FUNCTIONAL SIGNIFICANCE OF SPECIES COMPOSITION IN RIPARIAN PLANT COMMUNITIES1

ABSTRACT: This paper analyzes the spatial patterns of plant species richness observed in 1989 and in 1999 alongside the Adour River (Southwest France), focussing on: (1) upstream‐to‐down‐stream changes, (2) mid‐term changes, and (3) differences in observed patterns among various plant functional groups. The purpose of the research was to analyze how the proportions of invading species and/or ruderal species within riparian corridors can be related to regional environmental settings. About half of native and exotic species were ruderals. However, the proportion of competitors was higher within the native pool. No correlation was found between exotic and native functional groups. The longitudinal distribution of native and exotic ruderal species were correlated together, but they were not correlated with the total species richness. Converse to observations at the local scale in other studies, these patterns seem to be driven more by factors co‐varying with the size of the river and by climatic factors than by hydrological disturbance‐related factors. The role of the various plant groups studied and potential consequences on ecosystem function are discussed in the context of an increasing susceptibility of our ripanan corridors to invasions by nonriparian species. Management perspectives are discussed for the purpose of biodiversity conservation.     

Avoiding cultural trauma: climate change and social inertia

ABSTRACT

The failure of societies to respond in a concerted, meaningful way to climate change is a core concern of the social science climate literature. Existing explanations of social inertia display little coherence. Here, a theoretical approach is suggested that integrates disparate perspectives on social inertia regarding climate change. Climate change constitutes a potential cultural trauma. The threat of cultural trauma is met with resistance and attempts to restore and maintain the status quo. Thus, efforts to avoid large-scale social changes associated with climate change constitute an effort to avoid cultural trauma, and result in social inertia regarding climate change at individual, institutional, and societal levels. Existing approaches to social inertia are reviewed. An intellectual framework utilizing the work of Pierre Bourdieu is proposed to integrate these different levels of social interaction. Social processes that maintain social order and thus avoid cultural trauma create social inertia regarding climate change.     

Musculoskeletal Symptoms in Two Plants in the Electrical Sector

The study consisted of describing, using a questionnaire, the musculoskeletal symptoms in two industries in the electrical sector. The questionnaire was distributed to more than 600 workers in the two industries. The questionnaire described four types of variables: usual population data (age, gender, experience, etc.), certain work variables, the regions of the body affected in the past 12 months and in the past 7 days, and the severity of the symptoms. Ten variables were used to provide a symptom severity index. In the two plants, the women reported more frequent and more serious problems than the men and the least experienced workers were the most affected. In Plant 1, the questionnaire pinpointed two work sectors, whereas in Plant 2, the problems were found not to be concentrated in a few sectors, but distributed among different jobs throughout the entire plant.     

Prenatal diagnosis of exophytic nevus sebaceous of the scalp

Nevus sebaceous is a complex hamartoma most commonly found on the scalp, face, and neck and is often present at birth, although some may be diagnosed later in infancy. We report the first prenatal diagnosis of isolated nevus sebaceous that presented at 19 weeks' gestation as a large and exophytic tumor of the scalp. This case emphasizes the crucial role of ultrasound examination performed with high-frequency probes, which revealed associated diffuse lesions of the face. Identification of such a facial involvement could have a dramatic prognostic impact. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Potential of Pulsed Light to Inactivate Bacteriophage MS2 in Simple Liquid Medium and on Complex Foodstuffs

The virucidal efficacy of a pulsed light treatment applied to viral suspensions, glass beads and herb powders was studied for the F-RNA bacteriophage MS2. The experimental results obtained demonstrated the high potential of this technology to efficiently decontaminate simple matrices but underlined the complexity of application to complex food matrices.