bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Scene Design: First as a Methodology then as a New Professional Field
Authors: Milićević Slađana
Published: July 2018

This work depicts the way in which the term of scene design is formed, used and developed in professional and educational system in the Republic of Serbia. The introductory part presents what that term means, how it was made and how it has evolved since the 90s. The main part of the work by means of particular examples shows how scene design was first a specific methodology in educating the students of architecture at the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning at the Faculty of Technical Sciences in Novi Sad, then how establishing the studies of scene design at the same faculty made this methodology evolve into the professional field, where new and authentic research methods relating space emerged. Method of performing is outlined and analysed as one of that new methods, formed in the processes of contemplation, articulation, and realisation of performance space through different parts of the curriculum of new scene design studies. The goal of the work is to show the potential of this method for thorough research not only of performance space but space in general. Likewise, to show how this method could be a valuable tool in educating not only scene design and architecture students, but all the other educational profiles interested in spatial research and spatial design.
New university experiences: intergenerational archaeological excavations as a participatory learning method
Authors: Valero Tévar Miguel Ángel , Huete Alcocer Nuria
Published: July 2018

The present paper outlines a new training process carried out during the summer of 2017 by the research team at the site of the Roman villa of Noheda. The project is based on the practical implementation of an archaeological excavation experience and the study of related materials by an intergenerational team. The activity was carried out by students of various Spanish and foreign universities together with senior citizens who had previously been thoroughly trained in archaeological methodology. Not all of the senior citizens had university degrees, but they did have extensive life experience allowing them to bring a high degree of commitment to the project. All the students were able to implement the archaeological knowledge acquired in the preceding months through theoretical lessons covering a wide range of subjects. They worked through participative procedures in intergenerational teams, thereby fostering the exchange of knowledge and new learning methods. The results were very positive, from both an academic and a scientific perspective, as well as in terms of the participants’ personal gratification.
Content review using Kahoot! with aeronautical engineering students
Authors: Albero Vicente , Ibáñez Carmen
Published: July 2018

In the framework of the subject “Analysis of aeronautical structural components” included in the Master of Science of Aeronautical Engineering at the Universitat Politècnica de València, the application Kahoot! is employed in order to review the technical content and obtain feedback of the level of knowledge acquired by the students. Kahoot! allows developing multiple choice interactive quizzes that are solved in the classroom. Using this type of tools enhances the attention of the students and helps to create interesting discussions making the students be part of the teaching-learning process. Besides, the platform allows analyzing the results of the technical content reviewed which, in turn, permits the lecturer to adapt the didactic material to a real scenario. Furthermore, the results obtained from the assessment survey show the high level of satisfaction of the students with an activity which allows them to learn in a fun way. In conclusion, the application of Kahoot! for content review helps to perfect the teaching-learning process and improves academic performance in an attractive and engaging environment.
Why students travel abroad (and so many others do not): Exploring predictors and decision-making processes in study-related student travel
Authors: Ahlgrimm Frederik , Westphal Andrea , Heck Sebastian
Published: July 2018

Over the past few years, studying abroad and other educational international experiences have become increasingly highly regarded. Nevertheless, research shows that only a minority of students actually take part in academic mobility programs. But what is it that distinguishes those students who take up these international opportunities from those who do not? In this study we reviewed recent quantitative studies on why (primarily German) students  choose to travel abroad or not. This revealed a pattern of predictive factors. These indicate the key role played by students’ personal and social background, as well as previous international travel and the course of studies they are enrolled in. The study then focuses on teaching students. Both facilitating and debilitating factors are discussed and included in a model illustrating the decision-making process these students use. Finally, we discuss the practical implications for ways in which international, study-related travel might be increased in the future. We suggest that higher education institutions analyze individual student characteristics, offering differentiated programs to better meet the needs of different groups, thus raising the likelihood of disadvanteged students participating in academic international travel.
‘I use my time more wisely…’ The implications for learning and teaching in higher education of more ‘commuter students’
Authors: Thomas Liz
Published: July 2018

In the UK students have traditionally moved away from home to study in higher education, but this is changing as a consequence of greater participation, and the shift in responsibility for financing study from the State to individual students and their families. This research under took 60 qualitative interviews with students of all ages who defined themselves as ‘commuters’, who continue to live at home whilst studying. The study found that while the students largely viewed themselves as ‘good students’ aiming to engage fully in their academic studies, the stresses and strains – and cost and time – involved in travelling - resulted in students evaluating the utility of a trip to campus, considering whether their resources would be better spent studying at home. In addition, these students tended to be less engaged in ‘enhancement’ activities, and had very little social engagement with HE peers. Commuter students achieve less good outcomes: they are more likely to withdraw early, achieve lower attainment and are less likely to secure graduate employment on completion. This paper considers the implications for student engagement and teaching and learning in higher education of a larger commuter student population, in an effort to achieve greater equity in student outcomes.
Preparing students for service-learning and social entrepreneurship experiences
Authors: Chung He Len , Taylor Kayla , Nehila Caitlin
Published: July 2018

A critical feature of contemporary models of civic engagement is mutually-beneficial collaboration between campus and community partners, in which all members contribute skills and experience to co-create knowledge. At any given time, multiple relationships require attention – for example, triadic relationships between students, faculty, and staff of community organizations. This model is relevant for both service-learning (SL) and social entrepreneurship (SE), as both seek to work with community partners or in the community to address challenges facing the community. To date, research involving students has focused on the impact of these learning opportunities on student development (e.g., academics, civic participation). For students to be true partners in SL and SE projects, however, we need to understand the reciprocity of these interactions, particularly how to prepare students can become collaborators in developing campus-community partnerships (i.e., participatory readiness). To promote participatory readiness among students, we argue for a competency-based framework that integrates research and recommendations from the fields of service-learning, social entrepreneurship, and educational leadership. Throughout the article, we discuss similarities and differences in SL and SE practices and draw attention to the implications of the work for community engagement and pedagogy in higher education.
Accessible C-programming course from scratch using a MOOC platform without limitations
Authors: Belloch Jose Antonio , Castelló Adrián , Iserte Sergio
Published: July 2018

The C language has been used for ages in the application development in multidisciplinary environments. However, in the academia, this language is being replaced by other higher-level languages due to they are easier to understand, learn and apply. Moreover, the necessity of professionals with a good knowledge in those high-level languages is constantly increasing because of the boosting of mobile devices. This scenario generates a lack of low-level language programmers, required in other less trendy fields, but equal or more important, such as science, engineering or research.  In order to revive the interest in low-level languages and provide those minority fields with well-prepared staff, we present in this work a MOCC C-programming course that is addressed to any kind of people with or without IT background. A feature that differentiates this course from others programming online-based courses is that we mainly focus on the C language syntax providing, via a self-tuned virtual machine, an encapsulated environment that hides any interaction with the command-line of the underlying operating system. A secondary target of this work is to foster the computer science degree students to enrol the computer architecture specialization at the Universitat Jaume I (Spain). For this purpose, the High Performance Computing and Architectures research group of that University has decided to use this C course as a tool for fulfill the gap of the current syllabus. The results show that half of the participants that completed the first session of the course have satisfactorily finished the course, and the number of computer science degree students that chose the computer architecture specialization the following academic course was increment by 3x.
OERlabs: Empathy first, solution later?
Authors: Lukács Bence , Andrasch Mathias , Hofhues Sandra
Published: July 2018

The project ‘OERlabs - jointly training student (teachers) for Open Eductional Resources (OER) use’ is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research Germany (BMBF[SH1] ) and aims to sensitize and contextualize OER for all relevant university actors by strategically carrying out an open developmental process. This process includes organizing regular Multi-Stakeholder[SH2] Dialogues (MSD) over the course of the project. This paper briefly outlines the kick-off MSD event, its methodological approach in context of the entire process, i.e. building a base for working on solutions with implicit use of OER-principles and presents the participants feedback and provides results from the event. In contrast to committee work, our MSD-approach provides participants with more spacefor open discussions while still working towards a shared goal. In the context of OER, these events show the importance of focusing on the participants attitudes and mindset, rather than confronting them with general OER-related topics right away, such as licensing and creative commons. The project OERlabs will organize its final MSD in July of 2018, while also documenting additional experiences in an Open Book.
Increasing engagement and participation in a large, third-level class setting using co-teaching
Authors: Logan Anna , Farrell Ann Marie
Published: July 2018

This study focused on the collaborative practice of two teacher educators who implemented a co-teaching intervention with a large class of first-year student teachers. The research arose from the teacher educators’ wish to increase the range and nature of participation of students in the large class setting and to model co-teaching for the students who would be expected to engage in such practice themselves in primary schools. The aims of the study were to explore the use of co-teaching in the large class context as a support for student participation and students’ meta-learning about co-teaching. In three separate 50-minute workshops, students were provided with samples of a child’s work and were required to work in pairs or groups of three in order to come to conclusions about his current level of performance and to develop possible learning targets arising. Data were collected using a short, online survey. The student cohort was very positive in terms of  the effectiveness of the co-teaching approach in helping them to understand the concepts and allowing more active engagement. Further, students were able to articulate their learning with regard to using the co-teaching approach. From the researchers’ perspectives co-teaching was very useful in terms of increasing student participation and replicating a learning context that might be more usual with much smaller groups.  Further, it allowed for provision of formative feedback both during and following the co-taught sessions that would not otherwise have been feasible.  Finally, it allowed the student voice to be heard within the large class context.
Audiovisual content as a learning aid for Business English learners: developing and validating a Matrix
Authors: Carvalho Tiago , Almeida Pedro , Balula Ana
Published: July 2018

Audiovisual content (AVC) consumption, namely in Online Collaborative Platforms (OCP), like YouTube©, has been growing, mostly for entertainment purposes. Additionally, AVC has been regularly used to support educational contexts, either in formal local scenarios or to support online courses. But educational practitioners lack a structured place to find which AVC to use for each learning objective. This context provided the opportunity to develop an OCP to support crowd mapping of AVC and to serve as an online AVC aggregator for teachers and learners. This paper reports on a proposal for Business English training. This OCP needs to be sustained by a Matrix which crosscuts AVC according to parameters identified in the literature review. Experts in the fields of English as Foreign Language Didactics and Educational Technologies were asked to validate the Matrix in its cataloging and searching features. Data was gathered via semi-structured interviews and treated by means of content analysis. The data analysis suggests that, even though it may be improved, the Matrix allows for accurate cataloging. The concept of the OCP was validated and deemed as a learning aid with potential. The following steps include the design and construction of a prototype of the OCP.
Sharing system of learning resources for adaptive strategies of scholastic remedial intervention
Authors: Barana Alice , Di Caro Luigi , Fioravera Michele , Floris Francesco , Marchisio Marina , Rabellino Sergio
Published: July 2018

This paper presents a model for school remedial, focusing on improving the digital materials sharing process for the diversification of tutoring strategies. The model involves the characterization of materials for automatic assessment shared within a community of tutors. The characterization expects materials to be linked with natural language descriptors explicating their intended instructional objectives. The possibility of implementing a recommendation system on the basis of natural language processing techniques is discussed taking in consideration an analysis of the application of the model within a local-scale project. Clustering techniques searching for materials that have the same educational purposes but involve the activation of different cognitive processes are proposed, in order to continuously extend the database of shared materials in favour of the effectiveness of ongoing tutoring actions. The results collected from questionnaires submitted to students, tutors, and teachers involved in the project are shown, and clustering data are discussed highlighting the feasibility of the application of the model.
Iterative Design of a Gamified Course in High Education: deployment and evaluation
Authors: Baldeón Johan P. , Rodríguez Inmaculada , Puig Anna , Lopez-Sanchez Maite
Published: July 2018

During the last years, gamification has been used to engage students in more attractive educational activities in different Computer Science subjects at the university level, thereby improving their motivation and learning outcomes. This work continues a research that initially proposed a gamified design for the course “Distributed Artificial Intelligence”, an optional undergraduate course of the Computer Engineering degree. Specifically, we focused on reinforcing subjects related to Multi-Agent Systems (MAS) by means of fun hands-on activities to experiment theoretical concepts in practice. A first iteration of the design was deployed during two consecutive academic years, with good results in terms of students’ perceived learning, engagement and commitment during the class. Nevertheless, a posterior analysis of the design showed that the proposed mechanics did not consider some types of players - such as disruptors -, and some of the learning profiles - such as theoretical and reflexive -. Then, we proposed a card-based game to redesign the learning experience, using a LEarner-centered GAmification Design Framework (LEGA) that aligns both educational and gamification approaches. This paper focuses on this second iteration of the design, which has been deployed and evaluated during the last semester. The obtained results show that students liked the card game, were engaged and motivated during the gamified class, as well as they perceived an increased learning in the subject.
Preparing Effective Literacy Educators Through Professional Development
Authors: Thompson Tobi , Massey Ingrid
Published: July 2018

Since changes to the reading/language arts State Subject Area Test (SSAT) in late 2010, elementary education teacher candidates at a teacher training college in the Southern United States have experienced declining scores resulting in test failure and delaying student teaching and graduation.  The purpose of this case study was to identify factors that students and faculty perceived as most beneficial in preparing students to pass the SSAT.  Constructivism served as the conceptual framework for this study addressing the effects of collaboration, hands-on learning, and application of knowledge.  Purposeful sampling was used to recruit 6 elementary education students who had taken the SSAT and 4 full-time reading and language arts faculty members who participated in semistructured interviews.  Analysis of coded data indicated themes of preference for experiential learning, intensive strategy instruction, and a review of tested content.  Based on study findings, a 3-day professional development training was created to provide students a review of tested subject matter through embedded strategy instruction and opportunities for hands-on application of learning.
Making It: Institutionalizing Collaborative Innovation in Public Higher Education
Authors: McCarthy Sean , Barnes Audrey , Holland Keith S , Lewis Erica , Ludwig Patrice , Swayne Nick
Published: July 2018

This descriptive case study provides a broad overview of JMU X-Labs, an academic maker space (in other words, a teaching lab with fabrication and digital production technologies) that hosts team-taught, project-driven multidisciplinary courses. The JMU X-Labs serves the students and faculty of James Madison University[MSR-m1] , a mid-sized, public, and undergraduate-focused university in the United States. The narrative proceeds from two different but overlapping points of view: how courses at JMU X-Labs are designed and taught; and how administration of JMU X-Labs supports them. The authors refer to specific courses, pedagogical methods, and problem-solving strategies to illustrate the narrative, and they argue throughout that pedagogy and administration are indelibly intertwined in how the organization operates. Gesturing to the broad applicability and transferability of the JMU X-Labs model, the authors mark some of areas of further research that would benefit a more robust understanding of how the organization operates and grows. Finally, the authors speculate how the dynamics of this young and growing organization may answer some core and difficult questions pertaining to innovation in higher education.[MSR-m1]James Madison University (JMU) Clearlyl referenced in abstract and opening paragraph below to explain institutional context as per reviewer request.
Learning outcomes in the field of human resource management in business administration studies in the context of implementation of European Qualifications Framework (EQF) - examples from University of Valencia, Spain, and University of Dubrovnik, Croatia
Authors: Hernandez-Carrión Jose Rodolfo , Vrdoljak Raguž Ivona
Published: July 2018

The study carried out in this paper involves the analysis of the content of the competencies in the field of human resource management in order to adquire the key competences of the students that will be alligned with the needs of the labor market according to the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). The method of comparative analysis and case study methodology is used in the paper. This research compares teaching courses that include the acquisition of competences in the field of human resource management in business administration studies, one of the key areas of contemporary management, with examples from the Departament of Economics and Business Economics of the University of Dubrovnik (Croatia) and the Faculty of Economics of the University of Valencia (Spain). The study may be a contribution to better alignement and compatibility between study programs of economics and management in the countries and beyond. In order to get answers to the research questions, the paper analyzes the learning outcomes of the two observed universities.
The Centre for Excellence in Teaching (CET) at Portucalense University: goals, strategies and expected outcomes.
Authors: Fernandes Sandra Raquel Gonçalves , Morais Paula , Mesquita Diana , Abelha Marta , Fernandes Sara , Albuquerque Ana Sílvia
Published: July 2018

This paper presents part of the change process carried out at the Portucalense University (UPT), Portugal, aimed at promoting student centred teaching and learning. To attain this goal, the Centre for Excellence in Teaching (CET) was created to support academic staff in the achievement of this outcome. The objectives of the CET are to promote pedagogic training sessions for academic staff, to develop pedagogical resources and publications and to create a website for the dissemination of best practices and for the recognition of teaching quality at UPT. The preliminary results of the implementation of the activities developed by the CET reveal a positive participation and involvement of academic staff. Teachers showed interest in developing active learning strategies and openness to change their teaching practices. Some examples of the activities implemented by teachers, in the first semester of 2017/2018, are briefly presemted in this paper.
Comparison of uveitis in the course of juvenile idiopathic arthritis with isolated uveitis in children – own experiences
Authors: Zygmunt Agnieszka , Lipińska Joanna , Biernacka-Zielińska Małgorzata , Lipiec Ewa , Niwald Anna , Smolewska Elżbieta
Published: July 2018

Objectives

Uveitis and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) relatively often coexist. Inflammatory changes in the anterior segment of the eye are the most common extra-articular symptom in children with JIA, and JIA is, in turn, the main systemic cause of anterior uveitis in children. The aim of our study was to compare the course of anterior uveitis accompanying JIA and isolated uveitis.

Material and methods

We analyzed 25 children with JIA and uveitis (group I) and 28 children with isolated uveitis (group II). The study population was retrospectively selected from the patients treated in our center in the years 1998–2016 through a search of the hospital database. All data were presented as descriptive statistics.

Results

In group I there was a higher percentage of girls than in group II (64% vs. 50%) and uveitis occurred at a significantly younger age (8.7 years vs. 11.6). Patients from group I more often presented with immunological abnormalities (positive antinuclear antibodies or HLA-B27 antigen). The majority of children from group I developed uveitis prior to (44%) or simultaneously with (20%) arthritis. In patients who first presented with uveitis, arthritis appeared on average after 28 months (median 12 months). In children in whom arthritis developed first, uveitis appeared on average after 51 months (median 36 months). In some patients the time interval between the involvement of these two organs was as long as 9–10 years. Four children from group I and three from group II were qualified for biological treatment.

Conclusions

The results of our analysis indicate the need for constant cooperation between the pediatric rheumatologist and the ophthalmologist. Although the risk of uveitis in JIA decreases with the disease duration, in some cases this complication can develop after many years. Children with present antinuclear antibodies, at younger age and of female gender should be subject to particularly close observation.
Developing a facilities management questionnaire in a local government setting
Authors: Adler Daniel
Published: July 2018

Community facilities are at the frontline of service provision for local government, enacting strategy and objectives on a day-to-day basis and forming the cornerstone of performance assessment. The performance of facilities, as judged by their users, is a contested area of governance, with theories on assessment being influenced by economic, social, environmental and business-as-usual advocates. Facility managers, who see users as the source of their reward as well as their day-to-day problems, consider asking users for their opinion as being equally a benefit and a risk. However, measuring customer satisfaction is increasingly emerging as a measure of good performance and facility managers have to find some credible way of gauging this. This research paper takes a broadly consultative approach to survey development and finds that, regardless of the best planning and design, facility managers will be judged based on the limited experiences of their users and evaluators and this is key to successfully embedding new strategy in operations.
Michel Thiry’s reflections on Professor Peter Steyn’s paper
Authors: Michel Thiry
Published: July 2018

Reflections on Professor Steyn's paper on the need for a chief portfolio officer
Project management frameworks and practitioner preferences for capturing lessons learned on projects
Authors: Scales Jeffrey
Published: July 2018

This study focuses on how practitioners view learning activities in projects and how these activities are influenced by the approach or emphasis espoused in different reference texts. The perceived importance of learning lessons in projects was surveyed in the literature, establishing the difficulties encountered, various methods for process improvement and the realities of current practice. The practices of individuals working within two major project management frameworks used in developed English-speaking economies were compared. A survey was constructed to address the question. Data from a pilot survey support the theory that the PMBoK and PRINCE2 are not perceived as synonymous and that differences will be more evident with a larger dataset. Inferences are drawn linking the pilot survey to the outcomes of previous studies and making recommendations for further research.
Program Management
Authors: Sankaran Shankar
Published: July 2018

A review if the book Program Managment authored by Michel Thiry
Information technology risk management teaching exercise: integrating online and offline communication techniques
Authors: Gibb Jenny , Twiname Linda
Published: July 2018

We introduce a risk management project teaching case where students work in consulting teams with a mentor from the information technology industry. The case describes in rich detail the issues and challenges confronting Linny, the owner and CEO of ACE Technologies, a New Zealand-based software-development firm, as she begins to implement an information technology data exchange trading link between a supplier firm in one country and a logistics company and large buyer firm in another country. Linny calls on Jade Consulting (student groups) to identify potential risks in the implementation process.  Taking this case design approach introduces students to two levels of project management education. First, we introduce strategies and techniques to develop e-learning and face-to-face communication skills in a team setting. Second, students manage the stages of a "real" industry project with a mentor. Our findings are relevant for management educators and practitioners involved in project management.
Requirements for optimal learning environment for an online project risk management game
Authors: Hussein Bassam
Published: July 2018

Several authors have questioned the effectiveness of using lecture-based teaching to provide students with enough confidence to apply project risk management. Gaming was proposed as a solution. However, despite widespread use of games in teaching project management, it is still not clear what conditions provide optimal learning through games. Another shortcoming with the existing games is oversimplification.  This paper addresses these shortcomings and proposes a game design that captures real-life challenges associated with applying the project risk management process; a design that prompts an appreciation for project complexity as well as providing students with the opportunity to experience the consequences of ignoring or following the risk management process. The paper also identifies and elaborates on the requirements for optimum learning, and distinguishes between two types of requirements: 1) learning requirements, and 2) qualitative requirements.  Learning requirements identify the learning outcomes of the game. These requirements were identified through structured and semi-structured interviews with senior project managers from several management-consulting firms. The challenges and the corresponding tactics that are adopted in practice in order to manage project risks were thus identified and ranked. These results are also presented in light of supporting literature. The challenges and associated tactics were mapped into a set of eight requirements representing the learning outcomes of the game. These requirements were then mapped to the design using four instructional methods: a briefing lecture, a team-based assignment, an online computer simulation, and a debriefing lecture. All these methods were linked by a real-life project case and executed in a gaming context to improve engagement.  Qualitative requirements represent important conditions that must be present for optimal learning. These were identified through structured interviews with continuing education students taking a master's degree in project management. This empirical study resulted in four qualitative requirements that must be considered in the game design: 1) ownership, 2) relevance, 3) feedback, and 4) adaptation.  The paper also presents the evaluation results of the game design. The purpose of the evaluation was to examine the game's ability to capture the two sets of requirements identified above.
Managing human capital to engineer process improvement for team interfaces: a case study Team Interfaces: A Case Research
Authors: Sengupta Debashish , Titus Ray
Published: July 2018

Process improvements of existing team interfaces in the organisation Zygus Engineering India Pvt Ltd are used in this case study to explore challenges in human resource management of project-based organisations. The findings suggest that both design and interventions in engaging human capital, and their subsequent impact, play a critical role in determining the effectiveness and efficiencies in project team environments.
Our Rights: Creative Cut
Authors: De Santolo Jason
Published: July 2018

This is a collaborative new media piece exploring Indigenous rights in Australia by Jason De Santolo.
Interpretation of Measured Aerosol Mass Scattering Efficiency Over North America Using a Chemical Transport Model
Authors: Latimer Robyn N. C. , Martin Randall V.
Published: July 2018

Abstract. Aerosol mass scattering efficiency affects climate forcing calculations, atmospheric visibility, and the interpretation of satellite observations of aerosol optical depth. We evaluated the representation of aerosol mass scattering efficiency (αsp) in the GEOS-Chem chemical transport model over North America using collocated measurements of aerosol scatter and mass from IMPROVE network sites between 2000–2015. We found a positive bias in mass scattering efficiency given current assumptions of aerosol size distributions and particle hygroscopicity in the model. We found that overestimation of mass scattering efficiency was most significant in dry (RH
Variation of Summer Oceanic pCO2 and Carbon Sink in the Prydz Bay Using SOM Analysis Approach
Authors: Xu Suqing , Park Keyhong , Wang Yanmin , Chen Liqi , Di Qi , Li Bingrui
Published: July 2018

Abstract. This study applies a neural network technique to produce maps of oceanic surface pCO2 in the Prydz Bay in the Southern Ocean on a 0.1 longitude × 0.1 latitude grid based on in-situ measurements during the 31th CHINARE cruise for February 2015. The study area was divided into three regions, Open-ocean region, Sea-ice region and Shelf region. The distribution of oceanic pCO2 was mainly affected by physical process in the Open-ocean region where mixing and upwelling became the main controls. While in the Sea-ice region, oceanic pCO2 changed sharply due to the strong change of seasonal ice. For the Shelf region, biological factor was the main control. The weekly oceanic pCO2 was estimated using a self-organizing map (SOM) by four proxy parameters (Sea Surface Temperature, Chlorophyll a concentration, Mixed Layer Depth, and Sea Surface Salinity) to resolve the nonlinear relationships under complicated biogeochemical conditions in Prydz Bay region. The reconstructed oceanic pCO2 coincides well with the in-situ investigated pCO2 from SOCAT, in the root-mean-square error of 22.14 μatm. Prydz Bay was mainly a strong CO2 sink in February 2015 with a monthly averaged uptake of 18.7 ± 4.93 TgC. The oceanic CO2 sink is pronounced in the Shelf region due to its lowest oceanic pCO2 with peak biological production. Strong potential anthropogenic CO2 uptake in the Shelf region will enhance the acidification in the deep water of Prydz Bay and affect the deep ocean acidification in the long run since it contributes to the formation of Antarctic bottom water.
Plants or bacteria? 130 years of mixed imprints in Lake Baldegg sediments (Switzerland), as revealed by compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) and biomarker analysis
Authors: Lavrieux Marlène , Birkholz Axel , Meusburger Katrin , Wiesenberg Guido L. B. , Gilli Adrian , Stamm Christian , Alewell Christine
Published: July 2018

Abstract. Soil erosion and associated sediment transfer are among the major causes of aquatic ecosystem and surface water quality impairment. Through land-use and agricultural practices, human activities modify the soil erosive risk and the catchment connectivity, becoming a key factor of sediment dynamics. Hence, restoration and management plans of water bodies can only be efficient if the sediment sources and the proportion attributable to different land-uses are identified. To this aim, we applied two approaches, namely compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) of long-chain fatty acids (FA) and triterpenoid biomarker analysis, to the eutrophic Lake Baldegg and its agriculturally used catchment (Switzerland). Soils reflecting the five main land-uses of the catchment (arable lands, temporary and permanent grasslands, mixed forests, orchards) were subjected to CSIA. The compound-specific stable isotope δ13C signatures clearly discriminate between grasslands (permanent and temporary) and forests. Signatures of agricultural land and orchards fall in-between. The soil signal was then compared to the isotopic signature of a lake sediment sequence covering ca. 130 years (before 1885 to 2009). Most of the lake sediment samples lie out of the source soils polygon, most likely as a result of carbon exchanges with highly depleted material related to methanotrophic bacterial activity. The recent lake samples falling into the soil polygon indicate an important contribution of the forests, which can be explained by (1) the location of the forests on steep slopes, resulting in a higher connectivity of the forests to the lake, and (2) potential direct inputs of trees and shrubs growing along the rivers feeding the lake and around the lake. Despite the strong bacterial overprint on the isotopic signal, land-use and catchment history are clearly reflected in the CSIA results, with isotopic shifts being consistent with catchment, land-use and eutrophication history. While present in the soils, the investigated highly specific biomarkers were not detected in the lake sediment. Two trimethyltetrahydrochrysenes (TTHCs), natural diagenetic products of pentacyclic triterpenoids, were found in the lake sediments. Their origin is attributed to the in-situ microbial degradation of some of the triterpenoids. While the need to apportion sediment sources is especially crucial in eutrophic systems, our study stresses the importance of using caution with CSIA and triterpenoid biomarkers in such environments, where the presence of methanotrophic bacterial biomass might overprint original isotopic signals.
High denitrification and anaerobic ammonium oxidation contributes to net nitrogen loss in a seagrass ecosystem in the central Red Sea
Authors: Garcias-Bonet Neus , Fusi Marco , Ali Muhammad , Shaw Dario R. , Saikaly Pascal E. , Daffonchio Daniele , Duarte Carlos M.
Published: July 2018

Abstract. Nitrogen loads in coastal areas have increased dramatically with detrimental consequences for coastal ecosystems. Shallow sediments and seagrass meadows are hotspots for denitrification, favoring N loss. However, atmospheric dinitrogen (N2) fixation has been reported to support seagrass growth. Therefore, the role of coastal marine systems dominated by seagrasses in the net N2 flux remains unclear. Here, we measured denitrification, anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox), and N2 fixation in tropical seagrass (Enhalus acoroides) meadow and the adjacent bare sediment in a coastal lagoon in the central Red Sea. We detected high annual mean rates of denitrification (34.9 ± 10.3 and 31.6 ± 8.9 mg N m−2 d−1) and anammox (12.4 ± 3.4 and 19.8 ± 4.4 mg N m−2 d−1) in vegetated and bare sediments. The annual mean N loss was higher (8 and 63-fold higher) than the N2 fixed (annual mean = 5.9 ± 0.2 and 0.8  ± 0.3 mg N m−2 d−1) in the meadow and bare sediment, leading to a net flux of N2 from sediments to the atmosphere. Despite the importance of this coastal lagoon in removing N from the system, N2 fixation can contribute substantially to seagrass growth since N2 fixation rates found here could contribute up to 36 % of plant N requirements. In vegetated sediments, anammox rates decreased with increasing organic matter (OM) content, while N2 fixation increased with OM content. Denitrification and anammox increased linearly with temperature, while N2 fixation showed a maximum at intermediate temperatures. Therefore, the forecasted warming could further increase the N2 flux from sediments to the atmosphere, potentially impacting seagrass productivity and their capacity to mitigate climate change but also enhancing their potential N removal.
Geopolitik als Literatur – ein germanistischer Beitrag zur Genealogie der deutschen Politischen Geographie und Geopolitik
Authors: Werber Niels
Published: July 2018

Abstract. This contribution of a literary scholar to the history of geopolitics argues for the consideration of literary sources as constituents of the „classical“ geopolitical discourse (Ratzel, Kjellén, Haushofer). It exemplifies this claim by revealing the geopolitical components through which Gustav Freytag's novel Soll und Haben (Debit and Credit, Freytag, 1855, 1858) creates spaces, civilizations, and stories. Approaching these issues from the perspective of literary history and the history of knowledge, this paper turns to Freytag's novel to examine whether the literature of the period of the so-called „bourgeois“ or „poetic“ realism belongs to the genealogy of German political geography and geopolitics and how to study its impact on their increasingly manifest political program after the beginning of the First World War. Especially the establishment of the topos of the „Volk ohne Raum“ (people without space) in the east of the German Reich and the reorientation of geopolitics „gen Osten“ (toward the east) in the early twentieth century find a highly compatible antecedent in Soll und Haben.
Upscaling of regional models into basin-wide models
Authors: Vandenbulcke Luc , Barth Alexander
Published: July 2018

Abstract. Traditionnally, in order for lower-resolution, global- or basin-scale models to benefit from some of the improvements available in higher-resolution regional or coastal models, two-way nesting has to be used. This implies that the parent and child models have to be run together and there is an online exchange of information between both models. This approach is often impossible in operational systems, where different model codes are run by different institutions, often in different countries. Therefor, in practice, these systems use one-way nesting with data transfer only from the large-scale model to the regional models. In this article, it is examined whether it is possible to replace the missing model feedback by data assimilation, avoiding the need to run the models simultaneously. Selected variables from the high-resolution forecasts will be used as pseudo-observations, and assimilated in the lower-resolution models. The method will be called upscaling. A realistic test-case is set up with a model covering the Mediterranean Sea, and a nested model covering its North-Western basin. A simulation using only the basin-scale model is compared with a simulation where both models are run using one-way nesting, and using the upscaling technique on the temperature and salinity variables. It is shown that the representation of some processes, such as the Rhône river plume, are strongly improved in the upscaled model compared to the stand-alone model.
Marine Ice Sheet Instability and Ice Shelf Buttressing Influenced Deglaciation of the Minch Ice Stream, Northwest Scotland
Authors: Gandy Niall , Gregoire Lauren J. , Ely Jeremy C. , Clark Christopher D. , Hodgson David M. , Lee Victoria , Bradwell Tom , Ivanovic Ruza F.
Published: July 2018

Abstract. Uncertainties in future sea level projections are dominated by our limited understanding of the dynamical processes that control instabilities of marine ice sheets. A valuable case to examine these processes is the last deglaciation of the British-Irish Ice Sheet. The Minch Ice Stream, which drained a large proportion of ice from the northwest sector of the British-Irish Ice Sheet during the last deglaciation, is well constrained, with abundant empirical data which could be used to inform, validate and analyse numerical ice sheet simulations. We use BISICLES, a higher-order ice sheet model, to examine the dynamical processes that controlled the retreat of the Minch Ice Stream. We simulate retreat from the shelf edge under constant "warm" surface mass balance and subshelf melt, to isolate the role of internal ice dynamics from external forcings. The model simulates a slowdown of retreat as the ice stream becomes laterally confined at a "pinning-point" between mainland Scotland and the Isle of Lewis. At this stage, the presence of ice shelves became a major control on deglaciation, providing buttressing to upstream ice. Subsequently, the presence of a reverse slope inside the Minch Strait produces an acceleration in retreat, leading to a "collapsed" state, even when the climate returns to the initial "cold" conditions. Our simulations demonstrate the importance of the Marine Ice Sheet Instability and ice shelf buttressing during the deglaciation of parts of the British-Irish Ice Sheet. Thus, geological data could be used to constrain these processes in ice sheet models used for projecting the future of our contemporary ice sheets.
Review of Radar Altimetry Techniques over the Arctic Ocean: Recent Progress and Future Opportunities for Sea Level and Sea Ice Research
Authors: Quartly Graham D. , Rinne Eero , Passaro Marcello , Andersen Ole B. , Dinardo Salvatore , Fleury Sara , Guerreiro Kevin , Guillot Amandine , Hendricks Stefan , Kurekin Andrey A. , Müller Felix L. , Ricker Robert , Skourup Henriette , Tsamados Michel
Published: July 2018

Abstract. There are numerous needs for monitoring sea level and sea ice in the Arctic, ranging from concern about changes in ice cover being both an indicator and a driver of long-term climate change to shipping interest in alternative routes and the associated risks to the safety of vessels and crew. Furthermore, sea level relative to the geoid allows us to quantify the geostrophic circulation, including any changes in the flow. Radar altimeters provide an important means of quantifying changes in sea level and sea-ice thickness, although there are increased complexities in the interpretation of their data over such a variable surface. This paper reviews the techniques for deriving useful geophysical information over a mix of leads and ice floes, covering the approaches for both conventional (low rate mode) altimetry and the newer delay-Doppler (Synthetic Aperture Radar) instruments. It discusses the challenges in discriminating the returns from different surfaces, the retracking approaches and the corrections required. The review finishes with a look ahead to how new technologies, analyses and understanding may be expected to improve the monitoring in this critical environment.
Resilient alliances: portuguese cooperative movement in the transition to modern times (1867-1933)
Authors: Dias Pereira Joana
Published: July 2018

Este artículo analiza la emergencia del movimiento cooperativo en Portugal a fines del siglo XIX y principios del XX, enfocando el legado premoderno revelado en el origen social de sus promotores, así como en los valores morales y objetivos propuestos. Se basa en una revisión exhaustiva de los actos y estatutos fundacionales de las sociedades cooperativas y en la comparación entre estos últimos y las normas escritas de las instituciones premodernas para la acción colectiva: los regimientos de los gremios de oficios y las posturas municipales de las comunidades rurales. Los datos disponibles permiten sostener que las primeras cooperativas, después de las sociedades de ayuda mutua, fueron creadas principalmente por la comunidad artesanal, que utilizaba la cooperación para asegurar la continuidad de las antiguas prácticas. Las funciones cumplidas por los gremios artesanales, las hermandades, los comunes y otras instituciones premodernas fueron superadas por sus contrapartes modernas en un proceso de ajuste institucional al nuevo marco político y legal. De esta manera, se argumenta que, a pesar de la naturaleza diferente del movimiento de asociaciones voluntarias decimonónicas, la resiliencia del autogobierno, la mutualidad y el control social tiene que estar relacionada con la previa acción colectiva corporativa multisecular.