Global Boundaries Research Articles

Public-private partnerships in the agricultural sector

The levels of management in the field of agriculture were systematized, a comparative ana­lysis of the international experience of management in the agrarian sphere was carried out (on the example of Germany and Italy). The current trends in digitalization of agricultural management in the world, as well as tasks and challenges of digitalization in Ukraine were described. The hypothesis of the research is that the implementation of digital solutions in the Ukrainian agricultural sector will increase the efficiency of management, especially in the condi­tions of military challenges. Methodo­logically, the research is based on the analysis of policies, strategic plans, scientific works and other sources related to management in the field of agriculture, taking into account the impact of digital techno­logies. The centralized manage­ment model in the development of the agricul­tural sector still dominates in European coun­tries. However, the EU current policy in the field of regional development provides for the transfer of as many management functions as possible to the region­nal level. This approach is also characteristic of the national model of agricultural development policy. The most important and effective tool for the modernization of any of the known management systems in the modern world is their digitali­zation. Digitization of management in the agricu­ltural industry at all levels, from the state to small agribusiness entities, is no exception. The further digital transformation of manage­ment in national agriculture represents a higher level of digital integration, which affects the most complex organi­zational changes in the structures of state admi­nistration and agribusi­ness. The results of the implementation of these tasks can significantly affect the growth of profits in the agricultural business and the competitiveness of products, which will allow the agricultural industry to reach modern global technological boundaries

ВПЛИВ МІЖНАРОДНОЇ КОНКУРЕНЦІЇ НА СТРАТЕГІЧНИЙ РОЗВИТОК ЕКОНОМІКИ КРАЇНИ

The study draws attention to the problems and prospects of sustainable strategic development of the national economy. That is why the purpose of the article is the further development of methodological and applied principles and approaches to analyzing the impact of international competition on the strategic development of the country's economy. Scientific views on the interpretation of international competition are summarized, in particular, according to the geopolitical, economic, resource, political and institutional approach. The main factors of the influence of international competition on the strategic development of the national economy have been determined, namely in terms of the possible rapid accumulation of economic resources by the country, the availability of information about prospective and current needs of potential buyers, ensuring the country's competitiveness on the international market, the favorability of the national system of economic support and the development of factor competitive advantages. The trends of international competition and expected changes in the strategic development of the country's economy have been identified and characterized, in particular in terms of such components as the technologicalization of the world economy, the blurring of global industry boundaries, the globalization of international competitive relations, the polarization of world market segments, the deregulation of world market segments. The most significant manifestations of international competition have been identified, which relate to the global nature of international competition, its multifacetedness, dynamism and aggressiveness of competitive rivalry, which leads to violations in stability and balance in the economies of competing countries. The directions of the strategic development of the national economy are determined, depending on the influence of factors of international competition on it.

BAFormer: A Novel Boundary-Aware Compensation UNet-like Transformer for High-Resolution Cropland Extraction

Utilizing deep learning for semantic segmentation of cropland from remote sensing imagery has become a crucial technique in land surveys. Cropland is highly heterogeneous and fragmented, and existing methods often suffer from inaccurate boundary segmentation. This paper introduces a UNet-like boundary-aware compensation model (BAFormer). Cropland boundaries typically exhibit rapid transformations in pixel values and texture features, often appearing as high-frequency features in remote sensing images. To enhance the recognition of these high-frequency features as represented by cropland boundaries, the proposed BAFormer integrates a Feature Adaptive Mixer (FAM) and develops a Depthwise Large Kernel Multi-Layer Perceptron model (DWLK-MLP) to enrich the global and local cropland boundaries features separately. Specifically, FAM enhances the boundary-aware method by adaptively acquiring high-frequency features through convolution and self-attention advantages, while DWLK-MLP further supplements boundary position information using a large receptive field. The efficacy of BAFormer has been evaluated on datasets including Vaihingen, Potsdam, LoveDA, and Mapcup. It demonstrates high performance, achieving mIoU scores of 84.5%, 87.3%, 53.5%, and 83.1% on these datasets, respectively. Notably, BAFormer-T (lightweight model) surpasses other lightweight models on the Vaihingen dataset with scores of 91.3% F1 and 84.1% mIoU.

Redefining International Law Paradigms: Charting Cybersecurity, Trade, and Investment Trajectories within Global Legal Boundaries

Abstract This paper critically examines the evolving intersections of cybersecurity, trade, and investment within the framework of international law, thereby seeking to redefine its normative paradigms. The article adopts a multidisciplinary approach, integrating legal theory, international relations, and cyber law to analyze how digital security issues intersect with global economic transactions. Utilizing doctrinal legal analysis, the article delves into international treaties, case law, and policy documents, while a comparative method highlights variances and similarities across jurisdictions. The article identifies significant gaps in existing international legal frameworks that are ill-equipped to address the complexities and nuances of the digital age. It advocates for comprehensive legal reforms, encompassing cyber warfare, digital trade, and cross-border investments. The objective is to align international law with the digital era’s realities, effectively balancing national security, economic growth, and individual rights in a globally interconnected environment. This article not only uncovers critical shortcomings in current legal structures but also proposes forward-looking legal strategies, essential for tackling emerging challenges at the cybersecurity, trade, and investment nexus. These strategies chart a course towards a more resilient and adaptive international legal system, equipped to address the multifaceted issues arising from the digital era’s convergence.

The bending of a supra-subduction zone produced crustal thickening and arc migration of the Mongolian Orocline

Orogenic curvatures have been widely recognized along global convergent plate boundaries. Understanding the impact of such curvatures on the tectonic evolution of orogens and their three-dimensional architecture has been challenging. Here we address this issue by studying magmatism around the tightly curved Mongolian Orocline in Central Asia. Our results show that during the Permian–Triassic, arc magmatism around the inner hinge of the orocline became younger towards the core of the orocline. During the same period, the crust was thickened, as indicated by Lanthanum-Ytterbium ratio proxy. These findings, together with the observation that the present-day hinge zone of the Mongolian Orocline is wider, indicate that this zone was subjected to significant crustal-scale contraction. This contractional deformation accounts for the relatively thicker crust around the inner hinge of the Mongolian Orocline, and offers a novel perspective on the formation of elevated topography around the hinge of curved plate boundaries.

Subject-wise English language reading skill of bachelor level engineering students of Mid-West University of Nepal

This research investigates the subject-wise English language reading skills of bachelor level engineering students at Mid-West University in Nepal, aiming to bridge a crucial gap in understanding their comprehension levels, vocabulary acquisition, and reading strategies across various disciplines. Drawing on the specialized form of English language instruction known as English for Academic Purposes (EAP), the study assesses students' proficiency in comprehending academic materials. Despite challenges in implementation, EAP instructors recognize the value of formative assessment in enhancing student learning and academic performance. The findings reveal significant variations in reading preferences and habits across engineering disciplines, highlighting areas for focused assistance and development of reading abilities. Specifically, students studying computer engineering demonstrate higher mean reading proficiency compared to their counterparts in civil and hydropower engineering. The study underscores the importance of English language proficiency for academic success, particularly in fields like engineering where collaboration and communication span global boundaries. It also sheds light on the gradual progress and reforms in English language education in Nepal, emphasizing the need for tailored interventions and resources to enhance reading skills among engineering students. Recommendations include investing in teacher training programs focused on EAP methodologies, developing tailored resources, and promoting interdisciplinary collaborations to address subject-specific reading challenges. By addressing these recommendations, Nepal can better prepare its engineering students to succeed in academic and professional contexts where English proficiency is essential.

THE ADEQUACY OF THE LAWS REGULATING ELECTRONIC BUSINESS IN JORDAN

The rapid advancement in communication and information technology has significantly reshaped the landscape of electronic business, encompassing e-government, e-commerce, and digital consumer interactions that transcend global boundaries. This development has necessitated a parallel evolution in legal frameworks worldwide to address the new realities of digital transactions and governance. The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, recognizing the imperative to adapt to this dynamic environment, has embarked on updating its legislative structures to better align with the emerging demands of the electronic business sector. This research aims to critically examine the current legal provisions in Jordan governing electronic business, assess their effectiveness, and explore potential gaps that may hinder the sector's development. Furthermore, the study will consider international treaties and agreements that Jordan could potentially join to bolster its electronic business sector and attract more investment. By comparing Jordan's legislative adaptations with global legal trends, this study seeks to highlight best practices and propose recommendations for enhancing Jordan's legal framework for electronic business. Additionally, the research will delve into judicial applications relevant to the electronic business to provide a comprehensive overview of the legal landscape and its practical implications. The analysis has revealed that the national laws need to be continuously updated to incorporate emerging technologies and new business practices. This is especially critical in areas like electronic privacy, data protection, consumer protection in the digital space, and the regulation of electronic signatures and transactions. Furthermore, despite Jordan's efforts to adapt its legal system to support electronic business, there is a pressing need for more comprehensive legislation that covers all aspects of the digital economy, including but not limited to, e-government services, e-commerce, and cybersecurity. Internationally, while Jordan has engaged with some treaties and global norms, there is a broader scope for integration into international legal frameworks that govern electronic commerce. Such engagement would not only enhance the legal robustness of Jordan's electronic business sector but also build investor confidence and facilitate smoother international transactions. As Jordan continues to develop its digital economy, it is imperative that its legal framework evolves correspondingly to support sustainable growth, protect stakeholders, and ensure compliance with international legal standards. This will not only benefit the local economy but also position Jordan as a competitive player in the global digital marketplace.

Tactics of Virtual Memory and Trans Inscrutability in the Works of Wu Tsang

In her art and research, the artist Wu Tsang poses the question: “Whose voices are heard, whose are silenced?” By incorporating her own perspective as a trans person into her works, Tsang utilizes virtual media to reveal alternative interpretations of the past, and in turn, create new trajectories for the future. Her film Duilian specifically rewrites the story of Qiu Jin—a renowned Chinese feminist poet and revolutionary hero of the Qing dynasty—as a trans narrative. Set in a world that blurs global, temporal, and linguistic boundaries, the film merges historical research with imaginative thinking to uncover the trans stories that have been lost or hidden through time. Through an in-depth analysis of Duilian, this article will situate the film within Tsang’s larger oeuvre to demonstrate how the artist embodies Homay King’s concept of “virtual memory” and Vivian L. Huang’s notion of “inscrutability” to traverse the past, present, and future, continually implementing trans tactics as a means of re-historicization, safety, and survival.

WORK VALUES AND ATTITUDES TOWARD THE TECHNOLOGY OF GENERATION Z IN BRAZIL AND GERMANY

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the differences related to work values and attitudes toward the technology of Generation Z in Brazil and Germany. Method: The proposed hypotheses were tested in a survey of 122 Brazilian and German participants. The data were analyzed using t-test and logistic regression models. Main Results: The results present differences between Brazilian and German Generation Z, challenging the literature that analyzes Generation Z as a global generation and reinforcing cultural differences between nationalities. The Brazilian sample presents more instrumental and prestige work values and is more positive and less negative regarding technology than the German sample. Relevance/Originality: The paper’s contribution provides evidence of Generation Z’s differences according to nationalities relevant to shaping their relationship with work and technology. The analysis of both constructs is interesting nowadays because of their interrelationship and the current changes in global work boundaries. Theoretical/Methodological Contributions: The literature predominantly presents that Generation Z is a global generation. Comparing participants from two countries with different levels of development provides an insight into their differences regarding work values and attitudes, which can be valuable for business management literature. Practical/Social Contributions: Recommendations for businesses are provided to improve attraction and retention strategies to tackle the shortage of skilled workers. This implies management strategies for firms with multicultural teams.

TL‐PBot: Twitter bot profile detection using transfer learning based on DNN model

AbstractOnline social networks (OSNs) have reduced global boundaries, with Twitter enabling perspective sharing. Bot profile‐propagated false information misuse raises serious concerns. Considering this issue, we present our research on classifying Twitter accounts as “human” or “bot” using deep neural networks and transfer learning. Our proposed approach, TL‐PBot, stands for bot profile detection using transfer learning. The TL‐PBot framework utilizes Twitter account metadata such as follower count. Our TL‐PBot also incorporates text data from the Twitter description field as a feature. Word representation of the text data is achieved using Global Vectors (GloVe), a pre‐trained model. By employing user profile‐based features, we significantly reduce the overhead of feature engineering. The hybrid nature of the model enables it to effectively handle mixed‐type features, including text, binary, and numerical data. We design the network using long‐short‐term memory (LSTM) units. DNN model layers were trained, and the weights of the pre‐trained model layers were frozen to apply the transfer learning, resulting in reduced training time and improved bot profile detection accuracy. The performance of the proposed TL‐PBot is evaluated using publicly available datasets. The proposed approach is trained and tested on the same datasets and further evaluated on the validation datasets that were not used in the training phase, which is also a novelty in our approach. Comparative analysis with state‐of‐the‐art approaches demonstrates that the TL‐PBot approach achieves a higher accuracy of 98.07%, while excelling in precision of 99%, recall of 98%, f measure of 98.32%, and AUC of 0.99. Employing the transfer learning strategy resulted in an accelerated detection rate of 5.04 milliseconds, attesting to the effectiveness of this approach in enhancing computational efficiency.

Challenges and solutions to system-wide use of precision oncology as the standard of care paradigm.

The personalised oncology paradigm remains challenging to deliver despite technological advances in genomics-based identification of actionable variants combined with the increasing focus of drug development on these specific targets. To ensure we continue to build concerted momentum to improve outcomes across all cancer types, financial, technological and operational barriers need to be addressed. For example, complete integration and certification of the 'molecular tumour board' into 'standard of care' ensures a unified clinical decision pathway that both counteracts fragmentation and is the cornerstone of evidence-based delivery inside and outside of a research setting. Generally, integrated delivery has been restricted to specific (common) cancer types either within major cancer centres or small regional networks. Here, we focus on solutions in real-world integration of genomics, pathology, surgery, oncological treatments, data from clinical source systems and analysis of whole-body imaging as digital data that can facilitate cost-effectiveness analysis, clinical trial recruitment, and outcome assessment. This urgent imperative for cancer also extends across the early diagnosis and adjuvant treatment interventions, individualised cancer vaccines, immune cell therapies, personalised synthetic lethal therapeutics and cancer screening and prevention. Oncology care systems worldwide require proactive step-changes in solutions that include inter-operative digital working that can solve patient centred challenges to ensure inclusive, quality, sustainable, fair and cost-effective adoption and efficient delivery. Here we highlight workforce, technical, clinical, regulatory and economic challenges that prevent the implementation of precision oncology at scale, and offer a systematic roadmap of integrated solutions for standard of care based on minimal essential digital tools. These include unified decision support tools, quality control, data flows within an ethical and legal data framework, training and certification, monitoring and feedback. Bridging the technical, operational, regulatory and economic gaps demands the joint actions from public and industry stakeholders across national and global boundaries.

The Important Role of the Engineering Education Research Journal in Enabling the Paradigm Shifts that are Urgently Required in Engineering Education

This Journal plays an important role in activating the UNESCO Open Science Recommendations (1) which were approved by the UNESCO General Conference in November 2021. The Journal enables the transfer of knowledge to developing countries so that there is equal access to the latest trends in engineering education.
 The relevance of this Journal is more important than ever in supporting engineering educators to develop the next generation of engineers and the essential skills that they will need to deal with increasing challenges that have no global boundaries.

Soil Erosion in Taiwan

Soil erosion is a complex process involving material detachment, transportation (mainly by water, occasionally by wind), and eventual deposition when energy wanes. Human activities like tillage and construction can exacerbate soil erosion. Various forms of water erosion, such as sheet erosion, pedestal erosion, rills, piping, and gullying, are recognized. This pioneering study aims to comprehensively model water erosion across Taiwan at a 20 m spatial resolution, a departure from previous research focusing on smaller scales. Using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model, it seeks to examine the significant issue of soil erosion in Taiwan beyond agricultural areas and enable cross-regional comparisons. A large number of stations and the most recent data were used to establish the distributions of the rainfall runoff erosivity factor and the soil erodibility factor. In addition, we used the Google Earth Engine (GEE) to calculate the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and a locally derived empirical equation to compute the cover-management factor. The topographic factor was determined using the System for Automated Geoscientific Analyses (SAGA). The support practice factor was analyzed using two different methods using datasets on World Urban Areas and Global Urban Boundaries from the literature. The analysis showed that despite the difference in the support practice factor, Taiwan’s resulting average yearly soil erosion rates are very similar (200.7 Mg ha−1 year−1 and 207.4 Mg ha−1 year−1). The amounts were validated against five watersheds that were instrumented with erosion pins. With prediction ratios ranging from 1.04 to 1.82 across four of the five watersheds, our findings provide empirical support for the alignment of our model with soil erosion pin measurements, especially within the Tsengwen reservoir watershed. However, it is noteworthy that these results also exhibit a tendency towards conservative estimations in the remaining watersheds. Our calculated estimate, falling within the range of 201–207 Mg ha−1 year−1, plausibly represents the upper limit of mean soil erosion in Taiwan. This assertion is predicated on the deliberate omission of local soil conservation measures from our study, a decision necessitated by the absence of comprehensive and detailed island-wide data. Despite this limitation, our results instill confidence in the robustness of our methodological approach, thereby suggesting that our estimation of soil erosion in Taiwan provides a reliable approximation.

Spiny but photogenic: Amateur sightings complement herbarium specimens to reveal the bioregions of cacti.

Cacti are characteristic elements of the Neotropical flora and of major interest for biogeographic, evolutionary, and ecological studies. We tested global biogeographic boundaries for Neotropical Cactaceae using specimen-based occurrences, coupled with data from visual observations, as a means to tackle the known collection biases in the family. Species richness and record density were assessed for preserved specimens and human observations, and a bioregional scheme tailored to Cactaceae was produced using the interactive web application Infomap Bioregions, based on data from 261,272 point records cleaned through automated and manual steps. We found that areas in Mexico and southwestern USA, in eastern Brazil, and along the Andean region have the greatest density of records and the highest species richness. Human observations complement information from preserved specimens substantially, especially along the Andes. We propose 24 cactus bioregions, among which the most species-rich are northern Mexico/southwestern USA, central Mexico, southern central Mexico, Central America, Mexican Pacific coast, central and southern Andes, northwestern Mexico/extreme southwestern USA, southwestern Bolivia, northeastern Brazil, and Mexico/Baja California. The bioregionalization proposed shows biogeographic boundaries specific to cacti and can thereby aid further evolutionary, biogeographic, and ecological studies by providing a validated framework for further analyses. This classification builds upon, and is distinctive from, other expert-derived regionalization schemes for other taxa. Our results showcase how observation data, including citizen-science records, can complement traditional specimen-based data for biogeographic research, particularly for taxa with specific specimen collection and preservation challenges and those that are threatened or internationally protected.

Identifying the socioeconomic determinants of industrial hazardous waste generation: South Korea as a case study

The South Korean government has set an ambitious target to reduce industrial hazardous waste (IHW) as part of its transition towards a circular economy. Moreover, effective management of IHW within the country has become crucial, given that IHW trade is regulated by the Basel Convention. Despite the urgent need for well-founded environmental policies, there is a lack of essential information on the characteristics and determinants of IHW generation, which hinders the effectiveness of existing IHW policies. To address this information gap, this study developed a South Korean extended IHW input-output model for 2008 and 2018 to characterize IHW generation and applied structural decomposition analysis to identify the socioeconomic determinant of change of IHW generation. The results reveal that consumption, export, and direct IHW intensity change of ‘Chemical’, ‘Electronic and electrical equipment’, ‘Basic metal’, and ‘Other service’ emerge as dominant determinants for IHW growth. Conversely, technology change, including technological structure change and direct IHW intensity change, of ‘Basic metal’ and ‘Other service’ is the key driver for IHW reduction. In addition, an intriguing aspect of the study relates to the supply chain's influence on IHW generation. The indirect growth of IHW resulting from expanding exports and consumption contributes nearly twice as much to the overall increase in IHW as direct IHW growth. These valuable insights pave the way for the South Korean government to establish holistic and customized environmental policies regarding IHW. It emphasizes the importance of considering expanded global system boundaries, technological advancements, and purchasers' consumption patterns as dominant factors in formulating these policies. Furthermore, this study not only provides crucial guidance for the government's decision-making but also suggests strengthening environmental management and monitoring practices.

From pigs to incineration and beyond: The evolution of organic waste and food management in Sweden in the period 1800 – 2000 and future prospects

Societies have always been occupied with securing food supply and ensure environmental and human health. Scientific knowledge and technical level have, together with habitat and management patterns, shaped sanitation arrangements and recycling of resources. Because it is the same urban problems that are addressed by societies in different historical contexts, a longitudinal study may allow for novel ways to conjure food security and sanitation management issues in the present century.We trace the historical transition over two centuries away from a circular economy to a more linear one in two Swedish cities, the capital Stockholm and the industrial city Norrköping, and show that big but rather slow changes occurred more or less constantly in these two urban settings. The driving forces have changed from only improving local conditions of sanitation and food production over to global and regional driving forces in this century affecting what local communities can or could do. The ongoing globalization positions the subjects of environmental and human health, recycling and food security in a new global perspective, where climate change and global resource boundaries will play a central role. We cannot continue to rely on trade that causes rainforest destruction elsewhere or harmful chemical consumer products that lead to loss of biodiversity and human health risks.We need to put urban sanitation and food issues into this wider perspective with available remedial measures such as dietary changes, food waste reduction, soil less food production and building of new circular infrastructure. All urban areas in the world, including Stockholm and Norrköping in Sweden, need to adopt new strategies that again engage residents as well as public sectors and industry, including agriculture.

Transnationalization of Opposition Strategy under Competitive Authoritarianism: Evidence from Turkey and Hungary

AbstractDespite a growing body of literature on the advancement of autocratic tactics and toolkits in competitive authoritarian regimes (CARs), we lack sufficient knowledge on the strategies that the opposition builds against populist-authoritarian governments. Using two top autocratizing cases – Turkey and Hungary – this article singles out ‘transnationalization’ as one such novel strategy. ‘Transnationalization’ is defined as a strategy through which opposition-led subnational executives transform local and global boundaries by consciously forming a link with the liberal-democratic world in order to expand their space for manoeuvre. Conducting a qualitative content analysis of the Istanbul and Budapest mayors' international Twitter accounts and using evidence from elite interviews with officials from Istanbul and Budapest municipalities, we demonstrate the material, symbolic and political means of this strategy and the rationalist and normative motivations behind it. By discussing the what, how and why of a transnationalization strategy, we fill an important gap in the scholarship regarding opposition strategies in CARs.

Cooperative Fault-Estimation-Based Event-Triggered Fault-Tolerant Voltage Restoration in Islanded AC Microgrids

In this paper, the problem of secondary voltage restoration in an islanded microgrid (MG) is considered, in which the actuator of the distributed generators (DGs) may coexist with partial loss of effectiveness (PLOE) fault and bias fault. For each DG, an adaptive event-triggered fault-tolerant (ETFT) control protocol is designed to compensate for the effects of actuator faults in the DGs, thereby restoring the voltage to the reference value. The dependent event triggering mechanism saves the processor&#x2019;s computational resources. A desirable feature of the protocol proposed in this paper is that the control protocol relies only on relative information between neighboring DG&#x2019;s, independent of global information about the network graph, fault boundaries, and network scale. It means that the protocol is implemented in a fully distributed framework. The protocol fully applies to the common ETFT consensus control problem of linear multiagent systems (MASs) with actuator faults. Furthermore, comprehensive theoretical arguments for consensus stability and analysis of Zeno behavior ensure the approach&#x2019;s feasibility. The simulation results verify the effectiveness of the algorithm. <i>Note to Practitioners</i>&#x2014;This paper aims to propose a fully ETFT control protocol for secondary voltage restoration of an islanded MG. The control protocol consists of a linear term and a nonlinear time that compensates for the multiplicative and additive fault of the actuator. Moreover, DGs&#x2019; communication structure and global fault boundaries may be unknown in practice. Hence, adaptive coupling gains that depend only on the sampled relative information of DGs are introduced to estimate the controller gain, thus avoiding global information. A feasible strategy is provided for industrial applications.

The radicals watched from the sidelines or the ambivalent citizens’ relations to radicalism in a poor Montreal neighbourhood

ABSTRACT This analysis seeks to understand the appropriation or rejection of radicalism by two groups in a poor and immigrant neighbourhood of Montreal. Yet although both defend the same causes and share the same progressive dimension, one presents itself as a group of non-radical citizens while the other presents itself as a group of radical activists. So for each group, what do these different definitions of identity enfold: citizens versus militants, non-radicals versus radicals? More than the acceptance and the use of violence, the investigation’s results reveal that the divergences observed illustrate a different construction of the intersection between social class, cultural or ethnic identity, and global and local boundaries. These different ways of conceiving the intersection shape specific democratic practices and relations to politics. This analysis outlines the relevance of not restricting the reflection on radicalism to a focus on the repertoire of collective action but rather exploring its meanings for citizens in their daily lives and its implications for their relations to politics. Finally, it also offers a concrete picture of left-wing ideological tensions and debates and how some grass roots organizations try (or do not try) to resolve them.

Spatial variation in red deer density in a transboundary forest ecosystem

Forests in Europe are exposed to increasingly frequent and severe disturbances. The resulting changes in the structure and composition of forests can have profound consequences for the wildlife inhabiting them. Moreover, wildlife populations in Europe are often subjected to differential management regimes as they regularly extend across multiple national and administrative borders. The red deer Cervus elaphus population in the Bohemian Forest Ecosystem, straddling the Czech-German border, has experienced forest disturbances, primarily caused by windfalls and bark beetle Ips typographus outbreaks during the past decades. To adapt local management strategies to the changing environmental conditions and to coordinate them across the international border, reliable estimates of red deer density and abundance are highly sought-after by policymakers, wildlife managers, and stakeholders. Covering a 1081-km2 study area, we conducted a transnational non-invasive DNA sampling study in 2018 that yielded 1578 genotyped DNA samples from 1120 individual red deer. Using spatial capture-recapture models, we estimated total and jurisdiction-specific abundance of red deer throughout the ecosystem and quantified the role of forest disturbance and differential management strategies in shaping spatial heterogeneity in red deer density. We hypothesised that (a) forest disturbances provide favourable habitat conditions (e.g., forage and cover), and (b) contrasting red deer management regimes in different jurisdictions create a differential risk landscape, ultimately shaping density distributions. Overall, we estimated that 2851 red deer (95% Credible Interval = 2609–3119) resided in the study area during the sampling period, with a relatively even overall sex ratio (1406 females, 95% CI = 1229–1612 and 1445 males, 95% CI = 1288–1626). The average red deer density was higher in Czechia (3.5 km−2, 95% CI = 1.2–12.3) compared to Germany (2 km−2, 95% CI = 0.2–11). The effect of forest disturbances on red deer density was context-dependent. Forest disturbances had a positive effect on red deer density at higher elevations and a negative effect at lower elevations, which could be explained by partial migration and its drivers in this population. Density of red deer was generally higher in management units where hunting is prohibited. In addition, we found that sex ratios differed between administrative units and were more balanced in the non-intervention zones. Our results show that the effect of forest disturbances on wild ungulates is modulated by additional factors, such as elevation and ungulate management practices. Overall density patterns and sex ratios suggested strong gradients in density between administrative units. With climate change increasing the severity and frequency of forest disturbances, population-level monitoring and management are becoming increasingly important, especially for wide-ranging species as both wildlife and global change transcend administrative boundaries.