WARMING AND CHRONIC HIGH NUTRIENT MANIPULATIONS YIELD DIFFERING LEGACY EFECTS ON THE SOIL MICROBIAL COMMUNITY AND NUTRIENT POOLS IN THE LOW ARCTIC

Climate warming is predicted to increase summer air temperatures in the Arctic, warming soils and enhancing microbial decomposition of soil organic matter. Given the size of the soil carbon stores in the Arctic, even a fraction of its release as CO2 to the atmosphere could result in a positive feedback to climate warming. Fertilizers have been used in the past to quickly increase soil solution nutrients pools to mimic predicted concentrations under climate warming. However, because it may have inadvertent affects on the soil microbial community, fertilizer-induced patterns in microbial decomposition may be unrealistic. This study aimed to better understand the proposed mechanism of enhanced microbial decomposition under nutrient addition and warming treatments to discern whether warming alone is enough to stimulate enhanced microbial decomposition, or if nutrients in excess (i.e. chronic high nutrient additions) are necessary to yield such a response. I investigated the impacts of 10 years of greenhouse summer warming, chronic low nutrient factorial addition (5 g N and 1g P m-2 year-1, respectively), and chronic high nutrient factorial addition (10 g N and 5g P m-2 year-1, respectively) treatments on a mesic birch hummock tundra ecosystem near Daring Lake, NWT, Canada. Soil microbial nutrient pools, soil solution nutrient pools, and microbial community structure were measured in the upper organic, lower organic, and uppermost mineral soil depth intervals of all treatment plots in Spring 2014. Interestingly, the low nutrient additions did not yield any significant trends, yet the warming treatment increased soil bacterial richness suggesting a legacy effect of warming from the previous summers. Enhanced microbial nutrient uptake occurred only in the high nutrient addition treatments, and did not significantly alter soil carbon at least within the ten year period of this experiment. Together, these results and the absence of significant impacts of the low nutrient and greenhouse warming treatments suggests that nutrient and carbon cycling in these low arctic soils may be resilient against climate warming, at least over the initial decades.

Temporary Intervention and Long Term Legacy: Lessons from London Case Studies

The paper explores the issue of temporary projects on vacant land focusing on London in the 2007-2012 downturn. Using a case study approach, a link has been identified between the success of temporary projects and a longer-term vision, as well as a move toward better integration between temporary occupants and developer/land-owner. Within this paradox the whole idea of temporariness is put under question, as is the traditional mainstream depiction of bottom-up in opposition to top-down action. These trends are contextualised within the dynamics of recession that has triggered new types of creative conversations between parties traditionally considered in opposition and may contribute to reframing urban development as an incremental, organic and collaborative process.

Dealing with the Legacy of Ethnic Conflict: Confronting ‘Othering’ through Transformative Adult Education—A Northern Ireland Case Study

Despite its peace process, Northern Ireland remains a deeply divided society. The legacy of a 30-year conflict has ensured that the state continues to be prone to outbreaks of violence over contentious issues such as Orange Order parading and the flying of national flags. This paper argues that in order to address this legacy, there is a need to confront the Othering processes that have helped to generate and sustain division. It will argue that programmes of adult education can play an important role in helping the conflicting groups to reimagine their ‘exclusive’ notions of the nation to one capable of incorporating the Other.

Maintaining legacy data: saving Belfast Harbour (UK) tide-gauge data (1902-2010)

Tide gauge data are identified as legacy data given the radical transition between observation method and required output format associated with tide gauges over the 20th-century. Observed water level variation through tide-gauge records is regarded as the only significant basis for determining recent historical variation (decade to century) in mean sea-level and storm surge. There are limited tide gauge records that cover the 20th century, such that the Belfast (UK) Harbour tide gauge would be a strategic long-term (110 years) record, if the full paper-based records (marigrams) were digitally restructured to allow for consistent data analysis. This paper presents the methodology of extracting a consistent time series of observed water levels from the 5 different Belfast Harbour tide gauges’ positions/machine types, starting late 1901. Tide-gauge data was digitally retrieved from the original analogue (daily) records by scanning the marigrams and then extracting the sequential tidal elevations with graph-line seeking software (Ungraph™). This automation of signal extraction allowed the full Belfast series to be retrieved quickly, relative to any manual x–y digitisation of the signal. Restructuring variably lengthed tidal data sets to a consistent daily, monthly and annual file format was undertaken by project-developed software: Merge&Convert and MergeHYD allow consistent water level sampling both at 60 min (past standard) and 10 min intervals, the latter enhancing surge measurement. Belfast tide-gauge data have been rectified, validated and quality controlled (IOC 2006 standards). The result is a consistent annual-based legacy data series for Belfast Harbour that includes over 2 million tidal-level data observations.

Assessing the Legacy of Red Mud Pollution in a Shallow Freshwater Lake: Arsenic Accumulation and Speciation in Macrophytes

Little is known about long-term ecological responses in lakes following red mud pollution. Among red mud contaminants, arsenic (As) is of considerable concern. Determination of the species of As accumulated in aquatic organisms provides important information about the biogeochemical cycling of the element and transfer through the aquatic food-web to higher organisms. We used coupled ion chromatography and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to assess As speciation in tissues of five macrophyte taxa in Kinghorn Loch, UK, 30 years following the diversion of red mud pollution from the lake. Toxic inorganic As was the dominant species in the studied macrophytes, with As species concentrations varying with macrophyte taxon and tissue type. The highest As content measured in roots of Persicaria amphibia (L.) Gray (87.2 mg kg-1) greatly exceeded the 3 - 10 mg kg-1 range suggested as a potential phytotoxic level. Accumulation of toxic As species by plants suggested toxicological risk to higher organisms known to utilise macrophytes as a food source.

Margaret Thatcher’s Legacy, Academisation and the Demise of State Education

Blogpost for The BERA Blog: Research Matters. https://www.bera.ac.uk/blog/thatcher-the-state-school-snatcher

'Expanding Horizons': investigating the Glasgow 2014 legacy for young people in the East End of Glasgow

The recent staging of Glasgow 2014 drew universal praise as the ‘Best Games Ever’. Yet the substantial undertaking of hosting the Commonwealth Games (CWG) was sold to the nation as more than just eleven days of sporting spectacle and cultural entertainment. Indeed, the primary strategic justification offered by policymakers and city leaders was the delivery of a bundle of positive and enduring benefits, so-called ‘legacy’. This ubiquitous and amorphous concept has evolved over time to become the central focus of contemporary hosting bids, reflecting a general public policy shift towards using major sporting mega events as a catalyst to generate benefits across economic, environmental and social dimensions, on a scale intended to be truly transformative. At the same time, the academy has drawn attention to the absence of evidence in support of the prevailing legacy rhetoric and raised a number of sociological concerns, not least the socially unequitable distribution of purported benefits. This study investigated how young people living in the core hosting zone related to, and were impacted upon, by the CWG and its associated developments and activities with reference to their socio-spatial horizons, the primary outcome of interest. An ‘ideal world’ Logic Model hypothesised that four mechanisms, identified from official legacy documents and social theories, would alter young people’s subjective readings of the world by virtue of broadening their social networks, extending their spatial boundaries and altering their mind sets. A qualitative methodology facilitated the gathering of situated and contextualised accounts of young people’s attitudes, perceptions, beliefs and behaviours relating to Glasgow 2014. In-depth interviews and focus groups were conducted before and after the Games with 26 young people, aged 14-16 years, at two schools in the East End. This approach was instrumental in privileging the interests of people ‘on the ground’ over those of city-wide and national stakeholders. The findings showed that young people perceived the dominant legacy benefit to be an improved reputation and image for Glasgow and the East End. Primary beneficiaries were identified by them as those with vested business interests e.g. retailers, restaurateurs, and hoteliers, as well as national and local government, with low expectations of personal dividends or ‘trickle down’ benefits. Support for Glasgow 2014 did not necessarily translate into individual engagement with the various cultural and sporting activities leading up to the CWG, including the event itself. The study found that young people who engaged most were those who had the ability to ‘read’ the opportunities available to them and who had the social, cultural and economic capital necessary to grasp them, with the corollary that those who might have gained most were the least likely to have engaged with the CWG. Doubts articulated by research participants about the social sustainability of Glasgow 2014 underscored inherent tensions between the short-lived thrill of the spectacle and the anticipated longevity of its impacts. The headline message is that hosting sporting mega events might not be an effective means of delivering social change. Aspirant host cities should consider more socially equitable alternatives to sporting mega events prior to bidding; and future host cities should endeavour to engage more purposefully with more young people over longer time frames.

Strongyloides stercoralis - a Legacy from the Past

The authors present the case of a 65-year-old Caucasian man who had previously lived in Guinea-Bissau. The patient was diagnosed in Portugal with an anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis and started on corticosteroids plus cyclophosphamide, with clinical improvement. Some months later, his general status deteriorated, iatrogenic bicytopenia developed and immunosuppressive drugs were tapered. Microbiological tests identified numerous larvae and eggs of Strongyloides stercoralis in various biological samples, and a diagnosis of hyperinfection syndrome was established. The patient was started on antihelminthic drugs but developed septic shock and died. This case highlights a rare and severe complication of immunosuppression in developed countries.

Effects of organic fertilizers on the vegetative, nutritional, and productive parameters of blueberries ‘Corona’, ‘Legacy’, and ‘Liberty’

Organic farming does not allow using certain inputs, such as N, which differ in nutrient release rates and dynamics. To evaluate the effect of different organic fertilizers on the vegetative, nutritional, and productive parameters of blueberries ( Vaccinium corymbosum L.), a pot experiment was conducted in three consecutive seasons in a sandy soil of south-central Chile using ‘Corona’, ‘Legacy’ and ‘Liberty’. The following fertilizers were evaluated: compost (CM), Purely Grow (PG), Purely Lysine (PL), Fertil (F), blood meal (BM), lupine meal (LM), along with a control treatment without fertilization (C) and two conventional treatments with urea (CF) and sodium nitrate (S). Results indicate that vegetative growth and leaf N concentration prior to senescence were different among cultivars in the three evaluated seasons. The highest leaf N concentration was recorded in ‘Corona’ followed by ‘Legacy’ and ‘Liberty’ while levels tended to increase in the seasons. Quick-release N sources had greater effects on these parameters but with differences among cultivars. Fruit yield and weight were higher in ‘Corona’ followed by ‘Legacy’ and ‘Liberty’. Fruit yield was generally higher when using LM and F and showed no effect on fruit weight. Leaf chlorophyll content was higher in ‘Corona’ followed by ‘Legacy’ and ‘Liberty’, which increased when using CF, LM, BM, and PG. Finally, the organic fertilizer and blueberry cultivar that obtained the highest values for most of the evaluated parameters were LM and Corona, respectively.

Urban Catalyst: Continuing the Legacy of Massachusetts Avenue

This thesis proposes a reconnection of Massachusetts Avenue to the Anacostia River waterfront in Washington, DC. An intervention at the site of Reservation 13 will reconcile a difficult urban edge and reunite the neighborhood of Lincoln Park with the river. It also addresses the discontinuity of the avenue to the southeast and proposes the development of a bridge between the Western bank and ultimately Randle Circle. Along this reconciled corridor will be a series of architectural interventions that serve to promote community involvement. Ultimately this thesis is about generating an urban continuity and the cultural vibrancy and understanding that such a connection would foster.

The Origins and Legacy of a Currency Board in Argentina

This is a qualitative case study of the adoption of a currency board in Argentina in 1991. It presents a discursive analysis and intellectual history of four overlaying and mutually influencing stories of Convertibility’s adoption. It is (1) the story of how Menem aligned himself to the Washington Consensus as a means to win a Presidential election. This ideological alignment influences and is influenced by a (2) reconstitution of the Peronist Party’s historically entrenched identity. This in turn re-fashion the whole system of interest articulation and relative power of interest groups in Argentina. The adoption of a currency board also marks the pace of (3) the entrenchment neoliberal interests across a domestic network of neoliberal think-tanks, technocrats, politicians, and “technopoles” articulating neoliberal interests outside of the Washington Consensus, within an International Neoliberal Network. Argentina’s adoption of a currency board falls in line with the Corner Solutions, a neoliberal doctrine promoted to influence developing countries to adopt two forms of exchange rate regimes that allow for less government involvement, including a currency board. Argentina starts as a test country and then becomes (4) an ideological stepping stone to help promote the creation of currency boards across more “developing” countries. These stories are not sequential but concurrent, and they help advance an alternative critique of neoliberalism that focuses on specifics to induce case-specific lessons versus a theory claiming to provide any universal truth.

A Transformative Olympic Village: The Washington 2024 Post-Games Legacy

This thesis explores the Modern Olympic Games to strategically design an Olympic Village for Washington D.C. that plans not just to house athletes, but to provide a vision for the post-Games city. Through discovery of the spirit and meaning behind one of the world’s biggest events and analysis of various post-Games Villages, the proposed Olympic Village will innovate the future of Washington D.C.’s Southeast region. Study of existing mixed-use architecture, urban planning, and adaptation will help formulate an Olympic Village design. It is the intention that the Olympic Village, much like its athletes, will emulate the Olympic motto “Citius, Altius, Fortius,” meaning “Faster, Higher, Stronger.” The objective is to establish a village that allows for a faster turnaround in post-Olympic design, utilizes higher standards, and uses stronger applications to building a more sustainable city.

Populism as a battlefield Populist actors and their representation on social and legacy media during the european parliament elections 2019 in Finland, Italy and the Netherlands

The objective of the present research is to describe and explain populist actors and populism as a concept and their representation on social and legacy media during the 2019 EU elections in Finland, Italy and The Netherlands. This research tackles the topic of European populism in the context of political communication and its relation to both the legacy and digital media within the hybrid media system. Departing from the consideration that populism and populist rhetoric are challenging concepts to define, I suggest that they should be addressed and analyzed through the usage of a combination of methods and theoretical perspectives, namely Communication Studies, Corpus Linguistics, Political theory, Rhetoric and Corpus-Assisted Discourse Studies. This thesis considers data of different provenance. On the one hand, for the Legacy media part, newspapers articles were collected in the three countries under study from the 1st until the 31st of May 2019. Each country’s legacy system is represented by three different quality papers and the articles were collected according to a selection of keywords (European Union Elections and Populism in each of the three languages). On the other hand, the Digital media data takes into consideration Twitter tweets collected during the same timeframe based on particular country-specific hashtags and tweets by identified populist actors. In order to meet the objective of this study, three research questions are posed and the analysis leading to the results are exhaustively presented and further discussed. The results of this research provide valuable and novel insights on how populism as a theme and a concept is being portrayed in the context of the European elections both in legacy and digital media and political communication in general.