The Columbian Exchange Essay Example For Students

The Columbian Exchange Essay Entitled after Christopher Columbus, the Columbian Exchange is simply the trade that occurs among the Americans, West Africa and the old world which are often limited to the European colonization. The transference that occurs among these countries includes the widespread transmission of animals, plant, philosophy, concepts, human populations, and technology. It was the coming of Columbus that outlined the globalization of animals, germs, plant and so on. It was the Europeans who got measles, wheat, and horses to America while in this trade, the Americans brought turkeys, potato and tobacco to Europe. The Europeans also brought earthworm aid for the growth of agriculture and transformed America. The earthworm started spreading in the extinct large parts of North America, and whenever this species spread, it changed the landscape, breaking down the fallen foliage and causing nutrient erosion. This enhances plant growth and tends to take away living space from bugs and concurrently, providing a new source of food for many birds. We will write a custom essay on The Columbian Exchange specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The Columbian Exchange story begins in Jamestown, in a British colony now the US state of Virginia, in the America, captured when a Portuguese slave ship was captured by nearly two dozen black saves on-board.   Since it was harvest time, the slaves were capitalized on by the Jamestown which in a way, set the seal on slavery in America. Though what the tobacco farmers didn’t know was that in the process of buying labor of services, they have also acquired the diseases these Africans have in their blood. That was why Plasmodium falciparum, the carrier of malaria, now gained a grip in North America, which is the high price the colonial masters have to pay for their atrocities. Just as Europe’s agriculture becomes overly dependent on a product from South America, it becomes of great significance to industry, as rubber either in the form of cable insulation, sealing rings, rings for pipes and so on. Nowadays, it is regarded as a significant part of the modern technology that no matter how rapidly rubber exports increased in Brazil, demand keeps growing and prices continue to inflate. Outline1 Potatoes2 Rice3 Tomatoes4 Livestock5 Class of culture6 Tobacco Potatoes Due to the Columbian Exchange, plants originally from the Americans were delivered at international level. The cause of this was the fact that they have become an essential part of crops. Previously crops like potatoes were only were cultivated out of the South America borders.   This crop eventually became a fundamental element in a nutrition process. At the same time, maize and cassava were introduced by the Portuguese in the 1600s, replacing the sorghum and millet as African most essential food crops. However, colonizers in Spain introduced new kind of staple harvests in Asiatic territory. Rice Rice is another plant that becomes generally cultivated during the Columbian Exchange.   The cause of this was the increase in the request which led to an increase in knowledge on how to plant and grow it Tomatoes Tomatoes didn’t get accepted easily, in fact, it took almost three centuries after tomato introduction, the potato is the only plant that took as long as the tomato to be accepted. Moreover, in the olden days, tomatoes are mainly grown in elite town and were mainly grown as ornaments in Italy. Livestock The Columbian exchange of animals has gone through one route, from Europe to the new world with its region having many more domesticated animals. Native people rapidly embraced the idea to have animals like sheep, goats, donkeys, dogs, chicken, bees and so on for food, transport, and many other uses. This is a component of the first trades from Europe to America which transformed the lives of countless Native American. But notwithstanding, the effects of the introduction of the European livestock on its people were not always positive. .uc9ae19e36b559a79e166cd1657f47398 , .uc9ae19e36b559a79e166cd1657f47398 .postImageUrl , .uc9ae19e36b559a79e166cd1657f47398 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uc9ae19e36b559a79e166cd1657f47398 , .uc9ae19e36b559a79e166cd1657f47398:hover , .uc9ae19e36b559a79e166cd1657f47398:visited , .uc9ae19e36b559a79e166cd1657f47398:active { border:0!important; } .uc9ae19e36b559a79e166cd1657f47398 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uc9ae19e36b559a79e166cd1657f47398 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uc9ae19e36b559a79e166cd1657f47398:active , .uc9ae19e36b559a79e166cd1657f47398:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uc9ae19e36b559a79e166cd1657f47398 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uc9ae19e36b559a79e166cd1657f47398 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uc9ae19e36b559a79e166cd1657f47398 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uc9ae19e36b559a79e166cd1657f47398 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uc9ae19e36b559a79e166cd1657f47398:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uc9ae19e36b559a79e166cd1657f47398 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uc9ae19e36b559a79e166cd1657f47398 .uc9ae19e36b559a79e166cd1657f47398-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uc9ae19e36b559a79e166cd1657f47398:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Prevent Computer Viruses EssayIt shouldn’t be forgotten that what plays a role in Chinas fate is three crops which are potatoes, corn, and rice, what makes these unusually high head and hardy non-indigenous plants were able to grow even in soil that would not have supported rice cultivation. The Americans were able to grow with this advantages. Class of culture Class of culture can also have transferred European values to indigenous culture, for example, the role of women and children in the family system, the concepts of the nuclear family. This type of cultural exchange came during the 1500s in North America. For the Europeans, they were seeking economic opportunities, so for the success of the mission, land, and resources were necessary and vital. Tobacco As a direct result of the Columbian Exchange, Tobacco happens to be one of the luxury plants spread as a result of this. This makes the demand for tobacco grew rapidly in the course of the cultural exchanges and continuously increased contacts among peoples. Conclusion Even though the enslaved Africans have a negative effect right from the start, they later have positive effects on the Americans by representing skilled labor and also giving way to a new population which represents a hybrid of the two cultures in comparative. The Columbian Exchange Essay Example For Students The Columbian Exchange Essay The Columbian exchange was the widespread transfer of various products such as animals, plants, and culture between the Americas and Europe. Though most likely unintentional, the byproduct that had the largest impact from this exchange between the old and new world was communicable diseases. Europeans and other immigrants brought a host of diseases with them to America, which killed as much as ninety percent of the native population. Epidemics ravaged both native and nonnative populations of the new world destroying civilizations. The source of these epidemics were due to low resistance, poor sanitation, and inadequate medical knowledge- â€Å"more die of the practitioner than of the natural course of the disease (Duffy). We will write a custom essay on The Columbian Exchange specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now † These diseases of the new world posed a serious threat to the lives of the early settlers, with ineffective treatments mortality was high especially for infants and children. Most patients seeking help turned to local healers using herbal remedies, while others turned to barber-surgeons, minsters, or midwives. There was little regulation or control over medical care and there was no distinction between physician and surgeons. When an emergency occurred whoever was capable of administering medical care was expected to handle all aspects of a situation. Relatively few doctors in this period had any type of medical training; only one of Boston’s ten doctors had a degree. With that prescription drugs were prescribed in excessively large and unmeasured quantities. The most common cures for patients was bloodletting sometimes combined with purgatives such as vomiting. Bloodletting was a method of withdrawing blood from patients in hope to cure or prevent illnesses. Though due to lack of knowledge this method normally kille. .using symptoms such as fever, fatigue, and vomiting. Difficult to recognize at first malaria continues to cause yellowing of the skin, seizures, and even death; these symptoms normally begin after ten to fifteen days after being contracted. Malaria was brought over to early America through slavery and killed millions of people between the seventeenth and twentieth century. Throughout the growth and expansion of America there was been several disease outbreaks both endemic and epidemic such as small pox, measles, yellow fever, and malaria. Starting with the Colombian exchange and slavery these diseases were brought to the new world and spread like wildfires that devastated populations both native and nonnative. Most commonly known for the death toll on the native Americans these diseases were so costly due to low resistance, poor sanitation, and inadequate treatments.

Free Essays on Thesis On Things Fall Apart

â€Å"Things Fall Apart† is a fascinating book by Chinua Achebe. This is a simple story of a â€Å"strong man† whose life is controlled by anger and fear. Things Fall Apart is about the tragic fall of a great warrior, Okonkwo, and the Igbo culture. Okonkwo is a respected and influential leader within the Igbo community of Umuofia in east Nigeria. He first earns his personal fame, and brings honor to his village, when he defeats Amalinze a.k.a â€Å"the Cat† in a wrestling match. Okonkwo is determine to gain titles for himself and become a powerful and wealthy man in spite of his father's weaknesses. Okonkwo was a very cold-hearted man in the beginning, but becomes kinder throughout the story (Thesis). As we can see in the novel, Okonkwo isn’t the nicest man in the Ibo tribe. For example, he always tried to be tough and strong (â€Å"‘†¦ask my dead father if he ever had a foul when he was alive.’ Everybody laughed heartily except for Okonkwo, who laughed uneasily because, as the saying goes, an old woman I always uneasy when dry bones are mentioned in a proverb. Okonkwo remembered his own father†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Pg. 21 1st ). Okonkwo always thought that his father was a weak person and that no one should be like him. Okonkwo also belives that people should look out for them selves and shows little mercy on their wrong doings. In addition, During the Week of Peace, Okonkwo notices that his youngest wife, Ojiugo has left her hut to have her hair braided with out having cooked dinner. He then beats her for her negligence. After shamefully breaking the peace of the sacred week he must pay heavy fines for his sins (â€Å"†¦No work was done on the Week of Pe ace. People called on their neighbors and drank palm wine. This year they all talked of nothing else but the nso-ani, which Okonkwo had committed. It was the first time in many years that a man had broken the sacred peace†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Pg. 31 3rd). After this incident members of the Igbo tribe think he i... Free Essays on Thesis On Things Fall Apart Free Essays on Thesis On Things Fall Apart â€Å"Things Fall Apart† is a fascinating book by Chinua Achebe. This is a simple story of a â€Å"strong man† whose life is controlled by anger and fear. Things Fall Apart is about the tragic fall of a great warrior, Okonkwo, and the Igbo culture. Okonkwo is a respected and influential leader within the Igbo community of Umuofia in east Nigeria. He first earns his personal fame, and brings honor to his village, when he defeats Amalinze a.k.a â€Å"the Cat† in a wrestling match. Okonkwo is determine to gain titles for himself and become a powerful and wealthy man in spite of his father's weaknesses. Okonkwo was a very cold-hearted man in the beginning, but becomes kinder throughout the story (Thesis). As we can see in the novel, Okonkwo isn’t the nicest man in the Ibo tribe. For example, he always tried to be tough and strong (â€Å"‘†¦ask my dead father if he ever had a foul when he was alive.’ Everybody laughed heartily except for Okonkwo, who laughed uneasily because, as the saying goes, an old woman I always uneasy when dry bones are mentioned in a proverb. Okonkwo remembered his own father†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Pg. 21 1st ). Okonkwo always thought that his father was a weak person and that no one should be like him. Okonkwo also belives that people should look out for them selves and shows little mercy on their wrong doings. In addition, During the Week of Peace, Okonkwo notices that his youngest wife, Ojiugo has left her hut to have her hair braided with out having cooked dinner. He then beats her for her negligence. After shamefully breaking the peace of the sacred week he must pay heavy fines for his sins (â€Å"†¦No work was done on the Week of Pe ace. People called on their neighbors and drank palm wine. This year they all talked of nothing else but the nso-ani, which Okonkwo had committed. It was the first time in many years that a man had broken the sacred peace†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Pg. 31 3rd). After this incident members of the Igbo tribe think he i...

Belief in God but not Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Belief in God but not Religion - Essay Example Examples of religions include the Buddhists, Christians, and Muslims among others (Hesse 77). There is the need to belief in God and not religion because the two books; Siddhartha and The Little Philosophy Book gives different perspectives of religions. Siddhartha talks about a spiritual voyage of the main character who is Siddhartha, through four sections of life. Siddhartha was a son to Brahmin and aesthetic in the forest. He was described as a gambler, merchant and eventually a ferryman. At the end of the book, the wisdom of Siddhartha arrived at by the supposed character was a mixture of Buddhists and Hindu traditions (McClory 42). The Little Philosophy Book, on the other hand, talks about examination of individual-self, the earth, and the nature of truthand, putting across questions like, â€Å"why are we here?† â€Å"who are we?† and â€Å"how should we live?† the book begins by traveling around antique philosophy that varies from Socrates’ Greece, t o Vedic India, to Daoist, Confucian, and Buddhist China, and in the Middle East (Solomon 82). In essence, both books reflect on the aspect of religion where different people practice several beliefs and customs. For example, in Siddhartha, the main character was a gambler who lived in woods with his own way of life and in his quest for wisdom Siddhartha makes a false sacrifice (Hesse 77). His selfish actions made him have many arguments with his fellow old man, Ferryman. For example, Siddhartha portrayed his negligence and selfish actions when he was told by Ferryman to let his 12-year son to take care of himself in the woods and the world because his father was not being fair to him. Siddhartha had a mind-body problem, which made him portray his selfishness attitude. Throughout their lives in the forest, these people had their own religion, which combines the teachings and practices of Buddhists and Hindu. Note that Buddhism is a religion on its own while Hinduism is another religi on on its own. The practices and traditions of these two religions are different. Since, Siddhartha, Ferryman, Hesse and other people who lived in forest had a hybrid of the two religions of Hindu and Buddhist, it means their religion was also on its own (Hesse 64). Note that all of them believe to be worshipping God but their practices, customs and traditions are different. This means that belief should be dedicated to God and not religion because the world has several religions, which have distinct practices, and no religion believes on what the other religion believes in. The same concept is supported in the book The Little Philosophy Book which examines the concept of consciousness as par Descartes’ thought that, â€Å"I think, therefore I am†, phenomenological words that explain the issue of mind-body problem (Solomon 91). This book talks about God, spirituality, nature, freedom and responsibility, cosmology, morality and ethics. The book also explores the meaning of life and the function of philosophy in determining both life and happiness. All these concepts are connected to religion in the sense that they define the way of life of people and as mentioned, the practices in it indicate that the religions of China people was Buddhist, while Indians practiced Vedic as other practiced Confucianism (McClory 43). All these are examples of religions in both books and they clearly imply that people need to believe in God and not religion because there is no uniform custom in all the religions in the world. The spirituality of these religions also differs greatly due to the difference in believes. However, it should be clear that spirituality is the majestic and thoughtful fervors of life and a life lived

Professional Perspectives Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Professional Perspectives - Essay Example The main objective of co-educators is to ensure that a group heterogeneous student understands instructions effectively (Perez, 2012). Contrariwise, co-educators differences results to lack of collegial interactions of strategies, which leads to a poor instructional program. Philosophy Statement on Co-Teaching It is hard for co-educators to meet diversified students’ needs with differing professional perspectives, which negatively affect professional interactions in the development of effective strategies to ensure that all student needs are satisfied including those with disabilities. A colleague with a different perspective from mine will be of more disadvantages than advantages in terms of collegial support towards meeting student needs and formulation of effective strategies. I am profound on the professional interactions as well as my co-educator’s characteristics and needs. The concepts of an effective exchange of plans and consultation in implementing a curriculu m that gratifies all student needs are central to my philosophy of co-teaching. Collegial support that offers a different input towards my plans demonstrates the absence of diversity based teamwork towards a long lasting co-teaching (Specialconnections.ku.edu, n.d.). I believe that co-teaching has to involve a number of co-teachings activities such as exploring skills that educators require to collaborate successfully. However, in a case whereby my co-educator differs with every slight perception I have towards a learning environment, it is challenging to implement co-planning in a classroom. I love learning new things, and it would be god of my o-educator to equip me with new instructional techniques. Nonetheless, my co-educator has to assimilate my perspectives and together develop strategies towards effective co-teaching opposed to a situation where none of our professional perspective is common. I believe that adaptability, dedication, collaboration, and positive collegial suppo rt are the key aspects towards effective consultations on issues affecting students because of diversity rather than focusing on the differences that may exist between my co-educator and me. Different professional perspectives should be utilized as a tool of every co-educator self-reflection to realize his/her weakness and strengths concerning the ability to work as teamwork (Perez, 2012). The success of an inclusive classroom depends on the parity portrayed by the partnership of both educators, which must show the presence of a teaching practice based on effective collaboration and support. Viewpoint Description on Co-Teaching The most important aspect for effective consultations in handling students’ needs in co-teaching is the partnership between two co-educators. Each co-educator perspective on co-teaching is a complicated set of actions and intentions with unique criteria for evaluating strategies that are right and wrong. Our roles and the idealized self-image as co-edu cators are determined professional perspectives. Moreover, perspectives provide the basis to which co-educators can reflect on the co-teaching practice (Beninghof, 2012). The moment I consult with a co-educator who believes as I do, an immediacy of communication is established as well as the feeling of being understood. However, a colleague that believes in a truly different way from mine evokes a

Is the world a better place as a result of globalization Essay

Is the world a better place as a result of globalization - Essay Example before were considered internal, are now openly and more successfully being interfered at by international organizations, justifying such actions with values that are established universal, for example, human rights (Boyle; Keck and Sikkink). Being able to enjoy things that we don’t enjoy before could immediately tell us that indeed, globalization has made the world a better place to live in. In fact to Wolf, globalization has lessened inequality between and within nations. So, if globalization has made it possible for all nations to enjoy the resources each one has; if globalization has made it possible for peoples of different cultures to converge in order to alter a medically unsafe belief; if globalization has given underdeveloped nations the opportunity to be developed; then, what is there to oppose? As Rodrik has pointed out, let us be careful in jumping to such conclusion, because to his view, globalization has in fact weakened labor and has been unwisely undermining nation states. Following Rodrik’s analysis, I, too, am skeptical that globalization is making our world a better place to live in. What made me say this, I shall argue below. The main feature or more precisely, the very logic of globalization is to liberalize the world market. Thus the driving force of globalization is not homogenization, neither convergence, in the positive sense, but the unrestricted movement of capital. It is nice to imagine that globalization will unite the world towards the betterment of humanity. Unfortunately, thinking that way would be fooling ourselves, because the fact remains that globalization is capitalism’s economic strategy. On the other hand, it would also be inaccurate to deny that globalization has opened up economic opportunities and development to poor countries. Exemplars of which are China and India, which economy has dramatically improved from impoverishment. Many more countries in Asia are also benefitted with rapid economic growth. Having the

Indias Society and Culture

Indias Society and Culture Executive Summary The culture of India is among the worlds oldest, reaching back about 5,000 years. Many sources describe it as Sa Prathama Sanskrati Vishvavara — the first and the supreme culture in the world. India is a very diverse country, and different regions have their own distinct cultures. Language, religion, food and the arts are just some of the various aspects of Indian culture. Here is a brief overview of the culture of India. Introduction Major determinants of social and political organization in India today are: Religion, Caste, and Language. There are more job opportunities in the private sector and better chances of upward social mobility now, hence India has begun a quiet social transformation in this area. The government has recognized 18 official languages; Hindi, the national language, is the most widely spoken, although English is a national lingua franca. About 80% of the population is Hindu; India is the home of more than 138 million Muslims, the third largest Muslim population in the world. India’s population also includes Christians, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, and Parsis. The Caste System The caste system is based on occupational and socially defined hierarchies. There are 4 castes: 1) Priests (Brahmin), 2) Warriors (Kshatriya), 3) Traders/artisans (Vaishya), and 4) Farmers/laborers (Shudra). These categories are generally understood throughout India. The caste system does not include the tribal people and those outside the caste system formerly known as untouchables†, or dalits. In reality, Indian society is divided into thousands of jatislocal, endogamous groups based on occupationand organized hierarchically according to complex ideas of purity and pollution. Discrimination based on caste is officially illegal, but remains prevalent, especially in rural areas. Government effort, expanding education, land reform and economic opportunity through access to information, communication, transport, and credit are helping to lessen the harshest elements of the caste system. The Hindu Worldview Concept of dharma – following one’s duty; being duty bound Karma – action and consequence (as we sow, so we reap) Samsara – cycle of life Moksha – release from the successive cycles of life, death and rebirth Hindu Weddings Hindu weddings are a sacrament. Generally, they last a few days. They are highly ritualized. Fire is a sacred and central element of the Hindu wedding. Weddings are very festive, with lots of music, dancing, food, sweets, gifts, and include many family traditions. Black or plain white is NEVER worn at a wedding as both are the colors of sorrow, mourning or widowhood. Not all Hindu weddings are ostentatious, noisy, and long. Many factors affect wedding customs: Region Caste Socio-economic standing Education level Urban versus rural Family make-up Workforce Labor force: 487.6 million (2011 estimate) Labor force by occupation: Agriculture: 52% Industry: 14% Services: 34% Unemployment rate: 9.8% (2011 estimate) Classified as a low income country by the World Bank with a GNI (gross national income) of $450. Great inequality in the distribution of wealth: the richest tenth of households hold 33% of wealth, while the poorest tenth only hold 3%. 29% of the population lives below the poverty line; 70% of these people reside in rural areas; 86% of the population lives under $2 per day; 44% lives under $1 per day; 25% of the population does not have enough money to eat adequately. Dos and Donts in India 1) Do drink bottled water only. 2) Dont offer bribes to get any job done. Bribe-taking and bribe-giving are a common practice in India but they are intended to speed up things or win a favor that non-Indians are not entitled to. Plan well in advance. Use consultants or trade and industry associations. If you expect favors, let them come free or not at all. Warn anyone (even in government) who asks you for a bribe that you would report him to the Anti-Corruption Bureau or the nearest police-station. 3) Don’t show amusement at Indian English, accents or choice of words. The fact remains that many Indians speak and write better English than many native English speakers. 4) Do pay attention to the Indian nod. Many Indians are in the habit of shaking their head in the course of conversation or taking instructions. The nod generally means I hear you. Namaste. This is a greeting done with joining of your palms as during prayer. 5) Do say namaste, folding your hands together, as if praying. This is a common greeting well understood across India, in spite of linguistic differences. 6) Don’t shake hands with women if they do not extend their hand out first. Many women may not wish to shake hands when met, so a ‘Namaste’ greeting is appropriate, followed with a Kaise hai? (How are you? in Hindi.) Indian Food Wide regional variation A variety of spices and nuts add delicate flavor to the food Vegetarian food is very common in India There are many types of curries (vindaloo, Madras, etc.) Do not confuse curry with gravy. No beef! (Cows are considered holy in India.) Chicken and lamb/mutton are common meats, as is fish. Indian pickles are served with every meal; they are made with oil, spices and a variety of vegetables (mango, lemon, chilies, and carrots.) Plain yogurt is consumed with almost every meal. Indian Cinema The biggest film producing industry in the world is the Mumbai-based Bollywood. It is also called Hindi Cinema, since many regional language films are also produced in India. Melodrama and romance are common ingredients of Bollywood films. Indian Music India has a history of music that spans millennia. Music serves as spiritual inspiration, cultural expression and pure entertainment. Types of music: Folk – rural, ethnic, regional music Popular – Bollywood and regional cinema music Classical music – two branches: Carnatic) Southern India) and Hindustani (Northern and Central India) Galaxy of Musicians by Raja Ravi Varma depicts Indian women dressed in regional attire playing a variety of musical instruments popular in different parts of the country. Indian Dance In Hindu mythology, dance is believed to have been conceived by Brahma, who inspired the sage Bharata Muni to write the Natya Shastra, a treatise on performing arts, from which a codified practice of dance and drama emerged. The best-known of Hindu deities—Shiva, Kali and Krishna—are typically represented dancing. Shivas cosmic dance, Kalis dance of creation and destruction, and Krishnas dance with the gopikas (cow-herd girls)—Rasa Lila—are popular motifs in Hindu mythology. Conclusion To conclude with, there are different aspects of the Indian culture. Each aspect is practiced by people but not everyone believes in the different aspects. As you can see it is a very traditional culture, everyone has their opinion towards it, positive and negative. Therefore the Indian Culture is a very unique culture and has various practices. Although the youth do not believe in the traditional aspects, the culture will vary with time and will not be traditional anymore because of the modern world. All in all the aspects are frequently practiced but tomorrow’s generation are going to change it.

Essay Outline for Conflict in Lorraine Hansberrys A Raisin in the Sun :: Raisin Sun essays

Conflicts in A Raisin in the Sun – Essay Outline I. Conflicts in the Play - There are many types of conflict evident in this play. Some are as follows: A. Man vs. Man - Mama is the matriarch of the family, and she is very much in control of her children's lives. She is driven by a strong sense of pride and a strong faith in God. Her ideas conflict with three other characters: 1.   Walter - His dreams of owning a licquor store conflict religiously with Mama's value system. The conflict between Mama and Walter is amplified by the fact that it is Mama's apartment in which the family lives and Walter is unable/unwilling to make decisions because Mama is so domineering. Ironically, it is the one decision that she eventually lets Walter make which nearly destroys the family. 2.   Beneatha - Mama is angered and confused by Beneatha's views on religion. 3.   Ruth - Mama is unable to accept the fact that Ruth might find it necessary to have an abortion. B. Man vs. Nature 1. Living Conditions - five people in a small apartment 2. The neighborhood - ghetto-itis 3. Economic Conditions 4. Job Dissatisfaction 5. Society's Racism    III. Individual Dreams Vs. Family Responsibilities - A central conflict in the play arises when there is disparity between the individual's dreams and his/her familial responsibilities A. Walter's desire to own a liquor store B. Beneatha's dream to be a doctor    IV. Character Contrasts A. George Vs. Asagai - George is trying to deny his heritage. His family has prospered in America and he sees no need to celebrate his African heritage. He illustrates the blandness and shallowness of a life rooted in the quest for wealth and status. Asagai contrasts with George. He is an idealist. He is intelligent, perceptive, and dedicated to helping his country in its quest for liberation. These two men embody the two forces that operate on and within the family: materialism and idealism. B. Mama vs. Walter - Mama's desires for the family contrast with Walter's. Mama wants to use the insurance money to buy a house, a symbol of stability. Walter would rather spend the money on a high risk investment. Mama represents the wiser generation.      V. Important Props A. The plant - This is representative of Mama's ability to endure despite harsh surroundings, and her tenacity in keeping her dream alive.

Ecosystems: Ecological Succession and Climatic Climax

Ecosystems: Change and Challenge The Structure of Ecosystems Ecosystem: a dynamic, stable system characterised by the interaction of plants and animals with each other and with the non-living components of the environment The components of an ecosystem are categorised as either biotic and abiotic Biotic means the living environment, components include: i). Vegetation (living and decomposing) ii).Mammals, insects, birds and microorganisms Biomass-the mass of material in the bodies of animals and plants (total mass of living matter) Abiotic means the non-living, chemical and physical components of the ecosystem and includes: i). Climate- in particular the seasonal pattern of temperature and precipitation ii). Soil characteristics iii). Underlying parent rock iv). Relief of the land v). Drainage characteristicsEcosystems are open systems because energy and living matter can both enter and leave the system: * Inputs-Energy from the sun, which drives photosynthesis-enabling the plants to grow, water transported into the ecosystem from precipitation and animals that arrive from elsewhere * Outputs-nutrients are transferred out of the system by: animals can physically move out, water can leave through evapotranspiration, groundwater flow and throughflow * Flows-nutrients can be transferred from one store to another e. g. apillary uptake * Stores- stores of nutrients: vegetation, plant litter and soils Energy Flows and nutrient cycling Energy flows- is the flow of energy through a food chain * Energy flows flow through an ecosystem from one stage to another. * Through photosynthesis plants are able to capture light energy from the sun to make carbohydrates from carbon dioxide and water to grow and increase their biomass * Within all ecosystems, nutrients are required for plant growth and are recycled from one store to another e. g. leaves fall from tree-> when they decompose nutrients are returned to the soilGersmehl diagram- shows the cycling of nutrients within the m ain stores of biome * Circles of proportionate size represent the stores of nutrients with the biomass, litter and soil * Nutrient transfers, inputs and outputs are represented by arrows of varying thickness Inputs- include nutrients(carbon and nitrogen) and minerals(from weathered parent rock) Outputs-loss of nutrients from the soil by; leaching and surface runoff Flows-leaf fall from biomass to litter, decomposition of litter, flow of nutrients to soil, uptake of nutrients by plants and treesThe movement of energy up the trophic levels shows the food chain as each trophic level occupies a different position. However food chains, in reality, are often more complicated than this. Some species can occupy more than one position in every food web – may be prey to more than one animal etc. Nutrient cycles in an ecosystem take place between the biotic and abiotic components of the ecosystem. This can be shown through the Gersmehl diagram. * Nutrients have three stores – the soil, litter and biomass. Nutrients are transferred through the three stores through fall of dead tissue, absorption through plant roots and decomposition etc. Inputs of nutrients include precipitation and the weathering of parent rock Outputs include loss from runoff and leaching Flows include leaf fall (from the biomass to the litter), decomposition of litter(flow of nutrients to the soil) Trophic levels, food chains and webs Energy transfer within an ecosystem, represented by a pyramid diagram * At each trophic level, some energy is available as food for the next level * Each level decreases in size, 90% of energy lost through life rocesses-respiration, movement and excretion * Only 10% available as food, number of living organisms decreases as trophic levels increase Producers/autotrophs- first layer, produce their own food through photosynthesis(green plants) Primary consumers-eat the producers(herbivores) Secondary consumers-consume the herbivores(carnivores) Tertiary consume rs-top predators that eat secondary consumers Detrivores and decomposers operate at each trophic level: i). Detrivore-feeds on dead material or waste products ii).Decomposer-an organism that breaks down dead plants, animals and waste matter e. g. fungi and bacteria * There are normally 4 links in a food chain, each link feeds on and obtains energy from the previous link and is consumed by and provides energy for the proceeding link * There are a large number of food chains that operate in ecosystems, it is also made even more complicated as animals have varied diets, this can be shown in a food web Ecosystems in the British Isles Over Time Succession and Climax Succession-a series of changes that take place in the plant community over timeClimatic climax-the final stage of the plant succession, where the vegetation is in balance with the environmental conditions. Providing the environmental conditions remain unchanged there will be no change in the vegetation once the stage is reach ed * If allowed to continue undisturbed , the succession will reach its climatic climax- where the plant species live in perfect balance with the current environmental conditions * Climate is the major influence of vegetation on a global scale * On a local scale-drainage, geology and relief affect plant growthThere are two basic types of succession: 1. Primary succession-occurs on surfaces that have had no previous vegetation There are two main types of primary succession: * Xeroseres are formed on dry land, this group can be divided into lithoseres on bare rock and psammoseres on sand dunes * Hydroseres are formed in water, haloseres in salt water and hydroseres in fresh water 2. Secondary succession occurs on land that was formerly vegetated but has undergone a loss of vegetation E. g. Deforestation Development of a successionAs the succession develops it passes through a series of stages called seres(individual stages in the plant succession) where the processes of invasion, colo nisation, competition, domination and decline operate to influence the composition of the vegetation i). Plants first invade bare ground through the processes of dispersal and migration ii). Pioneer species are adapted to surviving harsh conditions (e. g. long-rooted salt-tolerant marram grass), they compete for available space, light, water and nutrients, when they die they help modify the environment by adding organic matter iii).The addition of organic matter to the developing soil improves its structure and water retention qualities iv). A period of relative stability is eventually reached where the vegetation has reached its climax, the climax is dominated by the tallest species v). The saturation point has been reached with all potential niches occupied- climatic climax community, where the natural vegetation has reached a stable balance with the climate and soils of the area Polyclimax theory- the theory that local factors (drainage, geology, relief and microclimates) can cre ate variations in the climatic climax communityPlagioclimax- the plant community that exists when human interference prevents the climatic climax being reached Lithosere Is a succession that begins life on newly exposed rock surface e. g. eruption of a volcano i). The bare rock is initially colonised by bacteria and algae ii). The pioneers begin to colonise, starting with lichens, they begin to break down the rock and assist water retention iii). As water retention improves, mosses begin to grow, water retention improves and weathering to produce the beginning of a soil where advanced plants can grow iv).Ferns, herbs and flowering plants appear and die back, bacteria converts their remains into humus, helps to recycle nutrients and improve soil fertility v). Shrubs start to grow vi). Pioneer trees become established, normally fast growing e. g. willow, birch vii). Slower growing tree species begin to develop (e. g. ash and oak), they are the dominants of the climatic climax communit y- termperate deciduous woodland Hydrosere A hydrosere develops as follows: i). In a freshwater environment, submerged aquatics are the first plants to develop, they help to trap sediment which enables other species to move in i). The next seral stage is the growth of reed beds and swamp conditions iii). Colonisation by alder and fern begins, they further modify the environmental conditions, improving drainage and mineral content of the immature soil, allowing the entry of willow and ash iv). The climatic climax vegetation of deciduous oak or beech woodland is reached, throughout the succession there are progressive changes to the soil conditions, ground-level microclimate and animal activity Temperate Deciduous WoodlandA biome is a global-scale ecosystem and is a naturally occurring organic community of plants and animals in the climatic climax stage of succession * Tropical rainforests and temperate deciduous woodland are both examples of high energy biomes * Low energy biomes are the tundra in the high latitudes and the hot deserts in the low latitudes, the vegetation is scarce and net primary productivity is low * Temperate deciduous woodland is a high energy biome which has a relatively high productivity. It is found in id latitudes on the borders of continents where there is adequate moisture. Climate: * Temperature ranges from 5 – 17 in Winter and Summer * 500-2,000mm of rain per year, varies seasonally * Low pressure systems * Westerly winds Vegetation: * Broadleaved deciduous trees are the dominant species, oak are the tallest * Trees develop large crowns and broad but thin leaves * Shed their leaves in the winter, reduces transpiration when less water is available * Net primary production-1,200g dry organic matter per M? er year * Most woodlands show some stratification * Below the canopy is the shrub layer * Just above the forest floor is the herb layer * Epiphytes e. g. lichens and mosses grow on the trunks and branches of trees * A thick la yer of leaf litter is readily broken down by soil microbes and animals Soil: * Brown Earth soil 1. 5m deep * Leaf litter makes the soil more fertile in Autumn * Well mixed with decomposers so it becomes fertile quickly * Leaching occurs when there is snowmelt or intense rain, which is not uncommon Arresting factorsPlant successions can be stopped from reaching climatic climax or deflected to a different climax, by human interference The resulting vegetation is called a plagioclimax, this can be caused by: * deforestation or afforestation * animal grazing or trampling * fire clearance A secondary succession is one that develops on land that has previously been vegetated The stages of secondary succession may be more rapid than those of primary succession because organic matter is already present in the soil, the pioneer stage may be short or absent- climatic climax is reached in a much shorter timePlagioclimax: heather moorland 1. As the soils deteriorated without the deciduous veget ation, hardy plants such as heather come to dominate the uplands. 2. Sheep grazing became the major form of agriculture and the sheep prevented the regeneration of climax woodland by destroying young saplings 3. Many of these uplands have been controlled by managed burning to encourage new heather shoots 4. Burning has eliminated the less fire-resistant species, leading to the dominance of heather 5.One of the aims of burning heather is to ensure as much as possible of the available nutrient is conserved in the ecosystem 6. Burnt on average every 15 years, If the time elapses more then there is too much woody tissue and nutrients are lost in smoke Tropical biomes In a tropical rainforest biome due to the constant high temperature and rainfall, vegetation grows more quickly, large amounts of net primary production Biodiversity- the variety of species within an ecosystem Leaching-soluble bases are removed from a soil by downward-percolating water in environments where precipitation ex ceeds evaporationNet primary production-the amount of energy fixed in photosynthesis minus the energy lost by respiration in plants The tropical equatorial rainforest biome The tropical rainforest biomes are between latitudes 10Â °N and 10Â °S of the equator Climate * The equatorial climate has little variation, temperatures remain high throughout the year * High diurnal temperature range, high during day and low during the night- due to no insulating clouds to keep the heat in * Annual precipitation is high, often in excess of 2000mm, rain falls all ear round at the equator because of the inter-tropical convergence zone dominates the atmospheric conditions Evapotranspiration is rapid, due to sun heats the humid forest * low pressure conditions allow air to be rapidly uplifted * As the air rises it cools and water vapour condenses into clouds, the clouds continue to build into the afternoon- leading to heavy rain and thunder, returning the previously uplifted moisture back to grou nd levelHumidity is high throughout the year, continuous evapotranspiration adds water vapour to the air On the forest floor there is little breeze as the trade winds converge here Soils Underlying soil will have developed naturally over a long period of time and be in balance with its environment, this is known as zonal soil The zonal soil associated with the tropical rainforest is a latosolyh Characteristic features * A latosol can be more than 40m deep The constant hot wet climate provides perfect conditions for chemical weathering of the bedrock * Ferrallitisation is the process where bedrock is broken down by chemical weathering into clay minerals and sesquioxides * Red colour due to the presence of iron and aluminium minerals * As there is a moisture surplus in the equatorial climate(rainfall exceeds evapotranspiration), there is a downward movement of water through the soil * Silica materials are washed out of the A horizon and transported downwards by water by a process call ed leaching * Iron and aluminium compounds are less soluble and are left behind * The latosol is nutrient poor, plant uptake of nutrients is roughly equal to the input from decomposed litter * Soil moisture utilisation occurs throughout this period, as evaporation and transpiration exceed precipitation Vegetation Rainforests are the most diverse and productive biome, also the most fragile The vegetation is in harmony with its environment and is a climatic climax community where the dominant species are the hardwood trees * The net primary production of the rainforest is 2,200g M? yr the figure is high because the growing season lasts all year and the litter is rapidly decomposed, replacing nutrients taken up by the vegetation * There can be up to 300 species of trees in every Km? * The forest has a layered appearance, with the tallest trees(emergent's), standing up to 45m, above the canopy, the canopy absorbs most of the sunlight and intercepts most of the precipitation * When a tre e dies it brings down others as it falls, new trees grow quickly taking advantage of the light, it decomposes quickly assisted by detrivores and the hot and humid conditions * Fungi that grows on trees and has an important role in decomposing litterThe vegetation has developed and adapted to physical conditions of the rainforest: * The trees grow rapidly, the leaves at the tops of the trees absorb light and photosynthesise, the bark is thin as the trees don't need protection from harsh winter conditions * The top layer of soil contains the minerals the trees need, there is also an abundant supply of water, roots do not need to be deep e. g. buttress roots, also help to stabilise the trees * The leaves have adapted to the regular heavy rainfall by developing drip-trips, which allows excess water to be easily shed, the leaves are also thick and leathery to withstand strong sunlight and reduces the loss of water from the plant * Epiphytes grow on the trees, as the forest floor is dark * Rainforests form the habitat for a huge number of species The effects of human activity on plant succession Deforestation is the deliberate clearance of woodland by cutting, burning or the application of a defoliant * Climatic climax vegetation has been destroyed, this has resulted in both secondary succession and plagioclimax * The vegetation that replaces the original rainforest tends to be smaller in height and less diverse, with a reduction in the general biomass Causes of deforestation * Demand for hardwood, e. g. teak, its demand for building and furniture is increasing * Many developing countries rely on export earnings from timber to help pay their debts and finance major development projects * To provide land for rubber plantations, cattle ranches for beef farming, soya plantations, mining, roads and railways * Population pressure has also led to an increase in the clearance of rainforests Impacts of deforestation * As habitats shrink, plant species become endangered and the food chain within the forest is disrupted * Some animal species are threatened by extinction The vegetation protects the latosol soils from the regular heavy tropical downpours * Once the trees are removed the topsoil is open to erosion and to leaching of nutrients and minerals * Runoff causes sediment to block river channels and increases flooding * The microclimate of the forest is disturbed by deforestation-the daily water cycle of rapid evapotranspiration followed by afternoon precipitation cannot occur, there is less cloud cover and a greater temperature range * The use of burning leads to local air pollution and contributes to climate change7 * Economic benefits in terms of income from mining, farming and exports from hardwood * Culture of the indigenous people is destroyed and they may be forced to move from their land People are one of the arresting factors that interfere with plants succession. They can often stop a plant succession from growing and then when this is ma intained it is known as a plagioclimax. Sheep grazing on moorland is an example. A secondary succession is a plant succession that takes place on land that has already been colonised.Secondary succession can follow a natural disaster such as a volcanic eruption or a period of human intervention such as colonising a former quarry site. Much of the British Isles was covered in deciduous woodland with the climax species being either Oak or Ash depending on the soil and the underlying parent rock. This was largely cleared for agriculture and settlement which has started a plagioclimax in most areas of Britain. Tropical Biome – Savannah Grassland Climate: * Wet and dry seasons * 500-1000mm of rain per year * Hot throughout the year * High pressure and strong trade winds in the dry season * Wet season dominated by the ITCZ * Fires may occur caused by heat and lightning Vegetation: Trees dominate over grasses where the wet season is longer – dense rainforest towards the equat or * Grasses may be up to 2m tall – long roots * Deciduous * Adaptations include fire resistant bark, water storage etc. Soil: * Deep red lateric soils * Influenced by climate * Silica is leached downwards in the wet season * Crust formed in the dry season Biodiversity: * Greater towards the equator * Acacia, Baobab, Umbrella Thorn, Elephant Grass * Great animal migrations occur meaning that biodiversity drops at certain times * 40% of the land in Tanzania has been designated as a National Park to help conserve biodiversity * African Elephant, Black Rhino, Zebra and Cheetah are endangered The Savanna grassland biome ClimateThe tropical wet and dry climate of Africa shows seasonal variation in wind direction, precipitation and temperature Variations occur with increasing latitude from the equator Precipitation varies: * Equatorial rainforest margins more than 1,000mm per year, rain season lasts 10-11months * Desert/semi-arid margins are less than 500mm per year, away from the equator the reliability of the rainfall decreases, only 1-2 months rainy season Temperature varies: * The equatorial rainforest margin temperature range is 22Â °C in the wet season and 28Â °C in the dry season * On the desert margins the temperature range from 18Â °C in the wet season to 34Â °C in the dry seasonDuring the dry season, the subtropical anticyclone moves over the desert margins, the subsiding air of the high pressure suppresses convection, giving rise to clear skies and high daytime temperatures The trade winds blow from the high pressure towards the ITCZ, moves towards the coast. The air has a low moisture content, known as harmatten In the wet season, the ITCZ migrates polewards, it brings rainfall because uplift and convection are fed by moist, unstable, tropical maritime air, the poles have a short rainy season so have low annual rainfall Ecological responses soil moisture budgets e. g. Northern Ghana Soil moisture recharge-July to early August precipitation bec omes greater than evapotranspiration, rainwater fills the empty pores in the soil, reaches field capacitySoil moisture surplus- August-September, at field capacity, soil is saturated, rainwater has difficulty infiltrating ground leads to surface runoff, leads to high river levels Soil moisture utilisation-October, evapotranspiration begins to exceed precipitation, more water evaporating and being transpired by plants than falling as rain Soil moisture deficit- December, when soil moisture is used up, water deficit, plants can only survive if drought resistant, period continues until precipitation becomes greater than evapotranspiration Northern Ghana characteristics: * lengthy period of moisture deficit * Short period of moisture surplus * Total annual potential evapotranspiration greater than total potential precipitationAdaptations by vegetation * Vegetation in wetter areas consist of tall coarse grasses, with many deciduous trees- Tree savanna * Shorter tussock grass becomes domi nant in desert margins, accompanied by drought-resistant trees e. g. acacia and baobab, known as grassland and shrub savannas * Trees are deciduous, have hard leathery leaves to reduce transpiration losses, other plants are microphyllous (small leaves) for the same reason * In the tree savanna, isolated trees have low umbrella shaped crowns that shade root areas and reduce soil moisture evaporation Xerophytic characteristics, adaptations to dry surroundings: * dense cell fluids hard waxy leaves Reduce water loss * thorns and protected stomata Two main types of trees: i). Acacia-has a crown structure, often flattened by trade winds, loses leaves in the dry season ii). Baobab-thick spongy trunk, long tap roots, baobab is pyrophytic, withstand fire due to insulating bark Grassland savanna- grasses are tussocky, enables them to retain some moisture shrub or scrub savanna- there are many acacia trees, thorn bushes and short tufted grasses, fewer leaves so retain more water, turn blades a way from sun to reduce water loss Impact of human activity Two main effects on the vegetation: i).Grass is burnt off, better growth of young grass next season for grazing, regular burning makes it difficult for young trees and bushes to become established, dominated by herbaceous plants and indigenous woody plants that can survive fire e. g. acacia and baobab ii). Woody plants, killed by cattle eating their foliage, thorny animal-repellent trees and shrubs such as acacia, therefore become numerous The tropical monsoon forest biome Climate * High temperatures throughout the year, small annual range(19Â °C-30Â °C) because of the location within the tropics * Annual precipitation is high * Winds blow in from the ocean with very moist air and heavy rainfall during May-October, the rest of the year the air is drierEcological responses Soil moisture budgets * Precipitation is much higher than potential evapotranspiration during the wet season * High rainfall totals result in saturation of the soil, some of the moisture can be utilised by vegetation * A soil moisture deficits occurs by January, deciduous trees lose their leaves in response to drought conditions * The period of moisture deficit is shorter then that experienced in the tropical savanna biome * The months of surplus during the wet monsoon season result in the leaching of bases and silica and very little humus is allowed to develop in the top layers Adaptations by vegetation and animals The canopy is not continuous, tallest trees are smaller, provide an incomplete cover * This means there is less competition for light, allowing greater development of vegetation at lower levels * Fewer species of trees, common species are sal, pyinkado and teak all of which are economically valuable * Trees do not possess buttress roots and they develop large round crowns * The bark is often thick, to protect them from the harsh climate of the dry season, leaves are thin * Deciduous trees shed their leaves in response to a lack of moisture, to reduce transpiration during the dry season, this allows the light to reach the forest floor, leads to the development of dense undergrowth Impact of human activity * Tropical monsoon forests are fragile ecosystems, following deforestation almost impossible for existing food webs to continue, all rophic levels are affected, results in massive decrease in natural vegetation * Removal of monsoon forests due to increasing population pressure * Deforestation due to agricultural land and fuel wood due to rapidly increasing population * Teak has been exploited for export to developed countries, many indigenous species are endangered Development issues in the three biomes Brazil has the greatest species diversity, a smaller proportion of its land is protected than in Tanzania, in Tanzania 39. 6% of the land is designated National Parkland Species diversity is of crucial importance because: * Plants photosynthesise * Trees act as a carbon sink * Some species purify wa ter, fixing nitrogen, recycling nutrients and waste * Insects pollinate cropsIn all three biomes the natural environments are threatened by population growth and economic development Ecosystem issues on a local scale Conservation-preservation of the natural environment Ecology-the study of the relationships between living things and their environment Sustainable development-The management of resources in such a way that the ability of the system to replace itself is greater than the level of exploitation In urban areas they contain a wide variety of habitats e. g. industrial sites, derelict land and parks- thus difficult to make generalisations about urban ecology- all these habitats contain different mixes of flora and faunaThis means there are opportunities for secondary succession, particularly where land becomes derelict. Urban niches Many urban habitats are specialised, within one site a number of different niches or microhabitats might be available for plants and animals to co lonise. e. g. bare tarmac, stone walls, Mosses taking root on high buildings Colonisation of wasteland Plant succession-the change on a community of species over time, is brought about by changes in the microenvironment due to e. g. supply of new species, competition between species and changes in habitat The types of plants that can initially colonise are influenced by: i). Slope- horizontal surfaces debris accumulates, eventually develops into soil ii).Moisture availability-gentle slopes, rainwater accumulates and steep slopes-faster runoffs iii). Aspect-south facing slopes are warmer and drier iv). Porosity-(ability to hold water), the greater porosity the quicker the colonisation v). Surface roughness-allowing plants to get a hold vi). Pollution levels-substances that are toxic to plants e. g. lead, contaminates the ground Succession-e. g. Industrial site Stage 1: Pioneers- * Mosses and lichens are the first plants to develop on bare surfaces * Able to exist in areas with little water, obtaining nutrients through photosynthesis * When the plants die they provide a thin mat of organic matter, produces a protosoil that other species can root into Stage 2: Oxford ragwort- Cracks in the surface provide sheltered places for seeds to germinate and retain moisture * Oxford ragwort, wind-blown seeds, has a long flowering season 180-190 days, enables it to produce millions of seeds * At this stage, succession is usually rapid Stage 3: Tall herbs- * As these plants die they produce a thicker and more nutrient-rich soil * Taller plants that are more demanding of good growth conditions can become established e. g. Willowherb Stage 4: Grassland- * As soil enrichment continues, the amount of grass in the vegetation increases * Japanese knotweed, grow up to 3m in height, their dense canopies shade out most species beneath them Stage 5: Scrub woodland- Processes of soil enrichment and competition continues, taller herbaceous plants replaced by shrubs and eventually trees * As herbaceous plants thicken it becomes difficult for these small-seeded plants to establish As plant succession develops, there are changes to the fauna: * Soil fauna-increase in number of earthworms as soil improves and increase in the number and diversity of the insect population * Sub-stratum variations-caused by differences in the nature of the surface being colonised Ecologies along route ways * Routeways are distinctive habitats because exotic species of plants and insects may be brought in by traffic, provide wildlife corridors for e. g. oxes * Railway lines- during days of steam trains there were frequent fires which burnt of tall species (allowing light through) encouraging light-demanding species to establish * Windborne seeds can be sucked along by trains and a lack of human interference encourages wildlife e. g. badgers * The nitrogen-rich exhaust fumes boost the growth of some wild flowers and increase the presence of insects and animals further up the food chain * C anals act like long ponds providing a habitat for a variety of aquatic plants e. g. ducks Introduction of new species Cities are centres for the establishment and spread of foreign species, species: * Europe-e. g. Sycamore * Japan-e. g. Japanese KnotweedSuch species can be introduced by windblown seeds, seeds carriers by animals and forms of transport e. g. trains Urban areas are attractive because of the variety of habitats, the constant creation of new habitats and the reduced level of competition Gardens and parks Are areas where the vegetation is managed: * Species are introduced from overseas and others are removed or controlled by mowing, weeding or the use of pesticides/herbicides * Sports fields reduce the diversity of plant species by maintaining grass pitches * Altruistic motives- to give a dull urban area some colour and improving the aesthetic value of the area * Improving the visual outlook-hiding eyesores (e. g. actories) encourage businesses or residents to move in * Schools produce a diverse environment for study purposes * Local businesses may want a pleasant site to attract customers * Local authorities provide the public with an arboretum * Birdwatchers wish for a diverse environment to attract new species * Act as noise and pollution inhibitors * Provide shade in hot urban environments * Reduce soil erosion on embankments Changes in the rural urban fringe * Although much of the land on the rural/urban fringe is a green belt area meaning that it’s protected from development, there will be increasing pressure to do so as plans for 50,000 houses over the next few years. The rural urban fringe is under pressure from development, In the UK are designated green belt, with regulations that strictly control new development * Farmers face problems from illegal encampments, trespassing and vandalism * Secondary succession may begin on unintended fields with the growth of weeds * Despite a lack of investment, land prices are often high, due to speculation of future development, derelict land has an advantage in gaining planning permission * Recent government policy is in favour of sustainable development of the rural-urban fringe and the recycling of derelict/degraded land e. g. planting of woodland * Country parks are relatively unmanaged and harbour more natural plant communities, providing potential breeding sites for bird species. e. g. skylark Ecological conservation areas Conservation areas are developed for: * Encouraging wildlife back into cities * Making cheap use of an otherwise derelict area Reducing maintenance costs in an area * Maintaining a diverse species base and reintroducing locally extinct species Such work includes: * Planting of trees, planting of native species, dredging of ponds and soil improvements * Group organisations behind such conservation include: The National Trust Different groups have different priorities, local authorities have planning needs and have to balance the desire to make use o f derelict land against the potential cost to local taxpayers E. g. conservation groups want to create environments where traditional species can establish and local people want a safe environment for leisure Dulwich Upper Wood conservation area This was once a wooded area and the site of Crystal Palace however now it has been turned in to an ecological conservation area which is open and attempt to accommodate everyone. * Is open at all times * Has a network of trails, some are suitable for wheelchairs Species in the wood * Trees e. g. Oak and ash, ground in the wood is deeply shaded, only a few shrubs e. g. Laurel and a few plants from the ancient woodland e. g. bluebell * Over 250 types of fungi e. g. mushrooms, they live on dead wood or leaf litter helping to break down these materials and return nutrients to the soil * Many mammals e. g. foxes and over 40 species of birds e. g. woodpeckers Why the site is interesting? Conservation of both abandoned Victorian gardens and ancient woodland * A number of preserved and re-created habitats e. g. wet areas and herb gardens * The site is both managed and allowed to grow wild in some areas, a range of different habitats * Plenty of wildlife, over 40 species of birds * Original habitats preserved, enabling native species of plants and animals to survive * A good example of how habitats can be preserved and created and still allow public access through a network of trails * The site has an educational value with a posted nature trail Ecosystem issues on a global scale Human activity, biodiversity and sustainability * World’s population continues to grow, increasing the stress upon resources and environmental systems e. g. ater, land * Population and growth and economic development resulted in spiralling demand for natural resources and reduction in natural ecosystems and biodiversity * 2005, Millennium Ecosystem Assessment- stated that humans have changed ecosystems extensively, resulting in a substantial los s of the diversity of life on Earth * 1/3 of plant species are threatened globally and that climate change could result in the extinction of up to 1 million of the world’s species by 2050 * United Nations and the World Wide Fund for Nature are working to educate people to protect ecosystems and to support sustainable development * 1997 Kyoto conference on the environment resulted in the most industrialised countries agreeing to cut their carbon dioxide emissions by 30% by 2010 * UK government created the UK biodiversity Action Plan in 1994, setting aims for the next 20 years: * Protecting the best sites for wildlife-10% of the UK designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI’s) * Targeting action on priority species and habitats-2007 UK diversity Partnership published list of 1,149 priority species and 65 habitats * Embedding consideration of biodiversity and ecosystem services in all sections of policy * Encouraging people to change their behaviour, to environm ental issues Management of fragile environments A fragile environment lacks resilience to a change in conditions, many ecosystems are vulnerable to change e. g. introduction of foreign species CASE STUDY: Central Amazon Conservation Complex (tropical rainforests) The destruction of the Amazon rainforest has been particularly harmful to the biodiversity there. To prevent this some places have been protected by law meaning that they are undisturbed.There are three separate reserves which are linked and is known as the Central Amazon Conservation Complex. The total size of these three areas is bigger than Switzerland. 1. Jau National Park 2,272,000 ha 2. Mamiraua Sustainable Development Reserve 260,000 ha 3. Amana Sustainable Development Reserve 2,230,000 ha This is a UNESCO world heritage site is the second largest protected area of tropical rainforest in the world. The area is sparsely populated and there are no transport links other than boats. There are no major projects such as hy droelectric dams and some incidences of hunting and poaching by outsiders for commercial gain This area has one of the most diverse flora and fauna in the world.These include: * 200+ species of mammals * 500+ species of birds e. g. parrots * 300+ species of fish * Reptiles and amphibians e. g. coral snake Some of these are endangered which means that the area requires extra protection. e. g. spider monkey and puma Management The management has three main functions: * To protect the land and to minimise the impact of human activity * To research, catalogue and protect biodiversity * To manage specific activities, such as tourism They have drawn up a zoning plan which shows how much activity has been going on in each area. 1. Primitive Zone – Minimal human intervention as this is land of great natural beauty 2.Extensive Use Zone – There has been a small amount of activity 3. Intensive Use Zone – Environment has been significantly altered due to human intervention 4. Special Use Zone – where services operate to monitor an protect the rainforest A management strategy was developed by local communities and with other representatives resulted in: * Hunting and logging for commercial gain is prohibited * Inhabitants receive environmental education and improved healthcare * Increased economic production from natural resources, ensure a sustainable future for those in the rainforest * Zoning and protection, resulted in an increase in the productivity of the forest and aquatic resourcesCASE STUDY: Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania (savanna grasslands) * The parkland occupies 2,305,100 ha, known for herds of wildebeest, 1,300,000 * Endangered species, African elephant, perhaps only 2,000 left * More than 500 species of birds e. g. flamingo * Populated by the Masai Mara, who have an extensive system of land management which requires large areas for the grazing of cattle and Mara’s cultural code forbids th e eating of wild animals, so biodiversity is protected History * Today over 52,000 Masai Mara * 1980’s, economic situation improved, tourism increased which allowed the park authorities to rebuild the infrastructure and to re-establish anti-poaching units * 90,000 visitors a year, although tourism is managed sustainably-200,000 animals are still illegally killed by poachers each year Management Buffer zones called community Wildlife Management Areas * Local people are encouraged and have legal rights to make decisions regarding the management of wildlife, hoping to curb illegal poaching * 36% of the population live below the poverty line has resulted in ever increasing pressure on existing resources * A new threat to the natural grasslands is the invasion of the non-native Mexican prickly poppy, rapidly takes over an overgrazed land crowding out native species * Tanzania is committed to protecting 42,000km? of land, UK has 1/10 of the land protected The main aim is to preserv e the country’s rich natural heritage and to provide securing breeding grounds for its flora and fauna , safe from the conflicting interests of a growing human population The Sundarbans Reserved Forest, Bangladesh (tropical monsoon forest) Population pressure in Bangladesh is severe, large areas of the forest have been cleared to provide more space for agriculture and settlement e. g. 1000 inhabit every km? Threats A number of risks threaten the Sundarbans: * Climate change- sea levels are rising at 3mm a year, cause flooding of low lying delta land * Abstraction of water-40% reduction in flow leading to increased salinity of the land and water * Deforestation-e. g. in the Himalayas leading to greater volumes of silt being deposited by rivers * 3 million people live in small villages * Fishing camps are a major disturbance in the area, with some illegal hunting and trapping of species e. g. turtles * Water pollution e. g. Khulna aquatic wildlife badly affected * Natural disas ters e. g. 2007 a cyclone killed 3,000 people and most of the larger trees were uprooted Flora and faunaThe Sundarbans consists of a vast network of rivers, mudflats and islands which are vegetated by mangroves(salt tolerant trees), act as natural buffers against storm surges and protect the land from tropical cyclones which occur during the summer monsoon season Endangered predators in this eco-region e. g. Royal Bengal tiger estimated at 350 Management * There are seven conservation areas, including three wildlife sanctuaries * Under the wildlife act of 1974 it is illegal to cultivate the land within the conservation areas or to introduce domestic animals * There is not enough staff or structures in place to enforce the law * The threats to the area require more cross border cooperation with India as well as financial support * Plans must include a high degree of local community involvement to allow sustainable use of the forest

Short Run and Long Run

A2 Markets & Market Systems Short Run and Long Run Production|   | As part of our introduction to the theory of the firm, we first consider the nature of production of different goods and services in the short and long run. The concept of a production functionThe production function is a mathematical expression which relates the quantity of factor inputs to the quantity of outputs that result. We make use of three measures of production / productivity. * Total product is simply the total output that is generated from the factors of production employed by a business.In most manufacturing industries such as motor vehicles, freezers and DVD players, it is straightforward to measure the volume of production from labour and capital inputs that are used. But in many service or knowledge-based industries, where much of the output is â€Å"intangible† or perhaps weightless we find it harder to measure productivity * Average product is the total output divided by the number of units of the variable factor of production employed (e. g. utput per worker employed or output per unit of capital employed) * Marginal product is the change in total product when an additional unit of the variable factor of production is employed. For example marginal product would measure the change in output that comes from increasing the employment of labour by one person, or by adding one more machine to the production process in the short run. The Short Run Production FunctionThe short run is defined in economics as a period of time where at least one factor of production is assumed to be in fixed supply i. e. it cannot be changed.We normally assume that the quantity of capital inputs (e. g. plant and machinery) is fixed and that production can be altered by suppliers through changing the demand for variable inputs such as labour, components, raw materials and energy inputs. Often the amount of land available for production is also fixed. The time periods used in textbook economics are somewhat arbitrary because they differ from industry to industry. The short run for the electricity generation industry or the telecommunications sector varies from that appropriate for newspaper and magazine publishing and small-scale production of foodstuffs and beverages.Much depends on the time scale that permits a business to alter all of the inputs that it can bring to production. In the short run, the law of diminishing returns states that as we add more units of a variable input (i. e. labour or raw materials) to fixed amounts of land and capital, the change in total output will at first rise and then fall. Diminishing returns to labour occurs when marginal product of labour starts to fall. This means that total output will still be rising – but increasing at a decreasing rate as more workers are employed.As we shall see in the following numerical example, eventually a decline in marginal product leads to a fall in average product. What happens to marginal product is linked directly to the productivity of each extra worker employed. At low levels of labour input, the fixed factors of production – land and capital, tend to be under-utilised which means that each additional worker will have plenty of capital to use and, as a result, marginal product may rise.Beyond a certain point however, the fixed factors of production become scarcer and new workers will not have as much capital to work with so that the capital input becomes diluted among a larger workforce. As a result, the marginal productivity of each worker tends to fall – this is known as the principle of diminishing returns. An example of the concept of diminishing returns is shown below. We assume that there is a fixed supply of capital (e. g. 20 units) available in the production process to which extra units of labour are added from one person through to eleven. Initially the marginal product of labour is rising. * It peaks when the sixth worked is employed when the mar ginal product is 29. * Marginal product then starts to fall. Total output is still increasing as we add more labour, but at a slower rate. At this point the short run production demonstrates diminishing returns. The Law of Diminishing Returns | Capital Input| Labour Input| Total Output| Marginal Product| Average Product of Labour| 20| 1| 5|   | 5| 20| 2| 16| 11| 8| 20| 3| 30| 14| 10| 20| 4| 56| 26| 14| 20| 5| 85| 28| 17| 20| 6| 114| 29| 19| 20| 7| 140| 26| 20| 0| 8| 160| 20| 20| 20| 9| 171| 11| 19| 20| 10| 180| 9| 18| 20| 11| 187| 7| 17| Average product will continue to rise as long as the marginal product is greater than the average – for example when the seventh worker is added the marginal gain in output is 26 and this drags the average up from 19 to 20 units. Once marginal product is below the average as it is with the ninth worker employed (where marginal product is only 11) then the average will decline. This marginal-average relationship is important to understanding the nature of short run cost curves.It is worth going through this again to make sure that you understand it. Criticisms of the Law of Diminishing ReturnsHow realistic is this notion of diminishing returns? Surely ambitious and successful businesses do what they can to avoid such a problem emerging. It is now widely recognised that the effects of globalisation, and in particular the ability of trans-national corporations to source their factor inputs from more than one country and engage in rapid transfers of business technology and other information, makes the concept of diminishing returns less relevant in the real world of business.You may have read about the expansion of â€Å"out-sourcing† as a means for a business to cut their costs and make their production processes as flexible as possible. In many industries as a business expands, it is more likely to experience increasing returns. After all, why should a multinational business spend huge sums on expensive research and development and investment in capital machinery if a business cannot extract increasing returns and lower unit costs of production from these extra inputs? Long run production – returns to scaleIn the long run, all factors of production are variable.How the output of a business responds to a change in factor inputs is called returns to scale. * Increasing returns to scale occur when the % change in output > % change in inputs * Decreasing returns to scale occur when the % change in output < % change in inputs * Constant returns to scale occur when the % change in output = % change in inputs *    A numerical example of long run returns to scale| Units of Capital| Units of Labour| Total Output| % Change in Inputs| % Change in Output| Returns to Scale| 20| 150| 3000|   |   |   | 0| 300| 7500| 100| 150| Increasing| 60| 450| 12000| 50| 60| Increasing| 80| 600| 16000| 33| 33| Constant| 100| 750| 18000| 25| 13| Decreasing| In the example above, we increase the inputs of capital and labour by the same proportion each time. We then compare the % change in output that comes from a given % change in inputs. * In our example when we double the factor inputs from (150L + 20K) to (300L + 40K) then the percentage change in output is 150% – there are increasing returns to scale. In contrast, when the scale of production is changed from (600L + 80K0 to (750L + 100K) then the percentage change in output (13%) is less than the change in inputs (25%) implying a situation of decreasing returns to scale. As we shall see a later, the nature of the returns to scale affects the shape of a business’s long run average cost curve. The effect of an increase in labour productivity at all levels of employment Productivity may have been increased through the effects of technological change; improved incentives; better management or the effects of work-related training which boosts the skills of the employed labour force. |

building better credit report essays

building better credit report essays The American dream is a puzzle, both for those who study it and for those who pursue it. We should never forget that this dream is connected to the credit as much as a fragile flower to the sun. What would you say is the American dream? Todays American dream, Lendol Calder, author of the Financing the American Dream replies, includes a house in the suburbs with a backyard for the kids to play in, a patio for barbecues, a shady street bright and obedient children, camping trips, fishing, two family cars, seeing the kids taking parts in school and church plays, and online access to the world (3). This is not the end of the puzzle. In fact, its just the beginning. To reach this dream is necessary to keep credit clean and under control. There are important things that need to be done to improve credit. There are three important players in the consumer credit game; creditors, credit reporting services and credit repairing agencies. All of them are in the game to make money but none of them are truly here to help the consumers. Creditors are the first one. They allow clients, purchasers, customers and buyers to use future income to purchase goods and services today. In exchange, creditors expect to make their own profit by applying interest (Hammond 17-18). All the creditors put trust in one another significant player in the credit game, the credit reporting service. Information on millions of American consumers is gathered by these services to provide creditors with credit histories on every one of them. Three national agencies compile credit reports; Experian, Equifax and Trans union. In fact This information is provided to them by individual creditors such as department stores, mortgage companies and banks, known as subscribers in credit bureau parlance. (qtd. i n Hammond 18). Consumers credit history is being evaluated each time they apply for new cred...

International Business strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

International Business strategy - Essay Example The importance of doing business globally helps an organization build a wider base of customers and coming up with products that satisfy customers needs and wants. Moreover, international business helps utilize excess manufacturing capacity that is not being utilized. In addition, it also enhances lower production costs through using low prices abroad (Ansoff & McDonnell, 2000). The Coca Cola Company is a multinational company that deals with selling of soft drinks is successful in the implementation of its strategies. For instance, the company has invested a lot in marketing globally and this is the reason the business is doing so well. Organizations that operate globally have a strong international vision and have international management experience as well as developing strong working partnerships with other countries. Moreover, the typical goal for doing business internationally is to grow and gain expansion. In addition, international business strategy is about manufacturing and selling products that relate to the degree of product standardization and the response from the business environment (Steiner, 2010). Foreign market entry strategies vary according to the business transactions and the country in which an organization wants to conduct business. Firstly, the importation and exportation of goods and services to and from other nations enhances products to be transported from one country to another. Organizations that export their products are able to advertise and market their products in foreign markets thus gaining a competitive advantage. The other ways that organizations enter other markets is through licensing where the international licensing firm gives the licensee exclusive rights, trademark rights, copyrights, and the knowledge of products and services. In return, licensee produces the licensors products and markets them in the assigned areas. This method is normally welcomed by nations because of

Developing a Personal Leadership Style Research Paper

Developing a Personal Leadership Style - Research Paper Example This style is considered outmoded and inappropriate in the modern society overfilled with democratic points of view.  This type can be characterized as â€Å"one person rules†. It means, the decision-making process is conducted only by one certain person, and other participators of the process are obliged to act according to the demands of that person. Thus, a communication between the leader and inferiors develops only on the professional level. However, sometimes it is the only way of acting that can help achieve the target aims. For instance, the police officer that is giving the commands to the criminal, or the tutor that is telling the student to complete the certain task, utilize this style of headship. At the same time, Salin and Hoel (2010) argue that this type of headship leads to appearance of climate of fear, which can be a great pitfall on the way to goals’ achievement. Nevertheless, if the person needs this type to be developed, he or she should train the ability to establish certain tasks and be responsible for all the outcomes.Paternalistic This type can be characterized as cooperating with inferiors like father with children. The main advantage of this style is high level of trust between the person in charge and the participators of certain space. Nevertheless, this can also lead to the situation when several participators could become favorites while others may remain unheeded. This, in turn, can be the reason for many dismissals of the participators that simply wish to become more valuable.