Hydrolysis of some N-nitroamides

Imperial Users onl

Mapping of Forest Biodiversity Values: A Plural Perspective

The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment is built on a conceptual framework that links biodiversity to the services ecosystems provide to society. Based on this framework, we first compile market and non-market forest valuation studies and, secondly, explore the potential of an econometric modeling exercise by conducting a world wide meta-analysis. This exercise aims to highlight the mapping of biodiversity indicators and assesses their respective role on the valuation exercise. Our results show that biodiversity loss is having an effect on forest ecosystem values. In addition, these effects reveal to be dependent on the type of services and global geo-climatic regions.Millennium Ecosystems Approach, Biodiversity Loss, Meta-Analysis, Market Valuation, Non-Market Valuation, Forests

Combining CV and RP data: a note on the relationship between consistency and rationality

In this paper, we show that, when combining revealed (RP) and stated (SP) data, for marginal changes in quality of environmental goods, rationality implies consistency, as the consistency conditions coincide with a subset of the conditions for rationality.combined (RP and SP) individual data; rationality; data consistency

Bulk transitions of twelve flavor QCD and UA(1)U_A(1) symmetry

We present an update on our ongoing study on the nature of the bulk transition observed at strong coupling in the SU(3) gauge theory with N_f = 12 flavors in the fundamental representation. We show evidence that there is a first order chiral symmetry breaking bulk transition separating a region at weak coupling where chiral symmetry is restored from a region at strong coupling where chiral symmetry is broken. We also discuss hints of a separate partial restoration of U_A(1) at weaker coupling. The results are in agreement with restoration of conformality in non abelian gauge theories as the number of flavors is increased.Comment: 7 pages, 10 figures, XXIX International Symposium on Lattice Field Theor

Assessing the Impact of Biodiversity on Tourism Flows: A model for Tourist Behaviour and its Policy Implications

This analysis provides an example of how biodiversity can be measured by means of different indicators, and how the latter can be used to assess the influence of the biodiversity profile of a region on the tourism flows towards it. Previous studies have considered environmental amenities as one of the determinants of tourism destination choice. The central hypothesis of this paper is that the destination’s biodiversity profile can be considered as a key component of environmental amenities. The main objective of this study is to propose a different perspective on this topic, considering the role of biodiversity on tourists’ choice of destination and duration of stay. Domestic Irish tourist flows have been chosen as a case study. The first step of the analysis required the construction of biodiversity indicators suitable for developing a biodiversity profile of each Irish county. Subsequently, a model was developed so as to explain the total number of nights spent in any location as a function of a set of explanatory variables including information about the socio-demographic characteristics of respondents, biodiversity and the landscape profile of the county of destination and features of the trip. Results show that most of the biodiversity and landscape indicators included in the analysis turn out to be statistically significant in determining tourists’ choices regarding the duration of their trip. As a result, policies pursuing biodiversity conservation appear to have a positive impact on the revenue of regional tourism.Species Diversity, Habitat Fragmentation, Landscape Diversity, Trip Demand, Indicators, Ecosystem Services, Human Well-Being

Market Structure and Competition in Food Retail: Some Evidences from Brazil

The paper analyzes competition among supermarkets in Brazil. In contrast to part of the economic literature which suggests that the fast growth of big supermarket chains would destroy independent, medium and small supermarkets, the paper argues that big supermarket chains can coexist with different formats of independent food retailing. As a result, competition in food retail is complex and cannot be described as a simple Darwinian process of market concentration. The analysis is divided in two parts. In the first part, the competition between hypermarkets and supermarkets is examined. Evidences for the district of Sao Paulo, Brazil, suggest that these retailers form separate markets. The second part is focused on neighborhood supermarkets. The results differ from the general belief that independent supermarkets establish higher prices in comparison to big chain supermarkets. The analysis brings to light the heterogeneity of the competitive fringe in the oligopoly model of Brazilian retailing.Food retail, Supermarkets, Differentiation, Agribusiness, Industrial Organization,