Characteristics of Service, Structure of Networks, and Forms of Inter-Local Cooperation in Local Service Production: Evidence from Florida

This paper empirically examines the interrelationships between service characteristics and the structure of networks among local jurisdictions using relational data across a set of diverse services from Pinellas County in Florida. In metropolitan areas, cities as well as counties work together to become increasingly efficient in public service delivery, and hence, engage into a variety of cooperative arrangements such as bilateral or multilateral service agreements. Increasing restraints on jurisdictions’ fiscal capacity have further forced them to look for cooperative avenues. Extant literature suggests that types of public goods and services determine the choice of service production. Policy/management network scholars argue that different public goods and services lead to different collective action problems which, in turn, result different network structures among actors. What is missing is that why certain public goods and services lead to certain network structure of service production. This paper pulls together institutional collective action, contracting, and policy/management network literature and argues that the attributes of services – asset specificity and metering difficulty - create different collective action problems that jurisdictions attempt to solve which then result different network structures leading to different forms of inter-local cooperation

Interlocal Cooperation in the Supply of Local Public Goods: A Transaction Cost and Social Exchange Explanation

Although a multiplicity of local governments is often regarded as promoting efficiency in the supply of public services, political fragmentation can generate economies of scale and externality problems. Several exogenous solutions, including the creation of overlapping districts governments, consolidation of existing units and establishment of a metropolitan government, or direct state or federal intervention, have been offered. We argue that cooperative governance offers a potential endogenous solution to this dilemma. By combining transaction cost and social exchange theories within the institutional collective action framework, we investigate how local governments themselves address inefficiencies from externalities and economies of scale. An empirical analysis of Georgia cities reports that while cities’ choice of service collaboration is affected by the transaction characteristics of services, their level of service collaboration is greatly influenced by the previous exchange that builds trust and by the level of fiscal pressure they face

Effects of planting time on growth, development and productivity of maize (Zea mays L.)

Planting date plays important role in the growth, development and yield of maize. Optimum planting date has becomes a prime importance for higher crop production. The plant establishment as well as pest and disease incidence are affected by planting dates. Crop varieties respond differently to planting dates. Early or late planting dates on maize causes an array of morpho-anatomical, physiological and biochemical changes in plants, which affect plant growth and development and such changes may lead to a drastic reduction in yield. Maize growth and development involves numerous biochemical reactions which are sensitive to variance in weather parameters as affected by planting dates. Delayed planting dates affect traits namely anthesis silking interval, photosynthesis, physiological maturity and dry matter production due to reduction in cumulative interception of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). Late planting dates cause higher non-structural carbohydrate concentration in stems at mid-grain filling stages due to low temperature exposure of crop limiting kernel growth and photosynthesis. The adverse effects of delayed planting dates can be mitigated by forecasting optimum planting dates through crop modeling experiments. This article summarizes various effects of planting dates on maize growth, development and yield parameters. This information may be useful for maize growers and researchers

Performance evaluation of Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) genotypes in Dolakha, Nepal: from yielding perspective

Lack of suitable barley varieties that exhibit high yielding is the major factor among several production constraints contributing to low productivity of barley in Nepal. The present study was done to evaluate and recommend the best performing barley genotypes. This study was conducted at research field of Hill Crops Research Program (HCRP), Dolakha, Nepal under National observation nursery (NON), initial evaluation trial (IET), coordinated varietal trials (CVT) and farmer's field trials (FFT) during winter seasons from 2017 to 2018. The results of these trials showed that in NON, genotypes namely B86023-1K2-OK3 (6.16 t/ha), Xveola-28/MATICO"S"10 (4.41 t/ha) and ACC#2079 (4.41 t/ha) produced higher grain yield over Farmer’s variety (3.57 t/ha). The pooled analysis over years of IET revealed that genotypes namely LG-51/Xveola-2-77-0-3-1-1-OK (2.12 t/ha) and B86099-2-1-OK (2.06t/ha) produced higher grain yield over standard check variety (Solu Uwa) (1.85 t/ha) and Farmer’s variety (1.95 t/ha). Similarly results of combined analysis over years of CVT showed that the genotypes namely B90K-007-0-2-2-0-OK (2.14 t/ha) and ICB90-0196-OAP-2K-OK (1.97 t/ha) produced higher grain yield over standard check variety (Solu Uwa) (1.12 t/ha) and Farmer’s variety (1.66 t/ha). In farmer's field trials (FFTs) the genotypes namely Muktinath ( Coll#112-14 (2.64 t/ha)), NB-1003-37/903 (2.23 t/ha) and Xveola-45 (2.04 t/ha) produced higher grain yield which was at par to standard check variety (Soluuwa) (1.58 t/ha) and Farmer’s variety (1.85 kg/ha). It is suggested that the superior genotypes derived from CFFT could be released and then recommended to farmers for general cultivation in Dolakha and similar other environments of Nepal

Assessing current and global-change driven behaviour of the semi-arid Onkaparinga catchment by means of spatially-explicit simulations of flow and nutrient loads based on the modelling tool SWAT

The semi-arid rural Onkaparinga catchment in South Australia is vulnerable to future change in climate and land use because of its extreme rainfall patterns and periods of drought along with intensive horti-and viticulture. The catchment provides up to 40% of the drinking water supply to the metropolitan area of Adelaide and hence the risks of eutrophication in the downstream reservoirs are of great concern. Effective management of such catchment requires development of a robust model that sufficiently represents the diverse land use and climate system of the catchment and thus facilitate in improved understanding of spatial and seasonal flow and nutrient dynamics. Hence, to achieve this, the semi-distributed catchment modelling tool SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tools) was utilised with following objectives: 1) to investigate different calibration approaches for enhancing model’s validity, 2) to determine the combined effects of future climate and land use change on flow and water quality of the Onkaparinga catchment and 3) to better understand the spatial nutrient dynamics in the Cox Creek catchment by combining site-specific monitoring and spatially-explicit modelling. The models developed by means of SWAT resulted in realistic simulations of the unique flow conditions of the semi-arid Onkaparinga catchment. Experiments with different calibration approaches have shown that multi-site calibration produced better simulation results for total nitrogen (TN) and phosphorus (TP) loads than single-site calibration, but had no significant effects on results for flow and total suspended sediments (TSS) loads. Further analysis revealed a high uncertainty in the simulation results of TSS pointing at the necessity of improving the sediment modules in SWAT. The multi-sited calibrated model has been applied for future projections of climate and land use change to assess their effects on flow and water quality in the Onkaparinga catchment. The climate models suggested high uncertainty in terms of seasonally varying flow and nutrient loads, however a decreasing trend was observed. The effects of climate change were clearly dominating compared to effects of the projected land use change. Prospective simulations of combined effects for the period from 2046 to 2070 revealed highest decrease in water yield, TN and TP loads by -23.3%, -42.5% and - 49.5%, respectively during the spring season. Results for summer months suggest the declines in flow and increase in nutrient concentration, mainly driven by land use changes, and hint at potential risks of algal blooms in downstream drinking water reservoir. An approach that combines both monitoring and modelling for better understanding of nutrient dynamics was demonstrated in the Cox Creek catchment. Spatially intensive monitoring of flow and nutrients helped to identify the nutrient hotspots and established the strong link between market garden and TN and TP concentrations. Simulated nutrient export from different sub-basins matches well with field collected data for most of the sub-basins except at one, which is highly influenced by farm dam regulations. Hence future model efforts can be identified through combined monitoring and modelling. In summary, this study has highlighted the benefit of utilising spatial data for improving the performance of catchment models and identifying model deficiencies. Resulting validated models can then serve as credible tools assessing effects of future scenarios on flow and water quality in catchments. Such approach provides scientific evidence to water resource policy-makers for making informed decisions.Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Biological Sciences, 201