Order of arrival promotes coexistence via spatial niche preemption by the weak competitor

Historical contingency, such as the order of species arrival, can modify competitive outcomes via niche modification or preemption. However how these mechanisms ultimately modify stabilising niche and average fitness differences remains largely unknown. By experimentally assembling two congeneric spider mite species feeding on tomato plants during two generations, we show that order of arrival interacts with species’ competitive ability to determine competitive outcomes. Contrary to expectations, we did not observe that order of arrival cause priority effects. In fact, coexistence was predicted when the inferior competitor (Tetranychus urticae) arrived first. In that case, T. urticae colonized the preferred feeding stratum (leaves) of T. evansi leading to spatial niche preemption, which equalized fitness but also increased niche differences, driving community assembly to a close-to-neutrality scenario. Our study demonstrates how the spatial context of competitive interactions interact with species competitive ability to influence the effect of order of arrival on species coexistence.

Intrinsic Motivation, Psychological Needs, and Competition

Competition is an apt place to experience intrinsic motivation, as competitive settings are often rich with optimal challenges and immediate, effectance-relevant feedback. Yet competition can also undermine intrinsic motivation and sustained engagement by introducing controlling pressures and negative feedback. To explain the contrasting effects of competitive settings on intrinsic motivation, this chapter presents a self-determination theory analysis. According to the theory, when elements of competitive settings are experienced as controlling or pressuring, they undermine competitors’ autonomy, decreasing intrinsic motivation. However, when these elements are perceived as both non-controlling and competence-informing, they can satisfy both autonomy and competence needs, enhancing intrinsic motivation. Unpacking these motivational crosscurrents, the authors identify the motivational implications of different elements of competition, including competitive set, pressure to win, feedback and competitive outcomes, challenge, leaders’ motivating styles, team interpersonal climate, and intrapersonal events such as ego-involvement. The authors also examine both positive and negative effects of competition on the need for relatedness. The chapter concludes by discussing how conditions that foster the need-satisfying aspects of competition not only enhance intrinsic motivation but also help prevent the emergence of competition’s darker sides, such as cheating, doping, objectifying opponents, aggression, and poor sportspersonship.

Order of arrival promotes coexistence via spatial niche preemption by the weak competitor

Historical contingency, such as the order of species arrival, can modify competitive outcomes via niche modification or preemption. However, how these mechanisms ultimately modify stabilising niche and average fitness differences remains largely unknown. By experimentally assembling two congeneric spider mite species feeding on tomato plants during two generations, we show that order of arrival interacts with species' competitive ability to determine competitive outcomes. Contrary to expectations, we did not observe that order of arrival cause priority effects. In fact, coexistence was predicted when the inferior competitor (Tetranychus urticae) arrived first. In that case, T. urticae colonized the preferred feeding stratum (leaves) of T. evansi leading to spatial niche preemption, which equalized fitness but also increased niche differences, driving community assembly to a close-to-neutrality scenario. Our study demonstrates how the spatial context of competitive interactions interact with species competitive ability to influence the effect of order of arrival on species coexistence.

Internal devaluation: A controversial effort for adjustment within the Euro area

The euro crisis and its lessons are still not a closed chapter for economists and policy makers. The challenge to find the most appropriate ways to prevent intra-area imbalances is still on the top of the agenda. Nominal adjustment (internal devaluation) remains one of the most critical aspects of this debate. Many are indeed interested in whether austerity measures in several countries “made sense.” But much more is at stake here than evaluating the past. The true question is whether the eurozone can rely on nominal adjustment to align internal economic fluctuations. This paper contributes to the answer by investigating the size of price changes and their impacts on output and trade in the wake of the euro crisis. Selecting the most appropriate variables to measure competitive outcomes, the basic idea of “expansionary contraction” is tested. We rely on a comprehensive panel of all Eurozone member states in the post-crisis years (2010–2017). The results suggest that flexible price levels cannot be taken for granted, and a link to competitiveness is not self-evident, either. Other channels of adjustment may prove to be more important, but scaling them up will ultimately require a sound consensus on the future architecture of the euro.

ENTREPRENEURIAL MONEY MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND COMPETITIVE OUTCOMES OF SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES

This study aimed at determining the effect of entrepreneurial money management practices on competitive outcomes of small and medium enterprises. The specific objectives of the study were to; assess the entrepreneurial money management practices of small and medium enterprises, determine the competitive outcomes of small and medium enterprises and to determine the relationship between entrepreneurial money management practices and competitive outcomes of small and medium enterprises. The study used both descriptive, cross-sectional and correlation research designs. The target population was 324 SMEs trading in Trans Nzoia county out of which 179 were sampled to participate in this study. The sampling method used was stratified and simple random sampling. The research instruments reliability test had a Cronbach alpha value of 0.825 which was above the threshold. The study findings indicated that entrepreneurial money management practices among SMEs was moderately embraced affecting their competitive outcomes. The study results also indicated that competitive outcomes of SMEs were dismal affecting their graduation into large enterprises. It was also found that there existed a positive significant relationship between entrepreneurial money management practices and competitive outcomes of SMEs. The study concluded that for SMEs to realize their competitive outcomes of increasing their respective product portfolio and increased revenue, it’s imperative that they apply entrepreneurial money management practices of prioritized financing, budgeting and adequate working capital to graduate SMEs to large enterprises. The study recommended that SMEs to allocate the realized financial resource prudently to exploit opportunities available to them to remain competitive. The study also recommended that SMEs should prioritize on innovations to differentiate themselves in the overcrowded market by expanding their bundle of product portfolio and also the government to formulate workable SME policies which impart entrepreneurial money management practices to improve SME performance. Keywords: Entrepreneurial, Money Management Practices, Competitive Outcomes, Small and Medium Enterprises.

Competitive outcomes between native and invasive plants are linked to shifts in the bacterial rhizosphere microbiome

Background: Rhizosphere microbiomes have received growing attention in recent years for their role in plant health, stress tolerance, soil nutrition, and invasive species dominance. Still, relatively little is known about how these microbial communities are altered under plant competition, and even less about whether these shifts are tied to competitive outcomes between native and invasive plant species. We investigated the structure and diversity of rhizosphere bacterial and fungal microbiomes of native annual forbs and invasive annual grasses individually and in competition using high-throughput amplicon sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene and the fungal ITS region. We assessed how significant shifts in key microbial families correlate to plant competitive responses through changes in biomass (log competitive response ratios). Results: We find that bacterial diversity and structure differ between invasive grasses and native forbs, but fungal diversity and structure do not. Further, bacterial community structures under competition are distinct from both individual forb and grass bacterial community structures. We identified four bacterial families (Burkholderiaceae, Methylophilaceae, Clostridiaceae_1, and Fibrobacteraceae) that varied in relative abundance between treatments and that were significantly correlated with plant competitive responses. Conclusions: Invasive grass dominance may be partially due to effects on the rhizosphere community of native forbs, with changes in specific bacterial families potentially benefiting grasses at the expense of native forbs. Our study underscores the importance of considering plant-rhizosphere interactions for understanding outcomes of plant invasion on grassland ecosystems.

On Fixing International Cricket Matches

Corruption is hidden action which distorts allocations of resources away from competitive outcomes. Hence the detection of such actions is both difficult yet important. In many economic contexts, agent actions are unobservable by principals and hence detection is difficult; sport offers a well-measured context in which individual actions are documented in great detail. In recent years the sport of cricket, which records a huge volume of statistics, has been beset by a number of corruption scandals surrounding the fixing of matches. We use 18 one day international (ODI) matches that are known to be fixed by one of the teams involved and analyse a wide range of observed statistics from all ODI matches since 1971, in order to determine whether corruption manifests itself in recorded outcomes. We find that corruption does affect a number of observed outcomes in anticipated ways, suggesting that both the increased reporting of statistics, and the statistical analysis of them may be a useful tool in detecting corruption.

Return-to-Play and Competitive Outcomes After Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction Among Baseball Players: A Systematic Review

Background: Ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction (UCLR) is very common in baseball. However, no review has compared the return-to-play (RTP) and in-game performance statistics of pitchers after primary and revision UCLR as well as of position players after UCLR. Purpose: To review, synthesize, and evaluate the published literature on outcomes after UCLR in baseball players to determine RTP and competitive outcomes among various populations of baseball players. Study Design: Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: A literature search including studies between 1980 and November 4, 2019, was conducted for articles that included the following terms: ulnar collateral ligament, elbow, medial collateral ligament, Tommy John surgery, throwing athletes, baseball pitchers, biomechanics, and performance. To be included, studies must have evaluated baseball players at any level who underwent UCLR (primary or revision) and assessed RTP and/or competitive outcomes. Results: A total of 29 studies with relatively high methodological quality met the inclusion criteria. After primary UCLR, Major League Baseball (MLB) pitchers returned to play in 80% to 97% of cases in approximately 12 months; however, return to the same level of play (RTSP) was less frequent and took longer, with 67% to 87% of MLB pitchers returning in about 15 months. RTP rates for MLB pitchers after revision UCLR were slightly lower, ranging from 77% to 85%, while RTSP rates ranged from 55% to 78%. RTP rates for catchers (59%-80%) were generally lower than RTP rates for infielders (76%) and outfielders (89%). All studies found a decrease in pitching workloads after UCLR. Fastball usage may also decrease after UCLR. Changes in earned run average and walks plus hits per inning pitched were inconclusive. Conclusion: Pitchers returned to play after UCLR in approximately 12 months and generally took longer to return to their same level of play. Pitchers also returned to play less frequently after revision UCLR. After both primary and revision UCLR, professional pitchers experienced decreased workloads and potentially decreased fastball usage as well. Catchers may RTP after UCLR less frequently than pitchers, infielders, and outfielders possibly because of the frequency of throwing in the position. These results will help guide clinical decision making and patient education when treating UCL tears in baseball players.

Temperature-dependent competitive outcomes between the fruit flies Drosophila santomea and D. yakuba

Changes in temperature associated with climate change can alter species’ distributions, drive adaptive evolution, and, in some cases, cause extinction. Research has tended to focus on the direct effects of temperature, but changes in temperature can also have indirect effects on populations and species. Here we test whether temperature can indirectly affect the fitness of Drosophila santomea and D. yakuba by altering interspecific competitive outcomes. We show that, when raised in isolation, both D. santomea and D. yakuba show maximal performance at temperatures near 22°C. However, when raised together, D. santomea outcompetes D. yakuba at a lower temperature (18°C), while D. yakuba outcompetes D. santomea at a higher temperature (25°C). We then use a ‘coexistence’ experiment to show that D. santomea is rapidly (within 8 generations) extirpated when maintained with D. yakuba at 25°C. By contrast, D. santomea remains as (or more) abundant than D. yakuba over the course of ~10 generations when maintained at 18°C. Our results provide an example of how the thermal environment can indirectly affect interspecific competitive outcomes and suggest that changes in the competitive advantage of species can lead to some species becoming more prone to extinction by competitive exclusion.