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Objectives: Applying an ecological dynamics perspective with the Skilled Intentionality Framework, this study examined whether an integrated coach learning and development framework could be successfully implemented in Australian female tennis coaching. Methods: Participants were all females: qualified coaches (N = 4), coach developers (N = 2) and athletes, aged 15–18 years (N = 7). Participants completed an online survey, examining socio-demographics, playing/coaching history and learning outcomes. An ethnographic and action research approach utilising the Learning in Development Research Framework (LDRF) was undertaken over 20 weeks of coach learning and development. Coaches followed two female coach developers (one as the primary investigator) for a minimum of two hours per week (in situ learning), while the coaches worked directly with athletes. To identify influential factors, multiple data collection strategies were employed, including surveys, semi-structured interviews, observations, critical reflections and focus groups. Results: Perceived program benefits (e.g., coach self-confidence and reassurance) and on-court/off-court support were verified within qualitative interview-derived data. Conclusion: Findings identify the positive influence of an integrated coach learning and development framework on continued Australian female coaching career progression, highlighting coach development implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the past 20 or more years, the study of football referee decision-making has focussed on concepts more suited to functional performance priorities and measurable components of the role, such as assessing fitness levels and foul-discrimination accuracy scores (see Pina et al., 2018). Investigators have rarely sought personal perceptions and insights from match officials concerning what they experience and what they do when they officiate. Adopting an ecologically grounded theory approach (Russell, 2021), we sought to better understand the perspectives of officials on how relational elements of decision-making contribute to the development of gameplay. Two key concepts are presented, ‘building rapport’ and ‘developing common gameplay expectations’, to analytically explain how referees may seek to use decision-making moments to manage individual- and game-orientated performance goals. Referee observations suggest how ‘good refereeing’ can be reimagined as a social relational activity intended to facilitate the game’s evolution, rather than a series of deliberated actions or responses to movement infractions (i.e. invariant adjudicating acts). Our findings indicate that, without knowledge of a referee’s decision-reasoning or awareness of relevant context-dependent constraints, decision-appropriateness may not always be definitively determined. Our data suggests that researchers might avoid conflating technical accuracy with decision-making ‘performance’, because decision interventions serve a diverse range of psychological, cultural, functional, and socially relevant task priorities. Furthermore, we caution against the increasing desire for technical accuracy in the training and development of referees, as it may diminish complex relational strategies officials are using to manage a game. Future work in sports officiating can continue to ground theoretical understanding in cultural knowledge to better understand what referees are really seeking to achieve when officiating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bluetongue is a non-zoonotic arboviral disease transmitted by biting midges of the genus Culicoides. Among 1,347 Culicoides species, 30 are known to be vectors of the disease. Bluetongue affects domestic and wild ruminants across all continents, except the Antarctica, causing growing economic losses in livestock production and international trade. In this work, we focused on potential mechanisms underlying the bluetongue virus emergence and spread. Of these mechanisms, the emergence of novel serotypes makes vaccination controversial despite its effectiveness, along with the vector's ability to acquire the virus and successfully transmit it, spatio-temporal adaptation, and identification of new transmission routes. We also discussed the predisposition of the vertebrate and invertebrate hosts to contract the virus, as well as factors hijacking vector population activity and abundance. Indeed, the ecological dynamics of biting midges strongly influence the ability of the virus to be transmitted and to cause epizootic into parts of the world never before affected, helped by interactions between the pathogen and its host in addition to multiple routes deployed to escape defense barriers in the target infected cells. The points raised in this review can help inform aspects of interest for future studies that may elucidate factors to consider in monitoring and controlling the expansion of Culicoides -transmitted arboviruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the diversity and distribution of spider populations across urban and natural‐semi natural habitats in Gongju‐si, South Korea. This study aims to investigate the ecological dynamics of spider populations across different habitat types and assess their implications for urban planning, particularly in terms of maintaining biodiversity through habitat heterogeneity and informed urban development strategies. Employing methodologies such as sweeping, manual collection, and pit‐fall traps, the research identifies 128 spider species and evaluates alpha and beta diversity, nestedness, and species interactions using advanced statistical and ecological tools. The findings indicate significant variations in spider diversity across different habitats, with urban areas exhibiting notable biodiversity despite human influences. Natural habitats, especially forests, demonstrate higher biodiversity and more intricate species interactions. Nestedness analysis reveals distinct community structures across habitats, while association rule learning highlights complex interspecies relationships. The study underscores the importance of maintaining habitat heterogeneity and incorporating ecological principles in urban planning to support biodiversity. It offers valuable insights into the roles of various habitats in ecological networks, emphasizing the necessity for balanced urban development and effective conservation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we outline an ecological approach to practice design in American football to support coaches in helping players to coordinate skilled movement behaviours in dynamic performance environments. This approach may require moving away from some long-held practice approaches traditionally employed by some coaches across all performance levels. To guide this progression, we present two novel case examples to support coaches interested in moving towards more contemporary pedagogical frameworks that support the notion of their role as a practice designer, centralising athlete-environment interactions. Distinctively, through the utilisation of a constraints-led methodology, coaches could design practice tasks to offer opportunities for players to interact with challenging performance problems. Our case examples range from high school players to National Football League standouts to support the implementation of alternative approaches to practice design, exploring what an ecological dynamics rationale could look, feel and sound like in the context of American football. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although paddling has been widely studied, there remains a limited understanding of how a surfer's paddling ability directly influences their wave-riding performance. Using an ecological approach, this study examined the importance of paddling to surfing performance from the perspective of elite Australian athletes, coaches, and performance support practitioners. Ten elite Australian surfing coaches, ten elite Australian surfing athletes, and eight performance support practitioners completed semi-structured interviews. This approach underscores the significance of incorporating experiential knowledge from coaches, athletes, and performance support practitioners, particularly in surfing where the nature of high-performance sport requires a multi-disciplinary approach and highlights the potential value of qualitatively exploring expert perspectives. Findings showed that all participants agree that paddling is an integral aspect of surfing performance despite not being directly scored in competition. The ecological dynamics approach provided a framework for understanding the function of paddling as a tool that enables surfers to exploit the affordances of the environment and support positive performance outcomes under highly variable conditions. The findings highlight the complexities of the performer-environment relationship in surfing and draw attention to the potential for improvements in surfing performance that may be elicited by enhancing a surfer's paddling ability. This study contributes to a growing body of sports science literature investigating paddling performance in surfers and underscores the importance of paddling to surfing performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent rise in professionalisation and institutionalisation of competitive surfing has resulted in a dramatic increase in the use of alternative training modalities. These are often employed in an attempt to increase exposure to surf-like activities when appropriate ocean conditions are not available. It is commonly accepted that practice sessions should be grounded in theory, with training content informed by a clear scientific rationale. Despite this, research is yet to offer surfing coaches and surfers effective strategies to assist in implementing appropriate 'off water' training modalities. It is widely accepted that integrating a representative learning design is crucial towards the transfer of performance to competition environments. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to promote representative learning design (RLD) as a contemporary, principled framework that can underpin the creation of surfing training design and performance. Examples of constraints relevant to surfing are considered, and the efficacy and rationale of popular training methods are challenged. Finally, practical implications and coaching tools to underpin the implementation of representative learning design in surf training are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study aimed to verify whether implicit and explicit informational constraints generate differences in tactical performance and behavior in U-20 national-level soccer players. Methods: Thirty-two under-20 male athletes from two clubs participated. Four 4-a-side small-sided games (SSG) protocols were used: R1 - explicit rule for highpress marking, R2 - implicit rule for high-press marking, R3 - game with both previous rules simultaneous and FR - free game, without additional rules. SSGs comprised 4 vs. 4+ goalkeepers games on a 42 m × 29 m field. Position data from 10 Hz Global Positioning System (GPS) devices were used to evaluate individual and collective tactical behavior (spatial occupation metrics) and performance (interpersonal coordination). MANOVA was used for normally distributed variables, and Friedman's with Dunn or Bonferroni post hoc was used for variables without normal distribution. For SEI, an ANOVA was used with Bonferroni post hoc. Results: The R1 protocol showed higher SEI, length, width, and LpWratio than the FR protocol (p = 0.009). There was an effect of the different protocols in SEI values (p < 0.001). Under the explicit rule, players also showed the highest in-phase interpersonal coordination values (p < 0.001). Discussion: Providing players with explicit tactical instructions improves tactical performance acutely for high-pressing defensive actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research of non-contact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury risk aims to identify modifiable risk factors that are linked to the mechanisms of injury. Information from these studies is then used in the development of injury prevention programmes. However, ACL injury risk research often leans towards methods with three limitations: 1) a poor preservation of the athlete-environment relationship that limits the generalisability of results, 2) the use of a strictly biomechanical approach to injury causation that is incomplete for the description of injury mechanisms, 3) and a reductionist analysis that neglects profound information regarding human movement. This current opinion proposes three principles from an ecological dynamics perspective that address these limitations. First, it is argued that, to improve the generalisability of findings, research requires a well-preserved athlete-environment relationship. Second, the merit of including behaviour and the playing situation in the model of injury causation is presented. Third, this paper advocates that research benefits from conducting non-reductionist analysis (i.e., more holistic) that provides profound information regarding human movement. Together, these principles facilitate an ecological dynamics approach to injury risk research that helps to expand our understanding of injury mechanisms and thus contributes to the development of preventative measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diaspis echinocacti (Bouché), a globally distributed cochineal scale insect, poses a significant threat to Opuntia spp. in Morocco and worldwide. This study explores the ecological dynamics of D. echinocacti across different Opuntia spp. varieties, employing antixenosis and antibiosis tests in a controlled greenhouse environment (25.3 ºC). In the antixenosis test, Opuntia spp. varieties displayed varying levels of resistance at 6–24 h post-infestation. Marjana and Belara exhibited early resistance with significantly lower numbers of insects (6 h: 4.4, 9.8; 12 h: 3.2, 5.1; 24 h: 2.3, 4.4), while Aakria, Ghalia, and Karama sustained higher susceptibility (6 h: 71.3, 82.1, 85.6; 12 h: 75.2, 89.6, 105.6; 24 h: 105.6, 110.3, 118.0). In the antibiosis test, the life cycle, behavior, and reproductive parameters of D. echinocacti were assessed. Marjana and Belara exhibited longer early nymphal stages compared to Aakria, Ghalia, and Karama. Longevity in both females and males was highest in Ghalia and Karama, while Marjana and Belara showed the shortest duration. Female life cycles ranged from 63.4 to 88.2 days, with Marjana and Belara having the shortest durations and Karama the longest. Fecundity was highest in Karama (152.80 eggs) and lowest in Marjana (12.60 eggs). Population growth parameters highlighted that Karama (r = 0.09, λ = 1.10, R0 = 61.73) and Ghalia (r = 0.09, λ = 1.09, R0 = 56.54) exhibited the highest intrinsic rate of increase, finite rate of increase, and total reproduction per generation. This study offers essential insights into D. echinocacti dynamics, informing pest management and advancing our understanding of ecological interactions in cactus ecosystems, particularly for breeding programs targeting Opuntia spp. resistance to scale insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Bluetongue is a non-zoonotic arboviral disease transmitted by biting midges of the genus Culicoides. Among 1,347 Culicoides species, 30 are known to be vectors of the disease. Bluetongue affects domestic and wild ruminants across all continents, except the Antarctica, causing growing economic losses in livestock production and international trade. In this work, we focused on potential mechanisms underlying the bluetongue virus emergence and spread. Of these mechanisms, the emergence of novel serotypes makes vaccination controversial despite its effectiveness, along with the vector’s ability to acquire the virus and successfully transmit it, spatio-temporal adaptation, and identification of new transmission routes. We also discussed the predisposition of the vertebrate and invertebrate hosts to contract the virus, as well as factors hijacking vector population activity and abundance. Indeed, the ecological dynamics of biting midges strongly influence the ability of the virus to be transmitted and to cause epizootic into parts of the world never before affected, helped by interactions between the pathogen and its host in addition to multiple routes deployed to escape defense barriers in the target infected cells. The points raised in this review can help inform aspects of interest for future studies that may elucidate factors to consider in monitoring and controlling the expansion of Culicoides-transmitted arboviruses.

Anticipation is key to performance in many sports. By definition, anticipation as a perceptual-cognitive process is meant to inform action and help athletes reduce potential motor costs under spatiotemporal pressure. Anticipation research has repeatedly been criticized for neglecting action and raised the need for predominant testing under conditions of perception-action coupling (PAC). To the best of our knowledge, however, there is a lack of explicit criteria to characterize and define PAC conditions. This can lead to blurred terminology and may complicate interpretation and comparability of PAC conditions and results across studies. Here, we make a first proposal for a 7-level classification of PAC conditions with the defining dimensions of stimulus presentation and response mode. We hope this classification may constitute a helpful orientation for study planning and reporting in research on anticipation. Further, we illustrate the potential utilization of the PAC classification as a template for experimental protocol analysis in a review on anticipation in racket sports. Analysis of N = 115 studies reported in N = 91 articles confirms an underrepresentation of representative PAC conditions and reveals little change in PAC approaches over more than 40years of research in that domain. We discuss potential reasons for these findings, the benefits of adopting the proposed PAC classification and reiterate the call for more action in anticipation research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation: The intrinsic characteristics of islands make them a unique study system for the investigation of ecological and evolutionary dynamics. The Mediterranean Basin, an island‐rich biodiversity hotspot, still lacks a comprehensive spatial database for these geographic features. This study presents the first comprehensive spatial database of all Mediterranean islands larger than 0.01 km2, aiding ecological investigations and interdisciplinary research. Main types of variable contained: The MEDIS spatial database offers detailed information on 39 geographic, climatic, ecological and land‐use variables, including island area, perimeter, isolation metrics, climatic space, terrain data, land cover, palaeogeography, road networks and geological information, providing a multifaceted view of each island's characteristics. Spatial location and grain: The study encompasses 2217 islands in the Mediterranean Basin larger than 0.01 km2. The spatial grain of the datasets on which the selected variables are based varies from 10 m (ESA WorldCover) to 1 km (CHELSA‐BIOCLIM+). Time period and grain: The spatial database incorporates data from various sources, each with its own timeframe, such as the Global Shoreline Vector from 2014 Landsat imagery and the WorldCover dataset from 2021. Historical data like the Paleocoastlines GIS dataset offer insights into island configurations during the Last Glacial Maximum. Major taxa and level of measurement: While not focusing on specific taxa, the study lays the foundation for comprehensive research on Mediterranean islands, facilitating comparisons and investigations into the distribution of native, endemic or alien species. The level of measurement is extensive, encompassing a wide range of variables and providing polygonal features rather than centroids' coordinates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper explores the dynamic relationship between sharksuckers and Atlantic Nurse sharks within a fish cleaning station in South Eleuthera, The Bahamas. Despite the prevalent symbiotic association between echeneid fishes and sharks, the specifics of their interactions, behavioral adaptations, and the influence of food availability remain understudied. The research employed a comprehensive observational approach, focusing on free-swimming and attached sharksucker' behaviors (Echeneis spp.) in the presence of Atlantic Nurse sharks. Through a month-long study, both qualitative and quantitative analyses of the behaviors were conducted. The results challenge the traditional perception of a purely mutualistic or parasitic relationship, suggesting a more complex dynamic between sharksuckers and sharks. Specifically, the study indicates an increase in boldness and competitive behaviors towards sharks in a controlled feeding setting, indicating that sharksuckers' behaviors and relationships with their hosts are constantly evolving and should not be treated as simply symbiotic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mentoring to support coach development has gained traction over the past decade or so. A common criticism in this area is the shortage of research that captures the complex reality of interactions between mentees and mentors. In this critical commentary, we conceptualise this complexity, weaving together the authors' lived experiences as mentors and mentees, framed by an ecological dynamics perspective. Here, the mentoring relational process will be explored through the framework of education as educere (Latin: "to lead out") and the role of the "experienced other". An ecological dynamics rationale is centred on using "guidance without specification" and "attentive dwelling", fostering an evolving correspondence between coach and coach developer. As the mentoring relationship deepens, mentors can assist coaches in the ongoing search and exploration of their coaching landscape wit h a "knowing as we go" ethos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Specific learning experiences are vital for athletes to continuously interact with developing knowledge of the performance environment, through the refined design of representative learning contexts (ecological paradigm), and appropriate didactical interventions (constructivist paradigm). Although there is a well-established relationship between tactical knowledge (TK) and tactical behaviours (TB), research has investigated the development of both separately. Thus, the inter-dependency between knowledge and behaviour has been inferred, but not contextually interpreted in a process-oriented analysis of performance. Through an insider action-research (AR) design, and adopting a mix-methods approach, this study aimed to: (i) investigate in-depth the influence of a constructivist-ecological pedagogical intervention on developing players' TK and TB; (ii) explore effects of integrated tactical knowledge and behaviour on competitive performance. Fifteen female volleyballers participated in this study. An insider-AR (first author assumed the dual role of coach and researcher) was conducted from September 2017 to June 2018. In total, four AR-cycles were completed. A mixed-method approach was used to obtain distinct, but complementary, data on the impact of a constructivist-ecological pedagogical intervention on development of players' TK and TB. Qualitative data were used to explore the development of TK, while TB was analysed through quantitative methods. Qualitative data on the coach's perceptions were collected using a reflexive diary and field notes, while players' perceptions were recorded through four semi-structured focus-group interviews, one per AR-cycle. Quantitative data from four official competitive matches, one per AR-cycle, were analysed. Players' positional coordinates were used to calculate the synchronisation tendencies of lateral blocking and defensive lines through the cluster-phase method. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis, in which inductive procedures deepened understanding of the development of the players' TK. A 4 (matches) x 1 (court direction) repeated-measures ANOVA was used to analyse quantitatively the differences in the mean cluster-amplitude values of lateral blocking and defensive lines between matches. The unique integration of constructivist and ecological principles scaffolded the development of players' TK and TB. Players evolved from an initial stage in which they verbally described competitive game scenarios (using knowledge about environment), to an endpoint where they revealed superior tactical understanding and action intentionality. Increments in tactical complexity favoured the development of TK and TB in a long-term analysis. However, over the short-term, TB was reduced. The development of players' TK (supported by interactions yielding knowledge of practice and performance environments) shaped a basis for the acquisition of co-adaptive TB during competitive performance. First, sport practitioners could benefit from combining strategies from different theoretical approaches so that they can satisfy the daily needs of athletes in practice. Second, we advise coaches to adopt didactical and representative learning designs, grounded on video analysis and the co-creation of game-plans. Third, the data imply that time and the continuous exposure of players to meaningful and representative practice tasks in learning environments are needed so that athletes can enrich their tactical behaviours, using knowledge of the performance environment to interact effectively its constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eco‐evolutionary experiments are typically conducted in semi‐unnatural controlled settings, such as mesocosms; yet inferences about how evolution and ecology interact in the real world would surely benefit from experiments in natural uncontrolled settings. Opportunities for such experiments are rare but do arise in the context of restoration ecology—where different "types" of a given species can be introduced into different "replicate" locations. Designing such experiments requires wrestling with consequential questions. (Q1) Which specific "types" of a focal species should be introduced to the restoration location? (Q2) How many sources of each type should be used—and should they be mixed together? (Q3) Which specific source populations should be used? (Q4) Which type(s) or population(s) should be introduced into which restoration sites? We recently grappled with these questions when designing an eco‐evolutionary experiment with threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) introduced into nine small lakes and ponds on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska that required restoration. After considering the options at length, we decided to use benthic versus limnetic ecotypes (Q1) to create a mixed group of colonists from four source populations of each ecotype (Q2), where ecotypes were identified based on trophic morphology (Q3), and were then introduced into nine restoration lakes scaled by lake size (Q4). We hope that outlining the alternatives and resulting choices will make the rationales clear for future studies leveraging our experiment, while also proving useful for investigators considering similar experiments in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Played-form activities in soccer are customized variants of the original game, configured to emphasize important informational and task constraints in the way players perform in practice. Parameters of play such as the shape and dimensions of the playing area, number of participants involved, and conditions of play are key properties that activities are designed from. These properties impact on the specific practice contexts in which players are challenged to perceive information, make decisions and perform actions, during competitive performance preparation and player development. There are countless possible configurations of played-form activities that can provide development or training opportunities for players to improve performance. Although there are no standard guidelines for designing such practice tasks, here we propose how a theoretical rationale like ecological dynamics can frame the configuration of activities, modelled on typical formats, specific task constraints and key developmental needs. In this article, these formats are depicted with reference to common coaching licence curriculum needs and scientific literature. This insight paper presents a continuum of played-form activities, exemplifying characteristics of different practice designs in soccer. This integration of knowledge provides a valid continuum of play practice designs, based on an extent of specific opportunities for actions in different phases of play. Our insights suggest how coaches and trainers in team sports could gain a deep understanding of how specific played-form activity configurations impact on skill adaptation in players, providing opportunities for coaches to function as learning facilitators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionThis study aimed to verify whether implicit and explicit informational constraints generate differences in tactical performance and behavior in U-20 national-level soccer players.MethodsThirty-two under-20 male athletes from two clubs participated. Four 4-a-side small-sided games (SSG) protocols were used: R1 - explicit rule for high-press marking, R2 - implicit rule for high-press marking, R3 - game with both previous rules simultaneous and FR - free game, without additional rules. SSGs comprised 4 vs. 4+ goalkeepers games on a 42 m × 29 m field. Position data from 10 Hz Global Positioning System (GPS) devices were used to evaluate individual and collective tactical behavior (spatial occupation metrics) and performance (interpersonal coordination). MANOVA was used for normally distributed variables, and Friedman's with Dunn or Bonferroni post hoc was used for variables without normal distribution. For SEI, an ANOVA was used with Bonferroni post hoc.ResultsThe R1 protocol showed higher SEI, length, width, and LpWratio than the FR protocol (p = 0.009). There was an effect of the different protocols in SEI values (p

Introduction: This paper deals with the question on how sport performances may be influenced by internal, emotional processes, which stem from outside feedback. Methods: In terms of methods, players’ subjective performance ratings for four experimental auditory cue conditions were examined; these included both ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ stadium noise, ‘no (auditory) conditions,’ and a control/‘baseline’ condition. This resulted in a qualitative-analytic data set that was obtained succeeding each auditory cue condition using a unique football training machine (i.e., known as ‘Footbonaut’). Without having received any coaching/performance feedback, players were asked to rate and individually comment on their perceived performance ratings for each experimental auditory condition. Results: Findings indicate stronger and more significant correlations between auditory conditions and subjective ratings compared to the non-auditory condition and its subjective rating. Furthermore, data provides initial insight into players’ emotional experiences during each of the practice conditions. Discussion: These noteworthy findings on players’ abilities to accurately judge their performances based on selfmonitoring and intrinsic feedback are discussed from an Ecological Dynamics perspective, linked to a Nonlinear Pedagogy for coaching. Here, representative and affective learning designs for skill learning and performance preparation are presented. Finally, a hypothetical catalyst effect of auditory stadium noise on subjective performance rating is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this insight article is to explore the relevance and value of some of Bruce Lee's ideas that influenced his coaching philosophy, (re)viewed through the lens of contemporary discussions in movement skill acquisition. To achieve this aim, we highlight empirical and anecdotal examples of many of the important concepts that support Bruce Lee's interpretation of martial arts, Jeet Kune Do (JKD). We contend that Lee's approach to coaching and skill refinement was deeply aligned with ideas that underpin an ecological dynamics framework. Central to the philosophy of Bruce Lee and JKD is the need for coaches, practitioners, and athletes to embrace and express more water-like adaptability throughout their practice. Examining the various, nuanced insights of Bruce Lee, we can observe many practical lessons which have stood the test of time, remaining highly applicable to athletes of today seeking to move skillfully in sports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This theoretical paper develops the social dimension of the constraints model in relation to skill acquisition and sports performance. First, it presents the evolution of the constraints model since the original proposal by Newell (1986), later developed and applied to physical activities and sport by ecological dynamics. The underrepresentation and misplacement of the social dimension within the constraints model so far, leads to the proposal of a novel analysis, taking into account both the constitutive (S) and interactive (s) facets of the social. Such an analysis not only detects the social dimension of performer, task, environmental and informational constraints, but also helps to suggest two new kinds of constraints: volitional and semiotic. The paper then suggests a new enhanced model of constraints that helps to gain new insights into the question of agency in relation to the process of decision-making during the dynamic interactions of subject-environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predictive processing provides a framework for explaining how the brain solves problems of perception, decision making, and movement control by forming predictions, or plausible explanations, for what is happening in an approximately optimal manner. The strength or confidence of the prediction subjectively shapes whether something "surprising" has happened and whether a person's perceptions and actions require adjustment. We put forward how predictive processing accounts of skill development emphasise predictive processes of action and perception that allows coaches who identify as "sporting ecology designers," to better understand how to select the right action opportunities (i.e., affordances) to include in their training designs. We describe how motor learning can be incorporated into training designs through the element of "surprise" or the unexpected variations from the already established internal patterns that athletes have learned over time in a range of performance and practice settings. We conclude by presenting an applied example of coaching the backdoor cut manoeuver in basketball using predictive processing techniques, outlining how aspects of athlete knowledge, intentionality, memories, decision making, and prior experience cognitively coalesce during a coach-led training design to produce stable, yet flexible, movement couplings in a sport-based setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some plants, via their action on microorganisms, control soil nitrification (i.e., the transformation of ammonium into nitrate). We model how the covariation between plant control of nitrification and preference for ammonium versus nitrate impacts ecosystem properties such as productivity, nitrogen (N) losses, and overall resilience. We show that the control of nitrification can maximize productivity by minimizing total inorganic N losses. We initially predicted that plants with an ammonium preference should achieve the highest biomass when inhibiting nitrification, and conversely that plants preferring nitrate should achieve the highest biomass by stimulating nitrification. With a parametrization derived from the Lamto savanna (Ivory Coast), we find that productivity is maximal for plants that slightly prefer ammonium and inhibit nitrification. Such situations, however, lead to strong positive feedbacks that can cause abrupt shifts from a highly to a lowly productive ecosystem. The comparison with other parameter sets (Pawnee short-grass prairie [United States], intensively cultivated field, and a hypothetical parameter set in which ammonium is highly volatilized and nitrate inputs are high) shows that strategies yielding the highest biomass may be counterintuitive (i.e., preferring nitrate but inhibiting nitrification). We argue that the level of control yielding the highest productivity depends on ecosystem properties (quantity of N deposition, leaching rates, and baseline nitrification rates), not only preference. Finally, while contrasting N preferences offer, as expected, the possibility of coexistence through niche partitioning, we stress how control of nitrification can be framed as a niche construction process that adds an additional dimension to coexistence conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A flow state describes intrinsically rewarding experiences of complete absorption in a task. While descriptive accounts of flow have gained prominence in "popular" psychology, scientific research has reached a crisis point due to perceived limitations of current theoretical explanations for the experience. Here, we evaluate key metatheoretical frameworks underpinning previous explanations of flow and situate the need for reconsidering the ontological status of flow experiences and the causal entailments that might be needed to explain them. We consider the possibility that the subject–object dualism implied, and the organismic asymmetry apparent in prevalent metatheoretical frameworks, may create intractable problems for explanations of flow. Finally, the suitability of the ecological metatheory and eco-physical variables for explaining flow experiences is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From an ecological dynamics perspective, careful manipulation of task constraints can provide opportunities for action, exploited by functional movement variability of participants. The constraints-led approach (CLA) induces functional movement variability in practice designs, supporting athlete performance in satisfying task constraints and finding performance solutions to achieve intended task goals. Young male volleyball players were randomly assigned to either a traditional approach (TA) or CLA practice group. Selected spatial-temporal movement coordination variables were recorded, to explore their relations to successful performance outcomes in the attacking phase. Binomial logistic regression was used to verify the association of spatial-temporal movement variables with the percentage of successful attacks. Six spatial-temporal variables were included, and a manual backward stepwise regression was used to remove those which did not contribute to the best predictive model of successful performance. After a 6-week intervention programme, the CLA practice group displayed a significantly higher percentage of successful attack actions, when facing the opposition block. The TA group showed a small increase in successful attack actions after the intervention. The final binomial logistic regression model revealed that the variables 'lateral deviation of the participants' centre of mass' at the planting step and 'longitudinal deviation of the participants' centre of mass' at point of ball contact were the main predictors of successful attacking outcomes. To overcome the opposition's block in volleyball, infusing functional variability in a CLA task design, promoted superior performance in practice. Presumably, greater movement pattern variability emerged in participants to satisfy performance constraints in successful volleyball attacks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agility has commonly been regarded as a physical quality, and strength and conditioning practitioners have typically used a closed environment approach for developing agility. This closed environment approach involves the decoupling of perception and action, where actions are trained in isolation from perception. Previous studies have shown, however, that when perception or action is trained in isolation, behavior changes. Therefore, agility is complex and multifactorial in nature. Through ecological dynamics, specifically the principle of representative learning design, practitioners should design training tasks that align more closely with the demands of competition. Representative learning design ensures that perception and action remain coupled to promote greater transfer of performance from training to competition. Another key principle for agility task design is coadaptation, and this can be operationalized through manipulation of opposing players. With these 2 key principles, we offer examples of agility tasks in 3 team invasion sports including soccer, rugby union, and Australian rules football. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate how social and physical environments interact to cultivate improvisational creativity. This was achieved by qualitatively reviewing the developmental backgrounds of some of Australia’s most creative rugby players. A deductive reflexive thematic analysis was applied to data collected from primary sources (e.g. semi-structured interviews) and secondary sources (e.g. autobiographies, biographies and podcasts). Using Bronfenbrenner’s [2005. Making human beings human: Bioecological perspectives on human development. Sage] bioecological model of human development and ecological dynamics theory, our data indicated that reciprocal interactions encountered throughout their developmental histories exposed players to a wide range of unusual, varied and challenging sports related scenarios. Through this process, creative players became embedded in these performance environments, enabling them to select relevant opportunities to act on, that served their interests in showcasing their skills in an entertaining way. These creative players cultivated their unorthodox skills through a rich history of playful, informal, unsupervised and competitive games played on streets, parks and playing fields of Australia. Implications for research are to support key stakeholders within sporting communities to build skill programmes and accompanying social and physical environments that can rejuvenate interest in the cultivation of creativity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anticipation is key to performance in many sports. By definition, anticipation as a perceptual-cognitive process is meant to inform action and help athletes reduce potential motor costs under spatiotemporal pressure. Anticipation research has repeatedly been criticized for neglecting action and raised the need for predominant testing under conditions of perception-action coupling (PAC). To the best of our knowledge, however, there is a lack of explicit criteria to characterize and define PAC conditions. This can lead to blurred terminology and may complicate interpretation and comparability of PAC conditions and results across studies. Here, we make a first proposal for a 7-level classification of PAC conditions with the defining dimensions of stimulus presentation and response mode. We hope this classification may constitute a helpful orientation for study planning and reporting in research on anticipation. Further, we illustrate the potential utilization of the PAC classification as a template for experimental protocol analysis in a review on anticipation in racket sports. Analysis of N = 115 studies reported in N = 91 articles confirms an underrepresentation of representative PAC conditions and reveals little change in PAC approaches over more than 40 years of research in that domain. We discuss potential reasons for these findings, the benefits of adopting the proposed PAC classification and reiterate the call for more action in anticipation research.

IntroductionThis paper deals with the question on how sport performances may be influenced by internal, emotional processes, which stem from outside feedback.MethodsIn terms of methods, players’ subjective performance ratings for four experimental auditory cue conditions were examined; these included both ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ stadium noise, ‘no (auditory) conditions,’ and a control/‘baseline’ condition. This resulted in a qualitative-analytic data set that was obtained succeeding each auditory cue condition using a unique football training machine (i.e., known as ‘Footbonaut’). Without having received any coaching/performance feedback, players were asked to rate and individually comment on their perceived performance ratings for each experimental auditory condition.ResultsFindings indicate stronger and more significant correlations between auditory conditions and subjective ratings compared to the non-auditory condition and its subjective rating. Furthermore, data provides initial insight into players’ emotional experiences during each of the practice conditions.DiscussionThese noteworthy findings on players’ abilities to accurately judge their performances based on selfmonitoring and intrinsic feedback are discussed from an Ecological Dynamics perspective, linked to a Nonlinear Pedagogy for coaching. Here, representative and affective learning designs for skill learning and performance preparation are presented. Finally, a hypothetical catalyst effect of auditory stadium noise on subjective performance rating is proposed.

Individual performance in team sports is a multifactorial reflection of how well a player can cope and accomplish tasks in varied playing situations. Thus, performance analysis should not only focus on outcomes, but also on underlying mechanisms of those outcomes. We adopted principles of the ecological dynamics approach (EDA) to investigate the effect of introducing constraints on players' joint coordination responses for a football-specific performance drill outcome. Seventeen talented youth football (soccer) players performed a football-specific drill under different conditions: basic constraints, additional defender dummies, stroboscopic glasses, and a combination of the latter two constraints. We recorded these players' execution time, passing accuracy, and lower extremity joint kinematics. We calculated joint coordination for hip-knee, knee-ankle, and trunk-hip couplings. The added constraints negatively affected execution time and passing accuracy, and caused changes in joint coordination. Furthermore, we identified a relationship between execution time and joint coordination. This study serves as an example how the EDA can be adopted to investigate mechanisms that underlie individual performance in team sports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to compare the collective and individual tactical positional behavior before the first goal was scored or conceded in official soccer matches. The sample comprised 50 players and 27 official matches played in Brazil during the 2020 and 2021 U-20 seasons. Global Positioning System devices were used to monitor the players' positional data. Collective - width, length, length per width ratio, and stretching index, and individual - spatial exploration index, variables were calculated and compared between the contextual scenarios by a one-way ANOVA. Results indicated a reduction in the width after scoring a goal (p=.006) and a lower spatial exploration after conceding a goal (p<.001) compared with the draw condition. Therefore, it is concluded that goal-scoring affects the tactical positional responses of the players. Specifically, a higher width concentration, characteristic of defensive tactical behavior, is observed after scoring a goal to keep the current match status. On the other hand, players present difficulties in exploring the space after conceding a goal. The knowledge of these intrinsic game dynamics is helpful for coaches in preparing the strategies to explore changes due to goal scoring in official matches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this insight article, we aim to challenge current thinking regarding coaching and spark new ideas by demonstrating how high-performance Paralympic sport contexts provide rich environments for innovation. We propose an innovative approach to enhance coach learning and introduce coaches and practitioners to three interconnected areas of opportunity emerging in research: (a) reframing the role and harnessing the work of skill acquisition specialists, (b) the use of a design thinking approach, and (c) the implementation of technology-enhanced learning. Specifically, we demonstrate how using these three strategies can better facilitate cocreated coach learning in situ. Whilst we acknowledge that each of these areas is not necessarily new, we propose that when addressed and applied collectively by practitioners they can provide effective and efficient coach learning opportunities, where the result of the integration of ideas means the impact can be greater than simply the sum of the parts. We highlight how this approach has emerged out of challenging high-performance Paralympic sport contexts, and could have impact on research, practice, and coach development experiences across a wider range of contexts along the performance pathway in both Paralympic and nondisabled sports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Socio-cultural constraints shape behaviour in complexifying ways. In sport, for example, interconnected constraints play an important role in shaping the way a game is played, coached, and spectated. Here, we contend that player development frameworks in sport cannot be operationalised without careful consideration of the complex ecosystem in which they reside. Concurrently, we highlight issues associated with frameworks designed in isolation from the contexts in which they are introduced for integration, guised as trying to “copy and paste” templates from country to country. As such, there is a need to understand the oft-shrouded socio-cultural dynamics that continuously influence practice in order to maximize the utility of player development frameworks in sport. Ecological dynamics offers a complexity-oriented theoretical lens that supports the evolution of context-dependent player development frameworks. Further, tenets of the Learning in Development Research Framework can show how affordances are not just material invitations but constitute a vital component of a broader socio-cultural form of life. These ideas have the potential to: (1) push against a desire to “copy and paste” what is perceived to be “successful” elsewhere, and (2), guide the integration of player development frameworks by learning to resonate with the nuanced complexities of the broader environment inhabited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decision-making is critical to team invasion game performance. As such, understanding how to measure and develop it is important to researchers and practitioners. However, due to the abundance of assessments available in this area, the optimal use of these assessments is still unclear. The current systematic scoping review summarises and examines the quality of reporting of the available literature on decision-making assessments that can be used in the context of youth team invasion games. It uses an ecological dynamics perspective to evaluate the extent to which the included decision-making tasks adhered to principles of representative task design, specificity of perception and action components and constraints present in each task. The results revealed that soccer was the most frequently studied invasion game (70% of studies). While realistic task (85% of studies) and individual constraints (68% of studies) were often present in decision-making tasks, environmental constraints received far less attention (9% of studies). About one-third of studies were situated on either end of the controlled laboratory in situ study continuum (controlled laboratory = 35%, in situ = 33%). In total, 39% of studies coupled sport-specific perception and action components. Furthermore, studies that implemented sport-specific perception–action coupling featured much smaller sample sizes than those without. The findings of this systematic review can aid researchers and practitioners who want to measure decision-making skill in youth team invasion game athletes by allowing them to make informed choices about which assessment to use based on the extent to which an assessment matches a set of pre-determined criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Designers of educational modules for conceptual learning often rely on procedural frameworks to chart out interaction mechanics through which users will develop target understandings. To date, however, there has been no systematic comparative evaluation of such frameworks in terms of their consequences for learning. This lack of empirical evaluation, we submit, is due to the intellectual challenge of pinning down in what fundamental sense these various frameworks differ and, therefore, along which parameters to conduct controlled comparative experimentation. Toward an empirical evaluation of educational-technology design frameworks, this conceptual paper considers the case of dynamic mathematics environments (DME), interactive modules for learning curricular content through manipulating virtual objects. We consider user activities in two paradigmatic DME genres that utilize similar HCI yet different mechanics. To compare these mechanics, we draw from complex dynamic systems theory a constraint-based model of embodied interaction. Task analyses suggest that whereas in one DME genre (GeoGebra) the interaction constraints are a priori inherent in the environment, in another DME genre (Mathematics Imagery Trainer) the constraints are ad hoc emergent in the task. We conjecture differential learning effects of these distinct constraint regimes, concluding that ad hoc emergent task constraints may better facilitate the naturalistic development of cognitive structures grounding targeted conceptual learning. We outline a future empirical research design to compare the pedagogical entailments of these two design frameworks.

Athletes act intentionally and adaptively for achieving task goals in sport performance environments. The ecological dynamics approach to decision making understands the performer‐environment system as the unit of analysis to understand behavior, where action is not just limited to processes occurring in the individual (e.g., information-processing theories) or in the environment (behaviorist approaches) but implies the close link between the two. In the present article we synthesize the key tenets of the ecological dynamics theoretical framework and describe how both individual and group decision-making in sport can be understood. We explain how behavior and decision-making are based upon self-organized processes, from which functional synergies emerge, paving the way for expert performance in individuals and groups. Specifically, considering group decision-making, we describe how team members are coordinated in the complex system that the team is. Finally, we suggest that the ecological dynamics approach is a well-suited framework to research individual and team cognition, with many applications to practice.

Abstract Inferring ecological interactions is hard because we often lack suitable parametric representations to portray them. Neural ordinary differential equations (NODEs) provide a way of estimating interactions non‐parametrically from time‐series data. NODEs, however, are slow to fit, and inferred interactions usually are not compared with the ground truth. We provide a fast NODE fitting method, Bayesian neural gradient matching (BNGM), which relies on interpolating time series with neural networks and fitting NODEs to the interpolated dynamics with Bayesian regularisation. We test the accuracy of the approach by inferring ecological interactions in time series generated by an ODE model with known interactions. We compare these results against three existing approaches for estimating ecological interactions, standard NODEs, ODE models and convergent cross‐mapping (CCM). We also infer interactions in experimentally replicated time series of a microcosm featuring an algae, flagellate and rotifer population, in the hare and lynx system, and the Maizuru Bay community featuring 11 species. Our BNGM approach allows us to reduce the fitting time of NODE systems to only a few seconds and provides accurate estimates of ecological interactions in the artificial system, as true ecological interactions are recovered with minimal error. Our benchmark analysis reveals that our approach is both faster and more accurate than standard NODEs and parametric ODEs, while CCM was found to be faster but less accurate. The analysis of the replicated time series reveals that only the strongest interactions are consistent across replicates, while the analysis of the Maizuru community shows the strong negative impact of the chameleon goby on most species of the community, and a potential indirect negative effect of temperature by favouring goby population growth. Overall, NODEs alleviate the need for a mechanistic understanding of interactions, and BNGM alleviates the heavy computational cost. This is a crucial step availing quick NODE fitting to larger systems, cross‐validation and uncertainty quantification, as well as more objective estimation of interactions, and complex context dependence, than parametric models.

Urban green planning is crucial in promoting sustainable urban ecosystems through the mindful use of vegetation, but few approaches are currently able to account for the ecosystem services provided by urban green planning in ex ante planning applications. The present research proposes a methodological approach to sustainable urban planning that accounts for the ecological role of vegetation in urban ecosystems. Indeed, by estimating the functions exerted by different vegetation elements in urban ecosystems through a purposely developed set of equations, the procedure allows for the optimization of the development of urban plans by maximizing the contribution of vegetation to ecosystem dynamics. Specifically, the proposed methodology is articulated in two phases, i.e., the functional role of vegetation is firstly modeled through simple geometric features and specific ecological traits accounting for plant interactions with the environment, and then the selected vegetation traits are used in guiding the choice of the species. The approach has been exemplified through case studies, thereby highlighting its ability to guide planning decisions based on the type, abundance, and spatial organization of vegetation to promote the sustainability of urban development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Traditionally, Physical Education (PE) has adopted a multi-skills approach, where children generally engage in decontextualised practice of sport techniques to develop specific movement skills and facilitate sports participation. This approach has been critiqued for having a weak conceptual and philosophical justification, and a lack of empirical proof of its educational value. The SAMPLE-PE research project set out to challenge this by creating two PE curricula distinguished by contrasting theories of motor learning: information processing theory and ecological dynamics. While both approaches have shown promise in enhancing children's movement skills, to date, there has been little consideration of their impact on the motivational climate of primary PE lessons. This study explored to what extent traditional PE, ecological dynamics, and information processing theory-based approaches create empowering and disempowering motivational climates when viewed through a self-determination and achievement goal theory lens. Method: Forty-four PE lessons were video recorded and coded by two trained researchers using the Multidimensional Motivational Climate Observation System. ANOVA, MANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc tests were run to explore differences in data on motivational climate under the three different pedagogical approaches. Results: The group taught with concepts from ecological dynamics (referred to as Ecological) displayed a significantly lower disempowering motivational climate in comparison to the group taught with a basis in information processing theory (referred to as IPT) and the traditional PE groups. The ecological group revealed significantly more autonomy support than the traditional PE and the IPT group. The IPT group methods provided significantly more structure than traditional PE and the ecological group. Conclusion: The findings of this study have shown how the approach taken in delivering PE in primary schools may differentially affect motivational climates. Results imply that underpinning PE with theories of motor learning provides differing, viable and beneficial alternatives to create positive learning environments, compared to traditional PE practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Spatio‐temporal processes play a key role in ecology, from genes to large‐scale macroecological and biogeographical processes. Existing methods studying such spatio‐temporally structured data either simplify the dynamic structure or the complex interactions of ecological drivers. The aim of this paper is to present a generic method for ecological research that allows analysing spatio‐temporal patterns of biological processes at large spatial scales by including the time‐varying variables that drive these dynamics. Location: Global analysis at the level of 272 regions. Methods: We introduce a method called relational event modelling (REM). REM relies on temporal interaction dynamics that encode sequences of relational events connecting a sender node to a recipient node at a specific point in time. We apply REM to the spread of alien species around the globe between 1880 and 2005, following accidental or deliberate introductions into geographical regions outside of their native range. In this context, a relational event represents the new occurrence of an alien species given its former distribution. Results: The application of relational event models to the first reported invasions of 4835 established alien species outside of their native ranges from four major taxonomic groups enables us to unravel the main drivers of the dynamics of the spread of invasive alien species. Combining the alien species first records data with other spatio‐temporal information enables us to discover which factors have been responsible for the spread of species across the globe. Besides the usual drivers of species invasions, such as trade, land use and climatic conditions, we also find evidence for species‐interconnectedness in alien species spread. Conclusions: Relational event models offer the capacity to account for the temporal sequences of ecological events such as biological invasions and to investigate how relationships between these events and potential drivers change over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explore the problem of variability of practice from an applied perspective. Different types of variability, i.e., numerosity, heterogeneity, situational diversity, and scheduling are presented from the motor learning perspective, including theories, models, and concepts. We present the implications of applying variability into practice, the advantages, and problems arising while varying the practice. Finally, we propose a pragmatic model of applying variability in motor practice to assist coaches in designing effective training programs. Answers to three simple questions guide coaches to different methods of introducing variability in the practice. We present also key principles, coaches have to follow, in order to apply variability appropriately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]