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Severe Threat (severe + threat)
Selected AbstractsHighways block gene flow and cause a rapid decline in genetic diversity of desert bighorn sheepECOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 10 2005Clinton W. Epps Abstract The rapid expansion of road networks has reduced connectivity among populations of flora and fauna. The resulting isolation is assumed to increase population extinction rates, in part because of the loss of genetic diversity. However, there are few cases where loss of genetic diversity has been linked directly to roads or other barriers. We analysed the effects of such barriers on connectivity and genetic diversity of 27 populations of Ovis canadensis nelsoni (desert bighorn sheep). We used partial Mantel tests, multiple linear regression and coalescent simulations to infer changes in gene flow and diversity of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA markers. Our findings link a rapid reduction in genetic diversity (up to 15%) to as few as 40 years of anthropogenic isolation. Interstate highways, canals and developed areas, where present, have apparently eliminated gene flow. These results suggest that anthropogenic barriers constitute a severe threat to the persistence of naturally fragmented populations. [source] Vegetation of the Stipa loess steppe in Ningxia (northern China) in relation to grazing intensityGRASSLAND SCIENCE, Issue 3 2007Yingzhong Xie Abstract Large areas of northern and western China are covered with steppe vegetation which is grazed with different intensities. Areas which are not or only slightly grazed are rare and mostly exist in nature reserves. We investigated floristic composition and species diversity of the steppe vegetation of the autonomous region Ningxia Hui with emphasis on the Yunwushan dry steppe nature reserve in relation to grazing intensity; all 77 plots were analyzed using ordination techniques, and the relationship between the variation in species composition and environmental conditions was analyzed. In Ningxia, two types of loess grass steppes prevail: in areas with lower altitudes from approximately 1650,1950 m a.s.l., the Stipa bungeana steppe occurs whereas the Stipa grandis steppe is typical for higher altitudes between 1900 and 2100 m a.s.l. For both vegetation types, three subtypes can be distinguished according to different levels of grazing intensity. With increasing grazing intensity, the number of plant species per plot strongly declines and the typical steppe vegetation types are dominated by Artemisia species (A. frigida in the Stipa grandis community and A. sacrorum in the Stipa bungeana community). In contrast to studies carried out in neighboring areas, in our study area the Artemisia steppes do not represent the final state of degradation. Instead, Convolvulus ammanii dominates in heavily grazed areas of both Stipa steppe types. Detrended correspondence analysis confirms the classification and shows that the heavily grazed subtypes of the Stipa grandis and the Stipa bungeana steppe with Convolvulus ammanii are more similar to each other than the other vegetation types. The first axis of the detrended correspondence analysis is strongly related to the grazing intensity (r = 0.93). Our results show that grazing intensity is an important factor for the differentiation of the steppe grasslands and a severe threat to species diversity. [source] Exogenously Applied Nitric Oxide Enhances the Drought Tolerance in Fine Grain Aromatic Rice (Oryza sativa L.)JOURNAL OF AGRONOMY AND CROP SCIENCE, Issue 4 2009M. Farooq Abstract Drought stress is a severe threat to the sustainable rice production, which causes oxidative damage and disturbs plant water relations, while exogenously applied nitric oxide (NO) may have the potential to alleviate these effects in rice plants. In this study, the role of NO to improve drought tolerance in fine grain aromatic rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Basmati 2000) was evaluated. Sodium nitroprusside, a NO donor, was used at 50, 100 and 150 ,mol l,1 both as seed priming and foliar spray. To prime, the seeds were soaked in aerated NO solution of respective solution for 48 h and dried back to original weight. Primed and non-primed seeds were sown in plastic pots with normal irrigation in a greenhouse. At four leaf stage, plants were subjected to drought stress except the controls, which were kept at full field capacity. Drought was maintained at 50 % of field capacity by watering when needed. Two controls were maintained; both receiving no NO treatments as foliar application or seed treatment, one under drought conditions and the other under well-watered conditions. Drought stress seriously reduced the rice growth, but both methods of NO application alleviated the stress effects. Drought tolerance in rice was strongly related to the maintenance of tissue water potential and enhanced capacity of antioxidants, improved stability of cellular membranes and enhanced photosynthetic capacity, plausibly by signalling action of NO. Foliar treatments proved more effective than the seed treatments. Among NO treatment, 100 ,mol l,1 foliar spray was more effective. [source] Improving Drought Tolerance by Exogenous Application of Glycinebetaine and Salicylic Acid in SunflowerJOURNAL OF AGRONOMY AND CROP SCIENCE, Issue 3 2008M. Hussain Abstract Water shortage is a severe threat to the sustainability of crop production. Exogenous application of glycinebetaine (GB) and salicylic acid (SA) has been found very effective in reducing the adverse affects of drought stress. This study was conducted to examine the possible role of exogenous GB and SA application in improving the yield of hybrid sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) under different irrigation regimes. There were three levels of irrigation, viz. control (normal irrigations), water stress at vegetative stage (irrigation missing at vegetative stage) and water stress at flowering stage (irrigation missing at flowering stage). GB and SA were applied exogenously at 100 and 0.724 mm, respectively, each at the vegetative and at the flowering stage. Control plants did not receive application of GB and SA. Water stress reduced the head diameter, number of achene, 1000-achene weight, achene yield and oil yield. Nevertheless, exogenous GB and SA application significantly improved these attributes under water stress. However, drought stress increased the free leaf proline and GB, and were further increased by exogenous application of GB and SA. However, exogenous GB application at the flowering stage was more effective than other treatments. Oil contents were also reduced under water stress; however, GB and SA application could not ameliorate the negative effect of water stress on achene oil contents. The effects of water stress and foliar application of GB were more pronounced when applied at the flowering stage than at the vegetative stage. Moreover, exogenous GB application was only beneficial under stress conditions. [source] Does Unrealistic Optimism Change Following a Negative Experience?,JOURNAL OF APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 6 2001Frank P. Mkenna One important counteracting force that may decrease the effects of unrealistic optimism is personal experience with threat. To examine this hypothesis, several groups were examined who had been exposed to varying degrees of threat. It was found that only those who had been exposed to the most severe threat (being hospitalized after a road accident) showed differential comparative risk estimates from those who had experienced no threat. Differences between these two groups were also found for their self-reported risk behavior. The generality of the debiasing effect was assessed by examining risk perceptions in other domains. It was found that the effect was domain specific. [source] Characterization of combustion-derived individual fine particulates by computer-controlled scanning electron microscopyAICHE JOURNAL, Issue 11 2009Lian Zhang Abstract Particulate matter (PM) emission from the combustion of solid fuels potentially poses a severe threat to the environment. In this article, a novel approach was developed to examine the properties of individual particles in PM. With this method, PM emitted from combustion was first size-segregated. Subsequently, each size was characterized by computer-controlled scanning electron microscopy (CCSEM) for both bulk property and single particle analysis. Combustion of bituminous coal, dried sewage sludge (DSS) and their mixture were conducted at 1200°C in a laboratory-scale drop tube furnace. Three individual sizes smaller than 2.5 ,m were investigated. The results indicate that a prior size-segregation can greatly minimize the particle size contrast and phase contrast on the backscattered images during CCSEM analysis. Consequently, high accuracy can be achieved for quantifying the sub-micron particles and their inherent volatile metals. Regarding the PM properties as attained, concentrations of volatile metals including Na, K, and Zn have a negative relationship with particle size; they are enriched in the smallest particles around 0.11 ,m as studied here. Strong interactions can occur during the cofiring of coal and DSS, leading to the distinct properties of PM emitted from cofiring. The method developed here and results attained from it are helpful for management of the risks relating to PM emission during coal-fired boilers. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2009 [source] The Impact of Human Recreational Activities in Marine Protected Areas: What Lessons Should Be Learnt in the Mediterranean Sea?MARINE ECOLOGY, Issue 2002Marco Milazzo Abstract. The aesthetic appeal of marine reserves and the facilities provided, together with the increased public awareness of nature, all contribute to creating massive tourism in MPAs. Human activities are being changed inside MPAs in two ways: humans as top predators are generally being removed, but in turn they could come back at great numbers as visitors. Many authors have studied the impact of visitors, and the results highlight that the consequences can be very substantial and may represent a severe threat to the overall diversity of marine communities. To date, the documented effects of human recreational activities on natural communities are restricted to assessing the consequences of trampling over intertidal and upper infralittoral areas, boat anchoring in seagrass meadows and tropical reefs, or SCUB A-diving. In this paper we review the available literature world-wide on the effects of human recreational activities in marine communities. The objective is to address the extent of these impacts and to highlight the gaps of knowledge to be filled in order to optimise decision making on research, monitoring, and management of Mediterranean MPAs. A specific plan for managing tourism use in each Mediterranean MPA should be designated. These strategies should be implemented through education, training, and changes in legislation and policy. [source] Illuminating the host , How RNAi screens shed light on host-pathogen interactionsBIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL, Issue 6 2009Miguel Prudêncio Abstract Over millions of years pathogens have coevolved with their respective hosts utilizing host cell functions for survival and replication. Despite remarkable progress in developing antibiotics and vaccination strategies in the last century, infectious diseases still remain a severe threat to human health. Meanwhile, genomic research offers a new era of data-generating platforms that will dramatically enhance our knowledge of pathogens and the diseases they cause. Improvements in gene knockdown studies by RNA interference (RNAi) combined with recent developments in instrumentation and image analysis enable the use of high-throughput screening approaches to elucidate host gene functions exploited by pathogens. Although only a few RNAi-based screens focusing on host genes have been reported so far, these studies have already uncovered hundreds of genes not previously known to be involved in pathogen infection. This review describes recent progress in RNAi screening approaches, highlighting both the limitations and the tremendous potential of RNAi-based screens for the identification of essential host cell factors during infection. [source] Using fear appeals to promote cancer screening,are we scaring the wrong people?INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NONPROFIT & VOLUNTARY SECTOR MARKETING, Issue 2 2006Sandra C. Jones There is debate regarding the use of fear appeals (emphasizing severe threats to health) in social marketing, to encourage preventive behaviours, such as screening for breast cancer. While it has been found that fear appeals may result in attitude and behaviour change there is also the risk of inciting inappropriate levels of fear, motivating the wrong audience or instigating maladaptive behaviour in the target group such as denial or defensive avoidance. This study examined the impact of an experimental threat manipulation for mammography screening on a group of women in regional Australia. The study found that varying the level of threat had no impact on stated intentions of the women to undergo mammographic screening. However, it also found that high-threat messages resulted in stronger negative emotional reactions and greater perceived susceptibility among younger women who are not the target group for screening in Australia. The results of this study emphasize the importance of limiting the use of high levels of threat in social marketing campaigns, and ensuring that campaigns are appropriately designed to specifically impact upon and motivate the target group. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Assessing priority areas by imperilled species: insights from the European butterfliesANIMAL CONSERVATION, Issue 4 2009S. Fattorini Abstract Biodiversity hotspots have been variously defined in terms of species richness, endemic species or imperilled species. The use of imperilled species to locate priority areas is particularly problematic, because an area that hosts a large number of imperilled species is likely to be under severe threats, making less effective conservation efforts. A possibly way to answer this problem is to assess species threats at two spatial scales. Then, areas which host concentrations of species that are imperilled at the larger scale, but not at the smaller scale, can be considered as priority areas where conservation efforts are expected to be more effective. An application of this procedure to the European butterfly fauna with the Biodiversity Conservation Concern index calculated with two IUCN red listings (European and national) allowed the construction of a four-celled model that reflects different types of conservation priority. This combined use of international and regional red lists may be a tool to make practical decisions (e.g. allocation of funds or legislative actions) to preserve imperilled species. [source] | |||||||||||||