Democracy in trade unions, democracy through trade unions?

Since the Webbs published Industrial Democracy at the end of the nineteenth century, the principle that workers have a legitimate voice in decision-making in the world of work – in some versions through trade unions, in others at least formally through separate representative structures – has become widely accepted in most west European countries. There is now a vast literature on the strengths and weaknesses of such mechanisms, and we review briefly some of the key interpretations of the rise (and fall) of policies and structures for workplace and board-level representation. We also discuss the mainly failed attempts to establish broader processes of economic democracy, which the eclipse of nationally specific mechanisms of class compromise makes again a salient demand. Economic globalization also highlights the need for transnational mechanisms to achieve worker voice (or more radically, control) in the dynamics of capital-labour relations. We therefore examine the role of trade unions in coordinating pressure for a countervailing force at European and global levels, and in the construction of (emergent?) supranational industrial relations. However, many would argue that unions cannot win legitimacy as democratizing force unless manifestly democratic internally. We therefore revisit debates on and dilemmas of democracy within trade unions, and examine recent initiatives to enhance democratization

The Enigmatic Esx Proteins:Looking Beyond Mycobacteria

Bacteria export proteins across membranes using a range of transport machineries. Type VII secretion systems (T7SSs), originally described in mycobacteria, are now known to be widespread across diverse bacterial phyla. Recent studies have characterized secretion components and mechanisms of type VII secretion in pathogenic and environmental bacteria. A variety of functions have been attributed to T7SS substrates, including interactions with eukaryotes and with other bacteria. Here, we evaluate the growing body of knowledge on T7SSs, with focus on the nonmycobacterial systems, reviewing their phylogenetic distribution, structure and function in diverse settings

Reviewing the use of resilience concepts in forest sciences

Purpose of the review Resilience is a key concept to deal with an uncertain future in forestry. In recent years, it has received increasing attention from both research and practice. However, a common understanding of what resilience means in a forestry context, and how to operationalise it is lacking. Here, we conducted a systematic review of the recent forest science literature on resilience in the forestry context, synthesising how resilience is defined and assessed. Recent findings Based on a detailed review of 255 studies, we analysed how the concepts of engineering resilience, ecological resilience, and social-ecological resilience are used in forest sciences. A clear majority of the studies applied the concept of engineering resilience, quantifying resilience as the recovery time after a disturbance. The two most used indicators for engineering resilience were basal area increment and vegetation cover, whereas ecological resilience studies frequently focus on vegetation cover and tree density. In contrast, important social-ecological resilience indicators used in the literature are socio-economic diversity and stock of natural resources. In the context of global change, we expected an increase in studies adopting the more holistic social-ecological resilience concept, but this was not the observed trend. Summary Our analysis points to the nestedness of these three resilience concepts, suggesting that they are complementary rather than contradictory. It also means that the variety of resilience approaches does not need to be an obstacle for operationalisation of the concept. We provide guidance for choosing the most suitable resilience concept and indicators based on the management, disturbance and application context

Chapter 15 - Composition and structure of whitebark and limber pine stands in the Interior West and the silvicultural implications (Project INT-EM-B-14-01)

increased need to link ecological understanding to applied management. Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) and limber pine (P. flexilis) are important high-elevation five-needle pines in the central and northern Rocky Mountains. Populations of both species face considerable challenges from mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae), white pine blister rust (Cronartium ribicola), and successional displacement resulting from altered natural disturbance regimes

Habitat types – What they can tell us now and in the future

© 2015, ALÖKI Kft. Habitat classification systems utilize the relationship between the herbaceous layer and potential climax vegetation to classify forest vegetation. Habitat classification systems have been developed throughout the United States including Michigan. In 2010, ten years after the first sampling, 30 of the original 200 plots throughout the Western Upper Peninsula were resampled twice during the growing season. Exotic earthworm populations were also sampled in early September at all 30 plots. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMS) ordination was used to discern differences in habitat types between years (2000 vs. 2010) and between seasons in 2010 (spring vs. summer). Overstory trees per hectare (TPH) decreased from 2000 to 2010, likely the result of forest management activities. A greater number of herbaceous species were observed in 2010; however, the majority of these new species were weedy or invasive. Exotic European earthworms were observed in all habitat types; earthworm densities generally increased with increasing soil richness and site quality, with herbaceous plant cover negatively associated with earthworm biomass. Continual monitoring of these plots will allow scientists and managers to assess how herbaceous community change through time and observe the effects of invasive species and changing climatic patterns on forest ecosystems of the Great Lakes region

Does the Practice of Silviculture Build Resilience to the Spruce Beetle? A Case Study of Treated and Untreated Spruce-Fir Stands in Northern Utah

Silviculturists are under increased pressure to develop treatments that increase resistance and resilience to the spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis Kirby). Multiple silvicultural systems (i.e., group selection, shelterwood with reserves, and others) have resulted in some short-term increases in resistance. However, less is known about how silvicultural systems, especially ones used over many decades, impact resilience; resilience is defined as a minimum amount of Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii Parry ex Engelm.) regeneration to ensure continuity of a spruce component in the future stand. To further explore these concepts, silviculturally treated and untreated stands were sampled after a recent landscape-scale spruce beetle epidemic in northern Utah on the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. Both treated and untreated stands had no resistance to the spruce beetle but differed in their resilience. Treated stands had increased resilience due to greater and more consistent stocking of Engelmann spruce regeneration than the untreated stands. When silvicultural systems are developed, special attention should be paid to ensure that conditions created after harvests are conducive for regeneration of the desired species (spruce). Management and Policy Implications When silviculturists develop a prescription, they use past stand histories to inform current stand conditions and use their ecological understanding of species and site to predict how a management practice will influence the future forest. The level of documentation of past conditions and practices varies among regions, organizations, and individuals. However, this information is critical in understanding both the present and the future. The area surrounding the Wolf Creek Campground in northern Utah is an example of how local knowledge and past documentation were used to explore past, present, and future stand-level risks from the spruce beetle. Spruce beetle management has influenced past management practices and will continue to influence future practices. There is no one simple tool or treatment that will ensure complete resistance to the spruce beetle in western managed forests. Rather, in mature spruce-fir stands, management actions should focus on increasing short-term resistance to build long-term resilience through an increased emphasis on Engelmann spruce regeneration. This type of management may be effective when metrics of resistance and resilience are clearly defined in terms of the overall stand and landscape goals and desired future conditions. Based on these desired future conditions, managers can develop prescriptions and measurable metrics to increase long-term resilience to the spruce beetle