Exploring the Role of Organizational Motivations in Cross-Sector Watershed Collaboration

Watersheds are complex, dynamic and nested ecological systems that span across multiple jurisdictions. The complexity of watershed pollution requires adaptive and responsive strategies that incorporate government intervention along with community stakeholder engagement. This study explores the motivational determinants that drive local cross-sector watershed collaboration. Cross-sector collaboration offers local watershed stakeholders a holistic approach to address community watershed issues. These collaborative partnerships involve the voluntary engagement of member organizations from different industry sectors directing resources and working together to address local watershed issues of mutual interest. This research explores the social processes and the motivations that drive organizations in different industry sectors to engage in local watershed collaboration. Drawn from the motivational and interorganizational relationships literature, a conceptual framework is created to guide the investigation of the study. A single case study research design is utilized to answer the research questions. Data sources included: (1) interviews, (2) official government and organizational web sites and various media sources, and (3) field observations and memos. A total of twenty-nine organizations participated in the study. The composition of the organizations included 10 private sector organizations, 10 public sector organizations and 9 nonprofit sector organizations. Interviews were conducted with representatives from each of the member organizations that collaborate with Lynnhaven River Now. All of the organizations in the study are located within the boundaries of the Lynnhaven River watershed. The results of the study identify ten motivational determinants that drive local cross-sector watershed collaboration. These motivational determinants include asymmetry, catalytic actors, corporate/social consciousness, efficiency, instability, legitimacy, necessity, organizational interests, reciprocity, and stability. In addition, the results of the study identify variations in the level of prevalence in the motivations of organizations from the public, private and nonprofit sectors that collaborate with LRN. Finally, the results from the study identify three types of organizational motivation orientations in local cross-sector watershed collaboration: (1) transactional, (2) philanthropic and (3) symbiotic. Empirical evidence suggests that determinants in local cross-sector watershed collaboration are likely driven by the organizational motivational orientations of an organization

NMFS / Interagency Working Group Evaluation of CITES Criteria and Guidelines.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: At present, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) criteria used to assess whether a population qualifies for inclusion in the CITES Appendices relate to (A) size of the population, (B) area of distribution of the population, and (C) declines in the size of the population. Numeric guidelines are provided as indicators of a small population (less than 5,000 individuals), a small subpopulation (less than 500 individuals), a restricted area of distribution for a population (less than 10,000 km2), a restricted area of distribution for a subpopula-tion (less than 500 km2), a high rate of decline (a decrease of 50% or more in total within 5 years or two generations whichever is longer or, for a small wild population, a decline of 20% or more in total within ten years or three generations whichever is longer), large fluctuations (population size or area of distribution varies widely, rapidly and frequently, with a variation greater than one order of magnitude), and a short-term fluctuation (one of two years or less). The Working Group discussed several broad issues of relevance to the CITES criteria and guidelines. These included the importance of the historical extent of decline versus the recent rate of decline; the utility and validity of incorporating relative population productivity into decline criteria; the utility of absolute numbers for defining small populations or small areas; the appropriateness of generation times as time frames for examining declines; the importance of the magnitude and frequency of fluctuations as factors affecting risk of extinction; and the overall utility of numeric thresh-olds or guidelines

Learning through 'prosuming': Insights from media literacy programmes in Asia

10.1177/097172180801300205Science, Technology and Society132259-27

Anorgasmia in women

This article reports on the etiology and treatment of anorgasmia. Etiological factors include childhood and adolescent experiences, current individual attitudes, and lifestyle factors, as well as the quality and dynamics of past and present committed relationships. It is important to assess the nature of each of the previously mentioned factors in determining the nature of the orgasmic dysfunction as well as assisting in the development of a treatment plan. Treatment approaches for anorgasmia need to address individual factors (e.g., performance anxiety, poor body image) as well as interpersonal problems. A systemic treatment framework would appear to be the most useful approach to treat this sexual dysfunction, as this type of strategy identifies and treats the difficulties experienced by the anorgasmic woman within the total context of her life. Of course, this approach necessitates the involvement of the partner in therapy, and treatment is unlikely to be effective unless the problems experienced by both the woman and her partner are addressed. Limitations of past research in terms of inadequate evaluation of treatment, low sample sizes, and poorly defined interventions are discussed. Finally, directions for future research to advance our understanding of the most effective treatments for anorgasmia are considered. <br /

Ecto- and arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis can induce tolerance to toxic pulses of phosphorus in jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) seedlings

In common with many plants native to low P soils, jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) develops toxicity symptoms upon exposure to elevated phosphorus (P). Jarrah plants can establish arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and ectomycorrhizal (ECM) associations, along with a non-colonizing symbiosis described recently. AM colonization is known to influence the pattern of expression of genes required for P uptake of host plants and our aim was to investigate this phenomenon in relation to P sensitivity. Therefore, we examined the effect on hosts of the presence of AM and ECM fungi in combination with toxic pulses of P and assessed possible correlations between the induced tolerance and the shoot P concentration. The P transport dynamics of AM (Rhizophagus irregularis and Scutellospora calospora), ECM (Scleroderma sp.), non-colonizing symbiosis (Austroboletus occidentalis), dual mycorrhizal (R. irregularis and Scleroderma sp.), and non-mycorrhizal (NM) seedlings were monitored following two pulses of P. The ECM and A. occidentalis associations significantly enhanced the shoot P content of jarrah plants growing under P-deficient conditions. In addition, S. calospora, A. occidentalis, and Scleroderma sp. all stimulated plant growth significantly. All inoculated plants had significantly lower phytotoxicity symptoms compared to NM controls 7 days after addition of an elevated P dose (30 mg P kg−1 soil). Following exposure to toxicity-inducing levels of P, the shoot P concentration was significantly lower in R. irregularis-inoculated and dually inoculated plants compared to NM controls. Although all inoculated plants had reduced toxicity symptoms and there was a positive linear relationship between rank and shoot P concentration, the protective effect was not necessarily explained by the type of fungal association or the extent of mycorrhizal colonization