Insectivores - Insectivora - The Animal Encyclopedia

Insectivores - Insectivora - The Animal Encyclopedia Insectivores (Insectivora) are a group of mammals that include hedgehogs, moonrats, shrews, and moles. Insectivores are generally small mammals with nocturnal habits. There are about 365 species of insectivores alive today. Most insectivores have small eyes and ears and a long snout. Some do not have visible ear flaps but have a keen sense of hearing. They have clawed toes on each foot, and the pattern and number of their teeth are rather primitive. Some insectivores such as otter-shrews and moonrats have a long body. Moles have a more cylindrical body, and hedgehogs have a round body. Some insectivores such as tree moles and shrews are adept tree climbers. Insectivores rely more on their sense of smell, hearing, and touch than their vision and some species of shrews can navigate their environment using echolocation. The bones in the inner ear of insectivores are different than other mammals. They lack an ossified temporal bone, and the tympanic membrane is attached to a bony tympanic ring while their middle ear is closed off by surrounding bones. Insectivores live in terrestrial habitats around the world. Additionally, some species of insectivores inhabit aquatic environments while others burrow. Moles spend most of their time below ground in their tunnels they excavate. Shrews generally live above ground and build burrows for shelter and sleeping. Some species live in boggy areas where rotting vegetation, rocks, and rotting logs are common. Other species inhabit arid regions including deserts. Moles and shrews are usually active throughout the year. Hedgehogs are easily recognized by their rotund shape and spines. Their spines consist of tough keratin and serve as a defense mechanism. When threatened, hedgehogs roll into a tight ball so their spines are exposed and their face and belly are protected. Hedgehogs are mostly nocturnal. As their name implies, insectivores feed on insects and other small invertebrates such as spiders and worms. The diet of insectivores is not restricted to invertebrates and also includes a wide variety of plants and animals. Water shrews feed on small fish, amphibians, and crustaceans while hedgehogs feed on birds eggs and small vertebrates. Many species of insectivores locate their prey using their keen sense of smell or by using their sense of touch. The star-nosed mole, for example, not only has a sharp sense of smell, but it also has a nose with many small and touch-sensitive tentacles that enable it to find and capture their prey. Classification Animals Chordates Mammals Insectivores There are four living subgroups of insectivores. These include the hedgehogs, moonrats, and gymnures (Erinaceidae); the shrews (Soricidae); the moles, tree moles and desmans (Talpidae); and the solenodons (Solenodontidae). Insectivores are thought to be most closely related to bats, hoofed mammals, and carnivores. The classification of insectivores is not well understood. Insectivores have a primitive mammalian body plan and are in many ways generic in their appearance. For this reason, insectivores have been classified in several other mammal groups in the past such as the tree shrews or elephant shrews. Additionally, some adaptations insectivores exhibit are convergent with the adaptations of other groups- a fact that further confuses the proper placement of insectivores within the mammals. Previous classification schemes once placed tree shrews and elephant shrews in the insectivores, but today they are classified in their own separate orders. It is possible that other animal groups such as golden moles may be removed from the insectivores as new information comes to light. Evolution Insectivores are considered to be among the most primitive groups of mammals. Some primitive traits insectivores still exhibit include a small brain and testes that do not descend into a scrotum.

A Report on Oil Production in Libya and Operational Policies with Global Societal Impacts

A Report on Oil Production in Libya and Operational Policies with Global Societal Impacts Background The hydrocarbon industry forms the back bone of the Libyan economy. It is estimated by the IMF that contributed to about 95% of export earnings in Libya in 2010 (Country Analysis Briefs, 2011). The oil and gas journal (OGJ) has approximated Libya’s oil reserves to be about 46.4 billion barrels, the largest in the African continent.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on A Report on Oil Production in Libya and Operational Policies with Global Societal Impacts specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In 2010, it is estimated that the total oil production was about 1.8 million barrels per day. A majority of the oil in Libya (about 80%) is in Sirte basin. 25% of total oil production is from Murzuq basin and the remaining largely comes from Pelagian Shelf Basin (Country Analysis Briefs, 2011). Sector Organization The Oil industry is run by state owned National Oil Corporation (NOC) which implements Exploration and Pro duction Sharing Agreements (EPSA) with international oil companies (IOC’s) such as Total, Repsol YPF, Statoil Hydro, Occidental, OMV, ConocoPhillips, Hess, Marathon, Shell, BP and Exxon Mobil. NOC also engages in field development and downstream activities (Country Analysis Briefs, 2011). Production and refining Libya’s oil production has been on the decline despite hitting 3 million barrels per day (bbI/d) in 1960’s. Despite the decline, crude oil has increased from 1.4 million bbl/d in 2000 to 1.8 million bbl/d in 2010. There are about 5 refineries with a total capacity of 378000 bbI/d. These include Ras Lanuf-crude oil capacity of 220,000 bbl/d; Az Zawiya -120,000 bbl/d; Tobruk -20,000 bbl/d; Sarir, 10,000 bbl/d; and Brega 8,000 bbl/d (Country Analysis Briefs, 2011).. Challenges Facing Oil Production Civil war and a decade of the United States and international sanctions have affected oil industry.These include sanctions by the United States and the United N ations in 2003 and 2004. Since sanctionS were lifted, Libya has been the target of international oil companies which boosted oil production even despite uncertainties in terms of regulations and renewal of contracts. However, government plans to increase oil production were slapped by the US’s designation of Libya as a state sponsor of terrorist activities in 2006 and the civil war (Country Analysis Briefs, 2011).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Operational Polices With Global Societal Impacts Oil companies in Libya are usually locally or globally subjected to operational policies which have global societal impacts. Such policies are geared towards environmental protection (Wawryk, 2010). For example IOC’s operating in Libya that are members of other bodies and are subjected to laws and best practices to improve health, safety and environment globall y. On a global perspective, the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (OGP) have guidelines and standards with a global societal impact. Other operational policies may include those of NGOs, IGOs, World Conservation Union, (UNEP), World Bank and the international chamber of Commerce (Wawryk, 2010). Operational policies tend to address vulnerability to disruption and higher prices and the effects can be long-term. This is because material shifts in the energy sector takes time either through efficiency, renewable or increased oil and gas production. Policy options which are short-term (unlike wider national security and diplomatic issues) are limited. Oil exporters like Libya with alternative production capacity are bound to take short-term decisions in an attempt to moderate prices through product-level-adjustments, but this ability is determined by internal decisions (Country Analysis Briefs, 2011). Other operational policies with global impacts are from within the Lib yan government. For example participation of IOC’s in oil concessions was previously at 49% which was reduced due to changes in oil production and sharing agreements under EPSA. The IOCs were under obligation to rewrite contracts in an attempt to comply NOC’s demands. This created uncertainty in the contractual arena and reduced oil exploration, despite the global need for oil (Country Analysis Briefs, 2011). References Country Analysis Briefs, (2011). Energy information administration. Retrieved from https://www.eia.gov/beta/international/analysis_includes/countries_long/Libya/libya.pdfAdvertising We will write a custom report sample on A Report on Oil Production in Libya and Operational Policies with Global Societal Impacts specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Wawryk, A. (2010). International environmental standards in the oil industry: improving the operations of transnational oil companies in emerging economies. Univers ity of Adelaide: University of Adelaide Press.

Principles of research and evidence based practice Essay

Principles of research and evidence based practice - Essay Example The focus in this paper is on evidence-based practice in the nursing field that has gained a lot of momentum and the definitions vary. The findings of research, clinical knowledge, knowledge gathered from science, and all the medical expert opinions fall under what many in the field call "evidence" although practices that are based on research findings always tend to result in the required patient outcomes in different settings the geographic locations notwithstanding. According to Schofield, the impetus and desire for this evidence-based practice in matters nursing comes from healthcare practitioners, readily available medical information. Evidence-based practice requires changes in nursing education and other aspects like practice-relevant kind of research, and closer working relationships among all the concerned groups, that is, researchers and clinicians. Evidence-based practice does provide many opportunities for the whole concept of nursing care to be a bit more effective, indi vidualized, dynamic and streamlined. This, nevertheless, helps in minimizing the effects of the clinical judgments. In incidences where evidence is used to define some of the best practices rather than just supporting the existing practices, the profession of nursing care manages to keep pace with some of the latest technological advancements and also takes advantage, in many ways, of new medical research findings and knowledge developments. The different types of evidences vary on the basis of the fact that they are normally from different sources. This evidence based practices, often abbreviated as EBP, basically aims at applying the best valid and reliable evidence  which has been gained by use of scientific method  to making clinical  decisions. This evidence for practice is extremely important in the sense that it seeks to help in assessing the strength and validity of evidence of the benefits and risks of  treatment, or even lack of it and medical diagnostic tests. It helps clinicians to learn and be in a position to know whether given treatments plan will do more harm or good. According to Margolis (1999, pg. 135,) the evidence’s quality can be accessed on the basis of the type of source, that is, from  those clinical tests that are controlled and trials, systematic and analytical reviews of  the double-blind variety, and not forgetting other aspects like conventional wisdom. This can also be based on other factors like clinical relevance, validity of the statistics, and currency. According to Ehrenberg (2003, pg 281,) evidence based practice recognizes the fact that most of the aspects of medical and health care depend on very particular and individual factors like quality or   life value judgments, and this are normally subject to scientific research methods. This evidence based practice , however, attempts to clarify those medical activities and practice parts that are principle and part of the scientific methods and applying tho se methods in ensuring that best  prediction of expected outcomes in treatment of medical illnesses , even as the raging debate on what desirable outcomes should be (Ramstadius,1997,pg. 5). The research process is well known by most of the researchers in the medical field. Those involved in the carrying out of research in evidence based practice, if the current research finding are anything to go by, are well versed with the scientific research process. The systematic process that characterises research has to be strictly adhered to whenever those who intend to do any kind of medical researching .This ensures that the findings and data that is collected