Home About us Contact
|
Home About us Contact | ||
|
|
||
Continent
Kinds of Continent Terms modified by Continent Selected AbstractsAfrica: Still the "Dark Continent"CONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 3 2007Stuart L. Pimm No abstract is available for this article. [source] Answers and echoes: the Libellus responsionum and the hagiography of north-western European missionEARLY MEDIEVAL EUROPE, Issue 2 2006Bill Friesen This article examines three aspects of Augustine of Canterbury's Libellus responsionum. Through recent scholarship it provides a summary of the Libellus's textual context. It also clarifies the very contentious issue of just how familiar the Libellus was to missionaries, not only those preaching in England but also on the Continent, and specifically Augustine of Canterbury and Boniface. Finally, in light of the pastoral and textual circumstances, it explores the largely neglected question of just how the Libellus may (or may not) have illuminated the various literary features and strata of Augustinian and Bonifatian biography. [source] "History written by the enemy": Eastern Sources about the Ottomans on the Continent and in EnglandENGLISH LITERARY RENAISSANCE, Issue 3 2006LINDA MCJANNET First page of article [source] The Vikings on the Continent in Myth and HistoryHISTORY, Issue 290 2003Simon Coupland The Vikings have a bad reputation, and it was no different on the Continent in the middle ages where they were regularly portrayed as brutally cruel, devilishly cunning and of superhuman stature. This article examines the evidence for the Vikings' supposed cruelty, cunning and remarkable height and investigates how true the stereotypes were. What emerges is that all three contained a grain of truth, but led to exaggeration and distortion in later medieval texts and even some ninth-century sources. There were, for example, tall individuals among the invaders, but little difference overall between the height of the average Frank and the average Dane. There were likewise instances of Scandinavian brutality, but not on a large scale, and they were no worse than acts carried out by the Franks in the same period. Nor, surprisingly, is there clear evidence of Viking rape: certainly they were not known for ,rape and pillage' in the ninth century. Finally, though the invaders were capable of duplicity, Carolingian parallels are once again not hard to find. In sum, tales of tall, treacherous and brutal Northmen can be shown to have grown in the telling, and there is an evident gap between the Vikings of myth and the Vikings of history. [source] Evolution of tropical and extratropical precipitation anomalies during the 1997,1999 ENSO cycleINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLIMATOLOGY, Issue 8 2001Scott Curtis Abstract The 1997,1999 El Niño,Southern Oscillation (ENSO) period was very powerful, but also well observed. Multiple satellite rainfall estimates combined with gauge observations allow for a quantitative analysis of precipitation anomalies in the tropics and elsewhere accompanying the 1997,1999 ENSO cycle. An examination of the evolution of the El Niño and accompanying precipitation anomalies revealed that a dry Maritime Continent (MC) preceded the formation of positive sea-surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Thirty- to sixty-day oscillations in the winter of 1996,1997 may have contributed to this lag relationship. Furthermore, westerly wind burst events may have maintained the drought over the MC. The warming of the equatorial Pacific was then followed by an increase in convection. A rapid transition from El Niño to La Niña occurred in May 1998, but as early as October,November 1997, precipitation indices captured substantial changes in Pacific rainfall anomalies. The global precipitation patterns for this event were in good agreement with the strong consistent ENSO-related precipitation signals identified in earlier studies. Differences included a shift in precipitation anomalies over Africa during the 1997,1998 El Niño and unusually wet conditions over northeast Australia during the later stages of the El Niño. Also, the typically wet region in the north tropical Pacific was mostly dry during the 1998,1999 La Niña. Reanalysis precipitation was compared with observations during this time period and substantial differences were noted. In particular, the model had a bias towards positive precipitation anomalies and the magnitudes of the anomalies in the equatorial Pacific were small compared with the observations. Also, the evolution of the precipitation field, including the drying of the MC and eastward progression of rainfall in the equatorial Pacific, was less pronounced for the model compared with the observations. Copyright © 2001 Royal Meteorological Society [source] Invasibility of a coastal strip in NE Spain by alien plantsJOURNAL OF VEGETATION SCIENCE, Issue 4 2002Eduardo Sobrino Castroviejo et al. (1986,1999); Tutin et al. (1968,1980) Abstract. The alien plant species and the ecological factors that facilitate their invasion to a coastal strip in the Baix Camp region (Tarragona, NE Spain) were studied. A detailed inventory of the area showed that 20% of the plant species, most of them from the American Continent, were aliens, many of which were strongly invasive. At the habitat level, the relationships between the invasive behaviour and a number of autecological, ecological and habitat variables were analysed by means of logistic analyses. In the best model five variables were related to alien plant invasions: climatic affinity, disturbance of the invaded habitat, route of introduction, soil moisture during summer, and life form. To elucidate the environmental factors that could be responsible for alien plant invasions at a regional scale, the number of alien taxa and the environmental features at 13 localities of the western Mediterranean area were analysed. The warm lowlands, subjected to low annual rainfall and high population density, exhibited the greatest reception capacity for alien plants. It is concluded that various specific environmental features , high mean temperatures, the abundance of riparian systems, the existence of biotopes with favourable water balance which harbour a great richness of alien species and the high human pressure to which the enclave is subjected, combined with the ecological requirements of the alien species and certain species attributes (biotype) can interact at different scales and have caused the over-representation of alien plants. [source] Europe, Continent of MigrantsAMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGIST, Issue 3 2001Jeffrey Cole Gender and Migration in Southern Europe: Women on the Move. Floya Anthias and Gabriella Lazaridis. eds. New York: Berg, 2000. 263 pp. Eldorado or Fortress? Migration in Southern Europe. Russell King. Gabriella Lazaridis. and Charalambos G. Tsadanidis. eds. New York: St. Martin's Press, 2000. 368 pp. Guests and Aliens. Saskia Sassen. New York: The New Press, 1999. 202 pp. [source] Prevalence of incontinence and incontinence-specific quality of life impairment in women with cystic fibrosis,,NEUROUROLOGY AND URODYNAMICS, Issue 8 2009M. Vella Abstract Aims Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the commonest autosomal recessive disorder in Caucasians. With advancing medical technology, the life expectancy has more than double in the last twenty years. This has led to new unforeseen health problems like urinary incontinence. The aim was to establish the prevalence, symptomatic typology, and quality of life impact of incontinence in a population of women with CF. Methods Women were recruited from two London tertiary referral centres for CF. They were asked to fill in a self- completed anonymous King's Health Questionnaire (KHQ) for assessment of symptoms and quality of life Impairment. Their age was also noted. Descriptive statistics are reported. Correlation was assessed using Pearson's Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (r). Results One hundred and forty six women were approached for enrolment. 98(67%) consented to take part in study. Their mean age was 28. Seventy three (74%) reported symptoms of urinary incontinence, which in all cases was perceived as stress urinary incontinence. Of these 44(60%) reported mild stress incontinence, 16(22%) moderate stress incontinence and 13(18%) severe stress incontinence. Continent and incontinent women perceived their general health to be similarly poor (mean score 40 vs 44 points). Strong positive correiations were found between age and stress urinary incontinence severity (r=0.742; P <0.001) and between age and total King's Health Questionnaire score (r=0.828; P <0.001). Conclusions Women with CF have a higher prevalence of stress urinary incontinence than the general population, with both the prevalence and associated quality of life impairment increasing with age. Neurourol. Urodynam. 28:986,989, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Some Remarks on the Origin and Chronology of Halberds in EuropeOXFORD JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGY, Issue 3 2002Thomas X. Schuhmacher The present article examines the chronology of the various types of halberd in Europe with particular attention to those from the Iberian Peninsula. An older substrate of halberds is identified which originates in Ireland and Great Britain. From there the design of the Breaghwy type was distributed to the Continent, where the idea and the design were soon imitated in the form of the Rouans, Carrapatas and Variant 6 Continental types. The success of the idea of the halberd is explained by its high prestige character. [source] Simulation of the Madden, Julian Oscillation and its teleconnections in the ECMWF forecast systemTHE QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY, Issue 649 2010Frédéric Vitart Abstract A series of 46-day ensemble integrations starting on the 15th of each month from 1989 to 2008 has been completed with the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) forecast system. The Madden, Julian Oscillation (MJO) simulated by the hindcasts is diagnosed using an index based on combined empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs) of zonal winds at 200 and 850 hPa and outgoing long-wave radiation. Results indicate that the dynamical model is able to maintain the amplitude of the MJO during the 46 days of integrations and the model displays skill for up to about 20 days to predict the evolution of the MJO. However, the MJO simulated by the model has a too slow eastward propagation and has difficulties crossing the Maritime Continent. The MJO teleconnections simulated by the ECMWF forecast system have been compared to reanalyses. In the Tropics, the impact of the MJO on precipitation is generally consistent with reanalysis. In the Northern Extratropics, the MJO simulated by the model has an impact on North Atlantic weather regimes, but with a smaller amplitude than in reanalysis which can be partly explained by the too slow eastward propagation of the simulated MJO events. The impact of the MJO on the probabilistic skill scores has been assessed. Results indicate that the MJO simulated by the model has a statistically significant impact on weekly mean probabilistic skill scores in the Northern Extratropics, particularly at the time range 19, 25 days. At this time range, the reliability of the probabilistic forecasts over Europe depends strongly on the presence of an MJO event in the initial conditions. This result confirms that the MJO is a major source of predictability in the Extratropics in the sub-seasonal time-scale. Copyright © 2010 Royal Meteorological Society [source] Trance and Shamanic Cure on the South American Continent: Psychopharmacological and Neurobiological InterpretationsANTHROPOLOGY OF CONSCIOUSNESS, Issue 1 2010FRANCOIS BLANC ABSTRACT This article examines the neurobiological basis of the healing power attributed to shamanic practices in the Andes and Brazil in light of the pharmacology of neurotransmitters and the new technological explorations of brain functioning. The psychotropic plants used in shamanic psychiatric cures interfere selectively with the intrinsic neuromediators of the brain. Mainly they may alter: (1) the neuroendocrine functioning through the adrenergic system by controlling stressful conditions, (2) the dopaminergic system in incentive learning and emotions incorporation, (3) the serotoninergic system in modulating behaviors, and mood, and (4) basic functions implied in anxiety or depression. PET scans and functional magnetic resonance imaging studies of hypnotic trance and altered states of consciousness may provide a useful model for the neurophysiological phenomena of shamanic drum-and-dance trance. The reorganization of cortical areas and the direct interconnections between the prefrontal cortex and the dopaminergic reward centers in the limbic system are of particular significance for human social judgment and symbolic processing. Those centers,including the hypothalamus and the amygdala (associated with psychosomatic equilibrium, memory, and emotion) are enhanced. This arousal may be amplified in order to induce a cathartic crisis,the shamanic trance. It is suggested that through this holistic approach the shaman empirically interferes in neurobiological dysfunctions. [source] Duels, Doctors And DeathANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Issue 8 2000Reginald Magee Duelling as a method of settling disputes between gentlemen was practised in the British Isles and on the Continent from the 16th to the beginning of the 20th century. In early duels the victory would go to the better swordsman, but the use of pistols not only made the contest more deadly, but also more democratic. The social aspects, the indications for a challenge, the material and methods and the mortality and morbidity of the contest are considered. Mention is made of a case in which John Hunter was consulted. Its management, progress and autopsy findings are described together with Hunter's thoughts about it and the management of similar wounds. [source] Offshore spatial segregation in giant petrels Macronectes spp.: differences between species, sexes and seasonsAQUATIC CONSERVATION: MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS, Issue S1 2007J. González-Solís Abstract 1.Investigations were made to determine whether the two giant petrel species segregate by gender and species in relation to the stage of the annual cycle. The individual foraging behaviour of 14 male and 11 female northern giant petrels (Macronectes halli) and 13 male and 15 female southern giant petrels (M. giganteus) breeding at South Georgia were tracked over 1 year using geolocators (global location sensing loggers). 2.Males of both species showed a flexible foraging strategy, switching from coastal to pelagic habits, probably governed by spatio-temporal changes in carrion availability. In contrast, marine areas exploited by females were more consistent over the year and similar for the two species, with most foraging locations concentrated over the same pelagic waters. 3.This study provides support for the differences in foraging between sexes as the main mechanism reducing intraspecific competition. Although the two species are morphologically similar and can easily access each other's foraging habitat, they differ in the foraging areas exploited. Thus, interspecific competition seems mainly relaxed by spatial segregation, particularly between males in winter, probably mediated by different competitive abilities and physical tolerances to temperature and winds. Foraging southern giant petrels from South Georgia were not restricted to the areas within the line of equidistance to other colonies, but their foraging range overlapped with feeding grounds of conspecifics breeding in the Falkland Islands and the Antarctic Continent. 4.Taken together, these findings suggest that foraging selection on marine habitat heterogeneity reduces interspecific competition, whereas carrion availability reduces intersexual competition, in giant petrels. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Crustal Composition of China Continent Constrained from Heat Flow Data and Helium Isotope Ratio of Underground FluidACTA GEOLOGICA SINICA (ENGLISH EDITION), Issue 1 2010Yang WANG Abstract: Based on conservation of energy principle and heat flow data in China continent, the upper limit of 1.3 ,W/m3 heat production is obtained for continental crust in China. Furthermore, using the data of heat flow and helium isotope ratio of underground fluid, the heat productions of different tectonic units in China continent are estimated in range of 0.58,1.12 ,W/m3 with a median of 0.85 ,W/m3. Accordingly, the contents of U, Th and K2O in China crust are in ranges of 0.83,1.76 ,g/g, 3.16,6.69 ,g/g, and 1.0%,2.12%, respectively. These results indicate that the abundance of radioactive elements in the crust of China continent is much higher than that of Archean crust; and this fact implies China's continental crust is much evolved in chemical composition. Meanwhile, significant lateral variation of crustal composition is also exhibited among different tectonic units in China continent. The crust of eastern China is much enriched in incompatible elements such as U, Th and K than that of western China; and the crust of orogenic belts is more enriched than that of platform regions. It can also be inferred that the crusts of eastern China and orogenic belts are much felsic than those of western China and platform regions, respectively, derived from the positive correlation between the heat production and SiO2 content of bulk crust. This deduction is consistent with the results derived from the crustal seismic velocity data in China. According to the facts of the lower seismic velocity of China than the average value of global crust, and the higher heat production of China continent compared with global crust composition models published by previous studies, it is deduced that the average composition models of global continent crust by Rudnick and Fountain (1995), Rudnick and Gao (2003), Weaver and Tarney (1984), Shaw et al. (1986), and Wedepohl (1995) overestimate the abundance of incompatible elements such as U, Th and K of continental crust. [source] Meso-Cenozoic Mineralization Pattern in the Continent of ChinaACTA GEOLOGICA SINICA (ENGLISH EDITION), Issue 3 2000CHEN Yuchuan Abstract, Based on the complex structure and material resources, the complex geological setting of the Mesozoic-Cenozoic continent of China controlled four kinds of dynamic mechanisms of the continental tectonic-mineralization pattern, i.e. the dynamic mechanisms related to (1) underthrusting or collision, (2) activation of old tectonic belts or activity of new tectonic belts, (3) upwelling of mantle material and heat, and (4) interaction between the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere and lithosphere. The four dynamic factors are related to and interact with each other; and the mantle-crust interaction leads to the regular time-space zonation of endogenetic deposits on a regional scale. The Meso-Cenozoic mineralization pattern in China can be outlined as the network tectono-metallogenic pattern constructed by NNE- and E-W-trending tectonics in eastern China, and multi-layer ring tectono-metallogenic pattern in the Qinghai-Tibet plateau and its northern and eastern neighbouring areas. [source] The epidemiology of mouth cancer: a review of global incidenceORAL DISEASES, Issue 2 2000SR Moore Mouth cancer (143,145 ICD-9) is a major health problem in many parts of the world. While its incidence is relatively low in most western countries there are some important exceptions to this trend: on the Indian subcontinent and in other parts of Asia it remains one of the most common forms of cancer. This review article summarises the global incidence of mouth cancer using cancer mapS. Data have been compiled from the latest edition of Cancer Incidence in Five Continents and recent studies from various locations around the world. Significant geographic variation is noted in the incidence of mouth cancer, with high rates reported for the Indian subcontinent and parts of Asia (male incidence rates in excess of 10 per 100 000 per annum). It is also noted that as with other forms of oral cancer, the majority of population-based data for mouth cancer comes from the Western world with a paucity of reliable data from the so-called developing countrieS. Mouth cancer remains a serious health problem in many parts of the world with many regions reporting increasing incidence rates particularly in maleS. Ongoing research into the aetiologic risk factors associated with this disease must remain a very high priority if the causes of mouth cancer are to be established and disease control protocols introduced widely. [source] Corporate Governance in South Africa: a bellwether for the continent?CORPORATE GOVERNANCE, Issue 5 2006Melinda Vaughn The recent onslaught of corporate scandals has compelled the world to acknowledge the profound impact of corporate governance practices on the global economy. Corporate governance is of particular concern in developing economies, where the infusion of international investor capital and foreign aid is essential to economic stability and growth. This paper focuses attention on corporate governance initiatives in South Africa, given its significance as an emerging market, its potential leadership role on the African continent and the country's notable corporate governance reform since the collapse of apartheid in 1994. The evolution of the country's corporate structure and the forces driving corporate governance reform over the past decade will be examined, followed by a review of the most notable reform initiatives in place today. Finally, an assessment of those initiatives will be presented, along with recommendations concerning how South Africa's initiatives can serve as models of enhanced corporate governance standards for the African continent. [source] Redesigning Corporate Governance Structures and Systems for the Twenty First CenturyCORPORATE GOVERNANCE, Issue 3 2001Robert A.G. Monks How a corporation is governed has become in recent years an increasingly important element in how it is valued by the market place. McKinsey & Company in June 2000 published the results of an Investor Opinion Survey of attitudes about the corporate governance of portfolio companies. The survey gathered responses about investment intentions from over 200 institutions who together manage approximately $3.25 trillion in assets. Ranging from 17 per cent in the US and Britain to over 27 per cent in Venezuela, investors placed a specific premium on what was called "Board Governance". To put this into perspective, consider how greatly sales would have to increase, expenses be cut and margins improved to achieve a comparable impact on value. "For purposes of the survey, a well governed company is defined as having a majority of outside directors on the board with no management ties; holding formal evaluations of directors; and being responsive to investor requests for information on governance issues. In addition, directors hold significant stockholdings in the company, and a large proportion of directors' pay is in the form of stock options." This correlation of governance with market value by one of the most respected consulting companies in the world creates the foundations of a new language for management accountability. McKinsey has great credibility as a value-adding advisor to corporate managements. Governance is not a cause or a theology for McKinsey; it is an important element in the value of an enterprise. By getting the opinion of what we call Global Investors with portfolios of holdings on every continent, McKinsey has importantly impacted the cost of capital for all corporations henceforth. Admittedly, McKinsey's criteria of "board governance" are blunt. "Every organization attempting to accomplish something has to ask and answer the following question," writes Harvard Business School professor Michael C. Jensen in the introduction to his recent working paper: "What are we trying to accomplish? Or, put even more simply: When all is said and done, how do we measure better versus worse? Even more simply: How do we keep score... . I say long-term market value to recognize that it is possible for markets not to know the full implications of a firm's policies until they begin to show up.... Value creation does not mean succumbing to the vagaries of the movements in a firm's values from day to day. The market is inevitably ignorant of many of our actions and opportunities, at least in the short run...". Surprisingly little attention is paid to what we all intuitively know, that talented people are not entirely motivated by financial compensation. Directors therefore must pay special attention to creating an appropriate environment for stimulating optimum management performance. [source] Redefining ,Aid' in the China,Africa ContextDEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE, Issue 5 2010May Tan-Mullins ABSTRACT Discussions on the politics of Chinese engagement with African development have been marked by increasing concern over Chinese use of aid in exchange for preferential energy deals. Normative liberal discourse criticizes the Chinese for disbursing ,rogue aid' and undermining good governance in the African continent. These criticisms not only ignore the longer-term motivations and modalities of Chinese aid and the historical diversity of Chinese relations with Africa, but also uncritically assume ,Western' aid to be morally ,superior' and ,more effective' in terms of development outcomes. This paper consists of three parts. First, it will discuss the debates surrounding Chinese engagement in Africa, especially around aid and development issues. Second, the paper maps the historical development of China,Africa engagement and investigates the impacts of the changing modalities of Chinese aid with reference to case studies of two countries: Angola and Ghana. It then offers a comparative analysis of the similarities and differences between these two cases. The principal argument is that Chinese and Western donors employ different ideologies and practices of governance to conceal their own interests and political discourses in the African continent. [source] National AIDS Commissions in Africa: Performance and Emerging ChallengesDEVELOPMENT POLICY REVIEW, Issue 2 2009Erasmus Morah This article consolidates and expands on evidence on how National AIDS Commissions (NACs) in sub-Saharan Africa are measuring up to expectations that drove their rapid adoption across the continent. While their overall performance seems reasonably good, most NACs still lack adequate power and incentive structures to hold line ministries accountable, a key requirement for co-ordinating activities and mainstreaming HIV-AIDS across the public sector. Second-generation African NACs urgently need the authority and institutional stature to effectively co-ordinate the channelling of the larger funds now available through government bureaucracy. The evolution of the epidemic also imposes requirements different from those when the current NAC architecture was crafted. [source] Wilderness and future conservation priorities in AustraliaDIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 6 2009James E.M. Watson Abstract Aim, Most approaches to conservation prioritization are focused on biodiversity features that are already threatened. While this is necessary in the face of accelerating anthropogenic threats, there have been calls to conserve large intact landscapes, often termed ,wilderness', to ensure the long-term persistence of biodiversity. In this study, we examine the consequences of directing conservation expenditure using a threat-based framework for wilderness conservation. Location, The Australian continent. Methods, We measured the degree of congruence between the extent of wilderness and the Australian protected area network in 2000 and 2006, which was established using a threat-based systematic planning framework. We also assessed priority areas for future reserve acquisitions identified by the Australian government under the current framework. Results, In 2000, 14% of Australia's wilderness was under formal protection, while the protected area network covered only 8.5% of the continent, suggesting a historical bias towards wilderness protection. However, the expansion of the reserve system from 2000 to 2006 was biased towards non-wilderness areas. Moreover, 90% of the wilderness that was protected over this period comprised areas not primarily designated for biodiversity conservation. We found a significant (P < 0.05) negative relationship between bioregions considered to be a priority for future reserve prioritization and the amount of wilderness they contain. Main conclusions, While there is an urgent need to overcome past biases in reserve network design so as to better protect poorly represented species and habitats, prioritization approaches should not become so reactive as to ignore the role that large, intact landscapes play in conserving biodiversity, especially in a time of human-induced climate change. This can be achieved by using current or future threats rather than past threats to prioritize areas, and by incorporating key ecological processes and costs of acquisition and management within the planning framework. [source] Phylogenetic relatedness and plant invader success across two spatial scalesDIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 3 2009Marc W. Cadotte ABSTRACT Aim, Successful invaders often possess similar ecological traits that contribute to success in new regions, and thus under niche conservatism, invader success should be phylogenetically clustered. We asked if the degree to which non-native plant species are phylogenetically related is a predictor of invasion success at two spatial scales. Location, Australia , the whole continent and Royal National Park (south-eastern Australia). Methods, We used non-native plant species occupancy in Royal National Park, as well as estimated continental occupancy of these species from herbarium records. We then estimated phylogenetic relationships using molecular data from three gene sequences available on GenBank (matK, rbcL and ITS1). We tested for phylogenetic signals in occupancy using Blomberg's K. Results, Whereas most non-native plants were relatively scarce, there was a strong phylogenetic signal for continental occupancy, driven by the clustering of successful species in Asteraceae, Caryophyllaceae, Poaceae and Solanaceae. However, we failed to detect a phylogenetic signal at the park scale. Main Conclusions, Our results reveal that at a large spatial scale, invader success is phylogenetically clustered where ecological traits promoting success appear to be shared among close relatives, indicating that phylogenetic relationships can be useful predictors of invasion success at large spatial scales. At a smaller, landscape scale, there was no evidence of phylogenetic clustering of invasion success, and thus, relatedness plays a much reduced role in determining the relative success of invaders. [source] Tracing recent invasions of the Ponto-Caspian mysid shrimp Hemimysis anomala across Europe and to North America with mitochondrial DNADIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 2 2008Asta Audzijonyte ABSTRACT The mysid crustacean Hemimysis anomala (,bloody-red shrimp') is one of the most recent participants in the invasion of European inland waters by Ponto-Caspian species. Recently the species also became established in England and the Laurentian Great Lakes of North America. Using information from mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene sequences, we traced the invasion pathways of H. anomala; the inferences were enabled by the observed phylogeographical subdivision among the source area populations in the estuaries of the Ponto-Caspian basin. The data distinguish two routes to northern and western Europe used by distinct lineages. One route has been to and through the Baltic Sea and further to the Rhine delta, probably from a population intentionally introduced to a Lithuanian water reservoir from the lower Dnieper River (NW Black Sea area) in 1960. The other lineage is derived from the Danube delta and has spread across the continent up the Danube River and further through the Main,Danube canal down to the Rhine River delta. Only the Danube lineage was found in England and in North America. The two lineages appear to have met secondarily and are now found intermixed at several sites in NW Europe, including the Rhine and waters linked with the man-made Mittellandkanal that interconnects the Rhine and Baltic drainage systems. [source] Potential impacts of climate change on Sub-Saharan African plant priority area selectionDIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 6 2006Colin J. McClean ABSTRACT The Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC) aims to protect 50% of the most important areas for plant diversity by 2010. This study selects sets of 1-degree grid cells for 37 sub-Saharan African countries on the basis of a large database of plant species distributions. We use two reserve selection algorithms that attempt to satisfy two of the criteria set by the GSPC. The grid cells selected as important plant cells (IPCs) are compared between algorithms and in terms of country and continental rankings between cells. The conservation value of the selected grid cells are then considered in relation to their future species complement given the predicted climate change in three future periods (2025, 2055, and 2085). This analysis uses predicted climate suitability for individual species from a previous modelling exercise. We find that a country-by-country conservation approach is suitable for capturing most, but not all, continentally IPCs. The complementarity-based reserve selection algorithms suggest conservation of a similar set of grid cells, suggesting that areas of high plant diversity and rarity may be well protected by a single pattern of conservation activity. Although climatic conditions are predicted to deteriorate for many species under predicted climate change, the cells selected by the algorithms are less affected by climate change predictions than non-selected cells. For the plant species that maintain areas of climatic suitability in the future, the selected set will include cells with climate that is highly suitable for the species in the future. The selected cells are also predicted to conserve a large proportion of the species richness remaining across the continent under climate change, despite the network of cells being less optimal in terms of future predicted distributions. Limitations to the modelling are discussed in relation to the policy implications for those implementing the GSPC. [source] Diverse alcohol drinking patterns in 20 African countriesADDICTION, Issue 7 2009Thomas Clausen ABSTRACT Aims This paper describes drinking patterns in 20 African countries, exploring the extent of abstention, heavy occasional drinking and daily light drinking and how these aspects of drinking are inter-related. Design and participants Data were collected as part of the World Health Survey in 2002,04 and comprise national representative data sets from 20 African countries. A cross-sectional survey of 77 165 adults aged 18 years and older were undertaken by face-to-face interviews in respondent households. Measures Drinking behaviour was assessed in terms of life-time abstention and the following measures over the 7 days immediately preceding interview: high consumption (15 or more drinks); heavy drinking occasions (five or more standard units at at least one session) and daily light drinking (one or two drinks daily). Findings In four countries (Comoros, Mali, Mauritania and Senegal), virtually all respondents were life-time abstainers. The prevalence of current drinkers (previous week) did not exceed one-third in any country. Among current drinkers the prevalence of heavy drinking varied between 7% and 77% and the prevalence of daily light drinkers varied between 0% and 21%. Overall drinking patterns varied significantly between and within the examined African countries. Conclusions African drinking patterns are diverse, and although life-time abstinence dominates in African countries, a single typical pattern of drinking for the African continent, such as the alleged ,all-or-none' pattern, was not observed. [source] Phylogeography of the leaf beetle Chrysolina virgata in wetlands of Japan inferred from the distribution of mitochondrial haplotypesENTOMOLOGICAL SCIENCE, Issue 4 2004Teiji SOTA Abstract The genetic differentiation among populations of the leaf beetle Chrysolina virgata living in wetlands of Japan was studied based on the sequence data of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene region (750 bp). Two distinct lineages of mitochondrial haplotypes were found: one (clade A) consisted of 26 haplotypes distributed over the distribution range of C. virgata between north-east Honshu and Kyushu, whereas the other (clade B) was monotypic and confined to a small region in north-east Honshu where it coexisted with clade A. Nested clade analysis for these haplotypes suggested that range expansion and following differentiation due to isolation by distance might have resulted in the present distribution pattern of the haplotypes in clade A. We discuss the evolutionary process leading to the occurrence of two distinct haplotype clades in Japan in terms of repeated colonization from the continent and range expansion and contraction during climatic changes. [source] A dynamic mass budget for toxaphene in North AmericaENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 8 2002Matthew MacLeod Abstract A continental-scale dynamic mass budget for toxaphene in North America is presented, based on available information on physicochemical properties, usage patterns, and reported environmental concentrations and using the Berkeley-Trent North American mass balance contaminant fate model (BETR North America). The model describes contaminant fate in 24 ecological regions of North America, including advective transport between regions in the atmosphere, freshwater, and near-shore coastal water. The dynamic mass budget accounts for environmental partitioning, transport, and degradation of the estimated 534 million kg of toxaphene that were used in North America as an insecticide and piscicide between 1945 and 2000. Satisfactory agreement exists between model results and current and historically reported concentrations of toxaphene in air, water, soil, and sediments throughout North America. An estimated 15 million kg of toxaphene are believed to remain in active circulation in the North American environment in the year 2000, with the majority in soils in the southern United States and Mexico, where historic usage was highest. Approximately 70% of total toxaphene deposition from the atmosphere to the Great Lakes is attributed to sources outside the Great Lakes Basin, and an estimated total of 3.9 million kg of toxaphene have been transported to this region from other parts of the continent. The toxaphene mass budget presented here is believed to be the first reported continental-scalemultimedia mass budget for any contaminant. [source] Aid to Agriculture, Growth and Poverty ReductionEUROCHOICES, Issue 1 2006Peter Hazell Agriculture and rural growth promotion show a recent ,comeback' in development cooperation, but action on the ground so far is not sufficient. After years of neglect, policy makers have recognized that poverty reduction in many low income countries can only be achieved if development efforts are clearly focused on the sector which employs most of the poor, and the space where most of the poor live. The importance of agricultural growth was amply demonstrated during the economic transformation of Asia. Forty years ago, Asia was a continent of widespread poverty. Today, most Asian countries are experiencing significant growth and poverty reduction. Rapid growth in productivity in the small-farm sector helped drive this process. Sub-Saharan Africa, however, failed to achieve rapid agricultural growth and remains mired in poverty and hunger. If Africa is to halve poverty by 2015 in accordance with the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), agriculture will need to maintain an annual growth rate of 6 per cent between 2000 and 2015. China's experience from 1978 to 1984 shows such growth is possible. Achieving the desired rapid rates of growth in Africa will require coherent policies by governments and donors, a substantial investment of public resources in rural infrastructure and access to agricultural technology, and significant improvement in national governance. Dans les milieux de la coopération et de l'aide au développement, même si les actions sur le terrain sont encore insuffisantes, on assiste depuis peu au retour en scène de l'agriculture et du monde rural. Après s'en être désintéressés pendant des années, les décideurs politiques finissent par admettre que, dans beaucoup de pays a faible revenu, il ne sera pas possible de réduire la pauvreté sans focaliser les efforts de développement sur les secteurs qui emploient le plus de pauvres et les zones dans lesquelles ils vivent pour la plupart. Les transformations économiques de l'Asie montrent bien l'importance de la croissance agricole. Il y a quarante ans, l'Asie étaient le continent de la pauvreté généralisée. Aujourd'hui, la plupart des pays d'Asie connaissent une croissance très significative et la pauvreté s'y réduit. L'augmentation de la productivité dans le secteur des petites exploitations a contribuéà la mise en ,uvre de ce processus. L'Afrique sub-saharienne, au contraire, n'a pas réussi à développer une croissance agricole rapide, ce qui la fait s'embourber dans la faim et la pauvreté. Si l'Afrique doit réduire de moitié la pauvreté d'ici 2015 comme l'y invitent les objectifs millénaires du développement (MDG), il faudra y maintenir un taux de croissance annuel de 6% pour l'agriculture entre 2000 et 2015. L'expérience de la Chine entre 1978 et 1984 montre que c'est possible. Mais pour obtenir en Afrique le taux de croissance élevé qui est souhaité, il faudra de la cohérence dans les politiques entre les gouvernements et des donneurs, un investissement public substantiel dans les infrastructures rurales et les moyens d'accès aux techniques modernes, enfin, des modes de gestion publique significativement améliorés Die Förderung der Landwirtschaft und des Wachstums im ländlichen Raum erfreut sich seit kurzem erneuter Beliebtheit in der Entwicklungszusammenar beit; die bisher ergriffenen Maßnahmen sind jedoch noch nicht ausreichend. Nachdem dieses Thema jahrelang vernachlässigt wurde, haben die Politikakteure festgestellt, dass die Armutsbekämpfung in zahlreichen Ländern mit geringem Einkommen nur dann erfolgreich durchgeführt werden kann, wenn die Bemühungen zur Entwicklung deutlich auf den Sektor ausgerichtet werden, in welchem die meisten Armen beschäftigt sind, und auf die Räume, in welchen die meisten Armen leben. Bei der wirtschaftlichen Transformation in Asien wurde sehr deutlich, wie wichtig das landwirtschaftliche Wachstum ist. Vor 40 Jahren war Armut in Asien weit verbreitet. Heute zeichnen die meisten asiatischen Länder durch signifikantes Wachstum und durch Armutsverringerung aus. Ein schneller Anstieg der Produktivität bei den kleineren landwirtschaftlichen Betrieben half dabei, diese Entwicklung voran zu treiben. In den afrikanischen Ländern unterhalb der Sahara (Sub-Sahara-Afrika) konnte schnelles landwirtschaftliches Wachstum jedoch nicht erreicht werden, dort dominieren weiterhin Armut und Hunger. Wenn Afrika gemäß der Millenniumsentwicklungsziele (Millennium Development Goals, MDG) die Armut bis zum Jahr 2015 halbieren soll, muss die Landwirtschaft eine jährliche Wachstumsrate von sechs Prozent zwischen den Jahren 2000 und 2015 aufrecht erhalten. Die Erfahrungen aus China aus den Jahren 1978 bis 1984 belegen, dass ein solches Wachstum möglich ist. Damit die gewünschten hohen Wachstumsraten in Afrika erzielt werden können, sind kohärente Politikmaßnahmen seitens der Regierungen und der Geldgeber, erhebliche Investitionen von öffentlichen Ressourcen in die ländliche Infrastruktur und in den Zugang zur Agrartechnologie sowie eine signifikante Verbesserung der nationalen Governance erforderlich. [source] A survey into the use of derivatives by large non-financial firms operating in BelgiumEUROPEAN FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2000Marc J. K. De Ceuster Empirical evidence on the use of derivatives for risk management on the European continent is virtually non-existent. To fill this gap, our survey documents the usage of derivatives by non-financial large firms operating in Belgium. This paper provides descriptive evidence with respect to several questions that are raised in the literature. Why do firms hedge? Which financial risks are being managed? How widespread is the use of derivatives? Which derivatives are used for which purposes? How is a risk management policy implemented? How are performance measurement and reporting structured? [source] Freshwater crayfish farming technology in the 1990s: a European and global perspectiveFISH AND FISHERIES, Issue 4 2000H.E.G. Ackefors This paper aims to describe the state of crayfish farming technology in the USA, Australia and Europe, and to discuss some of the prerequisites for this industry. Data from Europe are partly based on replies from a questionnaire sent out to scientists in all European countries. For other parts of the world, the crayfish literature has been reviewed and data from the August 2000 meeting of the International Association of Astacology are also included. Issues addressed in this review are cultivated species, production and productivity figures, production technique with regard to enclosures, reproduction and feed items, disease problems, predators, pond vegetation and water quality. Fewer than a dozen crayfish species are cultivated. The most attractive ones for culture and stocking in natural waters have been transferred to more than one continent. Pond rearing techniques predominate in all countries, and the technology required to achieve the spawning and rearing of juveniles is relatively simple. Pieces of fish, carrots and potatoes are frequent supplementary feed items; plants, cereals, pieces of meat, zooplankton and pellets are also common. Diseases are not usually a major concern, except in Europe where the American plague fungus, Aphanomyces astaci, has eradicated many European crayfish populations. Predators identified as common include insects and amphibians, as well as fishes, birds and mammals. Many water macrophytes are common in crayfish farms. These may either serve a useful function or cause problems for the crayfish farmer. Water temperature is the crucial factor for crayfish production. Water parameters such as pH and certain inorganic ion concentrations may also be of concern. Acidic waters that occur in some areas are generally detrimental to crayfish. The total yield from crayfish production from farming and fishery is in the order of 120 000,150 000 tonnes, more than four times the quantity given by FAO statistics. The largest crayfish producer is the Peoples' Republic of China, followed by the USA (70 000 and 50 000 tonnes in 1999, respectively). Of the quantity produced in the USA in 1999, about 35 000 tonnes was farmed. The yield in Europe was about 4500 tonnes in 1994, and of this quantity only 160 tonnes came from aquaculture. There are no official statistics for crayfish fishery production in Australia, but about 400 tonnes came from aquaculture in 1999. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||