The role of capital in measuring resilience is investigated. Focusing on the current short-run and potential long-run growth paths of the economic system, we propose new indexes to separately measure adaptability and resistance to shocks, which are the essence of a system’s resilience. Capital dynamics during the transition and along the balanced growth path are used here instead of employment to represent the evolution of the size and composition of the economy. Our indexes measure adaptability and resistance by comparing the two capital growth rates. They are built by mimicking the average and variance of the difference in growth rates. In this new setting, investment and depreciation flows play an important role in explaining what the partial index of adaptability reveals. The available data on the USA and Spanish capital allow us to empirically compute the indexes and draw conclusions about their ability to resist shocks and absorb their effects. We conclude that the US economy is more adaptable and has a greater capacity to absorb impacts than the Spanish economy, but it is less resistant to disturbances.

Climate change (CC) is a major threat to biodiversity, increasing species extinction risk. Assessments of its possible impacts on species are crucial for designing conservation strategies. Here, we adjusted a global trait-based approach to the national level and apply it to Uruguay (South America) to evaluate the CC vulnerability of its herpetofauna. A total of 112 species were assessed in a scenario of CC projections for 2050 with regard to three dimensions of vulnerability: sensitivity, low adaptive capacity and exposure. We conducted the assessment through an expert elicitation process based on the Delphi method. We found that most local species (64.6% amphibians; 100% reptiles) were highly sensitive to CC. Among them, seven amphibians (14.6%) and seven reptiles (10.9%) were identified as highly vulnerable to CC. Important gaps in the life-history traits of the species were found that should guide future research. The structured expert consultation process allowed us to gather more and better information than if it had only been based on published sources. Our study identified challenges associated with changing the scale from global to national that might be used for similar assessments in other countries.

Understanding how and why exotic species use their habitats is crucial for defining effective conservation strategies. We aimed to investigate habitat use by an exotic population of squirrel monkeys living in an Atlantic Forest fragment and identify factors associated with their habitat preferences. Over 6 months of scan sampling observations, we collected data on native and exotic plants consumed by the squirrel monkeys, food availability, and interactions between the squirrel monkeys and the native common marmosets. We also georeferenced the estimated centroid point of the study group during each scan. Squirrel monkeys used Secondary Old Forest habitats more often than the other habitats available. The consumption of native and exotic plants and the association with common marmoset appear to have influenced the habitat use of the exotic squirrel monkeys; however, the choice habitat did not demonstrate to be associated with food availability. The exotic squirrel monkeys preferred to use less disturbed habitats to consume a high amount of food (often associated with the common marmoset), potentially optimizing their food intake. Our findings demonstrated the adaptive success of an exotic primate in its non-natural habitat and the key role of the plant community in maintaining this population.

Dairy cattle breeding has historically focused on relatively small numbers of elite bulls as sires of sons. In recent years, even if generation intervals were reduced and more diverse sires of sons could have been selected, genomic selection has not fundamentally changed the fact that a large number of individuals are being analyzed. However, a relatively small number of elite bulls are still siring those animals. Therefore inbreeding-derived negative consequences in the gene pool have brought concern. The detrimental effects of non-additive genetic changes such as inbreeding depression and dominance have been widely disseminated while seriously affecting bioeconomically important parameters because of an antagonistic relationship between dairy production and reproductive traits. Therefore, the estimation of benefits and limitations of inbreeding and variance of the selection response deserves to be evaluated and discussed to preserve genetic variability, a significant concern in the selection of individuals for reproduction and production. Short-term strategies for genetic merit improvement through modern breeding programs have severely lowered high-producing dairy cattle fertility potential. Since the current selection programs potentially increase long-term costs, genetic diversity has decreased globally as a consequence. Therefore, a greater understanding of the potential that selection programs have for supporting long-term genetic sustainability and genetic diversity among dairy cattle populations should be prioritized in managing farm profitability. The present review provides a broad approach to current inbreeding-derived problems, identifying critical points to be solved and possible alternative strategies to control selection against homozygous haplotypes while maintaining sustained selection pressure. Moreover, this manuscript explores future perspectives, emphasizing theoretical applications and critical points, and strategies to avoid the adverse effects of inbreeding in dairy cattle. Finally, this review provides an overview of challenges that will soon require multidisciplinary approaches to managing dairy cattle populations, intending to combine increases in productive trait phenotypes with improvements in reproductive, health, welfare, linear conformation, and adaptability traits into the foreseeable future.

Over the last few years, the concept of agility has become increasingly popular in organizations. Companies are hoping to foster speed, adaptability, and innovation by rolling out an agile strategy, implementing agile methods, and creating an agile mind-set among leaders and employees. There is, however, much ambiguity about what the concept of agility entails and how it can be successfully implemented in an organization. The purpose of this practice-focused paper is to organize the extant agility literature for readers by giving an overview of different definitions of agility; outlining evidence-based factors that contribute to agility at the individual, team, and organizational levels; and describing three practical examples at a large German car company. Finally, the authors suggest steps that organizations can take to increase agility in their workforce.

Due to global climatic changes, water and soil salinization is an increasing worldwide phenomenon, thus creating new threats for farm animal production. The present study was designed to investigate the adaptation capacity of goats towards sodium chloride (NaCl) in drinking water. Twelve non-pregnant Boer goats with an average body weight of 50.5 ± 9.0 kg were kept in individual pens. The study was conducted in four phases applying a two-choice preference test. In the control phase (phase 1) only fresh water was supplied in two containers. In phase 2, water with different salt concentrations (0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75%, 1.0%, 1.25% and 1.5%) was offered in one container and tap water in the other (sensitivity test). During the third phase (adaptation), goats were stepwise habituated to saline water by offering only saline water with different increasing concentrations (between 0% and 1.5% NaCl) in both containers. Subsequently, in phase 4 (sensitivity re-test) the same treatment as in phase 2 was repeated. Goats had ad libitum access to hay, water and a mineral licking block. Individual water and feed intake were recorded daily, while body weight and body condition score were measured every 2nd week. Body weight was not affected by saline water intake, whereas dry matter intake and body condition scores decreased significantly during the experiment. Water intake was significantly (P<0.001) higher in phase 2 (sensitivity test) and phase 3 (adaptation), compared to phase 1 (control) and phase 4 (sensitivity re-test). Total sodium intake followed the same pattern. In phase 2, when goats had the choice between fresh and saline water for the first time they preferred higher salt concentrations and consumed significantly (P<0.001) higher amounts of saline water (75.4 ± 53.2 g/kg BW0.82 per day) than in the re-test (40.4 ± 34.0 g/kg BW0.82 per day) after the habituation period. Thus, salt discrimination rejection thresholds were lowered to 1.25% in phase 4 compared to 1.5% in phase 2. The results suggest that a stepwise adaptation to saline drinking water in goats is an effective method to habituate the animals to saline water intake when concentrations were below 1.5%. Goats reacted more sensitively to the salinity of drinking water after prolonged exposure to saline water indicating flexible regulation mechanisms depending on the total sodium balance of the animal.

Framed in cognitive-motivational-relational theory of emotions (Lazarus, 1999), this study aimed to test how coping mediated the relationship between competitive anxiety and sport commitment in a sample of adolescent athletes. Five-hundred adolescents (M = 16.42; SD = 1.54) participated in our study. Participants completed competitive anxiety, coping, and sport commitment measures. We defined the measurement model using confirmatory factor analysis and exploratory structural equation modeling; and compared two different models of mediation (i.e., total and partial mediation) using structural equation modeling. Results favored partial mediation model where cognitive anxiety factors predicted sport commitment. Results from this model suggest direct and mediated structural relations between concepts. Somatic anxiety had a weak influence on sport commitment (total effects = 0.090 [–.131, .311]). Worry showed a positive influence on sport commitment (total effects = .375 [.262, .486]) through direct and mediated effects. Concentration disruption showed a negative impact on sport commitment (total effects = –.544 [–.724, –.363]) trough mediated effects only, showing a negative path on task-oriented coping and a positive path on disengagement-oriented coping. As a whole, our findings identify task coping efforts undertaken by adolescent athletes as a key element in the relationship between competitive anxiety and sport commitment. These findings provide preliminary evidence for the design of coping interventions in adolescents.

Free-range laying hen systems are increasing within Australia. The pullets for these systems are typically reared indoors before being provided first range access around 21 to 26 weeks of age. Thus, the rearing and laying environments are disparate and hens may not adapt well to free-range housing. In this study, we reared 290 Hy-Line® Brown day-old chicks divided into two rooms each with feed, water and litter. In the enriched room, multiple structural, manipulable, visual and auditory stimuli were also provided from 4 to 21 days, the non-enriched room had no additional objects or stimuli. Pullets were transferred to the laying facility at 12 weeks of age and divided into six pens (three enriched-reared, three non-enriched-reared) with identical indoor resources and outdoor range area. All birds were first provided range access at 21 weeks of age. Video observations of natural disturbance behaviours on the range at 22 to 23 and 33 to 34 weeks of age showed no differences in frequency of disturbance occurrences between treatment groups (P=0.09) but a decrease in disturbance occurrences over time (P<0.0001). Radio-frequency identification tracking of individually tagged birds from 21 to 37 weeks of age showed enriched birds on average, spent less time on the range each day (P<0.04) but with a higher number of range visits than non-enriched birds from 21 to 24 weeks of age (P=0.01). Enriched birds accessed the range on more days (P=0.03) but over time, most birds in both treatment groups accessed the range daily. Basic external health scoring showed minimal differences between treatment groups with most birds in visibly good condition. At 38 weeks of age all birds were locked inside for 2 days and from 40 to 42 weeks of age the outdoor range was reduced to 20% of its original size to simulate stressful events. The eggs from non-enriched birds had higher corticosterone concentrations following lock-in and 2 weeks following range reduction compared with the concentrations within eggs from enriched birds (P<0.0001). Correspondingly, the enriched hens showing a greater increase in the number of visits following range area reduction compared to non-enriched hens (P=0.02). Only one rearing room per treatment was used but these preliminary data indicate 3 weeks of early enrichment had some long-term effects on hen ranging behaviour and enhanced hen’s adaptability to environmental stressors.

The multitude of corporate scandals has prompted research that examines factors that influence an individual’s engagement in unethical behavior. This article extends previous research by examining the psychological processes through which unethical behavior may occur. We develop and test a model that uses self-regulation theory to explain and predict how and under what circumstances individuals are likely to engage in unethical behavior. Results from data collected from 107 professionals at two points in time and 205 employees from various industries confirm that job insecurity increases emotional exhaustion, which subsequently impairs an employee’s ability to activate self-regulating processes to avoid engaging in unethical behavior. However, the link between job insecurity and emotional exhaustion as well as the mediated relationship between job insecurity and unethical behavior through emotional exhaustion are weaker for employees who have high adaptability and stronger for employees who are highly embedded in their organization.