Rapid Shift Research Articles

Implementation and Applications of Grid-Forming Inverter with SiC for Power Grid Conditioning

Sustainable energy technologies have become promising solutions to global warming and climate change. Operation of the electric power grid has been dominated in the past by synchronous generation, wherein conventional sustainable energy inverters are designed simply to feed maximum real power into the grid. With the increasing penetration of renewable energy, it is undergoing a rapid shift toward the power generation of inverter-based resources (IBRs). As a result, transitioning to a power grid with more IBRs requires introducing advanced inverter technology that can respond to various disturbances in frequency and voltage occurring on the grid. The grid-forming (GFM) inverter equipped with an energy storage system featuring frequency and voltage support functionalities is vital for the stability of the micro power grid system. The GFM inverter also offers PV output smoothing, low voltage ride through, and low frequency ride through. In addition, the GFM inverter functions as a voltage source inverter to supply energy under off-grid state when the main grid is in fault conditions. A SiC-based 30 kVA GFM inverter is presented with a 3-phase 3-level neutral-point-clamped (NPC) topology for high-frequency operation to achieve high efficiency and power density. Designchallenges in gate driver design, PCB layout, and thermal consideration are addressed. The performances of the designated GFMinverter are measured and tested under on-grid and off-grid operations to verify the functionalities of the advanced inverter, as well.

Therapist perceptions of barriers to telehealth uptake in children's occupational therapy.

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a rapid shift to telehealth implementation across paediatric occupational therapy services. Although telehealth can be an appealing option, access is conditional, and the delivery of a telehealth service differs from face-to-face. If telehealth is to be a viable and equitable option for families, insight is needed into why the service might be declined. The purpose of our study was to explore barriers to paediatric occupational therapy telehealth services from client and therapist perspectives in a Greater Sydney local health district. A mixed method approach was used, including (i) retrospective review of clinical records for 250 clients seeking occupational therapy who declined the service and (ii) a focus group with four therapists providing the service. Client demographic information was summarised using descriptive statistics. Open-text responses about reasons for declining telehealth were analysed using qualitative content analysis, whereas thematic analysis was used to explore focus group data. Key findings from the mixed methods analysis identified barriers and issues to consider when working to ensure equitable access to telehealth for children and families. These issues included child engagement, family complexity, the nature of assessments, interventions, and overarching service characteristics as well as the family's digital inclusion. Digital inclusion comprises affordable access to the internet, data, and devices and the capacity of a child and/or family to engage online. Our findings suggest that telehealth is not a panacea when face-to-face services are not available. Multiple barriers confounded uptake of telehealth prompting a call to action to ensure equitable access to occupational therapy services for all children.

A Paradigm Shift: 5 Cents To 1 Calorie

Innovation is suggestive of ground breaking ideas that take over the markets. In actuality, 70% of the innovation is incremental in nature[1]. With the rapid shift in trade prospects, firms shouldn’t underestimate the potentiality of incremental innovation. To illustrate, according to Bain and Co, a whooping [whopping] $5 Trillion of global GDP has been contributed by modifications in existing consumer products[2]. Software development life cycles (SDLC) are catalysts in providing standardised frameworks that define business operations. It causes structured project planning along with a decrement in the project expenditures and encounter with risks. The study draws attention towards the SDLC models and their employment in The Coca Cola Company. The brand extends a miscellany of developments under the banner of carbonated drinks. Such differentiated products cater to the market heterogeneity that gratifies customer personalisations. A planned approach helps the corporate navigate through unfamiliar sphere of undertakings; from determining novel ingredients to fabricating new chains of the brand. Key Words: Incremental innovation, SDLC

The Role of Volition in Graduate Students’ Academic Writing

Due to Covid-19 outbreak, students and teachers experience a rapid shift from conventional to online learning which requires students to be more self-regulated learners. The purpose of this study is to discover how graduate students remain focused and keep devoting effort in academic writing task completion. This research employed a qualitative study involving 13 graduate students of the English Education Master Program of a private university in Indonesia. Data were collected by distributing questionnaire and conducting interview. The data obtained from the questionnaire were analysed using descriptive statistics. Further, open coding techniques were utilized to examine the interview data. There are three major findings drawn in this study, namely, volitional strategies used by students in the academic writing task, persistence amid pandemic situation, and the role of volition in maintaining students’ motivation. The themes describe how students show their determination during the goal-achievement process of academic writing assignments. Students frequently encounter hardships in their learning process which might distance themselves from accomplishing the learning demands. This study shed the light on fruitful merits of volition, particularly in driving students to stay focused despite challenges or distracting situation.

Simultaneous tracking of multiple whales using two fiber-optic cables in the Arctic

Climate change is impacting the Arctic faster than anywhere else in the world. As a response, ecosystems are rapidly changing. As a result, we can expect rapid shifts in whale migration and habitat use concurrent with changes in human patterns. In this context, responsible management and conservation requires improved monitoring of whale presence and movement over large ranges, at fine scales and in near-real-time compared to legacy tools. We demonstrate that this could be enabled by Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS). DAS converts an existing fiber optic telecommunication cable into a widespread, densely sampled acoustic sensing array capable of recording low-frequency whale vocalizations. This work proposes and compares two independent methods to estimate whale positions and tracks; a brute-force grid search and a Bayesian filter. The methods are applied to data from two 260 km long, nearly parallel telecommunication cables offshore Svalbard, Norway. First, our two methods are validated using a dedicated active air gun experiment, from which we deduce that the localization errors of both methods are 100 m. Then, using fin whale songs, we demonstrate the methods' capability to estimate the positions and tracks of eight fin whales over a period of five hours along a cable section between 40 and 95 km from the interrogator unit, constrained by increasing noise with range, variability in the coupling of the cable to the sea floor and water depths. The methods produce similar and consistent tracks, where the main difference arises from the Bayesian filter incorporating knowledge of previously estimated locations, inferring information on speed, and heading. This work demonstrates the simultaneous localization of several whales over a 800 km area, with a relatively low infrastructural investment. This approach could promptly inform management and stakeholders of whale presence and movement and be used to mitigate negative human-whale interaction.

Investigating the Challenges Faced by EFL Teachers in Remote Teaching During COVID-19 Emergencies at Indonesian Senior High School Context: A Qualitative Descriptive Study

The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted a rapid shift from traditional face-to-face teaching to remote learning in educational institutions worldwide, including Indonesian senior high schools. This qualitative descriptive study explores the challenges faced by English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers during this transition, focusing on technology infrastructure, student engagement, assessment, and adapting teaching methods. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with two English teachers who teach at XII and XI grade at Sma Negeri 1 Seririt and Smk Karya Usada in Buleleng regency. The findings reveal that EFL teachers experienced difficulties in accessing and utilizing technology, maintaining student engagement, developing and administering effective assessments, and adapting their teaching methods and materials for remote instruction. The findings provide valuable insights into the experiences of EFL teachers during the pandemic, as well as recommendations for overcoming these challenges, including improving technology infrastructure, enhancing student engagement, developing new assessment methods, and providing professional development opportunities for EFL teachers. This research contributes to the understanding of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on EFL education in Indonesia and offers a foundation for future studies and policy-making in the area of remote EFL teaching.

Protecting the public interest while regulating health professionals providing virtual care: A scoping review.

Technology is transforming service delivery in many health professions, particularly with the rapid shift to virtual care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Health profession regulators must navigate legal and ethical complexities to facilitate virtual care while upholding their mandate to protect the public interest. The objectives of this scoping review were to examine how the public interest is protected when regulating health professionals who provide virtual care, discuss policy and practice implications of virtual care, and make recommendations for future research. We searched six multidisciplinary databases for academic literature published in English between January 2015 and May 2021. We also searched specific databases and websites for relevant grey literature. After screening, 59 academic articles and 18 grey literature sources were included for analysis. We identified five key findings: the public interest when regulating health professionals providing virtual care was only implicitly considered in most of the literature; when the public interest was discussed, the dimension of access was emphasized; criticism in the literature focused on social ideologies driving regulation that may inhibit more widespread use of virtual care; subnational licensure was viewed as a barrier; and the demand for virtual care during COVID-19 catalyzed licensure and scope of practice changes. Overall, virtual care introduces new areas of risk, potential harm, and inequity that health profession regulators need to address as technology continues to evolve. Regulators have an essential role in providing clear standards and guidelines around virtual care, including what is required for competent practice. There are indications that the public interest concept is evolving in relation to virtual care as regulators continue to balance public safety, equitable access to services, and economic competitiveness.

On ChatGPT: what promise remains for multiple choice assessment?

Multiple-choice quizzes (MCQs) are a popular form of assessment. A rapid shift to online assessment during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, drove the uptake of MCQs, yet limited invigilation and wide access to material on the internet allow students to solve the questions via internet search. ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence (AI) agent trained on a large language model, exacerbates this challenge as it responds to information retrieval questions with speed and a good level of accuracy. In this opinion piece, I contend that while the place of MCQ in summative assessment may be uncertain, current shortcomings of ChatGPT offer opportunities for continued formative use. I outline how ChatGPT’s limitations can inform effective question design. I provide tips for effective multiple-choice question design and outline implications for both academics and learning developers. This piece contributes to emerging debate on the impact of artificial intelligence on assessment in higher education. Its purpose is threefold: to (1) enhance academics’ understanding of effective MCQ design, (2) promote shared understanding and inform dialogue between academics and learning developers about MCQ assessment, and (3) highlight the potential implications on learning support.

Attitude and Readiness on Online Learning: Its Effect on Teachers and Students Performance

The COVID-19 outbreak, and subsequent implementation of social distancing restrictions resulted in a rapid shift to OTL (Online Teaching and Learning). This study aimed to identify the Attitude and Readiness on Online Teaching: Its Effect on Teachers and Students’ Performance. The researcher made use of a descriptive-correlational research design using the survey method. This study was conducted in the selected private schools in Cebu City, Philippines. The researcher made use of a descriptive research design using the survey method. The teacher’s attitude towards online teaching is very much favorable. As to assessing the teacher’s readiness for online teaching, most teacher-respondents are moderately ready for online teaching. Teachers’ performance in online teaching has a descriptive value of “noteworthy.” This finding means that teachers have exceeded expectations and planned targets. Student’s academic performance in the five targeted schools is very satisfactory during online teaching. The relationship between the teachers’ profile with their attitude towards online teaching, readiness towards online teaching, students’ academic performance, and their teaching performance, the findings manifest that the profile and their attitude towards online teaching have no significant relationship. The rest of the profiles of the variables have a significant relationship to the following areas: readiness toward online teaching, students’ academic performance, and teachers’ teaching performance. Finally, the relationship between the teachers’ attitude towards online teaching with their readiness towards online teaching, students’ academic performance, and teachers’ teaching performance among the three areas only Teachers’ Teaching Performance has a significant relationship to teachers’ attitude towards online teaching. There is no significant relationship between the teachers’ readiness toward online teaching with their student’s academic performance and teachers’ teaching performance. It is concluded that teachers are only partially prepared to teach online and teachers’ attitude and preparedness to teach online has no direct impact on student’s academic success. Based on these findings, it is recommended that the various private schools provide continuous professional development to instructors on online teaching for skills enhancement in areas where they are moderately capable. (e.g., creating online quizzes and tests, creating instructional videos, using online collaborative tools).

The unexpected long period of elevated CH4 emissions from an inundated fen meadow ended only with the occurrence of cattail (Typha latifolia).

Drainage and agricultural use transform natural peatlands from a net carbon (C) sink to a net C source. Rewetting of peatlands, despite of high methane (CH4 ) emissions, holds the potential to mitigate climate change by greatly reducing CO2 emissions. However, the time span for this transition is unknown because most studies are limited to a few years. Especially, nonpermanent open water areas often created after rewetting, are highly productive. Here, we present 14 consecutive years of CH4 flux measurements following rewetting of a formerly long-term drained peatland in the Peene valley. Measurements were made at two rewetted sites (non-inundated vs. inundated) using manual chambers. During the study period, significant differences in measured CH4 emissions occurred. In general, these differences overlapped with stages of ecosystem transition from a cultivated grassland to a polytrophic lake dominated by emergent helophytes, but could also be additionally explained by other variables. This transition started with a rapid vegetation shift from dying cultivated grasses to open water floating and submerged hydrophytes and significantly increased CH4 emissions. Since 2008, helophytes have gradually spread from the shoreline into the open water area, especially in drier years. This process was periodically delayed by exceptional inundation and eventually resulted in the inundated site being covered by emergent helophytes. While the period between 2009 and 2015 showed exceptionally high CH4 emissions, these decreased significantly after cattail and other emergent helophytes became dominant at the inundated site. Therefore, CH4 emissions declined only after 10 years of transition following rewetting, potentially reaching a new steady state. Overall, this study highlights the importance of an integrative approach to understand the shallow lakes CH4 biogeochemistry, encompassing the entire area with its mosaic of different vegetation forms. This should be ideally done through a study design including proper measurement site allocation as well as long-term measurements.

Directly Dating Plio‐Pleistocene Climate Change in the Terrestrial Record

AbstractAccurate chronology of climatic shifts is critical to understand the controls on landscape and species evolution. Unfortunately, direct dating of continental climate change is hindered by the scarcity of dateable terrestrial products evidencing climatic shifts. Here we use ferruginous indurations from the arid landscapes of the Nullarbor Plain in southern Australia to constrain the timing of Plio‐Pleistocene aridification in the continental realm. We present (U‐Th)/He goethite data implying active induration processes between c. 2.7 and 2.4 Ma. Chemical‐mineralogical and petrographic examination suggests that formation of ferruginous indurations was linked with a decline of the groundwater table, driven by the rapid climatic shift from humid late Pliocene to arid early Pleistocene conditions. Combined with local to global climatic proxies, we conclude that ferruginous indurations are promising targets to obtain absolute ages on landscape evolution to refine continental climatic chronology and improve understanding of the environmental drivers of species diversification and extinction.

"I Have to Use My Son's QR Code to Run the Business": Unpacking Senior Street Vendors' Challenges in Mobile Money Collection in China

Mobile payment systems have become an infrastructural component in citizens' socio-economic life in China. The rapid shift to a cashless society demands vendors of all ages to quickly adapt themselves to the ubiquitous mobile payment era. However, how this trend may impact senior vendors, a group that typically uses less technology, remains unknown despite its significance in inclusive mobile payment design. This work aims to address this gap by investigating the challenges and strategies of senior vendors in mobile payment adoption. Particularly, we focus on a traditional low-resource setting with a large volume of senior vendors: street vending. We conduct a qualitative study incorporating field observations on 33 senior street vendors and semi-structured interviews with 15 of them (aged 53-78), and take Moneywork as an analytical lens to unpack their challenges in physical and social interactions. We find that senior street vendors are a group passively adopting mobile payments due to business requirements instead of recognizing their advantages. Vendors with relatively low digital literacy have to take an alternative method - using family members' QR codes - to run the business as family-dependent money receivers. With limited considerations for senior vendors' situational vulnerabilities, unexpected difficulties of payment confirmation emerge during transactions, such as reduced confirmation efficacy under noisy surroundings and degraded hearing. Transaction security issues also appear when mobile payment-based frauds target both confirmation interfaces (e.g., fake sounds of successful payment) and trust systems (e.g., showing half-done proof to flee without paying) in street vending. Finally, we raise a less visible yet critical concern of family-dependent vendors on the lost money freedom when their income flows into their families' wallets. We propose design implications for mobile payment systems to support more secure, efficient and accessible money collection services to underrepresented groups.

Teachers’ online preparedness in times of crises: trends from Norway and US

The closing of schools world-wide in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a rapid and unexpected shift from predominantly in-person teaching to online teaching practices. As teacher educators in the field of educational technology, we wondered about the preparedness of teachers for making the transition to fully online environments. Through an internationally distributed survey consisting of predominantly open-ended questions, we captured teachers’ perceptions of this transition. We aimed to inform our practice and that of other teacher educators about the strengths and weaknesses of professional development designed to develop teachers’ digital competence. In this paper, we present data from Norwegian (n = 574) and US (n = 239) teachers related to their elaborations on readiness. We qualitatively examined data for evidence of extent of preparedness and alignment to the pedagogical, ethical, attitudinal, and technical dimensions of digital competence. Findings indicated themes related to extent of preparedness, trends in preparation, focus on digital tools, teacher agency without autonomy, collaboration/networks, and challenges for work and learning lives. Findings informed implications and recommendations for the professional development of teachers’ digital competence at the teacher education, K-12 schools, and school policy/leadership levels.

THE US-CHINESE RACE IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

This research aims to analyze the challenges and opportunities facing the US-Chinese race in the field of artificial intelligence. The descriptive and analytical approach was used to analyze data and information available from various sources, including reports, press articles, and academic research. The results show that China has a competitive advantage in the field of artificial intelligence, thanks to its ambitious national plans and huge investments in this field, and this makes the United States face A big challenge in the competition with China. Among the main challenges facing the United States is the lack of government investment in the field of artificial intelligence, in addition to problems related to privacy and security and the rapid shifts in technology. The research also includes an analysis of some of the opportunities the United States can seize to make further advances in AI, such as increasing government investment, improving education, and strengthening international partnerships. In the end, this research enhances the general understanding of the accelerating transformations in the field of artificial intelligence and helps to identify the necessary measures to enhance the technical and research capabilities of the United States and China in this field, and to identify areas in which one country can obtain a competitive advantage in this field, which contributes to To achieve leadership in this field.

Long-term responses in different karst agricultural production systems to farm management and climate change: A comparative prefecture-scale study in Southwest China

Rapid shifts have occurred in the agricultural production systems of the karst regions in Southwest China to meet increasing food demands. The responses of agricultural production vary under different degree of rocky desertification. However, the interactive effects of related driving factors on the food production sustainability of local crops are unknown. In this study, we quantified the impacts of seven key indicators—population, cropland area, multiple cropping index, irrigation area, fertilizer use, temperature and precipitation—on agricultural production in three rocky desertification grade regions from 1960 to 2011. We also classified these indicators into three categories: population, farm management and climate change. The results showed that farm management and population were the main drivers of increased food crop production, contributing 79.7% and 17%, respectively. In contrast, climate change had a limited influence on agricultural production. With increases in crop yield, the influences of some indicators were enhanced, and the negative impact on the environment was also increased; therefore, the sustainability of agricultural production systems could be adversely affected in the future. The agricultural production systems in mild rocky desertification areas (Zunyi) could meet the current food demands, while the areas with moderate and severe rocky desertification (Bijie and Qianxinan, respectively) are faced with substantial pressure. Although continuous improvements in agricultural production efficiency due to advances in modern science, technology and management have partly mitigated environmental pressure, rocky desertification poses a challenge to the sustainable development of agriculture in Southwest China. These findings provide a reference for adjusting farm management practices and climate change countermeasures in regions with different degrees of rocky desertification to achieve agricultural production sustainability in the future.

Practical learning in hybrid environments: Can remote learning be active, authentic, and real?

Online strategies designed to enable practical learning were in use prior to the pandemic. Nevertheless, in response to the rapid shift to online delivery during lockdowns, face-to-face practical learning was often postponed and replaced with traditional transmissive and theory-focused modes. This paper reports undergraduate and postgraduate university students' online learning experiences in New Zealand, where some practical learning approaches were evident particularly in the fields of teacher education, health or medicine, and sciences. Using multiple methods, data stemmed from a national survey followed by individual interviews and focus groups. Findings affirm that practical learning is possible in hybrid contexts, and is no less real than learning on campus. In-home or community-based activities, virtual simulations, online practice, and video-based learning all offer engaging opportunities for practical learning.

Climate change is leading to rapid shifts in seasonality in the himalaya.

Climate change has significantly impacted vegetation phenology across the globe with vegetation experiencing an advance in the spring green-up phases and a delay in fall senescence. However, some studies from high latitudes and high elevations have instead shown delayed spring phenology, owing to a lack of chilling fulfillment and altered snow cover and photoperiods. Here we use the MODIS satellite-derived view-angle corrected surface reflectance data (MCD43A4) to document the four phenological phases in the high elevations of the Sikkim Himalaya and compared the phenological trends between below-treeline zones and above-treeline zones. This analysis of remotely sensed data for the study period (2001-2017) reveals considerable shifts in the phenology of the Sikkim Himalaya. Advances in the spring start of the season phase (SOS) were more pronounced than delays in the dates for maturity (MAT), senescence (EOS), and advanced dormancy (DOR). The SOS significantly advanced by 21.3 days while the MAT and EOS were delayed by 15.7 days and 6.5 days respectively over the 17-year study period. The DOR showed an advance of 8.2 days over the study period. The region below the treeline showed more pronounced shifts in phenology with respect to an advanced SOS and a delayed EOS and DOR that above treeline. The MAT, however, showed a greater delay in the zone above the treeline than below. Lastly, unlike other studies from high elevations, there is no indication that winter chilling requirements are driving the spring phenology in this region. We discuss four possible explanations for why vegetation phenology in the high elevations of the Eastern Himalaya may exhibit trends independent of chilling requirements and soil moisture due to mediation by snow cover.

Trends in the Epidemiology and Treatment of Pediatric-Onset Multiple Sclerosis in Alberta, Canada.

Fingolimod became the first disease-modifying therapy approved by Health Canada for pediatric multiple sclerosis in 2018, but the impact of that approval on treatment patterns in Canada is unknown. The aim of this study was to describe trends in the epidemiology and treatment of pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis in Alberta, Canada. This study entailed a retrospective review of administrative health databases using 2 case definitions of multiple sclerosis. Those <19 years of age at a date of diagnosis between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2020, were included. Incidence and prevalence estimates were calculated and stratified by sex and age cohort. Pharmacy dispenses of disease-modifying therapies were identified. 106 children met one or both case definitions. In 2020, the age-standardized incidence using the 2 case definitions was 0.47 and 0.57 per 100 000, and the age-standardized prevalence was 2.84 and 3.41 per 100 000, respectively. Seventy-nine incident cases were identified, 38 (48%) of whom were dispensed a disease-modifying therapy prior to age 19 years. Injectables accounted for all initial pediatric disease-modifying therapy dispenses prior to 2019, whereas in 2019-2020 injectables accounted for only 3 of 15 (20%) initial dispenses, and instead B-cell therapies were the most common initial disease-modifying therapy (6 of 15, 40%). In 2020, B-cell therapies were the most common disease-modifying therapy dispensed overall (9 of 22 dispenses, 41%) followed by fingolimod (6 of 22, 27%). The treatment of children with multiple sclerosis in Alberta has evolved, with a rapid shift in 2019 away from injectables to newer agents, although B-cell therapies-not fingolimod-are now most commonly dispensed.

Double‐edged effects of anthropogenic activities on lake ecological dynamics in northern China: Evidence from palaeolimnology and ecosystem modelling

Abstract Climate change and anthropogenic activities mutually degraded global lake ecosystems during the Anthropocene. Nutrient mitigation via catchment management has been a constant priority for lake ecological restoration; however, the outcomes after mitigation remain uncertain. In particular, there is limited knowledge on the effects of large‐scale forest restoration and soil erosion reduction in catchments on the ecological dynamics of downstream aquatic systems. Here, we study a strategically chosen alpine lake from the Loess Plateau in northern China, which has been extensively afforested in the past decades. We present high‐resolution, multi‐proxy records to reconstruct environmental and ecological dynamics since 1960. To quantify the potential mechanisms, we combined evidence from palaeolimnological records, contemporary field observations and process‐based ecosystem modelling. We developed palaeorecord‐based proxies for water transparency, nutrient concentrations and algal composition, and applied these proxies to ecosystem modelling. Our results show that despite the concurrent decline in nutrient levels, the lake ecosystem has experienced large‐magnitude rapid shifts since 2000, characterised by unambiguously increased algae proliferation and community changes. The modelling results revealed that the reduction in soil erosion acts as a “double‐edged sword”; that is, lower external nutrient loading via soil erosion is ideal for in‐lake algae inhibition, whereas increasing light availability counteracts the reduced yet still sufficient nutrient concentrations and, ultimately, promotes temporary algal proliferation via extended habitats and intensive photosynthesis. Intriguingly, lake warming plays a secondary role in driving these ecological dynamics. Our results emphasised the unexpected algal proliferation when the nutrient level declined in lake ecosystems; thus, other compound factors, including water transparency and climate warming, need to be incorporated for reliable prediction and effective restoration. A multi‐disciplinary approach integrating palaeorecords as ecological indicators and process‐based ecosystem modelling holds great potential for investigating long‐term lake ecological dynamics in the context of rapid global changes.

Forest conversion into pasture selects dung beetle traits at different biological scales depending on species pool composition.

The conversion of forests into open areas has large effects on the diversity and structure of native communities. The intensity of these effects may vary between regions, depending on the existence of native species adapted to open habitats in the regional pool or the time since habitat change.We assess the differences in species richness and functional diversity of dung beetle communities (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) between native forests and novel pasturelands of the Atlantic Forest and the Cerrado, two biomes with contrasting histories of human occupation in Brazil. We conducted standardized surveys in seven forest fragments and adjacent pastures in each region and measured 14 traits in individuals collected in each type of habitat at each particular site. We calculated functional richness, functional evenness, functional divergence, and community-weighted mean of traits for each area, and analyzed individual variation through nested variance decomposition and Trait Statistics.Communities were richer and more numerous at the Cerrado. We did not find any consistent relationship between functional diversity and forest conversion beyond the changes in species diversity. Although landscape changes were more recent at the Cerrado, the colonization of the new habitat by native species already adapted to open habitats lessens the functional loss in this biome. This indicates that habitat change's effects on trait diversity depend on the regional species pool rather than on time since land conversion.Forest conversion effects were primarily due to internal filtering. The effects of external filtering only appear at the intraspecific variance level, with contrasting differences between the Cerrado, where traits related to relocation behavior and size are selected, and the Atlantic Forest, where selection operates for traits related to relocation behavior and flight. These results evidence the importance of considering individual variance to address the responses of dung beetle communities to forest conversion.