The macrozoobenthic community of the Santa Gilla lagoon (southern Sardinia, Italy)

1 - Macrozoobenthos is one of the most significant communities of hydrobionts for assessing the ecological state of a water body. In spite of its importance, only few data concerning the macrobenthic community of Santa Gilla lagoon are available; 2 - Santa Gilla is one of the most important wetlands in Sardinia. The aim of this study is to give data on species composition of its macrozoobenthic community; 3 - Sampling has been carried out in 2010-2011 in July, October, January and April, in three stations located along a salinity gradient and the main environmental parameters were measured; 4 - A total of 13031 specimens belonging to 92 taxonomic groups and 5 main phyla (Anellida, Mollusca, Arthropoda, Cnidaria and Nemertea) were found. Among them, 52 different taxa were collected and pointed out for the first time in Santa Gilla lagoon in this work. 5 - Finally, seasonal and space differences were observed in the abundance values of the main taxonomic groups and in the diversity indices values

Reproductive patterns in deep versus shallow populations of the precious Mediterranean gorgonian Corallium rubrum ( Linnaeus, 1758) ( Sardinia, Central-Western Mediterranean)

This study quanti es the main reproductive features of the long-lived red coral Corallium rubrum, an octocoral endemic to the Mediterranean Sea and neighbouring Atlantic areas and one of the most valuable of all marine species, at different depths (38-40 m versus 96-115 m) in the north-western Sardinian waters (Central-Western Mediterranean Sea). Different population structures were observed with shallow colonies smaller (in basal diameter and height) than deeper ones. Both populations were all gonochoric at polyp and colony level and fertile. The sex-ratio was balanced in the deep red corals while in the shallow ones it was signi cantly biased towards female. Deep and shallow colonies were found to have a synchronous female sexual products development in the two depth ranges investigated. C. rubrum produced large female sexual products in both depth intervals in relationship with its reproductive mode, con rming a long oogenic development. In contrast to reproductive timing, the volume occupied by female sexual products per polyp was different between the populations, being higher in the deep than in the shallow populations. C. rubrum exhibited a reproductive strategy characterized by a relative low number of female sexual products per polyp revealing signi cant differences among the two depth ranges analyzed with a lower mean value of sexual products in the shallow colonies (mean fecundity per polyp: 1.14) than in the deeper ones (mean fecundity per polyp: 2.09). These results indicate differences in reproductive parameters such as sexual products distribution and reproductive output (fecundity) which were observed between shallow and deep populations of C. rubrum, in particular within deep dwelling populations

Violence within the lives of homeless people

Narrative Literature Review Experience of victimisation and violence is prevalent within homeless people’s lives, and frequently begins in childhood through the experience of childhood abuse and trauma. The impact of childhood abuse and trauma has been associated directly and indirectly as a pathway into homelessness. Furthermore the psychological impact of childhood abuse and trauma has been linked to victimisation and perpetration of violence within homeless people. Victimisation and perpetration of violence has been predominately researched on homeless adolescents and women, with homeless men significantly under researched. Victimisation and violence is associated with a number of similar factors including childhood abuse, re-victimisation, deviant peers, substance misuse and mental illness. Furthermore, research suggests homeless people frequently have a dual role as both victim and perpetrator. This review discusses these factors, the limitations of the current research, areas for further research and the clinical implications. Empirical Paper The current study was conducted to further explore the mechanisms surrounding childhood abuse and trauma and its association with aggression in homeless people. Emotion dysregulation has a growing body of research suggesting it has the unifying function to a number of maladaptive behaviours. Research suggests childhood aversive experiences are associated with developing emotion dysregulation difficulties and aggression. This study found that emotion dysregulation significantly mediated the relationship between childhood abuse and trauma, and aggression, within a sample of homeless people. The implications of the findings are discussed with reference to the need for psychological interventions for homeless people and highlights the importance of incorporating emotion regulation strategies within interventions for aggression.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

A multiple models investigation on age and growth of the speckled ray (Raja polystigma) from Sardinian seas

Age and growth of the small Mediterranean endemic skate, Raja polystigma Regan 1923 were studied through the annuli counts in vertebral centra. During the period between 2012 and 2013 a total of 183 speckled rays (97 females, ranging from 115 to 590 mm in TL and 87 males with TL among 118 and 521 mm) were caught through experimental (MED.I.T.S.) and commercial trawl surveys. From each individual total length (TL in mm) total mass (TM in g) in addition to the gender and maturity stage were recorded, then vertebral centra were extracted from the thoracic cavit. Annuli counts were made by two readers through the observation of vertebral sections stained in Alizarin Red. Readings showed a good reproducibility (Percent of Agreement = 86.8, %Cv = 7.0, Index of Average Percent Error = 5.177). The oldest skate observed was a female estimated at age 11 (TL = 590 mm) while the oldest male was aged 8 (TL = 521 mm). Four different models were applied on length at age data: the common von Bertalanffy growth function, the Exponential, and finally the Gompertz and the Logistic functions. According to the Akaike’s Information Criterion values the Logistic model (L∞ = 691.49 mm ± 10.21; K = 0.26 ± 0.008; point of inflection = 4.03 y-1 ± 0.147), followed by Gompertz function, provided the best fitting curve, showing a higher growth rate and consequently a lower L∞ value than what obtained with the VBGF (L∞ = 784.49 mm ± 12.2; K = 0.11 ± 0.004; t0 = -1.718). This result was obtained also for females and males separately. Given the best fitting results achieved with the Gompertz and the Logistic functions, R. polystigma seems to grow relatively faster during the first few years as previously reported for other batoid species