Background: Despite a rapidly accumulating evidence base quantifying ecosystem services, the role of biodiversity in the maintenance of ecosystem services in shared human-nature environments is still understudied, as is how indigenous and agriculturally dependent communities perceive, use, and manage biodiversity. The present study aims to document traditional ethnobotanical knowledge of the ecosystem service benefits derived from wild and tended plants in rice-cultivated agroecosystems, compare this to botanical surveys, and analyze the extent to which ecosystem services contribute social-ecological resilience in the Terai Plains of Nepal.
Method: Sampling was carried out in four landscapes, 22 Village District Committees, and 40 wards in the monsoon season.
This paper introduces a five-step framework, namely the Robust Adaptation Planning (RAP) framework, to plan and respond to the 'grand challenge' of climate change. RAP combines, under a unified framework, elements from robust action, participatory planning and network theory to capture the different motives, perception, and roles of actors that are important for climate change adaptation. RAP leverages existing structures and networks and involves diverse actors to plan, sequence and time strategies across multiple levels (i.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAm J Obstet Gynecol
December 2014
A maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) subspecialist has advanced knowledge of the medical, surgical, obstetrical, fetal, and genetic complications of pregnancy and their effects on both the mother and fetus. MFM subspecialists are complementary to obstetric care providers in providing consultations, co-management, or transfer of care for complicated patients before, during, and after pregnancy. The MFM subspecialist provides peer and patient education and performs research concerning the most recent approaches and treatments for obstetrical problems, thus promoting risk-appropriate care for these complicated pregnancies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCurr Opin Obstet Gynecol
December 2012
Purpose Of Review: As the crisis regarding the cost of medical care in the United States continues to spiral out of control, new models of care are being touted as a means to fix the economics of healthcare. This review will examine newly proposed models of healthcare.
Recent Findings: The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) and accountable care organizations (ACOs) are two models that have leapt to the forefront of healthcare reform.