Search results for "forest"
showing 10 items of 3780 documents
Study of students' motivation to perform learning tasks using the educational virtual environment Silva Numerica
2022
This document presents the modalities of realization and the results of two experiments of the use of the EVE Silva Numerica with students of 1st technological STAV. It shows the impact of different scenarios of use of this EVE with regard to a scenario using a video resource on the regulation of student motivation during a teaching/learning session concerning concepts relating to forest development (environment and competition). It is based on the model developed by the self-determination theory - SDT (Deci and Ryan, 1971, 1975, 1985, 1991) and reworked by Vallerand et al. (1989) in the context of the development of the educational motivation scale (EMS), a tool on which we based our data …
Driving forces affecting the adoption of certifications in the forest-based industry: a systematic literature review
2021
Several forest certification schemes have become increasingly popular over the last few decades as voluntary mechanisms to tack sustainability in the forest-based industry to an environmental, social, and economic paradigm. This study aims to systematically review the economic literature on the main motivational factors affecting the adoption of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) certifications in order to perform a broadly theoretical assessment of this research field and identify the most relevant driving forces affecting the adoption of third-party certification in the forest-based industry. Results reveal that the most relev…
Practices of development assistance and climate change mitigation in reshaping the Mozambican REDD+ strategy
2020
ABSTRACTThis paper studies how the practices of climate change governance and development assistance have reshaped the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) process in Mozambique. We look at how the original goals of the Mozambican REDD+ strategy changed in the interplay of different governance-related practices, both those originating locally and nationally, and those coming from international organisations. The paper is based on the frameworks of multilevel governance and practice theory. We identify six combinations of practices that are relevant in the REDD+ programmes and projects. Three of them are incorporated in the general idea of sustainability, inclu…
Weather impacts on interactions between nesting birds, nest-dwelling ectoparasites and ants.
2022
AbstractWeather has a dominant impact on organisms, including their life histories and interspecific interactions. Yet, for nesting birds, and the arthropods inhabiting bird nests, the direct and cascading effects of weather are poorly known. We explored the influence of ambient temperatures and rainfall on the cohabitation of dome-shaped bird nests by Wood Warblers Phylloscopus sibilatrix, their blowfly Protocalliphora azurea ectoparasites, and predatory Myrmica and Lasius ants that may provide nest sanitation. We sampled blowflies and ants in 129 nests, and measured warbler nestlings during 2018–2020 in the primeval Białowieża Forest, eastern Poland. The probability of ectoparasites occur…
Ecology and Diversity of Urban Pine Forest Soil Invertebrates in Rīga, Latvia / Augsnes Bezmugurkaulnieku Bioloģiskā Daudzveidība Urbānajos Priežu Me…
2015
Abstract A study on ecology and diversity of soil invertebrates of urban pine and mixed pine forests was carried out in seven different sampling plots in Rīga during 2014. Ninety eight soil samples were processed and in total, 40 426 specimens were extracted (of them, 25 237 specimens were identified to species level and 15 189 to order level). Indices (abundance, community similarity etc.) characterising faunal diversity and species communities of Rīga city soil fauna were estimated. The most numerous soil invertebrate groups were Collembola, Oribatida and Mesostigmata, accounting for 95% of all collected animals. There was rather high diversity of soil invertebrates in the disturbed urban…
Pest Plant Score of Alien Robinia Pseudoacacia in Rīga (Latvia) and Kaunas (Lithuania) / Svešzemju Sugas Robinia Pseudoacacia Invazitātes Novērtējums…
2015
Abstract Robinia pseudoacacia is an alien tree species that has wide distribution in green areas of Rīga and Kaunas. In recent years, the spread and invasion of this species was observed. The aim of this study was to determine the relative importance of invasiveness of R. pseudoacacia in Rīga and Kaunas. The degree of species invasion was estimated by applying the Pest Plant Prioritization Process, which is based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process method. The results showed that the invasive degree of R. pseudoacacia was near medium (0.4); the present compared to potential distribution rating was medium (0.57) and the social, environmental and economic impact score was very low (0.17). The F…
Concentration of Potentially Toxic Elements in Various Berries Grown in Allotment Gardens of Rīga City, Latvia
2017
Abstract Concentration of trace and major elements is an important indicator of nutritional value of food, also regarding cultivated food crops like fruits, berries, and vegetables. Concentration of elements differs regionally and is influenced by various factors. Nevertheless, some chemical elements (As, Cd, Hg, Ni, Pb, Zn, etc.) are known as environmental pollutants and may affect the quality and safety of crops and food products. The aim of the study was to determine the concentration of potentially toxic elements like Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, and Zn in samples of berries grown in allotment gardens of Rīga city. Dried and homogenised samples of raspberries, strawberries, red currants, bla…
Soil loss tolerance in the context of the European Green Deal
2023
Soil erosion by water, and the consequent loss of a non-renewable resource, is a relevant environmental issue which has economic, ecologic, and social repercussions. In the context of the European Green Deal, the increasing awareness of soil Ecosystem Services is leading to give the due relevance to this problem. Notwithstanding the recent soil conservation strategies adopted by the Common Agricultural Policy had positive effects, the concern regarding this topic is drastically increasing for the normalization of extraordinary rainfall events due to climate change. Recent events occurred in Europe demonstrated that landscape protection is often inadequate and interventions to prevent damage…
Contextual factors predicting compliance behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic: A machine learning analysis on survey data from 16 countries.
2022
Voluntary isolation is one of the most effective methods for individuals to help prevent the transmission of diseases such as COVID-19. Understanding why people leave their homes when advised not to do so and identifying what contextual factors predict this non-compliant behavior is essential for policymakers and public health officials. To provide insight on these factors, we collected data from 42,169 individuals across 16 countries. Participants responded to items inquiring about their socio-cultural environment, such as the adherence of fellow citizens, as well as their mental states, such as their level of loneliness and boredom. We trained random forest models to predict whether someo…
Assessing and mapping multi-hazard risk susceptibility using a machine learning technique
2020
AbstractThe aim of the current study was to suggest a multi-hazard probability assessment in Fars Province, Shiraz City, and its four strategic watersheds. At first, we construct maps depicting the most effective factors on floods (12 factors), forest fires (10 factors), and landslides (10 factors), and used the Boruta algorithm to prioritize the impact of each respective factor on the occurrence of each hazard. Subsequently, flood, landslides, and forest fire susceptibility maps prepared using a Random Forest (RF) model in the R statistical software. Results indicate that 42.83% of the study area are not susceptible to any hazards, while 2.67% of the area is at risk of all three hazards. T…