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Current Climate (current + climate)
Terms modified by Current Climate Selected AbstractsListening to Students, Negotiating Beliefs: Preparing Teachers for Urban ClassroomsCURRICULUM INQUIRY, Issue 2 2008KATHERINE SCHULTZ ABSTRACT Learning to teach in urban schools is difficult, particularly when prospective teachers come from different racial, ethnic and/or class backgrounds than their students. The task of urban-focused teacher education programs is to prepare prospective teachers to learn and enact practices that enable them to teach successfully in under-resourced districts that offer both opportunities and constraints. In this article, we report on a 2-year ethnographic study designed to investigate how new teachers enacted a listening stance in teaching that was introduced in their preparation program. Taking a listening stance implies entering a classroom with questions as well as answers, knowledge as well as a clear sense of the limitations of that knowledge (e.g., Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 1999; Lytle & Cochran-Smith, 1992; Schultz, 2003). The article focuses on how four teachers attempted to adopt a listening stance in their classroom practice, while also responding to the constraints of the standardized curriculum of their district. We conclude that the process of negotiating among teachers' beliefs, practices introduced in a teacher preparation program and district mandates is a critical practice for teachers to learn. We further suggest that in the current climate of high-stakes testing and mandated curriculum, explicit teaching of negotiation skills is likely to support more teachers to enter into and remain in classrooms. [source] Photogrammetric Analysis of Front Range Rock Glacier Flow RatesGEOGRAFISKA ANNALER SERIES A: PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, Issue 4 2005Jason Ronald Janke Abstract Flow rates for rock glaciers in the European Alps have been monitored using photogrammetric techniques; however, a program has not been initiated for similar Front Range, USA, rock glaciers. Horizontal rock glacier displacements were measured by tracking large surficial rocks on temporal orthophotos from 1978, 1990, and 1999. Vertical change was measured by creating digital elevation models (DEMs) from digital stereopairs, then subtracting elevations to detect change. Long-term horizontal velocities ranged from 14 to 20 cm/yr on average, although uncertainty ranged from 4 to 5 cm/yr. On average, vertical elevation changes were negligible with most rock glaciers exhibiting a slight growth or thinning (1,2 cm/yr). Over shorter time scales (c. 10-year periods), horizontal velocities have only increased by about 2 cm/yr. Because horizontal and vertical change is minimal, Front Range rock glaciers appear to be adjusted with current climate, unlike some rock glaciers in the European Alps that have shown increasing subsidence rates or significant increasing or decreasing horizontal velocities. [source] Current and Future Trends of Climatic Extremes in SwitzerlandGEOGRAPHY COMPASS (ELECTRONIC), Issue 4 2007Martin Beniston This article provides an overview of extreme climatic events that are a feature of current and future climate that require full understanding if they are to be assessed in terms of social and economic costs. A review is made of the type of events that are important in mid-latitudes, with examples taken from the heat waves, floods and wind-storms that have affected Switzerland during the twentieth century. Regional climate model results are also presented for a scenario conducted over Europe. These simulations suggest that there may be significant shifts in the frequency and intensity of many forms of extremes as a warmer global climate progressively replaces current climate. In view of the potential losses in human, economic and environmental terms, extreme events and their future evolution need to carefully assessed in order to formulate appropriate adaptation strategies aimed at minimizing the negative impacts that extremes are capable of generating. [source] Modeling the effects of fire and climate change on carbon and nitrogen storage in lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) standsGLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, Issue 3 2009E. A. H. SMITHWICK Abstract The interaction between disturbance and climate change and resultant effects on ecosystem carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) fluxes are poorly understood. Here, we model (using CENTURY version 4.5) how climate change may affect C and N fluxes among mature and regenerating lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia Engelm. ex S. Wats.) stands that vary in postfire tree density following stand-replacing fire. Both young (postfire) and mature stands had elevated forest production and net N mineralization under future climate scenarios relative to current climate. Forest production increased 25% [Hadley (HAD)] to 36% [Canadian Climate Center (CCC)], compared with 2% under current climate, among stands that varied in stand age and postfire density. Net N mineralization increased under both climate scenarios, e.g., +19% to 37% (HAD) and +11% to 23% (CCC), with greatest increases for young stands with sparse tree regeneration. By 2100, total ecosystem carbon (live+dead+soils) in mature stands was higher than prefire levels, e.g., +16% to 19% (HAD) and +24% to 28% (CCC). For stands regenerating following fire in 1988, total C storage was 0,9% higher under the CCC climate model, but 5,6% lower under the HAD model and 20,37% lower under the Control. These patterns, which reflect variation in stand age, postfire tree density, and climate model, suggest that although there were strong positive responses of lodgepole pine productivity to future changes in climate, C flux over the next century will reflect complex relationships between climate, age structure, and disturbance-recovery patterns of the landscape. [source] Simulating climate change impacts on fire frequency and vegetation dynamics in a Mediterranean-type ecosystemGLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, Issue 5 2002Florent Mouillot Abstract The impacts of climate change on Mediterranean-type ecosystems may result from complex interactions between direct effects on water stress and subsequent modifications in flammability and fire regime leading to changes in standing biomass and plant species composition. We analysed these interrelations through a simulation approach combining scenarios of climate change developed from GCM results and a multispecies functional model for vegetation dynamics, SIERRA. A fire risk procedure based on weekly estimates of vegetation water stress has been implemented. Using climate data from 1960 to 1997, simulations of a typical maquis woodland community have been performed as baseline and compared with two climate scenarios: a change in the rainfall regime alone, and changes in both rainfall and air temperature. Climate changes are defined by an increase in temperature, particularly in summer, and a change in the rainfall pattern leading to a decrease in low rainfall events, and an increase in intense rainfall events. The results illustrate the lack of drastic changes in the succession process, but highlight modifications in the water budget and in the length of the drought periods. Water stress lower than expected regarding statistics on the current climate is simulated, emphasizing a long-term new equilibrium of vegetation to summer drought but with a higher sensibility to rare events. Regarding fire frequency, climate changes tend to decrease the time interval between two successive fires from 20 to 16 years for the maquis shrubland and from 72 to 62 years in the forested stages. This increase in fire frequency leads to shrub-dominated landscapes, which accentuates the yield of water by additional deep drainage and runoff. [source] Impact of climate change on runoff from a mid-latitude mountainous catchment in central JapanHYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 10 2009Yoshinori Shinohara Abstract Hydrologic balance in high-altitude, mid-latitude mountain areas is important in terms of the water resources available to associated lowlands. This study examined how current and historical shifts in precipitation (P) patterns and concurrent increases in temperature (T) affected runoff (Q) and other hydrologic components in a mid-latitude mountain catchment of central Japan, using a combination of long-term data and a simplified hydrologic model, along with their stochastic treatment. The availability of intensive meteorological and hydrological data from the period 1997,2001 allowed the derivation of key relationships for the current climate that tie the forcing term to the parameters or state variables. By using the data recorded in the period 1965,2001, the force for driving the historical simulation was generated. Based on this model and historical shifts in P and T, the probability density functions of Q (pdf(Q)) was computed. A main novelty in this study is that such a stochastic representation, which is useful for considering the influence of projected shifts in environmental factors on the hydrologic budget, was provided. Despite the large increase in the rate of T in winter and spring, pdf(Q) in spring and summer varied appreciably during the time studied mainly because of an increase in snowmelt. An interannual change in whole-year Q was robust to shifts in T because while Q in spring increased, in summer it decreased, implying a crucial effect of global warming on mountain hydrologic regimes is change in the timing of Q. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Validation of hydrological models for climate scenario simulation: the case of Saguenay watershed in QuebecHYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 23 2007Yonas B. Dibike Abstract This paper presents the results of an investigation into the problems associated with using downscaled meteorological data for hydrological simulations of climate scenarios. The influence of both the hydrological models and the meteorological inputs driving these models on climate scenario simulation studies are investigated. A regression-based statistical tool (SDSM) is used to downscale the daily precipitation and temperature data based on climate predictors derived from the Canadian global climate model (CGCM1), and two types of hydrological model, namely the physically based watershed model WatFlood and the lumped-conceptual modelling system HBV-96, are used to simulate the flow regimes in the major rivers of the Saguenay watershed in Quebec. The models are validated with meteorological inputs from both the historical records and the statistically downscaled outputs. Although the two hydrological models demonstrated satisfactory performances in simulating stream flows in most of the rivers when provided with historic precipitation and temperature records, both performed less well and responded differently when provided with downscaled precipitation and temperature data. By demonstrating the problems in accurately simulating river flows based on downscaled data for the current climate, we discuss the difficulties associated with downscaling and hydrological models used in estimating the possible hydrological impact of climate change scenarios. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Sensitivity of an Arctic regional climate model to the horizontal resolution during winter: implications for aerosol simulationINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLIMATOLOGY, Issue 11 2005Eric Girard Abstract Our ability to properly simulate current climate and its future change depends upon the exactitude of the physical processes that are parameterized on the one hand, and on model configuration on the other hand. In this paper, we focus on the latter and investigate the effect of the horizontal grid resolution on the simulation of a month of January over the Arctic. A limited-area numerical climate model is used to simulate the month of January 1990 over a grid that includes the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions. Two grid resolutions are used: 50 km and 100 km. Results show that finer details appear for regional circulation, temperature, and humidity when increasing horizontal resolution. This is particularly true for continental and sea ice boundaries, which are much better resolved by high-resolution model simulations. The Canadian Archipelago and rivers in northern Russia appear to benefit the most from higher horizontal resolution. High-resolution simulations capture some frozen rivers and narrow straits between islands. Therefore, much colder surface air temperature is simulated over these areas. Precipitation is generally increased in those areas and over topography due to a better representation of surface heterogeneities when increasing resolution. Large-scale atmospheric circulation is substantially changed when horizontal resolution is increased. Feedback processes occur between surface air temperature change over heterogeneous surfaces and atmospheric circulation. High-resolution simulations develop a stronger polar vortex. The mean sea-level pressure increases over the western Arctic and Iceland and decreases over the eastern Arctic. This circulation leads to a substantial cooling of the eastern Arctic and enhanced synoptic activity over the Arctic associated with an intensification of the baroclinic zone. Aerosol mass loading, which is simulated explicitly in this model, is significantly altered by the grid resolution change with the largest differences in aerosol concentration over areas where precipitation and atmospheric circulation are the most affected. The implications of this sensitivity study to the evaluation of indirect radiative effects of anthropogenic aerosols are discussed. Copyright © 2005 Royal Meteorological Society. [source] The feasibility of developing a standards rating system for all Australian government aged care homesINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OLDER PEOPLE NURSING, Issue 2 2008FRCNA, Susan Koch BA (Ed Studies) Aims and objectives., The main objective of this project was to investigate the likelihood of creating an easily understood rating system for all aged care homes. A secondary objective was to canvas the feasibility of alternative systems that could better inform aged care consumers. Background., Standards rating systems are used internationally to enable comparisons in healthcare. In Australia, the performance of numerous services and products are measured according to the star system of ratings, yet despite their widespread use, star ratings remain absent from the healthcare industry. Methods., A National Consultative Group (NCG) consisting of key stakeholder representatives was consulted, and a literature review performed on existing standards (or ,star') rating systems. Telephone interviews were conducted with representatives from aged care homes, as well as consumers. Results., A standards rating system for aged care homes was not found to be feasible in the current climate. However, an alternative system that emphasises empowering aged care consumers, such as one that allows consumers to search for an aged care home using their own criteria of preference, was considered more feasible. Conclusion., The need for information to assist consumer choice , limited as it may be , is real. Ways of providing more consumer friendly, useful information need to be further explored and developed. Recommendations are made for future work in this area. [source] Open Borders: Absurd Chimera or Inevitable Future Policy?INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION, Issue 5 2010John P. Casey In the current climate of security concerns, the movement of people across borders is becoming increasingly criminalised. Yet there is a parallel political and economic reality in which borders are opening and the movement of people is being liberalised: zones of free movement such as the European Union expand; other bilateral and multilateral agreements include provisions for more fluid cross-border movement; international trade negotiations seek to facilitate the flow of those providing goods and services; developing countries' push for greater access for their citizens to the labour markets of the industrialised world; and a new class of "gold collar" professionals moves with increasing ease around the globe. This paper explores the possibilities of universal open borders as a future policy option. The author accepts realpolitik and understands that the free flow of immigrants is currently impossible, but also maintains that open borders are an inevitable long-term consequence of globalisation, as well as a policy option for addressing North-South inequalities and a moral touchstone for the global extension of human rights. The paper does not advocate for more migration, but instead explores the paradox that the creation of the conditions that would allow for the opening of borders is likely to reduce the incentives for emigration. The paper explores the policy changes needed to achieve open borders. [source] Current and historical factors influencing patterns of species richness and turnover of birds in the Gulf of Guinea highlandsJOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY, Issue 8 2005Catherine H. Graham Abstract Aim, The aims of this paper are to: examine how current and historical ecological factors affect patterns of species richness, endemism and turnover in the Gulf of Guinea highlands, test theoretical biogeographical predictions and provide information for making informed conservation decisions. Location, The Gulf of Guinea highlands in West Africa. Methods, We used multivariate and matrix regression models, and cluster analyses to assess the influence of current climate and current and historical isolation on patterns of richness and turnover for montane birds across the highlands. We examined three groups of birds: montane species (including widespread species), montane endemics and endemic subspecies. We applied a complementarity-based reserve selection algorithm using species richness with irreplaceability measures to identify areas of high conservation concern. Results, Environmental factors influenced richness for all groups of birds (species, endemic species and subspecies). Areas with high and consistent annual rainfall showed the highest species and endemic richness. Species clusters for all groups of birds generally differentiated three major montane regions, which are topographically isolated. Multiple mantel tests identified these same regions for endemic species and subspecies. The influence of historical isolation varied by species group; distributions of endemic montane species and subspecies were more associated with historical breaks than were all montane species, which included widespread non-endemic species. Main conclusions, Our analyses indicated important geographical structure amongst the bird assemblages in the highlands and, therefore, conservation prioritization should include mountains from within the geographical subregions identified in these analyses because these regions may harbour evolutionarily distinct populations of birds. [source] Estimated migration rates under scenarios of global climate changeJOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY, Issue 7 2002Jay R. Malcolm Aim Greenhouse-induced warming and resulting shifts in climatic zones may exceed the migration capabilities of some species. We used fourteen combinations of General Circulation Models (GCMs) and Global Vegetation Models (GVMs) to investigate possible migration rates required under CO2 -doubled climatic forcing. Location Global. Methods Migration distances were calculated between grid cells of future biome type x and nearest same-biome-type cells in the current climate. In `base-case' calculations, we assumed that 2 × CO2 climate forcing would occur in 100 years, we used ten biome types and we measured migration distances as straight-line distances ignoring water barriers and human development. In sensitivity analyses, we investigated different time periods of 2 × CO2 climate forcing, more narrowly defined biomes and barriers because of water bodies and human development. Results In the base-case calculations, average migration rates varied significantly according to the GVM used (BIOME3 vs. MAPSS), the age of the GCM (older- vs. newer-generation GCMs), and whether or not GCMs included sulphate cooling or CO2 fertilization effects. However, high migration rates (, 1000 m year,1) were relatively common in all models, consisting on average of 17% grid cells for BIOME3 and 21% for MAPSS. Migration rates were much higher in boreal and temperate biomes than in tropical biomes. Doubling of the time period of 2 × CO2 forcing reduced these areas of high migration rates to c. 12% of grid cells for both BIOME3 and MAPSS. However, to obtain migration rates in the Boreal biome that were similar in magnitude to those observed for spruce when it followed the retreating North American Glacier, a radical increase in the period of warming was required, from 100 to >1000 years. A reduction in biome area by an order of magnitude increased migration rates by one to three orders of magnitude, depending on the GVM. Large water bodies and human development had regionally important effects in increasing migration rates. Main conclusions In conclusion, evidence from coupled GCMs and GVMs suggests that global warming may require migration rates much faster than those observed during post-glacial times and hence has the potential to reduce biodiversity by selecting for highly mobile and opportunistic species. Several poorly understood factors that are expected to influence the magnitude of any such reduction are discussed, including intrinsic migrational capabilities, barriers to migration, the role of outlier populations in increasing migration rates, the role of climate in setting range limits and variation in species range sizes. [source] Lecturer practitioners in six professions: combining culturesJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 5 2004Pat Fairbrother BA Background., Whilst research has been undertaken in relation to the lecturer practitioner role in nursing, there have been no cross-professional studies. There is an explicit political agenda in the United Kingdom on interprofessional education and enhancing the status of those who provide practice-based teaching. Aim., This paper reports a study to investigate the commonalities and differences between lecturer practitioners across professions and to generate hypotheses about the role, which follows different models of practice in the different professions. Methods., An exploratory research design was adopted, using semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of lecturer practitioners from six professions (architecture, clinical psychology, law, medicine, nursing and social work). A grounded theory approach was used. Findings., All lecturer practitioners perceived a clear dichotomy between their professional practice role and their university role. All used similar strategies to adapt to and deal with combining two very differently perceived cultures. There were striking similarities in response to the consequences of serving ,two masters' in the areas of time management and role identity/definition. Conclusions., The role not only bridges theory and practice, but has to operate within very different organizational cultures. Further research is needed to test the generalizability of the findings. Relevance to clinical practice., This investigation aims to inform higher education and health service policy on lecturer practitioners, and also provide support for those undertaking this challenging role. The study poses challenging questions for policymakers in the current climate of interprofessional learning, which need to be addressed if future initiatives in this area are to be successful. [source] Effects of Climate Change and Shifts in Forest Composition on Forest Net Primary ProductionJOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY, Issue 11 2008Jyh-Min Chiang Abstract Forests are dynamic in both structure and species composition, and these dynamics are strongly influenced by climate. However, the net effects of future tree species composition on net primary production (NPP) are not well understood. The objective of this work was to model the potential range shifts of tree species (DISTRIB Model) and predict their impacts on NPP (PnET-II Model) that will be associated with alterations in species composition. We selected four 200 × 200 km areas in Wisconsin, Maine, Arkansas, and the Ohio-West Virginia area, representing focal areas of potential species range shifts. PnET-II model simulations were carried out assuming that all forests achieved steady state, of which the species compositions were predicted by DISTRIB model with no migration limitation. The total NPP under the current climate ranged from 552 to 908 g C/m2 per year. The effects of potential species redistributions on NPP were moderate (,12% to +8%) compared with the influence of future climatic changes (,60% to +25%). The direction and magnitude of climate change effects on NPP were largely dependent on the degree of warming and water balance. Thus, the magnitude of future climate change can affect the feedback system between the atmosphere and biosphere. [source] Evidence-based uncertainty in mental health nursingJOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC & MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, Issue 1 2004V. FRANKS rgn rnt dIPmed dIPpsych msC The drive towards evidence-based practice is part of a modern reflective and caring service. However there is a paradox at the heart of the notion of evidence-based care. In order to perform any systemized examination of treatment there has to be a conscious acknowledgement of uncertainty about that treatment. This is uncomfortable and when research does find evidence in favour of a treatment, there is a relief and a return to conviction about what is the best. The paradox is that it seems the most valued research practices are predicated on generalizations about patient treatments and categories. However, nursing care is based on the notion of the uniqueness of the patient and the nurse,patient relationship. Sometimes it is necessary to address the particular and not to rush to generalizations and certainty. The psychoanalytic framework promotes a capacity to tolerate uncertainty and provides a model for understanding conflicting feelings, which can occur within the nurse,patient relationship. The author proposes the psychoanalytic observational method as an adjunct to other research methods. This method places certain kinds of evidence within the rubric of evidence-based nursing practice. The evidence collected in this method is the evidence of the conscious and unconscious experience within the nurse,patient relationship. The author will describe and argue for the place of this research method within the canon of other more widely practised methods within mental health practice. She will propose that for safe practice it is necessary to value and examine the veracity of the feelings and tacit understanding of the nurse. She contends that the current climate of excessive bureaucracy and persecutory risk management is having a damaging effect on both the research process and effective nursing care. [source] Omega-3 polyunsaturated acids and cardiovascular disease: notable ethnic differences or unfulfilled promise?JOURNAL OF THROMBOSIS AND HAEMOSTASIS, Issue 10 2010J. V. PATEL Summary., The consumption of long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated acids (PUFA) is considered to protect against cardiovascular disease and promote longevity following a heart attack. Historically, research in this area was fuelled by compelling reports of the cardiovascular benefits of omega-3 PUFA in select populations and cultures. More recent studies, in wider populations, suggest discordant findings: differences that are difficult to reconcile as the mechanism of action of omega-3 PUFA are poorly understood. As such, the use of this ,natural treatment' for cardiovascular disease is increasingly controversial, and potentially one of unfulfilled promise. To what extent does ethnicity influence the impact that omega-3 PUFA have on cardiovascular disease and its associated complications? We were interested to review the benefits of omega-3 PUFA in the management of cardiovascular risk amongst diverse ethnic groups. Using a systematic review of literature relating to omega-3 PUFA and cardiovascular disease, we found ethnicity to be a factor that accounts for inconsistency between studies. Some of the effects of omega-3 PUFA are limited to cultures with a very high omega-3 intake, and in turn, ethnicity moderates the efficiency with which PUFA are derived from the diet. Moreover, omega-3 PUFA are an important health care intervention in the current climate of globalization, where supplementation is likely to give protection to cultural groups undergoing dietary transition. Future epidemiological research into the efficacy of omega-3 PUFA in cardiovascular disease should consider the influence of ethnicity. [source] The Demographics of Gubernatorial Appointees: Toward an Explanation of VariationPOLICY STUDIES JOURNAL, Issue 1 2001Norma M. Riccucci This study examines the various factors that could potentially predict or explain demographic diversity in high-level gubernatorial appointments in state government. In particular, it identifies and analyzes a set of variables that could help answer the question: Under what conditions are governors more likely to appoint higher proportions of women and people of color to top-ranking executive branch positions? This question, not yet addressed by researchers, is particularly salient in the current climate of accelerated devolution. Decisionmakers in state governments play a greater role in determining policy across an increasingly wide range of areas than at any time in recent history. From the standpoint of representativeness, the demographic background of state policymakers increases the stakes of those who participate, particularly in terms of policy outcomes. Thus, it is especially important to identify the participants in state-level policy arenas and the factors that could predict their appointments. [source] Predicted impact of climate change on threatened terrestrial vertebrates in central Spain highlights differences between endotherms and ectothermsANIMAL CONSERVATION, Issue 4 2010P. Aragón Abstract Climate change can induce shifts in species ranges. Of special interest are range shifts in regions with a conflict of interest between land use and the conservation of threatened species. Here we focus on the 94 threatened terrestrial vertebrates occurring in the Madrid region (Central Spain) and model their distributions using data for the whole peninsular Spain to evaluate which vertebrate groups are likely to be more sensitive to climatic change. First, we generated predictive models to quantify the extent to which species distributions are explained by current climate. We then extrapolated the models temporally to predict the effects of two climate-change scenarios on species distributions. We also examined the impact on a recently proposed reserve relative to other interconnected zones with lower protection status but categorized as Areas of Community Importance by the European Union. The variation explained by climatic predictors was greater in ectotherms. The change in species composition differed between the proposed reserve and the other protected areas. Endothermic and ectothermic vertebrates had different patterns of changes in species composition but those of ectotherms matched with temperature departures predicted by climate change. Our results, together with the limited dispersal capacity of herptiles, suggest that trade-offs between different design criteria accounting for animal group differences are necessary for reserve selection. [source] Potential distribution of the Asian disease vector Culex gelidus Theobald (Diptera: Culicidae) in Australia and New Zealand: a prediction based on climate suitabilityAUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 4 2005Craig R Williams Abstract,Culex gelidus has a wide distribution throughout Asia, where it is a vector of Japanese encephalitis. It was first detected in Australia in 1999, with archived material revealing an introduction sometime prior to 1994. It is currently widely distributed throughout northern and particularly north-eastern Australia. Using climate matching software (CLIMEX Version 1.1) and the known distribution of Cx. gelidus throughout Asia, a predicted distribution for Australasia based on current climate was developed. A potentially wide distribution throughout coastal Australia, particularly in tropical and subtropical areas, was revealed. Few inland locations were suitable, except in tropical areas of the Northern Territory and Queensland. The predicted distribution presented here is concordant with most recent collection records of Cx. gelidus in Australasia. However, there are a small number of exceptions which highlight some of the limitations of this approach for predicting mosquito distributions. The presence of Cx. gelidus in a large artificial swamp in Alice Springs is one such example. The predicted Cx. gelidus distribution incorporates highly populated areas, in which people may experience an increased risk of mosquito-borne viral encephalitis should this mosquito spread throughout its entire predicted range. [source] The impetus for family-centred early childhood interventionCHILD: CARE, HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 6 2007B. Carpenter Abstract In this article, the current climate of early intervention is considered, advocating the necessity for it to remain a cutting-edge service that attends to the changing needs profiles of children and their families. The article reviews the difficulties experienced by families in the UK, where, as the government acknowledges, life chances are still unequal. It emphasises that early interventions can increase the likelihood of the family being able to engage or re-engage with mainstream societal services, thus reducing the long-term costs to society. It discusses the past and present UK policy context from 2004, when Sohns reported that the UK was the only country without a national policy of infrastructure in relation to early childhood intervention, until the present when, a raft of legislation is in place acknowledging its importance and the need for priority. Central to many effective early intervention programmes is the goal of establishing shared communication in the infant,key carer dyad, using alternative communication and therapy-based interventions. The article discusses parent-inclusive programmes which meet the needs of both parents and children, and receive endorsement from parents. Finally, the article considers evaluation of early childhood services, and the necessity of increasing the centrality of the family in service delivery in order to provide services which are integrated, relevant and efficacious. [source] The geography of climate change: implications for conservation biogeographyDIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 3 2010D. D. Ackerly Abstract Aim, Climate change poses significant threats to biodiversity, including impacts on species distributions, abundance and ecological interactions. At a landscape scale, these impacts, and biotic responses such as adaptation and migration, will be mediated by spatial heterogeneity in climate and climate change. We examine several aspects of the geography of climate change and their significance for biodiversity conservation. Location, California and Nevada, USA. Methods, Using current climate surfaces (PRISM) and two scenarios of future climate (A1b, 2070,2099, warmer-drier and warmer-wetter), we mapped disappearing, declining, expanding and novel climates, and the velocity and direction of climate change in California and Nevada. We also examined fine-scale spatial heterogeneity in protected areas of the San Francisco Bay Area in relation to reserve size, topographic complexity and distance from the ocean. Results, Under the two climate change scenarios, current climates across most of California and Nevada will shrink greatly in extent, and the climates of the highest peaks will disappear from this region. Expanding and novel climates are projected for the Central Valley. Current temperature isoclines are projected to move up to 4.9 km year,1 in flatter regions, but substantially slower in mountainous areas because of steep local topoclimate gradients. In the San Francisco Bay Area, climate diversity within currently protected areas increases with reserve size and proximity to the ocean (the latter because of strong coastal climate gradients). However, by 2100 of almost 500 protected areas (>100 ha), only eight of the largest are projected to experience temperatures within their currently observed range. Topoclimate variability will further increase the range of conditions experienced and needs to be incorporated in future analyses. Main Conclusions, Spatial heterogeneity in climate, from mesoclimate to topoclimate scales, represents an important spatial buffer in response to climate change, and merits increased attention in conservation planning. [source] | ||||||||||||||||