6 Best WordPress Theme Detectors Tested and Compared

Have you ever found a WordPress site with a design that you love so much you want it for your own site? There are tons of great themes out there to use as inspiration. And, thankfully, if you ever find yourself wanting to know which theme a WordPress site is running, one of these WordPress theme detectors can help you out.Theyre great if you are a WordPress enthusiast and want to learn new things about your favorite CMS. Or you simply want to prove yourself or somebody else that youve guessed the theme right.No matter what your reasons are, the truth is that you can easily find out the secret behind a certain sites design through awesome WordPress theme detectors, even if you dont know any code.So, today, were presenting you five tools that allow you to look under the hood of a WordPress site and see the themes and plugins that sit underneath. Most of these theme detectors are online tools that you can use right from your browser of choice. Results of WordPress theme detectorsWhat Th emeWhat WordPress Theme Is ThatWPSnifferWordPress Theme DetectorScanWPThemeIsle BlogDetectedNoDetectedDetectedDetectedNIODetectedDetectedDetectedDetectedDetectedAlanis MorissetteDetectedDetectedNoDetectedDetectedBobWPDetectedNoDetectedDetectedDetectedMatt ReportDetectedNoDetectedDetectedDetectedThe Best 6 WordPress Theme Detectors in DetailNow, lets get to know the candidates from the table better. Well talk about each of them in detail and see what they come with. Whats cool is that a lot of these theme detectors go beyond just WordPress themes and provide some other neat information.What ThemeWhat Theme is a great online tool that not only detects a WordPress sites theme, but also shows nice details about the theme such as its main URL, the author, what version and license it has tags related to its purpose, and a description. Apart from WordPress, you can also use it for Joomla, Drupal, Blogger, Shopify, Ghost, Tumblr, Magento, and Big Cartel.Whats interesting about this tool is that it recognizes a custom theme immediately and delivers you the author or agency that built it. You can also use What Theme if you want to find out whether a site uses WordPress or not.What WordPress Theme Is ThatThis is a similar online tool made to detect what WordPress theme a certain site is using. Just go to the tools page and enter the URL of the site that you want to check in the search bar.What WordPress Theme Is That will not only detect the main theme, but also the parent (if any). It also goes beyond themes and presents you with a list of plugins that are being used by that given site. Unlike WhatTheme, this is just for WordPress, so it wont detect themes built for other platforms.WPSnifferWPSniffer is a Chrome extension that tells you what theme a WordPress site is using. It doesnt come with details about the theme or author, it just links to a Google results page where you can find all the pages that lead to the theme. The pages are generated by this exact keyword fo rmat x WordPress theme (where x is the themes name).The tool is easy to use, you just need to click the install button and a gray icon will appear in your browsers top bar. The icon turns orange automatically every time it detects a WordPress theme.WordPress Theme DetectorThis one is a very cool theme detector not only because it has a friendly interface but also because of the way it presents the detected theme. The tool is online, so you need to just enter the URL of the site youre interested in. To display the theme it found, WordPress Theme Detector provides nice slide-out sections that deliver helpful details about the author.What is this tool delivering exactly? The themes description, tag, license, a great box of statistics about the provider, additional information about the site you searched for, and a list of plugins that the tool was able to detect on the site. As an added bonus, the tool also detects child themes.ScanWPScanWP is another web-based tool built to detect the theme and plugins that a WordPress site is using. It doesnt provide additional information about the theme, it just tells you its name, URL, author, and sometimes the price.WP Theme Detector by SatoriThis one is probably the most minimalist of the tools discussed here. It provides only the essential results: a theme’s name, its author, description, version, as well as the direct link to the theme’s official page. It also tells whether a child theme is being used and returns specific error messages if the scanned website uses a completely custom theme or doesn’t use WordPress at all.The tool works even on websites which are using CSS minification plugins such as BWP Minify that distort the theme’s stylesheets.The Winner?Putting all the things together, the most effective tool that we found was WordPress Theme Detector. Apart from detecting all the themes, it offers a bunch of useful information about the searched item, including author details and a few p lugins that are active on the site. It can also tell the difference between a child theme and the parent.What Theme is a great alternative, returning correct answers for every website, but it cant figure out if a theme is a child theme or not.Last but not least, ScanWP knows its stuff very well and does offer you a nice list containing the theme and a limited number of plugins a website is using.Bonus methodsThe developer methodI called this one the developer method because this is how developers investigate websites. For them, doing this is like copy and paste. But its not too complicated, so you can probably figure it out even if youre not a developer.This time you wont need any tools, you just have to go to a website, right click on the page, and select View Page Source. Or you can simply press CTRL+U. The pages code will appear in a new tab and all you have to do is search for wp-content/themes using CTRL+F. You will find the name of the theme written in every single line that c ontains this exact phrase.Theme name in the footerThis option is the simplest but it doesnt work all the time. Every site usually comes with footer credits, mentioning the platform and (sometimes) the theme its using. So before you use the methods from above, you should first look at the sites footer because the answer you need might be there.

The eNotes Blog 10 Ways To Get More Sleep DuringFinals

10 Ways To Get More Sleep DuringFinals Since when do â€Å"sleep† and â€Å"finals† belong in the same sentence? By the end of the semester, it seems almost natural to swap sleep for study. While this may have earned you an A in the past, it’s not sustainable and can negatively alter your overall performance come test time. Sleep deprivation leads to less efficient learning, higher emotionality, increased anxiety, and a less efficient brain.  Ultimately, getting enough sleep is the best thing you can do for yourself during finals week. Therefore, cut back on the caffeine, establish a sleep schedule, and feel well-rested by the time you’re sitting down for your first exam. Lets look at 10 simple ways to get more sleep this finals week. 1. Reset your body clock It’s no surprise that our bodies desire consistent sleep patterns. While the amount of sleep varies based on the individual, it’s a great habit to establish a sleep schedule. Try setting your alarm for the same time each morning and going to bed around the same time each night. This helps your body get into the groove of a routine to have you feeling well rested by the time your alarm goes off. 2. Avoid all-nighters In reality, no one wants to pull all-nighters. Theyre simply the result of procrastination and actually do more harm than good. After staying up all night, youre less likely to remember everything you were trying to study and your ability to reason may be impaired from lack of sleep.  You should aim to  get at least four hours of sleep the night before any test. Besides, doesnt your bed sound way more appealing than another energy drink? 3. Nourish your body Hours of studying may have you consuming ungodly amounts of caffeine while maintaining a strict vending-machine diet. It’s vital to stay hydrated and consume full meals regardless of how long you’re sitting in the library. When your brain is functioning on a full reserve of water, you think faster, are more focused, and experience greater clarity and creativity.   Neglecting to properly nourish your body will cause it to crash, ultimately disrupting your mood and sleep patterns. Use your study breaks as an opportunity to eat something substantial so you’ll have enough energy throughout the day. 4. Study on Sundays I know what youre thinking: why would you ever give up a day of your weekend to study? Though Sunday may be a day of rest, its not a bad idea to carve out some time to prepare for the week ahead. Reviewing material before Monday also helps open up some free time during the week as well as provide time-management insight. Above all, youll be able to cross one more thing off your to-do list to ensure youre getting enough rest during the week. 5. Exercise! Did you know that just 30 minutes of cardio can actually improve your memory?  Whether youre jogging, dancing, or walking, the point is to take a short study break to get moving. Releasing endorphins helps maintain productivity and keeps you in a good mood. Taking some time to exercise also helps  improve sleep quality, reduce stress, and relieve anxiety. If you feel like you dont have enough time to spare, you can always bring your study material to the gym or create some study audio you can listen to on the go. 6. Unplug before bed Weve all been there: mindlessly scrolling through our news feed before bed only to realize weve stayed up way longer than anticipated. Electronics emit a blue hue that is similar to daylight. Looking at your electronics before bed not only makes it harder to fall asleep but also impacts how alert you are the next day. Make a conscious effort to avoid the use of light-emitting screens before bedtime. Treat your bed as a sanctuary for sleep and engage in other restful activities like reading or meditating. 7. De-stress Finals week is undoubtedly one of the most stressful times of the school year and, in turn, can interrupt how well youre sleeping. It can be difficult to keep calm and carry on when youre feeling overwhelmed. Finding time to partake in some de-stressing activities will benefit your overall well-being. Try taking a yoga class, exploring aromatherapy, or treating yourself to a warm bath. During finals week, schools will often offer free massages, puppy play dates, and other on-campus activities to help minimize your stress. Find something youll enjoy, and relax- you deserve it. 8. Keep your room cool Perhaps youve never thought twice about the temperature in your room or how its affecting your sleep patterns.  For optimal sleep, specialists recommend a room temperature of between 60 and 67 degrees to stimulate the production of melatonin.  Once we lay down to rest, our body temperature naturally drops, igniting our instinct to sleep. So the next time you get ready for bed, turn down your thermostat and see how long it takes you to drift off to dreamland. 9. Use your bed solely for sleep While your bed may seem like the most appealing place to start studying, think again. Studying in bed can limit focus, decrease your productivity, and inhibit your sleep. Its important to distinguish where you sleep from where you study or else you may end up falling asleep while youre studying. If your goal is to study somewhere comfortable, look into setting up a hammock outside or laying a blanket out at the park. If you inevitably fall asleep, allow yourself to take a nap before you start a study session. Theres no shame in a little snooze. 10. Plan ahead Time management is the most obvious key to success. Take the time to plan out a schedule that is realistic. Allow yourself time to do the things you want while still dedicating some time to study. Don’t feel obligated to attend every end of the year event that will sabotage your schedule and sacrifice sleep. Focus on what you need to do to finish and plan accordingly. The finish line is in sight!   Studying takes time and commitment; however, theres no need to neglect your regular self-care regiments come finals week. Dont think of sleep as the enemy, for it is necessary for success. It is the time for the brain to consolidate memories of what we studied and learned that day. Therefore, listen to your body and allow yourself to rest. Best of luck on all of your end-of-the-year endeavors and may the odds be ever in your favor! (All Images Via Unsplash.com)

Portfolio Reflection Paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Portfolio Reflection Paper - Assignment Example Etiology is a process that goes hand in hand with pathophysiology because it involves the evaluation and study of causative agents or factors behind an ailment. Pathogenesis entails the mechanism(s) through which a causative agent leads to the development of a disease in an individual or organism. It also refers to the development and origin of an ailment along with its mode of transmittance and propagation. All the above-mentioned processes are used in the medical professional to map out the development and manifestation of diseases in organisms. Through these processes, medical professionals are able to develop interventionist, preventive and curative manoeuvres to combat disease causing agents and factors. Individuals have various manifestations and reactions to diseases, these reactions provide valuable indicators as to the nature and seriousness of an ailment. Physiological responses to illnesses are the first indicators that are sought by medical professionals to act as sign po sts of the nature of an ailment. They can be typically observed and measured quantitatively like fever or qualitatively like the amount of virus or pathogen present in an individual’s system. ... Pathophysiology enables medical personnel ascertain the level of severity of a disease condition and determine appropriate measures to eradicate or curb its spread. Through proper and competent analysis of various predisposing factors, medical personnel are placed in position that enables them to identify the most effective and efficient intervention to treat an illness. NUR515: Advanced Pharmacology Pharmacology is a branch of medicine concerned with the study of the body’s reaction with compounds introduced in the body for the purposes of combating disease causing agents. According to Hamric, Spross & Hanson (2008), pharmacokinetics is concerned investigating and evaluating the path taken by compounds introduced into the body in an effort to combat disease-causing agents. The biochemical and physiological reaction and interaction of compounds introduced into the body to act as a drug against pathogens are called pharmacodynamics. Proficiency in pharmacology enables an indivi dual to administer drug regimens to individuals with regard to their diverse predisposition culturally, traditionally and spiritually. This is because there are multiple treatment or curative measures for a single disease, but with different requirements and side effects that should be put into consideration when prescribing drugs. Pharmacological competence enables a medical practitioner to prescribe treatment regimens that are in line with the medical requirements for the disease. It also enables prescriptions to be based on economic, cultural and spiritual consideration of the patient. Pharmacological competence ensures that the health of patients is assured in terms of guaranteed prescription of drugs that maximize their ability to combat pathogens

Databases Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Databases - Essay Example Relational Databases A relational database model refers to a database, which has been set up in such a way that the data in the tables is easily accessed and retrieved by the user when the need arises. This is the data model, which is mostly preferred when it comes to setting up and storing data as opposed to other models such as relational database models and the networked model. In the recent past. This model has been widely implemented in thing such as storage of financial records among others. The main reason why databases that take up this model are more on demand is due to their relative ease of understanding. This is despite the fact that they are not very much efficient. The inefficiency, which is associated with this database model, is however, covered up by the fact that computers that are in use in the present day are more powerful as compared to back then when the power in computing had not been realized. Normalization There is another aspect, which comes up when dealing with databases. This is to do with the normalization of data in the database. Normalization refers to that process through which the fields and the tables that are existent in a relational database are organized in an orderly manner for the purpose of minimizing the redundancies and inefficiencies that may arise. What happens in this case is that a large table may be decomposed into several smaller and less redundant tables. At the same time, the relationships that are present in these tables are further defined. The main reason why the database can be broken down into several tables with relationships between them is for easy updating. In this case, the data is isolated so that a change in one area, in this case the change being a deletion, modification or updating of data is done on only one table as opposed to all the tables in the database. The change, which is orchestrated on one table, is performed on all the tables that are in the relationship. The aspect of efficiency and re duced redundancy comes up in this case. The user is in a position to handle the data in the database is a more organized and easier manner. When it comes to normalization, there is the first normal form, the second normal form and the third normal form. The third normal form tables are usually the ones, which are majorly free from any anomalies, which may come up when handling data. The main reason why normalization is required to make the database free from undesirable dependencies such as deletion and updating. It is also needed for the purpose of making the relational database model more informative to the average user. Logical Database Design This refers to the development of the database while defining the dependencies and relationships that may come up in the database. The data and information, which is gained in the process, is then arranged in a logical manner and transferred into those objects of storage, which are supported by the database. These storage objects in the cas e of a relational database refers to the tables into which there are rows and columns/ Physical Database Design The physical design of the database is more concerned with the structuring of the data onto the storage space together with its configuration. There is a lot of detailed information, which is developed in the process. An example in this case is the definition of data elements and the indexing option among various others. More detailed specifications of the system are developed in this case.

Astronamy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Astronamy - Essay Example The scientific history of the West commenced around 600 BC, which coincided with the beginning of the Greek civilization (Lankford 425). Some of the eminent Greek astronomers are described in the sequel. Pythagoras of Samos, Ionia taught that any object, principle or idea in the universe was subject to quantification. This fundamental principle provided a concrete mathematical foundation for the fledgling science of astronomy. The Pythagoreans subscribed to the view that each of the planets was attached to a crystalline sphere that had the Earth as its centre. Pythagoras was the first to discover that the morning star and the evening star were the planet Venus (Lankford 425). Thereafter, Aristotle made a number of astronomical discoveries. For instance, he established that phases of the Moon were on account of different sunlit portions being visible in a month. It was his well founded contention that the Sun was a much greater distance than the Moon, from the Earth; because during a solar eclipse the Sun’s light was prevented from reaching the Earth by the intervening Moon (universe). The shadow of the Earth, which is seen on the Moon, during a lunar eclipse, led Aristotle to conclude that the Earth was spherical in shape. At such times, the Earth is interposed between the Sun and the Moon. On the other hand if the Earth had been a flat disk, then its shadow at the edge would have resembled a straight line. Another piece of evidence that he quoted in support of this theory was that after travelling a great distance south, sojourners were unable to see some of the stars that had been visible from Greece. On a flat earth, any person, irrespective of location would have seen the same stars. However, on a spherical Earth, the view from different latitudes, entails different angles; therefore, the stellar constellations viewed are different (universe). The astronomers had established that the Earth was a sphere – an oblate spheroid if one desires

Plant and Animal Interactions in the Tropical Rainforest

Plant and Animal Interactions in the Tropical Rainforest Why are animal-plant interactions considered important in the establishment and maintenance of high biodiversity in tropical rain forests? Include specific examples in your answer. The study of plant-animal interactions has been a key role in development of ecology hence it has been carried out for a long time. They are also key constituents of biodiversity, which is termed as a variation of life form in a particular ecosystem. Hence, with no diversity of antagonistic, mutualistic, comensalistic, and amensalistic interactions, ecosystems would simply stop functioning. Energy would not run between trophic levels, primary productivity would not be able to become secondary productivity, and inorganic nutrients would not rotate. Because species interactions are thought to be at the heart of many speciation events, they generate taxonomic and genetic diversity with tight and diffuse co-evolution (Waser and Ollerton 2006). Biodiversity is described as a response to dynamic processes such as ecological, evolutionary and physical, influenced by constant changes in time and space. Those changes consider species richness and their composition where the scale of them can take a variety of forms. They can be large such as changes in geological time of tectonic plates (Crame 2001), variable such as global climate change or small such as localized disturbance or heterogeneity (Jansen 1997). At each of these scales, biodiversity may be considered as a process that responses to biotic and abiotic factors rather than to static characteristics of a particular location. Biotic factors can singly or in combination, directly or indirectly change biological diversity in tropical ecosystems. Using different examples across plant and animal taxa I will highlight plant- animal interactions that cause changes, as well as establish and maintain biodiversity within a rainforest. While studies concentrating on ecology and evolution are thought of dynamic processes, their impact into effects of biodiversity conservation has been subject to debate. In general, many conservation attempts have concentrated on protecting particular areas, habitats and hotspots. For instance, biodiversity in Yellowstone National Park varies greatly because of re-introduction of wolves. On the other hand, the conservation of the park from location and/or habitat point of view has not altered. This suggests that (1) biotic interactions are the main reason for biological diversity; (2) biotic interactions may be direct or indirect (Letourneau and Dyer 2005); and (3) biodiversity and biotic interactions may result in a variety of causes and effects. For centuries, scientists have studied the functions of top-down (predator-dependent) and bottom-up (resource-dependent) regulations in structuring biological communities. The concept of trophic cascades engages indirect outcomes of top-down and bottom-up regulations, i.e. an alteration across one trophic level which indicates an alteration on a remote trophic level. Indirect outcomes involve modifications in biomass, abundance, efficiency or biotic diversity. Trophic cascade hypothesis was first described by Hairston et al. (1960) who stated that the world is green due to predation which regulates herbivores, hence, making productivity of higher plants found in the community more efficient. Even though first research concentrated on community structures across terrestrial habitation, other studies are driven toward establishing freshwater and marine ecosystems constituents and cascade outcomes found in there (Brett and Goldman 1996). A study performed by van Bael et al. (2003), whic h concentrated on a terrestrial habitat, illustrated that bird predation protected rainforest trees from arthropod foraging in the canopy where floral productivity was high. The above findings may be a great indicator of high diversity occurring in the tropics; nonetheless, the meaning of how important top-down and bottom-up trophic cascades are is still a subject of a debate. Nowadays research have concentrated on the way top-down and bottom-up trophic cascades can function in concern to structure community, change over space, time and taxa, influence mechanisms and constituents of complex food webs and maintain heterogeneity and biodiversity in complex ecosystems (Letourneau and Dyer 2005). Any fluctuations in tropics biodiversity can be maintained by a variety of direct trophic interactions. For instance, the species diversity of birds as predators can be dependent on food accessibility for their prey e.g. plants (German and Chacon de Ulloa 1997), or diversity of predatory arthropods can be shaped by herbivore diversity, which in turn is caused by plant abundance and diversity in a given habitat (Saiz et al. 2000). All ecosystems are retained by the interactions of various factors such as climatic changes, vegetation growth and the animals activities. Seed dispersal is one of the most significant processes, influencing the structure and dynamics of the entire plant and animal communities. Biotic interactions in relation to seed dispersal and associated with it species are next to be discussed. Many organisms contribute and provide a unique seed dispersal service in rain forests among which primates, birds, fruit bats, mammalian carnivores and ground-dwelling large herbivores play a crucial role. Primates may contribute in multiple ways to the ecology of tropical rain forests. One of it, as mentioned above, is being a seed dispersal agent, hence being a frugivore. According to Chapman and Onderdonk (1998), the eventual loss of a particular plant species (large, with large seeds and thick, inedible hunks which can be only removed using hands or teeth) may be associated with the decline or local extinction of primates. A typical seed dispersal done by primates involves dropping, spitting out or defecating seeds. Because seeds are generally hard to break and usually toxic, there is a tiny minority of primates that is able to destroy them completely. From a seed point of view it is not a good idea to end up directly under the fruiting tree where it has to compete with its sibli ngs and parent. Also the accumulation of pests and diseases in there is higher. This is when primates, yet again, serve as helpers by dropping or spitting out seeds in different locations. There are numerous factors contributing and subtracting to seed dispersal when consider primates defecation. In overall, the main ones include attractiveness of primate faeces to seed-predating rodents and the abundance of faeces-burying dung beetles (Andresen 2002; Feer and Forget 2002). Whereas primates are very important seed dispersal agents for large plants, birds play a significant role in dispersal of plants with small fruits. Birds seem to be especially important in New Guinea and Australia (Jones and Crome 1990) where a lack of frugivorous mammals is the main threat. In general birds are not for long in the fruiting tree. Before they void the seed they usually move to another tree hence they disperse the seed effectively (Green 1993). For this reason they are considered to be one of the most important seed dispersal agents across tropics. Furthermore, fruit-eating birds may be divided depending on their diet. The more generalist feeders visit more trees. They have, therefore, the potential to be capable of wider dispersal (Green 1993). The cassowary is perhaps one of the crucial seed disperser of local rainforests. Until recently, over 200 rainforest plants have been observed to be eaten by this bird (Kroon and Westcott 2001). One study discovered 78 species in cassowary faeces, with at least 70 of them being viable (Stocker and Irvine 1983). Many of the seeds appear undamaged and many of these are too large for other animals to disperse (Stocker and Irvine 1983). Although the bird itself is hard to see, its faeces can be common and prominent, and can have up to 1 kg of seeds (Stocker and Irvine 1983). Also, as a large animal, it has the potential to be efficient seed dispersal agents over larger distances. Thanks to radio-telemetry it was possible to show that cassowaries cover vast territories, sometimes of several kilometres, which may be done in one day (Kroon and Westcott 2001). Additionally, seeds can take more than 10 hours to pass the digestive system (Stocker and Irvine 1983), hence seeds are likely to be dispersed quite widely. Primates and large birds are great seed dispersal agents. As a result of that spatial distribution trees may increase greatly. A research suggests that tree distribution in the tropics depends on species methods of seed dispersal. The study by Seidler and Plotkin (2006) was done on 561 tree species in a lowland tropical forest in Malaysia. It was observed that trees with smaller fruit were less dispersed than trees with larger fruit. This may suggest that larger-bodied mammals and birds transmit the seeds of these tree species over larger distances. Bats are thought of less important but still meaningful seed dispersers. It could be said, they are wasteful as seed dispersal agents, because of depositing most seeds from the fruits they eat right near the angiosperms. Hence, the most successful seeds, in this case, would be the smallest ones as they can be swallowed and defecated or dropped during the flight. On the other hand, bats are crucial for the pioneer shrubs and trees that are abundant in natural or human-made clearings, mainly localised in Neotropics. Recent studies by Melo and colleagues (2009) suggests that small-bodied bats (Artibeus watsoni) inhabiting Neotropics are assumed to play a negligible role in the dispersal of large-seeded plants. They recorded at least 43 seed species around bat roosts and also suggested the pattern of species-specific abundance of seeds which influences seedling recruitment. These small frugivorous bats are especially important in regions where populations of large-bodied seed dispersers have been reduced or exterminated by hunting (Melo et al. 2009). Another example is a fruit bat (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) localised in a lowland Malayan rain forest. The study performed by Hodgkison and colleagues (2003) suggests that fruit bats did not have negative influence on seed viability. Further, they found that in 1 ha of old-growth forest 13.7 percent of trees at least in part depended on fruit bats for seed dispersal and/or pollination (Hodgkison 2003). Rat-kangaroos (Hypsiprymnodon moschatus) studied by Dennis (2003) are believed to be good seed dispersal agents in Australians tropical forests. They were found to perform similar behaviour to agoutis, acouchies and squirrels found elsewhere. Even they are the smallest known marsupials they are still able to disperse large numbers if fruits and seeds which can be done in two unique ways: 1) by scatter-hoarding or 2) by dropping elsewhere. Another important factor influencing great biodiversity in tropics is pollination. It has been known for a very long time and firstly was described by Sprengel in 1793. Rain forest pollination, on the other hand, was first studied in the Neotropics (Roubik 1978; Bawa et al. 1985) where the most important pollinators were found to be bees, diverse insects and hummingbirds. They are excellent pollinators and a vast part of angiosperm diversity can be a result of their co-evolution. However, species such as bats, wasps, lemurs and even lizards are also vital pollinators. Studies performed by Corlett (2003) in the Oriental (Indomalayan) region suggests that, although these lowland forests are much less studied and known, they still express similar pattern as Neotropics. He found out that large solitary bees, moths, butterflies and vertebrates are less meaningful as pollinators than extremely social bees (especially Trigona and Apis species) and beetles (most likely to be the next crucial group). A study performed by Goulson and Derwent (2004), however, indicates that to be a pollinator it does not necessary mean to be beneficial to the ecosystem. They illustrated an example of an exotic weed, Lantana camara, and associated with it an exotic honeybee, Apis mellifera, inhabiting Queensland, Australia. This interaction, even though causing higher biodiversity across tropics, may equally bring losses and environmental degradation. Goulson and Derwent (2004) also pointed out that A. mellifera are possibly pollinators of many other weeds, both in Australia and elsewhere. Muchhala and colleagues (2009) studied impact of bats and birds on a flowering plant, Aphelandra acanthus, and its pollination. They observed that hummingbirds and bats could be compared in a case of pollination quantity whilst bats were the most effective in a case of quality. It was suggested that approximately 70 percent of A. acanthus was pollinated by bats themselves and since there is known 170 species of this genus the result is pretty impressive. This indicates that these angiosperms depend on bats pollination to a high degree. Another study carried out by Roubik (2000) shows that African honeybees, Apis mellifera, were the first exotic bees to invade Neotropics, where they interacted directly with approximately one-fourth of the floral population. These findings indicate that honeybees are a great indicator of a biodiversity formation and maintenance. By interacting with so many plants it can be predicted that the diversity of plant species may be easily preserved and upheld. Since plants and their pollinators are often in co-evolutionary mutualism, many research suggest that some insect species are associated and restricted to a particular plant species. Hence, there is yet another argument demonstrating that the biodiversity in tropics must be high in order to preserve all the co-evolving organisms. For this reason, some organisms relay on their mutualistic partners in order to survive. On the other hand, research proposed by Novotny and Basset (2005) suggests that a majority of species in herbivore populations found within tropics do not feed on a single species of plants when alternative hosts are accessible. Consequently, limits of host plants are likely to match with those of plant genera, rather than species or taxa. This illustrates an example that either way rain forests express high biodiversity and the way it is established. Another aspect shaping biodiversity across tropics arises when pitcher plants (Nepenthes gracilis) and their interactions with infauna are taken into consideration. The aquatic environment created by pitchers is very beneficial for organisms inhabiting it such as aquatic insects including mosquito or fly larvae. The inhabitants of the pitchers were split by Thienemann (1932) into three separate groups depending on their appearance inside pitchers i.e. 1) occasional visitors which originally belong to a different place; 2) occasional visitors which may change environments continuously; and 3) native inhabitants. Therefore, since the pitchers are, in general, only partly filled with liquid i.e. up to the waxy zone, there is a terrestrial fauna as well as an aquatic fauna (Lloyd 1942). Spiders, for instance, may take an advantage of pitchers by building nets above or nearby the plants therefore foraging at the expense of the pitchers. For aquatic infauna including protozoa, desmids and diatoms, rotatoria, crustaceae and various larvae of Diptera inhabiting the pitchers means food supply because they feed on animal detritus found in there (Lloyd 1942). Further, the pitchers interior environment is beneficial for many forms of Diptera larvae since they lay their eggs inside. In the fluid (always diluted by rain) the larvae grow to maturity (Bradshaw and Lounibos 1977). Alas, the environment may not be totally beneficial for these organisms since it is also inhabited by ants which in a case of absence of crucial nutrients tend to feed upon mosquito larvae (Clarke and Kitching 1995). Occurrence of ants as inhabitants of tropical pitchers may be, in turn, beneficial for both organisms. This thesis is supported by a study proposed by Clarke and Kitching (1995). They revised ant-pitcher interactions in Borneo and concluded that pitchers habitat was great for ants to live in. The ants nested in the tendrils of the plant, and fed on the large prey items caught by the pitch ers. Further, this relationship was also advantageous to pitchers because ants were removing an excess of prey which was accumulating inside the plant. This accumulation, if not removed, could lead to putrefaction of the contents and disruption of the pitchers digestive system (Clarke and Kitching 1995). Another study performed by Mogi and Yong (1991) proposed that aquatic arthropods, Diptera in particular, are able of coexistence in a single pitcher. Further, they stated that species belonging to the same trophic group commonly shared the same pitcher, because of the high occurrence probabilities of dominant species and positive associations between some taxa (mainly due to similar occupancies by pitcher age) (Mogi and Yong 1991). All these arguments may be a reasonable explanation why the abundance of species in pitchers followed by tropics is high. Yet another mechanism that drives biodiversity in tropics is maintained by herbivores and the impact they have on plant diversity. So far, at least five hypotheses have been proposed. First thesis was suggested by Janzen (1970) and Connell (1971) who have stated that richness of plant species might be established by herbivores feeding on postdispersal seeds and seedlings near adult plants and lower level far away. With such a pattern, any plant species becoming abundant would be predated avoiding competitive elimination. Second theory was proposed by McNaughton in 1985. He hypothesized that ungulates that grazed on the canopy grass species in the Serengeti could reduce plant species competition. Follow this idea, they would supply poorer competitors from the subcanopy with more sources, and, at the same time, they would diminish the loss of species through competitive elimination. Connell and Lowman (1989), who were authors of the third hypothesis, stated that deficient of herbivore predation on the abundant species might lead to monospecific tropical forests. Langenheim and Stubblebine (1983) introduced the forth thesis. They believed that in a case when herbivores would predate on certain conspecific chemical phenotypes seedling within this plant species might maintain nearby parent plants if they adequately vary in chemical profiles from their parent. In this way, predation could speed up competitive elimination in spite of Janzen-Connell idea about seed predation. On the other hand, it could also direct development of high genetic diversity within the aimed plant species. Fifth theory was announced by Connell in 1971. He stated that natural-enemy force (herbivores in this case) would be most successful. Also competitive elimination between plant species would be least expected in habitats with extremes of temperature and rainfall during the year i.e. lowland wet forests. In all above examples, herbivores control local plant diversity by decreasing the possibility of species loss through competitive elimination. It is vital, however, to think about the herbivores influence in a broader context. Mechanisms by which they can manipulate plant diversity in rainforests are worth to consider. Herbivores and their influence on competitive interaction is just one such mechanism. As an alternative, herbivores can have a direct impact on the existence of a plant species in a particular site by diminishing its local richness or completely removing it, independent of its competitive capability. More-indirect outcomes contain three pathways. First, herbivores might establish if a species appears at a given location by having an impact on its dispersal ability, and hence the possibility that it might emerge there. Second, once a seed has emerged at a given location, herbivores can have an influence on the physiological ability of the plant to determine, nurture and breed regarding the abiotic effects occurring in there. Third, herbivores might have an impact on emergence of species in a given site by decreasing its competitive capability. All in all, I believe I managed to introduce, explain and answer the topic question broadly. By introducing a selection of different examples I tried to cover many plant-animal interactions. That is why I can conclude that the tropical forests are a great habitat and environment for a variety of different species to coexist and co-evolve. Further, its favourable, warm, moisturised climate creates perfect developmental conditions for organisms to be able to persist and survive. However, one argument must not be omitted stating that tropical ecosystems may not be as biodiverse as previously thought (Novotny and Basset 2005). Hence, many comparisons between temporal and tropical zones should be taken into consideration to fully prove the idea. Nonetheless, from the number of organisms occurring within the tropics and their interactions it is easy to conclude that plant-animal interactions are tremendously important in order to preserve live in there. Moreover, because of different troph ic cascades and food webs biodiversity has to be maintained at an extremely high level so all organisms appearing in tropics will be able to stay alive. Word count: 3,289 words

How Can Assistive Technology Benefit Preschool Special Education Studen

How Can Assistive Technology Benefit Preschool Special Education Students? The inclusion of special needs children with typically developing peers has become a key service option in preschool special education classrooms (Odom, 2000). Benefits abound, yet inclusion does not present without challenges. Young children with disabilities find it complicated to interact with objects and peers due to obstacles that their disabilities present. A child unable to speak too often goes unheard. Students with limited movement are frequently unable to participate in activities with peers. How can young children with disabilities achieve some degree of independence so that they may interact in their environments without reliance on others? Assistive technology (AT) can help young children with disabilities fully participate in natural, inclusive learning environments (Sadao & Robinson, 2010). Through the use of AT devices, even the youngest of children are provided opportunities for developmentally appropriate play, movement and communication. In this paper, I will talk about the use of assistive technology to promote young children's participation in preschool learning opportunities. Furthermore, I will discuss a few of the many potential benefits of AT when used within the preschool special education classroom, including: opportunities for play, movement, and communication. IDEA defines assistive technology as "any item, piece of equipment, or product system whether acquired commercially of the shelf, modified or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities." (Individuals with Disabilities Education ACT (IDEA) 20, USC, Chapter 33, Section 1401 (25) US). According ... ...stive technology and how is it used in schools? Retrieved March 25, 2012, from www.sc.edu/scatp/cdrom/atused.html Technical Assistance ALLIANCE for Parent Centers. (2006). Assistive technology for infants, toddlers, and young children with disabilities. Minneapolis, MN: PACER Center University at Buffalo Center for Assistive Technology. (2000). Playing with switches: Birth through two. Retrieved March 23, 2012 from http://letsplay.buffalo.edu/toys/playing-with-switches/playing-with-switches.htmf Wilcox, J., (1999) Assistive technology and early childhood education. Journal of Special Education Technology, 28(3), 63-78 Wilds, M. L. (1989). Effective use of technology with young children. NICHCY News Digest, 13,6-7. Willis, C. (2009). Creating inclusive learning environments for young children: what to do on Monday morning. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Corwin Press.