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Arthropods can be loss and solution sources for Platycyamus regnellii saplings. This study aims to evaluate the herbivorous insects and their natural enemies on 48 P. regnellii saplings. They were classified according to their ability to damage or reduce the source of damage on these saplings using the percentage of the Importance Index-Production Unknown (% I.I.-PU). The loss sources Aleyrodidae, Tettigoniidae, Tropidacris collaris, and Phenacoccus sp., showed the highest % I.I.-PU on leaves of P. regnellii saplings. Araneidae was the only solution source, showing the highest % I.I.-PU on leaves of P. regnellii saplings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual reality (VR) displays are being used in an increasingly wide range of applications. However, previous work shows that viewers often perceive scene properties very differently in real and virtual environments and so realistic perception of virtual stimuli should always be a carefully tested conclusion, not an assumption. One important property for realistic scene perception is surface color. To evaluate how well virtual platforms support realistic perception of achromatic surface color, we assessed lightness constancy in a physical apparatus with real lights and surfaces, in a commercial VR headset, and on a traditional flat-panel display. We found that lightness constancy was good in all three environments, though significantly better in the real environment than on the flat-panel display. We also found that variability across observers was significantly greater in VR and on the flat-panel display than in the physical environment. We conclude that these discrepancies should be taken into account in applications where realistic perception is critical but also that in many cases VR can be used as a flexible alternative to flat-panel displays and a reasonable proxy for real environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The knowledge about the species of a habitat (both resident and transient/dominant and rare) is a vital step to plan the conservation measures. Being generalist predators, spiders help controlling the population of their prey and maintain ecosystem stability. This makes spiders excellent bio-indicators for assessing the impact of anthropogenic disturbance factors on natural ecosystems (De, Siliwal, Uniyal and Hussain in Trop. Ecol. 63: 1–7, 2021). The aim of this study was to assess the dominance structure and constancy of spiders in three different habitats (Sand dunes, Riparian and Rocky) of the Thar desert. Study was conducted from March 2017 to February 2019 covering all seasons. Results The eudominant species in sand dunes and rocky desert belonged to the family Thomisidae. These species were Tmarus sp. 1 and Tmarus kotigeharus Tikader, 1963, respectively. There were two eudominants in Riparian habitat (Oecobius putus O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1876 and Menemerus bivittatus (Dufour, 1831)). Through the analysis of constancy of all the species in the Thar desert, it was revealed that three species were constant in all the three habitats. The number of accessory and accidental species was far higher than constant species in all the habitats. Conclusions The number of accessory and accidental spider species in all habitats was far higher than constants due to the unstability of spider population. Therefore, this study highlights the necessity for conservation of these habitats of the Thar desert.

Background: The knowledge about the species of a habitat (both resident and transient/dominant and rare) is a vital step to plan the conservation measures. Being generalist predators, spiders help controlling the population of their prey and maintain ecosystem stability. This makes spiders excellent bio-indicators for assessing the impact of anthropogenic disturbance factors on natural ecosystems (De, Siliwal, Uniyal and Hussain in Trop. Ecol. 63: 1–7, 2021). The aim of this study was to assess the dominance structure and constancy of spiders in three different habitats (Sand dunes, Riparian and Rocky) of the Thar desert. Study was conducted from March 2017 to February 2019 covering all seasons. Results: The eudominant species in sand dunes and rocky desert belonged to the family Thomisidae. These species were Tmarus sp. 1 and Tmarus kotigeharus Tikader, 1963, respectively. There were two eudominants in Riparian habitat (Oecobius putus O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1876 and Menemerus bivittatus (Dufour, 1831)). Through the analysis of constancy of all the species in the Thar desert, it was revealed that three species were constant in all the three habitats. The number of accessory and accidental species was far higher than constant species in all the habitats. Conclusions: The number of accessory and accidental spider species in all habitats was far higher than constants due to the unstability of spider population. Therefore, this study highlights the necessity for conservation of these habitats of the Thar desert. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to ‘orthodox’ representationalism, perceptual states possess constitutive veridicality (truth, accuracy, or satisfaction) conditions. Typically, philosophers who deny orthodox representationalism endorse some variety of anti-representationalism. But we argue that these haven’t always been, and needn’t continue to be, the only options. Philosophers including Descartes, Malebranche and Helmholtz appear to have rejected orthodox representationalism while nonetheless endorsing perceptual representations of a fundamentally practical kind not captured by orthodox representationalism. Moreover, we argue that the perceptual science called on by contemporary philosophers to defend orthodox representationalism instead motivates a return to this older view, and we suggest that contemporary philosophers may conceptualize fundamentally practical perceptual representations as ‘de agendo’ representations, a species of representation that has constitutive appropriateness rather than veridicality conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines contemporary sociolinguistic issues related to the state language, including compliance with traditional norms of the national literary language, the identification of leading trends in language development, and the collection and systematization of ways of speech delivery in communicative practice. Through a linguistic anthropocentric lens, the article revises the concepts of Kazakh speech culture and scientific principles, emphasiz-ing the importance of unifying and normalizing language norms to improve language culture among users, enrich the language, and ensure the full functioning of the Kazakh language as the state language. The article also explores the relationships between norms, language norms, literary norms, and usus, highlighting distinctive features and peculiarities characterizing norms, including traditional and internal dynamic ones. The frequency of linguistic facts in determining the difference between norm and usus was also investigated as the main criteria.

When a circular coin is rotated in depth, is there any sense in which it comes to resemble an ellipse? While this question is at the center of a rich and divided philosophical tradition (with some scholars answering affirmatively and some negatively), Morales et al. (2020, 2021) took an empirical approach, reporting 10 experiments whose results favor such perspectival similarity. Recently, Burge and Burge (2022) offered a vigorous critique of this work, objecting to its approach and conclusions on both philosophical and empirical grounds. Here, we answer these objections on both fronts. We show that Burge and Burge's critique rests on misunderstandings of Morales et al.'s claims; of the relation between the data and conclusions; and of the philosophical context in which the work appears. Specifically, Burge and Burge attribute to us a much stronger (and stranger) view than we hold, involving the introduction of "a new entity" located "in some intermediate position(s) between the distal shape and the retinal image." We do not hold this view. Indeed, once properly understood, most of Burge and Burge's objections favor Morales et al.'s claims rather than oppose them. Finally, we discuss several questions that remain unanswered, and reflect on a productive path forward on these issues of foundational scientific and philosophical interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Biology is the property of Instituto Internacional de Ecologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Biology is the property of Instituto Internacional de Ecologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This work aims to present data related to the structure of the entomofauna and the variation of the relative abundance of species in the ecosystem of the monoecious hemp crop, cultivated in an ecological system. The researches were carried out between 2017 and 2018, in monoecious hemp crop, cultivated in an ecological system, within the Agricultural Research and Development Station Secuieni - Neam?. The biological material was collected by the classic method, namely with the help of Barber-type soil traps, which were installed in the monoecious hemp crop. Later, the collected material was subjected to a mathematical analysis, as a result of which a series of ecological indicators were obtained, highlighting the characteristics of the analyzed biocenosis. 423 specimens were collected, belonging to 4 orders, 11 families, 12 subfamilies, 13 genera and 15 species. The order Coleoptera had the maximum weight by the number of specimens collected (48.70%), while the order Lepidoptera recorded a weight of only 0.24%. The Gryllidae family had the maximum weight by the number of specimens collected (36.88%), while the Noctuidae and Scutelleridae families have 0.24% each. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While community synchrony is a key framework for predicting ecological constancy, the interplay between community synchrony and ecological invasions remains unclear. Yet the degree of synchrony in a resident community may influence its resistance and resilience to the introduction of an invasive species. Here we used a generalizable mathematical framework, constructed with a modified Lotka–Volterra competition model, to first simulate resident communities across a range of competitive strengths and species' responses to environmental fluctuations, which yielded communities that ranged from strongly synchronous to compensatory. We then invaded these communities at different timesteps with invaders of varying demographic traits, after which we quantified the resident community's susceptibility to initial invasion attempts (resistance) and the degree to which community synchrony was altered after invasion (resiliency of synchrony). We found that synchronous communities were not only more resistant but also more resilient to invasion than compensatory communities, likely due to stronger competition between resident species and thus lower cumulative abundances in compensatory communities, providing greater opportunities for invasion. The growth rate of the invader was most influenced by the resident and invader competition coefficients and the growth rate of the invader species. Our findings support prioritizing the conservation of compensatory and weakly synchronous communities which may be at increased risk of invasion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Terminalia argentea native tree to Brazil and used in landscaping, wood and coal production, and civil construction, is adapted to poor and dry soils and cultivated in severely disturbed ecosystems. This plant has insecticidal activity, but arthropods can cause damage to its saplings. This study evaluates the herbivorous insects and of their natural enemies on 48 T. argentea saplings which were divided according to the damage they cause or reduce it on these saplings using the percentage of the Importance Index-Production Unknown (% I.I.-P.U.). The Lamprosoma sp., Epitragus sp., Tropidacris collaris, Cerambycidae, Cratosomus sp., Psiloptera sp., Parasyphraea sp., Trigona spinipes, and Aphis spiraecola showed the highest % I.I.-P.U. on leaves of T. argentea. The Aphirape uncifera, Mantis religiosa, Uspachus sp., Podisus sp., and Araneidae, with the highest % I.I.-P.U. on leaves of T. argentea saplings are possible solutions to reduce damage by these pests. These natural enemies can reduce herbivorous insects on T. argentea saplings. However, their populations should be increased, especially spiders. Nevertheless, the Brachymyrmex sp. associated to A. spiraecola, in future T. argentea commercial plantations, can increase populations of sap-sucking insect and, consequently, their damage.

Aim: It is crucial to monitor how the productivity of grasslands varies with its temporal stability for management of these ecosystems. However, identifying the direction of the productivity–stability relationship remains challenging because ecological stability has multiple components that can display neutral, positive or negative covariations. Furthermore, evidence suggests that the direction of the productivity–stability relationship depends on the biotic interactions and abiotic conditions that underlie ecosystem productivity and stability. We decipher the relationships between grassland productivity and two components of its stability in four habitat types with contrasting environments and flora. Location: France. Time period: 2000–2020. Major taxa: Grassland plant species. Methods: We used c. 20,000 vegetation plots spread across French permanent grasslands and remotely sensed vegetation indices to quantify grassland productivity and temporal stability. We decomposed stability into constancy (i.e., temporal invariability) and resistance (i.e., maximum deviation from average) and deciphered the direct and indirect effects of abiotic (namely growing season length and nitrogen input) and biotic (namely plant taxonomic diversity, trait diversity and community‐weighted mean traits) factors on productivity–stability relationships using structural equation models. Results: We found a positive relationship between productivity and constancy and a negative relationship between productivity and resistance in all habitats. Abiotic factors had stronger effects on productivity and stability compared with biotic factors. A longer growing season enhanced grassland productivity and constancy. Nitrogen input had positive and negative effects on grassland productivity and resistance, respectively. Trait values affected the constancy and resistance of grassland more than taxonomic and trait diversity, with effects varying from one habitat to another. Productivity was not related to any biotic factor. Main conclusions Our findings reveal how vital it is to consider both the multiple components of stability and the interaction between environment and biodiversity to gain an understanding of the relationships between productivity and stability in real‐world ecosystems, which is a crucial step for sustainable grassland management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Contemporary Islamic Thought / Al-Fikr al-Islāmī al-Muʿāṣir is the property of International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract Acacia mangium (Willd.) (Fabales: Fabaceae) tree shows applicability in programs to recover degraded areas due to its fast-growing, rustic, pioneer species, with the potential to fix nitrogen. However, this plant is attacked by pests. It is important to know, among them, the most important. This study aims to evaluate the herbivorous insects (loss sources) and their natural enemies (solution sources) on 48 A. mangium saplings. They were classified according to their ability to damage or reduce the source of damage on these saplings using the percentage of the Importance Index-Production Unknown (% I.I.-P.U.). The loss sources Trigona spinipes Fabr. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Aleyrodidae (Hemiptera), Phenacoccus sp. (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), Aethalion reticulatum L. (Hemiptera: Aethalionidae), and Tropidacris collaris Stoll. (Orthoptera: Romaleidae), showed the highest % I.I.-P.U. on leaves of A. mangium saplings. The solution sources Oxyopidae (Araneae), Pseudomyrmex termitarius (Smith) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), and Brachymyrmex sp. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), showed the highest % I.I.-P.U. on leaves of A. mangium saplings. The number of Lordops sp. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) was reduced per number of Brachymyrmex sp.; that of T. collaris those of Oxyopidae and Brachymyrmex sp.; and that of Tettigoniidae that of P. termitarius, totaling 8.93% of reduction of these herbivorous insects (numbers) on A. mangium saplings. These herbivorous insects turn into problems in commercial plantations of this plant since to are related to pests in some crops. These tending ants and Oxyopidae can be important on A. mangium commercial crops because they can reduce the number of these herbivorous insects.

Visually perceived roughness of 3D textures varies with illumination direction. Surfaces appear rougher when the illumination angle is lowered resulting in a lack of roughness constancy. Here we aimed to investigate whether the visual system also relies on illumination-dependent features when judging roughness in a crossmodal matching task or whether it can access illumination-invariant surface features that can also be evaluated by the tactile system. Participants (N = 32) explored an abrasive paper of medium physical roughness either tactually, or visually under two different illumination conditions (top vs oblique angle). Subsequently, they had to judge if a comparison stimulus (varying in physical roughness) matched the previously explored standard. Matching was either performed using the same modality as during exploration (intramodal) or using a different modality (crossmodal). In the intramodal conditions, participants performed equally well independent of the modality or illumination employed. In the crossmodal conditions, participants selected rougher tactile matches after exploring the standard visually under oblique illumination than under top illumination. Conversely, after tactile exploration, they selected smoother visual matches under oblique than under top illumination. These findings confirm that visual roughness perception depends on illumination direction and show, for the first time, that this failure of roughness constancy also transfers to judgements made crossmodally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Past research on object constancy has tended to treat the viewer as a passive observer. Here we examine viewers' body and eye movements when they are asked to view photos of people in a gallery setting. Participants considered one individual in each photo, before indicating how socially connected they felt toward them and then moving to a spot in the gallery where they would be most comfortable when talking to them. Photographed individuals varied in their projected distance from the camera (near, far) and in their image resolution (sharp, slightly blurred). Results showed that participants looked more directly at near versus far individuals and at sharp versus blurred individuals. They also rated their social connection as stronger when the images were near versus far and sharp versus blurred. Where participants stood when making these ratings was strongly correlated with the projected distance of the images and with their ratings of social connection. These findings are discussed with regard to brain mechanisms for maintaining stability in our perceptions of geometric and social aspects of our world. They also highlight our inherent tendency to attribute qualities of our perceptual experiences to objects in that world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Eurasian Journal of Philology: Science & Education is the property of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A critical approach to the modern type of knowledge is a thematic issue of the contemporary Islamic discourse. Reducing the overall reality to the concept (rationalism), measure and quantity (empiricism) and to a set of objects (positivism), has led to the reduction of reality as well as neglecting of its metaphysical foundation and spiritual values. In modern history, this approach has led to a "technical picture of the world" or "technicalization of the world" that has created numerous crises in Western history: the ecological crisis, the crisis of instrumental rationality, the moral crisis... Everyone agrees that the problem of modern knowledge lies in the neglect of the essence and that it leans on change for the sake of change, losing its spiritual and moral content. Conceptualizing knowledge through metaphysical and moral contents is the goal of the discourse of Hossein Nasr, Naguib al-Attas, Ismail Faruqi and Fazlur Rahman.

We evaluated the effects of varying temporal and spatial parameters on behavioral transitions within a water seeking situation. Subjects were 8 experimentally-naïve, male Wistar rats divided in two groups of 4 rats. For both groups, two independent schedules of water delivery were simultaneously available in two different locations of the experimental chamber. For Group 1, water was delivered with a constant periodicity. For Group 2 water was delivered randomly in time but keeping constant the average length of time between deliveries. Water deliveries were independent of rat’s behavior. In successive phases of the study, the frequency of water delivered in one location increased while the frequency of water delivered in the second location decreased, keeping constant the total number of water deliveries. Rats under the constant periodicity spent more time in the location where water was initially provided. For rats under the random periodicity, time spent on each location varied according to the proportion of water delivered on each site. Results are discussed in terms of the discrepancies with optimization models, emphasizing that, apparently simple behaviors, in a relatively simple environment, cannot be understood in terms of a single, overall encompassing concept, such as adaptation.

This study explores the concept of "trophic state predictability" (TP) in aquatic ecosystems using the Ilam reservoir as a case study. Trophic predictability integrates constancy and contingency to assess how well historical data reflects possible trophic states. The CE-QUAL-W2 model has been employed to project phosphorus levels and analyze spatial and temporal variations in trophic states. Results showed that Station 2 has predictability of 96% in the hypolimnion and 50% in the epilimnion, Station 3 shows low hypolimnion predictability (P = 0.4) but 33% constancy and 32% contingency in the epilimnion, and Station 1 demonstrates predictability of 88% in the hypolimnion (84% from constancy) and 64% in the epilimnion (40% from constancy). The limitations of TP in the face of shifting baselines (SB) have been investigated which refers to the precipitation of the current state of the environment as the baseline. Various scenarios highlight the complexities of using TP and incorporating the stakeholder perception were defined. Results showed that Station 2 has high TP, suggesting potential for undetected baseline shifts (Scenario A). Station 3 exhibits lower TP, indicating environmental variability or complex dynamics (Scenarios B or C). Station 1 has moderate TP, suggesting potential historical shifts or internal dynamics (Scenario B or C). All stations showed a high eutrophication potential, with Station 1 experiencing the most severe conditions. This research provides insights into the predictability and variability of trophic states, emphasizing the importance of the interplay between constancy, contingency, and stakeholder perception. Also, it highlights the significance of TP for understanding future trophic states, while acknowledging the limitations imposed by shifting baselines. By considering both past changes and potential future disruptions, TP can be a valuable tool for water resource managers. Continuously monitoring aquatic ecosystems and incorporating additional data sources are crucial for ensuring their long-term health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pollinator behavior is an important contributor to plants speciation, yet how variation in pollinator behavior causes variation in reproductive isolation (RI) is largely uncharacterized. Here I present a model that predicts how two aspects of pollinator behavior, constancy and preference, contribute to a barrier to reproduction in plants. This model is motivated by two observations: most co‐occurring plants vary in frequency over space and time, and most plants have multiple pollinators that differ in behavior. Thus, my goal was to understand how relative frequencies of plants and pollinators in a community influence ethological RI between co‐occurring plants. I find that RI for a focal plant generally increases with increasing relative plant frequency, but the shape of this relationship is highly dependent on the strength of pollinator behavior (constancy and preference). Additionally, when multiple pollinators express different behavior, I find that pollinators with stronger preference disproportionately influence RI. But, I show that RI caused by constancy is the average RI predicted from constancy of each pollinator weighted by pollinator frequency. I apply this model to examples of pollinator‐mediated RI in Phlox and in Ipomopsis to predict the relationships between plant frequency and ethological RI in natural systems. This model provides new insights into how and why pollinator specialization causes RI, and how RI could change with changing biological communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Indices are used to help on decision-making. This study aims to develop and test an index, which can determine the loss (e.g., herbivorous insects) and solution (e.g., natural enemies) sources. They will be classified according to their importance regarding the ability to damage or to reduce the source of damage to the system when the final production is unknown. Acacia auriculiformis (Fabales: Fabaceae), a non-native pioneer species in Brazil with fast growth and rusticity, is used in restoration programs, and it is adequate to evaluate a new index. The formula was: Percentage of the Importance Indice-Production Unknown (% I.I.-PU) = [(ks1 x c1 x ds1)/Σ (ks1 x c1 x ds1) + (ks2 x c2 x ds2) + (ksn x cn x dsn)] x 100. The loss sources Aethalion reticulatum L., 1767 (Hemiptera: Aethalionidae), Aleyrodidae (Hemiptera), Stereoma anchoralis Lacordaire, 1848 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), and Tettigoniidae, and solution sources Uspachus sp. (Araneae: Salticidae), Salticidae (Araneae), and Pseudomyrmex termitarius (Smith, 1877) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) showed the highest % I.I.-PU on leaves of A. auriculiformis saplings. The number of Diabrotica speciosa Germar, 1824 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) was reduced per number of Salticidae; that of A. reticulatum that of Uspachus sp.; and that of Cephalocoema sp. (Orthoptera: Proscopiidae) that of P. termitarius on A. auriculiformis saplings. However, the number of Aleyrodidae was increased per number of Cephalotes sp. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and that of A. reticulatum that of Brachymyrmex sp. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on A. auriculiformis saplings. The A. reticulatum damage was reduced per number of Uspachus sp., but the Aleyrodidae damage was increased per number of Cephalotes sp., totaling 23.81% of increase by insect damages on A. auriculiformis saplings. Here I show and test the % I.I.-PU. It is an new index that can detect the loss or solution sources on a system when production is unknown. It can be applied in some knowledge areas.

It is often thought that some general terms or kind terms, in particular natural kind terms, are rigid designators, and that a properly extended notion of singular-term rigidity can help explain the behaviour of such general terms. In this article, I argue that the only legitimate notion of general-term rigidity is a trivial one and identify some crucial asymmetries between a posteriori necessary truths involving names and a posteriori necessary truths involving general terms. If we pay attention to these asymmetries, it becomes clear that attempts to draw a non-trivial rigid/non-rigid distinction for general terms are bound to fail to offer the explanations we expected. As opposed to singular terms, what is interesting about the behaviour of natural kind terms, even in modal contexts, cannot be accounted for by modal distinctions like rigidity/non-rigidity but must rather track non-modal features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the period 2019-2022, at A.R.D.S. Secuieni through the implementation of the ADER 2.2.1. project, the series of observations and determinations on appearance and evolution of harmful entomofauna in rapeseed, sunflower and corn crops continued. The pests monitoring was carried out by ground surveys with a metric frame (25/25 cm), yellow bowl traps, Barber and yellow glue traps from crop emergence until plants mature. The collected material was subjected to a mathematical analysis to calculate the ecological parameters: abundance (A), dominance (D), constancy (C) and the index of ecological significance (W) which highlight the characteristics of the analyzed biocenosis. Recorded data showed that in rapeseed, the harmful entomofauna included 20 pest species that totalled on average 1207 specimens per year, whose abundance had maximum values of 523 specimens/year at the species Ceuthorynchus pallidactylus. The rapeseed species were classified into four classes of dominance, four classes of constancy and five classes of the ecological significance index. In sunflower, the harmful entomofauna consisted of 16 species, which totalled an average of 504 specimens annually, with abundance values between 1 and 182 specimens. Of the 16 species, three were classified in the D5 dominance class, two in the D4 class, five in the D3 class, and six in the D1 class as well as in classes C1 and C2. In terms of the index of ecological significance, Harpalus sp. fell into the W3 class, the rest of species being into the W1 and W2 classes. In corn, the entomofauna was also composed of 16 species totalling an average of 3720 specimens/year. The species Diabrotica virgifera virgifera had the highest abundance (2388 specimens) classified in the class of D5 dominance, C3 constancy and W5 index of ecological significance. The entomofauna harmful to rapeseed, sunflower and corn crops is quite numerous in terms of species and specimens number, which requires permanent monitoring and the application of appropriate measures to prevent attacks and control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electronic networks of practice (ENPs) have become an important mechanism for knowledge exchange among loosely connected individuals who share common knowledge interests. While prior research has explored factors that influence knowledge contribution in such networks, less is understood about the process by which individuals evaluate and ultimately adopt knowledge from ENPs. This study examines the process of knowledge filtering in online ENP forums. Drawing from dual process and information-evaluation theories, we hypothesize that performance on a knowledge-filtering task will be influenced by the constancy and directionality of search patterns employed by knowledge seekers. Hypotheses are tested in an experiment that utilized an eye tracker to record gaze data from professional software developers using an experimental ENP forum. By combining information-evaluation and dual process theory perspectives, our results deepen the insights offered in extant information-processing literature by showing that higher filtering accuracy is associated with (a) constant evaluation of some types of information attributes (solution content) but not others (peripheral cues), and (b) increasing attribute-based processing over time. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Normal aging results in pronounced optical and neural changes in the visual system. Processes of adaptation are thought to help compensate for many of these changes in order to maintain perceptual constancy, but it is uncertain how stable adaptation itself remains with aging. We compared the dynamics of adaptation in young (aged 19-24 years) and older (aged 66-74) adults. Contrast thresholds for Gabor patterns were tracked during and after 300 s adaptation to vertical and horizontal Gabor patches. The time course of contrast adaptation and asymptotic adaptation magnitude were similar between older and young adults when normalized for their respective baseline thresholds. Older adults showed stronger transfer of adaptation to the orthogonal orientation and there was an asymmetry between the transfer of adaptation between the horizontal and vertical orientations for both groups. These results suggest age-related changes in orientation tuning while the processes of cortical contrast adaptation remain largely intact with aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigated the processes of coordination, adaptation, and calibration during the development of colour naming and colour constancy, and we tested whether colour term knowledge is related to colour constancy. We measured category membership and prototypes with 163 Munsell chips in preschool children (3- to 4-year-old) under neutral, green, and red illuminations, and compared their results to those of adults. We introduced an index of colour term maturity based on the similarity of children's colour term use to adults, and a colour category constancy index that quantifies the variation in colour categorisation that is specific to illumination changes. Results showed that illumination changes affected children's consistency of colour categorisation, but only to a small extent. However, colour term maturity and illumination-specific effects on consistency strongly varied in this age range. Correlations between colour term maturity and illumination-specific consistency indicated that colour constancy increases with colour term acquisition; but those results depended on the type of illumination changes (between neutral, green, and red). Together, our findings suggest that children progressively fine-tune and recalibrate the meaning of colour terms through processes of coordination and adaptation that are also involved in the calibration of colour constancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engineering resilience, a forest's ability to maintain its properties in the event of disturbance, comprises two components: resistance and recovery. In human‐dominated landscapes, forest resilience depends mostly on recovery. Forest recovery largely depends on autogenic regulation, which entails a negative feedback loop between rates of change in forest state variables and state variables themselves. Hence community dynamics change in response to deviations from forest equilibrium state. Based on the premise that autogenic regulation is a key aspect of the recovery process, here we tested the hypothesis that combined old‐growth forest (OGF) and secondary forest (SF) dynamics should show autogenic regulation in state variables, and thus convergence towards OGF‐based reference points, indicating forest resilience.We integrated dynamic data for OGF (11‐year monitoring) and SF (16‐year monitoring) to analyse three key state variables (basal area, tree density and species richness), their annual rates of change and their underlying demographic processes (recruitment, growth and mortality). We examined autogenic regulation through generalized linear mixed‐effects models (GLMMs) to quantify functional relationships between rates of change of state variables (and underlying demographic processes) and their respective state variables.State variables in OGF decreased moderately over time, against our prediction of OGF constancy. In turn, the three state variables analysed showed negative relationships with their respective rates of change, which allows the return of SF to OGF values after disturbance. In all cases, recruitment decreased with increasing values in state variables, while mortality increased.The observed negative relationships between state variables, their rates of change and their underlying demographic processes support our hypothesis of integrated OGF and SF dynamics showing autogenic regulation for state variables. Competition seems to be a major driver of autogenic regulation given its dependence on a resource availability that declines as forest structure develops.Synthesis. Based on a straightforward and comprehensive approach to quantify the extent to which tropical forest dynamics is self‐regulated, this study highlights the importance of autogenic regulation for tropical dry forest as a basic component of its resilience. This approach is potentially valuable for a generalized assessment of engineering resilience of forests world‐wide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most ecological studies involving insects are based on medium‐ and short‐term observations; however, the extent to which such data captures reality remains unclear.We investigated the long‐term dynamics of two Odonata communities (disturbed and undisturbed sites) over 18 years and analysed the differences in the short‐ and long‐term results. We also focused on the sampling methodology to enhance the efficacy and objectivity of long‐term monitoring involving Odonata.During one year, we captured only 53% of the overall species richness; during three consecutive sampling years, it was 65%. To capture 95%, we needed 16 years. Changes in quantitative similarity (Renkonen index, P) were more pronounced within sites over time than between sites. Species constancy significantly increased with the maximum abundance class but decreased with increasing fluctuation ratio and specialisation (Dragonfly Biotic Index). Based on exuviae, we detected half of the species compared to adults, but the species accumulation curves peaked after a few sampling years.Long‐ and short‐term monitoring yield different results, both qualitatively (species richness, specialisation) and quantitatively (abundance, dominance). Ideal sampling should be sequential, lasting at least 10 years (capturing >80% of species). Intermittent sampling (one‐year interspersed with pauses), allowing the inclusion of multiple sites in monitoring programme, may also provide satisfactory results when performed over a longer period.Over the long term, sampling adults semi‐quantitatively and exuviae qualitatively provided sufficient information, while being feasible in terms of both personnel and costs, thereby overcoming the main pitfalls of long‐term monitoring programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beyond 'scandals' and the public testimonies of victim-survivors, surprisingly little is known about the nature and extent of the harms of 'image-based sexual abuse', a term that includes all non-consensual taking and/or sharing of nude or sexual images. Accordingly, this article examines the findings from the first cross-national qualitative study on this issue, drawing on interviews with 75 victim-survivors of image-based sexual abuse in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. We adopt a feminist phenomenological approach that permits more nuanced and holistic understandings of victim-survivors' experiences, moving beyond medicalised, trauma-based accounts of harm. Our analysis develops five interconnected accounts of the harms experienced, that we have termed social rupture, constancy, existential threat, isolation and constrained liberty. Our findings shed new light on the nature and significance of the harms of image-based sexual abuse that emphasises the need for more comprehensive and effective responses to these abuses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been well documented that static face processing is holistic. Faces contain variant (e.g., motion, viewpoint) and invariant (race, sex) features. However, little research has focused on whether holistic face representations are tolerant of within-person variations. The present study thus investigated whether holistic face representations of faces are tolerant of within-person motion and viewpoint variations by manipulating study-test consistency using a complete composite paradigm. Participants were shown two faces sequentially and were asked to judge whether the faces' top halves were identical or different. The first face was a static face or a dynamic face rotated in depth at 30°, 60°, and 90°. The second face was either a different front-view static face (Experiment 1a, study-test inconsistent) or identical to the first face (Experiment 1b, study-test consistent). In Experiment 2, study-test consistency was manipulated within subjects, and inverted faces were included. Our results show that study-test consistency significantly enhanced the holistic processing of upright and inverted faces; this study-test consistency effect and holistic processing were not modulated by motion and viewpoint changes via depth rotation. Interestingly, we found holistic processing for moving study-test consistent inverted faces, but not for static inverted faces. What these results tell us about the nature of holistic face representation is discussed in depth with respect to earlier and current theories on face processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Utilizing the coefficient' of volume expansion. α, the thermoacoustic. parameters, such as the Sharma constant.S0, the isochoric temperature coefficient of internal pressure (X) and the adiabatic temperature coefficient volume expansion (X'), the decreased volume, the reduced. Compressibility (β), and the "Huggins parameter" (F) have been assessed for the refined coconut and castor oils. The results show that the S0, the Sharma's constant has the typical value of 1.11 ± 0.01 which establishes the Sharma parameter's' constancy. All the remaining parameters are in the anticipated order of magnitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I argue for the following claims: (1) A core Husserlian account of perceptual constancy needs to be given in terms of indicative future‐oriented conditionals but can be complemented by a counterfactual account; (2) thus conceived, constancy is a necessary aspect of content. I speak about a "core Husserlian" account so as to capture certain ideas that Michael Madary has presented as the core of Edmund Husserl's approach to perceptual constancy, viz., that "perception is partly constituted by the continuous interplay of intention and fulfilment" and that this "gives us a way to understand the relationship between different appearances of the same object" (See Madary, M. (2012) "Husserl on Perceptual Constancy." European Journal of Philosophy 20(1): 145–165.). I take myself to be developing, and perhaps correcting, Madary's view as I discuss the role of the core Husserlian ideas, and counterfactuals, in accounting for shape and color constancy, respectively. I bridge constancy and fulfilment‐conditional content by appealing to the Husserlian notion of constitution, which captures the process in which objectivity and, correlatively, intentional experience, are built up in the experiential flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]