Welfare Metrics Research Articles

A multi-objective optimization platform for artificial lighting system in commercial greenhouses

Limited natural daylight in Nordic Countries means artificial lighting is a critical factor in industrial plant production. The electricity cost of artificial lights accounts for a large percentage of the overall cost of plant production. The optimal use of artificial lighting in plant production can be formulated as a multi-objective problem (MOP) to achieve optimal plant growth while minimizing electricity cost. In previous work, for solving this MOP, a Genetic Algorithm (GA) was used to create a Pareto Frontier (PF), which contains solutions representing a trade-off for using artificial lighting against plant production objectives. The PF was updated immediately once a non-dominated child-solution was found by comparing the dominance with solutions in the PF. Besides, in addition to the PF, the initial random population is also reused as a parent source in the evolution process. When the genetic evolution process terminated, a priority-based selection mechanism was used to select a final solution from the PF. In this paper, an alternative evolution strategy is proposed and compared with the previous GA evolution strategy. By this alternative strategy, all child-solutions are only compared with their parents during the evolution process, and the non-dominated child-solutions are collected into a candidate list. The PF is then updated at the end of each generation by comparing solutions on the PF with the collected candidate solutions. In this alternative strategy, the PF is the only source of parent-solution during the evolution process. In addition, a posterior normalization is implemented in the dominance evaluation, and social welfare metrics (SWs) are applied as an alternative to the priority-based selection mechanism to avoid the explicit ranking of objectives. The experimental results show that the proposed alternative evolution strategy outperforms the previous strategy on dramatically avoiding local minima.

Can good broiler flock welfare prevent colonization by Campylobacter?

Using data on rearing and welfare metrics of multiple commercial broiler flocks, we investigate how welfare measures such as hock burn, mortality, and pododermatitis, among others, impact the likelihood of a flock becoming colonized by Campylobacter. Using both logistic regression and Bayesian networks, we show that, while some welfare metrics were weakly related to Campylobacter colonization, evidence could not be found to suggest that these metrics directly exacerbated Campylobacter colonization, rather that they were both symptoms of the same parent variable – the managing company. Observed dependency on the management of the flock suggested that yet-undiscovered differences in rearing practice were the principal factor explaining both poor bird welfare and increased risk of Campylobacter, suggesting that action can be taken to improve both these factors simultaneously.

The interest rate exposure of euro area households

We estimate the “unhedged interest rate exposure” (URE) of euro area households. The URE, defined by Auclert (2019), is a welfare metric that captures the extent to which households are exposed to changes in real interest rates, and allows an assessment of the redistributive effects associated with monetary policy decisions.We examine the distribution of UREs along the net wealth, income, age and housing status distributions for the euro area as a whole and for individual countries, and document substantial heterogeneity across these dimensions. Households at the lower end of the net wealth distribution, younger households and mortgagors have negative interest rate exposure and would lose out from an increase in interest rates, all else being equal. Wealthy households, higher income and older households, as well as outright homeowners would stand to benefit.The heterogeneity of exposures across euro area countries is largely attributable to the differences in the prevalence of adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs). Averaging across households in euro area countries, households in Austria, Germany, Italy and Malta stand to benefit from an increase in the interest rate, whereas households in Cyprus, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain would lose out.

Sustaining an Alaska Coastal Community: Integrating Place Based Well-Being Indicators and Fisheries Participation

The incorporation of human dimensions into ecosystem-based fisheries management has largely focused on metrics of economic welfare. Yet researchers have demonstrated the variety of well-being that is derived from fisheries as well as the need for localized and collaborative scientific efforts that result in appropriately contextualized metrics. This article presents the results of a project intended to address these needs and inform the North Pacific fisheries management process with a set of indicators that are related to multiple dimensions of human well-being and links to fisheries participation. The article showcases a mechanism of applying a well-being framework and participatory methods to develop locally relevant quantitative indicators for one of the most highly engaged fishing communities in Alaska - Sitka. These indicators can be used to track how fishery shocks may reverberate through social systems and affect fishing communities. Furthermore, the discussion of the multifaceted well-being indicators presents information on local values and complex dynamics between community well-being and fisheries that are difficult to conceptualize and integrate into management decisions. Ultimately, this work can facilitate a more comprehensive incorporation of human dimensions into ecosystem-based frameworks in fisheries management, contextualizing that expansion within locally relevant narratives that engage stakeholders in resource management.

Understanding the Behavior of Sanctuary-Housed Chimpanzees During Public Programs

ABSTRACT At zoos, and some sanctuaries, members of the public can observe the resident animals. Examining the characteristics and consequences of this type of human–animal encounter is important to understand public education and engagement as well as animal behavior and welfare. Zoos typically have a large and consistent visitor presence, and researchers report mixed findings regarding the effects of the visiting public on the behavior of resident primates. In contrast, public visitation at sanctuaries more often occurs sporadically and on a relatively small scale, as compared with zoos, and typically via organized tours or educational events. Owing to these differences, it is necessary to explore the effects of public programs on animals in sanctuary settings in addition to the more comprehensive efforts studying such influences in zoos. Therefore, we observed four groups of sanctuary chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) at Chimp Haven (USA) over one year, including opportunistic observations during public programs. These scheduled, but infrequent, educational events offered visitors the possibility to view chimpanzees in outdoor enclosures and sometimes included staff-led small tours and food and enrichment provision to the chimpanzees. Our aim was to determine whether the 50 chimpanzees’ behavior differed when public programs were offered at the sanctuary compared with “baseline” periods. It was found that during these programs chimpanzees spent more time in outdoor enclosures (GLMM: est. = 1.559, SE = 0.309, Z = 5.04, p < 0.001) and increased time feeding (GLMM: est. = 0.754, SE = 0.356, Z = 2.11, p = 0.034) and locomoting (GLMM: est. = 0.887, SE = 0.197, Z = 4.50, p < 0.001) compared with times when public programs were not ongoing. We rarely observed agonistic and abnormal behaviors, potential metrics of welfare, regardless of whether public programs were ongoing. Abnormal behaviors occurred too infrequently for statistical analysis. While the chimpanzees showed some differences in their behavioral repertoire during the public programs, such changes do not suggest that their welfare was compromised as a result of these activities.

Impact of Social Welfare Metrics on Energy Allocation in Multi-Objective Optimization

Resource allocation problems are at the core of the smart grid where energy supply and demand must match. Multi-objective optimization can be applied in such cases to find the optimal allocation of energy resources among consumers considering energy domain factors such as variable and intermittent production, market prices, or demand response events. In this regard, this paper considers consumer energy demand and system-wide energy constraints to be individual objectives and optimization variables to be the allocation of energy over time to each of the consumers. This paper considers a case in which multi-objective optimization is used to generate Pareto sets of solutions containing possible allocations for multiple energy intensive consumers constituted by commercial greenhouse growers. We consider the problem of selecting a final solution from these Pareto sets, one of maximizing the social welfare between objectives. Social welfare is a set of metrics often applied to multi-agent systems to evaluate the overall system performance. We introduce and apply social welfare ordering using different social welfare metrics to select solutions from these sets to investigate the impact of the type of social welfare metric on the optimization outcome. The results of our experiments indicate how different social welfare metrics affect the optimization outcome and how that translates to general resource allocation strategies.

Parasitic mites alter chicken behaviour and negatively impact animal welfare

The northern fowl mite, Ornithonyssus sylviarum, is one of the most common and damaging ectoparasites of poultry. As an obligate blood feeding mite, the northern fowl mite can cause anaemia, slower growth, and decreased egg production of parasitized birds. However, the impact of mites or other ectoparasites on hen behaviour or welfare is not well studied. Here, we use activity sensors (three-axis accelerometers) affixed to individual birds to continuously record hen movement before, during, and after infestation with mites. Movements recorded by sensors were identified to specific bird behaviours through a previously trained algorithm, with frequency of these behaviours recorded for individual birds. Hen welfare was also determined before, during, and after mite infestation of hens using animal-based welfare metrics. Northern fowl mites significantly increased hen preening behaviour and resulted in increased skin lesions of infested birds.

Beyond GDP as a measure of welfare: introducing the health-adjusted income metric

BackgroundGross domestic product (GDP) is often used as a proxy for quality of life. Yet, material gain is only one of the many aspects of life that enhance the wellbeing of a population. One of the most important aspects of welfare is the value of human lifespan. A full-income approach can capture both monetary income and the value of changes in mortality. However, existing literature estimating full-income has two shortcomings: first, the concepts of levels of life expectancy with changes in life expectancy are often conflated, assigning monetary values estimated for changes to levels instead; second, existing approaches apply only to high-income countries and cannot be expanded to low-income countries. Here, we present our framework for a health-adjusted income that captures both the GDP and the monetary values of health and longevity of populations MethodsIn developing the health-adjusted income framework, we distinguish the differences between levels and changes in mortality, and assign proper values to each. We also explore several approaches for assigning values for changes in mortality for all countries. We compare changes in health-adjusted income across time and countries, and break down the changes into four parts (changes in income, life expectancy, and willingness to pay due to changes in income or changes in life expectancy). FindingsWe provide health-adjusted income estimates for 195 countries between 1970 and 2015, and highlight several interesting comparisons. For example, in the USA, per capita GDP has been approximately 20% greater than that in France for the past 30 years. Yet, the health-adjusted incomes of the two countries have been converging due to France's greater improvements in life expectancy. Other comparisons, such as India versus China, and within China over time, are discussed in detail. InterpretationCompared with GDP, health-adjusted income provides a more comprehensive picture of how countries' welfare has changed over time and allows for comparisons between countries. In a time of worldwide political change, a comprehensive welfare metric that captures population health should be provided to, and used by, policymakers. FundingNone

Land Fragmentation and Food Insecurity in Ethiopia

This paper builds on the literature surrounding the economic consequences of land fragmentation, focusing on the effects of such fragmentation on food insecurity rather than agricultural productivity. Building on existing literature, it accounts for concerns regarding the exogeneity of fragmentation, its measurement, and the importance of considering impacts in terms of different welfare metrics. Using data from the Living Standards and Measurement Survey (LSMS) that are well‐suited to addressing these issues, the analysis finds that land fragmentation reduces food insecurity in Ethiopia. This result is robust to how fragmentation is measured and to how exogeneity concerns are addressed. Further, the paper finds that land fragmentation mitigates the adverse effects of low rainfall on food security. This is because households with diverse parcel characteristics can grow a greater variety of crop types.

Groundwater and welfare: A conceptual framework applied to coastal Kenya

The links between groundwater and welfare are highly contested, unclear and confounded by political, environmental and economic factors. The lack of understanding of these links has wider implication on policies and strategies aimed at accelerating the sustainable development goals of safely-managed drinking water services and eradicating poverty. This study provides empirical evidence of the existing links between groundwater and poverty using welfare metrics versus productive uses of water, groundwater table depth, drinking water services and groundwater dependency with data obtained from a household socio-economic survey (n = 3349), a water audit of water infrastructure (n = 570) and volumetric usage from water data transmitters (n = 300). Results show that the bottom welfare households are characterized by greater dependency on shallow groundwater, less acceptable drinking water services by taste, reliability, affordability or accessibility but not quantity. Productive use of groundwater for livestock accrues to the middle welfare quintiles with the bottom and top welfare quintiles by choice or exclusion having little engagement. Groundwater productive uses, services and characteristics explain at least 17% of the variation in a households' welfare with productive uses particularly benefiting female headed households. These findings suggest that ancillary investments to improve affordability and reliability of rural water services will be needed to enhance welfare of the poor who depend on groundwater systems. Further, such knowledge of the relationships between water and welfare can support the formulation of policies and strategies aimed at poverty reduction, inclusive growth and access to safe water for all.

Solving the fair electric load shedding problem in developing countries

Often because of limitations in generation capacity of power stations, many developing countries frequently resort to disconnecting large parts of the power grid from supply, a process termed load shedding. This leaves households in disconnected parts without electricity, causing them inconvenience and discomfort. Without fairness being taken into due consideration during load shedding, some households may suffer more than others. In this paper, we solve the fair load shedding problem (FLSP) by creating solutions which connect households to supply based on some fairness criteria (i.e., to fairly connect homes to supply in terms of duration, their electricity needs, and their demand), which we model as their utilities. First, we briefly describe some state-of-art household-level load shedding heuristics which meet the first criteria. Second, we model the FLSP as a resource allocation problem, which we formulate into two Mixed Integer Programming (MIP) problems based on the Multiple Knapsack Problem. In so doing, we use the utilitarian, egalitarian and envy-freeness social welfare metrics to develop objectives and constraints that ensure our FLSP solutions results in fair allocations that consider the utilities of agents. Then, we solve the FLSP and show that our MIP models maximize the groupwise and individual utilities of agents, and minimize the differences between their pairwise utilities under a number of experiments. When taken together, our endeavour establishes a set of benchmarks for fair load shedding schemes, and provide insights for designing fair allocation solutions for other scarce resources.

The Interest Rate Exposure of Euro Area Households

We estimate the unhedged interest rate (URE) of euro area households. The URE is a welfare metric that captures the extent to which households are exposed to changes in real interest rates, and reflects the direct gains and losses in interest income flows incurred by households after such a change. It is defined as the difference between maturing assets and maturing liabilities at a given point in time (Auclert 2019). We examine the distribution of the UREs along the net wealth, income, age and housing status distributions for the euro area as a whole and for individual countries, and document substantial heterogeneity across these dimensions. The median household in the euro area has a positive interest rate exposure, indicating that it would gain, in the first instance, from an increase in the interest rate, all other things remaining constant. Households in the lower end of the net wealth and income distribution, younger households and mortgagors, have negative interest rate exposure and would lose from an increase in interest rates. The heterogeneity across countries is largely attributed to the differences in the prevalence of adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs). Countries with a high prevalence of ARMs have interest rate exposure distributions skewed to the left, with negative mean interest rate exposure. Interest gains/losses after a monetary policy shock can be substantial for households with negative interest rate exposure, particularly for mortgagors, and of a similar (absolute) magnitude to capital gains/losses from associated changes in house prices. Besides the direct distributional consequences and the implications for monetary policy, the distribution of the interest rate exposures may help explain the general public's views with the respect to the prevailing monetary policy regime or the central bank.

The Interest Rate Exposure of Euro Area Households

We estimate the unhedged interest rate (URE) of euro area households. The URE is a welfare metric that captures the extent to which households are exposed to changes in real interest rates, and reflects the direct gains and losses in interest income flows incurred by households after such a change. It is defined as the difference between maturing assets and maturing liabilities at a given point in time (Auclert 2019). We examine the distribution of the UREs along the net wealth, income, age and housing status distributions for the euro area as a whole and for individual countries, and document substantial heterogeneity across these dimensions. The median household in the euro area has a positive interest rate exposure, indicating that it would gain, in the first instance, from an increase in the interest rate, all other things remaining constant. Households in the lower end of the net wealth and income distribution, younger households and mortgagors, have negative interest rate exposure and would lose from an increase in interest rates. The heterogeneity across countries is largely attributed to the differences in the prevalence of adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs). Countries with a high prevalence of ARMs have interest rate exposure distributions skewed to the left, with negative mean interest rate exposure. Interest gains/losses after a monetary policy shock can be substantial for households with negative interest rate exposure, particularly for mortgagors, and of a similar (absolute) magnitude to capital gains/losses from associated changes in house prices. Besides the direct distributional consequences and the implications for monetary policy, the distribution of the interest rate exposures may help explain the general public's views with the respect to the prevailing monetary policy regime or the central bank.

An Aristotelian Social Welfare Function

This article proposes a new social welfare measure based on Aristotle’s theory of reciprocity. Unlike existing metrics of social welfare, the proposed Aristotelian social welfare function measures reciprocity in a society, that is, the degree to which members of a society cooperate to benefit each other. We provide numerical estimates of the welfare function using data from income distribution quintiles in the recent past for the U. S., Germany, Russia, Ukraine, and Iran. The numerical results show that, starting from different initial values, the U. S. and Germany have experienced declining social welfare, while Iran and Ukraine have experienced increasing social welfare. GDP per capita appears to be inversely correlated with social welfare in the U. S. and Germany. Europeans seem to enjoy higher social welfare than Americans. The article introduces its topic by advancing criticism that contemporary approaches to social welfare, such as the capabilities approaches, estimate a presumed welfare of individuals , rather than social welfare.

In pursuit of peak animal welfare; the need to prioritize the meaningful over the measurable.

Despite the diversity of animal welfare definitions, most recognise the centrality of the feelings of animals which are currently impossible to measure directly. As a result, animal welfare assessment is heavily reliant upon the indirect measurement of factors that either affect what animals feel, or are effected by how they feel. Physiological and health orientated measures have emerged as popular metrics for assessing welfare because they are quantifiable, can effect and be affected by how animals feel and have merits regardless of their relationship to the feelings of animals. However, their popularity in animal welfare assessment has led to them having a disproportionate influence on animal management to the detriment of animal welfare in numerous instances. Here, the case is made that a tension exists between management that prioritizes aspects of care reflecting popular animal welfare metrics such as those relating to physical health, and management that emphasizes psychological wellbeing. By re-examining the relative merits of physical and psychological priorities in animal management, an alternate animal welfare paradigm emerges less tied to traditional welfare metrics. This paradigm theorizes about the possibility for an optimal animal welfare state to exist where managed animal populations provided essential psychological outlets but protected from key physical stressors routinely experienced in the wild, might experience higher levels of welfare than wild populations would routinely experience. The proposition that optimal animal welfare could theoretically be achieved in well managed and well designed captive environments challenges a widely held ethical perspective that captivity is inherently bad for animal welfare.

Using Zipf–Mandelbrot law and graph theory to evaluate animal welfare

This work deals with the construction and testing of metrics of welfare based on behavioral complexity, using assumptions derived from Zipf–Mandelbrot law and graph theory. To test these metrics we compared yellow-breasted capuchins (Sapajus xanthosternos) (Wied-Neuwied, 1826) (PRIMATES CEBIDAE) found in two institutions, subjected to different captive conditions: a Zoobotanical Garden (hereafter, ZOO; n=14), in good welfare condition, and a Wildlife Rescue Center (hereafter, WRC; n=8), in poor welfare condition. In the Zipf–Mandelbrot-based analysis, the power law exponent was calculated using behavior frequency values versus behavior rank value. These values allow us to evaluate variations in individual behavioral complexity. For each individual we also constructed a graph using the sequence of behavioral units displayed in each recording (average recording time per individual: 4 h 26 min in the ZOO, 4 h 30 min in the WRC). Then, we calculated the values of the main graph attributes, which allowed us to analyze the complexity of the connectivity of the behaviors displayed in the individuals’ behavioral sequences. We found significant differences between the two groups for the slope values in the Zipf–Mandelbrot analysis. The slope values for the ZOO individuals approached −1, with graphs representing a power law, while the values for the WRC individuals diverged from −1, differing from a power law pattern. Likewise, we found significant differences for the graph attributes average degree, weighted average degree, and clustering coefficient when comparing the ZOO and WRC individual graphs. However, no significant difference was found for the attributes modularity and average path length. Both analyses were effective in detecting differences between the patterns of behavioral complexity in the two groups. The slope values for the ZOO individuals indicated a higher behavioral complexity when compared to the WRC individuals. Similarly, graph construction and the calculation of its attributes values allowed us to show that the complexity of the connectivity among the behaviors was higher in the ZOO than in the WRC individual graphs. These results show that the two measuring approaches introduced and tested in this paper were capable of capturing the differences in welfare levels between the two conditions, as shown by differences in behavioral complexity.

Behavioural Law and Economics as Litmus Test

This paper discusses a few meta-theoretical questions about Behavioural Law and Economics (BLE) in order to better understand both its popularity and the criticisms it has received. It argues that BLE provides a litmus test to reveal dividing lines, manifest latent tensions and polarize debates between various camps or traditions in both positive and normative (law and) economics, thus making epistemic and methodological commitments of economists more visible. These dividing lines include the methodological character of rationality assumptions, naturalistic and mentalist models of human behaviour, and the normative force and relevance of individual preferences, autonomy and objective metrics of welfare.

A welfare evaluation of the 1986 tax reform for married couples in the United States

This paper evaluates the welfare effects of the 1986 Tax Reform Act (TRA86). We rely on different welfare metrics, which fully retain preference heterogeneity and are based on different ethical priors. We estimate utility functions with preference heterogeneity on the basis of structural models of family labor supply. Then, using these estimated preferences, we compute and compare different well-being rankings corresponding to different ways of measuring well-being. Finally, we identify the losers and the winners of TRA86, in absolute and relative terms, for each of the welfare metrics.

Behavioural Law and Economics As Litmus Test

This paper discusses a few meta-theoretical questions about Behavioural Law and Economics (BLE) in order to better understand both its popularity and the criticisms it has received. It argues that BLE provides a litmus test to reveal dividing lines, manifest latent tensions and polarize debates between various camps or traditions in both positive and normative (law and) economics, thus making epistemic and methodological commitments of economists more visible. These dividing lines include the methodological character of rationality assumptions, naturalistic and mentalist views of human behaviour, and the normative force and relevance of individual preferences, autonomy and objective metrics of welfare.

To pace or not to pace? A review of what abnormal repetitive behavior tells us about zoo animal management

Abstract Performance of abnormal repetitive behavior (ARB) is noted in many captive wild species. ARB can be categorized into 2 basic forms: those whose aim appears to be to compulsively reach an inappropriate goal and those whose performance is linked to an inappropriate motor function. Although the negative welfare connotations of ARBs are well known, the precise reason for their performance remains the subject of debate. As zoos move forward in collection planning and to gather more evidence on the biological needs of the species being kept, the idea that ARBs may be part of a coping function adds more weight to arguments that some species may not be suitable for the zoo at all. Modern-day definitions of animal welfare tell us to measure the well-being of the individual based on its attempts at coping with its immediate environment. A failure to cope, and hence performance of ARB, is an objective and measurable welfare metric that may highlight which species are appropriate for captivity. As conservation pressures on zoos mount, and the need to take in more captive-naive species increases, research on why captive wild animals develop ARB can be used to inform practice. In this article, we aim to review the welfare issues across 3 basic categories of zoo animal (mammals, birds, and ectothermic vertebrates) and critique how research into ARBs can be used by zoos to promote wild-type behavior patterns by providing biologically relevant management and husbandry regimes, which allow animals the key components of control and choice over what they do and how they do it.