On the links between employment, partnership quality, and the desire to have a first child

We examine the impact of precarious work (low income and job security satisfaction) on the intention to have a first child. We consider a direct and an indirect effect; the latter is mediated by partners’ conflict behaviour, conflict level, and partnership quality. We assume that a satisfactory partnership is positively associated with the intention to have a first child. The analyses are based on a subsample of the German Generations and Gender Survey. For men we found a direct effect of income and an indirect effect of job security satisfaction on childbearing intentions, whereas for women no direct and only a weak indirect impact of precarious work could be observed.employment, fertility, partnerships

Inklusion oder Schließung? Gewerkschaftlicher Organisationsgrad, berufliche Geschlechtersegregation und der Gender Pay Gap

Der Beitrag beleuchtet den Zusammenhang von gewerkschaftlichem Nettoorganisationsgrad (NOG) und dem Gender Pay Gap (GPG) in segregierten Berufen. Auf Basis der Daten des Sozio-oekonomischen Panels wird unter Anwendung von Mehrebenenmodellen untersucht, ob und in welchen Berufstypen - Männer-, Frauen- oder Mischberufen - der NOG in Branchen-Berufs-Zellen zur Inklusion von Frauen und somit zur Reduzierung des GPG beiträgt oder ob von sozialer Schließung auszugehen ist, der GPG sich also mit dem NOG erhöht. Die Ergebnisse deuten auf eine Inklusion von Frauen hin. Dies trifft jedoch vor allem auf die Frauen- und Mischberufe zu. In Männerberufen ist der GPG zwar insgesamt niedriger und beide Geschlechter können mit steigendem NOG Lohnzuwächse erzielen, der GPG reduziert sich jedoch nicht mit steigendem NOG.The article examines the relationship between trade union net density and the gender pay gap (GPG) in segregated occupations. Based on data from the German Socio-Economic Panel and with the use of multilevel models we ask whether and in what job types - male, female or mixed occupations - trade unions pursue inclusion of women and thus contribute to reducing the GPG or whether social closure is prevalent, so that the GPG increases with unionisation. The findings point to an inclusion of women. However, this applies especially to female and mixed occupations. In male occupations, although the GPG is lower overall and both sexes achieve wage increases with increasing unionisation, the GPG is not reduced

On the links between employment, partnership quality, and the desire to have a first child: The case of West Germany

We examine the impact of precarious work (low income and job security satisfaction) on the intention to have a first child. We consider a direct and an indirect effect; the latter is mediated by partners' conflict behaviour, conflict level, and partnership quality. We assume that a satisfactory partnership is positively associated with the intention to have a first child. The analyses are based on a subsample of the German Generations and Gender Survey. For men we found a direct effect of income and an indirect effect of job security satisfaction on childbearing intentions, whereas for women no direct and only a weak indirect impact of precarious work could be observed

Isoprene emission-free poplars - a chance to reduce the impact from poplar plantations on the atmosphere

• Depending on the atmospheric composition, isoprene emissions from plants can have a severe impact on air quality and regional climate. For the plant itself, isoprene can enhance stress tolerance and also interfere with the attraction of herbivores and parasitoids. • Here, we tested the growth performance and fitness of Populus × canescens in which isoprene emission had been knocked down by RNA interference technology (PcISPS-RNAi plants) for two growing seasons under outdoor conditions. • Neither the growth nor biomass yield of the PcISPS-RNAi poplars was impaired, and they were even temporarily enhanced compared with control poplars. Modelling of the annual carbon balances revealed a reduced carbon loss of 2.2% of the total gross primary production by the absence of isoprene emission, and a 6.9% enhanced net growth of PcISPS-RNAi poplars. However, the knock down in isoprene emission resulted in reduced susceptibility to fungal infection, whereas the attractiveness for herbivores was enhanced. • The present study promises potential for the use of non- or low-isoprene-emitting poplars for more sustainable and environmentally friendly biomass production, as reducing isoprene emission will presumably have positive effects on regional climate and air quality