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BACKGROUND: Behavioral and psychological signs and symptoms of dementia (BPSD) belong to the core symptoms of dementia and are also common in mild cognitive impairment (MCI). OBJECTIVE: This study would like to contribute to the understanding of the prognostic role of BPSD in MCI for the progression to dementia due to Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS: Data were generated through an ongoing prospective longitudinal study on BPSD. Assessment was performed by means of the Middelheim Frontality Score, Behave-AD, Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory, Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD), and Geriatric Depression Scale 30-questions (GDS-30). Cox proportional hazard models were used to test the hypothesis that certain BPSD in MCI are predictors of developing AD. RESULTS: The study population consisted of 183 MCI patients at baseline. At follow-up, 74 patients were stable and 109 patients progressed to AD. The presence of significant depressive symptoms in MCI as measured by the CSDD (HR: 2.06; 95% CI: 1.23-3.44; p = 0.011) and the GDS-30 (HR: 1.77; 95% CI: 1.10-2.85; p = 0.025) were associated with progression to AD. The severity of depressive symptoms as measured by the GDS-30 was a predictor for progression too (HR: 1.06; 95% CI: 1.01-1.11; p = 0.020). Furthermore, the severity of agitated behavior, especially verbal agitation and the presence of purposeless activity, was also associated with progression, whereas diurnal rhythm disturbances were associated with no progression to AD. CONCLUSION: Depressive symptoms in MCI appear to be predictors for progression to AD.

This thesis focuses on the positive interaction ‘feeding facilitation’ which is predicted to occur in assemblages of large and small(er) herbivore species. The main hypothesis of the research is that introduced large herbivores facilitate rabbits (medium-sized herbivores) by modification of the vegetation. This modification involves creating short swards, creating denser (more productive) swards, creating swards that have a high food quality for rabbits and influencing vegetation composition. By conducting field observation, semi-controlled field experiments up to entirely controlled feeding experiments, we tried to test several aspects of the main hypothesis. From our results, we conclude that the main hypothesis could not be affirmed, although some causal mechanisms of feeding facilitation have been affirmed. We suggest that feeding facilitation is not necessarily absent, but is hard to detect or is not present under particular conditions. Experimental research is needed for further unravelling causal mechanisms about feeding facilitation and alternative approaches, while field observations remain necessary to gain insight into other variables (e.g. habitat productivity, predators, food accessibility, seasonality) that may shift the balance between the occurrence and absence of feeding facilitation.

We describe a field experiment for examining the impact of wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus L.) on the vegetation in two Flemish coastal dune grasslands. When numerous, rabbits had a major impact on the vegetation. This impact can be considered positive in the case of the studied grasslands, as evidenced by a decreasing abundance by dominant grass species and a declining species richness. The decrease of the number of rabbits, due to VHS, may hence negatively affect dune grassland species richness. Introducing large herbivores can be part of the solution for preserving the dune grasslands, and this introduction may even have positive effects on rabbit populations through feeding facilitation.

Een verkennend onderzoek naar de best practices van autochtone en allochtone organisaties die actief zijn op het grensvlak van allochtonen en natuur. Via literatuurstudie en interviews blijkt in hoeverre activiteiten van deze organisaties voldoen aan voorwaarden voor het slagen ervan. Deze voorwaarden zijn procesmatig (contact met de doelgroep, en het gebruik van wervende materialen en mediakanalen) en inhoudelijk (aansluiting bij de beleving én de praktijk van de doelgroep) uitgewerkt. An exploratory investigation of the best practice of indigenous and immigrant organisations which are active at the interface between immigrants and nature. Literature study and interviews were used to discover to what extent the activities of these organisations meet the conditions for them to succeed. These conditions have been worked out partly in terms of process (contact with the target group, and the use of publicity material and media channels) and partly in terms of content (relevance to the perceptions and practices of the target group).

Een verkennend onderzoek over natuurbeelden van allochtonen en hun omgang met natuur, waarbij de vraag is op welke manieren allochtonen betrokken kunnen worden bij natuur in Nederland. Uit de literatuurstudie en diepte-interviews met allochtonen uit verschillende groepen blijkt dat het gebruiksaspect van natuur en het thuis raken in een vreemd land een belangrijke rol spelen. Door het migratieproces heeft men de vertrouwde sociale omgeving verlaten en de natuurlijke omgeving waarmee men zich kon identificeren. Kennismaking met natuur in Nederland, zowel bij inburgering als bij de opvoeding van kinderen, kan hierbij een positieve bijdrage leveren.

Een verkennend onderzoek naar de bijdrage aan het draagvlak voor het natuurbeleid door organisaties met activiteiten gerelateerd aan natuur. (Recreatie, groen werken en leven, kunst en gezondheid). Uit literatuurstudie en interviews blijkt dat deze organisaties het draagvlak voor natuur ruimer zien en een meer tot de verbeelding sprekende communicatie hanteren dan de rijksoverheid. A pilot study of the contribution of social organisations (outdoor recreation, green works and lifestyle, culture and health care) to support nature policy. Results from literature and interviews show that these organisations give a broader significance to nature support and use a more appealing communication strategy.