Understanding the importance of sediments to water ouality in coastal shallow lagoons

The undesirable enrichment of water by nutrients may be a problem, especially in areas with restricted exchange with the sea. The tidal regime flushes the system and contributes for the removal of phytoplankton, favouring phytobenthos as the target of enhanced nutrients. Water samples were collected during the years of 2006 and 2007-08 for nutrients, chlorophyll a and dissolved oxygen. Sediment sample s were also collected for pore water nutrients and benthic chlorophyll a. From comparison with previous work, a decrease in the nitrogen concentration in the water column can be pointed out, which may indicate an improvement of the water quality. Pore water DAIN represents approximately 75% of the total DAIN of the whole lagoon. Benthic chlorophyll a concentrations were much larger than in the water column, representing around 99% of the total chlorophyll existent in the lagoon. Benthic microalgae play a relevant role in this system and therefore standard monitoring programs of the WFD, which do not consider this component, may fail to track nutrient-driven changes in primary producers. Dissolved oxygen concentration could be near critical levels during the summer (early in the morning), especially in the inner channels.

Evaluation and Application of Environmental Flows in Running Waters in Slovenia

Water use invariably results in major impacts on river flows. Environmental Flows (EF) are defined as the quantity and quality of water that is needed to preserve the structure and the function of the river and riparian zone ecosystem and sufficient quantity of water to enable the survival and reproduction of aquatic organisms in different hydraulic habitats. This paper describes the criteria and methods used to determine EF and experiences with their application in Slovenia. The diversity of running waters of Slovenia demand special treatment and determination of EF for each individual section of the river system. Using hydrological, morphological and ecological criteria, two different approaches are used for the determination of EF in Slovenia, a rapid assessment method and a detailed assessment method. For both methods, data are then analyzed by an expert panel in order to determine an EF. Since 1994, more than 180 study sites have been examined for research and application of EF in Slovenia. Determination of EF for existing users has prioritized their water requirements so they can remain economically viable. Where new schemes are proposed, there has been much greater scope to prioritize ecosystem requirements. EF determination is receiving growing attention and will continue to increase in importance, driven by research that aids our understanding of flow-biota relationships and recent environmental policy and legislation at both the national and European level.

Diallelic analysis to obtain cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) populations tolerant to water deficit.

The purpose of this study was to identify parents and obtain segregating populations of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) with the potential for tolerance to water deficit. A full diallel was performed with six cowpea genotypes, and two experiments were conducted in Teresina, PI, Brazil in 2011 to evaluate 30 F2 populations and their parents, one under water deficit and the other under full irrigation.

How training evaluation can be used to potentiate employee development in an organization

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Pathogen-induced hatching and population-specific life-history response to water-borne cues in brown trout (Salmo trutta)

Hatching is an important niche shift, and embryos in a wide range of taxa can either accelerate or delay this life-history switch in order to avoid stage-specific risks. Such behavior can occur in response to stress itself and to chemical cues that allow anticipation of stress. We studied the genetic organization of this phenotypic plasticity and tested whether there are differences among populations and across environments in order to learn more about the evolutionary potential of stress-induced hatching. As a study species, we chose the brown trout (Salmo trutta; Salmonidae). Gametes were collected from five natural populations (within one river network) and used for full-factorial in vitro fertilizations. The resulting embryos were either directly infected with Pseudomonas fluorescens or were exposed to waterborne cues from P. fluorescens-infected conspecifics. We found that direct inoculation with P. fluorescens increased embryonic mortality and induced hatching in all host populations. Exposure to waterborne cues revealed population-specific responses. We found significant additive genetic variation for hatching time, and genetic variation in trait plasticity. In conclusion, hatching is induced in response to infection and can be affected by waterborne cues of infection, but populations and families differ in their reaction to the latter.

Elements that contribute to staff nurses' commitment to lifelong professional development

This research explored the elements that contribute to staff nurses' commitment to lifelong professional development. This exploration has been undertaken to provide insights into those factors that motivate individuals to continue their education for professional development and for clinical practice improvement. This study was conducted in an acute care hospital in Southern Ontario, and investigated the thoughts and experiences ofhealth care staffworking within that setting. A qualitative case study was undertaken which involved the collection of interview, document, and class observation data. Two exemplary clinical nurse educators and two motivated, professionally committed staffnurses were interviewed during the study. Teaching document review and observation ofclasses involving the clinical nurse educators were conducted to facilitate triangulation of fmdingswith data sources and strategies. These participants provided rich data that were captured in field notes and coded for conceptual meaning. Emerging from the data were the identification ofthree major elements of influence that contribute to staffnurses' commitment to lifelong professional development. Identified within the three intersecting spheres of influence upon staff nurses' lifelong commitment to professionalleaming were the environment, the clinical nurse educator, and the staff nurse. This research explored the intersecting spheres of influence and the elements within the partnership model ofprofessional education for staff nurses.

Red State, Blue State: Examining Federal Transfers to the States, 1983-2004.

Rapport de recherche

International Initiatives for Regulating Access to Genetic Resources

In light of the various international instruments and international agencies that are actively engaged in resolving the issue of ABS, the present work tries to find an answer to the larger question how far the above agencies have succeeded in regulating access and make sure of benefit sharing. In this process, the work comprehensively analyses the work of different agencies involved in the process. It tries to find out the major obstacles that stand in the way of fulfilment of the benefit sharing objective and proposes the ways and means to tackle them. The study first traces the legal foundations of the concept of property in GRs and associated TK.For this, it starts with analysis of the nature of property and the questions related to ownership in GRs as contained in the CBD as well as in various State legislations. It further examines the notion of property before and after the enactment of the CBD and establishes that the CBD contains strong private property jurisprudence.Based on the theoretical foundation of private property right,Chapter 3 analyses the benefit sharing mechanism of the CBD, i.e. the Nagoya Protocol. It searches for a theoretical convergence of the notion of property as reflected in the two instruments and successfully establishes the same. It makes an appraisal of the Nagoya regime to find out how far it has gone beyond the CBD in ensuring the task of benefit sharing and the impediments in its way.Realizing that the ITPGRFA forms part of the CBD system, Chapter 4 analyses the benefit sharing structure of ITPGRFA as revealed through its multilateral system. This gives the work the benefit of comparing two different benefit sharing models operating on the same philosophy of property. This chapter tries to find out whether there is conceptual coherence in the notion of property when the benefit sharing model changes. It alsocompares the merits and demerits of both the systems and tries to locate the hurdles in achieving benefit sharing. Aware of the legal impediments caused by IPRs in the process of ABS, Chapter 5 tries to explore the linkages between IPRs and GRs and associated TK and assesses why contract-based CBD system fails before the monopoly rights under TRIPS. Chapter 6 analyses the different solutions suggested by the international community at the TRIPS Council as well as the WIPO (World Intellectual property Organisation) and examines their effectiveness. Chapter 7 concludes that considering the inability of the present IP system to understand the grass root realities of the indigenous communities as well as the varying situations of the country of origin, the best possible way to recognise the CBD goals in the TRIPS could be better achieved through linking the two instruments by means of the triple disclosure requirement in Article 29 as suggested by the Disclosure Group during the TRIPS Council deliberations. It also recommends that considering the nature of property in GR, a new section/chapter in the TRIPS dealing with GRs would be another workable solution.

Small and Closed vs. Large and Open: Some Lessons from Comparing Cuban to Colombian Agricultural Development

Comparing the experiences of selected Latin America and the Caribbean countries and their trajectories over the past 15 years offers rich insights into the dynamics and causes for not meeting the 2015 MDGs. They also offer clues for post-MDG strategies. Central to achieving sustainable growth are government policies able to support small and medium-sized farms and peasants, as they are crucial for the achievement of several goals, centrally: to achieve food security; to provide a sound and stable rural environment able to resist external (financial) shocks; to secure healthy food; to secure local food; and to protect vibrant and culturally rich local communities. This paper analyses and compares the most successful government policies to the least successful policies carried out over the last 15 years in selected Latin American and Caribbean countries and based on this analysis, offers strategies for more promising post-MDG politics, able to reduce poverty, reduce inequality, fight back informality, and achieve more decent work in poor countries.

III Congreso ibérico sobre gestión y planificación del agua. La directiva marco del agua: realidades y futuros. Sevilla, del 13 al 17 de noviembre de 2002

Entre els dies 13 i 17 de novembre de 2002 va tenir lloc a la ciutat de Sevilla el III Congrés Ibèric sobre Gestió i Planificació de l’Aigua, que, en aquesta ocasió, portava per títol «La Directiva Marc de l’Aigua: realitats i futurs». El congrés fou organitzat per la Fundación Nueva Cultura del Agua, amb la col•laboració de la Universidad de Sevilla i d’una àmplia sèrie d’institucions relacionades amb la investigació o gestió d’aquest recurs. Considerant l’anàlisi i la diagnosi de la situació actual contingudes a les edicions anteriors (Saragossa 1998 i Porto 2000) i l’ampli debat dels últims anys, el III Congrés Ibèric es caracteritza per un plantejament d’avenç i propostes i per incloure alguns dels aspectes de la política de l’aigua menys atesos fins aleshores

The Right to Water in the Case-Law of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights

The human right to water is nowadays more broadly recognised, mainly due to the essential societal function that this resource plays; likewise, because of the present water scarcity is generating conflicts between its different uses. Thus, this right aims at protecting human beings by guaranteeing access to clean water that is essential to satisfy vital human needs. Similarly, access to clean water is an important element to guarantee other rights including the right to life and health. The recognition of the right to water is mainly achieved in two ways: as a new and independent right and as a subordinate or derivative right. Concerning the latter, the right to water can emanate from civil and political rights, such as the right to life; or can be derived from economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to health, the right to an adequate standard of living, and the right to housing. This contribution explores the position of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights regarding the right to water, and analyses whether the Court has recognised the right to water and, if so, in which manner.