Aspects of red grouse Lagopus lagopus scoticus population dynamics at a landscape scale in northern England and the implications for grouse moor management

Red grouse Lagopus lagopus scoticus are an important game species in the United Kingdom, with many areas of heather moorland managed specifically to produce them for driven shooting. In order to effectively manage red grouse populations it is important to have an understanding of their population dynamics and to determine which of the vital rates most effect population growth and recovery and whether these parameters can be influenced by management activities. The focus of my research was to provide a greater understanding of the respective roles of juvenile dispersal, heather management and mortality causes in red grouse population dynamics at a landscape scale in northern England. The study was undertaken between 1999 and 2005 and encompassed four privately owned grouse moors, covering some 113 km(^2) of heather dominated moorland. Central to my research was the ability to accurately and efficiently survey the distribution and abundance of red grouse across the study area. To facilitate this I evaluated a distance sampling method to survey red grouse across the study area pre-breeding in spring and post-breeding in summer. The distance sampling technique proved a reliable, repeatable and practical method for extensive surveys of red grouse. Grouse distribution data were used to construct spatial patterns of grouse abundance at a moor scale using a geostatistical interpolation technique. Rotational heather burning is practised by grouse moor managers to create a mosaic of heather ages which provide food, shelter and nesting habitats for red grouse. To assess the spatial and temporal effects of heather burning on grouse, I used an earth observation technique, using satellite remote sensing to map the habitat mosaic across all four study moors in 2000. Temporal effects of heather burning, from 2000 to 2005 were studied on one moor, with annual heather burning mapped annually. Dispersal is an important element of population dynamics which influences population growth and spread, gene flow and disease transmission. I used radio telemetry to investigate the timing, frequency and distances of dispersal in juvenile red grouse. Dispersal distance differed between sexes, with juvenile females dispersing on average 861 m (±120 SE) compared to 343 m (±31 SE) recorded in males. Population growth did not appear to be limited by dispersal and abundance increased until the density dependent effect of the parasitic nematode worm Trichostrongyle tenuis caused a population crash. On the study moors, grouse moor management resulted in rapid population growth with population oscillations caused by density dependent strongylosis induced crashes. The main cause of mortality was found to be shooting and to dampen population oscillations, modified shooting programmes to limit population growth in conjunction with parasite control measures should be adopted to better manage grouse populations

Greater Jacksonville\u27s Response to the Florida Land Boom of the 1920s

The Florida land boom was an orgy of real estate speculation and development that swept the state during the period 1924 through 1926. The few books and articles that deal with that event rarely mention Jacksonville, although it was Florida\u27s largest city and its chief commercial and transportation center. This could lead one to the conclusion that the North Florida city did not become caught up in the boom. Yet scattered throughout the Jacksonville area are the remains of a number of real estate projects that date from that period. Therefore, this thesis examines the effects of the boom on greater Jacksonville during the 1920s. During the years immediately following World War I, Jacksonville\u27s leaders concentrated on expansion of industry and commerce to promote their city\u27s growth, rather than building tourism. Jacksonville had not been a major winter resort since the building of railroads southward in the late 1800s, and this made the North Florida city different than its downstate rivals. The increasing prosperity of the 1920s brought growing numbers of tourists, new residents, and land speculators to resort centers in South and Central Florida, but few to Jacksonville. As interest in Florida grew, the expanding numbers of land buyers created a frenzy of real estate sales and development downstate. The most immediate effect of the boom for Jacksonville was tremendous expansion of the city\u27s industries, as they provisioned the state. However, many local residents became interested in syphoning off some of the tourists and land buyers for their own community. This resulted in civic promotion of Jacksonville as a resort, and the construction of a number of new real estate projects primarily for winter residents, including San Jose, Venetia, Florida Beach, and San Marco. Local expansion of business and real estate also resulted in the construction of several major buildings in downtown Jacksonville. Early in 1926, real estate prices broke downstate and many of the speculators and other newcomers went home. This created a statewide economic decline during the late 1920s that resulted in the failure of many real estate developments throughout Florida, including some in greater Jacksonville. With its extensive commercial and transportation complex, however, the North Florida city fared better than its tourist-dependent rivals downstate. Throughout the late 1920s, percentages of economic decline for Jacksonville were much smaller than in cities such as Miami and St. Petersburg

Reviews

Authoring‐Systems Software for Computer‐Based Training, edited by William D. Wilheim, Educational Technology Publications, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, USA, ISBN: 0–87778–274–1, 1994

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Successful Instructional Diagrams by Ric Lowe, London, Kogan Page, 1993. ISBN: 0–7494–0711–5

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Teaching and Learning Materials and the Internet by Ian Forsyth, London: Kogan Page, 1996. ISBN: 0–7494‐ 20596. 181 pages, paperback. £18.99

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Technology‐based Learning Environments: Psychological and Educational Foundations edited by S. Vosniadou, E. De Corte and H. Mandl, volume 137 in NATO ASI Series F (Computer and Systems Sciences), Berlin, Springer‐Verlag, ISBN: 0–387–58253–3, 1994

Iwi interests and the RMA: An evaluation of the quality of first generation council plans

This working paper analyses the processes adopted by councils for involving hapū /iwi in plan implementation, including the resource consents process. Three topic issues were investigated to assess plan implementation — urban amenity, storm water, and issues of importance to iwi. Questions were asked about the capacity of hapū/iwi to engage in the resource consent process, which resource issues were of concern to them, their relationship with council and consent applicants, and their perception of the consent process. Most resources listed in the questionnaire were of concern to hapū/iwi, with water quality, wāhi tapu and heritage the most commonly cited. In conclusion, we found a general dissatisfaction on the part of hapū/iwi with councils’ performance with respect to both Treaty relationships and consent processing under the RMA. A further contributing factor to the poor relationships found between hapū/iwi and councils, was the lack of clarity over the role of hapū and iwi in resource management. In several districts, diverging responses from hapū/iwi and councils to questions about level of understanding and commitment suggests there is a need for more effective communication. These problems are compounded by the generally low capacity of hapū/iwi to participate in resource consent processes. These findings suggest that there is much to be done to improve relationships and behaviour of these key stakeholder groups in the plan implementation process if key provisions in the RMA related to hapū/iwi interests are to be fulfilled. The differences shown in reciprocal perceptions have serious implications for establishing a sound working partnership between councils and hapū/iwi in their areas. Making clear these discrepancies is a first step towards taking the measures needed for building a better partnership. Further, the capacity of hapū/iwi to participate could be better utilised if there was greater integration between regional and district councils on issues of significance and processes for iwi involvement