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Ageing policy in Malta

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Formosa M.

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nr 2(10)/2015 Social Policy and Models of Services for the Elderly International Perspective

113-128

EN

Malta is no exception to the unprecedented demographic changes that are being experienced by industrial countries. As a result of declining fertility and mortality levels, Malta registered a decrease in fertility rates and a major improvement of life expectancy at birth. Recent months witnessed a range of silver linings in contemporary Maltese ageing policy. In March 2013 the newly elected Government took note of the diverse issues facing the ageing of Maltese population by positioning the responsibility for ageing policy under a ‘Parliamentary Secretariat for Rights of Persons with Disability and Active Ageing’ (previously ‘Parliamentary Secretariat for Elderly and Community Care’). Th e fact that the Secretariat also migrated from the ‘Ministry of Health, the Elderly, and Community Care’ to the ‘Ministry for the Family and Social Solidarity’ spoke volumes about the novel direction that ageing policy is taking in Malta – namely, a shift from the long-held focus on ‘elderly care’ to ‘active citizenship’ issues. Th is paper presents current developments in Maltese public policy related to ageing. Given the increasing numbers and relative vulnerability of this group, there is hardly any policy ‘programme’ in greater need of thorough inspection. It includes nine short sections. Following this brief introduction, the subsequent section highlights the demographic context. Th e third and fourth sections discusses policy concerning productive and active ageing respectively. Th e fi ft h section submits a short review of health ageing policies. Th e next three sections community and long-term services for older persons in Malta, as well as the nation’s in-roads in establishing legislation that safeguards older persons from elder abuse. Th e fi nal section brings the paper to a close by forwarding proposals for the future of ageing policy in Malta. In the foreseeable years, an increasing number of Maltese citizens will live into advanced age. However, there is no doubt that with sustainable and long-term policies in place, Maltese society will be more than equipped to being one of the best countries to grow old in.

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Changes in the abundance of charadriiformes in Central Namibian Coast: a comparison of austral summers 1976/1977 and 2016/2017

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Kopij G.

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tom Vol. 71, nr 2-3

75-86

EN

In 2016/2017 austral summer, individuals of all charadriiform species were counted on selected sections of the Atlantic coastline between Cape Cross and Walvis Bay in Namibia, southern Africa (in total 72 km of coastline). Results were compared with similar data obtained in these sections forty years earlier (1976/1977 austral summer). Most wader species have showed decline, while most gulls and terns – increase in numbers. In overall, the Palearctic waders were more numerous in 1976/1977 (N = 9523 birds) than in 2016/2017 (N = 1164 birds) by the order of magnitude. In both periods the most numerous species were the ruddy turnstone Arenaria interpres and sanderling Calidris alba. Among Lari, numbers of Damara tern Sternula belaenarum has decreased by the order of magnitude, numbers of the kelp gull Larus dominicanus has significantly increased, while numbers of Hartlaub's gull Larus hartlaubii remained similar in both years compared. All these gull species are breeding residents in Namibia. The only Palearctic tern species, the common tern Sterna hirundo was vagrant in 19976/1977, while in 2016/2017, it was not recorded at all. Changes in the number of Palearctic shorebirds recorded in the coastline between Cape Cross and Walvis Bay may could have been caused probably mainly by human disturbance. Changes in numbers of waders in other wintering places in South Africa were also reviewed.

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Uwarunkowania przemian struktury gospodarstw domowych i rodzin polskich na przykładzie województwa śląskiego – wybrane zagadnienia

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Skibiński A.

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tom XCVI (96)

303-323

PL

Celem niniejszej publikacji jest wskazanie uwarunkowań przemian, jakim podlegają gospodarstwa domowe i rodziny w Polsce w ujęciu regionalnym. Realizacja wskazanego wyżej celu badawczego jest poprzedzona analizą w oparciu o źródła danych zastanych. Analizę ilościową i jakościową danych zastanych przy zastosowaniu metody opisowej, przeprowadzono z uwzględnieniem: danych statystycznych GUS, informacji z NSP (z 1988, 2002, 2011 roku), Banku Danych Lokalnych oraz Roczników Demograficznych z różnych lat.

EN

Purpose of the publication is to identify determinants of changes in size and structure governing contemporary family Poland and threats and disturbances in its functioning. Implementation of the research indicated above is preceded by a significant extent based on existing data sources. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of existing data using descriptive methods, was carried out taking into account: data from CSO, information from the Census (1988, 2002, 2011), the Local Data Bank and Demographic Yearbooks of various years.

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Seasonal Changes in the Diversity and Numbers of Waterbirds in a Tropical River in Southern Africa

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Kopij G. , Paxton M.

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tom Vol. 66, nr 3

257--269

EN

Although freshwater habitats play a crucial role in most ecosystems in the world, little is known on their functioning in tropical regions even in regard to the most often studied avian communities. In this study, counts on waterbirds were conducted in dry and wet season (in years 2001-2008) in a riverine habitat in southern Africa (Shamvura stretch of the Okavango River). In total, 84 waterfowl species were recorded. The birds were assigned to different guilds according to their migration activity, diet and nesting site selection. In overall, the species number was almost the same (74 vs. 73) in the wet and dry season. The abundance of all resident species recorded was lower in wet (N = 5992) than in dry seasons (N = 6965)(χ2 = 73.1, P < 0.01). In both seasons Palearctic migrants were represented by seven species, which comprised 1-2% of all waterbirds. Six species were classified as dominants: African reed cormorant Phalacrocorax africanus, African openbill stork Anastomus lamelligerus, cattle egret Bubulcus ibis, wattled lapwing Vanellus senegallus, African darter Anhinga rufa and white-faced duck Dendrocygna viduata. In the wet season the dominant species comprised 68%, while in dry season – 52.5% of all birds recorded. Significant seasonal differences in the numbers of individuals were shown for the following species: African reed cormorant, great egret, squacco heron, wattled lapwing and pied kingfisher. Insectivorous and omnivorous birds were more abundant in wet season, while piscivorous, carnivorous and plant eating birds in dry season. These differences can be related mainly to seasonal variation in the availability of food as well as to the timing of breeding.

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Changes in breeding populations of six farmland bird species in Western Poland between 1987 and 2007

51%

Krajewska A. , Mizera T.

Polish Journal of Ecology

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2010

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tom Vol. 58, nr 3

593-597

EN

The breeding populations of the Skylark Alauda arvensis, Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella, Corn Bunting Miliaria calandra, Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava, Whinchat Saxicola rubetra, and Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio were censused by the mapping method on 315 ha of intensive farmland in W Poland. Results obtained in 2006 and 2007 were compared with previously published data from 1987 to 1997. Changes in habitat structure, mainly the decline of margin habitats, and the intensification of agricultural production, which both occurred between the two study periods, affected breeding bird populations; M. flava showed drastic long-term decreasing trends, and M. calandra increased significantly in number. The other four species showed yearto-year variation rather than directional trends. Numbers of A. arvensis declined from 1987 to the late 1990s and subsequently increased. Generally, population trends of the studied species were similar to those in other long-term study plots in Poland but differed from trends in Western Europe.

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Long-Term Population Dynamics of African Ungulates in Waterberg Plateau National Park, Namibia

51%

Kasiringua E. , Procheş Ş. , Kopij G.

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tom Vol. 67, nr 4

339--353

EN

The current study was undertaken to determine long-term population trends (33 years) of ungulate species in the Waterberg National Park (WNP), Namibia, using aerial and waterhole counts of ungulates during the years 1980-2013.We tried to establish how rainfall influences the multi-species population dynamics. During this period sixteen ungulates species were recorded. Among these, eight have shown an increase in numbers during the years 1984-2013, six other decreased, and populations of two other species remained stable. Roan and sable antelope, kudu and warthog were fairly common (with 5-12% of all ungulates recorded). White rhino, black rhino, giraffe, and gemsbok were classified as uncommon (together 11.9%), whilst the remaining eight species were rare (together 1.9%). The eland population showed a weak positive relationship with the annual average rainfall between the years 1981-2013, whereas population sizes of kudu, sable, gemsbok and roan showed a weak negative relationship with the amount of rain. No relationship was detected in giraffe, buffalo and hartebeest populations. We conclude that, irrespective of water supplementation, ungulate densities are to a large extent controlled by rainfall.

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Effect of change in land use on breeding bird communities in a Silesian farmland (SW Poland)

32%

Kopij G.

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tom Vol. 56, nr 3

511-519

EN

Two study areas, 210 ha (A) and 120 ha (B), have been selected. Arable grounds dominated (92%) in the study area A, while meadows (63% in 1989 and 47% in 2003) - in the study area B. The changes in land use in both study areas have occurred in 2003 comparatively with 1989. In the study area A, an increase of the area with maize (from 1.1 ha to 38.4 ha) and oat (from 5.6 to 28.4 ha), and decrease in area of the rape (from 41.3 to 0.3 ha) and root plants (from 16.7 to 6.4 ha) have been recorded, while the clover and broad bean have totally disappeared as cultivated plants. In the study area B, a conversion of some dry meadows into arable grounds and an abandonment of more than half of the remaining area of meadows has been carried out. The landscape in the study area A was more fragmented in 1989 than in 2003, while in the study area B the reverse was true. On average, cereal areas increased - especially wheat (from 1.5 to 2.4 ha), maize (from 0.6 to 3.8 ha) and oat (from 0.6 to 1.9 ha), while rape areas decreased (from 2.0 to 0.3 ha). The mapping method has been employed to show the effect of these changes on breeding bird community in both years (1989 vs. 2003). In the study area A, density (pairs x 100[^-1] ha) of the Skylark Alauda arvensis (28.1 vs. 17.1) and Marsh Warbler Acrocephalus palustris (12.9 vs. 2.4) has significantly decreased; while that of Corn Bunting Miliaria calandra (1.4 vs. 8.1) and gallinaceous birds (2.9 vs. 8.1) has significantly increased over the last 14 years. The most numerous species in the group of gallinaceous birds, the Common Quail Coturnix coturnix, probably benefits from the enlargement of oat and barley cultivations. The Skylark was negatively affected by the enlargement of study areas with cultivated plants, especially with the wheat and maize. The Corn Bunting has been, probably, positively affected by the enlargement of maize and barley cultivations, as well as from the warming effect. The decline of the Marsh Warbler could have been caused by the decrease of the area with rape cultivations but it may also reflect short-term fluctuations. In the study area B, only densities of the Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs and Blackbird Turdus merula have significantly increased, and no statistically significant declines were recorded. These increases can be linked to changes in the age structure of tree and shrub stands in the existing small forests, clumps and hedgerows, but these species show probably a general increase in numbers over large areas of farmlands in Poland and possibly in some other European countries.