Link to record in KARThe purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of audio-visual synchrony in podcasting and its possible pedagogical benefits. 'Synchrony' in this study refers to the simultaneous playback of audio and video data streams, so that the transitions between presentation slides occur at ''lecturer chosen" points in the audio commentary. Manufacturers of lecture recording software (e.g. ProfCast) would have us believe that the synchrony of image and audio should improve the learning experience.We have yet to see in the literature any empirical evidence to support this hypothesis. In our study, 90 participants in two groups undertook two electronic lectures (e-lectures) on two separate topics, the subject matter of neither was familiar to them beforehand. Each group experienced one ''synchronous" presentation (electure) of one of the topics, and one ''separate" presentation (i.e. PowerPoint and audio files separately presented) of the other topic. Each group therefore experienced both ''synchronous" and ''separate" delivery and they were then given an MCQ test that assessed five levels of Bloom's taxonomy. Results show no differences in innate ability between the two groups but the evidence supported our primary hypothesis in that statistically significantly higher test scores were seen when participants viewed a synchronous electure; these scores were accounted for by subjects' performance at three of the five levels of Bloom's taxonomy. Qualitative 'attitude' survey results also displayed participant preference towards the synchronous over the asynchronous mode of delivery, and in spite of general acceptance of the proposed benefits of electronic proceedings, a majority preference towards traditional rather than electronic lectures. Despite this conservatism, this paper explores in more detail the potential benefits of podcasting via synchronous PowerPoint and voice.

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Scenario planning, a method for structured thinking about the future, offers an important tool for integrating scientific and stakeholder knowledge at different scales to explore alternative natural resource management and policy options. However, actual examples of such integration are rare. A scenario planning exercise was conducted in Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea, to integrate knowledge among scientists, ecotourism experts, and ecotourism stakeholders to explore possible futures for Milne Bay's nascent ecotourism industry. Four scenarios focused on climate change and technology, highlighting the risks and opportunities associated with rapid information exchange, and options to develop alternative ecotourism activities despite climate change impacts on natural assets. Although ecosystem-based management strategies were not investigated in detail by participants, all scenarios recognized and identified important cross-scale partnerships required to achieve sustainable management of natural resources and to promote ecotourism. An evaluation of changes in perceptions at the beginning and end of the scenario exercise suggests that participants became more aware of social and ecosystem processes occurring at broad spatial and temporal scales.

Scarce resources and competing land-use goals necessitate efficient biodiversity conservation. Combining multicriteria analysis with conservation decision-support tools improves efficiency of conservation planning by maximizing outcomes for biodiversity while minimizing opportunity costs to society. An opportunity cost is the benefit that could have been received by taking an alternative course of action (i.e., costs to society of protecting an area for biodiversity rather than developing it for some other use). Although different ways of integrating multiple opportunity costs into conservation planning have been suggested, there have been no tests as to which method is most efficient. We compared the relative efficiency of 3 such procedures(Faith & Walker [1996], Sarkar et al. [2004], and a procedure of our own design) in a systematic conservation-planning framework for the Milne Bay Province of Papua New Guinea. We devised 14 opportunity costs and assigned these to 3 scenarios representing different conservation planning concerns: food security, macro-economic development, and biodiversity persistence. For each scenario, we compared the efficiency of the 3 methods in terms of amount of biodiversity protected relative to total expenditure for each opportunity cost. All 3 methods captured similar amounts of biodiversity, but differed in total cost. Our method had the least overall cost and was therefore most efficient. Nevertheless, there was a high correlation and geographical concordance among all 3 methods, indicating a high degree of spatial overlap. This suggests that choosing an appropriate approach may often depend on contextual factors related to the design of the planning question, rather than efficiency alone.

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Rifleman, or titipounamu Acanthisitta chloris, is New Zealand’s smallest endemic passerine. The species has a fragmented distribution and is threatened in the Rakiura region in the south of the South Island. The only known population of South Island rifleman A. c. chloris in the Rakiura region persisted on Codfish Island/Whenua Hou. To create a second population of rifleman in Rakiura, 30 caught from Codfish Island were reintroduced onto nearby Ulva Island in February 2003, the first translocation of rifleman. Survival and dispersal were monitored for 1 month post-release, and subsequently during the first and second breeding seasons. Mortality was greatest during holding and transfer, with low to moderate post-release mortality. All founding pairs bred in the first breeding season, and both founders and offspring bred in the second season. Dispersal across the island was greater for offspring. A simple deterministic matrix model indicated positive annual population growth (λ = 1.33), and low risk of short-term extinction. Holding/transfer techniques should be improved for future reintroductions, and longer-term monitoring should be undertaken for a more accurate assessment of vital rates. Based on the survival of founding birds, reproduction by the release generation and their offspring, and high probability of population persistence, the rifleman reintroduction was considered to be successful and a good model for future reintroductions of small passerine birds.

Urban land development frequently destroys soil structure and removes organic matter, limiting tree growth. Soil rehabilitation has potential to improve soil quality but the long-term effectiveness and consequences for tree growth are poorly documented. We evaluated growth, canopy development, and physiological response of five tree species over six years to soil rehabilitation in an experimental site pre-treated to replicate typical land development. A corollary experiment evaluated growth and establishment of three additional species one year after rehabilitation in highly urbanized sites in Arlington County, Virginia. Plot study soil treatments were: typical practice (TP) (10 cm topsoil replaced); enhanced topsoil (ET) (topsoil + rototilling); profile rebuilding (SPR) (compost amendment via subsoiling to 60-cm depth + topsoil + rototilling); and undisturbed (UN) (agricultural land with no pre-treatment). In Arlington, SPR was compared with conventional site preparation (topsoil replacement). Overall, trees grew more rapidly in SPR soils and soil depths immediately below the surface (~15-30 cm) were most affected by SPR, which reduced soil bulk density between 0.19 and 0.57 Mg m-3 compared to nonrehabilitated soils. After six years, both trunk cross-sectional area and canopy area of plot-study trees in SPR soils matched or surpassed those in undisturbed soil for all species except Q. bicolor while canopy area increased by as little as 2% (Q. bicolor) to as much as 84% (U. 'Morton'). In Arlington, SPR resulted in 77% trunk cross-sectional area growth after one year. Plant and soil water relations may also be altered by rehabilitation, possibly contributing to its potential as a tool for stormwater mitigation. Rehabilitation accelerates