Applying Conservation Genomic Techniques to Guide Management of the Reticulated Flatwoods Salamander (Ambystoma bishopi)

The Reticulated flatwoods salamander (Ambystoma bishopi) is a federally endangered amphibian endemic to the longleaf-pine ecosystem of the southeastern U.S. This study used analyses of single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data, collected from 2,255 unique individuals across 5 breeding seasons, spread across the known extant range of A. bishopi, to characterize the genetic diversity and demographics of populations, genetic relationships among populations, and patterns and spatial extents of gene flow, and to evaluate potential effects of management on A. bishopi’s resiliency. Population structure was strongly hierarchical, with individual breeding ponds (n = 38) acting as semi-connected subpopulations within five regional metapopulations (Mayhaw in Georgia; Oglesby, Eastbay, Garcon, and Escribano in Florida). Likewise, gene flow among populations was scale-dependent: negligible genetic differentiation, indicative of high gene flow, was observed only between pairs of ponds separated by \u3c 0.5 km, whereas between 0.5 and 5 km I observed steep genetic isolation by distance, and beyond 5 km genetic differentiation was generally high and only weakly related to distance. Across several breeding seasons, the effective number of breeders (Nb) per pond per year averaged 26 individuals (range 4 to 104). Larger-area, slower-drying ponds located closer to other occupied ponds exhibited larger Nb and greater genetic diversity. Based on genetically-reconstructed pedigrees, the ongoing headstarting program at Escribano successfully captured 97.9% of the estimated total number of alleles, but only 63% of the total number families, in each cohort. Based on these results, I recommend the following: 1) Given its genetic distinctiveness, Georgia populations merit elevated priority for protection and restoration. 2) Resiliency and redundancy (a la the species’ recovery plan) should be assessed at the spatial grain of individual breeding ponds. 3) Attempts to restore habitat connectivity should consider dispersal over distances \u3e 500 m to be relatively unlikely. 4) Finally, to the extent that headstarted individuals are used to augment existing or introduce new populations, managers should consider the potential risks of founder effects, and reduce these risks by creating genetically and demographically diverse headstart samples, for example by maximizing the diversity of egg/larva collections over time and space within ponds

Extreme Events in a Globalized Food System

Our food systems are complex and globally interdependent and are presently struggling to feed the world’s population. As population grows and the world becomes increasingly unstable and subject to shocks, it is imperative that we acknowledge the systemic nature of our food system and enhance its resilience

Systemic risks emerging from global climate hotspots and their impacts on Europe

In a globalized world, Europe is increasingly affected by climate change events beyond its borders that propagate through our interconnected systems impacting the socio-economic welfare in Europe. The REmote Climate Effects and their Impact on European sustainability, Policy and Trade (RECEIPT) project uses a novel stakeholder-driven storytelling approach that maps representative connections between remote climate hazards such as droughts or hurricanes and European socio-economic activities in the agricultural, finance, development, shipping and manufacturing sectors. As part of RECEIPT, this work focuses on systemic risks in global climate risk hotspots and their knock-on effects on the European economy. In five stakeholder workshops, expert elicitation methods are used to identify and map sector- and storyline-specific systemic risks: interlinkages between different events, hidden causes and consequences, potential feedback loops, uncertainties and other systemic risk characteristics will be investigated. A special focus lies on “gray rhino” events, “foreseeable random surprises” that follow clear warning signs but are only known to a smaller group of people. Results reveal sector-specific “topographies of risk” within the storylines identified by stakeholders

A W:B4C multilayer phase retarder for broadband polarization analysis of soft x-ray radiation \ud

A W:B4C multilayer phase retarder has been designed and characterized which shows a nearly constant phase retardance between 640 and 850 eV photon energies when operated near the Bragg condition. This freestanding transmission multilayer was used successfully to determine, for the first time, the full polarization vector at soft x-ray energies above 600 eV, which was not possible before due to the lack of suitable optical elements. Thus, quantitative polarimetry is now possible at the 2p edges of the magnetic substances Fe, Co, and Ni for the benefit of magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy employing circularly polarized synchrotron radiatio

Research Sites of the H2STORE Project and the Relevance of Lithological Variations for Hydrogen Storage at Depths

AbstractThe H2STORE collaborative project investigates potential geohydraulic, petrophysical, mineralogical, microbiological and geochemical interactions induced by the injection of hydrogen into depleted gas reservoirs and CO2- and town gas storage sites. In this context the University of Jena performs mineralogical and geochemical investigations on reservoir and cap rocks to evaluate the relevance of preferential sedimentological features, which will control fluid (hydrogen) pathways, thus provoking fluid-rock interactions and related variations in porosity and permeability. Thereby reservoir sand- and sealing mudstones of different composition, sampled from distinct depths (different: pressure/temperature conditions) of five German locations are analysed. In combination with laboratory experiments the results will enable the characterization of specific mineral reactions at different physico-chemical conditions and geological settings

School-to-Work Transitions—Findings from Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches in Youth Transition Research

Methodenintegration wird in den Sozialwissenschaften mit dem Argument sich ergänzender Erkenntnismöglichkeiten häufig gefordert. Die vorliegende Analyse zu Übergangswegen von der Schule in Ausbildung und Arbeit von Jugendlichen mit Hauptschulbildung beruht auf Daten einer quantitativen Panelstudie und einer qualitativen Ergänzungsstudie. Aus quantitativer und qualitativer Perspektive wird jeweils ein Einzelfall betrachtet sowie im Rahmen einer Modellbildung eine Verallgemeinerung auf Aggregatebene vorgenommen. Über ein logistisches Regressionsmodell wird die Bedeutung von zentralen individuellen, sozialen und strukturellen Merkmalen wie Schulleistungen, beruflichen Plänen, individuellen Problembelastungen, Migrationshintergrund und Arbeitslosigkeit der Eltern sowie regionaler Arbeitsmarktsituation für den Verlauf von Übergangswegen (Direkteinstieg in Ausbildung, Umweg in Ausbildung über schulische oder berufsvorbereitende Zwischenschritte, fortgesetzter mehrjähriger Schulbesuch und prekäre Wege in Ausbildungslosigkeit) untersucht. Über das qualitative Paradigma konnten vier für den Verlauf von Übergängen zentrale Dimensionen identifiziert werden: Agency, Motivation, kritische biografische Ereignisse und soziale Interaktionen. Der Schritt der Modellbildung integriert die vier Erfahrungsebenen und zeigt ihre Bedeutung für Übergänge von der Schule in den Beruf. Die Diskussion fragt nach Möglichkeiten und Grenzen der Erkenntnisentwicklung der beiden Forschungszugänge.URN: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs1302126En este artículo ilustro y reflexiono sobre el desarrollo de un modelo de transiciones al empleo sobre la base de una combinación de métodos cuantitativos y cualitativos en el contexto de un estudio de las transiciones de la escuela al trabajo entre adultos jóvenes con bajo nivel de estudios en Alemania. Debido a su interés en la intersección de determinantes estructurales e institucionales por un lado y, la acción individual por el otro, la investigación sobre transiciones juveniles tiene una larga tradición en combinar enfoques cuantitativos y cualitativos. En este encuadre, reflexiono sobre los pasos al producir resultados desde un estudio de métodos mixtos. El argumento sigue un caso individual a través de este proceso: primero, se le observó en el contexto de un estudio longitudinal y posteriormente se le seleccionó para una entrevista cualitativa. La segunda sección introduce el resultado del análisis cuantitativo en términos de un modelo logístico de regresión basado en un estudio de panel que duró seis años y se discute la importancia de las variables individuales, sociales, y estructurales para los diferentes tipos de rutas en el mercado de trabajo. Luego se presenta el desarrollo "del perfil cuantitativo" del caso individual sobre la base de la información del estudio longitudinal. La tercera sección presenta el perfil cualitativo del caso establecido sobre sobre la base de una entrevista cualitativa telefónica. El análisis comparativo de todas las entrevistas cualitativas sugiere la consideración de cuatro principales dimensiones: agencia, motivación, acontecimientos críticos de vida e interacciones sociales en un modelo integrado de transiciones de la escuela al trabajo. La discusión que concluye en la cuarta sección aborda temas críticos, posibilidades y limitaciones al combinar ambos enfoques de investigación así como opciones para integrarlos en la investigación de transición juvenil.URN: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs1302126In this article I illustrate and reflect on the development of a model of transitions to employment on the basis of a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods in the context of a study of school-to-work transitions among lower educated young adults in Germany. Due to its interest in the intersection of structural and institutional determinants on one side and individual action on the other, research on youth transitions has a long tradition of combining quantitative and qualitative approaches. Against this background I reflect on the steps of producing findings from such a mixed methods study. The argument follows a single case through this process: it was first observed in the context of a longitudinal survey and subsequently selected for a qualitative interview. Section 2 introduces the outcome of the quantitative analysis in terms of a logistic regression model based on a six year panel study and discusses the relevance of individual, social, and structural variables for different types of pathways to the labor market. This is followed by the development of the "quantitative profile" of a single case on the basis of longitudinal survey information. The third section of the article presents the qualitative profile established on the case on the basis of a qualitative telephone interview. The comparative analysis of all qualitative interviews suggests the consideration of the four main dimensions of agency, motivation, critical life events, and social interactions in an integrated model of school-to-work transitions. The concluding discussion in Section 4 addresses critical issues, possibilities, and limitations of combining both research approaches as well as options of integrating them in youth transition research.URN: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs130212