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The economic impact of wildlife-caused damage and associated management is one of the many factors that arguably play a role in the decision-making process of wildlife managers. Often the role of an economist is to value the damage created by wildlife, or to assess programmatic efficiency to determine if changes can be made to increase return per dollar invested in management efforts. Frequently, the results of economic analyses of wildlife-caused damage are used to justify program efforts in the pursuit or maintenance of funding. The complexity of determining the economic impact of wildlife-caused damage requires that there is a clear understanding of the methodological approach used to determine impacts. Examining specific methodological approaches used in actual case studies provides a systematic replicable approach to valuing damage. This study outlines the methodology for determining the economic impact of cormorant damage to natural resources in a local economy: the Oneida Lake Region of central New York.

The University of Alabama School of Medicine (UASOM) instituted a fully integrated, organ system-based preclinical curriculum in 2007. Gross anatomy and embryology were integrated with other basic science disciplines throughout the first two years of undergraduate medical education. Here we describe the methods of instruction and integration of gross anatomy and embryology in this curriculum as well as challenges faced along the way. Gross anatomy and embryology are taught through a combination of didactic lectures, team-based learning activities, and cadaveric dissection laboratories. Vertical integration occurs through third- and fourth-year anatomy and embryology elective courses. Radiology is integrated with anatomy instruction through self-study modules and hands-on ultrasound sessions. Our model of anatomy instruction is time efficient, clinically relevant, and effective as demonstrated by student performance on the United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE®) Step 1 examination. We recommend that medical schools considering full integration of gross anatomy and embryology (1) carefully consider the sequencing of organ system modules, (2) be willing to sacrifice anatomical detail for clinical application, (3) provide additional electives to third- and fourth-year students, and (4) integrate radiology with anatomical education.

Walleye (Sander vitreus), smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu), and largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) are common top predators across many north temperate lakes, but no previous analyses have assessed factors driving their combined impact on mortality of a shared prey, yellow perch (Perca flavescens). We estimated consumption dynamics of walleye, smallmouth bass, and largemouth bass during 3 years that differed in age-0 yellow perch year-class strength and evaluated the relative contribution of each predator to age-0 yellow perch mortality, in Oneida Lake, New York, USA. Habitat-specific diet composition and population densities were integrated with temperature and growth rates to parameterize a bioenergetics model and estimate annual consumption of major diet items. Walleye were the dominant predator in both offshore and inshore habitats, while smallmouth bass and largemouth bass were also important inshore predators. Consumption of age-0 yellow perch by all three predators was positively correlated to age-0 yellow perch year-class strength, but our ability to account for age-0 yellow perch mortality decreased during years when year-class strength was strong. Within each year, predation by the three species accounted for all observed age-0 yellow perch mortality in late summer and fall, but not in the early summer, suggesting other predators in the lake likely predate on the youngest, most vulnerable yellow perch. These results are important for understanding how diverse predator communities can alter the spatial and temporal availability of prey refuges and influence mortality of a shared prey. Si le dore jaune (Sander vitreus), l'achigan a petite bouche (Micropterus dolomieu) et l'achigan a grande bouche (Micropterus salmoides) sont des predateurs de niveau trophique superieur repandus dans de nombreux lacs temperes du Nord, aucune analyse anterieure n'a evalue les facteurs qui modulent leur incidence combinee sur la mortalite d'une proie commune, la perchaude (Perca flavescens). Nous avons estime la dynamique de la consommation des dores jaunes, achigans a petite bouche et achigans a grande bouche durant 3 annees caracterisees par differentes forces de la classe d'age 0 des perchaudes et evalue la contribution relative de chaque predateur a la mortalite des perchaudes de cette classe d'age dans le lac Oneida (Etat de New York, Etats-Unis). La composition des regimes alimentaires et les densites de population propres a l'habitat ont ete integrees a la temperature et aux taux de croissance pour parametrer un modele bioenergetique et estimer la consommation annuelle d'elements importants du regime alimentaire. Le dore jaune etait le predateur dominant dans les habitats tant littoraux qu'extracotiers, alors que l'achigan a petite bouche et l'achigan a grande bouche etaient egalement des predateurs importants dans les zones littorales. La consommation de perchaudes d'age 0 par les trois predateurs etait positivement correlee a la force de la classe d'age 0 des perchaudes, mais la capacite d'expliquer la mortalite des perchaudes d'age 0 diminuait durant les annees ou la force de cette classe d'age etait grande. Pour chaque annee, la predation par les trois especes expliquait toute la mortalite observee de perchaudes d'age 0 a la fin de l'ete et a l'automne, mais pas au debut de l'ete, donnant a penser que d'autres predateurs dans le lac se nourrissent vraisemblablement de perchaudes les plus jeunes et vulnerables. Ces resultats sont importants pour la comprehension de l'incidence de communautes de predateurs variees sur la disponibilite spatiale et temporelle de refuges pour les proies et sur la mortalite d'une proie commune. [Traduit par la Redaction], Introduction Predation is an important source of mortality for fish during their early life stages, and considerable effort has been focused on understanding the factors driving variation in predator-prey dynamics. [...]

Analysis of data on 2,508 matriculates to the University of Alabama School of Medicine found that graduates of small local colleges were more diverse than other students in gender and race; had similar academic performance; and were more likely to come from a rural background, to drop out, or to locate to rural areas after graduation. The need for student support services is discussed. (Contains 34 references.) (SV)

We sought to quantify the possible population-level influence of sediment plumes and algal blooms on yellow perch (Perca flavescens), a visual predator found in systems with dynamic water clarity. We used an individual-based model (IBM), which allowed us to include variance in water clarity and the distribution of individual sizes. Our IBM was built with laboratory data showing that larval yellow perch feeding rates increased slightly as sediment turbidity level increased, but that both larval and juvenile yellow perch feeding rates decreased as phytoplankton level increased. Our IBM explained a majority of the variance in yellow perch length in data from the western and central basins of Lake Erie and Oneida Lake, with [R.sup.2] values ranging from 0.611 to 0.742. Starvation mortality was size dependent, as the greatest daily mortality rates in each simulation occurred within days of each other. Our model showed that turbidity-dependent consumption rates and temperature are key components in determining growth and starvation mortality of age-0 yellow perch, linking fish production to land-based processes that influence water clarity. These results suggest the timing and persistence of sediment plumes and algal blooms can drastically alter the growth potential and starvation mortality of a yellow perch cohort. Nous avons voulu quantifier l'influence possible au niveau de la population des panaches de sediments et des proliferations d'algues sur la perchaude (Percaflavescens), un predateur visuel qui occupe des systemes presentant une clarte de l'eau dynamique. Nous avons utilise un modele base sur l'individu (MBI) qui nous a permis d'inclure la variance de la clarte de l'eau et la repartition de la taille des individus. Notre MBI a ete elabore avec des donnees de laboratoire qui montrent que les taux d'alimentation des perchaudes larvaires augmentent legerement avec l'augmentation du degre de turbidite associee aux sediments, mais que les taux d'alimentation des perchaudes tant larvaires que juveniles diminuent a mesure que la quantite de phytoplancton augmente. Notre MBI explique la majeure partie de la variance de la longueur des perchaudes observee dans des donnees des bassins ouest et central du lac Erie et du lac Oneida, les valeurs de [R.sup.2] allant de 0, 611 a 0, 742. La mortalite par inanition depend de la taille, les taux de mortalite quotidienne les plus eleves dans chaque simulation se produisant dans un intervalle de quelques jours seulement. Notre modele montre que les taux de consommation dependants de la turbidite et la temperature sont des elements cles pour la determination de la croissance et de la mortalite par inanition pour les perchaudes de moins d'un an, reliant la production de poissons a des processus terrestres qui influencent la clarte de l'eau. Ces resultats donnent a penser que le moment et la persistance des panaches de sediments et des proliferations d'algues peuvent modifier radicalement le potentiel de croissance et la mortalite par inanition d'une cohorte de perchaudes. [Traduit par la Redaction], Introduction Turbidity events, such as sediment plumes and algal blooms, are increasing owing to changes in land use and climate (Allan 2004) across a range of aquatic ecosystems (Johnson and [...]

Gut content analyses have found that round gobies (Neogobius melanostomus) are highly dependent on dreissenid mussels but stable isotope analysis has often suggested that the dreissenid contribution is lower. However, estimation of dietary contributions with stable isotopes relies on accurate discrimination factors (fractionation factors). To test if discrimination values commonly used in aquatic food web studies are suitable for round gobies, we collected round gobies from Oneida Lake, raised them for 63 days under four different diets (Chironomus plumosus, Mytilus chilensis, Dreissenia spp., Euphausia superba) and measured the change in white muscle δ13C and δ15N. Gobies were also collected throughout Oneida Lake for gut content and stable isotope analysis. Diets changed as round gobies grew, with small round gobies (17-42mm) feeding mostly on cladocera and chironomids, intermediate sized gobies (43-94mm) transitioning from chironomid to dreissenid consumption, and larger gobies (95-120mm) predominantly consuming dreissenids, similar to findings in other studies. Discrimination factors were obtained by fitting a commonly used asymptotic regression equation describing changes in fish δ13C and δ15N as a function of time and diet stable isotope ratios. The discrimination factor determined for δ13C (-0.4‰ ± 0.32, SE) was lower than the "standard" value of 0.4‰, while that of δ15N (4.0‰ ± 0.32, SE) was higher than the standard value of 3.4‰. Turnover rates for both δ13C and δ15N were estimated as 0.02 ‰*day-1. The use of experimentally determined discrimination factors rather than "standard" values resulted in model estimates that agree more closely with the observed increasing importance of dreissenids in gut content of larger gobies. Our results suggest that the importance of dreissenid mussels inferred from stable isotope studies may be underestimated when using standard isotopic discrimination values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comparison of rates of acceptance and performance of undergraduate science and nonscience majors applying to 13 classes (1978-90) of the University of Alabama, Birmingham, medical school found no significant difference in acceptance rates, and no difference on most standard measures of medical school academic performance. Results suggest nonscience majors should not be discouraged from applying to medical school. (Author/MSE)

Abstract: We used three long-term data sets (gill nets, trawls, and adult population estimates) for walleye (Sander vitreus) to simultaneously estimate density, gear catchabilities, and mortality using an age-structured, nonlinear [...]