The Gossips greeting, or A new discovery of such females meeting. Wherein is plainely set forth the sundry sorts of those kinds of women, with their severall humors and conditions.

"To the reader" signed: W.P.

A modelling approach to estimate the effect of exotic pollinators on exotic weed population dynamics: bumblebees and broom in Australia

The role of mutualisms in contributing to species invasions is rarely considered, inhibiting effective risk analysis and management options. Potential ecological consequences of invasion of non-native pollinators include increased pollination and seed set of invasive plants, with subsequent impacts on population growth rates and rates of spread. We outline a quantitative approach for evaluating the impact of a proposed introduction of an invasive pollinator on existing weed population dynamics and demonstrate the use of this approach on a relatively data-rich case study: the impacts on Cytisus scoparius (Scotch broom) from proposed introduction of Bombus terrestris. Three models have been used to assess population growth (matrix model), spread speed (integrodifference equation), and equilibrium occupancy (lattice model) for C. scoparius. We use available demographic data for an Australian population to parameterize two of these models. Increased seed set due to more efficient pollination resulted in a higher population growth rate in the density-independent matrix model, whereas simulations of enhanced pollination scenarios had a negligible effect on equilibrium weed occupancy in the lattice model. This is attributed to strong microsite limitation of recruitment in invasive C. scoparius populations observed in Australia and incorporated in the lattice model. A lack of information regarding secondary ant dispersal of C. scoparius prevents us from parameterizing the integrodifference equation model for Australia, but studies of invasive populations in California suggest that spread speed will also increase with higher seed set. For microsite-limited C. scoparius populations, increased seed set has minimal effects on equilibrium site occupancy. However, for density-independent rapidly invading populations, increased seed set is likely to lead to higher growth rates and spread speeds. The impacts of introduced pollinators on native flora and fauna and the potential for promoting range expansion in pollinator-limited 'sleeper weeds' also remain substantial risks.

Ornamental plants as climatic indicators of arthropod vectors

The importance and risk of vector-borne diseases (eg. leishmaniasis, West Nile Virus, Lyme borreliosis) is going to increase in the European temperate areas due to climate change. Our previous studies have shown that the potential distribution of Leishmania infantum and some Phlebotomus (sand fly) species – a parasite of leishmaniasis, and its vectors – may be expanded even to the southern coastline of the Baltic Sea by the end of the 21st century. The lowland areas of the Carpathian Basin and the main part of Hungary are projected to be suitable for the studied sand fly vectors in the near future. It is important to find some indicator plants to examine whether the sand flies are able to live in a certain climate at a certain time. We studied several Mediterranean and Sub-Mediterranean plant species, and we found that the aggregated distribution of three ligneous species (Juniperus oxycedrus L., Quercus ilex L. and Pinus brutia Ten.) shows high correlation with the union distribution of five sand flies (Phlebotomus ariasi Tonn., Ph. neglectus Tonn., Ph. perfiliewi Parrot, Ph. perniciosus Newst. and Ph. tobbi Adler, Theodor et Lourie). Since these Mediterranean species are highly tolerant of the edaphic characteristics of the planting site, they may prove to be good indicators. The present and upcoming climate of Hungary is seen to be suitable for the selected indicator plant species, and it draws attention to and verifies the potential of the expansion of sand flies, which has been proved by some recent observations of the vectors in Southern Hungary.

Klímaváltozás és az európai lepkeszúnyogok. Az areamodellezés módszertani kérdései

The future northward expansion of the arthropod vectors of leishmaniasis caused by climate change seems to be essential veterinary and medical problem. Our aim was to build and evaluate a Climate Envelope Model (CEM) to assess the potential effects of climate change on five European sandfly species. The studied species – Phlebotomus ariasi Tonn., P. neglectus Tonn., P. papatasi Scop., P. perfiliewi Parrot, P. perniciosus Newst., P. sergenti Parrot, P. similis Perfiliev, P. tobbi Adler, Theodor et Lourie – are important vectors of the parasite Leishmania infantum or other Leishmania species. The projections were based on REMO regional climate model with European domain. The climate data were available in a 25 km resolution grid for the reference period (1961-90) and two future periods (2011-40, 2041-70). The regional climate model was based on the IPCC SRES A1B scenario. Three types of climatic parameters were used for every month (averaged in the 30-years periods). The model was supported by VBORNET digital area database (distribution maps), ESRI ArcGIS 10 software’s Spatial Analyst module (modeling environment), PAST (calibration of the model with statistical method). Iterative model evaluation was done by summarizing two types of model errors based on an aggregated distribution. The results show that the best model results can be achieved by leaving 5-5 percentiles from the two extrema of the mean temperature, 2-2 percentiles from the two extrema of the minimum temperature, 0 percentile from the minimum of and 8 percentiles from the maximum of the precipitation.

Ornamental plants as climatic indicators of arthropod vectors

The importance and risk of vector-borne diseases (e.g., leishmaniasis, West Nile Virus, Lyme borreliosis) is going to increase in the European temperate areas due to climate change. Our previous studies have shown that the potential distribution of Leishmania infantum and some Phlebotomus (sand fly) species – a parasite of leishmaniasis, and its vectors – may be expanded even to the southern coastline of the Baltic Sea by the end of the 21st century. The lowland areas of the Carpathian Basin and the main part of Hungary are projected to be suitable for the studied sand fly vectors in the near future. It is important to find some indicator plants to examine whether the sand flies are able to live in a certain climate at a certain time. We studied several Mediterranean and Sub-Mediterranean plant species, and we found that the aggregated distribution of three ligneous species (Juniperus oxycedrus L., Quercus ilex L. and Pinus brutia Ten.) shows high correlation with the union distribution of five sand flies (Phlebotomus ariasi Tonn., Ph. neglectus Tonn., Ph. perfiliewi Parrot, Ph. perniciosus Newst. and Ph. tobbi Adler, Theodor et Lourie). Since these Mediterranean species are highly tolerant of the edaphic characteristics of the planting site, they may prove to be good indicators. The present and upcoming climate of Hungary is seen to be suitable for the selected indicator plant species, and it draws attention to and verifies the potential of the expansion of sand flies, which has been proved by some recent observations of the vectors in Southern Hungary.

Anthropogenic noise affects vocal interactions

Animal communication plays a crucial role in many species, and it involves a sender producing a signal and a receiver responding to that signal. The shape of a signal is determined by selection pressures acting upon it. One factor that exerts selection on acoustic signals is the acoustic environment through which the signal is transmitted. Recent experimental studies clearly show that senders adjust their signals in response to increased levels of anthropogenic noise. However, to understand how noise affects the whole process of communication, it is vital to know how noise affects the receiver’s response during vocal interactions. Therefore, we experimentally manipulated ambient noise levels to expose male European robins (Erithacus rubecula) to two playback treatments consisting of the same song: one with noise and another one without noise. We found that males responding to a conspecific in a noise polluted environment increased minimum frequency and decreased song complexity and song duration. Thus, we show that the whole process of communication is affected by noise, not just the behaviour of the sender.

Caracterização das comunidades de aves florestais no distrito de Bragança

Com objetivo de caracterizar a comunidade de aves florestais do Distrito de Bragança, fez-se um estudo em quatro locais de características diferentes sob ponto de vista de estrutura e composição de espécies, através de recolha de informação com base nas listas de 10 espécies de Mackinnon e pelo método captura com redes de neblina, para caracterização das biometrias e parâmetros populacionais, de modo a caracterizar a estrutura das comunidades de aves em cada local. A Combinação dos dois métodos possibilitou a captura e identificação de indivíduos de 44 espécies diferentes, pertencentes a 24 famílias distintas. Destas, as mais representativas foram determinadas através do Índice de Frequência das Listas (IFL) e foram Parus major, Erithacus rubecula, Turdus merula e Sylvia atricapilla. Os resultados referentes à riqueza específica, obtidos através das listas de MacKinnon foram analisados com ANOVA não paramétricas (Kruskal-Wallis). Dos quatro locais, a Ricafé mostrou diferenças significativas na variação de número de espécies. Em relação aos períodos de capturas, o segundo quadrimestre teve número de espécies estatisticamente diferentes dos restantes quadrimestres do ano. No Período de Invernada há menor atividade de aves em todos os locais. Pinhal e Tabuado têm pouca diversidade de espécies.

Provenance does matter: Links between winter trophic segregation and the migratory origins of European robins

Amongst migratory species, it is common to find individuals from different populations or geographical origins sharing staging or wintering areas. Given their differing life histories, ecological theory would predict that the different groups of individuals should exhibit some level of niche segregation. This has rarely been investigated because of the difficulty in assigning migrating individuals to breeding areas. Here, we start by documenting a broad geographical gradient of hydrogen isotopes (δ (2)H) in robin Erithacus rubecula feathers across Europe. We then use δ (2)H, as well as wing-tip shape, as surrogates for broad migratory origin of birds wintering in Iberia, to investigate the ecological segregation of populations. Wintering robins of different sexes, ages and body sizes are known to segregate between habitats in Iberia. This has been attributed to the despotic exclusion of inferior competitors from the best patches by dominant individuals. We find no segregation between habitats in relation to δ (2)H in feathers, or to wing-tip shape, which suggests that no major asymmetries in competitive ability exist between migrant robins of different origins. Trophic level (inferred from nitrogen isotopes in blood) correlated both with δ (2)H in feathers and with wing-tip shape, showing that individuals from different geographic origins display a degree of ecological segregation in shared winter quarters. Isotopic mixing models indicate that wintering birds originating from more northerly populations consume more invertebrates. Our multi-scale study suggests that trophic-niche segregation may result from specializations (arising in the population-specific breeding areas) that are transported by the migrants into the shared wintering grounds.

Relatório de estágio de aprofundamento de competências profissionais : intervenção psicomotora nas DID

A Psicomotricidade consiste numa intervenção por mediação corporal e expressiva que pode ser desenvolvida em vários âmbitos, nomeadamente o preventivo, o reeducativo, o terapêutico. Essa intervenção pretende a compensação da expressão motora inadequada ou inadaptada, ligada geralmente a problemas de desenvolvimento e maturação psicomotora, de comportamento, de aprendizagem e de âmbito emocional. As Dificuldades Intelectuais e Desenvolvimentais (DID) são caracterizadas pela manifestação antes dos 18 anos e por um conjunto de limitações significativas ao nível do funcionamento intelectual e do comportamento adaptativo em três domínios fundamentais: conceptual, social ou prático. O presente relatório visa abordar a importância da Psicomotricidade nas DID, através da apresentação das atividades realizadas com jovens e adultos, neste âmbito. Em síntese, no cumprimento do regulamento da unidade curricular do Mestrado em Reabilitação Psicomotora, iremos descrever as atividades desenvolvidas na Associação Quinta Essência, pormenorizando aspetos fundamentais das ações desenvolvidas, retirando conclusões sobre a repercussão formativa das ações aí tomadas, quer em termos pessoais quer profissionais.

O envolvimento familiar no processo de ensino-aprendizagem dos alunos com necessidades educativas especiais : o caso da Escola de Ensino Especial de Benguela, Angola

A família é o meio natural em que a criança começa sua vida e sua aprendizagem básica por meio de uma série de estímulos e de vivências que a condicionam profundamente ao longo de toda a sua existência. A escola representa o espaço em que a criança consolida a sua aprendizagem e se prepara para vida futura. A cooperação entre família e escola constitui o pilar fundamental na construção de um processo de ensino aprendizagem de qualidade, sobre tudo para crianças com Necessidades Educativas Especiais (N.E.E). Com base nestes pressupostos o objetivo geral da presente dissertação de natureza qualitativa é aferir o impato do envolvimento familiar no processo de ensino aprendizagem dos alunos com necessidades educativas especiais na cidade de Benguela – Angola, através de inquéritos e entrevistas aplicadas a uma amostra constituída pelos familiares dos alunos, os respetivos alunos, professores e antigos gestores da única escola de Ensino Especial da cidade de Benguela. Os resultados do estudo revelaram um fraco grau de envolvimento familiar, tendo em conta as orientações da Lei, nº 13/01, Lei de Bases do Sistema de Educação (L.B.S.E), e o Decreto Presidencial nº 20/11, sobre o Estatuto da Modalidade de Educação Especial que recomendam a participação indispensável da família na elaboração dos programas (E.M.E.E) educativos dos alunos com N.E.E, bem como os resultados de estudos que ressaltam a importância da relação escola e família para melhoria da qualidade do Ensino Especial em Angola. A dissertação constitui uma abordagem pioneira no contexto em que se insere e o seu valor prático é determinado pelo contributo que os seus resultados podem aportar a compreensão e melhoria da qualidade de ensino e das relações familiares dos alunos com N.E.E num contexto fortemente marcado por barreiras culturais e tradicionais.