892 research outputs found
How to predict the 2014 World Cup winner (in one simple equation) : determinants of national football team results 2011-2013 - a new methodology
No full textThis short note sets out an approach to predicting national football team results using a new, hybrid economics-based methodology. It draws on previous work in the field and was tested on almost 3,000 international football matches over the period 2011- 2013. The same methodology can be used in a predicative way and could be used, for example, to predict the result of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. A forthcoming article to be published by the Fraser Economic Commentary will seek to predict Scotland’s likely progress in the forthcoming Euro 2016 competition
Beyond Lesson Studies and Design Experiments: Using theoretical tools in practice and finding out how they work
No full textThis paper aims to illustrate how fruitful insights into the link between school teaching practice and student learning outcomes can be theoretically grounded by the variation theory from the field of phenomenography; and from this framework demonstrate how a 'pedagogy of awareness' can be implemented in the classroom. In this study, five teachers and 162 students at Primary Four level of school education in Hong Kong participated and the practice of the 'learning study' was adopted. By comparing the results of pre- and posttests, a significant gain was observed in the students learning outcomes.
Integrative Approach: A Teacher Evaluation Process to Improve Practice at Fraser Valley Christian High School
No full textThis qualitative case study examines if the teacher evaluation process at Fraser Valley Christian High School (FVC) leads to improved teacher practices. In this case study, the author examines three current teachers at FVC who have gone through the evaluation process in the last twelve months and the impact the evaluation process had on their practice. FVC takes an integrated approach to its evaluation, combining both summative and formative evaluations with a focus on teacher participation in all facets of the process. Teachers at FVC are invited to consider how the domains of Planning and Preparation, Classroom Instruction, Classroom Community, Professional Responsibility, and Mission and Vision impact their teaching practice. These domains are considered through the use of dialogue, journaling, reading, peer observation, student surveys, parent surveys, and a summative evaluation. This case study demonstrates how the integrated teacher evaluation system at Fraser Valley Christian High School leads to improved practice
Long-term mean Antarctic landfast sea ice persistence map
No full textProgress Code: completedStatement: Quality of the underlying product described in detail in the associated dataset paper:
Fraser, A. D., Massom, R. A., Ohshima, K. I., Willmes, S., Kappes, P. J., Cartwright, J., and Porter-Smith, R.: High-resolution mapping of circum-Antarctic landfast sea ice distribution, 2000–2018, Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 12, 2987–2999, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-12-2987-2020, 2020.<b>Purpose</b><br/>The purpose of releasing this processed/derived product is to facilitate wider distribution of this commonly-requested product. This product is also a candidate for Quantarctica Version 4, so a DOI will facilitate the incorporation of this dataset into that collection.This dataset provides the dataset underlying Figure 2 from the following publication: <br/>Fraser, A. D., Massom, R. A., Handcock, M. S., Reid, P., Ohshima, K. I., Raphael, M. N., Cartwright, J., Klekociuk, A. R., Wang, Z., and Porter-Smith, R.: Eighteen-year record of circum-Antarctic landfast-sea-ice distribution allows detailed baseline characterisation and reveals trends and variability, The Cryosphere, 15, 5061–5077, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5061-2021, 2021.<br/><br/>It gives a map of the long-term (2000-2018) mean persistence of Antarctic landfast ice by simply averaging across the time dimension.<br/><br/>From the referenced paper:<br/><br/>Around Antarctica, landfast or fast ice is a stationary and consolidated form of sea ice which is attached to, and held in place by, the coastline or floating ice shelf fronts (World Meteorological Organization, 1970) and icebergs grounded in waters shallower than approximately 400 m (Giles et al., 2008; Fraser et al., 2012). As such, Antarctic fast ice forms only on the continental shelf, typically in narrow (50 to 250 km wide) bands adjacent to the coast and/or upstream of protrusions into the westward Antarctic Coastal Current that intercept encroaching (drifting) pack ice (Fraser et al., 2012; Nihashi and Ohshima, 2015). Depending on location, Antarctic fast ice can range in persistence from annual through perennial to multi-decadal (e.g. Massom et al., 2010), with certain regions being highly variable and breaking out and reforming several times per year (e.g. Massom et al., 2009; Fraser et al., 2012).<br/><br/>Antarctic fast ice is not only a sensitive bellwether of climate change and variability (given its intimate linkage and interaction with the high-latitude ocean and atmosphere, Massom et al., 2009; Fraser, 2011; Aoki, 2017), but its distribution also influences the size of adjacent coastal polynyas (Massom et al., 1998, 2001; Nihashi and Ohshima, 2015; Fraser et al., 2019), affecting regional rates of sea-ice production, water mass modification and the formation of globally important Antarctic bottom water in certain key locations (e.g. Kusahara et al., 2017; Ohshima et al., 2013). Moreover, recent work has shown the importance of fast ice in mechanically bonding and stabilising vulnerable outer margins of floating glacier tongues and ice shelves (Massom et al., 2018, 2015, 2010) and also in controlling the seasonal dynamics and discharge rate of certain outlet glaciers (Greene et al., 2018). Fast ice is also of major ecological importance as a key breeding habitat for emperor penguins and Weddell seals (Kooyman and Burns, 1999; Massom et al., 2009), plays a role in structuring shallow coastal benthic ecosystems (Clark et al., 2017), and is a region of high primary productivity (concentrated ice algal growth, Meiners et al., 2018). Coastal fast ice also constitutes a reservoir of nutrients (de Jong et al., 2013) which can substantially enhance primary production in the coastal zone when released into the water column upon fast-ice breakout/melt (particularly for thick, multi-year fast ice, e.g. Shadwick et al., 2013). Finally, fast ice can either facilitate or impede aviation and station resupply activities, depending on its location, extent and thickness (COMNAP, 2015). It follows that change and/or variability in Antarctic fast-ice distribution and seasonality have wide-ranging ramifications, and characterisation of where and how fast ice is changing is a high priority.<br/><br/>Accurate, consistent, long-term and year-round time-series mapping of Antarctic fast ice at a high spatio-temporal resolution and on a circumpolar scale requires satellite observation but is technically challenging (Fraser et al., 2009, 2010; Nihashi and Ohshima, 2015; Fraser et al., 2020; Kim et al., 2018, 2020; Li et al., 2020). Knowledge of its distribution and trends has been identified as a major gap (Vaughan et al., 2013; Meredith et al., 2019). This has severely limited our understanding of the important coastal icescape and key interactive physical, biological and biogeochemical processes therein. Fraser et al. (2012) released an 8.8-year dataset of East Antarctic fast-ice extent from 2000 to 2008, but this dataset has not been updated. Using passive microwave satellite data, Nihashi and Ohshima (2015) subsequently produced a dataset of circum-Antarctic fast-ice extent from 2003 to 2011, but at a relatively coarse resolution of 6.25 km per pixel, and this technique does not detect and include young fast ice (Fraser et al., 2019). Li et al. (2020) recently released a high-spatial-resolution circum-Antarctic dataset of fast ice covering November only in the years 2006–2011 and 2016–2017 using synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image analysis. However, since November is a month characterised by regionally variable fast-ice retreat (Fraser et al., 2012), it is inadequate for analysis of long-term trends in extent.<br/><br/>As such, detailed circumpolar characterisation of fast ice has not been possible due to the lack of a suitable underlying dataset. This gap has recently been filled by the publication of a new time series of fast-ice extent from March 2000 to March 2018 (Fraser et al., 2020). This dataset contains 432 contiguous maps of fast-ice extent at a 1 km and 15 d resolution, generated by compositing cloud-free visible and thermal infrared imagery from NASA Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensors aboard the Terra and Aqua satellites (Fraser et al., 2009, 2010). The process of generating the cloud-free composite imagery relies upon the MOD35 cloud mask product (Ackerman et al., 2006), which performs brightness temperature and reflectance-based spectral tests to determine the probability of cloud contamination. This product has limitations, especially during polar night (Fraser et al., 2010), and the procedure for composite generation may be improved using machine-learning-based techniques such as those demonstrated by Paul and Huntemann (2021). Such improvements may be implemented in a future fast-ice product.<br/><br/>Here, we use the newly released fast-ice dataset to perform a first detailed characterisation of circum-Antarctic fast-ice distribution, change and variability. We first identify eight distinct regions in terms of fast-ice co-variability, which form the basis of the new analysis of fast-ice trends around Antarctica. These regions differ from the sectors more traditionally used in Antarctic sea-ice analyses (Zwally et al., 1983). We then present the overall extent time series and annual climatology, spatial characterisation of mean fast-ice persistence, age and timing of minimum/maximum extent across the 18-year dataset. We also analyse fast-ice persistence in concert with bathymetric depth, and interpret this regionally, to more widely assess and determine the linkages between fast ice and grounded icebergs, which act both as stable anchor points for fast-ice formation (e.g. Massom et al., 2009; Li et al., 2020) and to intercept and retain encroaching pack ice, thus encouraging fast-ice formation upstream (Massom et al., 2001; Massom, 2003)
Apogonichthyoides erdmanni Fraser & Allen, 2011, n. sp.
No full textApogonichthyoides erdmanni n. sp. (Figures 1–2) Type material examined. Holotype: MZB 20018, 39.2 mm SL, 51.1 mm TL, Indonesia, West Papua, Raja Ampat Islands, SE of Misool Island, Fiabacet Island, 2 ° 13.022 'S 130 ° 33.800 'E, 73 m., 19 Feb 2011, Clove oil mixed with ethanol, digital color photograph, M. V. Erdmann. Comparative material. Amia uninotata Holotype USNM 70248 (1, 43.9), Philippines, Bisucay I., near Cuyo, Albatross, 9 Apr 1909, x-ray. Paratype USNM 339043 (1,40.0), Philippines, Palawan Is., Tara I., Mindoro Strait, Albatross, 15 Dec 1908, 3– 6 m., x-ray. Description. For general body shape see Fig. 1 a–c. Range of proportions (as percentage of standard length): body depth 35.5; head length 44.4; eye diameter 14.8; snout length 8.7; bony interorbital width 9.2; upper-jaw length 21.7; caudal-peduncle depth 15.3; caudal-peduncle length 23.0; first dorsal-fin spine length 3.8; second dorsal-fin spine length 9.7; third dorsal-fin spine length 19.1; fourth dorsal-fin spine length 17.1; spine in second dorsal fin 15.6; first anal-fin spine length 2.8; second anal-fin spine length 12.5; pectoral-fin length 28.8; pelvic-fin length 26.0. Dorsal fin VII-I, 9; anal fin II, 8; pectoral fin 15 - 15; pelvic fin I, 5; principal caudal rays 9 + 8; pored lateral line scales 24; transverse scale rows above lateral line 1 with very small scale at base of first dorsal fin between large scales; transverse scale rows below lateral line 5; median predorsal scales 3, last scale at origin of first dorsal fin Vshaped and almost hidden; circumpeduncular scale rows 12 (5 + 2 + 5). Band of villiform teeth premaxilla and dentary; one to two rows on the palatine; one row on vomer; none on ectopterygoid, endopteygoid or basihyal. Supramaxilla absent; posttemporal serrate on posterior margin; preopercle ridge smooth, edges serrate throughout margin; infraorbital edges smooth Scales cycloid on nape and anterior part of breast; two large ctenoid pelvic scales; cycloid to very short row of ctenii on cheek; scales mostly missing on opercle; last pored lateral line scale very elongate. Anterior nare a long tubule, posterior nare without raised ridge. Pores pattern on the head are shown in Figs. 2 A–C. Mucous on the head obscured dorsal pores on the central region and supertemporal expanded nape area; cheek and preopercular pores not well defined. Free neuromasts obscured on head; linear lines of free neuromasts associated with principal caudal fin-rays: seven present along ventral edges of upper branched rays (3–9) and on four on dorsal edges of lower branched rays (11–14); free neuromasts lines absent on caudal fin ray number 10, upper unbranched and branched caudal rays (1– 2), and lower unbranched and branched caudal rays (15–17). Fresh color pattern. (Fig. 1 A): dorsal, snout and lips of head a pale yellow, light brown below and behind eye and body light brown; two slightly darker bars on body, broad bar from base of second dorsal fin to base of anal fin and one on caudal peduncle at base of caudal fin; three dark brown marks at edge of eye, first narrowly along anterior edge of eye passing under eye extending as a thick stripe to edge of opercle, second as a thick stripe from posterior edge of eye to edge of opercle, third as an oval spot at posterior of eye above second stripe; rounded dark spot under first dorsal fin below lateral line smaller than pupil of eye; first dorsal fin dark edging from base of first two spines to distal half of third and fourth spines, pale yellow below with numerous small white spots; second dorsal fin pale yellow with proximal whitish base; anal fin distally yellow with fine melanophores, proximally with white band grading into pale yellow; caudal fin yellow with fine melanophores; spine of pelvic fin light brown with many small white spots, longer rays light brown grading to pale yellow on shorter fin rays. Post mortem color pattern. (Fig. 1 B): Head and body brown, scales above lateral line outlined in brown; caudal peduncle with complete brown bar, no bar below second dorsal fin to anal fin; three dark brown mark at edge of eye; first narrowly along anterior edge of eye passing under eye extending as a thick stripe to edge of opercle, second as a thick stripe from posterior edge of eye to edge of opercle, third as an oval spot at posterior of eye above second stripe; rounded dark spot under first dorsal fin below lateral line smaller than pupil of eye; first dorsal fin dark brown at base of first and second spines and distally on third to fifth spines, pale membranes from near fifth though seventh spine; second dorsal fin with a narrow stripe of melanophores separate proximal pale band from distal yellow with fine melanophores; anal fin with pale proximal band grading to fine melanophores with yellow; caudal fin yellow membranes with fine melanophores on fin rays; pelvic spine and outer fin rays dark brown, inner rays whitish. Preserved color pattern. (Fig. 1 C): In 70 % ethyl alcohol the head and body with a brown ground color; tip of lower jaw and snout with fine dense brown spots; narrow, dark horizontal stripe from under eye becoming broad from eye onto opercle; broad dark stripe from posterior edge of eye to near tip of opercle flap; short broad mark near upper posterior edge of eye; dark round spot about equidistance from base of first dorsal fin to upper edge of pectoral fin, spot smaller than diameter of eye; cheeks with small brown spots extending on to sides scattered small brown spots on body, mostly below lateral line scales except on caudal peduncle; faint brown basicaudal bar slightly wider than pupil of eye, no other body bars apparent; black first dorsal from first two spines, most of distal membrane between third and fourth spines, about one-half of distal membrane black between fourth and fifth spines, spines and membranes pale posterior of fifth spine; second dorsal fin pale proximal one third of fin, distally with many fine brown spots; anal fin with proximal one fifth pale and distally with many fine brown spots; caudal fin with fine brown spots on membranes and fin-rays becoming less dense on membranes of inner rays; pelvic spine and first ray black to tips, inner rays pale; pectoral fin pale; scales above lateral line darkly edged. Etymology. Named for Mark Erdmann of Conservation International, Indonesia Marine Program, who collected and photographed the type specimen. Mark has worked closely with the second author for the past six years and is responsible for numerous new discoveries, resulting from his deep scuba collections around the East Indian region. Habitat. The specimen was collected at 73m at the base of a sheer drop off exposed to moderate to strong currents. The specimen was sheltering under a large block of dead coral rubble that rested on a moderate, silty sand slope. Remarks. Apogonichthyoides erdmanni is similar in head markings to the Philippine species A. uninotatus (Smith and Radcliffe in Radcliffe, 1912). The new species has vivid, horizontal dark cheek and post-ocular marks, a small oval spot between the eye and tip of upper preopercular arm, yellowish anal, second dorsal and caudal fins, a narrow basicaudal bar less than 1 / 3 the length of the caudal peduncle, a vertical bar under the posterior half of the second dorsal-fin base reaching the base of the anal fin, small dark spots on the lower half of the body onto the lower portion of the caudal peduncle and a body spot smaller than the pupil of the eye. Apogonichthyoides uninotatus has a faint diagonal cheek mark, a faint horizontal post-ocular mark, a faint dash between eye and tip of upper preopercular arm, brownish anal, second dorsal and caudal fin, a broad basicaudal bar more than 2 / 3 the length of the caudal peduncle, a broad body bar as a chevron including all of the second dorsal-fin base reaching the base of the anal fin, no small dark spots on lower half of body and a body spot larger than the pupil of the eye (Fig. 1 D &E). Free neuromast patterns have not been described for Apogonichthyoides. Bergman (2004) mentions Apogonichthyoides timorensis in the remarks section of Ostorhinchus, but did not provide illustrations of the species. The free neuromasts were obscured and difficult to see in the new species. Several specimens of Apogonichthyoides taeniatus (UF 29838) had 7 + 5 = 12 free neuromast lines on branched caudal fin rays while the single specimen of A. erdmanni had 7 + 4 = 11 visible under the microscope. The dorsal head pore pattern is partially done (Fig. 2), complete for the snout and areas adjacent to the eye, missing the central and posterior areas of the head and nape. No information is presented for the preopercular or posttemporal regions. One larger supraorbital pore is present, a characteristic seen among other apogonids and in those Apogonichthyoides examined to date (erdmanni, miniatus and umbratilis), absent in timorensis.Published as part of Fraser, Thomas H. & Allen, Gerald R., 2011, A new cardinalfish of the genus Apogonichthyoides (Perciformes, Apogonidae) from Raja Ampat Islands, with a key to species, pp. 63-68 in Zootaxa 3095 on pages 64-67, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.20079
Is spotted knapweed (Centaurea stoebe L.) patch size related to the effect on soil and vegetation properties?
No full textSpotted knapweed (Centaurea stoebe L. subsp. Micranthos (Gugler) Hayek) was first introduced in the 1890s from Europe into western North America, where it now occupies over three million hectares of rangeland and pasture in 14 states and two Canadian provinces, reducing forage production and causing economic damage. Despite many reported effects spotted knapweed can have on soils and native vegetation, it is not known whether patch size is correlated with these ecosystem-level effects. The objective of our study was to determine whether the effects of spotted knapweed on plant composition and soil properties was related to spotted knapweed patch size. We asked the following questions: (1) Are there differences in plant species richness and diversity between small and large knapweed patches? and (2) Do soil water and soil mineral nutrient properties change depending on knapweed patch size? Twentyfour knapweed patches, and paired natural grassland plots, were randomly selected within Lac du Bois Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada. Knapweed patch size ranged from 6 to 366 m2. Sampling and analysis revealed a significant effect of knapweed patch size on soil and vegetation properties. Soil P, soil temperature, and total dry plant biomass (g/0.25 m2) increased, while soil N, soil C, and soil moisture decreased with patch size. Since our results show that spotted knapweed patch size is related to degree of soil alteration, it is important to consider size of patch when modeling the impact of spotted knapweed in North America. Since large patches of spotted knapweed seem to have a proportionately greater effect on soil chemistry properties, large patches may move the system further away from a point where it is possible to restore the site to pre-invasion conditions.Peer reviewedGrasslandsRangelandsInvasive plantPlant diversityPlant litterSoil nutrient
Dissolution of the category of identity: the deconstructive approach of the thought of Nancy Fraser
No full textNancy Fraser, American philosopher, argues that claims for recognition of difference push at present, many social conflicts in the world and cover a wide range of aspirations, from the emancipation to the more openly roundly rejected. This multiplicity of movements seeking to express their demands through the language of recognition. 66 María Nohemí González Civilizar 10 (18): 65-74, enero-junio de 2010 Today, the claim of identity supplants class interest and makes it the best means of social mobilization. This new vision requires to Guild an intellectual and practical enterprise, which must be the dissolution of the concept of identity as a category of social analysis. The author proposes the model’s status as an alternative model in this configuration. What requires recognition is not group-specific identity but the status of individual members of a group as full participants in social interaction. To participate fully in a social group requires a new model of justice that has the capacity to sustain the lack of recognition and cultural value can not be understood apart from economic conditions and can not block the distribution of wealth. Also economic reasons, such as income distribution, counts as subtext for the recognition. Only considering both dimensions simultaneously it is possible to determine what prevents equal participation in a particular case. This is achieved by analyzing the overlap between recognition and redistribution to determine what is the best way to remedy the injustice
Tension and challenge in collaborative school-university research.
No full textCollaborative university and school research projects are inevitably labour intensive endeavours that require the careful negotiation of trust and the joint critique of current practice. While this raises tension it can also build generative communities of inquiry that enhance both theory and practice. This article refers to an arts project undertaken in eight primary schools between university staff and generalist teacher co-researchers, focusing on children's idea development in dance, drama, music and visual art. The two-year project is briefly outlined and some issues that arise in school research are explored. There were issues related to insider-outsider tensions, the familiarity all project members have with classrooms, and the associated difficulties with reconceptualising how things might be done. While there are many strengths in collaborative research, there are also tensions. Some of the tensions outlined in this paper include: the need to exercise healthy scepticism alongside interest in the arts; the different cultures of schools and universities and how these influence research; and issues of risk and trust, which are both sensitive areas of ongoing negotiation. These issues and paradoxes in collaborative research are considered alongside particular processes that build school and university partnerships
Hindu Snapshots Latest Arrivals
No full textDescribes the initial arrival of a group of South Asian immigrants from the steamship TartarResearch project undertaken by the University of the Fraser Valley South Asian Studies Institute, formerly the Centre for Indo-Canadian Studies in 201
Spotted knapweed (Centaurea stoebe L. subsp. Micranthos (Gugler) Hayek) was first introduced in the 1890s from Europe into western North America, where it now occupies over three million hectares of rangeland and pasture in 14 states and two Canadian provinces, reducing forage production and causing economic damage. Despite many reported effects spotted knapweed can have on soils and native
vegetation, it is not known whether patch size is correlated with these ecosystem-level effects. The objective of our study was to determine whether the effects of spotted knapweed on plant composition and soil properties was related to spotted knapweed patch size. We asked the following questions: (1) Are there differences in plant species richness and diversity between small and large knapweed patches? and (2)
Do soil water and soil mineral nutrient properties change depending on knapweed patch size? Twentyfour knapweed patches, and paired natural grassland plots, were randomly selected within Lac du Bois Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada. Knapweed patch size ranged from 6 to 366 m2. Sampling and analysis revealed a significant effect of knapweed patch size on soil and vegetation properties. Soil P, soil
temperature, and total dry plant biomass (g/0.25 m2) increased, while soil N, soil C, and soil moisture decreased with patch size. Since our results show that spotted knapweed patch size is related to degree of soil alteration, it is important to consider size of patch
when modeling the impact of spotted knapweed in North America. Since large patches of spotted knapweed seem to have a proportionately greater effect on soil chemistry properties, large patches may move the system further away from a point where it is possible to
restore the site to pre-invasion conditions.Peer reviewedGrasslandsRangelandsInvasive plantPlant diversityPlant litterSoil nutrient
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