Local and Regional Scale Determinants of Biodiversity Patterns in Boreal Agricultural Landscapes

This thesis examines the local and regional scale determinants of biodiversity patterns using existing species and environmental data. The research focuses on agricultural environments that have experienced rapid declines of biodiversity during past decades. Existing digital databases provide vast opportunities for habitat mapping, predictive mapping of species occurrences and richness and understanding the speciesenvironment relationships. The applicability of these databases depends on the required accuracy and quality of the data needed to answer the landscape ecological and biogeographical questions in hand. Patterns of biodiversity arise from confounded effects of different factors, such as climate, land cover and geographical location. Complementary statistical approaches that can show the relative effects of different factors are needed in biodiversity analyses in addition to classical multivariate models. Better understanding of the key factors underlying the variation in diversity requires the analyses of multiple taxonomic groups from different perspectives, such as richness, occurrence, threat status and population trends. The geographical coincidence of species richness of different taxonomic groups can be rather limited. This implies that multiple geographical regions should be taken into account in order to preserve various groups of species. Boreal agricultural biodiversity and in particular, distribution and richness of threatened species is strongly associated with various grasslands. Further, heterogeneous agricultural landscapes characterized by moderate field size, forest patches and non-crop agricultural habitats enhance the biodiversity of rural environments. From the landscape ecological perspective, the major threats to Finnish agricultural biodiversity are the decline of connected grassland habitat networks, and general homogenization of landscape structure resulting from both intensification and marginalization of agriculture. The maintenance of key habitats, such as meadows and pastures is an essential task in conservation of agricultural biodiversity. Furthermore, a larger landscape context should be incorporated in conservation planning and decision making processes in order to respond to the needs of different species and to maintain heterogeneous rural landscapes and viable agricultural diversity in the future.

Prediction of soil shear strength in agricultural and natural environments of the Brazilian Cerrado

The objective of this work was to develop uni- and multivariate models to predict maximum soil shear strength (τmax) under different normal stresses (σn), water contents (U), and soil managements. The study was carried out in a Rhodic Haplustox under Cerrado (control area) and under no-tillage and conventional tillage systems. Undisturbed soil samples were taken in the 0.00-0.05 m layer and subjected to increasing U and σn, in shear strength tests. The uni- and multivariate models - respectively τmax=10(a+bU) and τmax=10(a+bU+cσn) - were significant in all three soil management systems evaluated and they satisfactorily explain the relationship between U, σn, and τmax. The soil under Cerrado has the highest shear strength (τ) estimated with the univariate model, regardless of the soil water content, whereas the soil under conventional tillage shows the highest values with the multivariate model, which were associated to the lowest water contents at the soil consistency limits in this management system.

A Monte Carlo approach to the inverse problem of diffuse pollution risk in agricultural catchments

The hydrological and biogeochemical processes that operate in catchments influence the ecological quality of freshwater systems through delivery of fine sediment, nutrients and organic matter. Most models that seek to characterise the delivery of diffuse pollutants from land to water are reductionist. The multitude of processes that are parameterised in such models to ensure generic applicability make them complex and difficult to test on available data. Here, we outline an alternative - data-driven - inverse approach. We apply SCIMAP, a parsimonious risk based model that has an explicit treatment of hydrological connectivity. we take a Bayesian approach to the inverse problem of determining the risk that must be assigned to different land uses in a catchment in order to explain the spatial patterns of measured in-stream nutrient concentrations. We apply the model to identify the key sources of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) diffuse pollution risk in eleven UK catchments covering a range of landscapes. The model results show that: 1) some land use generates a consistently high or low risk of diffuse nutrient pollution; but 2) the risks associated with different land uses vary both between catchments and between nutrients; and 3) that the dominant sources of P and N risk in the catchment are often a function of the spatial configuration of land uses. Taken on a case-by-case basis, this type of inverse approach may be used to help prioritise the focus of interventions to reduce diffuse pollution risk for freshwater ecosystems. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effects of productivity on profitability: a case study at firm level using an activity-based costing approach

Productivity and profitability are important concepts and measures describing the performance and success of a firm. We know that increase in productivity decreases the costs per unit produced and leads to better profitability. This common knowledge is not, however, enough in the modern business environment. Productivity improvement is one means among others for increasing the profitability of actions. There are many means to increase productivity. The use of these means presupposes operative decisions and these decisions presuppose informationabout the effects of these means. Productivity improvement actions are in general made at floor level with machines, cells, activities and human beings. Profitability is most meaningful at the level of the whole firm. It has been very difficult or even impossible to analyze closely enough the economical aspects of thechanges at floor level with the traditional costing systems. New ideas in accounting have only recently brought in elements which make it possible to considerthese phenomena where they actually happen. The aim of this study is to supportthe selection of objects to productivity improvement, and to develop a method to analyze the effects of the productivity change in an activity on the profitability of a firm. A framework for systemizing the economical management of productivity improvement is developed in this study. This framework is a systematical way with two stages to analyze the effects of productivity improvement actions inan activity on the profitability of a firm. At the first stage of the framework, a simple selection method which is based on the worth, possibility and the necessity of the improvement actions in each activity is presented. This method is called Urgency Analysis. In the second stage it is analyzed how much a certain change of productivity in an activity affects the profitability of a firm. A theoretical calculation model with which it is possible to analyze the effects of a productivity improvement in monetary values is presented. On the basis of this theoretical model a tool is made for the analysis at the firm level. The usefulness of this framework was empirically tested with the data of the profit center of one medium size Finnish firm which operates in metal industry. It is expressedthat the framework provides valuable information about the economical effects of productivity improvement for supporting the management in their decision making.

The effect of age at the first mating and herd size on the lifetime productivity of sows

The effect of age at the first mating and herd size were evaluated in the reference Spanish Databank (BDporc) of 37 698 sows born between 1991 and 1995 and with individual lifetime records. The data included dates of births at entrance and culling, first mating, repetitive mating and conception, first farrowing and weaning records. Individual records were validated before the analysis by screening them through a tolerance “filter” in order to eliminate the extreme values from the analysis. The total database of the sows was classified in 7 classes according to age at the first mating (< 210, 210–220, 221–230, 231–240, 241–250, 251–270, and > 270 days) and in 6 classes of herd size (< 200, 200–300, 301–400, 401–600, 601–800, and > 800 sows). The total number of litters and number of weaned piglets obtained from each sow during the lifetime production were significantly (P < 0.05) greater for gilts between 221 and 240 d of age at the first mating. There was a significant (P < 0.001) effect of the herd size on the reproductive performance of the sow, and the best performance was obtained with herds with 401 to 600 sows compared to < 200 or > 800 sow-herds. Furthermore, a significant (P < 0.001) interaction between age at the first mating and herd size was detected and can be associated with a particular pattern for the herd size class 401–600 sows with the best performances obtained for the sows first mated at less than 200 days. For the other herd sizes, the results indicated that sows mated for the first time at the right age, 221–240 days, are more productive, both in the number and size of the parities throughout lifetime production.

Competitive positioning of Spanish agricultural cooperatives

Cooperatives are the basis of the social economy in many agricultural sectors. The present research work investigates the management situation of the olive oil cooperatives in Catalonia. The study identifies a typology of cooperatives based on their attitudes towards to the sector. A positioning map of the different types of cooperatives is then established on the basis of their characteristics. The study concludes with important managerial aspects of olive oil cooperatives in Catalonia.

On diversity effects of alternative agricultural policy reforms in Finland : an agricultural sector modelling approach

Selostus: Maatalouspolitiikkauudistusten vaikutuksista pellonkäytön diversiteettiin

Influence of floral structure and flower bud quality on productivity and fruit shape in different apple cultivars

This study examines the relationship between floral structure and bud quality with the productivity and fruit shape of Gala, Fuji and Daiane apple cultivars under the mild winter conditions in Southern Brazil. Six different types of floral structures were characterized in field growing plants, according to their nature and bud size: spurs, short and long twigs with weak and vigorous buds. Variables related to the phenology and the productivity for these different structures were evaluated. Gala and Fuji cvs. showed earlier phenological development in the twigs, and cv. Daiane in the spurs. For the three cvs. the highest percentage of buds in each phenological phase was observed in the long twigs. The long twigs also showed the highest sprout and fruit set index, floral number per cluster, and leaf area in the three cvs., while the bud abortion was higher in the spurs than in the twigs. No difference was observed among the structures in cvs. Gala and Fuji regarding to the fruit shape. In the cv. Daiane, however, a tendency to higher length diameter ratio of the fruits produced by the long twigs was observed.

Procurement, Quality and Productivity Enhancements and Manufacturing Strategy Formulation Applying Product Life Cycle Method

The objective of the thesis was to create a framework that can be used to define a manufacturing strategy taking advantage of the product life cycle method, which enables PQP enhancements. The starting point was to study synkron implementation of cost leadership and differentiation strategies in different stages of the life cycles. It was soon observed that Porter’s strategies were too generic for the complex and dynamic environment where customer needs deviate market and product specifically. Therefore, the strategy formulation process is based on the Terry Hill’s order-winner and qualifier concepts. The manufacturing strategy formulation is initiated with the definition of order-winning and qualifying criteria. From these criteria there can be shaped product specific proposals for action and production site specific key manufacturing tasks that they need to answer in order to meet customers and markets needs. As a future research it is suggested that the process of capturing order-winners and qualifiers should be developed so that the process would be simple and streamlined at Wallac Oy. In addition, defined strategy process should be integrated to the PerkinElmer’s SGS process. SGS (Strategic Goal Setting) is one of the PerkinElmer’s core management processes. Full Text: Null

Labor Mobility and Productivity Growth

[cat] Els models de creixement amb aprenentatge suposen que el coneixement après en producció es transmet de forma lliure i instantània a tota l'economia. En con- seqüència, l'economia presenta economies d'escala creixents i el creixement de la productivitat (TFP) és endògena. No obstant, el supòsit de difusió instantània del coneixement és poc realista. La difusió del coneixement necessita temps i algun canal de transmissió. En aquest article suposem que el coneixement es transmet amb la contractació de treballadors nous (learning-by-hiring). En el nostre model la difusió instantània i lliure de coneixement pot ocórrer només dins d'un sector. La difusió de coneixement entre sectors pot ocórrer només a través de la mobilitat de treballadors, i per tant, el mercat de treball determina el nivell i la taxa de creixement de productivitat (TFP). Estudiem com els costos de mobilitat laboral modifiquen l'equilibri sota dos escenaris: creixement endogen i exogen. A més, demostrem que d'altres ineficiències del mercat laboral, com són les taxes o els costos de cerca, poden reduir la mobilitat laboral, i per tant, modificar la TFP.

Labor Mobility and Productivity Growth

[cat] Els models de creixement amb aprenentatge suposen que el coneixement après en producció es transmet de forma lliure i instantània a tota l'economia. En con- seqüència, l'economia presenta economies d'escala creixents i el creixement de la productivitat (TFP) és endògena. No obstant, el supòsit de difusió instantània del coneixement és poc realista. La difusió del coneixement necessita temps i algun canal de transmissió. En aquest article suposem que el coneixement es transmet amb la contractació de treballadors nous (learning-by-hiring). En el nostre model la difusió instantània i lliure de coneixement pot ocórrer només dins d'un sector. La difusió de coneixement entre sectors pot ocórrer només a través de la mobilitat de treballadors, i per tant, el mercat de treball determina el nivell i la taxa de creixement de productivitat (TFP). Estudiem com els costos de mobilitat laboral modifiquen l'equilibri sota dos escenaris: creixement endogen i exogen. A més, demostrem que d'altres ineficiències del mercat laboral, com són les taxes o els costos de cerca, poden reduir la mobilitat laboral, i per tant, modificar la TFP.

HARVEST LABOR QUALITY AND PRODUCTIVITY:CASE STUDY OF CHERRY GROWING IN CHILE

In Chile, the cherry tree has been one of the fastest growing and most profitable crops in the last ten years. However, increasing production costs, the scarcity of hired labor, and unfavorable exchange rates have reduced the productivity and competitiveness of the Chilean fruit sector. The aim of this article is to evaluate the harvest labor quality in cherry growing in Chile through the use of productivity indicators. A harvest labor evaluation system (HLES) was designed and four indicators were measured: Average Weight of Harvested Box, Average Daily Production per Worker, Percent of Export Fruit, and Percent of Fruit Discarded. Significant differences werefound between the 2010/11 season (with the HLES implementation) and the previous seasons without HLES. The average worker yield, average weight of a filled box, and fruit quality improved, while the amount of discarded fruit decreased. Hired labor management in agriculture is crucial for improving the productivity of the fresh fruit export producers. The use of HLES and the adoption of new technologies could help to solve the competitiveness problem in the Chilean fruit sector.

Agricultural land use and human presence around breeding sites increase stress-hormone levels and decrease body mass in barn owl nestlings.

Human activities can have a suite of positive and negative effects on animals and thus can affect various life history parameters. Human presence and agricultural practice can be perceived as stressors to which animals react with the secretion of glucocorticoids. The acute short-term secretion of glucocorticoids is considered beneficial and helps an animal to redirect energy and behaviour to cope with a critical situation. However, a long-term increase of glucocorticoids can impair e.g. growth and immune functions. We investigated how nestling barn owls (Tyto alba) are affected by the surrounding landscape and by human activities around their nest sites. We studied these effects on two response levels: (a) the physiological level of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, represented by baseline concentrations of corticosterone and the concentration attained by a standardized stressor; (b) fitness parameters: growth of the nestlings and breeding performance. Nestlings growing up in intensively cultivated areas showed increased baseline corticosterone levels late in the season and had an increased corticosterone release after a stressful event, while their body mass was decreased. Nestlings experiencing frequent anthropogenic disturbance had elevated baseline corticosterone levels, an increased corticosterone stress response and a lower body mass. Finally, breeding performance was better in structurally more diverse landscapes. In conclusion, anthropogenic disturbance affects offspring quality rather than quantity, whereas agricultural practices affect both life history traits.