Measuring the WTP for Recreation and Biodiversity Protection Programs

This paper focus on a contingent valuation (CV) exercise as to compute estimates for the willingness to pay (WTP) for recreation and biodiversity benefits of a Natural Park in Portugal. The CV survey gathers 1678 respondents and three development policy options. We refer to the Wilderness Areas (WA) tourism development scenario; the Recreational Areas (RA) tourism development scenario and, finally, a scenario version which is characterised by the tourism development of both WA and RA. The results show that the respondents evaluate the WA and RA differently. However, we find no statistical difference between the WTP for the WA and the WTP for the WA jointly with the RA. The last result can be interpreted as an indicator of an eventual presence of warm-glow in the WTP responses.

Testing the Validity of WTP values from a Contingent Valuation Survey in Portugal

This paper explores the statistical validity of the willingness to pay (WTP) answers from a contingent valuation (CV) survey concerning value assessment of recreation and biodiversity protection programs. Firstly, we use a non-parametric testing approach as to evaluate the whether (a) different information levels concerning the government costs with the Park and (b) different payment vehicles influence the stated WTP responses. Secondly, we use a parametric model specification as to investigate the impact of the elicitation question format on the stated WTP responses. The likelihood ratio test results, at 95% confidence level, confirm the validity of the proposed survey a measurement instrument. Nevertheless, the presence of free riding turns out to be statistically significant in one of the survey versions. The parametric model results suggest that the differences in the mean WTP estimates across the two question formats are not statistically different. Furthermore, the double bounded dichotomous choice model value estimates point out that the WTP for the recreation protection program is lower than the WTP for the biodiversity protection program, thus confirming the importance of non-use value component of the Natural Area.

Application of Technological Control Measures on Vehicle Pollution: A Cost-Benefit Analysis in China

For the past two decades, China has experienced strong, continuous economic growth. At the same time, the number of motor vehicles in China has rapidly increased. As a direct result of such a phenomenon, China has been registering significant increases in air pollution. In spite of recent advances in air pollution control, it remains a serious problem for China’s major cities, and constitutes an important issue in the agenda of its policy makers. The object of this paper is to explore the use of cost-benefit analysis (CBA) to evaluate and rank alternative policy scenarios regarding the control of air pollution emitted by motor vehicles. The empirical analysis carried out relates specifically to the Chinese context, over a twenty year period, from 2001 to 2020, and focuses on emission changes of the following three principal pollutants: CO, HC and NOx.Vehicle, Pollution, CO, HC, NOx, Scenario, Standard, Cost, Benefit, China

Effect of different drying temperatures on the moisture, content of phytochemical constituents and technological properties of Peniche coast seaweeds

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Energy and quality of service management in wireless multimedia sensor networks

Sensor networks are composed of resource constrained nodes that capture data from the environment, preprocess it and then transmit it to a sink node. This paper presents a scenario for monitoring an electricity distribution network, an energy analysis of the used sensor nodes and an intelligent energy and quality of service (QoS) manager. This manager continuously adapts the provided QoS according to the energy level of the nodes

The use of tympanic arena as an alternative for behavioral vibroacoustic essays in termites (Blattodea: Isoptera).

In termites, substrate-borne vibrations play an important role in communication among nestmates. The adaptive significance of such an ability has led to an ever-increasing number of studies aimed at improving knowledge on vibroacoustic communication in these insects. Such studies are commonly carried out in laboratory arenas consisting of Petri dishes made of plastic or glass. However, the rigidness of such materials may limit the transmission of vibrational waves impairing accurate records of the feeble vibrations produced by termites. This is one of the reasons why such experiments must be carried out under strictly controlled conditions, using extremely sensitive equipment, usually connected to amplifiers. If, instead, arenas bear a flexible floor (hence simulating a tympanum), vibrations might not be dampened or even easily amplified, thereby overcoming the need for such a specialized setup. Here we test such a hypothesis, using an accelerometer to measure and record vibrations whose intensity was tailored to mimic the feeble vibrations of a small termite species, Constrictotermes cyphergaster. Results support the notion that tympanic arenas portray such vibrations far more accurately than arenas made of plastic or glass. We hence recommend this type of arena as a cheap, albeit accurate, alternative in studies of vibroacoustic behaviors of termites and other insects of comparable size, especially in situations where noise is minimally controlled. These arenas, then, can be useful in conducting such studies just after termite collection in remote regions where well-equipped labs are not available. In doing so, we minimize the stress involved in transporting termites over long distances.

A wireless sensors suite for Smart Grid applications

This paper presents a demonstrator of a Wireless Sensor and Actuator Network (WSAN) for Smart Grid applications, developed in the context of project WSAN4CIP. This WSAN is formed by WSAN nodes equipped with sensors and a wireless radio interface, which monitor key parameters of power grid equipments belonging to the Medium Voltage (MV) and Low Voltage (LV) segments. The measurements are reported to the SCADA system and constitute the basis of both safety and security services to improve the power grid distribution dependability. This paper describes the hardware of the sensor nodes and presents the respective performance results, attesting the feasibility of the proposed solutions

A Junta de Educação Nacional e a investigação científica em Portugal no período entre guerras (

Abstract: The Laboratory of Colonial Agricultural and Technology, part of the High Institute of Agronomy (I.S.A.), Lisbon, was inserted into the “politics of scientific research and education” of the National Board of Education ( J.E.N.) 1929-1936. From the role played by its Director – Carlos de Mello Geraldes – we can have an archeology of ideas on the role of colonial agronomy research and scientific practice as applied to economic development, in terms of competition and comparability of European. This paper opens perspectives on building scientific networks in Portugal in the first half of the 20th century, as well as pointing different mechanisms to achieve the public understanding of science agronomic, associated with the teaching of the I.S.A., present in international publications, taking a prominent place in scientific Congress. A case study that can open a debate on the existence of a (real) scientific policy for the country and its relationship with research institutes and higher education resulting from J.E.

Influence of Activation Parameters on the Mechanical and Microstructure Properties of an Alkali-Activated BOF Steel Slag

ABSTRACT: Steel slag (SS) is a secondary material from steelmaking production with little commercial value. Its volumetric expansion and low reactivity limit the use of SS in Portland cement (PC)- based materials. This study investigated the potential use of basic oxygen furnace (BOF) slag as a single precursor in alkali-activated matrices (AAMs). Six AAM pastes were assessed by changing the silica modulus (0.75, 1.50 and 2.22) and the sodium concentration (4% or 6% Na2O?wt. SS). The early hydration was assessed using isothermal calorimetry (IC), followed by the assessment of the mechanical performance (compressive strength), apparent porosity, and structure and microstructure characterization (X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis and scanning electron microscopy). The results indicated that although the BOF slag may be considered a low-reactivity material, the alkaline environment effectively dissolved important crystalline phases to produce hydrates (reaction products). An optimized combination of activator sources was achieved with 4% Na2O and a silica modulus of 1.50?2.22, with a compressive strength up to 20 MPa, a significant amount of reaction products (C-S-H/C-A-S-H gels), and low initial and cumulative heat release. Those properties will help to promote SS recycling use in future engineering projects that do not require high-strength materials.This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior—Brasil (CAPES)—finance code 001, grant PPM-00709-18 (FAPEMIG) and grant 316882/2021-6 (CNPq