5 search hits
-
Resurvey of a GLORIA Target Region in the Swiss National Park
(2011)
-
Frank Breiner
- There is no doubt that recent global climate change is in process and affects life on earth. Especially mountain ecosystems are supposed to be highly sensitive to climate change due to the vertical compression of life zones, rough abiotic environment and limiting ecological factors. Therefore, the European Alps is one of the best observed ecosystems where many studies figured out how climate change is affecting biodiversity. Probably the biggest and most well-known project is the GLORIA-Europe initiative established by Prof. Dr. Georg Grabherr from University of Vienna. The aim of this project is to establish a world-wide long-term monitoring network in alpine ecosystems to detect effects of climate change on the vegetation of mountain summits using standardised methods. This study is involved in the GLORIA initiative to resurvey four calcareous and four siliceous summits at Swiss National Park in summer 2009/10. The aim of this study is to answer the questions if there are changes between the first (2002/03) and second survey in plant species number, species frequency and in heterogeneity between plots. Furthermore, is altitude, cardinal direction and bedrock influencing changes or are there species groups reacting different and what are the reasons behind it? In total 226 species were found in 2009 and 2010 with almost 80% more species on the siliceous summits. Species turnover rate between the two surveys is relatively high (15-30%) and also frequency is increasing for several species. But, there are no effects of bedrock or exposition and no differences for species groups. This study shows that fluctuation of species turnover is due to fluctuation of phenological development. Furthermore, differences in plot heterogeneity can be explained by phenological fluctuation. However, there are hints for initiating effects of climate change. The occurrence of L. decidua on three lower summits and the high content of new found species with a lower distribution limit at the montane belt on PMU as well as general increase in plant frequency could be caused by climate change. Hence, these hints of climate change should be focused on in future investigations as long-term effects of climate change are expected.
-
Market Acceptance of Cloud Computing - An Empirical Analysis of Market Structure, Price Models and Service Requirements
(2009)
-
Lei Han
- As an emerging technology and business paradigm, Cloud Computing embeds fairly large amount of unexplored fields, from technological definition to business models. While the market of Cloud Computing is expected to expand in the near future, few studies of the actual market acceptance of the Cloud Computing services are done. It may be interesting, especially for the Cloud Computing service providers, to know more about the preferences of transaction forms and price models from the users and potential users. From an academic research’s point of view, we want to know whether the development of Cloud Computing market can be explained or even predicted by certain theoretical frameworks.
-
Incentive Compatibility and Efficiency in the Contractual Insurer-Provider Relationship - Economic Theory and Practical Implications: The Case of North Carolina
(2007)
-
Andreas Schmid
- The paper is concerned with the efficient organization of contractual relationships between health insurers and providers. An introduction to relevant aspects of contract theory is followed by their adaptation to the characteristics of the health care system. The focus lies on an ex ante alignment of incentive structures as well as on an efficient handling of conflicts of interest once a contract has been sealed (ex post). The theory based conclusions are contrasted with the situation in North Carolina, USA. Due to the implemented regulation, this state is well suited to serve as a reference. An excursus to the American health care system provides the reader with the necessary background. A discussion of results completes the paper.
-
Multiple Criteria Decision Making in Application Layer Networks
(2008)
-
Frank Schneider
- This work is concerned with the conduct of MCDM by intelligent agents trading commodities in ALNs. These agents consider trustworthiness in their course of negotiation and select offers with respect to product price and seller reputation.
-
Grid Computing in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: An Exploratory Study of Corporate Attitudes towards Economic and Security-Related Issues
(2008)
-
Joachim Westhoff
- As Grid computing commenced in the scientific sector, it slowly enters the commercial environment. Although it proposes interesting features for horizontal integration of hardware and resource sharing, businesses slowly implement Intragrids in their companies. Open Grid markets are yet not deployed.
