Spatial ecology and host diversity of three arboreal plants from Lord Howe Island

2020 ◽  
Vol 68 (6) ◽  
pp. 458
Author(s):  
Thomas N. Dawes ◽  
Ian Hutton ◽  
Kevin C. Burns

In canopy ecology, it has long been understood that different guilds of arboreal plants have different spatial distributions and degrees of host specificity. Here, we present a case study looking at how within-crown spatial niche and host specificity vary between three very different morphologies of arboreal plant on Lord Howe Island, interpreting these in terms of different water acquisition strategies. We quantify within-crown spatial niche and created a null model to test host specificity in three species with very different water acquisition strategies (a mistletoe, an orchid and a detritus-collecting fern). The mistletoe had greater host specificity than the two epiphyte species, and was restricted to thinner branches. The fern occurred further from the outer crown than the other species including on the trunks of host trees, and was the only species to show no indication of host specificity. Differences in distribution are consistent with differences in water acquisition strategy, providing an initial link between traits and spatial distribution, a potentially fruitful avenue of future research.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Taylor ◽  
A Saldaña ◽  
G Zotz ◽  
C Kirby ◽  
I Díaz ◽  
...  

Ecological networks are becoming increasingly used as a framework to study epiphyte–host interactions. However, efforts to quantify the properties of epiphyte–host networks have produced inconsistent results. Epiphyte–host interactions in New Zealand and Chilean temperate forests were quantified to test for non-random patterns in nestedness, negative co-occurrences, number of links, and network specialisation. Results showed that three out of five New Zealand networks were significantly more nested than null model expectations, compared with just one out of four Chilean networks. Epiphytes co-occurred more often than null model expectations in one New Zealand network and one in Chile. In all cases, the number of links maintained by each epiphyte and host species was consistent with null model expectations. Lastly, two New Zealand networks and one in southern Chile were significantly less specialised than null model expectations, with all remaining networks returning low specialisation scores. As such, aside from the tendency for greater nestedness in New Zealand networks, most epiphyte species were distributed on their host trees at random. We attribute the result of nestedness in New Zealand to the abundance of large nest epiphytes (Astelia spp. in particular), which may facilitate the sequential colonisation of epiphyte species on developing host trees. The lack of negative co-occurrences suggests that negative species interactions are not an important determinant of species assemblage structure. Low network specialisation scores suggest that epiphytes are selecting for specific host traits, rather than specific host species for colonisation.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Taylor ◽  
A Saldaña ◽  
G Zotz ◽  
C Kirby ◽  
I Díaz ◽  
...  

Ecological networks are becoming increasingly used as a framework to study epiphyte–host interactions. However, efforts to quantify the properties of epiphyte–host networks have produced inconsistent results. Epiphyte–host interactions in New Zealand and Chilean temperate forests were quantified to test for non-random patterns in nestedness, negative co-occurrences, number of links, and network specialisation. Results showed that three out of five New Zealand networks were significantly more nested than null model expectations, compared with just one out of four Chilean networks. Epiphytes co-occurred more often than null model expectations in one New Zealand network and one in Chile. In all cases, the number of links maintained by each epiphyte and host species was consistent with null model expectations. Lastly, two New Zealand networks and one in southern Chile were significantly less specialised than null model expectations, with all remaining networks returning low specialisation scores. As such, aside from the tendency for greater nestedness in New Zealand networks, most epiphyte species were distributed on their host trees at random. We attribute the result of nestedness in New Zealand to the abundance of large nest epiphytes (Astelia spp. in particular), which may facilitate the sequential colonisation of epiphyte species on developing host trees. The lack of negative co-occurrences suggests that negative species interactions are not an important determinant of species assemblage structure. Low network specialisation scores suggest that epiphytes are selecting for specific host traits, rather than specific host species for colonisation.


Author(s):  
Hyojin Kim ◽  
Daesik Hur ◽  
Tobias Schoenherr

Supplier development has been a critical supply management practice since the 1990s. In many instances, it has even become imperative for buyer firms to support and prepare their supply bases for uncertain economic and market environments, socially and environmentally conscious customers, advances in digital technologies, and increasing competition. Yet, research that approaches supplier development with the objective to advance all these dimensions in an integrated fashion is scarce. This study fills this void by exploring how a buyer firm may address these emerging challenges in its supply base. Specifically, an in-depth case study of LG Electronics explores how the firm designs and operates multidimensional supplier development activities to foster the stability and sustainability of its supply base while enhancing its core suppliers’ competitive capabilities. This chapter illustrates how supplier development can be taken to the next level, presents implications for managerial practice, and outlines promising future research avenues.


Author(s):  
Anuj Dixit ◽  
Srikanta Routroy ◽  
Sunil Kumar Dubey

Purpose This paper aims to review the healthcare supply chain (HSC) literature along various areas and to find out the gap in it. Design/methodology/approach In total, 143 research papers were reviewed during 1996-2017. A critical review was carried out in various dimensions such as research methodologies/data collection method (empirical, case study and literature review) and inquiry mode of research methodology (qualitative, quantitative and mixed), country-specific, targeted area, research aim and year of publication. Findings Supply chain (SC) operations, performance measurement, inventory management, lean and agile operation, and use of information technology were well studied and analyzed, however, employee and customer training, tracking and visibility of medicines, cold chain management, human resource practices, risk management and waste management are felt to be important areas but not much attention were made in this direction. Research limitations/implications Mainly drug and vaccine SC were considered in current study of HSC while SC along healthcare equipment and machine, hospitality and drug manufacturing related papers were excluded in this study. Practical implications This literature review has recognized and analyzed various issues relevant to HSC and shows the direction for future research to develop an efficient and effective HSC. Originality/value The insight of various aspects of HSC was explored in general for better and deeper understanding of it for designing of an efficient and competent HSC. The outcomes of the study may form a basis to decide direction of future research.


2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 189-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian O’Boyle ◽  
David Shilbury ◽  
Lesley Ferkins

The aim of this study is to explore leadership within nonprofit sport governance. As an outcome, the authors present a preliminary working model of leadership in nonprofit sport governance based on existing literature and our new empirical evidence. Leadership in nonprofit sport governance has received limited attention to date in scholarly discourse. The authors adopt a case study approach involving three organizations and 16 participant interviews from board members and Chief Executive Officers within the golf network in Australia to uncover key leadership issues in this domain. Interviews were analyzed using an interpretive process, and a thematic structure relating to leadership in the nonprofit sport governance context was developed. Leadership ambiguity, distribution of leadership, leadership skills and development, and leadership and volunteerism emerged as the key themes in the research. These themes, combined with existing literature, are integrated into a preliminary working model of leadership in nonprofit sport governance that helps to shape the issues and challenges embedded within this emerging area of inquiry. The authors offer a number of suggestions for future research to refine, test, critique, and elaborate on our proposed working model.


2009 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 107-121 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan H. D. Wolf ◽  
S. Robbert Gradstein ◽  
Nalini M. Nadkarni

Abstract:The sampling of epiphytes is fraught with methodological difficulties. We present a protocol to sample and analyse vascular epiphyte richness and abundance in forests of different structure (SVERA). Epiphyte abundance is estimated as biomass by recording the number of plant components in a range of size cohorts. Epiphyte species biomass is estimated on 35 sample-trees, evenly distributed over six trunk diameter-size cohorts (10 trees with dbh > 30 cm). Tree height, dbh and number of forks (diameter > 5 cm) yield a dimensionless estimate of the size of the tree. Epiphyte dry weight and species richness between forests is compared with ANCOVA that controls for tree size. SChao1 is used as an estimate of the total number of species at the sites. The relative dependence of the distribution of the epiphyte communities on environmental and spatial variables may be assessed using multivariate analysis and Mantel test. In a case study, we compared epiphyte vegetation of six Mexican oak forests and one Colombian oak forest at similar elevation. We found a strongly significant positive correlation between tree size and epiphyte richness or biomass at all sites. In forests with a higher diversity of host trees, more trees must be sampled. Epiphyte biomass at the Colombian site was lower than in any of the Mexican sites; without correction for tree size no significant differences in terms of epiphyte biomass could be detected. The occurrence of spatial dependence, at both the landscape level and at the tree level, shows that the inclusion of spatial descriptors in SVERA is justified.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 4121
Author(s):  
Hana Tomaskova ◽  
Erfan Babaee Tirkolaee

The purpose of this article was to demonstrate the difference between a pandemic plan’s textual prescription and its effective processing using graphical notation. Before creating a case study of the Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) of the Czech Republic’s pandemic plan, we conducted a systematic review of the process approach in pandemic planning and a document analysis of relevant public documents. The authors emphasized the opacity of hundreds of pages of text records in an explanatory case study and demonstrated the effectiveness of the process approach in reengineering and improving the response to such a critical situation. A potential extension to the automation and involvement of SMART technologies or process optimization through process mining techniques is presented as a future research topic.


2021 ◽  
pp. 0160323X2110031
Author(s):  
Jason D. Rivera ◽  
Andrew Uttaro

Although New Public Service (NPS) principles are well known, their practice in local government settings has only been limitedly explored. As a means of better understanding governance practices that adhere to NPS principles in local contexts, this study engaged in a case study of Grand Island, New York. Through the analysis of interviews with elected officials and civic servant department heads, it is observed that public servants practice various public engagement strategies for gauging public sentiment and interests in public policy. However, these same public servants point out the challenges of public hearings and social media to understanding their citizens. Information on public servants’ notions of accountability is observed, which relates to how they view the public’s involvement in policy processes. Recommendations for future research are provided as a means of enhancing our understanding and development of more inclusive governance practices.


Children ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (11) ◽  
pp. 195
Author(s):  
Emma Woolley ◽  
Shirley Wyver

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for six months and continuation of breastfeeding for up to two years. Formal child care has an important role in supporting breastfeeding, as many Australian infants commence care before two years of age. Currently, little is known about support or barriers in child care contexts. The present qualitative instrumental case study explores practices which protect, promote and support breastfeeding at a child care centre located in the Australian Capital Territory’s outer suburbs. Extending from a previously published collective case study, a cultural-institutional focus of analysis was used to explore the roles of proximity, flexibility and communication in supporting breastfeeding within a child care centre located close to an infant’s home. Interviews with centre staff and mothers, triangulated with observations of the centre environment and policy documents provide insight into the environment. Affirming the roles of flexibility in routine and staff rostering and two-way communication, findings suggest longer-term benefits may be derived from selecting a child care centre close to an infant’s home, provided mothers can overcome barriers to breastmilk expression in the workplace. The study recognises the role of non-lactating caregivers in the transition to formal child care, and of the support culture for educators who breastfeed. This study extends the knowledge base of breastfeeding support interventions in the child care setting to inform future research and policy.


Urban Studies ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 004209802097265
Author(s):  
Matthew Thompson ◽  
Alan Southern ◽  
Helen Heap

This article revisits debates on the contribution of the social economy to urban economic development, specifically focusing on the scale of the city region. It presents a novel tripartite definition – empirical, essentialist, holistic – as a useful frame for future research into urban social economies. Findings from an in-depth case study of the scale, scope and value of the Liverpool City Region’s social economy are presented through this framing. This research suggests that the social economy has the potential to build a workable alternative to neoliberal economic development if given sufficient tailored institutional support and if seen as a holistic integrated city-regional system, with anchor institutions and community anchor organisations playing key roles.


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