Defining the Impact of Non‐Native Species

Non‐native species cause changes in the ecosystems to which they are introduced. These changes, or some of them, are usually termed impacts; they can be manifold and potentially damaging to ecosystems and biodiversity. However, the impacts of most non‐native species are poorly understood, and a synthesis of available information is being hindered because authors often do not clearly define impact. We argue that explicitly defining the impact of non‐native species will promote progress toward a better understanding of the implications of changes to biodiversity and ecosystems caused by non‐native species; help disentangle which aspects of scientific debates about non‐native species are due to disparate definitions and which represent true scientific discord; and improve communication between scientists from different research disciplines and between scientists, managers, and policy makers. For these reasons and based on examples from the literature, we devised seven key questions that fall into 4 categories: directionality, classification and measurement, ecological or socio‐economic changes, and scale. These questions should help in formulating clear and practical definitions of impact to suit specific scientific, stakeholder, or legislative contexts. Definiendo el Impacto de las Especies No‐Nativas     

Protected‐Area Boundaries as Filters of Plant Invasions

Abstract: Human land uses surrounding protected areas provide propagules for colonization of these areas by non‐native species, and corridors between protected‐area networks and drainage systems of rivers provide pathways for long‐distance dispersal of non‐native species. Nevertheless, the influence of protected‐area boundaries on colonization of protected areas by invasive non‐native species is unknown. We drew on a spatially explicit data set of more than 27,000 non‐native plant presence records for South Africa's Kruger National Park to examine the role of boundaries in preventing colonization of protected areas by non‐native species. The number of records of non‐native invasive plants declined rapidly beyond 1500 m inside the park; thus, we believe that the park boundary limited the spread of non‐native plants. The number of non‐native invasive plants inside the park was a function of the amount of water runoff, density of major roads, and the presence of natural vegetation outside the park. Of the types of human‐induced disturbance, only the density of major roads outside the protected area significantly increased the number of non‐native plant records. Our findings suggest that the probability of incursion of invasive plants into protected areas can be quantified reliably.     

The 1988 earthquake in soviet armenia: implications for earthquake preparedness

An earthquake registering 6.9 on the Richter scale hit the northern part of the Armenian Republic of the Soviet Union on 7 December 1988, resulting in thousands of deaths and injuries. The majority of these resulted from the collapse of inadequately designed and constructed buildings. Analysis of the effects of the Armenian earthquake on the population, as well as of the rescue and medical response, has strong implications for earthquake preparedness and response in other seismically vulnerable parts of the world. Specifically, this paper will recommend a number of important endeavours deemed necessary to improve medical planning, preparedness and response to earthquakes. Strengthening the self-reliance of the community in disaster preparedness is suggested as the best way to improve the effectiveness of relief operations. In earthquake-prone areas, training and education in basic first aid and methods of rescue should be an integral part of any community preparedness programme.     

Injury prevention in natural disasters. A theoretical framework

A theoretical framework for conceptualizing injury patterns in natural disasters is described. In this conceptual framework, natural disasters are divided chronologically into predisaster, disaster and postdisaster phases. Within each phase, four factors (human, engineering/technological, physical environmental and socioeconomic) are identified that play an important role in the causation of injury. By combining these phases and factors into a three by four matrix, one may begin to identify points in the natural history or evolution of a disaster that may be amenable to therapeutic or preventive intervention. The application of this proposed three-phase matrix model to a disaster will permit researchers to reduce a large, complex problem into more manageable, conceptually simpler parts. It may also be of value to disaster planners by suggesting preventive and mitigation measures, as well as aiding in the setting of priorities so that scarce resources can be allocated to achieve maximum reduction of injuries.     

The Historical Development of Public Health Responses to Disasters

The first of a series of state-of-the-art reviews commissioned to mark Disasters' 21st anniversary, this paper considers key publications on public health aspects of natural disasters, refugee emergencies and complex humanitarian disasters over the past twenty-odd years. The literature is reviewed and important signposts highlighted showing how the field has developed. This expanding body of epidemiological research has provided a basis for increasingly effective prevention and intervention strategies.