Munich, Berlin, Hamburg, Vienna, and Zurich - the largest cities in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland - have significantly reduced the car share of trips over the past 25 years in spite of high ...motorisation rates. The key to their success has been a coordinated package of mutually reinforcing transport and land-use policies that have made car use slower, less convenient, and more costly, while increasing the safety, convenience, and feasibility of walking, cycling, and public transport. The mix of policies implemented in each city has been somewhat different. The German cities have done far more to promote cycling, while Zurich and Vienna offer more public transport service per capita at lower fares. All five of the cities have implemented roughly the same policies to promote walking, foster compact mixed-use development, and discourage car use. Of the car-restrictive policies, parking management has been by far the most important. The five case study cities demonstrate that it is possible to reduce car dependence even in affluent societies with high levels of car ownership and high expectations for quality of travel.
Early Levallois core technology is usually dated in Europe to the end of Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 9 and particularly from the beginning of MIS 8 to MIS 6. This technology is considered as one of ...the markers of the transition from lower to Middle Paleolithic or from Mode 2 to Mode 3. Recent discoveries show that some lithic innovations actually appeared earlier in western Europe, from MIS 12 to MIS 9, contemporaneous with changes in subsistence strategies and the first appearance of early Neanderthal anatomical features. Among these discoveries, there is the iconic Levallois core technology. A selection of well-dated assemblages in the United Kingdom, France, and Italy dated from MIS 12 to 9, which include both cores and flakes with Levallois features, has been described and compared with the aim of characterizing this technology. The conclusion supports the interpretation that several technical features may be attributed to a Levallois technology similar to those observed in younger Middle Paleolithic sites, distinct from the main associated core technologies in each level. Some features in the sample of sites suggest a gradual transformation of existing core technologies. The small evidence of Levallois could indicate occasional local innovations from different technological backgrounds and would explain the diversity of Levallois methods that is observed from MIS 12. The technological roots of Levallois technology in the Middle Pleistocene would suggest a multiregional origin and diffusion in Europe and early evidence of regionalization of local traditions through Europe from MIS 12 to 9. The relationships of Levallois technology with new needs and behaviors are discussed, such as flake preference, functional reasons related to hunting and hafting, an increase in the use of mental templates in European populations, and changes in the structure of hominin groups adapting to climatic and environmental changes.
Typologies are an important way of organizing the complex cause-effect relationships that are key building blocks of the strategy and organization literatures. Here, I develop a novel theoretical ...perspective on causal core and periphery, which is based on how elements of a configuration are connected to outcomes. Using data on high-technology firms, I empirically investigate configurations based on the Miles and Snow typology using fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). My findings show how the theoretical perspective developed here allows for a detailed analysis of causal core, periphery, and asymmetry, shifting the focus to midrange theories of causal processes.
Landslides as major geo-hazards in Sweden adversely impact on nearby environments and socio-economics. In this paper, a landslide susceptibility map using a proposed subdivision approach for a large ...area in southwest Sweden has been produced. The map has been generated by means of an artificial neural network (ANN) model developed using fourteen causative factors extracted from topographic and geomorphologic, geological, land use, hydrology and hydrogeology characteristics. The landslide inventory map includes 242 events identified from different validated resources and interpreted aerial photographs. The weights of the causative factors employed were analyzed and verified using accepted mathematical criteria, sensitivity analysis, previous studies, and actual landslides. The high accuracy achieved using the ANN model demonstrates a consistent criterion for future landslide susceptibility zonation. Comparisons with earlier susceptibility assessments in the area show the model to be a cost-effective and potentially vital tool for urban planners in developing cities and municipalities.
•An ANN model for landslide susceptibility was developed and optimized.•A novel subdivision approach for landslide hazard assessment was introduced.•Detailed discussion comparing with previous studies and projects.•A cost-effective high-resolution map for decision makers and planners was generated.
Shear zones – A review Fossen, Haakon; Cavalcante, Geane Carolina G.
Earth-science reviews,
August 2017, 2017-08-00, Volume:
171
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Strain in the lithosphere localizes into tabular zones known as shear zones that grow from small outcrop-size individual zones to large composite structures. Nucleation is related to distributed ...microscale flaws or mesoscale structures such as fractures and dikes, and they soon establish displacement profiles similar to faults. Also similar to faults, they grow in width and length primarily by segment linkage as they accumulate strain and displacement, and this process typically results in shear zone networks. Consequently, mature shear zones are heterogeneous and composite zones characterized by anastomosing patterns and local variations in thickness and finite strain. Kinematic vorticity estimates suggest that most shear zones deviate from simple shear, and even if subsimple shear may be a useful reference model in many cases, finite strain data indicate that many shear zones involve three-dimensional combinations of coaxial and non-coaxial deformation, such as transpression and transtension. Strain geometry and kinematic vorticity can vary significantly within shear zone networks, which makes it difficult to estimate the bulk deformation type for a composite shear zone or shear zone network. However, perhaps the most challenging aspect is that of progressive deformation, i.e. to what extent and how flow parameters change during deformation (non-steady state deformation), which needs to be addressed by a combination of detailed field observations and numerical modeling.
Drawing from the theory of planned behavior and post-materialism assumptions, this study investigates and uncovers key antecedents of the intention to engage in ecotourism and to pay premium prices ...for the experience. A conceptual model incorporates environmental beliefs, attitudes toward ecotourism, behavioral indications, and willingness to pay premium (WTPP), in combination with materialism and general tourism motivation. Samples of Swedish and Taiwanese tourists empirically test the assumptions. Findings reveal attitudes and environmental beliefs connect positively with intention and WTPP; however, materialistic values exert a negative effect. The results also disclose diverging moderating effects on the environmental beliefs — attitude linkage, depending on the type of tourism motivation guiding the tourist. The research findings offer key insights on what drives consumer behavior in the context of ecotourism.
While studies on microplastics in the marine environment show their wide-distribution, persistence and contamination of biota, the freshwater environment remains comparatively neglected. Where ...studies on freshwaters have been undertaken these have been on riverine systems or very large lakes. We present data on the distribution of microplastic particles in the sediments of Edgbaston Pool, a shallow eutrophic lake in central Birmingham, UK. These data provide, to our knowledge, the first assessment of microplastic concentrations in the sediments of either a small or an urban lake and the first for any lake in the UK. Maximum concentrations reached 25–30 particles per 100 g dried sediment (equivalent to low hundreds kg−1) and hence are comparable with reported river sediment studies. Fibres and films were the most common types of microplastic observed. Spatial distributions appear to be due to similar factors to other lake studies (i.e. location of inflow; prevailing wind directions; propensity for biofouling; distribution of macroplastic debris) and add to the growing burden of evidence for microplastic ubiquity in all environments.
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•These are the first microplastics data for UK lake sediments, an urban or small lake.•Sediment concentrations are comparable to, or lower than, other equivalent data.•Microplastic fibres and films were the most common particle type.•Distributions appear to be related to inflows, wind directions and macroplastic litter.
This paper presents the first microplastics data for UK lake sediments and, more broadly, for small and urban lakes, thereby contributing to the growing burden of evidence for microplastic ubiquity.
Large volcanic eruptions on Earth commonly occur with a collapse of the roof of a crustal magma reservoir, forming a caldera. Only a few such collapses occur per century, and the lack of detailed ...observations has obscured insight into the mechanical interplay between collapse and eruption. We use multiparameter geophysical and geochemical data to show that the 110-square-kilometer and 65-meter-deep collapse of Bárdarbunga caldera in 2014-2015 was initiated through withdrawal of magma, and lateral migration through a 48-kilometers-long dike, from a 12-kilometers deep reservoir. Interaction between the pressure exerted by the subsiding reservoir roof and the physical properties of the subsurface flow path explain the gradual, near-exponential decline of both collapse rate and the intensity of the 180-day-long eruption.
•Investigates the effect of knowledge sourcing and absorptive capacity on firm's environmental-innovation.•Extends the open innovation paradigm to environmental-innovation.•Finds that broad and deep ...sourcing strategies increase firm's environmental-innovation propensity and portfolio.•Identifies non-linear effects in the impact of knowledge sourcing on environmental-innovation.•Highlights that only the exploitation of broadly sourced knowledge relies on R&D and socialization mechanisms.
This paper deals with the open innovation mode in the environmental realm and investigates the effects that knowledge sourcing has on the environmental innovations (EIs) of firms. Using the Community Innovation Survey (CIS) 2006–2008, we refer to the firm's probability of both introducing an EI and extending the number of EI-typologies adopted. We estimate the impact of the ‘depth’ and ‘breadth’ of knowledge sourcing. In addition, we test for the moderating role of the firm's absorptive capacity. Knowledge sourcing has a positive impact on both types of EI-performance. However, a broad sourcing strategy reveals a threshold above which the propensity to introduce an EI diminishes. Cognitive constraints in processing knowledge inputs that are too diverse may explain this result. Absorptive capacity generally helps firms to turn broadly sourced external knowledge into EI. However, internal innovation capabilities and knowledge socialization mechanisms seem to diminish the EI impact of knowledge sourced through deep external interactions. The possibility of mismatches between the management of internal and external knowledge, and of problems in distributing the decision-makers’ attention between the two, may explain this result.
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