Reforestation with Abies cephalonica Loudon: a five-year study of seedling survival

2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 136-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vassilis Detsis ◽  
Georgios Efthimiou ◽  
Olga Theodoropoulou ◽  
Stavroula Siorokou

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to establish the effects on the survival of outplanted Abies cephalonica Loudon seedlings of seedling characteristics, site characteristics and management practices. Design/methodology/approach – The study was carried out by repeatedly monitoring survival of seedlings during a five-year period as well as establishing statistical relationships with a set of variables belonging to the aforementioned categories. It took place in plots reforested after a wildfire in the Parnitha Mt. National Park, near Athens, Greece. Findings – The odds of survival were found to be affected by bedrock type, dominant vegetation, initial seedling height and use of shading implements. Artificial shading was most important during the first year, site-related characteristics gained importance with increasing age and seedling height was of relatively constant importance. Shifts in temporal patterns of mortality and damage symptoms occurrence suggest that the mechanisms causing mortality changed with increasing age. Practical implications – The use of large seedlings in reforestation projects involving A. cephalonica should be preferred. Shading improves survival but due to the high costs this technique could be reserved for unfavorable plots, e.g. on limestone. Planting A. cephalonica in marginal sites should be avoided. Originality/value – The knowledge of the performance of A. cephalonica outplanted seedlings is very limited, while the need is increasing due to the spread of wildfires in this previously unaffected habitat.

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 6097
Author(s):  
Kostas Ioannidis ◽  
Marianthi Tsakaldimi ◽  
Katerina Koutsovoulou ◽  
Evangelia N. Daskalakou ◽  
Petros Ganatsas

Reforestation constitutes a challenge in post-fire ecosystem restoration, although there are limitations such as species and genotype selection, planting and management design, and environmental conditions. In the present study, the basic issue is the longevity of Abies cephalonica Loudon—the Greek fir seedlings planted extensively in Parnitha National Park (Central Greece), located near the metropolitan city of Athens, following the large-scale wildfire of 2007. Seedling performance was assessed for a 3-year monitoring period (2013–2015) through the establishment of 8 permanent transects, including 400 seedlings at the burned, reforested sites. According to the long-term reforestation project, two seedling provenances were used: (a) from Mt. Mainalon (South Greece, Vytina provenance) and (b) the local one from Mt. Parnitha. Both provenances showed a relatively successful survival rate reaching, in average, 73.8%, with the first summer after planting being crucial for seedling survival. The overall mean seedling height was 39.2 ± 1.1 cm, with a mean crown diameter of 47.3 ± 1.4 cm in the last monitoring survey. Although Parnitha seedlings seem to perform better in terms of growth, seedling performance in both provenances was affected by reforestation site characteristics, mainly altitude and aspect. Approximately one third of seedlings exhibited damage in their crown architecture (29.8%), while apical bud damage was less extensive (12.2%) in the final field measurement. Data indicate that seedling performance has proved to be quite promising for post-fire restoration, although long-term monitoring data should be considered.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 378-396 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arian Razmi-Farooji ◽  
Hanna Kropsu-Vehkaperä ◽  
Janne Härkönen ◽  
Harri Haapasalo

Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to understand data management challenges in e-maintenance systems from a holistically viewpoint through summarizing the earlier scattered research in the field, and second, to present a conceptual approach for addressing these challenges in practice. Design/methodology/approach The study is realized as a combination of a literature review and by the means of analyzing the practices on an industry leader in manufacturing and maintenance services. Findings This research provides a general understanding over data management challenges in e-maintenance and summarizes their associated proposed solutions. In addition, this paper lists and exemplifies different types and sources of data which can be collected in e-maintenance, across different organizational levels. Analyzing the data management practices of an e-maintenance industry leader provides a conceptual approach to address identified challenges in practice. Research limitations/implications Since this paper is based on studying the practices of a single company, it might be limited to generalize the results. Future research topics can focus on each of mentioned data management challenges and also validate the applicability of presented model in other companies and industries. Practical implications Understanding the e-maintenance-related challenges helps maintenance managers and other involved stakeholders in e-maintenance systems to better solve the challenges. Originality/value The so-far literature on e-maintenance has been studied with narrow focus to data and data management in e-maintenance appears as one of the less studied topics in the literature. This research paper contributes to e-maintenance by highlighting the deficiencies of the discussion surrounding the perspectives of data management in e-maintenance by studying all common data management challenges and listing different types of data which need to be acquired in e-maintenance systems.


Data in Brief ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 107073
Author(s):  
Christine Magaju ◽  
Leigh Ann Winowiecki ◽  
Pietro Bartolini ◽  
Asma Jeitani ◽  
Ibrahim Ochenje ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 244-261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Alhadab ◽  
Bassam Al-Own

Purpose This study aims to examine the effect of equity incentives on earnings management that occurs via the use of loan loss provisions by using a sample of 204 bank-year observations over the period 2006-2011. Design/methodology/approach The authors use the data of 39 European banks to test the main hypothesis. Several valuation models and regressions are used to measure the main proxies for executives’ compensation and the determinant factors of loan loss provisions. Findings The empirical results reveal that earnings management that occurs via discretionary loan loss provisions is associated with equity incentives in the banking industry. In particular, European banks’ executives with high equity incentives are found to manage reported earnings upwards by reducing loan loss provisions. The results therefore show that income-increasing earnings management via discretionary loan loss provisions is widely practised by the executives of European banks and that this is partly motivated by executives’ compensation. Practical implications The findings of this paper present important implications for regulators in the European Union, who should take further steps to reform the regulatory environment to monitor and mitigate the earnings management practices that occur via the manipulation of loan loss provisions. Earnings management practices do not just negatively affect subsequent performance but are also found to lead to firms’ failure. Thus, regulators should take the necessary reforms to protect the wealth of stakeholders (investors, creditors, etc.). Originality/value This study provides the first evidence on the relationship between equity incentives and earnings management in the European banking industry. The study sheds more light on an issue of great interest to a broad audience that does not receive much attention in the prior research, thus opening new avenues for future research.


2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 74-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamza Issifu ◽  
George K. D. Ametsitsi ◽  
Lana J. de Vries ◽  
Gloria Djaney Djagbletey ◽  
Stephen Adu-Bredu ◽  
...  

AbstractDifferential tree seedling recruitment across forest-savanna ecotones is poorly understood, but hypothesized to be influenced by vegetation cover and associated factors. In a 3-y-long field transplant experiment in the forest-savanna ecotone of Ghana, we assessed performance and root allocation of 864 seedlings for two forest (Khaya ivorensis and Terminalia superba) and two savanna (Khaya senegalensis and Terminalia macroptera) species in savanna woodland, closed-woodland and forest. Herbaceous vegetation biomass was significantly higher in savanna woodland (1.0 ± 0.4 kg m−2 vs 0.2 ± 0.1 kg m−2 in forest) and hence expected fire intensities, while some soil properties were improved in forest. Regardless, seedling survival declined significantly in the first-year dry-season for all species with huge declines for the forest species (50% vs 6% for Khaya and 16% vs 2% for Terminalia) by year 2. After 3 y, only savanna species survived in savanna woodland. However, best performance for savanna Khaya was in forest, but in savanna woodland for savanna Terminalia which also had the highest biomass fraction (0.8 ± 0.1 g g−1 vs 0.6 ± 0.1 g g−1 and 0.4 ± 0.1 g g−1) and starch concentration (27% ± 10% vs 15% ± 7% and 10% ± 4%) in roots relative to savanna and forest Khaya respectively. Our results demonstrate that tree cover variation has species-specific effects on tree seedling recruitment which is related to root storage functions.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto Bayo-Moriones ◽  
Jose Enrique Galdon-Sanchez ◽  
Sara Martinez-de-Morentin

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to analyze how the design of performance appraisal is influenced by the competitive strategy of the firm. Then, this paper examines if the alignment between appraisal and strategy impacts firm performance.Design/methodology/approachThe study sample includes 258 Spanish firms in the manufacturing and services sectors. This information was gathered through questionnaires addressed to the CEO and the senior human resources manager. Several econometric models are estimated, using robust regression analysis and including a set of relevant control variables.FindingsA positive relationship is found between an innovation strategy and developmental performance appraisal. A cost strategy has a negative impact on the adoption of developmental performance appraisal. The findings also confirm that firms with a quality strategy and developmental appraisal have higher performance. In addition, firms adopting an innovation strategy and administrative appraisal enjoy higher return of equity.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research should analyze the dynamics of the relationships between appraisal, strategy and performance to rule out the flaws of cross-sectional data. Another potential extension is the analysis of the interactions of the design of other human resources management practices with both competitive strategy and firm performance.Practical implicationsFirms can improve performance by aligning performance appraisal design with strategy. Those with an innovation strategy should choose administrative appraisal, and those competing on quality should focus on developmental appraisal.Originality/valueThis paper compares the theoretical recommendations on performance appraisal for different competitive strategies, what firms actually do, and the impact that the alignment between appraisal and strategy has on firm performance.


2014 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 905-918 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Jiménez-Jiménez ◽  
Micaela Martínez-Costa ◽  
Raquel Sanz-Valle

Purpose – This paper aims to assess the importance of different knowledge management practices to promote organizational innovation in multinational companies. The links among internationalization, reverse knowledge transfer and social capital and organizational innovation are analyzed. Design/methodology/approach – Structural equation modeling was used to check the research hypotheses with a sample of 104 multinational companies. Findings – The results show that internalization has no direct effect on organizational innovation but a indirect effect trhrough the transfer of knowledge from external subsidiaries to the headquarter. Furthermore, this knowledge and other that comes from internal and external social capital is essential for the development of innovations. Research limitations/implications – Self-reporting by the CEOs may be the most significant limitation, as a single key informant provided the data; multiple informants would enhance the validity of the research findings. A second limitation is the cross-sectional design of the research that does not allow observation of the short- and long-term impact of the relationships among the variables. Practical implications – Organizational innovation is not an easy task. However, those multinational companies which foster knowledge management practices that generate new knowledge from external subsidiaries, internal or external social relationships, will facilitate the generation of innovations. In consequence, these companies should foster the generation of knowledge from different sources. Originality/value – The focus of the study in this paper is on multinational companies and the possibility to acquire knowledge from different sources (inside organization, external local environment and international context). Specially, focus on the transfer of knowledge from subsidiaries to headquarters (reverse knowledge transfer), as it is insufficiently investigated by current literature.


2015 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ajay K. Jain ◽  
Ana Moreno

Purpose – The study aims at investigating the impact of organizational learning (OL) on the firm’s performance and knowledge management (KM) practices in a heavy engineering organization in India. Design/methodology/approach – The data were collected from 205 middle and senior executives working in the project engineering management division of a heavy engineering public sector organization. The organization manufactures power generation equipment. Questionnaires were administered to collect the data from the respondents. Findings – Results were analyzed using the exploratory factor analysis and multiple regression analysis techniques. The findings showed that all the factors of OL, i.e. collaboration and team working, performance management, autonomy and freedom, reward and recognition and achievement orientation were found to be the positive predictors of different dimensions of firm’s performance and KM practices. Research limitations/implications – The implications are discussed to improve the OL culture to enhance the KM practices so that firm’s performance could be sustained financially or otherwise. The study is conducted in one division of a large public organization, hence generalizability is limited. Originality/value – This is an original study carried out in a large a heavy engineering organization in India that validates the theory of OL and KM in the Indian context.


2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 360-378 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ranjitha Ajay ◽  
R Madhumathi

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine the impact of earnings management on capital structure across firm diversification strategies. Design/methodology/approach – The study focuses on firms operating in the manufacturing sector (diversified and focused). Panel data methodology compares diversification strategies and identifies the impact of diversification strategy with earnings management practices on capital structure decision. Findings – International and product diversified firms have lower levels of leverage than focused firms in their capital structure. Asset-based earnings management is positive for diversified (market/product) firms. Earnings management using discretionary expenditure (project based) is found to be higher for market diversified but product-focused firms. Earning smoothing method is found to be significant for focused firms and shows a negative relationship with capital structure. Originality/value – This study offers an insight into the relationship between corporate diversification, earnings management and capital structure decisions of manufacturing firms. The results provide an important contribution to accounting and strategy literature. A distinction is made between market- and product-diversified firms and influence of earnings management practices (asset-based, project-based and earnings smoothing (ESM)) on capital structure decisions. Diversified firms (market/product) tend to have lower levels of leverage than focused firms and earnings management practices within firm groups significantly influence the capital structure decisions.


Author(s):  
Jay Andrew Cohen

Purpose – This paper aims to look at the peripheral management practice that facilitates employee learning. Such management practices are embedded or inseparable to working and being a good manager. Design/methodology/approach – Point of view. Findings – For many frontline managers and their employees, the separation between working and learning is often not apparent. There appears to be no clear distinction between when they are working and when they are learning. Practical implications – Better development of organizational managers. Originality/value – This paper highlights the informal nature of learning and working and builds on the understanding that much of the learning that occurs at work occurs as part of a social act, often involving managers and their employees. In this way, employee learning that is identified and facilitated by frontline managers is so often entwined in other management activity. Furthermore, this paper outlines some practical actions that organizations can undertake to aid greater frontline management involvement in employee learning.


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