Beta-diversity of Central European forests decreases along an elevational gradient due to the variation in local community assembly processes

Beta-diversity has been repeatedly shown to decline with increasing elevation, but the causes of this pattern remain unclear, partly because they are confounded by coincident variation in alpha- and gamma-diversity. We used 8,795 forest vegetation-plot records from the Czech National Phytosociological Database to compare the observed patterns of beta diversity to null-model expectations (beta-deviation) controlling for the effects of alpha- and gamma-diversity. We tested whether \b{eta}-diversity patterns along a 1,200 m elevation gradient exclusively depend on the effect of varying species pool size, or also on the variation of the magnitude of community assembly mechanisms determining the distribution of species across communities (e.g., environmental filtering, dispersal limitation). The null model we used is a novel extension of an existing null-model designed for presence/absence data and was specifically designed to disrupt the effect of community assembly mechanisms, while retaining some key features of observed communities such as average species richness and species abundance distribution. Analyses were replicated in ten subregions with comparable elevation ranges. Beta-diversity declined along the elevation gradient due to a decrease in gamma-diversity, which was steeper than the decrease in alpha-diversity. This pattern persisted after controlling for alpha- and gamma-diversity variation, and the results were robust when different resampling schemes and diversity metrics were used. We conclude that in temperate forests the pattern of decreasing beta-diversity with elevation does not exclusively depend on variation in species pool size, as has been hypothesized, but also on variation in community assembly mechanisms. The results were consistent across resampling schemes and diversity measures, thus supporting the use of vegetation plot databases for understanding...Comment: Accepted version 25 pages, 5 figures, 1 tabl

Automated GUI performance testing

A significant body of prior work has devised approaches for automating the functional testing of interactive applications. However, little work exists for automatically testing their performance. Performance testing imposes additional requirements upon GUI test automation tools: the tools have to be able to replay complex interactive sessions, and they have to avoid perturbing the application's performance. We study the feasibility of using five Java GUI capture and replay tools for GUI performance test automation. Besides confirming the severity of the previously known GUI element identification problem, we also describe a related problem, the temporal synchronization problem, which is of increasing importance for GUI applications that use timer-driven activity. We find that most of the tools we study have severe limitations when used for recording and replaying realistic sessions of real-world Java applications and that all of them suffer from the temporal synchronization problem. However, we find that the most reliable tool, Pounder, causes only limited perturbation and thus can be used to automate performance testing. Based on an investigation of Pounder's approach, we further improve its robustness and reduce its perturbation. Finally, we demonstrate in a set of case studies that the conclusions about perceptible performance drawn from manual tests still hold when using automated tests driven by Pounder. Besides the significance of our findings to GUI performance testing, the results are also relevant to capture and replay-based functional GUI test automation approache

Slovakian students' knowledge of and attitudes toward biotechnology

This study examined university students' knowledge of and attitudes (N = 378) toward biotechnology in Slovakia, a conservative country where the distribution of genetically engineered products are banned by law. We found a significant positive correlation between attitudes and the level of knowledge; however, although students enrolled in biology courses have better knowledge of biotechnology, their attitudes toward genetic engineering were similar than those of students who do not study biology. Females showed poorer knowledge and lower acceptance of genetically engineered products than did males. Overall, Slovakian students have poor knowledge and numerous misunderstandings about what genetic engineering means, which suggests that science curriculum with respect to this topic should be greatly re-evaluated and teaching strategies should be improved accordingly

Model-based and Koopman-based predictive control:a braking control systems comparison

Anti-locking Braking systems are crucial safety systems in modern vehicles. In this work, we investigate the possibility to use Model Predictive Control (MPC) for braking systems by considering three different models identified from data. Specifically, we consider two models, whose structure and the identification procedure are driven by physics principles, and a third black-box modeling approach that relies on Koopman theory. By comparing the effectiveness of the three resulting MPC schemes in a high-fidelity simulation environment, we show that Koopman-based MPC can generally be a viable solution for the design of braking controllers, which might not be the case of nonlinear MPC or approximated scheme like the second one we test.</p

Analysis of ecological intensity of metallurgical production

Ferrous metallurgy is inherently a highly intensive field in terms of energy and raw materials. The impacts of high energy intensity are enormous: the necessary production of larger amount of energy related to high emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases, associated with increasing negative impacts on the state of the environment and the health of inhabitants. The article suggests the possibility of using the method of structural analysis to calculate direct and complex ecological intensity and to use it as a basis to determine the ecological intensity of the individual metallurgical technologies. The processing of ecological structural model can significantly contribute to the identification of ecologically intensive final products and can improve the decision-making process in this area.Web of Science54126926

Metrological characterization of climate reference station thermometers

Ground-based stations are an essential part of a complex climate observing systems which purpose is to generate data for evaluating local and global climate trends. Measurement traceability in these types of stations is fundamental for generating a robust climate understanding based on comparable data in space and time, both within networked stations and between networks. This importance was expressed by the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) of the United Nations Environment Programme and WMO (World Meteorological Organization), in its published report 226 that highlights the need for available reference grade observations for accurately detecting of local and global climate trends [1]. As a following action, the GCOS launched in 2022 the implementation plan of its Surface Reference Network (GSRN) where an essential part of the effort is the understanding of instruments performance in field monitoring of temperature, humidity, and pressure. We focused the work here presented on the characterization of resistance thermometers of various types that are candidates to be installed in future prototype reference station. The selection of sensors using resistance measurement principle was motivated by their overall frequent in field use and general superior performance in comparison to other commonly used temperature sensors. The measurements took place under controlled laboratory conditions simulating as close as possible conditions in the field, leading to recommendations on the requirements of instrumentation for a climate reference station. In order to properly determine sensor performance and the components of the measurement uncertainty budget for climate reference stations the metrological parameters as stability, hysteresis and self-heating were determined. These essential parameters were measured in a temperature range typical for air temperature measurements for climate which is from -40 °C up to +60 °C. The characterization of temperature sensors from multiple manufacturers has shown diverging results in all measured parameters which were measured over the whole temperature range. In general, the measurements indicate that from the point of sensor stability the critical temperatures were 20 °C and -40 °C, with indicated highest temperature instability on the level of 0,02 °C. The highest hysteresis effect has been observed at temperatures of 0 °C and -40 °C with a maximum of 0,05 °C. Sensor self-heating exhibits multiple dependencies of the level of supply current that vary with tested sensor and temperature point. This research was made possible thanks to the project (19SIP03- Climate Reference Station) which has received funding from the EMPIR programme co-financed by the Participating States and from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. This work is part of the opening activities for a future GSRN affiliated research facility

Global Trends to 2035 - Economy and Society. November 2018

This study maps and analyses current and future global trends in the fields of economics and society, covering the period to 2035. Drawing on and complementing existing literature, it summarises and analyses the findings of relevant foresight studies in relation to such global trends. It traces recent changes in the perceived trajectory of already-identified trends and identifies significant new or emerging trends. It also addresses potential policy implications of such trends for the European Union