Numerical analysis of non-constant pure rate of time preference: A model of climate policy

When current decisions affect welfare in the far-distant future, as with climate change, the use of a declining pure rate of time preference (PRTP) provides potentially important modeling flexibility. The difficulty of analyzing models with non-constant PRTP limits their application. We describe and provide software (available online) to implement an algorithm to numerically obtain a Markov perfect equilibrium for an optimal control problem with non-constant PRTP. We apply this software to a simplified version of the numerical climate change model used in the Stern Review. For our calibration, the policy recommendations are less sensitive to the PRTP than widely believed.     

When is a male not a male? Sex recognition and choice in two sex-changing species

For dioecious species, choosing a mate of the same sex can have reproductive costs. For sex-changing animals, however, a lack of sex recognition may not carry a reproductive cost, as pairs that were initially same-sex can become opposite-sex pairs as one partner changes sex. The strength of sex discrimination in sex changers, then, should depend on the duration of mating associations and whether the time of sex change is influenced by social situation (“flexible” sex change). We studied two species of marine snails that change sex from male to female, one with flexible sex change and long-term or permanent mating associations (Crepidula fornicata) and one with short-term pairings and relatively fixed time of sex change (Crepidula convexa), to determine whether either species exhibits sex recognition and whether members of C. convexa show stronger sex discrimination. In laboratory experiments, small males, the choosing animals, were placed with either a male or a female conspecific (no-choice experiments) or given a choice of a male or female (choice experiments). We controlled for shell length in all experiments, as relative size may influence sex change or choice. Males of both species paired more often with females than males, but, as predicted, males of C. convexa showed stronger discrimination: When given a choice, no C. convexa male paired with another male. In contrast, some C. fornicata males always chose other males even when given the choice of a female. These results suggest that sex recognition can be adaptive even for sex changers but demonstrate that the level of sex recognition will depend on other aspects of reproductive behavior.     

EFFECTS OF SALINITY ON PREFERRED AND LETHAL TEMPERATURES OF THE BLACKCHIN TILAPIA,SARATHERODON MELANOTHERON1

Acclimation to varying salinities did not affect the preferred temperature of Saratherodon melanotheron, which had a final preferred temperature of 33.5 C. However, fish acclimated to 25 C and 0, 15, and 30 o/oo salinities had lower lethal temperatures of 15, 13, and 15 C, respectively, and an upper lethal temperature of 37 C. The thermal zone of tolerance for fish acclimated in freshwater was 17-35 C, and was not dependent upon acclimation temperatures. Data suggest this species could expand its range in North America.     

TEMPERATURE BEHAVIOR OF THE BLUESPOTTED SUNFISH ENNEACANTHUS GLORIOSUS (HOLBROOK), WITH AN EVALUATION OF THE INTERPRETATION OF THERMAL BEHAVIOR DATA1

The bluespotted sunfish, Enneacanthus gloriosus (Holbrook), had a final temperature preferendum of 31.5 C. Fish acclimated to 30 C avoided 36 C. The analysis of acute temperature preference data and the relationship between final temperature preferendum and upper avoidance temperatures are discussed.     

我国潜在顾客对城市美食的偏好与影响因素研究--基于网络关注度视角

通过收集网络关注度等数据,利用赫芬达尔—赫希曼指数、皮尔逊相关系数、多元回归分析等方法分析了我国31个省份潜在顾客对10个典型城市美食的偏好与影响因素。结果发现:①同一性别、年龄和地区的潜在顾客对不同城市美食偏好程度均不同,男性潜在顾客对美食的偏好程度略高于女性潜在顾客,美食的潜在顾客以中青年为主。②不同性别、年龄和地区的潜在顾客对同一城市美食的偏好也存在明显差异。③人们对美食的偏好程度与可支配收入之间存在正相关关系,与空间距离之间存在负相关关系。④地域文化、宗教信仰、气候等因素也会对潜在顾客的美食偏好产生影响。     

景观认知偏好及其人群差异性分析

以武汉市后官湖地区为例,采用层次分析法(AHP)测试了人们对该区域内3种景观类型、12类景观元素的认知偏好情况,并初步分析了景观认知偏好的人群差异性。结果表明:(1)样本人群对不同的景观类型和景观元素表现出不同程度的偏好,并且普遍偏好自然景观(尤其是包含水体和与树木有关的景观元素),其次是半自然景观,最次是人工景观;(2)不同个体对于自然景观的认知偏好表现出明显的差异性,而对于人工景观,样本人群的认知偏好评价较为一致;(3)样本人群的性别、年龄、地区、受教育程度、职业及专业背景均会对个体的景观认知偏好产生不同程度的影响,影响程度从大到小依次为:年龄、职业、地区、专业背景、受教育程度、性别;(4)通过对样本人群个体差异性分析结果,最为偏好自然景观的人群大致具有以下特征:女性、小于45岁、居住在城市地区、大学及以上受教育程度、从事室内工作、具有景观或设计相关专业知识。