Donald S. Farner (1915–1988)

In Memoriam

Donald S. Farner (1915–1988)     

Index to plants collected on Howard Stansbury’s expedition to the Great Salt Lake, 1849–1850

Presented here is a synonymized list, including a list of types, of the plants collected on Howard Stansbury’s expedition to the Great Salt Lake, 1849–1850.     

Vegetation change in created emergent wetlands (1988–1996) in Connecticut (USA)

Changes in hydrology, water quality and vegetation were evaluated in four palustrine emergent wetland pairs, each including created and reference sites. Located along interstate highways, they were initially sampled in 1988 (Confer and Niering, 1992) and again in 1996. Overall, created sites showed significant decreases in open water and water depth between 1989 and 1996 compared to more stable conditions in reference sites. Total nitrogen was generally higher in created sites compared to reference sites, as was specific conductivity, with chloride levels exceeding 800 mg/L, apparently related to road salt. Emergent plant cover increased from 30 to 39% at three created sites, and decreased at a fourth, whereas reference sites remained relatively stable. Wetland species richness also increased from 31 to 39 species at created sites and 35 to 42 species at reference wetlands between the surveys. By 1996 there was an increase in invasive species, particularly Phragmites australis (common reed) and Lythrum salicaria (purple loosestrife). Phragmites increased from <1 to 15% at created sites, while Lythrum increased at one reference site from <1 to 16%. Typha latifolia (common cattail), dominant in the created wetlands in 1988, decreased from 16 to 5% while Typha angustifolia (narrow-leaved cattail) increased from 2 to 10%. At two created sites experiencing increased sedimentation, Phragmites is now dominant or co-dominant with Typha spp., whereas Carex stricta (tussock sedge) and T. latifolia continue to dominate at reference sites. At the one created, permanent flow-through-hydrology wetland, a three-fold decrease in T. latifolia and an eight-fold increase in Phragmites cover have occurred, the latter correlated with sedimentation from road culverts. Increases in alien or invasive species such as Phragmites and Lythrum can serve as indicators of wetland disturbance. Although these created wetlands provide the services of sediment retention, flood storage, and wildlife habitat, a greater range of wetland functions should be possible by constructing two-tiered systems that remove excess sediments and nutrients upstream of the wetland designed to compensate for wetland loss.     

ENTOMOLOGIA SINICA Vol. 11, 2004 Index to author

Abd一Rabou,Shaaban(2)149AleXander,patriek J.(2)r25Bai,Yao一yu白耀宇(4)275Cao,Hai一qun操海群(4)267Chen,Guo一hua陈国华(2)143Chen,Shao一ying陈少英(1)37Chen,Tian一Ye陈天业(2)125Cheng,DOng一mei程东美(1)19Cheng,Jia-an程家安(1)1,11Chu,Chang一chi朱昌棋(2)125Cong,Bin从斌(2)99Dong,V叭三n一ge董文鸽(1)61,(3)199Etebari,K盯van(4)243Fan,Jun一fa范俊发(1)19Fang,Zhi一gang方志刚(4)303Ge,Feng戈峰(3)183Geng,BO一wen耿博闻(2)59GaO,Xi一wu高希武(3)173Granados,R,.R.(3)165Guo,Li一jun郭利军(1)61,(3)199G…     

Trends in Socioeconomic Inequalities in Body Mass Index,Underweight and Obesity among English Children, 2007–2008 to 2011–2012

Background

Socioeconomic inequalities in childhood obesity have been reported in most developed countries, with obesity more common in deprived groups. Whether inequalities are found in the prevalence of underweight, the rest of the body mass index (BMI) distribution, or have changed across time is not clear.

Methods and Findings

The sample comprised 5,027,128 children on entry (4 to 5 years old) and leaving (10 to 11 years) state primary (elementary) school who participated in the National Child Measurement Programme (England, United Kingdom). We used area-level deprivation (Indices of Multiple Deprivation at the lower super output area) as a measure of socioeconomic deprivation. From 2007–2008 to 2011–2012 inequalities in obesity between the most compared to least deprived group increased (from 7.21% to 8.30%; p<0.001), whereas inequalities in the prevalence of underweight (1.50% to 1.21%; p = 0.15) were stable during this period. There were no differences by age group or by sex, but a three-way interaction suggested inequalities in obesity had increased at a faster rate for 10 to 11 year old girls, than 4 to 5 year old boys, (2.03% vs 0.07%; p<0.001 for interaction). Investigating inequalities across the distribution of zBMI showed increases in mean zBMI (0.18 to 0.23, p<0.001) could be attributed to increases in inequalities between the 50^th and 75^th centiles of BMI. Using the 2011 to 2012 population attributable risk estimates, if inequalities were halved, 14.04% (95% CI 14.00% to 14.07%) of childhood obesity could be avoided.

Conclusions

Socioeconomic inequalities in childhood obesity and zBMI increased in England between 2007–2008 and 2011–2012. Inequalities in the prevalence of underweight did not change. Traditional methods of examining inequalities only at the clinical thresholds of overweight and obesity may have led the magnitude of inequalities in childhood BMI to be underestimated.     

Accomplishments and impact of the NGO,Island Conservation,over 15 years (1994–2009)

Improvements in biodiversity conservation are hampered by the lack of reporting on the effectiveness of conservation techniques and the organizations that implement them. Here we summarize the accomplishments and potential impact of the non-governmental organization, Island Conservation, which eradicates damaging invasive vertebrates from islands. Island Conservation has removed 54 populations of 10 invasive vertebrates from 35 islands totaling over 520 km². These actions helped protect 233 populations of 181 insular endemic species and subspecies of plants and vertebrates and 258 populations of 54 species and subspecies of seabirds from the threat of local and global extinction. There were no reinvasions. One eradication attempt failed. These conservation actions and their apparent biodiversity impact demonstrate the potential of private organizations to protect biodiversity by eradicating invasive species from islands.