Survey of stable isotope values in Irish surface waters

We present a study of the spatial distribution of δ¹⁸O and δD values of lake and river waters from 144 locations in Ireland. Before we can gain a better understanding of paleoclimate records derived from lacustrine carbonate minerals we must understand mechanisms that produce variation in isotope values of modern surface waters. The focus of this study is to provide insight into the behavior of lakes and rivers in Ireland, including source, recycling and loss through evapotranspiration. The short duration of sampling in this project provides a snapshot of modern isotope variability to be applied towards long-term climate change in Ireland and provides a basis of comparison for other proxy records.Electronic supplementary material to this article is available at and accessible for authorized users.     

PENSION FUND INVESTMENTS: AN INITIAL GEOGRAPHIC ASSESSMENT*

Despite the importance of interregional shifts of capital in contributing to patterns of regional development, pension funds, a large and growing source of capital in the world, have received limited empirical investigation by geographers. An initial assessment of the geographic impact of selected pension fund investments controlled by the State of Wisconsin Investment Board (SWIB) is presented. A simple investment allocation model is employed to address several research questions. Findings indicate changes in investment categories over time and suggest interregional investment shifts that fail to fall neatly along Sunbelt/Snowbelt lines. Recent SWIB investments may be undercutting the state's competitive position with other – and in some cases Sunbelt – states.     

Temporary Migration and the Labour Market in Australia

Australia's labour market is most influenced by international migration among OECD nations, but Australian research on this issue focuses almost exclusively on permanent settlement migration. The present paper, however, demonstrates that non-permanent migration has an important impact on the Australian labour market, although such migrants are not included in standard data collections and research on migrants and the labour market. A number of data sources are utilised to estimate the labour-market impact of Working Holiday Makers, Temporary Business Entrants, Overseas Students, and New Zealand temporary migrants. It is shown that their impact is equivalent to more than 400?000 full-time jobs. However, the effect is magnified because it is concentrated in particular sectors of the economy and in particular communities within Australia. A number of issues relating to temporary migration are discussed, including the nature of its relationship with permanent migration, the effects on job training, and the implications for regional development.