Variability in ecosystem service measurement: A pollination service case study

Research quantifying ecosystem services (ES) - collectively, the benefits that society obtains from ecosystems - is rapidly increasing. Despite the seemingly straightforward definition, a wide variety of methods are used to measure ES. This methodological variability has largely been ignored, and standard protocols to select measures that capture ES provision have yet to be established. Furthermore, most published papers do not include explicit definitions of individual ES. We surveyed the literature on pollination ES to assess the range of measurement approaches, focusing on three essential steps: (1) definition of the ES, (2) identification of components contributing to ES delivery, and (3) selection of metrics to represent these components. We found considerable variation in how pollination as an ES - a relatively well-defined service - is measured. We discuss potential causes of this variability and provide suggestions to address this issue. Consistency in ES measurement, or a clear explanation of selected definitions and metrics, is critical to facilitate comparisons among studies and inform ecosystem management

Scaphoid Waist Internal Fixation for Fractures Trial (SWIFFT) protocol : a pragmatic multi-centre randomised controlled trial of cast treatment versus surgical fixation for the treatment of bi-cortical, minimally displaced fractures of the scaphoid waist in adults

BACKGROUND: A scaphoid fracture is the most common type of carpal fracture affecting young active people. The optimal management of this fracture is uncertain. When treated with a cast, 88 to 90 % of these fractures unite; however, for the remaining 10-12 % the non-union almost invariably leads to arthritis. The alternative is surgery to fix the scaphoid with a screw at the outset. METHODS/DESIGN: We will conduct a randomised controlled trial (RCT) of 438 adult patients with a "clear" and "bicortical" scaphoid waist fracture on plain radiographs to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of plaster cast treatment (with fixation of those that fail to unite) versus early surgical fixation. The plaster cast treatment will be immobilisation in a below elbow cast for 6 to 10 weeks followed by mobilisation. If non-union is confirmed on plain radiographs and/or Computerised Tomogram at 6 to 12 weeks, then urgent surgical fixation will be performed. This is being compared with immediate surgical fixation with surgeons using their preferred technique and implant. These treatments will be undertaken in trauma units across the United Kingdom. The primary outcome and end-point will be the Patient Rated Wrist Evaluation (a patient self-reported assessment of wrist pain and function) at 52 weeks and also measured at 6, 12, 26 weeks and 5 years. Secondary outcomes include an assessment of radiological union of the fracture; quality of life; recovery of wrist range and strength; and complications. We will also qualitatively investigate patient experiences of their treatment. DISCUSSION: Scaphoid fractures are an important public health problem as they predominantly affect young active individuals in the more productive working years of their lives. Non-union, if untreated, can lead to arthritis which can disable patients at a very young age. There is a rapidly increasing trend for immediate surgical fixation of these fractures but there is insufficient evidence from existing RCTs to support this. The SWIFFT Trial is a rigorously designed and adequately powered study which aims to contribute to the evidence-base to inform clinical decisions for the treatment of this common fracture in adults. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial is registered with the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Register ( ISRCTN67901257 ). Date registration assigned was 13/02/2013

Developmental patterns of glycolytic enzymes in regenerating skeletal muscle after autogenous free grafting

Extensor digitorum longus muscles of rats were removed and injected with a solution of Marcaine plus hyaluronidase. After incubation in Marcaine solution for 10 min, the muscles were grafted into their original beds. The grafts and the contralateral control muscles were removed from the rats at 0, 1-5, 7, 11, 36, and 69 days postoperatively. The muscles were then frozen in dry ice and isopentane and subsequently homogenized and centrifuged. The supernatant was analyzed for a number of enzymes, the regenerative patterns of which can be classified into 3 groups: (1) early increase in activity: hexokinase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase; (2) early decrease in activity with failure to recover to control levels: phosphorylase, phosphofructokinase, [alpha]-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase; and (3) early decrease followed by return to control levels: lactate dehydrogenase, pyruvate kinase, creatine phosphokinase, adenylate kinase. These patterns are not identical to those reported for embryogenesis of muscle. The data are discussed with regard to correlative histological studies of muscle regeneration.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/22796/1/0000352.pd

Urban Biodiversity and Landscape Ecology: Patterns, Processes and Planning

Effective planning for biodiversity in cities and towns is increasingly important as urban areas and their human populations grow, both to achieve conservation goals and because ecological communities support services on which humans depend. Landscape ecology provides important frameworks for understanding and conserving urban biodiversity both within cities and considering whole cities in their regional context, and has played an important role in the development of a substantial and expanding body of knowledge about urban landscapes and communities. Characteristics of the whole city including size, overall amount of green space, age and regional context are important considerations for understanding and planning for biotic assemblages at the scale of entire cities, but have received relatively little research attention. Studies of biodiversity within cities are more abundant and show that longstanding principles regarding how patch size, configuration and composition influence biodiversity apply to urban areas as they do in other habitats. However, the fine spatial scales at which urban areas are fragmented and the altered temporal dynamics compared to non-urban areas indicate a need to apply hierarchical multi-scalar landscape ecology models to urban environments. Transferring results from landscape-scale urban biodiversity research into planning remains challenging, not least because of the requirements for urban green space to provide multiple functions. An increasing array of tools is available to meet this challenge and increasingly requires ecologists to work with planners to address biodiversity challenges. Biodiversity conservation and enhancement is just one strand in urban planning, but is increasingly important in a rapidly urbanising world

Global urban environmental change drives adaptation in white clover.

Urbanization transforms environments in ways that alter biological evolution. We examined whether urban environmental change drives parallel evolution by sampling 110,019 white clover plants from 6169 populations in 160 cities globally. Plants were assayed for a Mendelian antiherbivore defense that also affects tolerance to abiotic stressors. Urban-rural gradients were associated with the evolution of clines in defense in 47% of cities throughout the world. Variation in the strength of clines was explained by environmental changes in drought stress and vegetation cover that varied among cities. Sequencing 2074 genomes from 26 cities revealed that the evolution of urban-rural clines was best explained by adaptive evolution, but the degree of parallel adaptation varied among cities. Our results demonstrate that urbanization leads to adaptation at a global scale

Global urban environmental change drives adaptation in white clover

Urbanization transforms environments in ways that alter biological evolution. We examined whether urban environmental change drives parallel evolution by sampling 110,019 white clover plants from 6169 populations in 160 cities globally. Plants were assayed for a Mendelian antiherbivore defense that also affects tolerance to abiotic stressors. Urban-rural gradients were associated with the evolution of clines in defense in 47% of cities throughout the world. Variation in the strength of clines was explained by environmental changes in drought stress and vegetation cover that varied among cities. Sequencing 2074 genomes from 26 cities revealed that the evolution of urban-rural clines was best explained by adaptive evolution, but the degree of parallel adaptation varied among cities. Our results demonstrate that urbanization leads to adaptation at a global scale

Examining the Effects of the Revision of an Academic Probation Protocol

Many higher education institutions have implemented protocols for students on academic probation, a status generally triggered by a grade point average (GPA) of below 2.0. For this study, the effects of the revision of a previously created protocol for working with such students at the University of Connecticut was examined. The revised protocol was crafted based on the use of a combination of academic advising models combined with theories in student development and success. The hypotheses were that the revision of the probation protocol would generate positive growth in probation student GPA along with a decrease in submitted academic dismissal appeals. Undergraduate students on probation and enrolled in two consecutive academic years were analyzed. Students in the first cohort had received the original protocol, whereas students in the second cohort received the revised protocol. Using a difference in discontinuity (RD) research design, results demonstrated that, among those right at the cutoff, being labeled for academic probation status showed a slight, but consistent increase in GPA growth. The difference in discontinuities did not present a statistically significant difference between the groups that experienced different probation protocols. However, a decrease in the number of students subject to academic dismissal, along with a decreased number of submitted academic dismissal appeals was evident. The results of this study highlight the importance of periodically reviewing and updating academic probation protocols to provide more effective means to help this vulnerable population of college students achieve success and reach graduation

The effect of forest fragmentation on aboveground carbon stocks and tree diversity: a case study of the Montérégie, Québec

Habitat fragmentation is ubiquitous in temperate forests, and affects ecosystem functions and services through decreased area, increased isolation, and greater exposure to forest edges. While fragmentation has been extensively studied, the effect of fragmentation on the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem services is not well documented or understood. Alterations to forest fragment size and connectivity are increasingly linked to changes in ecosystem function via changes to dispersal patterns and other spatial processes. However, whether or not these functional implications of fragmentation extend to carbon storage, and thus the ability of a forested landscape to regulate climate, is uncertain, especially in temperate systems. In this thesis, I investigated the effects of forest fragment size, isolation, and management intensity on the relationship between aboveground carbon (AGC) stocks and tree biodiversity in 24 small forest fragments in the Montérégie, QC. I also examined whether forest edge effects influenced AGC stocks and tree species composition. I found that forest fragments in the Montérégie differed with respect to AGC stocks, and that these differences were mediated by functional diversity, forest management, and connectivity. Unmanaged fragments stored less carbon on average than managed, but demonstrated a significant positive relationship between functional diversity and AGC stocks, with the slope of the relationship significantly greater in connected fragments than isolated. Small (10ha) fragments performed on par with their larger (100ha) counterparts. Managed stands exhibited a negative relationship between functional diversity and AGC stocks, demonstrating that anthropogenic influence can alter the link between biodiversity and AGC stocks in forested systems. Contrary to observations in tropical forests, proximity to the forest edge did not alter AGC stocks; rather, AGC stocks remained constant across a 100m edge to interior gradient in forest fragments of all types, despite changes in tree community composition and relative abundance consistent with expectations of forest edge effects. My results suggest that taking into account aspects of forest heterogeneity, such as structural connectivity, and gradients in diversity and management intensity may increase accuracy in estimating landscape level carbon stocks. Additionally, these results have implications for conservation. Like many other peri-urban, agricultural areas in North America, the Montérégie contains a high number of small forest fragments, likely to increase as fragmentation becomes more prevalent with development. The ecological importance of small fragments is often questioned. Here, I show that small forest fragments are likely to demonstrate "win-win" conservation scenarios with respect to AGC stocks and tree biodiversity, and that AGC stocks are constant across even very small and irregularly shaped fragments. If we consider the number of small forest fragments throughout this region, combined with their contributions to regional biodiversity and service provision, it is clear that the continued loss of small forest fragments in the Montérégie would be to the detriment of conservation efforts.La fragmentation des habitats est omniprésente dans les forêts tempérées, et cette fragmentation affecte les fonctions et services écologiques à travers la diminution de la superficie, l'augmentation de l'isolement des parcelles et l'augmentation de l'exposition des bordures des forêts. Bien que la fragmentation ait été beaucoup étudiée, l'effet de la fragmentation sur la relation entre la biodiversité et les services écologiques n'est pas bien documentée ni bien comprise. Des changements dans la taille des fragments de forêt et la connectivité sont de plus en plus liés à des changements dans le fonctionnement des écosystèmes par la modification des modèles de dispersion et d'autres processus spatiaux. Toutefois, nous ne savons pas si ces implications de nature fonctionnelles de fragmentation affectent la séquestration du carbone, et donc si la fragmentation affecte la capacité d'un paysage boisé à réguler le climat, surtout dans les systèmes tempérés. Dans ce mémoire, j'ai étudié les effets de la taille des fragment de forêt, de l'isolement de ces fragments et de l'intensité de la gestion des fragment sur la relation entre les stocks de carbone hors-sol (CHS) et la biodiversité des arbres dans 24 petits fragments forestiers de la Montérégie, QC. J'ai aussi examiné si les effets de bordure de la forêt ont influencés les stocks de CHS et la composition des espèces d'arbres. J'ai trouvé que les fragments forestiers de la Montérégie différaient en ce qui concerne les stocks de CHS, et que ces différences étaient influencés par la diversité fonctionnelle, la gestion forestière, et la connectivité. Les fragments forestiers non gérés stockaient moins de CHS en moyenne que les fragments gérés, mais dans les fragments non gérés il y avait une relation positive significative entre la diversité fonctionnelle et les stocks CHS, avec la pente de la relation significativement plus élevée dans les fragments liés qu'isolés. Les résultats des petits fragments (10ha) étaient similaires à ceux des plus grandes parcelles (100ha). Il y avait une relation négative entre la diversité fonctionnelle et les stocks CHS dans les parcelles gérées, ce qui démontre que l'influence humaine peut modifier la relation entre la biodiversité et les stocks CHS dans les systèmes forestiers. Contrairement aux observations dans les forêts tropicales, la proximité des bordures de forêt n'a pas modifié les stocks CHS; en fait, les stocks CHS sont restés constants tout au long d'un gradient de 100m de la bordure à l'intérieur de la forêt dans tous les types de fragments forestiers , et ce malgré les changements de composition des communautés d'arbres et d'abondance relative attendus face à l'effet de bordure de forêt. Mes résultats suggèrent que l'inclusion d'aspects de l'hétérogénéité de la forêt, tels que la connectivité structurelle et les gradients de diversité et d'intensité de la gestion, peut augmenter la précision de l'estimation des stocks de carbone à l'échelle du paysage. De plus, ces résultats ont des implications pour la conservation. Comme beaucoup d'autres régions agricoles périurbaines d'Amérique du Nord, la Montérégie contient un grand nombre de petits fragments de forêt et il est fort probable que cette fragmentation augmente avec le développement urbain. L'importance écologique de petits fragments forestier est souvent remise en question. Ici, je démontre que les petits fragments forestiers sont susceptibles de contribuer à des scénarios de conservation "gagnant-gagnant" en ce qui concerne les stocks de CHS et la biodiversité des arbres, et que les stocks de CHS sont constants même à travers des fragments très petits et de forme irrégulière. Si l'on considère le grand nombre de petits fragments de forêt dans cette région, en tenant compte de leur contribution à la biodiversité régionale et la prestation de services écosystémiques, il est clair que la perte de petits fragments de forêt en Montérégie serait au détriment des efforts de conservation