What do communication skills mean in the construction discipline?

The establishment of academic standards in a number of disciplines has been the focus of an ongoing Australian Communication has emerged as one of the key threshold learning outcomes in the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC)-funded project (2010-2011) which established academic standards in a number of disciplines in Australian higher education institutions. However, it is far from clear what is meant by the term ?communication? in any of the disciplines, including the Construction discipline. This study examines the different understandings of communication skills in the Construction discipline that have emerged through thematic and concordance analysis of focus group discussions with the three major stakeholders in the discipline: faculty staff at several Australian universities, industry representatives, and students/recent graduates from Building & Construction degree programs. The findings show that each of the stakeholders has a different understanding of what communication encompasses, and that there are clear differences between the various higher education providers as to what communication is and how it can be developed in a degree program. The findings then beg the question: how are such skills to be taught and assessed in the context of the discipline

Portfolio entrepreneurship in farming: Empirical evidence from the 1881 census for England and Wales

This paper examines portfolio entrepreneurs: those who operate more than one business at any one time. It focuses on the conditions that influence the occurrence of multiple businesses as compared with single business. Empirical evidence on the choice between portfolio entrepreneurship and a single occupation are scarce. In particular, most previous studies discuss the incidence of portfolio entrepreneurship without providing further insights into what influences the decision to engage in multiple activities. To fill this gap in the literature, our objective is to test empirically the factors that affect choice. Drawing for the first time from the historical resource of the 1881 census data for England andWales, we use a multi-level logit model to explore how employee size, farm size in acres, population density, age, gender, marital status, household size, the entrepreneurial ratio, and regional heterogeneity affect the probability of portfolio entrepreneurship. This historical resource allows a unique whole population analysis which offers opportunities, for the first time, to compare factors influencing portfolio choices between modern and past farming practices.This research was supported by ESRC grant ES/M010953 ‘Drivers of Entrepreneurship and Small Businesses’. Piloting of the research for 1881 was supported by Leverhulme Trust grant RG66385 ‘The long-term evolution of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs)’

Intermittent euxinia in the high-latitude James Ross Basin during the latest Cretaceous and earliest Paleocene

Seymour Island, in the James Ross Basin, Antarctica, contains a continuous succession of latest Cretaceous sediments deposited in a shallow marine environment at high latitude, making it an ideal place to study environmental changes prior to the K–Pg mass extinction. We measured major and trace elements and conducted petrographic analysis of two sections from the Maastrichtian–Danian López de Bertodano Formation of Seymour Island. Several lines of evidence point to intermittently anoxic to euxinic conditions during deposition, including the presence of pyrite framboids with a size distribution suggesting syngenetic formation in the water column, and enrichments in several trace elements, including molybdenum, arsenic, copper, zinc, and chromium. Molybdenum enrichments are clearly associated with enrichments in manganese and authigenic iron, suggesting “shuttling” of redox sensitive trace elements across a chemocline that fluctuated across the sediment-water interface. Comparisons with modern systems suggest relatively high frequency redox variability, possibly over approximately annual timescales, which may be related to the annual cycle of polar sunlight and associated seasonal changes in primary productivity. Glauconitic horizons are associated with more reducing conditions, including at the K–Pg boundary, though this does not appear to be a uniquely euxinic interval; similar degrees of trace element enrichment are seen in other highly glauconitic intervals. While euxinia may have contributed to low diversity in the lowermost ‘Rotularia Units’, redox conditions do not seem to have been the primary control on the transition to a mollusc dominated fauna in the latest Maastrichtian. Redox conditions show little to no response to the eruption of the Deccan Traps or Maastrichtian climatic changes. Instead, intermittent euxinia appears to have been a characteristic feature of this high-latitude environment during the Cretaceous–Paleogene transition

Increases in the abundance of microbial genes encoding halotolerance and photosynthesis along a sediment salinity gradient

Biogeochemical cycles are driven by the metabolic activity of microbial communities, yet the environmental parameters that underpin shifts in the functional potential coded within microbial community genomes are still poorly understood. Salinity is one of the primary determinants of microbial community structure and can vary strongly along gradients within a variety of habitats. To test the hypothesis that shifts in salinity will also alter the bulk biogeochemical potential of aquatic microbial assemblages, we generated four metagenomic DNA sequence libraries from sediment samples taken along a continuous, natural salinity gradient in the Coorong lagoon, Australia, and compared them to physical and chemical parameters. A total of 392483 DNA sequences obtained from four sediment samples were generated and used to compare genomic characteristics along the gradient. The most significant shifts along the salinity gradient were in the genetic potential for halotolerance and photosynthesis, which were more highly represented in hypersaline samples. At these sites, halotolerance was achieved by an increase in genes responsible for the acquisition of compatible solutes-organic chemicals which influence the carbon, nitrogen and methane cycles of sediment. Photosynthesis gene increases were coupled to an increase in genes matching Cyanobacteria, which are responsible for mediating CO2 and nitrogen cycles. These salinity driven shifts in gene abundance will influence nutrient cycles along the gradient, controlling the ecology and biogeochemistry of the entire ecosystem. © 2012 Author(s)

Observation and Simulation of Solid Sedimentary Flux: Examples From Northwest Africa

The sedimentary archive preserved at passive margins provides important clues about the evolution of continental topography. For example, histories of African uplift, erosion, and deposition of clastic sedimentary rock provide information about mantle convection. Furthermore, relating histories of uplift and erosion from regions where sediment is generated to measurements of efflux is important for understanding basin evolution and the distribution of natural resources. We focus on constraining Mesozoic to Recent solid sedimentary flux to northwest Africa's passive margin, which today is fed by rivers draining dynamically supported topography. Histories of sedimentary flux are calculated by mapping stratigraphy using seismic reflection and well data courtesy of Tullow Oil Plc and TGS. Stratigraphic ages, conversion from two-way time to depth and compaction, are parameterized using biostratigraphic and check-shot records from exploration, International Ocean Discovery Program and Deep Sea Drilling Project wells. Results indicate that Late Cretaceous to Oligocene (∼100–23 Ma) sedimentary flux decreased gradually. A slight increase in Neogene sedimentary flux is observed, which is concomitant with a change from carbonate to clastic sedimentation. Pliocene to Recent (∼5–0 Ma) flux increased by an order of magnitude. This history of sedimentary flux and facies change is similar to histories observed at other African deltas. To constrain sources of sedimentary flux, 14,700 longitudinal river profiles were inverted to calculate a history of continental uplift. These results were used to parameterize a simple “source-to-sink” model of fluvial erosion and sedimentary efflux. Results suggest that increased clastic flux to Africa's deltas from ∼30 Ma was driven by denudation induced by dynamic support

Contrasting responses of native ant communities to invasion by an ant invader, Linepithema humile

Invasive alien species pose a serious threat to the integrity and function of natural ecosystems. Understanding how these invaders alter natural communities is therefore an important aspect in predicting the likely future outcomes of biological invasions. Many studies have documented the consequences of invasive alien species on native community structure, through the displacement and local extinction of native species. However, sampling methods and intensities are rarely standardised across such studies, meaning that it is not clear whether differences in response among native communities to the same invader species are due to biological differences between the invaded regions, or differences in the methodologies used. Here we use a matched sampling methodology to compare the effects of the Argentine ant (Linepithema humile Mayr) on native ant community assemblages in two distinct biogeographical regions that share similar ecologies: Girona (Spain) and Jonkershoek Nature Reserve (South Africa). We found a strong negative association between L. humile presence and native ant species richness within both geographic regions. However, the effects differed between the two study regions: in Girona, a single native ant species (Plagiolepis pygmaea) persisted in invaded sites; by contrast, substantially more native ant species persisted at invaded sites in Jonkershoek Nature Reserve. In addition, in Jonkershoek Nature Reserve, the abundance of certain native species appeared to increase in the presence of L. humile. This study therefore demonstrates the potential variable effects of an invasive species in contrasting locations within different biogeographical regions. Future work should explore the causes of this differential resistance among communities and expand standardised sampling approaches to more invaded zones to further explore how local biotic or abiotic conditions of a region determine the nature and extent of impact of L. humile invasion on native ant communities

Mercury chemostratigraphy across the Cambrian Series 2 – Series 3 boundary: evidence for increased volcanic activity coincident with extinction?

Flood basalt volcanism represented by the Kalkarindji Province (Australia) is temporally associated with a trilobite mass extinction at the Cambrian Series 2 – Series 3 boundary, providing one of the oldest potential links between volcanism and biotic crisis in the Phanerozoic. However, the relative timing of flood basalt volcanism (Kalkarindji Province, Australia) and the trilobite extinctions, first recorded in North America, is not known. Mercury (Hg) enrichment in the sedimentary record provides a potential proxy for volcanism which may facilitate improved chronologies of eruption and extinction. Here we report mercury records for three sections from mid-shelf strata of the Great Basin (western USA) that straddle the Series 2 – Series 3 boundary. One section (Oak Springs Summit, NV) features a Hg enrichment at the start of the extinction interval, but mercury anomalies are also present at lower levels. These older anomalies may record either earlier phases of Kalkarindji volcanism, eruptions in other locations, or may be the result of sedimentary and/or diagenetic processes affecting the Hg record. In the Carrara Formation at Emigrant Pass, CA, the precise extinction horizon is not well defined, but a carbon isotope anomaly (the Redlichiid-Olenellid Extinction Carbon isotope Event; ROECE) provides a stratigraphic tie point to the Oak Springs Summit section. At Emigrant Pass, Hg enrichments precede the ROECE interval and are absent in the inferred extinction zone. The Pioche Formation at Ruin Wash, NV, lacks Hg enrichment at the extinction horizon but contains older enrichments. The inconsistent Hg records between the three sections demonstrate that factors controlling Hg accumulation and preservation in marine sedimentary environments are not yet fully understood. The effects of redox fluctuations may complicate one-to-one association of sedimentary Hg enrichments and massive volcanism at the Cambrian Series 2 – Series 3 boundary and elsewhere in the geologic record

Nitrogen removal in maturation waste stabilisation ponds via biological uptake and sedimentation of dead biomass.

In this work a set of experiments was undertaken in a pilot-scale WSP system to determine the importance of organic nitrogen sedimentation on ammonium and total nitrogen removals in maturation ponds and its seasonal variation under British weather conditions, from September 2004 to May 2007. The nitrogen content in collected sediment samples varied from 4.17% to 6.78% (dry weight) and calculated nitrogen sedimentation rates ranged from 273 to 2868 g N/ha d. High ammonium removals were observed together with high concentrations of chlorophyll-a in the pond effluent. Moreover, chlorophyll-a had a very good correlation with the corresponding increment of VSS (algal biomass) and suspended organic nitrogen (biological nitrogen uptake) in the maturation pond effluents. Therefore, when ammonium removal reached its maximum, total nitrogen removal was very poor as most of the ammonia taken up by algae was washed out in the pond effluent in the form of suspended solids. After sedimentation of the dead algal biomass, it was clear that algal-cell nitrogen was recycled from the sludge layer into the pond water column. Recycled nitrogen can either be taken up by algae or washed out in the pond effluent. Biological (mainly algal) uptake of inorganic nitrogen species and further sedimentation of dead biomass (together with its subsequent mineralization) is one of the major mechanisms controlling in-pond nitrogen recycling in maturation WSP, particularly when environmental and operational conditions are favourable for algal growth

Are white storks addicted to junk food? Impacts of landfill use on the movement and behaviour of resident white storks (Ciconia ciconia) from a partially migratory population

Background: The migratory patterns of animals are changing in response to global environmental change with many species forming resident populations in areas where they were once migratory. The white stork (Ciconia ciconia) was wholly migratory in Europe but recently guaranteed, year-round food from landfill sites has facilitated the establishment of resident populations in Iberia. In this study 17 resident white storks were fitted with GPS/GSM data loggers (including accelerometer) and tracked for 9.1 ± 3.7 months to quantify the extent and consistency of landfill attendance by individuals during the non-breeding and breeding seasons and to assess the influence of landfill use on daily distances travelled, percentage of GPS fixes spent foraging and non-landfill foraging ranges. Results: Resident white storks used landfill more during non-breeding (20.1 % ± 2.3 of foraging GPS fixes) than during breeding (14.9 % ± 2.2). Landfill attendance declined with increasing distance between nest and landfill in both seasons. During non-breeding a large percentage of GPS fixes occurred on the nest throughout the day (27 % ± 3.0 of fixes) in the majority of tagged storks. This study provides first confirmation of year-round nest use by resident white storks. The percentage of GPS fixes on the nest was not influenced by the distance between nest and the landfill site. Storks travelled up to 48.2 km to visit landfills during non-breeding and a maximum of 28.1 km during breeding, notably further than previous estimates. Storks nesting close to landfill sites used landfill more and had smaller foraging ranges in non-landfill habitat indicating higher reliance on landfill. The majority of non-landfill foraging occurred around the nest and long distance trips were made specifically to visit landfill. Conclusions: The continuous availability of food resources on landfill has facilitated year-round nest use in white storks and is influencing their home ranges and movement behaviour. White storks rely on landfill sites for foraging especially during the non-breeding season when other food resources are scarcer and this artificial food supplementation probably facilitated the establishment of resident populations. The closure of landfills, as required by EU Landfill Directives, will likely cause dramatic impacts on white stork populations

Shallow water anoxia in the Mesoproterozoic ocean: Evidence from the Bashkir Meganticlinorium, Southern Urals

The apparent lag between the first permanent rise of atmospheric oxygen to appreciable levels and oxygenation of the deep ocean has focused efforts in deciphering the evolution of seawater chemistry across the Proterozoic Eon (2.5–0.542 Ga). It is generally accepted that from ∼1.85 Ga oxic shallow marine waters were widespread while the deep ocean remained dominantly ferruginous (Fe(II)-rich), with episodic euxinia confined to productive continental margins and intracontinental basins. The geochemical record that informs this picture, however, is currently sparse, and further studies are required to adequately evaluate temporal and spatial variability in ocean redox conditions across this vast expanse of time. Here, we report Fe-S-C systematics, alongside major (Al, Mn) and trace metal (Mo, U) data for ∼1.6–0.8 Ga marine sediments from the Bashkir Meganticlinorium (BMA), Southern Urals, Russia. Our Fe speciation data reveal a water column dominated by ferruginous conditions, no evidence for euxinia, and oxygenated waters confined to only the shallowest, near-coastal settings. Trace metal data support these findings, with Mo and U enrichment factors in anoxic sediments implying the operation of a particulate Fe (oxyhydr)oxide shuttle under ferruginous conditions as the main mechanism for generating moderate authigenic Mo enrichments. Sulfur isotope systematics imply that predominantly low dissolved sulfate concentrations prevailed throughout the deposition of the BMA succession, which, in combination with a low organic carbon loading, promoted the development of ferruginous, rather than euxinic, water column conditions. The restriction of oxic conditions to the shallowest, near-coastal depositional settings within the Bashkir basin contrasts to other redox studies from this period. Such discrepancies highlight major uncertainty in our understanding of the temporal and spatial evolution of water column redox chemistry across the Mesoproterozoic Era, and signify the need for further detailed work to constrain the chemical evolution of the oceans during this crucial time period