The Effects of Wolf Predation Free Essays

Abstract: This paper discusses four hypotheses to explain the effects of wolf predation on prey populations of large ungulates. The four proposed hypotheses examined are the predation limiting hypothesis, the predation regulating hypothesis, the predator pit hypothesis, and the stable limit cycle hypothesis. There is much research literature that discusses how these hypotheses can be used to interpret various data sets obtained from field studies. We will write a custom essay sample on The Effects of Wolf Predation or any similar topic only for you Order Now It was concluded that the predation limiting hypothesis fit most study cases, but that more research is necessary to account for multiple predator – multiple prey relationships. The effects of predation can have an enormous impact on the ecological organization and structure of communities. The processes of predation affect virtually every species to some degree or another. Predation can be defined as when members of one species eat (and/or kill) those of another species. The specific type of predation between wolves and large ungulates involves carnivores preying on herbivores. Predation can have many possible effects on the interrelations of populations. To draw any correlations between the effects of these predator-prey interactions requires studies of a long duration, and statistical analysis of large data sets representative of the populations as a whole. Predation could limit the prey distribution and decrease abundance. Such limitation may be desirable in the case of pest species, or undesirable to some individuals as with game animals or endangered species. Predation may also act as a major selective force. The effects of predator prey coevolution can explain many evolutionary adaptations in both predator and prey species. The effects of wolf predation on species of large ungulates have proven to be controversial and elusive. There have been many different models proposed to describe the processes operating on populations influenced by wolf predation. Some of the proposed mechanisms include the predation limiting hypothesis, the predation regulating hypothesis, the predator pit hypothesis, and the stable limit cycle hypothesis (Boutin 1992). The purpose of this paper is to assess the empirical data on population dynamics and attempt to determine if one of the four hypotheses is a better model of the effects of wolf predation on ungulate population densities. The predation limiting hypothesis proposes that predation is the primary factor that limits prey density. In this non- equilibrium model recurrent fluctuations occur in the prey population. This implies that the prey population does not return to some particular equilibrium after deviation. The predation limiting hypothesis involves a density independent mechanism. The mechanism might apply to one prey – one predator systems (Boutin 1992). This hypothesis predicts that losses of prey due to predation will be large enough to halt prey population increase. Many studies support the hypothesis that predation limits prey density. Bergerud et al. (1983) concluded from their study of the interrelations of wolves and moose in the Pukaskwa National Park that wolf predation limited, and may have caused a decline in, the moose population, and that if wolves were eliminated, the moose population would increase until limited by some other regulatory factor, such as food availability. However, they go on to point out that this upper limit will not be sustainable, but will eventually lead to resource depletion and population decline. Seip (1992) found that high wolf predation on caribou in the Quesnel Lake area resulted in a decline in the population, while low wolf predation in the Wells Gray Provincial Park resulted in a slowly increasing population. Wolf predation at the Quesnel Lake area remained high despite a fifty percent decline in the caribou population, indicating that mortality due to predation was not density-dependent within this range of population densities. Dale et al. (1994), in their study of wolves and caribou in Gates National Park and Preserve, showed that wolf predation can be an important limiting factor at low caribou population densities, and may have an anti-regulatory effect. They also state that wolf predation may affect the distribution and abundance of caribou populations. Bergerud and Ballard (1988), in their interpretation of the Nelchina caribou herd case history, said that during and immediately following a reduction in the wolf population, calf recruitment increased, which should result in a future caribou population increase. Gasaway et al. (1983) also indicated that wolf predation can sufficiently increase the rate of mortality in a prey population to preventthe population’s increase. Even though there has been much support of this hypothesis, Boutin (1992) suggests that â€Å"there is little doubt that predation is a limiting factor, but in cases where its magnitude has been measured, it is no greater than other factors such as hunting.† A second hypothesis about the effects of wolf predation is the predation regulating hypothesis, which proposes that predation regulates prey densities around a low-density equilibrium. This hypothesis fits an equilibrium model, and assumes that following deviation, prey populations return to their pre-existing equilibrium levels. This predator regulating hypothesis proposes that predation is a density-dependent mechanism affecting low to intermediate prey densities, and a density-independent mechanism at high prey densities. Some research supports predation as a regulating mechanism. Messier (1985), in a study of moose near Quebec, Canada, draws the conclusion that wolf-ungulate systems, if regulated naturally, stabilize at low prey and low predator population densities. In Messier’s (1994) later analysis, based on twenty-seven studies where moose were the dominant prey species of wolves, he determined that wolf predation can be density-dependent at the lower range of moose densities. This result demonstrates that predation is capable of regulating ungulate populations. Even so, according to Boutin (1992) more studies are necessary, particularly at high moose densities, to determine if predation is regulatory. A third proposal to model the effects of wolf predation on prey populations is the predator pit hypothesis. This hypothesis is a multiple equilibria model. It proposes that predation regulates prey densities around a low-density equilibrium. The prey population can then escape this regulation once prey densities pass a certain threshold. Once this takes place, the population reaches an upper equilibrium. At this upper equilibrium, the prey population densities are regulated by competition for (and or availability of) food. This predator pit hypothesis assumes that predator losses are density-dependent at low prey densities, but inversely density-dependent at high prey densities. Van Ballenberghe (1985) states that wolf population regulation is needed when a caribou herd population declines and becomes trapped in a predator pit, wherein predators are able to prevent caribou populations from increasing. The final model that attempts to describe the effects of predation on prey populations is the stable limit cycle hypothesis. This hypothesis proposes that vulnerability of prey to predation depends on past environmental conditions. According to this theory, individuals of a prey population born under unfavorable conditions are more vulnerable to predation throughout their adult lives than those born under favorable conditions. This model would produce time lags between the proliferation of the predator and the prey populations, in effect generating recurring cycles. Boutin (1992) states that if this hypothesis is correct, the effects of food availability (or the lack of) should be more subtle than outright starvation. Relatively severe winters could have long- term effects by altering growth, production, and vulnerability. Thompson and Peterson (1988) reported that there are no documented cases of wolf predation imposing a long-term limit on ungulate populations independent of environmental influences. They also point out that summer moose calf mortality was high whether predators were present or not, and that snow conditions during the winter affected the vulnerability of calves to predation. Messier (1994) asserts that snow accumulation during consecutive winters does not create a cumulative impact on the nutritional status of deer and moose. All of the four proposed theories mentioned above could describe the interrelationships between the predation of wolves and their usual north american prey of large ungulate species. There has been ample evidence presented in the primary research literature to support any one of the four potential models. The predation limiting hypothesis seems to enjoy wide popular support, and seems to most accurately describe most of the trends observed in predator-prey populations. Most researchers seem to think that more specific studies need to be conducted to find an ideal model of the effects of predation. Bergerud and Ballard (1988) stated â€Å"A simple numbers argument regarding prey:predator ratios overlooks the complexities in multi-predator-prey systems that can involve surplus killing, additive predation between predators, enhancement and interference between predator species, switch over between prey species, and a three-fold variation in food consumption rates by wolves.† Dale et al. (1994) stated that further knowledge of the factors affecting prey switching, such as density-dependent changes in vulnerability within and between prey species, and further knowledge of wolf population response is needed to draw any firm conclusions. Boutin (1992) also proposed that the full impact of predation has seldom been measured because researchers have concentrated on measuring losses of prey to wolves only. Recently, bear predation on moose calves has been found to be substantial, but there are few studies which examine this phenomenon (Boutin 1992). Messier (1994) also pointed out that grizzly and black bears may be important predators of moose calves during the summer. Seip (1992), too, states that bear predation was a significant cause of adult caribou mortality. These points emphasize that multiple-predator and multiple-prey systems are probably at work in the natural environment, and we must not over generalize a one predator – one prey hypothesis in the attempt to interpret the overall trends of the effects of predation of wolves on large ungulate populations. How to cite The Effects of Wolf Predation, Papers

Ruya free essay sample

This case describes and presents the problems faced by Mr.. Rutland, Professor of History at the University of Virginia and founder of the National Jazz Hall of Fame (NJ), In his attempts to gain national recognition for the organization. The NJ has achieved moderate success at a local level but has not attracted the needed national recognition. Basically the NJ was established to maintain a jazz museum in an old Paramount theatre. For doing that he needed funding around 600 000$.In addition o this problem, there are other organizations attempting to form a National Jazz Hall of Fame. Mr.. Rutland is faced with the dilemma of whether to abandon this project or to use some marketing strategies to help succeed. Mr. . Rutland engaged an independent consultant to answer these questions who conducted two national surveys and provided recommendations based on the survey results. SUMMARY OF THE CASE Text Box: Louis Armstrongs is a popular type of music which combines Black Spirituals, African Rhythms, and Cajun music. We will write a custom essay sample on Ruya or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It began In New Orleans In early sasss ND traveled to SST.Lolls, Kansas City, and Memphis, Chicago and New York and these cities musicians developed local styles of Jazz. Over the years different sounds emerged-swing, big band, bebop, fusion and others. So, according to LOUIS Armstrongs, Jazz Is, If you have to ask what Jazz Is, youll never know. The origin of NJ comes from a local Landmark of Charlottesville, the citys historic district, the Paramount theatre. The Paramount was constructed in sasss used as performance centre and movie theatre. In sasss It was In danger of dilapidated, In ERM of saving Mr..Rutland established a Jazz Hall of fame- that would be used as a museum and performance center capitalize on the theaters name. NJ was incorporated by Mr.. Rutland and his several friends in Charlottesville. They formed board of directors in early 1983. The NJ National Advisory board was consisted of Benny Goodman and Chick Corer. The purpose of NJ was * to establish and maintain a museum, archives and concert centre in Charlottesville to sponsor Jazz festivals, workshop and scholarships and * Text Box: Benny Goodman 1 OFF educating the public on the importance of Jazz in American culture and history.Mr.. Rutland and The board of directors were faced with three difficulties in their fist years effort. 1 . Philanthropic organization refused to make grant because none of the directors were experienced in project like NJ. 2. Government agencies such as National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities considered only organization in operation for at least two years. 3. Mid 1983, they discovered that to save paramount at least $600,000 would be needed. Best part of 1st years effort was.

A Farewell To Arms Essays (333 words) - English-language Films

A Farewell to Arms A Farewell to Arms The overall tone of the book is much different than that of The Sun Also Rises. The characters in the book are propelled by outside forces, in this case WWI, where the characters in SAR seemed to have no direction. Frederick's actions are determined by his position until he deserts the army. Floating down the river with barely a hold on a piece of wood his life, he abandons everything except Catherine and lets the river take him to a new life that becomes increasing difficult to understand. The escape to Switzerland seemed too perfect for a book that set a tone of ugliness in the world that was only dotted with pure love like Henry's and Cat's and I knew the story couldn't end with bliss in the slopes of Montreux. In a world where the abstracts of glory, honor, and sacrifice meant little to Frederick, his physical association with Catherine was the only thing he had and it was taken away from him long before she died. The love that Frederick and Catherine had for each other was more than could be explained in words and Frederick makes it known that words are not really effective at describing the flesh and blood details. Their love during an ugly war was not to be recreated or modeled even as much as through a baby conceived by their love. The baby could not be born alive because their love was beautiful yet doomed so that nothing could come out of it. Hemingway's language is effective in leaving much to the readers interpretation and allowing a different image to form in each readers mind. The simple sentences and incomplete descriptions frees your imagination and inspires each person to develop their own bitter love story.

How to Write a Great Blog Post

How to Write a Great Blog Post How to Write a Great Blog Post How to Write a Great Blog Post By Ali Hale Blog posts might look straightforward, but if you’ve ever tried to write one, you may have found it was harder than you expected. Whether you want to start a blog as a hobby, as a step towards freelancing, or as a tool to promote your book your blog posts need to be well-structured and well-written. Of course, blogging offers a lot of freedom. You don’t have to write to a specific length, in the way that you would if you were writing a newspaper column or a magazine article. You can write short, newsy pieces, long, in-depth pieces, or anything in between. You’ve also got the freedom to pick your own topics – and to develop your own writing style. Perhaps you want to write nostalgic, gently humorous blog posts drawn from your own life or maybe you’d prefer to create detailed, reassuring tutorials for new WordPress users. Whatever you’re writing about, though, and whatever your reason for blogging, your blog posts need to work. They need to have a recognisable structure and they need to stick, more or less, to the point. Here’s how to write a great blog post: Step #1: Plan Your Post Before You Write Your blog post should have an introduction, main body and conclusion (or, if you prefer, a beginning, middle and end). Here’s how those work: The introduction should set the scene for your post and hook the reader. You might do this by asking a question, making a bold statement, or giving a quick anecdote from your own life. The main body is the real content of your post. It’s where you develop a particular line of discussion, share a story, or give your suggestions or tips on a particular topic. The conclusion wraps up your post. It’s easy to miss off – but it’s really important. It should sum up briefly and, ideally, offer the reader something to do next. Step #2: Draft Your Full Post While different bloggers work in different ways, I find that it’s usually best to draft a whole blog post from start to end (rather than writing a few paragraphs here and there to stitch together eventually). You could: Imagine that you’re emailing a friendly acquaintance as you write. I find that thinking about one reader helps me to get the draft of my post down as smoothly as possible. Jot down some brief notes for your introduction, then launch in with the first key point  that you want to make. It’s often easier to flesh out the introduction once you’ve written the actual post. Avoid editing as you write. If you need to fix a quick typo or restart an occasional sentence, that’s okay – but don’t start deleting whole paragraphs at this stage. When you’re mid-way through a draft, it’s hard to see what needs to go and what should stay. Step #3: Redraft Your Post Once you’ve got a rough draft of your post, it’s time to shape it for your blog. Since you’re writing for an online audience, it’s important to: Keep your paragraphs short. It’s harder to read on a screen than in print, so if you’re used to writing for books or magazines, you may need to cut your paragraphs in half. Keep (most of) your sentences short and straightforward. The occasional more complex sentence is fine – especially if you’re writing for an academic or well-educated audience – but mix things up with some short, simple sentences too. Use a conversational writing style. That means using â€Å"I† and â€Å"you†. These aren’t appropriate in academic writing, so you might have been taught not to use them at school but when you’re blogging, it’s fine to write as though you’re talking directly to the reader. (Just like I’m doing right now!) Step #4: Format Your Post Once you’re happy with the post as written, it’s time to move on to the formatting – how your post looks. You might want to: Include subheadings and/or bold text. These help to â€Å"signpost† important parts of your post for the reader – for instance, in this post, the different steps each have their own subheading so you can easily figure out where you are within the post. Add images where appropriate. Many bloggers like to start off their posts with an eye-catching image to draw the reader in. Images also help to create â€Å"white space† (the blank bits of the page around the words and images), which makes your post look more attractive and inviting. Add links to other posts (on your blog or elsewhere). One great advantage of writing online versus writing in print is that you can link to other resources. That might mean linking to an explanation about something you mention in passing, for instance, to help your readers who are new to your subject area. Step #5: Edit Your Post While you could tackle the editing before the formatting, I find it’s helpful to do a quick edit, at least, after putting subheadings, images and links into place. When you edit: Look out for typos and misspellings. Your default spellchecker won’t necessarily catch all of these. Some bloggers find that it’s helpful to view their post in a larger size, or to preview it live on their blog, to help mistakes stand out. Check that your links are working. It’s frustrating for readers (and embarrassing for you) if a post goes live with broken links in it. Look for areas where your post could be more polished. In this post, for instance, I went back while editing to make sure that each of the â€Å"steps† had three bullet points, so that they all matched. Of course, writing blog posts is more of an art than a science – and I definitely don’t want you to think that there’s only one â€Å"right† way to do it.  These tips, though, should help you to produce polished blog posts that are enjoyable to write and that are easy for your readers to engage with. (And if youre looking for some more suggestions, check out Sarahs post 10 Tips on How to Write the Perfect Blog Post.) I hope you enjoy blogging as much as I do and if you have a great tip to share about writing blog posts, leave it in the comments for us! Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Writing Basics category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:70 "Home" Idioms and ExpressionsConnotations of 35 Words for Funny PeoplePeople vs. Persons

SWOT and PESTEL Analyses in Business Planning Essay

SWOT and PESTEL Analyses in Business Planning - Essay Example For the purpose outlined above, it is imperative to discuss what is business planning first and how the analysis of the business environment figure play its part. Essentially, the concept of business planning should be self-explanatory or that its meaning should be plain and obvious. However, the process is actually technical and scientific and claims an important field of research in the area of business management. Perhaps the simplest but best understood definition is that it is an undertaking in the real world done in order to understand where an individual or an organization is coming from and what the future may hold. Out of this conception, it easy to understand how business planning can be fundamental in successfully starting a business and in operating established businesses. Mylonas, Harvey and Hodges (2007) listed several reasons why a business plan is crucial for start-up organization. The four most important of these are: 1) to determine the feasibility of a business idea; 2) to set the goals and outline the plan of action to achieve them; 3) develop business strategies; and, 4) help in implementing research to subsequently establ ish a business direction. And yet, business planning is needed by companies that are long past their startup stage and that they, as a rule, are useful in all stages of an business organization’s life span. ... According to Bessant and Tidd, most of these are in the area of marketing and finance, and that most plans are also bound to fail in identifying analysis on potential competitors and comprehensive financial forecast, among others that contribute to limited successes. (p170) Ideally, a business plan, according to Kariv (2011), â€Å"guide a firm’s management and staff in carrying out new projects; to guide retailers weighing the prospects of mergers; to manage mergers; to deal with rapid growth; to set priorities when planning changes; to capture new clients; to deal with difficulties and contingencies† or to address â€Å"a new financial situation relevant to the company; significant changes in the market, such as shifting tastes, changes in regulations, fluctuations in the purchasing climate; development of new products† and so on. (p138) Evidently, the list of reasons is quite numerous and diverse. But these underscore the fact that the requirement is based on the issue of survival for companies in today’s highly dynamic and competitive business landscape. In other words, a business plan can be used as a roadmap that addresses each need and requirement of an organization in all stages of its operations including the circumstances encountered. It is a tool for individuals within the organization so they can align for the company’s organizational processes and strategies to business objectives, among other goals such as change intervention, crisis management and so forth. In order to do this, however, there is a requirement for sufficient information and analysis on the business environment. The Analysis of the Business Environment A critical stage in business planning is the analysis of the business environment. The idea is that such

Recommendation for APRN school Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Recommendation for APRN school - Essay Example He/she has understood what life brings with it for him/her. The tenacity with which he/she has taken on the business courses is something to write home about. This is because he/she has been imparting much needed time towards his/her studies. Also the fact that he/she attained a GPA of 3.2 in the Associate Nursing Program suggests that he/she has got it in him/her to reach the top as the craving is very much in line with the dreams that he/she has seen for him/herself in the future. I have no doubts on the abilities of XYZ as I am a firm believer that he/she is a hard working individual who possesses immense talent and acts in an efficient and effective manner when working alongside in a team. He/she is a team player to the core and I can always trust XYZ for his/her talents and skills. He/she has an apt to learn quickly and gets the hang of things much faster than others. More than anything else, it is his/her desire to learn more and more which brings a refreshing change to our pediatric team and we are always striving to live up with the expectations that XYZ has with the team. I believe that XYZ is a wonderful nursing supervisor and she must be encouraged on a consistent basis so that she could fulfill her dream and reach at the top. Thus it gives me great pleasure in recommending XYZ to you as I believe he/she has the required talents for becoming an Advanced Nurse Practitioner. XYZ loves to help the community around him/her and perceives everybody as an active part of this. The reason for this is because his/her personality is nicely knitted together and there is little room for any weaknesses to settle in between. He/she would without a shadow of a doubt be the future or nursing all said and

Essay on theories and models of health promotion

Essay on theories and models of health promotion The word health came from the old English word for heal (hael) which means whole, indicating that health concerns the whole person and their integrity, soundness, or well-being (Crafter 1997). Health can be defined as a state of well-being, interpreted by the World Health Organisation as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity (WHO 1946). Health promotion (HP) is the process of enabling people to increase control over and to improve their health. HP is a positive concept emphasizing social and personal resources as well as physical capacities. WHO (1984) In this assignment I will discuss health, HP principles, changing peoples behaviour and attitudes and I will also apply the application of a HP strategy (Beatties model). Beattie (1991) identifies three areas, health persuasion, personal counselling and community development. It also incorporates the knowledge, attitudes and beliefs (KAB model) which helps to support Beaties theories. His model offers a structural analysis of HP approaches. This model involves advice and information that is evidence based, insuring that the correct information is available to the client so she can make an informed choice, as the Nursing and Midwifery council (NMC 2008) stipulates. The KAB model, when applied, concentrates on what makes a person want to change. Dahlgren and Whitehead (1991) discuss the layers of influence on health and its social and ecological theory. They also attempted to link the relationship between the individual, their environment and disease. Individual people are at the centre, with a set of fixed genes. Surrounding them are influences on health that can be changed or modified. The first layer is personal behaviour and ways of living that can promote or damage health. e.g. ones choice to drink alcohol. Individuals are often affected by friendship patterns and their communities. The next layer of Dahlgren and Whiteheads theory is social and community influences, which provide mutual support for members of the community in unfavourable conditions. But they can also provide no support or have a negative effect. The third layer includes structural factors such as housing, working conditions, access to services and provision of essential facilities. Festinger (1957) used the term cognitive dissonance to describe a persons mental state when new information is given. This prompts the person either to reject the new information (as unreliable or inappropriate) or to adapt attitudes and behaviour, which could fit with it. Bradshaws needs also plays a critical role in HP. The schedule of antenatal care is dominated by a medical model. When providing care, the needs of women must be heard and incorporated into their care. Bradshaws needs can be used by midwives and other professionals to identify womens needs in pregnancy. This can lead to the type of healthcare which is more likely to address the social determinants of health and improve health outcomes for pregnant women. Normative Need: As defined by an expert, to be a need that all require. Such as the advised number of antenatal visits. Felt Need: an individual or groups own personal need. Expressed Need: A felt need which turns into an expression for help Comparative need: Comparing the needs of different groups and finding a common occurance. Bradshaws concept has four different types of need: My HP strategy focuses on Bradshaws comparative need. To educate women of 30yrs+ to abstain from alcohol during pregnancy. This is evidence based on research showing the link between alcohol and FAS. HP is a key part of the midwifes role. However, the effectiveness of its practice is often not easily recognisable. The document, Saving Lives-our healthier nation, (DOH 1999), suggests that individuals are not solely responsible for their own ill health. Health professionals i.e. Midwife and the government all play an important part in working towards achieving health for all and reducing inequalities in health and health care provision. The report also states that Healthcare authorities and primary care groups have a responsibility towards public health. (DOH 1999) The Royal College of Midwives (RCM 2000) suggests that maternity care is not just a delivery service. Midwives make a major contribution to family well-being and the wider public health and its contribution is yet to reach its full potential. HP is often used to describe behaviour or actions, which directly or indirectly influence the health of others. This may include preventing ill health, maintaining positive health, raising public awareness of health issues, protecting the public from harm, educating people to make healthy lifestyle choices and reducing inequalities in health and provision of healthcare (Dunkley 2000). HP within midwifery, involves enhancing positive health and reducing the risk of ill health through education. For expectant mothers it is a time of immense psychological and physiological development. During this time the woman acquires a great deal of new and sometimes confusing information from family, friends, magazines and health professionals. Midwifes have a duty of care to inform women about health damaging behaviour where this may occur. They also have a duty to encourage discussion on such topics i.e. alcohol in pregnancy, nutrition and choices of feeding. Following articles written in the Guardian and Telegraph newspaper in February 2010 stating that the Department of Health advice is that women should not drink at all when trying to conceive or when pregnant, but if women do chose to drink they should not have more than one or two units once or twice a week and not drink enough to feel drunk is what inspired my decision to look at Alcohol in pregnancy for this HP. The National Institute on Alcohol and alcoholism (NIAA) clearly states that NO alcohol should be consumed in pregnancy. The Telegraph newspaper in January 2009 reported that OLeary (an Australian scientist) states Women who drink five small glasses of wine during the course of a week in the first three months of pregnancy increase their risk of a premature birth by 70 per cent, even if they stop later. Research from the Infant feeding survey 2005 shows that drinking alcohol socially when pregnant has a higher occurrence in women in the 30-35 year age range and above. The Royal College of Obstetricians and gynaecologists (RCOG) 29th June 2010 stating there is no evidence that a couple of units of alcohol once or twice a week will harm an unborn baby. These contradicting reports led me to research the need for a HP on alcohol consumption in pregnancy. Professor Phillip Steer of the RCOG believes that if women ate and drank a more healthy diet this would result in healthier babies thus a healthier nation. Another specialist, Dr Raja Mukherjee, consultant psychiatrist and expert in foetal alcohol syndrome, stated that if a wealthier woman who has previously consumed wine on a regular basis, continues into her pregnancy, she is in the high risk group. He reports that they are actually putting their babies at risk before they even know they are pregnant, in some cases. Mukherjee (NOFAS) also reported that one of the most severely affected children he has seen, was born after a wealthy woman continued to consume half a bottle of wine 2 to 3 times a week. In my HP plan I wanted to target women in the older age ranges. Using the media to publicise the damage caused by alcohol consumption in pregnancy. My idea constituted a run of billboard posters depicting babies being forced to consume alcohol as well as television advertising. The adverts would be hard hitting with a simple dont drink slogan. The campaign would be called the you drink, I drink campaign. The primary aim would be to stop women drinking alcohol in pregnancy. The secondary aim would be to at least educate and inform women of the concerns related to drinking alcohol. Both aims would hope to have an effect in reducing the cases of fetal alcohol syndrome, currently 1:100, (NOFAS 2010), caused by drinking alcohol in pregnancy. Models have been used in HP for some time, but can they be a part of midwifery? It could be claimed that the unique and individual situations of pregnancy and birth do not lend themselves to categorising women and their needs. Every woman and every pregnancy is different. Could it be possible to apply a standard package of professional care? If midwifery is viewed as a health-promoting activity, then it may be that HP models and approaches can enhance the way that midwives deliver care by developing an agreed research-based framework, which, rather than labelling women, standardize good practice (Crafter 1997). The NHS plan, (NHS 2000), which seeks to develop an NHS that is patient-centred and fit for the 21st. Century, suggests that the role of the midwife should be developed in public health and family well being. Whilst researching my strategy I found that the first reported association between maternal alcoholism and a characteristic pattern of cranio-facial, limb and cardiovascular defects in the offspring was published in The Lancet Saturday 9 June 1973. Since then the results of a large body of research have been published. This is clearly an indication that a new HP aimed at pregnant women is needed! In 1996 the RCOG published a guideline on alcohol consumption in pregnancy. They wrote that there was no conclusive evidence of effects in either growth or IQ at levels of consumption below 120 gms per week. Nonetheless, they recommended that women should be careful about alcohol consumption in pregnancy and limit this to no more than one standard drink (8 gms of alcohol) per day. This disagrees with the recommendations from NICE. Who state that if a woman does decide to drink alcohol, she should drink No more than one or two units, once or twice a week. It is clear that the consumption of alcohol during pregnancy cannot be deemed without risk, however, controversy continues as to whether there is any safe level which women should be advised not to exceed. According to The National Organisation on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS), the medical and scientific literature overwhelmingly supports the hypothesis that there are risks of alcohol related brain damage from drinking low to moderate amounts of alcohol during pregnancy.   Based on these findings, NOFAS position is that there is no safe time, no safe amount, and no safe alcohol during pregnancy. (NOFAS 2007) The obvious way forward is to re-educate women through HP. There are key drivers in health matters such as the National institute of clinical excellence (NICE) and the Acheson Report for the Department of Health, which was a report to contribute to the development of the Governments strategy for health and an agenda for action on inequalities in the longer term. The publication in February 1998 of the consultation paper Our Healthier Nation; a Contract for Health was an important landmark. It identified the need to improve the health of the worst off in society and to narrow the health gap as an overriding principle. (DOH 1998) The report took into account the main features of Our Healthier Nation as they affect inequalities. It discussed tackling inequalities in the settings of schools, the workplace and neighbourhoods. The section on the NHS included an element on the reduction of inequalities through local partnerships taking into account plans for Health Improvement Programmes and Health Action Zones. It also takes into account the changes outlined in the White Paper The New NHS: Modern and Dependable. Whilst developing my HP strategy I looked for current Local and National strategies. The key strategy is that of the National Organisation on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS). They offer an extensive service, including conferences, support group meetings, publications and in particular the Baby Bundle Project. The training for Midwives Project is an initiative of NOFAS-UK to provide useful and positive health information about the consumption of alcohol in pregnancy. Midwives play an important role and can help prevent FASD. Another key strategy is Drinkaware. Drinkaware aims to change the UKs drinking habits for the better. They promote responsible drinking and find innovative ways to challenge the national drinking culture to help reduce alcohol misuse and minimise alcohol-related harm. They are an independent, UK-wide charity, who are supported by voluntary donations from across the drinks industry to equip people with the knowledge they need to make decisions about how much they drink. Drinaware also helps tackle alcohol misuse. As well as working with other organisations and individuals across the UK to fulfil the educational, community and awareness campaigning function envisaged in the Governments Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy. They also provide easily accessible, evidence-based information about alcohol and its effects, to employers, young people, teachers, parents and community workers, such as Midwives. They use a range of advertising mediums, such as film, multimedia and TV. Another National strategy is NICE. Their current recommendations on alcohol in pregnancy is that Pregnant women and women planning a pregnancy should be advised to avoid drinking alcohol in the first 3 months of pregnancy if possible, because it may be associated with an increased risk of miscarriage. But as previously discussed they also advise that women planning a pregnancy or in the first 3 months should not drink at all. The negative theory of this is that the government is presuming that all women will know what 8g of alcohol is, or 1.5 units. Should the government be advising women in a more user friendly way? The HP strategy advising women what they should or should not do will fail as not all women will know how much is too much. This creates a concerning risk. The government need to re-address the strategy to be usable by midwives and pregnant women alike. They should be re-thinking ways to educate women as to what a measure of alcohol is. Nice is also adding to the confusion in saying avoid alcohol then expressing that it can be drunk but in moderation. This sends a very confusing message to health promoters and pregnant women. According to NICE it is the responsibility of the midwife to educate their clients in the safe levels of alcohol consumption at their first meeting. At the expectant mothers first visit to the antenatal clinic the midwife should explain how the pregnant woman will be monitored with regular examinations and tests to ensure that the pregnancy is progressing normally. It should also be emphasised that the womans health inevitably influences that of the fetus and can have major impact on health in childhood and later life. Midwives need to advise their clients on what is safe. Would it be safer and clearer to advise all women, all of the time, not to drink alcohol at all? But the midwife would then not be offering the woman informed choice. It is the role of the midwife to offer lifestyle advice and to tell women of the implications of what alcohol consumption can do to a fetus. Then as Beatties model states, its the clients prerogative to choose what their actions are but it is the midwives role to try to encourage a change in previous unhealthy behaviour. During the development of my HP strategy i gained a peer review. (See appendix A). The positive feedback was tremendous. Confirming that I had correctly assessed the need for the target audience to be women aged 30-35 years+ and that a hard hitting advertising campaign was the right route to take. It highlighted the need to define which health models i would use and I decided on Beatties and KAB rather than Tannahill, which is another well know model. Although I did realise the need to decide on a primary and secondary aim for my promotion. The review also highlighted the need to be able to assess the success of this strategy. This would be easily measured by seeing a reduction in babies born with FAS. During antenatal care Midwives impart relevant information in a teaching way, but it is of no value if that teaching is facilitated in a lecturing style. Women wont learn if spoken at. It is not possible to provide an exhaustive coverage of pregnancy, labour, and the postnatal period during a set of 3/4 classes. A childbirth educator can boost her clients self esteem by valuing everyones comments and creating an atmosphere in which learning is a shared experience. The aim of childbirth education, therefore should be to help the women understand the importance (for their mental health) of getting the information they need, and to empower them to ask questions when and of whoever they want. It has been clearly demonstrated that a womans mental health after delivery has been closely linked to the amount of information she received during her labour (Oakley 1980). Health promoters are not always effective at providing information. Hillan (1992) suggests many women feel that there are a variety of ways during an antenatal class to empower women to ask questions of their caregivers. Women can be empowered by the attitude of their teacher. In Beattie (1991) Strategies for HP, he incorporates empowerment as an important aspect of his model to empower individuals to have the skills and confidence to take more control over their health. Analyses of empowerment shows there is a need to distinguish between self-empowerment and community empowerment. Self empowerment is used to describe HP strategies which are based on counselling and which use non-directive, client centred approaches aimed at increasing peoples control over their lives. Midwives frequently engage in client-centred work, as they are concerned with facilitating client autonomy. The client sets the agenda and the health professionals role is facilitating, guiding, supporting and empoweri ng the client to make informed choices (Dunkley 2000). Community empowerment is used to describe a way of working which increases peoples power to change their social reality. It is also a way of working which seeks to create active participating communities who are empowered and able to challenge and change the world about them. This approach helps people identify their own concerns and gain the skills and confidence to act upon them. It is unique as a bottom-up strategy and calls for the different skills from the health promoter (Kendall 1998). The midwife, becomes a facilitator whose role is to act as a catalyst. Carl Rogers has also developed the theory of facilitative learning. The basic premise of this theory is that learning will occur by the educator (in this case, the Midwife) acting as a facilitator, thus establishing an atmosphere in which learners feel comfortable to consider new ideas and are not threatened by external factors. When teaching adults we must be aware of their different learning styles. Adult learners are a very diverse group. Andragogy (the teaching and learning of adults) was first developed by Alexander Knapp in 1833. Then in 1984 Knowles used Knapps theory and expanded on it. Knowles emphasizes that adults are self-directed and expect to take responsibility for decisions. Adult learning programs must accommodate this fundamental aspect. Knowles himself changed his position on whether andragogy really applied only to adults and came to believe that pedagogy-andragogy represents a continuum ranging from teacher-directed to student-directed learning and that both approaches are appropriate with children and adults, depending on the situation. (Knowles 1984) Beattie offers a structural analysis of the HP approaches. He suggests that there are four paradigms for HP. These are generated from the dimensions of mode of intervention which ranges from authoritative (top-down and expert-led) to negotiated (bottom-up and valuing individual autonomy). Most HP work involving advice and information is determined and led by practitioners, or midwives in this case. The work and thoughts of Carl Rogers in the 1960s have been formative in understanding the importance of self-awareness and the experiential learning in helping individuals to understand and make decision. It is therefore important before commencing adult education to examine the structure of the model and look at whom it is aimed at. It is important when working within a team that certain values are shared and made explicit so that the carers can work towards the same goals and the recipients of care can be clear about the standards and outcomes to expect. Developing and working with unified models and approaches in health promotion and midwifery can therefore help midwives to communicate with each other more effectively and strengthen initiatives, which benefit everyone (Crafter 1997). The transition to parenthood is an emotional time for both the pregnant woman and her partner. The shift from marriage or partnership to the first pregnancy is a major transition point in a womens life. It is also the time that HP can have its biggest effect. Women are open to learning new things and hearing from many different sources about whats best for them during this time. A number of studies have suggested and therefore confirm this theory that the most difficult transition for couples to make is the birth of the first child (Cowan Cowan, 1992). All major transitions involve making changes and a period of disequilibrium. A professional career woman may find the whole process out of her control and be left reeling. Motherhood can significantly challenge a womans sense of identity, revealing a tension between personhood and parenthood. Antenatal classes, media, books etc all play a part in acclimatising the woman to her new role. Other outside influences are the social surroundings. Pregnant women from lower or working classes may not feel they have the same support as those from middle or upper class social areas. They may not reach out to areas of support, including what we consider basic antenatal care. Younger mothers may look at parenthood through rose tinted spectacles, imagining their baby will sleep through the night. While the more mature first time mother is more realistic in her outlook. This is where HP again plays an integral part in educating the woman through sources of media, care and through learning in the community. Expectations and theories have changed greatly over the last 40 years. Older mothers are more common as are teenage mothers. Teenage mothers in the 1960s were sent away to discreetly have their babies, now they are a common part of the community with different needs to that of the older mother. HP has to be aimed at all groups all of the time. It is up to the care giver to facilitate this information at the right level for each individual case. Good quality teaching, support and HPs received well, all contribute to the transition to parenthood, thus increasing the confidence of the new parent. After all, it is one of the most vulnerable times in their life. With successful antenatal learning in place this would then enhance the transition to parenthood and that of attachment. Bowlby (1969) devoted extensive research to the concept of attachment, describing it as a lasting psychological connectedness between human beings Proximity Maintenance The desire to be near the people we are attached to. Safe Haven Returning to the attachment figure for comfort and safety in the face of a fear or threat. Secure Base The attachment figure acts as a base of security from which the child can explore the surrounding environment. Separation Distress Anxiety that occurs in the absence of the attachment figure. Bowlby (1969)Bowlby believed that there are four distinguishing characteristics of attachment: These characteristics are learned as children and are what we use when moving from childhood to parenthood. Without a good base we cannot expect new parents to successfully proceed into parenthood without some re-education and the support of quality care givers. In conclusion, the RCM Vision 2000 describes the midwife as a public health practitioner. Midwives have always enhanced, facilitated and supported factors, which promote physical health, psychological, social and spiritual well being for the woman and her immediate family. Some of the key points that should be considered for the future of midwifery HP practice, is that it needs to be clearly defined, national and political recognition of the midwives contribution to public health should be improved and midwives should promote health within the socio-culteral and economic context of how individuals live their everyday lives (Dunkley 2000). Providing antenatal care to woman and fetus demonstrates a unique opportunity to enhance holistic health through advice, guidance, support and social networks where the woman can be offered further specialised care if needed. This assignment has discussed the concept of health and HP, the value of alcohol avoidance and briefly the effects on the pre gnant woman. Beatties and KAB model was used to show the importance that a supportive environment is created in which people can challenge ideas and question beliefs. Beatties model is adaptable and could be applied to many scenarios, the model shows a knowledge of awareness of adult education by provoking a deep understanding of processes and problem solving, and therefore the quality of teaching and the learning process. There are a number of ethical issues involved in parent education. Participants need to be listened to carefully and their questions answered truthfully, which gives a positive effect on the woman and leads to the skills and confidence to take more control over their health.