Invertebrate distribution patterns and river typology for the implementation of the water framework directive in Martinique, French Lesser Antilles

Over the past decade, Europe's Water Framework Directive provided compelling reasons for developing tools for the biological assessment of freshwater ecosystem health in member States. Yet, the lack of published study for Europe's overseas regions reflects minimal knowledge of the distribution patterns of aquatic species in Community's outermost areas. Benthic invertebrates (84 taxa) and land cover, physical habitat and water chemistry descriptors (26 variables) were recorded at fifty-one stations in Martinique, French Lesser Antilles. Canonical Correspondence Analysis and Ward's algorithm were used to bring out patterns in community structure in relation to environmental conditions, and variation partitioning was used to specify the influence of geomorphology and anthropogenic disturbance on invertebrate communities. Species richness decreased from headwater to lowland streams, and species composition changed from northern to southern areas. The proportion of variation explained by geomorphological variables was globally higher than that explained by anthropogenic variables. Geomorphology and land cover played key roles in delineating ecological sub-regions for the freshwater biota. Despite this and the small surface area of Martinique (1080 km²), invertebrate communities showed a clear spatial turnover in composition and biological traits (e.g., insects, crustaceans and molluscs) in relation to natural conditions

Short Note on the Unemployment Rate of the “French overseas regionsâ€

This article analyzes the hysteresis hypothesis in the unemployment rates of the four “French overseas regions†(Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guyana, Reunion) [FORs] over the period 1993-2008. We use standard univariate and panel unit root tests, among them Choi (2006) and Lopez (2009) that account for cross-sectional dependence and have improved performance when the number of countries and the time dimension of the data are limited. Our results cannot reject the null hypothesis of a unit root and so find evidence supporting hysteresis in the unemployment rates for the FORs.Hysteresis, Unemployment, Panel unit root test, cross-section dependence, convergence

Regional growth, national membership and European structural funds : an empirical appraisal

regional development

Acting Locally, Thinking Globally: International Grantmaking Trends for US foundations

This study analyses trends of international grantmaking of US foundations and found out that, while US foundations' funding overseas has increased since 1990, the entire increase is attributable to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Excluding their grants, international giving as a percentage of total grants of US foundations has actually declined. Also, international giving is concentrated: the top 25 foundations account for more than 64% of all international giving. The report analyses a number of barriers for greater international giving and proposes a strategy to promote greater engagement overseas