Positionality and protocol in field research: Undertaking community‐based investigations in Samoa

This article considers the experiences of a Samoan female geographer undertaking community‐based field research in her home country, and identifies some lessons for researchers working in similar circumstances. The paper suggests that ethical behaviour in research is ‘place‐specific’, and there is therefore a need to employ culturally sensitive and ‘location‐specific’ methodologies when undertaking community‐based research fieldwork. For the lead researcher, growing up in Samoa played a significant role in gaining an understanding of a set of robust and effective procedures to evaluate citizens' resilience to climatic and other environmental challenges. Fluency in everyday and more formal local languages, and awareness of local differences, each with multi‐layered connections to local communities, understanding cultural nuances and practising respect for va tapuia [sacred space or relationships] protocols, together facilitated the process of knowledge acquisition and helped to confirm the validity of the conclusions derived from the study.     

新生代员工企业文化内部整合感知对工作满意度的影响研究——基于汽车整车制造业的实证数据

企业文化内部整合两个特质“参与性”与“一致性”对于工作满意度存在积极影响。相比传统员工,新生代员工对于企业文化的内部整合感知对于工作满意度表现出更强的预测作用。管理者应注重新生代员工的参与性激励、团队凝聚力塑造,与其建立民主沟通模式。     

The gamma-interferon test: its usefulness in a bovine tuberculosis survey in African buffaloes (Syncerus caffer) in the Kruger National Park

A survey to determine the bovine tuberculosis status of buffalo herds north of the Olifants River in the Kruger National Park was conducted, using a new diagnostic approach. Diagnosis of Mycobacterium bovis infection was accomplished using the gamma-interferon assay technique in 608 adult buffaloes out of a total of 29 discreet herds. The animals were immobilized in groups of 10-15, bled, individually marked and then revived and released on site. As soon as test results were available (after 26-36 h), the same buffalo herd was relocated by tracking the frequency of a radio-collar previously fitted to one adult cow per group during the initial operation. Bovine reactors were identified, darted and euthanased from the helicopter. Necropsy and culture findings of all culled buffaloes showed excellent correlation with the results of the ante-mortem gamma-interferon test. The survey revealed that over and above the two positive herds that had been identified during a previous survey carried out in 1996, there were three additional, but previously unidentified, infected herds in the region north of the Olifants River.     

A comparison of aggressiveness and deoxynivalenol production between Canadian <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium graminearum</Emphasis> isolates with 3-acetyl and 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol chemotypes in field-grown spring wheat

Twenty four isolates of Fusarium graminearum, half of which were 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol (3-ADON) and half 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol (15-ADON) chemotypes, were tested for their ability to produce deoxynivalenol and to cause Fusarium head blight (FHB) in spring wheat cultivars. The objectives of this study were to determine (1) whether 3-ADON isolates differ in aggressiveness, as measured by the FHB index, and DON production from 15-ADON isolates under field conditions, and (2) whether the performance of resistant host cultivars was stable across isolates. Field tests of all isolates were conducted with three replicates at each of two locations in Canada and Germany in 2008 with three host genotypes differing in FHB resistance level. The resistant host genotype showed resistance regardless of the chemotype or location. The differences between mean FHB indices of 3-ADON and 15-ADON isolates were not significant for any wheat genotype. In contrast, average DON production by the 3-ADON isolates (10.44 mg kg⁻¹) was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than for the 15-ADON isolates (6.95 mg kg⁻¹) at three of the four locations where moderately resistant lines were tested, and at both locations where susceptible lines were evaluated. These results indicate that 3-ADON isolates could pose a greater risk to food safety. However, as the mean aggressiveness and DON production of 3-ADON and 15-ADON chemotypes was similar on highly resistant lines, breeding and use of highly resistant lines is still the most effective measure of reducing the risks associated with DON in wheat.     

A gain-of-function mutation in a cytokinin receptor triggers spontaneous root nodule organogenesis

Legume root nodules originate from differentiated cortical cells that reenter the cell cycle and form organ primordia. We show that perception of the phytohormone cytokinin is a key element in this switch. Mutation of a Lotus japonicus cytokinin receptor gene leads to spontaneous development of root nodules in the absence of rhizobia or rhizobial signal molecules. The mutant histidine kinase receptor has cytokinin-independent activity and activates an Escherichia coli two-component phosphorelay system in vivo. Mutant analysis shows that cytokinin signaling is required for cell divisions that initiate nodule development and defines an autoregulated process where cytokinin induction of nodule stem cells is controlled by shoots.     

Does the mutualism between wood ants (Formica rufa group) and Cinara aphids affect Norway spruce growth?

Ant–aphid mutualisms, in which ants tend aphids, which in turn provide honeydew to the ants, are widespread and have been shown to affect plant growth. In boreal forests the effect of ant–aphid mutualism on tree growth can vary with stand age, because forest clear-cutting harms the ecologically most dominant ant partner in such mutualisms, wood ants (Formica rufa group). We studied whether the mutualism between wood ants and Cinara aphids affects the growth of boreal Norway spruces (Picea abies L. Karst.) in stands of different ages. In boreal forests, conifers, unlike deciduous trees, have only few defoliating insects, and therefore we expected the growth loss of conifers due to sap sucking by aphids not to be compensated by reduced insect herbivory due to predation by wood ants. The study was conducted in medium-fertile spruce-dominated stands in eastern Finland. We used stands of four different age classes (5, 30, 60 and 100 years) and selected ten spruces heavily visited and ten spruces lightly visited by ants around five medium-sized ant mounds in each stand age class. The access of ants was blocked on half of the trees in both groups. In the 5-year-old stands, the mean annual height growth of individual heavily visited seedlings was 16.3% greater than in the ones where ant traffic was blocked, but this difference was not significant. In the 30-year-old stands, the mean annual radial growth of the heavily visited spruces was 7.3% smaller than in trees where ant traffic was blocked, and this difference was significant. The mutualism had no significant effect on the radial growth in the 60- and 100-year-old stands. In the 60-year-old stands, however, the spruces that were visited heavily prior to the beginning of the study grew significantly less relative to their past growth than the initially lightly visited trees during the study. This suggests that the ant–aphid mutualism may have long-term effects on tree growth. The ant–aphid mutualism had no significant effect on the growth at the stand level. The results indicate that ant–aphid mutualism can have a significant effect on the growth of individual spruces, but the effect is negligible at ecosystem level.     

Evaluation of the fire endurance of mechanically graded timber in bending

AbstractThis study examined the performance of mechanically graded timber in bending when exposed to fire at various load ratios. The test specimens were 150 pieces, each with the dimensions of 60 × 120 × 3500mm. The modulus of elasticity (MOE) of 150 specimens was measured, and 60 among them were selected to formulate the prediction equation for MOE and modulus of rupture (MOR), which was used to predict the remaining 90 specimens. These were tested under fire exposure in bending using three-point loading at 11.1%, 16.7%, 33.3%, 66.7%, and 83.3% of the ultimate load. Using mechanically graded timber, which means acknowledging the actual strength of the bending member, permits fairly precise application to the targeted design load. This research confirmed that mechanically graded timber under fire exposure has the following tendencies: under the same load ratio, time to failure is independent of strength class, and, at any load ratio, the critical strength is dependent on the timber strength class. The obtained design bending strength under fire exposure using the reduced cross section method and the reduced strength method conformed to those calculated based on Eurocode 5. Following those findings, mechanically graded timber can be applied to obtain the design bending strength when taking into account the fire attack.     

Application of Azotobacter enhances pond productivity and fish biomass in still water ponds

Two strains (derepressed-nitrogen fixing, Mac-27 and phosphate solubilizing, PS-21) of Azotobacter chroococcum were inoculated in fish culture ponds, singly and in combination with inorganic fertilizers (urea, single superphosphate–SSP). Physico-chemical parameters of pond waters, plankton production and fish biomass were studied. Inoculation of A. chroococcum (Mac-27) enhanced nitrogenase activity and rate of nitrogen fixation. A slight reduction in nitrogen fixation and nitrogenase activity was noticed when urea at 96 kg ha–1 y–1 was mixed with the biofertilizer (Mac-27). Inoculation of PS-21 enhanced phosphate solubilization, but Kjeldahl-nitrogen concentration values remained low in comparison with controls. On the other hand, inoculation of Azotobacter (either strain) enhanced the accumulation of ammonium-N, nitrite-N and nitrate-N. A significant (p < 0.05) reduction in dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration also took place when Azotobacter (both Mac-27 and PS-21) was inoculated in fish ponds. However, when used along with inorganic fertilizers, the reduction was not significant. The pH values were only slightly lowered when the phosphate-solubilizing strain (PS-21) of Azotobacter was inoculated. Inoculation of biofertilizer enhanced plankton production, net primary productivity and fish biomass. However, highest values in most of these parameters were noticed only in ponds that were treated with the higher doses of inorganic fertilizers (urea 192 kg and SSP 1500 kg ha–1 y–1). © Rapid Science Ltd. 1998     

Differential growth response of Curculigo orchioides to native arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) communities varying in number and fungal components

The study reports diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) species in the rhizosphere of an endangered anticancerous herb – Curculigo orchioides Gaertn. in its natural habitat. A total of 18 species of AMF, belonging to three genera (Acaulospora, Glomus and Gigaspora) were recorded, with Glomus microcarpum being the most abundant species type. The AMF species composition across the study sites appeared to be influenced by soil pH rather than soil P and vegetation. Acaulospora laevis spores were restricted to sites where the soil pH was acidic. The effectiveness of these native AMF species on growth performance of C. orchioides plants was compared under experimental conditions. In general, the mycorrhizal plants were superior in most of the evaluated parameters, but the extent to which the growth of mycorrhizal plants was influenced varied with the inocula used. The plants inoculated with mixed consortia containing maximum AMF species richness exhibited improved growth in comparison to consortia containing lower AMF diversity and monospecies cultures. The variable plant responses observed with any two consortia having same species richness in the present study could be due to variable component AMF species and their relative abundance. These results emphasize the need to protect the below-ground diversity of AMF and recommend their usage for restoration practices.