This qualitative research is part of a learning effort to better understand how serious games are exploited in a science education context. The research team examined this issue by focusing on augmented reality as a technological innovation imbedded on a tablet. Given the current state of knowledge related to serious games and augmented reality, and given the fact that its use in the context of teaching/learning is not extended, this paper focuses on an initial exploration of how a new teaching practice involving a serious game based on an interactive augmented reality solution would impact on students in a physics class. A Design Based Research methodology was applied in a real‑world context within a college‑level physics class. Two conceptual tests containing ten questions on spatial notions regarding electromagnetic fields were administered to two control groups and two groups using the proposed serious game. The latter groups were administrated a game evaluation questionnaire as well. Thematic interpretation of students written responses to the evaluation questionnaire as well as the lessons and observations we derived from the in-class experimentation are provided and discussed in the paper.
Natural regeneration comprises different subprocesses, each of them driven by specific climatic and stand-related factors, which determine the success of natural regeneration. The objective of this study was to investigate the seed availability of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Aiton). To meet this objective, seed rain was monitored for four different levels of stand density at the experimental site of Cuéllar, Spain, during a 10-year period. A generalized linear mixed-effects model was fitted to test the effects of climatic variables and stand density on the annual seed production and seed rain. The climatic covariates were chosen among those that are thought to affect the key physiological phases governing these subprocesses: minimum temperature in October 2 years before dispersal (cone growing), April precipitation 1 year before dispersal (cone growing), and October–November precipitation 1 year before dispersal (cone maturation). No climate variable related to flowering or seed rain process was significant. Moreover, stand density was considered through a spatially explicit index called the seed-source index. Primary cone growth was limited by extreme cold events. Absence of precipitation limits secondary growth and hinders final cone ripening. It turns out that seed production and seed rain may be a bottleneck for natural regeneration of P. pinaster under low stand densities, especially under extreme climatic scenarios.
Climate change has driven forest growth modellers to develop different climate sensitivity implementations (CSI) for their models. Among others, a model can rely on annual climate variables or average climate variables, such as 30-year normals. The novelty of this study was to develop a framework based on lifetime analysis to enable annual or average CSI in empirical models of tree mortality. Using this framework, we compared models of individual tree mortality based on an annual CSI with similar models relying on two average CSIs, one using interval-averaged climate variables, and the other, 30-year normals. We fitted these models to permanent-plot data of eight species in Ontario and tested the effects of summer and winter temperature as well as spring and summer precipitation in the models. Our results showed that the annual CSI was not superior to the average CSIs, but could be a valid alternative for some species. Warmer winter temperature was detrimental to the survival of Abies balsamea, Betula papyrifera, Picea glauca, and Pinus strobus, whereas greater spring and summer precipitation resulted in greater mortality occurrence for Picea mariana, Pinus banksiana, and Populus tremuloides. In most cases, the effects of climate variables were contrary to our initial hypotheses. We conclude that the effects of climate on tree mortality occurrence interact with other factors such as species distribution and ecophysiology.
230 temporary plots located in Aleppo pine ( Pinus halepensis Mill.) stands in the Aures (Algeria) were used for modeling its structure with three theoretical distributions, i.e., the Weibull; the normal and the Beta one. Parameters of the Weibull distribution were estimated using two methods: the maximum likelihood and the method of moments. Diameter distribution models were obtained by estimation of each distribution parameters and by their prediction using stand variables. Results revealed the efficiency of the Weibull distribution estimated with the method of moments. The parameter estimation method is more accurate compared to parameter recovery method despite the existence of strong correlations between parameters of the theoretical distributions and some population variables such as arithmetic or quadratic mean diameter and dominant height. Plot characteristics revealed the existence of several distribution shapes: symmetrical; dissymmetrical with left asymmetry and reverse I or J -shaped distributions.
Peatlands play an important role as carbon pools with one third of the world's soil carbon stored (Joosten & Clarke, 2002). However, peatlands of Southeast Asia have suffered shrinkage due to economic and natural resource pressure, often caused by land-use change and fires. In this work, a comparison of different scenarios related to current land management and aboveground biomass valorization of peatlands was performed. The objective was to compare the global contribution to climate change that could be avoided by means of the biomass valorization and stopping the fires in peatlands. A life cycle approach was usedto compare four scenarios that correspond to current land management on peatlands. These scenarios were: 1) business as usual including current fire occurrence, 2) prospective biomass valorization in drained conditions, 3) prospective biomass valorization in non-drained conditions and 4) peatland restoration. The lifecycle inventories relied on meta-analysis reviews and the ecoinvent database. The total greenhouse gas emissions for the “business as usual”, “biomass valorization in drained conditions”, “biomass valorization in non-drained conditions” and “restoration” scenarios were 150, 20, 0.5and -3 t ha yr of CO2equivalent respectively.The “biomass valorization in drained conditions” scenario made it possible to avoid 130t hayrCO2equivalent in comparison with the “business as usual” scenario and, produced 23t hayrof CO2equivalent more than the “restoration” scenario. The “biomass valorization” scenarios in drained and non-drained conditions were alternatives to control fires in peatlands, maintaining a balance between economic activities and contribution to peat formation
Um die Nachhaltigkeit der energetischen Nutzung von Biomasse beurteilen zu konnen, ist es notwendig, die gesamte Route vom Boden bis zu den verschiedenen Verwertungen der Biomasse und zum Kraftwerk zu betrachten. Wir werden dies hier am Beispiel der Verwertung von Buchenholz zeigen. Dieser Beitrag entstand aus der Zusammenarbeit zwischen 5 Instituten in Lothringen LERFOB: Forstwirtschaft INRA (M. Fortin) IJL: Okobilanzen (J. Francois, O. Mirgaux, F. Patisson) LRGP: Reaktions- und Verfahrenstechnik (J. Francois, G. Mauviel, G. Wild, A. Dufour) LEMTA: Energietechnik (M. Feidt) LERMAB: Holztechnik (C. Rogaume, Y. Rogaume) Baumwachstum und Forstwirtschaft (inklusive die verschiedenen Anwendungen von Holz: Baumaterial, Papierindustrie, Energie, usw.) werden im Rahmen einer Plattform CAPSIS modelliert; dabei werden die verschiedenen Bilanzen (Kohlenstoff, Mineralien: N, S, Cl, P, K) fur die Herstellung und den Transport der zur Energieverwertung bestimmten Holzschnipsel ausfuhrlich dargestellt. Die mit CAPSYS gewonnenen Ergebnisse werden in ein groses ASPEN Plus® Programm eingegeben, das die folgenden Aspekte beinhaltet: Sonneneinstrahlung, CO2, zum Wachstum der Biomasse verwendete Mineralien, Wachstum der Biomasse, Holztransport und -Verarbeitung (Trocknen, Zerkleinern), Vergasung, Herstellung von Strom und Warme im Kraftwerk. Die verschiedenen thermochemischen Reaktionen im Vergaser werden modelliert, um die Schadstoffemissionen berechnen zu konnen, und um vorauszusagen, was wahrend der Vergasung aus den Mineralien wird. Der Werdegang der Mineralien kann durchaus fur die Nachhaltigkeit der Route ausschlaggebend sein. Das so erhaltene Okoprofil wird dann in einer herkommlichen Okobilanz-Software verarbeitet (GaBi®).
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