ALBERT

Description: The experiments were carried out during 2012–2017. There were 5 crops in rotation: Red clover, winter wheat, pea, potato and barley undersown (us) with red clover. There were 5 cropping systems in the experimental setup: 2 conventional systems with chemical plant protection and mineral fertilizers; 3 organic systems which included winter cover crops and farm manure. The aim of the present research was to study the effect of cultivating barley undersown with red clover and the preceding winter cover crop on the soil microbial hydrolytic activity, the change in the content of soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (Ntot) compared to the same parameters from the field that was previously under potato cultivation (forecrop of barley in the rotation). The cultivation of barley with red clover (barley (us)) had a positive impact on the soil micro-organisms activity. In organic systems the soil microbial hydrolytic activity increased on average by 19.0%, compared to the conventional systems. By cultivating barley (us) the soil microbial hydrolytic activity had a significant effect on the SOC content only in organic systems where winter cover crops were used. Organic cultivation systems had positive impact on the soil nitrogen content; Ntot in samples taken before sowing the barley (us) was higher by 17.4% and after the cultivation of barley (us) by 14.4% compared to conventional systems, as an average of experimental years. After cultivation of barley (us) with red clover the soil microbial hydrolytic activity had no effect on the soil Ntot content in either cultivation systems.

Description: This paper analyses the dynamic transitions of self-employment in four states of the Canadian labour market (paid-employment, self-employment, unemployment, and being out of the labour force) by answering three core questions: (1) What are the determinants of the transitions into and out of the four labour market states? (2) Are the probabilities of transitions between immigrants and natives significantly different, and if so, are they due to entry–exit rate gaps between immigrants and natives? (3) What are the proportions of spurious and structural state dependence in the labour market states of immigrants and natives? Our analysis was based on longitudinal data from Canada’s Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics (SLID) for males aged 25 to 55 for the period 1993 to 2004. Our results revealed that immigrants rather than natives are relatively more likely to be self-employed during the unemployment period. The findings also confirmed that males with positive investment income or wealth tended to be largely self-employed. From a policy perspective, the government provision of financial support towards self-employment positively benefits natives in seeking self-employment opportunities. Government policies to lessen labour market discrimination promotes the self-employment of immigrants.