Group decisions in humans and animals: a survey

Humans routinely make many decisions collectively, whether they choose a restaurant with friends, elect political leaders or decide actions to tackle international problems, such as climate change, that affect the future of the whole planet. We might be less aware of it, but group decisions are just as important to social animals as they are for us. Animal groups have to collectively decide about communal movements, activities, nesting sites and enterprises, such as cooperative breeding or hunting, that crucially affect their survival and reproduction. While human group decisions have been studied for millennia, the study of animal group decisions is relatively young, but is now expanding rapidly. It emerges that group decisions in animals pose many similar questions to those in humans. The purpose of the present issue is to integrate and combine approaches in the social and natural sciences in an area in which theoretical challenges and research questions are often similar, and to introduce each discipline to the other's key ideas, findings and successful methods. In order to make such an introduction as effective as possible, here, we briefly review conceptual similarities and differences between the sciences, and provide a guide to the present issue

Effect of supersorbent polymer on some biochemical parameters in soil and seedlings of winter wheat (Tricticum aestivum L.)

Jednym ze sposobów częściowego zmniejszenia deficytu wody, szczególnie na glebach lekkich, może być zastosowanie supersorbentów polimerowych powodujących zwiększenie retencji wodnej i poprawiających strukturę gleby. Celem podjętych badań było określenie oddziaływania AgroHydroGelu na aktywność enzymów glebowych (dehydrogenaz i fosfataz), a także na wybrane parametry biochemiczne w siewkach pszenicy ozimej odmiany Skagen (aktywność katalazy i peroksydazy, zawartość polifenoli ogółem oraz zawartość barwników asymilacyjnych). Doświadczenie polowe założono na piasku gliniastym, do którego wprowadzono AgroHydroGel w ilościach odpowiadających dawkom sorbentu dla gleb o bardzo dużej przepuszczalności (1,19 g·kg⁻¹), dużej przepuszczalności (1,59 g·kg⁻¹) i średniej przepuszczalności (1,99 g·kg⁻¹). Na podstawie przeprowadzonych badań, stwierdzono istotne zmiany oznaczanych parametrów biochemicznych w glebie i siewkach pszenicy ozimej. Spośród oznaczanych enzymów glebowych największe zmiany wystąpiły w przypadku dehydrogenaz. Z kolei w siewkach pszenicy ozimej zaobserwowano głównie stymulację aktywności katalazy, inhibicję aktywności peroksydazy oraz wzrost zawartości barwników asymilacyjnych.Supersorbent polymer application may be a way to partial reduction of water deficit, especially in sandy soils. It causes an increase in water retention, at the same time improving soil structure. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of AgroHydroGel on the activity of soil enzymes (dehydrogenases and phosphatases), as well as on selected biochemical parameters in seedlings of winter wheat cv. Skagen (activity of catalase and peroxidase and content of total polyphenols and assimilation pigments). The pot experiment was carried out on soil material taken from the topsoil of Brunic Arenosol in Agricultural Experimental Station in Lipnik, located in the West Pomeranian District, Poland. According to the classification of the United States Department of Agriculture, it was soil with a granulometric composition of loamy sand, with Corg content of 8.7 g·kg⁻¹. AgroHydroGel was added to the soil samples in amounts appropriate to doses for soils of a very high permeability (1.19 g·kg⁻¹), high permeability (1.59 g·kg⁻¹) and medium permeability (1.99 g·kg⁻¹). A monocotyledonous plant, winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cv. Skagen, was used in the experiment. Seeds of the plant, originating from the same source, were sown into a plastic plant pots that were filled with reference soil and soil thoroughly mixed with the studied supersorbent. Soil samples were collected on days 1, 7, 14, 21 and 28, and activities of acid phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.2), alkaline phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.1) and dehydrogenases (EC 1.1.1.x) were determined. Moreover, in winter wheat seedlings, analyses of catalase (EC 1.11.1.6), peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.7) activity and content of photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and carotenoids) were performed on days 14, 21 and 28. Obtained results showed significant changes in measured biochemical parameters in soil and the seedlings of winter wheat. Among soil enzymes the highest changes were observed in dehydrogenases activity. However, in the seedlings of winter wheat, a stimulation of catalase activity, inhibition of peroxidase activity and increase in assimilation pigments concentration were mainly reported. These results showed that application of AgroHydroGel may cause disturbances in soil ecochemical state and initiate oxidative stress in wheat seedlings

Die wasserrechtliche Fachbetriebspflicht Schwachstellenanalyse und Vorschlaege zur Steigerung ihrer Effizienz

The Water Protection Act ('Wasserhaushaltsgesetz'-WHG), relating to process installations, defines a requirement that some specific activities may only be performed by 'qualified enterprises' ('Fachbetriebe'). These enterprises must have knowledge, personnel and equipment to use the technical methods to protect the water from hazardous substances. The regulations have been in force in their current form since 1986. This research was instigated due to the reportedly high frequency of audit Faults at process installations where these 'qualified enterprises' had been employed. A survey of the current opinion of involved parties (including authorities, operating companies and expert bodies) was carried out by means of questionnaires. General support for the concept of 'qualified enterprises' was confirmed from this. The WHG allows two implementation routes; using the Technical Monitoring organisations recognised in Water Protection legislation, or using the Goods- and Monitoring Associations acknowledged in construction regulations. On the other hand the analysis showed that the two types of organisation are generally equal in terms of effectiveness. However instances were found where significant differences can exist between the two types of organisations. The consensus of the participants clearly endorsed preservations of both forms of organisations because each demonstrates specific advantages. (orig.)SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: RN 8422(2003,70) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekBundesministerium fuer Umwelt, Naturschutz und Reaktorsicherheit, Bonn (Germany)DEGerman

Broadwell Model and Conservative Supersonic Boundary

10.1007/s00205-010-0344-4Archive for Rational Mechanics and Analysis2001203-22