Park Site Research Articles

Influence of food subsidies on the foraging ecology of a synanthropic species in protected areas

AbstractThe expansion of many synanthropic species is linked to changes in the abundance and distribution of human‐derived foods, and understanding how food subsidies influence the foraging ecology of synanthropes can facilitate reducing impacts to rare species. We combined stable isotope analyses and radiotelemetry information to characterize space‐use and dietary patterns in Steller's jays (Cyanocitta stelleri), a known nest predator of marbled murrelets, sampled at both campground and forest sites in California state parks. We classified jays into four groups based on patterns of space use: (1) campground (jays captured in campgrounds that predominantly used these areas), (2) periphery (jays captured in campgrounds that commonly used adjacent forests), (3) intermediate (jays captured at forest sites that made long‐distance movements between forests and campgrounds), and (4) forest (jays captured and only detected in forests). In the most heavily visited park, human foods comprised more than half of the diet of campground jays based on stable isotopes; moreover, campground jays consumed a greater proportion of human foods than periphery or intermediate jays, which both consumed more human foods than forest jays. Campground jays exhibited a functional response to human foods as park visitation increased, and breeding individuals preferentially provisioned their young with human‐derived foods. Based on space‐use patterns of intermediate jays, we estimated that the “ecological footprint” of campgrounds extended 2 km beyond their spatial footprint. Thus, the impacts of seemingly spatially constrained human recreational activities can have spillover effects on animal communities at relatively broad spatial scales within protected areas.

Redesain dan Optimalisasi Ruang Parkir Fakultas Pertanian Kampus Bukit Jimbaran

ABSTRACTRedesign and Optimalization of Parking Area, Faculty of Agriculture, Udayana University Bukit Jimbaran CampusParking area is a facility that should be available to serve a site which has semi-public to public activities, such as a university campus. Faculty of Agriculture in Bukit Jimbaran Campus is also facing a problem to prepare a reasonably parking area for students and staffs at the vicinity. Especially within the past few years, there is a significant increase in numbers of students who use private transportation to campus. The more users and the longer class period and academic activities in campus will affect the capacity of parking spaces required in a given time. A good parking design and capacity is required to create a good atmosphere in parking habits. Some parking violations show that it has been caused by bad design. Therefore, a parking design model is proposed as a solution to the parking site in Faculty of Agriculture Udayana University, Bukit Jimbaran campus.

Ambient concentrations and insights on organic and elemental carbon dynamics in São Paulo, Brazil

The São Paulo Metropolitan Area (SPMA) is a megacity with about 20 million people and about 8 million vehicles, most of which are fueled with a significant fraction of ethanol - making it a unique case worldwide. This study presents organic and elemental carbon measurements using thermal-optical analysis from quartz filters collected in four sampling sites within the SPMA. Overall Organic Carbon (OC) concentration was comparable at all sites, where Street Canyon had the highest concentration (3.37 μg m−3) and Park site the lowest (2.65 μg m−3). Elemental Carbon (EC), emitted as result of incomplete combustion, has been significantly higher at the Street Canyon site (6.11 μg m−3) in contrast to all other three sites, ranging from 2.25 μg m−3 (Downtown) to 1.50 μg m-3 (Park). For all sampling sites, the average OC:EC ratio are found on the lower bound (<2) of what is usually observed for other megacities, highlighting the significant contribution of EC in Sao Paulo. At the Street Canyon site, average OC:EC ratio was 0.56, to our knowledge the lowest value ever observed for any urban site. An approach for apportionment between primary and secondary organic carbon based on primary OC:EC ratio was evaluated. The secondary OC was estimated to be 30–40% of total OC concentrations throughout the various sampling sites.The organic carbon dynamics has been further studied using each of the thermally-derived organic carbon fractions. Each of these has been studied regarding their correlation with EC and the correlation between different sites. The analyses have identified that the OC3 and OC4, i.e., the carbon fraction which evolves from the filter at temperatures above 450 °C, presents a regional behavior, with high correlation among all sites. Conversely, OC1, the first fraction to evolve, has depicted a more local characteristic. Furthermore, the fraction of OC which becomes char during the temperature increase under inert atmosphere (the Pyrolytic Carbon-PC) has been the only fraction not to present a significant correlation with EC. Since that EC is assumed to be a primary emission marker, it indicates that PC is not significant in traffic emissions. This study provided innovative insights of the organic aerosol content associated with air pollution dynamics in a megacity impacted by a unique vehicular fleet. It also shows the need of implementation of EURO VI technology and to improve mass transport systems such a metro and more bus corridors to allow better transport for 19 million people in the SPMA.

EVALUATION OF DESIGN PRINCIPLES FOR BABYLON PARK

Attention Recently directed to the importance of urban parks and gardens, being one of the basic and essential components to develop quality of urban life. The evaluation of design characteristics of the historical landscape parks from different aspects, one of the most important goals aspires landscape designer to be studied within the master plan of the city. The search adopted field survey methodology and observation, description within limits of current study. Babylon park using the camera and recording videos, in order to embody the components and elements of the overall site, using aerial maps of park site to sketching the sites accurately ,taking into consideration relationship of study area to neighboring areas. Evaluation process of Babylon Tourist Park included four main stages the obtain information,analysis characteristic features, determine the importance and integrity of the site), were also distributed evaluation form on a sample of experience in the planning,design and plants persons responsible for the management and maintenance of the park. After Data were processed using Microsoft office excel 2010. To find duplicates and percentages for evaluators answers. The results for the evaluation for the artificial components (the main gate,the main buildings,the roads and the lanes) were appropriate for the site ,mean while the car park was unsuitable in terms of design aesthetic and functionality regarding the natural components. The effectiveness of the observation of nature got the highest evaluation, followed by recreational travel and the and finally holding concerts and confirmed the importance of evaluating the results of the park and all the interlocutor where you got the utmost preference as a public garden combines with view of natural and historical properties. Vegetation has been characterized by large trees with great differences in the kind and tissue of the tree , while the shrubs was a great contrast to the average in terms of forms and spun.It turns out that Babylon tourist park is one of the most important natural parks - historical, which is located in the city of Hilla, center, and increasingly important compared with the gardens of other city because it is one of the elements of the powerful attractions of the city culturally and historically as a result of his involvement in important historical events as well as it relates to environmental and natural monuments.

Coordinated charge management for battery electric vehicles

Compared to refueling gasoline powered vehicles, the charging of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) takes considerably more time which renders a single-purpose charging infrastructure inconvenient. More likely, the charging stations will be integrated into the parking infrastructure (parking decks, public, private and commercial parking sites). On average the duration of the parking will be longer than the duration of the charging process which creates a potential for load shifting. In turn this implies that the rated power of large charging infrastructures can be chosen to be smaller than the sum of rated powers of all charging points, provided that the load shifting potential can be activated. In this paper a complete description of the problem at hand is given in terms of a mixed integer linear program which can readily be integrated into the operation management of charging infrastructures. It allows to coordinate the charging processes of multiple BEVs to fully exploit the load shifting potential while taking into account the limitations of the distribution grid, the charging infrastructure, and the BEVs. In addition to ensuring the safety of the operation, the objective of the optimization can be adapted to set use-case specific incentives.

Forest park site selection based on a Fuzzy analytic hierarchy process framework (Case study: the Galegol Basin, Lorestan province, Iran)

Forest park site selection based on a Fuzzy analytic hierarchy process framework (Case study: the Galegol Basin, Lorestan province, Iran)

Antelope Predation by Nigerian Forest Baboons: Ecological and Behavioural Correlates

Baboons are well studied in savannah but less so in more closed habitats. We investigated predation on mammals by olive baboons (Papio anubis) at a geographical and climatic outlier, Gashaka Gumti National Park (Nigeria), the wettest and most forested site so far studied. Despite abundant wildlife, meat eating was rare and selective. Over 16 years, baboons killed 7 bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus) and 3 red-flanked duiker (Cephalophus rufilatus), mostly still-lying ‘parked' infants. Taking observation time into account, this is 1 predation per group every 3.3 months - far lower than at other sites. Some features of meat eating resemble those elsewhere; predation is opportunistic, adult males monopolize most prey, a targeted killing bite is lacking and begging or active sharing is absent. Carcass owners employ evasive tactics, as meat is often competed over, but satiated owners may tolerate others taking meat. Other features are unusual; this is only the second study site with predation records for bushbuck and the only one for red-flanked duiker. The atypical prey and rarity of eating mammals probably reflects the difficulty of acquiring prey animals when vegetation cover is dense. Our data support the general prediction of the socioecological model that environments shape behavioural patterns, while acknowledging their intraspecific or intrageneric plasticity.

Availability of tree cavities in a sal forest of Nepal

Tree cavities are important structural elements of forest ecosystem that host numerous birds, mammals and other cavity-dependent organisms. Pattern of cavity distribution in temperate and boreal forests are relatively well studied, yet little is known about cavities in tropical and subtropical forests. We compared cavity availability in relation to tree condition (living tree and snag), tree species and DBH class between two different sites in a subtropical deciduous sal forest in Nepal: the Chitwan National Park Forest (the park site) and the Khorsor Buffer Zone Forest (the buffer site). Surveys for tree cavities were conducted in 2013 on 50 circular sample plots of size 0.1 ha. We recorded 40 cavity trees in the park site and 31 cavity trees in the buffer site. Density of cavities was on average 22.4 ha-1 in the park site and 19.2 ha-1 in the buffer site. Cavities occurred mostly in living trees (85.9% cavity trees) and were formed mostly by damage and decay (natural cavities: 74%) or by woodpecker activity (excavated cavities: 26%). Most were observed on three tree species: Shorea robusta, Dillenia pentagyna and Syzygium operculatum, with a mean diameter of 43 cm (range: 12-111 cm). S. operculatum, Myrsine semiserrata and Semecarpus anacardium were overrepresented among tree species with cavities. In snags, 25.0% of all cavities were found in the park site and 8.3% in the buffer site, while snags represented 4.2% and 2.2% of all trees in the two sites, respectively. Statistical anaysis indicated that tree species, tree condition and particularly diameter (DBH) were important variables for the prediction of cavity presence. We recommend cavity-bearing tree species to be better protected by forest management in order to help maintain the community of cavity dwellers.

Moss bag (Sphagnum papillosum) magnetic and elemental properties for characterising seasonal and spatial variation in urban pollution

This study investigates the seasonal and spatial variation of traffic-induced particle matter in order to evaluate the pollutant distribution and the representativeness of the single air quality monitoring station in the city centre of Turku, southwest Finland. Study focused on parks, kindergarten and school yards as well as heavily trafficked sites. Sampling was done using active magnetic biomonitoring, which is highly applicable in polluted areas lacking native species. Sphagnum papillosum moss bags were exposed separately in road dust period, which is experienced after snow melt and the resuspension of sanding material in spring, and summer season for about 60 days in 2013. Moss bags are magnetically and elementally (e.g. Al, Cr, Fe, Na, Ni, Pb) more enriched in road dust period and near heavily trafficked sites than in summer season and in the courtyard or park sites. Magnetic properties indicate that particle matter is composed of fine-grained pseudo-single-domain magnetite towards superparamagnetic–single-domain grain sizes. Intensive road dust period overrides the variation of prevailing conditions as indicated by three paired samples showing finer grain sizes and higher element levels in courtyard/park sites than in traffic sites in summer. The results emphasise the effectiveness of active magnetic biomonitoring for the assessment of spatially representative air quality monitoring stations and related modelling approaches.

The southernmost foci of Dermacentor reticulatus in Italy and associated Babesia canis infection in dogs.

BackgroundTwo clustered clinical cases of canine babesiosis were diagnosed by veterinary practitioners in two areas of northeastern Italy close to natural parks. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of babesial infection in dogs, the etiological agents that cause canine babesiosis and the potential tick vector for the involved Babesia spp.MethodsThe study area was represented by two parks in northeastern Italy: Groane Regional Park (Site A) and the Ticino Valley Lombard Park (Site B). From March to May 2015 ticks were collected from the vegetation in three transects in each site. In the same period, blood samples were collected from 80 dogs randomly chosen from veterinary clinics and kennel located in the two areas. Morphological identification of the ticks was performed and six specimens were molecularly characterised by the amplification and sequencing of partial mitochondrial 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA and cox1 genes. For phylogenetic analyses, sequences herein obtained for all genes and those available from GenBank for other Dermacentor spp. were included. Dog serum samples were analysed with a commercial indirect fluorescent antibody test to detect the presence of IgG antibodies against Babesia canis. Ticks and blood samples were tested by PCR amplification using primers targeting 18S rRNA gene of Babesia spp.ResultsTicks collected (n = 34) were morphologically identified as adults of D. reticulatus. Twenty-eight ticks were found in all transects from Site A and the remaining six were collected in Site B. Blast analysis of mitochondrial sequences confirmed the morphological identification of processed tick specimens by revealing a highest nucleotide similarity (99–100 %) with those of D. reticulatus available in the GenBank database. The phylogenetic trees were concordant in clustering D. reticulatus in a monophyletic clade. Seven dogs (8.8 %) had antibodies against B. canis, most of which (n = 6) came from Site A. Analysis of nucleotide sequences obtained from one tick and from one dog identified B. canis displayed a 100 % similarity to those available in GenBank.ConclusionsThis study morphologically and molecularly confirms the presence of D. reticulatus in Italy and links it, for the first time, with the occurrence of B. canis infection in dogs in this country.

Structures, Challenges, and Successes of Volunteer Programs Co‐managed by Nonprofit and Public Organizations

This article presents a mixed‐methods, multicase study and comparison of volunteer programs in US national parks that have evolved, in response to growth and fiscal pressures, to be co‐managed by national park staff and their nonprofit support partners. Findings detail why and how the expanded partnerships were formed; how they operate; challenges they face; ways in which they adhere to, stretch, and depart from theories of nonprofit management, collaboration, and program institutionalization; and the significant—even exponential—volunteer program growth that resulted in each case.These nonprofit−public volunteer program partnerships—at Acadia, Arches and ­Canyonlands, Cuyahoga Valley, Golden Gate, the National Mall, and Yosemite national park sites—employ many standard forms of interorganizational relations, even though in these cases the nonprofits give money to the government organization instead of the reverse. Their volunteer program and management structures also share similar elements because of coercive, normative, and mimetic pressures. At the same time, each volunteer program partnership is a distinct blend of collaboration and management practices because of the unique natural features, climate, needs, adjacent populations, and personalities of leaders at each site. The cases employ innovative strategies to substantially increase the number of staff who lead volunteer programs. Recommendations are offered for nonprofit management research and practice, and findings are instructive for organizations that utilize volunteers either as a single entity or as part of a collaboration.

Organic contaminants in western pond turtles in remote habitat in California

Remote aquatic ecosystems are exposed to an assortment of semivolatile organic compounds (SOCs) originating from current and historic uses, of local and global origin. Here, a representative suite of 57 current- and historic-use pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were surveyed in the plasma of the western pond turtle (Emys marmorata) and their potential prey items and habitat. California study sites included Sequoia National Park, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, and Six Rivers National Forest. Each was downstream of undeveloped watersheds and varied in distance from agricultural and urban pollution sources. SOCs were detected frequently in all sites with more found in turtle plasma and aquatic macroinvertebrates in the two sites closest to agricultural and urban sources. Summed PCBs were highest in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area turtle plasma (mean; 1.56 ng/g ww) compared to plasma from Sequoia National Park (0.16 ng/g ww; p = 0.002) and Six Rivers National Forest (0.07 ng/g ww; p = 0.001). While no current-use pesticides were detected in turtle plasma at any site, both current- and historic-use pesticides were found prominently in sediment and macroinvertebrates at the Sequoia National Park site, which is immediately downwind of Central Valley agriculture. SOC classes associated with urban and industrial pollution were found more often and at higher concentrations at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. These findings demonstrate a range of SOC exposure in a turtle species with current and proposed conservation status and shed additional light on the fate of environmental contaminants in remote watersheds.

Bathymetric and morphometric surveys of the Montebello Lakes, Chiapas

This study presents the first bathymetric surveys and descriptions of the morphometric parameters of the major lakes of the national park and Ramsar Convention site &lt;em&gt;Lagunas de Montebello&lt;/em&gt;, Chiapas, Mexico and represents the first contribution on these limnologically unknown lakes. The morphology of lacustrine basins has an important influence on the physical, chemical and biological dynamics, and limnological research must consider the bathymetry and the related morphometric parameters of the lakes. Of the more than 50 lakes that make up this karst lake system (including dolines, uvalas and poljes), 18 representative lakes were selected along a NW-SE transect. The lakes have widely varying dimensions and include small and deep, small and shallow, large and deep, and large and shallow lakes. The shapes of the lakes vary from circular to elliptical, and the basin resembles an inverted truncated cone. The orientation of the main axis follows the structural orientations of the karst landscape (i.e., faults, fractures and folds). The maximum lengths range from 0.14 to 3.2 km, the surface areas range from 1.1 ha to 306.6 ha, and the lake volumes range from 0.00004 to 0.08852 km&lt;sup&gt;3&lt;/sup&gt;. Six lakes are among the deepest lakes in Mexico and have an average maximum depth of more than 50 m; the deepest lake has a maximum depth of 198 m. These depths favor prolonged stratification, which increases the probability of accumulating pollutants.

A visitor motivational typology at Mapungubwe National Park and World Heritage Site

Orientation: Mapungubwe National Park and World Heritage Site (MNP) is a unique national park in South Africa in that it includes a World Heritage Site of significant importance for the people of southern Africa. MNP is a relatively new national park with low visitor numbers and occupancy rates, which threaten the sustainable management of the park.Research purpose: This study aimed to develop a general visitor profile and to describe the motivational factors for visiting the park in order to support the development of tourism at MNP.Motivation of the study: A tourism management plan is required for the park; however, any planning associated planning requires an assessment of tourist behaviour and needs.Research design, approach and method: An online questionnaire was distributed to a database of visitors to MNP during March−April 2013. A total of 486 responses were received. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics through frequencies and means. Motivator constructs were analysed through a factor analysis.Main findings: The study both confirmed and contradicted previous findings from other national parks in terms of visitor profiles and motivations. Most crucially, this study identified a new motivational factor for visiting national parks, which advances the need to manage the heritage aspect of world heritage sites distinctly from national parks.Managerial implications: The results indicated that visitors to MNP were older and better educated compared to visitors at other national parks. These visitors included predominantly first-time visitors. In addition these visitors are mainly motivated by the need for a nature experience, although the park is not a Big 5 reserve, findings also identified heritage and education as a unique motivational factor for this park.Contribution added: The study promotes the requirement of a unique park-specific tourism management strategy for MNP as the market base of this park is demographically distinct. In addition, the park should improve the promotion of its status as a World Heritage asset in relation to its natural attributes in order to attract greater numbers of heritage tourists. Although the park features exceptional natural features, the reserve is not a Big 5 reserve and this may result in dissatisfaction with the major group of visitors seeking a nature experience.

Assessing the effect of coastal park's attributes on its entrance fee charges: a hedonic approach

ABSTRACTIn this paper, we investigate the effect of the recognized nature-and-activity-based attributes on the level of park's admission fee charges using a panel data of 29 coastal recreation parks in Dalian city of China. A total of seven different Hedonic pricing model specifications are used in the estimating process. The results indicate that a numerous attributes have statistically significant effects (α ≤ 0.10) on the level of park admission fee charges. In terms of the economic valuation, marine sightseeing results in the highest value of marginal willingness to pay (MWTP) of $6.4 as its quality rank improves to a designated higher level. As expected that the park congestion has a negative effect on the MWTP (−$0.47) and overall park's rankings have a positive effect ($0.05) on park's MWTP. However, many recreation activities accommodated by the park sites exhibit a relatively weak effect on the park entrance fee charges. One possible reason is perhaps owing to the single admission package fee policy adopted by the park management.

Virtual cultural tourism: Six pillars of VCT using co-creation, value exchange and exchange value

This paper examines antecedents to the successful use of Virtual Cultural Tourism and the ways in which virtual realities can add value to Cultural Tourism offers. Success can be seen to derive from the deeper understanding of consumers’ preferences and motivations to engage with Virtual Cultural Tourism. It is also necessary to see these initiatives from the perspective of multiple stakeholders: the armchair traveller, the frequent flyer and the service provider at destinations. The latter include public sector providers such as park site managers, museum curators, interpretation and information services for tourism as well as the private sector developers.

Effects of the Coastal Park Environment Attributes on Its Admission Fee Charges

In this paper, we investigate the effect of those recognized nature-and-activity-based attributes on the level of park’s admission fee charges using a panel data of 29 coastal recreation parks in Dalian city of China. A total of seven different Hedonic pricing model specifications are used in the estimating process. The results indicate that a numerous attributes have statistically significant effects (α≤ 0.10) on the level of park admission fee charges. In terms of the economic valuation, the marine sightseeing results in the highest value of Marginal Willingness to Pay (MWTP) of $6.4 as its quality rank improves to a designated higher level. As expected that the park congestion has a negative effect on the MWTP (-$0.47) and overall park’s rankings have a positive effect ($0.05) on park’s MWTP. However, many recreation activities accommodated by the park sites exhibit a relatively weak effect on the park entrance fee charges. One possible reason is perhaps owing to the single admission package fee policy adopted by the park management..

Federal Designation as a Preservation Tool: Benefits and Challenges

Federal Designation as a Preservation Tool:Benefits and Challenges Denise Ryan (bio) Among the many potential tools available to help protect and revitalize historic resources, one of the most important—but sometimes misunderstood—is obtaining federal designation for a site. There are a variety of federal designations to consider—each one with its own set of benefits and challenges. This article provides an overview of some of these designations and notes how they can be used to bring attention, funding, and management oversight to save the historic sites and landscapes that matter to preservationists across the country. There are two paths to a federal designation: through the action of Congress or through the executive branch. Some of these designations require Congress to take action and pass a bill, but some designations can be made by the president or by an administrative decision of the National Park Service. Below are a few of the more popular designations to consider. THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES AND THE NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARKS PROGRAM The National Park Service administers both the National Register of Historic Places and the National Historic Landmarks Program, programs established by the National Historic Preservation Act. Both of these designations can be granted to a property regardless of the owner’s approval. National Register properties are places deemed worthy of preservation that tell the stories that are important to local communities, the state or the nation. The National Historic Landmark (NHL) designation is reserved for properties of Importance at a national level. All NHL properties are included in the National Register of Historic Places. To determine eligibility for the National Register or for an NHL designation, the property will [End Page 49] be evaluated for its age (it ordinarily needs to be at least 50 years old to be considered historic), integrity and significance. Click for larger view View full resolution The Farnsworth House in Plano, Illinois, was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 2006 for its significance in the history of modernism and as an exemplary work of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. PHOTO BY MIKE CREWS Both types of designation encourage preservation by documenting and providing official recognition of a place’s historical significance. Owners and stewards of designated places may also be eligible to make use of preservation incentives for the protection and historically appropriate rehabilitation of the properties, such as federal preservation grants, federal rehabilitation tax credits, and preservation easements. Unfortunately, the designation does not mean the property is protected or preserved forever; in fact, there are no prohibitions against damaging or even destroying the property. However, designation can trigger the involvement of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation in a Section 106 review when there is a federal undertaking or project that may affect the property. NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA National Heritage Area is a federal designation granted by Congress to foster community stewardship of our nation’s heritage where natural, cultural and historical resources are intertwined to form a nationally important landscape. A National Heritage Area is not a National Park; however, the National Park Service provides technical assistance to NHAs and manages the distribution of matching federal funds from Congress that are earmarked for NHA entities. There is no imposition of land controls within the boundary of an NHA and there are no federal ownership rights, although there may be some federal lands or federally protected lands that lie within the boundary of an NHA. One such example is the Journey through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area which includes parts of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. This NHA has a [End Page 50] number of National Park sites within the boundary including Gettysburg National Military Park, the Chesapeake and Ohio National Historical Park, Manassas Battlefield Park, Antietam National Battlefield, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park and Monocacy National Battlefield. The congressional designation imposes no land controls on either private, state or public properties, and provides no extra measures of protection for the historical, cultural or natural resources within an NHA. Click for larger view View full resolution In 2009, Congress designated the Mississippi Delta as a National Heritage Area to “foster partnerships and educational opportunities that enhance, preserve, and promote the heritage of...

Assessing sexual trauma histories in homeless women

ABSTRACTAlmost 1 out of every 3 homeless women (32%) in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia has experienced childhood sexual trauma. We assessed lifetime sexual trauma histories among 29 homeless women from three Southern California community sites: one residential safe house and two safe parking areas. More than half of the women (54%) reported a history of sexual trauma. That rate was higher (86%) among women living at the safe home than among women staying at the safe parking sites (only 42%). All four of the women who had served in the military reported having experienced military sexual trauma. The high percentages of sexual trauma found in homeless women highlight the need for effective interventions for sexual trauma.

Evaporation of traffic-generated nanoparticles during advection from source

Abstract Earlier work has demonstrated the potential for volatilisation of nanoparticles emitted by road traffic as these are advected downwind from the source of emissions, but there have been few studies and the processes have yet to be elucidated in detail. Using a dataset collected at paired sampling sites located respectively in a street canyon and in a nearby park, an in depth analysis of particle number size distributions has been conducted in order to better understand the size reduction of the semi-volatile nanoparticles. By sorting the size distributions according to wind direction and fitting log normal modes, it can be seen that the mode peaking at around 22 nm at the street canyon site is on average shrinking to 6.2 nm diameter at the park site which indicates a mean shrinkage rate for these particles of 0.13 nm s−1 with temperatures within the range 12–18 °C. The diurnal variation of the shrunken mode in the park reflects the diurnal pattern of particle concentrations at the street canyon site taken as the main source area. An analysis of peak diameter for the smallest mode at the downwind park site shows an inverse relationship to wind speed suggesting that dilution rather than travel time is the main determinant of the particle shrinkage rate. An evaluation of previously collected C10 to C35 n-alkane data from a different urban location shows a good fit to Pankow partitioning theory reflecting the semi-volatility of compounds believed to be representative of the composition of diesel exhaust nanoparticles, hence confirming the feasibility of an evaporative mechanism for particle shrinkage.