Stable carbon Isotope evidence for neolithic and bronze age crop water management in the eastern mediterranean and southwest asia

In a large study on early crop water management, stable carbon isotope discrimination was determined for 275 charred grain samples from nine archaeological sites, dating primarily to the Neolithic and Bronze Age, from the Eastern Mediterranean and Western Asia. This has revealed that wheat (Triticum spp.) was regularly grown in wetter conditions than barley (Hordeum sp.), indicating systematic preferential treatment of wheat that may reflect a cultural preference for wheat over barley. Isotopic analysis of pulse crops (Lens culinaris, Pisum sativum and Vicia ervilia) indicates cultivation in highly varied water conditions at some sites, possibly as a result of opportunistic watering practices. The results have also provided evidence for local land-use and changing agricultural practices

Religion and politics in Nigeria : the role of religious actors in government decision making, 1980-2009

In this thesis, I examine the role of religion in Nigerian government decision-making from 1980 to 2009, providing a clear and concise account of the ways in which selected Nigerian religious actors, such as the Christian Association of Nigeria and the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs interacted with government policy actors on two key policy issues: membership of the Organisation of Islam Conference (OIC; international policy) and the adoption of Sharia law (domestic policy). Demographically, Nigeria is equally divided between Christians and Muslims and religious belief is widespread and has no clear boundaries within the country's domestic politics and international relations. Religion and politics mix freely. playing significant roles in the individual's political and social relationships at all levels of society. Nigeria claims to have a secular constitution, but religion has become increasingly important in the public sphere and this thesis is primarily concerned with the political influence of religious actors in the Nigerian government decision-making process. Emphasis is put on investigating organizational access by religious interest groups to policy makers and their influence over policy outcome within the political process. If said groups and policymakers share religious allegiance, are these allegiances reflected in policy outcome? i.e .• when and how do specific religious actors seek to influence the political outcomes of government decision-making? The finding of this thesis suggests that religious groups have a significant role in government decision-making, especially in relation to the impact that superior Muslim religious actors have within the policy-making structure in Nigeria on both OIC policy, and on the three arms of government in Muslim-dominated Sharia states. This study argues that such influence probably enhanced and promoted favourable policy outcomes for religious interest groups, especially Muslim groups.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Selección de rizobios adaptados a ecosistemas ganaderos de Sancti Spíritus, Cuba, inoculados en maíz (Zea mays, L.): Fase I: Invernadero Selection of rhizobia adapted to livestock production ecosystems of Sancti Spiritus, Cuba, inoculated in corn (Zea mays L.).: Stage I: Greenhouse

Se efectuó un ensayo en invernadero con el objetivo de seleccionar cepas de rizobio inoculadas en maíz (Zea mays, L.). Para ello se utilizaron 30 cepas nativas cubanas pertenecientes a Bradyrhizobium sp., así como 12 cepas comerciales, pertenecientes a diferentes géneros y especies de rizobio. Los inóculos se confeccionaron en medio CLM y fueron agitados hasta alcanzar un título de 10(6)-10(8) cél./mL. Se utilizaron los métodos estándar para la inoculación de cereales. Se evaluaron las variables: peso seco aéreo (PSA), peso seco raíz (PSR), longitud del tallo (LT), diámetro del tallo (DT) y presencia de mazorcas (PM). En las variables PSA, LT y DT se hallaron tratamientos superiores al control absoluto, y en el caso de la LT, dos tratamientos presentaron valores sin diferencias significativas a los del control fertilizado. No se detectaron diferencias estadísticas entre tratamientos en la PM. En el PSR los tratamientos inoculados fueron inferiores al control fertilizado, excepto JI2, TD1, SP7 y SP12. Se obtuvo una agrupación en conglomerados, mediante la cual se selecciona­ron las cepas TD, JK, SP, SP, TE, JK, SP, USDA 110, JI, JJ, USDA 76, SP, 25B6, SP, NITRAGIN, ATCC 10317, que se destacaron para su posterior evaluación en condiciones de campo. Los tratamientos seleccionados en el dendrograma constituyeron el 69% para las cepas nativas y el 31% para las comerciales. Al evaluar los tratamientos inoculados en cuanto al grado de dependencia de las diferentes variables con respecto al PSR, se determinó que el índice de regresión fue débil, pero al analizarlos por separado, se observó una regresión fuerte en las variables DT (cepas nativas) y PSA (cepas comerciales). Se recomienda la conti­nuación de estas investigaciones en condiciones de campo.<br>A greenhouse trial was carried out with the objective of selecting rhizobia strains inoculated in corn (Zea mays, L.). Thirty Cuban native strains belonging to Bradyrhizobium sp. were used, as well as 12 commercial strains belonging to different rhizobium genera and species. The inoculi were made in BYM medium and were shaken until reaching a titer of 10(6)-10(8) cel./mL. The standard methods for cereal inoculation were used. The variables evaluated were: aerial dry weight (ADW), root dry weight (RDW), stem length (SL), stem diameter (SD) and presence of ears (PE). In the variables ADW, SL and SD treatments higher than the absolute control were found, and in the case of SL, two treatments showed values without significant differences with the fertilized control. No statistical differences were found among treatments in PE. In RDW the inoculated treatments were lower than the fertilized control, except JI2, TD1, SP7 and SP12. A grouping in clusters was obtained, by means of which the strains TD, JK, SP, SP, TE, JK, SP, USDA 110, JI, JJ, USDA 76, SP20, 25B6, NITRAGIN, ATCC 10317, were selected, which stood out to be evaluated later under field conditions. The treatments selected in the dendrogram constituted 69% for the native strains and 31% for the commercial ones. When evaluating the inoculated treatments regarding the degree of dependence of the different variables with regards to RDW, the regression index was determined to be weak, but when analyzing them separately, a strong regression was observed in the variables SD (native strains) and ADW (commercial strains). To continue these studies under field conditions is recommended