Essex Adult Community Learning: PTLLS for distance and blended learning

Funded by the LSIS Excellence and Improvement Fund, Essex Adult Community Learning has produced a distance/blended learning resource on CD-Rom for tutors in the post-16 sector to achieve the City & Guilds PTLLS (7303 Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector) at Level 4. The aim of the resource is to improve teaching and learning by providing a flexible way to access initial teacher training where candidates may otherwise find it difficult or impossible to attend a taught course. It is also intended to increase tutors' own e-learning skills.

Extent and toxicity of contaminated marine sediments in Southeastern Florida

Thirty sites were sampled in southern Biscayne Bay and Manatee Bay in December 1999 to determine the extent of toxicity in sediments. Analyses and assays included: pesticides and phenols in seawater; chemical contaminants in sediment; amphipod mortality, HRGS P450, sea urchin sperm fertilization and embryology, MicrotoxTM, MutatoxTM, grass shrimp AChE and juvenile clam mortality assays; sea urchin sperm, amphipod and oyster DNA damage; and benthic community assessment. Sediment sites near the mouth of canals showed evidence of contamination. Contaminant plumes and associated toxicity do not appear to extend seaward of the mouth of the canals in an appreciable manner. Concentrations of contaminants in the sediments in open areas of Biscayne and Manatee Bays are generally low. (PDF contains 140 pages)

Southend Adult Community College: Walk like an Egyptian - A new reflection

Southend Adult Community College hosts a regular Middle Eastern and Egyptian dance class for all ages and abilities. For a performing art such as dance, learning and self-review aids such as mirrors are essential for improving technique and attainment. The Egyptian Dance course is very popular with many students enrolled. Therefore, sessions need to take place in a large hall within the college. Through inspired innovation and improvisation, the class now have an extremely useful reflective teaching aid using cameras and projectors.

FleSSR project: Sustainable business models for community cloud infrastructure in the UK higher education sector

Cloud-based infrastructure essentially comprises two offerings, cloud-based compute and cloud-based storage. These are perhaps best typified for most people by the two main components of the Amazon Web Services (AWS)1 public cloud offer, the Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2)2 and the Simple Storage Service (S3)3, though, of course, there are many other related services offered by Amazon and many other providers of similar public cloud infrastructure across the Internet.

Benthic sampling program in Biscayne Bay, 1981-1982

The Biscayne Bay Benthic Sampling Program was divided into two phases. In Phase I, sixty sampling stations were established in Biscayne Bay (including Dumfoundling Bay and Card Sound) representing diverse habitats. The stations were visited in the wet season (late fall of 1981) and in the dry season (midwinter of 1982). At each station certain abiotic conditions were measured or estimated. These included depth, sources of freshwater inflow and pollution, bottom characteristics, current direction and speed, surface and bottom temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen, and water clarity was estimated with a secchi disk. Seagrass blades and macroalgae were counted in a 0.1-m2 grid placed so as to best represent the bottom community within a 50-foot radius. Underwater 35-mm photographs were made of the bottom using flash apparatus. Benthic samples were collected using a petite Ponar dredge. These samples were washed through a 5-mm mesh screen, fixed in formalin in the field, and later sorted and identified by experts to a pre-agreed taxonomic level. During the wet season sampling period, a nonquantitative one-meter wide trawl was made of the epibenthic community. These samples were also washed, fixed, sorted and identified. During the dry season sampling period, sediment cores were collected at each station not located on bare rock. These cores were analyzed for sediment size and organic composition by personnel of the University of Miami. Data resulting from the sampling were entered into a computer. These data were subjected to cluster analyses, Shannon-Weaver diversity analysis, multiple regression analysis of variance and covariance, and factor analysis. In Phase II of the program, fifteen stations were selected from among the sixty of Phase I. These stations were sampled quarterly. At each quarter, five Petite Ponar dredge samples were collected from each station. As in Phase I, observations and measurements, including seagrass blade counts, were made at each station. In Phase II, polychaete specimens collected were given to a separate contractor for analysis to the species level. These analyses included mean, standard deviation, coefficient of dispersion, percent of total, and numeric rank for each organism in each station as well as number of species, Shannon-Weaver taxa diversity, and dominance (the compliment of Simpson's Index) for each station. Multiple regression analysis of variance and covariance, and factor analysis were applied to the data to determine effect of abiotic factors measured at each station. (PDF contains 96 pages)

Visual impact assessment of small dock & piers: Theory and practice

From a manager’s perspective, oftentimes the publicly held concerns related to small docks and piers are not really related to the environment. They may be more related to visual impacts and aesthetic concerns, a sense of over-development of the shore, or simply change. While individuals may hold personal aesthetic values related to small docks in general or an individual structure in particular, techniques have evolved that appear to provide reproducible, predictive assessments of the visual impacts and aesthetic values of an area and how those might change with development, including an increase in numbers of small docks. These assessments may be used to develop regulatory or non-regulatory methods for the management of small docks based on state or community standards. Visual impact assessments are increasingly used in the regulatory review of proposed development—although this process is still in its infancy as regards small docks and piers. Some political jurisdictions have established visual impact or aesthetic standards as relate to docks and others are in the process of investigating how to go about such an effort. (PDF contains 42 pages)

Supporting the planning of a community fisheries monitoring and evaluation database: a collaborative project undertaken by CFDO, FLD, STREAM, VSO and AYAD

Cambodia is one of the poorest countries in the world; much of its population live in rural areas and many live below the local poverty line. The management of common property aquatic resources is of over-riding importance to food security and sustainable rural development in Cambodia. Aquatic resources are utilized principally by subsistence fishers and the landless, for whom aquatic resource use is an important livelihood activity. Subsistence fishers access mainly the rivers, lakes and inundated forests in Tonle Sap provinces, the lower Mekong and Bassac regions and the upper part of the Mekong. Freshwater capture fisheries probably contribute more to national food security and the national economy in Cambodia than in any other country in the world. (PDF contains 52 pages)

Case study: Building a powerful partnership empowering the student community

Case study on two initiatives at Leeds City College to enhance the student digital experience and develop leadership skills, competencies and experience that will prepare student for future study and employment.

Mussel Community Studies [Year One].

Mytilus californianus communities (mussel beds) were examined from six geographic localities in Southern California. These included two mainland sites, Coal Oil Point and San Diego; and four island sites, San Miguel, Santa Cruz, San Nicholas, and Santa Barbara Islands. Optimal sample sizes were determined for each locality. In general, a sample, size of 1500 cm2 (five cores) was optimal for the "typical" mussel bed. However, structurally unique mussel beds required individual consideration. Community biomass, diversity, species richness, and species evenness were calculated quarterly for the island localities and biannually for mainland locations. The molluscs, primarily the mussels, accounted for 90% of the total biomass while all other groups combined accounted for 10% or less of the total biomass. The mussel communities from all localities contributed to the master species list which conservatively contained 346 species. The most diverse localities were Coal Oil Point and Santa Cruz Island with an average number of 73 and 74 species/O.lS m respectively. No overall seasonal patterns existed in community composition. The community similarity analyses showed the mainland localities biotically dissimilar from the islands and both groups were characterized by distinct faunal assemblages. In addition, San Miguel Island biota were unique among the island sites. The most important mussel bed structural attributes provided habitats for the associated community and included sediment and coarse fraction features. Food-related resources provided by the mussel bed were secondarily important. Community diversity generally increased with the quantity of habitat and food resources. (PDF contains 138 pages)

Mussel Community Studies [Year Two].

The communities associated with Mytilus californianus (mussel) beds from eleven geographic localities in Southern California were examined. The localities included four mainland sites - Government Point, Goleta Point, Corona del Mar and San Diego; and seven offshore islands including - San Miguel Island, Santa Rosa Island, Santa Cruz Island, Santa Barbara Island, Santa Catalina Island, San Nicholas Island and San Clemente Island. This geographic coverage. was much more complete than the previous year (1975-1976 program). However, it is still less than ideal. In particular a single island collection locality may not be representative of an entire island. Therefore greater geographic coverage of the islands is recommended for the future. In general, the 1500 cm2 sample size adopted during the 1975-1976 program proved adequate for sampling most of the structurally diverse mussel beds this year. This sample size supplied information on the characteristic and abundant species inhabiting a particular mussel bed, and provided data which was well suited to intersite community comparisons. This sample size was too small in several instances to include the rarer, less abundant species. The mussel communities from all localities contributed to the master species list which contained conservatively 481 species of animals and 63 specie s of algae. The most diverse collections came from Santa Cruz Island and Corona del Mar, and these areas contained 120 and 119 species respectively. The lowest diversity was recorded for the mussel beds from Goleta Point: which contained 57 species. Mussel community samples were collected from upper and lower intertidal areas occupied by the mussel beds within a locality. In general, community differences both in composition and abundance were associated with these collections. (PDF contains 158 pages)

Mussel Community Studies [Year Three].

The communities associated with Mytilus californianus (mussel) beds from 20 geographic sites in southern California were examined. The study areas included six mainland sites - Government Point, Goleta Point, Ventura, Corona del Mar, Carlsbad, and San Diego,and two sites on opposite sides of seven offshore islands - San Miguel Island, Santa Rosa Island, Santa Cruz Island, Anacapa Island, San Nicholas Island, Santa Cruz Island and San Clemente Island. : The mussel communities from all areas contributed to the master species list which now encompasses conservatively, 610 species of animals and 141 species of algae. The most diverse collection came from Cat Rock, Anacapa Island where the mussel beds supported 174 species of invertebrates. The lowest diversity was recorded for mussel beds from Ben Weston, Santa Catalina Island which contained 46 species. In general, the island mussel beds supported a greater diversity of both animals and plants. Mussel community samples were collected from upper and lower intertidal areas occupied by the mussel beds within a locality. Community differences in both composition and abundance were associated with these collections. Overall. community similarity analysis revealed five major patterns which corresponded to characteristic species assemblages occupying the mussel beds from the various geographic areas. The patterns included: (1) clusters of localities which display a north-south geographic pattern with respect to the similarity of their respective mussel communities, (2) a separation of selected island and mainland communities because of dissimilarities in their species composition, (3) differences between mussel communities. on opposite sides of the offshore islands, (4) clusters of species whose highest abundances characterize selected localities, (5) species groups ubiquitous to all mussel beds examined. The results of the community analysis further suggest that predictions can be made delineating the probable mussel community inhabitants of areas not sampled. The species distribution patterns observed appear to correspond in part to the influence of currents and water masses which bear planktonic larvae and impinge on selected localities. The most important mussel bed features associated with community differences were quantitative and qualitative differences in the potential microhabitats. Those features associate~ with greater species diversity include the pore base of coarse fraction shell and rock debris, skewness and kurtosis of the sediment grain-size distributions and mussel bed thickness. Those features associated with lower species diversity included the quantity of tar. and rock and shell debris trapped within the mussel bed. (PDF contains 51 pages)

Symposium on participatory approaches to reservoir fisheries management: issues, challenges and policies. Dambulla, Sri Lanka, 04-06 Oct. 2004. Session I: Community-based fisheries management: experience in other countries

This paper advocates strategies, processes and practices that enable: livelihoods approaches rather than resource-based approaches, ‘direct’ institutional and policy development, rather than ‘project demonstrations’, and support for regional, national and local communications. (Pdf contains 12 pages).

Community Fisheries Development Office (CFDO) strategic plan, January 2004

In October 2000 the government of Cambodia announced a major change in fisheries management policy. The core elements of the new policy are the reduction of fishing lot concession areas by 56%, the broader participation of fishing communities in the management of fisheries and a focus on the efficient, sustainable and equitable use of the living aquatic resources. To facilitate the establishment and development of the Community Fisheries, support and monitor their activities, the Department of Fisheries was authorized1 to establish a Community Fisheries Development Office (CFDO). (Pdf contains 19 pages).