Empowering women: the role of emancipative forces in board gender diversity

This study investigates the effect of countrylevel emancipative forces on corporate gender diversity around the world. Based on Welzel’s (Freedom rising: human empowerment and the quest for emancipation. Cambridge University Press, New York, 2013) theory of emancipation, we develop an emancipatory framework of board gender diversity that explains how action resources, emancipative values and civic entitlements enable, motivate and encourage women to take leadership roles on corporate boards. Using a sample of 6390 firms operating in 30 countries around the world, our results show positive single and combined effects of the framework components on board gender diversity. Our research adds to the existing literature in a twofold manner. First, our integrated framework offers a more encompassing, complete and theoretically richer picture of the key drivers of board gender diversity. Second, by testing the framework empirically, we extend the evidence on national drivers of board gender diversity

Invasive Salix fragilis: altered metabolic patterns in Australian streams

Willows (Salix spp.) are listed as a weed of national significance in Australia. Despite this recognition, functional effects of willows on streams compared to native species are largely unknown. Leaves supply carbon to instream food webs, but may also act as surfaces for biofilm, and thus can contribute in different ways to stream metabolism. Salix fragilis L. and Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh. leaves that had been colonised by biofilms were placed into chambers in laboratory conditions, and metabolic rates were measured. Gross Primary Production (GPP) of biofilms on E. camaldulensis leaves after 10 days of incubation were significantly greater than biofilms on S. fragilis leaves. S. fragilis leaves displayed greater rates of microbial decomposition per leaf mass. Autotrophic biomass was one hundred fold greater on E. camaldulensis leaves. The biofilm on E. camaldulensis leaves is likely to support a greater population of grazers, compared to S. fragilis. The alien S. fragilis leaves, therefore, are fuelling a different component of the food web to endemic E. camaldulensis leaves. Endemic Eucalyptus spp. leaves play an important role in temperate Australian streams as a substrate for autotrophic growth and provide a year round pathway for carbon to reach secondary invertebrate consumer