Unraveling the impact of workforce age diversity on labor productivity: The moderating role of firm size and job security

Previous literature has suggested both positive and negative effects of age diversity on labor productivity: positive because of the potential knowledge complementarities between employees of different ages and negative because of the age‐related value differences that might reduce cohesion and cooperation, hampering firm performance. Using a Belgian sample of 5892 organizational observations (2008–2011), we unraveled these countervailing effects in two ways. First, we built on prior studies to suggest that the effect of age diversity depends on the particular shape of the age distribution: positive when it is heterogeneous (i.e., variety) and negative when it is polarized (i.e., polarization). This was supported by our findings. Second, we explored the moderating impact of two contextual contingencies, firm size and job security. As expected, the positive effect of age variety is reinforced in large firms and in firms where job security is high. Although firm size also emphasizes the negative effect of age polarization on productivity, job security, unexpectedly, does not moderate this relationship. Our study offers a valuable contribution to the literature as it reveals the boundary conditions of the competing implications of age diversity and, thus, allows one to account for the inconclusive findings reported in previous literature. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Diversity of Ontogenetic Pathways in Plant Populations

Population heterogeneity in cespitose, fibrous-rooted, brevirhizomatous, stoloniferous, and tap-rooted herbaceous and woody plants is described. This heterogeneity is caused by the multivariant character of plant ontogeny (i.e., its dimensional, morphological, rhythmological, and temporal multiversality), which is regarded as the main adaptation mechanism operating in plant populations because it provides for the diversity of ontogenetic pathways under different ecological conditions.     

EFFECTS OF TOPOGRAPHY AND SOIL PROPERTIES ON RECHARGE AT TWO SITES IN AN AGRICULTURAL FIELD1

ABSTRACT: Field experiments were conducted from 1992 to 1995 to estimate ground water recharge rates at two sites located within a 2.7‐hectare agricultural field. The field lies in a sand plain setting in central Minnesota and is cropped continuously in field corn. The sites are located at a topographically high (upland) site and a topographically low (lowland) site in an effort to quantify the effects of depression focusing of recharge. Three site‐specific methods were used to estimate recharge rates: well hydrograph analysis, chlorofluorocarbon age dating, and an unsaturated zone water balance. All three recharge methods indicated that recharge rates at the lowland site (annual average of all methods of 29 cm) exceeded those at the upland site (annual average of 18 cm). On an annual basis, estimates by the individual methods ranged from 12 to 44 percent of precipitation at the upland site and from 21 to 83 percent at the lowland site. The difference in recharge rates between the sites is primarily attributed to depression focusing of surface water runon at the lowland site. However, two other factors were also important: the presence of thin lamellae at the upland site, and coarser textured soils below a depth of 1.5 m at the lowland site.     

秦皇岛山羊寨动物群及其生存环境的研究

1981年,笔者在泰皇岛市抚宁县山羊寨村小南山发现大量动物化石,经鉴定共有32种动物,其中绝灭种7个,时代为新生代第四纪中更新世,绝对年龄为（18±2）万年至（20±2）万年,相当于北京周口店动物群后期。研究发现：其生活在低山丘陵及其河谷;当时的气候是温和湿润的温带气候,但已向凉干转化;植被为温带落叶阔叶林。     

Effects of tree size and spatial distribution on growth of ponderosa pine forests under alternative management scenarios

Forest ecosystems may be actively managed toward heterogeneous stand structures to provide both economic (e.g., wood production and carbon credits) and environmental benefits (e.g., invasive pest resistance). In order to facilitate wider adoption of possibly more sustainable forest stand structures, defining growth expectations among alternative management scenarios is crucial. To estimate the effect of tree size and spatial distributions on growth for forest structures commonly considered in uneven-aged forest stand management, large (0.2 ha+) plots were established in 14 uneven-aged ponderosa pine stands in eastern Montana. All study trees were stem-mapped and measured for diameter and 10-year sapwood and basal area increment. A generalized growth model was developed to predict both total and merchantable 10-year basal area increment for nine hypothetical stand structures [three diameter distributions (reverse-J, irregular, flat) × three spatial distributions (clumpy, partial clumpy, uniform)]. Results indicate that the size and spatial distributions of individual trees have a considerable effect on overall stand growth. The greatest total stand growth was in stands with reverse “J” shaped tree size distributions, while the greatest merchantable stand growth was in stands with “flat” diameter distributions and uniform spatial distributions. Through better comprehension of generalized uneven-aged stand growth dynamics, forest managers may better assess the effects of alternative stand structures on stand growth while providing forest stand structures that may be more resilient in a changing climate.     

晚更新世长江中下游沙山和黄土物质来源研究

风成沉积物的产生、搬运和沉积过程是地球各圈层相互作用的产物。晚更新世末次冰期时,长江中下游广泛分布沙山和黄土,对于它们是远源搬运而来,还是近源堆积一直存有争议。对青山、九江、定山和红光这些典型沙山和黄土剖面进行碎屑锆石U-Pb年龄分析,获得346个新数据结果,将其与潜在物源区的碎屑锆石U-Pb年龄进行对比,结合这些地层的沉积时代和区域内已报道的物源示踪结果,发现在末次冰期青山沙山和九江黄土的碎屑锆石来自近源的江汉平原,定山沙山和红光黄土的碎屑锆石来自赣江。长江中下游沙山和黄土的发育属于河流搬运的碎屑物质被东亚冬季风吹拂和高大地形阻挡发生沉积的模式。     

Roadside dusts and soils contamination in Cincinnati,Ohio, USA

Roadside dusts and soils were collected from various nonindustrial districts in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, and analyzed for lead and copper contents. Results showed that the recent lead phase-down action has reduced the level of lead, but the concentrations of both metals are still higher than the background levels for normal soil. Elevated concentrations of copper in heavily traveled highways were noted, suggesting that much of the copper pollutants is probably of automotive origin. The concentration of lead was found to vary with housing age, and higher levels of contamination in the older neighborhoods were observed. This result is probably ascribable to the accumulation of residues from leaded gasoline and lead-based paint in the past and the use of coal fire for space heating in older houses.     

不同退耕年限条件下菜子湖湿地土壤理化性质变化

退耕还湖是我国长江中下游地区湿地生态恢复的重要举措.土壤理化性质指标是评价湿地生态恢复状况的重要组成部分.选取菜子湖区不同退耕年限(2、5、8、10和20 a)湿地为研究对象,通过与相邻仍耕作油菜地和原始湿地土壤理化性质的比较,揭示了退耕还湖后湿地土壤生态特征变化规律.结果表明,随着退耕年限的增加,不同土壤理化性质指标变化趋势存在差异;土壤有机质含量逐年增加;土壤全氮和碱解氮含量在退耕5 a时显著升高,而后期变化平缓;土壤全磷和有效磷含量均呈先降低后升高趋势;土壤黏粒含量逐渐增加;土壤容重呈先升高后降低趋势;土壤含水量不断增加;土壤pH值缓慢降低.退耕2 a湿地土壤生态特征仍与油菜地相似,退耕2 a后土壤生态特征开始向原始湿地方向演化.退耕20 a期间湿地表层土壤理化性质变化强烈,而亚表层变化相对平缓.回归分析表明,除土壤pH和氮素含量的回归曲线拟合不显著外,退耕湿地表层土壤黏粒含量、容重、含水量、有机质含量、全磷含量和有效磷含量恢复到原始湿地水平所需时间分别为19、23、31、26、27和22 a,快于亚表层土壤的20、31、51、40、30和23 a.     

天然林林龄的模拟估算及案例

林龄是森林生态系统的一个重要特征,具有生态学意义.但是目前生态学调查中对天然林林龄的估算方法有一定缺陷.在特定的环境条件下,森林有着相应的演替过程.已有林窗研究表明.长白山森林是按照一定次序演替,森林的径级结构也是有规律可循的.由于总是缺乏足够的长期系统观测数据,因此作者采用数值模拟作为替代方法.应用校正过的林窗模型模拟0～600 a的森林演替序列,比较对长白山原始天然林的采样的结果,发现目前的林龄最接近400 a.这个估测结果可以从本地区历史资料记载得到印证.     

The Influence of Age on Cadmium Concentrations in Seabirds

The effects of age on cadmium concentrations was investigated in Cory's shearwater, Calonectris diomedea, Lesser black-backed gull, Larus fuscus, and great skuas, Catharacta skua. There was no evidence for the continued accumulation of cadmium with increasing adult age. Adult shearwaters did have higher concentrations of cadmium compared to young fledglings, but there was no significant difference between cadmium concentrations in adult and sub-adult gulls. In addition, the sample of great skuas were of known age (3–22 yrs old) and showed no evidence of increasing cadmium concentrations with adult age in liver or kidney. However, it is possible that age accumulation of cadmium in great skuas was masked by individual dietary preferences overriding the effects of increasing age. It is often assumed that cadmium concentrations continue to accumulate with increasing adult age, but seabirds may have evolved some as yet unknown mechanism for excretion or more rapid turnover of cadmium than previously thought. The implications of this for the use of seabirds as biomonitors is discussed.