bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
E-Waste Management in Malaysia: Residents’ Willingness to Pay for Household E-Waste Recycling in Kuching, Sarawak
Authors: Yng Tang Seik , Kiong Wong Swee
Published: December 2023

‘E-waste’ refers to electronic and electrical appliances that are no longer beneficial to consumers. An increasing amount of e-waste generated due to an increasing demand for electrical and electronic equipment in line with the rapid growth of the global population has become a growing global concern. Furthermore, limitation of the assimilative capacity of the environment and depleting natural resources have also urged the need to prioritize sustainable household e-waste management. This paper aims to examine the resident’s willingness to pay for household e-waste recycling in Kuching, Sarawak. A questionnaire survey was administered among 397 residents living in Kuching. The findings of the study show that majority of the residents in Kuching are not willing to pay for household e-waste recycling of electrical appliances such as fridges (50.6%) and fans (59.4%). However, it also depends on the distinctive types of household electrical appliances they possess. In this study, 10 types of household electrical appliances were selected and the average cost of WTP is expressed based on a percentage of its purchased values of the respective electrical household items listed. It was found that residents from Kuching are only willing to pay an average of 2.3% till 2.6% of recycling fees based on 10 types of the purchased values of their electrical home appliances in this study. This could be explained by the findings that show a low awareness level of sustainable e-waste management practices among the residents in Kuching. Therefore, the study recommends that more environmental education programs are to be carried out in the formal education system to sensitize the residents and children to the risks associated with the importance of household e-waste recycling to promote sustainable household e-waste management, particularly among the growing population in Kuching, Sarawak. Chiam (2013) reported that the residents of Kuching lack knowledge of how to manage their household e-waste and are unaware of the available recycling facilities in the region. However, over time, the e-waste management situation in Kuching has improved, with more recycling facilities being made available to the public for proper disposal of e-waste (Louis, 2020). The Kuching Integrated Waste Management Park, which caters to municipal solid waste and scheduled waste (including e-waste), is claimed to be one of the first integrated waste management parks in Southeast Asia (Trienkens, n. d.).
Tourism Development and Environmental Sustainability in the European Union: Moderating Role of Institutional Governance
Authors: Nawaz Ahmad , Shakeel Muhammad
Published: December 2023

This study examines the dynamic effects of tourism and institutional governance along with other variables on CO2 emission (COE) in the 15 selected European Union (EU) economies over the period 1995–2018. The novel empirical evidence of this study is twofold. First, countries’ bloc effect is controlled based on the entry and exit information of EU countries, and second, in order to capture and better apprehend the aspects of institutional quality meaningful for carbon-neutral tourism in sample countries, interaction effects of tourism receipts and index of institutional quality are examined. For the robust results, non-linear autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL), fixed effects, and generalized method of moment-based models are estimated, wherein the results of the non-linear ARDL approach reveal that there are no asymmetric effects of tourism and institutional quality, which intrinsically affect pollution. Specifically, the findings reveal that tourism development and trade openness can reduce COE. Also, there is evidence of the existence of an environmental Kuznets curve in the region. Though institutional quality alone has been found to have an unfavorable impact on the environment, the interaction term of tourism and institutional quality into the framework reveals a significant and negative impact on COE in the selected region. Therefore, it is suggested that the EU economies should develop effective strategies to improve their present institutional governance framework in such a manner that will help to promote tourism, green purchase intentions of tourists, economic development, trade liberalization, and environmental quality.
 
Received: 19 September 2023 | Revised: 6 November 2023 | Accepted: 8 December 2023
 
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work.
 
Data Availability Statement
Data available on request from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
 
Author Contribution Statement
Ahmad Nawaz: Conceptualization, Methodology, Software, Formal analysis, Investigation, Resources, Writing - original draft, Supervision, Project administration. Muhammad Shakeel: Validation, Data curation, Writing - review & editing. Visualization.
Investigating and Classifying the Level of Thermal Runaway-Induced Failure Energy Storage Systems in Photovoltaics
Authors: Shamsmohammadi Nikta
Published: December 2023

In a photovoltaic system, the electricity generated by a solar panel can depend on the amount of sunlight available at any given time. Due to the nonlinear behavior of this energy, the storage component of the system is critical. As a result, many solar panel systems are equipped with batteries. However, changes in environmental and other conditions can cause damage to these batteries. This study explores novel technologies for detecting thermal runaway failures in lithium-ion batteries. Specifically, the study employs image processing techniques to detect structural failures and applies deep learning techniques for automatic classification. Thermal damage to a battery can result in irreparable harm, making design and construction considerations crucial. Through image analysis, any internal changes in the battery can be transformed into a measurable variable, providing a reliable indication of potential failure. The study compares the current series with previous ones to highlight the structural differences. Results confirm that the proposed approach has significant potential for detecting and estimating internal variations during production. Overall, the proposed method can serve as a valuable tool for drafting and implementing a comprehensive plan to address early problems in the battery.
 
Received: 8 September 2023 | Revised: 14 November 2023 | Accepted: 21 November 2023
 
Conflicts of Interest
The author declares that she has no conflicts of interest to this work.
 
Data Availability Statement
The data that support the findings of this study are openly available in National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) at https://www.nrel.gov/transportation/battery-failure.html
Heart rate variability as an indicator of stress in women during wartime
Authors: Pisaruk Anatoly , Shatilo Valerii , Mekhova Ludmila , Koshel Natalya , Naskalova Svitlana , Pisaruk Ludmila , Ivanov Stefan
Published: December 2023

The impact of post-traumatic stress related to the war was analyzed in 91 women who were in Kyiv or the Kyiv region during active combat in February and March 2022. Some of the examined women had been under occupation for an extended period. In contrast, others, from May 2022 to May 2023, experienced the strong influence of war factors such as missile and artillery shelling, staying in bomb shelters, or other shelters. Due to the military actions, the examined individuals were subjected to significant stress factors, which inevitably affected their psychoemotional state. To compare, data from 79 women examined before the Russian-Ukrainian war were used as a control group. The groups of women examined before and during the war did not differ in anthropometric indicators. To understand the age-related characteristics of civilian women, they were distributed into age groups of 30-44, 45-59, and 60-74 years.
ECG registration was carried out using the ECG-recorder DiaCard (Solvaig, Ukraine). The analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) was performed by application DiaCard v. 1.0.0.73. ECG measurements were taken from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., in the supine and standing positions (5 min).
The study of HRV in women during wartime and the comparison of obtained results with the pre-war period revealed that war-related stress induces changes in HRV characteristics of various types of stress. In the examined women during wartime, there is a decrease in overall HRV, primarily due to HF oscillations, indicating a reduction in parasympathetic activity of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Such changes are typical for mild stress.
Changes in HRV under conditions of military stress depend on the age of individuals and are more pronounced in young and elderly women. No significant shifts in heart rate variability were observed in individuals of average age.
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Keywords: heart rate variability; woman; stress; war
THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN SCIENCE
Authors: Arapović Marija , Novak Valentina , Zaplatić Degač Nikolina
Published: December 2023

Social media platforms provide direct access to a vast amount of information, enabling the
promotion of various content. It has become a new way of disseminating news worldwide and
often influence social perception and public discourse development. Even scientists are not
oblivious to the trend of using social media. Social media allows them to quickly and effectively
share their research results with the global audience. Numerous studies indicate that scientists
are increasingly participating in public discussions and activities on social media, with nearly
half of academic researchers being a part of at least one social network. Media professionals
have traditionally been the guardians of scientific information, but new media technologies
grant scientists more power than ever to proactively engage in public communication. Many
studies also suggest that most scientists consider media visibility important and see responding
to journalists as a professional obligation, a stance endorsed by many universities and scientific
organizations.
Keywords: role, social media, science
UNETHICAL BEHAVIOR OF STUDENTS ON EXAMS
Authors: Šimunić Nevena , Šimunić Roko , Bušac Vesna , Višnjić Junaković Nikolina , Vrcić Sunčica
Published: December 2023

Introduction: The unethical behavior of students on exams represents a serious challenge for
the education system. This disturbing trend requires immediate attention and the
implementation of appropriate measures to raise awareness about the importance of academic
integrity and promote ethical awareness among students.
Objective: Examine the unethical behavior of students on exams.
Subjects and methods: The study involved students from the Medical School in Šibenik. Out of
the total number of participants, 155 students took part, with 75 (48,4%) specializing in general
nursing, and 80 (51,6%) in pharmaceutical studies. The participants completed a questionnaire
based on the Šimić Šašić and Klarin model (2009).
Results: The results showed a high percentage of cheating during knowledge assessments. A
total of 81,9% of respondents admitted to cheating at least once. In the domain of attitudes
towards the acceptability of cheating, 52,9% of respondents agreed that cheating is entirely
natural and inherent to human nature. Regarding different grades, fourth-grade students
significantly held a stronger attitude toward the acceptability of cheating compared to students
from other grades. Regarding reasons for cheating, the most common internal reason, stated by
50,4 % of respondents, was insufficient time for studying, while 49.6% cheated to help a friend,
and 49% cheated to achieve good grades. External reasons for cheating, such as weak
supervision, were mentioned by 52,9% of respondents, unfairness by 52,2%, and difficulty of
the exam by 49% of respondents. Female respondents exhibited more pronounced internal and
external reasons for cheating compared to male respondents. Conclusion: The research
confirmed that academic dishonesty is a routine occurrence among students. The students
themselves do not view cheating as ethically wrong and rationalize it in numerous ways.
Keywords: unethical behavior, students, exam
Score for the groups SL(2,121) and SL(2,169)
Authors: Khalaf Ghofran Awad , Jasim Niran Sabah
Published: December 2023

A factor group is a mathematical group obtained by aggregating similar elements of a larger group using an equivalence relation that preserves some of the group structure. In this paper, the factor groups K(SL(2,121)) and K(SL(2,169)) computed for each group from the character table of rational representations.
Julia sets are quasicircles for rational maps of degree N
Authors: Al-Salami Hassanein Q.
Published: December 2023

This research aims to study complex dynamics, where the complex dynamic is considered a branch of dynamical systems, which takes maps from the Riemann sphere to the Riemann sphere. The Julia sets are also examples of fractals and the most important of them, thus being a fractal set. This work aims to study the Julia sets of a family of rational maps are quasicircles and offer the boundaries of the immediate basin of attraction of zero and the infinity are quasi-circles. Now, we introduce the family of  maps are defined as: Gb (z) = 2bn+1 z–n + z2n – b3n+1/zn (z2n – bn–1), (1) where  n ≥ 2  and  b ϵ ℂ\{0} also bn+1 ≠ 1 and b2n+2 ≠ 1.
Micro topological space with grill-generalized open sets
Authors: Saleh Ekram A. , Sulaiman Barah M. , Fawzi Ahmed A. Mohamed
Published: December 2023

In the present paper, we define the concept of micro-Gg-open and micro-Gg-closed sets by using micro topological space, and several properties of that set are studied, so we introduce micro-Ggγ-open set and micro-Ggϖ- closed set and denoted of micro-Gg-open set by mic-GgO(U), micro-Gg-closed set by mic-GgC(U) several theories that true and examples to the contrary are not true. We also studied a practical example of a micro-Gg-open set and a micro-Gg-closed set.
Rational map has a Cantor Circle Julia set and a Sierpinski Carpet Julia set of degree m
Authors: Al-Shara’a Iftichar M. T. , Al-Salami Hassanein Q.
Published: December 2023

This research aims to study complex dynamics, and one of the best examples of this concept is the Julia set, for this we will present new concepts specific to the Julia set of the rational map J(Gμ). We introduce the family of complex rational maps as:                Gμ(z) = 2μm+1 z–m + z2m – μ3m+1 / zm (z2m – μm–1) ,              with m ≥ 2 and  μ ϵ ℂ\{0}(ℂ complex numbers) such that μm+1 ≠ 1 and μ2m+2 ≠ 1. We prove  J(Gμ) is a degenerate Sierpinski carpet or a Sierpinski carpet or a Cantor circle by condition  one of the free critical points has an image for Gμ  is diverge on  ∞ or 0.
Pr-small R-submodules of modules and Pr-radicals
Authors: Ahmmed Khawlah , Al. Mothafar Nuhad S.
Published: December 2023

The goal of this discussion is to study the twigged of pure-small (pr-small) sub- moduleof a module W as recirculation of a small sub-module, and we give some basic idiosyncrasy and instances of this kind of sub-module. Also, we give the acquaint of pure radical of a module W (pr-radical) with peculiarities.
On analytical convergence of multi iterative procedure for finite family of generalized contractive
Authors: Joodi Omar Mohammed Abbas , Maibed Zena Hussein
Published: December 2023

This paper introduces new iterations type three steps as multi_ implicit Noor iteration, multi_explicit Noor iteration and multi_Picard S-iteration, and defines a generalized quasi-like contractive mapping in convex metric space. Also, the convergence and stability of it are studied. On the other hand, the multi_ implicit Noor iteration is faster than the multi_explicit Noor iteration and multi_Picard S-iteration
A Survey Paper on Comparative Study of Autonomous Pesticide Spraying Robot
Authors: Dr. Umesh B. Pawar  , Prof. Ramesh P. Daund  , Prof. Ravindra B. Pandit  , Ms. Shital B. Ubale
Published: December 2023

This survey focuses on creating a smart farming solution that combines autonomous pesticide spraying and crop harvesting, all controlled through a user-friendly Android application. In simpler terms, it aims to develop a robot that can take care of two crucial tasks on the farm automatically. This innovative technology is designed to enhance efficiency in agriculture by automating the application of pesticides and the harvesting of crops. The Robot will be equipped with advanced features, such as autonomous navigation, allowing it to move around the farm independently. This not only saves time for farmers but also ensures that the pesticide spraying and harvesting processes are carried out with precision. The integration with an Android application adds a user-friendly interface for farmers to control and monitor the robot. The project envisions a sustainable and technology-driven approach to farming, reducing the manual labor required for pesticide application and crop harvesting. With the help of robot, farmers can expect increased productivity, improved crop yields, and a more streamlined farming experience. This project aligns with the goal of advancing agricultural practices by incorporating automation for the benefit of farmers and the overall farming ecosystem
Bibliotecas públicas de hoy, claves para la transición
Authors: Mir Planells Néstor
Published: December 2023

El objetivo de este artículo es ofrecer un decálogo de acciones concretas para que cualquier biblioteca pública pueda iniciar su transición bibliotecaria. Para lograrlo hemos asentado estas indicaciones prácticas sobre un marco teórico que explique el cambio de paradigma bibliotecario a partir de una revisión bibliográfica y la observación de campo del autor. Con los resultados obtenidos hemos puesto de relieve términos como tercer lugar, laboratorios ciudadanos, makerspace y ágora ciudadana que quedan agrupados en campos semánticos en la literatura. Estos campos semánticos se presentan a su vez como el trasfondo teórico de cada grupo de acciones concretas del decálogo. Decálogo que hoy en día cualquier biblioteca pública puede utilizar para valorar su estado dentro del proceso de transformación bibliotecaria actual.
Propuesta de implementación de una práctica artístico-musical performativa y participativa en localidades de la Comunitat Valenciana
Authors: Martínez-Albiñana Rubén , Escorihuela-Carbonell Guillem , Carabal Montagud María Ángeles
Published: December 2023

La Comunitat Valenciana, es la región española con más Sociedades Musicales federadas, a través de la Federació de Societats Musicals de la Comunitat Valenciana (FSMCV). Este colectivo ocupa un espacio relevante dentro de la idiosincrasia valenciana, ya que abarca a un gran sector de la población. Con ello, la gran mayoría de los municipios tiene su banda de música, estructurada en su Sociedad Musical, que tiene misiones como la transmisión y la enseñanza de la música.  El presente texto pretende promover una propuesta performativa, a través de la integración de experiencias colectivas, de la mano de las obras de Llorenç Barber, en el seno de las Sociedades Musicales y los habitantes de sus municipios. En las obras de dicho autor, la población en su totalidad tiene la oportunidad de participar en la representación. En base a ello se propone la implementación de prácticas artístico-musicales globales, en forma de Conciertos de Ciudad integradores, actuales y novedosos, en una interacción completa con la población, que es parte importante en la representación.
Empirical Investigation Into the Consequences of the Banking Sector Cleanup on Microfinance Sustainability in Ghana
Authors: Essiam Ebenezer
Published: December 2023

The pivotal role of microfinance institutions in poverty reduction and inclusive development has garnered recognition, prompting extensive research into their economic sustainability. While existing studies focus on institutional and client factors, there's a notable gap regarding the impact of regulatory factors on economic sustainability. The recent microfinance sector clean-up by the Bank of Ghana provided an opportunity for this investigation. Using independent t-tests, the study assessed improvements in operating cost, operating income, and operating profit post-clean-up. Results reveal a lack of significant enhancement in operating costs and income, with a decline in operating profit. This suggests that regulatory measures in Ghana have not yet effectively promoted economic sustainability in the microfinance sector, emphasizing the need for a nuanced understanding of regulatory dynamics in fostering lasting impact.
Corporate Sustainability Reporting of Carbonated Drink Market of the Nigerian Food and Beverages Industry
Authors: Aimuyedo Mary T , Nyor Terzungwe , Abdulkadir Kayode I
Published: December 2023

Although sustainability accounting and reporting is a means by which organizations communicate their sustainable development activities to stakeholders in order to increase accountability and transparency of corporate activities, evidence suggest that the sustainability reports often produced by organizations does not reflect the actual sustainability performance of companies. This study examines sustainability reporting by Nigerian Food and Beverage Industry in comparison with Global Reporting Initiative index (GRI G4) as a yardstick. Focus is on the carbonated drink market because they command a unique hold and are leaders in the Nigerian Food and Beverages industry as Nigeria was ranked the fourth (4th) biggest consumer of carbonated drinks in the world market. Using content analysis, a scoring index was developed from GRI G4, data were extracted from financial statements and stand-alone sustainability reports of six firms for an eleven-year period from 2009 to 2019 which was benchmarked against the scoring index. The result of one sample f-test indicates that environmental disclosure and economic aspects of sustainability report by the carbonated drink sector of the Nigerian beverage industry does not reveal any significant difference with GRI G4 guidelines. Thus, the social disclosures aspect of sustainability reporting by carbonated drink market of the Nigerian Food and Beverage Industry is below standard. The study therefore, calls on the Securities and Exchange Market and the Nigerian Exchange Group to enforce global sustainability reporting standard in Nigeria especially in the area of social disclosure.
Marketing responsable como estrategia comercial para la sostenibilidad
Authors: Alvarado Palacios Judit Isabel Guadalupe
Published: December 2023

Según la ISO 26000 existe una serie de criterios de cumplimiento que pueden servir como una guía para cualquier empresa que desee aplicar el marketing sostenible en su estrategia comercial. Este ensayo aborda desde una perspectiva de reflexión, algunas de las acciones más destacadas para el cumplimiento de cada uno de los criterios, evidenciando la necesidad de la implementación del marketing responsable como una estrategia que garantice la sostenibilidad.
Realidad Empresarial No. 16, 2023: 81-84.
Can Jofresa
Authors: Colom Mendoza Enric
Published: December 2023

Ficha del yacimiento Can Jofresa ubicado a Terrassa (Barcelona) incluida en el proyecto Figlinae Hispanae (FIGHISP). Catálogo en red de las alfarerías hispanorromanas y estudio de la comercialización de sus productos.
Can Feu
Authors: Colom Mendoza Enric
Published: December 2023

Ficha del yacimiento Can Feu ubicado a Sant Quirze del Vallès (Barcelona) incluida en el proyecto Figlinae Hispanae (FIGHISP). Catálogo en red de las alfarerías hispanorromanas y estudio de la comercialización de sus productos.
Sant Sebastià
Authors: Colom Mendoza Enric
Published: December 2023

Ficha del yacimiento Sant Sebastià ubicado a Argentona (Barcelona) incluida en el proyecto Figlinae Hispanae (FIGHISP). Catálogo en red de las alfarerías hispanorromanas y estudio de la comercialización de sus productos.
CẢI THIỆN VIỆC XẾP LOẠI CUỘC THI KHOA HỌC KĨ THUẬT DÀNH CHO HỌC SINH TRUNG HỌC Ở TP.HCM (TRƯỜNG HỢP CÁC ĐỀ TÀI LĨNH VỰC KHOA HỌC XÃ HỘI VÀ HÀNH VI TRONG NĂM HỌC 2022 - 2023)
Authors: Nguyễn Khôi
Published: December 2023

Nghiên cứu này chủ yếu vận dụng phương pháp nghiên cứu tài liệu và toán học nhằm xác định những vấn đề đặt ra từ mục đích, cấu trúc trình bày và tiêu chí đánh giá đề tài nghiên cứu tham gia cuộc thi khoa học kĩ thuật dành cho học sinh trung học cũng như khảo sát thực trạng kết quả nghiên cứu của 219 đề tài thuộc lĩnh vực Khoa học Xã hội và Hành vi ở Tp.HCM trong năm học 2022 – 2023. Từ đó, bài viết đề xuất những biện pháp liên quan đến việc đặt tên đề tài, xác định câu hỏi nghiên cứu, xây dựng kế hoạch nghiên cứu nhằm cải thiện kết quả tham gia cuộc thi cuộc thi khoa học kĩ thuật dành cho học sinh trung học của các đề tài lĩnh vực Khoa học Xã hội và Hành vi.
NHẬN THỨC CỦA SINH VIÊN TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC AN GIANG VỀ CÁC THÔNG TIN TRÊN MẠNG XÃ HỘI VÀ KÊNH THÔNG TIN CHÍNH THỐNG ĐỐI VỚI VẤN ĐỀ CHỦ QUYỀN LÃNH THỔ, BIÊN GIỚI QUỐC GIA
Authors: Nguyen Ho Thanh , Truong Hai
Published: December 2023

Chủ quyền lãnh thổ và biên giới quốc gia là vấn đề thời sự chính luận nóng bỏng, nhận được sự quan tâm rất lớn của dư luận. Đối với Việt Nam, xây dựng và bảo vệ chủ quyền lãnh thổ, biên giới quốc gia là một cuộc đấu tranh trên nhiều mặt trận, trong đó có thông tin truyền thông. Thông tin truyền thông không chỉ đóng vai trò là phương tiện để khẳng định chủ quyền đối với toàn thế giới, mà còn đóng vai trò định hướng để dư luận, đặc biệt là đối với nhân dân trong nước, trong đó có sinh viên nhìn nhận đúng đắn, chính xác về vấn đề này. Trong khuôn khổ bài viết, nhóm tác giả trình bày khái quát các vấn đề về chủ quyền lãnh thổ, biên giới quốc gia, mạng xã hội, các kênh thông tin và đánh giá tác động của mạng xã hội và các kênh thông tin đến nhận thức, hành động của sinh viên Trường Đại học An Giang về chủ quyền lãnh thổ và biên giới quốc gia. Từ đó, kiến nghị một số giải pháp nâng cao nhận thức, hành động của sinh viên về xây dựng và bảo vệ chủ quyền lãnh thổ, biên giới quốc gia trước tác động của các kênh thông tin.
On Prime Ring with Reverse (𝛂, 𝛃)-Derivations
Authors: Yusuf Tasiu Abdullahi , Madugu Abdu
Published: December 2023

Throughout this research paper,R represent a prime ring. An additive mapping d∶ R→ R is said to be a derivation if it satisfies d(xy) = d(x)y + xd(y) for all x,y ∈R, alsod∶ R→ R is called a reverse derivation if it satisfies d(xy) = d(y)x + yd(x) for all x,y ∈R. A mapping F:R→R is said to be generalized derivation associated with derivation d∶ R→ R if F(xy)=F(x)y+xd(y) for all x,y ∈R and F:R→R is called a generalized reverse derivation associated with reverse derivation d:R→R if for all x,y∈R, thenF(xy)=F(y)x+yd(x).An additive mapping d: R →R associated with an automorphism α,β is called a reverse (α,β)-derivation on R if satisfying (xy)=d(y)α(x)+ β(y)d(x) , for all x,y∈R.The aim of this research paper is to establish the commutativity results of prime ring R by reverse (α,β)-derivation which satisfying certain constraints.
Reduced food availability induces behavioural changes in Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus
Authors: Zuberogoitia I. , Martínez J. E. , Margalida A. , Gómez I. , Azkona A. , Martínez J. A.
Published: December 2023

In natural conditions, Griffon Vultures typically show shy behaviour and escape by flying if approached by humans. According to the state-dependent foraging theory, Griffon Vul-tures should modify their foraging behaviour depending on food availability and preda-tion risk, humans being the main potential predator. We tested the Reaction Time (RT) and Flight Initiation Distance (FID) in five different artificial feeding schemes over three years in which food availability in the field varied significantly. The first scenario was set in a so-called "vulture restaurant", in which government employees feed vultures that may exhibit tame behaviour and stay within a few meters from a feeding person. Scenario 2 involved similar conditions, but here the researchers not employees placed the food in the vulture restaurant. The vultures did not land at the restaurant until one day had passed, and they flew away when people approached them within 250 m. The third scenario was established in a local zoo several months after the closure of the vulture restaurant. Here, employees fed captive vultures that were often accompanied by wild birds that landed to take food. The RT was 14.2 min and the FID was 50 m. The fourth scenario was estab-lished during the subsequent breeding season in a mountain where vultures were fed by the authors of the present study. The RT was 2.8 min and the FID was 15.2 m. The fifth scenario was established in another mountain after the breeding season. Now, the RT was 19.2 min and the FID was 52.2 m. These results demonstrate the ability of vultures to eval-uate the predation risk depending on food availability and their state of hunger, and their ability to modify their behaviour from "natural" caution ("shyness") towards a more toler-ant ("fearless") behaviour.
Determination of clutch size in Treecreepers Certhia familiaris under food and time constraints
Authors: Aho T. , Kuitunen M. , Suhonen J. , Jäntti A.
Published: December 2023

Brood size of Eurasian Treecreepers Certhia familiaris was manipulated in three years that differed in food abundance in order to detect factors that limit clutch size. The Tree-creeper parents were able to successfully raise enlarged broods only in a year with good food availability, but even then, the nestlings were of lower body weight than in reduced broods. Among the enlarged broods, the lowest breeding success was observed in a year with the lowest food abundance. Treecreepers with enlarged broods depleted their food supply in a year with scarce food, but not when food was abundant, and changes in foraging behaviour were observed only when food was scarce. Females and males did not increase their provisioning rates with brood size, but the responses of the sexes differed between years. Our results support Lack's hypothesis of clutch-size regulation: when food was scarce, Treecreepers laid the maximal number of eggs that they were able to raise successfully to fledging. However, trade-offs between current and future reproduction may also be important in clutch size determination of this species. Food abundance and limited foraging time seem to play major roles in limiting the clutch size of Treecreepers, but the importance of these factors differs among years.
Morphological shifts in the House Sparrows Passer domesticus of Helgoland: insular syndrome or founder effects?
Authors: Förschler M. I. , Geiter O.
Published: December 2023

Islands are natural laboratories for the study of evolution and help us to explain the patterns of diversification at large spatial scales. The colonisation of an island by a bird species inevitably involves divergence from the mainland mother population due to non-selective and selective evolution. On the island of Helgoland, House Sparrows Passer domesticus established a resident island population in 1958 which now numbers over 100 breeding pairs.We compared measurements of ringing data between Helgoland and two nearby mainland populations (length of 8th primary, bodymass) and found a significantly higher body mass and lower P8 length/ body mass ratio on the island. Further, we found that P8 length and bodymass significantly increased between the years 1989 and 2008 in Helgoland, indicating that the population changed in size towards larger individuals. This morphological shiftmight best be explained by the “insular syndrome” theory, which predicts increasing size of island birds as a result of reduced predation risk, reduced dispersal and increased intraspecific competition due to high population densities. On the other hand, founder effects could have added to the shift in the P8/ body mass ratio, assuming that the founder individuals yet showed this feature and the population had not much exchange with themainland since the colonisation in 1958. Future molecular analyses of the population structure may help to revealmore details on the isolation, colonisation process and geographical origin of the Helgoland House Sparrow population.
The influence of weather on birds wintering in the farmlands of eastern Poland
Authors: Golawski A. , Kasprzykowski Z.
Published: December 2023

Counts of wintering birds were conducted in the extensively cultivated farmland of eastern Poland during three seasons. The number of wintering species of birds was negatively correlated with the depth of snow and positively related to the number of species recorded during the previous count. The total number of birds was negatively correlated with the depth of snow cover and positively correlated with the total number of birds recorded during the previous count. To a great extent it was the presence of snow cover that shaped the assemblages of birds wintering in farmland. During long-lasting snow, birds may leave this type of landscape. At wintering grounds influenced by conditions similar to those in eastern Poland the depth of snow may be of greater importance for birds than the presence of suitable feeding habitats because food is limited. As a consequence of the global climate change, changes in snow cover will occur and should increase the numbers and abundance of bird species wintering in eastern Poland.
Spring-season social organsization of the Hazel Grouse (Bonasa bonasia) in relation to habitat type in temperate forests of South Korea
Authors: Rhim S.-J.
Published: December 2023

Spring-season social organization of the Hazel Grouse (Bonasa bonasia) was assessed in relation to habitat type by radio tracking 16 males and 19 females between February (late winter) and June (spring), 2004-2006, in a 3, 000-ha study area of temperate forest in South Korea. In spring (breeding season), the social unit was a pair. The average homerange size of males was significantly larger than that of females in both 100% and 95% minimum convex polygons. Also, the home ranges of paired and single individuals were significantly smaller than those of individuals in flocks. Regarding habitat selection, natural deciduous forest ranked highest, followed by mixed forest, coniferous plantation, deciduous plantation, and others. The understory coverage was higher in habitats used by paired birds than in habitats used by birds in flocks, but there were no significant differences in tree densities. To sum up, natural deciduous forest provides suitable breeding habitat for Hazel Grouse, provided that understory vegetation is well developed.
Medium-term response of breeding Blue Chaffinch Fringilla teydea teydea to experimental thinning in a Pinus canariensis plantation (Tenerife, Canary Islands)
Authors: Garcia-del-Rey E. , Otto R. , Fernandez-Palacios J. M.
Published: December 2023

We studied the medium-term response of the endemic Blue Chaffinch Fringilla teydea teydea to experimental thinning in a Pinus canariensis plantation on the island of Tenerife during breeding season. Distance Sampling method was applied to line transects, and habitat preferences were modelled by means of univariate regression trees. The density was 1.70 birds/ha (1.09 to 2.68 95%CI) in thinned areas and 0.56 birds/ha (0.33 to 0.97 95%CI) in unthinned areas. The Blue Chaffinch densities peaked in thinned areas where the density of trees with Diameter at Breast Height of
Diet composition in the Tengmalm’s Owl Aegolius funereus: a comparison of camera surveillance and pellet analysis
Authors: Zárybnická M. , Riegert J. , Št’astný K.
Published: December 2023

During a two-year study in Central Europe, we used a combination of pellet analysis and camera recordings to assess the diet composition of Tengmalm’s owl during the breeding season, with regards to availability of the main prey components in the field. The diet of the owls consisted mainly of voles (Arvicolidae), mice (Muridae) and shrews (Soricidae), and their proportion in the diet reflected their local abundances in the field. Pellet analysis allowed us to determine 40.2 ± 6.9 % (2004) and 46.4 ± 14.7 % (2006) of all delivered prey items recorded by cameras, while it was 77.1 ± 17.1 % (2004) and 80.2 ± 12.5 % (2006) for camera monitoring respectively. Pellet analysis underestimated the proportions of all main diet components, but only voles and birds showed statistically significant differences. We suppose that the underestimation of voles is a consequence of their decapitation before delivery to the nest. We regularly recorded decapitated voles and mice in the nest boxes of Tengmalm’s owl, while whole shrews were found more often. Our study highlights that a combination of both methods allows for a more accurate assessment of diet composition in nocturnal raptor species.
The role of age, sex, subspecies, body size and fuel load in determining the social status of a migratory passerine during the non-breeding period
Authors: Arizaga J. , Bairlein F.
Published: December 2023

The social status is seen determined by sex and/or age, body size and body condition. However, knowing which of these factors play a more relevant role to determine social dominance is often difficult since studies of competition under field conditions are com-monly affected by several confounding factors that cannot be controlled or are even un-known. We studied experimentally which factors determine the dominance in captive Northern Wheatears, Oenanthe oenanthe during the non-breeding season, i.e., autumn and winter. We subjected two individuals at a time to experimental conditions with food provided at a feeder; these individuals differed in sex, age, body size, fuel load and sub-species. Social status appeared to be determined by age and sex during the autumn migra-tion period, but not in winter. In particular, adults and males displaced first-year birds and females from the feeding site. Other traits such as body size, fuel load and subspecies, did not have significant effects on the social status.
Population trend and status of the endangered White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos in Finland
Authors: Lehikoinen A. , Lehikoinen P. , Lindén A. , Laine T.
Published: December 2023

White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos is an endangered specialist of mature deciduous forest in many European countries, including Finland. The Finnish population declined severely during the 20th century. We studied the population development and demographic parameters in Finland during recent decades. According to winter counts, the population has been the lowest in 1980–1990s before the recent population increase. Both breeding success (study years 1991–2010) and the number of migrants (1979–2010) arriving from the east, have recently increased significantly. The sex ratio of migrants was female biased. The probability of detected occupancy of breeding pairs, other pairs and occupied territories (at least one individual observed) increased strongly during 1991–2010 especially in the eastern part of the country. Thus, the ca. 300–400% increase in numbers observed is not solely due to the increased number of monitored sites. The proportion of detected occupancy was also higher on territories considered as high-quality habitat. Number of autumnmigrants positively affected the territory occupancy in the following spring, but not the occupancy of pairs or confirmed breeders. Nevertheless, despite the positive trend in the intensity of irruptions, therewas a strong additional positive trend in occupancy that was independent from the effect of immigration.
Competition among European Robins Erithacus rubecula in the winter quarters: sex is the best predictor of priority of access to experimental food resources
Authors: Campos A. R. , Catry P. , Ramos J. , Robalo J.
Published: December 2023

Competition for resources by individuals of different sexes, ages, body sizes or geographical origins may have varied implications, from demography to the evolution of migratory systems. European robins Erithacus rubecula display segregation by habitat in relation to sex, age, body size and geographic origin in the winter quarters. Here we report on an experiment to investigate the existence of asymmetries in the priority of access to food resources among unconstrained individuals in their natural environment. Feeders with meal worms were provided in an are a with a high density of wintering robins and, after 15 days of provisioning, were replaced by a spring trap that was operated during a whole day. The first individuals to be caught in each trap were heavier and had higher fat and muscle scores than last-caught individuals. Based on this and on behavioural observations, we conclude that first-caught individuals had priority of access to feeders. First- and last caught individuals did not differ in body size, wingtip shape or age ratios. However, whilst 35% of the first-caught individuals were males, only 6%of the last-caught individuals were males. This suggests that sex is an important predictor of the outcomes of competition in an area where multiple robin populations coexist in winter, while, at least on sites where no strictly sedentary individuals are present, geographic origin may be relatively unimportant.
Breeding-site fidelity and dispersal in isolated populations of three migratory passerines
Authors: Shitikov Dmitry , Fedotova Svetlana , Gagieva Victoria , Fedchuk Darya , Dubkova Elena , Vaytina Tatiana
Published: December 2023

Living in an isolated patchmay increase, for example, the extinction risk of a local population, but such risksmay bemitigated by natal and breeding dispersal.We therefore analyzed five years of Russian banding data on BootedWarbler,Whinchat and YellowWagtail (Hippolais caligata, Saxicola rubetra and Motacilla flava, respectively), within a 20-ha abandonedmeadow, isolated from similar habitat by vast areas of woodland.We individually banded 203 Booted Warblers, 193 Whinchats and 83 Yellow Wagtails. During the years following banding, fourmales ofBootedWarbler (2.0%), onemale ofWhinchat (0.4%) and 11 Yellow Wagtails (13.3%; 7 males and 4 females) returned to the study meadow. The apparent survival rate of the YellowWagtail was significantly higher than that of theWhinchat and BootedWarbler. For the YellowWagtail, the yearly numbers of recoveries varied considerably, and were linked with previous-year breeding success. Successful years were usually followed by returns to the same site next year. Moreover, recoveries of individuals that were born at the study site during the preceding years were extremely scarce (two out of a total of 258 banded nestlings). These findings suggest two important aspects: (1) species-specific returning rates and annual fluctuation in these are largely defined bymortality and reproductive success during the previous year, and (2) local populations of all three species are apparentlymostly formed by immigrants, implying that local nestling productionmay not contribute significantly to the local population. The negative consequences of living in isolated patches of habitat may be mitigated by natal and breeding dispersal.
Habitat associations of wintering granivorous birds on the Canary Islands
Authors: Garcia-del-Rey Eduardo , Whittingham Mark J.
Published: December 2023

Farmland birds within arable land are of conservation concern in Europe, but little is known about their ecology in the oceanic islands of the Mediterranean Basin (Macaronesia).We report here that, during two consecutive winters and within the entire arable land area of the Canary Islands, increasing area of bare soil is associated with higher occurrences of the resident granivorous species Corn Bunting (Emberiza calandra), Atlantic Canary (Serinus canaria) and Linnet (Carduelis cannabina meadowaldoi). However, such a relationship was not found for wintering Skylarks (Alauda arvensis) probably because of its different diet.We recommend that local authorities, theCabildo de Tenerife, purchase and manage these lands to improve conditions for granivorous farmland birds.We suggest that providing suitable foraging habitat will support the recovery of farmland birds on this island.
Numerical response of Bullfinches Pyrrhula yrrhula to winter seed abundance
Authors: Munilla Ignacio , Guitan José
Published: December 2023

The main aim of our study was to investigate the coupling between the winter abundance of a seed-eater, the Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula, and the abundance of rowanberry Sorbus aucuparia seeds. We detected a numerical response of Bullfinches to temporal and spatial variation in the abundance of rowanberry seeds throughout the Cantabrian Range in northern Iberia. Data on the abundance of the Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs, a closely-related species were used to account for the effect of factors other than rowanberry production on Bullfinch abundance. Chaffinch did not show such an associa-tion. The changes observed in Bullfinch numbers were consistent with variation in rowanberry abundance throughout and across several spatial and temporal scales: local-ity, fruit-rich and fruitless sites within a given locality, and year and month. Our results suggest that rowanberry abundance may influence the timing and extent of the altitudinal movements undertaken into lowland areas by the Bullfinch populations that breed in the montane areas of Iberia.
Does the White Stork Ciconia ciconia reflect farmland bird diversity?
Authors: Tobolka Marcin , Sparks Tim H. , Tryjanowski Piotr
Published: December 2023

The White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) is an icon of nature protection and one of the easiest birds to monitor, particularly in Central Europe. Here avian biodiversity was compared between sites (territories) occupied by nesting White Storks and sites that were formerly occupied but were unoccupied during the two study years, and often for several preceding years. The study was conducted in Western Poland during two breeding seasons, 2007 and 2008, involving 43 and 54 territories, respectively. Moreover, information on nest oc-cupancy and breeding success of White Storks since 2005 was used as a measure of habi-tat quality. Breeding bird diversity was significantly higher in occupied than in unoccu-pied White Stork territories. Bird diversity was also higher in territories with better White Stork chick productivity in the period 20052008. Even greater differentiation in bird di-versity might have been achieved between occupied White Stork territories and random sampling points in similar habitat.
Autumn phenology and morphometrics in the Garden Warbler Sylvia borin at the Ottenby Bird Observatory, Sweden
Authors: Iwajomo Soladoye B. , Hedenström Anders , Ottosson Ulf
Published: December 2023

Trapping and ringing near ecological barriers can provide useful information about the migration strategies of bird species. In this paper we analyzed ringing data of the Garden Warbler, collected within the period of 1950–2008 at the Ottenby Bird Observatory, south-eastern Sweden, and describe patterns in migration phenology, morphometrics and fuel load. A total of 4,351 individuals aged as either adults or juveniles were ringed during the period (yearly averages 7.3 adults and 83.1 juveniles) in addition to 1,514 birds of un-known age. Both age-specific and combined yearly totals did not significantly vary over the years. Median passage dates were 24 August, 30 August and 2 September for adults, juveniles and birds of unknown age, respectively. Median passage did not change signifi-cantly over the years. Among adults, larger individuals passed the observatory earlier than smaller individuals. The average fuel load was estimated at 24.3% of Lean Body Mass (LBM), and late-migrating individuals had higher fuel deposits than early migrants. Max-imum fuel load was estimated at 82.5% of LBM; such an individual may be capable of a direct flight from Ottenby region to the Mediterranean area.