Links between the Environment,Abundance and Diversity of Andean Moths

Ideas on the spatial variation of biodiversity often imply a causal link between the abundance and species richness of organisms. We investigated this ‘more individuals hypothesis’ using light‐trapping data of three unrelated groups of moths (Arctiidae, Geometridae and Pyraloidea) from the Ecuadorian Andes. We analyzed environmental correlates of specimen densities found in different habitats, finding effects of temperature, moonlight, forest succession, elevation and season. We corrected abundance data for light‐trapping artefacts, and we measured species diversity with various metrics known to be unbiased by undersampling. We found significant positive correlations between abundance and species diversity for all three taxonomic groups. We discuss implications for a general evaluation of species‐energy theory as well as for a better understanding of ecological processes in montane habitats of the Andes.     

Trends in pulmonary embolism death rates for Canada and the United States, 1962-87.

To investigate the effect of advances in the prevention and treatment of pulmonary embolism, we examined the rates of death from pulmonary embolism in Canada for 1965-87 and compared them with those for the United States for 1962-84. The direct method of age standardization was used on sex-specific and age-specific death rates, with the 1960 US population as the standard. In both countries the death rates increased then decreased, although the changes in the Canadian rates occurred later and were less pronounced than those in the US rates. Men and elderly people were at higher risk of death from pulmonary embolism than women and younger people. Prevention strategies, possibly including encouraging a more active lifestyle and targetting high-risk groups, may further reduce pulmonary embolism death rates in both countries.     

Trends in Educational Attainment by Race/Ethnicity, Nativity, and Sex in the United States, 1989-2005

Despite the importance of education for shaping individuals' life chances, little research has examined trends and differences in educational attainment for detailed demographic subpopulations in the United States. We use labor market segmentation and cohort replacement theories, linear regression methods, and data from the National Health Interview Survey to understand educational attainment by race/ethnicity, nativity, birth cohort, and sex between 1989 and 2005 in the United States. There have been significant changes in educational attainment over time. In support of the cohort replacement theory, we find that across cohorts, females have enjoyed greater gains in education than men, and for some race/ethnic groups, recent cohorts of women average more years of education than comparable men. And in support of labor market segmentation theories, foreign-born Mexican Americans continue to possess relatively low levels of educational attainment. Our results can aid policymakers in identifying vulnerable populations, and form the base from which to better understand changing disparities in education.     

El Niño,Host Plant Growth,and Migratory Butterfly Abundance in a Changing Climate

In the wet forests of Panama, El Niño typically brings a more prolonged and severe dry season. Interestingly, many trees and lianas that comprise the wet forests increase their productivity as a response to El Niño. Here, we quantify the abundance of migrating Marpesia chiron butterflies over 17 yr and the production of new leaves of their hostplants over 9 yr to test the generality of the El Niño migration syndrome, i.e., whether increased abundance of migrating insects and productivity of their food plants are associated with El Niño and La Niña events. We find that the quantity of M. chiron migrating across the Panama Canal was directly proportional to the sea surface temperature (SST) anomaly of the Pacific Ocean, which characterizes El Niño and La Niña events. We also find that production of new leaves by its larval host trees, namely Brosimum alicastrum, Artocarpus altilis, and Ficus citrifolia, was directly proportional to the SST anomaly, with greater leaf flushing occurring during the period of the annual butterfly migration that followed an El Niño event. Combining these and our previously published results for the migratory butterfly Aphrissa statira and its host lianas, we conclude that dry season rainfall and photosynthetically active radiation can serve as primary drivers of larval food production and insect population outbreaks in Neotropical wet forests, with drier years resulting in enhanced plant productivity and herbivore abundance. Insect populations should closely track changes in both frequency and amplitude of the El Niño Southern Oscillation with climate change.     

Success of Instream Habitat Structures After a 50-Year Flood in Gold Creek, Montana

Gold Creek, in western Montana, lost complexity and diversity of fish habitat following riparian logging activities, removal of instream wood, and subsequent scouring. In the 4.8-km study area, the stream was almost totally void of large woody debris (4.2 pieces/km) and associated pools (1.3 pools/km). We constructed 66 structures made of natural materials (rock and wood) that resulted in 61 new pools in the study area in an attempt to restore salmonid habitat in the fall of 1996. An estimated 50-year recurrence interval flood occurred in the following spring. Of the original 66 structures, 55 (85%) remained intact and stable. Laterally confined reaches retained significantly more pools than laterally extended reaches. Owing to a history of anthropogenic impacts in forested streams in the intermountain west, restoration efforts are needed. If instream structures are tailored to specific morphologic channel types, fish habitat restoration can be successful and withstand major floods.     

Elevation-Dependent Temperature Trends in the Rocky Mountain Front Range: Changes over a 56- and 20-Year Record

Determining the magnitude of climate change patterns across elevational gradients is essential for an improved understanding of broader climate change patterns and for predicting hydrologic and ecosystem changes. We present temperature trends from five long-term weather stations along a 2077-meter elevational transect in the Rocky Mountain Front Range of Colorado, USA. These trends were measured over two time periods: a full 56-year record (1953-2008) and a shorter 20-year (1989-2008) record representing a period of widely reported accelerating change. The rate of change of biological indicators, season length and accumulated growing-degree days, were also measured over the 56 and 20-year records. Finally, we compared how well interpolated Parameter-elevation Regression on Independent Slopes Model (PRISM) datasets match the quality controlled and weather data from each station. Our results show that warming signals were strongest at mid-elevations over both temporal scales. Over the 56-year record, most sites show warming occurring largely through increases in maximum temperatures, while the 20-year record documents warming associated with increases in maximum temperatures at lower elevations and increases in minimum temperatures at higher elevations. Recent decades have also shown a shift from warming during springtime to warming in July and November. Warming along the gradient has contributed to increases in growing-degree days, although to differing degrees, over both temporal scales. However, the length of the growing season has remained unchanged. Finally, the actual and the PRISM interpolated yearly rates rarely showed strong correlations and suggest different warming and cooling trends at most sites. Interpretation of climate trends and their seasonal biases in the Rocky Mountain Front Range are dependent on both elevation and the temporal scale of analysis. Given mismatches between interpolated data and the directly measured station data, we caution against an over-reliance on interpolation methods for documenting local patterns of climatic change.     

Trends in the twinning rate in Johannesburg, South Africa, 1969-1989 and estimated twinning rates for 1990.

Birth statistics for the Johannesburg Metropolitan Region were collected for 757 151 confinements from 1969 to 1989 (467513 Black, 194375 White, 67250 Coloured and 28013 Indian confinements). From 1969 to 1978 data on the sexes of twins were also collected for 375 203 of the confinements (203 504 Black, 129 631 White, 28 253 Coloured and 13 815 Indian confinements). A twin confinement was defined as two deliveries during one confinement. Twinning rates (TRs), defined as the number of twin confinements per 1000 total confinements, were calculated per year for each population group and from 1969-1978 estimates of the relative proportions of dizygotic (DZ) and monozygotic (MZ) twins were calculated and thus the relative DZTRs and MZTRs. A significant decline in Black and Coloured TRs was observed between 1969 and 1989. A significant decline in Black DZTR but not Black MZTR was observed between 1969 and 1978, the Coloured twin sample was too small to show significant trends over this period. It is probable that the overall decline in Black twinning may be explained by a decline in the DZTR. An analysis of birth statistics for 159 748 confinements (134 504 Black and 25 244 White confinements) collected as part of a prospective study of TRs in the Johannesburg Metropolitan Region from 1988 to 1990, indicated that the Black TR continued to decline at least until the end of 1990. TRs in the Johannesburg Metropolitan Region calculated from City Health Department birth statistics collected from 1988 to 1990 were: 13.8 and 10.77 for the Black and White populations, respectively. TRs for this period calculated from the combined birth statistics of 14 hospitals, nursing homes and maternity clinics across the region were: 12.4 and 10.88 for the Black and White populations, respectively.     

Review of the Methods Frequently Used to Estimate the Abundance of Orthoptera in Grassland Ecosystems

Ecologists have quantified Orthoptera (grasshoppers and crickets) density in a wide variety of conservation studies. Objective determination of Orthoptera population size is possible using mark-release recapture techniques but these are time-consuming and of little use for all but the smallest scale studies. Therefore, a wide range of sampling techniques have been devised to quantify population density and the most commonly used methods include sweep netting and quadrat counts. It is the aim of this paper to critically review studies that have used these techniques and to provide useful suggestions for non-specialists on which method may be most applicable to their study site. This paper reviews a selection of the extensive literature reporting studies estimating the abundance of grasshoppers (Acrididae) in a wide range of grassland ecosystems. Where possible, studies on bush-crickets (Tettigoniidae) and crickets (Gryllidae) are included reflecting their overall contribution to assemblage diversity in grassland ecosystems and to highlight the need for further investigations of sampling efficiency on these two under-researched families.The most rapid and inexpensive sampling methods, such as quadrat and transect counts, involve ‘flushing’ grasshoppers from the sward. These techniques are fairly accurate in short, open swards (<50 cm sward height) where grasshopper densities are low (<2 adults per m²). At higher population densities (>2 adults per m²), methods which require the capture of grasshoppers such as box quadrats and sweep netting may be more appropriate. Sampling grasshopper populations in taller vegetation (>50 cm sward height) is more problematic as the efficiency of many techniques may be reduced by vegetation structure. Methods such as timed counts can be used at low densities (<2 adults per m²) and night trapping might be most applicable where high numbers of grasshoppers are present (>2 adults per m²).There is an urgent need for development of a standardised sampling technique that can produce comparable data from studies with a wide variety of observers in grasslands with differing vegetation structures and grasshopper densities.     

Variations in Abundance,Genome Size,Morphology, and Functional Role of the Virioplankton in Lakes Annecy and Bourget over a 1-Year Period

We sampled the surface waters (2–50 m) of two deep peri-alpine lakes over a 1-year period in order to examine (1) the abundance, vertical distribution, genome size, and morphology structures of the virioplankton; (2) the virus-mediated bacterial mortality; and (3) the specific genome size range of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) phytoplankton viruses. Virus-like particle (VLP) concentrations varied between 4.16?×?10⁷ (January) and 2.08?×?10⁸ part mL^?1 (May) in Lake Bourget and between 2.7?×?10⁷ (June) and 8.39?×?10⁷ part mL^?1 (November) in Lake Annecy. Our flow cytometry analysis revealed at least three viral groups (referred to as virus-like particles 1, 2, and 3) that exhibited distinctive dynamics suggestive of different host types. Phage-induced bacterial mortality varied between 6.1 % (June) and 33.2 % (October) in Lake Bourget and between 7.4 % (June) and 52.6 % (November) in Lake Annecy, suggesting that viral lysis may be a key cause of mortality of the bacterioplankton. Virioplankton genome size ranged from 27 to 486 kb in Lake Bourget, while it reached 620 kb in Lake Annecy for which larger genome sizes were recorded. Our analysis of pulsed field gel electrophoresis bands using different PCR primers targeting both cyanophages and algal viruses showed that (1) dsDNA viruses infecting phytoplankton may range from 65 to 486 kb, and (2) both cyanophage and algal “diversity” were higher in Lake Annecy. Lakes Annecy and Bourget also differed regarding the proportions of both viral families (with the dominance of myoviruses vs. podoviruses) and infected bacterial morphotypes (short rods vs. elongated rods), in each of these lakes, respectively. Overall, our results reveal that (1) viruses displayed distinct temporal and vertical distribution, dynamics, community structure in terms of genome size and morphology, and viral activity in the two lakes; (2) the Myoviridae seemed to be the main cause of bacterial mortality in both lakes and this group seemed to be related to VLP2; and (3) phytoplankton viruses may have a broader range of genome size than previously thought. This study adds to growing evidence that viruses are diverse and play a significant role in freshwater microbial dynamics and more globally lake functioning. It highlights the importance of further considering this biological compartment for a better understanding of plankton ecology in peri-alpine lakes.     

Trends in the Supply and Distribution of Physicians in Saskatchewan: January 1962 to June 1964

Using all the readily available sources of information, a study was designed to describe the changes in supply and distribution of physicians in Saskatchewan during the inception of the Province''s controversial Medical Care Insurance Act. Baselines were obtained in January 1962, and comparisons made in June 1963 and June 1964. The physician:population ratio was 1:1037 in January 1962 and 1:980 in June 1964. The average yearly physician turnover rate of 10% was exceeded in 1960 and in 1961 and then levelled off. The levelling off continued from January 1962 to June 1963. But between June 1963 and June 1964 the total number of physicians was sufficient both to re-establish the rising trend of the previous decade and to offset some of the losses of 1960-1962.     

Trends of Mortality due to Septicemia in Greece: An 8-Year Analysis

Background

Infectious diseases are among the major causes of death worldwide. We evaluated the trends of mortality due to septicemia in Greece and compared it with mortality due to other infections.

Methods

Data on mortality stratified by cause of death during 2003–2010 was obtained from the Hellenic Statistical Authority. Deaths caused by infectious diseases were grouped by site of infection and analyzed using SPSS 17.0 software.

Results

45,451 deaths due to infections were recorded in Greece during the 8-year period of time, among which 12.2% were due to septicemia, 69.7% pneumonia, 1.5% pulmonary tuberculosis, 0.2% influenza, 0.5% other infections of the respiratory tract, 7.9% intra-abdominal infections (IAIs), 2.5% urinary tract infections (UTIs), 2.2% endocarditis or pericarditis or myocarditis, 1.6% hepatitis, 1% infections of the central nervous system, and 0.7% other infections. A percentage of 99.4% of deaths due to septicemia were caused by bacteria that were not reported on the death certificate (noted as indeterminate septicemia). More deaths due to indeterminate septicemia were observed during 2007–2010 compared to 2003–2006 (3,558 versus 1,966; p<0.05).

Conclusion

Despite the limitations related to the quality of death certificates, this study shows that the mortality rate due to septicemia has almost doubled after 2007 in Greece. Proportionally, septicemia accounted for a greater increase in the mortality rate within the infectious causes of death for the same period of time. The emergence of resistance could partially explain this alarming phenomenon. Therefore, stricter infection control measures should be urgently applied in all Greek healthcare facilities.     

Trends in Intake and Outcome Data for Animal Shelters in a Large U.S. Metropolitan Area, 1989 to 2010

Trends in nonhuman animal shelter intake and outcomes for dogs and cats in Metro Denver, CO, between 1989 and 2010 were assessed by linear regression analyses of data from 4 of the largest facilities covering 3 counties. The data were analyzed for trends on 3 scales: actual numbers per year, number per 1,000 residents per year, and as a percentage of total intake. Approximately 21,000 dogs and 16,000 cats were taken into the shelters in 2010, representing a 24% decrease for each since 1989. For dogs on a per-1,000-residents basis, intake decreased by 44%, euthanasia by 77%, and adoption by 13%; the live release rate (LRR) increased by 39%. For cats on the same scale, there was a 53% decrease in intake until 1998 followed by an 11% increase through 2010, and an 82% decrease in euthanasia until 2000 followed by a 24% increase through 2010. Adoption of cats per 1,000 residents remained unchanged, but the overall LRR for cats doubled during the study period. Substantially increasing trends in the transfer of dogs and cats from shelters to rescue organizations reflect efforts to optimize adoptions.     

The Vaginal Microbiota over an 8- to 10-Year Period in a Cohort of HIV-Infected and HIV-Uninfected Women

BackgroundWe identified predominant vaginal microbiota communities, changes over time, and how this varied by HIV status and other factors in a cohort of 64 women.MethodsBacterial DNA was extracted from reposited cervicovaginal lavage samples collected annually over an 8–10 year period from Chicago Women’s Interagency HIV Study participants: 22 HIV-negative, 22 HIV-positive with stable infection, 20 HIV-positive with progressive infection. The vaginal microbiota was defined by pyrosequencing of the V1/V2 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Scheduled visits included Bacterial vaginsosis (BV) screening; clinically detected cases were referred for treatment. Hierarchical clustering identified bacterial community state types (CST). Multinomial mixed effects modeling determined trends over time in CST, by HIV status and other factors.ResultsThe median follow-up time was 8.1 years (range 5.5–15.3). Six CSTs were identified. The mean relative abundance (RA) of Lactobacillus spp. by CST (with median number of bacterial taxa) was: CST-1–25.7% (10), CST-2–27.1% (11), CST-3–34.6% (9), CST-4–46.8% (9), CST-5–57.9% (4), CST-6–69.4% (2). The two CSTs representing the highest RA of Lactobacillus and lowest diversity increased with each additional year of follow-up (CST-5, adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.62 [95% CI: 1.34–1.94]; CST-6, aOR = 1.57 [95 CI: 1.31–1.89]), while the two CSTs representing lowest RA of Lactobacillus and higher diversity decreased with each additional year (CST-1, aOR = 0.89 [95% CI: 0.80–1.00]; CST-2, aOR = 0.86 [95% CI: 0.75–0.99]). There was no association between HIV status and CST at baseline or over time. CSTs representing lower RA of Lactobacillus were associated with current cigarette smoking.ConclusionsThe vaginal microbial community significantly improved over time in this cohort of women with HIV and at high risk for HIV who had regular detection and treatment referral for BV.