Evidence of the Trade-Off between Starvation and Predation Risks in Ducks

The theory of trade-off between starvation and predation risks predicts a decrease in body mass in order to improve flight performance when facing high predation risk. To date, this trade-off has mainly been validated in passerines, birds that store limited body reserves for short-term use. In the largest avian species in which the trade-off has been investigated (the mallard, Anas platyrhynchos), the slope of the relationship between mass and flight performance was steeper in proportion to lean body mass than in passerines. In order to verify whether the same case can be applied to other birds with large body reserves, we analyzed the response to this trade-off in two other duck species, the common teal (Anas crecca) and the tufted duck (Aythya fuligula). Predation risk was simulated by disturbing birds. Ducks within disturbed groups were compared to non-disturbed control birds. In disturbed groups, both species showed a much greater decrease in food intake and body mass during the period of simulated high risk than those observed in the control group. This loss of body mass allows reaching a more favourable wing loading and increases power for flight, hence enhancing flight performances and reducing predation risk. Moreover, body mass loss and power margin gain in both species were higher than in passerines, as observed in mallards. Our results suggest that the starvation-predation risk trade-off is one of the major life history traits underlying body mass adjustments, and these findings can be generalized to all birds facing predation. Additionally, the response magnitude seems to be influenced by the strategy of body reserve management

Oeverwinning langs de IJssel

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Landscape in the round – towards a circular rural-urban agenda

Going beyond the traditional naturebased solutions, this paper claims thata landscape-based planning approachshould be introduced, solving regionalplanning problems by emphasising thespatial dimension, the specific timehorizon considered and the interactionof all sectoral considerations of boththe urban and rural landscapes. Thiswould allow a circular landscape todevelop, revitalising the liveability of thecountryside, adapting to and structurallycounteracting climate change andbiodiversity decrease. Thus, a landscapebased planning approach to regionalspatial policy challenges should allow atransition to a rural-urban space resilientto various external pressures

Long-term Visioning for Landscape-based Spatial Planning – Experiences from Two Regional Cases in The Netherlands

Normative scenarios for long-term (e.g., 100 years) landscape development can be very inspiring to imagine outside the box landscape futures, without being obliged to define concrete policy objectives for the shorter term. However, it remains challenging to translate such long-term visions into clear transition pathways. We draw upon a landscape-based design approach to local spatial planning to foster a transition to a well-functioning landscape, resilient to various external pressures. Inspired by a national visioning exercise for the Netherlands in 2120, two local case studies at municipal level in the Netherlands are analysed, aiming to identify in what ways the setup of a regional landscape-based design study using future visions can optimise the spatial planning process. Therefore, this comparative case study analysed the cases on the landscape-based approach, the design process, and the future visions formulated. The comparison shows that fostering abiotic differences safeguards sustainable and resilient landscapes; moreover, co-creation relying on representative local actors appears fundamental for shared solutions, while a landscape-based approach guarantees transitions to adaptive and biodiverse landscapes. We conclude that a shared long-term future landscape vision is a crucial source of inspiration to solve today’s spatial planning problems. The constellation of the stakeholder group involved and the methodological setup of a visioning process are determinative for the way a long-term vision is suited to informing spatial planning for a sustainable future

Het ronde landschap : Landschapsgestuurde klimaatadaptatie, natuur-inclusief en circulair

A landscape-based approach to climate adaptation: nature-inclusive and circular. In a context of a rapidly changing liveability of the countryside, of climate change and biodiversity decrease, this position paper introduces a landscape-based planning approach to regional spatial policy challenges allowing a transition to a countryside resilient to various external pressures. Rather than as an object in itself, the landscape is considered as a comprehensive principle, to which all spatial processes are inherently related. We focus on climate adaptation, biodiversity enhancement and circular resource management as interrelated key responses to today’s challenges of land use planning and management. The position paper gives several examples of solutions to regional planning problems that go beyond the traditional nature-based solutions, emphasising the spatial dimension, the specific time horizon considered and the interaction of all sectoral considerations of urban and rural landscape. A shared long term vision of what our future landscape should look like is a crucial source of inspiration for a coherent design approach to solve today’s spatial planning problems; it gives direction to the technical-economic preconditions for sustainable landscape development, such as drainage standards and environmental quality. This landscape-based planning approach allows professionals, researchers, stakeholders and citizens alike, to participate in a shared forward looking normative design. It will enable the definition of clear pathways to the shared future

Virtual environment application that complements the treatment of dyslexia (VEATD) in children

The educational disorders that children present at an early age can cause them to not fully develop throughout their lives. In this research work a 3D virtual system that allows the child who has been diagnosed with dyslexia to complement the exercises performed in a conventional therapy is described. To achieve this an application was developed, the app consists of two games (each with three levels of difficulty), and that are part of the rehabilitation program. In each of these games virtual objects are combined with auditory messages to provide the user with an immersive experience, and to train more than one sense at a time. In the first game task, the activity asks the children to correctly locate the syllables that compose a word and for the second activity the children will listen to a word, after the games asks the children to select the correct word. This tool has been tested by a group of children (eight), with ages ranging from 8 to 12 years old, whose development can be supervised at home by their parents, since it is an intuitive and easy to use interface. The results obtained are stored in a database and in this way the medical specialist can monitor the progress of the child throughout his treatment. For the validation of this proposal the SUS usability test was used. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020