Soft sediment ecology of Lough Hyne Marine Reserve - spatial and temporal patterns

Distribution of soft sediment benthic fauna and the environmental factors affecting them were studied, to investigate changes across spatial and temporal scales. Investigations took place at Lough Hyne Marine Reserve using a range of methods. Data on the sedimentation rates of organic and inorganic matter were collected at monthly intervals for one year at a number of sites around the Lough, by use of vertical midwater-column sediment traps. Sedimentation of these two fractions were not coupled; inorganic matter sedimentation depended on hydrodynamic and weather factors, while the organic matter sedimentation was more complex, being dependent on biological and chemical processes in the water column. The effects of regular hypoxic episodes on benthic fauna due to a natural seasonal thermocline were studied in the deep Western Trough, using camera-equipped remotely-operated vehicle to follow transects, on a three-monthly basis over one year. In late summer, the area below the thermocline of the Western Trough was devoid of visible fauna. Decapod crustaceans were the first taxon to make use of ameliorating oxygen conditions in autumn, by darting below the thermocline depth, most likely to scavenge. This was indicated by tracks that they left on the surface of the Trough floor. Some species, most noticeably Fries’ goby Lesueurigobius friesii, migrated below the thermocline depth when conditions were normoxic and established semi-permanent burrows. Their population encompassed all size classes, indicating that this habitat was not limited to juveniles of this territorial species. Recolonisation by macrofauna and burrowing megafauna was studied during normoxic conditions, from November 2009 to May 2010. Macrofauna displayed a typical post-disturbance pattern of recolonisation with one species, the polychaete Scalibregma inflatum, occurring at high abundance levels in March 2010. In May, this population had become significantly reduced and a more diverse community was established. The abundance of burrowing infauna comprising decapods crabs and Fries’ gobies, was estimated by identifying and counting their distinctive burrow structures. While above the summer thermocline depth, burrow abundance increased in a linear fashion, below the thermocline depth a slight reduction of burrow abundance occurred in May, when oxygen conditions deteriorated again. The majority of the burrows occurring in May were made by Fries’ gobies, which are thought to encounter low oxygen concentrations in their burrows. Reduction in burrow abundance of burrowing shrimps Calocaris macandreae and Callianassa subterranea (based on descriptions of burrow structures from the literature), from March to May, might be related to their reduced activity in hypoxia, leading to loss of structural burrow maintenance. Spatial and temporal changes to macrofaunal assemblage structures were studied seasonally for one year across 5 sites in the Lough and subject to multivariate statistical analysis. Assemblage structures were significantly correlated with organic matter levels in the sediment, the amounts of organic matter settling out of the water column one month before macrofaunal sampling took place as well as current speed and temperature. This study was the first to investigate patterns and processes in the Lough soft sediment ecology across all 3 basins on a temporal and spatial scale. An investigation into the oceanographic aspects of the development, behaviour and break-down of the summer thermocline of Lough Hyne was performed in collaboration with researchers from other Irish institutions

Management practices and productivity in Germany

Based on a novel dataset, the "German Management and Organizational Practices" (GMOP) Survey, we calculate establishment specific management scores following Bloom and van Reenen as indicators of management quality. We find substantial heterogeneity in management practices across establishments in Germany, with small firms having lower scores than large firms on average. We show a robust positive and economically important association between the management score and establishment level productivity in Germany. This association increases with firm size. Comparison to a similar survey in the US indicates that the average management score is lower in Germany than in the US. Overall, our results point towards lower management scores being at least in part to blame for the differences in aggregate productivity between Germany and the US

Nutzerakzeptanz von interaktivem Fernsehen am Beispiel IPTV

Das Fernsehen ist stärker denn je im Wandel. Neue Technologien machen es digital und hochauflösender. Und mit IPTV eröffnet sich eine Vielzahl an neuen Möglichkeiten durch die Konvergenz von TV und Internet. Dank eines Rückkanals wird mehr Interaktivität als je zuvor möglich, der Zuschauer kann selber eingreifen und aktiv mitgestalten. Doch wollen die Zuschauer dies überhaupt? Oder wollen sie einfach nur passiv vorproduzierte Fernsehinhalte konsumieren? Vergleicht man das Nutzerverhalten der Fernsehzuschauer mit dener der Computernutzer, so wird oft von einem "lean backward" bzw. einem "lean forward" Verhalten gesprochen - also einem passiven zurückgelehnten Konsumieren am Fernseher und einem aktiven vorgelehnten Dabeisein am Computer. Welches Verhalten wird aber dominieren, wenn nun beide Welten miteinander verschmelzen? Für ein interaktives Fernsehen gibt es bereits eine Vielzahl an Ideen, wie man den Zuschauer einbinden könnte. Er könnte z.B. den Fortgang einer Geschichte selber bestimmen, Zusatzinformationen angeboten bekommen oder auch Waren direkt aus einer laufenden Sendung oder einem Film bestellen. Doch welche der angebotenen interaktiven Möglichkeiten würden die Zuschauer denn wirklich im täglichen Gebrauch nutzen? Im Rahmen dieser Masterarbeit wurde der gesamte Themenkomplex theoretisch durchleuchtet und eine Übersicht über den IPTV-Markt zusammengestellt. Mit Hilfe einer Umfrage und Nutzertests wurde die Akzeptanz verschiedener interaktiver Dienste untersucht. Anhand der Forschungsergebnisse entstand dann beispielhaft das Konzept eines optimalen interaktiven IPTV-Produkts

Ich will gar nicht mit Asien konkurrieren

Trotz des öffentlichen Diskurses über die eigene Wahlfreiheit bei der Gestaltung des eigenen Lebens ist der Alltag vieler Menschen stark von wirtschaftlichen Prozessen geprägt, die die eigenen Handlungsmöglichkeiten einschränken. Ich untersuche diese Prozesse anhand von Frauen die in Wien als Designerinnen und Einzelhändlerinnen für Ökomode tätig sind. Gezeigt wird, wie globales policy making, transnationale Produktionsbeziehungen und lokale Realitäten zusammen wirken. Daraus entstehen Lebensentwürfe und Visionen einer besseren Zukunft, die wieder in die eigene Arbeit als Modeschaffende einfließen.Despite the public discourse about the freedom of choice when it comes one owns possibilities in life, the everyday life is structured by economic processes which restrict various ways of acting. I'll take a closer look at these processes. In doing so I carried out my research in the field of Ecofashion and accompanied female fashion designers or retailers. I'll show that policy making on a global scale, transnational ways in structuring supply chains, and local realities are deeply connectet with each other. They form visions about a good-life and better futures which are incorporatet in the own ways of working

Management practices and productivity in Germany

Based on a novel dataset, the "German Management and Organizational Practices" (GMOP) Survey, we calculate establishment specific management scores following Bloom and van Reenen as indicators of management quality. We find substantial heterogeneity in management practices across establishments in Germany, with small firms having lower scores than large firms on average. We show a robust positive and economically important association between the management score and establishment level productivity in Germany. This association increases with firm size. Comparison to a similar survey in the US indicates that the average management score is lower in Germany than in the US. Overall, our results point towards lower management scores being at least in part to blame for the differences in aggregate productivity between Germany and the US.Basierend auf Daten der Studie "German Management and Organizational Practices" (GMOP) werden betriebsspezifische Management-Scores berechnet, welche als Indikator für die Managementqualität in deutschen Betrieben interpretiert werden können. Es zeigen sich substantielle Unterschiede in der Nutzung von Managementpraktiken, wobei kleine Betriebe im Durchschnitt niedrigere Scores aufweisen als große Betriebe. Multivariate Analysen zeigen, dass es einen positiven Zusammenhang zwischen dem Management-Score eines Betriebs und dessen Produktivität gibt, welcher mit der Firmengröße ansteigt. Ein Vergleich mit ähnlichen, amerikanischen Daten ergibt, dass der durchschnittliche Management-Score in Deutschland niedriger ist als in den USA. Wir sehen darin zum Teil die Erklärung für bestehende Produktivitätsunterschiede zwischen Deutschland und den USA

Management Practices and Productivity in Germany

Based on a novel dataset, the "German Management and Organizational Practices" (GMOP) Survey, we calculate establishment specific management scores following Bloom and van Reenen as indicators of management quality. We find substantial heterogeneity in management practices across establishments in Germany, with small firms having lower scores than large firms on average. We show a robust positive and economically important association between the management score and establishment level productivity in Germany. This association increases with firm size. Comparison to a similar survey in the US indicates that the average management score is lower in Germany than in the US. Overall, our results point towards lower management quality being at least in part to blame for the differences in aggregate productivity between Germany and the US

Befragung von Betrieben und Beschäftigten: Mehr Zufriedenheit und Engagement in Betrieben mit guter Personalpolitik

Betriebe in Deutschland sind angesichts der Konkurrenz um Fachkräfte zunehmend herausgefordert, ihren Beschäftigten ein hohes Maß an guten Arbeitsbedingungen zu bieten. Die wahrgenommene Arbeitsqualität ist ein Zeichen von Arbeitgeberattraktivität und hängt stark mit guter Personalführung zusammen. In dem Kurzbericht wird unter anderem die Verbreitung von Arbeitsbelastungen wie starker Termindruck, Informationsflut, unangenehme Umgebungsbedingungen und körperliche Anstrengungen am Arbeitsplatz untersucht. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass Betriebe, die Personalpolitik klug einsetzen, engagiertere und zufriedenere Beschäftigte haben

Developing conceptual models that link multiple ecosystem services to ecological research to aid management and policy, the UK marine example

Our understanding of ecological processes that lead to ecosystem services is still evolving but ecological research aims to understand the linkages between the ecosystem and services. These linkages can affect trade-offs between different ecosystem services. Understanding these linkages, by considering multiple ecosystem services simultaneously supports management of the environment and sustainable use of resources. The UK marine environment is relatively data rich, yet the links between ecosystem and several ecosystem services and linkages between services are poorly described. A workshop with 35 marine scientists was used to create a conceptual model that links ecosystem components and key processes to four services they provide and to highlight trade-offs between them. The model was subsequently further developed to include pressures and mitigating management measures. The models are discussed in terms of their application to marine data to facilitate evidence-based marine management and their usefulness to communicate management measures with managers and stakeholders

Comparison of Inorganic and Organic Matter Sedimentation in a Natural Laboratory: A One-Year Study at Lough Hyne Marine Reserve, Ireland

Measuring sedimentation rates may provide useful information on the habitat preferences of marine organisms. To understand the effect of flow rates and meteorological conditions on sedimentation in the absence of other confounding factors, sedimentation of organic (OM) and inorganic (IOM) matters was measured at 6 sites in Lough Hyne Marine Reserve (a semienclosed marine lake) over the course of 13 months. During winter, both OM and IOM were imported to the Lough, peaking in December at Whirlpool, the site nearest to the Lough entrance, likely as a result of extreme weather conditions causing resuspension of matter outside the Lough. Highest inorganic matter (IOM) sedimentation occurred in December (47.36 gm−2d−1 at Whirlpool Cliff) and was related to November wind speeds (, ). Decreasing current speed also caused a decline in IOM sedimentation. Highest OM sedimentation occurred in December at Whirlpool (5.59 gm−2d−1), but was not related to meteorological conditions. No single environmental factor strongly influenced organic matter (OM) sedimentation. One-way ANOVAs on OM and log-transformed IOM data showed that sedimentation differed significantly amongst the six sites within the Lough. Increased plankton production in the Lough during summer led to increased OM sedimentation in areas of low current speed away from the entrance of the Lough