Bioenergy production may reduce biological diversity, but ecological risks can be minimized

ScienceDaily (Apr. 23, 2012) ? For years experts have discussed the ecological impact of the extended cultivation of energy crops. Scientists have now developed a computer model that allows assessing the impacts and comparing the effectiveness of strategies for the reduction of risks for biological diversity. Conclusion: The extension of bioenergy leads to problems with biological diversity in agrarian regions.

With different accompanying measures, such as the conservation of near-nature areas, however, these effects could be partly reduced, as scientists of the Friedrich Schiller University in Jenaand the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) write in the current issue of the professional journal Global Change Biology Bioenergy.

Of particular importance in this context is fallow land. At the latest since the abolition of the EU-wide set-aside premium in 2009 due to the overall rising demand for agricultural products, fallow land is strongly declining and re-used for intensive agricultural production. Ecologically speaking it would be more meaningful, however, if at least part of the land would be kept off from agricultural use also in future and preserved as fallow land and field margins. "These areas have not only a high value for nature conservation and climate protection. They can also help to buffer unintended side-effects of the extension of bioenergy and thus to prevent external costs. Our model analyses therefore yield not only ecological, but also new economic arguments for the preservation of fallow land and field margins that ought to be taken into consideration in the current debate on the concept for a green economy and the new regulation of EU agricultural policy," emphasises Professor Karin Frank from the Department of Ecological Modelling of the UFZ. "The proposal of the EU to keep seven per cent of productive agricultural land nearly natural is currently being discussed controversially. The term 'ecological priority areas' refers to all extensive, nearly natural areas, such as fallow land, hedge areas, orchards or land strips along water bodies," explains the environmental lawyer Dr. Stefan M?ckel of the UFZ.

The recently published study investigated different scenarios for the extension of bioenergy in a newly developed computer model to gain a better understanding of the complex relationships at the regional landscape scale and to identify and analyse the resulting ecological risks. Different variants of accompanying nature conservation measures were also investigated in order to develop options for the reduction of the risks. For the example of the Eurasian Skylark (Alauda arvensis), it was shown with the help of this computer model that typical consequences of the extended cultivation of energy crops, such as the thinning of the spectrum of cultivated crops and increasing spatial agglomeration to large-scale monocultures, can have negative effects on the field bird populations. These tendencies in today's intensive agriculture can be partly counteracted by the preservation of remaining nearly natural areas and field margins. However, it was also shown that both the extent of the resulting risks and the effectiveness of the counteracting conservation measures depend upon the structure of the particular agricultural landscape and the size of the fields. The larger and more homogeneous the landscape, the more important is the conservation of highly diverse nearly natural areas and field margins.

The Eurasian skylark is the most common open land field bird in central Europe. The intensification of agriculture in recent years has resulted in a decline of around one third in their numbers. "The Eurasian skylark is a type of indicator for the ecological state of many regions used for agriculture, because they have settled in different areas of this intensively utilised open land, bred over many months on the ground in fields and fed on mainly insects and, additionally, the seeds of wild herbs and grains found there," explains Jan Engel, the first author of the UFZ-study, who is working at the University of Jena in the meantime. "This bird species is representative for important areas of the agrarian ecosystem. An improvement in the habitat quality for the skylark would therefore also support vegetation, insects and other ground-breeding bird species." In addition to the Eurasian skylark (Alauda arvensis), the researchers are currently investigating the effects on other field birds such as the Yellow wagtail (Motacilla flava) and the Corn bunting (Emberiza calandra) with their model in order to be able to make more extensive statements in future.

"The results of our study are a contribution to the debate about the ecological impact of extended bioenergy production. They underscore the need to adapt accompanying nature conservation measures to the regional conditions where possible," concludes Professor Andreas Huth from the UFZ. For the evaluation of the impact of bioenergy, the researchers therefore recommend also to take the differences in regional landscape types, such as the mean size of fields, into account. Above all, they underpin the importance of creating incentives for the preservation and establishment of ecological priority areas, such as fallow land, in the context of the impending EU agricultural reform.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Helmholtz Centre For Environmental Research - UFZ, via AlphaGalileo.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


Journal Reference:

  1. Jan Engel, Andreas Huth, Karin Frank. Bioenergy production and Skylark (Alauda arvensis) population abundance - a modelling approach for the analysis of land-use change impacts and conservation options. GCB Bioenergy, 2012; DOI: 10.1111/j.1757-1707.2012.01170.x

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

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Huawei 2011 financials: 20 million smartphones sold yet profit down 53 percent

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Huawei's annual earnings report is out and it's a mixed bag, since while turnover increased by 11.7 percent to 203.9 RMB ($32.3 billion), profits plummeted 53 percent to 11.6 billion RMB ($1.8 billion). Revenue from overseas sales (138.4 billion RMB) equated for over half the company's total income and it boasted of having sold 150 million consumer devices, including 20 million smartphones in the year. The company didn't provide reasons for the drop in profit, emphasizing that it's increased R&D spending by 34.2 percent to 23.7 billion RMB ($3.75 billion) and that in any event, it's got around $30 billion of assets that can shoulder the brunt of a bad year.

However, the company may not see a rosy 2012 either, after both America and Australia refused to give the company big infrastructure deals (Huawei's bread and butter) thanks to allegedly close relationships between the company and the Chinese government. It seems to be following a similar trajectory to rival ZTE, which also felt margins squeeze as it entered the global retail space and felt the heat when its political dealings were thrown in the spotlight.

Continue reading Huawei 2011 financials: 20 million smartphones sold yet profit down 53 percent

Huawei 2011 financials: 20 million smartphones sold yet profit down 53 percent originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Droid Incredible 4G LTE Appears On Verizon Promo Site With $299 Price Tag

incredible4gIt's been spotted in leaked press renders and blurry photos before, but Verizon has just recently (and perhaps inadvertently) made the new Droid Incredible nice and official. The Droid Incredible 4G LTE just popped up on Verizon's Droid Does promotional site, and while you can't have one just yet, it's comforting to know that it'll see the light of say sooner rather than later. In addition to a mildly unnerving robo-lady talking up the device's LTE radio and HTC's Sense UI, the site also confirms most of the specs that have been previously reported.

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Google pushes IMM76I ICS build to HSPA Galaxy Nexus, reportedly quells connectivity woes

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If you've been facing signal issues with your HSPA+ Galaxy Nexus since that recent Android 4.0.4 update, you'll be happy to know that Google's apparently readied a minor update that might help. A small amount of owners have noticed a new build of Android 4.0.4, listed as build IMM76I, showing up on their devices. As The Verge notes, Google hasn't publicly come out with what's been changed from the previous IMM76D build, but many folks over on the forums at XDA-Developers and Android Central have noticed that their handsets' cellular connectivity has improved. Furthermore, Android Central says that devices set to auto brightness aren't experiencing lag on the lock screen as some have had issue with. Mum's the word on when the update will hit every HSPA+ Galaxy Nexus, but move your cursor over to links below for all the information that's currently available.

Google pushes IMM76I ICS build to HSPA+ Galaxy Nexus, reportedly quells connectivity woes originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 21 Apr 2012 22:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Youzee: Spain's streaming startup answer to Netflix

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A new streaming service has shed its beta cloak, only this one isn't made for U.S. eyes. Youzee, a Madrid-based start-up, aims to offer Spaniards the best of both pay models, offering up a monthly subscription service alongside separate à la carte pricing. According to the company's site, its catalog of films and TV shows will be made available in a range of dubbed and subtitled versions to suite language and viewing preferences. You'll have to pony up 6.99 Euros (about $9 USD) monthly for access to those selections, but for any titles -- new releases or otherwise -- that reside outside of its collection, there's a one-time fee required, ranging from either 2.99 Euros (about $4 USD) for 480p DVD-quality or 4.99 Euros (about $7 USD) for 720p HD. Plans are also on deck to grow the outfit's content library of paid content with an assortment of free exclusives. So, if you call the Iberian peninsula home and the return of the Bluths on Netflix just isn't enough to tide you over, well, now you have an alternative online video fix.

Youzee: Spain's streaming startup answer to Netflix originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 21 Apr 2012 19:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Effective Business Management is All Encompassing | Leadership ...

Effective business management encompasses every aspect of your business, from conflict and change management to performance management and careful planning. Those companies and corporations that practice good business management understand that changes in individuals, managers and the work environment often evolve, and that even the smallest things can have an impact to the success and profitability of the company. The difference between those with successful, profitable businesses and those who falter is being able to adapt to and manage these changes.

Today, good business management requires that executives and leaders understand the process of change and how it affects the work place. It is essential that those in authority realize the importance of leadership in managing change, as well as how employees react to change. Business management is only effective when great leaders are able to communicate messages that decrease employee?s resistance to change, and assist in encouraging individuals to move through change in a positive manner, so that problems can be avoided.
Dealing with conflict is another aspect of good business management that must be addressed. There are many types of conflict that may occur in the work place; in business management, managers and leaders realize that conflict can arise in many areas, from difficult employees to hostile customers or resentment issues. Those in positions of authority understand when it?s in the best interest of the company to cooperate, how to communicate effectively, and how to manage conflict. They also know what steps to take to prevent conflict altogether in many cases.

In effective business management , resolving conflict takes skill and negotiating skills as well. Effective leaders know how to use positive language to change other people?s impressions, how to listen, and how to differentiate between good conflict and bad.

Performance is another area that falls under exceptional business management. Performance management covers several areas, from employee discipline and job evaluation to appraisal or review of job performance in regards to salary increases. Managers must be able to determine the cause of problems in performance, which can be difficult to diagnose.

Strategic business planning, leadership and customer service are also essentials of managing any business effectively. In order to stay competitive and profitable in today?s business world, it is necessary to know what direction the company wants to go, and how to reach that goal even amidst constant change in the business environment. Continuity planning is another area that should be addressed inbusiness management ; it would be catastrophic for a natural disaster or other disruption to destroy a business that has been nurtured to a successful and profitable level.

This is just the tip of the iceberg regarding business management. Today, thriving, successful companies and corporations realize that the key to remaining profitable and competitive in the market place often boils down to effective business management in every aspect. Superior leaders, excellent communication, and the ability to adapt to change are all essential in good business management.

About the Author

Hakan Samad Graduated in University of Washington, majoring in Business Policy, International Business, Organizational Behavior, Business Communications, Consumer Research, Managing Information Systems, New Media Communications and business leadership.

He is now a Freelance writer who is passionate about authentic relationships between consumers and brands. He had 10 years of experience from retail channel planning to product marketing; He is currently a Freelance writer for few business leadership websites and now recides in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia.

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Ralph Lauren Classic Car Collection Exhibition ... - United Auto Market

Ralph Lauren Reveals His Classic Car Collection In Europe For The Very First Time Ralph Lauren is transporting his most exquisite car collection to the Mus?e des Arts D?coratifs in Paris for a special exhibit called ?The Art of the Automobile: Masterpieces from the Ralph Lauren Collection?. Last night stars rubbed shoulders at the Mus?e des Arts D?coratifs, Paris, where they were the first to see Ralph Lauren?s Classic car collection in Europe. Jean Reno marvelled at the beauty of the cars, expressing that the cars are historic but modern. Zhang Ziyi spoke about how much she loves visiting Paris and the passion of the city. The former F1 driver, Jackie Stewart, fondly recalls driving and racing with Ralph Lauren in the LM Ferrari in the collection. The exhibition opens from the 28th of April, where a selection of Ralph Lauren?s most prestigious sports cars from the 1930s to the present day is on show for the first time in Europe at Paris? Mus?e des Arts D?coratifs. 17 outstanding cars, chosen by the curator Rodolphe Rapetti, outline the main phases of European automobile history. Stylish not only in clothing but also in automobiles, world renowned designer Ralph Lauren has established himself as one of the world?s major car collectors. His impressive collection includes a 1938 Bugatti, a 1958 Ferrari Testa Rossa and a 2010 Lamborghini Murcielago; making Ralph Lauren?s range of cars ?a museum of automotive history, an archive of performance machines that represent the ?

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Nokia gets nose bloodied in IPCom patent case, says it doesn't care anyway

Nokia gets nose bloodied in IPCom patent case, says it doesn't care anyway

Mannheim is gaining a reputation as the place where patent disputes go to die. The latest loser? Nokia, in a case against German firm IPCom. A saving grace for the Finnish firm, this time, seems to be that the patent in question was granted in February 2011 and all the handsets involved predate this, and are no longer on the market. That's according to the firm's spokesman at least, who also added that it would be seeking a ruling from a higher court to clarify whether current handsets are also affected by the ruling. Well, they do say things come in threes...

Nokia gets nose bloodied in IPCom patent case, says it doesn't care anyway originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 09:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rant recording has Mel Gibson calling ex 'filthy'

By Natalie Finn, E! Online

Valery Hache / AFP - Getty Images

Mel Gibson appears to continuously be putting his worst face forward whenever he's around Joe Eszterhas.

The "Basic Instinct" screenwriter, who recently alleged in a nine-page letter that Gibson made a number of anti-Semitic comments while the two consulted on Gibson's now-in-limbo film, "The Maccabees," has released a recording to The Wrap of another Gibson rant, this one allegedly occurring while he and Eszterhas' family were in Costa Rica together in December.

According to Eszterhas -- who was originally tasked with writing the first draft of "The Maccabees" -- the screenwriter's 15-year-old son, Nick, recorded the Oscar winner with his iPhone and was "adamant" that his dad release it to the media.

So, what does this iRant entail?

More from E: Mel Gibson slams Joe Eszterhas' anti-Semitism accusations

"Why don't I have a first draft of The Maccabees? What the f--- have you been doing?"?Gibson can be heard yelling.

A rep for the actor-filmmaker tells E! News that there will be no comment forthcoming on Eszterhas' recording, and that Gibson has "nothing more" to say on the matter than his "previously written letter."

Gibson's note to Eszterhas denied the claims that he made the offensive remarks he was accused of making, calling them "utter fabrications." Gibson also said that there was no ulterior motive behind the delay in making "The Maccabees," but rather he and the studio simply weren't happy with Eszterhas' script, the actor maintained.

The writer had also claimed that Gibson ranted about his ex, Oksansa Grigorieva, while they worked together. And on the newly released recording, Gibson can be heard yelling, "I am earning money for a filthy little c--------- who takes advantage of me!"

Eszterhas told TheWrap that Gibson stormed around the house, where, in addition to Eszterhas, his wife Naomi and their son Nick, screenwriter Randall Wallace, his girlfriend and another friend of Gibson's were also staying there.

"The bottom line is it shows to me he badly needs help," Eszterhas says. "My interest isn't to damage him with this tape but to prevent damage being done to others, starting with Jews, including Oksana and now, I'm sure, me. I strongly believe that unless he seeks and receives some kind of psychiatric help, someone is going to get hurt."

As for "The Maccabees," Warner Bros. previously told E! News that they are still "analyzing what to do with the project."

Gallery from E: Mel Gibson's many faces

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