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This paper assesses the challenges and the benefits of 2 methodological approaches for improving the study of transnational mobilities of older adults: mixed methods and inclusiveness. The first approach refers to a mixed-methods research design based on surveys and qualitative interviews. We share our experience of conducting a "fully mixed-concurrent-equal-status-design" research project, for which we collected data through quantitative surveys on transnational practices of people aged 55+. Furthermore, we conducted semistructured interviews with adults aged 64+ living or who have lived in Switzerland and spend part of the year in Spain. The second approach relates to the use of an inclusive sample diversified in terms of nationality and migration backgrounds. The inclusive design affects the formulation of questions asked to all participants (and the response options provided in the survey), as well as decisions related to language choices and translations. These elements have to be considered to ensure that older adults from different backgrounds feel included. In a research project on transnational mobility of older adults, conducting an inclusive plus mixed-methods research project pushes researchers to find strategies to balance research objectives with available resources. Maximizing the research team's methodological background appears to be a suitable approach to address different population groups while working within a budget. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper reports on methodological difficulties arising when trees and tree-ring series are used to reconstruct rockfall activity. Unlike disturbances from other processes such as debris flows, floods or snow avalanches, scars caused by rockfall are more randomly distributed on trees and may occur at considerable height on the stem. Therefore, the selection and the number of trees as well as the determination of sampling heights and sample depth, all require special care in investigations of spatio-temporal variations in rockfall activity. The purpose of this paper is to assess the reliability and potential standardization of methods used to determine rockfall impact heights occurring in trees. The data come from three case studies located in prealpine and alpine environments of Switzerland. The paper also addresses questions about the relationship between ‘hidden’ (masked) and visible scars. Furthermore, we investigate the relationship between scar data derived from one single cross-section or increment cores and the total population of scars on a stem. Our results indicate that impact scars may be identified from almost ground level up to 9m of height on the stem surface. The wound healing and the masking of scars, in contrast, greatly depend on the bark properties of the tree species, their annual increment rates and age, as well as on the predominant size class of rockfall fragments. As a result, as many as 90% of all scars were masked in thick-barked Larix decidua Mill., whereas the ‘hidden’ scars only counted for 16–25% in Abies alba Mill. or Fagus sylvatica L. The analysis of single cross-sections at a given height shows that, at best, 13–37% of the rockfall scars occurring on the entire tree can be detected. The data suggest that the number of events reconstructed at a given height can be considerably improved if other signs of growth disturbances such as reaction wood, abrupt growth reductions or, when present, rows of traumatic resin ducts are considered as well. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]