Quantitative Field Observations Research Articles

An Assessment of Poor Road Infrastructure in Gamajigo Community, Jos North Plateau State

This research article evaluates the state of road infrastructure in the Gamajigo community of Jos North Plateau State, Nigeria. The study examines the impact of poor road conditions on transportation, economic activities, and quality of life within the community. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, the research combines quantitative surveys, qualitative interviews, and field observations to provide a comprehensive analysis. Findings reveal significant issues related to road quality, including frequent maintenance needs, inadequate coverage, and safety concerns. Recommendations are provided to address these challenges and improve road infrastructure in Gamajigo.

Evaluation of Ecotourism Practices: A Comparative Study of Lowlands and Mountains of Nepal

This research provides valuable insights into tourist profiles, market demand, attractions, motivations, amenities, and satisfaction levels in Chitwan National Park (CNP), the lowland park, and Annapurna Conservation Area (ACA), the park in the mountains of Nepal. Through qualitative and quantitative research methods, including surveys, interviews, and field observations, this study compared the current state of ecotourism practices in the protected areas (PAs). Though both the PAs showed consistent growth in tourist flow, ACA exhibited signs of saturation, suggesting the need for strategic management. Attractions differed in the PAs; natural scenery and photography draw visitors to ACA while wildlife and cultural experiences attract tourists to CNP. Disparities in amenities highlight areas for improvement, particularly in ACA. Community engagement is always an added benefit to any tourism development. Overall, satisfaction levels are satisfactory, but challenges such as overcrowding, decreasing quality of tourism, environmental degradation, and accessibility constraints require attention for sustainable tourism development. Collaborative efforts can address these issues and ensure the long-term viability of ecotourism in CNP and ACA while preserving their natural and cultural heritage.

Pengaruh Transparansi, Kompetensi, dan Partisipasi Masyarakat terhadap Akuntabilitas Pengelolaan Dana Desa pada Kantor Desa Se-Kecamatan Tirtajaya Kabupaten Karawang

This research examines the influence of Transparency, Competence and Community Participation on the level of Accountability in Village Fund Management. Village funds are a vital resource for development at the local level and play a key role in improving the welfare of rural communities. The data used in this research is primary data based on questionnaires distributed to village officials and some to the community to obtain 150 respondents. This research uses quantitative methods, survey approaches, interviews and field observations. The sampling technique was determined using the saturated census method. This research method uses a sample of village officials who work at the Village Head Offices in Tirtajaya District, namely officials who have at least elementary/middle school education and have worked for more than one year. The choice of hypothesis testing in this study used multiple linear regression using the SMART PLS program. The main objective of this research is to explain whether the level of transparency in village fund management, competence and active community participation has a positive impact on accountability in village fund management. This research aims to provide better policy guidance in improving the efficiency and integrity of village fund management. The results of this research show that transparency, competence and community participation have a positive and significant effect on accountability in village fund management.

Obedience to Uli’l-Amr and Tax Compliance: Islamic Scholarly Perceptions

For Muslims, all aspects of human life including politics and leadership are governed by the Holy Qur’ān. One of the well-known verses is QS. An-Nisa [4]: 59 which instructs the Muslims to obey uli’l-amr. The literature, however, shows that the scope of obedience is not absolute. Resultantly, the current research aims to understand the tax compliance in the context of obedience to authority. It provides a contemporary viewpoint from the Islamic boarding school (pesantren) communities in Depok, Indonesia about enrichment. Both quantitative research and field observations have been used to accomplish the research goals. Focusing on the pesantren communities’ support for the operation of public services, it highlights the connections between obedience to authority and tax compliance. They confirm several assertions frequently linked to tax compliance based on the responsibility on order to obey the ruler, the legitimacy of tax collection, and the intention to engage in tax (non) compliance. The findings enhance the pesantren environment’s support for taxation as a commitment to implement QS. An-Nisa [4]: 59. If the government’s ability to collect taxes is constrained, it would remind them to handle this resource efficiently. This study emphasises the importance of taxation for the viability of the state with genuine support for taxation, transcending any political right. Since uli’l-amr is inherent in religious teachings, the government’s main goal remains to encourage taxpayer compliance through various means of assistance. In this regard, recommendations for promoting tax compliance through some mechanisms are also presented.

Intertidal zonation and recruitment of oysters in the upstream of Jiantiao Bay, Sanmen County, Zhejiang Province

This study aims to explore the intertidal zonation pattern of oysters and examine the effect of breeding site and spat collector on oyster recruitment in the upstream of Jiantiao Bay, which is essential to understand the biology, ecology and resource conservation of oysters. The quantitative field observations identified Kumamoto oyster <italic>Crassostrea sikamea</italic>, Sumonie oyster <italic>C</italic>. <italic>ariakensis</italic> and Hongkong oyster <italic>C</italic>. <italic>hongkongensis</italic> by using the morphological and molecular methods. <italic>C</italic>. <italic>hongkongensis</italic> was first recorded on the coast of Zhejiang Province. <italic>Crasssostrea sikamea</italic> was present at all five tidal zones (1.4 m, 2.2 m, 3.0 m, 3.8m, 4.6 m above the standard level in Jiantao Bay hydraulic station), and its densities gradually declined along a decreasing tidal elevation gradient. The densities of <italic>C</italic>. <italic>sikamea</italic> were the highest at the 4.6 m tidal zone and were significantly greater than those at the 1.4 m and 2.2 m tidal zones (<italic>P</italic><0.05). <italic>Crassostrea ariakensis</italic> and <italic>C</italic>. <italic>hongkongensis</italic> were only present at the deepest two tidal zones (1.4 m and 2.2 m). Results from the oyster recruitment experiments indicated that both recruitment site and spat collector significantly affected the densities and shell height of oyster spat. There were high oyster recruitment in the Jiantiao Bay. The study conlcuded that concrete tiles were better spat collector than plastic ring. In general, the upstream site (S1) should be recommended as the suitable breeding ground for <italic>C</italic>. <italic>sikamea</italic>.

Cyanobacteria-shrimp colonies in the Mariana Islands

Cyanobacteria have multifaceted ecological roles on coral reefs. Moorena bouillonii, a chemically rich filamentous cyanobacterium, has been characterized as a pathogenic organism with an unusual ability to overgrow gorgonian corals, but little has been done to study its general growth habits or its unique association with the snapping shrimp Alpheus frontalis. Quantitative benthic surveys, and field and photographic observations were utilized to develop a better understanding of the ecology of these species, while growth experiments and nutrient analysis were performed to examine how this cyanobacterium may be benefiting from its shrimp symbiont. Colonies of M. bouillonii and A. frontalis displayed considerable habitat specificity in terms of occupied substrate. Although found to vary in abundance and density across survey sites and transects, M. bouillonii was consistently found to be thriving with A. frontalis within interstitial spaces on the reef. Removal of A. frontalis from cyanobacterial colonies in a laboratory experiment altered M. bouillonii pigmentation, whereas cyanobacteria-shrimp colonies in the field exhibited elevated nutrient levels compared to the surrounding seawater.

The Broad Habitat Spectrum of the CL500-11 Lineage (Phylum Chloroflexi), a Dominant Bacterioplankton in Oxygenated Hypolimnia of Deep Freshwater Lakes.

CL500-11 (phylum Chloroflexi) is one of the most ubiquitous and abundant bacterioplankton lineages in deep freshwater lakes inhabiting the oxygenated hypolimnion. While metagenomics predicted possible eco-physiological characteristics of this uncultured lineage, no consensus on their ecology has so far been reached, partly because their niche is not clearly understood due to a limited number of quantitative field observations. This study investigated the abundance and distribution of CL500-11 in seven deep perialpine lakes using catalyzed reporter deposition-fluorescence in situ hybridization (CARD-FISH). Samples were taken vertically (5–12 depths in each lake) and temporally (in two lakes) at the deepest point of the lakes located in Switzerland, Italy, and Austria with varying depth, trophic state, mixing regime, and water retention time. The results showed a dominance of CL500-11 in all the lakes; their proportion to total prokaryotes ranged from 4.3% (Mondsee) to 24.3% (Lake Garda) and their abundance ranged from 0.65 × 105 (Mondsee) to 1.77 × 105 (Lake Garda) cells mL-1. By summarizing available information on CL500-11 occurrence to date, we demonstrated their broad habitat spectrum, ranging from ultra-oligotrophic to meso-eutrophic lakes, while low abundances or complete absence was observed in lakes with shallow depth, low pH, and/or short water retention time (<1 year). Together with available metagenomic and geochemical evidences from literatures, here we reviewed potential substrates supporting growth of CL500-11. Overall, the present study further endorsed ubiquity and quantitative significance of CL500-11 in deep freshwater systems and narrowed the focus on their physiological characteristics and ecological importance.

Quantitative modeling of facet development in ventifacts by sand abrasion

Abstract We use a quantitative model to examine rock abrasion by direct impacts of sand grains. Two distinct mechanisms are uncovered (unidirectional and isotropic), which contribute to the macro-scale morphological characters (sharp edges and flat facets) of ventifacts. It is found that facet formation under conditions of a unidirectional wind relies on certain mechanical properties of the rock material, and we confirm the dominant role of this mechanism in the formation of large ventifacts. Nevertheless small ventifacts may also be shaped to polyhedral shapes in a different way (isotropic mechanism), which is not sensitive to wind characteristics nor to rock material properties. The latter mechanism leads to several ‘mature’ shapes, which are surprisingly analogous to the morphologies of typical small ventifacts. Our model is also able to explain certain quantitative laboratory and field observations, including quick decay of facet angles of ventifacts followed by stabilization in the range 20–30°.

Intermittent collective dynamics emerge from conflicting imperatives in sheep herds

Among the many fascinating examples of collective behavior exhibited by animal groups, some species are known to alternate slow group dispersion in space with rapid aggregation phenomena induced by a sudden behavioral shift at the individual level. We study this phenomenon quantitatively in large groups of grazing Merino sheep under controlled experimental conditions. Our analysis reveals strongly intermittent collective dynamics consisting of fast, avalanche-like regrouping events distributed on all experimentally accessible scales. As a proof of principle, we introduce an agent-based model with individual behavioral shifts, which we show to account faithfully for all collective properties observed. This offers, in turn, an insight on the individual stimulus/response functions that can generate such intermittent behavior. In particular, the intensity of sheep allelomimetic behavior plays a key role in the group's ability to increase the per capita grazing surface while minimizing the time needed to regroup into a tightly packed configuration. We conclude that the emergent behavior reported probably arises from the necessity to balance two conflicting imperatives: (i) the exploration of foraging space by individuals and (ii) the protection from predators offered by being part of large, cohesive groups. We discuss our results in the context of the current debate about criticality in biology.

Tidal bore dynamics in funnel‐shaped estuaries

AbstractThe formation and dynamics of tidal bores in funnel‐shaped estuaries is investigated from both a global tidal wave scaling analysis and new quantitative field observations. We show that tidal bore occurrence in convergent estuaries can be estimated from a dimensionless scaling parameter characterizing the relative intensity of nonlinear friction versus local inertia in the momentum equation. A detailed analysis of tidal bore formation and secondary wave structure is presented from a unique long‐term database (observations of more than 200 tides) acquired during four campaigns in the two main French tidal‐bore estuaries: the Seine and Gironde/Garonne estuaries. We describe the effect of freshwater discharge on the global tidal wave transformation at the estuarine scale and on local tidal bore occurrence in the upper estuary. Our field data suggest that the tidal bore intensity is mainly governed by the dimensionless tidal range, which characterizes the local tidal wave nonlinearity. We also show that the secondary wavefield associated with tidal bore propagating in natural estuaries differs significantly from those associated to undular bores in rectangular channels. In particular, we observe an abrupt decrease of the whelp steepness when the Froude number goes below 1.1. This secondary field transition can explain why tidal bore occurrence in worldwide estuaries is certainly underestimated.

Understanding Wheel Spinning in the Context of Affective Factors

The notion of wheel spinning, students getting stuck in the mastery learning cycle of an ITS without mastering the skill, is an emerging issue. Although wheel spinning has been analyzed, there has been little work in understanding what factors underlie it, and whether it occurs in cultural contexts outside that of the United States. This work is an extension of an earlier analysis of 116 students in an urban setting in the Philippines. The authors found that Filipino students using the Scatterplot Tutor exhibited wheel spinning behaviors. The authors explored the impact of an intervention, Scooter the Tutor, on wheel spinning behavior and did not find that it had any effect. They also analyzed data from quantitative field observations, and found that wheel spinning is prevented by engaged concentration, caused by confusion, but not causally related to boredom. This result suggests that the problem of wheel spinning is primarily cognitive in nature, and not related to student motivation. However, wheel spinning was positively correlated with gaming the system, and causal analysis suggests that wheel spinning causes gaming.

Student Off-Task Behavior in Computer-Based Learning in the Philippines: Comparison to Prior Research in the USA

BackgroundOff-task behavior can be defined as any behavior that does not involve the learning task or material, or where learning from the material is not the primary goal. One suggested path for understanding how to address off-task behavior is to study classrooms where off-task behavior is less common, particularly in Asia, in order to understand why off-task behavior is less common in those settings.PurposeIn this paper, we discuss three studies that examine the differences in the off-task behavior of students using intelligent tutoring software in the Philippines and the United States. We investigate whether Filipino students using intelligent tutors exhibit significantly less off-task behavior than their American counterparts, in line with the previously observed patterns of off-task behavior in traditional classrooms in East Asia and Southeast Asia. Using identical intelligent tutors in both countries allows us to control for confounds due to differences in curricula.Research DesignIn the first study, approximately matched cohorts of students in classrooms in the United States and Philippines used the same educational software (the Scatterplot Tutor) for an equal amount of time and according to an identical research protocol. In the second and third studies, students in the Philippines used different intelligent tutoring systems for a fixed amount of time.Data Collection and AnalysisAs students used the software, researchers used a quantitative field observation protocol to record their behaviors. From the quantitative field observations, we computed an approximate percentage of time that each student was off-task and then calculated the average time off-task for each group under study. An additional behavior, gaming the system (intentional misuse of educational software) was also coded.FindingsIn the first study, students in the United States were off-task, on average, seven times more than students in the Philippines. Interestingly, however, the proportion of gaming the system was higher in the Philippines than in the United States. In the second and third studies, the incidence of off-task behavior was comparable to the frequency of off-task behavior in the Philippines in the first study, and substantially lower than the frequency of off-task behavior in the United States in the first study or in prior research on off-task behavior in the United States.Conclusions / RecommendationsThe results of the first study suggest that the previously observed differences in off-task behavior between the United States and Asia cannot be attributed simply to differences in curricula. Understanding the relative roles of cultural factors and past experiences with adaptive educational technology in student off-task behavior is an important area of future work.

Application of the ACE algorithm on hydrogeological monitoring data from the Bükk Mountains

This paper introduces the alternating conditional expectation (ACE) algorithm of Breiman and Friedman (1985) in multiple regression problems in groundwater mon- itoring data analysis. This special inverse nonparametric approach can be applied easily for estimating the optimal transformations of different groundwater monitor- ing data from the Bukk Mountains to obtain maximum correlation between ob- served aquifer variables. The approach does not require ap rioriassumptions of a mathematical form, and the optimal transformations are derived solely based on the groundwater data set. The advantages and applicability of the proposed approach to solve different multiple regression problems in hydrogeology or in groundwater man- agement are illustrated by means of case studies from a Hungarian karst aquifer. It is demonstrated that the ACE method has certain advantages in some fitting problems of groundwater science over the traditional multiple regression. In the past, different groundwater monitoring data (like groundwater level, ground- water temperature and conductance, etc.) had been used for groundwater manage- ment purposes in the Bukk Mountains. One of the difficulties in earlier approaches has been the need to make some kind of assumption of the expected mathematical forms among the investigated reservoir and petrophysical variables. By using non- parametric regression, the need to assume a specific form of model is avoided, and a clearer vision of the relationships between aquifer parameters can be revealed in the Bukk Mountains, where karst water is the main source of potable water sup- ply. Complex monitoring data from the Bukk Mountains were analyzed using the ACE inverse method, and results were verified successfully against quantitative and qualitative field observations.

A Snow Disaster Forecasting System (SDFS) constructed from field observations and laboratory experiments

Abstract The Snow Disaster Forecasting System (SDFS) was constructed by the Snow and Ice Research Center at the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention (SIRC/NIED). It has the capability to predict avalanche potential, visibility in blowing snow, and snow conditions on roads. New schemes, such as the dry snow metamorphism factor (DSM factor) describing snow grain evolution and the ejection factor for blowing snow particles were introduced and incorporated into the SDFS. Differences between the modeled and observed vertical profiles of snowfall intensity were found by radar observations. The SDFS has experimentally provided predictions to registered users in real-time for three winters. A questionnaire survey of the users showed that the SDFS has the potential to provide useful predictions for decision making, although improved accuracy and usability are required. To improve the prediction, it is important to clarify the microphysical processes of snowfall systems, blowing snow, and snowpack by quantitative field observations and well-controlled laboratory experiments.

Scales of columnar jointing in igneous rocks: field measurements and controlling factors

Columnar jointing is a common feature of solidified lavas, sills and dikes, but the factors controlling the characteristic stoutness of columns remain debated, and quantitative field observations are few in number. In this paper, we provide quantitative measurements on sizing of columnar joint sets and our assessment of the principal factors controlling it. We focus on (1) chemistry, as it is the major determinant of the physical (mechanical and thermal) properties of the lava, and (2) geology, as it influences the style of emplacement and lava geometry, setting boundary conditions for the cooling process and the rate of heat loss. In our analysis, we cover lavas with a broad range of chemical compositions (from basanite to phonolite, for six of which we provide new geochemical analyses) and of geological settings. Our field measurements cover 50 columnar jointing sites in three countries. We provide reliable, manually digitized data on the size of individual columns and focus the mathematical analysis on their geometry (23,889 data on side length, of which 17,312 are from full column sections and 3,033 data on cross-sectional area and order of polygonality). The geometrical observations show that the variation in characteristic size of columns between different sites exceeds one order of magnitude (side length ranging from 8 to 338 cm) and that the column-bounding polygons’ average order is less than 6. The network of fractures is found to be longer than required by a minimum-energy hexagonal configuration, indicating a non-equilibrium, geologically quick process. In terms of the development and characteristic sizing of columnar joint sets, our observations suggest that columns are the result of an interplay between the geological setting of emplacement and magma chemistry. When the geological setting constrains the geometry of the emplaced body, it exerts a stronger control on characteristic column stoutness. At unconstrained geometries (e.g. unconfined lava flows), chemistry plays the major role, resulting in stouter columns in felsic lavas and slenderer columns in mafic lavas.

The three partners of metamorphic petrology

Study of the evolution of the Earth’s crust advanced greatly in the last half-century through the dynamic collaboration of three equally contributing partners: field observations, together with microanalysis of mineral assemblages, experimental petrology, and stability calculations based on systematically measured and compiled thermodynamic properties of minerals. In addition to providing the initial inspiration for experimental and theoretical studies of petrogenesis, quantitative field observations have had an important feedback relationship with the indoor approaches. It has been demonstrated that physico-chemical properties of mineral systems can, in favorable circumstances, be inferred from purely geologic criteria, and, in some cases, field criteria have been used to challenge the validity of existing experimental or thermodynamic data, leading to reinvestigations and revisions. The “geo-experimental” method may be particularly useful to infer phase equilibrium relations among minerals where experimental reactions are prohibitively slow at geologically reasonable temperatures or where fluid fluxing of mineral reactions is necessarily limited, as in investigations concerning the low-H2O-activity deep-crustal rocks, the granulites. Geo-experimental phase equilibrium diagrams, constructed largely from quantitative petrographic observations, have been successful in deducing polymorphism, order-disorder, and solid solution properties of such mineral systems as the aluminum silicate minerals, feldspars, epidote minerals, scapolites, and cordierite. The last minerals are particularly important in that they may retain a record of volatile components of an intergranular mineralizing fluid. Knowledge of the important effects of mixed volatile fluids has been inhibited by lack of experimental data on devolatilization, ion exchange, redox, sulfidation, and fluid-complexing reactions of the volatile-bearing minerals biotite, amphibole, apatite, scapolite, cordierite, carbonates, and sulfides with the major minerals of rocks of the deeper interior. A concerted approach among the experimental, thermodynamic, and petrographic disciplines is necessary to make progress on the still poorly understood role of volatiles in shaping the crust. The relatively young science of fluid inclusion analysis will have an increasingly important role in the interdisciplinary effort to interpret the evolution of the continental crust and its underpinnings.

Dynamics of Student Cognitive-Affective Transitions During a Mathematics Game

Researchers of interactive learning environments have grown increasingly interested in designing these systems to become more responsive to differences in students’ cognitive-affective states. They believe that the detection of and adaptation to student cognition and affect may boost student learning gains and enhance the quality of students’ overall learning experience. A growing body of research focuses specifically on the study of cognitive-affective dynamics, defined as the natural ways in which a student’s cognitive-affective states change over time. These types of studies help designers identify desirable (virtuous) cycles that they want to foster and undesirable (vicious) cycles that they want to dissuade. In this study, the author examined the dynamics of the cognitive-affective states exhibited by Filipino students as they used the pre-algebra game MATH BLASTER 9-12. The author focused on the cognitive-affective states of boredom, confusion, delight, engagement, frustration, neutrality, and surprise. Using quantitative field observations, the author determined which of these states tended to persist or transition into other states over time. It was found that boredom was the only state that tended to persist. Boredom tended not to lead to engagement. Students who were confused were not likely to stay confused but were likely to transition into engagement. Students who were delighted were not likely to become confused. From these findings and based on comparisons with related work, it is concluded that boredom is a persistent and undesirable state. Confusion is not persistent and is desirable because it leads to further engagement with the content.

Survival Potential of Escherichia coli and Enterococci in Subtropical Beach Sand: Implications for Water Quality Managers

Fecal bacteria have traditionally been used as indicator organisms to monitor the quality of recreational waters. Recent work has questioned the robustness of traditional indicators, particularly at seawater bathing beaches. For example, a study of Florida beaches found unexpectedly high abundances of Escherichia coli, fecal coliforms, and enterococci in beach sand. The aim of the present study was to explain these abundances by assessing the survival of E. coli and enterococci in beach sand relative to seawater. We used a combination of quantitative laboratory mesocosm experiments and field observations. Results suggested that E. coli and enterococci exhibited increased survivability and growth in sand relative to seawater. Because fecal bacteria are capable of replicating in sand, at least under controlled laboratory conditions, the results suggest that sand may be an important reservoir of metabolically active fecal organisms. Experiments with "natural" mesocosms (i.e., unsterilized sand or water rich in micropredators and native bacteria) failed to show the same increases in fecal indicators as was found in sterile sand. It is postulated that this was due to predation and competition with indigenous bacteria in these "natural" systems. Nonetheless, high populations of indicators were maintained and recovered from sand over the duration of the experiment as opposed to the die-off noted in water. Indicator bacteria may wash out of sand into shoreline waters during weather and tidal events, thereby decreasing the effectiveness of these indicators as predictors of health risk and complicating the interpretations for water quality managers.

Foraging Mode and Its Flexibility in Lacertid Lizards From Europe

Apart from certain species of the African clade, the lizard family Lacertidae has generally been described as consisting of active foragers. We made quantitative field observations of 14 species of lacertid lizards, mainly belonging to the more basal Eurasian clade. Our data show that sit-and-wait foraging is much more widespread in Lacertidae than previously alleged. We also investigated the influence of weather and times of day on foraging activity levels and conclude that for comparative purposes observations should be restricted to circumstances that are optimal for activity. We did not find sex differences in foraging behavior.

Prey plumage adaptation against falcon attack

Several plumage types are found in feral pigeons (Columba livia), but one type imparts a clear survival advantage during attacks by the swiftest of all predators--the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus). Here we use quantitative field observations and experiments to demonstrate both the selective nature of the falcon's choice of prey and the effect of plumage coloration on the survival of feral pigeons. This plumage colour is an independently heritable trait that is likely to be an antipredator adaptation against high-speed attacks in open air space.