Strategic coupling in ‘next wave cities’: Local institutional actors and the offshore service sector in the Philippines

The outsourcing and offshoring of services to developing countries has created new opportunities for economic development for countries in the global South. This paper looks at the scope for agency of local institutional actors in the investment attraction of business process outsourcing companies. Drawing on empirical work from the Philippines, an analysis of the process of integrating lower‐tier cities into global service production networks is presented. Specifically, the roles of local institutional actors in facilitating FDI attraction and strategically coupling local assets with the needs of multinational service corporations are discussed. Two contrasting cases, the cities of Baguio and Bacolod, show that considerable scope for intervention rests with local institutional actors. The findings have implications for policymaking and research concerned with the newest phase of outsourcing and offshoring in developing countries.     

The eutrophication history of a tropical water supply reservoir in Brazil

Guarapiranga Reservoir is the second most important public water supply in São Paulo, Brazil and has been eutrophic for several decades. We inferred the major ecological shifts for the period 1919–2010 related to multiple stressors (forest flooding, hydrological change, use of algicide and eutrophication), using geochemistry (TOC, TN, TP, C/N, δ¹⁵N, δ¹³C) and diatom assemblages in a short (75-cm) sediment core. Thirty-two diatom species were abundant in the core and stratigraphically constrained incremental sum of squares analysis enabled identification of three diatom zones and four subzones, i.e. depths at which marked changes in species composition occurred. Early diatom assemblages were dominated by benthic, oligotrophic taxa, mainly Eunotia, influenced by flooded vegetation after dam construction. A shift to dominance by a planktonic species (Eunotia tukanorum) occurred ca. 1932, during the period of initial physical disturbance and early use of the water body as a public water supply. Diatoms and geochemical variables show that the reservoir was oligotrophic from ~1919 to 1947. Eutrophication began ~1975 and by the early 1980s the reservoir had become eutrophic, in response to an explosive increase in human population in the watershed. Severe cultural eutrophication has persisted since ~1990. Higher concentrations of copper in the sediments, beginning in 1991, reflect the increased use of copper sulfate to control cyanobacteria blooms and provide a chronological marker. Higher δ¹⁵N values in recent sediments indicate greater sewage inputs and low C/N values reflect the predominant contribution of algae to sediment organic matter. Eutrophic taxa Cyclotella meneghiniana and Nitzschia sp. dominate recent diatom assemblages, along with Aulacoseira granulata, a species that is tolerant of copper sulfate. Diatom assemblages reflect multiple stressors, however, geochemical information provides a better understanding of the early phase of the reservoir. Paleolimnologically documented trophic state changes in this important drinking water supply are largely attributable to increased urbanization of the drainage basin and inputs of sewage. Management efforts should focus on mitigating this nutrient source.     

Reflections on Science–Stakeholder Interactions in Climate Change Adaptation Research within Swedish Forestry

Stakeholder engagement has become increasingly important in research programs focusing on climate change impact on ecosystem services. Communication between researchers and stakeholders, however, is often impaired by linguistic barriers, different priorities, and time constraints. This article examines the organizational aspects of science–stakeholder interactions, focusing on examples from the Swedish forestry sector. The study highlights the need articulated by the Swedish forestry sector for access to scientific knowledge, and we discuss how to present research findings in formats suitable to serve as decision support. Clear communication about common goals, expectations, resources, and time frames is needed in order to reduce the risk of stakeholder fatigue.     

Land-use and vegetation-cover mapping of an indigenous land area in the state of Mato Grosso (Brazil) based on spectral linear mixing model,segmentation and region classification

A spectral linear-mixing model using Landsat ETM+ imagery was undertaken to estimate fraction images of green vegetation, soil and shade in an indigenous land area in the state of Mato Grosso in the central-western region of Brazil. The fraction images were used to classify different types of land use and vegetation cover. The fraction images were classified by the following two methods: (a) application of a segmentation based on the region-growing technique; and (b) grouping of the regions segmented using the per-region unsupervised classifier named ISOSEG. Adopting a 75% threshold, ISOSEG generated 44 clusters that were grouped into eight land-use and vegetation-cover classes. The mapping achieved an average accuracy of 83%, showing that the methodology is efficient in mapping areas of great land-use and vegetation-cover diversity, such as that found in the Brazilian cerrado (savanna).     

Paleomagnetism and magnetic mineralogy of metabasites and granulites from Orlica-Śnieżnik Dome (Central Sudetes)

The results of palaeomagnetic, rock magnetic, and microscopic study of Early Paleozoic metabasites and granulites from the Orlica?nie?nik Dome (OSD, Sudetes) have been combined with geochronological data. In the eastern part of the OSD (?nie?nik Massif, SM) ferrimagnetic pyrrhotite is prevalent, accompanied by various amounts of Fe-oxides. In the western part of the OSD (Orlica-Bystrzyca Massif, OBM) Fe-oxides dominate. All magnetic minerals originated during hydrothermal and weathering processes. The palaeomagnetic study revealed the presence of three secondary components of natural remanence: Late Carboniferous, Late Permian, and Mesozoic. Two Paleozoic components are related to volcanic activity in the Sudetes. They are carried by pyrrhotite and Fe-oxides and were isolated only in SM rocks. The Mesozoic component was determined in both parts of the OSD and is carried by Fe-oxides. It covers a time span, from ～160 to ～40 Ma, corresponding to a long period of alteration.     

A Photo-elicitation Approach to Exploring the Place Meanings Ascribed by Campers to the Ningaloo Coastline,North-western Australia

Although there have been numerous studies of the meanings ascribed to terrestrial places, their applicability or otherwise to coastal and marine places has received limited attention. Through the process of photo-elicitation, the meanings ascribed to a remote coastal camping environment are examined, with the coastline of Ningaloo Marine Park in north-western Australia the focus for this study. Thirty participants were provided with digital cameras and the ascribed place meanings were explored when their photographs were discussed in subsequent in-depth interviews. Key meanings related to the physical environment providing opportunities for escape, participating in multiple marine-based activities, bonding with family and like-minded people, and offering a rewarding experience that makes everybody happy. This emergent meaning of ‘everybody's happy’ progresses the understanding of the affective elements of place, especially those realised by families and groups of friends. The paper traces important implications of this meaning, and provides a paradoxical perspective on isolation evident from the interviews, for managing coast-based recreation.     

Perfluorinated compounds in blood of Caretta caretta from the Mediterranean Sea

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), widely used for their hydro-oil repellent properties, are almost non-degradable in the environment; there is scientific evidence that indicate bioaccumulation. They represent a threat to many organisms, because they are toxic and are endocrine disruptors. Scientific studies have demonstrated the presence of PFCs in blood and liver samples of fish, turtles, birds and mammals of marine ecosystems in different geographical areas. The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of PFOS and PFOA in blood samples of the marine turtle Caretta caretta, using a minimally invasive sampling procedure. 49 blood samples of marine turtle, taken from several Italian marine turtle rescue centers, were analyzed. While PFOA was never detected, measurable concentrations of PFOS were found in 15 blood samples; the values show a range from 1.14 ng/g to 28.51 ng/g (wet wt.). No differences between groups of samples taken from different areas were found.     

Influence of infill distribution and design typology on seismic performance of low- and mid-rise RC buildings

A growing attention has been addressed to the influence of infills on the seismic behavior of Reinforced Concrete buildings, also supported by the observation of damage to infilled RC buildings after severe earthquakes (e.g. L’Aquila 2009, Lorca 2011). In this paper, a numerical investigation on the influence of infills on the seismic behavior of four different case study buildings is carried out: four- and eight-storey buildings, designed for seismic loads according to the current Italian technical code or for gravity loads only according to an obsolete technical code, are considered. Seismic capacity at two Limit States (Damage Limitation and Near Collapse) is assessed through static push-over analyses, within the N2 spectral assessment framework. Different infill configurations are considered (Bare, Uniformly Infilled, Pilotis), and a sensitivity analysis is carried out, thus evaluating the influence of main material and capacity parameters on seismic response, depending on the number of storeys and the design typology. Fragility curves are obtained, through the application of a Response Surface Method. Seismic performance is also expressed in terms of failure probability, given a reference time period.     

Predictive potential of Perzyna viscoplastic modelling for granular geomaterials

This paper reappraises Perzyna-type viscoplasticity for the constitutive modelling of granular geomaterials, with emphasis on the simulation of rate/time effects of different magnitude. An existing elasto-plastic model for sands is first recast into a Perzyna viscoplastic formulation and then calibrated/validated against laboratory test results on Hostun sand from the literature. Notable model features include (1) enhanced definition of the viscous nucleus function and (2) void ratio dependence of stiffness and viscous parameters, to model the pycnotropic behaviour of granular materials with a single set of parameters, uniquely identified against standard creep and triaxial test results. The comparison between experimental data and numerical simulations points out the predicative capability of the developed model and the complexity of defining a unique viscous nucleus function to capture sand behaviour under different loading/initial/boundary and drainage conditions. It is concluded that the unified viscoplastic simulation of both drained and undrained response is particularly challenging within Perzyna's framework and opens to future research in the area. The discussion presented is relevant, for instance, to the simulation of multiphase strain localisation phenomena, such as those associated to slope stability problems in variably saturated soils.     

Quantifying the impacts of climate change on water resources in northern Tuscany,Italy, using high‐resolution regional projections

This paper investigates the potential impacts of climate change on water resources in northern Tuscany, Italy. A continuous hydrological model for each of the seven river basins within the study area was calibrated using historical data. The models were then driven by downscaled and bias‐corrected climate projections of an ensemble of 13 regional climate models (RCMs), under two different scenarios of representative concentration pathway (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5). The impacts were examined at medium term (2031–2040) and long term (2051–2060) in comparison with a reference period (2003–2012); the changes in rainfall, streamflow, and groundwater recharge were investigated. A high degree of uncertainty characterized the results with a significant intermodel variability, the period being equal. For the sake of brevity, only the results for the Serchio River basin were presented in detail. According to the RCM ensemble mean and the RCP4.5, a moderate decrease in rainfall, with reference to 2003–2012, is expected at medium term (?0.6%) and long term (?2.8%). Due to the warming of the study area, the reduction in the streamflow volume is two times the precipitation decrease (?1.1% and ?6.8% at medium and long term, respectively). The groundwater recharge is mainly affected by the changes in climate with expected percolation volume variations of ?3.3% at 2031–2040 and ?8.1% at 2051–2060. The impacts on the Serchio River basin water resources are less significant under the RCP8.5 scenario. The presence of artificial structures, such as dam‐reservoir systems, can contribute to mitigate the effects of climate change on water resources through the implementation of appropriate regulation strategies.