Mapping cognitions to better understand attitudinal and behavioral responses in appraisal research

Perceptions are important in determining performance appraisal system success. The growing body of research in this area has clearly documented the differences in perceptions between appraisers and appraisees. However, many of these findings are predominately based on aspects of the system in judging its overall effectiveness and rely heavily on self‐report questionnaire responses with weak methodological rigor. Not much is known about the deeper cognitive perceptions of appraisers and appraisees in better explaining their attitudinal and behavioral outcomes. This paper breaks away from conventional questionnaire‐generated perceptions and applies a unique clinical cognitive mapping methodology called the repertory grid technique to elicit the personal constructs of how real respondents perceive appraisal systems based on their real‐life experiences. The method allowed the investigation to go much deeper than past research into the core perceptions that influenced respondents' attitudes and subsequent behaviors. Though the findings showed some commonality in personal constructions of appraisal systems with those found in the literature, new constructs, core perceptual dimensions, and collective cognitive maps were elicited for the very first time, opening up new questions and issues for further research. Implications to theory and practice are also discussed. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The MAGIC simulation of surface water acidification at, and first year results from, the Bear Brook Watershed Manipulation, Maine, USA

The catchments of East and West Bear Brooks, Maine, USA, have been hydrologically and chemically monitored for 3.5 years. Stream chemistries and hydrographs are similar. These clear water streams are low in ANC (0-70 microeq litre(-1)), with variations caused by changing concentrations of base cations, SO4, NO3 and Cl. The latter range between 90-120, 0-40 and 65-75 microeq litre(-1), respectively. The West Bear catchment is being treated with six applications per year of dry (NH4)2SO4 at 1800 eq ha(-1) year(-1). After one year of treatment, the response of the stream chemistry and the response modelled by MAGIC are similar. Retentions of NH4 and SO4 are nearly 100% and greater than 80%, respectively. The additional flux of SO4 is compensated principally by an increased Ca concentration. Episodes of high discharge in the treated catchment are now characterized by lower ANC and pH, and higher Al than prior to the manipulation. Concentrations of NO3 have increased about 10 microeq litre(-1) during the dormant season, presumably due to additional nitrification of N from NH4. Discharge-chemistry relationships indicate that changes in stream chemistry, except for NO3, are dominated by ion exchange reactions in the upper part of the soil profile.     

Modelling acidification at Beacon Hill-a low rainfall, high pollutant deposition site in Central England

The model MAGIC (Model of Acidification of Groundwater In Catchments) has been applied to the Beacon Hill site, near Loughborough in Central England. This site is heavily impacted by wet and dry deposition of oxides of sulphur and nitrogen. The high acid inputs have caused soil acidification and acid stream waters. Long term simulations suggest that there has been a major decline in alkalinity and pH over the past 50 years. Despite recent reductions in deposition levels, soils and streams are predicted to continue to acidify in the future. For this heavily impacted site, deposition must be reduced by 80-90% to reverse the acidification trend and allow recovery of soil and stream waters.     

Nitrogen saturation induced during winter by experimental NH4NO3 addition to a forested catchment

To investigate the potential risk of 'nitrogen saturation' in Scandinavian boreal forests, the authors are experimentally adding 30-50 kg N ha(-1) year(-1) as NH4NO3 in precipitation to an entire 0.52-ha 80-year-old spruce forested catchment at G?rdsj?n, near Gothenburg on the Swedish west coast. NO3 concentrations in runoff increased from 0 to about 7 microeq liter(-1) (maximum pulse of 43 microeq liter(-1)). The increase occurred in winter; during the April-October growing season, NO3 concentrations were very low. The speed of the response suggests that these forests are already close to saturation.     

Factors contributing to radiocaesium variability in upland sheep flocks in west Cumbria (United Kingdom)

Following the Chernobyl accident in 1986, restrictions were placed on the movement and slaughter of sheep within upland areas of the UK because radiocaesium activity concentrations in their meat exceeded 1000 Bq kg(-1) fresh weight. Some farms remain under restriction in 2007. From 1991 to 1993 detailed studies were conducted on three sheep farms within the restricted area of west Cumbria to systematically assess the various parameters which may contribute to the observed variability in radiocaesium activity concentrations within sheep flocks. This paper reports the spatial variation in soil and vegetation activity concentrations across the grazed areas at these farms and determines the influence of grazing behaviour on variability in (137)Cs activity concentrations between individual sheep within the flocks. Together with previously reported results, these new data are used to draw conclusions on the factors determining variability within the three flocks. However, the factors are too site specific to be able to generalise the findings to other farms within the restricted areas of the UK.     

The hunter becomes the hunted: when cleptobiotic insects are captured by their target ants

Here we show that trying to rob prey (cleptobiosis) from a highly specialized predatory ant species is risky. To capture prey, Allomerus decemarticulatus workers build gallery-shaped traps on the stems of their associated myrmecophyte, Hirtella physophora. We wondered whether the frequent presence of immobilized prey on the trap attracted flying cleptoparasites. Nine social wasp species nest in the H. physophora foliage; of the six species studied, only Angiopolybia pallens rob prey from Allomerus colonies. For those H. physophora not sheltering wasps, we noted cleptobiosis by stingless bees (Trigona), social wasps (A. pallens and five Agelaia species), assassin bugs (Reduviidae), and flies. A relationship between the size of the robbers and their rate of capture by ambushing Allomerus workers was established for social wasps; small wasps were easily captured, while the largest never were. Reduviids, which are slow to extract their rostrum from prey, were always captured, while Trigona and flies often escaped. The balance sheet for the ants was positive vis-à-vis the reduviids and four out of the six social wasp species. For the latter, wasps began by cutting up parts of the prey’s abdomen and were captured (or abandoned the prey) before the entire abdomen was retrieved so that the total weight of the captured wasps exceeded that of the prey abdomens. For A. pallens, we show that the number of individuals captured during attempts at cleptobiosis increases with the size of the Allomerus’ prey.     

河西走廊石羊河下游地区盐碱土中放线菌多样性

为了解甘肃省河西走廊石羊河流域地区盐碱土中放线菌种群结构及多样性,采用非培养法对河西走廊石羊河下游流域的3种不同类型土样(原生盐碱土、次生盐碱土和农田土)的总DNA进行提取,用放线菌特异性引物对16S rRNA基因进行扩增,构建放线菌16S rRNA克隆文库.用HaeⅢ和HhaⅠ两种限制性内切酶对阳性克隆子进行16S rDNA扩增片段限制性内切酶分析(Amplifed Ribosomal DNA Restriction Analysis,ARDRA),提取酶切带型不同的菌液进行测序,构建其系统发育树并进行多样性指数分析.结果显示:原生盐碱土克隆文库中90个阳性克隆分归于20个OTUs,分属于微球菌科(Micrococcaceae)、中村氏菌科(Nakamurellaceae)、类诺卡氏菌科(Nocardioidaceae)、链霉菌科(Streptomycetaceae)、棒状杆菌科(Corynebacteriaceae)、诺卡氏菌科(Nocardiaceae)和未知类群;次生盐碱土克隆文库中98个阳性克隆分归于32个OTUs,分属于纤维素单胞菌科(Cellulomonadaceae)、微球菌科(Micrococcaceae)、地嗜皮菌科(Geodermatophilaceae)、类诺卡氏菌科(Nocardioidaceae)、小单孢菌科(Micromonosporaceae)、伪诺卡氏菌科(Pseudonocardiaceae)、链霉菌科(Streptomycetaceae)、链孢囊菌科(Streptosporangiaceae)、高温单孢菌科(Thermomonosporaceae)、动孢囊菌科(Kineosporiaceae)、糖霉菌科(Glycomycetaceae)和未知类群;农田土克隆文库中98个阳性克隆分归于10个OTUs,分属于微球菌科(Micrococcaceae)、博戈里亚湖菌科(Bogoriellaceae)、地嗜皮菌科(Geodermatophilaceae)、中村氏菌科(Nakamurellaceae)、类诺卡氏菌科(Nocardioidaceae)和未知类群.其中,微球菌亚目(Micrococcineae)是3种不同类型土壤中的优势类群.多样性指数和稀释性曲线分析结果显示,3种不同类型土壤中放线菌多样性为次生盐碱土>原生盐碱土>农田土.     

Nitrate Status of Two Major Rivers in N. E. Scotland with Respect to Land Use and Fertiliser Additions

Land Use and the influence it has upon river water nitrate levels is discussed, for two large relatively unpopulated river systems in the N.E. of Scotland. the catchment areas for the rivers Dee and Don have been further subdivided into a number of sub catchments. Substantial differences in land use and agricultural potential exist both within and between the two areas. Greater agricultural production down stream is associated with increased river nitrate concentrations.     

Capital structures matrix: a model for public access to project interpretation

A growing demand for transparency and accountability in local decision-making has grown substantially in recent years due to an increasing awareness of finite natural resources. Sustainable development captures the interrelatedness of the economy, the environment and social expectations. In addition, transparency in the decision-making process provides the public a method of accountability for public funds. The Capital Structures Model developed in this paper addresses the demand for accountability by focusing on local development projects classified by type of capital (built, human, social and natural) in order to provide information to the average constituent regarding specific county and community development projects. Local assets are initially categorized according to the type of capital to which they most contribute, and then indicators are employed to measure the contribution of a project with respect to increasing the capacity of each type of capital. These indicators are then cross-referenced with local policy to demonstrate how that policy is implemented in local development projects, and which policies contribute to which type of capital. It is the intention of this model to create an informative tool for planners and constituencies that monitors how development projects contribute to communities in terms of each of the four types of capital.