Workstations for people with disabilities: an example of a virtual reality approach

This article describes a method of adapting workstations for workers with motion disability using computer simulation and virtual reality (VR) techniques. A workstation for grinding spring faces was used as an example. It was adjusted for two people with a disabled right upper extremity. The study had two stages. In the first, a computer human model with a visualization of maximal arm reach and preferred workspace was used to develop a preliminary modification of a virtual workstation. In the second stage, an immersive VR environment was used to assess the virtual workstation and to add further modifications. All modifications were assessed by measuring the efficiency of work and the number of movements involved. The results of the study showed that a computer simulation could be used to determine whether a worker with a disability could access all important areas of a workstation and to propose necessary modifications.     

Influence of an oblique path of staircase descent on toe placement and foot clearance

During their commute, pedestrians encounter a variety of staircase designs. One such design is the oblique staircase that allows pedestrians to descend at an angle. The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of an oblique path of descent on heel and toe clearance, and toe placement on a step. Sixteen participants descended a staircase on an angled path at three angles: 0° (perpendicular), 25°, and 45°. Toe placement and foot clearances were compared between the descent angles and feet. An increase in descent angle demonstrated increased clearance of the heel apex compared with straight descent; however, the aspect of the foot closest to the stair changes in angled descent, moving from the apex to the side of the heel. A greater portion of the foot was placed on the stair tread during angled descent. Future work should address the influence of angled descent on fall risk.     

虎纹蛙和大树蛙肾细胞超微结构及其与环境适应性的关系

用透射电镜比较了大树蛙和虎纹蛙肾细胞的超微结构，大树蛙近曲小管上皮细胞具发达的质膜内褶迷路，虎纹蛙近曲小管上皮细胞无比结构；小树蛙远曲小管上皮细胞含丰富的质膜内褶，虎纹蛙远曲小管上皮细胞的质膜内褶较少；两种蛙的集合管上皮细胞都有质膜内褶迷路；结果表明，虎纹蛙和大树蛙之间肾细胞超微结构特征的差异是与它们不同的栖息环境和生态习性相适应的。     

海岛养殖户台风灾害适应性行为及其影响因素分析

水产养殖是保障粮食安全、提升适应力需要关注的关键部门之一。农户层面的灾害适应性行为及其影响因素研究对增强养殖户灾害适应能力,确保养殖户生计安全、海岛可持续发展和渔村振兴具有重要价值。基于海岛水产养殖户调查数据对养殖户灾害全过程适应性行为进行研究,并运用Multivariate Probit模型实证分析了适应性行为的影响因素,结果表明：（1）较多地采用无悔反应和低悔战术,很少采用预先应对策略、更容易的早期策略以及未来获益策略使得大多数养殖户适应行为的成效不太显著。（2）同一因素对养殖户选择的多种适应策略有正负不同方向的显著影响,不同适应策略之间也存在着显著的互补和替代效应。（3）年龄、家庭劳动力、5年遭灾次数是养殖户适应行为的重要影响因素,投入、健康状况、灾害感知强度、收入、教育程度、社会资本都对养殖户采取的适应行为有显著影响。（4）海岛地区养殖户灾害适应行为的影响因素及其影响方向具有特殊性。研究识别了海岛养殖户台风灾害适应行为的关键影响因子和薄弱环节,结论可为政府和养殖户灾害适应策略的优化调整提供依据。     

牧户对气候变化的感知与适应——以内蒙古四子王旗查干补力格苏木为例

通过在内蒙古自治区四子王旗查干补力格苏木的实地调查,并对四子王旗气象数据与调研得到的牧户感知数据进行对比分析,结果表明：牧民对气温变化的感知较对降水变化的感知准确度高,对风沙的感知与实际差距较大。在灾害造成的影响感知方面,牧户对干旱造成的影响感知最为深刻。牧户为适应气候变化已自主采取了多种应对措施,在实地调研中识别出至少22 种自主适应措施,采用较多的适应措施是多储备草料、减少牲畜存栏、建暖棚、借款和不让后代养羊,其中最重要的适应措施是多储备草料。自主适应行为的评估和筛选结果显示：多储备草料、建暖棚、减少牲畜存栏、引进新品种、借贷款、外出打工是牧民认为较好的自主适应措施。与之相配套的政策需求为：贷款支持、青贮窖补贴、暖棚补贴、更精确的天气预报和病虫害预报、牧业保险、新品种的技术培训、新品种的市场对接、职业技能培训、完善的社会保障体系等。这些政策可以增强牧民适应气候变化的能力,同时减缓牧民生计脆弱性。     

农户土地利用对环境压力的适应研究进展

农户视角土地利用对环境压力的适应研究已成为气候变化和持续性科学领域的热点。 文章从适应能力决定因素识别、适应障碍和限制因素诊断、适应的生态环境后果评估三个方面综述了农户土地利用对环境压力的适应研究取得的重要进展;梳理了农户适应环境压力的研究方法：综合指数法、参与式评估法、统计和计量经济模型法、适应的共同管理模型法。基于已有研究的特征和转型适应的需要,提出了有待进一步研究的问题：①构建适应研究的理论框架,为经验研究提供理论支撑;②重视提高农户适应能力的制度政策和农户适应实践的生态环境后果评估,为持续适应提供依据;③跨多层次主体综合考察农户土地利用适应过程机理; ④基于系统论思想、多学科和跨学科知识,以及现有方法论基础,构建涉及多层次利益相关主体的农户土地利用对环境压力的适应共同管理模型,以实现适应的科学的社会治理。     

The immediate costs and long-term benefits of assisted gene flow in large populations

With the genetic health of many plant and animal populations deteriorating due to climate change outpacing adaptation, interventions, such as assisted gene flow (AGF), may provide genetic variation necessary for populations to adapt to climate change. We ran genetic simulations to mimic different AGF scenarios in large populations and measured their outcomes on population-level fitness to determine circumstances in which it is worthwhile to perform AGF. In the absence of inbreeding depression, AGF was beneficial within a few generations only when introduced genotypes had much higher fitness than local individuals and traits affecting fitness were controlled by a few genes of large effect. AGF was harmful over short periods (e.g., first ∼10–20 generations) if there was strong outbreeding depression or introduced deleterious genetic variation. When the adaptive trait was controlled by many loci of small effect, the benefits of AGF took over 10 generations to realize—potentially too long for most climate-related management scenarios. The genomic integrity of the recipient population typically remained intact following AGF; the amount of genetic material from the donor population usually constituted no more of the recipient population's genome than the fraction of the population introduced. Significant genomic turnover (e.g., >50% replacement) only occurred when the selective advantage of the adaptive trait and translocation fraction were extremely high. Our results will be useful when adaptive management is used to maintain the genetic health and productivity of large populations under climate change.     

Applying assessments of adaptive capacity to inform natural-resource management in a changing climate

Adaptive capacity (AC)—the ability of a species to cope with or accommodate climate change—is a critical determinant of species vulnerability. Using information on species’ AC in conservation planning is key to ensuring successful outcomes. We identified connections between a list of species’ attributes (e.g., traits, population metrics, and behaviors) that were recently proposed for assessing species’ AC and management actions that may enhance AC for species at risk of extinction. Management actions were identified based on evidence from the literature, a review of actions used in other climate adaptation guidance, and our collective experience in diverse fields of global-change ecology and climate adaptation. Selected management actions support the general AC pathways of persist in place or shift in space, in response to contemporary climate change. Some actions, such as genetic manipulations, can be used to directly alter the ability of species to cope with climate change, whereas other actions can indirectly enhance AC by addressing ecological or anthropogenic constraints on the expression of a species’ innate abilities to adapt. Ours is the first synthesis of potential management actions directly linked to AC. Focusing on AC attributes helps improve understanding of how and why aspects of climate are affecting organisms, as well as the mechanisms by which management interventions affect a species’ AC and climate change vulnerability. Adaptive-capacity-informed climate adaptation is needed to build connections among the causes of vulnerability, AC, and proposed management actions that can facilitate AC and reduce vulnerability in support of evolving conservation paradigms.     

Contribution of warm habitat to cold-water fisheries

A central tenet of landscape ecology is that mobile species depend on complementary habitats, which are insufficient in isolation, but combine to support animals through the full annual cycle. However, incorporating the dynamic needs of mobile species into conservation strategies remains a challenge, particularly in the context of climate adaptation planning. For cold-water fishes, it is widely assumed that maximum temperatures are limiting and that summer data alone can predict refugia and population persistence. We tested these assumptions in populations of redband rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss newberrii) in an arid basin, where the dominance of hot, hyperproductive water in summer emulates threats of climate change predicted for cold-water fish in other basins. We used telemetry to reveal seasonal patterns of movement and habitat use. Then, we compared contributions of hot and cool water to growth with empirical indicators of diet and condition (gut contents, weight–length ratios, electric phase angle, and stable isotope signatures) and a bioenergetics model. During summer, trout occurred only in cool tributaries or springs (<20 °C) and avoided Upper Klamath Lake (>25 °C). During spring and fall, ≥65% of trout migrated to the lake (5–50 km) to forage. Spring and fall growth (mean [SD] 0.58% per day [0.80%] and 0.34 per day [0.55%], respectively) compensated for a net loss of energy in cool summer refuges (–0.56% per day [0.55%]). In winter, ≥90% of trout returned to tributaries (25–150 km) to spawn. Thus, although perennially cool tributaries supported thermal refuge and spawning, foraging opportunities in the seasonally hot lake ultimately fueled these behaviors. Current approaches to climate adaptation would prioritize the tributaries for conservation but would devalue critical foraging habitat because the lake is unsuitable and unoccupied during summer. Our results empirically demonstrate that warm water can fuel cold-water fisheries and challenge the common practice of identifying refugia based only on summer conditions.