scholarly journals Sponges facilitate primary producers in a Bahamas seagrass system

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Archer ◽  
Philina English ◽  
Finella Campanino ◽  
Craig Layman
Keyword(s):  
Nutrient Content ◽  
Theoretical Work ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Foundation Species ◽  
Seagrass Beds ◽  
Seagrass Bed ◽  
Primary Producers ◽  
The Bahamas ◽  
Facilitative Interactions ◽  
The Impact

Seagrass beds are important coastal ecosystems worldwide that are shaped by facilitative interactions. Recent theoretical work has emphasized the potential for facilitative interactions involving foundation species to be destabilized in the face of anthropogenic change. Consequently, it is important to identify which taxa facilitate seagrasses. In other ecosystems, sponges contribute to the maintenance of diverse and productive systems through their facilitation of foundation species (e.g., mangroves) and the retention and recycling of energy and nutrients. Sponges are common in tropical and subtropical seagrass beds, yet we know little about how their presence impacts these communities. Here, we examine the impact of the sponge Ircinia felix on primary producers in a Thalassia testudinum dominated seagrass bed using a long-term field experiment in The Bahamas. We transplanted live sponges into the center of 5 m x 5 m plots and monitored the response of seagrasses and macroalgae. Sponge presence increased seagrass nutrient content and growth, as well as the abundance of macroalgae and non-dominant seagrass species (Syringodium filiforme and Halodule wrightii). These changes were not seen in the control (unmanipulated) or structure (where we placed a polypropylene sponge replica) plots. We conclude that I. felix facilitates seagrass bed primary producers in oligotrophic systems, likely due to nutrients supplied by the sponge. Our study shows that sponges can have a positive influence on seagrass bed foundation species. Further work is needed to understand how this facilitation impacts the stability of seagrass beds in areas where human activities have increased ambient nutrient levels.

Small-scale effect of intertidal seagrass (Zostera muelleri) on meiofaunal abundance, biomass, and nematode community structure

2010 ◽  
Vol 91 (3) ◽  
pp. 579-591 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Leduc ◽  
P. Keith Probert
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Community Structure ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Nematode Community ◽  
Habitat Characteristics ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Seagrass Beds ◽  
Seagrass Bed ◽  
Feeding Groups ◽  
The Impact

Seagrass beds are common features of coastal ecosystems worldwide, and their associated infauna are often more productive and diverse than in unvegetated habitats. Little is known, however, about the ecology of meiofaunal communities living in seagrass sediments. We compared the abundance and biomass of sediment meiofauna inside and outside an intertidalZostera muelleribed in southern New Zealand to assess the impact of seagrass cover on meiofaunal distribution. Nematode community structure, diversity, and feeding groups were also compared between habitats and sediment depths (0–2, 2–5 and 5–10 cm) to evaluate the effect of seagrass on nematode communities. Meiofaunal biomass was significantly higher inside than outside theZ. muelleribed, but secondary productivity inside the bed is likely to have been limited by the availability of labile organic matter. There were significant differences in nematode community structure between unvegetated, sparsely vegetated, and densely vegetated sites (102 m scale), as well as between sediment depths (cm scale). No significant differences were found in depth-integrated (0–10 cm) nematode diversity between sites, but vertical gradients in diversity differed between vegetated and unvegetated sites. Epistrate feeders were the most common feeding group in unvegetated sediments whereas most feeding groups were common inside the seagrass bed. Findings from this study indicate that seagrass beds can have a marked impact on infaunal structure and function over small spatial scales through their effect on sediment characteristics and organic matter input. Some unexpected trends observed in the present study, i.e. low meiofaunal biomass at the vegetated sites, and lower abundance of copepods inside than outside the seagrass bed, suggest that the nature of seagrass–invertebrate interactions may depend on habitat characteristics and the identity and ecology of species considered.

Influence of long-term fertilization on soil microbial biomass and dehydrogenase activity in relation to crop productivity in an acid Inceptisols

2019 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 305-311
Author(s):  
Debasis Purohit ◽  
Mitali Mandal ◽  
Avisek Dash ◽  
Kumbha Karna Rout ◽  
Narayan Panda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Biomass ◽  
Dehydrogenase Activity ◽  
Nutrient Content ◽  
Crop Productivity ◽  
Maturity Stage ◽  
Microbial Biomass Nitrogen ◽  
Biological Potential ◽  
Initiation Stage ◽  
The Impact

An effective approach for improving nutrient use efficiency and crop productivity simultaneously through exploitation of biological potential for efficient acquisition and utilization of nutrients by crops is very much needed in this current era. Thus, an attempt is made here to investigate the impact of long term fertilization in the soil ecology in rice-rice cropping system in post kharif - 2015 in flooded tropical rice (Oryza sativa L.) in an acidic sandy soil. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with quadruplicated treatments. Soil samples at different growth stages of rice were collected from long term fertilizer experiment.The studied long-term manured treatments included 100 % N, 100% NP, 100 % NPK, 150 % NPK and 100 % NPK+FYM (5 t ha-1) and an unmanured control. Soil fertility status like SOC content and other available nutrient content has decreased continuously towards the crop growth period. Comparing the results of different treatments, it was found that the application of 100% NPK + FYM exhibited highest nutrient content in soils. With regards to microbial properties it was also observed that the amount of microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and microbial biomass nitrogen ( MBN) showed highest accumulation in 100 % NPK + FYM at maximum tillering stage of the rice. The results further reveal that dehydrogenase activity was maximum at panicle initiation stage and thereafter it decreases. Soil organic carbon content, MBC, MBN and dehydrogenase activity were significantly correlated with each other. Significant correlations were observed between rice yield and MBC at maturity stage( R2 = 0.94**) and panicle initiation stage( R2 = 0.92**) and available nitrogen content at maturity stage( R2 = 0.91**).

scholarly journals A Comparative Analysis on Probability of Volatility Clusters on Cryptocurrencies, and FOREX Currencies

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (7) ◽  
pp. 308
Author(s):  
Usha Rekha Chinthapalli
Keyword(s):  
Investment Decision ◽  
Theoretical Work ◽  
Financial Asset ◽  
Dynamic Features ◽  
Asset Return ◽  
Financial Variables ◽  
Ann Models ◽  
Hidden Layer ◽  
Association Structure ◽  
The Impact

In recent years, the attention of investors, practitioners and academics has grown in cryptocurrency. Initially, the cryptocurrency was designed as a viable digital currency implementation, and subsequently, numerous derivatives were produced in a range of sectors, including nonmonetary activities, financial transactions, and even capital management. The high volatility of exchange rates is one of the main features of cryptocurrencies. The article presents an interesting way to estimate the probability of cryptocurrency volatility clusters. In this regard, the paper explores exponential hybrid methodologies GARCH (or EGARCH) and through its portrayal as a financial asset, ANN models will provide analytical insight into bitcoin. Meanwhile, more scalable modelling is needed to fit financial variable characteristics such as ANN models because of the dynamic, nonlinear association structure between financial variables. For financial forecasting, BP is contained in the most popular methods of neural network training. The backpropagation method is employed to train the two models to determine which one performs the best in terms of predicting. This architecture consists of one hidden layer and one input layer with N neurons. Recent theoretical work on crypto-asset return behavior and risk management is supported by this research. In comparison with other traditional asset classes, these results give appropriate data on the behavior, allowing them to adopt the suitable investment decision. The study conclusions are based on a comparison between the dynamic features of cryptocurrencies and FOREX Currency’s traditional mass financial asset. Thus, the result illustrates how well the probability clusters show the impact on cryptocurrency and currencies. This research covers the sample period between August 2017 and August 2020, as cryptocurrency became popular around that period. The following methodology was implemented and simulated using Eviews and SPSS software. The performance evaluation of the cryptocurrencies is compared with FOREX currencies for better comparative study respectively.

The Impact of the Business Environment on the Formalization of Informal Firms. The Case of Kosovo

Südosteuropa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 505-529
Author(s):  
Kujtim Zylfijaj ◽  
Dimitar Nikoloski ◽  
Nadine Tournois
Keyword(s):  
Negative Impact ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Tax Reforms ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Characteristics Analysis ◽  
Significant Negative Impact ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThe research presented here investigates the impact of the business environment on the formalization of informal firms, using firm-level data for 243 informal firms in Kosovo. The findings indicate that business-environment variables such as limited access to financing, the cost of financing, the unavailability of subsidies, tax rates, and corruption have a significant negative impact on the formalization of informal firms. In addition, firm-level characteristics analysis suggests that the age of the firm also exercises a significant negative impact, whereas sales volume exerts a significant positive impact on the formalization of informal firms. These findings have important policy implications and suggest that the abolition of barriers preventing access to financing, as well as tax reforms and a consistent struggle against corruption may have a positive influence on the formalization of informal firms. On the other hand, firm owners should consider formalization to be a means to help them have greater opportunities for survival and growth.

scholarly journals Midwives’ experiences of implementing respectful maternity care knowledge in daily maternity care practices after participating in a four-day RMC training

BMC Nursing ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Veronica Millicent Dzomeku ◽  
Adwoa Bemah Boamah Mensah ◽  
Emmanuel Kweku Nakua ◽  
Pascal Agbadi ◽  
Jody R. Lori ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Maternity Care ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
Healthcare Facility ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Respectful Maternity Care ◽  
Training Workshop ◽  
Care Practices ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Childbearing Women

Abstract Background In Ghana, studies documenting the effectiveness of evidence-based specialized training programs to promote respectful maternity care (RMC) practices in healthcare facilities are few. Thus, we designed a four-day RMC training workshop and piloted it with selected midwives of a tertiary healthcare facility in Kumasi, Ghana. The present paper evaluated the impact of the training by exploring midwives’ experiences of implementing RMC knowledge in their daily maternity care practices 4 months after the training workshop. Methods Through a descriptive qualitative research design, we followed-up and conducted 14 in-depth interviews with participants of the RMC training, exploring their experiences of applying the acquired RMC knowledge in their daily maternity care practices. Data were managed and analysed using NVivo 12. Codes were collapsed into subthemes and assigned to three major predetermined themes. Results The findings have been broadly categorized into three themes: experiences of practising RMC in daily maternity care, health facility barriers to practising RMC, and recommendations for improving RMC practices. The midwives mentioned that applying the newly acquired RMC knowledge has positively improved their relationship with childbearing women, assisted them to effectively communicate with the women, and position them to recognize the autonomy of childbearing women. Despite the positive influence of the training on clinical practice, the midwives said the policy and the built environment in the hospital does not support the exploration of alternative birthing positions. Also, the hospital lacked the required logistics to ensure privacy for multiple childbearing women in the open labour ward. The midwives recommended that logistics for alternative birthing positions and privacy in the ward should be provided. Also, all midwives and staff of the hospital should be taken through the RMC training program to encourage good practice. Conclusion Despite the report of some RMC implementation challenges, the midwives noted that the 4-day RMC training has had a positive impact on their maternity caregiving practice in the hospital. Policies and programs aimed at addressing the issue of disrespect and abusive practices during maternity care should advocate and include the building of facilities that support alternative birthing positions and privacy of childbearing women during childbirth.

The impact of wildlife-related benefits on the conservation attitudes of local people around the Selous Game Reserve, Tanzania

1999 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 218-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
SARAH GILLINGHAM ◽  
PHYLLIS C. LEE
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Wildlife Management ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
The State ◽  
Institutional Issues ◽  
Conservation Attitudes ◽  
Game Reserve ◽  
Management Institutions ◽  
The Impact

In recent years there has been a proliferation of projects aiming to integrate human development needs with conservation objectives, and to establish mutually beneficial relationships for the management of natural resources between rural communities and the state. This paper presents data from a case study of human-wildlife interactions in villages along the northern boundary of the Selous Game Reserve in south-east Tanzania. Since 1989, this area has been the site of a project working to promote community wildlife management (CWM). Questionnaire survey data were used to examine villagers' conservation attitudes towards wildlife, the Game Reserve, and the activities of the CWM project and state wildlife management authority. Despite local support for the conservation of wildlife, many respondents were either unaware or held negative views of the activities of the wildlife management institutions. Logistic regression analyses show that while access to game meat from the CWM project has had a positive influence on perceptions of wildlife benefits and awareness of the project's activities, it has had no significant effect on local perceptions of the Game Reserve and the activities of the state wildlife management authority. The factors underlying the observed pattern of conservation attitudes were identified as the inequitable distribution of benefits from the CWM project, and the limited nature of community participation in wildlife management. The importance of institutional issues for the future progress of participatory approaches to conservation with development is emphasized.

The Relevance of Personal Domain Satisfaction for the Quality of Life in South Africa

1988 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 69-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valerie Møller
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
South African ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
South Africans ◽  
Relative Contribution ◽  
Personal Domain ◽  
The Impact

South African psychologists have identified the improvement of quality of life as a major goal of the 1980s. This paper reviews the impact of satisfaction with personal aspects of life on perceived well-being. The results of an exploratory study of South African quality of life conducted among 5 587 individuals of all population groups are discussed. Findings confirm the salience of the personal domain and the positive influence of personal satisfactions on subjective well-being. However, results of regression analyses suggest that the relative contribution of satisfactions in the personal domain is too low to play a major role in improving the quality of life of all South Africans in the longer term.

Behavioural interventions yield electricity savings among high-income households in Johannesburg, South Africa

2021 ◽  
pp. 0958305X2110443
Author(s):  
Stephanie P Williams ◽  
Gladman Thondhlana ◽  
Harn Wei Kua
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Electricity Consumption ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
High Income ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Behavioural Interventions ◽  
Electricity Use ◽  
Size Number ◽  
Electricity Saving ◽  
The Impact

The societal benefits of addressing wasteful electricity use practices through behavioural interventions are now well-established. Surprisingly, in South Africa, where the economy is highly dependent on fossil fuel (coal) for electricity generation, this subject remains little studied and understood. The residential sector is a major electricity consumer, and high-income households, in particular, use a substantial proportion of total electricity with serious adverse impacts on grid stability and the environment, which can disproportionately affect the poor. Using a field-based experiment, this study examines the impact of behavioural interventions on household electricity savings and the determinants of success among high-income households in Johannesburg, South Africa. Over the intervention period, households exposed to a combination of electricity-saving information, frequent reminders and feedback on monthly electricity-saving performance showed mean electricity savings of about 1.5%, ranging from 2% to 4% of electricity, while households in the control group showed increased electricity consumption by approximately 11%. Out of all the demographic and personal value factors considered, age, achievement and benevolence promoted electricity savings, while household size, number of rooms, baseline electricity consumption and security inhibited savings. The findings empirically validate the impact of behavioural interventions on, and the positive influence of, personal values in promoting participation in electricity-saving actions within households.

Full scale co-digestion of organic waste

2000 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 195-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Kübler ◽  
K. Hoppenheidt ◽  
P. Hirsch ◽  
A. Kottmair ◽  
R. Nimmrichter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Negative Impact ◽  
Biogas Production ◽  
Electrical Power ◽  
Nutrient Content ◽  
Primary Energy ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Waste Streams ◽  
Volatile Solids ◽  
Operation Results ◽  
The Impact

Operational results of a co-digestion facility were assessed over a period of 18 months. The organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) contains a considerable amount of contaminants and grit (up to 6% w/w). A BTA-Pulper efficiently treated the different waste streams and converted a high amount of volatile solids (VS) into the digester feedstock. The seasonal fluctuations of the waste composition significantly influenced the biogas production. The impact of this seasonally variant degradability of VS had to be considered by evaluating the operation results. The waste streams investigated did not show any negative impact on digester performance. The hydraulic retention time (HRT) in the digester considerably affected the VS-reduction. Despite a considerable decrease of VS-degradation a reduction of HRT from 14 to 8 days slightly improves the gas production rate (GPR). An activated sludge system efficiently reduced the pollution of the effluent.The nutrient content of the anaerobic compostwas favourable and the content of pollutants was low. The facility produced surplus electrical power up to 290 MJ/t. An overall energy balance shows that the facility substitutes primary energy.

EFFECTS OF INTERPERSONAL TRUST AMONG USERS OF ONLINE HEALTH COMMUNITIES ON PATIENT TRUST IN AND SATISFACTION WITH THEIR PHYSICIAN

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne-Françoise Audrain-Pontevia ◽  
Loick Menvielle
Keyword(s):  
Patient Satisfaction ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Medical Information ◽  
Interpersonal Trust ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Patient Trust ◽  
Online Health Communities ◽  
Health Communities ◽  
The Impact

Objectives:Online Health Communities (OHCs) are increasingly being used by patients in the Web 2.0 era. Today's patients have instant access to a great deal of medical information and contacts. Despite the considerable development of OHCs, little is known regarding the impact on the patient–physician relationship. This research aims at filling this gap and examines how interpersonal trust on peer-to-peer OHCs influences two key relational variables, namely patient trust in the physician and patient satisfaction with the physician. It also investigates their influences on the patient's attitude toward the physician.Methods:Drawing on both the relational and medical literatures, we propose a research model that brings out the relationships between interpersonal trust in OHCs, and patients’ trust, satisfaction and attitude toward the physician. We then conduct a quantitative survey of 512 OHC users in France, using structural equation modeling to test our hypotheses.Results:Our findings indicate that interpersonal trust in OHCs exerts a positive influence on both patients’ trust in and satisfaction with their physician. It also highlights that these two relational variables have a positive influence on patient attitude toward the physician. Our findings also indicate that patient trust influences patient satisfaction with the physician.Conclusions:This research highlights the importance of OHCs, which can be seen as valuable instruments for enhancing patient–physician relationships. It shows that healthcare managers should seek to enhance interpersonal trust among OHC users, because this trust has a positive influence on patient satisfaction with, trust in and attitude toward the physician.

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