Evidence of Competition in Research Activity among Economic Department using Spatial Econometric Techniques

Despite the prevalence of both competitive forces and patterns of collaboration within academic communities, studies on research productivity generally treat universities as independent entities. By exploring the research productivity of all academic economists employed at 81 universities and 17 economic research institutes in Austria, Germany, and German-speaking Switzerland, this study determines whether a research unit’s productivity depends on that of neighboring research units. The significant negative relationship that is found implies competition for priority of discovery among individual researchers, as well as the universities and research institutes that employ them. In addition, the empirical results support the hypotheses that collaboration and the existence of economies of scale increase research productivity.Research productivity, Competition, Collaboration, Negative spatial autocorrelation, Geo-referenced point data

Agroecological and agroeconomic aspects of the grain and grain legumes (pulses) yield dynamic within the Dnipropetrovsk region (period 1966–2016)

This paper reveals the spatial and temporal patterns of grain and leguminous crops yield dynamics in Dnipropetrovsk region and evaluates the role of agro-environmental and agro-economic factors in their formation. Crop data were obtained from the State Statistics Service of Ukraine. The data of the grain and grain legumes (pulses) yield during 1966–2016 on average per year in the administrative districts of Dnipropetrovsk region was analysed. The obtained data indicate that average yields of cereals and leguminous crops within Dnipropetrovsk region varies from 24.3 to 33.4 CWT/ha. The smallest interannual variability in yield is typical for Vasylkivskyi district (CV = 9.9%), and the largest is typical for Yurivskyi district (CV = 27.7%). As a result of the principal component analysis of the cereals and leguminous crops yields variability, three principal components were extracted which together explain 81.2% of the overall yield variability. Principal component 1 explains 69.4% of the total variability. It indicates the total synchronous yields variation within the area investigated as all examined variables have high loading values on principal component 1. The administrative districts that form a belt located in the direction from the north east to the south west of the region have the most coordinated variance, which is reflected by principal component 1. Principal component 2 explains 6.8% of the yield variability. This principal component is sensitive to opposite yield dynamics of central and south-western districts on the one hand and the eastern and northern districts – on the other. Principal component 3 explains 4.9% of the yield variability. This principal component reveals the opposite dynamics of productivity of the central districts on the one hand and the northern and south-eastern districts on the other. The cluster analysis of administrative districts was conducted based on the dynamics of the yield of grain and leguminous as a result of which four clusters were identified. The clusters are geographically defined administrative districts, together forming spatially connected areas. The similar temporal yield dynamics of grain and leguminous crops as a result of interaction between endogenous and exogenous ecological factors is the main principle for revealling such ecologically homogeneous territories. Spatial distribution of principal components indicates a continual pattern, but their overlapping allows one to extract spatially discrete units, which we identified as agroecological zones. Each zone is characterized by a certain character and dynamics of production capacity and has an invariant pattern of response to varying climatic, environmental, and agroeconomic factors

Agroecological and agroeconomic aspects of the grain and grain legumes (pulses) yield dynamic within the Dnipropetrovsk region (period 1966–2016)

This paper reveals the spatial and temporal patterns of grain and leguminous crops yield dynamics in Dnipropetrovsk region and evaluates the role of agro-environmental and agro-economic factors in their formation. Crop data were obtained from the State Statistics Service of Ukraine. The data of the grain and grain legumes (pulses) yield during 1966–2016 on average per year in the administrative districts of Dnipropetrovsk region was analysed. The obtained data indicate that average yields of cereals and leguminous crops within Dnipropetrovsk region varies from 24.3 to 33.4 CWT/ha. The smallest interannual variability in yield is typical for Vasylkivskyi district (CV = 9.9%), and the largest is typical for Yurivskyi district (CV = 27.7%). As a result of the principal component analysis of the cereals and leguminous crops yields variability, three principal components were extracted which together explain 81.2% of the overall yield variability. Principal component 1 explains 69.4% of the total variability. It indicates the total synchronous yields variation within the area investigated as all examined variables have high loading values on principal component 1. The administrative districts that form a belt located in the direction from the north east to the south west of the region have the most coordinated variance, which is reflected by principal component 1. Principal component 2 explains 6.8% of the yield variability. This principal component is sensitive to opposite yield dynamics of central and south-western districts on the one hand and the eastern and northern districts – on the other. Principal component 3 explains 4.9% of the yield variability. This principal component reveals the opposite dynamics of productivity of the central districts on the one hand and the northern and south-eastern districts on the other. The cluster analysis of administrative districts was conducted based on the dynamics of the yield of grain and leguminous as a result of which four clusters were identified. The clusters are geographically defined administrative districts, together forming spatially connected areas. The similar temporal yield dynamics of grain and leguminous crops as a result of interaction between endogenous and exogenous ecological factors is the main principle for revealling such ecologically homogeneous territories. Spatial distribution of principal components indicates a continual pattern, but their overlapping allows one to extract spatially discrete units, which we identified as agroecological zones. Each zone is characterized by a certain character and dynamics of production capacity and has an invariant pattern of response to varying climatic, environmental, and agroeconomic factors. Keywords: agroecological factors; yield; grain; leguminous crops; spatial and temporal variability; principal components analysi

The effect of technological oil spill in soil within electrical generation substations, analysed by ecological regime in the context of relief properties

Technological oil spills within electrical substations are the source of considerable environmental contamination. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relation between phytoindication assessments of ecological factors and geomorphological covariates and investigate the effect of the technological oil spill on ecological regimes within electrical substations. During the fieldwork 175 geobotanical releves were analysed in the years 2016–2017 within Dnipropetrovsk region (Ukraine). Within each electrical substation the geobotanical prospecting was conducted both in plots with undisturbed vegetation cover (control, the plot size 3 × 6 m) and in plots with technological oil spill (pollution, plot size 3 × 3 m). Phytoindication assessment of the following ecological factors was made: soil water regime, soil aeration, soil acidity, total salt regime, carbonate content in the soil, nitrogen content in the soil, radiation balance, aridity or humidity, continental climate, cryo-climate, light regime. HydroSHEDS data were taken for the basis for creating a digital elevation model with resolution of the data layer 15 arcseconds. The phytoindication assessments of the ecological regimes are characterized by correlation of geomorphological properties. The soil humidity is characterized by statistically significant negative correlation with the topographic position index and positive correlation with the vector ruggedness measure. The variability of damping correlates with four geomorphological predictors. This environmental regime has positive correlation with digital elevation model and diffuse insolation and negative correlation with topographic wetness index and direct insolation. The soil acidity of the edaphotope within Dnipropetrovsk region correlates with statistical signiicance with the vector ruggedness measure. The soil humidity of the edaphotope is associated with variation of the topographic wetness index, direct insolation, diffuse insolation and entropy of terrain diversity. The highest carbonate content in the soil correlates with higher risks of erosion, which is characterized by loss of soil and vertical distance to channel network. The nitrogen content in the soil is very sensitive to geomorphological features of the area. This results in the correlation of this indicator with six geomorphological predictors. Obviously, the most favourable supply of the nitrogen content in the soil is formed on upland areas. This allows positive correlation of the phytoindication assessment of the nitrogen content in the soil and the height relief. The use of relief variable as the covariate revealed the nature of the impact of soil contamination on ecological factors. Technological oil pollution leads to deterioration of water regime, reducing the availability of plant available forms of nitrogen and deterioration of soil aeration. There are also changes in microclimatic properties. There are more extreme thermal regimes and greater level of illumination. A key task for further research is to study the influence of relief features on the degree of negative transformation of soil due to technological oil pollution

The effect of technological oil spill in soil within electrical generation substations, analysed by ecological regime in the context of relief properties

Technological oil spills within electrical substations are the source of considerable environmental contamination. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relation between phytoindication assessments of ecological factors and geomorphological covariates and investigate the effect of the technological oil spill on ecological regimes within electrical substations. During the fieldwork 175 geobotanical releves were analysed in the years 2016–2017 within Dnipropetrovsk region (Ukraine). Within each electrical substation the geobotanical prospecting was conducted both in plots with undisturbed vegetation cover (control, the plot size 3 × 6 m) and in plots with technological oil spill (pollution, plot size 3 × 3 m). Phytoindication assessment of the following ecological factors was made: soil water regime, soil aeration, soil acidity, total salt regime, carbonate content in the soil, nitrogen content in the soil, radiation balance, aridity or humidity, continental climate, cryo-climate, light regime. HydroSHEDS data were taken for the basis for creating a digital elevation model with resolution of the data layer 15 arcseconds. The phytoindication assessments of the ecological regimes are characterized by correlation of geomorphological properties. The soil humidity is characterized by statistically significant negative correlation with the topographic position index and positive correlation with the vector ruggedness measure. The variability of damping correlates with four geomorphological predictors. This environmental regime has positive correlation with digital elevation model and diffuse insolation and negative correlation with topographic wetness index and direct insolation. The soil acidity of the edaphotope within Dnipropetrovsk region correlates with statistical signiicance with the vector ruggedness measure. The soil humidity of the edaphotope is associated with variation of the topographic wetness index, direct insolation, diffuse insolation and entropy of terrain diversity. The highest carbonate content in the soil correlates with higher risks of erosion, which is characterized by loss of soil and vertical distance to channel network. The nitrogen content in the soil is very sensitive to geomorphological features of the area. This results in the correlation of this indicator with six geomorphological predictors. Obviously, the most favourable supply of the nitrogen content in the soil is formed on upland areas. This allows positive correlation of the phytoindication assessment of the nitrogen content in the soil and the height relief. The use of relief variable as the covariate revealed the nature of the impact of soil contamination on ecological factors. Technological oil pollution leads to deterioration of water regime, reducing the availability of plant available forms of nitrogen and deterioration of soil aeration. There are also changes in microclimatic properties. There are more extreme thermal regimes and greater level of illumination. A key task for further research is to study the influence of relief features on the degree of negative transformation of soil due to technological oil pollution

Competition in research activity among economic departments: Evidence by negative spatial autocorrelation

Despite the prevalence of both competitive forces and patterns of collaboration within academic communities, studies on research productivity generally treat universities as independent entities. By exploring the research productivity of all academic economists employed at 81 universities and 17 economic research institutes in Austria, Germany, and German-speaking Switzerland, this study finds that a research unit’s productivity negatively depends on that of neighboring research units weighted by inverse distances. This significant and exemplary robust negative relationship is compatible with the notion of competition for priority of discovery among individual researchers and the universities that employ them, and with the notion that the willingness to relocate decreases with distance. In addition, the empirical results support the hypotheses that collaboration and the existence of economies of scale increase research productivity

Ecological interactions between Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) and baleen whales in the South Sandwich Islands region – Exploring predator-prey biomass ratios

Following the cessation of whaling, the southwest Atlantic humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) population is thought to be close to pre-exploitation size, reversing 20th century changes in abundance. Using a model-based approach applied to concurrently collected data on baleen whale abundance and Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) biomass in the South Sandwich Islands (SSI) region, we explore ecological interactions between these taxa. Krill biomass and baleen whale density were highest to the north and northeast of the SSI, where the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) is deflected around the island chain. Humpback whale density was elevated at locations of krill biomass density >150 gm-2. Krill consumption by baleen whales was estimated at 19–29% of the available krill standing stock. We used historic whaling data to confirm the plausibility of these consumption rates and found evidence of rapid weight gain in humpback whales, such that blubber depleted during the breeding season could be restored in a much shorter period than previously assumed. Little is known about krill replenishment rates in the flow of the ACC, or about niche separation between recovering baleen whale populations; both factors may affect species carrying capacities and further monitoring will be required to inform the management of human activities in the region

Saariselän paikallistason geodiversiteetti ja sen arviointi alfa, beeta ja gamma -tasoilla

Tiivistelmä. Globaalimuutos on merkittävä uhka luonnon monimuotoisuudelle. Geodiversiteettiin kohdistuu kielteisiä vaikutuksia, jotka ovat osin suhteellisen pysyviä. Geodiversiteettiä esiintyy eri mittakaavoilla, mutta paikallistason tutkimusta ei ole juurikaan tehty. Geodiversiteetin kvantifioinnissa voidaan hyödyntää biodiversiteetin tutkimuksessa yleisesti käytettyä alfa (α)-, beeta (β)- ja gamma (µ)-diversiteetin näkökulmaa. Mittaus kohdistuu eliölajien sijasta erilaisiin geokohteisiin, mikä on uusi tapa kvantifioida elotonta luontoa. Tutkielmassa tarkasteltiin, millaisista geokohteista Saariselän paikallistason geodiversiteetti muodostuu ja millaista se on alfa, beeta ja gamma -tasoilla arvioituna. Neljältä pohjoisboreaaliselta metsänrajametsän vaaralta kerättiin visuaalisen havainnoinnin menetelmällä geodiversiteettiaineisto elokuussa 2022. Aineisto koostui geodiversiteetin eri osa-alueisiin kuuluvista erilaisista geokohdehavainnoista. Yksittäisen tutkimusalan geokohteita mittaava alfa-geodiversiteetti kvantifioitiin keskiarvokuvaajien, niiden tilastollisen testauksen ja akkumulaatiokäyrien avulla. Tutkimusalojen välistä geokohteiden vaihtelua mittaava beeta-geodiversiteetti visualisoitiin NMDS-kuvaajalla (non-metric multidimensional scaling) ja kvantifioitiin Jaccardin dissimilariteettiarvojen kautta. Alfa- ja beeta-geodiversiteettiä tarkasteltiin vaarakohtaisesti ja eri ilmansuuntiin sijoittuvilta tutkimusalagradienteilta. Niiden osalta testattiin spatiaalinen autokorrelaatio. Gamma-geodiversiteetti kvantifioitiin laskemalla koko tutkimusalueelta havaittujen erilaisten geokohteiden kokonaismäärä. Saariselän paikallistason geodiversiteetti oli verrattain homogeenista muodostuen yleisimmin vain tietyistä geologisista ja geomorfologisista geokohteista, kuten moreenista ja fysikaalisesta rapautumisesta. Paikalliset olosuhteet huomioiden tulokset olivat odotettuja. Geodiversiteetti oli myös melko alhaista tutkimusalakohtaisen alfa-geodiversiteetin ollessa yleisimmin kaksi. Siitä huolimatta alfa, beeta ja gamma -tasojen kautta saatiin tarkempaa tietoa paikallistason geodiversiteetin vaihtelusta ja sen erityispiirteistä. Tulokset osoittivat, että alfa, beeta ja gamma -tasojen kvantifiointi soveltuu geodiversiteetin tutkimukseen ja käytettäväksi myös pienellä tutkimusalueella. Tietoa tarvitaan esimerkiksi elottoman luonnon kestokyvyn arviointiin suhteessa käyttöpaineisiin ja geosuojelun kohdentamiseen. Lisäksi alfa, beeta ja gamma -tasojen soveltaminen biodiversiteetin ja geodiversiteetin tutkimukseen voi viedä luonnon monimuotoisuuden tutkimusta yhdenmukaisempaan suuntaan