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Boolchandani H, Chen L, Elder RW, Osborn R, Phatak UP, Puthenpura V, Sheares BJ, Tiyyagura G, Amster L, Lee S, Langhan ML. Identifying Gender and Racial Bias in Pediatric Fellowship Letters of Recommendation: Do Word Choices Influence Interview Decisions? J Pediatr 2024; 265:113843. [PMID: 37995931 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2023.113843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To describe linguistic differences in letters of recommendation (LORs) for pediatric fellowship candidates based on applicant and letter writer demographics and to examine if these differences influenced the decision to interview a candidate for a fellowship position. STUDY DESIGN LORs for applicants to 8 pediatric subspecialty fellowships at a single academic center from the 2020 Match were analyzed in this cross-sectional study. Frequency of validated agentic and communal terms in each letter were determined by a language processing web application. Bias was determined as having a >5% surplus of agentic or communal terms. RESULTS We analyzed 1521 LORs from 409 applicants: 69% were women, 28% were under-represented minorities in medicine (URM), and 50% were invited to interview. Overall, 66% of LORs were agentic biased, 16% communal biased, and 19% neutral. There was no difference in bias in LORs by an applicant's gender (woman 67% agentic vs man 62% agentic; P = .058), race, or ethnicity (non-URM 65% agentic vs URM 67% agentic; P = .660). Despite a lower frequency of agentic terms in LORs for applicants invited for interviews, when accounting for other components of an application and applicant demographics, no significant association was made between language bias in LORs and fellowship interview status. CONCLUSIONS The frequency of agentic and communal terms in LORs for pediatric subspecialty fellowship candidates were not found to influence the decision to invite a candidate to interview. However, raising awareness of potential areas of bias within the pediatric fellowship selection process might lead to a more equitable and holistic approach to application review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henna Boolchandani
- Department of Pediatrics at Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Laura Chen
- Section of Pediatric Pulmonology, Allergy, Immunology, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Pediatrics at Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Robert W Elder
- Section of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics at Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Rachel Osborn
- Section of Pediatric Hospital Medicine, Department of Pediatrics at Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Uma P Phatak
- Section of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Pediatrics at Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Vidya Puthenpura
- Section of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics at Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Beverley J Sheares
- Section of Pediatric Pulmonology, Allergy, Immunology, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Pediatrics at Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Gunjan Tiyyagura
- Section of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics at Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | | | - Seohyuk Lee
- Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Melissa L Langhan
- Section of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics at Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.
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Ostwald MM, Venegas VA, Seltmann KC. Social conditions facilitate water conservation in a solitary bee. J Insect Sci 2024; 24:4. [PMID: 38308818 PMCID: PMC10838145 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/ieae001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
Climatic stressors are important drivers in the evolution of social behavior. Social animals tend to thrive in harsh and unpredictable environments, yet the precise benefits driving these patterns are often unclear. Here, we explore water conservation in forced associations of a solitary bee (Melissodes tepidus timberlakei Cockerell, 1926) to test the hypothesis that grouping can generate synergistic physiological benefits in an incipient social context. Paired bees displayed mutual tolerance and experienced reduced water loss relative to singleton bees when exposed to acute low-humidity stress, with no change in activity levels. While the mechanism underlying these benefits remains unknown, social advantages like these can facilitate the evolution of cooperation among nonrelatives and offer important insights into the social consequences of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine M Ostwald
- Cheadle Center for Biodiversity & Ecological Restoration, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Valentina A Venegas
- Cheadle Center for Biodiversity & Ecological Restoration, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Katja C Seltmann
- Cheadle Center for Biodiversity & Ecological Restoration, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
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Ellett T, Zanolli N, Weber JM, Erkanli A, Rosette AS, Dotters-Katz SK, Davidson B. Gender and Language in Letters of Recommendation for Obstetrics and Gynecology Fellowship Applications. J Surg Educ 2023; 80:1424-1431. [PMID: 37580240 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsurg.2023.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To delineate the use of gender-biased language in letters of recommendation for Obstetrics and Gynecology fellowships and its impact on applicants. DESIGN Fellowship letters of recommendation from 4 Obstetrics and Gynecology specialties at a single institution in 2020 were included. PRIMARY OUTCOME frequency of agentic and communal language in letters of recommendation using Linguistics Inquiry Word Count software. SECONDARY OUTCOMES letter of recommendation length and language utilization by author gender and applicant success measured by interviews and match success. Marginal models were fit to determine if language varied by applicant and writer gender and subspecialty. Modified Poisson regression models were used to determine associations between language and interview receipt. SETTING Single academic institution (Duke University); 2020 OB/GYN fellowship application cycle. PARTICIPANTS A total of 1216 letters of recommendation submitted by 326 unique applicants for OB/GYN subspecialty fellowships at our institution. RESULTS Rates of gender-biased language were low (Agentic:1.3%; communal: 0.8%). Agentic term use did not vary by applicant or author gender (p = 0.78 and 0.16) Male authors utilized 19% fewer communal terms than females (p < 0.001). Each 0.25% increase in agentic language was associated with an 18% reduction in the probability of interview invitation at our institution (p = 0.004). Percentage of agentic or communal language was not associated with successful matching into any subspecialty. CONCLUSIONS No differences in agentic vs communal language based on applicant gender were found in this cohort, though female letter writers wrote longer letters with more communal terms. Increasing agentic terms negatively impacted interview invitation but did not affect successful matching.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tressa Ellett
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina Hospitals, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Nicole Zanolli
- Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Jeremy M Weber
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Alaattin Erkanli
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina
| | | | - Sarah K Dotters-Katz
- Duke Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Duke University Health System, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Brittany Davidson
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Health System, Durham, North Carolina.
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LaPergola JB, Savagian AG, Smith MG, Bennett BL, Strong MJ, Riehl C. Referential signaling in a communally breeding bird. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2222008120. [PMID: 37126672 PMCID: PMC10175827 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2222008120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Referential signaling, a complex form of communication in which specific signals are associated with external referents, was once thought to be limited to primates. Recent research has documented referential signaling in several other cooperative taxa, predominantly in kin-based societies. Here, we show that greater anis, communally nesting birds that breed in nonkin groups, give one type of alarm call in response to aerial threats (flying raptors) and another to more general threats (nonaerial predators). Observational data show that anis give these calls in response to different classes of threats, and playback experiments in the field confirmed that the alarm calls alone are sufficient to elicit appropriate behavioral responses even in the absence of an actual threat. Genetic data on a subset of groups confirmed that breeding groups are composed of nonkin, suggesting that referential alarm calls are often given in situations when no genetic relatives are present. These results suggest that complex referential communication can occur in social groups composed of nonrelatives, despite the absence of kin-selected fitness benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua B LaPergola
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544
| | - Amanda G Savagian
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544
| | - Maria G Smith
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544
| | - Breanna L Bennett
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544
| | - Meghan J Strong
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544
| | - Christina Riehl
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544
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Tremmel M, Wahl I. Gender stereotypes in leadership: Analyzing the content and evaluation of stereotypes about typical, male, and female leaders. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1034258. [PMID: 36777214 PMCID: PMC9912935 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1034258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Previous research often examined gender stereotypes in leadership with ratings on predetermined gendered characteristics concerning leaders' agency and communality (i.e., explicit measures). The aim of the present study was to broaden the understanding of gender stereotypes in leadership by taking more subtle approaches, that focus on what men and women actually ascribe to typical, male, and female leaders and how they implicitly evaluate them. Methods An online survey collected (a) free associations which reflect social representations (e.g., dominant, empathic), (b) evaluations of the given associations as negative, neutral, or positive, and (c) ratings on Peabody's semantic differential combining non-gendered adjective pairs to an evaluative component of a typical leader, a male leader, and a female leader. Results Using the approach of social representations by analyzing 2,842 free associations from 194 participants shows the predominant gender stereotypes. Ratings of the free associations revealed that women evaluate characteristics associated with female leaders more negatively than those associated with typical leaders and male leaders. By contrast, using the evaluative component of non-gendered adjective pairs shows that typical and female leaders were often rated more positively than male leaders and that women were more likely to devalue male leaders. Discussion Directly asking about leaders (i.e., associations) might retrieve participants' gender stereotypes, whereas when using non-direct questions (i.e., evaluation component of adjective pairs) gender stereotypes might be less prominent. Thus, when evaluating leaders, practitioners and researchers should consider whether these evaluations were obtained explicitly or implicitly to assess potential influences of gender stereotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Tremmel
- Business Administration and Psychology, FernFH Distance-Learning University of Applied Sciences, Wiener Neustadt, Austria
| | - Ingrid Wahl
- Business Administration and Psychology, FernFH Distance-Learning University of Applied Sciences, Wiener Neustadt, Austria,Department of Communication, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria,*Correspondence: Ingrid Wahl, ✉
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Roberts-McEwen TA, Deutsch EK, Mowery MA, Grinsted L. Group-Living Spider Cyrtophora citricola as a Potential Novel Biological Control Agent of the Tomato Pest Tuta absoluta. Insects 2022; 14:insects14010034. [PMID: 36661962 PMCID: PMC9864117 DOI: 10.3390/insects14010034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Group-living spiders may be uniquely suited for controlling flying insect pests, as their high tolerance for conspecifics and low levels of cannibalism result in large, predator dense capture webs. In laboratory settings, we tested the ability of the facultatively communal spider, Cyrtophora citricola, to control the tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta; a major pest of tomato crops worldwide. We tested whether prey capture success was affected by spider body size, and whether prey capture differed among T. absoluta, flightless fruit flies (Drosophila hydei), and larger black soldier flies (Hermetia illucens). We found that larger spiders generally caught more prey, and that prey capture success was similar for T. absoluta and easily caught fruit flies, while black soldier flies were rarely caught. We further investigated the seasonal variations in web sizes in southern Spain, and found that pest control would be most effective in the tomato planting and growing season. Finally, we show that C. citricola in Spain have >50% infection rates of an egg predatory wasp, Philolema palanichamyi, which may need controlling to maintain pest control efficacy. These results suggest that using C. citricola as a biological control agent in an integrated pest management system could potentially facilitate a reduction of pesticide reliance in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas A. Roberts-McEwen
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, King Henry Building, King Henry 1 Street, Portsmouth PO1 2DY, UK
- Correspondence: or
| | - Ella K. Deutsch
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Monica A. Mowery
- Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion 8499000, Israel
| | - Lena Grinsted
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, King Henry Building, King Henry 1 Street, Portsmouth PO1 2DY, UK
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Firat RB. A Neurosociological Theory of Culturally and Structurally Situated Cognition and Ethno-Racial Stress. Front Sociol 2021; 6:695042. [PMID: 34179183 PMCID: PMC8225953 DOI: 10.3389/fsoc.2021.695042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
A longstanding body of literature reveals that experiences of discrimination and exclusion lead to health disadvantages by increasing physiological stress responses both in the body and the brain. However, a sociological view that takes into account structurally and culturally shaped biological processes is missing from the literature. Building on recent literature from the sociology of morality and values and the dual process model of culture, this paper proposes and provides preliminary evidence for an applied theory of culturally situated moral cognition as a coping mechanism with ethno-racial stress. I focus on values as they help cope with ethnicity and race related stress such as discrimination. Using functional neuroimaging data, I offer evidence that values operate through both explicit (controlled and conscious) processes recruiting brain regions like the dorsal prefrontal cortex, and implicit (automatic and non-conscious) processes recruiting regions like the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, to help cope with exclusion and discrimination.
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Abstract
Is there a 'more helpful' gender? The present research assessed gender differences in prosocial self-perceptions, prosocial behavioural intentions, and prosocial (transfer) behaviour in same- and other-gender interactions in 10 countries (N = 1,915). The present results showed negligible differences in the degree to which women and men saw themselves as prosocial. However, larger gender differences emerged in regard to prosocial behavioural intentions and prosocial (transfer) behaviours across different help contexts (i.e., same- vs. other-gender interactions). In a hypothetical work scenario, women reported greater prosocial behavioural intentions than men when the recipient of the help was of the same gender. In contrast, when the recipient of the help was of the other gender, men reported greater prosocial behavioural intentions than women. In addition, men transferred more than women to both same- and other-gender interaction partners in a prisoner's dilemma game. Taken together, the present findings suggest that there is no 'more helpful' gender. Instead, gender differences in prosociality are dynamic and contextual. Different theoretical perspectives are taken into consideration in discussing gender differences in the present research.
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Simpson GJG, Marcotty T, Rouille E, Chilundo A, Letteson JJ, Godfroid J. Immunological response to Brucella abortus strain 19 vaccination of cattle in a communal area in South Africa. J S Afr Vet Assoc 2018; 89:e1-e7. [PMID: 29781672 PMCID: PMC6138165 DOI: 10.4102/jsava.v89i0.1527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2017] [Revised: 01/17/2018] [Accepted: 01/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Brucellosis is of worldwide economic and public health importance. Heifer vaccination with live attenuated Brucella abortus strain 19 (S19) is the cornerstone of control in low- and middle-income countries. Antibody persistence induced by S19 is directly correlated with the number of colony-forming units (CFU) per dose. There are two vaccination methods: a 'high' dose (5-8 × 1010 CFU) subcutaneously injected or one or two 'low' doses (5 × 109 CFU) through the conjunctival route. This study aimed to evaluate serological reactions to the 'high' dose and possible implications of the serological findings on disease control. This study included 58 female cases, vaccinated at Day 0, and 29 male controls. Serum was drawn repeatedly and tested for Brucella antibodies using the Rose Bengal Test (RBT) and an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (iELISA). The cases showed a rapid antibody response with peak RBT positivity (98%) at 2 weeks and iELISA (95%) at 8 weeks, then decreased in an inverse logistic curve to 14% RBT and 32% iELISA positive at 59 weeks and at 4.5 years 57% (4/7 cases) demonstrated a persistent immune response (RBT, iELISA or Brucellin skin test) to Brucella spp. Our study is the first of its kind documenting the persistence of antibodies in an African communal farming setting for over a year to years after 'high' dose S19 vaccination, which can be difficult to differentiate from a response to infection with wild-type B. abortus. A recommendation could be using a 'low' dose or different route of vaccination.
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Cook TR, Gubiani R, Ryan PG, Muzaffar SB. Group foraging in Socotra cormorants: A biologging approach to the study of a complex behavior. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:2025-2038. [PMID: 28405270 PMCID: PMC5383476 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2016] [Revised: 12/06/2016] [Accepted: 12/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Group foraging contradicts classic ecological theory because intraspecific competition normally increases with aggregation. Hence, there should be evolutionary benefits to group foraging. The study of group foraging in the field remains challenging however, because of the large number of individuals involved and the remoteness of the interactions to the observer. Biologging represents a cost-effective solution to these methodological issues. By deploying GPS and temperature-depth loggers on individuals over a period of several consecutive days, we investigated intraspecific foraging interactions in the Socotra cormorant Phalacrocorax nigrogularis, a threatened colonial seabird endemic to the Arabian Peninsula. In particular, we examined how closely birds from the same colony associated with each other spatially when they were at sea at the same time and the distance between foraging dives at different periods of the day. Results show that the position of different birds overlapped substantially, all birds targeting the same general foraging grounds throughout the day, likely following the same school of fish. There were as many as 44,500 birds within the foraging flock at sea at any time (50% of the colony), and flocking density was high, with distance between birds ranging from 8 to 1,380 m. Birds adopted a diving strategy maximizing time spent underwater relative to surface time, resulting in up to 72% of birds underwater in potential contact with prey at all times while foraging. Our data suggest that the benefits of group foraging outweigh the costs of intense aggregation in this seabird. Prey detection and information transmission are facilitated in large groups. Once discovered, shoaling prey are concentrated under the effect of the multitude. Fish school cohesiveness is then disorganized by continuous attacks of diving birds to facilitate prey capture. Decreasing population size could pose a risk to the persistence of threatened seabirds where group size is important for foraging success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothée R Cook
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology Evolutionary Ecophysiology Team Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences University Pierre et Marie Curie Paris France; FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology DST-NRF Centre of Excellence University of Cape Town Rondebosch South Africa
| | - Rob Gubiani
- Department of Biology United Arab Emirates University Al Ain United Arab Emirates
| | - Peter G Ryan
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology DST-NRF Centre of Excellence University of Cape Town Rondebosch South Africa
| | - Sabir B Muzaffar
- Department of Biology United Arab Emirates University Al Ain United Arab Emirates
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Gunton RM, van Asperen EN, Basden A, Bookless D, Araya Y, Hanson DR, Goddard MA, Otieno G, Jones GO. Beyond Ecosystem Services: Valuing the Invaluable. Trends Ecol Evol 2017; 32:249-257. [PMID: 28214039 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2017.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2016] [Revised: 12/30/2016] [Accepted: 01/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The ecosystem services framework (ESF) is advantageous and widely used for itemising and quantifying ways in which humans benefit from natural places. However, it suffers from two important problems: (i) incoherence of definitions and (ii) a narrow approach to valuation, inadequate to represent the full range of human motives for conservation and the diverse interests of different stakeholders. These shortcomings can lead to a range of problems including double-counting, blind spots and unintended consequences. In this opinion article, we propose an ecosystem valuing framework as a broader and more rigorous way to deliver the benefits currently sought from the ESF, without the conceptual problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard M Gunton
- School of Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK; West Yorkshire School of Christian Studies, Outwood House, Leeds LS18 4JN, UK.
| | | | - Andrew Basden
- Salford Business School, University of Salford, Salford M5 4WT, UK
| | - David Bookless
- A Rocha International, 89 Worship Street, London EC2A 2BF, UK; Faculty of Divinity, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 9BS, UK
| | - Yoseph Araya
- School of Environment Earth & Ecosystems, Open University, Milton Keynes, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, UK
| | - David R Hanson
- West Yorkshire School of Christian Studies, Outwood House, Leeds LS18 4JN, UK
| | - Mark A Goddard
- School of Civil Engineering & Geosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
| | - George Otieno
- School of Arts & Communication, Leeds Trinity University, Horsforth, Leeds LS18 5HD, UK
| | - Gareth O Jones
- West Yorkshire School of Christian Studies, Outwood House, Leeds LS18 4JN, UK
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Richards MH, von Wettberg EJ, Rutgers AC. A novel social polymorphism in a primitively eusocial bee. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2003; 100:7175-80. [PMID: 12777629 PMCID: PMC165849 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1030738100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2003] [Accepted: 03/31/2003] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Halictine sweat bees (Hymenoptera, Halictidae) are model organisms for the evolution of altruism, reproductive castes, and eusocial colony organization. Halictine social behavior is not only extremely variable, but also ecologically and evolutionarily labile. Among social species, colony social organization ranges from communal societies of egalitarian females to eusocial and semisocial ones with reproductive queens and more or less sterile workers. A striking aspect of halictine social variation is the mutual exclusivity of communal and eusocial types of colony social organization within the same species, these two types of social behavior being characteristic of different genera and subgenera. We report a recently discovered exception to this rule in a population of Halictus sexcinctus (Fabricius) at Daimonia-Pyla in southern Greece, that contained both communal and eusocial colonies. Moreover, communal and eusocial females exhibit morphological differences that imply a preimaginal developmental switch, which could also underlie the two types of social behavior. That the communal and eusocial forms are not merely cryptic sister species with different social behavior is indicated by the comparison of mitochondrial DNA sequences of two sections of cytochrome oxidase I, which indicate that Greek specimens of both social types are more similar than they are to conspecifics from elsewhere in Europe. The phylogenetic position of Halictus sexcinctus suggests that this unusual communal/eusocial polymorphism may represent an unstable intermediate step in an evolutionary reversal from eusocial to solitary behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam H Richards
- Department of Biological Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada L2S 3A1.
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