1,055 research outputs found

    Syntax of change in the mid-twentieth century American house

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    How strongly is the spatial organization of a building related to its and its physical aspects and its stylistic attributes? The question is of particular relevance to space syntax theory since historically much of the analytical work on the morphology of buildings has been weighed in favor of spatial analysis partially resulting from the assumption that genotypical attributes are essentially lodged within the spatial syntax of a building and that the corporeal, or stylistic elements, carry much of the phenotypical information. Relatively scattered studies, by Hillier, Hanson, Peponis, Steadman, Amorim and Bafna over the years, as well as well empirical work by Henry Glassie on Virignian folkhousing and Mark Girourad on English country houses, have challenged this assumption, but a coherent reformulation is still not available. We offer additional insights into this issue through a study of parallel change in the formal, stylistic, and spatial attributes of the genotypical American house. Our data are drawn from the catalogues of the Aladdin Company, which was a major supplier of mail-order houses during the first half of the twentieth century. Our material is drawn from 35 catalogues (produced between 1908 and 1954), giving us access to detailed plans of 2687 houses, of which 760 were new models. We systematically chart changes in these new models, noting the proportional relationship between width and depth, footprint and floor-areas, number of floors, and the articulation of the front-façade, including the shape of the roof-line, and the presence of culturally significant elements such as porches. We also chart corresponding change in the spatial structure of the house, noting the shift in overall integration values, the location of integration core, and the distribution of connectivity values. Innovations in our methodology include (over and above the general approach of recording of systematic change in morphology over 50 years), a marking of genotypical change through the change in depth between the most integrated and the most connected rooms of the house. We show that the changes in the spatial form of the house systematically correspond to changes in the physical attributes, such that at times the spatial form lags as it accommodates to changes in the physical form, and that these changes correspond with well documented general social change in American domestic life. The findings additionally give us material to challenge a dominant assumption within anthropological thinking (particularly in the work of Susan Kent and Amos Rapoport) that architecture only reflects the life and does not actually have any formative influence on it. A final implication of this study is that it allows us to make a case for systematic analysis of the spatial structure of the house as critical factor in deciding the suitability of mid-twentieth century houses for cultural preservation

    Living alone or moving in herds? A holistic approach highlights complexity in the social lifestyle of Cretaceous ankylosaurs

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    Gregarious behaviour of large bodied herbivorous dinosaurs, such as ceratopsians, hadrosaurs and sauropods, has received much attention due to their iconic mass death assemblages (MDAs). Yet, social lifestyle of ankylosaurs, a highly specialized group of armoured herbivores that flourished predominantly during the Cretaceous Period, remains largely ambiguous. Whereas most ankylosaurs are found as isolated individuals, which may suggest a dominantly solitary lifestyle, the few examples of ankylosaur MDAs indicate that some members of the group could have been gregarious. In this review, we assess taphonomical history, ontogenetic composition of monotaxic MDAs, defence system and other comparative anatomical attributes, and inferred habitat preference; aspects that indicate and/or influence group formation in extant herbivores and can also be studied in fossils. We show that the ankylosaurian gross anatomy, such as their heavy armour, barrel-shaped body and usually stocky limbs, combined with the rarity of their MDAs and multiple parallel trackways, all suggest a solitary adult life with efficient anti-predator defence system, limited agility, and confined foraging range. However, characteristics of the known MDAs of Pinacosaurus, Gastonia, and the Iharkút nodosaurids evaluated in this study imply that at least some ankylosaurs formed groups. Nevertheless, we found no common and consistent set of features to explain why these particular ankylosaurs were gregarious. While inefficient anti-predator defence along with likely higher agility of juvenile Pinacosaurus living in open habitats could account for their gregarious behaviour, such ontogenetic, anatomical and habitat features are not combined either in Gastonia or in the Iharkút nodosaurid MDAs. Instead, members of each MDA likely had their own specific conditions driving them to form relatively small herds, indicating a more complex social structuring in ankylosaurs than previously acknowledged. Studying morphological and functional disparity within Ankylosauria may help explain the repertoire of their social behaviour. Our holistic approach shows that combining palaeontological and biological information is essential and can provide new insights into the behavioural ecology of long extinct vertebrates

    Efeitos do comportamento social de agentes dispersores nos padrões de movimento e deposição de sementes.

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    Seed dispersal is critical to the maintenance of healthy terrestrial habitats and to the regeneration of degraded habitats. As anthropogenic deforestation, fragmentation, and defaunation continue, animal-mediated seed dispersal mutualisms are likely to be disrupted, with potentially serious consequences for forest dynamics. In this review, we examine the degree to which disperser sociality may influence seed dispersal outcomes. Available data are sparse and suggest that the relationship is complex, but some basic trends do emerge from the work to date. Degree of sociality, or group size, may increase the distance seeds are dispersed but also can lead to increased clumped distributions. Territoriality and the resulting defense of resources are likely to reduce the scale of dispersal and lead to clumped seed distributions. Nesting and mating behaviors such as male display are also likely to lead to more clumped distributions. Clumped deposition can have either positive or negative impacts on seed fate, depending on microsite quality, which can vary greatly. In all cases, however, there are exceptions and caveats and the one clear finding from this review is that more work is needed on this subject. We suggest that comparative studies which assess seed dispersal services offered by closely related, syntopic species that vary in key behavioral parameters will be most enlightening. We also highlight the recent use of molecular markers as a particularly effective tool to infer the dispersal services of given species, and to assess the consequences for genetic structure of the plants they disperse. La dispersión de semillas es un evento importante para el mantenimiento de ecosistemas terrestres saludables y para la regeneración de hábitats degradados. Debido a la continua deforestación, fragmentación y pérdida de fauna silvestre, los mutualismos entre plantas y animales dispersores pueden ser interrumpidos, lo que tendría serias consecuencias para la dinámica del bosque. En esta revisión examinamos el nivel en el que la conducta social de los dispersores puede influenciar los patrones de dispersión de semillas. La información disponible es escasa y sugiere que la relación entre estos es compleja, pero algunos patrones pueden ser identificados. El grado de "sociabilidad" o tamaño de grupo puede aumentar la distancia de dispersión de las semillas pero también la agregación espacial de las semillas dispersadas. Se espera también que la territorialidad y la defensa por los recursos reduzcan la distribución espacial de la dispersión y causen una agregación de las semillas. La anidación y otros comportamientos reproductivos como los despliegues sexuales de los machos, también pueden dar lugar a una dispersión agregada de semillas. La agregación de semillas puede tener efectos positivos o negativos en la sobrevivencia de estas dependiendo de la calidad del micro-hábitat, la cual puede variar en gran manera. No obstante, para todos los casos hay excepciones y problemas y una de las conclusiones de esta revisión es que se necesita trabajar mas sobre este tema. En especial los estudios con marcadores moleculares han sido particularmente útiles en este campo, para inferir como los animales dispersan las semillas y para entender las consecuencias genéticas para las plantas dispersadas. Sugerimos que los estudios comparativos sobre los servicios de dispersión prestados por especies relacionadas y sintópicas que varían en su comportamiento serán particularmente esclarecedores.A dispersão de sementes é crucial para a manutenção dos ecossistemas terrestres e regeneração de áreas degradadas. Com a continuidade de atividades antropogênicas que levem ao desmatamento e consequente fragmentação e defaunamento de florestas tropicais, mutualismos entre plantas e animais dispersores podem ser interrompidos, com sérias consequências para as dinâmicas florestais. Nós examinamos como o comportamento social de agentes dispersores pode influenciar padrões de dispersão de sementes. Dados disponíveis na literatura são esparsos e sugerem que esta é uma relação complexa, porém algumas tendências podem ser identificadas. Sugerimos que o grau de socialidade, ou tamanho de grupo, deve aumentar a distância de dispersão, mas também a agregação espacial das sementes dispersadas. Territorialidade e defesa de recursos podem limitar a escala espacial da dispersão, e também causar agregação das sementes. Nidificação e outros comportamentos reprodutivos tais como apresentações sexuais de machos podem, igualmente, causar distribuição agregada de sementes. Essa distribuição agregada pode ter efeitos positivos ou negativos sobre a sobrevivência das sementes, dependendo da qualidade do micro-habitat onde são depositadas. Para todas as tendências apresentadas existem muitas exceções e problemas, e uma das poucas conclusões claras extraídas desta revisão é de que muito mais estudos são necessários sobre este tema. Em particular, marcadores moleculares têm sido particularmente úteis neste campo, tanto para inferir como animais dispersam sementes, como para entender as consequências genéticas para as plantas dispersadas. Sugerimos que estudos comparativos sobre os serviços de dispersão prestados por espécies proximamente relacionadas e sintópicas, mas divergentes em  comportamentos chave serão especialmente esclarecedores

    Parasitoids: metapopulation ecology and genetics, mating behaviour, and aphid host resistance

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    Das Verstehen von multitrophischen Interaktionen zwischen Parasitoiden und Blattläusen ist von theoretischem und praktischem Interesse. In dieser Arbeit wurden folgende Aspekte untersucht: 1) Metapopulationsdynamik und Genetik eines spezialisierten Parasitoiden und dessen Blattlaus-Wirtes, 2) Paarungsverhalten von Parasitoiden am Schlupfort und deren Beeinflussung durch Interaktionen mit Ameisen, und 3) Resistenzentwicklung von Blattläuse und deren Auswirkung auf die Fitness von Parasitoiden. Lysiphlebus hirticornis ist ein solitärer Parasitoid der die Blattlaus Metopeurum fuscoviride parasitiert, die ihrerseits auf Rheinfarn, Tanacetum vulgare, spezialisiert ist. T. vulgare kommt typischerweise in einer sehr lückenhaften Verteilung vor. Populationen von L. hirticornis folgen einer klassischen Metapopulationsdynamik, geprägt durch Prozesse des Aussterbens und der Wiederbesiedlung. Dieses tritrophische System wird verwendet um i) die genetische Differenzierung von L. hirticornis auf einer kleinen räumlichen Skala zu überprüfen und daraus das Ausbreitungspotenzial abzuleiten, ii) die Veränderung von Allelhäufigkeiten während einer Saison zu bestimmen und um iii) zu analysieren, wie das System unter hohem Parasitoidendruck fortbestehen kann. Dazu wurden L. hirticornis infizierte Blattlausmumien alle zwei Wochen zwischen Juni und Oktober 2007 an 11 verschiedenen Standorten von unterschiedlichen T. vulgare Pflanzen im Feld gesammelt. Die Standorte lagen in Distanzen von 217m bis 15000m voneinander entfernt. Die Phänologie der Pflanzen und die Populationsdynamik von M. fuscoviride und L. hirticornis wurden jeweils aufgenommen. Die DNA, von im Labor geschlüpften Parasitoiden, wurde zur Bestimmung des Genotyps extrahiert. Neun polymorphische Mikrosatelliten-Marker konnten von L. hirticornis isoliert werden und zwei weitere wurden in einem Cross-Amplification-Screening von bereits bekannten Markern zweier anderer Lysiphlebus Arten gefunden. Insgesamt wurden 11 polymorphische Mikrosatelliten für die populationsgenetische Arbeit verwendet. L. hirticornis Blattlausmumien konnten im Feld an allen Sandorten gefunden werden. Auf einigen Pflanzen-Geneten wurden ausschließlich parasitierte Blattläuse gefunden, wohingegen Blattlauskolonien anderer Geneten gänzlich von Parasitierungen verschont blieben. Die Bestimmung der Genotypen zeigt, dass sich die Anzahl der Allele der verschiedenen Standorte, unabhängig von der Stichprobengröße unterscheidet. Parasitoiden-Populationen verschiedener Standorte grenzten sich genetisch signifikant voneinander ab. Ein hoher Prozentsatz der Allel-Variation konnte durch den Pflanzen-Geneten erklärt werden, was darauf hindeutet dass die Einheit der Differenzierung eher der Genet als der Standort sein könnte. Diese Resultate bestätigen, dass L. hirticornis nur eine geringe Ausbreitung und einen hohen Grad an Inzucht aufweist. Eine räumliche Isolierung der Populationen konnte nicht nachgewiesen werden. Während der Saison nahm die Allelvielfalt ab und die Heterozygotie war im Sommer zunehmend und gegen das Ende der Saison abnehmend. Die Differenzierung der Parasitoiden-Populationen nahm tendenziell mit jener der Blattläuse zu, wobei die Blattlaus-Populationen jeweils stärker differenziert waren. Dies deutet darauf hin, dass der Differenzierungsprozess der Parasitoiden dem der Blattläuse hinterherhinkt. Somit könnte in Kombination mit Variationen in der Phänologie der Pflanzen und Heterogenität der Allele das gemeinsame Fortbestehen von Parasitoiden und Blattläusen erklärt werden

    Faculty Senate Newsletter, Holiday 2011

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    Message from President: With the arrival of the Advent season comes the temptation to make lists. Universities and their assorted faculty, political, and professional leaders rejoice in lists, whether the ranking lists published by US News and World Report or Kiplinger’s or the eruditionflaunting lists more commonly known as curriculum vitae or the lists of problems with so many aspects of academic life that everyone carries in the ever-running journal of his or her mind. Among the most salient lists are those enumerating the parties responsible for the decay of education in Louisiana. Compiling a list of those who have contributed to the wretchedness of our present condition leads to a diverting reciprocal blame-game in which faculty blame nefarious administrators, administrators jot down refractory faculty, and everyone blames either the legislature or the governor. Such lists provide an anodyne to the saccharine predictions about bright futures that emanate from central university offices across the country, but, at least in the case of Louisiana, they distract attention from the more fundamental causes that drive the aforementioned parties to act less than optimally. Not only Louisiana State University, not only the LSU System, but all the institutions in the state partake of greatness in their various and sundry and sometimes eccentric ways. Few institutions are without a cadre of remarkable persons who have undergone the combined fiery baptisms of hiring committees, economic pressure on the academy, inadequately socialized students, and shoddy facilities. Many if not all universities produce top-quality research while doing such other great exploits as their resources allow. Many political and administrative figures, whether the low-key Senator Nevers at the Capitol or the jolly Chancellor Nunez over at LSUE, make earnest if sometimes stumbling efforts to do the right thing. However wicked some of the personnel associated with education and its politics may be, the core of the trouble with Louisiana education is a lack of confidence. Starting at the top, it is lack of confidence that makes political bosses shy away from oil-related taxes, fearful that industrial magnates might take their support elsewhere when, in fact, those plutocrats would have a good deal even on far more demanding terms than are in force today. The top political leaders have so shaky an idea of Louisiana’s merits that they cannot see the strength of their negotiating positions. Further down the line, lack of confidence leads the gubernatorial appointees in the assorted education bureaus around the state to imagine that developing a workforce of night managers at chemical plants is the upper limit of our achievement. Around the campuses, underestimating the confidence of the voting public in their beloved schools induces local university chieftains to take a kid-glove approach to the legislature even when a good old educationally enhanced whack might win more respect. In dayto-day campus life, lack of confidence appears in a thousand guises. It can be detected in the frantic editing of university promotional videos, which communicate the fear that inspecting a scene for more than three seconds might lead to criticism. Lack of confidence appears in the retrogressive costumes of the LSU Golden Girls, perversely nostalgic costumes positing that 1970s Las Vegas was probably the last place that one could look for protection from an imaginary group of kind old daddies. Confidence shortages underlie the reluctance to include controversial or dissenting letters or other material in alumni publications—something included in the media distributions of every confident campus. A sad confidence shortage can be unearthed in the extraordinarily safe character of the program of the Union Theater. The confidence shortage can even be tasted in the high level of baby-reassuring sugar in LSU vending machines. In sum, the lack of confidence can be found everywhere, even in the deceptively calm but in fact nervously tentative if utterly neutral color palette of LSU interiors. The Faculty Senate Monthly Newsletter might be described as the ultimate nerve pill in the quivering world of Louisiana higher education. But it is not the only vehicle by which everyone in the university communities of our great state can be encouraged to think tough and to replace that glass jaw with a bit of Kevlar. All that is necessary to change the culture of anxiety that has given rise to our present circumstance is to ask, “have you hugged your dissident today?”—and mean it

    From Fan Parks to Live Sites: Mega events and the territorialisation of urban space

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    This article draws on the work of Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari to consider the phenomenon of Live Sites and Fan Parks which are now enshrined within the viewing experience of mega sports events. Empirically, the article draws upon primary research on Live Sites generated during the London 2012 Olympic Games. Live Sites are represented as new spaces within which to critically locate and conceptually explore the shifting dynamics of urban space, subjectivity and its performative politic. The authors argue that the first, or primary, spaces of mega sporting events (the official venues) and their secondary counterparts (Live Sites) simply extend brandscaping tendencies but that corporate striation is always incomplete, opening up possibilities for disruption and dislocation

    Technology and the dis-placing of learning in educational futures

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    Common visions of online education entail radically re-configuring the experience of learning: a technological displacement from the spatial order of classrooms into the more diffuse arena of digital networks. One assumption seems to be that the very spatial order of classrooms creates an undesirably rigid sense of place for schooling, one that is depressingly impervious to change; and that the attendant solution is to escape the realm of the ‘physical’ altogether – into an online realm more supportive of collaboration and free of face-the-front conventions. In the present paper we seek to challenge this oppositional view. We consider several ways in which digital technology can restructure the traditional spaces of educational practice, and identify design dynamics that may be neglected in the wake of ‘virtualisation’. Discussion first highlights two theoretical perspectives that will inform many such designs: namely, situativity and sociality in learning. Three examples are then provided of how digital technology can intersect with learning space design to create novel interpersonal frameworks for learning and to destabilise conventional senses of ‘place’ in those settings. The examples concern, respectively, the organisation of collaborative, expository, and community-based social structures for learning. Those examples represent an illustrative counterpoint to models of online schooling and illustrate a potentially productive synergy between the opportunities afforded by digital technologies, the desires of those who wish to dis-place learning online, and a well-established interest in learning space design
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