Impacts of Population and Income Growth Rates on Threatened Mammals and Birds

Per capita income and human population levels in a country have direct influences on its environmental outcomes. Countries with same level of income may have different rate of income growth and vice versa, suggesting that the influence of the rate of income growth on environmental outcomes could be different than that of income level. Similarly, the rate of population growth might have different impact in addition to the impacts of sheer number of population. We explore this empirical question using country-level data on threatened species published by IUCN for the year 2007. Controlling for other factors, our model estimates the influences of the rate of population and income growth on threatened mammals and birds across 113 continental countries. The results suggest that, among other factors, the rate of population growth has significant influences on number of threatened mammals and birds.income, population, spatial models, spatial autocorrelation, endemic species, biodiversity, Environmental Economics and Policy, C21, Q57,

Tree Shade and Energy Savings: An Empirical Study

Trees cast shade on homes and buildings, lowering the inside temperatures and thus reducing demand for power to cool these buildings during hot times of the year. Drawing from a large sample of residences in Auburn, Alabama, we develop a statistical model that produces specific estimates of the electricity savings generated by shade-producing trees in a suburban environment. This empirical model links residential energy consumption to hedonic characteristics of the structures, characteristics and behaviors of the occupants, and the extent, density, and timing of shade cast on the structures. Our estimates suggest that if an additional 10 percent of the 125 million home owners in America started using tree shade to reduce electricity consumption an average of 10 kwh/day for 100 days per year, the annual amount of electricity conserved would be approximately 12,500 thousand megawatts. At the 2007 average residential price of electricity ($0.1065/kwh), this would save each household an estimated$106/year and $1.3 billion in the aggregate. Moreover, the electricity saved would represent approximately one-third of the electricity produced annually in the U.S. by wind power.Environmental Economics and Policy, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

PUBLIC INVESTMENT IN AGRICULTURAL AND GDP GROWTH-- ANOTHER LOOK AT THE INTER SECTORAL LINKAGES AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS

Despite its reduced share in India’s GDP, agriculture continues to have a strategic importance in ensuring its overall growth and prosperity. As part of the new economic policy package introduced in the early nineties, there has been a reduction in the rate of public investment. While this may not be bad for the industrial sector, the impact of this policy on agriculture is a matter of concern, in sofar as it not only affects steady growth of agriculture but also influences the overall performance of the economy. This is more so because the agricultural sector public investment has also promoted private investment by way of what is termed as the crowding-in phenomenon. This phenomenon together with inter-sectoral linkages is used in this paper to examine the effect of higher public investment for agriculture on the stable growth of this sector as well as of the entire economy. Policy implications of this exercise are important for obvious reasons.Sectoral linkages, Public Investment, crowding-in

Pengaruh Penyiangan Dan Suhu Penyimpanan Terhadap Mutu Kimiawi, Mikrobiologis Dan Organoleptik Ikan Tongkol (Auxis Tharzard, Lac)

Ikan tongkol merupakan salah satu bahan pangan yang dikonsumsi masyarakat dan jika dibiarkanpada suhu kamar, maka terjadi proses penurunan mutu menjadi busuk. Ikan yang sudah mengalami prosespembusukan, bila dikonsumsi dapat menimbulkan keracunan (Histamine fish poisoning). Keracunan inidisebabkan oleh kontaminasi bakteri pathogen dengan dekarboksilasi asam amino histidin oleh enzimhistidin dekarboksilase menghasilkan histamin. Bakteri ini banyak terdapat pada anggota tubuh manusiayang tidak higienis, kotoran/tinja, isi Perut ikan, insang serta peralatan yang tidak bersih.Penelitian eksperimental dengan pola faktorial, yaitu faktor P adalah faktor penyiangan dengan 2 taraf,tanpa penyiangan dan penyiangan, sedangkan faktor T adalah suhu penyimpanan dengan 3 taraf yaitu suhupenyimpanan 30oC, 15oC dan 0oC.Analisis statistik terhadap mutu kimiawi seperti kadar histamin, kadar total volatil bases (TVB) dantrimetilamin (TMA) menunjukkan perbedaan nyata (P<0,05) pada pengaruh penyiangan dan suhupenyimpanan. Terjadi peningkatan kadar histamin, kadar TVB dan TMA selama penelitian. Selamapenelitian terjadi peningkatan jumlah koloni bakteri, jumlah Coliform, kecuali bakteri Vibrioparahaemolyticus negatif. Perlakuan penyiangan dan suhu penyimpanan 0oC memiliki mutu kimiawi,mikrobiologis terbaik sampai hari ke 10 serta masih diterima panelis.Hubungan antara kadar histamin dengan jumlah bakteri mempunyai hubungan sangat kuat, ditunjukkandengan nilai r ? 0,7 kecuali kadar histamin dengan waktu memiliki hubungan agak lemah r ? 0,5.Keamanan ikan tongkol dengan penerapan teknologi tepat guna berupa tanpa penyiangan danpenyiangan pada suhu 30oC hanya aman untuk dikonsumsi sampai hari ke 0. Perlakuan tanpa penyiangandan suhu penyimpanan 15oC aman sampai hari ke 4, sedangkan dengan penyiangan aman sampai hari ke 6.Untuk perlakuan tanpa penyiangan dan penyiangan dengan suhu penyimpanan 0oC aman sampai hari ke 10

Test of Convergence in Agricultural Factor Productivity: A Semiparametric Approach

We tested for club convergence in U.S. agricultural total factory productivity using a sigma convergence test. We used the same club of states as used by McCunn and Huffman as well as different states within 10 clubs identified by the cluster analysis. Results showed convergence was evident only in a few club groups. Clusters group identified using a statistical method identified only converging clubs. Variables affecting total factor productivity among states were identified using parametric, semiparametric and nonparametric methods. Semiparametric and nonparametric methods gave a better fit than a parametric method as indicated by the specification test. Our results indicated that health care expenditure, public research and extension investment, and private expenditure are important variables impacting total factor productivity differences across states.Clubs, sigma convergence, cluster analysis, semiparametric and nonparametric methods, Productivity Analysis, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods,

Simple methods for crossing and genetic analysis of Neurospora crassa strains

In the asexual cycle of Neurospora crassa, the wild-type strains produce only mycelia and conidia when grown at 30o-34oC. In contrast, during the sexual cycle the female reproductive structures - protoperithecia - can be produced and fertilized successfully only if the incubation temperature is around 25oC. Normally, a large number of conidia are also produced at this low temperature

Estimation of Stress Strength Reliability for Transmuted Exponentiated Inverse Rayleigh Distribution

The problem of estimation of reliability of systems in stress-strength set up is an important area of research in Statistics, particularly, in Statistical Inference on reliability. In this paper, the estimation of stress-strength reliability when the strength and stress variables are assumed to be independently distributed as transmuted exponentiated inverse Rayleigh distribution (TEIRD) is considered. The TEIRD is a general distribution which includes transmuted inverse Rayleigh distribution, exponentiated inverse Rayleigh distribution and inverse Rayleigh distribution as a particular cases. The maximum likelihood estimator of stress -strength model is derived. Also, asymptotic confidence interval for reliability is constructed. The real data analysis is considered and the simulation study is conducted

An Analysis of Rank Ordered Data

Many methods are available to analyze rank ordered data. We used a spectral density method to analyze Formosan subterranean termite control options ranked by Louisiana homeowners. Respondents are asked to rank termite control options from the most preferred to the least preferred option. Spectral analysis results indicated that the most preferred termite control choice is a relatively cheap ($0.13 per square foot) option of liquid treatment.FST, rank ordered data, spectral analysis, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods,