An Investigation of Salinity Fluctuations In Soils of a Northern Utah Marshland

Ogden Bay Waterfowl Management Area is one of many marshlands bordering the Great Salt Lake that are extremely important as breeding habitats for North American waterfowl. Salinity, both of surface and interstitial waters, is an important factor in maintaining a suitable habitat within the marsh. For this reason, a study was undertaken to determine the factors affecting the salinity of surface and interstitial waters. A small (approx. 100 acre) subunit was studied extensively to determine; 1) variations in surface water salinity with flowrate and water level; and 2) variation in interstitial water salinity with depth and location within the subunit. Field data indicated a substantial increase in salinity (as measured by electrical conductance) with depth in the interstitial waters. Wide variation in interstitial water conductivities was also observed within the study unit. Of major significance were large increases in interstitial water salinities in areas where the soil had dried, due to a low water level, and again re-wetted. This was in contrast to relatively constant soil water salinily observed in areas that were perenially flooded In addition to the field study, a laboratory study, using three 20 cm diameter undisturbed soil cores, was performed to determine the factors affecting the movement of salts through the marsh soils. The surface and bottom of the cores were fed with fresh water and brine, respectively, for a period of three months, while interstitial water samples were taken to monitor changes in soil water conductivities with depth of soil. A computer model was developed to simulate the experiment, as well as to help interpret the experimental results. The comparison between the observed data and data predicted by the model, as well as the results of the field data,\u27 indicated that the major mechanisms affecting fluctuations in soil water salinity in the Ogden Bay marsh system is the movement of water through the soil

Changes in the Personal and Teaching Efficacy Levels of Teachers Exposed to the FOCUS Model

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the changes in the teacher efficacy levels of teachers exposed to an instructional model referred to as FOCUS. The analysis revealed that a majority of the participants had pre-treatment efficacy scores that corresponded to higher post-treatment efficacy scores, on at least one of the two efficacy scales, for the participants who were exposed to the FOCUS model. These finds, although they should only be considered preliminary due to the nature of the research design employed in this study, do suggest the need for further study of the FOCUS model’s impact on teacher efficacy

Participative Leadership and the Organizational Commitment of Civil Servants in China: The Mediating Effects of Trust in Supervisor

The present study examines whether participative leadership engenders organizational commitment among Chinese civil servants, and analyzes the mechanisms by which it transmits its effects. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling revealed that there was a significant relationship between supervisor-level participative leadership and the affective and normative commitment of subordinates, but no relationship with continuance commitment. Affective trust was identified as the mediator variable underlying the relationship between participative leadership and organizational commitment. We show that participative leadership of supervisors elicits higher levels of trust, and leads subordinates to reciprocate through exhibiting higher levels of organizational commitment. Our study also reveals that Chinese civil servants who accept an unequal distribution of power between supervisors and subordinates typically exhibit lower levels of affective and normative commitment to the organization than those who do not. Our results provide greater support for the deepening of administrative reforms and the dissemination of participative leadership practices in China’s new civil service system

From self-defeating to other defeating:Examining the effects of leader procrastination on follower work outcomes

This research examines the influence of leader procrastination on employee attitudes and behaviours. While previous studies have typically viewed procrastination as a form of self-defeating behaviour, this research explores its effects on others in the workplace. In Study 1, using data collected from 290 employees, we demonstrate the discriminant and relative predictive validity of leader procrastination on leadership effectiveness compared with laissez-faire leadership and directive leadership. In Study 2, based on dyadic data collected in three phases from 250 employees and their 23 supervisors, we found that leader procrastination was associated with follower discretionary behaviour (organizational citizenship behaviour and deviant behaviour). Additionally, job frustration was found to mediate the relationship between leader procrastination and follower outcomes. The quality of the leader-follower relationship, as a boundary condition, was shown to mitigate the detrimental effects of leader procrastination. Together, the findings suggest that leader procrastination is a distinct form of negative leadership behaviour that represents an important source of follower job frustration. Practitioner points: Leader procrastination is different from laissez-faire and directive leadership and can be detrimental to followers. Job frustration mediates the relationship between leader procrastination and follower discretionary behaviour. Organizations should facilitate high-quality LMX relationships as a method for mitigating the negative effects of leader procrastination

Circular wood use can accelerate global decarbonisation but requires cross-sectoral coordination

Predominantly linear use of wood curtails the potential climate-change mitigation contribution of forestry value-chains. Using lifecycle assessment, we show that more cascading and especially circular uses of wood can provide immediate and sustained mitigation by reducing demand for virgin wood, which increases forest carbon sequestration and storage, and benefits from substitution for fossil-fuel derived products, reducing net greenhouse gas emissions. By United Kingdom example, the circular approach of recycling medium-density fibreboard delivers 75% more cumulative climate-change mitigation by 2050, compared with business-as-usual. Early mitigation achieved by circular and cascading wood use complements lagged mitigation achieved by afforestation; and in combination these measures could cumulatively mitigate 258.8 million tonnes CO 2e by 2050. Despite the clear benefits of implementing circular economy principles, we identify many functional barriers impeding the structural reorganisation needed for such complex system change, and propose enablers to transform the forestry value-chain into an effective societal change system and lead to coherent action. </p

Investigating when and why psychological entitlement predicts unethical pro-organizational behavior

In this research, we examine the relationship between employee psychological entitlement (PE) and employee willingness to engage in unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB). We hypothesize that a high level of PE–the belief that one should receive desirable treatment irrespective of whether it is deserved–will increase the prevalence of this particular type of unethical behavior. We argue that, driven by self-interest and the desire to look good in the eyes of others, highly entitled employees may be more willing to engage in UPB when their personal goals are aligned with those of their organizations. Support for this proposition was found in Study 1, which demonstrates that organizational identification accentuates the link between PE and the willingness to engage in UPB. Study 2 builds on these findings by examining a number of mediating variables that shed light on why PE leads to a greater willingness among employees to engage in UPB. Furthermore, we explored the differential effects of PE on UPB compared to counterproductive work behavior (CWB). We found support for our moderated mediation model, which shows that status striving and moral disengagement fully mediate the link between PE and UPB. PE was also linked to CWB, and was fully mediated by perceptions of organizational justice and moral disengagement

Lateral zonation within a talc-chlorite replacement body, Ruby Mountains, Madison County, Montana

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Circular wood use can accelerate global decarbonisation but requires cross-sectoral coordination

Predominantly linear use of wood curtails the potential climate-change mitigation contribution of forestry value-chains. Using lifecycle assessment, we show that more cascading and especially circular uses of wood can provide immediate and sustained mitigation by reducing demand for virgin wood, which increases forest carbon sequestration and storage, and benefits from substitution for fossil-fuel derived products, reducing net greenhouse gas emissions. By United Kingdom example, the circular approach of recycling medium-density fibreboard delivers 75% more cumulative climate-change mitigation by 2050, compared with business-as-usual. Early mitigation achieved by circular and cascading wood use complements lagged mitigation achieved by afforestation; and in combination these measures could cumulatively mitigate 258.8 million tonnes CO 2e by 2050. Despite the clear benefits of implementing circular economy principles, we identify many functional barriers impeding the structural reorganisation needed for such complex system change, and propose enablers to transform the forestry value-chain into an effective societal change system and lead to coherent action. </p