The role of social factors in complex decision-making processes

Conservation proponents worldwide have recognized the important role that government decision making processes have in determining our impacts on the environment. Attempts to engage with and influence them however, have achieved only mixed success and have been hampered by our poor understanding of their complexity. My research focuses on an empirical examination of the undocumented social drivers of a government decision making process. I begin my thesis with a global survey of the design and use of spatial conservation prioritisations, a tool often used to inform decision making. I demonstrate that prioritisations are being developed in line with the recommendations of the peer-reviewed literature and are translating to implementation. For the main body of my thesis, I examine decision making within an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process in South Africa. I begin with a study of the flow of applications through the process. I demonstrate that whilst authorisation is granted at the final stage, decisions about mitigation efforts are made earlier, and often confidentially. I also demonstrate that conservation agencies influence decisions. Guided by this insight, I use an interview-based approach to study the social dynamics of the EIA process and understand the realities of decision making. I find that scientific evidence is treated with high regard but that the process is a negotiation and as a result the rationale behind outcomes is not always transparent. I demonstrate that reputation plays a central role in determining negotiations and, as a result, environmental impacts. Finally, I apply these insights to a specific policy issue and explain the mechanisms behind globally encountered issues in biodiversity offsetting. If we, as a global society, are to make informed decisions about our environment, we will need to understand the complex social mechanisms which inform the decision-making and the interpretation of scientific advice.Open Acces

Characteristics of extratropical cyclones and precursors to windstorms in northern Europe

Peer reviewe

Psychometric evaluation of the SF-36 health survey in Medicare managed care

Data quality and scoring assumptions for the SF-36 Health Survey were evaluated among the elderly and disabled, using 1998 Cohort I baseline Medicare HOS data (n=177,714). Missing data rates were low, and scoring assumptions were met. Internal consistency reliability was 0.83 to 0.93 for the eight scales and 0.94 and 0.89, respectively, for the physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) component summary measures. Results declined with increased risk factors (e.g., older age, more chronic conditions), but were well above accepted standards for all subgroups. These findings support using standard algorithms for scoring the SF-36 in the HOS and subgroup analyses of HOS data

Development of a scale to measure individuals’ ratings of peace

Background: The evolving concept of peace-building and the interplay between peace and health is examined in many venues, including at the World Health Assembly. However, without a metric to determine effectiveness of intervention programs all efforts are prone to subjective assessment. This paper develops a psychometric index that lays the foundation for measuring community peace stemming from intervention programs. Methods: After developing a working definition of ‘peace’ and delineating a Peace Evaluation Across Cultures and Environments (PEACE) scale with seven constructs comprised of 71 items, a beta version of the index was pilot-tested. Two hundred and fifty subjects in three sites in the U.S. were studied using a five-point Likert scale to evaluate the psychometric functioning of the PEACE scale. Known groups validation was performed using the SOS-10. In addition, test-retest reliability was performed on 20 subjects. Results: The preliminary data demonstrated that the scale has acceptable psychometric properties for measuring an individual’s level of peacefulness. The study also provides reliability and validity data for the scale. The data demonstrated internal consistency, correlation between data and psychological well-being, and test-retest reliability. Conclusions: The PEACE scale may serve as a novel assessment tool in the health sector and be valuable in monitoring and evaluating the peace-building impact of health initiatives in conflict-affected regions

Validation of a Measure of Alliance for an Adolescent Inpatient Setting

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/112270/1/cpp1901.pd

Imaging the interaction of roots and phosphate fertiliser granules using 4D X-ray tomography

Plant root system architecture adapts to the prevailing soil environment and the distribution of nutrients. Many species respond to localised regions of high nutrient supply, found in the vicinity of fertiliser granules, by elevating branching density in these areas. However, observation of these adaptations are frequently limited to plants cultured in idealised materials (e.g. hydrogels) which have a structure-less, homogenous matrix, or rhizotrons, which are spatially limited and provide only 2D data that are not fully quantitative.MethodsIn this study, in vivo, time resolved, non-destructive, micro-focus X-ray CT imaging (?CT) in 3D was used to visualise, quantify and assess root/fertiliser interactions of wheat plants in an agricultural soil during the entire plant life cycle. Two contrasting fertilisers [Triple superphosphate (TSP) and struvite (Crystal Green®)] were applied according to 3 different treatments, each providing an equivalent of 80 kg P2O5 ha-1 (struvite only, TSP only and a 50:50 mixture) to each plant. ?CT scans (60 ?m spatial resolution) of the plant roots were obtained over 14 weeks.ResultsThis is the first time that in situ root/soil/fertiliser interactions have been visualised in 3D from plant germination through to maturity. Results show that lateral roots tend to pass within a few millimetres of the phosphorus (P) source. At this length scale, roots are able to access the P diffusing from the granule.ConclusionsQuantitative analysis of root/fertiliser interactions has shown that rooting density correlates with granule volume-loss for a slow release, struvite fertiliser.<br/

Effects of Cowpea mottle virus and Cucumber mosaic virus on six Soybean (Glycine max L.) cultivars

The study was carried out to determine the comparative pathogenic response of six cultivars of soybean; TGx 1844-18E, TGx 1448-2E, TGx 1910-8F, TGx 1019-2EN, TGx 1910-8F and TGx 1876-4E to single and mixed infections with cowpea mottle virus and cucumber mosaic virus. The experiment was conducted in the screenhouse at the crop production pavilion, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara state Nigeria. The results of the experiment revealed that all soybean cultivars were susceptible to single and mixed infection of the two viruses but to seemingly different extent. The single infection with cowpea mottle virus (CMeV), however, caused the most severe symptoms on the soybean cultivars. Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) alone was not as severe as the CMeV. The mixed infection of CMeV and CMV did not cause higher severity than CMeV alone indicating that there was little or no synergistic effect between the two viruses on soybean

An open source, FPGA-based LeKID readout for BLAST-TNG: Pre-flight results

We present a highly frequency multiplexed readout for large-format superconducting detector arrays intended for use in the next generation of balloon-borne and space-based sub-millimeter and far-infrared missions. We will demonstrate this technology on the upcoming NASA Next Generation Balloon-borne Large Aperture Sub-millimeter Telescope (BLAST-TNG) to measure the polarized emission of Galactic dust at wavelengths of 250, 350 and 500 microns. The BLAST-TNG receiver incorporates the first arrays of Lumped Element Kinetic Inductance Detectors (LeKID) along with the first microwave multiplexing readout electronics to fly in a space-like environment and will significantly advance the TRL for these technologies. After the flight of BLAST-TNG, we will continue to improve the performance of the detectors and readout electronics for the next generation of balloon-borne instruments and for use in a future FIR Surveyor. Read More: http://www.worldscientific.com/doi/abs/10.1142/S225117171641003