Winter foraging site fidelity of king penguins breeding at the Falkland Islands

Foraging site fidelity has profound consequences for individual fitness, population processes and the effectiveness of species conservation measures. Accordingly, quantifying site fidelity has become increasingly important in animal movement and habitat selection studies. To assess foraging site fidelity in king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) breeding at the Falkland Islands (51.48°S, 57.83°W), we measured overlap in time spent in foraging areas (at a 0.1° × 0.1° grid resolution) between successive foraging trips and foraging route consistency during the crèche period. In total, 30 complete foraging trips from seven king penguins were recorded between April and October 2010. King penguins predominantly foraged on the highly productive Patagonian slope, to the north of the Falkland Islands [median foraging trip distance 213 km (SD = 215 km) and duration 12.8 days (SD = 14.7 days)]. Overlap in time spent in an area on consecutive foraging trips ranged between 2 and 73 % (mean 27 %, SD = 22 %). Bearing during the outbound portion of foraging trips was typically highly repeatable for individual birds, but foraging trip duration and distance were not. Travel during the outbound phase of foraging trips was consistent with the direction of the northward-flowing Falkland Current that may act as a directional cue or facilitate rapid transit to foraging areas. Flexibility in foraging trip distances and durations may be a response to changes in resource availability and changes in the energetic requirements of adults and chicks over an extended breeding cycle.

Effects of site of assessment and variation in wool quality traits on the tactile assessment of textural greasy wool handle

Variation in textural greasy wool handle across the fleece of Merino sheep was explored. Results demonstrate that there were significant differences across nine sites on the fleece. The inclusion of the covariates fibre diameter, fibre diameter co-efficient of variation, staple length, dust penetration, staple structure, greasy wool colour and resistance to compression, helped to explain some of the variation in textural greasy wool handle between sites such that site of assessment was no longer a significant factor (P ≤ 0.065). However, in practice, those involved with clip preparation or sheep selection based on textural greasy wool handle assessment are unlikely to have these measurements available. The results highlight the importance of nominating a site of assessment when recording textural greasy wool handle. © CSIRO 2014.

The social gradient of fractures at any skeletal site in men and women: data from the Geelong Osteoporosis Study Fracture Grid.

Age-specific and age-standardized associations between socioeconomic status (SES) and fractures in adults showed a social gradient of fracture, irrespective of fracture site. Compared to the highest SES, males in the lowest SES group had a sixfold increased odds for any fracture, whilst females had a twofold increased odds.

An investigation into using off-site production in housing construction for the sustainable built environment in China.

Zhai Xiaolin undertook a study of off-site construction in China's housing construction industry during her past four years PhD study. Her research provides an original thinking of embracing offsite construction as a method to help China's construction industry towards a more sustainable built environment. Also her research findings provide possible implications for other developing countries that are also seeking to identify and overcome sustainable crisis in construction industry.

Web-based alcohol intervention for Māori university students: double-blind, multi-site randomized controlled trial

AIMS: Like many indigenous peoples, New Zealand Māori bear a heavy burden of alcohol-related harm relative to their non-indigenous compatriots, and disparities are greatest among young adults. We tested the effectiveness of web-based alcohol screening and brief intervention (e-SBI) for reducing hazardous drinking among Māori university students. DESIGN: Parallel, double-blind, multi-site, randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Seven of New Zealand's eight universities. PARTICIPANTS: In April 2010, we sent e-mail invitations to all 6697 17-24-year-old Māori students to complete a brief web questionnaire including the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT)-C, a screening tool for hazardous and harmful drinking. Those screening positive were computer randomized to: <10 minutes of web-based alcohol assessment and personalized feedback (intervention) or screening alone (control). MEASUREMENTS: We conducted a fully automated 5-month follow-up assessment with observers and participants blinded to study hypotheses, design and intervention delivery. Pre-determined primary outcomes were: (i) frequency of drinking, (ii) amount consumed per typical drinking occasion, (iii) overall volume of alcohol consumed and (iv) academic problems. FINDINGS: Of the participants, 1789 were hazardous or harmful drinkers (AUDIT-C ≥ 4) and were randomized: 850 to control, 939 to intervention. Follow-up assessments were completed by 682 controls (80%) and 733 intervention group members (78%). Relative to controls, participants receiving intervention drank less often [RR = 0.89; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.82-0.97], less per drinking occasion (RR = 0.92; 95% CI: 0.84-1.00), less overall (RR = 0.78; 95% CI: 0.69-0.89) and had fewer academic problems (RR = 0.81; 95% CI: 0.69-0.95). CONCLUSIONS: Web-based screening and brief intervention reduced hazardous and harmful drinking among non-help-seeking Māori students in a large-scale pragmatic trial. The study has wider implications for behavioural intervention in the important but neglected area of indigenous health.

Avoiding competition? Site use, diet and foraging behaviours in two similarly sized geese wintering in China

Competition may occur when two species with similar feeding ecologies exploit the same limited resources in time and space. In recent years, the Eastern Tundra Bean Goose Anser fabalis serrirostris and Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons frontalis have increased in wintering numbers at Shengjin Lake, China. To examine the potential for coexistence and possible avoidance strategies, we studied (1) their habitat use, (2) foraging behaviours and (3) diets of birds foraging in mixed- and single-species flocks. Both species extensively exploited sedge meadows, where they showed considerable overlap in spatial distribution and diet. The percentage feeding time and diet of both species were unaffected by the presence of the other. Greater White-fronted Geese appeared diurnal sedge meadow specialists, almost never feeding in other habitats. Eastern Tundra Bean Geese were less selective, exploiting other habitats, which they increasingly exploited at night in mid-winter. The use of alternative habitats and night feeding may have avoided interspecific competition. While the specialised feeding ecology of Greater White-fronted Geese may make them particularly vulnerable to loss of sedge meadow habitat, Eastern Tundra Bean Geese may be able to adjust because of their use of alternative habitats and a less restricted diet.

Perspectives of clinical handover processes: a multi-site survey across different health professionals

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To examine the perspectives of health professionals of different disciplines about clinical handover. BACKGROUND: Ineffective handovers can cause major problems relating to the lack of delivery of appropriate care. DESIGN: A prospective, cross-sectional design was conducted using a survey about clinical handover practices. METHODS: Health professionals employed in public metropolitan hospitals, public rural hospitals and community health centres were involved. The sample comprised doctors, nurses and allied health professionals, including physiotherapists, social workers, pharmacists, dieticians and midwives employed in Western Australia, New South Wales, South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory. The survey sought information about health professionals' experiences about clinical handover; their perceived effectiveness of clinical handover; involvement of patients and family members; health professionals' ability to confirm understanding and to clarify clinical information; role modelling behaviour of health professionals; training needs; adverse events encountered and possibilities for improvements. RESULTS: In all, 707 health professionals participated (response rate = 14%). Represented professions were nursing (60%), medicine (22%) and allied health (18%). Many health professionals reported being aware of adverse events where they noticed poor handover was a significant cause. Differences existed between health professions in terms of how effectively they gave handover, perceived effectiveness of bedside handover vs. nonbedside handover, patient and family involvement in handover, respondents' confirmation of understanding handover from their perspective, their observation of senior health professionals giving feedback to junior health professionals, awareness of adverse events and severity of adverse events relating to poor handovers. CONCLUSIONS: Complex barriers impeded the conduct of effective handovers, including insufficient opportunities for training, lack of role modelling, and lack of confidence and understanding about handover processes. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Greater focus should be placed on creating opportunities for senior health professionals to act as role models. Sophisticated approaches should be implemented in training and education.

Variation at the DRD4 locus is associated with wariness and local site selection in urban black swans

 BACKGROUND: Interactions between wildlife and humans are increasing. Urban animals are often less wary of humans than their non-urban counterparts, which could be explained by habituation, adaptation or local site selection. Under local site selection, individuals that are less tolerant of humans are less likely to settle in urban areas. However, there is little evidence for such temperament-based site selection, and even less is known about its underlying genetic basis. We tested whether site selection in urban and non-urban habitats by black swans (Cygnus atratus) was associated with polymorphisms in two genes linked to fear in animals, the dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4) and serotonin transporter (SERT) genes.

RESULTS: Wariness in swans was highly repeatable between disturbance events (repeatability = 0.61) and non-urban swans initiated escape from humans earlier than urban swans. We found no inter-individual variation in the SERT gene, but identified five DRD4 genotypes and an association between DRD4 genotype and wariness. Individuals possessing the most common DRD4 genotype were less wary than individuals possessing rarer genotypes. As predicted by the local site selection hypothesis, genotypes associated with wary behaviour were over three times more frequent at the non-urban site. This resulted in moderate population differentiation at DRD4 (FST = 0.080), despite the sites being separated by only 30 km, a short distance for this highly-mobile species. Low population differentiation at neutrally-selected microsatellite loci and the likely occasional migration of swans between the populations reduces the likelihood of local site adaptations.

CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that wariness in swans is partly genetically-determined and that wary swans settle in less-disturbed areas. More generally, our findings suggest that site-specific management strategies may be necessary that consider the temperament of local animals.

Effects of the fire regime on mammal occurrence after wildfire: site effects vs landscape context in fire-prone forests

Wildfires have major impacts on ecosystems globally. Fire regimes (including fire frequency, intensity, season and type of fire) influence the status of species by altering habitat suitability at the site scale, and by creating heterogeneity at the landscape scale. The relative effects of site and landscape-scale fire attributes on animal species are rarely examined together. Such knowledge is important, given that fire regimes are sensitive to changing land management practices; and that fires are predicted to become larger and more frequent in some regions as a result of climate change. Here, we tested the relative influence of elements of the fire regime (fire severity, fire history) at the site-scale, and the landscape context (extent of surrounding unburnt forest, fire heterogeneity) on the occurrence of native terrestrial mammals after severe wildfire in south-eastern Australia. We conducted surveys by using automatically triggered, infrared cameras at 80 sites in fire-prone eucalypt forests, 2-3. years post-wildfire. Thirteen native mammal species were recorded, eight of which were detected with sufficient frequency for analysis. Most species were widespread (35-90% of sites) and recorded in all fire severity classes. Fire effects at the site-level were more influential than landscape context effects arising from heterogeneity in the fire regime (e.g. extent of surrounding unburnt forest). Fire severity was the most influential of the fire-regime elements investigated, but it affected different species in different ways. This study highlights three main points relevant to conservation of terrestrial mammals after wildfire. First, spatial variation in fire severity associated with wildfire (ranging from unburned to severely burned stands) is an important contributor to the post-fire status of species. Second, post-fire environmental conditions are significant: here, rapid regeneration of vegetation following drought-breaking rains greatly influenced the suitability of post-fire habitats. Third, it is valuable to consider the effects of the fire regime at multiple scales, including both the site (forest stand) and its landscape context. Insights from short-term surveys, such as this, will be enhanced by complementary longitudinal studies, especially where they encompass environmental variation through the post-fire succession.

Structural health monitoring: a practical approach to achieving in-situ and site-specific warning of pipeline corrosion and coating failure

An approach to achieving the ambitious goal of cost effectively extending the safe operation life of energy pipelines to, for instance, 100 years is the application of structural health monitoring and life prediction tools that are able to provide long-term remnant pipeline life prediction and in-situ pipeline condition monitoring. A critical step in pipeline structural health monitoring is the enhancement of technological capabilities that are required for quantifying the effects of key factors influencing buried pipeline corrosion and environmentally assisted materials degradation, and the development of condition monitoring technologies that are able to provide in-situ monitoring and site-specific warning of pipeline damage. This paper provides an overview of our current research aimed at developing new sensors for monitoring, categorising and quantifying the level and nature of external pipeline and coating damages under the combined effects of various inter-related variables and processes such as localised corrosion, coating damage and disbondment, cathodic shielding. The concept of in-situ monitoring and site-specific warning of pipeline corrosion is illustrated by a case of monitoring localised corrosion under disbonded coatings using a new corrosion monitoring probe. A basic principle that underpins the use of sensors to monitor localised corrosion has been presented: Localised corrosion and coating failure are not an accidental occurrence, it occurs as the result of fundamental thermodynamic instability of a metal exposed to a specific environment. Therefore corrosion and coating disbondment occurring on a pipeline will also occur on a sensor made of the same material and exposed to the same pipeline condition. Although the exact location of localised corrosion or coating disbondment could be difficult to pinpoint along the length of a buried pipeline, the ‘worst-case scenario’ and high risk pipeline sections and sites are predictable. Sensors can be embedded at these strategic sites to collect data that contain ‘predictor features’ signifying the occurrence of localised corrosion, CP failure, coating disbondment and degradation. Information from these sensors will enable pipeline owners to prioritise site survey and inspection operations, and to develop maintenance strategy to manage aged pipelines, rather than replace them.