Spring migration of Black-tailed Godwits in Iberia 2015:Mission Report Sado, Tejo and Extremadura

In 2004 the University of Groningen has started a long-term demographic project on a partly colourringed breeding population of Black-tailed Godwits Limosa limosa in SW Friesland, The Netherlands (readmore on http://www.rug.nl/research/gelifes/ceg/_piersma/meadow-birds). Mainly from Decemberonwards, Black-tailed Godwits leave their wintering areas in West-Africa to stopover areas in southernIberia. Here they are confined to three main areas: Doñana NP and Extremadura in Spain and the ricefields surrounding the Tejo and Sado estuaries near Lisbon in Portugal. Resighting color marked birdsduring the stopover period is necessary for several reasons. Firstly, if a godwit disperses outside ourstudy area, the chance that it will be resighted elsewhere in The Netherlands is small. Without theresightings in the stopover area, we would assume that this individual is dead and thereforeunderestimate annual survival. Secondly, with enough resightings in the Iberian Peninsula we cancalculate seasonal survival. In other words, we can calculate in which period mortalities occur moreoften. Thirdly, by measuring the density of individuals with colour marks, we can monitor the populationsize of the western European part of the Black-tailed Godwit population. Below you will find a summaryand detailed day-to-day trip report of our work in Portugal and Extremadura in 2015

Spring migration of Black-tailed Godwits in Iberia 2014:Mission Report Sado, Tejo and Extremadura

In 2004 the University of Groningen has started a long-term demographic project on a partly colour-ringed breeding population of Black-tailed Godwits Limosa limosa in SW Friesland, The Netherlands(read more on http://www.rug.nl/research/animal-ecology/research/piersma-lab/meadow-birds).From half December onwards, Black-tailed Godwits leave their wintering areas in West-Africa to theirstopover areas in southern Iberia. Here they are confined to three main areas: Doñana NP andExtremadura in Spain and the rice fields surrounding the Tejo and Sado estuaries near Lisbon inPortugal. Resighting color marked birds during the stopover period is necessary for several reasons.Firstly, if a godwit disperses outside our study area, the chance that it will be resighted elsewhere inThe Netherlands is small. Without the resightings in the stopover area, we would assume that thisindividual is dead and therefore underestimate annual survival. Secondly, with enough resightings inthe Iberian Peninsula we can calculate seasonal survival. In other words, we can calculate in whichperiod mortalities occur more often. Thirdly, by measuring the density of individuals with colourmarks, we can monitor the population size of the western European part of the Black-tailed Godwitpopulation. Below you will find a summary and detailed day-to-day trip report of our work inPortugal and Extremadura in 2014

Darwin’s wind hypothesis: does it work for plant dispersal in fragmented habitats?

Using the wind-dispersed plant Mycelis muralis, we examined how landscape fragmentation affects variation in seed traits contributing to dispersal. Inverse terminal velocity (Vt−1) of field-collected achenes was used as a proxy for individual seed dispersal ability. We related this measure to different metrics of landscape connectivity, at two spatial scales: in a detailed analysis of eight landscapes in Spain and along a latitudinal gradient using 29 landscapes across three European regions. In the highly patchy Spanish landscapes, seed Vt−1 increased significantly with increasing connectivity. A common garden experiment suggested that differences in Vt−1 may be in part genetically based. The Vt−1 was also found to increase with landscape occupancy, a coarser measure of connectivity, on a much broader (European) scale. Finally, Vt−1 was found to increase along a south–north latitudinal gradient. Our results for M. muralis are consistent with ‘Darwin’s wind dispersal hypothesis’ that high cost of dispersal may select for lower dispersal ability in fragmented landscapes, as well as with the ‘leading edge hypothesis’ that most recently colonized populations harbour more dispersive phenotypes.

Conflict in the Indian Kashmir Valley II: psychosocial impact

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: India and Pakistan have disputed ownership of the Kashmir Valley region for many years, resulting in high level of exposure to violence among the civilian population of Kashmir (India). A survey was done as part of routine programme evaluation to assess confrontation with violence and its consequences on mental health, health service usage, and socio-economic functioning. METHODS: We undertook a two-stage cluster household survey in two districts of Kashmir (India) using questionnaires adapted from other conflict areas. Analysis was stratified for gender. RESULTS: Over one-third of respondents (n=510) were found to have symptoms of psychological distress (33.3%, CI: 28.3-38.4); women scored significantly higher (OR 2.5; CI: 1.7-3.6). A third of respondents had contemplated suicide (33.3%, CI: 28.3-38.4). Feelings of insecurity were associated with higher levels of psychological distress for both genders (males: OR 2.4, CI: 1.3-4.4; females: OR 1.9, CI: 1.1-3.3). Among males, violation of modesty, (OR 3.3, CI: 1.6-6.8), forced displacement, (OR 3.5, CI: 1.7-7.1), and physical disability resulting from violence (OR 2.7, CI: 1.2-5.9) were associated with greater levels of psychological distress; for women, risk factors for psychological distress included dependency on others for daily living (OR 2.4, CI: 1.3-4.8), the witnessing of killing (OR 1.9, CI: 1.1-3.4), and torture (OR 2.1, CI: 1.2-3.7). Self-rated poor health (male: OR 4.4, CI: 2.4-8.1; female: OR 3.4, CI: 2.0-5.8) and being unable to work (male: OR 6.7, CI: 3.5-13.0; female: OR 2.6, CI: 1.5-4.4) were associated with mental distress. CONCLUSIONS: The ongoing conflict exacts a huge toll on the communities' mental well-being. We found high levels of psychological distress that impacts on daily life and places a burden on the health system. Ongoing feelings of personal vulnerability (not feeling safe) were associated with high levels of psychological distress. Community mental health programmes should be considered as a way reduce the pressure on the health system and improve socio-economic functioning of those suffering from mental health problems