Genetic structure and mating system of northern Arbutus menziesii (Ericaceae) populations

2005 ◽  
Vol 83 (12) ◽  
pp. 1581-1589 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.D. Beland ◽  
J. Krakowski ◽  
C.E. Ritland ◽  
K. Ritland ◽  
Y.A. El-Kassaby

Arbutus ( Arbutus menziesii Pursh. (Ericaceae)) is the only broadleaved evergreen tree native to Canada. It occurs in three red-listed (endangered) plant communities in British Columbia (BC), threatened by urban encroachment, fire suppression, grazing, and exotic invasive species. Its growth is sensitive to environmental changes: more severe summer drought caused by climate change could further threaten this species. Amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs) were assayed in 10 populations in BC and 1 in Washington to obtain baseline population genetic and mating system data. We found that genetic diversity within populations was low (mean H = 0.094) for a woody perennial. Genetic variation among populations (FST = 0.15) was comparable to woody perennials on average (0.19). Pairwise kinship coefficients were significantly associated with distance (p < 0.01). The multilocus outcrossing rate for one BC island population was high (tm = 0.97), but inbreeding due to consanguineous matings was also quite high (tm – ts = 0.10). These data can be used to guide conservation strategies and future research priorities for arbutus.

Crisis ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 202-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karl Andriessen ◽  
Dolores Angela Castelli Dransart ◽  
Julie Cerel ◽  
Myfanwy Maple

Abstract. Background: Suicide can have a lasting impact on the social life as well as the physical and mental health of the bereaved. Targeted research is needed to better understand the nature of suicide bereavement and the effectiveness of support. Aims: To take stock of ongoing studies, and to inquire about future research priorities regarding suicide bereavement and postvention. Method: In March 2015, an online survey was widely disseminated in the suicidology community. Results: The questionnaire was accessed 77 times, and 22 records were included in the analysis. The respondents provided valuable information regarding current research projects and recommendations for the future. Limitations: Bearing in mind the modest number of replies, all from respondents in Westernized countries, it is not known how representative the findings are. Conclusion: The survey generated three strategies for future postvention research: increase intercultural collaboration, increase theory-driven research, and build bonds between research and practice. Future surveys should include experiences with obtaining research grants and ethical approval for postvention studies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. e001108
Author(s):  
Omar Heyward ◽  
Stacey Emmonds ◽  
Gregory Roe ◽  
Sean Scantlebury ◽  
Keith Stokes ◽  
...  

Women’s rugby (rugby league, rugby union and rugby sevens) has recently grown in participation and professionalisation. There is under-representation of women-only cohorts within applied sport science and medicine research and within the women’s rugby evidence base. The aims of this article are: Part 1: to undertake a systematic-scoping review of the applied sport science and medicine of women’s rugby, and Part 2: to develop a consensus statement on future research priorities. This article will be designed in two parts: Part 1: a systematic-scoping review, and Part 2: a three-round Delphi consensus method. For Part 1, systematic searches of three electronic databases (PubMed (MEDLINE), Scopus, SPORTDiscus (EBSCOhost)) will be performed from the earliest record. These databases will be searched to identify any sport science and medicine themed studies within women’s rugby. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses extension for Scoping Reviews will be adhered to. Part 2 involves a three-round Delphi consensus method to identify future research priorities. Identified experts in women’s rugby will be provided with overall findings from Part 1 to inform decision-making. Participants will then be asked to provide a list of research priority areas. Over the three rounds, priority areas achieving consensus (≥70% agreement) will be identified. This study has received institutional ethical approval. When complete, the manuscript will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. The findings of this article will have relevance for a wide range of stakeholders in women’s rugby, including policymakers and governing bodies.


BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. e031187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria-Jose Santana ◽  
Sandra Zelinsky ◽  
Sadia Ahmed ◽  
Chelsea Doktorchik ◽  
Matthew James ◽  
...  

ObjectivesThe overall goal of this study is to identify priorities for cardiovascular (CV) health research that are important to patients and clinician-researchers. We brought together a group of CV patients and clinician-researchers new to patient-oriented research (POR), to build a multidisciplinary POR team and form an advisory committee for the Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta.DesignThis qualitative POR used a participatory health research paradigm to work with participants in eliciting their priorities. Therefore, participants were involved in priority setting, and analysis of findings. Participants also developed a plan for continued engagement to support POR in CV health research.SettingLibin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Canada.ParticipantsA total of 23 participants, including patients and family caregivers (n=12) and clinician-researchers (n=11).ResultsParticipants identified barriers and facilitators to POR in CV health (lack of awareness of POR and poor understanding on the role of patients) and 10 research priorities for improving CV health. The CV health research priorities include: (1) CV disease prediction and prevention, (2) access to CV care, (3) communication with providers, (4) use of eHealth technology, (5) patient experiences in healthcare, (6) patient engagement, (7) transitions and continuity of CV care, (8) integrated CV care, (9) development of structures for patient-to-patient support and (10) research on rare heart diseases.ConclusionsIn this study, research priorities were identified by patients and clinician-researchers working together to improve CV health. Future research programme and projects will be developed to address these priorities. A key output of this study is the creation of the patient advisory council that will provide support and will work with clinician-researchers to improve CV health.


1987 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 160-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen D. Bluen ◽  
Caroline van Zwam

The relationship between union membership and job satisfaction, and the moderating role of race and sex is considered in this study. Results show that both race and sex interact with union membership in predicting job satisfaction. A significant 2 × 2 × 2 (union membership × race × sex) interaction showed that white, non-unionized females were less satisfied with their work than black, non-unionized females. In addition, sex moderated the relationship between union membership and co-worker satisfaction: Whereas unionized males were more satisfied with their co-workers than unionized females, the opposite was true for the non-unionized subjects. Finally, union members and non-members differed regarding promotion opportunities: Union members were more satisfied with their promotion opportunities than non-union members. On the basis of the findings, implications and future research priorities are discussed.


2017 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 1600965 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ildiko Horváth ◽  
Peter J. Barnes ◽  
Stelios Loukides ◽  
Peter J. Sterk ◽  
Marieann Högman ◽  
...  

Breath tests cover the fraction of nitric oxide in expired gas (FENO), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), variables in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) and other measurements. For EBC and for FENO, official recommendations for standardised procedures are more than 10 years old and there is none for exhaled VOCs and particles. The aim of this document is to provide technical standards and recommendations for sample collection and analytic approaches and to highlight future research priorities in the field. For EBC and FENO, new developments and advances in technology have been evaluated in the current document. This report is not intended to provide clinical guidance on disease diagnosis and management.Clinicians and researchers with expertise in exhaled biomarkers were invited to participate. Published studies regarding methodology of breath tests were selected, discussed and evaluated in a consensus-based manner by the Task Force members.Recommendations for standardisation of sampling, analysing and reporting of data and suggestions for research to cover gaps in the evidence have been created and summarised.Application of breath biomarker measurement in a standardised manner will provide comparable results, thereby facilitating the potential use of these biomarkers in clinical practice.


PeerJ ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. e1788 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julien Louys ◽  
Gilbert J. Price ◽  
Sue O’Connor

Stegodons are a commonly recovered extinct proboscidean (elephants and allies) from the Pleistocene record of Southeast Asian oceanic islands. Estimates on when stegodons arrived on individual islands and the timings of their extinctions are poorly constrained due to few reported direct geochronological analyses of their remains. Here we report on uranium-series dating of a stegodon tusk recovered from the Ainaro Gravels of Timor. The six dates obtained indicate the local presence of stegodons in Timor at or before 130 ka, significantly pre-dating the earliest evidence of humans on the island. On the basis of current data, we find no evidence for significant environmental changes or the presence of modern humans in the region during that time. Thus, we do not consider either of these factors to have contributed significantly to their extinction. In the absence of these, we propose that their extinction was possibly the result of long-term demographic and genetic declines associated with an isolated island population.


2007 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 239 ◽  
Author(s):  
David J. Coates ◽  
Jane F. Sampson ◽  
Colin J. Yates

Population size and habitat disturbance are key factors likely to shape the mating system of populations in disturbed and fragmented landscapes. They would be expected to influence the availability and behaviour of the pollinator, the ability to find mates in self-incompatible species, inbreeding in self-compatible species and the size of the pollen pool. These in turn might be expected to influence key variables critical for population persistence such as seed production, seed germination and seedling fitness. Here we investigate mating-system variation in six rare species, i.e. Banksia cuneata, B. oligantha, Lambertia orbifolia (Proteaceae), Verticordia fimbrilepis subsp. fimbrilepis, Eucalyptus rameliana (Myrtaceae), Acacia sciophanes (Mimosaceae), and two common species, i.e. Calothamnus quadrifidus (Myrtaceae) and Acacia anfractuosa. All seven species are animal-pollinated relatively long-lived woody shrubs with mixed-mating systems. Population variation in mating-system parameters was investigated in relation to population size and habitat disturbance. We show that although the mating system will vary depending on pollination biology and life-history, as populations get smaller and habitat disturbance increases there is a trend towards increased inbreeding, smaller effective sizes of paternal pollen pools and greater variation in outcrossing among plants. From the species investigated in this study we have found that changes in the mating system can be useful indicators of population processes and can give valuable insight into the development of conservation strategies for the persistence of plant species following anthropogenic disturbance and landscape fragmentation.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document