Horizon 2020: a call to forge biodiversity links

For the upcoming calls for Horizon 2020 research funding, the European Commission has said that it would prefer bids from open, collaborative consortia rather than the competitive bids seen in previous funding programmes. To this end, the organizers of 18 European biodiversity informatics projects agreed at a meeting in Rome…

EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY IN BIODIVERSITY SCIENCE, CONSERVATION, AND POLICY: A CALL TO ACTION

Evolutionary biologists have long endeavored to document how many species exist on Earth, to understand the processes by which biodiversity waxes and wanes, to document and interpret spatial patterns of biodiversity, and to infer evolutionary relationships. Despite the great potential of this knowledge to improve biodiversity science, conservation, and policy, evolutionary biologists have generally devoted limited attention to these broader implications. Likewise, many workers in biodiversity science have underappreciated the fundamental relevance of evolutionary biology. The aim of this article is to summarize and illustrate some ways in which evolutionary biology is directly relevant We do so in the context of four broad areas: (1) discovering and documenting biodiversity, (2) understanding the causes of diversification, (3) evaluating evolutionary responses to human disturbances, and (4) implications for ecological communities, ecosystems, and humans We also introduce bioGENESIS, a new project within DIVERSITAS launched to explore the potential practical contributions of evolutionary biology In addition to fostering the integration of evolutionary thinking into biodiversity science, bioGENESIS provides practical recommendations to policy makers for incorporating evolutionary perspectives into biodiversity agendas and conservation. We solicit your involvement in developing innovative ways of using evolutionary biology to better comprehend and stem the loss of biodiversity.

Advertisement call, vocal activity, and geographic distribution of Brachycephalus hermogenesi (Giaretta and Sawaya, 1998) (Anura, Brachycephalidae)

Brachycephalus hermogenesi is an endemic leaf litter inhabitant of the Atlantic forest of southeastern Brazil, whose original distribution included a restricted area near the boundaries of the States of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. We were surprised to find out, while conducting herpetofaunal surveys at Estacao Biologica de Boraceia (EBB), that the background forest insect-like sound we have been searching for corresponded to calling individuals of the species. Males call during the day at high densities, hidden under the leaf litter. Individuals do not answer playback, seem to move very infrequently, and seem to ignore nearby calling activity. We gathered data on annual and daily vocal activity of the species at EBB, observing a total of 1,549 calls given by 31 focal individuals in November 2003 and 2005. The call varies from short single note calls to calls composed of groups of two to seven similar notes emitted at regular intervals. We also extend the known distribution of the species southward to the State of Sao Paulo.

Natural History of the Lutz`s Frog Cycloramphus lutzorum Heyer, 1983 (Anura: Cycloramphidae) in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest: Description of the Advertisement Call, Tadpole, and Karyotype

We describe the advertisement call, tadpole, karyotype, and additional information on the natural history of Cycloramphus lutzorum from southern Brazil. Sonograms were generated from digitally recorded calls. Tadpoles were collected in the field for description in the lab, and an adult was collected for karyotyping. Data on seasonal activity were gathered monthly from November 2005 to November 2007. All tadpoles (N = 21), juveniles (N = 18), and adults (N = 52) were found exclusively in streams. Reproduction, as identified by calling frogs, occurred from July through November. Frogs call all day long, but mostly at dusk, from rock crevices inside the stream edges near the splash zone. The call is short and loud, with 11 pulsed notes, of 491-641 ms, with a dominant frequency of 0.98-1.39 kHz. We describe the exotrophic and semiterrestrial tadpoles, always found in constantly humid vertical rock walls in the stream. Tadpoles of C. lutzorum are recognized by differences in labial tooth row formula, eye diameter, body shape, position of nares, and development of tail. Like congeneric species, the karyotype of C. lutzorum comprises 26 metacentric and submetacentric chromosomes. Cycloramphus lutzorum is restricted to and adapted for living in fast flowing streams, many of which are threatened by deforestation, pollution, and habitat loss. Therefore, we recommend the status of C. lutzorum be changed from its current ""Data Deficient"" to ""Near Threatened (NT)"" in the IUCN species red list.

Don't call me a Kaffir : Genreanalys och klassificering av kwaito

Genom en strukturerad genreanalys, enkätundersökning samt intervju med en DJ aktiv inom kwaito så tacklar denna uppsats uppgiften att klassificera kwaito som genre. Genom analysen så erhålls de strukturella särdrag som kan ses inom genren och detta testas mot enkätundersökningen som behandlar den allmänna uppfattningen om genren. Enkätundersökningen är i sig uppdelad i två segment vars indelning baseras på kulturella skillnader och den här uppsatsen vill belysa de båda antropologiska perspektiven etic och emic i form av en Sydafrikansk- och en icke-Sydafrikansk undersökningsgrupp. Syftet med undersökningen i den här uppsatsen är att öka förståelsen för kwaito som genre och på så vis öka förståelsen för klassificeringen av genrer. Men även huruvida detta återspeglas i enkätundersökningen. Särdragen presenteras i analysen och har anknytning till nutida forskningen. Det visar sig att perspektiven etic och emic har relevans på grund av de kulturellt bundna skillnaderna av uppfattning om genren. Den Sydafrikanska undersökningsgruppen ser tydligare kopplingar till de sociala och ideologiska aspekterna, och även house-musiken, av genren än vad den icke-Sydafrikanska.

CALL FOR PAPERS Sociologisk Forskning: Temanummer : Samhällsvetenskapliga perspektiv på neuropsykiatriska funktionsnedsättningar

Sociologisk Forsknings digitala arkiv

A Call to Arms

This month I’m using my column to issue a call to arms. No, it isn’t a call to arms for war, though it is going to be battle. It is a call to professional librarians who are interested in their jobs lasting more than a few more years. That sounds a bit hysterical but I don’t mean for it to. Yet is it hyperbolic? I don’t think so. We need to rethink, recast, redefine, and refresh our professional métier. I think the last twenty-four months make it imperative that we do so now

Marketing de relacionamento e operação de call center: análise comparada do posicionamento de operadoras de telefonia celular em São Paulo

O presente trabalho aborda o Marketing de Relacionamento, que vem conquistando destaque nas organizações em razão do crescente reconhecimento da relevância do conhecimento dos clientes e de suas necessidades. A partir dessa perspectiva, investigou-se as estratégias de Telemarketing de organizações de telefonia móvel celular do Estado de São Paulo, a fim de comparar a orientação e o posicionamento dessas empresas. O estudo também faz uma avaliação comparativa entre as organizações, tomando como base a relação entre Call Center, posicionamento, estratégias e objetivos corporativos. Quanto à metodologia adotada, optou-se por uma pesquisa qualitativa, de caráter exploratório, partindo-se da análise de conteúdo das entrevistas.

Teletrabalho como fator de Inclusão social e digital em empresas de call center/contact center

O teletrabalho é uma realidade cada vez mais presente nos países desenvolvidos, tendo sido experimentado por diferentes tipos de empresas. Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo compreender como e por que as empresas de call center e contact center utilizam o teletrabalho na prestação de serviços. As quatro empresas abordadas representam 92% do universo de empresas prestadoras desse serviço no Brasil, por meio de teletrabalhadores residenciais. Utilizou-se o método de pesquisa quali-quanti, com a combinação do método de estudo de caso e o método survey. As conclusões da pesquisa revelaram que o teletrabalho residencial tem sido utilizado com muito equilíbrio. As razões do uso desta modalidade foram: redução de custos; aumento da produtividade; melhoria da qualidade de atendimento aos clientes; possibilidade de oferecer melhor qualidade de vida aos teletrabalhadores residenciais e portadores de deficiência, proporcionando-lhes oportunidades de empregos com inclusão social e digital.