Climate change amplifies plant invasion hotspots in Nepal

Aim Climate change has increased the risk of biological invasions, particularly by increasing the climatically suitable regions for invasive alien species. The distribution of many native and invasive species has been predicted to change under future climate. We performed species distribution modelling of invasive alien plants (IAPs) to identify hotspots under current and future climate scenarios in Nepal, a country ranked among the most vulnerable countries to biological invasions and climate change in the world. Location Nepal. Methods We predicted climatically suitable niches of 24 out of the total 26 reported IAPs in Nepal under current and future climate (2050 for RCP 6.0) using an ensemble of species distribution models. We also conducted hotspot analysis to highlight the geographic hotspots for IAPs in different climatic zones, land cover, ecoregions, physiography and federal states. Results Under future climate, climatically suitable regions for 75% of IAPs will expand in contrast to a contraction of the climatically suitable regions for the remaining 25% of the IAPs. A high proportion of the modelled suitable niches of IAPs occurred on agricultural lands followed by forests. In aggregation, both extent and intensity (invasion hotspots) of the climatically suitable regions for IAPs will increase in Nepal under future climate scenarios. The invasion hotspots will expand towards the high‐elevation mountainous regions. In these regions, land use is rapidly transforming due to the development of infrastructure and expansion of tourism and trade. Main conclusions Negative impacts on livelihood, biodiversity and ecosystem services, as well as economic loss caused by IAPs in the future, may be amplified if preventive and control measures are not immediately initiated. Therefore, the management of IAPs in Nepal should account for the vulnerability of climate change‐induced biological invasions into new areas, primarily in the mountains

Application of analytic hierarchy process to prioritize urban transport options: Comparative analysis of group aggregation methods

The present study presents a comparative analysis of different group aggregation methods adopted in AHP by testing them against social choice axioms with a case study of Delhi transport system. The group aggregation (GA) methods and their correctness were tested while prioritizing the alternative options to achieve energy efficient and less polluting transport system in Delhi. It was observed that among all group aggregation methods, geometric mean method (GMM) - the most widely adopted GA method of AHP - showed poor performance and failed to satisfy the most popular "pareto optimality and non-dictatorship axiom" raising questions on its validity as GA method adopted in AHP. All other group aggregation methods viz. weighted arithmetic mean method with varying weights and equal weights (WAMM, WeAMM) and arithmetic mean of individual priorities (AMM) resulted in concurring results with the individual member priorities. This study demonstrates that WeAMM resulted in better aggregation of individual priorities compared to WAMM. Comparative analysis between individual and group priorities demonstrates that the arithmetic mean (AMM) of priorities by individual members of the group showed minimum deviation from the group consensus making it the most suitable and simple method to aggregate individual preferences to arrive at a group consensus.AHP, decision making, GMM, group aggregation, transportation, WAMM

Application of Analytic Hierarchy Process to Prioritize Urban Transport Options - Comparative Analysis of Group Aggregation Methods

The present study presents a comparative analysis of different group aggregation methods adopted in AHP by testing them against social choice axioms with a case study of Delhi transport system. The group aggregation (GA) methods and their correctness were tested while prioritizing the alternative options to achieve energy efficient and less polluting transport system in Delhi It was observed that among all group aggregation methods, geometric mean method (GMM) - the most widely adopted GA method of AHP - showed poor performance and failed to satisfy the most popular pareto optimality and non-dictatorship axiom raising questions on its validity as GA method adopted in AHP. All other group aggregation methods viz. weighted arithmetic mean method with varying weights and equal weights (WAMM, WeAMM) and arithmetic mean of individual priorities (AMM) resulted in concurring results with the individual member priorities. This study demonstrates that WeAMM resulted in better aggregation of individual priorities compared to WAMM. Comparative analysis between individual and group priorities demonstrates that the arithmetic mean (AMM) of priorities by individual members of the group showed minimum deviation from the group consensus making it the most suitable and simple method to aggregate individual preferences to arrive at a group consensus.AHP, decision making, GMM, group aggregation, transportation, WAMM

Prioritization of Strategies to Overcome Barriers for Cleaner and Energy Efficient Alternatives in Urban Transportation - Multi-criteria Approach

Adoption of cleaner and energy efficient technologies (CEETs) in urban transport experiences certain barriers and deriving a set of policies to remove/reduce barrier in the case of Delhi and Mumbai transport systems was attempted in this study. A set of policy alternatives and measures (PAMs) were identified for each barrier and a pool of barriers PAMs for all barriers were identified which were finally analysed for their potential based on 4 important criteria namely administrative costs, financial burden, human resource benefits, administrative backup and political acceptability. Based on aggregated multi-criteria assessment, the policy of distinct colouring scheme for alternate fuel vehicles (AFVs) stood first followed by awareness campaigns to the drivers, training programs to the workers, single window/priority check points, financial incentives and task force to carry out check. To realize the completeness, potential of PAMs in handling barriers was analysed considering not only a set of criteria but also their potential in handling more than one barrier. In overall ranking, policy to develop partnerships among major stakeholders and awareness campaigns to the drivers showed highest potential in removing barriers for the adoption of CEETs. Based on the ranking under both approaches a set of seven policy measures and alternatives were selected to remove barriers to CEETS and they are partnership between the Government, public sector undertakings and private actors in proving better infrastructure; Financial incentives like free or priority parking, separate lanes for alternative fuel vehicles and free inspection and maintenance; Task force to carry our checks; Heavy fines on defaulters; Distinct colour coding for AFVs; Demonstration of AFVs and their advantages; and Awareness campaigns to drivers. This set of PAMs would be able to control all seven pre-identified barriers to the adoption of CEETs in Delhi and Mumbai urban transportation systems.Barriers, CEETs, multi-criteria, policy analysis, urban transport

Development of GCP Ontology for sharing crop information

Poster presented at 3rd International Biocuration Conference. Berlin (Germany), 17 Apr 200

Interfacial Properties of Siloxane Containing Semifluorinated Diblock Copolymer and Nanocomposite Under Confinement

Interfacial structure and response of complex diblock copolymer thin films and polymer nanocomposites were studied using neutron reflectometry (NR), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and surface tension measurement. The interfacial structure and composition of the polymer at interfaces differ from those of bulk properties that underline their numerous applications such as smart coating, lubricants, and microelectronics. Here, I present the study of semifluorinated diblock copolymer poly trifluoro propyl methyl siloxane (PTFPMS-b-PS or SiF-b-PS) thin films and the dispersion of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) nanoparticle (NP) in symmetric polystyrene-b-poly dimethyl siloxane (PS-b-PDMS) diblock copolymer. Semifluorinated polymers are of a particular interest because of their unique thermal and chemical stability induced by the fluorinated segments. Further, incorporation of fluorine affects the interfacial energy and consequently overall interactions of the polymers with their environment. Temperature response was first probed followed by the impact of exposure to hydrophilic (water) and hydrophobic (decane and toluene) solvents. To resolve the impact of fluorine in the diblock SiF-b-PS, a small fluorinated segment was introduced in the flexible siloxane backbone. The volume fraction of fluorinated segment (ΦSiF) varied from 0.03 to 0.46. Temperature effects study showed that even small fraction of fluorinated segment altered interfacial behavior impacting surface energy as well as wetting behavior. Further, fluorinated segments enhanced the film stability. NR study showed that the incompatibility between fluorinated and protonated blocks drive layering structure where protonated diblocks are often fully mixed. In the layered structure, air interface was fluorine rich and substrate interface proton rich. The layered structure was maintained, even annealing at ~60°C higher than glass transition temperature (Tg) of block copolymer. The effect of quality of casting solvent and preparation pathway on surface properties was studied using AFM and contact angle measurement. Mix solvent of tetrahydrofuran and toluene, which is good for entire polymer and pure toluene, selective for PS block were used to dissolve the polymer and thin films were prepared using both spin cast and drop cast methods. The study found that even small segment of fluorine enhanced segregation and morphology formed depends on the solvent used and mode of preparation. Morphology developed during annealing found to depend on the structure formed at the pristine state. Exposure to water vapor resulted in water penetration throughout the film for the lowest SiF fraction whereas in the higher SiF fraction fluorinated and protonated segments rearranged allowing water to reside at the upper proton rich layers. In the presence of hydrophobic solvents, fluorinated and protonated blocks rearranged in a way solvents preferentially resided in proton rich layers. In both hydrophilic and hydrophobic solvents, layered structure was maintained even after extended exposure time. Effects of the relative size of POSS NPs with polymer layers and flexibility of the block in the distribution of NPs in PS-b-PDMS was also studied. It was found that the distribution of NPs depends on the size of the matrix used. In shorter diblock, NPs mostly distributed towards the interfaces whereas in longer segments NPs distributed isotropically. With annealing, NPs migrated toward PDMS rich layer and air interface due to the entropic influence

Testosterone Reactivity to Skydiving

The purpose of this study is to examine if testosterone shows reactivity to skydiving and to examine whether the testosterone level and reactivity was associated with sex and sensation seeking trait of the participants. Testosterone is an important steroid hormone which has several biological and socio-behavioral effects on people and is also present in disproportionate amounts in males and females; thus, it is important to explore how this hormone acts in different sex. Furthermore, exploring the relationship between sensation-seeking and testosterone could provide insight into the relation between psychological factor and hormonal response in humans. Forty-four people were recruited to participate in the study. The sample comprised of 73% males (N=32) and 27% females (N=12) with a mean age of 24 years (SD = 4.6) and an age range of 18 to 49. The participants volunteered to jump out of an airplane and give saliva samples at different time points during that day and during another day (basal levels). This study found that testosterone shows reactivity in response to skydiving, where the peak levels in males were higher than in females. It also found that people who scored higher in experience-seeking scores had higher testosterone level at jump than people who scored lower. Furthermore, it also revealed that people who scored higher in intension-seeking scores showed more reactivity in terms of testosterone i.e. the rise was steeper in these people. In summary, we see that psychological factors and sex predicted reactivity and peak level of testosterone after skydiving