Occupancy winners in tropical protected forests: a pantropical analysis.

The structure of forest mammal communities appears surprisingly consistent across the continental tropics, presumably due to convergent evolution in similar environments. Whether such consistency extends to mammal occupancy, despite variation in species characteristics and context, remains unclear. Here we ask whether we can predict occupancy patterns and, if so, whether these relationships are consistent across biogeographic regions. Specifically, we assessed how mammal feeding guild, body mass and ecological specialization relate to occupancy in protected forests across the tropics. We used standardized camera-trap data (1002 camera-trap locations and 2-10 years of data) and a hierarchical Bayesian occupancy model. We found that occupancy varied by regions, and certain species characteristics explained much of this variation. Herbivores consistently had the highest occupancy. However, only in the Neotropics did we detect a significant effect of body mass on occupancy: large mammals had lowest occupancy. Importantly, habitat specialists generally had higher occupancy than generalists, though this was reversed in the Indo-Malayan sites. We conclude that habitat specialization is key for understanding variation in mammal occupancy across regions, and that habitat specialists often benefit more from protected areas, than do generalists. The contrasting examples seen in the Indo-Malayan region probably reflect distinct anthropogenic pressures.

Human density modulates spatial associations among tropical forest terrestrial mammal species.

The spatial aggregation of species pairs often increases with the ecological similarity of the species involved. However, the way in which environmental conditions and anthropogenic activity affect the relationship between spatial aggregation and ecological similarity remains unknown despite the potential for spatial associations to affect species interactions, ecosystem function, and extinction risk. Given that human disturbance has been shown to both increase and decrease spatial associations among species pairs, ecological similarity may have a role in mediating these patterns. Here, we test the influences of habitat diversity, primary productivity, human population density, and species' ecological similarity based on functional traits (i.e., functional trait similarity) on spatial associations among tropical forest mammals. Large mammals are highly sensitive to anthropogenic change and therefore susceptible to changes in interspecific spatial associations. Using two-species occupancy models and camera trap data, we quantified the spatial overlap of 1216 species pairs from 13 tropical forest protected areas around the world. We found that the association between ecological similarity and interspecific species associations depended on surrounding human density. Specifically, aggregation of ecologically similar species was more than an order of magnitude stronger in landscapes with the highest human density compared to those with the lowest human density, even though all populations occurred within protected areas. Human-induced changes in interspecific spatial associations have been shown to alter top-down control by predators, increase disease transmission and increase local extinction rates. Our results indicate that anthropogenic effects on the distribution of wildlife within protected areas are already occurring and that impacts on species interactions, ecosystem functions, and extinction risk warrant further investigation.

Tropical mammal functional diversity increases with productivity but decreases with anthropogenic disturbance.

A variety of factors can affect the biodiversity of tropical mammal communities, but their relative importance and directionality remain uncertain. Previous global investigations of mammal functional diversity have relied on range maps instead of observational data to determine community composition. We test the effects of species pools, habitat heterogeneity, primary productivity and human disturbance on the functional diversity (dispersion and richness) of mammal communities using the largest standardized tropical forest camera trap monitoring system, the Tropical Ecology Assessment and Monitoring (TEAM) Network. We use occupancy values derived from the camera trap data to calculate occupancy-weighted functional diversity and use Bayesian generalized linear regression to determine the effects of multiple predictors. Mammal community functional dispersion increased with primary productivity, while functional richness decreased with human-induced local extinctions and was significantly lower in Madagascar than other tropical regions. The significant positive relationship between functional dispersion and productivity was evident only when functional dispersion was weighted by species' occupancies. Thus, observational data from standardized monitoring can reveal the drivers of mammal communities in ways that are not readily apparent from range map-based studies. The positive association between occupancy-weighted functional dispersion of tropical forest mammal communities and primary productivity suggests that unique functional traits may be more beneficial in more productive ecosystems and may allow species to persist at higher abundances.

Standardized Assessment of Biodiversity Trends in Tropical Forest Protected Areas: The End Is Not in Sight.

Extinction rates in the Anthropocene are three orders of magnitude higher than background and disproportionately occur in the tropics, home of half the world's species. Despite global efforts to combat tropical species extinctions, lack of high-quality, objective information on tropical biodiversity has hampered quantitative evaluation of conservation strategies. In particular, the scarcity of population-level monitoring in tropical forests has stymied assessment of biodiversity outcomes, such as the status and trends of animal populations in protected areas. Here, we evaluate occupancy trends for 511 populations of terrestrial mammals and birds, representing 244 species from 15 tropical forest protected areas on three continents. For the first time to our knowledge, we use annual surveys from tropical forests worldwide that employ a standardized camera trapping protocol, and we compute data analytics that correct for imperfect detection. We found that occupancy declined in 22%, increased in 17%, and exhibited no change in 22% of populations during the last 3-8 years, while 39% of populations were detected too infrequently to assess occupancy changes. Despite extensive variability in occupancy trends, these 15 tropical protected areas have not exhibited systematic declines in biodiversity (i.e., occupancy, richness, or evenness) at the community level. Our results differ from reports of widespread biodiversity declines based on aggregated secondary data and expert opinion and suggest less extreme deterioration in tropical forest protected areas. We simultaneously fill an important conservation data gap and demonstrate the value of large-scale monitoring infrastructure and powerful analytics, which can be scaled to incorporate additional sites, ecosystems, and monitoring methods. In an era of catastrophic biodiversity loss, robust indicators produced from standardized monitoring infrastructure are critical to accurately assess population outcomes and identify conservation strategies that can avert biodiversity collapse.

Assessing the economic burden of vision loss and irreversible legal blindness in Spain (2021-2030): a societal perspective.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the economic impact for the society, generated as a consequence of the onset of loss of vision and irreversible legal blindness, for the main ophthalmologic diseases in Spain: glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy (DR), diabetic macular edema (DME), age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and high myopia (HM). METHODS: A cost analysis model was developed to estimate the economic burden of glaucoma, DR, DME, AMD and HM over a 10-year time horizon (2021-2030), from a societal perspective in Spain. The epidemiological and economic parameters used in the model were obtained through a literature review. Prevalence, incidence, and progression stages were used to establish the epidemiological flows. Annual costs per patient from publications were included and classified into direct healthcare, direct non-healthcare and indirect costs. Costs from other countries were converted based on purchasing-power-parity (€EUR, PPP). Epidemiological parameters about population and cost results were validated by a panel of experts. All costs were adjusted to euros, 2021 (€, 2021), and using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) of the last 10 years, extrapolated to 2030 euros (€, 2030). RESULTS: It was estimated that the total population of patients with the main diseases pathologies (glaucoma, DR, DME, AMD and HM) will increase to 7.99 million patients by 2030, representing an increase of 103%. The total cost by 2030 of all pathologies would amount to 99.8 billion euros. Direct non-healthcare costs account for the largest item (44%), followed by loss of productivity costs (38%), and direct healthcare costs (18%). The pathologies with the highest cumulative costs will be glaucoma (€33.6 billion) and DME (€19.8 billion).The greatest increment costs compared to 2021 will likely be generated by pathologies related to diabetes mellitus, such as DR (703%) and DME (317%). CONCLUSIONS: Knowing the costs associated with the pathologies that generate loss of vision and irreversible legal blindness is essential to understand the socioeconomic impact associated with these pathologies. Furthermore, the high cost of treating these diseases makes necessary to coordinate efforts between administrations, together with the support of patient associations, to meet their needs.

Consistent diel activity patterns of forest mammals among tropical regions.

An animal's daily use of time (their "diel activity") reflects their adaptations, requirements, and interactions, yet we know little about the underlying processes governing diel activity within and among communities. Here we examine whether community-level activity patterns differ among biogeographic regions, and explore the roles of top-down versus bottom-up processes and thermoregulatory constraints. Using data from systematic camera-trap networks in 16 protected forests across the tropics, we examine the relationships of mammals' diel activity to body mass and trophic guild. Also, we assess the activity relationships within and among guilds. Apart from Neotropical insectivores, guilds exhibited consistent cross-regional activity in relation to body mass. Results indicate that thermoregulation constrains herbivore and insectivore activity (e.g., larger Afrotropical herbivores are ~7 times more likely to be nocturnal than smaller herbivores), while bottom-up processes constrain the activity of carnivores in relation to herbivores, and top-down processes constrain the activity of small omnivores and insectivores in relation to large carnivores' activity. Overall, diel activity of tropical mammal communities appears shaped by similar processes and constraints among regions reflecting body mass and trophic guilds.

A dor de crescer: marcas da angústia de separação / The pain of growing: marks of separation anguish

Este trabalho tem como objetivo propor um entendimento dinâmico de um caso clínico atendido em psicoterapia de orientação psicanalítica, à luz do conceito de angústia de separação. Considera-se a forma como ela se origina no desenvolvimento do indivíduo, como pode se manifestar na vida e no tratamento psicoterápico e, principalmente, a maneira como pode ser trabalhada através da relação terapêutica. Pensa-se na possibilidade de, através do tratamento, o paciente domesticar seus sentimentos de solidão, aprendendo a suportá-la e colocá-la a serviço da vida.(AU)

This work aims to propose an understanding of the concept of separation anxiety in the light of a clinical case treated in psychoanalytic psychotherapy. It is considered how it originates in the development of the individual, how it can be manifested in life and analytical treatment, and especially, the way it can be worked through the therapeutic relationship. It is also thought the possibility of, through treatment, domesticate the loneliness, learning to support it and put it at the service of life.(AU)