The potential sensitivity to climate change of selected endangered and important Natura 2000 Habitats and plants from Bucegi Natural Park, Romania

This study was carried out in the Bucegi Natural Park, a protected area of the Romanian Carpathians. It aims at documenting the potential sensitivity of six widespread Natura 2000 habitat types and of all plants with conservative value (200 taxa) in the mountain area, to the changes in temperature and humidity, predicted for this century. Regional expert knowledge and environmental indicator values were considered in assessing the potential habitat’s sensitivity. The results support the evidence that sensitivity to temperature may be potentially higher for habitats at alpine and subalpine levels (bushes and grasslands) and medium for forest habitats. Sensitivity to moisture was detected as potentially high for forest habitats and as medium for bushes and grasslands at high mountain elevation. Microthermophilic plants have shown a greater share (76-79%) in alpine and subalpine communities, and the hydrophilic plants (86-96%) in forest communities. About 80% of plants of conservation value (microthermophilic or hydrophilic plants) may be potentially sensitive to predicted warming and drought and 44% of them (microthermophilic and hydrophilic plants) to the changes of both parameters. Climate scenarios (2011-2100) and sensitivity maps (Sat – image interpretation with GIS for the whole mountain area) are included.

Beyond Firm-Level Determinants: The Effect of M&A Features on the Extent of M&A Disclosure

ABSTRACT Although the accounting literature demonstrates country- and firm-related factors drive disclosure in financial statements, whether transaction-specific features also affect the extent of disclosure is still unclear. In this paper, we examine such issues by investigating the association between the disclosures offered in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and multiple determinants incidental to the M&A itself. Referring to the unique Italian setting, which shows high discretion and potential sensitivity toward disclosure, we document that acquirers increase disclosure for larger M&A and reduce disclosure for increasing M&A materiality and extreme amounts of goodwill recognized on the transaction. By disentangling mandatory and voluntary disclosure, empirical evidence shows that the latter is sensitive to more M&A-specific features than the former. Additional analyses and robustness tests support our main findings. The study contributes to the accounting literature by highlighting the importance to include transaction-specific features when modeling for transaction-related disclosure, and has practical implications for investors, standard setters, and regulators. JEL Classifications: M40; M41.

On the Origin of Extended Resolution in Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy with a Worn Tip Apex

In this work we analyzed the effect of the atomic force microscopy probe tip apex shape on Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy (KPFM) potential sensitivity and spatial resolution. It was found that modification of the apex shape from spherical to planar upon thinning of the conductive coating leads to enhanced apex contribution to the total electrostatic force between the probe and the sample. The effect results in extended potential sensitivity and spatial resolution of KPFM. Experimental results were supported by calculations.