Sapientia
Repositório Científico da UAlg
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A millennium of coastside occupation. Micromorphological insights from the indigenous site of Las Estacas Cave, Tenerife
Publication . García‐Villa, Pedro; Hernández, Cristo M.; Mallol, Carolina
The archaeological site of Las Estacas Cave (NW Tenerife, Canary Islands) preserves some of the earliest human occupations in Tenerife, dating to the 2nd century CE, spanning the entire pre‐European time range up to the 15th century. Using soil micromorphology, this study applies a geoarchaeological approach to reconstruct site formation processes and human activities through the analysis of 12 thin sections from 9 stratigraphic units, covering most of the sequence. The deposit is largely geogenic and consists of autochthonous basalt fragments, detrital volcanic gravel, and aeolian quartz grains from the Sahara Desert in a spongy clayey matrix characteristic of sodic coastal soils. Aridification evidence in the soil is observed from Unit IV onwards, spanning roughly from the 11th to 15th century. Certain stratigraphic Units (VIII, VII, IV, and II) exhibit increased concentrations of microscopic anthropogenic particles and clear evidence of sedimentary reworking due to trampling. The dominance of geogenic sedimentation and sporadic anthropogenic signals implies episodic use of the cave rather than continuous occupation. The results highlight the interplay between natural depositional processes and human activities in shaping the cave's archaeological record. This study demonstrates the value of microstratigraphic, microcontextual approaches for understanding coastal indigenous sites in Tenerife.
The impact of manager reputation incentive, and manager conservatism on accrual-based earnings management: understanding managers' gender
Publication . Arianpoor, Arash; ABDOLLAHI, AHMAD
Purpose – This study explores the effects of managerial reputation incentives and conservatism on accrualbased earnings management (AEM) in firms listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE). Design/methodology/approach – Thisstudy examined data from 191 firms between 2014 and 2023. Managers’ age and signatures are psychological indicators of reputation, motivation, and conservatism, respectively. Findings – The results show that managers’ reputation incentives (MREP) have a significant positive effect on AEM, while manager conservatism (MCON) has a significant negative effect. The hypotheses were examined specifically for highly constrained firms as part of the robustness testing. Moreover, no reverse causality was found, confirming the assumed theoretical direction. MREP and MCON have a significantly stronger impact on AEM among female executives in large firms. Originality/value – MREP and MCON can each serve a dual function in the AEM, illustrating the complex interactions among motivation, ability, and various characteristics. These behavioral traits have received limited empirical attention, particularly in emerging markets. This study addresses the gaps in these relationships and suggests an improved decision-making strategy.
The ecosystem services of irrigated orchards: a review
Publication . Matias, Pedro; Trindade, Ana Rita; Magalhães, Tomás Thormann Abranches de; Lisboa de Souza Junior, Silvio; Zarcos Duarte, Beatriz; Guerreiro David Coelho, Luísa Isabel; Freitas, Miguel João Pisoeiro de; Barrote, Isabel; Duarte, Amilcar
In the context of global population growth and intensifying climate change, ensuring food security remains a critical challenge. Orchards are more productive than arable crops, contributing significantly to the nutrition of a growing population. Ecologically, due to the absence of frequent soil tillage, orchards resemble natural forest ecosystems more closely than other agricultural systems. Irrigated orchards are particularly productive and enhance biodiversity in territories where water scarcity is the limiting factor for ecosystems. This review, the result of extensive reflection and a comprehensive analysis of the literature on orchard sustainability, synthesizes evidence on the diverse ecosystem services provided by these perennial systems. Due to their structural complexity, well-managed orchards contribute significantly to climate regulation through carbon sequestration, microclimate cooling, and soil erosion prevention. Furthermore, they support nutrient cycling and provide cultural value. This paper establishes an integrated scientific framework to inform evidence-based policies and reshape societal perceptions. It argues that recognizing orchards as multifunctional landscapes, rather than mere resource consumers, is critical for environmental resilience, supporting their fair valuation as essential components of a sustainable bioeconomy.
Do personality traits matter for safety behaviour? The boundary role of safety training
Publication . Sousa, Cátia; Coelho, Anne
Safety behaviour in the workplace is influenced by both individual characteristics and organizational practices; however, the conditions under which these factors interact remain insufficiently understood. Drawing on an interactionist perspective, this study examines whether perceived safety training effectiveness functions as a contextual condition that shapes the influence of personality traits on safety behaviour. A cross-sectional design was adopted, and data were collected through an online questionnaire from 268 workers across diverse professional backgrounds. Measures included safety behaviour, personality traits (neuroticism and conscientiousness), and perceived safety training effectiveness. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, multiple regression, and moderation analyses, controlling for age and gender. The results showed that neuroticism was negatively associated with safety behaviour, whereas conscientiousness did not present a significant effect when perceived safety training effectiveness was included in the model. Perceived safety training effectiveness emerged as the strongest predictor of safety behaviour. Importantly, perceived safety training effectiveness moderated the relationship between conscientiousness and safety behaviour, such that its influence was stronger at lower levels of training and diminished as training increased. These findings suggest that perceived safety training effectiveness was associated with a weaker relationship between conscientiousness and safety behaviour. By suggesting that the relationship between personality traits and safety behaviour may depend on organizational conditions, this study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of safety behaviour and highlights the central role of training as a key organizational resource for promoting safer work practices.
Diet and feeding strategies of myctophids in the Northeast Atlantic
Publication . García-Seoane, Eva; Cruz, Joana; Garrido, Susana; Melle, Webjørn
The trophic ecology of myctophids was investigated during spring 2019 in a large geographical span in the Northeast Atlantic (from Cape Verde to northern France), covering oligotrophic open ocean waters off south Iberia to the productive coastal areas of western Morocco. A total of 417 stomachs from 22 different myctophid species were analysed. Myctophids from the southern areas (from 20 to 42°N) mostly fed on copepods, whereas amphipods were the main prey of myctophids collected in the northern stations (from 42 to 48°N). The calanoids Pleuromamma spp. and Candacia spp., amphipods, euphausiids and decapod larvae were the most positively selected prey by all myctophid species, whenever these prey were present. Pleuromamma spp. were the most important prey for most species, with the largest average contribution to dietary carbon (49.6 ± 21.1%), while Candacia spp. were the dominant prey of Lampanyctus ater (contributing to 40.3% of the estimated dietary carbon), and amphipods were the dominant prey for Hygophum benoiti (39.0%), Myctophum punctatum (58.4%) and Symbolophorus veranyi (56.0%). Results of the present study indicate that myctophids in the Northeast Atlantic are mainly characterized by specialized feeding strategies, although some species showed mixed strategies (Ceratoscopelus warmingii, Lepidophanes gaussi, Lobianchia dofleini and Lobianchia gemellarii) and a few species (Hygophum hygomii, H. benoiti and S. veranyi) showed a generalized feeding strategy. Our data provide key knowledge for food web and ecosystem studies and contribute to determining the trophodynamics of the global mesopelagic fish community.