Search

The Peruvian Province, from 6° S in Peru to 42° S in Chile, is a highly productive coastal marine region whose biology and fossil record have long been studied separately but never integrated. To understand how past events and conditions affected todays species composition and interactions, we examined the role of extinction, colonization, geologic changes to explain previously unrecognized peculiar features of the biota and to compare the Peruvian Provinces history to that of other climatically similar temperate coasts. We synthesized all available data on the benthic (or benthically feeding) biota, with emphasis on fossilizable taxa, for the interval from the Miocene (23-5.4 Ma) and Pliocene (5.4-2.5 Ma) to the present. We outline the history of ecological guilds including primary producers, herbivores, predators, and suspension-feeders and document patterns of extinction, colonization, and geographic restriction. We identify twelve unusual attributes of the biota, most of which are the result of repeated episodes of extinction. Several guilds present during the Miocene and Pliocene are not represented in the province today, while groups such as kelps and perhaps intertidal predatory sea stars are relative newcomers. Guilds on soft bottoms and in sheltered habitats were severely affected by extinction, whereas those on hard bottoms were most affected by colonists and held their own in diversity. The Peruvian Province has not served as a biogeographic refuge, in contrast to the coasts of Australasia and Argentina, where lineages no longer present in the Peruvian Province survive. The loss of sheltered habitats since the Pliocene explains many of the present-day peculiarities of the biota. The history of the provinces biota explains its unique attributes. High productivity, a rich Southern Hemisphere heritage, and colonization from the north account for the present-day composition and unusual characteristics of the biota.

Wild vertebrates usually avoid ground disturbed by humans with uncertain effects on their distribution and density. We report on a natural experiment that confirms and extends previous conclusions about how the local distribution of capercaillie is affected by track‐based disturbance. We surveyed the birds' droppings in two periods, before and after a predicted increase in disturbance adjacent to an expanding Scottish village, and model the probability of finding droppings in relation to period plus two disturbance gradients – distance to a much disturbed 'entry zone' with a high density of tracks lying adjacent to the village, plus distance to the nearest track. Throughout the study, no droppings were found within the entry zone and their density was depressed up to 400 m from it. Density of droppings was also depressed within 100–120 m of tracks but, compared to a notional scenario without tracks, was threefold greater on ground 120–250 m from tracks. Although the number of cocks counted at the lek in spring showed a small increase, there was an almost threefold decline in the probability of finding capercaillie droppings on and within about 40 m of tracks. We infer that, after the development, birds were less likely to use or cross tracks in pursuit of their daily living requirements, with unknown consequences for their population dynamics and vital rates. Our results have implications for refuge design. Birds on roughly half of a 50 ha refuge should be undisturbed by direct effects of track‐based activities. However, birds shifting away from tracks may themselves cause local increases in density and associated, indirect disturbance such that a refuge would need to be over 300 ha to keep half of it undisturbed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shallow coral reefs are being increasingly degraded as a result of natural and anthropogenic threats. Mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs) are an extension of shallow reefs at depths of ∼30–150 m that harbor depth generalists and specialists, acclimatized to changes in physical factors. A faunal break in MCEs occurs between upper (∼30–60 m) and lower (∼60–150 m) depths, representing transitional and endemic communities, respectively. The trophic ecology of MCEs shifts from autotrophic to heterotrophic processes with increasing depth, and trade-offs in the utilization of dissolved organic matter and particulate organic matter. While dispersal of MCE larvae could reseed degraded shallow reefs, genetic evidence is equivocal, suggesting site-specific connectivity patterns; anthropogenic disturbances at mesophotic depths indicate that MCEs may be as susceptible to stressors as shallow reefs are. The function and stability of mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs) have been extensively studied in recent years. These deep reefs are characterized by local physical processes, particularly the steep gradient in irradiance with increasing depth, and their impact on trophic resources. Mesophotic reefs exhibit distinct zonation patterns that segregate shallow reef biodiversity from ecologically unique deeper communities of endemic species. While mesophotic reefs are hypothesized as relatively stable refuges from anthropogenic stressors and a potential seed bank for degraded shallow reefs, these are site-specific features, if they occur at all. Mesophotic reefs are now known to be susceptible to many of the same stressors that are degrading shallow reefs, suggesting that they require their own specific conservation and management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Xinyang Normal University Natural Science Edition is the property of Journal of Xinyang Normal University Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Food insecurity (FI) and water insecurity (WI) are linked with HIV vulnerabilities, yet how these resource insecurities shape HIV prevention needs is understudied. We assessed associations between FI and WI and HIV vulnerabilities among urban refugee youth aged 16–24 in Kampala, Uganda through individual in-depth interviews (IDI) (n = 24), focus groups (n = 4), and a cross-sectional survey (n = 340) with refugee youth, and IDI with key informants (n = 15). Quantitative data was analysed via multivariable logistic and linear regression to assess associations between FI and WI with: reduced pandemic sexual and reproductive health (SRH) access; past 3-month transactional sex (TS); unplanned pandemic pregnancy; condom self-efficacy; and sexual relationship power (SRP). We applied thematic analytic approaches to qualitative data. Among survey participants, FI and WI were commonplace (65% and 47%, respectively) and significantly associated with: reduced SRH access (WI: adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.92, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.19–3.08; FI: aOR: 2.31. 95%CI: 1.36–3.93), unplanned pregnancy (WI: aOR: 2.77, 95%CI: 1.24–6.17; FI: aOR: 2.62, 95%CI: 1.03–6.66), and TS (WI: aOR: 3.09, 95%CI: 1.22–7.89; FI: aOR: 3.51, 95%CI: 1.15–10.73). WI participants reported lower condom self-efficacy (adjusted β= -3.98, 95%CI: -5.41, -2.55) and lower SRP (adjusted β= -2.58, 95%CI= -4.79, -0.37). Thematic analyses revealed: (1) contexts of TS, including survival needs and pandemic impacts; (2) intersectional HIV vulnerabilities; (3) reduced HIV prevention/care access; and (4) water insecurity as a co-occurring socio-economic stressor. Multi-method findings reveal FI and WI are linked with HIV vulnerabilities, underscoring the need for HIV prevention to address co-occurring resource insecurities with refugee youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The Peruvian Province, from 6° S in Peru to 42° S in Chile, is a highly productive coastal marine region whose biology and fossil record have long been studied separately but never integrated. To understand how past events and conditions affected today's species composition and interactions, we examined the role of extinction, colonization, geologic changes to explain previously unrecognized peculiar features of the biota and to compare the Peruvian Province's history to that of other climatically similar temperate coasts. We synthesized all available data on the benthic (or benthically feeding) biota, with emphasis on fossilizable taxa, for the interval from the Miocene (23–5.4 Ma) and Pliocene (5.4–2.5 Ma) to the present. We outline the history of ecological guilds including primary producers, herbivores, predators, and suspension‐feeders and document patterns of extinction, colonization, and geographic restriction. We identify twelve unusual attributes of the biota, most of which are the result of repeated episodes of extinction. Several guilds present during the Miocene and Pliocene are not represented in the province today, while groups such as kelps and perhaps intertidal predatory sea stars are relative newcomers. Guilds on soft bottoms and in sheltered habitats were severely affected by extinction, whereas those on hard bottoms were most affected by colonists and held their own in diversity. The Peruvian Province has not served as a biogeographic refuge, in contrast to the coasts of Australasia and Argentina, where lineages no longer present in the Peruvian Province survive. The loss of sheltered habitats since the Pliocene explains many of the present‐day peculiarities of the biota. The history of the province's biota explains its unique attributes. High productivity, a rich Southern Hemisphere heritage, and colonization from the north account for the present‐day composition and unusual characteristics of the biota.

Safe housing is necessary for women who have left a domestically violent relationship. However, there has been limited attention paid to the meanings of safety beyond refuges and crisis accommodation. This article strengthens the conceptualisation of safe and unsafe housing through a focus on practitioners’ definitions. Our analysis draws from focus groups with 30 practitioners across six services in Adelaide, Australia, working with young women to find and retain housing after a violent relationship ended. Practitioners understood safe housing as essential to women’s wellbeing but there was less clarity around its meaning. Practitioners focused on unsafe housing across three dimensions: un/safe relationships, un/safe dwellings and un/safe communities.IMPLICATIONSThe provision of safe housing to women who have experienced domestic and family violence requires a recognition of its multiple dimensions beyond physical safety.Practitioners’ difficulty in defining safe housing may minimise their capacity to recognise housing as a “recuperative space” that facilitates women’s autonomy after leaving a violent partner.Successfully providing safe housing is a process that incorporates elements of being safe and unsafe.The provision of safe housing to women who have experienced domestic and family violence requires a recognition of its multiple dimensions beyond physical safety.Practitioners’ difficulty in defining safe housing may minimise their capacity to recognise housing as a “recuperative space” that facilitates women’s autonomy after leaving a violent partner.Successfully providing safe housing is a process that incorporates elements of being safe and unsafe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Caldasia is the property of Universidad Nacional de Colombia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Cyprinodon eremus is endemic to the Sonoyta River system, where wild populations comprise two conservation management units, one in Quitobaquito Springs, Arizona, and another small segment of the Sonoyta River, Sonora. Declining habitat from overmining of groundwater threatens both populations. Because of concern for the Sonoyta River population, refuges were built in Sonora and stocked with individuals from the river. Using seven microsatellite loci, we evaluated the genetic diversity of the wild population and three refuge populations. Comparison with earlier results for the wild population suggests that diversity changed little over the 12 years between collections. Two refuge populations established in 2007–2008 had levels of diversity comparable to that of the wild population. This reflects the relatively recent origins and exchange with the wild population. Notably lower measures of diversity occurred in an older refuge population that was established in 1988 and has no history of exchange with other populations. Suggestions for a program of genetic exchange are presented to inform future management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiversity loss is often attributable to multiple interacting pressures that are moderated across environmental gradients. These processes contribute to complex responses that are challenging to interpret and understand. Well‐designed and well‐implemented monitoring can play a vital role in this but is rarely undertaken.Mounting evidence suggests that current fire regimes across Savanna ecosystems have contributed to the decline of a range of biota. Hence, contemporary fire regimes are at odds with conservation goals.Using an extensive spatiotemporal monitoring dataset from three large National Parks in northern Australia, we applied generalised linear mixed models to examine: (1) trends in mammal richness and abundance through time and variation across environmental gradients such as productivity or landscape position (e.g. terrain ruggedness); and (2) how fire, a potential driver, is moderated by environmental gradients.Across 24 years, major declines in mammal richness and abundance were observed with greater reductions in less rugged and less mesic habitats. Patterns of decline were related to multiple aspects of fire regimes, but not changes in vegetation structure and composition, or cane toads, Rhinella marina, arrival and concomitant poisoning of predatory animals during consumption. More pronounced declines occurred in sites that were exposed to larger fires, had less long unburnt (>5 years without fire) vegetation and were more distant from large, long unburnt patches.Relationships between mammal persistence and fire varied among vegetation communities, with the strongest fire effects observed in lowland woodland—drier with few barriers to fire spread—where the availability of long unburnt areas moderated declines more than in other vegetation communities.Synthesis and applications. Current fire regimes are contributing to mammal declines in northern Australian Savanna. Collectively, our results highlight: (1) the value of long term monitoring, and importance of considering landscape position when assessing faunal responses to landscape‐level perturbations like fire; (2) that significant improvements in fire regimes are required to ameliorate mammal declines; and (3) the need to shift management focus from retaining small, short‐lived unburnt patches toward preserving relatively large contiguous areas of long unburnt habitat, particularly in less rugged lowland and sandstone woodlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some island nations in the Southern Hemisphere might survive a severe sun‐reducing catastrophe such as nuclear winter and be well placed to help reboot‐collapsed human civilization. Such islands must be resilient to the cascading effects abrupt sunlight reduction scenarios (ASRS) would impose beyond the impacts on agricultural systems. We aimed to identify island nations whose societies are most likely to survive nuclear winter or other ASRS. We also aimed to conduct a case study of one island nation to consider how it might enhance its resilience and therefore its chance of aiding a global reboot of complex technological society. We performed a threshold analysis on food self‐sufficiency under severe nuclear winter conditions to identify islands. We then profiled each island across global macroindices representing resilience factors reported in the literature. We undertook a case study of the island nation of New Zealand. The island nations of Australia, New Zealand, Iceland, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu appear most resilient to ASRS. However, our case‐study island nation of New Zealand is threatened in scenarios of no/low trade, has precarious aspects of its energy supply, and shortcomings in manufacturing of essential components. Therefore, inadequate preparations and critical failures in these systems could see rapid societal breakdown. Despite some islands' favorable baseline conditions and apparent food security even in a severe ASRS, cascading impacts through other socioecological systems threaten complex functioning. We identified specific resilience measures, many with cobenefits, which may protect island nodes of sustained complexity in ASRS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the 1970s, there have been dramatic shifts in domestic violence advocacy in Australia. Domestic violence activism emerged from the women’s liberation movement with a clear feminist and emancipatory agenda, but this work has now shifted into the mainstream. This has seen the previous focus of domestic violence advocacy, which included women’s freedom and liberation, narrow to an emphasis more on women’s safety and risk management. While this “safety work” is a needed priority, there must also be an examination of what is lost when domestic violence practice does not allow space for “freedom work”. This article explores freedom work with 10 feminist domestic violence advocates in Australia. They detail four principles of their freedom work with victim—survivors, which includes that feminism is central to their survivor-led practice; that safety work can expand freedom when done from a feminist perspective; that advocates’ knowledge needs to meet victim—survivors where they are; and that while freedom is central to their practice, they acknowledge that this freedom is aspirational. IMPLICATIONS A focus on risk management and safety in domestic violence work can narrow women’s freedom and choices. Feminist domestic violence advocates who ground their work in emancipatory politics expand their focus beyond women’s safety to honour women’s freedom. This “freedom work” is mainly aspirational but seeks opportunities to expand women’s space for action and freedom alongside broader political activism. A focus on risk management and safety in domestic violence work can narrow women’s freedom and choices.Feminist domestic violence advocates who ground their work in emancipatory politics expand their focus beyond women’s safety to honour women’s freedom.This “freedom work” is mainly aspirational but seeks opportunities to expand women’s space for action and freedom alongside broader political activism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The text explores the strategies of self-preservation in a totalitarian system, such as Bulgarian socialism, through the poetry of three charismatic, non-conform ist poets: Ivan Teofilov (b. 1931), Hristo Fotev (1934-2002) and Boris Hristov (b. 1945). The motif of the im/possible escapes and refuges is revealed in their writing. Several thematic and biographical lines are traced: their choice to be „unbelonging,“ their self-marginalization as an ethical gesture, the theme of the unattainable „world denied,“ other arts and friendship circles as a shelter, and, above all, the shelter of language and the joy of it, the ability of these poets to unchain and expand the language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research into predator–prey interactions has focused on the landscape of fear and nonconsumptive effects that result from prey responses. Prey behavior is influenced by predator presence and the location and quality of foraging resources in habitats. These areas have been fruitful, but the role of prey refuges has lagged. We investigated how refuge spatial distribution and quality influence prey behavior. To determine the role of the landscape of safety (LOS) in prey decision-making, we altered spatial relationships between refuges, refuge quality, and predation threats in mesocosms. Mesocosms were constructed such that prey only received predatory chemical cues. We employed a behavioral assay including largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides (Lacepède, 1802): predator) and virile crayfish (Faxonius rusticus (Girard, 1852): prey). Crayfish shelter use was significantly influenced by quality and spatial relationship of shelters to predatory threats, and the interaction of these two factors. Particularly, crayfish used high-quality shelters more often when located closer to predatory cues than farther away and did not use low-quality shelters more than controls. High-quality shelter usage decreased as threat level (measured by gape ratio) decreased. These results support the idea that prey utilize an LOS, and information contained in these two landscapes may alter behavioral decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper relates evidence from the COVID‐19 pandemic to the concept of pandemic refuges, as developed in literature on global catastrophic risk. In this literature, a refuge is a place or facility designed to keep a portion of the population alive during extreme global catastrophes. COVID‐19 is not the most extreme pandemic scenario, but it is nonetheless a very severe global event, and it therefore provides an important source of evidence. Through the first 2 years of the COVID‐19 pandemic, several political jurisdictions have achieved low spread of COVID‐19 via isolation from the rest of the world and can therefore classify as pandemic refuges. Their suppression and elimination of COVID‐19 demonstrates the viability of pandemic refuges as a risk management measure. Whereas prior research emphasizes island nations as pandemic refuges, this paper uses case studies of China and Western Australia to show that other types of jurisdictions can also successfully function as pandemic refuges. The paper also refines the concept of pandemic refuges and discusses implications for future pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reintroduction of fossorial mammals could be limited by the availability of satellite burrows that provide refuge from predators while foraging away from their permanent burrows, and by availability of short grasses. In order to generate information to assist in the reintroduction of vizcachas (Lagostomus maximus), we asked: 1) what type of satellite burrow do they accept based on burrow complexity, entrance size and distance from permanent burrows?, and 2) how did the provision of burrows and mowing affect their foraging range? We carried out the study in the Sierras of Cordoba, Argentina, with 13 vizcachas transferred to two adaptation pens equipped with permanent burrows. We mowed part of the vegetation around the pens and we dug 14 satellite burrows of two types: simple with only a tunnel, and complex with a tunnel and underground chamber. Burrows were situated between 1 and 16 m from the pens. For six months we evaluated satellite burrow occupancy. We also counted feces, estimated bare soil, and height of the vegetation in 15-m-long transects originating in the entrances of highly used burrows, which were distributed in two sectors. Occupancy was 2 and 67% for simple and complex satellite burrows, respectively, and was negatively related to burrow entrance size. There was no relationship between burrow occupancy and distance to adaptation pens. Transect sampling showed that 91% of the pellets were within 4 m of the pens or satellite burrows, and that they preferred cut to uncut grass. We conclude that building complex satellite burrows and mowing vegetation will increase secure foraging range for translocated vizcachas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonprofits are key social service providers in many Western welfare states. Yet the nonprofits that deliver government-funded public services are also an important part of civil society and, in theory, promote democratic inclusion through their democratic civil society function. But to what extent do welfare-providing nonprofits carry out democracy-promoting activities in reality and what do these activities include? Using a survey distributed to Canadian charities that operate government-funded homeless shelters, we find evidence of activities falling within three areas of democracy promotion: support for political participation, internal democratic governance, and representative voice. The variation amongst different activities is presented in ideal types, which can inform future studies of the democratic function of nonprofits. Our empirical results point to a vital role of homeless shelters that extends beyond the provision of basic needs and contribute to a better understanding of the modalities of democratic inclusion for excluded populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The presence and structure of vegetation in urban areas have an impact on the composition of bird communities. Green areas with a higher ratio of introduced vegetation tend to have a greater homogenization of avifauna, whereas green areas with a high ratio of native vegetation have a greater diversity of birds. In several studies carried out in urban areas of Mexico, the factors of vegetation are not considered. Therefore, the responses of the species to vegetation types in terms of richness and diversity are unknown. Objective: To analyze the composition of bird species in the green areas of Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas, and evaluate the response of bird communities in areas with differences in vegetation composition. As well as to analyze the relationship between the trophic guilds in birds and vegetation in urban areas. Methods: Three sampling sites were established in Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas, Mexico, based on two criteria: similar sampling area (ha) and differences in vegetation characteristics. Monitoring took place between January and December 2020, with three monthly visits in each site for a total of 108 visits, using the direct visual method. Results: We identified 98 species (11 orders, 28 families). The most abundant species were Quiscalus mexicanus and Molothrus aeneus. Differences in species richness were found for each site. The insectivorous and granivorous were the dominant guilds. An association between the guilds and the study sites was determined, where most were linked to mixed native vegetation, compared to homogeneous or introduced vegetation. Conclusions: The urban areas studied maintained a notable number of birds, and several of them presented some category of risk or endemism. This demonstrates the importance of these green areas composed of native vegetation as a refuge for birds and highlights the need to conserve and protect these areas within Ciudad Victoria and similar cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2014 we began an ambitious study of the usage of natural caves in between first and fifth centuries AD in the area between the Ebro and the Pyrenees (Navarre, Basque Country, and northern Aragon). The aim was to make an inventory of all natural caves with Roman remains in the western Pyrenees in a database, to clarify the chronology of different cave usages thanks to the study of the archaeological material, to establish the function of those kinds of sites, and finally, to put into relation the caves with their surroundings in the cases that it is possible. In this article, we analyse a disputed subject in the historiography of this phenomenon: the possible use of the caves as shelter in times of instability during the Low Empire period. This interpretation has been repeated since the 70s of the 20th century until today, despite the inexistence of clear evidence. RESUMEN: En 2014 iniciamos un ambicioso estudio sobre el uso de las cuevas naturales entre los siglos I y V d.C. en el espacio comprendido entre el Ebro y los Pirineos (Navarra, País Vasco y norte de Aragón). El objetivo era inventariar todas las cuevas naturales con restos romanos en el Pirineo occidental, aclarar la cronología de los diferentes usos de las cuevas gracias al estudio del material arqueológico, establecer la función de ese tipo de emplazamientos y, finalmente, tratar de poner en relación las cuevas con su entorno, en los casos que es posible. En este artículo analizamos un tema controvertido en la historiografía de este fenómeno: el posible uso de las cuevas como refugio en tiempos de inestabilidad durante el Bajo Imperio. Esta interpretación se ha repetido desde los años 70 del siglo XX hasta la actualidad, a pesar de la inexistencia de pruebas claras.

As high temperature stress due to climate change threatens tropical corals, cooler areas at relatively high latitudes may be potential refuges. Tolerance to low temperatures is critical in determining whether corals can successfully migrate to higher latitudes. However, the physiological and molecular adaptations that protect corals from low temperature stress are unclear. In this study, scleractinian Porites lutea samples from the tropical Xisha Islands (XS) and subtropical Daya Bay (DY) in the South China Sea were subjected to a reduction in ambient temperature from 26 to 12°C. Differences in physiological changes and gene expression were analysed. P. lutea from both XS and DY exhibited physiological bleaching under low temperature stress, and the Symbiodiniaceae density, Fv/Fm, and chlorophyll-α content were significantly reduced. Symbiosome antioxidative stress and metabolic enzyme activity first increased and then decreased. RNA-seq analysis showed that the host responded to low temperature stress by activating immune, apoptotic, and autophagic pathways and reducing metabolic levels. Nevertheless, Symbiodiniaceae lacked the physiological regulatory capacity to adapt to low temperatures. The lower cold tolerance of XS tropical P. lutea may attribute to lower oxidative stress resistance, lower photosynthetic capacity, worse energy supply, and higher susceptibility to bacterial and viral infections and diseases in XS corals. The difference in cold tolerance may result from genetic differences between the geographic populations and is possibly detrimental to the migration of tropical coral to relatively high latitude refuges. This study provides a theoretical basis for anthropogenically assisted coral migration as a response to global change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although migration has always been a timeless and volatile phenomenon, modern transnational movements of people have become a dominant topic of interest by constantly acquiring new characteristics that modify their evolutionary process. Europe is a geographical area that has been signifi cantly affected by recent changes as a result of the evolution of migration flows of the last 30 years. The urgent need to initially understand and later implement evidence-based policies in order to sufficiently manage the migration phenomenon can be considered as the basic spark that led to the scientific blast of the 21st century, focusing on the gradual development of migration studies. One of the most notable efforts of the scientific community was the use of the comparison method to examine, understand, and in some cases even forecast the characteristics of specifi c migration case studies, thereby forming the backbone of comparative migration research in general. Greece, due to its geographical position, has been unintentionally positioned, many times, inside the so called “ring of fire”, as result of multiple factors and disastrous events that evolved mainly in its neighbouring countries, forcing massive, irregular migration fl ows to its external borders. The outbreak of the Albanian exodus in the early 1990s and the recent refugee flows of 2015 can be described as two major migration crises that have occurred in Greek’s contemporary history, making their comparison a fruitful example of the potential capabilities of the above-mentioned method, contributing to a holistic study of the migration phenomenon in Greece.

Homelessness among women is a pressing social problem and the barriers to solving it are difficult to shift. A number of scholars have argued that, in addition to the gender pay gap, unpaid labour and family violence, the problem lies in the fact that responses to homelessness are still shaped by conceptualisations that developed when it was seen as a problem of white adult men. And yet there has been no close analysis of how and why these conceptualisations took root, and how they were reinforced and perpetuated. Focusing on the pivotal 1970s, when homeless women were first constituted a 'problem' in Australia and feminism became a compelling political force, this article examines how feminists both challenged and reinforced those conceptualisations. It argues that feminist responses were shaped by different forms of professional knowledge which led to divergent outcomes, and it uses a rare cache of interviews to show how homeless women's narratives refute the assumptions on which old ideas were built. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intermittent streams are globally distributed, comprise over half the length of the global river network, and are expected to become more prevalent. However, most studies of intermittent streams are conducted at extremes of scale, are limited in taxonomic and temporal scope, and focus exclusively on drying patterns. Here, we assessed how both flow intermittency and orientation to perennial refuges affect aquatic invertebrates and aquatic and semiaquatic vertebrates across 2 years within two intermittent river basins differing in their aridity. We used loggers to characterize flow intermittency and wet–dry mapping to determine orientation to perennial refuges of reaches. In winter and summer 2015 and 2016, we collected and identified invertebrates and visually surveyed vertebrates. Using permutational multivariate analyses of variance with distance matrices, we found distinct invertebrate communities by basin, flow class (perennial or intermittent), and season, and distinct vertebrate communities by basin, and between flow classes and seasons in the more arid basin. Invertebrate communities had higher beta diversity in the more arid than mesic basin, whereas the opposite was true for vertebrates. We identified indicator species for all combinations of basin and flow class, perennial reaches combined from both basins, each basin, and some combinations of flow class and season within basins. Flow intermittency and orientation to perennial refuge predictors correlated well with both invertebrate and vertebrate communities. However, we did not find nestedness of communities that differed significantly from that expected by chance in response to increasing flow intermittency or distance to refuges. Lastly, basin, flow intermittency, and orientation to perennial refuge predictors were generally important for modeling taxon richness and densities, and richness and densities decreased with increasing flow intermittency and distance to perennial refuges. Collectively, our data suggest that intermittent streams harbor unique biodiversity, but also that some taxa have context‐dependent responses to intermittency and orientation to perennial refuges. These findings also suggest that future increases in stream drying are likely to lead to changes to stream communities with high potential for the loss of aquatic biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The limpet form - a cap-shaped or slipper-shaped univalved shell - convergently evolved in many gastropod lineages, but questions remain about when, how often, and under which circumstances it originated. Except for some predation-resistant limpets in shallow-water marine environments, limpets are not well adapted to intense competition and predation, leading to the prediction that they originated in refugial habitats where exposure to predators and competitors is low. A survey of fossil and living limpets indicates that the limpet form evolved independently in at least 54 lineages, with particularly frequent origins in early-diverging gastropod clades, as well as in Neritimorpha and Heterobranchia. There are at least 14 origins in freshwater and 10 in the deep sea, with known times ranging from the Cambrian to the Neogene. Shallow-water limpets are most diverse at midlatitudes; predation-resistant taxa are rare in cold water and absent in freshwater. These patterns contrast with the mainly Late Cretaceous and Caenozoic warm-water origins of features such as the labral tooth, enveloped shell, varices, and burrowing-enhancing sculpture that confer defensive and competitive benefits on molluscs.

Since the 1970s, in the aftermath of new social movements, the concept of refugees and migration in international politics has dominated both the academic discipline and public debates. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, more than 82.4 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced from their homes by the end of 2020, either as internally displaced persons (IDPs) or as refugees, as a result of violent conflict, persecution, famine, or natural disasters. Even in normal times, the lives of refugees and migrants are fraught with difficulties, but in the midst of an pandemic like Covid-19, this problem has taken on new dimensions. The only way to avoid the pandemic is to take precautions and maintain a safe distance from one another. These precautions are extremely difficult for refugees and migrants to take amidst a global pandemic. Keeping in mind the international efforts and the problems faced by refugees and migrants, this paper is an attempt to comprehend the challenges faced by refugees and migrants during Covid-19 and what global efforts have been made to mitigate the pandemic's impact on refugee and migrant life.

Abstract Intermittent streams are globally distributed, comprise over half the length of the global river network, and are expected to become more prevalent. However, most studies of intermittent streams are conducted at extremes of scale, are limited in taxonomic and temporal scope, and focus exclusively on drying patterns. Here, we assessed how both flow intermittency and orientation to perennial refuges affect aquatic invertebrates and aquatic and semiaquatic vertebrates across 2 years within two intermittent river basins differing in their aridity. We used loggers to characterize flow intermittency and wet–dry mapping to determine orientation to perennial refuges of reaches. In winter and summer 2015 and 2016, we collected and identified invertebrates and visually surveyed vertebrates. Using permutational multivariate analyses of variance with distance matrices, we found distinct invertebrate communities by basin, flow class (perennial or intermittent), and season, and distinct vertebrate communities by basin, and between flow classes and seasons in the more arid basin. Invertebrate communities had higher beta diversity in the more arid than mesic basin, whereas the opposite was true for vertebrates. We identified indicator species for all combinations of basin and flow class, perennial reaches combined from both basins, each basin, and some combinations of flow class and season within basins. Flow intermittency and orientation to perennial refuge predictors correlated well with both invertebrate and vertebrate communities. However, we did not find nestedness of communities that differed significantly from that expected by chance in response to increasing flow intermittency or distance to refuges. Lastly, basin, flow intermittency, and orientation to perennial refuge predictors were generally important for modeling taxon richness and densities, and richness and densities decreased with increasing flow intermittency and distance to perennial refuges. Collectively, our data suggest that intermittent streams harbor unique biodiversity, but also that some taxa have context‐dependent responses to intermittency and orientation to perennial refuges. These findings also suggest that future increases in stream drying are likely to lead to changes to stream communities with high potential for the loss of aquatic biodiversity.

Teenagers participating in a series of interviews over the course of their stay in domestic violence refuges described difficulties associated with the constraints of refuge life. Twenty young people reported experiences that connect to and challenge UN Convention on the Rights of the Child provisions and provide guidance on how refuges might strengthen their response and meet obligations to respect, protect and promote teenagers' rights. Recognition of teenage refuge experience is needed, alongside the provision of space, independence and privacy; support to recover from domestic violence and abuse; involvement in leisure activities; educational support; access to computers and online information; and increased opportunities for individual and collective decision making. The findings contribute to growing evidence that policy makers and other duty bearers need to develop adequate resourcing, attitudinal change, practice guidance, dedicated support, active engagement and participation, and collaborative work between agencies. Implementation strategies are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The limpet form - a cap-shaped or slipper-shaped univalved shell - convergently evolved in many gastropod lineages, but questions remain about when, how often, and under which circumstances it originated. Except for some predation-resistant limpets in shallow-water marine environments, limpets are not well adapted to intense competition and predation, leading to the prediction that they originated in refugial habitats where exposure to predators and competitors is low. A survey of fossil and living limpets indicates that the limpet form evolved independently in at least 54 lineages, with particularly frequent origins in early-diverging gastropod clades, as well as in Neritimorpha and Heterobranchia. There are at least 14 origins in freshwater and 10 in the deep sea, with known times ranging from the Cambrian to the Neogene. Shallow-water limpets are most diverse at midlatitudes; predation-resistant taxa are rare in cold water and absent in freshwater. These patterns contrast with the mainly Late Cretaceous and Caenozoic warm-water origins of features such as the labral tooth, enveloped shell, varices, and burrowing-enhancing sculpture that confer defensive and competitive benefits on molluscs.

Artificial refuges are human‐made structures that aim to create safe places for animals to breed, hibernate, or take shelter in lieu of natural refuges. Artificial refuges are used across the globe to mitigate the impacts of a variety of threats on wildlife, such as habitat loss and degradation. However, there is little understanding of the science underpinning artificial refuges, and what comprises best practice for artificial refuge design and implementation for wildlife conservation. We address this gap by undertaking a systematic review of the current state of artificial refuge research for the conservation of wildlife. We identified 224 studies of artificial refuges being implemented in the field to conserve wildlife species. The current literature on artificial refuges is dominated by studies of arboreal species, primarily birds and bats. Threatening processes addressed by artificial refuges were biological resource use (26%), invasive or problematic species (20%), and agriculture (15%), yet few studies examined artificial refuges specifically for threatened (Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered) species (7%). Studies often reported the characteristics of artificial refuges (i.e. refuge size, construction materials; 87%) and surrounding vegetation (35%), but fewer studies measured the thermal properties of artificial refuges (18%), predator activity (17%), or food availability (3%). Almost all studies measured occupancy of the artificial refuges by target species (98%), and over half measured breeding activity (54%), whereas fewer included more detailed measures of fitness, such as breeding productivity (34%) or animal body condition (4%). Evaluating the benefits and impacts of artificial refuges requires sound experimental design, but only 39% of studies compared artificial refuges to experimental controls, and only 10% of studies used a before‐after‐control‐impact (BACI) design. As a consequence, few studies of artificial refuges can determine their overall effect on individuals or populations. We outline a series of key steps in the design, implementation, and monitoring of artificial refuges that are required to avoid perverse outcomes and maximise the chances of achieving conservation objectives. This review highlights a clear need for increased rigour in studies of artificial refuges if they are to play an important role in wildlife conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The role of anthropogenically influenced habitats in conserving elements of the original wildlife has increased worldwide simultaneously with the disappearance of natural sites. Burial places are able to conserve original elements of the wildlife, and this fact has been known for at least a century. To this day, little is known about long‐time changes and the effect of long‐time management methods in cemeteries on the flora they harbor. The utility of historical maps in research focused on natural values, as well as in answering questions related to conservation was recently demonstrated, but the use of digitized historical maps in biodiversity research of the Carpathian Basin is very limited. In the present paper, we aimed to predict the conservation potential of long‐established and newly established cemeteries of Hungarian settlements with various population sizes based on the digitized maps of the 2nd Military Survey of the Austrian Empire (1819–1869), by categorizing cemeteries into 3 distinct (anthropogenic habitat, cemetery, or natural habitat) types. To build our models, we used records of the protected flora from Hungarian cemeteries, based on data of thematic botanical surveys of 991 cemeteries. Out of the surveyed cemeteries, 553 (56%) harbored protected plants, totaling 306.617 estimated individuals of 92 protected species, belonging to 28 plant families. These species represent 12% of the entire protected flora of Hungary. Hungarian cemeteries play a key role mainly in preserving steppe and dry grassland plant species. Long‐established and large cemeteries harbor more protected plant species than small and newly established ones. Human population size of the settlements correlated negatively with the number of protected species and individuals. Moreover, woodland cover and proportion of grassland also significantly positively affected the number of protected plant species in cemeteries.

Background: Resistance management in pesticide use is critical, yet grower practices, especially pesticide mixing motivations, diverge from theoretical frameworks. This study analyzes 30 years of Arizona cotton growers' practices and pest manager insights to understand mixing trends., Results: Growers predominantly mix pesticides for spectrum or efficacy, not resistance management. This highlights a gap between theory and practice, emphasizing the complexity of real-world dynamics. A shift over time towards selective insecticides and integrated pest management (IPM), supported by extension education, has reduced reliance on broad-spectrum insecticides and increased opportunities to conserve the natural enemies of key pests. This reduced the frequency of insecticide use, a mutual goal of both IPM and resistance management. The availability and adoption of selective products with diverse modes of action, along with the resulting increases in biological control and refuges, likely has delayed or prevented resistances without emphasis on using mixtures specifically for resistance management. In a disrupted system exclusively dependent on broad-spectrum insecticides (1991-1995), 75% ± 5% of cotton area was sprayed with mixtures of these materials. With the availability of selective insecticides, few broad-spectrum products are used today and mixtures of insecticides are sprayed on only 36% ± 3% of the cotton area (2015-2020)., Conclusion: Although mixing has theoretical relevance, it is diminishing in stable systems with diverse modes of action and adherence to moderation principles. Arizona cotton guidance prioritizes multi-crop refuges over mixtures for resistance management. Integrated research and education, targeting professional pest managers, are pivotal in advancing resistance management without mixtures specifically designed to prevent or mitigate resistance. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Invasive species often use habitat differently than native species and can benefit by occupying underutilized habitats during the invasion process. The Peter's Rock Agama (Agama picticauda)—native to savannahs of sub-Saharan Africa—is successfully invading urban habitats in Florida, USA. During a field trip in urban southern Florida, we observed apparently high A. picticauda abundance around dumpsters used for human refuse, potentially because dumpsters provide refuge, thermoregulatory opportunities, abundant arthropod prey, and harbor few competitors. In this study, we surveyed abundance and built resource selection functions to better understand habitat use of A. picticauda in urban southern Florida. We tested whether hypothesized habitat features predictably influenced the abundance and occupancy of A. picticauda among sites and whether individuals used specific habitat features within sites. Across sites, we found A. picticauda abundance was positively correlated with the number of dumpsters, and, within sites, dumpsters were preferentially selected as habitat. Similarly, we also found two other anthropogenic structures, building crevices and electrical units, were positively selected habitats at population and individual scales. We hypothesize that dumpsters, crevices, and electrical units are selected resources because they are underutilized habitats by other species and they provide refuge, beneficial thermoregulatory opportunities, and in the case of dumpsters, foraging opportunities. Our study provides the first quantitative assessment of urban habitat use by non-native A. picticauda, and supports the importance of human structures as habitat. Our results suggest the intriguing possibility that the A. picticauda invasion in Florida may be exploiting a vacant niche in urban habitats during the invasion process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In domesticated species, translocation of materials can alter natural demographic patterns; this may have occurred in Castanea sativa (European chestnut), a species conserved in several refuges, with a long domestication history for nut production. Bayesian analysis of population genetic structure in marginal areas and in the centre of C. sativa range, considering spatial information and making corrections for unbalanced size, allowed visualization of a genetic structure that was subsequently analysed by approximate Bayesian computation to assess its natural demographic history and test the origin of some hypothetical translocated germplasm. We obtained evidence of C. sativa population contraction during the earliest Pleistocene, resulting in a split into eastern (Greek) and western (Italian and Iberian) populations. The northern Iberian population, in the Eurosiberian area, is one of the vestiges that remained after the contraction that split the global Tertiary population. A secondary encounter, occurred from Middle to Upper Pleistocene, which explains the hybrid origin of the Western Mediterranean population present in Italy and in the centre and south of the Iberian Peninsula. It has been demonstrated that a germplasm translocation from Italy to the Central Iberian Range may have occurred. Recent translocations have hybridized with the local northern Iberian population, producing naturalized populations with high diversity. The populations of C. sativa in southwestern Europe have a genetic structure compatible with a natural origin, in which signs of population contractions and expansions caused by climatic oscillations since the Late Miocene have been imprinted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Field-Naturalist is the property of Ottawa Field Naturalists' Club and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Although migration has always been a timeless and volatile phenomenon, modern transnational movements of people have become a dominant topic of interest by constantly acquiring new characteristics that modify their evolutionary process. Europe is a geographical area that has been significantly affected by recent changes as a result of the evolution of migration flows of the last 30 years. The urgent need to initially understand and later implement evidence-based policies in order to sufficiently manage the migration phenomenon can be considered as the basic spark that led to the scientific blast of the 21st century, focusing on the gradual development of migration studies. One of the most notable efforts of the scientific community was the use of the comparison method to examine, understand, and in some cases even forecast the characteristics of specific migration case studies, thereby forming the backbone of comparative migration research in general. Greece, due to its geographical position, has been unintentionally positioned, many times, inside the so called "ring of fire", as result of multiple factors and disastrous events that evolved mainly in its neighbouring countries, forcing massive, irregular migration flows to its external borders. The outbreak of the Albanian exodus in the early 1990s and the recent refugee flows of 2015 can be described as two major migration crises that have occurred in Greek's contemporary history, making their comparison a fruitful example of the potential capabilities of the above-mentioned method, contributing to a holistic study of the migration phenomenon in Greece. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since European settlement Australian native mammals have experienced significant extinctions and severe declines in the range and abundance of populations. Longitudinal studies are required to identify declines and activate timely management. Population studies of native small mammal communities were conducted across the eastern Otway Ranges during 1975–2007; however, their subsequent status was unknown. We aimed to: compare the current occurrence and abundance of species and communities (2013–18) to those in previous decades across major vegetation communities (heathy woodland, low forest, sand heathland, headland scrub, coastal dunes and estuarine wetland), and identify change characteristics and management priorities. Live trapping was employed to assess mammals at 30 sites across seven vegetation communities. In total, 67% of sites exhibited large to severe decreases in abundance and only 3% of sites had more than four species compared to 27% in earlier decades. Declines occurred following wildfire and drought, with drivers likely to be multifactorial. While regional declines were significant, higher mammal abundance (two- to six-fold) and native species richness were recorded at coastal dune sites, indicating that this community provides important mammal refuges. Identification of refuges across the landscape and their protection from inappropriate fire and predators should be management priorities. Long-term studies of native small mammals across the eastern Otway Ranges found severe recent (2013–2018) regional decreases in abundance and species occurrence compared to earlier decades. Declines occurred following wildfire and drought with drivers likely to be multifactorial. However, higher mammal abundance (two to 6-fold) and species richness were recorded in coastal dune communities, indicating an important role as mammal refuges. Identification of refuges across the landscape and protection from inappropriate fire and predators are management priorities. Photograph by B. Wilson. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human activity affects plant and animal populations across local to global scales, and the management of recreation areas often aims to reduce such impacts. Specifically, by understanding patterns of human activity and its influence on animal populations, parks and recreation areas can be managed to provide spatial and temporal refuge to wildlife most sensitive to this type of human disturbance. However, additional research is necessary to understand how human activity influences wildlife populations, habitat use, and activity patterns for a diversity of wildlife species. We studied the potential impacts of human activity (as measured by nonmotorized recreationists) on populations and activity patterns of 12 mammal species, including herbivores and carnivores, from 63 motion‐activated cameras that sampled game trails and human trails with varying degrees of human activity along the Front Range of Colorado. Human activity was greatest during the day and minimal or absent during the night. All wildlife species in our study used human trails, although the extent to which human recreation altered the occupancy, relative habitat use, and activity patterns of wildlife varied across species, where some animals appeared to be more influenced by human activity than others. Some species (e.g., fox squirrel, red fox, and striped skunk) did not demonstrate a response to human activity. Other species (e.g., black bear, coyote, and mule deer) altered their activity patterns on recreation trails to be more active at night. Across all wildlife, the degree to which animals altered activity patterns on human trails was related to their natural activity patterns and how active they were during the day when human activity was greatest; species that exhibited greater overlap in natural activity patterns with humans demonstrated the greatest shifts in their activity, often exhibiting increased nocturnal activity. Further, some species (e.g., Abert's squirrel, bobcat, and mountain lion) exhibited reduced occupancy and/or habitat use in response to human recreation. Managing spatial and temporal refuges for wildlife would likely reduce the impacts of human recreation on animals that use habitat in proximity to trail networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Refuges that result from environmental heterogeneity within ecosystems have an important yet under-appreciated role in maintaining native community diversity in face of exotic invasion. The objective of our study was to determine if different refuge types constrain invasion impacts on native biodiversity at the whole ecosystem-scale of the Upper St. Lawrence River. We focused on the voracious round goby fish as a sentinel exotic species whose spatial distribution within this ecosystem is also representative of the species distributions of several other Ponto-Caspian invaders. We first explored if wetlands were acting as unknown refuges in reducing the local abundance of the round goby fish. We then tested the relative influence of a known broad-scale conductivity gradient compared with local wetlands on structuring the composition, diversity, and abundance of native macroinvertebrate and fish communities inside and outside each of these refuge types. We found that the two types of refuges, broad-scale conductivity gradient and local wetlands, limited round goby abundances at the whole ecosystem scale, and structured macroinvertebrate and fish community diversity. The broad-scale conductivity refuge was twice stronger than wetlands in limiting round goby abundance. Although wetlands were effective in constraining round goby abundance, the direct effect of wetlands rather than their indirect effects through limiting round goby abundance, were more powerful in explaining maintenance of macroinvertebrate and fish community diversity in invaded high conductivity waters. Our findings underscore the important role of environmental heterogeneity in producing different types of refuges that buffer invasion effects in freshwater ecosystems, and we advocate the preservation of wetlands as a part of this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Bien qu'une grande partie de la littérature sur l'itinérance porte principalement sur l'expérience des hommes, les femmes forment plus du quart de la population des sans-abri au Canada. Des études ont montré que les femmes en situation d'itinérance sont souvent cachées (c. à.-d. qu'elles sont logées provisoirement) et qu'à la fois le parcours qui les a menées à l'itinérance et leurs besoins sont différents de ceux des hommes. Cette recherche vise à cibler des interventions fondées sur des données probantes et des pratiques exemplaires aptes à mieux soutenir les femmes en situation ou à risque d'itinérance. Méthodologie. Nous avons effectué un examen de la portée accompagné d'une analyse fondée sur le sexe et l'équité. Pour ce faire, nous avons effectué des recherches dans MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO et d'autres bases de données afin de sélectionner les revues systématiques et les essais randomisés. Nous avons complété ces recherches par un passage en revue des références et de la littérature grise puis nous avons effectué une synthèse qualitative des données probantes portant sur les éléments liés au genre et à l'équité. Résultats. Des 4 102 articles axés sur les interventions auprès de sans-abri que nous avons recensés, seuls 4 revues systématiques et 9 essais randomisés portaient exclusivement sur des femmes ou contenaient des données désagrégées permettant d'effectuer une analyse comparative entre les sexes. Parmi les interventions comportant les données les plus solides, mentionnons le counseling sur la défense des intérêts des femmes qui, après un passage en refuge, se retrouvent en situation d'itinérance pour cause de violence familiale, ainsi que la gestion de cas et les subventions pour un logement fixe (comme des bons d'aide au logement pour les locataires). Chacune de ces interventions a permis non seulement de réduire l'itinérance, l'insécurité alimentaire, l'exposition à la violence et la détresse psychosociale mais aussi de promouvoir la stabilité scolaire et le bien-être des enfants. Conclusion. Une grande partie des données probantes sur les interventions visant à offrir un meilleur soutien aux femmes en situation d'itinérance porte sur les femmes qui accèdent à des refuges destinés aux victimes de violence familiale ou aux familles. Puisque bien davantage de femmes sont en situation ou à risque d'itinérance cachée, il faut également utiliser des stratégies axées sur l'ensemble de la population afin de réduire les inégalités de genre et l'exposition à la violence, deux des principaux facteurs structurels de l'itinérance chez les femmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Refuges can be ecologically important, allowing access only to some species or individuals and providing prey protection from predators. Creation of refuges can be used to protect threatened species from introduced predators, which can have large negative impacts that are difficult to attenuate via other means. To design refuges for conservation purposes, refuge accessibility to different species must be understood. Traditional techniques are not adequate to measure or describe complex three‐dimensional spaces which are often important refuges. We designed a novel predictive method for modeling three‐dimensional refuge space using video game software that simulates real‐world physics (Unity, PhysX). We use the study system of endemic New Zealand skinks (Oligosoma spp.), their introduced predators, house mice (Mus musculus), and the habitat of interstitial spaces within rock piles to demonstrate how this modeling technique can be used to inform design of habitat enhancement for conservation. We used video game software to model realistic rock piles and measure their interstitial spaces, and found that the spaces we predicted matched those we measured in real rock piles using computed tomography (CT) scanning. We used information about the sizes of gaps accessible to skinks and mice and the results of our modeling to determine the optimal size of rocks to create refuges which would protect skinks from mice. We determined the ideal rock size to be those with graded diameters of 20–40 mm. The approach we developed could be used to describe interstitial spaces in habitats as they naturally occur, or it could be applied to design habitats to benefit particular species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women's refuges play a crucial role in responding to the needs of women and children experiencing family violence; yet there has been limited research conducted into their operations, practices and challenges faced. This article is informed by critical social work's theoretical tradition of seeking to end social injustice and analyses key opportunities and challenges of providing refuge amidst a neo-liberal context. We draw on interviews and focus groups with service providers and women who had sought access to a refuge, from a study that was undertaken following the Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence in Australia. We found widespread practices by refuges to support social justice for women and children experiencing family violence, as well as challenges and constraints, substantially linked to resource limitations consistent with neo-liberal policies. This research shines a light on innovative refuge practice in local contexts identifying feminist social justice and intersectional practices aligned with critical social work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]