Does multi-functionality affect technical efficiency? A non-parametric analysis of the Scottish dairy industry

Recent policy changes within the Common Agricultural Policy have led to a shift from a solely production-led agriculture towards the promotion of multi-functionality. Conversely, the removal of production-led supports would indicate that an increased concentration on production efficiencies would seem a critical strategy for a country's future competitiveness. This paper explores the relationship between the 'multi-functional' farming attitude desired by policy makers and its effect on technical efficiency within Scottish dairy farming. Technical efficiency scores are calculated by applying the non-parametric data envelopment analysis technique and then measured against causes of inefficiency. Amongst these explanatory factors is a constructed score of multi-functionality. This research finds that, amongst other factors, a multi-functional attitude has a significant positive effect on technical efficiency. Consequently, this seems to validate the promotion of a multi-functional approach to farming currently being championed by policy-makers.     

The scope for regulatory incentives to encourage increased efficiency of input use by farmers

Managing diffuse water pollution from agricultural land continues to be one of the more intractable challenges for environmental policy. The advent of the Water Framework Directive places the onus on EU member states to identify reasons why water bodies fail or are at risk of failure to meet good ecological status. In such cases, programmes of measures are to be enacted to mitigate the causes at least cost. Failing this, users may ultimately be faced with the full costs of pollution. This paper considers the scope for measures that address nitrogen and phosphorus pollution at source. Specifically the paper relates the diffuse pollution problem to the extent of over application of nitrogen and phosphorus. Data envelopment analysis applied to English cereal and dairy farmers, provides an indication of resource use and evidence of over application. This inefficiency provides a potential basis for either a least cost abatement approach using effective information and advice, or alternatively a pollution charge.     

Does it matter that male beaugregory damselfish have a mate preference?

Male beaugregory damselfish (Stegastes leucostictus) spent more time courting larger females in both two-choice and single presentations. Female size was significantly correlated with gonad weight. We also verified that female fecundity was extremely variable within a natural population. We found that male reproductive success was highly correlated with both clutch size and clutch number. However, clutch size was not significantly correlated with clutch number, indicating that males that received larger clutches did not receive more egg clutches. Furthermore, there was no difference between the number of offspring produced by males that mated with the largest females and by males that mated with the most females. Thus, although males preferred larger females, males produced similar numbers of offspring by mating with large females or mating with many females. Received: 7 March 1997 / Accepted after revision: 1 November 1997     

Do not like it when you need it the most: Examining the effect of manager ego depletion on managerial voice endorsement

This paper advances the understanding of managerial voice endorsement based on a self‐regulation perspective. We suggest that although managers might potentially benefit more from employees' upward voice when they are more depleted, they are paradoxically less likely to diligently process or endorse such voice under ego depletion. We draw from ego depletion theory and argue that when managers are more depleted of their self‐control resources, they will spend less cognitive effort in processing voice. In turn, they tend to reject employee voice due to status quo bias and confirmation bias. We further suggest that the detrimental effect of ego depletion on voice endorsement is stronger when the voicing employee is perceived as having low expertise. We conducted an experience sampling study surveying 62 managers about voice events they encounter at work over 10 days (Study 1) and an experiment with 198 managers (Study 2). These two studies support our hypotheses. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of our findings.     

Richness,abundance and shell use of subarctic and arctic hermit crabs

Hermit crabs are an obvious, common and abundant feature of global shallow water environments but almost nothing is known of their ecology at their extreme latitudinal ranges, the Arctic and southern South America. In this study, we report the first investigation on hermit crabs and their use of a key resource, gastropod shells, in a subpolar and a polar environment—amongst the most rapidly changing places on earth. Hypothesised low levels of richness were confirmed by surveys—only Pagurus pubescens was found in western Spitsbergen and only three pagurids were found in northern Norway. At the northern-most of their extent, hermit crabs were fairly common but Arctic abundances (1–5 m⁻²) were an order of magnitude lower than in many warm temperate or tropical localities. Along the open coast of Spitsbergen, the occurrence of P. pubescens was infrequent and very patchy, but it was more abundant in the fjords. In Isfjorden, the largest studied fjord, the population of P. pubescens was mainly represented by small individuals. Spitsbergen P. pubescens used few shell types and >87% just occurred in Margarites or Buccinum shells. The proportion of the gastropod shells, used by P. pubescens, which were damaged, was high and increased with shell size. These hermit crabs are at the edge of the range for both their species and Anomura. The extremes of their location are reflected by: They probably represent the least rich assemblage, with the lowest and most patchy typical abundances reported to date and are amongst the smallest individuals using the least diverse and most damaged gastropod shells.     

Calcification in the staghorn coral Acropora acuminata: Variations in apparent skeletal incorporation of radioisotopes due to different methods of processing

Pieces of branch from the staghorn coral Acropora acuminata were incubated with ⁴⁵CaCl₂ and NaH¹⁴CO₃ under identical conditions in the light or in the dark. Specimens were then processed in different ways. All specimens were placed in N KOH to digest tissues. Some were placed in KOH immediately after incubation; others were placed in KOH after 2 h washing, or after 2 h extraction with methanol-chloroformwater. Specimens were washed in running fresh water or running seawater; some were killed in liquid N₂ before washing. Radioactivity associated with skeleton and tissues was determined. The method of processing profoundly affected the results. In dark incubations, there was up to a four-fold difference in apparent skeletal incorporation of ⁴⁵Ca⁺⁺ between average values obtained for the different treatments. For ¹⁴C incorporation, there was a difference of up to 2.5 times. In light incubations, skeletal incorporation of both radioisotopes showed a two-fold difference between high and low average values obtained for the different treatments.     

Persistent effects of ozone on needle water loss and wettability in Norway spruce

Four-year-old, seed-grown trees of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) were exposed in open-top chambers to charcoal-filtered air (8 h daily mean 54 microg O(3) m(-3)) over three consecutive summers (1986-1988). In mid-May 1988, before the third season of fumigation and more than 7 months after exposure to ozone the previous summer had terminated, daily rates of transpiration from intact shoots and water loss from excised needles were measured together with the amount of wax on the needle surface. In mid-July, 92 days after the beginning of the third year of exposure, the wettability of needles was assessed by measuring the contact angle of water droplets on the surface of needles. Exposure to 156 microg O(3) m(-3) resulted in a 16% increase in daily transpiration in current year's needles and a 28% increase in 1-year old needles. These effects were associated with slower stomatal closure in response to increasing water deficit in the needles previously exposed to 156 microg m(-3) ozone. The long-lasting nature of such ozone-induced effects could predispose trees to drought and winter desiccation. No significant effects of ozone were found on the amount of wax covering the needle surface, but a marked increase in the wettability of needles exposed to ozone was observed. The far reaching physiological consequences of these effects in the field and the possibility that similar disturbances may contribute to the decline of high-altitude forests of Norway spruce in Europe are discussed.     

Development of Emission Factors for Polyamide Processing

ABSTRACT

Emission factors for selected volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulate material were developed during processing of commercial grades of polyamide 6, polyamide 66, and polyamide 66/6 resins. A small commercial-type extruder was used, and melt temperatures ranged from 475 to 550 °F. An emission factor was calculated for each substance measured and is reported as pounds released to the atmosphere per million pounds of polymer resin processed. Scaled to production volumes, these emission factors can be used by processors to estimate emission quantities from similar polyamide extrusion operations.