Open Data Quality Evaluation: A Comparative Analysis of Open Data in Latvia

Nowadays open data is entering the mainstream - it is free available for every stakeholder and is often used in business decision-making. It is important to be sure data is trustable and error-free as its quality problems can lead to huge losses. The research discusses how (open) data quality could be assessed. It also covers main points which should be considered developing a data quality management solution. One specific approach is applied to several Latvian open data sets. The research provides a step-by-step open data sets analysis guide and summarizes its results. It is also shown there could exist differences in data quality depending on data supplier (centralized and decentralized data releases) and, unfortunately, trustable data supplier cannot guarantee data quality problems absence. There are also underlined common data quality problems detected not only in Latvian open data but also in open data of 3 European countries.Comment: 24 pages, 2 tables, 3 figures, Baltic J. Modern Computin

GIS-based palaeogeographical reconstructions of the Baltic Sea shores in Estonia and adjoining areas during the Stone Age

Väitekirja elektrooniline versioon ei sisalda publikatsiooneLäänemeremaadest on leitud palju kiviaegseid asulakohti, mille arheoloogiline leiumaterjal viitab rannasidusale elatusviisile, kuid mis asuvad tänapäeval merest kaugel. Käesolevas doktoritöös rekonstrueeriti meretaseme muutused, paleorannavööndid ja –maastikud kiviaegsete asulakohtade ümbruses Narva-Lauga klindilahes, Tallinna kesklinnas ja Ruhnu saarel, et välja selgitada nende asulakohtade paiknemine omaaegses maastikus. Selleks kasutati geoinfosüsteemipõhist lähenemist, milles korreleeriti ruumiliselt ja ajaliselt mitmed loodusteaduslikud ning arheoloogilised andmestikud. Paleogeograafiliste rekonstruktsioonide alusel leiti, et Narva-Lauga piirkonnas oli kiviaegne küttide-kalurite-korilaste asustus seotud seal u. 7000-5000 aastat tagasi eksisteerinud ulatusliku laguuni kallastega. Ruhnu saarel rajati u. 7200 ja 6200 aastat tagasi kiviaegsed jahilaagrid otse rannavööndisse, vaid mõne meetri võrra meretasemest kõrgemale. Samuti Tallinna kesklinnas Vabaduse väljaku alal 5000 aasta eest, mis sel ajal moodustas osa avatud lahe rannast. Rekonstruktsioonid näitasid, et asustusmuster muutus u. 4700 aastat tagasi, mil asulakohti hakati rajama sisemaale seoses üleminekuga põlluharimisele ja karjakasvatusele. Töö tulemused kinnitavad loodusteaduslike andmete ja geoinformaatiliste meetoditega arheoloogilisi hüpoteese Eesti ja lähialade kiviaegse asustuse paiknemise kohta, täpsustavad rannasidusa elatusviisiga ajajärgu kestust ning kiviaja inimeste elupaigaeelistusi ja kohastumust erinevat tüüpi rannikutel. Seeläbi aitab töö kaasa kultuuripärandi tõlgendamisele ja väärtustamisele.In the Baltic Sea region many Stone Age settlement sites have been found, which show evidence for shore-connected habitation, but are presently located far from the seashore. In this thesis, past sea level changes and palaeolandscapes around Stone Age settlement sites in Narva-Luga lowland, Tallinn city centre and on Ruhnu Island were reconstructed in order to define the location of the settlements compared to their contemporary shoreline and coastal setting. Geographic information system approach was used for palaeogeographical modelling based on spatio-temporal correlation of datasets originating from several natural science and archaeological research disciplines. Palaeogeographical reconstructions show that in Narva-Luga area hunter-fisher-gatherer settlements were located on the shores of a large lagoon, which existed there c. 7000-5000 years ago. On Ruhnu Island hunting and fishing camps were established directly in the beach zone, only a few metres above sea level at about 7200 and 6200 years ago. Similarly, in Tallinn, 5000 years ago a camp was established on the beach of the wide palaeo-bay, which shore crossed the city centre at that time. The reconstructions showed that this settlement pattern changed c. 4700 years ago, when areas away from the coast were chosen for habitation, indicating a shift in subsistence strategy towards farming. Using data of natural sciences and methods of geoinformatics, the results of this thesis prove archaeological hypotheses about Stone Age settlement pattern and preferred settlement locations, specify the period of the shore-bound habitation and adaption of Stone Age people on different types of coasts. Thus this study contributes to interpretation and valuation of cultural heritage

Invasiivsete liikide roll riimveeliste põhjakoosluste struktuuri ja biomassi muutustes

Väitekirja elektrooniline versioon ei sisalda publikatsiooneVõõrliikide arv Läänemeres kasvab tõusvas tempos. 2015. aastaks oli Läänemeres raporteeritud 130 võõrliiki ja 2022. aastal on võõrliikide arv juba 220. Mitmed võõrliigid on loonud suuri populatsioone ja mõjutavad looduslikke Läänemere ökosüsteeme. Looduslikult on Läänemere põhjakooslused liigivaesed ja esineb palju väheasustatud funktsionaalseid nišše, seega on võõrliikidel palju võimalusi uues elupaigas kanda kinnitada ning oluliselt mõjutada kogu ökosüsteemi funktsioneerimist ja ökosüsteemi teenuseid. Käesolevas doktoritöös käsitletakse olulisi teadmiste lünki võõrliikide (ümarmudil ja harilik rändkrabi) levikus, käitumise eripärades ja mõjudes Läänemeres. Liikide mõju looduslikele ökosüsteemidele uuriti nii eksperimentaalselt kui ka pikkade põhjaloomastiku aegridade uuringutega. Laboratoorsed uuringud näitasid, et mõlemad uued merepõhja kiskjad suudavad süüa suures koguses looduslike põhjakoosluste dominantliike. Põhjaloomastiku pikkade andmeridade analüüs kinnitas, et eksperimentaalselt nähtud intensiivne toitumine toimub ka looduskeskkonnas. Ümarmudil on juba ära söönud suure osa Eesti rannikumere karbipopulatsioonidest, kes toimivad rannikumere loodusliku filtrina ja vähendavad eutrofeerumise ilminguid. Harilik rändkrabi vähendab põhjaloomastiku biomassi ja liigirikkust ning krabi mõju on ulatuslikum, kui kliimamuutustest eeldatavast toiteainekasvust tingitud suurem populatsiooni juurdekasv. Võõrliikide tekitatud muutuste mõju levib ka teistele ökosüsteemi tasemetele ning muutusi mõne piirkonna veesambas on juba täheldatud. Lisaks võivad võõrliigid ökosüsteemi mõjutada ka kui rannikukalade uute toiduobjektidena. Doktoritöö käigus näidati, et ümarmudil on muutunud oluliseks toiduobjektiks ahvenale, kuid hetkel veel ei mõjuta ümarmudila arvukus ahvena üldist toitumust. Seega, suure tõenäosusega ei suuda ahven hetkel ümarmudila arvukust kontrollida ja faktorid, mis hakkavad piirama võõrliikide arvukust, vajavad uurimist tulevikus. Antud doktoritöö näitab selgelt, et võõrliikidel on märkimisväärne roll Läänemere ökosüsteemides ja on oluline, et kõik Läänemere majandamise ja hea keskkonnaseisundi hoidmisega seotud otsused arvestaksid võõrliikide rolliga.Alien species are arriving to the Baltic Sea at high rates. By 2022, already 220 alien species have been recorded in the Baltic Sea. Many of these species have established large populations and are affecting the Baltic Sea ecosystems. Since there are low numbers of native species in the benthic communities of the Baltic Sea, many vacant functional niches are ready to be inhabited by the novel species. Addition of a functionally novel species has the potential to severely effect the Baltic Sea ecosystem functioning and the services they provide. In this thesis large knowledge caps on how these species spread and act in their new environment were addressed. The species long-lasting impact was investigated with both manipulative experiments and long timeseries investigations. Experimental studies showed that the novel benthic predators, the round goby and the Harris mud crab, are able to consume high amounts of all dominant native invertebrates. Field studies showed that the strong impact of alien species observed in experimental communities are also happening in natural communities. The round goby has removed substantial amounts of benthic bivalves from the Estonian coastal sea, who are acting as a natural filter and buffering eutrophication effects. The Harris mud crab reduced benthic invertebrate biomass, even in an elevated nutrient future climate scenario. These impacts are also cascading to other trophic levels with observed increases in phytoplankton biomass. In addition, the alien species directly affect the ecosystem as novel prey objects. The round goby is already a dominant component in the diet of European perch. This thesis shows directly that alien species are playing an important role in the ecosystem and all decisions management and protection of the Baltic Sea ecosystem should consider the role of invasive species.https://www.ester.ee/record=b553329

ADEQUACY AND EQUITY OF PENSIONS AS A FUNCTION OF PENSION SYSTEM INSTITUTIONAL DESIGN: A CASE OF THE BALTIC STATES

Elektroniskā versija nesatur pielikumusOlgas Rajevskas promocijas darbs “Pensiju adekvātums un taisnīgums kā pensiju sistēmas institucionālā dizaina funkcijas: Baltijas valstu gadījums” fokusējas uz pensiju adekvātuma un taisnīguma noteicošo faktoru identificēšanu un izvērtēšanu. Pētījuma mērķ is ir salīdzināt Igaunijas, Latvijas un Lietuvas vecuma pensiju sistēmu institucionālo dizainu, identificēt, kā dizaina noteikti elementi ietekmē p ensiju adekvātumu un taisnīgumu . Darba pirmajā nodaļ ā analizētas diskusijas par pensiju sistēmas taksonomiju, tās funkcionālajiem un organizatoriskajiem elementiem, izvērtējuma kritērijiem, sniegta īsa pensiju ekonomikas analīze . Otrajā nodaļā analizēta pensiju lik umdošanas retrospektīva attīstī ba B a ltijas valstīs , kura i seko plašs spēkā esošo likumu un noteikumu izvērtējums . Trešajā nodaļā sniegta institucionālā diza ina salīdzinošā analīze un pašreizējo Baltijas valstu pensiju sistēmu funkcionēšana atbilstoši to adekvātuma un taisnīguma kritērijiem.Olga Rajevska ’s doctoral dissertation “Adequacy and Equity of Pensions as a Function of Pension System Institutional Design: a Case of the Baltic States” focuses on identifying and assessing key factors of pension adequacy and equity. The aim of th e study i s to compare the institutional design of old - age pension systems in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania; to identify how certain design elements impact adequacy and equity of pensions . The first chapter sets out the discussion on pension systems taxonomy , functional and organizational elements, criteria for evaluation and provides a brief analysis of the economics of pensions . The second chapter reviews retrospective development of pension legislation in the Baltic States followed by the analysis of current laws and regulations . The third chapter provides comparative analysis of the design and up - to - date performance of the pension systems in the Bal tic States , in respect of their compliance with adequacy and equity criteria

Poland on the New Silk Road. Current state and perspectives

The reactivation of the concept of the old Silk Road (SR), the so-called New Silk Road (NSR) or the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), formerly also known as the One Belt, One Road (OBOR), is aimed at generating additional value in the logistics network. The network of connections, proposed as a necessary part of the BRI, considers the Republic of Poland (RP) to be a key country for the creation of the route. The proposed book provides an overview of China’s relations with Poland in the context of the NSR. It also attempts to describe the impact which the BRI has on the land and maritime supply chains in Poland. In addition, it endeavours to answer questions about the opportunities and threats resulting from Poland’s participation in the initiative as well as to assess its further development prospects. To this end, the publication analyses various documents and publications or press releases on mutual Sino-Polish relations, particularly data published in numerous industry reports, national development strategies until 2030 or the European Union (EU) as well as local projects and statistics. The Authors also performed the scenario analysis on the basis of the PEST and SWOT analysis of the factors influencing the further development of the Chinese concept

Promotion of Social Policies – an Investment in the Future: Canada – European Union – Baltic States – Nordic Countries

This volume represents presentations, discussions and research papers in conjunction with the Forum for a Comparative Dialog- an Investment in the Future. The Forum was held in Riga at the University of Latvia on November 6-8, 2008 and was organised by the Centre for European and Transition Studies at the University of Latvia and Capilano University, Canada.This publication is funded by the European Commission Representation in Latvia