bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Vertebrate community on an ice-age Caribbean island
Authors: Steadman David W. , Albury Nancy A. , Kakuk Brian , Mead Jim I. , Soto-Centeno J. Angel , Singleton Hayley M. , Franklin Janet 
Published: October 2015

SignificanceA flooded sinkhole cave on Abaco (The Bahamas) has yielded the richest (95 species) set of late Pleistocene (ice-age) vertebrates on any Caribbean island. We track changes in species composition on Abaco through time and relate those biotic changes to climate change. The warmer, wetter climate and rising sea levels from 15,000 to 9,000 years ago probably led to the disappearance on Abaco of at least 17 species of birds. Another 22 species of reptiles, birds, and mammals persisted through those environmental changes but did not survive the last 1,000 years of human activity. For the species that remain, we believe that direct human activity threatens their future more than climate change.
Boreal woody species resistance affected by climate change.
Authors: Julkunen-Tiitto R. , Nybakken L. , Randriamanana T. , Virjamo V. 
Published: October 2015

Abstract

Climate change undoubtedly affects the metabolism and resistance of woody plants, and results in changes in their competitive management. Due to low climatic niche evolution, trees and shrubs are slow to react to climate change. In addition, current studies show rather variable results. Therefore, difficulties arise in finding unanimity concerning the impacts of climate change on woody species growth, secondary metabolism and their relationships with other organisms. Here, we review the literature based on current results of the main climate change factors, including increased CO2, temperature and ultraviolet radiation. We summarize the interactions of woody plant growth with defensive metabolism, with a special focus on simultaneously affecting changes.
Abiotic factors, climatic variability and forest insect pests.
Authors: Neuvonen S. , Virtanen T. 
Published: October 2015

Abstract

Abiotic factors have both direct and indirect effects on insects. This chapter focuses on the direct effects of abiotic factors, especially temperature, on insects with different life histories. We draw examples from forest insect pests, mainly from temperate and boreal regions. We also illustrate and discuss several issues relevant for modelling the direct effects of climatic factors on forest insect pests. Abiotic factors can affect the mortality of forest pests in different life stages. Insects are generally well adapted to average conditions during different seasons, but extremes can cause problems. Examples are given from forest defoliators and aphids on conifers. Outbreak distribution and frequency in relation to climatic factors is discussed, with examples from both North America and Europe: the forest tent caterpillar, the spruce budworm and the European pine sawfly. The spatial and temporal resolution used when analysing forest insect outbreaks has often been at greatly larger scales than those at which the relevant ecological processes operate. Consequently, for further work, we stress the importance of considering spatial variation in temperatures when modelling the effects of changing climate on forest pests. Between-year variation in climate is often large in temperate and boreal areas. Examples of the relationships between abiotic factors and forest insects illustrate the multiple ways in which weather can modulate population dynamics. Finally, we discuss the possibilities for predicting the effects of changing abiotic factors on forest insect outbreaks. Multidisciplinary cooperation between researchers in different fields is urgently needed to bridge the gaps between the scales of insect pest dynamics, climate models and data. This is necessary to understand better the impacts of variable and changing climate on forest insect pests.
A collaborative optimization framework for parametric and parameter-free variables
Authors: Li W. , Wen Y , Li L X 
Published: October 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to improve the framework of classical collaborative optimization (CCO) so as to solve the multi-disciplinary optimization problems with parametric and parameter-free variables, and therefore an improved collaborative optimization (ICO) is proposed.Design/methodology/approach– To clarify the relation of design variables, the optimization problem is classified into three general case. For each case, the respective treatment is suggested for coupled or uncoupled variables in the framework of the ICO.Findings– The decoupling treatment suggested in the ICO framework not only avoids the iteration divergence and thus optimization failure, but increases the optimal design space to some extent. The method is validated by optimizing an aircraft assembly and a high-speed train assembly.Originality/value– The two practical examples proves that the present ICO succeeds in solving the problem that the CCO failed to, also gives the optimal results better than those from the sequential optimization method.
An investigation into university extra-curricular enterprise support provision
Authors: Preedy Sarah , Jones Paul 
Published: October 2015

Purpose
– The employment market means students need to be equipped with wide-ranging enterprising skills and experience. With small- and medium-sized enterprises crucial to the health of the UK economy providing graduates with the skills to start-up their own business is also of increasing pertinence. The purpose of this paper is to analyse universities’ provision and delivery of student support in developing their enterprise knowledge, skills and experience outside of the curriculum.

Design/methodology/approach
– An e-survey of universities alongside three follow-up semi-structured interviews with participants and an in-depth case study was gathered. The e-survey quantified what enterprise support activities the sample institutions currently offered and the interviews and case study examined the delivery of those activities through the perceptions of university staff/students.

Findings
– The respondents offered a range of enterprise support activity outside of the curriculum but delivery was hindered by a limited means to track proceedings. Support activities were predominantly concentrated both in delivery and receipt within business schools rather than across departments. Support typically consisted of networking events, business advice sessions and workshops as opposed to intensive provisions such as incubation space or start-up loans. The presence and influence of student-led enterprise groups was apparent.

Practical implications
– The results will inform those staff involved in the planning and delivery of enterprise support activity at UK universities.

Originality/value
– This research extends a limited literature mapping extra-curricular enterprise support provision at universities with qualitative data on the delivery of these activities as perceived by staff/students.
The influence of organizational learning culture and perceived organizational support on employees’ affective commitment and turnover intention
Authors: Islam Talat , Ahmed Ishfaq , Ahmad Ungku Norulkamar Bt. Ungku 
Published: October 2015

Purpose– The study aims to examine the relationships between organizational learning culture (OLC), perceived organizational support (POS), affective commitment (AC) and turnover intention (TI) through empirical investigation across the service sector.Design/methodology/approach– A total of 758 employees working in the Pakistani banking sector were approached through convenience sampling. A questionnaire-based survey was used to conduct the research.Findings– A two-stage approach was applied using structural equation modeling (SEM). In the first stage, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was applied, and in the second stage, path coefficients were examined. The study found POS and OLC were positively associated with AC but negatively associated with TI. In addition, SEM confirms that AC performs the role of mediator.Research limitations/implications– The study has practical and theoretical implications for HR managers to reduce employees’ TI. Limitations are also discussed.Originality/value– The study elucidates the importance of POS and OLC in enhancing AC and reducing TI.
Consumer trust in 3D virtual worlds and its impact on real world purchase intention
Authors: Peng Yan , Ke Dan 
Published: October 2015

Purpose– This paper examines the three-dimensional (3D)virtual world users’ perceptions of authenticity and trustworthiness in the virtual prototypes and users’ potential purchase behavior in the real-world settings. The 3D virtual worlds provide a new platform that exhibits virtual prototypes as a promotion channel for new products of real-world and online service, where users can communicate “face to face” via their representative avatars.Design/methodology/approach– The authors conducted an experiment in Second Life and collected data in a post-study questionnaire to test our proposed conceptual model. Structural equation modeling was the main methodology.Findings– The research results showed that 3D virtual world users obtained a high sense of telepresence and social presence. The sense of telepresence positively leads to users’ perceptions of online trust in the virtual prototypes and thus increases their intention to purchase real-world objects; the users’ sense of social presence positively associates to their perceptions of authenticity and online trust and, therefore, their purchase intention.Research limitations/implications– In survey research, the common method variance is a problem. A more robust way is to use objective measures.Practical implications– A new channel was proposed for businesses to enhance their online strategies that will increase their business value.Social implications– 3D virtual world is also a cutting-edge platform for remote education, public information service, etc.Originality/value– This paper initially contributes to the literature that interprets underlying factors in 3D virtual worlds associated to purchase intention in real-world objects. We demonstrated the advantages, i.e. the communication efficacy and vivid virtual design in the 3D user-generated environment.
A shady business: pine afforestation alters the primary controls on litter decomposition along a precipitation gradient in Patagonia, Argentina
Authors: Araujo Patricia I. , Austin Amy T. 
Published: October 2015

SummaryOur understanding of the principal controls on litter decomposition is critical for our capacity to predict how global changes will impact terrestrial ecosystems. Although climate, litter quality and soil organisms clearly modulate carbon (C) and nutrient turnover, land‐use change affecting plant species composition and structure can alter the relative importance of such controls.We took advantage of prior land‐use changes of intentional planting of exotic forest species along a broad precipitation gradient [250–2200 mm mean annual precipitation (MAP)] in Patagonia, South America, where we established five paired sites in natural vegetation and adjacent 35‐year‐old pine plantations. We explored direct and interactive effects of precipitation and plant community structure on litter decomposition within situdecomposition, common litters and reciprocal transplants, in addition to an evaluation of microenvironmental changes.Surface litter decomposition in natural vegetation (NV) was similar in all sites along the gradient, independent of litter quality,MAPor soil characteristics, while mass loss demonstrated a significant positive linear relationship withMAPin pine plantations (PP).Decomposition of common litters inPPwas markedly reduced with respect toNV, which was > 50% faster at the arid extreme of the gradient. C:N ratios predicted decomposition only inPP, and differences in decomposition were highly correlated with impacts of vegetative cover on incident solar radiation.Synthesis. Concurrent changes in plant cover inNVwith increasingMAPresulted in reduced incident solar radiation at the soil surface and decreased the relative importance of photodegradation as a control on surface mass loss. These changes eclipsed direct effects of water availability, litter quality and soil nutrients. In contrast, increased shade and recalcitrant litter with afforestation inPPsites combined such that photodegradation was entirely eliminated as a control and biotic decomposition was much reduced. While afforestation projects are promoted as a strategy to mitigate increased atmospheric carbon dioxide due to human activity, our results highlight that primary controls of litter decomposition were substantially altered with unexpected consequences for the C balance of these ecosystems.
Ground ice melt in the high Arctic leads to greater ecological heterogeneity
Authors: Becker Michael S. , Davies T. Jonathan , Pollard Wayne H. 
Published: October 2015

Summary

The polar desert biome of the Canadian high Arctic Archipelago is currently experiencing some of the greatest mean annual air temperature increases on the planet, threatening the stability of ecosystems residing above temperature‐sensitive permafrost.

Ice wedges are the most widespread form of ground ice, occurring in up to 25% of the world's terrestrial near‐surface, and their melting (thermokarst) may catalyse a suite of biotic and ecological changes, facilitating major ecosystem shifts.

These unknown ecosystem shifts raise serious questions as to how permafrost stability, vegetation diversity and edaphic conditions will change with a warming high Arctic. Ecosystem and thermokarst processes tend to be examined independently, limiting our understanding of a coupled system whereby the effect of climate change on one will affect the outcome of the other.

Using in‐depth, comprehensive field observations and a space‐for‐time approach, we investigate the highly structured landscape that has emerged due to the thermokarst‐induced partitioning of microhabitats. We examine differences in vegetation diversity, community composition and soil conditions on the Fosheim Peninsula, Ellesmere Island, Nunavut. We hypothesize that (i) greater ice wedge subsidence results in increased vegetation cover due to elevated soil moisture, thereby decreasing the seasonal depth of thaw and restricting groundwater outflow; (ii) thermokarst processes result in altered vegetation richness, turnover and dispersion, with greater microhabitat diversity at the landscape scale; and (iii) shifts in hydrology and plant community structure alter soil chemistry.

We found that the disturbance caused by melting ice wedges catalysed a suite of environmental and biotic effects: topographical changes, a new hydrological balance, significant species richness and turnover changes, and distinct soil chemistries. Thermokarst areas favour a subset of species unique from the polar desert and are characterized by greater species turnover (β‐diversity) across the landscape.

Synthesis. Our findings suggest that projected increases of thermokarst in the polar desert will lead to the increased partitioning of microhabitats, creating a more heterogeneous high arctic landscape through diverging vegetation communities and edaphic conditions, resulting in a wetland‐like biome in the high Arctic that could replace much of the ice‐rich polar desert.
Wind or insect pollination? Ambophily in a subtropical gymnosperm Gnetum parvifolium (Gnetales)
Authors: Gong Yan‐Bing , Yang Min , Vamosi Jana C. , Yang Hong‐Mei , Mu Wei‐Xue , Li Jiao‐Kun , Wan Tao 
Published: October 2015

AbstractGnetum (Gnetales) has long been regarded as insect pollinated due to its range‐restricted distribution in tropical rain forests, where wind pollination is supposed to be detrimental. However, ubiquitous pollen limitation in the tropics might cause transition to anemophily, or even ambophily for reproductive assurance, especially for gymnosperms such as Gnetum, which exhibit various anemophilous syndromes, including absence of petals, greenish color of strobili, dioecy and uniovulate flowers. Pollination treatments applied to Gnetum parvifolium in southern China revealed this rare and endangered species to be pollen limited and incapable of apomixis. Pollen grains of G. parvifolium did not adhere to each other and could be trapped by interception traps near the male and female strobili. Seed set in the netted treatment (anemophily) was significantly higher than in the bagged treatment (apomixis) but lower than open pollination (anemophily and entomophily), indicating that both wind and biotic pollination contributed to seed production of G. parvifolium. The occurrence of ambophily in Gnetum and the prevalence of anemophily in Ehpedra and Welwitschia suggest that wind may also play a role in the pollination of the ancient Gnetales.
The Valuation Impact of SEC Enforcement Actions on Nontarget Foreign Firms
Authors: SILVERS ROGER 
Published: October 2015

ABSTRACTThis study shows that the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) enforcement intensity toward the foreign firms under its jurisdiction has increased dramatically over the past two decades. Because enforcement events signify an increased threat of future enforcement, I examine the stock returns of foreign firms not targeted by the SEC during windows around enforcement actions that target foreign firms. This design captures the net effects of public enforcement and helps to rule out omitted variables as alternative explanations, because other factors would have to align with enforcement events that do not occur in an obvious pattern (and are therefore unlikely to map onto other news). Nontarget firms experience positive stock returns during the event windows, which is consistent with enforcement constraining the risks of expropriation. The cross‐sectional pattern in returns reveals greater returns for firms from weak home legal environments. Finally, consistent with the market adjusting to a new enforcement regime, the magnitude of event returns declines over time. Overall, SEC enforcement is associated with increases in the value of foreign firms, supporting the premise of the legal bonding hypothesis.
The Effect of Temperature and Laboratory Rearing Conditions on the Development of Dermestes maculatus (Coleoptera: Dermestidae)
Authors: Zanetti Noelia I. , Visciarelli Elena C. , Centeno Néstor D. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractExperiments were conducted to study the life cycle of Dermestes maculatus and to establish the total developmental time and the developmental time of immature stages, in relation with six different temperatures. We also analyzed the variations in size, morphology, and other indicators of temporal variation during life cycle of D. maculatus, in relation with temperature. One hundred larvae were selected per experiment, reared individually. The remaining larvae were reared to evaluate and establish temporal variations among the instars (length, cephalic width, and dry weight). In all trials, survivorship was greater than 50% and seven larval instars were found. Data of the average developmental time of immature stages and of the total cycle, at different temperatures, are provided. This is of relevance when estimating particularly, a minimum PMI. No relation between morphometric parameters and temperature was found, suggesting that other random factors may have been involved. Thus, this indicates that the method of isomegalen diagrams could not be used for calculating PMI.
Effects of ranger stations on predator and prey distribution and abundance in anIranian steppe landscape
Authors: Ghoddousi A. , Kh. Hamidi A. , Soofi M. , Khorozyan I. , Kiabi B. H. , Waltert M. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractRanger stations are essential to combat poaching in protected areas and the distance from ranger stations is sometimes used as a proxy for poaching levels and law enforcement intensity. However, the influence of the spatial distribution of ranger stations on wildlife abundance and population structure has rarely been investigated. We evaluated the abundance and distribution of urial sheepOvis vigneiandPersian leopardPanthera pardus saxicolorin the steppe ofGolestanNationalPark in northeasternIran. The spatial distribution of these species in regard to anthropogenic (distances to ranger stations, villages and park border) and environmental variables (distance to water resources, average slope and normalized difference vegetation index) was assessed using systematic line transect sampling (186 km) and camera trapping (1150 trap nights). The studied steppe area is divided into three management zones differing in the number of ranger stations and their position with respect to park boundaries. The results of multivariate analyses highlighted that the distance to ranger stations was negatively related to the size and density of urial clusters and the most important variable in explaining urial distribution. Moreover, the distance to park borders influenced urial cluster density. Leopard abundance was positively associated with urial density but was less affected by the other variables tested. We found urial densities in the three management zones to range from 0.15 ± se0.09 individuals km−2(zone with just one station outside the park) to 21.77 ± se7.92 individuals km−2(zone with three stations). Taking into account these results and historical data on ungulate abundance and distribution in these management zones, we conclude that law enforcement from ranger stations has shaped current patterns of ungulate distribution. These results confirm that a good coverage (both numbers and locations) of ranger stations is of central importance for the management of protected areas.
Naturally occurring genetic mutations in the 5′‐upstream regulatory region of bovine FSHB generate a novel cis‐regulatory element that affects its expression
Authors: Dai Lisheng , Xu Yanli , Yu Wangyang , Liu Siyuan , Gao Yan , Zhang Lianjiang , Yuan Bao , Chen Jian , Ma Tenghe , Zhang Jiabao 
Published: October 2015

SummaryWe previously reported that numerous naturally occurring genetic mutations in the 5′‐upstream regulatory region (5′‐URR) of the bovine follicle‐stimulating hormone beta‐subunit gene (FSHB) were associated with reduced serum follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH) levels, poor‐quality semen and low fertility in bulls. In addition, two different FSHB mRNA transcripts resulting from the linked mutations of genomic DNA were discovered in mutation‐bearing bull pituitaries. Here, using electrophoretic mobility shift assay, we identified c.‐1539_‐1538delGGinsTTAACT mutations in the 5′‐URR that generated a novel cis‐regulatory element in bovine FSHB. Moreover, this novel element seemed to play a role in repressing FSHB transcription based on a promoter activity analysis in LβT2 gonadotrope cells. Quantitative assays of FSHB mRNA in the bovine pituitaries suggested that the levels of FSHB wild‐type transcripts in the mutation‐bearing bulls were significantly lower (P < 0.05) than in those of bulls without FSHB genetic mutations and that the levels of FSHB‐mutated transcripts were significantly lower (P < 0.05) than that of wild‐type transcripts in the mutation‐bearing bulls. Altogether, our results suggest that decreased serum FSH levels and male fertility in bulls with the c.‐1539_‐1538delGGinsTTAACT mutation likely result from the alteration of cis‐regulatory elements and induction of FSHB transcription.