Effects of intra‐ and inter‐specific competition on fitness of sweetpotato weevil and West Indian sweetpotato weevil

The sweetpotato weevil Cylas formicarius (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Brentidae) and West Indian sweetpotato weevil Euscepes postfasciatus (Fairmaire) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) are major pests of sweet potato Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam., in tropical and subtropical regions. Effects of intra‐ and inter‐specific competition on the number of progeny (fecundity), body weight and developmental time of C. formicarius and E. postfasciatus were examined in single‐ and mixed‐species treatments under laboratory conditions. Cylas formicarius tended to outcompete E. postfasciatus, whereas E. postfasciatus rather than C. formicarius tolerated higher conspecific densities. We discuss the implications of the results for pest management and resource partitioning of pestiferous weevils.     

Plant bioregenerative life supports: The Italian CAB Project

Abstract

The Bioregenerative Life Support program CAB (Controllo Ambientale Biorigenerativo) is a key element of the Italian Space Agency (ASI) Medicine & Biotechnology scientific program, set forth in the ASI Activity Plan 2006–2008. The CAB program started in October 2006, under the prime partnership of Thales Alenia Space Italia, with a feasibility study of a controlled biological system, allowing the regeneration of resources and the production of food for life support in long duration missions. Main constituents of the CAB program are: (a) Higher plants as basic elements for food and oxygen production, CO₂ regeneration and water purification via the photosynthetic and leaf transpiration processes, and (b) biological & physico-chemical systems for environmental control, monitoring, power & data distribution, etc. The sectors of technological and scientific concern are practically all the ones typical for life support systems in the frame of long duration human missions; i.e., food production, in particular via the cultivation of higher plants, and food management; air regeneration (production of O₂, removal of CO₂, trace gas control); water regeneration (urine processing, gray water processing, potable water management); solid waste processing; resources allocation and storage; control of environmental conditions (Thermal-hygrometric, light, pressure, radiation, etc).     

Energy and Carbon Management Systems

This article examines an important class of information system that serves as the foundation for corporate energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting: energy and carbon management systems (ECMS). Investors, regulators, customers, and employees increasingly demand that organizations provide information about their organizational energy use and GHG emissions. However, there is little transparency about how organizations use ECMS to meet such demands. To shed light on ECMS implementation and application, we collected extensive qualitative interview data from two service‐sector organizations: one that uses a spreadsheet‐based ECMS and another that implemented an ECMS provided by a third‐party vendor. Our analysis of collected data revealed numerous challenges in the areas of business processes, managerial capabilities, data capture and integration, and data quality. Though our study is built on only two organizations and requires confirmation in large‐sample surveys, we provide several recommendations for organizations regarding ECMS. We also provide suggestions for future studies to build on our tentative results.     

Bottom‐up Conservation

Conservation initiatives that have worked well in temperate and developed regions have often been applied in the tropics but with only limited success. Part of this failure is due to top–down conservation planning that has been conducted without taking local socio‐economic considerations into adequate account. Here, we argue that conservation approaches would benefit from a deeper understanding of human–nature interactions.     

Evidence of a genetically distinct population of Vrljika softmouth trout Salmo obtusirostris Heckel evolved by vicariance

Mitochondrial DNA haplotypes (control region, partial cytochrome b and ATPase6 genes) indicate a sister relationship between Vrljika and Neretva softmouth (Adriatic) trout Salmo obtusirostris . This relationship was supported by a tree of individuals based on microsatellite results [allele sharing distances ( D _AS)], which revealed three distinctive clusters, corresponding to Jadro softmouth, Neretva brown trout Salmo trutta and Neretva softmouth trout. Within the latter taxon, Vrljika trout are clearly separated from other trout. The genetic results contradict the synonymy of Jadro with Vrljika softmouth trout, as recently proposed in the Red Book of Freshwater Fish in Croatia. Vrljika softmouth trout appear to have originated from a vicariance that split a common ancestor into large (Neretva) and small (Vrljika) fragmented populations 135 000–270 000 years ago. Vrljika softmouth trout can be distinguished by an array of derived phenotypic and molecular character states. For conservation, this population should be recognized formally at the same taxonomic level as the other geographically separated populations of softmouth trout.     

User−Producer Interaction in Housing Energy Innovations

Von Hippel and colleagues have highlighted the crucial role of users in innovation in different industries and types of products. They describe the innovation process in terms of the distinct domains of knowledge that producers and users possess. Producers have knowledge about technical solutions and users about their needs, the context of use, and their own capabilities as users. Both sets of knowledge are characterized by "stickiness": They move relatively freely within their own domain but are difficult to transfer outside of it.
In the case of radical innovations for sustainable consumption, the problem of "sticky information" is compounded. Both producers and consumers need to reach out of their conventional competencies and search for new solutions. "Societal actors," such as government bodies or environmental experts, can show the way to such solutions, but this new knowledge needs to be integrated with the "sticky" knowledge about everyday practices in production and consumption.
In the present article we attempt to conceptualize the role and interaction of user and producer knowledge with the knowledge of environmental experts in housing energy innovations. We do so by applying the user−producer interaction framework to a case study on the introduction of low-energy housing concepts in Finland. On the basis of this analysis, we draw conclusions on the potential and limitations of today's practices in the field. For example, we suggest that user involvement can help to enhance the acceptance of low-energy solutions but that the methods for involving users need to be adapted to the particular circumstances in each industry.     

A computational algorithm for classifying step and spin turns using pelvic center of mass trajectory and foot position

Transient changes in direction during ambulation are typically performed using a step (outside) or spin (inside) turning strategy, often identified through subjective and time-consuming visual rating. Here, we present a computational, marker-based classification method utilizing pelvic center of mass (pCOM) trajectory and time-distance parameters to quantitatively identify turning strategy. Relative to visual evaluation by three independent raters, sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy of the pCOM-based classification method were evaluated for 90-degree turns performed by 3 separate populations (5 uninjured controls, 5 persons with transtibial amputation, and 5 persons with transfemoral amputation); each completed turns using two distinct cueing paradigms (i.e., laser-guided “freeform” and verbally-guided “forced” turns). Secondarily, we compared the pCOM-based turn classification method to adapted versions of two existing computational turn classifiers which utilize trunk and shank angular velocities (AV). Among 366 (of 486 total) turns with unanimous intra- and inter-rater agreement, the pCOM-based classification algorithm was 94.5% accurate, with 96.6% sensitivity (accuracy of spin turn classification), and 93.5% specificity (accuracy of step turn classification). The pCOM-based algorithm (vs. both AV-based methods) was more accurate (94.5% vs. 81.1–80.6%; P < 0.001) overall, as well as specifically in freeform (92.9 vs. 80.4–76.8%; P < 0.003) and forced (96.0 vs. 83.8–81.8%; P < 0.001) cueing, and among individuals with (92.4 vs. 80.2–78.8%; P < 0.001) and without (99.1 vs. 86.2–80.8%; P < 0.001) amputation. The pCOM-based algorithm provides an efficient and objective method to accurately classify 90-degree turning strategies using optical motion capture in a laboratory setting, and may be extended to various cueing paradigms and/or populations with altered gait.     

River Restoration in Victoria, Australia: Change is in the Wind, and None too Soon

Stream restoration has become a multibillion dollar industry worldwide, yet there are few clear success stories and the scientific basis for effective stream restoration remains uncertain. We compiled data on completed river restoration projects from four management authorities in Victoria, Australia, to examine how the available data could inform the science of restoration ecology in rivers, and thus improve future restoration efforts. We found that existing data sources are limited and much historical information has been lost through industry restructuring and poor data archiving. Examining records for 2,247 restoration projects, we found that riparian management projects were the most common, followed by bank stabilization and in‐stream habitat improvement. Only 14% of the project records indicated that some form of monitoring was carried out. It is evident that overall there is little scientific guidance and little or no monitoring and evaluation of the projects for which we had information. However, recent advances with mandatory, statewide reporting and an increased emphasis on project design and monitoring strongly suggest that the design, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of stream restoration projects have improved in recent years and will continue to do so.     

Changes in vegetation patterns on the margins of a constructed wetland after 10 years

Summary A constructed urban wetland in Adelaide was surveyed 18 months and 10 years after construction to see how shoreline vegetation, soil electrical conductivity (EC), texture and pH changed over time and to provide data for future site management. Multivariate analysis detected four plant associations at 18 months: salt‐tolerant taxa on conductive clays; a weed‐dominated community on lower EC soil; and two smaller waterlogged, low EC clusters dominated by Common Reed (Phragmites australis) and Sea Club‐Rush (Bolboschoenus caldwellii), respectively. At 10 years, site cover and heterogeneity was higher, with the margins dominated by Phragmites and salt‐tolerant species. EC was much lower and more uniform, and the soils were heavier and more alkaline. Managed storm water flushing apparently lowered soil EC, but possibly also disturbed the shoreline. However, weeds were still common, and the potential for domination by Phragmites at the expense of other native shoreline species means that ongoing monitoring and hydrological and vegetation management are essential to maintain site habitat diversity.