The human population is rapidly urbanizing. While this will undoubtedly present challenges for humans it will also place pressure on birds in these areas. To better manage these spaces in a manner that promotes avian biodiversity, we must first come to understand how human development affects the distribution and abundance of bird species and guilds within cities and if patterns observed previously in large cities can be extended to smaller ones. Breeding birds were surveyed along a gradient of increasing urbanization in Iowa City, Iowa, during the summers of 2014 and 2015. Study areas included a forested park, recreational park, low density residential area, medium density residential area, high density/mixed-use area, and urban core. Birds were censused a total of four times at each site using variable circular plot counts. Landscape characteristics were measured using a high resolution land cover dataset and tree canopy model. Regression models were developed to investigate relationships between the bird community and land cover characteristics. Bird species richness, diversity, and evenness all decreased with increasing urbanization, while biomass and the number of individuals peaked in the urban core. The community shifted from non-native, resident, granivorous, multi-brooding building nesters in highly developed areas to native, migrant, invertivorous, single-brooding, tree and tree cavity nesters at the least developed sites. Regression models indicated varied relationships among landscape characteristics and species richness and community prevalence of functional guilds. Native, migratory, invertivorous, tree cavity-nesting, and single-brooding species showed negative relationships to variables measuring the built environment, while non-native, resident, granivorous, building nesting, and multi-brooding species showed positive relationships to these measures. Overall, the response of avian functional guilds to varying levels of urban intensity in Iowa City were remarkably similar to the results of previous studies. This suggests that much of what has been learned previously concerning avian responses to human development can be extended to planning and implementing conservation strategies in smaller cities.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Urban green areas can provide many feeding resources and conditions to harbor some animal species, especially small ones as insects. To analyze the diversity of butterflies in urban green areas in Santa Maria municipality, state of Rio Grande do Sul, 12 entomological net field samplings were carried out monthly from August 2010 to July 2011 on a gradient of urbanization. Sampling areas were: Presidente Vargas agene (PV) and Itaimbé Park (IP), located downtown, and Cemetery St. Rita (CSR), Mariano da Rocha Hill Monument (MMR) and Domingues Farm (SD). In 360 sampling hours, 2531 individuals were registered and distributed in 132 species. Of these, 57,36% belonged to the family Nymphalidae, 15,96% to Hesperiidae, 14,02% to Pieridae, 12,54% to Papilionidae, 2,68% to Lycaenidae and 2,37% to Riodinidae. Three butterfly species are new records for the State and 22 to Santa Maria municipality. SD presented the greatest richness and abundance of species and PV the lowest ones. About 33,33% of the species were exclusive from each one of the areas and 25% of these were singletons. Diversity indices of Shannon-Wiener and Margalef were higher in PV and PI and lower in SD. The dominance index of Simpson and Berger-Parker, were among representative at PV and PI in SD. The NMDS ordination showed a clear segregation of the studied areas, due to the urban gradient evaluated, forming distinct groups among themselves, peripheral and downtown areas, confirmed by the similarity analysis. The analysis showed that the percentage of dissimilarity of Pyrgus orcus (Stoll, 1780) and Junonia evarete (Cramer 1779) had a greater contribution to the differentiation of areas. The similarity between the species composition in peripheral areas was 48,45%, highlighting Actinote melanisans Oberthür, 1917 and Phoebis neocypris neocypris (Hübner, [1823]). The similarity of the downtown areas was 50,20%, greatest contribution of Hermeuptychia hermes (Fabricius 1775) and Junonia evarete (Cramer, 1779). Of all environmental variables measured, only "temperature" was correlated with the abundance of butterflies. Concluding, the butterfly fauna of urban green areas of Santa Maria municipality was very rich and abundant and had its diversity declined with the increasing urbanization gradient. / Áreas verdes urbanas podem proporcionar muitos recursos alimentares e condições para abrigar algumas espécies animais, especialmente os de pequeno porte como os insetos.Visando analisar a diversidade de borboletas em áreas verdes urbanas de Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, foram realizadas 12 saídas a campo mensais, através da procura ativa com redes entomológicas, entre agosto de 2010 e julho de 2011, em um gradiente urbano. Os locais de amostragem foram: Avenida Presidente Vargas (PV) e Parque Itaimbé (PI) no centro da cidade, e Cemitério Santa Rita de Cássia (CSR), Monumento do Morro Mariano da Rocha (MMR) e Sítio Domingues (SD) na periferia da cidade. Em 360 horas de amostragem, foram registrados 2531 indivíduos, distribuídos em 132 espécies. Destes, 57,36% pertenceram a família Nymphalidae, 15,96% a Hesperiidae, 14,02% a Pieridae, 12,54% a Papilionidae, 2,68% a Lycaenidae e 2,37% a Riodinidae. Foram registradas três espécies de borboletas ainda não descritas para o estado e 22 para Santa Maria. SD apresentou maior riqueza e abundância de espécies. A menor riqueza e abundância foi observada em PV. Cerca de 33,33% foram exclusivas de um dos locais, destes 25% foram singletons . Os índices de diversidade de Shannon-Wiener e de Margalef tiveram a mesma ordenação entre os locais, sendo maiores em SD e menores em PV. Os índices de dominância de Simpson e de Berger- Parker, por sua vez, foram mais representativos em PV e PI e menos em SD. A ordenação do NMDS evidenciou uma nítida segregação dos locais estudados, em decorrência do gradiente urbano avaliado, formando dois grupos distintos: áreas urbanas periféricas e centrais. Esses resultados foram confirmados pela análise de similaridade. A análise de porcentagem de dissimilaridade mostrou que Pyrgus orcus (Stoll, 1780) e Junonia evarete (Cramer 1779) tiveram maior contribuição para a diferenciação de áreas urbanas periféricas e centrais. A similaridade entre a composição de espécies de borboletas das áreas periféricas foi 48,45%, destacando-se Actinote melanisans Oberthür, 1917 e Phoebis neocypris neocypris (Hübner, [1823]). Já a similaridade das áreas centrais foi 50,20%, com maior contribuição de Hermeuptychia hermes (Fabricius 1775) e Junonia evarete (Cramer, 1779). De todas variáveis ambientais mensuradas, apenas temperatura apresentou relação com a abundância de borboletas. Em suma, a fauna de borboletas de áreas verdes urbanas do município de Santa Maria foi muito rica e abundante e sua diversidade diminuiu com o aumento do gradiente de urbanização.

<p>This thesis is based on two independent studies, the first in Stockholm County (index year 1984; n=302), and the second, a replication and validation study, in Uppsala County (index year 1991; n=455).</p><p>The general aim was to study all individuals with Long-term Functional Psychosis (LFP) within the two counties of Sweden from an epidemiological perspective and to perform specific studies on a subgroup of individuals with schizophrenia. In the Stockholm study, the total one-year LFP prevalence was 5.3/1 000; in the the rural, suburban and urban areas it was 3.4, 5.6 and 6.6/1 000, respectively. The total one-year prevalence of LFP in Uppsala was 7.3/1 000; in the rural, peripheral city and central city areas it was 6.0, 7.0, and 8.7/1 000, respectively.</p><p>Within the non-schizophrenic subpopulation, a pronounced difference was demonstrated between the two studies with substantially higher prevalence rates in the Uppsala study. The schizophrenic subgroup in Uppsala was re-diagnosed using parallel diagnostic systems (DSM-III, DSM-III-R, DSM-IV and ICD-10), and reasonably comparable prevalence estimates were obtained.</p><p>In both studies antipsychotic drugs were most frequently prescribed for the patients with schizophrenia, and the doses were considered as low to moderate. In the Uppsala study the doses of antipsychotic drugs decreased with a longer duration of illness, while the opposite was found in the Stockholm study.</p><p>The increased mortality rate among patients with schizophrenia was mainly due to unnatural causes of death and cardiovascular diseases, particularly among males.</p><p>The main methodological differences between the two studies were in the sampling procedures. In the Uppsala study, a larger number of care facilities were screened, and a broader set of diagnostic criteria were used for identifying cases from different registers.</p>

This thesis is based on two independent studies, the first in Stockholm County (index year 1984; n=302), and the second, a replication and validation study, in Uppsala County (index year 1991; n=455). The general aim was to study all individuals with Long-term Functional Psychosis (LFP) within the two counties of Sweden from an epidemiological perspective and to perform specific studies on a subgroup of individuals with schizophrenia. In the Stockholm study, the total one-year LFP prevalence was 5.3/1 000; in the the rural, suburban and urban areas it was 3.4, 5.6 and 6.6/1 000, respectively. The total one-year prevalence of LFP in Uppsala was 7.3/1 000; in the rural, peripheral city and central city areas it was 6.0, 7.0, and 8.7/1 000, respectively. Within the non-schizophrenic subpopulation, a pronounced difference was demonstrated between the two studies with substantially higher prevalence rates in the Uppsala study. The schizophrenic subgroup in Uppsala was re-diagnosed using parallel diagnostic systems (DSM-III, DSM-III-R, DSM-IV and ICD-10), and reasonably comparable prevalence estimates were obtained. In both studies antipsychotic drugs were most frequently prescribed for the patients with schizophrenia, and the doses were considered as low to moderate. In the Uppsala study the doses of antipsychotic drugs decreased with a longer duration of illness, while the opposite was found in the Stockholm study. The increased mortality rate among patients with schizophrenia was mainly due to unnatural causes of death and cardiovascular diseases, particularly among males. The main methodological differences between the two studies were in the sampling procedures. In the Uppsala study, a larger number of care facilities were screened, and a broader set of diagnostic criteria were used for identifying cases from different registers.

The major human activities that have transformed the Earth include agriculture and urbanization. The present study was conducted to contribute to a description of the effect on birds of urbanization and agriculture in an Indian region. Terrestrial bird assemblages were censused along a five-stage urbanisation gradient between January and April 2010-2013 near the city of Amravati, on the Deccan Plateau, Central India. Altogether, 89 species of birds were recorded, with the highest species richness in the rural areas (67 species) and lowest in the urban stage (29 species). The assemblages were significantly nested in all the five stages. Maximum cumulative species abundance (12 399 individuals over four years) was found in the urban stage, and was due to the constant presence of large groups of Rose-ringed Parakeets (Psittacula krameri). The lowest bird abundance was found in the industrial zone (4837 in total), where there was also a nearly two-fold decrease from 2010 to 2013. Thirty-six species demonstrated significant variation in their densities at least in one stage and between at least two months (p&lt;0.05). Densities of 13.9% (n=5) of those species varied significantly in two stages, that of Copsychus saularis in three stages, and of Phoenicurus ochruros, in all five stages. Urban, suburban, periurban and forest stages were characterised by relatively stable species densities (significant changes observed only for 17.2% (n=5), 17.1% (n=6), 12.9% (n=7), and 17.8% (n=16) species, respectively). The additive diversity partitioning indicated that of the overall diversity (gamma-diversity), alpha diversity (within transects located within one stage) contributed 50.1% to the total diversity, and the controbution of within-stage variability was small (2.7%). Additionally, censuses on cultivated fields were taken. In two areas under mixed cropping systems, 53 bird species were identified in the two years period between June and December, 2011 and 2012. Out of the 53 detected species, only 14 were common (recorded at ≥50% of visits). Twenty-one species were recorded at Zadgaon in crops of tur (Cajanus cajan), cotton (Gossypium arboreum) and soybean (Glycine max). Nineteen species were recorded at Bhankhed in jawar (Sorghum bicolor), cotton and mung bean (Phaseolus aureus). At Zadgaon, territorial activity was observed in four species: the House Sparrow (Passer domesticus), Jungle Babbler (Turdoides striata), Yellow-eyed Babbler (Chrysomma sinense) and Red-wattled Lapwing (Vanellus indicus). The study indicated that four bird species were found under high risk, thirteen species at medium risk and eight species at low risk due to pesticide applications in croplands. The extent of crop damage in fields of groundnut, pearl millet, peas, sorghum, and sunflower was assessed by doing actual field censuses. The sustainable solution for reducing crop damage is a need for the farmers and such techniques will help to avoid direct or indirect effects of use of lethal bird control techniques on bird species diversity. / <p>QC 20141022</p>