| 1. |
- Hallquist, Mattias, 1969, et al.
(författare)
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Photochemical smog in China: scientific challenges and implications for air-quality policies
- 2016
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Ingår i: National Science Review. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 2095-5138 .- 2053-714X. ; 3:4, s. 401-403
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In large areas of China severe air pollution events pose a significant threat to human health, ecosystems and climate. Current reduction of primary emissions will also affect secondary pollutants such as ozone (O3) and particulate matter (PM), but the magnitude of the effects is uncertain. Major scientific challenges are related to the formation of O3 and secondary particulate matter including Secondary Organic Aerosols (SOA). Large uncertainties also remain regarding the interactions of soot, SOA and O3 under the influence of different SO2, NOX and VOC concentrations. To improve the understanding of these secondary atmospheric interactions in China, scientific areas of central importance for photochemically induced air pollutants have been identified. In addition to the scientific challenges, results from research need to be synthesized across several disciplines and communicated to stakeholders affected by air pollution and to policy makers responsible for developing abatement strategies. Development of these science-policy interactions can benefit from experience gained under the UN ECE Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP)
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| 2. |
- Mamontov, Eugen, 1955
(författare)
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Ordinary differential equation system for population of individuals and the corresponding probabilistic model
- 2008
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Ingår i: Mathl. Computer Modelling. - : Elsevier BV. - 0895-7177.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The key model for particle populations in statistical mechanics is the Bogolyubov–Born– Green–Kirkwood–Yvon (BBGKY) equation chain. It is derived mainly from the Hamilton ordinary differential equation (ODE) system for the vectors of the particle states in the particle position-momentum phase space. Many problems beyond physics or chemistry, for instance, in the living-matter sciences (biology, medicine, ecology, and scoiology) make it necessary to extend the notion of a particle to an individual, or active particle. This challenge is met by the generalized kinetic theory. It implements the extension by extending the phase space from the space of the position-momentum vectors to more rich spaces formed by the state vectors with the entries which need not be limited to the entries of the position and momentum: they include other scalar variables (e.g., those associated with modelling homeorhesis or other features inherent to the individuals). One can assume that the dynamics of the state vector in the extended space, i.e. the states of the individuals (rather than common particles) is also described by an ODE system. The latter, however, need not be the Hamilton one. The question is how one can derive the analogue of the BBGKY paradigm for the new settings. The present work proposes an answer to this question. It applies a very limited number of carefully selected tools of probability theory and common statistical mechanics. It in particular uses the well-known feature that the maximum number of the individuals which can mutually interact simultaneously is bounded by a fixed value of a few units. The present approach results in the finite system of equations for the reduced many-individual distribution functions thereby eliminating the so-called closure problem inevitable in the BBGKY theory. The thermodynamic-limit assumption is not needed either. The system includes consistently derived terms of all of the basic types known in kinetic theory, in particular, both the “mean-field” and scattering-integral terms, and admits the kinetic equation of the form allowing a direct chemical-reaction reading. The present approach can deal with Hamilton’s equation systems which are nonmonogenic and not treated in statistical mechanics. The proposed modelling suggests the basis of the generalized kinetic theory and may serve as the stochastic mechanics of population of individuals.
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| 3. |
- Kõljalg, Urmas, et al.
(författare)
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A price tag on species
- 2022
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Ingår i: Research Ideas and Outcomes_RIO. - : Pensoft Publishers. - 2367-7163. ; 8, s. 1-7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Species have intrinsic value but also partake in a long range of ecosystem services of major economic value to humans. These values have proved hard to quantify precisely, making it all too easy to dismiss them altogether. We outline the concept of the species stock market (SSM), a system to provide a unified basis for valuation of all living species. The SSM amalgamates digitized information from natural history collections, occurrence data, and molecular sequence databases to quantify our knowledge of each species from scientific, societal, and economic points of view. The conceptual trading system will necessarily be very unlike that of the regular stock market, but the looming biodiversity crisis implores us to finally put an open and transparent price tag on symbiosis, deforestation, and pollution
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| 4. |
- Petersson, Jesper, 1974, et al.
(författare)
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Off the record: The invisibility work of doctors in a patient-accessible electronic health record information service.
- 2021
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Ingår i: Sociology of health & illness. - : Wiley. - 1467-9566 .- 0141-9889. ; 43:5, s. 1270-1285
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this article, we draw on Michael Lipsky's work on street-level bureaucrats and discretion to analyse a real case setting comprising an interview study of 30 Swedish doctors regarding their experiences of changes in clinical work following patients being given access to medical records information online. We introduce the notion of invisibility work to capture how doctors exercise discretion to preserve the invisibility of their work, in contrast to the well-established notion of invisible work, which denotes work made invisible by parties other than those performing it. We discuss three main forms of invisibility work in relation to records: omitting information, cryptic writing and parallel note writing. We argue that invisibility work is a way for doctors to resolve professional tensions arising from the political decision to provide patients with online access to record information. Although invisibility work is understood by doctors as a solution to government-initiated visibility, we highlight how it can create difficulties for doctors concerning accountability towards patients, peers and authorities.
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| 5. |
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| 6. |
- Farewell, Anne, 1961
(författare)
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Rising to the Top: Promoting Deeper Learning in the Laboratory
- 2018
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Ingår i: National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science.
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Bokkapitel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Inquiry-based labs differ from cookbook labs in that inquiry-based labs contain an element of experimentation. A cookbook lab can be performed by a student without understanding any of the theory connected with the exercise whereas inquiry-based labs require a degree of conceptual knowledge for a student to perform the lab. Inquiry-based labs also strengthen and deepen students understanding of topics discussed in lectures or reading assignments. There are many variations and degrees of inquiry in these labs ranging from a lab that is entirely designed by the students to those that include small questions requiring that the students predict the outcomes of a lab or fill in missing information (guided inquiry). A simple specific example of a cookbook lab would be instructing students to measure volume changes between ice and liquid water. The students would be given step by step instructions to follow and would not need to apply any conceptual knowledge. An inquiry based lab on the same topic would allow the students to design their own experiment to discover how the volume of liquid water differs from that of ice. One goal of this activity is to introduce inquiry-based lab design. Beyond lab design, lab supervision is crucial to encouraging students to use their conceptual knowledge when doing a practical lab. Lab assistants or teachers who are involved in the lab can use student questions to encourage deeper understanding. This case study includes a role-play exercise for this skill. This case study has been designed to be used in science education courses for both graduate student laboratory assistants and lecturers or professors in natural sciences at the university or college level. It includes discussion and role-play of a hypothetical laboratory. No specific knowledge of biology or chemistry is needed beyond high school level to complete this task, though knowledge of the existence of microorganisms (yeast) and proteins is assumed. In addition, this activity is suitable for participants with little or no pedagogics training.
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| 7. |
- Havenhand, Jonathan N., 1959, et al.
(författare)
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Ecological and functional consequences of coastal ocean acidification : Perspectives from the Baltic-Skagerrak System
- 2019
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Ingår i: Ambio. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0044-7447 .- 1654-7209. ; 48:8, s. 831-854
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Ocean temperatures are rising; species are shifting poleward, and pH is falling (ocean acidification, OA). We summarise current understanding of OA in the brackish Baltic-Skagerrak System, focussing on the direct, indirect and interactive effects of OA with other anthropogenic drivers on marine biogeochemistry, organisms and ecosystems. Substantial recent advances reveal a pattern of stronger responses (positive or negative) of species than ecosystems, more positive responses at lower trophic levels and strong indirect interactions in food-webs. Common emergent themes were as follows: OA drives planktonic systems toward the microbial loop, reducing energy transfer to zooplankton and fish; and nutrient/food availability ameliorates negative impacts of OA. We identify several key areas for further research, notably the need for OA-relevant biogeochemical and ecosystem models, and understanding the ecological and evolutionary capacity of Baltic-Skagerrak ecosystems to respond to OA and other anthropogenic drivers.
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| 8. |
- Durkin, Louisa, et al.
(författare)
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When mycologists describe new species, not all relevant information is provided (clearly enough).
- 2020
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Ingår i: MycoKeys. - 1314-4049. ; 72, s. 109-128
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Taxonomic mycology struggles with what seems to be a perpetual shortage of resources. Logically, fungal taxonomists should therefore leverage every opportunity to highlight and visualize the importance of taxonomic work, the usefulness of taxonomic data far beyond taxonomy, and the integrative and collaborative nature of modern taxonomy at large. Is mycology really doing that, though? In this study, we went through ten years' worth (2009-2018) of species descriptions of extant fungal taxa - 1,097 studies describing at most ten new species - in five major mycological journals plus one plant journal. We estimated the frequency at which a range of key words, illustrations, and concepts related to ecology, geography, taxonomy, molecular data, and data availability were provided with the descriptions. We also considered a range of science-demographical aspects such as gender bias and the rejuvenation of taxonomy and taxonomists as well as public availability of the results. Our results show that the target audience of fungal species descriptions appears to be other fungal taxonomists, because many aspects of the new species were presented only implicitly, if at all. Although many of the parameters we estimated show a gradual, and in some cases marked, change for the better over time, they still paint a somewhat bleak picture of mycological taxonomy as a male-dominated field where the wants and needs of an extended target audience are often not understood or even considered. This study hopes to leave a mark on the way fungal species are described by putting the focus on ways in which fungal taxonomy can better anticipate the end users of species descriptions - be they mycologists, other researchers, the public at large, or even algorithms. In the end, fungal taxonomy, too, is likely to benefit from such measures.
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| 9. |
- Mills, Gina, 1959, et al.
(författare)
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Ozone pollution will compromise efforts to increase global wheat production
- 2018
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Ingår i: Global Change Biology. - : Wiley. - 1354-1013 .- 1365-2486. ; 24:8, s. 3560-3574
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction of high-performing crop cultivars and crop/soil water management practices that increase the stomatal uptake of carbon dioxide and photosynthesis will be instrumental in realizing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of achieving food security. To date, however, global assessments of how to increase crop yield have failed to consider the negative effects of tropospheric ozone, a gaseous pollutant that enters the leaf stomatal pores of plants along with carbon dioxide, and is increasing in concentration globally, particularly in rapidly developing countries. Earlier studies have simply estimated that the largest effects are in the areas with the highest ozone concentrations. Using a modelling method that accounts for the effects of soil moisture deficit and meteorological factors on the stomatal uptake of ozone, we show for the first time that ozone impacts on wheat yield are particularly large in humid rain-fed and irrigated areas of major wheat-producing countries (e.g. United States, France, India, China and Russia). Averaged over 2010-2012, we estimate that ozone reduces wheat yields by a mean 9.9% in the northern hemisphere and 6.2% in the southern hemisphere, corresponding to some 85 Tg (million tonnes) of lost grain. Total production losses in developing countries receiving Official Development Assistance are 50% higher than those in developed countries, potentially reducing the possibility of achieving UN SDG2. Crucially, our analysis shows that ozone could reduce the potential yield benefits of increasing irrigation usage in response to climate change because added irrigation increases the uptake and subsequent negative effects of the pollutant. We show that mitigation of air pollution in a changing climate could play a vital role in achieving the above-mentioned UN SDG, while also contributing to other SDGs related to human health and well-being, ecosystems and climate change.
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| 10. |
- Andersson-Sköld, Yvonne, et al.
(författare)
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A framework for assessing urban greenery's effects and valuing its ecosystem services
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of Environmental Management. - : Academic Press. - 0301-4797 .- 1095-8630. ; 205, s. 274-285
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Ongoing urban exploitation is increasing pressure to transform urban green spaces, while there is increasing awareness that greenery provides a range of important benefits to city residents. In efforts to help resolve associated problems we have developed a framework for integrated assessments of ecosystem service (ES) benefits and values provided by urban greenery, based on the ecosystem service cascade model. The aim is to provide a method for assessing the contribution to, and valuing, multiple ES provided by urban greenery that can be readily applied in routine planning processes. The framework is unique as it recognizes that an urban greenery comprises several components and functions that can contribute to multiple ecosystem services in one or more ways via different functional traits (e.g. foliage characteristics) for which readily measured indicators have been identified. The framework consists of five steps including compilation of an inventory of indicator; application of effectivity factors to rate indicators' effectiveness; estimation of effects; estimation of benefits for each ES; estimation of the total ES value of the ecosystem. The framework was applied to assess ecosystem services provided by trees, shrubs, herbs, birds, and bees, in green areas spanning an urban gradient in Gothenburg, Sweden. Estimates of perceived values of ecosystem services were obtained from interviews with the public and workshop activities with civil servants. The framework is systematic and transparent at all stages and appears to have potential utility in the existing spatial planning processes.
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