Suchergebnisse

AbstractThe COVID‐19 pandemic has challenged nations states across the world. They have implemented lockdown and social distancing and with the development of vaccines have gone to great lengths to build herd immunity for their populations. As place managers, local government has played a variety of roles supporting central government edicts related to social distancing and supporting local businesses impacted by lockdowns. The research reported here comparing the role local government has played in Australia, Canada, Italy, and New Zealand shows that they have at different times and for different issues been policy takers from central government, policy shapers, and policy makers adapting national strategies. Local government plays an important complementary role with central governments in both unitary and federal systems of government. The paper contributes to the literature on multi‐level governance, place‐based decision‐making, and disaster and emergency management by offering a framework for analysing municipal roles in crises management both in their relationship with higher layers of government and in their acting as locally placed organisations.Points for practitioners
Cross‐national study: Australia, Canada, Italy, and New Zealand.
Examination of local government responses to COVID‐19 pandemic as policy makers, takers, or shapers.
Comparison of federal and unitary states.

Context Citizen science is increasingly used to collect biodiversity data to inform conservation management, but its validity within urban greenspaces remains largely unresolved. Aims To assess the validity of eBird data for generating biodiversity estimates within an urban greenspace. Methods We compared data from structured avian surveys with eBird data at an urban greenspace in Sydney during 2012–16, using species richness and Shannon diversity indices. We also compared community composition, using non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) and dissimilarities using non-parametric MANOVA. Key results Structured surveys had a lower overall species richness (80 versus 116) and Shannon diversity (3.64 versus 3.94) than eBird data, but we found no significant differences when using years as replicates. After standardising the richness and diversity indices by time spent surveying in a given year, structured surveys produced significantly higher biodiversity estimates. Further, when grouped into species occupying different broad habitats, there were no significant differences in waterbird or landbird species richness, or in Shannon diversity between data sources. Conclusions The most likely explanation for the larger magnitudes of the biodiversity indices from the eBird data is the increase in effort manifested in the number of observers, time spent surveying and spatial coverage. This resulted in increased detection of uncommon species, which in turn accounted for a significant difference (R2 = 0.21, P = 0.015) in overall community composition measured by the two methods. Implications Our results highlight the opportunities provided by eBird data as a useful tool for land managers for monitoring avian communities in urban areas.

Few studies investigating the psychological determinants of water consumption and conservation use metered household water data. Studies that have used metered consumption have found that individual-level motivations are often weak predictors. This may be due to the psychological determinants being measured at the individual level and metered consumption at the household level. This article contributes to the water consumption literature by (a) identifying the determinants of change in water consumption over time and (b) testing effects in single-person households where levels of analysis are equivalent. We applied models to data from South Australia ( N = 410) and Victoria ( N = 205) and found that variables at the individual, household, dwelling, and regional levels predict the initial level of consumption and/or its rate of change. Some individual-level variables were not significant predictors of household consumption but did predict individual consumption. We discuss these results in light of previous research and offer avenues for future research.

AbstractThe majority of drinking water supply zones in the United Kingdom are currently dosed with phosphate in order to meet the drinking water quality standards for lead. Consequent reductions in other metals released from domestic plumbing might be expected. Lead, copper, zinc and nickel concentrations in the tap water of supply zones and in effluents from related sewage works were examined to assess reductions in the concentrations of these metals associated with the dosing of orthophosphate. This paper provides an analysis of the impact of phosphate dosing of drinking water on the metal concentrations in drinking water and sewage work effluents and the potential impacts in relation to the Water Framework Directive. Phosphate treatment the reduced average copper concentrations in drinking water by around 40% from 65 to 35 μg/L; the reduction is proportional to the phosphate dose. A corresponding 30% decrease in wastewater treatment work effluent concentrations is observed. No significant changes are evident in the zinc and nickel concentrations.

Context Accurate and precise monitoring practises are key for effective wildlife conservation management; providing reliable estimates of spatiotemporal changes in species abundance on which sound decision-making can be based. Advancements in drone and satellite technology are providing new standards for survey accuracy and precision and have great potential for enhancing population monitoring of numerous difficult to survey species. Flying-foxes (Pteropus spp.) are large bats that roost in groups of a few hundred to many thousands in the canopies of trees, where they are difficult to census accurately and precisely by human observers. Globally, 35 of the 64 flying-fox species are listed as threatened under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, and reliable monitoring methods are needed for the effective management of this ecologically important group. Aims Recently, we showed that drone-acquired thermal imagery can be used to count flying-foxes in their roost with high accuracy and precision. In the present study, we aimed to assess the accuracy and precision of whole colony counts derived from ground-based counting methods against reference counts derived from drone-acquired thermal imagery. Methods We evaluated the relationship between ground-based counts by two groups of human observers to highly accurate and precise counts derived from drone-acquired thermal orthomosaics for 25 counts conducted across seven flying-fox roosts throughout the Greater Sydney region, Australia. Key results We found that ground-based counts by human observers were positively correlated with those obtained from concurrent drone-acquired thermal imagery. However, drone-acquired estimates of colony size were 2.05 and 1.92 times higher than ground-based counts by the experimenter and Australian government counters respectively. When compared against drone-acquired reference counts, the precision (coefficient of variation) of ground-based counts was 26.3% when conducted by a single counter and 55.1% when conducted by multiple counters. Conclusions Our research indicates that ground-based counting methods underestimate true population sizes by substantial margins and have limited precision. Drone-based monitoring provides highly accurate and precise population estimates, and thus is expected to yield more reliable information on flying-fox abundance and allow for trends to be established over shorter timescales. Implications Using ground counting methods alone, population trends can only be established with significance after protracted periods of monitoring. Incorporating the use of thermal drones into current monitoring practises would enhance the capacity to detect population trends earlier and more accurately, so that conservation management can more effectively respond.

Context The process of urbanisation results in dramatic landscape changes with long-lasting and sometimes irreversible consequences for the biota as urban sensitive species are eliminated. The Australian brush-turkey (Alectura lathami) is a recent urban colonist despite atypical traits for an urban adapter. Contrary to observed range declines and initial reports of decreased reproductive success in cities, Australian brush-turkeys have increased their range in urban areas. Aims Historical atlas and present citizen science data were used to examine the changing distribution of the Australian brush-turkey at continental and city scales, and the changing land use in urban areas occupied by the species. We assess which environmental and landscape features are driving observed distribution changes over time. Methods We describe and map changes at the continental scale between 1839–2019. We then assessed colonisation of the cities of Brisbane and Sydney (located 900 km apart) over the period 1960–2019. At the city scale, we quantified the changing land use within Australian brush-turkey occupied areas over time using classification of satellite imagery. Key results The Australian brush-turkey's geographical range has shifted over the last century, with the species receding from the western and southwestern parts of their range, while expanding in the northwest. Areas occupied in the cities of Brisbane and Sydney have expanded, with more recently occupied areas containing less vegetation and more developed land than previously occupied areas. Conclusions Our results confirm that Australian brush-turkeys are successfully colonising urban areas, including major cities, and are likely to continue moving into urban areas, despite declines elsewhere in their natural range. The species is not limited to suburbs with a high proportion of greenspace, as Australian brush-turkeys are increasingly occurring in highly developed areas with limited vegetation. Implications This study highlights that species which were locally extirpated from urban areas, and thought to be unlikely candidates for recolonisation, can successfully occupy human modified habitats. Successful expansion is likely to be associated with key behavioural traits, urban greening, and legal protection from human persecution.

INTRODUCTION: Uncertainty is an inevitable part of healthcare and a source of confusion and challenge to decision-making. Several taxonomies of uncertainty have been developed, but mainly focus on decisions in clinical settings. Our goal was to develop a holistic model of uncertainty that can be applied to both clinical as well as public and global health scenarios. METHODS: We searched Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus and Google scholar in March 2021 for literature reviews, qualitative studies and case studies related to classifications or models of uncertainty in healthcare. Empirical articles were assessed for study limitations using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklist. We synthesised the literature using a thematic analysis and developed a dynamic multilevel model of uncertainty. We sought patient input to assess relatability of the model and applied it to two case examples. RESULTS: We screened 4125 studies and included 15 empirical studies, 13 literature reviews and 5 case studies. We identified 77 codes and organised these into 26 descriptive and 11 analytical themes of uncertainty. The themes identified are global, public health, healthcare system, clinical, ethical, relational, personal, knowledge exchange, epistemic, aleatoric and parameter uncertainty. The themes were included in a model, which captures the macro, meso and microlevels and the inter-relatedness of uncertainty. We successfully piloted the model on one public health example and an environmental topic. The main limitations are that the research input into our model predominantly came from North America and Europe, and that we have not yet tested the model in a real-life setting. CONCLUSION: We developed a model that can comprehensively capture uncertainty in public and global health scenarios. It builds on models that focus solely on clinical settings by including social and political contexts and emphasising the dynamic interplay between different areas of uncertainty.

Abstract
Dangerously cold weather threatens life and property. During periods of extreme cold due to wind chill, the National Weather Service (NWS) issues wind chill warnings to prompt the public to take action to mitigate risks. Wind chill warnings are based on ambient temperatures and wind speeds. Since 2010, NWS has piloted a new extreme cold warning issued for cold temperatures in wind and nonwind conditions. The North Dakota Department of Health, NWS, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention collaborated in conducting household surveys in Burleigh County, North Dakota, to evaluate this new warning. The objectives of the evaluation were to assess whether residents heard the new warning and to determine if protective behaviors were prompted by the warning. This was a cross-sectional survey design using the Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) methodology to select a statistically representative sample of households from Burleigh County. From 10 to 11 April 2012, 188 door-to-door household interviews were completed. The CASPER methodology uses probability sampling with weighted analysis to estimate the number and percentage of households with a specific response within Burleigh County. The majority of households reported having heard both the extreme cold and wind chill warnings, and both warnings prompted protective behaviors. These results suggest this community heard the new warning and took protective actions after hearing the warning.

Cultural and Natural Heritage (CNH) are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration, according to the UNESCO definition. Rural areas represent outstanding examples of cultural, either tangible or intan- gible, and natural heritage. While rural areas are facing a socio-economic and demographic crisis all over the world, CNH need not only to be safeguarded, but also promoted as a driver for competitiveness, growth and sustainable and inclusive development. This paper goes deeper into the study of computa- tional methods (CMs) applied to modelling CNH in rural areas by looking at how computational methods can support CNH promotion and valorisation to transform rural areas into laboratories for the demon- stration of sustainable development through improving the unique potential of their heritage. To this end, different com putational methods have been studied and classified according to their scope and ap- plication area parameters, showing some correlation among the said parameters and the class of compu- tational method. Apart from how CMs have been applied, wehether it is possible to scale up these CMs elsewhere has also been considered. ; This work has been partially supported by the Regional Government of Castilla y Leon (Spain), through the Instituto para la Competitividad Empresarial (ICE)