Abusive according to whom? Manager and subordinate perceptions of abusive supervision and supervisors' performance

Recognizing that supervisor–subordinate dyads exist within a broader organizational hierarchy, we examine how the individual's role within the organizational hierarchy influences perceptions of abusive supervision. Specifically, we examine how supervisors' abusive behaviors are perceived by abusive supervisors' managers as well as abusive supervisors' subordinates. Drawing on role theory, we propose that these perceptions will differ. Further, we suggest that these differences will be reflected in different relationships between manager-rated abusive supervision and subordinate-rated abusive supervision and managers' evaluations of supervisor performance. Results from manager–supervisor–subordinate triads indicate differences between managers' and subordinates' view of abusive supervision. Further, managers' perceptions of abuse were related to supervisors' in-role performance, whereas subordinates' perceptions of abuse were related to workgroup performance. In Study 2, we replicate these findings and expand our investigation to an examination of supervisors' contextual performance. Additionally, we examine another contextual characteristic—aggressive climate—and demonstrate it influences how abusive supervision relates to managerial evaluations of supervisor performance. Future research and managerial implications are discussed.     

Sulphamethazine in poultry manure changes carbon and nitrogen mineralisation in soils

Antibiotics are newly emerging organic pollutants in manure, soil, vegetables and water. Animal manure application might be leading to the accumulation of antibiotics in the farmland. However, the effect of sulphamethazine (SMZ) on the soil microbial community was scarcely investigated. This study was aimed to evaluate the impact of SMZ on poultry manure, on the structure and function of microbial community, carbon mineralisation, and changes in nitrogen forms in soil via an incubation experiment lasting 56?d. The treatments consisted of poultry manure at 1% wt (PM), PM containing 20?mg?kg^?1 SMZ (PM?+?20SMZ) and PM containing 100?mg?kg^?1 SMZ (PM?+?100SMZ), along with the untreated soil (control). Solid phase extraction was performed to measure the SMZ concentration in soils using high-pressure liquid chromatography. The cumulative CO₂-C was increased in all treated soils over the incubation period compared to the control. The PM?+?100SMZ had the highest increase in cumulative CO₂-C from the soil at 56?d of incubation. The treatment of PM?+?20SMZ showed a short-term decrease in nitrification rate in the soils at 1?d by altering the microbial community composition with 17% dissimilarity and decreasing the abundance of bacteria compared to PM-treated soil. The PM?+?100SMZ increased C mineralisation in the soil.     

Determining soil quality in urban agricultural regions by soil enzyme-based index

Urban agricultural soils are highly variable, and careful selection of sensitive indicators is needed for the assessment of soil quality. This study is proposed to develop an index based on soil enzyme activities for assessing the quality of urban agricultural soils. Top soils were collected from urban agricultural areas of Korea, and soil chemical properties, texture, microbial fatty acids, and enzyme activities were determined. The soils belonged to five textural classes with the highest frequency of sandy loam. There was no clear correlation between the soil chemical properties and soil microbial properties. Principal component analysis (PCA) and factor analysis were applied to microbial groups for identification of microbial community variation in soils. Two soil groups, namely group 1 (G1) and group 2 (G2), based on microbial community abundance were examined by PCA, and those were more prominent in factor analysis. The G1 soils showed higher microbial community abundance than G2 soils. The canonical discriminant analysis was applied to the enzyme activities of sandy loam soil to develop an index, and the index validation was confirmed using the unused soils and published data. The high-quality soils in published literature assigned the high valued index. Microbial fatty acids and soil enzyme activities can be suitable indicators for soil quality evaluation of urban agricultural soils.

     

Correction to: Determining soil quality in urban agricultural regions by soil enzyme-based index

Environmental Geochemistry and Health - Unfortunately, in the original publication of the article, Prof. Yang Sik Ok’s affiliation was incorrectly published. The author’s affiliation is...