The (un)political perspective on climate change in education – a systematic review

Mitigating and adapting to climate change requires foundational changes in societies, politics, and economies. Greater effectiveness has been attributed to actions in the public sphere than to the actions of individuals. However, little is known about how climate literacy programs address the political aspects of mitigation and adaptation. The aim of this systematic literature review is to fill this gap and analyze how public-sphere actions on mitigation and adaptation are discussed in climate literacy programs in schools. Based on database searches following PRISMA guidelines we identified 75 empirical studies that met our inclusion criteria. We found that central aspects of climate policy such as the 1.5-degree limit, the IPCC reports, or climate justice are rarely addressed. Whilst responsibility for emissions is attributed to the public sphere, the debate about mitigation usually focuses on the private sphere. Climate change education does not, therefore, correspond to the climate research discourse. We show that effective mitigation and adaptation are based on public-sphere actions and thus conclude that effective climate education should discuss those public actions if it is to be effective. Hence, we propose that climate education should incorporate political literacy to educate climate-literate citizens

Gross and net production during the spring bloom along the Western Antarctic Peninsula

Author Posting. © The Author(s), 2014. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of New Phytologist Trust for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in New Phytologist 205 (2015): 182-191, doi:10.1111/nph.13125.This study explores some of the physiological mechanisms responsible for high productivity near the shelf in the Western Antarctic Peninsula despite a short growing season and cold temperature. We measured gross and net primary production at Palmer Station during the summer 2012/2013 via three different techniques: 1) incubation with H218O; 2) incubation with 14CO2; and 3) in situ measurements of O2/Ar and triple oxygen isotope. Additional laboratory experiments were performed with the psychrophilic diatom Fragilariopsis cylindrus. During the spring bloom, which accounted for more than half of the seasonal gross production at Palmer Station, the ratio of net to gross production reached a maximum greater than ~60%, among the highest ever reported. The use of multiple-techniques showed that these high ratios resulted from low heterotrophic respiration and very low daylight autotrophic respiration. Laboratory experiments revealed a similar ratio of net to gross O2 production in F.cylindrus and provided the first experimental evidence for an important level of cyclic electron flow (CEF) in this organism. The low ratio of community respiration to gross primary production observed during the bloom at Palmer Station may be characteristic of high latitude coastal ecosystems and partially supported by a very active CEF in psychrophilic phytoplankton.This study was supported by funds from the US National Science Foundation (Award numbers 1040965 and 1043593). Funding to PDT was provided by the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada

Metabolic balance of coastal Antarctic waters revealed by autonomous pCO2 and ΔO2/Ar measurements

Author Posting. © American Geophysical Union, 2014. This article is posted here by permission of American Geophysical Union for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Geophysical Research Letters 41 (2014): 6803–6810, doi:10.1002/2014GL061266.We use autonomous gas measurements to examine the metabolic balance (photosynthesis minus respiration) of coastal Antarctic waters during the spring/summer growth season. Our observations capture the development of a massive phytoplankton bloom and reveal striking variability in pCO2 and biological oxygen saturation (ΔO2/Ar) resulting from large shifts in community metabolism on time scales ranging from hours to weeks. Diel oscillations in surface gases are used to derive a high-resolution time series of net community production (NCP) that is consistent with 14C-based primary productivity estimates and with the observed seasonal evolution of phytoplankton biomass. A combination of physical mixing, grazing, and light availability appears to drive variability in coastal Antarctic NCP, leading to strong shifts between net autotrophy and heterotrophy on various time scales. Our approach provides insight into the metabolic responses of polar ocean ecosystems to environmental forcing and could be employed to autonomously detect climate-dependent changes in marine primary productivity.This study was supported by funds from the U.S. National Science Foundation (OPP awards ANT-0823101, ANT-1043559, ANT-1043593, and ANT-1043532) as well as support for PDT and ECA from the National Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada.2015-04-0

Metabolic balance of coastal Antarctic waters revealed by autonomous pCO₂ and ΔO₂/Ar measurements

We use autonomous gas measurements to examine the metabolic balance (photosynthesis minus respiration) of coastal Antarctic waters during the spring/summer growth season. Our observations capture the development of a massive phytoplankton bloom and reveal striking variability in pCO₂ and biological oxygen saturation (ΔO₂/Ar) resulting from large shifts in community metabolism on time scales ranging from hours to weeks. Diel oscillations in surface gases are used to derive a high-resolution time series of net community production (NCP) that is consistent with ¹⁴C-based primary productivity estimates and with the observed seasonal evolution of phytoplankton biomass. A combination of physical mixing, grazing, and light availability appears to drive variability in coastal Antarctic NCP, leading to strong shifts between net autotrophy and heterotrophy on various time scales. Our approach provides insight into the metabolic responses of polar ocean ecosystems to environmental forcing and could be employed to autonomously detect climate-dependent changes in marine primary productivity

A Novel Mouse Synaptonemal Complex Protein Is Essential for Loading of Central Element Proteins, Recombination, and Fertility

The synaptonemal complex (SC) is a proteinaceous, meiosis-specific structure that is highly conserved in evolution. During meiosis, the SC mediates synapsis of homologous chromosomes. It is essential for proper recombination and segregation of homologous chromosomes, and therefore for genome haploidization. Mutations in human SC genes can cause infertility. In order to gain a better understanding of the process of SC assembly in a model system that would be relevant for humans, we are investigating meiosis in mice. Here, we report on a newly identified component of the murine SC, which we named SYCE3. SYCE3 is strongly conserved among mammals and localizes to the central element (CE) of the SC. By generating a Syce3 knockout mouse, we found that SYCE3 is required for fertility in both sexes. Loss of SYCE3 blocks synapsis initiation and results in meiotic arrest. In the absence of SYCE3, initiation of meiotic recombination appears to be normal, but its progression is severely impaired resulting in complete absence of MLH1 foci, which are presumed markers of crossovers in wild-type meiocytes. In the process of SC assembly, SYCE3 is required downstream of transverse filament protein SYCP1, but upstream of the other previously described CE–specific proteins. We conclude that SYCE3 enables chromosome loading of the other CE–specific proteins, which in turn would promote synapsis between homologous chromosomes

Dissecting the Shared Genetic Architecture of Suicide Attempt, Psychiatric Disorders, and Known Risk Factors

Background Suicide is a leading cause of death worldwide, and nonfatal suicide attempts, which occur far more frequently, are a major source of disability and social and economic burden. Both have substantial genetic etiology, which is partially shared and partially distinct from that of related psychiatric disorders. Methods We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of 29,782 suicide attempt (SA) cases and 519,961 controls in the International Suicide Genetics Consortium (ISGC). The GWAS of SA was conditioned on psychiatric disorders using GWAS summary statistics via multitrait-based conditional and joint analysis, to remove genetic effects on SA mediated by psychiatric disorders. We investigated the shared and divergent genetic architectures of SA, psychiatric disorders, and other known risk factors. Results Two loci reached genome-wide significance for SA: the major histocompatibility complex and an intergenic locus on chromosome 7, the latter of which remained associated with SA after conditioning on psychiatric disorders and replicated in an independent cohort from the Million Veteran Program. This locus has been implicated in risk-taking behavior, smoking, and insomnia. SA showed strong genetic correlation with psychiatric disorders, particularly major depression, and also with smoking, pain, risk-taking behavior, sleep disturbances, lower educational attainment, reproductive traits, lower socioeconomic status, and poorer general health. After conditioning on psychiatric disorders, the genetic correlations between SA and psychiatric disorders decreased, whereas those with nonpsychiatric traits remained largely unchanged. Conclusions Our results identify a risk locus that contributes more strongly to SA than other phenotypes and suggest a shared underlying biology between SA and known risk factors that is not mediated by psychiatric disorders.Peer reviewe

Hur värderar börsföretag sitt innehav av onoterade aktier?

Bakgrund och problembeskrivning: Från och med år 2005 ska alla noterade bolag upprätta sina koncernredovisningar enligt IASBs regelverk IFRS. Redovisningen har gått från att traditionellt sett vara inriktad på anskaffningsvärde till att värdera fler tillgångar, bland annat finansiella instrument, till verkligt värde. Att värdera till verkligt värde kan vara svårt då IFRS är ett principbaserat regelverk och inga tydliga riktlinjer finns för hur värdering av exempelvis onoterade aktier ska gå till. En ny standard rörande verkligt värde är på ingång men än så länge har företagen stor frihet i sin redovisning av denna metod. Författarna frågar sig i den här undersökningen hur de börsnoterade företagen värderar sitt innehav av en slags finansiell tillgång, närmare bestämt onoterade aktier. Vidare undersöks om värderingen av denna post har något samband med bransch- och/eller storlekstillhörighet eller med anlitad revisionsbyrå. Syfte: Uppsatsen syftar till att undersöka hur bolag på OMX Nordic Exchange Stockholm, hädanefter Stockholmsbörsen, värderar innehav av aktier där ingen aktiv marknad finns. Vidare är syftet att undersöka om det finns ett samband mellan hur bolagen värderar de onoterade aktierna och deras storlek, branschtillhörighet eller anlitad revisionsbyrå. Metod: Undersökningen genomfördes med hjälp av ett kvantitativt arbetssätt. Årsredovisningar från samtliga svenska börsnoterade företag granskades med avsikten att undersöka hur dessa företag beräknar verkligt värde på onoterade aktier och om skillnader existerar med avseende på företagens storlek och branschtillhörighet. Hypoteser ställdes upp och testades för att på det sättet svara på problemformuleringen. Slutsatser: Inget fastställt statistiskt samband kunde påvisas mellan värderingssätt och storlekstillhörighet. Detta förvånade författarna en aning då tidigare studier hade visat att företags redovisningsval till stor del beror på storlekskategori. Inte heller kunde ett samband påvisas mellan värderingssätt och branschtillhörighet då alla företag ingick i testet. Då endast gruppen med de minsta företagen testades med variabeln bransch påvisades däremot ett samband. Anledningen till detta kan vara att små företag är mer benägna att påverkas av varandra och av branschstandarden. Ett signifikant samband mellan värderingssätt och val av revisionsbyrå kunde inte skönjas. Tidigare studier var något ambivalenta vad gäller revisionsbyråernas påverkan på ett företags redovisningsval, och i denna undersökning kunde ett sådant samband inte heller bevisas. Förslag till fortsatt forskning: Ett annat sätt att undersöka hur företag värderar sitt innehav av onoterade aktier är att titta närmare på varje enskilt företag genom exempelvis intervjuer och därigenom skapa en större förståelse för hur deras värderingsmodeller används i praktiken. En ytterligare variant av denna studie hade varit att undersöka och jämföra hur utförliga företagen är i sina årsredovisningar vad gäller innehav av onoterade aktier eller något annat finansiellt instrument. Detta skulle kunna kopplas till bransch- eller storlekskarakteristika. Slutligen skulle en studie gjord över tid vara intressant och se huruvida företag håller fast vid sina värderingsmetoder eller om det finns någon tendens att det ena värderingssättet blir vanligare än ett annat, exempelvis vid lågkonjunktur

Climate Change Education Challenges from Two Different Perspectives of Change Agents: Perceptions of School Students and Pre-Service Teachers

Climate change education (CCE) can play an essential role in pushing forward a climate-just transition. However, educational institutions seem to be challenged to equip students and their prospective teachers with what is necessary for them to become multipliers for climate action. This study aims to provide actionable insights on how to harness the untapped potential of CCE, overcome obstacles, and draw conclusions on which adaptations are necessary to improve current CCE settings. We conducted a qualitative questionnaire study using the example of 80 secondary school students (grade 12) and 18 pre-service teachers (PSTs). The results indicated that both cohorts feel inadequately prepared for their role as possible “change agents”, stating that climate change as a topic is given too little time, engagement with practical examples on taking climate action is inadequate, and a superficial examination of the topic takes place. Students as well as PSTs as change agents are not sufficiently supported by educational institutions to exercise their transformative potential due to numerous identified challenges that have to be confronted at a systemic level. Results indicate that especially teacher training programs need to increasingly focus on the professional development of educators in this field

Retrieval-based skill learning: testing promotes the acquisition of scientific experimentation skills

We investigated whether retrieval-based learning can facilitate the acquisition of cognitive skills, focusing on the control-of-variables strategy. This core scientific experimentation skill is regularly taught in science education classes because understanding it is essential for understanding experimental investigations in science. In the present study, participants initially read a text explaining the control-of-variables strategy. We compared the effects of subsequent retrieval practice and restudy of the text in performing a transfer test requiring the application of the control-of-variables strategy by judging the validity of a number of experimental designs. In addition, recall of the initially studied text was assessed as well. Repeated retrieval practice in combination with restudy opportunities resulted in better performance in both the transfer test and the recall test as compared to mere restudy or a single study opportunity. These findings demonstrate that retrieval practice is a useful tool for promoting deep conceptual learning

The (Un)political Perspective on Climate Change in Education—A Systematic Review

Mitigating and adapting to climate change requires foundational changes in societies, politics, and economies. Greater effectiveness has been attributed to actions in the public sphere than to the actions of individuals. However, little is known about how climate literacy programs address the political aspects of mitigation and adaptation. The aim of this systematic literature review is to fill this gap and analyze how public-sphere actions on mitigation and adaptation are discussed in climate literacy programs in schools. Based on database searches following PRISMA guidelines we identified 75 empirical studies that met our inclusion criteria. We found that central aspects of climate policy such as the 1.5-degree limit, the IPCC reports, or climate justice are rarely addressed. Whilst responsibility for emissions is attributed to the public sphere, the debate about mitigation usually focuses on the private sphere. Climate change education does not, therefore, correspond to the climate research discourse. We show that effective mitigation and adaptation are based on public-sphere actions and thus conclude that effective climate education should discuss those public actions if it is to be effective. Hence, we propose that climate education should incorporate political literacy to educate climate-literate citizens