Feeding selectivity of a guild of piscivorous fish in mangrove areas of north-west Australia

1986 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 329 ◽  
Author(s):  
SJM Blaber

Piscivorous fish are unusually abundant in mangrove creeks in the Dampier region of north-west Australia (20°40′S.,1 16°40′E.). Penetration of mangroves by predators is relevant to the role of such waters as nursery grounds. Caranx ignobilis, Carcharhinus limbatus, Scomberoides commersonianus and Scornberomorus semifasciatus were the most numerous predators. More than 50% of suitably sized potential prey fish species were consumed; the most common prey were Atherinidae, Gobiidae, Ambassis sp. and Sillago spp. Small (1-9 cm), permanently resident species constituted 60% of prey, and juveniles of larger species made up the balance. Feeding selectivity was assessed on three electivity indices and caution in their use is emphasised. Although the results conflicted, only the linear index could be statistically tested and two interesting points emerged. Firstly, of the three most common prey species, two were positively selected and one negatively selected, and the remainder were consumed in approximate proportion to their abundances. Secondly, the indices gave similar rank order preferences, with Atherinidae, Sillago spp. and Harengula sp. the most preferred and Ambassis sp. the least preferred.

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy S. Matowo ◽  
Jackline Martin ◽  
Manisha A. Kulkarni ◽  
Jacklin F. Mosha ◽  
Eliud Lukole ◽  
...  

AbstractAnopheles funestus is playing an increasing role in malaria transmission in parts of sub-Saharan Africa, where An. gambiae s.s. has been effectively controlled by long-lasting insecticidal nets. We investigated vector population bionomics, insecticide resistance and malaria transmission dynamics in 86 study clusters in North-West Tanzania. An. funestus s.l. represented 94.5% (4740/5016) of all vectors and was responsible for the majority of malaria transmission (96.5%), with a sporozoite rate of 3.4% and average monthly entomological inoculation rate (EIR) of 4.57 per house. Micro-geographical heterogeneity in species composition, abundance and transmission was observed across the study district in relation to key ecological differences between northern and southern clusters, with significantly higher densities, proportions and EIR of An. funestus s.l. collected from the South. An. gambiae s.l. (5.5%) density, principally An. arabiensis (81.1%) and An. gambiae s.s. (18.9%), was much lower and closely correlated with seasonal rainfall. Both An. funestus s.l. and An. gambiae s.l. were similarly resistant to alpha-cypermethrin and permethrin. Overexpression of CYP9K1, CYP6P3, CYP6P4 and CYP6M2 and high L1014S-kdr mutation frequency were detected in An. gambiae s.s. populations. Study findings highlight the urgent need for novel vector control tools to tackle persistent malaria transmission in the Lake Region of Tanzania.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne D. Worsley ◽  
Paula Harrison ◽  
Rhiannon Corcoran

Abstract Background Due to the increasing concern over student mental health and wellbeing, attention has turned to the matter of creating environments, communities, and institutions which enable students to flourish. Methods To explore the role of accommodation environments in first year student mental health and wellbeing, eight focus groups were conducted in two universities in North West England and analysed using thematic analysis. Results Three overarching themes were identified: ‘The betwixt space’; ‘Accommodations as vessels to cultivate friendships and communities’; and ‘The importance of accommodation-based pastoral staff’. As attachment to place and relationships with significant others are disrupted by the transition, this leaves young people vulnerable whilst they go through a process to re-attach to new people and a new environment, and loneliness and social isolation were keenly felt during this period. Physical attributes of place that prevent social cohesion further exacerbated feelings of loneliness. Conclusions As it is common for students to withdraw physically and psychologically when they do not form friendships within their flat, accommodation-based pastoral staff have an important role to fulfil. Although these findings demonstrate the importance of the human element within accommodation, designing places that facilitate community, a sense of we-ness, and belonging is crucial.


2008 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-71
Author(s):  
George Hewitt

AbstractProtases ('if'-clauses) in the North West Caucasian language Abkhaz are mostly marked by either /-r/ or /-zα.r/, depending on the tense and/or type of verb (Stative or Dynamic) concerned. The article presents examples of this conditional usage and the role of protasis-type forms in both temporal and interrogative expressions as well as in complementiser-function. The complementisers in question share the semantic feature of irrealis with conditionals. A rhotic element is also found in the non-finite form of the Future I tense, in the Masdar (verbal noun), and in such converbs as the Purposives, the Resultative and the Future Absolute. The article attempts to link the semantic notions of futurity, potentiality, indefiniteness or general irrealis to the rhotic element and asks what might have been the historical development resulting in the forms attested today and thus their original morphological segmentation.


2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
pp. 163-175
Author(s):  
Adrian Sonea ◽  
Ovidiu Niculae Bordean ◽  
Eugenia Câmpeanu Sonea

Both the authors’ previous experience and the devoted literature highlight the particular role of teacher-student communication for the quality of graduates’ professional development and education. The research presented herein is based on a sociological survey conducted in a large university from north-west Romania, on more than 600 Economics Master’s students.The chief goal of our research is to determine efficient ways to improve the student training provided by the master programmes in Economics, by means of a better stimulation on the part of the teachers, a more efficient teacher – student communication, a better quality of the teaching materials employed and a greater relevance of the educational content for the particular area of specialisation pursued.After an initial review of the material resulted from the sociological survey, we continued to analyse the results in relation to the tiers of the communication process, the role of groups in the learning process and of the education process in the development of emotional intelligence.Within the current phase of our study, the underlying hypotheses are:(1) The training of Economics and Business Administration students provides them with opportunities of professional specialisation, while developing skills and abilities useful in everyday life.(2) The students’ training in Economics also entails an implicit educational process, which supports the development of their emotional intelligence.(3) Multiculturalism bears manifold benefits, both in terms of specialist professional training and on graduates’ attitudes and behaviour in the social life.This study allowed us to validate the hypotheses and to draw some interesting conclusions for the education of students enrolled in the university surveyed.


2014 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanri Barkhuizen ◽  
Lené I. Jorgensen ◽  
Lizelle Brink

Orientation: Industrial-organisational (I-O) psychologists are often confronted with counselling interventions in the workplace and thus it is vital that they are effectively prepared for their role as workplace counsellors.Research purpose: The aim of this study was to review the role of I-O psychologists as counsellors and to ascertain whether these practitioners are effectively prepared for this purpose.Motivation for the study: I-O psychologists are mainly concerned with the deep-rooted problems individuals experience in the workplace, and they therefore need appropriate counselling skills. However, it is not clear whether graduates in this discipline receive adequate training for this role.Research design, approach and method: A qualitative research design with convenience and snowball sampling of 22 participants was utilised. Participants were practising I-O psychologists across Gauteng and North West (South Africa). Semi-structured in-depth interviews were used to gather data, which were transcribed verbatim and analysed using content analysis.Main findings: Participants were familiar with the meaning of counselling and confirmed that they are faced with a range of counselling situations requiring a unique set of skills and competencies. Based on these findings, participants made recommendations for the future training of I-O psychologists and recommended that counselling be included in the scope of practice of I-O psychologists.Practical/managerial implications: The role of the I-O psychologist requires training in short-term therapeutic techniques and counselling in tertiary education.Contribution/value-add: The study clarifies the role of the I-O psychologist as a counsellor that will ensure that I-O psychologists can be trained more effectively for this role.


2000 ◽  
Vol 278 (1) ◽  
pp. H208-H221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sook Jeong Lee ◽  
Sung Zoo Kim ◽  
Xun Cui ◽  
Suhn Hee Kim ◽  
Kyung Sun Lee ◽  
...  

The purpose of the present experiments was to define the role of C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) in the regulation of atrial secretion of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and atrial stroke volume. Experiments were performed in perfused beating and nonbeating quiescent atria, single atrial myocytes, and atrial membranes. CNP suppressed in a dose-related fashion the increase in atrial stroke volume and ANP secretion induced by atrial pacing. CNP caused a right shift in the positive relationships between changes in the secretion of ANP and atrial stroke volume or translocation of the extracellular fluid (ECF), which indicates the suppression of atrial myocytic release of ANP into the paracellular space. The effects of CNP on the secretion and contraction were mimicked by 8-bromoguanosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate (8-BrcGMP). CNP increased cGMP production in the perfused atria, and the effects of CNP on the secretion of ANP and atrial dynamics were accentuated by pretreatment with an inhibitor of cGMP phosphodiesterase, zaprinast. An inhibitor of the biological natriuretic peptide receptor (NPR), HS-142-1, attenuated the effects of CNP. The suppression of ANP secretion by CNP and 8-BrcGMP was abolished by a depletion of extracellular Ca2+ in nonbeating atria. Natriuretic peptides increased cGMP production in atrial membranes with a rank order of potency of CNP > BNP > ANP, and the effect was inhibited by HS-142-1. CNP and 8-BrcGMP increased intracellular Ca2+ concentration transients in single atrial myocytes, and mRNAs for CNP and NPR-B were expressed in the rabbit atrium. From these results we conclude that atrial ANP release and stroke volume are controlled by CNP via NPR-B-cGMP mediated signaling, which may in turn act via regulation of intracellular Ca2+.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document