Les humeurs du lecteur : manières de lire et hypocondrie savante à Florence au XVIIIe siècle

Les recherches sur la « révolution de la lecture » à la fin de l'époque moderne n'ont pas toujours suffisamment tiré parti des écrits des lettrés, ces « lecteurs forcés » (B. Fabian). Une source telle que les Efemeridi du haut fonctionnaire toscan Giuseppe Pelli Bencivenni, diaire rédigé entre 1759 et 1808, permet de saisir la diversité des expériences du lire chez un lettré du XVIIIe siècle. Elle donne à voir la lecture, non seulement comme un dispositif social et textuel, mais également comme une disposition du corps, mobilisant l'œil, la main, la « machine » toute entière. Elle met également en évidence l'évolution d'un système ancien et articulé de comportements, de postures et d'imaginaires, que les mutations de la librairie et des fonctions sociales de la lecture viennent accélérer à la fin du XVIIIe siècle

Wildlife in the cloud: A new approach for engaging stakeholders in wildlife management

Research in wildlife management increasingly relies on quantitative population models. However, a remaining challenge is to have end-users, who are often alienated by mathematics, benefiting from this research. I propose a new approach, 'wildlife in the cloud,' to enable active learning by practitioners from cloud-based ecological models whose complexity remains invisible to the user. I argue that this concept carries the potential to overcome limitations of desktop-based software and allows new understandings of human-wildlife systems. This concept is illustrated by presenting an online decision-support tool for moose management in areas with predators in Sweden. The tool takes the form of a user-friendly cloud-app through which users can compare the effects of alternative management decisions, and may feed into adjustment of their hunting strategy. I explain how the dynamic nature of cloud-apps opens the door to different ways of learning, informed by ecological models that can benefit both users and researchers

Impact of high frequency waves on the ocean altimeter range bias

New aircraft observations are presented on the range determination error in satellite altimetry associated with ocean waves. Laser-based measurements of the cross correlation between the gravity wave slope and elevation are reported for the first time. These observations provide direct access to a long, O(10 m), gravity wave statistic central to nonlinear wave theory prediction of the altimeter sea state bias. Coincident Ka-band radar scattering data are used to estimate an electromagnetic (EM) range bias analogous to that in satellite altimetry. These data, along with ancillary wind and wave slope variance estimates, are used alongside existing theory to evaluate the extent of long- versus short-wave, O(cm), control of the bias. The longer wave bias contribution to the total EM bias is shown to range from 25 to as much as 100%. Moreover, on average the term is linearly related to wind speed and to the gravity wave slope variance, consistent with WNL theory. The EM bias associated with interactions between long and short waves is obtained assuming the effect is additive to the independently observed long-wave factor. This second component is also a substantial contributor, is observed to be quadratic in wind speed or wave slope, and dominates at moderate wind speeds. The behavior is shown to be consistent with EM bias prediction based in hydrodynamic modulation theory. Study implications for improved correction of the on-orbit satellite sea state bias are discussed

Overestimates of maternity and population growth rates in multi-annual breeders

There has been limited attention to estimating maternity rate because it appears to be relatively simple. However, when used for multi-annual breeder species, such as the largest carnivores, the most common estimators introduce an upward bias by excluding unproductive females. Using a simulated dataset based on published data, we compare the accuracy of maternity estimates derived from standard methods against estimates derived from an alternative method. We show that standard methods overestimate maternity rates in the presence of unsuccessful pregnancies. Importantly, population growth rates derived from a matrix model parameterized with the biased estimates may indicate increasing populations although the populations are stable or even declining. We recommend the abandonment of the biased standard methods and to instead use the unbiased alternative method for population projections and assessments of population viabilit

Sea state bias in altimeter sea level estimates determined by combining wave model and satellite data

This study documents a method for increasing the precision of satellite-derived sea level measurements. Results are achieved using an enhanced three-dimensional (3-D) sea state bias (SSB) correction model derived from both Jason-1 altimeter ocean observations (i.e., sea state and wind) and estimates of mean wave period from a numerical ocean wave model, NOAA’s WAVEWATCH III. A multiyear evaluation of Jason-1 data indicates sea surface height variance reduction of 1.26 (±0.2) cm2 in comparison to the commonly applied two-parameter SSB model. The improvement is similar for two separate variance reduction metrics and for separate annual data sets spanning 2002–2004. Spatial evaluation of improvement shows skill increase at all latitudes. Results indicate the new model can reduce the total Jason-1 and Jason-2 altimeter range error budgets by 7.5%. In addition to the 2-D (two-dimensional) and 3-D model differences in correcting the range for wavefield variability, mean model regional differences also occur across the globe and indicate a possible 1–2 cm gradient across ocean basins linked to the zonal variation in wave period (short fetch and period in the west, swells and long period in the east). Overall success of this model provides first evidence that operational wave modeling can support improved ocean altimetry. Future efforts will attempt to work within the limits of wave modeling capabilities to maximize their benefit to Jason-1 and Jason-2 SSB correction methods

A modular modelling framework for hypotheses testing in the simulation of urbanisation

In this paper, we present a modelling experiment developed to study systems of cities and processes of urbanisation in large territories over long time spans. Building on geographical theories of urban evolution, we rely on agent-based models to 1/ formalise complementary and alternative hypotheses of urbanisation and 2/ explore their ability to simulate observed patterns in a virtual laboratory. The paper is therefore divided into two sections : an overview of the mechanisms implemented to represent competing hypotheses used to simulate urban evolution; and an evaluation of the resulting model structures in their ability to simulate - efficiently and parsimoniously - a system of cities (the Former Soviet Union) over several periods of time (before and after the crash of the USSR). We do so using a modular framework of model-building and evolutionary algorithms for the calibration of several model structures. This project aims at tackling equifinality in systems dynamics by confronting different mechanisms with similar evaluation criteria. It enables the identification of the best-performing models with respect to the chosen criteria by scanning automatically the parameter along with the space of model structures (as combinations of modelled dynamics).Comment: 21 pages, 3 figures, working pape

Paying for an Endangered Predator Leads to Population Recovery

Keeping viable predator populations on a human-dominated planet will require innovative approaches that promote local coexistence with human activities. Conservation performance payments, which are linked specifically to the production of a desired environmental output, have received increasing attention but their effectiveness in predator conservation remains undocumented. Here, we show that paying Sami reindeer herders for wolverine (Gulo gulo) reproductions has been instrumental in the recovery of wolverines in Sweden. Adult female wolverines were significantly less exposed to illegal killing and this allowed the population to more than double in a decade. We argue that this program provides protection for adult female wolverines through a combination of direct monetary value and indirect protection because of monitoring activities. The program's success, even in a system where livestock is the main prey for the predator, reveals an exceptional potential for future implementations in large carnivore conservation