Cultural Benefits Research Articles

Inter‐country differences in the cultural ecosystem services provided by cockles

Abstract Coastal systems provide many cultural ecosystem services (CES) to humans. Fewer studies have focused solely on CES, while those comparing CES across countries are even rarer. In the case of shellfish, considerable ecosystem services focus has been placed on nutrient remediation, with relatively little on the cultural services provided, despite strong historical, cultural, social and economic links between shellfish and coastal communities. The ecosystem services provided by the common cockle, Cerastoderma edule, have recently been described, yet the cultural benefits from cockles remain mostly unknown. Here, we documented the CES provided by C. edule in five maritime countries along the Atlantic coast of western Europe, classifying evidenced examples of services into an a priori framework. The high‐level classes, adapted from the Millennium Assessment and the Common International Classification of Ecosystem Services, were: inspirational, sense of place, spiritual & religious, aesthetic, recreation & ecotourism, cultural heritage and educational. A further 19 sub‐classes were defined. We followed a narrative approach to draw out commonalities and differences among countries using a semi‐quantitative analysis. Examples of CES provided by cockles were found for all classes in most countries. Cockles supply important and diverse cultural benefits to humans across Atlantic Europe, making it an ideal model species to study CES in coastal areas. Most examples were in cultural heritage, highlighting the importance of this class in comparison with classes which typically receive more attention in the literature like recreation or aesthetics. We also found that the cultural associations with cockles differed among countries, including between neighbouring countries that share a strong maritime heritage. The extent to which cultural associations were linked with the present or past also differed among countries, with stronger association with the present in southern countries and with the past in the north. Understanding the wider benefits of cockles could deepen the recognition of this important coastal resource, and contribute to promoting sustainable management practices, through greater engagement with local communities. This study is an important step towards better integration of CES in coastal environments and could be used as a framework to study the CES of other species or ecosystems. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.

Assessment of Sentinel-2 to monitor highly dynamic small water bodies: The case of Louro lagoon (Galicia, NW Spain)

Coastal lagoons have been providing ecological, economic and cultural benefits for many centuries. Despite their importance, the monitoring of coastal lagoons poses numerous challenges related to their complex environmental processes, their large variability in size and their remote location, inhibiting effective management programmes. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of Sentinel-2 satellites to map highly dynamic morphological and hydrological changes in the Louro lagoon, a small choked lagoon located on the Galician coast (NW Spain). For this purpose, a simple methodology using the Normalised Difference Water Index (NDWI) has been evaluated, which allows to monitor the sand barrier changes and the inlet formation. The results show that the sand barrier's opening and closing might take only a very short period, and the recovery of the lagoon to its full water level can happen in less than a month. Sentinel-2 images also reveal drastic changes in the water level once the sand barrier is broken. A water surface area of 0.24 km2 was estimated on 04/11/2019, while this surface was reduced to 0.10 km2 on 04/12/2019. Monitoring these changes is critical to understand the different processes ongoing in these valuable environments and making informed decisions for their management and protection.

Capital development within supportive adult relationships: processes of positive adaptation for marginalized youth

ABSTRACT Supportive adults offer adolescents a positive resource for building a resilient profile, as they generally provide guidance, encouragement, and emotional support. These transformative relationships have the potential to unlock specific social and cultural benefits over time that serve to promote resilience, especially in marginalized groups. This mixed-methods study examines supportive adult relationships within the context of sociological concepts of capital development as a process toward positive adaptation. The current study first, uses binary logistic regression as a method of analysis in a racially diverse sample of 4,882 individuals. Findings suggest that individuals who reported having a supportive adult relationship by age 14 were more likely to possess emotional capital than those who did not have a supportive adult relationship by age 14 (OR = .836, p = .009). Secondly this study utilized thematic analysis to identify salient themes regarding social, cultural, and emotional capital from a smaller portion of the sample (N = 111), providing evidence for how SARs can impact the positive adaptation of marginalized individuals through capital development.

A Human 3D Cardiomyocyte Risk Model to Study the Cardiotoxic Influence of X-rays and Other Noxae in Adults.

The heart tissue is a potential target of various noxae contributing to the onset of cardiovascular diseases. However, underlying pathophysiological mechanisms are largely unknown. Human stem cell-derived models are promising, but a major concern is cell immaturity when estimating risks for adults. In this study, 3D aggregates of human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes were cultivated for 300 days and characterized regarding degree of maturity, structure, and cell composition. Furthermore, effects of ionizing radiation (X-rays, 0.1–2 Gy) on matured aggregates were investigated, representing one of the noxae that are challenging to assess. Video-based functional analyses were correlated to changes in the proteome after irradiation. Cardiomyocytes reached maximum maturity after 100 days in cultivation, judged by α-actinin lengths, and displayed typical multinucleation and branching. At this time, aggregates contained all major cardiac cell types, proven by the patch-clamp technique. Matured and X-ray-irradiated aggregates revealed a subtle increase in beat rates and a more arrhythmic sequence of cellular depolarisation and repolarisation compared to non-irradiated sham controls. The proteome analysis provides first insights into signaling mechanisms contributing to cardiotoxicity. Here, we propose an in vitro model suitable to screen various noxae to target adult cardiotoxicity by preserving all the benefits of a 3D tissue culture.

Economic Contributions from Conserved Forests: Four Case Studies of the USDA Forest Service Forest Legacy Program

Abstract Privately-owned forests provide important environmental, economic, and cultural benefits to the general public. Resulting impacts from landownership changes and conversion of working forests to other land uses threaten these benefits. The USDA Forest Service Forest Legacy Program (FLP) permanently protects threatened private forests that are of environmental, cultural, and economic importance to the greater public while keeping land ownership and forest management at the private or local level. FLP provides grants to state agencies to purchase conservation easements on private forestlands or, less frequently, acquisition by public agencies. We employed IMPLAN’s input-output model of the 2016 economy to estimate how land protected by FLP in four regions of the United States contributes to the economy. FLP land adds tens of millions of dollars of value annually and supports thousands of jobs in the four study areas and, due to the permanent protection of these lands, they will continue to do so in perpetuity. Nonfederal partners contributed 34%–60% of total project costs, highlighting the importance of land conservation to multiple stakeholders and the ability to leverage federal resources. The permanent nature of FLP protection provides long-term security for the economic and cultural benefits these lands provide.

Transferring School Education to Goodness Education: Discussion on the Construction and Implementation of Campus Culture in Primary School

Schools are being considered as the pioneer to carry out the mission of education. The development and implementation of campus culture decide whether the school can undertake this task and foster virtue through education. However, the development of campus culture cannot be established in a short time. Instead, it penetrates the long-time practice of running a school. From the practical perspective, this paper will discuss the way that goodness culture benefits school-running by exploring the connotation of the culture. The school can plan and express the goodness to develop its campus culture, especially in the campus design, the implementation of courses, the construction of teaching groups, and the follow-up of feedback. In this way, the school can contain the goodness in its campus culture to achieve the goal that educates students through good virtue.

Alaska Native Elders\u2019 perspectives on dietary patterns in rural, remote communities

BackgroundGiven the increasing rates of childhood obesity in Alaska Native children and the understanding that the most effective interventions are informed by and reflect the cultural knowledge of the community in which they are implemented, this project sought to gather the wisdom of local Yup’ik and Cup’ik Elders in the Yukon-Kuskokwim region of Alaska around how to maintain a healthy diet and active lifestyle.MethodsPerspectives were sought through the use of semi-structured focus groups, which were completed in person in twelve communities. All conversations were recorded, translated, transcribed, and analyzed using a qualitative approach, where key themes were identified.ResultsElders provided a clear and consistent recollection of what their life looked like when they were young and expressed their perspectives related to maintaining a healthy and traditional lifestyle. The key themes the Elders discussed included an emphasis on the nutritional and cultural benefits of traditional foods; concerns around changing dietary patterns such as the consumption of processed foods and sugar sweetened beverages; and concerns on the time and use of screens. Elders also expressed a desire to help younger generations learn traditional subsistence practices.ConclusionsThe risk of obesity in Alaska Native children is high and intervention efforts should be grounded in local knowledge and values. The perspectives from Yup’ik and Cup’ik Elders in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta area of Alaska provide a better understanding on local views of how to maintain a healthy diet, physical activities, and traditional values.

Occupation in Natural Environments; Health Equity and Environmental Justice.

Background. Occupations undertaken in natural environments can positively impact physical and mental health, improve cognitive functioning, contribute spiritual and cultural benefits, and increase belonging, self-worth, and the meaningfulness of occupations. However, occupational opportunities in healthy natural spaces are inequitably distributed; and the deleterious effects of climate change and environmental degradation are borne disproportionately by socioeconomically disadvantaged people. Purposes. To highlight evidence that occupational engagement in nature is a determinant of health, foreground environmental injustices and identify some implications for occupational therapy. Key issues. Cross-disciplinary, cross-cultural research and critical environmental justice scholarship indicate that healthy nature is an inequitably distributed determinant of occupation, wellbeing, and human health. This merits critical attention from occupational therapy. Implications. By researching, identifying, and addressing occupational and health inequities arising from environmental degradation, climate change and inequitable access to health-promoting natural environments occupational therapists could contribute valuable, occupational perspectives to initiatives addressing human rights and environmental justice.

Selling the Ability to “Have It All”: How Direct Selling Organizations Exploit Intensive Mothering Ideologies

Abstract Drawing on 27 interviews with consultants in the direct selling industry, this article argues that consultants’ motivations to do stigmatized work with low financial rewards are tied to cultural pressures to adhere to intensive mothering ideologies. Some direct selling organizations in the United States are changing from a home party model—selling products out of homes—to a social commerce model—selling and recruiting using social media. Using a gendered organizations approach, these organizations portray themselves as feminine organizations, celebrating caregiving and allowing consultants—predominantly women—to reconcile work-family tensions through flexible work. Yet, this business model incentivizes a small number of financially successful consultants to train a much larger group to perform costly emotional labor for low pay. Consultants use the guilt tied to intensive mothering ideologies as a motivational tool in which they portray the cultural benefits of being a “good mother”—always available to and cultivating her children—as outweighing the emotional cost of doing stigmatized work that strains personal relationships. Rather than financially or emotionally supporting women, these organizations exploit women’s investments in finding individualized solutions to work-family conflict and reaffirm racialized, classed, and sexualized ideologies.

Effects of culturally tailored smoking prevention and cessation messages on urban American Indian youth

American Indians (AI) face significant disparities in smoking-related diseases. In addition, smoking prevalence increases exponentially between ages 11 and 18. Smoking prevention and cessation efforts aimed at AI youth therefore are important. In order to strengthen understanding of evidence-based message strategies for smoking prevention and cessation among AI youth. The objective of this study was to test whether a message that was tailored to AI cultural values associated with the sacredness of traditional tobacco can change variables that behavioral theories have identified as predictors of smoking (i.e., instrumental and experiential attitudes, injunctive and descriptive norms, perceived capacity and autonomy, and intention with respect to smoking). We conducted a randomized field experiment among 300 never-smoking and ever-smoking urban AI youth in Minneapolis-Saint Paul between May 18 and July 27, 2019. We used a 3 (message condition: cultural benefits of not smoking cigarettes, health benefits of not smoking cigarettes, comparison message about benefits of healthy eating) × 2 (smoking status: ever-smoked, never-smoked) between-subjects design. Multivariate analysis of variance showed that for ever-smokers, the cultural consequences of smoking message significantly lowered instrumental attitude (partial eta2 = 0.029), experiential attitude (partial eta2 = 0.041), perceived capacity (partial eta2 = 0.051), and smoking intention (partial eta2 = 0.035) compared to the healthy eating comparison message and the health consequences of smoking message. This was not observed among never-smokers, who already had very negative smoking perceptions. We conclude that messages that tailor to AI culture may be effective tools for discouraging smoking among AI youth.

Heritage-led urban rehabilitation: Evaluation methods and an application in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

In proposing strategies for urban development in cities and towns with significant cultural heritage assets, there is considerable scope for implementation of projects involving rehabilitation of heritage as an alternative to demolition and replacement. Such projects are particularly relevant in cases where the heritage is concentrated in a historic core that is subject to deterioration or to relentless encroachment by urban expansion. In recent years there has been increasing interest in the possibilities for heritage-led investment as an effective means of generating a range of economic, social and cultural benefits while maintaining and enhancing the integrity of a city's historic assets. This paper outlines a methodology for evaluating these impacts and applies it to the case of the historic centre of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. The results indicate the significant potential for a program of heritage-led investment in Historic Jedda as a focus for further rehabilitation of the World Heritage site.

Uses of Vultures in Traditional Medicines in the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Region, South Africa

Vultures provide crucial ecological, economic, and cultural benefits, yet many Old World populations are declining. The illegal trade in vultures for traditional medicines (known as muthi in South Africa) is widely regarded as an important threat to the conservation of African vultures, but there are relatively few studies on the acquisition and trade in vultures for traditional medicine, which limits our understanding (and the effective mitigation) of this threat. We assessed the use of vultures in traditional medicine in the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Region, South Africa, by conducting questionnaires with 51 traditional healers from the Kukula Traditional Health Practitioners Association in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga Province. Traditional healers reported that vulture body parts were used alone, or in combination with plants or minerals, for various purposes, primarily to give clairvoyant abilities, but also to promote good dreams or increased intelligence, to treat illnesses, and to appease the ancestors. Vultures were acquired (for use in traditional medicine) by poisoning and trapping in communal rangelands and inside protected areas (the Kruger National Park, Manyeleti Game Reserve, Sabi Sands Game Reserve, and Bushbuckridge Nature Reserve). Vultures reportedly varied in price from ZAR300 to ZAR1500 (approximately US$17 to US$85) for a whole bird. We estimate that this association of traditional health practitioners uses 400–800 vultures a year. Our survey respondents expressed concern that acquiring vultures through poisoning is unsustainable, because birds are killed en masse, and this may reduce the sustainability of vulture populations for traditional use by future generations. Our respondents suggested the Greater Honeyguide (Indicator indicator) and honey badger (Mellivora capensis) as alternatives for vultures in traditional medicine. There is a need for better law enforcement in our study area to reduce the threat that illegal killing for traditional medicine poses to the region's vultures.

IMPROVED BLASTOCYST FORMATION WITH REDUCED EMBRYO-EVALUATION TIME ON POOR-PROGNOSIS PATIENTS

To compare blastocyst formation when embryos were removed from the incubator only once and twice for embryo evaluation on poor-prognosis patients Conventionally, embryos were removed from the incubator two or three times to assess fertilization, cleavage embryo quality. These non-optimal conditions may affect embryonic quality. Moreover, some retrospective and prospective trial also demonstrated a benefit of group culture in human embryos. Data for this retrospective study were taken from September 2020 to March 2021 including couples had 1-5 mature oocytes and had at least one zygote.We cultured embryos in groups of less than four embryos per 30μl microdroplet. Embryos in experimental group were examined microscopically only once in fertilization day, after that they were cultured to day 5. In the control group, embryos were assessed two times on day 1, 2 (or day 3). The total blastocyst formation rate and good quality blastocyst fomation rate were used to compared two groups (this ratio is calculated as the number of blastocysts per number of mature oocytes) Number of cycles in control group and experimental group were 99 and 111. The average age of oocytes in two group were similar (36.85 vs 36.68, respectively). The number of mature oocytes were also similar (3.59 vs 3.61). The total blastocyst formation rate in coltrol group slightly more less than experimental group (52.39% vs 54.11%, respectively, p>0.05) but good quality blastocyst fomation rate significantly lower in coltrol group (47.32% vs 53.12%; respectively, p<0.05) Reduction of the embryo-evaluation time can enhance good blastocyst formation rate on poor-prognosis patients

تغییرات ساختار خانواده از منظر آمارهای ثبتی (مورد مطالعه: خراسان بزرگ)

چکیده به دلیل اهمیت تحولات جمعیتی ایران در چهار دهه­ اخیر، موضوع محوری این مقاله مسأله‌شناسی تغییر ساختار خانواده با استفاده از بررسی آمار وقایع حیاتی ولادت، ازدواج و طلاق موجود در آرشیو سازمان ثبت احوال کشور است. در تحلیل تغییرات ایجاد­شده در ساختار خانواده، از تئوری­های گذار جمعیتی، انتخاب عقلانی و جهانی­شدن، بهره گرفته شده ­است. با روش اسنادی و تحلیل ثانویه­، به بررسی آمارهای ولادت، ازدواج، طلاق، میانگین سن مادران، تغییر گروه­های سنی مادران، مقایسه ازدواج زنان و باروری براساس گروه سنی، تغییرات نسبت 100 ازدواج به طلاق، پرداخته شده­است. نتیجه مطالعات نشان داد آمارهای وقایع حیاتی از سال 1395-1355 در استان­های خراسان بزرگ، علاوه بر تأثیر سیاست­های اجرائی­شده، گویای تغییر در نگرش و عملکرد خانواده و در نتیجه، کاهش فرزندآوری، کاهش تمایل به تشکیل خانواده و ازدواج و رشد قابل تأمل طلاق ­است. میانگین سن مادران در هر سه استان افزایش یافته­است. بیشترین ولادت در استان­های مذکور به مادران 29-25 سال و کمترین فرزندآوری به مادران بالای 49 سال اختصاص دارد. نتیجه مقایسه ولادت­های سال 1397 با 1389 براساس گروه سنی مادران، نشان داد که رتبه اول فرزندآوری از مادران 24-20 سال به 29-25 سال و رتبه دوم ولادت از مادران 29-25 سال به 34-30 سال تغییر یافته­است که این امر نشان از بالارفتن سن فرزندآوری مادران در استان­های مذکور دارد. زنان کمتر از 15-24 سال ساکن روستا، بیشتر از زنان شهری در بازه سنی مشابه اقدام به فرزندآوری می­کنند. بر مبنای تئوری گذار دوم جمعیتی، هرچه توسعه­یافتگی در جامعه­ای بالاتر می­رود، میزان باروری و ازدواج در آن کاهش و طلاق رشد می­یابد. از طرفی تشدید روابط اجتماعی بدون مرز در قالب شبکه­های گسترده ارتباطی و ارزیابی عقلانی والدین از منافع اقتصادی، اجتماعی و فرهنگی داشتن فرزند، موجب تغییر نگرش و ارزش­ها در خانواده شده و زمینه تغییر ساختار خانواده را در استان­های مذکور فراهم نموده ­است.Changes in family structure from the perspective of registration statistics(Case study: Great Khorasan) Mahbobeh Jafari Baee[1]Ali Rahmani Firoozjah[2]Yaghoob Forootan[3]Manochehr Pahlavan[4] AbstractDue to the importance of demographic changes in Iran in the last four decades, the central theme of this article is the problem of family structure change using a review of vital events of birth, marriage, and divorce in the archives of the Civil Registration Organization. Theories of demographic transition, rational choice, and globalization have been used to analyze changes in family structure. Documentary method and secondary analysis have examined the statistics of births, marriages, divorces, the average age of mothers, changes in mothers' age groups, comparison of women's marriages and fertility by age group, changes in the ratio of 100 marriages to divorces. The results of studies showed that: Statistics of essential events from 1355 to 1395 in the provinces of Greater Khorasan, in addition to the impact of implemented policies, indicate a change in family attitudes and practices and, consequently, reduced fertility, reduced desire to start a family and marriage and There has been considerable growth in divorce. The average age of mothers has increased in all three provinces. The highest number of births in the mentioned provinces is mothers aged 25-25 and the lowest number of children to mothers over 49 years old. The result of comparing births in 1397 with 1389 based on the age group of mothers showed that the first rank of childbearing from mothers aged 20-24 to 25 to 29 years and the second rank of births from mothers aged 25-25 years has changed to 30-30 years, which indicates an increase in maternal age. It has in the mentioned provinces. Women under the age of 15 to 24 living in rural areas are more likely to have children than urban women in the same age group. According to the second population transition theory, the higher the development in a society, the higher the fertility rate, the lower the marriage rate, and the higher the divorce rate. On the other hand, the intensification of borderless social relations in the form of extensive communication networks and parents' rational evaluation of the economic, social, and cultural benefits of having a child, has changed attitudes and values ​​in the family and provided the basis for changing family structure.Keywords: family structure, birth, marriage, divorce, age group of mothers, demographic transition [1] .Ph.D student in sociology, Islamic Azad University, Babol branch, mahbobejafari95@gmail.com[2] .Associate professor, Sociology Department, Islamic Azad University, Babol branch, Corresponding Author, arf1348@gmail.com[3] .Associate professor, Demography Department, Social Sciences, Mazandran University, y.foroutan@umz.ac.ir[4]. Assistant professor, Sociology Department, Islamic Azad University, Babol branch, mpahlavan1967@gmail.com­­

Nightlife as a source of social wellbeing, community-building and psychological mutual support after the Covid-19 pandemic

The nightlife sector means the economy and culture but also social wellbeing. However, whenever nightlife does get discussed, it seems always to be about licensing, regulation, crime, culture-led strategies of urban regeneration and urban benchmarking, and we still lack an appropriate understanding about the benefits of night culture beyond these topics. In this critical commentary, I wish to comment on the potential of nightlife as an efficient time–space mechanism for social well-being, community-building and multicultural understanding and even psychological mutual support especially after the Covid-19 pandemic amidst the newly emerging and still undefined world.

P–755 Perinatal outcomes following Day–4 embryo transfer compared to Day–2, Day–3 and Day–5 embryo transfer: an analysis of 56,346 singleton live births

Abstract Study question Are perinatal outcomes of singleton live births following Day–4 embryo transfer (ET) different to Day–2, Day–3 and Day–5 ET? Summary answer Perinatal outcomes of singleton live births following Day–4 ET are similar with those following Day–2, Day–3 and Day–5 ET. What is known already The morula represents a critical stage in preimplantation embryo development, but the usage of morula transfer on Day–4 has received little attention. Recent work from our group suggested that live birth rates following Day–4 ET appear higher than cleavage-stage ET, but lower than blastocyst ET. Therefore, Day–4 appears an alternative day to perform ET, offering the benefits of extended culture for embryo selection, but with shorter in-vitro culture exposure, as well as improving flexibility and planning in the IVF Clinic. However, there are extremely limited data available on the perinatal outcomes after Day–4 ET compared to cleavage-stage and blastocyst ET. Study design, size, duration Retrospective cohort study using data from the anonymised dataset of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) in the UK between 2000 and 2016. Data from singleton live births of women undergoing their first IVF/ICSI cycle were analysed to compare perinatal outcomes after fresh Day–2,3,4,5 embryo transfers. Participants/materials, setting, methods Births resulting from the first, fresh, autologous, stimulated, non-PGT cycles, with full data, were included. After exclusions, a total 56,346 singleton live births were included in the analysis (17,613 from Day–2 ET, 15,533 from Day–3 ET, 508 from Day–4, 22,692 from Day–5 ET). Binary/multinomial logistic regression analysis was performed to adjust for important cofounders. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were calculated. The level of significance was set at &amp;lt; 0.05. Main results and the role of chance The probabilities of birth at full-term (FT) and normal birthweight (NBW) after Day–4 transfer (FT 90.4%; NBW 84.6%) were similar to Day–2 (FT 89.7%, aOR 0.994, [0.734–1.344]; NBW 81.9%, aOR 0.881, [0.708–1.096]), Day–3 (FT 90.2%, aOR 1.026, [0.760–1.386]; NBW 82.4%, aOR 0.894, [0.719–1.111]) and Day–5 transfer (FT 90.4%, aOR 1.001, [0.743–1.350]; NBW 83.7%, aOR 0.920, [0.741–1.142]). The probabilities of preterm birth (PTB) and very preterm birth (VPTB) after Day–4 transfer (PTB 9.3%; VPTB 0.4%) were similar to Day–2 (PTB 9.5%; aOR=0.952; VPTB 0.8%; aOR=2.172), Day–3 (PTB 9.0%, aOR=0.920; VPTB 0.9%, aOR=2.174), and Day–5 transfer (PTB 8.8%; aOR=0.955; VPTB 0.8%, aOR=1.956). The probabilities of very-low birthweight (VLBW), low birthweight (LBW), high birthweight (HBW) and very-high birthweight (VHBW) after Day–4 transfer (VLBW 0.9%, LBW 7.9%, HBW 6.3%, VHBW 0.3%) were similar to Day–2 (VLBW 1.8%, aOR=1.827; LBW 8.0%, aOR=1.015; HBW 8.1%, aOR=1.174; VHBW 0.2%, aOR=0.590), Day–3 (VLBW 1.8%, aOR=1.788; LBW 7.4%, aOR=0.927; HBW 8.3%, aOR=1.256; VHBW 0.2%, aOR=0.503) and Day–5 transfer (VLBW 1.6%, aOR=1.782; LBW 6.9%, aOR=0.894; HBW 7.5%, aOR=1.215; VHBW 0.2%, aOR=0.796). The probability of having a female baby after Day–4 transfer (51.6%) was similar to Day–2 (49.2%, aOR 0.940), Day–3 (49.3%, aOR 0.931) and Day–5 transfer (48.3%, aOR 0.869). Limitations, reasons for caution The study is limited by its retrospective nature, the inability to adjust for additional confounders and the small number of singleton births after Day–4 ET. It is not known how Day–4 ET was decided. The incidence of congenital abnormalities was not analysed due to incomplete registration in the dataset. Wider implications of the findings: Perinatal outcomes of singleton live births following Day–4 ET are similar with those following Day–2, Day–3 and Day–5 ET, suggesting that morula transfer is equally safe as cleavage-stage and blastocyst transfer. Data on a larger number of live births from well-designed RCTs are required to confirm these findings. Trial registration number Not applicable

Recovering ecosystem functions in a restored salt marsh by leveraging positive effects of biodiversity

AbstractNatural and managed ecosystems provide a variety of ecological, economic, and cultural benefits; yet most have been altered by human activity such that they exhibit deficits in both biodiversity and functionality. Identifying factors accelerating the recovery of key species and associated functions in degraded systems is therefore a global priority. We tested the hypotheses that explicitly incorporating biodiversity into restoration design will lead to greater ecosystem function and that positive effects of diversity will strengthen over time due to an increase in the importance of complementarity relative to selection effects. We did this by manipulating salt marsh plant species richness across a tidal elevation gradient as part of a coastal wetland restoration project in southern California. Overall, diversity enhanced biomass accumulation in experimental plots, with the magnitude of the effect strengthening from one to three years post‐restoration due to a combination of decreasing performance in monocultures and increasing performance in multispecies mixtures over time. Positive diversity effects were initially due exclusively to selection, as mixtures were dominated by species also exhibiting high performance in monoculture, although the identity of the highest performing species varied across tidal elevations and over time. By the end of the study, complementarity, indicative of niche partitioning and/or positive interactions among species, contributed to productivity at least as much as selection effects. Our study provides real‐world support for a recent theoretical model predicting strong positive biodiversity effects when functionally different species coexist in a heterogeneous landscape. Incorporating biodiversity into restoration designs can result in net gains in ecosystem function especially in low diversity systems, yet shorter experiments lacking broad environmental and species trait variability may both underestimate the strength of and misidentify the mechanisms underlying positive diversity effects.

Assessing the contribution of traditional foods to food security for the Wapekeka First Nation of Canada.

The food security crisis and disproportionately high burden of dietary related disease amongst northern Indigenous populations in Canada continues to be a troubling reality with little sign of improvement. The Government of Canada is responding by developing programs to support local food initiatives for northern isolated communities. While such investments appear commendable, the impact of local food harvesting to improve food security has yet to be determined. While there are clear nutritional and cultural benefits to traditional food sources, communities face considerable barriers acquiring it in sufficient amounts because of historically imposed lifestyle changes that have increased food insecurity rates. This study responds by providing a novel multidisciplinary approach that draws from firsthand experiences working with First Nations community members in a remote subarctic region in northwestern, Ontario, to estimate their community's total food requirement and the amount of wild animal food sources needed to sustain yearly food intake. This transferrable energy demand approach will be critical for policy makers to put into perspective the amount of wild food needed to have an impact on food security rates and ultimately improve dietary related diseases. Novelty: Provide government policy makers information about current harvest yields in a remote northern First Nation to understand the potential contribution of traditional food to improve local food security. Provide Indigenous communities a means to assess local food resources to measure the caloric contributions of traditional foods toward household food security.

Maintaining the Many Societal Benefits of Rangelands: The Case of Hawaiʻi

Well-managed rangelands provide important economic, environmental, and cultural benefits. Yet, many rangelands worldwide are experiencing pressures of land-use change, overgrazing, fire, and drought, causing rapid degradation. These pressures are especially acute in the Hawaiian Islands, which we explore as a microcosm with some broadly relevant lessons. Absent stewardship, land in Hawaiʻi is typically subject to degradation through the spread and impacts of noxious invasive plant species; feral pigs, goats, deer, sheep, and cattle; and heightened fire risk. We first provide a framework, and then review the science demonstrating the benefits of well-managed rangelands, for production of food; livelihoods; watershed services; climate security; soil health; fire risk reduction; biodiversity; and a wide array of cultural values. Findings suggest that rangelands, as part of a landscape mosaic, contribute to social and ecological health and well-being in Hawaiʻi. We conclude by identifying important knowledge gaps around rangeland ecosystem services and highlight the need to recognize rangelands and their stewards as critical partners in achieving key sustainability goals, and in bridging the long-standing production-conservation divide.

Social indicators of ecosystem restoration for enhancing human wellbeing

This study implements the ecosystem service framework to link the concepts of farming activity and ecosystem restoration within the circular economy. It proposes a method for identifying social indicators of ecosystem restoration that can be taken into account in the transition towards more circular and sustainable agricultural systems. Using a case study located in semi-arid Mediterranean landscapes, we conducted a social sampling with 350 respondents to explore how an almond tree restoration changes perceptions and preferences for ecosystem services, and how these socio-ecological changes translate into indicators of natural capital and human wellbeing. Results not only indicated that the almond tree restoration induced changes in people´s preferences and perceptions for ecosystem services, such as an increase in ecosystem service diversity (i.e., local identity and erosion control), but they also demonstrated how the social and cultural benefits associated to ecosystem services can be used as indicators of human well-being (i.e., human health and access to goods). We suggest that the inclusion of social indicators of ecosystem restoration must be included in policies and initiatives for a transition to circular economy, and to achieve the challenges of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.