Investigating the Causal Relationship between Fossil Fuels Consumption and Economic Growth at Aggregate and Disaggregate Levels in Saudi Arabia

This paper studies the causal relationships between fossil fuels consumption, CO2 emissions and economic activity at aggregate and disaggregates levels in Saudi Arabia using the multivariate cointegration approach. The results show the existence of a long-run equilibrium relationship between fossil fuels consumption, carbon dioxide emissions and economic growth. Moreover, in the long-run the causality is unidirectional running from economic growth to energy consumption and natural gas consumption whereas there is absence of causality in the case of oil consumption. Our results indicate that energy conservation policies might be enforced without affecting economic growth.  Policies aimed at reducing fossil fuel consumption and controlling for CO2 emissions may not affect negatively Saudi’s economic growth. Hence, policy reforms aimed at reducing fossil fuels (oil and natural gas) subsidies become an urgent necessity in the near future in order to eliminate fossil fuel wastes. Keywords: Oil consumption; natural gas consumption; economic growth. JEL Classifications: C32; Q43.

Effect of olive cake in growing pig diets on fecal microbiota fermentation and composition

The intestinal microbiota plays a critical role in the metabolism and health of the host. The present study investigated the impact of two types of olive cake on short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentrations and the faecal microbiota composition of pigs. A total of 30 pigs (Landrace x Large white) with an initial body weight (BW) of 47.9±4.21 kg were divided into three groups according to the feed they received: control feed (C), feed with 200g/kg of partially defatted olive cake (PDOC) or feed with 200g/ kg of cyclone olive cake (COC). Faecal samples were collected from each animal after 3 weeks of the feeding trial

Protein and amino acids digestibility of two black soldier fly larvae meal forms in broilers

A trial was conducted to evaluate the protein (CP) and amino acids (AA) digestibility of two types dehydrated Black Soldier fly (i.e. Hermetia illucens) larvae meal: a defatted meal (DF) and a full fat meal (FF) in broilers. These insects were all fed with agri-food by-products. A total of 140 male broilers of 21 days of age were used. Five experimental feeds were formulated to calculate standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of CP and AA using the regression method. After 7 days of receiving the experimental diets, animals were slaughtered and the terminal ileum content was collected to determine CP and the individual AA digestibility

Effect of providing citrus pulp‑integrated diet on fecal microbiota and serum and fecal metabolome shifts in crossbred pigs

The study aimed to assess the impact of dehydrated citrus pulp (DCP) on growth performance, fecal characteristics, fecal bacterial composition (based on 16S rRNA analysis), and fecal and serum metabolomic profiles in crossbred pigs. 80 finishing pigs Duroc × (Landrace × Large White) were fed either a control diet (C) or a diet with 240 g/kg DCP (T) for six weeks. Including DCP in diets tended to decrease feed intake, increased (p < 0.05) the concentrations of acetic and heptanoic acids and decreased (p < 0.05) fecal butyric and branched-chain fatty acid concentrations in feces. Animals fed DCP exhibited a lower abundance of the genera Clostridium and Romboutsia, while Lachnospira significantly increased. Orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis plotted a clear separation of fecal and serum metabolites between groups. The main discriminant fecal metabolites were associated with bacterial protein fermentation and were downregulated in T-fed pigs. In serum, DCP supplementation upregulated metabolites related to protein and fatty acids metabolism. In conclusion, the addition of DCP as an environmentally friendly source of nutrients in pig diets, resulted in modifications of fecal bacterial composition, fermentation patterns, and overall pig metabolism, suggesting improvements in protein metabolism and gut health

Tourism economics research: A review and assessment

This paper aims to provide the most up-to-date survey of tourism economics research and to summarise the key trends in its recent development. Particular attention is paid to the research progress made over the last decade in respect of approaches, methodological innovations, emerging topics, research gaps, and directions for future research. Remarkable but unbalanced developments have been observed across different sub-research areas in tourism economics. While neoclassical economics has contributed the most to the development of tourism economics, alternative schools of thought in economics have also emerged in advancing our understanding of tourism from different perspectives. As tourism studies are multi- and inter-disciplinary, integrating economics with other social science disciplines will further contribute to knowledge creation in tourism studies

The effects of crude oil price volatility, stock price, exchange rate and interest rate on Malaysia’s economic growth

This study examines the effects and relationships between Malaysia’s economic growth and selected variables which are oil price volatility, stock price, real exchange rate and real interest rate. Using time-series data methodology, the study employs unit root test using Augmented Dickey–Fuller (ADF) and Phillips–Perron (PP), Auto-Regressive Distribution Lag (ARDL) model supplemented by Bounds F-Testing, Johansen-Julius Co-integration test and Granger causality test. The long�run equation derived from ARDL shows that there are positive relationships for stock price and real exchange rate whilst there are negative relationships between oil price volatility and real interest rate. Furthermore, Granger causality test shows that only stock price and real interest rates have an impact on Malaysia’s gross domestic product (GDP) in the short run. Finally, sound policy recommendations are suggested, in particular, to address oil price volatility in a forward looking manner as well as monetary-friendly measures to further support Malaysia’s economic growth

The relationship between Trade, FDI and Economic growth in Tunisia: An application of autoregressive distributed lag model

This paper examines the dynamic causal relationships between foreign direct investment (FDI), trade and economic growth in Tunisia by applying the bounds testing (ARDL) approach to cointegration for the period from 1970 to 2008. The bounds tests suggest that the variables of interest are bound together in the long-run when foreign direct investment is the dependent variable. The associated equilibrium correction was also significant confirming the existence of long-run relationship. The results indicate also that there is no significant Granger causality from FDI to economic growth, from economic growth to FDI, from trade to economic growth and from economic growth to trade in the short run

The relationship between Trade, FDI and Economic growth in Tunisia: An application of autoregressive distributed lag model

This paper examines the dynamic causal relationships between foreign direct investment (FDI), trade and economic growth in Tunisia by applying the bounds testing (ARDL) approach to cointegration for the period from 1970 to 2008. The bounds tests suggest that the variables of interest are bound together in the long-run when foreign direct investment is the dependent variable. The associated equilibrium correction was also significant confirming the existence of long-run relationship. The results indicate also that there is no significant Granger causality from FDI to economic growth, from economic growth to FDI, from trade to economic growth and from economic growth to trade in the short run