobility remained with both rural and urban population groups. Future older generations will have experienced a closer relationship with motor vehicle use. Consequently, any transportation policy needs to be designed in line with sustaining the provision of goods, services, employment, social opportunities and membership of the community

Driving and Advanced Age

Background: Advanced aged people continue to use their vehicles, utlising them for a wide variety of purposes. Within that age group female drivers from both New Zealand Maori and non-Maori are predominantly noticeable. Method: Following the first wave of the LiLAC Study the present study examined the results of the Transport and Nottingham Extended Activities of Daily Living sub-sections involving New Zealand Maori aged between 75-95 years and non-Maori participants only aged 85 years. Questions asked of the recipients involved whether they had ever driven, did the still drive, how often and how far they drove in a typical week; and why they drove. Analysis of the results were conducted using a scaled questionnaire, binomial logistic regression, chi-square tests for association, ordinal logistic regression and descriptive analysis.Results: Participant number totalled 931 with 421 New Zealand Maori and 510 New Zealand Maori non-Maori. New Zealand Maori: Nearly double the number of females had ever driven. Of those who do drive both male (73) and female (69) indicated that they did, although females also offered the service of driving to both family and non-family members. Females also presented 1.028 higher odds of having ever driven a car. However, as New Zealand Maori aged a reduction in having ever driven was shown in the results (0.688). Typical weekly use of the car by New Zealand Maori males was grouped (p-value = 0.063), whereas female Maori took the car out daily. Increase in age was found not to be associated with how often New Zealand Maori drove. The odds ratio of Maori males was greater than that of females (p-value = 0.463), similarly with age (p-value = 0.192). In comparison both male and female covered a wide distance, although most noticeable were ones made 1.5-25 kilometres.New Zealand non-Maori: New Zealand non-Maori like New Zealand Maori females were also in the majority as to the number having ever driven. Of those still driving a higher number of males (154) compared to female (136) non-Maori were shown to be still driving. However, unlike New Zealand Maori, none of the non-Maori indicated that they offered their driving services to someone else. Typical weekly driving scores between male and female were not statistically significant different (p = 0.201). Median driving distances for male and female were the same (3.00). A varied use of the car was apparent by both New Zealand Maori and non-Maori.Conclusion: Maintaining independence is of primary concern to both New Zealand Maori and non-Maori. To enable this population group to remain as a contributing part of their community further research is required into their decision making, the licensing procedure and surrounding support facilities

Government Policy on Transport Options Directed towards the Advanced Age

Background: Response was noteworthy by both gender and cultural grouping New Zealand Maori and non-Maori to the question of transport options for older people.Method: Respondents were asked to rate government policy along a scale of very unhappy-to- very happy. These results were then analysed using ordinal logistic regression, Mann Whitney U test and descriptive analysis.Results: Participants totalled 931 with 421 New Zealand Maori and 510 New Zealand Maori non-Maori.New Zealand Maori: Within the three age categories (83-86, 87-89 & 90-93) it was New Zealand Maori males aged between 87-89 years followed by 83-86 years who indicated that they were predominantly happy or neither happy/unhappy with government policy. Males aged between 90-93 years were also very happy or had a marginal view of the legislation. For New Zealand Maori females instead a comparable number of those aged between 83-86 years view indicated that they either very happy to being neither happy or unhappy with the policy. Whereas for the next age grouping (87-89 years) their opinion reduced slightly to those who were either happy or neither happy/unhappy. A position similarly held by New Zealand Maori females aged 90 years plus.New Zealand non-Maori: Both New Zealand non-Maori male and female results demonstrated a similar pattern with them being mainly happy with the legislation, then neither happy or unhappy to being very happy. Conclusion: Generally it could be said that results from both New Zealand Maori and non-Maori were relatively impartial towards government transport legislation sitting either on the fence or just slightly above

Current and Prospective Radiation Detection Systems, Screening Infrastructure and Interpretive Algorithms for the Non-Intrusive Screening of Shipping Container Cargo:A Review

The non-intrusive screening of shipping containers at national borders serves as a prominent and vital component in deterring and detecting the illicit transportation of radioactive and/or nuclear materials which could be used for malicious and highly damaging purposes. Screening systems for this purpose must be designed to efficiently detect and identify material that could be used to fabricate radiological dispersal or improvised nuclear explosive devices, while having minimal impact on the flow of cargo and also being affordable for widespread implementation. As part of current screening systems, shipping containers, offloaded from increasingly large cargo ships, are driven through radiation portal monitors comprising plastic scintillators for gamma detection and separate, typically 3He-based, neutron detectors. Such polyvinyl-toluene plastic-based scintillators enable screening systems to meet detection sensitivity standards owing to their economical manufacturing in large sizes, producing high-geometric-efficiency detectors. However, their poor energy resolution fundamentally limits the screening system to making binary “source” or “no source” decisions. To surpass the current capabilities, future generations of shipping container screening systems should be capable of rapid radionuclide identification, activity estimation and source localisation, without inhibiting container transportation. This review considers the physical properties of screening systems (including detector materials, sizes and positions) as well as the data collection and processing algorithms they employ to identify illicit radioactive or nuclear materials. The future aim is to surpass the current capabilities by developing advanced screening systems capable of characterising radioactive or nuclear materials that may be concealed within shipping containers

People of Advanced Age Who Have either Ceased Driving or Have Never Driven at all

Background: A comparable number of advanced aged New Zealand Maori and non-Maori are either still driving, have decided to cease to drive or have never driven. However regardless of which ever group they may fall into there remains a high degree of independence. Method: Under the Transport, Nottingham Extended Activities of Daily Living and Screen II, Neighbourhood subsections questions were directed towards whether the sample group had ever driven, when they stopped driving and why they had decided to cease driving; were they able to get in/out of their car, have any problems obtaining groceries and difficulties in going to their shops. Methods of analysis included binomial logistic regression, chi-square lest for association, ordinal logistic regression analysis, Mann -Whitney U test, questionnaire and descriptive analysis.Results: Participants totalled 931 with 421 New Zealand Maori and 510 New Zealand Maori non-Maori.New Zealand Maori: New Zealand Maori aged between 83-86 years presented the highest figures for those found to be (still) driving. Overall New Zealand Maori females also had 1.028 times higher odds of having ever driven compared to that of New Zealand Maori males. Those that had ceased driving both New Zealand Maori males and females had made that decision more than twelve months ago (with the most notable number being 88 years of age). Despite a list of possible reasons for ceasing to drive it was personal motivation supplied by respondents that presented a more detailed/informative picture. Both male and female indicated that did get in and out of their car on the own or with difficulty. Of those that did not, it was New Zealand Maori females who made use of outside family members or external sources rather than close family/closer relations. New Zealand Maori males indicated that they either never or rarely had any problems in obtaining their groceries compared to the greater number of New Zealand Maori females. Primarily New Zealand Maori males and females indicated that transporting themselves to the shops was not a problem for them. New Zealand Maori males also walked, were as New Zealand Maori females obtained help. Reasons given for any complications New Zealand Maori males highlighted lack of public transport while New Zealand Maori females said it was due to their health.New Zealand non-Maori: Similarly, the results of New Zealand non-Maori females also offered greater numbers in those who either continued or had ceased driving. Of those who had stopped driving both New Zealand non-Maori males and females had also made that decision more than twelve months ago. Likewise, with personal incentives being the prime cause behind their decision. New Zealand non-Maori also indicated that they could get in and out of their car on their own or with difficulty. However, some males did go on to say that they did utilise family or household members; whereas females made use of outside help. A lack of transport was particularly identified by the New Zealand non-Maori males when asked about problem in obtaining groceries. Both New Zealand non-Maori males and females expressed health concerns as being their prime reason for having difficulty in getting to their shops. However, females also indicated a feeling of being unsafe, inadequate footpaths and or public transport.Conclusion: Ceasing to drive primarily resulted through personal motivation with the decision being made generally more than twelve months ago. Continued transportation of themselves to required destinations was not a problem but respondents did indicate possible consequences such as health, lack of public transport facilities, inadequate amenities and unsafe environment

Public Transport Used by People of Advanced Age

Background: Both New Zealand M?ori and non-Maori males were most notable in the number who did not make use of public transport in the last twelve months. Method: Transport subsection of the LiLAC study provided the question area for analysis. Enquiry focused on whether older people had travelled on public transport in the last twelve months, how often they made use of the service and why they did not employ such facility. Methods of analysis included binomial logistic regression, Mann-Whitney U test, regression analysis and descriptive analysis.Results: Participants totaled 931 with 421 New Zealand Maori and 510 New Zealand Maori non-Maori.New Zealand Maori: The greater majority of New Zealand Maori signified that they did not use public transport. Of those that did, it was the females either on their own or with some difficulty. Of those that had engaged the service, (83-88 years), it was only once a week. Reasons given for not using public transport comprised primarily revolved around personal choice and knowledge of possible facilities. Other reasons given included continued use of a car, again not wanting to, no available facilities, family, health and the use of other methods of transportation.New Zealand non-Maori: A significant number of male New Zealand non-Maori indicated that had not used the service in the last twelve months. Although of those that did, a comparable number of both male and female non-Maori had similarly either completed the journey on their own or with difficulty. When asked how often they used the service, the majority indicated that they did not. Reasons being routes either not going where respondents wanted or needed to go; and females expressing concern about accessible bus stops or were inconvenient to use. Conclusion: National and/or local government have the opportunity to make improvements in route design, scheduling and diversity in type of bus being made available with the present and future growth of the older population. Also, in line with future developments such authorities could similarly work in conjunction with other providers such as service groups like Lions and Rotary; Retired Serviceman/women Association, Workingmen’s Clubs, Age Concern, Driving Miss Daisy, private organisations, taxi firms, or the provision of Uber sharing, in considering the type and style of public transport being made available to the public

Cross-Identification Performance from Simulated Detections: GALEX and SDSS

We investigate the quality of associations of astronomical sources from multi-wavelength observations using simulated detections that are realistic in terms of their astrometric accuracy, small-scale clustering properties and selection functions. We present a general method to build such mock catalogs for studying associations, and compare the statistics of cross-identifications based on angular separation and Bayesian probability criteria. In particular, we focus on the highly relevant problem of cross-correlating the ultraviolet Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) and optical Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) surveys. Using refined simulations of the relevant catalogs, we find that the probability thresholds yield lower contamination of false associations, and are more efficient than angular separation. Our study presents a set of recommended criteria to construct reliable cross-match catalogs between SDSS and GALEX with minimal artifacts.Comment: 7 pages, 9 figures; ApJ in pres