Pre-Play communication with forgone costly messages: experimental evidence on forward induction

We study communication in a two-player coordination game with Pareto-ranked equilibria. Prior research demonstrates that efficient coordination is difficult without communication but obtains regularly with (mandatory) costless pre-play messages. In a laboratory experiment, we modify communication by making the sending of messages optional and costly. Even small costs dramatically reduce message use, but efficient coordination of actions occurs with similar frequency to that observed under costless communication. Our results can be accounted for by Govindan and Wilson's formalization of forward induction (GW-FI), which selects, among the pure-strategy equilibrium outcomes, the one in which efficiency is achieved without communication. Consistent with the introspective character of GW-FI, the fraction of players who achieve efficient coordination by forgoing the use of reasonably costly optional messages is substantial from the first period, is remarkably stable at that level, and is not significantly affected by learning.Coordination, communication, forward induction, experiment, stag hunt

Ecological characteristics and ratings for soils of Arctic Canada

This paper presents results from the terrestrial research group from the Swedish-Canadian expedition "Tundra Northwest 1999" (TNW99). Sites were chosen with respect to the ecological states mesic and dry. Soils show a great variability with regard to local aspects. Elevated contents of organic matter (>2% TOC) are abundant, especially at mesic sites with full vegetation cover. C/N-values lower than 14 correspond with a dominance of annual plant species. Strong differences in the contents of oxalate extractable iron are observed. Most soils have low salt contents and react alkaline due to higher contents of carbonates with respect to their parent material. Soils are strongly influenced by climate conditions, some of them are enriched with salts, due to an influence of the sea shore in the neighbourhood. Surface layers show high amounts of bacteria, extremes are above 10^9 cells g^(-1). All communities show mostly small sized organisms, and reveal low values of mean cell volumes and surfaces, and thus low biomass. The most important group of bacterial cells can be seen in small rod shaped cells (0.25-0.75μm). A concept of ecological ratings is used to describe the regional and local differences. The TNW99 sites are compared to those from other locations from Arctic Canada taken from literature

Effects of Basic Slag, Aggregate Size and Groundwater Treatments on the Production of Chilli in Acid Sulfate Soils in a Simulation Study

A simulation study was conducted to evaluate the effects of basic slag (BS10 and BS20: basic slag 10 and 20 t ha-1), aggregate size (A20 and A30: aggregate sizes of soil, less than 20 and 20-30 mm) and groundwater depth (Gw0: no influence of groundwater and Gw50: groundwater beneath 50 cm of the soil surface) as physico-chemical amendments in two pre-leached (leached for a week through tap water to remove excessive acidity and salinity from the soil before transplantation) acid sulfate soils of Badarkhali (Salidic Sulfaquept) and Cheringa (Typic Sulfic Halaquept) series in relation to the production of Chilli (Capsicum annum L.). Maximum growth and yield of chilli were recorded by the treatment combining A30Gw50BS20 in both the Cheringa (green chilli weight: 4.82 t ha-1) and Badarkhali (4.51 t ha-1) soils. The application of basic slag (BS20) was found to be the most effective among the individual treatments, followed by the BS10 > A30 > Gw50 treatments. The application of BS20 increased the yield in combination with the Gw0 treatment by 40% for A20, while by 107% for A30 in the Badarkhali soil. On the other hand, in the case of Gw50, these increments were 49 and 141% for A20 and A30, respectively. The application of BS at the highest rate (BS20) to the Cheringa soil was more effective compared with the A20 and A30 treatments in the Badarkhali soil. The same rate of BS20 in combination with the Gw50 treatment increased the yield by 59 to 147% in the Cheringa soil compared with 49 to 141% in the Badarkhali soil. Almost similar and significant (p≤0.05) effects were observed for the other growth parameters of chilli cultivated in both soil series

Soils and their microbiological properties from a transect from Cape Horn to the Antarctic Peninsula

Soils of the southernmost islands of South America (Cape Horn), the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, South Orkneys, South Shetlands, the Antarctic Peninsula and Poulet Island are described and analyzed for soil properties, soil taxonomy and microorganisms. Results showed a great variety of soils. Leptosols, gleysols, regosols, cambisols, podzols, andosols and histosols are described. Podzolization was found in all climatic regions. Influences of bird colonies can be demonstrated by extractable phosphate and low C/N ratios. The bacterial flora is described via total counts (range between 0.06-10.45・10^9g^d. wt.) and biomass distributions (range between 0.47-102.7μgCg^ d. wt.) in different soil layers. Total number or total biomass are not related to geographic or internal soil patterns but to contents of organic matter. Similarly, mean cell volumes of bacteria (range between 0.06 and 0.1μm^3) are found to be related to nutrient levels. Distributions of bacterial communities show individual patterns of soil profiles and are not related to an overall geographical pattern

Bibliothekarische Systematiken und Fachsystematik(en) der Philologien - eine vielschichtige Beziehung

Bibliothekarische Fachklassifikationen wissenschaftlicher Literatur sind durch zwei, teils entgegengesetzte, Zielsetzungen bestimmt. Auf der einen Seite suchen sie die bibliothekarisch eindeutige Trennung zwischen den verwendeten Klassen zu gewährleisten, auf der anderen Seite lehnen sie sich möglichst eng an die Selbstklassifikation des betreffenden Wissenschaftsgebiets an, die, wie im Fall der Philologien, durchaus gewisse begriffliche Unschärfen und Vagheiten einschließen kann. Dabei sind Klassifikationen nie als objektive Instrumente zur kontextfreien Inhaltsbeschreibung von Dokumenten zu verstehen, sondern als Werkzeuge zur Sacherschließung, die in einem bestimmten Entstehungs- und Nutzungszusammenhang stehen. Dass diese Zusammenhänge historischem Wandel unterworfen sind, zeigt exemplarisch ein Blick auf die Entwicklung des philologischen Teils der »Regensburger Verbundklassifikation«.Bibliographic classification of scientific literature is determined by two, partly opposing, objectives. On the one hand it aims at clear distinction between the classes used in the system of classification. On the other hand it follows, reasonably, the classification used by the respective field of science itself to classify subjects, and those self-classifications often contain, as in the case of philology, many indistinct and vague terms. In addition, bibliographic classification systems are never instruments to describe the content of documents in an impartial and context-free way, they are rather tools for subject indexing bound to a specific context of origin and usage. To demonstrate that the historical change of classification systems is driven by change of their cultural context the »RegensburgerVerbundklassifikation«, a classification scheme prevalent in German speaking countries, serves as an example