Frequent Sightings Research Articles

Investigating the Impact of Flood on Low Lying Settlements of Delhi, India: A Planning Perspective

In the past, the Yamuna River and the Najafgarh Drainage System have flooded the city of Delhi severely. In the past 33 years, Yamuna has 25 times exceeded its risk threshold, which is set at 204.83m. Since 1900, Delhi has suffered six significant floods when the Yamuna River has reached a height of one metre or more above the accidental 204.49m on the old railway bridge (2.66m above the accident level). These floods happened in 1924, 1947, 1976, 1978, 1988, and 1995. The Yamuna recently climbed more than two metres beyond the danger threshold in Delhi, breaking the milestone 207 metres for the first time in 32 years. The second highest point, at 206.92 metres, was on September 27, 1988. There is a direct impact of floods on the Yamuna River and the city drainage network. People who live along the Yamuna River Belt, on the river's banks, and in the drain are impacted by this. The amount of the solid regions causing local floods has increased landslides as a result of deforestation and local floods. Low-lying communities, particularly haphazard colonies that fall into the water, will be most impacted by this. Hathinikund erupts high in Haryana because of the persistent, intense rainfall on the high cliffs, draining water upstream, continuing to flood Delhi and harming the lives of those who live in low-lying areas. Therefore, torrential rains caused severe damage to the city, and even more so to those families built on the wrong side, which were the first and most frequent sightings of their homes and property being flooded. Families had already begun to lose livestock and livestock during this time, before being evacuated and their situation remains so dire that one has to leave the rest of the house to relocate and relocate when the water level drops. The purpose of the study was to explore about the kind of impacts generally inhabitants face during and post flooding and to find out the implementation of strategies. The following methods were used: Site survey of the case study area in which structured questionnaire and observations were conducted through primary survey, analysis and assessment, study of issues and concerns. As a result, flood prevention, preparedness and mitigation strategies with reference to low lying area have been analyzed and planning recommendations have been proposed.

Litter Detection using SSD Mobilenet V2

Abstract: It is a frequent sight to see people throwing banana peels, tin cans, plastic covers and bottles. Many people while using roads spit there and throw wrappers and other wastes on the roadsides. It is disappointing to see the laziness and indifference of people ruining our environment. Birds and Animals consume these waste products, confusing them for food. They don't survive. Our system uses the wonders of modern computer vision technology to detect cases of littering from camera video streams. Litter objects in low altitude imagery collected by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) during an autonomous patrol mission. We use the OpenCV library for object detection. Python is used for the core of the project. We have a database of images of items that are likely to be litter. Tin cans, plastic bottles, plastic bags, etc. More objects can be added as the system gains adoption

A Kist o’ Whistles

A Kist o’ Whistles

Предварительные результаты мониторинга гнездовых участков стервятника в Армении в 2021 и 2023 годах

The Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) is one of the four breeding vulture species in Armenia. The most recent information on the status of the Egyptian Vulture population in Armenia can be found in the latest edition of the Red Data Book of the Republic of Armenia (2010), which reports the presence of 40–60 breeding pairs, including 10 in protected areas of Armenia. Previously published studies conducted from 1973 to 1994 (particularly in 1975–1977 and 1981–1989) confirmed the presence of only 3 breeding pairs, but it was assumed that there should be 40–50 breeding pairs, mainly in the Bazum, Pambak, Areguni, Geghama, Vardenis and Zangezur mountain ranges. Additionally, 7 active nests were reported during the 1960–1995 field observations at Kapan, Byurakan, Garni, Noratoos, Vedi, Shamoot and near Yerevan. Although the reproductive success of the reported 40–60 breeding pairs has never been verified, this number of pairs was assumed to be accurate based on vulture abundance counts. The lack of up-todate data, as well as frequent sightings of abandoned nests during our sporadic observations in previous years, highlighted the need to assess the current population status of the Egyptian Vulture in Armenia in order to estimate the breeding success and population dynamics of the species, identify the main threats to the species, and develop appropriate conservation measures. Our research was conducted in 2021 and 2023 and aimed to estimate the current population status of the Egyptian Vulture in Armenia. The fieldwork was based on available data on breeding territories and maps of suitable nesting habitats produced using predictive modelling. Field studies were conducted from March to July 2021 and 2023 in Ararat (2021, 2023), Armavir (2021), Aragatsotn (2023), Kotayk (2021, 2023), Vayots Dzor (2023), Lori (2021, 2023), Shirak (2021), Gegharkunik (2023), Tavush (2021), and Syunik (2021) regions using a spotting scope, binoculars, and a drone. Preliminary results showed 6 active nests with 3 fledglings in the breeding territories checked in 2021 (1 nestling per nest in Lori, Tavush, and Vayots Dzor regions), and 3 active nests in the breeding territories checked in 2023, with 1 unsuccessful breeding in Vayots Dzor and 2 successful breedings in Vayots Dzor and Kotayk regions. A total of 12 abandoned nests were found, 5 in Tavush, Syunik, Lori, Ararat, and Vayots Dzor regions in 2021 and 7 in Lori, Vayots Dzor, Aragatsotn, Ararat, Kotayk, and Gegharkunik regions in 2023. In most of the cases, no adults were observed flying at the breeding territories with Lori, and Aragatsotn regions, 3 sightings of adults flying near abandoned nests were recorded. One of these nests was later confirmed to have had an unsuccessful breeding attempt. In addition, to study local and migratory movements, natal philopatry, and to identify the main threats to the species along its flyways, particularly in Armenia, we have started tagging Egyptian Vultures with Aquila satellite GPS/GSM transmitters in 2021. Until now we have successfully tagged 5 fledglings in Lori, Kotayk, and Vayots Dzor regions. In 2021, 1 individual was tagged in Lori region and migrated to Ethiopia (unfortunately, the connection with it was lost due to roaming termination in Ethiopia). In 2022, 2 siblings were tagged in Kotayk region. One of them crossed the Red Sea to Ethiopia (the connection with it was lost), and the other stayed in Yemen and is still being tracked. In 2023, 2 fledglings were tagged in Kotayk and Vayots Dzor regions. 1 case of fratricide was recorded in the nest in Lori region. We plan to monitor Egyptian Vulture nests regularly over the coming years to estimate population dynamics, breeding success, and to identify the main threats to the species so that specific conservation measures can be taken. The study was conducted as part of the “Birds of Prey Research and Conservation in Armenia” project, implemented by the Branch of the German Nature Protection Union (NABU) in the Republic of Armenia (NABU).

Distribution of the Critically Endangered Giant Guitarfish (Glaucostegus typus) based on Local Ecological Knowledge in the Andaman Islands, India.

For elusive, data-poor marine fauna, Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK) can be a rich and often underutilised source of biological and ecological data. We used a socio-ecological approach to assess LEK and provide key insights into the distribution, habitat use pattern, and threats facing giant guitarfishes (Glaucostegus spp.) in the Andaman Islands, India. We interviewed 175 fishers and other coastal users (SCUBA divers, coastal residents, researchers etc.), 142 of whom had seen giant guitarfishes. Due to the difficulty in distinguishing between species of this genus, this study did not attempt to collect species specific data. However, data presented here most likely refer to the Giant Guitarfish (Glaucostegus typus) as it is the only species from this family confirmed from the Andaman Islands. Our results show that LEK can be an invaluable asset in understanding the distribution of little-known species. With sightings from over 70 locations, our data indicate that giant guitarfishes occur widely and the frequent sightings of pup-sized (<45 cm) individuals in shallow coastal waters suggests they could be using these habitats as nursery grounds. The identification of several potential nursery areas highlights locations of their range that need urgent protection to aid in their conservation. The only other location where G. typus is reportedly still frequently observed is northern Australia, making the Andaman Island population globally significant. However, rapid coastal transformation and growing fisheries likely threaten the species. With more than 33% of reported observations being over a decade old, our data suggest that populations have drastically declined, highlighting the need to regulate fisheries and coastal development in the Andamans. Including giant guitarfishes under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act would also be an essential step towards managing this globally important population.

Exploring the Knowledge and Perceptions of Local Communities on Illegal Hunting: Long-Term Trends in a West African Protected Area

Local communities in rural areas are dependent on hunting for their livelihoods and rely on their knowledge to understand wildlife ecology. Their knowledge and perceptions may be vital for forming effective and sustainable management plans related to wildlife conservation. We aimed to examine perceptions of local people living inside (n = 153 households) and outside (n = 178 households) the Kogyae Strict Nature Reserve (KSNR, Ghana) regarding bushmeat prevalence and long-term trends in illegal hunting, and to explore people’s knowledge about hunting tools, species, and reasons to hunt illegally. Perceptions of bushmeat sightings and illegal hunting trends were influenced by living inside or outside the protected area, gender, and residence time. Residents living inside the reserve perceived bushmeat and hunting as frequently present in their environment mainly due to frequent sightings of bushmeat and other wildlife products, while people living adjacent to the KSNR were more knowledgeable about the decrease in illegal hunting trends, probably because of awareness about penalties and biodiversity conservation. Furthermore, the perceptions of most residents about the decrease in hunting over time were validated by long-term KSNR law enforcement data. The perception in local communities that snares were the commonest form of hunting equipment used was also consistent with the ranger-based monitoring data. The need for money, bushmeat, unemployment, and retaliatory killings were the main drivers for illegal hunting. Our findings indicated that local people’s knowledge can have a valid relevance in protected area management and may assist in developing effective conservation strategies and in overall improvement of local socio-ecological systems.

Populism and the military: symbiosis and tension in Bolsonaro’s Brazil

ABSTRACT Populist politicians surrounded by military allies are a frequent sight in countries that have experienced democratic backsliding. Populists sometimes seek protection in the military, who in turn leverage the relationship to advance their own interests. Despite the recent wave of populism, the burgeoning literature on it has not devoted due attention to analysing the populist-military relationship; its origins, outcomes, and tensions. This article analyses the Brazilian military’s re-appearance under President Jair Bolsonaro. Absent the usual institutional support bases on which Brazilian presidents rely, Bolsonaro has cultivated military support with resources and positions that allow officers expanded political power and privilege. An equilibrium held for the government’s first two years. Thereafter, growing reservations about propping up an increasingly unpopular president, especially by heeding orders that would threaten their professional integrity, put in question the future of the armed forces as a pillar of the Bolsonaro administration. At the same time, the military’s substantial expansion in government and state positions under Bolsonaro raises the specter of elevated military autonomy under future administrations. This would be problematic for popular sovereignty, a cornerstone of democracy, even if uniformed officers are not saber-rattling, mounting coups or occupying presidential office.

Phylogenetic Endemism Hotspots of North American Birds Are Associated With Warm Temperatures and Long- and Short-Term Climate Stability

Human activities have dramatically altered the distribution and abundance of species, and our impacts are likely to increase in the near future. Conservation efforts are typically faced with scarce resources, forcing us to prioritize areas based in part on estimates of their conservation value. Two major factors in conservation value are a species uniqueness and its extinction risk. Though these ideas are multidimensional, one important component of uniqueness is evolutionary distinctness, while risk is strongly related to geographic range size. These components are combined in an assemblage-level measure called phylogenetic endemism (PE), which measures the degree to which the species in an assemblage are small-ranged and phylogenetically distinct. Broad-scale patterns and correlates of PE are becoming better known for a variety of groups, and have been shown to depend on current climate, geographic isolation and long-term climate stability. Human impacts (e.g., land cover changes), are likely to shape PE as well, though the coarse resolution of most previous studies may make this difficult to detect. Overall, PE patterns at fine spatial and temporal resolutions are not well understood. Here, we fill this gap using data from the North American Breeding Bird Survey. These data comprise a long-term annual record with fine spatial resolution and a near-continental extent. We assess geographic patterns and trends in PE, and relate these to a range of putative predictor variables including measures of current climate, land cover, long-term and recent climate change. Bird PE is concentrated in three main hotspots: the west coast, the southeast and south-central Canada east of the Rockies. High PE values tended to occur in regions with high temperatures and stability in temperature, both in the long (21,000 year) and short (35 year) time scales. PE patterns are driven more strongly by patterns of range size than phylogenetic distinctiveness, and are trending gradually upward, driven by increasingly frequent sightings of small-ranged species. These results indicate the importance of climate stability on multiple time scales in influencing endemism patterns and suggest a surprisingly minor influence of direct human land use. The increase in PE through time may reflect successful conservation efforts that have led to population recoveries of some small-ranged species.

Stickin’ it to the man: The geographies of protest stickers

Stickers are a frequent sight on city streets, adorning street furniture and walls around the world. They serve a range of purposes, including advertising, graffiti, and street art. Many stickers, however, are dedicated to resistance; they promote protest marches or rallies, radical or subversive opinions, and protest groups and social movements. Small, self‐adhesive pieces of paper, vinyl, or plastic, protest stickers range from the hand drawn to the professionally printed. Cheap to produce and easy to distribute, they are a common tactic in the repertoires of activists across the Global North. Despite their ubiquity, protest stickers have been overlooked by academics from across the social sciences and humanities. Using methodologies connected to both material and visual cultures, this paper utilises analysis of an archive of more than 5,000 photographs of protest stickers taken over six years in 53 locations to argue that protest stickers should be significant tools in attempts to understand the geographies of resistance, public space, and the right to the city. This paper explores what protest stickers are, the purposes they serve, how they communicate their messages, where they are located, and how they circulate. Finally, I propose a future research agenda including four key areas that should be pursued in order to better understand the relationships between protest stickers, public space, and the geographies of resistance.

A discretization algorithm for time-varying composite gradient flow dynamics

The problem of minimizing the sum, or composition, of two objective functions is a frequent sight in the field of optimization. In this article, we are interested in studying relations between the discrete-time gradient descent algorithms used for optimization of such functions and their corresponding gradient flow dynamics, when one of the functions is in particular time-dependent. It is seen that the subgradient of the underlying convex function results in differential inclusions with time-varying maximal monotone operator. We describe an algorithm for discretization of such systems which is suitable for numerical implementation. Using appropriate tools from convex and functional analysis, we study the convergence with respect to the size of the sampling interval. As an application, we study how the discretization algorithm relates to gradient descent algorithms used for constrained optimization.

The genetic relationships and Indo-Pacific connectivity of whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) with particular reference to mitochondrial COI gene sequences from Cendrawasih Bay, Papua, Indonesia

The whale shark (Rhincodon typus) inhabits Cenderawasih Bay at the Birdhead Seascape of Papua in high frequent sightings, but little is known about its genetic characteristics and connectivity. The study was conducted to characterize of the R. typus COI gene fragment from Cenderawasih Bay, in order to accurately compare with the 27 COI gene fragment sequences from the global whale shark deposited in the GenBank. A total of 28 meat samples of whale shark were collected by biopsy punch on a pole spear. The meat samples were extracted to obtain whole genome then amplified and sequenced to obtained COI nucleotides. The determined COI is a 669 bp, comprising of A = 26.5%, T/U = 30.5%, C = 28.3%, dan G = 14.7%. In total, 41 cutting sites of all the sequences ranged in size from 5-7 bp long. One COI single nucleotide polymorphisms and 2 haplotypes were identified. Single site substitution change from T to C for both haplotypes was observed. Overall, the haplotype diversity (Hd= 0.137) and nucleotide diversity (π=0.0002) were relatively low. A different nucleotide composition, number and arrangement of the sequences with the whale shark COI sequences from Cenderawasih Bay compared to COI gene fragment sequences from GenBank were observed. This study shows the availability of sequence of whale shark will contribute to aid further studies of molecular systematics, phylogeography, genetic differentiation, and conservation genetics.

Roadblock politics in Central Africa

A frequent sight along many roads, roadblocks form a banal yet persistent element across the margins of contemporary global logistical landscapes. How, this article asks, can we come to terms with ...

The colonization of raccoon (Procyon lotor L. 1758) in Georgia : The beginning of the invasion?

Raccoons have been present in Georgia since the second half of the 20th century. Raccoons were introduced in most parts of the Soviet Union including Azerbaijan from where raccoons eventually found themselves on Georgian territory. Today rural residents are complaining about raccoon damage which is in- duced to their private property, crops, domestic animals and game birds. Regardless of such active damages and frequent sightings of raccoons across Georgia, there are no scientific publications that document the presence of this species in the country. We collected pictures of raccoons that were taken primarily by camera traps set by photographers, researchers and wildlife enthusiasts in Georgia. In additions, the material was retrieved from various sources including social media like Facebook. We conclude that raccoons are not only present in Eastern Georgia but they are spreading towards the central Georgia. We conclude that there are breeding populations of raccoons close to the capital city of Tbilisi as well. According to the local residents, this species is causing tremendous damage both to their property and natural habitats. We thus recommend that in order to protect valuable habitats of Georgia, and resolve hu- man-raccoon conflict monitoring and decreasing of raccoon populations must be set as a priority task of the wildlife conservation is Georgia. We also recommend to conduct further studies on raccoon population sizes which will give clearer picture of the damage degree done to the native species and to private property of local residents.

Okinawan Caves as Sites of Forgetting

10 A & Q Okinawan Caves as Sites of Forgetting Jessica Nakamura In Okinawa, the past echoes. The events of the 1945 Battle of Okinawa cannot be left behind. Rather, in the physical spaces of Japan’s southernmost island prefecture, they manifest in unexpected and emotional ways. After U.S. bombs destroyed infrastructure in the months leading up to the battle, ground combat raged across the main island for more than eighty days. The battle’s high number of civilian casualties—­ more than one-­ third of the population—­ reflects Japan’s imperial cruelty. As the nation’s recent imperial acquisition in 1879, assimilationist practices converted Okinawan people into Japanese citizens. Yet, during the battle, Japanese soldiers grew to mistrust Okinawans and demanded or forced them to sacrifice themselves to prove their loyalty to the nation. Today, memories linger in Okinawa’s landscape. Okinawans live among former battle sites, and the battle asserts itself in everyday life when the discovery of unexploded shells closes neighborhoods and suspends residents in fear and uncertainty for hours. Another part of Okinawan life, U.S. military bases, installed soon after the war’s end with no regard for landownership or cultural value, border on civilian neighborhoods. Frequent sightings of soldiers and military machinery haunt the present as lingering ghosts of the war. While memories of the battle besiege contemporary Okinawan life, its commemoration and historicization have been harshly debated in contemporary Japan (1989 to the present). From the battle’s end to the mid-­1980s, atrocities from the battle, especially Japanese military violence against Okinawan civilians, remained largely out of the public eye. Today, such topics have been widely documented and circulated, but conservative historical revisionists, aiming to maintain a dominant narrative about civilian sacrifice, continue to downplay the extent of the Japanese Imperial Army’s role in civilian casualties. Conservative historical revisionism, a movement active in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, and thus at the center of the Japanese government , aims to control the official past of the Asia-Pacific War (1931–­ 45), with revisionists enforcing a positivist view of history that calls for written documents to verify and legitimize survivor testimonies. These arguments are built on information-­ based epistemologies—­ about what happened in the past, what events should be taught to schoolchildren. The passing of the war generation and lack of official documentation bring these debates to an impasse. As Minoru Iwasaki and Steffi Richter A & Q 11 (2008) argue, historical revisionists claim to seek “objective facts,” but in reality, they advance an emotional agenda driven to vouchsafe Japanese national history. In the face of written documents, revisionists do not alter their interpretations. The contradictions inherent in historical revisionism point to ways in which such epistemologies cannot fully represent the war past. Younger generations in Okinawa are caught between an impoverished “official” past, riddled with amnesia, and their lives amid the pervasive consequences of war. What is the responsibility to this felt, but undocumented, kinesthetic and affective history that erupts in the present? And, beyond Okinawa, given debates about remembering the war, how can and should those without direct connections to the past attend to it? The circumstances of the Battle of Okinawa and its remembrance demand other approaches to the past that fall outside of official forms of commemoration and historiography. Instead, as Norma Field (1997, 36) suggests, we must “extend our imagination” to what can constitute remains of the past. Along these lines, I turn to modes of engaging with the past that may have embodied and ephemeral attributes; these resist documentation but, as Lisa Yoneyama (2016) describes in Cold War Ruins, may be able to provide agency in silence. The landscape of Okinawa already proposes alternative modes of relating to the past. During the battle, many civilians took shelter in natural caves throughout the island; some of these became sites of atrocity when Japanese soldiers forced Okinawans to commit suicide to avoid enemy capture. These caves remain sites of mnemonic potential, active below the surface. Initially forgotten in postwar Japanese discourses of the war, the caves have been forever changed by the events of the Battle of Okinawa and remain as significant spaces in Okinawa’s contentious, packed terrain of U.S. military bases...

Self-reported Animal and Ectoparasite Exposure among Urban Homeless People.

Homeless people in the United States may experience poor hygiene and spend extended periods of time outdoors, which increases exposure to animal and insect vectors of disease. Despite these risks, efforts to understand frequency and risk factors for zoonotic and vector-borne infections among homeless people have been limited. We queried homeless people in Boston, Massachusetts (n=194) to evaluate exposure to urban wildlife and ectoparasites associated with infection. Thirty percent of participants reported seeing rodents daily, and 25% reported daily sightings of cats. Body lice and fleas were reported by 4% and 11% of participants, respectively. Sleeping outdoors and heavy drinking were positively associated with rodent and ectoparasite exposure. Frequent sightings of rodents and rodent feces among homeless people in particular areas may indicate human exposure risk to urban rodent-borne pathogens, including Leptospira spp, Seoul hantavirus, and Rickettsia akari. Epidemiologic studies of zoonotic and vector-borne infections in this population are warranted.

Wildlife in our backyard: interactions between Wied's marmoset Callithrix kuhlii (Primates: Callithrichidae) and residents of Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil

Ecological and behavioral plasticity allow marmosets, genus Callithrix, to adapt and succeed in urban areas. This research assess proximity and relationships between Wied's marmoset Callithrix kuhlii, domestic animals and residents of Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil. We collected data on the species' urban ecology and biology, since it has been little studied so far. Tools for data gathering included semi‐structured interviews, direct observations and GPS‐mapping. There were sightings within the three major districts of Ilhéus, with 37% of positive questionnaires (n = 359) for marmoset sighting at least weekly. Therefore, marmosets were considered common in this city. Most records and frequent sightings were associated with secondary forest fragments, backyards with fruit trees and mangroves. Marmosets travel among urban fragments using electrical and phone wires and crossing roads. There is a relatively small number of accidents when compared to the number of sightings, with electrocution as the most common. Visitation of marmosets to households, attracted by food provisioning, was considered frequent. People feel pity for the marmosets and lure them to their houses through food, but offered items are not always suitable. Marmoset exploration of uncommon habitats, such as mangroves, might be driven by a lack of larger forest fragments within the city.

Ecological awareness and education of the society in the light of sustainability idea – selected aspects

Abstract The 20th century has left in its inheritance not only magnificent technological inventions, but also deteriorated environment of human life. Changes caused by human activity deteriorate the condition of our environment at the intimidating pace. “Mountains” of rubbish become a frequent sight, we begin to lack clear water and air, animal species become extinct, forests are thoughtlessly cut down. Human health and life gets more and more endangered. Contemporary civilization, due to the unusual pace of transformations undergoing within it, acts negatively and destructively on natural environment. Ecological crisis deepens. No one today will claim that ecological education is pointless. What the Earth will look like in the future, depends exclusively on us and the ideas we will pass on to our children. Therefore, undoubtedly developing ecological awareness and the active attitude of care towards nature can and should be done in the earliest years of a child’s life. Small, seemingly insignificant experiences that involve children, attitudes they encounter, messages they accumulate, everything that the child meets and experiences, shapes their relationship to nature. Under the guidance of parents, teachers and other older people, as well as under the influence of peers, child’s interests, knowledge and attitudes should take into account the needs of time and the conditions in which he or she lives and which will be their future

The prevalence of the 22° halo in cirrus clouds

Halos at 22° from the sun attributed to randomly-orientated, pristine hexagonal crystals are frequently observed through ice clouds. These frequent sightings of halos formed by pristine crystals pose an apparent inconsistency with the dominance of distorted, non-pristine ice crystals indicated by in situ and remote sensing data. Furthermore, the 46° halo, which is associated with pristine hexagonal crystals as well, is observed far less frequently than the 22° halo. Considering that plausible mechanisms that could cause crystal distortion such as aggregation, sublimation, riming and collisions are stochastic processes that likely lead to distributions of crystals with varying distortion levels, here the presence of the 22° and 46° halo features in phase functions of mixtures of pristine and distorted hexagonal ice crystals is examined. We conclude that the 22° halo feature is generally present if the contribution by pristine crystals to the total scattering cross section is greater than only about 10% in the case of compact particles or columns, and greater than about 40% for plates. The 46° halo feature is present only if the mean distortion level is low and the contribution of pristine crystals to the total scattering cross section is above about 20%, 50% and 70%, in the case of compact crystals, plates and columns, respectively. These results indicate that frequent sightings of 22° halos are not inconsistent with the observed dominance of distorted, non-pristine ice crystals. Furthermore, the low mean distortion levels and large contributions by pristine crystals needed to produce the 46° halo features provide a potential explanation of the common sighting of the 22° halo without any detectable 46° halo.

Ethnobotany of Heracleum persicum Desf. ex Fisch., an invasive species in Norway, or how plant names, uses, and other traditions evolve

BackgroundHeracleum persicum was introduced to Norway as an ornamental in the 1830′s. Towards the end of the 19th century, it started spreading outside gardens, later to become a frequent sight in the major towns and settlements of North Norway – and a veritable pest plant. During the last 100 years or so, a substantial ethnobotanical tradition related to the species has evolved, demonstrating that folk knowledge is not only forgotten and lost, but also charting new terrain.MethodsThis survey is based on data extracted from all relevant publications, including botanical literature, travel accounts, newspaper notes, etc., as far as they have come to my attention. In addition, information on vernacular names and various uses of the H. persicum in Norway has been extracted from my own, substantial archive of interviews, questionnaires, and correspondence related to the ethnobotany of Norway.ResultsWhere extant, H. persicum tends to be known to everyone, even by city dwellers who otherwise generally neglect plants. People tend to love or hate it, and in Tromsø, the largest town of northern Norway, the species has become more or less emblematic of the city. Both here and in other areas of northern Norway, it is referred to by a variety of vernacular names, partly borrowed from other species, partly derived from the Latin genus name, and partly coined for this species only. In the latter group, tromsøpalme (‘the palm of Tromsø’) has proved by far the most popular invention. It was seemingly first used (and coined) by German soldiers during the World War II occupation of Norway, but now largely replaces other vernacular names. The plant is still popular with children, who frequently play in and with it, whereas adults have been more prone to speculate on its origins – and how to get rid of it. Salt is the most popular “herbicide” for this purpose.ConclusionsOver the years, H. persicum has accumulated at least twenty different vernacular names in Norway, and a variety of other traditions. By necessity, all these traditions are less than 180 years old, showing that even modern and urban societies may produce a substantial body of plant lore, which certainly merits ethnobotanical attention.

A Question of Accessibility: Understanding Lay Users Of Medical Devices

<i>A Question of Accessibility:</i> Understanding Lay Users Of Medical Devices