Does Globalization Impact Entrepreneurship? Comparative Study of Country Level Indicators

The impact of increased level of globalization on entrepreneurship remains unexplored area within the domain of international business. In this paper we aim to explore the relationships between globalization and entrepreneurship based on a comparative study of globalization and entrepreneurship indicators at a country level. We use the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) data for measuring level of entrepreneurship at a country level, and the KOF index of globalization for measuring level of globalization of a country. We find no statistical evidence for correlation between the level of globalization and the level of entrepreneurship at a country level when tested for all countries in our sample. When testing for low-GDP countries however we find a negative effect of globalization on entrepreneurship. The framework presented in this paper provides a starting point for study and analysis of the relationship between the level of globalization and the level of entrepreneurship

Dynamics of nutrients, total organic carbon, prokaryotes and viruses in onboard incubations of cold-water corals

The potential influence of the cold-water corals (CWCs) Lophelia pertusa and Madrepora oculata on the dynamics of inorganic nutrient and total organic carbon (TOC) concentrations and the abundances of prokaryotes and viruses in bottom water was assessed in onboard incubation experiments. Ammonium, nitrite, dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) and TOC concentrations and N:P ratios were typically higher in incubation water with corals than in controls, whereas nitrate concentrations did not reveal a clear trend. Mucus release (normalized to coral surface) was estimated by the net increase rate of TOC concentrations and averaged 23 +/- 6 mg C m(-2) h(-1) for L. pertusa and 21 +/- 8 mg C m(-2) h(-1) for M. oculata. Prokaryotic and viral abundance and turnover rates were typically stimulated in incubation water with corals. This estimated prokaryotic stimulation averaged 6.0 +/- 3.0x10(9) cells m(-2) h(-1) for L. pertusa and 8.4 +/- 2.9x10(9) cells m(-2) h(-1) for M. oculata, whereas the estimated viral stimulation averaged 15.6 +/- 12.7x10(9) particles m(-2) h(-1) for L. pertusa and 4.3 +/- 0.4x10(9) particles m(-2) h(-1) M. oculata. Our data suggest that prokaryotes and viruses are released from corals and that nutrient and mucus release enhanced prokaryotic and viral production. The result of this stimulation could be a fuelling of bottom water in CWC reefs with nutrients and organic matter and consequently an enhancement of microbe-mediated processes

Wegvisproef Japanse oesters in de Oosterschelde : eindrapportage

De Japanse oester, een exoot voor onze wateren, is in 1964 voor het eerst geïntroduceerd in de Oosterschelde ten behoeve van de oesterkwekers na de massale sterfte van platte oesters tijdens de strenge winter van 1962/1963. Sindsdien heeft deze soort zich ontwikkeld tot een dominante soort. In het voorjaar van 2006 is er een praktijkproef gestart om te onderzoeken of het noodzakelijk, zinvol en mogelijk is om de steeds verder oprukkende Japanse oesters (Crassostrea gigas) in de Oosterschelde te beheren. In het kader van deze proef is hiertoe 50 ha oesterbank (12,5 miljoen kg), verdeeld over vier locaties in de Oosterschelde weggevist door de Zeeuwse mosselvloot. De oesters zijn gestort op nabijgelegen stortlocaties alwaar de verwachting was dat de oesters zouden afsterven door verstikking. Het doel van deze proef is om na te gaan hoe effectief het bestand op geselecteerde proeflocaties kan worden verwijderd en eventueel hergebruikt d.m.v. toepassing van de mosselkor, tegen welke kosten, welke milieueffecten (morfologie, sedimentsamenstelling, bodemdiergemeenschap en vogels) dit met zich meebrengt en in welk tempo positieve (herstel sediment en oorspronkelijke bodemfauna) en negatieve effecten (herstel Japanse oester) zich voordoen. Dit eindrapport beschrijft de resultaten van de wegvisproef en de monitoring die in twee jaar erop volgend is uitgevoerd

Sponge diversity and community composition in Irish bathyal coral reefs

Sponge diversity and community composition in bathyal cold water coral reefs (CWRs) were examined at 500-900 m depth on the southeastern slopes of Rockall Bank and the northwestern slope of Porcupine Bank, to the west of Ireland in 2004 and 2005 with boxcores. A total of 104 boxcore samples, supplemented with 10 trawl/dredge attempts, were analyzed for the presence and abundance of sponges, using microscopical examination of (sub)samples of collected coral branches, and semi-quantitative macroscopic examination. Approximate minimum size of identified and counted sponge individuals was 1 mm. Literature data were added to the Porcupine Bank results to compensate for a less intensive sampling program in that location. Species richness and abundance were determined at local (sample diversity, pooled-sample diversity, local reef diversity), between-reef (diversity of two reef areas at 15 km distance), and regional scales (diversity of three reef areas over a distance of 200 km). Abiotic and biotic parameters including depth, the presence and cover of live coral, dead coral and sand, local reef, and orientation towards the nearest reef mound summit, were included in a constrained ordination technique (RDA); a Monte Carlo forward selection procedure was used to obtain significant predictors of variation in composition. The results of this analysis were compared with unconstrained ordination (PCA) and cluster analysis. The presence of live coral, depth and the local reefs C1 and C3 proved to be significant predictors of variation in sponge composition. The PCA and cluster analysis confirmed these results. Sample species richness was consistently heterogeneous from zero species and individuals up to 57 species and 90 individuals per (boxcore) sample. Species richness of local reefs determined from pooled samples showed the three localities studied to have similar species richness, namely 105-122 species in each location. Species richness was highest in samples with relatively low live coral cover. As in the RDA, live coral presence and depth appeared to be responsible for most of the variation observed in the cluster results. Cluster analysis of Bray-Curtis dissimilarity values of the pooled samples of all three reef localities using presence / absence data of all available samples indicated that distance appeared to structure the composition of the sponge assemblages of the three reef mound areas, but much less so within and among local reefs. Bathyal reefs of the regions to the west of Ireland were found to have a combined sponge species richness of 191 species, exceeding the richness of individual reef mound areas by c. 38-45%. Sponge presence in CWRs is clearly structured and controlled by biotic and abiotic factors. In particular, live coral presence appears a significant predictor of CWR sponge composition and diversity

Phytoplankton-bacteria coupling under elevated CO₂ levels: a stable isotope labelling study

The potential impact of rising carbon dioxide (CO2) on carbon transfer from phytoplankton to bacteria was investigated during the 2005 PeECE III mesocosm study in Bergen, Norway. Sets of mesocosms, in which a phytoplankton bloom was induced by nutrient addition, were incubated under 1× (~350 μatm), 2× (~700 μatm), and 3× present day CO2 (~1050 μatm) initial seawater and sustained atmospheric CO2 levels for 3 weeks. 13C labelled bicarbonate was added to all mesocosms to follow the transfer of carbon from dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) into phytoplankton and subsequently heterotrophic bacteria, and settling particles. Isotope ratios of polar-lipid-derived fatty acids (PLFA) were used to infer the biomass and production of phytoplankton and bacteria. Phytoplankton PLFA were enriched within one day after label addition, whilst it took another 3 days before bacteria showed substantial enrichment. Group-specific primary production measurements revealed that coccolithophores showed higher primary production than green algae and diatoms. Elevated CO2 had a significant positive effect on post-bloom biomass of green algae, diatoms, and bacteria. A simple model based on measured isotope ratios of phytoplankton and bacteria revealed that CO2 had no significant effect on the carbon transfer efficiency from phytoplankton to bacteria during the bloom. There was no indication of CO2 effects on enhanced settling based on isotope mixing models during the phytoplankton bloom, but this could not be determined in the post-bloom phase. Our results suggest that CO2 effects are most pronounced in the post-bloom phase, under nutrient limitation

A 13C labelling study on carbon fluxes in Arctic plankton communities under elevated CO2 levels

The effect of CO2 on carbon fluxes in Arctic plankton communities was investigated during the 2010 EPOCA mesocosm study in Ny Ålesund, Svalbard. Nine mesocosms were set up with initial pCO2 levels ranging from 185 to 1420 μatm for 5 weeks. 13C labelled bicarbonate was added at the start of the experiment to follow the transfer of carbon from dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) into phytoplankton, bacteria, total particulate organic carbon (POC), zooplankton, and settling particles. Polar lipid derived fatty acids (PLFA) were used to trace carbon dynamics of phytoplankton and bacteria and allowed distinction of two groups of phytoplankton: phyto I (autotrophs) and phyto II (mixotrophs). Nutrients were added on day 13. A nutrient-phytoplankton-zooplankton-detritus model amended with 13C dynamics was constructed and fitted to the data to quantify uptake rates and carbon fluxes in the plankton community during the phase prior to nutrient addition (phase 1, days 0–12). During the first 12 days, a phytoplankton bloom developed that was characterized by high growth rates (0.87 days−1) for phyto I and lower growth rates (0.18 days−1) for phyto II. A large part of the carbon fixed by phytoplankton (~31%) was transferred to bacteria, while mesozooplankton grazed only ~6% of the production. After 6 days, the bloom collapsed and part of the organic matter subsequently settled into the sediment traps. The sedimentation losses of detritus in phase 1 were low (0.008 days−1) and overall export was only ~7% of production. Zooplankton grazing and detritus sinking losses prior to nutrient addition were sensitive to CO2: grazing decreased with increasing CO2, while sinking increased. Phytoplankton production increased again after nutrient addition on day 13. Although phyto II showed initially higher growth rates with increasing CO2 (days 14–22), the overall production of POC after nutrient addition (phase 2, days 14–29) decreased with increasing CO2. Significant sedimentation occurred towards the end of the experiment (after day 24) and much more material settled down in the sediment traps at low CO2

Soundscape design integrating noise mapping techniques: a case study in Brighton, UK

In the guidelines about the management of areas of good environmental noise quality recently published by the European Environment Agency (EEA) it is suggested to combine different methodologies, like noise mapping, sound level measurements and the soundscape approach. Such a recommendation has started to be recognised by a number of local authorities in Europe that are gradually integrating a holistic concept into their environmental noise policies. This research aimed to explore and demonstrate the possibility to integrate conventional noise mapping methods and soundscape methods in an actual urban redevelopment project. A case study was made using the Valley Gardens project in Brighton & Hove (UK). Different scenarios of sound-pressure level distributionswere simulated for both traffic sound sources (i.e. noise maps) and natural sound sources (i.e. sound maps). Additionally, individual responses about the sound environment of the place collected during an on-site question survey were used to implement soundscape maps. The overall picture revealed that the road traffic noise should be reduced, but also it is feasible that preferred sounds likewater features or birdsong could be introduced to make the sound environment more appropriate for the place. Generally, within the framework of this research, noise maps, sound maps and soundscape maps were used together to "triangulate" different layers of information related to the acoustic environment and the way it is perceived, providing a possible working procedure to consider for planners and policy-makers in the future

No experimental evidence for local competition in the nestling phase as a driving force for density-dependent avian clutch size

1. In birds, local competition for food between pairs during the nestling phase may affect nestling growth and survival. A decrease in clutch size with an increase in breeding density could be an adaptive response to this competition. To investigate whether breeding density causally affected the clutch size of great tits (Parus major), we manipulated breeding density in three out of eight study plots by increasing nest-box densities. We expected clutch size in these plots to be reduced compared to that in control plots. 2. We analysed both the effects of variation in annual mean density (between-year comparisons) and experimental density (within-year comparison between plots) on clutch size variation, the occurrence of second broods and nestling growth. We examined within-female variation in clutch size to determine whether individual responses explain the variation over years. 3. Over the 11 years, population breeding density increased (from 0·33 to 0·50 pairs ha–1) while clutch size and the occurrence of second broods decreased (respectively from 10·0 to 8·5 eggs and from 0·39 to 0·05), consistent with a negative density-dependent effect for the whole population. Nestling growth showed a declining but nonsignificant trend over years. 4. The decline in population clutch size over years was primarily explained by changes occurring within individuals rather than selective disappearance of individuals laying large clutches. 5. Within years, breeding density differed significantly between manipulated plots (0·16 pairs ha–1 vs. 0·77 pairs ha–1) but clutch size, occurrence of second broods and nestling growth were not affected by the experimental treatment, resulting in a discrepancy between the effects of experimental and annual variation in density on reproduction. 6. We discuss two hypotheses that could explain this discrepancy: (i) the decline in breeding performance over time was not due to density, but resulted from other, unknown factors. (ii) Density did cause the decline in breeding performance, but this was not due to local competition in the nestling phase. Instead, we suggest that competition acting in a different phase (e.g. before egg laying or after fledgling) was responsible for the density effect on clutch size among years.