ALBERT

Description: Moral disengagement was initially conceptualized as a process through which people reconstrue unethical behaviors, with the effect of deactivating self-sanctions and thereby clearing the way for ethical transgressions. Our article challenges how researchers now conceptualize moral disengagement. The current literature is overly liberal, in that it mixes two related but distinct constructs—process moral disengagement and the propensity to morally disengage—creating ambiguity in the findings. It is overly conservative, as it adopts a challengeable classification scheme of “four points in moral self-regulation” and perpetuates defining moral disengagement via a set of eight psychological mechanisms, narrowing our understanding of the phenomenon. To address these problems, we propose to define process moral disengagement intensionally (specifying the necessary and sufficient conditions for correct application of the term) as intrapsychic cognitive reasoning processes through which people selectively reconstrue a moral judgment “behavior B by actor A is morally wrong” and shift it toward becoming “behavior B is not morally wrong” or “actor A is not responsible for behavior B.” This definition achieves disambiguation and increased concept clarity. We leverage the definition to motivate a classification scheme for psychological mechanisms of moral disengagement along two dimensions—reconstruing morality and reconstruing agency—and to initiate an open inventory of psychological mechanisms that specify how process moral disengagement operates.

Description: With the last Holocaust survivors quietly passing away, one might also expect to see accountability debates slowing to a trickle. Surprisingly, however, recent years show an upswing in corporate World War II-related atonement debates. Interest in corporate participation in mass atrocity has expanded worldwide; yet what constitutes ethical corporate behavior during and after war remains understudied. This article considers these questions through a study of the French National Railways’ (SNCF) roles during the German occupation and its more recent struggle to make amends. This study demonstrates that ethical business leadership requires taking responsibility for past as well as current decisions. Most executives grappling with complex corporate histories work in isolation, in part because the scholarship on business ethics fails to provide guidance. Without such guidance, corporations often respond to accusations about their pasts with carefully crafted statements and legal strategies rather than deep expressions of moral leadership. To assist in remedying this tendency, this paper simultaneously encourages companies to engage in deeper reflection on corporate history, while urging scholars to help guide corporations through critical ethical conversations.

Description: This paper demonstrates how the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) governs advertising ethics with and on behalf of its members and stakeholders. Drawing on an archive of 310 non-commercial (i.e., not-for-profit and public) adjudication reports, we highlight the substantive norms and procedural mechanisms through which the ASA governs advertising complaints alleging offence and/or harm. Substantively, the ASA precludes potential normative transgressions by publishing, disseminating, consulting upon, and updating detailed codes of advertising conduct. Procedurally, the ASA adjudicates between allegations and justifications of offence and harm on a received complaint-by-complaint basis, often upon consequentialist grounds. Such consequentialism, we claim, has the effect of normalizing power imbalances between the ASA’s members, on the one hand, and wider stakeholders, on the other hand. The paper argues that, in the context of UK advertising, what Michel Foucault called the right ‘to be or not to be governed like that’ is enjoyed by relatively few subjects. Having demonstrated how UK advertising practices are governed, the paper closes with suggestions as to how they might be governed otherwise.

Description: Management and business literature affirm the role played by stakeholders in corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices as crucial, but what constitutes a true business–society partnership remains relatively unexplored. This paper aims to improve scholarly and management understanding beyond the usual managers’ perceptions on salience attributes, to include how stakeholders can acquire missing attributes to inform a meaningful partnership. In doing this, a model is proposed which conceptualises CSR practices and outcomes within the frameworks of stakeholder salience via empowerment, sustainable corporate social performances and partnership quality. A holistic discussion leads to generation of propositions on stakeholder salience management, corporate social performance, corporate–community partnership systems and CSR practices, which have both academic and management implications.

Description: Background and aims Soil amendments are often added to polluted soils to increase phytoremediation efficiency. Here we investigated the potential of a range of organic amendments for phytoextraction of heavy metals in a contaminated sediment. Methods Two experiments compared adsorption and phytoextraction of heavy metals by a Cd-hyperaccumulator Carpobrotus rossii grown in the contaminated sediment amended with six organic amendments. Results The adsorption capacity as measured by Langmuir adsorption maximum followed the order of Cr 〉 Zn 〉 Cu 〉 Cd, and the effect of organic amendments followed the order of chicken manure 〉 cow manure 〉 brown coal 〉 golden wattle biochar 〉 blue gum biochar 〉 radiata pine biochar. The addition of amendments increased the adsorption of heavy metals, with brown coal resulting in the lowest concentrations of water-extractable Cd, Cu and Zn. Two manures resulted in the highest concentrations of these water-extractable heavy metals in the rhizosphere soil of C. rossii. Furthermore, brown coal resulted in higher shoot accumulation of these heavy metals than three wood-derived biochars, whilst the manures generally had the lowest accumulation of Cd and Cu although they increased shoot biomass. Conclusions The addition of brown coal decreased whereas manure addition increased the mobility (water-extractable fraction) of heavy metals in rhizosphere soil. Phytoextraction of Cd and Cu was greater with brown coal than with biochars or manures. Brown coal is suitable for enhancing phytoextraction of these heavy metals because it could increase their accumulation in shoots of C. rossii and decrease the risk of leaching of these heavy metals into groundwater.

Description: Background and aims Cicer canariense has been shown to be a promiscuous legume. The symbiotic characteristics of several C. canariense mesorhizobial genospecies harbouring similar symbiotic genes are studied. Methods Comparative analysis of nodA and nifH gene phylogenies, and characterization of the symbiotic phenotypes on the basis of nodulation and nitrogen fixation was performed. Results Phylogenetic analyses of the nodulation gene nodA was in complete agreement with those previously done on nodC in grouping these mesorhizobia within symbiovar loti. In the nifH phylogeny, however, these strains were resolved into two subgroups named nifH-1 and nifH-2 . Subgroup nifH -1 contained strains from two genospecies and correlates with symbiovar loti, as it clustered with Mesorhizobium reference strains nodulating Lotus corniculatus . In contrast, subgroup nifH -2 contained strains of the other seven genospecies without reference strains and formed a distant branch on its own. Strains combining symbiovar loti genes in any chromosomal background effectively nodulated C. canariense , although with significant differences in nitrogen fixation capabilities. Conclusions Symbiovar loti genes are the most widely spread in the mesorhizobia that nodulate C. canariense in its natural habitat. They included two variants of the nifH gene and were found to be associated with nine chromosomal backgrounds (genospecies), resulting in strains showing different symbiotic effectiveness. Mesorhizobium tamadayense symbiovar loti strains were the most effective in this legume.

Description: In this paper, we offer a conceptualization of leadership as contemplative. Drawing on MacIntyre’s perspective on virtue ethics and Levinas’ and Gilligan’s work on the ethics of responsibility and care, we propose contemplative leadership as virtuous activity; reflexive, engaged, relational, and embodied practice that requires knowledge from within context and practical wisdom. More than simply offering another way to conceptualize the ethics of leadership (e.g., what leaders ought to do), this research contributes to understanding the ethics of leadership in practice . Empirically, we analyze the narratives of those in positions of formal authority and other organizational members in churches. We illustrate contemplative leadership as driven by a good purpose, derived from the unique organizational and broader societal context in which leadership occurs, and grounded in an ethical concern for the other. Contemplative leadership accounts for the complexity of experience and is discerned in mundane and everyday practices. We conclude with the implications for leadership theory, practice, and education.

Description: Civil society organizations (CSOs) attempt to induce corporations to behave in more socially responsible ways, with a view to raising labour standards. A broader way of conceptualizing their efforts to influence the policies and practices of employers is desirable, one centred upon the concept of civil governance. This recognizes that CSOs not only attempt to shape the behaviour of employers through the forging of direct, collaborative relationships, but also try to do so indirectly, with interactions of various kinds with the state being integral. Drawing on evidence derived from UK-based CSOs involved in work and employment relations, four types of civil governance are identified and characterized. By elaborating the concept of civil governance, and demonstrating how different types of civil governance operate, the research extends our knowledge and understanding of how CSOs, as increasingly prominent actors in the field of work and employment relations, operate within, and contribute to, systems of labour governance.

Description: Background and Aims Competition between intercropped species is important for yield advantage, but little attention has been given to interspecific competitive dynamics in intercropping. Methods A field experiment with five cropping systems (wheat/maize, barley/maize intercropping, wheat, maize and barley sole cropping), two N levels (0 and 225 kg N ha −1 ) and two maize mulching treatments (with and without) were performed. Sequential harvest of subplots was performed between 7 and 10 times, and the data were fitted to a logistic growth model. Results Intercropping significantly increased the maximum biomass and maximum growth rates of wheat and barley, but suppressed the early and maximum growth rate of intercropped maize. Maize growth recovered after the wheat or barley was harvested. In the presence of film mulch and/or fertilization, maximum biomass of intercropped maize was close to or significantly higher than that of maize alone. Fertilization and film mulching had much stronger effects on growth of maize than on wheat and barley. Conclusions Interspecific competitive dynamics regulated by fertilization and film mulching can be quantified by the logistic model, which is helpful to understand the yield advantage of intercropping. This has important implications for managing interspecific competition through agronomic practices at field.

Description: Background and aims Take-all, caused by the soilborne pathogen Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici , ( Ggt ), is an important root disease of wheat. Continuous wheat cropping has been shown to induce take-all decline (TAD). This research investigated the mechanisms of TAD in 13 New Zealand soils in two experiments and identified the associated microorganisms using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). Methods In Experiment 1, a sterile sand/maize-meal mixture inoculated or not inoculated with Ggt , was added at 4 % ( w / w ) to sterilised and non-sterilised soils to determine their ability to suppress take-all, and to help identify the nature of suppression. Experiment 2 investigated the transferability of suppressive properties in five of the soils from Experiment 1. The microbial communities of these five soils were analysed using PCR-DGGE. Results Ten of the soils were able to suppress take-all but the suppression was biological in nature in only four of these soils. The suppressive properties of two of the soils were transferred to a γ-irradiated base soil amended with Ggt , indicating that suppression could be specific in nature (i.e., attributed to a specific microorganism or group of microorganisms). The suppressive properties in one soil were not transferrable, suggesting a general form of suppression, most probably because the conditions in the soil were suitable for other microorganisms to compete with Ggt . DGGE analyses of the microbial communities for five of the soils showed similar banding patterns for those with similar forms of suppression (specific, general and non-suppressive) and identified the potential microorganisms that distinguished them. Conclusion These distinguishing microorganisms are likely to independently or interactively have a function in suppressing take-all.

Description: Using data collected through semi-structured open-ended interviews and archival material, we examined the transience of stakeholders’ salience in the organisational field going through institutional change process. We found strong support for the dominant institutional logic-stakeholder salience relationship. More importantly, the results of our study reveal that changes in stakeholders’ salience are directly related to changes in stakeholders’ attributes. Moreover, we uncover mutual associations among various types of salience attributes and show that the degree of mutual association of various types of attributes depends upon the stage the organisation has reached during the process of institutional change.

Description: We considered the question of how corporate social responsibility (CSR) differs between Canada and the U.S. Prior research has identified that national institutional differences exist between the two countries [Freeman and Hasnaoui, J Business Ethics 100(3):419–443, 2011 ], which may be associated with variations in their respective CSR practices. Matten and Moon [Acad Manag Rev 33(2):404–424, 2008 ] suggested that cross-national differences in firms’ CSR are depicted by an implicit–explicit conceptual framework: explicit CSR practices are deliberate and more strategic than implicit CSR practices. We compared Canada and U.S. CSR and examined how CSR strategic alliances, CSR reporting, and CSR performance in the two countries correspond to implicit versus explicit CSR practices, which we link to stakeholder and signaling perspectives. We relied upon a new database, the Sustainalytics Global Platform (SGP), and we found a positive association exists between CSR strategic alliances and the number of years that firms have issued standalone CSR reports in both countries. Moreover, we found that CSR scores mediated this association in the U.S., as U.S. firms with high CSR scores typically engage in more CSR strategic alliances. In Canada, we did not find this mediating effect. Our findings suggest that U.S. firms engage in signaling activities that are more strategic and explicit than their Canadian counterparts. This paper closes with implications for practice and theory.

Description: Values theory posits that individuals have values and they are formed by upbringing and life’s experiences and influence an individuals’ cognitive processes, decisions, and behavior. Emerging onto the business scene is a new population group, the Millennials. This research seeks to explore Millennials’ values from the viewpoint of their personal value orientation (PVO). Managerial PVO from the 1980s and 2010s are used as comparative populations. The Millennials’ PVO is generally consistent with managerial PVO from past research. They tend toward a Personal, rather than Social, and Competence, rather than Moral, value orientation. Yet, some subtle differences emerged. Millennials are more self-focused and less other-focused than managers from the 1980s or 2010s. They emphasize competency skills more than today’s managers but less than the managers of the 1980s and place more worth on moral values than managers of the 1980s but less than today’s managers.

Description: Although many organizations around the world have engaged in corporate social responsibility (CSR) programing, there is little evidence of social impact. This is a problematic omission since many programs carry the stigma of marketing ploys used to bolster organizational image or reduce consumer skepticism. To address this issue and build on existing scholarship, the purpose of this study was to evaluate a socially responsible youth employability program in the United Kingdom. The program was developed through the foundation of a professional British soccer team to bolster employability and life skills for marginalized London youth. Program funding was provided by a large multinational bank as part of their CSR agenda. This evaluation was undertaken to understand the beneficiary impacts associated with program deployment. Results from the pre-intervention/post-intervention, sequential mixed-method evaluation show statistically significant differences among several “soft” beneficiary outcomes (e.g., self-esteem, self-efficacy, and perceived marketability). However, results are mixed regarding whether the “hard” outcome of employment was achieved by program participants. Qualitative findings buttress these results, indicating a high level of motivation for work, attitude enhancement, and satisfaction with program delivery.

Description: As a result of the increasing public attention to environmental crises, corporate environmental actions and their effects are a current research hotspot. This study examines how two types of corporate environmental actions (symbolic and substantial environmental actions) influence consumers’ perceptions of environmental legitimacy and subsequent purchase intentions. Using experimental method, this study finds that (1) substantial environmental action induces significantly higher perceptions of environmental legitimacy than symbolic environmental action, (2) this effect can be attenuated by corporate environmental reputation, and (3) consumer-based environmental legitimacy has a significantly positive effect on consumers’ purchase intentions. These findings have interesting implications for both researchers and practitioners involved in green marketing.

Description: Aims To determine the impact of long-term rabbit and sheep grazing on Salix repens N status (green and abscised leaf N content and C:N ratio), internal N dynamics and soil N supply rate in dune slacks. Methods Herbivore exclosures were erected in dune slacks at Ainsdale Sand Dunes NNR, creating three grazing treatments: rabbit grazing; rabbits excluded for 36 years; rabbit grazing followed by sheep and rabbit grazing for 18 years. Soil N supply rate was analysed using ion exchange membranes; leaf N dynamics of S. repens were measured over one summer. Results Soil N supply rate was higher in ungrazed plots. There was no difference in green leaf N MASS or C:N ratio between treatments, but N dynamics differed. Adding sheep to existing rabbit grazing reduced S. repens N resorption efficiency (R EFF ) from 67 to 37 %; excluding rabbits had no impact. Litter N MASS was lower and C:N ratio higher in ungrazed plots. Conclusions Grazing can impact significantly on leaf N resorption, but this impact depends on the grazing regime.

Description: Aims Maize ( Zea mays L.) is one of the most important crops worldwide. Despite several studies on maize roots, there is limited information on the function of different root types in extracting water from soils. Aim of this study was to investigate the location of water uptake in maize roots. Methods We used neutron radiography to image the spatial distribution of maize roots in soil and trace the transport of deuterated water (D 2 O) in soil and roots. Maize plants were grown in aluminum containers filled with a sandy soil that was kept homogeneously wet throughout the experiment. When the plants were 16 days old, we injected D 2 O into selected soil regions. The transport of D 2 O was simulated using a diffusion–convection numerical model. By fitting the observed D 2 O transport we quantified the diffusion coefficient and the water uptake of the different root segments. Results The root architecture of a 16 day-old maize consisted of a primary root, 4–5 seminal roots and many lateral roots. Laterals emerged from the proximal 15 cm of the primary and seminal roots. During both day and night measurements, D 2 O entered more quickly into lateral roots than into primary and seminal roots. The quick transport of D 2 O into laterals was caused by the small radius of lateral roots. The diffusion coefficient of lateral roots (4.68 × 10 −7  cm 2  s −1 ) was similar to that of the distal unbranched segments of seminal roots (4.72 × 10 −7  cm 2  s −1 ) and higher than that of the proximal branched segments (1.42 × 10 −7  cm 2  s −1 ). Water uptake of lateral roots (1.64 × 10 −5  cm s −1 ) was much higher than the uptake of seminal roots, which was 5.34 × 10 −10  cm s −1 in the proximal branched segments and only 1.18 × 10 −12  cm s −1 in the distal unbranched segments. Conclusions We conclude that the function of lateral roots is to absorb water from the soil, while the function of the primary and seminal roots is to axially transport water to the shoot.

Description: Aims Kin selection and resource partitioning have been proposed to explain interactions between plants growing with siblings (from the same mother). These mechanisms have been examined by measurements of fitness, phenotype or allocation traits, but have seldom been tested with N acquisition traits. Methods We determine if kin selection and resource partitioning are occurring using two annual species ( Sorghum vulgare and Glycine max ) with a short-term 15 N experiment. A mixture of ammonium, nitrate and glycine (1:1:1) was injected into soils around plants after they grew for 47 days. Only one nitrogen (N) form was 15 N labeled in each labeling solution. Results S. vulgare increased root allocation when growing with strangers (from the different mother), but not increase their N uptake. Although G. max strangers did not increase their root allocation, they significantly increased uptake of total N and the most abundant N form (nitrate) and decreased uptake of the least abundant (glycine). Conclusions G. max siblings reduced competition due to chemical resource partitioning while S. vulgare showed kin selection. We concluded that processes related to kin selection and resource partitioning can occur simultaneously, resulting in different competitive ability. These findings can improve our understanding of plants growing with siblings or strangers.

Description: Aims The aim was to devise a practical soil sampling design for oil palm plantations that takes into account tree-scale variability, thus facilitating detection of trends in soil properties over time. Methods We geometrically evaluated the ability of linear sampling transects to represent the distribution of typical management zones and radial patterns known to influence soil properties. The effect of sampling point density was tested using interpolated surfaces of soil biological, chemical and physical properties derived from values measured on a 35-point sampling grid covering the repeating tree unit in plantations with 15–25-year old palms. Results The ability of sampling transects to represent the proportion of the plantation in various zones improved with increasing transect length and sampling density. Increasing the number of sampling points from 10 to 50 (using an acceptably long transect with length 5.57 × palm spacing) decreased the maximum deviation between the overall mean and the transect-derived mean from 15.9 to 5.6 % for the most variable parameter, respiration, and 3.2 to 0.6 % for the least variable parameter, bulk density. Conclusions Transect sampling provides an efficient means of obtaining a composite soil sample that accounts for tree-scale variability in oil palm plantations. The method is readily adaptable for other tree crops.

Description: Background Botanists, ecologists and evolutionary biologists are familiar with the astonishing species richness and endemism of the fynbos of the Cape Floristic Region and the ancient and unique flora of the kwongkan of south-western Australia. These regions represent old climatically-buffered infertile landscapes (OCBILs) that are the basis of a general hypothesis to explain their richness and endemism. However, few ecologists are familiar with the campo rupestre of central and eastern Brazil, an extremely old mountaintop ecosystem that is both a museum of ancient lineages and a cradle of continuing diversification of endemic lineages. Scope Diversification of some lineages of campo rupestre pre-dates diversification of lowland cerrado , suggesting it may be the most ancient open vegetation in eastern South America. This vegetation comprises more than 5000 plant species, nearly 15 % of Brazil’s plant diversity, in an area corresponding to 0.78 % of its surface. Reviewing empirical data, we scrutinise five predictions of the OCBIL theory, and show that campo rupestre is fully comparable to and remarkably convergent with both fynbos and kwongkan , and fulfills the criteria for a classic OCBIL. Conclusions The increasing threats to campo rupestre are compromising ecosystem services and we argue for the implementation of more effective conservation and restoration strategies.

Description: Corporate responsibility (CR) has often been criticised as a decoupled organisational phenomenon: a publicly espoused rule that is not followed in daily organisational practices. We argue that a crucial reason for this criticism arises from the dominant in-house assumption of CR literature, which mitigates tensions and contradictions in organisational life by claiming that integrated rules result in coupled practices. We aim to provide new insights by problematising this in-house assumption and by examining how members of two organisations discursively make sense of CR, as a daily rule-bound practice, via three strategies: integration, differentiation and fragmentation. We elaborate the contemporary literature on CR as a daily organisational practice by examining the significance of discursive sensemaking for organisational rules for further development and learning regarding CR. We then discuss the significance of our results for understanding CR as a coupled/decoupled phenomenon.

Description: Using an event-study framework, we examine the stock market reaction to the announcement of firm withdrawal from countries designated as “State Sponsors of Terrorism” by the U.S. Department of State. We find that such announcements are, on average, linked to a statistically significant increase in firm value—an effect which already kicks in a few days before the announcement date. The observed abnormal returns are positively associated with the U.S. domicile, the intensity of a firm’s hitherto existing engagement in a designated country, the number of countries that it withdraws from, as well as with a withdrawal from Iran compared to a withdrawal from other countries. Evidence suggests an increase in demand for stocks of withdrawing firms as a plausible cause of the positive stock price reaction. Pension and endowment funds are significantly less likely to own strategic stakes in firms with intensive involvements in countries designated as “State Sponsors of Terrorism.” We find some statistical evidence that firms remaining active in such countries have abnormally positive returns in the long run.

Description: Aims The colonization pattern of three grapevine endophytes (families Sphingomonadaceae and Enterobacteriaceae) and their putative metabolic signature in plants were analyzed on Vitis vinifera L. cv. Pinot noir to determine the behavior of endophytic strains inside plants as well as how plants respond to such microsymbionts. Methods Strains Enterobacter ludwigii EnVs6, Pantoea vagans PaVv7 and Sphingomonas phyllosphaerae SpVs6, were root inoculated on micropropagated grapevine plantlets and colonization was determined by double labeling of oligonucleotide probes-fluorescence in situ hybridization (DOPE-FISH) coupled with confocal microscopy. After inoculation, the metabolic signature in plants colonized by Enterobacter ludwigii EnVs6 was further studied using UPLC//tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Results E. ludwigii EnVs6 and P. vagans PaVv7 colonized the plantlets and were both observed on the root surfaces and as endophytes in the cortex and inside the central cylinder up to xylem vessels, but not in the systemic plant parts. Strain SpVs6 also efficiently colonized the root surface, but not the endorhiza and was therefore not detected as an endophyte. A metabolic signature in plants inoculated with E. ludwigii EnVs6 was depicted, resulting in a significant increase in vanillic acid and a decrease in the concentration of catechin, esculin, arbutin, astringin, pallidol, ampelopsin, D-quadrangularin and isohopeaphenol. Changes in the concentration of epicatechin, procyanidin 1, taxifolin and the sum of quercetin-3-glucoside and quercetin-3-galactoside, in roots and stems were also detected, showing that the effect of colonization of plants is most prominent in the stems. Conclusions Colonization patterns in endophytes are divergent according to the strains used. A metabolic signature suggests the activation of pathways involved in plant defense but also modulation of the production of metabolites that are keys for colonization.

Description: Background We hypothesize that invasive English ivy ( Hedera helix ) harbors endophytic microbes that promote plant growth and survival. To evaluate this hypothesis, we examined endophytic bacteria in English ivy and evaluated effects on the host plant. Methods Endophytic bacteria were isolated from multiple populations of English ivy in New Brunswick, NJ. Bacteria were identified as a single species Bacillus amyloliquefaciens . One strain of B. amyloliquefaciens , strain C6c, was characterized for indoleacetic acid (IAA) production, secretion of hydrolytic enzymes, phosphate solubilization, and antibiosis against pathogens. PCR was used to amplify lipopeptide genes and their secretion into culture media was detected by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Capability to promote growth of English ivy was evaluated in greenhouse experiments. The capacity of C6c to protect plants from disease was evaluated by exposing B+ (bacterium inoculated) and B− (non-inoculated) plants to the necrotrophic pathogen Alternaria tenuissima . Results B. amyloliquefaciens C6c systemically colonized leaves, petioles, and seeds of English ivy. C6c synthesized IAA and inhibited plant pathogens. MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry analysis revealed secretion of antifungal lipopeptides surfactin, iturin, bacillomycin, and fengycin. C6c promoted the growth of English ivy in low and high soil nitrogen conditions. This endophytic bacterium efficiently controlled disease caused by Alternaria tenuissima . Conclusions This study suggests that B. amyloliquefaciens plays an important role in enhancing growth and disease protection of English ivy.

Description: Background and aims Alkaline soils, characterized by high pH, are representative of degraded regions throughout the world. Studying germination in relation to alkalinity can contribute to understanding how species cope with such conditions. Although the effects of pH have been widely studied, it is unknown whether germination response to pH gradients created with buffer solutions is representative of the conditions experienced in alkaline soils. Our aims were to (1) determine if high pH gives an accurate assessment of the effects of alkaline soils on germination, and (2) identify the inhibitory factors for germination in alkaline soils. Methods Using Leymus chinensis seeds, germination was tested over a gradient of pH solutions prepared using Tris (50 mM and 100 mM) and H 2 O buffers and eight germination media prepared from non-alkaline and alkaline soils with different pH and electrical conductivities (EC). Additionally, solutions of 10–100 mM NaCl, Na 2 SO 4 , Na 2 CO 3 and NaHCO 3 were used to determine the main ions inhibiting seed germination. Results H 2 O-buffered pH had no effect on seed germination, and seed germination was much lower at all pH levels in 50 mM Tris–HCl solutions (pH 7.0–10.35) than in the H 2 O control (pH 7.05). No seeds germinated in 100 mM Tris–HCl buffers irrespective of the pH. In alkaline germination media (pH 10.04–10.61), high germination was obtained only at low EC. The rank order of the inhibitory effect of salts was Na 2 CO 3  〉 NaHCO 3  〉 NaCl 〉 Na 2 SO 4 . Conclusions Buffer solutions used to simulate alkaline environments did not provide a reliable indicator of the effects of alkaline soils on seed germination. High pH of alkaline soil had no negative effects, and results suggest that salt composition and concentration, especially CO 3 2− and HCO 3 − , are key inhibitors.

Description: Background and aims Exotic plant species experience conditions in their introduced ranges that differ from those in their native range. Exotic plants may experience genetic changes in traits related to resource use, abiotic stress tolerance, and biotic interactions in response to such novel biotic and abiotic environments. Methods We conducted a pot experiment in the native range to investigate how soil fertility, soil salinity and soil sterilization together determine the performances of native (China) and invasive (US) populations of the tree Triadica sebifera . Results Salinity decreased plant growth, and increased AMF colonization and root:shoot. Fertilization or an unsterilized soil biota reduced the negative effects of salinity on plant survival. Fertilization decreased AMFcolonization and root:shoot ratio. Biomass was positively related to AMF colonization in unfertilized soils only. Seedlings from invasive populations grew faster and had higher AMF colonization. Conclusions Our results suggest that this invasive plant is able to persist in more saline environments when soil fertility is high or suitable AMF is present. The importance of the soil biota appears to be greater on low fertility soils where AMF provides significant benefits. The greater AMF association of plants from invasive populations suggests that resources, abiotic stress, and biotic interactions all may play a role in successful plant invasions.

Description: Background and aims Niche complementarity arising from divergence in resource use is an important mechanism underlying species coexistence. We hypothesized fertilization with different N forms would generate plastic divergence among species with regard to their N form uptake and preference. Methods In the eighth year of a long-term N fertilization experiment in an alpine meadow on the Tibetan plateau, we labeled 11 common plant species with ammonium- 15 N or nitate- 15 N in subplots without fertilization (control) or fertilized with 7.5 g N m −2  yr −1 in the form of ammonium, nitrate, or ammonium nitrate to trace N form uptake. Results Depending on species, fertilization with nitrate or ammonium nitrate had positive, negative or neutral effects on NO 3 -N uptake rate, although ammonium fertilization showed little impact. By contrast, fertilization with any N form had little impact on NH 4 -N uptake rate. Consequently, effects of nitrate fertilization and ammonium nitrate fertilization on relative N form preference diverged among the species and the functional groups (grasses, sedges, legumes and forbs). Conclusions Alpine plant species can diverge in N form uptake and preference in response to long-term N fertilization, and such divergence may contribute to species coexistence after long-term fertilization.

Description: Aims Stomata can close to avoid cavitation under decreased soil water availability. This closure can be triggered by hydraulic (‘H’) and/or chemical signals (‘C’, ‘H + C’). By combining plant hydraulic relations with a model for stomatal conductance, including chemical signalling, our aim was to derive direct relations that link soil water availability, expressed as fraction of roots in dry soil (f dry ), to transpiration reduction. Methods We used the mechanistic soil-root water flow model R-SWMS to verify this relation. Virtual split root experiments were simulated, comparing horizontal and vertical splits with varying f dry and different strengths of stomatal regulation by chemical and hydraulic signals. Results Transpiration reduction predicted by the direct relations was in good agreement with numerical simulations. For small enough potential transpiration and large enough root hydraulic conductivity and stomatal sensitivity to chemical signalling isohydric plant behaviour originates from H + C control whereas anisohydric behaviour emerges from C control. For C control the relation between transpiration reduction and f dry becomes independent of transpiration rate whereas H + C control results in stronger reduction for higher transpiration rates. Conclusion Direct relations that link effective soil water potential and leaf water potential can describe different stomatal control resulting in contrasting behaviour.

Description: Background and Aims Interspecific differences have been clearly shown in the contribution of endogenous spatial autocorrelation (caused by dispersal) to the spatial structure of undisturbed vegetation. However, this phenomenon has not been studied in industrially polluted areas, where heavy metals’ excess is traditionally considered to be the main driver of ecosystem processes. We compare the contributions of endogenous autocorrelation and environmental parameters to the distribution of herbaceous plants in open and forested sites heavily polluted with copper smelter emissions. Methods Principal coordinates of neighbour matrices were used to create spatial predictors that were incorporated into beta regression models together with environmental predictors. Their importance for species’ spatial structure was assessed using multimodel inference and variation partitioning approach. Results Equisetum sylvaticum, Leucanthemum vulgare, Tussilago farfara, Carex rostrata, Scirpus sylvaticus and Deschampsia cespitosa responded strongly to soil toxicity, while Agrostis capillaris and Lychnis flos-cuculi , to microtopography and tree disposition. Endogenous autocorrelation was strongly pronounced in L. flos-cuculi distribution across all study sites and was substantial for A. capillaris in open areas. Conclusion Despite the extreme level of soil toxicity, the importance of other environmental parameters and endogenous autocorrelation remarkably differed among species, resulting from interspecific differences in ecological preferences and dispersal mode.

Description: Background and aims Acid leached soils developed on loessic materials in Central Belgium present homogenous edaphic characteristics and similar patterns of strontium isotopic composition ( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr), used as tracer of the origin of calcium. This was inconsistent with the large range of 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios measured in leaves from beech stands developed on the sites. We hypothesised that the deep carbonate-bearing horizon (〉2.5 m) with low 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratio, could be a complementary source of Ca for tree nutrition. Methods We studied the change in foliar Sr isotopic composition and element concentrations in 12 forest sites along a soil sequence. This soil sequence was selected to include the largest range of variations in the depth at which the calcareous loess horizon occurs. In complement, root depth development was determined in six sites down to 300 cm. Results Our results reveal that Sr originating from deep carbonate influences significantly the isotopic composition of beech trees growing on loessic soils. This influence contributes from 20 to 80 % to the Ca nutrition of trees depending on their position along the soil sequence. Conclusions Despite its deep location in the soil profile, the carbonate-bearing horizon is determinant for the nutrient status of these forests.

Description: Aims Plant root traits affect soil biopore (BP) formation. Aims of this study were to measure the effects of fodder crop species with contrasting root traits and duration of cropping on BP density (BPD), and also to address the consistency of these effects over different years focusing on the effects of root decay. Methods Soil BPD was quantified after growing three perennial fodder crop species with contrasting root systems, namely, lucerne ( Medicago sativa L.), chicory ( Cichorium intybus L.) and tall fescue ( Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) for 1, 2, and 3 years with 2 years fallow in two repeated field trials from 2007 to 2014. Results Total BPD after taprooted fodder crops (421 ± 14 m −1 ) was significantly higher compared with fibrous-rooted crops (337 ± 12 m −1 ). Cropping duration did not affect soil BPD. On average, density of medium-sized BP (BP med ; 2–5 mm) increased 14 % after 2 years of fallow, whereas BPD decreased by 5 % for coarse-sized BP (BP cor ; 〉5 mm) after the fallow. Conclusions Taprooted fodder crops enhanced BP formation into subsoil. Accurate assessment of biopores (BPs) and their persistence must take account of the temporal dynamics, including effects of root decay.

Description: Background and aims Plant adaptation to waterlogged conditions requires a set of morphological and physiological/biochemical changes. The formation of aerenchyma is one of the most crucial adaptive traits for waterlogging tolerance. Enzymatic scavenging may also potentially contribute to waterlogging tolerance by providing detoxification of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Methods Changes of root porosity (as an indicator of aerenchyma formation) and activities in leaves of four major antioxidant enzymes, γ-amino butyric acid (GABA) and lactic acid contents in roots were evaluated in six barley genotypes contrasting in waterlogging tolerance. Results Soil waterlogging caused significant increases in adventitious root porosity in all genotypes. Waterlogging-tolerant genotypes showed not only significantly higher adventitious root porosity than sensitive genotypes but also much faster development of aerenchyma. The greatest difference in adventitious root porosity among genotypes was observed after 7 days of waterlogging treatment. At the same time, antioxidant enzyme activities in leaves, GABA and lactic acid contents in roots did not correlate with waterlogging tolerance. Conclusions A faster formation of aerenchyma in adventitious roots is one of the key factors for waterlogging tolerance in barley. This protocol is recommended to be applied in future studies to identify molecular markers linked to this trait using appropriate mapping populations.

Description: Using firm-level data from the U.S. manufacturing industry, this paper examines the relationship among inventory leanness, structural strategies for supply chains, and the carbon intensities of a firm and its suppliers. We formulate hypotheses on and empirically test whether this internal characteristic (inventory leanness) and these two structural strategies can influence the intensities of firm-level and supply chain environmental impacts. We examine inventory leanness because it not only reflects a manufacturer’s operational efficiency but also markedly influences manufacturers’ financial performance. We also focus on two closely related structural strategies (outsourcing and product diversification) that can influence the scope and ownership of the supply chain process, resulting in changes in emission allocation and, more importantly, how resources are utilized and shared in a firm. Based on multi-year carbon inventory data from U.S. manufacturing firms, we find that manufacturers with greater inventory leanness and a parsimonious process structure (i.e., a high level of outsourcing but low product diversification) tend to attain lower firm-level and supply chain carbon intensities.

Description: A large body of the literature on sustainability indicators, assessments and reporting is currently available. However, sustainability performance measurement systems have an insubstantial presence in the literature. Invariably, a sustainability performance measurement system presents the potential for certain trade-offs or opportunity costs for organizations. Extant sustainability platforms and standards are largely silent about how to deal with trade-offs. Utilizing evidence from the literature, as well as contingency factors, this paper seeks to present a heuristic model for establishing trade-offs in corporate sustainability performance measurement systems. Trade-offs in this area revolve around performance measurement, stakeholder management, competitive advantage, as well as the vertical and horizontal integration of the performance platform. This is particularly important for organizations seeking to establish, integrate or expand their environmental management systems into the area of sustainability. As yet, formalistic attempts to deal with trade-offs in sustainability performance measurement systems are infrequent and vague.

Description: In this paper, we examine the relationship between various Christian denominations and attitude and behavior regarding consumption of socially responsible (SR) products. Literature on the relationship between religiosity and pro-social behavior has shown that religiosity strengthens positive attitudes towards pro-social behavior, but does not affect social behavior itself. This seems to contradict the theory of planned behavior that predicts that attitude fosters behavior. One would therefore expect that if religiosity encourages attitude towards SR products, it would also increase the demand for them. We test this hypothesis for four affiliations (non-religious, Catholic, Orthodox Protestant, and Other Protestant) on a sample of 997 Dutch consumers, using structural equation modeling. We find that Christian religiosity, indeed, increases positive attitude towards SR products, except for the Orthodox Protestant affiliation. In accordance with the theory of planned behavior, attitude is found to increase the demand for SR products. We find no evidence of hypocrisy (in the sense that religiosity increases pro-social attitude without affecting behavior in the case of SR products) for any of the Christian denominations.

Description: Aims Wildfires are important disturbances that help to shape the structure and function of forest ecosystems, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are key players in the post-fire recovery of soils and understory vegetation. We aimed to investigate the response of AMF communities to wildfire over different timescales. Methods Primer set AMV4.5NF/AMDGR was used to amplify soil 18S rRNA gene fragments for the 454 GS-FLX pyrosequencing platform to examine belowground AMF communities 1 and 11 years following low- and high-intensity wildfires in the Greater Khingan Mountains of China. Results The majority of AMF sequences detected were annotated as Glomeraceae , Claroideoglomeraceae , Diversisporaceae and Acaulosporaceae . Both AMF community composition and alpha-diversity were correlated with herbaceous and shrubby biomass, available phosphorus (AP) and NH 4 + , which were in turn altered by wildfire. AMF community composition, alpha-diversity, and phylogenetic structure were significantly altered 1-year-post-fire. However, AMF communities were indistinguishable from unburned forest soils 11-year-post-fire. Conclusions Our results indicated that AMF communities are resilient to wildfire on decadal timescales. This resilience appears to depend on the post-fire regrowth of understory vegetation and the subsequent recovery of soil chemical properties.

Description: Aims We investigated N 2 O emissions from stems of Fraxinus angustifolia and Fagus sylvatica , hypothesizing that trees emit N 2 O through the stem via diffusion out of the transpiration stream. Methods We used static chambers fixed at different heights of the stem to estimate N 2 O stem effluxes. Chambers were also used for monitoring soil N 2 O emissions. To stimulate soil N 2 O production and stem N 2 O emissions we fertilized the soil. Results Before soil fertilization, stem N 2 O emissions were at most 2 μg N 2 O-N m −2 bark h −1 . After fertilization, stem and soil emissions were linearly correlated; stem emissions decreased linearly with increasing height. Stems of Fagus sylvatica emitted up to 80 μg N 2 O-N m −2 bark h −1 at 20 cm above soil level; at 200 cm, stem N 2 O emissions were below detection limit. Fraxinus angustifolia stem N 2 O emissions reached 35 μg N 2 O-N m −2 bark h −1 after soil fertilization. Conclusions Stem N 2 O emissions in upland trees occur even without aerenchyma, associated with xylem water transport. However, stem N 2 O emissions represented only 1–3 % of total (soil + stem) N 2 O emissions at the forest level. If this holds for other forest ecosystems, stem N 2 O emissions would be a minor pathway of N 2 O loss from terrestrial ecosystems into the atmosphere.

Description: Background and Aims Epichloë endophytes inhabit aerial grass tissues but they can modify belowground processes that might affect host nutrient balance. We aimed to determine the effects of endophyte status (E+=endophyte-infected; E−=non-infected) and three Epichloë morphotypes (M1,M2,M3) on growth and nutrient content of a heterogeneous set of naturally infected asymptomatic plants of Lolium perenne . In addition, plant parameters were compared between asymptomatic E+ and plants with choke disease. Methods A field experiment was conducted with 194 plants obtained from six natural populations (97E+, 97E−). For each E+ plant, the endophyte morphotype it hosted was known. Results Endophyte-infected plants had significantly lower P, Ca, S, B, neutral detergent fiber and lignin contents, and higher Mn and digestibility than E−, independently of plant origin. Biomass production was affected by plant origin but not by endophytes. No effect of Epichloë morphotypes in any parameter was found. However, asymptomatic E+ and choke diseased plants differed in nutrients, fibers, and digestibility. Conclusions An endophyte effect was detected in nutrient and fiber content, in spite of the heterogeneous constitution of the plant and fungal material used. The results obtained indicate that Epichloë may affect above and possibly underground processes involved in nutrient absorption, as well as plant quality, what may potentially affect litter decomposition processes.

Description: Background and aims There is evidence that plant facilitation occurs in heavy metal wastelands, but the extent and mechanisms of facilitation are not known. The copper (Cu) tolerant Elsholtzia splendens is a dominant pioneer species during the secondary succession on copper mine spoils in eastern China. Species appearing later are often associated with patches of E. splendens . We hypothesize that E. splendens facilitates neighbors by modifying local soil properties. Methods We conducted a field study on a heavy metal wasteland with local variation in soil Cu level to investigate the performance of a target species, Commelina communis , growing in open gaps vs. growing with E. splendens . Soil physicochemical and biological properties, biomass, plant interaction intensity as well as heavy metal concentration in C. communis were measured to study the effects of the presence of E. splendens . Results Effects of the presence of E. splendens on C. communis were generally positive, but negative effects were sometimes observed. Positive effects of E. splendens increased with increasing soil Cu level. Soil microbial activity was higher in the presence of E. splendens . Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that facilitation occurred through enrichment of the microbial properties of the soil, especially soil respiration rate and enzyme activity. Conclusions Our study highlights the importance of soil-mediated plant-plant interactions for the establishment of C. communis on heavy metal-contaminated sites. These interactions are important for the restoration of heavy metal wastelands.

Description: The role of moral intuition (i.e., a set of implicit processes which occur automatically and at the fringe of conscious awareness) has been increasingly implicated in business decisions and (un)ethical business behavior. But troublingly, because implicit processes often operate outside of conscious awareness, decision makers are generally unaware of their influence. We tested whether subtle contextual cues for identity can alter implicit beliefs. In two studies, we found that contextual cues which nonconsciously prime moral identity weaken the implicit association between the categories of “business” and “ethical,” an implicit association which has previously been linked to unethical decision making. Further, changes in this implicit association mediated the relationship between contextually primed moral identity and concern for external stakeholder groups, regardless of self-reported moral identity. Thus, our results show that subtle contextual cues can lead individuals to render more ethical judgments, by automatically restructuring moral intuition below the level of consciousness.

Description: Frequent and open interaction between venture capitalists (VCs) and entrepreneurs is necessary for venture capital investments to occur. Increasingly, these investments are made across jurisdictions. The vast majority of these cross-border investments are carried out in a syndicate of two or more VCs, indicating the effects of intra-industry networks needing further analysis. Using China as a model, we provide a novel multidimensional framework to explain cross-border investments in innovative ventures across developed and emerging economies. By analyzing a unique international dataset, we examine worldwide venture capital investment flows from 2000–2012 and consider the effects of geographical, cultural, and institutional proximity as well as institutional and relational trust. We find trust to mitigate the negative effects of geographical and cultural distance, where institutional trust is more relevant for investments in emerging economies, and relational trust is more relevant for investments in developed economies.

Description: In three studies, we examined the relationship between implicit negotiation beliefs, moral disengagement, and a negotiator’s ethical attitudes and behavior. Study 1 found correlations between an entity theory that negotiation skills are fixed rather than malleable, moral disengagement, and appropriateness of marginally ethical negotiation tactics. Mediation analysis supported a model in which moral disengagement facilitated the relationship between entity theory and support for unethical tactics. Study 2 provided additional support for the mediation model in a sample of MBA students, whereby predispositions to morally disengage mediated the effect of dispositional entity beliefs on unethical behavior in a negotiation exercise. In study 3, we manipulated implicit beliefs prior to a negotiation simulation and found that entity beliefs predict deception through two sequential mediators, extreme opening bids and state moral disengagement.

Description: Background and aims Within the last decades, considerable knowledge has been gained on the impacts of carbonaceous soil additives such as hydrochar (or HTC) and biochar (or pyrochar) on plant growth and various soil properties. However, still little is known about the effects of hydrochar and biochar on soil microorganisms, especially from field studies. Microorganisms are closely linked to nutrient dynamics in soil and therefore are tightly linked to soil fertility. As a consequence, possible changes in the microbial community structure due to HTC/biochar soil application may lead to considerable changes in soil nutrient dynamics. Methods To gain insights into HTC/biochar associated long-term effects on microorganisms, soil samples were taken from a grassland field study 2.6 years (31 months) after its initiation (April 2011), where Miscanthus × giganteus feedstock, HTC and biochar, each mixed with pig slurry had been applied as top-dressing in a randomized block design, next to a slurry-only control ( n  = 4, 16 plots). The samples were analyzed for microbial activity and biomass by substrate induced respiration (SIR). Bacterial and fungal fractions in soil microbial biomass (SMB) were determined using the inhibitors streptomycin and cycloheximide respectively. Results Total SMB in biochar-amended soils was significantly higher compared to all other treatments; fungal biomass was significantly higher compared to feedstock and control treatments. The percentage of bacterial biomass was higher in the feedstock and HTC amended soil, as compared to the control. Additionally, HTC exhibited a significantly higher percentage of fungal biomass compared to the feedstock treatment, indicating a microbial community shift. Conclusion While the uncarbonized feedstock material depleted both total SMB and especially fungi, HTC and biochar did not trigger any adverse long-term effects on SMB. Rather, the observed biochar-induced stimulation of SMB may improve soil aggregation and increase the soil organic carbon content in the long term.

Description: Due to the frequent occurrence of ethical transgressions and unethical employee behaviors, there has lately been an increasing interest in the ethical foundations of contemporary organizations. However, large-scale comprehensive analyses of organizational ethics are still comparatively limited. Our study contributes to both management control and business ethics literature by empirically examining potential antecedents as well as resulting effects of ethical work climates on organizational-level outcomes. Based on a cross-sectional survey among 295 large- and medium-sized companies, we find that more informal means of control constitute important elements of a broader organizational control context that are strongly related to the emergence of coherent ethical work climates with an increased awareness of ethical issues. Moreover, our results show that the relationship between ethical work climates and organizational performance can be considered as rather indirect as it is fully mediated by increased mutual trust among employees. Overall, our study thus supports the particular importance of ethical work climates and identifies appropriate means to encourage ethical conduct.

Description: Taking advantage of economic opportunities has led to numerous conflicts between society and business in various geographies of the world. Companies have developed social responsibility programs to prevent and manage these types of problems. However, some authors comment that these programs lack a strategic vision. Starting with the Working with People model, created for the field of rural development planning, this paper proposes a methodology to prevent the generation of social conflicts from business strategy: the territorial dimension. The proposal emphasizes that local development support prevents the generation of social conflicts. Finally, an experience in Peru, a country that has been characterized in recent years by high economic growth and also by the presence of social conflicts that have stopped entrepreneurship is analyzed.

Description: Religion is considered a cornerstone of business ethics, yet the values held dear by a religion, when professed by business organizations serving heterogeneous market segments in secularized societies, can generate conflict and resistance. In this paper, we report findings from a study of stakeholder reactions to the renaming of an Italian public hospital. After the construction of new facilities, the hospital was renamed for the recently canonized Roman Catholic Pope John XXIII. Contrary to expectations, we found no evidence of public criticism surrounding the name change. A fine-grained analysis of a sample of 734 respondents belonging to different stakeholder groups revealed that consumers (patients and citizens) predominantly supported the name change, while employees were often critical and concerned about possible religious influences on medical practice and scientific research. Moving beyond our empirical setting, we propose a process model of brand-religion alignment inspired by McCracken’s (J Consum Res 13(1): 71–84, 1986 ) meaning transfer model, which considers both the alignment process and its reception by relevant audiences. The study also presents managerial implications useful for those brand managers who wish to create effective, respectful links with religion.

Description: As a field spanning interests among researchers and business professionals, business ethics aims to provide guidance on what can be considered morally right, socially acceptable and legally transparent dealings in the human activity of providing goods or services for trade. Yet, cohesive theory of the ethics of business is lacking, and current ethical practices often fall victim to fluctuating business conditions and circumstances. Thus, stewardship theory is proposed as a more enduring and empowering orientation to more mindful business ethics that is borne out of organizational character, and knowledge stewardship is introduced as a set of practices that can support improved ethical behavior in organizations from an ethos-driven perspective. A definition of knowledge stewardship is provided in this article, and its associated outcomes of authenticity, authority and advocacy are highlighted. Practical recommendations are put forward to assist organizations in their development of stronger stewardship behavior, and exploratory research questions that heighten attentiveness to knowledge stewardship are presented.

Description: Aims Root angles are widely recognized to play an important role in determining rooting depth and drought tolerance in crop plants. But there has been no report revealing any association between root angle and yield performance under drought conditions in maize. There is also no simple method available to screen root angles. The objectives of this study were to evaluate genetic variation in seminal and nodal root angles in maize in greenhouse condition and their association with drought tolerance in field condition. Methods Eighteen hybrids, of which nine were higher-yielding and nine were lower-yielding under water-stressed condition in field, were evaluated for root angle variation. Root angle was estimated as the distance between the horizontal soil surface line and slope of the root at 2 cm position from root base using a protractor. Results Significant phenotypic variation was observed among hybrids for seminal and nodal root angles and primary root diameter. These root traits showed strong positive correlations with grain yield under drought condition. All the higher-yielding hybrids had steeper root growth angle than the lower-yielding hybrids. A strong correlation between seminal and nodal root angles was observed. A strong correlation was also observed between 5th and 4th node nodal root angles. Conclusion Either seminal or nodal root angle could be used for selection for the improvement drought tolerance. The current screening system for root angle is simple and inexpensive, and could be used for screening a large number of genotypes.

Description: Background and aims We investigated the effects of silicon (Si) on chlorophyll concentration, photosynthesis, leaf chloroplast ultrastructure, and expression of genes involved in photosynthesis to elucidate the mechanisms through which Si mediated alleviation of manganese (Mn) toxicity in rice ( Oryza sativa L.). Methods Rice seedlings were grown hydroponically with normal Mn (6.7 μM) or high Mn (2 mM) concentrations, both with (1.5 mM) and without Si supplementation. Leaf chloroplast ultrastructure was observed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Differentially expressed genes relating to photosynthesis were identified by high-throughput sequencing, and their relative expression levels were evaluated by real-time quantitative PCR. Results Chlorophyll and carotenoid concentrations and net photosynthesis decreased with chloroplast degradation under high Mn stress. High Mn concentrations may have inhibited photosynthesis through several mechanisms, including suppressing chlorophyll and ATP synthesis, decreasing light-harvesting processes, impairing photosystem I (PSI) stability and structure, and slowing activity of phosphoribulokinase. Si enhanced Mn tolerance efficiently by increasing chlorophyll concentration, light-use efficiency, and ATP concentration as well as by stabilizing the structure of PSI and promoting CO 2 assimilation. Conclusions Our findings suggest active involvement of Si in Mn detoxification, ranging from physiological responses to gene expression.

Description: The commercialization of microfinance brings formal financial institutions into the microfinance landscape, yet little is known about the forces that lead to this phenomenon. This paper is the first dedicated to this topic using a hand-collected dataset of 112 institutions from 34 countries covering the period from 2008 to 2012. Based on institutional theory and resource-based argument, we empirically assess the effects of institutional environment factors, including regulative, normative, and cognitive elements, as well as resource-based factors, including practice model and multinational diversity, on the intensity of engagements. To do so, we define the roles as capital-related, product-related, and service delivery, and calculate engagement intensity using a scoring method which reflects an organization’s extent of presence in the microfinance value chain. The analysis takes the engaging location (domestic or overseas) and engaging model (connected or unconnected to core business) into account. We find that the two logics together can explain such involvement. Legal compliance is identified as most relevant for domestic players, while resource-based factors are more relevant for overseas players. In addition to regression analysis, many cases are identified to support the arguments.

Description: The issue of the dimensionality of materialism and postmaterialism, and their impact on key social and personal indicators, has been a hotly debated topic for decades. This study sought to achieve two goals to further our understanding of these constructs. First, it assessed whether an interactive materialism–postmaterialism conceptualization could be expanded to predict outcomes related to well-being. Second, the study extended the interactive model by using Richins’ three dimensions of materialism instead of the unidimensional construct utilized in previous studies. Results indicated that the interactive model successfully predicted three different measures of well-being, specifically physical symptoms, stress, and subjective vitality. Results are discussed in terms of extending materialism–postmaterialism theory, both with respect to refining the materialism construct as well as its associations with new criterion variables.

Description: This comparative study explores 499 corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives implemented by 178 corporations in five distinct, institutionally consistent European clusters. This study provides an empirically grounded response to calls to develop comprehensive, nuanced pictures of CSR in the composite European business environment. In so doing, the article stresses three distinct, non-exclusive approaches that characterize the embedding of CSR considerations in corporations’ strategies across Europe and the CSR challenges for corporations operating in different socio-political contexts. Furthermore, the study reaffirms the CSR notion as a contextualized concept, shaped by socio-political drivers, and contributes by bridging macro-level, socio-political facets of CSR with its meso-level, organizational implications.

Description: This study provides evidence on the governance of CSR policies and activities by Indian central government-owned companies [i.e. Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs)] within a unique mandatory regulatory setting. We utilise the multi-level ‘Logic of governance’ conceptual framework (Lynn et al. Improving governance: A new logic for empirical research, 2001 ; Lynn and Robichau, J Publ Policy 33:201–228, 2013 ) and draw upon interview data collected from 25 senior managers in 21 CPSEs to assess the dynamics of CSR implementation within CPSEs. Our findings indicate most managers believe that a mandatory policy has enhanced the accountability and commitment of governing boards and senior management to CSR. However, CSR policy implementation within Indian CPSEs is still nascent, fraught with bureaucratic hurdles, insufficient human and knowledge resources, limited stakeholder analysis and over-emphasis on CSR budget utilisation as an outcome. Several key areas for improvements include the need for better translation of national CSR policy goals to firm-level strategies, more formal assessment of stakeholder needs, clearer communication lines with external service providers, such as NGOs and local government agencies, and the better evaluation of CSR outcomes (i.e. the social impact of CSR activities). The findings of this study have implications for both theory and policy development.

Description: Background and aims The importance of the uptake of nitrogen in organic form by plants and mycorrhizal fungi has been demonstrated in various ecosystems including temperate forests. However, in previous experiments, isotopically labeled amino acids were often added to soils in concentrations that may be higher than those normally available to roots and mycorrhizal hyphae in situ, and these high concentrations could contribute to exaggerated uptake. Methods We used an experimental approach in which we added 13 C-labeled and 15 N-labeled whole cells to root-ingrowth cores, allowing proteolytic enzymes to release labeled organic nitrogen at a natural rate, as roots and their associated mycorrhizal fungi grew into the cores. We employed this method in four forest types representing a gradient of soil pH, nitrogen mineralization rate, and mycorrhizal type. Results Intact uptake of organic nitrogen was detected in mycorrhizal roots, and accounted for at least of 1–14 % of labeled nitrogen uptake. Forest types did not differ significantly in the importance of organic uptake. Conclusions The estimates of organic N uptake made here using 13 C-labeled and 15 N-labeled whole cells are less than those reported in other temperate forest studies using isotopically labelled amino acids, and likely represent a minimum estimate of organic N-use. The two approaches each have different assumptions, and when used in tandem should complement one another and provide upper and lower bounds of organic N use by plants.

Description: Aim To investigate how the chemical composition of native organic matter of two contrasting soils varies with inputs of biochar and fresh material (including plant roots) and how these underlying changes influence microbial community structure. Methods Corn stover (CS) and CS-derived biochars produced at 350 °C and 550 °C were applied at a dose of 7.2 t C ha −1 to two contrasting soils—an Alfisol and an Andisol. After 295 days of incubation, two undisturbed subsamples from each pot were taken: (i) in one, lucerne ( Medicago sativa L.) was seeded (plant study, P) and (ii) in the other, the incubation was continued without the plants (respiration study, R); all subsamples were incubated for an additional 215 days. Soils without amendments were used as controls. At the end of the incubation (510 days), their bacterial community profiles were characterised using ARISA and the molecular composition of soil organic matter (SOM) was investigated by pyrolysis-GC/MS. Results There were significant interactions between soil type, study type (P or R) and organic amendment. Organic amendments influenced overall SOM composition with microbial community response being mainly influenced by soil type but also strongly affected by the presence or absence of plants. For a specific soil type, ≥ 40 % of total variation in bacterial community ordination could be explained by the molecular composition of SOM. Conclusions The molecular composition of SOM is proposed as an important factor influencing the microbial response to organic amendments, including biochar.

Description: Stakeholder theory has received greater scholarly and practitioner attention as organizations consider the interests of various groups affected by corporate operations, including employees. This study investigates two dimensions of psychological climate, specifically perceived pay equity and diversity climate, for one such stakeholder group: racioethnic minority professionals. We examined the main effect of U.S. professionals’ of color pay equity perceptions, and the influence of perceived internal and external pay equity on turnover intentions. We also investigated the interactive effect of perceptions of pay equity and diversity climate on turnover intentions. Results indicated that pay equity perceptions were negatively associated with turnover intentions. Our findings showed that perceptions of internal pay equity influenced turnover intentions but perceptions of external equity did not. Further, perceptions of pay equity and the diversity climate interactively influenced turnover intentions. Participants who reported an unfavorable diversity climate and a low perceived pay equity were most likely to report turnover intentions. Simple slope analysis for moderate pay equity also was significant. When perceived pay equity was high, favorability of the diversity climate did not affect turnover intentions. The findings have useful practical implications. When pay was perceived as equitable, participants appeared to pay less attention to the diversity climate. Employee pay equity perceptions may be malleable; sharing information with employees about pay levels during performance reviews may enhance perceptions of pay equity. The findings suggest that, consistent with stakeholder theory, organizations should attend to perceptions of both pay equity and diversity climate when striving to minimize the turnover intentions of professionals of color.

Description: Background and aims The Karoo biomes of South Africa are major feed resources for livestock farming, yet soil nutrient depletion and degradation is a major problem. The objective of this study was to assess impacts of long-term (〉75 years) grazing during spring (SPG), summer (SUG), winter (WG) and exclosure (non-grazed control) treatments on soil nutrients, penetration resistance and infiltration tests. Methods A soil sampling campaign was carried out to collect soil to a depth of 60 cm to analyse bulk density, soil physical and chemical parameters as well as soil compaction and infiltration. Results Generally, grazing treatments reduced soil organic C (SOC) stocks and C:N ratios, and modified soil properties. There was higher SOC stock (0.128 Mg ha −1  yr −1 ) in the exclosure than in the SPG (0.096 Mg ha −1  yr −1 ), SUG (0.099 Mg ha −1  yr −1 ) and WG (0.105 Mg ha −1  yr −1 ). The C:N ratios exhibited similar pattern to that of C. From the grazing treatments, the WG demonstrated 7 to 10 % additional SOC stock over the SPG and SUG, respectively. Conclusions Short period animal exclusion could be an option to be considered to improve plant nutrients in sandy soils of South Africa. However, this may require a policy environment which supports stock exclusion from such areas vulnerable to land degradation, nutrient and C losses by grazing-induced vegetation and landscape changes.

Description: Aims Theoretical and observational studies have suggested that environmental variations would change compositional similarity between plant communities. However, this topic has rarely been examined via experiments involving direct manipulation of resources utilized by plant communities. Methods A 9-year field manipulation experiment was conducted to examine the effects of nitrogen addition and increased water on community similarity between a steppe and an old field in the semiarid region of northern China. Results Over the experimental period, nitrogen addition reduced community similarity between the steppe and the old field, whereas water addition enhanced community similarity. These treatment effects were closely related to changes in diversity characteristics as well as abundance of functional groups and dominant species of plant communities. Conclusions These results highlight the importance of resource availability in regulating the trajectory of ecosystem succession, and suggest that the increase in atmospheric nitrogen deposition in northern China will contribute to divergence between the steppe and the old field, whereas the increase in growing-season precipitation may encourage convergence between the two grasslands with respect to species composition during succession. Thus the decrease in community similarity caused by nitrogen enrichment may be counteracted, at least partially, by precipitation increase under changing atmosphere and climate.

Description: Background and Aims The Canterbury Plains of the South Island, New Zealand are being converted to intensive dairy farming; native vegetation now occupies 〈 0.5 % of the area. Reintroducing native species into nutrient-rich systems could provide economic, environmental and ecological benefits. However, native species are adapted to low nitrogen (N) environments. We aimed to determine the growth and N-uptake response of selected native species to elevated soil N loadings and elucidate the effect of these plants on the N speciation in soil. Methods Plant growth, N-uptake, and N speciation in rhizosphere soil of selected native species and Lolium perenne (ryegrass, as reference) were measured in greenhouse and field trials. Results At restoration sites, several native species had similar foliar N concentrations to ryegrass. Deciduous (and N-fixing) species had highest concentrations. There was significant inter-species variation in soil mineral N concentrations in native plant rhizospheres, differing substantially to the ryegrass root-zone. Pot trials revealed that native species tolerated high N-loadings, although there was a negligible growth response. Among the native plants, monocot species assimilated most N. However, total N assimilation by ryegrass would exceed native species at field productivity rates. Conclusions Selected native plant species could contribute to the sustainable management of N in intensive agricultural landscapes.

Description: Aims Belowground plant biomass accumulation is facilitated by the photosynthetic capacity of the canopy. We investigated the hypothesis that a precise monitoring of leaf area development provides the potential to extrapolate to belowground biomass development and to assess the timing and the degree of an inhibition of the belowground biomass generation. Sugar beet seedlings and the retarding effect of beet cyst nematodes (BCN) were used as a model system. Methods Thirty BCN infested plants and 30 non-infested plants were grown in three litre pots under greenhouse conditions. Top-view images of the plant leaf canopy were taken every two or three days. Leaf and beet biomass were measured at three different dates (32, 41 and 70 days after sowing (das)) by harvesting the plants. Results Leaf dry weight and beet fresh weight were strongly correlated 32 and 41 das. The canopy area calculated was highly correlated with both leaf and beet biomass at 32 and 41 das, and was significantly reduced in the nematode infested plants from 22 to 60 das. Conclusions Our results show the ability of canopy-imaging based approaches to evaluate plant biomass during the early developmental stages and to detect a delay in plant development caused by a below-ground stress such as nematodes.

Description: This paper explores the ethics of networking as a means of competition, specifically networking to improve one’s prospects of prevailing in formal competitive processes for jobs or university placements. There are broadly two ways that networking might be used to influence the outcome of some such process: through the “exchange of affect” between networker and selector, and through the demonstration of merit by networker to selector. Both raise ethical problems that have been overlooked but need to be addressed.

Description: Backgrounds and aims Scotch broom is an N-fixing invasive species that has high potential to alter soil properties. We compared soil from areas of Scotch broom invasion with nearby areas that had no evidence of invasion to assess the influence of broom on soil P fractions and other chemical properties. Methods The study was conducted at two contrasting Douglas-fir sites in Oregon (OR) and Washington (WA), USA with broom invasion for 10 years. We used the Hedley sequential fractionation procedure to assess effects of Scotch broom invasion on P pools of varying bioavailability, and also measured total C, N and extractable nutrient cations. Results Total soil C and N were significantly higher with broom present at the fine-textured OR site, but there was no effect at the coarse-textured WA site. There was no difference in labile-P measures between the presence and absence of Scotch broom at either site, but there were notable reductions (25–30 %) in the intermediately-available P fraction when broom was present. Extractable nutrient cations (notably K) were lower in the presence of broom at both sites, with the effects most pronounced at the fine-textured OR site. Conclusions Lasting effects of Scotch broom invasion are likely to be associated with variable changes in soil C, N, and decreases in extractable nutrients and available P. These changes, and other documented effects of Scotch broom on soil, are likely to have lasting effects on Douglas-fir growth after Scotch broom removal that will vary depending soil nutrient status at a given site.

Description: Aims Sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor ) roots release biological nitrification inhibitors (BNIs) to suppress soil nitrification. Presence of NH 4 + in the rhizosphere stimulates BNIs release and it is hypothesized to be functionally associated with plasma membrane (PM) H + -ATPase activity. However, whether the H + -ATPase is regulated at the transcriptional level, and if so, which isoforms of the H + -ATPases are involved in BNIs release are not known. Also, it is not clear whether the stimulation on BNIs release from roots is due to NH 4 + uptake or its assimilation, which are addressed in this study. Methods Root exudates from intact sorghum plants were collected using aerated solutions of NH 4 + or methyl-ammonium (MeA); and the BNI-activity release was determined. PM vesicles were isolated from fresh roots using a two-phase partitioning system; and the hydrolytic H + -ATPase activity was determined. All genes encoding PM H + -ATPases were searched in sorghum genome, and their expression in response to NH 4 + or MeA were analyzed by quantitative RT-PCR in sorghum roots. Results BNIs release and PM H + -ATPase activity increased with NH 4 + concentration (≤1.0 mM) in the root-exudate collection solutions, but at higher concentrations, it did not respond further or declined in case of the PM H + -ATPase activity. Twelve PM H + -ATPase genes were identified in sorghum genome; and these isoforms were designated SbA1 to SbA12 . Five H + -ATPase genes were stimulated by NH 4 + in the rhizosphere, and have similar expression pattern, which is consistent with the variation in H + -ATPase activity. MeA, a non-metabolizable analogue of NH 4 + , had no significant effects on BNIs release, H + -ATPase activity, or expression of the H + -ATPase genes. Conclusions Our results suggest that the functional link between PM H + -ATPase activity and BNIs release is evident only at NH 4 + levels of ≤1.0 mM in the rhizosphere. The variation in PM H + -ATPase activity by NH 4 + is due to transcriptional regulation of five isoforms of the H + -ATPases. The stimulatory effect of NH 4 + on BNIs release is functionally associated with NH 4 + assimilation and not just with NH 4 + uptake alone.

Description: Aims We compared elemental sulphur (ES) and sulphate fertilisers in terms of yield and S uptake. Methods Two consecutive canola crops were grown on 35 S-labelled soil amended with ammonium sulphate, ES-bentonite pastilles (90 % ES), or S-fortified ammonium phosphate (NP) fertilisers containing both sulphate-S and ES (5–8 % ES). The shoot yield, S concentration and specific activity of S in the shoot were determined. Results In the first crop, the yield was significantly lower in the control (without added ES) and ES pastille treatments than in the other treatments. Sulphur uptake was highly correlated with the added sulphate rate. In the second crop, the yield and S uptake was highest for the S-fortified NP fertilizers. The contribution of ES to the S uptake was circa 20 % in the first crop and 43 % in the second crop for the S-fortified NP fertilisers, but was negligible for the ES pastilles. Modelling indicated an oxidation rate of 0.6 − 0.7 % per day for the S-fortified NP fertilisers and 0.03 % per day for the ES pastilles. Conclusions The contribution of ES pastilles to S uptake was negligible in both crops. In contrast, S-fortified NP fertilisers showed a significant contribution of ES and higher S availability than sulphate-only fertiliser in the second crop.

Description: Aim Desert herbs, a crucial component of desert ecosystems, are sensitive to water and nutrient availability and therefore to environmental change. We aimed to determine element concentrations in desert herbs and their relationships with life form, taxonomy, climate, and soil environment. Methods We measured concentrations of 11 elements in shoots and roots of 26 dominant desert herb species from 45 sites in a temperate desert. Results Shoots of desert herbs had greater concentrations of elements related to photosynthesis and water use efficiency (N, P, Mg, K) than roots. Concentrations of these elements (except N and P) were also greater in annual herbs than in perennial herbs. Greater Mg, K, and Na concentrations were observed in shoots of Chenopodiaceae (mostly C 4 species) than in Poaceae (mostly C 3 species). Soil properties and taxonomy explained 3.6–26 % and 2.8–24 % of the variation in shoot element concentrations, respectively, whereas climate factors explained only 0.05–6.5 % of the variation. Conclusions Water and nutrient availability, which are affected by environmental change, influence concentrations of mineral elements in desert plants and their biogeochemical cycles in desert ecosystems.