Conservation Management Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

... The Operations Team, with NMFS, must develop research to identify shark nurseryareas and to recommend management measures involving area closures. As knowledge about shark habitats, nursery areas, and pupping ...

✓ Spinal epidural hematomas (SEHs) are uncommon complications of traumatic injury to the spine. Emergency surgical evacuation is the standard treatment. Although it is recognized in the literature, the possibility of nonsurgical treatment... more

✓ Spinal epidural hematomas (SEHs) are uncommon complications of traumatic injury to the spine. Emergency surgical evacuation is the standard treatment. Although it is recognized in the literature, the possibility of nonsurgical treatment of traumatic SEH is far from being codified. The authors report excellent outcomes in four conservatively managed patients who had sustained a severe spine injury with fracture of the lumbar vertebral body and in whom traumatic SEHs were diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging. Although in the authors' experience a good spontaneous outcome in this subgroup of minimally symptomatic patients harboring moderate-sized SEHs has been achieved, further studies are necessary to understand the real spectrum of nonsurgical treatment of such lesions.

Low back pain and sciatica is a common clinical condition. It is a most common orthopaedic complaint in the Kaski region of Nepal. The reason for its increased incidence may be hilly terrain, difficult working and living environment of... more

Low back pain and sciatica is a common clinical condition. It is a most common orthopaedic complaint in the Kaski region of Nepal. The reason for its increased incidence may be hilly terrain, difficult working and living environment of the region. The initial treatment of Low back pain is conservative. Epidural steroid injection is being slowly established as are liable mode of conservative management in many orthopaedic centres of the world. This is a preliminary report of on-going study of the use of epidural steroid in the management of low back pain cases coming to the orthopaedic department of Manipal Teaching Hospital. Prospective clinical trial was carried out on the patients reporting with low back pain and sciatica not responding to other modes of conservative treatment. Pre and post injection evaluation was done clinically. The level of pain, improvement in physical signs and ability to do activities of daily living were noted. Fifty two patients were observed for the aver...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Oxygen-ozone therapy is a minimally invasive treatment for lumbar disk herniation that exploits the biochemical properties of a gas mixture of oxygen and ozone. We assessed the therapeutic outcome of oxygen-ozone... more

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Oxygen-ozone therapy is a minimally invasive treatment for lumbar disk herniation that exploits the biochemical properties of a gas mixture of oxygen and ozone. We assessed the therapeutic outcome of oxygen-ozone therapy and compared the outcome of administering medical ozone alone with the outcome of medical ozone followed by injection of a corticosteroid and an anesthetic at

In the last two decades, interest in species distribution models (SDMs) of plants and animals has grown dramatically. Recent advances in SDMs allow us to potentially forecast anthropogenic effects on patterns of biodiversity at different... more

In the last two decades, interest in species distribution models (SDMs) of plants and animals has grown dramatically. Recent advances in SDMs allow us to potentially forecast anthropogenic effects on patterns of biodiversity at different spatial scales. However, some limitations still preclude the use of SDMs in many theoretical and practical applications. Here, we provide an overview of recent advances in this field, discuss the ecological principles and assumptions underpinning SDMs, and highlight critical limitations and decisions inherent in the construction and evaluation of SDMs. Particular emphasis is given to the use of SDMs for the assessment of climate change impacts and conservation management issues. We suggest new avenues for incorporating species migration, population dynamics, biotic interactions and community ecology into SDMs at multiple spatial scales. Addressing all these issues requires a better integration of SDMs with ecological theory.

Population viability risk management (PVRM) provides a framework for explicitly including qualitative information about the possible outcomes of a management decision with regard to the viability of an endangered population in... more

Population viability risk management (PVRM) provides a framework for explicitly including qualitative information about the possible outcomes of a management decision with regard to the viability of an endangered population in conservation management. Multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) techniques enables managers to select the most preferred choice of action in a context where several criteria apply simultaneously. In that context a combined approach of the PVRM concept and a MCDM technique is presented for the development, evaluation and finally ranking of the in situ conservation strategies. We discuss the concept based on a case study for the maintenance of a gene conservation forest of an English yew population (Taxus baccata L.) in Styria, Austria. As part of the PVRM the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is used to evaluate six conservation strategies with regard to the viability of the yew population. The viability of the population is evaluated based on the results of an analysis of the current environmental, social and economical state and a characterization of the ecological parameters of its population. The most significant risk factors (illegal cutting, browsing by game, tree competition, light availability and genetic sustainability) are structured and prioritised according to their impact on the viability of the yew population applying the AHP. Effects of the six conservation strategies on the viability of the yew population are determined through a qualitative assessment of the probability of a decrease of the population along with four different environmental scenarios. In this context strategy IV combining selective thinning, protection measures, game control with public relation activities seems to be the most effective alternative. The benefits of the combined approach of the PVRM concept with the AHP for the rational analysis of conservation strategies for this endangered tree species are discussed.

Multidisciplinary team care is becoming more popular for complex health issues, including pelvic floor dysfunction. We conducted a retrospective review of the records of 207 patients attending a multidisciplinary pelvic floor dysfunction... more

Multidisciplinary team care is becoming more popular for complex health issues, including pelvic floor dysfunction. We conducted a retrospective review of the records of 207 patients attending a multidisciplinary pelvic floor dysfunction clinic. A telephone survey was also conducted. The outcomes investigated included conservative versus surgical management, comorbidities, number of specialists seen, and subjective patient feedback. The average patient was 59.9 years old and travelled an average distance of 128.6 km to attend the clinic. Common clinical presentations were urge urinary incontinence (58.9%) and stress urinary incontinence (54.6%). Ninety-three of 178 patients (52.2%) presented with at least two comorbidities. At the time of data collection, 52.2% of patients had opted for surgical management, 27.5% had chosen conservative management, and the remainder remained undecided. One hundred sixty-five women participated in the telephone survey and their responses were grouped...

Extravasation of contrast material is a well-recognized complication of contrast-enhanced imaging studies. The management of this complication is contentious; therefore, the Contrast Media Safety Committee of The European Society of... more

Extravasation of contrast material is a well-recognized complication of contrast-enhanced imaging studies. The management of this complication is contentious; therefore, the Contrast Media Safety Committee of The European Society of Urogenital Radiology decided to review the literature and issue guidelines. A comprehensive literature search was carried out. The resulting report was discussed at the 8th European Symposium on Urogenital Radiology in Genoa, Italy. Automated power injection may result in extravasation of large volumes and may or can lead to severe tissue damage. Infants, young children and unconscious and debilitated patients are particularly at risk of extravasation during contrast media injection. Fortunately, most extravasations result in minimal swelling or erythema, with no long-term sequelae; however, severe skin necrosis and ulceration may occur. Large volumes of high osmolar contrast media are known to induce significant tissue damage. Compartment syndrome may b...

Early pregnancy complications include miscarriage, ectopic pregnancies, adnexal masses and pregnancies of unknown location. In this review, we evaluate the role of conservative management in these complications. We also evaluate the role... more

Early pregnancy complications include miscarriage, ectopic pregnancies, adnexal masses and pregnancies of unknown location. In this review, we evaluate the role of conservative management in these complications. We also evaluate the role of transvaginal sonography for diagnosis, treatment and follow up.When managing women with early pregnancy complications, it is important to recognise the normal sonographic milestones in the first trimester. Understanding the pattern of serum human chorionic gonadotropin change in early normal pregnancy and the correlation between low serum progesterone levels and the spontaneous resolution of a pregnancy are also important concepts.Guidelines for assessing suitability for conservative management should be strictly governed by evidence based protocols. Women can then be offered expectant or medical treatment as appropriate. Copyright © 2003 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Pre-disturbance measurements of the in-situ corrosion properties of iron fittings on the snow brig James Matthews (1841) have been used as conservation management tools for the site. The wreck of the former slave trader is historically... more

Pre-disturbance measurements of the in-situ corrosion properties of iron fittings on the snow brig James Matthews (1841) have been used as conservation management tools for the site. The wreck of the former slave trader is historically significant and the potential impact of continued industrial activities associated with nearby dredging activities necessitated in-situ cathodic protection of exposed iron fittings. A laboratory simulation study of the impact of pH and chloride content on the corrosion of cast iron and mild steel was conducted. There was a linear relationship between the corrosion rate of cast iron and the log of chloride ion concentration in the pH range 7.8< pH >5.5 with only a small pH effect noted for the given range of conditions. Studies on a 19th century mild steel sample indicated that the corrosion rate was linearly dependent on the square root of the chloride ion concentration and the corrosion rate fell in a linear fashion as the pH was increased to s...

Odonate populations and species numbers are declining globally. Successful conservation requires sound assessments of both odonate distributions and habitat requirements. Odonates have aquatic (larval) and terrestrial (adult) stages, but... more

Odonate populations and species numbers are declining globally. Successful conservation requires sound assessments of both odonate distributions and habitat requirements. Odonates have aquatic (larval) and terrestrial (adult) stages, but most surveys that are used to inform conservation managers are undertaken of the adult stage. This study investigates whether this bias towards adult records in odonate recording is misinterpreting the environmental quality of sites. The habitat focus is farmland ponds, a key feature of agricultural landscapes. We tested whether or not, adult, larval and exuvial surveys lead to similar conclusions on species richness and hence on pond quality. Results showed that pond surveys based upon larvae and exuviae are equally suitable for the reliable assessment of presence/absence of odonates, but that adult surveys are not interchangeable with surveys of larvae/exuviae. Larvae were also found at ponds with no emerging individuals due to changes in habitat quality, therefore presence of exuviae remains the only proof of life-cycle completion at a site. Ovipositing females were recorded at all ponds where exuviae were totally absent hence adult surveys over-estimate pond quality and low-quality ponds are functioning as ecological traps. Highly mobile and generalist species were recorded at more locations than other species. Adult surveys also bias recording towards genera, species and populations with non-territorial mate-location strategies. Odonate biodiversity monitoring would benefit from applying the best survey method (exuviae) to avoid wasting valuable financial resources while providing unbiased data, necessary to achieve conservation objectives.

To report our experience with a new conservative management approach to treat postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) due to placenta previa accreta. A retrospective study of 9 patients with placenta previa accreta who underwent a conservative... more

To report our experience with a new conservative management approach to treat postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) due to placenta previa accreta. A retrospective study of 9 patients with placenta previa accreta who underwent a conservative management protocol. The protocol consists of preventive radiological catheterization of the descending aorta, cesarean delivery, use of Affronti endouterine square hemostatic sutures, and placement of an intrauterine Bakri balloon in conjunction with B-Lynch suture. In the event of failure of the protocol, subsequent management employs ligation and/or reversible embolization of the uterine arteries followed by hysterectomy if unsuccessful. Conservative management of PPH was successful in all 9 patients evaluated and avoided the need for ligation and/or reversible embolization of the uterine arteries. Management of PPH is dictated by several considerations including hemodynamic status and desire to preserve fertility. The initial results of this conservative protocol for treatment of PPH in high-risk patients with placenta previa accreta are encouraging.

Seagrass meadows cover about 0.05-0.15% of the world’s ocean and are some of the most productive systems on Earth. Direct and indirect human-derived impacts have led to significant seagrass declines worldwide and the alteration of... more

Seagrass meadows cover about 0.05-0.15% of the world’s ocean and are some of the most productive systems on Earth. Direct and indirect human-derived impacts have led to significant seagrass declines worldwide and the alteration of services linked to their biodiversity. Effective conservation and the provision of sustainable recovery goals for ecologically significant species, such as green turtles (Chelonia mydas), are limited by the absence of reliable information on seagrass extent. This is especially true for the Wider Caribbean Region (WCR) where many conservation initiatives are under way, but impaired by the lack of accurate baseline habitat maps. To assist with such a fundamental conservation need using high resolution remote sensing data, both environmental and methodological challenges need to be tackled. First, the diversity of environments, the heterogeneity of habitats, and the vast extent of the targeted region mean that local expertise and field data are seldom available. Second, large-scale high-resolution mapping requires several hundred Landsat 5 and 7 images, which poses substantial processing problems. The main goal of this study was to test the feasibility of achieving Landsatbased large-scale seagrass mapping with limited ground-truth data and acceptable accuracies. We used the following combination of methods to map seagrasses throughout the WCR: geomorphological segmentation, contextual editing, and supervised classifications. A total of 40 Landsat scenes (path-row) were processed. Three major classes were derived (“dense seagrass”, “medium-sparse seagrass”, and a generic “other” class). Products’ accuracies were assessed against (i) selected in situ data; (ii) patterns detectable with very high-resolution IKONOS images; and (iii) published habitat maps with documented accuracies. Despite variable overall classification accuracies (45-85%), the resulting thematic maps were deemed acceptable to (i) regionally provide, following their critical evaluation, an adequate baseline for further large-scale conservation programs and research actions; and (ii) regionally re-assess carrying capacity estimates for green turtles. They certainly should represent a drastic improvement relative to current regional databases.

To conserve a rare plant, conservation programs must be guided by the biological attributes of the species. What constitutes the most critical biological information for plant conservation has been the issue of discussion for the last 30... more

To conserve a rare plant, conservation programs must be guided by the biological attributes of the species. What constitutes the most critical biological information for plant conservation has been the issue of discussion for the last 30 years. Most scientists promote an approach that is either ecological or genetic in emphasis. Ecological and genetic processes will often interact synergistically to influence the population viability and to determine the persistence of populations in the long run. Consequently, conservation management of plant species, in addition to ecological information, requires a robust understanding of underlying genetic processes as well as the variation within and between populations. Conservation has a cost and the resources available for conservation programs are always limited. Therefore, conservation management strategies should not only be scientifically justified but also practical in terms of resource availability. Shorea lumutensis is a rare and endemic dipterocarp in Peninsular Malaysia. A comprehensive research activity was initiated to assess the population ecology and population genetics of S. lumutensis to elucidate specific ecological and genetic requirements and subsequently to set conservation strategies and priorities. This paper is apparently the first attempt at applying both the ecological and genetic approaches into conservation management of a rare dipterocarp. In addition, this paper also attempts to link the gaps between conservation research and conservation management in a realistic manner. It is our hope that this study will serve as a model for the study of other rare dipterocarps which should be given priority for conservation.

Earth’s seven billion people and their forebears have left, and are continuing to leave, a rich legacy of their cultural activities, values and beliefs. This collective cultural heritage goes back hundreds of thousands of years and takes... more

Earth’s seven billion people and their forebears have left, and are continuing to leave, a rich legacy of their cultural activities, values and beliefs. This collective cultural heritage goes back hundreds of thousands of years and takes many forms, from an ancient stone flake to the remains of a city, to a song. It has resonance at all scales, from intensely personal, to the crux of a national identity, to an international icon.
The existence of protected areas is a cultural legacy in itself. Gazettal of America’s Yellowstone National Park in 1872 formalised recognition of protected areas, but for thousands of years before this, humans protected natural places of high cultural value. Although not consciously identified for what Western science calls their biodiversity, these ancient places demonstrate that protected areas are not just the hallmark of modern society and complex government schemes.