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At least 271 records · Page 15
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2014

Importance of patient education on home medical care waste disposal in Japan

Highlights: • Attached office nurses more recovered medical waste from patients’ homes. • Most nurses educated their patients on how to store home medical care waste in their homes and on how to separate them. • Around half of nurses educated their patients on where to dispose of their home medical care waste. - Abstract: To determine current practices in the disposal and handling of home medical care (HMC) waste, a questionnaire was mailed to 1965 offices nationwide. Of the office that responded, 1283 offices were analyzed. Offices were classified by management configuration: those attached to hospitals were classified as ”attached offices” and others as “independent offices”. More nurses from attached offices recovered medical waste from patients’ homes than those from independent offices. Most nurses educated their patients on how to store HMC waste in their homes (79.3% of total) and on how to separate HMC waste (76.5% of total). On the other hand, only around half of nurses (47.3% from attached offices and 53.2% from independent offices) educated their patients on where to dispose of their HMC waste. 66.0% of offices replied that patients had separated their waste appropriately. The need for patient education has emerged in recent years, with education for nurses under the diverse conditions of HMC being a key factor in patient education.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2015

Source segregation and food waste prevention activities in high-density households in a deprived urban area

Highlights: • Study of waste management in economically and socially deprived high-density housing. • Food waste segregation, prevention and recycling activities investigated. • Study involved a waste audit and household survey of 1034 households. • Populations in such areas are “hard-to-reach”. • Exceptional efforts and additional resources are required to improve performance. - Abstract: A waste audit and a household questionnaire survey were conducted in high-density housing estates in one of the most economically and socially deprived areas of England (Haringey, London). Such areas are under-represented in published research. The study examined source segregation, potential participation in a food waste segregation scheme, and food waste prevention activities in five estates (1034 households). The results showed that: contamination of recyclables containers was low; ca. 28% of the mixed residual waste’s weight was recyclable; food waste comprised a small proportion of the waste from these residents, probably because of their relatively disadvantaged economic circumstances; and the recycling profile reflected an intermittent pattern of behaviour. Although the majority of respondents reported that they would participate in a food waste separation scheme, the response rate was low and many responses of “don’t know” were recorded. Municipalities committed to foster improved diversion from landfill need to recognise that there is no “quick and easy fix”, regardless of local or national aspirations. Lasting and sustained behaviour change requires time and the quality of service provision and associated infrastructure play a fundamental role in facilitating residents to participate effectively in waste management activities that maximise capture of source-segregated materials. Populations in deprived areas that reside in high-rise, high-density dwellings are “hard-to-reach” in terms of participation in recycling schemes and exceptional efforts and additional resources are usually required to improve performance.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2018

Waste picker livelihoods and inclusive neoliberal municipal solid waste management policies: The case of the La Chureca garbage dump site in Managua, Nicaragua

Highlights: • Landfill modernization project in Nicaragua yields unintended consequences. • Enclosure of garbage site displaces hundreds of impoverished waste pickers. • Persistent social marginalization contributes to environmental degradation. • Sustainable development must incorporate concerns of informal waste pickers. - Abstract: The modernization (i.e. mechanization, formalization, and capital intensification) and enclosure of municipal solid waste management (MSWM) systems threaten waste picker livelihoods. From 2009 to 2013, a major development project, embodying traditional neoliberal policies with inclusive social policies, transformed the Managua, Nicaragua, municipal solid waste site from an open-air dump where as many as 2,000 informal waste pickers toiled to a sanitary landfill. To investigate waste pickers’ social and economic condition, including labor characteristics, household income, and poverty incidence, after the project’s completion, 146 semi-structured survey questionnaires were administered to four communities adjacent to the landfill and 45 semi-structured interviews were completed with key stakeholders. Findings indicate that hundreds of waste pickers were displaced by the project, employment benefits from the project were unevenly distributed by neighborhood, and informal waste picking endures due to persistent impoverishment, thereby contributing to continued social and economic marginalization and environmental degradation. The findings highlight the limitations of inclusive neoliberal development efforts to transform MSWM in a low-income country.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2018

Impact of community engagement on public acceptance towards waste-to-energy incineration projects: Empirical evidence from China

Highlights: • How community engagement affects public acceptance towards WTE projects is studied. • Public acceptance is affected by demographic variables. • Public trust positively affects public acceptance both directly and indirectly. • Community engagement can effectively enhance public trust in WTE authorities. - Abstract: As one of the most popular methods for the treatment of municipal solid waste (MSW), waste-to-energy (WTE) incineration offers effective solutions to deal with the MSW surge and globe energy issues. Nevertheless, the construction of WTE facilities faces considerable and strong opposition from local communities due to the perceived potential risks. The present study aims to understand whether, and how, community engagement improves local residents’ public acceptance towards waste-to-energy (WTE) incineration facilities using a questionnaire survey conducted with nearby residents of two selected WTE incineration plants located in Zhejiang province, China. The results of data analysis using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) reveal that firstly, a lower level of public acceptance exists among local residents of over the age of 35, of lower education levels, living within 3 km from the WTE Plant and from WTE incineration Plants which are under construction. Secondly, the public trust of local government and other authorities was positively associated with the public acceptance of the WTE incineration project, both directly and indirectly based on perceived risk. Thirdly, community engagement can effectively enhance public trust in local government and other authorities related to the WTE incineration project. The findings contribute to the literature on MSW treatment policy-making and potentially hazardous facility siting, by exploring the determinants of public acceptance towards WTE incineration projects.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2024

PM 2.5 Is Insufficient to Explain Personal PAH Exposure

To understand how chemical exposure can impact health, researchers need tools that capture the complexities of personal chemical exposure. In practice, fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) air quality index (AQI) data from outdoor stationary monitors and Hazard Mapping System (HMS) smoke density data from satellites are often used as proxies for personal chemical exposure, but do not capture total chemical exposure. Silicone wristbands can quantify more individualized exposure data than stationary air monitors or smoke satellites. However, it is not understood how these proxy measurements compare to chemical data measured from wristbands. In this study, participants wore daily wristbands, carried a phone that recorded locations, and answered daily questionnaires for a 7-day period in multiple seasons. We gathered publicly available daily PM 2.5 AQI data and HMS data. We analyzed wristbands for 94 organic chemicals, including 53 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Wristband chemical detections and concentrations, behavioral variables (e.g., time spent indoors), and environmental conditions (e.g., PM 2.5 AQI) significantly differed between seasons. Machine learning models were fit to predict personal chemical exposure using PM 2.5 AQI only, HMS only, and a multivariate feature set including PM 2.5 AQI, HMS, and other environmental and behavioral information. On average, the multivariate models increased predictive accuracy by approximately 70% compared to either the AQI model or the HMS model for all chemicals modeled. This study provides evidence that PM 2.5 AQI data alone or HMS data alone is insufficient to explain personal chemical exposures. Our results identify additional key predictors of personal chemical exposure.

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTAN↗
DOE OSTI2023

Mapping brucellosis risk in Kenya and its implications for control strategies in sub-Saharan Africa

In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), effective brucellosis control is limited, in part, by the lack of long-term commitments by governments to control the disease and the absence of reliable national human and livestock population-based data to inform policies. Therefore, we conducted a study to establish the national prevalence and develop a risk map for Brucella spp. in cattle to contribute to plans to eliminate the disease in Kenya by the year 2040. We randomly generated 268 geolocations and distributed them across Kenya, proportionate to the area of each of the five agroecological zones and the associated cattle population. Cattle herds closest to each selected geolocation were identified for sampling. Up to 25 cattle were sampled per geolocation and a semi-structured questionnaire was administered to their owners. We tested 6,593 cattle samples for Brucella immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies using an Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We assessed potential risk factors and performed spatial analyses and prevalence mapping using approximate Bayesian inference implemented via the integrated nested Laplace approximation (INLA) method. The national Brucella spp. prevalence was 6.8% (95% CI: 6.2–7.4%). Exposure levels varied significantly between agro-ecological zones, with a high of 8.5% in the very arid zone with the lowest agricultural potential relative to a low of 0.0% in the agro-alpine zone with the highest agricultural potential. Additionally, seroprevalence increased with herd size, and the odds of seropositivity were significantly higher for females and adult animals than for males or calves. Similarly, animals with a history of abortion, or with multiple reproductive syndromes had higher seropositivity than those without. At the herd level, the risk of Brucella spp. transmission was higher in larger herds, and herds with a history of reproductive problems such as abortion, giving birth to weak calves, or having swollen testes. Geographic localities with high Brucella seroprevalence occurred in northern, eastern, and southern regions of Kenya all primarily characterized by semi-arid or arid agro-ecological zones dominated by livestock pastoralism interspersed with vast areas with mixed livestock-wildlife systems. The large spatial extent of our survey provides compelling evidence for the widespread geographical distribution of brucellosis risk across Kenya in a manner easily understandable for policymakers. Our findings can provide a basis for risk-stratified pilot studies aiming to investigate the cost-effectiveness and efficacy of singular and combined preventive intervention strategies that seek to inform Kenya’s Brucellosis Control Policy.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2014

Determinants of debit cards acceptance: An empirical investigation

These days, most of the Malaysians realize that the consumption of debit card will help them to reduce the household debt. Thus, it is important to analyse the acceptance of debit cards for further enhancement and expanding its market share in Malaysia. In addition, there is lacked of research being conducted on the determinants affecting the acceptance of debit cards among Malaysians. Thus, the study aimed to investigate the factors affecting the acceptance of debit cards. This study focuses on payment methods, consumer attitude, and safety of debit card in acceptance of debit cards. Questionnaires were distributed to the 300 respondents. The sampling procedure adopted was stratified random sampling. The data obtained were analysed using SPSS 20.0 which involves scale reliability, descriptive and regression analysis. The result indicates that payment methods, consumer attitude and safety are the determinants of debit cards acceptance. Safety is the best predictor as most of the customers are confidents to use debit cards because of the security being developed around these debit card transactions. The analyses presented in this study can be used by policymakers and managers as a guide to promote banking products and services. The findings achieved in this study will be of interest for practitioners and academics concerned with developments of the Malaysian banking industry.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Adoption and use of e-invoicing in Greece

This paper investigates the adoption and use of electronic invoices (e-invoices) in Greek organizations. The study attempts to evaluate current practices applied in implementing e-invoicing. A field research has been conducted, which is based on a structured questionnaire. The target sample consisted of 42 Greek enterprises. The main issues of the investigation include the existing invoice processing practices, the barriers that prevent the extended adoption and use of e-invoicing, the observed benefits from e-invoicing implementation, and the strategic drivers for transition to e-invoicing. Currently, the use of e-invoicing in Greece is low. However, the research results testify that the adoption of e-invoicing in Greece is promising. Even though, a number of enterprises state that benefits of e-invoicing are not clear yet, the majority of enterprises agree that there are crucial financial priorities that e-invoicing is expected to support.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Evaluation of information technology impact on effective internal control in the University system

Information Technology (IT) plays a key role in internal control system in various organizations in terms of maintaining records and other internal services. Internal control system is defined as an efficient control procedures set up by firm to safeguard resources and to assure the reliability and accuracy of both financial and non-financial records in line with applicable governance and procedure to acquire the established goal and objectives. This paper focuses on the impact of IT on internal control system in the Nigerian universities. Data are collected from three different universities via questionnaire. Descriptive statistics is used to analyze the data; Chi-square is performed to test the hypothesis. The results of the hypothesis showed that IT has a positive relationship with the effective internal control activities in the University system. It is concluded that the adoption of IT will significantly improve the effectiveness of the internal control system operations in the University in terms of quality service delivery.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Assessment on security system of radioactive sources used in hospitals of Thailand

Unsecured radioactive sources have caused deaths and serious injuries in many parts of the world. In Thailand, there are 17 hospitals that use teletherapy with cobalt-60 radioactive sources. They need to be secured in order to prevent unauthorized removal, sabotage and terrorists from using such materials in a radiological weapon. The security system of radioactive sources in Thailand is regulated by the Office of Atoms for Peace in compliance with Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI), U.S. DOE, which has started to be implemented since 2010. This study aims to perform an assessment on the security system of radioactive sources used in hospitals in Thailand and the results can be used as a recommended baseline data for development or improvement of hospitals on the security system of a radioactive source at a national regulatory level and policy level. Results from questionnaires reveal that in 11 out of 17 hospitals (64.70%), there were a few differences in conditions of hospitals using radioactive sources with installation of the security system and those without installation of the security system. Also, personals working with radioactive sources did not clearly understand the nuclear security law. Thus, government organizations should be encouraged to arrange trainings on nuclear security to increase the level of understanding. In the future, it is recommended that the responsible government organization issues a minimum requirement of nuclear security for every medical facility using radioactive sources.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗
DOE OSTI2016

Environmental issues elimination through circular economy

Environmental efforts of European Union are currently going towards circular economy. Tools like Extended Producer Responsibility and Eco-design were established. The circular economy deals with resources availability issue on one hand and waste management on the other hand. There are few pioneering companies all over the world with some kind of circular economy practice. Generally the concept is not very wide-spread. The paper aims to evaluate possibility of transition towards circular economy in Slovak industrial companies. They need to have an active approach to material treatment of their products after usage stage. Innovation is another important pre-condition for the transition. Main problem of current cradle to grave system is landfilling of valuable materials after one cycle of usage. Their potential value for next manufacturing cycles is lost. Companies may do not see connection between waste management and material resource prices and volatility of supplies. Municipalities are responsible for municipal waste collection and treatment in Slovakia. The circular economy operates by cradle to cradle principle. Company manages material flow until the material comes back to the beginning of manufacturing process by itself or by another partners. Stable material supplies with quite low costs are provided this way. It is necessary to deal with environmental problems in phase of product design. Questionnaire survey results show on one hand low involvement of industrial companies in waste management area, however on the other hand they are open to environmental innovations in future.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2016

Statistical mentoring at early training and career stages

At Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), statistical scientists develop solutions for a variety of national security challenges through scientific excellence, typically as members of interdisciplinary teams. At LANL, mentoring is actively encouraged and practiced to develop statistical skills and positive career-building behaviors. Mentoring activities targeted at different career phases from student to junior staff are an important catalyst for both short and long term career development. This article discusses mentoring strategies for undergraduate and graduate students through internships as well as for postdoctoral research associates and junior staff. Topics addressed include project selection, progress, and outcome; intellectual and social activities that complement the student internship experience; key skills/knowledge not typically obtained in academic training; and the impact of such internships on students’ careers. Experiences and strategies from a number of successful mentorships are presented. Feedback from former mentees obtained via a questionnaire is incorporated. As a result, these responses address some of the benefits the respondents received from mentoring, helpful contributions and advice from their mentors, key skills learned, and how mentoring impacted their later careers.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2018

Energy savings and usability of zero-client computing in office settings

This study provides a detailed comparison of the power consumption, usability, and applicability of virtual machines (VMs) - accessed through zero-client devices - and traditional laptop computers in office settings. The study analyzed high-level plug loads across two office spaces, one using traditional laptops, the other using zero clients. In addition, the individual power consumption of four workstations was monitored and compared. Each workstation user switched between using a laptop or zero client for one week and then using the alternate system the second week. Results of the high-level and workstation analysis show that average workstation plug loads are lower for occupants using zero clients. However, this does not include power consumed by the data center managing VMs. This study calculates the affiliated data center power draw of VMs and shows that server-related loads push total zero-client computing energy higher than that of traditional laptops. Finally, a questionnaire was administered to building occupants to determine the appropriateness of zero-client computing for various user groups, with the results indicating that VMs are most appropriate for more basic software functions. The findings of this study suggest that advances in server technology can help improve both the overall efficiency and the usability of zero-client computing.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2021

Varied farm-level carbon intensities of corn feedstock help reduce corn ethanol greenhouse gas emissions

Abstract A reduction in the overall carbon intensity (CI) of a crop-based biofuel can be achieved by cutting down the CI of the biofuel’s feedstock, which in turn correlates significantly to agricultural management practices. Proposals are being made to incentivize low-carbon biofuel feedstocks under U.S. fuel regulatory programs to promote sustainable farming practices by individual farms. For such an incentive scheme to function properly, robust data collection and verification are needed at the farm level. This study presents our collaboration with U.S. private sector companies to collect and verify the corn production data necessary for feedstock-specific CI calculation at the farm level, through a carefully designed questionnaire, to demonstrate the practicality and feasibility of data collection at scale. We surveyed 71 farms that produced 0.2 million metric tons of corn grain in 2018 in a Midwestern U.S. state to obtain information on key parameters affecting corn ethanol feedstock CI, such as grain yields, fertilizer/chemical application rates, and agronomic practices. Feedstock-specific CI was calculated in the unit of grams (g) CO 2 equivalent (CO 2 e) of greenhouse gases per kilogram (kg) of corn produced. Results showed large CI variations—from 119 to 407 g CO 2 e kg −1 of corn—due to the farm-level inventory, while the production-weighted average CI for all surveyed farms was 210 g CO 2 e kg −1 , comparable to the national average CI of 204 g CO 2 e kg −1 . The nitrogen fertilizer type applied and rate were identified as key factors contributing most to CI variations at the farm level. The estimated N 2 O emissions from fertilizer and biomass nitrogen inputs to soil accounted for 51% of the overall farm-level CI and therefore need to be better monitored at farm level with high resolution. We concluded that this feedstock-specific, farm-level CI evaluation has the potential to be used to incentivize low-carbon feedstock for biofuel production.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

Heat exposure and maternal stress: evidence from the GRAPHS pregnancy cohort in Ghana

Heat exposure has been linked to psychosocial stress, an established antecedent of perinatal depression; however, evidence on heat-related stress during pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa remains limited. We analyzed psychosocial stress scores and covariate data from the Ghana Randomized Air Pollution and Health Study, linking daily maximum and minimum shaded wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) metrics to participants’ stress scores derived from the Crisis in Family Systems-Revised Life Events Questionnaire. We evaluated associations using ordinal logistic regression of pregnancy-average and trimester-average exposures and distributed lag non-linear models (DLNMs) to assess time-varying associations across gestation. Higher average maximum WBGT exposure across pregnancy was associated with increased odds of higher psychosocial stress; each 1 °C increase in maximum WBGT was associated with 64% higher odds of belonging to a higher stress category (OR = 1.64; 95% CI = 1.17–2.31; p = 0.0040). In trimester-average models, higher first-trimester maximum WBGT was also associated with higher stress (OR = 1.44; 95% CI = 1.15–1.81; p = 0.0014). DLNMs suggested that relatively cooler daily maximum WBGT values (25th percentile) were associated with decreased odds of stress in early pregnancy, whereas extreme daily maximum WBGT values (99th percentile) showed a pattern consistent with increased odds of stress in mid-to-late gestation. These findings highlight gestational windows in which heat exposure may influence stress, emphasizing the need for further research into underlying mechanisms and effective interventions to protect maternal mental health in heat-vulnerable settings.

White, Lewis [Columbia University] (ORCID:00090005↗
DOE OSTI2025

Cognitive behavioural therapy targeting cardiac anxiety post-myocardial infarction: results from two sequential pilot studies

Abstract Aims Cardiac anxiety, which is cardiac-related fear and avoidance behaviours, is common following myocardial infarction (MI) and has been associated with increased risk for cardiovascular events. However, there are currently no treatments specifically designed to target cardiac anxiety. The aim of the two pilot studies was to evaluate an exposure-based cognitive behavioural therapy protocol (MI-CBT) targeting cardiac anxiety following MI, assessing feasibility, acceptability, and the intervention's potential for reducing cardiac anxiety and improving health-related quality of life (QoL). Methods and results A series of two sequential, uncontrolled pilot studies were conducted. In Pilot Study 1 (n = 15), MI-CBT was delivered via face-to-face videoconference, while Pilot Study 2 (n = 23) was delivered online. Patients with a history of MI (≥6 months before assessment, type 1 ST- or non-ST-segment elevation MI, and elevated cardiac anxiety as per clinical interview) were included. The interventions lasted 8 weeks and were therapist-led, with key components including exposure to cardiac-related symptoms and reduction of avoidance behaviours. Participants completed self-rated assessments, including the Cardiac Anxiety Questionnaire (CAQ) and the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12), at baseline, post-treatment, and 6-month follow-up. Treatment adherence and satisfaction were high. Cognitive behavioural therapy led to a large reduction in cardiac anxiety, as measured by the CAQ (P < 0.001), and significant improvements in health-related QoL, as measured by the SF-12 (P < 0.001), in both pilot studies. Conclusion These studies suggest that exposure-based CBT is a feasible, acceptable, and promising approach to reduce cardiac anxiety and improve QoL following MI. A randomized controlled trial should be conducted to evaluate the efficacy of the intervention.

Johnsson, Amanda (ORCID:0009000862983934)↗
DOE OSTI2022

Effectiveness of supervised exercise, home-based exercise, or walk advice strategies on walking performance and muscle endurance in patients with intermittent claudication (SUNFIT trial): a randomized clinical trial

Abstract Aims Supervised exercise is a guideline-recommended treatment in intermittent claudication (IC). Hospital-based supervised exercise programmes (SEPs) are underutilized, while home-based structured exercise programmes (HSEPs) have attracted interest. The results from HSEP in IC are inconsistent and may confer no benefit over walk advice (WA) and be less effective than SEP. The aim of the study was to compare the effectiveness of best medical treatment, including Nordic pole WA alone, or WA + SEP or WA + HSEP for patients with IC. Methods and results This three-armed, multicentre randomized clinical trial enrolled patients with IC; all patients received best medical treatment including walking poles and the advice of regular Nordic pole walking (WA). For HSEP and SEP, additional exercise programmes were provided. The primarily investigated hypothesis was a non-inferiority analysis of SEP vs. HSEP regarding the 6-min walk test (6MWT) maximum distance, with a pre-defined non-inferiority margin of 50 m. Supporting outcomes included muscle endurance tests and the walking impairment questionnaire. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months by a blinded evaluator. Altogether 166 patients (mean age 72 years; 59% males) were randomized. In HSEP and SEP, 24 and 26% patients, respectively, were fully exercise adherent. All three groups improved pain-free walking distance over time, but there were no significant intergroup differences. The intergroup 6MWT difference between SEP and HSEP from 0 to 12 months was –11.6 m, 95% confidence interval: –36.4 to 13.0 m (i.e. within the pre-specified non-inferiority margin). Conclusion The HSEP was non-inferior to SEP in patients with IC. There were no significant differences observed between the three groups at 1 year. Registration ClinicialTrials.gov: NCT02341716.

Sandberg, Anna (ORCID:0000000258432784)↗
DOE OSTI2019

Stakeholders’ perceptions towards non-native acacias and implications for their management in Portugal

Abstract Humans act as drivers for the introduction of non-native trees. Some non-native species may become invasive and cause undesirable impacts, thereby motivating targeted decision-making and management actions. Australian acacias (or wattles; genus Acacia subgenus Phyllodineae) have been introduced worldwide, offering both opportunities and risks for local communities. Understanding how stakeholders perceive invasive acacias is paramount to assist effective decision-making. We assessed stakeholders’ perceptions about these non-native acacias, their invasion process, social-ecological impacts and management. We conducted a questionnaire-based survey with experienced managers and decision-makers in Northern Portugal, where acacia invasions are widespread. We found that most stakeholders are not able to recognize non-native species, failing to identify the introduction period, drivers of dispersion and appropriate management methods of Australian acacias. We could also identify different stakeholder perceptions on the benefits and negative impacts provided by these species. We call for the implementation of technical training and information outreach strategies to address stakeholders’ lack of knowledge (and experience) on the recognition and identification of non-native trees, as well as on their introduction and invasion history, drivers of dispersion, costs and benefits, and effective management actions. Stakeholders’ engagement should be promoted in the design and implementation of biosecurity efforts to control (and/or adapt to) invasive acacias at relevant scales of invasion management.

Vaz, Ana Sofia↗