The development of integrated conservation strategies based on environmental science and psychology: a case of study of the freshwater pearl mussel

The freshwater pearl mussel (FPM) is an iconic bivalve mollusc whose presence in rivers is assumed to indicate a healthy, bio-diverse ecosystem, capable of providing a range of goods and services. However, excessive sedimentation has been shown consistently to have detrimental effects on FPM, at both the juvenile and adult life stages. As a major source of diffuse river pollution, previous studies have shown erosion rates rising with increasing precipitation, suggesting also increased risk under wetter, future climates. So far, however, most erosion studies have been at the small plot scale and hence it is not possible to make predictions at the catchment scale where risk assessments for FPM are most relevant. Furthermore, little research has focussed on how work to remediate sediment delivery might affect public appreciation of rivers as highly valued landscape features. This research focussed on three typical FPM rivers in the UK: the Ehen catchment in Northern England; the Conwy in North Wales and the Dee in East Scotland and asked 1) How will climate change predictions for the period 2010 – 2039 affect soil erosion at the catchment scale? 2) What factors influence public attitudes towards rivers, the FPM, and mitigation measures to control sediment movement? and 3) Can habitat management for FPMs take into account climate-driven environmental change and social values when constructing conservation goals? In respect of the first aim, the Pan-European Soil Erosion Risk assessment model, PESERA, showed that whilst soil erosion rates increased with rising precipitation, land cover was a more dominant driver of erosion rates over the period studied (2010-2039). Despite being flatter, arable land had higher erosion rates than those from forested portions of each catchment, which were in regions of steeper topography. Secondly, based on a mixture of qualitative focus groups and quantitative surveys, the majority of people had positive attitudes toward rivers, both in a general and local sense. The FPM was not a well-known aquatic species but information about possible human or ecological beneficiaries of mitigation to control sediment delivery into rivers did not affect how acceptable these measures were perceived to be. Factors increasing acceptability of mitigation measures included natural looking scenes that were accessible. In contrast, concerns about impacts on agriculture and food production led to lower levels of acceptability. Finally, this research highlighted crossovers between FPM habitat needs and ideal river scenes from a public perspective and concluded that social values of riverscapes can be included in habitat management plans for the FPM, without compromising conservation goals. A case study exemplifying the methodology used to do this, using the Dee catchment, Scotland and future scenarios from the National Ecosystem Assessment showed that conservation measures in aid of the FPM can accommodate different land management priorities and societal needs. As one of the first studies to assess interactions between evidence from physical sciences, ecology and public perception for an iconic species, this research is expected to have far reaching consequences for public policy, land management practices and river conservation. At a policy level, this includes the ways in which environmental practices can accommodate the social values identified within this research to allow a more holistic approach to ecosystem management; for on the ground practitioners, this research will influence how ecologically important but socially unfamiliar species are managed and how the impacts of land management are assessed both temporally, (to include the impacts of future climate change), spatially, (to take account of catchment wide effects) and socially (to examine social acceptability of different management options)

Coastal flooding and frontline health care services: challenges for flood risk resilience in the English health care system.

Objectives Our objective was to assess the health care system impacts associated with the December 2013 east coast flooding in Boston, Lincolnshire, in order to gain an insight into the capacity of the health care sector to respond to high-impact weather. Methods Semistructured interviews were held with regional strategic decision makers and local service managers within 1 km of the recorded flood outline to ascertain their experiences, views and reflections concerning the event and its associated health impacts and disruption to health care services. A snowballing sampling technique was used to ensure the study had participants across a broad range of expertise. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim, and data analysis was preformed using NVivo (v10) to apply a thematic coding and develop a framework of ideas. Results The results of this case study provide a vital insight into the health care disruption caused by flooding. All sectors of the health care system suffered disruption, which placed a strain on the whole system and reduced the capacity of the sector to respond to the health consequences of flooding and delivering routine health care. The formal recovery phase in Lincolnshire was stood-down on 4th February 2014. The results of this work indicate limitations in preparedness of the health care system for the reasonable worse-case scenario for an east coast surge event. Conclusions The health care sector appears to have limited capacity to respond to weather-related impacts and is therefore unprepared for the risks associated with a future changing climate. Further work is required to ensure that the health care system continues to review and learn from such events to increase climate resilience. </jats:sec

Experiences of patients with traumatic brain injury and their carers during transition from in-patient rehabilitation to the community: a qualitative study

Purpose: To explore the experiences of individuals who have had a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and their carers in the first month post-discharge from in-patient rehabilitation into living in the community. Method: Using a qualitative approach underpinned by critical realism, we explored the narratives of 10 patients and nine carers using semi-structured interviews approximately one month post-discharge. Thematic analysis was carried out independently by two researchers. Results: Firstly, perceptions of support were mixed but many patients and carers felt unsupported in the inpatient phase, during transitions between units and when preparing for discharge. Secondly, they struggled to accept a new reality of changed abilities, loss of roles and loss of autonomy. Thirdly, early experiences post-discharge exacerbated fears for the future. Conclusions: Most patients and carers struggled to identify a cohesive plan that supported their transition to living in the community. Access to services required much persistence on the part of carers and tended to be short-term, and therefore did not meet their long-term needs. We propose the need for a case manager to be involved at an early stage of their rehabilitation and act as a key point for information and access to on-going rehabilitation and other support services

Influence of ambient temperature on in-shoe foot temperature kinetics during a 40-minute treadmill walk

There are two competing drivers for foot temperature during exercise and they seem to be related to thermoregulatory vasodilation and reflex vasoconstriction, associated with the exercise. However, the pattern of change in foot temperature kinetics during exercise has not been described previously. This study provides continuous measurement data of ambulatory foot temperature in different ambient temperatures aiming to provide insight into the influence of climate on ambulatory foot temperature kinetics. These results, in healthy participants provide the first data on foot temperature kinetics during exercise in individuals living in a Mediterranean climate, and provide the foundation for the use of this type of technology in clinical contexts including the evaluation of patients at risk of foot ulceration.peer-reviewe