Britannia’s Rules

As Britain became the dominant naval power with increasingly global reach, its approach to the oceans underwent an important shift. London abandoned its claims to sovereignty over nearby waters and used its diplomatic and economic weight to push for a three-mile limit to territorial waters. At the same time, Britain shifted away from mercantilism and toward an embrace of free ocean commerce. As the anti-slavery movement gained influence in Britain, London used its maritime might to crack down on the slave trade and to stamp out piracy in several parts of the world. Britain was far from consistent in its defense of ocean freedom, however, and it often used its maritime muscle to interfere with shipping. By the end of the 19th century, however, interdictions at sea were becoming less common, and ocean commerce was booming. The first international attempts to study the health of fisheries and regulate shipping began.

Optimizing breeding strategy of Melaleuca cajuputi subsp. cajuputi for a multiple-trait selection: considering the economic weight of traits for oil yield productivity

Melaleuca cajuputi breeding in Indonesia is entering the advanced generation cycle and improvements have been achieved for oil concentration and 1.8 cineole-content. In commercial plantations, the total oil yield is an important factor to ensure the sustainability and continuity of oil production. This variable is calculated based on oil concentration, survival rate, and leaf biomass. However, to date, biomass productivity is maintained through silviculture practices rather than genetics. Therefore, genetic improvement for other traits related to leaf biomass is necessary. This study aimed to optimize the breeding strategy of M. cajuputi for a multiple-trait selection using the economic weight of traits related to oil yield. The economic weight was derived by combining selection results in the past generation breeding population and the assessment in genetic gain trials. The study revealed that leaf biomass should be prioritized as selection criteria for oil concentration in the advanced generation breeding based on the current baseline of the achieved gain. The implication of the economic weight to further generation breeding selection for improving oil yield productivity is that the major traits affecting the oil yield should be incorporated simultaneously for selection in the breeding strategy of M. cajuputi. The leaves biomass could be more weighted than other traits in constructing the index for the multiple-trait selection considering the correlation among the three traits observed.

Impact of Genomic and Transcriptomic Resources on Apiaceae Crop Breeding Strategies

The Apiaceae taxon is one of the most important families of flowering plants and includes thousands of species used for food, flavoring, fragrance, medical and industrial purposes. This study had the specific intent of reviewing the main genomics and transcriptomic data available for this family and their use for the constitution of new varieties. This was achieved starting from the description of the main reproductive systems and barriers, with particular reference to cytoplasmic (CMS) and nuclear (NMS) male sterility. We found that CMS and NMS systems have been discovered and successfully exploited for the development of varieties only in Foeniculum vulgare, Daucus carota, Apium graveolens and Pastinaca sativa; whereas, strategies to limit self-pollination have been poorly considered. Since the constitution of new varieties benefits from the synergistic use of marker-assisted breeding in combination with conventional breeding schemes, we also analyzed and discussed the available SNP and SSR marker datasets (20 species) and genomes (8 species). Furthermore, the RNA-seq studies aimed at elucidating key pathways in stress tolerance or biosynthesis of the metabolites of interest were limited and proportional to the economic weight of each species. Finally, by aligning 53 plastid genomes from as many species as possible, we demonstrated the precision offered by the super barcoding approach to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships of Apiaceae species. Overall, despite the impressive size of this family, we documented an evident lack of molecular data, especially because genomic and transcriptomic resources are circumscribed to a small number of species. We believe that our contribution can help future studies aimed at developing molecular tools for boosting breeding programs in crop plants of the Apiaceae family.

Elucidating Pathways and Discourses Linking Cocoa Cultivation to Deforestation, Reforestation, and Tree Cover Change in Nicaragua and Peru

Cocoa cultivation is labeled as a driver of both deforestation and reforestation, yet the extent of the phenomena varies at farm and landscape level and as a response to national and local contexts. In this study, we documented the main pathways and contexts behind cocoa cultivation in two sites with different histories of cocoa cultivation. We combined official statistics, land-use trajectory, satellite imagery, and the Q-analysis to explore the discourses of country experts in Nicaragua and Peru. The Q-statements were based on an analysis of a set of legal, institutional, social, and technical guidelines that the cocoa cultivation/sector influences or is influenced by. Based on the responses of national experts to 31 statements we found four discourses linking cocoa cultivation and reforestation and deforestation in each country-case study. The enabling and limiting conditions driving tree cover change were a combination of landscape configuration, governance, management/commercialization models, and farmer's knowledge. Overall, between 60 and 64% of the variance was explained by four discourse factors in each country. In Nicaragua, the conditions associated with reforestation were the cocoa-agroforestry model promoted by local organizations/NGOs, the existence of incentives, degree of technical knowledge, access to safe market, and availability of improved genetic material. The circumstances associated with deforestation were the age of the farmers, fluctuation of cocoa beans prices, low productivity of cocoa plantations, and weak legal environmental frameworks. Whereas, in Peru, the main factors connecting cocoa cultivation to reforestation were access to market, degree of experimentation in cocoa, the economic weight of cocoa on family's income, certification processes, the existence of incentives, and the level of organization/association of cocoa farmers. The elements linking cocoa farming to deforestation were the influence of stakeholders in the cocoa value chain, weak legal environmental frameworks, fluctuation of cocoa prices, the existence of private investors, and insecure land tenure rights. This article demonstrated the utility of discourse analysis, through its application to two contrasting country case-studies, to elucidate the conditions that might minimize the deforestation footprint of cocoa cultivation and maximize its role as an agent for reforestation/restoration in the agricultural landscape of cocoa-growing areas in Latin America.

GCC countries’ geoeconomic significance to China’s geopolitical ends

Purpose The study aims to examine the geoeconomic significance of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to China’s global geopolitical ends. In this vein, the paper also seeks to explore the interplay between China’s grand geoeconomic strategy and China’s geopolitical ends from a realist perspective. Design/methodology/approach The study uses the realism theory to explore the interplay between China’s geoeconomic presence in the GCC countries and its geopolitical global ends. Findings The study concludes that China under President Xi Jinping has geopolitical ends, and they are the regional and global leadership. To achieve them, President Xi has formulated a grand geoeconomic strategy consisting of four strategies: going out strategy, periphery strategy, Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. These strategies will maximize China’s economic power and presence around the world. From a realist perspective, this presence and its evolving consequences such as the balance of dependence will enable China to achieve its geopolitical ends. In this vein, China’s geoeconomic strategy in the GCC countries has largely maximized China’s economic presence in the Gulf. This presence highly serving China’s geopolitical global ends for two reasons: the economic weight of the GCC countries and their strategic location within BRI. Originality/value The study can prove the realistic dimension of geoeconomics in the neoliberal era on the application to China’s geoeconomic strategy.

Economic values of productive and functional traits in sheep of Bulgarian dairy synthetic population

The subject of the current research was to calculate profitability and economic values of production and functional traits in sheep of Bulgarian dairy synthetic population, reared at the Agricultural Institute – Stara Zagora. The study period was 7 years (2010-2016) and the average annual number of ewes in the flock was 188. The semi-intensive production system practised involved winter indoor lambing and summer grazing on pasture. Data were processed using the Program for calculating economic weights for sheep EWSH2. Profit and profitability in the flock had negative values – (-52.70 BGN) and -19.3%. Marginal economic values of the most important traits in dairy sheep – milk production and number of lambs born per ewe were estimated to 0.707 BGN per liter and 65.40 BGN per lamb, respectively. Litter size, milk yield, conception rate of ewes and ewe lambs and productive lifetime of ewes showed the highest economic importance. A very low economic weight was calculated for the wool production due to the market prices of wool. Conception rate of female animals and productive lifetime of ewes need to be more thoroughly investigated, as they are not currently an object of selection in dairy sheep breeding. Achieving competitive and economically sustainable productive systems in sheep farming is associated with a constant desire to increase the economic value of animals.

A GIS-based Assessment of the Vulnerability to Potential Pollution of the Alluvial Aquifer of Aousja-Ghar El Melh (North-East of Tunisia) Using the Parametric Method DRASTIC

The phreatic aquifer of Aousja-Ghar El Melh (governorate of Bizerta, northeast of Tunisia), has a great economic weight as it is tightly linked to irrigation and domestic consumption. The aquifer area is found mostly in agricultural zones where more and more chemical fertilizers are being used. Such chemical fertilizers, alongside industrial zones discharges appearing for the last 25 years, put at risk ground waters quality. The DRASTIC method has been applied to study the extent to which the aquifer has been affected by generic pollutants. This method hinges on GIS techniques. The result suggests a map with evidence for three degrees of vulnerability: low, moderate, and high. Evidence shows the predominance of moderate vulnerability in most of Aousja-Ghar El Melh aquifer, which occupies an area of 45%. Low and high groundwater vulnerability occupy 28% and 27% of the total surface of the studied area, respectively.

Determination of relative economic weights of growth and egg production traits in Nigerian indigenous chicken

The relative economic weight (REW) of a trait is the additional gain/loss from a unit change in the trait relative to other traits in an individual. They are used to calculate aggregate economic values for purposes of genetic improvement in animals. The present study was designed to evaluate the bio-economic variables of growth and 16 weeks egg production parameters: egg number (EN16) egg weight (EWT16) body weight at first egg (BWTFE), body weight at 16 week of lay (BWTE16), cost of feed, and revenue from eggs and chicken carcass, 16 feed conversion ratio (FCR ), and body weight gain (BWG16) in the Nigerian indigenous chicken, and to determine the economic weights (EW) and REW of EN16, EWT16 and BWTE16 for G0, G1, and G2 generations. A total of 250 pullets (20 week old, point of lay) from a population of heavy body weight local chickens were used for the study. The birds were housed individually in cages, fed optimally on layers mash (G and G : 100g/bird/day; G : 0 1 2 125g/bird/day) and given water ad libitum. Data included EN , EWT , BWTE , BWTFE, 16 16 16 and prices of feed, eggs and spent hens, FCR , and BWG . Data on EN , EWT , BWTE , 16 16 16 16 16 and BWTFE were compared across generations using ANOVAand with other variables were used to generate the EW of the traits. The EW were then standardized relative to that of BWTE . Results showed that EW and REW of EN , EWT , and BWTE were 7.47 and 3.15, 16 16 16 16 13.67 and 5.77 and -2.37 and -1.00, respectively in G ; 13.07 and 3.82, 23.69 and 6.93, and - 0 3.42 and -1.00, respectively in G ; 16.80 and 2.89, 30.75 and 5.28 and -5.82 and -1.00, 1 respectively in G generation. Thus EN and EWT enhanced while BWTE depressed the 2 16 16 16 worth of the hen as a layer. EWT was more important than EN and both were more 16 16 important than BWTE economically. Therefore, EWT and EN are the major bio-economic 16 variables of the local hen as an egg chicken.

Discarding Political Hypocrisy and Mystification of Xenophobia While Maximizing the Economic Weight of Immigrant Nationals in African Economies

The chapter challenges existing political hypocrisy perpetrated by anti-immigrant proponents including politicians and governments in some purposively selected African countries which form part of this case study. The chapter selected South Africa, Nigeria, Libya and Kenya to provide background to investigate the identified problem. This chapter premises that in the selected countries, manifestations of xenophobia in society are perpetrated by hypocritical political speeches of politicians and government officials. These speeches mystifies xenophobia. Politicians and government officials denied existence of xenophobia to justify their xenophobic rhetoric. There is what others have called ‘denialism' with regard to xenophobia in countries such as South Africa where influential politicians including government officials would create theories such as ‘criminality' and influence of ‘third force' which lead to locals attacking immigrant nationals. The chapter presents that, indeed there have been historical xenophobic manifestations in the selected countries which were in the main sponsored by political hypocrisy of politicians and government officials. Political leaders used inflammatory political rhetoric during economic hard times to exonerate themselves from non-delivery of expected service by their electoral bases, and therefore resorted to xenophobic utterances. Contrary to some assertions, immigrant nationals were crucial for local economic growth and general development. Political leaders and government officials should enforce policies and practices that protect immigrant nationals from any harm or any type of violence. Locals should also be educated about the Human Rights of immigrant nationals in terms of domestic statutes and international obligations of states. Also, locals should be educated on the positive contributions immigrant nationals make in society. Locals could learn appreciation of diversity, and therefore be prepared to embrace multi-culturalism in the era of growing internationalization and globalisation.

Globalizzazione: e la popolazione?

Globalization is a huge topic and here we have chosen to describe only a few pieces of a complex mosaic. Its description has a historical perspective and ranges from economic to medical, from social to demographic issues. It aims to reconstruct a background picture that places demographics in the scenario of international relations. It is possible to distinguish some themes: 1. The population is aging and enriching itself. Convergence often collides with delayed demographic transition. 2. The economic weight and political power are shifting towards Asia. 3. The technological revolution affects almost all aspects of society. 4. The increase in energy consumption and new production models make it difficult to manage the scarcity of resources. 5. Interdependence between countries does not go hand in hand with strengthening global governance.