Agenda for Change: What Will It Mean For You? (PDF 53 KB)

A Guide for Staff

Agenda For Change - Frequently Asked Questions (PDF 293 KB)

Agenda For Change - Frequently Asked Questions

Dynamics of a paleoecosystem reef associated with oceanic change in carbonate sedimentary regime and carbon cycling (Oxfordian, Swiss Jura)

Herein we report an analysis of an Oxfordian (Upper Jurassic) paleoreef located in the Swiss Jura Mountains. The paleoreef is located in a Middle Oxfordian transitional interval in which sedimentation switched from marl-dominated to carbonate-dominated deposits. The paleoecosystem is composed of four successive fossil communities characterized by microsolenid corals and organisms that specialized in suspension feeding. Carbon isotopes measured from echinoid spine carbonates exhibit a positive trend from similar to 1.0 parts per thousand to 2.5 parts per thousand in delta(13)C values from the base to the top of the paleoreef. Comparison of delta(13)C curves with organic matter and belemnites shows different patterns not compatible with a global variation of the carbon cycle. Similar fossil assemblages and stratigraphic sequences identical in age are found along the continental margin of the Tethys-Atlantic Ocean. This biolithostratigraphic succession corresponds to increasing delta(13)C values of marine and biogenic carbonates, to the transition from marl-dominated to carbonate-dominated deposits, and to the development of carbonate platforms, which together suggest a change in the carbon cycling regime within the Tethys-Atlantic Ocean system.

Sensitivity of predictive species distribution models to change in grain size

Predictive species distribution modelling (SDM) has become an essential tool in biodiversity conservation and management. The choice of grain size (resolution) of environmental layers used in modelling is one important factor that may affect predictions. We applied 10 distinct modelling techniques to presence-only data for 50 species in five different regions, to test whether: (1) a 10-fold coarsening of resolution affects predictive performance of SDMs, and (2) any observed effects are dependent on the type of region, modelling technique, or species considered. Results show that a 10 times change in grain size does not severely affect predictions from species distribution models. The overall trend is towards degradation of model performance, but improvement can also be observed. Changing grain size does not equally affect models across regions, techniques, and species types. The strongest effect is on regions and species types, with tree species in the data sets (regions) with highest locational accuracy being most affected. Changing grain size had little influence on the ranking of techniques: boosted regression trees remain best at both resolutions. The number of occurrences used for model training had an important effect, with larger sample sizes resulting in better models, which tended to be more sensitive to grain. Effect of grain change was only noticeable for models reaching sufficient performance and/or with initial data that have an intrinsic error smaller than the coarser grain size.

Anàlisi i abordatge de l’assetjament entre iguals mitjançant l’ús de les noves tecnologies

L’estudi analitza la modalitat d’assetjament entre iguals mitjançant la utilització de les TIC, un fenomen emergent en el marc de la justícia juvenil a Catalunya. S’han revisat 185 expedients de menors dels que la Fiscalia de Menors ha oficiat per requerir la intervenció de l’equip tècnic. Els principals resultats obtinguts ens mostren una incidència baixa (10,9%), però l’ús generalitzat d’aquests dispositius tecnològics exposen els menors a uns riscos elevats i l’impacte en les víctimes, properes en el seu entorn, suposa una afectació emocional i psicosocial greu. Alhora, hem vist la relació d’aquest tipus de comportaments amb altres formes de violència exercida pels mateixos protagonistes. Les conductes del victimari, nascut a Catalunya en un 73% dels casos, es donen majoritàriament en grup i en els primers anys de l’adolescència mitjana. Es troba una relació entre el tipus d’assetjament tradicional tipificat fins ara com a delictes contra la integritat i la llibertat personal protagonitzats per nois (58,9%) i la durada del delicte, inferior a un mes. Les víctimes són noies en major proporció (56%), però, a la vegada, prenen rellevància en l’autoria d’aquest tipus d’accions en relació amb la incidència que tenen altres actuacions delictives que protagonitzen. És reveladora la força de les xarxes socials en aquests tipus de fets i la necessitat de prevenció, de protecció i d’educació en les competències d’aquest ús d’aplicacions i dispositius en l’espai virtual. Es proposa que la intervenció dels professionals de justícia juvenil consisteixi en la conscienciació, la responsabilització d’aquestes conductes, tot adequant continguts dels programes tècnics i evitant, sempre que sigui possible, l’entrada al circuit judicial.

Final Report of the Empowerment of Nurses and Midwives Steering Group - An Agenda for Change

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Adoption legislation: 2003 consultation and proposals for change

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Where will conflicts between alien and rare species occur after climate and land-use change? A test with a novel combined modelling approach

Protecting native biodiversity against alien invasive species requires powerful methods to anticipate these invasions and to protect native species assumed to be at risk. Here, we describe how species distribution models (SDMs) can be used to identify areas predicted as suitable for rare native species and also predicted as highly susceptible to invasion by alien species, at present and under future climate and land-use scenarios. To assess the condition and dynamics of such conflicts, we developed a combined predictive modelling (CPM) approach, which predicts species distributions by combining two SDMs fitted using subsets of predictors classified as acting at either regional or local scales. We illustrate the CPM approach for an alien invader and a rare species associated to similar habitats in northwest Portugal. Combined models predict a wider variety of potential species responses, providing more informative projections of species distributions and future dynamics than traditional, non-combined models. They also provide more informative insight regarding current and future rare-invasive conflict areas. For our studied species, conflict areas of highest conservation relevance are predicted to decrease over the next decade, supporting previous reports that some invasive species may contract their geographic range and impact due to climate change. More generally, our results highlight the more informative character of the combined approach to address practical issues in conservation and management programs, especially those aimed at mitigating the impact of invasive plants, land-use and climate changes in sensitive regions