Measuring the effectiveness of landscape approaches to conservation and development

Landscape approaches attempt to achieve balance amongst multiple goals over long time periods and to adapt to changing conditions. We review project reports and the literature on integrated landscape approaches, and found a lack of documented studies of their long-term effectiveness. The combination of multiple and potentially changing goals presents problems for the conventional measures of impact. We propose more critical use of theories of change and measures of process and progress to complement the conventional impact assessments. Theories of change make the links between project deliverables, outputs, outcomes, and impacts explicit, and allow a full exploration of the landscape context. Landscape approaches are long-term engagements, but short-term process metrics are needed to confirm that progress is being made in negotiation of goals, meaningful stakeholder engagement, existence of connections to policy processes, and effectiveness of governance. Long-term impact metrics are needed to assess progress on achieving landscapes that deliver multiple societal benefits, including conservation, production, and livelihood benefits. Generic criteria for process are proposed, but impact metrics will be highly situation specific and must be derived from an effective process and a credible theory of change.     

Elimination kinetics of perfluorohexanoic acid in humans and comparison with mouse,rat and monkey

Major fluorinated chemical manufacturers have developed new short-chain per- and polyfluorinated substances with more favorable environmental, health and safety profiles. This study provides the first evaluation of the elimination half-life of perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) from the blood of humans. PFHxA biomonitoring data were obtained from a recently published study of professional ski wax technicians. These data were analyzed to provide estimates of the apparent half-life of PFHxA from humans, and comparisons were made with kinetic studies of PFHxA elimination from mice, rats and monkeys. The apparent elimination half-life of PFHxA in highly exposed humans ranged between 14 and 49 d with a geomean of 32 d. The half-lives of PFHxA in mice, rats, monkeys and humans were proportional to body weight with no differences observed between genders, indicating similar volumes of distribution and similar elimination mechanisms among mammalian species. Compared to long-chain perfluoroalkyl acid analogs, PFHxA is rapidly cleared from biota. The consistent weight-normalized elimination half-lives for PFHxA in mammalian species indicates that results obtained from animal models are suitable for establishment of PFHxA benchmark dose and reference dose hazard endpoints for use in human risk assessments.     

Dietary study of the midwater polychaete Poeobius meseres in Monterey Bay,California

This study presents the first quantification of the diet of a gelatinous midwater organism on a temporal basis. Using the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute's remotely operated vehicle Ventana, regular collections of the polychaete Poeobius meseres (Heath, 1930) over a 1 yr period (October 1990 to November 1991) in Monterey Bay yielded intact organisms for the study of feeding behavior and quantitative analysis of stomach contents. In situ observations showed P. meseres feeding in two different ways: (1) by deployment of a mucus web in the water column that passively collects particles for consumption; and/or (2) by grasping detrital material in the water column with its ciliated tentacles. Stomach-content analyses showed that P. meseres is primarily coprophagic, its diet being dominated by fecal pellets from euphausiids and copepods. These fecal pellets appear to provide P. meseres with essentially all its carbon. Although fecal pellets were the most important food item volumetrically, P. meseres also consumed large numbers of diatoms and small numbers of dinoflagellates, chrysophytes, radiolarians, foraminiferans and eggs. The diet of P. meseres appears to reflect primary productivity in the surface waters, with different food items predominant in the diet at different times of the year. Pennate diatoms were most abundant in the diet during the fall, centric diatoms were most abundant during the sumnier, and fecal pellets during the winter. The composition of P. meseres diet suggests that this and other midwater gelatinous organisms have a significant role in the remineralization of particles as they sink from the surface to the deep sea.     

Globalization and multi-spatial trends in the coverage of protected-area conservation (1980-2000)

This study is focused on the global expansion of protected-area coverage that occurred during the 1980--2000 period. We examine the multi-scale patterning of four of the basic facets of this expansion: i) estimated increases at the world-regional and country-level scales of total protected-area coverage; ii) transboundary protected areas; iii) conservation corridor projects; and iv) type of conservation management. Geospatial patterning of protected-area designations is a reflection of the priorities of global conservation organizations and the globalization of post-Cold War political and economic arrangements. Local and national-level factors (political leadership and infrastructure) as well as international relations such as multilateral and bilateral aid combine with these globalization processes to impact the extent, type, and location of protected-area designations. We conclude that the interaction of these factors led to the creation and reinforcement of marked spatial differences (rather than tendencies toward worldwide evenness or homogenization) in the course of protected-area expansion during the 1980--2000 period.     

Work–family conflicts of women in the Air Force: their influence on mental health and functioning

This paper examined the effects of work and family stressors and conflicts on Air Force women's mental health and functioning. We analyzed data from a 1993 survey of representative stratified samples of 525 Air Force women from the active duty reserve and guard forces. The analyses of the data are guided by the comprehensive model of work–family conflict that has been tested by Frone, Russell, and Cooper (1992) using a large representative community sample. Structural equation modeling analyses provided support for the work–family conflict model. The analyses also provided support for an extension of the model, which included the separate effects of marital and parental roles on mental health. The extended model demonstrated that job and parental stresses had direct effects on work–family conflicts and that job and marital distress and family–work conflict had an independent adverse effect on mental health. Whereas job and parental involvement had a beneficial effect on distress, they had an adverse effect on work–family conflicts. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Distribution and abundance of choanoflagellates (Acanthoecidae) across the ice-edge zone in the Weddell Sea,Antarctica

Choanoflagellates are thought to be an important component of oceanic microbial food webs, but little quantitative data exists on their abundance,, distribution, or relationship to potential food sources. In an Antarctic ice edge zone (northern Weddell Sea, March 1986), choanoflagellate abundance varied over two orders of magnitude in the upper 100 m. The lowest abundances were recorded at the bottom of the water column under ice cover and the highest abundances occurred in the upper 30 m of open water. Species that were predominantly in colonies dominated the open-water samples. Abundances of total choanoflagellates and some individual species were correlated with primary and secondary biomass and production, indicating a response to gradients in potential food sources. This suggests that choanoflagellates are tightly coupled with their food sources and supports the contention that they may an important link between bacteria-sized particles and metazoan grazers.