Exploitation Patterns Research Articles

Three-dimensional printing of mycelium hydrogels into living complex materials.

Biological living materials, such as animal bones and plant stems, are able to self-heal, regenerate, adapt and make decisions under environmental pressures. Despite recent successful efforts to imbue synthetic materials with some of these remarkable functionalities, many emerging properties of complex adaptive systems found in biology remain unexplored in engineered living materials. Here, we describe a three-dimensional printing approach that harnesses the emerging properties of fungal mycelia to create living complex materials that self-repair, regenerate and adapt to the environment while fulfilling an engineering function. Hydrogels loaded with the fungus Ganoderma lucidum are three-dimensionally printed into lattice architectures to enable mycelial growth in a balanced exploration and exploitation pattern that simultaneously promotes colonization of the gel and bridging of air gaps. To illustrate the potential of such mycelium-based living complex materials, we three-dimensionally print a robotic skin that is mechanically robust, self-cleaning and able to autonomously regenerate after damage.

Balancing Efficiency and Personal Time Requirements for Human Resources Professionals after Telecommuting

Abstract The exploitation of work and household responsibilities among women and men remains a pressing issue with significant impacts on employee productivity and satisfaction. This study sheds light on the patterns of exploitation and their consequences, with a specific focus on the experiences of HR professionals. The research emphasizes the prevalence of the “flexibility stigma” in society, which views flexible work arrangements, including teleworking, as less committed, motivated, and productive compared to traditional 9-5 work hours. The study also highlights the tendency for workers to extend their work hours when boundaries between work and personal life become blurred. In particular, the study highlights the increased likelihood of working overtime as a result of teleworking, which can further contribute to the exploitation of work and household responsibilities. For HR professionals, it is essential to understand these challenges and develop strategies that support employees’ work-life balance and well-being. The study concludes by calling for a comprehensive approach that considers the institutional and cultural contexts in which employees operate and that prioritizes their well-being and productivity.

Combined effects of exploitation and environmental change on life history: a comparative analysis on Atlantic herring

Abstract The consequences of fisheries-induced evolution on stock productivity and yield depend, to a large extent, on the general prospects for growth and survival. Here, we compare the selection pressures imposed by two distinct patterns of exploitation—principally targeting spawning or non-spawning aggregations—on age at maturity among 15 Canadian stocks of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) that have exhibited a consistent pattern of length-at-age responses to common large-scale environmental drivers since the 1960s. In accordance with expectations for maturity-dependent harvesting, the establishment of a spawner-targeted fishery in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence coincided with a shift towards delayed maturity in both resident stocks, whereas stocks elsewhere subject to fisheries that also exploited juveniles more commonly exhibited trends towards earlier maturity. Despite these differences, we find that environmentally driven changes in length at maturation, combined with total mortality, may overwhelmingly determine lifetime reproductive success and possibly fitness. By linking phenotypic changes experienced in the juvenile period to simple correlates of egg production in mature age classes, our study highlights the importance of managing fisheries in the context of ubiquitous but contrasting environmental constraints on life histories.

Community‐based monitoring, assessment and management of data‐limited inland fish stocks in North Rupununi, Guyana

AbstractInland fisheries are important for food security in communities around the world, especially in developing countries. In North Rupununi, Guyana, the state of exploited stocks is poorly understood, and fishery monitoring and assessment are challenging because diverse fishing gears and target species are distributed across a heterogeneous landscape. This complexity created an opportunity for community‐based monitoring (CBM) to support data‐limited assessment. Standardised CBM was established for the North Rupununi as part of a new inland fisheries management plan initiated by indigenous community groups with support from the government. Quantitative length‐based assessments undertaken for target stocks suggested moderate levels of exploitation consistent with local perception. Our study highlights that local experts and community participants with different levels of training can collect accurate biodiversity data. Further development of CBM is important in North Rupununi. We recommend using local ecological knowledge indicators to track spatial and temporal patterns in exploitation and fish stock status.

Negative Integration Is What States Make of It? Tackling Labour Exploitation in the German Meat Sector

AbstractIn this article, we trace Germany's recent reform (and its precursors) seeking to remedy precarious working conditions in the meat sector. Focusing on an extreme case of labour exploitation, and asking how unique it is, allows us to uncover which institutional features of EU Member States condition the liberalization effects of negative integration. We thereby contribute to the literature on Europeanization, which has mainly emphasized weak industrial relations to account for the German meat industry's reliance on cheap migrant labour. Complicated enforcement structures, demanding requirements of administrative cooperation, and the complexities of an evolving case law, we argue, further contributed to the precarious conditions of migrant workers in Germany. Major COVID outbreaks in slaughterhouses created the political momentum for reform which specifically addresses this administrative side of labour protection, but remains limited to the meat sector – despite similar patterns of labour exploitation elsewhere.

Tree Species and Morphology of Holes Caused by Black-Tufted Marmosets to Obtain Exudates: Some Implications for the Exudativory.

Simple SummaryBlack-tufted marmosets (Callithrix penicillata) regularly exploit exudates by gouging the bark from trees with their specialized teeth. Determining preferred tree species to exploit exudates is important for forest management aimed at maintaining urban populations of marmosets. We investigated the trees used by black-tufted marmosets to obtain exudates in urban forest fragments in the Brazilian Cerrado, with a view to better understanding the relationship between marmosets and obtaining exudates. We characterized the tree species, the dendrometry, and the characteristics of the holes made by the marmosets. Based on these data, we proposed a gouging effort index (ChiSI). We found 108 individuals that were exploited by black-tufted marmosets belonged to 16 species of 10 tree families. Eleven new tree species used by black-tufted marmosets for exudates were identified. Exudate exploration was predominantly of medium intensity, with round holes concentrated in the canopy. The species Tapirira guianensis and Croton urucarana were preferred. Therefore, T. guianensis and C. urucarana should be considered the most important tree species for black-tufted marmosets that live in urban forests in the Cerrado.Knowledge of the pattern of exploitation of trees can help us understand the relationship between marmosets and plants, especially in declining forests, such as those in the Brazilian Cerrado. Black-tufted marmosets (Callithrix penicillata) regularly exploit exudates by gouging the bark of trees with their specialized teeth. Determining preferred tree species to exploit exudates is important for forest management aimed at maintaining an essential food source for urban marmosets. We characterized the tree species, dendrometry, and the characteristics of the holes made by marmosets to obtain exudates. Based on these data, we proposed a gouging effort index (Chiseling Suitability Index for Marmosets, ChiSI). We identified 16 species belonging to 10 families of trees with gouging marks made by marmosets. Eleven new tree species used by black-tufted marmosets for exudates were identified in urban forests in the Cerrado. Exudate exploration was predominantly of medium intensity, with round holes concentrated in the canopy. The species Tapirira guianensis and Croton urucarana were preferred. The ChiSI was characterized by a narrow range for both T. guianensis and C. urucarana. Despite the flexibility of obtaining exudates, the black-tufted marmosets concentrate their exploitation to only a few tree species. The T. guianensis and C. urucarana tree species should be considered the most important species for management plans and the preservation of black-tufted marmosets that live in urban forests in the Cerrado.

Trends in the abundance of Celtic Sea demersal fish: Identifying the relative importance of fishing and environmental drivers

The Celtic Sea is a productive fishing ground, therefore identifying the relative importance of fishing and environmental factors on fish stock dynamics is crucial for developing our understanding of sustainable yields and to operationalize Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management (EBFM). We investigated the effect of environmental variables and fishing on the relative abundance inferred from catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE), of twelve demersal stocks (i.e., cod, haddock, whiting, anglerfish, hake, megrim, plaice, sole, lesser-spotted dogfish, spurdog, Trisopterus spp., skates and rays) in the Celtic Sea from 1997 to 2019 (23 years). Annualized time series (1997-2019) of net primary production, bottom temperature, copepod abundance (Calanus finmarchicus and Calanus helgolandicus) and North Atlantic Oscillation index were used to characterize key environmental variables. Fishing exploitation rates (F/FMSY) were used to represent fishing pressure and CPUE trends derived from an International Bottom Trawl Survey (IBTS) were used to infer abundance. We used redundancy analysis to identify key explanatory variables and then dynamic factor analysis to assess their relationships with the CPUE series and identify underlying patterns in the unexplained temporal variation. Our results show that for the majority of demersal fish species, the CPUE trends were strongly influenced by fishing exploitation rates. The gradual reduction in exploitation rates observed throughout the study period most likely led to the partial recovery of cod, spurdog, hake, megrim, plaice, whiting, Trisopterus spp., and the skates and rays. In addition, exploitation patterns on one stock influenced CPUE trends of other demersal stocks (e.g., hake, megrim, plaice, lesser-spotted dogfish, sole). We also observed that the CPUE of whiting, hake and plaice increased when C. finmarchicus were abundant in the plankton. We infer from our findings in the investigated time series that the recovery of cod, spurdog, hake, megrim, plaice, whiting, Trisopterus spp., and the skates and rays in the Celtic Sea remains dependent on controlling fishing mortality, and this would not, at least for now, be confounded by the environmental conditions.

Global patterns of illegal marine turtle exploitation.

Human exploitation of wildlife for food, medicine, curios, aphrodisiacs, and spiritual artifacts represents a mounting 21st-century conservation challenge. Here, we provide the first global assessment of illegal marine turtle exploitation across multiple spatial scales (i.e., Regional Management Units [RMUs] and countries) by collating data from peer-reviewed studies, grey literature, archived media reports, and online questionnaires of in-country experts spanning the past three decades. Based on available information, we estimate that over 1.1 million marine turtles were exploited between 1990 and 2020 against existing laws prohibiting their use in 65 countries or territories and in 44 of the world's 58 marine turtle RMUs, with over 44,000 turtles exploited annually over the past decade. Exploitation across the 30-year period primarily consisted of green (56%) and hawksbill (39%) turtles when identified by species, with hawksbills (67%) and greens (81%) comprising the majority of turtles exploited in the 1990s and 2000s, respectively, and both species accounting for similar levels of exploitation in the 2010s. Although there were no clear overarching trends in the magnitude or spatial patterns of exploitation across the three decades, there was a 28% decrease in reported exploitation from the 2000s to the 2010s. The 10 RMUs with the highest exploitation in the 2010s included seven green and three hawksbill turtle RMUs, with most reported exploitation occurring in RMUs that typically exhibit a low risk of population decline or loss of genetic diversity. Over the past decade, the number of RMUs with "moderate" or "high" exploitation impact scores decreased. Our assessment suggests that illegal exploitation appears to have declined over the past decade and, with some exceptions, is primarily occurring in large, stable, and genetically diverse marine turtle populations.

The Okavango Delta: Fisheries in a fluctuating floodplain system

Wetlands are among the most productive ecosystems globally characterized by dynamic interactions between terrestrial and aquatic habitats at different scales. These systems support valuable floodplain fisheries that are a major livelihood for riparian communities. Understanding the dynamics of these systems is important for developing adaptive fisheries management paradigms that will facilitate access and sustainability to this cheap but high-quality food and nutrition source. The Okavango Delta in Botswana is a large land-locked complex river-floodplain ecosystem, with a diverse biota, and high environmental heterogeneity due to periodic drying and flooding along a space and time gradient. It is characterized by a multi-species, multi-gear fishery adapted to the seasonal flood pulse. The Delta’s fish species assemblage undergoes seasonal changes driven by the flood regime. There is also a dynamic inter-annual variability in the fish species assemblage, particularly between “good” and “bad” flood years. During the wet season, high flows increase connectivity in three dimensions (longitudinal, lateral, and vertical) which facilitates dispersal of aquatic biota, nutrients, and other material among successive locations in the riverscape. However, the dry season results in alteration or reduction in aquatic habitats available for fish reproduction. Similarly, low floods may reduce inputs of nutrient resources from the terrestrial environment that support aquatic food webs and can lead to community disruption, even to the point of local extirpation of stranded fish in fragmented ephemeral pools in the floodplain. Consequently, the periodicity, magnitude and predictability of flows are the major drivers of the systems’ capacity to sustain persistent fisheries production and other ecosystem services affecting human welfare. We argue that identification of the processes that sustain production and biodiversity patterns is an essential step towards a better ecological understanding and natural resource management of river-floodplain systems. Based on this review, we debate that floodplain fisheries, like in the Okavango Delta, should be exploited using a diverse exploitation pattern to ensure a harvesting regime in balance with system productivity. Such balanced fishing pattern, based on traditional fishing practices, facilitates the provision of food and nutritional value of the fishery to marginalized communities.

Effect of codend mesh sizes on the size selectivity and exploitation pattern of cocktail shrimp (Trachypenaeus curvirostris) in shrimp trawl fishery of the South China Sea

This study aims at improving fishery management by testing and comparing the size selectivity and exploitation pattern of diamond-mesh codends, with mesh sizes ranging from 25 to 54 mm, for cocktail shrimp (Trachypenaeus curvirostris) in the South China Sea (SCS). Beginning from 25 mm, the minimum mesh size regulated by the shrimp trawl fishery industry, we investigated how the mesh sizes of the codends would affect the size selectivity and exploitation pattern in reference to the minimum conservation reference size (MCRS, 7.0 cm total length) of cocktail shrimp in the SCS. According to our results, the selective properties of the codend mesh sized at 25 mm in line with the regulation failed to protect the undersized individuals of cocktail shrimp because of its 50% retention length of 5.85 cm (confidence interval, CI: 5.16–6.18 cm), far less than the MCRS of cocktail shrimp. As the retention probability of a shrimp with a MCRS length was as high as 97.45 % (CI: 86.86–100.00%), more than 40% of the undersized shrimp was retained. It was proved that increasing the codend mesh size did not significantly improve the size selectivity and exploitation pattern which might be improved by other gear modifications.

Everything Stays the Same while Everything Changes

Everything Stays the Same while Everything Changes

Mesolithic Scandinavian foraging patterns and hunting grounds targeted through laser ablation derived 87Sr/86Sr ratios at the Early-Mid Holocene site of Huseby Klev on the west coast of Sweden

Mobility is one of the most fundamental aspects of a foraging society. Since prehistoric mobility is often difficult to identify in the archaeological record, our understanding is largely based on comparison with ethnographic communities. In recent years the application of 87Sr/86Sr isotope analysis has, however, greatly broadened our knowledge of mobility in the past. Despite this, few studies have been undertaken on faunal remains to explore their mobility patterns and infer human exploitation patterns with more precision. In this contribution we sampled 28 mammal teeth from three different occupation phases at the Early to Mid-Holocene coastal site of Huseby Klev, Sweden. We first established the local baseline for seven geographical areas in the region surrounding Huseby Klev. Then, by applying laser ablation-multi collector-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry to the selected teeth, we identified the likely origins of a range of terrestrial and marine fauna, and the possible human mobility patterns required in their exploitation. Overall, our results demonstrate that the prehistoric communities inhabiting Huseby Klev undertook both short- and long-distance forays for the exploitation of particular species. By relating inferences on hunting grounds, derived from strontium isotope data, to zooarchaeological evidence from the site and ethnographic human mobility patterns, we establish and discuss the prerequisites for landscape utilization. Lastly, we demonstrate that glacial meltwater may have temporally affected the local oceanic Sr ratios – suggesting significantly increased soil and bedrock weathering may influence the Sr values in aquatic ecosystems and, consequently, should be considered in such regions and at times of melting glaciers. By applying the method to additional sites and assemblages in the future, our understanding of prehistoric mobility will be greatly enhanced.

Aurignacian dynamics in Southeastern Europe based on spatial analysis, sediment geochemistry, raw materials, lithic analysis, and use-wear from Românești-Dumbrăvița

The Aurignacian is one of the first cultural-technological traditions commonly associated with the expansion of Homo sapiens in Europe. Early Homo sapiens demographics across the continent are therefore typically inferred using the distribution of Aurignacian assemblages. Western Romania has been used as a tie-point to connect the well-researched lithic assemblages from the eastern Mediterranean and Western Europe through its early Homo sapiens fossils. However, Romania’s archeological record remains underexplored thereby hindering our ability to directly connect better understood regions through time and space. Here we report on excavations from the open-air Middle/Upper Paleolithic site of Românești-Dumbrăvița I in southwestern Romania. Three stratified Paleolithic assemblages were extensively excavated within a 1-m-thick eolian-deposited sequence. Spatial, geochemical, raw material, techno-typological, and use-wear analysis of the site reveal patterns of artifact configuration, resource exploitation, fire history, knapping objectives, and functionality. Taken together, Românești-Dumbrăvița I is the first well-contextualized archeological site in close spatiotemporal proximity to many early, well-preserved human fossils and in East-Central Europe.

Fishing tactics and the effect of resource depletion and interference during the exploitation of local patches of flatfish

Abstract The fine-scale exploitation pattern of fishers and the interactions among fishing vessels determine their impact on exploited populations, habitats, and ecosystems. This study used a unique combination of high resolution data of fishing tracks (positions recorded at 1 and 6 min intervals) and catch rates of sole (Solea solea) and plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) per tow, to study how pulse trawl (PUL) and tickler chain beam trawl (TBT) fishers exploit patches of concealed flatfish. PUL and TBT fishers had similar tactics. Effort was concentrated in the core of the patch. PUL fishers trawled in a systematic manner with successive tows segments placed parallel to each other at a median distance of ∼200 m. In 45% of the cores, simultaneous trawling by multiple PUL vessels occurred. A total of 40% of the cores were revisited in the following week, of which 50% were re-exploited. Catch rate in the core was ∼50% higher than the background catch rate and decreased over time due to resource depletion and interference related to the response of flatfish to the fishing activities. Interference contributed up to 67% to the decline in catch rate and was larger in TBT than in PUL.

Between Plain and Plateau: Micro-Transitions in Zooarchaeological Landscapes in the Guanzhong Region of Northwest China

Transitions in animal exploitation patterns are caused by topographical and climatic variations on both macro and micro scales. This paper presents temporally and spatially contextualized faunal profiles from 27 sites in the Guanzhong (关中) region of Shaanxi province (陕西省), PRC which date from the Early Neolithic to the Bronze Age (ca. 6000–1000 BCE). Climatic and environmental data was cross-referenced with archaeological, archaeobotanical and (where appropriate) historical sources to examine the reasons for the clear micro-transitions observed. Faunal profiles from sites in the Wei River plain (渭河盆地), loess plateau, and the transitional zone between them were analyzed. Animal utilization was found to vary substantially between different zones during the period under analysis. The transition in praxis between the Wei River valley and the loess plateau was not gradual. The hilly transition zone was found to have its own distinct animal exploitation pattern. These spatio-temporal differences in animal exploitation were caused by changes in both the local microclimates and the topography of the landscape in which the communities were living. Some regions apparently reverted to ‘earlier’ animal exploitation patterns in response to climatic changes. These environmental factors were also augmented by internal social developments and interactions with neighboring communities.

Hellenistic Landscapes and Seleucid Control in Mesopotamia: The View from the Erbil Plain in Northern Iraq

In this article we discuss the archaeological landscapes of the Erbil plain during the Hellenistic period (late fourth century BCE–mid second century BCE) based on the data collected during the Erbil Plain Archaeological Survey (EPAS) between 2012 and 2019. We use a landscape archaeology approach to trace patterns of habitation, migration, land exploitation, and water management from the Iron Age to the early first millennium CE. Over the course of the first millennium BCE, the Erbil plain was transformed from an urbanized core region to a rural area of the vast Seleucid world through a moment of depopulation in the post-Assyrian period. These transformation processes continued after the end of the Hellenistic period, but with a different pattern. Urbanization resumed, peaking during the Parthian (Arsacid) era, when the region was part of the kingdom of Adiabene. Ultimately, our analysis shows how the planned landscape of Assyria was transformed in the centuries that followed the collapse of the empire and how the proximity of political power was the critical variable in the settlement patterns of this part of northern Mesopotamia under the empires of the first millennium BCE.1

Policy instruments matter: Support schemes for renewable energy capacity in worldwide comparison

Renewable energy is a key component for increasing resilience and limiting climate change, along with ecological benefits and energy independence for developed and less developed countries alike. Surprisingly, the expansion of wind and solar energy capacity varies tremendously between countries, even considering the different economic and natural conditions. While some countries have changed their energy mix to a substantial extent, others have not yet unlocked their potential for renewable energies. Our paper thus asks for diverse factors explaining varying patterns of renewable energy potential exploitation from 2010 to 2019. Besides structural conditions and general political factors, we focus on specific regulatory, market, and funding policy instruments packages. We find that while regulatory and market instruments, as well as electoral democracy and government effectiveness matter for the expansion of wind and solar electricity production, high oil rents seem to counteract it. While regulatory instruments played a crucial role in the ‘implantation phase’ at the beginning of the 2010s, its impact declined over time while market instruments' effect increased over the ‘sprouting phase’ years of 2010s. This points to an increased market-readiness of the technology following years of market penetration.

China’s Forest Eco-Bank Project: An Analysis Based on the Actor-Network Theory

The high degree of fragmentation and unsustainable exploitation patterns of forest resources have become prominent obstacles to the realisation of the economic and social value of China’s forest resources. China’s forest eco-bank (FEB) project was set up to achieve centralised utilisation of diffuse forest resources in an underdeveloped area. Analysing FEB projects is of great significance to countries with abundant forest resources aiming to benefit from the economic and ecological functions of such resources and achieve sustainable economic and social development. This study uses the actor-network theory framework to analyse cooperation among various actors in the implementation process of the FEB project in China. Our results indicate the following. First, the government was the principal actor playing a vital role in motivating the other parties and driving the project forward. Second, the diffuse nature of China’s forest resources is a major obstacle to their utilisation. The centralised integration of forest resources is a prerequisite for their effective utilisation. Finally, it is necessary to improve the balance of interests of the various actors to promote a more stable actor network and attract more actors to participate in the FEB project.

Fixed mesh shape reduces variability in codend size selection

Diamond-mesh codends are the most commonly used in demersal trawls. However, mesh geometry tends to vary in these codends during fishing, which leads to a less well-defined size selection process. This leaves one questioning the rationality of regulating exploitation patterns based on mesh size when size selection and (or) variation between hauls is highly variable. While it has been speculated and theoretically investigated how much the variability in mesh geometry may contribute to the variability in size selection, it remained to be quantified experimentally. Therefore, we conducted field test comparing the size selectivity of a simple diamond-mesh codend, where meshes are subjected to variation in geometry, with a rigid diamond-mesh codend, where the geometry of the meshes were kept constant. For Atlantic cod ( Gadus morhua), the simple diamond-mesh codend was found to have 45% more variation in size selection than the codend with fixed mesh geometry. This confirms theoretical predictions and may guide research toward codend designs with more well-defined size selection properties.

También la lluvia y Altiplano: Trauma transgeneracional y renegociación histórica en un contexto transcultural

The films Even the Rain, directed by Icíar Bollaín (Spain) in 2010, and Altiplano (2009), directed by Peter Brosens (Belgium) and Jessica Woodworth (United States), fuse past and present in the context of the Europe-America encounter. While the first film is framed by the Water War in Cochabamba, Bolivia (1999–2000), the second has as referent the ecological catastrophe that took place in Choropampa, Peru (2000). Patterns of neocolonial exploitation bring to the foreground the collective memory of communities haunted by traumatic events that shaped their historical destiny. Perpetrators and victims must question and reevaluate their respective legacies within a transgenerational and transcultural context in order to work through those shared experiences together and explore new approaches to heal their devastating past. Metafictional elements, intertwined and fragmented stories, flashbacks, and ritual play a structural role in generating haunting cultural narratives that lead disempowered communities to recover their own historical agency.