Urban croaking: diversity and distribution of anurans in a neotropical city

Anurans are excellent site-specific bioindicators. Although urbanization imposes diverse threats to wildlife species, little is known about its effect on tropical anurans. In this study we assessed the response of anurans to different conditions within an urban area (i.e. highly developed intra-urban residential areas, highly developed peri-urban residential areas, intra-urban abandoned lots, waterway). Our results show that: (1) 36 % of the regional anuran species pool was found within the boundaries of the studied city, (2) species richness peaked in highly developed peri-urban areas, (3) anuran abundance scores were highest in abandoned lots, and (4) highest similarity was found between the anuran community from highly developed peri-urban areas and abandoned lots. Although this study was carried out in a single city, and we only recorded four species, our results suggest that the urban semi-permeability process occurs for anuran communities, plus the fact that abandoned lots seem to offer better breeding habitat for anurans than a polluted waterway.     

Birds and the urban environment: the value of green walls

The simplest form of a ‘green wall’ is where self-adhering climbing plants colonise vertical surfaces, an approach that has been used on buildings for millennia (Koehler 2008). Green walls in urban areas are now well-known for their insulation and air cleaning capacities, but little is known of their value as habitats for wildlife. This paper presents preliminary findings of their value for urban birds. The abundance of birds, on 27 green walls and within the area enclosed by a semi-circle of 10 m radius immediately surrounding them, was compared with 27 walls without vegetation (bare walls) and similar surroundings. The study was carried out during the summer and winter of 2010–11 in north Staffordshire (UK). Birds exploited the green walls for various reasons (including nesting, food and shelter) but were never found on bare control walls. The roofs of buildings and the surrounding vegetation were used by birds in both regimes, but birds were more abundant in areas with green walls. The use of green walls by birds depended on the time of day, the season and whether the vegetation was evergreen or deciduous. The birds’ activity was always restricted to the upper half of the wall vegetation. Green walls and the immediate surroundings were used by some species of conservation concern in Great Britain (e.g. Passer domesticus and Sturnus vulgaris). Therefore, encouraging householders and businesses to grow vegetation up walls may be an effective way of providing a range of resources for birds in urban areas without the need for expensive additional land-take.     

Disability inclusive elections in Africa: a systematic review of published and unpublished literature

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities underscores the equal right of persons with disabilities to participate in political life. However, in Africa they are often unable to exercise their right to vote. This study sought to systematically review available evidence on inclusive elections in Africa. Findings showed that although most African countries ratified disability-focused legislation and proclaimed equal opportunities, the implementation of the legislation varies across the continent. Barriers to political participation can occur at any electoral stage and can be broadly categorised into three groups: lack of education and financial resources; stigma and negative social attitudes; and inaccessible physical infrastructure.     

Peeking into the past to plan the future: Assessing bird species richness in a neotropical city

Urbanization has been considered as a major threat to biodiversity, making its ecology of increasing interest. Many urban ecology studies have been developed in a short time-scale, measuring real-time patterns. However, long-term studies are imperative to understand the responses of some species to the urbanization process. In this study, we aimed to assess the information provided by a recent one-year citywide bird survey when compared to a published ‘historical’ bird list of a neotropical city (Xalapa, Mexico) that compiles information of the past three decades, mainly from urban greenspaces. Specifically, we contrasted species richness values and assessed differences in species composition between both lists. We recorded 51 species in the one-year citywide survey, representing ~15 % of those reported in the historical list. Nonetheless, the upper-bound confidence interval of the citywide survey richness prediction represented ~66 %. Most of the species recorded in the one-year citywide survey are insectivores and granivores, a pattern that agrees with previous findings that underline the importance of insectivores as part of urban bird communities in the Neotropics. Although we used robust methods to compare our one-year citywide bird list and the historical list for the city of Xalapa, we acknowledge the limitations of comparing them. However, our results shed some light on the kind and type of information that one-year citywide surveys can provide and the importance of long-term studies for comprehending the processes involved in biodiversity changes within urban areas over time. Undoubtedly, establishing long-term citywide surveys sampling birds and other biodiversity groups will allow us to better understand the response of biodiversity to urbanization over time.     

Butterflies in the city: a review of urban diurnal Lepidoptera

Human migration to urban centers has resulted in diverse environmental disturbances that affect biodiversity. Although urbanization has been highlighted as one of the main drivers of biodiversity endangerment, this topic is still poorly studied in many countries. In order to establish the status quo of the ecology of butterflies in urban centers, we gathered publications focused on urban butterflies (Lepidoptera). We compiled a total of 173 studies from 37 countries and more than 110 urban areas, including published papers and theses (1956–2015). Most papers (69 %) addressed ecological topics, 14 % were focused on biological conservation, and 17 % corresponded to species lists. In summary, most studies revealed a negative impact of urbanization intensity on butterfly diversity (richness and abundance). In fact, we found studies reporting local extinctions due to urbanization, highlighting the causes related to them. The study of charismatic urban wildlife groups, such as butterflies, is a promising field, as there are still important gaps in our comprehension of the ecological patterns and processes that occur in urban areas. Undoubtedly, understanding the response of butterflies to urbanization will aid in the development of urban biodiversity management, planning, and conservation strategies worldwide, which together with knowledge of other wildlife groups and socioeconomic variables, will lead us to more sustainable, livable, and biodiverse cities.     

Carabid beetles in green infrastructures: the importance of management practices for improving the biodiversity in a metropolitan city

Green infrastructure in urbanized areas has a dual purpose that achieves both sociological and ecological goals. To benefit society and the urban ecosystem, green infrastructure should be effectively managed. We investigated carabid diversity and assemblage structure as indicators of biodiversity in green infrastructures in a rapidly developing urban area to identify the habitat’s values. In addition, we attempted to reveal the effect of environmental variables (e.g., vegetation structure, soil, and disturbance) that strongly contribute to carabid diversity and assemblage structure. Of the collected organisms, 6,154 individuals representing 20 carabid species were identified in the green infrastructure. Those species with flight ability and that were found in dry habitats were widely distributed and dominated green infrastructures. Carabid assemblages changed significantly in response to management practices. These changes were both positive and negative, with the negative changes increasing the instability of the carabid assemblages through the destruction of their habitat. Other factors, such as the presence of original habitat, habitat age, and habitat succession, also had a considerable effect on carabid diversity. We revealed that management practices prevented habitat succession, and these interactive effects determined carabid diversity and structure in green infrastructures.     

Horizontal and vertical island biogeography of arthropods on green roofs: a review

From an ecological perspective, urban green roofs can be viewed as green islands embedded in an urban matrix. Island biogeography theory suggests that species richness on an island is the outcome of dynamic equilibrium between immigration and extinction. Immigration is affected by the size of an island and distance of an island from a colonizing source. In the context of green roofs, building height and horizontal distance from green areas can potentially be a limiting factor for many species. Here, we considered two distance components of green roofs - vertical (building height) and horizontal (distance of building from open green areas). Based on island biogeography theory, we would expect species richness or community similarity to be negatively related to horizontal or vertical distances from colonizing sources. The green roof literature addressing such questions is currently sparse. In our review comprised of 10 studies, we were unable to identify consistent statistically significant richness-distance or community similarity-distance (vertical or horizontal) relationships. The absence of statistically significant relationships could be due in large part to low statistical power as a consequence of both the paucity of roofs and limited range of vertical distances in many of the existing studies. In addition, these roofs differ in numerous aspects (e.g. roof size, age, substrate type, plant composition and building height). The low number of replicates, combined with the lack of homogeneity among replicates combines to reduce statistical power and our ability to detect differences.     

Seasonal patterns of urban bird diversity in a Mediterranean coastal city: the positive role of open green spaces

Urban Ecosystems - Urbanization causes rapid changes in the landscape and land use, exerting a significant pressure on bird communities. The effect of urbanization on bird diversity has been widely...     

To live an ordinary life: resource needs and additional costs for people with a physical impairment

Disabled people face increased risks of living in poverty largely due to lower incomes and extra resource requirements compared to non-disabled people. This study incorporated the social model of disability with an economic approach to costing to estimate the additional costs required by people with a physical impairment to achieve an adequate standard of living in New Zealand. Budgets estimating the additional equipment, modifications, transport, support and time required to achieve an adequate standard of living were developed and validated through focus groups with community members. The findings suggest that reducing barriers involves substantial costs ranging from NZ$645–$2,348 per week.     

Towards a comprehensive green infrastructure typology: a systematic review of approaches,methods and typologies

There is no consensus on a comprehensive classification for green infrastructure (GI). This is a consequence of the diversity of disciplines, application contexts, methods, terminologies, purposes and valuation criteria for which a GI typology is required. The aim of this systematic literature review is to evaluate the existing evidence on how GI is being categorised and characterised worldwide. We reviewed a total of 85 studies from 15 countries that were analysed for contextual trends, methods, parameters and typologies. Results show that relevant literature lacks a common terminology and that a universal typology for all scenarios is impractical. Analysis reveals that GI can be organised into four main GI categories: (a) tree canopy, (b) green open spaces, (c) green roofs and (d) vertical greenery systems (facades/walls). Green open spaces and tree canopy attracted the attention of researchers due to their complexity, variability and important roles in GI planning. Evidence suggests that a ternary approach in terms of the functional (purpose, use, services), structural (morphology) and configurational (spatial arrangements) attributes of GI should be applied for a more comprehensive classification. Although this approximation is inherently generic, since it can be used across different research disciplines, it is also sufficiently specific to be implemented for individual scopes, scenarios and settings. Further research is needed to develop a typology capable of responding to particular research aims and performance analyses based upon the findings discussed in this paper.     

Systematically collected information at encounters with HIV-positive students: A review of 10 years of electronic medical records

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine clinical and epidemiological information collected by Student Health Center (SHC) providers on HIV-positive students, and benchmark this information against Infectious Disease Society of America guidelines. Participants: Students who utilized the SHC and had an ICD-9 code indicating positive HIV status between 2005 and 2015 (3?=?7). Methods: In June 2016, we accessed the free-form provider notes of the SHC’s electronic medical records to identify specific, recorded epidemiological and clinical information. Results: Seven unique students sought care at the SHC during the study period. Current sexual risk taking and other known behavioral risk factors were absent from all records, along with CD4 count and viral load. ART status was only available for one patient, and he was not on ART. The information collected failed to meet IDSA benchmarks. Conclusion: Clinically- and epidemiologically-relevant information is not systematically collected from HIV-positive students at SHCs.     

Unreasonable adjustments: the additional unpaid labour of academics with disabilities

Abstract

Two recent contributions to this section have drawn attention to the barriers which academics with disabilities have to navigate in academia where ableism “is endemic” (Brown and Leigh, 2018 Brown, N & Leigh, J (2018) Abelism in academia? Where are the disabled and ill academics. Disability & Society, 33 (6): 985–989.[Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]: 4). Hannam-Swain (2018 Hannam-Swain, S (2018) The additional labour of a disabled PhD student. Disability & Society, 33 (1): 138–142.[Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) highlighted the additional intellectual, emotional and physical labour required of her as a disabled PhD student, and Brown and Leigh (2018 Brown, N & Leigh, J (2018) Abelism in academia? Where are the disabled and ill academics. Disability & Society, 33 (6): 985–989.[Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) queried “where are all the disabled and ill academics?” However, Brown and Leigh primarily focus on those with invisible “conditions” and the dilemmas raised by disclosure in a context where such conditions negate academic status and credibility. In contrast, since my “disability” is visible, I do not share the dilemma/“luxury” of secrecy. My presence announces my status before me, and this negates my personhood altogether in academic settings. It also places a burden of additional unpaid labour upon me which has significant mental health and career impacts as well as violating principles of equality.     

The contagion effect,an additional aspect in the dynamics of emigration: the case of Israel

This paper is concerned with a socio-psychological dimension underlying the dynamics of emigration, namely, the contagion effect. This phenomenon is defined as the reference-group effect of emigrants on the decisions of others to leave. The mechanism of social contagion is discussed in terms of the influence of emigrants on other individuals' considerations or incentives to emigrate from Israel. The development of antagonistic attitudes toward emigrants in Israel is noted. (summary in FRE, SPA)     

Becoming the mother of a child with disabilities: a systematic literature review

The transition to motherhood starts early in pregnancy and is completed when the mother feels competent in caring for the infant. Becoming the mother of a child with disabilities is demanding as their needs are complex. The aim of the review was to appraise completed qualitative and quantitative reports on the challenges of mothers of children with disabilities regarding their own transition to motherhood. A review of the literature was carried out through, first, a computerized search strategy to identify relevant studies from selected databases and, second, quality appraisal and thematic analysis of selected studies. The transition to motherhood of children with disabilities takes place in the inside world at home, the outside world external to home and the ‘going-between’ world of travelling between the two worlds. The mothers are challenged at home to integrate basic infant care with technical care of their children. In the outside world they often struggled to ensure that their children got the necessary professional care. Travelling between their homes and healthcare services posed many problems.     

Renaissance of a rural artifact in a city with a million people: biodiversity responses to an agro-forestry restoration in a large urban traditional fruit orchard

The rural landscapes surrounding large cities are rapidly becoming incorporated into the urban environment. The most conspicuous changes involve green spaces, such as former agro-forestry systems like fruit orchards. In this paper, we assess the influence on biodiversity of restoring a large urban traditional fruit orchard as reflected by six selected taxa: plants, lichens, butterflies, beetles, orthopteroids and birds. The study was performed in Prague, which is the capital city of the Czech Republic and has more than a million inhabitants. We studied the effect of orchard renewal in 45 patches (15 for birds and 30 for other taxa). The majority of taxa responded positively to the restoration. The restoration had a significant positive effect on the species richness of lichens, butterflies and beetles. All taxa showed significantly altered species compositions, and the number of red-listed species increased. Orchards have a high potential for multi-functional use. Orchards are productive agro-forestry systems and host numerous possible human activities. Therefore, orchard restoration also has a social aspect. Moreover, our research in this artificial ecosystem revealed that its restoration increased the biodiversity and conservation potential of the associated areas.

     

The secret life of the city rat: a review of the ecology of urban Norway and black rats (Rattus norvegicus and Rattus rattus)

Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) and black rats (Rattus rattus) are among the most prolific and widespread urban pest species in the world. Yet despite their ubiquity, a unified understanding of the ecology of these species in urban habitats eludes us. A comprehensive understanding of urban rat ecology is important for managing rat populations and mitigating the harmful effects that they may have on urban ecosystems (e.g., structural damage, food contamination, and disease spread). The objective of this systematic review and narrative synthesis is to collate, compare, and contrast data from the published literature regarding the ecology of Norway and black rats in urban centers. Themes emerging from the synthesis process, and discussed in detail, include population dynamics, behavior, movement, and environmental influences on rat populations.     

Latchkey children: a review of the literature

Professional interest in the latchkey phenomenon has increased in the past 20 years. This article gives background information and reviews empirical research.     

Disability and going green: a comparison of the environmental values and behaviours of persons with and without disability

Some studies have suggested that socially excluded groups exhibit different environmental values and behaviours from mainstream society. To consider this in the context of disability, a survey was implemented to investigate environmental values and ecological behaviour. A high percentage of participants considered themselves to have a disability, long‐standing illness or infirmity. Over half of the sample had restricted physical mobility. The study used the revised New Ecological Paradigm Scale, a widely used measure of pro‐environmental orientation, and the General Ecological Behaviour scale to assess ecological behaviours. No significant differences were found between respondents with/without disability for either their general environmental attitudes or their general ecological behaviour. However, a positive correlation was found between level of physical mobility and general ecological behaviour. The results also show significant differences in the ecological behaviours of those respondents living dependently and those living independently; respondents living in care scored lower on the ecological behaviour scale.     

Brody always on my mind: the mental mapping of a Jewish city

Once overwhelmingly inhabited by Jews, the Austro-Galician border town of Brody, in present-day Western Ukraine, has retained an important place on Ashkenazi mental maps until today, even though scholarly studies on Brody are scarce. The present article tries to capture the elements that allowed Brody to inscribe itself so successfully in Jewish memory. Therefore, this paper analyses several lieux de mémoire underlining Brody's enduring perception as a town closely related to Jewish issues. These places, however, are not only physical spots in the cityscape, like the ruins of the synagogue and the cemetery, but also images of and texts about Brody. Whether intended or not, pictures and postcards also have an impact on how Brody has been remembered; and so do memory books, be they written in Yiddish, Hebrew, Polish or Ukrainian. This study argues that Brody appears on the mental maps of Eastern European Jewry as an amalgam of physical places, icons and texts linked to a multi-layered and multifaceted urban history