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In the evolving global business environment, corporate social responsibility (CSR) has transitioned from being a philanthropic effort to a critical strategic necessity, particularly within Asian economies. Despite the increasing importance of CSR, the literature examining its application and impact in Asia remains both sparse and fragmented. This study addresses this gap by conducting a systematic literature review (SLR) of 79 scholarly articles, adhering to PRISMA guidelines, to ensure a comprehensive and replicable analysis of CSR practices within Asian corporate entities. The review uncovers key themes related to the integration of CSR into corporate governance structures, including the emphasis on renewable energy, ethical business conduct, employee engagement, and data privacy, while highlighting the distinct challenges and opportunities faced by Asian companies given their unique cultural, social, and regulatory landscapes. The findings indicate that although Asian firms are increasingly incorporating CSR into their strategies, there is a significant need for more robust evaluation frameworks, particularly concerning biodiversity, deforestation, and collaboration with conservation organizations. Looking ahead, the study emphasizes the importance of prioritizing renewable energy as a critical environmental focus across Asia, especially given the region's rapid urbanization and industrial growth. The transition to renewable energy sources is not only vital for mitigating environmental impacts and combating climate change but also presents long-term economic benefits. Additionally, the study identifies a substantial growth in digital adoption across various sectors in Asia, underscoring the need for stronger cybersecurity measures to protect emerging digital infrastructures. Culturally and socially, many Asian countries show a natural inclination towards sustainability, which can be leveraged to foster greater acceptance and integration of renewable energy at the grassroots level. Furthermore, the study advocates for enhanced collaboration within Asia and on a global scale to facilitate knowledge transfer, share best practices, and achieve economies of scale in renewable energy projects. Such joint efforts could accelerate the transition to sustainable energy and help overcome challenges related to technology, finance, and policymaking. These insights are essential for both scholars and practitioners aiming to align CSR practices with global sustainability goals, thereby fostering responsible corporate behaviour across diverse sectors in Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In the evolving global business environment, corporate social responsibility (CSR) has transitioned from being a philanthropic effort to a critical strategic necessity, particularly within Asian economies. Despite the increasing importance of CSR, the literature examining its application and impact in Asia remains both sparse and fragmented. This study addresses this gap by conducting a systematic literature review (SLR) of 79 scholarly articles, adhering to PRISMA guidelines, to ensure a comprehensive and replicable analysis of CSR practices within Asian corporate entities. The review uncovers key themes related to the integration of CSR into corporate governance structures, including the emphasis on renewable energy, ethical business conduct, employee engagement, and data privacy, while highlighting the distinct challenges and opportunities faced by Asian companies given their unique cultural, social, and regulatory landscapes. The findings indicate that although Asian firms are increasingly incorporating CSR into their strategies, there is a significant need for more robust evaluation frameworks, particularly concerning biodiversity, deforestation, and collaboration with conservation organizations. Looking ahead, the study emphasizes the importance of prioritizing renewable energy as a critical environmental focus across Asia, especially given the region's rapid urbanization and industrial growth. The transition to renewable energy sources is not only vital for mitigating environmental impacts and combating climate change but also presents long-term economic benefits. Additionally, the study identifies a substantial growth in digital adoption across various sectors in Asia, underscoring the need for stronger cybersecurity measures to protect emerging digital infrastructures. Culturally and socially, many Asian countries show a natural inclination towards sustainability, which can be leveraged to foster greater acceptance and integration of renewable energy at the grassroots level. Furthermore, the study advocates for enhanced collaboration within Asia and on a global scale to facilitate knowledge transfer, share best practices, and achieve economies of scale in renewable energy projects. Such joint efforts could accelerate the transition to sustainable energy and help overcome challenges related to technology, finance, and policymaking. These insights are essential for both scholars and practitioners aiming to align CSR practices with global sustainability goals, thereby fostering responsible corporate behaviour across diverse sectors in Asia.

Plants must accurately integrate external environmental signals with their own development to initiate flowering at the appropriate time for reproductive success. Photoperiod and temperature are key external signals that determine flowering time; both are cyclical and periodic, and they are closely related. In this review, we describe photoperiod-sensitive genes that simultaneously respond to temperature signals in rice (Oryza sativa). We introduce the mechanisms by which photoperiod and temperature synergistically regulate heading date and regional adaptation in rice. We also discuss the prospects for designing different combinations of heading date genes and other cold tolerance or thermo-tolerance genes to help rice better adapt to changes in light and temperature via molecular breeding to enhance yield in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diversity is essential to climate resilience in food and farming. Traditionally, agrobiodiversity has been cultivated and sustained through communities' relationships with seeds. A fluid process of saving, preserving, and exchanging seeds allows for regional adaptation and transformation. This process results in seed diversity at the crop, variety, and genetic level. Over the last century, agrobiodiversity has declined at an alarming rate, and simultaneously there has been an erosion of community seed-keeping practices. A reaction to these interrelated crises has been an increased push to preserve biodiversity through institutional seed preservation efforts (also called ex situ preservation), which focus on genetic preservation of seeds in controlled environments. The seeds are genetic resources that are made available to plant breeders, who solve agronomic problems by creating improved cultivars for farmers. This is very different from community seed-keeping (also called in situ preservation), which values seed-people relationships and fosters natural agrobiodiversity and regional adaptation. Seeds are seen in direct connection to food, and saved for immediate and practical reasons like yield, flavor, and resistance to biotic stressors. In traditional communities, seeds are often perceived as kin, as ancestors or living beings with both histories and futures. For institutional seed preservation, collecting and maintaining seed diversity is an imperative insurance policy against future challenges. Ironically, this model erodes community-based seed-keeping efforts and increases dependence on institutional seed preservation to maintain genetic diversity. In this paper, we explore declining agrobiodiversity and community seed-keeping and share our experiences working with a diverse range of varieties from The Heirloom Collard Project (HCP). We propose that radical seed diversity can jump-start autonomous, community-based seed-keeping efforts, increasing agrobiodiversity and, ultimately, the climate resilience of food systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diversity is essential to climate resilience in food and farming. Traditionally, agrobiodiversity has been cultivated and sustained through communi­ties’ relationships with seeds. A fluid process of saving, preserving, and exchanging seeds allows for regional adaptation and transformation. This pro­cess results in seed diversity at the crop, variety, and genetic level. Over the last century, agrobio­di­versity has declined at an alarming rate, and simul­taneously there has been an erosion of community seed-keeping practices. A reaction to these interre­lated crises has been an increased push to preserve biodiversity through institutional seed preservation efforts (also called ex situ preservation), which focus on genetic preservation of seeds in con­trolled environments. The seeds are genetic resources that are made available to plant breeders, who solve agronomic problems by creating improved cultivars for farmers. This is very differ­ent from community seed-keeping (also called in situ preservation), which values seed-people rela­tionships and fosters natural agrobiodiversity and regional adaptation. Seeds are seen in direct con­nection to food, and saved for immediate and prac­tical reasons like yield, flavor, and resistance to bio­tic stressors. In traditional communities, seeds are often perceived as kin, as ancestors or living beings with both histories and futures. For institutional seed preservation, collecting and maintaining seed diversity is an imperative insurance policy against future challenges. Ironically, this model erodes community-based seed-keeping efforts and increases dependence on institutional seed preser­vation to maintain genetic diversity. In this paper, we explore declining agrobiodiversity and commu­nity seed-keeping and share our experiences work­ing with a diverse range of varieties from The Heir­loom Collard Project (HCP). We propose that radi­cal seed diversity can jump-start autonomous, community-based seed-keeping efforts, increasing agrobiodiversity and, ultimately, the climate resilience of food systems.

Abiotic stress is a limiting factor for common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) production globally. The study of the genotypic, phenotypic, and bio-climatic variables in a broad set of accessions may assist the identification of genomic regions involved in the climatic adaptation of the common bean. We conducted a genotyping-by-sequencing analysis using 28,823 SNPs on 110 georeferenced common bean accessions from Brazil to discover associations between SNPs and bio-climatic indexes. The population structure analysis clustered the accessions into two groups corresponding to the Andean and Mesoamerican gene pools. Of the 19 bioclimatic variables, 17 exhibited a significant association with SNPs on chromosomes Pv01, Pv02, Pv03, Pv04, Pv06, Pv09, Pv10, and Pv11 of common bean. Ten candidate genes were associated with specific bio-climatic variables related to temperature and precipitation. The candidate genes associated with this significant Pv09 region encode a Platz transcription factor family protein previously reported to be an essential regulator of drought stress. The SNP markers and candidate genes associated with the bio-climatic variables should be validated in segregating populations for water stress, which could further be used for marker-assisted selection. As a result, bean breeding programs may be able to provide advances in obtaining drought-tolerant cultivars.

Abstract Background Thousands of years of natural and artificial selection since the domestication of the horse has shaped the distinctive genomes of Chinese Mongolian horse populations. Consequently, genomic signatures of selection can provide insights into the human-mediated selection history of specific traits and evolutionary adaptation to diverse environments. Here, we used genome-wide SNPs from five distinct Chinese Mongolian horse populations to identify genomic regions under selection for the population-specific traits, gait, black coat colour, and hoof quality. Other global breeds were used to identify regional-specific signatures of selection. Results We first identified the most significant selection peak for the Wushen horse in the region on ECA23 harbouring DMRT3, the major gene for gait. We detected selection signatures encompassing several genes in the Baicha Iron Hoof horse that represent good biological candidates for hoof health, including the CSPG4, PEAK1, EXPH5, WWP2 and HAS3 genes. In addition, an analysis of regional subgroups (Asian compared to European) identified a single locus on ECA3 containing the ZFPM1 gene that is a marker of selection for the major domestication event leading to the DOM2 horse clade. Conclusions Genomic variation at these loci in the Baicha Iron Hoof may be leveraged in other horse populations to identify animals with superior hoof health or those at risk of hoof-related pathologies. The overlap between the selection signature in Asian horses with the DOM2 selection peak raises questions about the nature of horse domestication events, which may have involved a prehistoric clade other than DOM2 that has not yet been identified.

Background: Thousands of years of natural and artificial selection since the domestication of the horse has shaped the distinctive genomes of Chinese Mongolian horse populations. Consequently, genomic signatures of selection can provide insights into the human-mediated selection history of specific traits and evolutionary adaptation to diverse environments. Here, we used genome-wide SNPs from five distinct Chinese Mongolian horse populations to identify genomic regions under selection for the population-specific traits, gait, black coat colour, and hoof quality. Other global breeds were used to identify regional-specific signatures of selection. Results: We first identified the most significant selection peak for the Wushen horse in the region on ECA23 harbouring DMRT3, the major gene for gait. We detected selection signatures encompassing several genes in the Baicha Iron Hoof horse that represent good biological candidates for hoof health, including the CSPG4, PEAK1, EXPH5, WWP2 and HAS3 genes. In addition, an analysis of regional subgroups (Asian compared to European) identified a single locus on ECA3 containing the ZFPM1 gene that is a marker of selection for the major domestication event leading to the DOM2 horse clade. Conclusions: Genomic variation at these loci in the Baicha Iron Hoof may be leveraged in other horse populations to identify animals with superior hoof health or those at risk of hoof-related pathologies. The overlap between the selection signature in Asian horses with the DOM2 selection peak raises questions about the nature of horse domestication events, which may have involved a prehistoric clade other than DOM2 that has not yet been identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flowering time influences reproductive success in plants and has a significant impact on yield in grain crops. Flowering time is regulated by a variety of environmental factors, with daylength often playing an important role. Crops can be categorized into different types according to their photoperiod requirements for flowering. For instance, long-day crops include wheat (Triticum aestivum), barley (Hordeum vulgare), and pea (Pisum sativum), while short-day crops include rice (Oryza sativa), soybean (Glycine max), and maize (Zea mays). Understanding the molecular regulation of flowering and genotypic variation therein is important for molecular breeding and crop improvement. This paper reviews the regulation of flowering in different crop species with a particular focus on how photoperiodrelated genes facilitate adaptation to local environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fusariosis (Fusarium guttiforme) is the most destructive disease of the pineapple crop in Brazil. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reaction to an isolate in pineapple genotypes selected for crownless fruit weight (CFW) and total soluble solids (TSS). A total of 1,125 genotypes (‘BRS Imperial’×’Pérola’) were evaluated. Selection for greatest CFW and TSS was performed during the sexual cycle. The isolate was inoculated on slip-type plantlets using the immersion technique. Plantlets were evaluated for disease intensity in the stem, attributing scores from 0 to 5. Eighteen genotypes were selected with values from 1.514 to 3.307 g (CFW) and from 14.6 to 19.4 °Brix (TSS). Six genotypes reached the highest level of survival against the IT-01 isolate. Selected genotypes have agronomic traits superior to those of their parents, which qualify them to be cycled back into the plant breeding program of the Instituto Agronômico de Pernambuco - IPA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heading date (Hd) is one of the main factors determining rice production and regional adaptation. To identify the genetic factors involved in the wide regional adaptability of rice, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) with 190 North Korean rice accessions selected for non-precocious flowering in the Philippines, a low-latitude region. Using both linear mixed models (LMM) and fixed and random model circulating probability unification (FarmCPU), we identified five significant loci for Hd in trials in 2018 and 2019. Among the five lead single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), three were located adjacent to the known Hd genes, Heading date 3a (Hd3a), Heading date 5 (Hd5), and GF14-c. In contrast, three SNPs were located in novel loci with minor effects on heading. Further GWAS analysis for photoperiod insensitivity (PS) revealed no significant genes associated with PS, supporting that this North Korean (NK) population is largely photoperiod-insensitive. Haplotyping analysis showed that more than 80% of the NK varieties harbored nonfunctional alleles of major Hd genes investigated, of which a nonfunctional allele of Heading date 1 (Hd1) was observed in 66% of the varieties. Geographical distribution analysis of Hd allele combination types showed that nonfunctional alleles of floral repressor Hd genes enabled rice cultivation in high-latitude regions. In contrast, Hd1 alleles largely contributed to the wide regional adaptation of rice varieties. In conclusion, an allelic combination of Hd genes is critical for rice cultivation across wide areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heading date (Hd) is one of the main factors determining rice production and regional adaptation. To identify the genetic factors involved in the wide regional adaptability of rice, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) with 190 North Korean rice accessions selected for non-precocious flowering in the Philippines, a low-latitude region. Using both linear mixed models (LMM) and fixed and random model circulating probability unification (FarmCPU), we identified five significant loci for Hd in trials in 2018 and 2019. Among the five lead single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), three were located adjacent to the known Hd genes, Heading date 3a (Hd3a), Heading date 5 (Hd5), and GF14-c. In contrast, three SNPs were located in novel loci with minor effects on heading. Further GWAS analysis for photoperiod insensitivity (PS) revealed no significant genes associated with PS, supporting that this North Korean (NK) population is largely photoperiod-insensitive. Haplotyping analysis showed that more than 80% of the NK varieties harbored nonfunctional alleles of major Hd genes investigated, of which a nonfunctional allele of Heading date 1 (Hd1) was observed in 66% of the varieties. Geographical distribution analysis of Hd allele combination types showed that nonfunctional alleles of floral repressor Hd genes enabled rice cultivation in high-latitude regions. In contrast, Hd1 alleles largely contributed to the wide regional adaptation of rice varieties. In conclusion, an allelic combination of Hd genes is critical for rice cultivation across wide areas.

We examine how work hours reported in the Current Population Survey vary with snowfall in 265 metropolitan areas during 2004–2014. The effects of snowfall on work vary across types of workers, occupation, industry, and region. Regions adapt to inclement weather. Losses in work hours from snow events are particularly large in Southern states and among construction workers. An average daily inch of snowfall during a week reduces work by an hour. Few of the hours lost are "made‐up" in subsequent weeks. A "back‐of‐an‐envelope" calculation suggests that in average years, snow reduces annual hours worked by 0.15%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: scientific rationale of changing approaches to medical care payment for hospitalization of patients suffering from severe asthma (SA) that require the prescription of biologic disease-modifying drugs (bDMDs) within the constraints of diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) on the level of the Moscow Region.Material and methods. For the federal model regional adaptation, the authors used the mechanism of subgroups selection in the structure of basic DRG No. 336 st36.003 and No. 139 ds36.004 “Treatment with biologic disease-modifying drugs and selective immunosuppressants” in the round-the-clock (RH) and day-time hospital (DH). Budget impact analysis (BIA) was performed to provide scientific and economic feasibility for the improvement of medical care payment for bDMDs proscribed to patients with SA within DRG at the level of the Moscow Region.Results. The analysis of cost of drug therapy and medical services per 1 case of hospitalization of patients with SA, that required bDMDs therapy, considering the classification criterion (international nonproprietary name of drugs and drug therapy regimens), showed 10 subgroups in DRG No. 336 st36.003 (level 1) and 9 subgroups in DRG No. 139 ds36.004. Expert estimates on the rate of hospitalizations and drug dosage regimen indicated for patients with SA were used to calculate the relative cost weights (CW). The highest CW was observed in the subgroup that received benralizumab in RH (CW=7.46) and in DH (CW=12.08) conditions. BIA demonstrated 110,103,901.53 rubles (or 31%) budget savings for the health care system of the Moscow Region.Conclusion. The implementation of the adapted DRG federal model in the conditions of the health care system of Moscow Region is an economically feasible approach to the organization of the inpatient medical care provided to patients with SA needing bDMDs prescription.

There is a strong literature which examines how the ways that peripheries are discursively constructed impacts on the processes of Peripheralisation. For example, Bürk et al. (2012) discuss how some discourses 'stigmatise' regions, harming future development and reproducing peripherality. This paper speaks to concerns over how to address this. It asks whether examining peripheral regions as Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS) can help to find ways to operationalise the agency of people in individual peripheries, thereby challenging peripheralising discourses. In the following study the paper examines Evolutionary Economic Geography (EEG) and Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS) for the tools that they offer to address peripheralising processes. It uses this as a means to examine the strategic discourses utilised in two peripheral rural regions; the Mount Rogers Planning District Commission area in South West Virginia, USA, and Cornwall in the South West of the UK. This analysis makes visible gaps in the ways that knowledges flow and are shared around the regions with regards to changes in the economy. In this example, communicating skills gaps might offer a means to incorporate the general public to help to develop new narratives which can challenge peripheralising ones. • Peripheries can be imagined as evolutionary complex adaptive systems. • Imagining peripheries as complex systems makes visible processes through which peripheralising narratives become reproduced. • It is important to develop mechanisms which allows new knowledges to be shared around peripheries. • To understand how regional economies evolve, we need to consider how the public can learn about how economies have changed. • To better share information about changing rural economies, members of the public need to be made aware about skills gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abiotic stress is a limiting factor for common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) production globally. The study of the genotypic, phenotypic, and bio-climatic variables in a broad set of accessions may assist the identification of genomic regions involved in the climatic adaptation of the common bean. We conducted a genotyping-by-sequencing analysis using 28,823 SNPs on 110 georeferenced common bean accessions from Brazil to discover associations between SNPs and bio-climatic indexes. The population structure analysis clustered the accessions into two groups corresponding to the Andean and Mesoamerican gene pools. Of the 19 bioclimatic variables, 17 exhibited a significant association with SNPs on chromosomes Pv01, Pv02, Pv03, Pv04, Pv06, Pv09, Pv10, and Pv11 of common bean. Ten candidate genes were associated with specific bio-climatic variables related to temperature and precipitation. The candidate genes associated with this significant Pv09 region encode a Platz transcription factor family protein previously reported to be an essential regulator of drought stress. The SNP markers and candidate genes associated with the bio-climatic variables should be validated in segregating populations for water stress, which could further be used for marker-assisted selection. As a result, bean breeding programs may be able to provide advances in obtaining drought-tolerant cultivars.

Fungi are microbes that play vital roles in nutrient cycling in the natural environment and in symbiotic interactions with plants and other microbes. They thrive successfully even when challenged by various abiotic and biotic stress factors in the natural environment. Their growth, conidia production, survival, germination, pathogenicity, virulence and bioactive compound production can be strongly influenced by exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation. Different adaptive mechanisms are used to protect the cells and to maintain DNA integrity, enabling survival of exposure to solar ultraviolet irradiation in natural environments. Counter to these abilities, failure to protect cells against damage induced by ultraviolet radiation can compromise genetic integrity and survival, and alter species composition within the fungal community. We reviewed a large body of work on the biological and environmental factors that influence the protective mechanisms employed by micro-fungi in response to exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation, thereby increasing understanding of adaptive responses in micro-fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • We generated data on Folsom lithic raw material use at 49 sites in the west. • We constructed a Folsom lithic network and compared it to the Clovis lithic network. • We tested the hypothesis that Folsom groups had stricter habits of toolstone use. • Our results show that the Folsom lithic network is denser than the that of Clovis. • These findings are consistent with the Clovis-to-Folsom settling in model. Abstract The Peopling of the Americas was a multi-millennium process involving both the hunter-gatherer colonization of new landscapes as well as the 'settling in' to local environments. This process is typically identified archaeologically by an increase in the number of recognized point types, site frequency, changes in subsistence patterns, and increased geographic patterning in stone tool variation. Here, we add to this list by examining preferential toolstone use by Clovis and Folsom peoples, reasoning that Folsom groups formed stricter habits of toolstone procurement relative to Clovis people as the former pursued their increasingly familiar seasonal rounds. After generating lithic raw material data from 49 Folsom assemblages, we constructed a 'Folsom lithic network' that we compared to a 'Clovis lithic network', which consisted of 38 assemblages. Our results show that the Folsom lithic network is significantly denser than the Clovis lithic network. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that Folsom people started to form regular habits of toolstone procurement relative to Clovis people. More broadly, our comparison of lithic networks further supports the hypothesis that the Clovis-to-Folsom transition represents the process of foragers increasingly adapting to their local resource distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the main questions in ecosystem restoration is where to obtain the seeds to re-establish plant communities. While the most commonly advocated approach is to use seeds from local sources, some experts argue against this because local populations may harbour little genetic variability for the restored populations to be able to adapt to and survive global change. Instead, they propose alternative strategies such as mixing seeds from various sources to increase genetic variability and adaptive potential, or using seeds from populations that have a similar climate as predicted for the target locality in the future. All these alternative seed-sourcing strategies have in common that they involve a transplanting of plant ecotypes, sometimes over large spatial scales. This is risky because plants from distant origins may be maladapted to the current local abiotic and biotic environment. In addition, introduction of non-local provenances will disrupt natural patterns of within-species biodiversity and will affect ecological networks, with unpredictable consequences. To balance the value of local adaptation with the need for future adaptation potential, we propose 'regional admixture provenancing' as a compromise strategy. Here seeds are sourced from multiple populations within the same region as the target locality and mixed prior to use. The mixing of seeds will increase the genetic diversity necessary for future adaptation, while restricting seed origins to a regional scale will maintain regional adaptation and reduce the risk of unintended effects on other biota. This approach is feasible in practice and has recently been implemented in Germany. We believe that it represents a compromise to reconcile opposing views on ecological restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on adaptation to sea level rise (SLR) in the specific context of the Hampton Roads region of southeastern coastal Virginia. It analyzes the perspectives of stakeholders who are experts in and have experience with SLR to develop an informed understanding of the region's ability to address SLR and its readiness to pursue adaptation using a whole-of-community approach. A survey of the expert and experienced reveals (1) what they prioritized as the top three most challenging phases of regional adaptation and (2) what issues within those priority areas were the most pressing. Our findings point to the importance of meso- and micro-level boundary spanning across organizations and the whole of the community to ensure that multiple organizations and individuals in a region can be engaged in adaptation. Finally, this work briefly discusses how boundary-spanning approaches can provide a region a pathway toward overcoming barriers to effective climate-related adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenotypic variation may be genetically determined or reflect phenotypic plasticity. More common plants are expected to be less differentiated between and within regions and more adapted than less common ones. However, such differences might not develop in hybridizing species which cannot evolve completely independently. We collected 311 genets of Carex flava, 215 of C. viridula and 46 of their hybrid C. × subviridula from 42 natural populations in cold temperate Estonia, mild temperate Lowland Switzerland and alpine Highland Switzerland. Three plantlets from each genet were planted to three experimental gardens, one in each region. We measured survival, growth, reproduction and morphological traits. The experimental transplants showed strong plasticity and grew smallest in the alpine garden. The less common C. viridula was slightly more differentiated between regions of origin than the more common C. flava and the hybrid. However, this depended on the experimental garden. Significant origin-by-garden-by-taxon and taxon-by-garden interactions suggest differential adaptation among populations and taxa. Regional differed from non-regional plants in several traits indicating both adaptations and, especially for C. viridula, maladaptations to the home regions. For C. flava, plant seed production was higher when mean annual temperature and precipitation were more similar between population of origin and garden, suggesting local adaptation to climate. Hybrids were intermediate between parental taxa or more similar to one of them, which was retained across gardens. We conclude that plasticity, genetic variation and genotype-environment interactions all contributed to regional differentiation of the closely related species. Hybridization did not completely align evolutionary patterns, and the less common species showed slightly more genetic differentiation between populations and more maladapted traits than the more common one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the key questions in ecosystem restoration is the choice of seed material for restoring plant communities. More and more scientists and practitioners are currently advocating the use of regional seed sources, based on the argument that plants are often adapted to local or regional environmental conditions, and thus, regional seed sources should provide the best restoration success. However, there is still substantial debate about this approach, partly because of a lack of solid empirical data., We conducted a multispecies transplant experiment in which we compared the performance of eight seed origins of seven plant species frequently used in grassland restoration in four common gardens across Germany., We found that, on average, plants of regional origins produced 10% more inflorescences and 7% more biomass than those of foreign origins. There were substantial differences among species in the strength of these effects, but in the majority of the study species fitness decreased with increasing geographical distance of seed origins or with increasing climatic differences between plant origins and experimental sites., In addition to these effects on plant fitness, increasing geographical or climatic distances of origin were often also correlated with increasing differences in plant phenology. Since phenology is important for biotic interactions, especially with pollinators and seed predators, using foreign seed sources may have cascading effects on local ecosystems., Synthesis and applications. Genetic differentiation is widespread in grassland species and often shows the patterns of regional adaptation. Our study thus supports the use of regional seed sources in restoration. Moreover, using non-regional seed sources in grassland restoration may not only decrease the performance of plants, but it will likely also affect their biotic interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Journal of Sino-Western Studies is the property of Sanovan Press, Nordic Forum of Sino-Western Studies 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.)

Our scientific view on climate change adaptation (CCA) is unsatisfying in many ways: It is often dominated by a modernistic perspective of planned pro-active adaptation, with a selective focus on measures directly responding to climate change impacts and thus it is far from real-life conditions of those who are actually affected by climate change. Farmers have to simultaneously adapt to multiple changes. Therefore, also empirical climate change adaptation research needs a more integrative perspective on real-life climate change adaptations. This also has to consider 'hidden' adaptations, which are not explicitly and directly motivated by CCA but actually contribute to the sector's adaptability to climate change. The aim of the present study is to develop and test an analytic framework that contributes to a broader understanding of CCA and to bridge the gap between scientific expertise and practical action. The framework distinguishes three types of CCA according to their climate related motivations: explicit adaptations, multi-purpose adaptations, and hidden adaptations. Although agriculture is among the sectors that are most affected by climate change, results from the case study of Tyrolean mountain agriculture show that climate change is ranked behind other more pressing 'real-life-challenges' such as changing agricultural policies or market conditions. We identified numerous hidden adaptations which make a valuable contribution when dealing with climate change impacts. We conclude that these hidden adaptations have not only to be considered to get an integrative und more realistic view on CCA; they also provide a great opportunity for linking adaptation strategies to farmers' realities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper takes up the Schumpeterian argument that innovations drive economic recovery following cyclical phases of recession and depression. The performance of the regional innovation systems of two contrasting regions in England is examined in the light of this argument. It is shown that the long-term development of the regions’ respective innovation systems contributed significantly to the long-run adaptation and consequential economic resilience of their economies in the face of periodic external economic shocks. It is also argued that regional innovation systems policies can contribute to the adaptation of regional economies and therefore their economic resilience.

Flowering time influences reproductive success in plants and has a significant impact on yield in grain crops. Flowering time is regulated by a variety of environmental factors, with daylength often playing an important role. Crops can be categorized into different types according to their photoperiod requirements for flowering. For instance, long-day crops include wheat ( Triticum aestivum ), barley ( Hordeum vulgare ), and pea ( Pisum sativum ), while short-day crops include rice ( Oryza sativa ), soybean ( Glycine max ), and maize ( Zea mays ). Understanding the molecular regulation of flowering and genotypic variation therein is important for molecular breeding and crop improvement. This paper reviews the regulation of flowering in different crop species with a particular focus on how photoperiod-related genes facilitate adaptation to local environments., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Wang, Li, Kong, Lin and Lu.)

Fingerprints are the best biometric identity mark due to the consistency during life time and uniqueness. To increase the classification accuracy of fingerprint images, it is necessary to improve image quality which is a key role for correct recognition. In other words, enhancing the fingerprint images leads us to obtain better results in classification of fingerprint images. Although Gabor filter and fast Fourier transform (FFT) are used to enhance fingerprint images, Gabor filter acts better than FFT in detection of incorrect ridge endings and ridge bifurcation, while FFT tries to connect broken ridges together and fill the created holes. This paper tries to enhance gray-scale fingerprint images by combining the Gabor filter and FFT in order to get benefit from the advantages of each enhancing filter (Gabor filter and FFT). A method is proposed for fingerprint image segmentation based on the image histogram and density. By employing the proposed method which enhances the fingerprint images using the better enhancing filter in each part, the experimental results show that the whole finger print is better enhanced, and consequently, it leads to a better recognition rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The dynamic global vegetation model (DGVM) SEVER has been regionally adapted using a remote sensing data-derived land cover map in order to improve the reconstruction conformity of the distribution of vegetation functional types over Russia. The SEVER model was modified to address noticeable divergences between modelling results and the land cover map. The model modification included a light competition method elaboration and the introduction of a tundra class into the model. The rigorous optimisation of key model parameters was performed using a two-step procedure. First, an approximate global optimum was found using the efficient global optimisation (EGO) algorithm, and afterwards a local search in the vicinity of the approximate optimum was performed using the quasi-Newton algorithm BFGS. The regionally adapted model shows a significant improvement of the vegetation distribution reconstruction over Russia with better matching with the satellite-derived land cover map, which was confirmed by both a visual comparison and a formal conformity criterion.

This study analyzes the impact of climate change on maize production through 2030 with production functions for two important maize-producing regions in China: the Northeast region and the Southwest region. Variations in geographic, climatic, and socioeconomic conditions within the large country imply, however, that the impacts on maize production will likely be the opposite for the two regions. This finding challenges the prevalent view that the climate change has a universally negative effect on Chinese agriculture and implies that a higher flexibility of maize producing timing and a better regional adaptation to climate change in Southwest region could offset or even to outweigh the potential reduction of maize production in the Northeast region. It suggests that advanced inter-regional contracts and cooperation and of policies to stabilize regional agricultural labour force could be a cost-efficient risk mitigation strategy to mitigate the potential reduction of overall national maize production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exchange of elite breeding materials across regions is an important way in which multinational maize breeding programmes access new genetic variation, improve efficiency and reduce costs. Our objectives were to examine whether CIMMYT's breeding programmes for tropical and subtropical environments in Mexico and Eastern and Southern Africa ( ESA) can effectively share materials. Sets of selected and unselected lines were evaluated for per se and testcross performance in multiple environments in Mexico and ESA for grain yield, days to anthesis and plant height. Genotypic correlations between performance in Mexico and ESA as testcross and line per se were high (≥ 0.72) for all experiments, and indirect selection efficiency ranged from 67 to over 100% for all traits. Lines selected in ESA or Latin America performed equally well in each region, indicating selection was for broad rather than regional adaptation. Thus, breeding programmes of CIMMYT in both Mexico and ESA can benefit tremendously by exchanging breeding materials and test results, and elite selections from each region should be fast-tracked for evaluation in the other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]