Correlation between Linguistic Measures: An Extended Analysis

In this paper we reconsider the results that appeared originally in Coloma (2017) about the possible existence of negative correlation between linguistic measures, using a newly-assembled database of 80 languages for which we have the same text (which is the fable known as “The North Wind and the Sun”). Most conclusions of the original paper become reinforced, especially the ones related to the existence of language complexity trade-offs. This is particularly clear when we look at partial correlation coefficients between three linguistic ratios (phonemes per syllable, syllables per word, and words per clause), especially when we use simultaneous-equation regression methods and instrumental variables

The placement of the head that maximizes predictability. An information theoretic approach

The minimization of the length of syntactic dependencies is a well-established principle of word order and the basis of a mathematical theory of word order. Here we complete that theory from the perspective of information theory, adding a competing word order principle: the maximization of predictability of a target element. These two principles are in conflict: to maximize the predictability of the head, the head should appear last, which maximizes the costs with respect to dependency length minimization. The implications of such a broad theoretical framework to understand the optimality, diversity and evolution of the six possible orderings of subject, object and verb are reviewed.Comment: in press in Glottometric

Water-Energy-Food Nexus Assessment Framework for Integrated Resource Management

Water, energy, and food (WEF) security are fundamental to human welfare and sustainable development, and WEF sectors are inevitably interconnected. Conventional sectoral policy- and decision-making in ‘silos’ may lead to unintended consequences to other sectors beyond objectives and scales or cause maladaptation. The uncertainty in climatic and socio-economic changes increases the level of complexity and challenges in WEF resources management. Addressing these issues calls for a “nexus” approach that aims to untangle interactions among sectors and identify opportunities to reduce trade-offs while building synergies to promote overall resource use efficiency, resource security, and policy coherence. This thesis aims to advance the understanding of integrated resource management, in particular, water, energy, and food, under historical conditions and future changes by proposing a comprehensive water-energy-food nexus assessment framework (WEFNAF). Three steps have been designed to achieve this goal. First, a WEF nexus model using the system dynamics approach has been developed. This model is applied to the Province of Saskatchewan, Canada, and so is named WEF-Sask. WEF-Sask captures the essential linkages and feedback loops among the water, energy, and food sectors, including water use for energy and agricultural (rainfed and irrigated) production, energy demand for agricultural activities and water supplies, and bio-crops (wheat and canola) for bioenergy production. The hydropower-irrigation trade-offs and synergetic benefits from the expanded use of other renewable energy sources are highlighted. Second, WEF-Sask is coupled with a climate downscaling tool and hydrological models to investigate the WEF nexus behavior under ensembles of hydroclimatic conditions and policy options. Based on preset agricultural and hydropower production targets or thresholds, favorable and unfavorable scenarios are identified and suggestions to improve the nexus performance are provided. Third, sector-specific adaptation strategies in the agriculture sector are proposed in response to potential hydroclimatic changes in the future, including agronomic measures and genetic improvements in crop cultivars. These strategies are evaluated from a WEF nexus perspective, including crop yield, water use efficiency (WUE), green and blue water use, associated energy demand for irrigation water supply and application, and impacts on hydropower production under uncertain hydroclimatic conditions. This thesis provides a set of insightful findings and suggestions for WEF nexus management. The WEF-Sask model shows overall good performance and has the potential to help investigate trade-offs and synergies as well as test response options or evaluate mitigation and adaptation strategies in response to changing hydroclimatic or socioeconomic conditions. Sensitivity analysis shows that crop production is highly sensitive to climate change, while socioeconomic factors (e.g., population, GDP, crude oil reserve/price, natural gas reserve/price) significantly affect the energy and water sectors as well as greenhouse gas emissions. In short, total water demand is most sensitive to population, air temperature, and precipitation. Future hydroclimatic changes cause uncertainty in the WEF nexus, and water deficit resulting from possible decreasing transboundary flows and local dry weather in Saskatchewan significantly threaten the WEF nexus performance. Moreover, irrigation expansion intensifies hydropower-irrigation trade-offs in dry conditions. Renewable energy expansion (wind power expansion and expanded use of bioenergy), the most effective climate change mitigation option in Saskatchewan, brings synergetic benefits by saving water from thermal power cooling and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, the expanded use of bioenergy (ethanol and biodiesel) in transportation is likely to significantly reduce wheat and canola surplus (export potential), resulting in trade-offs between sustainable energy and food. Climate characterized by a large increase in temperature with less rainfall will likely reduce agricultural production, to which it will be difficult to adapt; however, irrigation expansion can be employed to more easily adapt to climates characterized by a moderate temperature increase with slightly less rainfall or higher temperature increase with slightly higher rainfall. Additionally, the benefits of irrigation expansion in Saskatchewan for total food and feed production are likely to be fully offset by climate change. Therefore, it is of great importance to adopt mitigation strategies that slow down the global warming rate to make adaptations easier. Largely or fully offsetting agricultural production losses from climate change is unlikely to be achieved through individual adaptation strategies in the agriculture sector. Instead, combining individual strategies of earlier planting date, cultivars with a larger growing degree days requirement, and lower soil water evaporation can significantly compensate for the agricultural production losses from climate change and increase crop water use efficiency while mitigating the environmental burden (e.g., blue water use, energy consumption for irrigation) and hydropower-irrigation trade-offs. This result indicates that strategies involving effective water use, such as reducing soil water evaporation (alone or combined with other individual adaptation strategies), can benefit the overall food, water, and energy sectors. This strategy seems appropriate for water-scarce regions where large irrigation expansion is infeasible. Moreover, if irrigation expansion is also included, the agricultural production losses from climate change can be almost fully offset; however, this strategy requires considerable extra water and energy use for irrigation and a reduction in hydropower production

The placement of the head that maximizes predictability: An information theoretic approach

The minimization of the length of syntactic dependencies is a well-established principle of word order and the basis of a mathematical theory of word order. Here we complete that theory from the perspective of information theory, adding a competing word order principle: the maximization of predictability of a target element. These two principles are in conflict: to maximize the predictability of the head, the head should appear last, which maximizes the costs with respect to dependency length minimization. The implications of such a broad theoretical framework to understand the optimality, diversity and evolution of the six possible orderings of subject, object and verb, are reviewed.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Mapping the Evolution of "Clusters": A Meta-analysis

This paper presents a meta-analysis of the “cluster literature” contained in scientific journals from 1969 to 2007. Thanks to an original database we study the evolution of a stream of literature which focuses on a research object which is both a theoretical puzzle and an empirical widespread evidence. We identify different growth stages, from take-off to development and maturity. We test the existence of a life-cycle within the authorships and we discover the existence of a substitutability relation between different collaborative behaviours. We study the relationships between a “spatial” and an “industrial” approach within the textual corpus of cluster literature and we show the existence of a “predatory” interaction. We detect the relevance of clustering behaviours in the location of authors working on clusters and in measuring the influence of geographical distance in co-authorship. We measure the extent of a convergence process of the vocabulary of scientists working on clusters.Cluster, Life-Cycle, Cluster Literature, Textual Analysis, Agglomeration, Co-Authorship

Theoretical research on circular economy and sustainability trade-offs and synergies

Circular economy (CE) and sustainability are interrelated, without being exchangeable. While sustainability tries to reconcile the management of productive resources with their increasing consumption, CE aims to make the productive process more efficient, reducing, reusing and recycling the results of the productive process as much as possible. The aim of this paper is to ascertain the systemic structure of interactions between sustainability and CE through the analysis of the existing literature from 2004 to 2021. For this purpose, a computational literature review and a content analysis of the main contributions of CE and sustainability, within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), were conducted. The results show that there is a positive impact of the synergy between CE strategies and certain SDGs. Specifically, the circular strategies that generate the greatest synergies have to do with preserving materials through recycling, downcycling, and the measurement of indicators or reference scenarios. This is what has led to the inclusion of these concepts in the formulation of policies and strategies, as their multidisciplinary nature allows them to have an impact on areas such as agriculture or innovation, which currently lack specific measures. Therefore, the knowledge derived from this study will contribute favorably to future decisions and actions to be considered, as there is still the potential to legislate in favor of an even more sustainable framework